74 On the Barrow at Lanhili near Chippenham; 
popular histories, but also, very improperly, in most of the 
modern editions of the ancient chronicles. Let us, however, turn 
to the pages of, perhaps, the only strictly cotemporary authority, 
Asser; whose narrative, stripped of matter irrelevant to our present 
inquiry, is as follows: “In the seventh week after Easter, Alfred 
leaving Aithelingaeg, rode to Ecgbryht’s stone, which is in the east- 
ern part of the wood called Selwood, but in the British ‘Coitmaur.’ 
Here he was met by all the men of Somerset, Wiltshire, and part 
of those of Hampshire, who rejoiced greatly when they saw him 
once more; and there they encamped one night.” On this, the 
first day of his expedition, Alfred and those who accompanied him, 
being on horseback, of course, were able without difficulty to 
accomplish a longer journey than on the following days. On his 
arrival at Egbert’s stone, the king, it is clear, mustered his forces, 
the principal part of whom would consist of foot soldiers. “When 
the following day dawned, the king moving his camp, came to a 
place called Aeglea, where he encamped for one night. The next 
morning, at daybreak, he moved his forces, and coming to a place 
called Ethandun, he engaged the entire host of the pagans, fighting 
for a long time in a close line of battle. The pagans were defeated 
with great slaughter, and pursued flying to their fortress (‘usque 
ad arcem.’)! Outside the fortress Alfred took much booty of horses 
and cattle, and made many prisoners, who were at once slain. 
Boldly encamping before the gates of the pagan fortress, with all 
his army, he remained there fourteen days, until the pagans, 
driven by famine, cold, fear, and last of all, by despair, sued for 
peace.””? This narrative of Asser is fuller than that of any other of 
the early authorities, which, however, so far as they go, entirely 
correspond; in fact, they were probably copied from Asser. 
1 “Ad firmitatem suum,” says Henry of Huntingdon. 
2 The map here given will assist the reader in following the narrative, and in 
understanding the different views as to the line of Alfred’s march and the sites 
of the battle and siege. The unbroken line ( ) represents the road taken 
by Alfred, according to the views held by Whitaker and adopted in this paper. 
The interrupted lines (----—) indicate the route in accordance with the differing 
opinions of Camden and his annotators, Hoare, Milner, Beke, and Moffat. The 
names of places are, as far as practicable, given in the Anglo-Saxon of the times. 
eae 
