ends, who lay buried near
Ambresbury.

Then stood up Eldadus, and with the king he spake thus;--towards God he
was good, he was a holy bishop, Aldolf the earl's brother, he had no
other:--"Lord king, listen now to me, what I will thee tell. I will
make the sentence, how he shall be put to death. For he is most
hateful of men to us in the world, and hath slain our kindred, and
deprived of life-day; and he is a heathen hound--hell he shall seek;
there he shall sink for his treachery! Lord king, hearken to me, what
I thee will tell. A king was in Jerusalem, who was named Saul; and in
heathendom was a king of mickle might, who was named Agag--Jerusalem he
hated--he was king of the Amalech--the Worse was full nigh to him! Ever
he hated Jerusalem with harm the most; never would he give them peace,
but ever he withstood them; he burnt them, he slew them, he did them
sorrow enow! It fell on a time that the sun gan to shine; then sate
Agag the king on his high chair; his fated blood was troubled, and
urged him to march. He called his knights anon forth-right: 'Quick to
your steeds! and forth we shall ride; we shall burn and slay all about
Jerusalem!' Forth went the king, and a great host with him; the land
they gan through-run, and the towns to consume. The men saw that who
dwelt in Jerusalem; and they advanced against them, knights and
swains, and fought with the king, and with fight him overcame, and
slew all his folk, and Agag the king they took; and so they with him
came to Saul the king. Then was Saul the king blithe through all
things! The king asked counsel at his rich knights anon, which he
might the better do to him, either slay or up hang. Then leapt up
Samuel, a prophet of Israel;--he was a man exceeding holy, high toward
the Lord; no man knew in those days man so high in God's law. Samuel
took Agag the king, and led him in the market-place, and caused him
most fast to a stake to be bound; and took with his right hand a
precious brand; and thus called to him Samuel, the good man: 'Thou
hightest Agag the king, now thou art in sorrow! Now thou shalt receive
the retribution for that thou destroyedest Jerusalem, for that thou
hast this noble burgh so greatly injured, and many a good man slain,
and deprived of life-day! As I hope for mercy, shalt thou do so no
more.' Samuel heaved up the sword, and strongly down struck, and cut
the king all in pieces in Jerusalem's market, and threw the pieces
wide over the streets. Thus