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as Professor Earle, the Bishop of Bristol, Sir Frederick Pollock, and Mr. Frederic Harrison have contributed essays, such as illustrate in the best sense the work and achievements of Alfred. My own authorities are the several worksAsser, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the later Chronicles, the works of Alfred, the ordinary books on the Anglo-Saxons, and Pauli's "Life.” I have made a few quotations from Bowker's Alfred," the introduction to which, as I have said, consists of an address delivered at Winchester. I have thought it well in several places to give Asser's own words as regards particular events, and I have quoted the opinions of Freeman, Green, and Harrison on the character and achievements of Alfred.

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The later biographies of Alfred, as they cannot contain anything but what is presented in the works mentioned above, may be neglected. I would not be understood as wishing to depreciate their good qualities, but only to point out that he who would attempt a Life of Alfred speedily finds that he gets no help from the later books on the subject, except such as contribute to the knowledge which we already possess of the religion, wars, laws, education, government, and arts of the period.

III. THE GENEALOGY OF ALFRED AND HIS DESCENDANTS

The Royal House of Wessex was proud of its descent from the heathen gods. Long after

they had become Christian they pointed to their descent from Woden. Asser gives the genealogy and descent of Alfred from the beginning of all things. Probably the line is accurately made out as far back as Cerdic. Beyond him, except that he must have been of noble blood, we need not consider this table. Briefly, and leaving

out many links of the chain, we have the following:

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TABLE II

EGBERT TO ALFRED

Egbert, King of Wessex,
r. 802-839

Osburh Ethelwulf = Judith = Baldwin of Flanders

r. 879-856

Athelstan, Ethelbald

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King of r. 856-860 r. 860-866 r. 866-871 r. 871-901

Kent

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TABLE IV.-continued.

Anne Mortimer = Richard, Earl of Cambridge

Richard, Duke of York

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It is seen, therefore, that our royal family is descended from Alfred by two lines at least. There may be more: one through Judith, widow of Ethelwulf, and one through Margaret, granddaughter of Edmund Ironside.

CHAPTER I

ENGLAND IN THE NINTH CENTURY

WHEN from the window of a railway train we gaze upon the broad lands of England, seeing pasture land followed by arable, with small woods

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