Page images
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

Saron Chronicle

Asser that king Beorhtric unwittingly tasted of the poison, though the queen intended to give it to the young man only, but

the king took it too quickly, and so both perished. Beorhtric therefore being dead, the queen could remain no longer among the Saxons, but sailed beyond the sea with immense treasures, and went to the court of the great and famous Charles, king of the Franks. As she stood before the throne, and offered him money, Charles said to her, “Choose, Eadburgh, between me and my son, who stands here with me.” She replied, foolishly, and without deliberation, “ If I am to have my choice, I choose your son, because he is younger than you.” At which Charles smiled and answered, “ If you had chosen me, you would have had my son; but as you have chosen him, you shall not have

either of us."
However, he gave her a large convent of nuns, in which,
having laid aside the secular habit and taken the religious
dress, she discharged the office of abbess during a few years :
for, as she is said to have lived irrationally in her own country,
so she appears to have acted still more so in that foreign
country; for being convicted of having had unlawful inter-
course with a man of her own nation, she was expelled from
the monastery by king Charles's order, and lived a vicious
life of reproach in poverty and misery until her death; so
that at last, accompanied by one slave only, as we have

heard from many who saw
her, she begged her bread
daily at Pavia, and so misera-

bly died.
Now king Æthelwulf lived
two years after his return from
Rome; during which, among
many other good deeds of this
present life, reflecting on his
departure according to the
way of all flesh, that his sons
might not quarrel unreason-
ably after his death, he order-
ed a letter of inheritance, or
instructions to be written, in
which he ordered tha his
kingdom should be divided
between his two eldest sons,
his private inheritance be-
tween his sons, his daughter,
and his relations, and the
money which he left behind
him, between his sons and
nobles, and for the good of

his soul.

Of this prudent
policy we have thought fit to
record a few instances out of
many for posterity to imi-
tate; namely, such as are
understood to belong princi-
pally to the needs of the soul;
for the others, which relate
only to human dispensation,
it is not necessary to insert in
this work, lest prolixity should
create disgust in those who

Simeon

856 Florence

Hantingdon that king Bertric unwittingly tasted of the poison, though the queen intended to give it to the young man only, but the

king took it too quickly, and so both perished. 7 Bertric therefore being dead, the queen could remain no longer among the West-Saxons, but sailed beyond the sea with immense treasures, and went to the court of the great and famous Charles, king of the Franks. As she stood before the throne, and offered him money, Charles said to her, “ Choose, Eadburga, between me and my son, who stands here with me.” She replied, foolishly, and without deliberation, “ If I am to have my choice, I choose your son, because he is younger than you.” At which Charles smiled and answered, If you had chosen me, you would have had my son; but as you have chosen him, you shall not

have either of us." 8 However, he gave her a large convent of nuns, in which, having laid aside the secular habit and taken the religious dress, she discharged the office of abbess during a few years ; for, having been violated by a lay-man of her own nation, and expelled from the monastery by king Charles's order, she at last brought her life to an end in

poverty and misery.

[ocr errors]

9 King Ætheluulf lived two 4 And when he (ETHELWOLF] The most merciful king years, after his return from had kept her (Judith) two

Ethelwlf lived two years after Rome; during which among

years.

he set out for the city of many other good deeds of this

Romulus. present life, reflecting on his

Among other good deeds of departure according to the

this present life, to which he way of all flesh, that his sons

gave his royal mind, he medimight not quarrel unreason

tated before-hand on his own ably after their father's death,

death, and, that his sons might he ordered a letter of

not

quarrel after he had inheritance to be written, in

departed this life, he comwhich he ordered that his

posed an epistle in an elegant kingdom should be divided

style, wherein he gave away between his two eldest sons,

all the things which belonged Æthelbald and Æthelbert,

to himself. his private inheritance between his sons, his daughter, and his relations, and the money which he left behind him, between his sons and nobles, and for the good of

his soul.

Saron Chronicle

" in derem

Asser

Ethelwerd 856 read or wish to hear my

work, For the benefit of his soul, then, which he studied to promote in all things from the first flower of his youth, he directed through all his hereditary dominions, that one poor man in ten,* either # "In decem manentibus" is the native or foreigner, should be expression of Asser.

mansis," which is less intelligibie,
supplied with meat, drink, of Simeon.
and clothing, by his succes
sors, until the day of judg-
ment; supposing, however,
that the country should still
be inhabited both by men
and cattle, and should not
become deserted.

He com-
manded also a large sum of
money, namely, three hun-
dred mancuses, to be carried

every year
to Rome for the good of his
soul, to be distributed in the
following manner: namely,
a hundred mancuses in hon-
our of St Peter, specially to
buy oil for the lights of the
church of that apostle on
Easter eve, and also at the
cock-crow: a hundred man-
cuses in honour of St Paul,
for the same

purpose of
buying oil for the church of
St Paul the apostle, to light
the lamps on Easter eve and
at the cock-crow;
hundred mancuses for the
universal apostolic pontiff.

and a

(9) A. 857.

CHARTERS IN 857. 1. BURGRED of Mercia. April 18, subscribed also by Ethelswith regina," and others. II, 63.

(10) A. 858.
2 And about two years after But when king Ethelwulf was
he came from France he died,

dead, and his body lies at Winches

ter. 3

And he reigned eighteen years and a half.i

Lastly, after a year king Athuif died, and his body reposes in the city of Win

chester. And then was completed the fiftieth year from the beginning of king Egbyrht's reign.

a

I Here follows (as paragraph 4 according to the figures) the gerie.

alogy given at page 6.

HERE ENDS THE THIRD

BOOK,
AND THE PROLOGUE OF THE
FOURTH BOOK HERE BEGINS.

THREE BOOKS ARE NOW FINISHED,
AND IT REMAINS TO GUIDE
PEN TO THE FOURTH, IN WHICH

[blocks in formation]

858 Florence
10 For the benefit of his
soul, then, which he studied
to promote in all things from
the first flower of his youth,
he directed through all his
hereditary dominions, that
one poor man in ten, either
native or foreigner, should be
supplied with meat, drink,
and clothing, by his succes-
sors, until the day of judg-
ment; supposing, however,
that the country should still
be inhabited both by men
and cattle, and should not
become deserted.
manded also a large sum of
money,namely 300 mancuses
of pennies yearly to be carried
to Rome for the good of his
soul, to be distributed in the
Following manner: namely,
an hundred mancuses in hon-
our of St Peter, specially to
buy oil for the lights of the
church of that apostle on
Easter eve, and also at the
cock-crow: a hundred man-
cuses in honour of St Pa

for the same purpose, and 100 mancuses for the universal apostolic pontift.

He com

He also commanded that 300 mancuses should be carried to Rome for the redemption of his soul ; 100 to the gate of St Peter especially to buy oil, 100 in honor of St Paul, and 100 for the universal apostolic

pope.

MATT. WESTM. The same year died Cedda bishop of Hereford, to whom succeeded Albert.

(16) 857.

(17) 858.

5 He was removed from When, therefore, the glorious 11 When king Ethelwulf was among men, and was buried

king Ethelwulf was dead, dead,* on the ides of January

at Winchester. [Jan. 13] and was buried at Winchester,

6 He had first been bishop at

Winchester, but, on the + The ANN ALS say that he was death of Egbrict his father, buried at Stæningham (Steyning in necessity compelling it, he Essex).

was made king; and, having
married a wife, he begat four
sons, who were all kings

after him.

[blocks in formation]

Saron Thronicle

Asser

Ethelwerd

858

ALSO WILL BE FOUND GREATER
GAIN,

AND THE ORIGIN OF OUR
RACE IS MORE CLEARLY INDI-
CATED AND, ALTHOUGH I MAY
8EEM TO SEND YOU A LOAD

OP
READING, DEAREST SISTER OF MY
DESIRE, DO NOT JUDGE ME HARSX-
LY, BUT AS MY WRITINGS WERE
IN LOVE TO YOU, SO MAY YOU

READ THEM.
AND MAY GOD ALMIGHTY, WHO 18
PRAISED BOTH IN TRINITY AND
IN UNI POTENCE, EVER PRESERVE
YOU UNDER THE SHADOW OF HIS
WINGS, AND YOUR COMPANIONS

WITH YOU. AMEN!
HERE ENDS THE PROLOGUE.
CHAP. I.-OF THE REIGN OF THE
SONS OF KING ATHULF, NAMELY
ETHELBALD AND ETHELBYRHT.

dom;

5 And then Æthelwulf's two

Meanwhile after the death sons succeeded to the king

of king Athulf, his sons were Æthelbald to the king

raised to the kingdom, namely dom of the West-Saxons; and

Ethelbald over the Western Æthelbryht to the kingdom of

Angles, and Æthelbyrht over the Kentish-men, and to the

the men of Kent, and the kingdom of the East-Saxons

Eastern, Southern, and Midand to Surrey and to the king

land Angles. dom of the South-Saxons.

His son Æthelbald, contrary
to God's prohibition and the
dignity of a Christian, con-
trary also to the custom of
all the pagans, ascended his
father's bed, and married
Judith, daughter of Charles,
king of the Franks, and drew
down much infamy upon

CHARTERS IN 858. ÆTIL

BERHT king of Kent. II, 64. himself from all who heard of

it. 6 And then Æthelbald reign. During two years and a half When five years were comed five years. I of licentiousness after his

pleted, father he held the government 1 Here follows par. 7, given at

of the West-Saxons. note * in page 18.

A. 859.

ANNALS. ANNO 859. This year it
began to freeze two days before the
calends of December (Nov. 29) and
ended on the nones of April (AP. 5).

CHARTERS IN 859. PLEGRED subscribed also by “ Ethelwulf rex." * Ethelbeald tili, regis," and others. II, 66.

king Ethelbald died,

A. 860.

In the year of our Lord's inHere died king Æthelbald carnation 860, which was the and his body lies at Sher- twelfth from king Ælfred's burne.

birth, died Æthelbald,

and was
buried at Sherborne.

And Æthelbryht

His succeeded to all the realm of brother Æthelberht, as was his brother, and he held it in fitting, joined Kent, Surrey, goodly concord and in great and Sussex also to his tranquillity.

dominion.

and his brother Æthelbyrht succeeded to the possessions

of both.

And in his days In his days a large army of in his days a large fleet of a large fleet came to land, pagans, came up from the pagans came to land, and

« PreviousContinue »