[630] Wise, pp. 127, 128.
[631] Wise, p. 124.
[632] Lives of the Archbishops of Canterbury, i. 322.
[633] St. Grimbald’s mass day (July 8) is mentioned in the Chron. 1075 D ad init. See Chron. ii. 122, 123.
[634] Above, p. 18.
[635] ‘inde perplures instituere studuit,’ Asser, 592 A [56].
[636] South of the Thames Alfred did not know a single priest at the time of his accession, who knew Latin; south of the Humber there were very few; north of the Humber he does not think there were many. This confirms the view taken above, that Mercia was at this time intellectually the least backward part of England. The reference to Northumbria implies rather Alfred’s lack of accurate information, than any strong belief that things were very much better there.
[637] ‘forðy me ðyncð betre, gif iow swa ðyncð,’ p. 7; cf. Solil. p. 169: ‘gyf þe nu þincð swa swa me þincð.’
[638] It is the combination of reading with translation that is new. The passage must not be interpreted as if Alfred now for the first time began to read Latin.
[639] Asser, 491 C-492 B [55-57].