up for their charge, a waver went along the
shielded line, and they almost halted, though it passed, and they
came on even more swiftly.

Then Alfred lifted his sword and shouted, and, with that awful roar
that I had heard before on the Combwich meadows, over the hill
crest and down upon the Danes the spearmen rushed. The lines met
with a mighty crash of steel on steel, and while one might count
two score they swayed in deadly hand-to-hand strife. Then Guthrum's
men gave back one pace, and howled, and won their place again, and
again lost it.

Then forward went Alfred and his shield wall, and I was on one side
of him and Ethered of Mercia on the other, while after him came
Heregar, bearing the banner. The Danes in the centre closed up as
they saw us come, and there were shouts in which Guthrum's name was
plain to be heard, and I saw him across a four-deep rank of his
men.

Straight for him went Alfred, and the Danish line grew thin before
us. But as their king went forward our Saxons cheered again and
pressed their attack home, and right and left the Danish line fell
back and broke. At that a wild shout and charge with levelled
spears swept them down the hillside in full rout, and the end had
come. His courtmen closed round Guthrum and bore him from before
us, and the full tide of pursuit swept him away before we reached
him.

Alfred stayed his horse and let the men go on. His face was good to
see as he glanced round at the hills to our right; but when it fell
on the slain, who lay thickly where the lines had met, he bared his
head and looked silently on them for a space, while his lips moved
as if he prayed.

Then he said:

"These have given their lives not in vain, for they have helped to
bring peace, and have died to set an English king over the English
land."

He put on his crown-circled helm again, and as he did so, among the
fallen there was a stir and movement, and the wounded rose up on
arms and knees and turned on their sides, and raised their hands,
waving broken weapons, and crying in a strange, wearied voice that
yet had a ring of victory in it:

"Waeshael to Alfred the king!"

For the silence that had fallen, and the lessening shouts of the
pursuers, told them that they had won, and they were content.

Thereat Alfred flushed red, and I think that he almost wept, for he
turned from us. And then he spoke to the men who yet stood round
him, and said:

"Let every man who has any knowledge of