le circle of earthen banks. These differ from those which
we are wont to build, since we Saxons always fill up the ground so as
to be flat with the top of the earthen banks, while the Romans left
theirs hollow. However, the space is so large that it would take a vast
labour to fill it up, therefore I propose that we should merely thicken
the banks, and should, in Saxon custom, build a wall with turrets upon
them. The sloping banks alone would be but a small protection against
the onslaught of the Danes, but stone walls are another matter, and
could only be carried after a long siege. If you fall in with my views
you will each of you send half your serfs to carry out the work, and I
will do the same, and will, moreover, pay fifty freemen who may do the
squaring of the stones and the proper laying of them."

The proposal led to a long discussion, as some thought that there was
no occasion as yet to take such a measure; but the thanes finally
agreed to carry out Edmund's proposal.

CHAPTER IV: THE INVASION OF WESSEX

Edmund and Egbert devoted most of their time to the building of the new
fort, living very simply, and expended the whole of the revenues of the
lands on the payment of the freemen and masons engaged upon the work.
The Roman fort was a parallelogram, the sides being about 200 yards
long, and the ends half that length. It was surrounded by two earthen
banks with wide ditches. These were deepened considerably, and the
slopes were cut down more sharply. The inner bank was widened until it
was 15 feet across the top.

On this the wall was built. It was faced on both sides with square
stones, the space between filled up with rubble and cement, the total
thickness being 4 feet. The height of the wall was 8 feet, and at
intervals of 30 yards apart towers were raised 10 feet above it, one of
these being placed at either side of the entrance. Here the bank was
cut away, and solid buttresses of masonry supported the high gates. The
opening in the outer bank was not opposite to the gate in the inner,
being fifty yards away, so that any who entered by it would have for
that distance to follow the ditch between the two banks, exposed to the
missiles of those on the wall before arriving at the inner gate.

Five hundred men laboured incessantly at the work. The stone for the
walls was fortunately found close at hand, but, notwithstanding this,
the work took nearly six months to execute; deep wells were sunk in the