Civil Wars: Poems

“The Battle of Maldon,”

61 “The Battle of Maldon” anonymous, from The old enGlIsh . . . was broken. He had each man abandon his horse driving it far so he could march forward unfettered his mind on his hands and the blade of his sword with its edge of honor. Great Offa’s kinsman when he first understood the earl would not now tolerate cowards set free from his hand his favorite hawk to fly high on the wind away to the forest. Forging them forward shoreward, warward, that lusty lad would not shrink from the moment as any man might see for himself when it was time to hold his weapon. Eadric likewise, eager to serve his lord in the combat, carried his spear, daring, determined with sword hand and shield hand to vindicate vows given the master. Byrhtnoth then began to arrange in order his muster of men in the best dispositions, how they should hold homestead ground their round-shields aligned together in good grip and with broadswords ready and not be frightened. When they were rightly arrayed as he wanted he dismounted at last to stand on the turf hard by his hearth’s men closest and most loyal. The Viking herald, strident, shouting from shore declared the Vikings’ clear purpose. His errand: to tell the earl the terms of the seafarers’ message from the ships on the bank: “Send in all speed to the valiant seamen treasure to take. Buy your safety, paying them tribute to avoid battle. 62 We see no need for wanton destruction for you are wealthy and we can deal— for gold to give the advantage of truce. If you and your council consider our offer you will send us seafarers away from Essex and redeem your people with the peace all men want. We will go willingly, your gold in our coffers, traveling elsewhere and leave you alone.” Byrhtnoth spoke hefting his shield and ashen spear, to answer for all: “Hear them, seaman? Hark at my host. What they will pay is spears they will send with poisoned points and their family swords, those heriot weapons not for your profit. Go then, envoy, say to your seamen our terse terms— that the English earl stands fast with his troops, defends his homeland, and defies your demands upon Aethelred’s realm, his land and his people. In hard battle heathens will fall, for it would be shameful that you should depart in your plundering ships without the fight that we must give you. Thus far have you come into our country, but fare no farther or think to extort what is ours from us. Point and sharp edge must carve the conclusion, who gives and who takes, and settle the terms before we pay tribute. He bade them then to heft their shields and all advance to the bank of the river where water would ward one troop from the other while the flood tide took its own time turning. They waited for water, the Pante’s current, where waterstreams locked to ebb and allow the spearmen to move and, patient, watched the ship-army of Viking invaders. Both sides were harmless except for arrows’ 63 feathered flight till the tide moved out, and the many Vikings in ranks eager for war stood in massed menace. Byrhtnoth then ordered Wulfstan, Ceola’s son, his hero to guard the bridge the bravest of brethren. When the first of the Danes approached the bridge, with sharp spear-shot he cut him down. Alongside Wulfstan, stood Aelfhere and Maccus, a fine pair of steadfast men who would not deign to flee from that ford but defied the foe with the weapons they wielded. When the Vikings discovered these gallant bridge-guards they fell back, dissembling, and craved, as if craven, permission to put ashore to lead their men safely into battle and blood-risk. The earl, overconfident, granted them passage, too much land to those hateful people, and Byrhthelm’s son, Byrhtnoth, called across the chill water as his host harkened: “The pathway is open. Come to us quickly, war-men meeting war-men. God alone knows who will win control of this killing field.” Advancing then, the Viking army, careless of water, crossed the Pant westward, lifting high their linden shields. Opposed, the fierce forces of Byrhtnoth then formed a war-wall, shield next to shield, to hold off the attack, for the crisis had come, the...