would crush him, and with arms embraced him, and forth him led.  Now was Hengest taken, through Aldolf, the brave man!  Then called Aldolf, the Earl of Gloucester:  “Hengest, it is not so merry for thee now as it was whilom by Ambresbury, where thou drewest the axes, and slew the Britons, with much treachery thou slewest my kindred!  Now thou shalt pay retribution, and lose thy friends; with cruel death perish in the world!” Hengest proceeded still (without speaking); he saw no help; Aldolf led him to his sovereign, and greeted the sovereign with loving words:  “Hail be thou, Aurelie, of noble race!  Here I bring before thee Hengest, the heathen, who was thy kindred’s bane, who hath sought to us harm; God granted it to me, that I have him grasped!  Now I give him to thee, for dearest of men art thou to me; and let thy attendants play with this hound, shoot with their arrows, and his race anon destroy!” Then answered the king with quick voice:  “Blessed be thou, Aldolf, noblest of all earls!  Thou art to me dear as my life, thou shalt be chief of people!” There men took Hengest, and there men bound Hengest; there was then Hengest of all knights most wretched!  This fight was overcome, and the heathens fled.  Then saw Octa, that his father was full woe; and with Ebissa, his wed brother, joined them together, and fled into York, with harm enow, and made ready the walls, and pulled down the halls.  Some of the heathens went to the wood, where the folk on foot laid them to ground.

Then was Aurelie the king pleased well through all things; he proceeded into Coningsburgh, with all his folk, and thanked the Lord for such might.  Three days and three nights the king dwelt there forth-right, to heal the wounds of his dear knights, and rest in the burgh their weary bones.  When the third day came, and the folk had made none, then caused the king the trumpets to blow, and summoned his earls, that they should come to husting, to Aurelie the king.  When they came together, the king asked them soon, what they would counsel him, who were his rich men, by what death Hengest should die, and how he might best avenge his dearest friends, who lay buried near Ambresbury.

Then stood up Eldadus, and with the king he spake thus;—­towards God he was good, he was a holy bishop, Aldolf the earl’s brother, he had no other:—­“Lord king, listen now to me, what I will thee tell.  I will make the sentence, how he shall be put to death.  For he is most hateful of men to us in the world, and hath slain our kindred, and deprived of life-day; and he is a heathen hound—­hell he shall seek; there he shall sink for his treachery!  Lord king, hearken to me, what I thee will tell.  A king was in Jerusalem, who was named Saul; and in heathendom was a king of mickle might, who was named Agag—­Jerusalem he hated—­he was king of the Amalech—­the Worse was full nigh to him!  Ever he hated Jerusalem with harm the most; never would he give them peace, but ever he withstood them; he burnt them, he slew