. England, from earliest times to the Great Charter . « w o ?<CO ?5 SAXON ENGLAND style. The chief prose-writers who worked in Anglo-Saxonwere King Alfred and the chroniclers. Aelfric and Wulfstanwere, however, producing Saxon prose toward the end of thetenth century, and Alfred had probably around him men whocould compose ; but lyatin was so entirely the language of thelearned—and Latin frequently so base that it is an imper-fect foundation for literature—that Saxon writers in the ver-nacular are rare. We must alsoremember the ignorance of the•times; even kings and noblesoften foimd it con
. England, from earliest times to the Great Charter . « w o ?<CO ?5 SAXON ENGLAND style. The chief prose-writers who worked in Anglo-Saxonwere King Alfred and the chroniclers. Aelfric and Wulfstanwere, however, producing Saxon prose toward the end of thetenth century, and Alfred had probably around him men whocould compose ; but lyatin was so entirely the language of thelearned—and Latin frequently so base that it is an imper-fect foundation for literature—that Saxon writers in the ver-nacular are rare. We must alsoremember the ignorance of the•times; even kings and noblesoften foimd it convenient whensubscribing their charters to dis-pense with the writing of theirnames and substitute the signof the Arts and Crafts Of the lesser arts and craftsthe period was almost equallybarren. Architecture was rudi-mentary, and Benedict Biscopfound it necessary to importFrankish workmen to teach theSaxons the art of glass-making—an art which had flourishedin Britain for centuries before Ai,preds jewei, the Saxon invasion. Even in Bedes time glass had to be imported. The goldsmiths artwas almost as neglected, though as time progressed the Saxoncraftsman developed a certain aptitude for gold-work; thusthe settings of jewels are sometimes found to be of a type offiligree work, fine yet strong. Many of the ornaments, how-ever, especially brooches, are extraordinarily massive, andtoward the end of the period rather beautiful in silversmiths also were turning out dishes and chalices,but again the designs are strong and plain rather than 167 HISTORY OF ENGLAND highly developed. We have preserved to us, however, a finebronze bowl which shows much taste in its ciurves. Of the smiths the mo
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