Obv. FM^VAhDVS. Cross.
Rev. ff* CVDbEVR. Cross. (N° i.)
I still hold to the attribution of this sceatta to Aethil-
wald I. (77^ 7^9) owing to the ancient appearance which
is unmistakeable, the metal, amount of debasement, and
lastly to the survivals of runic letters, but I find that a
more careful survey of the reverse legend might seem to
warrant a different reading to the above, and to negative
the idea that it is the name of a moneyer « Cuthbeart».
I now believe that the proper reading is.
Rev. SCVDbEVRT.
and I suggest that it was struck by Aelfwald I, King of
North-Humbria, in commemoration of S'Cuthbert, and
that the quotation given in the Archoeologia Aemiliana
may, refer to this or subsequent commemorative coins.
S Cuthbert, as is well known, was the sixth Bishop of
Lindisfarne (685-688) and it was only by the earnest
entreaty of King Ecfrith (1), on bended knee, and that
of the whole synod, that he was prevailed upon to quit
his solitude of hermit, and discharge his episcopal duties.
Ceolwulf (2), who reigned 781-737, gifted the
church with numerous possessions and, after resigning
his crown, became a monk of Lindisfarne, and his head
was found in the coffin of S‘ Cuthbert in 1 ro4_
It is probable that the extreme veneration with which
this saint was held by the rulers and people of North-
Humbria might have predisposed those in authority to
place his name on the coinage at a time when it was not
customary for moneyers to do so, and this may account
for so unusual a legend replacing the traditional animal
1) Saint-Cuthbert, Raine, pg. 26.
(a) Ibid , pg. 3g.
by the name of so revered a saint. During the reign of
Aelfwald I the body of S' Cuthbert was still at Lindisfarne
untouched by the heathen Danes although the latter
had stripped the Abbey of all their valuables (i).
There is also, in my collection, a remarkable sceatta
which formerly belonged to the late Sir John Evans,
and of which a variety was sold in the Rashleigh
sale (2), these two being the only ones known to exist.
Obv. ED*LRED. Cross.
Rev. $ Z KIGVD. The shrine of S' Cuthbert sideways
? (N° 2 .)
I would suggest for this reverse S[epulclirum] S[an]
C[t]I CVD [berhti].
Both the S’s are Runic survivals, and the C of Sancti
may be compared to that in S' Cuthberts coffin exhumed
and examined on May 17th 1827 (3).
N* 2.
V Y £
Professor Stevens pointed out that this was the Runic
(t) Ibid., pg. 40.
(2) Lot 141 A.
(3) S t e v e n s . Runic Monuments. Vol. II, pg. 449.