72 ALFRED.
but employed him as his firft minifler and general of his armies. Jn the year 866, a great fleet of the Danes, under the com- mand of Hinguar and Hurjoa. fons of Lodbroch, a Danifti king, invaded England : in 871, they marched to Reading in Bt rkfhire, where they received a confiderable reinforcement, and took that town ?nd faftle. ./Ethelred and his brother ./Eltred came with an anny to Reading- a week after it was taktn I he divided his forces into two bodies, one of which he a/Tsgned to ./Elfred, and the other he kept under his own com- mand. Alfred raiLly engaged the Danifh army, which being very numerous, he w.is in great danger of being totally defeated, had uot Me king come to his affiftance with a frcfh body of meji ; this changed the fortune of the day fo far> that the Danes were defeated, and loft great numbers of their men. Soon after, however, the Danes atttacked and routed the two bro hers at Merden, near the Devizes. In this engagement .rEMHred received a wound, ofwhich he died, after having 44? reigned five years. Upon his death, Alfred fucceeded to the crown, agreeable to the will of king ^Ethelwolf, and the appointment of ^Ethel- red [B]. This happened in the year 871, and the twenty- fecond of Alfred's age. He had fcarce time to attend the funeral of his brorher, when he was obliged to fight for the crown he had fo lately received. He engaged the Danifh army at Wilton, and at the beginning of the battle had the advantage; but, in the purfuit. the Danes difcovering his . Men-Weaknefs, rallied, and drove him out of the field. Soon after - there was a treaty, but the Danes paid little regard to itj roamiisg up and down the country, and pillaging wherever they canie. They at laft put an end to the kingdom of Mer- cia, and obliged Burrhed, the king, not only to quit his do- minions, but the i/land. Alfred fitted out a fleet to guard Erompt. t j ie coa fj- s . am j a fquadron of five Danifh fhips coming on [B] Before ^Etnelred came to the when the crown fell to ^Ethelreo, being crown, tbfe nac been a treaty between required to perform his agreement, he him ap.'i JElfrfd, concerning their re- refufed, alleging he could not divide his fpelive rftates j and yEthelred, in pre- dominions, but would leave them eniire fence or diveis of the nobility, acknow- to ./Elfred, if hefhould furvive. ./Elfred, ledginj Alfred's right to certain demef- though kept from his rieht, gave his ne? Wt birr, by h>s Jather, which were brother all the afliftance in his power ; then, as it appears, witheld from him, and, upon his death, was defired, by the prorcifed in a falemn manner, if ever he archblfliop, nobles, and commons of came to be king, he would not only Weft-Saxony, to take the government permit ./Elf.eci 10 enjoy quietly the lands upon bimfeif, which he accordingly did, brqL.cjthed to him, but likewife give and was downed at Winciicfler. Spel- him a /hare of all the territories which man, p. 44. thry fljould gain from the enemy, jgul the
