King Ethelwulfe gouerned his subiects verie politikelie, and by himselfe and his capteins oftentimes put the Danes to flight, though as chance of warre falleth out, he also receiued at their hands [Sidenote:  Simon Dun. Hen.  Hunt.] great losses, and sundrie sore detriments.  In the first yeere of his reigne, the Danes arriued at Hampton, with 33 ships, against whome he sent earle Wulhard with part of his armie, the which giuing battell to the enimies, made great slaughter of them, and obteined a noble [Sidenote:  Danes discomfited. Matth.  West.] victorie.  He sent also earle Adelhelme with the Dorsetshire men against an other number of the Danes, which were landed at Portesmouth, but after long fight, the said Adelhelme was slaine, [Sidenote:  Englishmen put to flight.  They are eftsoones vanquished.] and the Danes obteined the victorie.  In the yeere following, earle Herbert fought against the Danes at Merseware, and was there slaine, and his men chased.  The same yeere, a great armie of Danes passing by the east parts of the land, as through Lindsey, Eastangle, and Kent, slue and murthered an huge number of people.  The next yeere after this, they entered further into the land, and about Canturburie, Rochester, and London, did much mischiefe.

King Ethelwulfe in the fift yeere of his reigne, with a part of his [Sidenote:  Carrum.] armie incountred with the Danes at Carrum, the which were arriued in those parties with 30 ships, hauing their full fraught of men, so that for so small a number of vessels, there was a great power of [Sidenote:  The Danes wan the victorie in battell.  Danes are vanquished. Simon Dun. 851.] men of warre, in so much that they obteined the victorie at that time, and put the king to the woorse.  About the tenth yeere of king Ethelwulfs reigne, one of his capteins called Ernwulfe, and bishop Adelstan, with the Summersetshire men, and an other capteine called Osred, with the Dorsetshire men, fought against the Danes, at a place called Pedredesmuth, and vanquished them with great triumph.  In the sixteenth yeere of his reigne, king Ethelwulfe and his sonne Edelbald hauing assembled all their powers togither, gaue battell at Ocley, [Sidenote:  Ocley.  Two hundred and fiftie ships saith Hen.  Hunt.] to an huge host of Danes, the which with foure hundred and fiftie ships had arriued at Thames mouth, and destroied the famous cities of London and Canturburie, and also had chased Brightwulfe king of Mercia in battell, and being now entered into Southerie, were incountered by king Ethelwulfe at Ocley aforesaid, & after sore fight and incredible slaughter made on both sides, in the end, the victorie by the power of God was giuen to those that beleeued on him, and the losse rested with great confusion to the miscreants.