Think of it, you travellers through the Alps by tunnels, that you
may go to balls at Rome or hells at Monaco. Here is another manner
of journey, another goal for it, appointed for your little king. At
twelve, he was already the best hunter among the Saxon youths. Be sure
he could sit his horse at five. Fancy the child, with his keen genius,
and holy heart, riding with his Saxon chiefs beside him, by the Alpine
flowers under Velan or Sempione, and down among the olives to Pavia,
to Perugia, to Rome; there, like the little fabled Virgin, ascending
the Temple steps, and consecrated to be King of England by the great
Leo, Leo of the Leonine city, the saviour of Rome from the Saracen.

Two years afterwards, he rode again to Rome beside his father; the
West Saxon king bringing presents to the Pope, a crown of pure gold
weighing four pounds, a sword adorned with pure gold, two golden
images,[27] four Saxon silver dishes; and giving a gift of gold to all
the Roman clergy and nobles,[28] and of silver to the people.

[Footnote 27: Turner, Book IV.,--not a vestige of hint from the stupid
Englishman, what the Pope wanted with crown, sword, or image! My own
guess would be, that it meant an offering of the entire household
strength, in war and peace, of the Saxon nation,--their crown, their
sword, their household gods, Irminsul and Irminsula, their feasting,
and their robes.]

[Footnote 28: Again, what does this mean? Gifts of honour to the
Pope's immediate attendants--silver to all Rome? Does the modern
reader think this is buying little Alfred's consecration too dear, or
that Leo is selling the Holy Ghost?]

No idle sacrifices or symbols, these gifts of courtesy! The Saxon King