CHAPTER III: THE MASSACRE AT CROYLAND
Edmund wept sorely for some time, for he knew that his kinsman'sagitation could be only caused by the death of his father. At last heapproached Egbert.
"My brave kinsman," he said, "I need ask you no questions, for I knowbut too well that my dear father has fallen; but rouse yourself, I prayyou; let me bandage your wounds, which bleed fast, for you will wantall your strength, and we must needs pursue our way well into theforest, for with to-morrow's dawn the Danes will scatter over the wholecountry."
"Yes," Egbert said, turning round and sitting up, "I must not in mygrief forget my mission, and in truth I am faint with loss of blood. Itwas well the Danes stopped when they did, for I felt my strengthfailing me, and could have held out but little further. Yes, Edmund,"he continued, as the lad, tearing strips from his garments, proceededto bandage his wounds, "your father is dead. Nobly, indeed, did hefight; nobly did he die, with a circle of dead Danes around him. He,Algar, Toley, and myself were the last four to resist. Back to back westood, and many were the Danes who fell before our blows. Toley fellfirst and then Algar. The Danes closed closer around us. Still wefought on, till your father was beaten to his knee, and then he criedto me, 'Fly, Egbert, to my son.' Then I flung myself upon the Daneslike a wild boar upon the dogs, and with the suddenness of my rush andthe heavy blows of my battle-axe cut a way for myself through them. Itwas well-nigh a miracle, and I could scarce believe it when I was free.I flung away my shield and helmet as soon as I had well begun to run,for I felt the blood gushing out from a dozen wounds, and knew that Ishould want all my strength. I soon caught sight of you running aheadof me. Had I found we were gaining upon you I should have turned offand made another way to lead the Danes aside, but I soon saw that youwere holding your own, and so followed straight on. My knees trembled,and I felt my strength was well-nigh gone, when, looking round, I foundthe Danes had desisted from their pursuit. I grieve, Edmund, that Ishould have left the battle alive when all the others have diedbravely, for, save a few fleet-footed youths, I believe that not asingle Saxon has escaped the fight; but your father had laid hiscommands upon me, and I was forced to obey, though God knows I wouldrather have died with the heroes on that field."
"'Tis well for me that you did not, my good Egbert," Edmund said,drying his eyes, "for what should I have done in this troubled landwithout one protector?"
"It was the thought of that," Egbert said, "that seemed to give mestrength as I dashed at the Danes. And now, methinks, I am strongenough to walk again. Let us make our way far into the forest, then wemust rest for the night. A few hours' sleep will make a fresh man ofme, and to-morrow morning we will go to Croyland and see what the goodabbot your uncle proposes to do, then will we to the hut where we dweltbefore coming hither. We will dig up the chest and take out suchvaluables as we can carry, and then make for Wessex. After this day'swork I have no longer any hope that East Anglia will successfullyoppose the Danes. And yet the Angles fought well, and for every one ofthem who has fallen in these two days' fighting at least four Danesmust have perished. Have you food, Edmund, for in truth after such aday's work I would not lie down supperless?"
"I have in my pouch here, Egbert, some cakes, which I cooked thismorning, and a capon which one of the monks of Croyland gave me. I wastempted to throw it away as I ran."
"I am right glad, Edmund, that the temptation was not too strong foryou. If we can find a spring we shall do well."
It was now getting dark, but after an hour's walk through the forestthey came upon a running stream. They lit a fire by its side, andsitting down ate the supper, of which both were in much need. Wolfshared the repast, and then the three lay down to sleep. Egbert,overcome by the immense exertions he had made during the fight, wassoon asleep; but Edmund, who had done his best to keep a brave facebefore his kinsman, wept for hours over the loss of his gallant father.
On the following morning Egbert and Edmund started for Croyland. Thenews of the defeat at Kesteven had already reached the abbey, andterror and consternation reigned there. Edmund went at once to hisuncle and informed him of the circumstance of the death of his fatherand the annihilation of the Saxon army.
"Your news, Edmund, is even worse than the rumours which had reachedme, and deeply do I grieve for the loss of my brave brother and of themany valiant men who died with him. This evening or to-morrow thespoilers will be here, and doubtless will do to Croyland as they havedone to all the other abbeys and monasteries which have fallen intotheir hands. Before they come you and Egbert must be far away. Have youbethought you whither you will betake yourselves?"
"We are going to the king of the West Saxons," Edmund replied. "Suchwas my father's intention, and I fear that all is now lost in EastAnglia."
"'Tis your best course, and may God's blessing and protection rest uponyou!"
"But what are you going to do, uncle? Surely you will not remain hereuntil the Danes arrive, for though they may spare other men they haveno mercy on priests and monks?"
"I shall assuredly remain here, Edmund, at my post, and as my brotherEldred and Earl Algar and their brave companions died at their posts inthe field of battle, so I am prepared to die here where God has placedme. I shall retain here with me only a few of the most aged and infirmmonks, too old to fly or to support the hardships of the life of ahunted fugitive in the fens; together with some of the children whohave fled here, and who, too, could not support such a life. It may bethat when the fierce Danes arrive and find nought but children and agedmen even their savage breasts may be moved to pity; but if not, God'swill be done. The younger brethren will seek refuge in the fens, andwill carry with them the sacred relics of the monastery. The most holybody of St. Guthlac with his scourge and psalmistry, together with themost valuable jewels and muniments, the charters of the foundation ofthe abbey, given by King Ethelbald, and the confirmation thereof byother kings, with some of the most precious gifts presented to theabbey."
Edmund and Egbert set to work to assist the weeping monks in makingpreparations for their departure. A boat was laden with the relics ofthe saints, the muniments of the king, and the most precious vessels.The table of the great altar covered with plates of gold, which KingWichtlof had presented, with ten gold chalices, and many other vessels,was thrown into the well of the convent.
In the distance the smoke of several villages could now be seen risingover the plain, and it was clear that the Danes were approaching. Theten priests and twenty monks who were to leave now knelt, and receivedthe solemn benediction of the abbot, then, with Edmund and Egbert, theytook their places in the boat and rowed away to the wood of Ancarig,which lay not far from the abbey.
The abbot Theodore and the aged monks and priests now returned to thechurch, and, putting on their vestments, commenced the services of theday; the abbot himself celebrated high mass, assisted by brother Elfgetthe deacon, brother Savin the sub-deacon, and the brothers Egelred andWyelric, youths who acted as taper-bearers. When the mass was finished,just as the abbot and his assistants had partaken of the holycommunion, the Danes burst into the church. The abbot was slain uponthe holy altar by the hand of the Danish king Oskytal, and the otherpriests and monks were beheaded by the executioner.
The old men and children in the choir were seized and tortured todisclose where the treasures of the abbey were concealed, and were alsoput to death with the prior and sub-prior. Turgar, an acolyte of tenyears of age; a remarkably beautiful boy, stood by the side of thesub-prior as he was murdered and fearlessly confronted the Danes, andbade them put him to death with the holy father. The young Earl Sidroc,however, struck with the bearing of the child, and being moved withcompassion, stripped him of his robe and cowl, and threw over him along Danish tunic without sleeves, and ordering him to keep close byhim, made his way out of the monastery, the boy being the only one whowas saved from the general massacre.
The Danes, furious at being able to find none of the treasures of themonastery, broke open all the shrines and levelled the marble to
mbs,including those of St. Guthlac, the holy virgin Ethelbritha, and manyothers, but found in these none of the treasure searched for. Theypiled the bodies of the saints in a heap, and burned them, togetherwith the church and all the buildings of the monastery; then, with vastherds of cattle and other plunder, they moved away from Croyland, andattacked the monastery of Medeshamsted. Here the monks made a braveresistance. The Danes brought up machines and attacked the monastery onall sides, and effected a breach in the walls. Their first assault,however, was repelled, and Fulba, the brother of Earl Hulba, wasdesperately wounded by a stone.
Hulba was so infuriated at this that when, at the second assault, themonastery was captured, he slew with his own hand everyone of themonks, while all the country people who had taken refuge within thewalls were slaughtered by his companions, not one escaping. The altarswere levelled to the ground, the monuments broken in pieces. The greatlibrary of parchments and charters was burnt. The holy relics weretrodden under foot, and the church itself, with all the monasticbuildings, burnt to the ground. Four days later, the Danes, havingdevastated the whole country round and collected an enormous booty,marched away against Huntingdon.
Edmund and Egbert remained but a few hours with the monks who hadescaped from the sack of Croyland; for, as soon as they saw the flamesmounting up above the church, they knew that the Danes had accomplishedtheir usual work of massacre, and there being no use in their makingfurther stay, they started upon their journey. They travelled by easystages, for time was of no value to them. For the most part their waylay among forests, and when once they had passed south of Thetford theyhad no fear of meeting with the Danes. Sometimes they slept atfarm-houses or villages, being everywhere hospitably received, the moreso when it was known that Edmund was the son of the brave ealdormanEldred; but the news which they brought of the disastrous battle ofKesteven, and the southward march of the great Danish army, filledeveryone with consternation.
The maids and matrons wept with terror at the thought of the coming ofthese terrible heathen, and although the men everywhere spoke ofresistance to the last, the prospect seemed so hopeless that even thebravest were filled with grief and despair. Many spoke of leaving theirhomes and retiring with their wives and families, their serfs and herdsto the country of the West Saxons, where alone there appeared any hopeof a successful resistance being made. Wherever they went Edmund andEgbert brought by their news lamentation and woe to the households theyentered, and at last Edmund said:
"Egbert, let us enter no more houses until we reach the end of ourjourney; wherever we go we are messengers of evil, and turn houses offeasting into abodes of grief. Every night we have the same sad storyto tell, and have to witness the weeping and wailing of women. Athousand times better were it to sleep among the woods, at any rateuntil we are among the West Saxons, where our news may causeindignation and rage at least, but where it will arouse a brave resolveto resist to the last instead of the hopelessness of despair."
Egbert thoroughly agreed with the lad, and henceforth they entered nohouses save to buy bread and mead. Of meat they had plenty, for as theypassed through the forests Wolf was always upon the alert, and severaltimes found a wild boar in his lair, and kept him at bay until Edmundand Egbert ran up and with spears and swords slew him. This suppliedthem amply with meat, and gave them indeed far more than they couldeat, but they exchanged portions of the flesh for bread in thevillages. At last they came down upon the Thames near London, andcrossing the river journeyed west. They were now in the kingdom of theWest Saxons, the most warlike and valiant of the peoples of England,and who had gradually extended their sway over the whole of thecountry. The union was indeed but little more than nominal, as theother kings retained their thrones, paying only a tribute to the WestSaxon monarchs.
As Egbert had predicted, their tale of the battle of Kesteven herearoused no feeling save that of wrath and a desire for vengeance uponthe Danes. Swords were grasped, and all swore by the saints of whatshould happen to the invaders should they set foot in Wessex. Thetravellers felt their spirits rise at the martial and determined aspectof the people.
"It is a sad pity," Egbert said to Edmund one day, "that these WestSaxons had not had time to unite England firmly together before theDanes set foot on the island. It is our divisions which have renderedtheir task so far easy. Northumbria, Mercia, and East Anglia have oneby one been invaded, and their kings have had to fight single-handedagainst them, whereas had one strong king reigned over the wholecountry, so that all our force could have been exerted against theinvader wherever he might land, the Danes would never have won a footof our soil. The sad day of Kesteven showed at least that we are ableto fight the Danes man for man. The first day we beat them, though theywere in superior numbers, the second we withstood them all day,although they were ten to one against us, and they would never havetriumphed even then had our men listened to their leaders and kepttheir ranks. I do not believe that even the West Saxons could havefought more bravely than did our men on that day; but they are betterorganized, their king is energetic and determined, and when the Danesinvade Wessex they will find themselves opposed by the whole peopleinstead of merely a hastily raised assemblage gathered in theneighbourhood."
They presently approached Reading, where there was a royal fortress, inwhich King Ethelred and his brother Alfred were residing.
"It is truly a fine city," Edmund said as he approached it; "its wallsare strong and high, and the royal palace, which rises above them, isindeed a stately building."
They crossed the river and entered the gates of the town. There wasgreat bustle and traffic in the streets, cynings, or nobles, passedalong accompanied by parties of thanes, serfs laden with fuel orprovisions made their way in from the surrounding country, whilefreemen, with their shields flung across their shoulders and theirswords by their sides, stalked with an independent air down the streets.
The travellers approached the royal residence. The gates were open, andnone hindered their entrance, for all who had business were free toenter the royal presence and to lay their complaints or petitionsbefore the king.
Entering they found themselves in a large hall. The lower end of thiswas occupied by many people, who conversed together in little groups orawaited the summons of the king. Across the upper end of the room was araised dais, and in the centre of this was a wide chair capable ofholding three persons. The back and sides were high and richly carved.A table supported by four carved and gilded legs stood before it. Twopersons were seated in the chair.
One was a man of three or four and twenty, the other was his junior bysome two years. Both wore light crowns of gold somewhat different intheir fashion. Before the younger was a parchment, an inkhorn, andpens. King Ethelred was a man of a pleasant face, but marked by careand by long vigils and rigorous fastings. Alfred was a singularlyhandsome young prince, with an earnest and intellectual face. Both hadtheir faces shaven smooth. Ethelred wore his hair parted in the middle,and falling low on each side of the face, but Alfred's was closely cut.On the table near the younger brother stood a silver harp.
Edmund looked with great curiosity and interest on the young prince,who was famous throughout England for his great learning, his wisdom,and sweetness of temper. Although the youngest of the king's brothers,he had always been regarded as the future King of England, and had hisfather survived until he reached the age of manhood, he would probablyhave succeeded directly to the throne. The law of primogeniture was byno means strictly observed among the Saxons, a younger brother ofmarked ability or of distinguished prowess in war being often chosen bya father to succeed him in place of his elder brothers.
Alfred had been his father's favourite son. He had when a child beenconsecrated by the pope as future King of England; and his two journeysto Rome, and his residence at the court of the Frankish king had, withhis own great learning and study, given him a high prestige andreputation among his people as one learned in the ways of the world.Although but a prince, his authority in the kingdom nearly equalledthat of h
is brother, and it was he rather than Ethelred whom menregarded as the prop and stay of the Saxons in the perils which werenow threatening them.
One after another, persons advanced to the table and laid theircomplaints before the king; in cases of dispute both parties werepresent and were often accompanied by witnesses. Ethelred and Alfredlistened attentively to all that was said on both sides, and then gavetheir judgment. An hour passed, and then seeing that no one elseapproached the table, Egbert, taking Edmund by the hand, led himforward and knelt before the royal table.
"Whom have we here?" the king said. "This youth is by his attire one ofnoble race, but I know not his face."
"We have come, sir king," Egbert said, "as fugitives and suppliants toyou. This is Edmund, the son of Ealdorman Eldred, a valiant cyning ofEast Anglia, who, after fighting bravely against the Danes nearThetford, joined Earl Algar, and died by his side on the fatal field ofKesteven. He had himself purposed to come hither to you and to ask youto accept him as your thane, and on the morn of the battle he chargedme if he fell to bring hither his son to you; and we pray you toaccept, in token of our homage to you, these vessels."
And here he placed two handsome goblets of silver gilt upon the table.
"I pray you rise," the king said. "I have assuredly heard of the braveEldred, and will gladly receive his son as my thane. I had not heard ofEldred's death, though two days since the rumour of a heavy defeat ofthe East Angles at Kesteven, and the sacrilegious destruction of theholy houses of Bardenay, Croyland, and Medeshamsted reached our ears.Were you present at the battle?"
"I was, sir king," Egbert said, "and fought beside Earl Algar and mykinsman the Ealdorman Eldred until both were slain by the Danes, and Iwith difficulty cut my way through them and escaped to carry out mykinsman's orders regarding his son."
"You are a stout champion yourself," the king said, regarding withadmiration Egbert's huge proportions; "but tell us the story of thisbattle, of which at present but vague rumours have reached us." Egbertrelated the incidents of the battle of Kesteven. "It was bravelyfought," the king said when he had concluded; "right well and bravely,and better fortune should have attended such valour. Truly the braveAlgar has shown that we Saxons have not lost the bravery whichdistinguished our ancestors, and that, man for man, we are equal tothese heathen Danes."
"But methinks," Prince Alfred said, "that the brave Algar and hisvaliant companions did wrong to throw away their lives when all waslost. So long as there is the remotest chance of victory it is the dutyof a leader to set an example of valour to his followers, but when allis lost he should think of his country. What though the brave thanesslew each a score of Danes before they died, their death has left theircountrymen without a leader, and by that one battle the Danes have madethemselves masters of the north of East Anglia. Better far had they,when the day was lost, retreated, to gather the people together when abetter opportunity presented itself, and again to make head against theinvaders. It is heathen rather than Christian warfare thus to throwaway their lives rather than to retreat and wait for God's time to comeagain. To stake all on one throw, which if lost loses a whole people,seems to me the act of a gamester. I trust that, should the time evercome, as it is too much to be feared it will ere long, that the Danesinvade my brother's kingdom of Wessex, I shall not be found wanting incourage; but assuredly when defeated in battle I would not throw awaymy life, for that belongs to our people rather than to myself, butwould retire to some refuge until I could again gather the Saxonsaround me and attack the invaders. I like the face of the youngealdorman, and doubt not that he will prove a valiant warrior like hisfather. My brother will doubtless assign him lands for his maintenanceand yours; but if he will let me I will attach him to my person, andwill be at once a master and a friend to him. Wouldst thou like this,young Edmund?"
The lad, greatly pleased at the young prince's kindness of speech andmanner, replied enthusiastically that he would follow him to the deathif he would accept him as his faithful thane.
"Had the times been more peaceful, Edmund," Alfred said, "I would fainhave imparted to you some of the little knowledge that I have gained,for I see an intelligence in your face which tells me that you wouldhave proved an apt and eager pupil; but, alas, in the days that arecoming it is the sword rather than the book which will prevail, and thecares of state, and the defence of the country, will shortly engrossall my time and leave me but little leisure for the studies I love sowell."
"There are the lands," the king said, "of Eabald, Ealdorman ofSherborne, in Dorset. He died but last week and has left no children.These lands I will grant to Edmund in return for liege and trueservice." The lad knelt before the king, and, kissing his hand, sworeto be his true and faithful thane, and to spend land, goods, and lifein his service.
"And now," the king said, "since the audience is over, and none othercomes before us with petitions, we will retire to our privateapartments, and there my brother Alfred will present you to the fairElswitha, his wife."
The room into which Egbert and Edmund followed the king and his brotherwas spacious and lofty. The walls were covered with hangings of redcloth, and a thick brown baize covered the floor. The ceiling waspainted a dark brown with much gilding. Round the sides of the roomstood several dressers of carved oak, upon which stood gold and silvercups.
On a table were several illuminated vellums. At Croyland Edmund hadseen a civilization far in advance of that to which he had beenaccustomed in his father's abode; but he saw here a degree of luxuryand splendour which surprised him. Alfred had, during his two visits toRome, learned to appreciate the high degree of civilization whichreigned there, and many of the articles of furniture and other objectswhich met Edmund's eye he had brought with him on his return with hisfather from that city.
Across the upper end of the room was a long table laid with a whitecloth. Elswitha was sitting in a large gilded chair by the great firewhich was blazing on the hearth.
Prince Alfred presented Edmund and Egbert to her. Elswitha was wellacquainted with the Ealdorman Eldred, as his lands lay on the veryborder of her native Mercia, and she received the lad and his kinsmanwith great kindness. In a short time they took their places at table.First the attendance brought in bowls containing broth, which theypresented, kneeling, to each of those at table. The broth was drunkfrom the bowl itself; then a silver goblet was placed by each diner,and was filled with wine. Fish was next served. Plates were placedbefore each; but instead of their cutting food with their own daggers,as Edmund had been accustomed to see in his father's house, knives werehanded round. After the fish came venison, followed by wild boar,chickens, and other meats. After these confections, composed chiefly ofhoney, were placed on the table. The king and Prince Alfred pledgedtheir guests when they drank. No forks were used, the meat as cut beingtaken up by pieces of bread to the mouth. During the meal a harperplayed and sung.
Edmund observed the decorum with which his royal hosts fed, and thecare which they took to avoid dipping their fingers into their saucersor their plates. He was also struck with the small amount of wine whichthey took; for the Saxons in general were large feeders, and drankheavily at their meals.
When the dinner was over a page brought round a basin of warm water, inwhich lavender had been crushed, and each dipped his fingers in thisand then dried them on the cloth. Then at Prince Alfred's requestEgbert again related in full the details of the two days' desperatestruggle at Kesteven, giving the most minute particulars of the Danes'method of fighting. Egbert and Edmund then retired to the royalguest-house adjoining the palace, where apartments were assigned tothem.
After remaining for a week at Reading they took leave of the king andstarted for the lands which he had assigned to Edmund. They wereaccompanied by an officer of the royal household, who was to inform thefreemen and serfs of the estate that by the king's pleasure Edmund hadbeen appointed ealdorman of the lands. They found on arrival that thehouse had been newly built, and was large and comfortable. The thanesof the district speedily came i
n to pay their respects to their newealdorman, and although surprised to find him so young, they werepleased with his bearing and manner, and knowing that he came of goodfighting blood doubted not that in time he would make a valiant leader.All who came were hospitably entertained, and for many days there washigh feasting. So far removed was this part of England from thedistrict which the Danes had invaded, that at present but slight alarmhad been caused by them; but Edmund and his kinsman lost no time inimpressing upon them the greatness of the coming danger.
"You may be sure," he said, "that ere long we shall see their galleyson the coast. When they have eaten up Mercia and Anglia they willassuredly come hither, and we shall have to fight for our lives, andunless we are prepared it will go hard with us."
After he had been at his new residence for a month Edmund sent outmessengers to all the thanes in his district requesting them toassemble at a council, and then formally laid the matter before them.
"It is, above all things," he said, "necessary that we should have someplace where we can place the women and children in case of invasion andwhere we can ourselves retire in extreme necessity. Therefore I proposethat we shall build a fort of sufficient size to contain all theinhabitants of the district, with many flocks and herds. My cousinEgbert has ridden far over the country, and recommends that the Romanfortification at Moorcaster shall be utilized. It is large in extent,and has a double circle of earthen banks. These differ from those whichwe are wont to build, since we Saxons always fill up the ground so asto be flat with the top of the earthen banks, while the Romans lefttheirs hollow. However, the space is so large that it would take a vastlabour to fill it up, therefore I propose that we should merely thickenthe banks, and should, in Saxon custom, build a wall with turrets uponthem. The sloping banks alone would be but a small protection againstthe onslaught of the Danes, but stone walls are another matter, andcould only be carried after a long siege. If you fall in with my viewsyou will each of you send half your serfs to carry out the work, and Iwill do the same, and will, moreover, pay fifty freemen who may do thesquaring of the stones and the proper laying of them."
The proposal led to a long discussion, as some thought that there wasno occasion as yet to take such a measure; but the thanes finallyagreed to carry out Edmund's proposal.