About this book
CONTENTS.
I. THE RACES OF BRITAIN.
THE TAURANIAN THEORY.-WELSH
PRETENTIONS.-GAEL.-KYMRY.-GALLI.-
BELGE. TRACES OF EARLY GERMANIC SETTLEMENTS ON THE EAST COAST.-
CIVILIZATION OF THE NATIVES.-DRUIDICAL RELIGION
1
II. THE ROMAN CONQUEST.
CÆSAR'S INVASION.-BRITISH INDEPENDENCE AND CYMBELINE. THE CLAUDIAN
CONQUEST.-CARACTACUS.-THE REVOLT OF BOADICEA.-WARS AND PUBLIC
POLICY OF AGRICOLA.-SEVERUS
11
CAUSES OF WEAKNESS IN THE EMPIRE.-REVOLT OF CARAUSIUS.-CONSTANTIUS
ROMAN WALL.-REVOLTS
CONSTANTINE.-BRITAIN LEFT TO ITSELF.
OF
MAXIMUS
AND
30
DOUBTFUL
V. THE EARLY BRITISH CHURCH.
HISTORY OF
AGAINST ITS EXISTENCE.-CHRISTIANITY
EARLY
THE
NOT
FOR AND
BRITISH CHURCH. REASONS
IN
ROMAN
ITS ORIGIN.
BARBAROUS AND SEMI-PAGAN CHARACTER OF EARLY BRITISH CHRISTIANITY.
-NEO-DRUIDISM
37
A
X
VI. THE SAXON CONQUEST.
THE SAXON INVASION UNHISTORICAL.-BRITISH AND ANGLO-SAXON LEGENDS.-
THEIR MYTHICAL CHARACTER. DISINTEGRATION OF THE ROMAN POWER IN
BRITAIN. THE CITIES AND THE NATIVE PRINCES.-SEPARATE CONQUESTS
OF KENT, SUSSEX, THE WESTERN COUNTIES, AND NORTHUMBRIA.—REASONS
OF THE ANGLO-SAXON SUCCESS.-BRITONS NOT EXTERMINATED.-PROOFS OF
THEIR CONTINUANCE IN ENGLAND
50
VII.-THE ANGLO-SAXON TYPE.
DISTINCTION OF ANGLES, SAXONS, AND JUTES.-ANGLO-SAXON PHYSIQUE AND
CHARACTER.-POSITION OF WOMEN.-ABSENCE OF THE FAMILY FEELING.-
CIVILIZATION.-RANKS AND THEIR PRIVILEGES.-BRITISH
ODINISM OF THE ANGLO-SAXONS
POPULATION.-
64
VIII. THE ROMAN MISSION.
THE KINGDOM OF KENT.-GREGORY THE GREAT. AUGUSTINE'S MISSION.-
DIFFICULTY OF CHANGING OLD HABITS.-GREGORY'S TOLERANCE.-FRUIT-
LESS ATTEMPT AT UNION WITH THE BRITISH CHURCH.-RE-ACTIONS.-
NORTHUMBRIA.-PAULINUS, EDWIN, AND COIFI.-THE GAELIC PARTY OVER-
COME. CONSTITUTION OF ENGLISH DIOCESES.-CONNECTION WITH ROME.-
ARISTOCRATIC CHARACTER OF ENGLISH RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS
.
76
IX.-FEDERAL MONARCHIES.
STRUGGLE OF ANGLES AND
SAXONS FOR SUPREMACY.-KENT, NORTHUMBRIA,
AND MERCIA. GROWTH OF THE WEST-SAXON NATIONALITY.-OFFA'S CHA-
RACTER AND CRIMES.-HIS POLICY PROVINCIAL RATHER THAN NATIONAL.
-CHARLEMAGNE'S RELATIONS WITH
OF OFFA'S
ENGLAND.-FORTUNES
FAMILY
X.-THE DANES.
88
EGBERT'S SUZERAINTY.-ÆTHELWULF.-FIRST APPEARANCE OF THE DANES.-
CONLICT OF PAGANISM AND CHRISTIANITY.-INFLUENCE OF CHRISTIAN
IDEAS UPON ODINISM.-LEADING FEATURES OF NORSE CHARACTER.-EUROPE
SAVED FROM IMPERIALISM AND ROTTENNESS BY THE DANES.-SAGAS OF
ALFRED'S YOUTH.-WARS WITH THE DANES UNDER ÆTHELRED.-CHARACTER OF
ALFRED'S GOVERNMENT. THE DANES OCCUPY MERCIA, AND ENTER WESSEX
FROM THE SOUTH.-ALFRED'S EXILE.-DEFEAT OF THE DANES AT EDINGTON,
AND TREATY OF WEDMOR.-LATER INVASIONS AND REPULSES OF THE DANES.
-ALFRED'S PUBLIC WORKS.-ALFRED AS LAWGIVER.-OLD AND NEW INSTI-
TUTIONS.-FORMATION OF A FLEET.-REVIVAL OF LEARNING. THE KING'S
PRIVATE LIFE.-RELIGIOUS AND ARISTOCRATIC TENDENCIES OF ALFRED'S
MIND 109
ACCESSION
XII. THE SAXON SOVEREIGNTY.
AND REIGN OF EDWARD. ATHELSTANE'S PARENTAGE. SUBJUGA-
TION OF NORTHUMBRIA.-RELATIONS OF ENGLAND WITH THE CONTINENT.
-ATHELSTANE'S LAWS.-EDMUND.-EDRED.-REVIVAL OF THE MILITARY
123
SPIRIT
XIII.-DUNSTAN.
EARLY LIFE OF DUNSTAN.-STATE OF THE CHURCH.-REASONS FOR CLERICAL
CELIBACY. QUARREL WITH EDWI.-EDWI'S CONDUCT AND DEPOSITION.-
CHARACTER OF EDGAR AND HIS REIGN. EDWARD THE MARTYR.-RE-
ACTION AGAINST THE MONASTIC MOVEMENT.-DUNSTAN'S TRIUMPH.-MUR-
DER OF EDWARD
132
XIV. THE DANISH CONQUEST.
EFFECTS
OF DUNSTAN'S POLICY.-RENEWED DANISH INVASIONS.-WORTHLESS
CHARACTER OF ETHELRED. THE DANISH MASSACRE.-MARTYRDOM OF
ALFEG.-SWEYN OVERRUNS THE COUNTRY.-EADRIC STREONA.-REIGN OF
EDMUND IRONSIDES.-ACCESSION OF CANUTE.-POLITICAL REVIEW OF THE
REIGN 145
XV. THE ANGLO-DANISH EPOCH.
CHARACTER OF CANUTE.-FAVOUR SHOWN TO THE CHURCH.-FEUDALISM AND
GAME LAWS.-HAROLD HAREFOOT.-MURDER OF ALFRED, AND QUESTION
OF GODWIN'S COMPLICITY.-HARDICANUTE'S REIGN.-ACCESSION OF EDWARD
THE CONFESSOR.-GODWIN'S ASCENDANCY THREATENED BY NORMAN INFLU-
ENCES. BANISHMENT AND RETURN TO POWER OF GODWIN.-RIVALRY OF
HAROLD AND TOSTIG.-EDWARD'S DEATH AND CHARACTER
155
xii
XVI. ANGLO-SAXON POLICE.
BRITAIN DIVIDED ANEW.-HUNDREDS
AND TITHINGS.-THE EALDORMAN AND
COUNTY COURTS.-MUTUAL POLICE, OR FRANK-PLEDGE SYSTEM.—FEUDAL
JURISDICTIONS.-A CASE OF CRIMINAL LAW.-NATURE OF THE EVIDENCE RE-
QUIRED IN DOUBTFUL CASES.-TRIAL OF THURKILL AND HIS WIFE.-BINARY
JURISDICTION OF STATE AND CHURCH: THE STATE ASSESSING DAMAGE, THE
CHURCH PUNISHING SIN
171
XVII.-ANGLO-SAXON CIVIL LAW.
ROMANO-BRITISH CHARACTER OF THE CITIES.-MUNICIPAL ORGANIZATION AND
LAWS DERIVED FROM THE ROMANS.-TENURES OF LAND AND RIGHTS OF
BEQUEST.-ACTIONS FOR LAND.-SALES OF CHATTELS REGULATED AS
PUBLIC CONTRACTS.-PROPERTY INSURED BY THE STATE.-PRINCIPLE OF
MUTUAL INSURANCE IN THE PRIVATE GUILDS.-ANGLO-SAXON AND WELSH
CONTRASTS
183
XVIII.-THE ANGNO-SAXON COMMONWEALTH.
GROWTH, RIGHTS, AND REVENUES OF ROYALTY.-FUNCTIONS OF THE WITAN.-
GROWTH OF FEUDALISM.-THE ROMAN AND ANGLO-SAXON FAMILY.-GROWTH
VILLENAGE.-LOCAL TENURES.-NATURE OF ANGLO-SAXON LIBERTY.-
SOCIETY, FOOD, AMUSEMENTS, AND DRESS IN THE ANGLO-SAXON TIMES.
194
XIX.-ANGLO-SAXON LITERATURE.
NATURE AND PREVALENCE OF EARLY POETRY.-CÆDMON'S LIFE AND POEMS.-
CÆDMON AND MILTON. THE DESCENT INTO HELL.-BEDE'S LIFE AND WORKS.
-BEDE'S THEORY OF THE KOSMOS.-ALCUIN'S LIFE AND SCIENTIFIC TEACHING.
-SPURIOUS WORKS ASCRIBED TO GREAT WRITERS.-DECLINE OF LEARNING
IN THE NINTH AND TENTH CENTURIES.-LIBRARIES AND LETTERS
208
XX. THE ANGLO-SAXON CHURCH.
RELATIONS
OF CHURCH AND
STATE.-POSITION
OF THE CLERGY.-CHURCH
DISCIPLINE AND INQUISITIONAL POWERS.-IDEALIZATIONS OF PEACE AND
WAR.-INFLUENCE OF THE CHURCH ON PURITY OF LIFE. CHRISTIAN
CHARITY.-KOSMICAL THEORIES OF A FUTURE LIFE. MYTHOLOGICAL
PHASE OF INTELLECT.-MIRACLES.-RESULTS OF A BELIEF IN THE SUPER-
NATURAL.-COMPULSORY PROFESSION OF CHRISTIANITY
221
XXI. THE LAST SAXON KING.
HAROLD'S OATH OF FEALTY TO WILLIAM.-REFUSAL TO PERFORM THE COMPACT.
---CONTINENTAL FEELING IN FAVOUR OF WILLIAM'S CLAIM.-TOSTIG'S INVA-
SION AND DEFEAT.-NORMAN INVASION OF ENGLAND.-BATTLE OF HASTINGS.
-CHARACTER OF HAROLD.
236
XXII. THE NORMAN CONQUEST.
SUBMISSION OF KENT AND LONDON. THE
CORONATION.-WILLIAM'S FIRST
MEASURES.-EXETER REVOLTS AND OBTAINS TERMS.-WAR IN THE MID-
LAND AND NORTHERN COUNTIES.-STORM OF YORK AND DEVASTATION OF
POSITION OF THE GOVERNMENT.-RELATIONS
ENGLISH.-HEREWARD
NORTHUMBRIA.-CHANGED
OF NORMANS AND
AND THE CAMP OF ELY.-
FEUDAL REVOLT UNDER RAOUL DE GAEL.-EXECUTION OF WALTHEOF.-
EMEUTE AT DURHAM
248
XXIII. RESULTS OF THE CONQUEST.
COMPILATION OF DOMESDAY BOOK.-ITS USE.-OMISSIONS.-NUMBERS AND CON-
DITION OF THE POPULATION.-SOCIAL AND MATERIAL ADVANCE UNDER
WILLIAM'S GOVERNMENT. SMALL AMOUNT OF THE FOREIGN ELEMENT
INTRODUCED.-LEGAL CHARACTER OF THE CHANGES MADE.-THE CHURCH
HIERARCHY AND RITUAL NORMANIZED.-THURSTAN.—GUITMUND.-LIMITA
TION OF THE POWERS OF THE CHURCH.-NORMAN INFLUENCES ON POLICE
AND LAW.-CONTRASTS OF NORMAN AND SAXON CHARACTER 265
XXIV.-LAST YEARS OF THE CONQUEROR.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A FEUDAL ARISTOCRACY.-PRINCE ROBERT'S REBELLION.
-IMPRISONMENT OF EUDES OF BAYEUX.—WILLIAM'S DEATH AND TESTA-
MENT. SCENE AT THE BURIAL.-PERSON AND CHARACTER OF THE CON-
QUEROR 284
XXV.-WILLIAM RUFUS.
ACCESSION OF WILLIAM II.-REVOLT AND DEFEAT OF THE NOBLES.-MINISTRY OF
RANULF FLAMBARD.-CHARACTER OF WILLIAM AND HIS GOVERNMENT.-
PETTY WARS.-THE FIRST CRUSADE. OPPRESSION OF THE PEOPLE.-CIR-
CUMSTANCES OF WILLIAM'S DEATH
293
XXVI.-HENRY BEAUCLERK.
HENRY'S ACCESSION AND MARRIAGE.-HIS CHARACTER AND TRAINING.-COM-
PROMISES WITH ROBERT.-CONQUEST OF NORMANDY.-PETTY WARS WITH
FRANCE AND ANJOU.-FLEMISH COLONY IN WALES.-NATIONAL DISTRESS.
-POLICE AND JUSTICE.SHIPWRECK OF PRINCE WILLIAM.-SUCCESSION TO
THE CROWN.-HENRY'S DEATH. 304
