THE GREAT BRETWALDA
Edwin had achieved the most excellent and most difficult work that
could have been undertaken in that age. He had established profound
peace which continued until his death. His sons Offrid and Eadfrid
had grown to be fine young men. The former was married and had a son
called Iffi, after the King's grandfather. Ethelburga had borne Edwin
four children--Eanflaed, born on the fatal day of the assassinations;
Ethelhun and Etheldrith, who died in infancy; and a son named Wuscfrea,
after the King's great-grandfather. The five paladins were constantly
in attendance on Edwin, ready with their services and advice; including
Godric, whose sons were old enough to manage his affairs in the country
of the Gainas, with the help of his man Wiglaf. Mary Audr (Nanna)
lived with her sister Braga at Stillingfleet, to be near her husband.
Bergliot, with her two sons and the royal children Oswin and Ebba,
was at Hemingborough, for the wife of Osric was dead, and he too was
generally with the King.
The most important matter requiring statesmanlike treatment was the
change of religion. The baptism of the King had led to a strong and
general tendency among the people in the same direction, but Edwin was
determined that no constraint should be used. The choice was to be
absolutely free. Rhunn ap Urien remained, baptizing all classes, and
by his preaching many believed on Christ. James the Deacon was a most
zealous missionary, and visited all parts of the country, explaining
the precepts of Christianity, catechising and baptizing. He was the
man whom Edwin would have preferred as bishop. But he found that the
dismissal of Paulinus would be painful to Ethelburga. He therefore
sent for the Roman monk, who was certainly a zealous preacher and a
man of ability. The interview took place in the same chamber where he
had failed to dupe the King. Edwin said to Paulinus, "Do your work
zealously as the bishop of my church. Preach and baptize. Attend to
the spiritual needs of my household and of that of the Queen. But
remember! there must be no miracles. In this country men are too shrewd
to be treated with such stimulants." Paulinus replied in a becoming
manner, and henceforward confined himself to legitimate work; and Pope
Honorius sent him the pall. The Bishop of York preached and baptized in
Bernicia and in Deira, and in the parts of Lindsey, where he converted
Blecca, thegn of the Lindiswaras, and all his family. A man named
Deda informed the Venerable Bede that a very old man had told him how
he, with a great number of people, was baptized in the river Trent by
Paulinus, near Southwell. Deda's informant even described the personal
appearance of the Roman Bishop. Edwin himself persuaded Eorpwald, who
had succeeded Redwald as King of East Anglia, to embrace Christianity
with all his people. There had been a close friendship between them
since the battle on the Idle. There was, however, a revolt of the party
adhering to the old religion, headed by a chief named Richbert, and
King Eorpwald was murdered. The worship of Woden again prevailed in
East Anglia for three years. Then Sigebert, a half-brother of Eorpwald,
who had been educated in France, succeeded in 630. The new King invited
a monk from Burgundy named Felix to assist him, and when he was made a
bishop, gave him Dunwich for his see. Under Sigebert and Felix the East
Anglians once more became Christians.
After much consultation with his paladins, the King resolved to build
a church of stone at York to replace the wooden baptistery, and to be
dedicated to St. Peter. Edwin entrusted the provision of materials to
Coelred, and the erection of the edifice to Sivel. The chief of the
Stillingas had organised a very efficient fleet to patrol the Humber
and its tributaries. There must be no more kidnapping. Every unknown
boat was stopped and examined, and the crews had to give a strict
account of themselves. A strong patrol was always maintained at the
junction of the Ouse and Wharfe. Coelred employed some of his vessels
to convey the blocks of limestone from Calcaria to York, and Porlor
superintended the work at the quarries. They were near the ford of
Nehalennia, and the brothers often remembered with affection the deity
worshipped by their gentle mother, and the memorable day when they
visited the shrine at Appleton with the Princess Alca. Sivel was well
able to design a working plan. He built with the objects of durability
and strength, constructing his walls by laying the stones in the
herring-bone fashion. Part of Sivel's walls may still be seen in the
crypt of York Minster. The work progressed steadily. The King dedicated
a large gold cross and a golden chalice for the use of his church of
St. Peter at York, which was not finished at the time of Edwin's death.
The paladins of Edwin desired that as Bretwalda of all Britain he
should assume some of the imperial state they had seen at the court of
the Emperor Maurice. Sivel called him Basileus and Sebastos in state
documents. His banners were borne before him when he rode about to
visit all parts of his dominions. On the occasions of his walking along
the streets a tuft of feathers fixed on a spear, called _Tufa_ by the
Romans, was carried before him. The privilege of performing this duty
belonged to Godric.
The King appointed a council consisting of Coelred, Porlor, and
Sivel to examine the code of laws established by Ethelbert, to adapt
them for use in Northumbria, and to prepare a code for submission to
the national "Witan." This assembly of notables of the kingdom was
called at regular intervals throughout the reign of Edwin. With some
alterations, they adopted the code proposed by the King as the laws
of Northumbria. When these great men returned to their homes they
were the means of making known the beneficent measures of the King,
and of impressing upon all men the importance of abiding by the law
and keeping the King's peace. "It was reported that there was then
such perfect peace in Britain, wheresoever the dominion of King Edwin
extended, that, as it is proverbially said, a woman with her new-born
babe might walk throughout the island from sea to sea without receiving
any harm." Once Porlor related to Edwin the story of his journey with
Coelred across the Vindhya Hills to Ujjayani in India, and described
the care of the Malwa Rajas for the comfort of their subjects by
building fountains along the road at intervals and planting trees. The
King was much struck by Porlor's account, and was anxious to imitate
a measure which must add so much to the convenience of travellers. He
saw the importance of encouraging traffic and movement of all kinds.
"In several places where he had seen clear springs near the highways he
caused stakes to be fixed with brass dishes hanging at them for the use
of passers-by; nor durst any man touch them for any other purpose than
that for which they were designed, either through the dread they had of
the King or for the affection which they bore him."
All matters relating to the currency were naturally entrusted to
Sivel, who was so well informed respecting the working of the mint at
Antioch. In Britain it was in a deplorable state of decadence. The
Roman coins of three metals were used long after the legions departed,
until those in circulation were quite worn out. The expedient was then
adopted of melting the defaced money of all three metals together,
from which very small coins were struck called _stycas_. They may
be considered to have been worth about a shilling of our time, with
reference to buying power. They had some letters or runes on them, but
nothing the meaning of which was intelligible, and no king's name.
Sivel began with a reform of the _stycas_. He caused Edwin's name as
King of the English to be clearly stamped on the obverse; his own name,
as the moneyer, with the place (EOFER), on the reverse, and a cross in
the centre. There was no room for more on these minute pieces. Sivel
was also anxious to introduce a silver penny like those of the Eastern
emperors, and he actually designed one. On the obverse was King Edwin's
head, with the inscription--
EDVIN : REX : A : BRET :
and on the reverse a winged figure of Alca, and the letters--
SIVEL : SERV : ALCA : DIV :
Several were struck; but it was found that the precious metals at the
command of Edwin's government were not sufficiently abundant to bring
it into circulation. Sivel had his mint and treasury at York, and he
taught several young English lads to read and write, so as to serve as
his scribes. He recorded the events of the reign, the measures that
were adopted, and even notes of important speeches delivered in the
Witan, such as those of Coifi and Saebald on the occasion of the debate
on the change of religion. No one can doubt that such a record once
existed who compares the number of anecdotes and incidents and speeches
chronicled by Bede respecting the reigns of Edwin and his immediate
successors with the meagre lists of dates and names and battles which
is all we are told of the other kings of the Heptarchy. Exclusive of
monkish miracles and discussions about the date of keeping Easter, no
other reign is to be compared with that of Edwin for the amount of
information that is given by Bede. It cannot, therefore, be disputed
that the good monk of Jarrow must have had before him either Sivel's
record or very full extracts from some such document.
Edwin's favourite residence always continued to be at Aldby, near the
grave of Alca, but the duties of administration made his sojourns at
York very frequent. He periodically visited all parts of his dominions.
In the far north he had a country seat called Adgefrin on the river
Glen, where the court often remained for a month at a time. Another
country seat was at Catterick, where the fine buildings of the Roman
station of Cataractonium were rendered fit for habitation. Here the
Deacon James eventually took up his permanent abode. Another was at
Campodunum--the modern Tanfield, near Ripon; another at Driffield
in the Wolds. At Barwick-in-Elmet the King sometimes resided in a
fortified house, near the lofty tumulus erected to the memory of
Hereric, the good Atheling. On these occasions he usually invited his
cousin Braga, with her saintly little daughters, to keep him company.
Coelred and Porlor snatched occasional intervals to rest from the
cares of state with their sisters at Stillingfleet. Good old Tanwin had
been gathered to his fathers, but his trusty son Froda was lieutenant
to the brothers, and they intended, in the fulness of time, that he
should succeed them as leader of the Stillingas. They enjoyed the rest
in the old home and the visits to Bergliot at Hemingborough, where they
played with the sons of their beloved Lilla, and taught them warlike
exercises. But what Coelred and Porlor loved most in their advancing
years was to sit or recline together on the grave of Shuprak, and talk
over the past of their eventful lives. Here they could pour out the
innermost thoughts of their hearts to each other, and revive all the
old memories. From the time that they were little boys they had loved
Alca with a pure and holy fervour which entirely prevented any other
woman from obtaining a place in their hearts. Now that she was gone,
the devoted, loving service was changed into worship and a tender
memory. They were, while this life lasted, all in all to each other. It
was a very pleasant spot. The mighty trees of the primeval forest, with
masses of ferns at their roots, overshadowed them, while a grassy slope
extended from Shuprak's grave to the bright little beck which babbled
over rounded pebbles under the willow trees. The quickset hedge and the
open gateway forming the boundary of the court of Stillingfleet were
visible on the crest of the opposite hill.
One evening, as they were reclining together against the mound over
their faithful dog, a clap of thunder rumbled in the distance. It
reminded both of the day of the kidnapping. For a long time neither
had spoken. How enjoyable is an occasional interval of silence by the
side of a dear friend! Coelred was the first to speak. "I remember," he
said, "when we all dashed wildly into the forest on that fateful day, I
turned my head for a moment and saw our mother standing in the gateway,
looking at us with her hand shading her eyes. We were near this very
spot." "Dear gentle mother!" said Porlor, "she never saw us or heard of
us again. Yet Alca must have cheered her last moments with her gracious
confidence that we should return." "I often think," said Coelred,
"that there is no difference between the parting of friends on earth
and the parting by death--at least it has been so in our case. We came
back and found father and mother and many friends cut off by death. We
left friends far away, and have never heard of them since. To us there
is no difference." "I think there is a difference," answered Porlor.
"Sivel heard of the wicked murder of the Emperor Maurice when he was at
Canterbury, and of the cruel slaughter of the good General Narses by
the usurper Phocas. How gladly would we have drawn our swords in their
defence, or to avenge their deaths! Of the rest of our far-off friends
we have heard nothing, it is true. But if we know our friends we can
make forecasts which cannot be far wrong. We may be certain that the
dear Guru ended his days happily and peacefully, and that death had no
terror for him. Good old Monas, after a few years of prayer under his
palm trees, passed away in the certainty that his doctrine was the true
one, and in the undoubting belief of reward hereafter. But I wonder
what has become of that strange young Arab, Muhammad ben Abdallah."
"No common fate," exclaimed Coelred. "I think that he now leads the
believers in some new religion that he has preached. Remember what old
Monas said."
They then talked of themselves, "And what of ourselves?" continued
Coelred. "The Valkyrie have been long in choosing us. Our turn cannot
be far off now. Are we ready, my brother?" "I believe," said Porlor,
"that we have done the work that was set before us with all our might.
That work cannot fail to appear to ourselves, and it certainly appears
to the world, to have been of service to our King and our countrymen.
Our country has been raised to great prosperity. Alca would have smiled
upon us. It is enough. We may rejoice when the Valkyrie choose us."
"But this great prosperity--this happiness enjoyed by our country--will
it last?" "No," said Porlor, "it cannot last. We must work on until
our appointed time, without comprehending the ways of the All-father.
There will be wild kings and confusion again and again. But of this
be certain:--No good work is ever wasted. All may appear hopeless to
those who come after us. They may think our work was in vain. But it
is not so. We have done little. Much of our seed is cast among thorns
or by the wayside. But some few seeds have fallen on good ground and
will bear fruit for ever. We are not unprofitable servants. Our work is
done. I feel that our time is near. My Coelred, we will die together."
They wound their arms round each other in a brotherly embrace, as they
had done under the palm trees by the Red Sea.
Presently the sound of horse's hoofs was heard, and Godric emerged from
the forest. He had come on a visit to Stillingfleet for a day or two,
and announced that on the third day they were all summoned to attend
the King to Adgefrin. The days passed away happily, and when the time
came, Coelred and Porlor bade their sisters a tender farewell. Mounting
their horses, they passed through the well-known old gateway for the
last time.
At the Aldwark they found the King engaged in conversation with
Bassus and Sivel. The great general was representing to Edwin that
neither Penda nor Cadwalla was a neighbour on whose good faith reliance
could be implicitly placed. Penda, the King of Mercia, had succeeded
in 626, not without suspicion that he had made away with his cousin
Kearl, the late King, by violence. He was a truculent, faithless man,
always committing aggressions on his neighbours, and ever thirsting
for blood. He had, however, freely acknowledged the Bretwaldaship of
Edwin, assisted him in his march to Wessex, and continued to profess
friendship. Bassus thought that he protested too much. Cadwalla,
the King of Gwynedd, although professing Christianity, was a more
brutal savage than Penda. He was endowed with some cunning, and also
professed friendship for the great Bretwalda. Bassus had reason for
suspecting that there was a secret understanding between the two
traitors. He was no alarmist, but there had been a long peace, and
the King was unsuspicious and over-confident. A sudden invasion would
find him unprepared. "What has happened to make you speak thus, my
Bassus?" asked the King. The faithful paladin was unable to say that
anything had actually happened. "Ah! you think we are rusting in the
long peace. If there should ever be war, which God forbid," he added
affectionately, "in Bassus will be our hope and our reliance." The
other friends had unbounded faith in the military sagacity of their
beloved companion. But Edwin would hear no more. Bassus and Sivel
remained at York. The rest fared northward, with the King and his
family, to the royal country seat of Adgefrin.