Here is to be noted, that writers name diuerse of the Danish capteins,
kings (of which no mention is made in the Danish chronicles) to reigne
in those parties. But true it is, that in those daies, not onelie the
Danish people, but also other of those northeast countries or regions,
as Swedeners, Norwegians, the Wondens, and such other (which the
English people called by one generall name Danes, and the Frenchmen
Normans) vsed to roaue on the seas, and to inuade forren regions, as
England, France, Flanders, and others, as in conuenient places ye may
find, as well in our histories, as also in the writers of the French
histories, and likewise in the chronicles of those north regions. The
[Sidenote: Gurmo.]
writers verelie of the Danish chronicles make mention of one Gurmo,
whome they name Anglicus, bicause he was borne here in England,
which succeeded his father Frotto in gouernement of the kingdome of
Denmarke, which Frotto receiued baptisme in England, as their stories
tell.
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._ 878.]
In the eight yéere of king Alfred his reigne, the armie of the
Danes wintered at Cirencester, and the same yéere an other armie of
strangers called Wincigi laie at Fulham, and in the yéere following
departed foorth of England, and went into France, and the armie of
[Sidenote: 879.]
king Godrun or Gurmo departed from Cirencester, and came into
Eastangle, and there diuiding the countrie amongst them, began to
inhabit the same. In the 14 yéere of king Alfred his reigne, part
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ _Matth. West_]
of the Danish armie which was gone ouer into France, returned into
[Sidenote: Rochester beseiged. 885.]
England and besieged Rochester. But when Alfred approched to the
reskue, the enimies fled to their ships, and passed ouer the sea
againe. King Alfred sent a nauie of his ships well furnished with men
of warre into Eastangle, the which at the mouth of the riuer called
Sture, incountering with 16 ships of the Danes, set vpon them, and
ouercame them in fight: but as they returned with their prises, they
incountered with another mightie armie of the enimies, and fighting
with them were ouercome and vanquished. In the yeere following,
[Sidenote: 889.]
king Alfred besieged the citie of London, the Danes that were within
fled from thence, and the Englishmen that were inhabitants thereof
[Sidenote: London recouered out of the hands of the Danes.]
gladlie receiued him, reioising that there was such a prince bred
of their nation, that was of power able to reduce them into libertie.
This citie being at that season the chiefe of all Mercia, he deliuered
into the kéeping of duke Eldred, which had maried his daughter
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ Ethelfleda. Colwolphas.]
Ethelfleda, & held a great portion of Mercia, which Colwolphus before
time possesed by the grant of the Danes, after they had subdued K.
Burthred (as before is said.) About the 21 yere of K. Alfred, an
[Sidenote: Limer, now Rother. Andredeslegia. A castell built at
Appledore. 893]
armie of those Danes & Normans, which had béene in France, returned
into England, and arriued in the hauen or riuer of Limene in the east
part of Kent, néere to the great wood called Andredesley, which did
conteine in times past 120 miles in length, and thirtie in breadth.
These Danes landing with their people builded a castle at Appledore.
In the meane time came Hasting with 80 ships into the Thames, and
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ At Milton. Hasting the capteine of the Danes
besieged. He receiueth an oth.]
builded a castle at Middleton, but he was constreined by siege
which king Alfred planted about him, to receiue an oth that he should
not in any wise annoie the dominion of king Alfred, who vpon his
promise to depart, gaue great gifts as well to him as to his wife and
children. One of his sonnes also king Alfred held at the fontstone,
and to the other duke Aldred was god father. For (as it were to win
credit, and to auoid present danger) Hasting sent vnto Alfred these
his two sonnes, signifieng that if it stood with his pleasure, he
could be content that they should be baptised. But neuerthelesse this
Hasting was euer most vntrue of word and déed, he builded a castle at
Beamfield. And as he was going foorth to spoile and wast the kings
[Sidenote: Beanfield saith _M. West._]
countries, Alfred tooke that castle, with his wife, children, ships
[Sidenote: This enterprise was atchiued by Etheldred duke of Mercia
in the absence of the king, as _Matth. West._ hath noted]
and goods, which he got togither of such spoiles as he had abroad:
but he restored vnto Hasting his wife and children, bicause he was
their godfather.
Shortlie after, newes came that a great number of other ships of
[Sidenote: Excester besieged.]
Danes were come out of Northumberland, and had besieged Excester.
Whilest king Alfred went then against them, the other armie which lay
at Appledore inuaded Essex, and built a castell in that countrie, and
after went into the borders of Wales, and builded another castell
[Sidenote: Seuerne.]
neere vnto the riuer of Seuerne: but being driuen out of that
countrie, they returned againe into Essex. Those that had besieged
Excester, vpon knowledge had of king Alfreds comming, fled to their
ships, and so remaining on the sea, roaued abroad, séeking preies.
[Sidenote: Chester taken by Danes.]
Besides this, other armies there were sent foorth, which comming
out of Northumberland tooke the citie of Chester, but there they
[Sidenote: Great famine]
were so beset about with their enimies, that they were constreined to
eate their horsses. At length, in the 24 yéere of king Alfred, they
left that citie, and fetcht a compas about Northwales, and so
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
meaning to saile round about the coast to come into Northumberland,
they arriued in Essex, and in the winter following drew their ships by
[Sidenote: The water of Luie, now Lée.]
the Thames into the water of Luie. That armie of Danes which had
besieged Excester, tooke preies about Chichester, and was met with, so
that they lost manie of their men, and also diuerse of their ships.
In the yéere following, the other armie which had brought the ships
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
into the riuer Luie, began to build a castell néere to the same
riuer, twentie miles distant from London: but the Londoners came
[Sidenote: The Londoners victors against the Danes.]
thither, and giuing battell to the Danes, slue foure of the chiefe
capteins. But by Simon Dunel. and Matt. Westm. it should seeme, that
the Londoners were at this time put to flight, and that foure of the
kings barons were slaine in fight, Howbeit Henrie Hunt. hath written
as before I haue recited; and further saith, that when the Danes fled
for their refuge to the castell, king Alfred caused the water of Luie
to be diuided into thrée chanels, so that the Danes should not bring
backe their ships out of the place where they laie at anchor. When the
Danes perceiued this, they left their ships behind them, and went
[Sidenote: Quathbridge or Wakebridge.]
into the borders of Wales, where at Cartbridge vpon Seuerne they built
another castell, and lay there all the winter following, hauing left
their wiues and children in the countrie of Eastangles. King Alfred
pursued them, but the Londoners tooke the enimies ships, and brought
some of them to the citie, and the rest they burnt.
Thus for the space of thrée yéeres after the arriuing of the maine
armie of the Danes in the hauen of Luie, they sore indamaged the
English people, although the Danes themselues susteined more losse at
the Englishmens hands than they did to them with all pilfering and
[Sidenote: The Danish armie diuided into parts.]
spoiling. In the fourth yéere after their comming, the armie was
diuided, so that one part of them went into Northumberland, part of
them remained in the countrie of Eastangles, & another part went
into France. Also certeine of their ships came vpon the coast of the
Westsaxons, oftentimes setting their men on land to rob and spoile the
countrie. But king Alfred tooke order in the best wise he might for
defense of his countrie and people, and caused certeine mightie
vessels to be builded, which he appointed foorth to incounter with the
enimies ships.
[Sidenote: The death of king Alfred.]
Thus like a worthie prince and politike gouernor, he preuented
each way to resist the force of his enimies, and to safegard his
subiects. Finallie after he had reigned 29 yéeres and an halfe, he
departed this life the 28 day of October. His bodie was buried at
[Sidenote: His issue.]
Winchester: he left behind him issue by his wife Ethelwitha the
daughter vnto earle Ethelred of Mercia, two sonnes, Edward surnamed
the elder, which succéeded him, and Adelwold: also thrée
[Sidenote: Elfleda.]
daughters, Elfleda or Ethelfleda, Ethelgeda or Edgiua, and Ethelwitha.
* * * * *
_How Elfleda king Alfreds daughter (being maried) contemned fleshlie
pleasure; the praise of Alfred for his good qualities, his lawes for
the redresse of theeues, his diuiding of countries into hundreds and
tithings, of what monasteries he was founder, he began the foundation
of the vniuersitie of Oxford, which is not so ancient as Cambridge by
265 yeeres; king Alfred was learned, his zeale to traine his people
to lead an honest life, what learned men were about him, the pitifull
murthering of Iohn Scot by his owne scholers, how Alfred diuided the
24 houres of the day and the night for his necessarie purposes, his
last will and bequests; the end of the kingdome of Mercia, the Danes
haue it in their hands, and dispose it as they list, Eastangle and
Northumberland are subiect vnto them, the Northumbers expell Egbert
their king, his death; the Danes make Guthred king of Northumberland,
priuileges granted to S. Cuthberts shrine; the death of Guthred, and
who succeeded him in the seat roiall._