came to the Isle of Wight; and on the morning after, they burned the town at Waltham, and many other small towns and soon after a treaty was entered into with them, and they made peace.
A. 1001. This year the army came to Exmouth, and then went up to the town, and there continued fighting stoutly; but they were very strenuously resisted. Then went they through the land, and did all as was their wont; destroyed and burnt. Then was collected a vast force of the people of Devon and of the people of Somerset, and they then came together at Pen, And so soon as they joined battle, then the people gave way: and there they made great slaughter, and then they rode over the land, and their last incursion was ever worse than the one before: and then they brought much booty with them to their ships. And thence they went into the Isle of Wight, and there they roved about, even as they themselves would, and nothing withstood them: nor any fleet by sea durst meet them; nor land force either, went they ever so far up. Then was it in every wise a heavy time, because they never ceased from their evil doings.
A. 1002. 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-doings. Then sent the king to the fleet Leofsy the ealdorman; and he then settled a truce with them by the king's word, and his witan's, and that they should receive food and tribute. And that they then accepted: and then were they paid twenty-four thousand pounds. Then during this, Leofsy the ealdorman slew Eafy the king's high-steward; and the king then banished him the land. And then in the same Lent came the lady, Richard's[1] daughter, Emma Elfgive, hither to land: and in the same summer archbishop Aldulf[2] died. And in that year the king ordered all the Danish-men who were in England to be slain. This was done on St. Brice's mass-day; because it was made known to the king that they would treacherously bereave him of his life, and afterwards all his witan; and after that have his kingdom without any gainsaying.
A. 1003. This year was Exeter entered by storm, through the French churl Hugh, whom the[3] lady had appointed her steward: and then the army entirely ruined the town, and there took much booty. And in the same year the army went up into Wiltshire. Then was gathered a very large force from Wiltshire and from Hampshire, and very
