The Welding of the Race ("449"-1066) :: THE BATTLE OF MALDON (991).

THE BATTLE OF MALDON (991).

Source.—Anglo-Saxon Poem, lines 481-637. Translated by E. A. Freeman.

[Note that the lines are to be read across the page.]

Leofsuna spake out,	and his linden heaved,
his board to guard him;	he to the warrior quoth,
“I this promise	thence that I nill
flee a footstep,	but will further go,
to wreak in the fight	my lord and comrade.
Nor by Stourmere	any steadfast hero
with words need twit me	that I lordless
homeward should go,	and wend from the fight;
but me shall weapons meet	point and iron.”
Full of ire he waded,	fought he steadfastly,
on flight he thought not.	Dunnere then quoth,
his dart he made quake,	the valiant churl,
over all he cleped;	he bade that warriors each
Brihtnoth should wreak;	“Nought may he fear
who to wreak thinketh	his lord among the folk,
nor for his life mourn.”	Then they forth went,
for life they recked not.	Began then the house-men
hardly to fight,	fiercely spears bearing,
and to God they prayed	that they might wreak
their lord and comrade,	and on their foes
a fall might work.	Then there a hostage gan
gladly to help;	he was in Northumberland
of a hard kin,	Ecglaf’s bairn,
Æscferth was his name.	Nought then feared he
in the war-play,	and he poured forth
arrows enough;	one while he on board shot,
one while a warrior teased,	ever and anon he sold
some wounds,	the while he weapons
still might wield.	Then yet in rank stood
Eadward the Long,	ready and yearnful;
bold words spake he	that he would not flee
a footstep of land,	overback to bow,
while his better lay.	He broke the board-wall
and with the warriors fought,	till he his gift-giver
on the seamen	worthily wreaked,
ere he in slaughter lay.	So did Ætheric,
noble comrade,	eager forth to go,
fought he earnestly,	Sibriht’s brother,
and so many other	clave the keeled board,
keen they were,	burst they the boards,
and the hauberk sang	a grisly lay.
There in the fight slew	Offa the seamen,
till he on earth fell,	and Gadda’s kinsman
the ground sought;	rath was in battle
Offa down hewn,	yet had he furthered
that he his lord had pledged,	as he ere agreed
with his ring-giver	that they should both
to the borough ride	hale to home,
or in the host cringe	on the slaughter-place,
of their wounds die.	He lay thegnlike
his lord hard by.	Then were boards broken,
seamen waded on,	in the fight wrathful.
The spear oft waded through	the fey man’s life-house.
Forth then went Wistan	Thurstan’s son,
with the warmen fought he,	he was in the throng,
banesman of three of them,	ere him Wigeline’s bairn
in slaughter low laid.	There was stern meeting;
stood they fast	fighters in battle;
fighting they cringed,	with their wounds weary;
slaughter fell on earth.	Oswold and Ealdwold
all the while,	both brethren,
the warriors trimmed;	their fellow-kinsmen
with words they bade,	that they there at need
them should bear up,	and unweakly
their weapons use.	Brihtwold then spake,
his board heaving;	he was an old comrade;
his ash he made quake;	he full boldly
the warriors learned;	“Mind shall the harder be,
heart shall the keener be,	mood shall the more be,
as our main lessens.	Here lies our Elder,
all down hewn,	a good man in the dust;
ever may he groan	who now from this war-play
of wending thinketh.	I am old of life;
hence stir will I not,	and I by the half
of my lord,	by such a loved man
to lie am thinking.”	So Æthelgar’s bairn
then all cheered on,	Godric to battle:
Oft he the dart let go,	the death spear wound he
on the wikings.

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