Chapter 14 Reading Practice

 

Her cuom se here into Escanceastre from Werham, 7 se sciphere sigelede west ymbutan, 7 þa mette hie micel yst on sæ, 7 þær forwearþ .cxx. scipa æt Swanawic. 7 se Cyning Ælfred æfter þam gehorsudan here mid fierde rad oþ Exanceaster 7 hie hindan ofridan ne meahte ær hie on þam fæstene wæron þær him mon to ne meahte. 7 hie him þær foregislas saldon. swa fela swa he habban wolde, 7 micle aþas sworon, 7 þa godne friþ heoldon.

 

 


From the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle entry for 877:


Here the [Danish] army came into Exeter from Wareham, and the ship army [the pirates] sailed around west, and then they met a great storm on the sea and there off Swanage one hundred and twenty ships were destroyed. And King Alfred rode after the horsemen with his armies to Exeter and they could not catch them before they were inside the fortress where men might not get to them. And they there gave him [Alfred] hostages there, as many as he wished to have, and swore great oaths and then held a good peace.

 

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