The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1868-12-30
FHE BATTLE OF TH1 BLACK
.ES WATER-

lathe evil days Of King Ethelred the On
ready, 2hsn the teachings Of good King
Alfred was fast fAding away from the lnihds
of his descendants. and self -Ihduigenes vas
running the minds Of the bold and hardy
habits Of the Engiish, the fleet Eas allowed
TO fall into decay, and Danish ships aEAin
vsnfured 70 Sppsar on he EnElish coasts
The Rrsi Mortimer who had rAFsged Eng
land came eager for blood and Iluneer, and
hating the sight OF : Christian eRdrch - ~
insult to their gods Thor and Odin; but the
lapse Of huadred years had in some degree
changed the temper Of the North and
though almost every young nan thought Is
due TO his fame % have sailed forth As sea
rover, yet the attacks Of these mArSndens
might be bought of, and provided they had
treasure to show for their voyage, they were
willing to spare The lives and lA1ids of the
people Of the coasts they visited;
King EthSlfed and hia cOWardl5, selfish
Court we're well satiSfed With this erpedi-
ienA, and thetsx called DAnegeld was laid
upon the people, IN erder to raise > fund fer
buying OF the enemy. But there we're still
in England men Of bolder and daruer hearts,
who held chat bribery Was. false policy,
merely inviting the enemy to come asain
aHd again, and that the only Wtss course
would be Ia driving them back BY English
tf'Y1aor, and keeping the fset in 4 condition
70 repel the ! Long Serpent" ships before
me foe could sci foot upon theeodst
Among those who held this opinion wa
Brythnoth, Rarl of Essex. He was of part
" Danish descent himself, but had become
. thorough EngIishmAn, and had long and
| faithfully served The KiRsand Ma father
He was friend to the clergy, founder o.
churches and converts, and his manor
houss Of HAdleigh was = home of hOsPitah
ty and charity. 1t would probably Be
sort of huge fArmyard, full Of great barn
Ike builings and sheds, all one stery high
some Of them ser4tsk for store houses, ana
others for living -roolnE and places of enter
tainment for bis numerous seryaRts and re
tainers, and for. the guests Of all degree
who gltheFed round him as the chief diI
penSer of justice in his EASt-SaxOn earldon
When he heard the advice given and aE
cepted that the anes should be, ,bnbed, II
4 stead of being fought with, he made up hi
epind that be-, At least, would Try 70 rAlse q
nCbler spirit, and, At the Saczihcei OF b
own life, would ahoW the effect OF saGkin
mantI stand against them :. el
He laads his viii and plaeed ~ N u
hands 81 the Arekblshop ot; cAnisrbHEy
and then, rstirihgAo Hadleigh, he pEcss4l,
hoses and arms, and caused all the youn
msn In his eArldon to be trained in wArlik
exercises, according . the coca old KngllS
) law, that every man should be provide
with arms, and know the use Of then-
;. ThesDAnss sailed forth, in the year col
with ninety. three yesselh he terrible 81 ION
! Sarpsnts, !" carved with makes heads At u
. PROV, and the stern finished as the glide
! tai of the reptile; and many lsAsar shi
meant for carrying piunder. The Sea KIM
Olaf (or AalGfE, vas the leaders and as t
dings came that their sails had BEEN see
: upon the North Sea, more earnest than.ev'
, rzag out the petition, from the LitAnI
!. ''Rron The fuzzy of the Mortimer, goo
: Lord, deliver us-" 81
) Sandwich and Ipswich made no defenc'
: and were plundeFod; and the heOt then Sai
: ed into the mouth of the river BlAekWsSe
Is far as Maiden, where the rsVaEsrs laRde'
and began 70 select spoil Whsls hoWsVe
they came back to their ships, they toul
thai the tide would not jet AeEys thsmtO 7
+ Esmbarki; Gnd upon the farther sbank Of "a
: river bristled the spears a . bSdy of war
4 ors, drawn up In battle array, but In nuznbe
. far inferior 70 their own. -.r-.
4 Anlah sSnt 3 messenger, OVerihe EoOd.
4 bridge that crossed the river, 70 the Essi
t who, he understood, commanded ths SnI
i array. The brave old man, his gray h
e hanging doan bensAih bis helms1 StOlll
= sword in had 81 the hsad OF hia lWaIEJal
q 'Lord RATi,." said tie messenger ''fcon
, to bid thee 10 yield to Us lhy treasure, I
! thy safety, Buy on ths;nsht. and We y
d rasify : pSaes with gold. = y o..a -
: .Hsar, O thou sSIlOrI' was BrythAOGl
answer, she reply Of tAis people, IHs>s