The history of England [by J.A. Hessey].

of our history, gave occasion to sad heart-burnings and jealousies. It was finally rejected at the Reformation.

But to return within about one hundred years from A.D. 596, the Christian faith had spread itself through all the kingdoms of the Heptarchy. God had raised up many eminent men for that great ministry. The names of St. Chad, bishop of Lichfield; St. Theodore', archbishop of Canterbury, with others, are worthy of being ever honoured by Englishmen. Under the Divine blessing granted to the labours of these and other men of God, the rude Saxons submitted themselves to the yoke of Christ. Churches

were built, and tithes and other endowments set apart for the maintenance of religion throughout the island. Thus were laid the foundations of that system of the pastoral ministry in parishes, which is to our own day the source of such unspeakable benefit and comfort.

CHAPTER III.

INVASION OF DANES. REIGN OF ALFRED.

From A.D. 827 to A.D. 900.

THE period of the Heptarchy was more favourable to learning and religion than perhaps is commonly supposed. The Venerable Bede, who died A.D. 735, and was the author of a history of the English Church, with other valuable works, and the learned Alcuin, who was born and educated in England, though he resided chiefly at the court of the

3 Contemporary, or nearly so, with the mission of St. Augustine to the south of England, was that of Paulinus, who was consecrated archbishop of York, to the north (A.D.626). But a relapse into paganism took place shortly after, and Paulinus himself was expelled, A.D. 633. The north was destined to receive reconversion rather from Scotland than from Rome. The instrument employed by the Scots in this charitable work was St. Aidan, a monk of Icolmkill or Iona. He was consecrated bishop for the north; and removed his see from York to Lindisfarne, an island on the northern extremity of Northumbria, Here a monastery was founded on the model of that of Iona, which became the nurse of religion and learning in early times.

4 St. Chad received his education at Lindisfarne, under St. Aidan. 5 Before the time of St. Theodore, the authority of the archbishop of Canterbury had not been acknowledged beyond the kingdom of Kent.

Emperor Charlemagne, were probably more distinguished scholars than were to be found at that time in other parts of Europe. It pleased God, however, to suffer the country to be afflicted for about two hundred years after Egbert became king of England, by invasions of the Danes, who were still heathens, and who, wherever they made their inroads, not only laid waste the country but burnt the churches and monasteries, and put the clergy to death. These invaders were but feebly resisted by Ethelwulf, who succeeded his father Egbert on the throne, A.D. 837, and was a prince of an indolent and superstitious character. He is chiefly remarkable for a visit which he paid to Rome, whither he had sent his son Alfred to be confirmed by Pope Leo IV., and where Ethelwulf resided a year, when his kingdom could ill spare his presence. During his time, and through the reigns of his three elder sons, Ethelbald, A.D, 858, Ethelbert, A.D. 860, and Ethelred I., A.D. 866, who reigned successively, the Danes gained many victories, attended by great cruelty and rapine, and began to aim at making a permanent settlement in the fertile fields of England. When Alfred, the fourth son of Ethelwulf, became king, A.D. 871, nothing could be more wretched than the state of the country. For a time, indeed, he made head against the Danes; but they arrived in such swarms, that he found it necessary to withdraw from the struggle, and even to conceal himself in the cottage of a herdsman, whose humble labours he shared. While thus awaiting better times, he is said to have been chid one day by the herdsman's wife for having failed to turn a cake that was being baked, which she had set him to watch. The woman, who little suspected the quality of her inmate, told him sharply that "he could eat a cake, though he was too lazy to turn it." She was much dismayed on discovering Alfred's rank by the arrival of some of his faithful followers, who entreated him to lead them once more against the Danes. In order to acquaint himself with the plans of his enemies, he is said to have entered their camp in the disguise of a harper. He found the camp unguarded, and the Danes given wholly to riot and feasting. He was thus enabled to attack them with advantage, and he defeated them with great slaughter: but he made a mild use of his victory, and Gothrum, the Danish chief,

with many of his principal followers, were afterwards admitted to holy baptism.

From this period the reign of Alfred was one of true glory and usefulness. The Danes were bravely repulsed from time to time; and when on one occasion the wife and children of Hastings, their leader, were surprised and brought to Alfred, he generously sent them back, observing that he did not make war with women and children. This great king applied himself to promote the happiness of his people by framing wise laws, and encouraging sound religion and all the arts of peace. His endeavour was to esta blish for ever by law such ancient Saxon customs as were favourable to freedom and virtue. We may mention the great safeguard for justice, that every man shall be tried by a jury of his peers or equals; and the institution of two councils, the one composed of thanes, or nobles, and bishops, the other (which was called the Witenagemot), a more general council of the nation, through which the public resolutions of the sovereign were to pass. It seems that the germ of these institutions existed in the customs of the Saxons, but they received from Alfred a more fixed and legal character. In order that the process of obtaining justice might be easy to all classes of people, he completed the division of the kingdom into counties and parishes, and distributed the powers of government among officers of various degrees, from the earl, who with the sheriff was set over the shire or county, to the tything-man, who was bound for the good behaviour of his more immediate neighbours. Murder was now made punishable by death; and several laws were passed to better the condition of the churls or villains, who were slaves attached to the soil, and whose degraded state was the chief blot in the ancient Saxon customs. The authority of the law was so respected in the days of Alfred, that when golden bracelets were hung by the public highway, by way of trial, no man touched them.

Alfred was a favourer of sound learning and religion, no less by his own example than by his laws. He gave eight hours of every day to study and the service of religion, and half his revenue to works of piety and charity. He sent a mission to carry alms to the Christians in India, (whose very existence was afterwards forgotten, till comparatively modern times,) and restored the ancient school at Oxford, which seems to have existed even from the days of St.

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