Chapter XIX

FIRST SETTLEMENT OF THE DANES IN NORTHUMBRIA.

Ethelwulph, king of Kent--His unfitness to govern--The brave
bishop of Sherbourne--The two characters contrasted--Boldness
of the Danes--They occupy the Isle of Thanet--Battle of the
field of Oaks--Character of Osberga, mother of Alfred the Great
--Ethelwulph visits Rome in company with his son Alfred--The
king of Kent marries Judith, daughter of Charles of France--
His presents to the Pope--Returns to England with his youthful
wife--Rebellion of his son Ethelbald--Death of Ethelwulph
--Ethelbald marries his stepmother Judith--She elopes from a
monastery with Baldwin, the grand forester--Death of Ethelbald
--Brief reign of Ethelbert--Alfred begins to distinguish
himself--The celebrated sea-king, Ragnar Lodbrog--His bravery
--Builds a large ship--Is wrecked on the coast of Northumbria
--Made prisoner by Ella, and dies in a dungeon--His celebrated
death-song--The sons of Ragnar Lodbrog prepare to revenge
their father's death--England invaded by their mighty fleet--
Their march towards Northumbria--Ravage York--Horrible death
of Ella, king of Northumbria--The Danes occupy the kingdoms
of the Deiri and Bernicia--Nottingham taken by the Danes--
Alfred accompanies his brother Ethelred, and the king of Mercia,
in their attack upon the Danes--They enter into a treaty
with the invaders--Alfred's marriage and attainments at this
period p. 159

CHAPTER XX.

RAVAGES OF THE DANES, AND DEATH OF ETHELRED.

Ravages of the Danes in Lincolnshire--Destruction of the
monastery of Bardney--Gallant resistance of the Mercians--
Battle near Croyland Abbey--Destruction of Croyland Abbey, and
murder of the monks--Sidroc, one of the sea-kings, saves a boy
from the massacre--The abbey of Peterborough destroyed by the
Danes--Description of the country through which the invaders
passed--Their march into East Anglia--The Danes enter Wessex
--Battle of Ash-tree hill, and victory of the Saxons--Death of
Ethelred p. 169

CHAPTER XXI.

ACCESSION AND ABDICATION OF ALFRED THE GREAT.

Miserable state of England when Alfred ascended the throne of
Wessex--He is disheartened by the rapid arrival of the Danes
--Enters into a treaty with them, and they abandon Essex--The
Danes occupy London--Burrhed, king of Mercia, retires to Rome
--The Danes now masters of all England, excepting Wessex--
Alfred destroys their ships--Again enters into treaty with them
--He encounters them at sea--Treaty at Exeter--His strange
conduct at Chippenham--Vindication of the character of Alfred
--His conduct during retirement--Alfred the Great in the
cowherd's hut--Discovery of his retreat--His skirmishes with
the Danes--Odin, the earl of Devonshire, captures the magical
banner of Hubba, the sea-king--Alfred and his followers fortify
their island retreat--Poverty of the great Saxon king p. 179