Archaic England Part 50

The Nonnon of whom "it seemed that a foul dove or black culver flew about him whilst he was at Ma.s.s at the alter" was said to be the Bishop of Heliopolis, _i.e._, the city of the Sun, and he comes under notice in connection with St. Pelagienne--"said of _pelagus_ which is as much to say as the _sea_". The interpretation further placed upon St.

Pelagienne is that "she was the sea of iniquity, and the flood of sins, but she plunged after into the sea of tears and washed her in the flood of baptism". That poor Pelagienne was the Water Mother of Mary Morgan is implied further by the fragment of autobiography--"I have been called from my birth Pelagienne, but for the pomp of my clothing men call me Margaret":[737] we have seen that Pope Joanna of Engelheim was also called Margaret, whence it is to be suspected that although it is true that _pelagus_ meant _the sea_ St. Pelagienne was primarily the _Bella_ or beautiful _Jeanne_, _i.e._, Mary Morgan or Morgiana.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGS. 373 to 376.--Greek. From Barthelemy.]

On the coins of King _Ja.n.u.s_ of Sicily there figured a dove; _jonah_, _yuneh_, or _Ione_ are the Hebrew and Greek terms for dove; the Ionian Greeks were worshippers of the dove, and the consociation of St. Columbe Kille or the "little dove of the church" with the Hebridean island of Iona is presumptive evidence of the worship of the dove in Iona. In the Rhodian Greek coins here ill.u.s.trated the reverse represents the rhoda or rose of Rhodes, and the obverse head may be connoted with the story of St. Davy with the dove settled on his shoulder: that the dove was also an English emblem is obvious from the British coins, Figs. 377 to 384; the dove will also be found frequently introduced on the contemned _sceattae_ ill.u.s.trated _ante_, page 364.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 377.--British. From Akerman.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 378.--British. From Evans.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGS. 379 to 384.--British (Channel Islands). From Barthelemy.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 385.--The Father, Represented as Slightly Different to the Son. French Miniature of the Close of the XIII. Cent. From _Christian Iconography_ (Didron).]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 386.--The Divine Dove, in a Radiating Aureole.

From a French Miniature of the XV. Cent. From _Christian Iconography_ (Didron).]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 387.--From _Christian Iconography_ (Didron).]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 388.--G.o.d the Father, with a Bi-Triangular Nimbus; G.o.d the Son, with a Circular Nimbus; G.o.d the Holy Ghost, without a Nimbus, and within an Aureole.

(Fresco at Mount Athos.) From _Christian Iconography_ (Didron).]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 389.--The Three Divine Persons, Adorned with the Cruciform Nimbus. Miniature of the close of the XIII.

Cent. MS. in the Bibliotheque Royale. From _Christian Iconography_ (Didron).]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 390.--G.o.d the Father, and G.o.d the Son, with Features Exactly Identical. French Miniature of the commencement of the XIII. Cent. From _Christian Iconography_ (Didron).]

Among the golden treasures unearthed by Schliemann at Mykenae was a miniature "model of a temple" on which are seated two pigeons with uplifted wings:[738] among the curious and interesting happenings which occurred during the childhood of the Virgin Mary it is recorded that "Mary was in the Temple of the Lord as if she were a dove that dwelt there, and she received food as from the hand of an angel": Fig. 380 appears to ill.u.s.trate this dove dwelling in a Temple. The legend continues that when the Holy Virgin attained the age of twelve years the Angel of the Lord caused an a.s.sembly of all the widowers each of whom was ordained to bring with him his rod: the High Priest then took these rods and prayed over them, but there came no sign: at last Joseph took his rod "and behold a dove came out of the rod and flew upon Joseph's head".[739] It is said by Lucian that in the most sacred part of the temple of Hieropolis, the holy city of Syria, were three figures of which the centre one had a golden dove upon its head: not only was no name given to this, but the priests said nothing concerning its origin or form, calling it simply "The sign": according to the British Bards--"To Addav came the sign. It was taught by Alpha, and it was the earliest polished melody of Holy G.o.d, and by a wise mouth it was canticled." There is little doubt that the descending dove with wings outstretched was a variant of the three rays or Broad Arrow, that the _awen_ was the _Iona_, and that this same idea was conveyed by the Three _ains_, or _eyen_, Eyes, Golden b.a.l.l.s, or p.a.w.nbroker's sign. It is recorded of St. Nicholas of Bari, the patron saint of p.a.w.nbrokers, that immediately he was born he stood up in the basin in which he was being washed and remained with hands clasped, and uplifted eyes, for two hours: in later life he became wealthy, and threw into a window on three successive nights a bag of gold as a dowry for three impoverished and sore-tempted maidens. In commemoration of these three bags of gold St.

Nicholas became the patron saint of p.a.w.nbrokers whose sign of the Three Golden b.a.l.l.s is a conversion of the three anonymous gifts.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 391.--From Barthelemy.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 392.--British (Channel Islands). From Barthelemy.]

In Hebrew the Three Apples, Eyes, or Golden b.a.l.l.s are called _ains_ or fountains of living water, and to this day in Wales a spring of water is called in Welsh the Eye of the Fountain or the Water Spring. It will be remembered that the sister of St. Nonna, and therefore the aunt of St.

Davy, was denominated Gwen of the Three b.r.e.a.s.t.s, _Tierbron_, or three b.r.e.a.s.t.s, may be connoted with three-eyed Thor, and the combination of Eyes and Sprigs is conspicuously noticeable in Fig. 39, page 364: one will also note the head of No. 49 on the same plate.

The Three Holy Children on the reverse of Fig. 391--a Byzantine coin--are presumably the offspring of St. Michael _alias_ Nichol on the obverse: the arms of Cornwall consist of fifteen golden b.a.l.l.s called _besants_; the county motto is One and All. Of St. Nicholas of Tolentino who became a friar at the age of _eleven_, we are told that a star rested over his altar and preceded him when he walked, and he is represented in Art with a lily in his hand--the symbol of his pure life--and a star over his head: that Nicolette was identified with the Little Star or Stella Maris is clear from Troubadour _chansons_, such as the following from that small cla.s.sic _Auca.s.sin and Nicolette_--

Little Star I gaze upon, Sweetly drawing to the moon, In such golden haunt is set Love, and bright-haired Nicolette.

G.o.d hath taken from our war Beauty, like a shining star.

Ah, to reach her, though I fell From her Heaven to my h.e.l.l.

Who were worthy such a thing, Were he emperor or king?

Still you shine, oh, perfect Star, Beyond, afar.

It is impossible to say whether the three-eyed elphin faces ill.u.s.trated _ante_, page 381, are asters, marguerites, marigolds, or suns: in the centre of one of them is a heart, and without doubt they one and all symbolised the Great Amour or Margret. During excavations at Jerusalem in 1871, the symbol of Three b.a.l.l.s was discovered under the Temple of King Solomon on Mount Moriah: this temple was circular, and it is probable that the name Moriah meant originally Moreye or Big Eye. That the three cavities in question were once ains or eyes is implied by the explorer's statement: "Within this recess are three cylindrical holes 5-1/4 inches in diameter, the lines joining their centres forming the sides of an equilateral triangle. Below this appears once to have been a basin to collect the water, but whatever has been there, it has been violently removed ... there can be little doubt that this is an ancient overflow from the Birket Israil."[740] It is probable that the measure of these three cup-like holes was once 5 inches, and that the resultant fifteen had some original connection with the fifteen besants or basins of Byzantine Britain.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 393.--From _The Recovery of Jerusalem_ (Wilson and Warren).]

With the _brook Birket Israil_ at Mount Moriah may be connoted the neighbouring "large pool called El Burak": the existence on Mount Moriah of subterranean cisterns or basins known as Solomon's Stables renders it probable that El Burak was El Borak, the fabulous white steed upon which the faithful Mussulman expects one day to ride. The Eyes of the British broks or nags here ill.u.s.trated are curiously prominent, and in Fig. 396 the _eleven_-eared wheat sprig is springing from a trefoil: with the lily surmounting the CUNO steed may be connoted the two stars or morrow stars which frequently decorate this triune emblem of Good Deed, Good Thought, Good Word: they may be seen to-day on the badges of those little Knights of To-morrow, the Boy Scouts.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGS. 394 to 396.--British. From Evans.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 397.--British (Channel Islands). From Barthelemy.]

The lily appears in the hand of the PIXTILOS figure here ill.u.s.trated, and among the Pictish emblems found on the vitrified fort at Anwath in Scotland is the puckish design ill.u.s.trated on page 496, Fig. 293. This was probably a purely symbolic and elementary form of the dolorous and pensive St. John which Christianity figured with a pair of marigolds or marguerites in lieu of feathers or antennae.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 398.--From _Christian Iconography_ (Didron).]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 399.--From _An Essay on Ancient Gems_ (Walsh, R.).]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 400.--Gaulish. From Akerman.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIGS. 401 and 402.--Gaulish. From Akerman.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 403.--From _Symbolism of the East and West_ (Aynsley, Mrs. Murray).]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 404.--English Eighteenth Century Printer's Ornament.]

Accompanying the Pictish inscription in question were the elaborate barnacles or spectacles reproduced _ante_, page 495: in Crete the barnacles, as ill.u.s.trated on page 494, are found humanised by a small winged figure holding a wand, and the general effect of the two circles when superimposed is that of the figure 8. The nine-rayed ABRACAX lion as portrayed by the Gnostics, and doubtless a variant of Abracadabra, has its serpentine body twined into an 8; on a Longstone in Brittany there is a figure holding an 8 tipped staff, and the same emblem will be noticed on the coins of the Longostaliti, a _Gaul_ish people who seemingly were so ghoulish as to venerate a _cal_ix or _caul_dron: from the _pair dadeni_ or cauldron of renaissance represented on these astral coins it will be noticed there are emerging two stars and other interesting nicknacks. The locks of hair on the astral figure represented on the coins of Ma.r.s.eilles--a city founded by a colony of Phocean Greeks from Ionia--number exactly eight: in Scotland we have traced the memory of eight ancient hags, the Mothers of the World: in Valencia we have noted the procession of eight scrupulously coiffured Giants, and there is very little doubt that the eight survivors of the Flood,[741] by whom the world was re-peopled, is a re-statement of the same idea of the G.o.ds of the four quarters and their Consorts. In connection with the Ogdoad or Octet of eight G.o.ds one may connote the curious erection which once decorated the London Guildhall, the seat of Gogmagog:[742] here, "on each side of the flight of steps was an _octangular_ turreted gallery, bal.u.s.traded, having an office in each, appropriated to the hallkeeper: these galleries a.s.sumed the appearance of arbours from being each surrounded by six palm-trees in ironwork, the foliage of which gave support to a large balcony, having in front a clock (with three dials) elaborately ornamented, and underneath a representation of the Sun, resplendent with gilding; the clock frame was of oak. At the angles were the cardinal virtues, and on the top a curious figure of Time with a young child in his arms."[743] At the village of _Thame_-on-Thames, which the authorities state meant _rest, quiet_, otherwise _tame_ or kindly, gentle _Time_, there is a celebrated figure of St. Kitt, _alias_ Father Time, with the little figure of New Time or _Change_ upon his shoulder. In Etruria a parallel idea would seem to have been current, for Mrs. Hamilton Gray describes an Etruscan work of art inscribed "Isis nourishing Horus, or Truth teaching Time".[744] It is most unusual to find the Twins depicted as old men, or Bald ones with the mystic Lock of Horus on their foreheads, but in the eighteenth-century emblem here reproduced the intention of the deviser is unmistakable, and the central Sun is supported by two Times.

In a cave situated at the cross roads at Royston in Hertfordshire, there is the figure of St. Kitt beneath which are apparently eight other figures: these are a.s.sumedly "other saints," but the Christian Church does not a.s.sign any singular pre-eminence to St. Christopher, and the decorators of the Royston Cave evidently regarded St. Kitt as the Supreme One or G.o.d Himself. It is abundantly evident that to our ancestors Kit or Kate was G.o.d, Giant, Jeyantt,[745] or Good John: that he was deemed the deity of the ocean is obvious from instances where the water in which he stands is full of crabs, dolphins, and other ocean creatures. I have suggested that Christopher was a representation of _dad_ or Death carrying the soul over the river of Death, _i.e._, "Dowdy" with the spriggan on his back. Among sailors Death is known familiarly as "Old Nick," "Old Davy," or "Davy Jones," and in Cornwall they have a curious and inexplicable saying: "as ancient as the Flood of Dava". I think this Dava must have been the genius of the rivers Dove, Taff and Tavy.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 405.--St. Christopher. From Royston Cave.

[_To face page 640._ ]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 406.--Mediaeval Paper mark. From _Les Filigranes_ (Briquet, C. M.).]

That Kit was connected with the eight of the Cretan Eros figure is further implied by the fact that on the summit of a lofty hill near Royston or Roystone there is, or was, a "hollow oval". The length of this prehistoric monument was stated in 1856 as about 31 feet (originally 33?) and its breadth about 22 feet. "Within this bank are two circular excavations meeting together in the middle and nearly forming the figure eight. Both excavations descend by concentric and contracting rings to the walls which form the sides of the chambers."[746] From this description the monument would appear to be identical in design with the 8-in-an-oval emblem here ill.u.s.trated, a mediaeval papermark traceable to the Italian town of St. Donino. Examples of twin earthwork circles forming the figure 8 are not unknown in Ireland.

At Royston, which, as we shall see, was the Lady Roesia's town, is a place called c.o.c.ken Hatch, but whether this is the site of the eight-form monument in question, I am unaware: in the megalithic stone ill.u.s.trated on p. 638 the Cadi is not only holding an 8 on the tip of his _caduceus_, but he has also a _cadet_ or little son by the hand: _cadi_ is Arabic for a _judge_, and in Wales the Cadi no doubt acted as the final judge. In Celtic the word _cad_ meant war, an implication that in one of his aspects Ked or St. Kitt was the ever-victorious Michael or the all-conquering Nike: there is a Berkshire ballad extant, in which the word _caddling_, meaning fighting, is employed, yet caddling is the same word as _cuddling_. In Scotland, _caddie_ means a messenger or errand boy: Mercury or Hermes was the Messenger of the G.o.ds: among the Greeks, Iris was the Messenger, and Iris was unquestionably the Turkish Orus or St. George. In Arabia, St. George is known as El Khoudr, and it is believed that El Khoudr is not yet dead, but still flies round and round the world: in a subsequent chapter it will be shown that Orus is the same as Horus the Egyptian dragon-slayer; hence Giggras, another of St. George's t.i.tles, may be resolved into Mighty Mighty Horus or Eros, and it is possible that the Pictish town of Delginross should read _Tall King Eros_.

The eleven rows of rocks at Carnac extend, it is said, for _eight_ miles, and at the neighbouring Er-lanic are two megalithic circles, one dipping into the sea, the other submerged in deep water: according to Baring-Gould, these two rings are juxtaposed, forming an 8, and lie on the south-east of the island; the first circle consists of 180 stones (twice _nine_), but several are fallen, and it can only be seen complete when the tide is out; one stone is 16 feet high; the second circle can be seen only at low tide.[747]

It is probable that the measurements of the Venus de Quinipily, ill.u.s.trated on p. 530, are not without significance: the statue stands upon a pedestal, 9 feet high, and the figure itself rises 8 feet high.[748] With eight may be further connoted the eastern teaching of the "n.o.ble Eightfold Path," and also the belief of Western Freemasonry as stated in Mackey's _Lexicon of Freemasonry_: "Eight was esteemed as the first cube (2 2 2), and signified friendship, prudence, counsel, and justice. It designated the primitive Law of Nature, which supposes all men to be equal." The root of _eight_, _octave_, and _octet_ or _ogdoad_ is _Og_, the primeval giant, who, as we have seen, was reputed to have waded alongside the ark with its eight primordial pa.s.sengers.

When flourishing, the megalithic monument at Carnac must have dwarfed our dual-circled, two-mile shrine at Avebury: "The labour of its erection," to quote from Deane, "may be imagined from the fact that it originally consisted of eleven rows of stones, about 10,000 in number, of which more than 300 averaged from 15 to 17 feet in height, and from 16 to 20 or 30 feet in girth; one stone even measuring 42 feet in circ.u.mference".

One of the commonest of sepulchral finds in Brittany is the stone axe, sometimes banded in alternate stripes of black and white: the axe was pre-eminently a Cretan emblem, and my suggestion that the Carnac stones were originally erected to the honour of St. Ursula and the 11,000 Virgins is somewhat strengthened by the coincidence that the London Church of St. Mary Axe was closely and curiously identified with the legend. According to Stow: "In St. Marie Street had ye of old time a parish church of St. Marie the Virgin, St. Ursula and the 11,000 Virgins, whose church was commonly called St. Marie at the Axe of the sign of an axe over against the east, and thereof on St. Marie Pellipar". In view of the fact that the town of Ypres boasted an enormous collection of relics of the 11,000 Virgins, the t.i.tle Pellipar may be reasonably resolved into _Belle power_: the Cretan axe or double axe symbolised almighty _power_.[749]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 407.--Bronze statuette, Despena Perros.

FIG. 408.--Bronze statuette, Aust-on-Severn, Gloucs.

From _A Guide to the Antiquities of the Bronze Age_ (B.M.).]

According to an a.s.syrian hymn, Istar, the immaculate great _Star_, the "Lady Ruler of the Host of Heaven," the "Lady of Ladies," "G.o.ddess without peer," who shaped the lives of all mankind was the "Stately world-Queen sov'ran of the Sky".