In the 984^th year the holy Æthelwold, bishop of Winchester, passed away to Christ. on 1 August; the holy Ælfheah, abbot of Bath, succeeded him. He took up the religious habit in the monastery of Deerhurst.
In the 985^th year
In the 986^th year Æthelred, king of the English, besieging the city of Rochester because of certain disputes, achieved nothing. As a result, departing enraged, he laid waste the lands of St Andrew the apostle. Ælfric, ealdorman of the Mercians, son of Ealdorman Ælfhere, is expelled from England.
In the 987^th year Lothar, king of the Franks, died; Louis succeeded him. A fever among men, and a very severe pestilence among animals, which is called scitte in English, plagued England everywhere.
In the 988^th year Watchet is laid waste by Danish pirates, with whom the men of Devon engaged. Although their ealdorman, and a very brave soldier, Strenwold, with many others, were annihilated, the English however held sway at the site of the slaughter. The holy Dunstan, archbishop of Canterbury, passed away to Christ; Æthelgar, bishop of Selsey, succeeded him, and held it for one year and three months. Louis the unfortunate, king of the Franks, died; Hugh son of Hugh Capet succeeded him.
In the 989^th year
In the 990^{th 1} year Ælfsige, bishop of St Cuthberht’s, Chester-le-Street, died; Aldhun succeeded him.
In the 991^st year on the death of Æthelgar, archbishop of Canterbury, Sigeric succeeded. Ipswich is laid waste by the Danes. Then, after Brihtnoth, the vigorous ealdorman of the East Angles, had been slain in battle, and an infinite multitude on each side, the Danes were the victors near Maldon. Also in this year, on the advice of Sigeric, archbishop of Canterbury, and the rest of the nobles, a tribute—which was 10 thousand pounds—was given for the first time to the Danes so that they might keep an enduring peace. The holy Oswald the archbishop dedicated the monastery of Ramsey which he and God’s friend, Æthelwine, ealdorman of the East Angles, had built.
In the 992^nd year the holy Oswald, the archbishop, before he was due to prepare the feet of the poor, as enjoined in the usual way, passed away to the Lord on 29 February, and was buried in the church of St Mary which he had built from its foundations. Ealdwulf, abbot of Peterborough, succeeded him. Ealdorman Æthelwine died.
In the 993^rd year an army of Danes broke into Bamburgh and plundered it; then it wasted Lindsey and Northumbria in large part.
In the 994^th year Pope Benedict died; John succeeded him, dying in the same year; another John succeeded him. Óláfr, king of the Norwegians, and Svein, king of the Danes, are carried to London with 94 triremes, from where they are driven back by the citizens, not without great loss to their army. As a result, inflamed with anger, they went mad, raging throughout England, sparing neither sex or age from sword and flame. A tribute, moreover, of 16 thousand pounds was paid to them. Afterwards, King Æthelred received King Óláfr, who was confirmed by the holy Ælfheah, as his adopted son, and sent him back with honour to his country to return no more. Richard, the first duke of the Normans, died; his son, Richard, succeeded him. Cináed king of Scots is slain, after whom: King Custantín, a son descended from Cuilén,*
In the 995^th year Bishop Aldhun translated the body of St Cuthberht from Chester-le-Street to Durham. Pope John died; another John succeeded him. Custantín king of Scots is put to death, after whom: King Grim reigned for the space of
In the 996^th year Sigeric, archbishop of Canterbury, died: he established monks after the clerks had been thrown in confusion from Kent. Ælfric is consecrated archbishop of Canterbury.
In the 997^th year the Danish army which had stayed on in England was ruinous