A.D. 892. A SWARM OF PAGANS COME FROM GAUL. 447 persons to study literature, and brought back the sluggish to the strict discipline of wisdom. On which account even the old men began to long for an acquaintance with liberal knowledge, and thought the young men of that time happy inasmuch as they had the opportunity of being instructed in the liberal arts, and they thought themselves unhappy for having remained in ignorance up to that time. A.D. 889. Ethelred, archbishop of Canterbury, died, and was succeeded by Phlegmund. The same year, king Alfred commanded all the bishops and men of religious orders in England to collect the alms of the faithful, and when they had collected them, to send them to Rome and to Jerusalem. The king also sent to those cities no email portion from his own treasury, which he added to the alms of the faithful. A.D. 890. Gytro the Dane, the king of the East Angles, died. He had received that kingdom as a gift from king Alfred, when he embraced Christianity, while Alfred was his godfather. The same year, Ethelswitha, the sister of king Alfred, and formerly the queen of Buthred, king of Mercia, died at Ticino, in the garments of religion, and was buried with due honour in that city. A.D. 891. Arnulf, the guardian of Louis, obtained the empire of Rome, and reigned as emperor twelve years. The same year, three men came from Ireland to king Alfred, desiring to lead a solitary life for the sake of Christ. For, out of three bulls9 hides and a half, they had built themselves an exceedingly small boat without any naval appointments whatever, and taking with them victuals for one week, they secretly put to sea, determining wherever fortune might conduct them. And, as the Lord guided them, on the seventh day after their embarkation they landed in Cornwall, and, on account of the wonderful character and unheard-of strangeness of their achievement, they were presented to the king ; and their names were Dubslane, Manehet, and Manslin. The same year, about the time of Rogation Sunday, a comet appeared, which was named in the English language Beret* &terre. A.D. 892. A great swarm of pagans came over from Gaul, with horses and two hundred and fifty ships, and passing by Kent, ran into the mouth of the river Limenius, which takes its rise in a great wood, which is called $nor*lf*0h)atb', and steered their ships four miles up the river, where they destroyed a small tower which was occupied by a few inhabi