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6
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
BY C. P. MASON, B.A., F.C.P.,
Fellow of University College. London
Wiw Examination Papers by W. Houston, M.A.
PBICE 75 CENTS.
the oiroSt.^' to rnHe Z^hLr''"*^ " «^™«- «=hool inspector in
mediately sen^me Eo" * ^"""" published there. He ii2
A. P. KNIGHT, M.A., H-M-TKingston Colle^ate Institute
Ma^nni* ^^^^' *'"^" '^•^•' Principal, Caledonia. H. S.
peciairfor%KsTructS^ofliZcVH"''S"^^^^^^ ^'""^■books e.
on the Analysis of difficult ^L^n„» ^? '''f?.^^ " English. The chapter
As a nhr"^^." ^^^'^' ^- M^D»fferin School Toronto
exce^:;tS°hX^ SSnl ^ST.uV'''''''^' ^'^^ -«» i*"
the estimation of the best judge" of such JniL t^""^ 't* ^'«^ ""^^ '"
the country, it has reached a twentvfi«?!^T*''® ■''^^''^ teachers of
have no doubt it will meet wif h ♦l.^ ™* edition in England and I
Province. "^' "^'^^ *h« ««ne high appreciation in this
JOHN SHAW. H~^.H.S..Omemee.
been- hoping to seViSt^oZced Vn"t? lu?.^^'f '^."''"^ *««hers have
teach the subject by exnlanaf inn H»fl "f- ^'^''oo'?. '^ method being to
D. 0. MaoHENRY, B.A., H. M. Cobourg Col Inslltate
♦*«-^ has yet »np<MrwL
HOW TO READ;
A DRILL BOOK
FOR CORRECT AND EXPRESSIVE READING
ADAPTED FOR THE USE OP SCHOOLS.
By Richard Lewis, Teacher of EiocuUon, Author of " Domin^
ion ElocuUonist," dc.
PRICE 76 CENTS.
ever- inWduced into ourVanaS 'sctr V'J"^^' »"'« book,
fail to have his senior classerup';^red'Slt°h"t e worffirce!''"''^' "*"
LTTT""' *'-^' **•»■• H^M. High School, Newmarket
JOHN SHAW. Head M^r High School. Omemee
earliest opportTni'^y'^^T'hr'^ubli^^^^^^^^ at the
teacher and pupil alike P^'^'caMon cannot but be profltoble to
R. N^RODGERS. Inspect";rof P. Schools. Colli„g.-ood.
j.>tr^ucedinTo%'v?rys?hooL'V:'l!rSflv'b^^^^^^^ '^IT'^ ^^'^her. an«
better spent, than in learning the shSn^n nrfn.^' ^^at.no time could be
practising the suKgestions it ^ves foi^fffiS"°'''P'f^'* ^a^s ^own and
pleasiflg and efifective. ^ ^ attainu^ a style of reading both
E. M. EIGG, M.A.
.S so MUCH nLZ'.;; ZKlc\t^TAZl,^XoT' "'*^"' '^«™''«'
JOHN MACOUN, --.^e. ^^^^^^^^^ eCege Grammar
be imrnediateVTnto"d"u'c1^Ki; 'Z'X^Li!Zt?'\'^ «'- *«
o7ftt'eVily';^'^^ ''-'- *« obtain-ra^ti^nSSf ta;^tru^
J. MiLLER, B.A., H. M"r7lgh School. St. Thomas,
•eivo mor; attenlion:'"** '''***'' *"**''^ ^ » «"bject that should r^
ID;
FADING
r II
Domln-
little books
teacher will
arket.
8 been sup-
our junior
e it at the
>fltable to
wher, anfl
B could be
down and
ding both
Epochs of English History
EDITED DY THE
REV. M. CREIGHTON, M.A.
EAULV ENGLAND
NOTUINO
Grammar
Rkad to
8 compel
I the use
ould n-
Entered according, to Act of Parliament of Canada, In the Office of the
Minister of Aj-riculture, by Ada,, Mu.ler & Co., in the year 1877.
^
4«Ulcr & Co.'s €bnt;itioniiI Sciico.
EPOCHS OP ENOUSH HISTOEY.
T-
EARLY ENGLAND
67* T-C THE \ORMAX CONQUEST.
)ffice of the
Jar 1877.
BY
FREDERICK YORK POWELL,
LAW LECTURER CII. CH. OXFORD,
HI8T0BICAT. LECTL'RER TRIN. COLL. OXFORD.
WITH FOUR MAPa
Atcthonzed hy the Minister of Edumtim,
TORONTO :
Adam Miller & Co.
^
X
L
CONTENTS.
Pedigrees
PAOB
vil
i6
sa
BOOK I.
CHAPTER """"^ ^'^'■'^'^^ ^'^^ ROMANS (8.C. 5S-A.D. 449).
I. The Britons .
n. The Roman Conquest ,
ni. The Roman Rule in Tiritain '
BOOK II.
THE ENGLISH CONQUEST (449-600).
I. The English
n. The English Conquest * *
BOOK III.
I. Kent . .
n. Northumberland . *
BOOK IV.
WESSEX AND THE MARCHLAND (68<-8c»).
1. The Rise of Wessex
n. The Church . . * .39
III. Wessex and ♦»- "-^bland **
44
I
5
to
38
30
VI
Contents.
\
BOOK V.
CHAPTEK """^ ^''''^'^^ ^^° ™^ DANES (8oa-90l).
I. Egbert (802-837) .
II. Ethelwolf and his Elder Sons (837-871) '
III. Alfred the Truth-teller (871-901) . . '. '
BOOK VI.
THE GREAT OLD-ENGLISH KINGS (901-979).
I. Edward the Elder (901-925)
II. Ethelstan the Steadfast (925-940)'
HI. Edmund the Deed-doer (940-046)
IV. Edred the Chosen (946-955) ' " * '
V. Edwy (9SS-9S9) •
VI. Edgar the Peace-winner (959-975)
VI. Edward the Martyr (975-979) . . ' . '
Vill. Changes in England under the Great Kings
BOOK VII.
THE DANISH CONQUEST (979-1042).
I. Ethelred the Unready (979-1016)
II. Edmund Ironside (1016) . .
III. Canute the Mighty (1016I1035')
IV. Harold Harefoot and Hardi-Canute (1035-1042)
PAGE
48
55
66
69
^^
73
74
75
78
80
83
90
9a
96
BOOK VIIl.
THE TWO LAST OLD-ENGLISH KINGS (l04a-to66).
I. Edward the Confessor (1042-1066)
II. Harold Godwin's son (1066) . * * ' • 99
III. Changes in England '°^
xuue^ of Persons
II Places
119
'"3
PAGE
48
SS
66
69
72
73
74
75
78
80
8a
90
9a
96
99
Z06
114
"9
KINGS OF ENGLAND.
Egbert
ngDert
(sprung from Cerdic}
8021838
Etkehvolf
+ |8s8
•I- 860
EtheidUB
K. of Kent
Ettulbtrt
-»■ 866
Eihelred
+ 871
Alfred tluGrtat
Edward, Elder Ethelfled. Lady of the Marchland
Sthebtam
+ 940
9*5
+ 9a»
Edmund
+ 946
Edrtd
+ 955
Edwy
+ 959
Edgar
+ 975
J
Edward tfu Martyr Ethelred the Unready
+ 979 (mar. Emma of Normandy)
+ 1016
Edmund
■f before 1056
Et
Edgar Etheling
Edward
+ »o57
1
Margaret
(mar. Malcolm Bigliead
King of ScotlaadX
THE DA^ ^,;h kings.
Harold Bluetooth
•^"ig of IDennufk
(King ofBenourk a^ngland)
+ iai4
Gunkild
(mar. PaUlig)
+ 1035
(son of Em^a) (»„ E„p. „,„^ ,„ ,
TO4O
104a
(dtr. of Emma)
THE HOUSE OF GODWIN,
\
. _ Godwin
(mar. Canute's sister's daughter)
+ 1053
I
Wfgars dtr.) Baldwin's dtr) ■*" **^
+ XOOe J. rrJU^
+ ro66
Wolfnotb
THE HOUSE OF LEOFRIC.
Lec&jc
war
El/l
.'•^S5!rV_^i°f Wales
S^dwia
Morcar
THE HOUSE OF NORMANDY
^oif Ganger
(son of Earl Ronwald)
+ 927
IViiltam Longs-Word
+ 943
Richard, Fearless
+ 99S
Richard, Good r. '
»°»«* (mar. «. Etkelred the Unre.uiy
I '• Canute the Mighty
lickard ^o6ert,Jagni^,ZZl^,Z ^j,
•*■ 035 („.ar. Herlwin) („.. Bald^Hai^beard
\ \ of Flanders)
>»^«///««« th^ Conqueror oL ~l
I
THE HOUSE OF FLANDERS.
, - . Baldwin I,
(mar. Judith, Jghtr. of Charles Bald
widow of I. Ethel-wolf
2. Et/ulbald)
+ 879
. . . Baldwin II.
(mar. dghtr. o{ Alfred tJ^t Great)
+ 91.J
I
Amulf, Bad
Baldwin III.
(nited with his father)
+ 062
I
Amulf, Younz
+ 988
t ^ . Baldwin IV,, Fairh^ntvi
(««. Ogive, dghtr. of Rich^^^tltf Norn«u.dy)
Baldwin V., Kind
+ 1067
BttUmimyj.GMd
. . Matilda 1 J. .
i^.WiUia^tk, Conqueror) i^. ^^^t%
•.WolfofBawia.
LIST OF MAPS.
Roman Britain ....
The First Home of the English ....
England after the English Conquest
PACB
England under the Great English Kings . . . 65
anuria.
EARLY ENGLAND.
INTRODUCTION.
The chief things which we have to notice in this part
of the History of England are :
1. What England was hke and who dwelt in it before
our forefathers came here and called it England.
2. How our forefathers built up the kingdom of Eng-
land, driving out the folk that dwelt here before them.
3. How this kingdom grew so weak that it was con-
quered by foreign kings.
BOOK 1.
THE BRITONS AND ROMANS.
B.C. 55— A. D. 409.
CHAPTER I.
THE BRITONS.
I. We do not know much of the fir:it dwellers in Eng-
land, as no history tells us about them •, but from the re-
luains of themselves, their tools and weapons, ^^
which are sometimes dug up, we have been llltrl in
able to find out something. They were rather ^"s'*"**-
small people, like the Esquimaux, and used flint and
Early England.
BK. I.
The Britons.
bone weapons. They were great hunters, and some of
them were cannibals. They lived in caves and on the
banks of the seas and rivers ; and it is in caves and the
great heaps of shells, which lie near where their huts stood,
that we find the bones and remains that tell us about them.
In their days England was much colder than it ii
now, and much wilder. A great many wild beasts lived
here, such as hyaenas, lions, rhinoceroses, and elephants
which have long since disappeared.
VVe do not know when these people came to England,
but it must have been a very long while ago.
2. The first people we hear about in history as dwelling
in England, which they called Britain, were very different
folk. The land in their time, though not so
cold and wild as before, was still very unlike
the England of to-day. The greater part of it was covered
with thick woods or broad heaths ; and whore the rivers
now run fast there were often great fens and lakes.
There were still many wild beasts, bears, wolves, and
beavers, great elks and wild cattle, though most of those
we spoke of before had died out. It was hotter in summer
and colder in winter than it is now.
The people were not English at all, but of the same
race as the Irish and Welsh of to-day, who are descended
from them. They were a rude people, but were not
savages, like the first folk. They lived in wattled huts
half-sunk in the ground, without windows or chimneys.
These huts were set together in villages, which had often
a wooden paling and earthen wall round them, and were
placed in the midst of woods, or on islands in the rivers
or marshes, or on hills, so as to be safer against foemen.
Their wealth was in cattle, and they tilled the ground
near their villages, and grew barley. They were great
hunters ; but they did not fish in the sea. In the south
and west of Britain they worked to find tin and lead.
BK. I.
1 some of
nd on the
s and the
luts stood,
)out tliem.
than it it
;asts lived
elephants
England,
s dwelling
Y different
gh not so
2ry unlike
IS covered
the rivers
nd lakes.
>lves, and
it of those
n summer
the same
iescended
were not
:tled huts
:himneys.
had often
and were
the rivers
t foemen.
e ground
ere great
the south
md lead.
CH. I,
T/ic Britons.
and sold the metal to the Phccnicians, wno wcrr the
great merchants of that day and the fu'st civilise 1 fk
who knew of Britain. The Britons also used to traffic
w.t the:r kinsfolk in (;aul. They had horses whh he
only used for war, when they drove them n chariots
for hunt ng. The Br.tons were very clever at all kinds
of basket-work and knew how to make pottery for house
hold use, and large earthenware vesse s in which they
buned the,r dead. They did not know how to work iron or
copper but used Hint and bone and horn for their wrpons
They ^er..^^^:^::::^^^-^;;;^^
blue eyes and hght hair. They left their'hair long and
the men wore large mouslachios, but shaved their be'a ds
The rnen wore shirts and hose and long cloak of pi fd
and the women k.rtles of the same stuff Rut when the
men went to war they used to throw off their cloakTand
rush mto baule half-naked, painted blue with the u ce o1
a herb called woad, just as is the habit of some i^age
Sa I; Th? v^^' "'^^ ^""^ ^""^-^^ -^^ spears and
darts. Their shields were of wood covered with hide and
strengthened with metal. ^
3- They were brave in battle, but were never Ion? of
one mind, and so their bravery availed them little They
did not live together as a nation, under one The'
rule, as we see the peoples of Europe do now • ---f „".
chtf an7fono'"^'f "'' ''■''^^- ^''^'^^ ^^^^^ '^-d ^ts own
chief and followed its own customs. These tribes were
always at war with each other, and this was one grel!
cause of the misfortunes that fell upon them ^
they Hket" Wh"^ "'"^"^ °' '^'''' ^"^^^ ^^^^^ "°^ ^o as
they hked When any great thing was to be done the
free men of the tribe were all called together to .ons^er it
Ba '
Early England.
>K. I.
and what they wished was done : but the chi^f, i.^ ,t
.0 war ana had much power o.eV th^m fn p toe' fmt
Brit „": ;r;:a';f s """^° *^ °"'" --"- ^n
steadfast JkTand theylo I Zl co"l " ";"'' ""' ™'^
were dark-haired and da^k eved T^'r '?™"'' ''"''
now South Wales, andtretltd JuuTes "' '" """ "
4- We do not know how or when nil thoe« ♦ u
.0 Britain -. U,ough .here are sotner;:: ir , " rTsh :™
S.t...o ktw'whttt"""™^"'"'"^- «-'°-
BriiaiJ. f "7 "'>i«her the savages who first dwelt in
;Usveryh^:;;ryS.^''ronTkt:r-;S
:^tr^o-r:^;trrri^rB^^^^^^^
who drove the Irish forward to the west Lh .."''"?.';
Religion. °°Vi prophets, priests, and teachers. Thev
had great power among the Britons h„f f],«
Insh do no. seem to have given thL so m h amhor tv
They taught men to worship the gods and thT if'
of meT' The" d":; °".' "I""' '""^ ^"^ fron, "e ab'odt
ot men The Dru.ds had no temples, but worshiotKH
the,r gods m dark oak groves or on high hills '^'"''
scholars pii tw *k" V '"' '°°^^ ^^"g^t bands of
scholars all that they knew about the stars, the healing
BK. I.
5 led them
:e-time.
Iwellers in
, but very
Tient, and
n what is
bes came
Irish and
or do we
dwelt in
ime ; but
tain that
he Irish,
IS came,
rth. Of
50 years
There
lo were
They
but the
thority.
fiat the
passed
mished
I in the
They
ds. If
at the
ibodes
dipped
ids of
ealing
B.C. 55.
The Britons.
5
^Zl" T. v'/"^ ^'^ °'^ ^°"^^ ^"d Stories of the
spoU whicTlhT '"'• '''" ^''' ^"' ^ ^-^^ P-^ -f the
spoil which they won m war. The Druids were hel ' as
holy men, and no man dare hurt or rob one
In many places in England, there are, still standing
large stones set up in circles or rows, wio et thern nn
we do not know, but that they have been h re a very
drde which r^H '''r^ '^ ^ ^^°^^ ^^^^ °^ --ton^
circle, which is perhaps the most famous of all Stone
henge, that it was set up by the Britons, about 460 ad
ButSto^h ''"' ^'"'^ "^°"^- trekcherouslysh^n'
":^;^hKi;r^;f-^:--^^^
CHAPTER II.
THE ROMAN CONQUEST.
I. Now, the mightiest folk in the world about .h.
nme we begin to hear much about the Briton's lere th!
Romans, who had conquered all the nat^ns'
rnV"^""?""'^"- Th^i^ greatest man SS^'""'
M<y-five years before the birth of Christ was ■' «■
StI-'aUheG7i"K°'t'''f"''s''''"8i"Ga"'.andhad
because the Belgian's^' sZrB^urhVdTe: ^
bekrer" "fp^nrr 'u "^'"^' ^'" ^ brave standard-
Bntons. When the Roman soldiers .aw him in the midst
Early Efiglavid
was alraui of ,„e bad ^^l^lntl^^T-, "'
into Brita n w th . ' ^ •■"«■■"'" """ =">""'"
cntam w.th a larger army than before. Due the
c^,s tnbes of the South-east had united unde a
c.„i„g brave pnnce, named Caswallawn (whom the
Romans overcame th m'at h , '!/'"'' ""? °' "■<=
Cassivelatmus^ strongho'irVer u,,nf ^"t 7,1"' !""""
taken and burnt Th. n .,, <'"• Albans), was
forcedtomak pace But!heRoV'"''r ^"' "«''"
what a poor countrv IW '"'' ™''™ "''J' f""""!
rich pluX and m'uch hari fiSt™' '""' "-'"^ '^"^ "°
t" stay longer 0^,7,0^^ / ^"^' ^'" "'" "<^''"'d
<';uil. lieconW nnf .ff iJrtner with h-s plans n
to keep .^4 over hf^e ""^ "'""'"■' '^^ •>« "»''<•
not .is'h to be'trrfar'Lmyor"^;!: ;- «-'' »« -^iO
back again, and when C»sar wTs next in RomTTT"'
^:::^::!^^s^ft-r-°--^-
for ^".-r^v'tea*^ '^t" .-ITT '^'' '° *--'-
with Gaul, v,hi, r: no7a L'^ '' "" "'" '"'^
-IvusJ^elai--^;^-:^-^-
B.C. 54.
"idard, and
Britons up
jh most of
lattles and
ind make
cess. He
for it was
aul.
not do as
t summer
Kut the
under a
'horn the
i resisted
Jr of the
il battles
ns), was
re again
iy found
■ was no
inclined
jhtening
plans in
wanted
and did
ns went
le hung
oddess,
Tiselves
ir trade
id they
Roman
eyhad
5V.
A. P. 43 61. T/ie Roman Conquest.
Oncedurinu this time the Roman Emperor Caius, sur-
named Cali^rul.i, yatl^cred together a large army with which
to ronqiirr iiritain. He marched as far as the coast of
Gaul, faung Ilritain, but he never crossed the Channel,
and the only spoils he brought back to Rome were peb-
bles and shells from the seashore.
3. In the reign of Claudius, the fourth Roman Em-
peror, a Roman general was sent with an army jhc con-
of Romans and Gauls. He landed in the yi"es'of
south, and after much hard fighting Vectis a'd"^
(the Isle of Wight) was taken, and the whole of South
Bniain submitted tc Claudius, who came ovei to receive
the new conquest. Camulodun (Colchester) was taken
and settled witi. Roman soldiers, and became a Roman
town. South Britain was taken under the Roman rule
and was made a province of the Roman empire, as Gaul
had been. These Roman provinces were governed by
officers sent out by the Emperor.
4- But in the north and midst of Britain, Caradawe
whom the Romans called Caractacus, still held out
against the Romans. After fighting bravely caractacus
he was at last overcome and driven to seek ^•«- 47 "
shelter with his mother-in-law, who betrayed him to the
Romans, to gain their favour, and he was taken cap-
tive to Rome, with his wife and children. When he saw
tht .plend.d buildings and all the glory of the great city
he said to the Emperor, ' How is it that you who dwell
in such grand palaces envy us poor Britons our thatched
CO s.? And the Emperor, who was pleased with his
boldness and bravery, treated hin. kindly at the prayer of
he Empress. Nevertheless, the Silures, though they had
lost their great leader, would not yield, and the Roman
general is said to h" " ' ' ■ "
able to subdue them
years
ave died of grief and rage at not being
n.
5. Some years after, whih Nero was Emperor,
£arfy England.
Suetonius Paulli„u3 was appointed Go ''"■"'
Sfc (Anglesey), which „asl I ^°.™''' '° ^ona
=fnge sight and the dr^adt „„ ''' '"'S'''™^'' -' "■'
of the Druids. There weret-L.Tr r"" .*^ "''^'■'="ft
andmanywomenwithtorchesr^shin^ I.t along the shore
wWethe Druids cahed on heir L !, ""^ *'" ^'>™'<i'>g.
help their warriors and overth'^ 1' "'* '°"'' "'« S
however.theRomanslandedanSr'"-'" '°''' ^' ''=''
•he groves, and slew the Druids """"'""' "^"'down
fires which they had kindled o 'burn i'h^ """'" '""> *«
Th.s IS noteworthy, because the R„m ^"■ ''P">'« '"•
to destroy or change the faltW f ,1 •>"<«>■ ever tried
quered. They did fo in tht Drl'v k*"""™ "-^^ ""■
that ,f the Druids were aLwed ,„ r^""^' *=>'==»'
"use the Britons against he ',h ^'? '^^" '^'^^ and
the country quietly *"" '^^y ""W "ever govern
the Romans, who were left nearlv d f 'f ' ""'' ^?^in«
was the widow of a king of SL ""''"• ^°^*cea
fnend of the Romans and h,^ '"'^"'' "ho had been a
sessions. Butwhe„h;d^',tS"'""^°'"-^his;:s
ance of his daughters, a„1 when I^'h'"''" ">" '''^^"^■
"as seized and scourged and h^ 5 .'"^ P™'«'ed she
■" the cruellest way. iuC r ^" '''"'«''"« »ere treated
wongatthe hand ofthe p/r"' **" ''^'^ ^"ff^'d any
soon had a great host unSer tr cVT " •■"- -»d ^he
,ed™r;",r°''"^""' an^^thef^R^'r i"",''™ -«
ail avmg souis therein, bo'th'-R^^-r^'^
A.D. 6l.
in Britain,
-r to Mona
land of the
ad received
d fled from
lim stoutly,
troops, and
led at the
witchcraft
■ the shore
shrieking,
id cries to
At last,
cut down
into the
Ptives in.
-ver tried
hey con-
they saw
aith and
■ govern
>■ queen,
against
oadicea
been a
^is pos-
nherit-
ed she
reated
edany
id she
n and
nents,
and
A.D. 61-85. The Roman Conquest. ^
into his camp Then a™t """ "■""'"^ "'- driven
settlements. '^All who col Z'" ^tt 1" '" ** «°"'-"
and many even crossed ,0 r^ ,"■* ^^°'^ ** Tritons,
all that was haoDeninl t '''" *' ''"Ph "ews of
came up with hTr and sef his T" '" *«'" '''""''«^' ^"^
And Boadicea went through 1 "' '" "''"■ ^S^inst her.
battle array inTwl. .1 ? ''" *™>'- "^'n i' was in
»ore a he£ on hTr wT I'* '^ ''^"«'"^"- Se-
ller neck, and bore „,.* "■ *"""• ^"'^ " e"" "liar on
prayed hi people" feh7brr '"."" '■^"^' ='"" =>•«
and .heir own.^^ B„Xn ^^ K^'r^^'^ *•" "™"«^
Romans, after a hard firhtwonth.. T J"'""" '"'
the Britons would no.Tee " „d ^^ r' ''''■■ ^ '™S '™e
nearly aU on the field • but B„,^- T"' '''" ">«">
capture worse than death w ,ri!°°'' '""=''"■ ^'^^%
ceased, and the proving ^h„,^, *J ''"■''" ">' '«»''
peace. Now wh'en Ne™' hearf oftf:"' "^^"''' ™' «'
the causes of it he recalled S ^'■^^' '«™" ^nd
governor in his room '"'' ''"' °'" ^"o*"
very\oXv:r t" ;s:[r °i •'t "= -■" ^
served under Suetonius fiftj' -^ "' Agricola, who had
He was the fathe ..n. "aw of T? ^"'1 '^''"'- *-^°'»
historian, who wr^ ^ 'ht hfe Zm' w P^" --"■
'earn a great deal about M.lnat^tlf "' * "■ '"^
'von all South Britain for .l,rR„ .'^ """'• ^gricola
that the Caledonians fas S! r*"u ^nd when he found
called) were alwarhaS-it r ? '^^ "' *' ''°"^ "'«
had submitted T the^l ' 'T"^' "'""'=« J*"'""'' "ho
■gains, them acrlste Ha "', '' '""' ' ''"' "' '""^
^.i>cie, and Sarnishedi ^i^'rildl™;",^,^ f'''"'' '"^
'- government he marchedrrrhU-f^uUT^SItri
10
Early England.
A.D. 121.
his good govej™ r h/ sTo" : r?' "•" ^"^
take up Roman vvav.nn^ . ^^' ^^'^ "^niom to
and wisdom. By showini^hj n , ? "^ language
as evil wa. to be Cfrn^,^ J "' *"' ^ood as well
to conquer tlie Calednni, t^ ^"' ''°' "«" '^7
wild and poor l^tZTl I '*'"'' ™"""->' ™' very
Romansu^ec^ in pel A ,""''■'= "'^■" '^"<= '"e
Brimin to sirvey heToasis a„T' * 'f '"= "'" """'d
the far north was like p^omlhTr " ""= """'^^ '»
firs, account, of the geogra^h^ Xrirn""^ '"'
CHAPTER III.
THE ROMAN RULE IN BRITAIN.
HadH.„„s borders inTs,te"'f ;■?""■'- ""'' ?" ="' ">«
nr„l^Ss. .0 Ii:uain h bull a t^lTf '""T "-^ ""<=
« .>..«-.4a solwav Fir,r J y '^""" 'h« Tyne .o
the province But some' ,"""'' " *= ''"""d^X of
Emperor, the go r o"ofSV f '7'"=" Antoninus was
cola's li„; of Lts were and rnr,^ ?."",' """^ ^«"-
the walls. Pieces of ll,A»7 ^ '^f'='^ *' 'and , between
2. Nevertheless ,Lrr 7°, ™"= '■'=™^™ '^ ">is day.
were now cal e " e t.S^tf "■\"=' "' ^j"'' ^ *«y
S..™. until 'the^Romrior^fs Zot ZT""-''
''•''■ ''°- them off ^h- ^, ^^"°^s took to buym?
oftener. At laTt th. v """'{ "'"^^ '^^"^ come" the
At last the Emperor himself had to be sent
A.D. 121.
their king,
after this
he ruled in
eral but for
Britons to
■ eat trouble
n language
)od as well
le brought
ot even try
' was very
leave the
leet round
country to
■ have the
>f Rome
; all the
he came
Tyne to
idary of
in us was
ire Agri-
between
is day.
as they
ithward,
buying
me the
^e sent
A.D, 303. The Roman Rule in Britain. \\
for. His name was Severus ; he was an old man, but
very wise and brave. He was too ill to ride, and was
borne in a litter at the head of his army. He marched
right through North Britain to the Pentland Firth; and
though he lost a greaj part of his army through the bad
weather and rough ground and the continual fighting vet
he made the Caledonians beg for peace and took away a
great part of their land. When he had had the earthen
wall of Hadnanus strengthened with a wall of stone
he vv^s carried back to Eboracum (York), the capital of
Britain, and there he died.
3. About seventy years after this new foes began to
trouble the Romans. These were the Scots, a tribe from
the north of Ireland, which they called Scotia. The Scots
These Scots now ravaged the west and north ^.d. 286; the
of Britain. English.
A.D. 290.
The east also of Britain was laid waste by the attacks
of the English, whom the Britons called Saxons. This
IS the first time we hear of Englishmen coming to Britain,
though many Germans had been in Britain as soldiers in
the Roman armies.
4- The next great man we hear of in Britain was Con-
stantine, who afterwards became Emperor. His mother
was a British princess. He was the first Em-
peror who made the Christian faith the faith Sd ChJlr
of the Roman Empire. He became a Christian '•^''"y-
himself, and after him all the Emperors save one were
Christians. We hear of British Christians before. When
there was a persecution in a.d. 303 it is said that many
were put to death in Britain for the faith, for the Emperor
believed the Christians to be traitors, and persecuted
them. Alban, who was slain at Verulam, is said to
have been the first martyr who died in Britain. In
after days the great monastery of S. Albans arose at
Verulam, where he was slain. Now, this bringing in of
THE TRIBES OF BRITAIN.
The Romans caUed all the tribes that dwelt in Britain BrUoiis •
but they were not all of one race. '
The SiLURES were not akin to the other folks, but rather per-
haps to the Bcu^ks who dwell in Spain and the South of
France to this day.
The other tribes were all Keltic. Of these the Gaelic tribes
were akin to the Irish and Highlanders of our times. These
were the
Caledonians (afterwanis called Picts)
Brigantes
Ordffvites.
j
The Welsh or Kymric tribes are the same folk as the Welsh
people of to-day. These were the
Coritanians
Trinobantes
Icenians
Cantians
Damnontam
Belgians
marks the Roman roads,
the divisions of the tribas
tain Britotu ;
it rather per-
the South of
Gaelic tribes
mes. These
s the Welsh
'4
Early England.
A, I). 409,
Christianity is one of the most important things that the
Roman rule did for Britain. Christianity also gave the
Roman Empire new strength for a while. Through the
conversion of the German tribes, a very different fate
befell the Roman Empire and the people under it than
would have overtaken them had the Germans been still
heathen.
5. After the days of Constantino, in spite of all that
the Romans could do, things got worse. At last the Picts
The^kaving and Scots ravaged the whole of Britain as
Romans. ^^'* ^^ London. They were driven out by
A.D. 409. Theodosius, who got back the country be-
tween the walls and called it Valentia, in honour of
Valentmian, who was then Emperor. And so he gave
the land peace for a while.
Soon after this the heart of the Roman Empire was
invaded by the German tribes, who at length overthrew
It altogether in the West of Europe. And the Emperors
could not do much to keep the far-off provinces safe, for
they wanted all their troops nearer home. As legion after
legion went away the Britons were at last left to them-
selves. Once or twice a legion was sent back for a while
to help them against their heathen foes, but at length no
more help could be got. Though the Britons, especially
those who hved in the towns and had learned Roman
ways, had been weakened by not having had to fiaht
for themselves, yet they levied soldiers after the Roimn
fashion, and defended themselves very stubbornly for
some time. Especially they tried to keep the walls. But
what had been their bane before was so again, for the
chief men, now again kings, quarrelled among themselves
Many did evil deeds, and some even called in the Picts
and Scots against their brethren. At last, it is said
Gwerthigern (or Vortigern), who was the greatest king in
Britain, resolved to copy the plan the Romans had used
A. I). 409.
lings that the
ilso gave the
Through the
lifferent fate
mder it than
ms been still
2 of all that
1st the Picts
Britain as
ven out by
country be-
honour of
so he gave
Empire was
'' overthrew
2 Emperors
:cs safe, for
legion after
ft to them-
for a while
: length no
especially
sd Roman
d to fight
le Roman
bornly for
walls. But
in, for the
lemselves.
I the Picts
t is said,
St king in
had used.
A.D.
409. T/ie Roman Ride in Britiwi.
IS
They had kept off the Germans a long time by playin^.
off one lot of barbarians against another. So he'caTlecl
two Enghsh ch.efs, brothers-Hengist and Horsa by
name-to help hmi against the Picts and Scots
6. The Romans had been four hundred years in
Bntam when they left, and had made great changes in
the land They were great builders and engineers
Besides the camps and walls they had built many walled
owns wuh houses of brick and stone, and large temple
and churches, and theatres and public baths, what
The villas or country-houses of the great men <=hanges the
too were often splendidly decorated. It was l^o^^.
through their walls that the towns came off better in the
conquest by the English than the rest of the country
The Romans made good roads across the countrv
running straight from town to town, and it was on these
roads that all the traffic of Engl'and was 'Irr^d o"
canals?nd?h "'"''^' ^" *'^ "^^^' '^' '^^ - ""' ^f
canals and the invention of railways. Moreover if thl
map of England of to-day is compared with the ^1 of
Rom^n Britain we see that the raLays ofllitl^the
ne of the Roman roads. The Romans also taught the
Bruons many other arts. They also worked mines of i on
and lead and tin, and made fine pottery. So much c"rn
vvas grown in Britain that it was called the ' G^anarv of
the North ' Much trade also was carried on at Son
speech and customs except in the towns, ahhough hey
learned much from the Romans and I,»d Une- w->n^
and tools than before. This is why the' We Uh "s.m ' p'e'k
the,r own tongue, and not a Romance tongue thaUs
a tongue learnt from the Romans, as the f1 h and
10
Early England.
BK. II
^^Ztt, \Zt' P-P'eof Gaul and Spain learned
BOOK II.
BOW THE ENGLISH WON BRITAIN.
) A.D. 449-600.
CHAPTER I.
, living each in his own homestead, tiUine the
-»^ Stro"l?;"^^n'^- They did' n*
together intwe' k r ';f'";L:r "'-^ r"?,'j" ■i-"
viUages after .he name of [r^ thafd:: t*:!
Ashmgham .he home of the Ashings, or fam^ y "sh
,...=.f f".."" "«'.""»^g''J i»^ own affairs, bu. onrfor
tTTi^e a-ycar au tne yeomen wpnt nr. f« .> . - ui
called the/<.«.«„., „r meeting of ,he tribe. A ^oup of
BK. II.
CH. I.
The English.
'o^''^t:^:T^ZT r'"" V-'^-". because'!
Every /}« JJhad ! 1 ^ * '"'"'''■''' households.
y "lud had a hundred-moot which raet three or
four times a year and settled matters that were of « ,11
««u„t and only concerned those who hvedtthlt i«f
<lr^d.^ The men of .he tribe were either genrte or sL;^
i8
Early England.
BK. n.
eorls or ceorls, that is, either of noble birth or just simDlv
free men But though the gentlemen were looked up to
they had no power over other free men. There were
slaves, too, whom they called thralls, who used to work
. when they were not foreigners, or men who had lost their
freedom through debt or wrong-doing, but captives from
some tribe akm to them.
There were no kings among the English ; but when
they went to war they chose leaders whom they swore to
Obey Some of their gentlefolk, whom they called elders
or aldermen, acted as magistrates, and sat in the chief
places m their meetings and presided over their affairs
ihe great men, too, kept many followers about them
Who used to guard them and fight for them, to whon hey
gave rings of gold and silver, and sometimes farms and
cattle. Many gentlemen even used to take service with
the chiefs to win riches and honour.
3- The English were a very warlike race, and were
often fighting against the neighbouring tribes in Ger-
Their many and Denmark. They were good seamen
manners. too. In the spring, before the summer field-
work came on, and in the autumn, after the harvest
was carried, they used to sail out and plunder all round
the coasts of the North Sea. It is said that it was while
Hengist and Horsa were on one of these voyages that
they were asked to help Vortigern against his foes.
When the whole people went to war one free man at
least from every household had to go to the meeting-place
and fight under the great men who were chosen as war-
leaders, and led them to battle, beside their guards.
And when the tribe conquered any land or spoil it was
dealt out by lot, a share to every free man, after the share
oi the gods had been taken. But the chiefs had bigger
shares than other men, because they had to reward
BK. n.
just simply
ooked up to
There were
scd to work
, especially
id lost their
ptives from
; but when
ey swore to
ailed elders
n the chief
lieir affairs,
bout them,
whom hey
farms and
ervice with
and were
;s in Ger-
od seamen
mier field-
lie harvest
all round
was while
^'ages that
3es,
:e man at
ting-place
n as war-
rds.
poil it was
the share
ad bigger
o reward
CH. r.
TAe English,
their followers, who did not take a lot like the re.f h«t
looked to the chief for their share. ' "*
The ICnglish were very just folks and loved the law
eve'rvonf H ""^' "''^"^ ^''^^"^^^ ^' ^^^'^ -eedngs' where
everyone who was wronged could bring his comnhint
wh,ch was judged by the people there, aL the evilu "s
were punished. But if a man liked he could alwrvs f. Z
agamst him who had wronged him, or agist h^kin 4d
so seek redress for himself by main force F liM
fined anr? \( fi,» ij ^ ^- -f^vildoers were
protection InH ^ "°u ^'^ ^"''^ P"^ °"^ ^^ ^^e law's
protec ,on, and any man who would might slay them with
man's"! 'a""'^';'" ^\"^ ^'^^ ^ ^^^^ fixe'd 'reTry
man s 1 fe accordmg to his rank, which, if a man were
slam unlawfully was paid to his kinsfolk by hTs slayer
tho'sr:ho'f '/ ;'•' --^^•/^,or pnce of a' man. Bm
those who had slam men secretly and done the wors
deeds were hanged or drowned.
resntc^'to"""'' °^ '^t '"'" '^' ^"^"^^^ ^^°^ed great
respect to women and the housewife had the ordering
of the house and the women-servants. The husband
might not interfere in those matters, but he ruled n all
greater things. The English, too, were kind to the"
children and treated them as men and women when they
and Bntons kept theirs, in strict obedience all their lives
4. The free men were well armed with swords and
Thru r^'u^"^ ^'°"'^"^ '^-^^^' of linden-wood.
The chiefs often had mail-shirts and helmets
of bronze or iron, with the image of a wild ^l^eTs.""'
boar on the top as a crest, and some had helmets of the
skins of the heads of wild beasts, bears, and wolves.
They were well clad in linen or woollen raiment, and the
rich folk worp rpH nnd hi.— -_-v— M j -
,^».,* ij -— --- ••^-' »'"<. cmbiuidured tunics, and
great gold and silver rings on their arms. They were
shod in leather, and wore leathern belts round their waists
c a
20
Early England.
IIK. II.
With a sheath-knife in the n, as the Norwegians do now
When the free man went from home he used always to
bear h,s sword and shield, and when he rode on hors !
ba k he would carry a spear also. The men used to
tattoo the.r arms and breasts with curious patterns as
our sailors often do still. P'^uerns, as
all kinder ^?^ ^'"'^hsand carpenters, and good at
all kinds of work ,n metal and wood. The women were
l^n^'^hrEn'r^ht °f "-^^-^>-cl woveTauT^!
naa great halls. They were also good ship-builders and
taTdrr^""'"' ^'^^^^"^^ '^-'^' --"wuh'
stand the fierce storms of the North Sea. They had
p enty of horses, and dogs, and cattle, and sheep T^ey
th:y^,s:^ox::: ^^' ^-^ ^°^ ^^^^^'""^' ^- ^- ^'— rk
Though the English worked very hard they were a
very merry folk, fond of singing and feasting. They were
also fond of sports, such as hunting and\orse-rac"ng
K K^r *°^.^ P^'"'"''^ '" ^^'"^""g ^nd horse-fight nf
stnitlthL'"' "°^ '"^^ ^^^ -•^^^^ -^^ °^' ^- ^4 wel'
5. The English had no Druids, like the Britons but
every man was priest in his own household, and the chief
Religion. Z^l P"est for the tribe. In some places thev
had women priests and soothsayers Their
mples were m the great woods or on lonely islands or
at the meetmg-places of the people. Thi^er Ly used to
bnng a great part of their spoil, and burn or burv k n
n sacrifice to the gods to gain victory or power or lon^
I.fe, but this did not happen often. SometimTr^en ^^
even slay themselves. fh;,f ti.^„ ^.-^V --^ ".'"«" would
by the sword, like men slain in battle. '
UK. u.
gians do now.
i at their waist,
jsed always to
ode on horse-
men used to
s patterns, as
, and good at
women were
'ove beautiful
nd the chiefs
builders, and
would with-
• They had
heep. They
)r farm-work
they were a
They were
lorse-racing.
Tse-fighting,
3r they were
Britons, but
nd the chief
places they
'ers. Their
' islands, or
hey used to
r bury it in
offered men
iVer or long
men would
in bed, but
CH. I.
T/ie English.
21
Their gods were Thunder and Hertha, and Tew and
Woden and Frey, and the white sun-god Balder. Some of
these gods' names we still keep in the days of the week,—
as Tuesday and Wednesday, the days of Tew and Woden.
In their temples the holy ring was kept, on which men
swore oaths to tell the truth at trials, or vowed before they
went to battle to fight bravely. These temples were hal-
lowed, and no man dared fight or quarrel in them. The
English faith was that if a man did his duty bravely to
himself and his family and his tribe, and fought his foes
and bore trouble and danger stedfastly without flinching,
his soul would dwell above the rainbow-bridge in the gods*
bright halls, and pass the time there in fighting, hunting,
and feasting by their side. But if a man was cruel or base
or cowardly they thought he would dwell with the dark
goddess Hell, in cold caverns full of serpents, in the midst
of ice and snow.
When a great man died his tribesmen used to raise a
pile of firewood on some high place and set his body
on it, with his sword in his hand and his helmet on his
head and his shield by his side, and his horse under him.
Then they slew the horse and burnt its body with its
master's. The ashes they put in an urn of earthenware,
which they covered round with huge stones. Then they
heaped a high mound of earth over it as a mark for ever.
Sometimes a man's wife and slaves were slain and buried
with him. But some of the English buried their dead with-
out burning them. It is from the graves in England and
abroad that we have found out a great deal about our
forefathers.
The English knew how to write ; but they had no
books, and only used writing to mark their weapons and
houses and boats and rings and cups with. They wrote
also on the great stones which they raised on the grave
mounds the name ai^d c^eath of the body that lay below.
22
Early England.
BK. II.
6. There were three tribes of Englishmen who came to
Britam. They all called themselves and their tongue
English, but the Welsh and Irish called them all Saxons
The first tribe, which dwelt in the north of Denmark and
over the south of Sweden were also called Jutes, or Goths
The next, who dwelt in the south of Denmark and in what is
Tribes of "ow Called Slesvik Holsten, called themselves
English. Angles, or English. The southernmost tribe
who dwelt in Friesland and Hanovci, were called Saxons!
It was because the Welsh met with them first that they
called all Englishmen Saxons. Very often peoples have
been called by another name than that by which they call
themselves ; thus the Romans called the Welsh Britons
but the Britons called themselves by the names of their
tribes, or when they wished to speak of all their race they
called themselves Cymry. But the English called them
'Welsh,' or Strangers, as the Gennans now call the Italians
* Welsh.' But it is to be kept in mind that they never
called themselves by that name.
5ju
Ke
win Kent
A.D. 451
CHAPTER II *
THE ENGLISH CONQUEST.
I. The English under their two leaders, Hengist and
Horsa (Horse and Mare), agreed to help Vortigern, and
The Jutes '^^y fought for the Welsh, against the Picts,
and won several battles. But, just as had hap-
pened before in other parts of the Roman Em-
pire, the plan of using one foe against another failed. The
English quarrelled with the Welsh, and sent over sea
for more of their kinsfolk, telling them what a good land
Britain was, and how badly it was guarded. So, many
more came over, with their wives and rhilHrpn and ^-o^tu
They settled first in Thanet island, whence they came
Qver into Kei^t to conquer it, that they might dwell there.
BK. II.
ivho came to
heir tongue
all Saxons,
enmark and
s, or Goths,
id in what is
themselves
most tribe,
led Saxons.
It that they
ioples have
:h they call
ih Britons,
les of their
r race they
ailed them
he Italians
hey never
:ngist and
igern, and
the Picts,
had hap-
man Em-
iled. The
over sea
jood land
So, many
ley came
rell there.
A.D. 45 « -5 77. The English Conquest. 23
The Welsh fought against them ; but the English won. In
one of their fights Horsa was slain, and his folk raised a
great mound of earth over his burying-place which may
still be seen. At last the Welsh fled out of the land of
Kent, and the English made two kingdoms there, and set
up Hengist and his kin as kings to rule over them.
2. Not long after this a band of Saxons under a leader
named Ella landed in the South of Britain, near Regnum
(Chichester) ; and they fought against the Welsh ^^ g^^^
and set up a little kingdom. But the great ofSusMx."'
Roman town Anderida (Pevensey), at the end *^'^' ■*''•
of the South Downs, long held out against them; but they
took it at last and slew every soul within it and made it a
waste (A.D. 491). This kingdom of Ella was afterwards
called the kingdom of the South Saxons or Sussex.
3. Another band of Saxons landed at Portsmouth
and fought against the Welsh, and took the city of Win-
chester, and made the kingdom of the West ^^ g^
Saxons, or Wessex, in the land that is now of Wessex"*
called Hampshire. And they set their leader '*°" '*'^'
Cerdic as king over them, of whose blood nearly all the
kings that ruled over all England have come.
So the South of Britain was conquered, and from
Wessex there afterwards went out bands of settlers to the
west and north, and drove out the Welsh and founded
Dorset and Wiltset. Their leaders obeyed the king of
Wessex. But these settlers did not win their way easily,
and it was not till 577 that the West Saxons got to the
Bristol Channel. In that year their king Ceawlin won
a battle at Dyrham and got Bath city. He founded
Somerset, and cut off the Welsh of Cornwall from their
kinsfolk the Welsh of Wales. About the same time the
West Saxons conquered the valley of the Severn, and sat
down in the lands which are now called Herefordshire an4
Worcestershire,
34
Early England,
A.D. 547.
4. In 547 the Angles, who had for some time been
Sn'° T^ 'I ^"^^^"' '^^^^ '- build up three
tne land of the Braes/ stretched from the north of whi
we call Yorkshire to the Firth of Forth, and from the coa^l
umberiand ^^^^^^ ^f Cumberland. The second, Deira, ' the
EnS: f °"^^ ^nd,' spread from the south of Bemicia
Hills Th. J .f''. ^""^ '^" ^""'^ '^ '^^ Pennine
H lis. These were called North English or Northum-
crdSTv '''^ ?^^' ^"^^ ^-^^°-' -h-J; X
ft h.H^ ^"^^'^'^' ^^'' England, lay further south.
5- Two other Saxon bands came up the Thames in
"-the East Saxons (Essex) and the Midrtk
Saxons (Middlesex), of which. he two chW town^we e
the old Roman Cities of Colchester and London.
6. Still fresh bands of English came to Britain • and
»hen they found all the land to the east and south laken
"m-IS-^' fc^' "".r".*' ^^='=™ kingdom into
it aU Tom ft. w '/ ^f'"- '-'"'' ">' "'"^ '"«)' -on
t all from the Welsh as far as the Severn valley and
lolk called It the March, or border land, because thev
dwelt next the Welsh. And when they gew strong hev
^t tITw 7'° ""'" '" "■' Severn Valleyi„o'*elr
rule. Their chief city was Leicester.
The English also made settlements in Gaul as well as
mBn,am.and many villages round Bayeux »d Calais
tnese t.nglish we do not know much.
Now, these conquests took a very long time-over ico
year. For the Welsh, divided among themselves Tt^^;
A.D. 547.
time been
up three
Bernicia,
th of what
1 the coast
le and the
)eira, ' the
" Bernicia
! Pennine
Northum-
hich they
er south,
uth folks'
dames in
jdoms of
Middle
r^'ns were
lin ; and
th taken
lorn into
hey won
ley, and
he other
ise they
•ng they
ito their
well as
Calais
story of
ver 150
as they
A.D. 547-600. The English Conquest. 2$
were, yet resisted the English very stubbornly, and still
held a great part of Britain.
7. The Welsh had three kingdoms in the west of the
island: i. Cumberland, or the Clyde Valley The Welsh
kingdom, from the Clyde to the Mersey. 2. •''"s^o'"
Wales, or Cambria. 3. West Wales, that is Scots.
Devon and Cornwall.
But their chief power lay in the Clyde Valley, in the
North, between the Walls. There the great king
Arthur is said to have gathered a band of brave warriors
and to have fought many battles against the English.
But after his death (520) the English could not be
checked any longer, and the Welsh had hard work to
hold their own in the west. They lost, too, all the land
they still held in the east, round Elmet and Leeds, which
was added to Mercia and Northumberland.
The English never went beyond the North Wall, but
about 550 there came Scots from the North of Ireland
into Caledonia and took all the West lands and settled
in them. For many years there was war between the
Scots and Picts. At last the Picts were forced to take a
Scottish king, and Caledonia was called Scotland.
8. The towns which the Romans had walled and forti-
fied held out longer than the country. Though many of
them were taken and destroyed, yet some
remained and became the chief towns of the of th™*™"
English kingdoms. But it was long before '=°"'i""'-
many English folk dwelt in towns, for they still liked
farm life best and loved to dwell in the country.
When the English came over to Britain they brought
with them their wives and children and all their goods
and cattle. When they won the land they parcelled it out
into farms such as they had in their own country.
Now, as the English were always fighting in their new
land, they wanted war-leaders to be always ready to lead
26
Early England.
The three Keltic peoples :—
Picts.
Scots (from Ireland).
IVdsh:
W. I. Kingdom of Cumberland, or Clyde Vallev
W. 2. Kingdom of Wales. ^'
W. 3. West Wales (Devon and ComwaU).
The English Kingdoms :—
The ^tes:
J. I. Kingdom of A'ent.
J. 2. Kingdom of Isle of Wight.
The Saxons:
S. I. West Saxon Kingdom, or /Tm.^.
^. 2. ^«j/ ^a^^« Kingdom, or Essex.
X ^' ZlJ'^"'" ^'"gdom, or Sussex.
i>^ 4. Middle Saxon Kingdom, ox Middlesex.
The i5'«^/w,4 or y^«^/<» ..
Ei. ^,^«^i, the Kingdom of 'the Braes.'
iJ-. 2. Detra, the Kingdom of the ' South '
(These two made up Northumberland )
Ihe Kmgdom of Lincoln
The Middle English Kingdom, Aferc^a or the
^^rchland, tliat is land of 'the Border.'
The ^«M/^«^/^^ Kingdom.
E.3.
E.4.
NCLAND.
AFTBR THE
iQOSaCONQVEST.j
r
as Early England. ..n. 528-600.
them. So they made their aldermen into kings and gave
them more power than they had had before; but the
'n;tn\fa:a!r '' ''-' ^^^ ^'^ ^ ^^ htd
th. F"^^l"'^ ""^^'^^ ^^^'^"^ ^^^^ «« fierce was that
Welsh, and burnt their churches and slew their priests
wherever they could. So the Welsh and English neve
were at peace ; but nearly all the Welsh in thf east wire
am or dnven into the west, save a few that were made
BOOK III.
CHRISTIANITY IN KENT AND
NORTHUMBERLAND.
CHAPTER I.
CONVERSION OF KENT.
-the comt7nrA"^ a great thing happened in England
the coming of Christian priests from Rome into Ke„,
.bSr- '"PJ^r^'^h' Gospel to the English. For the
Jinglish would never learn the ChriQUnn r,;.i,
from .he Welsh, Aough the Welsh had Cgr *
missionaries to other folks. S. Patrick, a man from The
tak'n'thelifr ^° v'"'""' ="" ""= J™" ^-^ ^adly
,w V? l*- ^- '^'"'='" l-ad preached to the Picts in
Cospe. w^ich the^LpUtrwlt t'hroT^Tfhl^
that the Picts were at last turned to the faith.
Th^e^a's fCof'rt\?::f!- j-.r^f .r
and he took ,o wife Bertha, the da-ugi:;:;of IheU^^ifS
A.D. 597.
Kent.
29
EninH k'J" ?"'• ^^" '^••^"S^^ >» her train to
she^ ho m\ '^?' ^'' ""^^ ^"^^"'^^ h^d promised that
she should keep her own way of belief. She „
built up a little church that had been ruined, g^.?^^
and used to worship there ; but none of the ^"«'*"'^-
English vyould leave their old faith. Then came a company
of Christian monks from Rome, and at their head one
called Augustine. They were sent by Pope Gregory I
and there is a story told of the way by which he came to
take such care for the souls of the heathen English.
Before he was Pope, about 574, he saw one day for sale
m the market of Rome some beautiful children with fair
skins and yellow hair; for the Romans kept slaves, and
hough the English had very few slaves themselves, yet
they sometimes sold people abroad into slavery. When
Gregory saw the children he was astonished at their
beauty, and asked the dealer who they were. He said
they were heathen Angles, or English, from Britain, and
Gregory answered 'They should be angels, they a;, so
said Ella;' and Gregory said, 'Alleluia should be the
song of those Angles, as it is of the angels in heaven.'
fnll .h' ^^^"^^/.^•■y so"-owful for pity that such fair
folk should dwell m the darkness of sin, and he went
to the Pope and prayed him to let him go to England and
preach to the English. The Pope gave him leave, but
the people of Rome would not let him go, for he was much
^iZ V r ?^'" 5' ^""^"'^ ^°P"''" 590, he was mindful
of the English heathen, and he sent his friend Augustine
to H-ngland, because he could not now go himself
3. Augustine came to king Ethelbert and begged him
to hearken to his Gospel. The queen was glad of his
coming, and the kinff and TiJq nenr.i- h^.>i.
ened to the words of^the monks'^ and^ in\ime ^"^"S': .■
were baptized. Augustme crossed to Gaul to be made a
30
Early England.
A.D. 597.
bishop, that he might govern the Church in Kent. He
built up again an old church in Canterbury, the chief
town of Kent, and called it Christ Church, and made it
his cathedral ; and he built an abbey also, and set monks
therein. He laboured very hard to spread the Gospel
all over England, and Ethelbert helped him much ; for he
was a mighty king, and the other kings of the English
looked up to him and were glad to win his favour.
4. Once Augustine went to the West to meet the
Welsh bishops, to try and get them to help him.
Augustine They met under a great oak, at a place now
Wdsh" called Aust, after the name of Augustine ; but
priests. the Welsh and Roman priests could not agree
in every point ; for though they both held the same faith
yet in small matters they differed. So this meeting came
to not^ ng, and Augustine was very angry with the Welsh
because they would not join him in his work. He went
on all his life's day trying to make the English Christians,
and men called him 'the Apostle of the English.*
But though the Kentish men and the kings of East
Anglia and Essex were Christian yet the rest of England
was still heathen ; and it was not till the great Northern
kingdom was converted that the success of the Christian
faith was certain.
CHAPTER II.
NORTHUMBERLAND.
I. We see England was made up of seven little king-
doms ; and it was the same with the Northmen and
„. ,^ Danes at this time. But little by little in
Rise of Nor- •'
thumber- England, as in Denmark and Norway, one
^'^' kingdom got power over the others and joined
them to itself. For a long time it was not certain which
of the little kingdoms would be the one to rule at last.
In England Northumberland was the first that tried to
597.
A.D. 593-607. Northumberland.
become
wards
31
i!^^j'''''f'.""'' '^ ^""^ '■*'^"y ^° '■o'* a w^»e. After-
tried
the Marchland, and at last the West Saxon king
S will ho Cz-inn I l_. t . . O
Others
dom as will be scon, brought about what the
m vain to A^
had
rnlH ^ ? ''X i Northumberland to power must be
told; and ,t will be seen that this is mixed up great^
with the change of faith that took place in the Nor!h ^
Perhaps Northumberland rose first because it was the
sifof the"R "• '"'''^^l ^^^ ^^^ ^-^ '"^^^ ^^^"j^ief
thl . A u^" P"""" ^"^ '^^^'^ ^t York had some-
hmg to do with it. There was much good land Ivin.
together m the North which many men might till ' '
berhnd n^^'I'/r'ri?'^"'^ '" 593 a king in Northum
days all the other kmgs feared Northumber-
and and did its king's will, save Ethelbert, ^^f'^^'
kmg of the Kentishmen. Ethelfrith fought «'7-
against the Scots, who had come with a host into his
kingdom, and beat them. They were so discomfited tha
for many years after they dared not attack the English
This battle was at Dawston, in the North
nnA" ^7 ^^^^'^"th^entdown into the Welsh country
and fought a great battle near Chester ; and the Welsh
fled before h.s face. In that battle were slain many Zks
who had corne to pray that the Welsh might win L day
Lthelfnth said that although they had not fought
they had done as much to defeat him by their prayers
as the fightmg men with their swords and spears, and he
gave orders to slay them. And men said that the words
'LTTT "''' ^"''^"'^ ^^^" ^' P^°Ph^^>ed evil on
the Welsh pnests at Aust, because they would net
help hmi m his good work. By this battle Ethelfrhh
pushed his kingdom tn »»^p ^xr„%_„- o.. ^meuritn
^ , , , , " " ~ ^Ttaiciu oca, ana cut off
Cumberland from the kingdoms of Wales so that they
were never jomed again : just as Dyrham battle had cut
(t
!l
33
Early England.
A.D. 607-^2<i.
• off Cornwall from the Welsh kingdoms and brought the
West Saxons to the British Channel. And now Ethel-
frith was still more feared than before. But Redwald,
king of the East English, would not give up Edwin to
Ethelfrith, his kinsman, who had outlawed him. So
Ethelfrith came against him, and the battle was joined on
the banks of the river Idle, and there Ethelfrith fell.
3. Then the outlaw Edwin was made king of Nor-
thumberland. ; and of him many famous stories are told.
Edwin. He became even mightier than Ethelfrith ; and
A.D.617.633. though he did not rule over the king of Kent
yet he bade him give him his sister in marriage, and he did
so. This, most likely, Edwin did that he might not be
stopped in his plans by the men of Kent, now that he and
their king were kinsmen. And Edwin sent ships from
Chester to fight against the Welsh in Anglesey and Man;
and in the North he built a new city on a hill and called
it Edwin's-borough (Edinborough), after his name. And
he had a plume of feathers borne before him when he
went abroad, after the fashion of the Roman eniperor,
and was called Brytenwalda, which seems to mean * wide
ruler,' and so to be the same sort of name as Emperor.
But the West Saxons hated him ; and Cwichelm, their
king, sent a servant of his named Eomer with a message
of peace to Edwin, but he meant evil. And when Eomer
came before the king he suddenly drew a dagger and
struck at him. When Lilla, one of Edwin's men, saw
him lift his hand he threw himself before the king to
shield him, and the blade passed right through Lilla's
body, so hard was the blow, and wounded the king. Then
the king's followers fell on Eomer and slew him in their
wrath ; but the king was little hurt, owing to the faithful-
ness of Lilla.
4. Now Edwin's Kentish wife, Ethelburg, had brought
with her a comrade of Augustine's named Paullinus.
A.D. 627. Northumberland.
■wide
saw
ihe very night the kin? wa«5 <^\^\^\^^a .u
a daughter, who was bfpS b '^au'lut" """ "'"
She was the first Christian child in North ■■"""'"°•
■ s".ni h ?.'• '" '"* """^ =>"<• Ws folk were F""!.
h~l"- ^■"'^^"-''sofPauUinusTnd ^'X
baptW^'hrm froT' " '^'"'"""^ "-" "•""y days
.oSimi^^rgt^Terr^ '" '"^'"''° ■"-^^-x^o
-Ji'^ch^Lntoto-Vctirr*^--
the Wa°„^ V '■'I''","''"' ^" "'<' »<■ "'is' man, while
spo,ctVdlit4'''^„r;ti"^f ^""^ ^ ™" '^^'^
on this earth, i'f we set it bv 1. .T T"^'? "" '="°«
not of, seems to m. . v ' '''^^ '"^"'^ »'= '"'ow
at .eai-tidTliTh ":„ Trds^^- ,.?'" 7°" "' ^'""^
great fire in the midst of the haU-so .rtT'™'' "'"■ '
bright within butn„f „f !, "all— so that it is warm and
sonetimes a soal" fl *"° '' "'"' ='«' or snow-
and ouT^ttlfe other wh-r'f'" through one door
peace and unhurt bv^'l,.' " '= '" "" >"all it is at
but it «,es ou.'again'mo .retold ir ""I ""'^ =P^« ''
and your eyes b'e hold t mte' ^ ThX ","""'
seems to us and «.« i, ^"® ^'^"^ °* "lan
whither itgoes TWe'rifTH-""'"" " '=™'^ ""
us aught of this we o^S,?' i ,""'" ''"''" "^a" tell
words/ ' ^'" '""'""''' 'o hearken to his
was'"pr":.7.tne;;';ri.tT "™^ "- ^"■•«. -0 he
hearlthe wor^nrSirust'^^d "ill .^k" "=
more Whv TC T '' ''^'°'''' "^ and prospering
ZldwT'en- them"' Th" ?' ^""^ """"' ''^P -^
^^ sen e them? Th™ he prayed the king to give
34
Early England,
A.D. 633-5.
II
him a horse and lance, and he arose and took them and
rode to the temple and flung the lance over the pale of
the temple, where no weapon might come. And the
people thought that he was mad, and marvelled, thinking
.hat the gods would surely slay him. But he bade them
break down the temple and burn the gods. And when
they saw that he got no harm they did so, and believed
no more in the old gods.
5. Now there was a king in Marchland, or Mercia,
named Penda. He and his folk were heathen, and he
Edwin's warred against Edwin. And because Edwin
dwth! *"'* ^^s strong Penda made peace with the king
A.D. 633. of the Welsh, Cad walla ; and though Cadwalla
was a Christian he joined him for hatred of the Enghsh.
These two kings fought against Edwin and slew him at
Heathfield (Hatfield), in the Nor.th. When Edwin fell his
people forsook the faith and went back to their old gods ;
and PauUinus and Ethelburg fled to Kent, and many with
them.
6. But Penda became a mighty king, and he joined to
his kingdom the Saxons who dwelt on the Severn. But
Penda and ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ fighting in the South, Oswald,
Oswald. the new king of Northumberland, fought
A.D.633-642. against Cadwalla and slew him (635), and
cleared the North lands of his foes. He was a Christian,
but he had not learnt the Christian faith from the Roman
priests, but from the Irish missionaries in lona, whither
he had been driven in Edwin's time because he was the son
of Ethelfrith. When he came to the kingdom he brought
in Irish priests to teach his people anew the faith they
had forsaken. The chief of these priests was Aidan ;
and Oswald went about with him and put his words into
English for the people, and they soon became Christians
again. And from Norlhumberland there went forth
preachers to the rest of England and taught the Gospel
f
A.D. 635-644 Northumberland.
35
to many. In Mercia they did much good. In East Eht
.0 get all his peopt'o ^"e^elt ™"" ''^^'"' ^-^ '^"'
wa.d'^^iirbir;:i„':rhtrf 'ir p^^^™" "'-
..at i„ a d .avag^d .h» iX^P.r^""'
fo.;;o"hii^i?:r„ To^^ ; ti:-' r? 4r -^^
mocked him Tif ^ ^'"'- ^"t Penda A.D.64,-670.
™t:^atgiJ^rei?e-^^^^^^^^
the river which ra„ by the p"ace of h,"! "' ** °'"
^^^^.^ih^B\ ^^^'^-^^^^
-ting up W„,rerra'S„t:trraX°"''
Ha/pe„ed in"hi/:ly"CU:S Bir^uf "' "■"'
^r^eTctl^hlta "e"," '^ t ^=' "'« ""■ '^'°^?'
ha, r-i" , ' ^^ ^'"- ^^o had souffht to *'^- «V
S: Werat'Ste'; "I"? ^ J^^^op'- Dorchester .
was sen. by AMa„ in 6„ ;1"^"'''^" P»0» "ied S. Chad
Mercians ,o Vhrchris.hn toh"?'A"^ ^l """''' ">=
Lichfield, only the Sol'laUf „t tm1 T ^'
But some of the EnHi«v, i,.^ k ^^"^ heathen,
as Mercia. F.tf 5i'j\!'f.^,'^='r°">'^«»<' by the Irish,
by the Rom"an"p;i;s';s "nZZTT^' ^^"^ ""* ''*^"
pHests,di.ered iLa„yc,r.XL":hVRlt%:r
3«
Early England. a.d. 644-668.
But though Oswy held to the Irish customs he had wed
the daughter of Edwin, who had been brought up in Kent
under the Roman customs. So Oswy called a great meet-
ing of all the bishops and chief priests to settle which
customs should be followed throughout England, Among
others there came Wilfrith, a Northern man by birth, and
he persuaded the king to take the Roman customs, and
all the people agreed. But Colman, the bishop of Holy
Island, when the meeting had given their votes against
his wishes went away with many of his brethren and left
Northumberland. So the king asked the Roman priests
to send him, in their stead, teachers to order the churches
in his kingdom. But the new bishop the king had made
soon died, and Oswy sent another priest to Rome to be
made bishop, and there he died. So the Pope sent him a
priest of Tarsus, named Theodore, who went to England
in 668, and with the help of Wilfrith set the Church in
order. He set bishops in each kingdom, who were under
the chief bishops (archbishops) of York and Canterbury.
He also set priests in each district, as far as he could, to
dwell among the people. Theodore worked so hard and
so well that when he died he left the Church in England
ordered in the sort of way that it ever afterwards kept to,
9. Though many of the Irish priests and their dis-
ciples had departed some still remained. Of these the
s. Cuth- chief was Cuthbert, who had been a mis-
Hnd^and sionary in Bernicia. After the Synod of
Caedmon. Whitby, he went to the islands on the coast
and continued there steadfast in good works, so that ^ j
was counted a saint.
At Whitby, Hild, a lady of royal blood, built a con-
vent, and it became a holy place, and the kings of the
^.T.-v»•••^•
T vfi til
uUiiCu. tnsrc ^o ixitcl
11 was iiicii \Ji
Wy had
sent his daughter when he fulfilled his vow. Near Whitby
lived Caedmon the poet, of whom this story is told. He
A.D. 644-670. Northumberland. .»
was but a poor cowherd, and knew not how to sine or
£ AnT T "^'^ ^""^' ^^ "^- -- -ed tfdo a
t^u d leave t^ '' "'k '" *"^" ^° ^^"^ ^* ^ ^^ast he
would leave the room, because he was ashamed of his
ittle knowledge. Once when he had thus gone sorrowfu
to the cattle-shed, where he slept, he had a Lam.wit
he woke he went to Hild, the abbess, nd told her tha"
he had been bidden in a vision to s; of holy thints
and sung it, and all were astonished at the beautiful son«
that he sung And he became a great poet. I^^e p^^^^^^^^
stones out of the Bible into verse, so that the me^n who
^ ^::t^^'--^- ^'^-' -^r ^- sot:
10. Wolfere, the son of Penda, ruled very well and
wisely, d he joined Essex and kiddlesex and au'he
land as far as the Thames to his kingdom, wdfcre
The South Saxon king too obeyed his will, and ^-£7-675.
was often at his court ; and he gave him the island of
W,ght to rule under him. In his feign many Ibbtys an J
houses of monks were founded ; and he built Peterbur^h
one of the most famous abbess in England, aowknd
Abbey, too, was built about this time. The West S^ons
at this nme had a brave king also, under whom they fougS
many battles against the Welsh in the West and Ion
nearly all the land by the Mendip m^lrL^Z
of. ' ^'^.r^l ^'"^^ ^'^^ ^^^"^^ *«°k the kingdom. Soon
after Wilfnth was banished. Then he went to Sussex
and taught the people, for though their king L 1
was Christian, they were still heathen. Thev Sits.
listened gladly to him, for he was very wisi as well as
good, and taught them many useful things ; amongst
others how to ftsh in the deep sea ,fter the NorS
38
\
Early England.
A.D. 670-685.
fashion, for before they only used to fish in the rivers.
And men called Wilfrith the Apostle of Sussex.
Egfrith and Wolfere were not very good friends, for
Wolfere wished to become free from the overlordship of
Northumberland. They warred against each other, and
Egfrith put Wolfere's host to flight, and made him make
peace and give up Lincoln and the land round it.
When he had made peace with the Marchmen he
warred against the Welsh in Cumberland, and took Car-
lisle, and over it he set S. Cuthbert, whom he called from
his cell in Northumberland. Moreover, he made himself
overlord of the Vale of the Clyde ; and sent ships also to
ravage Ireland, where they got great spoil. At last he
went against the Picts, beyond the North Wall, and there
he fell, with 111 his host, in a great battle near Fife (685).
And S. Cuthbert fell ill when he heard the news and went
back to his cell, where he died two years after.
When Egfrith was dead the power passed from Nor-
thumberland, and Wessex and Mercia became great in
its stead.
12. There are several things to notice in this part of
English History:—
(i.) It is hard to see why, when the greater part of
Northum- England had been converted by the Irish, all
the'chl.rd^ the English took up the Roman customs in
e KfMxz Church matters. But the Romans certainly
kept the Church in better order than the Irish. Moreover,
the rest of Western Europe had taken the Roman custom.
Kent, too, which was a strong kingdom, and had many
dealings with the Franks, helped the Romans very much.
(2.) We see that the English were not made Christians
by force, as many heathen nations were, but they were
^> — .,;. v,,v l^.«^.lll^^ ui ^.i.i.^ vjuspci. 1 HIS maQC
them love the Faith more, and keep it more steadfastly
afterwards, though they wavered a little at first.
I
tl
w
\
S
L
tl
01
o^
OJ
th
A.D. 68s.
Northumberland.
39
(3.) Though neither Northumberland or Kent was ever
strong enough to bring all England into one, yet it was a
help towards this that all the English became of one faith
and one rule. The Church also tried to stop cruel war
and draw all men together peacefully.
(4.) When the English became Christians they did not
kiU or enslave the Welsh as they had done before ; but
when they conquered them they suffered them to remain
among them, and made laws to protect them. So it
comes about that, though in the rest of England the
Welsh names of places were nearly all lost, those parts of
England which the English won after their conversion
are still called by Welsh xmes.
BOOK IV.
WESSEX AND THE MARCHLAND.
CHAPTER I.
A.D. 685-728.
THE RISE OF WESSEX.
I. After the death of Egfrith the strongest of the
three great kingdoms was Wessex, which was under Cead-
walla. His forerunners had beaten back the The rise of
Welsh, and had won hew lands for the West Wessex.
Saxons, till their realm reached the borders of Devon
Under them Wessex had become so great a kingdom^
that it was able, as time went on, to gain the overlordship
of all England, and at last its kings became not only
overlords but kings over all the land. And it is th^ ^Mry
of the steps by which the kings of Wessex made the
Marchmen's kings their servants that will be written in
this part of the history.
40 Early England, a.d. 685-688.
2. Ceadwalla r "gned but a short while ; then he re-
Ceadwalla. pen*:ed iiim of his sins, laid down his crown,
A.D.685-688. and went to Rome There he was baptized
by the Pope, and there soon afterwards he died. He
had been a Christian and so had his brother who reigned
with him, but he had not been baptized before, nor did
he seem to understand the life of a true Christian. For
when he found that the Jutes in the Isle ot Wight were
still most of them heathen he fought against them to
make them Christians. And he prevailed against them
and *ook their kin, ^ and slew him, with all his kin and
niost of his pe9ple. When Wilfrith heard of it he begged
him to spare some of them, and he did so, and Wilfrith
by kindness converted them. But Ceadwalla would not
spare the lives of the Jute king's two children, for he
feaied that when they were grown up they would avenge
their father's death upon him; so when they were baptized
he slew them also. Perhaps it was for this evil deed that
he was sorry, and so left his kingdom. This was the
only time that an English king ever tried to turn people
to the Gospel by the sword ; though in other lands there
were kings who did so, not knowing that they were doing
an evil work.
3. But Ini, who reigned after him, was a good man and
mild of heart, and a very mighty king. He was obliged
Ini. to wage many wars. Especially he fought
A.D.688-728. with the Cornish men, who had then a brave
king at their head, who tried to drive the English back.
But Ini prevailed against him.
Ini took great care to rule well the lands that he won.
When he saw that the bishop of Winchester had too
great a charge, he set up a bishop in Sherborne to help
him. And he built a house for holy men at Glaston-
bury, whsre there was a ruined British church, and this
bQuse became very famous in after days.
I
A.n 688.
Rise of Wessex.
41
Ini fought too with the men of Kent, and got from
them a fine for slaying Ceadwalla's brother, whom they
had burnt in his house. And he made the men of Essex
and the East Enghsh bow to his rule. But the king of
the Marchmen fought against him, so that he was not
able to become overlord of that land also.
And Ini made good laws with the help of the wise men
of his kingdom, so that his people might dwell in peace;
and in all that he did his wife Ethelburg helped him.
She was a wise and brave woman ; and once when the
Cornish men had taken Taunton, which Ini had built,
she went down with a host against them and took
back the town. When they had both reigned long
and gloriously she won over her husband to lay down
his crown, as Ceadwalla had done, and go to Rome, to
live there in peace, praying and doing good works till
they both died. There is a story told of the way she
did this. In those days the kings' palaces were not all
garnished with furniture, but when the kings went from
one of their great houses to another they took all their
household goods with them, and left the house empty
behind them. For they used to travel all over their
realm, and stay awhile at each of their houses to do
justice to the folk of each part of their kingdom and
hear all complaints. One day when king Ini had left
one of his houses, and his servants had packed up all
the household goods, the queen prayed him after a while
to ride back to the hall with her, and he did so.
When they came there the house was bare, and cattle
and pigs had been driven into the empty hall. And the
king was astonished at the changes since the day before,
when the hall was fairly decked out, and he and all his
valiant men had sat there at meat in great state. Then
the queen said to him, ' After this manner the glory and
pleasant things of this world pass away , so that I hold
42
Early England.
A. a 688-728.
him foolish who cleaves to the things of this world and
takes no thought of the life everlasting. And we, who
fare gloriously in this world, should not forget the world
that is to come.' And the king was won by her words
to do as she wished.
CHAPTER II.
THE CHURCH.
I. In the days ot Ini there went forth from England
many good men to preach the Gospel to the heathen
Mission- Germans and Frisians. For just as the Irish
*"**• whfen they had heard the Gospel wished that
all men would hearken to it, and sent many mission-
aries to the heathen in Germany and the land we now
call Switzerland, so the English did in their turn. And
they were the more moved to do this because the Ger-
mans were near of kin to themselves. Wilfrith, when he
was cast on the coast of the North Sea, had preached the
Gospel to the Frisians and the Saxons who had stayed
behind when their brethren went to England. Chief
amongst the English missionaries were Willebrord and
Winfrith (who in the Latin tongue is called Boniface).
When Boniface had converted the Germans in their own
)and, set bishops over them, and put priests among them
in their villages, as Theodore had done in England, he
was made their first archbishop, and lived at Mainz, on
the Rhine, in their midst, and did much good. But after
nearly forty years' work, when he heard that many of the
Frisians were still heathen, he set out to visit them and
preach to them also, and soon after he died (757). And
men numbered him among the saints, and called him the
Apostle of the Germans.
2. In England also there were many great Churchmen
in those days, and chiefly in Northumberland, where at
'. 688-728.
vorld and
i we, who
the world
her words
A.D. 728-757.
The Church.
43
England
heathen
he Irish,
ihed that
mission-
we now
n. And
the Ger-
when he
ched the
d stayed
Chief
ord and
oniface).
leir own
ng them
land, he
ainz, on
Jut after
y of the
em and
). And
him the
rchmen
Inhere at
this time there was peace for a short while. One called
Benedict taught the English how to build The
fair churches of stone, for the English before Churchmen
used to build chiefly with wood, and were North.
not skilled in stonework. He also brought over glass for
the church windows, which the English did not know of
before, but used horn and parchment instead. And he
built houses for monks to dwell in to do good works ; and
m one of these, at Jarrow, lived Bede, the first great Eng-
lish scholar. He was learned in all the wisdom of the
time, and taught many disciples and wrote many books of
those things which he wished them to know, some in Eng-
lish, and some in Latin ; he wrote songs and hymns also.
And it is from one of his books, ' A History of the English
Church,' that we learn much about the Early English.
He put the Gospel of S. John into English that all men
might read it ; this was his last work. When he died
(754) all the wise men in England mourned for him.
He had many friends who helped him in his work, and
the king of Northumberland was among them. And the
good king Alfred, many years after, put some of his
Latin books into English, so useful did he think them for
all men to know. Of other English Churchmen, Wilfrith
was perhaps the greatest. He had made the first library
in England at York. He was also much beloved, though
he was quick of temper, for he did many good deeds and
was never idle, but always would be doing what he could
to help the people and preach the Gospel. He was a great
traveller, and had seen many lands, and everywhere he
went men honoured him for his goodness. He died 709.
3. In Ireland too at this time were many good and
wise men, and it was from the Irish that the iHsh
Northumberland men had got much of their Chorchmen.
learning. For this reason Ireland was called the ' Isle
of Saintij.'
iK
44
Early England,
A.D. 728.
i ■
CHAPTER III.
A.D. 728-802.
WESSEX AND THE MARCHLAND.
1. After Ini, there reigned other kings over the
Ethelbald ^^^* Saxons, of whom it is not needful to speak
Mli^Wand ^^''®' '^^^^ ^^^^ "°' ^^^y powerful, and in
their days Ethelbald, king of the Marchmen,
was the mightiest man in England.
But of one of these kings, whose name was Sebert, it
is to be noted that he reigned ill and so lost his king-
dom. For his folk, who had chosen him to be kmg, took
his crown from him and gave it to Cynwulf.
2. Cynwulf was a brave king and ruled well. He
overcame Ethelbald in battle and slew him. But Offa,
Cynwulf. who reigned next in the Marchland, forced
A.D. 757-86. Cynwulf to bow to him and do his will, Cyn-
wulf was slain after a long reign, and his death happened
in this way. One day he went to stay at the house of a
lady at Merton, and took few men with him. And when
Cynhard, brother of Sebert, who wished to be king himself,
heard of it he gathered together a band of those men
who hated Cynwulf and loved him, and suddenly beset
the house where Cynwulf was. When Cynwulf was ...vara
of them he went out to the door and kept it bravely
with his sword, and he wounded Cynhard ; but he was
borne down by Cynhard's men, for he was alone, and
slain. And when his men heard the cries of the lady they
ran up and found their king dead, and Cynhard standing
by. He offered them gold rings and lands and goods if
they would follow him and help him to be king, and
death if they would not. They chose death, for they
would never help their master's slayer. So Cynhard and
A.b. 757. tVessex and the Marchland. 45
I his men fell upon them, and they fought till they were all
1 slam save one a Welshman, a hostage, and he was badly
wounded. Then Cynhard locked the gates anH kept the
hall fast that n.ght. But news was brought to Osric,
Cynwulf s alderman, that Cynhard had slain the king, and
was at Merton, and some of his own kinsfolk with him
So he gathered all the men he could and rode to
Cynhard offered h.m and those with him to be their king,
but they would not, though Osric's kinsmen, who were
with Cynhard, prayed him to listen to him. And Osric
offered his kmsmen peace if they would leave Cynhard •
but they said they would stand by Cynhard to the death!
as Cynwulf^ men had done by him. Then Osric and his
folk .nH ti. Tn'^^ ^^'? ^"^ ^^" "P^'^ ^y^^^^d and his
folk, and they fell there fighting to the last, and only one
was saved, Osric's godson. ^
And Bertric was chosen king by the Wise Men of the
kmgdom, and he reigned seventeen years (786-802)
3. When Ethelbald fell Bernred took the March
kingdom He reigned but a short while, for Offa, who
was of the royal blood, and alderman in the
Severn valley, drove him out and took the SaaiSl
crown. He had the most power of any man ''■°- "7-96-
that had yet been in England, for all the other kings
firsTtL" O^ ', '* A"' r ^"^^^"^ ^^' - -<^ f- the
ont ofTvi • K^ ^'^ ^'' ^°'' ^^^'"'^ '^^ W^JsJ^ ^nd took
one of their chief towns. He called it Shrewsbury, and
made it strong against them. And he drew a ereat dvke
across Wales from the Dee to the Wye, that 1^1
Roman walls. He married one of his dauahtPrc v^b,, °
L.T"' ^"? T'^'' '° '^' ^^S of NorthumierianT
Aat they might be the more easily ready to do hi wm
Now, Edburg, who married Bertric, was'an e^^l woxnan;
46
Early England. a.d. 757. 796.
and she hated those whom her husband loved, for she
wished him to Hsten only to her. She put poison in a
cup for a friend of the king to drink, and by chance Bert-
ric drank of it also, and they both died. When this was
known the West Saxons drove out Edburg, and made a
law that no other king's wife should hive power or be
called queen. As for Edburg she went to the court of
Charles the Great, and he gave her an abbey to rule, but
she ruled it as ill as she had ruled the West Saxons, so
he took it from her. And she went to Italy and wandered
about in great need there, begging her bread till she
died.
At this time Charles the Great was the king of the
Franks, and was the mightiest man in West Europe.
He and Offa were friends at first, but afterwards they fell
out because Charles was jealous of Offa's power and
would always help Offa's foes, for he wished to be over-
lord in England himself. Egbert also, who fled from
Bertric— for he was of the royal blood of the West Saxon
kings — was received at his court, and there learned many
things which were afterwards of use to him.
And when Offa and the men of Kent quarrelled
Charles stirred up the archbisop of Canterbury against
Offa, and promised to help him with soldiers. But Offa
put down the men of Kent and set up an archbishop at
Lichfield to rule over the Marchmen's Church, as the
archbishop of Canterbury ruled over the Church in
Wessex, and the archbishop of York in Northumberland.
But the archbishop of Canterbury was sorely grieved at
this.
But Charles and Offa were made friends once or
twice by Alwin or Alcwin, a scholar of Northumberland,
whom Offa had sent to Charles to teach him the learning
of the English.
In Offa's days there lived in England a great poet
757- 796.
i, for she
lison in a
nee Bert-
I this was
1 made a
i^er or be
; court of
rule, but
axons, so
wandered
1 till she
ig of the
Europe.
; they fell
>wer and
be over-
led from
:st Saxon
ted many
uarrelled
r against
But Ofifa
bishop at
1, as the
lurch in
iberland.
rieved at
A. P. 8o2. Wessex and the Marchland. 47
named Cynwolf, some of whose songs we have nov We
have, too, other poems written about this time by men
whose names are lost. So it would seem that in Offa's
days men found peace and leisure for writing and makiuK
poetry, which they had not again till long after his death.
Offa ruled his land very well, and cared much for the
good of his people, and made laws for them by the help
of his wise men, as Ini had done. He was good to men
of learning and Churchmen, and built a great abbey at
\^erulam, where S. Alban was slain in the Roman time
and the town is called S. Albans to this day. But one
abbey he built because of an evil thing he did. He slew
Ethelbert, king of the East English, by craft, for he
asked him to come and see him and marry his daughter,
and when he came he had him murdered; but men say
that the queen persuaded him to do this evil. And
Ethelbert was held a saint and martyr for his cruel death.
But Offa repented sorely afterwards, and sent gifts to the
Pope. Soon after this he died, and his son Cenwolf
ruled after him. He made friends with the archbishop of
Canterbury, and when the archbishop of Lichfield died
he never made another. He fought with the Welsh, and
went far into Wales, both North and South, after his
enemies. He also fought with the men of Kent. But
after his days Egbert became king of Wessex, and brought
the Marchland into his own kingdom ; and those kings
who reigned there after Cenwolf he drove away.
once or
iberland,
learning
eat poet
48
Early England.
A.D. 8o3.
^
BOOK V.
THE ENGLISH AND THE DANES.
CHAPTER I.
A.D. 802-838
EGBERT.
1. Egbert came to the throne of Wessex in 802, and
reigned many years. He put all the kings in England
under him, as Offa had done ; but he was so power-
ful, and things fell out so well for him, that the kings
Egbert's never got free again at his death, as they had
wo'J'- done when Offa died. So he gained at last for
Wessex the overlordship of Jilngland which the Northern
kings had tried to win for Northumberland, and the
kings of the Marchmen for Marchland. So under Egbert
England became one in rule, as it had at Whitby become
one in faith. Moreover, the kings of Wessex now brought
the kings of the Welsh and Scots under them, and so
became overlords of all Britain. There were still Scotch
and Welsh kings ; but they obeyed the English kings and
acknowledged their rule. So with the reign of Egbert
finishes this part of English History, in which has been
told the story of the kingdoms which the English founded.
The history which follows is the history of England under
one king, and its struggles against foes who came from
without.
2. For in Egbert's reign the Danes began to show
themselves bitter foes to the English, as will afterwards
_,. ^ be seen. The year that Bertric married Offa's
The Danes '
and Nor- daughter Edburg three Northern ships came
wegians. ^^ ^^^ English coast, and when the alderman
of the place where they landed came down to see who
A.D. 802.
A. D. 802-838.
Egbert.
49
NES.
n 802, and
n England
so power-
the kings
s they had
I at last for
; Northern
I, and the
der Egbert
by become
3W brought
m, and so
;till Scotch
> kings and
of Egbert
h has been
sh founded,
land under
came from
,n to show
afterwards
rried Offa's
ships came
\ alderman
to see who
they were they slew h.m. This is the first time we hear
of the Danes and Northmen plundering in England.
They hved on the eastern coasts of the North Sea, in the
E?In7 V^^ ^"^'''^ ^^^ ^°"^ ^^f°^<^ ^hey came to
England. They were of the same kin and spoke the
same tongue though little by little it grew different, till
Frir ^"f ^^"^^'^ ^^^ ^° Je^rn Dan^.h a. he wiuld
called them (or the Norwegians plund re chief! ^ Scot-
land and Ireland and the Western Isla. \i h^.gan to
come about this time, is partly because of ,neir troubles
at home, and partly because of the wars which Charles
the Great and his house waged against the heathen
Saxons and Danes iu the North.
In Denmark and Norway, just as in England, there
were many small kingdoms, and now one king i^ each
and was trymg to put the small kings under him. So
there were many wars, and men fought cruelly with each
other, because they were still heathen. So many of the
L^I^H h f'n^"^ '^'"^^ '°°^ '" '^^ '^^' ^'^d sailed about
with their followers plundering everywhere they came, only
sometimes going back to Norway and Denmark
But after about a hundred years, when the head kings
were firmly set on their thrones, they ruled more strictly.
Then niany great men, with their followers, left their homes
altogether. Some settled in the islands of the North
bea, Iceland and the Faroes, and lived there as they
had done at home, only they would have no king, but
the chiefs ruled. Others went to England and Ireland
and Scotland and fought against the people of the land,
and took part of their land and dwelt in it.
3. Egbert had been long at the court of Charles the
Great while Bertric was king of the West Egbenand
baxons. And no doubt what he had seen there cSaries.
helped him when he became king in England. For Charles
50
Early Englatid.
A.D. 802-838.
IB
was a great warrior and statesman, and conquered many
peoples, and built up a mighty empire, and of him, his
valiant men, and the deeds they did, many stories are told.
And just before Egbert, by Charles's help, became king of
the West Saxons, Charles was crowned by the Pope Em-
peror after the old Roman fashion, for he was now ruler
over great part of the old Roman Empire. Henceforth
there were two Emperors, one in the West, the Frank
Emperor, who lived a great deal at Aken (Aachen) ; and
the other ruling the Eastern part of the old Roman
iCmpire from Constantinople.
4- Egbert had a very busy reign. First he fought
with the Welsh of Cornwall, the old foemen of the West
Egbert's Saxons, in 815 ; then against the king of the
**"• Marchmen at EUandune (825). This was a
very great battle, and many men fell there, so it is said
in the old rhyme :*
Ellanduue flood ran red with blood.
After this battle the Marchmen were obliged to bow to
Egbert's rule ; and though they resisted him again they
never could free themselves. Perhaps this was be-
cause the Frank kings hated the Marchmen and would
not help them, but also it was through the hatred of the
East English, for when they found the March kingdom
growing weak they rose against it, and sent to Egbert
and took him as their overlord. \/hen the March king
came against them they slew him. And afterwards, when
the next king with a great host and five aldermen sought
to avenge him, they slew him and his aldermen with
him. So they became free from their old overlords ; but
they were obliged to ike Egbert as overlord in their stead.
Egbert also sent his son to Kent with an army, and he
drove out the Kentish under-king, and was made king by
L.D. 802-838.
uered many
of him, his
ies are told,
ame king of
i Pope Em-
s now ruler
Henceforth
, the Frank
chen) ; and
Did Roman
he fought
f the West
king of the
rhis was a
it is said
A.D. .S02-83S.
Egbert.
51
i to bow to
again they
) was be-
and would
:red of the
1 kingdom
to Egbert
larch king
ards, when
len sought
men with
lords ; but
heir stead,
ly, and he
le king by
his father in his stead, and over Sussex and Essex alio
J oaw liis mignt did likewise. The nf»v^ „«.o 1
while .here was peace " "'■'"''• ^"""O" ''"''^''or.
all the cattle, and takint all th. 1/"'!f '' ' ^"^'"^ °^
cious things. Most of all th.v^ f / T^ '"^^^^"^ P^^'
them, and\urn?and otbe/'h^fh ^ ^'T ^"' '''^
could ; for they remembered hoVchat: tt'c'V'^^
his kin had warred on their h^I ^^f ^^^ ^^^ Great and
them cruelly because th.v ^? '" ^''^'"" ^"^ ^^^'^
5^ Afte^^TheV™ ^^
three vears nn.« if .^"^^^^ ^ ^°"^^ country two or
cre»sT=Charif^^ tftr„ tr^ =-'-•
Moreover, the Danes joined with the Welsh ^^^''^Down.
against him, but he s-ath*^rpH a u . T
them and h./!u ■ ^ ^°^' ^"^ ^ent against
tftem, and had the victory over them at Hengist's Down
{837). Soon after this he died (S-^S) f„ii r t
and when he died he nart.H l^fillT^ ^"" , «f^^°"«"r,
of Charles was mr^*.^\A "- -"xgduiw, as me kingdom
wolf took Wess'Tx and ^^^^^^^^^ ^"f"^ ^'^ ^-^- ^thel-
ic wessex and became overlord of Britain, and
Ba
52
Early England.
A.D. 802-855.
II
liii
iKf
Ethelstan took the land which Ethelwolfhad ruled before,
Kent and Sussex and Essex, as under-king,
Egbert is called in the old books by the title of Bry-
tenwalda, as Edwin had been. This title is only given to
seven kings before Egbert.
6. In Egbert's days lived a great Danish king named
Ragnar Rough Breeks, because he once clothed himself
Ragnar ^^ skins to fight a wild beast. Of him it is said
Rough that he was shipwrecked in England, and that
the under-king of Northumberland took him
and cast him alive into a pit full of snakes, where, in spite
of his sufferings, he sang a wonderful song telling of all
his great deeds, till the snakes stung him to death. It
was to revenge his death, some say, that his sons after-
wards came to England and waged a cruel war against
the English.
CHAPTER II.
A.D. 839-871.
ETHELWOLF AND HIS ELDER SONS.
I. Ethelwolf reigned many years, and nearly all his
time, like his father's, was taken up by war. First, he had
Ethelwolf. t° ^^^^ the Danes all along the South coast.
A.D.839-858. Then a band of them landed in Kent, broke
into London and Canterbury, and drove the March
king away. In 851 Ethelwolf and his son Ethelbald
fought the greatest >^T.ttle that had been fought in the
memory of man, at Oaklea, in Surrey. There the
Danes tied before them, and they cleared the land of
them for a while, though they came back again ; and
not long after a band of them wintered in Sheppey, just
as the English had once stayed in Thanet before they
began to conquer Britain. In 855, Ethelwolf, seeing that
his kingdom was at rest for a little — for he had won a
1
A.D. 802-855.
ruled before,
! title of Bry-
only given to
1 king named
3thed himself
" him it is said
and, and that
md took him
/here, in spite
telling of all
to death. It
lis sons after-
1 war against
NS.
nearly all his
First, he had
South coast,
Kent, broke
the March
)n Ethelbald
ought in the
There the
the land of
again ; and
Sheppey, just
t before they
f, seeing that
; had won <;
A.D. 858. Ethelwolf and his Elder Sons. 53
battle against the Welsh also- went to Rome as a pilgiim.
Two years before he had sent thither his little son Alfred
and the Pope had received him very kindly, and made
him his godson and hallowed him as a king. After he
had stayed a year at Rome, Ethelwolf brought him back
with him to England. He gave the Pope gifts, and pro-
mised to set aside a tenth of his land for the Church and
the poor. On his way back Ethelwolf married Judith, the
daughter of Charles the Bald, king of the West Franks,
and grandson of Charles the Great. This Charles after,
wards became Emperor, like his grandfather ; but now he
was ruling over only a part of the realm of Charles, which
had been divided between him and his brothers by their
father, Louis. It is said that when Ethelwolf was coming
home his son Ethelbald and bishop Alstan made a plot
against him, and he was obliged to give Ethelbald Wes-
sex ; taking Kent, Sussex, and Essex for himself, for his
brother Ethelstan was now dead. So his oueen Judith
reigned over Kent with him, but over Wessex since
Edburg's days there was no queen. Soon after Ethel-
ivolf died ; and before his death, with the goodwill of his
wise men, he divided his realm among his sons. To
Ethelbert he gave Kent, and to the others Wessex, and
the head-kmgship to Ethelbald, Ethelred, and Alfred,
one after another; but Ethelbert was never to be head-
king.
2. So Ethelbald was made king, and he ruled for two
years only. He married Judith, his stepmother, after the
custom of the heathen kings, who used to Ethelbald
marry the widow of the king who reigned a.d.SsS-Soo.
before them. When he died all the people mourned
greatly for him, so that though we know little of him we
may behcve he ruled his people well. But Judith after
fier husband's death, went to Gaul and married the Count
Dt Flanders, and from her are sprung many famous folk
54
Early Enghmd.
AD, 870.
i
3, Ethelbert, king of Kent, now became head-king,
though his father had bid him be content with his own
Ethelbert. realm. In his days the Danes began to
A.D.860-866. plunder again. Once they broke into Win-
chester, the royal c'ty of the West Saxons ; but the alder-
men came upon them and put them to flight. They also
plundered Kent sorely. Ethelbert reigned but a short
while, and then he died, and Ethelred was made king.
4. Soon after he began to reign the sons of Ragnar
Rough Breeks came with ships and men, plundered the East
and North, and set up a king over part of Northumber-
land who ruled under them ; but at York one of Ragnar's
sons reigned. The sons of Ragnar also plundered Ireland
Ethelred. ^""^ Scotland, and set up a kingdom at Dublin,
•*°-S^^-87i. on the coast of Ireland. Soon after the taking
of York the Danes went south into the Marchland. Tae
people, when the Danes came, now began to try and
make peace with them, for they could not withst.^-^d
them. But though the Danes would make peace fc a
while they soon began to plunder again.
In 869, Alfred the Etheling (which is the old English
word for Prince) married a daughter of a Lincoln alder-
man, who was of the blood-royal. On the day of his
wedding he was smitten with a disease which harassed
him all his life after, so that it is very wonderful that he
was able to do so much in spite of his illness.
In 870 the Danes took horse and rode into East
England, where they took the under-king Edmund pri-
soner, and because he would not become under-king to
them nor forsake his faith they slew him with arrows.
His body was buried in a town near, which has been since
called by liis name, S. Edmundsbury. For he w ■
counted a saint, because he died through fightin? wi\i
his folk against the heathen. And the Da: es took iiast
England and settled in it, and it became a Danish Vii)g-
AD, 870.
le head-king,
vith his own
es began to
:e into Win-
)ut the alder-
They also
but a short
nade king.
IS of Ragnar
ered the East
Northumber-
! of Ragnar's
lered Ireland
»m at Dublin,
ter the taking
hiand. Tae
I to try and
3t withstc-^d
peace fc a
old English
ncoln alder-
■ day of his
ich harassed
erful that he
i into East
Idmund pri-
ider-king to
vith arrows.
LS been since
or he w •
ghting wi\j
s took jLast
anish Virig-
A.D. 877. Ethelwolf and his Elder Sons. 55
dom. Yet they did not drive out the English, but the
East English became, as it were, Danes.
5. The Danes next came into the middle of England
where Ethelred and Alfred, his brother, fought oft-
times with them. Of one of these battles A»hdown
there is a story told. Two Danish kings and b*"'*-
five earls with a great host were plundering Middl- Eng-
land. Against them came Ethelred and Alfred ; and the
Danes set their battle in array by a hawthorn that was on
Ashdown, in Berkshire ; but the English were below,
l^thelred s men were set against the two kings, and Alfred
and his men against the earls. Before the battle Ethel-
red went to prayers, and when the battle began he was
still praying. They called him out to the fight, but he
would not go till his prayers were done, for he said he
must first serve God and then his fellow-men. When
his prayers were finished he went to help Alfred, who was
fighting like a wild boar against the hunters. And he
brought him great help, and slew one of the Danish kings
with his own hand. And at last the Danes fled before the
English, who chased them many miles. There fell also
the five Danish earls.
But the Danes were so many and strong that they
fought two battles soon after against the king, in one of
which he is said to have got his death-wound ; and Alfred
his brother, was made king in his stead. '
CHAPTER III.
ALFRED THE TRUTH-TELLER.
I. Alfred's reign falls into two parts, the first down to
880, in which he was fighting chiefly with the
Danes who were settling in the North and "S-leiler.
East of England under Ragnar's sons and A.D.871-901.*
Gorm ; the last part (881 to 901), when he was chiefly
I
56
Early England.
A.IJ. K75.
it was ha';no.kfi7h"«'Mr*d ''-^ '"^^ *a.
went away and plundered ^l„ ! ' '" '""^ "^ *""
did not withslandth, ' ^, "'"'''' "'""^ *« P^ople
ui wunstand them so well. Then Alfre-' &, ^. ..
d.e.ded .hen, ,.,::r„°::i'';,i .t„r.atr ^"^ ■"^^"
Half*u,„d a"'' *••■•'■ ..led it as their own And ^h. „?.
and they swore^ath, , \ ""'^^ P'"" "'* 'h'"'
.hat'^tf^d S'tTfln^m fh™ irs"^""^ ■"'° ^'-«
lived in a little i.l;,nV n i^ . , ^° Somerset, where he
a^on, t^pSettL^rer^^^^^^^^^^^^
here was Wd „1 ? ° °' '^"^'^"<' ^8^'"- Near
loneedto a?t^ff "^ *«°' ^ J^"''' "hich had be-
here hiding, thtt' a s^r^i ot'o/hL'-^Set^l'^™^
king.' She toiler: .ri."!' "?',''T *■' "" '"^
*eroo..s„.eca.es;h-i;h^;;;r:hf^--V
i';^:!!.^
A.D. K75.
tying to soctle,
etimes.
ght the Danes
ties found that
fi'any of them
sre the people
ed foi; iht the
h was a great
I'ps, and men
d.
1, settled with
t among them
^nd the otiier
m, the Dane
: to plunder
e with theni,
ing, heathen
s oath. But
1 not attack
hat still held
into Wessex
2t, where he
es' Island),
and. There
-t together
ain. Near
:h had be-
ds, 'Alfred
ben he was
ook refuge
1 for some
le was the
vas out of
i; hui the
A.i>. 878. Alfred the Truth-teller,
57
ki 'g ti.>rgot the cakes for he was thinking and mending
his cow and arrows. When the good-wife came back
he rakes were spoilt. Then she was very an^ry, and
told the kmg that he was ready to eat them when they
were done but was too lazy to help to do them properly.
V or she knew not that he had been thinking of greater
mmgs. "
3. Soon things began to look brighter, and Alfred
was able to come forth as a king again. First one of
Kagnars sons was slain in Devon, and his magic banner,
that had been worked in one day by his sisters, was taken.
It was the image of a raven embroidered and fixed on a
pole ; Its wmgs waved in the wind, and wherever it went
It was said to bring victory to those who owned Edington
It. Soon after this victory Alfred gathered a ^^ ^'d-
great host at a place he fixed, and then To. 878.
he went after the Danes, and they fought at Edington.
in the West Saxon land, and Alfred won the day ; and
there is still to be seen the figure of a horse cut in the
turf, on the side of the hill, which is said to be a mark of
this great battle. And after this battle he followed the
Danes and shut them up in a fortress which they had
made, till they promised to make peace and take the
Christian faith. For Alfred could not trust their oaths
as long as they were heathen. So the Danes and
their king were baptized, and Alfred was godfather to
Gorm, and gave him a new name, Ethelstan, which had
been the name of his own father's brother. Peace also
was made between the two kings at Wedmore. Gorm-
Ethelstan was to keep East Anglia and the north half of
the Marchland above Watling Street, and be Alfred's
TJl' \"/ ^^^'^"^ '"^^^ ^"^ ^^^^ ^" the rest. And that part
of the Marchland which Alfred had he ?ave to Eth*.lr«H
an aldei-man of his, for there were no longer kings there \
and he gave Lthelfled, his eldest daughter, to him to wife.
58
Early England.
A. b. 885.
... u. 00^,
VVaSrg's';S."b:[m„!,1i'V?^"'= ^^^y-^ -u.h of
Ethelsmn's realm Tho ° ^ ''"'"''"' ""' "> Gom,-
join Hasting, : Lou ' .rovlTh:""""*^" "'"' '»
So there was peace in VTIf 'T u"^' ""^ '" <^»'"'-
abroad would stilfpTunier ,hf ' ""' '"" ''^^^ f"-"
ATred fought once aSt'htTs'ea™" ^"'^ "■"' ^"^
panonhe' MafcW::d"''Tl,e"'"f1'L^''=''=' ^"«'-. -"
all south of Wa.w'st~et^^ ".'"■"'"■"''"'='"'' and
aldermen, BuMhe Danef T', ""f" '^''■•''' ="«' ^^
now Christians That wa,, '""■ '" ^"S'^"'' ""C
'hey no longed pt^d^d fru'f'burbe: ''"^"*' ^"^
down quietly with the Enghsh ^ '° ''"'=
peace SlfredaXl'^t'" "\'^'^ '" ""« »='<''
A>... .histno^rnUreL r''';'\™''''--'''"?=.-d
rtt' .he Ba.d\"eclm/-Emp:it,.''h: ^""'^.^
h;:;s .og:r -i'''^^-™^^^^^^
Countsof Paris JuS who f, J° ""'■"' "^ G^"' 'he '
in this way. He fellin 1 ^ ^'"^ 8°' h'^ name
proud that sie would nl^ ' """" ^ '^''>' "ho was so
then, but laughld i' hta 2"^ "/T" ''"«■ ''^ >•' ""'
When he was^inVof'aT, No^ay/'anfort^ '''.'"
earnest and swore hp wn„w ^ ^^^'^ ^^'^ m
he was head kinTof^N^It "'3 Si."!':"" ^'^ "t "'"
wor. he became so. Then he-c-om*^Vr^hfsTalrtd
A. U. 885.
ayed south of
went to Gomi-
eathen went to
now in Gaul,
le Danes from
and then, and
t Angh'a, and
tnberland and
Ifred and his
-ngland were
5 English, for
ran to settle
' have made
2r-kings, and
ime Charles
he reigned
;d and never
3f Gaul the '
iars became
saved Gaul
great king
small kings
i he had a
lelped him
t his name
ho was so
as he was
wed him
'k this in
is hair till
ears' hard
> hair and
A. D. 891. A If red the Trutk-teller. 59
iifbdf JV".^ '' ^'^ ^° ^°"^' '^-' ho could tuck it under
P oud iadf and" T 'T " ^^'^^ '^^^ ^^ ^-^eTt
words Nn 'rl ^''''^"'" ^"^^"' according to her
w :hru^sr jmTu: o'rc t ^^ ^° ^"^'^-^^ ^^
he was caUed Ganger or W.,1.' u "^""^ ^"' ^°''"' ^"^
and heavv fhofK^ ' ,. ^^'^^^' because he was so bi-
hfm Rolf tool . '°"'^ "°' '"^'^y «"^ ^ horse to bear
and they could g^no further "'"">'= "'*="'°'' '"'">'
6. Once before 893 the Danes came over from Hoi
land where they were plundering, and tried ,0 utl"
Rochester, and ravaged Essex; but Alfred
Frank kmg, who discomfited th.^. ^.^ „„ /"^ ^^'^^
a great slaughter so .. ::" "-;- ,^"" ="'"'^ ^hem with
the Frank land ir man .^s' Th "^ 'T'' ^"
">an/ /cars. This made them go
6o
Bnrly Enp-land.
m\
A.D. 893-6.
VI - A.D. »93-6.
back to England and rv .„' ^^tH« m
f'^ycame back under ^;a tm^ the '^ '° '" «93
forts of earthwork =.: Kent and f ' } '^^"^^^r, built
The Danes of I. orthumC j '"^ !° ^°^^ *^« ^^nd-
helped them, anci M^XhL I"' ""''' ^"^^^"^
them b,,,,^. Next yrar,rhn^ '"^^' '"^ ^^ ^^^
one band in the West another k °' ■'"^' agn.nst
of England up the Tham- ^""^ '^'"' ^'""^ '^' ^^^^*
Alfred pursued them and ^""^ [°^^ "^^^^^ ^^e land,
back to E..st Enrnd tr" I ^""^'' ""^ ^^^^^ went
wives and children-?"; thlvc??^^^^^ ^'"^ ^P< ^"^
all their goods, wishbg toilT: '"' ?' ^"^"^^' ^^^
rode across England to ChTst ^'"^ ^^"^e-and then
easily be driven But in «.f ' T^"""" '^"^ ^°"^d not
%htonebandthatlmeup outt%H""^ '°^' P"' ^^
year the Danes broughuhe£ T I ''^''' ^^^ "^«
a fort and sat down ther ' 5^^^": "^n^ ^^^''^ ' "^^^
cuttmg and turned the water .Vn.t ^^ '^ ""^^^ ^ ^'^^^
ships were left drv rlt u'' ""^^^^ '" '^^ Danish
he had.ome there^;o pTo ctTho ' ""^'""'^ ^°""^^^' ^^r
for it was harvest-time' When t^e d''" ^^"^^'
could not go back by the river thtv fooH''" ''^'' ^^^^
across to the Severn Valley a^/t?. ''/ ^"^ ''"^^
fort and waited for ships But thl .""^^^ '^^^^^^^r
up to fetch the ships th!' Danes fa!??"/ ' ':?'^'"" ^^"^
were seaworthy they ken W.,, ''"'* ^^^'^e t^at
Soon after the ^Danish host tft I'freT J'*^^. '"'^ "P"
went off to their brethren nteEa^^^ ^^'°"^' ^°"^^
went over sea to the Seine,' vhereo'ir''' ^"^ '"^^^"
his earldom. ' ^^^ ^°'^ was setting up
A.D. 893-6,
re. So in 893
5ea-rover, built
hold the land.
Eiast England
but he faced
o- uij agn.'nst
from the East
ross the land,
md they went
'eir spoil, and
English, with
lie— and then
ley could not
c folk put to
5t. The next
ea, and made
made a great
the Danish
counsel, for
it the Danes,
aw that they
rse and rode
ide another
'Ondon went
d Iho e that
V broke up.
dom; some
, and some
' setting up
•eep off the
s to fight
1 the coast,
e ships ol
nd swifter.
A.D. 897-901. A//red the Truth-teller.
61
s'hinf •i'/"^^'^^''- "" ^^^'"^ ^° ^^^^ been his own
shipb Ider, for we are told that he did not copy the
Danish nor Fns.an ships, but made them as he thought
bes for the work of keeping the coasts. Through the
unskilfulness of their crews they were not able to heat the
Danes who came and plundered the Isle of Wight and
Devon. Yet, though the Danes escaped once from them,
they were not wUhng to risk themselves as they did
be ore Alfred had a good tkct ; and soon he was bettlr
able by this means to keep the coast.
In 9or he died, and his son Edward wa. made king.
8. Besides these wars of Alfred and the great troubles
ot his reign he found time for many things, so that he io
as great a name as ever English king before ' h
or after got. He was called the Truth-teller, dSactcr.
tToublel 't ^".T ^ ""''' J"^^ ^•"^' ^"d took great
Tf EthVib!: '^' f ?^-^'"5 "''^^ ^^ ^^°^- °"t of the Uws
of Ethelber nd Im and Offa. Some of his own laws
tnf. A ? ""^^ ''"^' ^^^^ ^S^i"^' robbery, vio-
lence, and evil aomg, ...d against those who broke the
commandments of the mrch and the Bible
schotrsTo!h\7 vT"' "-^^ '°'" ^'^ ^^y' ^"^ P^o^ected
scholars, so that his fame spread abroad. In 8qi there
came to see him four of the chief scholars ofl e and
which was then a great place for learnin... He always
Frfni'""?."^'" "'^"^ ^""' ^"^b as Grimbald the
IrftLn ^"^^^^^^,?,^ Welshn.an, who is said to have
wartH .' '•, ^^'"^ ^''^'^^ ^°""d ^^^t the Danish
war had driven learning out of the North and destroyed
the schools which had been there from the days of
h'I'^J! .t'r..,f ".^"^.^ ^!-^- ^- ^i^ people.
coula
teach them himself, for he
CA«- r«-.« u 1 ->-"v,x^ iiiciu uimseii, lor he
that they m.ght learn wisdom ; and :« added td
62
Early England.
these books what he thought useful out of his own
knowledge He Englished Bede's Church History, the
and a book by Orosms, no wrote of the world and its
geography In h,s reign too the English Chronicles were
Trittrthtr ^"' ^ '"" "^"^^ °^ ^'^-^'^ -" ^-e
Alfred was very careful of the Church. He often sent
messengers and gifts to the Pope, and there wem mes
sengcrs from him to the Churches in India and JcrusaTer^
SLh. "monasteries, and over one he put his second
ffT Tr? ^^""T' ^^' ""'^'^ ^' b""* at Athelney, out
of hankfulness for the great deliverance he had afte the
evil days he passed there in hiding
He was fond of hearing about foreign lands, and in
his translation of Orosius he tells us of the travels of two
^ea-captains whom he sent to the North Sea and Z
Baltic. He was also very fond of music
He was very hard-working, and never lost a moment
but always had something to do, and he carried a S
to rerJl "^ V' '""" ^"^^^""^ ^^^' ^--ed usea^
to remember. He governed wisely and chose good
officers, and took care of rich and poor alike, pfr he
said that in a well-ruled kingdom the'priest, the soldier
and the yeoman should each be taken care of, that each
might do his appointed work as well as possible
Hasdnrhld'h^ T""* t ^'"'■^"^ ^"^^^^^"S- ^^^^ -hen
Hasting had broken his oath to him and was fighting
against him he took his wife and children prisoners^
?n L H i'''"' ^r^ *° ^^"^ ^"^ -°"1<^ "ot keep S
in bonds He was loved for his good heart as welUs f^r
9. Though the Danes were still troublesome after
of his own
History, the
y of Boethius,
vorld and its
ronicles were
d's own time
ie often sent
re went mes-
d Jerusalem.
Lit his second
Uhelney, out
lad after the
ands, and in
avels of two
Jea and the
a moment,
ried a httle
;med useful
:hose good
ce. For he
the soldier,
f, that each
le.
Once when
as fighting
prisoners ;
keep them
well as for
ten wished
I's darling/
Alfred the Trnth-tdler.
63
Alfred s death they were not able to do much harm for a
long tmie, and under the kings who reigned
for the next hundred years England was '^'"^*""-
greater and more peaceful than it had been before The
reasons why the Danes had been able to conquer and
settle down m so much of the land were :
(I.) They were able to move about more swiftly in their
ship, than the English could move along the roads, and
so they often took the English unawares.
(2,) The land of England, though it was under one over-
lord was not yet quite one kingdom. Each part of the
country st.ll acted by itself a good deal, and so the Danes,
though not strong enough to beat the great king, could
often drive away the under-kings or aldermen.
(3-) The Danes were near akin to the English. So
though the English fought very bravely for their land and
their homes, yet they felt that if the Danes would only
maKe peace and dwell among them quietly as neighbours
they would be safer than if they had them as foes
(4.) In the first days of the Danish inroads the English
king had no regular fleet nor army, like our armies of
to-day always ready to fight any foe. He had only his
own guards, and when he wished to go to war he had to
send round and summon all the armed men of the king-
dom and wait till they came together before they could do
anything. They would not stay together very long, but
went back to their business whenever they had won a
battle or lost one, or had served as long as they thought
fit. But at the end of Alfred's reign most of the Danes
who had been seeking a fresh home had found one, or
Had gone back, or had been slain, and so there was rest
ome after
64
Early England,
%
%
la
The Keltic Peoples :
Scotland
C";»j>^land (now put under the Scottish Kings)
Wales (North ^nd South)
The English :
E. 1. Essex
E. 2. Marchland
E. 3. IVessex
E. 4. Sussex
E. 5. A««/
The Danish Settlements:
D. I. Northumberland
D. 2. 7"^ /TjiV^ Boroughs and Zi«<:<7/«
D. 3- East England
The Zt;/'-4/i.«j, where the Danes did not hold rule was nut
at last under the Scottish Kings. ' ^^
The Northmen's Settlements :
M ^ r^'f '''^T ^'"'^''^'''' *"^ ^^^ ^'"Sdom of Man
N. 2. Northmen's Irish Kingdom
N. 3, Normandy.
iings)
I rule, was put
>m of Man
66
Early England,
A.D. 901.
f
I-
BOOK VI.
THE GREAT OLD- ENGLISH KINGS.
CHAPTER I.
EDWARD THE ELDER.— A.D. 90I-925.
I. King Edward, called the Elder, is said to have
been in learning less, in honour and worth equal, in glory
Edward and greater than his father, for he spread his king-
' '' "*='^- dom much farther than Alfred had done.
At first he had much trouble ; for one of his cousins,
Ethelwald, son of Ethelred, wished to be king in his
stead. Though Edward drove him out of his kingdom
the Northern Danes made him their king. He made an
alliance with Yorick, king of the Danes in East England,
and ravaged Kent and the Marchland. So Edward went
up against him, and many Kentishmen with him, and
there was a great battle fought. When Edward was
obliged to give way the men of Kent would not draw
back, they were so angry at the wasting of their land,
but though Edward sent seven times to them to tell them
of their danger, they stayed and fought on. They could
not win the battle, but Ethelwald and Yorick and many
of the chief Danes fell ; and so the danger was stayed.
Next year Gorm, the son of Yorick, and Edward made
peace, as Alfred and Gorm-Ethelstan had done. They
also set Watling Street as a boundary between their
lands, and agreed to put down heathendom among their •
people.
Now, Edward and his sister Ethelfled, the Lady of
Mercia, set about fortifying all the towns along the border.
The Lady built up Chester, which was a waste city, and
A.D. 901.
A.D. 912-922. Edward the Elder.
67
H KINGS,
1-925.
., is said to have
h equal, in glory
spread his king-
red had done.
of his cousins,
be king in his
of his kingdom
. He made an
I East England,
)0 Edward went
with him, and
ti Edward was
ould not draw
of their land,
im to tell them
n. They could
rick and many
;^er was stayed.
Edward made
d done. They
between their
n among their •
d, the Lady of
)nc the border.
i^aste city, and
Th.f f \ ' ^^ ^i'«!^r& did the like in his land
2. in 913 Charles the Simple kinjr nf fh« \xt
Franks, gave Normandy to Rolf and mf^. ^ ^.^f
him nffi,„ , -^ ^^^ made peace with
mm. Ofthe peace between Charles and Rolf
It IS told that whpn RnJf /'"''^'^^^^faKolt RoIfinNor-
man on^ c t ^^ became Charles's -n^ndy.
lord. But he said he would never do that anH h« k a
one of his men do it for him tk ' ^^ ^"""^^
^toopinff down lifflV .u , ^^ "'^''' instead of
th.^T^^''^'^.^^^''^^ Danish fleet came to Endand nnH
the Danes tned to land, but they were driven^ ' ^
offand went to Ireland. The Danes
andZer„t;B:r"b:s ^r- ">^ ^'■«"'-
victorious, and she took all thl n f'l "? ''"inhere
make peace-first Qnm« n "''^' /"«""'ei uiey came to
68
Early Eftgland.
A.D. 922-925
the Welsh, who had tried in vain to get hold of Chester,
took him as father and lord. So did the Dane king of
York, and the Welsh of the Clyde Valley, the English
lord of the North who ruled in Bamborough, and the king
of the Scots. So now Edward ruled o/er all Britain as
overlord, and over a great part as his own kingdom. This
happened in 923, and soon after he died, and his sons
took his kingdom after him, and first Ethelstan or Athel-
stan, who was also a mighty king. Men called Edward
the Unconquered, because of his glory in war.
4. Edward had many children, and some of his
daughters became queens also, for they were married
Edward's to the great kings over-sea— one to Otto the
c . dren. Emperor, another to Charles the Simple,
another to the king of Aries, and one to the great Count
of Pans. But one was married to Sigtric, the Dane king
m the North. When Charles the Simple, king of the
West Franks, was driven from his kingdom, Edgif,his wife,
came to England with her little son Lewis, who was after'
wards king in his father's land, and he was called Lewis
'from over-sea,' because he was long at the English court.
This shows that the English kings were now great
people, and were thought much of abroad. Also it shows
that the kmgs after Egbert took much care to be friends
with the kings abroad. Thus England was no more shut
out from the rest of the Western world, as it had been
when there were many small kings in England.
Edward, like his father, took great care of the Church,
and one of his daughters became a nun. And he set a
new bishop in the west of his land, at Wells. Edward
died in 925, and his son Ethelstan was made king, and
tlicre was great joy when he was crowned.
<
A.D, 922-925
hold of Chester,
he Dane king of
lley, the English
igh, and the king
/er all Britain as
1 kingdom. This
id, and his sons
helstan or Athel-
1 called Edward
1 war.
d some of his
!y were married
-one to Otto the
es the Simple,
the great Count
:, the Dane king
pie, king of the
ijEdgif, his wife,
s, who was after-
as called Lewis
le English court.
vere now great
. Also it shows
ire to be friends
is no more shut
as it had been
:land.
5 of the Church,
And he set a
^''ells. Edward
tiade king, and
A.D. 925-937. Ethelstan the Steadfast.
69
CHAPTER II.
ETHELSTAN THE STEADFAST. -A.D. 925-940.
rp.Vn f^""^^^"^^^ ^^d some trouble at the be, inning of his
reign for a cousm of his tried to get made k.ng instead,
but he was driven away. Soon the Dane Ethel . •
kmg S.gtnc died, and the Danes' war b^oke -S
l?nH f '" '^".^^'^^ ' ^"^ ^*^^^^t^" took Northumber-
and and jomed it to his own kingdom, though the En'-
isn men of Bamborough tried to withstand him The
sons of Sigtnc fled to Ireland and Scotland and^ried to
f n. ke'en r '"""^ '^"' '"^ ^^^^'^^^ ^^^^ ^h" Scot
kmg keep the peace. And now Ethelstan took Exeter
and ^ade it strong, and set Englishmen in it ; so he
Welsh had only Cornwall in the West.
But in 937 there gathered a great host against him for
the Scots and Welsh of Strath Clyde joined the D^^es
them anY th '^^.'T" ^'"^""^ "^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^o meet*
them, and they fought at Brunanburg. Of this battle
w 1^' i °"' '°"^ ^^'^^ *""^ ^°^ Ethelstan slew the
Scot kmg's son, and five Dane sea-kings (kings of fleets)
and many great men. All day they'foughf, but when
evenmg came the English won the fight
Before the battle it is said that Olaf, one of the Dane
Ws. disguised himself as a harper and went into Ethel
Stan s camp o spy out his array. But a soldier who had
Wh m S "h'^T^ '^^^ '^^ "^^ -^ *^-ght he
forh^. n^* • r '"^ '^' Englishmen gave him money
for his playing he -vatched him, and when he saw him
bury the money-for Olaf thought it not kinglto tak^
m.3ney from the English when he was acting as 1 spy-
he was sure it was th^ \.w^ \xru„ rs^.r ^ , ^^, .
FfVi^ic* , . £•= •'"6'^ ^-'liii was gone he told
let h,ra go, and the sold.er said, • If I had betrayed hin,
70
Early England.
A.D. 937-940.
and his
brother.
whom I once served how shouldst thou have trusted me,
whom I serve now ? ' And Ethelstan was pleased with his
answer. But Olaf gathered his men and fell upon Ethel-
stan's camp that night, and slew a bishop who lay where
Ethelstan had lain. For Ethelstan moved his tent when
he knew that Olaf had spied out his camp. But the
Englishmen woke up, and at last drove out the Danes
and slew many of them. After this great battle the Scot
and Welsh kings made peace with Ethelstan again, for
they feared his might.
2. Ethelstan was a very good king, and we never hear
of any evil deed of his doing, save that some say he
Ethelstan causcd his brother Edwin to be put in a boat
with one servant and turned adrift at sea,
because he had plotted against him. Edwin
threw himself overboard in despair and was drowned, and
the servant came to land and told of his death. We
do not know certainly that this is true j and as we find
Ethelstan very kind to all his other kinsfolk it is rather
unlikely.
3. Ethelstan had many friends abroad, as his father
and grandfather had, and it was in his days that mes-
Etheistan sengers came from the great Count of Paris
and^foreign to ask the hand of the fairest of his sisters.
They brought him many splendid gifts, one of
which was the sword of Constantine, the Emperor, with
his name in gold letters graven on it ; they brought also
the spear of Charles the Great and a beautiful cup
carved marvellously with figures, and horses with fine
trappings, and many fair jewels. The like of these trea-
sures had never been seen in England before. The
Northern books say too that Harold Fairhair sent his
little son Hakon to be brought up by Ethelstan. He sent
too as a presei^t to Ethelstan a great ship with a gilded
prow and a purple sail, and around the bulwarks was a
A.D. 937-940.
have trusted me,
s pleased with his
i fell upon Ethel-
Dp who lay where
/ed his tent when
camp. But the
e out the Danes
It battle the Scot
lelstan again, for
nd we never hear
at some say he
be put in a boat
;d adrift at sea,
ast him. Edwin
ras drowned, and
his death. We
; and as we find
isfolk it is rather
ad, as his father
i days that mes-
: Count of Paris
It of his sisters,
ndid gifts, one of
J Emperor, with
hey brought also
a beautiful cup
horses with fine
ke of these trea-
d before. The
airhair sent his
ulstan. He sent
ip with a gilded
bulwarks was a
A.D. 940. Ethels tan the Steadfast. 71
row of shields, gilt and painted. 1 1 is certain that Hakon
was brought up in England, and that he was called from
that Ethelstan's foster- son ; but some men say that
he was with Gorm-Ethelstan, the Dane king of East
England, and not with Ethelstan, the English king.
Hakon afterwards became king in Norway, and tried
to make his people Christian, as he was ; but they would
not.
4. The mother of Ethelstan was a poor girl, who was
brought up by the nurse of his father, Edward. One day
while Edward was on a journey he passed Etheistar.'.
near the house of his old nurse, and stopped '''"h-
and went to see her ; there he met this poor girl, and fell
m love with her for her great beauty. When Ethelstan
was born his grandfather Alfred was still alive ; and when
he saw him grow up a good boy he became very fond of
him, and often prayed that he might be a good and great
kmg. He gave him a purple cloak and a beautiful sword
with a golden sheath that hung from a jewelled belt. It
was then the custom that when a boy grew up and be-
came a young man he was girt with a sword and belt
like a soldier, and was allowed to fight by the side of the
men in the day of battle. But Ethelstan was made a
soldier when he was yet a boy only six years old.
5- He was very handsome, like his mother, and had
long hair that shone like gold. He was very kind and
good-natured to the poor people, and very „ , , ,
ready to listen to the priests, to his nobles he char'iS^.'
behaved as a king should, and towards his enemies he
was very brave and steadfast. He was open-handed, and
when he took spoil in war he dealt it out among his
followers. He would never hoard up riches, but all he
had he gave away that it might be used as wis^^lv ac ^«ce:
ble. When he died all men mourned for him, and his
days, though few, were glorious.
;a
Early England.
A. D. 940-944,
CHAPTER III.
EDMUND THE DEED-DOER.— A.D. 940-946.
I. Edmund, his brother, was made king after him; but,
by the counsel of the archbishop of York, the Danes in
Edmund *^^ ^o''^^ '■ose against him, and took Olaf of
olfnstan. ^^^^^"d for their king. Edmund went against
them and won back the five great towns in the
north of the Marchland. The English that dwelt therein
and had been so long ruled by the Danes were very glad,
and there was a fine song written on this great deed.
In 943 Olaf made peace with Edmund and was bap-
tized, and Edmund gave him great gifts. In the same
year Dunstan was made abbot of Glastonbury. He was
the son of a great man who lived near Glastonbury, and
was brought up at the abbey there. He had been at the
court of Ethelstan; but some folks there hated him, so he
did not stay long with the king, but was persuaded to
become a monk. And now Edmund took him into his
favour and gave him Glastonbury to rule. He ruled it
well, rebuilt the church, and kept the monks in good
order. He was a very wise man and skilled in all things,
for he played and sung well, was a good smith, and painted
very well. He was also wise in ruling men.
2. In 944 Olaf of Ireland died, and Olaf, son of Sigtric,
ruled in his stead. He fought against Edmund ; but
Edmund's Edmund drove him out, and joined all North-
wars, umberland to his own kingdom, so that there
were no more kings there, but only earls, or governors who
ruled for the kings of England.
In the next year Edmund took Cumberland, and gave
it to the king of the Scots to rule, and the king of Scots
promised in return to be his man and help him in all that
h- J! J •
C UiU.
A.D. 940-944.
. 940-946.
ng after him; but,
)rk, the Danes in
ind took Olaf of
und went against
reat towns in the
lat dwelt therein
5 were very glad,
great deed,
id and was bap-
s. In the same
nbury. He was
Jlastonbury, and
had been at the
lated him, so he
LS persuaded to
)k him into his
e. He ruled it
monks in good
ed in all things,
ith, and painted
in.
f, son of Sigtric,
Edmund ; but
ined all North-
t, so that there
governors who
land, and gave
king of Scots
him in all that
A.D. 946.
Edred the Chosen.
73
3. In 946 Edmund was slain in *•; . way. He was
sitting at meat with his men, and there came in Leof, an
outlaw, for it was the feast-day of S.Augustine, ^^ ,,
and no man would hurt him on that day, and l^C^^
he sat dowTi with the rest. But the king was wroth when
he saw his boldness, and bade his cup-bearer turn him out.
When he tried to do so Leof withstood him and would
have slain him ; but the king leaped up from his seat and
caught Leof by his hair and threw him down. Then
Leof drew a knife and wounded the king to the death •
but the king's followers slew Leof on the spot. Dunstan
had the king buried at Glastonbury, and mourned greatlv
for him. Edmund, though he reigned for so i^^ years
did many great deeds, so that men called him Edmund
the Deed-doer.
CHAPTER IV.
EDRED THE CHOSEN.— A.D. 946-955.
I. Then reigned Edred, his brother. He was a pious
man and ruled well, though he was infirm of ^ . ..
body. He hearkened to the words of Dunstan waS
and did what he counselled.
The Danes in the North rose against him, and the
archbishops with them ; but Edred fought against them
for three years, till they asked for peace and became his
men. They had chosen Eric, son of the king of Den-
mark, to be their king ; and he withstood Edred, but
Edred drove him out. And Edred put the archbishop of
York in bonds for the harm he had wrought against him-
but after a little while he set him loose.
Edred set two earls over Northumberland, one in
the north, Jhe other in the south of it, to keep it for
him ; but that pari of it which is called the Lothians
between the Firth and Tyne, he gave to the king of Sco^'
74 Early England. ^.o. 955-958.
la«d already. Edred was as generous as his brother, and
fnTan EnV,' 'h' '''""'; '" ^" he died, and Dunstan
Th.^ rl ^ ? .'S°"'"''^ ^°'' ^'"^- "^ has been called
the 'Chosen,' or Excellent,' for his goodne.., and the!e
have been few kings like him. For he was like h s
grandfather, humble and brave and hard-working
Edwy's
troubled
reign.
CHAPTER V.
EDWY.-A.D. 955-959.
I. When Edred died, Edwy, the son of Edmund, was
crowned kmg, and his brother Edgar was made
under-kmg in the North. Edwy was very
K A K ^headstrong, and quarrelled with those who
had been the greatest friends of Edred.
He married Elfgif ; and Oda, the archbishop, did not
hke this marriaT'^ for he held it was against the law.
On the day of ; : l.vy's crowning, when there were many
gathered togf. ., -^x the feast, suddenly the king arose
from the mid.si, of them and left the hall and went to his
wifes bower, wher.: he sat with her, leaving his nobles by
Uiemselves. They were very wroth at this, and bade
Dunstan go and fetch the king back, and he did so
Soon after this the king drove out Dunstan, who went
to Flanders; but Edgar sent for him, and made him a
bishop in his part of England. Edwy had another reason
for his dishke of him : Dunstan and the best men of the
Church at this time were trying to make the monks
hve better, for they had grown lazy and gluttonous,
^dgar and the men of the North were pleased with this •
but Edwy and the men of the South set themselves'
against it. At last the quarrel rose so hi?h abnut t»>is
and also because of Edwy's foolish actsi that Edgar
AiJ. 955-95^.
IS he held Cum.<er-
as his brother, and
died, and Dunstan
^e has been called
Jodnc; 3, and there
■ he was, like his
rd-working.
n of Edmund, was
r Edgar was made
Edwy was very
with those who
:hbishop, did not
against the law.
there were many
i the king arose
1 and went to his
ing his nobles by
this, and bade
1 he did so.
mstan, who went
md made him a
I another reason
best men of the
ake the monks
md gluttonous.
;ased with this ;
set themselves
\\(r\\ ahnnt f-KJc
— O — — — ^«^ titifcj,
ts, that Edgar
A.D. 958-960. Edgar the Peace-ivinner. 75
not'tilf oh'' ^'" ^'■°i'!f ""^ ^°"'^' "°^ °bey him. It w.s
as he wChX'rl'' ^^^' ^° P"^ ^^^y h'^ -'f- -^ do
1 J u ^^^^ '^^y ^^''^ reconciled. Some sav that
uelwThat"!" 7\ '" P"^""^^ -^ treated h'e so
o de of Od/n'. '.^' '"/ '°"^^ ^^y ^*^'^ -'^^ done by
order of Oda, but others deny it. Soon after this Edwv
d.ed, or was slain, we do not know how, and his brouTer
became kmg of all England
CHAPTER VI
EDGAR THE PEACE-WINNER -A.D. 959-975.
I. Edgar's rule was very prosperous, and he had
peace for the most part of his reign". Th^ first year of
his reign Dunstan was made archbishop of
Canterbury, and he continued the king's friend fnd"hir
and adviser all the days of his life. With him '"^'^^'^^
and Ethelwold, bishop of Winchester. These men also
did rnany good works, for they were very wise and skiLd
in all aits, as Dunstan was. But one plan they had,
which was 10 turn out from the cathedrals the priests
who were not monks and put monks in their stead, for
they thought that the monks from their strict life wiuld
do more good. But the parish priests and those priests
who were not monks did not like this, so that there was
a quarrel m the Church.
Wefsh^'^Hr' ^;'\^'^ '° ^^^' "^"^"^* '^^ Scots and
Welsh. He made the greatest of the Welsh kings sue
for peace, which he gave on condition of his Ed. '
promising to pay him three hundred wolves' -^ "'
iS::? V^-^:^^ '^y^ ^^- were still wolves
I in England, and th
[Air ti*^v^
^y TT u
anH ci, u ' J r.' —^ ti'cat trouble to the farmers
and shepherds. Once the men of the North revolted
but Edgar ravage their land; and some say it wS
IMAGE EVALUATION
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1.1
2.0
US ll
40
IL25 i 1.4
1.6
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Sdences
Corporation
33 WEST MAIN STREET
WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580
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?
C/u
1^
Early England.
A. a 973.
he, and not Edred, that gave the Lothians to Kenneth to
govern.
3. In 973 Edgar was solemnly crowned. Some say
that the reason he had not been crowned before was that
The crown. ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ an evil thing. When he repented
Elgi ^^ confessed his sin the archbishop had told
him that he should not be crowned for seven
years, as a sign of repentance. However this was it is
certam that there was a very grand feast ; and after it
Edgar went with his fleet to Chester. There he was met
by the kings over whom he was over-lord— five Welsh
kmgs, and Kenneth, the king of Scots, and the under-
king of Cumberland, and the Danish king of the Southern
Isles. These eight rowed him on the river in his bar^e
and he sat and steered. So Edgar held greater state
than ever any English king had held before. Even the
Danish kings of Dublin bowed to him, and money was
struck there m his name. Every year while Edgar lived
hi. fleet sailed round England to guard it, so that no foes
could land without a fight.
4- When he was dead there began evil days for the
Enghsh, so that men looked back to his reign when
Edgar's *^«^e was peace and good laws. Edgar like
c'&Ser. f great kings, was very careful about good
laws, and, with the help of Dunstan and the
wise men of England, he made many such, and saw
that they were kept, and anyone who broke them was
sternly punished. Once the men of Thanet plundered
some foreign merchants, and when Edgar heard of it
isk^T* ^" ^'""^ '"^ ^""''^ '^^""^ ^""^ ^^'^ "^^'^^ ^" *^^'^
In his days Peterborough was built up again, which
Wotfere had founded, but it had fallen into decay through
the long Danish wars. He made it so Hrh with r,.«.:„:.„
gifts and lands that it was called the Golden Borough""'
A. I). 973.
ians to Kenneth to
3wned. Some say
ed before was that
When he repented
chbishop had told
crowned for seven
!ver this was, it is
east ; and after it
There he was met
-lord— five Welsh
5, and the under-
ig of the Southern
river in his barge,
leld greater state
lefore. Even the
, and money was
vhile Edgar lived
it, so that no foes
evil days for the
his reign when
Lws. Edgar, like
reful about good
Dunstan and the
' such, and saw
broke them was
hanet plundered
igar heard of it
id waste all their
up again, which
:o decay through
en with rtfa/^lrx.,-
den Borough.
A.D. 975. £c/^ar the Peace-winner --
nc was a little man, but verv ttfrono. r,^A r -j 1
nothing. One day ^hile the kin^ of' ? m T^ °^
sitting at drink with'his men h sL'Sf^ondetut ^7
me that so many lands should obey onTlut " l„ ' A
wouldst no. hold o iraXy- A^d K?nlT^''*°'-'
tonished and fell ai hi, f„/ , J Kenneth was as-
;[;f.X';.r^;re'r:^hrd"atvr:s
Sh-et^'^r rs:h^^;„'rsr rr^i *=' *«
was Ethelwold,to ask her hand f v '■/'"''" "™=
But when Ethilwold st hthe feU " °""=^ff•■ -.
himself; so he told the kingthat she -a" nof 7'f '"
KaJ::d^ ^^^::r^^ ^^^
to.d the king, anHfwas'^r^rth^'TJt-? "^
show It, and spoke kindly to Ethelwold an^f , n J'°
he would co.e and see l^ ^Tk^^:^Z^,
78
Early England.
A.D. 975.
that he was sore afraid. So he went home and told his
wife Elfthrith the whole truth, and begged her to make
herself as ugly as she could, and dress herself in mean
raiment, that the king might not suspect his deceit. But
she was very angry because he had prevented her from
being a king's wife ; so when the king came to the house
of Ethelwold she dressed herself in fine raiment and
niade herself look as handsome as she could. When the
king saw how fair she was he was the more enraged, and
while he was hunting with Ethelwold he thrust a speai
through him so that he died.
Ethelwold had a son before he married Elfthrith, and
the young man was by when his father was slain. When
the king saw him he said to him, ' What think you of this
kmd of hunting .' ' for he was very angry. And the young
man answered * My lord, how should I be displeased at
what pleases you ?' The king was appeased by his ready
answer, and his anger left him. Afterwards he was very
kind to him, and gave him great gifts, that he might
atone for the slaying of his father. Edgar sent for
Elfthrith and married her, so that she became a king's
wife after all. She founded a house for nuns also where
Ethelwold was slain, that the sin of Edgar might not faU
upon her.
CHAPTER VII.
EDWARD THE MARTYR.— A.D. 975-978.
I. When Edgar died he left two sons. Elfthrith was
the mother of the younger, whose name was Etheh-ed ;
Dunstan ^^ ^^me of the other was Edward. By his
^ Ed- will he desired that Edward should be king ;
and though Elfthrith wished that her little
ISAM WnA \l/oc nnKf ^^-mw^^ . -1-1 » «jt^ s» —
— , .,„^ „,„j. acvcii ycaii uiu, snouid be king, Uun-
stan and the Wise Men chose Edward. Before he was
A.D. 97S-979. Edward the Martyr. 79
crowned there arose a great quarrel between the North
and South of England about the monks ; for Elfhere,
alderman of the English March, drove out the monks
and filled their places with simple priests ; but the great
aldermen of Essex and East England gathered a host to
defend them. It was the Northern folk that had helped
Edgar against his brother ; so now they stood out for
Edward, while the Southern folk wished for Ethelred.
But Dunstan and Oswald, the two archbishops, prevented
a war, though Elfhere did many evil deeds against the
monks all the days of Edward.
There were many meetings of the great men of Eng-
land throughout this reign to try and settle things peace-
fully. At one of these a strange thing happened. While
the elders of England were sitting together in an upper
chamber the floor suddenly fell, save one beam on
which Dunstan was standing. So he was not hurt ; but
of the others some were sore hurt and others killed.
After this men believed more in Dunstan than they did
before, for they thought that God had kept him from
harm for a sign to them.
2. In 979 an evil deed was done, so that the song of
that day says ' no worse deed was done among the English
since they first sought the land of Britain.' It Edward^s
is said that it happened in this way. Edward '^**'''-
had been out hunting, and as he was riding home weary
from the chase he came near the house of his stepmother
and rode to it. There she met him and received him
weU, and gave him to drink, for he was very thirsty ; but
as he was drinking she bade one of her followers' stab
him in the back, and he did so. When the king felt that
he was wounded he spurred his horse and rode off as
fast as he could ; but he was so faint that he rould not
Sit in his saddle. So he fell off, and his foot caught
the stirrup, and he was dragged along by the frightened
8o
Early England.
A. D. 979.
horse through the rugged wood till he died. Men said
that Elfthrith and Elfhere had plotted to slay him as they
best could. But Edward was held a martyr; and soon
Elfthrith repented her of her evil deed and went into a
house of nuns, where she stayed all her days praying for
the forgiveness of her sins. Elfhere afterwards brought
the body of the king in great state to Shaftesbury Minster,
which Alfred had built. Soon after he died of a dreadful
disease, and men said God so punished him for his sin
Edward is said to have been a good king on earth,
and after his death a saint in heaven. He was fair to
look on, like most of the men of his race.
CHAPTER VIII.
CHANGES IN ENGLAND UNDER THE GREAT KINGS.
I. Under the great English kings many changes had
come about in England, which had made it different from
TheChureh. England as it was in the days of the small
k.ngdoms. First, the Church had brought
men together. Moreover the monks, who lived together in
large houses, with great lands round them, had kept alive
the learning which king Alfred restored, and had taught
the Enghsh many useful things, so that building and the
arts and trades were all improved. The monks too were
great gardeners, and brought into England many new
herbs and plants which were useful for medicine or for
food.
2. Next the kings had grown more powerful ; for not
only did they rule over a people instead of over a tribe,
The King. ^^ *^^y ^^^ ^^o^e at first, but they had got
^ greater power over their people, and were more
looKed up to. Edward and Ethelstan had divided the
Marchland into shires, for the old tribe kingdoms in the
cH. VI I r. Changes in England.
AT KINGS.
8f
Marchland had been swept over by the Danes and their
governments destroyed. So these kings divided the land
round the g -eat towns which they had fortified, and put a
shertffox shire-steward over each shire by the side of the
alderman to look after its rule. The towns too had grown
more important, and more people dwelt in them. More-
over, now that so many kingdoms were joined together
there was one great council which helped the king to
govern the land. This council was made up of the wise
and great men out of all England, and was above all the
httle councils which each small kingdom and each shire
1 St '' ^^l ^'"^ ^"^ '^^ archbishop presided, just
as the bishop and the aldermen and sheriff presided at the
;r;T*i^f °' folk-meetings. This great council was
called the Witena-gemot, or Meeting of the Wise Men
It met usuaHy once or twice a year, and made laws
and chose the kings, and if a king behaved badly turned
nim out and put another in.
3. The great men of the kingdom were different too
from wuat they had been. The officers of the king's
household became great nobles, and the ser-
vants of the king became nobles also ; so that '^'^^ "°'''«'-
the nobles were no more called eorls, but thanes, that is to
say servants. It was no longer gentle birth that made
men nobles, but service done to the king. Out of these
thanes the king and the wise men chose the sheriffs and
aldermen for the shires and under-kingdoms. The nobles
00 had grown more powerful, for many poor men sought
the help of them and their followers, and to gain this they
gave their lands to the nobles, who gave them back to
them on condition that they worked for them ; so that
few small men now held their lands quite freely.
4. In the villages and small towns the old family ^
feeling of the clan had died out ; and the villagers often
made clubs, which managed their business, as the old
E. H. Q
82
Early Englaud.
UK. VII.
council of elders had done. These clubs were called
Thevii- 'guilds. They were made for helping each
*«"• other, and for safety against robbers and the
like. They held a pastime in every year, which became
the village feast.
5. The coming of the Danes and their settling among
the English helped also to change England. It bound the
The Danes. ^^S^'^h more together, for they were all ob-
liged to work together against their common
foe. The Danes stirred up the minds of the English
among whom they settled, for they were more active
and restless than they. They also prevented the Eng-
lish where they settled from becoming too much the
servants of the great men, for they were too fond of their
freedom to let it go easily.
BOOK Vlf.
THE DANISH CONQUEST.
CHAPTER I,
ETHELRED THE UNREADY.— A.D. 979--IOI6.
I. ETHELRED, the next king, was not at all like the
great kings before him. He was cruel and foolish, and,
Etheired ^^°^^ ^"' ^^"^^ "^^ take good advice, but
and Dun- always listened to those who pleased him
*"■ at the time. He was called the ' Unready,'
which did not mean then what it would now mean, but
Ill-advised.' Men said that his reign was cruel at its
outset, wretched in its course, and disgraceful in its end.
In the first ten years of his reign Dunstan was alive ;
and though when he crowned him he is said to have pro-
phesied evil of him, because of the cruel deed by which
A. o. 979-99 «. ^^thdrcd ihc Unready. §3
so ZVo° T^ ''"'"'' ^ '^ '^' '^^'P^^ '^''" -'^'^ his advice.
^ that he d.d no very evil thing while Dunstan lived
When he was crowned the South English were very glad
be ause they were against the monks, and because^he
last two k,ngs had been chosen by the Northern Eng!
hsh. But the Northern English were very wroth, for they
d.d not hke the South Englishmen to rule over 'them so
they broke away from Ethelred's government.
Marchn,cn. He was a bad man and a traitor, and did
httle good to England. The king had a quarrel too during
his tm.e with the bishop of Rochester, and Dunstan tried
to pacify the kmg; but he would not be stayed. Then Dun-
stan sent h,m a gift of money, and he made peace with
the bishop. Dunstan was very wroth, and sent to the
to"rihl"'''''^\^ '^/'""^' *^°" ^^^^ preferred silver
to r ghteousness therefore those evils of which I spake
T i ?S^ "P?"" *^^^' ^"* "°* ^h^^« J ^i^e, for so hath the
Lord told me ' Dunstan died three years'after this (99)
And the words which he spake were fulfilled
.u "'/r^^"^^!^^ ^^"^' ^"^ Northmen had begun to
came to England with a great host and did
much evil. But in 991 Bertnoth, the alder- T^«'°*""-
man of Essex, fought a great battle with the Danes at
ov^ hh h J'" '.' ''"; '"' ^'^ ^'^ ^^-d -d fough
his Lh f ^I^u "' ^^'' *^^y ^°" '^^ day and saved
his body from the heathen, as the Song of Maldon tells us.
In Uiis same year the Wise Men, by the advice of
archbishop Sigric, did a very foolish thing-they laid a
tax on the people and raised 10,000/., which they gave to
Dane Hm' ^ n''"' *''"^ ''^' ^^'^ '^^ ^^^ --"^^ the
o«^ " ." •" -..^..xv;r. ihui^anes took the money
and went away for awhile, but next year came back
and ravaged England again to get more, and so it went
a 3
84
Early England.
%
Olaf, the
Norwegian
king.
A. 1). 991-997.
on. There was a fleet gathered ; but Elfric sent word to
the Danes of it and joined himself to them when they
came to London to fight the English. The English beat
them, and Elfric fled. Then Ethelred put out the eyes
of Elfric's son for the evil deeds of his father, which was
a cruel and unkingly deed.
3. Soon after Olaf, the Northman, was joined by
Sweyn Fork-beard, the king of Denmark. He had passed
all his early days in fighting with his father, but now
that his father was dead and he was king be began to
make war upon England, and a sore foe he was. He and
Olaf beset London with ships, but the London-
ers beat them off. Soon after, by the good
advice of Elfheg, bishop of Winchester, Ethel-
red made peace with Olaf, who was confirmed, and
Ethelred became his god-father. Olaf had been baptized
in the Scilly Islands ; but the Norwegians were still
heathen. Ethelred gave him great gifts, and Olaf swore
to him that he would never ravage England more. He
kept his word, and departed to Ireland, and there he
married, and soon after was made king of Norway. His
rule was stormy, for he tried to make his folk Christians
by force; and they would not. In the end he fell in a great
sea-fight against his former friend Sweyn, whom his people
had called in to help them against Olaf Olaf was the
strongest, handsomest, and most accomplished man of his
time. He was very steadfast to his word; but he was
cruel and headstrong. To the host of Sweyn and Olaf
16,000/. was given to bribe them to sail away when peace
was made with Olaf.
4. In 997 and the next two years Sweyn came again
and plundered Wessex, Sussex, and Kent. At last the
Ethcircd's
Other wars
\Kl
ise
iTlen tooic counsel and got together a
large fleet ; but the captains fell to quarrelling
among themselves, so nothing was done.
A.D.I00O-IOO2. E their ed the Unready. 85
Next year Ethelred, instead of making his realm safe
agamst the Danes, sent his fleet to fight the Normans.
There it sped ill and was driven back. This he did
because the Normans had received the Danish ships in
their ports. He himself and his army went north and
laid waste Cumberland, because Malcolm, the under-king,
would not pay him money to help buy off the Danes \
for Malcolm said that he was bound to fight for the Eng-
lish king, and would gladly do so, but he would not pay
money. Ethelred was wroth, and perhaps ashamed, and
so he warred against him.
5. The quarrel with Normandy was soon made up, for
in the year 1002 Ethelred married Emma, whom the
Enghsh called Elfgif, the sister of the duke of Nor-
mandy. She was very fair, but she was not a good
woman.
That year the English paid 24,000/. to the Danes for
peace. So we see they had to give more and more each
time, and it was of little avail. Then the king
did a very evil deed, by the advice of one of his S^T
favourites, Edric Streona (the Gainer). He ^- """•
had aU the Danes slain who had remained in the South of
England on the day of S. Brice. It fell on Saturday, the
day the Danes used to bathe ; so many were slain defence-
less in the evening while they were in their baths. Among
the rest was slain Gunhild, sister f Sweyn Foikbeard, who
was married to an earl in Englan i.amed Pallig. They took
her and slew her husband before her, and thrust spears
through her son so that he died also. She never turned
pale, but bore the dreadful sight bravely, and told the
English that this deed of theirs would bring great evils
on their land also. Wh"" sb^ """' -'W-r- "- i
that her face was not altered by death, but that she looked
as fair as if she were alive.
6. When Sweyn heard the news of this he was wroth.
Hi
n
M
86 £ar/y England. a. d. 1002-1006.
and got together a mighty host to avenge her and fulfil
^3e" ^J^ ^?^ ''^'''^ ^^ "^^^^ °"^^ at a great feast
• that he would drive out Ethelred or die him-
self. He laid siege to Exeter, and Hugh, the French-
man, whom queen Emma had set over it (for the kine
had given it to her as a marriage gift), betrayed it to
him, and he took and plundered the city and broke down
the wall. Thence he went on to Wessex, where Elfric
came agamst him. Here again was treason, for when the
arm.es were in array Elfric feigned to be suddenly taken
h L?^ q' r T"^"^ ^"i "°'^'"^- ^^^y" P^^^^d by and
burned Salisbury, and ravaged the West Saxons' land
7. But Wolfkettle, alderman of the East Engl'sh
resisted the Danes in the East. When they broke thei/
Wolfkettle. promise and would not go awry, but left their
A.D. ,004. ships and rode up the country, Wolfkettle
ordered men to go to the Danish ships to burn them.
Sweyn was just hurrying back to them, when Wolfkettle
fell upon him, and there was a hard fight, so that the
Danes said they had never had harder work since thev
came to England ; but neither side could beat the other.
o? wJlf W°l^i ?''"' "^- . ^"* ^'^""^^ °^ '^^ disobedience
of Wolfkettle's men the Danish ships were left whole
and the Danes sailed off in them to Denmark. '
8. There was a great famine all over England the next
year, so that much folk died of hunger, and that famine
Danes and was long remembered. In 1006 the Danes
came again, and went up to a place caUed
Scots.
o— -7 — - "x-"v yxy. lu a. piace called
Cuckhamsley, far into England, to defy the old prophecy
which said that any foe who got as far as that spot should
never come back alive. The king and tha Wise Men
gave them 36,000/. to go away that year. In these days
Elfheg became archbishop, and Elfhelm. the Northum-
bnan earl of York, was treacherously slain by Edric • but
the king made Edric earl of the Marchland.
I002-I006.
A.D. I006-I009. Ethelred the Unready.
87
Utrld'of T'^K ^'"^ u^'° '""^^'^ ^"S^^"^' b"^ the earl
Utred of liamborough drove the Scots from Durham
which they had attacked, and slew many of them He
walls of Durham for a sign ; and it is said that he gave
the women who washed the heads before they were set
up a cow for a reward.
9.- In 1008 Ethelred gathered a great fleet again, and
ordered that many new ships should be built, and that all
those who held land should pay for them, and this seemed
good to the wise men. Indeed, if Ethelred had only
kept a strong fleet like Edgar's he might have e.m
often stopped the landing of the Danes. But «««
a great quarrel broke out in the fleet, and the chief men
fought among themselves. There came too a grea^ to^
which destroyed many ships, and some were burn in t^
stnfe 1009) so all the people's trouble was brought to
naught. Th^ was the last chance which Ethelred had If
beating the Danes, for from now till he fled away to Nor-
Thorkel! nf"'' ^c' '"^ ^"'^^^^ ^'^'^ ^horkettle, or
Thorkell, till m 1013 Sweyn came back.
10. Many towns were taken and burnt, and many men
Elfheg was taken pnsoner by Thorkell's host, .
and they would have him pay a great sum for Elfhi??"'^
his ransom; but he said that he would not rob *''^'''-
the poor for the sake of himself. They were very angry
Tn f )!^' u^'f °"^ ^^y *^"y ^'■^^ght him to a feast,
and after the feast when they were heated with wine theC
.r^^^l"" ^°"^' ^"^ *he heads of the beasts which
they had feasted on, till one of them pitying him slew
him with a blow of his axe. This happened at Green-
wich so the London people sent for his body, which
the Danes gave up to them. It is said that Thorkell
offered the soldiers all that he had, except his ships, if
ss
:l ;M'
Earfy England.
A.D. IOO9-IOI3.
Aey would let Elfheg go unhurt; but they would not
When Thorkell saw his holy death he went over to Ethel-
red with forty-five ships and a great host, and served him
for he would no more be with heathen men, and he be-
came a Christian.
Then the king sent Edric against the Welsh, and he
marched through South Wales and laid it waste. And
so Ethelred would ever do : when the Danes came he
would do nothing but buy them off; but he would always
be ready to fight with the other princes of Britain who
were his own under-kings, with whom he should have
been at peace.
II. When;Sweyn heard that Thorkel! had joined
Ethelred he was iU-pleased. So he came again to Eng-
land with his son Canute, and they now set about con-
quering England, according to Sweyn's vow. First he
got the men of the North to submit to him. They had
ISard T'^l "1"^?^ ^'^^^ Ethelred, though they had
winsEng. tought hitherto against the Danes when they
^ • came as pli nderers or settlers to oust them
from their homes. Now that Sweyn came with fair
promises wishing to be king of England, they took him
as their king. Leaving his son to rule them while he
went south Sweyn rode right across England and over
the Marchland and took Winchester ; but Thorkell and
Ethehed drove him from London. He went on into
the far South and took all the West Saxons' land, and
now he was king over all England save London. When
Eaielred saw that he fled in Thorkell's ships, with his
wife and children, to his brother-in-law's court in Nor-
mandy; and the people of London took Sweyn for kinr
Thorkell stayed with part of his fleet and still took
king Ethelred's part : but all he rouM d- 'va- to '-■
taxes on the English to keep his fleet, so that they lik^d
A.D.1013-1014. Ethelred the Unready.
89
Sweyn Forkbeard was not long king, but died as he
was on his way to plunder S. Edmundsbury. He thought
he saw S. Edmund ride against him and smite him
because of his evil errand ; but no man saw that sight
save the king only, who fell off his horse and was never
whole again, but died that night in great pain.
12. Then the Wise Men sent over to Ethelred, in
Normandy, to ask him to come back. They told him
that they would be glad to have him as king again if he
would promise to rule them better; and he promised that
he would do as they wished in all ma'*<»rs. The Wise Men
said that no Danish king should ru.. England
again, but that if any tried he should be held Sd&'lte.
an outlaw, and any man who could might ^.d. 1014.
slay him. Yet the chief men of the Danish host chose
Canute to be their king ; but he was driven out by Ethelred
and his brave son Edmund, who was called Ironside, and
went away to Denmark. Ethelred gave the Danes 'who
had served him so well under Thorkell a great sum of
money, so that men said the Danes were as greedy and
evil friends as they were foes.
13. In this year there was fought on Good Friday a
battle in Ireland, at Clontar^, hard by Dublin, between
the Northmen of Dublin and the Western
Islands and the head king of Ireland, Brian. Stui*
There were many heathen among the North- *-d-»om
men, but Brian and his folk were Christians. The North-
men fled before the Irish, and as they fled one of them
broke into the tent where Brian was praying for his men,
for he was an old man and stricken in years, and there he
slew him. So the prophecy was fulfilled which was in
men's mouths, that thp Nr>rthm»»n clirviiM lf%c..> ♦!,- U-..X1-
but that Brian should fall. There was a great slaughter,
for it was a very high tide, and many men were drowned
in the Liffey. which ran very high. This battle also the
1'^
Early England.
%%"■
90 ^'-'-j j^n^iana. A.D.1014-1015.
Northmen took for a sign that the Christian faith was the
tll:.^ Il'^'l '^°'' "^° "^^^ ^^'" h^-then turned
from their old gods and were baptized
Oxfltd ^ITl '^^'^7.''' ^ '''^"''"^ «^ ^^^ Wise Men at
Oxford, and there Edr.c wrought another wicked deed.
The bum. He Slew the two chiefs of the five ^eat
K-- boroughs of the North Marchland, and fhen
minster he ^Zl' 1 T^"^ ^^^ '° '^" ^'^^^ '^^e'" ^^ the
b^rnf PM K V° ''' ^"^ ^^^'^ ^^'•e they all slain or
spared anH^^'''' *'' "''^^ "^ °"^ °^ ^^^ <^hiefs, was
EdmunrT ^^^ "'' '"^ '^^^P^"^ ^^ ^ P"«oner. When
n/rsfh-.T'v 5 '^' '^"^^ ^°" ^^^ ^^^ h^ "tarried her
fn L , '*"'' '' '^'^ *° have hated Edmund and
to have always acted treacherously towards him. Now
EdricanTh'^H^^^^^^^
UtZT^ hjs brothers always advised the king ill; but
Utred helped h.s brother-in-law Edmund. ^ '
IS- Then Ethelred fell sick ; so Edric led the West
Saxo ,,,j ^^^^^^^^ ^^^^.^^ Jed t^he Wes
Ethelred s Soon he went over to Canute, who now came
over the lan^^Lring tt^J^S^^:^^
rnTef EtLrt; llTe^ " ''^ ^^ '^^^ ^^
CHAPTER II.
EDMUND IRONSIDE.--A.D. I016.
1 onH "^"f '^^ Marchmen chose Edmund king at
London ; but some of the EngHsh chose Canute as Lg
Edmund at Southampton. IJtrPrl .r^JnpH 1;..,. . ^
and Canute. .,»„ • • , ' t- , s'^smea hiuc oy not
«. if y. ,7'"^ T^ ^'^"'""^' ^°^ Ca""te sent for him
as If he would speak with him; and when he was com^
A.D.I0I6.
Edmund Ironside.
91
to the king's haU, there suddenly sprang out upon him a
band of men who slew him and the men that were with
him, forty souls ; and his earldom was given to his
eT"!; J'^'" ^f' ^"^"^^ ^°""^ ^g^i^^nd joined
^ZTf' I' T °^""^' "^^ *° ^''"' C^""te and Ed-
mund fough five pitched battles this year, all along the
borders of Wessex ; but Edmund nearly always won, for
L'tn"' ? 1 ^""-^l ^"^ ''^"^"^' ^"^^ b^ met Canut; in
.tT 1\ u^ ^r ^'' '^^^^^ •" *^« ^'th I^is sword. But
the fifth battle at Assandun in Essex was the most
tamous. Both kings were there, and fought each under
his own banner. Edmund's was the golden dragon, and
Canutes the magic raven. The raven's wings mov^d in
the wind, which the Danes took for a sign of victory; but
when the battle was joined the Danes at last gave way
before the English, and they would have been defeated
entirely, had not Edric with his men left the battle. Then
the Danes came on again, and in the end the English
were obliged to leave the field to them. In that fight
many good men fell, and among them Wolfkettle, the
l^ast English alderman, brother-in-law of Edmund
2. There would have been another battle, but the two
kings, by the advice of the Wise Men of England, agreed
to make peace, and to divide the kingdom
between them. Edmund was to be the head 0"^.°'
king, and to have the East and South, while ''•''• "*^
Canute was to have the Marchland and Northumberland.
It IS said that the two kings at first agreed that they
two should fight alone, to see who should have all Eng-
land ; but, when they had fought a short while Canute
offered to share the realm with Edmund, and he agreed
thereto, and thev exchanp-ed swrirHc r,r,A r.\r.^\,^ j ^
- o •"••! •v.i'j'apLO aJlU were
made sworn friends. This peace which was made at
Olney-on-Severn, lasted only a short while, for Edmund
died suddenly, and men said that Edric slew him by craft
92
Early England.
A.D.1016
to gain the favour of Canute ; and this was the worst of
all his evil deeds.
Edmund Ironside was a very big man, bold, quick,
persevering and never discouraged ; but in one thing he
seems to have been foolish, in that he trusted Edric, the
alderman of the Marchland, though he knew what evil
deeds he had wrought. Perhaps this was because he
could not help it, but was afraid of his going over to
Canute again. For though Edric was so bad he seems
to have been very powerful in his own earldom, and
he was a man of such guile that Edmund may have
thought it better to have him as a friend than as a foe.
It is to be remembered too that we only have the story as
lold by Edric's enemies. So that after all he may not
have been so bad as they would make out For that he
should have been so wicked, and yet so much trusted, it
is very hard to believe.
CHAPTER III.
CANUTE THE GREAT.— A.D. IOI6-IO35.
I. Canute began his reign by trying to settle his
English kingdom, for of all the kingdoms that he had
Canute and *^®" ^^^ afterwards he loved England best.
Edmund's First he outlawed those of the English blood-
children. j.Qy^j ^^^ ^gj.^ jj^ England; and when the
wise men gave him the care of the children of Edmund
Ironside he sent them to Sweden, to his half-brother
king James. It is said that he asked him to slay them ;
for he would not slay them himself for the brotherhood
that he had sworn with their father. But king James
would not, and sent them to Stephen, who was the first
Christian king of Hungary, that he might take care of
them. And they abode a long time at his court.
A.D.1016-1017. Canute the Great.
93
2. Canute set earls as governors over the land ; but
he kept Wessex himself, for there he chiefly lived.
He gave the Marchland to Edric ; to Thorkell he gave
East England ; to Eric, when he had mar- Edric's
ned his sister, he gave Northumberland ; '•'^^'h.
and these great men ruled the land under him. But
Edric .vas angry because the king did not give him more
power, and it is said that he told the king that he had
slain Edmund Ironside for his sake. When Canute
heard these words he bade his followers slay Edric,
saying that he who had betrayed his lord for lands and
gold would never be faithful to him. So Edric was
slam in the king's sight, and was cast out of the window
into the river that ran below. Men held that Canute had
done very rightly, for through the evil deeds of Edric
many good men had met their death ; and he was so
crafty and powerful that he was able to do much evil.
Canute also soon sent Thorkell from England into Den-
mark, for he was so great a man that he feared lest he
should do evil.
3. In the same year, 1017, Canute sent to Normandy
and asked the duke to give him Emma, Ethelred's
widow, in marriage, for she had fled thither p .
with her children. He did so ; and Emma Emm^
came back and was again Lady of the English ; and she
bore Canute two children, Gunhild and Hardi-Canute.
Gunhild married king Henry, who was afterwards made
Emperor ; but Hardi-Canute became king.
4. Canute now set two Englishmen in power, who
became very famous men, Leofric and Godwin. Leofric
was made earl of the Marchmen, and God-
win was made earl of Wessex, under the king. S^^eT'*
Leofric was a good man, and tried to bring *"'^
ibout peace in England whenever the great men fell out.
Godwin was a very wise man, and became the greatest
94
Early England. a. d. 1017-1027.
man in England next the king, and his sons became
earls as well as himself, Canute was so ple^ised at his
wisdom and bravery in a war which he had in the Baltic,
one time when he was away from England, that he
singled him out and trusted him with an earldom.
5. Canute was not only king of England and Den-
mark but he also drove out the king of Norway, and
_ , was chosen king there also ; and over the
mighty Swedish king his will had great weight. The
power. Scots also acknowledged him as their over-
lord ; but he had to make war with them for attacking
England whilQ he was away at Rome. Then they made
peace and submitted to his commands.
6. Canute went twice to Rome, it is said, to atone for
his evil deeds. While he was there in 1027 he wrote a
Canute's ^^^^S letter home to the English people, in
"lie- which he told them all about his journey and
the kings whom he had met, and how he had spoken
with" the Pope. He also promised to rule them well, and
never take money unjustly from them, and to make all
his great men do right also. He said too that he had never
spared any trouble for his people's good, and that he
never would. These promises he fulfilled ; for though he
had done some cruel things to the great men he had
never done harm to his people since he was made king.
He set good laws very strictly against all evildoers, so
that in after-days his name became famous as a law-giver.
To the Church he was very open-handed, and he gave a
splendid altar covering, embroidered with peacocks, to
Glastonbury, where the body of king Edmund Ironside
lay. He built a church at Assandun, and set Stigand,
who after^vards became a famous man, to pray and preach
in it. This he did as a token of thankfulness and remem-
brance of the battle that he had fought there. Canute
was a great friend of the monks also.
A.n. I027-IOJ5 Canute the Great.
9S
It IS said that when Emma's brother was dead his
son, duke Robert, who soon after reigned in Normandy,
gathered together a fleet to conquer England, drive out
Canute, and put on the throne Emma's two sons, who
were still in Normandy ; but the weather was bad, and
such of the ships as were not destroyed were obliged to
put back.
7. Canute was a little man, but strong of body, and
exceeding wise and crafty, so that no man knew his real
mmd. He was very good to strangers, but Canute's
careful of his money, and not fond of useless ch^yter.
spending, for he was not willing to burden his people.
He was more loved by the English than by the Danes, for
he set Englishmen, and not Danes, as earls in England •
and he would not suffer the Danes to spoil England, as
they wished, but he ruled as an English king and not like
a foreign conqueror. He was fond of music and singing,
and made verses. One day while he was being rowed in
his barge to Ely he heard the song of the monks at their
service m the minster ringing across the water, so he
made a song : —
Merry the monks of Ely sing
As by them rows Canute the King-
Row, men, to the land more near,
That we these good monks' song may hear.
Other verses also he put to it ; and this song was held in
remembrance by the monks of Ely, for he was a good
friend to them and gave them many gifts.
He was a very godly man at the end of his reign.
It is told of him that one day he ordered his chair to be
set on the sand by the sea when it was low water.
When the tide began to rise he spoke to the sea and
forbade it to rise ; but the water rose till it washed round
his chair and wetted his feet and garments. Then he
96
Early England.
A.D. IO27-IO35.
arose and said to those that were with him, * Though
kings be mighty and rule wide realms yet will not thr
seas obey them ; therefore to God alone be honour ami
praise, for he rules all things, and the wind and the seas
obey Him.' This he did as an example, lest men shoiihl
honour man and forget God w^jo made them. And
never after that day would he wear his crown ; but he set
it on the head of the image of Jesus on the Cross that was
in the old church at Winchester.
Canute was very fond of hunting, and made laws
that no man should hunt in the lands which were under
the care of the king.
8. Canute kept a great many men always about him,
like a little army, and men came from all the North lands
Canute's f° '^^'^ '" ^'^ guards, SO that there were not
guards and in all the world at that time such soldiers as
pnests. jj^^y j^^ m^At. rules for them also that
all things might be done in order ; and it was by help
of this guard that he was able to do such great deeds in
war. He sent to Denmark many English priests, who
taught his own people several English customs which he
thought would be useful to them ; for the English were
not so rude a folk as the Danes were.
CHAPTER IV.
HAROLD-HAREFOOT AND HARDI-CANUTE.
A.D. 1035- 1042.
I. Canute had two other sons besides Hardi-Canute,
Harold, called Harefoot for his swiftness, and Sweyn; but
Canute's Emma was not their mother. He divided his
*^- kingdoms among the three. To Sweyn he
gave Norway, and to Hardi-Canute, Denmark, but he
gave England to Harold. Wlien Canute was dead it
027-1035.
* Though
II not thr
mour and
I the se.is
311 shoiihl
m. And
)ut he set
that was
ade laws
;re under
)Out him,
rth lands
were not
>ldiers as
ilso that
by help
deeds in
;sts, who
vhich he
ish were
-Canute,
eyn; but
ided his
veyn he
but he
dead it
A. 0.10315-1040. Harold Barefoot, &c. 97
was not at all sure what men would do ; for Godwin and
Emma and the English in the South were for Hardi
Canute ; but the men of the North and Leofric and the
seamen of London, who were most of them Danes, would
have Harold for their king, as Canute had wished. It
was settled at last, by Leofric's advice, that Harold should
rule m the North, and Hardi-Canute in the South. But
Hardi-Canute stayed in Denmark, and his mother and
Godwm ruled for him in England.
2. Next year, 1036, Alfred and Edward the Ethelings
sons of Ethelred, came to England out of Normandy, and
a train of Normans with them. It is not cer- The death
tain why they came, for their mother loved of Alfred.
Hardi-Canute rather than them. Some say it was to gain
the kingdom of the south part of England, as Hardi-
Canute was away. But Godwin stopped them, and Alfred
was seized by some men of Harold, who blinded him
and brought him to Ely, where he died ; and his men
they slew cruelly with torments. But his mother sent
Edward back to Normandy. It was said that both God-
win and Emma had a hand in this evil deed, though it
was done by Harold's men. And there was a song made
about It which says no darker deed had been done in
England since the Danes came.
3- At last men grew weary of waiting for Hardi-
Canute and his mother was not much liked; so the South
English also chose Harold as their king, and
drove Emma out of England. She went to baniXd.
Flanders, where Baldwin ruled,and he received ''°- "37-
her kindly, and thither came her son Hardi-Canute to
visit her. Not long after this Harold died (1040), and
the great men of England sent messengers to Flanders
to pray Hardi-Canute to come and reign over them; and
he came over, and was crowned king; and he brought his
mother back with him.
E. H. H
II
II
98
Early England.
A. D. 1040.
1
4. Hardi-Canute did not reign long. He was a very
btem king, and not much liked. He ordered the body ol
his brother to be dug up and cast out into a
Canute. fen, that he might dishonour it as much as he
A.D. 1040. could. A heavy tax was laid upon England to
pay for the Danes of the fleet which he brought with him.
At that time Godwin was accused of having caused
the death of Alfred the Etheling ; but he denied it on
oath, and most of the great men took an oath that they
believed him guiltless. So nothing was done to him ; and
he gave the king a great ship as a gift, that he might not
bear any anger against him. It was beautifully painted
and gilt ; in it were eighty soldiers, clothed in red, with
gold rings on their arms and gilt helmets on their heads,
and on one shoulder they bore a Danish axe (for the
Danes at that time used to fight with great axes, which
they wielded with both hands), and in their right hand a
spear of iron. Round about the ship were laid their
shields, painted and gilt. This was the finest ship that
had been seen in England since the ship that Harold
Fairhair sent to Eth^lstan.
The king sent his guard to gather in the tax which
had been laid upon England; but the people at Worcester
rose against them and slew two of them. When the
king heard it he was very angry, and bade Godwin and
Leofric and Siward, the Danish earl of the North, for earl
Eric was now dead, ravage Worcester. So they burnt
the city; but they let the people go.
Soon after this Hardi-Canute sent for his half-brother
Edward to come to England to live with him and his
mother, and he came over.
One day king Hardi-Canute went to the wedding
feast of one of his great men, and while he was standing
up to drink he was seized with an illness and fell to the
earth and never spoke word more.
A. D. 1040.
was a very
the body ot
t out into a
much as he
England to
It with him.
'ing caused
enied it on
h that they
him ; and
e might not
illy painted
n red, with
:heir heads,
xe (for the
ixes, which
ight hand a
laid their
t ship that
lat Harold
tax which
Worcester
When the
rodwin and
rth, for earl
they burnt
lalf-brother
m and his
e wedding
IS standing
[ fell to the
A.D. 1042 Harold Harefoot, &c.
99
He was a king of whom we know very little, and not
much good. Neither he nor his brother Harold left any
children.
BOOK VIII.
7ffE TWO LAST OLD-ENGLISH KINGS,
CHAPTER I.
EDWARD THE CONFESSOR.— A.D. l042-!o66.
t. When Hardi-Canute died, Edward, his half-brother,
was chosen king. This was chiefly done by the help of
Godwin and his men ; for some would have
had Sweyn, king of Denmark, cousin of fimy^'^of
Hardi-Canute, as king. Many of those who '"'*•
had been against Edward were outlawed when he be-
came king. Edward took away a good part of his mother
Emma's riches because she had not helped him in his
need; but he suffered her to live quietly at Winchester.
In 1045 Edward married Edith Godwin's daughter,
and thus bound himself closer to the house of Godwin.
At this time the three greatest men in England were
Godwin, Leofric, and Siward the Big, the earl of North-
umberland ; and they ruled all England under the king.
But Edward did not long remain friendly to the house of
Godwin ; for he was too fond of foreigners, and especially
of the Normans, and from this arose great trouble after-
wards.
There was now reigning in Norway king Magnus,
w.iv nati LTccii a iiiciiu ui nardi-v^anuie. They two
had agreed that whichever of them died first the other
should h^ve his kingdom. When Magnus got neither
If 3
r
rot)
Early England. a. d. lo ta- 1046.
Earl
Sweyn's
outlawry.
Denmark nor Englancf he was angry and gathered a
great fleet to come to England ; but Sweyn, the Danish
king, stopped him ; so the English fleet which Edward
had summoned had nothing to do,
2. Godwin had many children ; and of these the two
eldest, Sweyn and Harold, were now earls in England,
Harold over the East English, and Sweyn
over the West border over against the Welsh.
Sweyn kept his earldom well, and defeated
the Welsh when they attacked the English ; but in 1046
he took the abbess of Leominster away from her abbey
and wished to marry her. This shocked people very
much, because it was against the laws of the Church ; so
he was forced to leave England and went off to Flanders,
and his earldom was given to Harold his brother, and to
his cousin Biorn or Bear, brother of Sweyn, king of Den-
mark, who had had an earldom in the middle of England.
After he had been away but a little while he came home
and prayed the king to forgive him and give him back
his earldom. But Harold and Biorn would not give
up the rule of it to him, so the king would not let him
stay in England. Then Sweyn enticed Biorn to come
on board his ship and go with him to plead for him
to the king. But when Biorn was on board he slew him.
For this evil deed Sweyn was outlawed by all the people,
and most of his friends forsook him. And Harold had
Biorn buried in great honour. But Sweyn ':pp:t;ed of
the treacherous deed that he had done in his VvTa b, .md
the good bishop Eldred prayed the king and ;iie »> ise
Men to forgive him, so he was inlawed, and his earldom
was given back to him.
3. Now, Sweyn king of Denmark and king Edward
X-ngSweirn were friends; for they were related through
' "»c*.j laiik. ^|jg house of Godwin, and Sweyn had helped
E«. 78"? against Magnus ; but king Magnus gathered
gathered a
, the Danish
lich Edward
bese the two
in England,
and Sweyn
5t the Welsh,
tnd defeated
; but in 1046
11 her abbey
people very
Church ; so
to Flanders,
other, and to
king of Den-
I of England.
came home
vre him back
lid not give
not let him
)m to come
Bad for him
he slew him.
1 the people,
Harold had
T?pe- led of
s vr'A h, .md
iid the v^-'ise
his earldom
:ing Edward
Lted through
1 had helped
us gathered
A. a 1046-1050. Edward the Confessor, iqi
another great host against Sweyn, so that he wm hard put
to It to hold his own. So he sent to pray Edwa«i to help
him. Godwm spoke for his kinsmen, and would have fifty
ships sent ; b-it Leofric and most of the Wise Men were
aj; unsr thi.s. So no help was sent to Sweyii ; but when
Henry, the Emperor, quarrelled with Baldwin of Flanders
the English sent him help. Sweyn was driven from his
kingdom ; but Magnus died not long after, and his uncle
Harold Hardrada (the stern of counsel), who had reigned
with him part of his reign, reigned alone in his stead.
Then Sweyn soon got back his kingdom.
4- In Wales about this time there were two great
kings called Griffith, who were nearly always fighting
against each other and against the English. weUh^d
wnue Sweyn Godwin's son was away, the E'dred.
South V^elsh king joined the fleet of the Danish sea-
rovers and made a raid into England. But Eldred
gathered together against them all the men who dwelt on
the border ; but the Welsh that were with him turned
upon him and joined their brethren when the battle
began, and he was defeated and most of his men slain.
5. In 1050, Edward made Robert,, a Norman monk
archbishop of Canterbury. He had before been bishop
of London. He was a great foe to Godwin ™,
and his house, so that he filled the ears of the foreigners
king with stories against them. By his advice codwfn*"'*'
many Normans were set in bishoprics and outlawed,
high places in England. They did no good, but built
castles and strongholds, that they might be safe against
any attack from the English, and could oppress them as
they would.
One day the king's brother-in-law Eustace, who was
a Frenchman, had been to see the king, and was riding
back to the sea to pass over to his own earldom of
Boulogne. When he and his men came to Dover
3P^.
i
102
Early England.
A.U. 105a
m '
they behaved lawlessly and wished to make the towns-
men lodge> them where they would. And one of them
struck a townsman. Then a fight began, and many were
slain on either side ; but at last the men of Dover drove
them out of the town. Then Eustace rode back to the
king and complained of the Dover folk, and told the story
his own way. The king was very angry, and bade God-
win the earl go and punish them. But Godwin said he
would not till they also had been heard, and he told the
king that the Frenchmen ought to be punished. Then
the kmg sent for Leofric and Siward ; and Godwin sum-
moned his folk, and it was like to have come to a battle
between the two armies. But Leofric thought it better
that the Wise Men should be called together to settle the
matter. When the Wise Men met they outlawed Sweyn
again, and called Godwin and Harold, his son, to come
alone before them; but they would not come unless safe-
conducts were given them. So the Wise Men outlawed
Godwin and his kin. Then Godwin, Sweyn, and Gurth,
his sons, went to Flanders, where Tostig, another son of
his, had just been married to Judith, Baldwin's daughter.
But Harold went to Ireland, to Dermot, king of Leinster,
a great friend of the house of Godwin. And Edward sent
his wife, Godwin's daughter, into a nunnery, and Harold's
earldom he gave to Elfgar Leofric's son.
6. While Godwin was away William duke of Nor-
mandy came to visit Edward in England, and the king,
William f ^^° ^^^ childless, is said then to have pro-
Normandy mised him the kingdom at his death. This
"> ng and. wjiijam came to the dukedom when he was
but seven years old, after his father Robert who died
while he was away on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He had
hard work to keen his dukedom when he was vounf for
the Norman nobles were very proud and restless, and
looked down on him because his mother was the daughter
A.V, lO$0.
; the towns-
me of them
1 many were
Dover drove
back to the
jld the story
I bade God-
[win said he
he told the
ihed. Then
iodwin sum-
e to a battle
?ht it better
to settle the
iwed Sweyn
ion, to come
unless safe-
en outlawed
, and Gurth,
)ther son of
l's daughter,
of Leinster,
lldward sent
nd Harold's
ke of Nor-
id the king,
) have pro-
eath. This
hen he was
t who died
n. He had
5 vnnncr. for
- J 07
estless, and
tie daughter
A. D. 1 050. Edward the Confessor. 1 03
of a tanner. And when he grew older, his neighbour
the king of France coveted his duchy, though at first he
had helped him, because he thought he could do as he
liked seeing that William was so young. But by his great
skill and bravery he had overcome all his foes, and was now
one of the greatest men of the age. He was very tall and
strong, and a strict but just ruler, who had the gift of
choosing good men for his servants, unlike Edward in
this. He was very good to the Church, and built splen-
did minsters. But he was very stern, and when he wished
anything he would have it, and recked of no man or thing
that stood in his way. He was very fond of hunting, and
passed as much of his time as he could spare in that
sport. He was a great archer, and his bow few men but
he could bend. In this taste Edward was like him ;
for though he was a pious man he thought more of hunt-
ing than anything else but the Church.
7. Things went ill while Godwin was away. Griffith
of North Wales broke into England and did much
damage ; and Harold ravaged the South coast, q^^^-^
At last Godwin and Harold gathered a great inkwed
fleet and sailed to London ; and the king gathered all the
men he could against them. But Stigand proposed as
before that the Wise Men should judge between them.
They inlawed Godwin and his kin, and the queen was
taken back by the king. But Robert the Norman and the
Frenchmen, whom Edward loved, took horse when they
heard this news and rode through London, cutting and
hewing at all in their way tiU they got to the river ; then
they took ship and went to Normandy. Stigand was
made archbishop in Robert's room, for he was a great
friend of Godwin. But Robert was very angry at this,
uiid never ceased complaining to the Pope and the
duke and the princes abroad of the loss which he had
suffered. And as he told the story his own way many
104
Early England.
A.n. 1053-1053
thought the Enghsh had done wrong and that they were
impious folk.
8. Soon after this, in 1053, it is said that Godwin was
sitting at meat with the king, and the king was being
served by Harold and Tostig, Godwin's sons. One of
them slipped, and the other helped him. Then said
Godwin, < So brother helps brother.' But the king said,
Godwin's * My brother would have helped me hadst thou
death. not slain him.' And Godwin said, ' If I slew
thy brother or had a hand in his death may this piece of
bread choke me.' Then he broke a piece of bread and put
it in his mouth, but it stuck in his throat and choked him,
and he fell down and never spoke again. And all men
marvelled that the words which he had spoken were ful-
filled. Then the king bade them cast his body out like a
dog's for his false oath and his evil deed. But this story
is told by the Normans, who hated Godwin, and it is not
likely to be true. The English mourned greatly for Godwin,
for he upheld England and did right while he ruled, and
advised the king well ; and he hated the foreigners, whom
they also hated. Now that he was dead all men's eyes
were turned to Harold, and he was made earl of Wessex
after his father, and had the greatest power all Edward's
days, so that no man did anything against his will, and
he advised the king well.
9. In those days Macbeth slew king Duncan and
became king of all Scotland in his place. But Duncan's
kin went to Siward the Big, who received them well, and
fought for Malcolm against Macbeth. In the end Mac-
beth was slain, and Malcolm Big-head became king of
Scotland. In 1055 Siward died. When he felt that his
death was near he arose from his bed and called for his
coat of mail, and nut it on. and ^ncXc Viic cwr,fri ir, 1,;^
hand, and died so, sitting in his chair ; for he said he
would not die like a cow, but like a soldier in mail His
I053-I055
they were
Godwin was
was being
s. One of
Then said
king said,
hadst thou
* If I slew
is piece of
ad and put
loked him,
nd all men
1 were ful-
^ out like a
t this story
td it is not
3r Godwin,
ruled, and
lers, whom
nen's eyes
of Wessex
I Edward's
s will, and
ncan and
Duncan's
I well, and
end Mac-
le king of
ilt that his
led for his
'I »-t ill liu
e said he
nail His
A.I). 1055-1063. Edward the Confessor, 105
earldom was given to Tostig Godwin's son, for Waltheof
the Big, Siward's son, was as yet a child.
10. About this time earl Elfgar, son of Leofric, was
twice outlawed, and twice he got the Welsh king to join
him in attacking England. But peace was made by his
father, who soon after died ; and Griffith, king of Wales,
married Elfgar's daughter Edith. Earl Harold
was at this time on a pilgrimage to Rome. ^' ^*'****
And now Edward, son of Edmund Ironside, and his
children came home to England. But he died soon after
he landed, and his children were brought up by the king.
In 1063 there was a great war with Griffith, the Welsh
king, who was now king of all Wales, for he would not
keep the peace, but plundered the English border ; so
Harold and Tostig went against him with a fleet and an
army. At last they beat him, and he bowed to the Eng-
lish king. But his own folk slew him soon after because
of the trouble he had brought upon them. His head and
the prow of his ship were sent to king Edward ; and his
realm was given to his brothers, and they swore to be
faithful to the English king.
11. About this time Harold was out in a ship with his
brother, and was driven to the coast of France. The
earl of the place where he was wrecked put
him in prison. But William, the Norman DiTewU
duke, made the earl set Harold free, and ''»"»'* co"".
brought him to his court. There he stayed some while
and helped William in his war against the people of
Brittany. And William made him swear that he would
help him to be king of England when Edward died, and
Harold had to swear this, for he was in William's power.
12. Soon Tostig and the Northumbrians fell out, foi
they were a very wild and lawless folk, and Earl Tostig
Tostig was over-stern, and at last slew some outlawed.
of them at a feast to which he bade them. So the men 0^
106 Early England. a. d. 1063-1066.
Northumberland chose Morcar Elfgar's son to be their earl
m Tostig's stead. Then Tostig went to king Edward, to
pray for his help: for Edward and Edith loved him best ot
all the houseof Godwin. AndEdwin,Morcar's brother, who
had succeeded his father Elfgar in his earldom, brought
an arrny of Marchmen and Welshmen to help Morcar
Harold tried to make peace, and get the Northumber-
land men who had marched South to take back Tostig-
but they would not. When the Wise Men judged the
matter they outlawed Tostig; and he went away to Bald-
win, his father-in-law ; but Edward was very wroth at this.
13- In 1066 Edward died, and he was buried in West-
Edward's minster Abbey, which he had built. And all
*''=*'*»• men held him a saint, and he was called Con^
fessor for his zeal for the Church.
Edward was a handsome man and of goodly presence;
his hair and his beard were white as snow. He was very
pious, and did his best to rule weU, and in his days
England was mighty and at peace from foreign foes. But
he was weak and often took bad advice ; he was quick-
tempered also, and through this sometimes unjust. But
men loved his memory, for they remembered the good
days when he was a king in the evil days that feU on
England after his death.
CHAPTER II.
HAROLD GODWIN'S SON.— A.D. I066.
I. Before Edward died he advised the Wise Men to
choose Harold king after him, and they did so, and Eldred
Hajjoldand archbishop of York, crowned him king. Soon
' "^ after he married Griffith's widow, the sister of
Edwin and Morcar. When William heard all this he was so
imgry that he could hardly speak, for he remembered th«?
o63-io66.
their earl
dward, to
m best ot
ther,who
, brought
' Morcar.
thumber-
Ic Tostig;
dged the
to Bald-
li at this,
in West-
And all
led Con-
resence;
ivas very
lis days
»es. But
s quick-
st. But
he good
X fell on
A. D. 1066.
Harold Godwin's Son,
107
Men to
[ Eldred
<;. Soon
sister of
e was so
;red th?
promise of king Edward and the oath that Harold had
sworn. And he determined to be king of England and
thrust Harold out. So he persuaded his nobles to join
him ; and he fitted out a large fleet and hired soldiers from
all parts till he had a large army. And he sent to the
Pope and told him how Harold had broken his oaths.
Also, he promised the Pope great gifts and much gold when
he became king of England, if he would bless his enter-
prise. The Pope, hearing these things and the complaints
of Robert, and all the evil stories that the Normans told
of the English and the house of Godwin, blessed Wil-
liam's undertaking and sent him a holy banner.
Harold, also, gathered a large fleet to defend England,
and it is said that the two fleets fought a battle, and that
the English drove the Normans back.
2. When Harold was made king, Tostig went to
William to ask help to get back his earldom, which
Tostig and
Harold would not give him. But William
would promise nothmg ; so he went or to the Kings of
king of Sweden and prayed him to try and Sd"^'''
conquer England, as his kinsman Canute had Norway.
done. But Sweyn said he had much ado to keep Den-
mark. Then Tostig went to Harold Hardrada, king of
Norway, and prayed him to try and conquer England,
which had been promised to his nephew Magnus.
Harold Hardrada at last consented ; though some of his
great men advised him not to try this great deed and
jeopard his life and kingdom ; for they said the guard of
Harold Godwin's son were the best soldiers in the world,
and that one of them was as good as any two other men.
3. King Harold Hardrada was a very famous warrior ;
he had fought by the side of his brother when he was
only fourteen, and was wounded in the great Harold
battle where he fell. He had passed a great Hardrada.
p^rt of his youth in Russia, where kings of Swedish bloo4
T
io8
£ar/y Englattd.
A, D. 1066.
m
then ruled. Afterwards he had gone into the service of
the Emperor of the East at Constantinople and had com-
manded his guards. He had been to Jerusalem also, and
fought with the heathen in the Mediterranean, and had
slain a great snake or crocodile. He was a very big man
and wise as well as brave ; and he was so strong and
active that there were few men his match. He was also
very rich, for he had brought great spoil from his sea-
rovmg; and he got great riches while he served the
Emperor of the East.
4. Harold, with a great fleet, set sail for the Orkneys,
and Tostig met him off Northumberland. They landed
at the Tyne-mouth, a mighty host. Then Edwin and
Morcar met them ; but Harold beat them in a fierce fight,
and the men of York then made peace with him.
But when Harold Godwin's son heard of this he
gathered his guard and such men as he could and
Stamford marched north up the Roman Way against
"**«*• his brother and the king of Norway. He
came on them unawares, as most of the Northmen were
at their ships, and those that were with the king and
Tostig had not their coats of mail on, for the day was very
hot. When the English host came in sight Tostig coun-
selled Harold to go back to the ships to the rest of the
army and fight the English there. But Harold Hard-
rada would not give way, but he sent messengers to
Eystein, his marshal, to bring up his men. Then he
rode through his host on a black horse and set his men
in array. As he rode his horse slipped and he fell ; but
he got up and said a verse from an old song, ' A fall is
lucky for a traveller.' But when Harold Godwin's son saw
him fall and knew who it was, he said, ' That is a big man
and fair of face, but his luck has left him.' Then he and
a few men with him rode between the two hosts up to the
Northmen's army, and called out, ' Is Tostig Godwin's
i
A. D. 1066. Harold Godwin's Son. 109
son here?' And Tostig came forth. Then he said, * Harold
offers Tostig peace and a third of his kingdom, for he
would not that brother should fight brother.' Tostig
answered, 'What shall be given to Harold of Norwav for
his journey hither.?' And Harold said, ' Seven feet of
English ground, or a foot over, for he is taller than other
men.' But Tostig answered, « It shall never be said that
Tostig left his friends in the lurch for the offers of his
foes, y/e will either win England by our swords or die
here like men.' Now, Harold Hardrada was by them
and heard ali that was said, and he asked who it was
that spoke so well. Tostig told him, ' It was my brother
Harold. Then said the king, ' If I had known this he
should not have gone back to tell of our folks' death.'
But Tostig said, * He did unwisely in this ; but I might
not betray my brother who offered me such great things-
and 1 would rather that he should slay me than I him
If one of us two must die.' Harold Hardrada said
to them that were with him, 'That was a little man, but
he sat well in his stirrups.' Then he put on his coat
of mail and took his sword in both hands, and stood in
tront of his banner, which was called Land Waster. And
the English fell upon the N^orthmen ; but they kept their
array till the fight waxed so fierce that they grew too
eager and broke their ranks. Then the English drove
them back to the River Derwent behind them, and they
fell back across the river as well as they could. And the
English pressed hard on them. But one Northman kept
the bridge against the English till most of his fellows
were across, and many Englishmen he slew, till one got
under the bridge and thrust up a spear through the
plank, and it struck him under the belt, and then he fell
When tne English got over the bridge, the Northmen
formed up again, and king Harold Hardrada went in
front of his host and fought so fiercely that no man
no
Early England,
/v.r>.!066.
could stand before him, for he slew all that he could
strike at. At last an arrow hit him in the throat over his
mail coat, and that was his death-wound. Then Tostig
went up to the banner in his place. Harold Godwin's son
again offered his brother peace and quarter to the North-
men. But they all cried out, * We will take no peac^ from
the English, but rather fall one man over another where
we stand.' And now Eystein came tip from the ships
and the fiercest fight began, and the English were hard
put to it, till the Northmen grew so wroth that they threw
down their shields and fought like madmen. But the
English kept cool and fought on warily; and at last when
Tostig and the chief men were slain the Northmen gave
way and fled to their ships. And it was now evening.
Next day Harold Godwin's son made peace with Harold's
sons. Then they put to sea and went back home. And
Harold king of England went to York and kept a feast
there.
5. Four days after this battle William landed with all
his hosf at Pevensey, for the English fleet was up North
William's with Harold. He set up a castle of wood
landing. ^j. Hastings and ravaged the land all round.
When news of this was brought to Harold, he marched
South to London with his guard, bidding Edwin and
Morcar gather their men and follow him. But they held
back ; for they thought that if Harold was slain they
would share England with William. Then Harold
gathered the men of Kent and of London and many
country folk, and marched from London to Senlac, near
Hastings, and lay on the hill there by a hoar apple-tree.
There were with him Gurth and Leofwin, his brothers, and
most of his kin. Gurth begged Harold to lay waste the
laTiu.. Lxiat. TT iiiiciTn. TTii^xxt not 3d. xOOvt Of iTtcircn on^ riivi.
then go back himself to London and gather forces there
and leave him to fight William, instead of Harold, because
A. D. 1066. Harold Godwin's Son. 1 1 1
I was made king to cherish this folk ; how shall I lav
waste th. land of their. ? Nor does it' befit an Engl h'
king to turn from his fo-.s. But thy advice is wise.'
below A^ndh^r/'^ ^" "^'" ^^y'" '^' °P«" 1-nd
below. And both hosts made ready for the fight that
was to be fought on the morrow. The Eng! T 7
lish spent the night watching by their fires hS^ .
singing merrily, and eating and drinking. The Normms
did not feast; but Odo, bishop of Bayeux, wZm"
brother, went through the host praying with i\^eZn
On the morrow both hosts were set in array LToTd
had made a strong pale of stakes along the front of h^
line, and m the centre, by his two standards ( he go^^^^^^^
dragon of England, and Lis own with the image of a
fighting man on it) he set his guard and the men of Kent
and London. They were all armed in coats of ma I and
had great two-handed axes and broadswords andXel!^s
But at the back and sides of the hill he put his worsf o '
diers and the country folk, who were ill-Led with darts
and s^^ngs and clubs. The English all fought on foot a
was the custom in the North. Harold bade\is men kiep
he pale and drive off their enemies r but he told them no?
to leave their posts, or the Normans would get insTdTand
drive them off the hill. ^ ^^
William set his men in order also. In the midst he
and his brother were with the Norman kn ghtra on
horseback clad in coats of mail, with long Sn heTr
hands, and broadswords by their sides; there too was the
banner which the Pope had hallowed. In front wl^ h!
archers of whom he had a great many? but hTyw^re
".,^1^ ^^^ r'^h^ he put the French kniehLrh"
we.c .vi.h him, and on the left the men of Brittany • fo'r
he was over-lord of Brittany. The first man that b^ean
the attack was a Norman minstrel, who roae up aS
112
Early England.
A. D. 1066.
the English, throwing up his sword and catching it, and
singing a war-song of Charles the Great Emperor's mighty
deeds. He slew two Englishmen who came forth against
him before he was slain himself. Then the battle was
joined. The Normans charged up against the English;
but the English kept the pale and cut do^vn man and
horse with their great axes. In vain the Normans
tned twice over to break their line. Then they began to
give back, and men cried out that William was slain ; but
he threw ofif his helmet, that all might know him and cried.
I live, and will yet win the day by God's help.' And he
and his brother Odo again got their men in array and
charged again up the hill William and Odo fought ever
foremost, and at last they got close up to the English
standards. Gurth threw a spear at William, which missed
him and slew his horse. But William slew C-nrth with
his sword ; there fell also Leofwin, his brother, and many
Normans and English. But the Normans got on best on
the right, for there they broke down the pale.
Then William, to make the English leave their post,
ordered his men to pretend to flee. And when the Eng-
lish saw them turn they disobeyed Harold and rushed
down after them, leaving the hill bare. Then the Normans
Tu u n '"""^^ ^^^"^ •" ^^^ °P«" field and pressed on
to the hiU-top, where Harold and his guard were nearly
alone; but though they were now fighting on level ground
Aey could not drive back Harold and his guards. So
William ordered his archers to shoot up into the air, that
the arrows might fall upon the English; for they could not
use their shields, as they had both hands to their : .es
One arrow struck Harold in the eye, and he fell dying ai
the foot of his standard. Then the Normans made a last
rush, beat off the English and broke down the stan-
dards anu Eustace and three other knights slew Harold
as He lay on the ground and mangled his body. But the
A.D. io66.
ling it, and
or's mighty
>rth against
battle was
le English;
J man and
Normans
■y began to
slain ; but
I and cried,
.' And he
array and
ought ever
e English
ich missed
-urth with
and many
on best on
their post,
the Eng-
nd rushed
Normans
)ressed on
ere nearly
-^el ground
ards. So
e air, that
could not
heir i ..es.
1 dying at
ade a last
the stan-
w Harold
But the
A-a 1066. //aro/r^ Godwin's Son.
"3
English drew off Hehtinp- fo fKo i .
Nolans ehat follow^Them wer, si l^f T' "' ""
on them in a swamnv ni7. V , ' '°'' "''>' '"■'ned
no use. ^^ ^^'"'' "*«■•' ">"■• horses were of
aUx'ed.here:,/Sr,rr.%''a;Ve're1k„^"<' "'' "-
it her. But S "^°^ '°'' 1"= "^dy he would not give
dead by an ErglishTdXl^h'f ' "."'■"'''■='•' °'
Harold had dearly ,oved-h- bal thi' K ""''' ""'•"■
stone-heap on !he cliffs, for he said .H.^ "v"""" "
weU while he lived- let him T ' * '"'P' 'he shore
c 1-1. ° ^°- '" him keep It now he is dcaH ■
Etheling, Edmund Vro^sfdefsfol' h'"" "' ^^^'^^ '
have made king, was S old """° "°""
even^if they c<^W havt-trourwTar"^" '" ""-
shor^:eirHewr/v^;"1:-tr "f '■"''"« -'»
When anything was to hJ^ x? "' ^"^^ "^^^r rested
and the way in which hi ^?. a . °'' ^'' ^°°d ^"^e
them into pelce But i^k 7u'" ^"^^^ ^'^^ ^^''ced
well with thTSurctfo \?di'^^^^^^^^ ^'^T ^" °"
priests and bishops, Ld did no f! T^' ^°''^'^"
shows what a good mler th. F r k ' '^^ '"°"^^- ^^
him that they ^de him k t tf "\T^^ ^^^^ ^^-^^^
royal bloodof the En^sh kTn;;i°"i'4^ ^
whom men worshioDerf in :" -°-, ""•;^i^^"^irom Woden.
kin to the Danish k^ts '" ''^^' '"^ °"^^ ^^
'
i't
114 Early England, book vrn.
:hapter in.
CHANGES IN ENGLAND.
I. The battle of Hastings, though it only made
William ruler at first over part of England, yet by the
Kd '^°'" ^^^^^ ^^ Harold really gave him his crown.
Harold's Though parts of England held out against
death. him for years, yet in the end he brought it
all under him. The battle of Hastings was not a battle
that the English need be ashamed of, for they fought
steadfastly r and if Harold hadonly lived no doubt William's
army would have been too weak to stand against the fresh
English levies which he could have brought up. Now,
too, the English had no great leader, for no other English-
man was as good a commander as Harold. If Harold
had lived the English would have had some centre
to rally round ; but as it was each man looked to his
own interest. The Northmen stood by Edwin and Mor-
car, the South English wished for Edgar Etheling, and
the East English would fain have had a Danish king.
It was this want of union, and no want of bravery, that
overcame them.
2. For though the great English kings had brought
the smaller kingdoms under their power, yet it was the
Fate of the foreign kings, and William most of all, that
doras!^"^'' ^^^^ England one. Even Canute founded
the power of the great families whose quarrels
still kept the different parts of the country separate
during Edward's reign. But with Harold the power of
Godwin's sons fell. Edwin r.nd Morcar were forced
to submit ; and Waltheof Siward's son was still very
young. So that William, taking care to prevent the rise
of any new families which might get a like power, at last
made England completely one. Really the whole history
BOOK vrn.
CHAP. III.
only made
yet by the
his crown.
»ut against
brought it
lot a battle
hey fought
)t William's
St the fresh
up. Now,
er English-
If Harold
)me centre
ked to his
I and Mor-
tieling, and
inish king.
avery, that
id brought
it was the
3f all, that
e founded
5e quarrels
y separate
i power of
tre forced
still very
nt the rise
ver, at last
ole history
of
the
England, ^
Norman Conques
Changes in England.
"5
lays when it became Christian
It, is the story of
till
struggU
, . .. „.,^i ,ve nave tried to trace.
only bTairinlV'"^ ''''' ''"^'*'"^' ^^""^^ b<^ -e ; for
could tL Engl'shmen standing and working toge her
^^^^:::^:^:r' '-- '-^ '- - ^-"-^
.fJ: T^t-^"^"''' ^^^ ^^^" gradually getting from a
fre y:niX'sh"''^' ""^ "^^" ^'^^^-^ -"'-^
n?cc K y ^"^ managed its own busi-
ness by Itself to what is called a feudal ^«"^»'"'"-
of^Thorhl f r;\.^T^ "^- -^ -^- some lord
Of whom he held h.s land, and the lords were under
1 ;"\°^. ^^^'^ '^^y ^'^^ *h«'"» on condidon "ha[
hey fought for him and helped him in every way As fhe
or^s grew powerful they became unjust iroppted
1 comXn'tate j'', ^'"^"^ People gradually^f^lH^o
many evU Bu^ w ,r 7 '" '^' ^°^^^' "^ich caused
many evils. But William knew the mischief of this and
did his best to stop it in England, by keeping up he older
English laws. Thus he ordered that ev«>rv nZ
whose man he was, should swea to o^Tthe kinrT
the feudal lords held that if they made w'ar on th'e ^Z
all their servants must fight in their lords' quarre though
woL ."r ;'' '^"^'^ ^"'J^^^^' b"^ this'king C"am
and h "f .K^r^' t"^ '" '""^^ ^" ^'^ ---^ to obey ^m
and be faithful to him whosever lord's they were
wJ ^"f "J,"""^ °*^^' S:ood which the coming of
WiUiam did, will be told in the story of his reign ^
4. We have brought the History of England and rh^
Enghsh folk do™ through .ix hu/dred yet"' And we
see that our forefathers were very like the
i^nglisn of tO-daV. ThAro ,«o» jU- i-_ j ,., England
the squire and rich folk of to-dry; a^dThe'yeo! ^^^
man, lie our former ; and the thralls and landless men.
I a
ii6
Early England.
BOOK VIII.
like our labourers and workmen. There were traders too,
for the English under their later kings began to go abroad
much more and trade with other lands.
The cities, also, by the time of the Norman Con-
quest were filled with folk; for the English as they
became less rude began to live in towns, and to trade
more with foreign countries. Moreover, the coming of the
Danes and the great empire of Canute on the coasts of
the North Sea had brought the English to take more to
the sea and a seafaring life, which they had given over a
good deal when they came ar d settled in England. The
Danes who settled here were great sailors, and at London
there were ihany of them, so that it soon became the
mightiest city in England.
There were parish priests in every village, and besides
these there were many houses of monks; so that the
Christian religion had quite as much power as it has
to-day, and perhaps more.
But the great change that took place during the time
we have written of is, that the Englishman became the
citizen of a great nation instead of merely the member of
a tribe ; that he learnt to care not only for the welfare of
his family and his tribe but for the good of the whole
state and of every other Englishman.
\
To finish, we see in this part of English History, as
in all times afterwards, that all the real good work that was
done lasted, and brought good with it ; and that good men,
though they often fared ill in their lives and died evil
deaths, yet did not die in vain. For others took courage
by their example and carried on the work they had been
forced to leave unfinished. We see too that every evil
deed bore its fruit in hindering the good and lessening
BOOK VIII.
;raders too,
go abroad
man Con-
sh as they
d to trade
ling of the
e coasts of
ke more to
ven over a
and. The
at London
ecame the
c«Ai». m. Changes in England. hh
the happiness of men. But when the wicked died their
names were held in hate and their deeds were loathed •
TnH ?K ^"""^^ ^^^^^ °^ '^" "S^*^*^"^ ^ere held in honour,'
and their mistakes and sins were forgiven them by those
that hved after them, because they had done their best,
"trough good report and evil, through dark days and
dangers, for the good of their fellow-men.
nd besides
D that the
as it has
g the time
ecame the
nember of
welfare of
the whole
listory, as
k that was
good men,
died evil
tk courage
had been
every evil
lessening
I
Bi
Be
Be
Br
Br
Cai
Cai
119
INDEX OF PERSONS.
A.
Aid.
B.
Archbishop
Alderman
Bishop
C.
D.
£.
Count I Emp. = Emperor
Duke Eth. =EtheUng
Earl M. = Monk
P. -Priest
g. = Queen
= Saint
AGR
A GRICOLA, Julius, 9
■' ^ Aldan, S. 34
Alban, S. II, 47
Alcwin, 46
^''"=D, K. 43, S3, 55, 7,
, Jc,tn. 97
Alstan, B. 53
Arthur, K. 25
Asser, P. 61
Augustine, S. ap, 73
RALDER, God, 21
^ Baldwin I., C. <
Bede, P. 43 ' •
Benedict, P. 43
Bernred, K. Ms
97
-—...«„, »». „/arch. 45
Bertha. Q. Kent. 28
Bertnc, g West Saxons, 4s, 48
Bertnoth, Aid. 83 ' ^^' *°
Biom. E. 100
Birinus, P. 35
Boadicea (Bodug), Q. Icenians. 8
isoethius. 62
Brian, K. Ireland, 80
Bnce, S. 85
r;*mvALLA. K. Welsh. 34
^ Cadmon, 36
Cassar, Caius Julius, Emp. 5
Crnus Caligula, Emp. 7
Cakutk. R. 89, 90, 92, 96, 114
EDM
r^/''*!*'"' ^^J^dawg). K. Britons, 7
Cassivelaunus (Caswallawn). K. Bri-
tons, 6
Ceadwalla^K West Saxons, 39
Ceawlin K. West Saxons. 23
Ccawolf, K March. 47
J^^dic K. West Saxons, 23
<-nad. S. j5
Charles. Bald, Emp, 53, 58
Charles. Great, Emp. 46. 51, 70 112
Coifi, P. 33 *^ '
Colman. 6. Holy Island, 36
Constantme. Emp. n, 70
Cuthbert. S. 36
r^K'^'If'A ^'« Saxons. 3a
Cynhard, Eth. 44 ^
Cynwolf. K. West Saxoa% 44
£)ERMOT, K. Leinster. ,02
;r Druids, 4, 8
Dunstan, S. 72, 73, 74, 75, ^g, 8a
EDBURG.Q. West Saxons, 4.. 4»
J liiij. 113, 1x4
Edgif. Q West Franks, 68
Edith, Q. 99, ,05
— — , Swan s neck. 113
Edmund, S. K. East Eng. 54. fc
Edmund, K. 69, 73 • a* 'v
120
Index of Persons.
»l
m'
SDM
Edmund, Ironside, K. go, 03
Edrkd, K. 73, 76
Edric Streona. E. 85, 91
Edward, Elder, K. 66, 71, 78
Edward, Martyr, K. 78
Edward, Confessor, K. 99, ,06
Edward, Eth. 97
Edwin, K. Nonh. 3a. 53
, Eth. 70
— — , E. 106, 108. 114
Edwv, K. 74
Egbert, K. 47, 48, 68
Egfrith. K. North. 37
Eldgyth, Q. 90
Eldred, A. xoo, io6
Elfgar, E. 105
Elfcif, Q. 74
Eifheg, ti I;
Elfhelm, E. 86
Ejfhere. Aid. 80, 83 ^
Elfric, Aid. 83
Elfthrith, Q. 77, -8
E„MA(E.r,ir),d%l93.97,
Enc, K. North. 73
Ethdbald, K. March, 44
Ethelbald, K. 53. 61
tthelbert^ KL Kent, 20. 3,
r — . S. K. East EngUsh, 35
Ethelbert, K. 54
Ethelburg, Q, North. 32
~r',9- ."^est Saxons, 41
Ethelfled, 66
Ethelfrith, K. North. 31
Ethelred, K. 54, 67
ijrTHKLRED, Unready. K, 78. 89
Ethtired, Aid. 67
Ethelstan, K. Kent, 52
Ethelstan, K. 6q, 80. 08
Ethelwald, ^th, 66 '
Ethelwold, B. 75
Zr~' A- 77
Ethelwolf. K. 5x, 59
Eustace, C. lox, iia
Eysteb, xo8
99
pREY, God, 91
Fureey, M. ;
35
QALGACUS^ K. Cftledon. 10
, Yorick's son, K, East Eng. 66
OtA
Griffith, K. Welsh, loi
Grimbald, M., 6i
Gunhild, 85
Gunhild, Q. 93
Gurth, E. 101, no
Gytha, Q. viii. 9
1-1 ADRI ANUS, Emp. 10
„* ^Hakon, K. Norway, 70, /i
Halfdan, K. North. 54. 56
Harold Fairhair. K. Norway, 58, 70, 97
HAROLD Godwmson, K. lor, 106, 114
Hakold Harefoot, K. 96
Harold Hardrada, K. Norway, 107
Hardi-Canutb, K. 93, 96, 99
Hell, Goddess, ax
Hengist Aid. Kent, xs. x8, 93
Henry III. Emp. 93, loi
fiertha, Goddess, ax
Hild, S. 36
Horsa, Aid. Kent, xs, x8. 93
Hugh, 86
JNI, K. West Sajfons, 40, 44, 61
TAMES, K. Sweden, 99
J Judith, Q. 53
, xoa
•K_ENNETH.K. Scotland, 76
T EOF. 73
Leofnc, E. 93, 97, 9,
Lrsofwin, E. XX2
Lewis from-over-Sea. K. Ffanks.68
LJlla, 39
MACBETH. K. Scotland, 104
Ml ,^*^"5< K- Norway, xoa
Malcohp. K. Cumberland. 8«
— -, Bidjead, K. Scotland, to i
Morcar, E. xo6, xo8. 114
TVJERO. Emp. 7
^ ^ Ninian, S. 28
Odo, B. XXI
Index of Persons.
121
OLA
Olaf, K. Ireland, 7a
, Sigtric's son, K. North, ja
— — , K. Norway, 84
Orosius, 62
Osric, Aid. 45
Oswald, K. North. 34
- — , A. 79
Oswolf, A. 75
Oswy, K. North. 35
Otto, Emp. 68
pALLIG, E. 8s
•*■ Patrick, S. 28
Paullinus, S. 32
Penda, K. March. 34
Pope Gregory, S. 99, 6a
Pope Hadrian I. 47
Leo III. so
Leo IV. 53
John XIX. 04
Alexander if. 107
D AGNAR. Rough Breeks. K. Den-
*^ mark, 52, S4
Redwald, K. East English, 3a
Robert, Magnificent, D. 95
, A. loi
Rolf, Ganger, D. 59, 67
Ronwald,!:. s8
CEBERT, K. West Saxons, 44
•^ Severus, Emp. n
Sigric, A. 83
Sigtric, K. North. 68, 69, 73
Siward, Big, E. 98, 99
YOR
Stephen, S. K. Hungary, 93
Stigand, A. 94, 103
Suetonius Paullinus, 8
Sweyn, K. Denmark, 96, 99, 107
Sweyn, E. loi
SwEVN, Forkbeard, K. 88
'TACITUS. 9
J- Tew, God, 21
Theodore, A. 36, 42
Theodosius, Emp. 90
Thorkell, E. 87, 03
Thunder (Thor), God. ai
Tostig, E. 103, 107
IJTRED, E. 87
yALENTINIAN, Emp. 14
Vortigem (Gwerthigem), K. Bri
tons, 14, 18, 22
WALTHEOF, E. los. 114
^V Wilfrith, S. 36, 42
Willebrord, P. 42 *
William, Conqueror. 102, 106, 114
Wmfrith (Boniface), .4. 4»
Wise Men, 83, 91, 102, 106
Woden, 113
Wolfere, K. March. 37, 76
Wolf kettle. Aid. 86. 91
yORICK, K. East Eagliib. M
123
INDEX OF PLACES.
AKE
A KEN (Aachen), 50
1. Anglesey (Mona), 8, 32
Aries, 68 •*
Ashdown, Berks, 55
Assandun, Essex, 91, 94
Atheliiey, Somerset, 56
Auit, Gloucester, 30
BAM BOROUGH, 68
Bath a3
Bayeux, 24, m
Bnttany, 105, m
Bnuianburg, 69
CALAIS, 24
r- I- Canterbury, 3^ 4S
Carlisle, 38
Charmouth, 51
Chester, 31, 66, 76
Chichester (Regnum). 23
Clontarf, Ireland, 89
Colchester (CamulodunX 7. 8
Constantinople, 50, 108
Crowland, 37
Cuckhamsley, 86
r)AWSTON,«
*-^ Derwrent, R. T09
Dover, lox
Dublin, 54, 89
Durham, 87
Dyriiam, 23, 31
gDINBOROUGH. ,q
Edington, 57
Edmundsbury, 54, 89
iMiandune, 50
S'V' 95, 97
Exeter, 86
MM
PAROES, 49
t. Fife, 38
Five Burghs, 90
Flanders, 97, loi, iob
QAFULFORD, 51
y" Glastonbury, 79, 94
Greenwich, 87
fJASTINGS, no, 114
^ Hatfield, 34
Hengist's Down, 51
Holland, 16
Hungary, 9a
ICELAND, 40
^ Idle, R. 32
lona, iii. 2
Ireland, 54, 69 ; 89, io«
T ARROW, 43
J Jerusalem, 6t, lol
T EA. R.60
^- Leeds, as ,
Leicester, 24 '
Lichfield, 46
Liffey, R. 89
London, 8, 24, 84, no
LiOthians, 7^
Louvain (LoewcnX 59
MAINZ, 4a
Maldon, 83
Atterton, 4
il.
: ■
1^4
Index of Places.
NOft
NORMANDY. 59. 67. 85. 95. 97.
O^^LEA Surrey, 5,
Offa s Dyke, 45
Olney-on-Sevem, gi
Orkneys, 108
Oxford, 90
PARIS, s8
Peterborough, 76
Russifxo;' '' "' ^
C ALISBURY, 86
•^ Scilly Islands, 84
Se^K'.^' ''• '^' '^ '«*
Shaftesbury, r. 3 ; vi. 6
anerbome, 4c
Shrewsbury, 45
YOR
xo
Soissons, 29
Southampton, 90
Southern Islands, 76
Stamford Bridge, 108
yAUNTON, 41
Thanet 6, 93, 59, 76
Tyne, R. 108
y-ERULAM (S. Alban's), fl. 4,
^^75^ 88,",V' ''• ''■ ''' ''• ^
Watling Street, 56, 66
Wedmore, S7
Wells, 68
Western Islands (Hebadet), 49
Westmmster, xo6
Whitby, 36
Worcester, 98
Y°f^^,g'>o"«»«X K. 43, 4«k tfy.
HOW TO READ;
A DRILL BOOK
FOR CORRECT km EXPRESSIVE READING-
ADAPTED FOR THE USE OF SCHOOLS.
By Richard Lewis, Teacher of Elocution, Author of "Domin-
ion Elocutionist," dc.
PRICE 76 CENTS.
J. M. PLATT, M.D., P. S. Inspector. Picton. Ont
ever^nWduSSto ou?cl*'na"d1^'Schnr °l ^'^^Z^'^^* little book,
fail to have his senior cl"aLe?sCred'2ltr ?he worfa^rce!^'"*'" "^
J MORRISON. M A.. M.D.. ^M. High School. Newmarket.
JOHN SHAW. Head Master High School. Omemee.
R. N. RODGERS, Inspector of P. Schools. Collingwood
introduced i,I%'l?rysSoo'l°°V?!!rSv*'bS^ to every teacher. artO
better spent, than il SSg the^^e pSples it'^.alTL'"^ ^.
CS^rd^Sf -« ^^ ^'- '- a?t^iSS;,i'oftai^7&'
E. M. BIGG, M.A.
.»««*.■ ' ^ ^* '* ^^^^^ ^^ introduced into everv sohool
18 so MUCH NKBDKD IN OUR SCHOOLS AS SUCH A WORK.
NoTHiaa
JOim MACOUN. *^A Head Ma..«r of Albert College Grammar
School, Prof, of Botany. &c. "» " ««uj»r
. •• ■,: .',™?''* ""'^^^'ta*'ingly recommend Lkwib' How Tr>Tj.i« *^
of U every day. — ' '"'"' '"■" "■""" ^" '"6 U5«
J. MILLER, B.A.. H. M. High School, St. fhomM.
•eivi mori aJtemlo^:***" *'***•' *°**''^ ^ * '"^'^'"^ *»»* '^^^ «-
■
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
BY C. P. MASON, B.A., F.C.P.,
Fellow of University College, London
WlHH EXAMINATIOir PAPERS BY VV. HOUSTON, M.A.
PftlCE 75 C PINTS.
ALKX. SIM, M.A., H. M., H. S., OakWlIe.
the old^couily S^H^U'^thf h.r'^''^ ^ fiTamiaar school inspector in
niedlaeirseK mLo™ *^™"""*'" P"'>"«»>«d there. He ira-
A. P. KNIGHT. M.A.. H.M.. Kingston Collegiate institute
.chortrL^'^^e!^^-^^^^^^^^
J. KING, M.A., LL.D., Principal, Caledonia, H. S.
public ^ ^ ""^ ^"^""'^ grammar hitherto before the Canadian
RICHARD LEWIS, H. MTDufferin School Toronto.
excen^nt?^ hod?iS defiSon'. ^fT-.1 ^^"''H '' P<''"*^ »"d it«
the estimation of the best 1ud^P«nf^,n^* '""'l ^'^ Fu" "' ** * '^'«'^ ""^ in
the country It has rlphVn ^o , 8"<=h «rorks-the school teachers of
have no doubt it will rncetw^th^^^^^^^^^ '" ^"^^""^ ^"'^ ^
Province. ^' "^'*^ ^''^ «^^ ^'Sl^ appreciation in this
JOHN SHAW. H. M.. H. S., Omemee.
been hoping ^oTe'^nt'roTcJd 'iSn* ^""'^ ".I'^f ^ "''">' ^«=''«" have
teach the (subject by Sanation H^fTn'^r- "''^"''^ '^ '?«*h°'^ ^eing to
Without stereitypetrlTelrrrb^^^^^^^^
D. C. MacHENRY, B. a, H. M. Cobourg Col. Institute
t.rci!e;iardSaXiS"''' "^'•'- " ""' ^« -«" "-'-«* ''r
JOHN JOHNSTON. P. S. I.rB~elIevilIe and South Hastings.
Of all the grammars that I have seen, I consider Mason's toe best.
''■ ^hfv^?' f.^- "•''•' ««'^'"t«'-. High School, Newmarket.
»"« rieminsr notPino' more q«em« ♦^ h« HA«Tt«d
BEATTY & .i^ARE'S
BOOK-KEEPING;
A Trbatwr on Sinolk and Doublb Entrt Book-Kmpino.
FOR USE IN HIGH AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
By S G. Beatty, Principal Ontario Commercial College. Belle-
ville, and Samuel Clare, Book Keeping and Writing
Master, Normal School, Toronto.
PRICE 70 CENTS.
T. O. STEEL, Inspector, P. S. Co., Prescott.
WM. TASSEE. LL.D., H. M., Gait Col. Institute,
practickl t'hrouyut."""' """"'^ '' •^°"'"^^« ^^^A'"^'""' »"d ^^rj
J. W. CONNOR, B.A.. H. M., H. S.. Berlin.
I haVe yet' seJn.°"'**^"" " *''" ^""^ «'ementary work on the subject that
D. C. MCHENRY, M.A.. Principal Cobourg Collegiate Institute.
I consider Beatty & Clare's Bool<-keeping an excellent text bcok.
A; YOUNG, Principal of Berlin, C. S
.yer'Sw.'''°'*' "^ Book-keeping by Beatty & Clare is the best that I
JOHN WILSON, Math. Master, Port Hope H S
teachers ihrLghLf t1,e V'orc^'^f "oL'tu'aSL?. T ''""^^
thoroughness in the art of Book-keeping '"^"^^^'^ ^ *'""•
HUGH J. STRANG, B.A., H. M, H. S., Goderich.
., , --.., '**"•" '■"0 pi mcipica oi Book-Keepiiig,
J. S. CARSON, Inspector, Middlesex.
«votM.rUk7orTu';^gaanTch^or'"'^"^° *'^* '' '' '"^-^^ ^
Miikt & €0/0 (Ebui:ational ^ems.
LANGUAGE LESSONS
zc
R. DAWSON, B.A., T. C. D., Head Master High School. Belleville.
Ihave been very much pleased bj' the introduction of " Swinton'i
Languapo Lesson's," into the list of Canadian School Books. It is
dmplo, comprehensive, and reliable; and shows very clearly how easdy
the study of grammar may be made to go hand in hand with the prac-
tice of Composition, the great end for which grammar ought to be
taught. We have at last an elementary text book which may be en-
truat«d into the hands of the most inexperienced teacher without any
fear of its bsing abused.
JOHN JOHNSTON, P. S. I., South Hastings.
I have carefully examined "Swinton's Language Lessons," and am
convinced from what I have seen of it, and from what I have heard from
some of my most experienced teachers, that it is by far the best
Elementary text book on the subject that has yet been placed within
reach of our Canadian children. The simultaneous exercises in com-
position are an admirable feature. I shall recommend the book for use
in all the schools in my district.
m
J. M. PLATT, M,D., P. S. Inspector, Picton.
I am greatly pleased with this little work. Our best and most ex-
perienced teachers teach grammar to junior classes orally, after thf
same fashion. Young and inexperienced teachers can do as well with
" Language Lessons " as the oldest and best can do without it Foi
pupils Just entering upon this important branch, this little book in
question haa no superior in the market.
W. S. CLENDENJNG, Inspector East Bruce, Walkerton.
. . . With its valuab!" aid the teacher will fin^ it no difficult
task to make the study of lanj,'uage agreeable to even junior pupils. )
esteem it so highly that I will use my influence to get it into the handj
of every teacher in my district, and, if authorized, into every school
likewise.
ROBERT MATHESON, MA, H, M. High School, Walkerton.
. . . Language Lessons will assuredly prove a boon to teachen
of composition. 1 find that for teaching English Grammar it is superior
to the usual treatises, as it treats of Grammar in a practical manner.
C. MOSES, P. S. I., County Haldimand, Caledonia.
I have carefully examined Swinton's language Lessons for Junior
classes and consider it one of the best yet published, being admirably
adapted fur use in our public schools.
.