King Egelred supposed that by the paiment of that monie he should haue beene rid out of all troubles, of warre with the Danes.  But the nobles of the realme thought otherwise, and therefore willed him to [Sidenote:  Swaine returneth into England to make warre.] prepare an armie with all speed that might be made.  Swaine taried not long (to proue the doubt of the noble men to be grounded of foreknowledge) but that with swift speed he returned againe into England, and immediatlie vpon his arriuall was an armie of Englishmen assembled and led against him into the field.  Herevpon they ioined [Sidenote:  King Egelred discomfited in battell.] in battell, which was sore foughten for a time, till at length by reason of diuerse Englishmen that turned to the enimies side, the discomfiture fell with such slaughter vpon the English host, that king Egelred well perceiued the state of his regall gouernement to bee brought into vtter danger.  Wherevpon after the losse of this field, he assembled the rest of his people that were escaped, and spake vnto them after this manner.

The oration of king Egelred to the remanent of his souldiers.

“I shuld for euer be put to silence, if there wanted in vs the vertue of a fatherlie mind, in giuing good aduise & counsel for the well ordering and due administration of things in the common wealth, or if there lacked courage or might in our souldiers and men of warre to defend our countrie.  Trulie to die in defense of the countrie where we are borne, I confesse it a woorthie thing, and I for my part am readie to take vpon me to enter into the midst of the enimies in defense of my kingdome.  But here I see our countrie and the whole English nation to be at a point to fall into vtter ruine.  We are ouercome of the Danes, not with weapon or force of armes; but with treason wrought by our owne people:  we did at the first prepare a nauie against the enimies, the which that false traitour Elfrike betraid into their hands.  Againe, oftentimes haue we giuen battell with euill successe, and onelie through the fault of our owne people that haue beene false and disloiall:  whereby we haue bin constreined to agree with the enimies vpon dishonorable conditions, euen as necessitie required, which to ouercome, resteth onelie in God.  Such kind of agreement hath beene made in deed to our destruction, sith the enimies haue not sticked to breake it (they being such a wicked kind of people as neither regard God nor man) contrarie to right and reason, and beside all our hope & expectation.  So that the matter is come now to this passe, that we haue not cause onlie to feare the losse of our gouernement, but least the name of the whole English nation be destroied for euer.  Therefore sithens the enimies are at hand, and as it were ouer our heads, you to whom my commandement hath euer bene had in good regard, prouide, take counsell, and see to succor the state of your countrie now readie to decay and to fall into irrecouerable ruine.”