Chronicles : The Historie of England | Page 9

Denmarke, with a mightie nauie of ships came on the coast of
Northfolke, and there [Sidenote: Norwich taken by the Danes.] landing
with his people, made toward Norwich, and comming thither tooke that
citie, and spoiled it. Then went he vnto Thetford, and [Sidenote:
Thetford burnt.] when he had taken and rifled that towne, he burnt it,
notwithstanding [Sidenote: Vikillus or Wilfeketell gouernour of
Norffolke.] a truce taken by Vikillus or Wilfketell gouernor of those
parties with the same king Swaine after the taking of Norwich. In
reuenge therefore of such breach of truce, the same Vikillus, or

Wilfeketell, with such power as he could raise, assaulted the host of
Danes as they returned to their ships, and slue a great number of them,
but was not able to mainteine the fight, for his enimies ouermatched
him in number of men. And so he was constrained in the end to giue
backe: and [Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._] the enimies kept on their waies to
their ships.
[Sidenote: 1005. Swaine returned into Denmarke. _Simon Dun._] In
the yeare following king Swaine returned into Denmarke with all his
fléet, partlie constrained so to doo (as some write) by reason of the
great famin & want of necessarie sustenance, which in that [Sidenote:
1006. _Hen. Hunt._ Swaine returned into England.] yeare sore
oppressed this land. In the yeare of our Lord 1006, king Swaine
returned againe into England with a mightie & huge nauie, arriuing at
Sandwich, and spoiled all the countrie néere vnto the sea side. King
Egelred raised all his power against him, and all the haruest time laie
abroad in the field to resist the Danes, which according to their
woonted maner spared not to exercise their vnmercifull crueltie, in
wasting and spoiling the land with fire and sword, pilfering and taking
of preies in euerie part where they came. Neither could king Egelred
remedie the matter, because the enimies still conueied themselues with
their ships into some contrarie quarter, from the place where they knew
him to be, so that his trauell was in vaine.
[Sidenote: The Danes winter in the Ile of Wight. They inuade
Hampshire, Barkeshire, &c.] About the beginning of winter they
remained in the Ile of Wight, & in the time of Christmasse they landed
in Hampshire, and passing through that countrie into Barkeshire, they
came to Reading, and from thence to Wallingford, and so to Coleseie,
and then approching to Essington, came to Achikelmeslawe, and in
euerie place wheresoeuer they came, they made cleane worke. For that
which they could not carie with them, they consumed with fire, burning
vp their innes and sleaing their hoasts. In returning backe, the people of
the west countrie gaue them battell, but preuailed not, so that they did
but inrich their [Sidenote: Winchester.] enimies with the spoile of their
bodies. They came by the gates of Winchester as it were in maner of
triumph, with vittels and spoiles which they had fetched fiftie miles

from the sea side. In the [Sidenote: 1007.] meane time king Egelred lay
about Shrewsburie sore troubled with the newes hereof, and in the
yeare next insuing, by the aduise of his councell he gaue to king
Swaine for the redeeming of peace 30000 [Sidenote: 36000 pound saith
_Si. Dun._] pounds.
[Sidenote: Edrike de Streona made duke or earle of Mercia.] In the
same yeare K. Egelred created the traitor Edrike earle of Mercia, who
although he had maried Edgiua the kings daughter, was yet noted to be
one of those which disclosed the secrets of the realme, and the
determinations of the councell vnto the enimies. But he was such a
craftie dissembler, so greatlie prouided of sleight to dissemble and
cloake his falshood, that the king being too much abused by him, had
him in singular fauour, whereas he vpon a malicious purpose studied
dailie how to bring the realme into vtter destruction, aduertising the
enimies from time to time how the state of things stood, whereby they
came to knowlege when they should giue place, [Sidenote: _Wil.
Malm._] and when they might safelie come forward. Moreouer, being
sent vnto them oftentimes as a commissioner to treat for peace, he
persuaded them to warre. But such was the pleasure of God, to haue
him and such other of like sort aduanced to honor in this season, when
by his diuine prouidence he meant to punish the people of this realme
for their wickednesse and sinnes, whereby they had iustlie prouoked his
wrath and high displeasure.
[Sidenote: _Henr. Hunt._ _Simon Dun._ An hundred acres is an hide of
land.] In the 30 yeare of king Egelreds reigne, which fell in the yeare of
our Lord 1008, he tooke order that of euerie thrée hundred and ten
hides of land within this realme, there should one