tended, that literature had flourished at Oxford before the coming of Grymbold, although the number of scholars was smaller than in ancient times, because many had been driven away by the cruelty and tyranny of the pagans. They also proved and showed, by the undoubted testimony of ancient annals, that the orders and institutions of that place had been sanctioned by certain pious and learned men, as for instance by Saint Gildas, Melkinus, Nennius, Kentigern, and others, who had all grown old there in literature, and happily administered everything there in peace and concord; and also, that Saint Germanus had come to Oxford, and stopped there half a year, at the time when he went through Britain to preach against the Pelagian heresy; he wonderfully approved of the customs and institutions above-mentioned. The king, with unheard of humility, listened to both sides carefully, and exhorted them again and again with pious and wholesome admonitions to cherish mutual love and concord. He therefore left them with this decision, that each party should follow their own counsel, and preserve their own institutions. Grymbold, displeased at this, immediately departed to the monastery at Winchester, which had been recently founded by king Ælfred, and ordered a tomb to be carried to Winchester, in which he proposed, after this life, that his bones should be laid in the vault which had been made under the chancel of St Peter's church in Oxford; which church the same Grymbold had built from its foundations, of stone polished with great care.]

A. 887.

Here the army went up through the bridge at Paris, and thence up along the Seine as far as the Marne, and thence up the Marne to Chezy, and then sat down, there, and on the Yonne, two winters in the two places.

*

In the year of our Lord's in-
carnation 887, which was the
thirty-ninth of king Alfred's
life, the above mentioned
army of the pagans, leaving
the city of Paris uninjured,
because they could not suc-
ceed against it, sailed up the
river Seine under the bridge,
until they reached the mouth

of the river Materne
[MARNE]; where they left
the Seine, and, following
for a long time the course
of the Marne, at length, but
not without much labour,
they arrived at a place called
Caziei, a royal vill, where
they wintered one year.†

Here follows the sentence IN
THE FOLLOWING YEAR &c. given
under 888 at the end of Asser.

Ethelwerd 886

+ Hyde Abbey.

Now the army, which were at that time ravaging the country of Gaul, cut their way through the bridge of the citadel of Paris, and devastated the whole country along the Seine, as far as the Marne, and above its vertex, as far as Catsig [CHEZY], where they thrice fixed their winter quarters.

And that same year Charles king of the French died; and six weeks before he died, Earnulf his brother's son bereaved him of the kingdom.

In the same year Charles,
king of the Franks, went the
way of all flesh; but Arnulf,
his brother's son, six weeks
before he died, bad expelled
him from his kingdom. After
his death five kings were

In the same year also died Charles, king of the Franks, and his cousin Arnulf succeeded to the kingdom, seven weeks before his uncle's

death.

Saron Chronicle

:

And then was that kingdom divided into five, and five kings were consecrated thereto. This, however, was done by permission of Earnulf: and they said that they would hold it from his hand, because none of them on the father's side was born thereto except him alone. Earnulf then dwelt in the land east of the Rhine and Rothulf then succeeded to the middle kingdom, and Oda to the western part, and Beorngar and Witha to the land of the Lombards and to the lands on that side of the mountain: and that they held in great discord, and fought general battles, and oft and many times laid waste the land, and each repeatedly drove out the other.

two

And that same year that the army went up beyond the bridge at Paris, alderman Æthelhelm carried the alms of the West-Saxons and of king Ælfred to Rome.

Asser

appointed, and the kingdom
was split into five parts; but
the principal rank in the
kingdom justly and deserv-
edly devolved on Earnulf,
save only that he committed
an unworthy offence against
his uncle. The other four
kings promised fidelity and
obedience to Earnulf, as was
proper; for none of these
four kings was hereditary on
his father's side in his share
of the kingdom, as was Ear-
nulf; therefore, though the
five kings were appointed
immediately on the death of
Charles, yet the empire re-
mained in the hands of
Earnulf.

Such, then, was the division
of the kingdom; Earnulf re-
ceived the countries on the
east of the river Rhine;
Hroththwlf [RODULF] the
inner parts of the kingdom;
Oda the western part; Beorn-
gar and Witha [GUIDO],
Lombardy, and those coun-
tries which are in that part
of the mountains; but they
did not keep these large do-
minions in peace, for they
twice fought a pitched battle,
and often mutually ravaged
their kingdoms, and drove
each other out of their
dominions.

In the same year in which
that [pagan] army left Paris
and went to Chezy, Ethel-
helm, earl of Wiltshire, car-
ried to Rome the alms of
king Ælfred and of the

Saxons.

Ethelwerd 887

The kingdom was then divided into five, and so many kings in the same: but all things are done by the permission of King Earnulf, and they promised to be all under his subjection, because they were not like him, descended from the paternal stock;

and he lived after this on the
ea stern side of the river
Rhine.

But Hrodulf occupied the
middle parts of the kingdom,
Odda the western parts, and
Beorngar with Vuitha held
the kingdom of the Lombards
from the division of the Jovian
mountain [MOUNT
BERNARD]. There they
began a civil war; people
assailed people; the lands of
both were continually disturb
ed, nor was there any hope
of quiet.
The same year, in which the
barbarians had settled on the
bridge of Paris, duke Ethel
helm received no small part
of the money paid from the
diocese of the English by the
king for the people, and

went to Rome.

In the same year also Ælfred, king of the Anglo-Saxons, so often before mentioned, by divine inspiration, began, on one and the same day, to read and to interpret; but that I may explain this more fully to those who are ignorant, I will relate the cause of this long delay in beginning. On a certain day we were both of us sitting in the king's chamber, talking on all kinds of subjects as usual, and it happened that I read to him a quotation out of a certain book. He heard it attentively with both his ears, and addressed me with a thoughtful mind, showing me at the same moment a book which he carried in his bosom, wherein the daily courses and psalms, and prayers which he had read in his youth, were written, and he commanded me to write the same quotation in that book. Hearing this, and perceiving

Florence

887 appointed, and the kingdom was split into five parts; but the principal rank in the kingdom justly and deservedly devolved on Arnulf, save only that he committed an unworthy offence against his uncle. The other four kings promised fidelity and obedience to Arnulf, as was proper; for none of these four kings was hereditary on his father's side in his share of the kingdom, as was Arnulf; therefore, though the five kings were appointed immediately on the death of Charles, yet the empire remained in the hands of Arnulf.

Such then was the division
of the kingdom; Arnulf re-
ceived the countries on the
east of the river Rhine;
Herothulf [RODULF] the
inner parts of the kingdom;
Oda the western part; Beorn-
gar and Witha [GUIDO],
Lombardy, and those coun-
tries which are in that part
of the mountains; but they
did not keep these large do-
minions in peace, for they
twice fought a pitched battle,
and often mutually ravaged
their kingdoms, and drove
each other out of their
dominions.

In the same year
Athel-

elm, earl of Wiltshire, car-
ried to Rome the alms of
king Elfred and of the
Saxons.

In the same year also Ælfred

king of the Anglo-Saxons

8 At this time, also, Elfred king of the Saxons inspired

so often before mentioned, by divine inspiration, began, on by the gift of God, was able

one and the same day, to read and to interpret.

to read and interpret the sacred writings.

his ingenuous benevolence, and devout desire of studying the words of divine wisdom, I gave, though in secret, boundless thanks to Almighty God, who had implanted such a love of wisdom in the king's heart. But I could not find any empty space in that book wherein to write the quotation, for it was already full of various matters; wherefore I made a little delay, principally that I might stir up the bright intellect of the king to a higher acquaintance with the divine testimonies. Upon his urging me to make haste and write it quickly, I said to him, "Are you willing that I should write that quotation on some leaf apart? For it is not certain whether we shall not find one or more other such extracts which will please you; and if that should so happen, we shall be glad that we have kept them apart.” “Your plan is good," said he, and I gladly made haste to get ready a sheet, in the beginning of which I wrote what he bade me; and on that same day, I wrote therein, as I had anticipated, no less than three other quotations which pleased him; and from that time we daily talked together, and found out other quotations which pleased him, so that the sheet became full, aud deservedly so; according as it is written, "The just man builds upon a moderate foundation, and by degrees passes to greater things." Thus, like a most productive bee, he flew here and there, asking questions as he went, until he had eagerly and unceasingly collected many various flowers of divine Scripture, with which he thickly stored the cells of his mind.

Now when that first quotation was copied, he was eager at
once to read, and to interpret in Saxon, and then to teach
others; even as we read of that happy robber, who recog-
nized his Lord, aye, the Lord of all men, as he was hanging
on the blessed cross, and saluting him with his bodily eyes
only, because elsewhere he was all pierced with nails, cried,
"Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom!
for it was only at the end of his life that he began to learn
the rudiments of the Christian faith. But the king, inspired
by God, began to study the rudiments of divine Scripture on
the sacred solemnity of St Martin [Nov. 11], and he con-
tinued to learn the flowers collected by certain masters, and
to reduce them into the form of one book, as he was then
able, although mixed one with another, until it became almost
as large as a psalter. This book he called his ENCHIRIDION
or MANUAL [HAND-BOOK], because he carefully kept it at hand
day and night, and found, as he told me, no small consolation
therein.

But as has already been written by a certain wise man,
Of watchful minds are they whose pious care

It is to govern well,

so must I be watchful, in that I just now drew a kind of comparison or similarity, though in dissimilar manner, between that happy robber and the king; for the cross is hateful to every one, wherever there is suffering. But what can he do, if he cannot save himself or escape thence? or by what art can he remain there and improve his cause? He must therefore, whether he will or no, endure with pain and sorrow that which he is suffering.

Now the king was pierced with many nails of tribulation, though placed in the royal seat; for from the twentieth year of his age to the present year, which is his 45th," he has been constantly afflicted with most severe attacks of an unknown complaint, so that he has not a moment's ease either