|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 28
A leaf of it, at least, as far as you or I could tell, for Professor
Westwood's copy is just as good, in all the parts finished, as the
original: and, for all practical purpose, I show you here in my hand
a leaf of the Bible which your own King Alfred saw with his own bright
eyes, and from which he learned his child-faith in the days of dawning
thought!
There are few English children who do not know the story of Alfred,
the king, letting the cakes burn, and being chidden by his peasant
hostess. How few English children--nay, how few perhaps of their
educated, not to say learned, elders--reflect upon, if even they know,
the far different scenes through which he had passed when a child!
Concerning his father, his mother, and his own childhood, suppose you
were to teach your children first these following main facts, before
you come to the toasting of the muffin?
His father, educated by Helmstan, Bishop of Winchester, had been
offered the throne of the great Saxon kingdom of Mercia in his early
youth; had refused it, and entered, as a novice under St. Swithin the
monastery at Winchester. From St. Swithin, he received the monastic
habit, and was appointed by Bishop Helmstan one of his sub-deacons!
"The quiet seclusion which Ethelwulph's slow[26] capacity and meek
temper coveted" was not permitted to him by fate. The death of his
elder brother left him the only living representative of the line of
the West Saxon princes. His accession to the throne became the desire
of the people. He obtained a dispensation from the Pope to leave the
cloister; assumed the crown of Egbert; and retained Egbert's prime
minister, Alstan, Bishop of Sherborne, who was the Minister in peace
and war, the Treasurer, and the Counsellor, of the kings of England,
over a space, from first to last, of fifty years.
[Footnote 26: Turner, quoting William of Malmesbury, "Crassioris et
hebetis ingenii,"--meaning that he had neither ardour for war, nor
ambition for kinghood.]
Alfred's mother, Osburga, must have been married for love. She was the
daughter of Oslac, the king's cup-bearer. Extolled for her piety and
understanding, she bore the king four sons; dying before the last,
Alfred, was five years old, but leaving him St. Swithin for his tutor.
How little do any of us think, in idle talk of rain or no rain on St.
Swithin's day, that we speak of the man whom Alfred's father obeyed as
a monk, and whom his mother chose for his guardian!
Alfred, both to father and mother, was the best beloved of their
children. On his mother's death, his father sent him, being then five
years old, with a great retinue through France and across the Alps
to Rome; and there the Pope anointed him King, (heir-apparent to the
English throne), at the request of his father.
Think of it, you travellers through the Alps by tunnels, that you
may go to balls at Rome or hells at Monaco. Here is another manner
of journey, another goal for it, appointed for your little king. At
twelve, he was already the best hunter among the Saxon youths. Be sure
he could sit his horse at five. Fancy the child, with his keen genius,
and holy heart, riding with his Saxon chiefs beside him, by the Alpine
flowers under Velan or Sempione, and down among the olives to Pavia,
to Perugia, to Rome; there, like the little fabled Virgin, ascending
the Temple steps, and consecrated to be King of England by the great
Leo, Leo of the Leonine city, the saviour of Rome from the Saracen.
Two years afterwards, he rode again to Rome beside his father; the
West Saxon king bringing presents to the Pope, a crown of pure gold
weighing four pounds, a sword adorned with pure gold, two golden
images,[27] four Saxon silver dishes; and giving a gift of gold to all
the Roman clergy and nobles,[28] and of silver to the people.
[Footnote 27: Turner, Book IV.,--not a vestige of hint from the stupid
Englishman, what the Pope wanted with crown, sword, or image! My own
guess would be, that it meant an offering of the entire household
strength, in war and peace, of the Saxon nation,--their crown, their
sword, their household gods, Irminsul and Irminsula, their feasting,
and their robes.]
[Footnote 28: Again, what does this mean? Gifts of honour to the
Pope's immediate attendants--silver to all Rome? Does the modern
reader think this is buying little Alfred's consecration too dear, or
that Leo is selling the Holy Ghost?]
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|