This victory, and especially the capture of the Raven, produced vast effects on the minds both of the Saxons and of the Danes, animating and encouraging the one, and depressing the other with superstitious as well as natural and proper fears.  The influence of the battle was sufficient, in fact, wholly to change Alfred’s position and prospects.  The news of the discovery of the place of his retreat, and of the measures which he was maturing for taking the field again to meet his enemies, spread throughout the country.  The people were every where ready to take up arms and join him.  There were large bodies of Danes in several parts of his dominions still, and they, alarmed somewhat at these indications of new efforts of resistance on the part of their enemies, began to concentrate their strength and prepare for another struggle.

The main body of the Danes were encamped at a place called Edendune, in Wiltshire.  There is a hill near, which the army made their main position, and the marks of their fortifications have been traced there, either in imagination or reality, in modern times.  Alfred wished to gain more precise and accurate information than he yet possessed of the numbers and situation of his foes; and, in order to do this, instead of employing a spy, he conceived the design of going himself in disguise to explore the camp of the Danes.  The undertaking was full of danger, but yet not quite so desperate as at first it might seem.  Alfred had had abundant opportunities during the months of his seclusion to become familiar with the modes of speech and the manners of peasant life.  He had also, in his early years, stored his memory with Saxon poetry, as has already been stated.  He was fond of music, too, and well skilled in it; so that he had every qualification for assuming the character of one of those roving harpers, who, in those days, followed armies, to sing songs and make amusement for the soldiers.  He determined, consequently, to assume the disguise of a harper, and to wander into the camp of the Danes, that he might make his own observations on the nature and magnitude of the force with which he was about to contend.

He accordingly clothed himself in the garb of the character which he was to assume, and, taking his harp upon his shoulder, wandered away in the direction of the Northmen’s camp.  Such a strolling countryman, half musician, half beggar would enter without suspicion or hinderance into the camp, even though he belonged to the nation of the enemy.  Alfred was readily admitted, and he wandered at will about the lines, to play and sing to the soldiers wherever he found groups to listen—­intent, apparently, on nothing but his scanty pittance of pay, while he was really studying, with the utmost attention and care, the number, and disposition, and discipline of the troops, and all the arrangements of the army.  He came very near discovering himself, however, by overacting his part.  His music was so well executed and his ballads were so fine, that reports of the excellence of his performance reached the commander’s ears.  He ordered the pretended harper to be sent into his tent, that he might hear him play and sing.  Alfred went, and thus he had the opportunity of completing his observations in the tent, and in the presence of the Danish king.