ollowing 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