A.D. 1060. main OF THE BISHOP OF DURHAM. 143 with no small sum of money, and give his army free licence to seize provisions in the neighbourhood of the sea-shore, upon condition that, after the close of winter, they should depart, without any further hostilities. To these propositions Osborn, being greedy for gold and silver, to his great disgrace, assented. "While the Normans, in the preceding year, were laying waste England, throughout Northumbria and some other provinces, but in the present and succeeding year, throughout almost the whole of England, but especially Northumbria and the provinces adjoining to it, a famine prevailed to such a degree, that, compelled by hunger, men ate human flesh, and that of horses, dogs, and cats, and whatever was repulsive to notions of civilization ; some persons went so far as to sell themselves into perpetual slavery, provided only they could in some way or other support a miserable existence ; some departing from their native country into exile, breathed forth their exhausted spirits in the midst of the journey. It was dreadful to behold human corpses rotting in the houses, streets, and high roads, and as they reeked with putrefaction, swarming with worms, and sending forth a horrid stenoh ; for all the people having been cut off, either with the sword or famine, or else having through hunger left their native country, there were not sufficient left to inter them. Thus, during a period of nine years, did the land, deprived of its cultivators, extend far and wide a mere dreary waste. Between York and Durham there was not one inhabited town ; the dens of wild beasts and robbers, to the great terror of the traveller, were alone to be seen. While the king was doing these things in the neighbourhood of York, Egei win, bishop of Durham, and the chiefs of the people, being fearful that, on account of the death of the earl35 at Durham and the slaughter of the Normans at York, the sword of the king would involve both innocent and guilty in a like destruction, unanimously disinterred the holy and incorruptible body of the blessed father Cuthbert and took to flight, on the third day before the ides of December, being the sixth day of the week. They first rested at Girwine,36 next at Bethlingtun,37 the third time at Tughale,33 and the fourth at 35 Robert Cummin. 38 Jarrow, in Durham. 57 Berllington, in Northumberland. 31 Tughall, in Northumberland.