In the year 875, the army of the pagans, leaving Reopadun, divided into two bodies, one part of which, with Alfdan, proceeded to the country of the Northumbrians, and reduced the whole kingdom of Northumbria to subjection. Thereupon Erdulph, bishop of Lindisfarne, and abbat Edred carried away the body of Saint Cuthbert from the island of Lindisfarne and wandered about with it for a period of seven years. The other division of the army with Guder,79 Osbitel, and Amund, their three kings, wintered at Grantebrige.80

King Alfred, in a naval engagement with six ships of the pagans, captured one, and the rest escaped by flight.

In the year 876, the pagan king Halden divided Northumbria between himself and his followers. Reisig, king of the Northumbrians, died, and was succeeded by Egbert the Second. Rollo, the pagan, a Dane by birth, with his followers this year entered Normandy, on the fifteenth day before the calends of December; he was the first duke of the Normans, and on being baptized thirty years afterwards, was named Robert.

The above-mentioned army sallying forth by night from Grantebrige, entered a fortified place which is called Werham.81 On learning their sudden arrival, the king of the Saxons made a treaty with them, on condition that having first given hostages, they should depart from the kingdom. However, after their usual custom, caring nothing for hostages or oaths, they broke the treaty, and one night took the road to Examcester,& which in the British language is called Caer-wisc.84

85

In the year 877, the above-mentioned army left Examcester, and marching to Cyppanham, a royal town, passed the winter there. King Alfred in these days endured great tribulations, and lived a life of disquietude. In the same year also, Inguar and Haldene came from the country of the Demetæ, in which they had wintered, like ravening wolves, after having slaughtered multitudes of Christians there and burned the monasteries, and sailing to Devonshire, were slain there by the

79 The various reading supported by the other chronicles is Guthrum. 80 Cambridge. 81 Wareham. 82 The Danes, namely.. 83 Exeter, "the fortified city on the Ex." 84"The city on the river Wisc."

95 Chippenham.

96 The original has "De Meticâ regione," which is obviously an error for "de Demeticâ regione." The Demeta were the people of the coast of South Wales.

VOL. I.

E

most valiant thanes of king Alfred, together with twelve hundred men, at Cernwich," in which place the said king's thanes had shut themselves up for safety.

King Alfred being encouraged in a vision by Saint Cuthbert, fought against the Danes, at the time and place where the saint had commanded him; and having gained the victory, from that time forward was always invincible and a terror to the foe. For the king, putting his trust in the Lord, came with an immense army to the place which is called Edderandun,88 near which he found the forces of the enemy prepared for battle. On this, a severe battle being fought, which lasted the greater part of the day, the pagans were conquered and put to flight; the rest being hemmed in by the king's army, fearing the rigours of famine and cold, and dreading the severity of the king, with tears and entreaties, sued for peace, and offered hostages together with oaths. In addition to this, their king, whose name was Guthrum, declared that he wished to become a Christian; on which, king Alfred having granted all these requests, the above-named king of the pagans, together with thirty chosen men of his army, met him at a place which is called Aalr, and king Alfred, receiving him as his son by adoption, raised him from the holy font of baptism, and named him Ethelstan, and enriched him and all his companions who had been baptized with him, with many presents. He remained with the king twelve days, receiving during that time most honorable entertainment, and the king bestowed on him East Anglia, over which Saint Edmund had reigned.

89

In the year 878, the above-mentioned army of pagans left Scippanham" as they had promised, and coming to Cirencester remained there one year. In the same year also, an immense army of the pagans came from the parts beyond the sea to the river Thames, and joined the forces before-mentioned. In the same year, an eclipse of the sun took place, between the ninth hour9 and vespers.

In the year 879, the army of the pagans, leaving Cirencester, 57 More properly Kynwith, near Bideford, in North Devon. Hubberstone, the spot where Hubba was buried, is still pointed out.

89 Probably Edington, in Wiltshire.

89 Called also "Alre," or "Aller," near the isle of Athelney, in Somersetshire. 90 Chippenham.

91 Three o'clock in the afternoon. This eclipse took place on the 14th of March, 880.

proceeded to East Anglia, and parcelling out that country, began to take up their abode there. The pagans, who had passed the winter in the island of Hame, 92 began to visit France,93 and for one year took their quarters at Ghent.

In the year 880, the above-mentioned army of the pagans, having provided themselves with horses, came into the territories of the Franks, on which the Franks engaged them in battle, and came off victorious. The pagans, having now obtained horses, made incursions on every side. In these days, numerous monasteries in that kingdom were demolished and destroyed. In consequence of this, the brethren of the monastery of the abbat Saint Benedict, disinterred his remains from the tomb where they had been deposited, and taking them with them, wandered to and fro.

In the year 881, the above-mentioned army, having towed their ships up the river Meuse, into the interior of France, wintered there one year. In the same year, king Alfred, engaging in a naval fight with the ships of the pagans, overcame them, and took two, after having slain all that were in them. After this, he inflicted numerous wounds upon the commanders of two ships, till at last, laying down their arms, with prayers and entreaties they surrendered to him.

In the year 882, the army of the pagans so often mentioned, took possession of Cundoth," and quartered there one year. The army, which, under the command of Alfdene, the king of the pagans, had invaded Northumbria, had for some time been without a leader, in consequence, as I have already mentioned, of the slaughter of Alfdene and Inguar by the thanes of king Alfred: but now, having subdued the inhabitants of the country, they took possession of it, and began to take up their abode there, and to inhabit the districts of Northumbria that they had before laid waste.

Upon this, Saint Cuthbert, appearing in a vision to abbat Edred, commanded him to tell the bishop and all the army of the English and the Danes, that, paying the price of his redemption, they must redeem Cuthred, the son of Hardicanute, whom

92 This is the place which the other chroniclers call Fulenham, now Fulham, near London.

93 Roger of Wendover says that the Danes, who wintered at Fulham, "arrived from the parts of Gaul."

94 Or "Cundaht," now Condé, in France.

the Danes had sold as a slave to a certain widow at Wintingham, and when redeemed must make him their king. This was accordingly done, in the thirteenth year of the reign of king Alfred. Cuthred being thus raised to the throne, the episcopal see, which was previously in the island of Lindisfarne, was established at Cestre," anciently called Cuneceastre, seven years after its removal from the island of Lindisfarne. At this time also, the law of peace which Saint Cuthbert had also enjoined by means of the above-named abbat, (namely, that whoever should flee to his body, should enjoy peace without molestation from any one, for thirty-seven days,97) both king Cuthred and king Alfred enjoined as a law of perpetual observance. In addition to this, the above-named two kings, with the consent of all, had previously given, in augmentation of the former episcopal see, the whole territory between the Tyne and the Tees to Saint Cuthbert, for a perpetual possession: for long before this period, the bishopric of the church of Hagustald9 had ceased to exist. And whatever person, with what intent soever, should attempt to infringe these provisions, him with everlasting curses they condemned to the punishments of hell.

2

These

There belonged to the bishopric of Lindisfarne, from early times, Luguballia,99 or Luel, and Northam;' all the churches also, that lay between the river Tweed and the south Tyne, and beyond the uninhabited land, as far as the western side, at this period belonged to the above-named church. houses also belonged to the see, Carnhum and Culterham, and the two Gedewerdes, on the southern bank of the river Tyne, which bishop Egred built; Meilros also, and Tigbre, and Tinigham and Colingham, and Brigham, and Tillemuthe, and Northam, above-mentioned, which was anciently called Ubbanford. Mercwrede was also in the possession of this church, having been given with all its appurtenances by king Ceolwulph.

For this house the king, on renouncing the world, transferred 35 Whittingham, in Northumberland.

96 Chester-le-street, in Durham.

97 Roger of Wendover says a month.

99 Carlisle.

98 Hexham.

1 Or Norham, in Northumberland.

2 There is no doubt that the names of most of these places belonging to the bishopric of Lindisfarne, are shockingly misspelt in the text. "Melrose, in Roxburghshire.

together with himself to the church of Lindisfarne, of which, he became a monk, and fought for a heavenly kingdom. His body being afterwards brought into the church of the above-named town of Northam, became famous there, according to the report of the inhabitants of the place, for performing many miracles. It was through the agency of this king, after he had become a monk, that licence was granted to the monks of the church of Lindisfarne to drink wine or ale; for before that, they were accustomed to drink nothing but milk and water, according to the ancient tradition of Saint Aidan, the first bishop of that church, and of the monks, who, accompanying him from Scotland, had there, by the liberality of king Oswald, received a refuge, and with great severity of discipline, rejoiced to serve God.

Besides this, the above-named hishop Egred built a church at a place which is called Geinforde, and presented it to Saint Cuthbert; he also built Bellingham in Heorternesse, and two other towns, Becclif and Wigeclif, on the southern bank of the river Tees, which he gave to Saint Cuthbert, for the maintenance and support of his servants; and in like manner, Wodecester, and Whittingham, and Edulfingham, and Ecwlingham, being presented by king Ceolwulph, from an early period belonged to Saint Cuthbert.

In the year 883, pope Marinus, in his love for, and at the earnest entreaty of, king Alfred, obligingly made the school of the Saxons at Rome free from all tax and tribute; he also sent many gifts to that king, among which he gave him a large piece of the holy cross, upon which the Son of God was crucified for the salvation of mankind.

At this time the above-mentioned army of the pagans went the river Sunne to Amiens, and quartered themselves there one year.

up

In the time of king Alfred, there came into England one John, a Scot by birth, a man of shrewd intellect and of great eloquence. Having a long time previously left his country, he came to France to the court of Charles the Bald, by whom he was entertained with great respect, and was honored by him with his particular intimacy. He shared with the king both his serious and his more merry moments, and was the sole companion both of his table and his retirement. He was also a man of great facetiousness and of ready wit, of which 5 Probably Eglingham, in Northumberland.

• Somme.