History of the Anglo-Saxons, from the Earliest Period to the Norman Conquest: Second Edition — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
History of the Anglo-Saxons, from the Earliest Period to the Norman Conquest: Second Edition
John Stuart Mill · en
Adventures of Edwin, king of the Deiri--His residence in Wales
with Cadvan, one of the ancient British kings--Ethelfrith
having deprived him of his kingdom, seeks his life--Edwin flies
from Wales, and seeks the protection of Redwald, king of East
Anglia--Edwin's dream--The queen of East Anglia intercedes in
behalf of Edwin--Redwald prepares to wage war with Ethelfrith
--Religion of the king of East Anglia--Description of the
battle fought between Redwald and Ethelfrith on the banks of the
river Idel--Death of Ethelfrith, and accession of Edwin to
the throne of Northumbria--Edwin's marriage with Edilburga,
daughter of Ethelbert--Journey of the Saxon princess from Kent
to Northumbria--Attempted assassination of Edwin--Paulinus
endeavours in vain to convert Edwin to the Christian faith--
The king assembles his pagan priests and nobles to discuss the
new religion--Speech of Coifi, the heathen priest--Beautiful
and poetical address of a Saxon chief to the assembly--Coifi
desecrates the temple of Woden--Peaceful state of Northumbria
under the reign of Edwin--Death of Edwin at the battle of
Hatfield-chase in Yorkshire--Victories of Cadwallon, the
British king--Triumph of the Saxons under Oswald, and death of
Cadwallon at the battle called Heaven-field p. 111
CHAPTER XIV.
PENDA, THE PAGAN MONARCH OF MERCIA.
Description of the kingdom of Mercia--Character of Penda, the
pagan king--Charity of Oswald--Barbarous cruelty of Penda--
His desolating march through Northumbria--Attacks the castle
of Bamborough--His march into Wessex--His invasion of East
Anglia--Sigebert, the monk-king, leads on the East Anglians
--Is defeated by Penda, who ravages East Anglia--The pagan
king again enters Northumbria--Oswy offers all his treasures
to purchase peace--Is treated with contempt by Penda--Oswy
prepares for battle--Penda's forces driven into the river--
Death of the pagan king--Great changes effected by his death
--Courage of Saxburga, the widowed queen of Wessex--Perilous
state of the Saxon Octarchy p. 119
CHAPTER XV.
DECLINE OF THE SAXON OCTARCHY.