Death of Kings_ A Novel - Bernard Cornwell [0]
Bernard Cornwell
Dedication
Death of Kings is for
Anne LeClaire,
Novelist and Friend,
who supplied the first line.
PLACE NAMES
The spelling of place names in Anglo-Saxon England was an uncertain business, with no consistency and no agreement even about the name itself. Thus London was variously rendered as Lundonia, Lundenberg, Lundenne, Lundene, Lundenwic, Lundenceaster and Lundres. Doubtless some readers will prefer other versions of the names listed below, but I have usually employed whichever spelling is cited in either the Oxford or the Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names for the years nearest to AD 900, but even that solution is not foolproof. Hayling Island, in 956, was written as both Heilincigae and Hæglingaiggæ. Nor have I been consistent myself; I should spell England as Englaland, and have preferred the modern form Northumbria to Nrhymbralond to avoid the suggestion that the boundaries of the ancient kingdom coincide with those of the modern county. So this list, like the spellings themselves, is capricious.
Baddan Byrig
Badbury Rings, Dorset
Beamfleot
Benfleet, Essex
Bebbanburg
Bamburgh, Northumberland
Bedanford
Bedford, Bedfordshire
Blaneford
Blandford Forum, Dorset
Buccingahamm
Buckingham, Bucks
Buchestanes
Buxton, Derbyshire
Ceaster
Chester, Cheshire
Cent
County of Kent
Cippanhamm
Chippenham, Wiltshire
Cirrenceastre
Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Contwaraburg
Canterbury, Kent
Cracgelad
Cricklade, Wiltshire
Cumbraland
Cumberland
Cyninges Tun
Kingston upon Thames, Greater London
Cytringan
Kettering, Northants
Dumnoc
Dunwich, Suffolk
Dunholm
Durham, County Durham
Eanulfsbirig
St Neot, Cambridgeshire
Eleg
Ely, Cambridgeshire
Eoferwic
York, Yorkshire (called Jorvik by the Danes)
Exanceaster
Exeter, Devon
Fagranforda
Fairford, Gloucestershire
Fearnhamme
Farnham, Surrey
Fifhidan
Fyfield, Wiltshire
Fughelness
Foulness Island, Essex
Gegnesburh
Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
Gleawecestre
Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Grantaceaster
Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
Hothlege, River
Hadleigh Ray, Essex
Hrofeceastre
Rochester, Kent
Humbre, River
River Humber
Huntandon
Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
Liccelfeld
Lichfield, Staffordshire
Lindisfarena
Lindisfarne (Holy Island), Northumberland
Lundene
London
Medwæg, River
River Medway, Kent
Natangrafum
Notgrove, Gloucestershire
Oxnaforda
Oxford, Oxfordshire
Ratumacos
Rouen, Normandy, France
Rochecestre
Wroxeter, Shropshire
Sæfern
River Severn
Sarisberie
Salisbury, Wiltshire
Sceaftesburi
Shaftesbury, Dorset
Sceobyrig
Shoebury, Essex
Scrobbesburh
Shrewsbury, Shropshire
Snotengaham
Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Sumorsæte
Somerset
Temes, River
River Thames
Thornsæta
Dorset
Tofeceaster
Towcester, Northamptonshire
Trente, River
River Trent
Turcandene
Turkdean, Gloucestershire
Tweoxnam
Christchurch, Dorset
Westune
Whitchurch, Shropshire
Wiltunscir
Wiltshire
Wimburnan
Wimborne, Dorset
Wintanceaster
Winchester, Hampshire
Wygraceaster
Worcester, Worcestershire
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Dedication
Place Names
Map
The Royal Family of Wessex
Part One
The Sorceress
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Part Two
Death of a King
Six
Seven
Eight
Part Three
Angels
Nine
Ten
Part Four
Death in Winter
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Historical Note
Copyright
About the Publisher
Map
The Royal Family of Wessex
PART ONE
The Sorceress
One
‘Every day is ordinary,’ Father Willibald said, ‘until it isn’t.’ He smiled happily, as though he had just said something he thought I would find significant, then looked disappointed when I said nothing. ‘Every day,’ he started again.
‘I heard your drivelling,’ I snarled.
‘Until it isn’t,’ he finished weakly. I liked Willibald, even if he was a priest. He had been one