rger plan than
before, by Charles the Bald, in the year 861, "to prevent
the Danes or Normans (says Felibien) from making themselves
masters of Paris so easily as they had already done so many
times," etc.--"pour empescher que les Normans ne se
rendissent maistres de Paris aussi facilement qu'ils
l'avoient deja fait tant de lois," etc.--Vol. i. p. 91,
folio. It is supposed to be the famous bridge afterwards
called "grand pont" or "pont au change",--the most ancient
bridge at Paris, and the only one which existed at this
time.

(39) Or, in Holmsdale, Surry: hence the proverb--

"This is Holmsdale,
Never conquer'd, never shall."

(40) The pirates of Armorica, now Bretagne; so called, because
they abode day and night in their ships; from lid, a ship,
and wiccian, to watch or abide day and night.

(41) So I understand the word. Gibson, from Wheloc, says--"in
aetatis vigore;" a fact contradicted by the statement of
almost every historian. Names of places seldom occur in old
MSS. with capital initials.

(42) i.e. the feast of the Holy Innocents; a festival of great
antiquity.

(43) i.e. the secular clergy, who observed no rule; opposed to
the regulars, or monks.

(44) This poetical effusion on the coronation, or rather
consecration, of King Edgar, as well as the following on his
death, appears to be imitated in Latin verse by Ethelwerd at
the end of his curious chronicle. This seems at least to
prove that they were both written very near the time, as
also the eulogy on his reign, inserted 959.

(45) The following passage from Cotton Tiberius B iv., relating
to the accession of Edward the Martyr, should be added here--

In his days,
On account of his youth,
The opponents of God
Broke through God's laws;
Alfhere alderman,
And others many;
And marr'd monastic rules;
Minsters they razed,
And monks drove away,
And put God's laws to flight--
Laws that King Edgar
Commanded the holy
Saint Ethelwold bishop
Firmly to settle--
Widows they stript
Oft and at random.
Many breaches of right
And many bad laws
Have arisen since;
And after-times
Prove only worse.