Page:Cassell's Illustrated History of England vol 1.djvu/43

 people bore him, he had been compelled to fly. He carried on severe contests with Authun and Berthun, kings of Kent. He afterwards conquered the Isle of Wight; and would have rooted out all the inhabitants, but for the remonstrances of Wilfred, Bishop of Selsey.

In 688 he undertook a journey to Rome, to receive baptism at the hands of the Pope; for although he was a Christian and a great zealot, he had never been baptised. As he travelled through France and Lombardy, he was everywhere very honourably received; and Cunibert, King of the Lombards, was particularly remarkable for the noble entertainment he gave him. When he came to Rome, he was baptised by Pope Sergius II., who gave him the name of Peter. He had always expressed a wish to die soon after his baptism, and his desire was gratified, for he died a few weeks after, at Rome, and was buried at St. Peter's Church, where a stately tomb was erected to his memory, with an epitaph showing his name, quality, age, and time of his death. His two sons being too young to succeed him, his cousin Ina mounted the throne.

Ina was one of the greatest of the monarchs of the Octarchy, and must have been in great favour with his countrymen, who proclaimed him King of the Anglo-Saxons. He carried on war with considerable success against the Cornish Britons, the South Saxons, the Kings of Kent and Mercia.

The high character given of him by monkish writers is owing not so much to his military reputation as to his liberality and devotion to the Church. He rebuilt Glastonbury, and added to the endowment of several other religious houses. Finally, he abdicated the crown, and retired to Rome, where he built the English college for students and ecclesiastics, and provided for the maintenance of the establishment by a tax of one penny, levied upon every family in England, and hence called "Peter's Pence." He also added a stately church to the college, and died a monk.

Adelard, the cousin of Ina, succeeded on the abdication of the latter, but not without a struggle. Oswald, a prince of the royal stock, disputed the crown with him; but his rival being defeated and slain, peace was restored. Adelard died in 740.

Of Cerdred but little is known beyond his defeat of the Britons in Cornwall in 743. He was succeeded by his nephew Sigebert, whose cruelties drove his subjects to revolt. He was deposed, and died miserably.

Cenulph was most successful in his contests with the Britons; but, after a long reign, fell by the hands of Cunehard, the brother of his predecessor, against whose life he had conspired. The last-named prince, aware of the enmity of the king, resolved to be beforehand with him; and, tracking him to the home of his mistress, attacked him with a numerous body of his followers, and killed him, despite the courageous defence he made, and the frantic entreaties of the woman to spare him. Cunehard was put to death by the friends of Cenulph, and Brethric, the son of the latter, placed upon the throne.

Brethric, who married Edburga, the daughter of Offa, King of Mercia, shortly after his accession became so suspicious of his cousin Egbert, a prince of the Saxon line, that he treated him harshly, and suddenly drove him from Britain to take refuge in France, where he was honourably received by Charlemagne. On the death of Brethric, who was poisoned by his queen, he returned to England, in compliance with the request of his countrymen, who sent an embassy to him, offering him the crown. Shortly after his coronation, which took place at Winchester, he had to march against the Welsh, who were secretly plotting to throw off the yoke. On his approach, however, they submitted without risking a battle.

Not so the Danes, whose incursions about this time became frequent in the island. At first they were mere predatory expeditions, undertaken for plunder, and not made with any idea of forming a permanent settlement in the island. They were descended from the Goths and Swedes. Their early history is, however, purely traditional, being derived from no more reliable source than the Icelandic legends.

Bound by a limited territory, in a climate where population rapidly increases, it is not to be wondered at that Denmark and Norway were overstocked with inhabitants, and, consequently, forced to send away large colonies. Their natural inclination to a sea-life made these exiles readily abandon their country; and the great booty the first adventurers gained tempted the richest and most powerful of their countrymen to urge their fortune in the same manner; to which end they entered into associations, and fitted out large fleets to seek and ravage foreign countries. These associations were much of the same nature with those formed in modern times by the corsairs of Barbary; and they became so entirely devoted to this mode of life, that very considerable fleets were put to sea. They had the authority and example of their highest leaders, who occasionally commanded them in person, for what they did. These leaders were known by the name of Sea-kings. Their fleets made great devastation in several parts of Europe, particularly France, England, and the Low Countries. In France they were called Normans—that is, men of the north; but in England they were generally styled Danes. There is no doubt that the Swedes and Goths very often joined with the Danes in their piratical expeditions; and it appears that the Frieslanders also were concerned with them in ravaging the coasts of France and England. The Saxon historians call them indifferently Getes, Goths, Jutes, Norwegians, Dacians, Danes, Swedes, Vandals, and Frieslanders.

It was shortly after Egbert's expedition against the Welsh that he heard of the landing of a body of these marauders at Charmouth, in Dorsetshire, and hastened to meet them, believing that at his approach they would retire to their ships. In this calculation, however, he was disappointed, for the Danes not only stood their ground, but defeated him. The unfortunate monarch was compelled to fly, and owed his life to the darkness of the night. The conquerors, after plundering the country, retired.

Two years afterwards, a more considerable body landed in England, having been invited over by the Britons in Cornwall, who were anxious to throw off the Saxon yoke. This time Egbert was more fortunate. He defeated the invaders in a bloody battle at Hengistdun, and the island was for several years delivered from their presence.

Egbert died in 836, after having reigned thirty-six years, during the last ten as sole monarch of England. He was succeeded by his son Ethelwulph, in whose reign the ravages of the Danes became yet more frequent. In a great battle fought at Charmouth, the English were once more defeated by their fierce enemy, who retired to their