The Dragon and the Raven; Or, The Days of King Alfred Read online

  CHAPTER II: THE BATTLE OF KESTEVEN

  The following morning early the little party started. The great chestwas dug up from its place of concealment, and they resumed theirordinary dresses. The ealdorman attired himself in a white tunic with abroad purple band round the lower edge, with a short cloak of greencloth. This was fastened with a gold brooch at the neck; a necklet ofthe same metal and several gold bracelets completed his costume, exceptthat he wore a flat cap and sandals. Edmund had a green tunic and cloakof deep red colour; while Egbert was dressed in yellow with a greencloak--the Saxons being extremely fond of bright colours.

  All wore daggers, whose sheaths were incrusted in silver, in theirbelts, and the ealdorman and his kinsman carried short broad-bladedswords, while Edmund had his boar-spear. Eldred placed in the pouchwhich hung at his side a bag containing a number of silver cubes cutfrom a long bar and roughly stamped. The chest was then buried again inits place of concealment among the bushes near the hut, Edmund placedhis bows and arrows in the boat--not that in which Edmund had fished,but the much larger and heavier craft which Eldred and Egbert hadused--and then the party, with the hound, took their places in it. Theealdorman and Egbert were provided with long poles, and with these theysent the little boat rapidly through the water.

  After poling their way for some eight hours they reached the town ofNorwich, to which the Danes had not yet penetrated; here, procuringwhat articles they needed, they proceeded on their journey to Croyland,making a great circuit to avoid the Danes at Thetford. The country wasfor the most part covered with thick forests, where the wild boar anddeer roamed undisturbed by man, and where many wolves still lurked,although the number in the country had been greatly diminished by theenergetic measures which King Egbert had taken for the destruction ofthese beasts. Their halting-places were for the most part at religioushouses, which then served the purpose of inns for travellers, beingfreely opened to those whom necessity or pleasure might cause tojourney. Everywhere they found the monks in a state of alarm at theprogress of the Danes, who, wherever they went, destroyed the churchesand religious houses, and slew the monks.

  Eldred was everywhere received with marked honour; being known as awise and valiant noble, his opinions on the chances of the situationwere eagerly listened to, and he found the monks at all theirhalting-places prepared, if need be, to take up arms and fight thepagan invaders, as those of Mercia and Wessex had done in the precedingautumn. The travellers, on arriving at Croyland, were warmly welcomed.

  "I heard, brother," the abbot said, "that you had bravely foughtagainst the Danes near Thetford, and have been sorely anxious since thenews came of the dispersal of your force."

  "I have been in hiding," Eldred said, "hoping that a general effortwould be made against the invaders. My own power was broken, since allmy lands are in their hands. The people of East Anglia foolishly seemto suppose that, so long as the Danes remain quiet, the time has notcome for action. They will repent their lethargy some day, for, as theDanes gather in strength, they will burst out over the surroundingcountry as a dammed-up river breaks its banks. No, brother, I regardEast Anglia as lost so far as depends upon itself; its only hope is inthe men of Kent and Wessex, whom we must now look upon as ourchampions, and who may yet stem the tide of invasion and drive back theDanes. This abbey of yours stands in a perilous position, being not farremoved from the Humber, where so many of the Danes find entrance toEngland."

  "It is not without danger, Eldred, but the men of the fens arenumerous, hardy and brave, and will offer a tough resistance to any whomay venture to march hitherward, and if, as I hope, you will stay withus, and will undertake their command, we may yet for a long time keepthe Danes from our doors."

  For some weeks the time passed quietly. Edmund spent most of his timein hunting, being generally accompanied by Egbert. The Saxon was anexceedingly tall and powerful man, slow and scanty of speech, who hadearned for himself the title of Egbert the Silent. He was devoted tohis kinsmen and regarded himself as special guardian of Edmund. He hadinstructed him in the use of arms, and always accompanied him when hewent out to hunt the boar, standing ever by his side to aid him toreceive the rush of the wounded and furious beasts; and more than once,when Edmund had been borne down by their onslaughts, and would havebeen severely wounded, if not killed, a sweeping blow of Egbert's swordhad rid him of his assailant.

  Sometimes Edmund made excursions in the fens, where with nets andsnares he caught the fish which swarmed in the sluggish waters; or,having covered his boat with a leafy bower until it resembled afloating bush, drifted close to the flocks of wild-fowl, and with hisbow and arrows obtained many a plump wild duck. Smaller birds werecaught in snares or traps, or with bird-lime smeared on twigs. Eldredseldom joined his son in his hunting excursions, as he was busied withhis brother the abbot in concerting the measures of defence and inorganizing a band of messengers, who, on the first warning of danger,could be despatched throughout the fens to call in the fisherpopulation to the defence of the abbey.

  It was on the 18th of September, 870, that a messenger arrived at theabbey and craved instant speech with the prior. The latter, who wascloseted with his brother, ordered the man to be admitted.

  "I come," he said, "from Algar the ealdorman. He bids me tell you thata great Danish host has landed from the Humber at Lindsay. The richmonastery of Bardenay has been pillaged and burned. Algar is assemblingall the inhabitants of the marsh lands to give them battle, and heprays you to send what help you can spare, for assuredly they willmarch hither should he be defeated."

  "Return to the ealdorman," the abbot said; "tell him that every laybrother and monk who can bear arms shall march hence to join him underthe command of lay brother Toley, whose deeds of arms against the Danesin Mercia are well known to him. My brother here, Eldred, will head allthe inhabitants of the marshes of this neighbourhood. With these andthe brothers of the abbey, in all, as I reckon, nigh four hundred men,he will to-morrow march to join Algar."

  Messengers were at once sent off through the surrounding countrybidding every man assemble on the morrow morning at Croyland, and soonafter daybreak they began to arrive. Some were armed with swords, somewith long sickles, used in cutting rushes, tied to poles, some hadfastened long pieces of iron to oars to serve as pikes. They were arough and somewhat ragged throng, but Eldred saw with satisfaction thatthey were a hard and sturdy set of men, accustomed to fatigue andlikely to stand firm in the hour of battle.

  Most of them carried shields made of platted osiers covered with skin.The armoury of the abbey was well supplied, and swords and axes weredistributed among the worst armed of the fenmen. Then, with but littleorder or regularity, but with firm and cheerful countenances, as mendetermined to win or die, the band moved off under Eldred's command,followed by the contingent of the abbey, eighty strong, under laybrother Toley.

  A sturdy band were these monks, well fed and vigorous. They knew thatthey had no mercy to expect from the Danes, and, regarding them aspagans and enemies of their religion as well as of their country, couldbe trusted to do their utmost. Late that evening they joined Algar atthe place they had appointed, and found that a large number of thepeople of the marshes had gathered round his banner.

  The Danes had not moved as yet from Bardenay, and Algar determined towait for another day or two before advancing, in order to give time toothers farther from the scene of action to arrive.

  The next day came the contingents from several other priories andabbeys, and the sight of the considerable force gathered together gaveheart and confidence to all. Algar, Eldred, and the other leaders,Morcar, Osgot, and Harding, moved about among the host, encouragingthem with cheering words, warning them to be in no way intimidated bythe fierce appearance of the Danes, but to hold steadfast and firm inthe ranks, and to yield no foot of ground to the onslaught of theenemy. Many priests had accompanied the contingents from the religioushouses, and these added their exhortations to those of the leaders,telling the men that God would assuredly fight on their side
againstthe heathen, and bidding each man remember that defeat meant thedestruction of their churches and altars, the overthrow of their wholereligion, and the restored worship of the pagan gods.

  Edmund went about among the gathering taking great interest in the wildscene, for these marsh men differed much in their appearance from thesettled inhabitants of his father's lands. The scenes in the camp wereindeed varied in their character. Here and there were harpers withgroups of listeners gathered round, as they sung the exploits of theirfathers, and animated their hearers to fresh fire and energy byrelating legends of the cruelty of the merciless Danes. Other groupsthere were surrounding the priests, who were appealing to theirreligious feelings as well as to their patriotism.

  Men sat about sharpening their weapons, fixing on more firmly thehandles of their shields, adjusting arrows to bowstrings, and preparingin other ways for the coming fight. From some of the fires, round whichthe marsh men were sitting, came snatches of boisterous song, whilehere and there, apart from the crowd, priests were hearing confessions,and shriving penitents.

  The next morning early, one of the scouts, who had been sent to observethe movements of the Danes, reported that these were issuing from theircamp, and advancing into the country.

  Algar marshalled his host, each part under its leaders, and moved tomeet them. Near Kesteven the armies came in sight of each other, andafter advancing until but a short distance apart both halted to marshaltheir ranks anew. Eldred, with the men of the marshes near Croyland andthe contingent from the abbey, had their post in the central division,which was commanded by Algar himself, Edmund took post by his father,and Egbert stood beside him.

  Edmund had never before seen the Danes, and he could not but admit thattheir appearance was enough to shake the stoutest heart. All carriedgreat shields covering them from head to foot. These were composed ofwood, bark, or leather painted or embossed, and in the cases of thechiefs plated with gold and silver. So large were these that in navalencounters, if the fear of falling into the enemy's hands forced themto throw themselves into the sea, they could float on their shields;and after death in battle a soldier was carried to his grave on hisbuckler. As they stood facing the Saxons they locked their shieldstogether so as to form a barrier well-nigh impregnable against thearrows.

  All wore helmets, the common men of leather, the leaders of iron orcopper, while many in addition wore coats of mail. Each carried asword, a battle-axe, and a bow and arrows. Some of the swords wereshort and curled like a scimitar; others were long and straight, andwere wielded with both hands. They wore their hair long and hangingdown their shoulders, and for the most part shaved their cheeks andchins, but wore their moustaches very long.

  They were, for the most, tall, lithe, and sinewy men, but physically inno way superior to the Saxons, from whom they differed very widely incomplexion, the Saxons being fair while the Danes were very dark, asmuch so as modern gypsies; indeed, the Saxon historians speak of themas the black pagans. Upon the other hand many of the Northmen, beingScandinavians, were as fair as the Saxons themselves.

  The Danes began the battle, those in front shouting fiercely, andstriking their swords on their shields with a clashing noise, while theranks behind shot a shower of arrows among the Saxons. These at oncereplied. The combat was not continued long at a distance, for the Daneswith a mighty shout rushed upon the Saxons. These stood their groundfirmly and a desperate conflict ensued. The Saxon chiefs vied with eachother in acts of bravery, and singling out the leaders of the Danesengaged with them in hand-to-hand conflict.

  Algar had placed his swordsmen in the front line, those armed withspears in the second; and as the swordsmen battled with the Danes thespearmen, when they saw a shield uplifted to guard the head, thrustunder with their weapons and slew many. Edmund, seeing that with hissword he should have but little chance against these fierce soldiers,fell a little behind his father and kinsman, and as these were engagedwith the enemy he from time to time, when he saw an opportunity, rushedin and delivered a thrust with his spear at an unguarded point. TheSaxon shouts rose louder and louder as the Danes in vain endeavoured tobreak through their line. The monks fought stoutly, and many a fierceNorseman fell before their blows.

  The Danes, who had not expected so firm a resistance, began tohesitate, and Algar giving the word, the Saxons took the offensive, andthe line pressed forward step by step. The archers poured their arrowsin a storm among the Danish ranks. These fell back before theonslaught. Already three of their kings and many of their principalleaders had fallen, and at last, finding themselves unable to withstandthe impetuous onslaught of the Saxons, they turned and fled inconfusion towards their camp. The Saxons with exulting shouts pursuedthem, and great numbers were slaughtered. The Danes had, however, aswas their custom, fortified the camp before advancing, and Algar drewoff his troops, deeming that it would be better to defer the attack onthis position until the following day.

  There was high feasting in the Saxon camp that evening, but this wasbrought to an abrupt conclusion by the arrival of a scout, who reportedthat a great Danish army marching from the Humber was approaching thecamp of the compatriots. The news was but too true. The kings Guthorn,Bergsecg, Oskytal, Halfdene, and Amund, and the Jarls Frene, Hingwar,Hubba, and the two Sidrocs, with all their followers, had marched downfrom Yorkshire to join the invaders who had just landed.

  The news of this immense reinforcement spread consternation among theAngles. In vain their leaders went about among them and exhorted themto courage, promising them another victory as decisive as that they hadwon that day. Their entreaties were in vain, for when the morningdawned it was found that three-fourths of their number had left thecamp during the night, and had made off to the marshes and fastnesses.

  A council of the chiefs was held. The chances of conflict appearedhopeless, so vastly were they out-numbered by the Danes. Algar,however, declared that he would die rather than retreat.

  "If we fly now," he said, "all East Anglia will fall into the hands ofthe heathen. Even should we fight and fall, the example of what ahandful of brave men can do against the invaders will surely animatethe Angles to further resistance; while if we conquer, so great a blowwill be dealt to the renown of these Danes that all England will riseagainst them."

  On hearing these words all the chiefs came to the determination to winor die as they stood. Eldred took Edmund aside after this determinationhad been arrived at.

  "My son," he said, "I allowed you yesterday to stand by my side inbattle, and well and worthily did you bear yourself, but to-day youmust withdraw. The fight is well-nigh hopeless, and I believe that allwho take part in it are doomed to perish. I would not that my houseshould altogether disappear, and shall die more cheerfully in the hopethat some day you will avenge me upon these heathen. Therefore, Edmund,I bid you take station at a distance behind the battle, so that whenyou see the day goes against us you may escape in time. I shall urgeour faithful Egbert to endeavour, when he sees that all is lost, tomake his way from the fight and rejoin you, and to journey with you toWessex and there present you to the king. For myself, if the battle islost I shall die rather than fly. Such is the resolution of Algar andour other brave chiefs, and Eldred the ealdorman must not be the onlyone of the leaders to run from the fray."

  Edmund was deeply touched at his father's words, but the parental rulewas so strict in those days that it did not even enter his mind toprotest against Eldred's decision.

  As the morning went on the Danes were engaged in the funeral ceremoniesof their dead kings, while the Saxons, quiet and resolute, received theholy sacrament and prepared for the fight. Algar chose a position onrising ground. He himself with Eldred commanded the centre, Toley andMorcar led the right wing, Osgot and Harding the left.

  Each of these wings contained about five hundred men. Algar's centre,which was a little withdrawn from its wings, contained about 200 of hisbest warriors, and was designed as a reserve, with which, if need be,he could move to the assistance of either of the wings which m
ight besorely pressed and in danger. The Saxons formed in a solid mass withtheir bucklers linked together. The Danish array which issued out fromtheir camp was vastly superior in numbers, and was commanded by fourkings and eight jarls or earls, while two kings and four earls remainedin charge of the camp, and of the great crowd of prisoners, for themost part women and children, whom they had brought with them.

  With the Danes who had come down from Yorkshire were a large body ofhorsemen, who charged furiously down upon the Saxons; but thesemaintained so firm an array with their lances and spears projectingoutward that the Danes failed to break through them, and after makingrepeated efforts and suffering heavy loss they drew back. Then theDanish archers and slingers poured in a storm of missiles, but theseeffected but little harm, as the Saxons stooped a little behind theirclosely packed line of bucklers, which were stout enough to keep outthe shower of arrows. All day the struggle continued. Again and againthe Danes strove to break the solid Saxon array, and with sword andbattle-axe attempted to hew down the hedge of spears, but in vain. Atlast their leaders, convinced that they could not overcome theobstinacy of the resistance, ordered their followers to feign a retreat.

  As the Danes turned to fly the Saxons set up a triumphant shout, andbreaking up their solid phalanx rushed after them in complete disorder.In vain Algar, Osgot, Toley, Eldred, and the other leaders shouted tothem to stand firm. Weary of their long inactivity, and convinced thatthe Danes were routed, the Saxons pursued them across the plain.Suddenly the Danish horse, who after failing to break through the rankshad remained apart at a short distance from the conflict, dashed downupon the disordered Saxons, while the flying infantry turning roundalso fell upon them with exulting shouts.

  Taken wholly by surprise, confused and disordered, the Saxons couldoffer no effectual opposition to the charge. The Danish horse rodeamong them hewing and slaying, and the swords and battle-axes of thefootmen completed the work. In a few minutes of all the Saxon bandwhich had for so many hours successfully resisted the onslaught of theDanes, not one survived save a few fleet-footed young men who, throwingaway their arms, succeeded in making their escape, and a little group,consisting of Algar, Toley, Eldred, and the other leaders who hadgathered together when their men broke their ranks and had taken uptheir position on a knoll of ground rising above the plain. Here for along time they resisted the efforts of the whole of the Danes,surrounding themselves with a heap of slain; but at length one by onethey succumbed to the Danish onslaught, each fighting valiantly to thelast.

  From his position at a distance Edmund watched the last desperatestruggle. With streaming eyes and a heart torn by anxiety for hisfather he could see the Danish foe swarming round the little band whodefended the crest. These were lost from his sight, and only theflashing of swords showed where the struggle was still going on in thecentre of the confused mass. Edmund had been on his knees for sometime, but he now rose.

  "Come, old boy," he said to the hound, who lay beside him watching thedistant conflict and occasionally uttering deep angry growls. "I mustobey my father's last command; let us away."

  He took one more glance at the distant conflict before turning. It wasplain that it was nearly finished. The swords had well-nigh ceased torise and fall when he saw a sudden movement in the throng of Danes andsuddenly a man burst out from them and started at headlong speedtowards him, pursued by a number of Danes. Even at that distance Edmundthought that he recognized the tall figure of his kinsman, but he hadno time to assure himself of this, and he at once, accompanied by thehound, set off at the top of his speed from the field of battle. He hadfully a quarter of a mile start, and being active and hardy andaccustomed to exercise from his childhood, he had no fear that theDanes would overtake him. Still he ran his hardest.

  Looking over his shoulder from time to time he saw that at first theDanes who were pursuing the fugitive were gaining upon him also, butafter a time he again increased the distance, while, being unencumberedwith shield or heavy weapons, the fugitive kept the advantage he had atfirst gained. Three miles from the battle-field Edmund reached the edgeof a wide-spreading wood. Looking round as he entered its shelter hesaw that the flying Saxon was still about a quarter of a mile behindhim, and that the Danes, despairing of over-taking him, had ceasedtheir pursuit. Edmund therefore checked his footsteps and awaited thearrival of the fugitive, who he now felt certain was his kinsman.

  In a few minutes Egbert came up, having slackened his speedconsiderably when he saw that he was no longer pursued. He was bleedingfrom several wounds, and now that the necessity for exertion had passedhe walked but feebly along. Without a word he flung himself on theground by Edmund and buried his face in his arms, and the lad could seeby the shaking of his broad shoulders that he was weeping bitterly. Thegreat hound walked up to the prostrate figure and gave vent to a longand piteous howl, and then lying down by Egbert's side placed his headon his shoulder.