II. commenced between the two sovereigns. Harald CHAP. sent to Athelstan his son Haco, to be educated, Athelstan. and to learn the customs of the English nation. 83 The Anglo-Saxons were so much higher in the scale of civilisation than the Norwegians, who were but just emerging into visible humanity, that we may easily conceive that Haco was sent to Athelstan for his personal improvement, as in our days, Peter the Great, for the same purpose, travelled Europe. This simple explanation may be allowed to displace the narration of Snorre, which, on this subject resembles more a chapter in the Edda than an historical chronicle. He talks of Athelstan sending ambassadors to present Harald with a sword, that when the Norwegians handled it, they might exclaim, "You are now his thane, because you have taken his sword." To return the polite joke, Harald is stated to have sent his officer to England with his son. The officer placed the child on the knee of Athelstan, and said, "Harald commands you to nourish his illegitimate child."8 "ut THE simple expressions of Theodoric, disceret morem gentis," discountenance these idle fables-the children of ignorant rumour. That Athelstan caused his ward to be taught every becoming accomplishment, that he loved him, and that Haco excelled in his studies and exercises, are circumstances not repugnant to our belief. Harald sent to Athelstan the present of a magnificent ship, with a golden beak and purple 83 Theodoric, one of the most ancient historians of Norway, so informs us: "Haraldus miserat unum ex filiis suis Halstano regi Anglorum Hocon nomine ut nutriretur et disceret morem gentis." Hist. Norw. c. ii. p. 7. 84 Snorre, Haralld's Saga, c. xli. xlii. p. 119, 120. VI. 85 BOOK sails, surrounded with shields, internally gilt. & Haco received from Athelstan a sword, which he kept to his death. 86 thels tan. HARALD had several wives, and a numerous progeny. When his death approached, he selected his son Eric to be his successor. He divided some portions of his dominions among his other children. 88 Their ambition was dissatisfied, and enmities and contests succeeded. Eric, like a crowd of others, saw no crime in actions which secured his greatness, and therefore earned the horrible surname of the slayer of his brothers. 89 The Norwegian people had more morality than their sovereign, and invited Haco to release them from such a monster.90 Athelstan provided his pupil with an equipped fleet and warriors; and with these Haco sailed to Trontheim."1 Haco's countenance was · beautiful, his person robust, his mind disciplined, his manners popular. 92 He was received with joy. The chiefs and people deserted Eric, and Haco was chosen king in his stead. 93 His conduct and laws displayed the benefit he had received from the superior civilisation of the court of Athelstan. 85 Malmsbury, 51. 86 Snorre, c. xliii. p. 121. 87 They are enumerated by Snorre, p. 97. 88 Snorre, p. 112, 113. 89 Theodoric, c. ii. p. 7. Snorre, in the last chapter of his Haralld's Saga, p. 123., states his fatal warfare against two of his brethren. 90 Theodoric, c. ii. p. 7. 91 Snorre, Saga Hakonar Goda, c. i. p. 125. Itineri in Norvegiam hinc mox accingitur, ad quod et copiis et classe bene armata, omnibusque rebus, necessariis, ope Adalsteini regis magnifice instruitur. 92 Theodoric, c. iv. p. 9. 93 Snorre, Hakonar Goda, c. i.; and Theodoric, c. 2. His reign ocupies the Saga of Snorre, called Saga Hakonar Goda, p. 125-164. The agriculture and trade of his subjects particularly prospered in the tranquillity of his reign. His modesty, benignity, prudence, and legislative wisdom are extolled, 135.; yet Ad. Brem. calls him "cruel," p. 25. II. He was rewarded for a virtuous reign, by a perma- CHAP. nent and invaluable epithet. Though ten centu- Athelstan. ries divide him from us, his title still survives"Haco the Good." THUS it became the glory of Athelstan, that he nurtured and enthroned three kings in Europe. He educated and established Alan of Bretagne, Louis of France, and Haco of Norway; and these actions are not recorded by English writers", but are attested by the chronicles of the countries benefited by his liberality. Our own authors, by omitting these circumstances, have concealed part of his fame; but this moderation entitles them to credit in other similar events. We may therefore believe, on their evidence, that he returned to Howel the kingdom of Wales, and to Constantine the kingdom of Scotland, declaring that he would rather bestow kingdoms than enjoy them.95 gave another proof of his magnanimity in this respect, in his reception of Eric, whom at the call of Norway and of humanity, he had assisted to dethrone. When Eric abandoned the sceptre of Norway, he went to the Orkneys, and having collected a great army, he plundered along Scotland. He 94 For this reason they have been hitherto neglected by our historians. When we recollect the benefits which Athelstan produced to other sovereigns, and the numerous embassies to himself, we must feel that it is not with rhetorical praise that the abbot of Peterborough says, "Rex Adalsteinus omnium ore laudatur; felicem se credebat quisquis regum exterorum ei affinitate vel foedere sociari posset." Chron. Petri de Burgo, p. 25. 66 95 Malmsbury, lib. ii. c. 6. p. 48., says, Quos miseratione infractus in antiquum statum sub se regnaturos constituit, gloriosius esse pronuncians regem facere quam regem esse." Hume, with more national feeling than we should have suspected from his philosophy, disbelieves the fact of Constantine, because his countrymen deny it, p. 105.; as if they were less interested to disavow, than the Saxons to affirm it. BOOK VI. Athelstan. Athelstan heard of his vicinity, and sent a message to him, that his father and himself had been united in bonds of the strictest friendship, and that he wished to show his esteem for Harald in kindnesses to his son. 96 ERIC gladly accepted his favours, and Athelstan placed him in Northumbria, to reign in feudal subordination to himself. 97 Eric was baptised, and fixed his habitation at York. 98 Eric is drawn by Snorre as a tall, active, powerful man; formidable and usually successful in war; fierce, precipitate, selfish, and silent. His wife Gunnhilda has obtained a niche in the uncouth temple of Norwegian history. She was uncommonly beautiful, very intelligent and engaging; but Nature had placed her among barbarians; and her talents only augmented her power of mischief. She became notorious for her cruelty and deceit. 100 ATHELSTAN maintained a friendship with Rollo of Normandy, and improved Exeter, which he separated from the British kingdom of Cornwall. ATHELSTAN is represented to have been a great benefactor to the monastic institutions. He rebuilt many; he was liberal to most, of books, ornaments, or endowments. 101 96 Snorre, Hakonar Goda, c. iii. Theodoric says, 66 Ipse vero Ericus ad Angliam navigavit et a rege honorifice susceptus ibidem diem obiit." c. ii. p. 7. 98 Snorre says at Iorvik (York), "Ubi sedem olim habuisse feruntur Lodbroki filii." Saga Hakonar, c. iii. p. 128. He adds, "Northum bria autem maximam partem erat a Nordmannis habitata. Linguæ Norvegica nomina plurima ejus regionis ferunt loca, Grimbær utpote, Hauksfliot aliaque multa." Ib. 99 Haralld's Saga, c. xlvi. p. 24. 100 Haralld's Saga, ib. She is often mentioned in the Norwegian history, at this period. She poisoned her husband's brother, Halfdan. Haralld's Saga, p. 122. 101 Malmsb. 48. There are two curious MSS. in the Cotton Li ATHELSTAN had received, by his father's care, a CHAP. lettered education. 102 His subsequent cultivation. Athelstan. II. brary, which were presents of Athelstan. One, Tiberius, A. 2. is a Athelstan's MS. of the Latin Gospels. Before them is a page of Latin in Saxon books. characters, of which the first part is, "Volumen hoc evangelii Æthelstan Anglorum basyleos et curagulus totius Britanniæ devota mente Dorobernensis cathedræ primatui tribuit." One page is occupied by the letters LIB. in large gilt capitals, and by the rest of the first verse, in small gilt capitals, on a lilac ground. The following verses, containing the genealogy, are in gilt capitals, on dark blue ground. The first verses of the three other Gospels are in gilt capitals, on the uncoloured parchment. To each a painting of the evangelist is prefixed. The rest is written in ink without abbreviations. In the beginning of the Gospels is a page with, "Incipit evangelium secundum Mattheum," in large gilt capitals. Below these words are two crosses; opposite to one is, ODDA REX, and to the other, MIHTHILD MATER REGIS. I am particular in describing the book, because it is declared to have been used for the coronation oath of our Anglo-Saxon kings, and because, from the names of Odda and Mihthild, I would venture to conjecture that it was a present from Otho of Germany, who married Athelstan's sister, and from Mathilda, the empress of Henry, and mother of Otho. Hrosvida, his contemporary, spells Otho's name Oddo. Reub. 164. There is also in the Cotton Library a MS. Claudius, B. 5., which contains the proceedings of the sixth synod of Constantinople, in the seventh century. The first page of this exhibits part of the title in very large capitals, partly red. The next page has the rest of the title in smaller capitals, and below these, in Saxon characters, are these words: "Hunc codicem Ethelstanus rex tradidit Deo et almæ Christi genitrici Sanctisque Petro et Benedicto in Bathoniæ civitatis cœnobio ob remunerationem suæ animæ et quisquis hos legerit caracteres omnipotenti pro eo proque suis amicis fundat preces." At the end of the MS. is a paragraph, stating, that it was written in the time of pope Sergius. A marginal note is inserted by Sir Robert Cotton, stating, that as Sergius was pope in 690, and the synod was held in 681, the book must have been written in the tenth year after the synod. In the same valuable library, Galba, A. 18., is a small-sized MS. which has come down to us as the Psalter used by Athelstan. In the beginning is a very ancient calendar in Saxon letters, written in 703, ut apparet in codice. The rest is composed of prayers, the Latin Psalter, and several other hymns, very handsomely written. Every psalm is begun with gilt capitals, with a title preceding in red letters. It has several ornamental paintings. In the British Museum, among the MSS. of the Bibliotheca Regis, I. A. 18., is a MS. of the Gospels in Latin, with this remark, "Hunc codicem Æthelstan Rex devota mente Doroberniæ tribuit ecclesiæ." 102 Malmsbury, p. 49. |