. . . . . .

From this time the prospects of Edmund and England brightened.  Day after day fresh reinforcements came into his camp, until he followed Canute, who had retreated into Wiltshire.  There, a few days later, a second battle was fought at Sceorstan {xvi}, wherein much bravery was shown on both sides.  On Monday the two armies fought all day without any advantage on either side.  On the Tuesday the English were rapidly getting the better, when the traitor Edric, severing the head of a fallen Englishman named Osmaer, held it up, shouting: 

“Flee, English! flee, English!  Edmund is dead.”

They began to yield; and it was as much as Edmund himself could do, by lifting his helmet, exposing his features, and shouting, “I live to lead you to victory!” to restore the battle.

Canute retired upon London, followed closely by Edmund.  Upon the road messengers came from Edric imploring the forgiveness of his injured brother-in-law, and offering to join him with all his forces.  There was long consultation over this in the English camp; but in spite of Edmund’s own feelings it was decided to receive Edric, since Canute’s fate would seem to be quite decided if England were united by the union of those southern English who had fought under Canute with Edric, and the men of Mercia and Wessex who had won the previous victories.

So the two armies met together.  The men of Hampshire, who had followed the Dane, were welcomed as returning to their true allegiance by their countrymen; and Edmund did violence to his feelings by receiving Edric to his council board, if not to his friendship.

It was a joyous day when Edmund approached London, and thus fulfilled the promise of his coronation.  Canute, who had made another attempt on the city, fled before him, but hovered around until two days later.  Edmund engaged him the third time at Brentford, and defeated him again.  Then Edmund retired into Wessex to raise more troops, and during his absence the Danes took the offensive again, once more besieging London in vain, while they harried all the neighbouring districts until Edmund returned with a large army, drove them into Kent, and gave them such a fearful defeat at Otford that they fled in despair to the Isle of Sheppey, and all men said Edmund would have destroyed them utterly, had not Edric persuaded him to stop the pursuit at Aylesford.

The Danes soon emerged again, and, crossing the Thames, commenced plundering Essex, when Edmund and Edric, with all the flower of the Anglo-Saxon race, advanced to meet them once more.  Nearly all the men of note in England followed Edmund’s banner, for, now that his abilities were proved, there was a general enthusiasm in his favour.  So all the rank and title of the realm stood by him when he drew up his army hard by the little river Crouch, near Assingdun, in Essex, then called Assandun.