290
THE SAXONS IN ENGLAND.
[book ɪ.
by slaying OngenSeow was rewarded with a grant
of land and rings1. The clearest view of the nature
and object of folcland is given us by Beda5 who
complains that it is diverted from its proper pur-
pose,—which is, to be granted as a support to those
whose arms would defend the country,—under pre-
tence of erecting monasteries, which are a disgrace
to their profession. The following are his extremely
important words :
“And since there are both very numerous and
very extensive tracts, which, to'adopt the com-
mon saying, are of use neither to God nor man,—
seeing indeed that in them there is neither main-
tained a regular life according to God’s law, nor
are they possessed by the soldiers or comités of
secular persons, who might defend our race from
the barbarians,—if any one, to meet the want of
our time, should establish an episcopal see in
those places, he will be proved not to incur the
Pittacus was thus rewarded by the people of Mitylene, after overcom-
ing Phrynon, the Athenian champion, in single combat : r⅛ δe Mιτvλη-
vala>v ∂ωpfas avτω μeγaKas δMvτωv, aκovτiσas to δopυ, τovτo μovov to
χωplov ηξιωσev, 5σov fτreσχep η alχμη∙ κa'ι καλ∈ιται μeχpι vvv Hιττaκtov.
Plut. de Malign. Herod, c. xv. The reward allotted to Horatius in the
Boman Ager ought now to be familiar to every one :
“ They gave him of the corn-land
That was of public right
As much as two strong oxen
Could plough from morn till night !”
1 “Geald ⅛one gûtSræs
Geata dryhten. ...
ofer mütSmum sealde
heoτa gehwætSrum
hund J>usenda
landes and Iocenra beaga.”
Beow. 1. 6977.
CH. XI.]
Folcland and bo,cland.
291
guilt of prevarication, but rather to perform an act
of virtue 1.n
And again, he continues:
“By which example it behoves also your Holi-
ness, in conjunction with our religious king, to
abrogate the irreligious deeds and writings of our
predecessors, and to provide for the general ad-
vantage of our kingdom, either in reference to
God, or to the world : lest in our days, either
through the cessation of religion, the love and fear
of an inspector at home should be abandoned ; or,
on the other hand, the supply of our secular militia
decreasing, we should not have those who might
defend our boundaries from the incursions of bar-
barians. For, what is disgraceful to say, persons
who have not the least claim to the monastic cha-
racter, as you yourself best know, have got so many
of these spots into their power, under the name of
monasteries, that there is really now no place at
all where the sons of nobles or veteran soldiers can
receive a grant2. And thus, idle and unmarried,
being grown up to manhood, they live on in no pro-
fession of chastity ; and on this account, they either
cross the sea and desert the country which they
ought to serve with their arms ; or, what is even
more criminal and shameless, having no profession
1rBed. Epist. ad Ecgbirhtum Archiepiscopum, § 11. (Opera Min.
ii. 216.)
2 We know that these grants were regulated by the rank and con-
dition of the grantee. Beda1 speaking of Benedict Biscop, a young
Northumbrian nobleman, says, “ Cum esset minister Oswii regis, et
possessionem terrae suo gradui Competentem, illo donante perciperet,”
etc. Vit. Sei. Bened. § 1. (Op. Min. ii. 140.)
U 2