From the earliest times of German society it had been the wont of young men greedy of honour or seeking training in arms to bind themselves as "comrades" to king or chief.

The leader whom they chose gave them horses, arms, a seat in his mead hall, and gifts from his hoard.

The "comrade" on the other hand--the gesith or thegn, as he was called--bound himself to follow and fight for his lord.

The principle of personal dependence as distinguished from the warrior's general duty to the folk at large was embodied in the thegn.

"Chieftains fight for victory," says Tacitus; "comrades for their chieftain." When one of Beowulf's "comrades" saw his lord hard bested "he minded him of the homestead he had given him, of the folk right he gave him as his father had it; nor might he hold back then." Snatching up sword and shield he called on his fellow-thegns to follow him to the fight.