an annual tax laid on the Anglo-Saxons, first of 1s. afterwards of 2s. for every hide of land throughout the realm, for maintaining such a number of forces as were thought sufficient to clear the British seas of Danish pirates, which heretofore greatly annoyed our coasts.

DANEGETL was first imposed as a standing yearly tax on the whole nation, under King Ethelred, A. D. 991. That prince, says Camden, Britan. 142, much distressed by the continued invasions of the Danes, to procure a peace, was compelled to charge his people with heavy taxes called Danegetl.—At the first he paid 10,000l. then 16,000l. then 24,000l. after that 36,000l. and lastly 48,000l.

Edward the Confessor remitted this tax: William I. and II. reaffirmed it occasionally. In the reign of Henry I. it was accounted among the king's standing revenues; but King Stephen, on his coronation day, abrogated it for ever.

No church or church-land paid a penny to the danegetl; because, as is set forth in an ancient Saxon law, the people of England placed more confidence in the prayers of the church than in any military defence they could make.