permanently under arms. Landowners who lost the services of sons or
freemen working for them should pay the same assessment only as before,
but those who did not contribute men to the levy should pay an
additional assessment. Edmund said he would pay the men composing the
band the same wages they would earn in the field, and would undertake
all their expenses. "So long as the king continues the struggle," he
said, "it is our duty to aid him, nor can we escape from the dangers
and perils of invasion. Should the Danes come near us all must perforce
fight, but so long as they continue at a distance things can go on here
as if we had peace in the land."

The proposal was, after some discussion, agreed to, and the news caused
gladness and contentment throughout the earldom. The younger men who
had been included in the levy were quite satisfied with the
arrangement. The spirit of the West Saxons was still high, and those
without wives and families who would suffer by their absence or be
ruined by their death were eager to continue the contest. The proposal
that they should be paid as when at work was considered perfectly
satisfactory.

The men of Sherborne had under their young leader gained great credit
by their steadiness and valour in the battles four years before, and
they looked forward to fresh victories over the invader. The result was
that ninety young men assembled for service. Edmund had sent off a
messenger to the king saying that the people were utterly weary of war
and refused to take up arms, but that he was gathering a band of young
men with whom he would ere long join him; but he prayed for a short
delay in order that he might get them into a condition to be useful on
the day of battle.

After consultation with Egbert, Edmund drew up a series of orders
somewhat resembling those of modern drill. King Alfred had once, in
speaking to him, described the manner in which the Thebans, a people of
Northern Greece, had fought, placing their troops in the form of a
wedge. The formation he now taught his men. From morning to night they
were practised at rallying from pursuit or flight, or changing from a
line into the form of a wedge. Each man had his appointed place both in
the line and wedge. Those who formed the outside line of this formation
were armed with large shields which covered them from chin to foot, and
with short spears; those in the inner lines carried no shields, but
bore spears of increasing length, s