nd from the
marshes towards the battle ground we had lost, and to Hockley from
the river. And presently the Danes began to come up the hill in
even line, and we watched them drawing nearer in silence.

Then Eadmund bade our bowmen get to work; but the arrows were as
nought against the long line that did but quicken its advance as
they felt their sting here and there.

The Danes spread out along the hillside to surround us, and then
when they had gained the summit they charged on us, and again we
were hand to hand with them.

I suppose we fought so, without stirring from the place where we
were, for half an hour. Our circle thinned, but never broke, and
Dane after Dane fell or drew back to let fresh men come forward,
and as we might we also sent fresh men from our inner ranks to
relieve those who had grown weary. It was stern hand-to-hand
fighting, and one knows how that will ever be--one of two men must
go down or give way, and our men fell, but give way they would not.

I have said we were on the edge of the hilltop circle, and
therefore the attack from the steep hill slope was weakest. And so
it came to pass that presently the line against us there was
thinned out, because men pressed upwards to the level, and then
those Wessex thanes saw that we might break through and cut our way
down the hill and make good our retreat.

Where Eadmund was I followed, and I know that I saved him once or
twice from spear thrusts that would have slain him when he charged
among the Danes, where they pressed us most hardly. Wearied was my
arm, but sword Foe's Bane bit through helm and harness, and once I
was facing Ulf the jarl, and he cried out to me:

"Well smitten, Wulfnoth's man!"

For he knew me. And I looked for Egil, that I might call him to
come and win the sword from me, but I could not see him; and a
foolish fear that some other than he might get the good blade got
hold of me, for I had no doubt that I must fall, and no fear
thereof, save that. And why I longed for Egil thus was, I think,
because of utter weariness and loss of hope.

Then they pushed us as it were over the hill edge, and we began to
go down, and I knew at once what would come next.

The line of Danes on the hill slope gave way before us and left the
way clear; and at first we went slowly and in good order, and then
they charged on us down the hill with crushing weight of numbers.

And so we fled. I saw the Wessex thanes catch Eadmund's bridle, and