Aethelstan and his successors

Next came Aethelstan, Ed’s son

A belter when all’s said and done.

He walked the walk, he talked the talk,

Subdued the Scots, defeated York

Appeased the church, impressed the thanes,

Suppressed the Welsh, cheesed off the Danes.

His great assemblies helped unite

The scattered regions of our land

He took the helm with pride and zest

And when he faced the final test

In 939 was laid to rest

In Malmesbury Abbey, as he’d planned.

His brother Edmund took his place

For seven war-torn years he led

Till finally in 946

An exiled robber struck him dead.

From 946 till 978

There’s frankly little to relate

For 30 years the land was led

By kings whose names were “Eg” and “Ed”

Eadred, Eadwig, Edgar, Edward

Paved the way for Aethelred.