n the latter days of the Saxon domination than
they were for centuries under that of the subsequent dynasty, when Saxon
thegns themselves had turned kings of the greenwood,) the various
insurrections in Edward's reign had necessarily thrown upon society many
turbulent disbanded mercenaries.

Harold was unarmed, save the spear which, even on occasions of state, the
Saxon noble rarely laid aside, and the ateghar in his belt; and, seeing
now that the road had become deserted, he set spurs to his horse, and was
just in sight of the Druid temple, when a javelin whizzed close by his
breast, and another transfixed his horse, which fell head foremost to the
ground.

The Earl gained his feet in an instant, and that haste was needed to save
his life; for while he rose ten swords flashed around him. The Welchmen
had sprung from their palfreys as Harold's horse fell. Fortunately for
him, only two of the party bore javelins, (a weapon which the Welch
wielded with deadly skill,) and those already wasted, they drew their
short swords, which were probably imitated from the Romans, and rushed
upon him in simultaneous onset. Versed in all the weapons of the time,
with his right hand seeking by his spear to keep off the rush, with the
ateghar in his left parrying the strokes aimed at him, the brave Earl
transfixed the first assailant, and sore wounded the next; but his tunic
was dyed red with three gashes, and his sole chance of life was in the
power yet left him to force his way through the ring. Dropping his
spear, shifting his ateghar into the right hand, wrapping round his left
arm his gonna as a shield, he sprang fiercely on the onslaught, and on
the flashing swords. Pierced to the heart fell one of his foes--dashed
to the earth another--from the hand of a third (dropping his own ateghar)
he wrenched the sword. Loud rose Harold's cry for aid, and swiftly he
strode towards the hillock, turning back, and striking as he turned; and
again fell a foe, and again new blood oozed through his own garb. At
that moment his cry was echoed by a shriek so sharp and so piercing that
it startled the assailants, it arrested the assault; and, ere the unequal
strife could be resumed, a woman was in the midst of the fray; a woman
stood dauntless between the Earl and his foes.

"Back! Edith. Oh, God! Back, back!" cried the Earl, recovering all his
strength in the sole fear which that strife had yet stricken into his
bold heart; and drawing Edith