an, the Saxons, wearied out by numbers, and
falling fast beneath the javelins, would have fled into their walls, and
so sealed their fate,--for the Welch would have entered at their heels.

But it was the misfortune of the Welch heroes never to learn that war is
a science; and instead of now centering all force on the point most
weakened, the whole field vanished from the fierce eye of the Welch King,
when he saw the banner and form of Harold.

The Earl beheld the coming foe, wheeling round, as the hawk on the
heron;--halted, drew up his few men in a semicircle, with their large
shields as a rampart, and their levelled spears as a palisade; and before
them all, as a tower, stood Harold with his axe. In a minute more he was
surrounded; and through the rain of javelins that poured upon him, hissed
and glittered the sword of Gryffyth. But Harold, more practised than the
Sire de Graville in the sword-play of the Welch, and unencumbered by
other defensive armour (save only the helm, which was shaped like the
Norman's,) than his light coat of hide, opposed quickness to quickness,
and suddenly dropping his axe, sprang upon his foe, and clasping him
round with his left arm, with the right hand griped at his throat:

"Yield and quarter!--yield, for thy life, son of Llewellyn!"

Strong was that embrace, and deathlike that gripe; yet, as the snake from
the hand of the dervise--as a ghost from the grasp of the dreamer, the
lithe Cymrian glided away, and the broken torque was all that remained in
the clutch of Harold.

At this moment a mighty yell of despair broke from the Welch near the
fort: stones and javelins rained upon them from the walls, and the fierce
Norman was in the midst, with his sword drinking blood; but not for
javelin, stone, and sword, shrank and shouted the Welchmen. On the other
side of the trenches were marching against them their own countrymen, the
rival tribes that helped the stranger to rend the land: and far to the
right were seen the spears of the Saxon from Aber, and to the left was
heard the shout of the forces under Godrith from Caer-hen; and they who
had sought the leopard in his lair were now themselves the prey caught in
the toils. With new heart, as they beheld these reinforcements, the
Saxons pressed on; tumult, and flight, and indiscriminate slaughter,
wrapped the field. The Welch rushed to the stream and the trenches; and
in the bustle and hurlabaloo, Gryffyth was swept along, as a bull b