io6 HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

chap. from the pursuit and fury of his enemies. HeN. concealed himself under a peasant’s habit , andlived some time in the house of a neat-herd,who had been entrusted with the care os some !of his cows". There passed here an incident, jwhich has been recorded by all the historians,and was long preserved by popular tradition;though it contains nothing memorable in itself, ;except so far as every circumstance is'interestingwhich attends so much virtue and dignity, re-duced to such distress. The wife of the neat-herdwas ignorant of the condition of her royal guest; and i

observing him one day busy by the fire-side in itrimming his bow and arrows, she desired himto take care of some cakes, which were toasting,while she was employed elsewhere in otherdomestic affairs. But Alfred, whose thoughtswere otherwise engaged, neglected this injunc-tion; and the good woman, on her return,finding her cakes all burnt, rated the king veryseverely, and upbraided him, that he alwaysseemed very well pleased to eat her warm cakes,though he was thus negligent in toasting them 5 *.

By degrees, Alfred, as he found the searchof the enemy become more remiss, collectedsome of his retainers, and retired into the centerof a bog, formed by the stagnating waters ofthe Thone and Barret, in Somersetshire. He herefound two acres of firm ground; and building an

35 Asser. p. 9.

Ibid. M. West. p. 170.

3 *