eldol, or edel, a briton, is said to have been earl of gloucester in 461; he was, according to the account of robert of gloucester, and other historians, a knight of great prowess. he attended king vortigern at the treaty of ambresbury in wiltshire, to which they were invited by hengist, the saxon, with the express stipulation that neither party should go thither armed; but the saxons having, contrary to their engagement, concealed long knives under their clothes, murdered great numbers of the britons. eldol is said at this time to have exerted himself so powerfully with a stake he happened to find, as to slay no less than seventy of the saxons, and after having disabled many more, he escaped to gloucester, his own city. he is also said to have behaved with uncommon courage, in a subsequent battle between ambrosius, king of the britons, and hengist, when ... he rushed through the pagan army, took hengist prisoner, and cut off his head.