Capitolo 59
Reading is now standing on the stain. It is to the confluence of the River
Thames with the Kennet, a small branch of the Thames that flows here
in him from the south. The stain, having the waters of the rivers for
a defense on two sides of him, was easily strengthened. A castle had
state built there, and, a city had jumped on as usual in such cases,
on the walls.
Danish advanced to this fortitude and they took possession of him, and
they constituted him/it to them of the time their head-quarters. It immediately was the
you assemble from that they brought on their enterprises in all the directions
on the island and the shelter to which you/they could always retire them
when it defeated and it pursued. In the possession of such steadiness, them,
it clearly became, more formidable than never. King Ethelred determined
to dislodge them. He raised, accordingly, as great a strength as his
kingdom would furnish, and, picking up its brother Alfred as its second in
commands, he advanced toward to Read in a very resolved and definite
way.
He met a great body of Danish on that a they were first out
excursion that plunders. This party only consisted of a small separation,
the principal body of the army of Danish has been gone away to Reading to
you strengthen and you complete the fortifications. They was digging a trench
from river river, as completely to isolate the castle, and ago
it completely inaccessible on both side except from boats or a bridge.
With the earth thrown of the trench that they was manufacturing an embankment
on the inside side, so that an enemy, after having crossed the pit it is able
has a steep ascent to climb, also defenses, as clearly he would be
in such emergency, from long lines of desperate men on the top,
launching to the assailants bathes of javelins and arrows.
While, therefore, a considerable portion of Danish is at work
among and around their castle, the almost possible to do him/it
impregnable as a place of defense, the separation above of it assigned to
you/he/she had gone on for looting under the command of some of the most daring,