Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1845-09-04
Last Adventures of Hercyyard,
THE SAXON.
BY THOMAS WRIGHT, N A.

In 1912, the isle Of Ely. defended by
its surrounding marshes and the bravery
of the Saxon outlaws, who had fortified
it agains, the Norman invaders, had al
ready held out three years against the
repeated attacks of King Williams ar.
mics. Treason, however. at last pre-
vailed, where open force hard been I'M
successful. The monks of Ely, wear
led with the uneasy mode OF life to
which they were exposed. and alarmed
sll more by the intelligence tina, all
the possessions of their monastery had
been coniscaled, entered into secret
negotiations with the king, and it was
agreed that they should admit the Nor
mans into the monastery, which was
the outlaws chief fortress, while the
Saxon insurgents were dispersed in
search of provisions and adventures.
|. was probably their intention to cap.
ture Hereward. the grea, leader of the
Saxon patriots, but he was secretly
informed of the treacherous plan at the
moment of its execution and assembling
as many of his men as were a, hand he
threatened TO burn both town and mon
aslery as he had previously done a. Pc
.erboIough, unless The latter was i'm
medialely delivered into his hands =
This bold demonstration, was. how
ever too late, for the Normans had al
ready gained the monastery, and the
town was spared at the intercession of
e IL
Saxons made desperate resistance. un-
til, overpowered bv numbers. large
part of them were put 10 the sword
One of the old chronicles tells us that
no less that thousand o.. the insurgents
were slaughtered on this occasion. OF
those who were alive many had their
hands Gu. off, and their eyes put out,
and were in this condition Sc, a, liberty.
Such of their leaders as fell into the
hands of the conquerers, were impris.
oned in some of the strong castles
which he had built in different parts of
the island.
In one object, however. the Normans
were unsuccessful. Hereward with
only six os his companions bravely
fought their wav through the enemy,
and escaped into the marshes where
their pursuers were unwilling TO fol-
low. The Saxon fishermen of the
fens were necessary to the Norman ar
my which besieged the marshes, be-
cause they supplied it with much of
its provision, and they were. there
fore, allowed to follow their oc.u-
patton ia peace; although they were
devoted to The cause of their country.
men. One of these received the seven
fugi,ives in his boat who concealed
them a, the bottom under heap of
straw and reeds, and proceeded with
his cargo of fish TO point occupied by
one of the numerous guards of Nor
| mans placed around the fences to him
| der communication with the isle OF Ely
and the surrounding country. The
fisherman and his companions were
well known to the Norman soldiers,
who were commanded by knight Of
rank, and their arrival caused no sus-
| picon. While they were occupied in
landing the provisions. Hereward and
| his followers escaped from the boat
and concealed themselves in the ada
| cent bushes, until the Normans in the
greatest security, because they suppos-
ed that the island and its defenders
were already in the power OF the lnva-
ders, had seated themselves negligently
at their evening meal. Hereward fell
SUDDENLY upon them in this defence.
less conditions; all who resisted were
slain few made their escape and the
outlaws seized upon their horses and
thus mounted they proceeded to gath
er together their scattered companions.
and to raise The standard of revol. in the
wild woodlands which spread over
much of the heighboring counties of
Huntingdon, Northampton, and Lin
coin, and thlther repaired such of the
outlaws of Ely as had no, been present
in the disastrous struggle from which
their chieftain had so narrowly escaped.
The first hamlet they came 10 they in
creased their number TO eighteen. by
the time they passed Huntingdon,
Hereward had collected above one
hundred brave men; and before the sun
rose on the following morning. seven
hundred SaXons. well armed. were as
sembed in the deep recesses Of the
Brumeswald, to resist the oppressors o
their country. Their daring exploit.
and devastations they committed on the
property of the Norman lntruders, sooi
proclaimed to the mortified king tina
the capture of the Camp OF Refuge a
Ely had not subdued the spirit agains
which he was con,ending, and he or
dered the entire forces of the countie:
of Northampton, Lincoln, Leicester
Huntingdon and Warwick, TO be raise'
under the command of Two Taillebois
and the Norman Abbo, of Peterbor
ough.
Sill however. IIereward continue
his desnl,orv warfare, sometimes de
feating the parties sent in pursuit q
him and sometimes deceiving them b
clever stratagems, when his compar
ions were not numerous enough
Withstand them in fight. l. is reeorde
that. among other tricks the Saxons ha
the shoes of their horses frequen,l
turned backwards. so that when ii
Norman soldiers fell into their tract