(after God) his chiefest trust-yea, and on their ring, whereon heretofore never would they swear to any folk—that they would get them out of his realm with all speed. Yet, after their wont, dealt they treacherously, and recked nought of sureties, or oath, or promise, or honour; but one night brake their troth and slew all the horsemen he [Alfred] had, and suddenly hied them thence to Devonshire [Damnonia], to a place which is called in Saxon Eaxanceastre [Exeter], but in British Cairwisc, and in Latin [Exonia]; a city on the east bank of the river Exe [Wisc], lying near the South Sea which runs betwixt Gaul and Britain. And there they wintered. § 49. In the same year also Halfdene, King of those parts, shared out the whole land of the Northumbrians between himself and his men ; and tilled it, he and his host. [In the same year Rollo and his men made their way into Normandy.]1 $ 50. In the year 877, the Heathen, as Autumn-tide drew on, in part sat them down at Exeter, and in part went back to raid in Mercia. Day by day the number of the miscreants [perversi] grew ever larger, so that were thirty thousand slain in one day others would take their place twicetold. Then bade King Alfred make barks [cymbas] throughout the realm, and keels [galeas], that is long ships, that he might meet the foes in sea-fight, as they came in. Therein embarked he adventurers [piratos] and let them keep the water-way [vias maris]. But himself hied he with all speed to Exeter, where the Heathen were wintering, and shut them up in that city, and besieged them. On his seamen also laid he strait command, that they should suffer no supplies to reach the foe by way of the Narrow Seas [in parte freti] $ 51. Then met there his seamen 120 ships, laden with armed warriors, coming to the help of their kinsfolk [concivium]. And when the King's officers found ships thus filled with Heathen warmen, then leapt they to arms, and boarded the savages like men. But the Heathen, who now for nearly a month had been wave-tossed and ship-worn, vainly returned the onset. So that in a moment their line of battle was shattered [lacerata], and sunken in the place called Swanwich; and they perished one and all. [Here follows a short and confused interpolation.] $52. In the year of the Incarnation 878, the 27th [really the 30th] of the age of Alfred, the oft-mentioned host left Exeter, and came unto Chippenham, a town-royal in the left [North] of Wiltshire [Wiltunscyre], on the east bank of the river which in British is called Avon, and there they wintered. And many of the country-folk drave they, by force of arms, and through need and fear, to sail beyond seas, and, for the most part, brought they under their sway all that dwelt in that land. 53. At that same time Alfred, with a few of his lords, and some warriors also, dwelt in the woods and fens [gronnosa] of Somerset-a life This is an interpolation from the Chronicle of St. Neot's, whence some editors also insert here the story of Rollo's vision (see John of Wallingford, § 3). of sore trouble and unrest. For he had nought whereon to live save only what he might carry off, either by force or stealth, from the Heathen; or even from the Christians who had bowed to their sway. § 54. [And, as is written in the Life of Holy Father Neot, once, in the house of one of his cowherds, it chanced that one day a country-wife (the wife, indeed, of that same cowherd), was making ready to bake cakes. And the King sat thus by the hearth, and would make ready his bow and arrows and other war-gear. But when that unhappy woman saw that the cakes she had put before the fire were burning, she hasted and ran and moved them, scolding the while at our all-conquering King, and saying,1 'Fie, fellow ! 'And why so slack to move the cakes? And can'st not see them burn? Little thought that unlucky woman that this was King Alfred, who waged so many wars against the Heathen, and won over them so many victories. § 55. Yet not only to that glorious King did the Lord deign to grant victory over his foes, and weal out of woe. Often and often [multotiens] did that same Lord, of His loving-kindness, suffer him to be vexed by his foes, to be struck down by mishaps, to be lowered in the eyes of his folk. And this, that he might know that there is One Lord of all, to Whom every knee shall bow, in Whose hand is the heart of Kings, Who putteth down the mighty from their seat and exalteth the humble and meek, Who willeth that His faithful, high-placed in all wealth, should be touched sometimes with the scourge of adversity ;—that, when brought low, they despair not of God's mercy, and, when lifted up, they pride them not on their earthly honours, but know to Whom they owe all things whatsoever they have. § 56. And this trouble, in such wise brought upon our King, came upon him, as we believe, not undeservedly. For in the early days of his kingship, while he was yet young, he was a slave [detentus] to youthful temper. And his men and his subjects came unto him, and sought to him, each for his own need; and they who were wronged by the authorities besought his help and protection. Yet would he not list to them, nor pain him at all to help them, but altogether made nought of them. § 57. Whereat that most blessed man Neot, while yet on earth, being his near kin, was grieved to the very heart, and, being full of the spirit of prophecy, foretold that, for this thing, there would come upon him very grievous trouble. But he recked little of the kind reproof of the man of God, and took not to heart that most true prophecy. Seeing then 1 'Heus homo ! Urere quos cernis panes gyrare moraris, Cum nimium gaudes hos manducare calentes?' These lines may be the relic of some early poetical account of the adventure. that whatsoever a man sinneth must needs be someway punished, either here or hereafter, our true and loving Judge willed that the King's folly should not go unpunished in this world, that He might spare him in the Day of Judgment. Therefore did this same Alfred of ours oft-times fall into such wretchedness, that none of his subjects knew where he was nor what had become of him.]1 § 58. In the same year [Hubba] the brother of Ingwar and Halfdene, with 23 ships, sailed forth from the land of Demetia [South Wales], where they had wintered, after much slaughter of Christians, unto Damnonia [Devon]. And there, while bent on mischief, was he slain, with 1,200 more, by the King's Thanes, before the stronghold of Cynuit—an ill death. For in that same stronghold had many King's Thanes, with their men, shut themselves for refuge. But though the Heathen saw that the stronghold was unprepared and wholly unfortified, save that it had mere ramps raised after our wont, yet tried they not to storm it. For the place is safe, by its situation, quite safe, on every side except the East, as I have seen myself. They sat down, then, before it, thinking that the folk within must speedily surrender, under stress of hunger, and thirst, and siege; for that stronghold hath no water nigh unto it. § 59. It fell out, however, otherwise than they thought for. For the Christians, rather than endure such utter lack and need-stirred up, moreover, by God-deemed it better by far either to conquer or to die. At dawn of day brake they out all suddenly with the dash of a wild boar [aprino tempore] upon the foemen, and overthrew them utterly. Down went the King; down went his men, almost all; and but few they were who got off and fled them away to their ships. $60. [And there gat they no small spoil, wherein they took moreover that banner which men call the Raven. For they say that the three sisters of Ingwar and Hubba, the daughters, sooth to say, of Lodbrock, wove that banner, and made it all wholly ready between morn and night in one single day. They say too that in every fight, wherein that flag went before them, if they were to win, the raven in the midst thereof would seem to flutter as it were alive. But were their doom to be worsted, then would it droop, still and lifeless. And oft was this well proven.]' $61. In the same year, after Easter, did King Alfred and a few of his comrades make them a stronghold at a spot called Athelney. And from that stronghold ever waged he, with his Thanes and vassals of Somerset, tireless war against the Heathen yoke. Next, in the seventh week after Easter, rode he to Egbert's Stone, which is to the East of the forest called Selwood (in Latin, Silva Magna, in British, Coitmawr). And there met him all the whole folk of Somersetshire and Wiltshire and all the folk of Hampshire, such as had not, through fear of the Heathen, sailed beyond seas. And when they saw the King, they were filled with joy untold, and they hailed him as one alive again from the dead; These passages are inserted from the Chronicle of St. Neot's. -as, after such mighty troubles, was full meet. And there camped they one night. § 62. And at peep of dawn did the King rouse the camp, and came to a place called Acglea [Leigh, near Westbury], and there one night he encamped. And next day, very early in the morning, he advanced his banners, and came to a place called Ethandun [Edington, in Wiltshire].1 And there against the whole Heathen host formed he firm his shield-wall, and fought a deadly fight. Stoutly and long kept they at it ; and, by God's help, in the end he got the victory, and laid low the Heathen with a very great slaughter, and followed hard upon their flight, with blow on blow, even unto their stronghold. And everything without the stronghold, men to wit, and horses, and herds, caught he and took, and the men he slew at once; and before the gates of the Heathen stronghold did he and all his host take camp, like men. § 63. And when he had there tarried 14 days, the Heathen, an-hungred, and a-cold, and a-dread, and, at last, hopeless, became sore afraid, and begged for peace, on this troth, that the King should name and take from them such sureties as he would, giving them none in return. Never before had they made peace with anyone after this sort. § 64. And, when he had heard their message, the King, stirred thereto by his own kind heart, named and took from them such sureties as he would; and, when he had them, the Heathen sware as well that they would depart from his realm with all the speed they might. Yea, and Guthrum, their King, pledged him to become a Christian, and to take upon him Baptism at the hand of King Alfred. And all this he and his fulfilled, even as they had promised. § 65. For after seven weeks came Guthrum, King of the Heathen, with the thirty choicest men of all his host, to King Alfred, at a place, near Athelney, called Alre. And there did King Alfred receive him for his own son by adoption, and raised him up from out the baptismal font. And his chrisom-loosing' was on the eighth day, in the town-royal called Wedmore. And, when he was baptized, then stayed he with the King twelve nights. And the King gave to him and all his men many excellent gifts, in great plenty, for their support and edification withal3 [plurima atque optima ædificia]. § 66. In the year of our Lord's Incarnation 879 (the 28th [31st] of King Alfred's age), the aforesaid Heathen host gat them up, as they had promised, from Chippenham, and hied them to Cirencester, which is called in British Caerceri, in the southern part of the Hwiccas. And there abode they one year. In the same year came there a mighty host of Heathen sailing from over-sea [ultramarinis], and into Thames-stream, and joined them to the above host. Yet wintered they in the place called Fulham [Fullonham] upon the Thames. In the same year was 1 See Note A, p. 119. ? See p. 36. This seems the most probable meaning. In classical Latin ædifico and its derivatives never have a symbolical sense, which is first found in the Vulgate. there an eclipse of the sun, between the ninth hour and Vespers [6 p.m.], but nearer the ninth hour.1 § 67. In the year of our Lord's Incarnation 880 (the 29th [32nd] of King Alfred's age), the oft-mentioned Heathen host left Cirencester, and went off into East Anglia, and shared up that land among them, and began to settle down there. In the same year the Heathen host which had wintered at Fulham left the island of Britain and once more crossed the sea, and got to Eastern France and abode for one year at a place called Ghent [Gaent]. And the next year [881] went they up further into France; and the Franks fought against them; and, when the battle was done, the Heathen found them horses, and became horsemen. And in the next year [882] they towed their ships up the river Meuse [Mese], and drew much further up into France, and there wintered one year. § 68. In the same year Alfred, King of the Anglo-Saxons, met in seafight with the Heathen ships upon the sea. And of them he took two ships, and slew every man therein. And the captains of yet two more ships, with all their mates, laid down their arms—so worn out were they with war and wounding-and bowed the knee, and with humble prayers gave themselves up to the King. And in the next year [883] the aforesaid host towed their ships, against the stream, up the river Scheldt [Scald] to an Abbey of nuns called Condé [Cundoht], and there abode one year. § 69. In the year of our Lord's Incarnation 884, the 34th [36th] of King Alfred, the aforesaid host parted into two bands. The one band went on into Eastern France, and the other came into Britain and drew unto Kent, and laid siege to the city, called, in Saxon, Rochester [Hrofesceastre], lying on the eastern bank of the River Medway. There before the gate did the Heathen suddenly throw up a strong work. Yet could they not take the city, for the citizens held out like men, until King Alfred came up with a great army to their aid. Then did the Heathen leave their stronghold, and all the horses which they had brought over from France, yea, and let go most of their captives in the stronghold : for the King came upon them as in a moment, and they fled, without stay, to their ships. And both captives and horses were seized and shared upon the spot, by the Saxons. But the Heathen, under stress of utter need, that same summer went off into France once more. § 70. In the same year [884] Alfred manned well his fleet with war-men and sent them across from Kent, with orders to harry East Anglia. And when they came to the mouth of the River Stour, all at once there met them 13 Heathen ships, cleared for action. Then began a sea-fight, and on either side was it waged full keenly. And the Heathen were slain, one and all; and all their ships were taken and all the spoil therein. And thereafter when the King's fleet was in slumber after its victory, the Heathen who dwelt in East Anglia, gat them ships together on every This eclipse took place March 14, 880. (N.B.--The old English year began March 25.) |