John Asser

Asser's Life of King Alfred; Together with the Annals of Saint Neots Erroneously Ascribed to Asser John Asser

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1904 edition. Excerpt: ... NOTES Dedication. This was written in the Cottonian MS. in capital letters, as shown by Wise's facsimile. The description of Alfred as 'ruler of all the Christians of the island of Britain' is somewhat surprising, for there is no proof of any subjection to him of the people of Northumbria beyond the mention of their taking oaths to him in 893 (894 according to the chronology of the Chronicle) or of Scotland. But it must be borne in mind that the latter was not comprised under the dominion of the kings who bore the rank of Bret-walda or Bryten-w{e)alda, a title ascribed to Alfred's grandfather in the Chronicle under 827'. It is possible that the description here applied to Alfred may have been influenced by this title, for rector is the natural translation of wealda. According to cap. 80 most, if not the whole, of Wales was under Alfred's supremacy. The Chronicle says under 901 that he was king of all England, except the parts that were under Danish government (that is, East Anglia, north-east Mercia, and Northumberland). The remainder of Mercia seems to have been in some sort of dependency upon him, after the death of its last king, under the rule of his son-in-law ^Ethelred2. Rulership over the whole island of Britain is 1 It is noteworthy in this connexion that the Chronicle calls Ecgbyrht Bryten-walda or Bret-walda as soon as his rule reached the Humber. The agreement with the Northumbrians is related afterwards, and the reduction of the North Welsh is narrated in the following year. 'The statement in this work, cap. 80, 22, that .iF.thelred was subordinate to Alfred, harmonizes with the evidence of the charters of .(Ethelred and JEtheldxd, his wife, which are allowed or witnessed by Alfred; Cart. Sax. ii. 166,173, 200, 222 (all from...