Scandinavian-Britain

68 SCANDINAVIAN BRITAINnominally under the rule of the Christian emperor.The first viking raids were not a war of heathenism inrevenge for the oppression of the Old Saxons ; theywere a new form of sport, at the back of which were" business " interests ;and Danes, not Norse, wereconcerned.Next year ''the aforesaid Pagans" tried to repeattheir success. They returned and ravaged Ecgfrid'sport and the monastery at Done-mouth Jarrow,where the little Don joins the Tyne." But St.Cuthbert did not let them depart unpunished.Indeed their chief was slain by the English on thespot with a cruel death, and after a short space oftime the violence of a tempest shook, ruined andbrake to pieces their ships ;and very many the seaoverwhelmed. Some were cast ashore, and soonkilled without pity.And this served them right fordoing grave harm to those who had never done themharm" (Symeon).Under 792 (correctly 794) the Ulster Annals notewith evident exaggeration, "all the coast of Britainravaged by the " "foreigners ; and, two years later, theforeigners ravage Fortrenn (central Scotland) anddistress the Picts." This may mean that, in spiteof the reverse at Jarrow, the raids were pushedfarther north, up the east coast of Britain. It is notproved that Vikings had reached the south-west ofScotland in 796.The year 795, in which the Vikings did not ventureback to the scene of the disaster of 794, was spent inan attempt in another direction. A party sailed round