Winchester, on the day of the two apostles, Simon and Jude [28th Oct.].'

A.D. 985. This year was Aelfric the ealdorman banished the land. And in the same year was Eadwine consecrated abbat of the minster at Abingdon.

A.D. 986. "This year the king laid waste the bishopric of Rochester. This year first came the great murrain among cattle in the English nation.

A.D. 987.

5

A.D. 988. This year was Watchet ravaged, and Goda, the Devonshire thane, slain, and with him much slaughter made. 'And this year departed the holy archbishop Dunstan, and passed to the heavenly life and bishop Ethelgar succeeded, after him, to the archbishopric; and little while after that he lived, but one year and three' months.

A.D. 989.

A.D. 1990. This year Sigeric was consecrated archbishop, "and afterwards went to Rome for his pall. "And abbat Eadwine" died; and abbat Wulfgar succeeded to the abbacy.

A.D. 991. "This year was Ipswich ravaged; and after that, very shortly, was Brithnoth the ealdorman slain at Maldon. And in that year it was decreed that tribute, for the first time, should be given to the Danish-men, on account of the great terror which they caused by the sea-coast; that was at first ten thousand pounds: this counsel was first given by archbishop Syric.

A.D. 992. "This year Oswald, the holy archbishop," left this, and passed to the heavenly life: and Ethelwine" the ealdorman died in the same year. Then decreed the king and all his witan that all the ships which were worth anything should be gathered together at London. And the king then committed the forces to the leading of Aelfric the ealdorman, and of Thored the earl, and of bishop Aelfstan," and of bishop Aescwig; and they were to try if they could any where betrap the army about. Then sent the ealdorman Aelfric, and directed the army to be warned; and then during the night of which they should have joined battle by day, then fled he by night from the forces, to his great disgrace: and the army then escaped, except one ship, whose crew was there slain. And then the ships from East-Anglia and from London met the army, and there they made great slaughter of them; and took the ship, all armed and equipped, in which the ealdorman was. 19 And then, after the decease of archbishop Oswald, abbat Ealdulf, "of Peterborough, succeeded to the 1 Nothing further occurs in A. and G. until the year 993, or 991 of the text.-P. 2 C. D. E. give the first sentence.

3 A.D. 984, E. The remainder of the year does not occur in D.

From C. D. E. F., excepting the latter sentence, which does not occur in F. $ C. D. A.D. 986, E. F. E. designates him as "the Danish thane."

7 A.D. 988, E. F., in which two MSS. only is Dunstan described as the Holy.

• Of Selsey.

10 C. D. A.D. 989, E. F.

12 Not in D. F.

14 C. D. E. F.

16 Of York, on Feb. 29.

According to F. "eight."

11 This clause is from F.

13 Of Abbingdon.

15 C. D. E.

17 Of East Anglia.

18 The bishop here mentioned filled the sees of London and Dorchester.

19 Not in D.

20 These two words do not occur in C. D.

bishopric of York and of Worcester; and Kenulf to the abbacy of Peterborough.

A.D. 992. 'This year Oswold the blessed archbishop died, and abbat Eadulf succeeded to York and to Worcester. And this year the king and all his witan decreed that all the ships which were worth anything should be gathered together at London, in order that they might try if they could any where betrap the army from without. But Aelfric the ealdorman, one of those in whom the king had most confidence, directed the army to be warned; and in the night, as they should on the morrow have joined [battle the self-same Aelfric fled from the forces; and then the army escaped.

A.D. 993. 'In this year was Bambrough entered by storm, and much booty there taken. And after that the army came to the mouth of the Humber, and there wrought much evil, 'as well in Lindsey as in Northumbria. Then a very large force was gathered together; and as they should have joined [battle], then the leaders, first of all, began the flight: that was Fraena, and Godwine, and Frythegyst. In this year the king ordered Aelfgar, son of Aelfric the ealdorman, to be blinded.

A.D. 993. In this year came Unlaf with ninety-three ships to Staines, and ravaged there about, and then went thence to Sandwich, and so thence to Ipswich, and that all over-ran; and so to Maldon. And there Bryhtnoth the ealdorman came against them with his forces, and fought against them: and they there slew the ealdorman, and had possession of the place of carnage. And after that peace was made with them; and the king afterwards received him [Anlaf] at the bishop's hands, through the instruction of Siric, bishop of the Kentish-men, and of Aelfheah of Winchester.

A.D. 994. 'In this year came Anlaf and Swegen to London, on the nativity of St. Mary [8th Sept.], with ninety-four ships; and they then continued fighting stoutly against the city, and would also have set fire to it. But they there sustained more harm and evil than they ever supposed that any citizens would be able to do unto them. But the holy mother of God, on that day, shewed her mercy to the citizens and delivered them from their foes. And they then went thence, and wrought the utmost evil that ever any army could do, by burning, and plundering, and by man-slaying, both by the sea-coast and among the East Saxons, and in the land of Kent, and in Sussex, and in Hampshire. And at last they took to themselves horses, and rode as far as they would, and continued doing unspeakable evil. Then the king and his witan decreed that they should be sent to, and promised tribute and food, on condition that they should cease from their plundering: which terms they accepted. And then all the army came to Southampton, and there took up their winter-quarters: and there they were victualled from all the realm of the West Saxons, and they were paid sixteen thousand pounds of money. Then the king sent bishop Aelfeah and Aethelweard the ealdorman after king Anlaf; and the while, hostages were delivered to the ships; and they then led Anlaf, with much worship,

1 From F.

3 F. omits the conclusion of the sentence. Not in F. to the end of the year.

2 C. D. E. F.

A.G. The events here noticed belong to the years 991 and 994 of the text.—P. • Inserted in A. to the end of the year. 7 C. D. E. F.

to the king at Andover. And king Aethelred received him at the bishop's hands, and royally gifted him. And then Anlaf made a covenant with him, even as he also fulfilled, that he never again would come hostilely to the English nation.'

A.D. '995. In this year appeared "cometa," the star, and archbishop Sigeric died: and Aelfric, bishop of Wiltshire, was chosen,' on Easter-day, at Amesbury, by king Aegelred and by all his witan. "This Aelfric was a very wise man, so that there was no sager man in England. Then went Aelfric to his archiepiscopal seat; and when he came thither he was received by those men in orders who were most unacceptable to him, that was, by clerks. And soon [he sent for] all the wisest men he anywhere knew of, and also the old men who were able to say the soothest how each thing had been in this land in the days of their elders; in addition to what himself had learned from books and from wise men. Him told the very old men, as well clergy as laity, that their elders had told them how it had been established by law, soon after St. Augustine came to this land. When Augustine had obtained the bishopric in the city, then was he archbishop over all king Aegelbert's kingdom, as it is related in Historia Anglorum. ... make [a bishop's] see by the king's aid in . . . was begun by the old Romans . . . and to sprout forth. In that company the foremost were Mellitus, Justus, Paulinus, Rufianus. By these sent the blessed pope the pall, and therewith a letter, and instruction how he should consecrate bishops, and in which place in Britain he should seat them. And to the king [also] he sent letters and many worldly gifts of divers things. And the churches which they had got ready he commanded to be consecrated in the name of our Lord and Saviour Christ and St. Mary; and for himself there fix a dwelling-place, and for all his afterfollowers; and that he [should] place therein men of the same order that he had sent thither, and of which he himself was, and also that each ... monks who should fill the archiepiscopal seat at Canterbury, and that be ever observed by God's leave and blessing and by St. Peter's, and by all who came after him. When this embassy came again to king Aegelbert and to Augustine, they were very pleased with such instruction. And the archbishop then consecrated the minster in Christ's name and St. Mary's, [on] the day which is called the mass-day of the two martyrs, Primus et Felicianus, and there within placed monks all as St. Gregory commanded: and they God's service continently performed; and from the same monks bishops were taken for each... as thou mayst read in Historia Anglorum. Then was archbishop Elfric very blithe, that he had so many witnesses [who] stood best at that time with the king.

1 "Here the elder Richard died, and Richard his son succeeded to the kingdom, and reigned xxx years." E.

2 C. D. E. F. A.D. 994, A. G. These two MSS. do not mention the appearance of the comet.

Namely, to the see of Canterbury, on 21st April.

The following passage respecting Aelfric is from F., in which it is an insertion, partly on the margin, partly on a small leaf introduced. The obscurity occasioned by its partial mutilation and illegibility has in the translation been removed by the employment of the corresponding Latin text. Beda, I. xxxiii.

5 Beda, I. xxv.

"

Still more, the same witan who were with the archbishop said :— Thus also we... monks have continued at Christ-Church during Augustine's days, and during Laurentius', Mellitus', Justus', Honorius', Deus-dedit, Theodore's, Brihtwold's, Tatwine's, Nothelm's, Cuthbert's, Bregwine's, Ianbert's, . . . Athelard's, Wulfred's, Feologild's. But the [first] year when Ceolnoth came to the archbishopric, there was such a mortality that there remained no more than five monks within Christ-Church. During all his time there was war and sorrow in this land, so that no man could think of anything else but... Now, God be thanked, it is in the king's power and thine, whether they may be longer there within, because they [might] never better be brought thereout than now may be done, if it is the king's will and thine. The archbishop then, without any staying, with all [these] men, went anon to the king and showed him all, so as we here before have related. Then was the king very glad [at these] tidings, and said to the archbishop and to the others, It seemeth advisable to me that thou shouldst go first of all to Rome after thy [pall, and that] thou show to the pope all this, and, after that, act by his counsel." And they all answered, that that was the best counsel. When [the priests] heard this, then resolved they that they should take two from among themselves and send to the pope; and they should offer him great gifts and silver, on condition that he should give them the arch[-pall]. But when they came to Rome, then would not the pope do that, because they brought him no letter, either from the king or from the people, and commanded them to go, lo! where they would. [So soon as] the priests had gone thence, came archbishop Aelfric to Rome, and the pope received him with much worship, and commanded him on the morrow to perform mass at St. Peter's altar, and the pope himself put on him his own pall, and greatly honoured him. When this was done, the archbishop began telling the pope all about the clerks, how it had happened, and how they were within the minster at his archbishopric. And the pope related to him again how the priests had come to him, and offered great gifts, in order that he should give them the pall. And the pope said, "Go now to England again, with God's blessing, and St. Peter's, and mine; and as thou comest home, place in thy minster men of that order which St. Gregorius commanded Augustine therein to place, by God's command, and St. Peter's, and mine." Then the archbishop with this returned to England. As soon as he came home, he entered his archiepiscopal seat, and after that went to the [king]; and the king and all his people thanked God for his return, and that he so had succeeded as was pleasing to them all. He then went again to Canterbury, and drove the clerks out of the minster, and there within placed monks, all as the pope commanded him.

A.D. 996. 'In this year was Aelfric consecrated archbishop to Christ-Church. This year was Wulstan ordained bishop of London.

A.D. 997. In this year the army went about Devonshire into Severn-mouth, and there ravaged, as well among the Cornish-men

I C. D. E.

2 F.

3 C. D. E.

as among the North Welsh, and among the men of Devon; and then landed at Watchet, and there wrought much evil by burning and by man-slaying. And after that they again went about Penwithstart, on the south side, and went then into the mouth of the Tamar, and then went up until they came to Lidford, and burned and destroyed everything which they met with; and they burned Ordulf's minster at Tavistock, and brought unspeakable booty with them to their ships. 'This year archbishop Aelfric went to Rome after his arch-pall.

A.D. 998. This year the army went again eastward into Fromemouth, and everywhere there they went up as far as they would into Dorset. And forces were often gathered against them; but, as soon as they should have joined battle, then was there ever, through some cause, flight begun; and in the end they ever had the victory. And then at another time they sat down in the Isle of Wight, and got their food the while from Hampshire and from Sussex.

A.D. 999. This year the army again came about into Thames, and went then up along the Medway, and to Rochester. And then the Kentish forces came there to meet them, and they there stoutly joined battle: but alas! that they too quickly yielded and fled; for they had not the support which they should have had. And the Danish-men had possession of the place of carnage; and then they took horse and rode wheresoever they themselves would, and full nigh all the West Kentish men they ruined and plundered. Then the king, with his witan, decreed that, with a ship force and also with a land force, they should be attacked. But when the ships were ready, then the miserable crew delayed from day to day, and distressed the poor people who lay in the ships: and ever as it should have been forwarder, so was it later from one time to another; and ever they let their enemies' forces increase, and ever the people retired from the sea, and they ever went forth after them. 'And then 'in the end, these expeditions both by sea and land effected nothing, except the people's distress and waste of money, and the emboldening of their foes.

4

A.D. 1000. In this year the king went into Cumberland, and ravaged it well nigh all. 'And his ships went out about Chester, and should have come to meet him, but they were not able: then ravaged they Mon-ige [Anglesey]. And the hostile fleet went this summer to Richard's dominions."

A.D. 1001. This year the army came to Exmouth, and then went up to the town, and there continued fighting stoutly; but they' were very strenuously resisted. Then went they through the land, and did all as was their wont; destroyed and burnt. Then was collected a vast force of the people of Devon and of the people of Somerset, and they then came together at Peonn-ho. And so soon as they joined [battle], then the people" gave way; and there they

Namely, Normandy.

F. here reads, "But it effected nothing except," &c. 7 Not in F.

10 As far as "would" not in F.

11 D. and E. explain this as meaning the English people.

3 C. D. E. F.

• C. D. E. F.

• C. D. E. F.