Then Byrhtnoth drew his sword from its sheath,
Broad and brown-edged, and on byrnie he struck:
Too quickly him hindered one of the seamen,
When he of the earl the arm had wounded; 165
Fell then to earth the fallow-hilt sword:
He might not hold the hardened brand,
His weapon wield. Yet the word he spake,
The hoary hero the youths encouraged,
Bade forwards go his good companions: 170
He might not on foot longer stand firm;
He looked up to heaven, [the earl exclaimed:[17]]
"I thanks to thee give, Ruler of nations,
For all those joys that on earth I experienced:
Now, Maker mild, most need have I 175
That thou to my spirit the blessing grant,
That my soul to thee may take its course,
Into thy power, Prince of angels,
With peace may go: I pray to thee,
That fiends of hell may not it harm." 180
Then hewed him down the heathen hinds,
And both the warriors, who by him stood,
AElfnoth and Wulfmaer both lay down dead,
Beside their lord gave up their lives.
Then bowed they from battle who there would not be; 185
There Odda's sons were erst in flight:
From battle went Godric, and the good one forsook,
Who had on him many a steed oft bestowed:
He leaped on the horse that his lord had owned,
Upon those trappings that right it was not, 190
And his brothers with him both ran away,
Godrinc and Godwig, recked not of war,
But went from the fight, and sought the wood,
Fled to the fastness, and saved their lives,
And more of the men than was at all meet, 195
If they those services all had remembered,
That he for their welfare to them had done;
So Offa to him one day had erst said
At the meeting-place, when he held a moot,
That there [very] proudly they many things spake 200
Which after in need they would not perform.
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