Two Saxon Maidens (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1885 edition. Excerpt: ...fights valiantly when forced to take arms." "Yes," responded the old woman, "the King battled well at Ashdune, after all. But these heathen warriors are infected more or less with the berserkir craze, and that is a frenzy no man can withstand successfully." "Berserkir indeed " returned Dame Ethilda impatiently. "It is no craze, but a gift from their gods which these Northmen have received I would that our Christ would send into our warriors such a spirit." "If it is a gift from their gods," spoke Ethelflseda, slowly, " it is even such a one as Woden would bestow. Those who have it are cruel in the extreme, and a terror to themselves as well as to their friends and enemies. You know how Hingwar the Viking treated King Edmund when he got him into his power?" "Yes, he tortured the old king cruelly; but Edmund was too mild a man for me to expend much pity upon. Certainly Hingwar and Hubba are filled with a spirit of very great ferocity, and their stature is gigantic. But Prince Alfred is brave, in the true sense of the word; it may be that he will yet rescue us from the hands of these marauders. If they be as successful here as they have been in Northumbria and East Anglia, we shall not have a monastery left in the land, and all civilization and learning will depart from E amongst us. They have burned down Crowland and Medeshamstede in the Fen-land, and taken away the gold and the silver and divided it amongst themselves. Almost all the brethren of these abbeys fell beneath the sword, and those who escaped were in a worse plight than those who were slaughtered." At that moment Britric entered the apartment, leading Elgiva, whose face wore a happy, contented expression....