ETHELRED.

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which he had so often attempted in vain by force chap.of arms ‘ : He lulled Rollo into security by an ill-insidious peace ; and falling suddenly upon him ,murdered his brother and his bravest officers,and forced him to fly for safety into Scandinavia.

Here many of his ancient subjects, induced partlyby affection to their prince , partly by theoppressions of the Danish monarch , rangedthemselves under his standard , and offered tofollow him in every enterprise. Rollo , insteadof attempting to recover his paternal dominions ,where he must expect a vigorous resistance fromthe Danes, determined to pursue an casier, butmore important undertaking , and to make hisfortune , in imitation of his countrymen, bypillaging the richer and more southern coasts ofRurope. He collected a body of troops, which,like that of all those ravagers, was composed ofNorwegians, Swedes, Rrisians, Danes, andadventurers of all nations, who, being accustomedto a roving, unsettled life , took delight in nothingbut war and plunder. His reputation brought himassociates from all quarters ; and a vision , which,he pretended to have appeared to him in hissleep, and which, according to his interpretationof it, prognosticated the greatest successes, provedalso a powerful incentive with those ignorant andsuperstitious people 7 .

* Dudo ex edit. Duchesne, p. 70, 71. Gul. Gemet,lib. 2. cap. 2, 3.

7 Dudo, p. 71. Gul. Gem. in epist. ad Gul. Conq.

N 2