Never to me, poor maiden, such woe and sorry shame had here befallen.”
[798]
Then was the gold and clothing borne out by the robber band:
Forth they took Queen Hilda, led by her snow-white hand.
Matelan’s goodly castle they would have burned up gladly;
For what became of the dwellers the Normans never cared, nor thought of sadly.
[799]
But Hartmut now had bidden that it should not be burned,
To leave the land he hastened, and home again he turned,
Before ’twas known to Hettel, who with his men was lying