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Introduction
Some four years after the Great Heathen Army of the Vikings landed in 865, Hingwar ravaged the Kingdom of the East Angles with indiscriminate bloodshed. He then sent a messenger to their lord, King Edmund, in his now silent Hall, bearing an ultimatum: to live and be Hingwar’s vassal, or to die. What follows is said to be the story as told by an eyewitness.
HE turned to the messenger whom Hingwar had sent to him,* and said to him undismayed: “Verily thou wouldest now be worthy of death, but I will not defile my clean hands with thy foul blood, because I follow Christ, who hath so given us an example, and I will blithely be slain by you, if God hath so ordained.
“Depart now very quickly, and say to thy cruel lord: Edmund the king will never bow in life to Hingwar the heathen leader, unless he will first bow, in this land, to Jesus Christ with faith.”
Then went the messenger quickly away, and met on the way the bloodthirsty Hingwar with all his army hurrying to Edmund, and told that wicked man how he was answered. Hingwar then arrogantly commanded his troops that they should, all of them, take the king alone, who had despised his command, and instantly bind him. Then Edmund the king, when Hingwar came, stood within his hall mindful of the Saviour, and threw away his weapons, desiring to imitate Christ’s example.*
Hingwar is Ivar the Boneless, son of Ragnar Lodbrok. The story was first recorded by Abbo (945-1004), abbot of the monastery at Fleury near Orléans in France, in an account dedicated and sent to St Dunstan (909-988), Archbishop of Canterbury. The narrative reveals that Abbo received the story from St Dunstan himself, who in turn had heard it during an audience with King Athelstan (r. 927-939) from the very man who had been King’s young armiger on that fateful day.
See Matthew 26:51-54.
Précis
In 869, Vikings who had subjected the Kingdom of the East Angles to bloody invasion sent King Edmund an ultimatum, demanding that he submit or die. Edmund however refused to submit unless their leader, Hingwar, was baptised a Christian. Enraged, Hingwar came in person to Edmund’s hall and, as Edmund refused to shed blood, easily took him captive. (58 / 60 words)
In 869, Vikings who had subjected the Kingdom of the East Angles to bloody invasion sent King Edmund an ultimatum, demanding that he submit or die. Edmund however refused to submit unless their leader, Hingwar, was baptised a Christian. Enraged, Hingwar came in person to Edmund’s hall and, as Edmund refused to shed blood, easily took him captive.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, if, must, otherwise, ought, since, whereas, whether.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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