Scandinavian-Britain

THE KINGDOM OF YORK 125He was also to ask the army to give him the landbetween Tyne and Wear, as a gift to St. Cuthbert anda sanctuary for criminals. Confident in his mission,he carried out its directions, found the boy, ransomedhim, gained the army's consent and the gift of theland, and proclaimed Guthred king at" Oswigedune."Eardwulf then brought to the same place the relicsof St.Cuthbert, on which every one swore good faithand "lived happily ever after." The relics remaineduntil999 at Chester-le-Street, and there Eardwulf reestablishedthe bishopric.The date of Guthred's election is given by Symeonas 883, but if he reigned (as the Libellus says) forfourteen years, it must have occurred a little earlier ;in fact in 880, not long after the death of Halfdan, ifhe were the king slain at Strangford Lough. Thoughthere is so much legend attached to Guthred's name,his subsequent history shows that he was a peacefuland Christian king, curiously illustrating the rapiditywith which Viking colonists, if not treated as enemies,became "acclimatised." Until nearly the end of hisreign he never came into collision with Wessex : heswore peace with /Elfred at the coming of Hastein ;and ^Kthelnoth, ealdorman of Somerset, is said byy^Ethelwerd to have made York the base of his operationsagainst Hastein. This new attitude of theDanish colonyis shown by the statement that Sigeferth(Sigfrith jarl from Dublin ?)landed twice, andravaged the Northumbrian coast, after the taking ofBenfleet during Hastein's invasion :Vikings turnedbourgeoiswere fairgame.