Page:Cassell's Illustrated History of England vol 1.djvu/50

36 These precautions seemed to be sufficient to hinder the poor and the defenceless from being oppressed by the rich and great. But as Alfred was sensible the spirit of tyranny grew upon men in authority, he studied to prevent that injustice; and, to that end, ordered that, in all criminal actions, twelve men, chosen for that purpose, should determine concerning the fact, and the judge give sentence according to their verdict. This privilege, enjoyed by the English to this day, is doubtless the noblest and most valuable that subjects can have. An Englishman accused of any crime is to be tried only by his peers—that is, by persons of his own rank. These twelve men, chosen out of many others, with the approbation of the person accused, are called by the collective name of a jury; and these are properly the persons by whom the life or death of a prisoner is determined. About this time, also, Alfred divided all England into shires—so called from the Saxon word scyre, to divide—and counties; the shires again into hundreds, which were subdivided into tithings, to which the inhabitants were obliged to belong, under pain of being treated as vagabonds.

He also invited over from foreign countries learned men, to whom he gave pensions, and dispersed them in the several dioceses, to instruct the people; and not satisfied with this, being desirous of having in his own kingdom a nursery of learning, he founded four schools or colleges at Oxford. In the first, the Abbot Neot and Grimald read divinity; in the second, Asserius, a Benedictine monk, taught grammar and rhetoric; in the third, John, a monk of St. David's, set up a chair for logtc, arithmetic, and music; and in the fourth, Johannes Scotus professed geometry and astronomy.

We find also among the learned men encouraged by Alfred, Plegmund, a Mercian, who became Archbishop of Canterbury, and many others. It is unnecessary to stay to examine whether the colleges founded by Alfred were the first foundations of the University of Oxford, or whether, before that, there were at a place called Greeklade similar schools, which were removed from thence to this city. It is enough to observe that, from very small foundations, the University of Oxford has advanced to its present state.

In all matters relating to the public, Alfred governed with the advice and assistance of the general council or assembly of the nation, called in Saxon Wittena-Gemot, to which rank and office gave a right to sit, and which was independent of the king. This assembly, styled at present the Parliament, a name taken from the French, was composed of the two Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the bishops, earls, viscounts or high-sheriffs of the counties, and the thanes of the first rank, or barons.

Whilst Alfred lay concealed in the Isle of Athelney, he made a vow to dedicate to God the third part of his time, as soon as he should be restored to a state of tranquillity. He performed his promise, and allotted eight hours every day to acts of devotion, eight hours to public affairs, and as many to sleep, study, and necessary refreshment. As the use of clocks and hour-glasses was not yet introduced into England, he measured the time by means of wax-candles, marked with circular lines of different colours, which served as so many hour-lines; and to prevent the wind from making them burn unsteady, it is said he invented the expedient of enclosing them in lanterns.

He also divided his revenues in two parts, one of which was wholly assigned for charitable uses, and subdivided into four portions; the first for alms to the poor; the second for the maintenance of the monasteries he had founded; the third for the subsistence of the professors and scholars at Oxford; the fourth for poor monks, foreigners as well as English. The other half was divided into three parts: one was expended on his family; another in paying his architects, and other curious workmen; and the rest was bestowed in pensions upon strangers invited to his court for the encouragement and instruction of his subjects. This monarch is justly distinguished with the surname of Great; and all historians unanimously represent him as one of the noblest that ever wore a crown. It is, however, said that in the commencement of his reign he was subject to great violence of temper; that he was haughty towards his subjects, and indulged the impetuosity of his passions so much, indeed, as to draw down the censure of his kinsman, St. Neot.

He died in 901, in the fifty-third year of his age, after a reign of twenty-nine years and six months, the greatest part of which was spent in war.

 

the accession of Edward, the son of Alfred, England was nearly equally divided between the Saxons and the Danes. The former still possessed the important kingdom of Wessex, which included Essex and most of the territory to the south of the Thames. Mercia was inhabited by a mixed population, in which, however, the English race predominated. Their enemies were more numerous in the east and north of the island. Both parties began to be weary of war—of mutually destroying each other—and a brief repose was welcome. To the new settlers the retreat of their countrymen was as acceptable as to the Saxons; for the hordes who invaded the island with no other object than obtaining plunder, were little scrupulous which possessions they ravaged; and the consequence was, that the Danes suffered at times as much as the earlier possessors of the soil.

Edward had not long obtained possession of the crown before a civil war broke out, which ultimately strengthened the Saxons as a nation. Alfred's elder brother, Ethelbert, left two sons, the eldest of whom, Ethelward, having arrived at man's estate, claimed the throne, on the plea that his grandfather, Ethelwulph, had no right to make a will leaving the succession to his three sons, according to their seniority, to the exclusion of their issue—a claim which, in these days, would undoubtedly be looked upon as valid. A numerous party supported his pretensions, and Edward was compelled to draw the sword to maintain himself in his inheritance.

Defeated in his first attempt, the pretender fled to the Danes, who received him hospitably, and, seeing the use which such an instrument might be made of in their hands, at once proclaimed him King of Wessex.

In this crisis Edward proved himself worthy of his illustrious father, and acted with a promptitude and decision which ultimately secured to him his crown. Immediately after the battle of Wimborne, in which he had defeated his 