ALFRED.

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wife and two sons of Hastings Alfred gen er- coufiy spared these captives; and even restoredthem to Hastings “, on condition that he shoulddepart the kingdom.

But though the king had thus honourably ridhimself of this dangerous enemy, he had notentirely subdued or expelled the invaders. Thepiratical Danes willingly followed in an excursionany prosperous leader, who gave them hopes ofbooty; but were not so easily induced to relinquishtheir enterprise, or submit to return, baffled andwithout plunder , into their native country. Greatnumbers of.them , after the departure of Hastings,seized and fortified Shobnry at the mouth of theThames; and having left a garrison there, theymarched along the river, till they came to Bod-dington in the county of Glocester; where, beingreinforced by some Welsh, they threw up en-trenchments, and prepared for their defence. Theking here surrounded them with the whole forceof his dominions *" ; and as he had now a certainprospect of victory, he resolved to trust nothingto chance, but rather to master his enemies byfamine than assault. They were reduced to suchextremities, that, having eaten their own horses,and having many of them perished with hum-xer", they made a desperate sally upon the English i

Chron. Sax. p. 94. M. ^eft. p. 178.

' M. West. p. 179.

" Chron. Sax. p. 94.

Ibid. M. West. p. 179. Flor. Wigorn. p. 596.

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