From day to day Athelstan's men said that the king would come, or was come,
to the town that lay south of the heath.
Meanwhile forces flocked to them both day and night.
But when the appointed time had expired,
then Athelstan's men sent envoys to king Olaf with these words:
'King Athelstan is ready for battle, and had a mighty host.
But he sends to king Olaf these words,
that he would fain they should not cause so much bloodshed as now looks likely;
he begs Olaf rather to go home to Scotland,
and Athelstan will give him as a friendly gift one shilling of silver from every
plough through all his realm, and he wishes that they should become friends.'

When the messengers came to Olaf he was just beginning to make ready his army,
and purposing to attack.
But on the messengers declaring their errand, he forebore to advance for that day.
Then he and his captains sate in council. Wherein opinions were much divided.
Some strongly desired that these terms should be taken;
they said that this journey had already won them great honour,
if they should go home after receiving so much money from Athelstan.
But some were against it, saying that Athelstan would offer much more the second time,
were this refused. And this latter counsel prevailed.
Then the messengers begged king Olaf to give them time to go back to king Athelstan,
and try if he would pay yet more money to ensure peace.
They asked a truce of one day for their journey home, another for deliberation,
a third to return to Olaf.
The king granted them this.