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Cynewulf and Cyneheard: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 755

Cynewulf and Cyneheard: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 755

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Cynewulf and Cyneheard: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 755

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  1. Cynewulf and Cyneheard: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle 755 In this year Cynewulf and the councillors of the West Saxons deprived Sigeberht, a kinsman of his, of his kingdom, except for Hampshire, because of his unjust acts… And some thirty-one years after he had come to the kingship he wanted to drive out an atheling who was called Cyneheard, and this Cyneheard was Sigeberht's brother. And then he [Cyneheard] found out that the king, accompanied only by a small troop, was womanizing at Merton, and he rode against him there, and surrounded the outbuilding [where the king was] before the men who were with the king discovered him. And then the king discovered that, and he went to the door and defended himself in no lowly fashion, until he caught sight of the atheling [Cyneheard], and then he rushed out at him, and wounded him severly; and they [Cyneheard's men] were all fighting against the king until they killed him. And then, through the carrying on of the woman, the king's men discovered the disturbance, and they ran there, each one as quickly as he could get ready. And the atheling [Cyneheard] offered each of them money and life [if they would surrender to him], and none of them was willing to be a party to that. But they were all fighting continually until they [the king's troop] lay dead, except for a British hostage; and he was severely wounded. When in the morning the king's thanes who had not been with him heard about the king having been killed, then they rode there [to Merton], including his second in command Osric, and his thane Wiferth, and all the men the king had left behind earlier, and they confronted the atheling [Cyneheard] in the burgh where the king lay slain. And they [Cyneheard and his men] had shut the gates against them [Osric, Wiferth and the rest], and they advanced to the gates. And they [Cyneheard and those inside with him] offered them [the slain king's men] money and land as much as they should decide for themselves if they would yield Cyneheard the kingship; and those inside made known to those outside that kin of those outside were in there with them who did not want to leave. And those outside said that no kin were dearer to them than their lord, and that they would never become followers of their lord's killer; and they offered their kin inside the chance to come out unharmed; and they said that the same offer had previously been made to the little troop who had accompanied the king. Then they said they didn't want to take any more thought of that sort of escape "than your companions did who earlier were slain along with the king." And they were then fighting about the gates until those outside forced their way in, and slew the atheling [Cyneheard] and the men who were with him, all but one, who was Osric's Godson, and he spared his life, but nevertheless he was much wounded. ...

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  10. Edmund’s (939-946) attempt to curb the blood-feud: the slayer and the kindred of the slain man must each have an advocate, and the slayer is not to approach in order to pledge himself to pay the weregild until the kin of the slain man have given security to his advocate that he may do so under safe-conduct. When this has been done and the slayer has found surety for the payment of the weregild, the king's mund is to be established, that is to say, any act of violence committed by either party will be regarded as a breach of the king's own right of affording protection, and make the offender liable to a very heavy fine, over and above the other consequences of his act.

  11. Alfred “The Great” (871-99) • Rotating service to king (two months on, one month off to tend to lands) • Translator of Boethius; encouraged translation of Bede’s Ecclesiastical History (731) • Laws regulating vengeance

  12. What we know about Birhtnoth (d. 991) • Ealdorman of Essex since 956 (# 2 nobleman in eastern England, after Æthelwine, ealdorman of East Anglia) • Owned property in Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Worcestershire as well as Essex • Patron of monastic houses in Ely and Ramsey (both near Cambridge;he was buried at Ely), Mersea (Essex), Abingdon (Oxfordshire), and Christ Church (Canterbury) 2006 Statue of Birhtnoth, Maldon

  13. What we know about Birhtnoth (d. 991) • Ealdorman of Essex since 956 (# 2 nobleman in eastern England, after Æthelwine, ealdorman of East Anglia) • Owned property in Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Worcestershire as well as Essex • Patron of monastic houses in Ely and Ramsey (both near Cambridge;he was buried at Ely), Mersea (Essex), Abingdon (Oxfordshire), and Christ Church (Canterbury) 2006 Statue of Birhtnoth, Maldon

  14. Thus, perhaps, we can explain Birhtnoth’s final words at his death: “He looked toward Heaven and spoke: “I thank thee, Ruler of Nations, for all the joys that I have had in the world. Now, gentle Lord, I have most need that thou grant my spirit grace, that my soul may travel to thee—under thy protection, Prince of Angels, depart in peace. I beseech thee that fiends of hell harm it not.” *********************************************************************************** The law code (1008) of Æðelred—the king to whom Birhtnoth is a “noble thane”--begins “that we shall all love and honor one God and will hold one Christian faith under the rule of one king.”

  15. Ruthwell Cross (early 8th c.?), from southern Scotland, features in runes a passage that also appears in the religious poem The Dream of the Rood, from the Vercelli MS

  16. Bede, Ecclesiastical History II.13, on the conversion of King Edwin: Another of the king's chief men signified his agreement with this prudent argument, and went on to say, “Your Majesty, when we compare the present life of man on earth with that time of which we have no knowledge, it seems to me like the swift flight of a single sparrow through the banqueting-hall where you are sitting at dinner on a winter's day with your thegns and counselors. In the midst there is a comforting fire to warm the hall; outside, the storms of winter rain or snow are raging. This sparrow flies swiftly in through one door of the hall, and out through another. While he is inside, he is safe from the winter storms; but after a few moments of comfort, he vanishes from sight into the wintry world from which he came. Even so, man appears on earth for a little while; but of what went before this life or of what follows, we know nothing. Therefore, if this new teaching has brought any more certain knowledge, it seems only right that we should follow it.” The other elders and counselors of the king, under God's guidance, gave similar advice.

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