himself. He struggled violently to reach him; slew two or three living
impediments, and the two rivals faced each other for one moment; then
came Edmund's ponderous blow. Canute avoided it, but his horse fell
beneath it; the spine severed near the neck. He was dragged up
instantly by his armour bearer, who attended upon him, as Alfgar upon
Edmund, and before the attack could be renewed a living torrent
separated the combatants.

The victory was won; the Danes were in full flight.

O joy for England! the day of her captivity was turned; henceforward
she might hope. The foe, the invincible foe, was flying before an
English king and an English army.

For while on the one side Edmund had charged the foe on their left
flank, on the other side the men of Wessex had imitated his example,
and the foe yielded.

Still, terrible in defeat, more than half fought their way out of the
trap into which they had fallen, and retired upon their camp, closely
pursued, until the trump of Edmund recalled the pursuers, anxious lest
they should in turn fall into an ambuscade, for reinforcements were
awaiting the Danes behind.

. . . . . .

From this time the prospects of Edmund and England brightened. Day
after day fresh reinforcements came into his camp, until he followed
Canute, who had retreated into Wiltshire. There, a few days later, a
second battle was fought at Sceorstan {xvi}, wherein much bravery
was shown on both sides. On Monday the two armies fought all day
without any advantage on either side. On the Tuesday the English were
rapidly getting the better, when the traitor Edric, severing the head
of a fallen Englishman named Osmaer, held it up, shouting:

"Flee, English! flee, English! Edmund is dead."

They began to yield; and it was as much as Edmund himself could do, by
lifting his helmet, exposing his features, and shouting, "I live to
lead you to victory!" to restore the battle.

Canute retired upon London, followed closely by Edmund. Upon the road
messengers came from Edric imploring the forgiveness of his injured
brother-in-law, and offering to join him with all his forces. There
was long consultation over this in the English camp; but in spite of
Edmund's own feelings it was decided to receive Edric, since Canute's
fate would seem to be quite decided if England were united by the
union of those southern English who had fought under Canute with
Edric, and the men of Mercia and Wessex who had won the previous
victor