EDGAR,

KING OF ENGLAND.

MANY fevere punishments for crimes occur in the ecclefiaftical laws of this Prince; they were, however, foftened by bodily penances and commutations. The perfons of wealth or power might be affifted by others in discharging them; they might felect as many perfons to faft with them and for them as would accomplish in a few days the fasts enjoined to themfelves for feveral years.

WILLIAM THE FIRST,

KING OF ENGLAND.

OUR lawyers have been divided respecting the title of this Prince to the crown of England, taking the word conqueft in a feudal, or in the common fense of it. Some parts of the speech which he made upon his death will moft clearly evince his own opinion of his right to it:

"Being laden with many and grievous "fins, I now tremble, who am ready to be "taken hence, and to be tried by the fevere "but

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"but juft examination of God. I, that have "always been brought up in wars, and am "polluted with the effufion of blood, am 66 now ignorant what to do; for I cannot "number my offences they are fo infinite, σε and have been by me now these fixty-four

years; for which, without any delay, I muft "render up an account to that most upright "Judge whom I have fo greatly offended.

"I conftitute no heir to the realm of Eng"land, but I commend it to the Creator of "all things (whofe I am); for I poffefs not "that honour by any title of inheritance, but "by the will of God, the effufion of blood, " and the perjury of Harold, whofe life de"ftroyed, and whofe vaffals vanquished, I "made it fubject to my dominion: the "natives of the realm I hated; the nobles I

difgraced; the people I cruelly vexed; and many I unjustly defpoiled of their estates in "the county of York, and in feveral other places; many I deftroyed with hunger and "the fword; and thus that beautiful land and "noble nation I made defolate."

William had indeed fworn at the high altar of the Abbey of St. Alban's upon the Evangelifts, and the shrine of that Saint, to observe

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and keep inviolate the ancient laws of the land, and more especially thofe of King Edward the Confeffor. Yet with what fidelity he kept his oath Matthew Paris informs us, who fays, "that in William's reign no English

man was permitted to bear any office of "credit, or had countenance; and that it was "accounted a difgrace to be called an English66 man, or to be married to an English woman : "that whereas King Alfred had founded (6 a magnificent College in Oxford, for the "maintenance of many learned divines, who

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might inftruct his people in the Chriftian "faith in their own tongue, (which College

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was to be fupported entirely at the King's "charges, and to be continued during the "reigns of his fucceffors) King William, "willing to deftroy the English language, and "to prevent preaching in it, decreed that the "annual expences attending that inftitution "should never be again allowed in his reign, "nor in thofe of his fucceffors *."

* In the times of his predeceffors, the common prayer of Europe was, ab corruptione Normannorum libera nos, Domine; a prayer that may at present be adopted against some of their fucceffors by that Europe which they are now defolating, and whofe territories they would not have invaded, had not the inhabitants had the folly or wickedness to invite to them thefe defpoilers and destroyers of the human race, and every thing that is dear to man,

FREDERIC,

FREDERIC,

ABBOT OF ST. ALBAN'S.

SOON after the battle of Haftings, which fecured to William the kingdom of England, he came to the Abbey of St. Alban's to fwear upon the reliques of that Saint, to obferve inviolate the ancient laws of this realm, and more particularly thofe of King Edward the Confeffor. William afterwards partook of a noble banquet that was made for him in the abbey ; and, elated with his victory, afked, as in fport, "What was the reason, that in a battle of one day he had been able to fubdue the

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English nation, while it coft the Danes fo

many merely to attempt it." Frederic, the Abbot of the convent, arofe, and thus anfwered him:

"Sir, the reafon may be easily given, if the " occafion be well weighed; for formerly "our land was defended by dint of arms, until "their warlike warriors, from reafons of godly "devotion, took them from their fides, and "laid them upon the altars of oraifons; "which now, through over long reft, are grown rufty, and their edges are become "too dull for the field. For," added he,

the maintenance of martial men, with a great

part of the revenues of the kingdom, are "daily converted to pious ufes, to maintain ❝ and defend those holy votaries, whofe prayers "pierce deeper than their fwords. And "therefore, O King! thou art bound in con"fcience to maintain them in peace, who "have been the occafion of this thy eafy con"quest."

The Abbot had fcarcely finished his fpeech, when William exclaimed, in a loud and infolent tone of voice, "Is then the Clergy fo rich "or fo powerful, that the land remaineth de

prived of her men at arms?—and, merely to "keep the men of religion in safety, shall the "laity be expofed to the invasions of the "Danes, and other foreign enemies? Out of "thine own mouths I will moft affuredly judge

thee; and, for redrefs of the wrongs that "have been committed, begin with thee ?”

The Conqueror then immediately gave orders for disfranchifing from the Abbey all the lands and revenues of it that lay between Barnet and London Stone. The Abbot, on the King's departure, called a Chapter of his Brethren, and perfuaded them to fly with him to the Ifle of Ely, "where," fays the MS.

Life