The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-30

was enshrouded in an atmosphere of myth and wonder. and the baffled Nor man soldiers accounted for his success by aseribng to the supernatural coun- sels of his sorceress wife.
 Then came the winter and Osblorn, in- stead of landing his great force, sailed away to Denmark. It was a hard time for the little band that tried to hold Eng ! land against the multitude of the Nor man. Torfrida pined and suffered in the black, rough northern climate, but her heart never failed her, and she made and mended and suffered cold and lay raclSed with rheumatism in those bleak hiding places of theirs, and never complained or i, faltered.
 Then rebelions broke out in all corners of Northern England. William beat them down, one by one-all except the rebellion of Hereward the outlaw. Many times he longed to have that good fighter on his own side.
 Then the Danes came again with their 1 king, but they arrived too late. All the land was Williams again save that har- ried and held by Hereward. They joined 1 him and burned and plundered the mon- astery of Peterborough Hereward's un- ee Brand had died, and so after many years Hereward kept his promise to smoke the monks out.
 It was a great crime in the eyes of men of that time and of his own, but the l Danes, disappointed in conquest. were fierce for plunder, and Hereward knew that they must have something. Thus he gave them the treasure of the Golden Borough
 King sweyn begged Hereward and his men to return with him to Denmark and offered them rank and estate; but they refused Alone sadly diminished in num- bers. friendless, without any nation be- hind them, they were all that was left of England. Steady, unfearing, they heard the oars of the Danish galleys roar away and saw the great host dis appear. Then they turned and threw themselves into the monastery of Ely.
 William marched on it. as on an easy prey. But all around the great fastness were fens, abysses of mud and wilder nesses of reeds No army could attack across that barrier. William sat him down to starve Hereward and his men out. But the fens were full of wild fowl and the waters were full of fish and men could feast in Ely the year round
 Then he ered to bridge the narrowest part of that devils morass. When his army attacked over it, it gave way and the mud and water won a great victory for the English, who had little to do ex- cept kill the survivors. Men still find armor and rusted weapons in that fer country, where Williams host went down The Coaqueror, groaning, struck his tents and departed.
 But he came again. And this time he built such a bridge could not sink And he had such an army as could not be decimated by a handful like that oi the knights and no less doughty monks of Ely.
 The attack had come at last that Here ward had anticipated, and for which Inc had prepared the last desperate resource at iTorfridas s advice. She stood on the walls on that last great day of fighting clothed in sackcloth barefooted and bare headed, her long white arms stretched out like the arms of cross as she urged the English on and prayed to heaven tt help them.
 The Normans pressed over the bridge A human tide poured over it all at once and great line of catapults and bal listas hurled stones and heavy lances a the beseged at the same moment.
 Hereward shouted to his men to retr, within the walls. The next instant flames leaped over all the reeds, laughing ant cracking. The fen sprang into a raging fire all around the Normans. It con surned their bridge. Men fell scorched t, death in one brief instant. Others screaming with pain, sprang into the wa ter. The officers around William dragged him back only in time to save the Con oueror himself from the fire.
 Again he raised the siege and retired But Hereward knew that his victory wa defeat, for he had all but destroye, their refuge. That winter they wer blockaded utterly. by land and water. , Defections began, and having begun , they grew. At last the remnants of Here