A. 793. This year dire forewarnings came over the land of the Northumbrians, and miserably terrified the people; these were excessive whirlwinds, and lightnings; and fiery dragons were seen flying in the air. A great famine soon followed these tokens; and a little after that, in the same year, on the 6th of the Ides of January, the havoc of heathen men miserably destroyed God's church at Lindisfarne through rapine and slaughter. And Sicga died on the 8th of the Kalends of March. A. 794. This year Pope Adrian and king Offa died, and Æthelred, king of the Northumbrians, was slain by his own people on the 13th of the Kalends of May; and bishop Ceolwulf and bishop Eadbald departed from the land. And Ecgferth succeeded to the kingdom of the Mercians, and died the same year. And the heathens ravaged among the Northumbrians, and plundered Ecgferth's monastery at Donemuth [Wearmouth]; and there one of their leaders was slain, and also some of their ships were wrecked by a tempest; and many of them were there drowned, and some came to shore alive, and they were forthwith slain at the river's mouth. A. 795. This year the moon was eclipsed between cock-crowing and dawn, on the 5th of the Kalends of April; and Eardwulf succeeded to the kingdom of the Northumbrians on the 2d of the Ides of May; and he was afterwards consecrated king, and raised to his throne on the 8th of the Kalends of June, at York, by archbishop Eanbald, and bishop Æthelberht, and bishops Higbald and Badwulf. A. 798. This year there was a great fight at Whalley in the land of the Northumbrians, during Lent, on the 4th of the Nones of April, and there Alric, the son of Heardberht, was slain, and many others with him. A. 806. This year the moon was eclipsed on the Kalends of September; and Eardwulf king of the Northumbrians was driven from his kingdom; and Eanberht, bishop of Hexham, died. A. 823. This year there was a fight of the Welsh and the men of Devon at Gafulford and the same year Ecgbryht king of the West Saxons and Beornwulf king of the Mercians fought at Ellendun, and Ecgbryht gained the victory, and a great slaughter was there made. He then sent from the army his son Æthelwulf, and Ealhstan his bishop, and Wulfheard his aldorman to Kent with a large force and they drove Baldred the king north over the Thames. And the men of Kent, and the men of Surrey, and the South Saxons, and the East Saxons, turned to him; because they had formerly been unjustly forced from his kinsmen. And the same year the king of the East Angles and the nation sought Ecgbryht for peace and as protection from dread of the Mercians; and the same year the East Angles slew Beornwulf king of the Mercians. A. 825. This year Ludecan king of the Mercians was slain, and his five aldormen with him; and Wiglaf succeeded to the kingdom. A. 827. This year the moon was eclipsed on the massnight of midwinter. And the same year king Ecgbryht subdued the kingdom of the Mercians, and all that was south of the Humber; and he was the eighth king who was Brytenwalda. Ælle king of the South Saxons was the first who had thus much sway; the second was Ceawlin king of the West Saxons; the third was Æthelbryht king of the Kentishmen; the fourth was Redwald king of the East Angles; the fifth was Edwine king of the Northumbrians; the sixth was Oswald who reigned after him; the seventh was Oswiu, Oswald's brother; the eighth was Ecgbryht king of the West Saxons. And Ecgbryht led an army to Dore against the Northumbrians, and they there offered him obedience and concord, and thereupon they separated." A. 828. This year Wiglaf again obtained the kingdom of the Mercians, and bishop Æthelwald died; and the same year king Ecgbryht led an army against the North Welsh, and he reduced them to humble obedience. A. 833. This year king Ecgbryht fought against the crews of thirtyfive ships at Carrum, and there was great slaughter made, and the Danishmen held possession of the battle-place. And Hereferth and Wigthun, two bishops, died; and Dudda and Osmod, two aldormen, died. A. 866. This year Ætheldred, Æthelbryht's brother, succeeded to the kingdom of the West Saxons: and the same year a great heathen army came to the land of the Angle race, and took up their winter quarters among the East Angles, and were there horsed; and the East-Angles made peace with them. A. 870. This year the army rode over Mercia into East Anglia, and took up their winter quarters at Thetford: and the same winter king Ædmund fought against them, and the Danes gained the victory, and slew the king, and subdued all that land, and destroyed all the monasteries which they came to. A. 873. This year the army went into Northumbria, and took up winter quarters at Torksey in Lindsey and then the Mercians made peace with the army. : A. 875. This year the army went from Repton; and Halfdan went with some of the army into Northumbria, and took up winter quarters by the river Tyne. And the army subdued the land, and often harried on the Picts, and the Strathclyde Welsh. And the three kings, Guthorm, and Oskytel, and Amund, went with a large army from Repton to Cambridge, and sat down there one year. And that summer king Ælfred went out to sea with a fleet, and fought against the crews of seven ships, and one of them he took, and put the rest to flight. A. 924. In this year, before midsummer, king Eadweard went with his forces to Nottingham, and commanded the burgh to be built on the south side of the river, over against the other, and the bridge over the Trent, between the two burghs: and then he went thence into Peakland, to Bakewell, and commanded a burgh to be built nigh thereunto, and manned. And then chose him for father and for lord, the king of the Scots and the whole nation of the Scots, and Ragnold and the sons of Eadulf and all those who dwell in Northumbria, as well English as Danish, and Northmen and others, and also the king of the Strathclyde Welsh, and all the Strathclyde Welsh." A. 925. This year king Eadweard died, and Æthelstan his son succeeded to the kingdom. And St. Dunstan was born and Wulfhelm succeeded to the archbishopric of Canterbury. This year king Æthelstan and Sihtric, king of the Northumbrians, came together at Tamworth, on the 3d of the Kalends of February; and Æthelstan gave him his sister. A. 926. This year fiery lights appeared in the north part of the heavens. And Sihtric died, and King Æthelstan assumed the kingdom of the Northumbrians. And he subjugated all the kings who were in this island; first, Howel, king of the West Welsh; and Constantine, king of the Scots; and Owen Gwent; and Ealdred, son of Ealdulf, of Bamborough; and they confirmed the peace by pledge, and by oaths, at the place which is called Eamot, on the 4th of the Ides of July; and they renounced all idolatry, and after that departed in peace. A. 933. This year . . king Æthelstan went into Scotland, as well with a land army as with a fleet, and ravaged a great part of it. A. 937. This year king Æthelstan and Eadmund his brother led a force to Brunanburh, and there fought against Olaf; and, Christ helping, had the victory and they there slew five kings and seven jarls. Here Æthelstan, king, of earls the lord, of warriors the ring giver, and his brother eke, Eadmund Ætheling, life-long glory in battle won with edges of swords at Brunan burh The board-walls they clove, The foe they crushed, The field streamed pursued the footsteps with falchions mill-sharp. who with Olaf, over the ocean, Five lay on the battle-stead, by swords in slumber laid: to his country north, He had no cause to exult on the folk-stead, in battle slain; and his son he left with the remnant of their armies; the clash of weapons; that they on the slaughter-field with Eadweard's offspring played. the carrion to devour, greedy war-hawk, wolf of the wood. Carnage greater has not been of people slain, by edges of swords, since from the east hither, A. 940. This year King Æthelstan died at Gloucester on the 6th of the Kal. of November, forty-one years save one night after King Ælfred died. And Eadmund the etheling, his brother, succeeded to the kingdom, and he was then eighteen winters old. And King Ethelstan reigned fourteen years and ten weeks. A. 944. This year King Eadmund subdued all Northumberland under his power, and expelled two kings, Olaf, son of Sihtric, and Rainald, son of Guthferth. A. 945. This year King Eadmund harried over all Cumberland, and gave it all up to Malcolm king of the Scots, on the condition, that he should be his co-operator, both on sea and on land." A. 946. This year King Eadmund died on St. Augustine's mass-day. It was widely known how he his days ended: that Liofa stabbed him at Puckle-church. Æthelflaed at Domerham, Ælfgar's daughter, the aldorman, was then his queen: and he had the kingdom six years and a half. And then after him his brother Eadred the ætheling succeeded to the kingdom, and reduced all Northumberland under his power: and the Scots gave him oaths, that they would all that he would." A. 947. This year King Eadred came to Taddenes Scylf, and there Wulfstan the archbishop and all the Northumbrian witan swore fealty to the king and within a little while they belied it all, both pledges and also oaths. A. 948. This year king Eadred harried over all Northumberland, because they had taken Eric to be their king: and then, in that harrying, was the famous monastery burned at Ripon that St. Wilfrid built. And as the king went homewards, the army within York overtook him (the rear of the king's forces was at Chesterford) and there they made great slaughter. Then was the king so wroth that he would have marched his forces in again and wholly destroyed the land. When the Northumbrian witan understood that, then forsook they Eric, and made compensation for the deed to king Eadred. A. 949. This year Olaf Cwiran came to Northumberland. A. 952. In this year king Eadred commanded archbishop Wulfstan to be brought into the fastness at Jedburgh, because he had been oft accused to the king and in this year also the king commanded great slaughter to be made in the town of Thetford, in revenge for the abbat Eadelm, whom they had before slain. This year the Northumbrians expelled king Olaf, and received Eric, Harold's son. A. 954. This year the Northumbrians expelled Eric, and Eadred assumed the kingdom of the Northumbrians. A. 972. This year Eadgar the ætheling was hallowed king, on Pentecost's mass-day, on the 5th of the Ides of May, the thirteenth year since he had obtained the kingdom, at the Hot-baths; and he was then one less than thirty years of age. And soon after that, the king led all his ship-forces to Chester; and there came to meet him six kings, and they all swore fealty to him, that they would be his fellow-workers by sea and by land. A. 975. The 8th of the Ides of July. Here Eadgar died, ruler of Angles, West Saxons' joy, and Mercians' protector, and this year Eadward, his son, succeeded to the kingdom. A. 978. In this year was King Eadward martyred; and Æthelred the ætheling, his brother, succeeded to the kingdom, and he was in the same year consecrated king. A. 993. In this year came Olaf 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 Brithnoth the aldorman came against them with his forces, and fought against them and they there slew the aldorman, and had possession of the place of carnage. And after that peace was made with them; and him [Olaf] the king afterwards received at the bishop's hands, through the instruction of Sigeric bishop of the Kentishmen, and Elfheah [II.] of Winchester. A. 994. In this year came Olaf and Svein to London, on the nativity of St. Mary, with ninety-four ships; and they then continued fighting stoutly against the town, and would also have set fire to it. But there they sustained more harm and evil than they ever supposed that any townsmen would be able to do unto them. A. 1014. In this year king Svein ended his days, at Candlemas, on the third of the Nones of February. And that same year Elfuig was consecrated bishop of London, at York, on St. Juliana's mass-day. And all the fleet then chose Cnut for king. Then counselled all the witan who were in England, clergy and laity, that they should send after king Æthelred; and they declared that no lord was dearer to them than their natural lord, if he would rule them more justly than he had before done. Then sent the king his son Eadward hither with his messengers, and bade them to greet all his people; and said that he would be to them a loving lord, and amend all those things which they all abhorred, and all of those things should be forgiven which had been done or said to him, on condition that they all, with one consent, would be obedient to him, without deceit. And they then established full friendship, by word and by pledge, on each side, and declared every Danish king an outlaw from England for ever. Then, during Lent, king Ethelred came home to his own people; and he was gladly received by them all. Then, after Svein was dead, Cnut sat with his army at Gainsborough until Easter; and it was agreed between him and the people of Lindsey that they should find him horses, and that afterwards they should all go out together, and plunder. Then came king Ethelred thither, to Lindsey, with his full force, before they were ready and then they plundered, |