shouted out that
they would rather fall one above the other, than accept quarter from the
English. And thereon shouted they their war-cry, & then the battle began
for the second time.

Thus saith Arnor Earl's-skald:

'In an hour of misfortune
The King austere gat death;
The arrows gold-inwoven
Spared not the robbers' foe.
Gentle and bounteous King--
His friends choose all to fall
Round their host-wonted chief
Rather than quarter seek.'

|| Now it befell that Eystein Blackcock came up just at that moment from
the ships with his company, and they were in full armour, and Eystein
gat him hold of the King's banner 'Land-waster,' and for the third time
the men fell to battle; exceeding sharp was it and the English lost men
full heavily and were on the point of fleeing. That fray was called
'Blackcock's Brunt.' Eystein's men had hastened so furiously from the
ships that at first, or ever they were come to the combat, they were
weary and scarce fit for battle, but afterwards so raging were they that
they defended themselves as long as they could stand upright. At the
last cast they from off them their mail-shirts, and then was it easy for
the English to find a vulnerable spot on them; but some who were
unwounded yet died from their haste and fury.

Nearly all the great men among the Norwegians fell at that time.

This befell late in the day.

As was to be looked for not all men fared alike in fortune, many fled &
many who thus made their escape met differing fates. Mirk was it in the
evening ere the slaughtering was brought to an end.

|| Among those who escaped was Styrkar, the marshal of King Harald
Sigurdson, & this befell from his getting him a horse and thereon riding
away. Now a wind sprang up in the evening and the weather waxed somewhat
cold, and Styrkar had no other apparel than his shirt, a helme on his
head, and a naked sword in his hand.

And he waxed cold as his weariness wore off. Then a certain waincarle
came driving towards him, and this man had a lined coat. Styrkar said
unto him: 'Wilt thou sell thy jacket, peasant?' 'Not to thee,' quoth he,
'thou art a Norwegian, as I wist by thy tongue.'

'An I am a Norwegian what wilt thou do then?' said Styrkar. 'I would
slay thee; but alack I have no weapon to do it with,' the peasant
replied. 'If thou canst not slay me, peasant, I will make trial if I
cannot slay thee,' and therewith Styrkar swung his sword and brought it
down on the