Lives of the queens of England before the Norman conquest
Hall, Matthew, Mrs
/ V^'/ %^f.^^y \'*7^T^'A > V '1*°' «;ik •3y'' -...' ^ti* ^^.J" m^ '•^o^-^- ^^-n^ '^9' . 0°^.t^'.*^o /\c;^,\ 00^i^>^°o : ^^-v. ^^ •'•ie** <^ Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/livesofqueensofe01hall L lYE S QUEENS OE ENGLAND BEFORE THE N ORMAN CONaUEST. LIVES QUEENS OE ENGLAND BEFORE THE NORMAN CONaUEST BY MES. MATTHEW HALL PHILADELPHIA: BLANCHARD AND LEA, 1854. 96 JAN 26 1945 Serial Record Division The Library ©f Congregg Printed by T. K, & P. G, Collins. INTRODUCTION These volumes, it is believed, will be found to present the first connected outline of the history of Royal women prior to the Norman Conquest. Most readers are acquainted, through the medium of Miss Strickland's admirable work, with the personal memoirs of Matilda, Queen of the Conqueror, and her successors, who were united by the tie-matrimonial to our English monarchs; yet who can trace even an outline of the life of Editha the Good, her contemporary and predecessor on the throne ? Of the stormy and troubled history of Queen Emma, who was wife of two kings, and mother also of two, and who first introduced her Norman countrymen into England, still less is known : nor are there to be found any connected details concerning the wives of those Saxon kings who laid the foundation of our English laws and institutions. No one has been found to go back beyond the era of the Conquest to search amid dusty and worm-eaten records for details illustra- tive of the vast mine of history, with all its hidden stores of wealth, from the first to the eleventh century. Investigation has com- menced from a point more lucid, when Norman conquerors im- posed the Doomsday Book as a lasting token of their power. Woman, possessing, as she ever does, an all-powerful influence over the events of her day, has thrown a bright light over the dark history of the first eleven centuries of our annals, and during that period we discover a succession of important historical events which have occurred through her instrumentality. Were not Roman taste and luxury first made popular in Britain through the influence of Cartismandua, and progressively developed under subsequent female sovereigns, her successors, during the Roman domination, not the least remarkable of whom was the Empress Julia, wife of Severus? Where, in the whole history of this (ix) X INTRODUCTION. country, is there a page to be found more glorious than that de- voted to the British St. Helena, the Empress-mother of Constan- tine the Great, the self-devoted wife, the patroness of Christianity, the discoverer of the true cross, the builder of churches, the mother of the oppressed, — the glorious career of whose influence has, in a thousand ways, directly and indirectly, descended to our own times with her name and history ? Deeply contrasted with these incidents are those forming the groundwork of the life of Boadicea, in whom we behold an instance of the native simplicity of a Briton by birth and education : her fine womanly nature, aroused by unheard-of wrongs to revolt against tyranny and injustice, burst forth, like a torrent which deluged the whole land with blood, into that train of actions which had nearly quenched forever the power of Rome in this island. The family details of Boadicea's history, of whom much has been written, have never before appeared iu connection with her life, and without the knowledge of these it is impossible fairly to appreciate the exciting details of her sufferings as woman, wife, and mother — in the delineation of her character, no fiction can arrive at the all-powerful force of simple truth. Passing over Rowena, through whom was introduced the Saxon sway, we may remark that it was to the most excellent and pious Queen Bertha, a Frenchwoman of royal rank, that we were in- debted for the primeval establishment of Christianity in Saxon Britain. That faith had, indeed, at an earlier period been intro- duced and cherished by royalty, but had fallen into disuse. From the time, however, when Bertha set the example, queens and princesses stood forth as the champions of the new creed: it be- came then fashio7iahIe to be a Christian ; and that same land which had alone, through the merciful intervention of St. Helena, escaped the persecution of Dioclesian, became distinguished for examples of holy votaries to the faith of Christ. Not content with exer- cising every domestic and social virtue themselves, these Saxon females animated their husbands and lovers to a similar self- devotion in the cause of religion. Many, indeed, of these sceptred women dedicated their whole existence to a religious state of se- clusion. Then it was that kings laid aside their crowns and robes of state, and, assuming the monastic garb, at the exhortation of their royal partners, undertook pilgrimages to the Holy See, INTRODUCTION. XI founded schools or endowed churches, which yet remain to attest their munificence. Such was the spirit which pervaded the Saxon Heptarchy, though the picture had sometimes its dark reverse, as in the characters of Quendrida and Ermenburga — and later still, the singularly beautiful and wicked Elfrida. Each of these royal ladies, whether good or bad actions marked her career, has her own appropriate niche in the annals of the past ; and possessed her peculiar influence over the times in which she lived — an in- fluence more or less descending to our remote age, though in few does the benefit conferred on society shine more conspicuously than in that gentle and amiable queen, mother of Alfred the Great, by whose beneficent attention to the education of her sons, some of the brightest rays of light have been shed on our English literature. Such are a few of the leading features of a period comparatively unknown, and which cannot fail, it is hoped, to prove a useful study to those who desire an introduction to the History of Eng- land ; for these personal records of the wives and daughters of our early monarchs, form naturally the connecting links between many public events which would otherwise remain detached and unintelligible. The history of British female Sovereigns before the period of the Conquest had necessarily to be drawn from chronicles which present many legendary records, and which grave writers have sometimes rejected, perhaps too unsparingly ; for, as a learned translator* has observed, even legends are of value in recording the history of past times, and in them the germ of important events connected with the establishment and progress of religion may be found. But for the Sagas we should know little of the early habits of northern nations ; and to more than one ballad are we indebted for an historical fact, which might otherwise have been forgotten. To the perseverance and study of recluses, who spent their whole lives in producing one work, we owe much gra- titude ; that they were generally guided by a spirit of truth we cannot doubt, as they were aware that their labours would become known to many a contemporary and rival in whose power it was, * BeDJ. Thorpe, F. S. A. ; Introduction to Lappenberg's Anglo-Saxons. XU INTRODUCTION. even at that day, to confute a writer, if he asserted more than had been handed down by tradition : at all periods there were critics as well as authors, and, as almost every monastery could boast of its learned historian, there was no want of jealous obser- vation of the productions of their literary brethren amongst the monks who filled up their leisur^ with similar pursuits. To the bards, who sang their compositions from country to country, was intrusted the sacred task of relating great events : they kept alive in their songs the valiant deeds of heroes ; their lays were faithfully repeated by the scribes, who committed them to writing, and, as time wore on, chroniclers sprang up, who, by diligent study, were able to understand and explain much that had become obscure to the uninitiated. The famous Abbey of Glastonbury produced the earliest historian of Britain, who, in the middle of the sixth century, set an example, followed almost uninterruptedly in other monasteries through several ages, till the little less than miraculous invention of printing rendered learning and information easy. Milton, our greatest and most erudite poet, did not disdain the old legends of the early chroniclers, and has preserved in his history much that it is delightful to read of, and pleasant to be- lieve ; and our immortal dramatist sought at the same sources the subjects on which to frame his glorious imaginings. From the lays of the Welsh bards, from Gildas, and Geoffrey of Monmouth, down to the latest publications which have thrown light on the history of the early British reigns, nothing has been neglected in the work now presented to the public which might conduct to truth, and offer a clear and interesting series of records of those female Sovereigns whose lives are so much less familiar to the English reader than others of a later period, who have found able recent biographers. CONTENTS. CARTISMANDUA, QUEEN OP CYMBELINE. Page Parentage of Cartismandua — Her father Afarwy leaves Britain — His daugh- ter born — Cymbeline's education — Marriage of Cartismandua — Early habits of splendour — Her arrival in Britain — New coinage of Cymbe- line — Children of Cartismandua — Adminius rebels, and flies to Rome — Death of Cymbeline — Cartismandua' s possessions — She marries Cadal- lan — Intermarriages of their children — Caractacus — Habits of the northern tribes — Bericus — British produce — Invasion by Claudius — Cartismandua friendly to the Romans — Re-married to Venusius — They betray Carac- tacus — Cartismandua separates from Venusius, and marries his shield- . bearer — Indignation of the British — Wars with the Scots— The Queen is taken — Her death — Corbred's wars 25 BOADICEA, **THE WARLIKE,' QUEEN OP ARVIUAGUS. The Pictish Princes — Cadallan — Metallanus — Boadicea's claims on British sympathy — British mothers — The Castle of Maidens — Education — Mar- riage and wrongs of Boadicea — Caractacus rouses himself — Arviragus throws off the Roman yoke — Defeat of the Britons — Roman triumph — Will of Prasutagus — Manner in which it was respected — Seneca as usurer — Outrages of the Romans — Rage and grief of the Britons — Boadicea's resolve — Corbred moved to help her — Insolent answer of the Romans — Taking of Mona — Boadicea's magnificent speech and prayer to Adraste — The hare — Preparations for the fight — Camalodunum — Omens — Fate of the city — Successes — Cruelties — St. Albans taken — The Wheel of For- tune turns — Reaction — Defeat of the Britons — Death of the Queen 44 2 (13) XIV CONTENTS GWENISSA THE FAIR, SECOND QUEEN OF AKVIRAGUS. Page Political influence of Women — A Deputation sent to Rome to fetch Gwenissa as the bride of Arviragus — Customs of Roman betrothals — Gwenissa's family — She is supposed to be illegitimate — Lines of Harding on the Mar- riage of Arviragus and Gwenissa — The flowery mead — Gloucester built in honour of the event — Crowns of gold — The Emperor Claudius returns to Rome — Festivities in his honour — Beauty of Gwenissa — The love of her Husband for her — Its transient duration — He breaks with Rome — Gwe- nissa as Winner of Peace — Vespasian remains in Britain — Asserted visit to Britain of Joseph of Arimathea — The Twelve Hides of Glaston^ Change in the fortunes of Gwenissa — Arviragus forsakes her for Boa- dicea— She dies of grief in giving birth to her son Marius 73 JULIA *'DOMINA, EMPRESS OF SEVERUS. Julia born in Phoenicia — Julia Msesa, her sister — Beauty and talents of Julia Domina — Her abstruse learning — Her ambitious views — Her arrival at the Imperial City — She is noticed by the Empress — Her suc- cess— Her admirers — Severus — The Augury — The Marriage of Julia — Children of Severus — Caracalla and Geta — Eastern Expedition of Severus — Julia becomes Empress — They go to Britain — Advance to Caledonia — Difficulties and Trials on the Campaign — Fulgent lays siege to York — Cruelty of Severus — Superstition of the Emperor — The Court at York — Luxury and pomp — The Emperor's death — Enmity of the Antonines — Return to Rome — Fratricide — Grief of Julia — Severity of Caracalla — Supposed marriage to her Step-son — His Murder — Julia dies — Her Sister' s children — Her character as regards Britain 82 VICTORIA,* VITURGIA, AND HUNILA, EMPRESSES OF BONOSUS AND PROCULUS. Zenobia and Victoria — Influence of both — Character of Victorinus — His Mur- der, and that of his Son — Marius chosen by the Empress — His history and fate — Posthumus succeeds — jElianus — Tetricus appointed by Victoria — Constantius Chlorus in Britain — Victoria's sudden death by the treachery of Tetricus — Aurelian's Roman triumph — Viturgia and Proculus — Bonosus the Pedagogue — His rise — Aurelian bestows Hunila upon him — He pro- claims himself Emperor of Britain, Gaul and Spain — His death — Probus settles a pension on Hunila 96 * The name of the Empress Victoria's husband has not been handed down to posterity. CONTENTS. XV ST. HELENA, QUEEN OF CONSTANTIUS CHLORUS, Page Daughter of Coel, the Hawk-faced — Particulars of her birth — Her accom- plishments and virtues — Constantius in Britain — Carausius — Romantic stories of Helena — Disputes as to her birth — Colchester claims the honour — She marries Constantius — Her children — Reverses — Galei'ius and Vale- ria— Constantius and Theodora — Maximian — Helena's self-devotion — Empty honours — Constantine at Rome — The four Empires — York — Character of Constantius — Persecution of Christians — Theodora's chil- dren— Constantia — Death of Constantius — Excellent conduct of Helena to Theodora — Power she enjoyed — Fausta and her father — The Plot dis- covered, and its punishment — Policy of Helena — Expedition of Constan- tine against Maxentius — The Cross — Conversion of the Emperor — Cities founded in honour of Helena — Helena's vrritings — Tragedy of Fausta and her son — Helena undertakes the care of the children of the Emperor — At eighty, Helena undertakes her journey to the East — The finding of the Cross — Relics — Her death — Honours to her memory — Traces of Helena in Britain — Her Causeway 103 CARTANDIS, QUEEN OF EUGENIUS I. Eugenius slain in battle — Decree of Maximus — Prayers of the widow and noble ladies — The Picts interrupt their devotions — Appeal of Cartandis to Maximus — His generous sympathy — He sends her escorted to Carrick — Attack of Pictish robbers — She returns to the Emperor — Enmity of the Picts — Their remonstrances — Scene of the Picts and Cartandis before Maximus — Her agony and entreaties — Success of Cartandis through the good feeling of the Emperor 162 HELENA AP EUDDA, EMPRESS OF MAXIMUS. Parentage of Helena — The aspirants for her hand — Her Father wishes her marriage — Maximus proposed — Conan objects, but consents at length — Deputation — Character of Maximus — He arrives at Southampton — Pro- mise, and ceremony of Marriage — Dream of Maxen-Wledig, a Welsh ro- mance— Caernarvon — The Fort — The Will — Kynan-Meriadec of Armorica — Maximus and his bride at Treves — St. Martin of Tours — The devotion of Helena to him — Gratian's fate— ^Ursula and the "Eleven Thousand" victims — Successes of Maximus — Reverses — His death, and that of his son Victor — The Tears of Helena, and her Fountain 165 XVI CONTENTS. R 0 W E N A , SECOND QUEEN OF VORTIGERN. Page Vortigern, hoping to establish order in Britain, invites Hengist and Horsa — Arrival of the Saxons — The feast at Thong Castle — The fatal Was-heil — Rowena's beauty — Dress of Saxon ladies — Marriage of Vortigern — His first wife — Gods of the Saxons — The Irminsula — Discontent of the Britons — Excommunication and separation — Vortimer proclaimed King — Fury of Hengist — Rowena's artifices — She poisons Vortimer in a nosegay — Vor- tigern consults Merlin — History of Ambrosius — The fortress in Snowdon — The massacre at Ambresbury — The Valley of Vortigern 178 GUENEVER I. QUEEN OE ARTHUR. The beauty of the three Guenevers — Parentage of Arthur's first Queen — The Earl of Cornwall — Tintagel Castle described — Uther the Terrible, and his love for Igwerna — The Merlins — Gorolois and his wife — Uther mar- ries the widow of Gorolois — Birth of Arthur — The Comet — Pendragon — Love of Arthur for his wife — She is carried off by the Duke of Somerset — Confined at Glastonbury — The Abbot obtains her release — She accom- panies Arthur in an expedition against the Scots — First of the Twelve Battles — Guenever taken prisoner — She dies at Castle Dunbar — Tomb of Guenever and her maidens ,,.... 189 GUENEVER II., QUEEN OP ARTHUR. Bridal festivities of Guenever, daughter of Uther ap Credawgal, at Carlisle — Arthur's Chamber — The Round Table — The Knights— The salt— The minstrels — Their accomplishments — The lady in her bower — The sweet key of Gwynedd — Customs at feasts — Grandeur of Arthur — Arthur a Christian — Arthur and Guenever in Brittany — The Fairy Morgana — The Coronation at Caerleon — Concourse of Kings — Guenever and the White Pigeon — Great ceremonies — Dubricius struck with the vanity of worldly grandeur — Retires to a cell — Arthur desires to be buried beside Guenever. 196 CONTENTS. XVll GUENEVER III., QUEEN OF ARTHUR. Page Guenever, daughter of Gogauranus — The sisters of Arthur — Curious story of Feldemia and her friend — The children exchanged — The invasion — The "hag's" visit — Explanation and secresy — Change in the manners of Arthur and his Court owing to the Pictish Princess — The enchanted mantle — Queen Guenever's disgrace — Sir Cradocke's triumph — The Three ■ Battle-Knights of Britain — The Three Gift-Horses— The three Chaste Women — The fatal horn — King Mark's Queen — Tristan and Iseult — Queen Guenever and Lancelot — King Arthur's Castle at Camelot — His Courts — The King's nephews — Schools for British youth — Arthur quits his Court — Mordred's conduct — Battle of Camelford — Morgwenna and her maidens — Arthur's death — Constantine's cruelty — Guenever retires to Caerleon — Interred there — Discovery of Arthur's tomb 205 BERTHA, QUEEN OF ETHELBERT. The daughter of Caribert — The two maids of honour — Dangerous confidences — The entertainment given by Ingoberga to her husband — The wool-spin- ner— The King's anger — The Queen's divorce — Her rival's advancement — The Queen retires to a convent — Bertha's education — Proposals of mar- riage from King Ethelbert of England declined on account of religion — Mirofleda supplanted by her sister — Excommunication and death of Cari- bert— Consent of Bertha, and arrival of the newly-married pair in England — Reside at Canterbury — Bertha's zeal in the Christian faith — Pope Gre- gory and Augustine — Fear of the Roman missionaries — Ethelbert receives them well, and becomes a convert — Churches — The Pope's letters — Con- version of Redwald — Story of Edwin — Bertha's death — Epitaph — Ead- bald's remorse — He marries Emma 219 ETHELBURGA "THE SILENT," AND ENFLEDA, QUEENS OE EDWIN "THE GREAT" AND OSWY. Marriage of Ethelburga to Edwin — Paulinus — His zeal — The Life of Edwin attempted — A daughter, Enfleda, born — She is dedicated by her father to God — Pope Boniface — His letters — Coiffi, the priest — His famous speech and act — Edwin becomes a Christian — Hilda first appears — Numerous converts in Northumberland — Edwin's progresses — The Tufa — Edwin killed in battle against Penda — Eadfrid murdered — Ethelburga seeks pro- tection with her brother, the King of Kent, accompanied by Paulinus • She sends her sons to France: they die there — She founds a nunnery, and takes the veil — Her acts of charity — The Danes — Enfleda demanded in marriage by Oswy — The voyage and the jars of oil — The marriage — Enfleda builds the Monastery of Tinemouth — Wilfred — Enfleda's daughter dedicated to God — Csedmon, the poet— The Synod at Whitby — The mother and daughter — The spirit of the Abbess 232 9* -D XVUl CONTENTS ST. EBBA, QUENBURGA, SUKNAMED " BEBBA," AND SAXBURGA, QUEENS OF CWICHELME, KTNIGILS, AND CENWALCH. Page The child Ebba's adventures — She enters a convent — Marries Cwichelme — Seeks the court of her brother Oswald — Her influence — Quenburga — Birinus — Kynigils — Saxburga repudiated — Penda's vengeance — Bebba and Bebbanburgh — Bamborough Castle — Oswald and Aidan — The silver dishes — Oswald's charity — The blessing — The Hermit's adventure — Os- wald slain — The limbs of Oswald — Ostrida his niece — Ebba the Saint — The double Monastery — Saxburga and her husband reconciled — Con- versions— The Plague — The Queen Regnant 246 OSTRIDA AND WERBURGA QUEENS OF ETHELRED AND CEOLRED. Ostrida marries Ethelred, the youngest son of Penda — Elfwin slain — Arch- bishop Theodore endeavours to reconcile the Kings — Ostrida removes the bones of Saint Oswald — Abbey of Bardney — The miracle of the pillar of light — The standard — Embroidery — The 'spinsters — Visit of Ethel- hild — Holy dust — Its effect — Ostrida slain — Ferocity of the times — Ethel- red abdicates — He becomes Abbot at Bardney — Kenred makes a pilgrim- age to Rome — Werberga enters a convent 256 QUENBURGA, QUENSWITHA, AND ALFLEDA, QUEENS OF ALFRED, PENDA, AND PEADA. The daughters of Penda — Penda's warlike propensities — Queen Keniswitha accepts the care of Oswy's son — Quenburga's marriage — Peada and Al- fleda — Stipulations — Peada baptized at Carlisle — Penda's opinions — Influence of females in conversion — Quenburga's devotion — Court of Alfred a monastic school — Alfred's death — Quenburga returns to her father's dominions — Retires to Dormund Caistor — The three sisters all be- come nuns — Penda's death — Death of Peada — His wife, his mother, and his mistress suspected of his murder — Oswy seizes his dominions — Two young princesses take the veil 261 CONTENTS.* XIX HERESWYTHA, SEXBURGA, ETHELDREDA, ERMENBERGA, AND ERMENILDA QUEENS OF ANNA, ERCOMBERT, EGFRID, AND WULPHERE. Page Religious enthusiasm— Church building — Queen Hereswytha, "the mother of many Saints" — Her husband, King Anna — Etheldreda and Thonbert — She retires to a monastery — Her second marriage to Egfrid — Their esta- blishment— Egfrid's remonstrance — Etheldreda goes to a convent, accom- panied by Bishop Wilfred — Architecture and Church Music patronised by Wilfred — Anger of Egfrid — Their separation : he re-marries — Ermen- burge persecutes Wilfred — Anglo-Saxon carriage — Wilfred's trials — Sex- burga's piety — Her daughter — The Abbess Hildelitha — The Convent of Minstre — Ermenilda's, and her young daughter Werburga's, piety — Murder of the young princes, Wulfade and Rutin — Werburga's pi'ofession — The Abbess Etheldreda's edifying death — St. Audrey's lace, and St. Ethel- dred's chain — Ely Monastery — Sexburga's happy death — The butterfly shadow — Miracles — St.Werburga, the Patroness of Chester — Ely Cathe- dral— Antiquities — The stone cross of Etheldreda 265 DOMNEVA, QUEEN OF MEROWALD. Lady Eva — Marriage -with the son of Penda — The Queen takes the veil in her husband Merowald's life — She founds the Abbey of Minstre, to atone for the murder of her brothers by Egbert — " The Deer's course" — Pious ruse — Fate of Thunor the murderer — The humility of Mildred — Leobgitha's verses — Gold and silver ink — The Abbess Eadburga — The letters of St. Boniface to the pious Abbess — The Danes — Mildgitha retires to Estrey — Estrey Court — The sepulchres of the murdered princes there — Mildburga and her father — Their tombs in the Abbey of Wenlock 283 I ETHELBURGA AND FRIDOGITHA, \ QUEENS OF INA AND ETHELARD. Invasion of Ivor and Ina — Conditions of the Conquerors — Marriage of Ethel- burga to Ivor — His death, and her marriage to his successor, Ina — The arch of Taunton Castle — Ealdbryht Clito besieged by Ethelburga — The "Wes- tern Key of the Kingdom" — The Laws of Ina — Guala — The learned men of Ina's time — The Abbey of Glastonbury, and its rich endowments — Ethelburga's pious project — The splendid banquet and the contrast — Its effect on the King — Discourse of Ethelburga — The Crown resigned — Ethe- lard — Preparations for a pilgrimage to Rome — Departure of the King and Queen as pilgrims — Arrival in Rome — Religious acts — The Saxon school of Ina at Rome — Romescot — Return to England of the royal pair — Death of Ina — Ethelburga at Barking — Cuthberga, Abbess of Wimbourne — Ca- nonization of the Abbess-Queen — The three daughters of Ina — Frido- githa's liberality — Her piety and pilgrimage — Her death and canoniza- tion—St, Frideswide 289 XX CONTENTS. QUENDRIDA-PETRONILLA, QUEEN OF OFFA "THE PROUD." Page Melo-dramatic legend of Quendrida — King Offa screened by monkish writers — Unknown crime of Petronilla: — Exposure in an open boat — Stranding of the beautiful stranger on the Welsh coast — Meeting of Offa and Quen- drida— Fascination of the young King — Opposition of his parents — The royal marriage — Death of both Offa's parents — Otfa's early deficiencies — Sudden change — Beornred's wars — His defeat — Offa's dyke — The Empe- ror Charlemagne — His letters and presents to Offa — Demand in marriage of Prince and Princess — Interruption of the friendship of the two Kings — Close of the French ports — Alcuin the Learned — Harmony re-esta- blished— The Princess Eadburga's marriage — Young Ethelbert, King of East Anglia — His proposal for the hand of the beautiful Etheldritha, youngest daughter of Offa — Excellent character of Ethelbert — His arrival in Mercia — Omens — Rich gifts and grand retinue of the bridegroom — Ethel- dritha, at her window, admires the beauty and grandeur of her lover — Quendrida's envy and hatred — Offa's welcome — The Queen's treacherous proposal — The chair of state — The canopy and the well — The murder ac- complished— Despair of the bride — Her anathema — She leaves her father's court — Offa's remorse — Banishment of the guilty Queen — The spoils she took — Robbers — Her deserved fate — Offa builds cathedrals — The shrine of St. Ethelbert — Divine judgment on Offa's race 296 EADBURGA.— ELFLEDA^ QUEENS OF BERTRIC AND WIMOND. Pride of Eadburga — Prince Egbert's banishment — He seeks shelter with Offa ; is refused hospitality — Flies to the court of Charlemagne — The Queen's influence; her jealousy, and vindictive character — Infatuation of her husband — Her hatred of Worr — Her attempts to ruin him — Resist- ance of Bertric — The banquet — The poisoned cup — Death of the King and his friend — Flight of the Queen — She seeks the court of Charlemagne; is well received there at first — Her beauty and her gifts — Change of pub- lic estimation — Charlemagne's sarcastic offer — The incautious reply of the widow — The Emperor's contempt — His bestowal of a convent on her — Her conduct as Abbess — Her expulsion and degraded position — Her arri- val at Pavia and destitution — Her death in misery — Her quaint epitaph — Detestation of her memory — Title of Queen not allowed by Anglo- Saxons — Egbert's succession — The contrast of the sisters — The Abbess of Cioyland — Witlaf's sojourn and gifts; his attachment to Etheldritha — The Danes — Elfleda, daughter of Kenulf — Her son Wistan — Rejected offer of Berferth— Murder of Wistan 307 QUENDRIDA II. The grand-daughter of Offa's Queen — Her great abilities and the high position she holds in the state — She is left guardian to her young brother Kenelm —Her sister Burganilda attached to the young King — His tutor Ascobert— CONTENTS. XXI Page The traitorous designs of Quendrida on the life of Kenelm — Ascobert agrees to aid her plans — Kenelm's dream — His uneasiness — He informs his nurse, who interprets it — Aware of his danger, he removes to a secure place — The Castle ofKenilworth chosen as his abode — The family of the Kenelms — The hunting excursion to Clint Wood — The murder of the young Prince, and concealment of his body in a pit — Quendrida mounts the throne — Is suspected by the people — Driven from the government, which is given to her uncle Kenulf — She assumes a religious habit, but retains her patrimony, the Abbey of AVinchcomb — Touching legend of the revelation at Rome of the death of Kenelm — Discovery of the body — Ca- nonization of the murdered Prince — Chapel built — Quendrida's scorn — The judgment of Heaven on her — Her death 312 OSBURGA AND ETHELS WYTH A, QUEENS OF ETHELWULP AND BURHRED. The mother of Alfred the Great — Earl Oslac, her father, cup-bearer to King Ethelwulf — Wars with the Danes — The King first intended for the Church — ^His choice of the cup-bearer's daughter — Her virtues and indus- ti'y — Needlework of the Anglo-Saxon ladies — The five sons of Osburga — Her daughter Ethelswytha married to the King of Mercia — The title of Queen revived — The Danes overrun Mercia — Subdue Burhred, and force him to abandon his country — He dies at Rome — His Queen follows him, and dies on the road — Alfred's infancy — Prayer of Osburga — The story of the illuminated book of Saxon verse — The children's anxiety — Alfred's resolution and success — The pilgrimage to Rome of Ethelwulf, accompanied by his young son — Uncertainty respecting Osburga — Ethel- wulf's return with Judith, the French princess — Death of Osburga 318 JUDITH OF FRANCE, SECOND QUEEN OF ETHELWULF. Motives of Ethelwulf for his visits to the Court of Charles the Bald — Beauty of the Princess Judith — Attachment of Count Baldwin of Flanders — Ethel- wulf's offer accepted — Splendid Marriage of Judith to Ethelwulf — Royal presents — Ethelwulf takes his bride to England — They are ill received — Ealstan, Bishop of Sherburne, excites Ethelbald to rebellion — Offence given to the Church — Ethelwulf proclaims Judith Queen, in despite of op- position— Ethelwulf yields to his son to avoid bloodshed — Judith crowned — Prayers on the occasion — Alfred and his young mother-in-law study to- gether in retirement — Ethelwulf 's death — Ethelbald forcibly marries his widow — Displeasure of the people and the clergy — He becomes penitent — Separates from Judith — She sells her dower, and travels, on her re- turn to her father's court, through Flanders — Meeting of Judith and Ba>dwin — Consequences of her stay — Anger of Charles the Bald — She is placed in a convent — Rescued by her brothers — Elopes with Baldwin — En- mity and final forgiveness of the French King — The children of Judith — Matilda, wife of William of Normandy — Ballad of the imaginary adven- tures of the "King's Daughter" ... 323 XXll CONTENTS. E L S W I T II A , QUEEN OF ALFRED THE GEEAT, AND ETHELFLEDA, "lady or mercia," Page Romantic legend of the meeting of Alfred the Great and Elswitha — Alba- nac's family — The nocturnal visit — The daughters — The father's resolve — The choice offered — Marriage of Alfred and Elswitha — Sudden illness of the bridegroom — Connubial affection — Passage in Boethius — Famine in England — St. Swithun — Children of Elswitha — Her happiness, and fond- ness for her husband — Athelney — The Danes — Dangers — Generosity of Alfred — Monastery founded — Alfred's Will — Eadburga and Elswitha— St. Mary's, Newminster — Learning of Ethelfleda — Lady of Mercia — Her numerous fortresses — The captive Welsh Queen — Fleance, son of Banquo — Ancient Welsh customs — Candle-bearer's perquisites — Death of Ethel- fleda — Mourned by King Edward — Elfwina dispossessed by her uncle — Ethelfleda buried in St. Peter's, Gloucester 337 EGWINA, ELFLEDA, EDGIFA, AND ELFGIFA, QUEENS OF EDWARD "THE ELDER," AND EDMUND "THE PIOUS." Romantic tale of Athelstan's mother — The loves of Egwina and Edward — Dream of the Shepherd's daughter — The nurse of the King's children — Adoption of Egwina — The bright light — Edward's second wife Elfleda; her seven children — His third wife Edgifa — Edgifa's lawsuit and will — Athelstan and Beatrice — Goda's dishonesty — Education of the family of Edward the Elder — Eadburga the nun ; her choice — Edward's death, and his son Ethelwerd's — Athelstan named as successor — 'He provides for his family — Beatrice marries Sihtric, King of Northumberland — Edgifa marries Charles the Simple — Her trials and story — Edgifa and Elfgifa sent to Germany — Their marriage-list of the sisters — Hugh the Great and Edilda — The marriage presents — Revived fortunes of Edgifa and her son, Louis d'Outremer — Restoration and imprudence — Harshness of Louis to his mother — The widow of Edward the Elder still goes on with her lawsuit — Edmund the Pious — St. Dunstan — The precipice — Elfgiva — Legend — Explanation of the dream — Edmund assassinated — Reay Cross on Stan- • more — Monasteries — Edred and St. Dunstan — Edwy the Tyrant ; his ill- usage of his grandmother — Edgar re-establishes her in her rights — She bestows her property on the church — Her death 35^ ETHELGIVA, QUEEN OF EDWY " THE FAIR." Ethelgiva's relationship to the young Prince Edwy the Fair — Her extreme beauty — St. Dunstan's character and history — His contentions with the Devil; his temptations and triumphs — The fame of the Saint — St. Dun- stan's mortification to find the young King married — The forced corona- tion— Flight of the King — Anger of the nobles — Rage of the Bishops — Discovery of the weeping Bride — Insults to Edwy and Ethelgiva — Pas- sionate words of the Mother of the young Queen — Fury of Dunstan — Sympathy of the People for the Royal Pair — Ethelgiva refused the title of Queen — Edwy's dislike to the ambitious Prelate — The evil spirit at Glas- tonbury— Flight of Dunstan — His dangers from his enemies, the married CONTENTS. XXlll Page priests -=- Security of the Royal Lovers — Seizure of Ethelgiva: horrible vengeance — She is sent to Ireland — Odo's representations to the King — His despair — His troubles — His brother Edgar — Recall of Dunstan — Divorce pronounced against Ethelgiva — Excommunication of Edwy — Re- covery of Ethelgiva, and attempt to rvituui — Waylaid on her journey — Hamstrung and starved to death — Broken heart of Edwy — He dies — Buried at Winchester « 866 ELFRIDA, QUEEN OF EDGAR <' THE PEACEABLE." Edgar's volatile Character — Wulfreda, the nun — Ethelflede the Fair, mo- ther of Edward — Her death, and Elfrida's beauty — Ethelwold's mission — His deception, and marriage to Elfrida — Misrepresentation to the king — Ethelwold's son — Hunting — The tribute of wolves' heads — The concealed beauty — Ethelwold's confession to his wife — Her resolve — Her conquest — The murder in the forest — Marriage of Edgar and Elfrida — St. Dunstan — Elfrida's power — Contentions — Ventriloquism — Ely — Ordwulf, the giant — Dissolute clergy — Coronation at Bath — King Edgar's death — Edward the Martyr — His cruel murder — Ethelred's tears: the whipping with wax candles — Pledging — Miracles — Penitence of the Queen postponed — Saxon verses — Dunstan's anathema — Murder of Brithnoth, Abbot of Ely — Ethel- red asserts his will — Elfrida returns to Warewell — Her religious edifices — Wulfreda ejected from Barking — Death of Elfrida — Royal grant to the convent 374 EMMA OF NORMANDY, Surnmned " the PearV QUEEN OF ETHELRED "THE UNREADY" AND CANUTE "THE GREAT." The Pearl of Normandy — Parentage of Emma — Quarrels settled — Emma's Marriage with Ethelred, 1002, at Winchester — She receives the popular name of Elfgiva — Unsuitableness of Ethelred — His personal appearance — The songs of Gunnlaugr the Scald — The Sagas : their value — Danegelt, its odiousness to the English — Massacre of the Danes on the Eve of St. EDITH A THE "GOOD," QUEEN OF EDWARD "THE CONFESSOR." Page "Rose among thorns" — Earl Godwin's romantic and eventful story — The Jarl Ulf in the forest — The peasant-boy-*King Canute's new soldier — His advancement — Marries Githa ; made Earl — Thora and the slave trade — Bristol the mart — Godwin's connexion with royalty — Editha's beauty and meekness — The compact of Earl Godwin — Delays of King Edward — His dislike to the match with Editha — Their marriage — Edward's coldness — Dress and manners of the time — Splendour of priests — Wulstan's reproof — Long hair — Editha's humility — Her coronation — King Edward's vows — Unkindness to his Queen — The Queen's spiritual friends — Westminster Abbey founded — Editha's pious donations — Leofrina's will — Curious stone picture on the screenat Westminster Abbey — Quarrel of Tostigand Harold, when boys, represented — Installation of Leofric, Bishop of Exeter — Famine — Edward remits the tax of Danegelt — Rupture with Earl Godwin — Flight of Godwin and his family to Flanders — His banishment — Triumph of the Normans — Imprisonment of Queen Editha — Bishop Robert's accusation — A year of seclusion at Wherwell — Weakness of Edward — Godwin's triumphal return — Restoration of his party — The Queen returns to Court — Her triumph — Earl Godwin's sudden death — Edward sends for the son of Edmund Ironside — His arrival and death — Editha accused of cruelty — Royal chaplains — Dedication of Waltham Abbey — Bore-stall — Havering Bower — The pilgrim and the ring — Dedication of St. Peter's, Westmin- ster— The King's death — Harold succeeds — Battle of Hastings — William the Conqueror — Editha's epitaph 438 EDITHA "THE FAIR," QUEEN OF HAROLD II. The father of Editha — Godiva, wife of Leofric — Wealth and power of the Earl of Coventry — The famous legend considered — Leofric's munificence to the Church — The lines in the painted window — Godiva's donation to Coventry Abbey — Algar, father of Editha the Fair, flies to Wales — Mar- ries his daughter to the Welsh Prince, Grifiith ap Llewelyn — Nest, his first wife — Her sons — Grifiith ap Conan and his wife Angharaud — Violent contentions of the Welsh and English — Restoration of Algar — Harold pur- sues the Welsh — Defeats them — Lays siege to and burns Ruddlan Castle — Editha the Fair taken prisoner — Death of Grifiith — Harold marries his widow — Hereford destroyed and re-fortified — Harold's pillars — His breach of promise to Adeliza — Harold becomes King — The battle of Hastings — The search for the body — Editha the Swan-necked — The Recluse of Ches- ter— Eddeva Dives — Her possessions seized by the Conqueror — Stortford in Hertfordshire — The tomb discovered 462 LIYES , OP BRITISH QUEE^Tg BEFOEE THE CONaUEST. CARTISMANDUA. Parentage of Cartismandua — Her father Afarwy leaves Britain — His daughter born — Cymbeline's education — Marriage of Cartismandua — Early habits of splendour — Her arrival in Britain — New coinage of Cymbeline — Children of Cartismandua — Adminius rebels, and flies to Rome — Death of Cymbeline — Cartismandua's possessions — She marries Cadallan — Intermari'iages of their children — Caractacus — Habits of the northern ti-ibes — Bericus — British pro- duce— Invasion by Claudius — Cartismandua friendly to the Romans — Re- married to Yenusius — They betray Caractacus — Cartismandua separates from Venusius, and marries his shield-bearer — Indignation of the British — Wars yrith. the Scots — The Queen is taken — Her death — Corbred's wars. The first British Queen, whose life offers any interest, after the Eomau Invasion, is Cartismandua, She is said to have been great-grand-daughter of King Lud, the eldest of the seven sons of Beli the Great, the heroes of the famous bards, Aneurin, Taliesin, Llywarch Hen, and their followers, whose compositions may be ascribed to the sixth century.' Lud is a favorite with early chroniclers, and his name is preserved somewhat conspicuously in that of the capital of England.^ The father of Cartismandua was Mandubratius, or Afarwy, the son of Imanuentius, Prince of the Trinobantes, or people of Middlesex and Essex, whose contentions with the victorious Cassivellaunus, or Caswallon, led to the devastation of the country and the successes of the Romans. 