BOOK father bore," may have been suggested by the size of the new-born infant; as hwithyse, "the white boy," or Egbert, VIII. 66 bright eye," might have been imposed from some peculiar appearance. But the following names, when considered as applied first in infancy, appear to be as fantastic, and as much the effusions of vanity, as the lofty names so dear to modern parents: Of the female names, the meaning is more applicable, and sometimes displays better taste. We give the following as specimens, taken as they occurred: BOOK To which we may add, Ethelwulph and his four sons: Ethelbald, Ethelbert, Ethelred, It has been a subject of discussion, whether the AngloSaxons used surnames. There can be no question that many were distinguished by appellations added to their original, or Christian names. Thus we find a person called Wulfsic se blaca, or the pale; Thurceles hwitan, or the white; others Ethelwerde Stameran, and Godwine Dreflan. Sometimes a person is designated from his habitation, as Elfric at Bertune; Leonmære at Biggrafan. Very often the addition expresses the name of his father, as Ælfgare Elfan suna, Ælmær Ælfrices suna, Sired Elfrides suna, Godwine Wolfnothes suna, or more shortly Wulfrig Madding; Badenoth Beotting. The office, trade, affinity, or possession, is frequently applied to distinguish the individuals mentioned in the charters; as Leofwine Ealdorman, Sweigen Scyldwirhta, Eadwig his mæg, Ægelpig munuc, Osword preost, Leowine se Canon, Heording gerefa, and fuch like." But although it is certain that such additional appellations were occasionally used by the AngloSaxons, yet they appear to have been but personal distinctions, and not to have been appropriated by them as family names in the manner of surnames with us. In the progress of civilization, the convenience of a permanent family denomination was so generally felt as to occasion the adoption of the custom. It is probable that the first permanent surnames were the appellations of the places of birth, or residence, or a favorite ancestor. To these the caprice of individual choice or popular fancy, the hereditary pursuit of peculiar trades, and the continued possession of certain offices, added many others, especially in towns. But this custom, of appropriating a permanent appellation to particular families, became established in the period which succeeded the Norman conquest. See Ilickes's Dissert. Epist. p. 22-25. CHAP. II. Their Education. WE E cannot detail the particular course of education by CHAP. which the Anglo-Saxons conducted their children to II. maturity, but some information may be gleaned. Their society was divided into two orders of men-laymen and ecclesiastics. Among the latter as much provision was made for intellectual improvement as the general darkness of the period would allow. The laity were more contented with ignorance; and neglecting the mind, of whose powers and nature they knew nothing, they laboured to increase the hardihood and agility of the body, and the intrepidity, perhaps the fierceness of the spirit. Some men, rising above the level of their age, endeavoured to recommend the use of schools. Thus Sigebert, in the seventh century, having enlarged his mind during his exile in France, as soon as he regained the East Anglian throne, established a school in his dominions for youth to be instructed in learning. So we find in Alfred's time, and under his improving auspices, most of the noble, and many of the inferior orders, were put under the care of masters, with whom they learnt both Latin and Saxon books, and also writing, that “be"fore they cultivated the arts adapted to manly strength, like 66 hunting, and such others as suited the noble, they might "make themselves acquainted with liberal knowledge." Hence Edward and Ælfthrythe are stated by Asser to have studiously learnt Psalms and Saxon books, and chiefly Saxon poetry. But among the laity, these were transient gleams of intellectual sunshine, neither general nor permanent. The great and powerful undervalued knowledge; hence Alfred's brothers did not offer to attain the faculty of reading which BOOK he was tempted to acquire.' Hence, even kings state in their charters, that they signed with the cross, because they were unable to write; and hence so many of Alfred's carls, gerefas and thegns, who had been illiterate all their lives, were compelled by his wise severity to learn in their mature age, that they might not discharge their duties with such shameful insufficiency. It is mentioned on this occasion, that those who from age or want of capacity could not learn to read themselves, were obliged to have their son, kinsman, or, if they had none, one of their servants taught, that they might at least be read to, and be rescued from the total ignorance with which they had so long been satisfied. Asser expresses the great lamentations of these well-born, but untaught men, that they had not studied such things in their youth. Nothing can more strongly display the general want of even that degree of education which our poorest charity children receive, than these circumstances. The clergy were the preceptors of those who sought to learn; and though Alfred tells us how few even of these could read, yet our history of the Anglo-Saxon literature will shew some very brilliant exceptions. Such as they were, however, to them the moral and intellectual education of the age was entrusted. Thus Aldhelm's father, a prince, put him under the tuition of the Abbot Adrian." Thus the Irish monk Maildulf, who settled at Malmsbury, and was well skilled in Greek and Latin, took scholars to earn subsistence.' From a passage in the biographer of Wilfred, we learn that children, who afterwards pursued the paths of ambition, received, in the first part of their lives, instruction from ecclesiastics. He says of Wilfrid, a bishop in the eighth century," Princes “and noblemen sent their children to him to be brought up, • Asser. In a MS. charter of Wihtred, in the possession of the late Mr. Astle, to the king's mark was added, " ad cujus confir Malmsb. 3 Gale, 338. 7 Ibid. |