and his soldiery now returned to East Anglia, and for several years Alfred's dominions enjoyed comparative peace.

During this interval, the king took various steps to improve the condition of the country. He augmented his navy, fortified several important posts, and organized a force which should be instantly ready to oppose the descent of the Northmen. He framed a code of salutary laws, adopted effectual means for securing the proper administration of justice, promoted learning and piety among his subjects, and himself translated "Bede's Ecclesiastical History," "The History of Orosius," and other books, into the Saxon tongue. He found opportunities for these varied occupations by carefully adjusting his time, which he divided into three equal parts: one-third was given to sleep, exercise, and refreshment; another to the duties of his station, and the remainder to works of devotion and charity. Of him more than of most men it might be said, that he was "not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord."

In those days no method of accurately ascertaining the time was known, and Alfred accordingly invented a plan for the purpose. Candles were made of such a size that three inches were burned in every hour; and, to prevent the flame from being affected by the draught of air, they were inclosed in a lantern of transparent horn.

In 893 the renowned vikingr Hastings invaded England, and for about four years the contest continued between him and Alfred; but at last the Northmen broke up their army, and went over the sea to the Seine. Alfred died six days before All-Hallows-mass, October 28th, 901, and was buried at Winchester.

EDWARD THE ELDER, son of Alfred, reigned from 901 to 924. His cousin Ethelwald opposed his accession, but he was recognised by the council of the nation; and Ethelwald, who allied himself with the Danes, was slain in 905. Edward was ably assisted by his sister Ethelfleda, who governed Mercia till her death (920). His reign was very prosperous; and such were

his power and renown, that the Princes of Wales, Scotland, and Northumbria did homage to him as "their father and lord."

ATHELSTAN, the eldest, and probably illegitimate, son of Edward, reinged from 924 to 941. Two years after his accession he seized Northumbria, on the death of Sihtric, who had married his sister. Anlaf, one of the sons of the deceased monarch, later in the reign, organized a great confederacy against him, in which he was aided by Constantine, King of Scotland; but Athelstan defeated his enemies in the battle of BRUNANBURH, in which five sea-kings, seven jarls (earls), and a countless number of Danish soldiers were slain (937). Athelstan claimed the title of King of all Britain, and so great was his influence, that several continental sovereigns sought alliances by marriage with his sisters. One of the latter espoused Charles the Simple, of France, and bore a son, Louis, who, from his long residence in England at his uncle's court, was afterwards called Louis D'Outremer (from beyond the sea).

EDMUND, the brother of Athelstan, reigned from 941 to 946. His brief reign was mainly devoted to the subjugation of the Northumbrians, who, on the death of Athelstan, threw off the yoke. He was slain in his own hall at Pucklechurch, in Gloucestershire, by an outlaw named Leof.

EDRED, brother of his predecessor, reigned from 946 to 955. He completely subdued the Northumbrians, who had chosen Eric, a Dane, for their sovereign; and from that time their country ceased to be a kingdom, and was governed by an earl (954). Dunstan, Abbot of Glastonbury, exercised great influence over Edred, and to his charge the affairs of the realm were largely entrusted.

EDWY (the son of Edmund), who was passed over on his father's death on account of his childhood, succeeded his uncle, and reigned from 955 to 959. At his coronation feast he quarrelled with Dunstan, who had insulted both him and his queen; and the abbot was banished from the kingdom. A

strong party, however, were favourable to Dunstan, and they used their influence to persuade the Mercians and Northumbrians to renounce their allegiance to Edwy, whose brother Edgar was accordingly recognised as their king (957). About the same time Dunstan returned from the continent. Edwy's marriage with Elfgiva, who was said to be too nearly related to him, was declared void by Archbishop Odo, and, being seized by some of the prelate's knights, she was branded on the face with a hot iron, and sent to Ireland. After her beauty was restored, she returned to England, but fell into the hands of her persecutors at Gloucester, who divided the sinews of her legs so that she expired in great torture. How little was the spirit of the gospel understood by an archbishop who could tacitly sanction such revolting cruelties!

EDGAR reigned from 950 to 975. So pacific was the country under his sway, that he received the surname of the Peaceful. He raised Dunstan to the archiepiscopal see of Canterbury soon after the death of Odo, and sedulously carried out the designs of that prelate. Many new monasteries were founded, and in those which already existed, the monastic rule was more rigidly enforced.

Edgar was not crowned till thirteen years of his reign had elapsed; but at length the coronation was celebrated with great splendour, and was followed by a ceremony at Chester, which doubtless greatly flattered his vanity. Eight tributary kings rowed him on the Dee, while he sat at the helm (973).

He rendered considerable service to Wales by directing that instead of a pecuniary tribute, the inhabitants should annually furnish him with three hundred wolves' heads; and, in consequence, the whole race was extirpated in four years. Edgar has been much lauded by Roman Catholic writers for his piety, but his conduct afforded little evidence of that purity of heart without which no worship is acceptable to God.

EDWARD II, usually called the Martyr, was the son of Edgar. He reigned from 975 to 978. During this period, Dunstan's

influence was on the wane, and in more than one ecclesiastical assembly the majority of votes was against him.

A remarkable incident occurred at the synod held at Calne. Addressing his opponents he said, "You endeavour to overcome me who am growing old and disposed to silence more than contention. I confess that I am unwilling to be overcome, and I commit the cause of his church to Christ himself as Judge." Hardly had the words been spoken, when most of the rafters of the floor gave way, and many of the clergy were killed, or seriously hurt; but the part on which Dunstan and his friends were seated remained firm. This may have been accidental; but Fuller says that " 'some conceived that Dunstan, who had so much of a smith, had here something of a carpenter in him, and some device used by him about pinning and propping up of the room.

Edward owed his death to the treachery of his stepmother, Elfrida, one of whose attendants stabbed him in the back while he was quaffing a cup of mead, at the entrance of Corfe Castle, where she resided.

ETHELRED II's miserable reign lasted, with a short interval from 978 to 1016. It was almost entirely occupied in struggles with the Northmen, who now visited the country in large and increasing numbers. On many occasions the king endeavoured to buy off their hostility by paying them heavy sums of money, and a new tax called the danegelt was levied for the purpose. The treachery of his leading generals prevented him from triumphing over his foes in the field; and at the festival of St. Brice, in 1002, he was induced to adopt the infamous expedient of massacring all the Danes in his dominions. Among the victims was Gunhilda (sister of Sweyn, King of Denmark,) who had become a convert to Christianity. Her brother, in revenge, repeatedly invaded the country; and towards the close of the year 1013, the power of the Danes had become so paramount, that Ethelred escaped to Normandy. Sweyn died a few weeks after his overthrow of the Saxon king, and the Danish party

chose Canute as their sovereign; but Ethelred was recalled by the Saxon Witan, on the promise that he would rule them "rightlier" than he had done before. Canute caused the hostages in his hands to be maimed, and continued to harass the country till the death of Ethelred (1016).

EDMUND IRONSIDE, his son, was recognised as king by the Saxons; but after several severe contests with Canute, he agreed to a partition of the country. Shortly afterwards he died, whether in the ordinary course of nature or by assassination, it is difficult to determine (1016).

CANUTE, who was now acknowledged by all parties as sovereign, reigned from 1016 to 1035. At first he ruled the Saxons very harshly; but his character became gradually softened, and he governed all his subjects with equal justice and moderation. He paid a visit to Rome in 1031, and gave on his journey the most ample proofs of his liberality to the Romish church. While there he wrote a letter to his people, in which he said that he had dedicated his life to the service of God, to govern his kingdom with equity, and to observe justice in all things. Canute being the sovereign of six kingdoms, England, Scotland, Wales, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, was flattered by his courtiers, as if he were the greatest of monarchs, whose behest was law; but on one occasion at least, he had the good sense to administer an effective rebuke. Causing his throne to be placed on the sea-shore, he called upon the ocean to obey his commands, and when the tide rolled on to his feet, he bade his flatterers acknowledge the weakness of all earthly kings when compared with that Supreme Being who ruled the elements, and who alone could say-Thus far shalt thou go, and no farther. After this scene, Canute would never wear his crown.

HAROLD, his eldest son, reigned from 1035 to 1040. By his father's direction, Hardicanute (his half-brother, and the son of Emma, who had married Canute sometime after the death of her first husband, Ethelred), was to ascend the throne of England, but the chiefs of the Danish party at once recognised Harold.