328 Recent Wiltshire Books, Pamphlets, and Articles. 
of the 18th century. Parish boundaries run along the road from Blunsdon 
to Seven Bridges, Water Eaton. From the N.W. of Cricklade a straight 
road runs for 34 miles to Driffield Cross. From Wanborough Plain Farm, 
where there is a decided change in the general direction, to Cirencester, 
no part of the road is as much as half-a-mile away from an absolutely 
straight line 19 mileslong. The road here bears the name of the Krmin 
Way.” 
This most useful book closes with a chapter on such evidence as exists 
as to the respective ages of the different Roman roads. 
Reviewed Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society's 
Transactions, vol. xxvi., 198. 
‘‘Asser’s Life of King Alfred, Together with the Annals of 
St. Neots erroneously ascribed to Asser. Edited with Introduction and 
Commentary by William Henry Stephenson, M.A., late Fellow of Exeter 
College, Oxford.” Clarendon Press, 1904. 12 shillings nett. 
Preface, pagesi.—viii. ; Introduction, p. xi.—exxxi.; Text, Commentary, 
and Index, 1—386 pp. 
This, says the Editor, is an attempt to supply one of the great wants 
in our early historical literature, a critical edition of the text of the Life 
of Alfred, and an endeavour to decide the question of its authenticity. 
To review this book is beyond the province of this Magazine, but it will 
be useful to summarize the conclusions at which he arrives as to the 
Wiltshire localities mentioned in this life. 
As to its authenticity the editor is convinced that although there may 
be no very definite proof that the work was written by Asser, Bishop of 
Sherborne, in the lifetime of King Alfred, there is no anachronism or 
other proof that it is a spurious compilation of later date. 
The part which concerns Wiltshire is that which deals with the 
movements of Alfred which ended in the battle of Edington. ; 
Mr. Stevenson without any preconceived theory or prepossession — 
judiciously weighs the arguments which have been advanced for and — 
against several sites. With true scientific scholarship he deals with the q 
questions of etymology, and disposes of the wild guesses which have ~ 
defiled the work of previous writers, especially that of Dr. Clifford, — 
formerly Roman Catholic Bishop of Clifton. Where are Petra Aegbryhta, x 
Ecgbryhtes Stan of the Chronicle; Aecglea, or Iglea, which is the better — 
form; Ethandun? It is gratifying to find that with regard to Eegbryht’s — 
Stone Mr. Stevenson takes the view which was lately advocated in this 
Magazine (vol. xxxiii., pp. 113—114, note), and for the same reason, 
namely, that of the laws of etymology. As was pointed out there, and 
as Mr. Stevenson says here, Hoare cannot be quoted as identifying it 
with Brixton Deverill, because he contradicts himself in two consecutive — 
pages. The passage in his Modern Wilts, Hundred of Heytesbury, p. 3, 
is one, among others, which he did not revise. (See p. 4 and Hundred 
of Warminster, p. 46.) Thus the editor rejects Brixton Deverill; and — 
he does not favour Canon Jackson’s view, which has found some support 
q 
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