the dragon and the raven-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


which　struck　them　on　the　back；　the　Danes　fell　in　great
numbers。　Edmund　commanded　at　one　of　the　breaches；　Egbert　at
another；　and　Oswald；　an　old　and　experienced　warrior；　at　the
third。

At　each　point　the　scene　was　similar。　The　Danes　struggled
up　the　mounds　only　to　fail　to　break　through　the　hedge　of
spears　which　crowned　them；　fast　numbers　dying　in　the　attempt；
while　as　many　more　fell　pierced　with　arrows。　For　an
hour　the　Danes　continued　their　desperate　efforts；　and　not
until　fifteen　hundred　had　been　slain　did　they　draw　off　to
their　camp；　finding　it　impossible　to　break　through　the　Saxon
defences。

Loud　rose　the　shouts　of　the　triumphant　Saxons　as　the
Danes　retired；　and　it　needed　all　the　efforts　of　their　leaders　to
prevent　them　from　pouring　out　in　pursuit；　but　the　events　of
the　preceding　year　had　taught　the　Saxon　leaders　how　often
their　impetuosity　after　success　had　proved　fatal　to　the　Saxons；
and　that　once　in　the　plain　the　Danes　would　turn　upon
them　and　crush　them　by　their　still　greatly　superior　numbers。
Therefore　no　one　was　allowed　to　sally　out；　and　the　discomfited
Danes　retired　unmolested。

The　next　morning　to　their　joy　the　Saxons　saw　that　the
invaders　had　broken　up　their　camp；　and　had　marched　away
in　the　night。　Scouts　were　sent　out　in　various　directions；　and
the　Saxons　employed　themselves　in　stripping　and　burying
the　Danes　who　had　fallen　within　the　fort；　only　a　few　of　the
most　distinguished　having　been　carried　off。　The　scouts
returned　with　news　that　the　Danes　had　made　no　halt；　but　had
departed　entirely　from　that　part　of　the　country。　Finding　that
for　the　present　they　were　free　of　the　invaders；　the　Saxons　left
the　fort　and　scattered　again；　to　rebuild　as　best　they　might
their　devastated　homes。

But　if　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Sherborne　the　Danes
had　been　severely　repulsed；　in　other　parts　of　the　kingdom
they　continued　to　make　great　progress；　and　the　feeling　of
despair　among　the　Saxons　increased。　Great　numbers　left
their　homes；　and　taking　with　them　all　their　portable
possessions；　made　their　way　to　the　sea…coast；　and　there　embarked
for　France；　where　they　hoped　to　be　able　to　live　peaceably　and
quietly。

Edmund　placed　no　hindrance　in　the　way　of　such　of　his
people　who　chose　this　course；　for　the　prospect　appeared
well…nigh　hopeless。　The　majority　of　the　Saxons　were　utterly
broken　in　spirit；　and　a　complete　conquest　of　the　kingdom　by　the
Danes　seemed　inevitable。　In　the　spring；　however；　of　877　King
Alfred　again　issued　an　urgent　summons。　A　great　horde　of
Danes　had　landed　at　Exeter　and　taken　possession　of　that　town；
and　he　determined　to　endeavour　to　crush　them。　He　sent　to
Edmund　begging　him　to　proceed　at　once　to　Poole；　where　the
king's　fleet　was　ready　for　sea；　and　to　embark　in　it　with　what
force　he　could　raise；　and　to　sail　and　blockade　the　entrance　to
the　river　Exe；　and　so　prevent　the　Danes　from　reinforcing　their
countrymen；　while　he　with　his　forces　laid　siege　to　Exeter。

Edmund　would　have　taken　his　own　vessel；　but　some　time
would　have　been　lost；　and　the　king's　ships　were　short　of　hands。
He　was　not　sorry；　indeed；　that　his　men　should　have　some
practise　at　sea；　and　taking　his　own　band；　in　which　the　vacancies
which　had　been　caused　in　the　defence　of　the　fort　had
been　filled　up；　he　proceeded　to　Poole。　Here　he　embarked
his　men　in　one　of　the　ships；　and　the　fleet；　comprising　twenty
vessels；　put　to　sea。

The　management　of　the　vessels　and　their　sails　was　in
the　hands　of　experienced　sailors；　and　Edmund's　men　had　no
duties　to　perform　except　to　fight　the　enemy　when　they　met
them。

The　news　of　the　siege　of　Exeter　reached　the　Danes　at
Wareham；　which　was　their　head…quarters；　and　120　vessels
filled　with　their　troops　sailed　for　the　relief　of　Exeter。

The　weather　was　unpropitious；　heavy　fogs　lay　on　the
water；　dissipated　occasionally　by　fierce　outbursts　of　wind。　The
Saxon　fleet　kept　the　sea。　It　was　well　that　for　a　time　the　Danish
fleet　did　not　appear　in　sight；　for　the　Saxons；　save　the
sailors；　were　unaccustomed　to　the　water；　and　many　suffered
greatly　from　the　rough　motion；　and　had　the　Danes　appeared
for　the　first　week　after　the　fleet　put　to　sea　a　combat　must
have　been　avoided；　as　the　troops　were　in　no　condition　to
fight。

Presently；　however；　they　recovered　from　their　malady
and　became　eager　to　meet　the　enemy；　Edmund　bade　his　men
take　part　in　the　working　of　the　ship　in　order　to　accustom
themselves　to　the　duties　of　seamen。　The　fleet　did　not　keep
the　sea　all　the　time；　returning　often　to　the　straits　between
the　Isle　of　Wight　and　the　mainland；　where　they　lay　in　shelter；
a　look…out　being　kept　from　the　top　of　the　hills；　whence　a　wide
sweep　of　sea　could　be　seen；　and　where　piles　of　wood　were
collected　by　which　a　signal　fire　could　warn　the　fleet　to　put　to
sea　should　the　enemy's　vessels　come　in　sight。

A　full　month　passed　and　the　Saxons　began　to　fear　that
the　Danes　might　have　eluded　them；　having　perhaps　been
blown　out　to　sea　and　having　made　the　land　again　far　to　the
west。　One　morning；　however；　smoke　was　seen　to　rise　from
the　beacon　fire。　The　crews　who　were　on　shore　instantly　hurried
on　board。　From　the　hills　the　Danish　fleet　was　made　out
far　to　the　west　and　was　seen　to　be　approaching　the　land　from
seaward；　having　been　driven　far　out　of　its　course　by　the　winds。

The　weather　was　wild　and　threatening　and　the　sailors
predicted　a　great　storm。　Nevertheless　the　fleet　put　to　sea
and　with　reefed　sails　ran　to　the　west。　Their　vessels　were　larger
than　the　Danish　galleys　and　could　better　keep　the　sea　in　a
storm。　Many　miles　were　passed　before；　from　the　decks；　the
Danish　flotilla　could　be　seen。　Presently；　however；　a　great
number　of　their　galleys　were　discerned　rowing　in　towards
Swanage　Bay。

In　spite　of　the　increasing　fury　of　the　wind　the　Saxons
spread　more　sail　and　succeeded　in　intercepting　the　Danes。　A
desperate　fight　began；　but　the　Danes　in　their　low；　long
vessels　had　all　they　could　do　to　keep　afloat　on　the　waves。
Many　were　run　down　by　the　Saxons。　The　showers　of　arrows　from
their　lofty　poops　confused　the　rowers　and　slew　many。　Sweeping
along　close　to　them　they　often　broke　off　the　oars　and
disabled　them。　Sometimes　two　or　three　of　the　Danish　galleys
would　try　to　close　with　a　Saxon　ship；　but　the　sea　was　too
rough　for　the　boats　to　remain　alongside　while　the　men　tried
to　climb　up　the　high　sides；　and　the　Saxons　with　their　spears
thrust　down　those　who　strove　to　do　so。　Confusion　and　terror
soon　reigned　among　the　Danes；　and　fearing　to　try　to　escape
by　sea　in　such　a　storm　made　for　the　shore；　hotly　pursued
by　the　Saxons。

But　the　shore　was　even　more　inhospitable　than　their
foes。　Great　rocks　bordered　the　coast；　and　upon　these　the
galleys　were　dashed　into　fragments。　The　people　on　shore；
who　had　gathered　at　the　sight　of　the　approaching　fleets；　fell
upon　such　of　the　Danes　as　succeeded　in　gaining　the　coast；
and　everyone　who　landed　was　instantly　slain。　Thus；　partly
from　the　effects　of　the　Saxon　fleet　but　still　more　from　that　of
the　storm；　the　whole　of　the　Danish　fleet　of　one　hundred　and
twenty　vessels　was　destroyed；　not　a　single　ship　escaping　the
general　destruction。





CHAPTER　VII：　THE　DRAGON



The　Danes　at　Exeter；　being　now　cut　off　from　all　hope
of　relief；　asked　for　terms；　and　the　king　granted　them
their　lives　on　condition　of　their　promising　to　leave
Wessex　and　not　to　return。　This　promise　they　swore　by　their
most　solemn　oaths　to　observe；　and　marching　northward
passed　out　of　Wessex　and　settled　near　Gloucester。　Some　of
the　Saxons　thought　that　the　king　had　been　wrong　in　granting
such　easy　terms；　but　he　pointed　out　to　the　ealdormen
who　remonstrated　with　him　that　there　were　many　other　and
larger　bands　of　Danes　in　Mercia　and　Anglia；　and　that　had　he
massacred　the　band　at　Exeterand　this　he　could　not　have
done　without　the　loss　of　many　men；　as　assuredly　the　Danes
would　have　fought　desperately　for　their　livesthe　news　of
their　slaughter　would　have　brought　upon　him　fresh　invasions
from　all　sides。

By　this　time　all　resistance　to　the　Danes　in　Mercia　had
ceased。　Again　and　again　King　Burhred　had　bought　them
off；　but　this　only　brought　fresh　hordes　down　upon　him；　and
at　last；　finding　the　struggle　hopeless；　he　had　gone　as　a
pilgrim　to　Rome；　where　he　had　died。　The　Danes　acted　in　Mercia
as　they　had　done　in　Northumbria。　They　did　not　care；　themselves；
to　settle　down　for　any　length　of　time；　and　therefore
appointed　a　weak　Saxon　thane；　Ceolwulf；　as　the　King　of　Mercia。
He　ruled　cruelly　and　extorted　large　revenues　from　the
land…owners；　and　robbed　the　monasteries；　which　had　escaped
destruction；　of　their　treasures。

The　Danes　suffered　him　to　pursue　this　course　until　he
had　amassed　great　wealth；　when　they　swooped　down　upon
him；　robbed　him　of　all　he　possessed；　and　took　away　the　nominal
kingship　he　had　held。　As　there　was　now　but　little　fresh
scope　for　plundering　in　England　many　of　the　Danes　both　in
Anglia　and　Mercia　settled　down　in　the　cities　and　on　the　lands
which　they　had　taken　from　the　Saxons。

The　Danes　who　had　gone　from　Exeter　were　now　joined
by　another　band　which　had　landed　in　South　Wales。　The　latter；
finding　but　small　plunder　was　to　be　obtained　among　the
mountains　of　that　country；　moved　to　Gloucester；　and　joining
the　band　there　proposed　a　fresh　invasion　of　Wessex。　The
Danes；　in　spite　of　the　oaths　they　had　sworn　to　Alfred；　and
the　hostages　they　had　left　in　his　hands；　agreed　to　the　proposal；
and　early　in　the　spring　of　878　the　bands；　swollen　by
reinforcements　from　Mercia；　marched　into　Wiltshire　and　captured
the　royal　castle　of　Chippenham　on　the　Avon。　From　this　point
they　spread　over　the　country　and　destroyed　everything
with　fire　and　sword。　A　general　panic　seized　the　inhabitants。
The　better　class；　with　the　bishops；　priests；　and　monks；
made　for　the　sea…coasts　and　thence　crossed　to　France；　taking
with　them　all　their　portable　goods；　with　the　relics；　precious
stones；　and　ornaments　of　the　churches　and　monasteries。

Another　party　of　Danes　in　twenty…three　ships　had　landed
in　Devonshire。　Here　the　ealdorman　Adda　had　constructed　a
castle　similar　to　that　which　Edmund　had　built。　It　was　fortified
by　nature　on　three　sides　and　had　a　strong　rampart　of
earth　on　another。　The　Danes　tried　to　starve　out　the　defenders
of　the　fort；　but　the　Saxons　held　out　for　a　long　time；　although
sorely　pressed　by　want　of　water。　At　last　they　sallied
out　one　morning　at　daybreak　and　fell　upon　the　Danes　and
utterly　defeated　them；　only　a　few　stragglers　regaining　their
ships。

A　thousand　Danes　are　said　to　have　been　slain　at　Kynwith；
but　this　was　an　isolated　success；　in　all　other　parts　of　the
kingdom　panic　appeared　to　have　taken　possession　of　the　West
Saxons。　Those　who　could　not　leave　the　country　retired　to
the　woods；　and　thence；　when　the　Danes　had　passed　by；　leaving
ruin　and　desolation　behind　them；　they　sallied　out　and
again　began　to　till　the　ground　as　best　they　could。　Thus　for　a
time　the　West　Saxons；　formerly　so　valiant　and　determined；
sank　to　the　condition　of　serfs；　for　when　all　resistance　ceased
the　Danes　were　well　pleased　to　see　the　ground　tilled；　as
otherwise　they　would　speedily　have　run　short　of　stores。

At　the　commencement　of　the　invasion　Edmund　had
marched　out　with　his　band　and　had　inflicted　heavy　blows
upon　parties　of　plunderers；　but　he　soon　perceived　that　the
s