CHAPTER VI

THE DANES IN ENGLAND

37. The Danish Invasions

Angio-Saxon Chronicle The Danish invasions of England extended from 787 through three centuries. During this period there was no decade free from harrying and slaughter. Ireland and Scotland did not escape the ravagers, but England had to bear the brunt of the struggle. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle tells us of the first coming of the Danes in 787, and then marks the progress of the Danish power until this culminated in the reign of Canute. The selections given, from the Chronicle and from ASSER's Life of Alfred, note but a few of the salient points in the history of the establishment of the Danish power. The works cited should be consulted for details.

A. 787. This year king Bertric took to wife Eadburga, king Offa's daughter; and in his day first came three ships of Northmen, out of Hæretha-land [Denmark]. And then the reve rode to the place, and would have driven them to the king's town, because he knew not who they were: and they there slew him. These were the first ships of Danishmen which sought the land of the English nation.

A. 855. This year the heathen men, for the first time, remained over winter in Sheppey:...

A. 878. This year, during midwinter, after twelfth night, the army stole away to Chippenham, and overran the land of the West-Saxons, and sat down there; and many of the people they drove beyond sea, and of the remainder the greater part they subdued and forced to obey them, except king Alfred: and he, with a small band, with difficulty retreated to the woods and to the fastnesses of the moors. And the same winter the brother of Hingwar and of Halfdene came with twenty-three ships to Devonshire in Wessex; and he was there slain, and with him eight hundred and forty

men of his army: and there was taken the war-flag which they called the RAVEN. After this, at Easter king Alfred with a small band constructed a fortress at Athelney; and from this fortress, with that part of the men of Somerset which was nearest to it, from time to time they fought against the army. Then in the seventh week after Easter he rode to Brixton, on the east side of Selwood; and there came to meet him all the men of Somerset, and the men of Wiltshire, and that portion of the men of Hampshire which was on this side of the sea; and they were joyful at his presence. On the following day he went from that station to Iglea [Iley], and on the day after this to Heddington, and there fought against the whole army, put them to flight, and pursued them as far as their fortress: and there he sat down fourteen days. And then the army delivered to him hostages, with many oaths, that they would leave his kingdom, and also promised him that their king should receive baptism: and this they accordingly fulfilled. And about three weeks after this king Gothrun came to him, with some thirty men who were of the most distinguished in the army, at Aller, which is near Athelney: and the king was his godfather at baptism; and his chrism-loosing was at Wedmore: and he was twelve days with the king; and he greatly honoured him and his companions with gifts.

(Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, for years given, ed. cited.) 38. Alfred at Athelney

Asser

ASSER, a monk of St. David's, afterward Bishop of Sherborne. was an adviser and intimate of King Alfred. He wrote a Life of the king, which, though containing few facts not also to be found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, is of interest and value. The following selection graphically describes the period of discouragement which formed the prelude to the victories of the greatest of the early English kings, as well as the battle in which the power of the Danes was overthrown.

The same year, after Easter, king Alfred, with a few followers, made for himself a stronghold in a place called Athelney, and from thence sallied with his vassals and the nobles of Somersetshire, to make frequent assaults upon the pagans. Also, in the seventh week after Easter, he rode to the stone of Egbert, which is in the eastern part of the wood which is called Selwood, which means in Latin Silva Magna, the Great Wood, but in British Coit-mawr. Here he was met by all the neighbouring folk of Somersetshire, and Wiltshire, and Hampshire, who had not, for fear of the pagans, fled

beyond the sea; and when they saw the king alive after such great tribulation, they received him, as he deserved, with joy and acclamations, and encamped there for one night. When the following day dawned, the king struck his camp, and went to Okely, where he encamped for one night. The next morning he removed to Edington, and there fought bravely and perseveringly against all the army of the pagans, whom, with the divine help, he defeated with great slaughter, and pursued them flying to their fortification. Immediately he slew all the men, and carried off all the booty that he could find without the fortress, which he immediately laid siege to with all his army; and when he had been there fourteen days, the pagans, driven by famine, cold, fear, and last of all by despair, asked for peace, on the condition that they should give the king as many hostages as he pleased, but should receive none of him in return, in which form they had never before made a treaty with any one. The king, hearing that, took pity on them, and received such hostages as he chose; after which the pagans swore, moreover, that they would immediately leave the kingdom; and their king, Gothrun, promised to embrace Christianity, and receive baptism at king Alfred's hands. All of which articles he and his men fulfilled as they had promised. For after seven weeks Gothrun, king of the pagans, with thirty men chosen from the army, came to Alfred at a place called Aller, near Athelney, and there king Alfred, receiving him as his son by adoption, raised him up from the holy laver of baptism on the eighth day, at a royal villa named Wedmore, where the holy chrism was poured upon him. After his baptism he remained twelve nights with the king, who, with all his nobles, gave him many fine houses.

(Asser's Annals of the Reign of Alfred the Great, ed. J. A. Giles, in Six Old English Chronicles, London, 1872.)

39. Alfred and Guthrum's Peace

From the Laws of King Alfred

After the defeat of Guthrum and the Danes in 878, a peace was sworn between the rival forces. This was recorded in the treaty of Chippenham - sometimes incorrectly called the Peace of Wedmore. By this treaty, England was divided between Alfred and Guthrum, and laws were provided for the government of the respective portions.

This is the peace that king Alfred, and king Guthrum, and the "witan" of all the English nation, and all the people that are in East-Anglia, have all ordained and with oaths con

firmed, for themselves and for their descendants, as well for born as for unborn, who reck of God's mercy or of ours.

I. First, concerning our land-boundaries: up on the Thames, and then up on the Lea, and along the Lea unto its source, then right to Bedford, then up the Ouse unto Watling-Street.

2. Then is this: if a man be slain, we estimate all equally dear, English and Danish, at VIII. half-marks of pure gold; except the "ceorl" who resides on "gafol-land," and their "liesings": they also are equally dear, either at CC. shillings.

3. And if a king's thane be accused of man-slaying, if he dare to clear himself, let him do that with XII. king's thanes. If any one accuse that man who is of less degree than the king's thane, let him clear himself with XI. of his equals, and with one king's thane. And so in every suit which may be for more than IV. “mancuses." And if he dare not, let him pay for it three-fold, as it may be valued.

OF WARRANTORS

4. And that every man know his warrantor for men, and for horses, and for oxen.

5. And we all ordained on that day that the oaths were sworn, that neither bond nor free might go to the host without leave, no more than any of them to us. But if it happen, that from necessity any of them will have traffic with us, or we with them, with cattle and with goods, that is to be allowed in this wise; that hostages be given in pledge of peace, and as evidence whereby it may be known that the party has a clean back.

(Ancient Laws and Institutes of England, ed. cited.

40. The Second Period of Danish Invasion

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

For many years after the peace between Alfred and Guthrum the Danes refrained from attacking England; this not so much because of the treaty, as because of the strong kings who succeeded Alfred. But with Ethelred the Redeless came the second series of invasions. These led to the overthrow of the English kings and the establishment of Canute upon the throne.

A. 980. In this year abbat Ethelgar was consecrated bishop on the 6th before the Nones of May, to the episcopal seat at Selsey. And in the same year was Southampton ravaged by a ship-force, and the most part of the townsmen slain, and led captive. And that same year was Thane-land ravaged

by a ship-force, and the most part of the townsmen slain, and led captive. And that same year was Legecester-shire [Chester] ravaged by a northern ship-force. In this year St. Dunstan and Alfere the ealdorman fetched the holy king's body, St. Edward's, from Wareham, and bore it with much solemnity to Shaftsbury.

A. 991. This year was Ipswich ravaged; and after that, very shortly, was Britnoth the ealdorman slain at Maldon. And in that year it was decreed that tribute, for the first time, should be given to the Danish-men, on account of the great terror which they caused by the sea-coast; that was at first ten thousand pounds: this counsel was first given by archbishop Siric.

A. 994. In this year came Olave and Sweyn to London, on the nativity of St. Mary, with ninety-four ships; and they then continued fighting stoutly against the city, and would also have set fire to it. But they there sustained more harm and evil than they ever supposed that any citizens would be able to do unto them. But the holy mother of God, on that day, shewed her mercy to the citizens and delivered them from their foes. And they then went thence, and wrought the utmost evil that ever any army could do, by burning, and plundering, and by man-slaying, both by the sea-coast and among the East-Saxons, and in the land of Kent, and in Sussex, and in Hampshire. And at last they took to themselves horses, and rode as far as they would, and continued doing unspeakable evil. Then the king and his witan decreed that they should be sent to, and promised tribute and food, on condition that they should cease from their plundering: which terms they accepted. And then all the army came to Southampton, and there took up their winter-quarters: and there they were victualled from all the realm of the West-Saxons, and they were paid sixteen thousand pounds of money. Then the king sent bishop Elphege [II.] and Ethelwerd the ealdorman after king Olave, and the while, hostages were delivered to the ships; and they then led Olave with much worship to the king at Andover. And king Ethelred received him at the bishop's hands, and royally gifted him. And then Olave made a covenant with him, even as he also fulfilled, that he never again would come hostilely to the English nation.

1002. And in that year the king ordered all the

A. 1002.