Page:A new and general biographical dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation v1.djvu/109

 ALFRED. the coaft, one of them was taken. However a confidcrable army of Danes having landed, marched as far as Grantbrid^e, and quartered thereabouts. Next fummer they advanced to Werham ; here rElfred met them with all the forces he could raife; but not finding himfelf ftrong enough to engage them, he concluded a peace, and the Danes fwore never to invade his dominions. But in a little time they broke their faith [c] ; for being on the road to Mercia, they met a body of Englifh horie, adv?ncing in a carelefs manner, by reafon of the treaty being concluded; of whom they flew the greateft part, and foon after furprized Exeter. The king marched againft them with what forces he could collect, and befieged them in that city. While things were in this fituation, his majefty's fleet having engaged a numerous one of the enemy, funk many, and difperfed the reft ; which, attempting to gain fome of the Englifh ports, were driven on the coafts, and all milerably perifhed. This fo terrified the Danes, that they were again obliged to make peace, and give hoftages. However, in 877, having obtained new aids, they came in fuch numbers into Wiltshire, that the Saxons giving themfelves up to de- fpair, would not make head againft them ; many fled out of the kingdom, not a few fubmuted, and the reft retired every man to the place where he could be beft concealed. In this diftrefs, jElfred, conceiving himfelf no longer a king, laid afide all marks of loyalty, and took flicker in the houfe of one who kept his cattle [D]. He retired afterwards to the ifle of ./Ethclingey in Somerietfhire, where he built a fort for the fecurity of himfelf, his family, and the few faithful fer- [c] All the ancient hiftorians agree duced dreadful famines; and thefe, as in charging the Danes with numerous ufual, were followed with confuming acts of perfidy. " Their want of faith plagues, as we read in Affrrius a,.d uther (fays the author of the Biograpliia Bri- ancient writers." Afler. Menev. Chron. tannica) fecms to have been the effect of Sax. their barbarifm, from making it their [D] While he remained in this re- conftant practice to burn and deftroy treat, a liitle adventure happ'ntd, of whatever they could not carry away. By which moft of our hiftories take notice, thismeans they were quickly ftraitned in Thr good woman ofthehuu't, having their quarter*; and thus being obliged one day made fome cak, pu: them be- to fliift them often, they foon found fore the fire to toaft ; and feeing Alfred themfelves in fuch a fituation, as to fating by, trimming his bow and arrows, have no means of fubfifting without ob- fhe thought he would of courfe take care tainingit by force from thofe with whom of the bread ; bathe, it feems, intent they had lately made peace. To this on what he was about, let the cakes was owing the wretched condition, in burn ; which fo provoked the woman, which this whole ifland then was; all that me rated him round y. 'elling him its beft towns, rnany of its fineft mo- he would eat them taft enough, ^nd nafteries, and the far greateft parts of ought therefore to have looked alter its villages being but fo many heaps of their toafting, Afler. p. 3*. ruins, The want of cultivation alfo pro- vants