按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
single parish or a single street of shops。 There； jumbled together； he will
find names marking the noblest Saxon or Angle bloodKenward or Kenric；
Osgood or Osborne； side by side with Cordery or Banisternow names of
farmers in my own parishor other Norman…French names which may be；
like those two last； in Battle Abbey rolland side by side the almost
ubiquitous Brown； whose ancestor was probably some Danish or
Norwegian house… carle； proud of his name Biorn the Bear； and the
ubiquitous Smith or Smythe； the Smiter； whose forefather； whether he be
now peasant or peer； assuredly handled the tongs and hammer at his own
13
… Page 14…
Historical Lectures and Essays
forge。 This holds true equally in New England and in Old。 When I
search through （as I delight to do） your New England surnames； I find the
same jumble of namesWest Saxon； Angle； Danish； Norman； and French…
Norman likewise； many of primaeval and heathen antiquity； many of high
nobility； all worked together； as at home； to form the Free moners of
England。
If any should wish to know more on this curious and important subject；
let me remend them to study Ferguson's 〃Teutonic Name System；〃 a
book from which you will discover that some of our quaintest； and
seemingly most plebeian surnamesmany surnames； too； which are
extinct in England； but remain in Americaare really corruptions of good
old Teutonic names； which our ancestors may have carried in the German
Forest； before an Englishman set foot on British soil； from which he will
rise with the fortable feeling that we English…speaking men； from the
highest to the lowest； are literally kinsmen。 Nay； so utterly made up now
is the old blood… feud between Norseman and Englishman； between the
descendants of those who conquered and those who were conquered； that
in the children of our Prince of Wales； after 800 years； the blood of
William of Normandy is mingled with the blood of the very Harold who
fell at Hastings。 And so； by the bitter woes which followed the Norman
conquest was the whole population； Dane； Angle； and Saxon； earl and
churl； freeman and slave； crushed and welded together into one
homogeneous mass； made just and merciful towards each other by the
most wholesome of all teachings； a munity of suffering； and if they
had been； as I fear they were； a lazy and a sensual people； were taught
That life is not as idle ore； But heated hot with burning fears； And
bathed in baths of hissing tears； And battered with the strokes of doom To
shape and use。
But how did these wild Vikings bee Christian men？ It is a long
story。 So stanch a race was sure to be converted only very slowly。 Noble
missionaries as Ansgar； Rembert； and Poppo； had worked for 150 years
and more among the heathens of Denmark。 But the patriotism of the
14
… Page 15…
Historical Lectures and Essays
Norseman always recoiled； even though in secret； from the fact that they
were German monks； backed by the authority of the German emperor； and
many a man； like Svend Fork…beard； father of the great Canute； though he
had the Kaiser himself for godfather； turned heathen once more the
moment he was free； because his baptism was the badge of foreign
conquest； and neither pope nor kaiser should lord it over him； body or soul。
St。 Olaf； indeed； forced Christianity on the Norse at the sword's point；
often by horrid cruelties； and perished in the attempt。 But who forced it
on the Norsemen of Scotland； England； Ireland； Neustria； Russia； and all
the Eastern Baltic？ It was absorbed and in most cases； I believe；
gradually and willingly； as a gospel and good news to hearts worn out with
the storm of their own passions。 And whence came their Christianity？
Much of it； as in the case of the Danes； and still more of the French
Normans； came direct from Rome； the city which； let them defy its
influence as they would； was still the fount of all theology； as well as of all
civilisation。 But I must believe that much of it came from that
mysterious ancient Western Church； the Church of St。 Patric； St。 Bridget；
St。 Columba； which had covered with rude cells and chapels the rocky
islets of the North Atlantic； even to Iceland itself。 Even to Iceland； for
when that island was first discovered； about A。D。 840； the Norsemen
found in an isle； on the east and west and elsewhere； Irish books and bells
and wooden crosses； and named that island Papey； the isle of the popes
some little colony of monks； who lived by fishing； and who are said to
have left the land when the Norsemen settled in it。 Let us believe； for it
is consonant with reason and experience； that the sight of those poor
monks； plundered and massacred again and again by the 〃mailed swarms
of Lochlin；〃 yet never exterminated； but springing up again in the same
place； ready for fresh massacre； a sacred plant which God had planted； and
which no rage of man could trample outlet us believe； I say； that that
sight taught at last to the buccaneers of the old world that there was a
purer manliness； a loftier heroism； than the ferocious self…assertion of the
Berserker； even the heroism of humility； gentleness； self…restraint； self…
15
… Page 16…
Historical Lectures and Essays
sacrifice； that there was a strength which was made perfect in weakness； a
glory； not of the sword but of the cross。 We will believe that that was the
lesson which the Norsemen learnt； after many a wild and blood…stained
voyage； from the monks of Iona or of Derry； which caused the building of
such churches as that which Sightrys； king of Dublin； raised about the year
1030； not in the Norse but in the Irish quarter of Dublin： a sacred token
of amity between the new settlers and the natives on the ground of a
mon faith。 Let us believe； too； that the influence of woman was not
wanting in the good workthat the story of St。 Margaret and Malcolm
Canmore was repeated； though inversely； in the case of many a heathen
Scandinavian jarl； who； marrying the princely daughter of some Scottish
chieftain； found in her creed at last something more precious than herself；
while his brother or his cousin became； at Dublin or Wexford or Waterford；
the husband of some saffron…robed Irish princess； 〃fair as an elf；〃 as the
old saying was； some 〃maiden of the three transcendent hues；〃 of whom
the old book of Linane says：
Red as the blood which flowed from stricken deer； White as the snow
on which that blood ran down； Black as the raven who drank up that
blood；
… and possibly； as in the case of Brian Boru's mother； had given his
fair…haired sister in marriage to some Irish prince； and could not resi