24. How did Alfred make friends of the Danes?
26. How was a navy first formed?
29. Which of our universities was founded by Alfred the Great?
CHAPTER VI.
FROM THE DEATH OF ALFRED TO THE NORMAN CONQUEST.
CANUTE AND HIS COURTIERS.
1. Alfred was succeeded by his son Edward, who was a very good king, though not so clever as his father. He built walls round a great many of the towns, to defend them in case the Danes should come again; for, although so many of them were living quietly in the country, those who did not live here were still enemies, and the resident Danes were always ready to join their countrymen.
2. But they could not do much mischief while Edward was king, or in the reign of his brave son Athelstan, who was almost as great a prince as Alfred himself.
3. He knew that commerce was one of the best things in the world for any country, so he had more ships built, and sent them to trade with foreign countries; and he said that, when any man had made three voyages in a vessel of his own, he should be made a Thane; which was the same as knighting a gentleman in these days.