cessful inroads of the Danes. The English depended | his kingdom entirely by the monk's counsels. The Edwy, who succeeded Edred, had good reason to regret the power which the clergy had obtained under his predecessor. He had married Elgiva, his second or third cousin, contrary to the will of some of the dignitaries of the church, and contrary to the precepts of the canon law. Such was the power of the monks, and such their daring insolence, that they caused the queen to be taken from the palace by force. They disfigured her face with hot irons, and sent her into Ireland. Seizing an opportunity of escaping, she returned to England, and was hastenecclesiastics, and put to death. Edwy, to avenge his quarrels with the monks, required from Dunstan an account of his conduct while treasurer. Dunstan, who had expected that his sanctity would have screened him from all such demands, refused to comply. Edwy banished him, but the saint's influence was not diminished. He induced one half of Edwy's subjects to rebel, and to set up in opposition to him his brother Edgar. Dunstan returned, and fomented the rebellion, till the death of Edwy gave Edgar possession of the whole kingdom. Alfred, who succeeded to the throne, was brother to Ethered, and fourth son of Ethelwolf. He had accompanied his father in his pilgrimage to Rome, but was willing to have other merits than such a pilgrimage could bestow. He applied with much success, to all the learning then known, while he exercised himself in such warlike occupations as mighting to her husband, when she was intercepted by the qualify him to take an active part against the enemies of his country. The success of his application was soon visible in the general prosperity of his reign; for, though at first frequently vanquished, the activity of his mind continually pointed out to him new resources, and the solidity of his judgment enabled him to make the best use of them. He drove the Danes from the island, and took such measures as, for some time, prevented their return. He rectified the errors of domestic government, and, in all things, consulted the true interests of his people. The character of Alfred is drawn in colours so shining, that the truth of the picture is liable to suspicion. He appears, indeed, to have been a good and great prince; but while his faults, which, in common with all men he must have possessed, have been entirely concealed; his virtues have, perhaps, been some what exaggerated. He died in 901, leaving his kingdom to Edward the Elder, his second son. The commencement of Edward's reign was disturbed by the pretensions of Ethelwald, son of Ethelbert, Alfred's elder brother. At length, however, the usurper fell in an engagement. Edward directed his arms against those Danes, who, during former reigns, had been permitted to settle in the island, but who were generally much inclined to promote disturbance. In his contests with them, as well as with those who continued to infest his territories from without, he was generally successful, without being able to gain such a decisive advantage as might prevent the future incursions of that restless people. Edward reigned twenty-four years. Athelstan, his natural son, who succeeded to the throne in 925, continued hostilities with the Danes, and, like his father, was generally successful when he could bring them to a fair battle, but never was able effectually to curb their power. Constantine, the Scottish king, refused to give up a Danish prince who had taken shelter in his dominions; for this offence he was attacked by Athelstan. According to the English historians, the Scottish monarch was, on this occasion, forced to do homage for his kingdom. The Scottish historians contradict this assertion. Neither of the parties pretend to prove what they affirm. The truth is, the practice of one monarch or chieftain doing homage to another, for certain portions of their possessions, was in these days not uncommon. Some of the kings of England did so to those of France, for certain provinces in that country, and the probability is, that some of the Scottish kings may have similarly done homage for the debateable portions of their territory, without inferring universal submission. Edgar, who, through the influence of Dunstan, had been raised to a throne, during the life of his brother, was directed in his government chiefly by the saint's advice, even when he became sole sovereign of the kingdom. He was, consequently, much in favour with the monks: and though, in every respect, his life was uncommonly licentious, they thought proper quietly to indulge him in all his excesses. For forcing a nun from a convent, and enjoying her by violence, his penance was to forbear wearing his crown for seven years. Edgar, notwithstanding his vices, governed with vigour and with prudence; and he took such measures for the defence of his kingdom, that he enjoyed peace during the greater part of his reign. In 957, he was succeeded by his son Edward. This prince, generally known by the name of Edward the Martyr, was, even more than his father, under the guidance of the monks. During his reign, the regular clergy obtained a complete victory over the seculars, two bodies between which the most violent contests had long subsisted. The victory was obtained chiefly by the abilities of Dunstan, who, for that purpose, affected to work many miracles. The succession of Edward had been opposed by Ethelred, son of Edgar by Elfrida; and, to make way for her son, Edward was put to death by Elfrida's order, while he visited her at her own house. Ethelred now succeeded without opposition; but, as he was still a minor, the government was feebly conducted, and the Danes, who, by degrees, had obtained many settlements in the best part of the country, showed an evident intention of obtaining the sovereignty of the whole. In this they were assisted by the renewed invasions of their countrymen. The degenerate English courtiers endeavoured, by giving the Danes money, to prevent their destructive ravages. The consequence was what might have been expected, they returned only the more suddenly. Animosities between the English and the Danes who had settled among them, became daily more violent, and a general massacre of the latter is said to have been projected, but it is not pro Edmund, in 941, succeeded his brother Athelstan.bable that ever it was executed. Many cruelties, howHe had reigned only five years, when he was mur-ever, were exercised upon them; but this circumstance, dered by a robber at a public dinner. Edmund was succeeded by his brother Edred, a pious prince, who made Dunstan, better known by the name of St Dunstan, treasurer; and governed instead of intimidating the Danes, and rendering their take refuge in Normandy. Seizing a favourable op- | who had assisted him in prosecuting his enterprise, portunity, he afterwards returned, but found in Can- he bestowed the chief offices of government upon ute, afterwards called the Great, an adversary no less Normans, and divided among them a great part of formidable than he had found in Sweyn. the country. The English, offended at a mode of Ethelred left his kingdom, in 1016, to his son, conduct which, though only what they had reason to Edmund, who, in the defence of his territories, dis-expect, they accounted partial, reluctantly submitted played uncommon valour; but the power and supe- to his sway, and seized almost every opportunity of riority of the Danes were now established too firmly making insurrections. After a variety of great and to be shaken. Notwithstanding every exertion he successful undertakings, of which there are few was compelled to divide his kingdom with Canute, examples, the latter part of William's life was imbitand when he was assassinated, in 1017, the Danes tered by domestic broils. Robert, his own son, resucceeded to the sovereignty of the whole. belled against him; and, though he was at last compelled to submit, he proved more troublesome than any other of William's enemies. Having reigned twenty-one years in England, and conducted the reins of government, in general, with success, he died in 1087. Canute, generally called the Great, espoused the widow of Ethelred, that he might thus reconcile to himself the minds of his new subjects. He obtained the name of Great, not only on account of his warlike, political, and civil qualifications, all of which seem to have been above the common rank, but from the extent of his dominions, being master, not only of England, but of Denmark and Norway. After the conquest of England, he passed the greater part of his life in peace. In 1035, he died, and, in England, he was succeeded by Harold, distinguished by the name of Harefoot. The reign of Harold was short and inglorious, that of his brother and successor, Hardicanute, was disgraced by tyranny. So violent, indeed, was his administration, that, when he died, the English placed Edward, a prince of the Saxon race, upon the throne. Edward the Confessor, was created king in 1042. His reign is remarkable for his practice of the civil, rather than of the military virtues. He had resided long in Normandy, and had acquired knowledge superior to that of many of his countrymen. His superstition, however, was unbounded; and by his complaisance to the monks, he, perhaps, partly acquired his exalted character. His reign, indeed, was long and prosperous: but this he owed rather to accident than to his own abilities. He compiled a system of laws, which long commanded the admiration of his countrymen. He died in 1066, but left behind him no son; for though he had married Editha, a beautiful woman, he exercised his temperance by refraining from cohabitation. His virtues pleased the monks, and after his death they created him a saint. William, commonly known by the name of Rufus, though he was only the conqueror's second son, by the artifices and intrigues of Lanfranc, an ecclesiastic, seized the English crown. He successfully quelled a rebellion which, at the commencement of his reign, had been raised against him, and he afterwards treated his people with uncommon severity. Though Normandy was in possession of Robert, his elder brother, William attempted to make himself master of it by force. Robert's character was composed of courage, generosity, and superstition; the last of these qualities put into William's power what the first had prevented him from procuring by violence. Robert was anxious to signalize himself among the crusaders; to procure the money necessary for this purpose, he mortgaged his territories to William for 10,000 merks, a sum which William raised by oppressing his subjects. A quarrel with Anselm, a powerful ecclesiastic, distinguished the latter part of William's reign. This quarrel has entailed on the monarch's character an imputation of impiety. His love of money seems to have been superior to his respect for the clergy, a fault which they could not forgive. William's quarrel with Anselm was terminated by the death of the former. He was accidentally killed by an arrow, while hunting in the New Forest. William, who was killed in 1100, left behind him no legitimate children; it was necessary, therefore, that one of his brothers should succeed him. The right of Robert, the elder, was preferable, but Henry the younger, by securing the treasure, secured the inheritance. Anxious to obtain the affections of the people, that his imperfect title might be strength the time of John, was made the foundation of the Great Charter. This would, in some measure, have compensated for his usurpation; but when Henry was confirmed in the throne, he forgot his grant. Still farther to secure his crown, he espoused Matilda, the representative of the Anglo-Saxon line, resolved to unite in his offspring, the rights of the Saxons, as well as of the Normans. Edward having no offspring, Harold, the son of earl Godwin, seized the crown, pretending that it was bequeathed to him by the late king. As his pretensions to the kingdom were founded only on his power, Harold did not enjoy it in quiet. Heened, he granted them a charter of rights, which, in found many enemies, but none so formidable as William of Normandy, who likewise pretended that he, by the will of Edward, was appointed to succeed to the English throne. To support his pretensions, William made the most vigorous preparations. To divert Harold's attention, he instigated the Danes to invade the northern counties, while he, with no less than 60,000 men, landed in the south. Harold vanquished the Danes, and hastened southwards to repel the Normans. The two armies met at Hastings. They were nearly equal in numbers, and fought with an obstinacy proportioned to the great object for which they contended. Harold and his two brothers fell, and the victory was William's. This great event took place in 1066. Having in reality conquered the kingdom, William immediately claimed the government; but as he knew that none was powerful enough to dispute his pretensions, he was willing to receive the crown as his right, and was desirous of being accounted the lawful king, rather than the conqueror of England. For some time, he conducted the government with great moderation; but being obliged to reward those Robert, whose disposition seems to have been somewhat indolent, arrived in England in 1101, and claimed the crown which justly belonged to him. But the actual possession of it gave Henry an insuperable advantage. His father's treasure was sufficient to balance the contest; and to render himself still more safe, Henry courted the favour of the clergy. The primate Anselm effected a reconciliation before any blood had been shed in the quarrel. Robert relinquished his pretensions to England, on condition that he should annually receive 3000 merks. But Henry thought even these advantageous terms too hard. He seized his brother soon after, when he had come to England to vindicate the cause of some of his adherents, whom Henry had deprived of their take refuge in Normandy. S portunity, he afterwards retur ute, afterwards called the Gre formidable than he had found Ethelred left his kingdom, Edmund, who, in the defence played uncommon valour; bu riority of the Danes were now to be shaken. Notwithstand was compelled to divide his and when he was assassinated succeeded to the sovereignty o Canute, generally called th widow of Ethelred, that he mi himself the minds of his new st the name of Great, not only oi like, political, and civil quali seem to have been above the from the extent of his dominior only of England, but of De After the conquest of England, part of his life in peace. In 1 England, he was succeeded by by the name of Harefoot. The reign of Harold was shot of his brother and successor, H graced by tyranny. So viole administration, that, when he placed Edward, a prince of th the throne. Edward the Confessor, was cr His reign is remarkable for his Į rather than of the military virtue long in Normandy, and had & superior to that of many of hi superstition, however, was unb complaisance to the monks, he, quired his exalted character. was long and prosperous: but t to accident than to his own abilitie system of laws, which long com tion of his countrymen. He di behind him no son; for thoug Editha, a beautiful woman, he ex ance by refraining from cohabit pleased the monks, and after his him a saint. Edward having no offspring, 1 earl Godwin, seized the crown, was bequeathed to him by the pretensions to the kingdom wer his power, Harold did not enjoy found many enemies, but none William of Normandy, who likew he, by the will of Edward, was ap to the English throne. To suppor William made the most vigorous divert Harold's attention, he inst to invade the northern counties, less than 60,000 men, landed in t vanquished the Danes, and haster repel the Normans. The two arr ings. They were nearly equal fought with an obstinacy proportio object for which they contended. two brothers fell, and the victor This great event took place in 106 Having in reality conquered th liam immediately claimed the gov he knew that none was powerful e his pretensions, he was willing to 1 as his right, and was desirous of bei lawful king, rather than the conqu For some time, he conducted the great moderation; but being obliged 1 |