159
shire, and they marched against the Army with great readiness; and the Alderman Ælfric should have led these troops, but he practised his former wiles, for as soon as they were so near that either army might behold the other, he gave out that he was ill, and feigned sickness, and thus deceived the troops whom he ought to have headed, even as it is said—"When the General sickeneth, then the whole army is sorely hindered." When Swegn saw that they were not unanimous and that they all began to return, he led his army to Wilton, and plundered and burned that town, and thence they proceeded to Salisbury, and thence to the coast again, and thither he carried their provender to his horses of the sea.[1]
1004
This year Swegn came with his fleet to Norwich, and plundered and burned the whole town. Then Ulfkytel with the Witan of East Anglia concluded that it was better to buy a peace of that army before they did much harm in the country; for the enemy had come upon him unawares, neither had he time to collect his troops; but in the time of truce the Danes stole up from
- ↑ His plunder to the ships.
