f Minstrey, in the Isle of Thanet, and "sinful Ethelbald," as he
humbly styles himself, remits certain taxes and makes certain grants to
her newly-founded abbey, all for the good of his soul. These duplicated
documents were published in the original Latin in Kemble's "Codex
Diplomaticus" in 1843, by Thorpe in his "Diplomatarium Anglicum" in 1865,
and again in Birch's "Chartularium Saxonicum" in 1885.

The internal evidence contained in them is to this effect:--"This was
executed on the 4th day of the Kalends of November, in the 22nd year of
my reign, being the fifteenth decree made in that place which is called
Willanhalch." Not one of these three authorities, although in the habit
of doing so wherever they can offer an opinion with any reasonable degree
of certainty, has ventured to suggest the modern name and identity of the
"place called Willanhalch." But Mr. Duignan, with the ripe knowledge and
almost unerring judgment he possesses in such matters, has no hesitation
whatever in identifying the place as Willenhall. As he says, there is no
other place-name in Mercia, or even in England, which could possibly be
represented by Willanhalch.

Undoubtedly there is another Willenhall. It is a hamlet in the parish of
Holy Trinity, Coventry, and its name was anciently spelt Wylnhale. But
the history of the place is naturally involved in that of the city of
Coventry, as the hamlet never had any separate and independent existence
like that of our Staffordshire township. Any charter emanating from this
place would indubitably be dated "Coventry."

The suggestion of Shaw that the name was changed cannot be entertained
for one moment; the Anglo-Saxons were not in the habit of changing
place-names, but they were very much addicted to the practice of "calling
their lands after their own names." Dr. Willmore, in his "History of
Walsall" (p. 30) adopts the now discarded derivation of the name of
Willenhall. He says "After the defeat a great feast of rejoicing was
held by the Saxons at Winehala, the Hall of Victory, and the event was
long celebrated by the national poets."

To identify the "Hall of Victory" with Willenhall the Walsall historian
proceeds:--"At Lowhill may still be seen the remains of a large tumulus,
while in Wrottesley Park are the vestiges of a large encampment, believed
by some authorities to be of Danish construction, and to have been
occupied by them about the time of these engagements."

Yet in the ne