Page:A literal translation of the Saxon Chronicle.djvu/124

112 and he observed a place where it might be blocked up so that the Danes could not bring out their ships; and this was done, and two forts were built, one on each side of the river; but while the King was employed on these works, and was encamped by them, the Danes perceiving that they could not remove their ships, deserted them, and marched across the country until they came to Cwat-bridge (Bridgenorth?), on the Severn, and they built a fortress there. Then the King's troops rode westward after them, and the citizens of London went for the ships and broke up all that they could not remove, and all that were serviceable they brought into London. The Danes had placed their wives in safety in East Anglia before they left their fortress. They remained at Cwat-bridge that winter. This was about three years from the time when they came over the sea into Limine-Mutha.

897.

It was in the summer of this year that the army went away, part to East Anglia and part to Northumberland: and there, those who were without money, got themselves ships, and sailed southward to the Seine. Thanks to God, this army had not entirely ruined the English nation, but in these three years it was much afflicted by a