After this they sent messengers to king Olaf, giving out this as their errand,
that king Athelstan would fain enhazel him a field and offer
battle on Vin-heath by Vin-wood;
meanwhile he would have them forbear to harry his land;
but of the twain he should rule England who should conquer in the battle.
He appointed a week hence for the conflict,
and whichever first came on the ground should wait a week for the other.
Now this was then the custom, that so soon as a king had enhazelled a field,
it was a shameful act to harry before the battle was ended.
Accordingly king Olaf halted and harried not, but waited till the appointed day,
when he moved his army to Vin-heath.

North of the heath stood a town.
There in the town king Olaf quartered him, and there he had
the greatest part of his force, because there was a wide district
around which seemed to him convenient for
the bringing in of such provisions as the army needed.
But he sent men of his own up to the heath where the battlefield was appointed;
these were to take camping-ground, and make all ready before the army came.
But when the men came to the place where the field was enhazelled,
there were all the hazel-poles set up to mark the ground where the battle should be.