Simeon ing from the sea, assaulted and destroyed the city of Winchester. But when the aforesaid army was on its way back to the ships, loaded with booty, Osric the worthy leader of the men of Hampshire, came up with his people, and the good earl Ethelwlf with the men of Berkshire, manfully met them with an immense army, and joining battle, the pagans were slain on all sides by the English, who were aided by the angelic spirits. And when the dreadful enemies were unable to stand any longer for their wounds, a great multitude cruelly fell, others hid themselves among the thick bushes, and some like women, took to flight. The English, with fortune smiling upon them, were masters of the field of death. And the same year a great heathen army came to the land of the English nation, and took up their winter quarters among the EastAngles, and there were horsed; and the East-Angles made peace with them. * DE DANUBIO Or-BIA is probably a corruption of DE DANIA "from Denmark." 1 CHARTERS IN 865. none. Æthelberht governed his kingdom five years in peace, with the love and respect of his subjects, who felt deep sorrow when he went the way of all flesh. His body was honourably interred at Sherborne by the side of his brother. In the year of our Lord's the kingdom. And the same year a large fleet of pagans an army of cavalry. ANNALS. ANNO 865. The Normans came into France in the middle of July. After one year king Æthelbyrht died, and his body rests peaceably in the monastery named Sherborne. CHAP. II. OF THE REIGN OF Ethered succeeded to the throne after the death of his brother Ethelbyrht. In the same year the fleets of the tyrant Ingware arrived in England from the north, and wintered among the East Angles, and having established their arms there, they get on their horses, and make peace with all the inhabitants in the neighbourhood. But, to speak in nautical phrase, I will no longer commit my vessel to the power of the waves and of its sails, or keeping off from land steer my round-about course through so many calamities of wars and series of years, but will return to that which first prompted me to this task; that is I think it right in this place briefly to relate as much as has come to my knowledge about the character of my revered lord Alfred, king of the Anglo-Saxons, during the years that he was an infant and a boy. to say, Thus king Ethelbyrht, for five years, peacefully, amiably, and honorably ruled the kingdom that had been intrusted to him; and it was to the great grief of his princes, bishops, and all his people, that he went the way of all flesh leaving the government of his earthly kingdom, he began to be a partaker of the other. 2 He was buried near his brother in Sherborne, where he awaits the comfort of a future resurrection. In the following year, that is 866, which was the 18th since the birth of Elfred, Ethelred the brother of Ethelbyrt king of the West-Saxons, undertook the government of the kingdom. In the same year a great fleet of pagans from Danubia entered the borders of Britain, and so wintered on the kingdom of the Eastern-Anglia, which is called in the Saxon tongue East-angle, and there the large army became cavalry, riding and scouring here and there, carrying off an enormous booty, and sparing neither men nor women, widows nor maids. In these days the prince Elfred began with sweet meditation to be imbued with He was beloved by his father and mother, and even by all Ethelwerd 866 * Rather 'his brother,' for in 861, when Alfred was 12 years old, Ethelbert was king. He was beloved by his father and mother, and even by all the people, above all his brothers, and was educated altogether at the court of the king. As he advanced through the years of infancy and youth, his form appeared more comely than that of his brothers; in look, in speech, and in manners he was more graceful than they. But, with shame be it spoken, by the unworthy neglect of his parents and nurses, he remained illiterate even till he was twelve years old or more; but he listened with serious attention to the Saxon poems which he often heard recited, and easily retained them in his docile memory. He practised hunting in all its branches, with great assiduity and success; On a certain day, therefore, his mother was showing him carried about with him to assist his prayers, amid all the bustle and business of this present life. But sad to say! he could not gratify his most ardent wish to learn the liberal arts, because, as he said, there were no good readers at that time in all the kingdom of the West-Saxons. Essays Simeon heavenly doctrines; he was loved from his cradle by his father and mother with a wonderful love beyond all his brothers. Lastly, as his stature encreased during his youthful age, his form seemed more comely than his other brothers, and he shone alike remarkable in his counte nance and in his graceful speech. As the stag thirsts for the water, so did he thirst that his inmost soul should be satiated, and his bosom be imbued with heavenly learning. But, oh shame! by the carelessness of his parents and attendants he remained illiterate even to the twelfth year of his age. The glorious young man and future king studied day and night to learn the Saxon poems, and was easy to be taught, industrious in the art of hunting, and incomparable in every perfection. On a certain day, therefore, his worthy mother was showing him and his brothers a Saxon book of poetry, which she held in her hand, and said, "Whichever of you shall the soonest learn this volume shall have it for his own." Stimulated by the Divine inspiration, and allured by the beautifully illuminated letter at the beginning of the volume, he answered his mother," Will you really give that book?" At that his mother smiled with satisfaction, and confirmed what she had before said. Upon which the boy took the book out of her hand, and went to his master, shewed the book and read it, his teacher shewing him how to read it, and in due time brought it to his mother and recited it. His mother gave boundless thanks to the goodness of the Saviour, seeing that the grace of God was in the mind of her child. After this inflamed with the divine love, he learned certain psalms, and the daily course, that is, the celebration of the hours, contained in a certain book which he kept day and night in his bosom, and carried about with him. 5 |