Two Varieties of Masonry--Dover Castle--Richborough Castle--Newport Gate, Lincoln--Hadrian's Wall--Its Direction and Construction--Outworks--Ornamental Detail--Roman Roads and Camps 19
THE FOUNDATION OF THE ENGLISH KINGDOMS AND THEIR CONVERSION TO CHRISTIANITY.
The Jutes, Angles, and Saxons--Their Village Communities--Larger Combinations, Gradations of Rank--Morality and Religion--Hengist and Horsa found the Kingdom of Kent--The Kingdoms of Sussex, Wessex, and Essex--The Anglian Kingdoms--Mercia--The Welsh--Gregory and St. Augustine--Augustine and Kent--Conversion of Northumbria--England becomes Christian--The Greatness of Mercia--King Offa 25
RISE OF WESSEX AND OF THE SOCIAL SYSTEM OF ENGLAND.
Ceawlin and his Successors--Cedwalla--Ina--Subjection to Mercia--Accession of Egbert--He subdues his Rivals--His Wars with the Welsh and Danes--Land-owning System--Local Assemblies--The Hundred Moot--The Shire Moot and its Business--Methods of Trial and Punishments--The Wergild--The Witena-gemot--Its Powers--The King--Class Distinctions--The Church 31
THE DANISH INVASIONS AND THE REIGN OF ALFRED.
Character of the Invaders--Reign of Ethelwulf--Reigns of Ethelbald and Ethelbert--The Conquest of East Anglia--Battles near Reading--The Accession of Alfred--The Extinction of the Kingdom of Mercia--The Invasion of Wessex--The Year 878--Alfred at Athelney--Death of Hubba--Victory of Alfred and the Treaty of Wedmore--Renewal of the War--Alfred's fleet--Expeditions of Hastings--Remainder of the Reign--Character of Alfred--His Rules of Life--His Legislation--Encouragement of Learning 38
Settlement of the Danes--Edward the Elder and his Cousin--Reconquest of the Danelagh--Edward becomes King of all England--Conspiracy of Alfred against Athelstan--Wars in Northumbria--The Death of Edwin--The Battle of Brunanburgh--The Power of Athelstan--Edmund's Wars with the Danes--Their Submission to Edmund--Rebellion and Reconquest--The Conquest of Cumberland--Death of Edmund--Final Conquest of Northumberland--The Rise of Dunstan--His Banishment--Edgar's Rebellion--His Accession to the Throne--Wars with the Welsh--Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury--His Ecclesiastical Policy--The Reign of Edward the Martyr--Dunstan's Struggles with the Opposition--Death of the King 46