of Alfred had awakened in them such veneration, that they concluded a treaty with him, leaving the kingdom of the West-Saxons, and turned their weapons towards other parts of the island, over which Gurrhead, Prince of Middlesex, reigned. They devastated his dominions, forced him to several battles, and after his death, compelled his realm to submit to their power. The kingdoms of the East-Saxons and of Northumberland were laid in ruins, and the few fortified places were in possession of the Scandinavians. Guthrum and Amund with new legions soon attacked the watchful King Alfred, who alone upheld the liberty of the West-Saxons; but the prudent king compelled the Northmen to withdraw from his country, and by an oath to their divinities, for ever to leave his dominions; the perjurers, however, soon after invaded the royal establishment for rearing horses, robbed them, and captured Exeter.

The king represented to his hopeless and fatigued Saxons, that as neither peace nor oaths could bind the barbarians, there was no other remedy than to trust to themselves and their own courage. Since there was no other means for their safety left, despair should strengthen their arms; for it would be more glorious to die sword in hand, than to be murdered and robbed, like flying game, without

resistance. Encouraged by these representations, the Saxons grasped their weapons and opposed themselves to the Northmen. Seven times in one year was Alfred obliged to combat these robbers; and the most noble blood of the Saxons flowed like streams on the fields. But the Northmen lost likewise half their legions, and at last agreed to the former conditions-to leave the kingdom of the West-Saxons, and never to bring any new legions from the north to Alfred's realm.

The victorious Rollo, the ancestor of the Norman kings, for whom Providence destined Alfred's throne, kept true to that treaty: he left England, and turned his weapons against Neustria, which he appropriated to himself, and over which country his grandsons reigned with glory and renown.

As nothing could escape Alfred's judgment, he found it useless to force the Northmen to treaties so long as the open sea was at their command. Their fierce avidity and blood-thirsty desire for fame did not allow them to practise any arts, and to them life was not endurable unless they could hear the clash of weapons, and were aroused by hopes of fresh victories. Alfred perceived what the former kings of Saxony did not, that England had no other enemies to fear than those who

could attack her by sea. He accordingly ordered vessels to be built in all the harbours, and took into his pay, as volunteers, skilful sailors, selected from the fishermen. He equipped his ships with soldiers, and stationed them at the mouths of the rivers, where the Scandinavians usually disembarked. The Saxons then came vigorous and well-armed from their harbours, while the robbers who arrived from Scandinavia were fatigued and weakened by the long voyage necessary to reach England. The Saxons, who were then superior to the Northmen, vanquished two of their squadrons, sunk most of their vessels, and compelled the remainder to fly to their northern regions. Alfred hastened to reach Exeter by land, surrounded the Northmen, who were already on horseback, and forced them to give hostages, and leave the whole country of the West-Saxons.10 Very few of the Northmen kept their promise, for the greater number could only find their subsistence in plunder. They again invaded Alfred's dominions, surprised Chippenham, the strongest fortified castle of the pressed Saxons, and carried the consuming fire and bloody sword to all corners of the realm."

Fatigued with long wars and repeated defeats, and weakened by their own victories, the Saxons at last lost all hope of preservation. They dis

persed themselves in the woods, in the wildernesses, in Wales, until then unmolested, and sought even among their enemies a security, which no resistance could procure them. The unarmed men bowed with despondency under the yoke, and submitted to their oppressors.

Alfred was abandoned by his people, and saw no means of rallying, or of again raising the spirits of the depressed soldiers. He had, therefore, no other alternative than to save himself, as with his ruin would fall all hopes of re-establishing the kingdom of the Saxons. He cast off the royal garments, arrayed himself in the coarse clothes of the labourer, blackened his rosy cheeks with the juice of fruits, and sought shelter in the hut of an old cowherd, who had been employed by his forefathers; this faithful servant concealed the dignity of his master even from his own wife, who treated the unknown monarch with an unbecoming rudeness, 12 in which Alfred found his security. A whole year the young king remained thus concealed, but his active nature was not idle during that time of oppression.

The Northmen having erected a scattered camp in the marshy island of Athelney, 13 between two rivers, in the county of Somerset, considered them

selves perfectly secure in the elder bushes growing among the moors, from which natural fortifications they directed their excursions into the unfortunate kingdom of the West-Saxons; and concealed in those impenetrable deserts, captured booties from the tormented English. Alfred often fell, with a few Saxons, or with some armed herdsmen, upon the Danish camp. He slayed single detachments of robbers, and prepared the great act of vengeance he meditated on the barbarians. He often retook from them the cattle they had stolen, and divided them amongst the volunteers who assisted him to annoy the enemies of the country. The single and abandoned king was to the Northmen a whole army, which slew them by hundreds, and yet remained invisible. These petty victories spread his shepherd's name abroad, and Wulf became a dreaded name.

Alfred awaited with pain and impatience the time when he hoped to free his people from the oppression under which they languished. His faithful host was poor, and the wandering tribes of Danes had already robbed him of his cattle; he was therefore obliged to share his frugal bread with Alfred, and even that at times failed from unexpected accidents. One day there remained but one loaf for Alfred and his host, when a tra