Book 2 — CHAPTER VI. THE WITENA GEMÓT. (continued 2)

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 979.—A gemót was held at Kingston for the coronation of Æðelred^[707].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 992.—In this year there were probably several witena gemóts for the prosecution of the Danish war^[708].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 993.—In this year there was at least one gemót at Winchester^[709].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 994.—A witena gemót met this year at Andover^[710].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 995.—A gemót at Ambresbyrig, now Amesbury, where Ælfríc was elected archbishop of Canterbury in the place of Sigeríc^[711]. There seems to have 257been another meeting in the same year, one of whose acts we still possess^[712].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 996.—In this year a gemót was held at Cealchýð^[713].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 997.—This year a gemót was held in the palace at Calne: “collecta haud minima sapientium multitudine, in aula villae regiae quae nuncupative a populis Et Calnæ vocitatur^[714].” A few days later we find the gemót assembled at Waneting or Wantage; and here they promulgated laws which we yet possess^[715]. There is a charter also, passed at this gemót^[716]. A previous gemót of uncertain year had been held at Brómdún^[717], and another at Woodstock^[718].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 998.—A gemót was held this year in London^[719]; and another apparently at Andover^[720], where conditions of peace were ratified with Anláf or Olaf Tryggvason^[721].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 999.—At least one gemót was held this year, to concert measures of defence against the Danes^[722].

A.D. 996-1001.—Between these years there was a gemót at Cócham, now Cookham in Berks, which was attended by a large assemblage of thanes from Wessex and Mercia, both of Saxon and Danish descent^[723].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 1002.—In this year the witan met and paid tribute to the Danes^[724]. We have still an evident act of such a gemót in this year^[725].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 1004.—In this year a meeting of the 258Eastanglian witan, under earl Ulfcytel, took place. From the description I do not think it could have been an ordinary scírgemót. It shows, at any rate, that the witan were resident in the shires, and not permanently attached to the royal person or household^[726].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 1006.—Another gemót was held this year, somewhere in Shropshire, for the melancholy and shameful purpose of buying peace from the Danes^[727].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 1008.—A gemót was held, one of whose acts we have still^[728].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 1009.—In this year we are told that the king and his heáhwitan met; but the place is unknown^[729].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 1010.—In this year a gemót was proclaimed, to concert measures of defence against the Danes^[730]. “Ðonne beád man eallan witan tó cynge, and man sceólde ðonne rǽdan hú man ðisne eard werian sceólde.”

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 1011.—A gemót was again held for the shameful purpose of buying peace^[731].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 1012.—At Easter (April 13th) there was a great meeting at London, and tribute was paid to the Danes^[732].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 1014.—In this year was holden that important gemót, perhaps we might say convention, which has been mentioned in the text; when the witan, upon the death of Swegen, consented again to receive Æðelred as king, upon promises of amendment^[733].

ÆÐELRED, A.D. 1015.—In this year was the great 259gemót of Oxford, “ðæt mycel gemót,” and Sigeferð and Morcar the powerful earls of the north were slain^[734].

It is uncertain in what years we must place the promulgation of Æðelred’s laws^[735], at Enham, and Haba^[736]; and others without date or place.

EÁDMUND ÍRENSÍDA, A.D. 1016.—In this year there must have been various meetings of the witan, if tumultuous and armed assemblages can claim the name of witena gemóts at all. The witan in London elected Eádmund king; and there was a meeting at Olney, near Deerhurst, where the kingdom was partitioned^[737].

A.D. 1016-1020.—Probably between these years was the great gemót at Winchester, in which Cnut promulgated his laws^[738].

CNUT, A.D. 1020.—In this year was a great gemót at Cirencester^[739].

HARALD HARANFOT, A.D. 1036.—Upon the death of Cnut, there was a gemót at Oxford, and Harald was elected king^[740].

HARDACNUT, A.D. 1042.—In this year there was probably a gemót at Sutton^[741]. And another on Hardacnut’s death, when all the people chose Eádweard the Confessor to be king^[742].

260EÁDWEARD, A.D. 1043.—A witena gemót was held at Winchester, April 3rd, and Eádweard was crowned^[743].

EÁDWEARD, A.D. 1044.—There was a gemót, “generale concilium,” in London; the only business recorded is the election of Manni, abbot of Evesham^[744]; but there is a charter^[745].

EÁDWEARD, A.D. 1045.—There seems to have been a gemót this year^[746].

EÁDWEARD, A.D. 1046.—A gemót, the place of which is unknown^[747].

EÁDWEARD, A.D. 1047.—On the 10th of March this year there was “mycel gemót” in London^[748].

EÁDWEARD, A.D. 1048.—A gemót sat on the 8th of September at Gloucester^[749]; and on the 21st of September, another met in London, and outlawed the family of earl Godwine.

EÁDWEARD, A.D. 1050.—There was a great gemót in London^[750].

EÁDWEARD, A.D. 1052, 1053.—A gemót, place unknown^[751].

EÁDWEARD, A.D. 1055.—A gemót in London^[752].

EÁDWEARD, A.D. 1065.—There was a great gemót at Northampton^[753], Another was held at Oxford on the 28th of October^[753], and lastly at Christmas in London^[753]. At this Eádweard dedicated Westminster Abbey, and dying on the 5th of January, 1066, the assembled witan elected Harald king.

261Having now completed this list, which must be confessed to be but an imperfect one, I do not scruple to express my belief that every charter in the Codex Diplomaticus, which is not merely a private will or private settlement, is the genuine act of some witena gemót: and that we thus possess a long and interesting series of records, enabling us to follow the action of the Saxon Parliaments from the very cradle of our monarchy.

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