226 ROGER OF -WENDOVER. [A.D. 891. would interrogate the judges whether they had come to that decision from ignorance or malice, love or hatred, fear or favour ; and if they confessed that it was because they were unable to come to a better judgment, he would give them a discreet and temperate rebuke in such words as these, "Truly I am astonished at your presumption in that when, by the gift of God and of ourselves, you hold the degree and ministry of the wise, you have neglected the pursuit of wisdom : either lay down the ministry of earthly things, or give yourselves to the study of wisdom with more zeal than you have hitherto manifested." Moved by these rebukes as if they had received the greatest punishment, the judges applied themselves with all their might to the study of equity ; and in this way he made the illiterate give attention to letters, and brought the slothful to the discipline of wisdom ; insomuch that the aged sighed after the knowledge of letters, and counted the young of that period happy in that they could obtain instruction in the liberal arts, while themselves had the unhappiness to remain untaught. Almsgiving of the great king Alfred. In the year of our Lord 889 died Ethelred, archbishop of Canterbury, and was succeeded by Plegmund. In the same year king Alfred ordered all the bishops and religious men of England to collect the alms of the faithful to be sent to Rome and Jerusalem ; the king also added to the alms of the faithful not a little out of his own treasury, and transmitted the whole to the places aforesaid. Death of Ethelsuitha, sister of king Alfred. In the year of our Lord 890, Gytro the Dane, king of the East-Angles, ended his days, having received that kingdom, as well as Christianity itself, by the gift of king Alfred. In the same year king Alfred's sister Ethelsuitha, formerly the queen of Burhred, king of the Mercians, died in the religions habit at Ticinum [Pavia], where she was honourably buried. A miracle. In the year of our Lord 891, Arnulf, guardian of Louis, attained the Roman empire and reigned twelve years. The same year there came over three men from Ireland unto king