AGES.] TO THE NORMAN CONQUEST. 828-1066 A. D. Winchester Book was a register of the lands of the nation, their proprietors, and value, ordered by Alfred; and it was the foundation of the Domesday of the Conqueror. time by candles: which were made to The burned Cakes. Naval Expeditions. Alfred patronized an expedition to find out a north-historians have taken care to relate an east passage to India, and another to incident in the life of Alfred, during carry the Christians of St. Thomas in his residence in the neatherd's cottage. The wife of the man, ignorant India a supply of alms. This council of her guest's rank, desired him to The Wittenagemote. of the wise of the nation, as the term attend in her absence to the baking of implies, and consisting of bishops, some cakes; but the monarch, busily earls, noblemen, and thanes, was pro- engaged in trimming his bow and bably the rude commencement of our arrows, neglected her orders, and the modern parliament; or at least of the cakes became horribly scorched. The house of lords. Alfred is thought to woman, on her return, could not forhave given form to this ancient Saxon bear venting her rage upon the king, assembly, which had its origin in one not only scolding him heartily, but giving him a sound box on the ear; of the kingdoms of the heptarchy. exclaiming, that he was ready enough to eat hot cakes, but too idle to look after their baking.' Alfred, Candle-clocks invented. during his quiet hours in Athelney, is said to have planned the measuring of CHIEF FOREIGN EVENTS. First Notice of Iceland. Garder, lava of which the roads are composed, a Swede, who had sailed round this were they not well shod. The great remote isle, and wintered on it, 864, resort of the peasantry is the church; was surprised to find a few Christian and should any of the numerous horses people there, who spoke Gaelic, and have lost a shoe, the priest puts on his had books; and it is presumed that apron, lights his little charcoal-fire in these were a mixture of British and the smithy, one of which is attached to Irish, whose ancestors had settled there every parsonage, and sets the animal in the fifth century. The population on his legs again. Even the poorest of Iceland, 1834, was 52,000; and is peasantry are grammatically acquaintdivided into two classes, the fishing ed with the Latin language; the long and the pastoral. The export of seclusion of their winter, when they sheep's wool is their great trade: they cannot stir from their cottages for the also send 200,000 pairs of knitted snow, inducing them to employ a stockings, and 300,000 mittens, or great portion of their time in severe gloves without fingers, to Denmark study; forgetting the darkness of their The clergy almost unievery year. versally submit to every species of drudgery their incomes are too small to allow of hired labourers, and nothing is more common than to find the parish-priest in a coarse woollen or skin boots, jacket and trousers, digging peat, mowing grass, or assistThe clergy are ing in hay-making. all blacksmiths from necessity, and the best shoers of horses on the island. The feet of an Iceland horse would be cut to pieces over the sharp rock and days while reciting the deeds of their ancestors, or boasting of their own liberty, amidst what we should call the almost total deprivation of comfort. Many very learned works, and occasionally poetic ones of extraordinary merit, issue annually from Iceland, and are published in Denmark, to which country the island now belongs. Schism of the Greek and Latin The Greeks, or Churches, 880, which separated their interests for ever. members of the church of the eastern states on the death of Charlemagne, empire, affirmed that the Holy Spirit ample opportunity was afforded to emanates from the Father alone; the ambitious nobles to attempt sovereign Latins, or followers of the papal es- rule in a petty form. A violent ritablishment, determined that it pro- valry therefore ensued between Guido, ceeds from both the Father and the duke of Spoletto, and Berenger, duke Son. The Greek church from this of Friuli, which ended in the latter date refused to acknowledge the pope's being proclaimed king of Italy, 893. supremacy, declaring itself amenable Prosperity attended him for twenty to its own patriarch. The Greek pa- years; and he had the interest to protriarch now resides in the capital of cure himself to be crowned, in 915, Russia, as that nation professes the emperor of Germany. Rodolph, duke tenets of the ancient church of Con- of Burgundy, hereupon became his stantinople. deadly foe; and in the sanguinary battle of Placentia, Berenger was defeated 922, and two years after assas Perenger, King of Italy. From the change in government which took place in most of the continental sinated. EMINENT PERSON. Erigena, the metaphysician, was a where he lectured in logic and astroScotsman, who, after visiting Greece, nomy. He ultimately retired to the was patronized by Charles the Bald; abbey of Malmesbury; and was asbut gave great offence to the clergy by sassinated there by banditti, 884. opposing transubstantiation. When he When Charles the Bald one day put translated a pretended work of Dio-to him the question, across the table nysius the Areopagite into Latin, in at which they had been dining, 'What which he attacked some of the dogmas is the difference in English, my noble of the Romish church, the pope cited Erigena, between Scot and Sot?' with him to Rome; but he fled to England, a view to excite the laughter of his courand Alfred made him head of King's tiers, Erigena retorted with ready wit, hall, now Brazen-nose college, Oxford, Only, Sire, the breadth of the table!" SECTION VII. EDWARD I., OR THE ELDER, KING OF ENGLAND. 901 TO 925-24 YEARS. Edward the Elder. As the eldest son of Alfred had died without issue in his father's lifetime, his second son, Edward, called the elder or first, succeeded, and was crowned at Kingston, Surrey; whence the name of that town. His reign is little other than a narrative of Danish invasion, and spirited opposition on the part of the British. Edward's cousin, Ethelwald, headed one party of these northmen, with a view to supplant his relative, and ravaged the counties of Oxford and Wilts; but the Kentishmen defeated and killed him at Bury. The Danes of Northumberland were next routed by Edward himself at Tetenhall, Staffordshire; and the active monarch, after fortifying Chester, Warwick, and other towns, advanced into Scotland, and compelled the people of that country to keep the Northumbrians, his most obstinate foes, in check; driving out from that province Reginald and Sidroc, two rival princes, who had occasioned him much trouble. Retiring to the court of his sister, Ethelfleda, widow of the earl of Mercia, at Farringdon, he died there, and was buried at Winchester. CHIEF DOMESTIC EVENTS. Origin of Cambridge University. cellor, vice-chancellor, public orator, The earliest authenticated fact in the two proctors, and a registrar. The two history of Cambridge is its confla- inspectors of the markets are called gration, 871, by the Danes; who es- taxors. Two scrutators attend to tablished on its desolate site a prin- public elections, and pronounce the cipal station, which they occasionally assent and dissent to all measures of occupied until 901. When the Da- the lower division of the senate; for nish army quartered there had sub- the senate is divided into two classes, mitted to Edward the elder, 915, that the regents, or upper house, composed monarch restored the town, and com- of masters of arts, and doctors of a menced the re-establishment of a certain standing, wearing hoods lined school, which bishop Felix, in the with white silk, and the non-regents, seventh century, had instituted; but it or lower house, including the remainis believed a regular system of aca ing members, and wearing hoods lined demical education was not introduced with black silk: before any university until 1109, when the abbot of Crow- grace can be introduced into the seland, having sent some monks well nate, it must be approved by a council versed in philosophy to his manor of called the caput. Two moderators Cotenham, they proceeded to the superintend the exercises in philoneighbouring town of Cambridge, and sophy, and the examination for badrew a great number of scholars to chelor, as the proctors' substitutes. their lectures. This university is There is a marshal for the university; formed by the union of 17 colleges, and the syndics are members of the each being a body corporate, bound senate selected to frame the laws, reby its own statutes, though controlled gulate the fees, &c. The professorby the paramount laws of the uni- ships are numerous and various as at versity. The present statutes were Oxford; and the university is posgiven by Queen Elizabeth. The place sessed of much landed property, and of assembly is called the senate-house; many church livings. and the members of the senate (at Wales united under one prince. Oxford called convocation), are up- Howel Dha having conquered the wards of 2300, though the number whole of South Wales, 907, declared on the books is about 5300. The himself sovereign; and in 912, the executive branch of university govern- princes of North Wales and Powis ment is committed to officers similar Land submitted to him, on condition in title and duties, generally speaking, of acting as sub-governors in their reto those of Oxford: there are a chan-spective territories. CHIEF FOREIGN EVENTS. Foundation of Normandy. A Scan-Charles, called the simple, was then dinavian colony had not long gained a king of France; and to prevent furfooting along the north coast of France, ther loss, he offered the freebooter the when Rollo, a Norwegian chief, tempted province of Neustria as a perpetual by reports of the fertility of the coun- fief, on the proviso of owning him liege try, arrived from the north with many lord. Rollo accepted the boon, tofollowers, 904. Constituting himself head of the settlers, he marched to Paris; and after sacking that place, arrived at the gates of Rome, which, in the consternation of the moment, he was enabled to enter and greatly spoil. gether with Charles's daughter in marriage; and, taking possession of the ceded province with his northmen, gave unintentionally enough the name of Nordmandy to his acquisition. It is said that Rollo, notwithstanding his unhappy state by a ferocious and irresponsible banditti; and did every street in like manner derive its appel agreement, declined to do homage when called on; but sending his ambassador, that officer, when Charles put out his foot to be kissed, tripped up the mo-lation from some grievous human canarch, to the no small astonishment of lamity, it could not sufficiently desigthe courtiers. From Rollo descended nate the crimes which flowed from the our William I. Most persons who, in decrees of so atrocious a tribunal. Vemodern times, have passed through nice might be truly named, in this reNormandy, have remarked both the spect, the city of woe. The oligarchy difference in the appearance of the began to be of consequence by its wars Normans from that of the French in with the Lombards, during which its general, and their striking resemblance boundaries were enlarged, and a fine to the present inhabitants of England. | fleet created. In the contest between This may be fairly accounted for, when we reflect that both Normans and English came, in great measure, from the same stock. The Scandinavians first peopled the northern and middle districts of England, and the Saxons, in after times, mingled with them: the Normans had for ancestors certain Germans, expelled by Charlemagne, who mingled with the inhabitants of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, the Scandinavians of later times. Justinian and the Goths, it afforded considerable assistance to the former ; insomuch, that he expressed his grati|│tude by building two fine churches to the saints Theodore and Germinian; the oldest public buildings, besides St. Mark's and St. Peter's, in Venice. In 697, a great revolution took place in the government: the tribunes were abolished; and in their stead was elected a doge, or duke, in whom was vested the supreme authority. He was to represent the honour and majesty of the state; to have respect and dis The rising Reputation of Venice. Historians are profuse in their commendations of the virtue of the Vene-tinction paid him beyond what the tritians during the infancy of their city; and Cassiodorus informs us, that one would have taken the inhabitants rather for an assembly of philosophers, living at their ease and cultivating the duties of religion, than for what they really were, a distressed and confused rabble, escaped from the calamities of war. The first important event in the history of Venice was the change of government from the consular to the tribuInitial form, which happened about thirty years after the building of the city. An oligarchy was thus formed, which for centuries continued an anomaly in European legislation; at a much later date of its history it became, as all such associations of men necessarily do become, where the blame of evil actions can be shifted from one to the other, the most sanguinary combination of which we read. Well does the bridge of sighs,' which still overstrides a Venetian canal, commemorate the gloomy horrors which year after year were visited upon this bunes, or even the consuls, enjoyed: he was to assemble, and preside at, the great council; to have a casting vote in all disputed points; to nominate to all offices, places, and preferments; and lastly, to enjoy the same authority in the church as in the state. Under the doges, the power and wealth of the Venetian oligarchy continued to increase. The people made successful war with Pepin, son of Charlemagne, destroying his whole fleet, and driving his army out of their already captured city. In this memorable contest, the number of slain was so great, that the space between the Rialto and Malamoc was covered with dead bodies, and has ever since gone by a name expressive of the prodigious slaughter. The people, conceiving that their doge Obelerio had secretly assisted Pepin, no sooner saw the French withdraw, than they seized both him and his wife, the sister of Pepin, tore their bodies in pieces, and scattered their mangled remains about the city. From 839 to 881 the Sara AGES.] TO THE NORMAN CONQUEST. 828-1066 A. D. cens greatly harassed Venice; but in | Africa until the time of Saladin, 300 Rise of the Fatimites. Abon Obeidollah, a descendant of Fatima, Mahomet's only surviving child, having seized upon Tunis, 909, declared himself kaliph. He soon after got possession of Egypt; and his successors possessed the greater portion of North Fiefs established. Charles the Simple, of France, appears to have originated this practice, 923. A fee, or feodal tenure, is the holding of lands or tenements on the proviso of doing fealty or homage for the same; by which act the holder declares himself the vassal and inferior of his lord, who can call upon him, according as the terms of the fee may be, to assist him either in peace or war, and to give up to him certain portions of accidental gains. Rise of Prussia. Brandenburgh, the cradle of the Prussian monarchy, was raised to the dignity of a marquisate, 925; Sigefroi, count of Ringelheim, being appointed margrave by Henry the Fowler, emperor of Germany. EMINENT PERSON. Ibn Doreid, the first of Arabian | Paradise Lost among ourselves. Engpoets, settled at Bagdad, and was pa-lish Orientalists have frequently comtronized by the kaliph Al Moctasi. mented upon it; and there is a Latin His ode of Alcassydeh Almacsoureh translation of it yet extant. is as famous among the Arabs as the SECTION VIII. ATHELSTAN, KING OF ENGLAND. 925 TO 941-16 YEARS. Athelstan, the natural son of Edward, was opposed on his accession by a young noble named Alfred; but upon the seizure of the latter as a conspirator, he denied any hostile intention, offering to prove his assertion in the presence of the pope. He was accordingly conveyed to Rome; but no sooner had he declared his innocence, than he fell into convulsions and expired. So awful a catastrophe gave strength to the cause of Athelstan, who commenced a plan of conduct which greatly ingratiated him with his subjects. He soothed the Danes by every means in his power; and gave one of that nation, Sithric, the title of king of Northumberland, even bestowing upon him his sister Editha in marriage. Sithric's sons, however, upon the sudden decease of their parent, leagued with Constantine, king of Scotland, to invade England; whereon Athelstan took Constantine by surprise, defeated him at Brunanburgh, and compelled him to do homage for his crown. Soon after this proceeding, Constantine, Anlaf the Danish chieftain, and several Welsh princes, marched into Northumberland; but they were defeated by the king at Brunsbury, Anlaf and Constantine with difficulty escaping. Anlaf had, on the evening before the battle, entered the English camp in the disguise of a minstrel, to ascertain the position of the king's tent; and Athelstan, being secretly informed of the fact, |