Origin of the Danish invaders--Habits of the early Vikings-- Their warlike education--Picturesque description of their wild life--Their hatred of the Saxons--Description of their ships and warlike weapons--Arrangement of their plans to plunder-- Their vows on the golden bracelet--Power of their leader only acknowledged in battle--Their rude festivities p. 150 CHAPTER XIX. FIRST SETTLEMENT OF THE DANES IN NORTHUMBRIA. Ethelwulph, king of Kent--His unfitness to govern--The brave bishop of Sherbourne--The two characters contrasted--Boldness of the Danes--They occupy the Isle of Thanet--Battle of the field of Oaks--Character of Osberga, mother of Alfred the Great --Ethelwulph visits Rome in company with his son Alfred--The king of Kent marries Judith, daughter of Charles of France-- His presents to the Pope--Returns to England with his youthful wife--Rebellion of his son Ethelbald--Death of Ethelwulph --Ethelbald marries his stepmother Judith--She elopes from a monastery with Baldwin, the grand forester--Death of Ethelbald --Brief reign of Ethelbert--Alfred begins to distinguish himself--The celebrated sea-king, Ragnar Lodbrog--His bravery --Builds a large ship--Is wrecked on the coast of Northumbria --Made prisoner by Ella, and dies in a dungeon--His celebrated death-song--The sons of Ragnar Lodbrog prepare to revenge their father's death--England invaded by their mighty fleet-- Their march towards Northumbria--Ravage York--Horrible death of Ella, king of Northumbria--The Danes occupy the kingdoms of the Deiri and Bernicia--Nottingham taken by the Danes-- Alfred accompanies his brother Ethelred, and the king of Mercia, in their attack upon the Danes--They enter into a treaty with the invaders--Alfred's marriage and attainments at this period p. 159 CHAPTER XX. RAVAGES OF THE DANES, AND DEATH OF ETHELRED. Ravages of the Danes in Lincolnshire--Destruction of the monastery of Bardney--Gallant resistance of the Mercians-- Battle near Croyland Abbey--Destruction of Croyland Abbey, and murder of the monks--Sidroc, one of the sea-kings, saves a boy from the massacre--The abbey of Peterborough destroyed by the Danes--Description of the country through which the invaders passed--Their march into East Anglia--The Danes enter Wessex --Battle of Ash-tree hill, and victory of the Saxons--Death of Ethelred p. 169 CHAPTER XXI. ACCESSION AND ABDICATION OF ALFRED THE GREAT.