6. What was the cause of Ethelred's death? and to whom did he ieave the kingdom? 7,8 What was the cause of the lands remaining uncultivated? 9, 10. What is related of Alfred's youth and early disposition? 1. What was the success of this prince against the Danes? 2. In what manner did the Danes observe their treaty with Alfred? SECTION II. Replete with soul the monarch stood alone, And built, on freedom's basis, England's throne; A legislator, parent, warrior, sage, He died, the light of a benighted age. Dibdin. 1. (A. D. 877.) ALFRED, thus opposed to an enemy whom no stationary force could resist, and no treaty could bind, found himself unable to repel the efforts of those ravagers who from all quarters invaded him. New swarms of the enemy arrived every year upon the coast, and fresh inva sions were still projected. Some of his subjects, therefore, left their country, and retired into Wales,* or fled to the continent. Others submitted to the conqueror, and purchased their lives by their freedom. 2. In this universal defection, Alfred vainly attempted to remind them of the duty they owed their country and their king; but, finding his remon strances ineffectual, he was obliged to give way to the wretched necessity of the times. Accordingly, relinquish ing the ensigns of his dignity, and dismissing his servants, he dressed himself in the habit of a peasant, and lived for some time in the house of a herdsman, who had been in trusted with the care of his cattle. 3. In this manner, though abandoned by the world, and fearing an enemy in every quarter, still he resolved to continue in his country, to catch the slightest occasion for bringing it relief. In his solitary retreat, which was in the county of Somerset, at the conflu ence of the rivers Parret and Thone, he amused himself with music, and supported his humble lot with the hopes of bet ter fortune. 4. It is said, that one day, being commanded by the herdsman's wife, who was ignorant of his quality, to take care of some cakes which were baking by the fire, he happened to let them burn, on which she severely upbraided him for neglect. Previous to his retirement, Alfred had concerted measures for assembling a few trusty friends, whenever an opportunity should offer of annoying the enemy, who were in possession of the whole country. 5. This chosen band, still faithful * Wales consists of twelve counties on the west of England, annexed to it by Edward the First. to their monarch, took shelter in the forests and marshes of Somerset, and from thence made occasional irruptions upon straggling parties of the enemy. Their success in this rapacious and dreary method of living encouraged many more to join their society, till at length, sufficiently augmented they repaired to their monarch, who had by that time been reduced by famine to the last extremity.* 6. Meanwhile Ubba, the chief of the Danish commanders carried terror over the whole land, and now ravaged the country of Wales without opposition. The only place where he found resistance was in his return from the castle of Kenwith, into which the Earl of Devonshire had retired with a small body of troops. 7. This gallant soldier, finding himself unable to sustain the siege, and knowing the danger of surrendering to a perfidious enemy, was resolved, by one desperate effort, to sally out and force his way through the besiegers, sword in hand. The proposal was embraced by all his followers: while the Danes, secure in their numbers, and in their contempt of the enemy, were not only routed with great slaughter, but Ubba, their general, was slain. 8. This victory once more restored courage to the dispirited Saxons; and Alfred, taking advantage of their favour * 'The life of Alfred is full of the most interesting events. Among nu nerous anecdotes related of him by the old English historians, the follow. ng we think worthy of a place in this work, as it affords a striking illustra tion of his benevolence, and is a proof of the privations he, in common with his trusty adherents, underwent during their seclusion in Somersetshire :-" It happened one day during the winter, which proved uncommonly severe, that he had sent all his attendants out to endeavour to procure fish, or some kind of provisions; so difficult was the enterprise esteemed, that the king and queen only were excused from the employment. When they were gone, the king, as was his custom, whenever he had an opportunity, took a book, and began reading, whilst Elswitha was employed in her domestic concerns; they had not long continued thus engaged, before a poor pilgrim, ac cidentally passing that way, knocked at the gate, and begged they would give him something to eat. The humane king called Elswitha, and desired her to give the poor man part of what provision there was in the fort: the queen, finding only one loaf, brought it to Alfred, to show how slender their store was, at the same time representing the distress the family would labour ander, should they return from their foraging unsuccessful. The king, not deterred by this scanty view from his charitable purpose, but rather internally rejoicing at this tril of his humanity, cheerfully gave the poor Christian one half of the loaf consoling the queen with this religious reflection, "That He who could teea five thousand with five loaves and two fishes. could make (if it so pleased him) that half of the loaf suffice for more than their necessities.' When the traveller departed, the king returned to his reading, and felt that satisfaction which most surely results from a beneficent action. Nor was it long unrewarded, for his companions returned with os great a quantity of provisions, that they were not exposed to any similar in conveniences during their seclusion." C able disposition, prepared to animate them to a vigorous exertion of their superiority. He soon, therefore, apprize. them of the place of his retreat, and instructed them to be ready with all their strength at a minute's warning. 9. But still none was found who would undertake to give intelli gence of the forces and posture of the enemy. Not know ing, therefore, a person in whom he could confide, he undertook this dangerous task himself. In the simple dress of a shepherd, with his harp in his hand, he entered the Danish camp, tried all his musical arts to please, and was so much admired, that he was brought even into the presence of Guthrum, the Danish prince, with whom he remained some days. 10. He there remarked the supine security of the Danes, their contempt of the English, their negligence in foraging and plundering, and their dissolute wasting of such ill-gotten booty. Having made his observations, he returned to his retreat; and, detaching proper emissaries among his subjects, appointed them to meet him in the forest of Selwood, a summons which they gladly obeyed. 11. It was against the most unguarded quarter of the enemy that Alfred made his most violent attack; while the Danes, surprised to behold an army of English, whom they considered as totally subdued, made but a faint resistance. Notwithstanding the superiority of their numbers, they were routed with great slaughter; and though such as escaped fled for refuge into a fortified camp in the neighbourhood, being unprovided for a siege, in less than a fortnight they were compelled to surrender at discretion. 12. By the conqueror's permission, those who did not choose to embrace Christianity embarked for Flanders,* under the command of one of their generals, called Hastings. Guthrum, their prince, became a convert, with thirty of his nobles, and the king himself answered for him at the font. 13. Alfred had now attained the meridian of glory; he possessed a greater extent of territory than had ever been enjoyed by any of his predecessors; the kings of Wales did him homage for their possessions, the Northumbrianst received a king of his appointing, and no enemy appeared to give him the least apprehensions, or excite an aların 14. In this state of prosperity and profound tranquillity, which lasted for twelve years, Alfred was diligently ein ployed in cultivating the arts of peace, and in repairing the damages which the kingdom had sustained by war. *Now a part of the Netherlands. + The inhabitants of Northumberland 15. His care was to polish the country by arts, as he had protected it by arms; and he is said to have drawn up a body of laws.* His care for the encouragement of learning did not a little tend to improve the morals and restrain the barbarous habits of the people. When he came to the throne, he found the English sunk into the grossest ignorance and barbarism, proceeding from the continual dis orders of the government, and from the ravages of the Danes. 16. He himself complains, that, on his accession, he knew not one person south of the Thames, who could so much as interpret the Latin service.† To remedy this deficiency, he invited over the most celebrated scholars from all parts of Europe; he founded, or at least re-established the university of Oxford, and endowed it with many privileges; and he gave, in his own example, the strongest incentives to study. 17. He usually divided his time into three equal portions: one was given to sleep, and the refection of his body, by diet and exercise; another to the despatch of business; and the third to study and devotion.‡ He made a considerable progress in the different studies of grammar, rhetoric, philosophy, architecture, and geometry He was an excellent historian; he understood music; he was acknowledged to be the best Saxon poet of the age, and left many works behind him, some of which remain to this day. 18. To give a character of this prince, would * Alfred established a regular militia throughout England. and raised a considerable naval force, by which means he was enabled to repel the fu ture incursions of the Danes. He afterwards established a regular police dividing the kingdom into counties, and the counties into hundreds and tithings. So well regulated was the police which he established, that it is said he had golden bracelets hung up near the highways, which no robber dared to touch. Yet he never deviated from the nicest regard to the liberty of his people; and there is a remarkable sentiment preserved in his will namely, that "It is just the English should for ever remain as free as they own thoughts." + So little, indeed, was learning attended to by the great, that Asser, the biographer of Alfred, mentions with astonishment, that the king taught his youngest son, Ethelward, to read, before he made him acquainted with Lunting. The piety of Alfred was as conspicuous as his prowess, and in those days of ignorance, he enlightened by his pen no less than by his example the people over whom he swayed the sceptre. One of his literary labours was the rendering the Holy Gospels into the Saxon tongue, from which we extract the Lord's Prayer, and insert it here as a specimen of the language spoken by the English at that period: "Fæder ure thu the earth on heafenum, si thin mama gehalgod, to be cume thin rice, Gewurthe hin willa on earthen swa swa on heafenum, urne ge dægwanlican hlaf syle us to daeg; and forgyf us vre gyltas, swa swa we forgivath urum gyltendum, and ne geladde thu us or consenung ac alyse us of yfle. (St swa.-Medulla Historiæ Anglicana. be to sum up those qualities which constitute perfection. Even virtues seemingly opposite were happily blended in his disposition; persevering, yet flexible; moderate, yet enterprising; just, yet merciful; stern in command, vet gentle in conversation. Nature also, as if desirous that such admirable qualities of mind should be set off to the greatest advantage, had bestowed on him all bodily accom plishments, vigour, dignity, and an engaging open countenance. 19. He died at Oxford, on the 25th of October, 900, and was buried at Winchester. Oddune, earl of Devon, who killed Hubba the Dane, and took the famous Reafen, or enchanted standard. Ulfredus, Trelotegaldus, Celnorth, Ethelred and Plerumbus, were successively archbishops of Canterbury in this reign. Questions for Examination. 1. What effect had the continual ravages of the Danes upon the English? 2, 3. How did Alfred act in this emergency? 4. What anecdote is related of Alfred during his concealment? 5. How did those who still remained faithful to Alfred conduct themselves! 6. What benevolent act is related of this monarch? (See the Note.) 7. What desperate effort did the earl of Devonshire resolve on? And what was the consequence? 8 What was the advantage gained by Alfred's courage? 9 By what stratagem did Alfred get intelligence of the enemy's situation? 10 11. What observations did he make during his stay in the Danish camp 12 What became of the Danes after their defeat? 13. What kings paid homage to Alfred? 14, 15, 16. How was Alfred emploved during the peace? 17. For what purpose did Alfred divide his time into three equal portions And what were his accomplishments? 18. What is the general character given of Alfred? 19. Where did Alfred die, and at what place was he buried? |