ETHELRED.

1 7 ?

to suffer under their depredations. A pbwerful 6 n A k,army was assembled to oppose the Danes, and a in.general action ensued; but the English were desert-ed in the battle , from the cowardice or treachery ,of their three leaders, all of them men of Danisljrace, Frena, Frithegist, and Godwin, who gavethe example of a shameful flight to the troopsunder their command.

Encouraged by this success, and still moreby the contempt which it inspired for their enemy*’the pirates ventured to attack the center of thekingdom; and entering the Thames in ninety-fourVessels, laid siege to London, and threatened itwith total destruction. But the citizens, alarmedat the danger, and firmly united among themselves,made a bolder defence than the cowardice oftire nobility and gentry gave the invaders reasonto apprehend; aud the besiegers, after sufferingthe greatest hardships, were finally frustrated intheir attempt. In order to revenge themselves,they laid waste Essex, Sussex, and Hampshire;and having there procured horses, they werethereby enabled to spread, through the moreinland counties, the fury of their depredations.

In this extremity, Ethelred and his nobles hadrecourse to the former expedient; and sendingambassadors to the two northern kings, theypromised them subsistence and tribute, on conditionthey would, for the present, put an end to theirravages, and soon after depart the kingdom;

Sweyn and OlaVe agreed to the terms, andreaceably took up their quarters at Southampton j