§ 2 Once, divine Providence so ordered it, that when he was on

a visit to Cornwall for the sake of hunting, and had turned out of the road to pray in a certain chapel, in which rests the body of Saint Guerir, and now also St Noet rests there, he prostrated himself for private devotion, and, after some time spent therein, he entreated of God's mercy, that in his boundless clemency he would exchange the torments of the malady which then afflicted him for some other lighter disease; but with this condition, that such disease should not show itself outwardly in his body, lest he should be an object of comtempt, and less able to benefit mankind;

when he had finished his prayers, he proceeded on his journey, and not long after he felt within him that by the hand of the Almighty he was healed, according to his request, of his disorder, and that it was entirely eradicated.

1 In the flower

of his youth, he wished

to strengthen his mind in the observance of God's commandments, but he perceived that he could with difficulty abstain from gratifying his carnal desires and, because he feared the anger of God, if he should do anything contrary to his will, he used often to rise in the morning at the cock-crow, and go to pray in the churches and at the relics of the saints. There he prostrated himself on the ground, and prayed that God in his mercy would strengthen his mind still more in his service by some infirmity such as he might bear, but not such as would render him imbecile and contemptible in his

Simeon

worldly duties; and when he had often prayed with much devotion to this effect, after an interval of some time, Providence vouchsafed to afflict him with the above-named disease which he bore long and painfully for many years, and even despaired of life, until he entirely got rid of it by his prayers; but, sad to say! it was replaced, as we have said, at his marriage by another which incessantly tormented him, night and day, from the twentieth to the forty-fourth year of his life. But if ever, by God's mercy, he was relieved from this infirmity for a single day or night, yet the fear and dread of that dreadful malady never left him, but rendered hlm almost useless, as he thought, for every duty, whether human or divine.

The sons and daughters, which he had by his wife above mentioned were Æthelfloed the eldest, after whom came Eadwerd, then Æthelgeofu, then Ælfthryth, and Ethelweard, besides those who died in their infancy, one of whom was Edmund. Æthelfled, when she arrived at a marriageable age, was united to Eadred, earl of Mercia; Æthelgeofu also was dedicated to God, and submitted to the rules of a monastic life. Æthelweard the youngest, by the divine counsels and the admirable prudence of the king, was consigned to the schools of learning, where, with the children of almost all the nobility of the country, and many also who were not noble, he prospered under the diligent care of his teachers. Books in both languages, namely, Latin and Saxon, were both read in the school. They also learned to write; so that before they were of an age to practice manly arts, namely, hunting and such pursuits as befit noblemen, they became studious and clever in the liberal arts. Eadwerd and Elfthryth were bred up in the king's court and received great attention from their attendants and nurses; nay, they continue to this day, with the love of all about them, and showing affability, and even gentleness towards all, both natives and foreigners, and in complete subjection to their father; nor, among their other studies which appertain to this life and are fit for noble youths, are they suffered to pass their time idly and unprofitably without learning the liberal arts; for they have carefully learned the Psalms and Saxon books, especially the Saxon poems, and are continually in the habit of making use of books.

In the meantime, the king, during the frequent wars and other trammels of this present life, the invasions of the pagans, and his own daily infirmities of body, continued to carry on the government, and to exercise hunting in all its branches; to teach his workers in gold and artificers of all kinds, his falconers, hawkers and dog-keepers; to build houses majestic and good, beyond all the precedents of his ancestors, by his new mechanical inventions; to recite the Saxon books, and especially to learn by heart the Saxon poems, and to make others learn them; and he alone never desisted from studying, most diligently, to the best of his ability; he attended the mass and other daily services of religion; he was frequent in psalm-singing and prayer, at the hours both of the day and the night. He also went to the churches, as we have already said, in the night-time to pray, secretly, and unknown to his courtiers; he bestowed alms and largesses on both natives and foreigners of all countries; he was affable and pleasant to all, and curiously eager to investigate things unknown.

Many Franks, Frisons, Gauls, pagans, Britons, Scots, and

worldly duties; and when he

had often prayed with much
devotion to this effect, after an interval of some time, Provi-
dence vouchsafed to afflict him with the disease of the fig
which he bore long and painfully for many years, and even
despaired of life.

3 But, sad to say it was replaced at his mar-
riage by another which incessantly tormented him, night
and day, from the twentieth to the twenty-fifth year of his
life and longer.
4 The sons and

daughters, which he had by his wife Ealhswith above
mentioned, were Ægelfled the eldest, after whom came Ead-
ward, then Ethelgeovu, then Alfthrith and Ethelward.
Æthelfled, when she arrived at a marriageable age,
was united to Æthered, earl of Mercia; Æthelgeofu also was
dedicated to God, and submitted to the rules of a monastic
life. Ethelwerd the youngest, by the divine counsels and the
admirable prudence of the king, was consigned to the schools
of learning, where, with the children of almost all the nobi-
lity of the country, and many also who were not noble, he
prospered under the diligent care of his teachers;

so that before they

were of an age to practice manly arts,
they became studious and

king sons and daughters sufficiently beautiful and of becoming form, whose names are here gathered; Eadward and Ethelgifu, and Elfthrid. and Ethelward, Ethelfled and Ealfthrid his sister, were But Eadward the king's son, king's court by the great care always brought up at the

Now there were born to the

of their male and female tutors: for they studiously learnt both the psalms

and the Saxon books and

clever in the liberal arts. Eadward and Alfthrith were bred poems. Ethelward therefore

up in the king's court,

not without learning the liberal arts; for among other studies of this life, they have carefully

learned the Psalms and Saxon books, especially the Saxon poems

his younger son, was placed in the schools of literary discipline, with many sons of the soldiers, both noble and ignoble. Ethelfled their sister was united in marriage to Eadred prince of the Mercians; their sister Etbelgyfa was placed under the rules of the monastic life.

5 In the meantime, king, Alfred during the frequent wars and
other trammels of this present life, the invasions of the
pagans, and his own daily infirmities of body, continued to
carry on the government, and to exercise hunting in all its
branches; to teach his workers in gold and artificers of all
kinds, his falconers, hawkers and dog-keepers; to build houses
majestic and good, beyond all the precedents of his ances-
tors, by his new mechanical inventions; to recite the Saxon
books, and especially to learn by heart the Saxon poems, and
to make others learn them; and he alone never desisted from
studying, most diligently, to the best of his ability; he attend-
ed the mass and other daily services of religion; he was fre-
quent in psalm-singing and prayer, at the hours both of
the day and the night. He also went to the churches,
in the night-time to pray, secretly, and
unknown to his courtiers; he bestowed alms most largely,
he was affable

and pleasant to all, and curiously eager to investigate things
unknown.

6 Many Franks, Frisons, Gauls, pagans, Britons, Scots, and

Armoricans, noble and ignoble, submitted voluntarily to his dominion; and all of them, according to their nation and deserving, were ruled, loved, honoured, and enriched with money and power.

Moreover, the king was in the habit of hearing the scriptures read by his own countrymen, or, if by any chanee it so happened, in company with foreigners, and he attended to it with sedulity and solicitude. His bishops, too, and all ecclesiastics, his earls and nobles, ministers and friends, were loved by him with wonderful affection, and their sons, who were bred up in the royal house-hold, were no less dear to him than his own; he had them instructed in all kinds of good morals, and among other things, never ceased to teach them letters night and day; but as if he had no consolation in all these things, and suffered no other annoyance either from within or without, yet he was harassed by daily and nightly affliction, that he complained to God, and to all who were admitted to his familiar love, that Almighty God had made him ignorant of divine wisdom, and of the liberal arts; in this emulating the pious, the wise, and wealthy Solomon, king of the Hebrews, who at first, despising all glory and riches, asked wisdom of God, and found both, namely, wisdom and worldly glory; as it is written, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.' But God, who is always the inspector of the thoughts of the mind within, and the instigator of all good intentions, and a most plentiful aider, that good desires may be formed, for he would not instigate a man to good intentions, unless he also amply supplied that which the man justly and properly wishes to have,-instigated the king's mind within; as it is written, "I will

hearken what the Lord God will say concerning me." He would avail himself of every opportunity to procure coadjutors in his good designs, to aid him in his strivings after wisdom, that he might attain to what he aimed at; and, like a prudent bird, which rising in summer with the early morning from her beloved nest, steers her rapid flight through the uncertain tracks of ether, and descends on the manifold and varied flowers of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, essaying that which pleases most, that she may bear it to her home, so did he direct his eyes afar, and seek without, that which he had not within, namely, in his own kingdom.

But God at that time, as some consolation to the king's benevolence, yielding to his complaint, sent certain lights to illuminate him, namely, Werefrith, bishop of the church of Worcester, a man well versed in divine scripture, who, by the king's command, first turned the books of the Dialogues of pope Gregory and Peter, his disciples, from Latin into Saxon, and sometimes putting sense for sense, interpreted them with clearness and elegance. After him was Plegmund, a Mercian by birth, archbishop of the church of Canterbury, a venerable man, and endowed with wisdom; Æthelstan also, and Werewulf his priests and chaplains, Mercians by birth, and erudite. These four had been invited out of Mercia by king Ælfred, who exalted them with many honours and powers in the kingdom of the West-Saxons, besides the privileges which archbishop Plegmund and bishop Werefrith enjoyed in Mercia. By their teaching and wisdom the king's desires increased unceasingly, and were gratified. Night and day, whenever he had leisure, he commanded such

Ethelwerd 885

by the king's command, first turned the books of the book of Dialogues into the Dialogues of pope Gregory from

the king's desires increased unceasingly, and were gratified. them with especial love; and