The Dragon and The Raven: Or The Days of King Alfred

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At the end of another two years of peace Edmund was
again called upon to take up arms. Although the Danes
attempted no fresh invasion some of their ships hung around
the English coast, capturing vessels, interfering with trade,
and committing other acts of piracy.

Great complaints were made by the inhabitants of the
seaports to Alfred. The king at once begged Edmund to fit
out the Dragon, and collecting a few other smaller ships he
took his place on Edmund's ship and sailed in search of the
Danes. After some search they came upon the four large
ships of the Northmen which had been a scourge to the coast.

The Saxons at once engaged them, and a desperate fight
took place. The Dragon was laid alongside the largest of the
Danish vessels; and the king, with Edmund and Egbert by his
side, leapt on to the deck of the Danish vessel, followed by
the crew of the Dragon. The Danish ship was crowded with
men who fought desperately, but the discipline even more
than the courage of Edmund's crew secured for them the
victory. For a time each fought for himself; and although
inspired by the presence of the king they were able to gain
no advantage, being much out-numbered by the Northmen.

Edmund, seeing this, sounded on his horn the signal
with which in battle he ordered the men to form their wedge.
The signal was instantly obeyed. The Saxons were all fighting
with boarding-pikes against the Northmen's swords and
axes, for they had become used to these weapons and
preferred them to any other.

The instant Edmund's horn was heard, each man desisted
from fighting and rushed to their leader, around whom
they instantly formed in their accustomed order. The Danes,
astonished at the sudden cessation of the battle, and
understanding nothing of the meaning of the signal or of
the swift movement of the Saxons, for a minute lowered their
weapons in surprise.

Before they again rushed forward the formation was
complete, and in a close body with levelled spears the Saxons
advanced, Egbert as usual leading the way, with Edmund and
the king in the centre.

In vain the Danes strove to resist the onset; in spite of
their superior numbers they were driven back step by step
until crowded in a close mass at one end.

Still the Saxon line of spears pressed on. Many of the
Danes leapt into the sea, others were pushed over or run
through, and in a few minutes not a Northman remained
alive in the captured vessel.

In the meantime the battle was raging in other parts.
Two of the small vessels were engaged with one of the Danes
at close quarters, while the other ships hung around the
remaining Danish vessels and kept up volleys of arrows and
javelins upon them.

The Dragon at once went to the assistance of the two
Saxon ships, whose crews were almost overpowered by the
Northmen. Laying the ship alongside, Edmund boarded the
Danes. The Northmen rushed back from the decks of the
Saxon ship to defend their own vessel; and the Saxons,
regaining courage, at once rallied and followed them. The
combat was short but desperate. Attacked on three sides,
the Danes were speedily overcome and were slaughtered to a
man.

An attack was next made upon the two remaining vessels.
These resisted for some time, but they were overwhelmed
by the missiles from the Saxon flotilla; and the greater
portion of their crews being killed or wounded, their
commanders prayed for mercy, which was granted them by Alfred;
and with the four captured vessels the fleet returned to
England.

On reaching port Alfred begged Edmund to continue
for a while with the Dragon, to cruise along the coasts and to
stop the depredations of the Danes; and for some weeks the
Dragon kept the seas. She met with considerable success,
capturing many Danish galleys. Some of these contained
rich spoil, which had been gathered in France, for cruising
in the seas off Dover Edmund intercepted many of the Danish
vessels on their homeward way from raids up the Seine,
Garonne, and other French rivers.

One day in the excitement of a long pursuit of a Danish
galley, which finally succeeded in making her escape, Edmund
had paid less attention than usual to the weather, and, on
giving up the chase as hopeless, perceived that the sky had
become greatly overcast, while the wind was rising rapidly.

"We are in for a storm from the north, Egbert," he said,
"and we must make for the mouth of the Thames for shelter."

The sails were lowered, and the Dragon's head turned
west. Before two hours had passed the sea had risen so greatly
that it was no longer possible to row.

"What had we best do?" Edmund asked the chief of the
sailors. "Think you that we can make Dover and shelter
under the cliffs there?"

"I fear that we cannot do so," the sailor replied, "for there
are terrible sands and shallows off the Kentish coast between
the mouth of the Thames and Dover, and the wind blows so
strongly that we can do nought but run before it."

"Then let us do so," Edmund replied; "anything is better
than being tossed at the mercy of the waves."

A sail was hoisted, and the Dragon flew along before the
wind. The storm increased in fury, and for some hours the
vessel ran before it. She was but a short distance from the
French coast, and as the wind veered round more to the west
her danger became great.

"I fear we shall be cast ashore," Edmund said to the sailor.

"Fortunately," the man answered, "we are but a mile or
two from the mouth of the Seine, and there we can run in
and take shelter."

It was an anxious time until they reached the mouth of
the river, for they were continually drifting nearer and nearer
to the coast. However, they cleared the point in safety, and,
turning her head, ran up the river and soon anchored under
the walls of Havre. As she came to an anchor armed men
were seen crowding the walls.

"They take us for Danes," Egbert said. "We had best
hoist the Dragon, and they will then know that we are a Saxon
ship."

Soon after the flag was hoisted the gates of the town
were seen to open, and an officer and some men issued out.
These launched a boat and rowed out to the ship. The officer
mounted to the deck. He was evidently in considerable
fear, but as he saw the Saxons standing about unarmed he
was reassured. "Is this really a Saxon ship," he asked, "as its
flag testifies?"

"It is so," Edmund replied; "it is my vessel, and I am an
ealdorman of King Alfred. We have been chasing the Danish
pirates, but this storm having arisen, we were blown down
the French coast and forced to seek shelter here."

"The governor bids you welcome," the officer said, "and
bade me invite you to land."

"That will I gladly; the more so since my ship has suffered
some damage in the gale, her bulwarks having been
partly shattered; and it will need a stay of a few days here to
repair her for sea. Will you tell the governor that in a short
time I will land with my kinsman Egbert and accept
his hospitality?"

An hour later Edmund and Egbert landed and were at
once conducted to the governor, who welcomed them cordially.

They found there many whom they had known at the
court of King Alfred. The wealthier men, the bishops and
thanes, had for the most part journeyed to Paris or to other
towns in the interior to escape the dreaded Northmen; but
there were many detained at Havre from want of funds to
journey farther.

"It is a sad pity," the governor said as they talked over
the troubled state of Western Europe, "that your English king
and our Frankish monarch did not make common cause
against these sea robbers. They are the enemies of mankind.
Not only do they ravage all our coasts, but they have entered
the Mediterranean, and have plundered and ravaged the
coasts of Provence and Italy, laying towns under ransom,
burning and destroying."

"I would that I could meet some of their ships on their
way back from Italy," Edmund said. "I warrant that we should
obtain a rare booty, with gems of art such as would delight
King Alfred, but are thrown away on these barbarians; but I
agree with you that 'tis shameful that the coasts of all Europe
should be overrun with these pirates."

"Yes," the governor replied, "if every country in
Christendom would unite against their common foe, and send
a quota of ships and men, we would drive the Black Raven
from the seas, and might even land on the Danish shores
and give them a taste of the suffering they have inflicted
elsewhere. As it is, all seem paralysed. Local efforts are
made to resist them; but their numbers are too great to be
thus withstood. I wonder that the pope does not call
Christendom to arms against these pagan robbers, who not
only destroy towns and villages, but level to the ground the
holy shrines, and slay the ministers of God on the altars."

CHAPTER XIII: THE SIEGE OF PARIS

On the following morning Edmund, who had returned
to his ship to sleep, was aroused by loud shouts on
deck. Hurrying from his cabin he saw a vast fleet of ships
approaching the mouth of the river. They were of all
sizes--from great sailing ships to rowing galleys. It needed
but a glance at them to assure him that they were the dreaded
ships of the Northmen, for the Black Raven floated at many
of the mast-heads.

From the town the sounds of horns and great shoutings
could be heard, showing that there too the approaching fleet
had just been discerned as the morning fog lifted from the
sea. Edmund held a hurried consultation with his kinsman.
It was now too late to gain the sea, for the Danish ships had
already reached the mouth of the river. To attempt to escape
by fighting would be madness, and they hesitated only
whether to run the ship ashore, and, leaving her there, enter
the town and share in its defence, or to proceed up the river
with all speed to Rouen, or even to Paris.

The latter course was decided upon, for the Danish ships
would contain so vast a number of men that there was little
hope that Havre could resist their attack, nor was it likely
that Rouen, which, on the previous year had been captured
and sacked, would even attempt another resistance, which
would only bring massacre and ruin upon its inhabitants.
Paris alone, the capital of the Frankish kings, seemed to
offer a refuge. The deliberation was a short one, and by the
time the men had taken their places at the oars their leaders
had decided upon their course.

The anchor ropes were cut, for not a moment was to be
lost, the leading ships of the Danes being already less than
half a mile distant. The tide was flowing, and the Dragon
swept rapidly up the river. Some of the Danish galleys
followed for a while, but seeing that the Dragon had the speed
of them, they abandoned the pursuit, and at a more easy
stroke the rowers continued their work until they reached
Rouen. Here the tide failed them, and they moored against
the bank under the walls.

Edmund and Egbert went on shore. They found the
city in a state of wild confusion. Saying that they had
important news, and must see the governor, they were led to
the council-chamber, where the leading men of the town were
assembled. After stating who he and his companion were,
Edmund announced the arrival of a great Danish fleet at the
mouth of the river.

"Your news, sir, is terrible for our poor country," the
governor said, "but to us it scarce brings any additional
horror, although it will probably decide the question which we
are engaged in discussing. We have news here that a great
Danish army which landed at Abbeville is marching
hitherward, and we are met to discuss whether the town
should resist to the last or should open its gates at their
approach. This news you bring of the arrival of a fresh army of
these sea robbers at Havre renders our case desperate. So
fierce is their attack that we could hardly hope successfully
to resist the approaching army, but against it and this fleet
you tell us of resistance could only bring about our utter
destruction. That, at least, is my opinion, the other members
of the council must speak for themselves."

The other members, who were the principal merchants
and traders of the town, were unanimously of the same
opinion.

"Better," they said, "to give up all our worldly goods to
the Northmen than to be slaughtered pitilessly with our wives
and families."

"Such being your decision," Edmund said, "my kinsman
and myself will proceed up the river to Paris; hitherto, as we
hear, the Northmen have not ventured to attack that city,
and should they do so, it will doubtless resist to the last."

Accordingly the two Saxons returned at once to the
Dragon, and as soon as the tide turned unmoored and proceeded
up the river. Three days after leaving Rouen they
arrived in sight of Paris. The capital of the Franks was but a
small city, and was built entirely upon the island situated just
at the confluence of the Seine and Marne. It was surrounded
by a strong and lofty wall.

On the approach of a vessel differing entirely from anything
they had before seen the citizens flocked to the walls.
The Golden Dragon floating at the mast-head showed them
that the vessel did not belong to the Danes, and some of the
more experienced in these matters said at once that she must
be a Saxon ship. The Count Eudes, who had been left by the
king in command of Paris, himself came to the walls just as
the Dragon came abreast of them. Edmund ordered the rowers
to pause at their work.

"Who are you?" the Count Eudes shouted. "Whence do
you come and with what intent?"

"My name is Edmund. I am an ealdorman of King Alfred
of the Saxons. When at sea fighting the Northmen a tempest
blew me down your coast, and I took refuge in the port
of Havre. Four days since at daybreak a vast fleet of Northmen
entered the river. We rowed up to Rouen hoping to be able
to find safe shelter there; but the citizens being aware that a
great army of the sea robbers was marching against their
town, and being further intimidated by the news I brought
them, decided upon surrendering without resistance. Therefore
we have continued our journey hither, being assured that
here at least the Danish wolves would not have their way
unopposed. We have fought them long in our native land, and
wish for nothing better than to aid in the efforts of the Franks
against our common enemy."

"You are welcome, sir earl," the Count Eudes said,
"though the news you bring us is bad indeed. We have heard
how valiantly the thanes of King Alfred have fought against
the invaders, and shall be glad indeed of your assistance
should the Northmen, as I fear, come hither."

So saying the count ordered the gates to be opened,
and the Dragon having been moored alongside, Edmund and
Egbert with their crew entered the town, where the leaders
were received with great honour by the count. He begged
them to become guests at the castle, where quarters were
also assigned to the crew. A banquet was at once prepared,
at which many of the principal citizens were present.

As soon as the demands of hunger were satisfied the
count made further inquiries as to the size of the fleet which
had entered the Seine, and as to the army reported to be
marching against Rouen.

"I doubt not," he said, when the Saxons had given him
all the particulars in their power, "that it is the armament of
Siegfroi who has already wrought such destruction. More
than once he has appeared before our walls, and has pillaged
and ravaged the whole of the north of France. The last time
he was here he threatened to return with a force which would
suffice to raze Paris to the ground, and doubtless he is coming
to endeavour to carry out his threat; but he will not find
the task an easy one, we shall resist him to the last; and right
glad am I that I shall have the assistance of two of the Saxon
thanes who have so often inflicted heavy defeats upon these
wolves of the sea. Your vessel is a strange one, and differs
from those that I have hitherto seen, either Dane or Saxon.
She is a sailing ship, and yet appears to row very fast."

"She is built," Edmund said, "partly upon the design of
King Alfred himself, which were made from paintings he
possessed of the war galleys of Italy, which country he visited
in his youth. They were carried out by a clever shipwright of
Exeter; and, indeed, the ship sails as well as she rows, and, as
the Danes have discovered to their cost, is able to fight as
well as she can sail and row. Had we been fairly out to sea
before the Danish fleet made its appearance we could have
given a good account of ourselves, but we were caught in a
trap."

"I fear that if the Northmen surround the city your ship
will be destroyed."

"I was thinking of that," Edmund said, "and I pray you
to let me have some men who know the river higher up. There
must assuredly be low shores often overflowed where there
are wide swamps covered with wood and thickets, which the
enemy would not enter, seeing that no booty could be obtained
there. The ship was built in such a spot, and we could
cut a narrow gap from the river and float her well in among
the trees so as to be hidden from the sight of any passing up
the river in galleys, closing up the cut again so that none
might suspect its existence."

"That could be done easily enough," the count said;
"there are plenty of spots which would be suitable, for the
banks are for the most part low and the ground around
swampy and wooded. To-morrow I will tell off a strong body
of men to accompany you in your ship, and aid your crew in
their work."

Twenty miles up the Seine a suitable spot was found,
and the crew of the Dragon, with the hundred men whom the
Count Eudes had lent for the purpose, at once set about their
work. They had but little trouble, for a spot was chosen where
a sluggish stream, some fifteen feet wide, drained the water
from a wide-spreading swamp into the river. The channel
needed widening but a little to allow of the Dragon entering,
and the water was quite deep enough to permit her being
taken some three hundred yards back from the river.

The trees and underwood were thick, and Edmund was
assured that even when winter, which was now approaching,
stripped the last leaf from the trees, the Dragon could not be
seen from the river. Her masts were lowered, and bundles of
brushwood were hung along her side so as to prevent the
gleam of black paint being discerned through the trees.

The entrance to the stream was filled up to a width of
three or four feet, and the new work turfed with coarse grass
similar to that which grew beside it. Bushes were planted
close to the water's edge, and stakes were driven down in the
narrow channel to within a few inches of the surface of the
water.

Certain now that no Danish boats would be likely to
turn aside from the river to enter this channel into the swamp,
the party embarked in some boats which had been towed up
by the Dragon and returned down the river to Paris.

The afternoon before starting all the valuable booty
which had been captured from the Danes was landed and
placed in security in the castle, and upon his return to Paris
Edmund disposed of this at good prices to the traders of the
city.

A fortnight after they had returned to Paris the news
was brought in that a vast fleet of Northmen was ascending
the river. The next morning it was close at hand, and the
citizens mounting the walls beheld with consternation the
approaching armament. So numerous were the ships that
they completely covered the river. The fleet consisted of
seven hundred sailing ships, and a vastly greater number of
rowing galleys and boats. These vessels were crowded with
men, and their fierce aspect, their glittering arms, and their
lofty stature, spread terror in the hearts of the citizens.

"This is truly a tremendous host!" the Count Eudes said
to Edmund, who stood beside him on the walls.

"It is indeed," Edmund replied. "Numerous as are the
fleets which have poured down upon the shores of England,
methinks that none approached this in strength. It is clear
that the Northmen have united their forces for a great effort
against this city; but having at home successfully defended
fortifications, which were not to be named in comparison
with those of Paris, against them, I see no reason to doubt
that we shall be able to beat them off here."

The Danes landed on the opposite bank and formed a
vast camp there, and the following morning three of their
number in a small boat rowed across the river and said that
their king Siegfroi desired to speak with Goslin, archbishop
of Paris, who stood in the position of civil governor. They
were told that the archbishop would receive the king in his
palace.

An hour later a stately figure in glittering armour was
seen to take his place in a long galley, which, rowed by twenty
men, quickly shot across the stream. Siegfroi landed, and,
accompanied by four of his leading warriors, entered the
gates, which were opened at his approach. The chief of the
Northmen was a warrior of lofty stature. On his head he
wore a helmet of gold, on whose crest was a raven with extended
wings wrought in the same metal. His hair fell loosely
on his neck; his face was clean shaved in Danish fashion, save
for a long moustache. He wore a breastplate of golden scales,
and carried a shield of the toughest bull's-hide studded with
gold nails.

He was unarmed, save a long dagger which he wore in
his belt. He and his followers, who were all men of immense
stature, walked with a proud and assured air between the
lines of citizens who clustered thickly on each side of the
street, and who gazed in silence at these dreaded figures.
They were escorted by the chamberlain of the archbishop,
and on arriving at his palace were conducted into the chamber
where Goslin, Count Eudes, and several of the leading
persons of Paris awaited them.

Siegfroi bent his head before the prelate.

"Goslin," he said, "I beg you to have compassion upon
yourself and your flock if you do not wish to perish. We
beseech you to turn a favourable ear to our words. Grant
only that we shall march through the city. We will touch
nothing in the town, and we undertake to preserve all your
property, both yours and that of Eudes."

The archbishop replied at once:

"This city has been confided to us by the Emperor
Charles, who is, after God, the king and master of the powers
of the earth. Holding under his rule almost all the world,
he confided it to us, with the assurance that we should suffer
no harm to come to the kingdom, but should keep it for him
safe and sure. If it had happened that the defence of these
walls had been committed to your hands, as it has been
committed to mine, what would you have done had such a
demand been made upon you? Would you have granted the
demand?"

"If I had granted it," Siegfroi replied, "may my head fall
under the axe and serve as food for dogs. Nevertheless, if
you do not grant our demands, by day we will overwhelm
your city with our darts, and with poisoned arrows by night.
You shall suffer all the horrors of hunger, and year after year
we will return and make a ruin of your city."

Without another word he turned, and followed by his
companions, strode through the streets of Paris, and taking
his place in the boat returned to his camp.

At daybreak the next morning the Norsemen were seen
crowding into their ships. The trumpets sounded loudly, and
the citizens seized their arms and hastened to the walls. The
Norsemen crossed the river, and directed their attack against
a tower which stood at the head of the bridge connecting the
city and island with the farther bank. Those who landed
were provided with picks, crowbars, and other implements
for effecting a breach, and their approach was protected by a
cloud of arrows and javelins from the fleet which covered
the surface of the river.

The French leaders soon assembled at the threatened
point. Chief among these were Eudes, his brother Robert,
the Count Ragenaire, and the Abbe Ebble, a nephew of the
archbishop. The Franks bore themselves bravely, and in spite
of the rain of arrows defended the walls against the desperate
attacks of the Northmen.

The fortifications in those days were very far from having
attained the strength and solidity which a few generations
later were bestowed upon them. The stones of which
they were constructed were comparatively small, and fastened
together by mortar, consequently they could ill resist even an
assault by manual weapons. Covered by their shields the
Northmen worked untiringly at the foundations, and piece
by piece the walls crumbled to the ground. Every effort,
however, to enter at the breaches so made was repulsed, and
Siegfroi kept back his warriors, determined to delay the grand
assault until the next day. By nightfall the tower was in ruins,
scarce a portion of the walls remaining erect. Many of the
besieged had been killed. The archbishop was wounded with
an arrow. Frederic, a young soldier who led the troops of the
church was killed.

The besiegers had suffered much more severely, great
numbers having been killed by the stones and missiles hurled
down by the defenders while engaged in the demolition of
the walls. At nightfall the Danes carried off their wounded
and recrossed the river, confident that next day they would
succeed in their assault. As soon as darkness had set in Count
Eudes collected the citizens, and these, bearing beams and
planks, crossed the bridge to the tower, and set to work.
Outside the circle of ruins holes were dug and the beams
securely fixed. Planks were nailed to these, and earth heaped
up behind them.

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