[281] ‘As these six candles weighed 72 pennyweights, each one was of the weight of 12d. The weight of the OE. penny was 22½ Troy grains, so that each candle would weigh roughly ⅝ oz. avoirdupois. As the candles were twelve inches long, they would be very thin in proportion to their length. A modern beeswax candle burns at a considerably quicker rate than is here assumed, but we do not think this condemns the figures given in this chapter as imaginary. The candle of Alfred’s time was probably not moulded, and the wick would not be made of cotton, as in the modern ones. Rushes, tow, and the hards of flax were used for wicks. Aldhelm refers to the use of linen or flax wicks, but also to those made of rushes. It is therefore hardly possible to reproduce the candles used by Alfred for the purpose of testing this chapter’ (Stevenson). [282] Reading _fenestras_ for the _fenestrarum_ of the text. [283] Meanings doubtful. [284] ‘Ducange objected that horn lanterns were known to the Greeks and Romans long before Alfred’s time. But the passages adduced by Salmasius, to whom he refers, and such others as we have been able to gather, do not clearly describe a horn lantern lit by a candle, but rather screens formed of horn to place round oil lamps. It is possible, therefore, that Alfred may really be the inventor of the horn lantern as we know it. The door in the side, which would be rendered necessary by the change of the candles every four hours, is here described, and seems to be a new feature’ (Stevenson). [285] Original. [286] The name of the diocese and of the bishop of course varied in the different copies. [287] Cf. p. 11, note 2. [288] The books. [289] From Rev. Joseph Stevenson’s translation of _The Book of Hyde_, in _Church Historians of England_ (London, 1854), Vol. 2, Part 2, pp. 499–503. The translator states that the text of the letter printed by Wise in his edition of Asser (see Stevenson’s edition of Asser, p. 308) ‘has been employed in correcting the many obscurities and errors of the copy inserted in the _Liber de Hida_.’ Of the letter our editor says: ‘It ... seems to be genuine. There is no conceivable motive for forging such a letter. We can discover no grounds for Pauli’s condemnation of it.... As Malmesbury, _Gesta Regum_, c. 122 (p. 130), states that Grimbald was sent to Alfred at his request by the Archbishop of Rheims, he would seem to have been acquainted with this letter.’ INDEX [The numbers refer to pages.] Aclea, 4 Adam, 2 Æglea, 78 Ælfthryth, 37, 38 Ælla, 16 Æthelbald, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12 Æthelbert, 12, 13 Æthelflæd, 37 Æthelgivu, 37, 58 Æthelhelm, 48 Æthelred (King of Wessex), 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 Æthelred (Alfred’s father-in-law), 17 Æthelred (Alfred’s son-in-law), 37, 44, 45, 47 Æthelstan (under-king of Kent), 4 Æthelstan (priest), 41 Æthelward, 37 Æthelwulf (King of Wessex), 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 33 Æthelwulf (Ealdorman of Berkshire), 12, 19