xtreme lenity it is on some occasions tyrannical. This was the
condition of Ethelred's nobility, who, by being permitted everything,
were never contented.

Thus all the principal men held a sort of factious and independent
authority; they despised the king, they oppressed the people, and they
hated one another. The Danes, in every part of England but Wessex as
numerous as the English themselves, and in many parts more numerous,
were ready to take advantage of these disorders, and waited with
impatience some new attempt from abroad, that they might rise in favor
of the invaders. They were not long without such an occasion; the Danes
pour in almost upon every part at once, and distract the defence which
the weak prince was preparing to make.

In those days of wretchedness and ignorance, when all the maritime parts
of Europe were attacked by these formidable enemies at once, they never
thought of entering into any alliance against them; they equally
neglected the other obvious method to prevent their incursions, which
was, to carry the war into the invaders' country.

[Sidenote: A.D. 987.]

[Sidenote: A.D. 991.]

What aggravated these calamities, the nobility, mostly disaffected to
the king, and entertaining very little regard to their country, made,
some of them, a weak and cowardly opposition to the enemy; some actually
betrayed their trust; some even were found who undertook the trade of
piracy themselves. It was in this condition, that Edric, Duke of Mercia,
a man of some ability, but light, inconstant, and utterly devoid of all
principle, proposed to buy a peace from the Danes. The general weakness
and consternation disposed the king and people to take this pernicious
advice. At first 10,000_l._ was given to the Danes, who retired with
this money and the rest of their plunder. The English were now, for the
first time, taxed to supply this payment. The imposition was called
Danegelt, not more burdensome in the thing than scandalous in the name.
The scheme of purchasing peace not only gave rise to many internal
hardships, but, whilst it weakened the kingdom, it inspired such a
desire of invading it to the enemy, that Sweyn, King of Denmark, came in
person soon after with a prodigious fleet and army. The English, having
once found the method of diverting the storm by an inglorious bargain,
could not bear to think of any other way of resistance. A greater sum,
48,000_l._, was now paid, which the Danes accepted with p