The oppresive rule of the regents (S108) soon caused a rebellion, and
in December William returned to England to put it down. He found the
task a hard one. The King of Denmark made it all the harder by
sending over a powerful fleet to held the English. William bribed the
Danish commanders and they "sailed away without striking a blow."
Then, little by little, he brought the land to obedience. By forced
marches in midwinter, by roads cast up through bogs, and by sudden
night attacks William accomplished the end he sought.
But (1068) news came of a fresh revolt in the north, accompanied by
another invasion of foreign barbarians. Then William, roused by
terrible anger, swore by the "splendor of God" that he would lay waste
the land.
He made good his oath. For a hundred miles beyond the river Humber in
Yorkshire he ravaged the country, burning villages, destroying houses,
crops, and cattle, and reduced the wretched people to such destitution
that many sold themselves for slaves to escape starvation. Having
finished his work in the north, he turned toward the ancient Roman
city of Chester, in the west, and captured it. (See map facing
p. 38.)