The daily life of the king was orderly. The twenty-four hours were divided into three parts; eight hours were given to the business of the people (governing), eight hours to study and prayer, and eight hours to exercise and rest. "As he had no clock, he measured out his time by burning candles, each of which lasted for four hours. In order that the candles might burn evenly and mark the time properly, he enclosed them in lanterns of thin horn" which he had invented. [Sidenote: =Alfred the Great=] Good King Alfred died in 901. A thousand years later the English raised a statue to him at Winchester. Because of his many good works he is called "Alfred the Great." He is one of the noblest men in all history. THE NORMAN CONQUEST [Illustration: _From an old print_ ENGLISH ARCHERS] =304. England Conquered Many Times.= England had been conquered by the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons, and the Danes. Now she was conquered for the last time. The people who defeated her were the Normans of France. We have seen them come into France when the Normans scattered from their native lands in the north of Europe. After Alfred died several kings ruled in England. When Harold was chosen king, the Duke of Normandy claimed the throne of England. He made this claim on the ground that the former English king had promised it to him. The Duke of Normandy has always been called William the Conqueror. He was a stern man who knew how to rule and fight. To establish his claim to the English throne he gathered together an army, crossed the Channel, and landed at Senlac, near Hastings. [Illustration: ST. CUTHBERT, A NORMAN CATHEDRAL] =305. The Battle of Hastings (1066).= Harold had gathered his soldiers to resist the Normans. They fought bravely, as any good soldiers do when defending their native land. "All day long they stood stubbornly together on a hilltop and beat back every attack with their swords and axes." When Harold was wounded, his men still fought on. William of Normandy now thought of a trick. He ordered his soldiers to pretend to be beaten and to retreat. This they did. The English soldiers now rushed forward to follow on their heels and cut down as many as they could. What was their dismay to see the Normans turning around and cutting down the English! When night came the English army was no more. [Sidenote: =Character of the Normans=]