Alfred commanded to make me.




CHAPTER VII

Some of greatest pre-Conquest poetry associated with name of Cynewulf.
Guesses about him. Little known. Probably North-countryman, eighth
century, an educated man. Finding of the Cross. Elene, story of St
Helena's mission. Constantine goes to fight invaders. Vision of the
Cross. Victory. Journey of St Helena, and search for the Cross. The
Finding.


We are going now to consider some of the greatest poetry written before
the Conquest. It associates itself with the name of Cynewulf, a name
with which certain poems are signed in runes. By-and-by we shall hear
something about runes and the old writing; and something also about
where our old treasures of literature, part of our dear Catholic
heritage, are found in their original form.

As I have said, certain poems are signed with Cynewulf's name; and there
are others which are with more or less probability of rightness
attributed to him on grounds of likeness of subject, likeness of style,
similar greatness of treatment.

About Cynewulf himself we know, I may say, nothing except what we
gather from his work. Various guesses have been made, and various