of his strength, mighty to save"-one who is beautifully represented by the spirit of prophecy, as a "hiding-place "from the wind, and a covert from the tempests; as rivers "of water in dry places, and as the shadow of a great "rock in a weary land."-"Their rock, then, is not as our "rock, our enemies themselves being judges; for while he "that trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, is like the "heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; "but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness "in a salt land not inhabited:" he that places himself beneath the sheltering wing of the omnipotent Redeemer, shall be " as a tree planted by the waters, and that "spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see "when heat cometh; but her leaf shall be green, and "shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall "cease from yielding fruit."

ESSAY II.

The SAXON HEPTARCHY.

FROM A.D. 585-A. D. 827.

THOUGH the period of English History, which the present essay is intended to embrace, includes nearly two centuries and a half, the recorded facts of that period are so few, and those few so destitute of interest, that it is unnecessary to enter into detail. It can yield neither gratification nor instruction to observe the struggles of a long succession of ambitious chiefs, who, after having expelled the ancient inhabitants, turned their arms upon each other, and sought to elevate themselves by the fall of their less powerful neighbours. If indeed it were desirable that a minute and authentic statement should be made of these uninteresting facts, the ignorant credulity of the monks, who were the only annalists of that age, has rendered such an attempt impracticable. Satisfied with recording the fabulous histories of their own monasteries, and the pretended miracles of their saints, it seems not to have entered into their imagination, that a distinct record of the laws and

constitution of the country, and of the most interesting political events of their day, would be desired by succeeding generations. We must be content to pass rapidly over this extensive but barren field of history; endeavouring as we proceed to gather here and there an incident or a fact, which may appear to merit attention, when separated from the legendary traditions with which it is encumbered.

The several armies of Saxons, Jutes, and Angles, which had landed in Britain at different periods, and occupied unequal portions of territory, were at length formed into seven petty kingdoms. These, when considered as a whole, are called the Heptarchy. Though on some occasions the chiefs of the Heptarchy acted in concert, under the command of one of their number, chosen by themselves; yet each state was governed by its own laws, and acknowledged the authority of its own sovereign. The lesser kingdoms did not, however, long maintain their independence; but, after a few years, either became tributary to their more powerful rivals, or were consolidated with them.

The subjoined table will furnish the juvenile reader with a connected view of the seven states which composed the Heptarchy, the order of time in which they arose, their first kings, the territory they included, and the principal city, or seat of government belonging to each.

The kingdom of Kent, though one of the smallest in the Heptarchy, is remarkable not only as having been the first founded by the Anglo-Saxons, but still more as that which first renounced paganism, and embraced a profession of Christianity. This event, (the particulars of which will be more fully related hereafter,) took place during the reign of Ethelbert, A. D. 596. The reign of this prince is also memorable on account of his having given his subjects a code of laws, which is among the earliest specimens of legislation in this country.

About the same time, Ethelfred reigned in Northumberland. The reputation of this prince is unhappily founded alone on his acts of injustice, and the success with which his arbitrary measures were crowned. The kingdom of Northumberland had been divided after the death of Ida into two parts, namely, Bernicia and Deïra. To the former of these petty kingdoms, Ethelfred succeeded by birthright; but not satisfied with his hereditary dominions, he took possession of Deïra, which belonged by right of succession to Edwin his nephew, then an infant of three years old. Nor did he satisfy himself with unjustly seizing on Edwin's inheritance, but threatened all the princes of the Heptarchy with his utmost vengeance, who presumed to shelter him at their courts. Few were willing to protect a defenceless orphan on such terms. At length, however, Edwin found a powerful guardian in Redwald, king of East-Anglia, who was induced by the earnest solicitations of his queen, rather to encounter the resentments of Ethelfred, than violate the sacred rights of hospitality and friendship. To the honour of our holy religion it should be recorded, that this lady had recently embraced Christianity, and that this noble sacrifice of interest to duty, seems to have proceeded from the influence of those principles which she had imbibed. Redwald prepared a large army for the defence of his own kingdom, and the restoration of the exiled prince, with which he marched to meet Ethelfred, whom he defeated and killed in battle. His fall may be considered as a retribution of Providence for the barbarities of his sanguinary reign, and especially one act of atrocity that is almost unparalleled in history. When

engaged in a battle fought near Chester (A. D. 613,) with Brockmail a Welch prince, he commanded his troops to cut down no less than 1,200 unarmed monks, belonging to the monastery of Bangor, who had accompanied the British army, to pray for its success. To that iniquitous transaction he was indebted for the victory; but at length he that had slain with the sword, perished by the sword.

Edwin now succeeded to the crown of Northumberland, and his future reign proved, that he was not unmindful of the early discipline he had received in the school of adversity. He is said to have been a wise, just and constitutional monarch; feared by his enemies, beloved by his subjects, and highly respected throughout the Heptarchy. It was to be expected that some of the ambitious warriors of that age would envy his reputation. Quincelm, king of the West-Saxons, finding himself unequal to contend with him in the field, plotted his death by assassination. With this view, he despatched a ruffian, who succeeded in obtaining an audience, and attempted to plunge a poisoned dagger into the king's breast; but Lilla, one of Edwin's devoted subjects, who stood near, intercepted the blow by throwing himself between his monarch and the assassin and was pierced to the heart. The murderer was instantly hewn in pieces by the royal guard, and Edwin retaliated upon his base employer, by ravaging the kingdom of Wessex with fire and sword.

But a formidable rival, not to Edwin alone, but to all the kings of the Heptarchy, arose in the person of Penda, 'who was crowned king of Mercia, A. D. 626. Though this tyrant did not succeed to the throne till he was considerably advanced in years, he lived long enough to become the scourge of the country which gave him birth, and the curse of the age in which he lived. He was pre-eminently a man of blood-war seemed to be the only element in which he could exist-the only source of gratification with which he was acquainted. Devoted to a gloomy and ferocious superstition, there was nothing to curb the sallies of his malignant passions, or restrain the fury of his revenge. His is rendered memory infamous by the havoc he made among his fellow sove

VOL. I.

D

reigns, many of whom fell by his sword. The amiable and patriotic Edwin was among the first of these victims, who was killed in a battle fought near Hatfield, A. D. 633. In subsequent periods of his reign, three kings of EastAnglia, two of Northumberland, and one of Wessex, fell by his desolating sword. At length, however, the tide of success turned against him, and this hoary-headed murderer was himself slain in battle by Oswi, king of Northumberland, A. D. 655. His death gave an interval of repose to all the kingdoms of the Heptarchy, which lasted several years without interruption.

The next of these Anglo-Saxon kings who claims distinct notice, is INA, king of Wessex, who began to reign about A. D. 689. His reputation was deservedly great, not only in his own kingdom but throughout the Heptarchy. It was not to his victories alone that this prince was indebted for this reputation. He was also a legislator, as is evident from the code of laws which bears his name, and to which frequent reference is made by the Saxon historians, under the title of "the laws of the WestSaxons." But that which crowned all, in the estimation of that superstitious age, was his self-devotion: for after having built and endowed an incredible number of monasteries, he concluded his works of piety, by abdicating his throne, and shutting himself up in a cloister. This latter proof of his veneration for the church, could not fail to ensure the applauses of the chroniclers of that age, who were themselves monks, and whose praises bear exact proportion to the benefactions they had received.

an

Offa, king of Mercia, who was crowned A, D. 785, stands high amongst the princes of that age. He did not attain this dignity by hereditary claim, but was elected by the nobles, the clergy, and the delegates of the people in a Wittenagemot, or parliament, assembled for that purpose. If in making this choice, it was the design of the Mercians to place the sceptre in vigorous hands, and to select an enterprising commander, they were not disappointed. During his administration, several of the lesser states were rendered tributary to Mercia, and thus the Heptarchy was virtually dissolved. The Britons too