from　its　hiding…place　to　Athelney；　and　Edmund　and　Egbert
  had　also　handed　over　their　own　share　of　the　booty　to　the
  king。　The　golden　cups　and　goblets　he　had　refused　to　take；
  but　had　gladly　accepted　the　silver。
  Edmund　and　Egbert　had　left　Athelney　for　a　few　days　on
  a　mission。　The　king　had　described　to　them　minutely　where
  he　had　hidden　the　sacred　standard　with　the　Golden　Dragon。
  It　was　in　the　hut　of　a　charcoal…burner　in　the　heart　of　the
  forests　of　Wiltshire。　Upon　reaching　the　hut；　and　showing　to
  the　man　the　king's　signet…ring；　which　when　leaving　the
  standard　he　had　told　him　would　be　the　signal　that　any　who　might
  come　for　it　were　sent　by　him；　the　man　produced　the　standard
  from　the　thatch　of　his　cottage；　in　which　it　was　deeply
  buried；　and　hearing　that　it　was　again　to　be　unfurled　called
  his　two　stalwart　sons　from　their　work　and　at　once　set　out
  with　Edmund　and　Egbert　to　join　the　army。
  Easter　came　and　went；　but　the　preparations　were　not
  yet　completed。　A　vast　supply　of　arms　was　needed；　and　while
  the　smiths　laboured　at　their　work　Edmund　and　Egbert　drilled
  the　fighting　men　who　had　assembled；　in　the　tactics　which
  had　on　a　small　scale　proved　so　effective。　The　wedge　shape
  was　retained；　and　Edmund's　own　band　claimed　the　honour
  of　forming　the　apex；　but　it　had　now　swollen　until　it　contained
  a　thousand　men；　and　as　it　moved　in　a　solid　body；　with　its
  thick　edge　of　spears　outward；　the　king　felt　confident　that　it
  would　be　able　to　break　through　the　strongest　line　of　the　Danes。
  》From　morning　till　night　Edmund　and　Egbert；　assisted
  by　the　thanes　of　Somerset　who　had　gathered　there；　drilled
  the　men　and　taught　them　to　rally　rapidly　from　scattered　order
  into　solid　formation。　Unaccustomed　to　regular　tactics
  the　ease　and　rapidity　with　which　these　movements　came　to
  be　carried　out　at　the　notes　of　Edmund's　bugle　seemed　to　all
  to　be　little　less　than　miraculous；　and　they　awaited　with
  confidence　and　eagerness　their　meeting　with　the　Danes　on　the
  field。
  At　the　end　of　April　messengers　were　sent　out　bidding
  the　Saxons　hold　themselves　in　readiness；　and　on　the　6th　of
  May　Alfred　moved　with　his　force　from　Athelney　to　Egbertesstan
  （now　called　Brixton）；　lying　to　the　east　of　the　forest　of
  Selwood；　which　lay　between　Devonshire　and　Somerset。　The
  Golden　Dragon　had　been　unfurled　On　the　fort　in　Athelney；
  and　after　crossing　the　marshes　to　the　mainland　it　was　carried
  in　the　centre　of　the　phalanx。
  On　the　12th　they　reached　the　appointed　place；　where
  they　found　a　great　multitude　of　Saxons　already　gathered。
  They　had　poured　in　from　Devonshire；　Somerset；　and
  Wiltshire；　from　Dorset　and　Hants。　In　spite　of　the　vigorous
  edicts　of　the　Danes　against　arms　a　great　proportion　of　them
  bore　weapons；　which　had　been　buried　in　the　earth；　or　concealed
  in　hollow　trees　or　other　hiding…places　until　the　time
  for　action　should　again　arrive。
  As　they　saw　the　king　approaching　at　the　head　of　his
  band；　with　the　Golden　Dragon　fluttering　in　the　breeze；　a
  great　shout　of　joy　arose　from　the　multitude；　and　they　crowded
  round　the　monarch　with　shouts　of　welcome　at　his　reappearance
  among　them；　and　with　vows　to　die　rather　than　again　to
  yield　to　the　tyranny　of　the　Northmen。　The　rest　of　the　day
  was　spent　in　distributing　the　newly　fashioned　arms　to　those
  who　needed　them；　and　in　arranging　the　men　in　bands　under
  their　own　thanes；　or；　in　their　absence；　such　leaders　as　the
  king　appointed。
  Upon　the　following　morning　the　army　started；　marching
  in　a　north…easterly　direction　against　the　great　camp　of
  the　Danes　at　Chippenham。　That　night　they　rested　at　Okeley；
  and　then　marched　on　until　in　the　afternoon　they　came　within
  sight　of　the　Danes　gathered　at　Ethandune；　a　place　supposed
  to　be　identical　with　Edington　near　Westbury。
  As　the　time　for　Alfred's　reappearance　approached　the
  agitation　and　movement　on　the　part　of　the　people　had
  attracted　the　attention　of　the　Danes；　and　the　news　of　his
  summons　to　the　Saxons　to　meet　him　at　Egbertesstan　having　come
  to　their　ears；　they　gathered　hastily　from　all　parts　under
  Guthorn　their　king；　who　was　by　far　the　most　powerful　viking
  who　had　yet　appeared　in　England；　and　who　ruled　East　Anglia
  as　well　as　Wessex。　Confident　of　victory　the　great　Danish
  army　beheld　the　approach　of　the　Saxons。　Long　accustomed
  to　success；　and　superior　in　numbers；　they　regarded　with
  something　like　contempt　the　approach　of　their　foes。
  In　the　centre　Alfred　placed　the　trained　phalanx　which
  had　accompanied　him　from　Athelney；　in　the　centre　of　which
  waved　the　Golden　Dragon；　by　whose　side　he　placed　himself。
  Its　command　he　left　in　the　hands　of　Edmund；　he　himself
  directing　the　general　movements　of　the　force。　On　his　right
  were　the　men　of　Somerset　and　Hants；　on　the　left　those　of
  Wilts；　Dorset；　and　Devon。
  His　orders　were　that　the　advance　was　to　be　made　with
  regularity；　that　the　whole　line　were　to　fight　for　a　while　on
  the　defensive；　resisting　the　onslaught　of　the　Danes　until　he
  gave　the　word　for　the　central　phalanx　to　advance　and　burst
  through　the　lines　of　the　enemy；　and　that　when　these　had　been
  thrown　into　confusion　by　this　attack　the　flanks　were　to　charge
  foward　and　complete　the　rout。　This　plan　was　carried　out。　The
  Danes　advanced　with　their　usual　impetuosity；　and　for　hours
  tried　to　break　through　the　lines　of　the　Saxon　spears。　Both
  sides　fought　valiantly；　the　Danes　inspired　by　their　pride　in
  their　personal　prowess　and　their　contempt　for　the　Saxons；
  the　Saxons　by　their　hatred　for　their　oppressors；　and　their
  determination　to　die　rather　than　again　submit　to　their　bondage。
  At　length；　after　the　battle　had　raged　some　hours；　and
  both　parties　were　becoming　wearied　from　their　exertions；
  the　king　gave　Edmund　the　order。
  Hitherto　his　men　had　fought　in　line　with　the　rest；　but　at
  the　sound　of　his　bugle　they　quitted　their　places；　and；　ere　the
  Danes　could　understand　the　meaning　of　this　sudden　movement；
  had　formed　themselves　into　their　wedge；　raised　a　mighty
  shout；　and　advanced　against　the　enemy。　The　onslaught　was
  irresistible。　The　great　wedge；　with　its　thick　fringe　of　spears；
  burst　its　way　straight　through　the　Danish　centre　carrying　all
  before　it。　Then　at　another　note　of　Edmund's　bugle　it　broke
  up　into　two　bodies；　which　moved　solidly　to　the　right　and　left；
  crumpling　up　the　Danish　lines。
  Alfred　now　gave　the　order　for　a　general　advance；　and
  the　Saxon　ranks；　with　a　shout　of　triumph；　flung　themselves
  upon　the　disordered　Danes。　Their　success　was　instant　and
  complete。　Confounded　at　the　sudden　break　up　of　their　line；
  bewildered　by　these　new　and　formidable　tactics；　attacked　in
  front　and　in　flank；　the　Danes　broke　and　fled。　The　Saxons
  pursued　them　hotly；　Edmund　keeping　his　men　well　together
  in　case　the　Danes　should　rally。　Their　rout；　however；　was　too
  complete；　vast　numbers　were　slain；　and　the　remnant　of　their
  army　did　not　pause　until　they　found　themselves　within　the
  shelter　of　their　camp　at　Chippenham。
  No　quarter　was　given　by　the　Saxons　to　those　who　fell
  into　their　hands；　and　pressing　upon　the　heels　of　the　flying
  Danes　the　victorious　army　of　King　Alfred　sat　down　before
  Chippenham。　Every　hour　brought　fresh　reinforcements　to
  the　king's　standard。　Many　were　already　on　their　way　when
  the　battle　was　fought；　and　as　the　news　of　the　victory　spread
  rapidly　every　man　of　the　West　Saxons　capable　of　bearing　arms
  made　for　Chippenham；　feeling　that　now　or　never　must　a　complete
  victory　over　the　Danes　be　obtained。
  No　assault　was　made　upon　the　Danish　camp。　Confident　in　his
  now　vastly　superior　numbers；　and　in　the　enthusiasm　which
  reigned　in　his　army；　Alfred　was　unwilling　to　waste
  a　single　life　in　an　attack　upon　the　entrenchments；　which　must
  ere　long　surrender　from　famine。　There　was　no　risk　of
  reinforcements　arriving　to　relieve　the　Danes。　Guthorn　had　led
  to　the　battle　the　whole　fighting　force　of　the　Danes　in　Wessex
  and　East　Anglia。　This　was　far　smaller　than　it　would　have
  been　a　year　earlier；　but　the　Northmen；　having　once　completed
  their　work　of　pillage；　soon　turned　to　fresh　fields　of
  adventure。　Those　whose　disposition　led　them　to　prefer　a
  quiet　life　had　settled　upon　the　land　from　which　they　had
  dispossessed　the　Saxons；　but　the　principal　bands　of　rovers；
  finding　that　England　was　exhausted　and　that　no　more　plunder
  could　be　had；　had　either　gone　back　to　enjoy　at　home　the
  booty　they　had　gained；　or　had　sailed　to　harry　the　shores　of
  France；　Spain；　and　Italy。
  Thus　the　position　of　the　Danes　in　Chippenham　was
  desperate；　and　at　the　end　of　fourteen　days；　by　which　time
  they　were　reduced　to　an　extremity　by　hunger；　they　sent
  messengers　into　the　royal　camp　offering　their　submission。　They
  promised　if　spared　to　quit　the　kingdom　with　all　speed；　and
  to　observe　this　contract　more　faithfully　than　those　which　they
  had　hitherto　made　and　broken。　They　offered　the　king　as
  many　hostages　as　he　might　wish　to　take　for　the　fulfilment　of
  their　promises。　The　haggard　and　emaciated　condition　of
  those　who　came　out　to　treat　moved　Alfred　to　pity。
  So　weakened　were　they　by　famine　that　they　could　scarce
  drag　themselves　along。　It　would　have　been　easy　for　the　Saxons
  to　have　slain　them　to　the　last　man；　and　the　majority　of
  the　Saxons；　smarting　under　the　memory　of　the　cruel　oppression
  which　they　had　suffered；　the　destruction　of　home　and
  property；　and　the　slaughte