equivalent of SGS. and that it was preceded by a short
Word of not more than three letters the last of which
was clearly an S in the same Runic character, the last
but.one being apparently an 11, making the whole
inscription an abbreviation of IESUS SANCTUS.
Mr Haigh (i) showed that these two characters for S
and C seemed to belong to a different futhorc to the
majority of the alphabets, and one which was peculiar
to Northumbria. The letter « cen» may also be compared
with that in the alphabet of(Nemnious which was, I
believe, of Northern origin.
The small letter which I take to be an I on the coin
seems to have been placed out of order perhaps to save
space, and for symmetry; the design in the field of the
reverséis, I suggest, a rude conception of the Saints shrine
seen sideways. If this is the case it is of the usual early
shape and may be compared with that given by Professor
Stevens (2) of a similar article. A
Concerning therefore the appropriation of these two
sceattas I propose that they be placed to the second reign
of Aethelred I (790-796), leaving the unique sceatta of
the same King with the animal reverse, which is in my
collection, to the first period of his reign (774-776)- It
is probable that the latter King would mint his first
coins in the style of his predecessors.
I have not seen, nor is the existence known of two
sceattas, one reading ED ELRED. Rev. CVDCILZ (ex
Brummel (3) collection), and one in the Rich (4) cabinet
(1 ) S t e v e n s . Runic Monuments. Vol. II, pg. 4 7 6A .
(2) Num. Chron.y 3*d series. XII, pg. 87.
( 3) Sold at Sotheby’s, July ^ 1828. Lot. 4 .
(4 ) Saxon-Conquest o f B rita in , Haigh pg. 4 6 .
described as reading CILS EDXLRED REX. The first
coin may be one of the ones described in this paper.
N* 3.
There is also, in connection with the question of
Saint Cuthbert’s pence, a difficult and unreadable
legend on a penny of Alfred the Great.
Obv. ~r TEL FRE DRE. In centre a small cross pat-
tée within circle.
liev. S O R SSC in two lines divided by three crosses
pattée, with cross patlée above and below. (IN0 3.)
There are three of these pennies known all from the
Cuerdale hoard, one is in the National Collection, one
was in the Rashleigh sale (ex Bergne); the third is in
my collection (ex Montagu). I would suggest diffidently
that the reading of the reverse may be AUR [UM]
S[EPULCHRI] S[ANCTI] C[UDBERHTI], and that
these coins may have been struck by the episcopal
authorities at Durham. It is not until Edward the
Third’s time that episcopal coins arc known of that mint,
i. e. differenced from the regal coins by a mint mark, but
it is probable that these authorities had a right of striking
in Anglo-Saxon times. King Alfred evidently held
Saint Cuthbert in great veneration from the time when,
concealed in the marshes of Somersetshire, he dreamed
that that saint in bodily shape promised him victory
over his enemies (i).
(1) Saint Cuthbert. Rainé, pg. 42.