f visitors seek health and repose, and the towers of Osborne crown the eastern eminences. A fleet may still generally be discerned in its waters, but a flee

e king and his favourite chieftains took up their abode at Carisbrooke, situate ab

d been once a British stronghold, commanding the route of the Phoenician tin merch

r protecting care, enjoyed singular peace and prosperity--civilisation flourished, arts and letters were cultivated. The beautiful coasts and inlets were crowded

ttacked the dismembered provinces of the empire, its wealth and position on the coast made it an early object

nquered the Isle of Wight, and slew many

to his nephews, Stuf and Wihtgar. The latter died in 544, and was buried in the

, and the mode of their conquest was precisely similar to that we are now d

it was St. Martin's Mass, as the festival was then called. The sun was sinking with fading splendour behind the lofty downs in the w

fty downs, and eastward the hills rose again, so as to enclos

that they had resisted every attack of man or of time; while down below lay the

d and stood b

e day after tomorrow i

ed steadfastly in

skill you have displayed in the mimic contests with spear or sword, your skill as a horseman, a

he knows

ristian on St. Brice's day; that is why the king has chosen it. Think, my son, over all I have to

eve that. I do not grieve for myself. I feel I could easily di

peal, but not knowing the strength of Christian principle, he

a crisis which has its parallel in the lives of many around us--approached, and he

ted by the light of a new moon. Below him, in the central area, a huge fire burned, whereat the evening mea

ould have been very difficult. He felt that his motions were watched. The island was ful

Alfgar could not, even had he wished, ignore the ties of blood; nature pleaded too strongly. But there was a counte

onours, with all that the sword of the conqueror could give; and on the other h

, whom he had excelled, in the exercises of arms, end the ignominious death, perhaps that painful punishment

ht not Sweyn d

not protect His people? The heathen Saxons had been victorious over the Christian Britons; and now that they had

eroes sung by the scalds, in the war songs which he

s one wa

tered h

in the

t one w

e to hi

read of h

, hatred of meanness and cowardice, qualiti

, as his father had told him. Why should he be better tha

into Mercia, he would save his English friends

one so young as I. I have but tasted the

ed to seek his father, when suddenly the rem

, so patiently, so calmly. Had Bertric, then, died for nought? He felt as if th

he cried, "intercede

then he walked steadily into the great vaulted room, of Roman construction, whi

ow distinguished his bloodthirsty companions. The very knives he saw used for their meals had served as daggers to despatch the wounded or the helpless prisoner. Th

eady--his head so clear. This apostate parricide! never would he live to kiss the hand of such a

s some stirring song of the days of old; p

nquest, and the glories of Valhalla, where deceased warriors drank mead from the skulls of vanquished foes. And then he sang of the cold and snowy Niffelheim, where in regions of eternal frost the cowardly and guilty dead mourned their weak and

e was the abode of Raging Despair; and in the

the cease

o the fr

, horror,

ow from who

rriors, wou

last words, till he had concentrated the attention of

on wave of

ms the p

tterable agony we have before mentioned passed over his face; he trembled as an aspen, and sank, as one paralysed, into his chair, while his glaring eyes see

e in his moment of retribut

murmured, "than a fate like t

l composure, but his rage and fury were the

? there are hands enow to avenge him without unseemly tumult. Let us drink like the heroes in Valhalla. Me

n" whispered o

ed gratification of his fierce cruelty. Meanwhile warriors were

impatient, for nearly all the chieftains were getting t

" he cried; "let them

e searchers were forced, one after

insult of a Christian, and shall be washed ou

aw that Sweyn was already drunk, and consideration for A

night, t

re," said Sidroc, and gave the b

seding the ferocious expression his face had so lately worn. Meanwhile a hand was laid upo

my father will d

as C

forth into t

m to fear death,"

d be wel

but the motive is different; tell me w

two together. Sidroc seemed annoyed, and led the young prince

acy. I release thee from thy promise given to me; escape if thou canst, or

aving seen Canute to the

y and rebellious son. Let him be confined till the morrow. I shall as

said Sidroc; "follow me

but Anlaf stood as mute and passionless as a statue. Sidroc reached a party of the gua

day of St. Brice; and even were he not now mad with rage, there would be no mercy for a Christian on that day. Thou must yield, or