Anno 1001.—In this year was much hostility in the land of the English through the ship force, and well nigh everywhere they ravaged and burned, so that they advanced in one course until they came to the town of Alton; and then there came against them the men of Hampshire, and fought against them.... And they went thence west until they came to Devon; and there Paley came to meet them, with the ships which he could gather, because he had fled from King Ethelred, contrary to all the plighted troth that he had given him; and the king had also well gifted him with houses, and with gold and with silver. And they burned Teignton, and also many other good towns which we are unable to name; and there, afterwards, peace was made with them. And they then went thence to Exmouth, so that they proceeded upwards in one course until they came to Pen: and there Cole, the king’s high reeve, and Edsy, the king’s reeve, went against them with the forces which they were able to gather together; and they there were put to flight, and there were many slain: and the Danish men had possession of the place of carnage. And the morning after, they burned the village of Pen and at Clifton, and also many goodly towns which we are unable to name, and then went again east until they came to the Isle of Wight; and on the morning after, they burned the town at Waltham, and many other small towns, and soon after a treaty was entered into with them, and they made peace.
Anno 1002.—In this year the king decreed, and his witan, that tribute should be paid to the fleet, and peace made with them, on condition that they should cease from their evil-doings. Then sent the king to the fleet Leofsy the ealdorman; and he then settled a truce with them by the king’s word, and his witan’s, and that they should receive food and tribute. And that they then accepted: and then were they paid twenty-four thousand pounds. Then during this, Leofsy the ealdorman slew Eafy the king’s high steward; and the king then banished him the land.... And in that year the king ordered all the Danish men who were in England to be slain. This was done on St. Brice’s mass day; because it was made known to the king that they would treacherously bereave him of his life, and afterwards all his witan; and after that have his kingdom without any gainsaying.
THE BATTLE OF MALDON (991).
Source.—Anglo-Saxon Poem, lines 481-637. Translated by E. A. Freeman.
[Note that the lines are to be read across the page.]
| Leofsuna spake out, | and his linden heaved, |
| his board to guard him; | he to the warrior quoth, |
| “I this promise | thence that I nill |
| flee a footstep, | but will further go, |
| to wreak in the fight | my lord and comrade. |
| Nor by Stourmere | any steadfast hero |
| with words need twit me | that I lordless |
| homeward should go, | and wend from the fight; |
| but me shall weapons meet | point and iron.” |
| Full of ire he waded, | fought he steadfastly, |
| on flight he thought not. | Dunnere then quoth, |
| his dart he made quake, | the valiant churl, |
| over all he cleped; | he bade that warriors each |
| Brihtnoth should wreak; | “Nought may he fear |
| who to wreak thinketh | his lord among the folk, |
| nor for his life mourn.” | Then they forth went, |
| for life they recked not. | Began then the house-men |
| hardly to fight, | fiercely spears bearing, |
| and to God they prayed | that they might wreak |
| their lord and comrade, | and on their foes |
| a fall might work. | Then there a hostage gan |
| gladly to help; | he was in Northumberland |
| of a hard kin, | Ecglaf’s bairn, |
| Æscferth was his name. | Nought then feared he |
| in the war-play, | and he poured forth |
| arrows enough; | one while he on board shot, |
| one while a warrior teased, | ever and anon he sold |
| some wounds, | the while he weapons |
| still might wield. | Then yet in rank stood |
| Eadward the Long, | ready and yearnful; |
| bold words spake he | that he would not flee |
| a footstep of land, | overback to bow, |
| while his better lay. | He broke the board-wall |
| and with the warriors fought, | till he his gift-giver |
| on the seamen | worthily wreaked, |
| ere he in slaughter lay. | So did Ætheric, |
| noble comrade, | eager forth to go, |
| fought he earnestly, | Sibriht’s brother, |
| and so many other | clave the keeled board, |
| keen they were, | burst they the boards, |
| and the hauberk sang | a grisly lay. |
| There in the fight slew | Offa the seamen, |
| till he on earth fell, | and Gadda’s kinsman |
| the ground sought; | rath was in battle |
| Offa down hewn, | yet had he furthered |
| that he his lord had pledged, | as he ere agreed |
| with his ring-giver | that they should both |
| to the borough ride | hale to home, |
| or in the host cringe | on the slaughter-place, |
| of their wounds die. | He lay thegnlike |
| his lord hard by. | Then were boards broken, |
| seamen waded on, | in the fight wrathful. |
| The spear oft waded through | the fey man’s life-house. |
| Forth then went Wistan | Thurstan’s son, |
| with the warmen fought he, | he was in the throng, |
| banesman of three of them, | ere him Wigeline’s bairn |
| in slaughter low laid. | There was stern meeting; |
| stood they fast | fighters in battle; |
| fighting they cringed, | with their wounds weary; |
| slaughter fell on earth. | Oswold and Ealdwold |
| all the while, | both brethren, |
| the warriors trimmed; | their fellow-kinsmen |
| with words they bade, | that they there at need |
| them should bear up, | and unweakly |
| their weapons use. | Brihtwold then spake, |
| his board heaving; | he was an old comrade; |
| his ash he made quake; | he full boldly |
| the warriors learned; | “Mind shall the harder be, |
| heart shall the keener be, | mood shall the more be, |
| as our main lessens. | Here lies our Elder, |
| all down hewn, | a good man in the dust; |
| ever may he groan | who now from this war-play |
| of wending thinketh. | I am old of life; |
| hence stir will I not, | and I by the half |
| of my lord, | by such a loved man |
| to lie am thinking.” | So Æthelgar’s bairn |
| then all cheered on, | Godric to battle: |
| Oft he the dart let go, | the death spear wound he |
| on the wikings. | |
COUNTRY LIFE AT THE END OF THE TENTH CENTURY.
A Master in a Monastery School questions his Pupil’s Companions and his Pupil.
Source.—Ælfric’s Colloquy. Thorpe’s Analecta Anglo-Saxonica. Translated by W.