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hardly one of them admitted the justice of what had been decided by the earls and prefects, and in consequence of this pertinacious and obstinate dissension, all desired to have the judgment of the king, and both sides sought at once to gratify their desire. But if any one was conscious of injustice on his side in the suit, though by law and agreement he was compelled, however reluctant, to go before the king, yet with his own good will he never would consent to go. For he knew, that in the king's presence no part of his wrong would be hidden; and no wonder, for the king was a most acute investigator in passing sentence, as he was in all other things. He inquired into almost all the judgments which were given in his own absence, throughout all his dominion, whether they were just or unjust. If he perceived there was iniquity in those judgments, he summoned the judges, either through his own agency, or through others of his faithful servants, and asked them mildly, why they had judged so unjustly; whether through ignorance or malevolence; i. e., whether for the love or fear of any one, or hatred of others; or also for the desire of money. At length, if the judges acknowledged they had given judgment becanse they knew no better, he discreetly and moderately reproved their inexperience and folly in such terms as these: "I wonder truly at your rashness that, whereas by God's favour and mine, you have occupied the rank and office of the wise, you have neglected the studies and labours of the wise. Either, therefore, at once give up the discharge of the temporal duties which you hold, or endeavour more zealously to study the lessons of wisdom. Such are my commands. At these words the earls and prefects would tremble and endeavour to turn all their thoughts to the study of justice, so that, wonderful to say, almost all his earls, prefects, and officers, though unlearned from their cradles, were sedulously bent upon acquiring learning, choosing rather laboriously to acquire the knowledge of a new discipline than to resign their functions; but if any one of them from old age or slowness of talent was unable to make progress in liberal studies, he commanded his son, if he had one, or one of his kinsmen, or, if there was no other person to be had, his own freedman or servant, whom he had some time before advanced to the office of reading, to recite Saxon books before him night and day, whenever he had any leisure, and they lamented with deep sighs, in their inmost hearts, that in their youth they had never attended to such studies; and they blessed the young men of our days, who happily could be instructed in the liberal arts, whilst they execrated their own lot, that they had not learned these things in their youth, and now, when they are old, though wishing to learn them, they are unable. But this skill of young and old in acquiring letters we have explained to the knowledge of the aforesaid king.*

* Asser's work here leaves off abruptly, which is the more remarkable, because, in a former passage of his work, he has shewn by his mode of speech, that he was alive in the 45th year of King Alfred's life, that is in 893 [see p. 100].

Here therefore we lose sight of Asser, and introduce the Annals in his place to make the 6 columns perfect. It may be remarked that Florence who has copied Asser almost word for word, has only a general likeness of phraseology to the Annals, like the other chroniclers.

Ethelwerd 887

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He inquired into almost all the judgments

which were given in his own absence, throughout all his dominion, whether they were just or unjust. If he perceived there was iniquity in those judgments, he summoned the judges, either through his own agency, or through others of his faithful servants, and asked them mildly, why they had judged so unjustly; whether through ignorance or malevolence; i. e. whether for the love or fear of any one, or hatred of others; or also for the desire of money. At length, if the judges acknowledged they had given judgment because they knew no better, he discreetly and moderately reproved their inexperience and folly in such terms as these :" I wonder truly at your rashness, that whereas by God's favour and mine, you have occupied the rank and office of the wise, you have neglected the studies and labours of the wise. Either, therefore, at once give up the discharge of the temporal duties which you hold, or endeavour more zealously to study the lessons of wisdom. Such are my commands." At these words the earls and prefects would tremble and endeavour to turn all their thoughts to the study of justice, so that, wonderful to say, almost all his earls, prefects, and officers, though unlearned from their cradles, were sedulously bent upon acquiring learning, choosing rather laboriously to acquire the knowledge of a new discipline than to resign their functions; but if any one of them, from old age or slowness of talent was unable to make progress in liberal studies, he commanded his son, if he had one, or one of his kinsmen, or, if there was no other person to be had, his own freedman or servant, whom he had some time before advanced to the office of reading, to recite Saxon books before him night and day, whenever he had any leibut the old men lamented with deep sighs,

sure:

in their inmost

hearts, that in their youth they had never attended to such
studies;
and they blessed the young men of our days, who
happily could be instructed in the liberal arts, whilst they
execrated their own lot, that they had not learned these
things in their youth, and now, when they are old, though
wishing to learn them, they are unable.

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Simeon

CHARTERS IN 887. None.

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Here there was no journey to Rome, except that king
Ælfred sent two couriers with letters.

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In the same year died queen Ethelsuuith.

In the lapse of the same year also, archbishop Æthelred died, and Athelbald commander in Kent.

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Then also Guthrum, king of the northern English, yielded

his breath to Orcus. He had taken the name of Ethelstan, as he came out of the baptismal laver, from his godfather, king Ælfred, and had his seat among the EastAngles, since he there also

had held the first station. In the same year, the aforesaid army of barbarians removed from the river Seine to a place called Sandlaudan [SAINT LO], situated between the Bretons and the Franks; but the Bretons met them in arms, and obtained the victory, and followed them to the windings of a certain river, and there not a few of them were drowned in the waters.

One year afterwards, the bands of the aforesaid army visited the eastern parts of France; king Arnulf met then; a fight of cavalry took and an army of eastern Franks Bavarians; the pagans spread their sails to flee.

place before the fleets arrived, came up. Saxons and

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891

Florence

Huntingdon

Simeon

888.

In the following year they entered the mouth of the river Ionna [Yonne], not without doing much damage to the country, and there remained

one year.

2 The noble chief, named

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a river called the Ionna, not without much damage to the

country, and there dwelt one year.

13 Prince

Beocca, carried the alms of king Alfred and the West- Beocca carried to Rome the Saxons to Rome.

3 In the same year the king's

sister Ethelsuuith, queen of Burhred king of the Mer

cians, died and was buried at Ticinum.

4 In which year, also, duke Ethelwold and Ethelred archbishop of Dover died in

the same month.

(1) 889.

CHARTERS IN 889. 1. WER-
FRITH, [bishop of Winchester]
II, 117. 2. ALFRED king of Wessex,

(6) 890.

8 Abbat Bornhelm carried to Rome the alms of king Alfred

and of the West-Saxons. 9 The Northman king Guthrum, whom, as we have said before, king Alfred received from the sacred font and gave him the name of Æthel

subscribed also by "Ethelred
subregulus et patricius Merciorum,"
"Ethelflæd,' and others. II, 118.
3. A third charter of "ELFRED

alms of king Elfred.

On that journey died Ethelsuith the king's sister, and she was buried in Pavia.

dux," subscribed also by several others, II, 120, and bearing no date is referred to 871-889. 4. ALFRED king: no date. II, 122.

In the 19th year of king In the year 890, abbat

Alfred, king Godrun the
Dane, who was son of king
Alfred and reigned in East
Anglia, was removed from
this world.

stan, died this year.
10 This man lived with his
followers in East-Anglia, and
first inhabited and possessed CHARTERS IN 890. None.
that island after the martyr-
dom of St Edmund the king.
11 The same year the pagan
army so often spoken of
leaving the Seine, went to a
place called Santlaudan,
situated between France and
Armorica. Against whom
fought the Britons, who,
having slain some, put others
to flight, and drowned others
in the river, remained masters
of the field.

5 To whom succeeced, in the archbishopric, Pleigmund who was excellently instructed in literature.

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This year the army went from
the Seine to Sanlaudan which
is between Bretagne and
France. But the Bretons
fought with them, and driv-
ing them into a certain river,
slew many of them.

Here Plegmund was elected
archbishop by God and all the
people.

In the following year, the
army went towards the east,
and king Arnulf with the
French, and Saxons, and
Bavarians, fought against the
army, and drove them back.

CHARTERS IN 891. King
ALFRED 'August 2. 11, 123.

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Saron Chronicle cause they desired for the love of God to be in a state of pilgrimage, they recked not where. The boat in which they came was made of two hides and a half, and they took with them provisions sufficient for seven days; and then about the seventh day they came on shore in Cornwall, and soon after went to king Ælfred. Thus they were named: Dubslane, and Macbeth, and Maclinmum.

And Swifneh, the best teacher among the Scots, died.

A. 892.

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chosen men of Hibernian race, burning with piety, leave their country they privately form a boat by sewing ox-hides; they put into it provisions for a week; they sail seven days and seven nights, and arrive on the shores of Cornwall: here they left their fleet, which had been guided, not by the strength of their arms, but by the power of Him who rules all things, and set out for the court of king Alfred, who with his senate rejoice in their coming. From thence they proceeded to Rome, and, as is customary with teachers of Christ, they essay to go thence to Jerusalem... Their names were, Dufslane the first; Macbeathath, the second; Magilmumen, the third, flourishing in the arts, skilled in letters, and a distinguished masters of the Scots.

(2) A.892.

1 Comets appeared after
Easter, and about the time of
Rogations.

And that same year, after
Easter, about Rogation week
or before, the star appeared
which in Latin is called
cometa; some men say in
English that it is a hairy star, because a long radiance
streams from it, sometimes on the one side, and some-
times on each side.

A. 893.

Here in this year the great army, about which we formerly spoke, came again from the eastern kingdom westward to Boulogne, and there was shipped; so that they came over in one passage, horses and all; and they came to land at Limene

mouth with 250 ships. This port is in the eastern part of Kent, at the east end of the great wood which we call Andred; the wood is in length from east to west 120

(8) A. 893.

3 And thence with
350 ships to the mouth of the
river Limen, and there, not
far from the river, made a
strong fortress at a place

called Apuldran.
5 The river Limin runs out of
the great wood, called And-
readesweald, which wood
covers a space of ground in
length from east to west 120
miles or more, and in breadth

30 miles.

Also in the same year, after Easter, a comet appeared, which some think to be an omen of foul times, which have already past; but it is the most approved theory of philosophers, that they foretell future things, as has been tried in many ways.

One year after the barbarians fought king Arnulf, they go to Boulogne, and there build a fleet, and pass over into England.

There they station their fleet in the Limnean port, at a place called Apoldre [APPLEDORE, in KENT,] and destroy an ancient castle, because there was but a small band of rustics within, and there they make their winter camp.

miles or longer and 30 miles broad: the river of which we before spoke flows out of the weald. On this river they towed up their ships as far as the weald four miles from the outward harbour, and there stormed a fortress: within the fortress a few churlish men were stationed, and it was in part only constructed.

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6 That same year Hasteng
came with 80 ships to the
mouth of the river Thames
and made for himself a strong
tower at Middeltun [MILTON]
on the south side of the
Thames.

to

In the course of this year, a large fleet belonging Hæsten arrives on the banks of the river Thames, and found a citadel on the coasts of Kent, at a place called Middleton [MILTON]: They encamped there the whole winter. And the number of years, from the glorious nativity of our Saviour was 900, all but seven.

In this year, that was about a twelve-month after these had wrought the fortress in

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