InthatpleasantdistrictofmerryEnglandwhichiswateredbytheriverDon，thereextendedinancienttimesalargeforest，coveringthegreaterpartofthebeautifulhillsandvalleyswhichliebetweenSheffieldandthepleasanttownofDoncaster。TheremainsofthisextensivewoodarestilltobeseenatthenobleseatsofWentworth，ofWarncliffePark，andaroundRotherham。HerehauntedofyorethefabulousDragonofWantley；herewerefoughtmanyofthemostdesperatebattlesduringtheCivilWarsoftheRoses；andherealsoflourishedinancienttimesthosebandsofgallantoutlaws，whosedeedshavebeenrenderedsopopularinEnglishsong。
　　Suchbeingourchiefscene，thedateofourstoryreferstoaperiodtowardstheendofthereignofRichardI。，whenhisreturnfromhislongcaptivityhadbecomeaneventratherwishedthanhopedforbyhisdespairingsubjects，whowereinthemeantimesubjectedtoeveryspeciesofsubordinateoppression。Thenobles，whosepowerhadbecomeexorbitantduringthereignofStephen，andwhomtheprudenceofHenrytheSecondhadscarcereducedtosomedegreeofsubjectiontothecrown，hadnowresumedtheirancientlicenseinitsutmostextent；despisingthefeebleinterferenceoftheEnglishCouncilofState，fortifyingtheircastles，increasingthenumberoftheirdependants，reducingallaroundthemtoastateofvassalage，andstrivingbyeverymeansintheirpower，toplacethemselveseachattheheadofsuchforcesasmightenablehimtomakeafigureinthenationalconvulsionswhichappearedtobeimpending。
　　Thesituationoftheinferiorgentry，orFranklins，astheywerecalled，who，bythelawandspiritoftheEnglishconstitution，wereentitledtoholdthemselvesindependentoffeudaltyranny，becamenowunusuallyprecarious。If，aswasmostgenerallythecase，theyplacedthemselvesundertheprotectionofanyofthepettykingsintheirvicinity，acceptedoffeudalofficesinhishousehold，orboundthemselvesbymutualtreatiesofallianceandprotection，tosupporthiminhisenterprises，theymightindeedpurchasetemporaryrepose；butitmustbewiththesacrificeofthatindependencewhichwassodeartoeveryEnglishbosom，andatthecertainhazardofbeinginvolvedasapartyinwhateverrashexpeditiontheambitionoftheirprotectormightleadhimtoundertake。Ontheotherhand，suchandsomultipliedwerethemeansofvexationandoppressionpossessedbythegreatBarons，thattheyneverwantedthepretext，andseldomthewill，toharassandpursue，eventotheveryedgeofdestruction，anyoftheirlesspowerfulneighbours，whoattemptedtoseparatethemselvesfromtheirauthority，andtotrustfortheirprotection，duringthedangersofthetimes，totheirowninoffensiveconduct，andtothelawsoftheland。
　　Acircumstancewhichgreatlytendedtoenhancethetyrannyofthenobility，andthesufferingsoftheinferiorclasses，arosefromtheconsequencesoftheConquestbyDukeWilliamofNormandy。
　　FourgenerationshadnotsufficedtoblendthehostilebloodoftheNormansandAnglo-Saxons，ortounite，bycommonlanguageandmutualinterests，twohostileraces，oneofwhichstillfelttheelationoftriumph，whiletheothergroanedunderalltheconsequencesofdefeat。ThepowerbadbeencompletelyplacedinthehandsoftheNormannobility，bytheeventofthebattleofHastings，andithadbeenused，asourhistoriesassureus，withnomoderatehand。ThewholeraceofSaxonprincesandnobleshadbeenextirpatedordisinherited，withfewornoexceptions；norwerethenumbersgreatwhopossessedlandinthecountryoftheirfathers，evenasproprietorsofthesecond，orofyetinferiorclasses。Theroyalpolicyhadlongbeentoweaken，byeverymeans，legalorillegal，thestrengthofapartofthepopulationwhichwasjustlyconsideredasnourishingthemostinveterateantipathytotheirvictor。AllthemonarchsoftheNormanracehadshownthemostmarkedpredilectionfortheirNormansubjects；thelawsofthechase，andmanyothersequallyunknowntothemilderandmorefreespiritoftheSaxonconstitution，hadbeenfixeduponthenecksofthesubjugatedinhabitants，toaddweight，asitwere，tothefeudalchainswithwhichtheywereloaded。Atcourt，andinthecastlesofthegreatnobles，wherethepompandstateofacourtwasemulated，Norman-Frenchwastheonlylanguageemployed；incourtsoflaw，thepleadingsandjudgmentsweredeliveredinthesametongue。
　　Inshort，Frenchwasthelanguageofhonour，ofchivalry，andevenofjustice，whilethefarmoremanlyandexpressiveAnglo-Saxonwasabandonedtotheuseofrusticsandhinds，whoknewnoother。
　　Still，however，thenecessaryintercoursebetweenthelordsofthesoil，andthoseoppressedinferiorbeingsbywhomthatsoilwascultivated，occasionedthegradualformationofadialect，compoundedbetwixttheFrenchandtheAnglo-Saxon，inwhichtheycouldrenderthemselvesmutuallyintelligibletoeachother；andfromthisnecessityarosebydegreesthestructureofourpresentEnglishlanguage，inwhichthespeechofthevictorsandthevanquishedhavebeensohappilyblendedtogether；
　　andwhichhassincebeensorichlyimprovedbyimportationsfromtheclassicallanguages，andfromthosespokenbythesouthernnationsofEurope。
　　ThisstateofthingsIhavethoughtitnecessarytopremisefortheinformationofthegeneralreader，whomightbeapttoforget，that，althoughnogreathistoricalevents，suchaswarorinsurrection，marktheexistenceoftheAnglo-SaxonsasaseparatepeoplesubsequenttothereignofWilliamtheSecond；
　　yetthegreatnationaldistinctionsbetwixtthemandtheirconquerors，therecollectionofwhattheyhadformerlybeen，andtowhattheywerenowreduced，continueddowntothereignofEdwardtheThird，tokeepopenthewoundswhichtheConquesthadinflicted，andtomaintainalineofseparationbetwixtthedescendantsofthevictorNormansandthevanquishedSaxons——
　　Thesunwassettingupononeoftherichgrassygladesofthatforest，whichwehavementionedinthebeginningofthechapter。Hundredsofbroad-headed，short-stemmed，wide-branchedoaks，whichhadwitnessedperhapsthestatelymarchoftheRomansoldiery，flungtheirgnarledarmsoverathickcarpetofthemostdeliciousgreensward；insomeplacestheywereintermingledwithbeeches，hollies，andcopsewoodofvariousdescriptions，socloselyastotallytointerceptthelevelbeamsofthesinkingsun；inotherstheyrecededfromeachother，formingthoselongsweepingvistas，intheintricacyofwhichtheeyedelightstoloseitself，whileimaginationconsidersthemasthepathstoyetwilderscenesofsilvansolitude。Heretheredraysofthesunshotabrokenanddiscolouredlight，thatpartiallyhungupontheshatteredboughsandmossytrunksofthetrees，andtheretheyilluminatedinbrilliantpatchestheportionsofturftowhichtheymadetheirway。Aconsiderableopenspace，inthemidstofthisglade，seemedformerlytohavebeendedicatedtotheritesofDruidicalsuperstition；
　　for，onthesummitofahillock，soregularastoseemartificial，therestillremainedpartofacircleofroughunhewnstones，oflargedimensions。Sevenstoodupright；theresthadbeendislodgedfromtheirplaces，probablybythezealofsomeconverttoChristianity，andlay，someprostrateneartheirformersite，andothersonthesideofthehill。Onelargestoneonlyhadfounditswaytothebottom，andinstoppingthecourseofasmallbrook，whichglidedsmoothlyroundthefootoftheeminence，gave，byitsopposition，afeeblevoiceofmurmurtotheplacidandelsewheresilentstreamlet。
　　Thehumanfigureswhichcompletedthislandscape，wereinnumbertwo，partaking，intheirdressandappearance，ofthatwildandrusticcharacter，whichbelongedtothewoodlandsoftheWest-RidingofYorkshireatthatearlyperiod。Theeldestofthesemenhadastern，savage，andwildaspect。Hisgarmentwasofthesimplestformimaginable，beingaclosejacketwithsleeves，composedofthetannedskinofsomeanimal，onwhichthehairhadbeenoriginallyleft，butwhichhadbeenwornofinsomanyplaces，thatitwouldhavebeendifficulttodistinguishfromthepatchesthatremained，towhatcreaturethefurhadbelonged。
　　Thisprimevalvestmentreachedfromthethroattotheknees，andservedatoncealltheusualpurposesofbody-clothing；therewasnowideropeningatthecollar，thanwasnecessarytoadmitthepassageofthehead，fromwhichitmaybeinferred，thatitwasputonbyslippingitovertheheadandshoulders，inthemannerofamodernshirt，orancienthauberk。Sandals，boundwiththongsmadeofboars’hide，protectedthefeet，andarollofthinleatherwastwinedartificiallyroundthelegs，and，ascendingabovethecalf，leftthekneesbare，likethoseofaScottishHighlander。
　　Tomakethejacketsityetmoreclosetothebody，itwasgatheredatthemiddlebyabroadleathernbelt，securedbyabrassbuckle；toonesideofwhichwasattachedasortofscrip，andtotheotheraram’shorn，accoutredwithamouthpiece，forthepurposeofblowing。Inthesamebeltwasstuckoneofthoselong，broad，sharp-pointed，andtwo-edgedknives，withabuck’s-hornhandle，whichwerefabricatedintheneighbourhood，andboreevenatthisearlyperiodthenameofaSheffieldwhittle。Themanhadnocoveringuponhishead，whichwasonlydefendedbyhisownthickhair，mattedandtwistedtogether，andscorchedbytheinfluenceofthesunintoarustydark-redcolour，formingacontrastwiththeovergrownbearduponhischeeks，whichwasratherofayelloworamberhue。Onepartofhisdressonlyremains，butitistooremarkabletobesuppressed；itwasabrassring，resemblingadog’scollar，butwithoutanyopening，andsolderedfastroundhisneck，solooseastoformnoimpedimenttohisbreathing，yetsotightastobeincapableofbeingremoved，exceptingbytheuseofthefile。Onthissingulargorgetwasengraved，inSaxoncharacters，aninscriptionofthefollowingpurport：——``Gurth，thesonofBeowulph，isthebornthrallofCedricofRotherwood。’’
　　Besidetheswine-herd，forsuchwasGurth’soccupation，wasseated，upononeofthefallenDruidicalmonuments，apersonabouttenyearsyoungerinappearance，andwhosedress，thoughresemblinghiscompanion’sinform，wasofbettermaterials，andofamorefantasticappearance。
　　Hisjackethadbeenstainedofabrightpurplehue，uponwhichtherehadbeensomeattempttopaintgrotesqueornamentsindifferentcolours。
　　Tothejacketheaddedashortcloak，whichscarcelyreachedhalfwaydownhisthigh；
　　itwasofcrimsoncloth，thoughagooddealsoiled，linedwithbrightyellow；andashecouldtransferitfromoneshouldertotheother，orathispleasuredrawitallaroundhim，itswidth，contrastedwithitswantoflongitude，formedafantasticpieceofdrapery。
　　Hehadthinsilverbraceletsuponhisarms，andonhisneckacollarofthesamemetalbearingtheinscription，``Wamba，thesonofWitless，isthethrallofCedricofRotherwood。’’Thispersonagehadthesamesortofsandalswithhiscompanion，butinsteadoftherollofleatherthong，hislegswerecasedinasortofgaiters，ofwhichonewasredandtheotheryellow。Hewasprovidedalsowithacap，havingarounditmorethanonebell，aboutthesizeofthoseattachedtohawks，whichjingledasheturnedhisheadtoonesideorother；andasheseldomremainedaminuteinthesameposture，thesoundmightbeconsideredasincessant。Aroundtheedgeofthiscapwasastiffbandeauofleather，cutatthetopintoopenwork，resemblingacoronet，whileaprolongedbagarosefromwithinit，andfelldownononeshoulderlikeanold-fashionednightcap，orajelly-bag，orthehead-gearofamodernhussar。Itwastothispartofthecapthatthebellswereattached；whichcircumstance，aswellastheshapeofhishead-dress，andhisownhalf-crazed，half-cunningexpressionofcountenance，sufficientlypointedhimoutasbelongingtotheraceofdomesticclownsorjesters，maintainedinthehousesofthewealthy，tohelpawaythetediumofthoselingeringhourswhichtheywereobligedtospendwithindoors。Hebore，likehiscompanion，ascrip，attachedtohisbelt，buthadneitherhornnorknife，beingprobablyconsideredasbelongingtoaclasswhomitisesteemeddangeroustointrustwithedge-tools。Inplaceofthese，hewasequippedwithaswordoflath，resemblingthatwithwhichHarlequinoperateshiswondersuponthemodernstage。
　　Theoutwardappearanceofthesetwomenformedscarceastrongercontrastthantheirlookanddemeanour。Thatoftheserf，orbondsman，wassadandsullen；hisaspectwasbentonthegroundwithanappearanceofdeepdejection，whichmightbealmostconstruedintoapathy，hadnotthefirewhichoccasionallysparkledinhisredeyemanifestedthatthereslumbered，undertheappearanceofsullendespondency，asenseofoppression，andadispositiontoresistance。ThelooksofWamba，ontheotherhand，indicated，asusualwithhisclass，asortofvacantcuriosity，andfidgettyimpatienceofanypostureofrepose，togetherwiththeutmostself-satisfactionrespectinghisownsituation，andtheappearancewhichhemade。Thedialoguewhichtheymaintainedbetweenthem，wascarriedoninAnglo-Saxon，which，aswesaidbefore，wasuniversallyspokenbytheinferiorclasses，exceptingtheNormansoldiers，andtheimmediatepersonaldependantsofthegreatfeudalnobles。Buttogivetheirconversationintheoriginalwouldconveybutlittleinformationtothemodernreader，forwhosebenefitwebegtoofferthefollowingtranslation：