In the summer following, a mightie host of the Danes came to Reading, [Sidenote:  Polyd.  Virg. Iuarus.] and there soiourned for a time. ¶ These things agree not with that which Polydor Virgil hath written of these warres which king Ethelred had with the Danes:  for he maketh mention of one Iuarus a king of the Danes, who landed (as he writeth) at the mouth of Humber, and like a stout enimie inuaded the countrie adioining.  Against whome Ethelred with his brother Alured came with an armie, and incountring the Danes, fought with them by the space of a whole day togither, and was in danger to haue beene put to the woorse, but that the night seuered them asunder.  In the morning they ioined againe:  but the death of Iuarus, who chanced to be slaine in the beginning of the battell, [Sidenote:  Danes put to flight.] discouraged the Danes, so that they were easilie put to flight, of whome (before they could get out of danger) a great number were slaine.  But after that they had recouered themselues togither, and [Sidenote:  Agnerus and Hubba.] found but a conuenient place where to pitch their campe, they chose to their capteines Agnerus, and Hubba, two brethren, which indeuored themselues by all meanes possible to repaire their armie:  so that within 15 daies after, the Danes eftsoones fought with the Englishmen, and gaue them such an ouerthrow, that little wanted of making an end of all incounters to be attempted after by the Englishmen.

But yet within a few daies after this, as the Danes attended their market to spoile the countrie and range somewhat licentiouslie abroad, they fell within the danger of such ambushes as were laid for them by king Ethelred, that no small slaughter was made of them, but yet not without some losse of the Englishmen.  Amongest others, Ethelred himselfe receiued a wound, whereof he shortlie after died.  Thus saith Polydor touching the warres which king Ethelred had with the Danes, who yet confesseth (as the trueth is) that such authors as he herein followed, varie much from that which the Danish writers doo record of these matters, and namelie touching the dooings of Iuarus, as in the Danish historie you may see more at large.

But now to our purpose touching the death of king Ethelred, whether by reason of hurt receiued in fight against the Danes (as Polydor saith) or otherwise, certeine it is, that Ethelred anon after Easter [Sidenote:  Winborne abbeie.] departed this life, in the sixt yeare of his reigne, and was buried at Winborne abbey.  In the daies of this Ethelred, the foresaid Danish [Sidenote:  Agnerus. Fabian. 870.] capteins, Hungar, otherwise called Agnerus, and Hubba returning from the north parts into the countrie of the Eastangles, came [Sidenote:  Edmund K. of the Eastangles.] vnto Thetford, whereof Edmund, who reigned as king in that season ouer the Eastangles, being aduertised, raised an armie of men, and went foorth to giue battell vnto this armie of the Danes.  But he with his