1x6 HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

chap. off the authority of Alfred, and yielding to theirXL inveterate habits of war and depredation !7 , em-barked on board two hundred and forty vessels,and appeared before Exeter in the west of England.Alfred lost not a moment in opposing this newenemy. Having left some forces at London tomake head against Hastings and the other Danes,he marched suddenly to the west ”; and fallingon the rebels before they were aware, pursuedthem to their ships with great slaughter. Theseravagers , sailing next to Sussex, began to plunderthe country near Chichester; but the order,which Alfred had every where established, suf-ficed here, without his presence, for the defenceof the place ; and the rebels, meeting with a newrepulse, in which many of them were killed,and some of their ships taken ”, were obliged toput again to sea, and were discouraged fromattempting any other enterprise.

Meanwhile, the Danish invaders in Essex,having united their force under the command ofHastings, advanced into the inland country and.made spoil of all around them; but soon hadreason to repent of their temerity. The Englisharmy, left in London, assisted by a body of thecitizens, attacked the enemy’s entrenchments atBamflete, overpowered the garrison, and havingdone great execution upon them, carried off the

57 Chron. Sax. p. gz.

! * Ibid. Sax. p. 93.

" Ibid. Sax. p. 96. Fsor._ Wigorn. p. 596.