INTRODUCTION xxix 



bears all fruit and grain, and is very fertile. Vegetation there is 

 rapid, but ripening is slow, and for both these effects there is the 

 same cause the excessive humidity of the soil and air " (Vita 

 Agric. c. xiv.). 



Although Britain was first visited by the Romans fifty-five years 

 before the Christian era, it was not till the time of Agricola, A.D. 78, 

 that the attention of the natives was successfully directed to culti- 

 vating the soil and the improvement resulting in the exportation 

 of large quantities of corn annually, which, during the government 

 of Agricola, augmented the tribute which had formerly been im- 

 posed upon grain. 



The Angles and Saxons, immediately after the departure of the 

 Romans, about A.D. 450, formed a settlement in our island, and 

 during the time they were extending their conquests over the 

 country, agriculture must have been greatly neglected, but after- 

 wards when Egbert, about A.D. 726, was generally hailed by the 

 inhabitants (no doubt tired of the civil wars and hindrances to 

 the practice of the useful arts) sole sovereign of the realm, it 

 was practised with some success among the Anglo-Saxon population, 

 especially, as was generally the case during the Middle Ages, on lands 

 belonging to the Church. Swine, at this time, formed a most impor- 

 tant portion of the live stock, finding plenty of oak and beechmast 

 to eat. The raising of cattle and sheep, and agriculture generally, 

 was the chief occupation. Large tracts of the marshy land in the 

 east of England were embanked and drained and brought into 

 cultivation. The forests were extensive, and valuable both from 

 the mast they produced for the swine and from the beasts of the 

 chase which they harboured. Hunting was a favourite recreation 

 among the higher ranks, both lay and clerical. Fishing was largely 

 carried on, herring and salmon being the principal fish caught. 

 The houses were rude, ill-built structures, but were often richly 

 furnished and hung with fine tapestry. The dress of the people 

 was loose and flowing, composed chiefly of linen, and often adorned 

 with embroidery. The men looked upon the hair as one of the chief 

 ornaments, and wore it long and flowing over their shoulders. Both 

 sexes were fond of wearing gold and silver ornaments ; and 

 were notorious for their fondness for eating and drinking exces- 

 sively. Pork was a favourite article of food, and so were eels, 

 which were kept and fattened in eel-ponds and sometimes paid as 

 rent. Ale, mead, and cider were the common beverages, wine 

 being limited to the higher classes. 



The whole Anglo-Saxon community consisted of the corls 

 and ceorls, or the nobles and common freemen. The former were 

 the men of property and position, and were themselves divided into 

 ranks; the latter were the small landholders, handicraftsmen, etc., 

 who generally placed themselves under the protection of some noble- 

 man, who was hence termed their hlaford or lord. Besides these 



