marked by conquests, which spread his fame far beyond the island that he governed, and which procured him respect and honour from the princes of the continent. The laws of Athelstan were such as proclaim a sovereign of no ordinary talent. The two following will not fail to receive the praise of the friends of learning, and of commerce. He enacted, that whoever made such progress in learning as to be entitled to priest's orders, should enjoy all the privileges of a thane or nobleman; also, that every merchant who should go three times over the sea with his own manufactures, should have the right of a thane. He is said to have caused the bible to be translated into the Saxon language, for the service of his subjects, by some learned Jews Athelstan postponed not his charity until his death. In active life he decreed, that each of his Gerefas, should feed in all ways, one poor Englishman, if any such they either had or could find. He ordered, that from every two of his farms, one measure of meal, one gammon of bacon, or a ram worth four pennies, should be monthly given, and cloathing for twelve months, every year. He also commanded each of them, every year, to redeem one miserable being, who had forfeited his liberty by a penal adjudication. He left not these charities as mere precepts, which might be executed or neglected without consequences. He attached the interests of his Gerefas, to their obedience. "If any Gerefa shall disregard this, he shall be fined thirty shillings, and the money shall be divided among the needy of the town'."

It is evident, from the laws of Athelstan, that the privilege of coining was not confined solely to the king, but that it was enjoyed by some ecclesiastical persons, as also by several towns. The places are enumerated in the Saxon laws of that king's reign, where mints were established, and the number of offices opened are mentioned, at the same time the coining of money extra portam, or extra oppidum, was prohibited.

The places are thus arranged

"In Canterbury there are seven myneteras; four of the King's, two of the Bishop's, and one of the Abbot's.

'See Turner's Hist. of the Ang. Sax. vol. iii. p.102. The barbarism of the time, although improved by the cultivated minds of Alfred and Athelstan, is discoverable in the laws of the latter, however excellent some of them may be. The punishment of a coiner is thus stated:~

"Et si monetarius reus fieret, manus ejus abscindatur, quacum reatum commisit et affigatur fabricæ monetariæ. Et si tunc accusatus sit, et ipse se purgarevelit, tunc abeat ad candens ferrum, et purget manum ab illo cujus est accusatus quod

fraudem hanc fecerit. Et si tunc in ordalio reus fieret, fiat ei quodlibet, sicut antea dictum est."-Wilk. Leges Ang. Sax. 59.

The red-hot iron used in these ordeals, was consecrated by many prayers, fastings, &c. The person accused was required to carry the glowing iron to a certain distance, and his hand being wrapped up, and the covering sealed for three days, if there appeared, on examining it, no marks of burning, he was pronounced inocent, if otherwise, guilty.-Hume's Hist. of Eng. vol. I. App.i.

"In Rochester there are three; two of the King, and one of the Bishop.

"In London eight.

"In Winchester six.

"In Lewes two.

"In Hastings one.

"Another in Chichester.

"In Hampton two.

"In Wareham two.

"In Exeter two.

"In Shaftesbury two.

stan.

Elsewhere one in every burg."

Lewes must have been a town of no inconsiderable importance, and well fortified, or two mints would not have been entrusted to it by AthelThe kingdom was, at this period, exposed to the invasion of the Danes; and the object of the monarch was, to secure the mintage from falling into the hands of these warlike depredators, by confining the coinage of money, to those well defended towns, where a successful attack of the enemy, was least to be anticipated. Chichester and Hastings, had each one mint confided to them, but Lewes being in every respect a station possessing superior advantages for defence, was entrusted with two. Unfortunately, we have no means of ascertaining any particulars relative to the town in these early times, and are compelled to rest our conviction of its strength and importance, in a great measure, on hypothetical evidence, though supported by a few strong facts1.

The reigns immediately succeeding that of Athelstan, contain too little of interest connected with the southern district of the kingdom, to require par

The destruction of the monasteries, which was effected by the early Saxons, accounts in some degree, for the want of information relative to the town of Lewes, before the year 928, as also why but few provincial notices of any part of this district occur during an earlier Saxon period. The following are all the religious houses that are found upon record in the Saxon times, in the county of Sussex;

1. South Malling, a Collegiate Church, generally supposed to have been founded by Ceadwalla, before the year 688.

2. Bosenham, or Bosham, founded by Saint Wilfred about the year 683.

3. Selaseu, or Selsey, a Monastery founded by Wilfred about the same time.

4. Terring, a Church, or Monastery, built to the

honour of St. Andrew, in the time of Offa, king of the Mercians.

5. Chichester had a Monastery and also a Nunnery, long before the Bishop's See was removed thither from Selsey.

6. Riddrefeld, or Rotherfield.-Lands were given here by Berthwald, Duke of Sussex, about the year 800, to St. Dennis Abbey, in France; in consequence of which a Convent of Monks from that house was here fixed.

7. Readingham, or Bedingham. A Monastery was established here in the beginning of the ninth century.

8. Steyning. A place of some note in the Saxon times for a Church, or Monastery, in which Saint Cudman was buried. In the time of Richard I. mention is made of a Dean and secular Canons here.

ticular notice in a local history: and, indeed, it was not till after the reign of Edmund Ironside, when Godwin appeared upon the political stage, that Sussex was distinguished among the counties of England, as the theatre of important events. Godwin, who, for three successive reigns, possessed a power little less than sovereign, was of noble extraction: being, according to Dugdale, the son of "Wolnoth, son of Egelmar, son of Egelrick, brother to that great Edric Streona, Earl of Mercia, in the days of king Ethelred'." He was general of the English forces in Canute's expedition against the Swedes: by attacking the enemy in the night, he obtained a splendid victory for the king, and won for himself honours and wealth. The title of Earl of Kent was conferred upon him by the grateful sovereign, and riches from every quarter flowed upon his family. So rapidly indeed, did his power and influence increase, that in the reign of Edward the Confessor, he became formidable even to the crown itself. He had been created Duke of Wessex, and the counties of Kent and Sussex were annexed to his government. His sons, Sweyn and Harold, possessed a similar authority, in the counties of Oxford, Berks, Gloucester, and Hereford. Godwin was too potent for a subject, and too ambitious to be satisfied with less than royal power. He well knew that the king feared him, and that the favours, multiplied as they which Edward poured in upon him, were rather to be regarded as proofs of the king's dissimulation, than marks of royal kindness. Upon his refusal to act against the inhabitants of Dover, who had incurred the king's displeasure, on account of their resenting an insult, put upon their townsmen by the minions

were,

'Mr. Turner, (vol. iii. p. 278), after examining | notice of, which (for many reasons that might be the Saxon and other authorities, for Godwin's history, offers the following:-"Perhaps then the true detail of Godwin's origin and rise may be comprized in these particulars. His father was at first a herdsman, but raised by his uncle Edric to an official dignity in Sussex. Compelled to abandon this and to practice rebellion and piracy, his acquired property was confiscated. Ethelstan devised part to his son Godwin. The father retired from the sea to a private country life, and Godwin took care of his herds. Ulfr, the favourite and brother-in-law to Canute, lost in a wood, was conducted by Godwin safe to Canute's ships, and in grateful return befrended Godwin, whose good qualities and talents increasing his attachment, he gave him his sister, introduced him to Canute, and so laid the foundation of his greatness."

shewed), doth not express all, but such as it doth I shall here insert, viz., Leleburne, Fereburne, Selesburne, Boltone, Herbretreton, Brunselle, Coteham, Hore, Hanchest, Fulchestan, Romenel, Estefort, Oistreham, and Boltune, in Kent: Dodimere, (Odymer), Joet, Erbentone, Hiham, Wilendone, (Willington), Radetone, (Ratton), Wineltone, (Wilmington), Toringes, (Tarring Neville), Lestone, Bercheham, (Barcomb), Silleton, (Sullington), Lorentone, Trovorde, (Treford), Tocherst, Stodeham, (Stedham?), Rotendone, Seleham, (Sulham), Tadeham, Borne, (Eastbourne), Gontone, (Compton), "Estone, Icemore, Clepinges, (Clumping), Benestede, (Binstead), Hentone, Laneswic, Rotingedene, (Rottingdean), Bristlemestune, (Brighthelmston), Berchinges, (Perching), Fochinges, (Folking), Salescome, (SelsThose of Earl Godwin's possessions which are comb), Herst, (Hurstperpoint), Pluntune, (Plumpmentioned in Doomsday, are recited by Dugdale ton), Bercham, Bedling, (Beeding), Wistanein his Baronage, vol. i. p. 14. Introductory to tune, (Wiston), Cengeltune, (Singleton), Appleswhich he says, "Of his possessions, which were ham, Ordinges, Dentune, (Denton), How, (Hove), exceedingly great, there is no memorial that I ever Essingetune, (Ashington), Wasingtune, (Washingsaw, than what the Conqueror's survey doth take | ton), Etune, (Heighton)."

of Eustace, Earl of Bologne, who had married the sister of their king, he was threatened with royal indignation. The Earl was not of a spirit tamely to succomb, even to royalty; he levied a powerful force, and marched towards Gloucester, with the intent of attacking the king. Edward, calling in the aid of the Dukes of Mercia and Northumberland, whose united forces were superior to the power of Godwin and his sons, hastened to London, and summoned the council to pass judgment upon the rebels. The Earl, with three of his sons, took refuge with Baldwin, Earl of Flanders, whilst Harold and another fled to Ireland. The estates of the family were confiscated; and Queen Editha, (the daughter of Godwin), was made to suffer the resentment of the king, for the fault of her too ambitious and turbulent father, by being basely deserted by her royal consort, and suffered to languish in a nunnery. Despoiled of his possessions, abandoned by the court, and forsaken by many of his own adherents, the proud earl was driven from his native shores, where but a few days before he had shone resplendant, and possessed of power but little inferior to the monarch's. Though fallen, Godwin was not vanquished; he had a mind which was buoyant even in adversity; and an energy of character which, whilst it banished despair, called forth that exertion which was requisite to regain his forfeited honours, and to repolish his tarnished glory.

to

The Earl of Flanders, on whose friendship he had thrown himself, equipped a fleet for him, with which he purposed to make a descent on the eastern coast, whilst Harold, his eldest son, did the same on the western. He was unsuccessful in his first attempt; but his fleet being increased on his return to Flanders, and the English fleet having been unadvisedly disbanded, he, at length, succeeded in landing on the Isle of Wight, where he was joined by his two sons, Harold and Leofwyne. Proceeding along the southern coast, and continually increasing their forces, they were at length sufficiently powerful to venture up the Thames, and to appear before London. Edward was compelled to listen to the overtures of his rebellious vassal, and purchase peace with him at the expense of dismissing his Norman favourites. Godwin and his sons, after giving hostages to preserve the peace, were re-instated in their offices and possessions. The death of this powerful noble, which happened shortly after, whilst he was sitting at table with the king, freed the mind of Edward from many fears and misgivings, yet, for a time, rather exalted than debased his family. His son Harold, whose ambition was not inferior to that of his father, and whose active courage, merit, and accomplishments were superior, succeeded to the government of Wessex, Sussex, Kent, and Essex, and to the important office of steward of the household. Possessed of all the power which his father had

enjoyed, he took the most effectual measures for increasing it, by the liberality and affability of his deportment, and the generous ardour which was ever displayed in his actions.

The popularity of Harold opened a way for him to the throne, in spite of the prejudice of Edward, against the family of Godwin, which prompted him to name his kinsman, William Duke of Normandy, as his successor, in opposition to the popular feeling, which pointed out the heroic and noble minded Harold. His amiable qualities had gained him the affections of the lower classes; the bishops and clergy were won over to him by the regard he had always manifested for their interests, and all the powerful nobility connected with him by alliance or friendship, willingly seconded his pretensions. The idea of his usurpation, was lost in his eminent popularity, and the claims of Edgar Atheling, and even those of the Duke of Normandy, were unheard in the acclamations that pronounced him king. If indeed the free and almost undivided choice of a people, can give a title to the throne, Harold's was strong and unquestionable. But the deceased Monarch had appointed William the Bastard, as he is commonly named by our old historians, the heir to the English Crown; and to vindicate his supposed rights, or rather, to force himself upon a people who wished not for his services, an army was assembled by the Norman tyrant, a fleet was equipped, and the South Saxon shore was destined to be washed with blood. The Norman army landed peaceably at Pevensey; for the fleet which had been stationed on that part of the southern coast, had, a short time before, separated, in consequence of a want of provisions, which Harold, busied in repelling the aggressions of the Norwegian foe, had neglected to supply1.

As no opposing force was near, they immediately proceeded to Hastings, threw up entrenchments, and made every preparation for promoting the object that they had in view, the subjugation of England. Harold was in the north, and had just obtained a victory over the king of Norway, when intelligence was brought of the landing of the Norman army on the Sussex coast. By forced marches, the King reached London, where he somewhat recruited his harassed army, and without delay, marched to the neighbourhood of the Norman camp, designing to surprise the army of the duke, as he had before

"As William landed from his ship, it happen- | ing panic was checked by the judicious soldier who ed that he fell. In these days, when the mind in raised William from the ground. Seeing his hands its most infant state was full of the most ground- full of mud, he exclaimed, "Fortunate General! less fantasies of childhood, the accident was in- you have already taken England. See, its earth terpreted into an omen of disaster; but the spread-is in your hands."-Turner, vol. iii. p. 379.