Alfred and the Danes
flames of war within and without. The king of the barbarians perished, and eight hundred men with him. The Danes at last obtained the victory. Meanwhile, after Easter in that year, King Alfred hazarded 5 a battle against the army which lay at Chippenham, at a place called Edington, but they obtained the honor of victory. But after the issue of the engagement, the barbarians promised peace, begged a truce, did not refuse hostages, and bound themselves 10 by an oath; their king also submitted to the rite of baptism, and King Alfred, as sponsor, received him from the laver in the marshy isle of Alney. Duke .Æthelnoth likewise purified the same king after his baptism, at a place called Wedmore, and there King 15 Alfred loaded him with magnificent honors. Then, after a year from the period when the pagan army had set out from the city of Gloucester, it reached the town of Cirencester, and remained there during the winter season. In the course of this year the 20 sun was eclipsed. In the year following this solar eclipse, the aforesaid army left Cirencester for the country of the East Angles; there they pitched their camp and reduced all the inhabitants under their yoke. Fourteen years had now been completed 25 since the barbarians had first wintered in the aforesaid fields and had been provided with horses. Moreover, in the same year, after all the aforesaid country had been subjected to them, they set sail for Gaul and stationed themselves at a place called
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