178 The Battle of Ethandun. 



The contradictory quotation from the work of Simeon of Durham, 

 for whose inflated style (and consequently inaccurate expression) an 

 apology is offered, can have no weight : as this author lived in the 

 reign of Edward III., and did not depart this life till 479 years 

 after the victory was gained. But we are further assured that the 

 Danes would not have advanced so far south as Edington, fourteen 

 or fifteen miles from Chippenham, on hearing of the king's approach. 

 I must confess my inability to receive this statement in the light 

 of a self-evident proposition. If the Danes did hear of the approach 

 of Alfred, the plain of Edington, supported by the strong fortress 

 of Bratton, would be a spot favourable to the interception of the 

 invading force and to the manoeuvres of a superior army, and in 

 choosing such a site for the battle, they would have followed the 

 general, I might almost say, the invariable, example of their pre- 

 decessors. But there is not the slightest proof that they did hear 

 of the king's approach, and the more reasonable presumption would 

 support the tradition, that whilst they were on some predatory ex- 

 pedition, Alfred, (in the words of old Speed,) "on the suddeine, set 

 uppon the carelesse campe of the Danes, and made thereof a very 

 great slaughter." 



Dr. Thurnam next observes, that "even if Edington might be 

 admitted as the site of the battle, we should still demur to accept- 

 ing the camp of Bratton as the Danish fortress." If this latter 

 observation can be maintained, I will readily yield the question in 

 dispute ; and will agree, that the battle could not have been fought 

 at Edington, if Bratton is not to be identified with the fortress to 

 which the Danes afterwards retreated. But so far from admitting 

 the difiiculty of that retreat, I presume it to be consistent with the 

 most obvious view of the case. Alfred emerging from the forest 

 and woody tracts, which extended beyond Westbury Leigh, must 

 of course, have attacked, to the north of Bratton ; the ridge of down 

 preventing the meeting of the hostile armies in any other direction. 

 Mr. Britton indeed objects to the identity of Bratton, on account 

 of its position between Edington and Cleyhill, which would infer 

 a retreat through the conquering army ; but (referring to the map), 

 if we consider that this fortress is separated by the ridge of down 



