[Sidenote:  875.] In the fourth yeare of king Alured the armie of the Danes diuided it selfe into two parts, so that king Halden with one part thereof went into Northumberland, and lay in the winter, season neere to [Sidenote:  The Danes went into Northumberland.] the riuer of Tine, where hee diuided the countrie amongest his men, and remained there for the space of two yeares, and oftentimes fetched thither booties and preis out of the countrie of the Picts.  The other part of the Danish armie with the three foresaid kings or leaders [Sidenote:  The Danes at Cambridge. 876.] came vnto Cambridge, and remained there a whole yeare.  In the same yeare king Alured fought by sea with 7 ships of Danes, tooke one of them, & chased the residue.  In the yeare next insuing, the Danes came into the countrie of the Westsaxons, and king Alured tooke truce with them againe, and they sware to him (which they had not vsed to doo [Sidenote:  The Danes tooke an oth. Hen.  Hunt.] to anie afore that time) that they would depart the countrie.  Their armie by sea sailing from Warham toward Excester, susteined great losse by tempest, for there perished 120 ships at Swanewicke.

[Sidenote:  The Danes went to Excester.] Moreouer the armie of the Danes by land went to Excester in breach of the truce, and king Alured followed them, but could not ouertake them till they came to Excester, and there he approched them in such wise, that they were glad to deliuer pledges for performance of [Sidenote:  Henr.  Hunt.] such couenants as were accorded betwixt him and them.  And so then they departed out of the countrie, and drew into Mercia.  But shortlie after, when they had the whole gouernment of the land, from Thames northward, they thought it not good to suffer king Alured to continue in rest with the residue of the countries beyond Thames.  And therefore the three foresaid rulers of Danes, Godrun, Esketell, and Ammond, inuading the countrie of Westsaxons came to Chipnam, distant 17 miles from Bristow, & there pitched their tents. [Sidenote:  877.]

[Sidenote:  Polydor.] King Alured aduertised hereof, hasted thither, and lodging with his armie neere to the enimies, prouoked them to battell.  The Danes perceiuing that either they must fight for their liues, or die with shame, boldlie came foorth, and gaue battell.  The Englishmen rashlie incountered with them, and though they were ouermatched in number, yet with such violence they gaue the onset, that the enimies at the first were abashed at their hardie assaults.  But when as it was perceiued that their slender ranks were not able to resist the thicke leghers of the enimies, they began to shrinke & looke backe one vpon an other, and so of force were constrained to retire:  and therewithal did cast themselues into a ring, which though it seemed to be the best way that could be deuised for their safetie, yet by the great force and number of their enimies on each side assailing them, they were so thronged togither