7$ ALFRED: land, and deftroyed all before him, marching on to the city of Werheal in the weft, which is fuppofed to be Chefter, where they remained the reft of that year. The year follow- ing they invaded N-'>nh Wales ; and, after having plundered and deftroyed every thing, they divided, one body returning to Northumberland, another into the territories of the Eaft- Angles; from whence they proceeded to Eflex, and took pof- Chron. Sax.feffion of a fmall ifland called Merefig. Here they did not p> 9fft long remain ; for having parted, fome failed up the river Thames, and others up the Lea-road ; where drawing up their fnips, they built a fort not far from London, which proved a great check upon the citizens, who went in a body and attacked it, but were repulfed with great lofs. At harveft- time the king himlelf was obliged to encamp with a body of troops in the neighbourhood of the city, in order to cover the reapers from the excurfions of the Danes As he was one day riding by the fide of the river Lea, after fome obferva- tion, he began to think that the Danifti (hips might be laid quite dry; which he attempted, and to lucceeded therein, that the Danes deferted their fort and (hips, and marched away to the banks of the Severn, where they built a fort, and wintered at a phce called Quatbrig [G]. Such of the Danifti {hips as could be got off, the Londoners carried into their own road ; the reft they burnt and deftroyed. The Danes in a little time began again to invade the territories of the Weft- Saxons, both by land and fea; but they did more mifchief as pirates than as robbers ; for having built long and large fbips, they became mailers a: fea, and depopulated all the coaft. ./Elfred built fome large gillies, and fent them to cruize on the coafts of the >fle of Wight and Devonfhire, the fea there- abouts being greatlv inferred by fix piratical veflels, which were all taken or deftroyed, except one: and fuch of the Danes as landed when their fhips ran aihore, were taken pri- foners, and brought before the king atWinchefter, who fen- JbJd. p. o8, tence ^ the*i to be hanged as piratical murderers and enemies 59. to mankind. Alfred enjoyed a profound peace during the three laft years of his reign, which he chiefly employed in eftablifhing and re- [G] Theking's contrivance is thought agreed as to the method the king purfu- to have produced the meadow between ed, in laying dry the Danifh (hips : Dug- Hertford and Bow; for at Hertford was dale fuppufes that he aid it by Itraitning the Danes fort, and from thence they the channel 5 but Henry of Huntingdon made frequent excurfions on the inhabit- alleges, that he cut feveral canals, ants of London. Dugdale's Hift. of which exhaufted its water. Flor.Wigorn. Inabanking, p. 14. Authors are not Her.. Huntingd. Hift. lib. v. p. 351. gulating
