Encyclopaedia Britannica, or, a Dictionary of arts, sciences, and miscellaneous literature : enlarged and improved. Illustrated with nearly six hundred engravings > Volume 8, ELE-FOR

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England, pe&atkms. The Northumbrians declared for him ; and
^ v 1 Ethelwald having thus connected liimfelf with the Da-
■ 5>CI* „•{}, trJ’DeSj went beyond fea, whence he returned with
a great body of thefe banditti. On his return, he was
ioined by the Danes of Eaft Anglia and Mercia. E-
thelwald, at the head of the rebels, made an irruption
into the counties of Gloucefter, Oxford, and Wilts *,
and having ravaged the country, retired with his booty
before the king could approach him. Edward, how¬
ever, took care to revenge himfelf, by conducting his
forces into Eaft Anglia, and ravaging it in like man¬
ner. He then gave orders to retire ; but the Kent-
ilh men, greedy of more plunder, ftaid behind, and
took up their quarters at Bury. Here they Avere af-
faulted by the Danes j but the Kentiflimen made fucli
an obftinate defence, that though their enemies gained
the victory, it was bought by the lofs of their bra\Teft
men, and, among the reft, of the ufurper Ethehvald
himfelf.
The king, noAV freed from the attempts of fc dan¬
gerous a rival, concluded an advantageous peace Avith
the Eaft Angles. He next fet about reducing the
Northumbrians ; and for this purpofe equipped a fleet,
hoping that thus they Avould be induced to remain at
home to defend their oAvn country, Avithout attempting
to invade his territories. He Avas difappointed in his
expectations. The Northumbrians Avere more eager
to plunder their neighbours than to fecure themfelves.
Imagining that the Avhole of Edward’s forces AArere em¬
barked on board his fleet, they entered his territories
Avith all the troops they could raife. The king, hoAV-
ever, Avas better prepared for them than they had ex-
pefted. He attacked them on their return at Tetenhall
in the county of Stafford, put them to flight, recovered
^ all the booty, and purfued them Avith great flaughter
into their OAvn country.
The reft of EdAvard’s reign was a feene of continued
and fuccefsful aftion againft the Northumbrians, Eaft
Angles, the Danes of Mercia, and thofe Avho came
from their native country in order to iwvade England.
He put his kingdom in a good pofture of defence, by
fortifying the towns of Chefter, Eddefhury, Warwick,
Cherbury, Buckingham, ToAvcefter, Pvlaldon, Hun¬
tingdon, and Colchefter. He vanquiflied Thurketill
a Danifti chieftain, and obliged him to retire Avith his
followers into France. He fubdued the Eaft Angli-
ans, Northumbrians, and feArcral tribes of the Britons 5
and even obliged the Scots to make fubmiflions. He
died in 925, and Avas fucceeded by Athelftan his natural
5* fon.
Athelftan. This prince, notAvithftanding his illegitimate birth,
afeended the throne without much oppofition, as the
legitimate children of EdAvard Avere too young to rule
a nation fd much liable both to foreign nwafions and
domeftic troubles as England at prefent Avas. One Al¬
fred, hoAvever, a nobleman of confiderable poAver, en¬
tered into a confpiracy againft him. It is faid, that this
nobleman Avas feized upon ftrong fufpicions, but Avith¬
out any certain proof. He offered to fwear to bis
innocence before the pope , and in thofe ages it was
fuppofed that none could take a falfe oath in prefence
of fuch a facred perfon, Avithout being vifited by an
immediate judgment from God. Alfred Avas accord¬
ingly conducted to Rome, and took the oath required
*£ hi© before Pope John, The words were no fooner
pronounced, than he fell into convulfions, of Avhich he England,
expired in three days. The king, fully convinced of
his guilt, confifcated his eftate, and made a prefent of ' ’
it to the monaftery of Malmefbury.
This accident proved the means of eftablilhing the
authority of Athelftan in England. But finding the
Northumbrians bore the Englifli yoke Avith impatience,
he gave Sitbric, a Danilh nobleman, the title of king
of Northumberland; and in order to fecure his fritnd-
fhip, gave him his own fifter Editha in marriage. This
Avas productive of bad confequences. Sithric died the
year after his marriage Avith Editha; upon which An-
laf and Godfrid, Sithric’s fons by a former marriage,
affumed the fovereignty Avithout Availing for Athcl-
ftan’s confent. They were, however, foon obliged to
yield to the fuperior poAver of that monarch. The
former fled to Ireland ; and the latter to Scotland,
Avhere he Avas protected by Conftantine king of that
country. The Scottish monarch Avas continually im¬
portuned by Atbelftan to deliver up bis gueft, and even
threatened Avith an invafion in cafe he did not comply.
Conftantine, detefting this treachery, advifed Godfrid
to make his efcape. He did fo, turned pirate, and
died foon after. Athelftan, however, refenting this
conduct of Conftantine, invaded his kingdom, and re¬
duced him, it is faid, fo Ioav, that he Avas obliged to
make the moft bumble fubmiflions. This, hoAvever, is
denied by all the Scottifti hiftorians.
Conftantine, after the departure of Athelftan enter¬
ed into a confederacy Avith Anlaf, Avho fubfifted by his
piracies, and Avith fome of the Wellh princes who Avere.
alarmed at the increafe of Athelftan’s poAver. All thefe
confederates made an irruption into England at once ; 5 z
but Athelftan meeting them at Brumfbury in Nor- Defeats ha
thumberland, gave them a total overthroAV. Anlaf enemies,
and Conftantine made their efcape Avith difficulty, lea¬
ving the greateft part of their men dead on the field
of battle. After this period, Atbelftan enjoyed his
croAvn Avith tranquillity. He died in 941, after a reign
of 16 years. He paffed a remarkable laAv, for the en¬
couragement of commerce : viz. that a merchant, Avho
had made three long fca voyages on his OAvn account,
fhould be admitted to the rank of a thane or gentle¬
man. _ S3
Athelffian Avas fucceeded by his brother Edmund. Edmund.
On his acceflion, he found the kingdom difturbed by
the reftlefs Northumbrians, Avho Avatched for every op¬
portunity of riling in rebellion. They Avere, hoAvever,
loon reduced ; and Edmund took care to enfure the
peace of the kingdom, by removing the Danes from
the toAvns of Mercia where they had been alloAved to
fettle, becaufc it Avas found that they took every op¬
portunity to introduce foreign Danes into the kingdom.
He alfo conquered Cumberland from the Britons. This
country, hoAvever, he beftoAved upon Malcolm king of
Scotland, upon condition that he fhould do homage for
it, and proteft the north of England from all future
ineurfions of tlie Danes. 5^
Edmund Avas unfortunately murdered in Gloucefter, Murdered
by one Leolf a notorious robber. This man had been by Leolf.
formerly fentenced to banilhment; yet had the bold-
nefs to enter the hall Avhere the king himfelf dined, and
to fit at table Avith his attendants. Edmund imme¬
diately ordered him to leave the room. The villain
refufed to obey ; upon which the king leaped upon
him, ..