874 Florence Huntingdon Simeca 872. Died. Alhun bishop of the In the 1st year of king Al- In the year of our Lord's Wiccii; and Werefrith, a incarnation 872, the 24th nurseling of the church of from king Elfred's birth, the Worcester, and a man most learned in the Holy Scriptures, was ordained bishop by * Here Florence places a long acÆthelred the archbishop of count of Alfred's learned men, Dover, on the 7th before the which will be given hereafter. ides of June, (June 7] being Whitsunday.* fred, the army came from aforesaid army of the pagans The above-named army of Reding to London, and was went to London, and there pagans went to London, and there through the winter. there wintered. The Mercians made peace And the Mercians made a wintered ; and the Mercians 1 made a truce with them. went 873. The But, in his 2nd year, king in the year 873, the 25th above-named army, leaving Haldene led the same army from the birth of Elfred king London, into the to winter in Lindesei at Tor- of the English, the army so country of the Northum cheseige. often before mentioned, leavbrians, and there wintered ing London, went to the in the district of Lindsey. country of the Northumbrians, and there wintered : And the Mercians again made treaty with them. and the Mercians again made peace with them. 874. In the 3rd year, they winter- In the year of our Lord's In ed at Rependune [Repron]. carnation 874, the 26th from The army above Then were gathered together the birth of Elfred king of mentioned left Lindsey, with him three other kings, the English, the army aboveand marched to Mercia, Godrun, Oscetin, and An- mentioned left the province where they wintered at wend, and they became in- of Lindsay, and entering Repton. vincible. Mercia, wintered at Repton. Also they compelled Burh- And they drove beyond the Burhred also, king of the red, king of Mercia, against sea king Burhred, who had Mercians they drove out of his will, to leave his kingdom reigned 22 years over Mer- his kingdom and compelled and go beyond the sea to cia. But Burhred went to to go to Rome, in the 22nd Rome, in the 22nd year of Rome, and dying there, was year of his reign. his reign : he did not live buried in the church of St long after his Mary at the English School. He did not live long to the e Saron Chronicle Asser Ethelwerd 874 arrival, but died there, and The above-named king did was honourably buried in the not abandon his hope in school of the Saxons, in St Christ, but made a journey to Mary's church, where he Rome and died there, and awaits the Lord's coming and his body, laid in a worthy the first resurrection with the mausoleum, reposes in the just. temple of Christ's blessed mother, which is now called the school of the English. They now break the peace, and devastate the lands of the Mercians. And that same year they The pagans also, after his excommitted the kingdom of pulsion, subjected the whole the Mercians to the keeping kingdom of the Mercians to of Ceolwulf, an unwise king's their dominion; but by a thane; and he swore oaths most miserable arrangement, to them, and delivered hosta- gave it into the custody of a ges that it should be ready certain foolish man, named for them on whatever day Ceolwulf, one of the king's At the same time Ceolf they would have it, and that ministers, on condition that possessed the kingdom of the he would be ready both in he should restore it to them, Mercians. them hostages, and swore that in every respect. A. 875. In the year of our Lord's in- Lastly after a year, the barHere the army went from carnation 875, which was the barians divide the kingdom Repton: and Healfdene 27th of king Ælfred, the into two parts. went with some of the army above-named army, leaving Halfdene the leader of the into North-humbria, and took Repton, divided into two barbarians took one part up winter-quarters by the bodies, one of which went namely the kingdom of the river Tyne. with Halfdene into North- Northumbrians, and there he umbria, and having wintered chose his winter-quarters near there near the Tyne, reduced the river called the Tyne, all Northumberland to sub- and they ravaged the counjection. try there on every side. And the army subdued the But they also made frequent land, and oft-times spoiled wars on the Picts and the WOLF king of Mercia. II, 101. 2. the Picts, and the Strathclyde Eardwoll, subscribed also thus ; men of Cumberland. “ Ælfred gratia Dei rex hanc liber- CHARTERS IN 875. 1. CEOL tatem donationis meæ consensi 104. And the three kings, Godrum, They also ravaged the Picts Oskytel also, and Guthrum, and Oscytel, and Anwynd, and the Strath-Clydensians. and Annuth, their three went with a large army from The other division, with kings, with an immense army, Repton to Grantabridge, and Gothrun, Oskytel, and A- came from Repton to a place sat down there one year. mund, three kings of the called Grantabridge (Campagans, went to a place called BRIDGE), and there remained Grantabridge, and there twelve months. wintered. 875 Florence Huntingdon Simeon arrival, but died there, and world after his arrival at was honourably buried in the Rome, because he went to school of the Saxons, in St Him who is the true life; and Mary's church, where he he was honourably buried in awaits the Lord's coming and the church of St Mary, mothe first resurrection with the ther of our Lord Jesus Christ, just. and ever a virgin, awaiting his second coming, when he shall largely give to the good their due rewards, and deal out their dreadful punish ments to the wicked. The Danish pirates also, after The Danes then gave the The Danes, also, after his exhis ex kingdom of Mercia to a fool- pulsion, subjected the Merpulsion, subjected the whole ish king, one Ceolwlf, to keep cian kingdom to their own kingdom of the Mercians to for their own use. But he rule. They gave it to a soltheir dominion; but by a took an oath, and gave them dier of that same nation nammost miserable arrangement, hostages that he would res- ed Ceolwlf, on condition that, gave it into the custody of a tore to them the kingdom whenever they chose, they certain foolish man, named whenever they wished it, and might have it back again, Ceoluulf, one of the king's that he would be ready to without deceit, and without ministers, on condition that march to their aid, with all harm. he should restore it to them, the men he could muster. whenever they should wish to have it again ; and to guarantee this agreement, he gave them hostages and swore that he would not oppose their will, but be obedient to them in every respect. 875. In the 4th year of king Al- In the year of our Lord's InThe fred, the army left Repton carnation 875, the 27th from above-named army, leaving and was divided. King Alf- the birth of king Elfred, the Repton, divided into two dene with one part, went into aforesaid army left Repton, bodies, one of which went Northumbria, and was near and divided itself into 2 with Halfdene into North- the river Tine during the parts. One part with Halumbria, and having wintered winter : and he seized the dene went into the country of there near the Tyne, reduced land and divided it out the Northumbrians,and ravaall Northumberland to sub- among his men, and they ged it, and wintered near the jection. tilled it two years; and he river Tyne, and subdued all often plundered the Picts. that nation under its domi nion, and they plundered the They also ravaged the Picts Picts and the Stretcluttians and the Strath-Clydensians. [STRATH-Clyde Britons). Eardulf the bishop and abbat Eadred, taking the body of St Cuthbert from the island of Lindisfarne, fled from place to place 9 years before the face of the barbarians, with that treasure in their possession. The other division, with But the three kings of the The other part of that band Guthrun, Oskitell, and A- Danes aforesaid with the with Gutthrum, and Oscytel, mund, three kings of the greater part of the army came and Amund, kings of the papagans, went to a place called to Grantebridge and there gans, came to a place named Grantabridge, and there remained 1 year. Grantabric (CAMBRIDGE) and wintered. there wintered. same Saron Chronicle Asser Ethelwerd 875 And that summer king In the year, king Furthermore in the summer Ælfred went out to sea with Alfred fought a battle by sea of the same year, king Ælfred a fleet, and fought against against six ships of the came out with his army on the forces of seven ships, pagans, and took 1 of them; board a fleet by sea, and the and one of them he took, the rest escaped by flight. barbarians met them with and put the rest to flight. seven tall vessels. A battle ensues, and the Danes are routed : the king takes one of their ships. A. 876. In the After one year, Alfred's life, the aforesaid junction with the western contiguity of the land. With this army Alfred made 4 Also the king ratified a wards the king made peace a solemn treaty, to the effect treaty of peace with them and with the army, and they gave that they should depart out gave them money. the king hostages from among of the kingdom, and for this 5 But they gave him hostages the most distinguished men they made no hesitation to chosen out of their army, give as many hostages as he named. CHARTERS Ix 876. None. of the army. And then they swore oaths And they swore an oath over and made oath to him on to him on the holy ring, all the relics, which their sacred bracelet which which they never before with king Ælfred were next they had never done to the would do to any nation, that in veneration after the Deity kings of the other districts, they would speedily depart himself , that they would that they would quickly leave his kingdom. depart speedily from the their territories. And, notwithstanding this, kingdom. But they again 6 But they again 6 But they broke the peace that part of the army which practised their usual trea- andcontravened their engagewas horsed stole away by chery, and caring nothing for ments, and the following year night from the fortress to the hostages or their oaths, extended their troops into Exeter. they broke the treaty, and the province of Devon, where Exeter. passed the winter. same 876 Florence Huntingdon Simeon In the year, king This year king Alfred fought But king Alfred, consoling Alfred fought a battle by sea a battle by sea against 7 ships, himself with a sea-fight, against six ships of the 1 of which he took, the others found six ships at sea, and pagans, and took one of them; fled. engaging boldly with them the rest escaped by flight. took one of them. : the others fled in fear. The following year, the army In the year of our Lord's inof the 3 kings came to Ware- carnation 876, the 28th from ham in Wessex. the birth of king Elfred, the aforesaid army, leaving Cambridge by night, entered the castle which is called Ware ham. 876. The aforesaid army of the pagans, leaving Grantebrycg by night, entered a castle called Wareham where there is a monastery of holy virgins between the two rivers Frawn(Frome] and Trent, in the district which is called in Saxon DORNSETA, placed in a most secure situation, except that it was exposed to danger on the western side from the contiguity of the land. With this army Alfred made But king Alfred made a truce Whose sudden coming the a solemn treaty, to the effect with the army and received king of the West-Saxons forethat they should depart ont some of their nobles as knowing made a treaty with of the kingdom, and for this hostages. them receiving hostages on they made no hesitation to the condition that they should give as many hostages as he leave his kingdom. named. And they swore an oath over all the relics, which And they made an oath to with king Ælfred were next made to any other, that they him, which they had never in veneration after the Deity would speedily leave his himself, that they would kingdom. depart speedily from the kingdom. But they again The next night those of the But they in their usual manchery, and caring nothing for army who had horses, went ner, not caring for the hostathe hostages or their oaths, away secretly, and proceeded ges and their oaths, broke the to Exanceastre [Exeter). treaty one night, and turned they broke the treaty, and off to Exeter which is called sallying forth by night, slew in British Cairwisc, in Latin all the horsemen that the Civitas AQUARUM, (City of king had round him, and Waters.] turning off into Devon, to another place called in Saxon ExanceASTER, but in Latin, the city of Ex, situated Exeter are probably by anticipation : for the Saxon Chron. places it clearly on the eastern bank of the in 877 and Asser, Florence and same river, they directed Huntingdon again notice it, as if their course suddenly towards the south sea, which divides Britain and Gaul. # These notices of the march to under 877. |