218 ONE THOUSAND FAMOUS THINGS
sense, as I had learned it from Plegrnund my archbishop, and Asser
my bishop, and Grimbold and John my mass-priests.
When I had learned it as I could best understand and most clearly
interpret it, I translated it into English ; and I will send a copy to
every bishopric in my kingdom ; and on each there is a clasp worth
50 marcus. I command in God's name that no man take the clasp
from the book or the book from the minster. Alfred
The King of Great Sorrow
TN the year 878 the army of the pagans drove many by force and
JL poverty and fear to sail over the sea, and they subdued almost all
the dwellers in that region under their sway.
In those days King Alfred, with a few of his nobles and with some
soldiers and vassals, passed his life in great sorrow and unrest amid
the woods and marshes of the land of Somerset; nor had he anything
wherewith to support life, save that which by constant raids he might
take from the pagans, or from Christians who had submitted to the
pagan yoke. From Asser's Life of Alfred
Amid the Troubles of This World
I BESOUGHT my trusty friends that out of God's books of the lives
and miracles of the saints they would set down for me the instruc-
tion which follows, so that, strengthened in my mind through memory
and love, I may, amid the troubles of this world, sometimes think of
the things of heaven. Alfred's preface to one of his books
Alfred and His Memory
I HAVE sought to live worthily, and after my life to leave to them that
come after me a remembering of me in good works. Alfred
The King Makes Himself Known to His Son
Now for the story of Richard Piantagenet. In the year 1720 I
waited on Lord Heneage, Earl of Winchelsea, at Eastwell House,
and found him sitting with the register of the parish of Eastwell open
before him. He told me he had been looking there to see who of his
own family were mentioned in it. But, says he, I have a curiosity
here to show you, and then showed me, and I immediately transcribed
it into my almanac :
Richard Plantagenet was buried the 22d day of December, anno ut
supra. Ex Eegistro de Eastwell, sub anno 1550.
This is all the registers mention of him. The story my lord told
me was this.
When Sir Thomas Moyle built Eastwell Place he observed his
chief bricklayer, whenever he left off work, retired with a book. Sir