174 HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

inveterate habits of war and depredation. Andas the reigning prince was a minor, and evenwhen he attained to man’s estate, never discoveredeither courage or capacity sufficient to governhis own subjects, much less to repel a formidableenemy, the people might justly apprehend theworst calamities from so dangerous a crisis.

The Danes, before they durst attempt anyimportant enterprise against England , made aninconsiderable descent by way of trial; andhaving landed from seven vessels near Southampton,they ravaged the country, enriched themselvesby spoil, and departed with impunity. Six yearsafter, they made a like attempt in the west, andmet with like success. The invaders, having nowfound affairs in a very different situation fromthat in which they formerly appeared , encouragedtheir countrymen to assemble a greater force,and to hope for more considerable advantages.They landed in Elf ex under the command oftwo leaders; and having defeated and stain atIVlaldon , Brithnot, duke of that county, whoventured, with a small body, to attack them,they spread their devastations over all the neigh-bouring provinces. In this extremity, Ethelred,to whom historians give the epithet of the Unready,instead of rousing his people to defend withcourage their honour and their property , hearken-ed to the advice of Siricius, archbishop of Can-terbury , which was seconded by many of thedegenerate nobility; and paying the enemy thesum of ten thousand pounds, he bribed them to