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diff --git a/old/63384-0.txt b/old/63384-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6e8cb19..0000000 --- a/old/63384-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4268 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Asser's Life of Alfred, by John Asser - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Asser's Life of Alfred - -Author: John Asser - -Translator: Albert S. Cook - -Release Date: October 6, 2020 [EBook #63384] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ASSER'S LIFE OF ALFRED *** - - - - -Produced by Charlie Howard and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was -produced from images generously made available by The -Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - -Transcriber’s Note - -Italics are indicated by _underscores_, boldface by =equals signs=. - - - - - ASSER’S - LIFE OF KING ALFRED - - - TRANSLATED FROM THE TEXT OF - STEVENSON’S EDITION - - - BY - ALBERT S. COOK - - PROFESSOR OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE IN - YALE UNIVERSITY - - - GINN & COMPANY - BOSTON · NEW YORK · CHICAGO · LONDON - - - - - COPYRIGHT, 1906 - BY ALBERT S. COOK - - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - - 66.1 - - - The Athenæum Press - GINN & COMPANY · PROPRIETORS - · BOSTON · U.S.A. - - - - - TO THE FRIENDS - OF - HONEST AND CAPABLE GOVERNMENT - IN AMERICA - - - - -PREFACE - - -The issue of Stevenson’s long and eagerly expected edition of Asser’s -_Life of King Alfred_ has provided an opportunity to supply the ever -increasing number of the great king’s admirers with a more satisfactory -rendering into English of this, perhaps the most precious document, -notwithstanding all its faults, for the comprehension of his life and -character. - -The authenticity of the Life was impugned by Thomas Wright in 1841, by -Sir Henry Howorth in 1876–77, and by an unknown writer in 1898, and it -had become somewhat the fashion to regard it as a production of a later -period, and therefore entitled to but little credence. The doubts as to -its authenticity have been satisfactorily dispelled by the two eminent -scholars who have most recently discussed the difficulties, Plummer and -Stevenson. - -The former, in his _Life and Times of Alfred the Great_, Oxford, 1902, -says (p. 52): ‘The work which bears Asser’s name cannot be later than -974, and the attempt to treat it as a forgery of the eleventh or -twelfth century must be regarded as having broken down. I may add that -I started with a strong prejudice against the authenticity of Asser, -so that my conclusions have at any rate been impartially arrived at.’ -The latter, in his noble edition (Oxford, 1904), remarks (p. vii): -‘In discussing the work I have attempted to approach it without any -bias for or against it, and throughout my endeavor has been to subject -every portion of it to as searching an examination as my knowledge and -critical powers would permit. The net result has been to convince me -that, although there may be no very definite proof that the work was -written by Bishop Asser in the lifetime of King Alfred, there is no -anachronism or other proof that it is a spurious compilation of later -date. The serious charges brought against its authenticity break down -altogether under examination, while there remain several features that -point with varying strength to the conclusion that it is, despite its -difficulties and corruptions, really a work of the time it purports -to be. This result is confirmed by the important corroboration of -some of its statements by contemporary Frankish chroniclers. Thus the -profession of belief in its authenticity by such eminent historians as -Kemble, Pauli, Stubbs, and Freeman agrees with my own conclusion.’ - -Notwithstanding their general rehabilitation of the work, however, -neither critic is prepared to trust it implicitly. Plummer says (p. -52): ‘On the whole, then, Asser is an authority to be used with -criticism and caution; partly because we have always to be alive -to the possibility of interpolation, partly because the writer’s -Celtic imagination is apt to run away with him.’ And thus Stevenson -(p. cxxx): ‘The work still presents some difficulties. Carelessness -of transcription may possibly explain those that are merely verbal, -but there still remain certain passages that lay the author open -to the charge of exaggeration, such as his mention of gold-covered -and silver-covered buildings, if that be the literal meaning of the -passage, and his statement that Alfred might, if he had chosen, have -been king before his elder brother Æthelred, with whom, it is clear, he -was on most intimate terms.’ - -The style of the book is not uniform. The passages translated from the -_Chronicle_ are simpler, while in the more original parts the author -displays an unfortunate tendency to a turgid and at times bombastic -manner of writing. Indeed, it displays, in many passages, the traits -of that Hesperic Latinity which, invented or made fashionable in the -sixth century, probably by a British monk in the southwestern part of -England, was more or less current in England from the time of Aldhelm -until the Norman Conquest. This Hesperic, or Celtic, Latinity has -been compared to the mock euphuism of Sir Piercie Shafton in Scott’s -_Monastery_ (Professor H. A. Strong, in _American Journal of Philology_ -26. 205), and may be illustrated by Professor Strong’s translation -into English of certain sentences from the _Hisperica Famina_, the -production, as it is believed, of the monk referred to above: ‘This -precious shower of words glitters, by no awkward barriers confining -the diction, and husbands its strength by an exquisite balance and by -equable device, trilling sweet descant of Ausonian speech through the -speaker’s throat by this shower of words passing through Latin throats; -just as countless swarms of bees go here and there in their hollow -hives, and sip the honey-streams in their homes, and set in order, as -they are wont, their combs with their beaks.’ - -With the passage just quoted may be compared an extract from chapter -88 of Asser, the translation of which is given below (pp. 49, 50): -‘Ac deinde cotidie inter nos sermocinando, ad hæc investigando aliis -inventis æque placabilibus testimoniis, quaternio ille refertus -succrevit, nec immerito, sicut scriptum est, “super modicum fundamentum -ædificat justus et paulatim ad majora defluit,” velut apis fertilissima -longe lateque gronnios interrogando discurrens, multimodos divinæ -scripturæ flosculos inhianter et incessabiliter congregavit, quis -præcordii sui cellulas densatim replevit.’ Such Latin as this is -difficult to translate into satisfactory English. If one renders it -literally, the result is apt to look rather absurd; and beyond a -certain point condensation is impracticable, or else misrepresents the -original, faults and merits alike. - -Hitherto there have been three translations of Asser into English--that -by J. A. Giles in Bohn’s _Six Old English Chronicles_, London, -1848; that by Joseph Stevenson in _Church Historians of England_, -Vol. 2, London, 1854; and that by Edward Conybeare, _Alfred in the -Chroniclers_, London, 1900. As the basis of my work I have taken the -translation of Giles, sometimes following it rather closely, and at -other times departing from it more or less widely. - -The reader familiar with the traditional Asser will miss some matter -with which he is familiar, such as the story of Alfred and the cakes, -that of the raven-banner of the Danes, etc. These are derived from -interpolations made in the manuscript by Archbishop Parker, which -modern critical scholarship has at length excised. For all matters -regarding the manuscript, the earlier editions, etc., as well as for -copious illustrative notes on the text, the reader is referred to -Stevenson’s edition. - -Insertions made in the text by Stevenson, on what he considers -sufficient grounds, are indicated by < >. The chapter-divisions and --numbering are Stevenson’s; the chapter-headings mine. Where modern -forms of proper names exist, I have not hesitated to adopt them, and -in general have tended rather to normalize them than scrupulously to -follow the sometimes various spellings of the text. The notes have -almost always been derived from Stevenson’s edition, whether or not -explicit acknowledgment has been made, but now and then, as in the case -of the long note on chapter 56, are my own. - - YALE UNIVERSITY - July 4, 1905 - - - - -CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - 1. Alfred’s Birth and Genealogy 1 - - 2. Genealogy of Alfred’s Mother 2 - - 3. The Danes at Wicganbeorg and Sheppey 3 - - 4. The Danes sack Canterbury 3 - - 5. Battle of Aclea 4 - - 6. Defeat of the Danes at Sandwich 4 - - 7. Æthelwulf assists Burgred 4 - - 8. Alfred at Rome 5 - - 9. Other Events of 853 5 - - 10. The Heathen winter in Sheppey 6 - - 11. Æthelwulf journeys to Rome 6 - - 12. Rebellion of Æthelbald 6 - - 13. Judith’s Position in Wessex 7 - - 14. Offa and Eadburh 8 - - 15. Eadburh’s Further Life 9 - - 16. Æthelwulf’s Will 10 - - 17. Æthelbald marries Judith 11 - - 18. Æthelbert’s Reign 12 - - 19. Æthelbert’s Death 12 - - 20. The Danes in Kent 12 - - 21. Æthelred’s Accession 13 - - 22. Alfred’s Rearing 13 - - 23. Alfred and the Book of Saxon Poems 14 - - 24. Alfred’s Handbook 14 - - 25. Alfred’s Love of Learning 15 - - 26. The Danes occupy York 16 - - 27. Defeat of the Northumbrians 16 - - 28. Death of Ealhstan 17 - - 29. Alfred marries 17 - - 30. The Danes at Nottingham 17 - - 31. The Danes at York 18 - - 32. The Danes at Thetford 18 - - 33. The Danes triumph 18 - - 34. Ceolnoth dies 18 - - 35. The Danes defeated at Englefield 19 - - 36. Battle of Reading 19 - - 37. Battle of Ashdown 20 - - 38. Alfred begins the Attack 20 - - 39. The Heathen Rout and Loss 21 - - 40. Battle of Basing 22 - - 41. Æthelred’s Death 22 - - 42. Alfred comes to the Throne; Battle of Wilton 22 - - 43. Peace made 24 - - 44. The Heathen winter in London 24 - - 45. The Heathen winter in Lindsey 24 - - 46. The Danes in Mercia 24 - - 47. The Danes in Northumbria and Cambridge 25 - - 48. Alfred’s Battle at Sea 25 - - 49. Movements of the Danes 25 - - 50. Halfdene partitions Northumbria 26 - - 51. Division of Mercia 26 - - 52. The Danes at Chippenham 26 - - 53. Alfred in Somersetshire 27 - - 54. The Danes defeated at Cynwit 27 - - 55. Alfred at Athelney 28 - - 56. Battle of Edington, and Treaty with Guthrum 28 - - 57. The Danes go to Cirencester 30 - - 58. Danes at Fulham 31 - - 59. An Eclipse 31 - - 60. The Danes in East Anglia 31 - - 61. The Smaller Army leaves England 31 - - 62. The Danes fight with the Franks 31 - - 63. The Danes on the Meuse 31 - - 64. Alfred’s Naval Battle with the Danes 31 - - 65. The Danes at Condé 32 - - 66. Deliverance of Rochester 32 - - 67. Alfred’s Naval Battle at the Mouth of the Stour 32 - - 68. Death of Carloman, of Louis II, and of Louis III 33 - - 69. The Danes in Old Saxony 33 - - 70. Charles, King of the Alemanni 34 - - 71. Death of Pope Marinus 34 - - 72. The Danes break their Treaty 34 - - 73. Asser makes a New Beginning 34 - - 74. Alfred’s Maladies 35 - - 75. Alfred’s Children and their Education 37 - - 76. Alfred’s Varied Pursuits 38 - - 77. Alfred’s Scholarly Associates: Werfrith, Plegmund, Æthelstan, - and Werwulf 41 - - 78. Grimbald and John, the Old Saxon 42 - - 79. Asser’s Negotiations with King Alfred 42 - - 80. The Welsh Princes who submit to Alfred 44 - - 81. How Alfred rewards Submission 45 - - 82. The Siege of Paris 46 - - 83. Alfred rebuilds London 47 - - 84. The Danes leave Paris 47 - - 85. Division of the Empire 47 - - 86. Alfred sends Alms to Rome 48 - - 87. Alfred begins to translate from Latin 48 - - 88. Alfred’s Manual 48 - - 89. Alfred’s Handbook 50 - - 90. Illustration from the Penitent Thief 51 - - 91. Alfred’s Troubles 51 - - 92. Alfred builds Two Monasteries 54 - - 93. Monasticism was decayed 55 - - 94. Monks brought from beyond Sea 55 - - 95. A Crime committed at Athelney 55 - - 96. The Plot of a Priest and a Deacon 56 - - 97. The Execution of the Plot 57 - - 98. The Convent at Shaftesbury 58 - - 99. Alfred divides his Time and his Revenues 58 - - 100. The Threefold Division of Officers at Court 59 - - 101. The Distribution for Secular Purposes 59 - - 102. The Distribution for Religious Purposes 60 - - 103. Alfred’s Dedication of Personal Service 61 - - 104. Alfred’s Measure of Time 61 - - 105. Alfred judges the Poor with Equity 63 - - 106. His Correction of Unjust and Incompetent Judges 63 - - - APPENDIXES 67 - - Appendix I: Alfred’s Preface to his Translation of - Gregory’s Pastoral Care 69 - - Appendix II: Letter from Fulco, Archbishop of Rheims, - to Alfred 72 - - - INDEX 79 - - - - -ASSER’S LIFE OF KING ALFRED - - _To my lord Alfred, king of the Anglo-Saxons, the worshipful - and pious ruler of all Christians in the island of Britain, - Asser, least of all the servants of God, wisheth thousandfold - prosperity for both lives, according to the desires of his - heart._ - - -=1. Alfred’s Birth and Genealogy.=[1]--In the year of our Lord’s -incarnation 849, Alfred, King of the Anglo-Saxons, was born at the -royal vill of Wantage, in Berkshire (which receives its name from -Berroc Wood, where the box-tree grows very abundantly). His genealogy -is traced in the following order: King Alfred was the son of King -Æthelwulf; he of Egbert; he of Ealhmund; he of Eafa; he of Eoppa; -he of Ingild. Ingild and Ine, the famous king of the West Saxons, -were two brothers. Ine went to Rome, and there ending the present -life honorably, entered into the heavenly fatherland to reign with -Christ. Ingild and Ine were the sons of Cœnred; he of Ceolwald; he of -Cutha[2]; he of Cuthwine; he of Ceawlin; he of Cynric; he of Creoda; -he of Cerdic; he of Elesa; <he of Esla;> he of Gewis, from whom the -Welsh name all that people Gegwis[3]; <he of Wig; he of Freawine; -he of Freothegar;> he of Brond; he of Beldeag; he of Woden; he of -Frithowald; he of Frealaf; he of Frithuwulf; he of Finn<; he of> -Godwulf; he of Geata, which Geta the heathen long worshiped as a god. -Sedulius makes mention of him in his metrical _Paschal Poem_, as -follows: - - If heathen poets rave o’er fancied woe, - While in a turgid stream their numbers flow-- - Whether the tragic buskin tread the stage, - Or waggish Geta all our thoughts engage; - If by the art of song they still revive - The taint of ill, and bid old vices live; - If monumental guilt they sing, and lies - Commit to books in magisterial wise; - Why may not I, who list to David’s lyre, - And reverent stand amid the hallowed choir, - Hymn heavenly things in words of tranquil tone, - And tell the deeds of Christ in accents all my own? - -This Geata was the son of Tætwa; he of Beaw; he of Sceldwea; he of -Heremod; he of Itermod; he of Hathra; he of Hwala; he of Bedwig; he of -Sceaf[4]; he of Noah; he of Lamech; he of Methuselah; he of Enoch; <he -of Jared>; he of Mahalalel; he of Kenan[5]; he of Enosh; he of Seth; he -of Adam. - - -=2. Genealogy of Alfred’s Mother.=[6]--The mother of Alfred was -named Osburh, an extremely devout woman, noble in mind, noble also -by descent; she was daughter to Oslac, the famous cupbearer of King -Æthelwulf. This Oslac was a Goth by nation, descended from the Goths -and Jutes--of the seed, namely, of Stuf and Wihtgar, two brothers and -ealdormen. They, having received possession of the Isle of Wight from -their uncle, King Cerdic, and his son Cynric their cousin,[7] slew the -few British inhabitants whom they could find in that island, at a place -called Wihtgaraburg[8]; for the other inhabitants of the island had -either been slain or had escaped into exile. - - -=3. The Danes at Wicganbeorg and Sheppey.=[9]--In the year of our -Lord’s incarnation 851, which was the third of King Alfred’s life, -Ceorl, Ealdorman of Devon, fought with the men of Devon against the -heathen at a place called Wicganbeorg,[10] and the Christians gained -the victory. In that same year the heathen first wintered in the island -called Sheppey, which means ‘Sheep-island,’ situated in the river -Thames between Essex and Kent, though nearer to Kent than to Essex, and -containing a fair monastery.[11] - - -=4. The Danes sack Canterbury.=[12]--The same year a great army of -heathen came with three hundred and fifty ships to the mouth of the -river Thames, and sacked Dorubernia, or Canterbury,[13] <and also -London> (which lies on the north bank of the river Thames, on the -confines of Essex and Middlesex, though in truth that city belongs to -Essex); and they put to flight Beorhtwulf, King of Mercia, with all the -army which he had led out to oppose them. - - -=5. Battle of Aclea.=[14]--Having done these things there, the -aforesaid heathen host went into Surrey, which is a shire situated -on the south shore of the river Thames, and to the west of Kent. And -Æthelwulf, King of the Saxons, and his son Æthelbald, with the whole -army, fought a long time against them at a place called Aclea,[15] -that is, ‘Oak-plain’; there, after a lengthy battle, which was fought -with much bravery on both sides, the most part of the heathen horde -was utterly destroyed and slain, so that we never heard of their being -so smitten, either before or since, in any region, in one day[16]; and -the Christians gained an honorable victory, and kept possession of the -battle-field. - - -=6. Defeat of the Danes at Sandwich.=[17]--In that same year Æthelstan -and Ealdorman Ealhere slew a large army of the heathen in Kent, at a -place called Sandwich, and took nine ships of their fleet, the others -escaping by flight. - - -=7. Æthelwulf assists Burgred.=[18]--In the year of our Lord’s -incarnation 853, which was the fifth of King Alfred’s life, Burgred, -King of the Mercians, sent messengers to beseech Æthelwulf, King of -the West Saxons, to come and help him in reducing to his sway the -inhabitants of Mid-Wales, who dwell between Mercia and the western sea, -and who were struggling against him beyond measure. So without delay -King Æthelwulf, on receipt of the embassy, moved his army, and advanced -with King Burgred against Wales[19]; and immediately upon his entrance -he ravaged it, and reduced it under subjection to Burgred. This being -done, he returned home. - - -=8. Alfred at Rome.=[20]--In that same year King Æthelwulf sent his -above-named son Alfred to Rome, with an honorable escort both of nobles -and commoners. Pope Leo at that time presided over the apostolic see, -and he anointed as king[21] the aforesaid child[22] Alfred in the town, -and, adopting him as his son, confirmed him.[23] - - -=9. Other Events of 853.=[24]--That same year also, Ealdorman Ealhere -with the men of Kent, and Huda with the men of Surrey, fought bravely -and resolutely against an army of the heathen in the island which is -called Tenet[25] in the Saxon tongue, but Ruim in the Welsh language. -At first the Christians were victorious. The battle lasted a long -time; many fell on both sides, and were drowned in the water; and both -the ealdormen were there slain. In the same year also, after Easter, -Æthelwulf, King of the West Saxons, gave his daughter to Burgred, King -of the Mercians, as his queen, and the marriage was celebrated in -princely wise at the royal vill of Chippenham. - - -=10. The Heathen winter in Sheppey.=[26]--In the year of our Lord’s -incarnation 855, which was the seventh of the aforesaid king’s life, -a great army of the heathen spent the whole winter in the aforesaid -island of Sheppey. - - -=11. Æthelwulf journeys to Rome.=[27]--In that same year the aforesaid -worshipful King Æthelwulf freed the tenth part of all his kingdom from -every royal service and tribute, and offered it up as an everlasting -grant to God the One and Three, on the cross of Christ, for the -redemption of his own soul and those of his predecessors. In the same -year he went to Rome with much honor; and taking with him his son, the -aforesaid King Alfred, a second time on the same journey, because he -loved him more than his other sons, he remained there a whole year. -After this he returned to his own country, bringing with him Judith, -daughter of Charles, King of the Franks.[28] - - -=12. Rebellion of Æthelbald.=[29]--In the meantime, however, whilst -King Æthelwulf was residing this short time beyond sea, a base deed -was done in the western part of Selwood,[30] repugnant to the morals -of all Christians. For King Æthelbald, Ealhstan, Bishop of the church -of Sherborne, and Eanwulf, Ealdorman of Somerset, are said to have -formed a conspiracy to the end that King Æthelwulf, on his return from -Rome, should not again be received in his kingdom. This unfortunate -occurrence, unheard-of in all previous ages, is ascribed by many to -the bishop and ealdorman alone, since, say they, it resulted from -their counsels. Many also ascribe it solely to the insolence of the -king, because he was headstrong in this matter and in many other -perversities, as I have heard related by certain persons, and as was -proved by the result of that which followed. For on his return from -Rome, Æthelwulf’s son aforesaid, with all his counselors, or rather -waylayers, attempted to perpetrate the crime of repulsing the king from -his own kingdom; but neither did God suffer it, nor did the nobles of -all Wessex consent thereto. For to prevent this irremediable danger to -Wessex of a war between father and son, or rather of the whole nation -waging civil war more fiercely and cruelly from day to day, as they -espoused the cause of the one or the other,--by the extraordinary -clemency of the father, seconded by the consent of all the nobles, the -kingdom which had hitherto been undivided was parted between the two, -the eastern districts being given to the father, and the western to the -son. Thus where the father ought by just right to have reigned, there -did his unjust and obstinate son bear rule; for the western part of -Wessex is always superior to the eastern. - - -=13. Judith’s Position in Wessex.=[31]--When Æthelwulf, therefore, -returned from Rome, the whole nation, as was fitting, so rejoiced[32] -in the arrival of the ruler that, if he had allowed them, they would -have expelled his unruly son Æthelbald, with all his counselors, from -the kingdom. But he, as I have said, acting with great clemency and -prudent counsel, would not act in this way, lest the kingdom should be -exposed to peril. He likewise bade Judith, daughter of King Charles, -whom he had received from her father, take her seat by his own side on -the royal throne, without any dispute or enmity from his nobles even -to the end of his life, though contrary to the perverse custom of that -nation.[33] For the nation of the West Saxons does not allow the queen -to sit beside the king, nor to be called queen, but only the king’s -wife; which refusal, or rather reproach, the chief persons of that land -say arose from a certain headstrong and malevolent queen of the nation, -who did all things so contrary to her lord and to the whole people -that not only did the hatred which she brought upon herself bring to -pass her exclusion from the queenly throne, but also entailed the same -corruption upon those who came after her, since, in consequence of -the extreme malignity of that queen, all the inhabitants of the land -banded themselves together by an oath never in their lives to let any -king reign over them who should bid his queen take her seat on the -royal throne by his side. And because, as I think, it is not known to -many whence this perverse and detestable custom first arose in Wessex, -contrary to the custom of all the Germanic peoples, it seems to me -right to explain it a little more fully, as I have heard it from my -lord Alfred the truth-teller, King of the Anglo-Saxons, who often told -me about it, as he also had heard it from many men of truth who related -the fact, or, I should rather say, expressly preserved the remembrance -of it. - - -=14. Offa and Eadburh.=[34]--There was in Mercia in recent times a -certain valiant king, who was dreaded by all the neighboring kings -and states. His name was Offa, and it was he who had the great dike -made from sea to sea between Wales and Mercia.[35] His daughter, named -Eadburh, was married to Beorhtric, King of the West Saxons. The moment -she had possessed herself of the king’s good will, and practically -the whole power of the realm, she began to live tyrannically, after -the manner of her father. Every man whom Beorhtric loved she would -execrate, and would do all things hateful to God and man, accusing to -the king all whom she could, thus depriving them insidiously either of -life or of power. And if she could not obtain the king’s consent, she -used to take them off by poison, as is ascertained to have been the -case with a certain young man beloved by the king, whom she poisoned, -seeing that she could not accuse him to the king. It is said, moreover, -that King Beorhtric unwittingly tasted of the poison, though the queen -had intended to give it, not to him, but to the young man; the king, -however, was beforehand with him, and so both perished. - - -=15. Eadburh’s Further Life.=[36]--King Beorhtric therefore being dead, -the queen, since she could no longer remain among the Saxons, sailed -beyond sea with countless treasures, and came to Charles,[37] King of -the Franks. As she stood before the dais, bringing many gifts to the -king, Charles said to her: ‘Choose, Eadburh, between me and my son, -who stands with me on this dais.’ She, without deliberation, foolishly -replied: ‘If I am to have my choice, I choose your son, because he -is younger than you.’ At which Charles smiled and answered: ‘If you -had chosen me, you should have had my son; but since you have chosen -him, you shall have neither me nor him.’ However, he gave her a large -convent of nuns, in which, having laid aside her secular habit, and -assumed the dress worn by the nuns, she discharged the office of abbess -for a few years. As she is said to have lived irrationally in her own -country, so she appears to have acted much more so among a foreign -people; for, being finally caught in illicit intercourse with a man -of her own nation, she was expelled from the monastery by order of -King Charles. Henceforward she lived a life of shame in poverty and -misery until her death; so that at last, accompanied only by one slave, -as I have heard from many who saw her, she begged her bread daily at -Pavia,[38] and so wretchedly died. - - -=16. Æthelwulf’s Will.=[39]--Now King Æthelwulf lived two years after -his return from Rome; during which, among many other good deeds of -this present life, reflecting on his departure according to the way of -all flesh, that his sons might not quarrel unreasonably after their -father’s death, he ordered a will or letter of instructions to be -written,[40] in which he commanded that his kingdom should be duly -divided between his two eldest sons; his private heritage between his -sons, his daughter, and his relatives; and the money which he should -leave behind him between his soul[41] and his sons and nobles. Of this -prudent policy I have thought fit to record a few instances out of many -for posterity to imitate, namely, such as are understood to belong -principally to the needs of the soul; for the others, which relate -only to human stewardship, it is not necessary to insert in this -little work, lest prolixity should create disgust in those who read or -wish to hear. For the benefit of his soul, then, which he studied to -promote in all things from the first flower of his youth, he directed -that, through all his hereditary land, one poor man to every ten -hides,[42] either native or foreigner, should be supplied with food, -drink, and clothing by his successors unto the final Day of Judgment; -on condition, however, that that land should still be inhabited both -by men and cattle, and should not become deserted. He commanded also a -large sum of money, namely, three hundred mancuses,[43] to be carried -annually to Rome for the good of his soul, to be there distributed -in the following manner: a hundred mancuses in honor of St. Peter, -especially to buy oil for the lights of that apostolic church on Easter -Eve, and also at cockcrow; a hundred mancuses in honor of St. Paul, for -the same purpose of buying oil for the church of St. Paul the apostle, -to fill the lamps for Easter Eve and cockcrow; and a hundred mancuses -for the universal apostolic Pope. - - -=17. Æthelbald marries Judith.=[44]--But when King Æthelwulf was dead -<and buried at Winchester>,[45] his son Æthelbald, contrary to God’s -prohibition and the dignity of a Christian, contrary also to the custom -of all the heathen,[46] ascended his father’s bed, and married Judith, -daughter of Charles, King of the Franks, incurring much infamy from all -who heard of it. During two years and a half of lawlessness he held -after his father the government of the West Saxons. - - -=18. Æthelbert’s Reign.=[47]--In the year of our Lord’s incarnation -860, which was the twelfth of King Alfred’s life, <King> Æthelbald -<died, and> was buried at Sherborne. His brother Æthelbert, as was -right, added Kent, Surrey, and Sussex to his realm. In his days a great -army of heathen came from the sea, and attacked and laid waste the city -of Winchester. As they were returning laden with booty to their ships, -Osric, Ealdorman of Hampshire, with his men, and Ealdorman Æthelwulf, -with the men of Berkshire, faced them bravely. Battle was then joined -in the town, and the heathen were slain on every side; and finding -themselves unable to resist, they took to flight like women, and the -Christians held the battle-field. - - -=19. Æthelbert’s Death.=[48]--So Æthelbert governed his kingdom five -years in peace and love and honor; and went the way of all flesh, to -the great grief of his subjects. He rests interred in honorable wise at -Sherborne, by the side of his brother. - - -=20. The Danes in Kent.=[49]--In the year of our Lord’s incarnation 864 -the heathen wintered in the isle of Thanet, and made a firm treaty with -the men of Kent, who promised them money for observing their agreement. -In the meantime, however, the heathen, after the manner of foxes, burst -forth with all secrecy from their camp by night, and setting at naught -their engagements, and spurning the promised money--which they knew -was less than they could get by plunder--they ravaged all the eastern -coast of Kent. - - -=21. Æthelred’s Accession.=[50]--In the year of our Lord’s incarnation -866, which was the eighteenth of King Alfred’s life, Æthelred, brother -of King Æthelbert, undertook the government of the West Saxon realm. -The same year a great fleet of heathen came to Britain from the -Danube,[51] and wintered in the kingdom of the East Saxons, which is -called in Saxon East Anglia; and there they became in the main an army -of cavalry. But, to speak in nautical phrase, I will no longer commit -my vessel to wave and sail, or steer my roundabout course at a distance -from land through so many calamities of wars and series of years, but -rather return to that which first prompted me to this task: that is to -say, I think it right briefly to insert in this place the little that -has come to my knowledge about the character of my revered lord Alfred, -King of the Anglo-Saxons, during the years of infancy and boyhood. - - -=22. Alfred’s Rearing.=[52]--He was extraordinarily beloved by both -his father and mother, and indeed by all the people, beyond all his -brothers; in inseparable companionship with them he was reared at the -royal court.[53] As he advanced through the years of infancy and youth, -he appeared more comely in person than his brothers, as in countenance, -speech, and manners he was more pleasing than they. His noble birth -and noble nature implanted in him from his cradle a love of wisdom -above all things, even amid all the occupations of this present life; -but--with shame be it spoken!--by the unworthy neglect of his parents -and governors he remained illiterate till he was twelve years old or -more, though by day and night he was an attentive listener to the Saxon -poems which he often heard recited, and, being apt at learning, kept -them in his memory. He was a zealous practiser of hunting in all its -branches, and followed the chase with great assiduity and success; for -his skill and good fortune in this art, and in all the other gifts of -God, were beyond those of every one else, as I have often witnessed. - - -=23. Alfred and the Book of Saxon Poems.=[54]--Now on a certain day -his mother was showing him and his brothers a book of Saxon poetry, -which she held in her hand, and finally said: ‘Whichever of you can -soonest learn this volume, to him will I give it.’ Stimulated by these -words, or rather by divine inspiration, and allured by the beautifully -illuminated letter at the beginning of the volume, <Alfred>[55] spoke -before all his brothers, who, though his seniors in age, were not so -in grace, and answered his mother: ‘Will you really give that book to -that one of us who can first understand and repeat it to you?’ At this -his mother smiled with satisfaction, and confirmed what she had before -said: ‘Yes,’ said she, ‘that I will.’ Upon this the boy took the book -out of her hand, and went to his master and learned it by heart,[56] -whereupon he brought it back to his mother and recited it. - - -=24. Alfred’s Handbook.=[57]--After this <he learned>[55] the daily -course, that is, the celebration of the hours, and afterwards certain -Psalms, and many prayers, contained in a book[58] which he kept day and -night in his bosom, as I myself have seen, and always carried about -with him, for the sake of prayer, through all the bustle and business -of this present life. But, sad to relate, he could not gratify his -ardent wish to acquire liberal art,[59] because, as he was wont to say, -there were at that time no good teachers in all the kingdom of the West -Saxons.[60] - - -=25. Alfred’s Love of Learning.=[61]--This he would confess, with -many lamentations and with sighs from the bottom of his heart, to -have been one of his greatest difficulties and impediments in this -present life, that when he was young and had leisure and capacity for -learning, he had no masters; but when he was more advanced in years, -he was continually occupied, not to say harassed, day and night, by so -many diseases unknown to all the physicians of this island, as well as -by internal and external anxieties of sovereignty, and by invasions -of the heathen by sea and land, that though he then had some store of -teachers and writers,[62] it was quite impossible for him to study. -But yet among the impediments of this present life, from childhood to -the present day [and, as I believe, even until his death],[63] he has -continued to feel the same insatiable desire. - - -=26. The Danes occupy York.=[64]--In the year of our Lord’s incarnation -867, which was the nineteenth of the aforesaid King Alfred’s life, the -army of heathen before mentioned removed from East Anglia to the city -of York, which is situated on the north bank of the river Humber. - - -=27. Defeat of the Northumbrians.=[64]--At that time a violent discord -arose, by the instigation of the devil, among the Northumbrians, as -always is wont to happen to a people who have incurred the wrath of -God. For the Northumbrians at that time, as I have said,[65] had -expelled their lawful king Osbert from his realm, and appointed a -certain tyrant named Ælla, not of royal birth, over the affairs of the -kingdom. But when the heathen approached, by divine providence, and -the furtherance of the common weal by the nobles, that discord was -a little appeased, and Osbert and Ælla uniting their resources, and -assembling an army, marched to the town of York. The heathen fled at -their approach, and attempted to defend themselves within the walls -of the city. The Christians, perceiving their flight and the terror -they were in, determined to follow them within the very ramparts of -the town, and to demolish the wall; and this they succeeded in doing, -since the city at that time was not surrounded by firm or strong walls. -When the Christians had made a breach, as they had purposed, and many -of them had entered into the city along with the heathen, the latter, -impelled by grief and necessity, made a fierce sally upon them, slew -them, routed them, and cut them down, both within and without the -walls. In that battle fell almost all the Northumbrian troops, and -both the kings were slain; the remainder, who escaped, made peace with -the heathen. - - -=28. Death of Ealhstan.=[66]--In the same year, Ealhstan, Bishop of the -church of Sherborne, went the way of all flesh, after he had honorably -ruled his see fifty years; and in peace he was buried at Sherborne. - - -=29. Alfred marries.=[67]--In the year of our Lord’s incarnation 868, -which was the twentieth of King Alfred’s life, the aforesaid revered -King Alfred, then occupying only the rank of viceroy (_secundarii_), -betrothed[68] and espoused a noble Mercian lady,[69] daughter of -Æthelred, surnamed Mucill, Ealdorman of the Gaini.[70] The mother of -this lady was named Eadburh, of the royal line of Mercia, whom I often -saw with my own eyes a few years before her death. She was a venerable -lady, and after the decease of her husband remained many years a chaste -widow, even till her own death. - - -=30. The Danes at Nottingham.=[71]--In that same year the above-named -army of heathen, leaving Northumbria, invaded Mercia, and advanced to -Nottingham, which is called in Welsh Tigguocobauc,[72] but in Latin -‘The House of Caves,’ and wintered there that same year. Immediately -on their approach, Burgred, King of the Mercians, and all the nobles -of that nation, sent messengers to Æthelred,[73] King of the West -Saxons, and his brother Alfred, entreating them to come and aid them -in fighting against the aforesaid army. Their request was readily -granted; for the brothers, as soon as promised, assembled an immense -army from every part of their <realm>, and, entering Mercia, came to -Nottingham, all eager for battle. When now the heathen, defended by the -castle, refused to fight, and the Christians were unable to destroy the -wall, peace was made between the Mercians and the heathen, and the two -brothers, Æthelred and Alfred, returned home with their troops. - - -=31. The Danes at York.=[74]--In the year of our Lord’s incarnation -869, which was the twenty-first of King Alfred’s life, the aforesaid -army of heathen, riding back to Northumbria, went to the city of York, -and there passed the whole winter. - - -=32. The Danes at Thetford.=[74]--In the year of our Lord’s incarnation -870, which was the twenty-second of King Alfred’s life, the -above-mentioned army of heathen passed through Mercia into East Anglia, -and wintered at Thetford.[75] - - -=33. The Danes triumph.=[74]--That same year Edmund, King of the East -Angles, fought most fiercely against that army; but, lamentable to say, -the heathen triumphed, for he and most of his men were there slain, -while the enemy held the battle-field, and reduced all that region to -subjection. - - -=34. Ceolnoth dies.=[76]--That same year Ceolnoth, Archbishop of -Canterbury, went the way of all flesh, and was buried in peace in that -city. - - -=35. The Danes defeated at Englefield.=[77]--In the year of our Lord’s -incarnation 871, which was the twenty-third of King Alfred’s life, the -heathen army, of hateful memory, left East Anglia, and, entering the -kingdom of the West Saxons, came to the royal vill called Reading, -situated on the south bank of the Thames, in the district called -Berkshire; and there, on the third day after their arrival, their -<two> ealdormen, with great part of the army, rode forth for plunder, -while the others made an entrenchment between the rivers Thames -and Kennet, on the southern side of the same royal vill. They were -encountered by Æthelwulf, Ealdorman of Berkshire, with his men, at a -place called Englefield[78] <in English, and in Latin ‘The Field of -the Angles’>.[79] Both sides fought bravely, and made long resistance -to each other. At length one of the heathen ealdormen was slain, and -the greater part of the army destroyed; upon which the rest saved -themselves by flight, and the Christians gained the victory and held -the battle-field. - - -=36. Battle of Reading.=[77]--Four days afterwards, King Æthelred -and his brother Alfred, uniting their forces and assembling an army, -marched to Reading, where, on their arrival at the castle gate, they -cut to pieces and overthrew the heathen whom they found outside the -fortifications. But the heathen fought no less valiantly and, rushing -like wolves out of every gate, waged battle with all their might. Both -sides fought long and fiercely, but at last, sad to say, the Christians -turned their backs, the heathen obtained the victory and held the -battle-field, the aforesaid Ealdorman Æthelwulf being among the slain. - - -=37. Battle of Ashdown.=[80]--Roused by this grief and shame, the -Christians, after four days, with all their forces and much spirit -advanced to battle against the aforesaid army, at a place called -Ashdown,[81] which in Latin signifies ‘Ash’s[82] Hill.’ The heathen, -forming in two divisions, arranged two shield-walls of similar size; -and since they had two kings and many ealdormen, they gave the -middle[83] part of the army to the two kings, and the other part to -all the ealdormen. The Christians, perceiving this, divided their army -also into two troops, and with no less zeal formed shield-walls.[84] -But Alfred, as I have been told by truthful eye-witnesses, marched -up swiftly with his men to the battle-field; for King Æthelred had -remained a long time in his tent in prayer, hearing mass, and declaring -that he would not depart thence alive till the priest had done, and -that he was not disposed to abandon the service of God for that of men; -and according to these sentiments he acted. This faith of the Christian -king availed much with the Lord, as I shall show more fully in the -sequel. - - -=38. Alfred begins the Attack.=[85]--Now the Christians had determined -that King Æthelred, with his men, should attack the two heathen kings, -and that his brother Alfred, with his troops, should take the chance of -war against all the leaders of the heathen. Things being so arranged -on both sides, the king still continued a long time in prayer, and the -heathen, prepared for battle, had hastened to the field. Then Alfred, -though only second in command, could no longer support the advance of -the enemy, unless he either retreated or charged upon them without -waiting for his brother. At length, with the rush of a wild boar, he -courageously led the Christian troops against the hostile army, as he -had already designed, for, although the king had not yet arrived, he -relied upon God’s counsel and trusted to His aid. Hence, having closed -up his shield-wall in due order, he straightway advanced his standards -against the foe. <At length King Æthelred, having finished the prayers -in which he was engaged, came up, and, having invoked the King of the -universe, entered upon the engagement.>[86] - - -=39. The Heathen Rout and Loss.=[87]--But here I must inform those -who are ignorant of the fact that the field of battle was not equally -advantageous to both parties, since the heathen had seized the higher -ground, and the Christian array was advancing up-hill. In that place -there was a solitary low thorn-tree, which I have seen with my own -eyes, and round this the opposing forces met in strife with deafening -uproar from all, the one side bent on evil, the other on fighting -for life, and dear ones, and fatherland. When both armies had fought -bravely and fiercely for a long while, the heathen, being unable by -God’s decree longer to endure the onset of the Christians, the larger -part of their force being slain, betook themselves to shameful flight. -There fell one of the two heathen kings and five ealdormen; many -thousand of their men were either slain at this spot or lay scattered -far and wide over the whole field of Ashdown. Thus there fell King -Bagsecg, Ealdorman Sidroc the Elder and Ealdorman Sidroc the Younger, -Ealdorman Osbern, Ealdorman Fræna, and Ealdorman Harold; and the whole -heathen army pursued its flight, not only until night, but until the -next day, even until they reached the stronghold[88] from which they -had sallied. The Christians followed, slaying all they could reach, -until it became dark. - - -=40. Battle of Basing.=[89]--After[90] fourteen days had elapsed King -Æthelred and his brother Alfred joined their forces, and marched to -Basing[91] to fight with the heathen. Having thus assembled, battle was -joined, and they held their own for a long time, but the heathen gained -the victory, and held possession of the battle-field. After this fight, -another army of heathen came from beyond sea, and joined them. - - -=41. Æthelred’s Death.=[92]--That same year, after Easter, the -aforesaid King Æthelred, having bravely, honorably, and with good -repute governed his kingdom five years through many tribulations, went -the way of all flesh, and was buried in Wimborne Minster,[93] where he -awaits the coming of the Lord and the first resurrection with the just. - - -=42. Alfred comes to the Throne; Battle of Wilton.=[94]--That same -year the aforesaid Alfred, who had been up to that time, during the -lifetime of his brothers, only of secondary rank, now, on the death -of his brother, by God’s permission undertook the government of the -whole kingdom, amid the acclamations of all the people; and indeed, if -he had chosen, he might easily have done so with the general consent -whilst his brother above named was still alive, since in wisdom and -every other good quality he surpassed all his brothers, and especially -because he was brave and victorious in nearly every battle. And when -he had reigned a month almost against his will--for he did not think -that he alone, without divine aid, could sustain the ferocity of the -heathen, though even during his brothers’ lifetimes he had borne the -calamities of many--he fought a fierce battle with a few men, and on -very unequal terms, against all the army of the heathen, at a hill -called Wilton, on the south bank of the river Wiley,[95] from which -river the whole of that shire is named; and after a severe engagement, -lasting a considerable part of the day, the heathen, seeing the whole -extent of the danger they were in, and no longer able to bear the -attack of their enemies, turned their backs and fled. But, shame to -say, they took advantage of their pursuers’ rashness,[96] and, again -rallying, gained the victory and kept the battle-field. Let no one -be surprised that the Christians had but a small number of men, for -the Saxons as a people had been all but worn out by eight battles in -this selfsame year against the heathen, in which there died one king, -nine chieftains, and innumerable troops of soldiers, not to speak of -countless skirmishes both by night and by day, in which the oft-named -<King> Alfred, and all the leaders of that people, with their men, -and many of the king’s thanes, had been engaged in unwearied strife -against the heathen. How many thousand heathen fell in these numberless -skirmishes God alone knows, over and above those who were slain in the -eight battles above mentioned. - - -=43. Peace made.=[97]--In that same year the Saxons made peace with the -heathen, on condition that they should take their departure; and this -they did. - - -=44. The Heathen winter in London.=[98]--In the year of our Lord’s -incarnation 872, being the twenty-fourth of King Alfred’s life, the -aforesaid army of heathen went to London, and there wintered; and the -Mercians made peace with them. - - -=45. The Heathen winter in Lindsey.=[98]--In the year of our Lord’s -incarnation 873, being the twenty-fifth of King Alfred’s life, the -oft-named army, leaving London, went into Northumbria, and there -wintered in the shire of Lindsey; and the Mercians again made peace -with them. - - -=46. The Danes in Mercia.=[99]--In the year of our Lord’s incarnation -874, being the twenty-sixth of King Alfred’s life, the above-named army -left Lindsey and marched to Mercia, where they wintered at Repton.[100] -Also they compelled Burgred, King of Mercia, against his will to leave -his kingdom and go beyond sea to Rome, in the twenty-second year of -his reign. He did not live long after his arrival at Rome, but died -there, and was honorably buried in the Colony of the Saxons,[101] in -St. Mary’s church,[102] where he awaits the Lord’s coming and the first -resurrection with the just. The heathen also, after his expulsion, -subjected the whole kingdom of Mercia to their dominion; but, by a -miserable arrangement, gave it into the custody of a certain foolish -man, named Ceolwulf, one of the <king∮s> thanes, on condition that he -should peaceably restore it to them on whatsoever day they should wish -to have it again; and to bind this agreement he gave them hostages, and -swore that he would not oppose their will in any way, but be obedient -to them in every respect. - - -=47. The Danes in Northumbria and Cambridge.=[103]--In the year of our -Lord’s incarnation 875, being the twenty-seventh of King Alfred’s life, -the above-mentioned army, leaving Repton, separated into two bodies, -one of which went with Halfdene into Northumbria, and having wintered -there near the Tyne, and reduced all Northumbria to subjection, also -ravaged the Picts and the people of Strathclyde.[104] The other -division, with Guthrum,[105] Oscytel, and Anwind, three kings of the -heathen, went to Cambridge, and there wintered. - - -=48. Alfred’s Battle at Sea.=[106]--In that same year King Alfred -fought a battle at sea against six ships of the heathen, and took one -of them, the rest escaping by flight. - - -=49. Movements of the Danes.=[107]--In the year of our Lord’s -incarnation 876, being the twenty-eighth year of King Alfred’s life, -the oft-mentioned army of the heathen, leaving Cambridge by night, -entered a fortress called Wareham,[108] where there is a monastery of -nuns between the two rivers Froom <and Tarrant>, in the district which -is called in Welsh Durngueir,[109] but in Saxon Thornsæta,[110] placed -in a most secure location, except on the western side, where there was -a territory adjacent. With this army Alfred made a solemn treaty to the -effect that they should depart from him, and they made no hesitation -to give him as many picked hostages as he named; also they swore an -oath on all the relics in which King Alfred trusted next to God,[111] -and on which they had never before sworn to any people, that they -would speedily depart from his kingdom. But they again practised their -usual treachery, and caring nothing for either hostages or oath, they -broke the treaty, and, sallying forth by night, slew all the horsemen -[horses?] that they had,[112] and, turning off, started without warning -for another place called in Saxon Exanceastre, and in Welsh Cairwisc, -which means in Latin ‘The City <of Exe>,’ situated on the eastern bank -of the river Wisc,[113] near the southern sea which divides Britain -from Gaul, and there passed the winter. - - -=50. Halfdene partitions Northumbria.=--In that same year Halfdene, -king of that part of Northumbria, divided up the whole region between -himself and his men, and settled there with his army. - - -=51. Division of Mercia.=[114]--The same year, in the month of August, -that army went into Mercia, and gave part of the district of the -Mercians to one Ceolwulf,[115] a weak-minded thane of the king; the -rest they divided among themselves. - - -=52. The Danes at Chippenham.=[116]--In the year of our Lord’s -incarnation 878, being the thirtieth of King Alfred’s life, the -oft-mentioned army left Exeter, and went to Chippenham, a royal vill, -situated in the north of Wiltshire, on the east bank of the river -which is called Avon in Welsh, and there wintered. And they drove -many of that people by their arms, by poverty, and by fear, to voyage -beyond sea, and reduced almost all the inhabitants of that district to -subjection. - - -=53. Alfred in Somersetshire.=--At that same time the above-mentioned -King Alfred, with a few of his nobles, and certain soldiers and -vassals, was leading in great tribulation an unquiet life among the -woodlands and swamps of Somersetshire; for he had nothing that he -needed except what by frequent sallies he could forage openly or -stealthily from the heathen or from the Christians who had submitted to -the rule of the heathen.[117] - - -=54. The Danes defeated at Cynwit.=[118]--In that same year the -brother[119] of Inwar[120] and Halfdene, with twenty-three ships, came, -after many massacres of the Christians, from Dyfed,[121] where he had -wintered, and sailed to Devon, where with twelve hundred others he met -with a miserable death, being slain, while committing his misdeeds, -by the king’s thanes, before the fortress of Cynwit,[122] in which -many of the king’s thanes, with their followers, had shut themselves -up for safety. The heathen, seeing that the fortress was unprepared -and altogether unfortified, except that it merely had fortifications -after our manner, determined not to assault it, because that place is -rendered secure by its position on all sides except the eastern, as -I myself have seen, but began to besiege it, thinking that those men -would soon surrender from famine, thirst, and the blockade, since -there is no water close to the fortress. But the result did not fall -out as they expected; for the Christians, before they began at all to -suffer from such want, being inspired by Heaven, and judging it much -better to gain either victory or death, sallied out suddenly upon the -heathen at daybreak, and from the first cut them down in great numbers, -slaying also their king, so that few escaped to their ships. - - -=55. Alfred at Athelney.=[123]--The same year, after Easter, -King Alfred, with a few men, made a stronghold in a place called -Athelney,[124] and from thence sallied with his vassals of Somerset -to make frequent and unwearied assaults upon the heathen. And again, -the seventh week after Easter, he rode to Egbert’s Stone,[125] which -is in the eastern part of Selwood Forest (in Latin ‘Great Forest,’ and -in Welsh Coit Maur). Here he was met by all the neighboring folk of -Somersetshire and Wiltshire, and such of Hampshire as had not sailed -beyond sea for fear of the heathen; and when they saw the king restored -alive, as it were, after such great tribulation, they were filled, as -was meet, with immeasurable joy, and encamped there for one night. At -daybreak of the following morning, the king struck his camp, and came -to Æglea,[126] where he encamped for one night. - - -=56. Battle of Edington, and Treaty with Guthrum.=[127]--The next -morning at dawn he moved his standards to Edington,[128] and there -fought bravely and perseveringly by means of a close shield-wall -against the whole army of the heathen, whom at length, with the divine -help, he defeated with great slaughter, and pursued them flying to -their stronghold. Immediately he slew all the men and carried off all -the horses and cattle that he could find without the fortress, and -thereupon pitched his camp, with all his army, before the gates of the -heathen stronghold. And when he had remained there fourteen days, the -heathen, terrified by hunger, cold, fear, and last of all by despair, -begged for peace, engaging to give the king as many designated hostages -as he pleased, and to receive none from him in return--in which manner -they had never before made peace with any one. The king, hearing this -embassage, of his own motion took pity upon them, and received from -them the designated hostages, as many as he would. Thereupon the -heathen swore, besides, that they would straightway leave his kingdom; -and their king, Guthrum, promised to embrace Christianity, and receive -baptism at King Alfred’s hands--all of which articles he and his men -fulfilled as they had promised. For after <three>[129] weeks Guthrum, -king of the heathen, with thirty[130] men chosen from his army, came to -Alfred at a place called Aller, near Athelney, and there King Alfred, -receiving him as a son by adoption, raised him up from the holy font -of baptism. On the eighth day, at a royal vill named Wedmore, his -chrism-loosing[131] took place. After his baptism he remained twelve -days with the king, who, together with all his companions, gave him -many rich gifts.[132] - - -=57. The Danes go to Cirencester.=[133]--In the year of our Lord’s -incarnation 879, which was the thirty-first of King Alfred’s life, the -aforesaid army of heathen, leaving Chippenham, as they had promised, -went to Cirencester, which is called in Welsh Cairceri, and is situated -in the southern part of the kingdom of the Hwicce,[134] and there they -remained one year. - - -=58. Danes at Fulham.=[135]--In that same year a large army of heathen -sailed from beyond sea into the river Thames, and joined the greater -army. However, they wintered at Fulham, near the river Thames. - - -=59. An Eclipse.=[136]--In that same year an eclipse[137] of the sun -took place between nones and vespers, but nearer to nones. - - -=60. The Danes in East Anglia.=[138]--In the year of our Lord’s -incarnation 880, which was the thirty-second of King Alfred’s life, -the oft-mentioned army of heathen left Cirencester, and went to East -Anglia, where they divided up the country and began to settle. - - -=61. The Smaller Army leaves England.=[139]--That same year the army of -heathen, which had wintered at Fulham, left the island of Britain, and -sailed over sea to East Frankland, where they remained for a year at a -place called Ghent. - - -=62. The Danes fight with the Franks.=--In the year of our Lord’s -incarnation 881, which was the thirty-third of King Alfred’s life, the -army went further on into Frankland, and the Franks fought against -them; and after the battle the heathen, obtaining horses, became an -army of cavalry. - - -=63. The Danes on the Meuse.=[140]--In the year of our Lord’s -incarnation 882, which was the thirty-fourth of King Alfred’s life, the -aforesaid army sailed their ships up into Frankland by a river called -the Meuse, and there wintered one year. - - -=64. Alfred’s Naval Battle with the Danes.=[141]--In that same year -Alfred, King of the Anglo-Saxons, fought a battle at sea against the -heathen fleet, of which he captured two ships, and slew all who were on -board. Two commanders of the other ships, with all their crews, worn -out by the fight and their wounds, laid down their arms, and submitted -to the king on bended knees with many entreaties. - - -=65. The Danes at Condé.=[142]--In the year of our Lord’s incarnation -883, which was the thirty-fifth of King Alfred’s life, the aforesaid -army sailed their ships up the river called Scheldt to a convent of -nuns called Condé, and there remained one year. - - -=66. Deliverance of Rochester.=[143]--In the year of our Lord’s -incarnation 884, which was the thirty-sixth of King Alfred’s life, the -aforesaid army divided into two parts: one body of them went into East -Frankland, and the other, coming to Britain, entered Kent, where they -besieged a city called in Saxon Rochester, situated on the east bank -of the river Medway. Before the gate of the town the heathen suddenly -erected a strong fortress; but they were unable to take the city, -because the citizens defended themselves bravely until King Alfred -came up to help them with a large army. Then the heathen abandoned -their fortress and all the horses which they had brought with them out -of Frankland, and, leaving behind them in the fortress the greater -part of their prisoners on the sudden arrival of the king, fled in -haste to their ships; the Saxons immediately seized upon the prisoners -and horses left by the heathen; and so the latter, compelled by dire -necessity, returned the same summer to Frankland. - - -=67. Alfred’s Naval Battle at the Mouth of the Stour.=[144]--In that -same year Alfred, King of the Anglo-Saxons, shifted his fleet, full of -fighting men, from Kent to East Anglia,[145] for the sake of spoil. No -sooner had they arrived at the mouth of the river Stour than thirteen -ships of the heathen met them, prepared for battle; a fierce naval -combat ensued, and the heathen were all slain; all the ships, with all -their money, were taken. After this, while the victorious royal fleet -was reposing,[146] the heathen who occupied East Anglia assembled their -ships from every quarter, met the same royal fleet at sea in the mouth -of the same river, and, after a naval engagement, gained the victory. - - -=68. Death of Carloman, of Louis II, and of Louis III.=[147]--In that -same year also, Carloman, King of the West Franks, while engaged in a -boar-hunt, was miserably slain by a boar, which inflicted a dreadful -wound on him with its tusk. His brother Louis, who had also been King -of the Franks, had died the year before. Both these were sons of -Louis,[148] King of the Franks, who also had died in the year above -mentioned, in which the eclipse of the sun took place.[149] This -Louis was the son of Charles,[150] King of the Franks, whose daughter -Judith[151] Æthelwulf, King of the West Saxons, took to queen with her -father’s consent. - - -=69. The Danes in Old Saxony.=[152]--In that same year a great army -of the heathen came from Germany[153] into the country of the Old -Saxons, which is called in Saxon Eald-Seaxum. To oppose them the same -Saxons and Frisians joined their forces, and fought bravely twice in -that same year.[154] In both these battles the Christians, by God’s -merciful aid, gained the victory. - - -=70. Charles, King of the Alemanni.=[155]--In that same year also, -Charles, King of the Alemanni, received with universal consent the -kingdom of the West Franks, and all the kingdoms which lie between the -Tyrrhene Sea and that gulf[156] situated between the Old Saxons and the -Gauls, with the exception of the kingdom of Armorica.[157] This Charles -was the son of King Louis,[158] who was brother of Charles, King of the -Franks, father of Judith, the aforesaid queen; these two brothers were -sons of Louis,[159] Louis being the son of Charlemagne, son of Pepin. - - -=71. Death of Pope Marinus.=[160]--In that same year Pope Marinus, of -blessed memory, went the way of all flesh; it was he who, for the love -of Alfred, King of the Anglo-Saxons, and at his request, generously -freed the Saxon Colony in Rome from all tribute and tax. He also sent -to the aforesaid king many gifts on that occasion, among which was no -small portion of the most holy and venerable cross on which our Lord -Jesus Christ hung for the salvation of all mankind. - - -=72. The Danes break their Treaty.=[161]--In that same year also the -army of heathen which dwelt in East Anglia disgracefully broke the -peace which they had concluded with King Alfred. - - -=73. Asser makes a New Beginning.=[162]--And now, to return to that -from which I digressed, lest I be compelled by my long navigation -to abandon the haven of desired rest,[163] I propose, as far as my -knowledge will enable me, to speak somewhat concerning the life, -character, and just conduct, and in no small degree concerning the -deeds, of my lord Alfred, King of the Anglo-Saxons, after he married -the said respected wife of noble Mercian race; and, with God’s -blessing, I will despatch it concisely and briefly, as I promised, that -I may not, by prolixity in relating each new event, offend the minds of -those who may be somewhat hard to please. - - -=74. Alfred’s Maladies.=[164]--While his nuptials were being honorably -celebrated in Mercia, among innumerable multitudes of both sexes, and -after long feasts by night and by day, he was suddenly seized, in the -presence of all the people, by instant and overwhelming pain, unknown -to any physician. No one there knew, nor even those who daily see him -up to the present time--and this, sad to say, is the worst of all, that -it should have continued uninterruptedly through the revolutions of so -many years, from the twentieth to the fortieth year of his life and -more--whence such a malady arose. Many thought that it was occasioned -by the favor and fascination of the people who surrounded him; others, -by some spite of the devil, who is ever jealous of good men; others, -from an unusual kind of fever; while still others thought it was the -_ficus_,[165] which species of severe disease he had had from his -childhood. On a certain occasion it had come to pass by the divine will -that when he had gone to Cornwall on a hunting expedition, and had -turned out of the road to pray in a certain church in which rests Saint -Gueriir [and now also St. Neot reposes there],[166] he had of his own -accord prostrated himself for a long time in silent prayer--since from -childhood he had been a frequent visitor of holy places for prayer and -the giving of alms--and there he besought the mercy of the Lord that, -in his boundless clemency, Almighty God would exchange the torments of -the malady which then afflicted him for some other lighter disease, -provided that such disease should not show itself outwardly in his -body, lest he should be useless and despised--for he had great dread -of leprosy or blindness, or any such complaint as instantly makes men -useless and despised at its coming. When he had finished his praying, -he proceeded on his journey, and not long after felt within himself -that he had been divinely healed, according to his request, of that -disorder, and that it was entirely eradicated, although he had obtained -even this complaint in the first flower of his youth by his devout and -frequent prayers and supplications to God. For if I may be allowed to -speak concisely, though in a somewhat inverted order, of his zealous -piety to God--in his earliest youth, before he married his wife, he -wished to establish his mind in God’s commandments, for he perceived -that he could not abstain from carnal desires[167]; and because he saw -that he should incur the anger of God if he did anything contrary to -His will, he used often to rise at cockcrow and at the matin hours, -and go to pray in churches and at the relics of the saints. There he -would prostrate himself, and pray that Almighty God in His mercy would -strengthen his mind still more in the love of His service, converting -it fully to Himself by some infirmity such as he might bear, but not -such as would render him contemptible and useless in worldly affairs. -Now when he had often prayed with much devotion to this effect, -after an interval of some time he incurred as a gift from God the -before-named disease of the _ficus_, which he bore long and painfully -for many years, even despairing of life, until he entirely got rid of -it by prayer. But, sad to say, though it had been removed, a worse -one seized him, as I have said, at his marriage, and this incessantly -tormented him, night and day, from the twentieth to the forty-fifth -year of his life. But if ever, by God’s mercy, he was relieved from -this infirmity for a single day or night, or even for the space of -one hour, yet the fear and dread of that terrible malady never left -him, but rendered him almost useless, as he thought, in every affair, -whether human or divine. - - -=75. Alfred’s Children and their Education.=[168]--The sons and -daughters whom he had by his wife above-mentioned were Æthelflæd, the -eldest, after whom came Edward, then Æthelgivu, then Ælfthryth, and -finally Æthelward--besides those who died in childhood. The number of -...[169] Æthelflæd, when she arrived at a marriageable age, was united -to Æthelred,[170] Ealdorman of Mercia. Æthelgivu, having dedicated her -maidenhood to God, entered His service, and submitted to the rules -of the monastic life, to which she was consecrate. Æthelward, the -youngest, by the divine counsel and by the admirable foresight of the -king, was intrusted to the schools of literary training, where, with -the children of almost all the nobility of the country, and many also -who were not noble, he was under the diligent care of the teachers. -Books in both languages, namely, Latin and Saxon, were diligently -read in the school.[171] They also learned to write; so that before -they were of an age to practise human arts, namely, hunting and other -pursuits which befit noblemen, they became studious and clever in the -liberal arts. Edward and Ælfthryth were always bred up in the king’s -court, and received great attention from their tutors and nurses; nay, -they continue to this day, with much love from every one, to show -humbleness, affability, and gentleness towards all, both natives and -foreigners, while remaining in complete subjection to their father. -Nor, among the other pursuits which appertain to this life and are -fit for noble youths, are they suffered to pass their time idly and -unprofitably without liberal training; for they have carefully learned -the Psalms[172] and Saxon books, especially Saxon poems, and are in the -habit of making frequent use of books. - - -=76. Alfred’s Varied Pursuits.=[173]--In the meantime, the king, during -the wars and frequent trammels of this present life, the invasions -of the heathen, and his own daily infirmities of body, continued to -carry on the government, and to practise hunting in all its branches; -to teach his goldsmiths[174] and all his artificers, his falconers, -hawkers, and dog-keepers; to build houses, majestic and rich beyond -all custom of his predecessors, after his own new designs; to recite -the Saxon books, and especially to learn by heart Saxon poems,[175] -and to make others learn them, he alone never ceasing from studying -most diligently to the best of his ability. He daily attended mass -and the other services of religion; recited certain psalms, together -with prayers, and the daily and nightly hour-service; and frequented -the churches at night, as I have said, that he might pray in secret, -apart from others. He bestowed alms and largesses both on natives and -on foreigners of all countries; was most affable and agreeable to all; -and was skilful in the investigation of things unknown.[176] Many -Franks, Frisians,[177] Gauls, heathen,[178] Welsh, Irish,[179] and -Bretons,[180] noble and simple, submitted voluntarily to his dominion; -and all of them, according to their worthiness,[181] he ruled, loved, -honored, and enriched with money and power, as if they had been his -own people.[182] Moreover, he was sedulous and zealous in the habit of -hearing the divine Scriptures read by his own countrymen, or if, by -any chance it so happened that any one arrived from abroad, to hear -prayers in company with foreigners. His bishops, too, and all the -clergy, his ealdormen and nobles, his personal attendants and friends, -he loved with wonderful affection. Their sons, too, who were bred up in -the royal household, were no less dear to him than his own; he never -ceased to instruct them in all kinds of good morals, and, among other -things, himself to teach them literature night and day. But as if he -had no consolation in all these things, and suffered no other annoyance -either from within or without, he was so harassed by daily and nightly -sadness that he complained and made moan to the Lord, and to all who -were admitted to his familiarity and affection, that Almighty God had -made him ignorant of divine wisdom and of the liberal arts; in this -emulating the pious, famous, and wealthy Solomon, King of the Hebrews, -who at the outset, despising all present glory and riches, asked wisdom -of God, and yet found both, namely, wisdom and present glory; as it -is written, ‘Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and -all these things shall be added unto you.’[183] But God, who is always -the observer of the thoughts of the inward mind, the instigator of -meditations and of all good purposes, and a plentiful aider in the -formation of good desires--for He would never inspire a man to aim at -the good unless He also amply supplied that which the man justly and -properly wished to have--stirred up the king’s mind from within, not -from without; as it is written, ‘I will hearken what the Lord God will -say concerning me.’[184] He would avail himself of every opportunity -to procure assistants in his good designs, to aid him in his strivings -after wisdom, that he might attain to what he aimed at; and, like a -prudent bee,[185] which, rising in summer at early morning from her -beloved cells, steers her course with rapid flight along the uncertain -paths of the air, and descends on the manifold and varied flowers of -grasses, herbs, and shrubs, essaying that which most pleases her, and -bearing it home, he directed the eyes of his mind afar, and sought that -without which he had not within, that is, in his own kingdom.[186] - - -=77. Alfred’s Scholarly Associates: Werfrith, Plegmund, Æthelstan, -and Werwulf.=[187]--But God at that time, as some consolation to the -king’s benevolence, enduring no longer his kindly and just complaint, -sent as it were certain luminaries, namely, Werfrith,[188] Bishop -of the church of Worcester, a man well versed in divine Scripture, -who, by the king’s command, was the first to interpret with clearness -and elegance the books of the _Dialogues_ of Pope Gregory and Peter, -his disciple, from Latin into Saxon, sometimes putting sense for -sense; then Plegmund,[189] a Mercian by birth, Archbishop of the -church of Canterbury, a venerable man, endowed with wisdom; besides -Æthelstan[190] and Werwulf, learned priests and clerks,[191] Mercians -by birth. These four King Alfred had called to him from Mercia, and he -exalted them with many honors and powers in the kingdom of the West -Saxons, not to speak of those which Archbishop Plegmund and Bishop -Werfrith had in Mercia. By the teaching and wisdom of all these the -king’s desire increased continually, and was gratified. Night and -day, whenever he had any leisure, he commanded such men as these to -read books to him--for he never suffered himself to be without one of -them--so that he came to possess a knowledge of almost every book, -though of himself he could not yet understand anything of books, since -he had not yet learned to read anything. - - -=78. Grimbald and John, the Old Saxon.=[192]--But since the king’s -commendable avarice could not be gratified even in this, he sent -messengers beyond sea to Gaul, to procure teachers, and invited from -thence Grimbald,[193] priest and monk, a venerable man and excellent -singer, learned in every kind of ecclesiastical discipline and in -holy Scripture, and adorned with all virtues. He also obtained from -thence John,[194] both priest and monk, a man of the keenest intellect, -learned in all branches of literature, and skilled in many other arts. -By the teaching of these men the king’s mind was greatly enlarged, and -he enriched and honored them with much power. - - -=79. Asser’s Negotiations with King Alfred.=[195]--At that time I also -came to Wessex, out of the furthest coasts of Western Wales; and when I -had proposed to go to him through many intervening provinces, I arrived -in the country of the South Saxons, which in Saxon is called Sussex, -under the guidance of some of that nation; and there I first saw him in -the royal vill which is called Dene.[196] He received me with kindness, -and, among other conversation, besought me eagerly to devote myself to -his service and become his friend, and to leave for his sake everything -which I possessed on the northern and western side of the Severn, -promising he would give me more than an equivalent for it, as in fact -he did. I replied that I could not incautiously and rashly promise such -things; for it seemed to me unjust that I should leave those sacred -places in which I had been bred and educated, where I had received the -tonsure, and had at length been ordained, for the sake of any earthly -honor and power, unless by force and compulsion. Upon this he said: -‘If you cannot accede to this, at least grant me half your service: -spend six months with me here, and six in Wales.’ To this I replied: ‘I -could not easily or rashly promise even that without the approval of -my friends.’ At length, however, when I perceived that he was really -anxious for my services, though I knew not why, I promised him that, -if my life were spared, I would return to him after six months, with -such a reply as should be agreeable to him as well as advantageous to -me and mine. With this answer he was satisfied; and when I had given -him a pledge to return at the appointed time, on the fourth day we rode -away from him, and returned to my own country. After our departure, a -violent fever seized me in the city of Cærwent,[197] where I lay for -twelve months and one week, night and day, without hope of recovery. -When at the appointed time, therefore, I had not fulfilled my promise -of visiting him, he sent letters to hasten my journey on horseback to -him, and to inquire the cause of my delay. As I was unable to ride to -him, I sent a reply to make known to him the cause of my delay, and -assure him that, if I recovered from my illness, I would fulfil what -I had promised. My disease finally left me, and accordingly, by the -advice and consent of all my friends, for the benefit of that holy -place and of all who dwelt therein, I devoted myself to the king’s -service as I had promised, the condition being that I should remain -with him six months every year, either continuously, if I could spend -six months with him at once, or alternately, three months in Wales and -three in Wessex. It was also understood that he should in all ways -be helpful to St. Davids, as far as his power extended.[198] For my -friends hoped by this means to sustain less tribulation and harm from -King Hemeid--who often plundered that monastery and the parish of -St. Davids, and sometimes expelled the bishops who ruled over it, as -he did Archbishop Nobis, my relative, and on occasion myself, their -subordinate--if in any way I could secure the notice and friendship of -the king. - - -=80. The Welsh Princes who submit to Alfred.=[199]--At that time, and -long before, all the countries in South Wales belonged to King Alfred, -and still belong to him. For instance, King Hemeid, with all the -inhabitants of the region of Dyfed,[200] restrained by the violence -of the six sons of Rhodri,[201] had submitted to the dominion of the -king. Howel also, son of Ris, King of Glywyssing,[202] and Brochmail -and Fernmail, sons of Mouric, kings of Gwent,[203] compelled by the -violence and tyranny of Ealdorman Æthelred and of the Mercians, of -their own accord sought out the same king,[204] that they might enjoy -rule and protection from him against their enemies. Helised, also, -son of Teudubr, King of Brecknock, compelled by the violence of the -same sons of Rhodri, of his own accord sought the lordship of the -aforesaid king; and Anarawd, son of Rhodri, with his brothers, at -length abandoning the friendship of the Northumbrians, from whom he had -received no good, but rather harm, came into King Alfred’s presence, -and eagerly sought his friendship. The king received him with honor, -adopted him as his son by confirmation from the bishop’s hand,[205] and -bestowed many gifts upon him. Thus he became subject to the king with -all his people, on condition that he should be obedient to the king’s -will in all respects, in the same way as Æthelred and the Mercians. - - -=81. How Alfred rewards Submission.=[206]--Nor was it in vain that -they all gained the friendship of the king. For those who desired to -augment their worldly power obtained power; those who desired money -gained money; those who desired his friendship acquired his friendship; -those who wished more than one secured more than one. But all of them -had his love and guardianship and defense from every quarter, so far as -the king, with all his men, could defend himself. When therefore I had -come to him at the royal vill called Leonaford,[207] I was honorably -received by him, and remained that time with him at his court eight -months; during which I read to him whatever books he liked, of such as -he had at hand; for this is his peculiar and most confirmed habit, both -night and day, amid all his other occupations of mind and body,[208] -either himself to read books, or to listen to the reading of others. -And when I frequently had sought his permission to return, and had -in no way been able to obtain it, at length, when I had made up my -mind by all means to demand it, he called me to him at twilight on -Christmas Eve, and gave me two letters in which was a manifold list of -all the things which were in the two monasteries which are called in -Saxon Congresbury and Banwell[209]; and on that same day he delivered -to me those two monasteries with everything in them, together with a -silken pallium of great value, and of incense a load for a strong man, -adding these words, that he did not give me these trifling presents -because he was unwilling hereafter to give me greater. For in the -course of time he unexpectedly gave me Exeter, with the whole diocese -which belonged to him in Wessex and in Cornwall, besides gifts every -day without number of every kind of worldly wealth; these it would be -too long to enumerate here, lest it should weary my readers. But let -no one suppose that I have mentioned these presents in this place for -the sake of glory or flattery, or to obtain greater honor; I call God -to witness that I have not done so, but that I might certify to those -who are ignorant how profuse he was in giving. He then at once gave -me permission to ride to those two monasteries, so full of all good -things, and afterwards to return to my own. - - -=82. The Siege of Paris.=[210]--In the year of our Lord’s incarnation -886, which was the thirty-eighth of King Alfred’s life, the army so -often mentioned again fled the country, and went into that of the West -Franks. Entering the river Seine with their vessels, they sailed up it -as far as the city of Paris; there they wintered, pitching their camp -on both sides of the river almost to the bridge, in order that they -might prevent the citizens from crossing the bridge--since the city -occupies a small island in the middle of the stream. They besieged the -city for a whole year, but, by the merciful favor of God, and by reason -of the brave defense of the citizens, they could not force their way -inside the walls. - - -=83. Alfred rebuilds London.=[211]--In that same year Alfred, King of -the Anglo-Saxons, after the burning of cities and massacres of the -people, honorably rebuilt the city of London, made it habitable, and -gave it into the custody of Æthelred, Ealdorman of Mercia. To this -king[212] all the Angles and Saxons who hitherto had been dispersed -everywhere, or were in captivity with the heathen,[213] voluntarily -turned, and submitted themselves to his rule.[214] - - -=84. The Danes leave Paris.=[215]--In the year of our Lord’s -incarnation 887, which was the thirty-ninth of King Alfred’s life, -the above-mentioned army of the heathen, leaving the city of Paris -uninjured, since otherwise they could get no advantage, passed under -the bridge and rowed their fleet up the river Seine for a long -distance, until they reached the mouth of the river Marne; here they -left the Seine, entered the mouth of the Marne, and, sailing up it for -a good distance and a good while, at length, not without labor, arrived -at a place called Chézy, a royal vill, where they wintered a whole -year. In the following year they entered the mouth of the river Yonne, -not without doing much damage to the country, and there remained one -year. - - -=85. Division of the Empire.=[216]--In that same year Charles,[217] -King of the Franks, went the way of all flesh; but Arnolf, his -brother’s son, six weeks before he died, had expelled him from the -kingdom. Immediately after his death five kings were ordained, and -the kingdom was split into five parts; but the principal seat of the -kingdom justly and deservedly fell to Arnolf, were it not that he had -shamefully sinned against his uncle. The other four kings promised -fidelity and obedience to Arnolf, as was meet; for none of these four -kings was heir to the kingdom on his father’s side, as was Arnolf; -therefore, though the five kings were ordained immediately upon the -death of Charles, yet the Empire remained to Arnolf. Such, then, was -the division of that realm; Arnolf received the countries to the east -of the river Rhine; Rudolf the inner part of the kingdom[218]; Odo the -western part; Berengar and Wido, Lombardy, and those countries which -are on that side of the mountain. But they did not keep such and so -great dominions in peace among themselves, for they twice fought a -pitched battle, and often mutually ravaged those kingdoms, and drove -one another out of their dominions. - - -=86. Alfred sends Alms to Rome.=[219]--In the same year in which -that army left Paris and went to Chézy,[220] Æthelhelm, Ealdorman of -Wiltshire, carried to Rome the alms of King Alfred and of the Saxons. - - -=87. Alfred begins to translate from Latin.=[221]--In that same year -also the oft-mentioned Alfred, King of the Anglo-Saxons, by divine -inspiration first began, on one and the same day, to read and to -translate; but that this may be clearer to those who are ignorant, I -will relate the cause of this long delay in beginning. - - -=88. Alfred’s Manual.=[222]--On a certain day we were both of us -sitting in the king’s chamber, talking on all kinds of subjects, as -usual, and it happened that I read to him a quotation out of a certain -book. While he was listening to it attentively with both ears, and -pondering it deeply with his inmost mind, he suddenly showed me a -little book[223] which he carried in his bosom, wherein were written -the daily course, together with certain Psalms and prayers which he -had read in his youth, and thereupon bade me write the quotation in -that book. Hearing this, and perceiving in part his active intelligence -and goodness of heart, together with his devout resolution of studying -divine wisdom, I gave, though in secret, yet with hands uplifted to -heaven, boundless thanks to Almighty God, who had implanted such -devotion to the study of wisdom in the king’s heart. But since I could -find no blank space in that book wherein to write the quotation, it -being all full of various matters, I delayed a little, chiefly that -I might stir up the choice understanding of the king to a higher -knowledge of the divine testimonies. Upon his urging me to make haste -and write it quickly, I said to him, ‘Are you willing that I should -write that quotation on some separate leaf? Perhaps we shall find one -or more other such which will please you; and if that should happen, -we shall be glad that we have kept this by itself.’ ‘Your plan is -good,’ said he; so I gladly made haste to get ready a pamphlet of four -leaves, at the head of which I wrote what he had bidden me; and that -same day I wrote in it, at his request, and as I had predicted, no less -than three other quotations which pleased him. From that time we daily -talked together, and investigated the same subject by the help of other -quotations which we found and which pleased him, so that the pamphlet -gradually became full, and deservedly so, for it is written, ‘The -righteous man builds upon a moderate foundation, and by degrees passes -to greater things.’[224] Thus, like a most productive bee, flying far -and wide, and scrutinizing the fenlands, he eagerly and unceasingly -collected various flowers of Holy Scripture, with which he copiously -stored the cells of his mind.[225] - - -=89. Alfred’s Handbook.=[226]--When that first quotation had been -copied, he was eager at once to read, and to translate into Saxon, -and then to teach many others--even as we are assured concerning that -happy thief who recognized the Lord Jesus Christ, his Lord, aye, the -Lord of all men, as he was hanging on the venerable gallows of the -holy cross, and, with trustful petition, casting down of his body no -more than his eyes, since he was so entirely fastened with nails that -he could do nothing else, cried with humble voice, ‘O Christ, remember -me when thou comest into thy kingdom!‘[227]--since it was only on the -cross that he began to learn the elements of the Christian faith.[228] -Inspired by God, he began the rudiments of Holy Scripture on the sacred -feast of St. Martin.[229] Then he went on, as far as he was able, to -learn the flowers[230] collected from various quarters by any and all -of his teachers, and to reduce them into the form of one book, although -jumbled together, until it became almost as large as a psalter. This -book he called his Enchiridion[231] or Handbook,[232] because he -carefully kept it at hand day and night, and found, as he then used to -say, no small consolation therein. - - -=90. Illustration from the Penitent Thief.=[233]--But, as it was -written by a wise man,[234] - - Of watchful minds are they whose pious care - It is to govern well, - -I see that I must be especially watchful, in that I just now drew a -kind of comparison, though in dissimilar manner,[235] between the -happy thief and the king; for the cross is hateful to every one in -distress.[236] But what can he do, if he cannot dislodge himself or -escape thence? or in what way can he improve his condition by remaining -there? He must, therefore, whether he will or no, endure with pain and -sorrow that which he is suffering. - - -=91. Alfred’s Troubles.=[237]--Now the king was pierced with many -nails of tribulation, though established in the royal sway; for from -the twentieth year of his age to the present year, which is his -forty-fifth,[238] he has been constantly afflicted with most severe -attacks of an unknown disease, so that there is not a single hour in -which he is not either suffering from that malady, or nigh to despair -by reason of the gloom which is occasioned by his fear of it. Moreover -the constant invasions of foreign nations, by which he was continually -harassed by land and sea, without any interval of quiet, constituted a -sufficient cause of disturbance. - -What shall I say of his repeated expeditions against the heathen, his -wars, and the incessant occupations of government? Of the daily ... -of the[239] nations which dwell on[240] the Tyrrhene[241] Sea to the -farthest end of Ireland? For we have seen and read letters, accompanied -with presents, which were sent to him from Jerusalem by the patriarch -Elias.[242] What shall I say of his restoration of cities and towns, -and of others which he built where none had been before? of golden and -silver buildings,[243] built in incomparable style under his direction? -of the royal halls and chambers, wonderfully erected of stone and -wood at his command? of the royal vills constructed of stones removed -from their old site, and finely rebuilt by the king’s command in more -fitting places? - -Not to speak of the disease above mentioned, he was disturbed by -the quarrels of his subjects,[244] who would of their own choice -endure little or no toil for the common need of the kingdom. He -alone, sustained by the divine aid, once he had assumed the helm of -government, strove in every way, like a skilful pilot, to steer[245] -his ship, laden with much wealth, into the safe and longed-for harbor -of his country, though almost all his crew were weary, suffering them -not to faint or hesitate, even amid the waves and manifold whirlpools -of this present life. Thus his bishops, earls, nobles, favorite -thanes, and prefects, who, next to God and the king, had the whole -government of the kingdom, as was fitting, continually received from -him instruction, compliment, exhortation, and command; nay, at last, if -they were disobedient, and his long patience was exhausted, he would -reprove them severely, and censure in every way their vulgar folly and -obstinacy; and thus he wisely gained and bound them to his own wishes -and the common interests of the whole kingdom. But if, owing to the -sluggishness of the people, these admonitions of the king were either -not fulfilled, or were begun late at the moment of necessity, and so, -because they were not carried through, did not redound to the advantage -of those who put them in execution--take as an example the fortresses -which he ordered, but which are not yet begun or, begun late, have not -yet been completely finished--when hostile forces have made invasions -by sea, or land, or both, then those who had set themselves against -the imperial orders have been put to shame and overwhelmed with vain -repentance. I speak of vain repentance on the authority of Scripture, -whereby numberless persons have had cause for sorrow when they have -been smitten by great harm through the perpetration of deceit. But -though by this means, sad to say, they may be bitterly afflicted, and -roused to grief by the loss of fathers, wives, children, thanes, man -servants, maid servants, products, and all their household stuff, what -is the use of hateful repentance when their kinsmen are dead, and they -cannot aid them, or redeem from dire captivity those who are captive? -for they cannot even help themselves when they have escaped, since they -have not wherewithal to sustain their own lives. Sorely exhausted by a -tardy repentance, they grieve over their carelessness in despising the -king’s commands; they unite in praising his wisdom, promising to fulfil -with all their might what before they had declined to do, namely, in -the construction of fortresses, and other things useful to the whole -kingdom. - - -=92. Alfred builds two Monasteries.=[246]--Concerning his desire and -intent of excellent meditation, which, in the midst both of prosperity -and adversity, he never in any way neglected, I cannot in this place -with advantage forbear to speak. For, when he was reflecting, according -to his wont, upon the need of his soul,[247] he ordered, among the -other good deeds to which his thoughts were by night and day[248] -especially turned, that two monasteries should be built, one of them -being for monks at Athelney.[249] This is a place surrounded by -impassable fens and waters on every hand, where no one can enter but by -boats, or by a bridge laboriously constructed between two fortresses, -at the western end of which bridge was erected a strong citadel, of -beautiful work, by command of the aforesaid king. In this monastery -he collected monks of all kinds from every quarter, and there settled -them. - - -=93. Monasticism was decayed.=[250]--At first he had no one of his own -nation, noble and free by birth, who was willing to enter the monastic -life, except children, who as yet could neither choose good nor reject -evil by reason of their tender years. This was the case because for -many years previous the love of a monastic life had utterly decayed in -that as well as in many other nations; for, though many monasteries -still remain in that country, yet no one kept the rule of that kind of -life in an orderly way, whether because of the invasions of foreigners, -which took place so frequently both by sea and land, or because that -people abounded in riches of every kind, and so looked with contempt on -the monastic life. On this account it was that King Alfred sought to -gather monks of different kinds in the same monastery. - - -=94. Monks brought from beyond Sea.=[251]--First he placed there -John[252] the priest and monk, an Old Saxon by birth, making him abbot; -and then certain priests and deacons from beyond sea. Finding that he -had not so large a number of these as he wished, he procured as many as -possible of the same Gallic race[253]; some of whom, being children, he -ordered to be taught in the same monastery, and at a later period to be -admitted to the monastic habit. I have myself seen there in monastic -dress a young man of heathen birth who was educated in that monastery, -and by no means the hindmost of them all. - - -=95. A Crime committed at Athelney.=[254]--There was a crime committed -once in that monastery, which I would <not>,[255] by my silence, -utterly consign to oblivion, although it is an atrocious villainy, for -throughout the whole of Scripture the base deeds of the wicked are -interspersed among the reverend actions of the righteous, like tares -and cockle among the wheat. Good deeds are recorded that they may be -praised, imitated, and emulated, and that those who pursue them may be -held worthy of all honor; and wicked deeds, that they may be censured, -execrated, and avoided, and their imitators be reproved with all odium, -contempt, and vengeance. - - -=96. The Plot of a Priest and a Deacon.=[256]--Once upon a time, -a certain priest and a deacon, Gauls by birth, of the number of -the aforesaid monks, by the instigation of the devil, and roused -by jealousy, became so embittered in secret against their abbot, -the above-mentioned John, that, after the manner of the Jews, they -circumvented and betrayed their master. For they so wrought upon two -hired servants of the same Gallic race that in the night, when all men -were enjoying the sweet tranquillity of sleep, they should make their -way into the church armed, and, shutting it behind them as usual, hide -themselves there, and wait till the abbot should enter the church -alone. At length, when, as was his wont, he should secretly enter the -church by himself to pray, and, bending his knees, bow before the holy -altar, the men should fall upon him, and slay him on the spot. They -should then drag his lifeless body out of the church, and throw it down -before the house of a certain harlot, as if he had been slain whilst -on a visit to her. This was their device, adding crime to crime, as it -is said, ‘The last error shall be worse than the first.’[257] But the -divine mercy, which is always wont to aid the innocent, frustrated in -great part the evil design of those evil men, so that it did not turn -out in all respects as they had planned. - - -=97. The Execution of the Plot.=[258]--When, therefore, the whole of -the evil teaching had been explained by those wicked teachers to their -wicked hearers, and enforced upon them, the night having come and -being favorable, the two armed ruffians, furnished with a promise of -impunity, shut themselves up in the church to await the arrival of the -abbot. In the middle of the night John, as usual, entered the church -to pray, without any one’s knowledge, and knelt before the altar. -Thereupon the two ruffians rushed upon him suddenly with drawn swords, -and wounded him severely. But he, being ever a man of keen mind, and, -as I have heard say, not unacquainted with the art of fighting, if he -had not been proficient in better lore, no sooner heard the noise of -the robbers, even before he saw them, than he rose up against them -before he was wounded, and, shouting at the top of his voice, struggled -against them with all his might, crying out that they were devils and -not men--and indeed he knew no better, as he thought that no men would -dare to attempt such a deed. He was, however, wounded before any of -his monks could come up. They, roused by the noise, were frightened -when they heard the word ‘devils’; being likewise unfamiliar with -such struggles, they, and the two who, after the manner of the Jews, -were traitors to their lord, rushed toward the doors of the church; -but before they got there those ruffians escaped with all speed, and -secreted themselves in the fens near by, leaving the abbot half dead. -The monks raised their nearly lifeless superior, and bore him home with -grief and lamentations; nor did those two knaves shed tears less than -the innocent. But God’s mercy did not allow so horrible a crime to pass -unpunished: the desperadoes who perpetrated it, and all who urged them -to it, were seized and bound; then, by various tortures, they died a -shameful death. Let us now return to our main narrative. - - -=98. The Convent at Shaftesbury.=[259]--Another[260] monastery also was -built by the aforesaid king as a residence for nuns, near the eastern -gate of Shaftesbury; and over it he placed as abbess his own daughter -Æthelgivu, a virgin dedicated to God. With her many other noble ladies, -serving God in the monastic life, dwell in that convent. These two -edifices were enriched by the king with much land, and with all sorts -of wealth. - - -=99. Alfred divides his Time and his Revenues.=[261]--These things -being thus disposed of, the king considered within himself, as was his -practice, what more would conduce to religious meditation. What he -had wisely begun and usefully conceived was adhered to with even more -beneficial result; for he had long before heard out of the book of the -law that the Lord[262] had promised to restore to him the tenth many -times over; and he knew that the Lord had faithfully kept His promise, -and had actually restored to him the tithe manyfold. Encouraged by this -precedent, and wishing to surpass the practice of his predecessors, he -vowed humbly and faithfully to devote to God half his services, by day -and by night, and also half of all the wealth which lawfully and justly -came every year into his possession; and this vow, as far as human -discretion can perceive and keep, he skilfully and wisely endeavored -to fulfil. But that he might, with his usual caution, avoid that which -Scripture warns us against, ‘If thou offerest aright, but dost not -divide aright, thou sinnest,’[263] he considered how he might divide -aright that which he had joyfully vowed to God; and as Solomon had -said, ‘The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord’[264]--that is, his -counsel--he ordered with a divinely inspired policy, which could come -only from above, that his officers should first divide into two parts -the revenues of every year. - - -=100. The Threefold Division of Officers at Court.=[265]--After this -division had been made, he assigned the first part to worldly uses, and -ordered that one third of it should be paid to his soldiers and to his -officers, the nobles who dwelt by turns at court, where they discharged -various duties, for thus it was that the king’s household was arranged -at all times in three shifts,[266] in the following manner. The king’s -attendants being wisely distributed into three companies, the first -company was on duty at court for one month, night and day, at the end -of which they were relieved by the second company, and returned to -their homes for two months, where they attended to their own affairs. -At the end of the second month, the third company relieved the second, -who returned to their homes, where they spent two months. The third -company then gave place to the first, and in their turn spent two -months at home. And in this order the rotation of service at the king’s -court was at all times carried on. - - -=101. The Distribution for Secular Purposes.=[267]--To these, -therefore, was paid the first of the three portions aforesaid, to -each according to his standing and peculiar service; the second to -the workmen whom he had collected from many nations and had about him -in large numbers, men skilled in every kind of building; the third -portion was assigned to foreigners who came to him out of every nation -far and near; whether they asked money of him or not, he cheerfully -gave to each with wonderful munificence according to their respective -worthiness,[268] exemplifying what is written, ‘God loveth a cheerful -giver.’[269] - - -=102. The Distribution for Religious Purposes.=[270]--But the second -part of all his revenues, which came yearly into his possession, and -was included in the receipts of the exchequer, as I mentioned just -above, he with full devotion dedicated to God, ordering his officers -to divide it carefully into four equal parts with the provision that -the first part should be discreetly bestowed on the poor of every -nation who came to him; on this subject he said that, as far as -human discretion could guarantee, the remark of Pope Gregory on the -proper division of alms should be followed, ‘Give not little to whom -you should give much, nor much to whom little, nor nothing to whom -something, nor something to whom nothing.’[271] The second share to the -two monasteries which he had built, and to those who were serving God -in them, as I have described more at length above. The third to the -school[272] which he had studiously formed from many of the nobility -of his own nation, but also from boys of mean condition. The fourth to -the neighboring monasteries in all Wessex and Mercia, and also during -some years, in turn, to the churches and servants of God dwelling in -Wales, Cornwall,[273] Gaul,[274] Brittany, Northumbria, and sometimes, -too, in Ireland; according to his means, he either distributed to them -beforehand, or agreed to contribute afterwards, if life and prosperity -did not fail him. - - -=103. Alfred’s Dedication of Personal Service.=[275]--When the king -had arranged all these matters in due order, he remembered the text of -holy Scripture which says, ‘Whosoever will give alms, ought to begin -from himself,’[276] and prudently began to reflect what he could offer -to God from the service of his body and mind; for he proposed to offer -to God no less out of this than he had done of external riches.[277] -Accordingly, he promised, as far as his infirmity and his means would -allow, to render to God the half of his services, bodily and mental, by -night and by day,[278] voluntarily, and with all his might. Inasmuch, -however, as he could not distinguish with accuracy the lengths of the -night hours in any way, on account of the darkness, nor frequently -those of the day, on account of the thick clouds and rains, he began -to consider by what regular means, free from uncertainty, relying on -the mercy of God, he might discharge the promised tenor of his vow -undeviatingly until his death. - - -=104. Alfred’s Measure of Time.=[279]--After long reflection on these -things, he at length, by a useful and shrewd invention, commanded his -clerks[280] to supply wax in sufficient quantity, and to weigh it in a -balance against pennies. When enough wax was measured out to equal the -weight of seventy-two pence, he caused the clerks to make six candles -thereof, all of equal weight, and to mark off twelve inches as the -length of each candle.[281] By this plan, therefore, those six candles -burned for twenty-four hours, a night and a day, without fail, before -the sacred relics of many of God’s elect, which always accompanied -him wherever he went. Sometimes, however, the candles could not -continue burning a whole day and night, till the same hour when they -were lighted the preceding evening, by reason of the violence of the -winds, which at times blew day and night without intermission through -the doors and windows[282] of the churches, the sheathing, and the -wainscot,[283] the numerous chinks in the walls, or the thin material -of the tents; on such occasions it was unavoidable that they should -burn out and finish their course before the appointed hour. The king, -therefore, set himself to consider by what means he might shut out -the wind, and by a skilful and cunning invention ordered a lantern to -be beautifully constructed of wood and ox-horn, since white ox-horns, -when shaved thin, are as transparent as a vessel of glass. Into this -lantern, then, wonderfully made of wood and horn, as I before said, a -candle was put at night, which shone as brightly without as within, and -was not disturbed by the wind, since he had also ordered a door of horn -to be made for the opening of the lantern.[284] By this contrivance, -then, six candles, lighted in succession, lasted twenty-four hours, -neither more nor less. When these were burned out, others were lighted. - - -=105. Alfred judges the Poor with Equity.=[285]--When all these things -were properly arranged, the king, eager to hold to the half of his -daily service, as he had vowed to God, and more also, if his ability -on the one hand, and his malady on the other, would allow him, showed -himself a minute investigator of the truth in all his judgments, and -this especially for the sake of the poor, to whose interest, day -and night, among other duties of this life, he was ever wonderfully -attentive. For in the whole kingdom the poor, besides him, had few or -no helpers; for almost all the powerful and noble of that country had -turned their thoughts rather to secular than to divine things: each was -more bent on worldly business, to his own profit, than on the common -weal. - - -=106. His Correction of Unjust and Incompetent Judges.=[285]--He -strove also, in his judgments, for the benefit of both his nobles and -commons, who often quarreled fiercely among themselves at the meetings -of the ealdormen and sheriffs, so that hardly one of them admitted the -justice of what had been decided by these ealdormen and sheriffs. In -consequence of this pertinacious and obstinate dissension, all felt -constrained to give sureties to abide by the decision of the king, and -both parties hastened to carry out their engagements. But if any one -was conscious of injustice on his side in the suit, though by law and -agreement he was compelled, however reluctant, to come for judgment -before a judge like this, yet with his own good will he never would -consent to come. For he knew that in that place no part of his evil -practice would remain hidden; and no wonder, for the king was a most -acute investigator in executing his judgments, as he was in all other -things. He inquired into almost all the judgments which were given -in his absence, throughout all his dominion, whether they were just -or unjust. If he perceived there was iniquity in those judgments, he -would, of his own accord, mildly ask those judges, either in his own -person, or through others who were in trust with him, why they had -judged so unjustly, whether through ignorance or malevolence--that is, -whether for the love or fear of any one, the hatred of another, or the -desire of some one’s money. At length, if the judges acknowledged they -had given such judgment because they knew no better, he discreetly -and moderately reproved their inexperience and folly in such terms as -these: ‘I greatly wonder at your assurance, that whereas, by God’s -favor and mine, you have taken upon you the rank and office of the -wise, you have neglected the studies and labors of the wise. Either, -therefore, at once give up the administration of the earthly powers -which you possess, or endeavor more zealously to study the lessons -of wisdom. Such are my commands.’ At these words the ealdormen and -sheriffs would be filled with terror at being thus severely corrected, -and would endeavor to turn with all their might to the study of -justice, so that, wonderful to say, almost all his ealdormen, sheriffs, -and officers, though unlearned from childhood, gave themselves up -to the study of letters, choosing rather to acquire laboriously an -unfamiliar discipline than to resign their functions. But if any one, -from old age or the sluggishness of an untrained mind, was unable to -make progress in literary studies, he would order his son, if he had -one, or one of his kinsmen, or, if he had no one else, his own freedman -or servant, whom he had long before advanced to the office of reading, -to read Saxon books before him night and day, whenever he had any -leisure. And then they would lament with deep sighs from their inmost -souls that in their youth they had never attended to such studies. They -counted happy the youth of the present day, who could be delightfully -instructed in the liberal arts, while they considered themselves -wretched in that they had neither learned these things in their youth, -nor, now they were old, were able to do so. This skill of young and old -in acquiring letters, I have set forth as a means of characterizing the -aforesaid king. - - - - -APPENDIXES - - - - -APPENDIX I - -ALFRED’S PREFACE TO HIS TRANSLATION OF GREGORY’S PASTORAL CARE - - -THIS BOOK IS FOR WORCESTER[286] - -King Alfred bids greet Bishop Wærferth with his words lovingly and -with friendship; and I let it be known to thee that it has very -often come into my mind what wise men there formerly were throughout -England, both of sacred and secular orders; and what happy times -there were then throughout England; and how the kings who had power -over the nation in those days obeyed God and His ministers; how they -preserved peace, morality, and order at home, and at the same time -enlarged their territory abroad; and how they prospered both with war -and with wisdom; and also how zealous the sacred orders were both in -teaching and learning, and in all the services they owed to God; and -how foreigners came to this land in search of wisdom and instruction, -and how we should now have to get them from abroad if we were to have -them. So general was its decay in England that there were very few on -this side of the Humber who could understand their rituals in English, -or translate a letter from Latin into English; and I believe that -there were not many beyond the Humber. There were so few of them that -I cannot remember a single one south of the Thames when I came to the -throne. Thanks be to Almighty God that we have any teachers among us -now. And therefore I command thee to do as I believe thou art willing, -to disengage thyself from worldly matters as often as thou canst, that -thou mayest apply the wisdom which God has given thee wherever thou -canst. Consider what punishments would come upon us on account of this -world, if we neither loved it [wisdom] ourselves nor suffered other -men to obtain it: we should love the name only of Christian, and very -few the virtues. When I considered all this, I remembered also that -I saw, before it had been all ravaged and burned, how the churches -throughout the whole of England stood filled with treasures and books; -and there was also a great multitude of God’s servants, but they had -very little knowledge of the books, for they could not understand -anything of them, because they were not written in their own language. -As if they had said: ‘Our forefathers, who formerly held these places, -loved wisdom, and through it they obtained wealth and bequeathed it to -us. In this we can still see their tracks, but we cannot follow them, -and therefore we have lost both the wealth and the wisdom, because we -would not incline our hearts after their example.’ When I remembered -all this, I wondered extremely that the good and wise men who were -formerly all over England, and had perfectly learned all the books, had -not wished to translate them into their own language. But again I soon -answered myself and said: ‘They did not think that men would ever be so -careless, and that learning would so decay; through that desire they -abstained from it, since they wished that the wisdom in this land might -increase with our knowledge of languages.’ Then I remembered how the -law was first known in Hebrew, and again, when the Greeks had learned -it, they translated the whole of it into their own language, and all -other books besides. And again the Romans, when they had learned them, -translated the whole of them by learned interpreters into their own -language. And also all other Christian nations translated a part of -them into their own language. Therefore it seems better to me, if you -think so, for us also to translate some books which are most needful -for all men to know into the language which we can all understand, and -for you to do as we very easily can if we have tranquillity enough, -that is, that all the youth now in England of free men, who are rich -enough to be able to devote themselves to it, be set to learn as long -as they are not fit for any other occupation, until they are able to -read English writing well: and let those be afterwards taught more in -the Latin language who are to continue in learning, and be promoted -to a higher rank. When I remembered how the knowledge of Latin had -formerly decayed throughout England, and yet many could read English -writing, I began, among other various and manifold troubles of this -kingdom, to translate into English the book which is called in Latin -_Pastoralis_, and in English _Shepherd’s Book_, sometimes word by word, -and sometimes according to the sense, as I had learned it from Plegmund -my archbishop, and Asser my bishop, and Grimbald my mass-priest, -and John my mass-priest. And when I had learned it as I could best -understand it, and as I could most clearly interpret it, I translated -it into English; and I will send a copy to every bishopric in my -kingdom; and in each there is a book-mark worth fifty mancuses.[287] -And I command in God’s name that no man take the book-mark from the -book, or the book from the monastery. It is uncertain how long there -may be such learned bishops as now, thanks be to God, there are nearly -everywhere; therefore I wish them[288] always to remain in their -places, unless the bishop wish to take them with him, or they be lent -out anywhere, or any one be making a copy from them. - - - - -APPENDIX II - - LETTER FROM FULCO, ARCHBISHOP OF RHEIMS AND PRIMATE OF THE FRANKS, - AND _LEGATUS NATUS_ OF THE APOSTOLIC SEE, TO ALFRED, THE MOST - CHRISTIAN KING OF THE ANGLES[289] - - -To Alfred, the most glorious and most Christian King of the Angles, -Fulco, by the grace of God Archbishop of Rheims, and servant of the -servants of God, wisheth both the sceptre of temporal dominion, ever -triumphant, and the eternal joys of the kingdom of heaven. - -And first of all we give thanks to our Lord God, the Father of lights, -and the Author of all good, from whom is every good gift and every -perfect gift, who by the grace of His Holy Spirit hath not only been -pleased to cause the light of His knowledge to shine in your heart, -but also even now hath vouchsafed to kindle the fire of His love, by -which at once enlightened and warmed, you earnestly tender the weal of -the kingdom committed to you from above, by warlike achievements, with -divine assistance attaining or securing peace for it, and desiring to -extend the excellency of the ecclesiastical order, which is the army -of God. Wherefore we implore the divine mercy with unwearied prayers -that He who hath moved and warmed your heart to this would give effect -to your wishes, by replenishing your desire with good things, that in -your days both peace may be multiplied to your kingdom and people, and -that ecclesiastical order, which as you say hath been disturbed in many -ways, either by the continued irruptions and attacks of the pagans, -or by lapse of years, or by the negligence of prelates, or by the -ignorance of subjects, may by your diligence and industry be speedily -reëstablished, exalted, and diffused. - -And since you wish this to be effected chiefly through our assistance, -and since from our see, over which St. Remigius, the apostle of the -Franks, presides, you ask for counsel and protection, we think that -this is not done without divine impulse. And as formerly the nation of -the Franks obtained by the same St. Remigius deliverance from manifold -error, and the knowledge of the worship of the only true God, so doth -the nation of the Angles request that it may obtain from his see and -doctrine one by whom they may be taught to avoid superstition, to cut -off superfluities, and to extirpate all such noxious things as bud -forth from violated custom or rude habits, and may learn, while they -walk through the field of the Lord, to pluck the flowers, and to be -upon their guard against the adder. - -For St. Augustine, the first bishop of your nation, sent to us by -your apostle St. Gregory, could not in a short time set forth all the -decrees of the holy apostles, nor did he think proper suddenly to -burden a rude and barbarous nation with new and strange enactments; for -he knew how to adapt himself to their infirmities, and to say with the -Apostle, ‘I have given milk to you to drink, who are babes in Christ, -and not meat’ (1 Cor. 3. 2). And as Peter and James, who were looked -upon as pillars (Gal. 2. 9), with Barnabas and Paul, and the rest who -were met together, did not wish to oppress the primitive Church, which -was flowing in from the Gentiles to the faith of Christ, with a heavier -burden than to command them to abstain from things offered to idols, -and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood (Acts -15. 29), so also do we know how matters were managed with you at the -beginning. For they required only this for training up the people in -the knowledge of God, and turning them from their former barbarous -fierceness, namely, that faithful and prudent servants should be placed -over the Lord’s household, who should be competent to give out to -each of their fellow-servants his dole of food in due season, that is, -according to the capacity of each of the hearers. But in process of -time, as the Christian religion gained strength, the holy Church felt -it neither to be her inclination nor her duty to be satisfied with -this, but to take example from the apostles themselves, their masters -and founders, who, after the doctrines of the Gospel had been set forth -and spread abroad by their heavenly Master Himself, did not deem it -superfluous and needless, but convenient and salutary, to establish the -perfect believers by frequent epistolary exhortations, and to build -them more firmly upon the solid foundation, and to impart to them more -abundantly the rule as well of manners as of faith. - -Nevertheless, she too, whether excited by adverse circumstances, or -nourished by prosperous ones, never ceased to aim at the good of her -children, whom she is daily bringing forth to Christ, and, inflamed -by the fire of the Holy Spirit, to promote their advancement, both -privately and publicly. Hence the frequent calling of councils, not -only from the neighboring cities and provinces, but also, in these -days, from regions beyond seas; hence synodal decrees so often -published; hence sacred canons, framed and consecrated by the Holy -Spirit, by which both the Catholic faith is powerfully strengthened, -and the unity of the Church’s peace is inviolably guarded, and its -order is decently regulated: which canons, as it is unlawful for any -Christian to transgress, so it is altogether wicked, in clerk and -priest especially, to be ignorant of them; the wholesome observance and -the religious handing down of which are things ever to be embraced. -Seeing that, for the reasons above stated, all these matters have -either not been fully made known to your nation, or have now for the -most part failed, it hath appeared fit and proper to your Majesty and -to your royal wisdom, by a most excellent counsel--inspired, as we -believe, from above--both to consult us, insignificant as we are, on -this matter, and to repair to the see of St. Remigius, by whose virtues -and doctrine the same see or church hath always flourished and excelled -all the churches of Gaul since his time in all piety and doctrine. - -And since you are unwilling to appear before us, when you present these -your requests, without a gift and empty-handed, your Majesty hath -deigned to honor us with a present that is both very necessary for the -time and well suited to the matter in hand; concerning which we have -both praised heavenly Providence with admiration, and have returned -no slender thanks to your royal munificence. For you have sent unto -us a present of dogs, which, of good and excellent breed, are yet -only in the body and mortal; and this you do that they may drive away -the fury of visible wolves, with which, among other scourges, wielded -against us by the righteous judgment of God, our country abounds; and -you ask us, in return, that we should send to you certain watch-dogs, -not corporeal, that is to say, not such as those with whom the prophet -finds fault, saying, ‘Dumb dogs, not able to bark’ (Isa. 56. 10), but -such as the Psalmist speaks of, ‘That the tongue of thy dogs may be -red through the same’ (Ps. 68. 23), who know how and are qualified to -make loud barkings for their Lord, and constantly to guard His flock -with most wakeful and most careful watchings, and to drive away to a -distance those most cruel wolves of unclean spirits who lie in wait to -devour souls. - -Of which number you specially demand one from us, namely, Grimbald, -priest and monk, to be sent for this office, and to preside over the -government of the pastoral charge. To whom the whole Church, which -hath nourished him, gives her testimony from his childhood, with -true faith and holy religion, and which hath advanced him by regular -steps, according to ecclesiastical custom, to the dignity of the -priesthood. We affirm openly that he is most deserving of the honor of -the episcopate, and that he is fit to teach others also. But indeed -we wished that this might rather take place in our kingdom, and we -intended some time ago, with Christ’s permission, to accomplish it in -due time, namely, that he whom we had as a faithful son we might have -as an associate in our office, and a most trustworthy assistant in -everything that pertained to the advantage of the Church. It is not -without deep sorrow--forgive us for saying so--that we suffer him to -be torn from us, and be removed from our eyes by so vast an extent -of land and sea. But as love has no perception of loss, nor faith of -injury, and no remoteness of regions can part those whom the tie of -unfeigned affection joins together, we have most willingly assented to -your request--for to you we have no power to refuse anything--nor do -we grudge him to you, whose advantage we rejoice in as much as if it -were our own, and whose profit we count as ours: for we know that in -every place one only God is served, and that the Catholic and Apostolic -Church is one, whether it be at Rome or in the parts beyond the sea. - -It is our duty, then, to make him over to you canonically; and it is -your duty to receive him reverentially, that is to say, in such way and -mode as may best conduce to the glory of your kingdom, to the honor -of the Church and our prelacy; and to send him to you along with his -electors, and with certain nobles and great personages of your kingdom, -as well bishops, presbyters, deacons, as religious laymen also, who -with their own lips promise and declare to us in the presence of our -whole church that they will treat him with fitting respect during the -whole course of his life, and that they will inviolably keep with the -strictest care the canonical decrees and the rules of the Church, -handed down to the Church by the apostles and by apostolic men, such -as they could then hear from us, and afterwards learn from him their -pastor and teacher, according to the form delivered by us to him. Which -when they shall have done, with the divine blessing and the authority -of St. Remigius, by our ministry and the laying on of hands, according -to the custom of the Church, receiving him properly ordained, and in -all things fully instructed, let them conduct him with due honor to his -own seat, glad and cheerful themselves that they are always to enjoy -his protection, and constantly to be instructed by his teaching and -example. - -And as the members feel a concern for each other, and when even one -rejoices they rejoice with it, or if even one suffer all the other -members sympathize with it, we again earnestly and specially commend -him to your Royal Highness and to your most provident goodness, that -he may be always permitted, with unfettered authority, without any -gainsaying, to teach and to carry into effect whatever he may discover -to be fit and useful for the honor of the Church and the instruction -of your people, according to the authority of the canons and the -custom of our Church, lest, haply--which God forbid!--any one, under -the instigation of the devil, being moved by the impulse of spite and -malevolence, should excite controversy or raise sedition against him. -But should this happen, it will be your duty then to make special -provision against this, and by all means to discourage by your royal -censure all such persons, if they should chance to show themselves, and -check barbaric rudeness by the curb of your authority; and it will be -his duty always to consult for the salvation of the people committed to -his pastoral skill, and rather to draw all men after him by love than -to drive them by fear. - -May you, most illustrious, most religious, and most invincible king, -ever rejoice and flourish in Christ the Lord of lords. - - - - -FOOTNOTES - - -[1] Based on the _Chronicle_ under 855. - -[2] MS. _Cudam_. So always, but see the _Chronicle_. - -[3] Bede, _Eccl. Hist._ 3. 7: ‘The West Saxons, formerly called -Gewissae.’ Plummer comments in his edition, 2. 89: ‘It is probably -connected with the “visi” of “Visigoths,” meaning “west,” and hence -would indicate the western confederation of Saxon tribes; ... “Gewis” -is probably an eponymous hero manufactured out of the tribe-name.’ The -_gw_ of _Gegwis_ is a Welsh peculiarity (Stevenson). - -[4] MS., Stev. _Seth_ (but Stevenson suggests _Sceaf_ in his variants, -referring to the _Chronicle_ under 855). - -[5] MS. _Cainan_, but see Gen. 5. 12 in R. V. - -[6] Partly from the _Chronicle_, but the whole account of Alfred’s -father and mother is original. - -[7] From the _Chronicle_ under 530 and 534. - -[8] Unidentified. - -[9] From the _Chronicle_. - -[10] Possibly Wigborough, in the parish of South Petherton in -Somersetshire (Stevenson). - -[11] Minster in Sheppey, founded by St. Sexburh in the seventh century; -it disappeared during the Danish ravages (Stevenson). - -[12] From the _Chronicle_. - -[13] MS. _Cantwariorum civitatem_; Chron. _Cantwaraburg_. - -[14] Based upon the _Chronicle_. - -[15] Stevenson is inclined to reject this customary identification with -Oakley, in Surrey. - -[16] The source--the _Chronicle_--says: ‘And there made the greatest -slaughter among the heathen army that we have heard reported to the -present day.’ - -[17] From the _Chronicle_. - -[18] Mainly from the _Chronicle_. - -[19] The ‘North Welsh’ of the _Chronicle_. - -[20] Based upon the _Chronicle_. - -[21] MS. _in regem_. - -[22] MS. _infantem_. - -[23] ‘A letter from the pope to Alfred’s father, regarding the ceremony -at Rome, has been fortunately preserved for us in a twelfth-century -collection of papal letters, now in the British Museum.... The letter -is as follows: “_Edeluulfo, regi Anglorum_ [marginal direction for -rubricator]. <F>ilium vestrum Erfred, quem hoc in tempore ad Sanctorum -Apostolorum limina destinare curastis, benigne suscepimus, et, quasi -spiritalem filium consulatus cingulo <cinguli _emend. Ewald_> honore -vestimentisque, ut mos est Romanis consulibus, decoravimus, eo quod in -nostris se tradidit manibus”’ (Stevenson). The _Chronicle_ has: ‘... -consecrated him as king, and took him as bishop-son.’ See p. 29. - -[24] Based upon the _Chronicle_. - -[25] Thanet. - -[26] From the _Chronicle_. - -[27] Based upon the _Chronicle_. - -[28] Charles the Bald. - -[29] Original. - -[30] Comprising Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall. - -[31] Chiefly original. - -[32] From the _Chronicle_. - -[33] Prudentius of Troyes (in _Annales Bertiniani_, an. 856, ed. Waitz, -p. 47), says of Bishop Hincmar: ‘Eam ... reginæ nomine insignit, quod -sibi suæque genti eatenus fuerat insuetum.’ - -[34] Original. - -[35] Offa’s Dike; it extended from the mouth of the Dee to that of the -Severn. - -[36] Original. - -[37] Charlemagne. - -[38] ‘Pavia was on the road to Rome, and was hence frequented by -English pilgrims on their journey to the latter’ (Stevenson). The -_Chronicle_ says under 888: ‘Queen Æthelswith, who was King Alfred’s -sister, died; _and her body lies at Pavia_.’ ‘With this story of -Eadburh’s begging in that city we may compare the statement of St. -Boniface, written about 747, as to the presence of English prostitutes -or adulteresses in the cities of Lombardy, Frankland, or Gaul (Dümmler, -_Epistolæ Karolini Ævi_ 1. 355; Haddan and Stubbs, _Councils_ 3. 381). -At the date of this letter the Lombards still spoke their native -Germanic tongue, and it is probable that as late as Eadburh’s time it -was still the predominant speech in Lombardy’ (Stevenson). - -[39] Mostly original. - -[40] In Alfred’s will (_Cart. Sax._ 2. 177. 9) he refers to this as -‘Aþulfes cinges yrfegewrit’ (Stevenson). - -[41] That is, for the good of his soul. - -[42] Lat. _manentibus_. - -[43] A mancus was thirty pence, one-eighth of a pound. - -[44] Original. - -[45] From Florence of Worcester. The _Annals of St. Neots_ have: ‘and -buried at Steyning’ (_Stemrugam_). - -[46] This last statement is incorrect. - -[47] From the _Chronicle_ under 860. As Æthelbert was already in -possession of Kent, Surrey, and Sussex, it should rather be said that -he added Wessex. - -[48] From the _Chronicle_ under 860. - -[49] Chiefly from the _Chronicle_ under 865 and 866. - -[50] The earlier part from the _Chronicle_. - -[51] Probably meaning the mouths of the Rhine (Stevenson). - -[52] Original. - -[53] _Curto_, a word showing Frankish influence. - -[54] Original. Stevenson would refer this event to a date earlier than -855. - -[55] From Florence of Worcester. - -[56] So Pauli and Stevenson interpret _legit_. - -[57] Original. - -[58] Cf. chap. 88. - -[59] The liberal arts were seven, consisting of the _trivium_--grammar, -logic, and rhetoric--and the _quadrivium_--arithmetic, geometry, -music, and astronomy. This course of study was introduced in the sixth -century. Asser here employs the singular, _artem_, which might be -translated by ‘education.’ - -[60] See Alfred’s own statement in Appendix I, p. 69. - -[61] Original. - -[62] Alfred says (Preface to the _Pastoral Care_): ‘Thanks be to -Almighty God that we have any teachers among us now.’ In this same -Preface he mentions, among those who aided him in the translation, -Archbishop Plegmund, Bishop Asser, our author, and the two priests -Grimbold and John. Cf. chaps. 77, 78, 79, 81, 88, and Appendix I, p. 71. - -[63] Stevenson brackets this clause. - -[64] Mostly from the _Chronicle_. - -[65] This clause must refer to the first line of the chapter, as there -is no previous mention of the Northumbrians. - -[66] From the _Chronicle_. - -[67] Original. - -[68] ‘_Subarravit_, formed from _sub_ and _arrha_, represents literally -the English verb _wed_, which refers to the giving of security upon the -engagement of marriage.... [It] is glossed by _beweddian_ in Napier’s -_Old English Glosses_’ (Stevenson). - -[69] William of Malmesbury calls her Æthelswith. - -[70] Of the Gaini nothing is known. - -[71] Largely from the _Chronicle_. - -[72] ‘A compound of _tig_ (Modern Welsh _tŷ_, “house”), and -_guocobauc_ (Modern Welsh _gogofawg_), an adjective derived from -_gogof_, “cave.” ... The name ... is certainly applicable to -Nottingham, which has long been famous for the houses excavated out -of the soft sandstone upon which it stands’ (Stevenson). The word -Nottingham itself, however, has not this meaning. - -[73] Here and elsewhere in the text often spelled Æthered. - -[74] From the _Chronicle_. - -[75] In Norfolk. - -[76] Mostly from the _Chronicle_. - -[77] Chiefly from the _Chronicle_. - -[78] Five and one-half miles southwest of Reading. - -[79] Added from Florence of Worcester by Stevenson. - -[80] Chiefly from the _Chronicle_. - -[81] The Berkshire Downs (Stevenson). - -[82] Stevenson is convinced that Æscesdun, though interpreted as ‘mons -fraxini,’ cannot mean ‘the hill of the ash,’ but that Ash is here a -man’s name. - -[83] Perhaps _mediam_ is a scribal error for _unam_ or _primam_ -(Stevenson). - -[84] There is a note on the Germanic shield-wall in my edition of -_Judith_ (305ª), in the Belles Lettres Series. - -[85] All original except final clause. - -[86] Supplied by Stevenson from Florence of Worcester. - -[87] Mostly original. - -[88] Probably Reading. - -[89] From the _Chronicle_. - -[90] Before this sentence occurs the following in the Latin: _Quibus -cum talia præsentis vitæ dispendia alienigenis perperam quærentibus -non sufficerent._ This may represent a sentence in the author’s draft -that was intended, owing to change of construction, to be omitted -(Stevenson). - -[91] In Hampshire. - -[92] Mostly from the _Chronicle_. - -[93] In Dorsetshire. - -[94] Paraphrased and amplified from the _Chronicle_. - -[95] A tributary of the Nadder, which it joins near Wilton. - -[96] Or, perhaps, ‘fewness,’ reading _paucitatem_ for _peraudacitatem_ -(Stevenson). - -[97] Mostly from the _Chronicle_. - -[98] From the _Chronicle_. - -[99] Chiefly from the _Chronicle_. - -[100] In Derbyshire. - -[101] Among the Germans there were Colonies (_Scholæ_) of the Frisians, -Franks, and Lombards, as well as of the Saxons. - -[102] Now Santo Spirito in Sassia, near the Vatican. - -[103] From the _Chronicle_. - -[104] The valley of the Clyde. - -[105] Here spelled Gothrum. - -[106] From the _Chronicle_. - -[107] Chiefly from the _Chronicle_. - -[108] In Dorsetshire. - -[109] Dorchester. - -[110] For the usual Dornsæte. - -[111] Here the _Chronicle_ has ‘on the holy arm-ring,’ on which the -Danes, it would seem, were accustomed to swear. - -[112] Here the _Chronicle_ has: ‘They, the mounted army, stole away -from the fierd [the English forces] in the night into Exeter.’ This, of -course, is the true account, while the statement in Asser is incredible. - -[113] Exe. - -[114] From the _Chronicle_. - -[115] See chap. 46. - -[116] Largely from the _Chronicle_. - -[117] At this point Archbishop Parker interpolated, from the _Annals -of St. Neots_, the story of Alfred and the cakes. This story, however, -cannot be proved to antedate the Norman Conquest. - -[118] The first clause from the _Chronicle_; the rest original. - -[119] Name unknown. - -[120] Hingwar. - -[121] Or South Wales. See chap. 80. - -[122] Site unknown. - -[123] Mostly from the _Chronicle_. - -[124] In Somersetshire. - -[125] Unknown. - -[126] Or perhaps better, Iglea; see Stevenson’s note on the word, -p. 270 of his edition. He says: ‘It is probably an older name of -Southleigh Wood, or of part of it.’ - -[127] Based upon the _Chronicle_. - -[128] In Wiltshire. - -[129] Supplied by Stevenson from the _Chronicle_. - -[130] Properly, as one of thirty, according to the _Chronicle_. - -[131] Chrism is the term employed for the mixture of oil and balsam -employed in the rite of confirmation, and sometimes for the ceremony -of confirmation itself. In the early church, this ceremony immediately -followed baptism, and was performed by the laying on of hands. In the -Roman church it is obligatory on all Catholics, and no baptism is -theoretically complete without it. It is performed by a bishop (only -exceptionally by a priest). The ceremony begins with the bishop’s -rising and facing the person or persons to be confirmed, his pastoral -staff in his hand, and saying: ‘May the Holy Ghost come upon you, and -the power of the Holy Ghost keep you from sins’ (_Handbook to Christian -and Ecclesiastical Rome: Liturgy in Rome_, London, 1897, pp. 169–171). -The rite is described in Egbert’s _Pontifical_, which may be taken -as representing the custom in the church of Alfred’s time. Lingard -says (_Anglo-Saxon Church_, London, 1858, 1. 297): ‘According to that -pontifical, the bishop prayed thus: “Almighty and Everlasting God, who -hast granted to this thy servant to be born again of water and the Holy -Ghost, and hast given to him remission of his sins, send down upon him -thy sevenfold Holy Spirit, the Paraclete from heaven, Amen. Give to him -the spirit of wisdom and understanding, Amen--the spirit of counsel and -fortitude, Amen--the spirit of knowledge and piety, Amen. Fill him with -the spirit of the fear of God and our Lord Jesus Christ, and mercifully -sign him with the sign of the holy cross for life eternal.” The bishop -then marked his forehead with chrism, and proceeded thus: “Receive this -sign of the holy cross with the chrism of salvation in Christ Jesus -unto life eternal.” The head was then bound with a fillet of new linen -to be worn seven days, and the bishop resumed: “O God, who didst give -thy Holy Spirit to thine apostles, that by them and their successors he -might be given to the rest of the faithful, look down on the ministry -of our lowliness, and grant that into the heart of him whose forehead -we have this day anointed, and confirmed with the sign of the cross, -thy Holy Spirit may descend; and that, dwelling therein, he may make it -the temple of his glory, through Christ our Lord.” The confirmed then -received the episcopal blessing, and communicated during the mass.’ - -The chrism-loosing was the ceremony of unbinding the fillet, apparently. - -[132] MS. _ædificia_; Stevenson, _beneficia_. - -[133] Chiefly from the _Chronicle_. - -[134] Gloucester, Worcester, etc. - -[135] Mostly from the _Chronicle_. - -[136] Mostly from the _Chronicle_. - -[137] See Stevenson’s interesting note. - -[138] From the _Chronicle_. - -[139] _Ibid._ - -[140] _Ibid._ - -[141] _Ibid._ - -[142] Mostly from the _Chronicle_. - -[143] Largely from the _Chronicle_. - -[144] Mostly from the _Chronicle_. - -[145] Cf. chap. 60. - -[146] The MS. has _dormiret_, but perhaps for _domum iret_, since the -_Chronicle_ has _hāmweard wendon_ (Stevenson); so perhaps we should -read ‘was on its way home.’ - -[147] Chiefly from the _Chronicle_. - -[148] Louis the Stammerer. - -[149] Cf. chap. 59. - -[150] Charles the Bald. - -[151] Cf. chaps. 11 and 13. - -[152] From the _Chronicle_. - -[153] From Duisburg, about January, 884 (Stevenson). - -[154] There was a battle in Frisia, about December, 884, and a later -one in Saxony (Stevenson). - -[155] Mainly from the _Chronicle_. - -[156] The North Sea. - -[157] Brittany. - -[158] Louis the German. - -[159] Louis the Pious. - -[160] Mainly from the _Chronicle_. - -[161] From the _Chronicle_. - -[162] Based upon the preface to Eginhard’s _Life of Charlemagne_. - -[163] See chap. 21. - -[164] Original. - -[165] Perhaps the hemorrhoids. - -[166] Interpolated some time between 893 and 1000 A.D. - -[167] In Alfred’s prayer at the end of his translation of Boethius, -one of the petitions is: ‘Deliver me from foul lust and from all -unrighteousness.’ - -[168] Original. - -[169] This is the beginning of a corrupt sentence, of which nothing has -been made. - -[170] MS. _Eadredo_. - -[171] See Appendix I, p. 70. - -[172] See chaps. 24 and 88. - -[173] Original. - -[174] Cf. Alfred’s jewel, and the book upon it by Professor Earle. - -[175] See chaps. 23 and 75. - -[176] Our first accounts of Arctic exploration are from his pen. For -his interest in geographical discovery see the narratives of Ohthere -and Wulfstan, in his translation of Orosius. In 897, according to the -_Chronicle_, he was experimenting with new war-galleys: ‘They were -almost twice as long as the others. Some had sixty oars, some more. -They were swifter, steadier, and higher than the others, and were -built, not on a Frisian or Danish model, but according to his personal -notions of their utility.’ - -[177] There were Frisians in his fleet in 897 (_Chronicle_). - -[178] Northmen; such were Ohthere and Wulfstan (see note 1, above). - -[179] Three such came to him in 891 (_Chronicle_). - -[180] MS. _Armorici_. See chap. 102. - -[181] Or, ‘degrees’; cf. p. 60. - -[182] See chap. 101. - -[183] Matt. 6. 33. - -[184] Ps. 85. 8. - -[185] Cf. chap. 88; Stevenson gives a number of parallels from ancient -and mediæval authors, beginning with Lucretius (3. 9) and Seneca -(_Epist._ 84.3). - -[186] Cf. chap. 24. - -[187] Original. - -[188] See Appendix I, p. 69. In Alfred’s will he gives Werfrith -(Wærferth) a hundred marks. - -[189] See Appendix I, p. 71. - -[190] Perhaps Bishop of Ramsbury (909 A.D.). The later MSS. of the -_Chronicle_ say, under the year 883: ‘And in the same year Sighelm and -Æthelstan took to Rome the alms that King Alfred sent, and also to -India to St. Thomas’ and St. Bartholomew’s.’ - -[191] Or, ‘chaplains.’ See p. 61, note 6. - -[192] Original. - -[193] Probably from the monastery of St. Bertin, at St. Omer -(Pas-de-Calais). See Appendix I, p. 71, and Appendix II, pp. 75 ff. - -[194] Cf. chap. 94, and Appendix I, p. 71. - -[195] Original. - -[196] Perhaps Dean, near Eastbourne, in Sussex. - -[197] Five miles southwest of Chepstow. ‘There was an abbey there, -where a traveling ecclesiastic would be likely to stay, and it was on -the great Roman road to South Wales, by which a traveler from Wessex to -St. Davids would proceed’ (Stevenson). - -[198] The MS. seems to be corrupt at this point, so that what I have -given is a loose conjectural rendering of the Latin: ... _et illa -adjuvaretur per rudimenta Sancti Dequi in omni causa, tamen pro -viribus_. - -[199] Original. - -[200] Pembrokeshire and part of Carmarthenshire. - -[201] ‘Rhodri Mawr (the Great), King of Gwyneth, who acquired the rule -of the whole of North and Mid-Wales and Cardigan’ (Stevenson). - -[202] Old name of Glamorgan and part of Monmouthshire. - -[203] In Monmouthshire. - -[204] Alfred. - -[205] See chaps. 8 and 56. - -[206] Original. - -[207] Perhaps Landford in Wiltshire. - -[208] In Alfred’s Preface to his translation of Boethius we are told: -‘[He made this translation as well as he could], considering the -various and manifold worldly cares that oft troubled him both in mind -and body.’ The similarity of phrase is striking. - -[209] Both in Somersetshire; these monasteries are otherwise unknown. - -[210] Largely from the _Chronicle_. - -[211] Largely from the _Chronicle_. - -[212] Namely, Alfred. - -[213] A mistranslation from the _Chronicle_; it should read, ‘were not -in captivity,’ etc. - -[214] Here follows Camden’s famous (forged?) interpolation about -Grimbald and Oxford. - -[215] Much expanded from the _Chronicle_. - -[216] From the _Chronicle_. - -[217] Charles the Fat. - -[218] Burgundy. - -[219] Chiefly from the _Chronicle_. - -[220] Cf. chap. 84. - -[221] Original. - -[222] Original. - -[223] Cf. chap. 24. - -[224] Author unknown. - -[225] Cf. chap. 76. - -[226] Original. - -[227] Luke 23. 42. - -[228] The following phrases, introduced at this point, seem to be -corrupt: _Hic aut aliter, quamvis dissimili modo, in regia potestate._ - -[229] November 11. - -[230] Alfred calls the passages which he translated from St. -Augustine’s _Soliloquies_ by the name of ‘flowers’ or ‘blossoms’ -(_blōstman_). See Hargrove’s edition (_Yale Studies in English_ XIII), -and his version into modern English (_Yale Studies in English_ XXII). - -[231] The application of the word to a work of St. Augustine’s gave it -great currency in the Frankish Latin of the period. - -[232] The Handbook seems to have been known to William of Malmesbury -(d. 1143); cf. his _Gesta Pontificum_, pp. 333, 336. - -[233] Original. - -[234] Unknown. - -[235] Cf. note 5, chap. 80. - -[236] ... _unicuique ubicumque male habet_. - -[237] Original. - -[238] Cf. chap. 74. - -[239] MS. corrupt: _De cotidiana nationum_. - -[240] This makes no sense; yet the Latin is: _quæ in Tyrreno mari usque -ultimum Hiberniæ finem habitant_. - -[241] Cf. chap. 70. - -[242] Perhaps Elias III, patriarch from about 879 to 907; the MS. -reads _Abel_. Stevenson’s emendation is supported by the fact that -certain medical recipes are related to have been sent to Alfred by the -patriarch Elias (Cockayne, _Leechdoms_ 2. 290). - -[243] Stevenson says: ‘Possibly he intended to refer to the use of -the precious metals in sacred edifices. We are told, on the doubtful -authority of William of Malmesbury, that King Ine built a chapel of -gold and silver at Glastonbury. A ninth-century writer records that -Ansegis, abbot of Fontenelle, 806–833, partly decorated a spire of -the abbey with gilt metal, and another writer of that period mentions -the golden doors of the “basilica” of St. Alban in his description of -the imperial palace at Ingelheim. Giraldus Cambrensis ascribes the -use of golden roofs or roof-crests to the Romans at Caerleon-on-Usk. -The idea that a king’s palace ought to be decorated with the precious -metals is probably an outcome of the late Roman rhetoric and Byzantine -magnificence.’ - -[244] The early part of the sentence is corrupt in the MS. - -[245] The figure is found as early as Sophocles and Aristophanes. - -[246] Original. - -[247] This corresponds to the OE. _sāwle þearf_. - -[248] The Latin has: _inter cetera diuturna et nocturna bona_. -Stevenson does not emend, but it seems as though we should read -_diurna_. Compare, for example, in Stevenson’s edition, =78.= 14, 35, -39; =99.= 10; =100.= 11; =103.= 9. - -[249] Cf. chap. 55. The second monastery was for nuns, and at -Shaftesbury; see chap. 98. - -[250] Original. - -[251] Original. - -[252] Cf. chap. 78. - -[253] Cf. chap. 78. - -[254] Original. - -[255] Supplied by Stevenson. - -[256] Original. - -[257] Matt. 27. 64. - -[258] Original. - -[259] Original. - -[260] Cf. chap. 92. - -[261] Original. - -[262] This passage is somewhat corrupt. - -[263] Gen. 4. 7, in the old Latin version, following the Septuagint. - -[264] Prov. 21. 1. - -[265] Original. - -[266] Cf. the _Chronicle_ under 894: ‘The King had divided his forces -into two, so that one half was constantly at home, the other half in -the field.’ - -[267] Original. - -[268] Or, ‘rank’ (_dignitatem_), as in line 3 of the chapter. - -[269] 2 Cor. 9. 7. - -[270] Original. - -[271] Incorrectly quoted from the _Pastoral Care_ 3. 20: ‘Ne quædam -quibus nulla, ne nulla quibus quædam, ne multa quibus pauca, ne pauca -præbeant quibus impendere multa debuerunt.’ - -[272] See chaps. 75 and 76. - -[273] See chaps. 74 and 81. - -[274] See chaps. 78 and 94. - -[275] Original. - -[276] Not from the Bible, but from St. Augustine’s _Enchiridion de -Fide_, chap. 20: ‘Qui enim vult ordinate dare eleemosynam, a se ipso -debet incipere.’ - -[277] Reading _divitiis_ for the _divinis_ of the text. - -[278] Cf. chap. 99. - -[279] Original. - -[280] Or, ‘chaplains.’ See p. 41, note 5. - -[281] ‘As these six candles weighed 72 pennyweights, each one was of -the weight of 12d. The weight of the OE. penny was 22½ Troy grains, -so that each candle would weigh roughly ⅝ oz. avoirdupois. As the -candles were twelve inches long, they would be very thin in proportion -to their length. A modern beeswax candle burns at a considerably -quicker rate than is here assumed, but we do not think this condemns -the figures given in this chapter as imaginary. The candle of Alfred’s -time was probably not moulded, and the wick would not be made of -cotton, as in the modern ones. Rushes, tow, and the hards of flax were -used for wicks. Aldhelm refers to the use of linen or flax wicks, -but also to those made of rushes. It is therefore hardly possible to -reproduce the candles used by Alfred for the purpose of testing this -chapter’ (Stevenson). - -[282] Reading _fenestras_ for the _fenestrarum_ of the text. - -[283] Meanings doubtful. - -[284] ‘Ducange objected that horn lanterns were known to the Greeks -and Romans long before Alfred’s time. But the passages adduced by -Salmasius, to whom he refers, and such others as we have been able to -gather, do not clearly describe a horn lantern lit by a candle, but -rather screens formed of horn to place round oil lamps. It is possible, -therefore, that Alfred may really be the inventor of the horn lantern -as we know it. The door in the side, which would be rendered necessary -by the change of the candles every four hours, is here described, and -seems to be a new feature’ (Stevenson). - -[285] Original. - -[286] The name of the diocese and of the bishop of course varied in the -different copies. - -[287] Cf. p. 11, note 2. - -[288] The books. - -[289] From Rev. Joseph Stevenson’s translation of _The Book of Hyde_, -in _Church Historians of England_ (London, 1854), Vol. 2, Part 2, pp. -499–503. The translator states that the text of the letter printed by -Wise in his edition of Asser (see Stevenson’s edition of Asser, p. 308) -‘has been employed in correcting the many obscurities and errors of the -copy inserted in the _Liber de Hida_.’ Of the letter our editor says: -‘It ... seems to be genuine. There is no conceivable motive for forging -such a letter. We can discover no grounds for Pauli’s condemnation -of it.... As Malmesbury, _Gesta Regum_, c. 122 (p. 130), states that -Grimbald was sent to Alfred at his request by the Archbishop of Rheims, -he would seem to have been acquainted with this letter.’ - - - - -INDEX - -[The numbers refer to pages.] - - - Aclea, 4 - - Adam, 2 - - Æglea, 78 - - Ælfthryth, 37, 38 - - Ælla, 16 - - Æthelbald, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12 - - Æthelbert, 12, 13 - - Æthelflæd, 37 - - Æthelgivu, 37, 58 - - Æthelhelm, 48 - - Æthelred (King of Wessex), 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 - - Æthelred (Alfred’s father-in-law), 17 - - Æthelred (Alfred’s son-in-law), 37, 44, 45, 47 - - Æthelstan (under-king of Kent), 4 - - Æthelstan (priest), 41 - - Æthelward, 37 - - Æthelwulf (King of Wessex), 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 33 - - Æthelwulf (Ealdorman of Berkshire), 12, 19 - - Alemanni, 34 - - Alfred, 1, _and passim_ - - Aller, 29 - - Anarawd, 45 - - Angles, 19, 47, 72. - _See also_ East Angles - - Anglo-Saxons, 1, 8, 13, 31, 32, 34, 35, 47, 48. - _See also_ East Saxons, Saxons, South Saxons, West Saxons - - Anwind, 25 - - Armorica, 34. - _See also_ Brittany - - Arnolf, 47, 48 - - Ashdown, 20, 22 - - Ash’s Hill, 20 - - Asser, 1, [8, 10, 13–15, 17, 20, 21, 27, 34, 35, 42–46, 48, 49, 51, - 52], 71 - - Athelney, 28, 29, 54 - - Augustine, 73 - - Avon, 26 - - - Bagsecg, 22 - - Banwell, 46 - - Barnabas, 73 - - Basing, 22 - - Beaw, 2 - - Bedwig, 2 - - Beldeag, 2 - - Beorhtric, 8, 9 - - Beorhtwulf, 3 - - Berengar, 48 - - Berkshire, 1, 12, 19 - - Berroc Wood, 1 - - Brecknock, 44 - - Bretons, 39 - - Britain, 1, 13, 26, 31, 32 - - British, 3 - - Brittany, 60. - _See also_ Armorica - - Brockmail, 44 - - Brond, 2 - - Burgred, 4, 5, 18, 24 - - - Cærwent, 43 - - Cairceri, 30 - - Cairwisc, 26 - - Cambridge, 25 - - Canterbury, 3, 18, 41 - - Carloman, 33 - - Ceawlin, 1 - - Ceolnoth, 18 - - Ceolwald, 1 - - Ceolwulf, 25, 26 - - Ceorl, 3 - - Cerdic, 1, 3 - - Charlemagne, Charles (the Great), 9, 34 - - Charles (the Bald), 6, 11, 33, 34, 67 - - Charles (the Fat), 47, 48 - - Charles (son of Louis the German), 34 - - Chézy, 47, 48 - - Chippenham, 5, 26, 30 - - Cirencester, 30, 31 - - Cœnred, 1 - - Coit Maur, 28 - - Condé, 32 - - Congresbury, 46 - - Cornwall, 35, 46, 60 - - Creoda, 1 - - Cutha, 1 - - Cuthwine, 1 - - Cynric, 1, 3 - - Cynwit, 27 - - - Danes, [3–5, 12, 13, 15–34, 39, 46, 47, 55] - - Danube, 13 - - David, 2 - - Dene, 42, 62 - - Devon, 3, 27 - - Dorubernia, 3 - - Durugueir, 25 - - Dyfed, 27, 44 - - - Eadburh, 8, 9, 17 - - Eafa, 1 - - Eald-Seaxum, 33 - - Ealhere, 4, 5 - - Ealhmund, 1 - - Ealhstan, 6, 17 - - Eanwulf, 6 - - East Angles, 18 - - East Anglia, 13, 16, 18, 19, 31, 32, 33, 34 - - East Frankland, 31, 32. - _See also_ Frankland - - East Saxons, 13. - _See also_ Anglo-Saxons, Saxons, South Saxons, West Saxons - - Edington, 28 - - Edmund, 18 - - Edward, 37, 38 - - Egbert, 1 - - Egbert’s Stone, 28 - - Elesa, 1 - - Elias, 52 - - England, 69, 70 - - Englefield, 19 - - English, 19, 69, 70, 71 - - Enoch, 2 - - Enosh, 2 - - Eoppa, 1 - - Esla, 1 - - Essex, 3 - - Exanceastre, 26 - - Exeter, 26, 46 - - - Fernmail, 44 - - Finn, 2 - - Fræna, 22 - - Frankland, 31, 32, 60. - _See also_ East Frankland - - Franks, 6, 7, 9, 11, 31, 33, 34, 39, 47, 68, 72, 73, 77. - _See also_ West Franks - - Frealaf, 2 - - Freawine, 1 - - Freothegar, 1 - - Frisians, 33, 39 - - Frithowald, 2 - - Frithuwulf, 2 - - Froom, 25 - - Fulco, 72 - - Fulham, 31 - - - Gaini, 17 - - Gallic, 55, 56 - - Gaul, 26, 28, 42, 60, 74 - - Gauls, 34, 39, 56 - - Geata, 2 - - Germanic, 8 - - Germany, 33 - - Geta, 2 - - Gewis, 1 - - Ghent, 31 - - Glywyssing, 44 - - Godwulf, 2 - - Goths, 3 - - Great Forest, 28 - - Greeks, 70 - - Gregory (the Great), 41, 60, 73 - - Grimbald, 42, 71, 75 - - Gueriir, 35 - - Guthrum, 25 - - Gwent, 44 - - - Halfdene, 25, 26, 27 - - Hampshire, 12, 28 - - Harold, 22 - - Hathra, 2 - - Hebrew, 70 - - Hebrews, 40 - - Helised, 44 - - Hemeid, 44 - - Heremod, 2 - - Hingwar. _See_ Inwar - - Howel, 44 - - Huda, 5 - - Humber, 16, 69 - - Hwala, 2 - - Hwicce, 31 - - - Ine, 1 - - Ingild, 1 - - Inwar, 27 - - Ireland, 52, 61 - - Irish, 39 - - Itermod, 2 - - - James (the apostle), 73 - - Jared, 2 - - Jerusalem, 52 - - Jews, 56, 57 - - John (the Old Saxon), 42, 55, 56, 57, 71 - - Judith, 6, 7, 11, 33, 34, 35 - - Jutes, 3 - - - Kenan, 2 - - Kennet, 19 - - Kent, 3, 4, 5, 12, 13, 32 - - - Lamech, 2 - - Latin, 17, 19, 26, 28, 37, 69, 70, 71 - - Leo (IV), 5 - - Leonaford, 45 - - Lindsey, 24 - - Lombardy, 48 - - London, 3, 24, 47 - - Louis (the Pious), 34 - - Louis (the German), 34 - - Louis (the Stammerer), 33 - - Louis (III), 33 - - - Mahalalel, 2 - - Marinus, 34 - - Marne, 47 - - Martin, 50 - - Medway, 32 - - Mercia, 3, 4, 8, 17, 18, 24, 26, 35, 37, 41, 47, 60 - - Mercian, 17, 35, 41 - - Mercians, 4, 5, 18, 24, 26, 41, 44, 45 - - Methuselah, 2 - - Meuse, 31 - - Middlesex, 3 - - Mid-Wales, 4 - - Mouric, 44 - - Mucill, 17 - - - Neot, 35 - - Noah, 2 - - Nobis, 44 - - Northumbria, 17, 18, 24, 25, 26, 61 - - Northumbrian, 16 - - Northumbrians, 16, 45 - - Nottingham, 17, 18 - - - Odo, 48 - - Offa, 8 - - Old Saxon, 55 - - Old Saxons, 33, 34 - - Osbern, 22 - - Osbert, 16 - - Osburh, 2 - - Oscytel, 25 - - Oslac, 2 - - Osric, 12 - - - Paris, 46, 47, 48 - - Paul, 11, 73 - - Pavia, 10 - - Pepin, 34 - - Peter, 11, 41, 73 - - Picts, 25 - - Plegmund, 41, 71 - - - Reading, 19 - - Remigius, 73, 74, 76 - - Repton, 24, 25 - - Rheims, 72 - - Rhine, 48 - - Rhodri, 44, 45 - - Ris, 44 - - Rochester, 32 - - Romans, 70 - - Rome, 1, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 24, 48, 76 - - Rudolf, 48 - - Ruim, 5 - - - St. Davids, 44 - - Sandwich, 4 - - Saxon, 5, 7, 13, 14, 25, 26, 32, 33, 37, 38, 41, 42, 46 - - Saxon Colony, 24, 34 - - Saxons, 4, 9, 23, 24, 32, 33, 47, 48. - _See also_ Anglo-Saxons, East Saxons, Old Saxons, South Saxons, - West Saxons - - Sceaf, 2 - - Sceldwea, 2 - - Scheldt, 32 - - Sedulius, 2 - - Seine, 46, 47 - - Selwood (Forest), 6, 28 - - Seth, 2 - - Severn, 42 - - Shaftesbury, 58 - - Sheppey, 3, 6 - - Sherborne, 6, 12, 17 - - Sidroc the Elder, 22 - - Sidroc the Younger, 22 - - Solomon, 40, 59 - - Somerset(shire), 6, 27, 28 - - South Saxons, 42. - _See also_ Anglo-Saxons, East Saxons, Saxons, West Saxons - - South Wales, 44 - - Stour, 33 - - Strathclyde, 25 - - Stuf, 3 - - Surrey, 4, 5, 12 - - Sussex, 12, 42 - - - Tætwa, 2 - - Tarrant, 25 - - Tenet, 5. - _See also_ Thanet - - Teudubr, 44 - - Thames, 3, 4, 19, 31, 69 - - Thanet, 12. - _See also_ Tenet - - Thetford, 18 - - Thornsæta, 25 - - Tigguocobauc, 17 - - Tyne, 25 - - Tyrrhene Sea, 34, 52 - - - Wærferth, 69. - _See also_ Werfrith - - Wales, 4, 8, 43, 44, 60. - _See also_ Mid-Wales, South Wales, Western Wales - - Wantage, 1 - - Wareham, 25 - - Wedmore, 29 - - Welsh, 1, 5, 17, 25, 26, 28, 30, 39 - - Werfrith, 41. - _See also_ Wærferth - - Werwulf, 41 - - Wessex, 7, 8, 42, 44, 46, 60. - _See also_ West Saxon(s) - - Western Wales, 42 - - West Franks, 33, 34, 46 - - West Saxon, 13 - - West Saxons, 1, 4, 5, 8, 12, 13, 15, 18, 19, 33, 41. - _See also_ Anglo-Saxons, East Saxons, Saxons, South Saxons, Wessex - - Wicganbeorg, 3 - - Wido, 48 - - Wig, 1 - - Wight, Isle of, 3 - - Wihtgar, 3 - - Wihtgaraburg, 3 - - Wiley, 23 - - Wilton, 23 - - Wiltshire, 26, 28, 48 - - Wimborne Minster, 22 - - Winchester, 11, 12 - - Wisc, 26 - - Woden, 2 - - Worcester, 41 - - - Yonne, 47 - - York, 16, 18 - - - - -Transcriber’s Notes - - -Punctuation, hyphenation, and spelling were made consistent when a -predominant preference was found in the original book; otherwise they -were not changed. - -Simple typographical errors were corrected; unbalanced quotation -marks were remedied when the change was obvious, and otherwise left -unbalanced. - -Footnotes, originally at the bottoms of pages, have been collected, -renumbered, and moved to precede the Index. - -The index was not checked for proper alphabetization or correct page -references. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Asser's Life of Alfred, by John Asser - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ASSER'S LIFE OF ALFRED *** - -***** This file should be named 63384-0.txt or 63384-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - 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