Mercia, and all the nobles of that nation, sent messen gers to Æthered, king of the West-Saxons, and his brother Alfred, suppliantly entreating them to come and aid them in fighting against the aforesaid army. Their request was easily obtained; for the brothers, as soon as promised, assembled an immense army from all parts of their dominions, and Nottingham, all entering Mercia, came eager for battle, and when the pagans, defended by the castle, refused to fight, and the Christians were unable to destroy the wall, peace was made between the Mercians and pagans, and the two brothers Ethelred and Ælfred, returned home with their troops. to Mercians, with his nobles, consented to their remaining there without reproach. Mercia, and all the nobles of that nation, sent messengers to Æthered, king of the West-Saxons, and his brother Elfred, suppliantly entreating them to come and aid them in fighting against the aforesaid army. Their request was easily obtained; for the brothers, as soon as promised, assembled an immense army from all parts of their dominions, and entering Mercia, came to Nottingham, all eager for battle, and when the pagans, defended by the castle, refused to fight, and the Christians were unable to destroy the wall, peace was made between the Mercians and pagans, and the two brothers Ethelred and Elfred, returned home with their troops. Huntingdou Simeon At that time the aforesaid army of pagans, leaving the Northumbrians, went on an unlucky visit to the city of Snotingham, which is called Tignocebanc in the British tongue, but in a Latin translation means the House of Caves. Here these insidious strangers wintered that same year; and their coming was sufficiently unpleasing to all the people. The warlike king of the Mercians, named Burhred, and all his nobles took council with his earls and fellow-soldiers and all the people under him, how he should vanquish the enemies by valour in battle, and drive them out of the kingdom. He also sent swift messengers to Elfred that man of brilliant valour, and to Ethelred his brother, that they should render him brotherly help whereby they might conquer the enemy with victorious bravery which they, like dauntless lions, did not delay to do. Then Elfred, roused to action, begins with rapid orders to call together his army, recollecting this within his bosom: He who hath a craven mind A man who is fearful, and 870 Florence Huntingdon Simeon leaders. At length, by the Ruler, check the boisterous wave, And bind it fast in love. Peace was made between the kings and the pagans, and they parted one from the other, like sheep from the goats. In the same year Edmund, the most blessed and glorious king of the East-Angles, as is read in his Passion, was martyred by the pagan king Inguar, in the Second Indiction, 12 Calends of Dec. [Nov. 20] being Sunday. When therefore all the forces one year.† In the year of our Lord's wretched people. But king Eadmund, choosing to die rather than to see the desolation of his people, was taken by them, and shot by the arrows of those wicked men through his body, when it had been fastened to a tree. But the mercy of God can be certainly ascribed to this year. wrought many signal miracles CH RTERS IN 870. No charters There is one, of ETHELRED king of Wessex [vol. II, p. 97] without a date which therefore may belong to either of the years 867, 8, 9, 870 or 871. Essays In the year 869, which was the 21st of Elfred's life, the aforesaid army again went to the nation of the Northumbrians, and there remained a year raving and raging, slaying and destroying numbers of men and women. BROMPTON." This year the city of Alclud, once so famous, and lying at the western end of the famous wall, was destroyed by the Danes. In the following year, whilst the rays of the sun were lighting the climes of the world, and the 870th year from our Lord's incarnation was come, then dawned the day, on which king Elfred was in his 21st year. But the enormous multitude of the Danes, and, if I may so speak, their troops of legions, were gathered together, so that they seemed to be many thousands, and as if they had increased from a thousand to 20 myriads. They then went through Mercia to the East-Angles, and boldly wintered in the city of Theodford. But king Eadmund, at that time, reigned over all the kingdoms of the East-Angles; a holy and just man, as the end of his blessed life proved. That same year the aforesaid king fought fiercely and manfully with his men against the army. But, because the merciful God foreknew that he was to arrive at the crown of mar over his body. 6 |