| A.D. 868. In his twentieth year, king Elfred took a wife from Mercia, noble by descent, the daughter of Ethelred, earl of the Gaini, who was called by the Angles " Mucel," on account of his being large in stature and old in wisdom. At that time, the afore- said host of pagans left the Northumbrians, and made their dreaded approach to Nottingham, which city in the British tongue is called Tignocebanc, * which means the House of Caves; in which place these treacherous strangers wintered that year, their arrival being unpleasing enough to all the people. But the mighty king of the Mercians, called Burhred, and all his nobles, heanng of their coming, held counsel with his earls and warriors, and all the people under him, how they might, by their warlike valour, over- come their enemies, or repel them from the kingdom. He sent also messengers with great speed to the man of renowned valour, Elfred, and to Ethelred his brother, begging that they would render him fraternal assistance, by which ti^ey might subdue them with victorious might; which they, like undaunted Hons, did not hesitate to do. Elfred thus stirred up, gave speedy orders to assemble an army, bearing in mind the saying, " A man though rich never does anything, if, trembling and groaning, he fancies himself poor." A strong man can by no means accomplish what he desires if he is timid, and thinks himself poor, that is, in sad plight, though he may do what he wishes by manfully striving. His brother being inflamed with the same zeal, theycame as far as Nottingham, prepared for the enterprise. But the pagans, secured by the fortifications of the citadel, ofler battle; form their line; present a numerous army; yet fearful, perceiving by clear signs that the Christian people in tens of hundreds and thousands would resist their adversaries, stimulated by their devoted leaders. At length, by the favour of the Almighty Lord, the blast of the... |
EALHSWITH of Mercia (Wessex)