Up rose amidst the throng a mighty double axe, and a great voice was heard shouting, and round their chief began to form a great ring of tried warriors, shoulder to shoulder as well as might be.

But that ring might not be perfect all at once--too close were we upon them, having already cut down many of the last to fly.
And then the battle began in earnest, and I will tell what I saw of it.
For I was in the centre of our line, as befitted, and on either side of me were Wulfhere and Wislac, and on either side of them again, my collier next to Wulfhere, and next to Wislac his young thane.

Before me were Guthlac and two brethren, and the other three behind me.

That was the standard's shield wall.

Behind that came Ealhstan the Bishop, hemmed in by twelve of his own best men.
So, with voice, and gesture of arm and mace the bishop swung our line in a half circle round the face of that grim ring of vikings, and as they closed up we closed, and faced them.