8. Alfred died A.D. 901. In his reign England is said to have been first divided into parishes, townships, hundreds, and tithings. Trial by jury was also now established, and the custom of giving bail. To construct a powerful fleet for defending the coast, Alfred procured foreign carpenters and seamen to instruct his subjects in ship-building and naval tactics. He is to be regarded as the founder of the English navy. He also did much towards spreading a love of learning among his subjects, and it is certain that he restored, if he did not found, the university of Oxford. He patronized learned men, and himself translated several Latin works into Saxon.

The state of ignorance at this time was such that Alfred says in one of his letters, "There were few priests, indeed, when I began to reign, who could understand the meaning of their Common Prayer,' or translate a line of Latin into English; so few, that in Wessex there was not one."

Alfred greatly encouraged the arts; and the gold ornaments of English artists at this time were very celebrated. He is said to have invented a mode of measuring time by the burning of candles, and also lanterns to prevent them from burning irregularly.

9. EDWARD, eldest son of Alfred, succeeded to the throne, and reigned from A.D. 901 to A.D. 925.

He is sometimes surnamed "the Elder" to distinguish him from the other Edwards of the Saxon line. [See Genealogical Chart, p. 32.]

Though elected sovereign by the Witenagemote, or National Council, Edward's claim to the crown was disputed by his cousin Ethelwald, son of Alfred's elder brother. A civil war ensued in consequence, which lasted for some years; and Ethelwald, to strengthen his party, procured the assistance of the Danes recently settled in England. He was ultimately slain in a skirmish with Edward's troops, and his adherents were soon after brought to submission. The Danes, who had supported him, were driven from their southern possessions, and confined to the territory north of the Humber.

In these wars Edward was greatly assisted by his wise and vigorous sister," the Lady of Mercia."

Edward had six sons, three of whom succeeded to the royal dignity.

10. ATHELSTAN, the eldest son of Edward, ascended the throne A.D. 925, and reigned sixteen years. He followed up the policy of his father in regard to the Danes, and determined on reducing them to a state of vassalage. To effect this he invaded Northumbria, took the city of York, and made the Danish colonists swear fealty to him. He then advanced into Scotland, and commenced war with its king, Constantine, who immediately entered into a league of defence with Anlaf, the late Danish prince of Northumbria, and the princes of Wales and Cumbria. A battle was fought, in which Athelstan was completely victorious. The allied armies were routed; and the son of Constantine, several Danish princes, and hosts of soldiers of inferior rank were slain.

This battle was fought on the field of Brunanburgh A.D. 934, the site of which is now unknown.

Athelstan now changed his title of "King of the West Saxons," for that of "King of the English," or "King of all England."

He was a great patron of learning, and warmly encouraged the translation of the Bible into AngloSaxon. Commerce flourished under his protection; and he is said to have framed the law, which entitled every merchant, who had made three considerable voyages, to the rank of thane or nobleman. His government was wise and able; and, as a politic ruler, he ranks only second to Alfred. He was, however, vain, and often appeared in public with his flaxen tresses interwoven with threads of gold.

Some writers have accused him of cruelty, and have charged him with sending his brother Edwin out to sea in a shattered boat, unprovided with oars or provisions, thereby causing the young prince to leap overboard This tale is highly improbable.

despair.

11. EDMUND THE ELDER Succeeded his brother A.D. 941, at the age of eighteen. His youth tempted the Danes to revolt, and Anlaf returned to England to act as their leader. But war was averted by a treaty, which stipulated that the northern portion of England should be ceded to the Danes, and that Anlaf should be their prince. The latter died shortly after this treaty, and Edmund then seized on the ceded territory.

The death of Edmund is variously related. It is commonly believed that, whilst carousing with his nobles, an outlaw broke in upon the banquet, and, in a scuffle which he had with the king, mortally stabbed him with his dagger.

Edmund died A.D. 946, after a reign of six years. 12. EDRED, another brother of Athelstan, succeeded to the throne, the sons of Edmund being considered too young for the office of king. He was crowned at Kingston-on-Thames, which was at that time a place of great importance, and the usual scene of the coronation. The Danes again made several attempts to throw off the Saxon yoke; but Edred, though an invalid at the time, marched against them, and succeeded in bringing them to their allegiance.

Northumbria, the chief seat of the revolt, was now placed under one of Edred's earls; and Wulfstan, Archbishop of York, who had assisted the Danes in their insurrection, was degraded.

Edred died at Frome, after a long illness, A.d. 955. In his conduct he was much influenced by the ambitious abbot of Glastonbury, DUNSTAN.

13. EDWIN, son of Edmund the Elder, succeeded his uncle A.D. 955. He had early manifested a determined spirit of opposition to the ambitious projects of Odo, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Dunstan his coadjutor. This brought down on him their hatred, and eventually led to the most painful results.

On the occasion of his coronation he left the banqueting hall, where his nobles were revelling, and retired to the chamber of his wife Elgiva. This was regarded as an insult by his drunken guests, and Odo despatched Dunstan to bring him back. Dunstan obeyed, burst into the royal apartments, and forced the king to return with him. This indignity only

embittered Edwin the more against Odo's party, and was never forgotten.

He soon took occasion to expel Dunstan from his abbacy, and banish him from the kingdom. The monks now revolted, and placed at their head Edgar, Edwin's younger brother, who had already been entrusted with a share in the government. To check the revolt, Dunstan was recalled; but the monks determined to avenge the insults offered to their head. Edwin had been married contrary to the canon of the church; and, having refused to be divorced, Odo caused his wife to be seized, branded with hot irons, and sent to Ireland. She returned to England, and was again seized by her enemies, and put to death in a most barbarous manner. Edwin died soon after, either in battle, or of a broken heart, A.D. 959.

Dunstan was born and educated at Glastonbury. Through the influence of his uncle, the Archbishop of Canterbury, he was introduced to court in the reign of Athelstan, and there gained great distinction. This excited the jealousy of his fellow courtiers, and Dunstan found it expedient to retire to a monastery. He selected for his abode a miserable cell, which was of the smallest dimensions, and only high enough to admit of his standing upright. Here he lived in the most rigid manner, and pretended to have frequent conflicts with the devil. The fame of his sanctity soon spread, and Edmund recalled him to court. He now became the king's most confidential adviser, and devoted himself to the four great projects of his life, viz. :the spread of monachism, the subjection of all monasteries to the rule of St. Benedict, the celibacy of the clergy, and the exaltation of the spiritual power over the temporal. In the reign of Edmund he was partly successful in carrying out the first two and the last of these, but the clergy continued to marry till the time of the Norman conquest. In the reign of Edwin, as we have seen, he received a temporary check; but, under his successor Edgar, he regained his power, and was made Archbishop of Canterbury. The clergy were at this time divided into two bodies: the regulars, or monks, and the seculars, or married clergy. In the reign of Edward the Martyr these religious parties became also political, Dunstan and the regulars supporting Edward, and the seculars, Ethelred. At the coronation of the latter, Dunstan predicted the coming

evils of his reign, and he lived to see them in the invasions of the Danes. He died A.D. 988.

14. EDGAR THE PEACEABLE ascended the throne A.D. 959, and reigned sixteen years. He was a politic ruler, and greatly consolidated his kingdom. He secured to his interests the vassal king of Scotland, and commuted the tribute formerly paid by the Welsh princes for an annual payment of 300 wolves' heads. To protect the sea-coasts from the ravages of the Northmen he stationed three powerful fleets round the island, and annually inspected them in person. Edgar was a great friend to the monks, and during his reign fifty religious houses were erected in various parts of England. He was twice married. By his first wife he had a son named Edward, who succeeded him on the throne. By his second wife, Elfrida, he had another son, Ethelred the Unready.

Edgar derived his surname from the peaceful nature of his reign, which was neither disturbed by civil nor foreign wars. He was a licentious and cruel prince. It is commonly believed, that in order to marry Elfrida he caused her first husband to be murdered. He was also extremely vain of his power, and on one occasion compelled eight of his vassal princes to row his boat on the river Dee. One of these princes was Kenneth, king of Scotland.

15. EDWARD THE MARTYR reigned from A.D. 975 to A.D. 978. At his accession he was but thirteen years of age, and Dunstan had in consequence great influence over him. A party was soon formed against him, which was headed by his stepmother, who wished to see her own son on the throne. Through her instigation he was murdered at Corfe Castle, Dorset, A.D. 978.

The tradition runs that Edward had been hunting, and called at the castle of Elfrida to procure some refreshments. She brought him a cup of mead, and, whilst he was drinking it, caused him to be stabbed from behind by one of her attendants. Hence the name bestowed on him by the monkish chroniclers.

16. ETHELRED THE UNREADY ascended the throne at the age of ten, and reigned from A.D. 978 to A.D. 1003. The Danes recommenced their ravages soon after his