One character in the tale has always puzzled historians—­a character, so far as the author knows, absolutely without redeeming trait—­Edric Streorn.  It is well said that no man is utterly bad, and perhaps he possessed domestic virtues which were thought unworthy of the attention of the chroniclers; but as they picture him—­now prompting Ethelred to deeds of treachery against the Danes, now joining those Danes themselves, and surpassing them in cruelty—­now seeking pretended reconciliation, only to betray his foe more surely, and in all this aided and supported by the weak, unprincipled king—­as thus pictured there is scarcely a blacker character in history.

But more incomprehensible than the existence of so bad a man in such a dark age is the renewed confidence ever accorded him, when, after more than once betraying the armies of his country into the hands of their foes, and fighting openly in the hostile cause, he is again forgiven, nay, received into favour, and sent once more to command the men he has already deceived, until he repeats the experiment, and when it fails is again admitted into confidence.

To some extent the Author has endeavoured to find possible solutions of the mystery, but mystery it will remain until the day when all secrets are known.

The death of this unhappy man is taken, in all its main details, from a comparison of the chroniclers, as are also all the chief historical events herein noted.

An objection has been raised to the modern English in which the Author has made his characters speak.  He can only say in reply that the Anglo-Saxon in which they really expressed themselves would be unintelligible to all but the few who have made the study of our ancient tongue their pursuit—­far more unintelligible to those of ordinary education than Latin or French.  Therefore it would be mere affectation to copy the later orthography of Chaucer, or to interlard one’s sentences with obsolete words.  The only course seems to be a fair translation of the vernacular of the period of the tale into our own everyday English.  The Author anticipated this objection in the preface to his earlier volume.  He repeats his answer for those who may not have seen the former book.  A similar rule has guided him in the orthography of proper names; he has used the customary Latinised forms.

In his descriptions of Dorchester and Abingdon he has been aided by the kind information received from the present vicar of the magnificent Abbey Church, still existing in the former ancient town, and by the extensive information contained in the Chronicle of the Abbey of Abingdon, edited by the Rev. Joseph Stevenson, M.A.  He has also to express his obligations to his friend Mr. Charles Walker, editor of the “Liturgy of the Church of Sarum,” for valuable assistance in monastic lore.

The moral aim of the tale has been to depict the mental difficulties which our heathen forefathers had severally to encounter ere they could embrace Christianity—­difficulties chiefly arising from the inconsistencies of Christians—­and to set forth the example of one who, having found the “pearl of great price,” sold all he had and bought it, forsaking all that could appeal to the imagination of a warlike youth—­“choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.”