ETHEL W O L F. 91

for governing a convent than a kingdom 7 . He cbegan his reign with making a partition of hisdominions, and delivering over to his eldest son,Athelstan , the new conquered provinces ofEssex, Kent, and Sussex. But no inconvcnienciesseem to have arisen from this partition; as thecontinual terror of the Danish invasions preventedall domestic dissension. A fleet of these ravagers,consisting of thirty-three sail, appeared at Sout-hampton ; but were repulsed with loss by Wolfhere,governor of the neighbouring county 8 . The sameyear, Æthelhelm, governor of Dorsetshire , routedanother band which had disembarked at Ports-mouth ; but he obtained the victory after afurious engagement, and he bought it with theloss of his life 5 . Next year, the Danes madeseveral inroads into England; and fought battles,or rather skirmishes, in East-Anglia and Lindcfeyand Kent; where, though they were ioir, • mesrepulsed and defeated , they always obtainedtheir end, of committing spoil upon the country,and carrying off their booty. They avoidedcoming to a general engagement, which wasnot suited to their plan of operations. I heirvessels were small, and ran easily up the creeksand rivers; where they drew them ashore, andhaving formed an entrenchment around themwhich they guarded with part of their number, the

7 V. Malmes. lib. 2. cap. 2.

Chron. .Sax. p. 73. Kthehvaid, lib. 3. cap. Z.

Cbron. Sax. p. 73. If. Iluntinp;. lib. 5.

HAP

II.