CHAPTER X
EDWARD THE CONFESSOR
On his death Canute’s Kingdom was divided between two further sons, who had been previously overlooked, Aftercanute and Harold Harebrush. These were succeeded by Edward the Confessor. It was about this time that the memorable Mac Beth (“Ian Hay”), known as the Bane of Fife, murdered a number of his enemies, including Mac Duff, Lord Dunsinaney, Sleep, etc.
Edward the Confessor was with difficulty prevented from confessing to all these and many other crimes committed in his reign, as he was in the habit of confessing everything whether he had done it or not, and was thus a Weak King.
THE LAST ENGLISH KING
With Edward the Confessor perished the last English King (viz. Edward the Confessor), since he was succeeded by Waves of Norman Kings (French), Tudors (Welsh), Stuarts (Scottish) and Hanoverians (German), not to mention the memorable Dutch King Williamanmary.
TEST PAPER I
Up to the End of 1066
1. Which do you consider were the more alike, Cæsar or Pompey, or vice versa? (Be brief.)
2. Discuss, in latin or gothic (but not both), whether the Northumbrian Bishops were more schismatical than the Cumbrian Abbots. (Be bright.)
3. Which came first, A.D. or B.C.? (Be careful.)
4. Has it never occurred to you that the Romans counted backwards? (Be honest.)
5. How angry would you be if it was suggested
(1) That the XIth Chap. of the Consolations of Boethius was an interpolated palimpsest?
(2) That an eisteddfod was an agricultural implement?6. How would you have attempted to deal with
(a) The Venomous Bead?
(b) A Mabinogion or Wapentake? (Be quick.)7. What would have happened if (a) Boadicea had been the daughter of Edward the Confessor? (b) Canute had succeeded in sitting on the waves?
Does it matter?
8. Have you the faintest recollection of
(1) Ethelbreth?
(2) Athelthral?
(3) Thruthelthrolth?9. What have you the faintest recollection of?
10. Estimate the average age of
(1) The Ancient Britons.
(2) Ealdormen.
(3) Old King Cole.11. Why do you know nothing at all about
(a) The Laws of Infangthief and Egg-seisin?
(b) Saint Pancras?12. Would you say that Ethelread the Unready was directly responsible for the French Revolution? If so, what would you say?
N.B.—Do not attempt to answer more than one question at a time.