day.  Herevpon he sent priuie commissioners to all cities, burrowes and townes within his dominions, commanding the rulers and officers in the same, to kill all such Danes as remained within their liberties, at a certeine day prefixed, being saint Brices day, in the yeare 1012, and in the 34 [Sidenote:  1012.  The 18 of Nouember.  The murder of the Danes.] yeare of king Egelreds reigne.  Herevpon (as sundrie writers agree) in one day & houre this murther began, and was according to the commission and iniunction executed.  But where it first began, the same is vncerteine:  some say at Wellowin in Herefordshire, some at a [Sidenote:  Hownhill, or Houndhill, a place within Merchington parish beside the forest of Needwood, somewhat more than two miles from Vtoxcester.] place in Staffordshire called Hownhill, & others in other places, but whersoeuer it began, the dooers repented it after.

[Sidenote:  The miserable state of this realme vnder the thraldome of the Danes.] But now yer we proceed anie further, we will shew what rule the Danes kept here in this realme before they were thus murthered, as in some bookes we find recorded.  Whereas it is shewed that the Danes compelled the husbandmen to til the ground & doo all maner of labour and toile to be doone about husbandrie:  the Danes liued vpon the fruit and gaines that came thereof, and kept the husbandmens wiues, their daughters, maids and seruants, vsing and abusing them at their pleasures.  And when the husbandmen came home, then could they scarse haue such sustenance of meats and drinkes as fell for seruants to haue:  so that the Danes had all their commandements, eating and drinking of the best, where the sillie man that was the owner, could hardlie come to his fill of the worst.  Besides this, the common people were so oppressed by the Danes, that for feare and dread they called [Sidenote:  Hector Boet.] them in euerie such house where anie of them soiourned, Lord Dane.  And if an Englishman and a Dane chanced to meet at anie bridge or streight passage, the Englishman must staie till the Lord Dane were passed.  But in processe of time, after the Danes were voided the land, this word Lord Dane was in derision and despight of the Danes turned [Sidenote:  Lordane whereof the word came.] by Englishmen into a name of reproch, as Lordane, which till these our daies is not forgotten.  For when the people in manie parts of this realme will note and signifie anie great idle lubber that will not labour nor take paine for his liuing, they will call him Lordane.  Thus did the Danes vse the Englishmen in most vile manner, and kept them in such seruile thraldome as cannot be sufficientlie vttered.

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