Introduction
In 679, King Ecgfrith of Northumbria’s imperial ambitions were severely dented at the Battle of Trent, when he failed to defeat King Ethelred of Mercia somewhere near Lincoln, and lost control of the Kingdom of Lindsey. After telling us about this sorry business, Bede recalled hearing a story about one of Ethelred’s thegns (royal servants), told to him by friends who had it from the man himself.
IN 679, King Ecgfrith of Northumbria clashed in battle with King Ethelred of Mercia. Ecgfrith’s eighteen-year-old brother Ælfwine, who was also Ethelred’s brother-in-law, died in the fighting, and had not the Archbishop of Canterbury, Theodore, acted as peacemaker the two kingdoms might have been swallowed up in a blood feud.
During the battle, one of Ethelred’s thegns, named Imma, was knocked down and left for dead. He lay senseless among the slain all that day and through the night, but the following morning he managed to stagger into the Northumbrian camp. He had wits enough to say that he was a poor peasant, a family man, who came not to fight but only to carry supplies. Ecgfrith ordered his physicians to care for him, but thought it prudent to keep him tied up.
This, however, proved surprisingly difficult. The guards would check his knots, and the moment they turned away the cords would unravel themselves. It could happen any time, but was especially bad around nine o’clock in the morning. The nobleman responsible for his safekeeping was so puzzled by this that he cautiously inquired as to what spells or runes Imma used — for he had read of such things.
Précis
After he was wounded in battle in 679, defending Mercia against Northumbrian attack, royal thegn Imma was captured by the enemy. By concealing his true identity, Imma ensured he suffered no worse than being bound; but when the bonds would not hold, loosening themselves regularly and especially around nine in the morning, rumours flew that he had magical powers.
(59 / 60 words)
After he was wounded in battle in 679, defending Mercia against Northumbrian attack, royal thegn Imma was captured by the enemy. By concealing his true identity, Imma ensured he suffered no worse than being bound; but when the bonds would not hold, loosening themselves regularly and especially around nine in the morning, rumours flew that he had magical powers.
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