NOTES. 1. Danish Dominions in England (p. 33, ¶ 12).—“ Alfred never subdued the Danes, nor became master of the whole kingdom. The Thames, the Lea, the Ouse, and the Roman road called Watling-street determined the limits of Alfred's dominions. To the northeast of this boundary were spread the invaders, still denominated the armies of East Anglia and Northumberland; a name terribly expressive of foreign confederacy without melting into the mass of their subject population. Three able and active sovereigns-Edward, Athelstan, and Edmund, the successors of Alfred-pursued the course of victory, and finally rendered the English monarchy coextensive with the present limits of England. Yet even Edgar, the most powerful of the Anglo-Saxon kings, did not venture to interfere with the legal customs of his Danish subjects."-Hallam's Middle Ages. 2. Alfred the Great (p. 34, ¶ 15).—“King Alfred founded schools; he patiently heard causes himself in his courts of justice; the great desires of his heart were, to do right to all his subjects, and to leave England better, wiser, happier, in all ways, than he found it. His industry in these efforts was quite astonishing. Every day he divided into certain portions, and in each portion devoted himself to a certain pursuit. That he might divide his time exactly, he had wax torches or candles made, which were all of the same size, were notched across at regular distances, and were always kept burning. Thus, as the candles burnt down, he divided the day into notches, almost as accurately as we now divide it into hours with the clock. He had the candles put into cases formed of wood and white horn; and these were the first lanthorns ever made in England. All this time he was afflicted with a terrible unknown disease, which caused him violent and frequent pain, that nothing could relieve. He bore it, as he had borne all the troubles of his life, like a brave good man, until he was fifty-three years old; and then, having reigned thirty years, he died. He died in the year nine hundred and one; but, long ago as that is, his fame and the love and gratitude with which his subjects regarded him are freshly remembered to the present hour."-Dickens's Child's History of England. 3. Assassination of Edward the Martyr (p. 38, ¶ 24).—" Elfrida had a son named Ethelred, for whom she claimed the throne; but Dunstan did not choose to favor him, and he made Edward king. The boy was hunting one day, down in Dorsetshire, when he rode near to Corfe Castle, where Elfrida and Ethelred lived. Wishing to see them kindly, he rode away from his attendants and galloped to the castle gate, where he arrived at twilight, and blew his hunting-horn. You are welcome, dear King,' said Elfrida, coming out, with her brightest smiles. Pray you, dismount and enter.' 'Not so, dear madam,' said the king. 'My company will miss me, and fear that I have met with some harm. Please you, give me a cup of wine, that I may drink here, in the saddle, to you and to my little brother, and so ride away with the good speed I have made in riding here.' Elfrida, going in to bring the wine, whispered to an armed servant, one of her attendants, who stole out of the darkening gateway, and crept round behind the king's horse. As the king raised the cup to his lips, saying, 'Health!' to the wicked woman who was smiling on him, and to his innocent brother whose hand she held in hers, and who was only ten years old, this armed man made a spring and stabbed him in the back. He dropped the cup and spurred his horse away; but, soon fainting with loss of blood, dropped from the saddle, and in his fall entangled one of his feet in the stir rup. The frightened horse dashed on; trailing his rider's curls upon the ground; dragging his smooth young face through ruts, and stones, and briers, and fallen leaves, and mud; until the hunters, tracking the animal's course by the king's blood, caught his bridle, and released the disfigured body."-Dickens's Child's History of England. 4. Massacre of St. Brice (p. 39, ¶ 28).—“"In this year, a certain Huna, King Ethelred's chief military commander, an undaunted and warlike man, beholding the insolence of the Danes-who after the establishment of peace had grown strong throughout the whole of England, presuming to insult the wives and daughters of the nobles of the kingdom-came in much distress to the king and made his doleful complaint before him. Greatly moved thereat, the king, by the advice of the same Huna, sent letters into all parts of the kingdom, commanding all the people that, on one day, the feast of St. Brice the bishop, they should rise and put to death all the Danes settled in England, leaving none surviving, so that the whole English nation might once and for ever be freed from Danish oppression. And so the Danes, who a little before had made a league with the English, and had sworn to live peaceably with them, were shamefully slain, and their wives and little ones dashed against the posts of their houses. The decree was mercilessly carried into effect in the city of London, insomuch that a number of Danes who had fled to a church for refuge were all butchered before the very altars. But some Danish youths, flying on board a vessel, escaped to Denmark, and reported to King Sweyn the bloody end of his people. Moved to tears thereat, he called together all the nobles of his kingdom, and making known to them what had happened, inquired of them diligently what they advised to be done; whereupon they all with one acclamation determined that the blood of their kinsmen and friends should be revenged.”— Roger of Wendover-Flowers of History. 5. Harold's Oath (p. 46, 47).-" In the town of Avranches, or in that of Bayeux-for the testimonials vary with regard to the place-Duke William convoked a great council of the lords and barons of Normandy. The day before that fixed for the assembly, William caused to be brought from all places around bones and relics of saints, sufficient to fill a great chest, or cask, which was placed in the hall of council, and covered with cloth of gold. When the duke had taken his seat in the chair of state, holding a drawn sword in his hand, crowned with a circlet of gems, and surrounded by the crowd of Norman chiefs, amongst whom was the Saxon, two little caskets of relics were brought and laid upon the cask of relics. William then said: 'Harold, I require thee before this noble assembly to confirm by oath the promises thou hast made me, viz., to assist me in obtaining the kingdom of England after King Edward's death, to marry my daughter Adela, and to send me thy sister, that I may give her to one of my followers!' The Englishman, once more taken by surprise, and not daring to deny his own words, approached the two reliquaries with a troubled air, laid his hand upon them, and swore to execute, to the utmost of his power, his agreement with the duke, if he lived, and with God's help. The whole assembly repeated, May God be thy help!' William im mediately made a sign, on which the cloth of gold was removed, and discovered the bones and skeletons which filled the cask to the brim, and which the son of Godwin had sworn upon without knowing it The Norman historians say that he shuddered, and his countenance changed at the sight of this enormous heap. Harold soon after departed, taking with him his nephew, but was compelled to leave his younger brother behind him in the power of the Duke of Normandy."-Thierry's History of England. p. 53-2 REVIEW QUESTIONS. 1. Give the early history of Egbert, king of Wessex........ 2. What further account can you give of him?...... PAGE 26-28 28-29 3. Give the early history of Mercia, East Anglia, and Northumbria...... 23-26-28 4. Of the first invasions of England by the Danes? 5. Who was Ethelwolf, and what was his character?. 6. Give an account of the troubles he had with the Danes.. 7. What other events of his life can you mention?.. 8. How many and what sons of Ethelwolf became kings?. 9. State all you can in relation to Ethelbald.. 10. State all you can in relation to Ethelbert.. 11. What division of England was made in Ethelwolf's reign?.. 12. How did it originate, continue, and end?.. 13. Give an account of the reign of Ethelred.. 14. Under what circumstances did Alfred become king?. 15. What early troubles did Alfred have with the Danes?. 26. What dominion did Edward hold at his death?.. 27. Give the steps by which his successes were secured. 28. Name the important events in the reign of Edward the Elder.. 29. What sons of Edward the Elder became kings?.... 30. Give an account of Athelstan and the events of his reign. 31. Of Edmund and the events of his reign 32. Of Edred and the events of his reign............. 33. Of Edwy and the events of his reign..... 36. State what you can of Edward the Martyr and his reign.. 39 Give an account of Ethelred's contests with the Danes.... 44. Of Canute, Sweyn's son.... 36-37-38, Note, p. 38 38-39-40 40-41 43 15. State the events in detail which made Canute king of England.. 49. Of Edward the Confessor and the events of his reign. 50. Of Harold II. and the events of his reign............... ...... SECTION II. THE NORMAN FAMILY. Extending from the Accession of William the Conqueror (1066) to the death of Stephen (1154). 1066 to 1087 1. William I. (surnamed the Conqueror). After the disastrous battle of Hastings, the English found they could make no successful opposition to the victor; and therefore as soon as he approached London, all the chief nobility, with Edgar Atheling himself, who on the first intelligence of Harold's death had been proclaimed king, came into his camp and offered him submission. On the Christmas following, he was crowned in Westminster Abbey, in the presence of the English and Norman nobles, both of whom with acclamations accepted him as their sovereign. Indeed, the shouts were so vociferous that the Normans outside, thinking their leader was suffering violence, assaulted the populace and set fire to the city, occasioning a tumult which the newly-crowned king found it difficult to subdue. 2. Having thus secured the fruits of his great victory, he commenced the government of his new subjects with justice and lenity, treating even Edgar, the heir of the royal Saxon line, with kindness, as being the nephew of his friend and benefactor, Edward the Confessor. He was, MAP QUESTIONS.-(Progressive Map, No. 4.) What were the boundaries of England at the period referred to? What were its chief divisions? Where was Wessex? Mercia? East Anglia? Northumbria? Where was Cornwall? Devon-hire Somersetshire? Berkshire? Sussex? Essex? Dorsetshire? Norfolk Suffolk? North Wales? South Wales? What were the boundaries of Scotland? Where were the settlements of the Northmen? What is the situation of Dover? Hastings? Senlac? Waltham? Winchester? Exeter? Bristol? Gloucester? Norwich? Oxford? Warwick? Durham? Cardiff'? Where was Stamford Bridge? 1. What was the conduct of the English after the battle of Hastings? When and where was William crowned ? What tumult occurred? 2. What was the conduct of William at first? How did he reward his fellow. ers? What precautions did he take? |