Then Ælfred the son of Ethelwulf, his brother, succeeded to the kingdom of the West-Saxons. And about one month after this, king Alfred with a small band fought against the whole army at Wiltun, and put them to flight for a good part of the day; but the Danes had possession of the place carnage. 2 Ethelwerd 871 AND NOW I HAVE FOLLOWED UP 3 Thus far then. 4 I will now leave obscurity and begin to speak concerning the sons of Athulf. They were five in number: the first was Ethelstan, who also shared the kingdom with his father: the second was Ethelbald, who also was king of the Western English: the third was Ethelbyrht, king of Kent: the fourth was Ethered, who after the death of Edelbyrht succeeded to the kingdom, and was also my grandfather's grandfather: the fifth was Elfred, who succeeded after all the others to the whole sovereignty, and was your grandfather's grandfather. 5 Wherefore I make known to you, my beloved cousin Matilda, that I receive these things from ancient tradition, and have taken care in most brief style to write the history of our race down to these two kings, from whom we have taken our origin. To you therefore, most beloved, I devote this work, compelled by the love of our relationship: if others receive them with haughtiness, they will be judged unworthy of the feast; if otherwise, we advise all in charity to gather what is set before them. 6 Let us return then to the story that we broke off, and to the death of the above-named Ethered. 7 His reign lasted 5 years, and he is buried in the mona The same year, the aforesaid stery which goes by the name of Wimborne. 9 8 CHAP. III. OF THE REIGN OF KING ALFred. After these things, Alfred his brothers were dead,-he obtained the kingdom when also was the youngest son of king Athulf-over all the provinces of Britain. account of the king's absence, ranks were not full, yet their 871 Florence Huntingdon Simeon The same year, the aforesaid Elfred, who had been up to that time only of secondary rank, whilst his brothers were alive, now, by God's permission, undertook the government of the whole kingdom, amid the acclamations of all the people.* And when he had reigned one month, almost against his will, for he did not think he could alone sustain the multitude and ferocity of the pagans, though even during his brothers' lives, he had borne the woes of manyhe fought a battle with a few men, and on very unequal Then Alfred his brother, son of Adelwlf, reigned over Wessex. * Here Florence gives the account of Alfred's youthful years, transferred to page 31. And about one month after, he fought with few men at Wilton against the army, and for a long time drove them back; and after that, the Danes gained the victory. + BROMPTON says WALTON in Sussex but MATT. WEST. says "Wilton on the south bank of the river Guilo, from which that pro terms, against all the army vince is called Guiltoscira [WILT of the pagans, at a hill called Wilton, on the south bank of SHIRE]." The aforesaid king being thus removed from this world, Elfred is chosen by the dukes and prelates of the whole nation, and not only by them but by all the people he is entreated to rule over them to do vengeance on the nations, and rebuke the people. When he had thus gained the rule of the whole nation, he always was a brilliant warrior, and victor in all his battles by the smiles of fortune and the agency of Christ. The aforesaid army rebelled against him most seeing the fiercely, but, strength of the English, and knowing their own weakness, they turned their backs in Saxon Chronicle And this year nine general battles were fought against the army in the kingdom south of the Thames, besides which, Alfred the king's brother, and single aldermen, and king's thanes, oftentimes made incursions on them, which were not counted and within the year nine earls and one king were slain. And that year the WestSaxons made peace with the army. river the whole of that dis- breasts, they rejoice in the fight, and repel the enemy; but at length oppressed with fatigue, they cease from the fight. trict is named. And after a long and fierce engagement, the pagans, seeing the danger they were in, and no longer able to bear the attack of their enemies, turned their backs and fled. But, oh, shame to say, they deceived their too audacious pursuers, and again rallying, gained the victory. Let no one be surprised that the Christians had but a small number of men, for the Saxons had been worn out by eight battles in one year, against the pagans, of whom they had slain one king, nine dukes, and innumerable troops of soldiers, besides endless skirmishes, both by night and by day, in which the oft-named Alfred, and all his chieftains, with their men, and several of his ministers, were engaged without rest or cessation against the pagans. How many thousand pagans fell in these numberless skirmishes God alone knows, over and above those who were slain in the eight battles above mentioned. In the same year the Saxons made peace with the on condition that they should take their departure, and they did so. pagans, The barbarians hold possession of a sterile field of battle: Afterwards also they spread themselves and ravage the country. And the number of years to the encamping of the barbarian army in Reading and to the death of king Ethelred and the succession of his brother Alfred was the seventyfirst from the time that Egbert had first consolidated the kingdom, and forty seven from the time that the Mercians and Western Angles carried on civil wars at the place called Ellandune, and king Egbert received the name of victor twenty-six years from the time that the battle was fought in Pedre dan [PETHERTON]; and twenty years after the contest which was waged near the wood called Ockley ; and lastly five years from the the river Guilou from which river the whole of that district is named. And after a long and fierce engagement, the pagans, seeing the danger they were in, and no longer able to bear the attack of their enemies, turned their backs and fled. But, oh, shame to say, they deceived their too audacious pursuers, and again rallying, gained the victory, and were masters of the place of death. Let no one be surprised that the Christians had but a small number of men, for the Saxons had been worn out by eight battles in one year, against the pagans, of whom they had slain one king, nine dukes, and innumerable troops of soldiers, besides endless skirmishes, both by night and by day, in which the oft-named Alfred, and all his chieftains, with their men, and several of his ministers, were engaged without rest or cessation against the pagans. How many thousand pagans fell in these numberless skirmishes God alone knows, over and above those who were slain in the eight battles above mentioned. Huntingdon In this year were nine pitched battles against the army in the kingdom on the south side of the Thames; besides the assaults which Alfred his brother and the king's generals often made. And this year were slain 1 king and 9 earls. And the nobles of Wessex Simeon flight. But, oh shame! they turned again by the rashness of their pursuers, and were provoked again to battle, and, gaining the victory, were masters of the field of death. In the same year, the Saxons In the same year the Saxons made a truce with the army made a treaty of peace with made peace with the pagans, on condition that they should take their departure, and they did so. of the pagans. the same pagans, on condition that they should depart from them. |