ASSEMBLY, GENERAL, the name of the supreme ecclesiastical court in Scotland. See (w) ASSER, ASSERIUS, ASKER, or JOHN ASSER, a British historian, who flourished in the ninth century. It is not known where he was born, but he is said to have from the ancient British race, and to have been edu cated at St David's in Wales. There he assumed the monastic habit under the patronage of a relation of his own, an archbishop named Novis, as would appear from the work about to be cited ; though, in the opinion of others, he also was called Asser. King Alfred, desi rous to encourage learning in his dominions, took Asser, the subject of this article, under his own particular pro tection, and, according to certain historians, employed him in obtaining the presence of the learned. He lived in habits of confidence with the king, by whom he was presented to different abbacies, and lastly, made bishop of Sherbourn between 872 and 885. The king further testified his regard, by leaving an hundred merks to him in his will. He was violently ejected from one of his benefices, by a revolted or dissatisfied The period of Asser's death is not exactly ascertain ed. Some affirm that it happened in 883, others in 906 ; but those who have placed it in 909 or 910, arc proba bly nearest the truth.
Various literary works have been ascribed to Asser, but only one by general consent, as all the rest. are dis puted. There is no doubt, however, that he the au thor of a tract, entitled, Annales rerum Gestarum Al fredi Magni. It bears an inscription in these words : Domino meo venerabili piissimogne, omnium Britannic in sula: Christianorum rectori, Alfred, Anglorum Saxon um Regi, ASSER 0772niUM servorum Dei ultimus millemodam ad vota desideriorztm utriusgue vita prosperitatem. Co pies of this work, where Asser frequently alludes to himself, are of unequal antiquity, and deposited in seve ral different places. An edition was published by Par ker in 1574. The other editions that have come to our knowledge are, one in the Anglica Scripta a Vete ribus, by Camden in 1602 : in the Anglicans Scriptores, by Gale, 1691 : an edition in folio sine anno ant loco : and one which seems to be the best, by Francis Wise, printed at Oxford in 1722, in 8vo. See, besides these editions, Bale Scriptores lllajoris Britannia.. Godwin, De Pr,csulibus Anglicanis. Leland, De Scriptoribus Britan nicis. Pitsxus, De Scriptoribus Britannicis. (c)