55 4 
E N G 1 
the mod perfefl of mankind. His reign was fuccefsful, 
becaufe it was founded upon a compliance with the pre¬ 
judices of the people ; but it produced very fenfible evils, 
and thefe fell upon his fucceflor. He died after a reign 
of fixteen years, in the thirty-third year of his age, being 
lucceeded by his fon Edward, whom he had by his fil'd 
marriage with the daughter of the earl of Ordmer. 
Edward, furnamed the Martyr, was made king, A. D. 
951 } by the filtered of the monks, but lived only four 
years after his accedlon. In his reign there is nothing 
remarkable, if we except his tragical end. Though this 
young monarch had been from the beginning oppofed by 
Elfrida, his dep-mother, who feems to have united the 
greated deformity of mind with the higheft graces of per- 
fon, yet he ever (hewed her the dronged marks of re¬ 
gard, and exprefled, on all occafions, the mod tender af- 
tedlion for her fon, his half-brother. Hou'ever, hunting 
one day near Corfe-cadle in Dorfetdiire, where Elfrida 
refided, he thought it his duty to pay her a vilit, though 
not attended by any of his retinue. Being thirdy, and 
defiring Come liquor to be brought him, while he was yet 
holding the cup to his mouth, one of Elfrida’s domedics, 
indrufted for that purpofe, dabbed him in the back. 
The king, finding himfelf wounded, put fpurs to his 
liorfe; but, fainting with the lofs of blood, he fell from 
the faddle, and his foot hanging in the dirrup, he was 
dragged by his horfe till he was killed. Being tracked 
by the blood, his body was found, and privately interred 
at Wareham by his fervaiits. 
Ethelred the Second, the fon of Edgar and Elfrida, 
fucceeded to the throne, A. D. 978. He was a weak and 
irrefolute monarch, incapable of governing the kingdom, 
or of providing for its fafety. After a train of didenfions 
and vices, which feem to have marked foine of the former 
reigns, it is not furprifing that the country was weaken¬ 
ed ; and the people, taught to rely entirely on preterna¬ 
tural affidance, were rendered incapable of defending 
themfelves. During this period, therefore, their old and 
watchful enemies, the Danes, who feem not to have been 
overloaded with the comforts or luxuries of life, were 
daily gaining ground. The weaknefs and the inexperi¬ 
ence of Ethelred, appeared to give a favourable oppor¬ 
tunity for renewing their depredations ; and accordingly 
they landed on feveral parts of the coaffs, fpreading ter¬ 
ror and devaftation. The Englifh, ill-provided to op’ 
pofe fuch an enemy, made but a feeble refinance; endea¬ 
vouring by forbearance and treaty to avert tire dorm they 
had not fpirit to oppofe. The northern invaders, now 
perceiving the defencelefs condition of England, made a 
powerful defeent, under Sweyn king of Denmark, and 
Olave king of Norway, who, failing tip the Humber, 
committed on all Tides the mod dedrudtive ravages. The 
Englidi oppofed them with a formidable army, but were 
repulfed with great daughter. The Danes, encouraged 
by their fuccels, marched into the heart of the kingdom, 
filling all places through which they paffed with rapine 
and cruelty. Ethelred had, upon the former invation of 
thefe pirates, bought them olf with money; and he now 
refolved to put the fame expedient in practice. He fent 
arnbaffadors, therefore, to the two kings, and offered them 
fubfiftence and tribute, provided they would redrain their 
ravages', and depart the kingdom. It has often been 
remarked, that buying oif an invafion only ferves to 
firengthen the enemy, and to invite a repetition of hof- 
tilities. Such it happened upon this occafion : Sweyn 
and Olave agreed to the terms, and peaceably took up 
their quarters at Southampton, where the fum of fixteen 
thoufand pounds was paid them. Olave returned to his 
native country, and never infeded England more; but 
Sweyn was lefs fcrupulous, and allowed but a fhort in¬ 
terval of peace. 
The Englifh, A. D. 998, found their (Ituation, on this 
account, truly deplorable. The weaknefs of the king, 
the diviflons of the nobility, the treachery of fome, and 
the cowardice of others, fru fixated all their endeavours 
a A N D. .. 
for mutual defence. The Danes, well informed of their 
fitu3tion, again appeared on the Englifh (bore; and, fee¬ 
ing the incapacity of the country to oppofe them, they 
demanded twenty-five thoufand pounds more. This fum 
they alfo received ; but this only ferved to provoke their 
appetite for frefh exadtions, which the fubfequent events- 
too amply put in their power. The Danes had made fe¬ 
veral fettlements, for many years before, in diderent parts 
of the kingdom ; and their military (uperiority was gene¬ 
rally acknowledged by all : hence the kings of England 
had been acctidomed to keep in pay bodies of Danifh 
troops, whom they• quartered in different parts of the 
country. Thefe mercenaries, from an attention to clean- 
nefs and decency, had attained to Inch an height of lux¬ 
ury, (according to the writers of thofedays,) that they 
combed their hair once a day , bathed themfelves once a 
week ; till by thefe arts, then edeemed effeminate, they 
rendered themfelves fo agreeable to the fair fex, that they 
debauched the wives and daughters of the Englidi, and 
difhonoured many families. To thofe vices were added 
the treachery of their condudt upon every threatened in¬ 
vafion, when they diewed their attachmept to their own 
countrymen, againh thofe among whom they were per¬ 
mitted to refide. 1 hefe were motives fuflicient, in that 
barbarous age, to indigate a general madacre; and Ethel¬ 
red, by a policy incident to weak princes, embraced the 
horrid refolution of putting them all to the fword. This 
plot was carried on with fuch fecrecy, that it was exe¬ 
cuted in one day, and all the Danes in England were de- 
droyed without mercy. But this madacre, fo perfidious 
in the contriving, and fo cruel in the execution, indead 
.of ending the long miferies of the people, only prepared 
the way for greater calamities. 
While the Englidi were congratulating each other up¬ 
on this deliverance from an intedine enemy, Sweyn ap¬ 
peared oif the wedern coads with a large fleet, medi¬ 
tating furious revenge. The Englifh now vainly attempted 
to fummon their forces ; treachery and cowardice ope¬ 
rated to difpirit their leaders, or to diflipate their troops. 
To thefe misfortunes were added a dreadful famine, partly 
from bad feafons, and partly from the negledt of agricul¬ 
ture. For a while they fuppofed that the threats of the 
Danes might be averted by the payment of thirty thou¬ 
fand pounds, which the invaders agreed to accept; but 
this, as in the former cafes, afforded only a temporary 
relief. For a while they placed their hopes in a power¬ 
ful navy, which they found means to equip ; but this 
was divided and difperfed, without affording any adhtal 
fervice. Nothing, therefore, remained, but their fuffer- 
ing the juft indignation of the conqueror, and undergoing 
all the evils that war, inftigated by revenge, could in¬ 
flict. During this period, a general confternation and 
dilfenfion prevailed in England. Celfations from thefe 
calamities were purchafed, one after another, by immenfe 
fums ; but as they afforded only a fhort alleviation of the 
common diftrefs, no other relource eventually remained 
than that of fubmitting to the Danifh monarch, of (wear¬ 
ing allegiance to him, and giving hoftages or pledges of 
fincerity. Ethelred was obliged to fly into Normandy, 
and the whole country bowed to the fuperior power of 
Sweyn, his vidtorious enemy. 
The death of Sweyn, which happened about fix weeks 
after, feemed to offer a favourable opportunity of reffor- 
ing Ethelred to the throne, and his fubjefts to their liber¬ 
ties. Accordingly he feized it witii avidity ; but his mif- 
talces were incurable, and his indolence, credulity, and 
cowardice, obftrufted all fuccefs : fo that, after having 
feen the greatett part of the kingdom wretted from him 
by an infulting enemy, and after refufing to head his 
troops to oppofe them, he retired to London,,where he 
ended an inglorious reign of thirty-five years, leaving two 
fons, the eldeft of whom, Edmund, inherited his crown 
and his misfortunes. 
Ednuind fucceeded to the throne of his father, A. D. 
joj 6, and received the furname of Itonfide, front his 
hardy 
