Rochester.  The Kentishmen assembled togither and fought with the Danes, but they were ouercome, and so left the field to the Danes.  After this, the same Danes sailed into Normandie, and king Egelred went into Cumberland, where the Danes inhabited in great numbers, whome he ouercame with sore warre, and [Sidenote:  1000.] wasted almost all Cumberland, taking great spoiles in the same. [Sidenote:  1001.  Exmouth] About the same time, or shortlie after, the Danes with their nauie, returning out of Normandie, came vnto Exmouth, and there assaulted the castell, but they were repelled by them that kept it.  After this they spread abroad ouer all the countrie, exercising their accustomed trade of destroieng all before them with fire and sword.  The men of [Sidenote:  Pentho.] Summersetshire fought with them at Pentho, but the Danes got the vpper hand.

Thus the state of the realme in those daies was verie miserable, for there wanted worthie chieftains to rule the people, and to chastise them when they did amisse.  There was no trust in the noble men, for euerie one impugned others dooing, and yet would not deuise which [Sidenote:  Disagreement with councellors what fruit it bringeth.] way to deale with better likelihood.  When they assembled in councell, and should haue occupied their heads in deuising remedies for the mischiefe of the common wealth, they turned their purpose vnto altercation, about such strifes, contentions and quarels as each one against other, and suffered the generall case to lie still in the dust.  And if at anie time there was anie good conclusion agreed vpon, for the withstanding of the enimie, & releefe of the common wealth, anon should the enimie be aduertised thereof by such as were of aliance or consanguinitie to them.  For (as Caxton, Polychr. and others say) the English bloud was so mixed with that of the Danes and Britains, who were like enimies to the Englishmen, that there was almost few of the nobilitie and commons, which had not on the one side a parent of some of them.

Whereby it came to passe, that neither the secret purposes of the king could be concealed till they might take due effect; neither their assemblies proue quiet without quarelling and taking of parts.  Manie also being sent foorth with their powers one way (whilest the king went to make resistance another) did reuolt to his enimies, and turned their swords against him (as you haue heard of Elfrike and his complices, and shall read of manie others) so that it was no maruell that Egelred sped no better, and yet was he as valiant as anie of his predecessors, although the moonks fauour him not in their writings, because he demanded aid of them toward his warres, and was nothing fauorable to their lewd hypocrisie.  But what is a king if his subiects be not loiall?  What is a realme, if the common wealth be diuided?  By peace & concord, of small beginnings great and famous kingdomes haue oft times proceeded; whereas by discord the greatest kingdoms haue oftner bene brought to ruine.  And so it proued here, for whilest priuat quarels are pursued, the generall affaires are vtterlie neglected:  and whilest ech nation seeketh to preferre hir owne aliance, the Iland it selfe is like to become a desert.