Only one man laughing, in his fear as I think, said that the nearest thing to a crown that he had seen was the glint of golden spurs shining from the water yonder.

Then looked the Danes--and now--oh master!" The man grew white, pointed, and fled.
Haled and pushed and buffeted by the hands of the Danes, a man was dragged over the rail of the bridge from the network of cross timbers among which he had hidden, and I saw that the armour was that of Eadmund the King.
There, in that seemingly secure place, his thanes must have made him hide when his horse fell lame, for doubtless he would not hinder them in their flight, but would have taken sanctuary in the church.

From some point in the road they must have seen their pursuers before I cared to look behind me to see who followed, for there was no mistaking the red cloaks that the Danes of the king's courtmen always wear.
This I thought at the time, and long afterwards learnt from one of those thanes that I was right.

And it was their doing, not his, for the king would have gone to the church and there warned my people.
But as it chanced there were no men in sight when the king hid, for all were gathered to the thane's house.

And I asked that thane if they sent no warning message--and he said they had done so by a certain churl whom they met.