His brother Elfwyn, and the lady Hilda, full of years, having outlived the natural span of man's appointed years, followed him shortly--not till they had seen their grandchildren, a numerous and hopeful progeny, grow up around them, and so perpetuate their race upon earth. And for Alfgar and Ethelgiva, they lived to see a their children's children, and peace upon Israel, surviving until the close of the reign of Edward the Confessor, the son of Ethelred and Emma. Their days were days of peace, in strange contrast to their youthful years. "Peace! and no more from out her brazen portals The blast of war's great organ shakes the skies; But, beautiful as songs of the immortals, The holy harmonies of peace arise." --Longfellow. THE END. i Genealogy of Aescendune. The reader may be glad to have the genealogy of the family in whom it has been the author's aim to interest him placed clearly before him. The following genealogical table, including the principal names in "The First Chronicle of Aescendune," as well as those in the present book, may suffice, the date of decease being given in each case. Offa, 940 * Oswald, 937. * Redwald, 959. * Ella, 959, m. Edith. + Elfric, 960. + Alfred, 998, m. Alftrude. o Elfric, 975. o Elfwyn, 1086, m. Hilda. # Bertric, 1006. # Ethelgiva, 1064 m. Alfgar. o Cuthbert, 1034. o Bertha, 1050 m. Herstan. + Edgitha, 990. ii Curse of Dunstan. "In the year of our Lord's incarnation 979, Ethelred, son of Edgar and Elfrida, obtaining the kingdom, occupied, rather than governed it, for thirty-seven years. The career of his life is said to have been cruel in the beginning, wretched in the middle, and disgraceful in the end. Thus, in the murder to which he gave his concurrence he was cruel, base in his flight and effeminacy, miserable in his death.