"[1]
[1] Tr. in West, Alcuin, 34-35.
A goodly store indeed in such an age.
Section V
Sunlight and shadow follow one another rapidly across
England's early history. The migration of York's renowned
scholar took place six years before the Viking
irruptions began, and about twelve years before a heavy
blow was struck at Northumbrian learning by the ravaging
and destruction of the monasteries of Lindisfarne, and
Wearmouth and Jarrow. After this there was but little
peace for England. Kent was often attacked. In 838
the marauders fell upon East Anglia. Between 837 and
845 they made various fierce attacks upon Wessex. In
851 the pillage of Canterbury and London was a severe
blow to the English. About fifteen years later, at the
hands of the Danes, Melrose, Tynemouth, Whitby, and
Lastingham shared Wearmouth's fate. Of York and its
library we hear no more. Peterborough and its large
collection of sacred books perished at the hands of the
same raiders as those who burnt Crowland (870). So bad
grew affairs that Alfred the Great, writing to Bishop
Werfrith, bewailed the small number of people south of the
Humber who understood the English of their service, or
could translate from Latin into English.
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