ANTIQUITIES OF NORTHUMBERLAND. 401 



cruelty, was regarded at the court of his fovcrcign, K. Ethdred. 

 Every body there talked of it in raptures. K. Ethdred himfelf in 

 his tranfports was refolved tolhew him one of the highcft marks 

 of his favour. He gave him his daughter, the princefs Edgi'va, 

 in marriage, and with her, the earldom of Northumberland, and 

 the county of York/hire, for a portion ; old IV alt e of reugning this 

 royal fortrefs, and his other caftles, and government, to his fen, 

 thus allied to the throne. 



In the year 642, it was beficged by PcnJa, the pagan king of 

 Mercia, after his victory over K. OfivaU at Ofiveflrs, in Shroji/Jjire ; 

 a prince as remarkable for his zealous patronage of ehriftianity, 

 as for his bravery. Cruelty fecms to have been the characteriftic 

 of Saxon paganifm. The favage PenJn, not content with a vic- 

 'tory over that chriflian hero, barbarouily mangled his body, and 

 thought to have reduced this caftle to aflics, for making a gal- 

 lant defence. He laid vaft quantities of wood under the walls, 

 to which he fct fire as foon as the wind was favourable, but no 

 fooner was it in a flame, than the wind changed, and carried it 

 into his own camp, and forced him to raifc the fiege, to his 

 own great mame, and the praife of that Being, who fets bounds 

 to the rage of mercilefs men. 



In the reign of K. Egbert, Kemilph, Bifhop of Landisfarn, being 

 fufpected at court of a crime, of which he was innocent, was a 

 ftate-prifoner in this caftle about thirty years, from 750 to 780. 



It fufFercd greatly by the fury of the Danes in the year 93,3, but 

 was foon repaired, and efteemed the flrongeil fortrefs in the 

 county. 

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VOL. II. F f f In 



