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Saron Chronicle

THE INVASION OF EAST ANGLIA,
ACCORDING TO BROMPTON, AROSE
FROM THE FOLLOWING STORY:
"There was a man of royal birth
in the kingdom of Denmark, named
Lodbroc, who had two sons, Hin-
guar and Hubba. This man embarked
one day with his hawk in a small
boat, to catch ducks and other wild
fowls on the adjoining sea coasts and
islands. A terrible storm at length
arose, by which Lodbroc was carried
away, and tossed for several days

At that same time they came and

to

Asser

over every part of the Ocean. After
numberless perils, he was cast ashore
on the coast of Norfolk, near the
village of Redham. Here he was
found having his hawk alone for his
companion, and presented to king
Edmund. That monarch, struck with
the manly beauty of his form, re-
tained him at his court, and heard
from his own mouth the recital of
his adventures. He was then asso-
ciated with Berne the king's hunts-
man, and indulged in all the plea-
sures of the chase, for in the exercise
both of hunting and hawking he was
remarkably graceful, and succeeded
in capturing both birds and beasts

Medeshamstede, burned and beat it down, according as he had a mind. This, slew abbot and monks, and all that place, which before was full rich, they reduced to nothing.

And the same year died archbishop Ceolnoth.

however, produced jealousy in the
mind of Berne the huntsman, who
one day, as they went out together
hunting, set upon Lodbroc unawares,
and having foully slain him, buried
his body in the thickets of the forest.

In the same year Ceolnoth,
archbishop of Canterbury,
went the way of all flesh, and
was buried peaceably in his
own city.

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But Lodbroc was the master of a small dog of the harrier species, which he had nourished from its birth, and which loved him much. When Berne the huntsman returned home with the other hounds, this little dog remained alone with its master's body. In the morning the king asked what had become of Lodbroc; to which Berne replied, that he had parted from him yesterday in the wood, and had not seen him since. At that moment the harrier entered the hall, and went round, wagging its tail, and fawning on the whole company, and especially on the king. When he had eaten his fill, he again left the hall : this occurred repeatedly, until some one at last followed the dog to see where he went, and, having found the body of the murdered Lodbroc, came and told the story to the king.

Archbishop Ceolnoth also died that same year, and is buried in the city of Canterbury.

Then went Æthered and Ælf-
red his brother, and took
Æthelred bishop of Wiltshire, and appointed him archbishop of
Canterbury, because formerly he had been a monk of the
same minster of Canterbury. All so soon as he came to
Canterbury, and he was stablished in his archbishopric, he
then thought how he might expel the clerks who (were) there
within, whom the archbishop Ceolnoth had (before) placed
there for such need* ... as we shall relate. The first year
that he was made archbishop, there was so great a mortality,
that of all the monks whom he found there within, no more
than five monks survived. Then for the* . . . he (com-
manded) his chaplains, and also some priests of his vills, that
they should help the few monks who there survived to do
Christ's service, because he could not so readily find monks
who might of themselves do the service; and for this reason
he commanded that the priests, the while, until God should
give peace in this land, should help the monks.
In that same time was this land much distressed by frequent
battles, and hence the archbishop could not there effect it,
for there was warfare and sorrow all his time over England;
and hence the clerks remained with the monks. Nor was
there ever a time that monks were not there within, and they
ever had lordship over the priests. Again the archbishop
Ceolnoth thought and also said to those who were with him,
All so soon as God shall give peace in this land, either
these priests shall be monks, or from elsewhere I will place
within the minster as many monks as may do the service of
themselves: for God knows that I. . .

A. 871.

.)

In the year of our Lord's Here the army came to incarnation 871, which was Reading in Wessex. the twenty-third of king Alfred's life, the pagan army, of hateful memory, left the East-Angles, and entering

* The MS. is imperfect in these places.

After one year therefore the army of the barbarians abovementioned set out for Reading, and the principal object of the impious crew was to attack the West-Saxons; and

871

Florence

Huntingdon

Simeon

tyrdom, he there fell gloriously. Of his passion I would fain insert some particulars into our history, that the sons of men may know and perceive how terrible is Christ the son of God in the counsels of men, and with what glorious triumph he adorns those whom he torments here under cast ashore in Denmark, and brought the name of suffering, that the saying may be fulfilled, He

The affair was now diligently enquired into, and when the truth was at last discovered, the huntsman was exposed on the sea without oars in the boat which had belonged to to Lodbroc. In a few days he was

before the sons of Lodbroc, who putting him to the torture, demanded of him what had become of their father, to whom they knew the boat belonged. To this Berne replied, that their father Lodbroc had fallen

into the hands of Edmund king of East Anglia, by whose orders he had

been put to death."

is not crowned except he strive lawfully,
[II TIM. ii, 5].
Now king Eadmund devoutly
undertook the government of

the East-Angles, and held it with the right hand of power,
always adoring and glorifying Almighty God for all his good
things which he had enjoyed.

In the same year Ceolnoth,
archbishop of Canterbury,
went the way of all flesh, and
was buried peaceably in that
same city.

To whom the venerable
Ethelred succeeded.

The same year in which the illustrious king and martyr entered through the crown of martyrdom into the joys of heavenly felicity, Ceolnoth archbishop of the city of Dover, went the way of all flesh, and was buried by the clerks in the same city.

BROMPTON. When king Edmund was slain, his brother Edwold dreading the pleasures of the world seeing that a hard lot had fallen on himself and his brother, retired to the monastery of Carnelia in Dorsetshire near a clear well, which saint Augustine had formerly brought out of the earth by prayer to baptize the people in, and there he led a hermit's life on only bread and

water.

MATT. WESTM. In the same year died Weremund bishop of Dommoc [DUNWICH), after whom that see was transferred to Helmham, and, in the place of two bishops, one of whom had his see at Dommoc, and the other at Helmham, one bishop was ordained, by name Wilred, who had for his successors, in the same place, the following Athulf, Elfric, Theodred, Ethelstan, Algar, Alwin, Elfric, another Elfric, Stigand, Æthelm, and Herstan.

871.

The pagan army, of hateful memory, left the East-Angles, and entering the kingdom of the WestSaxons, came to the royal

In the 6th year of king Adel-
red, a new army very great,
like a flowing river that
carries all along with it,

went into Wessex as far as

Reding; but not being able,

In the year of our Lord's incarnation 871, which was the 23rd of king Alfred's life, the pagan army, of hateful memory,left the East-Angles, and entering the kingdom of

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Edelwlf, meeting 2 consuls
of the army at Engla-feld,
fought and conquered them,
and slew one consul named

Sidrac.

Simeon

the West-Saxons, came to the royal city called At Reading, situated on the South bank of the river Thames, in the district which is now called Berkshire by the inhabitants

of that country.

On the third day from that on
which these enemies of the
English came, their earls with
a great multitude gallopped
along the side of that river,
and carried off a great quan-
tity of booty.

Some of them tried to make a
rampart between the river
Thames and Kennet: but
their design, and the work of
the Danes was dissipated by
the help of the English, that
the words of the scholastic
poet might be fulfilled :
Though deck'd in Tyrian robes
He shall not shun his fate;
The gems that wreathe his brow
Draw down the people's hate.
&c. &c.

And when those plunderers were setting manfully to their work, suddenly Ethelwlf the vigorous duke of Berkshire came down upon them, surrounded by his squadrons and armed in triple mail. Seeing the multitude of the barbarians, the leader of the Christians said to his men, "Their army is numerous, but yet we may treat them with contempt; for though they attack us with the advantage of more men, yet our commander, Christ, is braver than they." The Christians then meet the Danes, trusting in the protection of the Christian name: the aforesaid duke exhorts his men especially to resist their adversaries, being posted with his legions at a place called Englafeld. Here they fought a fierce battle, in which many fell wounded or were killed on both sides. There fell a prince of the Danes with a great multitude of his army; the others escaped by flight; and the Christians gained the palm of victory and were masters

And after 4 days, king Edel-
red and his brother with
many folk came to Reding
and fought with the army;
and many fell on both sides,
and the Dacians [DANES]

were victorious.

of the place of death. These things having thus happened, when 4 days from that time had elapsed, the powerful king Ethelred, and his brother Elfred, having assembled large armies, as is the power and the excellence of kings, came to Reding, desiring either to live gloriously in their kingdom, or to die in battle for Christ. And when king Ethelred, powerful in arms, had arrived with his beloved brother at the gate of the fortress, slaying and

Saxon Chronicle

Asser

Ethelwerd 871

And

alderman Ethelwulf was slain, and the Danishmen had possession of the place of carnage.

And about four days after this, king Æthered and Elfred his brother fought against the whole army at Escesdun [ASDOWN], and they were in two bodies in the one were Bachsecg and Halfdene the heathen kings, and in the

other were the earls. And then king Ethered fought against the division under the kings, and there king Bagsecg was slain; and Elfred his brother against the division under the earls.

fled, the pagans obtained the
victory, and the aforesaid
earl Ethelwulf was among
the slain.

I MATT. WESTM. calls him
Eadulf.

Roused by this calamity, the
Christians, in shame and in-
dignation, within four days,
assembled all their forces,
and again encountered the
pagan army at a place called

Escesdun [ASHDOWN,]
which means the "Hill of
the Ash." The pagans had
divided themselves into two
bodies, and began to prepare
defences, for they had two
kings and many earls, so
they gave the half part of
the army to the two kings,
and the other part to all their
earls. Which the Christians
perceiving, divided. their
army also into two troops,
and also began to construct
defences. But Alfred, as we
have been told by those who
were present, and would not

time before had obtained the victory: the barbarians at last triumph.

The body of the above-named duke is privately withdrawn, and carried into the province of the Mercians, to a place called Northworthige, but Deoraby [DERBY] in the lan

guage of the Danes. Four days after king Ethered with his brother Alfred fought again with all the army of the Danes at Escesdune [ASHDOWN,] and there was great slaughter on both sides but at last king Ethered obtained the victory.

tell an untruth, marched up promptly with his men to give them battle; for king Æthered remained a long time in his tent in prayer, hearing the mass, and said that he would not leave it, till the priest had done, or abandon the divine protection for that of men. And he did so too, which afterwards availed him much with the Almighty, as we shall declare more fully in the sequel.

Now the Christians had determined that king Æthered, with his men, should attack the two pagan kings, but that his brother Ælfred, with his troops, should take the chance of war against the two earls. Things being so arranged, the king remained a long time in prayer, and the pagans came up rapidly to fight. Then Alfred, though possessing a subordinate authority, could no longer support the troops of the enemy, unless he retreated or charged upon them without waiting for his brother. At length he bravely led his troops against the hostile army, as they had before arranged, but without awaiting his brother's arrival; for he relied in the divine counsels, and forming his men into a dense pha

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