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encumbered with horses, cattle and speil, and not expecting an 
attack from an army of disciplined soldiers, the dense phalanx, 
densa testudo,” with which Alfred charged them, notwithstand- 
ing the most obstinate resistance, ere long broke their array, and 
a terrible slaughter followed. Those, who were able, retired to 
the fortified camp on the Down. Alfred boldly entrenches him- 
self around the fortress and blockades it. Why did not the 
Danes burst forth? ‘They had done so under similar circum- 
stances before; but Alfred had cowed them by his desperate 
assault, and they were outnumbered. Every day the English 
host was being reinforced, while the Danes were suffering from 
want of provisions, and possibly also of water. The end was 
an unconditional surrender, signalised by the wise clemency and 
generosity of Alfred, who thus turned Guthrum from an enemy 
into a friend and ally. 
Now all this can be shown to be consistent with Edington as 
the scene of the battle; but how about the other sites that 
have been mentioned? MHeddington, in Berkshire, the conjecture 
of Lysons, is out of the question altogether, being 60 miles 
away! And Heddington, near Calne, also appears too much out 
of the way strategically for the purpose of watching Alfred or 
protecting Chippenham ; and Alfred would have had to cross a 
considerable open plain to attack the Danes, and it has no 
tradition attached to it, the White Horse there being of certainly 
modern origin. The most plausible conjecture is that which 
links the spot to Yatton, near Chippenham. But, notwithstand- 
ing the able arguments which have been adduced in its favour, 
it does not seem to me to be consistent with all we know of the 
history. First, on account of the name, which sounds like the 
original name—Yatton is Gate-ton, or the residence near some 
passage or gateway, or road through a forest. It may have been 
the gate of Melksham forest ; and there is no down near it now, 
nor any rising ground of sufficient importance to compare with 
that of Edington. Moreover, to understand the battle to have 
