Note 517 — Chapter III · PILGRIMS AND PILGRIMAGES

See the drawing of this ring in vol. viii. of the “Archæological Journal,” p. 360. The long stick, or pilgrim’s staff, and the bag or “scrip” were the characteristic signs of pilgrims. In the romance of King Horn, the hero meets on his road a palmer, and to disguise himself changes clothes with him; in this transformation the author only points out the chief particulars, that is to say, the staff and the bag. “Horn took burdon and scrippe.” (“King Horn, with fragments of Floris and Blauncheflur,” ed. by J. H. Lumby, Early English Text Society, 1866.) We have seen above, p. 362, that Reynard on his way to Rome took just the same implements.