appointed ealdorman over the kingdom of Mercia. 'This year bishop Aelfeah went to Rome after his pall. A.D. 1008. This year the king commanded that ships should be speedily built throughout the English nation: that is then, from three hundred hides and from ten hides, one vessel; and from eight hides a helmet and a coat of mail. A.D. 1009. In this year were the ships ready about which we before spake; and there were so many of them as never before, according as books say unto us, had been among the English nation in any king's days. And they were all brought together to Sandwich, and there they were to lie and defend this land against every foreign army. But still we had not the good fortune nor the worthiness, that the ship-force could be of any use to this land, any more than it oft before had been. Then befel it at this same time, or a little before, that Brihtric, Eadric the ealdorman's brother, accused to the king the child Wulfnoth, the South Saxon, the father of Godwine, the earl. He then went out, and then enticed ships unto him until he had twenty; and he then ravaged everywhere by the south coast, and wrought every kind of evil. Then it was told unto the ship-forces that they might be easily taken, if they would go about it. Then Brihtric took with him eighty ships, and thought that he should acquire great fame if he could seize Wulfnoth alive or dead. But as they were on their way thither, then came such a wind against them as no man before remembered, and it then utterly beat the ships, and dashed to pieces, and cast upon the land; and soon came Wulfnoth, and burned the ships. "When this was thus known in the other ships where the king was, how the others had fared, then was it as if it had been all hopeless; and the king went his way home, and the ealdormen and the highwitan, and thus lightly left the ships; and then afterwards, the people who were in the ships brought them to London : and they let the whole nation's toil thus lightly pass away; and no better was that victory on which the whole English nation had fixed their hopes. When this ship expedition had thus ended, then came, soon after Lammas [1st Aug.], the vast hostile army, which we have called Thurkill's army, to Sandwich; and they soon went their way to Canterbury, and would soon have subdued the city, if the citizens had not first desired peace of them: and all the people of East Kent made peace with the army, and gave them three thousand pounds. 'And then, soon after that, the army went forth till they came to the Isle of Wight; and thence everywhere in Sussex, and in Hampshire, and also in Berkshire, they ravaged and plundered as their wont "'is. Then the king commanded the whole nation to be called out; so that they should be opposed on every side: but lo! nevertheless, they marched as they pleased. Then upon a certain occasion, the F. does not acknowledge this clause of the sentence. This sentence is omitted in F. 7 As far as "London" does not occur in D. E. 8 This concluding passage not in F. 3 C. D. E. F. 9 F. omits as far as the sentence ending, "towards their ships." 10 "Was," E. king had got before them with all his forces, as they would go to their ships; and all the people were ready to attack them. But it was then prevented through Eadric, the ealdorman, as it ever yet has been. Then, after St. Martin's-mass [11th Nov.], they went once more into Kent, and took up their winter-quarters on the Thames, and obtained their food from Essex, and from the shires which were there nearest, on both sides of the Thames. And oft they fought against the city of London: but praise be to God that it yet stands sound, and they there ever met with ill-fare. And then, after mid-winter [A.D. 1010], took they their way upwards through Chiltern, and so to Oxford, and burned the city; and betook themselves then, 'on both sides of the Thames, towards their ships. Then were they warned that there were forces gathered at London against them: then went they over at Staines. And thus they went the whole winter; and during Lent they were in Kent, and repaired their ships. 4 A.D. 1010. This year, after Easter [9th April], came the fore-mentioned army into East-Anglia, and landed at Ipswich, and went forthwith where they understood Ulfcytel was with his forces. This was on the day called the first of the Ascension of our Lord [18th May]; and then the East Angles soon fled. Then stood Cambridge-shire firmly against them. There was slain Aethelstan, the king's son-in-law, and Oswig and his son, and Wulfric, Leofwine's son, and Eadwig, Aefic's brother, and many other good thanes, and numberless of the people: Thurcytel Myranheafod first began the flight. And the Danes had possession of the place of carnage: and there were they horsed; and afterwards had dominion over East-Anglia, and the land three months ravaged and burned; and they even went into the wild fens, and they destroyed men and cattle, and burned throughout the fens : and Thetford they burned, and Grantabridge. And after that they went southward again to the Thames, and the men who were horsed rode towards the ships; and after that, very speedily, they went westward into Oxfordshire, and thence into Buckinghamshire, and so along the Ouse until they came to Bedford, and so onwards to Temesford; and ever burning as they went. Then went they again to their ships with their booty. And when they went to their ships, then ought the forces again to have gone out against them, until they should land; but then the forces went home and when they were eastwards, then were the forces kept westwards; and when they were southwards, then were our forces northwards. Then were all the witan summoned to the king, and they were then to counsel how this land might be defended. But although something might be then counselled, it did not stand even one month at last there was no chief who would assemble forces, but each fled as he best might; nor, at the last, would even one 1 "On both sides of the Thames," not in F. 2 This concluding sentence not in F. 3 C. D. E. F. F. does not specify the date of this inroad, neither in the first nor the third sentence. 5 F. does not contain this paragraph. 6 of the place of carnage and of the East Angles, F.; the passage is also abridged in C. 7 F. here concludes the year. shire assist another. Then before St. Andrew's mass-day [30th Nov.], came the enemy to Northampton, and they soon burned the town and took there-about as much as they themselves would; and thence they went over Thames into Wessex, and so by Canegmarsh, burning all the way. When they had gone so far as they then would, then came they at mid-winter to their ships. A.D. 1011. 'In this year sent the king and his witan to the army, and desired peace, aud promised them tribute and food on condition that they would cease from their plundering. They had then overrun, 1st, East Anglia, and 2d, Essex, and 3d, Middlesex, and 4th, Oxfordshire, and 5th, Cambridgeshire, and 6th, Hertfordshire, and 7th, Buckinghamshire, and 8th, Bedfordshire, and 9th, half of Huntingdonshire, and 10th, 'much of Northamptonshire; and south of Thames, all Kent, and Sussex, and Hastings, and Surry, and Berkshire, and Hampshire, and much of Wiltshire. All these misfortunes befel us through unwise counsel, that they were not in time offered tribute, or fought against; but when they had done the most evil, then peace and truce were made with them. And nevertheless, for all the truce and tribute, they went everywhere in bands, and plundered our miserable people, and robbed and slew them. And then in this year, between the Nativity of St. Mary and St. Michael's-mass, they besieged Canterbury, and got into it through treachery, because Aelmaer betrayed it, whose life the archbishop Aelfeah had before saved. And there they took the archbishop Aelfeah, and Aelfweard the king's steward, and the abbess Leofrune, and bishop Godwin. And abbat 'Aelfmar they let go away. And they took there within all the men in orders, and men and women: it is not to be told to any man how many of the people there were. And they remained within the city afterwards as long as they would. And when they had thoroughly searched the city, then went they to their ships, and led the archbishop with them. He was then captive who erewhile was the head of the English race and of Christendom. There might then be seen misery, where men oft erewhile had seen bliss, whence to us came first for God, and for the world And they kept the archbishop with them so long as until the time that they martyred him. A.D. 1012. 'In this year came Eadric the ealdorman, and all the chief witan, clergy and laity, of the English people to London, before Easter; Easter-day was then on the date, the ides of April [13th April]; and they were there then so long as until all the tribute was paid, after Easter; that was "eight and forty thousand 2 "Much of Northamptonshire," not in E. 1 C. D. E. F. 3 From this point, as far as the words, "in this year," F. is silent. That is, between the 8th and the 29th September. 5 Aelfmaer, D. 6 Leofrune was abbess of St. Mildred's in the Isle of Thanet; Godwin was bishop of Rochester; and Aelfmaer was abbot of St. Augustine's at Canterbury. 7 Aelmar, D. E. 8 This sentence is not in F. 9 C. D. E. F. 10 In E. F. "VIII. thousand pounds." pounds. Then on the Saturday [19th April] was the army greatly excited against the bishop, because he would not promise them any money but he forbade that any thing should be given for him. They had also drunk deeply, for wine had been brought there from the south. Then took they the bishop, led him to their husting on the eve of Sunday, the octaves of Easter, which was on the 13th of the kalends of May [19th April]; and there they then shamefully slaughtered him they cast upon him bones and the horns of oxen, and then one of them struck him with an axe-iron on the head, so that with the blow he sank down; and his holy blood fell on the earth, and his holy soul he sent forth to God's kingdom. And on the morrow the body was carried to London, and the bishops Eadnoth and Aelfun, and the townsmen, received it with all reverence, and buried it in St. Paul's minister; and there God now manifesteth the miraculous powers of the holy martyr. When the tribute was paid, and oaths of peace were sworn, then the army separated widely, in like manner as before it had been gathered together. Then became subject to the king five and forty ships of the army, and covenanted with him that they would defend this country, and that he should feed and clothe them. A.D. 1013. In the year after that in which the archbishop Aelfeg was martyred, the king appointed bishop Lyfing to be archbishop at Canterbury. And in this same year, before the month of August, came king Swegen with his fleet to Sandwich, and went then, very soon, about East-Anglia into the mouth of the Humber, and so upward along Trent, until he came to Gainsborough. And then, soon, Uhtred the earl and all the Northumbrians submitted to him, and all the people in Lindesey, and afterwards the people in the Five Boroughs, and soon after, all the army north of Watling-street; and hostages were delivered to him from every shire. "After he had learned that all the people were obedient to him, then bade he that his army should be victualled and horsed; and he then afterwards went southward with all the forces, and committed the ships and the hostages to his son Cnut. And after he came over Watling-street, they wrought the most evil that any army could do. Then went he to Oxford, and the townsmen soon submitted, and delivered hostages; and thence to Winchester, and they did the like. Then went he thence eastward to London, and much of his people was drowned in the Thames, because they kept not to any bridge. When he came to the city, then would not the townsmen submit, but held out against him with all their might, because king Aethelred was therein, and Thurcyl with him. Then went king Swegen thence to Wallingford, and so over the Thames westward to Bath, and sate down there with his forces. And Aethelmaer the ealdorman came thither, and the western thanes with him, and they all submitted to Swegen, and delivered hostages 7 1 This date does not occur in E. F. 2 The first clause in this sentence is omitted in E. F. 3 Of Dorchester and London. 4 C. D. E. F. Namely, Leicester, Lincoln, Nottingham, Stamford, and Derby. 6 As far as "horsed" does not occur in F. 7 These three words, "and the hostages," do not occur in D. for themselves. And when he had thus succeeded, then went he northward to his ships; and then all the people held him for full king. And after that the townsmen of London submitted, and delivered hostages, 'because they dreaded lest he should utterly undo them. Then Swegen ordered a full-tribute and provisions for his army during the winter; and Thurkyl ordered the like for the army which lay at Greenwich: and for all that, they plundered as oft as they would. Then was this people nothing benefited either from the south or from the north. Then was king Aethelred some while with the fleet which lay in the Thames; and the lady then departed over sea to her brother Richard, and Aelfsige, abbat of Peterborough, with her. And the king sent bishop Aelfun with the ethelings Eadward and Aelfred, over sea, that he might have charge of them. And the king departed from the fleet at midwinter into the Isle of Wight, and was there during that tide; and after that tide he went over the sea to Richard, and was there with him until such time as Swegen was dead. 4 And the while that the lady was with her brother beyond sea, Aelfsige, abbat of Peterborough, who was there with her, went to the minster which is called Bonneval, where St. Florentine's body lay. There found he a poor place, a poor abbat, and poor monks; for they had been plundered. Then bought he there of the abbat and of the monks St. Florentine's body, all except the head, for five hundred pounds; and then when he came home again, then made he an offering of it to Christ and St. Peter. 10 8 A.D. 1014. In this year 'king Swegen ended his days, at Candlemas, on the third of the nones of February [3d Feb.]. "And that same year Aelfwig was consecrated bishop of London, at York, on St. Juliana's mass-day [16th Feb.]. 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 Aethelred; and they declared that no lord could be dearer to them than their natural lord, if he would rule them better than he had before done. Then sent the king his son Eadward hither with his messengers, and ordered them to greet all his people; and said that he would be to them a faithful lord, and amend all those things which they all abhorred, and each of those things should be forgiven which have 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 either half, and declared every Danish king an outlaw from England for ever. Then, during Lent, king Aethelred came home to his own people; and he was gladly received by them all. 1 The narrative is here abridged in F. 2 As far as "Thames" is omitted in F. 3 . "and the king Aegelred sent his queen Aelfgive Ymma over the sea," &c. F. 4 He was duke of Normandy. 5 The conclusion of the year is from E. 7 In C. D. E. he is not designated king. 8 "at Candlemas," not in F. 9 This sentence does not occur in C. E. F. 10 In 1014 this fell upon a Tuesday. 6.C. D E. F. |