Page:A History of Domestic Manners and Sentiments in England During the Middle Ages.djvu/23

 that where they finally ettled. The romantic tory is taken up more with imaginary combats with monters, than with dometic cenes, but it contains a few incidents of private life. The hall of king Hrothgar was viited by a monter named Grendel, who came at night to prey upon its inhabitants; and it was Beowulf's million to free them from this noc- turnal courge. By direction of the primeval coat-guards, he and his men proceeded by the "treet" already mentioned to the hall of Hroth- gar, at the entrance to which they laid aide their armour and left their weapons. Beowulf found the chief and his followers drinking their ale and mead, and made known the object of his journey. "Then," ays the poem, "there was for the ons of the Geats (Beowulf and his followers), altogether, a bench cleared in the beer-hall; there the bold of pirit, free from quarrel, went to fit; the thane oberved his office, he that in his hand bare the twited ale-cup; he poured the bright weet liquor; meanwhile the poet ang erene in Heorot (the name of Hroth- gar's palace), there was joy of heroes." Thus the company paed their time, liening to the bard, boating of their exploits, and telling their tories, until Wealtheow, Hrothgar's queen, entered and "greeted the men in the hall." She now erved the liquor, offering the cup firt to her huband, and then to the ret of the guets, after which fhlie eated herelf by Hrothgar, and the fetivities continued till it was time to retire to bed. Beowulf and his followers were left to leep in the hall—"the wine-hall, the treaure-houe of men, variegated with veels" {fættum fáhne). Grendel came in the night, and after a dreadful combat received his death-wound from Beowulf. The noie in the hall was great; "a fearful terror fell on the North Danes, on each of thoe who from the walls heard the outcry." Thefe were the watchmen tationed on the wall forming the chieftain's palace, that encloed the whole mas of buildings (of wealle).

As far as we can judge by the decription given in the poem, Hrothgar and his houehold in their bowers or bed-chambers had heard little of the tumult, but they went early in the morning to the hall to rejoice in Beowulf's victory. There was great feating again in the hall that day, and Beowulf and his followers were rewarded with rich gifts. After