'Mr Thomas Granger of London lately let me too Silver Saxon Coyns that are scarce. The first is thus inscrib’d, AEDLESTAN REX; Reverse, D. ISETRAM MO with this figure [drawing of altar on a base with a triangular top]. The second, thus, SVVEFHERD MONETA DOROBERNIA CIVITAS [drawing]. Mr Granger, in his Letter to me of 5th June, tells me that this is Swebherd, and that he was a Kentish King, and Reigned with Withred, mentioned by Bede, "but so little of him", saith he, "that this Coyn will be more valuable" "There is another" (adds he, meaning the first) "of Ethelstone, but what church is upon it we cannot tell."
He then sent me Draughts of these Coins, done by Dr. Stukeley, but not being satisfied with Dr. Stukely’s Draughts, Mr Granger lent me the Originals, wch came to my hands, Sept xith last. Since wch Mr Granger hath writ me another Letter of the 5th inst. from London, in wch he gives me some Account of these Coyns, what he had promised to do by Mr Murray and Mr Whiteside. His words are:
"That of K. Aethelstan I know nothing more, but sent it for your Speculatio, as to the Rudeness of the Church upo it, and could be glad to know what Church it was; there seems to have been more Kings of that name than what our Chron mentioned, or that King had many Coyns.
As to Swefherd, Bede is the first Historian that mentions him, and from whome others Copy, but this Coyn is his, without doubt, and cleares up the certainty of that King, who reigned with Withred, as is mentioned by Bede, and from him Speed, in his Chron., pa. 294, Milton, p. 68, and Harris, his History of Kent, pa. 407, besides Tyrel, Langhorne, and others. Dr Hicks, in his Thesaurus, from Sr A. Fountaie, makes tow of this King’s Coyns incerta, no. 5 and no.6, although said Incerta, the first is Swefherd, and both ofthem have on the Revers Doroberni Civitas."'
(Hearne 1885, vol. 9, p. 38; Burnett 2020b, p. 1633)
