equal justice and greater security in their journeys to Rome, and that they should not be hindered by so many barriers on the road, nor harassed by unjust tolls. The emperor assented to my demands, as well as king Rodolph, in whose dominions these barriers chiefly stand; and all the princes made edicts that my people, the merchants as well as those who go to pay their devotions, shall pass to and fro in their journeys to Rome in peace, and under the security of just laws, free from all molestation by the guards of barriers or the receivers of tolls. I made further complaint to my lord the pope, and expressed my high displeasure, that my archbishops are sorely aggrieved by the demand of immense sums of money, when, according to custom, they resort to the apostolical see to obtain the pallium ; and it is decreed that it should no longer be done. All things, therefore, which I requested for the good of my people from my lord the pope, and the emperor, and king Rodolph, and the other princes through whose territories our road to Rome lies, they have most freely granted, and even ratified their concessions by oath; to which four archbishops, twenty bishops, and an innumerable multitude of dukes and nobles who were there present, are witnesses. Wherefore I return most hearty thanks to Almighty God for my having successfully accomplished all that I had desired, as I had resolved in my mind, and having satisfied my wishes to the fullest extent.

Be it known therefore to all of you, that I have humbly vowed to the Almighty God himself henceforward to amend my life in all respects, and to rule the kingdoms and the people subject to me with justice and clemency, giving equitable judgments in all matters; and if, through the intemperance of youth or negligence, I have hitherto exceeded the bounds of justice in any of my acts, I intend by God's aid to make an entire change for the better. I therefore adjure and command my counsellors to whom I have entrusted the affairs of my kingdom, that henceforth they neither commit themselves, nor suffer to prevail, any sort of injustice throughout my dominions, either from fear of me, or from favour to any powerful person. I also command all sheriffs and magistrates throughout my whole kingdom, as they tender my regard and their own safety, that they use no unjust violence to any man, rich or poor, but that all, high and low, rich or poor, shall enjoy alike impartial law; from

1 Rudolf III., last king of Burgundy.

2 A vestment which was regarded as the distinct badge of archiepiscopal office, and which it was within papal power to grant or withhold.

2

which they are never to deviate, either on account of royal favour, respect of person in the great, or for the sake of amassing money wrongfully, for I have no need to accumulate wealth by iniquitous exactions.

11. THE GUILD OF ST. PETER'S AT ABBOTSBURY (circ. 1050).

A law is among the best kinds of historical evidence, and the by-laws of a society fall within the same class. Orky, the patron, or perhaps founder, of St. Peter's Guild at Abbotsbury in Dorset, was a courtier attached to the person of Edward the Confessor. Associations like this witness the presence of a "self-help" impulse in Saxon society. The objects of cooperation were friendly intercourse among the members-or brethren and mutual aid. The rules provided that each should be properly buried and prayers said for his soul. The religious guild is a sign of better times to come, and may be connected with the improvement which took place everywhere in Europe during the first half of the eleventh century. The Truce of God, which meant a partial surcease of private warfare, is a French symptom of this upward tendency.

SOURCE.-Diplomatarium Anglicum Aevi Saxonici. Ed. B. Thorpe. London, 1865. P. 605.

Here is made known, in this writing, that Orky has given the Guildhall and the stead at Abbotsbury to the praise of God and St. Peter, and for the guildship to possess now and henceforth, of him and his consort in long remembrance. Whoso shall avert this, let him account with God at the great doom.

Now these are the covenants which Orky and the guildbrothers at Abbotsbury have chosen, to the praise of God, and honour of St. Peter, and for their soul's need.

That is first: Three nights before St. Peter's mass, from every guild-brother one penny, or one pennyworth of wax, whichever be most needed in the monastery; and on the masseve, from every two guild-brothers, one broad loaf, well besprinkled,1 and well" gesyfled," "2 for our common alms; and five weeks before Peter's mass-day, let each guild-brother

1 With seeds, such as carraway.

2 Probably milk-bread as opposed to water-bread.

contribute one guild-sester1 full of clean wheat, and let that be rendered within two days, on pain of forfeiting the entrance, that is three sesters of wheat. And let the wood be rendered within three days after the corn-contribution, from every regular guild-brother one burthen of wood, and two from the non-regular, or let him pay one guild-sester of corn. And whoso undertakes a charge, and does it not satisfactorily, let him be liable in his entrance-fee, and let there be no remission. And let the guild-brother who insults another within the guild, with serious intent, make atonement to all the society, to the amount of his entrance, and afterwards to the man whom he insulted, as he may settle it; and if he will not submit to compensation, let him forfeit the fellowship, and every other guildship. And let him who introduces more men than he ought, without leave of the steward and the purveyors, pay his entrance. And if death befall any one in our society, let each guild-brother contribute one penny at the corpse for the soul, or pay according to three guild-brothers. And if any one of us be sick within sixty miles, then we shall find fifteen men who will fetch him; and if he be dead, xxx.; and they shall bring him to the place which he desired in his life. And if he die in the vicinity, let the steward have warning to what place the corpse is to go, and let the steward then warn the guildbrothers, as many as ever he can ride to or send to, that they come thereto, and worthily attend the corpse, and convey it to the monastery, and earnestly pray for the soul. That will rightly be called a guildship, which we thus do, and it will beseem it well, both before God and before the world; for we know not which of us shall soonest depart hence. Now we believe, through God's support, that this aforesaid agreement will benefit us all, if we rightly hold it.

Let us fervently pray to God Almighty, with inward heart, that he have mercy on us; and also to his holy apostle St. Peter, that he intercede for us and make clear our way to everlasting rest; because for love of him we have gathered this guild. He has the power in heaven that he may let into heaven whom he will, and refuse whom he will not; as Christ himself said to him in his gospel: "Peter, I deliver to thee the key of heaven's kingdom; and whatsoever thou wilt have bound on earth, that shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou wilt have unbound on earth, that shall be unbound in heaven”. Let us have trust and hope in him, that he will ever have

1" Sextarius, a measure both of solids and liquids."-Thorpe.

care of us here in the world, and after our departure hence, be a help to our souls: may he bring us to everlasting rest. Amen.

12. THE BATTLE OF STAMFORD BRIDGE (1066).

If there were equally good descriptions of the two pitched battles fought on English soil in 1066, one would give Hastings prominence over Stamford Bridge. Unfortunately, our idea of the decisive combat must be gathered bit by bit from scattered sources. Stamford Bridge, too, presents difficulties of fact, and is not accurately recorded by any one writer. But in its case we receive a certain compensation through having a Norse saga which is full of life and colour. It centres about the death of the viking Harold Hardrada ("King Harold Sigurdson"), and its prose narrative is varied by the songs of skalds. The hardest part of historical study is to reproduce the feeling of the past. Seldom does literature reflect a mood so clearly as the warriors' love of their sport is reflected in the Heimskringla version of Stamford Bridge. Snorri Sturluson who wrote the saga was a native of Iceland and not born till 1178. According to his profession it is based on ancient songs. Freeman holds that its circumstantial details must be rejected: for instance, that the English had cavalry and archers in the field.

SOURCE.—Heimskringla Saga. Snorri Sturluson (1178-1241). Ed. R. B. Anderson. London, 1889. Vol. iv., p. 43.

Of King Harald Godwinson.

King Harald Godwinson had come with an immense army, both of cavalry and infantry. Now King Harald Sigurdson rode around his array, to see how every part was drawn up. He was upon a black horse, and the horse stumbled under him, so that the king fell off. He got up in haste, and said, “ is lucky for a traveller ".

a fall

The English King Harald said to the Northmen who were with him, "Do ye know the stout man who fell from his horse, with the blue kirtle and the beautiful helmet?"

"That is the king himself," said they.

The English king said, "A great man, and of stately appearance is he; but I think his luck has left him".

Of the Troop of the Nobility.

Twenty horsemen rode forward from the Thingman's troops against the Northmen's array; and all of them, and likewise their horses, were clothed in armour.

One of the horsemen said, "Is Earl Toste in this army?" The earl answered, "It is not to be denied that ye will find him here".

The horseman says, "Thy brother King Harald sends thee salutation, with the message that thou shalt have the whole of Northumberland; and rather than thou shouldst not submit to him, he will give thee the third part of his kingdom to rule over along with himself”.

The earl replies, "This is something different from the enmity and scorn he offered last winter; and if this had been offered then it would have saved many a man's life who now is dead, and it would have been better for the kingdom of England. But if I accept of this offer, what will he give King Harald Sigurdson for his trouble?"

The horseman replied, "He has also spoken of this; and will give him seven feet of English ground, or as much more as he may be taller than other men ”.

Then," said the earl, "go now and tell King Harald to get ready for battle; for never shall the Northmen say with truth that Earl Toste left King Harald Sigurdson to join his enemy's troops, when he came to fight west here in England. We shall rather all take the resolution to die with honour, or to gain England by a victory."

Then the horsemen rode back.

King Harald Sigurdson said to the earl, "Who was the man who spoke so well?”

The earl replied, “That was King Harald God winson ".

Then said King Harald Sigurdson, "That was by far too long concealed from me; for they had come so near to our army that this Harald should never have carried back the tidings of our men's slaughter”.

Then said the earl, "It was certainly imprudent for such chiefs, and it may be as you say; but I saw he was going to offer me peace and a great dominion, and that, on the other hand, I would be his murderer if I betrayed him; and I would rather he should be my murderer than I his, if one of two be to die".