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Let this statute be observed, he continues, by Earl Oslac, and all the host who dwell under his government, and let it be transmitted by writ to the ealdormen of the other subordinate states. And yet, in defiance of this positive iujunction, the laws of Edgar were not accepted in Mercia until the reign of Canute the Dane.
Edmund highly approved of the change, for although in most cases the ealdormen had acted to the best of their powers they had a great deal of other business to do; besides, their decisions necessarily aggrieved one party or the other and sometimes caused feuds and bad feelings, and were always liable to be suspected of being tinged with partiality; whereas the judges being strangers in the district would give their decisions without bias or favour.
They were refused admittance to the cell wherein he was confined by Edric, who had assumed the direction of all things, and whose claim, such is the force of impudence, seemed to be tacitly allowed by the thanes and ealdormen of Wessex. But Elfwyn and Herstan could hardly be denied permission to visit him, owing to their positions, and they both did so.
The court was composed of wise and aged men, ealdormen, thanes, and burgesses had places, and the bishop of Dorchester sat by Edric as assessor. The court was opened, and the vacant places in the room were occupied at once by the crowd who were fortunate enough to gain entrance.
In this assembly, the king, the prelates, the dukes, the ealdormen, and the optimates passed judgment upon all great offenders. The sovereign could not compel the obedience of the different nations composing the Anglo-Saxon empire.
Having done what he could to protect his dominion from sudden attacks, Alfred then turned his attention to the reorganization of his army and navy. Strictly speaking he had no regular army, or standing force, which he could call his own. When the country was threatened the freemen flew to arms, under their eorls and ealdormen; and on this force the king was obliged to rely.
He even hanged twenty-four inferior officers, on whom judicial duties devolved, for palpable injustice. The love of justice and truth was one of the main traits of Alfred's character, and he painfully perceived that the ealdormen of shires, though faithful and valiant warriors, were not learned and impartial enough to administer justice.
Your stores we have made free with, seeing that they are all plunder taken from the Saxons, and we do but reclaim our own." "And who are you, young sir?" the jarl asked. "I am one of King Alfred's ealdormen of Wessex, Edmund by name."
Abbeys and monasteries had multiplied, public buildings been erected, towns rebuilt and beautified, and learning had made great advances. The laws of the country had been codified and regulated, the administration of justice placed on a firm basis. The kingly authority had greatly increased, and the great ealdormen were no longer semi-independent nobles, but officers of the crown.
"King Athelstane knows that you have a better title to the throne than himself," replied Brithric. "He knows, also, that were his valiant Thames and Ealdormen to see you, they would be very likely to make you king; for you are possessed of far more princely qualities than the base-born Athelstane."
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