But he did not always content himself with translating. He added, for instance, to his version of Orosius, a description of Germany and Northern Europe, which he drew from the travels of two subjects of his own, Wulstan and Ohthere. He inserts reflections of his own on politics or religion in other treatises. It has been thought that the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle owes to him not only its form in the language of the people, but something of the spirit and fulness with which the events of his own time are narrated. The English tongue had had, indeed, its poetry long before Alfred's time. No man ever loved that poetry better than did the great king. We have seen how he learnt it diligently in his boyhood, and we are told that he taught it to his children. every nation that is lifted at all out of the merest savagery has poetry. Its literature begins when prose is written in its language. In this sense Alfred is the founder, in a sense in which no man in the world's history can be said to be, of a literature, and that the most widely read and richest literature that there is.

But

It is very interesting to hear of the methods by which this scholar-king contrived to accomplish.so vast an amount of work. "Of a quantity of wax," says Asser, "weighing seventy-two pennies, he caused

"It is from the death of Ethelwulf that the Roll widens into a continuous narrative, a narrative full of life and originality, where vigour and freshness mark the gift of a new power to the English tongue. The appearance of such a work in their own mother speech could not fail to produce a deep impression on the people whose story it told. With it English history became the heritage of the English people. Baeda had left it accessible merely to noble or priest; Alfred was the first to give it to the people at large" ("The Conquest of England," p. 167).

six candles to be made of equal weight, and each of twelve inches in length. These, he found, were burnt out in exactly twenty-four hours. To prevent them from being extinguished or wasted by the air that came from the doors and crevices in the walls, he caused lanterns of wood and fine horn to be made, by which they were sufficiently protected." It is curious to see how the mechanical inventions of classical times had been forgotten, or at least disused. The water-clock would have been a simpler method of reckoning time; but no mention is made of it. But our admiration of Alfred's genius is increased by this proof of the rudeness of the times in which he lived, and even by the little glimpse that we get of his royal dwelling, so indifferently built that candles might be extinguished by draughts that blew from its doors and even from cracks in its walls.

There is another thing in Alfred which must not be forgotten-his goodness. To courage, steadfastness, prudence, knowledge of men and capacity of rule, and learning, he added a personal righteousness and purity that is not easily to be matched in the records of mankind. "Elfred," says Mr. Freeman, "is the most perfect character in history." I

1 This is summing up of an eloquent panegyric, that is, however, not more eloquent than just. The reader will find it in "The Norman Conquest," vol. i. pp. 48-52.

EDWARD THE ELDER, AND ATHELSTAN.

ALFRED was succeeded by his eldest son Edward (called the Elder to distinguish him from another Edward, who reigned some seventy years later). This prince, who had distinguished himself in the victory over Hasting, was chosen by the Assembly, but there was a party which upheld the claims of Ethelwold, son of the late king's elder brother Ethelred. Ethelwold rose in rebellion, and seized the royal town of Wimborne. The King at once.

Ethelred's sons, being children at the time of their father's death, had been passed over in favour of their uncle Alfred. This was the custom of the time; it was necessary that a king should be a grown man, who could lead his armies to battle. As this, the first and simplest idea of kingship, grew into something more complex, and the king was surrounded by ministers and officers of state who did for him some of his work, it was found better to keep closely to the hereditary principle. The pretensions of Ethelwold showed the inconveniences of the older plan. When the prince who had been passed over on account of his youth had grown to manhood, he had a claim which it might be difficult either to allow or to reject.

marched against him, and pitched his camp at Badbury, four miles and a half north-east of Wimborne. The pretender had declared that he would not leave Wimborne alive. Nevertheless, he made his escape, and, outstripping the forces sent in pursuit, reached Northumbria. The Danes were not slow to recognize the advantage of having with them a pretender to the English Crown, and made him their king. The alliance was dangerous to Edward, but it showed that Danes and English were no longer strangers to each other. In 903 the pretenders brought, from “parts beyond the sea," says the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a great fleet of Danes. Shortly afterwards, in company with the Danes of East Anglia, he invaded Mercia, then under the government of Ethelred and, it should be added, his wife, Ealswith, daughter of Alfred. They reached Cricklade, and crossing the Thames, plundered the region which still goes by the name of Bradon (west of Swindon in Wiltshire) which the Anglo-Saxon Chronicler gives it. Edward, in revenge, marched into East Anglia and laid waste the whole region between St. Edmund's Dyke and the Greater Ouse. When a retreat was ordered the Kentish forces refused to move after repeated commands from the King. Ethelwulf and the Danes attacked them, and a fierce battle ensued. Two aldermen, a king's thane, and other men of note fell on the English side; on the other hand, both Ethelwulf and the Danish king of East Anglia were slain. Edward had now no rival, and in 906 he was

1 Remains of a camp are still to be seen on a hill which bears the name of "Badbury Rings."