Then the brothers, the King and the Atheling, returned to their country, the West Saxon land. They left behind them the screamers of war, the birds of prey. The sallow kite, and the black raven with the horny beak, and the hoarse-voiced eagle devouring the white flesh, with the battle-hawk, and the grey beast the wolf of the wood. Never in this island had a greater destruction of men been worked by the edge of the sword, say the books of the Wise Elders, since the Saxons and the Angles came hither from the east--to Britain over the broad sea. Since those glorious Earls, who smote the Welch on the anvil of battle, and obtained their lands. 941. This year King Athelstan died on the 6th of the calends of November, forty-one years all but one day after the death of King Alfred; and the Prince Edmund succeeded to the kingdom. He was then 18 years old; and King Athelstan had reigned 14 years and 10 weeks. 942. This year King Edmund, the Lord of the English, the protector of his kinsmen, the worker of mighty deeds, conquered all Mercia unto the way of the white spring, and the broad and sea-like stream of the river Humber. Five towns, Leicester, and Lincoln, and Nottingham, Stamford also, and Derby, lay in Danish thraldom, bowed under the power of the Northmen, held in long durance, until the warlike heir of Edward, to his own glory, delivered them from heathen bondage. King Edmund stood as godfather at the baptism of King Anlaf; and late in the same year he was godfather to King Regenold at his confirmation. This year King Anlaf died. And Richard the Elder succeeded (in Normandy), and reigned 52 years. 944. This year King Edmund reduced all Northumberland, and drove out two Kings, Anlaf the son of Syhtric and Regenald the son of Guthferth. 945. This year King Edmund ravaged all Cumberland, and gave it to Malcolm King of the Scots, on condition that he should join forces with him by sea and by land. 946. This year King Edmund died[AO] on St. Augustine’s day; he had reigned six years and an half, and his brother Prince Edred succeeded to the kingdom. He soon brought all Northumberland into his power, and the Scots took oaths that they would will all that he should will. 949. This year Anlaf came back to Northumberland. 951. This year Ælfheah Bishop of Winchester died on St. Gregory’s day. 952. This year the Northumbrians drove out King Anlaf, and took for their king Yric the son of Harold. 954. This year the Northumbrians expelled Yric, and King Ædred took to himself the kingdom of Northumberland. 955. This year King Ædred died in the prime of life on St. Clement’s day; he had reigned nine years and a half: then Edwy the son of King Edmund and of St. Ælgiva, succeeded to the kingdom, and he banished St. Dunstan from the country. 956. This year Wulstan Archbishop of York died; and this year Prince Edgar received the kingdom of Mercia. 957.