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Messengers　were　sent　out　in　all　directions；　and　early　the
next　morning；　400　men　having　assembled；　Edmund　and　his
kinsman　marched　away　with　them　towards　Devizes。　Upon
their　arrival　at　that　town　they　found　the　king　and　his　brother
with　8000　men；　and　the　following　day　the　army　moved　east
towards　Reading。

They　had　not　marched　many　miles　before　a　messenger
arrived　saying　that　two　of　the　Danish　jarls　with　a　great
following　had　gone　out　to　plunder　the　country；　that　they　had
been　encountered　by　Aethelwulf；　Earl　of　Berkshire；　with　his
men　at　Englefield；　and　a　fierce　battle　had　taken　place。　The
Saxons　had　gained　the　victory；　and　great　numbers　of　the
Danes　had　been　slain；　Sidroc；　one　of　their　jarls；　being　among
the　fallen。

Three　days　later　the　royal　army　arrived　in　sight　of　Reading；
being　joined　on　their　march　by　Aethelwulf　and　his　men。
The　Danes　had　thrown　up　a　great　rampart　between　the
Thames　and　the　Kennet；　and　many　were　still　at　work　on　this
fortification。　These　were　speedily　slain　by　the　Saxons；　but
their　success　was　a　short　one。　The　main　body　of　the　invaders
swarmed　out　from　the　city　and　a　desperate　engagement　took
place。

The　Saxons　fought　valiantly；　led　by　the　king　and　Prince
Alfred；　but　being　wholly　undisciplined　and　unaccustomed　to
war　they　were　unable　to　withstand　the　onslaught　of　the　Danes；
who　fought　in　better　order；　keeping　together　in　ranks：　after
four　hours'　hard　fighting　the　Saxons　were　compelled　to　fall
back。

They　rallied　again　a　few　miles　from　Reading。　Ethelred
and　Alfred　went　among　them　bidding　them　be　of　good　cheer；
for　that　another　time；　when　they　fought　in　better　order；　they
would　gain　the　victory；　and　that　their　loss　had　not　been　greater
than　the　Danes；　only　that　unhappily　the　valiant　Ealdorman
Aethelwulf　had　been　slain。　Fresh　messengers　were　sent
throughout　the　country　bidding　all　the　men　of　Wessex　to
rally　round　their　king；　and　on　the　fourth　morning　after　the
defeat　Ethelred　found　himself　at　the　head　of　larger　forces
than　had　fought　with　him　in　the　last　battle。

The　Danes　had　moved　out　from　Reading　and　had　taken
post　at　Ashdown；　and　as　the　Saxon　army　approached　they
were　seen　to　be　divided　into　two　bodies；　one　of　which　was
commanded　by　their　two　kings　and　the　other　by　two　jarls。
The　Saxons　therefore　made　a　similar　division　of　their　army；
the　king　commanding　one　division　and　Prince　Alfred　the
other。

Edmund　with　the　men　of　Sherborne　was　in　the　division
of　Alfred。　The　Danes　advanced　to　the　attack　and　fell　with
fury　upon　them。　It　had　been　arranged　that　this　division
should　not　advance　to　the　attack　until　that　commanded　by
the　king　was　also　put　in　motion。　For　some　time　Alfred　and
his　men　supported　the　assaults　of　the　Danes；　and　then；　being
hardly　pressed；　the　prince　sent　a　messenger　to　his　brother
to　urge　that　a　movement　should　be　made。　The　Saxons　were
impatient　at　standing　on　the　defensive；　and　Alfred　saw　that
he　must　either　allow　them　to　charge　the　enemy　or　must　retreat。

Presently　the　messenger　returned　saying　that　the　king
was　in　his　tent　hearing　mass；　and　that　he　had　given　orders
that　no　man　should　move　or　any　should　disturb　him　until
mass　was　concluded。　Alfred　hesitated　no　longer；　he　formed
his　men　into　a　solid　body；　and　then；　raising　his　battle　cry；
rushed　upon　the　Danes。　The　battle　was　a　furious　one。　The
Danes　were　upon　higher　ground；　their　standard　being　planted
by　the　side　of　a　single　thorn…tree　which　grew　on　the　slopes　of
the　hill。　Towards　this　Alfred　with　his　men　fought　their　way。

The　lesson　of　the　previous　battle　had　not　been　lost；　the
Saxons　kept　together　in　a　solid　body　which　made　its　way　with
irresistible　weight　through　the　ranks　of　the　Danes。　Still　the
latter　closed　in　on　all　sides；　and　the　fight　was　doubtful　until
the　king；　having　finished　his　devotions；　led　his　division　into
the　battle。　For　a　long　time　a　desperate　strife　continued　and
great　numbers　on　both　sides　were　killed；　but　the　Saxons；
animated　at　once　by　love　of　their　country　and　hatred　of　the
invaders　and　by　humiliation　at　their　previous　defeat；　fought
with　such　fury　that　the　Danes　began　to　give　way。　Then　the
Saxons　pressed　them　still　more　hotly；　and　the　invaders
presently　lost　heart　and　fled　in　confusion；　pursued　in　all
directions　by　the　exulting　Saxons。

The　Danish　king　Bergsecg　and　five　jarls；　the　two　Sidrocs；
Osbearn；　Frene；　and　Hareld；　were　slain；　and　many　thousands
of　their　followers。　Great　spoil　of　arms　and　armour　fell　into
the　hands　of　the　victors。

Edmund　had　fought　bravely　in　the　battle　at　the　head　of
his　men。　Egbert　had　kept　beside　him；　and　twice；　when　the
lad　had　been　smitten　to　his　knees　by　the　enemy；　covered　him
with　his　shield　and　beat　off　the　foe。

〃You　are　over…young　for　such　a　fight　as　this；　Edmund；〃
he　said　when　the　Danes　had　taken　to　flight。　〃You　will　need
another　four　or　five　years　over　your　head　before　you　can　stand
in　battle　against　these　fierce　Northmen。　They　break　down
your　guard　by　sheer　weight；　but　you　bore　yourself　gallantly；
and　I　doubt　not　will　yet　be　as　famous　a　warrior　as　was　your
brave　father。〃

Edmund　did　not　join　in　the　pursuit；　being　too　much
bruised　and　exhausted　to　do　so；　but　Egbert　with　the　men　of
Sherborne　followed　the　flying　Danes　until　nightfall。

〃You　have　done　well；　my　young　ealdorman；〃　Prince
Alfred　said　to　the　lad　after　the　battle。　〃I　have　been　wishing
much　that　you　could　be　with　me　during　the　past　month；　but
I　heard　that　you　were　building　a　strong　fort　and　deemed　it
better　to　let　you　continue　your　work　undisturbed。　When　it　is
finished　I　trust　that　I　shall　have　you　often　near　me；　but　I　fear
that　for　a　time　we　shall　have　but　little　space　for　peaceful
pursuits；　for　the　Danes　are　coming；　as　I　hear；　in　great　troops
westward；　and　we　shall　have　many　battles　to　fight　ere　we　clear
the　land　of　the　them。〃

In　those　days　a　defeat；　however　severe；　had　not　the　same
decisive　effect　as　it　has　in　modern　warfare。　There　were　no
cannons　to　lose；　no　great　stores　to　fall　into　the　hands　of　the
victors。　The　army　was　simply　dispersed；　and　its　component
parts　reassembled　in　the　course　of　a　day　or　two；　ready；　when
reinforcements　arrived；　to　renew　the　fight。　Thus；　decisive　as
was　the　victory　of　Ashdown；　Prince　Alfred　saw　that　many
such　victories　must　be　won；　and　a　prolonged　and　exhausting
struggle　carried　on　before　the　tide　of　invasion　would　be
finally　hurled　back　from　Wessex。　The　next　few　days　were　spent
in　making　a　fair　distribution　of　the　spoil　and　arms　among
the　conquerors。　Some　of　the　thanes　then　returned　home
with　their　people；　but　the　remainder；　on　the　king's　entreaty；
agreed　to　march　with　him　against　the　Danes；　who　after　the
battle　had　fallen　back　to　Basing；　where　they　had　been　joined
by　others　coming　from　the　coast。　The　royal　army　advanced
against　them；　and　fourteen　days　after　the　battle　of　Ashdown
the　struggle　was　renewed。　The　fight　lasted　for　many　hours；
but　towards　nightfall　the　Saxons　were　compelled　to　retreat；
moving　off　the　field；　however；　in　good　order；　so　that　no　spoil
fell　into　the　hands　of　the　Danes。

This　check　was　a　great　disappointment　to　the　Saxons；
who　after　their　late　victory　had　hoped　that　they　should
speedily　clear　the　kingdom　of　the　Danes。　These；　indeed；　taught
prudence　by　the　manner　in　which　the　West　Saxons　had　fought；
for　a　while　refrained　from　plundering　excursions。　Two
months　later　the　Saxons　were　again　called　to　arms。　Somerled；
a　Danish　chieftain；　had　again　advanced　to　Reading；　and　had
captured　and　burned　the　town。　The　king　marched　against
him；　and　the　two　armies　met　at　Merton。　Here　another
desperate　battle　took　place。

During　the　first　part　of　the　day　the　Saxons　were　victorious
over　both　the　divisions　of　the　Danish　army；　but　in　the
afternoon　the　latter　received　some　reinforcements　and
renewed　the　fight。　The　Saxons；　believing　that　the　victory　had
been　won；　had　fallen　into　disorder　and　were　finally　driven
from　the　field。　Great　numbers　were　slain　on　both　sides。
Bishop　Edmund　and　many　Saxon　nobles　were　killed；　and
King　Ethelred　so　severely　wounded　that　he　expired　a　few　days
later；　April　23d；　871；　having　reigned　for　five　years。　He　was
buried　at　Wimbourne　Minster；　and　Prince　Alfred　ascended
the　throne。

Ethelred　was　much　regretted　by　his　people；　but　the　accession
of　Alfred　increased　their　hopes　of　battling　successfully
against　the　Danes。　Although　wise　and　brave；　King
Ethelred　had　been　scarcely　the　monarch　for　a　warlike　people
in　troubled　times。　Religious　exercises　occupied　too　large　a
share　of　his　thoughts。　His　rule　was　kindly　rather　than　strong；
and　his　authority　was　but　weak　over　his　nobles。　From　Prince
Alfred　the　Saxons　hoped　better　things。　From　his　boyhood
he　had　been　regarded　with　special　interest　and　affection　by
the　people；　as　his　father　had　led　them　to　regard　him　as　their
future　king。

The　fact　that　he　had　been　personally　consecrated　by
the　pope　appeared　to　invest　him　with　a　special　authority。
His　immense　superiority　in　learning　over　all　his　people　greatly
impressed　them。　Though　gentle　he　was　firm　and　resolute；
prompt　in　action；　daring　in　the　field。　Thus；　then；　although
the　people　regretted　King　Ethelred；　there　was　a　general　feeling
of　hope　and　joy　when　Alfred　took　his　place　on　the　throne。
He　had　succeeded　to　the