in armour and in prayer," cutting down two Danish leaders with his own hand,2 and putting the whole horde to a panic flight, in which most of their other chieftains fell, with many thousand heathen' more, 'covering with their corpses the field far and wide.'

§ 2. Yet, within a fortnight they had rallied, and could win in another desperate fight at Basing, and now it became a harder task to raise forces to resist them. The best and bravest of Wessex had fallen, and two months passed before the brothers could face the invaders again—to be again beaten at Merton, in Surrey, and Ethelred mortally wounded. While he was dying at Wimborne, in Dorset-so far westwards had the English been driven-came a new and exceptionally strong Danish summer-lead' to join their comrades at Reading. And now the fortunes of England seemed desperate indeed. It was but a small band' that Alfred could bring to follow him in the forlorn hope with which he dashed against the united hosts of the heathen at Wilton, in the first month of his reign.

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§ 3. The odds were too great, and the Danes won yet again. But so desperate had been Alfred's onset, 'so rough the English hand-play,' and so doubtful the fight, that they were fain to enter into negotiations, and to make peace with the young King, on the sole condition of withdrawing from his own immediate realm of Wessex. This, of course, meant that they were left free to work their will in the dependent kingdoms-Mercia, East Anglia, and Northumbria. It was a sad necessity, but there was no help for it. London itself had to be given up to the enemy, and Alfred had to look on at the dethronement of his brother-in-law, Burghred, the last King of Mercia (who died in exile at Rome), and the establishment of Danish settlements all over England north of the Thames. The termination 'by' (the Scandinavian equivalent for 'burgh') in Derby, Whitby, and many another town and village, marks to this day the districts where the new invaders

set themselves down most thickly and most permanently on the land.

§ 4. Thus passed four miserable years, during which we hear nothing of Alfred. But we may be sure that his chief task was to make such improvement as was possible in the wretched state of demoralization which the Danish invaders had left behind them in his own Wessex. 'Great trouble and vexation had he with his folk who would take little or no pains for the common need of the realm. Yet, all alone, stood he, by God's help, at the helm of the kingdom; even as a master helmsman setteth him (though his sailors be weary and idle, almost all) to bring his ship safe unto the haven. Even so suffered he in himself no fainting nor wavering amid the many eddies and tide-ways [fluctivagos] of this world. His Bishops, his Aldermen . . . and his Sheriffs [præpositos] (to whom, after God and the King, the sway of the realm seemeth meetest to be entrusted), did he bend to his will, and bind to the common weal, by gentle teaching, by kind attention [adulando], by exhortation, by command, and, in the last resort, by sharp punishment, and by showing in every way his loathing of their vulgar folly and obstinacy.'1 'Full oft was he vexed to the heart with the Princes and the Captains [pentecontarchos], and the whole perverse generation, because they would not follow out the ends on which he was bent.' 'In all the whole realm the poor, save him alone, had few or none to champion them. For all the high and mighty of the land gave thought rather to the things of this world than to the things of God: yea, more greedy was each one among them of his own worldly gain than for the common weal. Often perversely did they strive together in the very session of his judges and Aldermen, insomuch that scarcely would one among them allow the justice of the award of the magistrates, and . . . all appealed to the King's own judgment. But were any conscious of unright in his cause, he, though by law bound to go before the King, yet with his own consent 1 Asser, § 115. 2 Simeon of Durham, § 53.

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never would he go. For well he knew that in the King's presence no whit of his wrong-doing could be pleaded for a moment: nor marvel was it, for the King, in awarding sentence as in all beside, was a most keen searcher out of truth. Himself did he inquire into almost all the judgments given... throughout all his realms . . . and, did he perceive iniquity therein, he . . . called unto him the judges, and asked them mildly why they had judged thus wrongfully, whether through ignorance or malevolence, whether for love or fear of any, or through hatred, or from greed of money.

§ 5. 'And, at length, if they acknowledged that they had given these judgments because they knew no better, then did he discreetly and temperately reprove their ignorance and folly after this sort: "Wonder, truly, is it to me of your rashness, that whereas, by God's grace and mine, ye hold the state and office of the wise, ye forget to study and work wisdom. Either then do ye at once forego the offices ye hold, or strive ye more earnestly to study the lessons of wisdom. Such is my behest."

§ 6. At these words would the judges and officers tremble, and strive to give all thought to the study of justice; so that, wondrous to tell, almost all his Aldermen, Sheriffs and Thanes, though unlearned from their cradles, set to work at letters with a will; choosing the rather to be at the pains. to learn unwonted lessons than to resign their functions. But if any, from age or slowness of wit, could make no speed in the liberal studies, then bade he his son, if he had one, or a kinsman, or, if none else might be had, his own freedman or thrall . . . to recite Saxon books before him day and night, whensoever leisure served. And with deep sighs did they lament from their inmost heart that in their youth they had taken no heed to such studies.'

...

§ 7. This vivid sketch is from Asser's eloquent summing up of his life of Alfred; and it must be specially applicable to these early years of his reign. These years, too, must have seen the beginnings of those many-sided developments

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which marked his tenure of the throne beyond that of any monarch before or after. Not only did he, ' amid the trammels of this present world . . and his own infirmities' thus diligently perform his regal duties, but he also practised constantly hunting of every kind, himself training his falconers and dog-keepers; himself did he teach his workmen in gold and silver and all cunning work beside, building houses stately and good beyond all his forefathers. Himself did he teach his folk to recite Saxon books, and above all did he learn by heart Saxon songs, and made others learn them; nor for his own part did he ever cease from studying most diligently and with all his power. Daily did he attend the Mass and other Offices of Religion: instant was he in psalmsinging and in prayer at the Hours, both of day and night To the churches also would he go in the night time secretly and unbeknown to his Court-folk. Unto Holy Scripture was he ever ready to hearken, and would have his own home-born folk read it unto him. And with outlanders no less would he join in prayer, if reason was; and to strangers from far would he give alms even as to his own folk. Courteous was he of speech, and pleasant to all, and wondrous eager to search into things unknown.'1

'Often and often would he repeat to himself by heart these lines [of Boethius] :

CHAPTER VI.

Great Danish inroad of 876-Siege of Wareham-Capture of Exeter-Danish fleet destroyed at Swanage Alfred the founder of our navy-Danes at Chippenham-Wessex wholly overrun Alfred unpopular - Danish massacres-Alfred in Athelney-His jewel.

§ I.

BU

UT the working out of this brilliant promise had to wait for better times. All too soon did the first brief breathing-space of Alfred's reign come to an end, in a more fearful struggle than even that which preceded it. The mighty host of the Danes, after leaving Wessex at the end of 871, made their head-quarters for a while in London. The next winter found them encamped on the Humber, the next at Repton, in Derbyshire. The intervening summers were congenially spent in their wonted ravages, and in the third (874) another great reinforcement reached them from overseas under three Kings, and they became invincible." Organized resistance, indeed, seems to have wholly ceased, and they now ventured to divide their forces, the original host invading Scotland, while the new-comers settled themselves at Cambridge.

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§ 2. Yet another year, and the Danes 'thinking it scorn' that any part of England should remain to Alfred, or more probably having squeezed their immediate neighbourhood dry and scenting better plunder in his comparatively unexhausted realm, made a sudden dash on Wessex. 'Stealing away's from Cambridge (Florence adds 'by night'), a forced march enabled them to surprise the strong fortress of Wareham in Dorset. Beset there by Alfred, 'they sware unto him that they would depart from his land.' The oath was made 'on their holy armlets,' a pledge so sacred that never before would they do so to any nation.' What this 'armlet' (beacg) was. is uncertain. We know that, in Iceland, the Norsemen kept a holy ring in

1 Asser.