III. buried on the Weser, in a place where Corbey afterwards CHA P. stood. It was found again in the reign after Charlemagne, and was transported beyond the Weser. The Saxons attempting to rescue it, a battle ensued on the spot, which was afterwards called Armensula, from the incident. The Saxons were repulsed, and, to prevent further chances, the column was hastily thrown into the Inner. A church being afterwards built in the vicinity, at Hillesheim, it was conveyed into it after much religious lustration, and placed in the choir, where it long served to hold their lights at their festivals. For many ages it remained neglected and forgotten, till at length Meibomius saw it, and a canon of the church, friendly to his studies, had its rust and discoloration taken off. 42 41 IDOLATROUS nations are eminently superstitious. The proneness of mankind to search into futurity attempts its gratification, in the æras of ignorance, by the fallacious use of auguries, lots, and omens. ALL the German nations were addicted to these absurdities, and the account which Tacitus relates of them generally is applied by Meginhard to the ancient Saxons. They were infatuated to believe that the voices and flights of birds were interpreters of the Divine will. Horses were supposed to neigh from celestial inspiration, and they decided their public deliberations by the wisdom of lots. They cut a small branch of a fruit-tree into twigs, marked them, and scattered them at random on a white vest. The priest, if it were a public council, or the father, at a private consultation, prayed, gazed at heaven, drew each three times, and interpreted according to the mark previously impressed. If the omen were adverse, the council was deferred. 43 iron rails, dentated to preserve it from injury. Meibom. p. 31. He has given a plate of it. 41 Meibom. p. 19. and p. 31. 42 Ibid. p. 19. Our ancient Irmin-street has been lately conjectured to have been derived from the name of this idol. If so, the inference would be reasonable that it was worshipped also in England. 43 Tacit. de morib. Germ. and Meginhard, p. 39.; and see СНАР. To explore the fate of an impending battle, they selected a captive of the nation opposing, and appointed a chosen Saxon to fight with him. They judged of their future victory or defeat by the issue of this duel. 44 THE notion which from Chaldea pervaded both East and West, that the celestial luminaries influenced the fortunes of mankind, operated powerfully on the Saxon mind. Affairs were thought to be undertaken with better chance on peculiar days, and the full or new moon was the indication of the auspicious season. 45 MAGIC, the favourite delusion of ignorant man, the invention of his malignity, or the resort of his imbecility, prevailed among the Anglo-Saxons. Even one of their kings chose to meet the Christian missionaries in the open air, because he fancied that magical arts had peculiar power within a house. 46 Or the speculative principles of the Anglo-Saxon Paganism we have no written evidence. But of the religion of the Northmen, which prevailed in or near the parts which the Angles and Saxons inhabited about the Elbe, and was the religion of the Northmen colonies of England, we have sufficient documents remaining. In these we probably contemplate the substance of the faith of our rude forefathers. In some respects the polytheism of the north was one of the most rational forms of its erroneous theory; and, though inferior in taste and imagination, displays on the whole a vigour and an improvement of mind beyond the classical mythology. The Edda, though wilder, has better theology than much of Ovid's Metamorphorses. It is remarkable, that the Northmen venerated three principal supreme deities connected with each other by relationship. Odin, whom they called All-father, or the Bede, p. 144. 147. In the law of the Frisians there is a cu- 44 Meginhard, p. 39. 46 Bede, i. c. 25. p. 61. III. Universal Parent; Freya, his wife; and their son Thor. CHA P. Idols of these three were placed in their celebrated temple. at Upsal. 47 Of these the Danes, like the Anglo-Saxons, paid the highest honour to Odin; the Norwegians and Icelanders to Thor; and the Swedes to Freya. 48 In the system of the Northmen's religion, we see the great principles of the ancient theism, mingled with the additions of allegory, polytheism, and idolatry. Odin's first name is the All-father, though many others were subjoined to this in the process of time. He is described in the Edda as the First of the Gods: "He lives for ever: he governs all his kingdom, both the small parts and the great: he made heaven, and the earth, and the air: he made man, and gave him a spirit which shall live even after the the body shall have vanished. Then the just and the welldeserving shall dwell with him in a place called Gimle ; but bad men shall go to 49 Hela." In other parts it adds: "When the All-father sits on his supreme throne, he surveys with his eyes all the world and the manners of all " 50" Odin is the first and the most ancient: he governs all things; and though the rest of the gods are powerful, yet they serve him as children their father. He is called All-father, because he is the father of all the gods." 51 Thor is represented as the son of Odin and Freya, and the Earth is called Odin's daughter. THEY had some remarkable traditions preserved in their ancient Voluspa. One, that the earth and heavens were preceded by a state of non-entity. 53 Another, that at a men." 47 Ad Brem. 52 48 Mallet. Nort. Antiq. vol. i. p. 97. So in the Edda Gangler is represented as beholding three thrones, each above the other. The lowest was called the lofty one; the second his equal; the highest was named " the third." Suppl. Nor. Ant. vol. ii. P. 282. 49 Edda, Hist. Prim. p. 283. See the twelve names given to Odin, p. 285. and 46. in p. 305. 50 Edda, Hist. Sext. p. 292. 51 Edda, Hist. Duod. p. 305. 59 Edda, p. 292. 53 The words of the Voluspa are: "At the beginning of time there was nothing: neither land, nor sea, nor foundations CHAP. destined period the earth and all the universe would be This catastrophe was connected with a direct it, whom they called Surtur, or Till this day Loke, their principle of evil, below. The earth was nowhere to be found: nor the heaven above. There was an infinite abyss, and grass nowhere." Edda, Hist. Prim. p. 284. 54 The Edda thus describes him: "First of all was Muspells-heim. It is lucid, glowing, and impervious to strangers. There Surtur rules, and sits in the extremity of the earth. He holds a flaming sword, and will come at the end of the world and conquer all the gods and burn the unwise." Edda, p. 286. The most ancient and oracular Voluspa thus speaks of this period: The giant Hrymr rides from the east. The serpent that surrounds the world The eagle clamours; It tears the dead with its beak. It floats from the East. The sons of Muspell come Loke governs them. The raging people press on. What occurs among the gods? The world of the giants resounds. The dwarfs groan Before their stone doors. They knew the paths of the rocks. Surtur is coming from the south Men tread the path of Hela. Then to Hlina Will come a second grief, III. was to remain in the cave and chains of iron to which he CHA P. was consigned.55 A new world is to emerge at this period; the good will be 56 happy. The gods will sit in judgment, and the wicked will be condemned to a dreary habitation. 57 When Odin goes forth The husband of Freya. The Voluspa then mentions that Vidar, a son of Odin, will revenge his father's death on the wolf; and that Thor will kill the great serpent. It adds: |