ringly aimed his arrows uncounted;
270 Now he shot on the shield, now he shattered a Viking;
With the point of his arrow he pierced to the marrow
While he wielded his weapons of war unsubdued.
Still in the front stood the stalwart Edward,
Burning for battle; his boasts he spoke:
275 He never would flee a foot-pace of land,
Or leave his lord where he lay on the field;
He shattered the shield-wall; with the shipmen he fought,
Till on the treacherous tribesmen his treasure-giver's death
He valiantly avenged ere his violent end.
280 Such daring deeds did the doughty Aethric,
Brother of Sibyrht and bravest of soldiers;
He eagerly fought and the others followed;
They cleft the curved shields; keenly they battled;
Then burst the buckler's rim, and the burnies sang
285 A song of slaughter. Then was slain in battle,
The seaman by Offa; and the earth received him;
Soon Offa himself was slain in battle;
He had laid down his life for his lord as he promised
290 In return for his treasure, when he took his vow
That they both alive from battle should come,
Hale to their homes or lie hewn down in battle,
Fallen on the field with their fatal wounds;
He lay by his lord like a loyal thane.
295 Then shivered the shields; the shipmen advanced,
Raving with rage; they ran their spears
Through their fated foes. Forth went Wistan,
Thurstan's son then, to the thick of the conflict.
In the throng he slew three of the sailors,
300 Ere the son of Wigeline sent him to death.
The fight was stiff; and fast they stood;
In the cruel conflict they were killed by scores,
Weary with wounds; woeful was the slaughter.
Oswald and Eadwold all of the while,
305 Both the brothers, emboldened the warriors,
Encouraged their comrades with keen spoken words,
Besought them to strive in their sore distress,
To wield their weapons and not weaken in battle.
Byrhtwold then spoke; his buckler he lifted,
310 The old companion, his ash-spear shook
And boldly encouraged his comrades to battle:
"Your courage be the harder, your hearts be the keener,
And sterner the strife