This year King Athelstan the Lord of Earls, the Giver of Bracelets to the Nobles, and his brother Edmund the Atheling, the elder, the survivors of their race, the children of Edward, won lasting glory with the edge of the sword in battle at Brunanburh.[AN] They clave the wooden walls, they hewed down the tall banners, for it was the portion of their lineage, that oft in the field they should defend their lands, their treasures, their homes, against the enemy. The Scot and the Ship-man fell on every side--the din of arms resounded sith the sun in the morning tide rose glad over the earth, greatest of the stars, bright candle of God the Lord Eternal, till the noblest of things created sank in the west. There, struck down with darts, lay many a warrior, Northmen pierced over their shields--Scots the savages of war--The West Saxons, a chosen band, pressed the live-long day upon the hated people. Sternly they smote down the flying multitudes, with swords well sharpened at the stone. The Mercians shrank not from the hard play of hands. Safety there was none for the companions of Anlaf, for those who sought the land for deadly fight over the billowy sea, bosomed in ships.--Five young Kings lay on the battle field, put to sleep by the swords. So also seven Earls of Anlaf, and of the host from the fleet, and of the Scots, more than can be numbered. The King of the Northmen with his little troop fled in his terror to the voice of the ship; the King of the Fleet, with one ship’s crew, living escaped over the yellow deep. So also the routed Constantine returned a fugitive to his northern hills. The hoary warrior needed not to exult in the conflict of swords.--He was the remnant of his race. His kinsmen were heaped on the field--slain in the battle. He left his son on the place of blood, covered with wounds. Young in war though old in wisdom, the fair-haired youth was staid in his glorying by the bill of slaughter. Neither could Anlaf and his broken army boast that they were better in works of battle; at the fall of banners, at the meeting of darts, in the conflict of men, in the exchange of weapons, when they had played with the children of Edward in the field of death. The Northmen, the sorrowful few spared by the darts, departed in their nailed ships over the roaring sea--over the deep waters. They sailed for Dublin, and disgraced their land.