He purposed to crave such aid and
succour from the Scots as would help him in his need, and made haste
to get him to Scotland with all the speed he might. The king pursued
him swiftly with his host, making forced marches day by day. On the
road his power was increased by a great company of Britons; till with
him was a multitude which no man could number, being innumerable as
the sand of the sea. The king looked upon his realm, and saw it gnawed
to the bone. None drave the plough, nor cast seed in the furrow. The
castles and the walled cities were breached and ruined. He marked the
villages blackened by fire, and the houses of God stripped bare as a
peasant's hovel. The heathen pilled and wasted, but gathered neither
corn into barns nor cattle within the byre. He testified that this
should not endure, so he returned in safety from the battle.
When Hengist knew that the king followed closely after, and that fight
he must, he strove to put heart and hardihood into the breasts of
his fellows. "Comrades," said he, "be not dismayed by reason of this
rabble. We know well enough what these Britons are, since they never
stand before us. If but a handful go against them, not one will stay
to fight. Many a time, with but a mean company, have I vanquished and
destroyed them.
Pages:
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81