Page:Illustrations of the history of medieval thought and learning.djvu/292

274 that we can presume as to its real date is that it probably refers to the state of peace subsequent to the treaty of Wedmore in 878. Afterwards, under the date of 886, occurs the famous passage describing the quarrel that arose at Oxford between Grimbald and his companions who had come there with him, and the old scholastics of the town. It was natural to suppose that these companions included that John already mentioned; and such is the inference drawn in the Hyde annals, a. 886, according to which, ''anno secundo adventus sancti Grimbaldi in Angliam, incepta est universitas Oxoniae,. . . legentibus. . . Grimbaldo and others, the list ending with in geometria et astronomia docente Ioanne monacho et collega sancti Grimbaldi.'' Since, however, the passage in Asser relating to Oxford is known to be a modern interpolation, and since the Book of Hyde is a production not earlier than Edward the Third's reign, the evidence on this head may be wisely ignored. It is only necessary to add that one certain witness to the connexion shown by the passage first quoted from Asser, remains in king Alfred's preface to his translation of saint Gregory's Pastoral Care, which he says he learned of Plegmund my archbishop, and of Asser my bishop, and of Grimfold my mass-priest, and of John my mass-priest.

2. At a long interval from the mention of the arrival of the two scholars, and in what is regarded as a quite distimct section of his book, Asser relates, a. 887, Alfred's foundation of the monastery of Athelney, and r describes its first abbat:

Primitus Iohannem presbyterum monachum, scilicet Ealdsaxonem genere, abbatem constituit; deinde ultramarinos presbyteros quosdam et diaconos; ex quibus, cum nec adhuc tantum numerum quantum vellet haberet, comparavit etiam quamplurimos eiusdem gentis Gallicae, ex quibus quosdam infantes in eodem monasterio edoceri imperavit et subsequenti tempore ad monachicum habitum sublevari.

Asser proceeds to relate the attempted murder of abbat John by the servants of two Gaulish monks in the house.