In the year 991 a marauding band of Vikings encountered an English defence-force near Maldon in East Anglia. The English Commander was Beorhtnoth, Duke of Essex, an old man of giant stature; powerful, fearless and proud. He held the advantage of the ground, but out of pride and a misplaced sense of chivalry fell back to allow his opponents a fair fight. In the ensuing battle Beorhtnoth was killed and the English routed.
(bookseller description)

This is a short play or dramatic dialogue in alliterative meter inspired by the Old English poem The Battle of Maldon, plus an introductory essay and afterword. It was originally published in the scholarly journal Essays and Studies in 1953. It has been published in a number of collections with Tolkien's other shorter pieces.