of their cruelties in this part of the island, and Hearne thus translates the abbot's narrative. Early in the year 870, "the Danes took shipping, and went into Lindisse, in Lincolnshire; and, landing at Humberstan, spoiled all that country. At which time the famous and ancient monastery of Bardney was destroyed, the Monks being all massacred in the church without mercy. And when they had stayed there all summer, wasting the country with fire and sword, about Michaelmas they came into Kesteven, in the same county, where they committed the like murders and desolations. At length, in September, 870, Count Algar, and two knights, his seneschals, call'd Wibert and Leofric, (from whose names the people thereabouts have since given appellations to the villages where they lived, calling them Wiberton and Leofrington,) drew together all the youth of Holland, with a brave body of two hundred men, belonging to Croyland Abby, who were led on by one Toly, a famous soldier among the Mercians before his conversion, but now a converted monk of the same monastery. These taking with them about three hundred more stout and warlike men from Deping, Langtoft, and Baston; to whom also joined Morchar, lord of Brunne, with his strong and numerous family; and being met by the sheriff of Lincoln, named Osgot, a valiant and ancient soldier, with the Lincolnshire forces, in number five hundred more, mustered together in Kesteven on St. Maurice's day, gave the Pagans battle, and, by God's assistance, vanquished them, with the slaughter of three of their kings, and a great number of common soldiers; the christians pursuing the barbarians to their very camp, where finding a very stout resistance, night at last parted them, and the Earl drew back his army. But it seems the same night there returned to the Danish camp all the rest of the princes of that nation, who, dividing the country among them, had marched out to plunder."

"exas

The next morning, notwithstanding the weakness of their forces, the Christians again gave battle to the Danes; who being perated at the slaughter of their men, having buried their three

kings early in the morning at a place then called Launden, but afterwards, from this burial, Trekingham, four of their kings and eight counts marched out, whilst two kings and four counts guarded the camp and captives. But the Christians, because of the smallness of their number, drawing themselves up in one body, made, with their shields, a strong testudo against the force of their enemies' arrows, and kept off the horse with their pikes. And thus being well ordered by their commanders, they kept the ground all day. But night coming on, notwithstanding till then they had remained unbroken, and had withstood the force of their enemies arrows, whose horses being tired, began to flag; yet they very imprudently left an entire victory to the Pagans: for the Pagans feigning a flight, began to quit the field, which the Christians had no sooner perceived, (however their commanders forbade and opposed it,) than they broke their rauks, and, pursuing the Pagans, were all dispersed through the plain without any order or command; so that the Pagans returning like lions among a flock of sheep, made a most prodigious slaughter."

The Christian combatants being thus completely conquered, and nearly annihilated, a few youths of Gedney and Sutton con-trived to escape to Croyland, where their afflicting news created much alarm and distress. The terrified monks, expecting an immediate attack from the sanguinary conquerors, instantly employed themselves in secreting and securing their sacred relics and valuables, some of which were thrown into the well, and some committed to the care of the youthful class of their community, who were impelled to seek self preservation in flight. Thus prepared, the old monks devoted themselves to prayer, from which they were roused by the flames of the neighbouring villages; and the clamours of the fierce Pagans drew nearer. The abbot, and they who were too young or too old to fly, assembled in the holy choir, hoping there to secure life; but the desperadoes rushed into the sacred place, and, with savage exultation,' embrued their swords in the bodies of the unresisting victims.

Every part of the sanctified building was stained with blood; and by the statement of Ingulphus, it appears that only one youth was preserved from the general massacre. The spoilers broke down all the tombs and monuments, with the avaricious hope of discovering treasures; and on the third day, they committed the whole monastic buildings to the flames. With immense plunder,

of cattle, &c. the barbarians marched the next day to Mederhamsted, or Peterborough, where they committed similar atrocities and barbarities; and it is related that the monastery continued fifteen days in flames.

Though the horrible proceedings of the Danish marauders were so truly calamitous in their immediate operations; and though language can only depict their repeated exploits, in the terms of plunder, murder, rape, famine, and distress; yet these were the harbingers of national improvement and amelioration. The petty, jealous, and opposing kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxons, were compelled to confederate for mutual defence; a consolidation of the different states arose, and during the greatest distraction of the realms, that amiable man, wise monarch, and skilful general, Alfred, was sent as a guardian angel to the country. He employed the energies of intellect to repel invasion, to discomfit the public and private enemies of the island, and to administer comfort to the distressed by wise and appropriate laws. After his firm establishment on the throne, the nation assumed a new aspect; and after that felicitous event, its annals became more clear and enlightened. "The sovereignty of Mercia, on the defeat of the Danes, fell into the power of Alfred. He did not, however, avowedly incorporate it with Wessex. He discontinued its regal honors, and constituted Ethelred its military commander, to whom he afterwards married his daughter, Ethelfleda, when her age permitted." This lady continued the command of Mercia after Alfred's, and her husband's decease; and during the reign of Edward the Elder, it was found necessary to construct and fortify several places on the borders of Mercia joining Northumbria,

particularly

* Turner's " History of the Anglo-Saxons,” Vol. I. p. 267.

4to. 1807.

particularly on the banks of the Humber. On Ethelfleda's death, Mercia was incorporated with Wessex; but some places were still held by the Danes. Among these were the towns of Stamford and Lincoln, even so late as 941, when Edmund the Elder expelled them hence.

The transactions of the Church and See constitute the principal subjects of historical narrative respecting this county, 'till the conquest and subjugation of England by William of Normandy. Innovations of every kind were now introduced; and the whole property of Lincolnshire was distributed among his favorite followers. The authors of the Magna Britannia, give the following list of names and manors from the Domesday book. "To Alan Rufus, Earl of Britain and Richmond, he gave 101 lordships. Odo, Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent, 76. Waltheof, Earl of Northumberland, 2. Judith, Countess of Northumberland, 17. Mallet, 1. Nigil de Albini, 12. William de Percy, 32. Walter D'Eincourt, 17. Guy de Creon, or Crown, 61. Geisfrid Hanselin, 15. St. Valery, 6. William le Blound, or Blunt, 6.

Robert Vesci, 7. William
Robert de Stafford, 20.

Ranulph de

Robert de Todenes, 32. Ralph de Mortimer, 7. Henry de Ferrers, 2.

Alured de Lincoln, 51.

Norman D'Areil, 2. Walter Bec, 1. Ralph Paganel, 15. Ernisius Burun, 28. Gilbert de Gondovo, or Gaunt, grandson of Baldwin Earl of Flanders, 113." It will not be an easy task to specify the respective lordships thus distributed; and indeed it will be extremely difficult to identify the places where each of those Barons erected their castles, and established their habitations, &c.

Castles, Encampments, &c. The Maritime counties of England being more directly exposed to attack from invading armies and piratical plunderers; and in the early periods of our civil establishments, being more populous than the midland country, were, therefore, frequently exposed to the conflicts of warfare; and hence it is found, that these districts abound with military works and castles, or castellated mansions. Besides the perma

nent

nent stations of the Romans in Lincolnshire, they threw up castrametations in different places; to guard the vallies, protect their great roads, and defend the mouths of the rivers. In the continued wars between the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, these were again occupied by those people; and, after the Norman conquest, some of the most commanding were adopted by the conqueror's captains, and barons, and then became heads of extensive lordships. To describe or discriminate them, is, and ever will be impossible, for documents are wanting, and the innovations of the latter occupiers generally obscured, or annihilated all traces of their predecessors. Exclusive of the Roman stations, I find notices of the following fortifications, &c.

ENCAMPMENTS at, or near, Brocklesby; Hibberston; Broughton; Roxby; Winterton Cliffs; Aulkborough; Yarborough; South Ormsby; Burwell; Stamford; Castle-Hill, near Gainsborough; Winteringham; Humington; Ingoldsby; Castle Carleton; Burgh; Brough, north of Caston; Barrow.

CASTLES, or remains of Castles: at Horncastle; Tattershall, a noble remain; Bourne, only earthworks remaining; Castor; Somerton; Moor Tower; Stamford; Scrivelby; Torksey, a fine remain; Sleaford, only earthworks; Bollingbrook; Lincoln, with walls and gates; Folkingham, with large fosses; Kyme Tower and Hussey Tower, near Boston; Pinchbeck, a moated mansion; Bitham.

DIOCESS and SEE of LINCOLN. According to the testimony of the best authorities, the Bishop's See was established at Lincoln in the year 1057, or 1088*, previous to which era, the diocess consisted of the two Anglo-Saxon Sees of Dorchester†, now a village

* The exact year of the translation is not satisfactorily specified. Most writers adopt the latter date; but Beatson, in his " Political Index," states that the see was removed to Lincoln in 1057.

+ This See was founded about the year 625, and had eleven bishops, whose names and times of installation are-I. Birinus, 625; II. Agilburtus, 650 ;