aw and order; religion had no force; there was no
honest industry; the most squalid poverty and the grossest ignorance had
overspread the whole kingdom. Alfred at once enterprised the cure of all
these evils. To remedy the disorders in the government, he revived,
improved, and digested all the Saxon institutions, insomuch that he is
generally honored as the founder of our laws and Constitution.[48]

The shire he divided into hundreds, the hundreds into tithings; every
freeman was obliged to be entered into some tithing, the members of
which were mutually bound for each other, for the preservation of the
peace, and the avoiding theft and rapine. For securing the liberty of
the subject, he introduced the method of giving bail, the most certain
fence against the abuses of power. It has been observed that the reigns
of weak princes are times favorable to liberty; but the wisest and
bravest of all the English princes is the father of their freedom. This
great man was even jealous of the privileges of his subjects; and as his
whole life was spent in protecting them, his last will breathes the same
spirit, declaring that he had left his people as free as their own
thoughts. He not only collected with great care a complete body of laws,
but he wrote comments on them for the instruction of his judges, who
were in general, by the misfortune of the time, ignorant. And if he
took care to correct their ignorance, he was rigorous towards their
corruption. He inquired strictly into their conduct, he heard appeals in
person; he held his Wittenagemotes, or Parliaments, frequently; and kept
every part of his government in health and vigor.

Nor was he less solicitous for the defence than he had shown himself for
the regulation of his kingdom. He nourished with particular care the new
naval strength which he had established; he built forts and castles in
the most important posts; he settled beacons to spread an alarm on the
arrival of an enemy; and ordered his militia in such a manner that there
was always a great power in readiness to march, well appointed and well
disciplined. But that a suitable revenue might not be wanting for the
support of his fleets and fortifications, he gave great encouragement to
trade, which, by the piracies on the coasts, and the rapine and
injustice exercised by the people within, had long become a stranger to
this island.

In the midst of these various and important cares, he gave a peculiar
attention to l