set on the army of the West Angles; and they who had been long raiding the land thereabout came to their aid. The English army was as then but small, seeing their King was away, for he was then at his brother's burial; but though their ranks were thin, yet was their courage firm within them. Rejoicing in the fight they first drive their foes afar, but at length, worn down with weariness, stay their hand from battle. The barbarians thus win the victory, howbeit a barren one: afterwards they spread themselves, and with stout threats of pillage plunder the country. § 2. During the time of their most hateful tyranny were three battles fought by the Angles, besides those already told, and eleven of their consuls, whom they call 'earls,' perished, and one of their Kings. At last, in the same year, the West Angles make peace with them. And the tale of the years passed to the sitting down of this barbarian host before Reading, and to the death of King Ethelred and the kingship of his brother Alfred, was from the time when their grandfather Ecgbyrht gat the monarchy 71. And from the time when the war was between Mercians and West Angles at the place called Ellandune, when King Ecgbyrht gat him the victory,1 were passed 47 years; and from the fight at Pedredan2 26, and from that in the wood of Aclea 20. And, lastly, from the coming of the heathen to the land of the East Angles, 5 years. And then, with no long stay, reach we their coming unto Reading.

§ 3. After the space of one year from their coming unto Reading [872], they fixed their camp hard by the city of London. And the Mercians make agreement with them and pay tribute. One year after [873], these barbarians change their settlement to the neighbourhood of the city Lindisse, in a place called Turccsige; and the Mercians make a new peace with them. Yet, after but one year [874], the barbarians shift their leaguer to Repton, and drive King Burhred from his realm over The tale of years past since he took over his father's kingdom was 22. Next they break the peace, and harry the Mercian land. The aforesaid King cast not away his hope in Christ, but of set mind betook him to Rome. And there he died, and his body, laid in a worthy tomb, lieth in the temple of the Holy Mother of Christ, now com inonly called the English School. Then did Ceolf hold the Mercian realm.

seas.

§ 4. Again, after another year [875], the barbarians divide the land into two lots. Healfdene, their leader, took the one part, to wit, that of the Northumbrians; he chose for his winter-stead the neighbourhood of the River Tyne, and all around laid he waste the land on every side. And ofttimes harried they the Picts and the men of Cumberland.' 1 This was the decisive battle which freed Wessex from Mercia (Introduction, II., § 46).

At Puriton, near Parret-mouth, in 745.

The Picts dwell beyond the Forth, in Scotland; their name became lost in that of the Scots (originally immigrants from Ireland) in the eleventh century. Cumberland was a British kingdom, extending at this time from the Clyde to the Ribble. It was also called Strathclyde.

Oscytel, however, and Guthrum, and Annuth, three of their Kings, with a mighty host, shift them from Repton to a place called Grantan-bricge [Cambridge], and there abide twelve months. Moreover, in the summer of this same year, did King Alfred put to sea with his ship-force, and there met him the barbarian fleet with seven tall vessels: followed therefrom a fight; the Danes flee; and one of their ships is taken by the King.

5. And in this year did the host from Cambridge join its force with that of the western host, which never before had they done, near the town called Wareham; and they harried the most of that part. The King also made a peace with them, and paid unto them tribute. They, in turn, give him sureties, chosen men, such as seemed to their Kings the meetest in the host; and they make oath to him on their sacred arm-rings, which to the Kings of other lands they had never done, that they would leave his bounds with all speed. But they break the peace and eke their troth; and in the next year they enter the land of Devonshire, with a vast band of warriors, and camp them for the winter at the city of Exeter. Lastly do their fleets set sail and put to sea: but there arose a mighty storm, so that no small part of them, namely 100 of their very best ships, sank near a rock called Swanawic [Swanage]. The barbarians now renew the peace, with intent to deceive, and more hostages gave they than were asked for. For they sware to withdraw their force from the lands of the illustrious King Alfred, and they did so.

§ 6. Harrying, then, the kingdom of Mercia, they drive out every freeman, and after marching up and down the land, they set up their abode at the town of Gloucester. Thus, ere the year was past [878], did this vile crew break faith with the West Angles, though ratified by strong oath. And they took up their winter-stead at Chippenham. But their horse rode over the necks of much people, so that the folk there had no place of refuge from their tyranny, and all hearts turned speedily against them. Then, with overweening wickedness, drave they many over-sea to the shores of Gaul.

§ 7. As for King Alfred, he was in truth at this time more straitened than well became him. Ethelnoth also, Chief of the province of Somerset, abode with a small band in a certain wood; and they built them a stronghold, after a sort, on the isle of Aethelingaige [Athelney], which lieth, it seems, in a marsh. But the aforesaid King, along with the whole province of Somerset, ceased not ever to meet in daily onsets with the barbarians. Yet did none other help, save those who were fed at the King's cost.

§ 8. In the same year came there Healfdene, brother of the tyrant Igwar, with 30 keels, to the land of the West Angles, and they beset Odda, chief leader of the province of Devon, in a certain stronghold, and lighted up the fires of war both within and without. There fell the King This attempt to form a Danish settlement in the Severn Valley is only told us by Ethelwerd.

of the barbarians, and 80 decades with him; and the Danes at last win the field.

§ 9. Meanwhile, after Easter in that year, King Alfred hazarded a battle against the host that lay at Chippenham, at a place called Ethandune, and theirs is the honour of the day. But, after this issue of the day, the barbarians promise peace, beg for truce, refuse not sureties, and bind themselves by oath. Their King, moreover, submitted him to Baptism, and King Alfred, as Godfather, took him up from the font in the marshy Isle of Athelney. Ethelnoth the Chieftain also purified the same King after his Baptism, at a place called Wedmore, and there King Alfred loaded him with splendid honours. Then, one year [879] from the day that the Heathen host had set forth from the city of Gloucester, came it to the town of Cirencester, and there abode for the winter. In the course of this year the sun was eclipsed. In the year following this eclipse [880], the aforesaid host left Cirencester for the land of the East Angles; there pitched they camp, and brought beneath their sway the whole folk there. Fourteen years had now been fulfilled since the barbarians first had wintered in the aforesaid lands, and therein had been horsed.

§ 10. Moreover, in the same year, after all the aforesaid land had been brought under them, set they sail for Gaul, and set themselves down at a place called Ghent, the self-same leaguer who had erst pitched their camp at Fulham. After a year [881] they would go further, but the armies of the Franks set on them so strongly that they win the day, and the barbarians are put to flight. Yet a year [882] and the aforesaid host passed into the upper lands of the River Maese, and set their camp at Escelum. And, the next year [883], that same host set out for the lands above the Scald, at a place called Cundath [Condé], and there pitched their winter camp. One year after [884], befell there a grievous slaughtering done by the aforesaid host in the upper lands of the Somme near the town of Embenum [Amiens], and there camp they that winter.

§ 11. Then, the next year [885], they divide, and spread over the land in two bodies; the one making for Lofenum [Louvain], and the other for Rochester, and they sat down before both these towns, also making them other smaller camps. The land-folk are worn down by loss, till King Alfred comes up with the men of the West. Then this foul pest is at length stamped out. They seek more strength; the King bade ‘Sarauara” to be led to the coast, with horses not a few; they fall back to their stronghold; some fly over sea. In this year they renew the peace, giving sureties to the English, and twice in the year divide they the spoil gotten by fraud, in the densely wooded parts hard by the southern bank of the River Thames. The filthy crew, then holding under sway the East Angles, find them food, and suddenly do they break out towards Beamfleet. There does their gathering break up, with ill omen: some stay, some make off beyond the sea.

§ 12. Then in the same year, the aforesaid King Alfred sent a fleet to This is hopelessly corrupt. Indeed, the whole passage teems with blunders.

the coasts of the East Angles, and, even as they came in, there met them sixteen ships at Stourmouth. These are taken, their captains slain with the sword. There with beareth down the rest of the pirate fleet on that of Alfred; they ply their oars, they strike sail, their arms glitter on the affrighted wave, and in the end the barbarians have the victory.

§ 13. In that same year did Charles the Younger follow on to the sway of all western Gaul, even to the Tyrrhenian sea [the Mediterranean], and, so to speak, to the whole empire of his great-grandfather [Charlemagne], save only the land of Lidwicon [Britanny]. His father was Louis [the German], brother of the midmost Charles [the Bald], whose daughter Ethelwulf, King of the English, had wedded. And these two were sons of Louis, and he was the son of Charlemagne, and he was the son of Pepin. In the same year departed the blessed Pope Marinus, who freed the English School, which to this day stands at Rome, by the foresight of King Alfred; and he sent him as gift a portion of the thrice-blessed Cross of Christ, in Whom shineth forth the salvation of the world.

$14. In the same year also, the aforesaid noisome horde break their troth, and make armed onset upon King Alfred. Then, one year later, they seek the lower parts of Gaul, and settle down for good [in Normandy] near the River Seine that winter. Meanwhile the city of London is fortified by King Alfred, so that the rage of civil war could never again bring it under, either by force or fraud. Him did all men hail as their deliverer, the Saxons above all, save only the barbarians, and those who beneath their sway were then held captive. And after the defences there were well strengthened, the aforesaid King set over it Ethelred [Alderman of Mercia] as the Warden thereof.

§ 15. Now [887] the host which then was harrying Gaul cut its way through the bridge of the stronghold of Paris, and wasted the whole land of the Seine even unto the Marne, and upwards towards its source, as far as Chézy, and there thrice they wintered. . . .

[Here follows an account of the commotions on the Continent after the death of Charles. See p. 110.]

Moreover in the same year wherein the barbarians sat down against the bridge at Paris, Ethelhelm the Alderman took no small part of the alms from the diocese of the English, paid by the King for his folk, and therewith wended him to Rome. In the same year died Elswitha the Queen [of Mercia, Alfred's sister]

16. Then, in the next year after [890], the Abbot Byrnhelm took unto Rome the alms for the people, and in especial those of the Western Angles and of King Alfred. Then did Guthrum, King of the Northern Angles, give up his soul to Orcus. He had taken the name of Ethelstan at the laver of baptism from his Godfather King Alfred; and his home was mostly amongst the East Angles, since he had there first settled him. § 17. In the same year the aforesaid host came up from the River Seine to a place called Sandlaudan [St. Lo], which lieth between the Bretons and the Franks. Then did the Bretons meet them in open field, and

won the prize of victory, and pursued them along the windings of a certain river, and not a few of them were drowned in the waters. Then one year after [891] certain bands of the aforesaid host make way into the eastern parts of France. King Arnulf met them, and there was a horse fray ere the fleet came up by water. Then came there in a body of East-Franks and Saxons and Bavarians, and thereon did the heathen set sail and flee. § 18. In the same year three elect men of Hybernian race, drawn from home by fervent faith, privily make them a boat, by sewing ox-hides together, take with them a week's victual, sail on seven days and nights, and are borne unto the coast of Cornwall. Here, leaving their boat (which had been guided by no gear of theirs, nor by strength of arm, but rather by the will of Him Who ruleth all things), they reach King Alfred, who, with his Witan, rejoiceth at their coming. Next bend they their steps to Rome, as the teachers of Christ are oftenest wont to do, and thence their heart moveth them to seek Jerusalem. At length the chiefest among them departeth in the way, and one of the brethren finds himself left in charge of the relics of this dear comrade; (and also many miracles were wrought, the whole of which may not be told in this short tale). For the third, shaking off the dust from his feet, cometh back home, and reports the names of the exiles thus :--first Dufslan, next Macheathath, third Magilmumen, a man learned in the Arts, skilled in Letters, and a noted teacher among the Irish.

§ 19. Also in the same year, after Easter, during the Rogation Week, there shone forth a comet; which some think to signify that a rough time is now passed away; but the more approved interpretation of the wise seemeth to be that comets foretell things to come, as hath been shown by manifold experience.

§ 20. Then one year from the time when the barbarians waged war against King Arnulf they come to Bononia [Boulogne], and there build them a fleet, set sail, and come over into England, and pass in their ships up the mouth of the River Limne to Poldre [Appledore] in East Kent. And there do they overthrow an ancient stronghold, for there was but a small band of churls therein; and there fix they their winter-stead. Also in this year Hæsten comes in with no small fleet to the banks of the River Thames, and they make them a stronghold at a place called Middletune [Milton], on the coast of Kent, and there pitch they camp for the winter. Then the number of the years from the glorious Nativity of our Saviour amounted to D.CCC.XC.III.

§ 21. After the Easter of that year the host come in from Gaul set forth, and marched through the depths of the mighty forest commonly called Andredes wood; and they join hands with the East Angles, and so on step by step, to harry the neighbouring lands of Hamtun-scire and Bearruc

1 The reckoning of the Christian Year from Christmas Day, instead of Lady Day, is found in writers of this period. It was convenient as making the new year begin approximately with the Civil Year, which in Imperial Rome, as now, commenced January 1. See p. 120. This is the only date Ethelwerd gives.

2 The Weald of Sussex.