The yeere next insuing, the Danes with a great armie entered into Mercia, to rob & spoile the countrie, against whome king Edward sent a mightie host, assembled togither of the Westsaxons & them of Mercia, which set vpon the Danes, as they were returning homeward, and slue of them an huge multitude, togither with their chiefe capteins and [Sidenote:  Hen.  Hunt.] leaders, as king Halden, and king Eolwils, earle Vter, earle Scurfa, and diuerse other.  In the yeere 912, or (as Simon Dunel. saith) 908, the duke of Mercia Edred or Etheldred departed this life, and then king Edward seized into his hands the cities of London and Oxford, and all that part of Mercia which he held.  But afterwards he suffered his sister Elfleda to inioy the most part thereof, except the said cities of London and Oxford, which he still reteined in his owne hand.  This Elfleda was wife to the said duke Edred or Etheldred, as before you haue heard:  of whose woorthie acts more shall be said heereafter.

In the ninth yeere of his reigne, king Edward built a castell at [Sidenote:  Wightham.] Hertford, and likewise he builded a towne in Essex at Wightham, and lay himselfe in the meane time at Maldon, otherwise Meauldun, bringing a great part of the countrie vnder his subiection, which before was subiect to the Danes.  In the yeere following, the armie of [Sidenote:  Chester, or rather Leicester, as I thinke.  Digetune.] the Danes departed from Northampton and Chester in breach of the former truce, and slue a great number of men at Hochnerton in Oxfordshire.  And shortlie after their returne home, an other companie of them went foorth, and came to Leighton, where the people of the countrie being assembled togither, fought with them & put them to flight, taking from them all the spoile which they had got, and also their horsses.

In the 11 yeere of king Edward, a fleet of Danes compassed about the west parts, & came to the mouth of Seuerne, and so tooke preies in Wales:  they also tooke prisoner a Welsh bishop named Camelgaret, [Sidenote:  Irchenfield.] at Irchenfield, whome they led to their ships:  but king Edward redeemed him out of their hands, paieng them fortie pounds for his ransome.  After that the armie of Danes went foorth to spoile the countrie about Irchenfield, but the people of Chester, Hereford, and other townes and countries thereabout assembled togither, and giuing battell to the enimies, put them to flight, and slue one of their [Sidenote:  Danes discomfited.] noble men called earle Rehald, and Geolcil the brother of earle Vter, with a great part of their armie, & draue the residue into a castell, which they besieged till the Danes within it gaue hostages, and couenanted to depart out of the kings land.  The king caused the coasts about Seuerne to be watched, that they should not breake into his countrie:  but yet they stale twise into the borders:  neuerthelesse they were chased and slaine as manie as could not swim, and so get to [Sidenote:  The Ile of Stepen.  Deomedun.] their ships.  Then they remained in the Ile of Stepen, in great miserie for lacke of vittels, bicause they could not go abroad to [Sidenote:  Danes saile into Ireland.] get anie.  At length they departed into Northwales, and from thence sailed into Ireland.