For euery day, in euery place, the Danes did so increase,
That he nor any English King enioy one day of peace.
Nor mightier men at Armes than they, might any wheare be found,
Who in their diuers Wars els-where did diuers Realmes confound:
For as the Gothes, the Vandales, Hunnes, and Saxons earst did range,
So now the Danes did plague the world, as sent by interchange.
This Westerne and victorious king, and greatest Monarke heere,
Perceiuing of this spoyled Isle a toward Ruine neere,
Disguised like a Minstrill poore, did haunt the Danish Tents,
And with his feats and melodie the Enemie presents:
And of their sloth, their gluttonie, and Counsels priuie so,
He tooke aduantage, giuing them a sodaine ouerthrow.
And s••ayeth Hubba, Hungar, and the Cause of their repayr,
And putteth all to sword and Seas that vnbaptized wair.
Yeat to Northumberland return'd fearce Gurmond with the Danes,
Meane time did king Alured die, the Hatchet of their Tranes.
But Adelstane (one king betwixt) not onely clear'd the Land
Of Danes, but of all England had sole Empire in his hand.
Thus of this long dismembred Realme was he the onely King:
In which, till Egelred, his raigne did prosper euerie thing.
He raigning, much of England then the Lordly Danes did hold,
Exacting Tributes euery yeare, and selling Peace for Gold.
And (which no doubt did hatch those Plagues) the King a wicked one,
Did enter by his Brothers blood, extorting thus his Throne:
King Edgar that subdu'd the Scots, and slaughtered the Danes,
And of the VVelch had tribute Wolffs, of whom it more remaines
That, as it were in Triumph-wise, Eight Vnder kings did roe
Him, Sterns-man, on the Riuer Dee, with diuers honors moe,
This Edgar by a former wife had Edward, by an other
This Egelred, a Sonne vnto a kind and cruell Mother:
For as she labors to preferre her owne by well and ill,
So to destroy her Son-in-law she wanted meanes, not wil.