Alfred　remained　three　days　at　Sherborne　and　then　left
  Edmund　to　administer　the　affairs　of　his　earldom；　for　which　a
  substitute　had　been　provided　in　his　absence。　The　large　plunder
  which　the　Dragon　had　brought　home　had　enriched　all
  who　had　sailed　in　her；　and　greatly　added　to　the　prosperity
  which　prevailed　in　Edmund's　district。
  He　found　that　in　his　absence　Alfred　had　introduced　many
  changes。　The　administration　of　justice　was　no　longer　in　the
  hands　of　the　ealdormen；　judges　having　been　appointed　who
  journeyed　through　the　land　and　administered　justice。
  Edmund　highly　approved　of　the　change；　for　although　in　most
  cases　the　ealdormen　had　acted　to　the　best　of　their　powers
  they　had　a　great　deal　of　other　business　to　do；　besides；　their
  decisions　necessarily　aggrieved　one　party　or　the　other　and
  sometimes　caused　feuds　and　bad　feelings；　and　were　always
  liable　to　be　suspected　of　being　tinged　with　partiality；　whereas
  the　judges　being　strangers　in　the　district　would　give　their
  decisions　without　bias　or　favour。
  Freda　had；　as　was　the　custom；　taken　a　new　name　in　baptism；
  but　at　Edmund's　request　her　name　had　only　been
  changed　to　the　Christian　one　of　Elfrida；　and　Edmund　to　the
  end　of　his　life　continued　to　call　her　by　her　old　name。　She
  speedily　became　as　popular　in　the　earldom　as　was　her　husband。
  Siegbert；　who　had　been　christened　Harold；　took　kindly
  to　his　new　life。　Between　him　and　Egbert　a　great　friendship
  had　sprung　up；　and　Edmund　built　for　their　joint　use　a　house
  close　to　his　own。
  In　884　Alfred　heard　that　the　Danes　of　East　Anglia　were
  in　correspondence　with　their　countrymen　at　home　and　in
  France；　and　that　there　was　danger　that　the　peace　of　England
  would　be　disturbed。　The　thanes　were　therefore　bidden　to
  prepare　for　another　struggle；　to　gather　sufficient　arms　in
  readiness　for　all　the　able…bodied　men　in　their　district；　and　to
  call　out　their　contingents　from　time　to　time　to　practise　in　the
  use　of　arms。
  The　ealdormen　whose　seats　of　government　bordered
  on　the　sea　were　ordered　to　construct　ships　of　war；　so　that　any
  Danish　armament　might　be　met　at　sea。　Edmund　was　appointed
  to　command　this　fleet；　and　was　instructed　to　visit
  the　various　ports　to　superintend　the　construction　of　the　ships；
  and　when　they　were　completed　to　exercise　their　crews　in　naval
  maneuvers。
  The　winter　of　884　was　spent　by　Edmund　in　the　performance
  of　these　duties。　The　Dragon　was　again　fitted　out；　and
  in　her　he　cruised　from　port　to　port。　Freda；　who　was
  passionately　fond　of　the　sea；　accompanied　him；　as　did　Siegbert
  and　Egbert。　It　was　not　until　May　in　885　that　the　threatened
  invasion　took　place。　Then　the　news　came　to　the　king　that　the
  Danes　had　landed　in　large　numbers　near　Rochester　and　had
  laid　siege　to　the　town。　The　king　instantly　summoned　his　fighting
  array；　and　in　a　few　days　moved　at　the　head　of　a　large
  army　towards　Kent。　Rochester　was　defending　itself　valiantly。
  The　Danes　erected　a　great　tower　opposite　to　the　principal
  gate；　and　overwhelming　the　defenders　on　the　walls　with　their
  missiles　endeavoured　to　force　their　way　in　by　battering　down
  the　gate。
  The　inhabitants；　however；　piled　great　masses　of　stone
  behind　it；　and　even　when　the　gate　was　battered　in　the　Danes；
  with　all　their　efforts；　were　unable　to　force　an　entrance。　The
  Saxon　army　advanced　with　such　celerity　that　the　Danes　had
  received　no　news　of　their　coming　until　they　were　close　at
  hand。　Then　one　of　their　foraging　parties　arrived　with　the
  intelligence　that　a　great　Saxon　army　was　upon　them。　The
  Danes　were　seized　with　a　sudden　panic；　and　fled　precipitately
  to　their　ships；　leaving　behind　them　the　horses　they　had
  brought　from　France；　their　stores；　and　all　the　prisoners　and
  spoil　they　had　gathered　in　their　incursions　in　the
  neighbourhood　of　Rochester。　Seeing　how　well　the　Saxons
  were　prepared　for　resistance　the　greater　portion　of　the　Danes
  crossed　to　France；　but　sixteen　of　their　vessels　entered　the
  Stour　and　joined　their　allies　of　East　Anglia。
  Alfred　ordered　his　fleet　to　assemble　in　the　Medway；　and
  in　a　fortnight　the　vessels　from　all　the　southern　ports　arrived。
  They　were　filled　with　fighting　men；　and　sailed　to　attack　the
  Danes　in　the　Stour；　after　which　the　force　was　to　land　and　to
  inflict　a　severe　punishment　upon　East　Anglia。　On　hearing
  of　the　gathering　of　the　Saxon　fleet　Athelstan　sent　across　to
  France　and　begged　the　Danes　to　come　to　his　assistance；　but
  none　of　their　vessels　had　arrived　when　the　Saxon　fleet　reached
  the　mouth　of　the　Stour。
  The　fighting　force　on　board　the　Danish　ships　had　been
  largely　reinforced　by　their　countrymen　of　East　Anglia；　and　in
  a　close　body　they　rowed　out　to　give　battle　to　the　Saxons。　A
  desperate　fight　ensued；　but　after　a　struggle；　which　continued
  for　many　hours；　the　Danes　were　completely　defeated；　the
  whole　of　their　vessels　were　captured；　and　all　on　board　put　to
  the　sword。
  On　the　following　day　the　army　landed　and　ravaged　the
  surrounding　country　and　returned　to　the　ships　with　much
  booty。　As　they　sailed　out　of　the　river　they　saw　a　vast　fleet　of
  the　enemy　approaching。　Athelstan　had　assembled　his　ships
  from　all　the　ports　of　East　Anglia；　and　had　been　joined　by　a
  large　reinforcement　of　his　countrymen　from　France。　The
  Saxons　were　greatly　outnumbered；　but　a　portion　of　the　fleet
  fought　with　great　bravery。　Some　of　the　ships；　however；　being
  manned　with　newly…collected　crews　unaccustomed　to　naval
  war；　lost　heart；　and　made　but　a　poor　resistance。
  Alfred　was　on　board　the　Dragon；　which　sank　several　of
  the　Danish　galleys；　and　with　some　of　her　consorts　continued
  the　fight　until　nightfall；　beating　off　every　attempt　of　the　Danes
  to　board　them。　Seeing　that　several　of　the　ships　had　been
  captured；　that　others　had　taken　to　flight；　and　that　there　was
  no　longer　a　hope　of　victory；　Alfred　gave　the　signal；　and　the
  Dragon　and　her　remaining　consorts　fought　their　way　through
  the　Danish　fleet　and　made　their　escape。
  The　valour　which　the　Saxons　had　shown　in　these　two
  sea…fights；　and　the　strength　of　the　army　with　which　Alfred
  had　so　speedily　marched　to　the　relief　of　Rochester；　greatly
  impressed　the　enemy；　and　although　Rollo　came　across　from
  Normandy　to　the　assistance　of　Athelstan；　the　Danes　concluded
  that　it　was　better　to　leave　the　Saxons　to　themselves。
  Alfred　in　the　following　spring　again　assembled　his　army
  and　laid　siege　to　London；　which　was　still　in　the　possession　of
  the　Danes。　Athelstan　did　not　venture　to　march　to　its　assistance；
  and　the　town；　which　had　long　been　In　the　Northmen's
  hands；　was　captured。　The　greater　portion　of　the　city　was
  burned　in　the　siege。　Alfred　ordered　it　to　be　rebuilt；　invited
  its　former　inhabitants　to　return；　and　offered　privileges　to　all
  who　would　take　up　their　abode　there。　The　walls　were　rebuilt；
  and　the　city　placed　in　a　position　of　defence。　Alfred
  then　handed　it　over　to　Ethelred；　the　ealdorman　of　Mercia。
  Peace　was　now　made　with　Athelstan；　and　for　some　years
  remained　unbroken。　In　893　a　Danish　fleet　of　250　ships　sailed
  across　from　Boulogne　and　landed　in　the　Weald　of　Kent；　which
  was　then　covered　with　a　great　forest；　and　there　wintered；　while
  the　viking　Hasting　with　eighty　ships　sailed　up　the　Thames
  and　built　a　strong　fort　at　Milton。
  Alfred　stationed　his　army　in　a　strong　position　half…way
  between　the　forest　and　the　Danish　camp　at　Milton；　so　that　he
  could　attack　either　army　when　they　moved　out　of　their　stronghold。
  The　Danes　for　many　months　remained　in　the　forest；
  issuing　out　occasionally　to　plunder　in　the　open　country　of
  Kent；　Sussex；　and　Hampshire；　but　they　met　with　a　stout　resistance
  from　the　Saxons　who　had　remained　in　the　towns　and　country。
  After　Easter；　having　collected　a　considerable　amount　of
  spoil；　and　finding　the　resistance　ever　increasing；　the　Danes
  moved　northwards　from　their　forest；　intending　to　march　into
  Essex。　The　king's　forces　at　once　set　off　to　intercept　them；
  and　overtook　them　at　Farnham；　where　the　Northmen　were
  completely　defeated。　All　their　booty　was　recaptured；　with
  their　horses　and　stores。　Those　who　escaped　fled　across　the
  Thames　and　took　refuge　on　an　island　in　the　Colne。　The
  Saxons　besieged　them　there；　but　when　the　Danes　were　about
  to　surrender　from　want　of　provisions　the　news　arrived　that
  the　Northmen　of　Northumbria　and　East　Anglia；　with　240
  ships；　had　landed　suddenly　in　Devonshire；　and　had　laid　siege
  to　Exeter。
  The　siege　of　the　island　was　at　once　raised；　and　King
  Alfred　marched　against　the　new　arrivals；　and　advancing　with
  great　speed　fell　upon　them　and　defeated　them。　Then　hastily
  returning　he　came　to　London　and；　joined　by　a　strong　force
  from　Mercia；　marched　against　Milton；　where　Hasting　had
  been　joined　by　the　great　number　of　the　Danes　who　had
  formed　the　army　in　the　Weald。　Hasting　himself　was　away；
  but　his　army　marched　out　to　meet　the　Saxons。
  A　great　battle　was　fought；　but　the　Danes　could　not　resist
  the　ardour　of　their　assailants。　Their　army　was　routed　and
  their　fortress　stormed。　All　the　booty　within　it　fell　into　the
  hands　of　the　victors；　together　with　the　wives　and　families　of
  the　Danes；　among　whom　were　the　wife　and　two　sons　of　Hasting。
  The　Danish　fleet　also　was　captured；　and　was　burned　or
  taken　to　London。　Another　great　fleet　of　the　East　Angles
  and　Northumbrians　sailed　up　the　Thames；　and　landing；　the
  Northmen　marched　a