BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF ENGLAND. ARTICLE I. FROM EGBERT TO HENRY VIII. CLASS I. KINGS, AND OTHERS, OF THE ROYAL FAMILIES OF ENGLAND. their EGBERT, king of the West Saxons, first monarch Began of all England; a medallion, from a silver coin; Vertue Reigns. sculp. half sheet. Engraved for Rapin's "History." There is a set of heads by Vertue, for the 8vo. edition of the same book. The history of England, during the Heptarchy, is perhaps the least interesting, and the most barren of great events, of any history of the like period in the annals of any nation. It is an almost uninterrupted series of violence, wars, and massacres, among petty tyrants, most of whom were a disgrace to the human species. Egbert, who was born with talents to conquer and to govern, reduced the Heptarchy into one kingdom; and defended his new conquest Anno 827. with the same vigour as he acquired it. Ob. 838. Rapin. ÆLFREDUS MAGNUS, &c. Vertue sc. half sheet. 871. From an ancient picture at University College in Oxford; also from an ancient stone head now in Oxford. At the their Began bottom of the plate he is represented as a common minReigns. strel playing in the Danish camp. The story of his going into the enemy's camp in this disguise is extremely improbable; as it is not mentioned by Asser bishop of Sherborne, who was contemporary with Alfred, and the most authentic writer of his life.* ELFREDUS MAGNUS; Vertue sc. 8vo. ÆLFREDUS MAGNUS; a small head-piece, Vertue sc. ÆLFREDUS MAGNUS; a small tail-piece, Vertue sc. These three last were engraved for Asser's "Life of King Alfred," published by Mr. Wise, 8vo. 1722. ALFREDUS Saxonum rex; Faber f. 1712, large 4to. one of the set of Founders.† A head of ALFRED; from a manuscript in the Bodleian Library. M. Burghers sc. The title of Great, which has been lavished on the destroyers and plunderers of mankind, was never more deservedly given than to Alfred, who had in his character a happy mixture of every great and good quality that could dignify or adorn a prince. Having rescued his country from slavery, he enacted excellent laws, built a fleet, restored learning, and laid the foundation of the English constitution. Ob. 900, as Carte has sufficiently proved in his " History of England," vol. i. p. 316. The monument at Driffield in Yorkshire, erected in memory of Alfred, a learned king of the Northumbrians, who died in 704, has been mistaken for this king's, who was buried at Winchester. EDGAR REX; J. Strutt del. et sculp. in Strutt's "Edgar is here delineated as piously adoring our blessed Saviour, who appears above, seated on a globe to shew his empire, and supported by four angels, emblems of the four gospels under his * See what an ingenious writer has said upon this subject, in the "Reliques of Ancient English Poetry," vol. i. p. 16. + This set of prints, done in mezzotinto, by John Faber the elder, are in large 4to. or small folio. They have been printed with the addition of borders, and some of them have been retouched, and published by Parker. feet are two folding-doors, in his left hand he holds the book of Began judgment which is to be opened at the last day, &c. "This engraving is taken from a curious and ancient illumination found in a book of grants, given by King Edgar himself to Winchester Cathedral; it is dated A. D. 966. See Strutt. CANUTE the DANE; silver coin, folio and 8vo. their Reigns. Vertue sc. h. sh. From a 1017. Canute possessed himself of the kingdom after his countrymen had struggled for it above two hundred years. In the beginning of his reign he struck terror into his subjects, by the many sacrifices he made to his crown, and by the rigour of his administration. But when he found himself in secure possession of the throne, he relaxed the reins of government, and grew popular. In the latter part of his life, to atone for his many acts of violence, he built churches, endowed monasteries, and imported relics ;* and had indeed a much better title to saintship than many of those that disgrace the Roman calendar. Ob. 1036. EDWARD the CONFESSOR; from his great seal. Ob. 1066. R. Cooper sc. EDWARD the CONFESSOR, with his QUEEN EDITHA, EARL GOODWIN, &c. at a banquet, in Strutt's Regal Antiquities." EDWARD the CONFESSOR, in Strutt's "Dresses," plate 28. EDWARD the CONFESSOR; drawn and engraved by James Smith, from the altar window of Rumford Church, h. sh. This window is modern. There is an ancient wooden print of him in Caxton's "Lives of the Saints." Edward the Confessor was more celebrated for his piety, jus- 1041. tice, and humanity, than his capacity for government. His denying the rights of the marriage-bed to his amiable Queen Editha, is extolled by the monkish writers as a signal instance of heroic chas He commissioned an agent at Rome to purchase St. Augustine's arm for one hundred talents of silver and one of gold; a much greater sum than the finest statue of antiquity would then have sold for. Began tity, and contributed to gain him the title of Saint and Confessor. their He was the first that touched for the king's evil.* Ob. 5 Jan. 1066. Canonized by Alexander the Third, 1165. Reigns. 1065. HAROLD, slain by an arrow, in Strutt's "Regal Antiquities." HAROLD, a whole length; an outline only, from F. Montfaucon's " Monumens de la Monarchie Françoise,' vol. i. p. 402. 402. It is the first plate in Dr. Ducarel's Anglo-Norman Antiquities." Harold, son of Earl Godwin by his second wife, the niece of Canute, was for his virtues, as well as his great and amiable qualities, worthy of the throne which he ascended upon the death of the Confessor, his brother-in-law. The English were happy under his administration, during the reign of that bigoted and weak prince. He greatly fell at the battle of Hastings, and with him the liberties of his country, 14 Oct. 1066. K. WILLIAM the CONQUEROR; G. Vertue sc. h. sh. After three silver coins of him, and a small illumination in " Domesday Book."+ Mr. Whiston imputes the cure of the evil to the prayer used at the time of touching; (James v. 14.) Mr. Carte to the royal touch; and he endeavours to prove the power of curing to be hereditary. See Whiston's "Life," by himself, and Carte's" History of England." + The most authentic prints of our monarchs extant, are the large heads engraved by Vertue; who has also engraved the heads of the kings from the Conquest, in one quarto plate; and another set, consisting of four plates in 8vo. for Salmon's "Chronological Historian." In Rastell's Chronicle, entitled, "The Pastyme of the People," are folio prints of the kings of England, from the Conqueror to Richard III. They are whole lengths, cut in wood, and have uncommon merit for that age. Holland, who published the "Heroologia Anglica," has also published a volume of heads of the kings, from the Conquest to the year 1618. These prints are the same with those in Martin's "Chronicle," except the title and head of William I. Hondius has engraved many heads of our kings; and Vandrebanc a set after Lutterel's drawings. Vertue's large heads have been copied for a History of England," published by Walker, under the name of James Robinson, Esq. It should be observed, that Vandrebanc engraved the prints of our kings and queens to Elizabeth; and that the series, done for Kennet's " Complete History," is continued to Anue by other hands. Several of them, cut in wood, are in " Grafton's Chronicle." There is also a set in wood published by T. T. (Thomas Timmes), 1597, see Ames's "Hist. of Printing," p. 432. The set of etchings, in 8vo. whole lengths, from William I. to Elizabeth, are for the most part ideal; their arms are upon their shields. |