Then the Danes turned their faces once more towards Mercia and East Anglia.

They had before stripped the inhabitants of all their movable substance, and now they proceeded without resistance to seize upon their lands.

Their success encouraged new swarms of Danes to crowd over, who, finding all the northern parts of England possessed by their friends, rushed into Wessex.

They were adventurers under different and independent leaders; and a peace little regarded by the particular party that made it had no influence at all upon the others.

Alfred opposed this shock with so much firmness that the barbarians had recourse to a stratagem: they pretended to treat; but taking advantage of the truce, they routed a body of the West Saxon cavalry that were off their guard, mounted their horses, and, crossing the country with amazing celerity, surprised the city of Exeter.