But as their king went forward our Saxons cheered again and pressed their attack home, and right and left the Danish line fell back and broke.

At that a wild shout and charge with levelled spears swept them down the hillside in full rout, and the end had come.

His courtmen closed round Guthrum and bore him from before us, and the full tide of pursuit swept him away before we reached him.
Alfred stayed his horse and let the men go on.

His face was good to see as he glanced round at the hills to our right; but when it fell on the slain, who lay thickly where the lines had met, he bared his head and looked silently on them for a space, while his lips moved as if he prayed.
Then he said: "These have given their lives not in vain, for they have helped to bring peace, and have died to set an English king over the English land." He put on his crown-circled helm again, and as he did so, among the fallen there was a stir and movement, and the wounded rose up on arms and knees and turned on their sides, and raised their hands, waving broken weapons, and crying in a strange, wearied voice that yet had a ring of victory in it: "Waeshael to Alfred the king!" For the silence that had fallen, and the lessening shouts of the pursuers, told them that they had won, and they were content.
Thereat Alfred flushed red, and I think that he almost wept, for he turned from us.

And then he spoke to the men who yet stood round him, and said: "Let every man who has any knowledge of care for the wounded, or who has known a wound of his own and the way it was cared for, go among these brave ones and help them." Nor would he leave the place till he saw men going up and down among the hurt, tending them as well as they could; and he was the more content when he saw Bishop Sigehelm and many other clergy come on the field from the rear, where he had bidden them stay.