the dragon and the raven-第41章

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married　couple；　the　novelty　of　the　occasion　drawing　a　vast
crowd　of　spectators。

A　few　days　later　the　Dragon　again　put　to　sea；　and　after　a
speedy　voyage　with　favourable　weather　arrived　in　England
without　further　adventure。　Edmund's　arrival　at　home　was
the　occasion　of　great　rejoicings。　The　news　of　the　share　which
the　Dragon　and　her　crew　had　taken　in　the　defence　of　Paris
had　reached　England；　but　none　knew　what　had　become　of
her　from　that　time；　and　when　months　had　passed　without
tidings　of　her　being　received　it　was　generally　supposed　that
she　must　have　been　lost。

Her　return　laden　with　rich　booty　excited　the　greatest
enthusiasm；　and　the　king　himself　journeyed　to　Sherborne　to
welcome　Edmund　on　his　arrival　there。

〃So　this　is　the　reason；〃　he　said　smiling；　when　Edmund
presented　Freda　to　him；　〃why　you　were　ever　so　insensible　to
the　attractions　to　our　Saxon　maidens！　Truly　the　reason　is　a
fair　one　and　fully　excuses　you；　and　right　glad　am　I　to　welcome
your　bonnie　bride　to　our　shores。〃

Alfred　remained　three　days　at　Sherborne　and　then　left
Edmund　to　administer　the　affairs　of　his　earldom；　for　which　a
substitute　had　been　provided　in　his　absence。　The　large　plunder
which　the　Dragon　had　brought　home　had　enriched　all
who　had　sailed　in　her；　and　greatly　added　to　the　prosperity
which　prevailed　in　Edmund's　district。

He　found　that　in　his　absence　Alfred　had　introduced　many
changes。　The　administration　of　justice　was　no　longer　in　the
hands　of　the　ealdormen；　judges　having　been　appointed　who
journeyed　through　the　land　and　administered　justice。
Edmund　highly　approved　of　the　change；　for　although　in　most
cases　the　ealdormen　had　acted　to　the　best　of　their　powers
they　had　a　great　deal　of　other　business　to　do；　besides；　their
decisions　necessarily　aggrieved　one　party　or　the　other　and
sometimes　caused　feuds　and　bad　feelings；　and　were　always
liable　to　be　suspected　of　being　tinged　with　partiality；　whereas
the　judges　being　strangers　in　the　district　would　give　their
decisions　without　bias　or　favour。

Freda　had；　as　was　the　custom；　taken　a　new　name　in　baptism；
but　at　Edmund's　request　her　name　had　only　been
changed　to　the　Christian　one　of　Elfrida；　and　Edmund　to　the
end　of　his　life　continued　to　call　her　by　her　old　name。　She
speedily　became　as　popular　in　the　earldom　as　was　her　husband。

Siegbert；　who　had　been　christened　Harold；　took　kindly
to　his　new　life。　Between　him　and　Egbert　a　great　friendship
had　sprung　up；　and　Edmund　built　for　their　joint　use　a　house
close　to　his　own。

In　884　Alfred　heard　that　the　Danes　of　East　Anglia　were
in　correspondence　with　their　countrymen　at　home　and　in
France；　and　that　there　was　danger　that　the　peace　of　England
would　be　disturbed。　The　thanes　were　therefore　bidden　to
prepare　for　another　struggle；　to　gather　sufficient　arms　in
readiness　for　all　the　able…bodied　men　in　their　district；　and　to
call　out　their　contingents　from　time　to　time　to　practise　in　the
use　of　arms。

The　ealdormen　whose　seats　of　government　bordered
on　the　sea　were　ordered　to　construct　ships　of　war；　so　that　any
Danish　armament　might　be　met　at　sea。　Edmund　was　appointed
to　command　this　fleet；　and　was　instructed　to　visit
the　various　ports　to　superintend　the　construction　of　the　ships；
and　when　they　were　completed　to　exercise　their　crews　in　naval
maneuvers。

The　winter　of　884　was　spent　by　Edmund　in　the　performance
of　these　duties。　The　Dragon　was　again　fitted　out；　and
in　her　he　cruised　from　port　to　port。　Freda；　who　was
passionately　fond　of　the　sea；　accompanied　him；　as　did　Siegbert
and　Egbert。　It　was　not　until　May　in　885　that　the　threatened
invasion　took　place。　Then　the　news　came　to　the　king　that　the
Danes　had　landed　in　large　numbers　near　Rochester　and　had
laid　siege　to　the　town。　The　king　instantly　summoned　his　fighting
array；　and　in　a　few　days　moved　at　the　head　of　a　large
army　towards　Kent。　Rochester　was　defending　itself　valiantly。
The　Danes　erected　a　great　tower　opposite　to　the　principal
gate；　and　overwhelming　the　defenders　on　the　walls　with　their
missiles　endeavoured　to　force　their　way　in　by　battering　down
the　gate。

The　inhabitants；　however；　piled　great　masses　of　stone
behind　it；　and　even　when　the　gate　was　battered　in　the　Danes；
with　all　their　efforts；　were　unable　to　force　an　entrance。　The
Saxon　army　advanced　with　such　celerity　that　the　Danes　had
received　no　news　of　their　coming　until　they　were　close　at
hand。　Then　one　of　their　foraging　parties　arrived　with　the
intelligence　that　a　great　Saxon　army　was　upon　them。　The
Danes　were　seized　with　a　sudden　panic；　and　fled　precipitately
to　their　ships；　leaving　behind　them　the　horses　they　had
brought　from　France；　their　stores；　and　all　the　prisoners　and
spoil　they　had　gathered　in　their　incursions　in　the
neighbourhood　of　Rochester。　Seeing　how　well　the　Saxons
were　prepared　for　resistance　the　greater　portion　of　the　Danes
crossed　to　France；　but　sixteen　of　their　vessels　entered　the
Stour　and　joined　their　allies　of　East　Anglia。

Alfred　ordered　his　fleet　to　assemble　in　the　Medway；　and
in　a　fortnight　the　vessels　from　all　the　southern　ports　arrived。
They　were　filled　with　fighting　men；　and　sailed　to　attack　the
Danes　in　the　Stour；　after　which　the　force　was　to　land　and　to
inflict　a　severe　punishment　upon　East　Anglia。　On　hearing
of　the　gathering　of　the　Saxon　fleet　Athelstan　sent　across　to
France　and　begged　the　Danes　to　come　to　his　assistance；　but
none　of　their　vessels　had　arrived　when　the　Saxon　fleet　reached
the　mouth　of　the　Stour。

The　fighting　force　on　board　the　Danish　ships　had　been
largely　reinforced　by　their　countrymen　of　East　Anglia；　and　in
a　close　body　they　rowed　out　to　give　battle　to　the　Saxons。　A
desperate　fight　ensued；　but　after　a　struggle；　which　continued
for　many　hours；　the　Danes　were　completely　defeated；　the
whole　of　their　vessels　were　captured；　and　all　on　board　put　to
the　sword。

On　the　following　day　the　army　landed　and　ravaged　the
surrounding　country　and　returned　to　the　ships　with　much
booty。　As　they　sailed　out　of　the　river　they　saw　a　vast　fleet　of
the　enemy　approaching。　Athelstan　had　assembled　his　ships
from　all　the　ports　of　East　Anglia；　and　had　been　joined　by　a
large　reinforcement　of　his　countrymen　from　France。　The
Saxons　were　greatly　outnumbered；　but　a　portion　of　the　fleet
fought　with　great　bravery。　Some　of　the　ships；　however；　being
manned　with　newly…collected　crews　unaccustomed　to　naval
war；　lost　heart；　and　made　but　a　poor　resistance。

Alfred　was　on　board　the　Dragon；　which　sank　several　of
the　Danish　galleys；　and　with　some　of　her　consorts　continued
the　fight　until　nightfall；　beating　off　every　attempt　of　the　Danes
to　board　them。　Seeing　that　several　of　the　ships　had　been
captured；　that　others　had　taken　to　flight；　and　that　there　was
no　longer　a　hope　of　victory；　Alfred　gave　the　signal；　and　the
Dragon　and　her　remaining　consorts　fought　their　way　through
the　Danish　fleet　and　made　their　escape。

The　valour　which　the　Saxons　had　shown　in　these　two
sea…fights；　and　the　strength　of　the　army　with　which　Alfred
had　so　speedily　marched　to　the　relief　of　Rochester；　greatly
impressed　the　enemy；　and　although　Rollo　came　across　from
Normandy　to　the　assistance　of　Athelstan；　the　Danes　concluded
that　it　was　better　to　leave　the　Saxons　to　themselves。

Alfred　in　the　following　spring　again　assembled　his　army
and　laid　siege　to　London；　which　was　still　in　the　possession　of
the　Danes。　Athelstan　did　not　venture　to　march　to　its　assistance；
and　the　town；　which　had　long　been　In　the　Northmen's
hands；　was　captured。　The　greater　portion　of　the　city　was
burned　in　the　siege。　Alfred　ordered　it　to　be　rebuilt；　invited
its　former　inhabitants　to　return；　and　offered　privileges　to　all
who　would　take　up　their　abode　there。　The　walls　were　rebuilt；
and　the　city　placed　in　a　position　of　defence。　Alfred
then　handed　it　over　to　Ethelred；　the　ealdorman　of　Mercia。

Peace　was　now　made　with　Athelstan；　and　for　some　years
remained　unbroken。　In　893　a　Danish　fleet　of　250　ships　sailed
across　from　Boulogne　and　landed　in　the　Weald　of　Kent；　which
was　then　covered　with　a　great　forest；　and　there　wintered；　while
the　viking　Hasting　with　eighty　ships　sailed　up　the　Thames
and　built　a　strong　fort　at　Milton。

Alfred　stationed　his　army　in　a　strong　position　half…way
between　the　forest　and　the　Danish　camp　at　Milton；　so　that　he
could　attack　either　army　when　they　moved　out　of　their　stronghold。
The　Danes　for　many　months　remained　in　the　forest；
issuing　out　occasionally　to　plunder　in　the　open　country　of
Kent；　Sussex；　and　Hampshire；　but　they　met　with　a　stout　resistance
from　the　Saxons　who　had　remained　in　the　towns　and　country。

After　Easter；　having　collected　a　considerable　amount　of
spoil；　and　finding　the　resistance　ever　increasing；　the　Danes
moved　northwards　from　their　forest；　intending　to　march　into
Essex。　The　king's　forces　at　once　set　off　to　intercept　them；
and　overtook　them　at　Farnham；　where　the　Northmen　were
completely　defeated。　All　their　booty　was　recaptured；　with
their　horses　and　stores。　Those　who　escaped　fled　across　the
Thames　and　took　refuge　on　an　island　in　the　Colne。　The
Saxons　besieged　them　there；　but　when　the　Danes　were　about
to　surrender　from　want　of　provisions　the　news　arrived　that
the　Northmen　of　Northumbria　and　East　Anglia；　with　240
ships；　had　landed　suddenly　in　Devonshire；　and　had　laid　siege
to　Exeter。

The　siege　of　the　island　was　at　once　raised；　and　King
Alfred　marched　against　the　new　arrivals；　and　advancing　with
great　speed　fell　upon　them　and　defeated　them。　Then　hastily
returning　he　came　to　London　and；　joined　by　a　strong　force
from　Mercia；　marched　against　Milton；　where　Hasting　had
been　joined　by　the　great　number　of　the　Danes　who　had
formed　the　army　in　the　Weald。　Hasting　himself　was　away；
but　his　army　marched　out　to　meet　the　Saxons。

A　great　battle　was　fought；　but　the　Danes　could　not　resist
the　ardour　of　their　assailants。　Their　army　was　routed　and
their　fortress　stormed。　All　the　booty　within　it　fell　into　the
hands　of　the　victors；　together　with　the　wives　and　families　of
the　Danes；　among　whom　were　the　wife　and　two　sons　of　Hasting。
The　Danish　fleet　also　was　captured；　and　was　burned　or
taken　to　London。　Another　great　fleet　of　the　East　Angles
and　Northumbrians　sailed　up　the　Thames；　and　landing；　the
Northmen　marched　across　to　the　Severn；　but　were　defeated
and　destroyed　by　Ethelred　of　Mercia。

Exeter　was　again　invested　by　a　Danish　fleet；　and　again
saved　by　Alfred。　The　Danes；　as　they　retired　along　the　south
coast；　landed　near　Chichester；　where　they　suffered　a　heavy
defeat　from　the　South　Saxons。

In　the　following　year　a　fresh　fleet　sailed　up　the　Thames
and　thence　up　the　Lea；　where　they　constructed　a　fortress
twenty　miles　above　London。

Alfred　caused　two　fortresses　to　be　erected　on　the　Lea
below　them；　with　vast　balks　of　timber　entirely　obstructing
the　river。　The　Danes；　finding　their　retreat　cut　off；　abandoned
their　ships　and　marched　across　England　to　Cwatbridge　on
the　Severn。　Their　fleet　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　Londoners；
who　burned　and　broke　up　all　the　smaller　ships　and　carried
the　rest　down　to　London。　The　Danes　were　so　disconcerted
by　the　many　and　severe　defeats　which　had　befallen　them　that
they　now　abandoned　the　idea　of　again　conquering　England；
and　taking　ship；　sailed　for　France。

Four　years　later；　in　901；　K