A history of England from the first invasion by the Romans (to the Revolution in 1688).

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Doman, 1844
 

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Page 311 - I am still alive, and with the help of God I still shall conquer ! ' The men-at-arms once more returned to attack the redoubts, but they were again repelled by the impregnable phalanx of the Saxons. The Duke now resorted to the stratagem of ordering a thousand horse to advance, and then suddenly retreat, in the hope of drawing the enemy from his intrenchments.
Page 312 - He ordered a division of horse to flee : they were pursued ; and the temerity of the pursuers was punished with instant destruction. The same feint was tried with equal success in another part of the field. These losses might diminish the numbers of the English : but the main body obstinately maintained its position ; and bade defiance to every effort of the Normans *. During the engagement William had given the most signal proofs of personal bravery. Three horses had been killed under him ; and...
Page 316 - By the lord," said the inferior, placing his hands between those of his chief, " I promise to be faithful and true ; to love all that thou lovest, and shun all that thou shunnrat, conformably to the laws of God and man ; and never in will or weald (power), in word or work, to do that which thou loathest, provided thou hold me as I mean to serve, and fulfil the conditions to which we agreed when I subjected myself to thee, and chose thy...
Page 313 - William, attracted by the cries of the combatants, was hastening to the place, he met Eustace of Boulogne and fifty knights fleeing with all their speed. He called on them to stop: but the earl, while he was in the act of whispering into the ear of the Duke, received a stroke on the back, which forced the blood out of his mouth and nostrils. He was carried in a state of insensibility to his tent: William's intrepidity hurried him forward to the scene of danger.
Page 75 - While he was in possession of this dignity, he received intelligence that forty strangers had landed on the isle of Thanet. These were Augustine and his associates, partly Gauls, partly Italians, whom Pope Gregory the Great had sent for the benevolent purpose of converting the pagans. Ethelbert could not be unacquainted with the Christian religion. It was probably the belief of the majority of the British slaves in his dominions : it was certainly professed by his queen Bertha, the daughter of Charibert,...
Page 351 - Africa, they are said to have carried off, not only their own countrymen, but even their friends and relatives; and to have sold them as slaves in the ports of the continent. The men of Bristol were the last to abandon this nefarious traffic. Their agents travelled into every part of the country : they were instructed to give the highest price for females in a state of pregnancy : and the slave-ships regularly sailed from that port to Ireland, where they were secure of a ready and profitable market.
Page 312 - Leofwin had perished already: but as long as he. survived, no man entertained th* apprehension of defeat or admitted the idea of flight. A little before sunset an arrow shot at random, entered his eye. He instantly fell ; and the knowledge of his fall relaxed the efforts of the English. Twenty Normans undertook to seize the royal banner ; and effected their purpose, but with the loss of half their number.
Page 58 - Gaul * : others, under the guidance of Vortigern, the most powerful of the British kings, had recourse to an expedient, which, however promising it might appear in the outset, proved in the result most fatal to the liberty of their country.
Page 337 - The prmcipal members- seem to have been the spiritual and temporal thanes, who held immediately of the crown, and who could command the services of military vassals. It was necessary that the king should obtain the assent of these to all legislative enactments : because without their acquiescence and support it was impossible to carry them into execution. To many charters we have the signatures of the witan. They seldom exceed thirty in number ; they never amount to sixty.
Page 266 - I next complained to the pope, and expressed my displeasure that such immense sums were extorted from my archbishops when, according to custom, they visited the apostolic see to obtain the pallium. A decree was made that this grievance should cease. Whatever I demanded for the benefit of my people, either of the pope or the emperor or the princes through whose dominions lies the road to Rome, was granted willingly and confirmed by their oaths in the presence of four archbishops, twenty bishops and...

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