ALFRED.

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one great garrison; and the Danes could no soonerappear in one place, than a sufficient number wasassembled to oppose them, without leaving theother quarters defenceless or disarmed 5 \

But Alfred, sensible that the proper methodof opposing an enemy , who made incursions bysea, was to meet them on their own element, tookcare to provide himself with a naval force ”,which , though the most natural defence of anisland , had hitherto been totally neglected bythe English. He increased the stripping of hiskingdom both in number and strength , and train-ed his subjects in the practice as well of failing,as of naval action. He distributed his armedvessels in proper stations around the istand, andwas sure to meet the Danish strips either beforeor after they had landed their troops, and to pursuethem in all their incursions. Though the Danesmight suddenly, by surprize, disembark on thecoast, which was generally become desolate bytheir frequent ravages, they were encountered bythe English fleet in their retreat; and escapednot, as formerly, by abandoning their bootv,but paid, by their total destruction, the penaltyof the disorders which they had committed.

In this manner, Alfred repelled several inroadsof these piratical Danes , and maintained hiskingdom, during some years, in safety and tran-quillity. A fleet of a hundred and twenty stups

5 ° Spellman’s life of Alfred, p. 147. edit. 1709.

” Aster. p. 9. M. West. p* 179.

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II.