Sir Frederick Madden (1828 to 1832)
at the outset of some highly interesting communications to the
"Asiatic Researches," at first inclined to the Crusaders' theory,
but upon later consideration in his articles he arrived at the
conclusion that chess must have been known among us as early as
the reign of Athelstan (925 to 940), and Professor Duncan Forbes
(1854 to 1860) concurred in that view, both writers regard the
incident related of the Earl of Devonshire and his beautiful
daughter being found playing chess together, when Earl
Athelwold, King Edgar's messenger arrived to test the report of
her great beauty as not unworthy of credit. Edgar reigned from
958 to 975. English history referring to this incident among the
amours of Edgar makes no mention of the Earl of Devonshire and
his daughter being found playing chess together. Hume says
Elfrida was daughter and heir of Olgar (Orgar), Earl of
Devonshire, and though she had been educated in the country and had
never appeared in Court she had filled all England with the
reputation of her beauty. The mission of Earl Athelwold, his
deception of the King and his own marriage with Elfrida follows,
next the King's discovery, the murder of Athelwold by the King,
and his espousal of Elfrida.
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