You can read this book here in pdf - Electric Scotland

FROM ENGLISH CHRONICLERS 69
937
FLORENCE OF WORCESTER, CHRONICON, VOL. I, P. 132, S.A.
938. 1
Olaf, pagan king of the Irish and of many islands, incited
by his father-in-law Constantin, king of the Scots, 2 entered
3
the mouth of the river Humber with a strong fleet and
;
Edmund met him
king Ethelstan and his brother prince
with an army, in the place which is called Brunnanburgh. 4
jr. And after exploring for no short time the situation of that land he
received the king's son as hostage, and returned to York."
"
Mir. S. J., Contin. a, u.s., 296-297 : And so when morning broke, the
king took heed to make his vision known to his men, and to assure them of
the victory. And they rejoiced, and were encouraged for the contest. They
crossed the river, and found the Scots and their king ready to oppose them.
And a severe battle was fought ; and not only did many of the Scots perish,
but even their king fled, to the confusion of the whole realm.
"
And seeing this the English king was glad, and returned thanks to
God and to the venerable confessor, John, to wit, his intercessor. And
immediately he reduced the whole kingdom to his empire, and went round
and journeyed through all the neighbouring provinces of that land.
"
Then he summoned the princes and the provosts of the towns and
imposed upon them the tribute which they should pay as a debt to him and
his successors, to wit the English kings.
"
The islands also adjacent and in the neighbourhood he compelled to
serve him so long as he remained in those parts, which was to the completion
of three
"
years.
And as he returned by the shore of the sea near Dunbar and saw the
rocks jutting out he stopped, and sighing uttered words in this fashion
'
If by the intervention of St. John God would vouchsafe to give me some
evident sign, in order that both future and present might be able to know
that Scotland is subjugated by right to the realm of the English, inasmuch
as it has been conquered by king Ethelstan, and pays at all times tribute
to him and his successors, I would devoutly render thanks to him, not without
cause.'
"
And drawing his sword from its sheath he struck it into the crag, which
was in that hour, God's virtue governing it, as penetrable to his sword as if
the stone had been butter or soft gravel.
For the rock was so cleft by the
stroke of the sword that the measure of an ell might be fitted to the length
[of the hole]. And even to the present day it is an evident sign that the
Scots were conquered and subjugated by the English, when such a memorial
shows it clearly to all comers."
1 So, s.a. 937, S. of D., H.R., ii, 125 ; Hoved., i, 54. Cf; Ann. of Ulst.
261-262, s.a. 936=937.
2 " To their raging fury, by the Scots' king's wish, the northern land gave
cheerful consent," says a verse Life of Ethelstan quoted by W. of M., G.R., i,
151-152, who thought that it dated from Ethelstan's life-time. In this passage
the presence of Constantin at the battle is not mentioned.
Constantin's son-in-law was Olaf Sitricson.
3 This mention of the Humber is probably an erroneous assumption of
Fl. of W. ; for if the Strathclyde Welsh and Irish Danes joined
invasion they must have chosen a meeting-place near the western seaboard.
4 "
A.S.C., MS. F, s.a. 937 : In this year king Ethelstan and his brother
Edmund led an- army to Brunnanburgh, and there fought against Olaf ; and,
Christ aiding, had the victory." MS. E is shorter.
forces in the