[Footnote 120: In the Saxon Chronicle (A.D. 878) it is said, that Gothrun was baptized at Aller, and his _chrism-loosing_ was at Wedmore. The _chrismal_ was a white linen cloth put on the head at the administration of baptism, which was taken off at the expiration of eight days.] [Footnote 121: Inhabitants of Gloucester, Worcester, and part of Warwickshire.] [Footnote 122: This expression paints in strong colours the unfortunate and divided state of England at this period, for it shows that the Danes had settled possession of parts of it. In fact, all traces of the heptarchy, or ancient division of the island into provinces, did not entirely disappear until some years after the Norman conquest.] [Footnote 123: Not the river Stour, in Kent; but the Stour which divides Essex from Suffolk. Lambard fixes the battle at Harwich haven.] [Footnote 124: Or, Old Saxons.] [Footnote 125: St. Guerir's church was at Ham Stoke, in Cornwall.] [Footnote 126: An interesting account of St. Neot will be found in Gorham's History And Antiquities of Eynesbury and St. Neot's.] [Footnote 127: Grimbald was provost of St. Omer's.] [Footnote 128: John had been connected with the monastery of Corbie.] [Footnote 129: East Dene [or Dean] and West Dene are two villages near Chichester. There are also other villages of the same name near East Bourne.] [Footnote 130: This expression alludes to the tonsure, which was undergone by those who became clerks. For a description of the ecclesiastical tonsure see Bede's Eccles. Hist. p. 160] [Footnote 131: The original Latin continues, "Et illa adjuvaretur per rudimenta Sancti Degui in omni causa, tamen pro viribus," which I do not understand, and therefore cannot translate.] [Footnote 132: A petty prince of South Wales.] [Footnote 133: Or St. Dewi. Probably by the _parish_ of St. Deguus is meant the _diocese_ of St. David's. Hence it is said, that Alfred gave to Asser the whole parish (omnis parochia) of Exeter.] [Footnote 134: Archbishop of St. David's.] [Footnote 135: Amesbury, in Wilts.] [Footnote 136: In Somersetshire.] [Footnote 137: Wessex.] [Footnote 138: The whole of this paragraph concerning Oxford is thought to be an interpolation, because it is not known to have existed in more than one MS. copy.] [Footnote 139: Hyde Abbey.] [Footnote 140: This must consequently have been written in A.D. 888.] [Footnote 141: Wise conjectures that we ought to read Hiberiæ, _Spain_, and not Hiberniæ, _Ireland_, in this passage.] [Footnote 142: Not the celebrated John Scotus Eregina.] [Footnote 143: Denarii.] [Footnote 144: Unciæ pollicis.]