nded to do. But I had no
time for that, nor do I believe his saying concerning himself.

When the Danes were nigh their ships Ealhstan bade us tend our wounded.
And the first man tended was myself, for Wulfhere came to me, looking me
over, and at last binding a wound on my left shoulder, of which I knew
not, saying that my good mail had surely saved me. He himself had a gash
across his face, and Wislac one on the leg, but none of us was much hurt.

Then Wislac sought Aldhelm, whom he found sitting up, dazed, from a blow
across the helm that had stunned him, but he was soon able to walk,
though dizzy and sick. But Guthlac was slain outright, and two others of
the brethren.

Well, so might I go on, for of all our two hundred men there were left
but ninety fit to go on with the fight, the rest being slain or sore
wounded by the Danish axes. Ealhstan was unhurt; for, save that once
when he had broken the ring to reach us when we were hemmed in, his men
had kept before him.

Now what befell after that will not bear telling; for it was not long
before Eanulf and all the Somerset and the rest of the Dorset levy came
down and fell on the Danes as they fought their last fight as brave men
should, with a quarter mile of deep mud between them and their ships.

Into that fight none of us bishop's men went, for we had done our part.
But we lay and saw the Danes charge again and again against odds, their
line growing thinner each time, until our men swept the last of them
from the bank into the ooze, and there was an end.

Yet a few managed, I know not how, to reach the ships, and there they
were safe; but thence they constantly shot their arrows into our men,
harmless enough, but yet showing their mettle.

So was a full end made of that host, for none but those few were left
alive from Stert field, and Somerset and Dorset had taken their fill of
vengeance.

But, for all the victory, down sat Ealhstan the Bishop, and hiding his
face in his hands wept that such things could be, and must be till war
is no more.

CHAPTER XVI. AT GLASTONBURY.

On that hard-won field we lay all that day, for we knew not if more
Danes were left up country, or if by chance the ships might fall into
our hands with the rising tide. And I think we might have taken them had
not our men, in their fury, broken the boats which lay along the bank;
so that we could not put off to them. Therefore, as the tide rose again
and they floated, the men on