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Elfgar, the son of Elfric, is blinded by the king's order.

A.D. 994. Anlaf and Sweyn3, from Norway, attack London, but are repulsed, Sept. 8.

They ravage Kent and the south coast, "and at last they took to themselves horses, and rode as far as they would, doing unspeakable evil."

They take up their winter quarters at Southampton, where a peace is made with them, receiving food and sixteen thousand pounds of money.

"Then the king sent bishop Alphage and Ethelward the ealdorman after king Anlaf, and the while, hostages were delivered to the ships; and they then led Anlaf with much worship to the king at Andover. And king Ethelred 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. Elfric of Wiltshire is appointed archbishop of Canterbury, April 21.

The bishop's see and the body of St. Cuthbert removed from Chester-le-Street, and after a while settled on the bank of the Wear, where Durham now stands.

P Sweyn, surnamed Tveskjæg, or Forked Beard, was the father of Canute, who conquered England, and he himself had possession of a portion of it a short time before his death, so that he is sometimes considered as the first Danish king.

Anlaf (or Olaf, or Olaus) returned to Norway, where he zealously laboured to introduce Christianity, which occasioned a quarrel with his brother-in-law and former ally, Sweyn, by whom he was driven out and killed in the year 1000. His kinsman, known as Olaf the Saint, reconquered Norway, but was slain through the intrigues of Canute; another kinsman of Anlaf was Harold Hardrada, who fell at Stanford-bridge. See p. 150.

A.D. 996. Elfric, having journeyed to Rome to consult the Pope (John XVI.), expels the secular priests from the minster at Canterbury.

A.D. 997. Devon, Cornwall, and the coasts of the Bristol Channel, ravaged by the Northmen; the monastery of Tavistock burnt by them.

A.D. 998. The Northmen ravage Dorset and Hampshire, and establish themselves in the Isle of Wight. A.D. 999. The Northmen ravage Kent. Brien Boru, king of Munster, captures Dublin ".

A.D. 1000. Ethelred ravages Cumberland, while his ships attack Anglesey".

The Northmen land in Scotland, and capture Kinloss. Morgan, bishop of St. David's, killed by the Northmen. The Northmen withdraw to Normandy.

A.D. 1001. The Northmen return to England, and ravage the western counties. They gain victories at Ethelingdene, and at Penhoe, in Devonshire.

"And thence they went into Wihtland (the Isle of Wight), and there they roved about, even as they themselves would, and nothing withstood them; nor any fleet by sea durst meet them; nor land force either, went they ever so far up. Then was it in every wise a heavy time, because they never ceased from their evil doings." A.D. 1002. "Twenty-four thousand pounds was paid as tribute to the fleet, and peace made with them, on condition that they should cease from their evil doings."

He abandoned the city after plundering it, and was killed in battle against the Ostman king of Dublin in 1014. See p. 126. Cumberland was then possessed by the Scots (see p. Î10), and Anglesey in league with the Northmen.

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King Ethelred marries Emma, daughter of Richard, duke of Normandy.

"In this year the king ordered all the Danish-men who were in England to be slain. This was done on Britius' mass-day (Nov. 13); because it was made known to the king that they would treacherously bereave him of his life, and afterwards all his witan; and after that have his kingdom without any g nsayingt."

A.D. 1003. Exeter, betrayed by "the French ceorl Hugo, whom the lady Emma had appointed her reeve,” is entirely ruined by the Northmen under Sweyn.

Wilton and Salisbury sacked by them, Elfric again betraying his trust.

A.D. 1004. Sweyn ravages Norfolk, and burns Norwich and Thetford. Ulfcytel, the ealdorman of East Anglia, collects a force against them. "And they there stoutly joined battle, and much slaughter was there made on either hand. There were the chief among the East Anglian people slain; but if the full force there had been, they never again had gone to their ships; inasmuch as they themselves said, that they never had met a worse hand-play among the English nation than Ulfcytel had brought to them."

A.D. 1005. “This year was the great famine throughout the English nation; such, that no man ever before recollected one so grim. And the fleet in this year went from this land to Denmark; and staid but a little space cre it came again."

Such is the cotemporary account of tnis most atrocious and impolitic act. One of the sufferers was Gunhilda, the sister of Sweyn, on whom William of Malmesbury pronounces a warm eulogium.

A.D. 1006. "The great fleet came to Sandwich, and did all as they had been before wont; they ravaged, and burned, and destroyed wherever they went."

A force is assembled against them, "but it availed nothing" ... "for this army went wheresoever itself would, and the forces did every kind of harm to the inhabitants; so that neither profited them, nor the home army, nor the foreign army."

The Northmen make the Isle of Wight their winter quarters, and send out plundering parties into Hampshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire. "And they went along Escesdun (Aston) to Cwichelm's-hlaw", and there abode, as a daring boast; for it had been often said, if they should reach Cwichelm's-hlaw, that they would never again get to the sea: then they went homewards another way."

The Northmen gain a victory at Kennet, and King Ethelred retires into Shropshire.

"Then became the dread of the army so great, that no man could think or discover how they could be driven out of the land, or this land maintained against them; for they had every shire in Wessex sadly marked, by burning and by plundering. Then the king began earnestly with his witan to consider what might seem most advisable to them all, so that this land might be saved, before it was utterly destroyed. Then the king and his witan decreed for the behalf of the whole nation, though it was hateful to them all, that they needs must pay tribute to the army. Then the king sent to the army, and

Now called Cuckamsley-hill, to the north of West Ilsley, in Berkshire. It is traditionally said to have been the usual place of assembly of the people of Wessex.

directed it to be made known to them, that he would that there should be a truce between them, and that tribute should be paid, and food given them. And then all that they accepted; and then were they victualled from throughout the English nation."

A.D. 1007. "In this year was the tribute delivered to the army; it was 36,000 pounds."

Edric appointed ealdorman of Mercia.

A.D. 1008. A great fleet prepared throughout England; "from three hundred hides and from ten hides, one vessel," doubtless of different size "and from eight hides a helmet and a coat of mail."

A.D. 1009. The great fleet being ready, is rendezvoused at Sandwich.

Wulfnoth, the South-Saxon, father of Godwin, being accused of treason, gathers twenty ships and ravages the south coast.

Eighty ships being sent against him, many are damaged by a storm, and Wulfnoth burns the rest.

The king quits the fleet, the remains of which are brought to London.

"Then soon after Lammas (Aug. 1.) the vast hostile army, which we have called Thurkill's army, came to Sandwich," and having laid Kent under tribute, ravaged Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire.

Ethelred attempts to prevent their return to their ships, but is foiled by the treachery of Edric.

The Danes take up their winter quarters on the Thames, "and oft they fought against London; but yet stands sound, and they Oxford is burnt by them

praise be to God that it there ever fared evilly."

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