... following orders, the warriors drove their horses far into the distance. Thus they could not swiftly remount, and instead marched forward on foot. The warriors quickly perceived that their leader Byrhtnoth would not stand for any slackness or cowardice, and continued on trusting only to courage. The eorl, Byrhtnoth, let free his favourite hawk, which flew into the woods as the leader turned to face the coming battle. He wanted the men to understand that he would fight as long as he could hold a weapon and that they should do the same.

Edric, in good mind and heart, followed his eorl. He was ready to carry a spear into battle and fight on, maintaining in his mighty hands a shield and broadsword the entire time, so that he could boast of serving Byrhtnoth on the front lines. Then the eorl encouraged his men, counselling and ruling the warriors; directing how they should stand at their appointed station and hold there despite the onslaught. The men needed to keep the shieldwall firm without fear, and Byrhtnoth's noble boldness spread to the men he cared for. The eorl and his devoted warriors stood resolute upon the shore of the river.

Up to the banks came a stalwart Viking messenger who called out a pompous announcement that he had a message for their eorl. Byrhtnoth stood forth upon the shore and the Viking continued, "this conflict can be avoided. There is no need for us to destroy you in a rush of spears. You can see the might of our arms, so why come against it? Bring us payment of your jewels and treasure. Use discretion and give tribute to us toward peace. Avoid bloodshed-- send over your gold and we will depart in our ship!"

Hearing these words filled Byrhtnoth with wrath. Twirling his slender ash spear and grasping his shield, he fiercely shouted in return, "hear you, oh Sea-robber what this people say! You want us to pay tribute and sell our freedom? All we have here are old swords and poisoned blades. This gear of war is of no profit to you! Envoy of seamen, go back and tell your people these hostile words: here stands an honourable chief with his army in his own country, the kingdom of Aethelredes. To us it would be a disgrace to give you anything, and we would rather perish to you heathen in battle! You have come far to this land; but it is our home and we will not oblige you. Our treasure is not so easily had, and only by force will you take anything to your ship. We shall march into battle and slaughter at swordpoint before we pay you tribute!" Then the eorl ordered his men to pick up their shields and form lines upon the riverbank.

The men marched for some time, until their spears became heavy to carry. Both armies waited on opposite sides of the river Panta, which was impossible to cross due to a high tide flooding the estuary. Neither could engage the other, save by flights of arrows across the water. Byrhtnoth's men stood ready, and the Vikings were eager for carrion and carnage.

Standing near the ford, the eorl commanded Wulfstan, a stern and bold warrior, to maintain the crossing. He went forth with his kin, Ceolan's son, and speared to death any who attempted a crossing. There stood Wulfstan, a brave warrior, and Aelfhere with Maccus-- each courageous in spirit who held the ford without thought of flight. None could have crossed while any of those warriors had a weapon in their grasp. Eagerly and fiercely Wulfstan led the guard, sending back a group of Vikings who attempted a fording.

The quick retreat of the first Viking assault gave Byrhtnoth undo confidence. Without fear, he proudly shouted to the enemy across the cold water, which resulted in many Vikings easily advancing, "now room has been made for you to cross quickly over to us to do battle! For God alone knows who will survive this field of slaughter!" And the eorl made way for the raging Viking warriors who plunged into the freezing water, holding their carved shields up. The enemy charged the western riverbank as bright clear water splashed to where Byrhtnoth and his men stood ready upon the shore. The eorl ordered his shield-bearing men to form a war hedge and steadily maintain it toward the Vikings. Clash of arms approached-- the glory of battle. Now was the time come for those fated to fall.

Above the din rose ravens and an eagle, craving carrion. On the earth echoed the shouting of war. Byrhtnoth, his strong hand gripping a sharpened spear, let the lance fly. From every side came a constant twang of bowstrings. Blows were given and deflected between blade and shield in the fierce onslaught as men upon both sides perished; young warriors lay dead in heaps. The ground was a bed of corpses, and Byrhtnoth's kinsman, though he valiantly wielded a two-edged sword, was cut down.

Eadweard fought stoutly with his sword, exchanging blows with all and slaying a doomed warrior. Stern young men took turns at the point of weapons, greedy to take lives before their own doomed death, and added to the bodies of slain upon the ground. One stood steadfast-- Byrhtnoth directed and prayed that each man in the battle who wished to fight might obtain glory by it and would go on fighting fiercely, weapons uplifted with shields in defence. He prayed that all men would advance resolutely against the evil Vikings-- from nobles to the lowest servant.

Suddenly, from the south, a Viking sent a dart straight at Byrhtnoth, who pushed his shield against the shaft and broke it, thus wrenching the spear out of his wound. The eorl was enraged and turned to stab the seaman who had wounded him. Byrhtnoth was an old and experienced warrior, and slashed his spear through the man's neck, using his hand to guide it, despite the danger of other enemies round about him. He speedily stabbed another's corslet, breaking it asunder and wounding the man in the chest through rings of chainmail. But Byrtnoth found that a poisoned blade was poised at his heart. The chief laughed, joyful in courage and thankful to his Saviour that the day's work was going well.

Then another seaman let fly a spear from his hand at the eorl and was fleeing when the servant of noble Aethelredes arrived with a young man by his side, still a boy, but full of pluck and boldness and eager to go with the men. Wulfmaer, Wulfstanes son he was, and saw the eorl was injured. He pulled the blood stained dart from Byrhtnoth and sent it after the warrior who had wounded his leader-- a Viking who had arrived seeking to strip the corpse of jewelry and ornaments. Then Byrhtnoth drew his broad and brown two-edged sword out of its sheath, slaying the seamen who came near. A group of Vikings began to restrain him, wounding Byrhtnoth's arm, and the golden-hilted sword fell to the ground as the eorl's fierce hand faltered. But the ancient warrior began to speak, emboldening his good men to continue the battle, even as his own strength ebbed. The great eorl staggered to his knees, no longer able to stand, and gazed up into the heavens, "I thank God for all the happiness in this lifetime. May my soul make its final journey to be with the Lord and angels in joy, unhindered by these fiends around us." Even as he spoke those words, the heathen Vikings hewed him to death and he fell to the ground amongst the rest of the slain, Aelfnoth and Wulfmaer beside him, who had given their lives in his defence.

When Godric saw the mortal danger of his eorl, he did not come to help, but quickly fled the battle, joined by the sons of Odda. He swiftly mounted the eorl's own warhorse, whose saddle he was not worthy to sit in, and abandoned the fight. Godwig and his brother also rode off and fled into the forest to safety, saving their shameful lives. But many gallant men did encircle the chief, for they loved him enough to die themselves in order to avenge his death. Aelfwine, Aelfrice's son spoke eagerly, "remember what we often say at mead-- when we boast upon our benches? What the warriors say when telling of hard fights? Now, kinsmen, test how brave and bold you truly are. I am of noble descent-- I was in Myrcon with my old father Aldhelm; the wise and rich chief. Not that you should reproach me for it, but I would rather leave this army and go home, now that my lord is dead, hewed down in battle. My grief and affliction are great that the eorl went forth, remembering the feud. He went nearly alone against the points of weapons to strike at the Vikings, and here he lies on the ground, slain with his own sword!"

Then Offa spoke, shaking his spear in anger, "oh really, Aelfwine, so good at exhorting men! Now our chief lies dead, true, but now we must all encourage each other to fight as long as we have strength to hold a weapon! Maintain fierceness with your spears and good blades. Godric has fled and betrayed us all with those cowardly sons of Oddan. He deceived us into thinking it was the eorl, not Godric who rode away so proudly from the battle. Men saw him riding the horse along the road and thought their leader was abandoning the fight, so they too turned and fled, allowing the enemy to break the shieldwall! How many of our men has Godric put to flight?"

Raising his lindon shield aloft in defiance, Leof's son added his voice, furiously despising those who would flee, "I swear that I refuse to take even one step away from here! I will eagerly revenge my patron and fight on! Do not give me words of reproach about my slain friend, for I will stand steadfast by the river. So go you hence masterless, turn back from the fight and go home! But it is my duty to seize a weapon and advance on the battleline against the iron weapons!" Then Dunhere, though not of noble blood, shook his spear and called out to all those assembled, begging them, "do not hesitate, but take vengeance!" For Byrtnoth came here, not caring for his own life, but for his people. The eorl's kinsmen now fight fiercest, and may God grant that they hear he is avenged and the seamen destroyed or put to flight.

The fierce clan of Northumbria was eager to help, and Aeseferth, a Northumbrian, did not hesitate in battle. His arrows went rapidly from his bow and he pushed past a man's shield to slay him. Many times Aeseferth himself was wounded and nearly gave up, but still he wielded his weapon. There also eagerly stood Eadweard the tall, ready for battle, shouting boastfully that he would not even fly a foot's length or turn back and retire from the battle. He claimed he could break the shield wall and fight his way through to the very treasure chests of the seamen-- honourably giving justice to the slain that lay there. Then noble Aeturic impetuously joined the battle as well and fought with desperate enthusiasm. The brother of Sibyrhtes and many other stout warriors stood with them, cleaving shields and boldly defending. The ringing sound of broken shield rims and clash of corslets sang upon the field. Offa slew many of the Vikings and great slaughter fell on the earth, covering the ground with dead.

Offa quickly hewed his way through the field of battle, boasting of his mighty deeds, but to everyone's wonder he himself fell, his body joining the eorl on the field of corpses. With a great crash, the enraged Vikings advanced to battle-- many a dart pierced a doomed body. The brave Wistan, Thurstanes son, led his men into the throng and fought many, slaying the enemy as he went. Before him went Wigelines' son who joined the thick of the worst fighting, but the warrior stood firmly amidst the carnage and fought until he collapsed from many wounds and joined the slain on the earth.

Oswold and Eadwold-- both brothers, exhorted their kinsmen to stay and not to flee-- that they must resolve upon endurance and grasp their weapons, not run away from the conflict. Then the aged warrior Brythwold held tightly to his shield and shook aloft his ashen spear, shouting to the men, "every thought you have must be fierce! Be bold and courageous in heart, as has been destined. The mightier our strength, the more the enemy's diminishes! Here lies our slaughtered eorl and all those who lie with him-- good men now turned to dust. Do not turn away and lament their loss, but change your thoughts toward battle! Fight as though they were yet beside us. This, dear men, is what our eorl would have wanted!"

The old man thus encouraged Aethelgare's son and Godric, not the warrior of the same name who had formerly fled, to go into the battle. Godric charged, throwing his spears swiftly and leaving much slaughter in his wake, brandishing his weapon against the seamen-- going foremost before the people and fighting with strength...