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diff --git a/3674.txt b/3674.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5e2786b --- /dev/null +++ b/3674.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8582 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Dragon and the Raven, by G. A. Henty + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Dragon and the Raven + or, The Days of King Alfred + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Posting Date: April 29, 2009 [EBook #3674] +Release Date: January, 2003 +First Posted: July 12, 2001 +Last Updated: April 18, 2002 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DRAGON AND THE RAVEN *** + + + + +Produced by Ronald J. Goodden. HTML version by Al Haines + + + + + + + + + +THE DRAGON AND THE RAVEN: + +Or The Days of King Alfred + + +By + +G. A. Henty + + + + +C O N T E N T S + + PREFACE + I. THE FUGITIVES + II. THE BATTLE OF KESTEVEN + III. THE MASSACRE AT CROYLAND + IV. THE INVASION OF WESSEX + V. A DISCIPLINED BAND + VI. THE SAXON FORT + VII. THE DRAGON + VIII. THE CRUISE OF THE DRAGON + IX. A PRISONER + X. THE COMBAT + XI. THE ISLE OF ATHELNEY + XII. FOUR YEARS OF PEACE + XIII. THE SIEGE OF PARIS + XIV. THE REPULSE OF THE NORSEMEN + XV. FRIENDS IN TROUBLE + XVI. FREDA + XVII. A LONG CHASE + XVIII. FREDA DISCOVERED + XIX. UNITED + + + + +PREFACE + + +MY DEAR LADS, + +Living in the present days of peace and tranquillity it is difficult to +picture the life of our ancestors in the days of King Alfred, when the +whole country was for years overrun by hordes of pagan barbarians, who +slaughtered, plundered, and destroyed at will. You may gain, perhaps, a +fair conception of the state of things if you imagine that at the time +of the great mutiny the English population of India approached that of +the natives, and that the mutiny was everywhere triumphant. The +wholesale massacres and outrages which would in such a case have been +inflicted upon the conquered whites could be no worse than those +suffered by the Saxons at the hands of the Danes. From this terrible +state of subjection and suffering the Saxons were rescued by the +prudence, the patience, the valour and wisdom of King Alfred. In all +subsequent ages England has produced no single man who united in +himself so many great qualities as did this first of great Englishmen. +He was learned, wise, brave, prudent, and pious; devoted to his people, +clement to his conquered enemies. He was as great in peace as in war; +and yet few English boys know more than a faint outline of the events +of Alfred's reign--events which have exercised an influence upon the +whole future of the English people. School histories pass briefly over +them; and the incident of the burned cake is that which is, of all the +actions of a great and glorious reign, the most prominent in boys' +minds. In this story I have tried to supply the deficiency. Fortunately +in the Saxon Chronicles and in the life of King Alfred written by his +friend and counsellor Asser, we have a trustworthy account of the +events and battles which first laid Wessex prostrate beneath the foot +of the Danes, and finally freed England for many years from the +invaders. These histories I have faithfully followed. The account of +the siege of Paris is taken from a very full and detailed history of +that event by the Abbe D'Abbon, who was a witness of the scenes he +described. + +Yours sincerely, + G. A. HENTY + + + + +CHAPTER I: THE FUGITIVES + + +A low hut built of turf roughly thatched with rushes and standing on +the highest spot of some slightly raised ground. It was surrounded by a +tangled growth of bushes and low trees, through which a narrow and +winding path gave admission to the narrow space on which the hut stood. +The ground sloped rapidly. Twenty yards from the house the trees +ceased, and a rank vegetation of reeds and rushes took the place of the +bushes, and the ground became soft and swampy. A little further pools +of stagnant water appeared among the rushes, and the path abruptly +stopped at the edge of a stagnant swamp, though the passage could be +followed by the eye for some distance among the tall rushes. The hut, +in fact, stood on a hummock in the midst of a wide swamp where the +water sometimes deepened into lakes connected by sluggish streams. + +On the open spaces of water herons stalked near the margin, and great +flocks of wild-fowl dotted the surface. Other signs of life there were +none, although a sharp eye might have detected light threads of smoke +curling up here and there from spots where the ground rose somewhat +above the general level. These slight elevations, however, were not +visible to the eye, for the herbage here grew shorter than on the lower +and wetter ground, and the land apparently stretched away for a vast +distance in a dead flat--a rush-covered swamp, broken only here and +there by patches of bushes and low trees. + +The little hut was situated in the very heart of the fen country, now +drained and cultivated, but in the year 870 untouched by the hand of +man, the haunt of wild-fowl and human fugitives. At the door of the hut +stood a lad some fourteen years old. His only garment was a short +sleeveless tunic girded in at the waist, his arms and legs were bare; +his head was uncovered, and his hair fell in masses on his shoulders. +In his hand he held a short spear, and leaning against the wall of the +hut close at hand was a bow and quiver of arrows. The lad looked at the +sun, which was sinking towards the horizon. + +"Father is late," he said. "I trust that no harm has come to him and +Egbert. He said he would return to-day without fail; he said three or +four days, and this is the fourth. It is dull work here alone. You +think so, Wolf, don't you, old fellow? And it is worse for you than it +is for me, pent up on this hummock of ground with scarce room to +stretch your limbs." + +A great wolf-hound, who was lying with his head between his paws by the +embers of a fire in the centre of the hut, raised his head on being +addressed, and uttered a low howl indicative of his agreement with his +master's opinion and his disgust at his present place of abode. + +"Never mind, old fellow," the boy continued, "we sha'n't be here long, +I hope, and then you shall go with me in the woods again and hunt the +wolves to your heart's content." The great hound gave a lazy wag of his +tail. "And now, Wolf, I must go. You lie here and guard the hut while I +am away. Not that you are likely to have any strangers to call in my +absence." + +The dog rose and stretched himself, and followed his master down the +path until it terminated at the edge of the water. Here he gave a low +whimper as the lad stepped in and waded through the water; then turning +he walked back to the hut and threw himself down at the door. The boy +proceeded for some thirty or forty yards through the water, then paused +and pushed aside the wall of rushes which bordered the passage, and +pulled out a boat which was floating among them. + +It was constructed of osier rods neatly woven together into a sort of +basket-work, and covered with an untanned hide with the hairy side in. +It was nearly oval in shape, and resembled a great bowl some three feet +and a half wide and a foot longer. A broad paddle with a long handle +lay in it, and the boy, getting into it and standing erect in the +middle paddled down the strip of water which a hundred yards further +opened out into a broad half a mile long and four or five hundred yards +wide. Beyond moving slowly away as the coracle approached them, the +water-fowl paid but little heed to its appearance. + +The boy paddled to the end of the broad, whence a passage, through +which flowed a stream so sluggish that its current could scarce be +detected, led into the next sheet of water. Across the entrance to this +passage floated some bundles of light rushes. These the boy drew out +one by one. Attached to each was a piece of cord which, being pulled +upon, brought to the surface a large cage, constructed somewhat on the +plan of a modern eel or lobster pot. They were baited by pieces of dead +fish, and from them the boy extracted half a score of eels and as many +fish of different kinds. + +"Not a bad haul," he said as he lowered the cages to the bottom again. +"Now let us see what we have got in our pen." + +He paddled a short way along the broad to a point where a little lane +of water ran up through the rushes. This narrowed rapidly and the lad +got out from his boat into the water, as the coracle could proceed no +further between the lines of rushes. The water was knee-deep and the +bottom soft and oozy. At the end of the creek it narrowed until the +rushes were but a foot apart. They were bent over here, as it would +seem to a superficial observer naturally; but a close examination would +show that those facing each other were tied together where they crossed +at a distance of a couple of feet above the water, forming a sort of +tunnel. Two feet farther on this ceased, and the rushes were succeeded +by lines of strong osier withies, an inch or two apart, arched over and +fastened together. At this point was a sort of hanging door formed of +rushes backed with osiers, and so arranged that at the slightest push +from without the door lifted and enabled a wild-fowl to pass under, but +dropping behind it prevented its exit. The osier tunnel widened out to +a sort of inverted basket three feet in diameter. + +On the surface of the creek floated some grain which had been scattered +there the evening before as a bait. The lad left the creek before he +got to the narrower part, and, making a small circuit in the swamp, +came down upon the pen. + +"Good!" he said, "I am in luck to-day; here are three fine ducks." + +Bending the yielding osiers aside, he drew out the ducks one by one, +wrung their necks, and passing their heads through his girdle, made his +way again to the coracle. Then he scattered another handful or two of +grain on the water, sparingly near the mouth of the creek, but more +thickly at the entrance to the trap, and then paddled back again by the +way he had come. + +Almost noiselessly as he dipped the paddle in the water, the hound's +quick ear had caught the sound, and he was standing at the edge of the +swamp, wagging his tail in dignified welcome as his master stepped on +to dry land. + +"There, Wolf, what do you think of that? A good score of eels and fish +and three fine wild ducks. That means bones for you with your meal +to-night--not to satisfy your hunger, you know, for they would not be +of much use in that way, but to give a flavour to your supper. Now let +us make the fire up and pluck the birds, for I warrant me that father +and Egbert, if they return this evening, will be sharp-set. There are +the cakes to bake too, so you see there is work for the next hour or +two." + +The sun had set now, and the flames, dancing up as the boy threw an +armful of dry wood on the fire, gave the hut a more cheerful +appearance. For some time the lad busied himself with preparation for +supper. The three ducks were plucked in readiness for putting over the +fire should they be required; cakes of coarse rye-flour were made and +placed in the red ashes of the fire; and then the lad threw himself +down by the side of the dog. + +"No, Wolf, it is no use your looking at those ducks. I am not going to +roast them if no one comes; I have got half a one left from dinner." +After sitting quiet for half an hour the dog suddenly raised himself +into a sitting position, with ears erect and muzzle pointed towards the +door; then he gave a low whine, and his tail began to beat the ground +rapidly. + +"What! do you hear them, old fellow?" the boy said, leaping to his +feet. "I wish my ears were as sharp as yours are, Wolf; there would be +no fear then of being caught asleep. Come on, old boy, let us go and +meet them." + +It was some minutes after he reached the edge of the swamp before the +boy could hear the sounds which the quick ears of the hound had +detected. Then he heard a faint splashing noise, and a minute or two +later two figures were seen wading through the water. + +"Welcome back, father," the lad cried. "I was beginning to be anxious +about you, for here we are at the end of the fourth day." + +"I did not name any hour, Edmund," the boy's father said, as he stepped +from the water, "but I own that I did not reckon upon being so late; +but in truth Egbert and I missed our way in the windings of these +swamps, and should not have been back to-night had we not luckily +fallen upon a man fishing, who was able to put us right. You have got +some supper, I hope, for Egbert and I are as hungry as wolves, for we +have had nothing since we started before sunrise." + +"I have plenty to eat, father; but you will have to wait till it is +cooked, for it was no use putting it over the fire until I knew that +you would return; but there is a good fire, and you will not have to +wait long. And how has it fared with you, and what is the news?" + +"The news is bad, Edmund. The Danes are ever receiving reinforcements +from Mercia, and scarce a day passes but fresh bands arrive at +Thetford, and I fear that ere long East Anglia, like Northumbria, will +fall into their clutches. Nay, unless we soon make head against them +they will come to occupy all the island, just as did our forefathers." + +"That were shame indeed," Edmund exclaimed. "We know that the people +conquered by our ancestors were unwarlike and cowardly; but it would be +shame indeed were we Saxons so to be overcome by the Danes, seeing +moreover that we have the help of God, being Christians, while the +Danes are pagans and idolaters." + +"Nevertheless, my son, for the last five years these heathen have been +masters of Northumbria, have wasted the whole country, and have +plundered and destroyed the churches and monasteries. At present they +have but made a beginning here in East Anglia; but if they continue to +flock in they will soon overrun the whole country, instead of having, +as at present, a mere foothold near the rivers except for those who +have come down to Thetford. We have been among the first sufferers, +seeing that our lands lie round Thetford, and hitherto I have hoped +that there would be a general rising against these invaders; but the +king is indolent and unwarlike, and I see that he will not arouse +himself and call his ealdormen and thanes together for a united effort +until it is too late. Already from the north the Danes are flocking +down into Mercia, and although the advent of the West Saxons to the aid +of the King of Mercia forced them to retreat for a while, I doubt not +that they will soon pour down again." + +"'Tis a pity, father, that the Saxons are not all under one leading; +then we might surely defend England against the Danes. If the people +did but rise and fall upon each band of Northmen as they arrived they +would get no footing among us." + +"Yes," the father replied, "it is the unhappy divisions between the +Saxon kingdoms which have enabled the Danes to get so firm a footing in +the land. Our only hope now lies in the West Saxons. Until lately they +were at feud with Mercia; but the royal families are now related by +marriage, seeing that the King of Mercia is wedded to a West Saxon +princess, and that Alfred, the West Saxon king's brother and heir to +the throne, has lately espoused one of the royal blood of Mercia. The +fact that they marched at the call of the King of Mercia and drove the +Danes from Nottingham shows that the West Saxon princes are alive to +the common danger of the country, and if they are but joined heartily +by our people of East Anglia and the Mercians, they may yet succeed in +checking the progress of these heathen. And now, Edmund, as we see no +hope of any general effort to drive the Danes off our coasts, 'tis +useless for us to lurk here longer. I propose to-morrow, then, to +journey north into Lincolnshire, to the Abbey of Croyland, where, as +you know, my brother Theodore is the abbot; there we can rest in peace +for a time, and watch the progress of events. If we hear that the +people of these parts are aroused from their lethargy, we will come +back and fight for our home and lands; if not, I will no longer stay in +East Anglia, which I see is destined to fall piecemeal into the hands +of the Danes; but we will journey down to Somerset, and I will pray +King Ethelbert to assign me lands there, and to take me as his thane." + +While they had been thus talking Egbert had been broiling the eels and +wild ducks over the fire. He was a freeman, and a distant relation of +Edmund's father, Eldred, who was an ealdorman in West Norfolk, his +lands lying beyond Thetford, and upon whom, therefore, the first brunt +of the Danish invasion from Mercia had fallen. He had made a stout +resistance, and assembling his people had given battle to the invaders. +These, however, were too strong and numerous, and his force having been +scattered and dispersed, he had sought refuge with Egbert and his son +in the fen country. Here he had remained for two months in hopes that +some general effort would be made to drive back the Danes; but being +now convinced that at present the Angles were too disunited to join in +a common effort, he determined to retire for a while from the scene. + +"I suppose, father," Edmund said, "you will leave your treasures buried +here?" + +"Yes," his father replied; "we have no means of transporting them, and +we can at any time return and fetch them. We must dig up the big chest +and take such garments as we may need, and the personal ornaments of +our rank; but the rest, with the gold and silver vessels, can remain +here till we need them." + +Gold and silver vessels seem little in accordance with the primitive +mode of life prevailing in the ninth century. The Saxon civilization +was indeed a mixed one. Their mode of life was primitive, their +dwellings, with the exception of the religious houses and the abodes of +a few of the great nobles, simple in the extreme; but they possessed +vessels of gold and silver, armlets, necklaces, and ornaments of the +same metals, rich and brightly coloured dresses, and elaborate bed +furniture while their tables and household utensils were of the +roughest kind, and their floors strewn with rushes. When they invaded +and conquered England they found existing the civilization introduced +by the Romans, which was far in advance of their own; much of this they +adopted. The introduction of Christianity further advanced them in the +scale. + +The prelates and monks from Rome brought with them a high degree of +civilization, and this to no small extent the Saxons imitated and +borrowed. The church was held in much honour, great wealth and +possessions were bestowed upon it, and the bishops and abbots possessed +large temporal as well as spiritual power, and bore a prominent part in +the councils of the kingdoms. But even in the handsome and well-built +monasteries, with their stately services and handsome vestments, +learning was at the lowest ebb--so low, indeed, that when Prince Alfred +desired to learn Latin he could find no one in his father's dominions +capable of teaching him, and his studies were for a long time hindered +for want of an instructor, and at the time he ascended the throne he +was probably the only Englishman outside a monastery who was able to +read and write fluently. + +"Tell me, father," Edmund said after the meal was concluded, "about the +West Saxons, since it is to them, as it seems, that we must look for +the protection of England against the Danes. This Prince Alfred, of +whom I before heard you speak in terms of high praise, is the brother, +is he not, of the king? In that case how is it that he does not reign +in Kent, which I thought, though joined to the West Saxon kingdom, was +always ruled over by the eldest son of the king." + +"Such has been the rule, Edmund; but seeing the troubled times when +Ethelbert came to the throne, it was thought better to unite the two +kingdoms under one crown with the understanding that at Ethelbert's +death Alfred should succeed him. Their father, Ethelwulf, was a weak +king, and should have been born a churchman rather than a prince. He +nominally reigned over Wessex, Kent, and Mercia, but the last paid him +but a slight allegiance. Alfred was his favourite son, and he sent him, +when quite a child, to Rome for a visit. In 855 he himself, with a +magnificent retinue, and accompanied by Alfred, visited Rome, +travelling through the land of the Franks, and it was there, doubtless, +that Alfred acquired that love of learning, and many of those ideas, +far in advance of his people, which distinguish him. His mother, +Osburgha, died before he and his father started on the pilgrimage. The +king was received with much honour by the pope, to whom he presented a +gold crown of four pounds weight, ten dishes of the purest gold, a +sword richly set in gold, two gold images, some silver-gilt urns, +stoles bordered with gold and purple, white silken robes embroidered +with figures, and other costly articles of clothing for the celebration +of the service of the church, together with rich presents in gold and +silver to the churches, bishops, clergy, and other dwellers in Rome. +They say that the people of Rome marvelled much at these magnificent +gifts from a king of a country which they had considered as barbarous. +On his way back he married Judith, daughter of the King of the Franks; +a foolish marriage, for the king was far advanced in years and Judith +was but a girl. + +"Ethelbald, Ethelwulf's eldest son, had acted as regent in his father's +absence, and so angered was he at this marriage that he raised his +standard of revolt against his father. At her marriage Judith had been +crowned queen, and this was contrary to the customs of the West Saxons, +therefore Ethelbald was supported by the people of that country; on his +father's return to England, however, father and son met, and a division +of the kingdom was agreed upon. + +"Ethelbald received Wessex, the principal part of the kingdom, and +Ethelwulf took Kent, which he had already ruled over in the time of his +father Egbert. Ethelwulf died a few months afterwards, leaving Kent to +Ethelbert, his second surviving son. The following year, to the horror +and indignation of the people of the country, Ethelbald married his +stepmother Judith, but two years afterwards died, and Ethelbert, King +of Kent, again united Wessex to his own dominions, which consisted of +Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. Ethelbert reigned but a short time, and at +his death Ethelred, his next brother, ascended the throne. Last year +Alfred, the youngest brother, married Elswitha, the daughter of +Ethelred Mucil, Earl of the Gaini, in Lincolnshire, whose mother was +one of the royal family of Mercia. + +"It was but a short time after the marriage that the Danes poured into +Mercia from the north. Messengers were sent to ask the assistance of +the West Saxons. These at once obeyed the summons, and, joining the +Mercians, marched against the Danes, who shut themselves up in the +strong city of Nottingham, and were there for some time besieged. The +place was strong, the winter at hand, and the time of the soldiers' +service nearly expired. A treaty was accordingly made by which the +Danes were allowed to depart unharmed to the north side of the Humber, +and the West Saxons returned to their kingdom. + +"Such is the situation at present, but we may be sure that the Danes +will not long remain quiet, but will soon gather for another invasion; +ere long, too, we may expect another of their great fleets to arrive +somewhere off these coasts, and every Saxon who can bear arms had need +take the field to fight for our country and faith against these heathen +invaders. Hitherto, Edmund, as you know, I have deeply mourned the +death of your mother, and of your sisters who died in infancy; but now +I feel that it is for the best, for a terrible time is before us. We +men can take refuge in swamp and forest, but it would have been hard +for delicate women; and those men are best off who stand alone and are +able to give every thought and energy to the defence of their country. +'Tis well that you are now approaching an age when the Saxon youth are +wont to take their place in the ranks of battle. I have spared no pains +with your training in arms, and though assuredly you lack strength yet +to cope in hand-to-hand conflict with these fierce Danes, you may yet +take your part in battle, with me on one side of you and Egbert on the +other. I have thought over many things of late, and it seems to me that +we Saxons have done harm in holding the people of this country as +serfs." + +"Why, father," Edmund exclaimed in astonishment, "surely you would not +have all men free and equal." + +"The idea seems strange to you, no doubt, Edmund, and it appears only +natural that some men should be born to rule and others to labour, but +this might be so even without serfdom, since, as you know, the poorer +freemen labour just as do the serfs, only they receive a somewhat +larger guerdon for their toil; but had the two races mixed more closely +together, had serfdom been abolished and all men been free and capable +of bearing arms, we should have been able to show a far better front to +the Danes, seeing that the serfs are as three to one to the freemen." + +"But the serfs are cowardly and spiritless," Edmund said; "they are not +of a fighting race, and fell almost without resistance before our +ancestors when they landed here." + +"Their race is no doubt inferior to our own, Edmund," his father said, +"seeing that they are neither so tall nor so strong as we Saxons, but +of old they were not deficient in bravery, for they fought as stoutly +against the Romans as did our own hardy ancestors. After having been +for hundreds of years subject to the Roman yoke, and having no occasion +to use arms, they lost their manly virtues, and when the Romans left +them were an easy prey for the first comer. Our fathers could not +foresee that the time would come when they too in turn would be +invaded. Had they done so, methinks they would not have set up so broad +a line of separation between themselves and the Britons, but would have +admitted the latter to the rights of citizenship, in which case +intermarriage would have taken place freely, and the whole people would +have become amalgamated. The Britons, accustomed to our free +institutions, and taking part in the wars between the various Saxon +kingdoms, would have recovered their warlike virtues, and it would be +as one people that we should resist the Danes. As it is, the serfs, who +form by far the largest part of the population, are apathetic and +cowardly; they view the struggle with indifference, for what signifies +to them whether Dane or Saxon conquer; they have no interest in the +struggle, nothing to lose or to gain, it is but a change of masters." + +Edmund was silent. The very possibility of a state of things in which +there should be no serfs, and when all men should be free and equal, +had never occurred to him; but he had a deep respect for his father, +who bore indeed the reputation of being one of the wisest and most +clear-headed of the nobles of East Anglia, and it seemed to him that +this strange and novel doctrine contained much truth in it. Still the +idea was as strange to him as it would have been to the son of a +southern planter in America half a century ago. The existence of slaves +seemed as much a matter of course as that of horses or dogs, and +although he had been accustomed to see from time to time freedom +bestowed upon some favourite serf as a special reward for services, the +thought of a general liberation of the slaves was strange and almost +bewildering, and he lay awake puzzling over the problem long after his +father and kinsman had fallen asleep. + + + + +CHAPTER II: THE BATTLE OF KESTEVEN + + +The following morning early the little party started. The great chest +was dug up from its place of concealment, and they resumed their +ordinary dresses. The ealdorman attired himself in a white tunic with a +broad purple band round the lower edge, with a short cloak of green +cloth. This was fastened with a gold brooch at the neck; a necklet of +the same metal and several gold bracelets completed his costume, except +that he wore a flat cap and sandals. Edmund had a green tunic and cloak +of deep red colour; while Egbert was dressed in yellow with a green +cloak--the Saxons being extremely fond of bright colours. + +All wore daggers, whose sheaths were incrusted in silver, in their +belts, and the ealdorman and his kinsman carried short broad-bladed +swords, while Edmund had his boar-spear. Eldred placed in the pouch +which hung at his side a bag containing a number of silver cubes cut +from a long bar and roughly stamped. The chest was then buried again in +its place of concealment among the bushes near the hut, Edmund placed +his bows and arrows in the boat--not that in which Edmund had fished, +but the much larger and heavier craft which Eldred and Egbert had +used--and then the party, with the hound, took their places in it. The +ealdorman and Egbert were provided with long poles, and with these they +sent the little boat rapidly through the water. + +After poling their way for some eight hours they reached the town of +Norwich, to which the Danes had not yet penetrated; here, procuring +what articles they needed, they proceeded on their journey to Croyland, +making a great circuit to avoid the Danes at Thetford. The country was +for the most part covered with thick forests, where the wild boar and +deer roamed undisturbed by man, and where many wolves still lurked, +although the number in the country had been greatly diminished by the +energetic measures which King Egbert had taken for the destruction of +these beasts. Their halting-places were for the most part at religious +houses, which then served the purpose of inns for travellers, being +freely opened to those whom necessity or pleasure might cause to +journey. Everywhere they found the monks in a state of alarm at the +progress of the Danes, who, wherever they went, destroyed the churches +and religious houses, and slew the monks. + +Eldred was everywhere received with marked honour; being known as a +wise and valiant noble, his opinions on the chances of the situation +were eagerly listened to, and he found the monks at all their +halting-places prepared, if need be, to take up arms and fight the +pagan invaders, as those of Mercia and Wessex had done in the preceding +autumn. The travellers, on arriving at Croyland, were warmly welcomed. + +"I heard, brother," the abbot said, "that you had bravely fought +against the Danes near Thetford, and have been sorely anxious since the +news came of the dispersal of your force." + +"I have been in hiding," Eldred said, "hoping that a general effort +would be made against the invaders. My own power was broken, since all +my lands are in their hands. The people of East Anglia foolishly seem +to suppose that, so long as the Danes remain quiet, the time has not +come for action. They will repent their lethargy some day, for, as the +Danes gather in strength, they will burst out over the surrounding +country as a dammed-up river breaks its banks. No, brother, I regard +East Anglia as lost so far as depends upon itself; its only hope is in +the men of Kent and Wessex, whom we must now look upon as our +champions, and who may yet stem the tide of invasion and drive back the +Danes. This abbey of yours stands in a perilous position, being not far +removed from the Humber, where so many of the Danes find entrance to +England." + +"It is not without danger, Eldred, but the men of the fens are +numerous, hardy and brave, and will offer a tough resistance to any who +may venture to march hitherward, and if, as I hope, you will stay with +us, and will undertake their command, we may yet for a long time keep +the Danes from our doors." + +For some weeks the time passed quietly. Edmund spent most of his time +in hunting, being generally accompanied by Egbert. The Saxon was an +exceedingly tall and powerful man, slow and scanty of speech, who had +earned for himself the title of Egbert the Silent. He was devoted to +his kinsmen and regarded himself as special guardian of Edmund. He had +instructed him in the use of arms, and always accompanied him when he +went out to hunt the boar, standing ever by his side to aid him to +receive the rush of the wounded and furious beasts; and more than once, +when Edmund had been borne down by their onslaughts, and would have +been severely wounded, if not killed, a sweeping blow of Egbert's sword +had rid him of his assailant. + +Sometimes Edmund made excursions in the fens, where with nets and +snares he caught the fish which swarmed in the sluggish waters; or, +having covered his boat with a leafy bower until it resembled a +floating bush, drifted close to the flocks of wild-fowl, and with his +bow and arrows obtained many a plump wild duck. Smaller birds were +caught in snares or traps, or with bird-lime smeared on twigs. Eldred +seldom joined his son in his hunting excursions, as he was busied with +his brother the abbot in concerting the measures of defence and in +organizing a band of messengers, who, on the first warning of danger, +could be despatched throughout the fens to call in the fisher +population to the defence of the abbey. + +It was on the 18th of September, 870, that a messenger arrived at the +abbey and craved instant speech with the prior. The latter, who was +closeted with his brother, ordered the man to be admitted. + +"I come," he said, "from Algar the ealdorman. He bids me tell you that +a great Danish host has landed from the Humber at Lindsay. The rich +monastery of Bardenay has been pillaged and burned. Algar is assembling +all the inhabitants of the marsh lands to give them battle, and he +prays you to send what help you can spare, for assuredly they will +march hither should he be defeated." + +"Return to the ealdorman," the abbot said; "tell him that every lay +brother and monk who can bear arms shall march hence to join him under +the command of lay brother Toley, whose deeds of arms against the Danes +in Mercia are well known to him. My brother here, Eldred, will head all +the inhabitants of the marshes of this neighbourhood. With these and +the brothers of the abbey, in all, as I reckon, nigh four hundred men, +he will to-morrow march to join Algar." + +Messengers were at once sent off through the surrounding country +bidding every man assemble on the morrow morning at Croyland, and soon +after daybreak they began to arrive. Some were armed with swords, some +with long sickles, used in cutting rushes, tied to poles, some had +fastened long pieces of iron to oars to serve as pikes. They were a +rough and somewhat ragged throng, but Eldred saw with satisfaction that +they were a hard and sturdy set of men, accustomed to fatigue and +likely to stand firm in the hour of battle. + +Most of them carried shields made of platted osiers covered with skin. +The armoury of the abbey was well supplied, and swords and axes were +distributed among the worst armed of the fenmen. Then, with but little +order or regularity, but with firm and cheerful countenances, as men +determined to win or die, the band moved off under Eldred's command, +followed by the contingent of the abbey, eighty strong, under lay +brother Toley. + +A sturdy band were these monks, well fed and vigorous. They knew that +they had no mercy to expect from the Danes, and, regarding them as +pagans and enemies of their religion as well as of their country, could +be trusted to do their utmost. Late that evening they joined Algar at +the place they had appointed, and found that a large number of the +people of the marshes had gathered round his banner. + +The Danes had not moved as yet from Bardenay, and Algar determined to +wait for another day or two before advancing, in order to give time to +others farther from the scene of action to arrive. + +The next day came the contingents from several other priories and +abbeys, and the sight of the considerable force gathered together gave +heart and confidence to all. Algar, Eldred, and the other leaders, +Morcar, Osgot, and Harding, moved about among the host, encouraging +them with cheering words, warning them to be in no way intimidated by +the fierce appearance of the Danes, but to hold steadfast and firm in +the ranks, and to yield no foot of ground to the onslaught of the +enemy. Many priests had accompanied the contingents from the religious +houses, and these added their exhortations to those of the leaders, +telling the men that God would assuredly fight on their side against +the heathen, and bidding each man remember that defeat meant the +destruction of their churches and altars, the overthrow of their whole +religion, and the restored worship of the pagan gods. + +Edmund went about among the gathering taking great interest in the wild +scene, for these marsh men differed much in their appearance from the +settled inhabitants of his father's lands. The scenes in the camp were +indeed varied in their character. Here and there were harpers with +groups of listeners gathered round, as they sung the exploits of their +fathers, and animated their hearers to fresh fire and energy by +relating legends of the cruelty of the merciless Danes. Other groups +there were surrounding the priests, who were appealing to their +religious feelings as well as to their patriotism. + +Men sat about sharpening their weapons, fixing on more firmly the +handles of their shields, adjusting arrows to bowstrings, and preparing +in other ways for the coming fight. From some of the fires, round which +the marsh men were sitting, came snatches of boisterous song, while +here and there, apart from the crowd, priests were hearing confessions, +and shriving penitents. + +The next morning early, one of the scouts, who had been sent to observe +the movements of the Danes, reported that these were issuing from their +camp, and advancing into the country. + +Algar marshalled his host, each part under its leaders, and moved to +meet them. Near Kesteven the armies came in sight of each other, and +after advancing until but a short distance apart both halted to marshal +their ranks anew. Eldred, with the men of the marshes near Croyland and +the contingent from the abbey, had their post in the central division, +which was commanded by Algar himself, Edmund took post by his father, +and Egbert stood beside him. + +Edmund had never before seen the Danes, and he could not but admit that +their appearance was enough to shake the stoutest heart. All carried +great shields covering them from head to foot. These were composed of +wood, bark, or leather painted or embossed, and in the cases of the +chiefs plated with gold and silver. So large were these that in naval +encounters, if the fear of falling into the enemy's hands forced them +to throw themselves into the sea, they could float on their shields; +and after death in battle a soldier was carried to his grave on his +buckler. As they stood facing the Saxons they locked their shields +together so as to form a barrier well-nigh impregnable against the +arrows. + +All wore helmets, the common men of leather, the leaders of iron or +copper, while many in addition wore coats of mail. Each carried a +sword, a battle-axe, and a bow and arrows. Some of the swords were +short and curled like a scimitar; others were long and straight, and +were wielded with both hands. They wore their hair long and hanging +down their shoulders, and for the most part shaved their cheeks and +chins, but wore their moustaches very long. + +They were, for the most, tall, lithe, and sinewy men, but physically in +no way superior to the Saxons, from whom they differed very widely in +complexion, the Saxons being fair while the Danes were very dark, as +much so as modern gypsies; indeed, the Saxon historians speak of them +as the black pagans. Upon the other hand many of the Northmen, being +Scandinavians, were as fair as the Saxons themselves. + +The Danes began the battle, those in front shouting fiercely, and +striking their swords on their shields with a clashing noise, while the +ranks behind shot a shower of arrows among the Saxons. These at once +replied. The combat was not continued long at a distance, for the Danes +with a mighty shout rushed upon the Saxons. These stood their ground +firmly and a desperate conflict ensued. The Saxon chiefs vied with each +other in acts of bravery, and singling out the leaders of the Danes +engaged with them in hand-to-hand conflict. + +Algar had placed his swordsmen in the front line, those armed with +spears in the second; and as the swordsmen battled with the Danes the +spearmen, when they saw a shield uplifted to guard the head, thrust +under with their weapons and slew many. Edmund, seeing that with his +sword he should have but little chance against these fierce soldiers, +fell a little behind his father and kinsman, and as these were engaged +with the enemy he from time to time, when he saw an opportunity, rushed +in and delivered a thrust with his spear at an unguarded point. The +Saxon shouts rose louder and louder as the Danes in vain endeavoured to +break through their line. The monks fought stoutly, and many a fierce +Norseman fell before their blows. + +The Danes, who had not expected so firm a resistance, began to +hesitate, and Algar giving the word, the Saxons took the offensive, and +the line pressed forward step by step. The archers poured their arrows +in a storm among the Danish ranks. These fell back before the +onslaught. Already three of their kings and many of their principal +leaders had fallen, and at last, finding themselves unable to withstand +the impetuous onslaught of the Saxons, they turned and fled in +confusion towards their camp. The Saxons with exulting shouts pursued +them, and great numbers were slaughtered. The Danes had, however, as +was their custom, fortified the camp before advancing, and Algar drew +off his troops, deeming that it would be better to defer the attack on +this position until the following day. + +There was high feasting in the Saxon camp that evening, but this was +brought to an abrupt conclusion by the arrival of a scout, who reported +that a great Danish army marching from the Humber was approaching the +camp of the compatriots. The news was but too true. The kings Guthorn, +Bergsecg, Oskytal, Halfdene, and Amund, and the Jarls Frene, Hingwar, +Hubba, and the two Sidrocs, with all their followers, had marched down +from Yorkshire to join the invaders who had just landed. + +The news of this immense reinforcement spread consternation among the +Angles. In vain their leaders went about among them and exhorted them +to courage, promising them another victory as decisive as that they had +won that day. Their entreaties were in vain, for when the morning +dawned it was found that three-fourths of their number had left the +camp during the night, and had made off to the marshes and fastnesses. + +A council of the chiefs was held. The chances of conflict appeared +hopeless, so vastly were they out-numbered by the Danes. Algar, +however, declared that he would die rather than retreat. + +"If we fly now," he said, "all East Anglia will fall into the hands of +the heathen. Even should we fight and fall, the example of what a +handful of brave men can do against the invaders will surely animate +the Angles to further resistance; while if we conquer, so great a blow +will be dealt to the renown of these Danes that all England will rise +against them." + +On hearing these words all the chiefs came to the determination to win +or die as they stood. Eldred took Edmund aside after this determination +had been arrived at. + +"My son," he said, "I allowed you yesterday to stand by my side in +battle, and well and worthily did you bear yourself, but to-day you +must withdraw. The fight is well-nigh hopeless, and I believe that all +who take part in it are doomed to perish. I would not that my house +should altogether disappear, and shall die more cheerfully in the hope +that some day you will avenge me upon these heathen. Therefore, Edmund, +I bid you take station at a distance behind the battle, so that when +you see the day goes against us you may escape in time. I shall urge +our faithful Egbert to endeavour, when he sees that all is lost, to +make his way from the fight and rejoin you, and to journey with you to +Wessex and there present you to the king. For myself, if the battle is +lost I shall die rather than fly. Such is the resolution of Algar and +our other brave chiefs, and Eldred the ealdorman must not be the only +one of the leaders to run from the fray." + +Edmund was deeply touched at his father's words, but the parental rule +was so strict in those days that it did not even enter his mind to +protest against Eldred's decision. + +As the morning went on the Danes were engaged in the funeral ceremonies +of their dead kings, while the Saxons, quiet and resolute, received the +holy sacrament and prepared for the fight. Algar chose a position on +rising ground. He himself with Eldred commanded the centre, Toley and +Morcar led the right wing, Osgot and Harding the left. + +Each of these wings contained about five hundred men. Algar's centre, +which was a little withdrawn from its wings, contained about 200 of his +best warriors, and was designed as a reserve, with which, if need be, +he could move to the assistance of either of the wings which might be +sorely pressed and in danger. The Saxons formed in a solid mass with +their bucklers linked together. The Danish array which issued out from +their camp was vastly superior in numbers, and was commanded by four +kings and eight jarls or earls, while two kings and four earls remained +in charge of the camp, and of the great crowd of prisoners, for the +most part women and children, whom they had brought with them. + +With the Danes who had come down from Yorkshire were a large body of +horsemen, who charged furiously down upon the Saxons; but these +maintained so firm an array with their lances and spears projecting +outward that the Danes failed to break through them, and after making +repeated efforts and suffering heavy loss they drew back. Then the +Danish archers and slingers poured in a storm of missiles, but these +effected but little harm, as the Saxons stooped a little behind their +closely packed line of bucklers, which were stout enough to keep out +the shower of arrows. All day the struggle continued. Again and again +the Danes strove to break the solid Saxon array, and with sword and +battle-axe attempted to hew down the hedge of spears, but in vain. At +last their leaders, convinced that they could not overcome the +obstinacy of the resistance, ordered their followers to feign a retreat. + +As the Danes turned to fly the Saxons set up a triumphant shout, and +breaking up their solid phalanx rushed after them in complete disorder. +In vain Algar, Osgot, Toley, Eldred, and the other leaders shouted to +them to stand firm. Weary of their long inactivity, and convinced that +the Danes were routed, the Saxons pursued them across the plain. +Suddenly the Danish horse, who after failing to break through the ranks +had remained apart at a short distance from the conflict, dashed down +upon the disordered Saxons, while the flying infantry turning round +also fell upon them with exulting shouts. + +Taken wholly by surprise, confused and disordered, the Saxons could +offer no effectual opposition to the charge. The Danish horse rode +among them hewing and slaying, and the swords and battle-axes of the +footmen completed the work. In a few minutes of all the Saxon band +which had for so many hours successfully resisted the onslaught of the +Danes, not one survived save a few fleet-footed young men who, throwing +away their arms, succeeded in making their escape, and a little group, +consisting of Algar, Toley, Eldred, and the other leaders who had +gathered together when their men broke their ranks and had taken up +their position on a knoll of ground rising above the plain. Here for a +long time they resisted the efforts of the whole of the Danes, +surrounding themselves with a heap of slain; but at length one by one +they succumbed to the Danish onslaught, each fighting valiantly to the +last. + +From his position at a distance Edmund watched the last desperate +struggle. With streaming eyes and a heart torn by anxiety for his +father he could see the Danish foe swarming round the little band who +defended the crest. These were lost from his sight, and only the +flashing of swords showed where the struggle was still going on in the +centre of the confused mass. Edmund had been on his knees for some +time, but he now rose. + +"Come, old boy," he said to the hound, who lay beside him watching the +distant conflict and occasionally uttering deep angry growls. "I must +obey my father's last command; let us away." + +He took one more glance at the distant conflict before turning. It was +plain that it was nearly finished. The swords had well-nigh ceased to +rise and fall when he saw a sudden movement in the throng of Danes and +suddenly a man burst out from them and started at headlong speed +towards him, pursued by a number of Danes. Even at that distance Edmund +thought that he recognized the tall figure of his kinsman, but he had +no time to assure himself of this, and he at once, accompanied by the +hound, set off at the top of his speed from the field of battle. He had +fully a quarter of a mile start, and being active and hardy and +accustomed to exercise from his childhood, he had no fear that the +Danes would overtake him. Still he ran his hardest. + +Looking over his shoulder from time to time he saw that at first the +Danes who were pursuing the fugitive were gaining upon him also, but +after a time he again increased the distance, while, being unencumbered +with shield or heavy weapons, the fugitive kept the advantage he had at +first gained. Three miles from the battle-field Edmund reached the edge +of a wide-spreading wood. Looking round as he entered its shelter he +saw that the flying Saxon was still about a quarter of a mile behind +him, and that the Danes, despairing of over-taking him, had ceased +their pursuit. Edmund therefore checked his footsteps and awaited the +arrival of the fugitive, who he now felt certain was his kinsman. + +In a few minutes Egbert came up, having slackened his speed +considerably when he saw that he was no longer pursued. He was bleeding +from several wounds, and now that the necessity for exertion had passed +he walked but feebly along. Without a word he flung himself on the +ground by Edmund and buried his face in his arms, and the lad could see +by the shaking of his broad shoulders that he was weeping bitterly. The +great hound walked up to the prostrate figure and gave vent to a long +and piteous howl, and then lying down by Egbert's side placed his head +on his shoulder. + + + + +CHAPTER III: THE MASSACRE AT CROYLAND + + +Edmund wept sorely for some time, for he knew that his kinsman's +agitation could be only caused by the death of his father. At last he +approached Egbert. + +"My brave kinsman," he said, "I need ask you no questions, for I know +but too well that my dear father has fallen; but rouse yourself, I pray +you; let me bandage your wounds, which bleed fast, for you will want +all your strength, and we must needs pursue our way well into the +forest, for with to-morrow's dawn the Danes will scatter over the whole +country." + +"Yes," Egbert said, turning round and sitting up, "I must not in my +grief forget my mission, and in truth I am faint with loss of blood. It +was well the Danes stopped when they did, for I felt my strength +failing me, and could have held out but little further. Yes, Edmund," +he continued, as the lad, tearing strips from his garments, proceeded +to bandage his wounds, "your father is dead. Nobly, indeed, did he +fight; nobly did he die, with a circle of dead Danes around him. He, +Algar, Toley, and myself were the last four to resist. Back to back we +stood, and many were the Danes who fell before our blows. Toley fell +first and then Algar. The Danes closed closer around us. Still we +fought on, till your father was beaten to his knee, and then he cried +to me, 'Fly, Egbert, to my son.' Then I flung myself upon the Danes +like a wild boar upon the dogs, and with the suddenness of my rush and +the heavy blows of my battle-axe cut a way for myself through them. It +was well-nigh a miracle, and I could scarce believe it when I was free. +I flung away my shield and helmet as soon as I had well begun to run, +for I felt the blood gushing out from a dozen wounds, and knew that I +should want all my strength. I soon caught sight of you running ahead +of me. Had I found we were gaining upon you I should have turned off +and made another way to lead the Danes aside, but I soon saw that you +were holding your own, and so followed straight on. My knees trembled, +and I felt my strength was well-nigh gone, when, looking round, I found +the Danes had desisted from their pursuit. I grieve, Edmund, that I +should have left the battle alive when all the others have died +bravely, for, save a few fleet-footed youths, I believe that not a +single Saxon has escaped the fight; but your father had laid his +commands upon me, and I was forced to obey, though God knows I would +rather have died with the heroes on that field." + +"'Tis well for me that you did not, my good Egbert," Edmund said, +drying his eyes, "for what should I have done in this troubled land +without one protector?" + +"It was the thought of that," Egbert said, "that seemed to give me +strength as I dashed at the Danes. And now, methinks, I am strong +enough to walk again. Let us make our way far into the forest, then we +must rest for the night. A few hours' sleep will make a fresh man of +me, and to-morrow morning we will go to Croyland and see what the good +abbot your uncle proposes to do, then will we to the hut where we dwelt +before coming hither. We will dig up the chest and take out such +valuables as we can carry, and then make for Wessex. After this day's +work I have no longer any hope that East Anglia will successfully +oppose the Danes. And yet the Angles fought well, and for every one of +them who has fallen in these two days' fighting at least four Danes +must have perished. Have you food, Edmund, for in truth after such a +day's work I would not lie down supperless?" + +"I have in my pouch here, Egbert, some cakes, which I cooked this +morning, and a capon which one of the monks of Croyland gave me. I was +tempted to throw it away as I ran." + +"I am right glad, Edmund, that the temptation was not too strong for +you. If we can find a spring we shall do well." + +It was now getting dark, but after an hour's walk through the forest +they came upon a running stream. They lit a fire by its side, and +sitting down ate the supper, of which both were in much need. Wolf +shared the repast, and then the three lay down to sleep. Egbert, +overcome by the immense exertions he had made during the fight, was +soon asleep; but Edmund, who had done his best to keep a brave face +before his kinsman, wept for hours over the loss of his gallant father. + +On the following morning Egbert and Edmund started for Croyland. The +news of the defeat at Kesteven had already reached the abbey, and +terror and consternation reigned there. Edmund went at once to his +uncle and informed him of the circumstance of the death of his father +and the annihilation of the Saxon army. + +"Your news, Edmund, is even worse than the rumours which had reached +me, and deeply do I grieve for the loss of my brave brother and of the +many valiant men who died with him. This evening or to-morrow the +spoilers will be here, and doubtless will do to Croyland as they have +done to all the other abbeys and monasteries which have fallen into +their hands. Before they come you and Egbert must be far away. Have you +bethought you whither you will betake yourselves?" + +"We are going to the king of the West Saxons," Edmund replied. "Such +was my father's intention, and I fear that all is now lost in East +Anglia." + +"'Tis your best course, and may God's blessing and protection rest upon +you!" + +"But what are you going to do, uncle? Surely you will not remain here +until the Danes arrive, for though they may spare other men they have +no mercy on priests and monks?" + +"I shall assuredly remain here, Edmund, at my post, and as my brother +Eldred and Earl Algar and their brave companions died at their posts in +the field of battle, so I am prepared to die here where God has placed +me. I shall retain here with me only a few of the most aged and infirm +monks, too old to fly or to support the hardships of the life of a +hunted fugitive in the fens; together with some of the children who +have fled here, and who, too, could not support such a life. It may be +that when the fierce Danes arrive and find nought but children and aged +men even their savage breasts may be moved to pity; but if not, God's +will be done. The younger brethren will seek refuge in the fens, and +will carry with them the sacred relics of the monastery. The most holy +body of St. Guthlac with his scourge and psalmistry, together with the +most valuable jewels and muniments, the charters of the foundation of +the abbey, given by King Ethelbald, and the confirmation thereof by +other kings, with some of the most precious gifts presented to the +abbey." + +Edmund and Egbert set to work to assist the weeping monks in making +preparations for their departure. A boat was laden with the relics of +the saints, the muniments of the king, and the most precious vessels. +The table of the great altar covered with plates of gold, which King +Wichtlof had presented, with ten gold chalices, and many other vessels, +was thrown into the well of the convent. + +In the distance the smoke of several villages could now be seen rising +over the plain, and it was clear that the Danes were approaching. The +ten priests and twenty monks who were to leave now knelt, and received +the solemn benediction of the abbot, then, with Edmund and Egbert, they +took their places in the boat and rowed away to the wood of Ancarig, +which lay not far from the abbey. + +The abbot Theodore and the aged monks and priests now returned to the +church, and, putting on their vestments, commenced the services of the +day; the abbot himself celebrated high mass, assisted by brother Elfget +the deacon, brother Savin the sub-deacon, and the brothers Egelred and +Wyelric, youths who acted as taper-bearers. When the mass was finished, +just as the abbot and his assistants had partaken of the holy +communion, the Danes burst into the church. The abbot was slain upon +the holy altar by the hand of the Danish king Oskytal, and the other +priests and monks were beheaded by the executioner. + +The old men and children in the choir were seized and tortured to +disclose where the treasures of the abbey were concealed, and were also +put to death with the prior and sub-prior. Turgar, an acolyte of ten +years of age; a remarkably beautiful boy, stood by the side of the +sub-prior as he was murdered and fearlessly confronted the Danes, and +bade them put him to death with the holy father. The young Earl Sidroc, +however, struck with the bearing of the child, and being moved with +compassion, stripped him of his robe and cowl, and threw over him a +long Danish tunic without sleeves, and ordering him to keep close by +him, made his way out of the monastery, the boy being the only one who +was saved from the general massacre. + +The Danes, furious at being able to find none of the treasures of the +monastery, broke open all the shrines and levelled the marble tombs, +including those of St. Guthlac, the holy virgin Ethelbritha, and many +others, but found in these none of the treasure searched for. They +piled the bodies of the saints in a heap, and burned them, together +with the church and all the buildings of the monastery; then, with vast +herds of cattle and other plunder, they moved away from Croyland, and +attacked the monastery of Medeshamsted. Here the monks made a brave +resistance. The Danes brought up machines and attacked the monastery on +all sides, and effected a breach in the walls. Their first assault, +however, was repelled, and Fulba, the brother of Earl Hulba, was +desperately wounded by a stone. + +Hulba was so infuriated at this that when, at the second assault, the +monastery was captured, he slew with his own hand everyone of the +monks, while all the country people who had taken refuge within the +walls were slaughtered by his companions, not one escaping. The altars +were levelled to the ground, the monuments broken in pieces. The great +library of parchments and charters was burnt. The holy relics were +trodden under foot, and the church itself, with all the monastic +buildings, burnt to the ground. Four days later, the Danes, having +devastated the whole country round and collected an enormous booty, +marched away against Huntingdon. + +Edmund and Egbert remained but a few hours with the monks who had +escaped from the sack of Croyland; for, as soon as they saw the flames +mounting up above the church, they knew that the Danes had accomplished +their usual work of massacre, and there being no use in their making +further stay, they started upon their journey. They travelled by easy +stages, for time was of no value to them. For the most part their way +lay among forests, and when once they had passed south of Thetford they +had no fear of meeting with the Danes. Sometimes they slept at +farm-houses or villages, being everywhere hospitably received, the more +so when it was known that Edmund was the son of the brave ealdorman +Eldred; but the news which they brought of the disastrous battle of +Kesteven, and the southward march of the great Danish army, filled +everyone with consternation. + +The maids and matrons wept with terror at the thought of the coming of +these terrible heathen, and although the men everywhere spoke of +resistance to the last, the prospect seemed so hopeless that even the +bravest were filled with grief and despair. Many spoke of leaving their +homes and retiring with their wives and families, their serfs and herds +to the country of the West Saxons, where alone there appeared any hope +of a successful resistance being made. Wherever they went Edmund and +Egbert brought by their news lamentation and woe to the households they +entered, and at last Edmund said: + +"Egbert, let us enter no more houses until we reach the end of our +journey; wherever we go we are messengers of evil, and turn houses of +feasting into abodes of grief. Every night we have the same sad story +to tell, and have to witness the weeping and wailing of women. A +thousand times better were it to sleep among the woods, at any rate +until we are among the West Saxons, where our news may cause +indignation and rage at least, but where it will arouse a brave resolve +to resist to the last instead of the hopelessness of despair." + +Egbert thoroughly agreed with the lad, and henceforth they entered no +houses save to buy bread and mead. Of meat they had plenty, for as they +passed through the forests Wolf was always upon the alert, and several +times found a wild boar in his lair, and kept him at bay until Edmund +and Egbert ran up and with spears and swords slew him. This supplied +them amply with meat, and gave them indeed far more than they could +eat, but they exchanged portions of the flesh for bread in the +villages. At last they came down upon the Thames near London, and +crossing the river journeyed west. They were now in the kingdom of the +West Saxons, the most warlike and valiant of the peoples of England, +and who had gradually extended their sway over the whole of the +country. The union was indeed but little more than nominal, as the +other kings retained their thrones, paying only a tribute to the West +Saxon monarchs. + +As Egbert had predicted, their tale of the battle of Kesteven here +aroused no feeling save that of wrath and a desire for vengeance upon +the Danes. Swords were grasped, and all swore by the saints of what +should happen to the invaders should they set foot in Wessex. The +travellers felt their spirits rise at the martial and determined aspect +of the people. + +"It is a sad pity," Egbert said to Edmund one day, "that these West +Saxons had not had time to unite England firmly together before the +Danes set foot on the island. It is our divisions which have rendered +their task so far easy. Northumbria, Mercia, and East Anglia have one +by one been invaded, and their kings have had to fight single-handed +against them, whereas had one strong king reigned over the whole +country, so that all our force could have been exerted against the +invader wherever he might land, the Danes would never have won a foot +of our soil. The sad day of Kesteven showed at least that we are able +to fight the Danes man for man. The first day we beat them, though they +were in superior numbers, the second we withstood them all day, +although they were ten to one against us, and they would never have +triumphed even then had our men listened to their leaders and kept +their ranks. I do not believe that even the West Saxons could have +fought more bravely than did our men on that day; but they are better +organized, their king is energetic and determined, and when the Danes +invade Wessex they will find themselves opposed by the whole people +instead of merely a hastily raised assemblage gathered in the +neighbourhood." + +They presently approached Reading, where there was a royal fortress, in +which King Ethelred and his brother Alfred were residing. + +"It is truly a fine city," Edmund said as he approached it; "its walls +are strong and high, and the royal palace, which rises above them, is +indeed a stately building." + +They crossed the river and entered the gates of the town. There was +great bustle and traffic in the streets, cynings, or nobles, passed +along accompanied by parties of thanes, serfs laden with fuel or +provisions made their way in from the surrounding country, while +freemen, with their shields flung across their shoulders and their +swords by their sides, stalked with an independent air down the streets. + +The travellers approached the royal residence. The gates were open, and +none hindered their entrance, for all who had business were free to +enter the royal presence and to lay their complaints or petitions +before the king. + +Entering they found themselves in a large hall. The lower end of this +was occupied by many people, who conversed together in little groups or +awaited the summons of the king. Across the upper end of the room was a +raised dais, and in the centre of this was a wide chair capable of +holding three persons. The back and sides were high and richly carved. +A table supported by four carved and gilded legs stood before it. Two +persons were seated in the chair. + +One was a man of three or four and twenty, the other was his junior by +some two years. Both wore light crowns of gold somewhat different in +their fashion. Before the younger was a parchment, an inkhorn, and +pens. King Ethelred was a man of a pleasant face, but marked by care +and by long vigils and rigorous fastings. Alfred was a singularly +handsome young prince, with an earnest and intellectual face. Both had +their faces shaven smooth. Ethelred wore his hair parted in the middle, +and falling low on each side of the face, but Alfred's was closely cut. +On the table near the younger brother stood a silver harp. + +Edmund looked with great curiosity and interest on the young prince, +who was famous throughout England for his great learning, his wisdom, +and sweetness of temper. Although the youngest of the king's brothers, +he had always been regarded as the future King of England, and had his +father survived until he reached the age of manhood, he would probably +have succeeded directly to the throne. The law of primogeniture was by +no means strictly observed among the Saxons, a younger brother of +marked ability or of distinguished prowess in war being often chosen by +a father to succeed him in place of his elder brothers. + +Alfred had been his father's favourite son. He had when a child been +consecrated by the pope as future King of England; and his two journeys +to Rome, and his residence at the court of the Frankish king had, with +his own great learning and study, given him a high prestige and +reputation among his people as one learned in the ways of the world. +Although but a prince, his authority in the kingdom nearly equalled +that of his brother, and it was he rather than Ethelred whom men +regarded as the prop and stay of the Saxons in the perils which were +now threatening them. + +One after another, persons advanced to the table and laid their +complaints before the king; in cases of dispute both parties were +present and were often accompanied by witnesses. Ethelred and Alfred +listened attentively to all that was said on both sides, and then gave +their judgment. An hour passed, and then seeing that no one else +approached the table, Egbert, taking Edmund by the hand, led him +forward and knelt before the royal table. + +"Whom have we here?" the king said. "This youth is by his attire one of +noble race, but I know not his face." + +"We have come, sir king," Egbert said, "as fugitives and suppliants to +you. This is Edmund, the son of Ealdorman Eldred, a valiant cyning of +East Anglia, who, after fighting bravely against the Danes near +Thetford, joined Earl Algar, and died by his side on the fatal field of +Kesteven. He had himself purposed to come hither to you and to ask you +to accept him as your thane, and on the morn of the battle he charged +me if he fell to bring hither his son to you; and we pray you to +accept, in token of our homage to you, these vessels." + +And here he placed two handsome goblets of silver gilt upon the table. + +"I pray you rise," the king said. "I have assuredly heard of the brave +Eldred, and will gladly receive his son as my thane. I had not heard of +Eldred's death, though two days since the rumour of a heavy defeat of +the East Angles at Kesteven, and the sacrilegious destruction of the +holy houses of Bardenay, Croyland, and Medeshamsted reached our ears. +Were you present at the battle?" + +"I was, sir king," Egbert said, "and fought beside Earl Algar and my +kinsman the Ealdorman Eldred until both were slain by the Danes, and I +with difficulty cut my way through them and escaped to carry out my +kinsman's orders regarding his son." + +"You are a stout champion yourself," the king said, regarding with +admiration Egbert's huge proportions; "but tell us the story of this +battle, of which at present but vague rumours have reached us." Egbert +related the incidents of the battle of Kesteven. "It was bravely +fought," the king said when he had concluded; "right well and bravely, +and better fortune should have attended such valour. Truly the brave +Algar has shown that we Saxons have not lost the bravery which +distinguished our ancestors, and that, man for man, we are equal to +these heathen Danes." + +"But methinks," Prince Alfred said, "that the brave Algar and his +valiant companions did wrong to throw away their lives when all was +lost. So long as there is the remotest chance of victory it is the duty +of a leader to set an example of valour to his followers, but when all +is lost he should think of his country. What though the brave thanes +slew each a score of Danes before they died, their death has left their +countrymen without a leader, and by that one battle the Danes have made +themselves masters of the north of East Anglia. Better far had they, +when the day was lost, retreated, to gather the people together when a +better opportunity presented itself, and again to make head against the +invaders. It is heathen rather than Christian warfare thus to throw +away their lives rather than to retreat and wait for God's time to come +again. To stake all on one throw, which if lost loses a whole people, +seems to me the act of a gamester. I trust that, should the time ever +come, as it is too much to be feared it will ere long, that the Danes +invade my brother's kingdom of Wessex, I shall not be found wanting in +courage; but assuredly when defeated in battle I would not throw away +my life, for that belongs to our people rather than to myself, but +would retire to some refuge until I could again gather the Saxons +around me and attack the invaders. I like the face of the young +ealdorman, and doubt not that he will prove a valiant warrior like his +father. My brother will doubtless assign him lands for his maintenance +and yours; but if he will let me I will attach him to my person, and +will be at once a master and a friend to him. Wouldst thou like this, +young Edmund?" + +The lad, greatly pleased at the young prince's kindness of speech and +manner, replied enthusiastically that he would follow him to the death +if he would accept him as his faithful thane. + +"Had the times been more peaceful, Edmund," Alfred said, "I would fain +have imparted to you some of the little knowledge that I have gained, +for I see an intelligence in your face which tells me that you would +have proved an apt and eager pupil; but, alas, in the days that are +coming it is the sword rather than the book which will prevail, and the +cares of state, and the defence of the country, will shortly engross +all my time and leave me but little leisure for the studies I love so +well." + +"There are the lands," the king said, "of Eabald, Ealdorman of +Sherborne, in Dorset. He died but last week and has left no children. +These lands I will grant to Edmund in return for liege and true +service." The lad knelt before the king, and, kissing his hand, swore +to be his true and faithful thane, and to spend land, goods, and life +in his service. + +"And now," the king said, "since the audience is over, and none other +comes before us with petitions, we will retire to our private +apartments, and there my brother Alfred will present you to the fair +Elswitha, his wife." + +The room into which Egbert and Edmund followed the king and his brother +was spacious and lofty. The walls were covered with hangings of red +cloth, and a thick brown baize covered the floor. The ceiling was +painted a dark brown with much gilding. Round the sides of the room +stood several dressers of carved oak, upon which stood gold and silver +cups. + +On a table were several illuminated vellums. At Croyland Edmund had +seen a civilization far in advance of that to which he had been +accustomed in his father's abode; but he saw here a degree of luxury +and splendour which surprised him. Alfred had, during his two visits to +Rome, learned to appreciate the high degree of civilization which +reigned there, and many of the articles of furniture and other objects +which met Edmund's eye he had brought with him on his return with his +father from that city. + +Across the upper end of the room was a long table laid with a white +cloth. Elswitha was sitting in a large gilded chair by the great fire +which was blazing on the hearth. + +Prince Alfred presented Edmund and Egbert to her. Elswitha was well +acquainted with the Ealdorman Eldred, as his lands lay on the very +border of her native Mercia, and she received the lad and his kinsman +with great kindness. In a short time they took their places at table. +First the attendance brought in bowls containing broth, which they +presented, kneeling, to each of those at table. The broth was drunk +from the bowl itself; then a silver goblet was placed by each diner, +and was filled with wine. Fish was next served. Plates were placed +before each; but instead of their cutting food with their own daggers, +as Edmund had been accustomed to see in his father's house, knives were +handed round. After the fish came venison, followed by wild boar, +chickens, and other meats. After these confections, composed chiefly of +honey, were placed on the table. The king and Prince Alfred pledged +their guests when they drank. No forks were used, the meat as cut being +taken up by pieces of bread to the mouth. During the meal a harper +played and sung. + +Edmund observed the decorum with which his royal hosts fed, and the +care which they took to avoid dipping their fingers into their saucers +or their plates. He was also struck with the small amount of wine which +they took; for the Saxons in general were large feeders, and drank +heavily at their meals. + +When the dinner was over a page brought round a basin of warm water, in +which lavender had been crushed, and each dipped his fingers in this +and then dried them on the cloth. Then at Prince Alfred's request +Egbert again related in full the details of the two days' desperate +struggle at Kesteven, giving the most minute particulars of the Danes' +method of fighting. Egbert and Edmund then retired to the royal +guest-house adjoining the palace, where apartments were assigned to +them. + +After remaining for a week at Reading they took leave of the king and +started for the lands which he had assigned to Edmund. They were +accompanied by an officer of the royal household, who was to inform the +freemen and serfs of the estate that by the king's pleasure Edmund had +been appointed ealdorman of the lands. They found on arrival that the +house had been newly built, and was large and comfortable. The thanes +of the district speedily came in to pay their respects to their new +ealdorman, and although surprised to find him so young, they were +pleased with his bearing and manner, and knowing that he came of good +fighting blood doubted not that in time he would make a valiant leader. +All who came were hospitably entertained, and for many days there was +high feasting. So far removed was this part of England from the +district which the Danes had invaded, that at present but slight alarm +had been caused by them; but Edmund and his kinsman lost no time in +impressing upon them the greatness of the coming danger. + +"You may be sure," he said, "that ere long we shall see their galleys +on the coast. When they have eaten up Mercia and Anglia they will +assuredly come hither, and we shall have to fight for our lives, and +unless we are prepared it will go hard with us." + +After he had been at his new residence for a month Edmund sent out +messengers to all the thanes in his district requesting them to +assemble at a council, and then formally laid the matter before them. + +"It is, above all things," he said, "necessary that we should have some +place where we can place the women and children in case of invasion and +where we can ourselves retire in extreme necessity. Therefore I propose +that we shall build a fort of sufficient size to contain all the +inhabitants of the district, with many flocks and herds. My cousin +Egbert has ridden far over the country, and recommends that the Roman +fortification at Moorcaster shall be utilized. It is large in extent, +and has a double circle of earthen banks. These differ from those which +we are wont to build, since we Saxons always fill up the ground so as +to be flat with the top of the earthen banks, while the Romans left +theirs hollow. However, the space is so large that it would take a vast +labour to fill it up, therefore I propose that we should merely thicken +the banks, and should, in Saxon custom, build a wall with turrets upon +them. The sloping banks alone would be but a small protection against +the onslaught of the Danes, but stone walls are another matter, and +could only be carried after a long siege. If you fall in with my views +you will each of you send half your serfs to carry out the work, and I +will do the same, and will, moreover, pay fifty freemen who may do the +squaring of the stones and the proper laying of them." + +The proposal led to a long discussion, as some thought that there was +no occasion as yet to take such a measure; but the thanes finally +agreed to carry out Edmund's proposal. + + + + +CHAPTER IV: THE INVASION OF WESSEX + + +Edmund and Egbert devoted most of their time to the building of the new +fort, living very simply, and expended the whole of the revenues of the +lands on the payment of the freemen and masons engaged upon the work. +The Roman fort was a parallelogram, the sides being about 200 yards +long, and the ends half that length. It was surrounded by two earthen +banks with wide ditches. These were deepened considerably, and the +slopes were cut down more sharply. The inner bank was widened until it +was 15 feet across the top. + +On this the wall was built. It was faced on both sides with square +stones, the space between filled up with rubble and cement, the total +thickness being 4 feet. The height of the wall was 8 feet, and at +intervals of 30 yards apart towers were raised 10 feet above it, one of +these being placed at either side of the entrance. Here the bank was +cut away, and solid buttresses of masonry supported the high gates. The +opening in the outer bank was not opposite to the gate in the inner, +being fifty yards away, so that any who entered by it would have for +that distance to follow the ditch between the two banks, exposed to the +missiles of those on the wall before arriving at the inner gate. + +Five hundred men laboured incessantly at the work. The stone for the +walls was fortunately found close at hand, but, notwithstanding this, +the work took nearly six months to execute; deep wells were sunk in the +centre of the fort, and by this means an ample supply of water was +secured, however large might be the number within it. + +A very short time after the commencement of the work the news arrived +that King Edmund of East Anglia had gathered his forces together and +had met the Danes in a great battle near Thetford on Sunday the 20th of +November, and had been totally defeated by them, Edmund himself having +been taken prisoner. The captive king, after having been for a long +time cruelly tortured by the Danes, was shot to death with arrows. It +was not long after this that news came that the whole of East Anglia +had fallen into the hands of the Danes. + +Early in the month of February, 871, just as the walls of his fort had +begun to rise, a messenger arrived from the king bidding Edmund +assemble all the men in his earlship and march at once to join him near +Devizes, as the news had come that a great Danish fleet had sailed up +the Thames and had already captured the royal town of Reading. + +Messengers were sent out in all directions, and early the next morning, +400 men having assembled, Edmund and his kinsman marched away with them +towards Devizes. Upon their arrival at that town they found the king +and his brother with 8000 men, and the following day the army moved +east towards Reading. + +They had not marched many miles before a messenger arrived saying that +two of the Danish jarls with a great following had gone out to plunder +the country, that they had been encountered by Aethelwulf, Earl of +Berkshire, with his men at Englefield, and a fierce battle had taken +place. The Saxons had gained the victory, and great numbers of the +Danes had been slain, Sidroc, one of their jarls, being among the +fallen. + +Three days later the royal army arrived in sight of Reading, being +joined on their march by Aethelwulf and his men. The Danes had thrown +up a great rampart between the Thames and the Kennet, and many were +still at work on this fortification. These were speedily slain by the +Saxons, but their success was a short one. The main body of the +invaders swarmed out from the city and a desperate engagement took +place. + +The Saxons fought valiantly, led by the king and Prince Alfred; but +being wholly undisciplined and unaccustomed to war they were unable to +withstand the onslaught of the Danes, who fought in better order, +keeping together in ranks: after four hours' hard fighting the Saxons +were compelled to fall back. + +They rallied again a few miles from Reading. Ethelred and Alfred went +among them bidding them be of good cheer, for that another time, when +they fought in better order, they would gain the victory; and that +their loss had not been greater than the Danes, only that unhappily the +valiant Ealdorman Aethelwulf had been slain. Fresh messengers were sent +throughout the country bidding all the men of Wessex to rally round +their king, and on the fourth morning after the defeat Ethelred found +himself at the head of larger forces than had fought with him in the +last battle. + +The Danes had moved out from Reading and had taken post at Ashdown, and +as the Saxon army approached they were seen to be divided into two +bodies, one of which was commanded by their two kings and the other by +two jarls. The Saxons therefore made a similar division of their army, +the king commanding one division and Prince Alfred the other. + +Edmund with the men of Sherborne was in the division of Alfred. The +Danes advanced to the attack and fell with fury upon them. It had been +arranged that this division should not advance to the attack until that +commanded by the king was also put in motion. For some time Alfred and +his men supported the assaults of the Danes, and then, being hardly +pressed, the prince sent a messenger to his brother to urge that a +movement should be made. The Saxons were impatient at standing on the +defensive, and Alfred saw that he must either allow them to charge the +enemy or must retreat. + +Presently the messenger returned saying that the king was in his tent +hearing mass, and that he had given orders that no man should move or +any should disturb him until mass was concluded. Alfred hesitated no +longer; he formed his men into a solid body, and then, raising his +battle cry, rushed upon the Danes. The battle was a furious one. The +Danes were upon higher ground, their standard being planted by the side +of a single thorn-tree which grew on the slopes of the hill. Towards +this Alfred with his men fought their way. + +The lesson of the previous battle had not been lost, the Saxons kept +together in a solid body which made its way with irresistible weight +through the ranks of the Danes. Still the latter closed in on all +sides, and the fight was doubtful until the king, having finished his +devotions, led his division into the battle. For a long time a +desperate strife continued and great numbers on both sides were killed; +but the Saxons, animated at once by love of their country and hatred of +the invaders and by humiliation at their previous defeat, fought with +such fury that the Danes began to give way. Then the Saxons pressed +them still more hotly, and the invaders presently lost heart and fled +in confusion, pursued in all directions by the exulting Saxons. + +The Danish king Bergsecg and five jarls, the two Sidrocs, Osbearn, +Frene, and Hareld, were slain, and many thousands of their followers. +Great spoil of arms and armour fell into the hands of the victors. + +Edmund had fought bravely in the battle at the head of his men. Egbert +had kept beside him, and twice, when the lad had been smitten to his +knees by the enemy, covered him with his shield and beat off the foe. + +"You are over-young for such a fight as this, Edmund," he said when the +Danes had taken to flight. "You will need another four or five years +over your head before you can stand in battle against these fierce +Northmen. They break down your guard by sheer weight; but you bore +yourself gallantly, and I doubt not will yet be as famous a warrior as +was your brave father." + +Edmund did not join in the pursuit, being too much bruised and +exhausted to do so; but Egbert with the men of Sherborne followed the +flying Danes until nightfall. + +"You have done well, my young ealdorman," Prince Alfred said to the lad +after the battle. "I have been wishing much that you could be with me +during the past month, but I heard that you were building a strong fort +and deemed it better to let you continue your work undisturbed. When it +is finished I trust that I shall have you often near me; but I fear +that for a time we shall have but little space for peaceful pursuits, +for the Danes are coming, as I hear, in great troops westward, and we +shall have many battles to fight ere we clear the land of them." + +In those days a defeat, however severe, had not the same decisive +effect as it has in modern warfare. There were no cannons to lose, no +great stores to fall into the hands of the victors. The army was simply +dispersed, and its component parts reassembled in the course of a day +or two, ready, when reinforcements arrived, to renew the fight. Thus, +decisive as was the victory of Ashdown, Prince Alfred saw that many +such victories must be won, and a prolonged and exhausting struggle +carried on before the tide of invasion would be finally hurled back +from Wessex. The next few days were spent in making a fair distribution +of the spoil and arms among the conquerors. Some of the thanes then +returned home with their people; but the remainder, on the king's +entreaty, agreed to march with him against the Danes, who after the +battle had fallen back to Basing, where they had been joined by others +coming from the coast. The royal army advanced against them, and +fourteen days after the battle of Ashdown the struggle was renewed. The +fight lasted for many hours, but towards nightfall the Saxons were +compelled to retreat, moving off the field, however, in good order, so +that no spoil fell into the hands of the Danes. + +This check was a great disappointment to the Saxons, who after their +late victory had hoped that they should speedily clear the kingdom of +the Danes. These, indeed, taught prudence by the manner in which the +West Saxons had fought, for a while refrained from plundering +excursions. Two months later the Saxons were again called to arms. +Somerled, a Danish chieftain, had again advanced to Reading, and had +captured and burned the town. The king marched against him, and the two +armies met at Merton. Here another desperate battle took place. + +During the first part of the day the Saxons were victorious over both +the divisions of the Danish army, but in the afternoon the latter +received some reinforcements and renewed the fight. The Saxons, +believing that the victory had been won, had fallen into disorder and +were finally driven from the field. Great numbers were slain on both +sides. Bishop Edmund and many Saxon nobles were killed, and King +Ethelred so severely wounded that he expired a few days later, April +23rd, 871, having reigned for five years. He was buried at Wimbourne +Minster, and Prince Alfred ascended the throne. + +Ethelred was much regretted by his people, but the accession of Alfred +increased their hopes of battling successfully against the Danes. +Although wise and brave, King Ethelred had been scarcely the monarch +for a warlike people in troubled times. Religious exercises occupied +too large a share of his thoughts. His rule was kindly rather than +strong, and his authority was but weak over his nobles. From Prince +Alfred the Saxons hoped better things. From his boyhood he had been +regarded with special interest and affection by the people, as his +father had led them to regard him as their future king. + +The fact that he had been personally consecrated by the pope appeared +to invest him with a special authority. His immense superiority in +learning over all his people greatly impressed them. Though gentle he +was firm and resolute, prompt in action, daring in the field. Thus, +then, although the people regretted King Ethelred, there was a general +feeling of hope and joy when Alfred took his place on the throne. He +had succeeded to the crown but a month when the Danes again advanced in +great numbers. The want of success which had attended them in the last +two battles had damped the spirit of the people, and it was with a very +small force only that Alfred was able to advance against them. + +The armies met near Wilton, where the Danes in vastly superior numbers +were posted on a hill. King Alfred led his forces forward and fell upon +the Danes, and so bravely did the Saxons fight that for some time the +day went favourably for them. Gradually the Danes were driven from +their post of vantage, and after some hours' fighting turned to fly; +but, as at Merton and Kesteven, the impetuosity of the Saxons proved +their ruin. Breaking their compact ranks they scattered in pursuit of +the Danes, and these, seeing how small was the number of their +pursuers, rallied and turned upon them, and the Saxons were driven from +the field which they had so bravely won. + +"Unless my brave Saxons learn order and discipline," the king said to +Edmund and some of his nobles who gathered round him on the evening +after the defeat, "our cause is assuredly lost. We have proved now in +each battle that we are superior man to man to the Danes, but we throw +away the fruits of victory by our impetuosity. The great Caesar, who +wrote an account of his battles which I have read in Latin, described +the order and discipline with which the Roman troops fought. They were +always in heavy masses, and even after a battle the heavy-armed +soldiers kept their ranks and did not scatter in pursuit of the enemy, +leaving this task to the more lightly armed troops. + +"Would that we had three or four years before us to teach our men +discipline and order, but alas! there is no time for this. The Danes +have fallen in great numbers in every fight, but they are ever +receiving reinforcements and come on in fresh waves of invasion; while +the Saxons, finding that all their efforts and valour seem to avail +nothing, are beginning fast to lose heart. See how small a number +assembled round my standard yesterday, and yet the war is but +beginning. Truly the look-out is bad for England." + +The king made strenuous efforts again to raise an army, but the people +did not respond to his call. In addition to the battles which have been +spoken of several others had been fought in different parts of Wessex +by the ealdormen and their followers against bodies of invading Danes. +In the space of one year the Saxons had engaged in eight pitched +battles and in many skirmishes. Great numbers had been slain on both +sides, but the Danes ever received fresh accessions of strength, and +seemed to grow stronger and more numerous after every battle, while the +Saxons were dwindling rapidly. Wide tracts of country had been +devastated, the men slaughtered, and the women and children taken +captives, and the people, utterly dispirited and depressed, no longer +listened to the voices of their leaders, and refused again to peril +their lives in a strife which seemed hopeless. Alfred therefore called +his ealdormen together and proposed to them, that since the people +would no longer fight, the sole means that remained to escape +destruction was to offer to buy off the Danes. + +The proposal was agreed to, for although none of them had any hope that +the Danes would long keep any treaty they might make, yet even a little +respite might give heart and spirit to the Saxons again. Accordingly +negotiations were entered into with the Danes, and these, in +consideration of a large money payment, agreed to retire from Wessex. +The money was paid, the Danes retired from Reading, which they had used +as their headquarters, and marched to London. King Burhred, the feeble +King of Mercia, could do nothing to oppose them, and he too agreed to +pay them a large annual tribute. + +From the end of 872 till the autumn of 875 the country was +comparatively quiet. Alfred ruled it wisely, and tried to repair the +terrible damages the war had made. Edmund looked after his earldom, and +grew into a powerful young man of nineteen years old. + +King Alfred had not deceived himself for a moment as to the future. +"The Danes," he said, "are still in England. East Anglia and +Northumbria swarm with them. Had this army, after being bought off by +us and my brother of Mercia, sailed across the seas and landed in +France there would have been some hope for us, but their restless +nature will not allow them to stay long in the parts which they have +conquered. + +"In Anglia King Guthrum has divided the land among his jarls, and there +they seem disposed to settle down; but elsewhere they care not for the +land, preferring to leave it in the hands of its former owners to till, +and after to wring from the cultivators the fruits of the harvest; +then, as the country becomes thoroughly impoverished, they must move +elsewhere. Mercia they can overrun whensoever they choose, and after +that there is nothing for them to do but to sweep down again upon +Wessex, and with all the rest of England at their feet it is hopeless +to think that we alone can withstand their united power." + +"Then what, think you, must be the end of this?" Edmund asked. + +"'Tis difficult to see the end," Alfred replied. "It would seem that +our only hope of release from them is that when they have utterly eaten +up and ravaged England they may turn their thoughts elsewhere. Already +they are harrying the northern coasts of France, but there are richer +prizes on the Mediterranean shores, and it may be that when England is +no longer worth plundering they may sail away to Spain and Italy. We +have acted foolishly in the way we have fought them. When they first +began to arrive upon our coasts we should have laboured hard to build +great fleets, so that we could go forth and meet them on the seas. + +"Some, indeed, might have escaped our watch and landed, but the fleets +could have cut off reinforcements coming to them, and thus those who +reached our shores could have been overwhelmed. Even now, I think that +something might be done that way, and I purpose to build a fleet which +may, when they again invade us, take its station near the mouth of the +Thames and fall upon the vessels bringing stores and reinforcements. +This would give much encouragement to the people, whose hopelessness +and desperation are caused principally by the fact that it seems to be +of no use killing the enemy, since so many are ready constantly to take +their places." + +"I will gladly undertake to build one ship," Edmund said. "The fort is +now finished, and with the revenues of the land I could at once +commence a ship; and if the Danes give us time, when she is finished I +would build another. I will the more gladly do it, since it seems to me +that if the Danes entirely overrun our country we must take to the sea +and so in turn become plunderers. With this view I will have the ship +built large and strong, so that she may keep the sea in all weathers +and be my home if I am driven out of England. There must be plenty of +ports in France, and many a quiet nook and inlet round England, where +one can put in to refit when necessary, and we could pick up many a +prize of Danish ships returning laden with booty. With such a ship I +could carry a strong crew, and with my trusty Egbert and the best of my +fighting men we should be able to hold our own, even if attacked by two +or three of the Danish galleys." + +"The idea is a good one, Edmund," the king said, "and I would that I +myself could carry it into effect. It were a thousand times better to +live a free life on the sea, even if certain at last to be overpowered +by a Danish fleet, than to lurk a hunted fugitive in the woods; but I +cannot do it. So long as I live I must remain among my people, ready to +snatch any chance that may offer of striking a blow against the +invader. But for you it is different." + +"I should not, of course, do it," Edmund said, "until all is lost here, +and mean to defend my fort to an extremity; still should it be that the +Danes conquer all our lands, it were well to have such a refuge." + +Edmund talked the matter over with Egbert, who warmly entered into the +plan. "So long as I have life I will fight against the Danes, and in a +ship at least we can fight manfully till the end. We must not build her +on the sea-coast, or before the time when we need her she may be +destroyed by the Danes. We will build her on the Parrot. The water is +deep enough far up from the sea to float her when empty, and if we +choose some spot where the river runs among woods we might hide her so +that she may to the last escape the attention of the Danes. + +"We must get some men crafty in ship-building from one of the ports, +sending down a body of our own serfs to do the rough work. We will go +to Exeter first and there choose us the craftsman most skilled in +building ships, and will take council with him as to the best form and +size. She must be good to sail and yet able to row fast with a strong +crew, and she must have room to house a goodly number of rowing and +fighting men. You, Edmund, might, before we start, consult King Alfred. +He must have seen at Rome and other ports on the Mediterranean the +ships in use there, which are doubtless far in advance of our own. For +we know from the Holy Bible that a thousand years ago St. Paul made +long voyages in ships, and doubtless they have learned much since those +days." + +Edmund thought the idea a good one, and asked the king to make him a +drawing of the vessels in use in the Mediterranean. This King Alfred +readily did, and Egbert and Edmund then journeyed to Exeter, where +finding out the man most noted for his skill in building ships, they +told him the object they had in view, and showed him the drawings the +king had made. There were two of them, the one a long galley rowed with +double banks of oars, the other a heavy trading ship. + +"This would be useless to you," the shipwright said, laying the second +drawing aside. "It would not be fast enough either to overtake or to +fly. The other galley would, methinks, suit you well. I have seen a +drawing of such a ship before. It is a war galley such as is used by +the Genoese in their fights against the African pirates. They are fast +and roomy, and have plenty of accommodation for the crews. One of them +well manned and handled should be a match for six at least of the +Danish galleys, which are much lower in the water and smaller in all +ways. But it will cost a good deal of money to build such a ship." + +"I will devote all the revenues of my land to it until it is finished," +Edmund said. "I will place a hundred serfs at your service, and will +leave it to you to hire as many craftsmen as may be needed. I intend to +build her in a quiet place in a deep wood on the river Parrot, so that +she may escape the eyes of the Danes." + +"I shall require seasoned timber," the shipwright urged. + +"That will I buy," Edmund replied, "as you shall direct, and can have +it brought up the river to the spot." + +"Being so large and heavy," the shipwright said, "she will be difficult +to launch. Methinks it were best to dig a hole or dock at some little +distance from the river; then when she is finished a way can be cut to +the river wide enough for her to pass out. When the water is turned in +it will float her up level to the surface, and as she will not draw +more than two feet of water the cut need not be more than three feet +deep." + +"That will be the best plan by far," Edmund agreed, "for you can make +the hole so deep that you can build her entirely below the level of the +ground. Then we can, if needs be, fill up the hole altogether with +bushes, and cover her up, so that she would not be seen by a Danish +galley rowing up the river, or even by any of the enemy who might enter +the wood, unless they made special search for her; and there she could +lie until I chose to embark." + +The shipwright at once set to work to draw out his plans, and a week +later sent to Edmund a messenger with an account of the quantity and +size of wood he should require. This was purchased at once. Edmund and +Egbert with their serfs journeyed to the spot they had chosen, and were +met there by the shipwright, who brought with him twenty craftsmen from +Exeter. The wood was brought up the river, and while the craftsmen +began to cut it up into fitting sizes, the serfs applied themselves to +dig the deep dock in which the vessel was to be built. + + + + +CHAPTER V: A DISCIPLINED BAND + + +The construction of the ship went on steadily. King Alfred, who was +himself building several war vessels of ordinary size, took great +interest in Edmund's craft and paid several visits to it while it was +in progress. + +"It will be a fine ship," he said one day as the vessel was approaching +completion, "and much larger than any in these seas. It reminds me, +Edmund, not indeed in size or shape, but in its purpose, of the ark +which Noah built before the deluge which covered the whole earth. He +built it, as you know, to escape with his family from destruction. You, +too, are building against the time when the deluge of Danish invasion +will sweep over this land, and I trust that your success will equal +that of the patriarch." + +"I shall be better off than Noah was," Edmund said, "for he had nothing +to do, save to shut up his windows and wait till the floods abated, +while I shall go out and seek my enemies on the sea." + +The respite purchased by the king from the Danes was but a short one. +In the autumn of 875 their bands were again swarming around the borders +of Wessex, and constant irruptions took place. Edmund received a +summons to gather his tenants, but he found that these no longer +replied willingly to the call. Several of his chief men met him and +represented to him the general feeling which prevailed. + +"The men say," their spokesman explained, "that it is useless to fight +against the Danes. In 872 there were ten pitched battles, and vast +numbers of the Danes were slain, and vast numbers also of Saxons. The +Danes are already far more numerous than before, for fresh hordes +continue to arrive on the shores, and more than fill up the places of +those who are killed; but the places of the Saxons are empty, and our +fighting force is far smaller than it was last year. If we again go out +and again fight many battles, even if we are victorious, which we can +hardly hope to be, the same thing will happen. Many thousands will be +slain, and the following year we shall in vain try to put an army in +the field which can match that of the Danes, who will again have filled +up their ranks, and be as numerous as ever. So long as we continue to +fight, so long the Danes will slay, burn, and destroy wheresoever they +march, until there will remain of us but a few fugitives hidden in the +woods. We should be far better off did we cease to resist, and the +Danes become our masters, as they have become the masters of +Northumbria, Mercia, and Anglia. + +"There, it is true, they have plundered the churches and thanes' houses +and have stolen all that is worth carrying away; but when they have +taken all that there is to take they leave the people alone, and +unmolested, to till the ground and to gain their livelihood. They do +not slay for the pleasure of slaying, and grievous as is the condition +of the Angles they and their wives and children are free from massacre +and are allowed to gain their livings. The West Saxons have showed that +they are no cowards; they have defeated the Northmen over and over +again when far outnumbering them. It is no dishonour to yield now when +all the rest of England has yielded, and when further fighting will +only bring ruin upon ourselves, our wives, and children." + +Edmund could find no reply to this argument. He knew that even the king +despaired of ultimately resisting the Danish invasion, and after +listening to all that the thanes had to say he retired with Egbert +apart. + +"What say you, Egbert? There is reason in the arguments that they use. +You and I have neither wives nor children, and we risk only our own +lives; but I can well understand that those who have so much to lose +are chary of further effort. What say you?" + +"I do not think it will be fair to press them further," Egbert +answered; "but methinks that we might raise a band consisting of all +the youths and unmarried men in the earldom. These we might train +carefully and keep always together, seeing that the lands will still be +cultivated and all able to pay their assessment, and may even add to +it, since you exempt them from service. Such a band we could train and +practise until we could rely upon them to defeat a far larger force of +the enemy, and they would be available for our crew when we take to the +ship." + +"I think the idea is a very good one, Egbert; we will propose it to the +thanes." The proposition was accordingly made that all married men +should be exempt from service, but that the youths above the age of +sixteen and the unmarried men should be formed into a band and kept +permanently under arms. Landowners who lost the services of sons or +freemen working for them should pay the same assessment only as before, +but those who did not contribute men to the levy should pay an +additional assessment. Edmund said he would pay the men composing the +band the same wages they would earn in the field, and would undertake +all their expenses. "So long as the king continues the struggle," he +said, "it is our duty to aid him, nor can we escape from the dangers +and perils of invasion. Should the Danes come near us all must perforce +fight, but so long as they continue at a distance things can go on here +as if we had peace in the land." + +The proposal was, after some discussion, agreed to, and the news caused +gladness and contentment throughout the earldom. The younger men who +had been included in the levy were quite satisfied with the +arrangement. The spirit of the West Saxons was still high, and those +without wives and families who would suffer by their absence or be +ruined by their death were eager to continue the contest. The proposal +that they should be paid as when at work was considered perfectly +satisfactory. + +The men of Sherborne had under their young leader gained great credit +by their steadiness and valour in the battles four years before, and +they looked forward to fresh victories over the invader. The result was +that ninety young men assembled for service. Edmund had sent off a +messenger to the king saying that the people were utterly weary of war +and refused to take up arms, but that he was gathering a band of young +men with whom he would ere long join him; but he prayed for a short +delay in order that he might get them into a condition to be useful on +the day of battle. + +After consultation with Egbert, Edmund drew up a series of orders +somewhat resembling those of modern drill. King Alfred had once, in +speaking to him, described the manner in which the Thebans, a people of +Northern Greece, had fought, placing their troops in the form of a +wedge. The formation he now taught his men. From morning to night they +were practised at rallying from pursuit or flight, or changing from a +line into the form of a wedge. Each man had his appointed place both in +the line and wedge. Those who formed the outside line of this formation +were armed with large shields which covered them from chin to foot, and +with short spears; those in the inner lines carried no shields, but +bore spears of increasing length, so that four lines of spears +projected from the wedge to nearly the same distance. Inside the four +lines were twenty men armed with shields, bows, and arrows. The sides +of the wedge were of equal length, so that they could march either way. + +Egbert's place was at the apex of the wedge intended generally for +attack. He carried no spear, nor did those at the other corners, as +they would be covered by those beside and behind them; he was armed +with a huge battle-axe. The other leaders were also chosen for great +personal strength. Edmund's place was on horseback in the middle of the +wedge, whence he could overlook the whole and direct their movements. + +In three weeks the men could perform their simple movements to +perfection, and at a sound from Edmund's horn would run in as when +scattered in pursuit or flight, or could form from line into the wedge, +without the least confusion, every man occupying his assigned place. + +The men were delighted with their new exercises, and felt confident +that the weight of the solid mass thickly bristling with spears would +break through the Danish line without difficulty, or could draw off +from the field in perfect order and safety in case of a defeat, however +numerous their foes. The two front lines were to thrust with their +pikes, the others keeping their long spears immovable to form a solid +hedge. Each man carried a short heavy sword to use in case, by any +fatality, the wedge should get broken up. + +When assured that his band were perfect in their new exercise Edmund +marched and joined the king. He found on his arrival that the summons +to arms had been everywhere disregarded. Many men had indeed come in, +but these were in no way sufficient to form a force which would enable +him to take the field against the Danes. + +Edmund therefore solicited and obtained permission to march with his +band to endeavour to check the plundering bands of Danes, who were +already committing devastations throughout the country. + +"Be not rash, Edmund," the monarch said, "you have but a handful of +men, and I should grieve indeed did aught of harm befall you. If you +can fall upon small parties of plunderers and destroy them you will do +good service, not only by compelling them to keep together but by +raising the spirits of the Saxons; but avoid conflict with parties +likely to defeat you." + +"You shall hear of us soon, I promise you," Edmund replied, "and I +trust that the news will be good." + +The little party set out towards the border, and before long met +numbers of fugitives, weeping women carrying children, old men and +boys, making their way from the neighbourhood of the Danes. The men had +for the most part driven their herds into the woods, where they were +prepared to defend them as best they could against roving parties. They +learned that Haffa, a Danish jarl, with about 600 followers, was +plundering and ravaging the country about twelve miles away. The force +was a formidable one, but after consultation with Egbert, Edmund +determined to advance, deeming that he might find the Danes scattered +and cut off some of their parties. + +As they neared the country of which the Danes were in possession the +smoke of burning villages and homesteads was seen rising heavily in the +air. Edmund halted for the night in a wood about a mile distant from a +blazing farm, and the band lay down for some hours. + +Before daybreak three or four of the swiftest-footed of the men were +sent out to reconnoitre. They learned, from badly wounded men whom they +found lying near the burning farms, that the Danes had been plundering +in parties of twenty or thirty, but that the main body under Haffa lay +five miles away at the village of Bristowe. + +A consultation was held, and it was agreed that the party should remain +hidden in the wood during the day, and that upon the following night +they should fall upon the Danes, trusting to the surprise to inflict +much damage upon them, and to be able to draw off before the enemy +could recover sufficiently to rally and attack them. + +Accordingly about nine o'clock in the evening they started, and +marching rapidly approached Bristowe an hour and a half later. They +could see great fires blazing, and round them the Danes were carousing +after their forays of the day. Great numbers of cattle were penned up +near the village. + +Edmund and Egbert having halted their men stole forward until close to +the village in order to learn the nature of the ground and the position +of the Danes. Upon their return they waited until the fires burned low +and the sound of shouting and singing decreased. It was useless to wait +longer, for they knew that many of the Danes would, according to their +custom, keep up their revelry all night. Crawling along the ground the +band made for the great pen where were herded the cattle which the +Danes had driven in from the surrounding country, and over which +several guards had been placed. Before starting Egbert assigned to each +man the special duties which he was to fulfil. + +The Saxons crept up quite close to the Danish guards unobserved. To +each of these three or four bowmen had been told off, and they, on +nearing the sentries lay prone on the ground with bows bent and arrows +fixed until a whistle from Edmund gave the signal. Then the arrows were +loosed, and the distance being so short the Danish sentries were all +slain. Then a party of men removed the side of the pen facing the +village; the rest mingled with the cattle, and soon with the points of +their spears goaded them into flight. In a mass the herd thundered down +upon the village, the Saxons keeping closely behind them and adding to +their terror by goading the hindermost. + +The Danes, astonished at the sudden thunder of hoofs bearing down upon +them, leaped to their feet and endeavoured to turn the course of the +herd, which they deemed to have accidentally broken loose, by loud +shouts and by rattling their swords against their shields. The oxen, +however, were too terrified by those in their rear to check their +course, and charged impetuously down upon the Danes. + +Numbers of these were hurled to the ground and trampled under foot, and +the wildest confusion reigned in the camp. This was increased when, as +the herds swept along, a number of active men with spear and sword fell +suddenly upon them. Scores were cut down or run through before they +could prepare for defence, or recover from their surprise at the novel +method of attack. + +At last, as the thunder of the herd died away in the distance, and they +became aware of the comparative fewness of their foes, they began to +rally and make head against their assailants. No sooner was this the +case than the note of a horn was heard, and as if by magic their +assailants instantly darted away into the night, leaving the +superstitious Danes in some doubt whether the whole attack upon them +had not been of a supernatural nature. + +Long before they recovered themselves, and were ready for pursuit, the +Saxons were far away, no less than 200 of the Danes having been slain +or trampled to death, while of Edmund's band not one had received so +much as a wound. + +The Saxons regained the wood in the highest state of exultation at +their success, and more confident than before in themselves and their +leader. + +"I am convinced," Edmund said, "that this is the true way to fight the +Danes, to harry and attack them by night assaults until they dare not +break up into parties, and become so worn out by constant alarms that +they will be glad to leave a country where plunder and booty are only +to be earned at so great a cost." + +Knowing that Haffa's band would for some time be thoroughly on the +alert Edmund moved his party to another portion of the country, where +he inflicted a blow, almost as heavy as he had dealt Haffa, upon +Sigbert, another of the Danish jarls. Three or four more very +successful night attacks were made, and then the Danes, by this time +thoroughly alarmed, obtained from some Saxon country people whom they +took prisoners news as to the strength of Edmund's band. + +Furious at the heavy losses which had been inflicted upon them by so +small a number, they determined to unite in crushing them. By threats +of instant death, and by the offers of a high reward, they succeeded in +persuading two Saxon prisoners to act as spies, and one day these +brought in to Haffa the news that the band had that morning, after +striking a successful blow at the Danes ten miles away, entered at +daybreak a wood but three miles from his camp. + +The Northman, disdaining to ask for assistance from one of the other +bands against so small a foe, moved out at once with 300 of his men +towards the wood. The Saxons had posted guards, who on the approach of +the Danes roused Edmund with the news that the enemy were close at +hand. The Saxons were soon on their feet. + +"Now, my friends," Edmund said to them, "here is the time for trying +what benefit we have got from our exercise. We cannot well draw off, +for the Danes are as fleet-footed as we; therefore let us fight and +conquer them." + +The men formed up cheerfully, and the little body moved out from the +wood to meet the Danes. The latter gave a shout of triumph as they saw +them. The Saxon force, from its compact formation, appeared even +smaller than it was, and the Norsemen advanced in haste, each eager to +be the first to fall upon an enemy whom they regarded as an easy prey. +As they arrived upon the spot, however, and saw the thick hedge of +spears which bristled round the little body of Saxons, the first comers +checked their speed and waited till Haffa himself came up, accompanied +by his principal warriors. + +Without a moment's hesitation the jarl flung himself upon the Saxons. +In vain, however, he tried to reach them with his long sword. As he +neared them the front line of the Saxons dropped on one knee, and as +the Danes with their shields dashed against the spears and strove to +cut through them, the kneeling men were able with their pikes to thrust +at the unguarded portions of the bodies below their shields, and many +fell grievously wounded. After trying for some time in vain, Haffa, +finding that individual effort did not suffice to break through the +Saxon spears, formed his men up in line four deep, and advanced in a +solid body so as to overwhelm them. + +The Saxons now rose to their feet. The spears, instead of being pointed +outwards, were inclined towards the front, and the wedge advanced +against the Danes. The Saxon war cry rose loud as they neared the +Danish line, and then, still maintaining their close formation, they +charged upon it. The assault was irresistible. The whole weight was +thrown upon a point, and preceded, as it was, by the densely-packed +spears, it burst through the Danish line as if the latter had been +composed of osier twigs, bearing down all in its way. + +With shouts of surprise the Danes broke up their line and closed in a +thick mass round the Saxons, those behind pressing forward and impeding +the motions of the warriors actually engaged. The Saxons no longer kept +stationary. In obedience to Edmund's orders the triangle advanced, +sometimes with one angle in front, sometimes with another, but +whichever way it moved sweeping away the Danes opposed to it, while the +archers from the centre shot fast and strong into the mass of the enemy. + +Haffa himself, trying to oppose the advance of the wedge, was slain by +a blow of Egbert's axe, and after half an hour's fierce fighting, the +Danes, having lost upwards of fifty of their best men, and finding all +their efforts to produce an impression upon the Saxons vain, desisted +from the attack and fled. + +At once the wedge broke up, and the Saxons followed in hot pursuit, +cutting down their flying enemies. Obedient, however, to Edmund's +repeated shouts they kept fairly together, and when the Danes, thinking +them broken and disordered, turned to fall upon them, a single note of +the horn brought them instantly together again, and the astonished +Danes saw the phalanx which had proved so fatal to them prepared to +receive their attack. This they did not attempt to deliver, but took to +flight, the Saxons, as before, pursuing, and twice as many of the Danes +were slain in the retreat as in the first attack. + +The pursuit was continued for many miles, and then, fearing that he +might come across some fresh body of the enemy, Edmund called off his +men. Great was the triumph of the Saxons. A few of them had suffered +from wounds more or less serious, but not one had fallen. They had +defeated a body of Danes four times their own force, and had killed +nearly half of them, and they felt confident that the tactics which +they had adopted would enable them in future to defeat any scattered +bodies of Danes they might meet. + +For a week after the battle they rested, spending their time in further +improving themselves in their drill, practicing especially the +alterations of the position of the spears requisite when changing from +a defensive attitude, with the pikes at right angles to each face, to +that of an attack, when the spears of both faces of the advancing wedge +were all directed forward. A messenger arrived from the king, to whom +Edmund had sent the news of his various successes, and Alfred sent his +warmest congratulations and thanks for the great results which had been +gained with so small a force, the king confessing that he was unable to +understand how with such disproportionate numbers Edmund could so +totally have routed the force of so distinguished a leader as Haffa. + +For some weeks Edmund continued the work of checking the depredations +of the Danes, and so successful was he that the freebooters became +seized with a superstitious awe of his band. The rapidity of its +maneuvering, the manner in which men, at one moment scattered, were in +another formed in a serried mass, against which all their efforts broke +as waves against a rock, seemed to them to be something superhuman. In +that part of Wessex, therefore, the invaders gradually withdrew their +forces across the frontier; but in other parts of the country, the tide +of invasion being unchecked, large tracts of country had been +devastated, and the West Saxons could nowhere make head against them. +One day a messenger reached Edmund telling him that a large Danish army +was approaching Sherborne, and urging him to return instantly to the +defence of his earldom. + +With rapid marches he proceeded thither, and on arriving at his house +he found that the Danes were but a few miles away, and that the whole +country was in a state of panic. He at once sent off messengers in all +directions, bidding the people hasten with their wives and families, +their herds and valuables, to the fort. His return to some extent +restored confidence. The news of the victories he had gained over the +Danes had reached Sherborne, and the confidence of their power to +defeat the invaders which his followers expressed as they scattered to +their respective farms again raised the courage of the people. + +All through the night bands of fugitives poured into the fort, and by +morning the whole of the people for many miles round were assembled +there. Egbert and Edmund busied themselves in assigning to each his +duty and station. All the men capable of bearing arms were told off to +posts on the walls. The old men and young boys were to draw water and +look after the cattle; the women to cook and attend to the wounded. The +men of his own band were not placed upon the walls, but were held in +readiness as a reserve to move to any point which might be threatened, +and to take part in sorties against the enemy. + +Soon smoke was seen rising up in many directions, showing that the +enemy were at their accustomed work. Cries broke from the women, and +exclamations of rage from the men, as they recognized by the direction +of the smoke that their own homesteads and villages were in the hands +of the spoilers. About mid-day a party of mounted Danes rode up towards +the fort and made a circuit of it. When they had satisfied themselves +as to the formidable nature of its defences they rode off again, and +for the rest of the day none of the enemy approached the fort. + + + + +CHAPTER VI: THE SAXON FORT + + +A strict watch was kept all night, and several scouts were sent out. +These on their return reported that the Danes were feasting, having +slain many cattle and broached the casks of mead which they found in +the cellars of Edmund's house. This they had not burned nor the houses +around it, intending, as the scouts supposed, to make it their +headquarters while they attacked the fort. + +Edmund and Egbert agreed that it would be well to show the Danes at +once that they had an active and enterprising foe to deal with; they +therefore awakened their band, who were sleeping on skins close to the +gate, and with them started out. + +It was still two hours before dawn when they approached the house. Save +a few men on watch, the great Danish host, which the messengers +calculated to amount to ten thousand men, were asleep. Cautiously +making their way so as to avoid stumbling over the Danes, who lay +scattered in groups round the house, the Saxons crept forward quietly +until close to the entrance, when a sleepy watchman started up. + +"Who are ye?" + +The answer was a blow from Egbert's battle-axe. Then the leaders with +twenty of their men rushed into the house, while the rest remained on +guard at the entrance. + +The combat was short but furious, and the clashing of arms and shouts +of the Danes roused those sleeping near, and the men who escaped from +the house spread the alarm. The fight lasted but three or four minutes, +for the Danes, scattered through the house, and in many cases still +stupid from the effects of the previous night's debauch, were unable to +gather and make any collective resistance. The two jarls fought in a +manner worthy of their renown, but the Saxon spears proved more than a +match for their swords, and they died fighting bravely till the last. +Between Saxon and Dane there was no thought of quarter; none asked for +mercy on either side, for none would be granted. The sea rovers never +spared an armed man who fell into their hands, and the Saxons were +infuriated by the sufferings which the invaders had inflicted upon +them, and had no more pity upon their foes than if they had been wild +animals. Besides the jarls some thirty of their minor leaders were in +the house, and but five or six of them escaped. It was well for the +Danes that the detachment which lay there was not their principal body, +which was still a few miles in the rear, for had it been so two of +their kings and six jarls, all men of famed valour, would have been +slain. The instant the work was done the Saxons rejoined those +assembled at the entrance. + +Already the Danes were thronging up, but at present in confusion and +disorder, coming rather to see what was the matter than to fight, and +hardly believing that the Saxons could have had the audacity to attack +them. In an instant the Saxons fell into their usual formation, and +overturning and cutting down those who happened to be in their path, +burst through the straggling Danes, and at a trot proceeded across the +country. + +It was still quite dark, and it was some time before the Danes became +thoroughly aware of what had happened; then missing the voices of their +leaders, some of them rushed into the house, and the news that the two +jarls and their companions had been slain roused them to fury. At once +they set off in pursuit of the Saxons in a tumultuous throng; but the +band had already a considerable start, and had the advantage of knowing +every foot of the country, of which the Danes were ignorant. When once +fairly through the enemy, Edmund had given the word and the formation +had broken up, so that each man could run freely and without jostling +his comrades. Thus they were enabled to proceed at a rapid pace, and +reached the fort just as day was breaking, without having been +discovered or overtaken by the Danes. + +The news of this successful exploit raised the spirits of the garrison +of the fort. The Danes swarmed nearly up to the walls, but seeing how +formidable was the position, and being without leaders, they fell back +without making an attack, some of the more impetuous having fallen from +the arrows of the bowmen. + +About mid-day a solid mass of the enemy were seen approaching, and the +banners with the Black Raven on a blood-red field showed that it +contained leaders of importance, and was, in fact, the main body of the +Danes. It was an imposing sight as it marched towards the fort, with +the fluttering banners, the sun shining upon the brass helmets and +shields of the chiefs, and the spear-heads and swords of the footmen. +Here and there parties of horsemen galloped about the plain. + +"Their number has not been exaggerated," Egbert said to Edmund, "there +must be ten thousand of them. There are full twice as many as attacked +us on the field of Kesteven." + +The sight of the great array struck terror into the minds of a great +part of the defenders of the fort; but the confident bearing of their +young ealdorman and the thought of the strength of their walls +reassured them. The Danes halted at a distance of about a quarter of a +mile from the walls, and three or four of their chiefs rode forward. +These by the splendour of their helmets, shields, and trappings were +clearly men of great importance. They halted just out of bowshot +distance, and one of them, raising his voice, shouted: + +"Dogs of Saxons, had you laid down your arms, and made submission to +me, I would have spared you; but for the deed which you did last night, +and the slaying of my brave jarls, I swear that I will have revenge +upon you, and, by the god Wodin, I vow that not one within your walls, +man, woman, or child, shall be spared. This is the oath of King Uffa." + +"It were well, King Uffa," Edmund shouted back, "to take no rash oaths; +before you talk of slaying you have got to capture, and you will need +all the aid of your false gods before you take this fort. As to mercy, +we should as soon ask it of wolves. We have God and our good swords to +protect us, and we fear not your host were it three times as strong as +it is." + +The Saxons raised a great shout, and the Danish king rode back to his +troops. The lesson which had been given them of the enterprise of the +Saxons was not lost, for the Danes at once began to form a camp, +raising an earthen bank which they crowned with stakes and bushes as a +defence against sudden attacks. This work occupied them two days, and +during this time no blow was struck on either side, as the Danes posted +a strong body of men each night to prevent the Saxons from sallying +out. On the third day the work was finished, and the Danish kings with +their jarls made a circuit round the walls, evidently to select the +place for attack. + +The time had passed quietly in the fort. In one corner the priests had +erected an altar, and here mass was said three times a day. The priests +went among the soldiers exhorting them to resist to the last, +confessing them, and giving them absolution. + +The pains which the Danes had taken in the preparation of their camp +was a proof of their determination to capture the fort, however long +the operation might be. It showed, too, that they recognized the +difficulty of the task, for had they believed that the capture could be +easily effected they would at once upon their arrival have advanced to +the attack. + +"To-morrow morning early," Egbert said, "I expect that they will +assault us. In the first place probably they will endeavour to carry +the fort by a general attack; if they fail in this they will set to +construct engines with which to batter the wall." + +At daybreak the following morning the Danes issued from their camp. +Having formed up in regular order, they advanced towards the castle. +They divided into four bands; three of these wheeled round to opposite +sides of the fort, the fourth, which was as large as the other three +together, advanced towards the entrance. The Saxons all took the posts +previously assigned to them on the walls. Edmund strengthened the force +on the side where the gate was by posting there in addition the whole +of his band. Altogether there were nearly 350 fighting men within the +walls, of whom the greater part had fought against the Danes in the +battles of the previous year. The attack commenced simultaneously on +all sides by a discharge of arrows by the archers of both parties. The +Saxons, sheltered behind the parapet on the walls, suffered but +slightly; but their missiles did considerable execution among the +masses of the Danes. These, however, did not pause to continue the +conflict at a distance, but uttering their battle-cry rushed forward. + +Edmund and Egbert had but little fear of the attack on the other faces +of the fort proving successful; the chief assault was against the gate, +and it was here that the real danger existed. + +The main body of the Danes covered themselves with their shields and +rushed forward with the greatest determination, pouring through the gap +in the outer bank in a solid mass, and then turned along the fosse +towards the inner gate. Closely packed together, with their shields +above their heads forming a sort of testudo or roof which protected +them against the Saxons' arrows, they pressed forward in spite of the +shower of missiles with which the Saxons on the walls assailed them. +Arrows, darts, and great stones were showered down upon them, the +latter breaking down the shields, and affording the archers an +opportunity of pouring in their arrows. + +Numbers fell, but the column swept along until it gained the gate. Here +those in front began an attack upon the massive beams with their axes, +and when they had somewhat weakened it, battered it with heavy beams of +timber until it was completely splintered. While this was going on the +Saxons had continued to shoot without intermission, and the Danish dead +were heaped thickly around the gate. The Danish archers, assisted by +their comrades, had scrambled up on to the outer bank and kept up a +heavy fire on the defenders of the wall. The Saxons sheltered their +heads and shoulders which were above the parapet with their shields; +and between these, as through loopholes, their archers shot at the +Danes. + +Edmund and Egbert had debated much on the previous days whether they +would pile stones behind the gate, but had finally agreed not to do so. +They argued that although for a time the stones would impede the +progress of the Danes, these would, if they shattered the door, sooner +or later pull down the stones or climb over them; and it was better to +have a smooth and level place for defence inside. They had, however, +raised a bank of earth ten feet high in a semicircle at a distance of +twenty yards within the gate. + +When it was seen that the gates were yielding Edmund had called down +his own band from the walls and formed them in a half-circle ten yards +from the gate. They were four deep, as in their usual formation, with +the four lines of spears projecting towards the gate. The mound behind +them he lined with archers. + +At last the gates fell, and with an exulting shout the Danes poured in. +As they did so the archers on the mound loosed their arrows, and the +head of the Danish column melted like snow before the blast of a +furnace. Still they poured in and flung themselves upon the spearmen, +but they strove in vain to pierce the hedge of steel. Desperately they +threw themselves upon the pike-heads and died there bravely, but they +were powerless to break a passage. + +The archers on the mound still shot fast among them, while those on the +wall, turning round, smote them in the back, where, unprotected by +their shields, they offered a sure and fatal mark. Soon the narrow +semicircle inside the gate became heaped high with dead, impeding the +efforts of those still pressing in. Several of the bravest of the +Danish leaders had fallen. The crowd in the fosse, unaware of the +obstacle which prevented the advance of the head of the column and +harassed by the missiles from above, grew impatient, and after half an +hour of desperate efforts, and having lost upwards of three hundred of +his best men, the Danish king, furious with rage and disappointment, +called off his men. + +On the other three sides the attack equally failed. The Danes suffered +heavily while climbing the steep side of the inner mound. They brought +with them faggots, which they cast down at the foot of the wall, but +this was built so near the edge of the slope that they were unable to +pile sufficient faggots to give them the height required for a +successful assault upon it. Many climbed up on their comrades' +shoulders, and so tried to scale the wall, but they were thrust down by +the Saxon spears as they raised themselves to its level, and in no +place succeeded in gaining a footing. Over two hundred fell in the +three minor attacks. + +There were great rejoicings among the Saxons, on whose side but +twenty-three had been killed. A solemn mass was held, at which all save +a few look-outs on the walls attended, and thanks returned to God for +the repulse of the pagans; then the garrison full of confidence awaited +the next attack of the enemy. + +Stones were piled up in the gateway to prevent any sudden surprise +being effected there. The Danes in their retreat had carried off their +dead, and the next morning the Saxons saw that they were busy with the +ceremonies of their burial. At some little distance from their camp the +dead were placed in a sitting position, in long rows back to back with +their weapons by their sides, and earth was piled over them until a +great mound fifty yards long and ten feet high was raised. + +Three jarls and one of their kings were buried separately. They were +placed together in a sitting position, with their helmets on their +heads, their shields on their arms, and their swords by their sides. +Their four war-horses were killed and laid beside them; twenty slaves +were slaughtered and placed lying round them, for their spirits to +attend them in the Walhalla of the gods. Golden drinking-vessels and +other ornaments were placed by them, and then a mound forty feet in +diameter and twenty feet high was piled over the whole. + +The whole force were occupied all day with this work. The next day +numbers of trees were felled and brought to the camp, and for the next +two days the Danes were occupied in the manufacture of war-engines for +battering down the walls. Edmund and Egbert utilized the time in +instructing the soldiers who did not form part of the regular band, in +the formation of the quadruple line of defence which the Danes had +found it so impossible to break through, so that if more than one +breach was effected, a resistance similar to that made at the gate +could be offered at all points. The skins of the oxen killed for the +use of the garrison were carefully laid aside, the inside being thickly +rubbed with grease. + +The Danish preparations were at length completed, the war-engines were +brought up and began to hurl great stones against the wall at three +points. The Saxons kept up a constant fire of arrows at those employed +at working them, but the Danes, though losing many men, threw up +breastworks to protect them. + +The Saxons manufactured many broad ladders, and in the middle of the +night, lowering these over the walls, they descended noiselessly, and +three strong bodies fell upon the Danes guarding the engines. These +fought stoutly, but were driven back, the engines were destroyed, and +the Saxons retired to their walls again and drew up their ladders +before the main body of Danes could arrive from the camp. This caused a +delay of some days in the siege, but fresh engines having been +constructed, the assault on the walls was recommenced, this time the +whole Danish army moving out and sleeping at night close to them. + +After three days' battering, breaches of from thirty to fifty feet wide +were effected in the walls. The Saxons had not been idle. Behind each +of the threatened points they raised banks of earth ten feet high, and +cut away the bank perpendicularly behind the shattered wall, so that +the assailants as they poured in at the gaps would have to leap ten +feet down. + +Each night the masses of wall which fell inside were cleared away, and +when the breach was complete, and it was evident that the assault would +take place the next morning, the hides which had been prepared were +laid with the hairy side down, on the ground below. Through them they +drove firmly into the ground numbers of pikes with the heads sticking +up one or two feet, and pointed stakes hardened in the fire. Then +satisfied that all had been done the Saxons lay down to rest. + +In the morning the Danes advanced to the assault. This time they were +but little annoyed in their advance by the archers. These were posted +on the walls at each side of the gaps to shoot down at the backs of the +Danes after they had entered. On the inner semicircular mounds the +Saxon force gathered four deep. + +With loud shouts the Danes rushed forward, climbed the outer mounds, +and reached the breaches. Here the leaders paused on seeing the gulf +below them, but pressed by those behind they could not hesitate long, +but leapt down from the breach on to the slippery hides below. + +Not one who did so lived. It was impossible to keep their feet as they +alighted, and as they fell they were impaled by the pikes and stakes. +Pressed by those behind, however, fresh men leapt down, falling in +their turn, until at length the hides and stakes were covered, and +those leaping down found a foothold on the bodies of the fallen. Then +they crowded on and strove to climb the inner bank and attack the +Saxons. Now the archers on the walls opened fire upon them, and, +pierced through and through with the arrows which struck them on the +back, the Danes fell in great numbers. Edmund commanded at one of the +breaches, Egbert at another, and Oswald, an old and experienced +warrior, at the third. + +At each point the scene was similar. The Danes struggled up the mounds +only to fail to break through the hedge of spears which crowned them, +fast numbers dying in the attempt, while as many more fell pierced with +arrows. For an hour the Danes continued their desperate efforts, and +not until fifteen hundred had been slain did they draw off to their +camp, finding it impossible to break through the Saxon defences. + +Loud rose the shouts of the triumphant Saxons as the Danes retired, and +it needed all the efforts of their leaders to prevent them from pouring +out in pursuit; but the events of the preceding year had taught the +Saxon leaders how often their impetuosity after success had proved +fatal to the Saxons, and that once in the plain the Danes would turn +upon them and crush them by their still greatly superior numbers. +Therefore no one was allowed to sally out, and the discomfited Danes +retired unmolested. + +The next morning to their joy the Saxons saw that the invaders had +broken up their camp, and had marched away in the night. Scouts were +sent out in various directions, and the Saxons employed themselves in +stripping and burying the Danes who had fallen within the fort, only a +few of the most distinguished having been carried off. The scouts +returned with news that the Danes had made no halt, but had departed +entirely from that part of the country. Finding that for the present +they were free of the invaders, the Saxons left the fort and scattered +again, to rebuild as best they might their devastated homes. + +But if in the neighbourhood of Sherborne the Danes had been severely +repulsed, in other parts of the kingdom they continued to make great +progress, and the feeling of despair among the Saxons increased. Great +numbers left their homes, and taking with them all their portable +possessions, made their way to the sea-coast, and there embarked for +France, where they hoped to be able to live peaceably and quietly. + +Edmund placed no hindrance in the way of such of his people who chose +this course, for the prospect appeared well-nigh hopeless. The majority +of the Saxons were utterly broken in spirit, and a complete conquest of +the kingdom by the Danes seemed inevitable. In the spring, however, of +877 King Alfred again issued an urgent summons. A great horde of Danes +had landed at Exeter and taken possession of that town, and he +determined to endeavour to crush them. He sent to Edmund begging him to +proceed at once to Poole, where the king's fleet was ready for sea, and +to embark in it with what force he could raise, and to sail and +blockade the entrance to the river Exe, and so prevent the Danes from +reinforcing their countrymen, while he with his forces laid siege to +Exeter. + +Edmund would have taken his own vessel, but some time would have been +lost, and the king's ships were short of hands. He was not sorry, +indeed, that his men should have some practise at sea, and taking his +own band, in which the vacancies which had been caused in the defence +of the fort had been filled up, he proceeded to Poole. Here he embarked +his men in one of the ships, and the fleet, comprising twenty vessels, +put to sea. + +The management of the vessels and their sails was in the hands of +experienced sailors, and Edmund's men had no duties to perform except +to fight the enemy when they met them. + +The news of the siege of Exeter reached the Danes at Wareham, which was +their head-quarters, and 120 vessels filled with their troops sailed +for the relief of Exeter. + +The weather was unpropitious, heavy fogs lay on the water, dissipated +occasionally by fierce outbursts of wind. The Saxon fleet kept the sea. +It was well that for a time the Danish fleet did not appear in sight, +for the Saxons, save the sailors, were unaccustomed to the water, and +many suffered greatly from the rough motion; and had the Danes appeared +for the first week after the fleet put to sea a combat must have been +avoided, as the troops were in no condition to fight. + +Presently, however, they recovered from their malady and became eager +to meet the enemy; Edmund bade his men take part in the working of the +ship in order to accustom themselves to the duties of seamen. The fleet +did not keep the sea all the time, returning often to the straits +between the Isle of Wight and the mainland, where they lay in shelter, +a look-out being kept from the top of the hills, whence a wide sweep of +sea could be seen, and where piles of wood were collected by which a +signal fire could warn the fleet to put to sea should the enemy's +vessels come in sight. + +A full month passed and the Saxons began to fear that the Danes might +have eluded them, having perhaps been blown out to sea and having made +the land again far to the west. One morning, however, smoke was seen to +rise from the beacon fire. The crews who were on shore instantly +hurried on board. From the hills the Danish fleet was made out far to +the west and was seen to be approaching the land from seaward, having +been driven far out of its course by the winds. + +The weather was wild and threatening and the sailors predicted a great +storm. Nevertheless the fleet put to sea and with reefed sails ran to +the west. Their vessels were larger than the Danish galleys and could +better keep the sea in a storm. Many miles were passed before, from the +decks, the Danish flotilla could be seen. Presently, however, a great +number of their galleys were discerned rowing in towards Swanage Bay. + +In spite of the increasing fury of the wind the Saxons spread more sail +and succeeded in intercepting the Danes. A desperate fight began, but +the Danes in their low, long vessels had all they could do to keep +afloat on the waves. Many were run down by the Saxons. The showers of +arrows from their lofty poops confused the rowers and slew many. +Sweeping along close to them they often broke off the oars and disabled +them. Sometimes two or three of the Danish galleys would try to close +with a Saxon ship, but the sea was too rough for the boats to remain +alongside while the men tried to climb up the high sides, and the +Saxons with their spears thrust down those who strove to do so. +Confusion and terror soon reigned among the Danes, and fearing to try +to escape by sea in such a storm made for the shore, hotly pursued by +the Saxons. + +But the shore was even more inhospitable than their foes. Great rocks +bordered the coast, and upon these the galleys were dashed into +fragments. The people on shore, who had gathered at the sight of the +approaching fleets, fell upon such of the Danes as succeeded in gaining +the coast, and everyone who landed was instantly slain. Thus, partly +from the effects of the Saxon fleet but still more from that of the +storm, the whole of the Danish fleet of one hundred and twenty vessels +was destroyed, not a single ship escaping the general destruction. + + + + +CHAPTER VII: THE DRAGON + + +The Danes at Exeter, being now cut off from all hope of relief, asked +for terms, and the king granted them their lives on condition of their +promising to leave Wessex and not to return. This promise they swore by +their most solemn oaths to observe, and marching northward passed out +of Wessex and settled near Gloucester. Some of the Saxons thought that +the king had been wrong in granting such easy terms, but he pointed out +to the ealdormen who remonstrated with him that there were many other +and larger bands of Danes in Mercia and Anglia, and that had he +massacred the band at Exeter--and this he could not have done without +the loss of many men, as assuredly the Danes would have fought +desperately for their lives--the news of their slaughter would have +brought upon him fresh invasions from all sides. + +By this time all resistance to the Danes in Mercia had ceased. Again +and again King Burhred had bought them off, but this only brought fresh +hordes down upon him, and at last, finding the struggle hopeless, he +had gone as a pilgrim to Rome, where he had died. The Danes acted in +Mercia as they had done in Northumbria. They did not care, themselves, +to settle down for any length of time, and therefore appointed a weak +Saxon thane, Ceolwulf, as the King of Mercia. He ruled cruelly and +extorted large revenues from the land-owners, and robbed the +monasteries, which had escaped destruction, of their treasures. + +The Danes suffered him to pursue this course until he had amassed great +wealth, when they swooped down upon him, robbed him of all he +possessed, and took away the nominal kingship he had held. As there was +now but little fresh scope for plundering in England many of the Danes +both in Anglia and Mercia settled down in the cities and on the lands +which they had taken from the Saxons. + +The Danes who had gone from Exeter were now joined by another band +which had landed in South Wales. The latter, finding but small plunder +was to be obtained among the mountains of that country, moved to +Gloucester, and joining the band there proposed a fresh invasion of +Wessex. The Danes, in spite of the oaths they had sworn to Alfred, and +the hostages they had left in his hands, agreed to the proposal; and +early in the spring of 878 the bands, swollen by reinforcements from +Mercia, marched into Wiltshire and captured the royal castle of +Chippenham on the Avon. From this point they spread over the country +and destroyed everything with fire and sword. A general panic seized +the inhabitants. The better class, with the bishops, priests, and +monks, made for the sea-coasts and thence crossed to France, taking +with them all their portable goods, with the relics, precious stones, +and ornaments of the churches and monasteries. + +Another party of Danes in twenty-three ships had landed in Devonshire. +Here the ealdorman Adda had constructed a castle similar to that which +Edmund had built. It was fortified by nature on three sides and had a +strong rampart of earth on another. The Danes tried to starve out the +defenders of the fort; but the Saxons held out for a long time, +although sorely pressed by want of water. At last they sallied out one +morning at daybreak and fell upon the Danes and utterly defeated them, +only a few stragglers regaining their ships. + +A thousand Danes are said to have been slain at Kynwith; but this was +an isolated success; in all other parts of the kingdom panic appeared +to have taken possession of the West Saxons. Those who could not leave +the country retired to the woods, and thence, when the Danes had passed +by, leaving ruin and desolation behind them, they sallied out and again +began to till the ground as best they could. Thus for a time the West +Saxons, formerly so valiant and determined, sank to the condition of +serfs; for when all resistance ceased the Danes were well pleased to +see the ground tilled, as otherwise they would speedily have run short +of stores. + +At the commencement of the invasion Edmund had marched out with his +band and had inflicted heavy blows upon parties of plunderers; but he +soon perceived that the struggle was hopeless. He therefore returned to +Sherborne, and collecting such goods as he required and a good store of +provisions he marched to the place where the ship had been hidden. No +wandering band of Danes had passed that way, and the bushes with which +she had been covered were undisturbed. These were soon removed and a +passage three feet deep, and wide enough for the ship to pass through, +was dug from the deep hole in which she was lying to the river. + +When the last barrier was cut the water poured in, and the Saxons had +the satisfaction of seeing the vessel rise gradually until the water in +the dock was level with that in the river. Then she was taken out into +the stream, the stores and fittings placed aboard, and she was poled +down to the mouth of the river. Egbert had gone before and had already +engaged fifteen sturdy sailors to go with them. The Danes had not yet +reached the sea-coast from the interior, and there was therefore no +difficulty in obtaining the various equipments necessary. In a week her +masts were up and her sails in position. + +The Dragon, as she was called, excited great admiration at the port, +all saying that she was the finest and largest ship that had ever been +seen there. While her fitting out had been going on she was hove up on +shore and received several coats of paint. Edmund was loath to start on +his voyage without again seeing the king, but no one knew where Alfred +now was, he, on finding the struggle hopeless, having retired to the +fastnesses of Somerset to await the time when the Saxons should be +driven by oppression again to take up arms. + +At last all was ready, and the Dragon put out to sea. She was provided +with oars as well as sails, but these were only to be used when in +pursuit, or when flying from a superior enemy. As soon as she had been +long enough at sea to enable the band again to recover from the effects +of sickness the oars were got out and the men practised in their use. + +As in the models from which she had been built, she rowed two banks of +oars, the one worked by men upon deck, the others through small +port-holes. The latter could only be used when the weather was fine; +when the sea was high they were closed up and fastened. The lower-deck +oars were each rowed by one man, while the upper bank, which were +longer and heavier, had each two men to work it. + +Before starting Edmund had increased the strength of his band to ninety +men, that number being required for the oars, of which the Dragon had +fifteen on each bank on each side. At first there was terrible +splashing and confusion, but in time the men learned to row in order, +and in three weeks after putting to sea the oars worked well in time +together, and the Dragon, with her ninety rowers, moved through the +water at a great rate of speed. + +During this time she had never been far from land keeping but a short +distance from the port from which she had sailed, as Edmund did not +wish to fall in with the Danes until his crew were able to maneuver her +with the best effect. When, at last, satisfied that all knew their duty +he returned to port, took in a fresh supply of provisions, and then +sailed away again in search of the enemy. He coasted along the shore of +Hampshire and Sussex without seeing a foe, and then sailing round Kent +entered the mouth of the Thames. The Dragon kept on her way until she +reached the point where the river begins to narrow, and there the sails +were furled and the anchor thrown overboard to wait for Danish galleys +coming down the river. + +On the third day after they had anchored they perceived four black +specks in the distance, and these the sailors soon declared to be +Danish craft. They were rowing rapidly, having ten oars on either side, +and at their mast-heads floated the Danish Raven. The anchor was got +up, and as the Danes approached, the Golden Dragon, the standard of +Wessex, was run up to the mast-head, the sails were hoisted, the oars +got out, and the vessel advanced to meet the approaching Danes. + +These for a moment stopped rowing in astonishment at seeing so large a +ship bearing the Saxon flag. Then they at once began to scatter in +different directions; but the Dragon, impelled both by the wind and her +sixty oars, rapidly overtook them. When close alongside the galley +nearest to them the men on the upper deck, at an order from Edmund, ran +in their oars, and seizing their bows poured a volley of arrows into +the galley, killing most of the rowers. Then the Dragon was steered +alongside, and the Saxons, sword in hand, leaped down into the galley. +Most of the Danes were cut down at once; the rest plunged into the +water and swam for their lives. Leaving the deserted galley behind, the +Dragon continued the pursuit of the others, and overtook and captured +another as easily as she had done the first. + +The other two boats reached the shore before they were overtaken, and +those on board leaping out fled. The Saxons took possession of the +deserted galleys. They found them, as they expected, stored full of +plunder of all kinds--rich wearing apparel, drinking goblets, massive +vessels of gold and silver which had been torn from some desecrated +altar, rich ornaments and jewels and other articles. These were at once +removed to the Dragon. Fire was applied to the boats, and they were +soon a mass of flames. Then the Dragon directed her course to the two +galleys she had first captured. These were also rifled of their +contents and burned. The Saxons were delighted at the success which had +attended their first adventure. + +"We shall have rougher work next time," Egbert said. "The Danes who +escaped will carry news to London, and we shall be having a whole fleet +down to attack us in a few days." + +"If they are in anything like reasonable numbers we will fight them; if +not, we can run. We have seen to-day how much faster we are than the +Danish boats; and though I shall be in favour of fighting if we have a +fair chance of success, it would be folly to risk the success of our +enterprise by contending against overwhelming numbers at the outset, +seeing that we shall be able to pick up so many prizes round the coast." + +"We can beat a score of them," Egbert grumbled. "I am in favour of +fighting the Danes whenever we see them." + +"When there is a hope of success, Egbert, yes; but you know even the +finest bull can be pulled down by a pack of dogs. The Dragon is a +splendid ship, and does credit alike to King Alfred's first advice, to +the plans of the Italian shipbuilders, and to the workmanship and +design of the shipwright of Exeter, and I hope she will long remain to +be a scourge to the Danes at sea as they have been a scourge to the +Saxons on shore; and it is because I hope she is going to do such good +service to England that I would be careful of her. You must remember, +too, that many of the Danish galleys are far larger than those we had +to do with to-day. We are not going to gobble them all up as a pike +swallows minnows." + +The Dragon had now anchored again, and four days elapsed before any +Danish galleys were seen. At the end of that time six large Danish +war-ships were perceived in the distance. Edmund and Egbert from the +top of the lofty poop watched them coming. + +"They row thirty oars each side," Egbert said, "and are crowded with +men. What say you, Edmund, shall we stop and fight them, or shall the +Dragon spread her wings?" + +"We have the advantage of height," Edmund said, "and from our bow and +stern castles can shoot down into them; but if they lie alongside and +board us their numbers will give them an immense advantage. I should +think that we might run down one or two of them. The Dragon is much +more strongly built than these galleys of the Danes, and if when they +close round us we have the oars lashed on both sides as when we are +rowing, it will be next to impossible for them to get alongside except +at the stern and bow, which are far too high for them to climb." + +"Very well," Egbert said, "if you are ready to fight, you may be sure I +am." + +The anchor was got up and the oars manned, and the Dragon quietly +advanced towards the Danish boats. The men were instructed to row +slowly, and it was not until within a hundred yards of the leading +galley that the order was given to row hard. + +The men strained at the tough oars, and the Dragon leapt ahead to meet +the foe. Her bow was pointed as if she would have passed close by the +side of the Danish galley, which was crowded with men. When close to +her, however, the helmsman pushed the tiller across and the Dragon +swept straight down upon her. A shout of dismay rose from the Danes, a +hasty volley of arrows and darts was hurled at the Dragon, and the +helmsman strove to avoid the collision, but in vain. The Dragon struck +her on the beam, the frail craft broke up like an egg-shell under the +blow, and sank almost instantly under the bows of the Dragon. + +Without heeding the men struggling thickly in the water, the Dragon +continued her course. Warned by the fate of the first boat, the next +endeavoured to avoid her path. Her commander shouted orders. The rowers +on one side backed while those on the other pulled, but she was not +quite quick enough. The Dragon struck her a few feet from the stern, +cutting her in two. + +The other galleys now closed in alongside. The Saxons hastily fastened +their oars as they had been rowing and then betook themselves to their +posts, those with spears and swords to the sides to prevent the enemy +from climbing up, the archers to the lofty castles at either end. The +Danes had the greatest difficulty in getting alongside, the oars +keeping the galleys at a distance. For some time the combat was +conducted entirely by the archers on both sides, the Danes suffering +much the most heavily, as the Saxons were protected by the bulwarks, +while from their lofty positions they were enabled to fire down into +the galleys. + +At last one of the Danish vessels rowed straight at the broadside of +the Dragon, and breaking her way through the oars her bow reached the +side. Then the Danes strove to leap on board, but the Saxons pursued +the tactics which had succeeded so well on land, and forming in a close +mass where the Danish vessel touched the Dragon, opposed a thick hedge +of spears to those who strove to board her. + +The Danes fought desperately. Several notable leaders, hearing that a +great Saxon ship had appeared on the Thames, had come down to capture +her, and leading their followers, strove desperately to cut their way +to the deck of the Dragon. Taking advantage of the strife, the other +galleys repeated the maneuver which had succeeded, and each in turn ran +their stem through the Saxon oars, and reached the side of the Dragon. +In this position, however, they had the immense disadvantage that only +a few men at once could strive to board, while the Saxons were able to +oppose all their strength at these four points. + +For a time the Saxons repulsed every effort, but as the lashings of the +oars gave way under the pressure of the Danish ships, these drifted +alongside, and they were thus able to attack along the whole length of +the bulwarks between the castles. The Saxons were now hard put to it, +but their superior height still enabled them to keep the Danes in check. + +All this time the five vessels had been drifting down the river +together. Presently, when the conflict was hottest, the chief of the +sailors made his way to Edmund. + +"If we get up the sails we may be able to draw out from the galleys." + +"Do so," Edmund said, "and at once, for we are hardly pressed; they are +four to one against us." + +The sailors at once sprang to the halliards, and soon the great sail +rose on the mast. Almost instantly the Dragon began to glide away from +the galleys. The Danes with ropes endeavoured to lash themselves to her +sides, but these were severed as fast as thrown, and in two or three +minutes the Dragon had drawn herself clear of them. The Danes betook +themselves to their oars, but many of these had been broken between the +vessels, and rowing their utmost they could only just keep up with the +Dragon, for the wind was blowing freely. Fully half the oars of the +Dragon were broken, but the rest were soon manned, and she then rapidly +drew away from her pursuers. + +"I am not going to run further," Edmund said. "Now that we have once +shaken them off, let us turn and meet them again." + +As the vessel's head was brought up into the wind the Danes ceased +rowing. The fate which had befallen their two galleys at the +commencement of the fight was still before them. They had lost great +numbers of men in the attempt to board from the Saxon pikes and arrows, +and their desire to renew the fight vanished when they saw that the +Saxons were equally ready. Therefore, as the Dragon approached them, +they sheered off on either side of her and rowed for the mouth of the +Medway. + +The Saxons did not pursue. They had lost eight men killed, and +seventeen wounded by the Danish arrows, and were well content to be +quit of their opponents, upon whom they had inflicted a severe blow, as +each of the galleys sunk had contained fully a hundred and fifty men, +and great numbers of the Danes on board the other ships had fallen. + +They now left the Thames and sailed to Sandwich. The town had been +shortly before burned by the Danes, but these had left, and some of the +inhabitants had returned. Here the Dragon waited for a week, by the end +of which time the traces of the conflict had been obliterated, and new +oars made. Edmund found no difficulty in filling up the vacancies +caused in the fight, as many of the young Saxons were burning to avenge +the sufferings which the Danes had inflicted, and could have obtained +several times the number he required had there been room for them. He +was therefore enabled to pick out sturdy fellows accustomed to the sea. +When the Dragon again set sail her head was laid to the northward, as +Edmund intended to cruise off East Anglia, from whose shores fleets +were constantly crossing and recrossing to Denmark. + +They picked up several prizes at the mouths of the eastern rivers, +scarcely having to strike a blow, so surprised were the Danes at the +appearances of the great Saxon galley. Whenever the Danes surrendered +without resistance Edmund gave them quarter and landed them in small +boats on the shore; their ships, after being emptied of the booty they +contained, were burned. When off Yarmouth, where they had captured four +Danish vessels sailing out unsuspicious of danger, the wind veered +round to the north-east and began to blow very strongly. + +The long line of sandbanks off the coast broke somewhat the violence of +the sea, and the Dragon rode all night to her anchors; but in the +morning the wind continued to rise. The sea became more and more +violent, and the anchors began to drag. Edmund and Egbert, after a +consultation, agreed that their only chance of saving the vessel was to +enter the river. The tide was running in, but the sea was so heavy on +the bar of the river that the efforts of the crew at the oars barely +sufficed to keep her on her course. At length, however, she made her +way safely between the posts which marked the entrance, and rowing up +until they passed a turn, and were sheltered from the force of the +gale, they again anchored. + +The oars were all lashed out firmly to keep any boats from approaching +her sides. Bales of goods with which her hold was filled were brought +on deck, and piled high along the bulwarks so as to afford a shelter +from missiles. Even as they entered the harbour numbers of Danes had +assembled at the point; for the capture and destruction of their ships +had of course been seen, and the crews set ashore had spread the news +that the strange vessel was a Saxon. The Norfolk bank being somewhat +higher than the Suffolk, the boat was anchored rather nearer to the +latter, as it was from the town of Yarmouth that an attack was +anticipated. + +As soon as the anchors were let go the Danes began to fire their +arrows; but so powerful was the gale that the greater part of them were +swept far away. As the day went on the numbers of Danes on the bank +increased largely, and vast numbers of arrows were discharged at the +Dragon. The crew kept under shelter, and although she was often struck +no damage was done. + +In the afternoon a fleet of galleys was seen coming down the river. The +Danes possessed a large number of these boats at Yarmouth, and in these +they navigated the inland waters far into the interior. The wind had +shifted until it was blowing nearly due east, and Edmund and Egbert had +agreed upon the best course to be pursued. In case of attack they could +hardly hope finally to beat off the assault of a large fleet of +galleys, and would besides be exposed to attack by boats laden with +combustibles. Therefore as soon as the galleys were seen approaching +the oars were unlashed, the great sail hoisted, and at her best speed +the Dragon advanced up the river to meet her foes. The Danes gave a +shout of alarm as the vessel advanced to meet them with the water +surging in a white wave from her bows, and the greater part of them +hurried towards one bank or the other to escape the shock. Some, slower +in movement or stouter in heart, awaited the attack, while from all a +storm of missiles was poured upon the advancing boat. + +Heedless of these she continued her way. Her sharp bow crashed right +through the side of the Danish boats, and having destroyed seven of +them on her way she passed through the flotilla and continued her +course. The dragon waved triumphantly from her mast as she passed under +the walls of Yarmouth. These were crowded with Danes, who vainly +showered arrows and javelins as she flew past, with the fleets of +galleys rowing in her wake. A few minutes and she was out on the broad +sheet of water beyond. The Danish galleys paused at the entrance. In so +wild a storm they would have had difficulty in keeping their boats +straight, while the great galley with her sails and oars would be able +to maneuver freely, and could strike and run them down one by one. + +"What is that pile of buildings on the rising knoll of ground some +three miles away?" Edmund asked. + +"It is Bamborough Castle," Egbert replied, "a Roman stronghold of +immense strength." + +"Let us run up thither," Edmund said. "If, as is likely enough, it is +unoccupied, we will land there and take possession. Are the walls +complete?" + +"Assuredly they are," Egbert said. "They are of marvellous strength, +such as we cannot build in our days. They run in a great semicircle +from the edge of the water round the crest of the knoll and down again +to the water. There is but one gateway in the wall on the land side, +and this we can block up. We need not fear an attack from the land, for +between the river and the castle there are wide swamps; so that unless +they row up and attack us from the water we are safe." + +"I think that they will not do that," Edmund said, "after the taste +which the Dragon has given them of her quality. At any rate I think we +are safe till the storm abates." + +By this time, running rapidly before the wind, the Dragon was +approaching the great Roman fort, whose massive walls struck Edmund +with astonishment. No one was to be seen moving about in the space +inclosed by them. The sail was lowered and the vessel brought to the +bank. The anchors were taken ashore and she was soon solidly moored. +Then the crew leapt on to the land and ascended the bank to the great +level inclosure. + +The walls were, as Egbert had said, intact--and indeed, except on the +side facing the river, remained almost unbroken to the present day. An +hour's labour sufficed to block the gateway, where a pair of massive +doors were in position, for the place had been defended by the Saxons +against the Danes at their first landing on the coast. A few men were +placed as sentries on the walls, and, feeling now perfectly safe from +any attack on the land side, Edmund and his followers returned on board +the Dragon for the night. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII: THE CRUISE OF THE DRAGON + + +The night passed without alarm. The gale continued to blow with fury, +and until it abated Edmund had little fear that the Danes would venture +upon an attack. They had indeed no reason for haste. The Saxon vessel +was in their waters, and could not return so long as the storm +continued to blow from the east. The next day parties of Danes were +seen making their way across the swampy country from the direction of +Yarmouth. + +As soon, however, as these approached near enough to see the Saxons in +readiness on the walls of the castle they retired at once, knowing that +the place could be captured by nothing short of a prolonged and +desperate siege. On the fourth day the storm abated, and the Saxons +prepared to make their way seaward again. The wind still blew, but +lightly, from the same quarter, and the sails would therefore be of no +use. With their great oar-power they were confident that, once through +the Danish flotilla, they could defy pursuit. + +Accordingly they again embarked, and loosing their moorings rowed down +towards Yarmouth. They had chosen a time when the tide was running in; +for although this would hinder their progress it would equally impede +their pursuers, while it would enable them to check their vessel in +time did they find any unforeseen obstacle in their way. They entered +the river and rowed along quietly until they neared the walls of the +town. Here the river was at its narrowest, and they saw the Danish +galleys gathered thickly in the stream. + +Edmund and Egbert were on the forecastle, and presently gave the signal +for the men to cease rowing. + +"It is just as I expected," Egbert said; "they have formed a boom +across the river of trunks of trees and beams lashed together. We +cannot make our way down until that obstacle is removed. What say you +Edmund?" + +"I agree with you," Edmund replied. + +"We had best keep along close to the right bank until within a short +distance of the boom; then we must land the greater part of our men. +These must march along the bank in their phalanx; the others must keep +the boat moving close alongside, and from the forecastle they will be +able to fire down upon the Danes and aid those on shore to drive them +back and make their way to the end of the boom. They have but to cut +the lashings there and the whole will swing round. But now we see the +nature of the obstacle, and what is to be done, it were best to wait +until the tide turns. In the first place, fewer men will be needed on +board the ship, as she will advance by herself abreast of the men on +shore. In the second place, when the lashing is cut the boom will then +swing down the stream, will cause confusion among the boats behind it, +and will open a clear space for us to make our way down." + +Edmund agreed, a light anchor was dropped, and the Dragon rode quietly +in the stream. Great animation was evident among the Danes, large +numbers crossed the river, and a strong force gathered at either end of +the boom and in boats close behind it, to prevent the Saxons from +attempting to cut the lashings. There was little uneasiness on board +the Dragon, the Saxons were confident now of the power of their close +formation to force its way through any number of the enemy, and they +would gain such assistance from the fire from the lofty forecastle that +they doubted not that they should be able to drive back the Danes and +destroy the boom. In an hour the tide no longer rose. They waited till +it ran down with full force, then the anchor was hauled up, and the +Dragon rowed to the bank. + +Sixty of the fighting men headed by Egbert leapt on shore. Edmund with +the remainder took his place on the forecastle. The oars next to the +bank were drawn in, and some of those on the outward side manned by the +sailors. Then in its usual order the phalanx moved slowly forward while +the ship floated along beside them close to the bank. The Danes with +loud shouts advanced to meet them, and the arrows soon began to fly +thickly. Covered by the long shields of the front rank the Saxons moved +forward steadily, while, as the Danes approached, the archers on the +forecastle opened a destructive fire upon them. + +The confidence of the Saxons was justified, for the combat was never in +doubt. Although the Northmen fought bravely they were unable to +withstand the steady advance of the wedge of spears, and very many fell +beneath the rain of arrows from above. Steadily the wedge made its way +until it reached the end of the boom. A few blows with their axes +sufficed to cut the cables which fastened it in its place. As soon as +this was done Edmund gave a shout, and the Saxons at once sprang on +board the ship, which before the Danes could follow them was steered +out into the stream. + +As Egbert had foreseen, the boom as it swung round swept before it a +number of the Danish boats, and imprisoned them between it and the +shore. The oars were soon run out, and while the men on the forecastle +continued their fire at the Danish boats, the others seizing the oars +swept the Dragon along the stream. The Danes strove desperately to +arrest her progress. Some tried to run alongside and board, others +dashed in among the oars and impeded the work of the rowers, while from +the walls of the town showers of missiles were poured down upon her. +But the tide was gaining every moment in strength, and partly drifting, +partly rowing, the Dragon, like a bull attacked by a pack of dogs, made +her way down the river. Every effort of the Danes to board was +defeated, and many of their boats sunk, and at last she made her way +into the open sea. There her sails were hoisted, and she soon left her +pursuers behind. Once at sea her course was again turned north, and +picking up some prizes on the way she took up her station off the mouth +of the Humber. + +Several ships were captured as they sailed out from the river. After +the spoil on board was taken out, these, instead of being burnt, as had +always been the case before, were allowed to proceed on their way, +since had they been destroyed the crews must either have been slain or +landed. The first course was repugnant to Edmund, the second could not +be adopted, because they would have carried the news to the Danes, that +the Dragon was off the river and no more ships would have put to sea; +and indeed, so large was the number of Danish vessels always up the +Humber that a fleet could easily have been equipped and sent out, +before which the Dragon must have taken flight. + +One day a large sailing ship was seen coming out. The Dragon remained +with lowered sail until she had passed; then started in pursuit, and +speedily came up with the Danish vessel. Edmund summoned her to +surrender, and was answered by a Norseman of great stature and noble +appearance, who from the poop hurled a javelin, which would have +pierced Edmund had he not leapt quickly aside. A few other darts were +thrown and then the Dragon ran alongside the enemy and boarded her. + +The opposition of the Northmen was speedily beaten down, but their +leader desperately defended the ladder leading to the poop. He was +struck by two arrows, and fell on one knee, and Edmund was about to +climb the ladder when the door of the cabin in the poop opened, and a +Norse maiden some sixteen years old sprang out. Seeing her father +wounded at the top of the ladder and the Saxons preparing to ascend it, +while others turned their bows against the wounded Northman, she sprang +forward and throwing herself upon her knees before Edmund besought him +to spare her father's life. Edmund raised his hand and the bows were +lowered. + +"I have no wish to slay your father, maiden," he said gently; "we slay +only those who resist, and resistance on the part of a single man, and +he wounded, against a whole ship's crew is madness. We are no +sea-wolves who slay for the pleasure of slaying, but are Saxons, who +fight for our country against the oppressions and rapine of your +people. Little right have they to mercy seeing they show none; but our +religion enjoins us to have pity even upon our enemies. You had best +ascend to your father and see to his wounds, none will harm you or him." + +The girl with an exclamation of thanks sprang up the ladder. Edmund +superintended the searching of the ship. She contained a great store of +valuables, which were speedily transferred to the Dragon. When this had +been done Edmund ascended to the poop. The jarl was sitting in a great +chair placed there. Edmund had already learnt from the crew that he was +Jarl Siegbert, a noted leader of the Northmen. His daughter had drawn +out the arrows and bandaged the wounds. + +"Jarl Siegbert," Edmund said as he approached him, "you have been a +bitter enemy of the Saxons, and small mercy have you shown to those who +have fallen into your hands, but learn now that we Christian Saxons +take no vengeance on a defenceless foe. You are free to pursue your +voyage with your daughter and your ship to Norway. Your stores we have +made free with, seeing that they are all plunder taken from the Saxons, +and we do but reclaim our own." + +"And who are you, young sir?" the jarl asked. + +"I am one of King Alfred's ealdormen of Wessex, Edmund by name." + +"I have heard of you," the Dane said, "as one who has taught the Saxons +new tactics, fighting in a close body which has more than once pierced +our lines and caused our overthrow; but you are a mere lad." + +"I am young," Edmund replied, "and had it not been for the invasions +and oppressions of your countrymen, might have still accounted myself +as scarce a man; but you have made warriors of every West Saxon capable +of bearing a sword. Remember, jarl, that your life has been in Saxon +hands, and that they have spared it, so come not hither to our shores +again." + +"I purpose not doing so," the Northman replied. "I have seen enough of +stricken fields, and was returning to my own country to hang up my +sword, content with the fame I have gained, until Woden called me to +join his warriors and feast in his halls. Since we may not meet there, +young Saxon--for they say that you Christians look to a place where +arms will be laid aside and the sound of feasting be unheard--I will +say farewell. For myself, I thank you not for my life, for I would +rather have died as I have lived with my sword in my hand; but for my +daughter's sake I thank you, for she is but young to be left +unprotected in the world." + +A few minutes later, the Danish vessel continued on her way, and the +Dragon again took her station on the look-out. She was now deep in the +water, and after picking up one or two more small prizes, Edmund and +Egbert determined to return home. + +It was probable that the Danes would soon take the alarm and despatch a +fleet to attack them. Laden down as the Dragon was, her speed under +oars was materially affected, and it was advisable to stow away their +booty before proceeding with further adventures. Her head was turned +south, and she coasted down the eastern shores of England without +adventure. Several Danish vessels were seen arriving at or quitting the +coast, but the Dragon continued her course without heeding them, and +rounding the Forelands, sailed along the south coast and made her way +up the Parrot. + +Upon inquiry they learnt that no event of any importance had taken +place during their absence. The Danes were complete masters of the +country. King Alfred was in hiding, none knew where. The greater +portion of the Danes were at their camp at Chippenham, but parties +roamed here and there through the land. + +Dressed as countrymen, Edmund and Egbert made their way to Exeter, and +there arranged with some traders for the purchase of the less valuable +portion of the Dragons cargo. This consisted of rich clothing, silks +and other stuffs, wine, vestments, and altar hangings from churches, +arms and armour, hides and skins. The prices obtained were far below +the real value of the articles, for money was scarce, and none could +say when the Danes might again swoop down and clear out the contents of +the warehouses. Nevertheless the sum obtained was a large one for those +days, and this did not include the value of the gold and silver +goblets, salvers, vases, and utensils used in the celebration of +religious services. + +Of these, spoiled from the houses of the wealthy, and the churches and +monasteries, they had obtained a considerable number. These were buried +in the wood near the lonely spot at which the Dragon was moored, the +rest of the cargo was sent in wagons--the more valuable portions hidden +under the hides and skins--to Exeter. The amount which had been +obtained from the cargo was divided as agreed before starting: +twenty-five shares were set apart for the king, twenty-five shares were +divided between the two leaders, and each soldier and sailor had one +share. All were well satisfied with the success of the adventure, and +with the damage which they had inflicted upon the Danes. + +A fortnight's leave was given, for the men to visit their homes, and +the money which they had gained in their trip was of great use to their +friends in enabling them to repair the damages effected by the Danes. +Not a man was absent at the appointed time, and the Dragon again made +her way down to the sea. + +It was midwinter now, and they cruised along the southern coast of +England without perceiving a single hostile sail. They lay for a week +off the mouth of the Thames, and then saw four large Danish vessels +making their way down the river. They were all vessels of the largest +size, strongly built, and full of men, and the Saxons judged them to be +too strong to be attacked in company. The Northmen, on seeing the +golden dragon flying at the mast-head of the Saxon ship, at once made +towards her, keeping in a close body; but the Dragon with sails and +oars easily left them behind, and the Danes giving up the pursuit +continued on their way. + +The Dragon fell into their wake and followed at a distance, hoping that +one might prove slower than the others, or that they might in the night +get separated. At nightfall, however, the Danes lit cressets of tar and +hemp, which enabled them not only to keep close together, but sent out +a wide circle of light, so that they could perceive the Dragon should +she venture to approach. + +For two days and nights the Dragon followed patiently. + +"The weather is about to change," Egbert said on the third morning. +"Methinks that there is a storm brewing, and if this be so the Northmen +may well get separated, and we may pick up one away from her fellows." + +Darker and darker grew the sky, and the wind soon blew in furious +gusts, raising a sea so heavy that the Saxons were obliged to lay in +their oars. By nightfall it was blowing a furious gale. In the +gathering darkness and the flying scud the ships of the Danes were lost +sight of; but this was of little consequence now, for the attention of +the Saxons was directed to their own safety. + +For the next three days their position was one of the greatest danger. +With only a rag of sail set they ran before the gale from the +south-west. Every wave as it overtook them threatened the destruction +of the ship; but the Dragon, light and buoyant, and ably handled, rode +safely over the waves. On the fourth morning the wind was still blowing +fiercely, although its force had in some degree moderated. As the +daylight dawned Edmund and Egbert, who had hardly left the poop since +the storm began, looked anxiously ahead. + +"Surely, Edmund, I see a dark mass ahead?" Egbert exclaimed. + +For a minute or two Edmund gazed silently ahead. + +"It is so, Egbert," he said; "it is a rocky coast. Do you not see a +white fringe below where the waves strike against it?" + +As the light became clearer the imminence of their peril grew more +distinct. A lofty iron-bound coast rose in front of them, and extended +as far as the eye could reach on either hand. The seas broke with +terrible force against its base, sending its spray far up on the cliffs. + +"Could we bring her about?" Edmund asked the chief of the sailors. + +"It would be useless," the man said. "She could not make her way in the +teeth of this gale." + +"That I see," Edmund said; "but at present we are rushing on to +destruction. If we bring her to the wind we may run some distance along +the coast before we are driven ashore, and may perceive some spot +towards which we may direct her with a chance of making land ere she +goes to pieces." + +The sail was still further lessened and the ship's head brought round +parallel with the coast. + +The Dragon laboured tremendously as the sea struck her full on the +beam, and every wave flooded her low waist. Each sea which struck her +lifted her bodily to leeward, and for every foot she sailed forward she +was driven one towards the coast. This was now but three miles distant, +and another hour would ensure her destruction; for none there hoped +that the anchors, even should they find bottom, could hold her for an +instant in the teeth of the gale. Every eye was directed towards the +shore, but no break could be seen in the wall of rock which rose almost +perpendicularly from the water. + +"I fear it is hopeless," Edmund said to Egbert; "the strongest swimmer +would be dashed to pieces in an instant against those rocks." + +"He would indeed," Egbert replied. "I wish now that we had boldly +engaged the four Danish ships. Far better would it have been for us to +have died fighting for England on her decks than to have perished here." + +The time passed slowly. Every minute the Dragon was swept nearer and +nearer towards the rocks. + +"She will just make that headland," the master sailor said, "and that +is all. Once round it we had best turn her head to the rocks. If the +cliffs rise as here sheer from the water, the moment she strikes will +be the last for all of us; but if the rocks are, as in some places, +piled high at the foot of the cliffs, a few may possibly manage to leap +from her forecastle as she strikes and to clamber up." + +Scarce a word was spoken on board the Dragon as she came abreast of the +headland. It was but a few hundred yards away. The roar of the seas as +they struck its base sounded high above the din of the storm. Great +sheets of foam were thrown up to a vast height, and the turmoil of the +water from the reflux of the waves was so great that the Dragon was +tossed upon it like a cock-boat, and each man had to grasp at shroud or +bulwark to retain his footing. + +Suddenly a cheer burst from end to end of the ship. Beyond the headland +a great gap was visible a quarter of a mile wide, as if the cliffs had +been rent in sunder by some tremendous convulsion, and a fiord was seen +stretching away in the bosom of the hills as far as the eye could +reach. The Dragon's head was turned, and soon she was flying before the +wind up the inlet. A mile farther and the fiord widened to a lake some +two miles across between steep hills clothed from foot to summit with +trees. + +Its course was winding and they were soon sheltered from the gale and +were gliding quietly over comparatively tranquil water. Ten miles up +the anchor was let go in a sheltered inlet, and Edmund summoned the +whole crew to return thanks to God for their marvellous escape. + +The Dragon had suffered severely in her conflict with the elements, her +large sails had been split or blown away, the bulwarks at her waist had +been shattered, and considerable damage done to her gear and fittings. +Four-and-twenty hours were allowed to the men for rest after their +labours, and then all hands were set to work to refit. + +The next morning Edmund said to his kinsman: + +"I will take two of the men and go ashore to hunt; there should be wild +boar and deer in these forests, and all would be glad of some fresh +meat." + +"Be careful, Edmund; remember you are in the country of our enemies, +for without doubt this land to which we have been blown is Norway; and +although we can see no signs of habitations there may well be villages +somewhere among these hills." + +"I will be careful," Edmund said, laughing; "and if I do not return in +two days do you set sail without me. I should like to discover the +abode of some Northern jarl; it would indeed be a grand retaliation to +give them a taste of the sufferings they have inflicted upon us." + +"That would be good work," Egbert said; "nevertheless I own that at +present I am anxious to be at sea again." + +"Two days will be sufficient to refit," Edmund said, "and then we will +spread our wings. Good-bye, Egbert, I will be back by sunset, and I +hope with a deer or two." + +Selecting a couple of followers, both skilled with the bow, and all +being armed with spears, Edmund leapt ashore, for the water was deep up +to the rocks, and the Dragon had been moored alongside for the +convenience of taking on board the wood for the repairs. + +Although those on board the Dragon guessed it not, many eyes were +watching them. A small fishing village lay at the edge of the fiord a +mile or two beyond the inlet in which the ship was moored. Hidden as +they were among the trees the huts had not been noticed by the Saxons, +but the strange ship had been seen by some of those in the village, and +the fishermen at once pronounced that whencesoever she might have come +she was assuredly no Northman's ship. Messengers had immediately been +sent to the villages among the hills. These were widely scattered, and +it was not until the day after the ship's arrival that a force was +collected which was deemed sufficient to attack it. Already, as Edmund +leapt ashore, the Norsemen were making their way quietly through the +forest towards the Dragon. + +Edmund had advanced but a few hundred yards up the hillside when a +large party of Norsemen suddenly sprang upon him. Two Saxon arrows flew +true to their marks, then the Danes rushed upon them. So far no words +had been spoken, but Edmund placed to his lips the whistle with which +he gave orders on board the ship and blew a long shrill note, and then +shouted at the top of his voice: + +"The Danes! the Danes! push off!" + +The instant afterwards he was attacked. He and his men fought bravely, +but in a few seconds the latter were cut down and Edmund was levelled +to the ground by a tremendous blow from a club. + +A minute later the din of battle rose by the water's side; Edmund's +whistle and shout had been heard, and the Saxons on shore sprang on +board and seized their spears and bows just as the Danes poured down +through the trees. For a time the Saxons defended the ship against the +desperate attempts of the Danes to gain footing on her; but seeing the +number of its assailants, and being certain that Edmund was killed or +captured, Egbert ordered the ropes to be cut, and the Dragon was thrust +away from the rocks. The oars were then got out and she rowed out of +bow-shot from the shore. Then Egbert held a consultation with the +leading men among the Saxons. + +All on board were filled with grief at the loss of their young leader, +but they felt that nothing could be done for him, and it would be but +courting danger to remain longer in the fiord. Since so large a force +had been collected in the forest news might have been sent to the +ports, and at any moment they might see a fleet of the Northmen's +galleys barring their retreat; therefore with bitter grief and +lamentation the Dragon's sails were hoisted and she made her way to sea. + +"My only consolation is," Egbert said, "that if the brave lad is not +killed at once he may yet find his way back to England. He is ready of +wit and full of invention that, if any can possibly extricate +themselves from such a strait, it is assuredly he; but I fear that he +fell in the first onslaught. Brave lad, even in the moment of his own +peril he thought first of us. Had it not been for his timely warning we +should have been taken unawares, and many must have been killed even if +the Dragon herself escaped capture." + +The storm had entirely abated, and the waters sparkled brightly in the +cold January sun as the Dragon sailed out between the two headlands +into the sea. Very different were the feelings of the crew to those +which had animated them when, two days before, they had passed through +the channel; then every heart beat with joy and thankfulness; now the +deepest depression and grief reigned on board. + +Edmund was adored by his followers. His kindness as their ealdorman, +his skill and bravery as a leader, his cheerfulness and brightness +under every danger and peril had immensely endeared him to their +hearts, and each man felt that he had sustained an irretrievable loss, +and that with their chief the spirit which had animated the Dragon and +directed their enterprises was gone. + +Egbert was a valiant warrior, and was an admirable second to an +enterprising leader; but he was altogether without initiative, and, +except when excited by danger, was dull and silent. Although all +esteemed him and honoured him for his strength and bravery, they felt +that he would be a poor substitute indeed for the leader they had lost. + + + + +CHAPTER IX: A PRISONER + + +When Edmund recovered his senses he found that he was being carried +along on a rough litter through the forest. It was some little time +before he realized his position and recalled the circumstances of the +attack. After the Dragon had moved safely out into the fiord, its +assailants had returned to the spot where they had attacked the three +Saxons who had landed. Two of them were without life, but they found +that the third, who, from his habiliments was evidently of higher rank, +and whom they judged, although still but a youth, to be the commander +of the Saxon party, had only been stunned by the blow of the club which +had felled him. + +It was at once resolved to carry him to the jarl of the district, who +would assuredly wish to learn from him the meaning of the coming of the +strange ship. That the Dragon was a Saxon vessel the Northmen were +sure. Many of them had been on expeditions across the seas, and knew +the Saxons both from their dress and manner of wearing their hair, but +the ship was unlike anything they had seen before, and it seemed above +all things strange that when, as they understood, England had been +completely conquered, Saxon warships should be entering a northern +fiord. + +For many hours Edmund was carried through the forest. He wondered to +himself whether he would be slain on his arrival or kept as a slave, +for the Norse and Saxon tongues were so similar that he was perfectly +able to understand the language of his captors. A party of twelve men +accompanied him, four of whom bore the litter, and were relieved at +intervals by the others. After some hours the feeling of giddiness and +weakness passed off, and on the men stopping to change bearers he +expressed his readiness to walk. + +Hitherto he had lain with his eyes closed, as he thought it better to +remain as he was until he felt perfectly able to keep up with his +captors in a journey which might, for aught he knew, be a long one. The +Northmen expressed their satisfaction at finding that their burden need +no longer be carried, and throwing aside the boughs which had formed +the litter, proceeded with him on their way. They asked him many +questions concerning the Dragon. Most of these he answered readily +enough, but he evaded those as to the place where she had been built, +or the port from which she had sailed. It was not until late in the +afternoon that they arrived at the abode of the Jarl Bijorn. + +It was a rough abode constructed of timber, thatched with rushes, for +as yet the Northmen were scarcely a settled people, the tribes for the +most part wandering in the forests hunting when not engaged in those +warlike expeditions which they loved above all other things. Only the +leaders dwelt in anything like permanent abodes, the rest raising huts +of boughs at such places as they might make any stay at. + +One of Edmund's conductors had gone on ahead, and as the party +approached the building Bijorn came out from his house to meet them. He +was, like almost all Northmen, a man of great stature and immense +strength. Some fifty years had passed over his head, but he was still +in the prime of his life; for the Northmen, owing to their life of +constant activity, the development of their muscles from childhood, and +their existence passed in the open air, retained their strength and +vigour to a great age. + +So assiduous was their training, and so rapidly did their figures +develop in consequence, that at the age of fifteen a young Northman +received arms and was regarded as a man, although he did not marry +until many years afterwards, early wedlock being strongly discouraged +among them. By Bijorn's side stood his son, who, though but twenty-two +years old, rivalled him in stature and in muscular development, +although lacking the great width of shoulder of the jarl. + +As Edmund approached, a war-horse of the jarl fastened up to a post +close to the entrance of the house neighed loudly. Bijorn looked +surprised. The neighing of a horse among the Northmen was regarded as +the happiest of auguries, and in their sacred groves horses were tied +up, as the neighing of these animals was considered an infallible proof +that a propitious answer would be given by the gods to the prayer of +any petitioner who sought their aid. + +"By Thor!" Bijorn exclaimed, "my good war-horse welcomes the stranger. +As I said to you anon, Sweyn, I had intended to offer him as a +sacrifice to Odin; but as the gods have thus declared him welcome here +I must needs change my intentions. Who are you, young Saxon?" he asked +as Edmund was brought before him, "and whence do you come? And how is +it that a war-ship of your people is found upon our coasts?" + +"I am Edmund," the young man said steadily, "an ealdorman of King +Alfred of the West Saxons. The ship which was seen on your coast is +mine; I built it to attack the Northmen who harry our coasts. I am here +because, when in chase of four of your ships, a storm arose and blew us +hither." + +"You speak boldly," the jarl said, "for one in the hands of his foes. +How old are you?" + +"I am twenty-two," Edmund replied. + +"The same age as you, Sweyn. Stand side by side and let me compare you. +Ay," he went on, "he lacks nigh three inches of your height, but he is +more than that bigger across the shoulders--a stalwart young champion, +indeed, and does brave credit to his rearing. These West Saxons have +shown themselves worthy foemen, and handled us roughly last year, as +this will testify," and he pointed to the scar of a sword-cut across +his face. "Doubtless this is the son of that Saxon earl who more than +once last summer inflicted heavy losses upon us. Is that so, young +Saxon?" + +"I am the Ealdorman Edmund himself," the young man replied quietly. "My +successes were won not by my own strength or courage, but by the valour +of those under me, who, fighting in a novel manner, gained advantage +over your Northmen." + +"By Thor!" Bijorn exclaimed, "and this is the youth who attacked us at +night and drove off the cattle we had taken and slew many of our +followers, Sweyn! Truly he would be a rare sacrifice to offer to Odin; +but the god has himself welcomed him here." + +"It may be that he welcomed him as a sacrifice, father," Sweyn +suggested. + +"Ah! that may be so," the jarl replied. "We must consult the omens to +find out the true meaning of my charger's neighing. Nevertheless in +either case I shall be content, for if he be not welcomed as a +sacrifice he is welcome as bringing good fortune; and in truth he will +make a noble cup-bearer to me. It is not every jarl who is waited upon +by a Saxon ealdorman. But till the omens have spoken let him be set +aside and carefully watched. In a day or two we will journey to Odin's +temple and there consult the auguries." + +Three days passed, during which Edmund was well fed and treated. At the +end of that time he was ordered to accompany the jarl on a journey. Two +days' travelling brought them to a temple of Odin. It was a rough +structure of unhewn stones situated in a wood. Bijorn and his son +entered, while Edmund remained without under a guard. Presently the +jarl and his son came out with a priest. The latter carried a white bag +in his hand with twelve small pieces of wood. On half of these four +small nicks were cut, on the others five nicks. All were placed in the +bag, which was then shaken. + +"Now," the priest said, "you will see the will of Odin; the first three +sticks drawn out will declare it. If two of the three bear an even +number of nicks, the neigh of your horse signifies that Odin accepted +the sacrifice; if two of them bear unequal numbers, then it meant that +his coming was propitious to you." + +The bag was again shaken. Edmund looked on calmly, for Saxons and +Northmen alike disdained to show the slightest fear of death; even the +colour did not fade from his cheek as he watched the trial upon which +his life depended. + +The first stick drawn out bore five marks; the priest showed it to the +jarl, and without a word dropped it in the bag again. This was again +shaken and another stick drawn out; this bore but four notches; the +chances were even. The silence was unbroken until the third twig was +drawn. + +"Odin has spoken," the priest said. "The neigh of the horse indicated +that the coming of this Saxon was propitious to your house." + +The jarl gave an exclamation of satisfaction, while Sweyn's brow +darkened. Bijorn had indeed set his heart upon retaining this famous +young Saxon leader as his slave and cup-bearer, and it was probable +that in his interview with the priest before the drawing his +inclinations had been clearly shown, for a slight difference between +the thickness of the sticks might well have existed and served as an +index to the priest in drawing them. + +Bijorn, in his gratification at the answer of the god, bestowed a +handsome present upon the priest, and then rode back to his abode well +content with his journey. Edmund was at once installed in his new +duties. Hitherto he had not entered the house nor seen the females of +the family. Ulfra, the jarl's wife, was a woman of commanding stature +and appearance. Like most of the northern women she had accompanied her +husband in his many wanderings, and shared his dangers and privations. +The wives of the Norsemen occupied a far more exalted position in the +households of their lords than did those of the people of southern +Europe; they were not only mistresses of the house, but were treated +with respect as well as with affection; they were not, as in the south, +regarded as puppets for the amusements of an idle hour, but were the +companions and advisers of their husbands, occupying a position at +least as free and respected as at the present day. + +There were two daughters, who both bade fair to resemble their mother +in stature and dignity of demeanour, for both were models of female +strength and activity. Edmund's duties were light. In the morning he +gathered firewood for the household; at the meals he handed the dishes, +and taking his station behind the jarl's chair, refilled his goblet +with mead as often as it was empty. Usually a large party sat down to +supper, for an expedition to France was talked of in the spring, and +the jarls and warriors often met to discuss the place of starting, the +arrangements for the voyage, and the numbers which each leader would +place in the field. The feasts were kept up to a late hour, and, as was +the invariable custom of the Northmen, the arrangements decided upon +overnight were rediscussed at a morning meeting; for they held that +while over the wine-cup each man would speak the truth frankly and +honestly, the colder counsels and greater prudence which the morning +brought were needed before any matter could be finally settled. + +A month thus passed, and Bijorn, his family and followers then moved +south, as there was to be a great conference near the southern point of +the country, at which a large number of the chiefs from Denmark were to +be present. + +Edmund observed that for some reason Sweyn was looking forward +anxiously to this meeting, and his sisters more than once joked him +about his anxiety. + +"Pooh! pooh!" the jarl said one day in answer to such an observation. +"Sweyn is but a lad yet. I know what you are driving at, and that Sweyn +is smitten with the charms of my old companion's daughter, the pretty +Freda; I noted it when we were in camp together; but it will be fully +another ten years yet before Sweyn can think of marrying. He has got to +win for himself the name of a great warrior before a jarl's daughter of +proper spirit would so much as think of him. When he has the spoils of +France to lay at her feet it will be time enough." + +Sweyn made no reply, but Edmund saw that he was far from pleased at his +father's words, and a look of surly determination on his face showed +the young Saxon that he would go his own way in the matter if it lay in +his power. + +After ten days' travelling the party arrived at the rendezvous. Here +drawn up on the shore were a vast number of galleys of all sizes, for +the greater part of those who had assembled had journeyed by sea. Great +numbers of huts of boughs and many tents constructed of sails had been +erected. Edmund and the other slaves, these being either Saxon or +Franks captured in war, soon erected bowers for the jarl and his family. + +Edmund had been looking forward to the meeting with much anxiety, for +he had judged that some mode of escape might there open to him. Among +the Saxon slaves were several young men of strength and vigour, and +Edmund had confided to them his project of stealing a boat and sailing +away in it, and they, knowing that he had experience in navigation, had +readily consented to join him in making an effort for freedom. + +The jarl and his family were warmly welcomed by many of their +companions in arms, and the day after their arrival Bijorn told Edmund +to accompany him to a banquet at which he and his family were to be +present. At four in the afternoon they set out and presently arrived at +a large tent. Edmund waited without until the attendants carried in the +dishes, when he entered with them and prepared to take his place behind +his master's seat. From a few words which had passed between Sweyn and +his sisters Edmund doubted not that the companion with whom Bijorn was +going to dine was the father of the maiden about whom they had joked +him. He was not surprised when on entering he saw Sweyn talking +earnestly with a damsel somewhat apart from the rest. + +The entrance of the viands was the signal for all to take their places +at the table. There were in all sixteen in number, and as nearly half +were women the meeting was evidently of a family character, as upon +occasions of importance or when serious discussions were to take place +men alone sat down. As Edmund advanced to take his place, his eye fell +upon the jarl who seated himself at the head of the table, and as he +did so he gave a slight start of surprise, for he at once recognized in +him the Northman Siegbert, whose ship he had stopped at the mouth of +the Humber. From him his eye glanced at the girl by whose side Sweyn +was on the point of seating himself, and recognized in her the maiden +who had besought her father's life. The dinner commenced and proceeded +for some little time, when Edmund saw the girl looking fixedly at him. + +"Who is that who is standing behind your father's chair?" she asked +Sweyn. + +"A Saxon slave," he answered. "His vessel was well-nigh wrecked on our +coast. Our people captured him and slew some of his followers, and the +ship speedily took to flight." + +"Father," the girl said in a clear voice, which at once attracted the +attention of all, "unless my eyes deceive me the young Saxon standing +behind Jarl Bijorn is he whose ship captured us as we left England, and +who suffered no harm to be done to us." + +The Northman turned in his chair. + +"It is he, Freda, surely enough, though how he comes to be a slave here +to my comrade Bijorn I know not. Bijorn, my friend, I owe this youth a +deep debt of gratitude; he had my life and the life and honour of Freda +in his hands, and he spared both, and, slave though he may be of yours +at present, yet I hail him as my friend. Tell me how came he in your +hands? He is Edmund, the valiant young Saxon who smote us more than +once so heavily down in Wessex." + +"I know it," Bijorn replied, "and will tell you how he came into my +hands, and in truth he was captured by accident and not by any valour +of my arm." The jarl then related the circumstances under which Edmund +had been captured, and the narrow escape he had had of being offered as +a sacrifice to Odin. And Siegbert then told his guests at length the +incidents of his capture by the Dragon. + +"He let me go free and without a ransom," he concluded, "and that part +of my obligation I should be glad to repay, though for his gentleness +to Freda I must still remain his debtor. What say you, Bijorn, will you +sell him to me? Name your price in horses, arms, and armour, and +whatever it be I will pay it to you." + +"In truth, Siegbert," Bijorn said, "I like not to part with the lad; +but since you are so urgent, and seeing that you cannot otherwise +discharge the obligation under which, as you say, he has laid you, I +cannot refuse your prayer. As to the price, we will arrange that anon." + +"Then it is settled," Siegbert said. "You are a free man, Ealdorman +Edmund," and he held out his hand to the youth. "Now seat yourself at +the table with my guests; there are none here but may feel honoured at +dining with one of King Alfred's bravest thanes." + +The transformation in Edmund's position was sudden indeed; a moment +since he was a slave, and although he had determined upon making an +effort for freedom, he had known that the chances of escape were small, +as swift galleys would have been sent off in pursuit, and it was +probable that he would have been speedily overtaken and brought back. +Now he was free, and would doubtless be allowed to return home with the +first party who sailed thither. + +Siegbert at once tried to make Edmund feel at home, addressing much of +his conversation to him. Bijorn, too, spoke in a friendly manner with +him, but Sweyn was silent and sullen; he was clearly ill-pleased at +this change of fortune which had turned his father's slave into a +fellow-guest and equal. His annoyance was greatly heightened by the +fact that it was Freda who had recognized the young Saxon, and the +pleasure which her face evinced when her father proposed to purchase +him from Bijorn angered him still more. In his heart he cursed the +horse whose welcoming neigh had in the first instance saved Edmund's +life, and the trial by augury which had confirmed the first omen. After +the banquet was over Siegbert requested Edmund to relate his various +adventures. + +The telling of tales of daring was one of the favourite amusements of +the Danes; Siegbert and his friends quaffed great bumpers of mead; and +the ladies sat apart listening while Edmund told his story. + +"You have a brave record, indeed," Siegbert said when he had finished, +"for one so young; and fond as are our youths of adventure there is not +one of them of your age who has accomplished a tithe of what you have +done. Why, Freda, if this youth were but one of us he would have the +hearts of all the Norse maidens at his feet. In the eyes of a Danish +girl, as of a Dane, valour is the highest of recommendations." + +"I don't know, father," Freda said, colouring at being thus addressed, +"that we should be as bold as that, although assuredly it is but right +that a maiden should esteem valour highly. It is to her husband she has +to look for protection, and she shares in the honour and spoil which he +gains by his valiant deeds, so you have always taught me." + +"And rightly too, girl. Next to being a great hero, the greatest honour +is to be the wife of one. I pledge you, Ealdorman Edmund, and should be +right proud were you a son of mine. You have told your story modestly, +for many of the battles and adventures of which you have spoken are +known to me by report, and fame has given you a larger share in the +successes than you claim for yourself. 'Tis a pity you were not born a +Northman, for there is little for you to do in Saxon England now." + +"I do not despair yet," Edmund replied. "Things have gone badly with +us, but the last blow is not struck yet. You will hear of King Alfred +in the spring, unless I am mistaken." + +"But they say your King Alfred is half a monk, and that he loves +reading books more than handling the sword, though, to do him justice, +he has shown himself a brave warrior, and has given us far more trouble +than all the other Saxon kings together." + +"King Alfred fights bravely," Edmund said, "because he is fighting for +his country and people; but it is true that he loves not war nor +strife. He reads much and thinks more, and should he ever come to his +kingdom again he will assuredly be one of the wisest and best monarchs +who has ever sat on a throne. He has talked to me much of the things +which he has at heart, and I know he intends to draw up wise laws for +the ruling of his people." + +"We love not greatly being ruled, we Northmen," Bijorn said, "but for +each to go his own way as he wills, provided only he inflicts no ill +upon his neighbour. We come and we go each as it pleases him. Our +fleets traverse the sea and bring home plunder and booty. What need we +of laws?" + +"At present you have no great need of laws," Edmund replied, "seeing +that you lead a wandering life; but when the time shall come--and it +must come to you as it has come to other nations--when you will settle +down as a rich and peaceful community, then laws will become necessary." + +"Well," Bijorn said, "right glad am I that I live before such times +have come. So far as I can see the settling down you speak of, and the +abandonment of the ancient gods has done no great good either to you +Saxons or to the Franks. Both of you were in the old time valiant +people, while now you are unable to withstand our arms. You gather +goods, and we carry them off; you build cities, and we destroy them; +you cultivate the land, and we sweep off the crops. It seems to me that +we have the best of it." + +"It seems so at present," Edmund said, "but it will not last. Already +in Northumbria and in East Anglia the Danes, seeing that there is no +more plunder to be had, are settling down and adopting the customs of +the Saxons, and so will it be in Mercia and Wessex if you keep your +hold of them, and so will it be in other places. The change is but +beginning, but it seems to me certain to come; so I have heard King +Alfred say." + +"And does he think," Sweyn said scoffingly, speaking almost for the +first time, "that we shall abandon the worship of our gods and take to +that of your Christ?" + +"He thinks so and hopes so," Edmund replied quietly. "So long as men's +lives are spent wholly in war they may worship gods like yours, but +when once settled in peaceful pursuits they will assuredly recognize +the beauty and holiness of the life of Christ. Pardon me," he said, +turning to Siegbert, "if it seems to you that I, being still young, +speak with over-boldness, but I am telling you what King Alfred says, +and all men recognize his wisdom and goodness." + +"I know not of your religion myself," Siegbert replied, "but I will own +willingly that though its teachings may be peaceful, it makes not +cowards of those who believe in it. I have seen over and over again old +men and young men die on the altars of their churches as fearlessly and +calmly as a Viking should do when his time comes. No Northman fears +death, for he knows that a joyous time awaits him; but I am bound to +say that your Christians meet death to the full as calmly. Well, each +his own way, I say, and for aught I know there may be a Christian +heaven as well as the Halls of Odin, and all may be rewarded in their +own way for their deeds." + +Bijorn and his party now rose to take leave. "I will come across to +your tent in the morning," Siegbert said, "and we can then discuss what +payment I shall make you for this young Saxon. I fear not that you will +prove over hard to your old comrade." + +After Bijorn had departed Siegbert assigned to Edmund a place in his +tent as an honoured guest. Slaves brought in bundles of rushes for the +beds. Freda retired to a small tent which had been erected for her +adjoining the larger one, and the jarl and Edmund lay down on their +piles of rushes at the upper end of the tent. Siegbert's companions and +followers stretched themselves along the sides, the slaves lay down +without, and in a few minutes silence reigned in the tent. + + + + +CHAPTER X: THE COMBAT + + +"I was thinking much of what you said last night," Freda said at +breakfast. "How is it that you, whose religion is as you say a peaceful +one, can yet have performed so many deeds of valour and bloodshed?" + +"I am fighting for my home, my country, and my religion," Edmund said. +"Christianity does not forbid men to defend themselves; for, did it do +so, a band of pagans might ravage all the Christian countries in the +world. I fight not because I love it. I hate bloodshed, and would +rather die than plunder and slay peaceful and unoffending people. You +have been in England and have seen the misery which war has caused +there. Such misery assuredly I would inflict on none. I fight only to +defend myself and my country men and women. Did your people leave our +land I would gladly never draw sword again." + +"But what would you do with yourself?" Freda asked in tones of +surprise. "How would you pass your time if there were no fighting?" + +"I should have plenty to do," Edmund said smiling; "I have my people to +look after. I have to see to their welfare; to help those who need it; +to settle disputes; to rebuild the churches and houses which have been +destroyed. There would be no difficulty in spending my time." + +"But how could a man show himself to be a hero," the Danish girl asked, +"if there were no fighting?" + +"There would be no occasion for heroes," Edmund said, "at least of +heroes in the sense you mean--that is, of men famous principally for +the number they have slain, and the destruction and misery they have +caused. Our religion teaches us that mere courage is not the highest +virtue. It is one possessed as much by animals as by men. Higher +virtues than this are kindness, charity, unselfishness, and a desire to +benefit our fellow-creatures. These virtues make a man a truer hero +than the bravest Viking who ever sailed the seas. Even you, Freda, +worshipper of Odin as you are, must see that it is a higher and a +better life to do good to your fellow-creatures than to do evil." + +"It sounds so," the girl said hesitatingly; "but the idea is so new to +me that I must think it over before I can come to any conclusion." + +Freda then went about her occupations, and Edmund, knowing that +Siegbert would not return for some time, as he was going with Bijorn to +a council which was to be held early in the day, strolled down to look +at the galleys ranged along on the beach. These varied greatly in form +and character. Some of the sailing ships were large and clumsy, but the +galleys for rowing were lightly and gracefully built. They were low in +the water, rising to a lofty bow, which sometimes turned over like the +neck of a swan, at other times terminated in a sharp iron prow, formed +for running down a hostile boat. Some of them were of great length, +with seats for twenty rowers on either side, while all were provided +with sails as well as oars. When the hour for dinner approached he +returned to Siegbert's tent. The jarl had not yet come back from the +council. When he did so Edmund perceived at once that he was flushed +and angry. + +"What has disturbed you, father?" Freda asked, as on hearing his voice +she entered the tent. "Has aught gone wrong at the council?" + +"Yes," the jarl replied, "much has gone wrong. Bijorn and I had not +concluded our bargain when we went to the council. We had, indeed, no +difficulty about the terms, but we had not clasped hands over them, as +I was going back to his tent after the council was over. At the council +the expedition against France was discussed, and it was proposed that +we should consult the gods as to the chances of the adventure. Then the +Jarl Eric rose and proposed that it should be done in the usual way by +a conflict between a Dane and a captive. This was of course agreed to. + +"He then said that he understood that there was in the camp a young +Saxon of distinguished valour, and that he proposed that Sweyn, the son +of Bijorn, should fight with him. Sweyn had expressed to him his +willingness to do so should the council agree. I rose at once and said +that the Saxon was no longer a captive, since I had ransomed him +because he had once done me a service; but upon being pressed I was +forced to admit that the bargain had not been concluded. I must acquit +Bijorn of any share in the matter, for it came upon him as much by +surprise as it did upon me. It seems that it is all Sweyn's doing. He +must have taken the step as having a private grudge against you. Have +you had any quarrel with him?" + +"No," Edmund replied. "He has ever shown himself haughty and +domineering, but we have come to no quarrel." + +"At any rate he wants to kill you," Siegbert said. "I did my best to +prevent it, pointing out that the combat ought to take place between a +Frank and a Dane. However, the Northmen are always glad to see a good +fight, and having satisfied themselves that in point of age and +strength you were not unfairly matched, they decided that the conflict +should take place. He is taller, and I think somewhat stronger than +you, and has proved himself a valiant fighter, and I would give much if +the combat could be avoided." + +"I fear him not," Edmund said quietly, "though I would fain that this +could be avoided. Had I met Sweyn upon a battle-field in England I +would have slain him as a natural enemy; but to fight him in cold +blood, either as a matter of augury or to furnish amusement for the +assembly, likes me not. However, I must of course defend myself, and if +harm comes to him it is no blame of mine." + +"You will have no easy victory, I can tell you," Siegbert said, "for +none among our young Danes bears a higher reputation." + +"But after the combat is over how shall I stand?" Edmund asked; "for if +I defeat or slay Sweyn I shall still be his father's slave." + +"That will you not," Siegbert replied. "In these cases the captive if +victorious is always restored to liberty; but at any rate you shall +fight as a free man, for when I have finished my dinner I will go to +Bijorn and conclude our bargain. Do not look so cast down, Freda; a +Northman's daughter must not turn pale at the thought of a conflict. +Sweyn is the son of my old friend, and was, before he took to arms, +your playfellow, and since then has, methought, been anxious to gain +your favour, though all too young yet for thinking of taking a wife; +but never mind, there are as good as he to be found; and if our young +Saxon here proves his conqueror other suitors will come, never fear." + +Freda was silent, but her face flushed painfully, and Edmund saw the +tears falling down her cheeks as she bent over her plate. + +After the meal was over Siegbert again went out, and Edmund, +approaching Freda, said, "Do not fret, Freda; if it should be that I +find my skill in arms greater than that of Sweyn, I promise you that +for your sake I will not wound him mortally." + +"I care not," the girl said passionately; "spare him not for my sake, +for I hate him, and were there no other Norseman in the world I would +never be wife of his." + +So saying she left the tent. Edmund now regretted the chance which had +assigned him to Siegbert, for he would rather have taken his chance of +escape by sea than have awaited the conflict with Sweyn. But he could +not carry his plan of escape into effect now, for it would seem as if +he had fled the conflict. That this would be a desperate one he did not +doubt. The course which Sweyn had taken showed a bitter feeling of +hatred against him, and even were it not so the young Northman would, +fighting in the presence of the leaders of his nation, assuredly do his +best to conquer. But Edmund had already tried his strength with older +and more powerful men than his adversary and had little fear of results. + +The news of the approaching conflict caused considerable excitement in +the Danish camp, and Edmund's figure was narrowly scrutinized as he +wandered through it. All who had been engaged in the war in Wessex had +heard of Edmund, and there was no slight curiosity, when the news went +abroad that the Saxon leader was a captive in the camp, to see what he +was like. + +At first when it was bruited abroad that Sweyn, the son of Jarl Bijorn, +was to fight this noted Saxon champion the idea was that the enterprise +was a rash one, strong and valiant as Sweyn was known to be for a young +man; but when it was seen that Edmund was no older than he, and to the +eye less strong and powerful, they felt confident in the power of their +champion to overcome him. + +Siegbert spared no pains to see that his guest had an even equal +chance. He procured for him a strong and well-made helmet which fitted +him comfortably, and gave him the choice out of a large number of +shields and swords. Edmund selected a weapon which answered nearly in +weight and balance that which he was accustomed to wield. There was +feasting again that night in Siegbert's tent; but he did not allow +Edmund to join in it, insisting after the meal was over that he should +retire to a small hut hard by. + +"You will want your head and your nerves in good order to-morrow," he +said. "Feasting is good in its way, and the night before battle I +always drink deeply, but for a single combat it were best to be +prudent." As Edmund left the tent Freda, who had not appeared at +dinner, came up to him. + +"I have been crying all day," she said simply. "I know not why, for I +have often seen my father go out to battle without a tear. I think you +must have upset me with your talk this morning. I hope that you will +win, because it was wrong and unfair of Sweyn to force this battle upon +you; and I hate him for it! I shall pray Odin to give you victory. You +don't believe in him, I know; still my prayers can do you no harm." + +"Thank you," Edmund said. "I shall pray to One greater and better than +Odin. But weep not any longer, for I trust neither of us will be +killed. I shall do my best to guard myself, and shall try not to slay +him; for this fight is not for my nation or for my religion, but +concerns myself only." + +The following morning the Northmen assembled. The jarls and other +leading men formed the inner line of a circle some thirty yards in +diameter, the others stood without; Jarl Eric entered the ring with +Sweyn, while Edmund, accompanied by Siegbert, entered at the other side +of the circle. + +"I protest," Siegbert cried in a loud voice, "against this conflict +taking place. Edmund the Saxon is no captive here, but a free man, and +my guest; moreover, being a Saxon, the issue of this fight between him +and a Northman can serve no purpose as an augury as to the success of +our expedition against the Franks. Therefore do I protest against the +conflict." + +There was again a consultation between the leaders, for a murmur of +approbation had run round the ranks of the spectators, who it was +evident were impressed in favour of the young Saxon, and considered +that the jarl's words were just and reasonable. Eric spoke for a minute +with Sweyn. + +"I feel," he said in a loud voice, "that what Jarl Siegbert says is +reasonable, that no augury can be drawn from the fight, and that, since +Edmund is no longer a captive, and a friend of Siegbert's, he cannot be +forced into fighting in order that we may have an augury. But the +Saxon, though so young, has won a reputation even among us, the enemies +of his race; and my friend Sweyn, who has shown himself one of the +bravest of our young men, considers that he has cause of quarrel with +him, and challenges him to fight--not necessarily to the death, or till +one is slain, but till the jarls here assembled do pronounce one or the +other to be the victor. This is a fair challenge--first, there is a +private quarrel; next, there is emulation between these young men, who +may fairly claim to be the champions of the youth of the two races. +Such a challenge the Saxon will hardly refuse." + +In accordance with the customs of the day it would have been impossible +for Edmund to have refused such a challenge without disgrace, and he +did not for a moment think of doing so. + +"I am ready to fight Sweyn," he said. "I have no great cause of quarrel +with him; but if he conceives that he has grounds of quarrel with me, +that is enough. As to championship of the Saxons, we have no champions; +we fight not for personal honour or glory, but for our homes, our +countries, and our religion, each doing his best according to the +strength God has given him, and without thought of pride on the one +hand or envy on the other because the strength or courage of one may be +somewhat greater than that of another. Still, as a Saxon standing here +as the only representative of my nation in an assembly of Northmen, I +cannot refuse such a challenge, for to do so would be to infer that we +Saxons are less brave than you. Therefore I am ready for the combat." + +The Northmen clashed their weapons against their shields in token of +their approval of the young Saxon's words, and the young champions +prepared for the combat. They were naked to the waist save for shield +and helmet; below the waist each wore a short and tightly-fitting +garment covered with plates of brass; the legs were naked, and each +wore a pair of light sandals; their weapons were long straight swords. +The weapon Edmund had chosen was considerably lighter than that of his +opponent, but was of toughest steel, on which were engraved in rough +characters, "Prayers to Woden for victory." + +The difference in height between the combatants was considerable. +Edmund stood five feet ten, but looked shorter from the squareness and +width of his shoulders. Sweyn was nearly four inches taller, and he too +was very strongly built. His muscles indeed stood out in stronger +development than did those of Edmund, and if pure strength was to win +the day few of those who looked on doubted that the Dane would be the +victor. + +The combat was a long one. For some time Edmund contented himself with +standing upon the defensive and guarding the tremendous blows which +Sweyn rained upon him. In spite of the efforts of the Northman, he +could neither beat down the Saxon's guard nor force him to fall back a +single step. + +Again and again the rattle of the spectators' arms clashed an approval +of Edmund's steady resistance to his opponent's assaults. The Norsemen +delighted beyond all things in a well-fought encounter. Each man, +himself a warrior, was able to appreciate the value of the strokes and +parries. The betting at the commencement had run high upon Sweyn, and +horses, armour, arms, and slaves had been freely wagered upon his +success; but as the fight went on the odds veered round, and the +demeanour of the combatants had as much to do with this as the skill +and strength shown by Edmund in his defence. The Dane was flushed and +furious; his temper gave way under the failure of his assaults. The +Saxon, on the contrary, fought as calmly and coolly as if practicing +with blunted weapons; his eyes never left those of his adversary, a +half smile played on his lips, and although drops of perspiration from +his forehead showed how great were his exertions, his breathing hardly +quickened. + +Twice Sweyn drew back for breath, and Edmund each time, instead of +pressing him, dropped the point of his sword and waited for him to +renew the combat. At present he had scarce struck a blow, and while his +own shield was riven in several places and his helmet dinted, those of +Sweyn were unmarked. + +At the third assault Sweyn came up determined to end the conflict, and +renewed the attack with greater fury than before. Three times his sword +descended with tremendous force, but each time it met the blade of the +Saxon; the fourth time his arm was raised, then there was a flash and a +sudden shout from the crowd. + +With a mighty blow Edmund had smitten full on his opponent's uplifted +arm, and, striking it just above the elbow, the sword clove through +flesh and bone, and the severed limb, still grasping the sword, fell to +the ground. + +A loud shout of approval burst from the Danes. Although the conqueror +was their enemy they appreciated so highly the virtues of coolness and +courage that their applause was no less hearty than if the victor had +been a countryman. Sweyn had fallen almost the instant the blow had +been struck. The ring was at once broken up, and his friends ran to +him. The Norsemen were adepts at the treatment of wounds, and +everything had been prepared in case of emergencies. + +A bandage was instantly tied tightly round the upper part of the arm to +stop the rush of blood, and the stump was then dipped into boiling +pitch, and Sweyn, who had become almost instantly insensible from the +loss of blood, was carried to his father's tent. According to custom +handsome presents of swords and armour were made to Edmund by those who +had won by his success. + +It would have been considered churlish to refuse them, and Edmund had +no thought of doing so, for he needed money, and these things in those +days were equivalent to wealth. + +"You have done well and gallantly indeed, my young friend," Siegbert +said as, followed by several slaves bearing Edmund's presents, they +returned to the tent. "I am glad you did not slay him, for I think not +that he will die. Such a blow given in battle would assuredly have been +fatal, but here the means of stanching the blood were at hand, and I +trust for Bijorn's sake that he will recover; but whether or no he +brought it on himself." + +On reaching the tent Freda ran out radiant. + +"I hear that you have conquered," she said, "and I am glad indeed; it +serves him right, for all say that he forced the fight upon you." + +"I did not know that your sympathies were so strongly against Sweyn," +Siegbert said in a somewhat reproachful tone. "He has always been your +devoted follower." + +"He has always been my tyrant, father, for he has always insisted on my +doing his pleasure; but if he had been ten times my follower, and had +been a valiant warrior instead of a youth, and I a maiden of twenty +instead of a girl of fifteen, I should still be glad that he was +conquered, because without any reason for quarrel he has sought to slay +this Saxon youth who did us such great service, and to whom as he knew +we were so indebted." + +Siegbert smiled. "Hitherto I have wondered, daughter mine, at the +reason which induced Sweyn to challenge Edmund, but now methinks I +understand it. Sweyn has, as his father has told me, youth as he is, +set his heart on winning your hand when you shall reach the age of +womanhood, and it is just because Edmund has done you and me service +that he hates him. You are young, child, for your bright eyes to have +caused bloodshed; if you go on like this there will be no end to the +trouble I shall have on your account before I get you fairly wedded." + +Freda coloured hotly. + +"That is nonsense, father; another five years will be soon enough to +begin to think of such things. At any rate," she said with a laugh, "I +am rid of Sweyn, for he can hardly expect me ever to love a one-armed +man." + +"There have been brave warriors," Seigbert said, "with but one arm." + +"It makes no difference," Freda laughed; "if he had fifty arms I should +never love him." + +Edmund now entreated Siegbert to repay himself from the presents he had +received for the goods he had the evening before given to Bijorn as the +price of his liberty, but this the jarl would not hear of. Edmund then +begged him to buy with them, of Bijorn, the four Saxon slaves with whom +he had agreed to attempt an escape, and to expend the rest of the +presents in freeing as many other Saxon prisoners as he could. + +This Siegbert did, and by the evening Edmund had the satisfaction of +finding around him twelve Saxons whose freedom he had purchased. He +remained as the guest of Siegbert until the expedition sailed in the +last week of March. Then with the twelve Saxons he embarked in +Siegbert's ship, which, instead of keeping with the others, sailed for +the mouth of the Thames. The wind was favourable and the passage quick, +and three days after sailing Edmund and his companions were disembarked +on the coast of Kent. His adieus with Siegbert were hearty and earnest. + +"I would you had been a Northman," the jarl said, "for I love you as a +son, and methinks that when the time comes, had you been so inclined, +you might have really stood in that relation to me, for I guess that my +little Freda would not have said no had you asked her hand; but now our +paths are to part. I shall never war again with the Saxons, for indeed +there is but scant booty to be gained there, while you are not likely +again to be cast upon our shores; but should the fates ever throw us +together again, remember that you have a friend for life in Jarl +Siegbert." + +Freda, who had accompanied her father as usual, wept bitterly at the +parting, which, however, she did not deem to be as final as it appeared +to her father; for the evening before, as she was standing on the poop +with Edmund, he had said to her, "You will not forget me, Freda; we are +both very young yet; but some day, when the wars are over, and England +no longer requires my sword, I will seek you again." + +"Is that a promise, Edmund?" + +"Yes, Freda, a solemn promise." + +"I will wait for you," she said simply, "if it were till the end of my +life." + +The youth and girl ratified the promise by a kiss, and Freda, as +through her tears she watched the boat which conveyed Edmund and his +companions to shore, felt sure that some day she should see her Saxon +hero again. + +On landing, Edmund soon learned that the Danes were everywhere masters, +and that since the autumn nothing had been heard of the king, who was +supposed to be somewhere in hiding. + +In every village through which they passed they found evidence of the +mastership of the Danes. Many of the houses were burnt or destroyed, +the people were all dressed in the poorest garb, and their sad faces +and listless mien told of the despair which everywhere prevailed. In +every church the altars had been thrown down, the holy emblems and +images destroyed, the monks and priests had fled across the sea or had +been slain. + +The Danish gods, Thor and Woden, had become the divinities of the land, +and the Saxons, in whom Christianity had but recently supplanted the +superstitions of paganism, were fast returning to the worship of the +pagan gods. Edmund and his companions were shocked at the change. On +reaching home they found that the ravages of the Danes had here been +particularly severe, doubtless in revenge for the heavy loss which had +been sustained by them in their attack upon Edmund's fortification. His +own abode had been completely levelled to the ground, and the villages +and farm-houses for the most part wholly destroyed. His people were +lying in rude shelters which they had raised, but their condition was +very much better than that of the people in general. + +The news of Edmund's return spread like wildfire, and excited the most +extreme joy among his people, who had long given him up for lost. He +found to his delight that the Dragon had returned safely, and that she +was laid up in her old hiding-place. The great amount of spoil with +which she was loaded had enabled her crew largely to assist their +friends, and it was this which had already raised the condition of the +people above that of their neighbours. Houses were being gradually +rebuilt, animals had been brought from districts which had been less +ravaged by the Danes, and something approaching comfort was being +rapidly restored. + +Upon the day after Edmund's return Egbert arrived. Feeling sure of +Edmund's death he had taken no steps towards rebuilding the house, but +was living a wild life in the woods, when the news reached him that +Edmund had reappeared. His own large share of the booty with that of +Edmund he had buried, with the portion set aside for the king, in the +wood near the spot where the Dragon was laid up. + +They had passed up the Parrot at night unobserved by the Danes, and +after taking the masts out of the Dragon, and dismantling her, they had +laid her up in the hole near the river where she was built. There was +little fear of her discovery there, for the Danes were for the most +part gathered in winter quarters at the great camp near Chippenham. + +Egbert's delight at the reappearance of Edmund was unbounded, for he +loved him as a son, and it was a long time before their joy at the +meeting was sufficiently calmed down to enable them to tell each other +the events which had happened since they parted three months before. +Egbert's narrative was indeed brief. He had remained two or three days +off the coast of Norway in the lingering hope that Edmund might in some +way have escaped death, and might yet come off and join him. At the end +of a week this hope had faded, and he sailed for England. Being winter, +but few Danish galleys were at sea, and he had encountered none from +the time he set sail until he arrived off the coast at the mouth of the +Parrot. + +He had entered the river at night so as to be unseen by any in the +village at its mouth, and had, after the Dragon was laid up, passed his +time in the forest. Edmund's narration was much more lengthy, and +Egbert was surprised indeed to find that his kinsman owed his freedom +to the jarl whose vessel they had captured at the mouth of the Humber. + + + + +CHAPTER XI: THE ISLE OF ATHELNEY + + +Edmund spent a month on his lands, moving about among his vassals and +dwelling in their abodes. He inspired them by his words with fresh +spirit and confidence, telling them that this state of things could not +last, and that he was going to join the king, who doubtless would soon +call them to take part in a fresh effort to drive out their cruel +oppressors. Edmund found that although none knew with certainty the +hiding-place of King Alfred, it was generally reported that he had +taken refuge in the low lands of Somersetshire, and Athelney was +specially named as the place which he had made his abode. + +"It is a good omen," Edmund said, "for Athelney lies close to the +Parrot, where my good ship the Dragon is laid away." + +After visiting all the villages in his earldom Edmund started with +Egbert and four young men, whom he might use as messengers, for the +reported hiding-place of the king. First they visited the Dragon, and +found her lying undisturbed; then they followed the river down till +they reached the great swamps which extended for a considerable +distance near its mouth. After much wandering they came upon the hut of +a fisherman. The man on hearing the footsteps came to his door with a +bent bow. When he saw that the new-comers were Saxons he lowered the +arrow which was already fitted to the string. + +"Can you tell us," Edmund said, "which is the way to Athelney? We know +that it is an island amidst these morasses, but we are strangers to the +locality and cannot find it." + +"And you might search for weeks," the man said, "without finding it, so +thickly is it surrounded by deep swamps and woods. But what want ye +there?" + +"Men say," Edmund replied, "that King Alfred is hidden there. We are +faithful followers of his. I am Ealdorman Edmund of Sherborne, and have +good news for the king." + +"If ye are indeed the Ealdorman of Sherborne, of whose bravery I have +heard much, I will right willingly lead you to Athelney if you will, +but no king will you find there. There are a few fugitives from the +Danes scattered here and there in these marshes, but none, so far as I +know, of any rank or station. However, I will lead you thither should +you still wish to go." + +Edmund expressed his desire to visit the island even if the king were +not there. The man at once drew out a small boat from a hiding-place +near his hut. It would hold four at most. Edmund and Egbert stepped in +with one of their followers, charging the others to remain at the hut +until they received further instructions. The fisherman with a long +pole took his place in the bow of the boat and pushed off. For some +hours they made their way through the labyrinth of sluggish and narrow +channels of the morass. It was a gloomy journey. The leafless trees +frequently met overhead; the long rushes in the wetter parts of the +swamp rustled as the cold breezes swept across them, and a slight +coating of snow which had fallen the previous night added to the dreary +aspect of the scene. At last they came upon sharply rising ground. + +"This is Athelney," the fisherman said, "a good hiding-place truly; +for, as you see, it rises high over the surrounding country, which is +always swampy from the waters of the Parrot and Theme, and at high +tides the salt water of the sea fills all these waterways, and the +trees rise from a broad sheet of sea. No Dane has ever yet set foot +among these marshes; and were there but provisions to keep them alive, +a safe refuge might be found on this island for hundreds of fugitives. +Will you be returning to-night?" + +"That I cannot tell you," Edmund replied; "but at any rate I will hire +you and your boat to remain at my service for a week, and will pay you +a far higher price than you can obtain by your fishing." + +The fisherman readily agreed, and Edmund and his companions made their +way into the heart of the island. It was of some extent, and rose above +the tree-tops of the surrounding country. Presently they came to a +cottage. A man came out. + +"What do you seek?" he asked. + +"You have fugitives in refuge here," Edmund said. "Know you if among +them is our good King Alfred?" The man looked astonished. + +"A pretty place to seek for a king!" he replied. "There are a few +Saxons in hiding here. Some live by fishing, some chop wood; but for +the most part they are an idle and thriftless lot, and methinks have +fled hither rather to escape from honest work or to avoid the penalties +of crimes than for any other reason." + +"How may we find them?" Edmund asked. + +"They are scattered over the island. There are eight or ten dwellers +here like myself, and several of them have one or more of these fellows +with them; others have built huts for themselves and shift as they can; +but it is a hard shift, I reckon, and beech-nuts and acorns, eked out +with an occasional fish caught in the streams, is all they have to live +upon. I wonder that they do not go back to honest work among their +kinsfolk." + +"Ah!" Edmund said, "you do not know here how cruel are the ravages of +the Danes; our homes are broken up and our villages destroyed, and +every forest in the land is peopled with fugitive Saxons. Did you know +that you would speak less harshly of those here. At any rate the man I +seek is young and fair-looking, and would, I should think"--and he +smiled as he remembered Alfred's studious habits--"be one of the most +shiftless of those here." + +"There is such a one," the man replied, "and several times friends of +his have been hither to see him. He dwells at my next neighbour's, who +is often driven well-nigh out of her mind--for she is a dame with a +shrewish tongue and sharp temper--by his inattention. She only asks of +him that he will cut wood and keep an eye over her pigs, which wander +in the forest, in return for his food; and yet, simple as are his +duties, he is for ever forgetting them. I warrant me, the dame would +not so long have put up with him had he not been so fair and helpless. +However bad-tempered a woman may be, she has always a tender corner in +her heart for this sort of fellow. There, you can take this path +through the trees and follow it on; it will take you straight to her +cottage." + +The description given by the man tallied so accurately with that of the +king that Edmund felt confident that he was on the right track. The +fact, too, that from time to time men had come to see this person added +to the probability of his being the king. Presently they came upon the +hut. A number of pigs were feeding under the trees around it; the door +was open, and the shrill tones of a woman's voice raised in anger could +be heard as they approached. + +"You are an idle loon, and I will no longer put up with your ways, and +you may seek another mistress. You are worse than useless here. I do +but ask you to watch these cakes while I go over to speak with my +neighbour, and inquire how she and the child born yestereven are +getting on, and you go to sleep by the fire and suffer the case to burn. + +"You were not asleep, you say? then so much the worse. Where were your +eyes, then? And where was your nose? Why, I smelt the cakes a hundred +yards away, and you sitting over them, and as you say awake, neither +saw them burning nor smelt them! You are enough to break an honest +woman's heart with your mooning ways. You are ready enough to eat when +the meal-time comes, but are too lazy even to watch the food as it +cooks. I tell you I will have no more of you. I have put up with you +till I am verily ashamed of my own patience; but this is too much, and +you must go your way, for I will have no more of you." + +At this moment Edmund and Egbert appeared at the door of the hut. As he +had expected from the nature of the colloquy Edmund saw King Alfred +standing contrite and ashamed before the angry dame. + +"My beloved sovereign!" he cried, running in and falling on his knees. + +"My trusted Edmund," Alfred exclaimed cordially, "right glad am I to +see you, and you too, my valiant Egbert; truly I feared that the good +ship Dragon had long since fallen into the hands of our enemy." + +"The Dragon lies not many miles hence, your majesty, in the hole in +which she was built, by the river Parrot; she has done bravely and has +brought home a rich store of booty, a large share of which has been +hidden away for your majesty, and can be brought here in a few hours +should you wish it." + +"Verily I am glad to hear it, Edmund, for I have long been penniless; +and I have great need of something at least to pay this good woman for +all the trouble she has been at with me, and for her food which my +carelessness has destroyed, as you may have heard but now." + +Edmund and Egbert joined in the king's merry laugh. The dame looked a +picture of consternation and fell upon her knees. + +"Pardon me, your majesty," she cried; "to think that I have ventured to +abuse our good King Alfred, and have even in mine anger lifted my hand +against him!" + +"And with right good-will too," the king said laughing. "Never fear, +good dame, your tongue has been rough but your heart has been kindly, +or never would you have borne so long with so shiftless a serving-man. +But leave us now, I pray ye, for I have much to say to my good friends +here. And now, Edmund, what news do you bring? I do not ask after the +doings of the Dragon, for that no doubt is a long story which you shall +tell me later, but how fares it with my kingdom? I have been in +correspondence with several of my thanes, who have from time to time +sent me news of what passes without. From what they say I deem that the +time for action is at last nigh at hand. The people are everywhere +desperate at the oppression and exactions of the Danes, and are ready +to risk everything to free themselves from so terrible a yoke. I fled +here and gave up the strife because the Saxons deemed anything better +than further resistance. Now that they have found out their error it is +time to be stirring again." + +"That is so," Edmund said; "Egbert and I have found the people +desperate at their slavery, and ready to risk all did a leader but +appear. My own people will all take up arms the instant they receive my +summons; they have before now proved their valour, and in my crew of +the Dragon you have a body which will, I warrant me, pierce through any +Danish line." + +"This tallies with what I have heard," Alfred said, "and in the spring +I will again raise my banner; but in the meantime I will fortify this +place. There are but two or three spots where boats can penetrate +through the morasses; were strong stockades and banks erected at each +landing-place we might hold the island in case of defeat against any +number of the enemy." + +"That shall be done," Edmund said, "and quickly. I have a messenger +here with me, and others waiting outside the swamp, and can send and +bring my crew of the Dragon here at once." + +"Let that be one man's mission," the king said; "the others I will send +off with messages to the thanes of Somerset, who are only awaiting my +summons to take up arms. I will bid them send hither strong working +parties, but to make no show in arms until Easter, at which time I will +again spread the Golden Dragon to the winds. The treasure you speak of +will be right welcome, for all are so impoverished by the Danes that +they live but from hand to mouth, and we must at least buy provisions +to maintain the parties working here. Arms, too, must be made, for +although many have hidden their weapons, the Danes have seized vast +quantities, having issued an order that any Saxon found with arms shall +be at once put to death. Money will be needed to set all the smithies +to work at the manufacture of pikes and swords. Hides must be bought +for the manufacture of shields. It will be best to send orders to the +ealdormen and thanes to send hither privately the smiths, armourers, +and shield-makers in the villages and towns. They cannot work with the +Danes ever about, but must set up smithies here. They must bring their +tools and such iron as they can carry; what more is required we must +buy at the large towns and bring privately in carts to the edge of the +morass. The utmost silence and secrecy must be observed, that the Danes +may obtain no news of our preparations until we are ready to burst out +upon them." + +A fortnight later Athelney presented a changed appearance. A thousand +men were gathered there. Trees had been cut down, a strong fort erected +on the highest ground, and formidable works constructed at three points +where alone a landing could be effected. The smoke rose from a score of +great mounds, where charcoal-burners were converting timber into fuel +for the forges. Fifty smiths and armourers were working vigorously at +forges in the open air, roofs thatched with rushes and supported by +poles being erected over them to keep the rain and snow from the fires. +A score of boats were threading the mazes of the marshes bringing men +and cattle to the island. All was bustle and activity, every face shone +with renewed hope. King Alfred himself and his thanes moved to and fro +among the workers encouraging them at their labours. + +Messengers came and went in numbers, and from all parts of Wessex King +Alfred received news of the joy which his people felt at the tidings +that he was again about to raise his standard, and of the readiness of +all to obey his summons. So well was the secret kept that no rumour of +the storm about to burst upon them reached the Danes. The people, +rejoicing and eager as they were, suffered no evidence of their +feelings to be apparent to their cruel masters, who, believing the +Saxons to be finally crushed, were lulled into a false security. The +king's treasure had been brought from its hiding-place to Athelney, and +Edmund and Egbert had also handed over their own share of the booty to +the king. The golden cups and goblets he had refused to take, but had +gladly accepted the silver. + +Edmund and Egbert had left Athelney for a few days on a mission. The +king had described to them minutely where he had hidden the sacred +standard with the Golden Dragon. It was in the hut of a charcoal-burner +in the heart of the forests of Wiltshire. Upon reaching the hut, and +showing to the man the king's signet-ring, which when leaving the +standard he had told him would be the signal that any who might come +for it were sent by him, the man produced the standard from the thatch +of his cottage, in which it was deeply buried, and hearing that it was +again to be unfurled called his two stalwart sons from their work and +at once set out with Edmund and Egbert to join the army. + +Easter came and went, but the preparations were not yet completed. A +vast supply of arms was needed, and while the smiths laboured at their +work Edmund and Egbert drilled the fighting men who had assembled, in +the tactics which had on a small scale proved so effective. The wedge +shape was retained, and Edmund's own band claimed the honour of forming +the apex, but it had now swollen until it contained a thousand men, and +as it moved in a solid body, with its thick edge of spears outward, the +king felt confident that it would be able to break through the +strongest line of the Danes. + +From morning till night Edmund and Egbert, assisted by the thanes of +Somerset who had gathered there, drilled the men and taught them to +rally rapidly from scattered order into solid formation. Unaccustomed +to regular tactics the ease and rapidity with which these movements +came to be carried out at the notes of Edmund's bugle seemed to all to +be little less than miraculous, and they awaited with confidence and +eagerness their meeting with the Danes on the field. + +At the end of April messengers were sent out bidding the Saxons hold +themselves in readiness, and on the 6th of May Alfred moved with his +force from Athelney to Egbertesstan (now called Brixton), lying to the +east of the forest of Selwood, which lay between Devonshire and +Somerset. The Golden Dragon had been unfurled. On the fort in +Athelney, and after crossing the marshes to the mainland it was carried +in the centre of the phalanx. + +On the 12th they reached the appointed place, where they found a great +multitude of Saxons already gathered. They had poured in from +Devonshire, Somerset, and Wiltshire, from Dorset and Hants. In spite of +the vigorous edicts of the Danes against arms a great proportion of +them bore weapons, which had been buried in the earth, or concealed in +hollow trees or other hiding-places until the time for action should +again arrive. + +As they saw the king approaching at the head of his band, with the +Golden Dragon fluttering in the breeze, a great shout of joy arose from +the multitude, and they crowded round the monarch with shouts of +welcome at his reappearance among them, and with vows to die rather +than again to yield to the tyranny of the Northmen. The rest of the day +was spent in distributing the newly fashioned arms to those who needed +them, and in arranging the men in bands under their own thanes, or, in +their absence, such leaders as the king appointed. + +Upon the following morning the army started, marching in a +north-easterly direction against the great camp of the Danes at +Chippenham. That night they rested at Okeley, and then marched on until +in the afternoon they came within sight of the Danes gathered at +Ethandune, a place supposed to be identical with Edington near Westbury. + +As the time for Alfred's reappearance approached the agitation and +movement on the part of the people had attracted the attention of the +Danes, and the news of his summons to the Saxons to meet him at +Egbertesstan having come to their ears, they gathered hastily from all +parts under Guthorn their king, who was by far the most powerful viking +who had yet appeared in England, and who ruled East Anglia as well as +Wessex. Confident of victory the great Danish army beheld the approach +of the Saxons. Long accustomed to success, and superior in numbers, +they regarded with something like contempt the approach of their foes. + +In the centre Alfred placed the trained phalanx which had accompanied +him from Athelney, in the centre of which waved the Golden Dragon, by +whose side he placed himself. Its command he left in the hands of +Edmund, he himself directing the general movements of the force. On his +right were the men of Somerset and Hants; on the left those of Wilts, +Dorset, and Devon. + +His orders were that the advance was to be made with regularity; that +the whole line were to fight for a while on the defensive, resisting +the onslaught of the Danes until he gave the word for the central +phalanx to advance and burst through the lines of the enemy, and that +when these had been thrown into confusion by this attack the flanks +were to charge forward and complete the rout. This plan was carried +out. The Danes advanced with their usual impetuosity, and for hours +tried to break through the lines of the Saxon spears. Both sides fought +valiantly, the Danes inspired by their pride in their personal prowess +and their contempt for the Saxons; the Saxons by their hatred for their +oppressors, and their determination to die rather than again submit to +their bondage. At length, after the battle had raged some hours, and +both parties were becoming wearied from their exertions, the king gave +Edmund the order. + +Hitherto his men had fought in line with the rest; but at the sound of +his bugle they quitted their places, and, ere the Danes could +understand the meaning of this sudden movement, had formed themselves +into their wedge, raised a mighty shout, and advanced against the +enemy. The onslaught was irresistible. The great wedge, with its thick +fringe of spears, burst its way straight through the Danish centre +carrying all before it. Then at another note of Edmund's bugle it broke +up into two bodies, which moved solidly to the right and left, +crumpling up the Danish lines. + +Alfred now gave the order for a general advance, and the Saxon ranks, +with a shout of triumph, flung themselves upon the disordered Danes. +Their success was instant and complete. Confounded at the sudden break +up of their line, bewildered by these new and formidable tactics, +attacked in front and in flank, the Danes broke and fled. The Saxons +pursued them hotly, Edmund keeping his men well together in case the +Danes should rally. Their rout, however, was too complete; vast numbers +were slain, and the remnant of their army did not pause until they +found themselves within the shelter of their camp at Chippenham. + +No quarter was given by the Saxons to those who fell into their hands, +and pressing upon the heels of the flying Danes the victorious army of +King Alfred sat down before Chippenham. Every hour brought fresh +reinforcements to the king's standard. Many were already on their way +when the battle was fought; and as the news of the victory spread +rapidly every man of the West Saxons capable of bearing arms made for +Chippenham, feeling that now or never must a complete victory over the +Danes be obtained. + +No assault was made upon the Danish camp. Confident in his now vastly +superior numbers, and in the enthusiasm which reigned in his army, +Alfred was unwilling to waste a single life in an attack upon the +entrenchments, which must ere long surrender from famine. There was no +risk of reinforcements arriving to relieve the Danes. Guthorn had led +to the battle the whole fighting force of the Danes in Wessex and East +Anglia. This was far smaller than it would have been a year earlier; +but the Northmen, having once completed their work of pillage, soon +turned to fresh fields of adventure. Those whose disposition led them +to prefer a quiet life had settled upon the land from which they had +dispossessed the Saxons; but the principal bands of rovers, finding +that England was exhausted and that no more plunder could be had, had +either gone back to enjoy at home the booty they had gained, or had +sailed to harry the shores of France, Spain, and Italy. + +Thus the position of the Danes in Chippenham was desperate, and at the +end of fourteen days, by which time they were reduced to an extremity +by hunger, they sent messengers into the royal camp offering their +submission. They promised if spared to quit the kingdom with all speed, +and to observe this contract more faithfully than those which they had +hitherto made and broken. They offered the king as many hostages as he +might wish to take for the fulfilment of their promises. The haggard +and emaciated condition of those who came out to treat moved Alfred to +pity. + +So weakened were they by famine that they could scarce drag themselves +along. It would have been easy for the Saxons to have slain them to the +last man; and the majority of the Saxons, smarting under the memory of +the cruel oppression which they had suffered, the destruction of home +and property, and the slaughter of friends and relations, would fain +have exterminated their foes. King Alfred, however, thought otherwise. + +Guthorn and the Danes had effected a firm settlement in East Anglia, +and lived at amity with the Saxons there. They had, it is true, wrested +from them the greatest portion of their lands. Still peace and order +were now established. The Saxons were allowed liberty and equal rights. +Intermarriages were taking place, and the two peoples were becoming +welded into one. Alfred then considered that it would be well to have +the king of this country as an ally; he and his settled people would +soon be as hostile to further incursions of the Northmen as were the +Saxons themselves, and their interests and those of Wessex would be +identical. + +Did he, on the other hand, carry out a general massacre of the Danes +now in his power he might have brought upon England a fresh invasion of +Northmen, who, next to plunder, loved revenge, and who might come over +in great hosts to avenge the slaughter of their countrymen. Moved, +then, by motives of policy as well as by compassion, he granted the +terms they asked, and hostages having been sent in from the camp he +ordered provisions to be supplied to the Danes. + +The same night a messenger of rank came in from Guthorn saying that he +intended to embrace Christianity. The news filled Alfred and the Saxons +with joy. The king, a sincere and devoted Christian, had fought as much +for his religion as for his kingdom, and his joy at the prospect of +Guthorn's conversion, which would as a matter of course be followed by +that of his subjects, was deep and sincere. + +To the Saxons generally the temporal consequence of the conversion had +no doubt greater weight than the spiritual. The conversion of Guthorn +and the Danes would be a pledge far more binding than any oaths of +alliance between the two kingdoms. Guthorn and his followers would be +viewed with hostility by their countrymen, whose hatred of Christianity +was intense, and East Anglia would, therefore, naturally seek the close +alliance and assistance of its Christian neighbour. + +Great were the rejoicings in the Saxon camp that night. Seldom, indeed, +has a victory had so great and decisive an effect upon the future of a +nation as that of Ethandune. Had the Saxons been crushed, the +domination of the Danes in England would have been finally settled. +Christianity would have been stamped out, and with it civilization, and +the island would have made a backward step into paganism and barbarism +which might have delayed her progress for centuries. + +The victory established the freedom of Wessex, converted East Anglia +into a settled and Christian country, and enabled King Alfred to frame +the wise laws and statutes and to establish on a firm basis the +institutions which raised Saxon England vastly in the scale of +civilization, and have in no small degree affected the whole course of +life of the English people. + + + + +CHAPTER XII: FOUR YEARS OF PEACE + + +Seven weeks afterwards Guthorn, accompanied by thirty of his noblest +warriors, entered Alfred's camp, which was pitched at Aller, a place +not far from Athelney. An altar was erected and a solemn service +performed, and Guthorn and his companions were all baptized, Alfred +himself becoming sponsor for Guthorn, whose name was changed to +Athelstan. The Danes remained for twelve days in the Saxon camp. For +the first eight they wore, in accordance with the custom of the times, +the chrismal, a white linen cloth put on the head when the rite of +baptism was performed; on the eighth day the solemn ceremony known as +the chrism, the loosing or removal of the cloths, took place at +Wedmore. This was performed by the Ealdorman Ethelnoth. + +During these twelve days many conferences were held between Alfred and +Athelstan as to the future of the two kingdoms. While the Danes were +still in the camp a witenagemot or Saxon parliament was held at +Wedmore. At this Athelstan and many of the nobles and inhabitants of +East Anglia were present, and the boundary of the two kingdoms was +settled. It was to commence at the mouth of the Thames, to run along +the river Lea to its source, and at Bedford turn to the right along the +Ouse as far as Watling Street. According to this arrangement a +considerable portion of the kingdom of Mercia fell to Alfred's share. + +The treaty comprehended various rules for the conduct of commerce, and +courts were instituted for the trial of disputes and crimes. The Danes +did not at once leave Mercia, but for a considerable time lay in camp +at Cirencester; but all who refused to become Christians were ordered +to depart beyond the seas, and the Danes gradually withdrew within +their boundary. + +Guthorn's conversion, although no doubt brought about at the moment by +his admiration of the clemency of Alfred, had probably been for some +time projected by him. Mingling as his people did in East Anglia with +the Christian Saxons there, he must have had opportunities for learning +the nature of their tenets, and of contrasting its mild and beneficent +teaching with the savage worship of the pagan gods. By far the greater +proportion of his people followed their king's example; but the wilder +spirits quitted the country, and under their renowned leader Hasting +sailed to harry the shores of France. The departure of the more +turbulent portion of his followers rendered it more easy for the Danish +king to carry his plans into effect. + +After the holding of the witan Edmund and Egbert at once left the army +with their followers, and for some months the young ealdorman devoted +himself to the work of restoring the shattered homes of his people, +aiding them with loans from the plunder he had gained on the seas, +Alfred having at once repaid him the sums which he had lent at +Athelney. As so many of his followers had also brought home money after +their voyage, the work of rebuilding and restoration went on rapidly, +and in a few months the marks left of the ravages by the Danes had been +well-nigh effaced. + +Flocks and herds again grazed in the pastures, herds of swine roamed in +the woods, the fields were cultivated, and the houses rebuilt. In no +part of Wessex was prosperity so speedily re-established as in the +district round Sherborne governed by Edmund. The Dragon was thoroughly +overhauled and repaired, for none could say how soon fresh fleets of +the Northmen might make their appearance upon the southern shores of +England. It was not long, indeed, before the Northmen reappeared, a +great fleet sailing up the Thames at the beginning of the winter. It +ascended as high as Fulham, where a great camp was formed. Seeing that +the Saxons and East Anglians would unite against them did they advance +further, the Danes remained quietly in their encampment during the +winter, and in the spring again took ship and sailed for France. + +For the next two years England enjoyed comparative quiet, the Danes +turning their attention to France and Holland, sailing up the Maas, +Scheldt, Somme, and Seine. Spreading from these rivers they carried +fire and sword over a great extent of country. The Franks resisted +bravely, and in two pitched battles defeated their invaders with great +loss. The struggle going on across the Channel was watched with great +interest by the Saxons, who at first hoped to see the Danes completely +crushed by the Franks. + +The ease, however, with which the Northmen moved from point to point in +their ships gave them such immense advantage that their defeats at +Hasle and Saucourt in no way checked their depredations. Appearing +suddenly off the coast, or penetrating into the interior by a river, +their hordes would land, ravage the country, slay all who opposed them, +and carry off the women and children captives, and would then take to +their ships again before the leaders of the Franks could assemble an +army. + +Alfred spent this time of repose in restoring as far as possible the +loss and damage which his kingdom had suffered. Many wise laws were +passed, churches were rebuilt, and order restored; great numbers of the +monks and wealthier people who had fled to France in the days of the +Danish supremacy now returned to England, which was for the time freer +from danger than the land in which they had sought refuge; and many +Franks from the districts exposed to the Danish ravages came over and +settled in England. + +Gradually the greater part of England acknowledged the rule of Alfred. +The kingdom of Kent was again united to that of Wessex; while Mercia, +which extended across the centre of England from Anglia to Wales, was +governed for Alfred by Ethelred the Ealdorman, who was the head of the +powerful family of the Hwiccas, and had received the hand of Alfred's +daughter Ethelfleda. He ruled Mercia according to its own laws and +customs, which differed materially from those of the West Saxons, and +which prevented a more perfect union of the two kingdoms until William +the Conqueror welded the whole country into a single whole. But +Ethelred acknowledged the supremacy of Alfred, consulted him upon all +occasions of importance, and issued all his edicts and orders in the +king's name. He was ably assisted by Werfrith, the Bishop of Worcester. +The energy and activity of these leaders enabled Mercia to keep abreast +of Wessex in the onward progress which Alfred laboured so indefatigably +to promote. + +Edmund, when not occupied with the affairs of his earldom, spent much +of his time with the king, who saw in him a spirit of intelligence and +activity which resembled his own. Edmund was, however, of a less +studious disposition than his royal master; and though he so far +improved his education as to be able to read and write well, Alfred +could not persuade him to undertake the study of Latin, being, as he +said, well content to master some of the learning of that people by +means of the king's translations. + +At the end of another two years of peace Edmund was again called upon +to take up arms. Although the Danes attempted no fresh invasion some of +their ships hung around the English coast, capturing vessels, +interfering with trade, and committing other acts of piracy. + +Great complaints were made by the inhabitants of the seaports to +Alfred. The king at once begged Edmund to fit out the Dragon, and +collecting a few other smaller ships he took his place on Edmund's ship +and sailed in search of the Danes. After some search they came upon the +four large ships of the Northmen which had been a scourge to the coast. + +The Saxons at once engaged them, and a desperate fight took place. The +Dragon was laid alongside the largest of the Danish vessels; and the +king, with Edmund and Egbert by his side, leapt on to the deck of the +Danish vessel, followed by the crew of the Dragon. The Danish ship was +crowded with men who fought desperately, but the discipline even more +than the courage of Edmund's crew secured for them the victory. For a +time each fought for himself; and although inspired by the presence of +the king they were able to gain no advantage, being much out-numbered +by the Northmen. + +Edmund, seeing this, sounded on his horn the signal with which in +battle he ordered the men to form their wedge. The signal was instantly +obeyed. The Saxons were all fighting with boarding-pikes against the +Northmen's swords and axes, for they had become used to these weapons +and preferred them to any other. + +The instant Edmund's horn was heard, each man desisted from fighting +and rushed to their leader, around whom they instantly formed in their +accustomed order. The Danes, astonished at the sudden cessation of the +battle, and understanding nothing of the meaning of the signal or of +the swift movement of the Saxons, for a minute lowered their weapons in +surprise. + +Before they again rushed forward the formation was complete, and in a +close body with levelled spears the Saxons advanced, Egbert as usual +leading the way, with Edmund and the king in the centre. + +In vain the Danes strove to resist the onset; in spite of their +superior numbers they were driven back step by step until crowded in a +close mass at one end. + +Still the Saxon line of spears pressed on. Many of the Danes leapt into +the sea, others were pushed over or run through, and in a few minutes +not a Northman remained alive in the captured vessel. + +In the meantime the battle was raging in other parts. Two of the small +vessels were engaged with one of the Danes at close quarters, while the +other ships hung around the remaining Danish vessels and kept up +volleys of arrows and javelins upon them. + +The Dragon at once went to the assistance of the two Saxon ships, whose +crews were almost overpowered by the Northmen. Laying the ship +alongside, Edmund boarded the Danes. The Northmen rushed back from the +decks of the Saxon ship to defend their own vessel; and the Saxons, +regaining courage, at once rallied and followed them. The combat was +short but desperate. Attacked on three sides, the Danes were speedily +overcome and were slaughtered to a man. + +An attack was next made upon the two remaining vessels. These resisted +for some time, but they were overwhelmed by the missiles from the Saxon +flotilla; and the greater portion of their crews being killed or +wounded, their commanders prayed for mercy, which was granted them by +Alfred; and with the four captured vessels the fleet returned to +England. + +On reaching port Alfred begged Edmund to continue for a while with the +Dragon, to cruise along the coasts and to stop the depredations of the +Danes; and for some weeks the Dragon kept the seas. She met with +considerable success, capturing many Danish galleys. Some of these +contained rich spoil, which had been gathered in France, for cruising +in the seas off Dover Edmund intercepted many of the Danish vessels on +their homeward way from raids up the Seine, Garonne, and other French +rivers. + +One day in the excitement of a long pursuit of a Danish galley, which +finally succeeded in making her escape, Edmund had paid less attention +than usual to the weather, and, on giving up the chase as hopeless, +perceived that the sky had become greatly overcast, while the wind was +rising rapidly. + +"We are in for a storm from the north, Egbert," he said, "and we must +make for the mouth of the Thames for shelter." + +The sails were lowered, and the Dragon's head turned west. Before two +hours had passed the sea had risen so greatly that it was no longer +possible to row. + +"What had we best do?" Edmund asked the chief of the sailors. "Think +you that we can make Dover and shelter under the cliffs there?" + +"I fear that we cannot do so," the sailor replied, "for there are +terrible sands and shallows off the Kentish coast between the mouth of +the Thames and Dover, and the wind blows so strongly that we can do +nought but run before it." + +"Then let us do so," Edmund replied; "anything is better than being +tossed at the mercy of the waves." + +A sail was hoisted, and the Dragon flew along before the wind. The +storm increased in fury, and for some hours the vessel ran before it. +She was but a short distance from the French coast, and as the wind +veered round more to the west her danger became great. + +"I fear we shall be cast ashore," Edmund said to the sailor. + +"Fortunately," the man answered, "we are but a mile or two from the +mouth of the Seine, and there we can run in and take shelter." + +It was an anxious time until they reached the mouth of the river, for +they were continually drifting nearer and nearer to the coast. However, +they cleared the point in safety, and, turning her head, ran up the +river and soon anchored under the walls of Havre. As she came to an +anchor armed men were seen crowding the walls. + +"They take us for Danes," Egbert said. "We had best hoist the Dragon, +and they will then know that we are a Saxon ship." + +Soon after the flag was hoisted the gates of the town were seen to +open, and an officer and some men issued out. These launched a boat and +rowed out to the ship. The officer mounted to the deck. He was +evidently in considerable fear, but as he saw the Saxons standing about +unarmed he was reassured. "Is this really a Saxon ship," he asked, "as +its flag testifies?" + +"It is so," Edmund replied; "it is my vessel, and I am an ealdorman of +King Alfred. We have been chasing the Danish pirates, but this storm +having arisen, we were blown down the French coast and forced to seek +shelter here." + +"The governor bids you welcome," the officer said, "and bade me invite +you to land." + +"That will I gladly; the more so since my ship has suffered some damage +in the gale, her bulwarks having been partly shattered; and it will +need a stay of a few days here to repair her for sea. Will you tell the +governor that in a short time I will land with my kinsman Egbert and +accept his hospitality?" + +An hour later Edmund and Egbert landed and were at once conducted to +the governor, who welcomed them cordially. + +They found there many whom they had known at the court of King Alfred. +The wealthier men, the bishops and thanes, had for the most part +journeyed to Paris or to other towns in the interior to escape the +dreaded Northmen; but there were many detained at Havre from want of +funds to journey farther. + +"It is a sad pity," the governor said as they talked over the troubled +state of Western Europe, "that your English king and our Frankish +monarch did not make common cause against these sea robbers. They are +the enemies of mankind. Not only do they ravage all our coasts, but +they have entered the Mediterranean, and have plundered and ravaged the +coasts of Provence and Italy, laying towns under ransom, burning and +destroying." + +"I would that I could meet some of their ships on their way back from +Italy," Edmund said. "I warrant that we should obtain a rare booty, +with gems of art such as would delight King Alfred, but are thrown away +on these barbarians; but I agree with you that 'tis shameful that the +coasts of all Europe should be overrun with these pirates." + +"Yes," the governor replied, "if every country in Christendom would +unite against their common foe, and send a quota of ships and men, we +would drive the Black Raven from the seas, and might even land on the +Danish shores and give them a taste of the suffering they have +inflicted elsewhere. As it is, all seem paralysed. Local efforts are +made to resist them; but their numbers are too great to be thus +withstood. I wonder that the pope does not call Christendom to arms +against these pagan robbers, who not only destroy towns and villages, +but level to the ground the holy shrines, and slay the ministers of God +on the altars." + + + + +CHAPTER XIII: THE SIEGE OF PARIS + + +On the following morning Edmund, who had returned to his ship to sleep, +was aroused by loud shouts on deck. Hurrying from his cabin he saw a +vast fleet of ships approaching the mouth of the river. They were of +all sizes--from great sailing ships to rowing galleys. It needed but a +glance at them to assure him that they were the dreaded ships of the +Northmen, for the Black Raven floated at many of the mast-heads. + +From the town the sounds of horns and great shoutings could be heard, +showing that there too the approaching fleet had just been discerned as +the morning fog lifted from the sea. Edmund held a hurried consultation +with his kinsman. It was now too late to gain the sea, for the Danish +ships had already reached the mouth of the river. To attempt to escape +by fighting would be madness, and they hesitated only whether to run +the ship ashore, and, leaving her there, enter the town and share in +its defence, or to proceed up the river with all speed to Rouen, or +even to Paris. + +The latter course was decided upon, for the Danish ships would contain +so vast a number of men that there was little hope that Havre could +resist their attack, nor was it likely that Rouen, which, on the +previous year had been captured and sacked, would even attempt another +resistance, which would only bring massacre and ruin upon its +inhabitants. Paris alone, the capital of the Frankish kings, seemed to +offer a refuge. The deliberation was a short one, and by the time the +men had taken their places at the oars their leaders had decided upon +their course. + +The anchor ropes were cut, for not a moment was to be lost, the leading +ships of the Danes being already less than half a mile distant. The +tide was flowing, and the Dragon swept rapidly up the river. Some of +the Danish galleys followed for a while, but seeing that the Dragon had +the speed of them, they abandoned the pursuit, and at a more easy +stroke the rowers continued their work until they reached Rouen. Here +the tide failed them, and they moored against the bank under the walls. + +Edmund and Egbert went on shore. They found the city in a state of wild +confusion. Saying that they had important news, and must see the +governor, they were led to the council-chamber, where the leading men +of the town were assembled. After stating who he and his companion +were, Edmund announced the arrival of a great Danish fleet at the mouth +of the river. + +"Your news, sir, is terrible for our poor country," the governor said, +"but to us it scarce brings any additional horror, although it will +probably decide the question which we are engaged in discussing. We +have news here that a great Danish army which landed at Abbeville is +marching hitherward, and we are met to discuss whether the town should +resist to the last or should open its gates at their approach. This +news you bring of the arrival of a fresh army of these sea robbers at +Havre renders our case desperate. So fierce is their attack that we +could hardly hope successfully to resist the approaching army, but +against it and this fleet you tell us of resistance could only bring +about our utter destruction. That, at least, is my opinion, the other +members of the council must speak for themselves." + +The other members, who were the principal merchants and traders of the +town, were unanimously of the same opinion. + +"Better," they said, "to give up all our worldly goods to the Northmen +than to be slaughtered pitilessly with our wives and families." + +"Such being your decision," Edmund said, "my kinsman and myself will +proceed up the river to Paris; hitherto, as we hear, the Northmen have +not ventured to attack that city, and should they do so, it will +doubtless resist to the last." + +Accordingly the two Saxons returned at once to the Dragon, and as soon +as the tide turned unmoored and proceeded up the river. Three days +after leaving Rouen they arrived in sight of Paris. The capital of the +Franks was but a small city, and was built entirely upon the island +situated just at the confluence of the Seine and Marne. It was +surrounded by a strong and lofty wall. + +On the approach of a vessel differing entirely from anything they had +before seen the citizens flocked to the walls. The Golden Dragon +floating at the mast-head showed them that the vessel did not belong to +the Danes, and some of the more experienced in these matters said at +once that she must be a Saxon ship. The Count Eudes, who had been left +by the king in command of Paris, himself came to the walls just as the +Dragon came abreast of them. Edmund ordered the rowers to pause at +their work. + +"Who are you?" the Count Eudes shouted. "Whence do you come and with +what intent?" + +"My name is Edmund. I am an ealdorman of King Alfred of the Saxons. +When at sea fighting the Northmen a tempest blew me down your coast, +and I took refuge in the port of Havre. Four days since at daybreak a +vast fleet of Northmen entered the river. We rowed up to Rouen hoping +to be able to find safe shelter there; but the citizens being aware +that a great army of the sea robbers was marching against their town, +and being further intimidated by the news I brought them, decided upon +surrendering without resistance. Therefore we have continued our +journey hither, being assured that here at least the Danish wolves +would not have their way unopposed. We have fought them long in our +native land, and wish for nothing better than to aid in the efforts of +the Franks against our common enemy." + +"You are welcome, sir earl," the Count Eudes said, "though the news you +bring us is bad indeed. We have heard how valiantly the thanes of King +Alfred have fought against the invaders, and shall be glad indeed of +your assistance should the Northmen, as I fear, come hither." + +So saying the count ordered the gates to be opened, and the Dragon +having been moored alongside, Edmund and Egbert with their crew entered +the town, where the leaders were received with great honour by the +count. He begged them to become guests at the castle, where quarters +were also assigned to the crew. A banquet was at once prepared, at +which many of the principal citizens were present. + +As soon as the demands of hunger were satisfied the count made further +inquiries as to the size of the fleet which had entered the Seine, and +as to the army reported to be marching against Rouen. + +"I doubt not," he said, when the Saxons had given him all the +particulars in their power, "that it is the armament of Siegfroi who +has already wrought such destruction. More than once he has appeared +before our walls, and has pillaged and ravaged the whole of the north +of France. The last time he was here he threatened to return with a +force which would suffice to raze Paris to the ground, and doubtless he +is coming to endeavour to carry out his threat; but he will not find +the task an easy one, we shall resist him to the last; and right glad +am I that I shall have the assistance of two of the Saxon thanes who +have so often inflicted heavy defeats upon these wolves of the sea. +Your vessel is a strange one, and differs from those that I have +hitherto seen, either Dane or Saxon. She is a sailing ship, and yet +appears to row very fast." + +"She is built," Edmund said, "partly upon the design of King Alfred +himself, which were made from paintings he possessed of the war galleys +of Italy, which country he visited in his youth. They were carried out +by a clever shipwright of Exeter; and, indeed, the ship sails as well +as she rows, and, as the Danes have discovered to their cost, is able +to fight as well as she can sail and row. Had we been fairly out to sea +before the Danish fleet made its appearance we could have given a good +account of ourselves, but we were caught in a trap." + +"I fear that if the Northmen surround the city your ship will be +destroyed." + +"I was thinking of that," Edmund said, "and I pray you to let me have +some men who know the river higher up. There must assuredly be low +shores often overflowed where there are wide swamps covered with wood +and thickets, which the enemy would not enter, seeing that no booty +could be obtained there. The ship was built in such a spot, and we +could cut a narrow gap from the river and float her well in among the +trees so as to be hidden from the sight of any passing up the river in +galleys, closing up the cut again so that none might suspect its +existence." + +"That could be done easily enough," the count said; "there are plenty +of spots which would be suitable, for the banks are for the most part +low and the ground around swampy and wooded. To-morrow I will tell off +a strong body of men to accompany you in your ship, and aid your crew +in their work." + +Twenty miles up the Seine a suitable spot was found, and the crew of +the Dragon, with the hundred men whom the Count Eudes had lent for the +purpose, at once set about their work. They had but little trouble, for +a spot was chosen where a sluggish stream, some fifteen feet wide, +drained the water from a wide-spreading swamp into the river. The +channel needed widening but a little to allow of the Dragon entering, +and the water was quite deep enough to permit her being taken some +three hundred yards back from the river. + +The trees and underwood were thick, and Edmund was assured that even +when winter, which was now approaching, stripped the last leaf from the +trees, the Dragon could not be seen from the river. Her masts were +lowered, and bundles of brushwood were hung along her side so as to +prevent the gleam of black paint being discerned through the trees. + +The entrance to the stream was filled up to a width of three or four +feet, and the new work turfed with coarse grass similar to that which +grew beside it. Bushes were planted close to the water's edge, and +stakes were driven down in the narrow channel to within a few inches of +the surface of the water. + +Certain now that no Danish boats would be likely to turn aside from the +river to enter this channel into the swamp, the party embarked in some +boats which had been towed up by the Dragon and returned down the river +to Paris. + +The afternoon before starting all the valuable booty which had been +captured from the Danes was landed and placed in security in the +castle, and upon his return to Paris Edmund disposed of this at good +prices to the traders of the city. + +A fortnight after they had returned to Paris the news was brought in +that a vast fleet of Northmen was ascending the river. The next morning +it was close at hand, and the citizens mounting the walls beheld with +consternation the approaching armament. So numerous were the ships that +they completely covered the river. The fleet consisted of seven hundred +sailing ships, and a vastly greater number of rowing galleys and boats. +These vessels were crowded with men, and their fierce aspect, their +glittering arms, and their lofty stature, spread terror in the hearts +of the citizens. + +"This is truly a tremendous host!" the Count Eudes said to Edmund, who +stood beside him on the walls. + +"It is indeed," Edmund replied. "Numerous as are the fleets which have +poured down upon the shores of England, methinks that none approached +this in strength. It is clear that the Northmen have united their +forces for a great effort against this city; but having at home +successfully defended fortifications, which were not to be named in +comparison with those of Paris, against them, I see no reason to doubt +that we shall be able to beat them off here." + +The Danes landed on the opposite bank and formed a vast camp there, and +the following morning three of their number in a small boat rowed +across the river and said that their king Siegfroi desired to speak +with Goslin, archbishop of Paris, who stood in the position of civil +governor. They were told that the archbishop would receive the king in +his palace. + +An hour later a stately figure in glittering armour was seen to take +his place in a long galley, which, rowed by twenty men, quickly shot +across the stream. Siegfroi landed, and, accompanied by four of his +leading warriors, entered the gates, which were opened at his approach. +The chief of the Northmen was a warrior of lofty stature. On his head +he wore a helmet of gold, on whose crest was a raven with extended +wings wrought in the same metal. His hair fell loosely on his neck; his +face was clean shaved in Danish fashion, save for a long moustache. He +wore a breastplate of golden scales, and carried a shield of the +toughest bull's-hide studded with gold nails. + +He was unarmed, save a long dagger which he wore in his belt. He and +his followers, who were all men of immense stature, walked with a proud +and assured air between the lines of citizens who clustered thickly on +each side of the street, and who gazed in silence at these dreaded +figures. They were escorted by the chamberlain of the archbishop, and +on arriving at his palace were conducted into the chamber where Goslin, +Count Eudes, and several of the leading persons of Paris awaited them. + +Siegfroi bent his head before the prelate. + +"Goslin," he said, "I beg you to have compassion upon yourself and your +flock if you do not wish to perish. We beseech you to turn a favourable +ear to our words. Grant only that we shall march through the city. We +will touch nothing in the town, and we undertake to preserve all your +property, both yours and that of Eudes." + +The archbishop replied at once: + +"This city has been confided to us by the Emperor Charles, who is, +after God, the king and master of the powers of the earth. Holding +under his rule almost all the world, he confided it to us, with the +assurance that we should suffer no harm to come to the kingdom, but +should keep it for him safe and sure. If it had happened that the +defence of these walls had been committed to your hands, as it has been +committed to mine, what would you have done had such a demand been made +upon you? Would you have granted the demand?" + +"If I had granted it," Siegfroi replied, "may my head fall under the +axe and serve as food for dogs. Nevertheless, if you do not grant our +demands, by day we will overwhelm your city with our darts, and with +poisoned arrows by night. You shall suffer all the horrors of hunger, +and year after year we will return and make a ruin of your city." + +Without another word he turned, and followed by his companions, strode +through the streets of Paris, and taking his place in the boat returned +to his camp. + +At daybreak the next morning the Norsemen were seen crowding into their +ships. The trumpets sounded loudly, and the citizens seized their arms +and hastened to the walls. The Norsemen crossed the river, and directed +their attack against a tower which stood at the head of the bridge +connecting the city and island with the farther bank. Those who landed +were provided with picks, crowbars, and other implements for effecting +a breach, and their approach was protected by a cloud of arrows and +javelins from the fleet which covered the surface of the river. + +The French leaders soon assembled at the threatened point. Chief among +these were Eudes, his brother Robert, the Count Ragenaire, and the Abbe +Ebble, a nephew of the archbishop. The Franks bore themselves bravely, +and in spite of the rain of arrows defended the walls against the +desperate attacks of the Northmen. + +The fortifications in those days were very far from having attained the +strength and solidity which a few generations later were bestowed upon +them. The stones of which they were constructed were comparatively +small, and fastened together by mortar, consequently they could ill +resist even an assault by manual weapons. Covered by their shields the +Northmen worked untiringly at the foundations, and piece by piece the +walls crumbled to the ground. Every effort, however, to enter at the +breaches so made was repulsed, and Siegfroi kept back his warriors, +determined to delay the grand assault until the next day. By nightfall +the tower was in ruins, scarce a portion of the walls remaining erect. +Many of the besieged had been killed. The archbishop was wounded with +an arrow. Frederic, a young soldier who led the troops of the church +was killed. + +The besiegers had suffered much more severely, great numbers having +been killed by the stones and missiles hurled down by the defenders +while engaged in the demolition of the walls. At nightfall the Danes +carried off their wounded and recrossed the river, confident that next +day they would succeed in their assault. As soon as darkness had set in +Count Eudes collected the citizens, and these, bearing beams and +planks, crossed the bridge to the tower, and set to work. Outside the +circle of ruins holes were dug and the beams securely fixed. Planks +were nailed to these, and earth heaped up behind them. + +All night the work continued, and by morning a fortification much +higher than the original tower had been erected all round the ruin. The +Danes again crossed the river in their ships, and the assault was +renewed. Javelins and great stones were hurled at the fortification, +and clouds of arrows from the shipping fell within them. Covered with +portable roofs constructed of planks the Danes strove to destroy the +wall. The besieged poured upon them a blazing mixture of oil, wax, and +pitch. Numbers of the Danes were burned to death, while others, +maddened by the pain, threw themselves into the river. + +Over and over again Siegfroi led his warriors to the attack, but the +defenders, headed by Eudes and the brave Abbe Ebble, each time repelled +them. The abbe particularly distinguished himself, and he is reported +to have slain seven Danes at once with one javelin, a blow which may be +considered as bordering on the miraculous. But the number of the +defenders of the tower was small indeed to that of the enemy, and the +loss which they inflicted upon the Danes, great as it was, was as +nothing in so vast a host. + +The flames of the machines, lighted by the pitch and oil, communicated +to the planks of the fortification, and soon these too were on fire. As +they burned, the earth behind them gave way, and a breach was formed. +Encouraged by this result the Danes brought up faggots, and in several +places lighted great fires against the fortifications. The defenders +began to lose all hope, when a tremendous storm of rain suddenly burst +over Paris quenching the fire. + +The besieged gained heart, reinforcements crossed from the town, and +the Danes again withdrew to their ships, having lost in the day's +fighting three hundred men. After this repulse the Northmen desisted +for a time from their attack. They formed a strong fortified camp near +the church of St. Germain, and then spread over the country slaying and +burning, sparing none, man, woman, or child. From the walls of Paris +the smoke could be seen rising over the whole country, and every heart +was moved with rage and sorrow. + +Edmund and his party had taken no part in the defence of the tower. Its +loss would not have involved that of the town, and Eudes requested him +to keep his band in reserve in order that they might remain intact +until the Danes should make a breach in the walls of the city itself, +when the sudden reinforcement of a party of such well-trained warriors +might decide the result. + +While a portion of the Danish host were engaged upon the work of +devastation, a large number were employed upon the construction of +three great towers. These were built on wheels, and were each large +enough to hold sixty men. They far overtopped the walls, and the +citizens viewed with alarm the time when an assault should be delivered +under the protection of these formidable machines. Eighteen ships of +equal size were moored by the bank six deep. Great planks were laid +across them, and a sloping platform having been formed, the towers were +by the efforts of thousands of men moved up and placed on the ships. + +"If we do not destroy those towers, Egbert," Edmund said one day as he +saw them slowly moving into their position on board the ships, "all is +lost, for from their summits the Northmen with their bows and javelins +will be able to clear the walls, while those below effect a breach at +their leisure." + +"That is true enough, Edmund, but I do not see any way to destroy them. +Unfortunately we have no boats, or we might fill some of them with +combustibles, and tow them down until near enough for the stream to +carry them upon those vessels; but even then the chance were small +indeed, for the Danes would swarm out in their boats and manage to tow +or push them so that they would not touch the ships." + +"I should think, Egbert, that if we could get some skins or planks we +and our band might, when it is quite dark, sally out and take to the +water at the lower end of the island and float down quietly for a mile +or two, and then gain the further bank; then we might march along +quietly until we reach those ships. The Danes know that we have no +boats, and will not fear an attack. We must not do it until an hour or +two before morning, when, after spending the early hours of the night +as usual in feasting and drinking, they will sleep heavily. Just before +we are ready to begin a small party can unmoor two or three of the +boats by the bank and push them out, one to the outside of each tier of +six vessels, so that we may have a means of retreat across the river. +When that is done we will make a rush on board the ships, cut down any +Danes we may find there, and set fire to all the vessels. We must hold +the gangways to the shore until the flames get well alight, and then +take to the boats and return." + +"I think the plan is a good one, Edmund, and may well be carried out +without great loss. There are plenty of empty wine skins at present in +Paris. I will at once set about collecting a hundred of them. We will +fasten to each a stout cord so as to form a loop to go over the head +and shoulders, then we had best attach them all together by one long +cord, by which means we shall float in a body." + +"Fortunately the night is very dark and I think that we shall succeed. +Say nothing about it, Egbert, and tell the men to keep silent. The good +people of Paris shall know nothing of the matter until they see the +flames dancing round the towers which they hold in so much dread." + +The Saxons received with satisfaction the news of the intended +expedition. They had been disappointed at being kept back from taking +any part in the fighting during the two days' attack upon the tower, +and longed for an opportunity to inflict a blow upon their hated enemy +the Danes. The wine skins were fitted up with ropes as Egbert had +suggested, and soon after nightfall the party, armed with spear and +sword, and carrying each his float, sallied out from the gates, as +Edmund was by this time so well known among the citizens that the gate +was opened without demur on his order. + +They crept along the foot of the wall until they reached the lower +extremity of the island. Across the river innumerable fires blazed +high, and the songs and shouts of the Danes rose loud in the air. +Numbers of figures could be seen moving about or standing near the +fires, the tents of the chiefs were visible some distance back, but the +number of these as well as of the fires was much less than it had been +on the first arrival of the Northmen, owing to the numbers who had gone +to the camp round St. Germain. + +The night was very dark and a light rain was falling. Before taking to +the water Edmund bade his men strip off the greater portion of their +clothes and fasten them in a bundle on their heads, as it would be some +time after they landed before they could advance upon the camp, and the +cold and dripping garments would tend to lessen their spirits and +courage. + +When all was ready they stepped into the water, and keeping in a body, +drifted down the stream. The wine skins floated them well above the +water, the stream was running strong, and the lights of the Danish +fires were soon left behind. + +In half an hour Edmund and Egbert deemed that they were now far beyond +a point where they might chance upon any Danish stragglers. The word +was therefore given, and all made for the bank. The stream had already +drifted them in that direction, and they soon reached the shore. Here +the skins which had proved so useful were left behind, and putting on +their dry clothes, they felt comparatively comfortable. Edmund ordered +them to lay down their spears and swords by their sides, and to swing +their arms violently. This they continued to do until they were nearly +breathless, by which time the blood was coursing warmly in their veins. + +They were now in December, and the water was extremely cold, and Egbert +congratulated Edmund upon having made the men strip, for had they been +compelled to remain in their wet garments while waiting for the Danish +fires to die down, they would scarce have been in a fit state to fight +when the moment for so doing had arrived. + +Three hours elapsed before the glare of the distant fires began to +subside, another half hour passed, and then the band were formed up and +moved along on the bank of the river. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV: THE REPULSE OF THE NORSEMEN + + +When within half a mile of the Danish camp Edmund and Egbert left the +band and advanced alone. They were pretty confident that they should +find but few of the Danes near the bank of the river, for the arrows +from the walls of Paris carried some distance beyond it, and the +Northmen consequently encamped some hundred yards away. They had to +pick their way carefully, for the ships were moored along the bank, +their ropes being fastened to great stakes driven into the ground. + +There were lights on board the vessels, many of the crews remaining on +board. They made their way along until they reached the spot they aimed +at. Here lay the three sets of vessels, each six deep; their masts had +been removed, and the great towers rose high into the darkness above +the platforms extending over their decks. + +The planks forming the gangways up which the towers had been moved had +been taken away, save one which gave access to each tier, and Edmund +doubted not that it was intended that they should the next morning move +across the river in tow of the numerous row-boats. The two Saxons did +not attempt to go on board, as they had now found out all they wanted, +and might mar all by disturbing some sleeper upon the platform. They +accordingly returned to the spot where the band were awaiting them. + +"I propose, Egbert," Edmund said, "that as we go along we cut the +mooring-ropes of all the vessels. We must do it quietly so as not to +excite any alarm, and they will know nothing of it until they find +themselves drifting down the river in a mass. Then there will be great +jostling and carrying away of bowsprits and bulwarks, and the confusion +and shouting which will arise will tend to confuse the Danes and to +distract their attention from us." + +Egbert agreed to the proposal, and as soon as they reached the first +ships the Saxons began their work, sawing with their knives and daggers +through the ropes. The vessels lay four or five deep and there were +many cables to cut, but the keen knives of the Saxons made short work +of these. Before beginning their work they had spread along the bank, +leaving only two men abreast of each ship, so that in the course of two +or three minutes the cables for the length of forty ships were severed, +and these and their consorts beyond them began to drift out into the +stream. + +The Saxons ran quickly on ahead and repeated the work until the whole +of the vessels below those forming the platform for the towers were +adrift in the stream; but by this time those in the ships at the lower +end of the tiers had taken the alarm, and shouts of wonder and anger +rose on the air. The nine Saxons told off for the purpose leaped into +three small boats and rowed out into the stream, while the rest of the +band, divided into three parties, dashed across the planks on to the +platforms. The Danes here had already been alarmed by the uproar from +the vessels adrift, and although unable to see what was passing judged +that something was wrong, and had called to their comrades sleeping in +the holds to come up. + +Some of these bearing torches came up on deck just as the Saxons, +pouring across the planks which connected the ships with the shore, +fell upon them. Taken utterly by surprise, the Danes could offer no +effective resistance. The Saxons, charging with levelled spears, drove +those above headlong into the water; then, having made themselves +masters of the platforms, they dashed below and despatched the Danes +they found there. The torches were now applied to the contents of the +holds. These were for the most part crammed with the booty which the +Norsemen had gained at Havre, Rouen, and other places, and the flames +speedily shot up. By this time the Danes in the camp, alarmed by the +shouting from the drifting ships and the sounds of conflict from the +towers, came flocking down in haste. The planks had already been thrown +overboard. The Danes strove by pulling at the ropes to haul the vessels +nearer to land. Some ran towards their ships, others jumped into boats, +and pushing out to the platforms strove to get on board them; but by +this time the flames were rising high through the hatchways. According +to previous agreement Edmund and the leaders of the other two parties, +seeing that the flames had now firm hold, cut the ropes which fastened +them to the bank, and as soon as the stream began to swing them out +leaped into the boats and rowed for the opposite shore. + +The uproar was now tremendous; and shouts of rage rose from the +Northmen, who were amazed and puzzled by the appearance of the Saxons, +whose attire differed but slightly from their own; and the general +belief among them was that this sudden alarm was the result of +treachery among themselves. There was no time to waste in conjecture; +the three groups of ships were now masses of flame, in the midst of +which the lofty towers rose high. The shouts of the sailors in the +vessels crowded together in helpless confusion in the stream below rose +higher and higher as the blazing vessels drifted down and threatened to +overtake them. + +Some tried to hoist their sails; others got out long oars and strove to +sweep their vessels towards the shore, but they were huddled too +closely in the stream; the yards and rigging of many having become +interlocked with each other. The Northmen leaped into the rowing boats +by the bank above where the tower-ships had been moored, and rowing +down endeavoured to tow them to the bank; but they were now in a blaze +from end to end, the heat was so great that it was difficult to +approach them, and all endeavours to fasten ropes to them were +frustrated, as these were instantly consumed. The Northmen, finding +their efforts unavailing, then turned their attention to trying to tow +the ships below to the banks. + +In some cases they were successful. A few of the vessels also at the +lower end of the mass succeeded in getting up their sails and drawing +out from their fellows, for the wind was blowing down stream. This, +however, proved the destruction of the rest of the ships, for the great +towers rising amid the lofty pillars of flames acted as sails and bore +the fire-ships down upon the helpless crowd of vessels. + +Soon they reached those nearest to them, and the flames, borne forward +by the wind, sprang from vessel to vessel. There was no longer any hope +of saving a single ship; and the crews, climbing hastily across from +one to the other till they reached those nearest to the shore, leaped +overboard. Although now more than half a mile below the city the flames +lit up the walls with a bright glare, and the shouts of the exulting +Franks rose loud and continuous. + +The sudden shouting which had broken out among the Danes had alarmed +the watchmen, who, ignorant of the cause, called the citizens to arms, +and these on reaching the walls had stood astonished at the spectacle. +The flames were already rising from the three groups of ships which +they had regarded with so much anxiety on the previous evening, and by +the light they could see the river below covered with a mass of +drifting vessels. Then they saw the tower-ships float away from the +bank, and the figures on their decks leap into three small boats, which +at once rowed with all speed across the river. + +That they were friends who had wrought this destruction was certain, +and Count Eudes threw open the gate, and with the Abbe Ebble ran down +to meet them. They were astonished when Edmund with his Saxons leaped +to land. + +"What miracle is this?" the count exclaimed. + +"A simple matter, Sir Count," Edmund answered. "My kinsman and I, +seeing that the townspeople were troubled by yonder towers, determined +to destroy them. We have succeeded in doing so, and with them I trust +fully half of the Danish fleet will perish." + +"You are the saviour of our town, my brave young Saxon," Count Eudes +cried, embracing him. "If Paris is saved it will be thanks to the +valiant deed that you have accomplished this night. But let us to the +walls again, where we may the better see whether the Danes can remove +their ships from those great furnaces which are bearing down upon them." + +The sight from the walls, when the fire-ships reached the fleet and the +flames spread, was grand in the extreme, for in half an hour nigh three +hundred vessels were in flames. For some time the three towers rose +like pillars of fire above the burning mass; then one by one they fell +with a crash, which could be plainly heard, although they were now near +a mile away. + +Paris was wild with joy at the destruction of the towers which had +menaced it, and the conflagration of nigh half the Danish fleet, laden +with the spoil of northern France. Edmund and his Saxons were conducted +in triumph by a shouting crowd to the palace of the archbishop, where +Goslin, in the name of the city, returned them the heartiest thanks for +the services which they had rendered. The wealthy citizens vied with +each other in bestowing costly presents upon them, bonfires were +lighted in the streets, and till morning the town gave itself up to +revelry and rejoicing. + +A month elapsed before the Danes recovered from the blow which had been +dealt them and resumed the assault. Part of this time had been spent in +manufacturing great shields of bull's hide. These were strongly +constructed, and were each capable of covering six men. On the 29th of +January their preparations were complete, and at daybreak the warders +on the wall saw them pouring down into their ships and galleys. As the +fleet crossed the river its aspect was singular. The decks were covered +by the black shields, above which appeared a forest of spears, +sparkling in the morning sunlight. As they reached the shore the +Northmen sprang to land, while from the decks of the vessels a storm of +missiles flew towards the walls. Vast numbers of catapults, which they +had manufactured since their last attack, hurled masses of stone, heavy +javelins, and leaden bullets, while thousands of arrows darkened the +air. + +The bells of the church sounded the alarm, which called every citizen +capable of bearing arms to the walls. The archbishop took his place at +the spot most threatened by the enemy, with his nephew, the valiant +abbe, by his side. The Counts Eudes, Robert, Ragenaire, Utton, and +Herilang stood foremost among the defenders. + +The Saxons, as before, were held in reserve, but to Edmund and Egbert +had been assigned, at their urgent request, the command of the defence +of the tower. It was against this point that the Danes again made their +most desperate effort. Their main body advanced against it, and smaller +parties attacked the city at other points, while the rowing galleys, +divided into two bodies, strove to destroy the bridge, and so isolate +the defenders of the post. + +Around the tower the combat was desperate. The assailants were +well-nigh hidden under their great bucklers. Their shouts, and the +constant clashing of arms which they maintained, made a terrific +uproar; a storm of missiles from the fleet poured upon the tower, while +from the crevices between the shields the bowmen shot incessantly at +the defenders. The very number of the Danes hindered their attack, for +the tower was so small that comparatively few could approach at once. + +It had been greatly strengthened since the last assault, and through +the loopholes in the walls the archers did their best to answer the +storm of missiles poured into the fort. Edmund and Egbert went among +them, begging them not to fire at random, but to choose moments when +the movements of the assailants opened a space in the roof of shields +which covered them. + +Whenever this took place a dozen arrows fell true to the mark. Some of +those bearing the shield would be struck, and these falling, a gap +would be caused through which the arrows of the defenders flew thickly, +causing death and confusion until the shield could be raised in its +place again. Boiling liquids were poured over those who approached the +walls, and huge stones crushed the shields and their bearers. + +Eudes and his men valiantly defended the wall, and the Danes in vain +strove to scale it. All day long the battle continued, but at nightfall +the tower still remained in the hands of the defenders, the deep ditch +which they had dug round it having prevented the Danes from working at +the wall, as they had done in the previous assault. + +When darkness came on the Danes did not retire, but lay down in the +positions they occupied, under their shields. In the morning many ships +were seen crossing the river again, and the defenders saw to their +surprise numbers of captives who had been collected from the +surrounding country, troops of oxen, ship-loads of branches of trees, +trusses of hay and corn, and faggots of vines landed. Their surprise +became horror when they saw the captives and the cattle alike +slaughtered as they landed. Their bodies were brought forward under +cover of the shields and thrown into the moat, in which, too, were cast +the hay, straw, faggots, and trees. + +At the sight of the massacre the archbishop prayed to the Virgin to +give him strength, and drawing a bow to its full strength, let fly an +arrow, which, great as was the distance, flew true to its mark and +struck the executioner full in the face. This apparent miracle of the +Virgin in their favour re-animated the spirit of the defenders; and a +solemn service was instantly held in the church in her honour, and +prayers were offered to her to save Lutece, which was the original name +of Paris, and was still cherished by its inhabitants. + +The Danes were occupied all day at their work of filling up the moat. +The besieged were not idle, but laboured at the construction of several +mangonels capable of casting huge blocks of stone. In the morning the +Danes planted their battering-rams, one on each side of the tower, and +recommenced the assault. The new machines of the defenders did great +havoc in their ranks, their heavy stones crashing through the roof of +bucklers and crushing those who held them, and for a time the Norsemen +desisted from the attack. + +They now filled three of their largest vessels with combustibles, and +placing them on the windward side of the bridge, set them alight. The +people of Paris beheld with afright these fire-ships bearing down upon +the bridge, and old and young burst into tears and cries at the view of +the approaching destruction, and, led by the archbishop, all joined in +a prayer to St. Germain, the patron saint of Paris, to protect the +city. The exulting Danes replied to the cries of those on the walls +with triumphant shouts. Thanks, as the Franks believed, to the +interposition of St. Germain, the fireships struck against the pile of +stones from which the beams supporting the bridge in the centre were +raised. Eudes and his companions leaped down from the bridge and with +hatchets hewed holes in the sides of the ships at the water-line, and +they sank without having effected any damage to the bridge. + +It was now the turn of the Franks to raise triumphant shouts, while the +Danes, disheartened, fell back from the attack, and at night recrossed +the river, leaving two of their battering-rams as tokens of the triumph +of the besieged. Paris had now a respite while the Danes again spread +over the surrounding country, many of them ascending the river in their +ships and wasting the country as far as Burgundy. + +The monastery of St. Germain and the church in which the body of the +saint was buried still remained untouched. The bands of Northmen who +had invaded England had never hesitated to plunder and destroy the +churches and shrines of the Christians, but hitherto some thought of +superstition had kept the followers of Siegfroi from assailing the +monastery of St. Germain. + +One soldier, bolder than the rest, now approached the church and with +his spear broke some of the windows. The Abbe D'Abbon, an eye-witness +and minute historian of the siege of Paris, states that the impious +Dane was at once struck dead. The same fate befell one of his comrades, +who mounted to the platform at the top of the church and in descending +fell off and was killed. A third who entered the church and looked +round lost his sight for ever. A fourth entering it fell dead; and a +fifth, who, more bold than all, tried to break into the tomb of the +saint, was killed by a stone which fell upon him. + +One night after a continuance of heavy rain the Seine, being greatly +swollen, swept away the centre of the bridge connecting the tower with +the town. At daybreak the Northmen, seeing what had taken place, +hastened across the river and attacked the tower. The garrison was but +a small one, no more than twenty men having slept there. For a time +these repulsed every effort of the Danes, but gradually their numbers +were lessened until at last fourteen only remained. Their names have +come down to us. Besides Edmund and Egbert there were Hermanfroi, +Herivee, Herilard, Odoacre, Herric, Arnold, Sohie, Gerbert, Elvidon, +Havderad, Ermard, and Gossuin. These resisted so valiantly that the +Danes, after losing large numbers in the vain attempt to storm the +walls, brought up a wagonful of grain; this they rolled forward to the +gate of the tower and set it on fire. + +The flames rapidly spread from the gates to the walls, which were all +of wood, and soon the whole were a sheet of flames. The little band of +defenders retreated on to the end of the bridge, and there, when the +flames had sufficiently abated to allow them to pass, the Northmen +attacked them. Edmund and Egbert were both good swimmers, but this was +an accomplishment which but few of the Franks possessed, and none of +the remnant of the garrison were able to swim. For a long time the +little band repulsed all the efforts of the Danes, but were gradually +driven back foot by foot until they reached the edge of the chasm. Here +they made a last desperate stand, but were at length cut down or driven +over by sheer weight of numbers. Egbert and Edmund had disencumbered +themselves of all their defensive armour, and at the last moment, +throwing off their helmets and relinquishing their spears, they plunged +into the stream, diving deeply to avoid the arrows of the Northmen. + +The fact of the river being in flood, which had caused the destruction +of the tower, now proved the cause of their safety. Had the water been +clear, the Danes on the bridge above could have marked their progress +and poured a storm of arrows upon them as they came to the surface; but +its yellow and turbid waters concealed them from sight, and each time +they rose to the surface for air they were enabled to take a rapid +breath and dive again before their enemies could direct and launch +their arrows at them. + +As they drifted far down the stream, they reached the land beyond +bowshot of the Danes, and they soon entered the town amid the loud +acclamations of the citizens. The Danes now for the most part drew off +from the neighbourhood, and the Abbe Ebble led out a sortie, which +reached the Danish camp, and driving back those whom they found within +it, set it on fire and effected their retreat to Paris without loss, in +spite of the efforts of the enemy, who rapidly assembled at the sight +of the flames. + +The Danes had brought in from the surrounding country such vast +quantities of cattle, sheep, and goats, that their camps would not +suffice to hold them, and they turned the church of St. Germain into a +stable and crowded it with these animals. The saint, as the Abbe +D'Abbon relates, indignant at this desecration, sent a terrible plague +among the cattle, and when the Danes in the morning entered the church +it contained nothing but carcasses in the last state of decomposition. + +The valiant defence of Paris had given time for the rest of France to +arm, and the Danes scattered over the country now met with a stout +resistance. The Northmen were defeated in their efforts to capture Le +Mans, Chartres, and other towns, and were defeated in several battles +near Chartres by Godefroi and Odon. + +In March Henri advanced with a strong force to the relief of Paris, and +arriving at night attacked the camp of the Danes, slew great numbers, +and captured a vast booty; and then, having supplied Paris with a +considerable amount of provisions, retired with his band before the +Danes had time to assemble in sufficient strength to oppose him. +Shortly afterwards the Danes expressed the desire of Siegfroi to hold +parley with the Count Eudes. Siegfroi and a number of his warriors +landed, and Eudes left the city and advanced to meet them. No sooner +had he reached them than he was attacked by the Northmen, but drawing +his sword he defended himself with immense bravery until the garrison +ran down to his succour, and the Danes were driven back to their ship +with loss of nearly half of their party. + +The Danes now left the church of St. Germain L'Auxerrois and surrounded +the monastery of St. Germain des Pres, but the monks there paid him +sixty pounds of pure silver to leave them in peace. Siegfroi now wished +to abandon the siege which had already cost him so dear, but the +Northmen, furious at their losses, determined upon another assault. + +"Very well," the king said; "have your way then. Attack Paris on all +sides, hew down its towers, and make breaches in its walls; for once I +will remain a spectator." + +The Danes crossed the river and landed on the island, but owing to the +absence of large numbers on other expeditions, and the heavy losses +which they had suffered, their numbers were no longer so overwhelming, +and Count Eudes led out his forces to oppose them outside the walls. +This time Edmund headed his band of Saxons, who until now had only +taken part as archers in the defence. + +The combat was a furious one. In spite of the valour of Eudes and Ebble +the Danes pressed hard upon the Franks, and were driving them back +towards the gates when Edmund led his Saxons, in the close phalanx in +which they had so often met the Danes in the field, to the front. With +irresistible force the wedge burst its way through the ranks of the +Danes, bearing all before it with its wedge of spears. Into the gap +thus formed Eudes and Ebble with their bravest men threw themselves, +and the Danes, severed in two, were driven back towards their ships. +But for some hours the rain had been falling heavily and the river was +rapidly rising and had already overflowed a portion of the island. Thus +the Danes had great difficulty in getting on board their ships again, +and great numbers were killed in doing so. + +There was no longer any resistance to Siegfroi's wishes. A parley was +held with the city, and a further sum being added to that contributed +by the monks of St. Germain des Pres the Danes drew off from the town. + +At this time the long confinement of so many men within the walls had +caused a pestilence to break out in Paris. The Archbishop Goslin, the +Bishop Everard of Sens, the Prince Hugues, and many others died. The +16th of April was the day on which the Parisians were accustomed to go +in solemn procession to the church of St. Germain. The Northmen, +knowing this, in mockery filled a wagon with grain and organized a mock +procession. The bullocks who drew the chariot suddenly became lame; +numbers of other bullocks were attached, but although goaded by spears +their united efforts were unable to drag the wagon an inch, and the +Danes were obliged at last to abandon their intention. + +The same day St. Germain is reported to have further shown his power. +One of the Northmen, condemned for some offence to be executed, fled to +the church for refuge, and was there slain by his countrymen; but all +who took part in the deed at once fell dead. The Northmen, struck by +these miracles, placed a certain number as guard over the church to +prevent any from touching aught that it contained. One of these men, a +Dane of great stature, spread his bed in the church and slept there; +but to the astonishment of his comrades he was found in the morning to +have shrunk to the size of a new-born infant, at which stature he +remained for the rest of his life. + +A miracle of an opposite kind was at the same time performed in the +town. A valiant warrior had from the effects of fever fallen into an +extreme weakness, and was devoured with grief at the thought that he +should no longer be able to take share in the defence of the town. To +him St. Germain appeared at night and told him that his prayers had +been heard, and that his strength should be restored to him. On +awakening in the morning he found that he was as vigorous and as robust +as ever. + +Another day when the soldiers were carrying the banner of the saint +round the walls of the town, followed by the citizens chanting hymns, +one of the bearers of the holy relics, named Gozbert, was struck by a +stone from a catapult. The man who had fired it fell dead, while +Gozbert continued his promenade in no way injured by the blow. The Abbe +D'Abbon vouches for these miracles on the part of St. Germain in +defence of his faithful city. + + + + +CHAPTER XV: FRIENDS IN TROUBLE + + +Although for a time the Northmen abstained from grand assaults, +continued skirmishes took place. Sometimes parties landed beneath the +walls, and strove to carry off the cattle which the besieged turned out +to gather a little fresh food there. Sometimes the citizens, led by +Eudes or Ebble, would take boat and cross, and endeavour to cut off +small parties of the enemy. They had now sufficient boats at their +disposal for expeditions of this kind; for, in their last defeat, the +Danes had in their haste left several boats behind them. Of one of the +largest of these Edmund took possession, and going out in her at night, +several times succeeded in capturing Danish vessels, sometimes while +they were rowing along the river unsuspicious that any foes were near, +sometimes by boarding them as they lay alongside the bank. + +As the vessels so captured were too large to be dragged ashore, and +could have been easily recaptured by the Danes, they were, after being +emptied of their contents, always burned. The plague continued its +ravages, and the city became straitened for provisions. Count Eudes +therefore determined to go to King Charles to urge him to hurry to the +succour of the town. Almost all the chiefs of the defence had fallen +victims to the pest, or had been killed in battle with the Danes, and +the count at his departure committed the defence of the city to the +Abbe Ebble and Edmund. He then crossed the stream at night, and made +his way successfully through the Danes. + +The abbe and Edmund vied with each other in keeping up the spirits of +the garrison with successful little forays with the Danes, frequently +crossing the river to the one bank or the other, sometimes with parties +of only five or six men, and falling upon similar bodies of the enemy. +Several times they pounced upon small herds of the enemy's cattle, and +driving them into the river, directed them in their boats across the +stream. + +In the commencement of July Eudes appeared on the slopes on Mont Martre +with three battalions of soldiers. The enemy, who were for the most +part on the other side of the Seine, crossed the river. A desperate +battle ensued. A portion of the garrison crossed in boats to the +assistance of their friends, Edmund leading over his band of Saxons. +With these he fell upon the rear of the Danes engaged in fighting with +the force under the count, and the Northmen, attacked on both sides, +gave way and took to flight. They were hotly pursued by the Franks. + +The reinforcements entered Paris triumphantly by the bridge, which had +long since been repaired. But the siege was not yet over. When the news +of the victory of Eudes spread, the Danes again drew together from all +parts, and crossing the river, attacked the city on every side. The +onslaught was more furious than any which had preceded it. The Danes +had provided themselves with large numbers of mangonels and catapults. +Every man capable of bearing arms was upon the walls; but so furious +was the attack, so vast the number of the assailants, so prodigious +were the clouds of missiles which they rained upon the walls, that the +besieged almost lost heart. + +The relics of St. Genevieve were taken round the walls. In several +places the Danes had formed breaches in the walls, and although the +besieged still struggled, hope had well-nigh left them, and abject +terror reigned in the city. Women ran about the streets screaming, and +crying that the end was at hand. The church bells tolled dismally, and +the shouts of the exultant Danes rose higher and higher. Again a +general cry rose to St. Germain to come to the aid of the town. Just at +this moment Edmund and Egbert, who had till now held the Saxons in +reserve, feeling that a desperate effort must be made, formed up their +band, and advancing to the principal breach, passed through the ranks +of the disheartened Franks, and with levelled pikes charged headlong +down into the crowd of Danes. The latter, already exhausted by their +efforts, were at once borne back before the serried pikes of their +fresh assailants. In vain their chiefs at that point tried to rally +them; nothing could withstand the impetus of the Saxon attack. + +Astonished at seeing the tide of battle swept away from the breach, the +French believed that St. Germain had wrought a miracle in their favour, +and taking heart poured out in the rear of the Saxons. The news of the +miracle spread rapidly. Through the breaches, and from every gate, they +poured out suddenly upon the Danes, who, struck with consternation at +this sudden onslaught by a foe whom they had already regarded as +beaten, hesitated, and soon took to flight. Vast numbers were cut down +before they could reach their vessels. A great portion fled towards the +bridge and endeavoured to cross there; but their numbers impeded them, +and the Saxons and Franks, falling upon their rear, effected a terrible +slaughter. + +Two days after the battle a force of six hundred Franks arrived from +the Emperor Charles. The Danes sought to oppose their entrance to the +city, but were defeated with a loss of three thousand men. The siege +was now virtually over, and in a short time the emperor himself with a +great army arrived. It was now November, and after some negotiations +the Danes agreed upon the receipt of seven hundred pounds of silver to +retire to Burgundy and to leave the country at the beginning of March. + +Having wasted Burgundy, however, they again returned to Paris. +Consternation seized the capital when the fleet of the Northmen was +seen approaching. A treaty was, however, made, for the wind had fallen +just when the Danish fleet, which had but lately arrived and was +descending the river, was abreast of Paris. As soon as the wind became +favourable the Northmen broke the truce, slew a number of Franks who +had mingled among them, and passed up the Marne. + +In the meantime Emperor Charles had died and Count Eudes had been +chosen his successor. When the Danes again advanced against Paris he +speedily sent reinforcements. The town had already repulsed an attack. +Eudes himself on St. John's Day was advancing with 1000 men-at-arms +when he was attacked by 10,000 mounted Danes and 9000 footmen. The +combat was desperate but the Franks were victorious. Eudes, however, +had other difficulties. Burgundy and Aquitaine revolted, and in order +to secure peace to the kingdom he made a treaty with the Danes, giving +over to them the province of Normandy. + +Edmund and Egbert had no part in the second siege of Paris. As soon as +the place was relieved by the Emperor Charles they prepared to depart. +Taking boats they ascended the river, and to their joy found the Dragon +safe in the hiding place where she had been lying for nearly a year. +She was brought out into the stream and floated down to Paris, where by +the order of Count Eudes she was thoroughly repaired and redecorated. + +The Franks, convinced that next only to the assistance of St. Germain +they owed the safety of their city to the valour of the Saxons, loaded +them with presents; and these, with the gifts which they had previously +received after the destruction of the three towers, and the sums for +which the booty captured from the Danes had been sold, made up a great +treasure. + +Upon the day before they had arranged to sail a Danish boat was seen +rowing down the stream. It approached the Dragon and the helmsman asked: + +"Is this ship the Dragon? and has it for a captain Edmund the Saxon?" + +"I am Edmund," he replied, "and this is the Dragon. What would you with +me?" + +"I am sent by the Jarl Siegbert, who lies wounded near, to beg that you +will come to him immediately, as he is in a sore strait and needs your +assistance." + +"I will come at once," Edmund said. "Put one of your men on board to +show me where he is, for I shall be there before you." + +Edmund's horn sounded the signal, and messengers were sent to the town +to order the crew at once to repair on board the Dragon. Edmund landed +and took leave of the Frankish leaders. The provisions and stores were +hastily carried on board, and then, amidst the enthusiastic cheers of +the inhabitants, who thronged the walls and shore, the oars were got +out and the Dragon proceeded at the top of her speed up the river. + +On the way Edmund questioned the Dane, and found that Siegbert had been +wounded in the last assault upon Paris. He had not been present at the +first part of the siege, having but recently arrived from Norway. His +daughter Freda had accompanied him. "Yes," she was still unmarried, +although many valiant Northmen had sought her hand, chief among them +the brave leader Sweyn "of the left hand;" but there had been a fray on +the previous night in Siegbert's camp, and it was said--but for that he +could not vouch--that Freda had been carried off. + +The news filled Edmund with anxiety. Ever since the day he left her on +her father's galley his thoughts had turned often to the Danish maiden, +and the resolution to carry out his promise and some day seek her again +had never for a moment wavered. He had seen many fair young Saxons, and +could have chosen a bride where he would among these, for few Saxons +girls would have turned a deaf ear to the wooing of one who was at once +of high rank, a prime favourite with the king, and regarded by his +countrymen as one of the bravest of the Saxon champions; but the +dark-haired Freda, who united the fearlessness and independence of a +woman with the frankness and gaiety of a child, had won his heart. + +It was true she was a Dane and a pagan; but her father was his friend, +and would, he felt sure, offer no objections on the ground of the +enmity of the races. Since Guthorn and his people had embraced +Christianity, the enmity between the races, in England at least, was +rapidly declining. As to her religion, Edmund doubted not that she +would, under his guidance and teaching, soon cast away the +blood-stained gods of the Northmen and accept Christianity. + +In the five years of strife and warfare which had elapsed since he saw +her Edmund had often pictured their next meeting. He had not doubted +that she would remain true to him. Few as were the words which had been +spoken, he knew that when she said, "I will wait for you even till I +die," she had meant it, and that she was not one to change. He had even +been purposing, on his return to England, to ask King Alfred to arrange +through Guthorn for a safe pass for him to go to Norway. To hear, then, +that she had been carried off from her father's side was a terrible +blow, and in his anxiety to arrive at Siegbert's tent Edmund urged the +rowers to their fullest exertions. + +It was three hours after leaving Paris when the Dane pointed to a +village at a short distance from the river and told him that Siegbert +was lying there. The Dragon was steered to shore, and Edmund leaping +out followed the Dane with rapid footsteps to the village. The wounded +jarl was lying upon a heap of straw. + +"Is it really you, Edmund?" he exclaimed as the young Saxon entered. +"Glad am I indeed that my messenger did not arrive too late. I heard of +you when we first landed--how the Danes, when they sailed up the Seine, +had seen a Saxon galley of strange shape which had rowed rapidly up the +river; how the galley herself had never again been seen; but how a +young Saxon with his band had performed wonders in the defence of +Paris, and had burned well-nigh half the Danish fleet. + +"They said that the leader was named Edmund, for they had heard the +name shouted in battle; and especially when he, with one other alone, +escaped from the burning tower and swam the river. So I was sure that +it was you. Then, a week back, my men told me of a strange ship which +had passed down the river to Paris, and I doubted not that it was your +Dragon, which had been hidden somewhere during the siege. I thought +then of sending to tell you that I was lying here wounded; but Freda, +who had always been talking of you, suddenly turned coy and said that +you might have forgotten us, and if you wanted us you would come to us +in Norway." + +"But where is Freda?" Edmund, who had been listening impatiently, +exclaimed. "One of your men told me that she had been carried off. Is +it true?" + +"Alas! it is true," Siegbert replied; "and that is why I sent for you. +I have never been good friends with Bijorn since the wounding of his +son, but after a time the matter blew over. Sweyn, who though but with +one arm, and that the left, has grown into a valiant warrior, is now, +Bijorn being dead, one of our boldest vikings. A year since he became a +declared suitor for Freda's hand. In this, indeed, he is not alone, +seeing that she has grown up one of our fairest maidens, and many are +the valorous deeds that have been done to win a smile from her; but she +has refused all suitors, Sweyn with the others. He took his refusal in +bad part, and even ventured to vow she should be his whether she willed +it or not. Of course I took the matter up and forbade all further +intimacy, and we had not met again till the other day before Paris. We +had high words there, but I thought no more of it. A few days +afterwards I was struck by a crossbow bolt in the leg. It smashed my +knee, and I shall never be able to use my leg again. I well-nigh died +of fever and vexation, but Freda nursed me through it. She had me +carried on a litter here to be away from the noise and revelry of the +camp. Last night there was a sudden outcry. Some of my men who sprang +to arms were smitten down, and the assailants burst in here and tore +Freda, shrieking, away. Their leader was Sweyn of the left hand. As I +lay tossing here, mad with the misfortune which ties me to my couch, I +thought of you. I said, 'If any can follow and recapture Freda it is +Edmund.' The Danes had for the most part moved away, and there were few +would care to risk a quarrel with Sweyn in a matter which concerned +them not closely; but I felt that I could rely upon you, and that you +would spare no pains to rescue my child." + +"That will I not!" Edmund exclaimed; "but tell me first what you think +are his plans. Which way has he gone, and what force has he with him?" + +"The band he commands are six shiploads, each numbering fifty men. What +his plans may be I know not, but many of the Danes, I know, purposed, +when the war was finished here, to move east through Burgundy. Some +intended to build boats on the banks of the Rhine and sail down on that +river, others intended to journey further and to descend by the Elbe. I +know not which course Sweyn may adopt. The country between this and the +Rhine swarms with Danes. I do not suppose that Sweyn will join any +other party. Having Freda with him, he will prefer keeping apart; but +in any case it would not be safe for you to journey with your band, who +would assuredly become embroiled with the first party of Danes they +met; and even if they be as brave as yourself they would be defeated by +such superior numbers." + +"You do not think that Sweyn will venture to use violence to force +Freda to become his wife?" + +"I think he will hardly venture upon that," Siegbert said, "however +violent and headstrong he may be. To carry off a maiden for a wife is +accounted no very evil deed, for the maiden is generally not unwilling; +but to force her by violence to become his wife would be a deed so +contrary to our usages that it would bring upon him the anger of the +whole nation. Knowing Sweyn's disposition, I believe that were there no +other way, he would not hesitate even at this, but might take ship and +carry her to some distant land; but he would not do this until all +other means fail. He will strive to tire her out, and so bring her in +her despair to consent to wed him." + +Edmund was silent for three or four minutes; then he said: "I must +consult my kinsman Egbert. I will return and tell you what I purpose +doing." + +On leaving the cottage Edmund found Egbert walking up and down outside +awaiting the result of the interview. He had been present when the Dane +had told of Freda's abduction, and knew how sore a blow it was to the +young ealdorman, for Edmund had made no secret to him of his intention +some day to wed the Danish jarl's daughter. Edmund in a few words +related to him the substance of Siegbert's narrative, and ended by +saying: "Now, Egbert, what is best to be done?" + +"'Tis of no use asking me, Edmund; you know well enough that it is you +that always decide and I agree. I have a hand to strike, but no head to +plan. Tell me only what you wish, and you may be sure that I will do my +best to execute it." + +"Of course we must follow," Edmund said; "of that there is no question. +The only doubt is as to the force we must take. What Siegbert said is +true. The Danish bands are so numerous to the east that we should be +sure to fall in with some of them, and fight as we might, should be +destroyed; and yet with a smaller number how could we hope to rescue +Freda from Sweyn's hands?" + +Edmund walked up and down for some time. + +"I think," he went on at last, "the best plan will be to take a party +of but four at most. I must choose those who will be able to pass best +as Danes. With so small a number I may traverse the country unobserved. +I will take with me two of Siegbert's men, who, when we get nigh to +Sweyn's band, may join with him and tell me how things are going, and +how Sweyn treats his captive. If I find he is pushing matters to an +extreme I must make some desperate effort to carry her off; but if, as +is more probable, he trusts to time to break her resolution, I shall +follow at a short distance." + +"Shall I go with you, Edmund?" + +"I think it will be better not, Egbert. Your beard would mark you as a +Saxon at once." + +"But that I can cut off," Egbert said. "It would be a sacrifice truly, +but I would do it without hesitation." + +"Thanks, dear kinsman, but I think it would be of more purpose for you +to remain in command of the Dragon. She may meet many foes, and it were +best that you were there to fight and direct her. I pray you at once to +descend the Seine and sailing round the north coast of France, place +the Dragon at the mouth of the Rhine. Do not interfere with any Danish +ships that you may see pass out, but keep at a distance. Should Sweyn +descend the Rhine I will, if possible, send a messenger down before +him, so do you look out for small boats; and if you see one in which +the rower hoists a white flag at the end of his oar, you will know he +is my messenger. If I find Sweyn goes on towards the Elbe I will also +send you word, and you will then move the Dragon to the mouth of that +river. + +"Lastly, if you receive no message, but if you mark that in a Danish +vessel when passing you a white cloth is waved from one of the windows +of the cabins in the poop, that will be a signal to you that the vessel +is Sweyn's, and that Freda is a captive on board. In that case you will +of course at once attack it. Let us ask Siegbert. He has sailed up both +the Rhine and the Elbe, and can tell us of some quiet port near the +mouth of each river where you may lay the Dragon somewhat out of sight +of passers-by, while you can yet note all ships that go down the river. +My messengers will then know where to find you." Having settled this +point they returned to Siegbert, and Edmund told him what he thought of +doing. + +"I can advise no better," Siegbert said. "Assuredly you cannot prevail +by force. At present I have only ten of my followers with me; the rest, +after I was wounded, and it was plain that a long time must elapse +before I could again lead them in the field, asked me to let them +follow some other chief, and as they could not be idle here I +consented. I have ten men with me, but these would be but a small +reinforcement. As you say, your Saxons would be instantly known, and +the Northmen have suffered so at their hands during the siege that the +first party you met would set upon you." + +"I will take two only of your men," Edmund said. "Choose me two who are +not known by sight to Sweyn. I wish one to be a subtle fellow, who will +act as a spy for me; the other I should choose of commanding stature; +and the air of a leader. He will go with my party, and should we come +upon Danes he will assume the place of leader, and can answer any +questions. There is far too much difference between the Saxon and +Danish tongue for me and my men to pass as Danes if we have many words +to say. I shall take four of my men, all full grown, strong, and good +fighters. They have but little hair upon their chins at present, and +they can shave that off. Now, jarl, I want five Danish dresses, for +your costume differs somewhat from ours. Have you horses? If not, I +must send back to Paris to buy some." + +"I have plenty to mount you and your party." + +"Good," Edmund said; "I will go down to my ship and pick my men." + +In half an hour the party were ready to start. Egbert had received from +Siegbert particulars of villages at the mouths of the Rhine and Elbe, +and he promised Edmund that a watch should be kept night and day at the +mouth of the Rhine until a messenger arrived. Edmund had already +ascertained that Sweyn had left a fortnight before with his following, +and had marched towards Champagne. There probably he had halted his +main body, returning only with a party of horsemen to carry off Freda. + +"I would I could go with you," Siegbert groaned as Edmund said adieu to +him. "I would ride straight into his camp and challenge him to mortal +combat, but as it is I am helpless." + +"Never fear, good Siegbert," Edmund said cheerfully; "when your leg is +cured travel straight homeward, and there, I trust, before very long to +place Freda safe and unharmed in your arms. If I come not you will know +that I have perished." + +A minute later, after a few parting words with Egbert, Edmund mounted +his horse, and followed by his six companions, rode off at full speed. +He knew that it would be useless making any inquiries about Sweyn and +his party. But few of the inhabitants of the country were to be seen +about, for the Danes had burned every house within very many miles of +Paris, and the peasants would assuredly not have paid any special +attention to a party of Danes, for whenever they saw the dreaded +marauders even at a distance they forsook their homes and fled to the +forests. The party therefore rode eastward until nightfall, then +picketed their horses, and having lit a fire, made their supper from +the store of provisions they had brought with them, and then lay down +to sleep for the night. + +At daybreak they again started and continued their journey until it was +necessary to halt to give their horses a rest. They had passed several +parties of Danes, for these in great numbers, after the siege of Paris +had been given up, were journeying towards Burgundy. There was but +slight greeting as they passed; but on one occasion a horseman rode out +from one of the bands and entered into conversation with the two Danes +who rode at the head of the party. They told them that they were +followers of the Jarl Siegbert, and were riding to join the rest of his +band, who were with the company of Jarl Eric, as Siegbert would be long +before he would be able to move, and had therefore kept only a few of +his followers with him. + +"Eric is a long way ahead," the Dane said; "he must be full as far as +Nancy by this time. Those who left first," he grumbled, "will have the +pick of the country. We were fools to linger so long before Paris." +Then turning his horse, he rode back to his comrades, and the party +continued their way. + +They avoided all towns and large Danish encampments on the way, but +made inquiries from all small parties they met after the party of +Sweyn. They learned without difficulty the place where he had been +encamped a few days before, but on their arriving in the neighbourhood +they found that the place was deserted, nor could any tell them the +direction in which the Northmen had travelled. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI: FREDA + + +For some days Edmund and his party scoured the country round, +journeying now in one direction, now in another, but without hearing +ought of Sweyn's party. Certainly they had not gone along the track +which the main body of the Danes had followed; but the question was +whether they had turned rather to the south in order to cross the +mountain ranges between them and the Rhine, or had turned north and +journeyed through the great forest of Ardennes, and so to some of the +other rivers which run down into the North Sea. + +The latter was in some respects the most likely course to have been +chosen. By taking it Sweyn would avoid altogether the track which the +majority of his countrymen were taking, and this would naturally be his +object. Siegbert had many powerful friends, and the carrying off of the +jarl's daughter from the side of her wounded father would be regarded +as a grave offence; and Sweyn might well wish to keep clear of his +countrymen until he had forced Freda to become his wife. Even then it +would not be safe for him for a long time to return to his country. +Striking through the Ardennes he would come down upon the Scheldt, the +Moselle, the Maas, or other rivers flowing into the North Sea direct, +or into the Rhine. + +Edmund knew nothing of these streams; but the Danes with him said there +were several rivers so situated, for they had sailed up them. Where +they took their rise they knew not, but it would probably be in or +beyond the forest of Ardennes. + +"Then in that way we will search," Edmund said. "If they come upon a +river they will doubtless set to work to build galleys to carry them to +the sea, for with only three hundred men Sweyn will not venture to +march by land through a country which has but lately suffered heavily +at the hands of the Danes. It will take him a month or six weeks to cut +down trees and build his ships; therefore we may hope to find him +before he is ready to embark. First we will push through the forest to +the other side; there we will question the inhabitants concerning the +position of the nearest rivers; then we will divide into parties and go +on the search, appointing a place of rendezvous where we may rejoin +each other. It can hardly be that we shall fail to find them if they +have taken that way." + +Before entering the forest they obtained a considerable store of +provisions; for they had no idea of its extent, and had no time to +spend in hunting game. The forest of Ardennes was at that time of +immense size, extending from Verdun and Metz on the south, to Liege and +Aix on the north. + +Men of the present day would have found it impossible to find their way +through, but would speedily have been lost in its trackless recesses; +but the Saxons and Danes were accustomed to travel in forests, and knew +the signs as well as did the Red-skins and hunters of the American +forests. Therefore they felt no hesitation in entering the forest +without a guide. + +The danger which might beset them was of a different kind. Immense +numbers of the inhabitants of France, Champagne, and Burgundy had taken +refuge in the forests, driving their flocks and herds before them. Here +they lived a wild life, hoping that the emperor would ere long clear +the country of the invaders. No mercy could be expected if Edmund and +his party fell in with a number of these fugitives. They would have no +time to tell their story, but would be attacked at once as a party of +plundering Danes. + +Knowing that the horses would be an encumbrance to them in the forest, +they were sold to the last party of Northmen they encountered before +entering it, and they pursued their way on foot. The greatest caution +was observed; every sound was marked, and at the call of a human voice, +the low of cattle, or the bleating of sheep, they turned their course +so as to avoid encounter with the inhabitants of the forest. They lit +no fires at night, and scarce a word was spoken on the march. Several +times they had to take refuge in thickets when they heard the sound of +approaching voices, and it needed all their knowledge of woodcraft to +maintain their direction steadily towards the north. At last, after six +days' journey, they issued out into the open country beyond the forest +and soon arrived at a cottage. + +The peasant was struck with terror and astonishment at the appearance +of seven Danes; and he could with difficulty be made to understand that +their object was neither plunder nor murder, but that they wished only +information from him of the situation and direction of the various +rivers of the country. After learning from him all that he knew Edmund +arrived at the conclusion that Sweyn would probably attempt to descend +either by a branch of the Moselle, and so to the Rhine on the right, or +by one of the Maas on the left of the place at which they had emerged +from the forest. + +Edmund decided to strike the Maas, and to follow its course up into the +forest, taking with him one of the Danes and two of his Saxons, and to +send the others to search the banks of the tributary of the Moselle. +Before starting he sent the peasant to the nearest village to purchase +garments of the country for the whole party. He had already told the +man that they were not Danes but Saxons, the bitter enemies of the +Northmen, and that he had been aiding in the defence of Paris against +them. + +The peasant did not doubt what Edmund told him, for the conduct of his +visitors was so opposed to all that he had heard of the doings of the +Danes that he well believed they could not belong to that nation. He +was away some hours, and returned with the required dresses. Having put +these on, and laying aside their helmets and shields, the two parties +started, the Danes alone carrying with them their former garments. The +next day Edmund arrived at the river, and at once followed its course +upwards, for Sweyn and his party would be building their ships in the +forest. + +They had not proceeded many miles before they heard the sound of axes. +Edmund gave an exclamation of delight. It was almost certain that he +had hit upon Sweyn's track, for it was unlikely that any of the +inhabitants of the country would have gone so far into the forest for +timber. They now moved with the greatest caution, and as they +approached the place whence the sound proceeded Edmund halted the two +Saxons and bade them conceal themselves. The Dane resumed his own +garments and put on his helmet and shield; and then, taking advantage +of every clump of undergrowth, and moving with the greatest caution, he +and Edmund made their way forward. Presently they came within sight of +an animated scene. + +A large number of trees had been felled by the banks of the river and +three hundred Northmen were busily at work. The frames of two great +galleys had already been set up, and they were now engaged in chopping +out planks for their sides. Two huts were erected in the middle of the +clearing. One was large, and Sweyn's banner floated from a spear before +it. The other which stood close by was much smaller, and Edmund doubted +not that this was appropriated to Freda. + +Nothing more could be done now--their object was so far attained; and +retiring they joined the two Saxons and made their way along the river +bank till they reached the edge of the forest. One of the Saxons was +now sent off to the peasant's hut, where he was to remain until the +return of the other party, and was then to bring them on to the spot +which Edmund had chosen for his encampment. This was in the heart of a +large clump of underwood extending down to the river. + +The brushwood was so thick that it was entered with difficulty, and no +passer-by would dream that a party was hidden within it. Near the +stream Edmund and his companions with their swords soon cleared away a +circle, and with the boughs constructed an arbour. A thin screen of +bushes separated them from the river, but they could see the water, and +none could pass up or down unperceived. + +The Saxon was charged to bring with him on his return a considerable +supply of provisions, for it would have been dangerous to wander in the +woods in pursuit of game. The Northmen had, Edmund noticed, some cattle +with them; but they would be sure to be hunting in the woods, as they +would wish to save the cattle for provision on their voyage. It was +nightfall before the hut was completed; and as they had journeyed far +for many days Edmund determined to postpone an attempt to discover what +was passing in Sweyn's camp until the following evening. + +The day passed quietly, and towards evening Edmund and the Dane started +for Sweyn's camp. When they approached it they saw many fires burning, +and the shouting and singing of the Norsemen rang through the forest. +They waited until the fires burnt down somewhat and they could see many +of the Danes stretching themselves down by them. Then Edmund's +companion proceeded to the camp. + +Anxious as Edmund was himself to learn what was doing, he restrained +his impatience, for it was safer that the Northman should go alone. In +the dull light of the dying fires his features would be unnoticed, and +his tongue would not betray him if spoken to. Siegbert had commended +him as a crafty and ready fellow, and Edmund felt that he would be able +to gather more information than he could do himself. From his place of +concealment he kept his eyes fixed on the Northman's figure. Presently +he saw him enter the clearing, and sauntering slowly across it throw +himself down near a fire by which a party of Danes were still sitting +talking. + +One by one these lay down, and when the last had done so the Northman +rose quietly and stole out again into the forest. When he rejoined +Edmund the latter set forward with him, and not a word was spoken until +they were some distance from the camp; then Edmund stopped. + +"What have you learned?" he asked. + +"All that there is to learn, I think," the Northman replied. "The lady +Freda is, as you supposed, a captive in the little hut. Two men only +keep watch over it by day, but at night six lie around it, two being +always on foot. They speak in admiration of her courage and spirit. She +has sworn to Sweyn that she will slay herself if he attempts to use +violence to force her to marriage with him, and they doubt not that she +will keep her word. However, they believe that she will grow tired out +at last when she finds that there is no hope whatever of a rescue. The +ships are being built for a long sea voyage, for Sweyn is going to lead +them to join the Viking Hasting in the Mediterranean, and has promised +his men the plunder of countries ten times richer than France or +England. With so long an expedition in view, they may well think that +the Lady Freda's resolution will soon give way, and that she may come +to see that the position of the wife of a bold viking is a thousand +times preferable to that of a captive. Many of the men loudly express +their wonder why she would refuse the love of so valiant a warrior as +Sweyn." + +The news was at once good and bad. Edmund did not fear Freda's +resolution giving way for a long time, but the news that Sweyn intended +to carry her upon so distant an expedition troubled him. It was of +course possible that he might intercept them with the Dragon at the +mouth of the Maas, but it was uncertain whether the ship would arrive +at the mouth of the Rhine in time to be brought round before the +Northmen descended. The length of her voyage would depend entirely on +the wind. Were this favourable when she reached the mouth of the Seine, +a week would carry her to her destination. Should it be unfavourable +there was no saying how long the voyage would last. + +The risk was so great that Edmund determined to make an effort to rouse +the country against the Danes, and to fall upon them in their +encampment; but the task would he knew be a hard one, for the dread of +the Danes was so great that only in large towns was any resistance to +them ever offered. However he determined to try, for if the Northmen +succeeded in getting to the sea the pursuit would indeed be a long one, +and many weeks and even months might elapse before he could again come +up to them. + +On the following day the rest of the party arrived, and leaving the +forest Edmund proceeded with them through the country, visiting every +village, and endeavouring to rouse the people to attack the Danes, but +the news that the dreaded marauders were so near excited terror only. +The assurances of Edmund that there was much rich plunder in their camp +which would become the property of those who destroyed them, excited +but a feeble interest. The only point in the narrative which excited +their contentment was the news that the Danes were building ships and +were going to make their way down to the sea. + +"In Heaven's name let them go!" was the cry; "who would interfere with +the flight of a savage beast? If they are going down the river they +will scarcely land to scatter and plunder the country, and he would be +mad indeed who would seek them when they are disposed to let us alone." + +Finding his efforts vain in the country near the forest Edmund went +down the river to the town of Liege, which stood on its banks. When it +became known that a band of Northmen was on the upper river, and was +likely to pass down, the alarm spread quickly through the town, and a +council of the principal inhabitants was summoned. Before these Edmund +told his story, and suggested that the fighting men of the town should +march up the river and fall upon the Danes in their camp. + +"It is but two days' march--the Northmen will be unsuspicious of +danger, and taken by surprise may be easily defeated." The proposition, +however, was received with absolute derision. + +"You must be mad to propose such a thing, young Saxon, if Saxon indeed +you are, but for aught we know you may be a Northman sent by them to +draw us into an ambush. No; we will prepare for their coming. We will +man our walls and stand on the defensive, and if there be, as you say, +but three hundred of them, we can defend ourselves successfully; and we +may hope that, seeing our strength, and that we are prepared for their +coming, the Northmen will pass by without molesting us; but as for +moving outside our walls, it would be worse than folly even to think of +such a thing." + +After this rebuff Edmund concluded that he could hope for no assistance +from the inhabitants of the country, but must depend upon himself and +the Dragon alone. He at once despatched two of his men, a Dane and a +Saxon, with orders to journey as rapidly as possible to the rendezvous, +where the Dragon was to be found at the mouth of the Rhine, and to beg +Egbert to move round with all speed to the Maas. + +Having done this, he purchased a small and very fast rowing-skiff at +Liege, and taking his place in this with his four remaining followers, +he rowed up the river. It took them three days before they reached the +edge of the forest. On reaching their former hiding-place, they landed. +The bushes were carefully drawn aside, and the boat hauled up until +completely screened from sight of the river, and Edmund and the Dane at +once started for the encampment of the Northmen. + +They had been ten days absent, and in that time great progress had been +made with the galleys. They looked indeed completely finished as they +stood high and lofty on the river bank. The planks were all in their +places; the long rows of benches for the rowers were fastened in; the +poop and forecastle were finished and decked. A number of long straight +poles lay alongside ready to be fashioned into oars; and Edmund thought +that in another two or three days the galleys would be ready for +launching. They were long and low in the waist, and were evidently +built for great speed. Edmund did not think that they were intended to +sail, except perhaps occasionally when the wind was favourable, as an +aid to the rowers. Each would carry a hundred and fifty men, and there +were thirty seats, so that sixty would row at once. + +"They are fine galleys," the Dane whispered. "Sweyn has a good eye for +a boat." + +"Yes," Edmund said, "they look as if they will be very fast. With oars +alone they would leave the Dragon behind, but with sails and oars we +should overhaul them in a wind. I wish it had been otherwise, for if, +when they reach the mouth of the river, there is no wind, they may give +the Dragon the slip. Ah!" he exclaimed, "there is Freda." + +As he spoke a tall maiden came out from the small hut. The distance was +too great for Edmund to distinguish her features, but he doubted not +from the style of her garments that it was Siegbert's daughter. There +were other women moving about the camp, for the Danes were generally +accompanied by their wives on their expeditions; but there was +something in the carriage and mien of the figure at the door of the hut +which distinguished it from the rest. She did not move far away, but +stood watching the men at work on the ships and the scene around. +Presently a tall figure strode down from the vessels towards her. + +"There is Sweyn!" Edmund exclaimed, seeing that the warrior possessed +but one arm. + +"Ah! you know him by sight then?" The Dane said. + +"I should do so," Edmund answered grimly, "seeing that it was I who +smote off that right arm of his. I regret now that I did not strike at +his head instead." + +The Dane looked with admiration and surprise at his leader. He had +heard of the fight between the Saxon champion and Sweyn, which had cost +the latter his right arm, but until now he had been ignorant of +Edmund's identity with Sweyn's conqueror. + +Freda did not seek to avoid her captor, but remained standing quietly +until he approached. For some time they conversed; then she turned and +left him and re-entered her hut. Sweyn stood looking after her, and +then with an angry stamp of the foot returned to the galleys. + +"I would give much to be able to warn her that I am present and will +follow her until I rescue her from Sweyn," Edmund said. "Once at sea +and on her way south she may well despair of escape, and may consent, +from sheer hopelessness, to become his wife. Were it not that her hut +is so strongly guarded at night I would try to approach it, but as this +cannot be done I must take my chance in the day. To-morrow I will dress +myself in your garments and will hide in the wood as near as I can to +the hut; then if she come out to take the air I will walk boldly out +and speak with her. I see no other way of doing it." + +On the following morning, attired in the Dane's clothes and helmet, +Edmund took his place near the edge of the wood. It was not until late +in the afternoon that Freda made her appearance. The moment was +propitious; almost all the men were at work on the ships and their +oars. The women were cooking the evening meal, and there was no one +near Freda, with the exception of the two armed Danes who sat on the +trunk of a fallen tree on guard, a short distance away. Edmund issued +boldly from the wood, and, waiting till Freda's steps, as she passed +backwards and forwards, took her to the farthest point from the guards, +he approached her. + +"Freda," he said, "do not start or betray surprise, for you are +watched." + +At the sound of his voice the girl had paused in her steps, and +exclaimed in a low voice, "Edmund!" and then, obeying his words, stood +motionless. + +"I am near you, dear, and will watch over you. I have not strength to +carry you away; but my ship will be at the mouth of the river as you +pass out. Hang a white cloth from the window of your cabin in the poop +as a signal. If we fail to rescue you there we will follow you +wheresoever you may go, even to Italy, where I hear you are bound. So +keep up a brave heart. I have seen your father, and he has sent me to +save you. See, the guards are approaching, I must go." + +Edmund then made for the forest. "Stop there!" the guards cried. "Who +are you, and whence do you come?" + +Edmund made no answer, but, quickening his steps, passed among the +trees, and was soon beyond pursuit. This, indeed, the Danes did not +attempt. They had been surprised at seeing, as they supposed, one of +their party addressing Freda, for Sweyn's orders that none should speak +with her were precise. He had given this command because he feared, +that by the promise of rich rewards she might tempt some of his +followers to aid her escape. They had, therefore, risen to interrupt +the conversation, but it was not until they approached that it struck +them that the Northman's face was unfamiliar to them, and that he was +not one of their party, but Edmund had entered the wood before they +recovered from their surprise. Their shouts to him to stop brought +Sweyn to the spot. + +"What is it?" he asked. + +"A strange Northman has come out of the wood, and spoken to the lady +Freda." + +Sweyn turned to his captive. She stood pale and trembling, for the +shock of the surprise had been a severe one. + +"Who is this whom you have spoken to?" he asked. Freda did not answer. + +"I insist upon knowing," Sweyn exclaimed angrily. + +Freda recovered herself with an effort, and, raising her head, said, +"Your insistence has small effect with me, as you know, Jarl Sweyn; but +as there is no reason for concealment I will tell you. He is a +messenger whom my dear father has sent to me to tell me that some day +he hopes to rescue me from your hands." + +Sweyn laughed loudly. + +"He might have saved himself the trouble," he said. "Your good father +lies wounded near Paris, and by the time he is able to set out to your +rescue we shall be with Hasting on the sunny waters of Italy, and long +ere that you will, I hope, have abandoned your obstinate disposition, +and consented to be my wife." + +Freda did not answer at once. Now that there was a hope of rescue, +however distant, she thought it might be as well to give Sweyn some +faint hope that in time she might yield to his wishes. Then she said: + +"I have told you often, jarl, that I will never be your wife, and I do +not think that I shall ever change my mind. It may be that the sunny +skies you speak of may work a wonderful change in me, but that remains +to be seen." Sweyn retired well satisfied. Her words were less defiant +than any she had hitherto addressed to him. As to the message of her +father, who could know nothing of his intention to sail to the +Mediterranean, he thought no further of it. + +Three days later the galleys were launched, and after a day spent in +putting everything in its place they started on their way down the +river. They rowed many miles, and at night moored by the bank. After +darkness had fallen a small boat rowed at full speed past them. It paid +no attention to the summons to stop, enforced though it was by several +arrows, but continued its way down the river, and was soon lost in the +darkness. Sweyn was much displeased. As they rowed down they had +carefully destroyed every boat they found on the river, in order that +the news of their coming might not precede them. + +"The boat must have been hauled up and hidden," he said; "we might as +well have stopped and landed at some of the villages and replenished +our larder. Now we shall find the small places all deserted, and the +cattle driven away from the river. It is an unfortunate mischance." + +As the Northmen anticipated they found the villages they passed the +next day entirely deserted by their inhabitants, and not a head of +cattle was to be seen grazing near the banks. In the afternoon they +came to Liege. The gates were shut, and the walls bristled with spears. +The galleys passed without a stay. Sweyn had other objects in view. Any +booty that might be obtained without severe fighting he would have been +glad enough to gather in; but with a long sea-voyage before him he +cared not to burden his galleys, and his principal desire was to obtain +a sufficient supply of provisions for the voyage. For several days the +galleys proceeded down the river. The villages were all deserted, and +the towns prepared for defence. + +When he arrived within a day's journey of the sea he was forced to +halt. Half the crews were left in charge of the ships, and with the +others he led a foray far inland, and after some sharp fighting with +the natives succeeded in driving down a number of cattle to the ships +and in bringing in a store of flour. + +Edmund had kept ahead of the galleys, stopping at every town and +village and warning the people of the approach of the marauders. He +reached the mouth of the river two days before them, but to his deep +disappointment saw that the Dragon had not arrived at the rendezvous. +On the following afternoon, however, a distant sail was seen, and as it +approached Edmund and his followers gave a shout of joy as they +recognized the Dragon, which was using her oars as well as sails and +was approaching at full speed. Edmund leaped into the boat and rowed to +meet them, and a shout of welcome arose from the Dragon as the crew +recognized their commander. + +"Are we in time?" Egbert shouted. + +"Just in time," Edmund replied. "They will be here to-morrow." Edmund +was soon on board, and was astonished at seeing Siegbert standing by +the side of his kinsman. + +"What is the news of Freda?" the jarl asked eagerly. + +"She is well and keeps up a brave heart," Edmund replied. "She has +sworn to kill herself if Sweyn attempts to make her his wife by +violence. I have spoken to her and told her that rescue will come. But +how is it that you are here?" + +"After you had left us your good kinsman Egbert suggested to me that I +should take passage in the Dragon. In the first place I should the +sooner see my daughter; and in the next, it would be perilous work, +after the Danish army had left, for a small party of us to traverse +France." + +"I would I had thought of it," Edmund said; "but my mind was so +disturbed with the thought of Freda's peril that it had no room for +other matters. And how fares it with you?" + +"Bravely," the Northman replied. "As soon as I sniffed the salt air of +the sea my strength seemed to return to me. My wound is well-nigh +healed; but the joint has stiffened, and my leg will be stiff for the +rest of my life. But that matters little. And now tell me all your +adventures. We have heard from the messenger you sent how shrewdly you +hunted out Sweyn's hiding-place." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII: A LONG CHASE + + +The following morning the weather was still and dull. Not a breath of +wind ruffled the surface of the river. + +"This is unfortunate," Edmund said to his companion. "Sweyn's galleys +will row faster than we can go with oars alone, and though they may not +know the Dragon they will be sure that she is not one of their own +ships. We must hope that they may attack us." + +The day passed on without a sight of the galleys, but late in the +afternoon they were seen in the distance. The Dragon was moored near +the middle of the rivet. Her oars were stowed away, and the crews +ordered to keep below the bulwarks, in hopes that the Danes, seeing but +few men about and taking her for an easy prize, might attack her. When +they approached within half a mile the Danish galleys suddenly ceased +rowing. + +"What is that strange-looking vessel?" Sweyn asked the Northmen +standing round him. + +"I know her," one of them said, "for I have twice seen her before to my +cost. The first time she chased us hotly at the mouth of the Thames, +destroying several of the vessels with which we were sailing in convoy. +The next time was in the battle where King Alfred defeated us last +year, nearly in the same water. She is a Saxon ship, wondrous fast and +well-handled. She did more damage in the battle than any four of her +consorts." + +"Were it not that I have other game in view," Sweyn said, "we would +fight her, for we are two to one and strongly manned, and the Saxon can +scarce carry more men than one of our galleys; but she is not likely to +be worth the lives she would cost us to capture her; therefore we will +e'en let her alone, which will be easy enough, for see that bank of +sea-fog rolling up the river; another ten minutes and we shall not see +across the deck. Give orders to the other galley to lay in oars till +the fog comes, then to make for the left bank of the river and to drift +with the tide close inshore. Let none speak a word, and silence be kept +until they hear my horn. I will follow the right bank till we reach the +mouth." + +Freda was standing near and heard these orders with a sinking heart. +She had no doubt that Edmund was on board the Saxon ship, and she had +looked forward with confidence to be delivered from her captor; but now +it seemed that owing to the evil change of the weather the hope was to +be frustrated. + +Edmund and the Saxons had viewed with consternation the approach of the +sea-fog. The instant it enveloped the ship the oars were got out and +they rowed in the direction of the Danish vessels, which they hoped +would drop anchor when the fog reached them. Not a word was spoken on +board the Dragon. Edmund, Egbert, and Siegbert stood on the forecastle +intently listening for any sound which would betray the position of the +Danes, but not a sound was to be heard. They had, they calculated, +already reached the spot where the Dane should have been anchored when +from the left, but far away astern, a loud call in a woman's voice was +heard. + +"That must be Freda!" Edmund exclaimed. "Turn the ship; they have +passed us in the fog." + +The Dragon's head was turned and she was rowed rapidly in the direction +of the voice. No further sound was heard. Presently there was a sudden +shock which threw everyone on to the deck. The Dragon had run high on +the low muddy bank of the river. The tide was falling; and although for +a few minutes the crew tried desperately to push her off they soon +found that their efforts were in vain, and it was not until the tide +again rose high nine hours later that the Dragon floated. Until morning +broke nothing could be done, and even when it did so matters were not +mended, for the fog was still dense. + +The disappointment of Edmund and Siegbert at the escape of the Danes +was extreme. Their plans had been so well laid that when it was found +that the Dragon had arrived in time no doubts were entertained of the +success of the enterprise, and to be foiled just when Freda seemed +within reach was a terrible disappointment. + +"My only consolation is," Edmund said as he paced the deck impatiently +side by side with Egbert, "that this fog which delays us will also +hinder the Danes." + +"That may be so or it may not," Egbert answered. "It is evident that +some on board the Danish ships must have recognized us, and that they +were anxious to escape rather than fight. They draw so little water +that they would not be afraid of the sandbanks off the mouth of the +river, seeing that even if they strike them they can jump out, lighten +the boats, and push them off; and once well out at sea it is probable +that they may get clearer weather, for Siegbert tells me that the fog +often lies thick at the mouths of these rivers when it is clear enough +in the open sea." + +When the tide again began to run out Edmund determined at all risks to +proceed to sea. The moorings were cast off from the shore and the +Dragon suffered to drift down. Men with poles took their stations in +her bows and sounded continually, while at her stern two anchors were +prepared in readiness to drop at a moment's notice. Several times the +water shoaled so much that Edmund was on the point of giving orders to +drop the anchors, but each time it deepened again. + +So they continued drifting until they calculated that the tide must be +nearly on the turn, and they then dropped anchor. It was much lighter +now than it had been in the river, but was still so misty that they +could not see more than a hundred yards or so round the vessel. No +change took place until night, and then Edmund, who had been too +excited and anxious to sleep on the previous night, lay down to rest, +ordering that he should be woke if any change took place in the +weather. As the sun rose next morning the fog gradually lifted, and +they were able to see where they were. Their head pointed west; far +away on their left could be seen a low line of coast. Not a sail was in +sight, and indeed sails would have been useless, for the water was +still unruffled by a breath of wind. The anchors were at once got up +and the oars manned, and the ship's head turned towards shore. + +Two hours' rowing took them within a short distance of land, and +keeping about a mile out they rowed to the west. The men, knowing how +anxious was their leader to overtake the Danish galleys, rowed their +hardest, relieving each other by turns, so that half the oars were +constantly going. Without intermission they rowed until night set in, +and then cast anchor. When the wind came--it was not until the third +day--it was ahead, and instead of helping the Dragon it greatly impeded +its progress. + +So far they had seen nothing of the galleys, and had the mortification +of knowing that in spite of all their efforts these were probably +gaining ground upon them every day. Even without wind the galleys would +row faster than the Dragon, and being so fully manned would be able to +keep all their oars going; but against the wind their advantage would +be increased greatly, for lying low in the water they would offer but +little resistance to it, and would be able to make way at a brisk pace, +while the Dragon could scarce move against it. + +The Saxon ship was off Calais when the breeze sprang up, and as it +increased and their progress became slower and slower Edmund held a +consultation with his companions and it was determined to run across +the channel and lie in the mouth of the Thames till the wind turned. So +long as it continued to blow they would lag farther and farther behind +the chase, who might, moreover enter any of the rivers in search of +shelter or provisions, and so escape their pursuers altogether. +Siegbert had never been up the Mediterranean, but he had talked with +many Danes who had been. These had told him that the best course was to +sail west to the extremity of England, then to steer due south until +they came upon the north coast of Spain. They would follow this to its +western extremity; and then run south, following the land till they +came to a channel some ten miles wide, which formed the entrance to the +Mediterranean. + +They decided, therefore, to follow this course in hopes of interrupting +the galleys there; they would thus avoid the dangerous navigation of +the west coast of France, where there were known to be many islands and +rocks, around which the tides ran with great fury. For a fortnight the +Dragon lay windbound; then came two days of calm; and then, to their +delight, the pennon on the top of the mast blew out from the east. + +They were lying in the mouth of the Colne, and would therefore have no +difficulty in making the Foreland; and with her sail set and her oars +out the Dragon dashed away from her moorings. Swiftly they ran round +the south-easterly point of England and then flew before the breeze +along the southern coast. On the third day they were off Land's End and +hauled her head to the south. The east wind held, the Bay of Biscay was +calm, and after a rapid voyage they sighted the high lands of Spain +ahead. Then they sheered to the west till they rounded its extremity +and then sailed down the coast of Spain. They put into a river for +provisions, and the natives assembled in great numbers on the banks +with the evident intention of opposing a landing; but upon Egbert +shouting that they were not Danes but Saxons, and were ready to barter +for the provisions they required, the natives allowed them to approach. +There was no wrangling for terms. Cattle were purchased, and the +water-tanks filled up, and a few hours after entering the river the +Dragon was again under way. Rounding the southern point they followed +the land. After a day's sailing they perceived land on their right, and +gave a shout of joy at the thought that they had arrived at the +entrance of the straits. At nightfall they dropped anchor. + +"What are you looking at, Siegbert?" Edmund asked, seeing the jarl +looking thoughtfully at the anchor-chain as the ship swung round. + +"I am thinking," the jarl said, "that we must have made some error. Do +you not see that she rides, just as we were sailing, with her head to +the north-east? That shows that the current is against us." + +"Assuredly it does," Edmund said; "but the current is a very slack one, +for the ropes are not tight." + +"But that agrees not," Siegbert said, "with what I have been told. In +the first place, this channel points to the northeast, whereas, as I +have heard, the straits into the Mediterranean run due east. In the +next place, those who have been through have told me that there are no +tides as in the northern seas, but that the current runs ever like a +river to the east." + +"If that be so," Edmund said, "we must have mistaken our way, for here +what current there is runs to the west. To-morrow morning, instead of +proceeding farther, we will cross to the opposite side, and will follow +that down until we strike upon the right channel." + +In the morning sail was again made, and crossing what was really the +Bay of Cadiz they sailed on till they arrived at the mouth of the +straits. There was no doubt now that they were right. The width of the +channel, its direction, and the steady current through it, all +corresponded with what Siegbert had heard, and proceeding a mile along +it they cast anchor. + +They soon opened communications with the natives, who, although +speaking a tongue unknown to them, soon comprehended by their gestures +and the holding up of articles of barter that their intentions were +friendly. Trade was established, and there was now nothing to do but to +await the coming of the galleys. + +"I would," Edmund said, as, when evening was closing, he looked across +the straits at the low hills on the opposite side, "that this passage +was narrower. Sweyn will, doubtless, have men on board his ship who +have sailed in these seas before, and will not need to grope his way +along as we have done. If he enters the straits at night we shall see +nothing of him, and the current runs so fast that he would sweep +speedily by. It is possible, indeed, that he has already passed. If he +continued to row down the shores of France all the time we were lying +wind-bound he would have had so long a start when the east wind began +to blow, that, although the galleys carry but little sail, they might +well have been here some days before us. Sweyn would be anxious to join +Hasting as soon as he could. The men would be thirsting for booty, and +would make but short halt anywhere. I will stay but a week. If in that +time they come not we will enter this southern sea and seek the fleet +of Hasting. When we find that we shall find Sweyn; but I fear that the +search will be a long one, for these people speak not our tongue, and +we shall have hard work in gaining tidings of the whereabouts of the +Northmen's fleet." + +Day and night a vigilant watch was kept up from the mast-head of the +Dragon, but without success. Each day they became more and more +convinced that Sweyn must be ahead of them, and on the morning of the +seventh they lifted their anchor and proceeded through the straits. +Many had been the consultations between Edmund and his friends, and it +had been determined at last to sail direct for Rome. Siegbert knew that +by sailing somewhat to the north of east, after issuing from the +passage, they would in time arrive at Italy. + +At Rome there was a monastery of Saxon monks, and through them they +would be able to obtain full information as to the doings and +whereabouts of the squadron of Hasting. Scarcely were they through the +straits than the wind, veering to the south-east, prevented them from +making the course they had fixed upon, but they were able to coast +along by the shore of Spain. They put into several small ports as they +cruised up, but could obtain no intelligence of the Danes, being unable +to converse except by signs. + +When they reached Marseilles they were pleased to meet with Franks, +with whom they could converse, and hired a pilot acquainted with the +coasts of the Mediterranean. They learned that Hasting and his fleet +had harried the coasts of Provence and Italy; that the Genoese galleys +had had several engagements with them, but had been worsted. + +The Danish fleet was now off the coast of Sicily, and the Northmen were +ravaging that rich and fertile island. They were reported to have even +threatened to ascend the Tiber and to burn Rome. Having obtained the +services of a man who spoke both the Italian and Frankish tongues, +Edmund started again. He first went to Genoa, as he thought that the +people there might be despatching another fleet against the Northmen in +which case he would have joined himself to them. On his arrival there +he was well entertained by the Genoese when they learned, through the +interpreter, who they were, and that they had come from England as +enemies of the Danes. + +Edmund and his Saxons were much surprised at the splendour of Genoa, +which immensely surpassed anything they had hitherto seen in the +magnificence of its buildings, the dress and appearance of its +inhabitants, the variety of the goods displayed by the traders, and the +wealth and luxury which distinguished it. It was indeed their first +sight of civilization, and Edmund felt how vastly behind was Northern +Europe, and understood for the first time Alfred's extreme eagerness to +raise the condition of his people. On the other hand, the Genoese were +surprised at the dress and appearance of the Saxons. + +The crew of the Dragon were picked men, and their strength and stature, +the width of their shoulders, and the muscles of their arms, and, above +all, their fair hair and blue eyes, greatly astonished the Genoese. +Edmund and his companions might have remained in Genoa and received +entertainment and hospitality from its people for a long time; but +after a stay of a day or two, and having obtained the various stores +necessary for their voyage, Edmund determined to proceed. Three of the +young Genoese nobles, fired by the story which they heard of the +adventures which the Dragon had gone through, and desirous of taking +part in any action which she might fight against the Danes, begged +leave to accompany them. + +Edmund gladly acceded to the request, as their presence would be of +great utility in other ports at which the Dragon might touch. At Genoa +Edmund procured garments for his men similar to those worn by the +Italian soldiers and sailors, and here he sold to the gold and +silversmiths a large number of articles of value which they had +captured from the Danes, or with which the Count Eudes and the people +of Paris had presented them. + +The Dragon differed but little in appearance from the galleys of the +Genoese, and Edmund determined when he approached the shores where the +Northmen were plundering to pass as a Genoese ship, for should the news +come to Sweyn's ears that a Saxon galley was in the Mediterranean it +might put him on his guard, as he would believe that she was specially +in pursuit of his own vessel. + +On arriving at the mouth of the Tiber the Dragon ascended the river and +anchored under the walls of the imperial city. The Genoese nobles had +many friends and relations there, and Edmund, Egbert, and Siegbert were +at once installed as guests in a stately palace. + +The pope, upon hearing that the strange galley which had anchored in +the river was a Saxon, sent an invitation to its commander to visit +him, and Edmund and his kinsman were taken by their Italian friends to +his presence. The pope received them most graciously, and after +inquiring after King Alfred and the state of things in England, asked +how it was that a Saxon ship had made so long a voyage. + +Edmund explained that he was in search of a Danish damsel who had once +shown him great kindness, and who had been carried off from her father +by one of the vikings of Hasting's fleet. When he said that they had +taken part in the defence of Paris the holy father told him that he now +recognized his name, for that a full account of the siege had been sent +to him by one of the monks there, and that he had spoken much of the +valour of a Saxon captain and the crew of his galley, to whom indeed +their successful resistance to the Northmen was in no slight degree due. + +"Would I could aid you, my son, in your enterprise against these +northern pirates. The depredations which they are committing on the +shores of Italy are terrible indeed, and we are powerless to resist +them; they have even threatened to ascend the Tiber and attack Rome, +and though I trust that we might resist their attacks, yet rather than +such misfortune as a siege should fall upon my people I have paid a +large sum of money to the leader of the Northmen to abstain from coming +hither; but I know that the greed of these pirates does but increase +with their gains, and that ere long we may see their pagan banner +floated before our walls. A few galleys I could man and place under +your orders, but in truth the people of this town are not skilled in +naval fighting. I have already endeavoured to unite the states of +Genoa, Pisa, and Venice against them, for it is only by common effort +that we can hope to overwhelm these wolves of the sea." + +Edmund expressed his thanks to the pope for his offer, but said that he +would rather proceed with the Dragon alone. + +"She is to the full as swift as the Northmen's vessels," he said; "and +although I would right gladly join any great fleet which might be +assembled for an attack upon them, I would rather proceed alone than +with a few other ships. Not being strong enough to attack their whole +armament I must depend upon stratagem to capture the galley of which I +am specially in pursuit, and will with your permission set out as soon +as I have transformed my ship so that she will pass muster as a galley +of Genoa or Venice." + +The holy father gave orders that every assistance should be afforded to +Edmund to carry out his designs, and the next morning a large number of +artisans and workmen took possession of the Dragon. She was painted +from stem to stern with bright colours. Carved wood-work was added to +her forecastle and poop, and a great deal of gilding overlaid upon her. +The shape of her bow was altered, and so transformed was she that none +would have known her for the vessel which had entered the Tiber, and +she would have passed without observation as a galley of Genoa. + +A number of prisoners accustomed to row in the state galleys were +placed on board to work the oars, thus leaving the whole of the crew +available for fighting purposes, and a state officer was put in command +of these galley-slaves. The ship was well stored with provisions, and +after a farewell interview with the pope, Edmund and his companions +returned on board ship, and the Dragon took her way down the river. + +The fleet of the Northmen was at Palermo, and keeping under the land, +the Saxon ship sailed down the coast of Calabria, and at night crossed +near the mouth of the straits to the shore of Sicily. They entered a +quiet bay, and Edmund dressed as a Dane, with the two Northmen who had +accompanied him from Paris, landed and journeyed on foot to Palermo. + +Everywhere they came upon scenes similar to those with which they were +familiar in France. Villages burned and destroyed, houses deserted, +orchards and crops wasted, and a country destitute of inhabitants, all +having fled to the mountains to escape the invader. They did not meet +with a single person upon their journey. When they approached Palermo +they waited until nightfall, and then boldly entered the town. Here the +most intense state of misery prevailed. Many of the inhabitants had +fled before the arrival of the Danes, but those who remained were kept +in a state of cruel subjection by their conquerors, who brutally +oppressed and ill-used them, making free with all their possessions and +treating them as slaves. + +The Danes entered into conversation with some of their countrymen, and +professing to have that evening but newly arrived from home, learned +much of the disposition of the fleet of the Northmen. They pretended +that they were desirous of joining the galleys under the command of +Sweyn, and were told that these had arrived three weeks before, and +were now absent with some others on the southern side of the island. + +Having obtained this information, Edmund and his companions started +without delay to rejoin the Dragon. Upon reaching her she at once put +to sea. Palermo was passed in the night, and the vessel held her way +down the western coast of Sicily. She was now under sail alone, and +each night lay up at anchor in order that she might not pass the Danish +galleys unobserved. On the third day after passing Palermo, several +galleys were seen riding off a small port. The wind was very light, and +after a consultation with his friends Edmund determined to simulate +flight so as to tempt the Danes to pursue, for with so light a breeze +their smaller galleys would row faster than the Dragon; besides, it was +possible that Sweyn might be on shore. + +It was early morning when the Danish galleys were seen, and apparently +the crews were still asleep, for no movement on board was visible, and +the Dragon sailed back round a projecting point of land and then cast +anchor. It was so important to learn whether Sweyn was with Freda on +board his ship, or whether, as was likely, he had established himself +on shore, that it was decided it would be better to send the two Danes +to reconnoitre before determining what plan should be adopted. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII: FREDA DISCOVERED + + +The spies upon their return reported that Sweyn had taken up his abode +in the mansion of the Count of Ugoli, who was the lord of that part of +the country. Most of the Danes lived on shore in the houses of the +townspeople. Many of these had been slain, and the rest were treated as +slaves. The lady Freda was also on shore, and it was thought that she +would ere long become the bride of the Viking. + +"Think you that there will be any possibility of surprising the house +and carrying her off?" + +"I think not," the Dane said, "for Sweyn's men are on the alert, and +keep good guard, for the people of this part of the island, being +maddened by their exactions and cruelty, have banded themselves +together; and although they cannot withstand the strong parties which +go out in search of plunder they cut off stragglers, and have made +several attacks on small parties. It is thought that they may even +venture an attack upon the place at night, therefore sentries are set, +and a portion of the force remains always under arms in readiness to +sally out in case of alarm." + +"I would fain go myself," Edmund said, "and see how matters stand, and +try to communicate with Freda. It may be that her long resistance has +tired her out, and that she is at the point of consenting to become +Sweyn's bride." + +"I think not that," Siegbert replied. "When Freda has once made up her +mind she is not given to change." + +"I doubt not her resolution," Edmund said; "but none can blame her if, +after all these months, she has begun to despair of rescue; nay, it is +even probable that, having Sweyn, who is assuredly a brave and +enterprising Viking, always near her, she may have come to love him." + +"No, Edmund," Siegbert replied. "I am sure you need have no fear that +she has softened towards Sweyn. But how do you think of proceeding if +you land?" + +"I will take with me this Dane, and if one of the Genoese nobles will +go with me I will take him, and also the man we brought from +Marseilles, who acts as an interpreter between us and the Italians." + +"But why hamper yourself with two men, who would be even more likely to +be detected by the Danes than would you yourself?" + +"I shall leave them in the outskirts of the place," Edmund replied. "I +would fain see if I can enter into any negotiations with the natives. +Perhaps we may arrange that they shall attack the place on the land +side, while the Dragon falls upon the galleys, and in any case we may +need an interpreter with the people." + +One of the young Genoese, upon being asked whether he would take part +in the adventure, at once consented, and the four men, attiring +themselves as Danes, speedily landed in the Dragon's boat. The bay in +which the ship was lying was some ten miles along the shore from the +town. The spies had made their way along the sea-coast by night, but as +it was morning when Edmund landed, he thought that it would be safer to +make a detour so as to arrive near the landward side of the town and so +enter it after dark. + +They had not proceeded far when they came upon the ruins of a village. +It had been destroyed by fire, and the freshness of the charred beams +showed that it had been done but a short time before, probably not many +days. Marks of blood could be seen in the roadway, but no bodies were +visible, and Edmund supposed that, after the Danes had retired, the +survivors must have returned and buried their dead. They had not +proceeded far when the Dane pointed out to Edmund a half-naked lad who +was running with the swiftness of a deer over a slope of some little +distance. + +"He is going too fast for us to catch him," Edmund said carelessly; +"and as, even if we did so, he could give us no information of any use, +for you may be sure he has not ventured near the town, we may well let +him go on in his way." + +For three or four miles further they pursued their course. The country, +which was exceedingly fertile, and covered with corn-fields and +vineyards, appeared entirely deserted. Here and there a wide blackened +tract showed where, from carelessness or malice, a brand had been +thrown into the standing corn. + +"The Danes are ever the same," Edmund said. "Well may they be called +the sea-wolves. It would be bad enough did they only plunder and kill +those who oppose them; but they destroy from the pure love of +destroying, and slay for the pleasure of slaying. Why are these robbers +permitted to be the scourge of Europe?" + +"Why indeed?" the Genoese repeated when the interpreter had translated +Edmund's exclamation to him. "'Tis shame and disgrace that Christendom +does not unite against them. They are no more invincible now than they +were when Caesar overran their country and brought them into +subjection. What the Romans could do then would be easy for the +Christian powers to do now if they would but make common cause against +these marauders--nay, Italy alone should be able at any rate to sweep +the Mediterranean free of their pirate galleys; but Venice and Genoa +and Pisa are consumed by their own petty jealousies and quarrels, while +all our sea-coasts are ravaged by these wolves of the ocean." + +"Ah! what is that?" he exclaimed, breaking off, as an arrow struck +smartly against his helmet. + +They were at the moment passing through a small wood which bordered the +road on both sides. The first arrow seemed but a signal, for in an +instant a score of others flew among the party. It was well that they +carried with them the long Danish shields, which nearly covered their +whole body. As it was, several slight wounds were inflicted, and the +interpreter fell dead with an arrow in his forehead. + +Immediately following the flight of arrows a crowd of peasants armed +with staves, axes, and pikes dashed out from the wood on both sides and +fell upon them, uttering shouts of "Death to the marauders!" "Kill the +sea-wolves!" + +So great was the din, that, although the Genoese shouted loudly that +they were not Danes but friends, his words were unheard in the din; and +attacked fiercely on all sides, the three men were forced to defend +themselves for their lives. Standing back to back in the form of a +triangle, they defended themselves valiantly against the desperate +attacks of their assailants. + +Several of these were cut down, but so furious was the attack of the +maddened peasants that the defenders were borne down by the weight of +numbers, and one by one beaten to the ground. Then the peasants rained +blows upon them as if they had been obnoxious wild beasts, and in spite +of their armour would speedily have slain them had not the Genoese, +with a great effort, pulled from his breast a cross, which was +suspended there by a silken cord, and held it up, shouting, "We are +Christians, we are Italians, and no Danes." + +So surprised were the peasants at the sight that they recoiled from +their victims. The Dane was already insensible. Edmund had just +strength to draw his dagger and hold up the cross hilt and repeat the +words, "We are Christians." It was the sight of the cross rather than +the words which had arrested the attacks of the peasants. Indeed, the +words of the Genoese were scarce understood by them, so widely did +their own patois differ from the language of polished Italy. + +The fact, however, that these Danes were Christians seemed so +extraordinary to them that they desisted from their attack. The Danes, +they knew, were pagans and bitterly hostile to Christianity, the +monasteries and priests being special objects of their hostility. The +suggestion of one of the peasants, that the cross had no doubt been +taken from the body of some man murdered by the Danes, revived the +passion of the rest and nearly cost the prisoners their lives; but an +older man who seemed to have a certain authority over the others said +that the matter must be inquired into, especially as the man who had +the cross, and who continued to address them in Italian, clearly spoke +some language approaching their own. He would have questioned him +further, but the Genoese was now rapidly losing consciousness from the +pain of his wounds and the loss of blood. + +The three prisoners were therefore bound, and being placed on rough +litters constructed of boughs, were carried off by the peasants. The +strength and excellence of Edmund's armour had enabled him to withstand +the blows better than his companions, and he retained his consciousness +of what was passing. For three hours their journey continued. At the +end of that time they entered a wood high up on the hillside. There was +a great clamour of voices round, and he judged that his conductors had +met another party and that they were at the end of their journey. + +The litters were now laid down and Edmund struggled to his feet. Before +him stood a tall and handsome man in the attire of a person of the +upper class. The old peasant was explaining to him the manner of their +capture of the prisoners, and the reason why they had spared their +lives. + +"How is it," the noble asked when he had finished, turning to Edmund, +"that you who are Danes and pagans, plunderers and murderers, claim to +be Christians?" + +Edmund did not understand the entire address, but he had already picked +up a little Italian, which was not difficult for him from his +acquaintance with French. + +"We are not Danes," he said; "we are their enemies, I am a Saxon earl, +and this my friend is a noble of Genoa." + +"A Saxon!" the Italian exclaimed in surprise; "one of the people of +King Alfred, and this a Genoese noble! How is it that you are +masquerading here as Danes?" + +"I speak but a few words of Italian," Edmund said, "but my friend will +tell you the whole story when he recovers. I pray you to order aid to +be given to him at once." + +Although still at a loss to understand how it had come about, the Count +of Ugoli--for it was that noble himself--saw that his prisoner's +statement must be a true one. In their native patois he hastily told +the peasants that there must be some mistake, and that although their +prisoners seemed to be Danes they were really Christians and friends. +He bade them then instantly to strip off their armour, to bind up their +wounds, and to use all their efforts to restore them to life. + +At his bidding one of the peasants brought a wine-skin, and filling a +large cup with the liquid, offered it to Edmund. The latter drained it +at a draught, for he was devoured by a terrible thirst. After this he +felt revived, and soon had the satisfaction of seeing his comrades +recovering under the ministrations of the peasants, who chafed their +hands, applied cool poultices of bruised leaves to their bruises, and +poured wine down their throats. + +In half an hour the Genoese was sufficiently recovered to be able to +sit up and to give a full account of their presence there, and of their +object in assuming the disguise of Danes. He then told the count that +Edmund intended to reconnoitre the place alone, and that he hoped he +and his people would attack the town, while the Saxons in their galley +made an assault from the sea. The count replied that the peasantry +could not be induced to take such a step. + +"I will, however, aid your friend," he said, "by a feigned attack +to-morrow evening when he is there. This may help him to escape, and if +the Danes sally out next day in pursuit there will be the fewer for him +to cope with." + +When Edmund awoke the next morning he found himself able to walk and +move without difficulty and with but little pain, thanks to the care of +the peasants, and in the afternoon, being furnished by the count with a +guide, he started for the town. + +When he arrived within a short distance he dismissed his guide and lay +down in some bushes till nightfall, then he rose and made his way into +the town, passing unobserved between the watch-fires made by the +parties of Danes encamped in its outskirts to protect it against +surprise. Once in the town, he walked boldly on, having no fear of +recognition or question. + +Sounds of carousing came through the open casements, but few people +were in its streets. He made his way down to the sea-shore, which he +followed until he came to a large and stately mansion standing in +beautifully laid out gardens at the end of the town. Several tents were +erected in the garden; and although the night was not cold great fires +had been lighted, around which the Danes were carousing. + +Avoiding these Edmund walked up to the open windows. The first room he +looked into was deserted, but in the next, which was a large apartment, +a number of Danes were seated at table. At its head sat Sweyn with +Freda on his right hand. Around were a number of his leading men, the +captains of the galleys and their wives. The meal was over, and the +winecup was passing round. A number of attendants moved about the room, +and many of the warriors who had supped elsewhere stood around the +table, joining in the conversation and taking their share of the wine. + +Edmund saw at once that he could not hope for a more favourable +opportunity, and he accordingly entered the mansion, and, passing +through the open door, joined the party within, keeping himself in rear +of those standing round the table, so that the light from the lamps +placed there should not fall upon his face. + +Just as he had taken his place, Sweyn called out: "Let us have a song. +Odoacre the minstrel, do you sing to us the song of the Raven." + +A minstrel bearing a small harp advanced into the centre of the +horse-shoe table, and after striking a chord, began to sing, or rather +to chant one of the favourite songs of the sea-rovers. + +A shout of applause rose from the Danes as the minstrel ceased, and +holding their goblets high above their heads, they drank to the Raven. + +While the singing was going on Edmund quietly made his way round to one +of the open windows. It was the hour at which the count had promised to +make his attack, and he listened eagerly for any sound which might tell +that the peasants had begun their work. Other songs followed the first, +and Edmund began to be afraid that the courage of the peasants had +failed at the last moment. + +Suddenly he saw lights appear at five or six points in the distance, +and, putting his head out, he thought he could hear distant cries and +shouts. The lights grew brighter, and soon broad tongues of flame shot +up. Shouts at once arose from the guards without. Some of the revellers +hearing these went to the windows to see what was happening, and gave a +cry of alarm. "Sweyn, we must be attacked; fires are rising in the +outskirts of the town." + +"These cowards would never venture to disturb us," Sweyn said +scornfully; "of all the foes we have ever met none were so feeble and +timid as these Italians." + +"But see, Sweyn, the flames are rising from eight points; this cannot +be accident." + +Sweyn rose from his seat and went to the window. + +"No, by Wodin," he exclaimed, "there is mischief here; let us arm +ourselves, and do you," he said, turning to a young man, "run swiftly +to the outposts, and learn what is the meaning of this." + +Scarcely, however, had he spoken when a man ran breathlessly into the +hall. + +"Haste to the front, jarl," he said to Sweyn, "we are attacked. Some of +the enemy creeping in between our fires set fire to the houses in the +outskirts, and as we leapt to our feet in astonishment at the sudden +outbreak, they fell upon us. Many of my comrades were killed with the +first discharge of arrows, then they rushed on in such numbers that +many more were slain, and the rest driven in. How it fares with the +other posts I know not, but methinks they were all attacked at the same +moment. I waited not to see, for my captain bade me speed here with the +news." + +"Sound the horn of assembly," Sweyn said. "Do you, Oderic, take twenty +of the guard without, and at once conduct the ladies here to the boats +and get them on board the galleys. Let all others hasten to the scene +of attack. But I can hardly even now believe that this coward herd +intend to attack us in earnest." + +In the confusion which reigned as the warriors were seizing their +shields and arms, Edmund approached Freda, who had with the rest risen +from her seat. + +"The Dragon is at hand," he whispered; "in a few hours we will attack +Sweyn's galley; barricade yourself in your cabin until the fight is +over." + +Freda gave a little start as Edmund's first words reached her ear. Then +she stood still and silent. She felt her hand taken and pressed, and +glancing round, met Edmund's eye for a moment just as he turned and +joined the Danes who were leaving the hall. A minute later Oderic +entered with the guard, and at once escorted the women down to the +boats, and rowed them off to the galleys. + +Sweyn and the main body of the Danes rushed impetuously to the +outskirts of the town. The fighting was already at an end, the peasants +having withdrawn after their first success. Two or three of the parties +round the watch-fires had been annihilated before they could offer any +effectual resistance, others had beaten off the attack, and had fallen +back in good order to the houses, losing, however, many men on the way +from the arrows which their assailants shot among them. + +Sweyn and the Norsemen were furious at the loss they had suffered; but +as pursuit would have been useless, there was nothing to be done for +the present, and after posting strong guards in case the attack should +be renewed, the Danish leaders returned to the banqueting hall, where, +over renewed draughts of wine, a council was held. + +Most of those present were in favour of sending out a strong expedition +on the following day to avenge the attack; but Sweyn argued that it +might be that the natives had assembled from all parts of the island, +and that this sudden attack, the like of which had not been attempted +before, was perhaps made only to draw them out into an ambush or to +attack the town in their absence. Therefore he urged it was better to +delay making an expedition for a short time, when they would find the +enemy unprepared. + +After some discussion Sweyn's arguments prevailed, and it was +determined to postpone the expedition for a few days. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX: UNITED + + +No sooner did Edmund find himself outside the mansion than he separated +himself from the Danes, and following the sea-shore, set out on his +return to the Dragon. The tide was out, and although the night was dark +he had no difficulty in finding his way along the shore, keeping close +to the margin of the waves. When he approached the headland he was +forced to take to the land, as the waves beat against the foot of the +rock. Guided by the stars he made his way across the cape and came down +on to the shore of the bay. + +A light was burning on the poop of the Dragon, and his hail was at once +answered. A few minutes later a boat touched the shore beside him, and +he was soon on board the ship, and at once held council with Egbert and +Siegbert, to whom he related all that had happened. He learned from +them that his two wounded comrades had been brought down to the beach +that evening by the country people, and had told them how narrow an +escape they had had of death at the hands of the enraged peasants. + +After a discussion of all the different plans upon which they might +act, it was determined that the attempt to rescue Freda should be made +at once, as they considered it certain that Sweyn with a large portion +of his band would set out at daybreak to take vengeance upon the +natives. + +The plan decided upon was that they should proceed along the shore, and +that if the Danish galleys, being undermanned, did not put out in +pursuit, they should sail in and attack them. The Danes were indeed +greatly superior in force, for they had counted the ships, the smallest +of which would carry a hundred men. Still in the absence of a portion +of their crews, and from the effects of surprise, they thought that +success was possible. + +The next morning sail was hoisted, and the Dragon made her way along +the coast. The hour was later than that at which she had shown herself +on the previous day. She sailed on until within two miles of the town, +and then suddenly turned her head seaward, as if she had only then +perceived the Danish vessels. The instant she did so a great bustle was +observed among them. Many boats were seen pushing off from shore +crowded with men, oars were got out, and sails loosed. + +"From the number of men who are crowding on board," Egbert said, "I +believe that Sweyn cannot have started in pursuit of the natives; in +that case we shall have a hard fight of it." + +"So much the better," Siegbert exclaimed. "I should consider our task +was half accomplished if we rescued Freda without punishing Sweyn. Let +them come," he said, shaking his battle-axe at the galleys. "Though my +leg is stiff my arms are not, as Sweyn shall learn if I meet him." + +The Dragon's oars were now put out and the galley-slaves began to row, +the Saxons concealing themselves behind the bulwarks. In a few minutes +the whole of the Danish galleys were unmoored and started in the +pursuit of the supposed Italian vessel. The breeze was light, but +somewhat helped the Dragon. Four of the Northmen vessels were large +ships with sails, and these speedily fell behind, but the others with +their oars gained slowly on the Dragon. + +Edmund saw with satisfaction that the two galleys of Sweyn, which he at +once recognized, were somewhat faster than their consorts, and the +slaves were made to row as hard as they could in order to prolong the +chase as much as possible, by which means Sweyn's galleys would be the +further separated from the others. + +After the pursuit had been continued for some miles Sweyn's galleys +were but a few hundred yards in the rear, and were nearly a quarter of +a mile ahead of those of their comrades, which had gained but little +upon the Dragon since the chase began. Edmund ordered the men to cease +rowing, as if despairing of escape. The Genoese took their station on +the poop, and as Sweyn's galley came rushing up they shouted to it that +they would surrender if promised their lives. The Northmen answered +with a shout of triumph and derision, and dashed alongside. + +Sweyn's own galley was slightly in advance of the others. Edmund +ordered the oars to be pulled in as the Northmen came up, so as to +allow them to come alongside. Not a word was spoken on board the Dragon +till the Danes, leaving their oars, swarmed up the side headed by Sweyn +himself. Then Edmund gave a shout, the Saxons leaped to their feet, and +raising their battle-cry fell upon the astonished Danes. + +Those who had climbed up were instantly cut down or hurled back into +their own galley, and the Saxons leaping down, a tremendous fight +ensued. Edmund with Siegbert and half his crew boarded the Dane close +to the poop, and so cut the Northmen off from that part of the vessel, +while Egbert with the rest boarded farther forward. The Danes would +have been speedily overpowered had not the second galley arrived upon +the spot; and these, seeing the combat which was raging, at once leaped +upon Sweyn's galley. With this accession of force, although numbers of +the Danes had fallen in the first attack, they still outnumbered the +Saxons. + +Sweyn, heading his men, made a desperate effort to drive back Edmund's +party. His men, however, fought less bravely than usual. Their +astonishment at finding the ship which they had regarded as an easy +prize manned by Saxons was overwhelming, and the sight of Siegbert, +whom many of them knew, in the front rank of their enemies added to +their confusion. + +Sweyn himself, as he recognized Edmund, at once made at him, and, +wielding a heavy axe in his left hand, strove to cut him down; and +Edmund, strong and skilful as he was, had great difficulty in parrying +the blows which the Northman rained upon him. The combat, however, was +decided by Siegbert, who hurled his javelin at Sweyn, the weapon +passing completely through his body. + +Sweyn fell on the deck with a crash. + +The Northmen, dispirited at the fall of their leader, hesitated, and as +the Saxons sprang upon them turned and fled into the other galley. The +door of the poop opened and Freda flew into her father's arms. + +"Quick, Siegbert, to the Dragon!" Edmund cried, and shouted orders to +his men. "There is not a moment to be lost. The other galleys are just +upon us!" + +The Saxons rushed back to the Dragon; the oars were thrust out again, +and the vessel got under weigh just as the other Danish galleys arrived +on the spot. While some of the Saxons poured volleys of arrows and +javelins into the Northmen, the others at Edmund's order leaped down +and double-banked the oars. The increase of power was soon manifest, +and the Dragon began to draw away from the Danes. Gradually their +galleys fell back out of bow-shot, and after continuing the chase for +some little time longer they abandoned it as hopeless and lay upon +their oars to rest. + +A shout of triumph rose from the Saxons, and then Edmund, who had +hitherto been fully occupied with the command of the vessel, turned to +Freda, who was still standing by her father. + +"I have been a long time in fulfilling my promise, Freda," he said; +"but as your father will tell you I have done my best. Thank God, who +has given me success at last!" + +"I never doubted that you would come, Edmund," she said, "and the +knowledge has enabled me to stand firm against both the entreaties and +threats of Sweyn. How can I thank you for all you have done for me?" + +"I have spoken to your father, Freda; and he has promised me your hand +if you, indeed, are willing to bestow it. I promised to come for you if +you would wait, nearly five years ago, and I have never thought of any +other woman." + +"I have waited for you, Edmund," she said simply, "and would never have +wed another had you not come. You are my hero, and methinks I have +loved you ever since the day when you boarded our ship off the mouth of +the Humber." + +"Take her, Edmund," Siegbert said; "you have nobly won her, and there +is no one to whom I could be so well content to intrust her. I now join +your hands in token of betrothal." + +The crew of the Dragon, who had been watching the scene, raised a shout +of gladness as they saw Siegbert place Freda's hand in that of Edmund. +They had guessed that their lord must have an affection for this Danish +maiden in whose pursuit they had come so far, and were delighted at the +happy issue of the expedition. + +"I trust, Freda," Edmund said to her after a while, "that you have +thought of the talk we had about religion, and that you will forsake +the barbarous gods of your people and become a Christian, as so many of +your people have done in England, and that you will be wedded to me not +in the rude way of the Danes, but in a Christian church." + +"I have thought much of it," she said, "and have come to think that +your God of peace must be better than the gods of war; but I would fain +know more of Him before I desert the religion of my fathers." + +"That shall you," Edmund said. "With your father's permission I will +place you for a short time in a convent in Rome, and one of the Saxon +monks shall teach you the tenets of our faith. It will be but for a +short time, dear; and while you are there we will try and capture some +of Hasting's galleys, filled with plunder, for my men have come far, +and I would fain that they returned with an ample booty." + +Freda and Siegbert agreed to the plan, and the latter said, "I too will +tarry in Rome while you are away, Edmund. I could fight against Sweyn, +for it was in a private quarrel, but I cannot war against my +countrymen. I too will talk with your Saxon monks, and hear about this +new religion of yours, for I think that as I have no others to love or +care for I shall return to England with you, and, if you will have me, +take up my abode in your English home so as to be near you and my +daughter." + +The Dragon returned to Rome. There Edmund procured lodgings for +Siegbert and Freda, and the Saxon monks gladly arranged to visit them +and instruct them in the doctrines of Christianity. The Dragon sailed +again for the coast of Sicily and was absent a month, during which time +she captured a number of Danish galleys, most of which were laden with +rich booty. Then she returned to Rome. A few days later a solemn +service was held, at which Freda and Siegbert were baptized as +Christians, and after this was done a marriage service was held, and +Edmund and Freda married with the rites of the Christian Church. The +pope himself was present at the services and bestowed his blessing upon +the newly married couple, the novelty of the occasion drawing a vast +crowd of spectators. + +A few days later the Dragon again put to sea, and after a speedy voyage +with favourable weather arrived in England without further adventure. +Edmund's arrival at home was the occasion of great rejoicings. The news +of the share which the Dragon and her crew had taken in the defence of +Paris had reached England, but none knew what had become of her from +that time, and when months had passed without tidings of her being +received it was generally supposed that she must have been lost. + +Her return laden with rich booty excited the greatest enthusiasm, and +the king himself journeyed to Sherborne to welcome Edmund on his +arrival there. + +"So this is the reason," he said smiling, when Edmund presented Freda +to him, "why you were ever so insensible to the attractions to our +Saxon maidens! Truly the reason is a fair one and fully excuses you, +and right glad am I to welcome your bonnie bride to our shores." + +Alfred remained three days at Sherborne and then left Edmund to +administer the affairs of his earldom, for which a substitute had been +provided in his absence. The large plunder which the Dragon had brought +home had enriched all who had sailed in her, and greatly added to the +prosperity which prevailed in Edmund's district. + +He found that in his absence Alfred had introduced many changes. The +administration of justice was no longer in the hands of the ealdormen, +judges having been appointed who journeyed through the land and +administered justice. Edmund highly approved of the change, for +although in most cases the ealdormen had acted to the best of their +powers they had a great deal of other business to do; besides, their +decisions necessarily aggrieved one party or the other and sometimes +caused feuds and bad feelings, and were always liable to be suspected +of being tinged with partiality; whereas the judges being strangers in +the district would give their decisions without bias or favour. + +Freda had, as was the custom, taken a new name in baptism, but at +Edmund's request her name had only been changed to the Christian one of +Elfrida, and Edmund to the end of his life continued to call her by her +old name. She speedily became as popular in the earldom as was her +husband. + +Siegbert, who had been christened Harold, took kindly to his new life. +Between him and Egbert a great friendship had sprung up, and Edmund +built for their joint use a house close to his own. + +In 884 Alfred heard that the Danes of East Anglia were in +correspondence with their countrymen at home and in France, and that +there was danger that the peace of England would be disturbed. The +thanes were therefore bidden to prepare for another struggle, to gather +sufficient arms in readiness for all the able-bodied men in their +district, and to call out their contingents from time to time to +practise in the use of arms. + +The ealdormen whose seats of government bordered on the sea were +ordered to construct ships of war, so that any Danish armament might be +met at sea. Edmund was appointed to command this fleet, and was +instructed to visit the various ports to superintend the construction +of the ships, and when they were completed to exercise their crews in +naval maneuvers. + +The winter of 884 was spent by Edmund in the performance of these +duties. The Dragon was again fitted out, and in her he cruised from +port to port. Freda, who was passionately fond of the sea, accompanied +him, as did Siegbert and Egbert. It was not until May in 885 that the +threatened invasion took place. Then the news came to the king that the +Danes had landed in large numbers near Rochester and had laid siege to +the town. The king instantly summoned his fighting array, and in a few +days moved at the head of a large army towards Kent. Rochester was +defending itself valiantly. The Danes erected a great tower opposite to +the principal gate, and overwhelming the defenders on the walls with +their missiles endeavoured to force their way in by battering down the +gate. + +The inhabitants, however, piled great masses of stone behind it, and +even when the gate was battered in the Danes, with all their efforts, +were unable to force an entrance. The Saxon army advanced with such +celerity that the Danes had received no news of their coming until they +were close at hand. Then one of their foraging parties arrived with the +intelligence that a great Saxon army was upon them. The Danes were +seized with a sudden panic, and fled precipitately to their ships, +leaving behind them the horses they had brought from France, their +stores, and all the prisoners and spoil they had gathered in their +incursions in the neighbourhood of Rochester. Seeing how well the +Saxons were prepared for resistance the greater portion of the Danes +crossed to France, but sixteen of their vessels entered the Stour and +joined their allies of East Anglia. + +Alfred ordered his fleet to assemble in the Medway, and in a fortnight +the vessels from all the southern ports arrived. They were filled with +fighting men, and sailed to attack the Danes in the Stour, after which +the force was to land and to inflict a severe punishment upon East +Anglia. On hearing of the gathering of the Saxon fleet Athelstan sent +across to France and begged the Danes to come to his assistance, but +none of their vessels had arrived when the Saxon fleet reached the +mouth of the Stour. + +The fighting force on board the Danish ships had been largely +reinforced by their countrymen of East Anglia, and in a close body they +rowed out to give battle to the Saxons. A desperate fight ensued, but +after a struggle, which continued for many hours, the Danes were +completely defeated, the whole of their vessels were captured, and all +on board put to the sword. + +On the following day the army landed and ravaged the surrounding +country and returned to the ships with much booty. As they sailed out +of the river they saw a vast fleet of the enemy approaching. Athelstan +had assembled his ships from all the ports of East Anglia, and had been +joined by a large reinforcement of his countrymen from France. The +Saxons were greatly outnumbered, but a portion of the fleet fought with +great bravery. Some of the ships, however, being manned with +newly-collected crews unaccustomed to naval war, lost heart, and made +but a poor resistance. + +Alfred was on board the Dragon, which sank several of the Danish +galleys, and with some of her consorts continued the fight until +nightfall, beating off every attempt of the Danes to board them. Seeing +that several of the ships had been captured, that others had taken to +flight, and that there was no longer a hope of victory, Alfred gave the +signal, and the Dragon and her remaining consorts fought their way +through the Danish fleet and made their escape. + +The valour which the Saxons had shown in these two sea-fights, and the +strength of the army with which Alfred had so speedily marched to the +relief of Rochester, greatly impressed the enemy, and although Rollo +came across from Normandy to the assistance of Athelstan, the Danes +concluded that it was better to leave the Saxons to themselves. + +Alfred in the following spring again assembled his army and laid siege +to London, which was still in the possession of the Danes. Athelstan +did not venture to march to its assistance, and the town, which had +long been in the Northmen's hands, was captured. The greater portion of +the city was burned in the siege. Alfred ordered it to be rebuilt, +invited its former inhabitants to return, and offered privileges to all +who would take up their abode there. The walls were rebuilt, and the +city placed in a position of defence. Alfred then handed it over to +Ethelred, the ealdorman of Mercia. + +Peace was now made with Athelstan, and for some years remained +unbroken. In 893 a Danish fleet of 250 ships sailed across from +Boulogne and landed in the Weald of Kent, which was then covered with a +great forest, and there wintered, while the viking Hasting with eighty +ships sailed up the Thames and built a strong fort at Milton. + +Alfred stationed his army in a strong position half-way between the +forest and the Danish camp at Milton, so that he could attack either +army when they moved out of their stronghold. The Danes for many months +remained in the forest, issuing out occasionally to plunder in the open +country of Kent, Sussex, and Hampshire, but they met with a stout +resistance from the Saxons who had remained in the towns and country. + +After Easter, having collected a considerable amount of spoil, and +finding the resistance ever increasing, the Danes moved northwards from +their forest, intending to march into Essex. The king's forces at once +set off to intercept them, and overtook them at Farnham, where the +Northmen were completely defeated. All their booty was recaptured, with +their horses and stores. Those who escaped fled across the Thames and +took refuge on an island in the Colne. The Saxons besieged them there; +but when the Danes were about to surrender from want of provisions the +news arrived that the Northmen of Northumbria and East Anglia, with 240 +ships, had landed suddenly in Devonshire, and had laid siege to Exeter. + +The siege of the island was at once raised, and King Alfred marched +against the new arrivals, and advancing with great speed fell upon them +and defeated them. Then hastily returning he came to London and, joined +by a strong force from Mercia, marched against Milton, where Hasting +had been joined by the great number of the Danes who had formed the +army in the Weald. Hasting himself was away, but his army marched out +to meet the Saxons. + +A great battle was fought, but the Danes could not resist the ardour of +their assailants. Their army was routed and their fortress stormed. All +the booty within it fell into the hands of the victors, together with +the wives and families of the Danes, among whom were the wife and two +sons of Hasting. The Danish fleet also was captured, and was burned or +taken to London. Another great fleet of the East Angles and +Northumbrians sailed up the Thames, and landing, the Northmen marched +across to the Severn, but were defeated and destroyed by Ethelred of +Mercia. + +Exeter was again invested by a Danish fleet, and again saved by Alfred. +The Danes, as they retired along the south coast, landed near +Chichester, where they suffered a heavy defeat from the South Saxons. + +In the following year a fresh fleet sailed up the Thames and thence up +the Lea, where they constructed a fortress twenty miles above London. + +Alfred caused two fortresses to be erected on the Lea below them, with +vast balks of timber entirely obstructing the river. The Danes, finding +their retreat cut off, abandoned their ships and marched across England +to Cwatbridge on the Severn. Their fleet fell into the hands of the +Londoners, who burned and broke up all the smaller ships and carried +the rest down to London. The Danes were so disconcerted by the many and +severe defeats which had befallen them that they now abandoned the idea +of again conquering England, and taking ship, sailed for France. + +Four years later, in 901, King Alfred died, having reigned twenty-nine +years and six months. During his reign England had made immense +advances in civilization, and in spite of the devastation wrought by +the Danish occupation of Wessex during the early years of his reign, +and the efforts required afterwards to oppose them, the wealth and +prosperity of the country vastly increased during his reign. Abbeys and +monasteries had multiplied, public buildings been erected, towns +rebuilt and beautified, and learning had made great advances. The laws +of the country had been codified and regulated, the administration of +justice placed on a firm basis. The kingly authority had greatly +increased, and the great ealdormen were no longer semi-independent +nobles, but officers of the crown. Serfdom, although not entirely +abolished, had been mitigated and regulated. Arts and manufactures had +made great progress. + +Edmund and Freda survived King Alfred many years, and their district +continued to be one of the most prosperous and well-ruled in the +kingdom. Their descendants continued to hold the office of ealdorman +until the invasion by William the Conqueror, and the holder of the +office at that time fell, with numbers of his followers, at the battle +of Hastings. For very many years after that event the prow of the +Dragon was kept in the great hall of Sherborne as a memorial of the +valiant deeds performed against the Danes by Ealdorman Edmund. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Dragon and the Raven, by G. A. Henty + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DRAGON AND THE RAVEN *** + +***** This file should be named 3674.txt or 3674.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/6/7/3674/ + +Produced by Ronald J. Goodden. HTML version by Al Haines + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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