from thence made continual irruptions on their CHAP. enemies." 19 THEY led here an uncertain and unquiet life. They had no subsistence but what they could obtain by plunder, hunting, or fishing 20, in the adjoining districts. Here, dispossessed of his kingdom, the king concealed himself with a few of his friends among these woods and marshes, living on the fish they caught", for several weeks. He had none to aid him but a part of his own household.22 THE plan of Alfred, suggested by the lonesomeness and security of his retreat, was as efficacious as it was wisely adapted to his position and necessities. With a small force he attacked without ceasing his superior enemies, whenever he found any of their parties or camps accessible to his attempts. His object achieved, or repulsed by a superior force, he retired with a celerity which baffled pursuit to his unknown asylum, and soon harassed the enemy with hostility in a distant quarter. By day and by night, at dawn, in the evening twilight, from woods and marshes, he was ever rushing on the Northmen with all the advantages of selection and surprise.23 By these expeditions Alfred provided himself and his party with sustenance; he inured himself to war and skilful generalship; he improved in his knowlege of the country, secured the attachment of his friends, collected others, provided new resources of character for his future life, collected 19 Matt. West. p. 330. 20 Ran. Higden Polych. p. 257. Bromton, 811. 21 Ethelred. Abb. p. 353. 23 MSS. Claud. Wallingf. p. 537. 22 Ethelwerd, Chron. 845. IX. 878. IV. BOOK perpetual intelligence of the motions of the Danes, revived the spirit of the country, and prepared it for that grand exploit which was soon to crown his labours. 878. His charity. DURING his residence in this fenny isle, an incident occurred, which the monks are particular in recording as a proof of the improvement of his disposition; and as it shows both his situation and his benevolent temper, it is worth our reciting, though without those additions of celestial machinery, with which the tenants of the cloister seem to have been as warmly enamoured, as any possessor of the epic laurel. HIS wife and family had joined him. His friends were abroad in search of food, and his queen and one thegn only were with him. 24 It was his custom when alone here to be reading the books of Scripture, hymns, or the annals of his country, and the actions of illustrious men. 25 He was sitting by himself reading one of these, when he was interrupted by a feeble knock at his gate, and by the lowly cry of poverty supplicating relief. He remembered the state of penury in which he had reached the same spot: he laid down his book, and called his thegn to give the poor claimant some food. The thegn found only one loaf in their store, which would not suffice for their family on their return from their toilsome expedition, and a little wine. Alfred thought the necessities of the mendicant more urgent than their own, and reserving a part of the pittance for his friends, he presented the beggar with the rest. 26 CHAP. X. The Battle which produced ALFRED's Restoration. AFTER passing about six months in this retreat', 3 1 Mr. Walker, in his notes to Sir John Spelman's Life of Alfred, computes, that Alfred's seclusion did not last six months. Chippenham was taken in January, and the great battle which produced his restoration was fought seven weeks after Easter. Easter-day was in that year the 23d of March; p. 30. The seventh week after that would of course be the eleventh of May, which does not allow the retreat to have been five months. 2 A part of Mr. Walker's curious note is worth translating: “Eddendun lies under Bratton-hill, which is lofty, abrupt, and of difficult ascent on its summit there are yet extant the trenches and ditches of the Danish camp. Two branches for the sake of water, spread to the foot of the mountain. Here, weary of the confinement of a camp, and under no alarm of any hostile troops, the Danes diffused themselves to Eddendun, and over the neighbouring plain. It is probable that the king had notice of this descent, and resolved to examine the fact in person." Mr. Walker hints, that the king may have made his attack between their army and the hill, so as to separate them from their encampment. Not. Vit. Elfredi, p. 33. 3 See before, p. 500. CHAP X. 878. IV. 878. BOOK and singing excited notice; he was admitted to their king's table; he heard their conversation, and contemplated their position unsuspected. He quitted their encampment without molestation, and reached his little isle in safety. There is nothing improbable in the incident, nor is it inconsistent with the manners of the time. 4 It was now Whitsuntide. He sent confidential messengers to his principal friends in the three adjacent counties, Wilts, Hampshire, and Somerset, announcing his existence; declaring his intention of joining them, and requiring them to collect their followers secretly, and to meet him in military array on the east of Selwood Forest." A dream, of St. Neot's appearing to him, and promising him both assistance and a great success, is placed at this crisis. It may have been suggested by the king's policy, or may have occurred naturally from his memory of his sacred monitor; and anticipating its encouraging effects, he may have circulated it among his friends. " A CELEBRATED place called the stone of Egbert', 4 This incident is mentioned by Ingulf, who was a lad in the reign of Edward the Confessor, p. 26.; by Malmsbury, p. 43.; both highly respectable chroniclers; and by Higden in his Polych. 258. It is also in the MSS. Chronicles of Henry de Silgrave, Cleop. A. 12., and of Joh. Bever. Harl. Coll. 641. That others omit it may be accounted for by their desire of attributing the victory to St. Neot's miraculous interference, rather than to the plans of the king's previously exerted sagacity. 5 This was named in British Coit mawr, the great wood. Asser, 33. The county (perhaps from the wood) was anciently called Sealpubrcipe. Ethelw. p. 837. The wood reaches from Frome to Burham, near fifteen miles in length, and six in breadth. 1 Gough's Camden, 78. Seal, in Saxon, is a willow-tree. This was, therefore, a wood of willows; and so the MSS. Claud. names it, sylvam salicis. 6 Both the MS. lives of St. Neot, and Asser's Annals, mention this. 7 Asser, 33. Flor. Wig. MSS. Claud. was the appointed place of meeting. As the AngloSaxons had suffered severely in his absence, the tidings of his being alive, and the prospect of his re-appearance, filled every bosom with joy. All who were entrusted with the secret crowded enthusiastically to the place appointed, and the horns, trumpets, and clashing of the arms of those who came, and of those who welcomed the loyal patriots, loudly expressed their mutual congratulations and exultation.R Two days were passed in these arrivals and rejoicings, and in making the necessary arrangements for the consequential exertion. Some rumours of what was preparing reached the ears of Godrun, the Danish king, but nothing to explain the meditated blow. He called in his forces to be prepared; but as he saw no collected enemy, he had no object before him to move against. On the third day Alfred marched his new-raised army to Ecglea, seized an adjoining hill; encamped that night there, and again reconnoitered his enemies' position." In the morning they ad 8 MSS. Claud. p. 158. That Alfred invited Rollo out of France to his aid, and that Rollo came to help him, is a circumstance which I have found in Wallingford only (p. 537.), and therefore cannot state it as a fact on his single authority. It is not probable of itself; and yet it is difficult to account for its invention, if false. 9 MSS. Claud. 10 Asser, 34. Ecglea has been conjectured to be the village Leigh. Gough's Camden, p. 100. Dr. Whitaker prefers Highley, near Whaddon, p. 266. Gibson suggested Clay-hill, near Warminster. 11 MSS. Claud. p. 158, 159. Dr. Whitaker thinks the present Yatton, about five miles from Chippenham, to be the representative of Ethandun. He adds, "But the battle itself was a little lower on the Avon, at Slaughter-ford," p. 268. Gibson mentions a tradition of the inhabitants, of a great slaughter of the Danes at this place. I remark that the place is called Assandune by Sim. Dun. p.71.; Edderandun by Hoveden, 417.; Ethandune by Ethelwerd, 845. Camden places it at Edindon or Eddington, the place mentioned in note 1. |