the dragon and the raven-第9章

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speedily　clear　the　kingdom　of　the　Danes。　These；　indeed；　taught
prudence　by　the　manner　in　which　the　West　Saxons　had　fought；
for　a　while　refrained　from　plundering　excursions。　Two
months　later　the　Saxons　were　again　called　to　arms。　Somerled；
a　Danish　chieftain；　had　again　advanced　to　Reading；　and　had
captured　and　burned　the　town。　The　king　marched　against
him；　and　the　two　armies　met　at　Merton。　Here　another
desperate　battle　took　place。

During　the　first　part　of　the　day　the　Saxons　were　victorious
over　both　the　divisions　of　the　Danish　army；　but　in　the
afternoon　the　latter　received　some　reinforcements　and
renewed　the　fight。　The　Saxons；　believing　that　the　victory　had
been　won；　had　fallen　into　disorder　and　were　finally　driven
from　the　field。　Great　numbers　were　slain　on　both　sides。
Bishop　Edmund　and　many　Saxon　nobles　were　killed；　and
King　Ethelred　so　severely　wounded　that　he　expired　a　few　days
later；　April　23d；　871；　having　reigned　for　five　years。　He　was
buried　at　Wimbourne　Minster；　and　Prince　Alfred　ascended
the　throne。

Ethelred　was　much　regretted　by　his　people；　but　the　accession
of　Alfred　increased　their　hopes　of　battling　successfully
against　the　Danes。　Although　wise　and　brave；　King
Ethelred　had　been　scarcely　the　monarch　for　a　warlike　people
in　troubled　times。　Religious　exercises　occupied　too　large　a
share　of　his　thoughts。　His　rule　was　kindly　rather　than　strong；
and　his　authority　was　but　weak　over　his　nobles。　From　Prince
Alfred　the　Saxons　hoped　better　things。　From　his　boyhood
he　had　been　regarded　with　special　interest　and　affection　by
the　people；　as　his　father　had　led　them　to　regard　him　as　their
future　king。

The　fact　that　he　had　been　personally　consecrated　by
the　pope　appeared　to　invest　him　with　a　special　authority。
His　immense　superiority　in　learning　over　all　his　people　greatly
impressed　them。　Though　gentle　he　was　firm　and　resolute；
prompt　in　action；　daring　in　the　field。　Thus；　then；　although
the　people　regretted　King　Ethelred；　there　was　a　general　feeling
of　hope　and　joy　when　Alfred　took　his　place　on　the　throne。
He　had　succeeded　to　the　crown　but　a　month　when　the　Danes
again　advanced　in　great　numbers。　The　want　of　success　which
had　attended　them　in　the　last　two　battles　had　damped　the
spirit　of　the　people；　and　it　was　with　a　very　small　force　only
that　Alfred　was　able　to　advance　against　them。

The　armies　met　near　Wilton；　where　the　Danes　in　vastly
superior　numbers　were　posted　on　a　hill。　King　Alfred　led　his
forces　forward　and　fell　upon　the　Danes；　and　so　bravely　did
the　Saxons　fight　that　for　some　time　the　day　went　favourably
for　them。　Gradually　the　Danes　were　driven　from　their　post
of　vantage；　and　after　some　hours'　fighting　turned　to　fly；　but；
as　at　Merton　and　Kesteven；　the　impetuosity　of　the　Saxons
proved　their　ruin。　Breaking　their　compact　ranks　they　scattered
in　pursuit　of　the　Danes；　and　these；　seeing　how　small
was　the　number　of　their　pursuers；　rallied　and　turned　upon
them；　and　the　Saxons　were　driven　from　the　field　which　they
had　so　bravely　won。

〃Unless　my　brave　Saxons　learn　order　and　discipline；〃
the　king　said　to　Edmund　and　some　of　his　nobles　who　gathered
round　him　on　the　evening　after　the　defeat；　〃our　cause　is
assuredly　lost。　We　have　proved　now　in　each　battle　that　we　are
superior　man　to　man　to　the　Danes；　but　we　throw　away　the
fruits　of　victory　by　our　impetuosity。　The　great　Caesar；　who
wrote　an　account　of　his　battles　which　I　have　read　in　Latin；
described　the　order　and　discipline　with　which　the　Roman
troops　fought。　They　were　always　in　heavy　masses；　and　even
after　a　battle　the　heavy…armed　soldiers　kept　their　ranks　and
did　not　scatter　in　pursuit　of　the　enemy；　leaving　this　task　to
the　more　lightly　armed　troops；

〃Would　that　we　had　three　or　four　years　before　us　to　teach
our　men　discipline　and　order；　but　alas！　there　is　no　time　for
this。　The　Danes　have　fallen　in　great　numbers　in　every　fight；
but　they　are　ever　receiving　reinforcements　and　come　on　in
fresh　waves　of　invasion；　while　the　Saxons；　finding　that　all
their　efforts　and　valour　seem　to　avail　nothing；　are　beginning
fast　to　lose　heart。　See　how　small　a　number　assembled　round
my　standard　yesterday；　and　yet　the　war　is　but　beginning。　Truly
the　look…out　is　bad　for　England。〃

The　king　made　strenuous　efforts　again　to　raise　an　army；
but　the　people　did　not　respond　to　his　call。　In　addition　to　the
battles　which　have　been　spoken　of　several　others　had　been
fought　in　different　parts　of　Wessex　by　the　ealdormen　and
their　followers　against　bodies　of　invading　Danes。　In　the　space
of　one　year　the　Saxons　had　engaged　in　eight　pitched　battles
and　in　many　skirmishes。　Great　numbers　had　been　slain　on
both　sides；　but　the　Danes　ever　received　fresh　accessions　of
strength；　and　seemed　to　grow　stronger　and　more　numerous
after　every　battle；　while　the　Saxons　were　dwindling　rapidly。
Wide　tracts　of　country　had　been　devastated；　the　men　slaughtered；
and　the　women　and　children　taken　captives；　and　the
people；　utterly　dispirited　and　depressed；　no　longer　listened
to　the　voices　of　their　leaders；　and　refused　again　to　peril　their
lives　in　a　strife　which　seemed　hopeless。　Alfred　therefore　called
his　ealdormen　together　and　proposed　to　them；　that　since
the　people　would　no　longer　fight；　the　sole　means　that　remained
to　escape　destruction　was　to　offer　to　buy　off　the　Danes。

The　proposal　was　agreed　to；　for　although　none　of　them
had　any　hope　that　the　Danes　would　long　keep　any　treaty　they
might　make；　yet　even　a　little　respite　might　give　heart　and
spirit　to　the　Saxons　again。　Accordingly　negotiations　were
entered　into　with　the　Danes；　and　these；　in　consideration　of　a
large　money　payment；　agreed　to　retire　from　Wessex。　The
money　was　paid；　the　Danes　retired　from　Reading；　which　they
had　used　as　their　headquarters；　and　marched　to　London。
King　Burhred；　the　feeble　King　of　Mercia；　could　do　nothing
to　oppose　them；　and　he　too　agreed　to　pay　them　a　large　annual
tribute。

》From　the　end　of　872　till　the　autumn　of　875　the　country
was　comparatively　quiet。　Alfred　ruled　it　wisely；　and　tried　to
repair　the　terrible　damages　the　war　had　made。　Edmund
looked　after　his　earldom；　and　grew　into　a　powerful　young
man　of　nineteen　years　old。

King　Alfred　had　not　deceived　himself　for　a　moment　as
to　the　future。　〃The　Danes；〃　he　said；　〃are　still　in　England。
East　Anglia　and　Northumbria　swarm　with　them。　Had　this
army；　after　being　bought　off　by　us　and　my　brother　of　Mercia；
sailed　across　the　seas　and　landed　in　France　there　would　have
been　some　hope　for　us；　but　their　restless　nature　will　not
allow　them　to　stay　long　in　the　parts　which　they
have　conquered。

〃In　Anglia　King　Guthrum　has　divided　the　land　among
his　jarls；　and　there　they　seem　disposed　to　settle　down；　but
elsewhere　they　care　not　for　the　land；　preferring　to　leave　it　in
the　hands　of　its　former　owners　to　till；　and　after　to　wring　from
the　cultivators　the　fruits　of　the　harvest；　then；　as　the　country
becomes　thoroughly　impoverished；　they　must　move　elsewhere。
Mercia　they　can　overrun　whensoever　they　choose；　and　after
that　there　is　nothing　for　them　to　do　but　to　sweep　down　again
upon　Wessex；　and　with　all　the　rest　of　England　at　their　feet　it
is　hopeless　to　think　that　we　alone　can　withstand　their　united
power。〃

〃Then　what；　think　you；　must　be　the　end　of　this？〃　Edmund
asked。

〃'Tis　difficult　to　see　the　end；〃　Alfred　replied。　〃It　would
seem　that　our　only　hope　of　release　from　them　is　that　when
they　have　utterly　eaten　up　and　ravaged　England　they　may
turn　their　thoughts　elsewhere。　Already　they　are　harrying
the　northern　coasts　of　France；　but　there　are　richer　prizes　on
the　Mediterranean　shores；　and　it　may　be　that　when　England
is　no　longer　worth　plundering　they　may　sail　away　to　Spain
and　Italy。　We　have　acted　foolishly　in　the　way　we　have　fought
them。　When　they　first　began　to　arrive　upon　our　coasts　we
should　have　laboured　hard　to　build　great　fleets；　so　that　we
could　go　forth　and　meet　them　on　the　seas。

〃Some；　indeed；　might　have　escaped　our　watch　and
landed；　but　the　fleets　could　have　cut　off　reinforcements
coming　to　them；　and　thus　those　who　reached　our　shores　could
have　been　overwhelmed。　Even　now；　I　think　that　something
might　be　done　that　way；　and　I　purpose　to　build　a　fleet　which
may；　when　they　again　invade　us；　take　its　station　near　the
mouth　of　the　Thames　and　fall　upon　the　vessels　bringing　stores
and　reinforcements。　This　would　give　much　encouragement
to　the　people；　whose　hopelessness　and　desperation　are　caused
principally　by　the　fact　that　it　seems　to　be　of　no　use　killing
the　enemy；　since　so　many　are　ready　constantly　to　take
their　places。〃

〃I　will　gladly　undertake　to　build　one　ship；〃　Edmund　said。
〃The　fort　is　now　finished；　and　with　the　revenues　of　the　land
I　could　at　once　commence　a　ship；　and　if　the　Danes　give　us
time；　when　she　is　finished　I　would　build　another。　I　will　the
more　gladly　do　it；　since　it　seems　to　me　that　if　the　Danes
entirely　overrun　our　country　we　must　take　to　the　sea　and　so　in
turn　become　plunderers。　With　this　view　I　will　have　the　ship
built　large　and　strong；　so　that　she　may　keep　the　sea　in　all
weathers　and　be　my　home　if　I　am　driven　out　of　England。
There　must　be　plenty　of　ports　in　France；　and　many　a　quiet
nook　and　inlet　round　England；　where　one　can　put　in　to　refit
when　necessary；　and　we　could　pick　up　many　a　prize　of　Danish
ships　returning　laden　with　booty。　With　such　a　ship　I　could
carry　a　strong　crew；　and　with　my　trusty　Egbert　and　the　best
of　my　fighting　men　we　should　be　able　to　hold　our　own；　even
if　attacked　by　two　or　three　of　the　Danish　galleys。〃

〃The　idea　is　a　good　one；　Edmund；〃　the　king　said；　〃and　I
would　that　I　myself　could　carry　it　into　effect。　It　were　a　thousand
times　better　to　live　a　free　life　on　the　sea；　even　if　certain
at　last　to　be　overpowered　by　a　Danish　fleet；　than　to　lurk　a
hunted　fugitive　in　the　woods；　but　I　cannot　do　it。　So　long　as　I
live　I　must　remain　among　my　people；　ready　to　snatch　any
chance　that　may　offer　of　striking　a　blow　against　the　invader。
But　for　you　it　is　different。〃

〃I　should　not；　of　course；　do　it；〃　Edmund　said；　〃until　all　is
lost　here；　and　mean　to　defend　my　fort　to　an　extremity；　still
should　it　be　that　the　Danes　conquer　all　our　lands；　it　were　well
to　have　such　a　refuge。〃

Edmund　talked　the　matter　over　with　Egbert；　who　warmly
entered　into　the　plan。　〃So　long　as　I　have　life　I　will　fight　against
the　Danes；　and　in　a　ship　at　least　we　can　fight　manfully　till　the
end。　We　must　not　build　her　on　the　sea…coast；　or　before　the
time　when　we　need　her　she　may　be　destroyed　by　the　Danes。
We　will　build　her　on　the　Parrot。　The　water　is　deep　enough
far　up　from　the　sea　to　float　her　when　empty；　and　if　we　choose
some　spot　where　the　river　runs　among　woods　we　might　hide
her　so　that　she　may　to　the　last　escape　the　attention　of　the
Danes。

〃We　must　get　some　men　crafty　in　ship…building　from
one　of　the　ports；　sending　down　a　body　of　our　own　serfs　to　do
the　rough　work。　We　will　go　to　Exeter　first　and　there　choose
us　the　craftsman　most　skilled　in　building　ships；　and　will　take
council　with　him　as　to　the　best　form　and　size。　She　must　be
good　to　sail　and　yet　able　to　row　fast　with　a　strong　crew；　and
she　must　have　room　to　house　a　goodly　number　of　rowing　and
fighting　men。　You；　Edmund；　might；　before　we　start；　consult
King　Alfred。　He　must　have　seen　at　Rome　and　ot