Samuel took-on (acted), and so oughtest
thou do to Hengest."

Aldolf heard this, the Earl of Gloucester; toward Hengest he leapt, as
if it were a lion, and grasped him by the head, and after him hauled
him, and drew him through and through, and throughout all
Coningsburgh; and without the burgh he caused him to be bound. Aldolf
drew his sword, and smote off Hengest's head; and the king took him
forth-right, because he was so brave a knight, and laid him in earth,
after the heathen law, and prayed for the soul, that it never were
happy.

And now Aurelie the king caused a husting to be summoned, and caused
trumpets to be blown, and his army to assemble--there was wondrous
folk--and marched right to York, and inclosed Octa with his men there
within. The king caused a dyke to be dug, all about York, that no man
might there either go out or in. Octa saw that; therefore he was full
woe. And his heathen folk, that he had in the burgh, they betook them
to counsel, what they might do. And thus spake Octa with his companion
Ebissa: "I have now bethought me, what I will do. I and my knights
shall forth-right in our bare-breech go out of the burgh, hang on my
neck a chain, and come to the king, praying his mercy. We all shall
else be dead, except we follow this counsel." And, they all did so, as
Octa them advised; put off their clothes the careful knights, and
proceeded out of the burgh, miserable thanes, twain and twain, twenty
hundred! Aurelie beheld this, noblest of kings, strange it seemed to
him of the naked knights. Together came the host that lay over the
land; they saw Octa naked come, that was Hengest's son. He bare in his
hand a long chain; he came to the king, and before his warriors he
fell upon the ground, and the king's feet sought; and these words then
said Hengest's son Octa: "Mercy, my lord king, through God the mild;
for the love of God Almighty have mercy of my knights! For all our
heathendom is become base, our laws and our people, for loathsome we
are to the Lord. For us has failed in hand Appolin, and Tervagant,
Woden, and Mercurius, Jupiter, and Saturnus, Venus, and Didon, Frea,
and Mamilon, and all our beliefs are now to us odious, but we will
believe on thy dear Lord, for all it faileth us now in hand, that we
worshipped. We yearn thy favour, now and evermore; if thou wilt me
grant peace, and if thou wilt me grant amity, we will draw to thee,
and be thy faithful men; love thy people, and hold thy laws, if