Saron Chronicle Asser Ethelwerd 851 3 And the same year came The same year also a great 3 That year was not yet three hundred and fifty ships army of the pagans came finished, when a large fleet of to Thames-mouth, and the with three hundred and fifty pagans came, with 350 ships, crews landed and broke into ships to the mouth of the to the mouth of the river Canterbury and London, and river Thames, and sacked Thames, commonly called put to flight Beorhtwulf king Dorubernia, $ which is the Thames-mouth, and destroyof the Mercians with his city of the Cantuarians, [and ed the city of Canterbury army. also the city of London, *] and the city of London, and which lies on the north bank put to flight Beornulf king of of the river Thames, on the Mercia, having defeated his confines of Essex and Mid army. dlesex ; but yet that city Canterbury was called DoRuber- belongs in truth to Essex"; nia, i. e. Dover, in the earlier part and they put to flight Beorh- occur in Asser, but it is evident that of the Saxon History. tulf, king of Mercia, wit they have been omitted by the copy ist; for the descriptive words wHICH all the army, which he had led out to oppose them. not apply to Canterbury. # The words in brackets do not LIES ON THE NORTH BANK &c. can. at 4 And then went south over 4 After the battle they the Thames into Surrey ; and army of pagans went into returned beyond the river there king Æthelwulf and his Surrey, which is Thames towards the south, son Æthelbald, with the army a district situated on the through the province of Surof the West-Saxons, fought south bank of the river rey, and there king Athulf against them Aclea Thames, and to the west of with the Western Angles met [Ockley], and there made Kent. And Æthelwulf, king them: an immense number been written before the terrible battles which Alfred afterwards ANNALS. 851. The Normans enter the Seine. was slain on both sides, nor the greatest slaughter among of the Saxons, and his son the heathen army that we Æthelbald, with all their have we ever heard of a more have heard tell of unto the army, fought a long time severe battle before that day: present dayll, and there got against them at a place called these things happened near the victory. Ac-lea, i. e. the Oak-plain, Aclea Wood. and there, after a lengthened | This must, apparently, have battle, which was fought with much bravery on both sides, fought against the Danes at Ash the greater part of the pagan down, and Eddington. multitude was destroyed and cut to pieces, so that we since, in any country, in one and were triumphant over INGULF states that there was a and was similar to the palsy. The Annals have" Athelstan son of King Adhelwlf." He was king of the eastern subject kingdoin of Kent, Essex, and Sussex. Some call him brother of Ethelwolf. 1 Also in the same year 1 And the same year king In the same year king Æthel. king Athelstan and duke Æthelstan and alderman stan and earí Ealhere slew a Ealhere fought against the Ealcherefought on ship- large army of the pagans in army of the above-mentioned board, and cut off a large Kent, at a place called Sand- nation in the province of army at Sandwich in Kent, wich, and took nine ships of Kent, near the town of Sandand took nine ships, and put their fleet; the others escap- wich, where they slew many the others to flight. ed by flight. of them, put their troops to flight, and took uine ships, 45. over 851 Florence Huntingdon Simeon The same year also a great 1 Adelwlf, in the 16th year In the same year a great army of the pagans came of his reign, and Edelbald army of pagans came with with three hundred and fifty his son, having assembled 350 ships into the mouth of ships to the mouth of the all their forces, fought with the river Thames. Who laid river Thames, and sacked a great army, which with waste Dorobernia,i.e. the city Dorubernia, which is the 250 ships had put in at of the Kentish men, and put city of the Cantuarians, and Thames-mouth and to flight Berhtulf king of the also the city of London, powered those illustrious Mercians with all his army, which lies on the north bank cities, famous through so who had come to do battle of the river Thames, on the many years, namely London, against them. confines of Essex and Mid- and Canterbury, and defeated dlesex; but yet that city and put to flight Britwlf belongs in truth to Essex'; king of Mercia, with his and they put to flight Beorht- army, who never afterwards uulf king of Mercia with throve again; all his army, which he had led out to oppose them. severe а a After these things, the same 3 And enter After this the Danes became army of pagans went into ing Surrey, they met the more bold, and all their army Surrey, which is royal squadrons at Achlea. was drawn together in Surrey. a district situated on the There was fought, therefore, which the warlike Ethelwlf south bank of the river between those large armies king of the Saxons hearing, Thames, and to the west of so great and so both he and his son Ethelbald Kent. And Ætheluulf, king battle, as no one before had with him collected a large of the West-Saxons, and his ever heard to have been army in a place which is son Æthelbald, with all their fought in England. You called Aclea, that is, in the army, fought a long time might then have seen warrior field of the oak. And against them at a place called men fall on both sides like a when the pride of the EnAc-lea, i. e. the Oak-plain, crop of corn, and streams of gļish nation shone with and there, after a fierce blood roll with them the glancing arms, the English battle, which was fought with heads and limbs of the slain. fought a very long tirae with much bravery on both sides, But would it not be too great the Danes; bravely striving the greater part of the pagan and wearying prolixity to against them, because they multitude was destroyed and describe each particular ? saw that their king fought cut to pieces, so that we God gave the fortune of the fiercely, therefore they benever heard of their being so battle to those who believed came braver than their enslaughtered, either before or in him, and unutterable an emies in war. And when since, in any country, in one guish to those who des- they had manfully striven for day; and the Christians pised him. King Adelwlf a very long time, and both gained an honourable victory, then was the glorious victor. sides fought with much and were triumphant over sharpness and spirit, the the place of death. greatest part of the Pagan throng was thoroughly cut off and slain, so that never in any land, in one day, before or after, did so many fall. The Christians however on * Simeon prefixes Anno Dominicæ that same day honourably graph, but the other chroniclers are gained the victory and were against him. masters of the field of death, giving thanks to the Lord in hymns and confessions. In the same year king Æthel- 4 The same year Edelstan, * King Ethelstan and earl Ealhere slew a king of Kent, and duke Eal- stan and earl Alchere found large army of the pagans in here, fought a naval battle a great army of the pagans Kent, at a place called Sand- against the Danes at Sand- in Kent in a place which is wich, and took nine ships of wich, and having made a called At Sandwich ; + whom great slaughter of the enemy, + AT SANDWICH: a customary INCARNATIONIS 852 to this para Saxon idiom. Saron Chronicle Asser Ethelwerd 851 A. 852. Here at this time Ceolred abbat of Medeshamstede and the monks let to Wulfred the land of Sempin- * Thls local notice of MEDESHAM STEAD, i. e. PETERBOROUGH, occurs gaham, on this condition, that after his decease the land in only one MS. of the Saxon Chroshould return to the minster, and that Wulfred should give nicle, which was probably written by the land of Sliowaford (SLEAFORD] to Medeshamstede, and a monk of that abbey. each year should deliver into the minster sixty fother of wood, and twelve fother of coal, and six fother of CHARTERS IN 852. 1. CEOLRED faggots, and two tuns full of pure ale, and two beasts fit for abbat of Peterborough, subscribed by slaughter, and six hundred loaves, and ten measures of BYRGRED king of Mercia &c. II, 46. This Charter is partly the same as Welsh ale, and each year a horse, and thirty shillings, and the extract from the Saxon Chronicle one day's entertainment. At this agreement were present under this year. 2. BERTWOLF king Burhred, and archbishop Ceolred, and bishop Tunberht, king of Mercia, II, 47. and bishop Cenred and bishop Alhhun, and bishop Berhtred, and abbai Wihtred, and abbat Werhtherd, and alderman Æthelheard and alderman Hunberht, and many others. After three years A. 853. Here Burhred king In the year of our Lord's of the Mercians and his incarnation 853, which was king Burhred asked assist'witan' begged of king the fifth of king. Alfred, ance from king Ætheluulf Æthelwulf that he would Burgred, king of the Mer- to subdue the Northern assist him so that he might cians, sent messengers, and Britons. the West-Saxons, to come moderately. He then did so; and went So without He granted it, and with an army across Mercia delay, king Æthelwulf, hav- having collected his army, among the North-Welsh, and ing received the embassy, passed through the Mercian made them all obedient to moved his army, and ad- kingdom to go against the him. vanced with king Burghred Britons: whom he subdued Burghred, he returned home. Burhrede. vill of Chippenham. * Her name was Ethelswith. 853 Floreuce ped by flight. Huntiugdon Simeon took nine of their ships; but they almost cut off in the same the others fled. place, God granting them help, and seized nine of their ships : the rest struck with terror escaped by flight. 6 This year, therefore, was fortunate for the English people. 852. Beorhtuulf, king of the 2 To whom (BERTWOLF] sucMercians, departed this life, ceeded Burrhed on the throne to whom Burhred succeeded of Mercia. in the kingdom. come ETHELWOLF rex, 853. Adelwlf, in the 18th year In the year of our Lord's Burhred, king of the Mer- of his reign, most powerfully incarnation 853, of the birth cians, by messengers, helped Burhred to subdue of Alfred 5, Burhred king prayed Ætheluulf king of under his rule the North of the Mercians sent mesthe West-Saxons, to Welsh. sengers, and begged Ethelwlf and help him in reducing the king of the West Saxons to midland Britons, who dwell bring him help in order that between Mercia and the he might be able to subdue western sea, and who strug- king of Wessex, subscribed by CHARTERS IN 853. under his dominion the gled against him most imETHELBERTUS midland Britous who dwell CUALNOTKUS moderately. Dei gratia archiepiscopus, and between Mercia and the others, among whom we find " Ego Western Sea, who often ELFRED fili regis consensi et 'sub. scripsi." II, 48. strove against him. So without But King Ethelwlf, having delay, king Ætheluulf, hav received his embassy, moved MATTHEW OP WESTMINSTER ing received the embassy, relates, under this year, a legend an army, distributed pay, moved his army, and ad- concerning the terrible death and and bravely went forth with vanced with king Burhred damnation of a witch ; also the fate king Burhred to war. of Charles Martel. against Britain, and immedi Presently when he had begun ately on entering that to lay waste that nation, country, he began to ravage he took, slew, and subdued it; and having reduced it it to king Burhred, who givunder subjection to king ing thanks sent him away Burhred, he returned home. with joy to return to his own land. 3 In the same year also, after And gave him his daughter 3 The same year after the Easter, Atheluulf, king of in marriage. feast of Christ's holy resurthe West-Saxons, gave his rection, king Ethelwlf, of daughter to Burhred, king of glorious power, gave his the Mercians, and the mar daughter, with great glory, riage was celebrated royally as it is customary for kings, at the royal vill of Chippen to Burhred king of the Merham. ans, at vil hich is called At Chippenham ; Saron Chronicle Asser Ethelwerd 853 sent son son we 1 And the same year king In the same year king Æthelwulf his Atheluulf sent his son Ælfred Ælfred to Rome. Leo was Alfred, above-named, to to Rome in the days of our then pope of Rome, and he Rome, with an honourable lord pope Leo, who conseconsecrated him king, and escort both of nobles and crated him king and named took him for his son at con- commoners. Pope Leo (THE him his son in baptism, as firmation. FOURTH) at that time presided we are accustomed to namo over the apostolic see, who little children, when * See note * in page 18. ordained and anointed for receive them from the adoption. 2 Then, in the same year, 2 The same year also, earl 2 In the same year were Ealhere, with the men of Kent, Ealhere, with the men of fought battles in the isle of and Huda, with the men of Kent, and Huda with the Thanet against the pagans ; Surrey, fought in Thanet men of Surrey, fought bravely and there was a great slauagainst the heathen army; and resolutely against an ghter made on both sides, and at first they were vic- army of the pagans, in the and many were drowned in torious; and many there island, which is called in the were slain, and drowned on Saxon tongue, Tenet, [THAeither hand, and both the NET], but Ruim in British. alderman were killed. 3 And at first the Christians had the victory, but when slain. the sea. A. 854. CHARTERS IN 854. 1. ETHELWOLF, king of Wessex, subscribed also by Alstan, “ Æthred fili, reg." and "Alfred fili. reg.” II, 50. This is the celebrated grant of tithes : it is dated April 22. 2. Another copy of subscription of the Sherborne. 3 ETUELWOLF, April 23. 4. ETHELWOLF, subscribed also by “ ÆTHELRED filius regis," and “ ALFRED tilius regis," II, 55. 5. BERTWOLF of Mercia, no date, II, 55. our A. 855. Here the heathen In the year of Lord's After a year the men first sat over winter in incarnation 855, which was pagans wintered in Sheppey. Sheppey. the seventh after the birth of said isle of Sheppey. And the same year king In the same year the afore- In the same year king Æthelwulf gave by charter said venerable king Æthel- Athulf gave the tenth of the tenth part of his land wulf released the tenth part all his possessions to be the throughout his realm for the of all his kingdom from all Lord's portion, and glory of God and his own royal service and tribute, and appointed it to be in all the eternal salvation. with a pen never to be for- government of his kingdom. gotten, offered it up to God so INGULF places the grant of tithes the One and the Three in One, in the cross of Christ, from Rome: but, if he started for Rome in 855, and stayed there 12 for the redemption of his months, it is certain that he returned own soul and of his prede- in 856, and consequently, if the grant was made in 855, it must have been made before he started. Ethelwolf married Judith on the Ist of October 856. (BOUQUET, vii, 72.] in 855, after the return of Ethelwolf cessors. |