the dragon and the raven-第14章

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arrive　on　the　shores；　and　more　than　fill　up　the　places　of　those
who　are　killed；　but　the　places　of　the　Saxons　are　empty；　and
our　fighting　force　is　far　smaller　than　it　was　last　year。　If　we
again　go　out　and　again　fight　many　battles；　even　if　we　are
victorious；　which　we　can　hardly　hope　to　be；　the　same　thing
will　happen。　Many　thousands　will　be　slain；　and　the　following
year　we　shall　in　vain　try　to　put　an　army　in　the　field　which　can
match　that　of　the　Danes；　who　will　again　have　filled　up　their
ranks；　and　be　as　numerous　as　ever。　So　long　as　we　continue　to
fight；　so　long　the　Danes　will　slay；　burn；　and　destroy
wheresoever　they　march；　until　there　will　remain　of　us　but　a
few　fugitives　hidden　in　the　woods。　We　should　be　far　better
off　did　we　cease　to　resist；　and　the　Danes　become　our　masters；
as　they　have　become　the　masters　of　Northumbria；　Mercia；
and　Anglia。

〃There；　it　is　true；　they　have　plundered　the　churches　and
thanes'　houses　and　have　stolen　all　that　is　worth　carrying　away；
but　when　they　have　taken　all　that　there　is　to　take　they　leave
the　people　alone；　and　unmolested；　to　till　the　ground　and　to
gain　their　livelihood。　They　do　not　slay　for　the　pleasure　of
slaying；　and　grievous　as　is　the　condition　of　the　Angles　they
and　their　wives　and　children　are　free　from　massacre　and　are
allowed　to　gain　their　livings。　The　West　Saxons　have　showed
that　they　are　no　cowards；　they　have　defeated　the　Northmen
over　and　over　again　when　far　outnumbering　them。　It　is　no
dishonour　to　yield　now　when　all　the　rest　of　England　has
yielded；　and　when　further　fighting　will　only　bring　ruin　upon
ourselves；　our　wives；　and　children。〃

Edmund　could　find　no　reply　to　this　argument。　He　knew
that　even　the　king　despaired　of　ultimately　resisting　the　Danish
invasion；　and　after　listening　to　all　that　the　thanes　had　to
say　he　retired　with　Egbert　apart。

〃What　say　you；　Egbert？　There　is　reason　in　the　arguments
that　they　use。　You　and　I　have　neither　wives　nor　children；
and　we　risk　only　our　own　lives；　but　I　can　well　understand
that　those　who　have　so　much　to　lose　are　chary　of　further
effort。　What　say　you？〃

〃I　do　not　think　it　will　be　fair　to　press　them　further；〃
Egbert　answered；　〃but　methinks　that　we　might　raise　a　band
consisting　of　all　the　youths　and　unmarried　men　in　the　earldom。
These　we　might　train　carefully　and　keep　always　together；
seeing　that　the　lands　will　still　be　cultivated　and　all
able　to　pay　their　assessment；　and　may　even　add　to　it；　since
you　exempt　them　from　service。　Such　a　band　we　could　train
and　practise　until　we　could　rely　upon　them　to　defeat　a　far
larger　force　of　the　enemy；　and　they　would　be　available　for
our　crew　when　we　take　to　the　ship。〃

〃I　think　the　idea　is　a　very　good　one；　Egbert；　we　will　propose
it　to　the　thanes。〃　The　proposition　was　accordingly　made
that　all　married　men　should　be　exempt　from　service；　but
that　the　youths　above　the　age　of　sixteen　and　the　unmarried
men　should　be　formed　into　a　band　and　kept　permanently
under　arms。　Landowners　who　lost　the　services　of　sons　or
freemen　working　for　them　should　pay　the　same　assessment
only　as　before；　but　those　who　did　not　contribute　men　to　the
levy　should　pay　an　additional　assessment。　Edmund　said　he
would　pay　the　men　composing　the　band　the　same　wages　they
would　earn　in　the　field；　and　would　undertake　all　their
expenses。　〃So　long　as　the　king　continues　the　struggle；〃
he　said；　〃it　is　our　duty　to　aid　him；　nor　can　we　escape　from
the　dangers　and　perils　of　invasion。　Should　the　Danes　come
near　us　all　must　perforce　fight；　but　so　long　as　they　continue
at　a　distance　things　can　go　on　here　as　if　we　had　peace
in　the　land。〃

The　proposal　was；　after　some　discussion；　agreed　to；　and
the　news　caused　gladness　and　contentment　throughout　the
earldom。　The　younger　men　who　had　been　included　in　the
levy　were　quite　satisfied　with　the　arrangement。　The　spirit　of
the　West　Saxons　was　still　high；　and　those　without　wives　and
families　who　would　suffer　by　their　absence　or　be　ruined　by
their　death　were　eager　to　continue　the　contest。　The　proposal
that　they　should　be　paid　as　when　at　work　was　considered
perfectly　satisfactory。

The　men　of　Sherborne　had　under　their　young　leader
gained　great　credit　by　their　steadiness　and　valour　in　the
battles　four　years　before；　and　they　looked　forward　to　fresh
victories　over　the　invader。　The　result　was　that　ninety　young
men　assembled　for　service。　Edmund　had　sent　off　a　messenger　to
the　king　saying　that　the　people　were　utterly　weary　of　war　and
refused　to　take　up　arms；　but　that　he　was　gathering　a　band　of
young　men　with　whom　he　would　ere　long　join　him；　but　he
prayed　for　a　short　delay　in　order　that　he　might　get　them　into
a　condition　to　be　useful　on　the　day　of　battle。

After　consultation　with　Egbert；　Edmund　drew　up　a　series
of　orders　somewhat　resembling　those　of　modern　drill。
King　Alfred　had　once；　in　speaking　to　him；　described　the
manner　in　which　the　Thebans；　a　people　of　Northern　Greece；
had　fought；　placing　their　troops　in　the　form　of　a　wedge。　The
formation　he　now　taught　his　men。　From　morning　to　night
they　were　practised　at　rallying　from　pursuit　or　flight；　or
changing　from　a　line　into　the　form　of　a　wedge。　Each　man　had
his　appointed　place　both　in　the　line　and　wedge。　Those　who
formed　the　outside　line　of　this　formation　were　armed　with
large　shields　which　covered　them　from　chin　to　foot；　and　with
short　spears；　those　in　the　inner　lines　carried　no　shields；　but
bore　spears　of　increasing　length；　so　that　four　lines　of　spears
projected　from　the　wedge　to　nearly　the　same　distance。　Inside
the　four　lines　were　twenty　men　armed　with　shields；　bows；
and　arrows。　The　sides　of　the　wedge　were　of　equal　length；　so
that　they　could　march　either　way。

Egbert's　place　was　at　the　apex　of　the　wedge　intended
generally　for　attack。　He　carried　no　spear；　nor　did　those　at
the　other　corners；　as　they　would　be　covered　by　those　beside
and　behind　them；　he　was　armed　with　a　huge　battle…axe。　The
other　leaders　were　also　chosen　for　great　personal　strength。
Edmund's　place　was　on　horseback　in　the　middle　of　the　wedge；
whence　he　could　overlook　the　whole　and　direct　their　movements。

In　three　weeks　the　men　could　perform　their　simple
movements　to　perfection；　and　at　a　sound　from　Edmund's
horn　would　run　in　as　when　scattered　in　pursuit　or　flight；
or　could　form　from　line　into　the　wedge；　without　the　least
confusion；　every　man　occupying　his　assigned　place。

The　men　were　delighted　with　their　new　exercises；　and
felt　confident　that　the　weight　of　the　solid　mass　thickly
bristling　with　spears　would　break　through　the　Danish　line
without　difficulty；　or　could　draw　off　from　the　field　in　perfect
order　and　safety　in　case　of　a　defeat；　however　numerous　their
foes。　The　two　front　lines　were　to　thrust　with　their　pikes；　the
others　keeping　their　long　spears　immovable　to　form　a　solid
hedge。　Each　man　carried　a　short　heavy　sword　to　use　in　case；
by　any　fatality；　the　wedge　should　get　broken　up。

When　assured　that　his　band　were　perfect　in　their　new
exercise　Edmund　marched　and　joined　the　king。　He　found
on　his　arrival　that　the　summons　to　arms　had　been　everywhere
disregarded。　Many　men　had　indeed　come　in；　but　these
were　in　no　way　sufficient　to　form　a　force　which　would　enable
him　to　take　the　field　against　the　Danes。

Edmund　therefore　solicited　and　obtained　permission　to
march　with　his　band　to　endeavour　to　check　the　plundering
bands　of　Danes；　who　were　already　committing　devastations
throughout　the　country。

〃Be　not　rash；　Edmund；〃　the　monarch　said；　〃you　have
but　a　handful　of　men；　and　I　should　grieve　indeed　did　aught
of　harm　befall　you。　If　you　can　fall　upon　small　parties　of
plunderers　and　destroy　them　you　will　do　good　service；　not
only　by　compelling　them　to　keep　together　but　by　raising　the
spirits　of　the　Saxons；　but　avoid　conflict　with　parties　likely　to
defeat　you。〃

〃You　shall　hear　of　us　soon；　I　promise　you；〃　Edmund　replied；
〃and　I　trust　that　the　news　will　be　good。〃

The　little　party　set　out　towards　the　border；　and　before
long　met　numbers　of　fugitives；　weeping　women　carrying　children；
old　men　and　boys；　making　their　way　from　the　neighbourhood　of
the　Danes。　The　men　had　for　the　most　part　driven　their
herds　into　the　woods；　where　they　were　prepared　to　defend　them
as　best　they　could　against　ro