Note 493 — Chapter V · THE DANISH CONQUEST OF ENGLAND.[464] 975–1016.
Reading edition
.sp 1
“Þa he hæfde þæt folc
fægre getrymmed,
he lihte þa mid leodon,
þær him leofost wæs,
þær he his heorð-werod
holdost wiste.” (Thorpe, p. 132.)
This “heorð-werod” or hearth company are the personal following or comitatus (see above, p. 86) of the chief; to their exploits the poem is chiefly devoted. This battle of Maldon, like all our battles, will be found to contain many details leading to the illustration of the last and greatest battle on Senlac.