but he was thinking so much about his poor country that he forgot all about the cakes and let them burn.

5. When the woman came back she was very angry, and said, "You man, you will not turn the bread you see burning, but you will be glad to eat it." She little thought she was talking to her king.

6. By degrees some of Alfred's friends gathered round him, and he thought he would fight another battle. Before doing so he disguised himself as a minstrel, and went into the Danish camp to see how he could best attack it.

7. On his return to his friends, messengers were sent all over the country to tell the English to

KING ALFRED AND THE DANES.

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meet their king. A large army was soon raised, and a great battle was fought, in which the Danes were defeated.

8. As they promised to become Christians, Alfred spared their lives and allowed them to settle in the country. For some years there was peace, and although Alfred had afterwards to fight with other bands of Danes he was able to defeat them.

9. When there were no battles to be fought, Alfred employed his time in improving the laws of his country, and in promoting the education of the young.

10. He was not only a brave soldier but a good man and fond of learning. His people loved him dearly, and although we generally speak of him as Alfred the Great, they gave him such beautiful names as the Truth Teller, England's Darling, and the Shepherd of his People.

About three hundred years after the arrival of the English, the Danes invaded the country. One of the best of the kings who fought against them was named Alfred. At one time he was obliged to hide himself from the Danes. He lived with a cow-herd. The cow-herd's wife, not knowing who he was, scolded him for allowing some cakes to burn. After a while he went to the Danish camp dressed as a minstrel. Then he raised an army and defeated the Danes. Alfred was a very good king, and the people loved him dearly.

VII. THE DEATH OF HAROLD.

1. The last of the old English kings was named Harold. As soon as he began to reign, William, Duke of Normandy, came over to England with a large army, to try to take the kingdom from him.

2. William declared that the king who had just died wished him to have the crown. As the English had chosen Harold to be their king, he prepared to fight against William.

3. The two armies met in the South of England, near Hastings, and the battle that was fought is known, therefore, as the Battle of Hastings.

4. William and many of the Normans fought on horseback. Harold's men were all on foot. They were drawn up in one great body, in the centre of which was the king's standard.

5. It was a beautiful banner, and had the figure of a fighting man worked on it in needlework. Near the standard stood Harold, with his brothers, and his nephew Haco.

6. Hour after hour the battle raged, and in spite of all that William could do it seemed as if he would not be able to win the fight.

7. At last William thought of a good plan, and he said to the archers, "Shoot in the air, so that the arrows may fall on the heads of the soldiers."

8. In a few moments a shower of arrows took the English host by surprise, and while they were trying to guard their heads they were not able to defend themselves from the swords of the Normans.

THE DEATH OF HAROLD.

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9. Presently Haco saw one of the arrows falling straight on Harold, and cried out to him, "Look up, look up, and guard thy head."

10. The king raised his head, and as he did so down came the arrow into his eye.

He staggered a few steps, and then fell at the foot of his beautiful standard. The pain was so great that he tried to pull the arrow out, but it broke in his hand.

"Fight

11. One of his brothers knelt over him. on," said the king. "Do not let it be known that I am dead." Suddenly he sprang to his feet, clenched his right hand, and then fell lifeless on the ground.

12. The fight still continued, but in the end the English were beaten, and William gained his title of "The Conqueror."

The last of the old English kings was named Harold. William, Duke of Normandy, came over with a large army to take the crown from him. A battle was fought near Hastings. During the fight Harold was killed by an arrow. The English were beaten, and the Duke of Normandy became king. He is generally called William the Conqueror.

RECAPITULATION.

FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO THE COMING OF THE NORMANS.

Caractacus.-A British chief, taken prisoner by the Romans. Boadicea.-A brave British queen, who fought against the Romans.

Hengist and Horsa.—The leaders of the English who first came to help the Britons.

Vortigern.-The British king who sought the help of the English. Rowena (Ro-wee'na).—The daughter of Hengist, and the wife of Vortigern.

Alfred. One of the best of the old English kings.

Harold. The last of the old English kings. He was killed at the Battle of Hastings.

Haco. Harold's nephew.

William the Conqueror.-William, Duke of Normandy, who defeated Harold.

PLACES AND COUNTRIES.

Italy. -A country in the south of Europe.

Rome. The chief town in Italy. The home of the Romans.
Isle of Anglesey, or Mona.-An island near the coast of Wales.
The chief place of the Druids.

Belgium, Holland, and Denmark.-Countries in the west of
Europe. The home of the Angles, Jutes, and Saxons.
Scotland. The home of the Picts and Scots.

Isle of Thanet.-An island near the coast of Kent. It was given to the English by Vortigern in return for their help.

Norway and Sweden.-Countries in the north-west of Europe. The home of the Danes.

Normandy. In the north-west of France. The home of the Normans.

Hastings. A town on the south coast of England, near which battle was fought between the Normans and the English.

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