King Edgar (r. 959-975), seated between St Æthelwold, Bishop of Winchester, and St Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury. The drawing comes from an an eleventh-century manuscript of the Regularis Concordia, dating to around 973 (the year of Edgar’s belated coronation) and a key document in the Benedictine Reform that restored the English Church after the ravages of the Viking invasions.
Introduction
King Edgar, who ruled England from 959-975, was a mighty lord and warrior. Every year he patrolled the coastline of Great Britain in three large fleets, and travelled through the land to hear grievances and mete out justice to evil-doers. He garnered the nickname ‘the Peaceful’ from a grateful public, but there was one sure way to get him all worked up: call him Shorty.
AT a certain banquet, where the prating of coxcombs generally shows itself very freely, it is reported that Kenneth,* king of the Scots, said in a sportive manner, that it seemed extraordinary to him how so many provinces should be subject to such a sorry little fellow.* This was caught up with malignant ear by a certain minstrel, and afterwards cast in Edgar’s teeth, with the customary raillery of such people. But he, concealing the circumstance from his friends, sent for Kenneth, as if to consult him on some secret matter of importance, and leading him aside far into the recesses of a wood, he gave him one of two swords, which he had brought with him.
“Now,” said he, “as we are alone, I shall have an opportunity of proving your strength; I will now make it appear which ought deservedly to command the other; nor shall you stir a foot till you try the matter with me, for it is disgraceful in a king to prate at a banquet, and not to be prompt in action.” Confused, and not daring to utter a word, he fell at the feet of his sovereign lord, and asked pardon for what was merely a joke; which he immediately obtained.
From ‘William of Malmesbury’s Chronicle of the Kings of England’ translated (1847) by J. A. Giles. Slightly emended.
* Kenneth II, King of Scots (r. 971-975).
* Kenneth was speaking from humiliating experience. In 973, he and five (or maybe seven) other client kings from Scotland and Wales had been obliged to row their English lord and master, seated comfortably at the tiller, up the River Dee from his palace in Chester to the Monastery of St John the Baptist, in full view of cheering English crowds. See Edgar and the Ship of Kings.
Questions for Critics
1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.
Précis
Kenneth II of Scotland, so the twelfth-century chronicler William of Malmesbury tells us, once commented drily how incongruous it was that the diminutive King Edgar should rule so vast a realm as England. When it came to Edgar’s attention, he led the unsuspecting Kenneth into a deserted wood and challenged him to a duel. Kenneth apologised, and the matter closed. (60 / 60 words)
Kenneth II of Scotland, so the twelfth-century chronicler William of Malmesbury tells us, once commented drily how incongruous it was that the diminutive King Edgar should rule so vast a realm as England. When it came to Edgar’s attention, he led the unsuspecting Kenneth into a deserted wood and challenged him to a duel. Kenneth apologised, and the matter closed.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, because, may, not, since, until, whereas, whether.
Archive
Word Games
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Prompt. Send. Which.
2 Far. Into. We.
3 Catch. Give. Show.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Opposites Find in Think and Speak
Suggest words or phrases that seem opposite in meaning to each of the words below. We have suggested some possible answers; see if you can find any others.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1.
Action.
2.
Ask.
3.
Conceal.
4.
General.
5.
Give.
6.
Lead.
7.
Many.
8.
Prompt.
9.
Prove.
Variations: 1.instead of opposites, suggest words of similar meaning (synonyms). 2.use a word and its opposite in the same sentence. 3.suggest any 5 opposites formed by adding im-.
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
crls (5+1)
carols. cereals. corals. creoles. curls.
creels.
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