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134 HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

8 H A p. they bought that advantage by the loss of their-'xi. bravest leaders , and among the rest, by that ofEthelwald, who perished in the action 100 . Theking , freed from the fear of so dangerous acompetitor, made peace on advantageous termswith the East-Angles Ior .

In order to restore England to such a state oftranquillity as it was then capable of attaining,naught was wanting but the subjection of theNorthumbrians , who, a stilted bv the scatteredDanes in Mercia , continually infested the bowelsof the kingdom. Edward, in order to divert the-force of these enemies, prepared a fleet to attackthem by sea ; hoping , that , when his shipsappeared on their coast, they must at least remainat home , and provide for their defence. But theNorthumbrians were less anxious to secure theirown property than greedy to commit spoil oiltheir enemy ; and concluding , that the chiefstrength of the English was embarked on boardthe fleet, they thought the opportunity favour-able, and entered Edward’s territories with alltheir forces. The king, who was prepared againstthis event , attacked them on their return atTetenhall in the county of Stafford , put themto rout, recovered all the booty, and pursuedthem with great slaughter into their own country.

All the rest of Edward’s reign was a scene ofcontinued and successful action against the

l °° Chron. Sax. p. lot. Brompton, p. 8xa.

Chron. Sax. p. tor. Brompton, p. 8zr. Matth. Wefts

g. 18 t.