第 10 节
作者:悟来悟去      更新:2022-11-23 12:12      字数:9322
  Messengers were sent out in all directions; and early the
  next morning; 400 men having assembled; Edmund and his
  kinsman marched away with them towards Devizes。 Upon
  their arrival at that town they found the king and his brother
  with 8000 men; and the following day the army moved east
  towards Reading。
  They had not marched many miles before a messenger
  arrived saying that two of the Danish jarls with a great
  following had gone out to plunder the country; that they had
  been encountered by Aethelwulf; Earl of Berkshire; with his
  men at Englefield; and a fierce battle had taken place。 The
  Saxons had gained the victory; and great numbers of the
  Danes had been slain; Sidroc; one of their jarls; being among
  the fallen。
  Three days later the royal army arrived in sight of Reading;
  being joined on their march by Aethelwulf and his men。
  The Danes had thrown up a great rampart between the
  Thames and the Kennet; and many were still at work on this
  fortification。 These were speedily slain by the Saxons; but
  their success was a short one。 The main body of the invaders
  swarmed out from the city and a desperate engagement took
  place。
  The Saxons fought valiantly; led by the king and Prince
  Alfred; but being wholly undisciplined and unaccustomed to
  war they were unable to withstand the onslaught of the Danes;
  who fought in better order; keeping together in ranks: after
  four hours' hard fighting the Saxons were compelled to fall
  back。
  They rallied again a few miles from Reading。 Ethelred
  and Alfred went among them bidding them be of good cheer;
  for that another time; when they fought in better order; they
  would gain the victory; and that their loss had not been greater
  than the Danes; only that unhappily the valiant Ealdorman
  Aethelwulf had been slain。 Fresh messengers were sent
  throughout the country bidding all the men of Wessex to
  rally round their king; and on the fourth morning after the
  defeat Ethelred found himself at the head of larger forces
  than had fought with him in the last battle。
  The Danes had moved out from Reading and had taken
  post at Ashdown; and as the Saxon army approached they
  were seen to be divided into two bodies; one of which was
  commanded by their two kings and the other by two jarls。
  The Saxons therefore made a similar division of their army;
  the king commanding one division and Prince Alfred the
  other。
  Edmund with the men of Sherborne was in the division
  of Alfred。 The Danes advanced to the attack and fell with
  fury upon them。 It had been arranged that this division
  should not advance to the attack until that commanded by
  the king was also put in motion。 For some time Alfred and
  his men supported the assaults of the Danes; and then; being
  hardly pressed; the prince sent a messenger to his brother
  to urge that a movement should be made。 The Saxons were
  impatient at standing on the defensive; and Alfred saw that
  he must either allow them to charge the enemy or must retreat。
  Presently the messenger returned saying that the king
  was in his tent hearing mass; and that he had given orders
  that no man should move or any should disturb him until
  mass was concluded。 Alfred hesitated no longer; he formed
  his men into a solid body; and then; raising his battle cry;
  rushed upon the Danes。 The battle was a furious one。 The
  Danes were upon higher ground; their standard being planted
  by the side of a single thorn…tree which grew on the slopes of
  the hill。 Towards this Alfred with his men fought their way。
  The lesson of the previous battle had not been lost; the
  Saxons kept together in a solid body which made its way with
  irresistible weight through the ranks of the Danes。 Still the
  latter closed in on all sides; and the fight was doubtful until
  the king; having finished his devotions; led his division into
  the battle。 For a long time a desperate strife continued and
  great numbers on both sides were killed; but the Saxons;
  animated at once by love of their country and hatred of the
  invaders and by humiliation at their previous defeat; fought
  with such fury that the Danes began to give way。 Then the
  Saxons pressed them still more hotly; and the invaders
  presently lost heart and fled in confusion; pursued in all
  directions by the exulting Saxons。
  The Danish king Bergsecg and five jarls; the two Sidrocs;
  Osbearn; Frene; and Hareld; were slain; and many thousands
  of their followers。 Great spoil of arms and armour fell into
  the hands of the victors。
  Edmund had fought bravely in the battle at the head of
  his men。 Egbert had kept beside him; and twice; when the
  lad had been smitten to his knees by the enemy; covered him
  with his shield and beat off the foe。
  〃You are over…young for such a fight as this; Edmund;〃
  he said when the Danes had taken to flight。 〃You will need
  another four or five years over your head before you can stand
  in battle against these fierce Northmen。 They break down
  your guard by sheer weight; but you bore yourself gallantly;
  and I doubt not will yet be as famous a warrior as was your
  brave father。〃
  Edmund did not join in the pursuit; being too much
  bruised and exhausted to do so; but Egbert with the men of
  Sherborne followed the flying Danes until nightfall。
  〃You have done well; my young ealdorman;〃 Prince
  Alfred said to the lad after the battle。 〃I have been wishing
  much that you could be with me during the past month; but
  I heard that you were building a strong fort and deemed it
  better to let you continue your work undisturbed。 When it is
  finished I trust that I shall have you often near me; but I fear
  that for a time we shall have but little space for peaceful
  pursuits; for the Danes are coming; as I hear; in great troops
  westward; and we shall have many battles to fight ere we clear
  the land of the them。〃
  In those days a defeat; however severe; had not the same
  decisive effect as it has in modern warfare。 There were no
  cannons to lose; no great stores to fall into the hands of the
  victors。 The army was simply dispersed; and its component
  parts reassembled in the course of a day or two; ready; when
  reinforcements arrived; to renew the fight。 Thus; decisive as
  was the victory of Ashdown; Prince Alfred saw that many
  such victories must be won; and a prolonged and exhausting
  struggle carried on before the tide of invasion would be
  finally hurled back from Wessex。 The next few days were spent
  in making a fair distribution of the spoil and arms among
  the conquerors。 Some of the thanes then returned home
  with their people; but the remainder; on the king's entreaty;
  agreed to march with him against the Danes; who after the
  battle had fallen back to Basing; where they had been joined
  by others coming from the coast。 The royal army advanced
  against them; and fourteen days after the battle of Ashdown
  the struggle was renewed。 The fight lasted for many hours;
  but towards nightfall the Saxons were compelled to retreat;
  moving off the field; however; in good order; so that no spoil
  fell into the hands of the Danes。
  This check was a great disappointment to the Saxons;
  who after their late victory had hoped that they should
  speedily clear the kingdom of the Danes。 These; indeed; taught
  prudence by the manner in which the West Saxons had fought;
  for a while refrained from plundering excursions。 Two
  months later the Saxons were again called to arms。 Somerled;
  a Danish chieftain; had again advanced to Reading; and had
  captured and burned the town。 The king marched against
  him; and the two armies met at Merton。 Here another
  desperate battle took place。
  During the first part of the day the Saxons were victorious
  over both the divisions of the Danish army; but in the
  afternoon the latter received some reinforcements and
  renewed the fight。 The Saxons; believing that the victory had
  been won; had fallen into disorder and were finally driven
  from the field。 Great numbers were slain on both sides。
  Bishop Edmund and many Saxon nobles were killed; and
  King Ethelred so severely wounded that he expired a few days
  later; April 23d; 871; having reigned for five years。 He was
  buried at Wimbourne Minster; and Prince Alfred ascended
  the throne。
  Ethelred was much regretted by his people; but the accession
  of Alfred increased their hopes of battling successfully
  against the Danes。 Although wise and brave; King
  Ethelred had been scarcely the monarch for a warlike people
  in troubled times。 Religious exercises occupied too large a
  share of his thoughts。 His rule was kindly rather than strong;
  and his authority was but weak over his nobles。 From Prince
  Alfred the Saxons hoped better things。 From his boyhood
  he had been regarded with special interest and affection by
  the people; as his father had led them to regard him as their
  future king。
  The fact that he had been personally consecrated by
  the pope appeared to invest him with a special authority。
  His immense superiority in learning over all his people greatly
  impressed them。 Though gentle he was firm and resolute;
  prompt in action; daring in the field。 Thus; then; although
  the people regretted King Ethelred; there was a general feeling
  of hope and joy when Alfred took his place on the throne。
  He had succeeded to the