As part of his efforts to revive education in England (see p. 2), King Alfred (871–99) distributed copies of a translation of Gregory the Great's Cura pastoralis, a handbook for priests, to churches throughout his kingdom (which now extended beyondWessex to include Mercia). The letter which he wrote to accompany these manuscripts has become a keystone in our study of the intellectual history of England in the late ninth century. It acts as a preface, presenting first the king's stark – some would say overstated and ideologically driven – view of the dire state of ecclesiastical (i.e. Latin) learning at this time. He notes that in days gone by learning and piety went hand in hand and books were even exported abroad (a clear reference to the time of Bede in Northumbria during the first decades of the eighth century). Now, however, few people can read English, let alone Latin. Alfred implicitly links this decline to a neglect of Christian duty by the English and consequent divine punishment in the form of devastation by Viking attacks. Before the knowledge of Latin had declined, no one had thought of making vernacular translations, but now Alfred has embarked on a remedial programme of translation which will make available to the people of England a selection of texts essential for a Christian education. He has assembled a team of learned men from other parts of Britain and the Continent to help with the task.