he earldom as was her
husband.

Siegbert, who had been christened Harold, took kindly to his new life.
Between him and Egbert a great friendship had sprung up, and Edmund
built for their joint use a house close to his own.

In 884 Alfred heard that the Danes of East Anglia were in
correspondence with their countrymen at home and in France, and that
there was danger that the peace of England would be disturbed. The
thanes were therefore bidden to prepare for another struggle, to gather
sufficient arms in readiness for all the able-bodied men in their
district, and to call out their contingents from time to time to
practise in the use of arms.

The ealdormen whose seats of government bordered on the sea were
ordered to construct ships of war, so that any Danish armament might be
met at sea. Edmund was appointed to command this fleet, and was
instructed to visit the various ports to superintend the construction
of the ships, and when they were completed to exercise their crews in
naval maneuvers.

The winter of 884 was spent by Edmund in the performance of these
duties. The Dragon was again fitted out, and in her he cruised from
port to port. Freda, who was passionately fond of the sea, accompanied
him, as did Siegbert and Egbert. It was not until May in 885 that the
threatened invasion took place. Then the news came to the king that the
Danes had landed in large numbers near Rochester and had laid siege to
the town. The king instantly summoned his fighting array, and in a few
days moved at the head of a large army towards Kent. Rochester was
defending itself valiantly. The Danes erected a great tower opposite to
the principal gate, and overwhelming the defenders on the walls with
their missiles endeavoured to force their way in by battering down the
gate.

The inhabitants, however, piled great masses of stone behind it, and
even when the gate was battered in the Danes, with all their efforts,
were unable to force an entrance. The Saxon army advanced with such
celerity that the Danes had received no news of their coming until they
were close at hand. Then one of their foraging parties arrived with the
intelligence that a great Saxon army was upon them. The Danes were
seized with a sudden panic, and fled precipitately to their ships,
leaving behind them the horses they had brought from France, their
stores, and all the prisoners and spoil they had gathered in their
incursions in the neighbourhood of Rochester. Seeing