The Paladins of Edwin the Great

  CHAPTER III

  DEATH OF ALCA

  It was in the autumn of the year 603 that the battle was fought whichfinally settled the question of supremacy between Scots and English.Sivel had already introduced the system of counting time _Anno Domini_among the associates of the Coelred-_Gemot_, which was a valuablehelp to them, both in discussing the past and forecasting the future.This year was a great epoch in their lives. Lilla and Bassus werecomparatively veterans. All the rest were about to fight in their firstbattle.

  Ethelfrith's army was in the upper part of the Eden valley. It wasknown that a mighty host was being led by AEdan and by Hering the sonof Hussa up the course of the river. Bassus had arranged with hisfriends that strong parties of scouts should be thrown out to watch themovements of the enemy. They were led by Forthere, Godric, and Sivel.After a few days Forthere came back with the news that a large body ofthe enemy, apparently nearly half their army, had been detached, andwas marching up the hills to the west. "Our plan works," said Bassusto Lilla, "just as the plan of Narses worked, our great master in theart of war." "But," said Lilla, "the King's brother is not another Johnthe Prefect. The reckless Theobald will never avoid an action." An hourafterwards Ethelfrith sent a message to his brother with reiteratedcommands to retreat before the advancing foe. Then the English host,by rapid marches, hurried down the valley and attacked the weakenedarmy of AEdan with overwhelming force. The result was never doubtful.The Scots were nearly exterminated, and AEdan fled almost alone from thefield. After two days to rest and recruit their strength, the Englishwarriors were fresh and ready to complete their work. Then a messengerarrived with the news that Theobald had refused to obey his brother'sorders. He would retreat before no man, he declared. He attacked thesuperior force of the enemy when weather and ground and everything wasagainst him. He gave himself no chance. There was a desperate fight,followed by the death of Theobald and a prodigious slaughter of theBernicians. But the Scots were reported to be much weakened and wornout with long marches.

  "Now for the final blow," said Bassus. The scouts, under the directionof Forthere, kept him well informed of the movements of the enemy andthe nature of the ground. The Scots were marching so as to expose theirflank. At the right moment the English army was set in motion and cameupon the enemy at a place which was long famous, called Degsastan. Theremnant of the army of the Scots was here literally annihilated.

  The news of this great victory spread over the island. It was thoughtthat no leader so skilful and prudent, so wise and valorous, hadever been known in England as Ethelfrith the Wild. The fame of hisgeneralship continued long. A hundred years afterwards the VenerableBede declared that Ethelfrith "ravaged the Britons more than all thegreat men of the English, insomuch that he might be compared to Saul.To him might justly be applied the saying of the Patriarch, 'Benjaminshall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, andat night he shall divide the spoil.' He was a most worthy king, andambitious of glory." Lilla and Bassus, the real generals, had far moreprecious fame in the praise of the Queen, and the full and ample rewardof all the friends was in the approval and smiles of Alca. Bede saysthat "from that time no King of the Scots dared to come into Britain tomake war on the English to this day."

  For the next few years all the leaders in the service of Ethelfrithhad much harassing work in repelling incursions from the directionof Strathclyde, and it became known that the King of Gwynedd wasassembling a great army to stake his fortune where the Scots hadfailed. His standard was raised at Chester. Bassus was deeply impressedwith the maxim that knowledge was power. He acquired a minute personalacquaintance with the routes across the moors to Chester. Forthereagain commanded the bands of scouts, and kept Lilla and Bassus wellinformed of the numbers and movements of the enemy. There was nodifficulty in marching through Elmet, as old Certicus was neutral,indeed he had only too good an understanding with Ethelfrith. TheEnglish army was assembled at York. The Deiran chiefs were at the headof their people, who were more numerous than the Bernicians, the latterhaving suffered severely in the war with the Scots.

  Lilla and Bassus explained their plans to the Queen, and a few daysafterwards Ethelfrith announced them in council as his own. That wildKing was managed with consummate tact. The march was made direct overthe moors to Chester. The men of Gwynedd were found drawn up outsidethe old Roman camp of the 20th Legion. It was their colony of Deva. Asbattle was about to be joined, Ethelfrith observed a crowd of priests,who had come from the adjacent monastery of Bangor-Iscoed to offer upprayers for the soldiers, standing apart in a place of more safety.The King asked who they were, and Forthere told him that they weremonks praying for his defeat, and that there was a guard to protectthem, commanded by a British chief named Brochvael. "If, then," saidEthelfrith, "they cry to their God against us, though they do notbear arms, yet they fight against us because they oppose us by theirprayers." He ordered them to be attacked first, and then the chiefsof Deira charged the host of Gwynedd, and, after a long and desperatefight, the English gained a complete victory. About two hundred priestswere slaughtered, and only fifty escaped, their defender Brochvaelhaving decamped at the first appearance of danger. Their greatmonastery of Bangor-Iscoed was destroyed. The holy monks of Canterburytaught that the massacre of British priests at Chester was a signof Divine vengeance on them for presuming to differ in opinion fromAugustine on the subject of the time of keeping Easter. That charitableprelate, who died in 604, had already cursed them on the same account.

  The victory of Chester was gained in 607, and from that time therewas peace in Northumbria for many years. The Deiran thegns returned totheir homes. Coelred and Porlor were at Stillingfleet, and Hereric wasgenerally with them. Lilla and Bassus abode at Hemingborough, Forthereand Sivel at Ulfskelf, and Godric was now at Markham, near the banks ofthe Idle, his father, Ulchel, having died. Queen Alca, in these latteryears, passed most of her time at her old home at Aldby. She had herlittle child Oswald, and the charge of Osric the Atheling, both futurekings. There were also several sons of Ethelfrid, fine little fellows,to whom she was very kind--Eanfrid, Oslac, Oswudu, Oslaf, and Offa, whoadored her, and a little child named Oswy, recently born to Ethelfrith,but who was not her son. The King was almost always near the northernfrontier of his dominions, making raids into the country of the Picts.

  The friends often met at their respective homes, and discussed schemesfor the benefit of their countrymen, who under their auspices weremaking considerable advances in many ways. But they always rememberedthe broad lines of conduct laid down by Porlor at Canterbury, and thefriends frequently met to hold consultations. Coelred and Porlor havingascertained from Alca that, after investigation, she was convinced thatCoifi was not guilty in the matter of her father's death, receivedtheir old friend, who was now too great a man to act as gleeman attheir feasts. His was not an estimable character. He asked innumerablequestions, but the friends were not inclined to be communicative. Hehad to go on praying to his own gods, who never gave him inspirations,nor even made his spells work with effect.

  Lilla's fondness for Bergliot had ripened into love. The fearlesswarrior was married to the Princess in the hall of Aldby in thepresence of the Queen. They lived at Hemingborough, where the buildingshad been enlarged and improved, and they were soon blessed with twosons, who were named Trondhere and Trumhere. At the same time Osricthe Atheling married Elfleda, the daughter of Ingeld, chief of theHemingas. They had a son named Oswin, destined like his father to beking in troublous times. From childhood a devoted friendship sprang up,and became stronger with years, between the Atheling Oswin and the twosons of Lilla. A year passed away, and there were two more marriages.Godric's prophecy came true. Hereric had really cherished his love forBraga all through his long exile. He was diffident, but when he sawLilla boldly seek the hand of Bergliot, he also told the story of hislove. The Atheling Hereric was married in the hall at Aldby to Braga,the sister of Coelred and Porlor. He tried to persuade her to becomea Christian, but she clung to the worship of Neh
alennia, her mother'sdeity, and when the noble-minded Prince saw that the subject distressedher he desisted. They had two fair daughters, Hereswith and Hilda.Lastly, young Godric succeeded in winning the heart of little Nanna,and they also were married, going to live at Markham, near the Idle,in the country of the Gainas. Hereric and Braga lived at Stillingfleetwith their brothers.

  Alca became the guardian and inspiring influence of theCoelred-_Gemot_, which now included three wives among its members. Atfirst, and indeed for some years, she had conversed little respectingthe mass of information brought to her by her friends. But afterthe marriages she began to talk more on the subject, and asked manysearching questions of Porlor and the others. One summer day they wereall in attendance upon the Queen, under that spreading ash tree at thefoot of Garraby Hill where she had talked to the boys so impressivelylong, long ago. She then began to speak freely about the manifoldwonders she had heard, and on the impressions they had made on hermind. "The Son of God has indeed risen to save sinners," she said withconviction, "as I have believed so long, and as the good man toldyou all outside the gate of Amiens. Balder has risen, for I see muchgoodness and true bravery coming back into the world," and she lookedround at her warriors with an ineffably winning smile. "But I cannotthink that Balder and Krishna were Christ, as the learned Guru toldyou, though I believe there was some truth in what he said. All thatleads to good actions, from belief in the beautiful story of Balder, inthe traditions about Krishna, or in the worship of Nehalennia, my sweetBraga, is of Christ, but it is not Christ. It is of Christ, because ourHereric tells us that Christ is all love and truth. By these sacredstories, in all languages, the peoples of the world, when they followwhat is good and true in them, are led to the Son of God, and areprepared to receive him. I think that all this is working, but veryslowly, and that some day, when God wills it, all people will worshipChrist. We cannot hasten this event, at least not much; but we canfollow resolutely and humbly all that is good and true and beautifulin our own religious tales, which is following Christ, and some day weor our children will be called to enter into the full light." They alllistened breathlessly, but did not speak.

  Alca next turned to other subjects, and spoke, among many things thatshe touched upon, of the journey of the Pandus to reach Heaven. Shereverted to this legend some days afterwards, and told them to keepthe names of Draupadi and Suparaka always sacred in their _Gemot_."The one is an emblem of the experience of all of us. We strive forhigher things, but are borne down by our besetting sin. The other isa lesson how the humblest may find grace." Porlor asked her what theGuru intended to convey when he said that Suparaka was Yama. "Yama,or Adam," she said, "was the first man, and represents humanity. Ithink he intended you to understand that the faithful dog, like humanbeings, had a soul to be saved." That day she ended the conversation byexpressing thanks to the Guru. "He told you many beautiful tales," shesaid. "Always remember his kindly gift to me, and let 'Bdellium' be thewatchword of your _Gemot_."

  On another day she pleased Lilla by telling him how fond she wasof the story of the Simurg. "We yearn for knowledge beyond our ownexperience, yet we can know little of what happened before our birth,and nothing of what will befall after our death. That there shouldbe a being, coeval with the world, who has seen and knows all thatever happened, and who imparts her wisdom for the good of man, is abeautiful conception. This too is a seeking for the Son of God, andmust work for good." Many other conversations of the same kind wereheld at Aldby, sometimes in the hall, at others under the shade oftrees; and though at first absorbed in listening to the Queen, thefriends gradually began to take more part, making suggestions andasking questions. All remembered these meetings to the last day oftheir lives. The happiness seemed too great to continue. On one of thelast evenings Coelred and Porlor asked the Queen whether she receivedtheir cloud message. "Yes," she said simply. "I heard the words in mysleep, and I think it must have been on the same day. They were--'Weare well. We have never forgotten. We will return.'" They started withastonishment and awe, for they had not told her. "There are many thingsthat we can never understand here," she went on; "but we shall knowhereafter." Then came the far-away look they knew so well. She rose toretire, saying, "For me it will not be long."

  They went home with some forebodings. Not long afterwards, towardsthe end of the year 612 A.D., the Queen gave birth to a daughter, whowas named Ebba. In the following spring she was taken ill, and soonher attendants began to despair of her life. She said that she wasdying, and sent for her friends. All her warriors were called into thepresence. "When I die," she said to them, "Ethelfrith will be false tohis promise. He will be under no restraint. All his evil passions willbreak loose. He will try to exterminate the house of Deira. Swear toserve Edwin and to make him King." They all swore. "That is good," shesaid. "When I die, go to him with the Athelings. I think you will findhim in Mercia; perhaps at Repton. Tell him I loved him to the end. Tellhim that you are my dearest friends, and that you will be his servantsuntil death. Farewell, my more than brothers." They bowed their headsin grief, and left the room silently.

  On the next day Alca was sinking fast. At the last there were presentwith her Lilla, Coelred, Porlor, Hereric, Bergliot, Braga, and Nanna.They watched her pale but beautiful face while she slept. At noon sheawoke and smiled. She looked at them all, and then her gaze restedon the Atheling. She said in a scarcely audible voice, but quiteclearly--"My sweet cousin Hereric, let me be received into the foldof Christ." He quickly performed the rite of baptism. Soon after hefinished she passed away. Her face was indescribably lovely in death.A veil must be passed over the intense grief of the mourners. Ifimmediate action had not been necessary, they could not have borne it.Alca slept the last sleep at Aldby by the side of her father, Ella theKing.

  Ethelfrith arrived two days afterwards, like a wild man as he was,all restraint cast aside. He roughly snatched little Oswald out of thearms of Bergliot, and sent all his sons to Bambrough. But he did notask for Ebba, and Bergliot took the Princess with her to Hemingborough.Ethelfrith then swore that he would exterminate the royal house ofDeira. "If Edwin is King," he shouted, "a dead man shall soon be King."Osric and his little son Oswin were concealed by Saebald near the cragsabove Nehalennia's ford. Hereric was in greater danger. As the eldestscion of the house of Deira, the usurper thirsted for his blood. He wasat York. Coelred and Porlor, with Godric, who was their guest, remainedfor some days on their guard at Stillingfleet; Lilla and Bassus were inthe same attitude at Hemingborough; Forthere and Sivel at Ulfskelf. Oneevening Hereric galloped into the court at Stillingfleet, accompaniedby a single servant, his faithful Ingebrand. He said that an attempthad been made to seize him, and that he and Ingebrand had fought theirway through his assailants. But he believed he was followed. He wasbleeding from a slight flesh-wound. He had determined to take refugefor a time in Elmet. His friends tried in vain to dissuade him. Takinga tender farewell of Braga and his two little daughters, he continuedhis flight with a strong escort of Stillingas led by Tanwin. Buthe dismissed it at the Roman road. Coelred had the rest of his menunder arms. Next day a large body of Bernicians rode up to the gate,and demanded, in the name of King Ethelfrith, that Hereric should besurrendered. On receiving a defiant refusal, they assaulted the hedge.A fierce combat ensued, and the superior number of the Bernicians wasbeginning to tell, when they were suddenly attacked in rear. They brokeand fled, closely followed by the Stillingas, who did execution uponthem as far as Moreby. This diversion was caused by the return of theescort under Tanwin.

  Next day there was a consultation with Lilla and Bassus. It wasdecided that the wishes of Alca should be carried out to the letter.They must seek for Edwin at Repton. There was no reason to fear fortheir loved ones. The Angles, even Ethelfrith, did not make war uponwomen. The brothers opened the "_uvaru_" by Shuprak's grave andprovided themselves with treasure. Bidding farewell to sisters andwives, full of high hopes and noble aspirations, Coelred, Porlor,Lilla, Bassus, and Godric crossed the Ouse and fared southwards intoMerci
a, well armed and mounted. They sent a messenger to Forthere andSivel, arranging to wait for them at Godric's home near the river Idle,in the country of the Gainas.

  Hereric and his escort had crossed the Ouse, by swimming at slacktide below the junction with the Wharfe. At the Roman road he dismissedthe Stillingas, telling Tanwin that he would be wanted soon to defendhis master's home. The Atheling and his servant then rode westward tothe banks of the little river Cock, a tributary of the Wharfe, whichthey crossed by a bridge, consisting of a semicircular arch, a littleabove Tadcaster. Beyond, at a short distance from its left bank,there was a range of wooded heights where the territory of Certicusof Elmet commenced. The range was a high bank rather than a line ofhills, and the two fugitives made their way up it, and rode over somelevel country until they came to another bank covered with ferns and agreat variety of wild flowers. The winding little Cock beck was againat their feet. Here the Atheling resolved to pass the night, and hisservant made a hut of boughs for him. The place was afterwards calledBeck-heigh (Becca)--"the hill by the stream." Next morning Herericsent Ingebrand, who knew the language of the Britons, with a messageto the King of Elmet at Barwick, which was about a mile distant. TheAtheling announced his arrival, requesting protection and hospitality.The answer was a cordial welcome, and when Hereric reached Barwick,he found Certicus waiting to receive him with a crowd of natives. Hispalace was a large circular hut raised on a platform of earth, andthe town consisted of a number of smaller huts scattered over thevalley. One of these near the King's residence was assigned to Hereric.Certicus was a little man with a scanty white beard, brown complexion,and small black eyes, which generally had a cunning, and sometimes amalignant, expression, in spite of his efforts to appear frank andaffable to his guest. Hereric regretted that he had not remained atStillingfleet. He had insisted on the course he had taken, lest hispresence should bring trouble on his friends, and their efforts todissuade him had been in vain. He now determined, on the first excuse,to take leave of Certicus and fare southwards in fulfilment of the wishof Alca.

  Certicus sent meals and horns of mead to the Atheling from his ownhut. A few days were passed in hunting. One morning Ingebrand reportedthat he had seen Coifi riding away before dawn. He had noticed amuffled stranger near the King's residence on the previous evening.This seemed very strange, almost unaccountable. Hereric rememberedthe suspicions of the gleeman after the death of King Ella. He hadmelancholy forebodings, without being able to assign any tangiblecause for entertaining them. So he tried to shake them off, and wentout hunting with Ingebrand and a few natives of Elmet to attend him.Returning tired and thirsty to his hut late in the evening, someservants soon brought the usual meal and the cup of mead. The mead hada curious taste, and soon the Prince was seized with violent pains."Ingebrand," he said, "my faithful friend, the treacherous Briton haspoisoned me at the instigation of Ethelfrith. The Priest of Woden, theplausible Coifi, was not here for nothing." Ingebrand was devoted tohis master, but, surrounded by enemies, he knew not what to do. Therewas a period of insensibility, followed by convulsions. Hereric spokewith difficulty. "Tell Braga," he said, "that I entreat her to bebaptized with my children. Take my message of love to my dear friends.Tell them to remember the words of Alca, and to be loyal warriors ofKing Edwin." These were his last words. He died in the night. Next daythe body was hastily buried, and Ingebrand was kept a close prisonerin the hut. But he effected his escape during the night, and reachedUlfskelf.

  Hereric had been foully murdered, and in two days Ethelfrith wasopenly glorying over the crime. Forthere was nearly mad with rage. Hevowed that his avenging hand should rid the earth of both Certicus andEthelfrith. But he could not bring himself to believe in the guilt ofCoifi. Forthere and Sivel assembled all their followers and plungedinto the wilds of Elmet, killing and destroying. They fought their wayto Barwick, whence old Certicus had fled. Here they raised a smalltumulus over the remains of the beloved Prince, and pressed onwards inpursuit of the murderer. At last Forthere overtook him, resting aftera long journey, with a small escort. The old wretch then received hisdeserts. His skull was cleft by the avenger. The two loyal subjects ofEdwin then led back their followers to Ulfskelf, bade them farewell,and fared southwards to join their friends at the home of Godric,taking Ingebrand with them. The peerless Atheling was partly avenged.Next it would be the turn of Ethelfrith to meet the avenger of blood.

  Coelred and his friends had scarcely crossed the Ouse when the wildKing arrived at Stillingfleet with an overwhelming force, and searchedboth the court and the various buildings for the Deiran Athelings.Edwin was beyond his reach, but he thirsted for the blood of the otherthree--Hereric, Osric, and Oswin. He then proceeded to Hemingboroughand made a similar search in person, returning to York to receive newsfrom Certicus, with whom he had long had a secret understanding, thatHereric was in his power. None of the ladies were ill treated, andthough Ethelfrith saw his own daughter Ebba in the arms of Bergliot, hetook no notice of her.