Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/199

 The Disruption of Charlemagne s Empire 163 IV. How THE NORTHMEN HARRIED FRANKLAND AND LAID SIEGE TO PARIS (882) . . . The Northmen in the month of October in- trenched themselves at Conde', and horribly devastated the kingdom of Carloman, 1 while King Charles with his army took his stand on the Somme at Barleux. The Northmen ceased not from rapine and drove all the inhabitants who were left beyond the Somme. . . . [King Carloman gave them battle] and the Franks were victorious and killed nigh a thousand of the Northmen. Yet they were in no wise discomfited by this battle. . . . They went from Conde back to their ships, and thence laid waste the whole kingdom with fire and sword as far as the Oise. They destroyed houses, and razed monasteries and churches to the ground, and brought to their death the ser- vants of our holy religion by famine and sword, or sold them beyond the sea. They killed the dwellers in the land and none could resist them. Abbot Hugo, when he heard of these calamities, gathered an army and came to aid the king. When the Northmen came back from a plundering expedition ... he, in com- pany with the king, gave them chase. They, however, betook themselves to a wood, and scattered hither and yon, and finally returned to their ships with little loss. In this year died Hinckmar, archbishop of Rheims, a man justly esteemed by all. (883) ... In the spring the Northmen left Condd and sought the country along the sea. Here they dwelt through the summer ; they forced the Flemings to flee from their lands, and raged everywhere, laying waste the country with fire and sword. As autumn approached, Carloman, the king, took his station with his army in the canton of Vithman at Mianai, opposite Lavier, in order to protect the kingdom. The Northmen at the end of October came to Lavier with cavalry, foot soldiers, and all their baggage. Ships, too, came 1 Son of Charles the Bald. See History of Western Europe, p. 96. 71. How the Northmen harried Francia and besieged Paris (882- 886). (From the Annals of St. Vaast.)