Page:Source Problems in English History.djvu/55

 Alfred and the Danes

southern borders of the river Thames. The filthy crew which then held within its power the East Angles furnished their supplies, and then they suddenly sought an outward course toward Bamfleet.

There the united bands divided with ill-omened movements : some remained, and some departed beyond the sea. In the same year, therefore, the abovenamed King Alfred sent a fleet into the borders of the East Angles; and immediately on their arrival,

sixteen ships met them at Stourmouth; these were ravaged, and their captains slain with the sword; then the rest of the piratical fleet met that of Alfred ; they plied their oars, they removed their sails, their arms glittered on the constrained waves, and at

length the barbarians achieved a victory. In the same year died Charles the Magnificent, king of the Franks, being cut off by death before the completion of one year ; after him followed his own brother, who then ruled over the western coasts of Gaul. Both were sons of Louis, who had formerly exercised the sole sovereignty; the close of his life took place during the aforesaid eclipse of the sun, and he was the son of the great King Charles, whose daughter Ethelwulf, king of the Angles, had married. In the

progress of that year, an assault was made by the barbarian fleet, with no small force, filling the shores of the Old Saxons; two battles were fought about the same time, and the Saxons were victorious. Frieslanders also were present at the engagement. In