A.D. 991. RAVAGES OF THE DANES. 79 In the year 986, by reason of certain dissensions, Egelred, king of the English, laid siege to the city of Rochester, but perceiving the difficulty of taking it, departed in anger, and laid waste the lands* of Saint Andrew the Apostle. Alfric, the duke of the Mercians, son of duke ARer, was this year banished from England. In the year 987, there occurred two plagues, unknown to the English nation in preceding ages, namely, a fever affecting the people, and a murrain among animals, which, in the English language, is called " Scitha," being a flnx of the bowels; these greatly ravaged the whole of England, and affected both men and animals with great devastation, and, consuming the inner parts of the body, raged in an indescribable manner throughout all the territories of England. In the year 988, "Wesedport9* was ravaged by the Danish pirates, by whom, also, Goda, earl of Devon, and Stremewold, a very brave warrior, were slain ; but a considerable number of the enemy having been killed, the English became masters of the place.87 In the first year of the indiction, on the fourteenth day before the calends of June, it being the Sabbath, Saint Dunstan the archbishop departed this life, and attained a heavenly kingdom ; in his stead Ethelgar, bishop of Selsey,98 received the archbishopric, and held it one year and three months. In the year 989, archbishop Aldred" died, and was succeeded by Aldune. In the year 991, Gippeswic1 was ravaged by the Danes. Their leaders were Justin, and Guthmund, the son of Steitan ; with them, not long after this, Brithnoth, the brave duke of the East Saxons, engaged in battle near Meldun ;2 but, after a multitude on both sides had fallen, the duke himseR was slain, ani. the Danish fortunes prevailed. Moreover, in this year, by the advice of Sirie, the archbishop of Canterbury, and the dukes Ethelward and Alfric,- a tribute, which consisted of ten *5 Belonging to the bishopric of Rochester. 95 Probably Watchet, in Somersetshire. 91 " Loco fluininis" in the original ; " fluminis" being probably an error for some other word. 88 In Sussex. 99 The same who just before is called Ethelgar. '- Ipswich. 1 Maldon.