AD1001: In this year there were constant hostilities in England because of the Danish army and they harried and burned almost everywhere. And they went about at will encountering no resistance. No fleet by sea, nor levies on land, dared approach them however far inland they went. Time after time, the more urgent a thing was, the greater was the delay from one hour to the next, and all the while the King and his counsellors were allowing the strength of their enemies to increase. In the end, our naval and land preparations were a complete failure and succeeded only in adding to the distress of the people, wasting money and encouraging their enemy. In every way, it was a hard time, for they never ceased from their evil deeds.

• Michael Wood

• Michael Wood