And the same year came there into Angle-kin a mighty Heathen host, and wintered among the East Angles. And there were they horsed. And the East Angles made peace with them.

867. This year went the Host from East Anglia, over Humber mouth, to the city of York in Northumbria. And there was much strife among that folk betwixt themselves, insomuch that they had cast out their King Osbert, and taken to themselves Ella as their King, and he was of no family. Yet, though late, they set them, this year, to fight the Host. Therefore gathered they a mighty muster, and sought the Host at York, and some of them got within. And endless slaughter was there made on the Northumbrians, some within and some without [the walls]. And the Kings were both slain. And the rest made peace with the Host.

868. This year that same Host went into Mercia to Nottingham, and there wintered. And Burghred, King of the Mercians, and his Witan, besought help of Ethelred, King of the West Saxons, and of Alfred his brother, that they might fight with the Host. Then came they into Mercia, with the full force of Wessex, even unto Nottingham. And there found they the Host within the stronghold, and beset them therein. Yet was there no fighting; and the Mercians made peace with the Host. 869. This year went the Host again unto York, and sat therein one year.

870. This year the Host rode over Mercia into East Anglia, and took winter-rest at Thetford. And the same winter King Edmund fought with them. And the Danes won the day. And the King they slew, and all the whole land brought they under, and brake down all the Minsters that ever they came to. The names of the two chiefs who slew the King were Ingwair and Ubba. And they came, as at that time, to Medeshampstead, and burnt it, and brake it all down, and slew Abbot and monks and all that they found there. And that place, which before was full rich, brought they to nothing.

871. This year came the Host to Reading in Wessex. And some three days after, rode two of their earls forth. Then met them Ethelwulf the Alderman, at Englefield, and there fought with them, and won the day. And there was one of them slain; his name was Sidroc.

Some four days more and King Ethelred [Aethered], with Alfred his brother, led on a great force to Reading, and fought with the Host. And there was great slaughter made on either hand; and Ethelwulf the Alderman was slain, and the Danish-men held the death-stead. Yet another four days, and King Ethelred and Alfred his brother fought with that whole Host at Ashdown [Aescesdune]. And they were in two bodies [gefylcum]: in the one were Bachseg and Halfdene, the heathen Kings, and in the other the Earls. Then fought King Ethelred with the Kings; and there was King Bagsecg slain. And Alfred his brother fought with the Earls; and there was slain Earls Sidoc the Elder, and Sidoc the Younger, and Osbearn, and Frena, and Harold. And both parts of the

Host were put to flight; and many thousands were there slain; and they stood fighting on even unto nightfall.

And, about a fourteen days after, King Ethelred and Alfred his brother fought with the Host at Basing; and there the Danes won the field. And, two months later, King Ethelred and Alfred his brother fought with the Host at Merton. Two bodies were there of them; and both did they put to flight; and for the most of the day had the better; and much slaughter was there on either hand. Yet held the Danes the death-stead. And there Bishop Heahmund [of Sherborne] was slain, and many a good

man.

And after this fight came a great summer-lead1 to Reading. And over Easter [Ap. 15] King Ethelred died. He had reigned five years. And his body lieth at Wimborne Minster. And Alfred Ethelwulfing [i.e., Ethelwulf's son] took to the West Saxon kingship.

And, about one month after, did King Alfred, with but a small band, fight with all the whole Host at Wilton. And for the most of the day put he them to flight: yet the Danes held the death-stead.

And this year were there fought against the Host, in the land from Thames southward, nine stricken fields. Yea, and beside these, Alfred the King's brother, and many an Alderman, and many a King's Thane, ofttimes made, each for himself, raids upon them, which are not counted. And within the year nine Earls were slain, and one King thereto. that year the West Saxons made peace with the Host.

And

872. This year the Host went off from Reading to London, and there wintered. And the Mercians made peace with them.

873. This year the Host went into Northumbria, and at Torksey in Lindsey did they winter.

874. This year went the Host from Lindsey to Repton, and there they wintered. And King Burghred drave they over-sea, about 22 years since he came to that kingdom, and they brought under the whole land, and he went to Rome, and there abode, and lieth in St. Mary's Church, at the English School. And that same year gave they the kingdom of the Mercians to the ward of one Ceolwulf, a King's Thane, and a fool withal. And he sware oaths to them, and gave sureties thereto, that the kingdom should be ready for them on whatsoever day they would have it. Yea, and that he likewise would be ready, himself and all who would follow him, at the behest of the Host.

875. Then went the Host away from Repton. And with some of them went off Halfdene into Northumbria, and wintered by Tyne-side. And his Host brought under that land, and spoiled ofttimes the Picts, and the Strathclyde Britons. And three Kings, Guthrum, and Oscytel, and Anwynd, fared unto Cambridge with a great Host, and sat them down there one year.

And that summer did King Alfred put out to sea with a ship-force, and 2 See note, p. 131.

1 See p. 10.

fought against seven ship-crews. And one of them he took, and the rest he put to flight.

876. This year the Host stole away to Wareham, a West-Saxon stronghold. And thereafter made the King peace with them, and they gave unto him sureties, of the best in the Host and most of worship; yea, and sware unto Him upon the Holy Ring (which never before would they do to any folk), that they would speedily leave his kingdom. Yet, notwithstanding, such of the Host as were horsed stole away from the stronghold by night, even unto Exeter.

And King Halfdene shared out the lands of Northumbria, and thenceforth they abode thereon, ploughing and tilling the same.

This year Rollo and his gang overran Normandy; and he reigned there fifty years.

877. Now came the Host from Wareham unto Exeter. And a fleet came sailing westward, and at sea a great storm overcame them, and there at Swanwich were they wrecked, 120 ships. And King Alfred with his men rode after the horsemen of the Host, even unto Exeter; yet might they not overtake them ere they were within the fastness; and there might they not be come at. Yet gave they unto him sureties, as many as he would, and sware many oaths. And this time they kept the peace well. And afterwards, in Harvest-tide, went that Host into Mercia. And some of the land shared they out among them, and some made they over to Ceolwulf.

878. This year, during midwinter, after Twelfth-night, the Host stole away to Chippenham, and overran all the land of the West Saxons, and sat them down there. And many of the folk drave they over-sea, and, of the rest, they brought under the most, and forced them to yield to their sway, save only King Alfred. And he, with a small band, gat him away to the woods, and that hardly, and to the fastnesses of the fens.

And that same winter came [Hubba] the brother of Ingwar and Halfdene with 23 ships unto Devonshire in Wessex. And there was he slain, and 840 of his folk with him; and there was taken the war-flag which they called the Raven.

After this, at Easter [23rd March], King Alfred, with a small band, wrought him a stronghold at Athelney. And from this stronghold ever and anon fought they against the Host.

Then in the seventh week after Easter rode he to Egbert's Stone, on the east of Selwood. And there came in unto him all the men of Somerset, and the Wiltshire men, and of the Hampshire men such as were yet on this side the water. And right glad they were of him. And next day he went on thence to Iglea, and next day again to Ethandun.1 And there fought he against all the whole Host, and put them to flight, and chased them even unto their stronghold; and there he sat fourteen nights. Then did the Host give him sureties, with many an oath, that they would leave his kingdom. And they plighted unto him their troth

1 See p. 119.

that their King should undergo Baptism [ulwhite onfon], and this they fulfilled even so.

And, some three weeks after, came unto him King Guthrum, with some thirty more, the worthiest men in the Host, at Alre, near Athelney. And in Baptism the King was his Godfather. And his chrism-loosing1 was at Wedmore. And twelve nights abode he with the King; and many a worthy gift gave he to him and his.

879. This year the Host from Chippenham fared to Cirencester, and sat there one year. And that same year there drew together a gang of pirates, and sat them down at Fulham on Thames.

And the sun was eclipsed for one hour of the day [14 March, 880.]

880. This year fared the Host from Cirencester into East Anglia, and settled there, and shared out that land. And the Host that erewhile abode at Fulham fared over sea to Ghent in Frank-land, and there sat one year.

881. This year went that Host further into Frank-land. And the Franks fought with them. And then was the Host there horsed, after that fight.

832. This year went the Host far up into Frank-land along the Maese. And there they sat one year.

And King Alfred put to sea with his ships, and fought with four shipcrews of Danish men. And two of them he took, and all on board were slain. And two yielded them to him; and sore broken and wounded were they ere that yielding.

883. This year fared the Host up the Scheldt to Condé, and sat there the year.

And Marinus the Pope sent unto King Alfred the Lord's Rood [lignum Domini]. And that same year Sighelm and Athelstane bare to Rome the alms that the King had vowed to send thither, and eke to India, to St. Thomas and St. Bartholomew, when they sat down against the Host that was in London. And there, thanks be to God, was the end of that vow full largely fulfilled unto them.

884. This year went the Host up the Somme to Amiens, and there sat one year.

885. This year the aforesaid Host parted in twain. The one band went eastward, the other to Rochester, and sat down against the town, and wrought another stronghold round about them. Notwithstanding this, the townsfolk held out till King Alfred came forth with his muster. Then fled the Host to their ships, and left their stronghold. Of their horses eke were they spoiled; and eftsoon hied them in this wise

over sea.

And, from Kent, King Alfred sent his fleet unto East Anglia. So soon as they came into Stour-mouth then met them 16 pirate ships; and they fought therewith, and took the ships, one and all, and slew the ship-men. And even as they wended homeward with the spoil there met them a

1 See p. 36.

great fleet of pirates, and that very day fought them. And the Danish men won that day.

That same year, before mid-winter, died Carloman, King of the Franks, slain by a wild boar. And, one year before, his brother [Louis III.] had died; he too held the West Realm [modern France]. Both these were sons of Louis, who also held the West Realm: and he was son of Charles [the Bald], whose daughter Ethelwulf, King of the West Saxons, had to Queen.

And that same year a mighty fleet drew together against the Old Saxons [near the mouth of the Elbe], and two great fights had they that one year, and the Saxons had the best of it, and the Frisians [of Holland] along with them.

That same year did Charles [the Fat] take on the West Realm, yea, and all the sway on this side the Wendel Sea1 [the Mediterranean] and beyond it [i.e. in Italy] in like wise as his great-grandfather [Charlemagne] held it, save the Lid-wiccas [Bretons] only. This Charles was son of Louis, and he was brother of Charles (father of Judith), and they were sons of Louis. And he was son of Charles the Elder [Charlemagne], and he of Pepin.

And the same year died the good Pope Marinus, who, at the prayer of Alfred, King of the West Saxons, freed the English School; and sent him withal great gifts, and a bit of the Rood whereon hung Christ. 886. This year that Host which erewhile went eastward [in 885] came westward again, and so up the Seine, and sat down for the winter hard by Paris.

That same year did King Alfred build again London; and all England [Anglecyn] came in unto him, save they who were held in bondage of the Danish men; and he gave over the town to the ward of Ethelred the Alderman.

887. This year went the Host up through Paris Bridge, and so along Seine unto the Marne, and thence up the Marne to Chézy, and sat them down there and on the Yonne, two winters in the two places.

And Ethelhelm the Alderman bare the alms of the West Saxons and Alfred unto Rome.

888. This year Beocca the Alderman bare the alms to Rome. And Queen Elswitha [widow of Burghred of Mercia], King Alfred's sister, died on the way thither, and lieth at Padua. . . .

889. This year was there no going to Rome, save that King Alfred sent two errand-doers with letters.

890. This year Abbot Beornhelm bare the alms to Rome.

And Guthrum, the Norseman King, died. In Baptism was he hight Athelstan, and he was King Alfred's Godson [see 878]; and in East Anglia he abode, and first settled that land.

This name is an interesting reminiscence of the days, three centuries back, when the Vandal fleets of Carthage scourged every shore in the Mediterranean.