at Watchet and there wrought much evil by burning and by man-slaying. And after that they returned around the Land's End on to the south side and went then into the mouth of the Tamar and then went inland until they came to Lydford and burned and destroyed everything which they found; and they burned Ordulf's monastery at Tavistock and took indescribable [amount of] booty with them to their ships. [Here archbishop Ælfric fared to Rome after his pall.]1 998 [E]. Here the host turned eastward again into the mouth of the Frome and went everywhere there as far inland as they would into Dorset. And the fyrd was often gathered against them; but, as soon as they should have joined battle, then was there ever, for some cause, flight determined on; and in the end they ever had the victory. And another time they lay in the Isle of Wight and provisioned themselves the while from Hampshire and from Sussex. 999 [E]. Here the host came again about into the Thames and went up along the Medway to Rochester. And then the Kentish fyrd came against them, and stoutly was the battle joined; but alas! that they too quickly gave way and fled-because they had not the support which they should have had. And the Danish had possession of the place of slaughter. And then they took horses and rode wheresoever themselves would, and ruined and harried well nigh all the West-Kentish-men. Then the king with his witan resolved that they should be attacked with a ship-fyrd and also with a land-fyrd. But when the ships were ready, then they delayed from day to day and distressed the poor folk 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 they retired from the sea, and they always fared forth too late. And then at the end the naval expedition availed nothing save the

1 MS. F.

folk's distress and a waste of money and the emboldening of their foes. 1000 [E]. Here in this year the king fared into Cumberland and harried it well-nigh all. And his ships went out around Chester and should have come to meet him, but they were not able to do so; then they harried the Isle of Man. And the hostile fleet was this summer gone to Richard's realm.

1001 [A]. Here in this year was much strife in the land of the English through the ship-host, and well-nigh everywhere they harried and burned, so that at a certain time they went forward until they came to the town of Alton; and then there came against them [the] men of] Hampshire, and fought against them. And there was slain Æthelward king's high-reeve and Leofric at Whitchurch and Leofwin king's high-reeve and Wulfhere bishop's thegn and Godwin bishop Ælfsige's son at Worthy, and of all men one and eighty; and there were of the Danish-men many more slain, though they had possession of the place of slaughter.

And they fared thence west until they came to Devon; and Pallig came there to meet them with the ships which he could gather, because he had fled from king Æthelred contrary to all the plighted troth that he had given him; and the king had also well gifted him with homesteads and with gold and silver. And they burnt Teignton and also many other goodly homesteads which we are unable to name; and afterwards peace was made there with them. And they fared thence to the mouth of the Exe, so that they went forward at a certain time until they came to Pinhoe; and there Cola, the king's high-reeve, and Eadsige, the king's reeve, went against them with the fyrd which they were able to gather together; and they were put to flight, and many there were slain; and the Danish had possession of the place of slaughter. And on the morning after, they burned the homesteads at Pinhoe and at Clyst, and also many goodly homesteads which we are unable to name, and then

fared again east until they came to the Isle of Wight; and on the morning after, they burned the homestead at Waltham and many other villages; and very soon afterwards a treaty was arranged with them, and they made peace.

1001 [E]. Here came the host to the mouth of the Exe, and they went up to the town and were constantly fighting there; but they were very constantly and strenuously resisted. Then they wended through the land and did all as was their wont-destroyed and burnt. Then was collected a great fyrd of the folk of Devon and Somerset; and they came together at Pinhoe. And as soon as battle was joined, the English fyrd gave way; and there they made a great slaughter and then rode over the land, and ever was their last incursion worse than the preceding one. And they brought much booty with them to the ships and went thence into the Isle of Wight. And there they fared about even as they themselves would, and nothing withstood them. Nor dared any ship-host meet them at sea; nor any land-fyrd, went they ever so far inland. Then was it in every wise a heavy time, because they never ceased from their evil-doing. 1002 [E]. Here in this year the king decreed, and his witan, that tribute should be paid to the fleet, and peace made with them on condition that they should cease from their evil-doing. Then the king sent to the fleet aldorman Leofsig; and he then settled a truce with them by the word of the king and of his witan, and that they should receive supplies and tribute. And that they accepted; and then were they paid twenty-four thousand pounds. Then in the meanwhile aldorman Leofsig slew Æfic, the king's high-reeve; and the king banished him from the country. And then in the same spring came the lady, [Emma Ælfgifu] Richard's daughter, hither to land; and in the same summer died archbishop Ealdulf. And in that year the king ordered all the Danish-men, who

1 Additions by MS. F.

were in England, to be slain on St. Brice's mass-day, because it was made known to the king that they would beguile him of his life and afterwards all his witan, and after that have his kingdom [without any gainsaying].'

1003 [E]. Here Exeter was taken by storm through the French churl, Hugon, whom the lady had appointed her reeve; and the host utterly ruined the town and took there much booty. [And in the same year the host advanced into Wiltshire.]' Then was gathered a very large fyrd from Wiltshire and from Hampshire, and very resolutely they made towards the host. Then should the aldorman Ælfric have led the fyrd, but he had recourse to his old wiles; as soon as they were so near that either [army] could gaze on the other, then he feigned himself sick and began by retching to spew and said that he was taken ill, and thus deceived the folk whom he should have led. As it is said: WHEN THE LEADER GROWS FAINT-HEARTED, THEN IS ALL THE HOST GREATLY HINDERED. When Swegen saw that they were not unanimous and that they were all dispersed, then led he his host into Wilton; and they despoiled the town and burned it; and then he went to Salisbury, and thence he fared to the sea again where he knew his sea-horses were. 1003 [F.] Here Exeter was taken by storm through the fault of a certain French churl named Hugo, whom the lady had appointed reeve. And the host utterly ruined the town. Then was gathered a very large fyrd; and then should aldorman Ælfric have led the fyrd, but he had recourse to his old wiles. As soon as they were so near that either [army] could gaze on the other, then he retched himself in spewing and said that he was sick; and so deceived the folk. When Swegen saw that they were not unanimous, then led he his host into Wilton and burned the town and then went to Salisbury and thence to the sea again. 1004 [E]. Here came Swegen with his fleet to Norwich

1 Additions by MS. F.

2 MSS. C and D.

and wholly despoiled the town; and they burnt it. Then decreed Ulfkytel, with the witan in East-Anglia, that it were better that they should purchase peace of the host before they did over-much harm in the land; because they had come unawares, and he had not time to gather his fyrd. Then under the truce, which should have been between them, the host stole inland from their ships and wended their way to Thetford. When Ulfkytel perceived that, then he sent to have the ships hewn to pieces, but those whom he destined for the work failed him; and then he gathered his fyrd secretly as he best might. And the host came to Thetford within three weeks of their having despoiled Norwich, and were one night within there and despoiled and burnt the town. Then on the morrow, as they would go to their ships, came Ulfkytel with his troops. And there they stoutly joined battle, and much slaughter was made on either hand. There were the chief men of the folk of the East-Angles slain; but if the full force had been there, never again would they have gone to their ships, as they themselves said.3

1

1004 [E]. Here came Swegen with his fleet to Norwich and wholly despoiled the town and burnt it. Then decreed Ulfkytel, with the witan in East-Anglia, that peace should be made with the host, because they had come unawares; nor had he time to gather his fyrd. But under the truce the host stole inland from the ships and fared to Hertford; and Ulfkytel gathered his host and fared after them. And there they stoutly joined battle; there were the chief men of the folk of the East-Angles slain. 1005 [E]. Here in this year was the great famine throughout the English nation; such that no man

4

1 C inserts: in order that they might join battle with them. 2 D has "the chieftain."

3 C and D add:-that they never met with a worse hand-play among the English nation than Ulfkytel had brought to them. Optimi (qq') seniorum (principium) Orientalium Saxonum.F Lat.