were totally routed by Egbert, in a pitched battle, at H ngsdownhul, near Kellington. By this victory,he secured the kingdom from invasion for some time; but his death seemed to put a period to the success of his countrymen, and to invite the enemy to renew their devastations with impunity.

He was succeeded by Ethelwolf his son, who had neither the vigour nor the abilities of his father. This prince had been educated in a cloister, and had actually taken orders during the life of his elder brother; but, upon his death, he received a dispensation to quit the monkish habit, and to marry. He was scarce settled on his throne, when a fleet of Danish ravagers, consisting of thirty-three sail, landed at Southampton; but were repulsed, though not without great slaughter on both sides. However, no defeat could repress the obstinacy, and no difficulties daunt the courage of these fierce invaders, who still persevered in their descents, and year after year, made inroads into the country, marking their way with pillage, slaughter, and desolation. Though often repulsed, they always obtained their end, of spoiling the country, and carrying the plunder away. It was their method, to avoid coming, if possible, to a general engagement; but scattering themselves, over the face of the country, they carried away, indiscriminately, as well the inhabitants themselves, as all their moveable possessions. If the military force of the country was drawn out against them, the invaders either stood their ground, if strong enough to oppose; or retreated to their ships, if incapable of resistance. Thus, by making con-tinual and repeated descents, every part of England was kept in constant alarm, every country fearful of giving assistance to the next, as its own safety was in danger. From this general calamity, the priests and monks were no way exempted; they were

rather the chief objects on whom these Danish idolators wreaked their resentment.

A. D. 852.

In this state of fluctuating success, affairs continued for some time, the English often repelling, and as often being repulsed by their fierce invaders; till at length, the Danes resolved upon making a settlement in the country, and landing on the isle of Thanet, stationed themselves there. In this place they kept their ground, notwithstanding a bloody victory gained over them by Ethelwolf. From thence, they soon after removed to the isle of Sheppy, which they considered as more convenient for their tumultuary depredations.

In the mean time, Ethelwolf, the wretched monarch of the country, instead of exerting his strength to repel these invaders, was more solicitous to obey the dictates of monkish superstition. In order to manifest his devotion to the Pope, he sent his son Alfred to Rome, to receive confirmation from his holiness; and, not satisfied with this testimony of his zeal, undertook a pilgrimage thither in person. He passed a twelvemonth in that city, and gained no small applause for his devotion, which he testified by his great liberality to the church. In his return home, he married Judith, daughter to the emperor Charles the Bald; but on his landing in his own dominions, he was surpriz ed to find his title to the crown disputed.

His second son, Ethelbald, upon the death of his elder brother, perceiving the miserable state to which the kingdom was reduced, by the king's illtimed superstitions, formed a conspiracy to expel him from the throne. The people seemed equally divided between the claims of thefather and the son, so that a bloody civil war seemed likely to complete the picture of the calamities of the times. A division of the kingdom at length terminated the dis

pute; the king was content with the eastern part of the monarchy, while his son was appointed to govern the western, which was the most powerful, and the most exposed to danger.

Having come to this agreement, a council was summoned of the states of the kingdom; and besides the ratification of this grant, a tythe of all the. produce of the land was settled upon the clergy.

Ethelwolf lived only two years after this agreement; leaving by will, the kingdom shared between his two eldest sons, Ethelbald and Ethelbert; the west being consigned to the former, the east to the latter. The reign of Ethelbald was of no long continuance; however, in so short a space he crowded a number of vices sufficient to render his name odious to posterity. He married Judith, his own mother-in-law, and was, not without great difficulty, prevailed upon to divorce her. The reign of his brother was of longer duration; and as we are told, was in every respect more meritorious. Nevertheless, the kingdom was still infested by the Danes, who committed great outrages.

This prince was succeeded by his brother Ethelred, a brave prince, but whose valour was insufficient to repress the Danish incursions. In these exploits, he was always assisted by his younger brother, Alfred, afterwards surnamed the Great, who sacrificed all private resentment to the public good, having been deprived by the king of a large patrimony. It was during this prince's reign, that the Danes, penetrating into Mercia, took up their winter quarters at Nottingham; from whence, they were not dislodged without difficulty. Their next station was at Reading, from whence they infested the country with their excursions. The king, attended by his brother Alfied, marched at the head of the West Saxons against them; there, after many reciprocations of success, the king died of a

wound which he received in battle, and left to his brother Alfred, the inheritance of a kingdom that was now reduced to the brink of ruin.

Nothing could be more deplorable than the state of the country when Alfred came to the throne. The Danes had already subdued Northumberland and East Anglia, and had penetrated into the very heart of Wessex. The Mercians were united against him; the dependence upon the other provinces of the empire was but precarious: the lands lay uncultivated through fears of continual incursions ; and all the churches and monasteries were burnt to the ground. In this terrible situation of affairs, nothing appeared but objects of terror, and every hope was lost in despair. The wisdom and virtues of one man were found sufficient to bring back happiness, security, and order; and all the calamities of the times found redress from Alfred.

This prince seemed born not only to defend his bleeding country, but even to adorn humanity. He had given very early instances of those great virtues which afterwards adorned his reign; and was anointed by pope Leo as future king, when he was sent by his father for his education to Rome. On his return from thence, he became every day more the object of his father's fond affections; and that, perhaps, was the reason why his education was at first neglected. He had attained the age of twelve, before he was made acquainted with the lowest elements of literature; but hearing some Saxon poems read, which recounted the praise of heroes, his whole mind was roused, not only to obtain a similitude of glory, but also to be able to transmit that glory to posterity. Encouraged by the queen, his mother, and assisted by a penetrat ing genius, he soon learned to read these composi tions, and proceeded from thence to a knowledge

of Latin authors, who directed his taste and rectified his ambition.

He was scarce come to the crown, when he was obliged to oppose the Danes, who had seized Wilton, and were exercising their usual ravages on the countries around. He marched against them with the few troops he could assemble on a sudden, and a desperate battle was fought, to the disadvantage of the English. But it was not in the power of misfortunes to abate the king's diligence, though it repressed his power to do good. He was in a little time enabled to hazard another engagement; so that the enemy, dreading his courage and activity, proposed terms of peace, which he did not think proper to refuse. They had by this treaty, agreed to relinquish the kingdom; but instead of complying with their engagements, they only removed from one place to another, burning and destroying wherever they came.

Alfred, thus opposed to an enemy whom no stationary force could resist, and no treaty could bind, found himself unable to repel the efforts of those ravagers, who from all quarters invaded him. New swarms of the enemy arrived every year upon the coast, and fresh invasions were still projected. It was in vain that Alfred pursued them, straitened their quarters, and compelled them to treaties; they broke every league; and continuing their attacks with unabaring perseverance, at length totally dispirited his army, and induced his superstitious soldiers to believe themselves abandoned by heaven, since, it, thus permitted the outrages of the fierce idolators with impunity. Some of them therefore left their country, and retired into Wales, or fled to the continent. Others submitted to the conquerors, and purchased their lives by their freedom. In this universal defection, Alfred vainly attempted to remind them of the duty they owed their