THE DANES. THE SAXONS KESTORED. 6 



ravages sterility and desolation frowned on the face 

 of (he coast in every direction. Alfred the King" 

 engaged those cruel and remorseless invaders 

 and triumphed over them. After this they made a 

 variety of attempts in Britain, and in the reign of 

 Alfred fought many battles in it. After the death 

 of Alfred their affairs underwent various changes, 

 fighting battles, w inning and losing, conquering and 

 being conquered, till the time of Edred the first, 

 who was stiled King of Great Britain, who in the 

 year 950 completely conquered them. It was king 

 Edred also who in 954 took away the sovereign 

 power from Northumberland, and made an Earldom 

 of it. After the death of Edred, the kingdom being 

 divided between Edmund the third, son of Ethel- 

 red, and Canute, by party faction, Edmund is 

 acknowledged King by the city of London, and one 

 part of the Kingdom, while the other part acknow- 

 ledges Canute. Edmund is murdered soon after by 

 Duke Edrick, and Canute ascends theBritish throne, 

 in the year 1017, which introduces the Danish 

 Kings, which ended in the death of Hardicanute. 



In the year 1042, Edward surnamed the Confessor, 

 son of King Ethelred the second and queen Emma, 

 mounts the British throne, in whom the Saxon 

 sovereignty is restored, and in whose reign Tosti, 

 Earl of Northumberland, was in power, whose name 

 is mentioned in the inscription over the door of the 

 church at Kirkdale, and who had possessions in this 

 district ; in consequence of which I have traced the 

 history of England to the conquest of William, 

 Duke of Normandy. After the death of Edward 



