They had crossed the fens where no man dreamed that they might come, and were upon us as if from the skies.
Now Eadmund made no more delay, but all that night went forth the summons of the war arrow, and the men mustered in force at last in Thetford town, and I spurred back to Hoxne and found the thane, and spoke to him.
"Let the wedding go on," I said, "for the Danes are yet far, and must pass the earl and us also before they come hither.

Now must I be with the king, but if I may, and Ulfkytel holds them back, I shall be at the wedding.

And if it must be, I will warn you to fly, and so let Egfrid take his bride and my mother and his own folk southward to Colchester or London." That, he thought, was well, and no word of fear or haste hindered the wedding gathering.

Only some of the great thanes who should have been there were with the king or earl, and it seemed that the number of guests would be small.
I rode to Thetford, bidding Eadgyth look for me on the morrow in good time, and saying that the king would surely come also.

But when I came to the town I knew that neither he nor I should be at Hoxne, for the Danes had scattered the levy, and Ulfkytel the great earl was slain, and with him many another friend of mine.