_þonne monige beoð_ _but many are_ _mæþel-hergendra,_ _lovers of social converse,_ _wlonce wig-smiþas,_ _haughty warriors,_ _win-burgum in,_ _in pleasant cities,_ _sittaþ æt symble_ _they sit at the feast,_ _soð-gied wrecað,_ _tales recount,_ _wordum wrixlað,_ _in words converse,_ _witan fundiað_ _strive to know_ _hwylc æsc-stede_ _who the battle place,_ _inne in ræcede_ _within the house,_ _mid werum wunige;_ _will with men abide;_ _þonne win hweteð_ _then wine wets_ _beornes breost-sefan,_ _the man’s breast-passions,_ _breahtme stigeð_ _suddenly rises_ _cirm on corþre,_ _clamour in the company,_ _cwide-scral letaþ_ _an outcry they send forth_ _missenlice._ _various._--Exeter Book, p. 314. In a poem on the various fortunes of men, and the different ways in which they come by death, we are told:-- _sumum meces ecg_ _from one the sword’s edge_ _on meodu-bence,_ _on the mead-bench,_ _yrrum ealo-wosan,_ _angry with ale,_ _ealdor oþþringeð,_ _life shall expel,_ _were win-sadum._ _a wine-sated man._--Exeter Book, p. 330. And in the metrical legend of St. Juliana, the evil one boasts:-- _sume ic larum geteah,_ _some I by wiles have drawn,_ _te geflite fremede,_ _to strife prepared,_ _þæt hy færinga_ _that they suddenly_ _eald-afþoncan_ _old grudges_ _edniwedan,_ _have renewed,_ _beore druncne;_ _drunken with beer;_ _ic him byrlade_ _I to them poured_ _wreht of wege,_ _discord from the cup,_ _þæt hi in win-sale_ _so that they in the social hall_ _þurh sweord-gripe_ _through gripe of sword_ _sawle forletan_ _the soul let forth_ _of flæsc-homan._ _from the body._--Exeter Book, p. 271. There were other amusements for the long evenings besides those which belonged especially to the hall, for every day was not a feast-day. The hall was then left to the household retainers and their occupations. But we must now leave this part of the domestic establishment. The ladies appear not to have remained at table long after dinner--it was somewhat as in modern times--they proceeded to their own special part of the house--the chamber--and thither it will be my duty to accompany them in the next chapter. I have described all the ordinary scenes that took place in the Anglo-Saxon hall. CHAPTER III. THE CHAMBER AND ITS FURNITURE.--BEDS AND BED-ROOMS.--INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD AMONG THE ANGLO-SAXONS.--CHARACTER AND MANNERS OF THE ANGLO-SAXON LADIES.--THEIR CRUELTY TO THEIR SERVANTS.--THEIR AMUSEMENTS.--THE GARDEN; LOVE OF THE ANGLO-SAXONS FOR FLOWERS.--ANGLO-SAXON PUNISHMENTS.--ALMSGIVING.