The rather by my chieftain's side, a man so lief and dear."

And the men grew bold in heart at his words and fought on. Godric full
often sent the spear flying among the vikings, and fought till he too
was laid low in the battle.

'Twas not that Godric who had turned his back upon the fight,

says the poet--and the end is lost! It will help us in appreciating this
poem to remember that the battle of Maldon took place in the reign of
that poor weak king Æthelred, known as the "Unready," or the Man of no
Counsel. As Freeman the historian says, "No doubt he had to struggle
with very hard times, but the times now were no harder than the times
which Ælfred had to struggle against, and we know how much he could
do."




CHAPTER XI

The literature of one people owes a debt to that of others.
Help-bringers. Great work of Benedictine monks. Our debt to Ireland.
The English Chronicle's account of the Martyrdom of St Ælfeah.


The literature of a country is not merely what the men and women born in
it have written. The thought of one people is fed, or enlarged, or in
some way strengthened by the thought of other peoples; and the
literature of the times we are speaking of could not have been what it