Ile of Wight, and liued vpon spoiles & preies which they tooke in
[Sidenote: 998.]
Hampshire and Sussex. At length they came into the Thames, and so
[Sidenote: 999. The Danes arriue in the Thames.]
by the riuer of Medwey arriued at Rochester. The Kentishmen assembled
togither and fought with the Danes, but they were ouercome, and so
left the field to the Danes. After this, the same Danes sailed into
Normandie, and king Egelred went into Cumberland, where the Danes
inhabited in great numbers, whome he ouercame with sore warre, and
[Sidenote: 1000.]
wasted almost all Cumberland, taking great spoiles in the same.
[Sidenote: 1001. Exmouth]
About the same time, or shortlie after, the Danes with their nauie,
returning out of Normandie, came vnto Exmouth, and there assaulted the
castell, but they were repelled by them that kept it. After this they
spread abroad ouer all the countrie, exercising their accustomed trade
of destroieng all before them with fire and sword. The men of
[Sidenote: Pentho.]
Summersetshire fought with them at Pentho, but the Danes got the vpper
hand.

Thus the state of the realme in those daies was verie miserable, for
there wanted worthie chieftains to rule the people, and to chastise
them when they did amisse. There was no trust in the noble men, for
euerie one impugned others dooing, and yet would not deuise which
[Sidenote: Disagréement with councellors what fruit it bringeth.]
way to deale with better likelihood. When they assembled in councell,
and should haue occupied their heads in deuising remedies for the
mischiefe of the common wealth, they turned their purpose vnto
altercation, about such strifes, contentions and quarels as each one