nner described in
the tale in the case of Bertric, while he called steadfastly upon
Christ until his latest breath.

The other tale, given at length by Roger Wendover, tells that Ragnar
Lodbrog, with only his hawk in his hand, was driven by a storm to the
coast of East Anglia, that King Edmund made him his huntsman, but the
former huntsman, Beorn, slew him through jealousy; that King Edmund
put Beorn bound in the boat which had brought Lodbrog over, and sent
him adrift to perish at sea. But the storm in turn blew him to
Denmark, where he told the sons of the man he had slain that Edmund
had murdered their father. Hence they came to avenge him. The
remainder of the tale agrees with the former narrative, and is the
only portion which certainly possesses historical truth.

St. Edmund has been much venerated in the eastern counties, and his
shrine at Edmundsbury was greatly reverenced. The tale of the death of
Sweyn, given in chapter 18, is a proof of this feeling, in which
perhaps the legend partly originated.

vii The Rista Oern.

This punishment was usual among the Northmen, and was called "at rista
oern," from the supposed resemblance of the victim to the figure of an
eagle. The operation was generally performed by the chief himself. It
is thus described by Snorre:

"Ad speciem aquilae dorsum ita ei laniabat, ut adacto ad spinam
gladio, costisque omnibus ad lumbos usque a tergo divisis, pulmones
extraheret."--Snorre, p. 108.

viii First appearance of Edmund.

The first mention of Edmund in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as the
commander of the English forces is A.D. 1015, where he was joined with
Edric in the command, as related in the text, chapter 18. The date of
his birth is uncertain, but the comparison of authorities appeared to
the author to justify the ascription of the character and actions,
with which he is credited in the tale, to the English hero who first
taught his generation to assert their equality with the fierce Danish
invaders.

ix The appellations Wiltshire and Berkshire are of course of later
date.

x The early name of Abingdon.

Johnson, the compiler of the famous collection of English canons, is
of opinion that Cloveshoo, where the famous provincial council was
held A.D. 803, is identical with Abingdon, and that the town lost its
ancient name simply owing to the growing notoriety of the famous
abbey; for "no one," says he, "can doubt that the name Abingdon was
taken from the abbey." The f