AN HEROIC POEM, IN TWENTY-FOUR BOOKS. BY JOSEPH COTTLE, AUTHOR OF "REMINISCENCES OF COLERIDGE & SOUTHEY." Fourth Edition. LONDON: PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, & LONGMANS, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1850. CONTENTS OF BOOKS. Ivar, the evening before he departs from Denmark with new forces to attack Eng. land, consults the Oracle:-Kills a Mariner:-how punished by the illusions of the Witch. Swears never again to take the life of any unarmed person in the Island to Alfred, after the severest of his defeats by Hubba, retreats before the Danes, and as a temporary measure, announces his determination of retiring into solitude. In- troduction of Oddune,-Sigbert. Oddune dismissed to encourage the West Saxons Alfred appoints Selwood forest as the rendezvous of his Troops. Departs with Alswi- tha his queen, and their infant son, toward a neighbouring heath. Time, the evening. Season, midsummer. Alfred meets a beggar, with whom he divides his only loaf. Arrives at Glastonbury Abbey. Leaves his Queen and Infant Son there. Departs alone to seek some ob- Alfred, a menial in the cottage of a Neatherd. Acca upbraids the King for her Alfred in the Neatherd's Cottage. Sigbert enters the Cottage with a Child, and BOOK VI Sigbert rescues a Cottager and his Daughter, from the assaults of two Danes. BOOK VII. Alfred meets a company of Saxons fleeing into Wales from Ivar, just landed in BOOK VIII. Alfred's interview with a Hermit. Sigbert arrives in the Saxon Camp. Alswitha BOOK IX. Ceolric's return. Narrates his perils. Alfred resolves to burn Ivar's Fleet. Sig- BOOK X. Alfred's interview with a Witch. The burning of the Danish Fleet. BOOK XI. Oddune escapes by night from Kenwith. Meets Alfred. His Narrative. Oswald. BOOK XII. The Danes attack Kenwith Castle. Find Oddune fled. Arrival of Ivar Death of BOOK XIII. Alfred proposes to enter the Danish Camp, disguised as a Harper. Dissuaded by BOOK XIV. Alfred's visit to the Danish Camp. His harp endangered. Interference of Guth- Scene the Castle. Present Ivar and Hubba. Wrath of Hubba toward Guthrum. Scene: Hall in Kenwith Castle: present, lvar, Hubba, Guthrum, and the Harper. Alfred leaves the Danish Camp. While returning to Selwood meets Sigbert. Sends At the break of day Alfred conducts his army into the plain to meet the Danes. Total defeat of the Danes. Ivar slain by Alfred. Hubba sorely wounded by Od- dune. Guthrum and a body of the surviving Danes fly to the near Castle. Meeting of Alfred and Oddune. The King and Oddune assist the wounded. Approach where Hubba lay writhing. Alfred offers him aid. Hubba disdains his service. He recog- nizes in Alfred the Harper :-breathes imprecations: stabs himself to the heart. Montalto among the slain:-borne with solemn dirge to the grave. The Barrow raised over the slaughtered Danes. The Woodman's Son. Oddune sent to summons |