Assers Life of Alfred 871. 871. 38. Alfred begins the Attack.⁸⁵ Now the Christians had determined that King Æthelred (age 24), with his men, should attack the two heathen kings, and that his brother [his brother] Alfred (age 22), with his troops, should take the chance of war against all the leaders of the heathen. Things being so arranged on both sides, the king still continued a long time in prayer, and the heathen, prepared for battle, had hastened to the field. Then Alfred (age 22), though only second in command, could no longer support the advance of the enemy, unless he either retreated or charged upon them without waiting for his brother. At length, with the rush of a wild boar, he courageously led the Christian troops against the hostile army, as he had already designed, for, although the king had not yet arrived, he relied upon God's counsel and trusted to His aid. Hence, having closed up his shield-wall in due order, he straightway advanced his standards against the foe. [At length King Æthelred (age 24), having finished the prayers in which he was engaged, came up, and, having invoked the King of the universe, entered upon the engagement.]⁸⁶

Note 85. All original except final clause.

Note 86. Supplied by Stevenson from Florence of Worcester.

Assers Life of Alfred 871. 871. 37. Battle of Ashdown.⁸⁰ Roused by this grief and shame, the Christians, after four days, with all their forces and much spirit advanced to battle against the aforesaid army, at a place called Ashdown⁸¹, which in Latin signifies 'Ash's⁸² Hill.' The heathen, forming in two divisions, arranged two shield-walls of similar size; and since they had two kings and many ealdormen, they gave the middle⁸³ part of the army to the two kings, and the other part to all the ealdormen. The Christians, perceiving this, divided their army also into two troops, and with no less zeal formed shield-walls.⁸⁴ But [his brother] Alfred (age 22), as I have been told by truthful eye-witnesses, marched up swiftly with his men to the battle-field; for King Æthelred (age 24) had remained a long time in his tent in prayer, hearing mass, and declaring that he would not depart thence alive till the priest had done, and that he was not disposed to abandon the service of God for that of men; and according to these sentiments he acted. This faith of the Christian king availed much with the Lord, as I shall show more fully in the sequel.

Note 80. Chiefly from the Chronicle.

Note 81. The Berkshire Downs (Stevenson).

Note 82. Stevenson is convinced that Æscesdun, though interpreted as 'mons fraxini,' cannot mean 'the hill of the ash,' but that Ash is here a man's name.

Note 83. Perhaps mediam is a scribal error for unam or primam (Stevenson).

Note 84. There is a note on the Germanic shield-wall in my edition of Judith (305ª), in the Belles Lettres Series.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 08 Jan 871. And about four nights after this, King Ethered (age 24) and [his brother] Alfred (age 22) his brother fought with all the army on Ashdown, and the Danes were overcome. They had two heathen kings, Bagsac and Healfden, and many earls; and they were in two divisions; in one of which were Bagsac and Healfden, the heathen kings, and in the other were the earls. King Ethered (age 24) therefore fought with the troops of the kings, and there was King Bagsac slain; and Alfred (age 24) his brother fought with the troops of the earls, and there were slain Earl Sidrac the elder, Earl Sidrac the younger, Earl Osbern, Earl Frene, and Earl Harold. They put both the troops to flight; there were many thousands of the slain, and they continued fighting till night.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 04 Jan 871. About four nights after this, King Ethered (age 24) and [his brother] Alfred (age 22) his brother led their main army to Reading, where they fought with the enemy; and there was much slaughter on either hand, Alderman Ethelwulf (age 46) being among the skain; but the Danes kept possession of the field.

On 22 Jan 871 King Æthelred of Wessex (age 24) was defeated by the Viking army at the Battle of Basing at Old Basing, Hampshire [Map].

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Around 22 Jan 871. Within a fortnight of this, King Ethered (age 24) and [his brother] Alfred (age 22) his brother fought with the army at Basing; and there the Danes had the victory.

Assers Life of Alfred 871. 22 Jan 871. 40. Battle of Basing.⁸⁹ After⁹⁰ fourteen days had elapsed King Æthelred (age 24) and his brother [his brother] Alfred (age 22) joined their forces, and marched to Basing⁹¹ to fight with the heathen. Having thus assembled, battle was joined, and they held their own for a long time, but the heathen gained the victory, and held possession of the battle-field. After this fight, another army of heathen came from beyond sea, and joined them.

Note 89. From the Chronicle.

Note 90. Before this sentence occurs the following in the Latin: Quibus cum talia præsentis vitæ dispendia alienigenis perperam quærentibus non sufficerent. This may represent a sentence in the author's draft that was intended, owing to change of construction, to be omitted (Stevenson).

Note 91. In Hampshire.

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Around 22 Mar 871. About two months after this, King Ethered (age 24) and [his brother] Alfred (age 22) his brother fought with the army at Marden. They were in two divisions; and they put them both to flight, enjoying the victory for some time during the day; and there was much slaughter on either hand; but the Danes became masters of the field; and there was slain Bishop Heahmund, with many other good men. After this fight came a vast army in the summer to Reading. And after the Easter of this year died King Ethered (age 24). He reigned five years, and his body lies at Winburn-minster [Map]. Then Alfred (age 22), his brother, the son of Ethelwulf, took to the kingdom of Wessex.