A.D. 896.] DANES DEFEAT THE LONDONERS. Roman chair three years and six months. In the same year died Wulfer, archbishop of York, and was succeeded by Ethelbald. At the same time, the wicked Hastein and the rest of the pagans, whom king Alfred's army had driven from Beamfleot, resolved to cross over to their countrymen who dwelt in the western parts of England. Stealing, therefore, a hasty march through the province of the Mercians, they reached a certain village named Buttingetune, situated on the river Severn, where they were honourably received by their brethren, and admitted into a town they had built there. When this was told to king Alfred, he assembled an invincible army, and arriving at the aforesaid town, which was washed on all sides by the waters of the Severn, he surrounded the pagans both with sea and land forces. After a long siege, and their victuals failing them, the enemy at last devoured their horses ; and when they had consumed every thing, driven by necessity, they came forth from the town to fight with the army which was on the eastern side of the river ; and in the first onset there fell on the king's side one of his ministers named Ordein, and many others with him. But the Christians at length prevailed, and put their adver* saries to flight ; and pursuing them without pity, the faithful drowned numbers of them in the waters and put others to the sword. Those who escaped the slaughter fled to Leicester, whose English name is Wyrhale, where they found numbers of their countrymen in a certain town, and were admitted by them into their fraternity. On arriving there, the king, not being able to lay siege to the place, burned all the corn and victuals which he found without the town. Contest between the English and the Danes, In the year of our Lord 896, the wicked band of pagans quitted Leicester and made for Northumberland, and there taking ship, they began again to roam the seas. Landing at length at the mouth of the river Line, not far from the city of London, they drew their ships on shore and took to plunder and rapine. On hearing of which the citizens of London, taking to their aid the people of the neighbouring parts, came to the aforesaid place, where they found that the enemy had now formed a settlement. They engaged on both sides, the citizens of London were put to flight, and four of the