Note 26 — INTRODUCTION

Patriis litteris according to Schröder and Gaston Paris means 'English language', but if it is not a mere flourish, it means rather the 'English script' in which the Latin letter was copied, as distinct from the foreign hand of Theodric's original letter. What 'English script' meant at Wilton in 1065 is a question of some delicacy. The spelling Folcpoldus for Folcwoldus in some later copies of the Wilton text must be due to confusion of p and Anglo-Saxon ƿ = w. This would be decisive for 'Anglo-Saxon script' if it occurred anywhere but in a proper name.