A.D. 912.J BAPTISM OF BOLLO, The town of Hertford built. A.D. 912. Ethelred, the valorous earl of the Mercians, ended his days ; and after his death, his wife Elfleda, daughter of king Alfred, most serenely governed for a long time the entire province of the Mercians, except the cities of London and Oxford, which her brother king Eadward retained to himself. In the same year king Eadward built the town of Hertford between three rivers, the Memaran, the Beneficche, and the Line, and the town called Witham in Essex, about the feast of St. Martin. Baptism of Rollo, first duke of Normandy. In the same year Bollo, duke and conqueror of Normandy, elated in heart, attacked the city of Paris, which he set himself to besiege, and ravaged the country around; but not being able to take the place on account of the strength of its situation and its walls, he turned aside and took the city of Bayeux, which he found defenceless, distributing its spoils to his followers and putting the inhabitants to the sword. In this city he seized a certain noble damsel named Popa, daughter of duke Berengarius, an illustrious man : he not long after married her, and had by her a son named William, and a daughter named Gerloc, a most beautiful damsel. Then taking the cities of Paris and Evreux, he put the citizens to the sword and carried off an immense booty ; after which he burst forth on the French nation, burning the churches of Christ, slaughtering the people, and carrying the women away captives. Overwhelmed by these calamities, the French people beset king Charles with loud lamentations, complaining that by his slothfulness Christ's people had fallen victims to the incursions of the pagans. Greatly moved by their complaints, the king sent Franco archbishop of Bouen to Bollo, promising, if he would become a Christian, that he would give him the territory along the coast from the river Eptis unto the limits of Brittany, together with his daughter Gilla in marriage. The archbishop accordingly undertook the embassy, and set the matter before the pagan duke. By the advice of his people Bollo gladly embraced the proposal, and on an appointed day both parties met at St. Clerc, beyond