MarginaliaHoueden. lib. continuation?.
London consumed with fire.
The king warred against the Bish. of Rochester.ueden writing herof, sayth: that London, the same tyme (or as Fabian sayth) a great part of Lond?, was consumed with fire. About this time fell a variance betwene the foresayd Egelred, and the byshop of Rochester: in somuch that he made warre agaynst him, and besieged the Citie. And notwithstandyng that Dunstan required the kyng sendyng hym admonishmēt to giue ouer, for the sake of S. Andrew: yet continued he his siege, till the byshop offered him an hundreth poundes of gold, which he receaued, and so departed. The Danes seing the discord that then was in the realme, and especially the hatred of the subiectes agaynst the kyng: Rose againe, and did great harme in diuers places of England, in somuch that þe king was glad to graūt them great summes of money for peace to be had. For the assurauce of which peace, Analaffe captaine of the Danes, became a Christen man, and so returned home to his coūtrey, and did no more harme. MarginaliaAn. 990.
The bloudy flixe and hoat feuers reigned in this land.Besides these miseries before recited, a sore sickenes of the bloudy flyxe, and hote feuers fell among the people: wherof many dyed, with a like moreine also among the beastes. Moreouer for lacke of iustice: many theues, ryoters, and bribers, were in the land, with much miserie and mischief.

MarginaliaThe death of Dunstane.
Ethelgarus.
Elfricus.
Siricius.
Elphegus.
Archb. of Cant.About the xi. yeare (some say, the ix. yeare) of this kyngs reigne, dyed Dunstan. After whom succeded Ethelgarus, or as Iornalensis, writeth Stilgarus. After him Elfricus as affirmeth Guliel. lib. 1. de pontif. But as Polidorus saith Siricius. After him, Elfricus came: but Siritius after the minde of William Lib. 1. But Polidorus, saith Aluritius, then Elphegus. &c.

About the same tyme in the yeare of our Lord. 995. Aldunus Byshop, translated the body of S. Cutbert from Chester (which first was in a northeren Iland then at Rochester) to Durelme or Dunolme. MarginaliaAn. 995.
The bishops sea of Durham.Wherupon the Byshops sea of Duresme first began.

Not long after the death of Dunstan, the Danes agayn entred England, in many and sondry places of the land: in such sorte, that the kyng was to seeke, to which coast he should go first to withstand his enemyes. And in conclusion, for the auoydyng of more harme: he was compelled to appease them with great summes of money. But wh? that money was spēt, they fell to new robbyng of the people, and assaylyng the land, in diuers places: not onely about the coūtrey of Northumberlād, MarginaliaLondon besieged of the Danes.but also besieged the Citie of Lōdon at the last. But beyng from thence repulsed by the māhode of the Londiners, they strayde to other countreys adioining, as to Essex, Kent, Sussex, and Hampshyre: burnyng and killyng where soeuerMarginaliaThe Danes spoyled the land.they went. So that for lacke of a good heade or gouernour many thynges in the land perished. For the king gaue hymselfe to the vice of lechery, and polyng of his subiectes, and disinherited men of their possessions: & caused them to redeme the same agayne with great summes of money: MarginaliaGreat tribute leuyed of the Englishmene.
Dane gelt.for he payd great tribute to the Danes yearely, which was called Danegelt. Which tribute so increased, that from the first tribute of x. M. pound, it was brought at last in processe of v. or vi. yeare, to xl. M. pound. The which, yearely (duryng to the commyng of S. Edward, and after) was leuyed of the subiectes of this land.

To thys sorow moreouer, was ioyned hunger & penury among the commons: in so much that euery one of thē was constrayned to plucke and steale from other. So that, what for the pillage of the Danes, and what by inward thieues and bribers: MarginaliaThe sorowful affliction of the Englishe nation.this land was brought into great affliction. Albeit the greatest cause of thys afflicti? (as to me appeareth) is not so much to be imputed to the kyng, as to the dissention among the lordes themselues: who then did not agree one with an other. MarginaliaWhat dissention and discorde doth among the nobles in a realme.But when they assembled in consultation together, eyther they did draw diuers wayes: or if any thyng were agreed vpon any matter of peace betwene the parties, soone it was borken agayn: or els if any good thyng were deuised for the preiudice of the enemy, anone þe Danes were warned therof by some of the same counsail. Of whom the chiefe doers, were Edrike duke of Mercia, and Alfricke the admirall, or captaine of the ships: who betrayed the kings nauy to the Danes. Wherefore the kyng apprehendyng Alfagarus sonne of the said Alfrike, put out his eyes: and so dyd he after to the two sonnes of Duke Edrike in lyke manner.

MarginaliaThe pride and wretchednes of the Danes toward the english men.The Danes thus preuayling more and more ouer the english men grew in such pryde, & presumption: that when they by strength caused the husbandmen to eare and sow þ^e land, and to do all other vyle labour belongyng to the house: they would sit at home holding the wyfe at their pleasure, with daughter and seruant. And when the husband man came home, he should scantly haue of hys owne, as hys seruauntes had: so that the Dane had all at his wyll and fill, farying of the best, when the owner scantly had his fil of the worst. Thus the common people beyng of them oppressed, were in such feare and dread, that not onely they were constrained to suffer them in their doinges: but also glad to please them, MarginaliaLord Dane.and called euery one of them in the house where they had rule, Lord Dane. Which worde after (in processe of tyme, when the Danes were voyded) was for despite of the Danes, turned of the english men to a name of opprobry: MarginaliaLurdaine.that when one english man would rebuke an other, he would for the more part call him Lurdaine.

Marginalia1000.
Henric. Archidiac. lib. 6.And thus hitherto (through the assistence of Christ) we haue brought this history to the yere of our Lord. 1000. During now and continuing these great miseries vpō this english nation: the land beyng brought into great ruine by the greuous tribute of the Danes, and also by susteinyng the manifold villanies and iniuries as well by them as by other oppressions within the realme. This yere which was the yeare of our sauiour. 1000. This Egelred, through the counsell of certayne his familiars about hym: in the. 21. yere of his raigne, beganne a matter, which was occasion eyther geuen by þ^e one, or taken by the other of a new plague to ensue vpon the Saxons: who had driuen out the Britaynes before. MarginaliaThe first ioyning betwene the Norm. and English mē. King Egelred marieth Emma the Dukes daughter of Normandy Richard Duke of Normandie.
The Danes by secret c?issi? slaine in euery towne of England.That was in ioyning with the Normans in mariage. For the kyng this yere aboue sayd, for the more str?gth (as he thought) both of him and of the realme, maried Emma the daughter of Richard Duke of Normandy. Which Richard was the third duke of the Normains, and the first of that name. By reason of which mariage: kyng Egelred was not a little inhaunsed in his owne mynd: And by presumption therof: sent secret and straite commissions to the rulers of euery towne in England, that vpon S. Brices day at a certaine houre appoynted, the Danes should be sodenly slayne. And so it was performed: which turned after to more trouble.

After that tydinges came into Denmarke of the murder of those Danes: MarginaliaSuanus k. of Denmarke ariueth in England.
Exetour beat downe.Anone after, Suanus king of Denmarke with a great host and nauy, landed in Cornewall: Where, by treason of a Normand named Hugh, which by fauour of Queene Emma was made erle of Deuonshire: the sayd Suanus tooke Exceter and after bette downe the walles. From thence proceding further into the land, they came to Wilton, and Shireborne, where they cruelly spoyled the countrey, and slew the people. But anone, Swanus hearyng that the kyng was commyng to him with þ^e power of hys land: toke his shippes, and fet about to Norfolke. Where, after much wasting of that countrey, MarginaliaNorwych spoyled and wasted by the Danes.and spoyling the citie of Norwiche, and burnyng the towne of Thetford, and destroying the countrey therabout: at lēgth duke Vskatel met hym, and bet hym, and slew many of the Danes. Wherfore, Swanus for that yere returned to Denmarke, and there made great prouision, to reenter the lande againe the next yeare followyng. Marginalia1004.And so did: landyng at Sandwich about the. 25. yere of the reigne of kyng Egelred, and there spoiled that countrey. And as soone as he heard of any host of englishmen cōmyng toward hym: th? he tooke shippying againe. So that when the kings army sought to meete him in one coast, than would he sodenly land in an other. And when the kyng prouided to mete with them vpon the sea, either they would feine to flee, or els they would with gifts blynde the Admirall of the kinges nauy. And thus weried they the englishmen: and in conclusion brought them in extreme and vnspeakable misery. MarginaliaA tribute payd to the Danes of. xxx.M. pounde to haue peace.In so much that the kyng was fayne to take peace with them, & gaue to king Suanus 30000. poūd. After which peace thus made, Suanus returned agayne to Denmarke.

But this peace continued not long. For the yeare next folowyng, kyng Egelred made Edricus aboue mentioned, duke of Mercia, which was subtile of witte, glosing and eloquē of speach, vntrusty and false to the king & the realm. MarginaliaThe persecution of Turkillus a Dane.And soone after one Turkillus (a prince of the Danes) lāded in Kent with much people: and there did such harme, that the Kentishmen were fayne to make peace with great giftes, and so thence departed. But this persecution of the Danes (in one countrey or other in england) neuer ceased: nor the king did euer geue to them any notable battail. MarginaliaEuill coūsell about a king what hurt it doth.For when he was disposed to geue them battayle, this Edricus would euer counsel him to the contrary: so that the Danes euer spoyled and robbed, and waxed riche: and the english men euer poore and bare.

MarginaliaThe second returne of Suanus in to England.After this, Suanus beyng in Denmarke, and hearing of the increase of hys people in england, brake his couenāts before made: and with a great army and nauy in moste defensable wyse appoynted, landed in Northumberland proclaimyng himself to be king of this land. Where, after much vexation, when he had subdued the people, and caused the erle with the rulers of the countrey to sweare to him feaultie: he passed by the riuer of Trent to Ganisburgh, and to