ALFRED.

121

After Alfred had subdued and had settled or c h a p.expelled the Danes, he found the kingdom in the n.most wretched condition; desolated by the ravagesof those barbarians , and thrown into disorders,which were calculated to perpetuate its misery.

Though the great armies of the Danes werebroken, the country was full of straggling troopsof that nation, who, being accustomed to liveby plunder, were become incapable of industry,and who , from the natural ferocity of theirmanners , indulged themselves in committingviolence , even beyond what was requisite tosupply their necessities. The English themselves,reduced to the most extreme indigence by thesecontinued depredations, had shaken off all bandsof government; and those who had been plun-dered to-day , betook themselves next day to alike disorderly life, and from despair joined therobbers in pillaging and ruining their fellow-citi-zens These were the evils , for which it wasnecessary that the Vigilance and activity of Alfredshould provide a remedy.

That he might render the execution of justicestrict and regular, he divided all England intocounties ; these counties he subdivided intohundreds; and the hundreds into tythings. Everyhouse-holder was answerable for the behaviour ofhis family and staves , and even of his guests, ifthey lived above three days in his house. Tenneighbouring house-holders were formed into onecorporation, who, under the name of a tything,decennary, or fribourg, were answerable for eachother's conduct , and over \yhom one person,