them, he did them sorrow enow!  It fell on a time that the sun gan to shine; then sate Agag the king on his high chair; his fated blood was troubled, and urged him to march.  He called his knights anon forth-right:  ’Quick to your steeds! and forth we shall ride; we shall burn and slay all about Jerusalem!’ Forth went the king, and a great host with him; the land they gan through-run, and the towns to consume.  The men saw that who dwelt in Jerusalem; and they advanced against them, knights and swains, and fought with the king, and with fight him overcame, and slew all his folk, and Agag the king they took; and so they with him came to Saul the king.  Then was Saul the king blithe through all things!  The king asked counsel at his rich knights anon, which he might the better do to him, either slay or up hang.  Then leapt up Samuel, a prophet of Israel;—­he was a man exceeding holy, high toward the Lord; no man knew in those days man so high in God’s law.  Samuel took Agag the king, and led him in the market-place, and caused him most fast to a stake to be bound; and took with his right hand a precious brand; and thus called to him Samuel, the good man:  ’Thou hightest Agag the king, now thou art in sorrow!  Now thou shalt receive the retribution for that thou destroyedest Jerusalem, for that thou hast this noble burgh so greatly injured, and many a good man slain, and deprived of life-day!  As I hope for mercy, shalt thou do so no more.’  Samuel heaved up the sword, and strongly down struck, and cut the king all in pieces in Jerusalem’s market, and threw the pieces wide over the streets.  Thus Samuel took-on (acted), and so oughtest thou do to Hengest.”

Aldolf heard this, the Earl of Gloucester; toward Hengest he leapt, as if it were a lion, and grasped him by the head, and after him hauled him, and drew him through and through, and throughout all Coningsburgh; and without the burgh he caused him to be bound.  Aldolf drew his sword, and smote off Hengest’s head; and the king took him forth-right, because he was so brave a knight, and laid him in earth, after the heathen law, and prayed for the soul, that it never were happy.

And now Aurelie the king caused a husting to be summoned, and caused trumpets to be blown, and his army to assemble—­there was wondrous folk—­and marched right to York, and inclosed Octa with his men there within.  The king caused a dyke to be dug, all about York, that no man might there either go out or in.  Octa saw that; therefore he was full woe.  And his heathen folk, that he had in the burgh, they betook them to counsel, what they might do.  And thus spake Octa with his companion Ebissa:  “I have now bethought me, what I will do.  I and my knights shall forth-right in our bare-breech go out of the burgh, hang on my neck a chain, and come to the king, praying his mercy.  We all shall else be dead, except we follow this counsel.”  And, they all did so, as Octa them advised; put off their clothes the careful knights, and proceeded out