other people after his death.

He made a number of wise laws. It is believed that it was he who first
ordained that an Englishman should be tried not only by a judge but also
by a jury of people like himself.

[Illustration: KING.ALFRED.DISGUISED.HIMSELF.AS.A.
GLEEMAN.&.TOOK.A.HARP.&.SAND.SONGS TO.THE.DANES.&.TOLD STORIES.TO THEM]

[Sidenote: A.D. 901.]

Though he had fought bravely when fighting was needed to defend his
kingdom, yet he loved peace and all the arts of peace. He loved justice
and kindness, and little children; and all folk loved and wept for him
when he died, because he was a good King who had always striven to live
worthily, that is to say, he had always tried to be good.

His last words to his son, just before he died, were these--"It is just
that the English people should be as free as their own thoughts."

You must not think that this means that the English people should be
free to think as they like or to do as they like. What it means is, that
an Englishman should be as free to do good deeds as he is to think good
thoughts.

[Illustration: PRINCE ARTHUR]

[Sidenote: A.D. 1066.]

THE Danes never succeeded in conquering England and in making it their
own, though many of them settled in England and married English wives.
But some relations of the Danes, called the Normans, were bolder and
stronger and more fortunate. And William, who was called the Conqueror,
became King of England, and left his son to rule after him. And when
four Norman Kings had reigned in England, the Count of Anjou was made
the English King, because his mother was the heiress of the English
crown.

His great-grandfather, Ingeger, the first Count of Anjou, must have been
a very brave man. When he was quite a boy he was page to his godmother,
who was a great lady. It was the custom then for boys of noble family to
serve noble ladies as pages.

One morning this lady's husband was found dead in his bed, and the poor
lady was accused by a nobleman, named Gontran, of murdering him. Gontran
said he was quite sure of her guilt, and that he was ready to stake his
life on it, that is to say, he offered to fight anyone who should say
that the lady was innocent. This seems a curious way of finding out a
person's innocence or guilt, but it was the custom of the times.

The poor lady could find no one who believed in her enough to risk his
life, and she began to despair, when suddenly her boy-page rushed
forward and begg