II. A. D. 669. BOOK exertion of the poetick spirit. Caedmon, afterwards one of the most eminent of their poets, was disgraced in this manner into an exertion of a latent genius. He was desired in his turn to sing, but, being ignorant, and full of natural sensibility, retired in confusion from the company; and by instant and strenuous application, soon became a distinguished proficient in the art. CHAP. III. Series of Anglo-Saxon Kings from Ethelbert to Alfred; with the invasion of the Danes. HE Christian religion having once taken root TH in Kent spread itself with great rapidity throughout all the other Saxon kingdoms in England. The manners of the Saxons underwent a notable alteration by this change in their religion; their ferocity was much abated; they became more mild and sociable; and their laws began to partake of the softness of their manners, every where recommending mercy, and a tenderness for Christian blood. There never was any people, who embraced religion with a more fervent zeal than the AngloSaxons, nor with more simplicity of spirit. Their history for a long time shows us a remarkable conflict between their dispositions and their principles. This conflict produced no medium, because they were III. were absolutely contrary; and both operated with CHAP. almost equal violence. Great crimes, and extravagant penances; rapine, and an entire resignation A. D. of worldly goods; rapes, and vows of perpetual chastity, succeeded each other in the same persons. There was nothing, which the violence of their passions could not induce them to commit; nothing, to which they did not submit, to atone for their offences, when reflection gave an opportunity to repent. But by degrees the sanctions of religion began to preponderate; and as the monks at this time attracted all the religious veneration, religion every where began to relish of the cloister; an inactive spirit, and a spirit of scruples, prevailed; they dreaded to put the greatest criminal to death; they scrupled to engage in any worldly functions. A king of the Saxons dreaded, that God would call him to an account for the time, which he spent in his temporal affairs, and had stolen from prayer. It was frequent for kings to go on pilgrimages to Rome, or to Jerusalem, on foot, and under circumstances of great hardship. Several kings resigned their crowns to devote themselves to religious contemplation in monasteries-more, at that time, and in this nation, than in all other nations, and in all times. This, as it introduced great mildness into the tempers of the people, made them less warlike, and consequently prepared the way to their forming one body under Egbert, and for the other changes, which followed. The BOOK. II. A. D. The kingdom of Wessex, by the wisdom and courage of King Ina, the greatest legislator and politician of those times, had swallowed up Cornwall, for a while a refuge for some of the old Britains, together with the little kingdom of the South Saxons. By this augmentation it stretched from the Land's End to the borders of Kent, the Thames flowing on the North, the Ocean washing it on the South. By their situation the people of Wessex naturally came to engross the little trade, which then fed the revenues of England; and their minds were somewhat opened by a foreign communication; by which they became more civilized, and better acquainted with the arts of war and of government. Such was the condition of the kingdom 799. of Wessex, when Egbert was called to the throne of his ancestors. The civil commotions, which for some time prevailed, had driven this prince, early in life, into an useful banishment. He was honourably received at the Court of Charlemagne, where he had an opportunity of studying government in the best school, and of forming himself after the most perfect model. Whilst Charlemagne was reducing the continent of Europe into one empire, Egbert reduced England into one kingdom. The state of his own dominions, perfectly united under him, with the other advantages, which we have just mentioned, and the state of the neighbouring Saxon Governments, made this reduction less difficult. Besides Wessex, there were III. A. D. 799. were but two kingdoms of consideration in England, CHAP. Mercia and Northumberland. They were powerful enough in the advantages of nature, but reduced to great weakness by their divisions. As there is nothing of more moment to any country than to settle the succession of its government on clear and invariable principles, the Saxon monarchies, which were supported by no such principles, were continually tottering. The right of government sometimes was considered as in the eldest son, sometimes in all; sometimes the will of the deceased prince disposed of the crown; sometimes a popular election bestowed it. The consequence of this was the frequent division and frequent reunion of the same territory, which were productive of infinite mischief: many various principles of succession gave titles to some, pretensions to more; and plots, cabals aud crimes, could not be wanting to all the pretenders. Thus was Mercia torn to pieces; and the kingdom of Northumberland, assaulted on one side by the Scots, and ravaged on the other by the Danish incursions, could not recover from a long anarchy, into which its intestine divisions had plunged it. Egbert knew how to make advantage of these divisions; fomenting them by his policy at first, and quelling them afterwards by his sword, he reduced these two kingdoms under his government. The same power, which conquered Mercia and Northumberland, made the reduction I I. BOOK reduction of Kent and Essex easy: the people on all hands the more readily submitting, because there was no change made in their laws, manners, or the form of their government. A. D. 799. Egbert. Egbert, when he had brought all England under 827. his dominion, made the Welsh tributary, and carried his arms with success into Scotland, assumed the title of Monarch of all Britain *. The southern part of the island was now for the first time authentically known by the name of England, and, by every appearance, promised to have arrived at the fortunate moment for forming a permanent and splendid monarchy. But Egbert had not reigned seven years in peace, when the Danes, who had before showed themselves in some scattered parties, and made some inconsiderable descents, entered $32. the kingdom in a formidable body. This people came from the same place whence the English themselves were derived, and they differed from them in little else, than that they still retained their original barbarity and heathenism. These, assisted by the Norwegians, and other people of Scandinavia, were the last torrent of the Northern ravagers, which overflowed Europe. What is remarkable, they attacked England and France, when these two kingdoms were in the height of their grandeur; France under Charlemagne, England united by Egbert. The good fortune of Egbert met its first *No Saxon monarch until Athelstan. check |