Chapter XIV. King Alfred's Will.
When we came back to Aller, the first thing that I did was to tellNeot of our meeting with Odin while his wild hunt went on throughthe tempest, telling him how that I had feared unwisely, and alsoof Harek's brave withstanding of the danger.
"It is said that our forefathers met Odin in like wise in the daysof the first christening of our race," he said. "I do not know whatto make thereof, seeing that I hold Odin as nought; but I thinkthis, that in some way Satan tried to destroy you before you werebaptized. Wherefore, whether Odin or mortal man drew you to thatplace, I have no doubt what power saved you."
But Sigehelm thought that we had met with Satan himself in theshape of the old god, and so also thought Guerir the hermit, whotold strange tales of like appearings among the Welsh hills wherehe was born.
As for Alfred the king, he marvelled, and said even as Neot. But headded this:
"I know the mine shaft well, and it is in my mind that some dayOdin's bones will be found at the bottom thereof. Neverthelessthere is more than mortal in what has happened to you by way oftrial."
Now came the time when Guthrum and his thirty comrades should seekthe king, and I have no words to tell of that time when in thepeaceful church we heathen stood white-robed and unarmed altogetherat the font, while Sigehelm, with a wonderful gathering of priests,enlisted us as warriors of the Cross. It was, as all men think, themost mighty victory that Alfred had ever gained.
At that time he chose Guthrum as his own son in the faith, andnamed him Athelstan {xviii}, as the first and most noble stoneof the new building up of the church among the Danes. Neot wouldnot have our names changed, for he said we had wronged the faith inthem not at all. Odda stood for Osmund, as Neot for us.
After that was joyous feasting, and the loosing of the chrism bandsat Alfred's royal town of Wedmore, whither we went in brightprocession through the long summer day. Four days we bided there,till we knew that the great Danish host was on its march homewards,and then Guthrum and his comrades must join it. But before he wenthe accepted from Alfred the gifts that an under-king should takefrom his overlord, and they were most splendid. All men knew bythose tokens given and taken that Alfred was king indeed, and thatGuthrum did but hold place by his sufferance. Those two parted inwondrous friendship with the new bond of the faith woven roundthem, and the host passed from Wessex and was gone.
Yet, as ever, many a long year must pass by before the track of theDanes should be blotted out from the fair land they had laid waste.Everywhere was work to hand on burnt hall and homestead, ruinedchurch, and wasted monastery. There was nought that men grievedover more than the burning of King Ine's church at Glastonbury, forthat had been the pride of all the land. Once, after the Chippenhamflight, the monks had dared to go out in sad procession to meet thefierce raiders at the long dike that bars the way to Avalon, andfor that time they had won safety for the place--maybe by the lossof their treasures given as ransom, or, as some say, by the powerof fearless and unarmed men; for there were men in the Danish hostwhose minds were noble, and might well be touched thereby. ButHubba's men could not be withheld after they had lost their mightyleader, and the place must feel their fury of revenge.
Now after the host was gone we went back to Taunton, and thereAlfred called together his Witan, that he might set all things inorder with their help; and at that time, before the levies weredismissed, he bade me seek out such men as would take to the shipsas his paid seamen. Therein I had no hard task, for from the ruinedcoast towns came seafarers, homeless and lonely, asking noughtbetter than to find a place in the king's fleet, and first of allwere the Parret-mouth men and my fisher of Wareham. Presently, withone consent, the Witan made me leader of the king's Wessex sealevies, offering me the rank and fee of an English ealdorman, withpower to demand help in the king's name from all sea-coast sheriffsand port reeves in whatever was needed for the ships, beinganswerable to the throne only for what I should do. And that Iaccepted willingly for love of Alfred, who was my friend, and forthe sake of comradeship with those valiant men who had foughtbeside me when Hubba fell, and at Edington.
Then must I set myself to my new charge, having nought to do withall the inland work that was before the king; and when the nextday's business was over, I went to tell him of this wish of mine,and of some other matters that were on my mind whereof one mayeasily guess.
Alfred sat in his private chamber in the great house that King Inebuilt, and on the table before him were a great ink horn and otherwriting gear, and beside him sat on a low stool his chaplain,reading to him out of a great book while the king wrote. The roughhorn cage wherein was a candle, that he had planned in wind-sweptAthelney, stood close at hand, against the time of dusk that wasnear. Ever was Alfred planning things like this, even in hisgreatest troubles; and therein he was wise, for it is not good tokeep the mind full of heavy things alone. Moreover, as we wonderedat his skilful devices in these little things, we took heart fromhis cheerful pleasure in them.
When the chamberlain brought me in, the great book was put aside,and the pen set down, and the king looked up at me with his brightsmile.
"Welcome, my ship thane," he said. "Come and sit here beside me. Ihave somewhat to read to you."
So I sat down wondering, and he turned back to some place in hiswriting, and took the little knife that lay by him--for he had losthis jewelled book staff in Athelney--and running its point alongthe words, read to me from the writings of some old Roman what hehad been busy putting into good Saxon:
"Now when the Roman folk would make a fleet hastily, and had norowers, nor time to train them rightly, they built stages like tothe oar benches of a ship in a certain lake, and so taught the menthe swing and catch of the long oars."
"Will not that plan serve us, Ranald?" he said.
"Ay, lord," I answered, laughing. "In good truth, if a man canlearn to keep time, and swing rightly, and back water, and thelike, on such a staging, it is somewhat. But it will be hard workpulling against dead water from a stage that moves not. Nor willthere be the roll and plunge of waves that must be met."
"Nor the sore sickness whereof Odda speaks," Alfred said, with hiseyes twinkling. "But I think that if the Romans found the plangood, it will be so for us."
So we talked of this for a while, and I will say now that in afterdays we tried it, and the plan worked well enough, at least in thesaving of time. Alfred's book learning was ever used for the goodof his people, and this was but one way in which he found readycounsel for them.
This was pleasant talk enough, and neither I nor the king grewweary thereof, but the good monk slept at last, and presently thedarkness fell, and Alfred dismissed him.
One came and lit the torches on the wall, and still we spoke of mywork, until at last Alfred said:
"So you must be busy, and I am glad. When will you set out, andwhere will you go first?"
Now what I wanted to ask him was where Osmund the jarl had gone. Hehad ridden to Taunton from Aller, that he might be present atThora's christening, and that their chrism loosing {xix} mightbe held at the same time; and I had looked to find both here, butthey were gone. Nor had they left any word for me, and I wastroubled about that. So I was about to tell the king what was in mymind concerning Thora first of all, and my heart began to beatstrangely. But he waited not for me to answer him.
"Stay," he said, smiling a little. "Before you go I must have ahostage from my wild viking, lest he be, as it were, let loose onthe high seas where I cannot reach him."
Then he laughed, at my puzzled face, I suppose, and I saw that hehad some jest that pleased him.
"What hostage can I give, lord king?" I said. "Shall I leave Harekand his harp with you?"
"Harek would charm our ears, and would escape," Alfred answered."Nay, but I must give you house and lands for a home, and thereinyou shall leave a fair wife, whose loneliness will bring you ashorenow and then."
I thought there was more to come, and I liked not this at all, forit went too closely wit
h my fears of what might be. So I bowed, andanswered nothing as yet, while he looked laughingly at me.
"Why," he cried, "half my thanes would have gone wild with joy if Ihad promised them either half of what I have said I would give toyou. Are you so fond of the longships and the restless waves thatyou will not be bound to the shore?"
"Nay, my king," I said; "but I cannot yet rightly understand allthat you mean for me."
"Well, it means that I must find you a rich wife, as I think I can.What say you to that fair lady of Exeter town and Taunton--Odda'sdaughter, Etheldreda?"
"My king," I answered, somewhat over-gladly maybe, "Ethelnoth ofSomerset, my good comrade, might have some grudge against me if Icast favouring eyes in that direction. Let this bide for a littlewhile, I pray you, King Alfred. Yet I would not have you think meungrateful, for indeed I know well what kindness is in your thoughtfor me."
"Nay, but I have it in my mind that you were fond of going toTaunton not so long since, and one might well think that a maiden'shair drew you. Well, if Ethelnoth has outdone you there, I am sorryfor your sake, not his. Cheer up, nevertheless. There are moremaidens and well dowered in our broad Wessex coasts, and I amminded to see how far you will obey your new overlord."
"This is great kindness, King Alfred," I answered; "but we Northmenare apt to keep some matters wherein to prove our freedom. I prayyou not to press this on me."
"Faith," he said, as if to himself, "this viking might be in lovealready, so wrathful grows he--
"Now, Ranald, it is true that I have set my mind on your wedding amaiden who is rich, and dowered with a coast town, and a goodharbour, moreover, where you might keep all your ships under yourown eye. I would not have you disappoint me so soon."
Then I said plainly,
"King Alfred, I am loth to do so. But from the very first day thatI set foot in England there has been one maiden whose ways haveseemed to be bound up with my own, and I can wed none but her. Ifit does not seem good to you that I should do so now, let me waittill times have grown easier between Saxon and Dane. I think thatyou may know well that I shall fight none the worse for you if Imust strive to win your consent."
"That is straightforward," he said, smiling as if he would seemcontent. "Let it be so. But it is only fair that before we closethis bargain you should see the well-dowered fair lady of whom Ispeak."
"I will do so if this matter is unknown to her," I answered, "elsewould be trouble, perhaps, and discomfort. But it is of no use. Ihave eyes and heart but for that one. Do I know the lady already,perhaps?"
"I believe that you may do so," Alfred said, looking grieved, in astrange way, as if he were half minded to laugh at me for all hisseeming vexation. "Odda says that you do, and so also saysEtheldreda. Her name is Thora, daughter of Jarl Osmund, and shewill have Wareham town and Poole in right of her marriage, as dowerto her and to my sea captain."
So spoke the king quickly, and then he could make pretence nolonger, but laughed joyously, putting his hands on my shoulders andshaking me a little, while he cried:
"Ay, Ranald; I did but play with you. True lover you are indeed, asI thought. If you are faithful to the king as to the maiden of yourchoice, both she and I are happy, and it is well."
Then I knew not how to thank him; but he said that Etheldreda andOdda, Heregar and the Lady Alswythe, and maybe Guthrum also, asThora's guardian, were to be thanked as well.
"You have found many friends here in England already, Ranald mycousin," Alfred said. "Wait until you meet some gathering of themall at Wareham, presently perhaps, where Osmund and Thora arepreparing for a wedding--and then make a great thanking if youwill, and save words. But I wonder that I have never heard of thismatter from you before, for we have been close comrades."
"You must have heard thereof today, my king," I answered; "and youwere but beforehand with me. I could speak of such things now thatpeace has come. Yet I feared that you would be against my wedding aDanish lady."
"It was a natural thought," answered Alfred; "but Thora and Osmundare ours, surely. Perhaps I should have doubted were your mind seton any other. But I have no fears for you."
Then he pondered a little, and went on:
"You say that peace has come. So it has--for a time; and had we todo only with the force that is in England now, I think it wouldgrow and strengthen. We cannot drive out the Danes, and there isroom in England for both them and us, and in the days to come thedifference of race will be forgotten--not in our time, Ranald, buthereafter, as long years go by. Some day one of my line, if Godwill, shall reign alone over a united England, stronger for the newblood that has come among us. But it is a great charge that I giveto you, Ranald. What we have to fear are the new hosts that comefrom Denmark, and only a strong fleet can stay them from ourshores. I can deal with those who are here, and these in time willhelp me against fresh comers to the land. There is that in Englishsoil that makes every settler an Englishman in heart. But there iswarfare before us yet, and the fleet must break the force of thestorm, if it cannot altogether turn it aside."
Then his grave voice changed, and he laughed.
"Heavy things are these to speak in the ears of a bridegroom, butyou know all I mean. Now go your ways, and seek Odda, who willrejoice to see you; for word comes from him that his master, Thordthe viking, is saying hard things to him because the men do notcome in readily to man the ships. At the summer's end I shall be inWinchester, and thence I will come to Wareham to see the fleet, andyour wedding also. Go now, and all good go with you."
So Alfred the king set me forth in brotherly wise, speaking on themorrow to my men to bid them serve him and England well under me.And after that all came to pass as the king had planned, and at thesummer's end there was a bright wedding for us in Wareham town,while in the wide haven rode at anchor the best fleet that Englandhad ever seen.
So that is how I came to be called "King Alfred's Viking," and madethis land my home. What this Wessex fleet of mine has done sincethose days has been written by others in better words than I cancompass; and Harek, whom they call "King Alfred's Scald" nowadays,has made song of what he has seen at my side in English waters; andmore he may have to make yet, for the North has not yet sent forthall her hosts. Only I will say this, that if we have not beenaltogether able to stay the coming of new Danish fleets to the longseaboard that must needs lie open to them here and there till ourown fleets are greater, at least they know that the host may nolonger come and go as they will, for Alfred's ships have to bereckoned with.
Now of ourselves I will add that Thora and I have many friends, butthe best and closest are those whom we made in the days when Hubbacame and fell under the shadow of the Quantock Hills, and they donot forget us.
Into our house sometimes come Heregar and Ethered, Denewulf thewise and humble, Odda, and many more, sure of welcome. Only theloved presence of Neot the holy is wanting, for he died in Cornwallin that year of the end of the troubles, and I think that in him Ilost more than any save Alfred himself.
Osmund went back to East Anglia for a time, but there he grewwearied with the wrangling of the Danish chiefs as they shared outthe new land between them; so he bides with us, finding all hispleasure in the life of farm and field, which is ever near to theheart of a Dane. With him goes old Thord, grumbling at the thrallsin strange sea language, and yet well loved. Not until he waswounded sorely in a sea fight we had and won under the Isle ofWight would he leave the war deck; but even now he is the first onboard when the ships come home, and he is the one who orders allfor winter quarters or for sailing.
Now for long I would that I might look once more on Einar of theOrkneys, my kind foster father, who still bided there in peace,hearing of him now and then as some Norse ship, on her way to joinRolf's fleet in the new land of the Northmen beyond our narrowseas, put into our haven for repair, perhaps after the long voyage,or to see if King Alfred would hire her men for a cruise againstthe common foe--the Danes. And it was not until the news of hisdeath came thus to me that the home longing for
the old landsaltogether left me; but since that day my thoughts have been, andwill be, for England only. I have no thought or wish that I weresharer in Rolf's victories, nor have my comrades, Harek and Kolgrimand Thord; for we have with Alfred more than the viking could havegiven us.
I suppose that in days to come out of this long strife shall bewrought new strength and oneness for England, even as Alfred in hiswisdom foresees; but as yet sword Helmbiter must be kept sharp, andthe ships must be ever ready. But unless the wisdom of Alfred isforgotten, there will never again be wanting a ship captain ofEnglish race, as when I, a stranger, was called to the charge ofthe king's ships in Wessex. The old love of the sea is waking inthe hearts of the sons of Hengist.
Therefore I am content, for here have I found the sweetest wife,and the noblest master, and the fairest land that man could wish.And the fear of the old gods is taken from me, and to me has comehonour, and somewhat of the joy of victory in a good cause--thecause of freedom and of peace.
Now I write these things as springtime grows apace, and at anytime--today, or tomorrow, or next day--into our hall may comeKolgrim my comrade, his scarred face bright with the light ofcoming battle, to say that Danish ships are once more on thegannet's path; and the sword of Sigurd will rattle in the goldenscabbard, and a great English cheer will come from the haven, forKing Alfred's ships are ready.
The End.
Notes.
i A Norse homestead consisted of several buildings--the greathall standing alone and apart from the domestic arrangements.
ii The Norse assembly, corresponding to a Saxon "Folkmote," orrepresentative council for a district.
iii Unearthly. The trolls were the demons of the Northernmythology.
iv Byrnie, the close-fitting mail shirt.
v The consecrated silver ring kept in the temple of thedistrict, and worn by the godar, or priest, at all assemblies whereit might be necessary to administer an oath. Odin, Frey, and Niordwere always called to witness an oath on this ring.
vi God-rede = "good counsel," or "God's counsel," as Alfredmeans "elves' counsel."
vii Asser's "Life of Alfred." This illness never left the kingfrom his twentieth year to his death. Probably it was neuralgic, asit seems to have been violent pain without lasting effect.
viii This was called "prime signing," and was practically theadmission of the heathen as a catechumen.
ix The "Havamal" was the Northern poem which practicallyembodied the ancient code of morals and behaviour.
x The use of bells was popular early in England, and not lessso because a freeman who could afford to build a church with a belltower became a thane in consequence.
xi The national representative assembly, and origin of ourparliament.
xii Now Normandy, and so called after Rolf's Northmen.
xiii This charm against the "evil eye" was used in the west ofEngland until quite lately, and may still linger. The charm againstsprains is one yet recorded in the original tongue.
xiv Alfred had Denewulf instructed, and made him Bishop ofWinchester.
xv In 845 A.D. Bishop Eahlstan and the levies of Somerset andDorset defeated the first Danes who landed in Wessex, at the mouthof the Parret.
xvi Trading vessel, more heavily built than the swiftlongships.
xvii The "wild hunt" is still believed to pass over Canningtonand the Quantock Hills, the sounds of the migration of flocks ofsea fowl probably keeping the tradition alive.
xviii Athelstan = "noble stone."
xix Confirmation.
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