CHAP. IV. The Reign of ETHELWULPH. Invasion of the Northmen. Birth of ALFRED the Great. - His Travels.- ETHELWULPH'S THE IV. IE death of Egbert, in 836, checked for a CHAP. while the ascendancy of the West Saxon power, because his sceptre descended to an inferior hand 836-856. in his son Ethelwulph. This prince, who from the Ethelwulph's failure of other issue became his successor, was education. then a monk. Educated in the earlier part of his life by Helmstan the bishop of Winchester, he had shared at first in his father's warlike toils. In 823, he had marched with Alstan into Kent after the defeat of Mercia, and was appointed by his father king of that country', but the passive timidity of his disposition alienated him from an ambitious life, and he returned to his preceptor, who recommended him to the care of Swithin, a prior of the monastery at Winchester. From Swithin the prince received not only instruction, but also the monastic habit, and by his first master was appointed a subdeacon.2 THE quiet seclusion which Ethelwulph's slow capacity and meek temper coveted, was not refused to him by Egbert, because another son promised to perpetuate his lienage. But life is a 3 1 There is a charter of Egbert, dated 823, in which he says of Ethelwulph, "quem regem constituimus in Cantia." Thorpe, Reg. Roff. p. 22. 2. Rudborne Hist. Mag. Winton. lib. iii. c. 1. p. 199., published in Wharton's Anglia Sacra, vol. i. — Malmsbury Pontif. p. 242. Wallingf. 532. No good document authorises us to say that he was made a bishop. The expressions of the chroniclers are in general mere negatives, implying that Egbert left no other heir; but the extract BOOK mysterious gift, which vanishes at the will of other IV. agencies, whose operations we cannot trace, whose power we cannot limit. The destined heir of Egbert's dignity was in the tomb before his father, and this catastrophe invested Ethelwulph with an importance which his natural character could never have obtained. He became what Egbert had been, the only existing descendant of Cerdic, the revered ancestor of the West Saxon princes. This casualty made the accession of Ethelwulph an object of popular desire; but though sovereigns had often at will descended from the throne to the cloister, it was less easy to quit the cloister for the throne. The papal dispensation was first wanted to release Ethelwulph from his sacerdotal engagement; on its arrival he assumed the crown of Egbert. 4 His indolent, mild, and weak mind was not adequate to the exigencies of the time, but he enjoyed the great advantage which was capable of counteracting the ill effects of his inability, a wise and vigorous minister. Alstan, the bishop of Sherborne, had possessed the favour of Egbert, and on his death became the political and military tutor of Ethelwulph: he was powerful, warlike and intelligent. He had the good and rare fortune to which Leland has translated, ex Chronico quodam Vilodunensi Anglicis rithmis scripto, explicitly says, Atwulphus rex Egberti filius secundus. Collectanea, vol. iii. p. 219. 4 Wallingford, 532. The name of this king has been disfigured by that variety of orthography which prevailed at this time, and often confuses history. Ethelwulphus, Ethulfus, Athulfus, Adulfus, Aithulfus, Adhelwlfus, Athelwlfus, Atwulfus. 5 Malmsbury's expressions are, natura lenis et qui sub quiete degere quam multis provinciis imperitare mallet crassioris et hebetis ingenii. p. 37.- mansuetoris ingenii segnem, p. 247. IV. enjoy his preferments for fifty years. He endea- CHAP. voured to rouse the king to those exertions which his dignity made a duty. He provided supplies for his exchequer, and he laboured to organise a military force. His wise measures, though sometimes baffled by an incompetent execution, and by the suddenness of aggressions, which no vigilance could prevent, had the general success of punishing many insults, and of preserving the country from a permanent conquest. 6 NOTHING is more curious nor more interesting in history than to remark that when great political exigencies evolve, which threaten to shake the foundations of civil society, they are usually as much distinguished by the rise of sublime characters, with genius and ability sufficient to check the progress of the evil, and even to convert its disasters to benevolent issues. One of these extraordinary persons was Alfred the Great, and considered with regard to the time of his appearance, the great ends which he achieved, and the difficulties under which he formed himself, no historical character can more justly claim our attention and admiration than our venerated king. ETHELWULPH had married Osberga, the daughter of Oslac, a man mentioned with an epithet of celebrity, and the king's cup-bearer. Oslac had sprung from the chieftain, who, in the time of Cerdic, had obtained the Isle of Wight. After three 7 • Though Alstan had stripped his monastery of some of its advantages, our William, in his history, p. 37., and his Gest. pont. 247., commemorates him with an encomium which is liberal and strongly featured. 7 Asser de rebus gestis Ælfredi, p. 4. ed. Ox. 1722. Oslac was alive at his grandson's birth; for he signed a charter as the IV. Alfred's birth. BOOK elder sons, Osberga was delivered of Alfred, at Wantage, in Berkshire. She is highly extolled for her piety and understanding; but the education of Alfred must have lost the benefit of her talents, because his father married another lady before the sixth year of his childhood had expired. She is said to have given him to Swithin, the preceptor of his father, to be taught." The bishop may 849. have nurtured or infused that habitual piety for which Alfred was remarkable; but was unquestionably unfit for the office of literary tutor, as Alfred passed his childhood without knowing how to read. THEIR Successes in France, having enlarged the norizon of the Northmen's ambition, every new aggression on England became more formidable than the preceding. In 851, they first ventured to winter in the Isle of Thanet. 10 This was a new æra in their habits. Their ancient custom had been to pirate abroad in the summer, but to return with the autumn. But Ragnar's success in France had increased their daring, and enlarged their ambassador of Ethelwulph, which the king of Mercia gave to Croyland in 851. Ingulf, p. 15. 8 Asser, p. 3., adds, that the country was called Berroc scire a berroc silva ubi buxus abundantissime nascitur. 9 Rudborne Hist. mag. p. 207. There is a beautiful MS. on St. Swithin, written by Lantfredus in the tenth century, in the British Museum. Bib. Reg. xv. c. 7. But it contains an account of his miracles only, to justify his canonisation in the reign of Edgar. One part is a curious Latin alphabetical or acrostic hymn. 10 Sax. Chron. 74. Asser, p. 5., places the winter residence in Shepey Isle; but the printed Chronicle dates their first wintering in Shepey in 854. The MSS. Sax. Chron. Tib. B. 4. has 855. views. They had now formed the daring project CHA P. of remaining in the countries which they insulted. In the spring they attempted against the AngloSaxons the most serious invasion which England had yet experienced. Their numbers, perhaps the result of a confederation, were superior to any preceding attack. They entered the Thames with 350 ships, plundered Canterbury and London, and marched into Mercia. The names of all their chieftains are not mentioned; but as Ragnar Lodbrog was now in full activity, he may have led or aided the invaders. MERCIA had been governed by Withtlaf till 838. His son and wife reached the tomb before him, and he buried them by the side of Etheldritha, the daughter of Offa. She had sheltered him from the pursuit of Egbert, and his grateful feelings were so ardent, that when he heard of her death, his grief confined him to his bed, and it was with difficulty afterwards that he was withdrawn from her grave. His brother Bertulph succeeded, and signalised his reign by favouring the assassination of his brother's grandson; his own son was the murderer; love of power was the cause. Bertulph was king of Mercia, when the Northern warriors entered his dominions"; he endeavoured to repel them, but was defeated. 12 THE Northmen after this victory turned southward and entered Surry. The West-Saxons collected under Ethelwulph and his son Ethalbald, and at Aclea, a field of oaks, the two nations met, and a battle ensued, which the desperate courage 11 Ingulf, 11. Sax. Chron. 74. Mr. Hume erroneously says that Brichtric governed Mercia at this period, p. 71. 12 Sax. Chron. 74. Flor. Wig. 295. IV. 852. |