44 ANNALS OF EOGEIt DE HOTEDEX. A.D. 868. m In the year 867, the above-mentioned army of the pagans removed from East Anglia to the city of York, and laid waste the whole country as far as Tynemouth. At this period a sedition arising among the people of Northumbria, they expelled Osbert'their lawful king from the kingdom, and raised a certain tyrant, Ella by name, who was not of royal birth, to the supreme power ; but, on the approach of the pagans, this discord was for the common good in some measure allayed, on which Osbert and Ella united their forces, and having collected an army, marched to York. On their approach, the pagans at once took refuge in the city, and endeavoured to defend themselves within the walls. The Christians, perceiving their flight and dismay, began to pursue them even within the walls of the city, and to destroy the ramparts ; but when the ramparts were now levelled, and many of the Christians had entered the city together with the pagans, the latter, urged by despair and necessity, making a fierce onset upon them, slaughtered and cut them down, and routed them both within and without the city ; here the greater part of the Northumbrians fell, the two kings being among the slain ; on whieh, the remainder who escaped made peace with the Danes. Over them the pagans appointed Egbert king, in subjection to themselves ; and he reigned over the Northumbrians beyond the Tyne six 3-ears. This took place at York on the eleventh day before the calends of April, being the sixth day of the week, just before Palm Sunday. In the same year Elflstan, bishop of Sherburne departed this life, and was buried at that place. In the year 868, a comet was distinctly seen. Alfred, the venerated brother of king Ethelred, asked and obtained in marriage a noble Mercian lady, daughter of Ethelred, earl of the Gaini,64 who was sumamed " Mucil," which means " the great." Bier mother's name, who was of the royal family of Mereia, was Eadburga ; she was a venerable woman, and for very many years after the death of her husband, lived a life of extreme chastity, as a widow, even to the day of her death. In the same year, the above-mentioned army of the pagans, leaving Northumbria, advanced to Nottingham, and wintered 64 This is "Gamorum," in the text, hut it ought to he " Gainorum, of the Gaini ;" who were the inhabitants of Gainsborough, in Yorkshire.