Neot's, which is supposed to have been so called by Leland
because he found the MS. there, it must be remembered that
this work is considered an interpolated Asser.
(20) The death of Asser himself is recorded in the year 909; but
this is no more a proof that the whole work is spurious,
than the character and burial of Moses, described in the
latter part of the book of "Deuteronomy", would go to prove
that the Pentateuch was not written by him. See Bishop
Watson's "Apology for the Bible".
(21) Malmsbury calls him "noble and magnificent," with reference
to his rank; for he was descended from King Alfred: but he
forgets his peculiar praise--that of being the only Latin
historian for two centuries; though, like Xenophon, Caesar,
and Alfred, he wielded the sword as much as the pen.
(22) This was no less a personage than Matilda, the daughter of
Otho the Great, Emperor of Germany, by his first Empress
Eadgitha or Editha; who is mentioned in the "Saxon
Chronicle", A.D. 925, though not by name, as given to Otho
by her brother, King Athelstan. Ethelwerd adds, in his
epistle to Matilda, that Athelstan sent two sisters, in
order that the emperor might take his choice; and that he
preferred the mother of Matilda.
(23) See particularly the character of William I. p. 294, written
by one who was in his court. The compiler of the "Waverley
Annals" we find literally translating it more than a century
afterwards:--"nos dicemus, qui eum vidimus, et in curia
ejus aliquando fuimus," etc.--Gale, ii. 134.
(24) His work, which is very faithfully and diligently compiled,
ends in the year 1117; but it is continued by another hand
to the imprisonment of King Stephen.
(25) "Chron. ap." Gale, ii. 21.
(26) "Virum Latina, Graec, et Saxonica lingua atque eruditione
multipliciter instructum."--Bede, "Ecclesiastical
History", v. 8. "Chron. S. Crucis Edinb. ap.", Wharton, i.
157.
(27) The materials, however, though not regularly arranged, must
be traced to a much higher source.
(28) Josselyn collated two Kentish MSS. of the first authority;
one of which he calls the History or Chronicle of St.
Augustine's, the other that of Christ Church, Canterbury.
The former was perhaps the one marked in our series "C.T." A
VI.; the latter the Benet or Plegmund MS.
(29) Wanley observes, that the Benet MS