I refer the reader to pp. 20-23 in this book for a full discussion on this point. In the second place, as regards Mr. Price’s opinion, I must also refer the reader to p. 107. CNUTE’S LAWS. These laws are divided into three branches, (1) Ecclesiastical, (2) Secular, (3) Constitutiones de Foresta. The text from which Mr. Thorpe prints (1) and (2), is Cott. Nero., A. 1, which was written in the middle of the eleventh century. The text of (3) is from Spelman’s “Glossarium Archæologicum.” There are twenty-six laws in (1); eighty-five in (2); thirty-four in (3).[225] In A.D. 1018 at a Witenagemót at Oxford, Cnute confirmed the laws of Edgar. “The laws of Edgar,” says Lappenberg,[226] “had shown particular regard to the Danes dwelling in England, while in those of Ethelred, as far as we are acquainted with them, similar provisions do not appear.” This was the true reason for Edgar’s laws having been adopted as a model by Cnute. He also made use, however, of Ethelred’s laws, especially those on Ecclesiastical subjects. It is remarkable to find very many of the articles of “Grith and Mund” and of “Church Grith” embodied in Cnute’s laws, although much pains have been taken to prove that these laws were spurious and unauthentic. And yet we find that no less than thirty-six of the forty-four articles in the Church Grith law are incorporated in Cnute’s laws! It is interesting to notice how Lord Selborne disposes of the remaining eight. Five (articles 36 to 39 and 43), he says, are of that historical, rhetorical, expostulatory and didactic character as are not proper for laws which could in that or any similar form be enacted by any legislature. One was omitted apparently as superfluous (_i.e._ 41: “If a monk or mass-priest become altogether an apostate, let him be for ever excommunicated, unless he the more readily submit to his duty.”) Two remain which were evidently, on consideration, disallowed. One is for the tripartite division of tithes, of which there is no trace in any later collection of Anglo-Saxon laws, and one is rejected (art. 32) which gave extraordinary aid and protection to abbots and their stewards.[227] Now by rejecting article 32, are we to suppose that the abbots and their stewards were not to be protected by the king’s reeves? for the article states, “And the King commands all his reeves in every place that ye protect the abbots on all secular occasions as ye best may; as ye desire to have God’s or my friendship, that ye aid their stewards everywhere to right, that they themselves may the more uninterruptedly dwell closely in their minsters, and live according to rule.”[228]