the IIId's coins, the particular account of which, I intend shall be the subject of another letter if it will be any ways entertaining or acceptable to your readers; the which will be a great pleasure to, Sir, Your most obedient, Bromley in Kent. S. E. 1747, June. XXIV. Saxon Idols worshipped in England, whence the names of our days are derived. THE Idol of the Sun, from which Sunday is derived, among the Latins dies Solis, was placed in a temple and adored and sacrificed to; for they believed that the sun did co-operate with this idol. He was represented like a man half naked, with his face like the sun, holding a burning wheel with both hands on his breast, gnifying his course round the world; and by its fiery gleams, the light and heat wherewith he warms and nourishes all things. 2. The Idol of the Moon, from which cometh our Monday, dies Luna, anciently Moonday: this idol appears strangely singular, being habited in a short coat like a man: her holding a moon, expresses what she is, but the reason of her short coat and long-eared cap is lost in oblivion. 3. Tuisco, the most ancient and peculiar god of the Germans, represented in his garment of a skin, according to their ancient manner of clothing; next to the sun and moon, they paid their adoration to this idol, and dedicated the next day to him; from which our Tuesday is derived, anciently Tuisday, called in Latin dies Martis. But this idol is very unlike Mars, whom Woden much nearer resembles than he does Mercury. 4. Woden was a valiant prince among the Saxons; his image was prayed to for victory over their enemies, which if they obtained, they usually sacrificed the prisoners taken in battle to him. Our Wednesday is derived from him, anciently Wodensday. The northern histories make him the father of Thor, and Friga to be his wife. 5. Thor was placed in a large hall, sitting on a bed, canopied over, with a crown of gold on his head, and twelve stars over it, holding a sceptre in the right hand; to him was attributed the power over both heaven and earth, and, that as he was pleased or displeased, he could send thunder, tempests, plagues, &c. or fair seasonable weather, and cause fertility. From him our Thursday derives its name, anciently Thorsday; among the Romans, dies Jovis, as this idol may be substituted for Jupiter. 6. Friga; this idol represented both sexes, holding a drawn sword in the right hand, and a bow in the left, denoting that women as well as men should fight in time of need: she was generally taken for a goddess, and was reputed the giver of peace and plenty, and causer of love and amity. Her day of worship was called by the Saxons, Frigedaeg, now Friday, dies Veneris; but the habit and weapons of this figure have a resemblance of Diana rather than Venus. 7. Seater or Crodo, stood on the prickly back of a perch: he was thin-visaged, and long-haired, with a long beard, bare-headed, and bare-footed, carrying a pail of water in his right hand, wherein are fruit and flowers; and holding up a wheel in his left; and his coat tied with a long girdle: his standing on the sharp fins of this fish, signified to the Saxons, that by worshipping him they should pass through all dangers unhurts by his girdle flying both ways was shewn the Saxons' freedom, and by the pail with fruit and flowers, was denoted that he would nourish the earth. From him, or from the Roman deity Saturn, comes Saturday. 1748, Nov. XXV. Human Bones found filled with Lead. IN digging a vault, very lately, in the parish church of Axminster in the county of Devon, were found several bones of a human body, very ponderous, which, when opened, appeared to be full of lead, particularly the thigh bone. This, so surprising a thing, has puzzled the most curious in those parts. You are, therefore, desired to give this a place in your next magazine, in order to have the sentiments of your learned readers hereon. 1748, May. Yours, &c. J. J. Oxon, Oct. 11. In your magazine for May, p. 214, is an account of some human bones lately found at Axminster in the county of Devon, filled with lead. An affair of this nature is mentioned by Weever in his Funerull Monuments, p. 30. I shall here transcribe Mr. Weever's own words. In the north isle of the parish church of Newport Painell, in Buckinghamshire, in the year 1619, was found the body of a man whole and perfect; laid downe, or rather leaning downe, north and south; all the concauous parts of his body, and the hollownesse of euery bone, as well ribs as other, were filled up with sollid lead. The skull with the lead in it doth weigh thirty pounds and sixe ounces, which with the neck-bone, and some other bones (in like manner full of lead) are reserued, and kept in a little chest in the said church, neare to the place where the corps were found, there to bee showne to strangers as reliques of admiration. The rest of all the parts of his body are taken away by gentlemen neare dwellers, or such as take delight in rare antiquities. This I saw.' By the position of this body mentioned by Mr. Weever, I should judge it to have been buried before, or, at least, very soon after Christianity was received in the island. WAVING all encomiums on the usefulness of your canal to the learned, as well as to the curious and inquisitive, I observe, in your magazine for May last, a letter from Axminster, the writer of which is in great surprise on finding, in digging a grave in that parish church, several human bones filled with lead, particularly a thigh-bone, which, he says (justly, no doubt) was very ponderous; and desires, by your means, to have the sentiments of the learned upon it. Though I have no pretensions to be ranked in that class, yet, observing in your magazine of November last, p. 506. another letter on the same subject from Oxon, of a human skull, &c. mentioned by Weever, dug out of a grave in the church of Newport Pagnel, filled with the same metal, as if it had been an ancient embalming, never till now heard of or discovered; I beg room for a few lines, to give you my thoughts upon it. In the year 1727, the greatest part of this town, together with the parish church, were consumed by fire. The roof of the church was covered with lead, which, being melted, ran in all parts among the ruins; and being afterwards digged for among the rubbish in order to be new-cast, was tracked into several graves, in the body of the church; out of which were taken many human bones filled with it, and particularly a thigh-bone full of that melted metal, which 1 both saw and handled. A great many more, perhaps, would have been found, if more minutely traced. Whether this is a satisfactory solution to your inquirer, is humbly submitted by XXVI. The ancient Custom of Dunmow. I HAVE here sent you a copy of the register of the form and ceremony observed at Dunmow in Essex, on a claim made fifty years ago, to a flitch of bacon, by William Parsley, of Much Easton, and Jane his wife, founded upon an ancient institution of lord Fitzwalter, in the reign of Henry III. who ordered, " that whatever married man did not repent of his marriage, or quarrel with his wife in a year and a day after it, should go to his priory, and demand the bacon, on his swearing to the truth, kneeling on two stones in the church-yard." This custom is still kept up, and by inserting the manner of it in your magazine, you will perhaps excite fresh claimants, as many of your young married readers, as well as the ancient wool-comber of Weathersfield,* may be as justly entitled to it. Yours, &c. F. D. Dunmore, Nuper At a court baron of the right worshipful sit Priorat Thomas May, knt. there holden upon Friday the 7th day of June, in the 13th year of the reign of our [*" Thursday, June 20, 1751, John Shakeshanks, wool-comber, and Amme, his wife, of the parish of Weathersdeld-in Essex, appeared at the customiary Court af Dunmow-parva, and claitaed the bacon according to the custom of that manor."-Gent. Mag: E.] sovereign lord, William III. by the grace of God, &c. and in the year of our Lord 1701, before Thomas Wheeler, gent. steward of the said manor. It is thus enrolled : Homage. Elizabeth Beaumont, Spinster Jurat. Be it remembered, that at this court, in full and open court, it is found, and presented by the homage aforesaid, that William Parsley, of Much Easton in the county of Essex, butcher, and Jane his wife, have been married for the space of three years last past, and upward; and it is likewise found, presented, and adjudged, by the homage aforesaid, that the said William Parsley, and Jane his wife, by means of their quiet, peaceable, tender, and loving cohabitation, for the space of time aforesaid, (as appears by the said homage) are fit and qualified persons to be admitted by the court to receive the ancient and accustomed oath, whereby to entitle themselves to have the bacon of Dunmow delivered unto them, according to the custom of the manor. Whereupon, at this court, in full and open court, came the said William Parsley, and Jane his wife, in their proper persons, and humbly prayed, they might be admitted to take the oath aforesaid; whereupon the said steward, with the jury, suitors, and other officers of the court, proceeded, with the usual solemnity, to the ancient and accustomed place for the administration of the oath, and receiving the gammon aforesaid, (that is to say) the two great stones lying near the church door, within the said manor, where the said William Parsley, and Jane his wife, kneeling down on the said two stones, the said steward did administer unto them the above-mentioned oath in these words, or to this effect following, viz. You do swear by custom of confession, |