lost no time in removing his quarters. Meanwhile an unfortunate bishop, who arrived that night with a reinforcement of troops, took up his abode in the vacant tent, and was found assassinated therein in the morning. Athelstan, just before his death, directed the holy Scriptures to be translated into AngloSaxon, and a copy placed in every church. He died at Gloucester, and was buried at Malmesbury. The queen of France, wife of Charles the Simple, and sister of Athelstan, had fled to England with her son upon the dethronement of her husband, 915; and after a residence there of twenty years, her son was recalled to fill the throne. He is called Louis l'Outremer, or the stranger, in allusion to his long exile. CHIEF DOMESTIC EVENTS. was effected by Athelstan after the victory of Brunanburgh, 938; and the two countries may be said to have been, from that period until the union of the crowns by king James, wholly opposed to each other in interests. The Freemasons. The first grand lodge of England met 926 at York, by a charter from Athelstan, who became a member. St. Alban was a freemason, and so were king Alfred, and St. Swithin. Amongst the grand masters of England are numbered St. Dunstan, Edward the Confessor, William of enacted that every merchant, who Wykeham, Henry VII., Sir Thomas should make three long sea voyages on Gresham, Inigo Jones, and Sir Chris- his own account, should be raised to topher Wren. William III. and George the rank of thane, an hereditary title IV. were also freemasons. equal to that of a modern baron. Scotland tributary to England. This Merchant Adventurers. CHIEF FOREIGN EVENTS. Growing Power of Spain. Madrid, then an inconsiderable town, was taken by Alphonso the Great, king of Leon, 931, who now possessed Asturias, Leon, Navarre, and part of Castile. Abdalrahman III. was kaliph of Cordova at the time; and the remains of his portion of the peninsula were now Portugal, Andalusia, Granada, Murcia, Valentia, and part of Castile. This Moorish prince received, with great magnificence, ambassadors from the Greek emperor, Constantine IX., who solicited his aid against the kalıph of Bagdad; so completely had the parent state fallen in power below its rebellious scion. Fall of the Saracen Empire. All power having long been vested in the Turkish body-guard, from which the vizier or prime minister was selected, the kaliph, Al Radi, to supplant a troublesome vizier, established an office superior in power, calling the possessor of it Emir Al Omra. This great officer had the management of all military and financial affairs, and officiated Athelstan for the kaliph in the mosque. In little more than a year after the creation of this post, the whole remnant of the Saracens in the east were in commotion: pretenders to the throne arose in every quarter, and before the close of 937, the Moslemin empire was shared amongst thirteen usurpers, Bagdad, with a small surrounding territory, alone remaining to the prophet's successor, Al Radi. Thus fell, 315 years from its foundation, the kingdom of Mahomet; a man whom, if we consider, not as an enthusiast, but as a political speculator, and the founder of a powerful empire, we shall find perhaps superior in character and abilities to all other conquerors. The empire of Alexander, which arose with still more rapidity than that of the Arabs, had no support but from the founder's own ambition and personal qualifications. So it was afterwards in the empires of Jenghiz Khan, and Tamerlane. They erected mighty fabrics indeed; but their duration was comparatively momentary. The empire of the Romans was founded on the en- which they fought in this. To live at thusiastic desire of aggrandizing a city, peace, except with those who subwhich continued enlarging until it be-mitted to his will, came not within the came a republic: patriotism was the scope of his plan; and he who made chief virtue of its people, and those no conquests, or at least who did not who fought and conquered, fought and strive to make them, was no true beconquered to exalt the republic more liever. By these politic means, whatand more. Mankind, however, would ever already the magnitude of his emnot always consent to venerate a city; pire, the temptation to extend its and at length the same divisions that boundaries was still equally strong; had ruined other states brought this and not only the commanders of armies, also to an end. Mahomet's empire, but every private person, had the most however, had a firmer basis; the foun- powerful motives to urge him upon the der was not only the king, but the conquest of the whole world, had that sacred idol of his subjects. Whatever been possible. From the single cir enthusiasm men may display in de- cumstance of Mahomet's neglect to apfending their country or nearest rela- point a successor, especially to the tives, experience has taught us, that it apostleship, proceeded the divisions is greatly inferior in quality to that which ultimately brought his empire to shown in defence of religion. Ma- ruin. homet had taken care not only to bring over this impulsive feeling to his side, but to exalt it to its highest pitch, by inculcating upon his followers, that their rewards in the next world should be proportioned to the pious fury with Use of Arabic Numerals. Arithmetic was first made a study in Italy, 941, by the introduction of the Arabian symbols 1, 2, 3, &c., which soon entirely superseded the Roman mode of notation by letters, C, D, V, &c. EMINENT PERSON. Guy, Earl of Warwick, was one of Athelstan's court; and amidst all the fables connected with his name, we can gather that his strength was matchless, and that he stood forth in single combat with Colbrand, the grand cham- | pion of the Danes, in a contest near Winchester, wherein he was victorious. Many memorials are shown in Warwick castle of this redoutable personage. SECTION IX. EDMUND I., KING OF ENGLAND. 941 TO 946-5 YEARS. Edmund I., brother of Athelstan, after compelling the Northumbrians to lay aside their hostile habits, and embrace Christianity, took Cumberland from the Britons, and conferred it on Malcolm king of Scotland, on condition of his doing homage, and protecting the north from Danish incursions. Edmund's reign was short, and his death violent. While solemnizing a festival at Pucklechurch in Gloucestershire, Leolf, a bandit chieftain, whom he had expelled the kingdom, suddenly entered the hall; and the king attempting to turn him out, was wounded with a dagger by the ruffian, and soon after expired. He was interred at Glastonbury. CHIEF EVENT. Russian Invasion of the Eastern Em- | the eastern empire and ravaged it 941, pire. The Russians or Russes entered and were on the point of entering Con stantinople when compelled to retire. It is singular that, after a lapse of 900 years, the descendants of the same Russes, whatever may be their supposed power over, or intentions against, the present inhabitants of the same Constantinople and its dependencies, are just where they were, extended as their territories are along the northern portion of the globe; while the semibarbarous Turks, who possess the seat of the eastern empire, are as likely to hold their ground against the ancient enemy of their soil, as were the vacillating adherents of the Constantines. SECTION X. EDRED, KING OF ENGLAND. 946 TO 956-10 YEARS. Edred, sixth son of Edward the elder, and brother of Edmund, began by chastising the Danes, and compelling Malcolm of Scotland to renew his homage. He then gave up the affairs of state to Dunstan, abbot of Glastonbury, whose monastery he piously rebuilt, and who gained such influence over him as to become infinitely more powerful than himself. At the head of the treasury, and possessed of both influence at court and credit with the populace, Dunstan attempted the most arduous enterprises. Aware that his rise had been mainly owing to the general opinion of his austerity as a monk, he began a reformation of the convents, enforced the celibacy of the clergy, and compelled a rigid observance of monastic discipline. In the midst of these efforts, Edred suddenly died of a quinsy; an event which retarded for a while the abbot's proceedings, though, in the succeeding reign, his designs were fully developed. Edred was buried at Winchester. CHIEF EVENT. Rebellion of Hugh the Great. Hugh, duke of Burgundy, obtained great influence in France during the reign of Charles the Simple, and upon that king's deposition, 915, he placed his own relative, Raoul, on the throne, who ruled France until his death in 935. From some unexplained cause, Hugh then recalled Louis and his mother Egina from their long exile in England, and gave the former his father's crown; though he constantly opposed his measures, and forced him to yield Laon and other towns. On the death of Louis l'Outremer, Hugh compelled Lothaire, his successor, to create him duke of France; and though he died only two years after that king's accession, 956, he left a son, the celebrated Hugh Capet, who equally restrained the royal will, and, not long after, put an end to the Carlovingian dynasty. Pious Foundations of Edred. Besides rebuilding the abbey of Glastonbury, Edred founded the two monasteries of Croyland and Abingdon ; vestiges of which are still to be traced. EMINENT PERSON. Luitprand of Lombardy, who, after offending his patron, Berenger II., the self-styled king of Italy, was made bishop of Cremona by Otho the Great. When sent ambassador by Otho to Nicephorus, the eastern emperor, the latter imprisoned him; which so dis gusted him with state affairs, that, when released, he passed the remainder of his days in his diocese, employing his leisure hours in the compilation of a history of his own times, a roughly executed but highly interesting book, still extant. SECTION XI. EDWY, KING OF ENGLAND. 956 To 959-3 YEARS. Edwy, son of Edmund I., was appointed, through the instrumentality of Dunstan, to succeed his uncle Edred, in preference to the infant children of that king. He was only sixteen, but possessed a manly and noble person, as well as mental qualities which gave considerable hope to the people. He soon, however, offended the monks, by espousing his near and beautiful relative Elgiva; and on the day of his coronation, when he had retired from the banqueting-hall to the apartments of the queen-mother, to enjoy for a short time the society of his bride, Dunstan did not scruple to break into the room, accompanied by Odo, archbishop of Canterbury, and force the king back into the company of his nobles. Edwy soon after called the abbot to account for certain sums expended during his uncle's reign; and Dunstan, refusing to explain, was accused of malversation in his office, and banished the kingdom. The friends of the exile, however, spared no pains to obtain a reversal of the sentence; while Odo sent a party of soldiers to seize the queen, which they did forthwith, and carried her to Ireland, after having dreadfully seared her face with hot irons. During her imprisonment, the regular healing process of nature obliterated her cruel wounds; and having effected her escape, she attempted to return to England. A party, however, sent by the primate to intercept her, again captured her, and most barbarously put her to death at Gloucester. Odo instantly recalled Dunstan, drove Edwy from the throne, and placed Edgar his younger brother thereon. While a sentence of excommunication was on its way from Rome against Edwy, that unhappy prince died of a broken heart, and was buried at Winchester. CHIEF EVENT. Papal change of Name. John XII., elected at the early age of eighteen to fill the papal chair, was the first pope who ruled by another name than his own. He changed that of Octavian to John, as more scriptural. He was, however, an unworthy usurper of the evangelist's name. He solicited the assistance of Otho the Great against Berenger II. (grandson of the former Berenger), who had seized Italy; and when he had succeeded in driving away his enemy, crowned his ally, and wore to him fidelity over the body of St. Peter. John, however, became the friend of Berenger's son, and united himself against his ancient benefactor; whereon Otho invaded Italy, and in a general council accused the pope of various crimes, deposed him, and placed Leo VIII. in his room, 963. No sooner, however, had the emperor quitted Rome, than John re-entered it, and with barbarous cruelty mutilated his enemies. He was killed soon after by an infuriated husband, whose wife he had insulted. SECTION XII. EDGAR, KING OF ENGLAND. 959 TO 975-16 YEARS. Edgar was only thirteen when compelled to usurp the seat of his brother; but by the aid of Dunstan, and his own good abilities, he ruled the country so as to draw from ancient historians the most unqualified approbation. He increased the navy to 360 ships; and by stationing three squadrons off the coast, prevented all incursions of the foreign Danes; while the domestic ones were thus deterred from raising their usual insurrections. The king of Scotland, the princes of Wales, and the sovereigns of the isle of man, the Orkneys, and Ireland, were compelled to pay deference to Edgar's superior authority; and, to display his feudal power, he, on one occasion at Chester, obliged eight princes to row his barge on the river Dee. Freed from all dread of invasion, he joined the monks in their attempts to reform the dissolute lives of the secular clergy. His fame alluring a number of foreigners to visit his court, he prevailed upon them to settle in England; and though this circumstance might tend to the introduction of the vices of the continent among the comparatively simple Anglo-Saxons, it induced the people to enlarge their views, and cured them of those illiberal prejudices, and rustic manners which islanders are too apt to acquire. Edgar died aged 33, and was interred at Glastonbury. CHIEF DOMESTIC EVENTS. When Edgar's Marriage. Desirous of to become his ruin: she assented, but, allying himself with the house of untrue to her word, set herself off to Olgar, earl of Devonshire, the king the greatest advantage, and not only commissioned Athelwold, his fa- inspired the king with the highest vourite, to ascertain for him whether love for herself, but with the most report was correct with regard to furious desire of revenge against her his daughter Elfrida's extraordinary husband,-whom, under the guise of beauty. The faithless ambassador, hunting, he enticed into a wood, and however, fell in love with and married slew with his own hand. He then the young lady himself, without dis- publicly married Elfrida. closing to the carl the design of his master. Having removed his bride to a castle in the country, he told Edgar that rumour had deceived him, and that Elfrida was beneath his notice. No sooner, however, had some enemies of Athelwold discovered the fact, than they communicated the same to the king, who, under pretence of a friendly visit to the earl, made a journey to his castle. Athelwold, in dismay, prayed his wife to do all in her power to disguise that beauty which was so likely Extirpation of Wolves. Edgar found that these voracious animals were, by dint of constant pursuit, every where destroyed but in Wales, he changed the tribute due from the Welsh to 300 wolves' heads, annually to be delivered in London. This measure, however, did not exterminate the race; as the last indigenous wolf of England was killed in the reign of Charles II., 1680, by Sir Ewen Cameron. CHIEF FOREIGN EVENTS. Murder of Nicephorus Phocas. | emperor, 969, and assumed the purJohn Zimisces, at the instigation of ple. Though he owed his elevation the empress, assassinated this eastern to so horrible an act, he governed with |