Page:The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (Giles).djvu/86

68 and there took the king's wife, and some four and thirty persons.

A. 917. In this year, after Easter, the army rode forth from Northampton and Leicester, and broke the peace, and slew many men at Hockerton, and there about. And then very speedily after that, when the one came home, then they got ready another troop which rode out against Leighton: and then the inhabitants were aware of them, and fought against them, and put them to full flight, and retook all which they had seized, and also a great portion of their horses and of their weapons. This year, before Lammas, Ethelfled, lady of the Mercians, God helping her, got possession of the fortress which is called Derby, with all that owed obedience thereto; and there also were slain, within the gates, four of her thanes, which to her was a cause of sorrow.

A. 918. This year, in the early part of the year, by God's help, she got into her power, by treaty, the fortress at Leicester, and the greater part of the army which owed obedience thereto became subject to her; and the people of York had also covenanted with her, some having given a pledge, and some having bound themselves by oath, that they would be at her command. In this year a great fleet came over hither from the south, from the Lidwiccas, [Brittany,] and with it two earls, Ohtor and Rhoald: and they went west about till they arrived within the mouth of the Severn, and they spoiled the North-Welsh everywhere by the sea-coast where they then pleased. And in Archenfield they took bishop Cameleac, and led him with them to their ships; and then king Edward ransomed him afterwards with forty pounds. Then after that, the whole army landed, and would have gone once more to plunder about Archenfield. Then met them the men of Hereford and of Gloucester, and of the nearest towns, and fought against them and put them to flight, and slew the earl Rhoald, and a brother of Ohter the other earl, and many of the army, and drove them into an inclosure, and there beset them about, until they delivered hostages to them that they would depart from king Edward's dominion. And the king had so ordered it that his forces sat down against them on the south side of Severn-mouth, from the Welsh coast westward, to the mouth of the Avon eastward; so that on