A.D. 844.] SEEGIUS POPE. 179 the southern parts, and is ravaging the cities and towns, and destroying with fire and sword whatever is in their way." News of this kind, whether from the east, the west, or the north, deprived the natives of all hope of safety ; and thus, with hearts bowed down by so many misfortunes and evil tiding3, would the kings enter on a doubtful contest with their hostile invaders, in which sometimes the natives, and sometimes the enemies, were defeated. In the year of our Lord 839, earl Herebert fought against the pagans at Merswarum, where he fell, the Danes gaining the victory, and his own men being routed. In the year of our Lord 840, died Andred, king of the Northumbrians, and was succeeded by his son Athelred, who reigned seven years. In the year of our Lord 841, an army of pagans marched through the eastern parts of England, that is to say, Kent and East-Anglia, slaying an innumerable multitude. They at the same time ravaged the region of Lindissey. In the same year died Louis the pious, king of the French and patrician of the Romans, and was succeedeed by Lothaire, who reigned fifteen years. In the year of our Lord 842, a most wicked army of Danes, advancing further into England, slew an immense multitude of people of both sexes in the neighbourhood of Canterbury and Rochester, and of the city of London. Lothaire punished his enemies. In the year of our Lord 843, Lothaire, king of the French and emperor of the Romans, marched into Saxony, and with great spirit crushed a conspiracy of the freedmen to destroy their lords, and inflicted capital punishment on the authors of it. Sergius is made pope. In the year of our Lord 844, Sergius, who is also called Pelagius, filled the Roman chair three years. In this year Athelwulf, king of the West-Saxons, fought against the Danes at Carr [Charmouth], but the Danes obtained the victory. In the same year Athelred, king of the Northumbrians, was driven from his kingdom, and was succeeded by Redwulf, who was no sooner invested with the diadem than he fought a battle N2