And we saw the main force drawing back towards their earthworks on one wing, while the other held the place of battle, and it was not plain at once why they thus divided.
We rested for a short half hour on Ashingdon hill, and the men of Ulfkytel gathered to us.

But the brave earl was slain, and with him Abbot Wulsy, and the Mercians had slain the Ealdorman of Lindsey when they turned on us, and many more lay in the place where the flight began, good men and noble sold to their deaths by the traitor.
It was about midday when we won back to the hill, and the battle, from the time when we had first met, had lasted but a short time.
Yet what with slaughter when we broke, and the desertion of the Mercians, we were short of a full third of our men now.
Eadmund waxed restless.

There was the best half of a long summer day before us, and our men were angry and full of longing to fight and take revenge.

I think there was not one that did not know all that might hang on this battle.
"Redwald," the king said, "is there no way by which we might cross the river?
Then might we fall on the ships at Burnham, and Cnut must send his men over ship by ship, and so we might well gain the victory." I looked at the tide, and called for some Essex men who knew the place, and one came and told me that in two hours' time we might cross at a ford higher up, which they name Hull bridge, though there is no bridge there.

And when he heard that, at once our king set his men in order and cheered them with fresh hopes, and we started to march thither.
And at the same time Cnut's ships began to move, and from Burnham and from this shore his men were coming up on the tide towards the very place where we would cross, and before the ford could be passed by us we knew that they would be there in force.
"So," said Eadmund quietly, "they are before us.