"From Hringmara field
The chime of war,
Sword striking shield,
Rings from afar.
The living fly;
The dead piled high
The moor enrich;
Red runs the ditch."
The country far around was then brought in subjection to King Ethelred:
but the Thingmen (1) and the Danes held many castles, besides a great
part of the country.
ENDNOTES: (1) Thing-men were hired men-at-arms; called Thing-men
probably from being men above the class of thralls or unfree men,
and entitled to appear at Things, as being udal-born to land at
home.