fought against the heathen men at Wembury [near Plymouth], and there
made great slaughter and got the victory. And the same year Athelstan
and Elchere the ealdorman fought on shipboard, and slew a great number
of the enemy at Sandwich in Kent, and took nine ships, and put the
others to flight; and the heathen men, for the first time, remained over
winter in Thanet. And the same year came three hundred and fifty ships
to the mouth of the Thames, and the crews landed and took Canterbury and
London by storm, and put to flight Berthwulf, King of the Mercians, with
his army, and then went south over the Thames into Surrey; and there
King Ethelwulf and his son Ethelbald, with the fyrd of the West Saxons,
fought against them at Ockley, and there made the greatest slaughter
among the heathen army that we have heard reported to the present day,
and there got the victory.
ANNO 853.—This year Ealhere, with the men of Kent, and Huda, with the
men of Surrey, fought in Thanet, against the heathen army; and at first
they were victorious; and many there were slain, and drowned on either
hand, and both the ealdormen were killed.
ANNO 855.—This year the heathen men, for the first time, remained over
winter in Sheppey.
ANNO 860.—This year Ethelbert succeeded to all the realm of his brother.
And in his days a large fleet came to land, and the crews stormed
Winchester. And Osric the ealdorman, with the men of Hampshire, and
Ethelwulf the ealdorman, with the men of Berkshire, fought against the
army, and put them to flight, and had possession of the place of
carnage.
ANNO 865.—This year the heathen army sat down in Thanet, and made peace
with the men of Kent, and the men of Kent promised them money for the
peace; and during the peace and the promise of money the army stole away
by night, and ravaged all Kent to the eastward.
ANNO 866.—This year a great heathen army came to the land of the English
nation, and took up their winter quarters among the East Angles, and
there they were horsed; and the East Angles made peace with them.
ANNO 867.—This year the army went from East Anglia over the mouth of the
Humber to York in Northumbria. And there was much dissension among that
people, and they had cast out their King Osbert, and had taken to
themselves a king, Ælle, not of royal blood; but late in the year they
resolved that they would fight against the army; and therefore they
gathered a large force, and sought the army at the town of York, and
stormed the town, and some of them got within, and there was an
excessive slaughter made of the Northumbrians, some within, some
without, and the kings were both slain: and the remainder made peace
with the army.
ANNO 868.—This year the same army went into Mercia to Nottingham, and
there took up their winter quarters. And Burhred, King of the Mercians,
and his witan begged of Ethelred, King of the West Saxons, and of Alfred
his brother, that they would help them, that they might fight against
the army. And then they went with the West Saxon fyrd into Mercia as far
as Nottingham, and there met with the army within the fortress; and
besieged them therein: but there was no great battle; and the Mercians
made peace with the army.
ANNO 869.—This year the army again went to York, and sat there one year.
ANNO 870.—This year the army rode across Mercia into East Anglia, and
took up their winter quarters at Thetford: and the same winter King
Edmund fought against them, and the Danes got the victory, and slew the
king, and subdued all the land, and destroyed all the minsters which
they came to. The names of their chiefs who slew the king were Inguar
and Ubba.
A LETTER FROM CHARLES THE GREAT TO OFFA (796).
=Source.=—_Monumenta Germaniæ Historica_, Epist. iv. Ed. Dümmler, 1895.
No. 100. Translated by W.
CHARLES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF THE FRANKS AND LOMBARDS AND
PATRICIAN OF THE ROMANS TO HIS VENERABLE AND DEAREST BROTHER OFFA, KING
OF THE MERCIANS, GREETING OF PRESENT PROSPERITY AND ETERNAL BLESSEDNESS
IN CHRIST.
The hearty preservation of the laws of friendship and of the concord of
holy charity in leagued unanimity of peace between kings and
highly-placed potentates is of the greatest advantage. And if we are
ordered by our Lord’s precept to dissolve the knots of enmity, how much
more must we endeavour to draw tight the bonds of love! Wherefore,
dearest brother, mindful of our ancient agreement, we have directed this
letter to your reverence, that a treaty rooted in faith, may flower and
fruit in love.
Reading over the letters, brother, which at various times were delivered
to us by the hands of your messengers, and busying ourselves to reply
adequately to your reverence’s different suggestions, we first thank
Almighty God for the purity of the Catholic Faith which we find
praiseworthily set down in your pages; knowing that you are not only the
bravest protector of your earthly country, but also the most devoted
defender of the holy Faith.
Now concerning the pilgrims, who for the love of God and the salvation
of their souls wish to visit the abode of the blessed apostles, we have
granted, as of old time, that they may go on their journey in peace
without any molestation, carrying necessaries with them. But we have
proved that some fraudulently go along with them for purposes of trade,
pursuing gain, not serving religion. If such are found amongst them, at
the proper places they must pay the decreed customs-duties. The others
shall be free to go in peace.
Concerning traders also you wrote to us. We wish that by our command
they may lawfully enjoy protection and patronage in our kingdom
according to the ancient custom of trading. And if they be unjustly
oppressed anywhere, let them appeal to us or to our judges and we will
afterwards order holy justice to be done. Likewise concerning ours: if
they suffer any injustice in your realm, let them appeal to your
equitable judgment: that no quarrel may anywhere arise between our
subjects.
Concerning Odberht the priest who returned from Rome wishing (as he
often avers) to make a pilgrimage for the love of God, and not coming to
accuse you, know that we sent him with other exiles, who in fear of
death had fled beneath our protecting wings, to Rome, that in the
presence of the pope [Leo III.] and your illustrious archbishop
[Æthilhard]—whither, as your letter noted, they had bound themselves by
a vow—their cause might be heard and judged, that a righteous judgement
might perform what pious intercession had not helped. How could we act
more carefully than to allow the pope’s judgement to decide a cause in
which the opinions of others were discordant?
Now as to the black stones which your reverence desired to be sent to
you, let a messenger come to find out the sort you wish for. And
wherever they are found, we shall give orders that they be given to you
and that assistance be freely rendered in the carriage of them.
But as you have intimated your desire with regard to the length of the
stones, so also our subjects make request concerning the size of the
cloaks: that you will have them made of the same pattern as used to come
to us in old times.
Know also that we have sent a sacred article from amongst our dalmatics
or palls to each episcopal see of your kingdom or Æthelred’s, as an alms
for the apostolic lord Adrian, our father and your well-wisher;
beseeching that you will order diligent intercession to be made for his
soul, not because we doubt that his blessed soul is at rest, but to show
our faith and affection towards our dearest friend: as S. Augustine lays
down that the church should make holy intercession for all, declaring
that intercession for a good man is of benefit to him that makes it.
Further, of the worldly treasure which the Lord Jesus hath freely
granted us, we have sent something through the metropolitan cities. And
to you, too, for your pleasure, and as thanksgiving to Almighty God, we
have sent a belt, and a Hunnish sword, and two silk cloaks; that
everywhere in Christendom the divine clemency be preached and the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ be for ever glorified.
We beseech you cause to be made constant supplications for us and our
faithful subjects, and indeed for all Christian folk, that the gentle
goodness of the heavenly king may protect, exalt, and extend the kingdom
of the holy church.
May Almighty God preserve in safety and long prosperity your highness’
excellency as a defence of his holy church, my dearest brother.
THE BRETWALDAS (827).
=Source.=—_Anglo-Saxon Chronicle._ Translated by J. A. Giles. Bohn’s
Library.
ANNO 827.—This year the moon was eclipsed on the mass-night of
midwinter,[1] and the same year King Egbert conquered the kingdom of the
Mercians, and all that was south of the Humber; and he was the eighth
king who was Bretwalda. Ælle, King of the South Saxons, was the first
who had thus much dominion; the second was Ceawlin, King of the West
Saxons; the third was Ethelbert, King of the Kentishmen; the fourth was
Redwald, King of the East Angles; the fifth was Edwin, King of the
Northumbrians; the sixth was Oswald who reigned after him; the seventh
was Oswy, Oswald’s brother; the eighth was Egbert, King of the West
Saxons. And Egbert led an army to Dore against the Northumbrians, and
they there offered him obedience and allegiance, and with that they
separated.
Footnote 1:
The eclipse happened December 25, 828.
ALFRED AND THE DANES (871-878).
=Source.=—_Anglo-Saxon Chronicle._ Translated by J. A. Giles. Bohn’s
Library.
ANNO 871.—This year the army came to Reading in Wessex; and three days
after this, two of their earls rode forth. Then Ethelwulf the ealdorman
met them at Englefield, and there fought against them, and got the
victory: and there one of them, whose name was Sidroc, was slain. About
three days after this, King Ethelred and Alfred his brother led a large
force to Reading, and fought against the army, and there was great
slaughter made on either hand. And Ethelwulf the ealdorman was slain,
and the Danish men had possession of the place of carnage. And about
four days after this, King Ethelred and Alfred his brother fought
against the whole army at Æscesdune [Ashdown Hills]; and they were in
two bodies: in the one were Bagseg and Halfdene the heathen kings, and
in the other were the earls. And then King Ethelred fought against the
division under the kings, and there King Bagseg was slain; and Alfred
his brother against the division under the earls, and there earl Sidroc
the elder was slain, earl Sidroc the younger, and earl Osbern, and earl
Frene, and earl Harold; and both divisions of the army were put to
flight, and many thousands slain: and they continued fighting until
night. And about fourteen days after this, King Ethelred and Alfred his
brother fought against the army at Basing, and there the Danes obtained
the victory. And about two months after this, King Ethelred and Alfred
his brother fought against the army at Marden; and they were in two
bodies, and they were both put to flight, and during a great part of the
day were victorious; and there was great slaughter on either hand; but
the Danes had possession of the place of carnage: and there bishop
Heahmund was slain, and many good men: and after this battle there came
a great army in the summer to Reading. And after this, over Easter, King
Ethelred died.
Then Alfred, the son of Ethelwulf, his brother, succeeded to the kingdom
of the West Saxons. And about one month after this, King Alfred with a
small band fought against the whole army at Wilton, and put them to
flight for a good part of the day; but the Danes had possession of the
place of carnage. And this year nine general battles were fought against
the army in the kingdom south of the Thames, besides which, Alfred, the
king’s brother, and single ealdormen, and king’s thegns, oftentimes made
incursions on them, which were not counted: and within the year nine
earls and one king were slain. And that year the West Saxons made peace
with the army.
ANNO 872.—This year the army went from Reading to London, and there took
up their winter quarters: and then the Mercians made peace with the
army.
ANNO 873.—This year the army went into Northumbria, and took up their
winter quarters at Torksey in Lindsey: and then the Mercians made peace
with the army.
ANNO 874.—This year the army went from Lindsey to Repton, and there took
up their winter quarters, and drove King Burhred over sea about
twenty-two years after he had obtained the kingdom; and subdued the
whole country: and Burhred went to Rome, and there remained; and his
body lies in St. Mary’s church at the Saxon school. And that same year
they committed the kingdom of the Mercians to the keeping of Ceolwulf,
an unwise king’s thegn; and he swore oaths to them, and delivered
hostages that it should be ready for them on whatever day they would
have it, and that he would be ready both in his own person and with all
who would follow him, for the behoof of the army.
ANNO 875.—This year the army went from Repton: and Halfdene went with
some of the army into Northumbria, and took up winter quarters by the
river Tyne. And the army subdued the land, and oft-times spoiled the
Picts, and the Strathclyde Britons. And the three kings Guthrum, and
Oskytel, and Anwind, went with a large army from Repton to Cambridge,
and sat down there one year. And that summer King Alfred went out to sea
with a fleet, and fought against the forces of seven ships, and one of
them he took, and put the rest to flight.
ANNO 876.—This year the army stole away to Wareham, a fortress of the
West Saxons. And afterwards the king made peace with the army; and they
delivered to the king hostages from among the most distinguished men of
the army; and then they swore oaths to him on the holy armlet, which
they never before would do to any nation, that they would speedily
depart from his kingdom. And notwithstanding this, that part of the army
which was horsed stole away by night from the fortress to Exeter. And
that year Halfdene apportioned the lands of Northumbria: and they
thenceforth continued ploughing and tilling them.
ANNO 877.—This year the army came to Exeter from Wareham; and the fleet
sailed round westwards: and then a great storm overtook them at sea, and
there one hundred and twenty ships were wrecked at Swanwich. And King
Alfred with his forces rode after the army which was mounted, as far as
Exeter; and they were unable to overtake them before they were within
the fortress, where they could not be come at. And they there delivered
to him hostages, as many as he would have, and swore many oaths: and
then they observed the peace well. And afterwards, during harvest, the
army went into Mercia, and some part of it they apportioned, and some
they delivered to Ceolwulf.
ANNO 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 Inguar and of Halfdene came with twenty-three ships to
Devonshire in Wessex; and he was there slain, and with him 840 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,
and on the day after this to Ethandune [Edington], 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 Guthrum 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.
ALFRED AND GUTHRUM’S PEACE (_c._ 885)
=Source.=—Thorpe, _Ancient Laws and Institutes of England_.
This is the peace that King Alfred and King Guthrum and the witan of all
the English people, and all the people that are in East Angle-land have
spoken and confirmed with oaths, for themselves and for their
descendants, for born and for unborn, who reck of God’s mercy or of
ours.
1. First about our land boundaries: up on Thames, and then up on Lea,
and along Lea to its source, then straight to Bedford, then up on Ouse
to Watling Street.
2. Then is this: if a man be slain we reckon all equally dear, English
and Danish, at 8 half marks of pure gold, except the ceorl who lives on
rent-land and their [_i.e._, the Danes’] liesings: they are also equally
dear, either at 200 shillings.
3. And if a king’s thegn be accused of murder and he dare to clear
himself, let him do it with 12 king’s thegns. If a man accuse a man of
less degree than the king’s thegn, let him clear himself with 11 of his
equals and with one king’s thegn. And similarly in every suit that is
for more than 4 mancuses. And if he dare not, let him pay it three-fold
as it may be valued.
4. And that every man know his guarantor for men and for horses and for
oxen.
5. And we all declared on the day that the oaths were sworn that neither
slave nor free might go to the army without leave, and their men none
the more to us. But if it happen that for need any of them will have
traffic with us, or we with them, with cattle and with goods, that is to
be allowed on this wise: that hostages be furnished as security for
peace and as evidence whereby one may know that the man has a clean
back.
ALFRED’S DOOMS.
=Source.=—Thorpe, _Ancient Laws and Institutes of England_.
These are the dooms which Alfred the king chose, in order that no man
should deem them otherwise than according to his will.
... “That which ye will that other men do not unto you, do ye not that
to other men.” On this one doom let a man think that he judge every one
righteously: he need heed no other doom-book. Let him remember that he
adjudge to no man that which he would not that he should adjudge to him,
if he sought judgment against him.
After this, then it happened that many nations received the faith of
Christ; then were many synods assembled throughout all the earth, and
also among the English race, after they had received the faith of
Christ, synods of holy bishops, and also of other distinguished witan.
They then ordained, for that mildness of heart which Christ had taught,
that secular lords, with their leave, might without sin, take for almost
every misdeed, for the first offence, the money-amends which they then
ordained; except in cases of treason against a lord, to which they dared
not assign any mildness of heart, because God Almighty adjudged none to
them who despised him, nor did Christ the Son of God adjudge any to him
who sold Him to death; and he commanded that a lord should be loved as
one’s self. They then in many synods ordained amends for many human
misdeeds: and in many synod-books they wrote, at one place one doom, at
another another.
I, then, King Alfred, gathered these laws together and caused them to be
written down, selecting many which pleased me from among those ordained
by my predecessors. And many of those which I liked not I abrogated by
the counsel of my witan, ordaining some different way for the future.
For I did not dare to set down in writing many of my own suggestions,
not knowing how they would be liked by those who should come after. But
whenever I found in the laws passed in the days of my kinsman Ine, or of
Offa, King of Mercia, or of Ethelbert, the first English convert to
Christianity, anything that seemed to me to be most justly decided, such
laws I gathered in and the others I left out.
I, then, Alfred, King of the West Saxons, showed these to all my witan,
and they then said that it seemed good to them all to be holden.
12. If a man burn or hew another’s wood without leave, let him pay for
every great tree with 5 shillings, and afterwards for each, let there be
as many of them as may be, with 5 pence; and 30 shillings as fine.
20. If a man entrust property to another man’s monk, without leave of
the monk’s lord, and it be lost from him, let him forfeit it who before
owned it.
34. It is also directed to chapmen, that they bring the men whom they
take up with them before the king’s reeve at the folk-moot, and let it
be stated how many of them there are; and let them take such men with
them as they may be able afterwards to present for justice at the
folk-moot.
37. If a man from one hall-register wish to seek a lord in another
hall-register, let him do it with the knowledge of the ealdorman whom he
before followed in his shire. If he do it without his knowledge, let him
who entertains him as his man pay 120 shillings as fine: let him,
however, give half to the king in the shire where he before followed,
half in that into which he comes.
38. If any man fight before the king’s ealdorman in the gemot, he shall
pay his value and his fine as the law ordains for any assault that he
may have committed, and in addition shall pay a fine of 120 shillings to
the ealdorman.
40. For breaking into the king’s dwelling, 120 shillings; the
archbishop’s, 90 shillings; any other bishop’s, and an ealdorman’s, 60
shillings; a twelve-hundred man’s, 30 shillings; a six-hundred man’s, 15
shillings. For breaking into a ceorl’s house, 5 shillings. If aught of
this happen when the national army is out, or in Lent-fast, let the
amends be twofold.
41. The man who has book-land, which his kindred left him, then ordain
we that he must not give it from his kindred, if there be writing or
witness that it was forbidden that he should do so by those men who at
first acquired it, and by those who gave it to him; and then let that be
declared in the presence of the king and of the bishop, before his
kinsmen.
42. We also command that the man who knows his foe to be dwelling at
home fight not before he demand right of him. If he have such power that
he can beset his foe, and besiege him within, let him keep him within
for 7 days, and attack him not, if he will remain within. And then,
after 7 days, if he will surrender, and deliver up his weapons, let him
be kept safe for 30 days, and let notice of him be given to his kinsmen
and his friends. If, however, he flee to a church, then let it be
according to the sanctity of the church; as we have before said above.
But if he have not sufficient power to besiege him within, let him ride
to the ealdorman, and beg aid of him. If he will not aid him, let him
ride to the king before he fights. In like manner also, if a man come
upon his foe, and he did not before know him to be settled in a house;
if he be willing to deliver up his weapons, let him be kept for 30 days,
and let notice of him be given to his friends; if he will not deliver up
his weapons, then he may attack him. If he be willing to surrender, and
to deliver up his weapons, and any one after that attack him, let him
pay value and wound, such as he may cause, and fine, and let him have
his power destroyed. We also declare that, with his lord a man may fight
without incurring penalty, if any one attack the lord: thus may the lord
fight for his man. After the same wise a man may fight with his born
kinsman, if a man attack him wrongfully, except against his lord; that
we do not allow.
43. To all free men let these days be given, but not to slaves and
servile labourers, 12 days at Yule, and the day on which Christ overcame
the devil, and the commemoration day of S. Gregory, and 7 days before
Easter and 7 days after, and one day at S. Peter’s tide and S. Paul’s,
and at harvest the whole week before S. Mary’s mass, and one day at the
celebration of All Hallows, and the 4 Wednesdays in the 4 Ember weeks.
To all slaves be given, to those to whom it may be most desirable to
give, whatever any man shall give them in God’s name, or they at any of
their moments may deserve.
49-60. [The wound-tariff.] Front tooth, 8 shillings; canine tooth, 4
shillings; grinder, 15 shillings; cleft chin-bone, 12 shillings. Thumb
struck off, 30 shillings; thumb-nail, 5 shillings. Shooting-finger, 15
shillings; its nail, 4 shillings. Middlemost finger, 12 shillings; its
nail, 2 shillings. Gold-finger, 17 shillings; its nail, 4 shillings.
Little finger, 9 shillings; its nail, 1 shilling. [Note that 1 Kentish
shilling equals 4 Wessex shillings.]
OHTHERE’S VOYAGE OF EXPLORATION, TOLD TO KING ALFRED.