ministers. Yet full little fruit wist they of those books, for that they were not written in their own land-speech. . . .

§ 14. Then wondered I greatly of those good and wise men of old, who had well learnt all those books, that they were not fain to turn them into their own land-speech. Yet soon did I answer myself, and said, "They weened not that ever would men become so reckless, and our learning so fall off; . . . and of set purpose did they let this alone, weening there should be the more wisdom in the land the more tongues we knew."

§ 15. Then did I mind me how the Law was first found in the Hebrew tongue, and how, when the Greeks had learnt it, then did they turn it all into their tongue, and eke all the other books. And the Latins again, in like manner, when they had learnt it, turned it all into their own tongue. And likewise have all other Christian folk turned some part to their own speech.

§ 16. 'Wherefore I think it meet . . . that we, too, should turn some books, which are most needful for all . . . into that tongue we all do know; and so bring it to pass (as well we may, by God's help, if we have rest), that every youth that now is in Angle-kin, of free men and men of wealth to seek to such things, may be given over to teachers, while they have no strength for other work, till such time as they may know well to read English writing. After, let men further teach them Latin, those whom they would bring forward to a higher class.'

§ 17. And he ends by commending this book-'in Latin Pastoralis, and in English the "Hinds-book "'-to each of his Bishops, to be 'kept in the minster. For we know not how long there may be such learned Bishops, as now, thank God, there be everywhere. Therefore would I that the books be always in their place, save only the Bishop have them with him, or they be lent that others be written by them.' Then he breaks into song:

This errand-writing

Erst did Augustine

Over the salt sea
Bring from the southward

Unto us islesmen.

As him afore-time
First had appointed

The Lord's own champion,

The Pope of Rome.'

[This ærendgewrit

Augustinus

Ofer sealtne sæ

Suðan brohte

Iegbuendum.

Swæ him ærfore

Adihtode

Dryhtnes cempa
Rome Papa.]

§ 18. Nor must we pass over the fact that Alfred supplied chapter-headings and prefixed tables of contents to each of his authors, an improvement hitherto unheard of in literary work, which, simple as it seems now to us, betokened, in its first conception, no small literary genius.

Alfred and Rome-Alms to Jerusalem and India-Home charitiesAlfred's devotional life-His lantern.

§ I.

O

F Alfred's early devotion to Rome we have already spoken; and through life the Eternal City and its ruler remained special objects of his veneration. Year by year, even in the most troublous times, special envoys passed between him and the Sovereign Pontiff, carrying 'the alms of the West Saxons and King Alfred' to Rome, and returning with special blessings and privileges and holy relics, including a portion of the True Cross sent by Pope Marinus. So regular were these embassies that the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle finds it worth while to note as its sole entry for 889: This year was there no errand to Rome, save that King Alfred sent thither two runners with letters.'

§ 2. Yet while thus devoted to the Holy See, Alfred's Christian sympathies were not bounded by the horizon of Rome. He established like communication with more distant Christian communities, 'from the Tyrrhenian [Mediterranean] sea to the utmost bounds of Ireland.' He interchanged letters and presents with the Patriarch of Jerusalem; and in 883, as a signal mark of gratitude to God for the Peace of Wedmore, even sent alms to the Christian churches of India which claim to have been founded by St. Thomas. And there, thanks be to God, full largely gained they the end of their prayer, even after their vow1 to St. Thomas and St. Bartholomew,' 'when the foeman's host wintered in London" [881]. The envoys brought 1 A.S. Chronicle, 883. Henry of Huntingdon, 883.

back many a strange and brilliant jewel, and of the aromatic juice [? sugar] wherein that land aboundeth."1

§ 3. And still more noteworthy were his home charities. He had vowed, as Asser tells us, to devote to God's service 'half of all his wealth, such as rightly and lawfully came in to him year by year,' 'for well knew he the words of the Teacher: Then is money of true worth when it is handed over to others. Almsgiving is the end of Ownership." And he bade his officers divide his revenues accordingly. The first part set he for worldly uses, and bade that one third thereof should be paid to his guards and the nobles that were his ministers for the divers offices of his Court... according to their rank.' [These officials succeeded each other according to a regular rota, getting one month on duty and two off in every quarter.] 'The second of the three portions gave he to the workmen, whom he had gathered from every nation, and had around him in large number, men skilled in all kind of cunning work.' And the remaining third of this Civil List was spent in donatives to the many foreign guests 'who flocked unto him from far and near.' 'For, whether they asked alms of him or no, yet gave he unto them with wondrous bounty, to each according to his several merits; even as it is written, God loveth a cheerful giver.

་

§ 4. But the second half of all his revenue he gave unto God, bidding his ministers divide it with care into four shares; the first whereof should be discreetly bestowed on the poor, of whatever nation, that came unto him. And on this he bade that, so far as wit of man could answer, the rede of Pope Gregory should be followed: Give not much to whom you should give little, nor little to whom much, nor aught to whom naught, nor naught to whom aught.

§ 5. The second share was given to the two monasteries of his own foundation, the one for monks at Athelney, the other for nuns at Shaftesbury; the third to his schools, the fourth to forward monastic (¿.e., educational) work 'in all Saxony and Mercia, also, by yearly course, in Britain, Cornwall, Gaul, Armorica, Northumbria-yea, and sometimes in Ireland.' 2 Simeon of Durham, § 56 (887). 3 Normandy.

3

1 William of Malmesbury, § 122.

§ 6. Alfred's enlightened liberality having thus provided a wide and judicious scheme of Poor Relief and Education, 'then minded he him of the word that is written: Whoso will give alms let him first give himself. And duly began he to think out what he might offer unto God of the service of his own body and soul; for of this he purposed to dedicate to God no less than of his outward wealth. Yea, moreover, and he vowed, so far as his infirmity and occasions would permit, to give up to God the full half of his service, by night and by day, with a good will, and with all his might.

§ 7. 'But inasmuch as he could not readily tell the hours by night, for the darkness (nor yet ofttimes by day, for the storms and clouds), he bethought him how best and easiest, trusting on God's mercy, he might duly perform and keep his vow according to the tenor, even unto death. After long thought thereon, he at length, by shrewd wit, bade his chaplains find him wax of due fineness, and so weighed he it out. And when there was in the scales so much as would match the weight of 72 pennies, then taught he the chaplains to make six candles thereof, of one length, so that each candle might have twelve inches [uncias pollicis] marked thereon.

§ 8. By this plan did these six candles burn for twenty-four hours, without fail, before the sacred relics of many a saint of God, which were ever with him wheresoever he went. Yet sometimes would they not burn a whole day and night . . . from the force of the wind, which blew without ceasing through the doors and windows of the churches, the chinks in the walls, or the holes in the canvas of tents. Therefore took the King thought, how he might shut out the wind, and like a wise and cunning craftsman, bade he a fair lantern to be made of wood and white ox-horn (which, when skilfully planed thin, is no less clear than glass). Wondrously, then, was this lantern made . . . and à candle therein shone as brightly as without, and was not put out by the wind, for the opening of the lantern was also closed up, at the King's bode, by a door of horn. By this device then did the six candles, lighted each in turn, last the four-and-twenty hours, neither more nor less.'