He paid them a large sum, on condition of their leaving his dominions finally and forever, and not coming to molest him any more.

Such a measure as this is always a very desperate and hopeless one.

Buying off robbers, or beggars, or false accusers, or oppressors of any kind, is only to encourage them to come again, after a brief interval, under some frivolous pretext, with fresh demands or new oppressions, that they may be bought off again with higher pay.

At least Buthred found it so in this case.

Hubba went northward for a time, into the kingdom of Northumberland, and, after various conquests and plunderings there, he came back again into Mercia, on the plea that there was a scarcity of provisions in the northern kingdom, and he was _obliged_ to come back.