Alfred, while their existing shapes cannot be discerned till ages after him. Alfred, like so many of our early kings, collected and codified the laws of his predecessors; but we have his own personal witness that he purposely abstained from any large amount of strictly new legislation. The legislation of Edward, on the other hand, in its boldness and originality, forms the most marked of all epochs in the history of our law. It is perhaps, after all, in his literary aspect that the distinctive beauty of Alfred's character shines forth most clearly. The mere patronage of learning was common to him with many princes of his age. Both Charles the Great and many of his successors had set brilliant examples in this way. What distinguished him was his own personal appearance as an author. Now, as a rule, literary kings have not been a class deserving of much honour. They have commonly stepped out of their natural sphere only to display the least honourable characteristics of another calling. But it was not so with the Emperor Marcus; it was not so with our Alfred. In Alfred there is no sign of literary pedantry, ostentation, or jealousy; nothing is done for his own glory; he writes, just as he fights and legislates, with a single eye to the good of his people. He shows no signs of original genius; he is simply an editor and translator, working honestly for the improvement of the subjects he loved. This is really a purer fame, and one more in harmony with the other features of Alfred's character than the highest achievements of the poet, the historian, or the philosopher. I repeat, then, that Alfred is the most perfect character in history. And he was specially happy in handing on a large share of his genius and his virtue to those who came after him. The West Saxon kings, for nearly a century, form one of the most brilliant royal lines on record. From the Saint to Edgar the Peaceful, the short

and wretched reign of Eadwig is the only interruption to one continued display of valour under the guidance of wisdom. The greatness of dynasty, obscured under the second Ethelred, flashes forth for a moment in the short and glorious career of the second Eadmund. It then becomes more permanently eclipsed under the rule of Dane, Norman, and Angevin, till it shines forth once more in the first of the new race whom we can claim as English at heart, till, if not Alfred himself, at least his unconquered son, seems to rise again to life in one who at once bore his name and followed in his steps.

"It may be asked, what manner of man to look at was this great king? His biographer, Asser, who knew him well, has not thought fit to tell us. He only says in words of flattery that Alfred was more comely and gracious of aspect than his brothers. These brothers, four in number, were all kings before him, and all died young. Alfred himself was afflicted by a disease which never left him. It is therefore presumable that there was some congenital weakness in them all. This was not physical weakness; whatever the disease, it did not interfere with Alfred's courage or his prowess in battle. This is proved by the fact that the Saxon kings actually fought in person in the forefront of the battle, and on foot. Alfred, for instance, fought in a dozen battles at least, and always with the valour that belongs to a strong man. I take him to have been a man of good stature and of strong build; a man whose appearance was kingly, who impressed his followers with the gallant and confident carriage of a brave soldier. But as to his face, or the colour of his hair or eyes, I can tell nothing. Fair hair he had, I think, and blue eyes, or the more common type of brown hair and grey eyes. When a king resigns all personal ambitions and seeks nothing for himself, it seems natural

and fitting that, while his works live after him, he himself should vanish without leaving so much as a tradition of his face or figure."

CHAPTER IX

DEATH OF THE KING

I HAVE asked, without the hope of getting a reply, what was the nature of the disease from which Alfred suffered for thirty years and more. Whatever it was, it seems to have killed him at last. Alfred died at the age of fifty-three, on October 28th, 901 (to accept the date generally given). It is to be regretted that no particulars of his death have come down to us. Consider

ing, however, the apocryphal nature of most death-bed scenes and the certainty that words would be put into the dying man's mouth which would be well meant but misleading, it is perhaps as well that nothing has been set down about his death. He died; we know no more; but we may be very certain that he died happily, with the full consciousness of having at least tried to do his duty. The most perfect of human figures must needs fall short of the Divine perfection; there were weaknesses of which we know nothing, perhaps things which lay upon the king's conscience; but, to outward seeming, as far as posterity can judge, the man was blameless.

They buried him in the Cathedral of Winchester. Round the chancel of that most venerable structure are still preserved the coffins of many kings of the House of Cerdic. But you may look in vain for that of Alfred. The body was removed, two hundred years afterwards, by Henry I., and placed in the chapel of the house called Hyde Abbey, and there, somewhere among the ruins, still lies the dust of the great West Saxon king.

Pauli has gathered together all that is known. of Alfred's domestic life. His widowed consort, Elswyth, died in 905. Her husband Alfred had left her by will the manors of Wantage and Ethandune; the first because he was born there, the other because it was the place where he won the freedom of his country.

Alfred left several sons and daughters. Of the latter Ethelfleda, the eldest, married Ethelred, and became the "Lady of Mercia." She had a daughter, but her line ended with her.

Ethelgeda entered the religious life, and became Abbess of Shaftesbury; Elfrida, the third daughter, married Baldwin II., Count of Flanders. I have already mentioned that through Elfrida our royal family is descended from Alfred. Among other estates presented to Elfrida by her father was that of Lewisham in Kent.

Alfred's sons were Edward, afterwards king, and Ethelwald, of whose children and their descendants nothing is known.

Alfred's will provides for all his children and his friends. Besides the estates bequeathed to.

the former, he gave his two sons £500 in money; to his consort Elswyth, and each of his three daughters, 100; to his ealdermen, 100 marks. each to; his serving-men, £200 to be divided among them; to the Archbishop of Canterbury, 100 marks; to the Bishops of Hereford, Worcester, and Sherborne, 100 marks each; for masses and services for his soul, £200. As regards the principles upon which he acted in drawing up his will, he states clearly:

"I will that the persons who hold land follow the command in my father's will as far as is possible. And if I have detained any money from any man, I will that my relations repay it. I will that those to whom I have bequeathed my bocland shall never after their lifetime let it go out of my family, but if so be that they have no children, it must go to my nearest of kin. But I most especially desire that it may remain in the male line as long as one is found worthy of it. My grandfather bequeathed his land to the spear half, and not to the spindle half. If, therefore, I have bestowed any of his possessions on a female, my relations must redeem it, if they will, while she is living, but if not, it can be dealt with as we have before settled. But if they take it, it must be paid for; because those are my heirs to whom I shall give what I have to give as it seems best to me, whether male or female."

He

It is pleasing to add that Alfred was before his age in the treatment of bondmen. granted important alleviations to all his bondmen. They were not to be bound to the soil any longer they were free to transfer their services to any master they chose.