[1] The two brethren hauing thus obteined this victo|rie, went on further into the countrie of Northum|berland, and brought the same wholie to their subiecti|on, insomuch that all the north parts were at their cõmandement. Upon this they meant to haue gone towards London with the like attempt in the south parts, if the extreame and hard winter which chanced that yeare,A sharpe win|ter, an enimie to warlike en|terprises. had not staied their enterprise, as it did king William from assailing them; who hearing of all their dooings in the north countrie, would else full gladlie haue set vpon them. In the meane time, the Danes wintered in Yorkeshire,The Danes where they wintered. Hen. Hunt. Polydor. betwixt the two ri|uers Ouse and Trent; but so soone as the snow be|gan to melt, and the yce to thaw and waste away, king William sped him with great hast toward his enimies into Yorkeshire, and comming to the riuer of Trent, where it falleth into Humber, he pitched his tents there, to refresh his people, for his enimies were at hand. The daie following he brought his ar|mie into the field to fight with the Danish princes, who likewise in battell araie met them. Then began a right sore and terrible battell, continuing a long space in equall balance, till at length in one of the Danish wings the Norman horsemen had put their enimies to flight. Which when the residue of the Danes perceiued, and therewith put in a sudden feare, they likewise fled. Harold and Canutus with a band of hardie souldiers that tarried about them, retired backe (though with much a doo and great dan|ger) vnto their ships. Edgar also, by helpe of good horses, escaped into Scotland with a few in his com|panie. Earle Walteof, who had fought most manful|lie in that battell, Matth. Paris. & slaine manie Normans with his owne hands, Hen. Hunt. was reconciled into the kings fauour: but the residue were for the most part taken priso|ners, Wil. Malm. and killed. William of Malmesburie writeth, that king William comming at that time into the north parts, besieged the citie of Yorke, and putting to flight a great armie of his enimies that came to the succour of them within, not without great losse of his owne souldiers, at length the citie was deliue|red into his hands; the citizens and other that kept it, as Scots, Danes, and Englishmen, being constrei|ned thereto through lacke of vittels. Sim. Dunel. Other write, how the Danes, being loden with riches and spoiles gotten in the countrie, departed to their ships before the comming of king William. Here is not to be forgotten,Earle Ed|wines lands giuen vnto A|lane earle of Britaine. that (as Iohn Leland hath noted) whilest the Conquerour held siege before Yorke, at the ear|nest request of his wife Quéene Maud, he aduanced his nephew Alane earle of Britaine, with the gift of all those lands that sometime belonged vnto earle Edwine, the tenor of which gift insueth:

Ego Gulihelmus cognomine Bastardus, do & concedo tibi nepoti meo Alano Britanniae comiti, & haeredibus tuis in perpetuum, omnes illas villas & terras, quae nuper fuerunt comitis Eadwini in Eborashira, cum feodis militum & alijs libertatibus & consuetudinibus, ita liberè & honorificè sicut idem Eadwinus ea tenuit. Dat. in obsidione coram ciuitate Eboraci: that is, I William surnamed Bastard, doo giue and grant to thee my nephue Alane earle of Britaine, and to thine heires for euer, all those townes & lands that latelie were earle Eadwines in Yorkeshire, with the knights fees and other liberties and customes, so freelie and honourablie as the said Eadwine held the same. Giuen in our seege before the citie of Yorke.