King Egelred supposed that by the paiment of that monie he should haue
béene 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 speéd 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 spéed 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 bée
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