been buried in the church of the blessed Denys. But because* for the sake of the pay of his soldiers, he had tampered with his own patrimony, and also with the tithes of nearly all the churches of Gaul, he was carried away bodily out of the sepulchre, in a miserable manner, by malignant spirits, and has never been seen since to this very day. A.D. 853. Ethelwolf, king of the West Saxons, and Beornred, king of Mercia, defeated the Midland Britons in battle, and compelled them to submit to their dominion. A.D. 854. Wymond, archbishop of York, died, and was succeeded by Wolfer. The same year, Eanbert, bishop'of Lindisfarne, died, and was succeeded by Eardulf. The same year, the noble king Ethelwolf gave a tenth part of his kingdom, free from all secular services, exactions, and tributes to God and the blessed Mary, and all the saints. And I think it well to set forth here the deed of this donation, and the confirmation of the charter by which it was given, in order that his devotion may be known among all men. " Though our Lord Jesus Christ reigns for ever and ever, nevertheless we see in our times wars, and conflagrations, and plundering of our resources, and various and inhuman afflictions of barbarian enemies, and nations of pagans laying waste our country and afflicting us to the very point of death, and we see perilous times at hand. Wherefore, I, Ethelwolf, king of the West Saxons, with the advice of,my bishops and princes, have adopted a salutary counsel and one uniform remedy in giving up a certain portion of my territory to God and the blessed Mary, and to all the saints, to be possessed by them of everlasting right, to wit, one tenth part of all my territory, which shall be exempt from all gifts, and protected from all secular services, and from the tribute due to the king, both greater and less, and free also from the tax which is called OTttetefcont. And this land shall be free from all burdens for the release of souls, and for the remission of my sins, and dedicated to God above, without any charges on account of any expeditions, or buildings of bridges, or fortifications of citadels, in order that the priests may the more diligently pour forth prayers for us to God without intennis* sion, in proportion as we by this donation do in some respects lighten their heavy burdens. And it has seemed good to Aistan, bishop of the church of Sherburne, and to Swithun, bishop of the church at Winchester, with their abbots, and with the