860 Florence Huntingdon Simeon MATT. WESTM. In the year of Grace 858, died Æthelbald bishop of Lichfield, to whom succeeded Humbert. 12 His son Æthelbald, contrary to God's prohibition and the dignity of a Christian, contrary also to the custom of all the pagans, ascended his father's bed, and married Judith, daughter of Charles, king of the Franks, and thus 13 during two years and a half of licentiousness after his father he held the government 859. 860. of the West-Saxons. Died Æthelbald king and was buried at Sherborne. His His brother Æthelbert, as was fitting, joined Kent, Surrey, and Sussex also to his dominion. In his days a large army of pagans, came up from the The aforesaid most noble king left to his son Ethelbald the hereditary kingdom of Wessex. To his son Ethelbert he left the kingdom of Kent and Essex and Sussex. Both the brothers therefore, youths of the best disposition, ruled happily their kingdom, whilst each lived, When Adelbald king of Wessex had held his MATT. WESTM. In the year of he was cut off by an early had lost in him. In his days son Ethelbald, in spite of the prohibition of Jesus Christ, and contrary to the custom of all the pagans, ascended his father's bed, and took to wife, with great infamy, Judith daughter of Charles king of the Franks, and thus lawless, for two years and a half, he held the helm of the West-Saxons, after the death of his noble father. his step-mother, whose bed he had polluted, and having done penance, governed his kingdom with peace and justice, for the rest of his life. In the year 860, the 12th after the birth of the noble prince Elfred, Ethelbald died and was buried in Sherborne. After his death his brother Ethelbyrht added these provinces to his own kingdom; that is Kent, Surrey and Sussex, with all their towns and territories, as was fitting. In the course of that year, a great army of pagans, com Saron Chronicle and the crews stormed Winchester. And alderman Osric with the men of Hampshire, and alderman Æthelwulf with the men of Berkshire, fought against the army, and put them to flight, and had possession of the place of slaughter. Asser sea, and attacked and destroyed the city of Winchester. As they were returning laden with booty to their ships, Osric, earl of Hampshire, with his men, and earl Æthelwulf, with the men of Berkshire, confronted them bravely; a severe battle took place, and the pagans were slain on every side; and, finding themselves unable to resist, they took flight like women, and the Christians were masters of the place of death. CHARTERS IN 860. 1. ÆTHELBERHT of Wessex, subscribed also by "Æthelred filius regis," and others. ІІ, 68. 2. ÆTHELBALD king of Wessex, signed also by "Æthelberht rex,"" Judith regis filius [sic MS.]," and others. 11, 69. 3. A third charter, subscribed by "ÆTHELBEARHT rex,", "Æthelred fili. regis," " Elfræd fili. regis," and others, without a date, is givențin II, 70, as belonging to either 860, 861, or 862. (2) Α. 861. (4) Α. 862. (3) Here died S. Swithun the bishop. As St Swithin is such a well-known personage, the following notice of him by MATTHEW of WESTMINSTER, may amuse some of my readers. "In the year of Grace 862, Saint Swithin, bishop of the city of Winchester, departed to the Lord. This holy man, whilst he still lived, was the possessor of many virtues, but was most famous for mildness and humility. It happened once, that this servant of God was sitting by chance with the workmen at Winchester bridge, that his presence (5) Α. 863. 6) Α. 864. 8 Here the heathen arıny sat down in Thanet, and made peace with the men of Kent, and the men of Kent promised them money for the peace; and during the peace CHARTERS IN 861: none. might stir them into activity: when lo, a woman carrying eggs for sale passed by on her way to the city. The workmen all ran round her, making fun, as men of that kind often do, and broke all her eggs for her. When the news of this shameful deed and the poor woman's complaint reached the bishop's ears, he sighed at her loss, and moved to kindness, made the sign of the cross over the broken eggs, whereby they all became whole again. Of the humble-mindedness of this holy man, it is a memorable example, that, as often as he was about to dedicate a new church-building, he always went thither on foot, and not on a horse or in a carriage, however long the journey might be. And that this might not furnish ridicule to the ignorant, or be set down by the proud for vain glory, he used to withdraw himself from the sight of men, and travel al 2 In the year of our Lord's incarnation 864, the pagans wintered in the isle of Thanet, and made a firm treaty with the men of Kent, who promised them money for adhering to their covenant; but ways by night. He was a lover of solitary holiness and thought that he should sacrifice his interests to any external show. At length, when he was on the point of bidding farewell to this present life, he commanded his domestics, on their obedience to his episcopal authority, to bury his body outside the church, where it might be trodden under the feet of passers-by, and wetted by the dew from heaven. His successor in the bishopric was Ealferth, a man sufficiently learned in church matters, who for some time had wisely fulfilled the duties for his predecessor: After four years, from the death of king Æthelbald, the pagans strengthen their position in the isle of Thanet, and promise to be at peace with the men of Kent, who on their part prepare money 864 Florence Huntingdon sea, and attacked and des- landing destroyed Winches men of troyed the city of Winchester. As they were returning laden with booty to their ships, Osric, earl of Hampshire, with his men, and earl Æthelulf, with the Berkshire, confronted them bravely; a severe battle took place, and the pagans were slain on every side, and, finding themselves unable to resist, they took flight like women, and the Christians were masters of the place of death. ter: and so An ancient city fell That many years had ruled. Then duke Osric with [the men of] Hamptonshire, and duke Edelwlf with [the men of] Berkshire, fought against the same army; and, when they had put them to flight with great slaughter, our men were victorious. MATT. WESTM. In the year of Grace 861,. died Rethun bishop of Leicester, to whom sûcceeded Aldred. CHARTERS IN 862. 1. ÆTHELRED: subs. by Ælfred frater regis and others. II, 71. 2. ETHELBERT king of Wessex: subscribed also by "Ætherred fil. regis," "Ælfred fil. regis" and others. II, 73. CHARTERS IN 863. 3, ETHELBERT, subscribed also by Ethered fil. reg. and others, II, 74. 2. A charter In the 5th one (2) 861. (3) 862. Saint Swithin took his flight to heaven, the 10th Indiction, sixth before the nones of July [JULY 2) the 5th day of the week. Simeon ing from the sea, assaulted aforesaid army was on its way (4) 863. (5) 864. The pagans wintered in the isle of Thanet, and made a firm treaty with the men of Kent, who promised them money for adher year of king Adelbrict, the of EDWARD king of Mercia, &c. In the year 864, the pagans wintered in the island which is called Thanet, and is surrounded on every side by the stream of the sea. They made a solemn treaty with the men of Kent, who In the year of our Lord's year a large fleet of pagans And the same year a great horsed; and the East-Angles * made peace with them. DE DANURIO Or-BIA is probably a corruption of DE DANIA "from Denmark." 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 to say, 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. night, and plundered the promised to pay them money, eastern parts of Kent. if they should keep the treaty. But in the mean time, breaking forth secretly by night from their camp, like foxes, and violating the truce, and despising the promise of money, they remained quiet for a few days. But, oh horrible! they devastated the eastern coast of the Kentish people. They knew that they should get greater money by stolen booty than by peace: as also it happened. Thus king Ethelbyrht, for In the following year, that is 866, which was the 18th since the birth of Elfred, Ethelred the brother of Ethel byrt 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 |