The History of the Church of Great Britain, Century 9
CENT. IX.
ANno 801. the Archbiſhoprick was reſtored to Canterbury, at the inſtance of Kenulph, King of Mercia. Then Ethelard the Archbiſhop called a Synod at Cliveſho in Kent, where, by power from the Pope, he riveted the Archbiſhoprick into the City of Canterbury. The ſubſcriptions in this Council were the moſt formal and ſolemn of any ſo Antient. There was likewiſe at Celichyth an eminent Council, under Wolphred (who ſucceeded Ethelard) Archbiſhop of Canterbury.
King Egbert was now in the exaltation of his greatneſs; but the Danes beat the Engliſh in a Naval fight at Carmouth in Dorſet-ſhire, which proved fatal to our Nation. Hence forward theſe Pagans ſetled themſelves in ſome part of the Land.
Anno 837. Ethelwolph, his Son, ſucceeded his Father Egbert in the Throne; a valiant and devout Prince, though much moleſted by the Danes all his life-time.
About the year 855. Ethelwolph King of the Weſt Saxons, ſummoned a Parlament of his Princes, Nobles, and Biſhops at Wincheſter, in the midſt of the Daniſh Wars and Invaſions, to conſult with them, how he might pacifie God's wrath againſt him, and his Realm? And by their adviſe and aſſent granted the Tithes, or tenth part of all his Lands to God and his Miniſters, free from all ſecular ſervices and exactions, great and ſmall, that they might the more freely pour out their prayers to God for him and his Realm. He ſubjected the whole Kingdom to the payment of Tithes; he was the firſt-born Monarch of England. Indeed before his time there were Monarchs of the Saxon Heptarchy, but not ſucceſſive, and fixed in a Family, but fluctuating from one Kingdom to another. Egbert, Father to this Ethelwolph atchieved and left this Monarchy to this his Son; not Monarcha factus, but natus, and ſo in unqueſtionable Power to make this Act obligatory over all the Land, ſaith Fuller.
King Ethelwolph the next year went in Pilgrimage to Rome, and confirmed, unto the Pope, his Predeceſſors grant of Peter-pence, and (beſides) beſtowed upon him the yearly Revenue of three hundred Marks, thus to be expended.
1. To maintain Candles for St. Peter, one hundred Marks.
2. To maintain Candles for St. Paul, one hundred Marks.
3. For a free Largeſs to the Pope, one hundred Marks.
After the Death of King Ethelwolph, and his two Sons Ethelbald and Ethelbert ſucceeding him, this Land was in a ſad condition, though in a worſe eſtate under the reign of his third Son, being haraſſed by the Danes. About ſixty years ſince the Weſt Saxons had ſubdued the other ſix Kings of this Nation, yet ſo, that they ſtill continued Kings, but Homagers to the Weſt Saxon Monarchy. They beholding Ethelred the Weſt Saxon King, embroiled with the invaſion of the Danes, they not onelyonly lazily looked on, but ſecretly ſmiled at this ſight. Thus the height of the Saxon pride and envy, cauſed the breadth of the Daniſh power and cruelty.
Anno 870. the Danes made an inrode into Lincoln-ſhire, where they met with ſtout reſiſtance: The Chriſtians had the better the firſt day, wherein the Danes loſt three of their Kings, buried in a place thence called Trekingham; ſo had they the ſecond day till at night breaking their Ranks to purſue the Danes in their diſſembled flight, they were utterly overthrown.
Theodore Abbot of Crowland, hearing of the Danes approach, Shipped away moſt of his Monks, with the choyceſt Relicks and Treaſures of his Convent, and caſt his moſt pretious Veſſels into a Well in the Cloiſter. The reſt remaining were at their morning praiers, when the Danes entring Slew
Theodore the Abbot on the high Altar.
Aſher the Prior in the Veſtiary.
Lethwin the Sub-prior in the Refectory.
Pauline and Herbert in the Quire.
Wolride the Torch-bearer in the ſame place.
Grimketule, & Agamund, each of them an 100 years old in the Cloiſters.
Then the Danes marched to Medamſtead (ſince called Peterbrough) where finding the Abby-gates locked againſt them, they reſolved to force their entrance, in effecting whereof Tulba, Brother to Count Hubba, was wounded almoſt to death with a ſtone caſt at him. Hubba enraged hereat, killed Abbot Hedda, and all the Monks, being fourſcore and four, with his own hand. Then was the Abby ſet on fire, which burned fifteen daies together, wherein an excellent Library was conſumed. Having pillaged the Abby, and broke the Tombs and Coffins of many Saints there enterred, theſe Pagans marched forward into Camdridge-ſhire, and paſſing the river Nine, two of their waggons fell into the water, wherein the cattle which drew them were drowned, much of their rich plunder loſt, and more impared.
The Danes ſpared no Age, Sex, condition of people. They waſted Cambridge, burnt the (then) City of Thetford, forced Edmond, King of the Eaſt-Angles, into his Caſtle of Framlingham. They took, him, and becauſe he would not deny Chriſt, they tyed him unto a Tree, and ſhot at him til he died. Then they cut of his head, and caſt it among the buſhes. His own Subjects buried him both head and body at Hatſedon, which from thence was called, St. Edmonds-bury. There after-ages ſhrined, ſainted, and adored his Reliques. King Ethelbert behaved himſelf bravely in nine Battles with various ſucceſs againſt the Danes, and the more he ſlew, the more they grew, which went neer his heart, therefore he withered away in the flower of his age, deſiring rather to encounter death than the Danes, Guliel. Malmesbur. de Geſtis Regum Anglor. lib. 2.according to the obſervation of the Engliſh Hiſtorian, that the Saxon Kings in this age, magis optabant honeſtum exitum, quam acerbum Imperium.
In this ſad condition God ſent England a deliverer, namely King Alfred or Alured, fourth ſon of Ethelwolph by the Lady Ogburgh. He was born in England; bred in Rome, where, by a Prolepſis, (ſaith Fuller) he was anointed King by Pope Leo (though then but a private Prince, and his three elder brothers alive) in auſpicium futuri regni, in hope that hereafter he ſhould come to the Crown. The Danes at his coming to the Crown, had London, many of the in-land, more of the maritime Towns, and Alfred onelyonly three effectual Shires Sommerſet, Wiltes and Dorſet: yet by God's bleſſing on his endeavours, he got to be Monarch of all England.
Anno 872.In the beginning of his reign, he was ſorely diſtreſſed by the Danes, and one of his greateſt Courts for reſidence, was an Iſland, now known by the name of Athelney in the County of Sommerſet, in the Saxon tongue called Aethelingarg that is, Nobilium Inſula, ſo termed by reaſon of the Kings abode, and the concourſe of his Nobles unto him: in this place he lived poorly diſguiſed in a Cow-herds houſe. Being excellent In Muſick and Songs, he oftentimes in the habit and poſture of a common Minſtril, did inſinuate himſelf in the Daniſt Camp, where his plauſible cariage and ſkill gained a freedome of acceſs and paſſage in the company of their Princes at banquets, and other meetings; and thereby he diſcovered their conditions, and all their martial counſels and deſignes. He returneth to his comfortleſs company, and unmasking himſelf and the Daniſh deſignes, cheereth them up, and with a refreſhed Power and ſtrength ſuddenly iſſued forth, and gave a fierce aſſault upon the ſecure Danes: he ſlew multitudes of them, and enforced the remainder to a ſhameful flight for the ſafe-guard of their lives. In this Iſle Alfred had built a kind of Caſtle, or Fortreſs, to receive him and his Nobles upon return from their Sallies and Encounters during his Wars in thoſe parts.
About a year after that memorable overthrow, viz. Anno 879. in a Battel at Kinwich in Devon-ſhire, Halden, and ſome of the chief Leaders of the Danes, received their death's wound, and ended their lives; hereupon the daunted and diſperſed Danes humbly preſent their termes of Peace to King Alfred with Pledges and Hoſtages, that they would either depart the Land, or become Chriſtians, which was accepted by him. Guthrun, their new King, upon the death of their other Leaders with thirty Noble-men, and almoſt all his People, received Baptiſm in the new Caſtle of Athelney, where King Alfred was Godfather to him, and gave him the name of Athelſtane; and upon a confederation between them, Alfred did aſſign unto him the Provinces of the East-Angles, and Northumberland; Ʋt eas ſub fidelitate Regis jure haereditario foveret, quas pervaſerat latrocinio; that he might enjoy that by right, which before he uſurped by rapine: and unto the new-baptized Nobles, he gave many large and rich gifts. This truce, or league, was about the ninth year of his Reign, and thus beginneth, Faedus, quod Aluredus,Lamb. Archai fol. 49. & Gythrudus, Reges, ex ſapientum Anglorum, atque eorum omnium, qui orientalem incolebant Angliam conſulto ferierunt, in quod praeterea, ſinguli non ſolum de ſeipſis, verumetiam de natis ſuis, ac nondum in lu…em editis (quotquot ſaltem miſericordiae divinae aut Regia velint eſſe participes) jurarunt. That is, they did by a ſolemn Oath ratifie this League, as well for themſelves as for thoſe that were then born, and unborn, that would be partakers of mercy from God or the King.
Then having ſet bounds to his Dominions, certain Comitial Lawes and Ordinances were made between them, enlarged and amplified by their Senators. Before all things they propoſed and preferred the ſtrict and holy worſhipping of Almighty God, and abandoning all barbarous Idolatry, next, they took care for the Enacting, Regiſtring, and Enrolling of Moral Laws, for containing of Subjects in their ſeveral duties, and due obedience, and therefore they firſt decreed, That the peace of the Church within her Walls (as it was then delivered by the hand of King Alfred) ſhould be piouſly and inviolably obſerved. They proceeded to the promotion and propagation of the Chriſtian Faith, and the abolition of all Paganiſm, and Heatheniſh Rites; for coertion of Clearks, and Men in Holy Orders, if they committed any Perjury, Fornication, or other Offences, or were unconformable in the celebration of Feſtival-days, times of Abſtinence, or other Orders and Injunctions of the Church; prohibiting Merchandiſing, and ſecular Negotiations upon the Lord's day. In all which the Impoſitions of Penalties and Puniſhments upon an Engliſh Man, and a Dane, were differenced one from the other. They alſo provided for the exilement of Witches, Wizzards, common Strumpets, and other lewd Creatures; with other good Laws for avoiding of Homicides, and for preſervation of Peace and Government, and maintenance of each Man's right of property in this their National commixture.
This adjured League quieted the Civil diſcords of the Danes and Saxons for the ſpace of four years, until the twelfth year of Alfred's Reign: And afterwards the continual inrode of the ſtragling unbaptized Danes iſſuing out of France, and other places (who vexed that Eaſtern part of the Land) moleſted this good King untill his Death.
This King divided his moveables into equal portions; the one he appointed for uſes Secular, and divided it into three parts, one for his Family, another for building of new Works, and a third he reſerved for ſtrangers: The other half he dedicated unto uſes Eccleſiaſtical, and divided it into four portions; one for relief of the Poor, another to Monaſteries, the third to the Schools in Oxford, where he had erected a School for Grammar; another for Philoſophy, and a third for Divinity; whereas before they had neither Grammar nor Sciences, becauſe Pope Gregory I. gave in command, that Britain ſhould have no Schools, for fear of Hereſies, but onelyonly Monaſteries. The Regents in the Univerſity, and Readers in the Divinity-School, were Neoth, a worthy Divine, and Grimbald, well-skilled in Divinity: In Grammar and Rhetorick, the Learned Aſſerius, who wrote the life of this King: In Logick, Muſick, and Arithmetick, the Reader was John, a Monk of St. Davids: In Geometry and Aſtronomy, read John a companion of Grimbald, a Man Witty and Learned; at which Lectures, this famous King Alfred was preſent. He gave many penſions to Scholars, Learned Men in all Arts, to inſtruct his Subjects in Religion, and all kinds of Learning: He contributed much to the relief of diſtreſſed Churches without his Realm: He protected his Realm from oppreſſion and injuſtice by his Sheriffs, Juſtices, and other Officers, whoſe proceedings he frequently examined, puniſhing them ſeverely when they had judged, or injured others contrary to Law, out of Malice, Corruption, or Partiality: He divided the Day and Night into three parts; one eight hours he allowed himſelf for Eating, Drinking, Sleeping and Recreation; another eight hours he ſpent in hearing Cauſes, and in doing Juſtice; and the reſt of his time ſpent in Prayer, Reading the Scriptures, Meditation, and other pious Exerciſes. And for the inſtructing his Subjects in the Holy Scriptures, he began to Tranſlate the Pſalmes of David, himſelf, into the Engliſh Tongue, but being prevented by Death, did not finiſh it: He gathered Pſalmes and Prayers together into a little Book, which he called a Manual, or Hand-book,Biſh. Godwin. Catal. which he always caried about him. He was the firſt lettered Prince in this Kingdom, ſince it had it's denomination of England, and was diſciplined under the care of Plegmundus, a Man of eminent Parts and Learning, who was born in Mercia, and from the ſolitary life of an Heremite in the Iſle of Cheſter, was called to be Tutor to this Noble Prince. A little after his Inauguration to the Kingdom, he had the comfortable ſervice and attendance of Werefridus (who was conſecrated Biſhop of Worceſter on Whitſunday, Anno 872.) for at his command he Tranſlated the Dialogues of Gregory, out of the Latin into the Saxon or Engliſh Dialect: he had all the helps, advice, and inſtructions of Plegmundus, his Tutor, who was afterward Conſecrated Archbiſhop of Canterbury. Aſſerius (as himſelf affirmeth) abode with the King in his Court by the ſpace of eight Moneths before his return into Wales, in which time he conſtantly read divers Books unto him: for it was his cuſtom both day and night, amidſt all other impediments both of Mind and Body, to be ever verſed in reading Books himſelf, or hearing them read by others.
This unparallelled King died, Anno 900. after he had reigned 29 years and ſix moneths, having fought 56 Battels with the Pagan-Danes. His Epitaph is the Epitome of his life, which the happineſs of thankful times have dedicated to him as a Monument of his eternal fame, and here followeth out of the Works of a Modern Chronographer.
Nobilitas inimica tibi probitatis honorem,
(Armipotens Alfred) dedit probitasque laborem,
Perpetuumque labor nomen: immixta dolori
Gaudia ſemper erant, ſpes ſemper mixta timori, &c.
Engliſhed by Mr. Flemming.
Nobility by birth to thee,
(O Alfred) ſtrong in Armes.
Of goodneſs hath thy honour given,
And honour toilſome harmes.
And toilſome harmes an endleſs name,
Whoſe joyes ere alwayes mixt
With ſorrow, and whoſe hope with fear
Was evermore perplext.
If this day thou waſt Conqueror,
The next day's War thou dread'ſt:
If this day thou waſt Conquered,
To next day's War thou ſpread'ſt
Whoſe cloathing wet with a daily ſwet,
Whoſe blade with bloody ſtain,
Do prove how great a burden 'tis
In Royalty to reign.
There hath not been in any part
Of all the World ſo wide
One that was able breath to take,
And troubles ſuch abide,
And yet with Weapons weary would
Not Weapons lay aſide.
Or with the Sword the toilſomneſs
Of Life by Death divide.
Now after labours paſt of Realm
And Life (which he did ſpend)
Chriſt is to him true quietneſs,
And Scepter voyd of end.
In this King's reign flouriſhed Johannes Scotus, Erigena, (with addition ſometimes of Sophiſta) born in Ireland, for diſtinction from a former born at Melroſe, and another in the XIII. Century, born in Duns, otherwiſe called Subtilis: he was a man of pregnant Judgement, wondrous Eloquence; and (in thoſe days) rare knowledge of the Greek, Chaldean, and Arabian Languages. He wrote a Book, De corpore & ſanguine Domini, againſt the Opinion of Carnal preſence, which was condemned at the Synod of Vercelles. Bellarmine Bellarm. de Euch. lib. 1. c. 1.ſaith, This man was the first, who wrote doubtingly of this matter: He was the Counſellor to King Alfred, and Teacher of his Children, afterwards he retired to the Abbey at Malmesbury, Z…pper. de Calum. haer…ſ. Berengar.where his diſciples Murthered him with their Penknives, being enticed thereunto by the Monks, becauſe he ſpake againſt the carnal preſence, and was accounted a Martyr, as was recorded by William of Malmesbury, de geſt. Reg. Ang. lib. 2. cap. 4.