The gesiths, gesithmen, or gesithcundmen, were the military companions or followers of the Anglo-Saxon chiefs and Kings.

I'd always been but weakly, / And my baby was just born; / A neighbour minded her by day, / I minded her till morn.

Smith is good at detail, but can't see the forest for the trees.

Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.