T VI. HENRY OF HUNTINGDON. 'HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH.' HIS writer was Archdeacon of Huntingdon in the HENRY OF HUNTINGDON. BOOK V. 1. In the beginning of this work I said that with a fivefold scourge had Britain been chastised. And of the fourth, that, to wit, wielded by the Danes, I now set me to tell in this Book. For this chastisement indeed was both longer and far harder than the rest. § 2. For the Romans in brief space brought Britain beneath their sway, and right well did they rule their conquest. The Picts and Scots, again, often indeed harried the North, but their raids went not beyond those parts, nor ever did any very grievous harm. The Saxons, in turn, as they grew in strength, so, little by little, gat hold of the land by force of arms, and settled therein, and made them laws and statutes. As for the Normans, suddenly and quickly conquered they this island, and granted unto the conquered life and liberty, with all just rights, and the old laws of the realm. § 3. But the Danes by inroad after inroad overran the land: not to settle came they, but to spoil, to harry rather than to conquer. And if anywhere they were worsted it was of no avail, for then would they raid some other spot, with a larger fleet and a stronger force. Wonder was it how when the English Kings were hasting to meet them in the East, ere they could come up with their bands a breathless scout would run in, saying, 'Sir King, whither marchest thou? The heathen have landed in the South, a countless fleet. Towns and hamlets are in flames, fire and slaughter are on every side.' Yea, and that very day another would come running: 'Sir King, why withdrawest thou? A fearsome host has come to shore in the West. If ye face them not speedily, they will hold that ye flce, and will be on your rear with fire and sword.' Again on the morrow would dash up yet another, saying: 'What place make ye for, noble chieftains? In the North have the Danes made a raid. Already have they burnt your dwellings. Even now are they sweeping off your goods; tossing your babes on their spear-points, dishonouring your wives, and haling them to captivity.' Bewildered by such tidings of bitter woe, both Kings and people lost heart and strength both of mind and body, and were utterly cast down. ... [Henry goes on to ascribe these calamities to the general irreligion of the country 'where nothing was held shameful save piety, where the surest road to ruin was by innocence. Therefore did the Almighty loose upon them the most barbarous of all folk, the Danes, to wit, and Goths, Norsemen and Swedes, Vandals and Frisians. Like swarms of wasps they came, sparing neither age nor sex, and wasted the land 230 years, even unto the coming in of the Normans.'] * 4. Ethelwulf in the 16th year of his reign. and Ethelbald his son, gathered all their force, and fought against a mighty Host; which, with 350 ships, had put in at Thames-mouth, and brake down those far-famed cities, of age-long renown, London, to wit, and Canterbury, and worsted and put to flight Bertwulf, King of Mercia, who never throve after. Then, going on into Surrey, met they, at Ockley, the King's force; and between those two great armies befell there the sternest fight ever known in England. On either side the warriors fell like corn in harvest; blood flowed in torrents, sweeping along full many a head and many a limb. Tedious were it to tell all in full. God gave the victory to His faithful, and shame and disaster to them that despised Him. $5. Thus was King Ethelwulf a glorious victor. An Alderman also, named Ceorl, with the men of Devon fought the Heathen at Wembury [near Plymouth], and slew many, and won the field. This year then was lucky for the English folk: but it was the first wherein the Heathen Host wintered in the land. ... [Here follows Asser, §§ 8-12, slightly abbreviated.] * * * * § 6. Ethelwulf was removed from among men [A.D. 858], and buried at Winchester, where indeed he had of old been Bishop, but on the death of Egbert his father, must needs be made King, and having married a wife, begat four sons, who were all Kings after him. $7. To his son Ethelbald left he the heritage of the kingdom of Wessex, and to Ethelbert left he Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. Thus did these brothers, youths alike right-minded, rule in peace, each his own land, while both lived. And when Ethelbald, King of Wessex, had held his kingdom in peace five years, he was cut off by an early death. Then did all England bewail the youth, and great woe was made for him. At Sherborne buried they him, and the English felt how much they had lost in him. 8. Then did Ethelbert, his brother, follow him in the kingdom of Wessex, who was before King of Kent. In his days came over a great fleet, and the crews thereof stormed Winchester. Then came it to pass : 'Falls that old city, queen so many a year.' [Urbs antiqua ruit, multos dominata per annos.]—Virgil, ‘Æn.,' ii. 363. Then fought Osric the Alderman [dux], with Hampshire, and Ethelwulf the Alderman, with Berkshire, against that host; and there put we them to flight with great slaughter, and won that day the field. . . . [Here follows the Danish harrying of Kent (Asser, § 23).] $9. Ethelbert this year [866] tasted death. Five years reigned he over Wessex, and over Kent reigned he ten years. And Ethelred his brother reigned in his stead. That same year came there to land in England a mighty host of Heathen. And their Chieftains who led them were Ingwar and Hubba, valiant inen, but all too cruel. Ingwar stood first in craft, Hubba in valour. Among the East Angles did they winter, and made peace with them, and took horses from that folk, and (for that they were all quiet and adread) spared them for that while. [Here follows a short account of the Danish victory at York (Asser, $$ 30, 31).] § 10. In the third year of his reign [868] went King Ethelred, with Alfred his brother, unto Nottingham, to the aid of Burghred, King of Mercia. For the Danish host had marched to Nottingham, and there wintered. Ingwar then, seeing that the whole force of England was there gathered, and that his host was the weaker, and was there shut in, betook him to smooth words-cunning fox that he was—and won peace and troth from the English. Then went he back to York, and abode there one year, with all cruelty. § 11. In the year of our Lord 870, which was the fifth of King Ethelred, was St. Edmund taken up into Heaven. For the aforesaid Host under King Ingwar, came through Mercia unto Thetford, and there wintered, and wrought upon that wretched folk utter ruin. And Edmund, being King, was liefer to die than to see such woe of his folk, whereupon he was taken by the unbelievers, and his sacred body made fast to a tree, and pierced all over through and through by their arrows. But by many a miracle has God's mercy glorified it. § 12. In the sixth year of King Ethelred came there a new and numberless Host, rushing on like a torrent and sweeping all before it, even unto Reading. So many they were that they might not march in one body, but in sundry bands, and by divers ways. . . . [Here follows a shortened account of the campaign of 871 and the following events (Asser, §§ 36-51).] § 13. In the seventh year of King Alfred [878] did the Danes hold all the whole land, from Thames northward. In Northumbria reigned King Halfdene, and in East Anglia his brother, and in Mercia those three other Kings [Guthrum, Oscytel, and Anwynd]; and Ceolwulf, whom they had set up, reigned around London and in Essex. To King Alfred, then, was left nought save the lands south of Thames, and that the Danes grudged him, and thought scorn that it should yet be his. § 14. On Wessex, then, dashed those three Kings, with wondrous swarms newly come in from Denmark. Unto Chippenham they came, and spread over the land, covering the face of the earth like locusts, and taking all for themselves, for none could withstand them. Of the landfolk some fled over sea, some bowed them to the foe, some were in hiding with King Alfred in the fens,-and few these were. But now that King Alfred had neither land or hope longer, the Lord looked down upon the remnant of His people. . . ... [Here follows Asser, § 58-69, much abbreviated, viz., the Danish defeat in Devon, Alfred's decisive victory at Ethandune, Guthrum's baptism, the Continental doings of the Danes, their attempt on Rochester.] * * * * * § 15. Then did King Alfred from Kent send a sea force unto East Anglia. And they came to Stour-mouth, and there met they 16 ships of the Vikings,1 and worsted them in fight. But as they were homeward bound, all laden with spoil, there bore down upon them a Viking fleet, and no small one. And when it came to fighting therewith, they had this time the worse. ... [Here follow the deaths of Carloman and Marinus (Asser, §§ 71, 73).] * * * * * §16. The Danish Host went up the Seine, even to Paris Bridge, and there they wintered. And this year [886] King Alfred beset London, for most of the Danes therein had followed into France after their Host. Then, so soon as the Danes were off, did the English [of London] bow to him with one accord, and gave him entrance as their King. And he gave the city in ward to Ethelred the Alderman.. [Here follows a short account of Continental affairs, and the subsequent Danish invasion of England, in 893, from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.] * § 17. Thus did King Alfred reign over all England, save what was under the Danish sway, for twenty-eight and a half years; then felt he the sting of death. His unwearied rule, his never-ending toil, may I not worthily set forth save in verse: Thine own greatness inborn, O Alfred mighty in battle, Made thee the Teller of Truth, and truth-telling made thee a doer, [Nobilitas innata tibi probitatis honorem 1 Henry of Huntingdon is the earliest authority for the use of this name, which is probably derived from the Teutonic wig=war. |