Britain the name of East Anglia. This denomination was more particularly appropriated to the counties of Suffolk and Norfolk, with a portion of Cambridgeshire, the chief towns being Norwich, Thetford, Ely and Cambridge. The founder of the East Anglian kingdom was Uffa, the survivor of the twelve chieftains who invaded the country.

The history of the Saxons in East Anglia is so closely interwoven with that of the Danes, who for many years disturbed the quiet of the district, burning and plundering each town and place of abode erected by the former, that the events of this era cannot be separated. Britain had yielded too much wealth to foreign invaders having enterprise to attack her, to remain many years unvisited by hordes of barbarians who, after flooding Europe, cast their wandering eyes across the sea in search of new lands and new people whom they should conquer. To the Saxons therefore succeeded the Danes, who made three several eruptions into East Anglia, in each inroad visiting Gippeswic with the full force of native fury, casting down its walls, and inflicting fire and slaughter on its devoted inhabitants.

We cannot present a more vivid picture of the ruthless progress of these people in this locality, than is afforded in that interesting record, the Saxon Chronicle. In it are mentioned the three visits paid by the Danes to the town of Gippeswic, and a distinct notice of the great battle fought on Rushmere heath, between the brave Saxon Ulfkytel and the common enemy, memorials of which remain in tumuli to this day. Transcripts of original history are at all times. valuable, and such passages of the Saxon Chronicle are now extracted, as bear on the subject of East Anglia, and more particularly the town of Gippeswic. The truthful simplicity of this record is alone a strong

G

inducement to extract largely, but the local historical circumstances found in the document, render this rea

son supererogatory.*

Those portions of the Saxon Chronicle, relating to Ipswich and the locality, are as follows:

A. D.

636 Bishop Felix preached the Christian faith to the East Angles.

799 Bishop Alfun died at Sudbury, and was buried at Domuc (Dunwich.)

823 And the same year the king of the East Angles and his people sought the alliance and protection of king Egbright, for dread of the Mercians; and the same year the East Angles slew Beornwulf, king of Mercia.

866 And the same year a great army of heathens (Danes) came to England and took up their winter quarters among the East Angles, and there they were supplied with horses, and the people made peace with them.

867 This year the invading army went from East Anglia across the mouth of the Humber to York, into Northumberland.

870 This year the heathen army rode over Mercia into East Anglia, and took up their winter quarters at Thetford. And in the winter the king St. Edmund fought with them, and the Danes gained the victory and slew the king, and they subjected all the land, and destroyed all the monasteries to which they came.

879 And the army (the Danes) went from Cirencester into East Anglia, and fixed themselves in that land and divided it.

*The barrows on Rushmere heath, called the Seven Hills, were opened in 1764. Ashes were found in some. One disclosed pieces of apparently human bone.

885 And the same year king Alfred sent a fleet from Kent to East Anglia. As soon as they came to the mouth of the Stour, they met sixteen private ships, and they gave them battle immediately, and they took all the ships and slew the men, but as they were returning homeward with the booty, they met a large fleet of pirates, and they fought with them also the same day, and the Danes gained the victory. And this

*

year the army in East Anglia broke the peace with king Alfred.

890 And Guthrum king of the Northmen (Danes) died; his baptismal name was Ethelstan, and he was Alfred's godson: he dwelt in East Anglia, and first colonized that land.*

894 This year, it being about twelve months after they had built the fortress in the eastern kingdom, the Northumbrians and the East Angles, who had taken oaths to king Alfred, the East Angles having also given him six hostages, yet broke their faith, and whenever the other armies went out to plunder, these went forth also, either with them or in a separate division. 905 This year Ethelwold induced the army (Danes) in East Anglia to break the peace, and they ravaged Mercia. (Ethelwold, who had persuaded them to the war, was soon after killed.)

921 And immediately after this, in harvest, a great force was collected out of Kent, out of Surrey, and out of Essex, and out of the towns on all sides, and they marched to Colchester, and they besieged the town and fought against it, until they subdued it, and they seized all that was

* After the defeat and death of the king, St. Edmund. Simeon of Durham.

therein, and they slew all the inhabitants excepting those who escaped over the wall. And during the same autumn a great army was gathered together out of East Anglia, consisting of the land forces, and also of such Vikingars as the others had persuaded to join them; and they thought to satisfy their desire of vengeance. They went to Malden and besieged that town, and they fought there until aid came to the Burghers from without, and then the army left the town and departed. And the townsmen, and those who had arrived to succour them, sallied forth after them and put them to flight, and slew many hundreds both of pirates and others. Immediately after this, during the same autumn, the king* went to Passenham with the troops of Wessex, and he abode there while his men inclosed Towcester with a stone wall. * * * And again the same year, before Martinmas, king Edward went to Colchester with the Wessex troops, and he repaired the town and restored that which had been demolished. And all the army of East Anglia sware to be as one with him; that they would will all that he should will, and that they would keep peace both by sea and land, with all whom he should befriend. And the army at Grantawbry cge (Cambridge) separately acknowledged him for their lord and patron, and confirmed this with oaths even as he desired.

919 This year GIPPESWIC was plundered, and very soon afterwards the Alderman Brihtnoth was slain at Malden. And the same year it was first proposed that a tribute should be paid to the

*Edward, son of Alfred.

Danes, because of the great terror in which they kept the coasts. This tribute was at first ten thousand pounds; it was Archbishop Siric who gave this counsel.

993 This year Anlaf came to Staines with 93 ships, and plundered that part of the country; and he went thence to Sandwich, and so on to GIPPESWIC, and laid all waste, and thus he proceeded to Malden. And then the Alderman Brihtnoth came against him, and their armies fought, but the Alderman was slain, and Anlaf's army kept possession of the field of battle, and peace was made with him, and the king afterwards stood godfather at his confirmation, by the advice of Siric, Bishop of Canterbury, and of Elfeag of Winchester.

1004 This year Sweyn came with his fleet to Norwich,

and plundered and burned the whole town. Then Ulfkytel with the Witan of East Anglia concluded that it was better to buy a peace of that army before they did much harm in the country; for the enemy had come upon him unawares, neither had he time to collect his troops; but in the time of truce the Danes stole up from the ships and directed their course to Thetford. When Ulfkytel heard this, he sent desiring that the ships might be hewn in pieces, but this order was neglected. He himself assembled troops secretly and speedily as he might. And the invaders came from Thetford, within three weeks from the time that they first plundered Norwich, and they remained one night in the town and then plundered and burned it. Then on the morning when they would have returned to their ships, Ulfkytel came up with his troops and they en