the dragon and the raven-第35章

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Christianity　was　intense；　and　East　Anglia　would；　therefore；
naturally　seek　the　close　alliance　and　assistance　of　its
Christian　neighbour。

Great　were　the　rejoicings　in　the　Saxon　camp　that　night。
Seldom；　indeed；　has　a　victory　had　so　great　and　decisive　an
effect　upon　the　future　of　a　nation　as　that　of　Ethandune。　Had
the　Saxons　been　crushed；　the　domination　of　the　Danes　in
England　would　have　been　finally　settled。　Christianity　would
have　been　stamped　out；　and　with　it　civilization；　and　the
island　would　have　made　a　backward　step　into　paganism　and
barbarism　which　might　have　delayed　her　progress　for　centuries。

The　victory　established　the　freedom　of　Wessex；　converted
East　Anglia　into　a　settled　and　Christian　country；　and
enabled　King　Alfred　to　frame　the　wise　laws　and　statutes　and
to　establish　on　a　firm　basis　the　institutions　which　raised　Saxon
England　vastly　in　the　scale　of　civilization；　and　have　in　no
small　degree　affected　the　whole　course　of　life　of　the　English
people。





CHAPTER　XII：　FOUR　YEARS　OF　PEACE



Seven　weeks　afterwards　Guthorn；　accompanied　by　thirty
of　his　noblest　warriors；　entered　Alfred's　camp；　which　was
pitched　at　Aller；　a　place　not　far　from　Athelney。
An　altar　was　erected　and　a　solemn　service　performed；
and　Guthorn　and　his　companions　were　all　baptized；　Alfred
himself　becoming　sponsor　for　Guthorn；　whose　name
was　changed　to　Athelstan。　The　Danes　remained　for　twelve
days　in　the　Saxon　camp。　For　the　first　eight　they　wore；　in
accordance　with　the　custom　of　the　times；　the　chrismal；　a　white
linen　cloth　put　on　the　head　when　the　rite　of　baptism　was
performed；　on　the　eighth　day　the　solemn　ceremony　known
as　the　chrism；　the　loosing　or　removal　of　the　cloths；　took　place
at　Wedmore。　This　was　performed　by　the　Ealdorman
Ethelnoth。

During　these　twelve　days　many　conferences　were　held
between　Alfred　and　Athelstan　as　to　the　future　of　the　two
kingdoms。　While　the　Danes　were　still　in　the　camp　a
witenagemot　or　Saxon　parliament　was　held　at　Wedmore。　At
this　Athelstan　and　many　of　the　nobles　and　inhabitants　of
East　Anglia　were　present；　and　the　boundary　of　the　two　kingdoms
was　settled。　It　was　to　commence　at　the　mouth　of　the
Thames；　to　run　along　the　river　Lea　to　its　source；　and　at
Bedford　turn　to　the　right　along　the　Ouse　as　far　as　Watling
Street。　According　to　this　arrangement　a　considerable　portion
of　the　kingdom　of　Mercia　fell　to　Alfred's　share。

The　treaty　comprehended　various　rules　for　the　conduct
of　commerce；　and　courts　were　instituted　for　the　trial　of
disputes　and　crimes。　The　Danes　did　not　at　once　leave　Mercia；
but　for　a　considerable　time　lay　in　camp　at　Cirencester；　but　all
who　refused　to　become　Christians　were　ordered　to　depart
beyond　the　seas；　and　the　Danes　gradually　withdrew　within
their　boundary。

Guthorn's　conversion；　although　no　doubt　brought　about
at　the　moment　by　his　admiration　of　the　clemency　of　Alfred；
had　probably　been　for　some　time　projected　by　him。　Mingling
as　his　people　did　in　East　Anglia　with　the　Christian　Saxons
there；　he　must　have　had　opportunities　for　learning　the
nature　of　their　tenets；　and　of　contrasting　its　mild　and
beneficent　teaching　with　the　savage　worship　of　the　pagan　gods。
By　far　the　greater　proportion　of　his　people　followed　their　king's
example；　but　the　wilder　spirits　quitted　the　country；　and　under
their　renowned　leader　Hastings　sailed　to　harry　the　shores
of　France。　The　departure　of　the　more　turbulent　portion　of
his　followers　rendered　it　more　easy　for　the　Danish　king　to
carry　his　plans　into　effect。

After　the　holding　of　the　witan　Edmund　and　Egbert　at
once　left　the　army　with　their　followers；　and　for　some　months
the　young　ealdorman　devoted　himself　to　the　work　of　restoring
the　shattered　homes　of　his　people；　aiding　them　with　loans
from　the　plunder　he　had　gained　on　the　seas；　Alfred　having
at　once　repaid　him　the　sums　which　he　had　lent　at　Athelney。
As　so　many　of　his　followers　had　also　brought　home　money
after　their　voyage；　the　work　of　rebuilding　and　restoration　went
on　rapidly；　and　in　a　few　months　the　marks　left　of　the　ravages
by　the　Danes　had　been　well…nigh　effaced。

Flocks　and　herds　again　grazed　in　the　pastures；　herds　of
swine　roamed　in　the　woods；　the　fields　were　cultivated；　and
the　houses　rebuilt。　In　no　part　of　Wessex　was　prosperity　so
speedily　re…established　as　in　the　district　round　Sherborne
governed　by　Edmund。　The　Dragon　was　thoroughly　overhauled
and　repaired；　for　none　could　say　how　soon　fresh　fleets　of　the
Northmen　might　make　their　appearance　upon　the　southern
shores　of　England。　It　was　not　long；　indeed；　before　the
Northmen　reappeared；　a　great　fleet　sailing　up　the　Thames
at　the　beginning　of　the　winter。　It　ascended　as　high　as　Fulham；
where　a　great　camp　was　formed。　Seeing　that　the　Saxons　and
East　Anglians　would　unite　against　them　did　they　advance
further；　the　Danes　remained　quietly　in　their　encampment
during　the　winter；　and　in　the　spring　again　took　ship　and　sailed
for　France。

For　the　next　two　years　England　enjoyed　comparative
quiet；　the　Danes　turning　their　attention　to　France　and　Holland；
sailing　up　the　Maas；　Scheldt；　Somme；　and　Seine。　Spreading
from　these　rivers　they　carried　fire　and　sword　over　a　great
extent　of　country。　The　Franks　resisted　bravely；　and　in　two
pitched　battles　defeated　their　invaders　with　great　loss。　The
struggle　going　on　across　the　Channel　was　watched　with　great
interest　by　the　Saxons；　who　at　first　hoped　to　see　the　Danes
completely　crushed　by　the　Franks。

The　ease；　however；　with　which　the　Northmen　moved
from　point　to　point　in　their　ships　gave　them　such　immense
advantage　that　their　defeats　at　Hasle　and　Saucourt　in　no　way
checked　their　depredations。　Appearing　suddenly　off　the
coast；　or　penetrating　into　the　interior　by　a　river；　their　hordes
would　land；　ravage　the　country；　slay　all　who　opposed　them；
and　carry　off　the　women　and　children　captives；　and　would
then　take　to　their　ships　again　before　the　leaders　of　the　Franks
could　assemble　an　army。

Alfred　spent　this　time　of　repose　in　restoring　as　far　as
possible　the　loss　and　damage　which　his　kingdom　had
suffered。　Many　wise　laws　were　passed；　churches　were　rebuilt；
and　order　restored；　great　numbers　of　the　monks　and　wealthier
people　who　had　fled　to　France　in　the　days　of　the　Danish
supremacy　now　returned　to　England；　which　was　for　the　time
freer　from　danger　than　the　land　in　which　they　had　sought
refuge；　and　many　Franks　from　the　districts　exposed　to　the
Danish　ravages　came　over　and　settled　in　England。

Gradually　the　greater　part　of　England　acknowledged
the　rule　of　Alfred。　The　kingdom　of　Kent　was　again　united　to
that　of　Wessex；　while　Mercia；　which　extended　across　the
centre　of　England　from　Anglia　to　Wales；　was　governed　for　Alfred
by　Ethelred　the　Ealdorman；　who　was　the　head　of　the　powerful
family　of　the　Hwiccas；　and　had　received　the　hand　of
Alfred's　daughter　Ethelfleda。　He　ruled　Mercia　according　to
its　own　laws　and　customs；　which　differed　materially　from　those
of　the　West　Saxons；　and　which　prevented　a　more　perfect　union
of　the　two　kingdoms　until　William　the　Conqueror　welded
the　whole　country　into　a　single　whole。　But　Ethelred
acknowledged　the　supremacy　of　Alfred；　consulted　him　upon　all
occasions　of　importance；　and　issued　all　his　edicts　and　orders
in　the　king's　name。　He　was　ably　assisted　by　Werfrith；　the　Bishop
of　Worcester。　The　energy　and　activity　of　these　leaders　enabled
Mercia　to　keep　abreast　of　Wessex　in　the　onward　progress
which　Alfred　laboured　so　indefatigably　to　promote。

Edmund；　when　not　occupied　with　the　affairs　of　his　earldom；
spent　much　of　his　time　with　the　king；　who　saw　in　him　a
spirit　of　intelligence　and　activity　which　resembled　his　own。
Edmund　was；　however；　of　a　less　studious　disposition　than　his
royal　master；　and　though　he　so　far　improved　his　education
as　to　be　able　to　read　and　write　well；　Alfred　could　not　persuade
him　to　undertake　the　study　of　Latin；　being；　as　he　said；
well　content　to　master　some　of　the　learning　of　that　people　by
means　of　the　king's　translations。

At　the　end　of　another　two　years　of　peace　Edmund　was
again　called　upon　to　take　up　arms。　Although　the　Danes
attempted　no　fresh　invasion　some　of　their　ships　hung　around
the　English　coast；　capturing　vessels；　interfering　with　trade；
and　committing　o