A.D. 987.] DISTRESS OF TH E ENGLISH-NATION. 269 and the king in consequence laid siege to the city of Roches ter, determined to take it ; whereupon the blessed Dunstan bade him desist, lest he should irritate St. Andrew, the patron of that city. But disregarding the blessed man's admonition, the king would not retire till the bishop paid him a hundred pounds. Astonished at his avarice, St. Dunstan sent the king this message, "Because thou hast preferred silver unto God, money to an apostle, avarice unto me, there shall quickly come upon thee the evils which the Lord hath spoken, but not in my lifetime." After the death of the blessed man, according to his prediction, the Danes infested all the ports of the kingdom, insomuch that men knew not which way to go and oppose them, and at length the prudent determined to make trial of money where the sword had failed. Accordingly they paid ten thousand pounds to satisfy the rapacity of the Danes, that the pro phecy of the blessed Dunstan might be fulfilled. St. Oswald [Ethelwold], bishop of Winchester, departed to the Lord. A.D. 984. John sat in the Roman chair nine months, and was succeeded by another John, who sat nine years. In this year also Otho the third attained the Roman empire and reigned nineteen years. In the same year St. Oswald [Ethelwold], bishop of Winchester, departed to the Lord, and was succeeded by Elfege, abbat of Bath, a learned and accomplished man. A.D. 985. On the death of Kinewald, bishop of Wells, the most reverend abbat Sigar succeeded him. In this year too, Alfric, duke of Mercia, son of duke Alfer, was banished the kingdom. Payment of tribute to the Danes. A.D. 986. Elhelred, king of England, who in spite of the prohibition of king Dunstan had extorted a hundred pounds from the bishop of Rochester, was compelled to purchase a very short peace by the payment of sixteen thousand pounds. Distress of the English nation. A.D. 987. The English nation was afflicted by two plagues, the one a fever affecting the people, the other a mortality of the cattle ; and by these every part of the kingdom was grievously wasted.