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Thus, decisive as was the victory of Ashdown, Prince Alfred saw that many such victories must be won, and a prolonged and exhausting struggle carried on before the tide of invasion would be finally hurled back from Wessex. The next few days were spent in making a fair distribution of the spoil and arms among the conquerors.
Four days later, Ethelred and Alfred with their forces were attacked on Ashdown near White Horse Hill; after a heavy slaughter the Danes were out to flight. The Danes, however, reinforced by Guthrum with new troops from over the sea, within a fortnight resumed offensive operations, and at Merton, two months later, Ethelred was mortally wounded.
"Whenever you have made arrangements for me, I will set out." "And now comes the question where is she to go?" remarked Hodges. "I have a sister, who lives as housekeeper at Lord Craven's seat, Ashdown Park," replied Mr. Bloundel. "She shall go thither, and her aunt will take every care of her. The mansion is situated amid the Berkshire hills, and the air is the purest and best in England."
I said, when I had him up to the house, and the men were eating in the great hall. "Why are you not with Halfden?" "Have you heard no news?" he asked. "Only a few days ago I heard of the business at Ashdown." "Well, I have come thence," he said. "Now must I sail home and fetch more men in all haste." "Why came you in here?" "Because I came away in haste and need stores.
Has she been attacked by the plague?" "Would she had!" groaned Leonard. "Is she still at Ashdown?" pursued the grocer. "Ah! you shake your head. I see! I must be beside myself not to have thought of it before. She is in the power of the Earl of Rochester." "She is," cried Leonard, catching at the angle of the shed for support. "And I am here!" exclaimed Mr.
If he can no longer collect in a week such an army as fought at Ashdown, he can still, without much delay, bring to his side a sufficient force to hem the pagans in and keep them behind their ramparts. But the nature of the service was telling sadly on the resources of the kingdom south of the Thames.
The story is a string of Christian defeats alternated with victories so vain as to be more desolate than defeats. It is only in one of these, the fine but fruitless victory at Ashdown, that we first see in the dim struggle, in a desperate and secondary part, the figure who has given his title to the ultimate turning of the tide.
Northward was Crowborough Beacon, the Ashdown Forest Ridge, and the hills about Battle Abbey. Southward, and the way of the setting sun, the Downs ran out in huge spurs, line behind line of them, into the shining splendour of the sea, to break off abruptly in the white cliffs of the Seven Sisters.
But that then Ethelred and Alfred the Atheling had made a great effort, winning a mighty victory on Ashdown Heath, slaying Bagsac the king and both the Sidracs, Harald and Osbern the jarls, Frene, and many more with them. Nine battles had they fought that year and last. "How hear you of this?" I said.
Some of the thanes then returned home with their people; but the remainder, on the king's entreaty, agreed to march with him against the Danes, who after the battle had fallen back to Basing, where they had been joined by others coming from the coast. The royal army advanced against them, and fourteen days after the battle of Ashdown the struggle was renewed.
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