Miserable state of England when Alfred ascended the throne of Wessex--He is disheartened by the rapid arrival of the Danes --Enters into a treaty with them, and they abandon Essex--The Danes occupy London--Burrhed, king of Mercia, retires to Rome --The Danes now masters of all England, excepting Wessex-- Alfred destroys their ships--Again enters into treaty with them --He encounters them at sea--Treaty at Exeter--His strange conduct at Chippenham--Vindication of the character of Alfred --His conduct during retirement--Alfred the Great in the cowherd's hut--Discovery of his retreat--His skirmishes with the Danes--Odin, the earl of Devonshire, captures the magical banner of Hubba, the sea-king--Alfred and his followers fortify their island retreat--Poverty of the great Saxon king p. 179 CHAPTER XXII. ALFRED THE GREAT. Alfred in disguise visits the Danish camp near Westbury in Wiltshire--His interview with Godrun, the sea-king--Alfred musters the Saxon forces at Selwood forest--The arrival of his followers described--His preparation for battle--Description of the combat--Defeat of the Danes--Alfred besieges the Danish encampment--Surrender of Godrun--Policy and generosity of Alfred the Great--Peaceful appearance of England--Landing of Hastings, the famous sea-king--Alfred increases his navy-- Character of Hastings, the sea-king, the most skilful of all the Danish invaders--Alfred marches his army between the Danish forces--His masterly generalship--Hastings offers to quit the kingdom--His treachery--Is again conquered by Alfred--The Danes of East Anglia and Northumbria rise up against Alfred-- The wife and children of Hastings are taken prisoners by Alfred, and discharged with presents--After many struggles the Danes are at last defeated--Hastings quits England--Death of Alfred the Great p. 192 CHAPTER XXIII. CHARACTER OF ALFRED THE GREAT. His boyhood--Early love of poetry--Self-cultivation--Wisdom displayed in his conduct with the Danes--Difficulties under which he pursued his labour--His patronage of literary men --Method of study--Summary of his works--He reforms the Saxon nobles--Divides his time--Various purposes to which he appropriates his revenue--His invention for marking the hours --Cultivates an acquaintance with foreign countries--His severity in the administration of justice--Establishment of a rigid system of police--His laws--Intellectual character of Alfred the Great p. 199 CHAPTER XXIV. EDWARD THE ELDER.