BOOK ation, but that searching curiosity, which characterised his understanding. V. THE journey is stated by several chroniclers. The Saxon Chronicle 13, Florence of Worcester 1, Radulph, and Bromton, simply mention, that Suithelm, the bishop of Shireburn, carried the benevolence of Alfred to India, to Saint Thomas, and returned in safety. Huntingdon, and Alured of Beverley 18, express that the embassy was sent in a discharge of a vow which the king had made. Matthew of Westminster 19, and Malmsbury, mention the curiosities which Suithelm brought back with him. MALMSBURY, who gives the fullest account of the incident, says that the king sent many presents over sea to Rome, and to St. Thomas, in India; that Sighelm, the bishop of Shireburn, was his ambassador, who penetrated with great success to India, to the admiration of the age; and that he brought with him on his return, many foreign gems and aromatic liquors, the produce of the country.20 In another passage, Malmsbury de 13 Sax. Chron. p. 86. 14 883. Assero Scireburnensi episcopo defuncto succedit Suithelmus qui regis Alfredi elemosynam ad S. Thomam, Indiam detulit, indeque prospere retulit. Flor. Wig. 320. 15 Rad. Dic. 451. He dates it 887. 16 Bromton, 812. 17 Alfredus autem misit elemosynam suam Romæ et etiam in Indiam ad S. Thomam secundum votum quod fecerat quando hostilis exercitus hyemavit apud Londoniam. Hunt. 350. 18 Lib. vii. p. 106. 19 Matt. West. 333. He says that Suithelm brought back precious stones. Malm. calls him Sighelm. 20 Et trans mare Romam et ad Sanctum Thomam in Indiam multa munera misit. Legatus in hoc missus Sigelmus Scireburnensis episcopus cum magna prosperitate, quod quivis hoc seculo miretur, Indiam penetravit; inde rediens exoticos splendores gemmarum et liquores aromatum, quorum illa humus ferax est, reportavit. De Gestis, p. 44. VI. clares, that some of those gems were to be seen CHAP. in his days in the monuments of the church.21 In the former editions of this work, for the purpose of verifying this extraordinary incident, a careful investigation was pursued, in order to show that it was long before believed that Saint Thomas had been in India; that in the age of Alfred he was presumed to have died there; and that at that time there were Christians living there. It was also proved that such journeys were in those days attempted, and the inference was drawn from these facts, that the assertions of our chroniclers were not counteracted by any improbability in their assertions of this remarkable embassy.22 THE journeys and writings of the late Claudius Buchanan, and of other travellers; and the subsequent efforts and correspondence of our Bible and Missionary Societies, have completely confirmed the facts, not only that Syrian Christian churches were early founded in the Indian penin 21 Nonnullæ illarum adhuc in ecclesiæ monumentis visuntur. Malms. De Pont. 248. 22 In the Saxon life of St. Thomas, in MS. Calig. A. 14., which is ascribed to Elfric in Jul. E. 7., the legendary account there is, "The Saviour himself came to him from heaven, and said to him, 'A king of the Indians, who is called Gundoforus, will send his gerefa to Syria's land to seek some labourer who is skilful in arts. I will soon send thee forth with him.' Thomas answered, 'Send me whither thou wilt, except to the Indians.' But, on the command to go being repeated, he assented, and, when the regal officer came, they went together to the ship and reared their sail and proceeded with the wind; and they sailed forth then seven nights before they reached a shore, but it would be long to tell all the wonders that he did there. They came next to the king in India, and Abbanes boldly brought Thomas to the speech of the king, who said to him, Canst thou build me a kingly mansion in the Roman manner?' Thomas tried and succeeded, and had then liberty to preach, and baptized, and constructed a church, and Migdonia, the king's wife's sister, believed what he taught." Cott. MSS. Calig. A. 14, p 112–118. V. BOOK Sula, but that they are still existing in the same. parts. And as the curious reader may desire to see our former collection of authorities, it is reprinted in the appendix to this chapter. No other notices of Alfred's foreign correspondence have been transmitted to us, besides the compliment from the Jerusalem patriarch; except some donations from the pope, and several messages and presents from Alfred to Rome. The king appears to have sent embassies or couriers to Rome in several successive years.24 WHEN the measures are mentioned by which Alfred endeavoured to excite in his subjects a love of letters, it will not be forgotten that the University of Oxford has been connected with his memory. THE Concurring testimonies of some respectable authors seem to prove, that he founded public schools in this city; and therefore the University, which has long existed with high celebrity, and which has enriched every department of literature and science by the talents it has nourished, may claim Alfred as one of its authors, and original benefactors. BUT this incident, plain and intelligible as it appears to be, is environed with a controversy which demands some consideration; for it involves nothing less than the decision of the superior antiquity of the two Universities of England. We leave to abler pens the determination of the 23 Asser, 39. The pope, at Alfred's request, liberated the Saxon school in Rome from all pecuniary payments. Ibid. 24 Asser, 55. The Saxon Chronicle states that in the years 883, 887, 888, 889, 890, Alfred's alms or letters were successively sent to Rome. VI. dispute, and shall only notice in the note a few CHAP. particulars, concerning the first periods of the contest, and the point on which it turned.25 THIS indefatigable king made also a code of His laws. laws, with the concurrence of his witena-gemot or parliament, which has been called his Dom-boc. In this, for the first time, he introduced into the Anglo-Saxon legislation, not only the decalogue, but also the principal provisions of the Mosaic legislation, contained in the three chapters which follow the decalogue, with such modifications as were necessary to adapt them to the Anglo-Saxon manners. In the laws attached to them, he mentions, that, with the concurrence of his witenagemot, he had collected together, and committed to writing the regulations which his ancestors had established; selected such of them as he approved, and rejected the rest. He adds, that he had showed them to all his witena, who declared that it pleased them all that these should be observed. Forty heads of laws then follow, on the most important subjects of the Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence and legislation, obviously tending to increase the national civilisation.2 WHEN Alfred regained his throne, and with His police. that, the kingdom of Mercia, he found that the Danish invasions had so destroyed the ancient police of the kingdom, and the regular habits of the inhabitants, that the Anglo-Saxons were infesting each other with predatory depredations." 25 See note 42 at the end of this chapter. 26 See those in Wilkin's Leg. Sax. p. 28-46. I cannot doubt that these compose the dom-boc which some ancient writers alluded to. 27 Ingulf, 28.; Malmsbury, 44.; and the Chronicle of Johannes de Oxenedes. Cott. MSS. Nero, D. 2. This chronicle is not much more than an abridgement of Malmsbury. BOOK V. THE means which he took to remedy this evil, and also to provide an efficient force to repress the Danes, are stated to have been some modification of the ancient provincial divisions of England, which had long before been known as shires. The alterations which he made with these are not detailed. But it is expressly declared that he began the system of dividing them into hundreds, and these into ten parts or tithings. Under these nominal divisions, the population of the country was arranged. Every person was directed to belong to some hundred or tithing. Every hundred and tithing were pledged to the preservation of the public peace and security in their districts, and were made answerable for the conduct of their several inhabitants. In consequence of this arrangement, the inhabitants were speedily called out to repel an invader, and every criminal accused was sure to be apprehended. If he was not produced by the hundred or tithing to which he was attached, the inhabitants of these divisions incurred a general mulct. Thus every person in the district was interested in seizing or discovering the offender. If he fled, he must go to other districts, where, not having been marshalled within their jurisdiction, he would be known and punished as an outlaw, because unpledged; for he who was not pledged by some hundred and tithing experienced all the severity of the law. 28 It is added to this statement, that Alfred divided the provincial prefects into two officers, judges and sheriffs. 29 28 Ingulf, 28. Malmsb. 44. 29 Præfectos vero provinciarum qui antea vicedomini vocabantur in duo officia divisit, id est, in judices quos nunc justiciarios vocamus et in vice comites qui adhuc idem nomen retinent. Ingulf, 28. We will briefly remark here, that the Welsh anciently had the territorial |