Alfred the Great acted as his own spy, visiting Danish camps disguised as a minstrel.In those
days wandering minstrels were welcome everywhere. They were not fighting men, and their harp
was their passport. Alfred had learned many of their ballads in his youth,and could vary his
programme with acrobatic tricks and simple conjuring.
While Alfred's little army slowly began to gather at Athelney, the king himself set out to penetrate
the camp of Guthrum, the commander of the Danish invaders.These had settle down for the winter
at Chippenham: thither Alfred went. He noticed at once that discipline was slack: the Danes
had the self-confidence of conquerors, and their security precautions were casual. They lived well,
on the proceeds of raids on neighouring regions. There they collected women as well as food
and drink, and a life of ease had made them soft.
Alfred stayed in the camp a week before he return to Athelney. The force there assembled was
trivial compared with the Danish horde. But Alfred had deduced that the Danes were no longer
fit for prolonged battle: and that their commissariat had no organization, but depended on irregular
raids.
So, faced with Danish advance, Alfred did not risk open battle but harried the enemy. He was
constantly on the move,drawing the Danes after him. His patrols halted the raiding parties:
hunger assailed the Danish army. Now Alfred began a long series of skirmishes-and within a
month the Danes had surrendered. The episode could reasonably serve as a unique of royal espionage!