the dragon and the raven-第12节

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fighting　men。　You；　Edmund；　might；　before　we　start；　consult
King　Alfred。　He　must　have　seen　at　Rome　and　other　ports　on
the　Mediterranean　the　ships　in　use　there；　which　are　doubtless
far　in　advance　of　our　own。　For　we　know　from　the　Holy　Bible
that　a　thousand　years　ago　St。　Paul　made　long　voyages　in
ships；　and　doubtless　they　have　learned　much　since　those　days。〃

Edmund　thought　the　idea　a　good　one；　and　asked　the
king　to　make　him　a　drawing　of　the　vessels　in　use　in　the
Mediterranean。　This　King　Alfred　readily　did；　and　Egbert　and
Edmund　then　journeyed　to　Exeter；　where　finding　out　the　man
most　noted　for　his　skill　in　building　ships；　they　told　him　the
object　they　had　in　view；　and　showed　him　the　drawings　the
king　had　made。　There　were　two　of　them；　the　one　a　long
galley　rowed　with　double　banks　of　oars；　the　other　a　heavy
trading　ship。

〃This　would　be　useless　to　you；〃　the　shipwright　said；　laying
the　second　drawing　aside。　〃It　would　not　be　fast　enough
either　to　overtake　or　to　fly。　The　other　galley　would；　methinks；
suit　you　well。　I　have　seen　a　drawing　of　such　a　ship　before。　It
is　a　war　galley　such　as　is　used　by　the　Genoese　in　their　fights
against　the　African　pirates。　They　are　fast　and　roomy；　and
have　plenty　of　accommodation　for　the　crews。　One　of　them
well　manned　and　handled　should　be　a　match　for　six　at　least
of　the　Danish　galleys；　which　are　much　lower　in　the　water　and
smaller　in　all　ways。　But　it　will　cost　a　good　deal　of　money　to
build　such　a　ship。〃

〃I　will　devote　all　the　revenues　of　my　land　to　it　until　it　is
finished；〃　Edmund　said。　〃I　will　place　a　hundred　serfs　at　your
service；　and　will　leave　it　to　you　to　hire　as　many　craftsmen　as
may　be　needed。　I　intend　to　build　her　in　a　quiet　place　in　a
deep　wood　on　the　river　Parrot；　so　that　she　may　escape　the
eyes　of　the　Danes。〃

〃I　shall　require　seasoned　timber；〃　the　shipwright　urged。

〃That　will　I　buy；〃　Edmund　replied；　as　you　shall　direct；
and　can　have　it　brought　up　the　river　to　the　spot。〃

〃Being　so　large　and　heavy；〃　the　shipwright　said；　〃she　will
be　difficult　to　launch。　Methinks　it　were　best　to　dig　a　hole　or
dock　at　some　little　distance　from　the　river；　then　when　she　is
finished　a　way　can　be　cut　to　the　river　wide　enough　for　her　to
pass　out。　When　the　water　is　turned　in　it　will　float　her　up
level　to　the　surface；　and　as　she　will　not　draw　more　than　two
feet　of　water　the　cut　need　not　be　more　than　three　feet　deep。〃

〃That　will　be　the　best　plan　by　far；〃　Edmund　agreed；　〃for
you　can　make　the　hole　so　deep　that　you　can　build　her　entirely
below　the　level　of　the　ground。　Then　we　can；　if　needs　be；　fill
up　the　hole　altogether　with　bushes；　and　cover　her　up；　so　that
she　would　not　be　seen　by　a　Danish　galley　rowing　up　the　river；
or　even　by　any　of　the　enemy　who　might　enter　the　wood；　unless
they　made　special　search　for　her；　and　there　she　could　lie
until　I　chose　to　embark。〃

The　shipwright　at　once　set　to　work　to　draw　out　his　plans；
and　a　week　later　sent　to　Edmund　a　messenger　with　an　account
of　the　quantity　and　size　of　wood　he　should　require。
This　was　purchased　at　once。　Edmund　and　Egbert　with　their
serfs　journeyed　to　the　spot　they　had　chosen；　and　were　met
there　by　the　shipwright；　who　brought　with　him　twenty　craftsmen
from　Exeter。　The　wood　was　brought　up　the　river；　and
while　the　craftsmen　began　to　cut　it　up　into　fitting　sizes；　the
serfs　applied　themselves　to　dig　the　deep　dock　in　which　the
vessel　was　to　be　built。





CHAPTER　V：　A　DISCIPLINED　BAND



The　construction　of　the　ship　went　on　steadily。　King
Alfred；　who　was　himself　building　several　war　vessels
of　ordinary　size；　took　great　interest　in　Edmund's　craft
and　paid　several　visits　to　it　while　it　was　in　progress。

〃It　will　be　a　fine　ship；〃　he　said　one　day　as　the　vessel　was
approaching　completion；　〃and　much　larger　than　any　in　these
seas。　It　reminds　me；　Edmund；　not　indeed　in　size　or　shape；
but　in　its　purpose；　of　the　ark　which　Noah　built　before　the
deluge　which　covered　the　whole　earth。　He　built　it；　as　you
know；　to　escape　with　his　family　from　destruction。　You；　too；
are　building　against　the　time　when　the　deluge　of　Danish
invasion　will　sweep　over　this　land；　and　I　trust　that　your
success　will　equal　that　of　the　patriarch。〃

〃I　shall　be　better　off　than　Noah　was；〃　Edmund　said；　〃for
he　had　nothing　to　do；　save　to　shut　up　his　windows　and　wait
till　the　floods　abated；　while　I　shall　go　out　and　seek　my
enemies　on　the　sea。〃

The　respite　purchased　by　the　king　from　the　Danes　was
but　a　short　one。　In　the　autumn　of　875　their　bands　were
again　swarming　around　the　borders　of　Wessex；　and　constant
irruptions　took　place。　Edmund　received　a　summons　to　gather
his　tenants；　but　he　found　that　these　no　longer　replied
willingly　to　the　call。　Several　of　his　chief　men　met　him　and
represented　to　him　the　general　feeling　which　prevailed。

〃The　men　say；〃　their　spokesman　explained；　〃that　it　is
useless　to　fight　against　the　Danes。　In　872　there　were　ten
pitched　battles；　and　vast　numbers　of　the　Danes　were　slain；
and　vast　numbers　also　of　Saxons。　The　Danes　are　already　far
more　numerous　than　before；　for　fresh　hordes　continue　to
arrive　on　the　shores；　and　more　than　fill　up　the　places　of　those
who　are　killed；　but　the　places　of　the　Saxons　are　empty；　and
our　fighting　force　is　far　smaller　than　it　was　last　year。　If　we
again　go　out　and　again　fight　many　battles；　even　if　we　are
victorious；　which　we　can　hardly　hope　to　be；　the　same　thing
will　happen。　Many　thousands　will　be　slain；　and　the　following
year　we　shall　in　vain　try　to　put　an　army　in　the　field　which　can
match　that　of　the　Danes；　who　will　again　have　filled　up　their
ranks；　and　be　as　numerous　as　ever。　So　long　as　we　continue　to
fight；　so　long　the　Danes　will　slay；　burn；　and　destroy
wheresoever　they　march；　until　there　will　remain　of　us　but　a
few　fugitives　hidden　in　the　woods。　We　should　be　far　better
off　did　we　cease　to　resist；　and　the　Danes　become　our　masters；
as　they　have　become　the　masters　of　Northumbria；　Mercia；
and　Anglia。

〃There；　it　is　true；　they　have　plundered　the　churches　and
thanes'　houses　and　have　stolen　all　that　is　worth　carrying　away；
but　when　they　have　taken　all　that　there　is　to　take　they　leave
the　people　alone；　and　unmolested；　to　till　the　ground　and　to
gain　their　livelihood。　They　do　not　slay　for　the　pleasure　of
slaying；　and　grievous　as　is　the　condition　of　the　Angles　they
and　their　wives　and　children　are　free　from　massacre　and　are
allowed　to　gain　their　livings。　The　West　Saxons　have　showed
that　they　are　no　cowards；　they　have　defeated　the　Northmen
over　and　over　again　when　far　outnumbering　them。　It　is　no
dishonour　to　yield　now　when　all　the　rest　of　England　has
yielded；　and　when　further　fighting　will　only　bring　ruin　upon
ourselves；　our　wives；　and　children。〃

Edmund　could　find　no　reply　to　this　argument。　He　knew
that　even　the　king　despaired　of　ultimately　resisting　the　Danish
invasion；　and　after　listening　to　all　that　the　thanes　had　to
say　he　retired　with　Egbert　apart。

〃What　say　you；　Egbert？　There　is　reason　in　the　arguments
that　they　use。　You　and　I　have　neither　wives　nor　children；
and　we　risk　only　our　own　lives；　but　I　can　well　understand
that　those　who　have　so　much　to　lose　are　chary　of　further
effort。　What　say　you？〃

〃I　do　not　think　it　will　be　fair　to　press　them　further；〃
Egbert　answered；　〃but　methinks　that　we　might　raise　a　band
consisting　of　all　the　youths　and　unmarried　men　in　the　earldom。
These　we　might　train　carefully　and　keep　always　together；
seeing　that　the　lands　will　still　be　cultivated　and　all
able　to　pay　their　assessment；　and　may　even　add　to　it；　since
you　exempt　them　from　service。　Such　a　band　we　could　train
and　practise　until　we　could　rely　upon　them　to　defeat　a　far
larger　force　of　the　enemy；　and　they　would　be　available　for
our　crew　when　we　take　to　the　ship。〃

〃I　think　the　idea　is　a　very　good　one；　Egbert；　we　will　propose
it　to　the　thanes。〃　The　proposition　was　accordingly　made
that　all　married　men　should　be　exempt　from　service；　but
that　the　youths　above　the　age　of　sixteen　and　the　unmarried
men　should　be　formed　into　a　band　and　kept　permanently
under　arms。　Landowners　who　lost　the　services　of　sons　or
freemen　working　for　them　should　pay　the　same　assessment
only　as　before；　but　those　who　did　not　contribute　men　to　the
levy　should　pay　an　additional　assessment。　Edmund　said　he
would　pay　the　men　composing　the　band　the　same　wages　they
would　earn　in　the　field；　and　would　undertake　all　their
expenses。　〃So　long　as　the　king　continues　the　struggle；〃
he　said；　〃it　is　our　duty　to　aid　him；　nor　can　we　escape　from
the　dangers　and　perils　of　invasion。　Should　the　Danes　come
near　us　all　must　perforce　fight；　but　so　long　as　they　continue
at　a　distance　things　can　go　on　here　as　if　we　had　peace
in　the　land。〃

The　proposal　was；　after　some　discussion；　agreed　to；　and
the　news　caused　gladness　and　contentment　throughout　the
earldom。　The　younger　men　who　had　been　included　in　the
levy　were　quite　satisfied　with　the　arrangement。　The　spirit　of
the　West　Saxons　was　still　high；　and　those　without　wives　and
families　who　would　suffer　by　their　absence　or　be　ruined　by
their　death　were　eager　to　continue　the　contest。　The　proposal
that　they　should　be　paid　as　when　at　work　was　considered
perfectly　satisfactory。

The　men　of　Sherborne　had　under　their　young　leader
gaine