ENGLAND. PART THE SECOND. From the Union of the Seven Kingdoms to the Death of Edgar, surnamed the Peaceable. CONTENTS. Egbert-Ethelwolf-the Danes-Ethelbald and EthelbertEthered, or Ethelred-Alfred the Great-Edward the Elder -Athelstan-Edmund-Edred-St. Dunstan - EdwyEdgar the Peaceable-Three Love Stories of him-Elfrida. VOL. I. SUMMARY SUMMARY OF THE REIGN OF EGBERT. Began his reign over the West Saxons, A. D. 800; over England, in 828. Married Eadburgha, an English Lady. Had Issue, Ethelwolf, Ethelstan, and St. Editha. Died, February 4th, 836. Buried at Winchester. PRINCIPAL EVENTS. Union of the Seven Kingdoms. Danes land in the Isle of Shepey. Defeat Egbert at Charmouth; are defeated by him at Hengsdown-Hill, and compelled to quit the Island. EMINENT PERSONS. Earls Osmond and Dudda. Bishops Wigfurth and Herefurth. EGBERT. Rules the num❜rous band, "And crowded nations wait his dread command." POPE'S HOMER. EGBERT o'er Kings subdu'd scarce 'gan to reign, E're he's invaded by the savage Dane*. CHARMOUTH, in Dorsetshire, supplied the field Where British chiefs to foreign leaders yield †. Yet, soon avenged, the English blood they spill; A year not pass'd, when famous HengsdownHill Proves, to the northern spoilers dear bought cost, That EGBERT Cou'd regain what late he lost. The King in peace lived five succeeding years, And his best epitaph was ENGLAND'S TEARS . * The Danes first landed in 789, and were so little known that a peace officer, at Portland, asked them, in the name of his King, (Brithric,) what they did there? unused to the checks of magistracy, these uncivilized rovers murdered the intruder, plundered the country, and retired unmolested. H. HUNT, Saxon Chronology. + Had it not been for this unfortunate battle, (in which the Bishops Wigfurth and Herefurth, and the Earls Dudda and Osmond were slain,) Egbert would have added North Wales to his dominions, having already over-run the country to the foot of Snowdon. J. P. ANDREWS. The following was inscribed on a chest containing his and other royal bones, at Winchester: Hic Rex EGBERTUS pausat cum Rege KENULPHO, D 2 SUMMARY SUMMARY OF THE REIGN OF ETHELWOLF. Originally a Monk and Bishop of Winchester, absolved of his vows by Gregory IV. Began to reign A. D. 836. Married twice, first to Osburgha, an English Lady, by whom he had issue, Ethelbald, Ethelbert, Ethelred, and Alfred: he afterwards married Judith, daughter of the Emperor Charles the Bald. Died January 13th, 857. Buried at Winchester. PRINCIPAL EVENTS. England much infested with the Danes. The King makes Pilgrimage to Rome. Divides the Kingdom between his Sons. EMINENT PERSONS. Wolfhere, Cethelhelm, and Ceorle, Governors of Provinces, who defeat the Danes. ETHELWOLF. "The Danes are landed." HOME. THE warwhoop echoes still our Island round, Like wave on wave, the robbers crowd to land. The Danes! The Danes! the young and aged cry, And mothers" press their infants" as they fly.* The pirate parties, spreading far and wide, Avoid our armies, and our powers deride: Then to their barks return, like loaded bees, And, with our ravish'd treasure, cross the seas. Nothing could be more dreadful than the manner in which these fierce barbarians carried on their incursions; they spared neither age nor sex, and each commander urged the soldiers to inhumanity. Oliver, a celebrated chieftain, gained, from his dislike to the favorite amusement of his soldiers, (that of tossing children on the points of their spears,) the contemptuous surname of BURNAKAL, or, "the Preserver of Children." BARTHOLIN. Oh, |