nus symbol]
To every person of those that gaze on such.

Translation by Thomas Arnold.

The poem of Beowulf is supposed to have been written in the early part
of the twelfth century.

The lines which follow are from a poem, recomposed from earlier sagas,
in the beginning of the twelfth century. It serves to show that arras
was used in bedrooms thus early in Germany.

From the "Niebelungen Lied," uebersetzt von Karl Simrock, p. 294.

Manche schmucke Decke von Arras da lag
Aus lichthellem Zeuge und manches Ueberdach
Aus arabischer Seides so gut sie mochte sein,
Darueber lagen leisten du gaben herrlicher Schein.

I owe these notices to the kindness of the Rev. A. O. Winnington
Ingram.

APPENDIX IX., TO PAGE 362.

_Abridged from Trans. by Sir G. Dasent._

(_From the Ezrbyggja Saga._)

In that summer in which Christianity was established by law in Iceland
(A.D. 1000), there came a ship from off the sea out to Snowfellsness,
in Iceland. It was a Dublin ship, and on board it were Irishmen and
men from Sodor and the Hebrides, but few Norsemen.... On board the
ship was a woman from the Hebrides, whose name was Thorgunna. Her
shipmates said that they were sure she had such treasures with her as
would be hard to get in Iceland.

Thurida, the housewife at Frida, was envious and covetous of these
precious goods, and received Thorgunna into her home in hopes, by some
means, to possess herself of them, especially the embroidered hangings
of a bed; but Thorgunna refused to part with them. "I will not lie in
the straw for thee, though thou art a fine lady, and thinkest great
things of thyself." Thorgunna made her own terms with Thurida and
Master Harold, and set up her bed at the inner end of their hall. Her
richly worked bed-clothes, her English sheets and silken quilt, and
her bed-hangings and canopy were such "that men thought nothing at all
like them had ever been seen." An air of truth is given to the whole
story by the details. Thorgunna is described as "tall and strong and
very stout. She was swarthy brown, with eyes set close together; her
hair was brown and very thick. She was well-behaved in daily life, and
went to church every morning before she went to her work." Then comes
an account of a storm, and a rain of blood; and how Thorgunna sickened
and died, and at her own desire was carried to be buried to Skilholt,
which she prophesied would one day be consider