alternatehistory.com

Somerild Rite: Fact and Fiction
East Angland Books, 2009


While most of the events covered in The Journals of Somerild right are proven historical events, there is no evidence that she as an individual was involved or even existed. There are accounts that are often obviously proven as fictional, and in the case of “Somerild Rite and the Worm of Rheged” completel mythological.

The latter days of Rite are covered in the accounts of Torvalds Magnussen, a Danish convert to Anglish Christianity who became a companion of Rites some fifteen years after the last entry of Rite’s own journal and the retreat from Axea. These are similar in nature to Rite’s Journals in that they cover historical events but there’s no proof of his individual involvement. Dating of copies of his journals has found that the earliest remaining copy dates to the 17th Century, two centuries later than even The Journals of Somerild Rite. The writing covers the period some ten to fifteen years after Rite’s own journals began during the period when there was an vague piece between Angland, Wessex and Daneland save for the odd raid or minor offensive.



The Letters of Torvald Magnussen

As printed by Global press, 2016

1st Sunday of Lent,


Today we arrived in the city of Glecaster. We had travelled from Cerancaester with a priest who is based within the monastery at Glecaster. He had been going from town to town preaching at each settlements altars. We had joined him with some of our more spiritually qualified and experienced assisting him in services. Poor weather meant some of the more remote settlements had not had a priest come to read or give blessings for some weeks and so when each Sabbath came they’d make do on their own. Now they not only had a priest but their congregation swelled by over a dozen! Each service was filled with energy and I truly felt the love of my adopted Christian community. Often Aeldric would read from his bible, especially when none in the village had skill with letters. The bible is almost at the end of its service to the word of God, its binding has almost collapsed and the pages are ripped and torn. He has carried it for some ten years since leaving his home city of Lindun, fleeing the advancing Danes. After five days of spreading the word of Christ we arrived at the great city.

Glecaster is still more or less in the same shape as the old Roman fort it once was with square walls and four gates leading to a central cross. There are very few buildings outside the walls, save for farms and a few houses. The walls have been more recently been rebuild following the recapture of the city from the Britons five summers ago. Wood and stone have plugged where the old walls have begun to crumble. The monastery is in the north west of the city and we travelled there from the easy gate. Many of those gathered cheered for us, recognising our nature and what we did. Some as at Cerancaester and Tamworig recognised Somerild, who politely recognised their cheers but even now is uneasy with praise and respect, even when she has earned it. Glecaster monastery is smaller than those at Tamworig or many others we have travelled to, as it is constrained by the old roman walls. Given the alte time of day we were given beds in the pilgrims quarters as I suppose we were. As always, Somerild slept outside the monastery's buildings despite the monks saying she had earned her bed. She reminded them “I have not carried out her penance, I have not been forgiven,” The Brother Superior said he would arrange an audience between Somerild and the Bishop tomorrow morning. In the meanwhile we attended evening prayers at the great altar within the Abbey with the priests and townspeople. Paintings of the Saints Oswald and Aidan watched over us as did a great wooden carving of Christ at the last supper. The jump from the simple stone and wood altars of the villages to here was dramatic to say the least.

The next morning, the audience with the Bishop was delayed and we feared he would not see us. Eventually he invited us in, meeting us simply in the monk’s eating hall. He apologised for the delay. Somerild began her speech imploring the Bishop to support an Anglish offensive into Daneland as she had done so at Hexham, Tamworig and various others, when she was interrupted by the bishop. He informed us that one of his returning priests had encountered many folk fleeing north from the Wessex city of Sulis. The folk (though I wondered the veracity of a third hand story) had spoken of a Viking army heading west. Rather than listen further to Somerilds arguments requested that we, as free folk and not obviously tied to the crown of king Aethelred would not provoke any response from Wessex. Somerild argued her point but the bishop countered, saying “We cannot strike at our foe if we do not know its location,” So as quickly as we had arrived we were given rations and filled our water skins. We were now joined Wulfred, a soldier of the Thegn of Glecaster, who would travel with us at the Thegns representative. We said our prayers at the monastery and left, as quickly as we had arrived.