[Sidenote: Ann. 876. saith _Simon Dun._]
About the same time, or shortlie after, there came into England
one Rollo, a noble man of Denmarke or Norway, with a great armie, and
(notwithstanding the peace concluded betweene the Englishmen and the
Danes) began to waste and destroy the countrie. King Alured hearing
these newes, with all spéed thought best in the beginning to stop
such a common mischiefe, and immediatlie assembling his people, went
against the enimies, and gaue them battell, in the which there died a
great number of men on both sides, but the greater losse fell to Rollo
his armie. Yet Matthew Westmin. saith that the Englishmen were put to
flight. After this, it chanced that Rollo being warned in a dreame,
left England, & sailed ouer into France, where he found fortune so
fauourable to him, that he obteined in that region for him and his
[Sidenote: 30 yéeres after this he was baptised.]
people a countrie, the which was afterwards named Normandie, of those
northerne people which then began to inhabit the same, as in the
histories of France you maie sée more at large.
The Danes which had concluded peace with king Alured (as before you
haue heard) shortlie after vpon the first occasion, brake the
same, and by often inuasions which they made into the countrie of
Westsaxons, brought the matter to that passe, that there remained to
[Sidenote: King Alured driuen to his shifts.]
king Alured but onlie the three countries of Hamshire, Wiltshire, &
Summersetshire, in so much that he was constreined for a time to
kéepe himselfe close within the fennes and maresh grounds of
Summersetshire, with such small companies as he had about him,
constreined to get their liuing with fishing, hunting, and other
such shifts. He remained for the most part within an Ile called
[Sidenote: Edlingsey.]
Edlingsey, that is to say, the Iland of noble men, enuironed about
with fennes and mareshes.
[Sidenote: A vision if it be true.]
Whiles he was thus shut vp within this Iland, he was by dreame
aduertised of better hap shortlie to follow: for as it hath béene
said, saint Cuthbert appéered to him as he laie in sléepe, and
comforted him, declaring to him, that within a while fortune should so
turne, that he should recouer againe his kingdome to the confusion of
his enimies. And to assure him that this should prooue true, he told
him that his men which were gone abroad to catch fish, should bring
home great plentie, although the season was against them, by reason
that the waters were frosen, and that a cold rime fell that morning,
to the hinderance of their purpose. His mother also at that time being
in sleepe, saw the like vision. And as they had dreamed, so it came to
passe: for being awakened out of their sleepe, in came his men with so
great foison of fish, that the same might haue sufficed a great armie
of men, for the vittelling of them at that season.
[Sidenote: King Alured disguiseth himselfe. _Polydor, Fabian_.]
Shortlie after, king Alured tooke vpon him the habit of a
minstrell, and going foorth of his closure, repaired to the campe of
the Danish king, onelie accompanied with one trustie seruant, and
tarrieng there certeine daies togither, was suffered to go into euerie
part, and plaie on his instrument, as well afore the king as others,
so that there was no secret, but that he vnderstood it. Now when he
had séene and learned the demeanour of his enimies, he returned againe
to his people at Edlingsey, and there declared to his nobles what he
had séene and heard, what negligence was amongst the enimies, and how
easie a matter it should be for him to indamage them. Wherevpon they
conceiuing a maruellous good hope, and imboldened with his words, a
power was assembled togither, and spies sent foorth to learne and
bring woord where the Danes lodged: which being doone, and certificat
[Sidenote: _Henr. Hunt._ 877.]
made accordinglie, king Alured comming vpon them on the sudden,
slue of them a great number, hauing them at great aduantage.
[Sidenote: 878.]
About the same time the brother of king Halden came with thirtie
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
and three ships out of Wales into the countrie of Westsaxons, on
the coast of Deuonshire, where the Deuonshire men gaue him battell,
and slue him with 840 persons of his retinue. Other write, that Halden
himselfe was present at this conflict, with Inguare, otherwise called
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
Hungar, and that they were both slaine there, with twelue hundred
of their companie (before a certeine castell called Kinwith) receiuing
as they had deserued for their cruell dealing latelie by them
practised in the parties of Southwales, where they had wasted all
afore them with fire and swoord, not sparing abbeies more than other
common buildings.
King Alured being with that good lucke the more comforted, builded a
[Sidenote: Athelney.]
fortresse in the Ile of Edlingsey, afterwards called Athelney, and
breaking out oftentimes vpon the enimies, distressed them at sundrie
times with the aid of the Summersetshire men, which were at hand.
About the seuenth wéeke after Easter, in the seuenth yéere of his
reigne, king Alured went to Eglerighston, on the east part of Selwood,
where there came to him the people of Summersetshire, Wiltshire, &
Hamshire, reioising greatlie to sée him abroad. From thence he
[Sidenote: Edantdune. This battell should séeme the same that _Polydor_
speaketh of fought at Abingdon. _Polychron._ _Iohn Pike_.]
went to Edanton, & there fought against the armie of the Danes, and
chased them vnto their strength, where he remained afore them the
space of fouretéene daies. Then the armie of the Danes deliuered him
hostages and couenants to depart out of his dominions, and that their
king should be baptised, which was accomplished: for Gurthrun, whome
[Sidenote: Gurthrun or Gurmund baptised, and named Adelstan is made
king of Eastangle.]
some name Gurmond, a prince or king amongst these Danes, came to
Alured and was baptised, king Alured receiuing him at the fontstone,
named him Adelstan, and gaue to him the countrie of Eastangle, which
he gouerned (or rather spoiled) by the space of twelue yéeres.
Diuerse other of the Danish nobilitie to the number of thirtie (as
Simon Dunelmensis saith) came at the same time in companie of their
king Gurthrun, and were likewise baptised, on whòme king Alured
bestowed manie rich gifts. At the same time (as is to be thought) was
the league concluded betwixt king Alured and the said Gurthrun or
Gurmond, in which the bounds of king Alureds kingdome are set foorth
thus: "First therefore let the bounds or marshes of our dominion
stretch vnto the riuer of Thames, and from thence to the water of Lée,
euen vnto the head of the same water, and so foorth streight vnto
Bedford: and finallie going alongst by the riuer of Ouse, let them end
at Watlingstréet."
This league being made with the aduise of the same sage personages
as well English as those that inhabited within east England, is set
foorth in maister Lamberts booke of the old English lawes, in the end
of those lawes or ordinances which were established by the same king
Alured, as in the same booke ye may sée more at large.
* * * * *
_Th' English called diuers people Danes whom the French named Normans,
whervpon that generall name was giuen them; Gurmo Anglicus K. of
Denmark, whose father Frotto was baptised in England; the Danes
besiege Rochester, Alfred putteth them to flight, recouereth London
out of their hands, and committeth it to the custodie of duke Eldred
his sonne in law; he assaulteth Hasting a capteine of the Danes,
causeth him to take an oth, his two sonnes are baptised; he goeth
foorth to spoile Alfreds countrie, his wife, children, and goods,
&c: are taken, and fauourablie giuen him againe; the Danes besiege
Excester, they flie to their ships, gaine with great losse, they are
vanquished by the Londoners, the death of Alfred, his issue male and
female._