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Thorstein, son of Olaf the White, and Jarl Sigurd of
Orkney ; but the former kingdom of Northumberland
had included Galloway, and it is likely that Halfdan’s
object was to extend his power to the ancient borders
of his realm. Next year he "dealt out the lands
of Northumbria, and they thenceforth continued
ploughing and tilling them."
The other part of the great army under Guthorm,
Asketil and Hámund, went in 875 to winter at Cambridge.
So far, they might be supposed to have
burnt their ships, for all three campaigns had been
on land, but their ships were soon called into action.
Ælfred in person fought a naval battle off the south
coast, and won it; but in 876 Guthorm sailed round
to Poole harbour to join the army of Ubbi from
Wales. Asser tells how he seized "the castellum,"
ancient square earthworks, "called Wareham, where
there is a convent of nuns, between the two rivers
Frome and Trent." Ælfred bought peace, and the
Danes swore on the Holy Ring that they would
depart; but early in 877 they sallied out by night
and rode to Exeter. Ælfred could only blockade
them, and set his ships to watch the mouth of the
Exe. An interpolator of Asser (c. 50 ; ed. Stevenson,
p. 39) says that he had ships built in all parts of his
kingdom, and placed "pirates" on board to fight the
Danes : but the phrase is so vague and rhetorical that
we must not assume that these man-of-war’s men
were Norse, brought in to fight their rivals.
The Danish fleet of 120 sail coming from Wareham
to force the blockade was wrecked off Swanage, and
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