II. Anlaf, who had collected a great body of Danish pyrates, whom CHAP. h THERE is a circumftance, not unworthy of notice, which historians relate with regard to the tranfactions of this war. Anlaf, on the approach of the English army, thought, that he could not venture too much to enfure a fortunate event; and employing the artifice formerly practifed by Alfred against the Danes, he entered the enemy's camp in the habit of a minstrel, The ftratagem was for the present attended with a like fuccefs. He gave fuch fatisfaction to the foldiers, who flocked about him, that they introduced him to the King's tent; and Anlaf, having played before that prince and his nobles during their repast, was dismissed with a handfome reward. His prudence kept him from refusing the present; but his pride determined him, on his departure, to bury it, while he fancied that he was unefpied by all the world. But a foldier in Athelftan's camp, who had formerly ferved under Anlaf, had been ftruck 8 Chron. Sax. p. 112, 113. W. Malmef. lib. 2. cap. 6. Ethelwerd, cap. 5. H. Hunting. lib. 5. p. 354. Ofberne, p. 80. Brompton, p. 839. Flor. Wigorn. p. 603. Math. Weft. p. 186. Ingulf, p. 37. 1 The office of chancellor among the Anglo-Saxons resembled more that of a fecretary offtate, than that of our present chancellor. See Spellman in voce Cancellarius. VOL. I. with with some suspicion on the first appearance of the minstrel; and was engaged by curiofity to obferve all his motions. He regarded this last action as a full proof of Anlaf's disguise; and he immediately carried the intelligence to Athelstan, who blamed him for not fooner giving him information, that he might have feized his enemy. But the foldier told him, that as he haď formerly fworn fealty to Anlaf, he could never have pardoned himself the treachery of betraying and ruining his ancient mafter; and that Athelftan himself, after fuch an inftance of his criminal conduct, would have had equal reafon to doubt of his allegiance. Athelstan, having praised the generosity of the foldier's principles, reflected on the incident, which he forefaw might be attended with important confequences. He removed his station in the camp; and as a bishop arrived that evening with a reinforcement of troops, (for the ecclefiaftics were then no less warlike than the civil magiftrates) he occupied with his train that very place which had been left vacant by the King's removal. The precaution of Athelftan was found prudent: For no fooner had darkness fallen, than Anlaf broke into the camp, and haftening directly to the place where he had left the King's tent, put the bishop to death, before he had time to prepare for his defence'. THERE fell feveral Danish and Welsh princes in the action of Brunfbury; and Conftantine and Anlaf made their efcape with difficulty, leaving the greatest part of their army on the field of battle. After this fuccefs, Athelftan enjoyed his crown in tranquillity; and he is regarded as one of the ableft and most active of those ancient princes. He paffed a remarkable law, which was calculated for the encouragement of commerce, and which i W. Malmef. lib. 2. cap. 6. Higden, p. 263.. * Brompton, p. 839. In it it required fome largeness of mind, in that age, to have devised: That a merchant, who had made three long fea-voyages on his own account, fhould be admitted to the rank of a thane or gentleman. This prince died at Glocefter in the year 941', after a reign of fixteen years; and was fucceeded by his brother Edmund. ED EDM UN D. DMUND, on his acceffion, met with disturbance from the restless Northumbrians, who lay in wait for every opportunity of breaking into rebellion. But marching fuddenly with his forces into their country, he fo overawed the rebels, that they endeavoured to appeafe him by the most humble fubmiffions ". In order to give him the furer pledge of their obedience, they offered to embrace Christianity; a religion which the English Danes had frequently profeffed, when reduced to difficulties, but which, for that very reason, they regarded as a badge of fervitude, and fhook off as foon as a favourable opportunity offered. Edmund, trufting little to their fincerity in this forced fubmiffion, ufed the precaution of removing the Five-burgers from the towns of Mercia, in which they had been allowed to fettle; because it was always found, that they took advantage of every commotion, and introduced the rebellious or foreign Danes into the heart of the kingdom ". He also conquered Cumberland from the Britains; and conferred that territory on Malcolm, King of Scotland, on condi m W. Malmef. lib. 2. cap. 7. Brompton, 1 Chron. Sax. p. 114. P. 857. n Chron. Sax. p. 114. H. Hunting. lib. 5. p. 355. Brompton, p. 857. Chron. de Muilrofe, p. 148. Higden, p. 263. Alur. Beverl. p. 110. 941. CHAP. tion that he should do him homage for it, and protect the north from all future incurfions of the Danes °. EDMUND was very young when he came to the crown; yet was his reign fhort, as his death was violent. One day, as he was folemnizing a festival in the county of Glocefter, he remarked, that Leolf, a notorious robber, whom he had fentenced to banishment, had yet the boldness to enter the hall where he himself dined, and to fit at table with his attendants. Enraged at this infolence, he ordered him to leave the room; but on his refusing to obey, the King, whose temper, naturally choleric, was inflamed by this additional infult, leaped on him himself, and feized him by the hair: But the ruffian, pufhed to extremity, drew his dagger, and gave Edmund a wound, of which he immediately expired". This event happened in the year 946, and in the sixth year of the King's reign. Edmund left male-iffue, but fo young, that they were incapable of governing the kingdom; and his brother, Edred, was promoted to the crown. 946. TH EDRE D. HE reign of this prince, as that of his predeceffors, was disturbed by the rebellions and incurfions of the Northumbrian Danes, who, though frequently quelled, were never entirely fubdued, nor had ever paid a fincere allegiance to the • Chron. Sax. p. 115. W. Malmef. lib. 2. cap. 7. Hoveden, p. 423. Brompton, p. 857. Flor. Wigorn. p. 604. P W. Malmes. lib. 2. cap. 7. Hove. 9 Chron. Sax. p. 115. Math. den, p. 423. West. p. 188. Chron. de Muilrofe, p. 148. crown crown of England. The fucceffion of a new King feemed to them a favourable opportunity for shaking off the yoke; but on Edred's appearance with an army, they made him their wonted fubmiffions; and the King having wafted the country: with fire and fword, as a punishment of their rebellion', obliged them to renew their oaths of allegiance; and he straight retired with his forces. The obedience of the Danes lafted no longer than the present terror.. Provoked at the devastations of Edred, and even reduced by neceffity to fubfift on plunder, they broke into a new rebellion, and were again fubdued': But the King, now inftructed by experience, took better precautions against their future revolt. He fixed English garrisons in their most confiderable towns; and placed over them an English governor, who might watch all their motions, and fupprefs their infurrections on the first appearance. He obliged alfo Malcolm, King of Scotland, to renew his homage for the lands which he held in England *.. t EDRED, though not unwarlike, nor unfit for active life, lay under the influence of the loweft fuperftition, and had blindly delivered over his confcience to the guidance of Dunftan, com-. monly called St. Dunstan, abbot of Glaftenbury ", whom he advanced to the higheft offices, and who covered, under the ap-. pearance of fanctity, the most violent and most infolent ambition. Taking advantage of the implicit truft reposed in him by the King, this churchman imported into England a new order: of monks, who much changed the ftate of ecclefiaftical af-.. fairs, and excited, on their first establishment, the most violent commotions. * Hoveden, p. 423. Wallingford, p. 541. den, p. 423. • Ethelwerd, cap. 7. Hove-. * Matth. Weft. p. 186. Higden, p. 263. lib. 2. cap. 7. Brompton, p. 862. FROM: CHAP.. II. |