nd there present you to the king. For myself, if the battle is
lost I shall die rather than fly. Such is the resolution of Algar and
our other brave chiefs, and Eldred the ealdorman must not be the only
one of the leaders to run from the fray."

Edmund was deeply touched at his father's words, but the parental rule
was so strict in those days that it did not even enter his mind to
protest against Eldred's decision.

As the morning went on the Danes were engaged in the funeral ceremonies
of their dead kings, while the Saxons, quiet and resolute, received the
holy sacrament and prepared for the fight. Algar chose a position on
rising ground. He himself with Eldred commanded the centre, Toley and
Morcar led the right wing, Osgot and Harding the left.

Each of these wings contained about five hundred men. Algar's centre,
which was a little withdrawn from its wings, contained about 200 of his
best warriors, and was designed as a reserve, with which, if need be,
he could move to the assistance of either of the wings which might be
sorely pressed and in danger. The Saxons formed in a solid mass with
their bucklers linked together. The Danish array which issued out from
their camp was vastly superior in numbers, and was commanded by four
kings and eight jarls or earls, while two kings and four earls remained
in charge of the camp, and of the great crowd of prisoners, for the
most part women and children, whom they had brought with them.

With the Danes who had come down from Yorkshire were a large body of
horsemen, who charged furiously down upon the Saxons; but these
maintained so firm an array with their lances and spears projecting
outward that the Danes failed to break through them, and after making
repeated efforts and suffering heavy loss they drew back. Then the
Danish archers and slingers poured in a storm of missiles, but these
effected but little harm, as the Saxons stooped a little behind their
closely packed line of bucklers, which were stout enough to keep out
the shower of arrows. All day the struggle continued. Again and again
the Danes strove to break the solid Saxon array, and with sword and
battle-axe attempted to hew down the hedge of spears, but in vain. At
last their leaders, convinced that they could not overcome the
obstinacy of the resistance, ordered their followers to feign a retreat.

As the Danes turned to fly the Saxons set up a triumphant shout, and
breaking up their solid phalanx rushed after