May I make another Query?—­The gold chain and crucifix, laid in the grave of K. Edward the Confessor, were removed by Charles Taylor, and given into the hands of King James II.  On the reverse of the same cross was pictured a Benedictine monk, in his habit, and on each side of him these capital Roman letter,—­

On the right limb thus:  and on the left thus: 
           (A) P.
    Z. A. X A. C.
            A H.

Antiq. of St. Peter’s, vol. ii.  App. n. iij, Ed. 1722.

What does the inscription mean?  Is the former portion to be understood “[Greek:  A. O. Zoae agion Christos]”?  What is the import of the latter?

MACKENZIE WALCOTT, M.A.

* * * * *

THE TALISMAN OF CHARLEMAGNE.

Many years back, “Prince” Louis Napoleon was stated to be in possesion of the talisman of Charlemagne;—­“a small nut, in a gold filigree envelopment, found round the neck of that monarch on the opening of his tomb, and given by the town of Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle) to Buonaparte, and by him to his favourite Hortense, ci-de-vant Queen of Holland, at whose death it descended to her son,” the present President of the French Republic. {141}

The Germans have a curious legend connected with this talisman.  It was framed by some of the magi in the train of the ambassadors of Aaroun-al-Raschid to the mighty Emperor of the West, at the instance of his spouse Fastrada, with the virtue that her husband should be always fascinated towards the person or thing on which it was.  The constant love of Charles to this his spouse was the consequence; but, as it was not taken from her finger after death, the affection of the emperor was continued unchanging to the corpse, which he would on no account allow to be interred, even when it became offensive.  His confessor, having some knowledge of the occult sciences, at last drew off the amulet from the inanimate body, which was then permitted to be buried; but he retained possession of it himself, and thence became Charles’s chief favourite and prime minister, till he had been promoted to the highest ecclesiastical dignity, as Archbishop of Mainz and Chancellor of the Empire.  At this pitch of power, whether he thought he could rise no higher, or scruples of conscience were awakened by the hierarchical vow, he would hold the heathen charm no longer, and he threw it into a lake not far from his metropolitan seat, where the town of Ingethuem now stands.  The regard and affection of the monarch were immediately diverted from the monk, and all men, to the country surrounding the lake; and he determined on building there a magnificent palace for his constant residence, and robbed all the ancient royal and imperial residences, even to the distance of Ravenna, in Italy, to adorn it.  Here he subsequently resided and died:  but it seems the charm had a passive as