Adam. The mother of Alfred was named Osburga, a religious woman, noble both by birth and by nature; she was daughter of Oslac, the famous butler of king Ætheluulf, which Oslac was a Goth by nation, descended from the Goths and Jutes, of the seed, namely, of Stuf and Wihtgar, two brothers and counts, who, having received possession of the Isle of Wight from their uncle, king Cerdic, and his son Cynric their cousin, slew the few British inhabitants whom they could find in that island, at a place called Wihtgarabirig; for the other inhabitants of the island had either been slain before, or escaped into exile. 850. On the calends of June [June 1], the eve of Whitsun day, Berhtferth, son of Berhtulf king of the Mercians, unjustly slew his relation St Wistan. Now this man was the grandson of two Mercian kings: for his father Wigmund was son of king Wiglaf, but his mother Elfleda was daughter of king Ceoluulf. But his body, being borne to the monastery at that time so famous, named Reopedun [REPTON], was buried in the mausoleum of his grandfather king Wiglaf. To his martyrdom heavenly miracles were not wanting for from the place in which the innocent youth was slain, a column of light, stretching up to heaven, was visible for 30 days to all the neighbours of that place. : Simeon lem, who was the son of But the mother of king Elfred Having premised these things, let us now, as far as we can, pursue the course of the work, which we have undertaken. In the year of our Lord's incarnation 851 and the third from the birth of Alfred, earl Ceorl fought against the Danes, and the Christians gained the victory over their enemies. The Danes also wintered in the island which is called Sheppey, i. e. Sheep-island. Saxon Chronicle 3 And the same year came three hundred and fifty ships to Thames-mouth, and the crews landed and broke into Canterbury and London, and put to flight Beorhtwulf king of the Mercians with his army. § Canterbury was called DORUBERNIA, i. e. DOVER, in the earlier part of the Saxon History. 3 That year was not yet finished, when a large fleet of pagans came, with 350 ships, to the mouth of the river Thames, commonly called Thames-mouth, and destroyed the city of Canterbury and the city of London, and put to flight Beornulf king of Mercia, having defeated his The same year also a great army. The words in brackets do not occur in Asser, but it is evident that been written before the terrible battles which Alfred afterwards fought against the Danes at Ash down, and Eddington. After these things, the same Surrey, which is 4 After the battle they returned beyond the river Thames towards the south, through the province of Surrey, and there king Athulf with the Western Angles met them: an immense number was slain on both sides, nor have we ever heard of a more severe battle before that day: these things happened near Aclea Wood. the Seine. This must, apparently, have battle, which was fought with much bravery on both sides, the greater part of the pagan multitude was destroyed and ANNALS. 851. The Normans enter cut to pieces, so that we never heard of their being so slaughtered, either before or since, in any country, in one day; and the Christians gained an honourable victory, and were triumphant over the place of death. CHARTERS IN 851. 1. BERTWOLF king of Mercia, Friday, March 27. II, 36. 2. Another of BERTWOLF, II, 45. After these things, the same army of pagans went into Surrey, which is a district situated on the south bank of the river Thames, and to the west of Kent. And Ætheluulf, king of the West-Saxons, and his son Æthelbald, with all their army, fought a long time against them at a place called Ac-lea, i. e. the Oak-plain, and there, after a fierce battle, which was fought with much bravery on both sides, the greater part of the pagan multitude was destroyed and cut to pieces, so that we never heard of their being so slaughtered, either before or since, in any country, in one day; and the Christians gained an honourable victory, and were triumphant over the place of death. In the same year king Æthelstan and earl Ealhere slew a large army of the pagans in Kent, at a place called Sandwich, and took nine ships of a 3 And entering Surrey, they met the royal squadrons at Achlea. There was fought, therefore, between those large armies so great and so severe battle, as no one before had ever heard to have been fought in England. You might then have seen warrior men fall on both sides like a crop of corn, and streams of blood roll with them the heads and limbs of the slain. But would it not be too great and wearying prolixity to describe each particular? God gave the fortune of the battle to those who believed in him, and unutterable anguish to those who despised him. King Adelwlf then was the glorious victor. Simeon In the same year a great army of pagans came with 350 ships into the mouth of the river Thames. Who laid waste Doroberbia,i.e. the city of the Kentish men, and put to flight Berhtulf king of the Mercians with all his army, who had come to do battle against them. After this the Danes became more bold, and all their army was drawn together in Surrey. Which the warlike Ethelwlf king of the Saxons hearing, both he and his son Ethelbald with him collected a large army in a place which is called Aclea, that is, in the field of the oak. And when the pride of the English nation shone with glancing arms, the English fought a very long time with the Danes; bravely striving against them, because they saw that their king fought fiercely, therefore they became braver than their enemies in war. And when they had manfully striven for a very long time, and both sides fought with much sharpness and spirit, the 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 that same day honourably gained the victory and were masters of the field of death, giving thanks to the Lord in hymns and confessions. King Ethelstan and earl Alchere found a great army of the pagans in Kent in a place which is called At Sandwich; † whom ↑ AT SANDWICH: a customary Saxon idiom. Saron Chronicle Asser Ethelwerd 851 A. 852. Here at this time Ceolred abbat of Medesham This local notice of MEDESHAMSTEAD, i. e. PETERBOROUGH, occurs in only one MS. of the Saxon Chroa monk of that abbey. stede and the monks let to Wulfred the land of Sempingaham, on this condition, that after his decease the land should return to the minster, and that Wulfred should give nicle, which was probably written by the land of Sliowaford [SLEAFORD] to Medeshamstede, and each year should deliver into the minster sixty fother of wood, and twelve fother of coal, and six fother of faggots, and two tuns full of pure ale, and two beasts fit for slaughter, and six hundred loaves, and ten measures of BURGRED king of Mercia &c. 11, 46. Welsh ale, and each year a horse, and thirty shillings, and one day's entertainment. At this agreement were present king Burhred, and archbishop Ceolred, and bishop Tunberht, and bishop Cenred and bishop Alhhun, and bishop Berhtred, and abbat Wihtred, and abbat Werhtherd, and alderman Æthelheard and alderman Hunberht, and many others. In the year of our Lord's So without 4 In the same year also, after CHARTERS IN 852. 1. CEOLRED abbat of Peterborough, subscribed by This Charter is partly the same as the extract from the Saxon Chronicle under this year. 2. BERTWOLF king of Mercia, II, 47. took nine of their ships; but they almost cut off in the same the others fled. 6 This year, therefore, was fortunate for the English people. 2 To whom [BERT WOLF] SUCceeded Burrhed on the throne of Mercia. place, God granting them help, and seized nine of their ships the rest struck with terror escaped by flight. 853. Burhred, king of the Mer cians, by messengers, prayed Etheluulf king of the West-Saxons, to come and help him in reducing the midland Britons, who dwell between Mercia and the CHARTERS IN 853. ETHELWOLF western sea, and who strug- king of Wessex, subscribed by gled against him most im moderately. So without delay, king Ætheluulf, having received the embassy, moved his army, and advanced with king Burhred against Britain, and immediately on entering that country, he began to ravage it; and having reduced it under subjection to king Burhred, he returned home. CIALNOTHUS ETHELBERTUS rex, Dei gratia archiepiscopus, and others, among whom we find "Ego ELFRED fili regis consensi et subscripsi." II, 48. relates, under this year, a legend concerning the terrible death and MATTHEW OF WESTMINSTER damnation of a witch; also the fate of Charles Martel. In the year of our Lord's incarnation 853, of the birth of Alfred 5, Burhred king of the Mercians sent messengers, and begged Ethelwlf king of the West Saxons to bring him help in order that he might be able to subdue under his dominion the midland Britons who dwell between Mercia and the Western Sea, who often strove against him. But King Ethelwlf, having received his embassy, moved an army, distributed pay, and bravely went forth with king Burhred to war. Presently when he had begun to lay waste that nation, he took, slew, and subdued it to king Burhred, who giving thanks sent him away with joy to return to his own land. 3 In the same year also, after And gave him his daughter Easter, Ætheluulf, king of the West-Saxons, gave his daughter to Burhred, king of the Mercians, and the marriage was celebrated royally at the royal vill of Chippenham. in marriage. 3 The same year after the feast of Christ's holy resurrection, king Ethelwlf, of glorious power, gave his daughter, with great glory, as it is customary for kings, to Burhred king of the Mercians, at the vill which is called At Chippenham ; |