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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/8745-h.zip b/8745-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a5b8bcf --- /dev/null +++ b/8745-h.zip diff --git a/8745-h/8745-h.htm b/8745-h/8745-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e221565 --- /dev/null +++ b/8745-h/8745-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,14671 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + Wulf the Saxon, by G. A. Henty + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 100%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + .side { float: left; font-size: 75%; width: 25%; padding-left: 0.8em; + border-left: dashed thin; text-align: left; + text-indent: 0; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic; + font-weight: bold; color: black; background: #eeeeee; border: solid 1px;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Wulf the Saxon, by G. A. Henty + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Wulf the Saxon + A Story of the Norman Conquest + +Author: G. A. Henty + + +Release Date: August, 2005 [EBook #8745] +First Posted: August 9, 2003 +Last Updated: September 24, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WULF THE SAXON *** + + + + +Produced by Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + +</pre> + + <div style="height: 8em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h1> + WULF THE SAXON + </h1> + <h3> + A Story of the Norman Conquest + </h3> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + By G. A. Henty + </h2> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <p> + <b>CONTENTS</b> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_PREF"> PREFACE. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0001"> CHAPTER I. — A QUARREL. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0002"> CHAPTER II. — COUNTRY LIFE. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0003"> CHAPTER III. — AT COURT. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0004"> CHAPTER IV. — A STORM. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0005"> CHAPTER V. — ROUEN. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0006"> CHAPTER VI. — RELEASE OF THE EARL </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0007"> CHAPTER VII. — THE OATH. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0008"> CHAPTER VIII. — TROUBLE WITH WALES. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0009"> CHAPTER IX. — IN THE WELSH VALLEYS. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0010"> CHAPTER X. — PORTHWYN. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0011"> CHAPTER XI. — THE SECRET PASSAGE. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0012"> CHAPTER XII. — EDITH. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0013"> CHAPTER XIII. — HAROLD, THE KING. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0014"> CHAPTER XIV. — WULF'S SUSPICIONS. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0015"> CHAPTER XV. — A MEETING BY THE RIVER. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0016"> CHAPTER XVI. — A VOYAGE NORTH. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0017"> CHAPTER XVII. — AN ATTEMPT AT + ASSASSINATION. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0018"> CHAPTER XVIII. — THE NORTHERN INVASION. + </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0019"> CHAPTER XIX. — STAMFORD BRIDGE. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0020"> CHAPTER XX. — THE LANDING OF THE FOE. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0021"> CHAPTER XXI. — HASTINGS. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0022"> CHAPTER XXII. — THE LORD OF BRAMBER. </a> + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2H_PREF" id="link2H_PREF"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + PREFACE. + </h2> + <p> + Although the immediate results of the Battle of Hastings may have been of + less importance to the world than were those of some other great battles, + the struggle has, in the long run, had a greater influence upon the + destiny of mankind than any other similar event that has ever taken place. + That admixture of Saxon, Danish, and British races which had come to be + known under the general name of English, was in most respects far behind + the rest of Europe. The island was, as it had always been,—except + during the rule of two or three exceptionally strong kings,—distracted + by internal dissensions. Broad lines of division still separated the North + from the South, and under weak Kings the powerful Earls became almost + independent. The enterprise that had distinguished their Saxon and Danish + ancestors seems to have died out. There was a general indisposition to + change, and except in her ecclesiastical buildings, England made but + little progress in civilization from the time of Alfred to that of Harold. + Its insular position cut it off from taking part in that rapid advance + which, beginning in Italy, was extending throughout Europe. The arrival, + however, of the impetuous Norman race, securing as it did a close + connection with the Continent, quickened the intellect of the people, + raised their intelligence, was of inestimable benefit to the English, and + played a most important part in raising England among the nations. + Moreover, it has helped to produce the race that has peopled Northern + America, Australia, and the south of Africa, holds possession of India, + and stands forth as the greatest civilizer in the world. The Conquest of + England by the Normans was achieved without even a shadow of right or + justice. It was at the time an unmixed curse to England; but now we can + recognize the enormous benefits that accrued when in his turn the + Englishman conquered the Norman, and the foreign invaders became an + integral portion of the people they had overcome. For the historical + details of the story, I have only had to go to Freeman's magnificent <i>History + of the Norman Conquest of England</i>, which I hope will be perused by all + of my readers who are able to obtain it. + </p> + <h3> + G. A. HENTY + </h3> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0001" id="link2HCH0001"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER I. — A QUARREL. + </h2> + <p> + The great Abbey of Westminster was approaching its completion; an army of + masons and labourers swarmed like bees upon and around it, and although + differing widely in its massive architecture, with round Saxon windows and + arches, from the edifice that was two or three generations later to be + reared in its place,—to serve as a still more fitting tomb for the + ashes of its pious founder,—it was a stately abbey, rivalling the + most famous of the English fanes of the period. + </p> + <p> + From his palace hard by King Edward had watched with the deepest interest + the erection of the minster that was the dearest object of his life. The + King was surrounded by Normans, the people among whom he had lived until + called from his retirement to ascend the throne of England, and whom he + loved far better than those over whom he reigned. He himself still lived + almost the life of a recluse. He was sincerely anxious for the good of his + people, but took small pains to ensure it, his life being largely passed + in religious devotions, and in watching over the rise of the abbey he had + founded. + </p> + <p> + A town had risen around minster and palace, and here the workmen employed + found their lodgings, while craftsmen of all descriptions administered to + the wants both of these and of the nobles of Edward's court. + </p> + <p> + From one of the side doors of the palace a page, some fifteen or sixteen + years of age, ran down the steps in haste. He was evidently a Saxon by his + fair hair and fresh complexion, and any observer of the time would have + seen that he must, therefore, be in the employment of Earl Harold, the + great minister, who had for many years virtually ruled England in the name + of its king. + </p> + <p> + The young page was strongly and sturdily built. His garb was an English + one, but with some admixture of Norman fashions. He wore tightly-fitting + leg coverings, a garment somewhat resembling a blouse of blue cloth girded + in by a belt at the waist, and falling in folds to the knee. Over his + shoulders hung a short mantle of orange colour with a hood. On his head + was a cap with a wide brim that was turned up closely behind, and + projected in a pointed shovel shape in front. In his belt was a small + dagger. He wore shoes of light yellow leather fastened by bands over the + insteps. As he ran down the steps of the palace he came into sharp contact + with another page who had just turned the corner of the street. + </p> + <p> + "I crave your pardon, Walter Fitz-Urse," he said hurriedly, "but I was in + haste and saw you not." + </p> + <p> + The other lad was as clearly Norman as the speaker was Saxon. He was + perhaps a year the senior in point of age, and taller by half a head, but + was of slighter build. The expression of his face differed as widely from + that of the Saxon as did his swarthy complexion and dark hair, for while + the latter face wore a frank and pleasant expression, that of the Norman + was haughty and arrogant. + </p> + <p> + "You did it on purpose," he said angrily, "and were we not under the + shadow of the palace I would chastise you as you deserve." + </p> + <p> + The smile died suddenly out from the Saxon's face. "Chastise me!" he + repeated. "You would find it somewhat difficult, Master Fitz-Urse. Do you + think you are talking to a Norman serf? You will please to remember you + are in England; but if you are not satisfied with my apology, I will ride + with you a few miles into the country, and we will then try with equal + arms where the chastisement is to fall." + </p> + <p> + The Norman put his hand to his dagger, but there was an ominous growl from + some men who had paused to listen to the quarrel. + </p> + <p> + "You are an insolent boor, Wulf of Steyning, and some day I will punish + you as you deserve." + </p> + <p> + "Some day," the Saxon laughed, "we shall, I hope, see you and all your + tribe sent across the Channel. There are few of us here who would not see + your backs with pleasure." + </p> + <p> + "What is this?" an imperious voice demanded; and turning round, Wulf saw + William, the Norman Bishop of London, who, followed by several monks and + pages, had pushed his way through the crowd. "Walter Fitz-Urse, what means + this altercation?" + </p> + <p> + "The Saxon ran against me of set purpose, my lord," Walter Fitz-Urse said, + in tones of deep humility, "and because I complained he challenged me to + ride with him into the country to fight, and then he said he hoped that + some day all the Normans would be sent across the Channel." + </p> + <p> + "Is this so?" the prelate said sternly to Wulf; "did you thus insult not + only my page, but all of us, his countrymen?" + </p> + <p> + "I ran against him by accident," Wulf said, looking up fearlessly in the + prelate's face. "I apologized, though I know not that I was more in fault + than he; but instead of taking my apology as one of gentle blood should + do, he spoke like a churl, and threatened me with chastisement, and then I + did say that I hoped he and all other Normans in the land would some day + be packed across the Channel." + </p> + <p> + "Your ears ought to be slit as an insolent varlet." + </p> + <p> + "I meant no insolence, my Lord Bishop; and as to the slitting of my ears, + I fancy Earl Harold, my master, would have something to say on that + score." + </p> + <p> + The prelate was about to reply, but glancing at the angry faces of the + growing crowd, he said coldly: + </p> + <p> + "I shall lay the matter before him. Come, Walter, enough of this. You are + also somewhat to blame for not having received more courteously the + apologies of this saucy page." + </p> + <p> + The crowd fell back with angry mutterings as he turned, and, followed by + Walter Fitz-Urse and the ecclesiastics, made his way along the street to + the principal entrance of the palace. Without waiting to watch his + departure, Wulf, the Saxon page, pushed his way through the crowd, and + went off at full speed to carry the message with which he had been + charged. + </p> + <p> + "Our king is a good king," a squarely-built man,—whose bare arms + with the knotted muscles showing through the skin, and hands begrimed with + charcoal, indicated that he was a smith,—remarked to a gossip as the + little crowd broke up, "but it is a grievous pity that he was brought up a + Norman, still more that he was not left in peace to pass his life as a + monk as he desired. He fills the land with his Normans; soon as an English + bishop dies, straightway a Norman is clapped into his place. All the + offices at court are filled with them, and it is seldom a word of honest + English is spoken in the palace. The Norman castles are rising over the + land, and his favourites divide among them the territory of every English + earl or thane who incurs the king's displeasure. Were it not for Earl + Harold, one might as well be under Norman sway altogether." + </p> + <p> + "Nay, nay, neighbour Ulred, matters are not so bad as that. I dare say + they would have been as you say had it not been for Earl Godwin and his + sons. But it was a great check that Godwin gave them when he returned + after his banishment, and the Norman bishops and nobles hurried across the + seas in a panic. For years now the king has left all matters in the hands + of Harold, and is well content if only he can fast and pray like any monk, + and give all his thoughts and treasure to the building of yonder abbey." + </p> + <p> + "We want neither a monk nor a Norman over us," the smith said roughly, + "still less one who is both Norman and monk I would rather have a Dane, + like Canute, who was a strong man and a firm one, than this king, who, I + doubt not, is full of good intentions, and is a holy and pious monarch, + but who is not strong enough for a ruler. He leaves it to another to + preserve England in peace, to keep in order the great Earls of Mercia and + the North, to hold the land against Harold of Norway, Sweyn, and others, + and, above all, to watch the Normans across the water. A monk is well + enough in a convent, but truly 'tis bad for a country to have a monk as + its king." + </p> + <p> + "There have been some war-loving prelates, Ulred; men as ambitious as any + of the great earls, and more dangerous, because they have learning." + </p> + <p> + "Ay, there have been great prelates," the smith agreed. "Look at Lyfing of + Worcester, to whom next only to Godwin the king owed his throne. He was an + Englishman first and a bishop afterwards, and was a proof, if needed, that + a man can be a great churchman and a great patriot and statesman too. It + was he rather than Godwin who overcame the opposition of the Danish party, + and got the Witan at last to acquiesce in the choice of London and Wessex, + and to give their vote to Edward. + </p> + <p> + "Well was it he did so. For had he failed we should have had as great a + struggle in England as when Alfred battled against the Danes. We of London + and the men of Wessex under the great Earl were bent upon being ruled by a + prince of our own blood. The last two Danish kings had shown us that + anything is better than being governed by the Northmen. It was Lyfing who + persuaded the Earl of Mercia to side with Wessex rather than with + Northumbria, but since Lyfing, what great Englishman have we had in the + church? Every bishopric was granted by Edward to Norman priests, until + Godwin and his sons got the upper hand after their exile. Since then most + of them have been given to Germans. It would seem that the king was so set + against Englishmen that only by bringing in foreigners can Harold prevent + all preferment going to Normans. But what is the consequence? They say now + that our church is governed from Rome, whereas before Edward's time we + Englishmen did not think of taking our orders from Italy. + </p> + <p> + "There will trouble come of it all, neighbour. Perhaps not so long as + Edward reigns, but at his death. There is but one of the royal race + surviving, and he, like Edward, has lived all his life abroad. There can + be no doubt what the choice of Englishmen will be. Harold has been our + real ruler for years. He is wise and politic as well as brave, and a great + general. He is our own earl, and will assuredly be chosen. Then we shall + have trouble with the Normans. Already they bear themselves as if they + were our masters, and they will not give up their hold without a struggle. + Men say that William, their duke, makes no secret of his hope to become + master of England, in which case God help us all. But that won't come as + long as Harold lives and Englishmen can wield sword and battle-axe. As for + myself, I have patched many a Norman suit of armour, but, by St. Swithin, + I shall have far more pleasure in marring than I have ever had in mending + them." + </p> + <p> + "Know you who were the boys who had that contention just now?" + </p> + <p> + "The Norman is a page of William, our Norman bishop; I know no more of him + than that the other is Wulf, who is a ward and page of Earl Harold. His + father was thane of Steyning in South Sussex, one of Godwin's men, and at + his death two years ago Harold took the lad into his household, for he + bore great affection for Gyrth, who had accompanied him in his pilgrimage + to Rome, and fought by his side when he conquered the Welsh. It was there + Gyrth got the wound that at last brought about his death. Wulf has been to + my smithy many times, sometimes about matters of repairs to arms, but more + often, I think, to see my son Osgod. He had seen him once or twice in + calling at the shop, when one day Osgod, who is somewhat given to + mischief, was playing at ball, and drove it into the face of a son of one + of the Norman lords at court. The boy drew his dagger, and there would + have been blood shed, but Wulf, who was passing at the time, and saw that + the thing was a pure mishap and not the result of set intention, threw + himself between them. + </p> + <p> + "There was a great fuss over it, for the boy took his tale to his father, + who demanded that Osgod should be punished, and would doubtless have + gained his end had not Wulf spoken to Earl Harold, who intervened in the + matter and persuaded the Norman to let it drop. Since then the boys have + been great friends in their way. Osgod is a year older than the young + thane, and has already made up his mind to be his man when he grows up, + and he has got me to agree to it, though I would rather that he had stuck + to my handicraft. Still, the prospect is not a bad one. Harold will be + King of England, Wulf will be a powerful thane, and will doubtless some + day hold high place at court, and as he seems to have taken a real liking + to Osgod, the boy may have good chances. + </p> + <p> + "Wulf will make a good fighting man one of these days. Harold sees that + all his pages are well instructed in arms, and the two boys often have a + bout with blunted swords when Wulf comes to my smithy; and, by my faith, + though I have taught Osgod myself, and he already uses his arms well, the + young thane is fully a match for him. You would hardly believe that the + boy can read as well as a monk, but it is so. Earl Harold, you know, + thinks a good deal of education, and has founded a college at Waltham. He + persuaded Wulf's father to send him there, and, indeed, will take none as + his pages unless they can read. I see not what good reading can do to most + men, but doubtless for one who is at court and may hold some day a high + post there, it is useful to be able to read deeds and grants of estates, + instead of having to trust others' interpretation." + </p> + <p> + "I wondered to see you press forward so suddenly into the crowd, + neighbour, seeing that you are a busy man, but I understand now that you + had an interest in the affair." + </p> + <p> + "That had I. I was holding myself in readiness, if that Norman boy drew + his dagger, to give him such a blow across the wrist with my cudgel that + it would be long before he handled a weapon again. I fear Wulf has got + himself into trouble. The bishop will doubtless complain to the king of + the language used by one of Harold's pages, and though the earl is well + able to see that no harm comes to the lad, it is likely he will send him + away to his estates for a time. For he strives always to avoid quarrels + and disputes, and though he will not give way a jot in matters where it + seems to him that the good of the realm is concerned, he will go much + farther lengths than most men would do in the way of conciliation. Look + how he has borne with Tostig and with the Earls of Mercia. He seems to + have no animosity in his nature, but is ready to forgive all injuries as + soon as pardon is asked." + </p> + <p> + The smith was not far wrong in his opinion as to what was likely to + happen. As soon as Wulf returned to the palace he was told that the earl + desired his presence, and he proceeded at once to the apartment where + Harold transacted public business. It was a hall of considerable size; the + floor was strewed with rushes; three scribes sat at a table, and to them + the earl dictated his replies and decisions on the various matters brought + before him. When he saw Wulf enter he rose from his seat, and, beckoning + to him to follow, pushed aside the hangings across a door leading to an + apartment behind and went in. Wulf had no fear whatever of any severe + consequence to himself from his quarrel with Walter Fitz-Urse, but he was + ashamed that his thoughtlessness should have given the slightest trouble + to the earl, for, popular as he was among all classes of men in southern + England, Harold was an object of love as well as respect to his + dependents, and indeed to all who came in close contact with him. + </p> + <p> + The earl was now forty-one years of age. He was very tall, and was + considered the strongest man in England. His face was singularly handsome, + with an expression of mingled gentleness and firmness. His bearing was + courteous to all. He united a frank and straightforward manner with a + polished address rare among his rough countrymen. Harold had travelled + more and farther than any Englishman of his age. He had visited foreign + courts and mingled with people more advanced in civilization than were + those of England or Normandy, and was centuries ahead of the mass of his + countrymen. He was an ardent advocate of education, a strong supporter of + the national church, an upholder of the rights of all men, and although he + occasionally gave way to bursts of passion, was of a singularly sweet and + forgiving disposition. + </p> + <p> + King Edward was respected by his people because, coming after two utterly + worthless kings, he had an earnest desire for their good, although that + desire seldom led to any very active results. He was a member of their own + royal house. He was deeply religious. His life was pure and simple, and + although all his tastes and sympathies were with the land in which he had + been brought up, Englishmen forgave him this because at least he was a + Saxon, while his predecessors had been Danes. But while they respected + Edward, for Harold, their real ruler, they felt a passionate admiration. + He was a worthy representative of all that was best in the Saxon + character. He possessed in an eminent degree the openness of nature, the + frank liberality, the indomitable bravery, and the endurance of hardship + that distinguished the race. He was Earl of the West Saxons, and as such + had special claims to their fealty. + </p> + <p> + London, it was true, did not lie in his earldom, but in that of his + brother Leofwyn, but Leofwyn and Harold were as one—true brothers in + heart and in disposition. The gentleness and courtesy of manner that, + although natural, had been softened and increased by Harold's contact with + foreigners, was not only pardoned but admired because he was England's + champion against foreigners. He had fought, and victoriously, alike + against the Norwegians, the Danes of Northumbria, and the Welsh, and he + struggled as sturdily, though peacefully, against Norman influence in + England. Already the dread of Norman preponderance was present in the + minds of Englishmen. It was no secret that in his early days Edward had + held out hopes, if he had not given an actual promise, to William of + Normandy that he should succeed him. Of late the king had been somewhat + weaned from his Norman predilections, and had placed himself unreservedly + in Harold's hands, giving to the latter all real power while he confined + himself to the discharge of religious exercises, and to the supervision of + the building of his abbey, varied occasionally by hunting expeditions, for + he still retained a passionate love of the chase; but men knew that the + warlike Duke of Normandy would not be likely to forget the promise, and + that trouble might come to England from over the sea. + </p> + <p> + Harold, then, they not only regarded as their present ruler, but as their + future king, and as the national leader and champion. Edward had no + children. The royal house was extinct save for Edward the Atheling, who, + like the present king, had lived all his life abroad, and could have no + sympathy with Englishmen. There being, then, no one of the royal house + available, who but Harold, the head of the great house of Godwin, the earl + of the West Saxons, the virtual ruler of England, could be chosen? The + English kings, although generally selected from the royal house, ruled + rather by the election of the people as declared by their representatives + in the Witan than by their hereditary right. The prince next in succession + by blood might, at the death of the sovereign, be called king, but he was + not really a monarch until elected by the Witan and formally consecrated. + </p> + <p> + It had been nine months after he had been acclaimed to the throne by the + people of London that King Edward had been elected king by the Witan, and + formally enthroned. Thus, then, the fact that Harold did not belong to the + royal family mattered but little in the eyes of Englishmen. To them + belonged the right of choosing their own monarch, and if they chose him, + who was to say them nay? + </p> + <p> + Wulf felt uncomfortable as he followed the stately figure into the inner + room, but he faced the Earl as the door closed behind him with as fearless + a look as that with which he had stood before the haughty prelate of + London. A slight smile played upon Harold's face as he looked down upon + the boy. + </p> + <p> + "You are a troublesome varlet, Wulf, and the Lord Bishop has been making + serious complaint of you to the king. He says that you brawled with his + page, Walter Fitz-Urse; that you used insolent words against his + countrymen; and that you even withstood himself. What have you to say to + this?" + </p> + <p> + "The brawling was on the part of the bishop's page and not of mine, my + lord. I was running out to carry the message with which you charged me to + Ernulf of Dover when I ran against Fitz-Urse. That was not my fault, but a + pure mischance, nevertheless I expressed my regret in fitting terms. + Instead of accepting them, he spoke insolently, talked of chastising me, + and put his hand on the hilt of his dagger. Then, my lord, I grew angry + too. Why should I, the page of Earl Harold, submit to be thus + contemptuously spoken to by this young Norman, who is but the page of an + upstart bishop, and whom, if your lordship will give permission, I would + right willingly fight, with swords or any other weapons. Doubtless, in my + anger, I did not speak respectfully of Walter's countrymen, and for this I + am sorry, since it has been the ground of complaint and of trouble to + you." + </p> + <p> + "In fact, Wulf, you spoke as a quarrelsome boy and not as the page of one + who has the cares of this kingdom on his shoulders, and whose great desire + is to keep peace between all parties," the earl put in gravely. + </p> + <p> + For the first time Wulf hung his head: + </p> + <p> + "I was wrong, my lord." + </p> + <p> + "You were wrong, Wulf; it is not good always to say what we think; and + you, as my page, should bear in mind that here at court it behoves you to + behave and to speak not as a headstrong boy, but as one whose words may, + rightly or wrongly, be considered as an echo of those you may have heard + from me. And now to the third charge, that you withstood the prelate; a + matter that, in the king's eyes, is a very serious one." + </p> + <p> + "The bishop would give ear to nought I had to say. He listened to his own + page's account and not to mine, and when I said in my defence that though + I did use the words about the Normans, I did so merely as one boy + quarrelling with the other, he said I ought to have my ears slit. Surely, + my lord, a free-born thane is not to be spoken to even by a Norman bishop + as if he were a Norman serf. I only replied that before there was any + slitting of ears your lordship would have a say in the matter. So far, I + admit, I did withstand the bishop, and I see not how I could have made + other reply." + </p> + <p> + "It would have been better to have held your peace altogether, Wulf." + </p> + <p> + "It would, my lord, but it would also surely have been better had the + bishop abstained from talking about slitting ears." + </p> + <p> + "That would have been better also, but two wrongs do not make a right. I + was present when the bishop made his complaint, and upon my inquiring more + into the matter, his version was somewhat similar to yours. I then pointed + out to him that if holy bishops lost their tempers and used threats that + were beyond their power to carry into effect, they must not be too severe + upon boys who forget the respect due to their office. Nevertheless, I + admitted that you were wrong, and I promised the king, who was perhaps + more disturbed by this incident than there was any occasion for, that I + would take you to task seriously, and that to avoid any further brawl + between you and young Fitz-Urse, you should for a time be sent away from + court. I did this on the agreement that the bishop should, on his part, + admonish Walter Fitz-Urse against discourteous behaviour and unseemly + brawling, and had I known that he had put his hand on his dagger, I would + have gone further. Have you any witnesses that he did so?" + </p> + <p> + "Yes, my lord; I saw the smith Ulred among those standing by, and + doubtless he would see the action." + </p> + <p> + "That is well," Harold said. "I shall acquaint the bishop with the fact + when I tell him that I have ordered you to leave for your estate at + Steyning, and that if his page denies it, I have witnesses to prove the + truth of your assertions. I think in that case he will be glad to drop the + matter, for were I to mention the fact to the king, he, who has a horror + of the drawing of weapons, would order Walter Fitz-Urse to be sent back to + Normandy. So your exile is not likely to be of long duration. You + understand, Wulf, that I am not seriously angered with you in this matter. + You are but a boy, and one cannot expect that you will behave as a prudent + man; but remember, lad, even a boy's words may do mischief, especially + when placed as you are. There may come a time when you shall show by deeds + and not by words your feelings against the Normans, but till then bear + yourself prudently. We Saxons are over given to hasty words, and this is a + fault. I myself, as all men know, have no love for the Normans, but no one + has heard me speak against them. The king loves them, as is but natural, + seeing that he was brought up amongst them, and I have not withstood his + wishes in the matter, trying only that a certain amount of preferment in + the land should be bestowed upon those who are its owners and not + strangers to it and its tongue. You will ride this afternoon for Steyning, + Wulf, but I hope it will not be long before you are back again. If I had + my own way in the matter, I should think that sufficient had already been + said and done in so trifling a matter as a boys' quarrel; but as it has + been brought before our king by a bishop, it is in the king's eyes a + serious business, for assuredly he himself would have borne a reproof from + William of London more meekly than you did, and having therefore become a + church matter, it is altogether beyond my power to interfere. At any rate, + a short sojourn on your estate will do you no harm; it is sometime since + you were there, and it is a good thing that the lord of the soil should be + well known by those over whom he is placed." + </p> + <p> + Wulf bowed deeply and withdrew. The prospect of a visit for a few weeks or + even months to Steyning was not a terrible one. It was some years since he + had stayed there for any time. He had been two years at Waltham, and since + his father's death had been for the most part with Harold, and the thought + of an unrestricted life and of spending his time as he chose, hunting and + hawking, and going about among his tenants, was by no means unpleasant. He + was quite satisfied that Harold was not seriously angered with him, and + for anything else he cared little. + </p> + <p> + As he understood that his duties as a page were at present at an end, he + thought he would first call upon Ulred the smith, to ask him if he had + seen Walter Fitz-Urse handle his dagger, and also to tell Osgod that he + was going away for a time. He found the smith at work. + </p> + <p> + "Good morning, Master Wulf; though this is not the first time I have seen + you today, for I was at hand when you had that quarrel with the Norman + page." + </p> + <p> + "Yes, I caught sight of your face, Ulred. It was about that I have come to + you. The bishop has made complaint against me to the king, and Earl Harold + has ordered me to go down to Steyning for a time. Of course I acted + wrongly in speaking as I did to the bishop, but so far as Walter Fitz-Urse + is concerned I maintain that I did no wrong. I told my lord as much, and + that the Norman put hand upon his dagger. The earl said that if I could + prove that it would benefit my case. I told him that I had seen you close + by, but that I did not know whether you saw the page do it." + </p> + <p> + "Assuredly I did," the smith replied, "and had my cudgel in readiness to + tap him on the wrist if he had drawn his dagger. I would testify the same + before King Edward himself." + </p> + <p> + "Thank you, Ulred, I will tell my lord so." + </p> + <p> + "I am sorry you are to be sent away from court. That is a bad job, Master + Wulf, and Osgod here will miss you greatly." + </p> + <p> + "That shall I," the lad said. "Could you not take me down with you, young + master? You could teach me there how to comport myself as your squire, so + that when the time comes that you need one, I should know my duties. + Besides, you could practise on me with sword and battle-axe." + </p> + <p> + "I could not do much in the way of teaching you, Osgod, seeing as yet I am + myself but a learner, but I should be glad, in truth, to have you with me, + and it would be good for me to keep up my practice in arms. I shall feel + almost like a stranger there, and should like to have one I know with me. + I could ask Earl Harold to let me have a horse for you from his stables, + where he has two or three score doing nothing." + </p> + <p> + "With your favour, sir, I would rather trust to my own feet. I am a stout + walker, and though I shall not be able to keep up with you, I think that + each night I can get to the hostelrie where you may put up; but, if not, + it matters little, I can make my way after you and join you there—that + is, if my father will give me permission to go." + </p> + <p> + "You may as well go sooner as later," the smith said. "Since you have + taken into your head that you will be Master Wulf's man, I see not that it + will benefit you remaining in the forge. You know enough now to mend a + broken rivet and to do such repairs to helm and armour as may be needed on + an expedition; therefore, if the young thane is minded to take you I have + naught to say against it." + </p> + <p> + "Then so shall it be," Wulf said, "I shall see my Lord Harold before I + start, and will tell him that you are minded to be my man, and that I am + minded so to take you. He will not object, I am sure, but it were best to + ask him, since, when I return to court, I shall have you about me." + </p> + <p> + "When do you start, Master Wulf?" + </p> + <p> + "I am ordered to go to-day; therefore, as soon as I have seen the earl + again I shall be off." + </p> + <p> + "Where will you sleep to-night?" + </p> + <p> + "I shall ride to Guildford this afternoon." + </p> + <p> + "Then you had better lay aside your hammer at once, Osgod," the smith + said, "and don fresh clothes, and make your best suit into a bundle and + start without delay; it is but ten o'clock, and you may be at Guildford + before sunset. 'Tis but thirty miles, and eight hours' walking will take + you there. If the young thane tells you that Lord Harold makes objection + to his taking you, you can turn your face backward to-morrow and no harm + will be done." + </p> + <p> + "I shall overtake you before you are half-way, Osgod, and can then take + you up behind me on my horse; and now I will go back to the palace. I may + have to wait some time before I can see Earl Harold. From sunrise to + sunset he has but a few moments to himself, and I shall have to watch my + time to get a word with him." + </p> + <p> + It was not, indeed, until two o'clock in the afternoon that Wulf had a + chance of speaking to the duke. Then, seeing that he was for the moment + alone, he entered the room and stood with bowed head waiting for Harold to + address him. + </p> + <p> + "So you have come to say good-bye, Wulf," the latter said kindly; "it is + best so, boy. A time in the country will do you good, and there will be + much for you to do down there. I have ordered two of my men to be in + readiness to mount and ride with you, for I would not that you should go + unattended. One of them will bear a message from me and a letter under my + hand to the steward, and will tell him that although you will, of course, + remain as my ward until you come of age, you are in all respects to be + treated as if you were already my sworn man, and thane. It would be well + if you could gather among your tenants twenty stout men as house-carls. + The steward is ordered to pay to you whatever moneys you may require, and + to account for them to me when he sends me in his checkers. These + house-carls will, of course, be paid. There must be ample store of armour + at Steyning for them, for your father was followed by forty house-carls + when he went with me to the Welsh wars. One of the men who goes with you + is a stout man-at-arms and is one of my own house-carls; he will remain + with you and will instruct your men in arms and teach them to fight + shoulder to shoulder. There may be bad times ere long, and it is upon + trained troops and not upon hasty levies that we must most depend. In time + I trust you will be able to place fifty such men in the field, but at + present twenty will suffice. Have you aught to say to me before you go?" + </p> + <p> + "Yes, my lord; first, to thank you for your kindness, and to say that I + will carry out your instructions; secondly, to tell you that Ulred the + smith saw Walter Fitz-Urse handle his dagger, and was standing ready to + knock it from his hand did he draw it. Lastly, that Ulred's son Osgod, who + is a stout lad a year older than myself, and for his age well accustomed + to arms, desires to be sworn as my man and to serve me in hall and in + field. I like him much and have almost daily practised with him in arms, + and I should be glad to have him with me if you see no objection." + </p> + <p> + "Not at all, Wulf; it is well that a man should have at his side one in + whom he can altogether trust, be he of gentle blood or simple + man-at-arms." + </p> + <p> + "Then I may take him down with me, my lord?" + </p> + <p> + "Yes, if it pleases you. Can he ride?" + </p> + <p> + "Not as yet, my lord, I will see that he is instructed down at Steyning. + He started to walk this morning, understanding that if you refused him + permission to be my man he would at once return. We shall overtake him on + the road." + </p> + <p> + "Bid one of your escort take him up behind," the earl said, "I like his + spirit. See that he is fittingly apparelled. You shall hear from me ere + long." + </p> + <p> + Half an hour later Wulf mounted, and with his two followers rode from + Westminster. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0002" id="link2HCH0002"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER II. — COUNTRY LIFE. + </h2> + <p> + Far from being depressed, Wulf felt his spirits rise as he rode away on + his banishment from court, for instead of feeling it a disgrace he + regarded it as a step forward in life. Earl Harold could certainly, had he + been so inclined, have smoothed down the angry prelate, and could have + retained him at court; but by the way he had spoken, Wulf was convinced + that the earl let him go because he thought that it was good for him to be + away. For four years he had been under tutelage, first at Waltham, and + then at the court. In the last position his life had indeed been a + pleasant one, for as one of Harold's pages he had mixed with all the noble + youths of the court, and had had a place at every festive gathering. + Still, he had been but a page, and treated as a boy. Now he was to go + forth, and to learn his duties as his father's successor. + </p> + <p> + Harold's steward, who had since the thane's death acted as the earl's + agent in the management of the estate, would instruct him doubtless in his + civil duties, while the soldier who rode behind him would teach him how to + lead men in battle, and how to make the fighting force of the estate + efficient. Beyond these duties his time would be his own. He would have + responsibilities, but they would be the responsibilities of a thane + towards his tenants, and not of a page towards his master. He was going + away a boy, but if it pleased Harold that he should remain away for two + years he would return a thane. A young one, indeed, but one who had + learned the duties of his station, and who, if needs be, could take his + place in the field of battle at the head of his followers. For, even + putting aside the Normans, from whom the earl seemed to think the greatest + danger would come, there was never any long cessation of fighting in + England. + </p> + <p> + There were the Welsh, who were always turbulent; the Danes of Northumbria, + who were still a distinct people, although throughout the rest of England + their identity was fast being merged into that of the Saxons. There were + the Norsemen, still ready to take every opportunity of interfering in the + affairs of England, or, if none offered, to plunder and harry the coast. + There were the earls of Mercia, who bore no great love to the house of + Godwin, and who resented the ascendency of the West Saxons. Lastly, there + was Harold's brother Tostig, a fiery and turbulent noble, now Earl of + Northumbria, who was jealous of Harold, ever ready to join in plots, and + in close alliance with Norway already; he had several times withstood the + royal authority, and would assuredly again become a fomenter of trouble + should he see a favourable opportunity. At the king's death, if not + before, that opportunity would be sure to present itself. Harold would be + certainly chosen king by the people of London and by the West Saxons, but + almost as certainly would his claim be disputed by the earls of Mercia on + one hand, and by Tostig and the Danes on the other. Wulf was sure, + therefore, that the work spent in preparing his tenants to take the field + when called upon to do so, would not be wasted. + </p> + <p> + Full of these thoughts he rode for some miles from Westminster without + addressing himself to the two men behind him; then, bethinking him that + these were trusted followers of the earl, and had been specially told off + by him to accompany and stay with him, he called them up to his side. Wulf + had donned a riding suit instead of court attire, which, in deference to + the king's partiality for the Normans, was, even among the staunchest + opposers of the foreigners, a compromise between Saxon and Norman + fashions. He now wore a tunic of a bright green cloth, girded in at the + waist and reaching only to the knee. Over this was worn a garment closely + resembling the Roman toga, though somewhat less ample. The folds in front + fell below the waist, but it was looped up at each shoulder by a brooch, + leaving the arms bare. His legs were clad in tightly-fitting trousers, and + his feet in somewhat high shoes. On his head he wore a cap in shape + closely resembling the Phrygian bonnet. He was armed with a dagger, and a + short sword, which hung by a leather strap, two or three inches long, from + his belt. The outer garment had a hood which could in bad weather be drawn + over the head. + </p> + <p> + The man who was the bearer of Harold's orders to the steward wore a + civilian dress, not unlike that of Wulf's. He occupied the position of a + confidential scribe to Harold. The other wore the garb of a soldier. He + was clothed from head to foot in a tight fitting leather suit, upon which + were sewn iron rings overlapping each other, and strongly resembling in + appearance the chain-armour of later days. His casque, with a curtain of + leather similarly covered and affording a protection to the neck, cheeks, + and throat, hung from his saddle-bow, and he wore a cap with a long + projecting peak, while a cloak was thrown over his shoulders and fell + almost to his feet. + </p> + <p> + "I am afraid you will find it but dull time with me, Leof," Wulf said as + they came up abreast of him, "for the earl says that he has charged you to + remain with me at Steyning." + </p> + <p> + "I shall not be sorry for that," the soldier said bluntly, "for I shall be + right glad to be away from these Normans who fill every place at court and + swagger there as if Englishmen were but dirt under their feet. Moreover, I + love not London nor its ways, and shall be glad to be down again among + honest country folk, though I would still rather be following my lord the + earl in the field." + </p> + <p> + "And you, Master Gurth, will your stay down at Steyning be a long one?" + </p> + <p> + "No, indeed. I have but to bear my master's wishes and instructions to the + steward, and to stay for a few days to see that they are carried out + according to his desires. I am not like Leof, for I prefer life in London, + where one meets with learned monks and others, can obtain sometimes the + use of a choice manuscript, and can hear the news from beyond the seas, + whereas in the country there is nought to talk about save beeves and + sheep. I like the journey well enough, though I would that the animal I + bestrode were more gentle in his paces. He has for the last half-hour been + fretting on the rein to place himself by the side of yours. Horses are + well enough for nobles and fighting men, but for a peaceful scrivener like + myself a chair makes a far more comfortable seat." + </p> + <p> + The soldier gave a contemptuous grunt, and Wulf laughed. "It is well that + we have not all the same tastes, but for my part a seat in a chair tires + me more than one in a saddle, and I am never more happy than when + galloping briskly along," and he shook the reins, a signal which the horse + had been expecting for a considerable time, and at once responded to by + breaking into a canter. + </p> + <p> + "Stay you, I pray, Master Wulf," the scrivener cried in great tribulation + as his horse followed the example of its companion. "Even if the animal + does not break my neck he will jolt the life out of me. I pray you curb + him in if you would not see me prone in the dust; and if I am disabled, + who is to carry the earl's message to the steward?" + </p> + <p> + Wulf reined in his horse. "Pardon me, good Gurth. I had forgotten that you + are not accustomed to journey on horseback. I was scarce conscious, + indeed, that I touched my horse, but he is used to travel more rapidly, + and was so eager to be off at the slightest hint that I was willing that + he should do so. We will try and journey soberly for the rest of the + distance." + </p> + <p> + Osgod was overtaken, plodding steadily along the road, fifteen miles from + town. Leof took him up on his horse, and they reached Guildford just as + the sun was setting. The inn, which stood in the principal street of the + town, was a low building built with a massive framework filled in with + bricks. The ground-floor was occupied by a single room. At one end was the + great fireplace where, over a pile of blazing logs, were hung many + cauldrons and pots. Round the room ran a raised bench some six feet wide + on which the guests disposed themselves for sleep at night; rough tables + and benches occupied the rest of the room. Some twenty or thirty + travellers were seated at these. Few were eating, but the greater portion + had horns of beer or mead before them. As Wulf and his companions entered, + after giving over their horses to one of the helpers, the host, seeing by + his attire that he was of condition above the ordinary, came forward and + led him to the end of the room nearest the fire, where the floor was + raised a foot and a half above the general level, forming a sort of dais + where travellers of distinction could take their meals apart from the rest + of the guests. Leof was now spokesman. + </p> + <p> + "We will have supper, and of your best, master host, for we have ridden + from London. We are in the service of Earl Harold, and are riding with + this young thane, Wulf of Steyning." + </p> + <p> + The name of Earl Harold was sufficient to gain for them the best + attentions of their host, and in twenty minutes supper was served, + consisting of trout broiled over the fire, swine's flesh, and a stew of + fowls and smoked bacon flavoured with herbs. Wulf took the head of the + table, and the other three sat a short distance below him. The dishes were + handed round, and each with his dagger cut off his portion and ate it on + his wooden platter with the assistance of dagger and fingers only, for the + utility of forks was at that time a matter undreamt of. After the meal was + over, the host brought a ewer of water with a napkin, and each dipped his + fingers into the water, an operation necessary even for the most dainty + feeder. Presently a glee singer came in, and for an hour amused the guests + with songs, for the most part of a patriotic character. + </p> + <p> + Wulf was then conducted by the host to a small chamber upstairs, where + there was the luxury of a bed stuffed with straw. The rest of the + travellers, including Wulf's companions, merely wrapped themselves in + their cloaks and lay down on the raised bench which ran round the room. + </p> + <p> + On the afternoon of the third day the party arrived at Steyning. It was + four years since Wulf had been at home, and he gave a shout of pleasure as + his eye fell on the long low house with its background of trees, and + touching his horse with his heel he left his companions behind and + galloped towards the door. An old servitor came out. + </p> + <p> + "Why, Cedric, do you not know me? I am Wulf, whom you first taught to play + single-stick and to draw a bow." + </p> + <p> + "Why, surely it is my young master," Cedric said, taking the hand that + Wulf held out to him and placing it to his lips; "this is a glad day + indeed for us all. We have longed sorely for a sight of you, for though I + say nought against Master Egbert the steward, who is well liked by all, it + is not the same as having our lord with us. You have come to stay, I + trust." + </p> + <p> + "For a time at any rate, Cedric. Earl Harold wishes me to learn my duties + as a thane and to fit myself to lead my people in the field if it be + necessary." + </p> + <p> + "I trust that it never will be so," Cedric said, "but as we fought under + your father so will we all be ready to fight under you should it be + needful. The men of Steyning were never backward when there was fighting + to be done, and in my young days there was no lack of that, though we have + had quiet times since King Edward came to the throne." + </p> + <p> + The house was not built for the purpose of resistance, for, unlike the + Normans, the Saxons did not deem it necessary to convert their houses into + castles. It was, however, massively framed, the windows on the + ground-floor were barred, the door was strong and solid, and after + nightfall none could come in or go out without the knowledge and consent + of the master. Wulf's companions came up just as the steward himself + appeared at the door. He knew both Gurth and Leof, having himself been in + the service of Harold before being deputed by him to manage the estates of + Steyning during the earl's guardianship of its thane. + </p> + <p> + "The earl sends his greetings to you, Egbert," Gurth said, "and he has + sent us hither with the young thane, who, as the letter I bring from the + earl will inform you, has come down to take up his position as lord here, + and to learn from you all things connected with his estate." + </p> + <p> + "Welcome to Steyning, thane," the steward said, doffing his cap; "it is + well that you should be here. I have done my best to carry out the earl's + commands to keep all things in readiness for your coming, and to be just + and fair to the tenants, seeing that they pay their dues, and yet not + pressing too hardly upon them if things go not well with them; but it is + always best that the master should be in his own place, and right + willingly do I give over my authority to you." + </p> + <p> + "The authority has been in good hands, I know well," Wulf said, "and right + heartily do I thank you for having so well filled my place; but I would + not take up my thaneship as yet I am but a boy, and have to learn my + duties from you, and shall account myself but as your pupil. I know + something of the ways of court, but nothing at all of those of the + country, and it will be long before I am fit to take the control of things + into my own hands." + </p> + <p> + They had by this time entered the great hall which formed the common room + of the establishment. Its arrangement was similar to that of the room at + the inn, with its raised dais for the master, his family, and guests, + while the rest of the room was devoted to the retainers and servants. The + cooking, however, was carried on in a room apart. There were two + fireplaces, one upon the dais and the other in the body of the hall. On + the walls hung trophies of the chase and arms of all sorts. The wooden + roof was supported by massive beams, and with the exception of the + trophies on the walls there was no attempt at decoration of any kind. + During the residence of the family at the house, however, the hangings of + tapestry, the work of generations of dames of Steyning, their daughters + and maids, hung upon the walls round the dais. + </p> + <p> + The news quickly spread of the arrival of the young thane, and a score of + men and eight or ten women and maids flocked into the hall to welcome him, + and as he stood on the dais each in turn came forward to kiss his hand and + salute him. + </p> + <p> + "I think my first order must be," he said to the steward, "that a cask of + your best ale be broached." + </p> + <p> + "That shall be done at once," Egbert replied; "there is never a lack of + drink here, but the best is none too good for the occasion. And who is + this youth with you?" he went on when he had given the necessary orders, + pointing to Osgod, who was standing somewhat shyly apart. + </p> + <p> + "He is my friend, and is going to be my body attendant and squire," Wulf + said. "He, like myself, knows nothing as yet of his duties, but that he + will be faithful and trusty I know full well, and the earl himself said + that I did wisely to bring him with me." + </p> + <p> + "I will myself instruct him in his duties," Egbert said, "which indeed are + not hard to learn by one of willing mind. He will stand behind you at + table, will hand you your cup and take your orders. In the old times it + would have been his duty to see that you were not struck down by a + traitorous blow while you drank, but those days are passed. When in the + field he will carry your helmet till you need to put it on; will keep + close to you in the fight and guard you with his shield from arrows, and + with his sword from attacks from behind; he will carry your banner, and + see that as long as he has strength to hold it, it floats fairly out as a + rallying point for your men. In the field indeed his duties are numerous, + but at home in peace, beyond seeing that your arms are bright and clean, + and that your orders are carried out properly, he will have but little to + do. It is well that you brought him with you, for otherwise you would have + had to choose one of the sons of your tenants, and the choice would have + been a difficult one, for each would have desired the honour, and + whichever you chose there would have been sore jealousy among the others." + </p> + <p> + The next day there was a great gathering in the hall. The whole of the + tenants attended, and took the oath to be Wulf's men, as they had been + those of his father, to obey his orders, and to follow him in the field + with the due number of men according to the size of their holdings; while + Wulf on his part swore to protect them from all wrong and oppression, to + be a just master, calling upon them only for such service as he was + entitled to demand, and exacting no feus or payments beyond those + customary. A bullock had been killed, and after the ceremony was over all + present sat down to a banquet at which much ale was drunk and feasting + went on till nightfall. + </p> + <p> + The next morning Wulf, accompanied by Leof and Egbert, rode round the + estate, choosing among the sons of the tenants thirty stout young men + willing to enrol themselves as house-carls, receiving a regular rate of + pay, and ready at all times to give service under arms, and to remain in + the field as long as they might be required, whereas the general levy + could only be kept under arms for a limited time. He had already gone into + the matter with Leof, who pointed out that, as at present he had no wish + to keep up any show or to have a body of armed men in the house, it would + suffice if the men were exercised every day for a month, and after that + merely practised with sword and battle-axe for two or three hours once a + week. On these terms he had no difficulty in obtaining considerably more + than the number he asked for, and finally fifty men were enrolled. + </p> + <p> + For those carls helmets were bought and coats of ringed armour made, and + for a month they exercised daily. Of manoeuvring there was little indeed. + The Saxons and Danes alike fought in line, with but room enough between + them to swing their battle-axes. Each carried a spear as well as an axe, + and when repelling the assault of an enemy closed up so that their shields + well-nigh touched each other. Their exercise was generally either to + engage in combats between chosen pairs, or, dividing into two parties, to + fight line against line with blunted poles for spears and with stout + cudgels for axes. Leof in these combats acted as judge, decided which side + had gained the victory, praised the skilful, and chided the careless and + sluggish. He gave lessons in the use of the sword and battle-axe to Wulf + and Osgod, sometimes pitting them against each other, sometimes fighting + himself against Wulf, and teaching Osgod how to assist his master by + covering him with his shield. + </p> + <p> + Sometimes he would order three or four of the men to shoot with blunted + arrows at Wulf, whom he taught to catch them on his shield or to sever the + shafts with a blow of his sword, while Osgod standing by helped to cover + him when two or three arrows flew at him together. This was a daily + exercise, and even after the month's regular work was over some of the men + came up every day to shoot, until Wulf had attained such coolness and + skill that he could in the great majority of cases cut the shafts in two + with his sword. + </p> + <p> + But the whole day was by no means given up to warlike exercises. Wulf rode + out with the steward inspecting the houses and farms, learning what there + was to be learned of the rude processes of agriculture, investigating the + complaints of the depredations committed by errant herds of swine or by + neighbours' cattle and sheep, seeing what was required in the repairs of + farmhouses, and learning from Egbert to discriminate between those who + were unable to pay their dues owing to misfortune, illness, or murrain + among the animals, and those whose losses were due to their own sloth or + carelessness. Upon these visits, too, the arms of the tenants were + inspected to ascertain that they could properly fulfil their service if + summoned to take the field. + </p> + <p> + The lands embraced by Wulf's feof were of considerable extent, reaching + down to the sea, where they were some eight miles broad, and running back + twelve miles beyond Steyning. Several small hamlets lay within it, and in + case of war he could summon more than three hundred men to his banner. + Several of the neighbouring thanes rode in as soon as they heard that Wulf + had returned to fill his father's place at Steyning, and these visits were + duly returned. But accustomed as Wulf had been to the orderliness of the + court of the ascetic King Edward the rude manners and nightly revelry of + these rough thanes by no means pleased him, so that he was glad when the + visits were over, and he could remain quietly at home, where he was not + without frequent guests. + </p> + <p> + The most regular of his visitors was the prior of the monastery at + Bramber, which had been founded by the piety of one of Wulf's ancestors. + The prior had, though Wulf was ignorant of it, received a letter from Earl + Harold asking him to befriend Wulf, to encourage him to keep up the + studies he had followed at Waltham, and to see that he did not fall into + the drinking habit so common among the Saxons. The priest was well fitted + for the mission. He was by no means a strict disciplinarian, but the + monastery had the reputation of being one of the best managed in Sussex, + and among the monks were many of good blood. He was passionately fond of + art, and encouraged its exercise among the monks, so that the illuminated + missals of Bramber were highly prized, and added largely to the revenues + of the monastery. + </p> + <p> + The prior had been one of the monks at Waltham, and owed his elevation to + the influence of Earl Harold with the late thane of Steyning. He was well + taught in all the learning of the day, and having been for a time at + Westminster, knew more of court life than the majority of the priors of + isolated monasteries, and could suit his conversation to his hearer. + Harold had said in his letter, "The lad has good parts. He is somewhat + full of mischief, and has got into a scrape here by a quarrel with a + Norman page, and by failing somewhat in the respect due to William of + London, who took his compatriot's part with too much zeal. But Wulf is + shrewd, and benefited greatly by his stay at Waltham, and both for the + lad's own sake and for my friendship with the good thane, his father, I + would fain that he grew up not only a sturdy Englishman, as to which I + have no manner of doubt, but one who may some day play his part at court, + and be a worthy friend and counsellor of an English king. Therefore I pray + you, father, to keep an eye on the lad, and spare him what time you can + from your duties. Tell him not that I have written to you, for it is the + nature of youth to be averse to anything that looks like guardianship." + </p> + <p> + Such a request from Earl Harold was regarded by the prior as an order, and + a few days after Wulf was installed at Steyning the prior rode over on his + palfrey, accompanied only by the almoner of the convent. + </p> + <p> + "Peace to you, my son," he said, as Wulf bowed respectfully to him, "I + have called not only as the prior of the monastery founded by the piety of + one of the thanes of Steyning, but to welcome one who was a pupil at Earl + Harold's college of Waltham, in which I at one time was a preceptor. Not + when you were there, for I was installed here just before your good + father's death." + </p> + <p> + "I left there two years since," Wulf said, "in order to be one of Earl + Harold's pages; but I have not forgotten my reading, for the earl insists + that his pages give two hours a day to study." + </p> + <p> + "Tis a good rule," the prior said, "for learning is like a weapon, it soon + becomes rusted when thrown aside. You will, I hope, continue the habit." + </p> + <p> + "I should wish to do so, father, but there are no manuscripts here." + </p> + <p> + "In that at least I can supply your wants," the prior said. "My monastery + has a good library, and it will be quite at your service, and also my + advice in any matters that may concern you. My almoner here, brother John, + knows pretty well the circumstances of most of your people, and may be + able to tell you where your alms may be well bestowed, and where they + would do more harm than good. The worthless are ever the most importunate, + and for every honest man in need there are twenty rogues abegging." + </p> + <p> + The ice once broken, the prior came over frequently. His conversation was + bright and interesting. He himself was engaged in writing a history of the + Saxon and Danish monarchs from the times of Alfred, and had stores of + anecdotes of people and events of whom Wulf had before heard only vague + traditions from the wandering singers and story-tellers who travelled the + country, and were welcome guests in every household. As Wulf was urged by + the prior to come over whenever time hung on his hands, his visits to the + monastery were naturally very much more frequent than those of the prior + to Steyning. Sometimes he would sit in the private apartment of the prior, + but more often he spent his time studying the rare manuscripts, or + watching the monks at their work of copying and illuminating. If he went + in the evening he generally sat in the refectory, where the monks for the + most part spent their evening in talk and harmless amusement, for the + strict rules and discipline that prevailed in monastic establishments on + the Continent had been unknown up to that time in England, although some + of the Norman bishops were doing their best to introduce them into the + establishments in their dioceses,—a proceeding that caused great + discontent, and was strongly opposed by the English monks. These had, + hitherto, regarded monastic life as one of work for the good of the poor, + and as affording for those who wished it a tranquil retirement from the + trials of the world. Moreover, it offered special attractions to those of + quiet and studious tastes, since the monasteries provided the architects + and the painters, the teachers and the writers, and it was here alone that + learning was maintained and fostered. Consequently, at Bramber there was + none of that monastic asceticism that prevailed abroad, and later became + the rule in England also. + </p> + <p> + During the day the monks had their pursuits according to their tastes. + There were those who worked in the copying and painting room. There were + some who drew plans for churches or the dwellings of the wealthy, and who + sometimes went out and superintended the carrying out of their designs. + Some were in charge of the garden, where the work was chiefly done by the + lay servitors, and where the herbs and simples were grown that were used + in the concoction of the medicines distributed among the sick, and highly + prized throughout the country round. Two or three were skilled in music, + and these taught and conducted the choir, while two acted as teachers to + youths, the sons of thanes and others, who, moved by the ardour with which + their earl advocated learning, intrusted their sons to the monks for + education. Then when the day's work was done, and vespers sung in the + chapel, the monks gathered in the refectory. The conversation was of a + bright and varied description, and as Wulf moved about from group to group + he listened to the talk with far greater pleasure than he had ever derived + from that at court, and largely increased his knowledge in many respects. + </p> + <p> + National matters were discussed with keen interest, for the monks were all + English, and viewed with bitter hostility the elevation of foreigners to + the chief dignities of the church, not only because they were foreigners, + but because they introduced innovations of all kinds, and sought to reduce + the Church of England to subjection to Rome, whereas previously it had + been wholly independent of Papal authority. In secular matters, too, there + were dangers that threatened the tranquillity of the country. Chief among + these were the turbulence and ambition of Tostig, and the menace to the + kingdom by his extensive earldom of Northumbria with its alien Danish + population, which was rendered more serious by his alliance with the kings + of Norway. + </p> + <p> + Then, too, it was doubtful whether the great central earldom of Mercia + could be relied upon to act cordially with the West Saxons; Griffith of + Wales was still restless and turbulent; and lastly, there was the + ever-present menace of the Norman duke. Had England been united it could + have laughed at the pretensions of the Duke of Normandy; but with + Northumbria ready at any moment to break into civil war, and with Mercia + doubtful, the claim of Normandy, however shadowy and indefensible, could + not but be considered as a grave element of danger. + </p> + <p> + Listening to the talk of the monks Wulf learned much more as to the actual + situation than he had done in the court of the Normanized king, and his + feelings of patriotism became more and more developed and strengthened, + while he applied himself with even greater ardour to his military + exercises, as he recognized more fully the necessity that might arise for + every West Saxon to be ready to take his place in the line of battle. The + evenings that he spent at home were by no means dull. It was only in + considerable towns that there were inns for the accommodation of + travellers. Everywhere else these were dependent upon hospitality, and no + door was ever closed in their faces. It was seldom that less than five or + six travellers rested for the night at Steyning, and often that number was + largely exceeded. Besides the wayfarers there were the professional + wanderers, the minstrels, the story-tellers, and occasionally a troupe of + buffoons. + </p> + <p> + All these were welcome, for they brought the news from without; the last + rumours in London concerning the quarrels of the earls; the movements of + the Danish ships that were harrying the coast, and those of the vessels + Earl Harold despatched to cope with them; the prices of wool and hides in + the chief markets; and even reports of what was happening beyond the seas. + Leaving the dais, Wulf would go down and listen to the talk of the + travellers, or, when they were of a degree above the common, have them up + beside him, and question them as to their journeyings, the places they had + visited, and the personages they had seen. Thus his hours were fully + occupied from morning until night. He found far less time than he had + expected for sport, and although he occasionally went out with his falcons + or hunted the stag in the forest, which covered a wide extent of country + beyond the hills, it was but seldom that he could find leisure for these + amusements. + </p> + <p> + "It seems to me that you are always doing something, Wulf," Osgod said one + day. "It is not at all the sort of life I should have thought a young + thane would live. Why, you work many more hours a day than I did in my + father's forge. It is either books, or the affairs of the tenants, or + visiting the monastery all day when you are not at work with your sword + exercises. When I have done with my work with Leof I like to lie down in + the sun and take it quietly, and I cannot understand how you can be for + ever on foot." + </p> + <p> + "I have so many things to do, Osgod; there is so much to learn, and I do + not wish to grow up a mere beer swiller like Edmund of Angmering or + Ethelred of Arundel. Their lives are, as far as I can see, no whit higher + or more worthy than that of their own serfs, from whom they differ only + that they eat more, drink more, and sleep on softer beds. Earl Harold + expects better things than that of me, and I want to make myself worthy of + being one of those in whom he can place confidence and on whom he can + depend in case of trouble. I have heard him say how bad it is for England + that our thanes are, in learning and culture, so far behind the nobles of + other countries, and that if England is ever to take her place among great + nations it must be by her thanes first raising themselves to the level of + the nobles abroad, who are the counsellors of their kings. I can never + hope to be anything like Earl Harold, who is the wisest and greatest of + Englishmen, but I do hope so to fit myself that some day he may think me + worthy of trust and confidence." + </p> + <p> + "Well, master," Osgod said lazily, "every one to his liking. I hope to be + a good soldier and your true servant, but as for all this thinking and + learning it would weary me to death." + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0003" id="link2HCH0003"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER III. — AT COURT. + </h2> + <p> + Two months after Wulf had gone down to Steyning one of Harold's men + brought a short letter from the earl himself. "I am glad to hear, Wulf," + it began, "from my steward, Egbert, that you are applying yourself so + heartily to your work. I have also good accounts of you from the Prior of + Bramber, who sometimes writes to me. He is a good and wise man, as well as + a learned one, and I am right glad to hear that you are spending your time + so well. I told you that you should hear if there was any alteration in + your affair. Some change was made as soon as you had left; for, two days + later, meeting William of London in the presence of the king, I told him + that I had inquired further into the matter, and had found that you were + by no means the aggressor in the quarrel with young Fitz-Urse, for that he + had fingered his dagger, and would doubtless have drawn it had there not + been many bystanders. I also said that, with all respect to the bishop, it + would have been better had he not inclined his ears solely to the tale of + his page, and that under the circumstances it was scarcely wonderful that, + being but a boy, you had defended yourself when you were, as you deemed, + unjustly accused. + </p> + <p> + "The prelate sent at once for his page, who stoutly denied that he had + touched the hilt of his dagger, but I too had sent off for Ulred, the + armourer, and he brought with him a gossip who had also been present. I + asked the king's permission to introduce them, and they entirely confirmed + your story. Fitz-Urse exclaimed that it was a Saxon plot to do him harm, + and I could see that the bishop was of the same opinion; but the king, who + is ever anxious to do justice, declared at once that he was sure that the + two craftsmen were but speaking the truth. He sternly rebuked Fitz-Urse as + a liar, and signified to the bishop that he would do well to punish him + severely by sending him back to Normandy, for that he would not tolerate + his presence at court—an order which the bishop obeyed with very bad + grace. But at any rate the lad was sent away by a ship a week later. + </p> + <p> + "After the bishop had left the audience-chamber the king said that he was + afraid he had acted with harshness to you, as it seemed that the fault was + by no means wholly on your side, and that I could at once recall you if I + wished to do so. I thanked his majesty dutifully, but said I thought it + were best in all ways that for a time you should remain away from court. + In the first place, you deserved some punishment for your want of respect + for the bishop, to whom you should have submitted yourself, even if you + had thought him unjust. In the second place, as Fitz-Urse had been sent + away, it would create an animosity against you on the part of his + countrymen at court were you to reappear at once; and lastly, that I + considered it would be to your benefit to pass at least some months on + your estates, learning your duties as thane, and making the acquaintance + of your people. Therefore, I wished you to continue at Steyning. It will + assuredly be pleasant for you to know that you are no longer to be + considered as being there in consequence of having fallen under the king's + displeasure, but simply because it is my wish that you should for a time + dwell among your people, and fit yourself to be a wise lord to them." + </p> + <p> + Wulf was much pleased at the receipt of this letter, partly because the + fact that he had been sent away in disgrace stung him, and he had felt + obliged frankly to acknowledge to the neighbouring thanes that he had been + sent down on account of a quarrel with a Norman page; but chiefly because + it showed the kindly interest that Harold felt in him, and that although + absent he had still thought of him. + </p> + <p> + It was nigh ten months before he heard again. During that time he had + grown a good deal, and although he would never be tall, his frame had so + widened out that it was evident he would grow into an exceptionally + powerful man. + </p> + <p> + At sixteen he was still a boy, and although his position at Steyning, + where, although still under the nominal tutelage of the earl's steward, he + was practically lord and master, accustomed to play the part of host + within its walls, and that of feudal lord over the wide estates, had given + him the habits of authority and the bearing of one who respected himself, + the merry expression of his face, aided by a slight upward turn of his + nose, showed that in other respects he was unchanged. He had learned with + his weapons all that Leof could teach him. He could wield a light + battle-axe, and with his sword could turn aside or sever an arrow however + sharply shot at him, provided that he had time to mark its flight. With a + quarter-staff he was a match for any youth on the estate, and he could + hurl a dart with unerring aim. + </p> + <p> + Osgod had sprung up into a powerful young fellow, taller than his master + by well-nigh a head, and his equal in exercises requiring strength rather + than quickness and skill. His duties at table had been delegated to + another, for there was a certain clumsiness in Osgod's strength that no + teaching could correct; and in his eagerness to serve his master he so + frequently spilled the contents of a cup, or upset a platter, that even + Egbert acknowledged that it was hopeless to attempt to make a skilful + servitor of him. + </p> + <p> + The earl's second letter contained only the words: + </p> + <p> + "Come up to London as soon as you receive this. Leave Egbert in charge of + everything as before." + </p> + <p> + Although the time had not seemed long, and his occupations were so varied + that he had never felt dull since he had come down, Wulf was delighted to + receive the summons. He had, unconsciously to himself, begun to feel + restless, and to wonder whether Earl Harold had altogether forgotten his + existence. + </p> + <p> + "We are going back to London, Osgod," he shouted. + </p> + <p> + "I am right glad of it," the young giant said, stretching his arms lazily. + "I am grievously tired of the country, and had it not been that nothing + would induce me to leave your service, I have thought sometimes that I + would gladly be back again in my father's smithy, hammering away on hot + iron. I used to think it would be the grandest thing possible to have + nothing to do, but I have found that one can have too much of a good + thing. Certainly I am glad to be going back, but I am not sure whether it + won't be worse at court than it is here." + </p> + <p> + "Perhaps we may not be staying there," Wulf said encouragingly. "Maybe the + earl is going to start on some expedition; though we have heard of no + trouble, either in the North or in Wales. But even if I stay at court, + Osgod, you will often be able to be away, and can spend some hours a day + at the smithy, where, if you like, you can take off your smock and + belabour iron to your heart's content. I should say you would be a rare + help to your father, for, as Leof says, for a downright solid blow there + are not many men who could surpass you." + </p> + <p> + Osgod laughed. "Leof has not forgiven that blow I dealt him a month ago, + when I flattened in his helmet with my blunted axe and stretched him + senseless on the ground; in faith, I meant not to hit so hard, but he had + been taunting me with my slowness, and seeing an opening for a blow at his + head I could not resist it, and struck, as he was always telling me to do, + quickly." + </p> + <p> + "You well-nigh killed him," Wulf said, shaking his head; "he has not taken + an axe in his hand since, at least not with either of us. He said to me + the first time I invited him to a bout, it was high time a man should give + up teaching when he came to be struck senseless by a boy." + </p> + <p> + "Not much of a boy," Osgod replied, "seeing that I stand over six feet + high, and got my muscles hardened early at the forge. However, he bears me + no ill-will; all he ever said to me on the matter was, 'I am glad to see + that you can shake off your sluggishness sometimes, Osgod; I should have + been less earnest in my advice to you to strike more quickly if I had + thought that you were going to do it at my expense. Keep those blows for + your master's enemies, lad. If you deal them to his friends you will + lessen their number.'" + </p> + <p> + "Have my horse brought round at once, Osgod, have the wallets packed, and + be ready to start in an hour's time. I cannot go without riding over to + say good-bye to the prior and some of the monks. Do you, when you have + packed, follow me; it is not greatly out of the way, and I shall meet you + on the road. A short half-hour will suffice for me there." + </p> + <p> + "So Harold has sent for you, Wulf?" the prior said, when the young thane + told him that he was on the point of starting for London. "'Tis as well. + Come back when you may, you will now be fit to rule at Steyning, and to + rule well, but I foresee that we are likely to have you but seldom down + here. You are in good train to rise high among Englishmen. You already + possess the favour of Earl Harold, who is, in all respects but name, King + of England. You possess far more learning than most young men of your + rank, and as Harold rightly thinks much of such knowledge, you are likely, + if you live, to learn more. But better than this, so far as your prospects + are concerned in the troubled times that may be coming, you are quick + witted and ready. I hear that you are already very proficient in arms, and + a match for most grown men. Best of all, so far as your future happiness + is concerned, you have a kind heart and a good disposition. You could + scarce be a page of Earl Harold's and not be a true Englishman and + patriot; therefore, my son, I think that I can predict a bright and + honourable future for you if Harold lives and reigns King of England. Be + steadfast and firm, lad. Act ever in what your heart tells you is the + right; be neither hasty nor quarrelsome. But,"—he broke off with a + smile, "you have had one lesson that way already. Now I will detain you no + longer. <i>Pax vobiscum</i>, may God keep and guard you! If opportunity + offer, and a messenger comes this way, write me a few lines; news of you + will be always welcome at Bramber." + </p> + <p> + Leaving the prior, Wulf paid a hurried visit to the chambers where the + monks were engaged in their various avocations, and then started at a + canter and met Osgod coming along with a sumpter-horse carrying the + wallets, a store of provisions for the way, and Wulf's arms and armour + fastened to the crupper of his saddle. + </p> + <p> + "You have done well, Osgod," Wulf said as he turned his horse, and at a + quieter pace proceeded beside him. "I forgot to give you any directions or + to speak about your bringing a pack-horse with you, but I am glad you + thought of it, for our steeds would have been heavily burdened had all + that baggage been divided between them." + </p> + <p> + "We go back more heavily laden than we came," Osgod remarked. "My wardrobe + was then of the scantiest, and your own has been considerably added to + since we came here. Truly, Wulf, I feel that I have changed mightily in + this year, and can scarce believe that it is but a twelvemonth back since + I flung down my hammer and started on my tramp to Guildford with a change + of clothes dangling from the end of my cudgel. I was glad when you and + your party overtook me, for I was badly scared once or twice when I met a + rough fellow or two on the way, though, fortunately, they did not deem me + worth robbing. We could give a good account of four or five of such knaves + now." + </p> + <p> + "There has been a change indeed, Osgod, and in me as much as in you, + though I have not shot up into such huge proportions. I was a page then, + and had learned but to obey. I am a boy still, but I have begun to learn + to rule; at any rate, to rule myself. I have not conquered my fault of + hastiness altogether." + </p> + <p> + Osgod smiled broadly. + </p> + <p> + "You are quick in temper still, Wulf. You remember it was but yesterday + that you rated me soundly because I had fed your hawks early, and they + were too lazy to fly when you wanted them." + </p> + <p> + "Well, it was annoying," Wulf laughed; "and you deserved rating, since you + have been told over and over again that the hawks were not to be fed early + in the morning. Besides, the rating did you no harm." + </p> + <p> + "None at all, master. I know that you mean not what you say, and hard + words break no bones. I should have thought no more of it had you yourself + not remarked that you were still somewhat hasty of temper." + </p> + <p> + "I was wrong, Osgod," Wulf said, holding out his hand, "but you know that + I love you, and that though your carelessness and forgetfulness chafe me + sorely at times, I mean not what I say." + </p> + <p> + "I know it, master, and I would not have you other than you are. I suppose + it is the thickness of my skull that prevents me from taking in all that I + am told, and perhaps if I had more to do I might do it better. I shall be + able to play my part when it comes to hard blows, and you must remember + that no one can excel in all things. A staghound is trusty and sure when + on the chase, but he could not be taught to fetch and to carry and to + perform all sorts of tricks such as were done by the little mongrel cur + that danced to the order of the mountebank the other evening. My father + always said I was a fool, and that, though for a piece of rough hammering + I was by no means amiss, I should never learn the real intricacies of + repairing fine armour. Everything has its good, you see, Master Wulf; for + had my father thought better of me in his trade, I doubt if he would ever + have given me leave to quit it, and go as your man." + </p> + <p> + "I have no doubt that is so, Osgod, and heartily glad am I that you showed + no genius for smith's work. Nature evidently intended you to damage + casques and armour rather than to repair them. You have not got all my + clothes with you," he added, as he looked round at the led horse. + </p> + <p> + "No indeed, Wulf," Osgod said, "nor a quarter of them, for in truth your + wardrobe has grown prodigiously since we came here. I had to talk it over + with Egbert, having but little faith in my own wits. He advised me to take + the two suits that were most fitted for court, saying that if he heard you + were going to remain there he would send on the rest in charge of a couple + of well-armed men." + </p> + <p> + "That is the best plan, doubtless," Wulf agreed. "My hawking suit and some + of the others would be useless to me at court, and it would have been + folly to have burdened ourselves with them if we are likely to return + hither shortly." + </p> + <p> + "Where shall we stop to-night?" Osgod asked. + </p> + <p> + "At the monastery of the Grey Friars, where we put up on our way from + London. It will not be a long ride, but we started late. To-morrow we + shall of course make a long day's journey to Guildford. I don't know what + travellers would do were it not for the priories." + </p> + <p> + "Sleep in the woods, Wulf, and be none the worse for it. For myself, I + would rather lie on the sward with a blazing fire and the greenwood + overhead, than sleep on the cold stones in a monk's kitchen, especially if + it happened to be a fast-day and one had gone to rest on a well-nigh empty + stomach." + </p> + <p> + "It is never so bad as that," Wulf laughed; "as a rule, however much the + monks may fast, they entertain their guests well." + </p> + <p> + "If it is an English monastery they do," Osgod admitted, "but not where + there is a Norman prior, with his new-fangled notions, and his vigils and + fasts and flagellations. If I ever become a monk, which I trust is not + likely, I will take care to enter a Saxon house, where a man may laugh + without its being held to be a deadly sin, and can sleep honestly without + being wakened up half a dozen times by the chapel bell." + </p> + <p> + "You would assuredly make but a bad monk, Osgod, and come what will I do + not think you will ever take to that vocation. But let us urge on our + horses to a better pace, or the kitchen will be closed, and there will be + but a poor chance of supper when we reach the priory." + </p> + <p> + "Well, Osgod," Wulf asked the next morning as they rode on their way, "how + did you fare last night?" + </p> + <p> + "Well enough as to the eating, there was a haunch of cold venison that a + king needn't have grumbled at, but truly my bones ache now with the + hardness of my couch. Couch! there was but the barest handful of rushes on + the cold stone floor, and I woke a score of times feeling as if my bones + were coming through the skin." + </p> + <p> + "You have been spoilt, Osgod, by a year of sleeping softly. I marked more + than once how thickly the rushes were strewn in that corner in which you + always slept. How will it be when you have to stand the hardships of a + soldier's life?" + </p> + <p> + "I can sleep well on the ground with my cloak round me," Osgod said + steadily, "and if the place be hard you have but to take up a sod under + your hip-bone and another under your shoulder, and you need not envy one + who sleeps on a straw bed. As to cold and wet, I have never tried sleeping + out of doors, but I doubt not that I can stand it as well as another. As + to eating and drinking, they say that Earl Harold always looks closely + after his men, and holds that if soldiers are to fight well they must be + fed well. At any rate, Master Wulf, I shall be better off than you will, + for I have never been accustomed, as you have, to such luxuries as a straw + bed; and I doubt whether you ever went hungry to bed as I have done many + and many a time, for in the days when my father hoped to make an armourer + of me I was sent off supperless whenever I bungled a job or neglected his + instructions. I wonder what the earl can want you for in such haste?" + </p> + <p> + "I do not suppose he wants me in any haste at all. He may have spoken to + the king about me, and when Edward again spoke of my returning he would + simply send for me to come at once." + </p> + <p> + Such indeed proved to be the case. When he waited on Harold as soon as he + arrived the latter held out his hand; "I am glad to see you back again, + Wulf. A year of country air and exercise has done wonders for you, and + though you are not as tall as you might be, you have truly widened out + into fair proportions, and should be able to swing a battle-axe of full + weight. Thinking it was time for you to return here, I spoke to the king, + who was in high good-humour, for he had been mightily pleased that morning + at some of the figures the monks have wrought in stone for the adornment + of his Church of St. Peter; therefore he not only consented to your + return, but chided me gently for not having called you up to town before. + 'The matter had altogether slipped my mind,' he said; 'I told you that he + might return directly it was shown that it was the bishop's page who was + in fault, and from that day I have never thought of it.' + </p> + <p> + "I told the king that I had purposely kept silence, for I thought the day + had come when you should learn your duties down there instead of dawdling + away your time at court. You need not put on a page's attire any more. You + will remain here as my ward, and I have had so good an account from the + good prior of Bramber that in a short time I shall be able to receive your + oath as Thane of Steyning. You will attend me to court this evening as one + of my gentlemen, and I will then present you to the king, whom it is well + that you should thank for having pardoned you. I hear from the prior that + the varlet you took down with you has grown into a big man, and is + well-nigh as tall as I am already. He must have lodging with my followers + while you are here." + </p> + <p> + Finding that he was to remain for the present at Westminster, Wulf sent + off a messenger at once to request Egbert to forward the rest of his + clothes immediately. That evening the earl took him into a chamber, where + the king was seated surrounded by a few of his favourites. + </p> + <p> + "This is Wulf of Steyning, my lord king," Harold said, "the youth who was + unfortunate enough to incur your royal displeasure a year since, and who + has upon your order returned from his estates. I have had excellent + accounts of him from my good friend the prior of Bramber, who speaks well + alike of his love of study and his attention to the affairs of his estate. + I have also heard from other hands of his progress in military exercises, + and that he bids fair to become a valiant and skilful soldier of your + majesty. He has prayed me to express his thanks to your majesty for having + pardoned him, and having authorized me to enrol him again in the ranks of + my followers here." + </p> + <p> + The king nodded pleasantly in answer to the deep bow that Wulf made. "I + was somewhat hasty in your matter," he said graciously, "and dealt out + somewhat hard measure to you, but doubtless, as Earl Harold said, your + stay in the country has been for your good, and I am glad to hear that the + worthy prior of Bramber speaks so well of you." + </p> + <p> + The earl gave a little nod to Wulf, and the latter, gathering that his + case was concluded, and that he could now go at once, retired with another + deep obeisance. + </p> + <p> + Leaving the palace he made his way to the armourer's, whither he had sent + Osgod as soon as they arrived. The smith doffed his cap as he entered. "I + am right glad to see you back again, young master. My son gave me a rare + surprise, for truly when he walked in I did not know him again, not having + had him in my thoughts or having heard of his arrival. The varlet saw that + I did not know him, and said, 'Canst mend me a broken dagger, master + armourer?' + </p> + <p> + "'That can I,' I answered, and would have said more, when a laugh came + from his great mouth that well-nigh shook the house, and I knew that it + was my son, though the note was deeper than his used to be, and was, as I + told him, more like the bellow of a bull than the laugh of a young fellow + of eighteen. His mother looked in from behind the shop and said, 'Surely + that must have been Osgod's laugh.' 'It was,' I said, 'and there he stands + before you. The impudent rascal has topped me by over half a head, though + I am a fair height myself.' Then she carried him away, and I saw no more + of him until I had finished my work. Since supper he has been telling me + somewhat of what he has been doing down with you, which, as far as I can + learn, amounts to nothing, save the exercising of his arms and the + devouring of victuals." + </p> + <p> + "He did all there was to do, Ulred, except that he could not bring that + long body and those loose arms of his to offer me cup or platter without + risk to my garments, and even Egbert was forced to agree that he should + never be able to make a courtly servant of him; but save in that matter + Osgod has got on right well. He has always been ready when I wanted him, + and prepared at once to start with me either on foot or horseback whenever + I wished to go out. He is growing into a mighty man-at-arms, and well-nigh + broke the skull as well as the casque of the captain and teacher of my + house carls. Another two years, if he goes on as he has done and we go + into battle again, no thane in the land will have a stouter body-guard." + </p> + <p> + "Are you going to stay in London, Master Wulf?" + </p> + <p> + "Yes; that is, while the earl is here. When he is away hunting or + attending to the affairs of the state I suppose I shall go with him. Osgod + of course will go with me. While here I shall have but little use for his + services, and he can be at home most part of the day." + </p> + <p> + "Then I trust you will soon be off," the smith said bluntly, "for to have + a youth six feet and a hand in height hanging about doing nothing would + set all the men thinking it well that they too should be idle. Osgod was + always ready enough for a talk, though I do not say he could not work when + it was necessary, but now that he is in your worship's service and under + no orders of mine, his tongue will never cease wagging." + </p> + <p> + "Oh, I am ready to work a bit, father. I know how long it took me to + hammer out a bar before, and I shall be curious to find out in what time I + can do it now." + </p> + <p> + "I doubt you will spoil more than you make, Osgod. Still, I too shall be + curious to see how many strokes you can give with the big hammer, and how + quickly you can beat a bar into a blade." + </p> + <p> + The stay in town was, however, of short duration, for four days later the + earl told him that he was going down to his house at Bosham, and that he + was to accompany him. + </p> + <p> + "'Tis three months since I was away from London," he said. "The king is + going down into Hereford to hunt, and I am therefore free for a while, as + there are no matters of state that press at present, though I fear that + ere very long the Welsh will be up again. I hear that their King Griffith, + not content with the beating he had a short time since, is again preparing + for war. Still it may be some time before the storm bursts, and I am + longing to be down again among the green woods or afloat on the water." + </p> + <p> + Harold took with him a large party of personal friends, his brother + Wulfnoth, and his nephew Hakon. Among the party was Beorn, a young thane, + who also was a ward of the earl. He was two years older than Wulf, but + there had been a close friendship between them at Edward's court. Shortly + after Wulf's departure Beorn had also been sent by the earl to his estates + in Hampshire, and had been recalled at the same time. + </p> + <p> + Beorn was far less strong and active than Wulf, having been very weakly + during the early years of his life, nor had he had the same advantages of + education, as he only became Harold's ward a year after Wulf was installed + as a page at Westminster. He was a youth of good and generous disposition, + and looked with feelings of admiration upon the strength and skill in arms + of the younger lad, and especially at his power of reading. + </p> + <p> + "I can never be like you there, Wulf," he would say, "but I hope I may + some day grow as strong as you and as skilful in arms." + </p> + <p> + Beorn's stay in the country had done much for him, his thin tall frame had + filled out and there was a healthy colour on his cheek. He had practised + diligently at military exercises, and although he found when, on the first + day after Wulf's arrival in London, he challenged him to a trial in arms, + he was still very greatly his inferior in skill and strength, he bade fair + to become a gallant fighter. + </p> + <p> + "It is a disappointment to me, Wulf," he said as he picked up the + battle-axe that had been struck from his hand and sent flying across the + hall by a sweeping blow of Wulf's weapon. "I have really worked very hard, + and I did think that I ought to have caught you up, seeing that I am two + years the elder. But you have gained more than I have. I did as well as + the other youths who were taught with me by the house-carl Harold sent + down with me, but I am sure I shall never be as quick or hit as strongly + as you do." + </p> + <p> + "Oh yes, you will, Beorn. Age is nothing. You see you were sick and ailing + till you were fifteen years old, so those years counted for nothing, and + instead of being two years older than I am you are many years younger. In + another four or five years you will come to your full strength, and will + be able to strike a far heavier blow than I can now; although I do not say + heavier than I may be able to do then, as you are neither so wide nor so + deep chested as I am. But what does it matter, one only fights sometimes. + You have other advantages, you are gentler in speech and manner and have a + handsome face. When we were pages together the bower-maidens of the queen + always made much of you, while they called me impudent, and would give me + many a slap on the cheek." + </p> + <p> + "Well, you deserved it richly, Wulf, for you were always playing tricks + upon them—hiding their distaffs or tangling their thread, and giving + them pert answers when they wanted you to do their errands. Well, I hope + we shall be always great friends, Wulf. Your estates lie not far from + mine, and though we can scarce be called neighbours we shall be within a + day's ride of each other, and I trust that we shall fight together under + the good earl, and often spend our time at each other's houses, and hunt + and feast together." + </p> + <p> + "I hope we shall be much together, Beorn," Wulf said warmly, "and that we + shall be sworn friends; but as for feasting, I care but little for it. We + Saxon thanes are too fond both of food and wine-cup, and though I am no + monk I would that our customs could be altered. I hate foreigners, but + their ways are in many respects better than ours. The Normans, it is true, + may not be much better than we are, but then they are but Northmen a + little civilized; but I have heard the earl say that the French, and still + more the Italians, are vastly ahead of us in all arts, and bear themselves + with a courtesy and gentleness to each other that puts to shame our rough + manners." + </p> + <p> + "We should be neither happier nor better that I can see, Wulf, did we + adopt the manners of these Italians you speak of instead of our own." + </p> + <p> + "Perhaps not, Beorn, but we should be able to make the people happier and + better if we could raise them." + </p> + <p> + "I will not even grant that, Wulf. Think you that the smith and the + shepherd, the bowmaker and the weaver, would be any the happier could they + read or even write than they are as they sing Saxon songs over their work? + I should like to be able to read, because Harold thinks much of it, but + except for that I see not that it would do me much good. If the king makes + me any further grant of land it will be doubtless properly made out, and I + can get a clerk or a monk to read it to me. My steward will keep the + tallies of the tenants' payments. I can learn the history of our + forefathers as well from the songs and tales of the gleemen as from + books." + </p> + <p> + "You are as bad as my man Osgod," Wulf said indignantly. + </p> + <p> + "Well, you need not get hot about it, good Wulf," Beorn laughed. "When you + come to see me I will have gleemen to sing the deeds of our fathers to + you. When I come to you I will sit as mum as a mouse while you read to me + from some monk's missal. I will force you neither to eat nor to drink more + than it pleases you, and you shall give me as much to eat and drink as it + pleases me, then we shall be both well satisfied. As for your man Osgod, I + wish I had such a fellow. He will be well-nigh a giant one of these days, + and in strength may come to rival the earl, who is said to be the + strongest man on English soil." + </p> + <p> + "He is a good fellow, Beorn, and I could wish for no better to hold a + shield over me in the day of battle or to stand back to back with me in a + hand-to-hand fight." + </p> + <p> + "You should get him to stand in front of you," Beorn laughed. "He would be + a rare screen against arrows and javelins." + </p> + <p> + The friends were well pleased when they heard they were both to accompany + Harold to Bosham, which was one of the favourite abodes of the Earls of + Wessex. It had originally been built as a hunting-seat, but Godwin had + grown to love the place, with its woods extending for miles back and its + quiet landlocked harbour, and additions had been made until it had grown + to be, in point of size at least, a residence worthy of the great earls, + and Harold preferred it to any of the many mansions belonging to him. It + was a large and gay party that rode down the road through the quiet woods + of Surrey and Sussex. They put up each night at the houses of thanes, + where, as notice had been sent of their coming, they were royally + entertained, and those selected were proud to afford hospitality to the + earl. + </p> + <p> + For a week they stayed at Bosham, hunting in the forests, going off in + parties under the guidance of the foresters, some who cared not for hard + labour, hunting in the woods between Bosham and the hills, while others + went far inland into the weald, which was for the most part covered by a + great forest, with but a few scattered hamlets here and there. Smoke + rising among the trees showed where the charcoal-burners were at work, or + where the furnaces were glowing, converting the ore into the tough iron + that furnished arms and armour for the greater portion of the men of the + south. At the end of the week the earl announced to his guests that he had + provided a new diversion for them. + </p> + <p> + "You see those three ships in the harbour," he said. "They were brought + here last night, and three hundred men have been at work all day preparing + them for our reception. I propose that we all embark with our dogs and + servants, and sail along the coast, landing where we please and taking our + sport. As we sail eastward there are abundant forests, and the game is far + more plentiful than here, and our trip will partake of the character of an + adventure in thus dropping upon unknown places. Tents have been stored on + board the vessels, with abundance of good cheer of all kinds, so that we + can establish ourselves where we will, and sleep on shore instead of + rocking uneasily on the waves." + </p> + <p> + The proposal was received with acclamation, and the following morning the + whole party embarked upon the three ships. The largest was occupied by + Harold himself, his brother and nephew, and six or seven of his principal + thanes. In this craft too went Wulf and Beorn with their men. On issuing + from the harbour the ships' heads were turned to the east. The wind was + light and fitful, the sails therefore were not loosed, and they proceeded + under oars. There was but little tide until they reached the extremity of + the long point of Selsea, past which they were hurried at great speed by + the rapid current. Rowing closer inshore they got into quieter water, and + continued their way until tide turned, when they anchored, and landing + with their dogs hunted in the woods for some hours. + </p> + <p> + On their return to the sea-shore they found the tents erected and supper + prepared, and the sport having been good they remained another day. The + tide took them the next day past the shore of Wulf's estate, and he begged + the earl to land there and to pass a day or two with his company at + Steyning; but all were bent upon the chase, and they kept on until they + reached the point where the white cliffs began to rise from the edge of + the water. Here they landed again, and spent two or three days in hunting. + Neither Wulf nor Beorn had been to sea before, and the quiet motion of the + ships with their bellying sails and banks of sturdy oarsmen delighted + them. There had been scarcely any motion, and neither had felt the qualms + which they had been warned were generally experienced for a while by those + who went upon the sea for the first time. + </p> + <p> + When the journey was resumed Wulf was struck with surprise and almost awe + by the mighty cliffs that rose up from the water's edge. Neither he nor + Beorn had seen anything like this, for although both their estates + bordered the sea, the shores were flat, and vessels, if needs be, could be + hauled up on shore. + </p> + <p> + "What would happen if a gale were to burst upon us here?" Wulf said to his + companion. "If the waves were to dash us against those white rocks the + ships would be broken up like egg-shells." + </p> + <p> + "Your question is answered," Beorn said, as a bay suddenly opened to their + sight. "You see we are going in here, and shall anchor snugly somewhere up + this river in front of us, which is truly the best haven we have seen + since we left Bosham." Half an hour later the vessels were moored to the + bank, close to a wooden bridge which spanned the little river. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0004" id="link2HCH0004"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IV. — A STORM. + </h2> + <p> + After hunting for two days in the forests lying behind Newhaven, and in + the valley in which Lewes lies, they again embarked. The master of + Harold's ship had expressed some doubts as to the weather, but as he + stated that it was but some eight miles round the great cliff that they + saw to the east, and that beyond this the rocks ceased and there was a bay + in which they could ride at anchor, or if necessary beach their vessels, + it was determined to proceed, as Harold had the day before been visited by + a thane whose house lay but two miles from the shore, and had accepted his + invitation for the party to take up their abode there for a few days, as + he promised them good sport in the forest. The cliffs rose higher as they + proceeded. They kept closer inshore, and although they could see that the + clouds were flying rapidly overhead they felt no breeze whatever, being + protected from the wind by the lofty cliffs. The master was evidently + uneasy, for he urged the rowers to exert themselves to the utmost. Wulf + and Beorn stood looking with amazement at the cliffs towering up beside + them. + </p> + <p> + "Is it not strange that they should rise like this—like a wall from + the water?" Wulf said. "Had they been built up by human hands they could + scarcely have been more erect and regular. I have never seen anything at + all like it on land." + </p> + <p> + "Then it must be something formed by the sea, Wulf. Do you see those + caverns at the foot of the cliff, and in some places you see there is a + mound of rocks as if newly formed? It may be that this white stone is + soft, and that the sea beating against the foot wears it away in time, and + then the rock overhead gives way by its weight and so leaves an upright + wall. Perhaps, long back, these hills were like other hills, sloping + gradually down into the sea; but in time, perhaps many, many years before + the Romans landed here, the sea began to eat them away, and has continued + to do so ever since, until they are as we see them." + </p> + <p> + "That may be so, Beorn. My father has told me that he could remember when + our estates stretched a good half-mile farther seaward, but had since been + eaten away by the waves, and he says that his father had told him the same + thing; therefore, as you say, in many hundreds of years even hills, if the + stone were soft, might also be worn away. There we are rounding the point, + and beyond there are no more cliffs; doubtless it is in this bay that the + Shipmaster Edred thinks to anchor." + </p> + <p> + At that moment their conversation was cut short by a tremendous gust of + wind rushing down the sloping hill into the bay striking them with such + terrible force that the ship heeled over until the water rushed above the + bulwark. The men were thrown against each other, and several fell down to + leeward. The confusion was heightened by the fact that the great sail, + which was but loosely furled to its yard, burst the ropes, and the wind + catching it buried the craft still further, and she would have filled and + sunk had not the ship-master seized the tiller, and aided by the two + sailors there pushed it up, and so the boat's head payed off from the wind + and ran before it. + </p> + <p> + The master shouted to the men to lower the sail, which was bellying and + flapping violently, but before his orders could be obeyed there was a + crash. The mast snapped off at the slings of the yard, and the wreck fell + over the bow of the boat. All hands were employed for some minutes in + getting the sail on board and furling it to its yard, which was laid + lengthways along the thwarts. It was found that three men standing in the + bows had been killed, and several others badly hurt. The vessel was by + this time some distance from shore. Nothing could be done until she was + freed of the water, with which she was nigh half-full, and all hands were + employed in bailing it out. + </p> + <p> + The squall had increased rather than lessened in fury, and by the time the + water was cleared out they were two miles from the headland. Orders were + then given to man the oars again but it was found that several of these + had been lost, having been washed away when the men leapt up, believing + that the boat would capsize, or had slipped from the rowlocks unnoticed + while they were engaged in getting in the sail. This was a serious + misfortune, for every oar was needed to force her through the water in the + teeth of the wind, which was blowing directly off shore. The remaining + oars were all double-banked, Harold himself and his thanes taking their + places among the rowers. + </p> + <p> + For an hour they laboured their hardest, but at the end of that time they + were farther from shore than when they began, the force of the wind acting + on the poop and broad hull driving her seaward faster than the rowers + could force her shoreward. The sea, too, was now getting up, and the + motion of the vessel rendered it increasingly difficult to row. Edred left + his place at the tiller and went forward to Harold. + </p> + <p> + "My lord," he said, "it is useless. In spite of your efforts we are + drifting farther and farther out, and from the look of the sky I fear that + we are going to have a great gale, and there is nothing to do but to set a + little sail and to run before it. Maybe there will presently be a shift of + wind, which may enable us to make for shore. At present you are but + exhausting yourselves in vain, and the sea will soon get up so much that + it will be impossible to use the oars." + </p> + <p> + "So be it," Harold replied; and at the master's orders the oars were laid + in, and the men prepared to get sail upon her. A sailor climbed up the + mast and fastened the stays close to the point which was broken off. Then + another joined him, and a block was lashed to the mast just below the + stays, and the halliards were rove through it; then Edred brought out a + small sail, and this was hoisted, and the vessel, which had before been + rolling heavily, began to glide swiftly through the water. They had had + the satisfaction of seeing that their consorts, although like themselves + nearly capsized by the squall, had suffered no damage, but after lowering + their sails and yards to the deck, had succeeded in rowing into the bay, + their lighter hull and draught enabling the oars to drive them through the + water in the teeth of the wind. + </p> + <p> + "She is going along finely now," Wulf said. + </p> + <p> + "Yes," Beorn agreed; "but before night there is like to be a sea that will + try her." + </p> + <p> + Harold held a consultation with the master, and presently all the men were + called to work. The great sail was unrolled from its yard and a portion + cut off, somewhat wider than the beam of the boat, and in length reaching + from the bow to the mast. Nails and hammers were brought up from the + little cabin, and the canvas was stretched from bulwark to bulwark and + strongly nailed to the wood on either side, oars being first lashed across + at short intervals to support it. + </p> + <p> + "I suppose that is for us to lie under, Master Wulf?" Osgod said. "It is a + pity it was not erected before, for there is not a man on board who is not + drenched to the skin." + </p> + <p> + "It is not put there to keep you dry, Osgod, but to keep the waves from + coming into the ship. But she goes over them well. The wind is getting up, + Osgod, and we shall have a great sea presently." + </p> + <p> + "Then why don't we turn and sail back again? It seems to me to be folly to + be running away from the land if such is going to be the weather." + </p> + <p> + "How can we sail back again? Do you not see that it is the wind that is + blowing us off, and the vessel must go as the wind takes her. One can go a + little this way or that, but no man ever yet sailed in the teeth of the + wind." + </p> + <p> + "This is the first time I have ever been to sea," Osgod said, "and I trust + it will be the last. The tossing of the ship makes me strangely giddy, and + many of the servants are downright ill with it. Why men should go on the + water when they can walk upon the land is more than I can say. I think I + will go and lie down under the shelter of the sail, for indeed I feel as + if I were about to die." + </p> + <p> + Wulf himself was feeling strangely uncomfortable. As long as they had been + at work he had not felt unwell, for the necessity of holding on to the + bulwarks or ropes, and the excitement of their strange position, had saved + him from experiencing many qualms; but both he and Beorn were soon glad to + follow Osgod's example, and to lie down on the boards under the rowers' + benches. Fiercer and fiercer blew the wind, more and more violent became + the motion of the ship; masses of water fell on the canvas forward, as she + plunged into the waves, and would have soon beaten it in had it not been + for the support of the oars. By evening most of the men were lying under + the shelter, while Harold's brother and friends had retired to the little + cabin in the stern. The earl himself remained by the side of the + ship-master, who had taken his place close to the tiller, which was worked + by four men. + </p> + <p> + "Think you that she will weather it, Edred?" + </p> + <p> + "I have little fear about that, my lord. She is a staunch boat, and I have + been aboard her in seas as heavy as this. Besides, that thought of yours + of stretching the canvas across her bow has greatly improved her chances. + The water runs off as fast as it falls on it, and none comes on board. Had + it not been for this every man would have had to bail all night. No, I + have no fear of her weathering the gale. What I am afraid of is, that if + this wind continues to blow we shall assuredly be lost on the coast of + Normandy." + </p> + <p> + "That would be an ill fortune, indeed, for I know that the Normans count + all that are cast on their shores as lawful prey; and even if we reach the + land in safety and escape murder at the hands of the lord of the soil and + his people, I may fall into the hands of Duke William, who is assuredly no + friend of mine, seeing that I stand in the way of his designs upon the + throne of England. Truly it was an evil moment when the thought of taking + to the sea occurred to me, and I would give a broad slice of my earldom to + be back at Bosham." + </p> + <p> + Hour by hour the waves increased in size and violence, and often poured in + over the sides. The number of men on board was too great for all to work + effectively. They therefore were divided into two parties, one being + engaged in bailing while the other lay under cover, the change being made + every hour. Wulf preferred working to lying still, for as the craft rolled + the water washed over them, while the din of the waves striking the ship's + side, and the cataracts of spray falling on to the canvas above were + deafening, and it was impossible to get a moment's sleep. All were glad + when morning broke, although the scene that met their eyes was the reverse + of comforting. Small as was the amount of sail the vessel tore through the + water under the pressure of the following wind. Great waves with white + crests pursued her, and as they neared her stern it seemed to Wulf that + they must inevitably fall over and crush her. The spray torn from the + crest by the wind filled the air. The wind shrieked in the cordage, and + the vessel creaked and groaned as she rolled from side to side. + </p> + <p> + "I would not have believed if I had not seen it, that the sea could be so + violent and ill-behaved," Wulf shouted to Osgod, who was then standing + beside him. + </p> + <p> + "If my clothes were but dry and my stomach full I would not mind so much," + Osgod replied; "but to be drenched in water all night and to have nought + to eat in the morning, takes the courage out of one mightily. How long, + think you, will this go on?" + </p> + <p> + "That no one can say. It may last two or three days." + </p> + <p> + "And no food all that time!" Osgod exclaimed in dismay. + </p> + <p> + "We could stand that well enough, Osgod; but I do not think there is much + chance of our being called upon to do so, for I heard one of the sailors + say that unless the storm abates marvellously we are likely to be cast + upon the French coast before nightfall." + </p> + <p> + "I should be glad to be cast anywhere so it were out of this. At least, + whether it be France or England, there must be food to be had on shore." + </p> + <p> + "You do not understand, Osgod. Unless we happen to be cast upon a shelving + coast with sand or gravel the craft may be dashed to pieces, and all lose + their lives; for assuredly none could swim long in such a sea as this." + </p> + <p> + "Well, we must hope that we shall find a shore such as you speak of," + Osgod said tranquilly; "but for my part, I am content to take the risk + rather than wait another three days before getting anything to eat." + </p> + <p> + "And I would rather fast for a week than run the risk of the ship being + broken up on the rocks," Wulf replied. "I can swim but little even in calm + water, and I am sure that I could do nothing among those waves." + </p> + <p> + "I can swim, and will look after you," Osgod said confidently. "I used to + swim every day in the Thames." + </p> + <p> + Wulf shook his head. "I daresay you might look after me if I fell into the + Thames, Osgod, but it is a very different thing in a sea like this. These + waves would dash a swimmer hither and thither as if he were but a chip of + wood; besides, the spray would smother him. Even at this height above the + water it is difficult to breathe when one turns round and faces the wind. + I think that our only hope lies in running upon a flat shore, where the + waves will wash the vessel up so high that we may be able to leap out from + the bow on to the land beyond the reach of their fury." + </p> + <p> + Late in the afternoon one of the sailors on the poop astern shouted out + that land was visible, and it was not long before it could be seen from + the deck. All eyes were directed anxiously towards it. + </p> + <p> + "It is a rocky coast," Edred said, "but the rocks are not high, and if we + can manage to direct the vessel between two of them we may escape. At + present it is needful that most of the crew should keep in the stern, but + when we are about to strike they must all run suddenly forward, so as to + leap out as soon as she touches the ground. There will be but little time + given to them, for assuredly the seas will batter her to pieces the moment + she falls among the rocks." + </p> + <p> + Harold issued the order. All were to remain at their posts until he gave + the word, and were then to run forward. The master scanned the shore + anxiously. + </p> + <p> + "See you, my lord, that opening right ahead of us? It seems to me barely + the width of the ship, but if I can direct her truly between the rocks + methinks that most of the crew will gain the land. I shall myself take the + helm. That is my duty and my right, and should I not succeed in making the + shore, I shall at least die well contented with the thought that you who + are the hope of England will be saved." + </p> + <p> + "I would fain stay with you, Edred." + </p> + <p> + "That cannot be, my lord. As it is my duty to stay by the ship to the + last, so it is your first duty to save your life for England. I need no + aid, for the vessel steers well, and by the help of a rope round the + tiller I can manage her alone. Farewell, my lord, if we are not to meet + again on earth. A very few minutes will decide our fate." + </p> + <p> + "Swimming will be of no use there, Osgod," Wulf said. "Look how the spray + dashes itself against the black rocks." + </p> + <p> + "I thought not that it would be so bad," Osgod replied. "I wonder the + master does not cast anchor." + </p> + <p> + "The ropes would not hold for a moment," Wulf said, "and when they broke + we might drift broadside on to the rocks, which would mean destruction for + all. The master is steering for that narrow opening between these two + great rocks ahead. It will be but two or three minutes now before our fate + is decided." + </p> + <p> + At this moment Harold shouted: + </p> + <p> + "Let each man make his peace with God." And baring his head he stood + silently for a minute or two, imitated by all on board. Then Harold again + raised his voice in a shout that was heard above the storm: + </p> + <p> + "Move forward now all of you, but not further forward than the mast; for + if her head were too far down the master could not hold her straight. + Moreover, the mast will assuredly fall forward and crush those in front of + it. Therefore, let no man go forward of it until the ship strikes." + </p> + <p> + The sailors had already cut away the canvas stretched across the bow, and + all on board clustered just aft the mast. Wulf looked back, and saw the + master standing alone on the poop, with his eyes fixed in front of him and + a look of grim resolve on his face. Then he turned again to look ahead. + The scene was terrible. On either side extended a long line of white foam. + Great masses of water were hurled against the rocks with a thundering + crash, and the spray flew high up into the air, and then, caught by the + wind, was carried far inland. The rocks were now but a few lengths ahead, + and the passage between them looked terribly narrow, so narrow that he + doubted if the ship could possibly pass through them. Not a word was + spoken on board as the ship neared the opening. Now she swerved a little + to one side, now a little to the other, as the waves lifted her stern and + swept her along, but the hand of the master checked her immediately, and + brought her head back to the line. + </p> + <p> + She was but a length away from the passage when there was a crash that + shook her from stem to stern; then another great wave lifted her, and Wulf + saw a black wall of rock gleaming with the water that streamed down it. + The wall of rock flashed past the bulwarks so closely that he could have + touched it. A moment later the ship struck again, this time with a force + that threw many off their feet, while the mast fell over the bow. Then + once more she lifted, shot a few feet further, then struck with tremendous + force and remained stationary. + </p> + <p> + There was a grinding and splintering of planks, as the men rushed forward, + and then a wave swept over the vessel, carrying all on deck before it into + the cove beyond the rock, rolling them over and over up a sandy shore + behind. Some managed to dig their hands and feet into the sand and to + scramble out; more were sucked back again by the receding waters. As Wulf + found himself in the water he felt his arm clutched, and Osgod shouted in + his ear: "Do not struggle, I can keep you up!" + </p> + <p> + When thrown up on the sand Wulf tried in vain to resist the backward rush + of the water; he and Osgod were borne out again. When the next wave again + swept them up Wulf saw the earl standing knee-deep in the water, and as he + was swept past, Harold seized him and Osgod, and with tremendous strength + lifted them right out of the water. "Keep still!" he shouted; "your weight + will help me to keep my feet." Wulf felt his supporter quiver as the water + rushed out, for he was waist-deep now; but directly afterwards he set them + both down on their feet, saying, "Run before the next wave comes." Ten + yards farther and they were beyond the reach of the sea. Harold was with + them, and directed those who had got ashore to form lines, taking hold of + each other's hands, and so to advance far into the surf and grasp their + comrades as they were swept up. Many were saved in this way, although some + of the rescuers were badly hurt by floating pieces of wreckage, for the + vessel had entirely broken up immediately after her course had been + arrested. + </p> + <p> + As soon as all who could be seen were brought ashore it was found that ten + men were missing, among whom was the master of the ship, most of them + having probably been struck by floating timbers. As soon as it was certain + that no more would come ashore alive Harold called the men together. Rough + litters were made of oars and pieces of sail, for the conveyance of those + who had broken limbs or were too much injured to walk, and the party + prepared for a start. By this time several men, apparently of the fishing + class, had approached, but stood a short distance away, evidently waiting + for the departure of the party before beginning the work of collecting + whatever the sea might cast up. Harold went over to them, and asked in the + Norman tongue: + </p> + <p> + "What shore is this, and how far is it to the nearest town where we can + obtain shelter and assistance?" + </p> + <p> + "You are in Ponthieu, in the territories of Count Conrad. The town of St. + Valery is but two miles along the coast. There you can obtain all you + need." + </p> + <p> + Returning to his men, Harold ordered the wounded to be raised, and the + party at once set out. Harold had already taken off his gold chain and + rings, and had told his companions to do the same, in order that the + cupidity of the natives might not be excited nor their rank guessed at. As + soon as they started Wulf went up to him. + </p> + <p> + "My lord," he said, "I fear that you have already been recognized by one + of the fishermen. I saw him looking earnestly at you, and then whisper to + one of his companions. After doing so he hurried away." + </p> + <p> + "That is bad news, Wulf; but I could hardly expect that I should be long + unrecognized. There are many vessels come and go between the northern + ports and our own, and in St. Valery there must be numbers of sailors and + fishermen who have seen me in London. Besides, we are sure to be + questioned by the count as to our rank and condition, and even could we + conceal it for a while, the news is certain to be brought ere long from + England of our having been blown off the coast, and when it was known it + would be speedily guessed that we were the missing party. Hark you, Wulf; + I have never heard aught good of Count Conrad, and one cannot say what + steps he may take to force us to pay a heavy ransom, but it is like enough + that he will do all he can to prevent the news of my being in his hands + from reaching the ears of the duke. It is likely that you and Beorn, being + but lads, will be watched less rigorously than the rest of us. Should this + be so, try, if you find an opportunity, to send the news to the duke that + we are all held prisoners here. I shall, of course, endeavour to + communicate with him, but some chance may occur by which you can do so + more readily than I can." + </p> + <p> + "I will try to do so, my lord; but I trust this Norman count will treat + you with all due honour and courtesy." + </p> + <p> + Wulf then fell back to Beorn's side, and half an hour later the + shipwrecked party entered the gates of St. Valery. The townspeople flocked + round them, and as soon as they learned that they were a party of + shipwrecked Saxons who had been blown by the gale from England, they were + led to the house of the officer in command of the town. He asked them a + few questions, saying, "I must refer the matter to the count. By the + usages of our land all who are cast upon it become his prisoners, to be + put to ransom or otherwise as he may decide. However, food shall be + supplied you at once, but you must be content to remain under guard until + his pleasure is known." + </p> + <p> + They were accordingly at once placed in a disused granary, under the + charge of a strong guard. Food was brought to them, and as soon as they + had consumed this, most of the men threw themselves on the ground, worn + out by their long exertions. + </p> + <p> + "This is a sorry welcome, Wulf, after our escape from the sea," Beorn + said. "Truly the land seems as inhospitable as the ocean." + </p> + <p> + "It is not pleasant, Beorn, but at present I feel so thankful for my + escape from those terrible waves that even the thought that we are all + prisoners to this petty noble does not greatly concern me. Doubtless + William of Normandy, who is the liege lord of the land, will speedily take + us out of his hands. Were we alone it may be that we should suffer a long + stay in his dungeons, but Harold and his brother are far too important + personages to be allowed to remain in the hands of one of the duke's + vassals." + </p> + <p> + "It is shameful," Beorn said indignantly. "I do not say that those who are + cast on our shores may not be often pillaged and ill-treated by the common + folk, but surely none of gentle blood would fail to show them kindness and + hospitality." + </p> + <p> + "That is so on our coast of Sussex, but I have heard that further west, + and certainly among the Danes of Northumbria, vessels cast on the coast + are considered as gifts from the sea, and even the lives of those who gain + the shore are not often respected. I regret much that Harold should be + with us. It is true that his being here will doubtless shorten the term of + our imprisonment, but it is unfortunate that he should fall into the hands + of William, who is as famous for craft and subtlety as he is for bravery + and skill as a leader." + </p> + <p> + "But what can he gain from Harold?" Beorn asked. "Our earl is well-nigh as + much known throughout Europe as William of Normandy, and all Christendom + would cry out with shame were he treated with ought but courtesy by the + duke." + </p> + <p> + "I doubt not that he will treat him with courtesy, Beorn, but he may well + wring some concessions from him before he lets him depart. He may bargain + that the Normans may be again allowed to hold land in England, and to + build their castles, as they did before Godwin and his sons returned from + exile, and the Normans had to fly the land, save those around the person + of the king. He may beg so many bishoprics for Norman priests. There is no + saying what concessions he may extort. Of all princes in Europe I had + rather Harold had fallen into the hands of any other than into those of + William of Normandy." + </p> + <p> + "Truly I have never troubled my head about such matters, Wulf, and thought + that it would be time to do so when I became a thane, and had a vote at + the Witan." + </p> + <p> + "I have heard much of them from the prior of Bramber, who is a true + Englishman, and though a priest, learned in all matters that appertain to + the history of times past and of our own; he impressed upon me that just + as a boy must practise arms if he is to bear them worthily as a man, so he + should study the story of our kings, and learn what is passing, not only + in our own country but in others, if he is ever to raise his voice in + council." + </p> + <p> + Harold and his thanes sat apart discussing the position, their conclusion + being very similar to that arrived at by Wulf. Chivalry had but slight + influence as yet in the West of Europe. Kings and princes cared little as + to the means by which they attained an end. Rivals to a throne were put + out of the way without scruple; the profession of arms was a business like + any other, carried on for gain; a captured foe was valued chiefly for the + amount of ransom that could be obtained for him; petty barons and powerful + nobles alike levied exactions on those who might fall into their hands, + unless previously provided with a safe-conduct. Years later, when King + Richard was made a prisoner on his return from the Holy Land, it was only + because of his great exploits for the recapture of the Holy Sepulchre that + any feeling of reprobation was excited against his captors. Thus then, + although Normandy was at peace with England, it did not seem an unnatural + thing to Harold and his companions that the noble into whose hands they + had fallen should demand a heavy ransom, or that the Duke of Normandy + himself should utilize the opportunity for his advantage. + </p> + <p> + On the following morning they heard a large body of horsemen ride up. A + minute later the governor accompanied by a Norman noble entered. They were + followed by a number of men-at-arms, among whom was a fisherman. + </p> + <p> + "Now, fellow," the count said to this man, "which is the Saxon Harold?" + </p> + <p> + "I am," Harold said, advancing a step before his companions. "I am Harold, + Earl of Wessex. I have with my companions been cast on your shores. I + expect honourable treatment, and am willing to pay any reasonable ransom + should you demand one." + </p> + <p> + "We will talk of that afterwards," the count said roughly; "for the + present you go with me to my castle at Beaurain. But first do you and your + men hand over all valuables that you may possess; they are forfeited to + me, being cast up on my land." + </p> + <p> + Without a word Harold produced his chain of office and other ornaments, + and dropped them into a helmet which a soldier at the orders of the count + held out for them. His companions did the same, the thanes first and then + the two lads. + </p> + <p> + "That will do," the count said to the soldiers. "That is my share, you can + search the rest yourselves." + </p> + <p> + "I protest against this robbery," Harold said haughtily, "and will + proclaim you in all the courts of Europe as one who is false to his + station, and who condescends to pillage those whom fortune has cast on his + shores." + </p> + <p> + "You can wait until you get an opportunity to do so," the count sneered; + "it is not likely to come for some time. You can do as you like to the + others," he went on to the governor, "I want not to be cumbered with them. + You can doubtless find work for them on the fortifications, but if you can + put them to no use or they are troublesome, cut their throats and throw + them into the sea." + </p> + <p> + The Saxons fingered their knives, but Harold said in their own tongue, + "Resistance would be folly, the time may come when we may turn the tables + on this fellow." The soldiers now closed round Harold and the thanes and + led them out of the house. Here they were ordered to mount each behind a + soldier, and as soon as they had done so they rode out from St. Valery, + and crossing the river Somme at Abbeville, and the Authie by a ford near + Crecy, reached the fortress of Beaurain on the river Canche near the town + of Hesdin before nightfall. On the road Wulf watched anxiously for a + chance to escape, but none offered itself. Soldiers rode on both sides of + the captives, and had he slipped from the horse he could not have hoped to + make his escape across an open country. As soon as they entered the + fortress Harold and the thanes were all consigned to dungeons, but the + count, learning that the two lads had been Harold's pages, said they + should wait on himself. "And see," he said to them, "that your service is + good, if you do not wish to dangle over the moat at the end of a rope." + </p> + <p> + "It is a shame that such a man should be a nobleman," Beorn exclaimed + indignantly to Wulf, as he saw that the soldiers were placing chains upon + Harold before they led him away. + </p> + <p> + "He is a hateful-looking villain," Wulf said. "It is but lately that he + revolted against William. I heard of it from the prior. His brother, the + last Count of Ponthieu, joined France in an invasion of Normandy. He fell + in an ambush at St. Aubin, and this man became count. For a time he was + held prisoner by the duke, but afterwards he was freed, and received back + his dominions as a vassal. His face is at once cruel and base. I told you + the instructions Harold gave me, Beorn; the need for carrying them out has + arrived, and I will try to make my escape without loss of time from this + fortress to bear the tidings to the duke." + </p> + <p> + "I will escape with you, Wulf; two can get on better than one." + </p> + <p> + "That is so, Beorn, and I would gladly have you with me, but maybe I shall + be detected in attempting to escape and be slain, or I may fall into the + hands of peasants and be brought back here, and if we were together all + hope of letting the duke know of our lord's captivity would be at an end. + Therefore it were best that I made the attempt first. If I fail, which is + like enough, then do you in turn try to get away and bear the news to the + duke." + </p> + <p> + Beorn did not like to stay behind, but he saw that Wulf's plan was best, + and accordingly fell in with it. + </p> + <p> + "Will you go at once?" he asked. + </p> + <p> + "No; I will stay for a day or two to lull suspicion. They may watch us + just at first, but if they see that we do as we are ordered with good-will + they will cease to regard us so narrowly; moreover, it will be needful to + know the place well before I devise a plan of escape." + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0005" id="link2HCH0005"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER V. — ROUEN. + </h2> + <p> + For the next two days the lives of the two young Saxons were well-nigh + unbearable. At meals the count by turns abused and jeered at them, and his + companions, following his example, lost no opportunity of insulting them + in every way. + </p> + <p> + "If this goes on, Wulf," Beorn said as they threw themselves down on the + ground late that night, when the carousal was ended, "I shall snatch the + count's dagger from his belt and bury it in his heart, though they put me + to death by torture afterwards." + </p> + <p> + "I thought of doing so myself, Beorn, to-night, when he threw a cup of + wine over me. But I said to myself my life is not my own, Harold's rescue + depends on it. We are bound as his men to suffer in patience whatever may + befall us. In another hour I shall try to make my escape. When it was your + turn to wait this evening I stole away for a time, and went to the shed + where they keep the war-engines and took thence a coil of rope, which I + have hidden in the courtyard. You know that we noticed last night where + the sentries were placed, and decided where I might best drop from the + wall unobserved. Fortunately the moat is dry at present, though they can + turn water into it from the stream at will, so that once down I shall have + no difficulty in getting away. Now I want you to go to sleep directly, I + shall not stir until you do so, then when you are questioned in the + morning you can say that I was by your side when you went to sleep, and + that when you woke in the morning the place was vacant. You can say that I + told you during the day that I could not suffer these insults much longer, + and that you suppose that after you had gone to sleep I must have got up + and either killed myself or in some way made my escape." + </p> + <p> + Beorn lay quiet for a time and then Wulf said suddenly, "I have changed my + mind, Beorn; we will go together. I feel it is likely that in his wrath at + my escape the count may slay you, and thus the object with which you + remained behind would come to nothing, therefore it is best that you go + with me." + </p> + <p> + "I was thinking so myself, Wulf, though I would not say it; but in truth I + think the risks we may run in making our way to Rouen are small compared + to those of staying here." + </p> + <p> + "We must lose no time, Beorn. The castle is quiet now, and we must be many + miles away from here before morning, for you may be sure the count's + horsemen will scour the country far and wide in pursuit of us." + </p> + <p> + They had that morning, before the count was up and their services were + required, wandered about the fortress, apparently paying no attention to + anything, but really closely observing the approaches to the walls and the + general features of the country outside. They now stole out, keeping in + the shadow of the building, until they reached the staircase leading up to + the battlements, close to the point Wulf had fixed upon for making their + descent. This had been chosen chiefly because no sentry was placed on that + part of the wall, the watch generally being careless, as Normandy was at + present at peace with its neighbours. When they reached the top of the + steps they listened for a short time, but everything was silent. Then they + stepped out on to the narrow pathway along the battlements, fastened one + end of the rope round a piece of stonework and let the other end drop down + into the fosse. + </p> + <p> + "Shall we both go down together, the rope is strong enough?" Beorn asked. + </p> + <p> + "It is strong enough, but we had better go separately, Beorn; we are + neither of us accustomed to climb ropes, and if the upper one were to slip + down too fast he might knock the other off the rope. It makes no matter + who goes first. I will if you like, only mind if you hear a footstep + approaching let yourself down at once whether I am off the rope or not. Be + sure and twist your legs tightly round it, or it will run through your + fingers." + </p> + <p> + Taking hold of the rope he at once swung himself over, and without much + difficulty reached the bottom in safety. He had scarcely done so when + Beorn came down beside him with a rush. + </p> + <p> + "What made you come down like that, you narrowly missed coming on my + head?" + </p> + <p> + "I believe I have cut my fingers to the bone," Beorn groaned; "I feel as + if I were holding a bar of hot iron. You had scarcely started before I + heard voices; they were evidently those of men going their rounds, so I + caught hold of the rope and swung myself off, but before I got my legs + fairly round the rope I began to slip, and though I gripped it as hard as + I could I could not stop myself, but slid down like lightning." + </p> + <p> + "Hush!" Wulf whispered, "they are coming along above." The voices came + nearer until they sounded directly overhead Wulf knew that it was very + unlikely they would notice the rope in the dark, but he felt much relieved + as he heard them pass on. He waited until they could no longer be heard. + </p> + <p> + "Now, Beorn, we can safely be off." + </p> + <p> + It was muddy at the bottom of the fosse, but not so deep as they thought + it would be, and they scrambled up the opposite side and then struck + across the country south. Presently they came upon a road, which they + followed, until after three hours' walking they reached the Authie river, + at a spot where the bank was broken down. + </p> + <p> + "This must be a ford, we had best try to wade across. Anyhow there cannot + be very many yards to swim, and we can both manage that." + </p> + <p> + They found that the bottom was pebbly, and that even in the middle the + water was not much above their waists. + </p> + <p> + "That is something done, at any rate," Beorn said. "Now which way shall we + go? This road we are on seems to lead south and we cannot do better than + follow it, the stars give us light enough, now that our eyes are + accustomed to the darkness." + </p> + <p> + "Yes, we can keep this road, which is no doubt that by which we travelled + before, as far as the village which I heard them call Noyelle, then we + shall have to strike off to the left, for that place was not far from + Abbeville, and shall have to follow the Somme up some distance, unless we + can find means of crossing it." + </p> + <p> + "I should think we had better leave the road before we get to the village, + so as to be well away from it. If any peasant were going to work early and + caught sight of us he would be sure to mention it to any horseman who + might come along searching for us. I noticed that there were several woods + on our right as we rode along." + </p> + <p> + "That would be the safest way, no doubt," Wulf agreed. "Fortunately we can + do without food for to-morrow"—for both had managed to get some + supper after they had finished in the hall,—"and having made up my + mind to escape to-night I hid away a large piece of bread under my smock. + We can manage very well on that." + </p> + <p> + Accordingly after an hour's walking they left the road and bore to the + south-west. But little of the land was cultivated, and they were fortunate + in not coming upon any woodland until light began to break in the sky. + Then they made their way to the nearest wood, went in for some distance + and then threw themselves down, and in a few minutes were fast asleep. + Accustomed to judge time by the position of the sun, they saw when they + awoke that it was already past noon, and after eating a few mouthfuls of + bread they continued their journey. For the most part their course lay + among woods, and they did not venture across an open piece of country + until after a careful examination to see that no one was in sight. + </p> + <p> + Shortly after starting they caught sight of a village in the distance, + which they afterwards learned was St. Riguier, but with these exceptions + saw no human habitation. Late in the afternoon they came down on the bank + of the Somme. This was thickly covered with long reeds and rushes, and + among these they sat down and ate the rest of their bread, confident that + however vigilant the search they would not be traced. + </p> + <p> + "This is a very different matter to the last crossing," Beorn said. "This + is a wide river, and I fear that I could not swim across it." + </p> + <p> + "Nor should I like to try. But fortunately there is no occasion for us to + trust to swimming; for we can pull up or break off a number of these great + rushes and make them into two bunches; these will give us ample support + for our passage." + </p> + <p> + "So they will, Wulf; I should never have thought of that." + </p> + <p> + Two large bundles were soon made, the reeds being tied together by a tough + climber that wreathed itself everywhere among them, and as soon as it was + quite dark they went down to the water's edge, and found to their + satisfaction that the reeds possessed ample buoyancy for their purpose. + Wading in they started swimming, resting their chests on the reeds and + striking out with their legs, and in a few minutes were on the southern + bank of the river. + </p> + <p> + "Now we must make to the east of south," Wulf said. "I should say if we + walk steadily all night we shall be beyond the territory of this vile + count. I hope before long we shall strike on some road leading in the + right direction, for if we get among the woods again we shall be able to + make no progress. But any road we may come upon going at all in the right + direction is likely to lead to Rouen." + </p> + <p> + "How far is it, do you think?" + </p> + <p> + "I have a very vague idea. The prior had a map of Normandy, and on this he + pointed out to me how the duchy had grown since William came as a boy to + be its duke. I can remember the general position of the town, but not more + than that. I should think from the Somme to Rouen must be over seventy + miles and less than a hundred, but more closely than that I cannot guess." + </p> + <p> + They came upon no road before morning, but as the country was open they + made good progress, and when they lay down in a thicket as the day was + breaking they calculated that they must be nearly thirty miles south of + the Somme. + </p> + <p> + "I feel that I want sleep," Beorn said, "but still more that I want food. + If it is another sixty miles to Rouen I know not how we are going to + travel the distance fasting." + </p> + <p> + "No, we must get some food to morrow or rather to day, Beorn. We have + nothing of any value to offer for it. They searched us too closely for + anything to escape them. We dare not go into any town or village until we + are quite sure that we are beyond the count's territories, but we might + enter some solitary hut and pray for a piece of bread for charity, or we + can walk all day, by which time we shall surely be well beyond the Count + of Ponthieu's territory, and could boldly go into a town. If we are + seized, we can demand to be sent to Rouen, saying we are bearers of an + important message to Duke William, and even if they do not send us + straight on, they would hardly keep us without food." + </p> + <p> + After sleeping for four or five hours they again started, and after + walking some miles came upon a herdsman's cottage The man was out, and his + wife looked with surprise at the two lads, whose garments, though stained + by sea water and travel, were evidently those of youths of a class above + the common. Beorn addressed her in her own language, and told her that + they were wayfarers who had lost their road and were grievously in need of + food. She at once invited them to come in, and set before them some black + bread and some cheese made from goats' milk. They learned to their + satisfaction that they had long passed the limits of Ponthieu, and that + Rouen was distant about fifty miles. + </p> + <p> + "The road from Amiens lies five miles to the east," she said; "but it + would be shorter for you to keep due south, for it inclines in that + direction. You will strike it after seven miles' walking, and after that + you cannot miss your way." + </p> + <p> + After warmly thanking the woman for her hospitality the lads again + started, feeling greatly strengthened and refreshed by their meal; but + want of sleep told upon them, and when they got within sight of the road + they again lay down, and slept until the sun was setting. Resuming their + journey they followed the road, and before morning crossed over a range of + hills, and presently arrived at a small hamlet close to which was a + monastery. Towards this they directed their steps, and seating themselves + on the ground near the door, waited until it was unbarred. + </p> + <p> + "You are early wayfarers, my sons," the monk who opened the gates said as + they went up, "and you seem to have travelled far." + </p> + <p> + "That have we, father, and are sorely in need of food." + </p> + <p> + The hospitality of the monasteries was unbounded, and the monk at once led + them into the kitchen, where bread, meat, and wine were placed before + them. + </p> + <p> + "Truly you were hungry," the monk said smilingly as he watched their + onslaught upon the joint. + </p> + <p> + "We were well-nigh starving, father. For two days we have had nought to + eat save a crust of bread we had brought with us, and some that a + shepherd's wife bestowed upon us out of charity, and we have walked from + near Hesdin." + </p> + <p> + "I do not ask out of curiosity, my sons," the monk said after a pause, + "and you know it is not our custom to question wayfarers who come in to + ask our hospitality; but it is strange to see two youths, who by their + dress and manner seem to belong to a superior station, in so pitiable a + state as you are, and wandering alone, as it would seem, penniless through + the country. I ask not your confidence, but if you chose to give it maybe + we might aid or advise you. Our prior is a kindly man and very gentle with + the faults of others." + </p> + <p> + "We are Saxons, father. We were wrecked four days since near St. Valery, + and are now bound on an errand of high importance to Duke William, to whom + it is urgent we should arrive as soon as possible. We have run sore peril + on the way, and have been stripped of our money and valuables." + </p> + <p> + "Is your mission of importance to the duke as well as to yourselves?" the + monk asked gravely. + </p> + <p> + "It is of great importance to him. I am sure that he would consider that + any one who assisted us on our way had done him good service." + </p> + <p> + The monk look earnestly at them. "I will speak to the prior," he said. He + returned in a few minutes and bade them follow him. + </p> + <p> + The prior was a tall, gentle old man. "I have heard your story from + brother Gregory," he said, "and I wished to see you that I might judge for + myself whether so strange a tale, as that two shipwrecked boys should have + important business with our duke, could be believed, before I did aught to + help you forward. You look to me honest of purpose and of gentle blood, + and not, I am sure, belonging to the class of wayfarer who will trump up + any story for the purpose of gaining alms. Whether your errand with the + duke is of the importance you deem it I cannot say, but if you give me + your word that you consider it an urgent matter, I will aid you to proceed + at once." + </p> + <p> + "We do indeed consider it most urgent, father, and we are sure that the + duke will so regard it. We should not have walked well-nigh a hundred + miles in two days and nights, and that almost without food, had we not + deemed it so." + </p> + <p> + "Brother Gregory," the prior said, "bid lay-brother Philip at once prepare + three palfreys, and tell him he is to ride himself with these two Saxon + youths to Rouen. The distance is thirty miles," he went on as the monk + left the room. "It is not yet six o'clock, and though our palfreys are not + accustomed to travel at rapid speed, you will be there this afternoon in + time to have audience with the duke." + </p> + <p> + The lads returned their warm thanks to the prior. "We would gladly tell + you the purport of our mission," Beorn said, "but we are only the bearers + of news, and the duke might be displeased did he know that we had confided + to any before it reached his own ear." + </p> + <p> + "I wish not to learn it, my son. It is sufficient for me that you have a + mission to our duke, and that I am possibly furthering his interest by + aiding you to reach him. But, in sooth, I am more moved by the desire to + aid two stranger youths, whom the sea and man alike seem to have treated + hardly. Is it long since you left England?" + </p> + <p> + "We have well-nigh lost account of time, father, so much has taken place + in a few days. 'Tis but a week since we were sailing along the English + coast with a large company in three ships, when a sudden tempest arose, + carried away our sail, blew us off the shore, and then increasing in fury + drove us before it until we were wrecked on the coast of Ponthieu, near + St. Valery. Since then we have been prisoners, have escaped, and have + journeyed here on foot." + </p> + <p> + "Truly a bad week's work for you," the prior said. "Were all your ships + wrecked?" + </p> + <p> + "No; our two consorts, being lighter and more easily rowed, regained the + land when we were blown off it." + </p> + <p> + "Conrad of Ponthieu is an evil man," the prior said. "Had you come ashore + twenty miles farther south you would have been beyond his jurisdiction. I + fear that all the seacoast people view the goods obtained from vessels + cast ashore as a lawful prey, but your company would assuredly have + received fair hospitality if cast on the shores of Normandy itself. But + now methinks I hear the patter of the palfreys' hoofs. Farewell, my sons, + and may God who has protected you through these dangers give you his + blessing." + </p> + <p> + The lads knelt before him as he placed his hands on their heads and gave + them his benediction. As they rose brother Gregory entered to say that the + horses were ready, and with renewed thanks to the prior they followed him + to the courtyard, mounted, and rode off with the lay-brother, glad indeed + to find their journey on foot thus abridged. Impatient as they were to + reach Rouen, the gentle pace at which the palfreys ambled along fretted + them very much. Brother Philip kept up a constant string of talk on the + monastery, its estates, the kindness of the prior, the strictness of the + subprior, and other matters of great interest to himself, but of none to + the boys, whose thoughts were with Harold, chained and in prison. The + palfreys, however, made very fair progress, and it was but three o'clock + when they rode into the streets of Rouen, whose size and grandeur would at + any other time have impressed them much, for it was an incomparably finer + city than London. + </p> + <p> + "That is the duke's palace," brother Philip said, as they approached a + stately building. "I will put up the horses at the convent at the farther + corner of this square, and will then go with you to the palace, as I have + orders to tell any officer who may make a difficulty about you entering, + that I am bid by the prior of Forges to say that you are here on urgent + business with the duke, and to pray that you may have immediate audience + with him." + </p> + <p> + In those days great men were easy accessible, and one of the ushers, on + receiving the message from the prior, at once led the boys to an apartment + in which the duke was sitting. He looked up in some surprise on seeing the + two lads standing bareheaded at the door, while the usher repeated the + message he had received. + </p> + <p> + "Advance," he said. "What is this business of which the prior of Forges + has sent me word?" + </p> + <p> + The two boys advanced and knelt before the duke. He was a man of about the + same age as Harold, with dark hair and complexion, less tall than the + earl, but of a powerful figure, and a stern, resolute face. The boys had + discussed among themselves which should be the speaker. Wulf had desired + that Beorn, being the elder, should deliver the message, but Beorn + insisted that as Wulf himself had received it from Harold, it was he who + should be the one to deliver it to the duke. + </p> + <p> + "My Lord Duke," Wulf said, "we are Saxons, pages of Earl Harold, and we + bring you by his orders the news that the vessel in which he was sailing + along his coast had been blown off by a tempest and cast on the shore of + Ponthieu, near St. Valery, and that he and his companions have been + villainously ill-treated by Conrad, Count of Ponthieu, who has seized them + and cast them into dungeons in his fortress of Beaurain, Harold and his + companions being fettered like malefactors." + </p> + <p> + The duke was astounded at the news. No greater piece of good fortune could + have befallen him, for he had it in his power to lay his great rival under + an obligation to him, to show himself a generous prince, and at the same + time to obtain substantial benefits. He rose at once to his feet. + </p> + <p> + "By the Host," he exclaimed, "but this is foul treatment indeed of the + noble earl, and brings disgrace alike upon the Count of Ponthieu and upon + me, his liege lord. This wrong shall be remedied, and speedily. You shall + see that I waste no moment in rescuing your lord from this unmannerly + count." He struck his hand on the table, and an attendant entered, "Pray + the knights Fitz-Osberne and Warren to come hither at once. And how is it, + boys," he went on, as the attendant hurried away, "that you were enabled + to bear this message to me?" + </p> + <p> + "While Harold and his thanes were cast into prison," Wulf said, "the count + kept us to wait upon him; not for our services, but that he might flout + and ill-treat us. We obtained possession of a rope, and let ourselves down + at night from the battlements, and made our way on foot as far as Forges, + where the good prior, learning from us that we had a message of importance + to you, though nothing of its import, sent us forward on palfreys, so that + no time might be lost." + </p> + <p> + "When did you leave Beaurain?" + </p> + <p> + "It will be three days come midnight," Wulf said. + </p> + <p> + "And how did you live by the way?" + </p> + <p> + "We took a piece of bread with us, and once obtained food at a shepherd's + hut, and this morning we were well entertained at the convent of Forges." + </p> + <p> + "You have proved yourselves good and trusty messengers," the duke said. + "Would I were always as well served. As you are the earl's pages you are + of course of gentle blood?" + </p> + <p> + "We are both his wards, my lord, and shall be thanes when we come of age." + </p> + <p> + "And how is it that you, young sir, who seem to be younger than your + companion, are the spokesman?" + </p> + <p> + "It happened thus," Wulf said modestly. "Some fishermen came up just after + we had gained the shore with the loss of many of our company. I marked + that one of them started on seeing Earl Harold, and whispered to a + companion, and feeling sure that he had recognized my lord, I told the + earl of it as we walked towards St. Valery. He then charged me if he was + taken prisoner by the count to endeavour to bear the news to you, and to + give the same orders to my comrade Beorn, saying it was likely that we + might not be so strictly watched as the men of the company, and might + therefore succeed in slipping away, as indeed turned out to be the case. I + was desirous that Beorn should tell you the tale, being older and more + accustomed to the speech of the court than I was, but he held that the + message, being first given to me, it was I who should deliver it." + </p> + <p> + "He judged rightly," the duke said, "and deserves credit for thus standing + aside." + </p> + <p> + At this moment two knights entered. "Fitz-Osberne, Warren," the duke said, + "a foul wrong has been done by Conrad of Ponthieu to Earl Harold of + Wessex, the foremost of Englishmen next to the king himself, who has, with + a company of his thanes, been cast ashore near St. Valery. Instead of + receiving honourable treatment, as was his due, he has been most foully + seized, chained, and with his friends thrown into prison by the count, who + has sent no intimation of what has taken place to me, his lord, and had it + not been for these two brave and faithful youths, who effected their + escape over the battlements of Beaurain in order to bring me the news, the + earl might have lingered in shameful captivity. I pray you take horse at + once, with twenty chosen spears, and ride at the top of your speed to + Beaurain. There express in fitting terms to Conrad my indignation at his + foul treatment of one who should have been received as a most honoured + guest. Say that the earl and his company must at once be released, and be + accorded the treatment due not only to themselves, but to them as my + guests, and bid the count mount with them and ride to my fortress of Eu, + to which I myself will at once journey to receive them. Tell Conrad that I + will account to him for any fair ransom he may claim, and if he demur to + obey my orders warn him that the whole force of Normandy shall at once be + set on foot against him. After having been for two years my prisoner, + methinks he will not care to run the risk of again being shut up within my + walls." + </p> + <p> + "We will use all haste," Fitz-Osberne said. "Conrad's conduct is a + disgrace to every Norman noble, for all Europe will cry shame when the + news of the earl's treatment gets abroad. That Conrad should hold him to + ransom is only in accordance with his strict rights, but that he should + imprison and chain him is, by the saints, almost beyond belief." + </p> + <p> + As soon as the knights had left, the duke sent for his chamberlain, and + ordered him to conduct Beorn and Wulf to an apartment and to see that they + were at once furnished with garments befitting young nobles, together with + a purse of money for their immediate wants. Then taking a long and heavy + gold chain from his neck he placed it on the table, and with a blow with + his dagger cut it in sunder, and handed half to each of the lads. + </p> + <p> + "Take this," he said, "in token of my thanks for having brought me this + news, and remember, that if at any time you should have a boon to ask that + it is within my power to grant, I swear to you upon my ducal honour that + it shall be yours. Never have I received more joyful news than that the + great Earl of Wessex will shortly be my guest." + </p> + <p> + The lads bowed deeply, and then followed the chamberlain from the + apartment. + </p> + <p> + "Well, what think you of it, Beorn?" Wulf said, when they found themselves + alone in a handsome chamber. + </p> + <p> + "So far as rescuing Harold from the power of the Count of Ponthieu we have + surely succeeded even beyond our hopes. As to the rest, I know not. As you + were speaking I marked the satisfaction and joy on the duke's face, and I + said to myself that it was greater than need have been caused by the + thought that Earl Harold was to be his guest." + </p> + <p> + "So I thought myself, Beorn. There can be no doubt that, as he said, he + deemed it the best news he had ever received, and I fear greatly that + Harold will but exchange one captivity for another. It will doubtless be a + more pleasant one, but methinks Harold will find himself as much a + prisoner, although treated as an honoured guest by William, as he was + while lying in the dungeon of Conrad. It is a bad business, and I greatly + fear indeed that Harold will long rue the unfortunate scheme of hunting + along the coast that has brought him to this pass." + </p> + <p> + In a short time an attendant arrived with ewers, water, and four suits of + handsome garments, belts embroidered with gold thread, and daggers, + together with two plumed caps and purses, each containing ten gold pieces; + he informed them that two horses had been provided for their use, and that + they were to take their meals with the duke's household, and to consider + themselves in all respects as his guests. + </p> + <p> + "We look finer birds than we did when we rode in with brother Philip," + Beorn laughed when they had attired themselves in their new garments. "The + more sober of these suits are a good deal gayer than those we wore at home + even at court ceremonies." + </p> + <p> + "King Edward objects to show," Wulf said, "and his own pages are so sober + in their attire that the earl likes not that we should outshine them, and + we usually cut a poor figure beside those of William of London and the + other Normans of his court." + </p> + <p> + In a short time the chamberlain came in and informed them that supper was + served, and conducted them to the hall, where he presented them to the + duke's gentlemen and pages as William's guests, and wards and pages of the + Earl of Wessex. The news of Harold's shipwreck and imprisonment travelled + quickly, for orders had already been issued for the court to prepare to + start early the next morning to accompany the duke to Eu, in order to + receive with due honour William's guest and friend, Harold of England; and + while the meal went on many questions were asked as to the shipwreck and + prisonment of the earl, and the liveliest indignation was expressed at the + conduct of Conrad of Ponthieu. + </p> + <p> + "Truly all Normans will be reckoned churls," one of the gentlemen + exclaimed indignantly. "The fame of Harold's bravery, wisdom, and courtesy + to all men is known in every court in Europe, and that the duke's vassal + should have dared to imprison and chain him will excite universal + indignation. Why, the rudest of our own Norse ancestors would not have so + foully treated one so noble whom fate had cast into his hands. Had we been + at war with England it would be shameful, but being at peace there are no + words that can fitly describe the outrage." + </p> + <p> + When the meal was over, one of the duke's pages who was about the same age + as Beorn asked him what they were going to do with themselves. + </p> + <p> + "If you have nothing better," he said, "will you ride with me to my + father's castle, it is but five miles away? My name is De Burg. I can + promise you a hearty welcome. My father was one of the knights who + accompanied the duke when he paid his visit to England some fifteen years + ago, and he liked the country much, and has ever since spoken of the + princely hospitality with which they were received by your king. He did + not meet Earl Harold then." + </p> + <p> + "No, the earl with his father and brothers was away in exile," Wulf said + rather shortly, for that visit had been a most unpleasant one to + Englishmen. It had happened when the Norman influence was altogether in + the ascendant. The king was filling the chief places at court and in the + church with Normans, had bestowed wide domains upon them, and their + castles were everywhere rising to dominate the land. Englishmen then + regarded with hostility this visit of the young Norman duke with his great + train of knights, and although at the return of Godwin and his sons the + greater portion of the intruders had been driven out, their influence + still remained at court, and it was even said that Edward had promised the + duke that he should be his successor. + </p> + <p> + It was true that Englishmen laughed at the promise. The King of England + was chosen by the nation, and Edward had no shadow of right to bequeath + the throne even to one of his sons much less to a foreign prince, who, + although related to himself by marriage, had no drop of English blood in + his veins. Still, that the promise should ever have been made rankled in + the minds of the English people, the more so as the power of Normandy + increased, and the ambition as well as the valour of its duke became more + and more manifest According to English law the promise was but an empty + breath, absolutely without effect or value. According to Norman law it + constituted a powerful claim, and Duke William was assuredly not a man to + let such a claim drop unpressed. + </p> + <p> + Wulf had heard all this again and again, and the prior of Bramber had + explained it to him in all its bearings, showing him that little as + Englishmen might think of the promise given by Edward so long ago, it + would be likely to bring grievous trouble on the land at his death. He + might perhaps have said more in reference to William's visit had not Beorn + at once accepted the invitation to ride with young De Burg to his father's + castle. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0006" id="link2HCH0006"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VI. — RELEASE OF THE EARL + </h2> + <p> + In a few minutes the three horses were brought out. Wulf and Beorn were + much pleased with the animals that had been placed at their service. They + were powerful horses, which could carry a knight in his full armour with + ease, and seemed full of spirit and fire. They were handsomely + caparisoned, and the lads felt as they sprang on to their backs that they + had never been so well mounted before. + </p> + <p> + "You would have made the journey more quickly and easily if you had had + these horses three days ago," young De Burg laughed. + </p> + <p> + "Yes, indeed. There would have been no occasion to hide in the woods then. + With our light weight on their backs they would have made nothing of the + journey." + </p> + <p> + "You must not expect to see a castle," De Burg said presently, "though I + call it one. In his early days the duke set himself to destroy the great + majority of castles throughout Normandy, for as you know he had no little + trouble with his nobles, and held that while the strength of these + fortresses disposes men to engage either in civil war or in private feuds + with each other, they were of no avail against the enemies of the country. + My father, who is just the age of the duke, was his loyal follower from + the first, and of his free will levelled his walls as did many others of + the duke's friends, in the first place because it gave the duke pleasure, + and in the second because, had only the castles of those opposed to the + duke been destroyed, there would have been such jealousy and animosity on + the part of their owners that matters would never have quieted down in the + country. Thus it is that throughout the land you will find but few castles + remaining. The nobles felt it strange at first to be thus dwelling in + houses undefended against attack, but they soon learnt that it was far + more convenient than to be shut up within massive walls, and the present + dwellings are much larger and more comfortable than those of former days. + The duke said rightly that the abolition of fortresses well-nigh doubled + his fighting power, for that so many men were required to garrison them as + to greatly diminish the number their lords could take with them into the + field. You do not have castles in England, do you?" + </p> + <p> + "No, we live in open houses, and hold that it is far better and more + pleasant to do so. There is no fighting between neighbours with us. The + great earls may quarrel and lead their forces into the field, or may + gather them against Danish and Norwegian pirates, but except on these + occasions, which are rare, all dwell peaceably in their homes." + </p> + <p> + The horses were fresh, and the five miles quickly passed over. + </p> + <p> + "There is the house," De Burg said, pointing to a large building standing + on an eminence. It was castellated in form, and much of the old building + had been incorporated with the additions, but the outer wall had been + pulled down and the moat filled up. Broad casements had replaced the + narrow loopholes, and though the flag of the De Burgs still waved over the + keep, which stood a little apart from the rest, the family no longer dwelt + in it. + </p> + <p> + "It is chiefly used as a storehouse now," Guy De Burg explained; "but + there, as you see, the old loopholes still remain, and in case of trouble + it might be held for a time. But of that, however, there is little chance; + the duke's hand is a heavy one, and he has shown himself a great leader. + He has raised Normandy well-nigh level with France, and so long as he + lives and reigns there is no fear of domestic trouble." + </p> + <p> + The gate stood open and they rode into a courtyard, when several men came + out and took the horses. Guy de Burg ran up a broad staircase to the + entrance of the house itself, and passed beneath a noble entrance with a + lofty pointed arch supported by clustered pillars. Inside was a spacious + hall paved with stone, and from this De Burg turned into an apartment + whose walls were covered with rich hangings. Here a lady was at work + embroidering, surrounded by several of her maids similarly engaged. A girl + some fourteen years old was reading a missal, while the master of the + castle was sitting in a chair with low arms, and was playing with the ears + of a hound whose head was lying on his knee. + </p> + <p> + "Well, Guy, what is your news?" he asked as his son entered. "Half an hour + since I received a message from the duke desiring me to appear with ten + men-at-arms in their best trappings to ride with him to Eu. Is Conrad of + Ponthieu giving trouble again, and who are these young gentlemen with + you?" + </p> + <p> + Guy went down on one knee to kiss his father's hand, and then did the same + to his mother, then he said, "I will with your permission answer the last + question first, father. My friends are young Saxon thanes, pages to Earl + Harold, and at present guests of the duke." + </p> + <p> + "You are bearers, doubtless, of some message from the king to our duke?" + </p> + <p> + "No, my lord," Beorn said, "we were bearers of a message from Earl + Harold." + </p> + <p> + "It is to meet him, father, that we are to ride to Eu to-morrow. He has + been wrecked on the shores of Ponthieu, and has been foully imprisoned and + even fettered by Count Conrad. Beorn and Wulf escaped from the prison and + brought the news to the duke, who this afternoon dispatched Fitz-Osberne + and Warren at full speed to bid the count at once free his prisoners, and + deliver them over to him at Eu under pain of his direst displeasure." + </p> + <p> + "Harold in Normandy and a prisoner! This is strange news indeed. We shall + surely make him welcome, for he is in all respects a great man, and save + our own duke has a reputation second to none in Europe." + </p> + <p> + Wulf thought as he looked at the speaker that at least he had no second + thought in his mind. It was a frank honest face, martial in its outline, + but softened by a pleasant smile. + </p> + <p> + He had spoken in a genial tone of affection to his son, and Wulf thought, + that although no doubt he was ready to take the field at the summons of + his lord, he preferred a quiet life in this stately home. + </p> + <p> + "This is news for you, wife," he went on. "You will have to furbish up + your gayest attire, for we shall be having grand doings in honour of this + great English earl, and our dames will have to look their best in order + that he may carry home a fair report of them to the Saxon ladies. And how + did you manage to escape, young sirs, and when did you arrive with the + news?" + </p> + <p> + Beorn, who as the elder was specially addressed, shortly related the story + of their escape and journey. + </p> + <p> + "You have done well," the baron said when he had concluded. "Guy, you may + learn from these young Saxons that even pages may be called upon to do + work of more importance than handing wine-cups and standing behind their + lord on state occasions. Had it not been for their readiness and courage + Harold might have lain weeks in prison, maybe months, while the count was + striving to wring the utmost ransom from him. The lads would doubtless + have been slain had they been detected in making their escape or overtaken + on the way, and the attempt was therefore one that required courage as + well as devotion to their lord. I doubt not that you would exhibit both + qualities did opportunity offer, but I question whether you could have + walked the distance they did, and that on such scanty fare. We Normans are + too apt to trust wholly to our horses' legs to the neglect of our own, and + although I have no doubt that you could ride as far as a horse could carry + you, I warrant that you could hardly have performed on foot the journey + from Beaurain in twice the time in which they did it. They must have + exercised their legs as well as their arms, and although in a campaign a + Norman noble depends upon his war horse both on the march and on the day + of battle, there may often be times when it is well that a knight should + be able to march as far as any of the footmen in the army. Well, Agnes, + and what have you to say to these Saxon youths? Methinks your eyes are + paying more attention to them than to your missal." + </p> + <p> + "I can read my missal at any hour, father, but this is the first time that + I have seen young Saxon nobles. I thought there would have been more + difference between them and us. Their hair is fairer and more golden and + their eyes bluer, but their dress differs in no way from our own." She + spoke in a matter-of-fact and serious air, as if it were a horse or a dog + that she was commenting upon, and both Beorn and Wulf smiled, while Guy + laughed outright. + </p> + <p> + "It is little wonder that their attire is like ours, Agnes," he said, + "seeing that they were furnished with it by the duke's orders. You do not + suppose that after being tossed about on the sea and well-nigh drowned in + landing, and being made prisoners, and then travelling through the country + and sleeping in the woods, Beorn and Wulf would arrive here with their + garments new and spotless. That would indeed have been a miracle." + </p> + <p> + "But, indeed," Beorn said, "our garments differ not greatly from those we + now have on, for Norman fashions are prevalent at King Edward's court, and + we had no choice but to conform to them. Your language is always spoken + there, and methinks that were you to visit Westminster you would see but + little difference between King Edward's court and that of your own duke." + </p> + <p> + "And your sisters, do they too dress like us?" + </p> + <p> + "Queen Edith's ladies dress like her in Norman fashion, but away from the + court the attire is different and more simple. Sisters, Wulf and I have + none; we are orphans both, and wards of Earl Harold, who holds our estates + until we are of age to take the oaths to him and to lead our men in + battle." + </p> + <p> + "And will you be barons like my father, or counts, or simple knights?" + </p> + <p> + "We shall be none of these things, Lady Agnes. We have our great earls as + in France you have your great dukes, but below that we have no titles. We + are thanes, that is land owners, who hold their land direct from our + earls. Some have wider lands than others, but as free thanes we are all + equal. As to knights, we have not in England the titles and ceremonies + which are so much thought of in France and in other courts." + </p> + <p> + "That is a pity," the girl said gravely, "for the vows of knighthood make + a knight courteous and gentle to enemies and friends alike." + </p> + <p> + "Or rather, Agnes," her mother put in, "they should do so; but in truth, + looking round at the cruel wars we have had in Normandy, I do not see that + men have been more gentle or courteous than they would have been had they + never taken the vows or had knightly spurs buckled on; and in truth it + seems to me from the news of what has taken place beyond the sea, that in + the civil troubles they have had in England men are much more gentle with + each other, and foes are far more easily reconciled than with us in + Normandy, who are supposed to be bound by the laws of chivalry. Had our + duke been cast upon the shores of England as Harold has been cast upon + that of Ponthieu, I think that he would not have been so dishonourably + treated by one of the English thanes as Harold has been by Count Conrad. + When Godwin and his sons returned from the exile into which they had been + driven, and again became all powerful, there was not, as I have heard from + your father, a single drop of blood shed, nor any vengeance taken upon the + men who had brought about their exile. It would have been very different + had such things happened here." + </p> + <p> + "You speak rightly, wife. The English are of a more gentle disposition + than we are, though nowise backward in battle. But now, Guy, it is time + that you were returning. You have already made a longer stay than usual. I + shall see you again to-morrow when we start for Eu. Young sirs, I hope + that on your return you will often ride over here when your lord does not + require you. We shall always be pleased to see you, and although the + forest lies some miles away, Guy can show you good hunting, though not so + good as that which, as I hear, you can get in England, where the + population is not so thick as it is in this part of Normandy." + </p> + <p> + The horses were brought round, and the three lads rode into Rouen just as + night was falling. + </p> + <p> + Long before daybreak there was a stir in the streets of the city, as + parties of knights and nobles rode in with bodies of their retainers in + obedience to the orders of the duke. All in the palace were awake early. A + hasty breakfast was eaten, while just as the sun rose the duke mounted his + horse, and at the head of an array, composed of some twenty barons and + knights and four hundred men-at-arms, rode out of the city. + </p> + <p> + "There is a good deal more pomp and show here than there was when we rode + with Harold from London," Wulf said. "In truth these Norman nobles make a + far braver appearance in their armour and robes, and with their banners + carried behind them, than we do. Were the king himself to ride in state + through London he would scarce be so gaily attended." + </p> + <p> + "Duke William does not look as if he cared for show," Beorn said. + </p> + <p> + "Nor does he," Guy, who was riding beside them, put in. "For himself he is + simple in his tastes, but he knows that the people are impressed by pomp, + and love to see a brave cavalcade, therefore he insists on the observance + of outward forms; and his court here on state occasions vies, as they tell + me, with that of Henry of France." + </p> + <p> + "Where shall we rest tonight?" Wulf asked. "Methinks from the appearance + of the sky that we shall have rain, and unless we sleep under shelter, + many of these fine robes that we see are like to be as much dabbled in mud + as were those in which we arrived." + </p> + <p> + "We shall sleep in no town, for there is no place on the road between this + and Eu that could receive so large a party; but soon after we rode out + yesterday a train of waggons with tents and all else needful started from + Rouen, and half-way to Eu we shall find the camp erected and everything in + readiness for our reception." + </p> + <p> + This was indeed the case. The camp had been erected in a sheltered valley, + through which ran a stream that supplied the needs of man and horses. The + tents were placed in regular order, that of the duke in the centre, those + of his chief nobles in order of rank on either side. Behind was a line for + the use of the court officials, pages, and knights of less degree, while + the soldiers would sleep in the open. As the party rode up a chamberlain + with three or four assistants met them. Each was provided with lists + containing the names of all the duke's following, and these were at once + conducted to the tents alloted to them, so that in a few minutes all were + housed without the slightest confusion or trouble. The squires of the + knights and nobles and the attendants of the officers and pages at once + took the horses and picketed them in lines behind the tents, rubbing them + down and cleaning them with the greatest care, and then supplying them + with forage from the piles that had that morning been brought in from the + neighbouring farms. Fuel in abundance had also been stacked. A number of + cooks had come on with the tent equipage, and supper was already prepared + for the duke and his party, while animals had been slaughtered and cut up, + and the men-at-arms soon had the joints hanging over their bivouac fires. + </p> + <p> + "This is all wonderfully well managed, Beorn," Wulf said. "I doubt whether + it could be done so well and orderly with us at home." + </p> + <p> + "What does it matter?" Beorn said contemptuously. "It makes no difference + whether one sups five minutes after arrival or an hour." + </p> + <p> + "It matters nothing, Beorn; but what is but a question of an hour's + waiting in a small party is one of going altogether supperless to bed when + it is a large one. The Normans have been constantly fighting for the last + twenty years, and you see they have learned how important it is that + everything should be regular and orderly. If they manage matters with a + large force as well as they do with a small one, as it is probable that + they do, see what an advantage it gives to them. Were two armies to arrive + near each other with the intention of fighting in the morning, and one + knew exactly what to do, and could get their food in comfort and then lie + down to rest, while the other was all in confusion, no one knowing where + he should go or where to bestow himself, and, being unable to obtain food, + forced to lie down supperless, the first army would obtain a great + advantage when they met the next morning, especially if it had breakfasted + well while the other went into the fight still fasting. Look at ourselves + how weak we were that morning when we had lain down hungry and got up + fasting, while on the morning when the woman gave us that food, simple as + it was, we stepped out boldly and in spirits." + </p> + <p> + "That is true enough, Wulf, but you know that among us it is said that + Earl Harold is always most careful for the comfort of his soldiers." + </p> + <p> + "Yes, the earl always thinks of those around him. As I have never been in + the field I know not what the arrangements are, but I cannot think they + would be so well ordered in a great gathering of Englishmen, or that we + should manage matters as well as the Normans with all their experience + have learnt to do." + </p> + <p> + "Well, Wulf," Beorn laughed, "you had best study the matter, and then ask + the earl to appoint you to take charge of the arrangements when he takes + the field." + </p> + <p> + "One could hardly have a more useful office," Wulf said earnestly; "but it + would need a man of experience and of high rank and position, for our + Saxon thanes are not accustomed to discipline as are these Norman barons, + and only one of great authority could induce them to observe regulations + and carry out any plan in due order." + </p> + <p> + Beorn nodded. "That is true enough, Wulf, and it is therefore clear that a + good many years must pass before you can properly fill the post of chief + chamberlain to the army. For myself, I shall be well content to do what + fighting is required, and to leave all these matters in your hands." + </p> + <p> + "Yes; but it can't be left in the hands of one officer," Wulf said warmly, + "unless all give their aid willingly to carry out his plans." + </p> + <p> + "Well, you need not be angry about it, Wulf. There will be time enough for + that when you get to be grand chamberlain. You know what the Saxon thanes + are—how ease-loving, and averse to trouble themselves with aught + save the chase. I would as soon marshal a flock of sheep in military order + and teach each to keep its place as get the thanes to conform to strict + orders and regulations." + </p> + <p> + "And yet, Beorn," said Baron De Burg, who had just entered the tent + unnoticed by them in order to speak to his son, who with another page + shared it with them, "unless all will conform to strict orders and + regulations an army is but a mere gathering of armed men, animated not by + one will, but by as many wills as it contains men. Such an army may be + valiant; every man may be a hero, and yet it may be shattered to pieces by + another which gives itself up wholly to the direction of one will. That is + why we Normans have so badly beaten the French. Every mail has his place + in battle. He charges when he is ordered to charge, or he is held in + reserve the whole day, and the battle ended without his ever striking a + blow. We may fret under inaction, we may see what we think chances of + falling upon the enemy wasted, but we know that our duke is a great + leader, that he has a plan for the battle and will carry it through, and + that disobedience to his orders would be an offence as great as that of + riding from the field. Hence we have learned to obey, and consequently we + have always been victorious against men as brave as ourselves, but each + obeying his own feudal lord, and so fighting in detached bodies rather + than as a whole. Your young companion is in the right. In a duel between + two men strength and skill is everything; in a struggle between two armies + obedience to orders is a virtue even higher than bravery and skill at + arms. Where is Guy?" + </p> + <p> + "He is in attendance on the duke, my lord," Beorn said. "We presented + ourselves also at his tent, but he told us that he required no duty from + us." + </p> + <p> + "Let him come to my tent when he returns," the baron said; "that is as + soon as he has finished supper. I shall be glad if you will also come, + unless the duke sends for you, which methinks he is not likely to do. He + is in thoughtful mood to-day, and will probably be alone." + </p> + <p> + Two or three other knights were assembled in Baron de Burg's tent when the + three lads went in. De Burg said a few words to his companions, explaining + who they were, and then continued his conversation with the others. Beorn + and Wulf, as they stood behind the chairs and listened to the talk, could + not help being struck with the difference between it and the conversations + they had heard at the houses of Saxon thanes. + </p> + <p> + With Harold they had been accustomed to hear matters of state touched on. + The church and the struggle going on between the Norman prelates and monks + on the one hand and the English clergy on the other was one that was + frequently talked over, as were also the projects Harold had at heart for + encouraging the spread of education and raising the condition of people + generally. At the houses of the thanes, however, the evenings were passed + in feasting and song, and it was seldom that there was anything like + discussion upon general affairs. Indeed, between men heated with wine and + accustomed to state their opinions bluntly anything like friendly argument + was well nigh impossible. De Burg and his companions made no allusion at + all to public affairs, but discussed gravely and calmly, and with a + courteous respect for each other's opinions, questions connected with the + art of war, hunting, the changed conditions brought about by the + demolition of castles, the improvements gradually being introduced in + armour, and other kindred topics. The other nobles were men of about the + same age as De Burg, and although the latter's page from time to time + carried round wine the goblets were rarely emptied. + </p> + <p> + Certain topics were touched upon only to be dropped at once, and Wulf saw + that subjects upon which there was any disagreement among them were + carefully avoided. + </p> + <p> + When the boys returned to their tent Wulf said, "Their talk reminds me of + the evenings I spent with the prior, his almoner, and two or three other + monks, rather than of those at the houses of Saxon thanes." + </p> + <p> + Beorn nodded. "I am not so much against our customs of feasting and + merriment as you are, Wulf, and should not care to spend my evenings often + in listening to such grave talk, but truly these Norman barons and knights + are far more courteous in their speech than our own thanes, and seem to + care but little for the wine cup. I admit that such men must be far wiser + advisers for a king than are our Saxons, saving of course Harold and his + brothers." + </p> + <p> + "The Normans are not all so abstemious as my father and those you saw with + him," Guy laughed. "Listen. You can hear songs and loud laughter from many + of the tents, ay, and might hear quarrels too did you listen long enough. + But those you saw were all men high in the confidence of the duke. They + have fought together under his banner in many a field, and are all + powerful barons. They are content to hold their own, and have nothing to + gain at the expense of others. Their value is well established, and I + believe that all of them would be well pleased were they never called upon + to set lance in rest again. Methinks this evening they avoided all public + questions chiefly because we were present; and you see no word was spoken + of the unexpected accident that has thrown Harold on our shores, although + it must have been in all their minds; and doubtless they talked it over as + they rode hither to-day. I should not be surprised if my father had us in + his tent for the very reason that your being there would prevent more + being said about it. I do not suppose any of them know exactly what is in + the duke's mind—possibly he has not even made it up himself; and it + is assuredly wise here in Normandy to express no strong opinion until the + duke's own mind is manifest." + </p> + <p> + "I daresay you are right, Guy. I rather wondered why your father had asked + us as well as you to his tent when he had others with him; but it is like + enough that he thought our presence would prevent any discussion on + delicate topics." + </p> + <p> + The next morning the cavalcade mounted early, and in the afternoon rode + into the fortress of Eu. It stood upon the river Bresle, and had, previous + to the conquest of Ponthieu, been the frontier guard of Normandy on the + north. It lay only some ten miles from the spot where the Saxon galley had + been wrecked. A messenger had arrived there early in the day from + Fitz-Osberne saying that Conrad of Ponthieu had assented to the demand of + the duke for the surrender of his captives, that these had been at once + released from their confinement, and were now honourably entertained. They + would start on the following morning from Beaurain, and would be + accompanied by Conrad, who desired to come to Eu to pay his respects to + the duke. + </p> + <p> + Although it had been certain that Conrad would not venture to refuse the + command of his powerful over-lord, Wulf and Beorn were greatly delighted + to hear that Harold and his companions had at once been released from + their imprisonment, and that they would so speedily arrive at Eu. In the + afternoon of the following day a messenger arrived stating that the + cavalcade was but an hour's ride away, and preparations were at once made + to receive it with all honour. The garrison of the castle in their bravest + attire lined the courtyard, hangings brought from Rouen were disposed + round the walls of the great hall, two chairs of state were placed on the + dais, the men-at-arms who had come from Rouen were drawn up on either side + of the great entrance, and here William with his nobles assembled when the + cavalcade approached the castle. + </p> + <p> + The procession was headed by the Norman men-at-arms of Fitz-Osberne and + Warren. After them rode Conrad of Ponthieu with Harold by his side. Both + carried hawks on their wrists, and were, apparently, on the most amiable + terms. Behind them rode Harold's brother and nephew and the two Norman + barons; they were followed by the Saxon thanes and the officers of the + count's household. Behind these came on foot the Saxons of inferior degree + who had been left at St. Valery, and who had by Conrad's orders been sent + to join the cavalcade where it crossed the Somme at Abbeville; the + procession was closed by a strong body of the count's men-at-arms. They + rode through the double line of spearmen until they reached the entrance. + Then as Harold dismounted, the duke descended the steps and embraced him + with the warmest expressions of satisfaction at thus meeting the most + illustrious of Englishmen. + </p> + <p> + Harold replied in suitable terms, and the duke then turned to Conrad and + thanked him warmly for having acceded to his request. + </p> + <p> + Ponthieu was but newly conquered, and might yet be a thorn in the side of + Normandy in the event of a renewal of war with France. It was therefore to + William's interest to treat Conrad's obedience to his orders as if it had + been a voluntary submission, and to ignore his discourteous treatment of + his captives. In order to eradicate all sense of injury on the part of his + vassal, he not only paid him the ransom for Harold but gave him a + considerable grant of territory. The duke now presented his nobles and + principal officers to Harold, and then with his arm placed familiarly on + his guest's shoulder led him into the hall, and placed him in the chair of + state beside his own, other seats being placed for Wulfnoth and Hakon and + for some of the principal Norman barons, while the rest mingled with the + Saxon thanes in the body of the hall. As soon as the reception was over + Wulf hurried out into the courtyard to speak to Osgod. + </p> + <p> + "Right glad am I to see you again, Osgod; I have been troubled as to how + you were faring." + </p> + <p> + "In truth we have fared badly enough, master; we have been working like + beasts of burden, without having food that would suffice for an ass. + However, it was not for long, and will do us no harm, though there are + more than one of those fellows at St. Valery with whom I would gladly have + ten minutes play with cudgel or quarter-staff. You may guess how surprised + we were yesterday evening when we were suddenly called out from the shed + where we were sleeping, and with many professions of regret and apology + for our treatment conducted to better quarters, where a good honest meal + was set before us, and we were then told that the duke himself had just + arrived at Eu, and that Harold and all his following were there to be + given up to him. We had fresh rushes for our beds, and a hearty breakfast + this morning, and were then placed in boats and taken up to Abbeville. We + had been there but an hour when the earl arrived with the thanes, and glad + were we, as you may imagine, to see his face again. They stopped there for + an hour to rest their steeds and to dine, and then we marched hither as + you saw. I had missed you and Beorn from Harold's party, and made shift to + approach the earl and humbly ask him what had become of you. 'No harm has + befallen your master and his friend, good fellow,' the earl said. 'They + have indeed done me good service, for they made their escape from Beaurain + and carried the news of our detention to Duke William, and it is thus that + we have all obtained our liberty.' You seem to have fared bravely, Wulf, + judging from your attire." + </p> + <p> + "Yes, we were in sore plight when we arrived at Rouen, but the duke saw + that we were provided with clothes and with horses for our journey here." + </p> + <p> + At this moment an attendant came out from the hall and informed Wulf that + the duke desired speech with him. Beorn was already at the entrance, and + they were conducted on to the dais. + </p> + <p> + "Here are your two pages," the duke said to Harold. "I hold myself to be + greatly their debtor for having carried me the news that has brought about + this meeting, and given me the pleasure of having you as my guest. They + are faithful lads and quick-witted, for no men could have carried out the + mission better or more promptly than they did." + </p> + <p> + "Still more am I indebted to them," Harold said as he held out his hand to + the two lads, who bent on one knee while they kissed it. "I knew not of + their going until I learnt from your barons that they had reached Rouen + with the news. They are wards of mine, and although at one time my pages + they have ceased to be so for more than a year, and have both been down + upon their estates learning the duties of their station, which I deemed + better for them than wasting their time and getting into mischief at + court." + </p> + <p> + The duke nodded. "The result shows that your course was a wise one. At + court youths learn but little good. The atmosphere is not healthy for men + still less for boys, and these youths will shortly be of an age when they + will be fit to render men's service, as indeed they have already done." + The lads now retired from the dais. + </p> + <p> + "It has been a fortunate week's work for us," Beorn said. "We have + obtained the freedom of our lord and have gained his approbation and that + of Duke William; though, indeed, it matters not greatly as to the duke." + </p> + <p> + "I don't know, Beorn; one cannot look into the future, and there is no + saying what may happen. Anyhow, even now it may be of advantage to us. + Honourably as the duke is treating Harold, the earl is still wholly in his + power, and until we hear something of his intentions we are all just as + much prisoners as we were to Conrad, although I admit the captivity is a + very much more pleasant one." + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0007" id="link2HCH0007"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VII. — THE OATH. + </h2> + <p> + From Eu the party travelled back to Rouen where there were feastings and + entertainments in honour of Harold. Nothing could be more courteous than + the duke's manner to his guest. He professed an almost fraternal affection + for him, and handsome lodgings were assigned in the town to his thanes. A + solemn court was held, at which Harold was knighted by William himself + with much state and ceremonial, according to the rites of chivalry, which + had then been but recently introduced, and had not as yet extended into + England. There were great hunting parties in the forest, and to all + outward appearance the friendship between William and Harold was of the + warmest and most sincere nature. Harold himself was really gratified at + the pains that William took to show the esteem in which he held him, and + his thanes were all well satisfied with the attentions bestowed upon them + by the Norman barons. + </p> + <p> + Beorn and Wulf had nothing to do save to make friends with young Normans + of their own age, to visit their castles and to join in the hunting + parties. The duke lost no opportunity of showing the sincerity of the + feelings of gratitude he had expressed to them for bringing him the news + of Harold's presence in his dominions, and they were always specially + invited to all court ceremonials, enjoying themselves exceedingly. Wulf + occasionally expressed his surprise to his companion that no word was said + as to their return to England, but Beorn's answer always silenced him. + </p> + <p> + "The earl himself seems well satisfied, Wulf. Why should you be more + anxious for him than he is for himself?" + </p> + <p> + Once indeed he replied, "Harold is of so open and generous nature, Beorn, + that he would be the last person to suspect another of dishonourable + motives. Moreover, it is not because he is apparently well content here + that we must judge him to be without uneasiness. Whatever he felt it would + be impolitic to show it, and we see but little of him now save when in + company of the Normans. He cannot but know that his presence is required + in England." + </p> + <p> + It was a matter of satisfaction to Wulf that Walter Fitz-Urse was not at + the court, he having a few weeks before returned to England, where he was + again in the suite of the Norman bishop of London. He himself had become + firm friends with Guy de Burg, and often rode over with him to his + father's residence, where they hunted in the forest together or rode out + with falcons on their wrists, Agnes de Burg often accompanying them on her + pony. + </p> + <p> + Three weeks after their arrival at Rouen the Bretons broke out in + insurrection, and the duke invited Harold to accompany him on an + expedition to subdue them, courteously saying that he should obtain great + advantage from the military experience of his guest. + </p> + <p> + Harold accepted the invitation, and with his thanes set out with the duke. + Against the disciplined forces of Normandy the Breton peasants had no + chance whatever in the open field, but their wild and broken country, + well-nigh covered with forest, afforded them an opportunity for the + display of their own method of fighting by sudden surprises and attacks, + and they defended their rough but formidable intrenchments with desperate + valour. Harold's experience gained in his warfare with the Welsh was of + much utility, and the duke committed to his hands the formal command of + the troops engaged, averring that he himself knew comparatively little of + warfare such as this. + </p> + <p> + Harold conducted the operations with equal vigour and prudence. Stronghold + after stronghold was attacked and captured, a small portion of the force + only being engaged in active operations, whilst the rest were posted so as + to repel the attempts of the Bretons to aid the besieged. By his advice + clemency was always shown to the garrisons when the fortresses were + stormed, and they were permitted to return unharmed to their people, + bearing the news that the duke bore no ill-will towards them, and was + ready to show mercy to all who laid down their arms. Wulf and Beorn were + permitted to share in the assaults, and with the Saxon thanes followed + Harold, as he led the way on foot up to the intrenchments at one point, + while the duke with a party of his barons attacked at another. More than + once the English banner was carried into the heart of the Breton fortress + before the Normans had fought their way in, and on each of these occasions + the duke warmly expressed his admiration for the courage of his English + allies. At last there remained but one formidable stronghold to be + captured, and so strong was this by nature, and so desperately defended, + that for some time the efforts of the besiegers were fruitless. + </p> + <p> + One evening Guy de Burg had been with Wulf in his tent. Beorn was out + spending the evening with some of his Norman friends. When Guy rose to go + Wulf said that he would walk with him to his father's tent, which was + situated some little distance away. As there had been strict regulations + that none were to move about without arms, he buckled on his sword and put + on his helmet before starting. Osgod, who was lying outside the tent, rose + when they issued out and followed them at a short distance. They went + along at the rear of the tents, when Wulf suddenly said: + </p> + <p> + "It seems to me that I hear sounds in the forest, Guy." + </p> + <p> + "De Launey's men are posted behind us," Guy said carelessly; "there is no + fear of an attack." + </p> + <p> + "Not if they are vigilant," Wulf agreed. "But the Bretons have for some + time abstained from night surprises, and De Launey's men may be keeping a + poor watch." + </p> + <p> + Suddenly there was a loud cry, followed immediately by the Breton + war-shout, and by a confusion of shouts, cries, and the sound of the + clashing of arms. + </p> + <p> + The lads drew their swords and ran towards the scene of conflict, when, + from some bushes a short distance from them, a number of wild figures + sprung out. It was a party of the enemy who had made their way through De + Launey's sleeping men unobserved, and who now, knowing that further + concealment was useless, were rushing forward towards the tents. Wulf's + first impulse was to turn back, but young de Burg, shouting his father's + battle-cry, ran forward, and without hesitation Wulf followed him. A + moment later they were engaged with the Bretons. + </p> + <p> + "Back to back, Guy!" Wulf exclaimed, as he ran his sword through the first + man who attacked him. + </p> + <p> + He had scarcely spoken when Osgod ran up and joined them, and wielding the + heavy axe he carried as if it had been a featherweight, struck down + several of the Bretons who ventured within its swing. + </p> + <p> + Wulf defended himself as firmly, but had to shift his ground continually + to avoid the blows of the heavy spiked clubs with which his assailants + were armed. Presently he heard his name shouted, and an instant later a + crash, as Guy de Burg was struck down. + </p> + <p> + "Stand over him, Osgod!" he shouted, and with a bound was beside his + companion, cutting down a Breton who was about to thrust his spear into + him. At the same moment a club descended on his helmet, bringing him for a + moment to his knee. He sprang up again, Osgod striking his opponent to the + ground before he could repeat his blow. + </p> + <p> + For two or three minutes the fight went on. Wulf received more than one + stab from the Breton knives, as two or three of them often rushed in upon + him at once, but each time when he was hard pressed Osgod's axe freed him + from his assailants, for so terrible were the blows dealt by the tall + Saxon that the Bretons shrank from assailing him, and thus left him free + at times to render assistance to Wulf. But the combat was too unequal to + last long. A pike-thrust disabled Wulf for a moment, and as his arm fell a + blow from a club stretched him beside Guy. Osgod had also received several + wounds, but furious at his master's fall he still defended himself with + such vigour that the Bretons again fell back. They were on the point of + attacking him anew, when there was a shout, and William and Harold, + bareheaded as they had leapt from the table, and followed by a score or + two of Norman barons and soldiers, fell upon the Bretons. The latter with + cries of alarm at once fled. + </p> + <p> + By this time the Norman trumpets were everywhere sounding, and the troops + hastening out to repel the attack, which a few minutes later ceased as + suddenly as it began, the Bretons flying into the forest, where pursuit by + the heavily-armed Normans was hopeless. Returning to the tents, the duke + and Harold paused where Osgod, who had sunk to the ground as soon as the + Breton attack had ceased, was sitting by the side of his master. + </p> + <p> + "Whom have we here?" the duke asked. "Whoever they are we owe our safety + to them, Harold, for had it not been for the resistance they made, the + Bretons would have been among our tents before we had time to catch up our + arms. Bring a torch here!" he shouted; and two or three soldiers came + running up from the tents with lights. + </p> + <p> + "Methinks it is one of my men," Harold said, and repeated the duke's + question in Saxon. + </p> + <p> + "I am Osgod, my lord, the servant of Wulf of Steyning, who with his + friend, Guy de Burg, lies here beside me, I fear done to death." + </p> + <p> + "I trust not, indeed," Harold said, stooping over the bodies. + </p> + <p> + At this moment the men came up with the lights. "By the rood," William + exclaimed, "but they fought stoutly, whoever they are. The ground round + them is covered with the bodies of these Breton rascals. There must be at + least a score of them, while so far as I can see there are but three of + our men. Who are they, Harold?" + </p> + <p> + "One is Guy, son of the Baron de Burg," Harold replied. "Another is young + Wulf, and this stout fellow is his man." + </p> + <p> + "Right gallantly have they done," the duke exclaimed, "and I trust that + their lives are not spent. Let someone summon De Burg here quickly. Carry + his son to his tent, and bid my leech attend at once to his wounds and to + those of these brave Saxons." + </p> + <p> + "I will carry Wulf to his tent myself," Harold said, raising the lad and + carrying him off, while four soldiers followed bearing Osgod. They were + laid down together in Wulf's tent. As the young thane's helmet was + removed, he opened his eyes and looked round in bewilderment as he saw, by + the light of the torches, Harold and several others standing beside him. + </p> + <p> + "What has happened?" he asked faintly. + </p> + <p> + "The best thing that has happened is that you have come to yourself and + are able to speak, Wulf," Harold said. "But do not try to talk, lad, until + the leech comes and examines your wounds. You have done us all a rare + service to-night, for thanks to the carelessness of De Launey's men, most + of whom have paid for their error with their lives, we should all have + been taken by surprise had it not been for the brave stand you made. Now + we will take off your garments and see where you are wounded. They seem to + be soaked everywhere with blood." + </p> + <p> + "I received three or four gashes with their knives," Wulf said feebly, + "and I think a spear wound. How are the others?" + </p> + <p> + "I know not about Guy," Harold said, "but your man is able to speak, and + has not, I hope, received mortal injuries." + </p> + <p> + "Don't trouble yourself about me, Master Wulf," Osgod put in. "I have got + a few pricks with the knaves' knives, and a spear-thrust or two, but as I + was able to keep on my feet until the earl arrived with help, I think the + wounds are of no great consequence." + </p> + <p> + "If aught happens to me," Wulf said to Harold, "I pray you to see to him, + my lord, and to take him as one of your own men. Had it not been for him + the Bretons would have made short work of us." + </p> + <p> + He could barely utter the words, and again became insensible from loss of + blood. + </p> + <p> + When he recovered the leech was kneeling beside him, pouring oil into his + wounds and applying bandages. + </p> + <p> + "Do not try to talk," he said quietly, as Wulf opened his eyes. "Lie quite + still, the least movement might cause your wounds to break out afresh. + They are serious, but I think not of a mortal nature." + </p> + <p> + "Guy?" Wulf whispered. + </p> + <p> + "He is in a more perilous condition than you are, but it is possible that + he too may live. As for your man here, I have as yet but glanced at his + wounds; but though cut sorely, I have no fear for his life. Now drink this + potion, and then go off to sleep if you can." + </p> + <p> + Wulf drank off the contents of the goblet placed to his lips, and in a few + minutes was fast asleep. When he woke it was broad daylight, and Beorn was + sitting by his side. The latter put his finger to his lips. + </p> + <p> + "You are not to talk, Wulf. The leech gave me the strictest orders when he + was here a short time since, and said that you seemed to be doing well. + Osgod he says will surely recover, and be none the worse for the letting + out of some of his blood. The Bretons were too hasty with their strokes, + and although he has a dozen wounds none of them are serious. Guy de Burg + is alive, but as yet the leech can say nothing. It has been a bad + business. It seems that De Launey's men were most of them killed whilst + they were asleep. The bodies of the sentries were found at their posts, + but whether they were asleep, or whether, as is thought more likely, their + foes stole up and killed them before they had time to utter a cry, we know + not. The Bretons attacked at two or three other points, but nowhere with + such success, though many Normans have fallen. Everyone says that the + party which passed through De Launey's men would have reached the tents + and probably killed most of those in them had they not stopped while some + of their number attacked you and Guy de Burg. The duke and Harold have + both said that your bravery saved us from a great disaster. I would that I + had been with you, but the tent I was in was the farthest along the line, + and the Bretons were in full flight before we came upon the scene." + </p> + <p> + Presently the Baron de Burg came to the side of the pallet on which Wulf + was lying. "I cannot say that I owe you the life of my son," he said, + laying his hand gently upon Wulf's, "for I know not as yet whether he will + live, but he was sensible when we brought him to my tent, and he told me + that you had stood over him and defended him from the Bretons until you + too fell. He was sensible all the time, though unable to move." + </p> + <p> + "It was Osgod who did most of the fighting, my lord," Wulf said. + </p> + <p> + "He did much, Wulf, and it will be my pleasure to reward him, but the + duke, who is full of admiration at the slaughter done by three alone, has + caused the bodies to be examined. Twelve of them were killed with axe + wounds, nine by sword wounds. Guy tells me that he knows that only two + fell to his sword, therefore you must have slain seven. Truly a feat that + any man might be proud of, to say nothing of a lad of your age. Guy is + anxious to have you with him, and the leech said that if you keep quiet + to-day, and none of your wounds break out afresh, it will do you no harm + to be carried to my tent." + </p> + <p> + Accordingly the next day Wulf was carried across to Lord de Burg's, and + his pallet set down by the side of Guy's. The latter was a little better, + and the leech had faint hopes of his recovery. His right arm had been + broken by a blow with a club, and so badly fractured that it had already + been taken off near the shoulder. His most dangerous wound was a + pike-thrust on the left side, which had penetrated his lungs. He smiled + faintly as Wulf was placed by his side. Wulf tried to smile back again, + but he was too much shocked at the change in his friend's appearance. His + cheeks had fallen in, and his face was deadly pale. His lips were almost + colourless, and his eyes seemed unnaturally large. Wulf made an effort to + speak cheerfully. + </p> + <p> + "We did not expect to come to this so soon, Guy," he said. "We have often + talked about fighting, but we never thought that our first serious fight + would end like this." + </p> + <p> + "You have nothing to regret," Baron de Burg said. "You have both done your + duty nobly, and one of gentle blood can wish for no better end than to die + doing his duty against great odds. God grant that you may both be spared, + but if it be otherwise, death could not come to you more gloriously than + in giving your lives to save your lords from surprise." + </p> + <p> + Wulf's recovery was comparatively rapid. He was greatly pleased when, a + week after his removal, Osgod was brought into the tent by Harold. He was + still pale and feeble, but was able to walk, and assured his young lord + that he should soon be ready for another fight with the Bretons. + </p> + <p> + "There will be no more fighting," Harold said. "Yesterday their chiefs + came in to make their submission and ask for mercy, and on this being + granted their fortress has surrendered this morning. They will pay a heavy + fine in cattle, and their two strongest fortresses are to be garrisoned by + Norman troops. A considerable slice of their territory is to be taken from + them. In a week I hope we shall all be on our way back to Rouen." + </p> + <p> + Guy was mending very slowly. Even yet the leech could not say with + certainty that his life would be saved, and warned his father that in any + case he would for a very long time be an invalid. In another week the camp + was broken up. Wulf declared that he was well enough to sit a horse, but + the leech insisted that he should be carried on a litter. + </p> + <p> + "In another fortnight," he said, "you may be able to ride, but it would + not be safe to attempt to do so now. You are going on as well as could be + wished, and it would be madness to risk everything by haste." + </p> + <p> + Accordingly he and Guy were transported in litters to the baron's + residence, where Wulf steadily recovered his health and strength. Osgod, + who had received a heavy purse of gold from the baron, had at the end of + that time entirely recovered; Guy still lay pale and feeble on his couch. + </p> + <p> + "I scarcely wish to live," he said one day to his father. "I can never be + a warrior now. What have I got to live for?" + </p> + <p> + "You have much to live for, Guy," his father said, "even if you never + bestride a war-horse. You have made a name for yourself for bravery, and + will always be held in respect. It is not as if you had been from your + birth weak and feeble. You will in time, I hope, come to be lord of our + estates and to look after our people, and be beloved by them; and, if you + cannot yourself lead them in the field, you can see that they go well + equipped, and do honour to your banner. There are other things besides + fighting to live for." + </p> + <p> + "I would that you had had another son, father, and that Wulf had been my + brother. I should not so much have minded then that I could not myself + carry the banner of De Burg into the field." + </p> + <p> + "Had he been one of ourselves, Guy, that might have come about," his + father said, "for if I have no other son I have a daughter. But this young + Saxon has his own estates in his own country. He would not settle down + here as a Norman baron, and I would not lose Agnes nor be willing that she + should go from us to dwell in a foreign land. But no one can say what the + future will bring about. The duke has promised one of his daughters to + Harold, and should the marriage come off it will bind the two peoples more + closely together. Besides, you know, Edward of England has promised to + Duke William that he should succeed him." + </p> + <p> + "I was speaking to Wulf about that one day, father, and he said that + Edward had no power to make the gift, for that the people of England chose + their king themselves, and that Edward's promise would go for nothing with + them. It is not with them as it is with us, where a prince can name his + successor." + </p> + <p> + "That may be Saxon opinion, Guy, but it is not Norman, and assuredly it is + not the duke's; and friendly as are the relations between him and Harold, + it is clear that until this question is settled no permanent friendship + can be looked for between the two nations." + </p> + <p> + Wulf was sorry when the time came that he could no longer linger at Baron + de Burg's chateau. The earl had more than once sent over to say that his + presence was looked for at court as soon as he was sufficiently recovered + to attend there, but he stayed on until he felt so thoroughly strong and + well that he could not make his health any longer an excuse. On leaving, + De Burg and his wife both pressed him to come over whenever he could spare + time. + </p> + <p> + "You know, Wulf," the former said, "how warm is the affection Guy has for + you, and he will look very eagerly for your visits. Just at present he has + very few pleasures in life, and chief among them will be your comings. We + are all dull here, lad, and Agnes will miss you sorely." + </p> + <p> + "I will ride over whenever I can. I should be ungrateful indeed did I not + do so, after the great kindness you and Lady de Burg have shown me; but + even putting this aside I will come every day if I can, if only for half + an hour's talk with Guy." + </p> + <p> + "I am glad to see you back again, Wulf," Earl Harold said as the lad + entered his room. "You look strong and well again, and might, methinks, + have come to us before now." + </p> + <p> + "I could have done so, doubtless, my lord, but it pained me to leave Guy, + who is still on his couch, and will, I fear, never be strong and well + again." + </p> + <p> + "We heard but a poor account of him from the duke's leech," Harold said. + "It is a sad thing; for one, who as a lad has shown such bravery, would + have turned out a gallant knight. I should have let you linger there for + some time yet, but the duke has frequently asked after you, and I thought + it were best that you came over; though, in truth, there will be little + for you to do here, and you will be able to ride and see your friend when + you will." + </p> + <p> + "Are we likely to go back to England soon, my lord?" + </p> + <p> + "I trust it will not be long. I have spoken of it more than once to the + duke, but he chides me for being weary of his company; which indeed I am + not, for no man could have treated another better than he has done me. + Still," he said, walking up and down the room, "I am impatient to be off, + but I am no more free to choose my time here that I was at Beaurain. It is + a velvet glove that is placed on my shoulder, but there is an iron hand in + it, I know right well." + </p> + <p> + "Is there no possibility of escaping, my lord?" + </p> + <p> + Harold looked keenly at the boy. "No, Wulf, treated as I am as a guest I + cannot fly without incurring the reproach of the basest ingratitude, nor + even if I wished it could I escape. Under the excuse of doing me honour, + there are Norman soldiers at the gate, and a Norman sentry stands at my + door. I must go through with it now, and if need be promise all that + William asks. This time there is nowhere to send you to fetch aid for me. + You have heard, I suppose, that William has promised me his daughter in + marriage?" + </p> + <p> + "Yes, my lord, I have heard it. Is the marriage to take place soon?" + </p> + <p> + Harold smiled. "The duke will not wish it to take place until he sees that + he can secure my services by the marriage. If that time should never come + I shall probably hear no more of it. Engagements have been broken off + before now many a time, and absolution for a broken promise of that kind + is not hard to obtain. You must attend the court this evening, Wulf." + </p> + <p> + Wulf bowed and withdrew, and in the evening attended the court in the + suite of Harold. As soon as the duke's eye fell upon him he called him up. + </p> + <p> + "Messieurs," he said to the barons present, "this lad is Wulf, Thane of + Steyning, and a follower of Earl Harold. He it was who, with the young Guy + de Burg, and aided only by a Saxon man-at-arms, withstood the first rush + of the Bretons, and so gained time by which I myself and my barons were + able to prepare ourselves to resist the attack. Had it not been for them + we should all have been taken by surprise, and maybe slain. The Saxon and + the two lads, Wulf and De Burg, all fell wounded well-nigh to death, but + not before twenty-one Bretons lay dead around them. This was indeed a feat + of arms that any of you, valiant knights and barons as you are, might have + been proud to perform. + </p> + <p> + "Already I had promised him any boon that in reason he may ask for having + borne to me the news that Earl Harold, my honoured guest and + brother-in-arms, had been cast on our shores, and I promise him now, that + should at any time it happen that I have any power or influence in + England, his estates shall remain to him and to his heirs free from all + service or dues, even though he has withstood me in arms;—nay, more, + that they shall be largely added to. Should such issue never arise, and + aught occur to render him desirous of crossing the seas hither, I promise + him a baron's feu as a token of my gratitude for the great service he + rendered me; and I am well assured that, whether to a King of England or + to a Duke of Normandy, he will prove himself a true and faithful follower. + I call on you all here to witness this promise that I have made, and + should there be need, to recall it to my memory." + </p> + <p> + The Normans above all things admired valour, and when Wulf, after kneeling + and kissing the duke's hand, retired shamefacedly to a corner of the room, + where he was joined by Beorn, one after another came up to him and said a + few words of approbation. + </p> + <p> + "You have done well, young sir," Fitz-Osberne, one of the duke's most + trusted councillors said to him. "The duke is not given to overpraise, and + assuredly no one of your age has ever won such commendation from his lips. + After making so fair a commencement, it will be your own fault indeed if + you do not make a great name for yourself in the future. There is not one + of us who was in the duke's camp that evening but feels that he owes you + much for the few minutes' delay that saved us from being taken altogether + by surprise. You are young, and may think but little of the promise the + duke has given you this evening, but the day may come when you will find + it stand you in good stead." + </p> + <p> + Harold said nearly the same thing to Wulf when he saw him the next + morning. + </p> + <p> + "But there is no chance of the duke ever having power in England, my + lord," Wulf said. + </p> + <p> + "I trust not, Wulf, but there is no doubt that his whole mind is bent upon + obtaining the throne of England. He has spoken to me openly about it, and + has more than hinted to me that I, if married to his daughter, would + still, as Earl of Wessex, be the foremost man in the land next to its + sovereign should he ever gain the kingdom." + </p> + <p> + "And what said you, my lord, if I may be so bold as to ask?" + </p> + <p> + "I said but little, lad. I am a prisoner, and I am well assured that I + shall never return to England until William thinks that he can depend upon + me. It is needful that I should return, and that quickly, for I hear that + there is fresh trouble in Wales, and I have received an urgent message + from the king to hasten to his side. It is hard to see what it is best to + do." + </p> + <p> + Four days later a grand ceremony was announced to take place, but few knew + what its nature was to be. That it was something beyond the ordinary was + certain by the number of barons and knights that were bidden to attend. A + dais was erected in the courtyard of the palace, and on this a table + covered with a cloth was placed. + </p> + <p> + "I don't like this business," Wulf said to Beorn, as with the other Saxons + they took their place near the dais. "There is something very mysterious + about it, and I believe that at last we are going to see what William's + full intentions are." + </p> + <p> + A religious ceremony was first held, and then the duke rose to his feet + and addressed the barons. He first recalled to them the promise that + Edward of England had made to him, and then went on: "The saints have + worked in my favour," he said, "by sending here as my guest my + well-beloved brother-in-arms, the great Earl of Wessex. Between us there + is the closest friendship, and to cement and make even closer the bonds + between us, he has become betrothed to my daughter, and through the lands + I shall bestow upon her he will become a baron of Normandy. Relying upon + his affection and friendship, I have called you here together to hear him + swear in public that which he has already told me privately—that he + will be my faithful feudatory, and will in all ways aid me to gain my + lawful rights." + </p> + <p> + Harold changed colour. The matter had come upon him as a surprise. + Doubtless he had in a vague way when discussing his future relations as + son-in-law to the duke, expressed his warm friendship and a general + willingness to be of service to him, but to be called upon to take an oath + publicly was a different matter. Most of those present had taken oaths of + allegiance to William and had broken them again and again, and William + himself had not less frequently broken his feudal oaths to his suzerain, + the King of France. But Harold was a man with a deep sense of religion, + and did not esteem as lightly as these Norman barons an oath thus sworn; + but he felt that he had fallen into a trap, and that resistance would but + consign him to a prison, if not a grave. + </p> + <p> + He at once understood how hollow had been the pretended friendship of his + host; but he was in William's power, and unless as a friend the duke would + never permit so formidable a rival to quit his shores. As he hesitated he + saw a movement on the part of the Norman knights near the dais, and + understood that they had been previously informed of William's intentions, + and were there to enforce them. Their brows were bent on him angrily as he + hesitated, and more than one hand went to the hilt of the wearer's sword. + There was no drawing back, and placing his hand on the table he swore the + oath William had dictated. When he concluded William snatched the cloth + from the table, and below it were seen a number of bones and sacred relics + that had been brought from the cathedral. + </p> + <p> + Enlightened as Harold was, he was not altogether free from the + superstitions of the age. For a moment he shuddered slightly and grew + paler than before, then he drew himself up to his full height, and looked + calmly into the exulting face of William. + </p> + <p> + "I call you all to witness," the duke said in a loud voice, "that Harold, + Earl of Wessex, has taken a solemn oath upon the holy relics to be my + faithful feudatory." + </p> + <p> + The shout that answered him was by no means universal, for there were many + among the Norman nobles who were shocked at the base trick that the duke + had played upon a guest for whom he had professed the warmest friendship. + The Saxon thanes could scarce contain their expressions of indignation, + but Harold as he sat down among them made a gesture commanding silence. + </p> + <p> + "We sail for England to-morrow night," he said in low tones. "The duke + told me so as we came hither. The two ships will be in readiness for us to + embark in the morning. I did not understand then the price I was to pay. + Restrain yourselves now; when we are free men we can talk this over." + </p> + <p> + An hour later they returned to the palace, where there was a brief and + formal interview between Harold and the duke. Both dissembled their real + feelings. The duke said that he regretted that the King of England's + wishes forced his guest to start so suddenly, and that he much regretted + his departure. Harold thanked him for the hospitality he had shown him, + but neither made any allusion whatever to the scene that had taken place + in the courtyard. Wulf rode over to say good-bye to Guy and his father. + The latter was walking up and down the hall with a gloomy face. + </p> + <p> + "I blush for what has taken place to-day, Wulf," he said. "Tell the earl + that had we known what was going to occur there are few indeed who would + have attended at the ceremony, and that I for one shall hold him in no way + dishonoured if he breaks the vow that has thus been dishonourably extorted + from him. It was a trick and a base one, and I would tell Duke William so + to his face. What will men think of Norman faith when guests are thus + tricked to their disadvantage?" + </p> + <p> + For an hour Wulf remained talking with the baron and his family. + </p> + <p> + "I hope to see you again, Wulf," De Burg said, as the lad rose to take + leave. "Guy regards you as a brother, and though assuredly no Saxon will + set foot on Norman soil after to-day's doings, we may yet meet again." + </p> + <p> + "I shall come over to England to see you, Wulf, if you come not here," Guy + said. "I begin to think that I shall get over this, although I may never + be really strong again. We shall often think and talk of you, Agnes and I; + and I should like, of all things, to come and stay in your Saxon home." + </p> + <p> + "No one would be so welcome, Guy. If we are never to be brothers-in-arms + as we once talked of, we shall surely be brothers in heart, whether absent + or present." + </p> + <p> + A few more words and Wulf took leave of them all and rode back to Rouen. + In the morning the duke accompanied Harold to the river bank and there + took a courteous farewell of him. It is not probable that he thought for a + moment that Harold would observe the oath, but he saw that its breach + would be almost as useful to him as its fulfilment, for it would enable + him to denounce his rival as a perjured and faithless man, and to + represent any expedition against England as being a sort of crusade to + punish one who had broken the most solemn vows made on the holy relics. + Harold himself preserved his usual calmness of demeanour, and stood + talking quietly to the duke while the latter's presents of hawks and + hounds were taken on board the ship, and the Saxons, silent and sullen, + had passed over the gangway. Then an apparently affectionate embrace was + exchanged between the two rivals. Harold crossed on to the ship, the great + sails were hoisted, and the two vessels proceeded down the river. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0008" id="link2HCH0008"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VIII. — TROUBLE WITH WALES. + </h2> + <p> + Harold took his place on the poop as the vessel started, and remained + looking fixedly at the duke, until the latter with the group of barons + turned and entered the town. + </p> + <p> + "Farewell, William of Normandy," he said; "false friend and dishonoured + host. How shall we meet next time, I wonder, and where?" + </p> + <p> + Hitherto the presence of the Norman attendants had prevented any private + converse between Harold and his followers, but having the poop to + themselves they now broke out into angry exclamations against the duke. + </p> + <p> + "It was an unworthy and unknightly trick," Harold said calmly; "but let us + not talk of it now; it will be for the English people to decide the + question some day, and for English bishops to determine whether I am bound + by a vow thus extorted. Better at all events that I should be held for all + time to have been false and perjured, than that the English people should + fall under the Norman yoke. But maybe there will be no occasion for the + oath ever to come in question, William of Normandy or I may die before the + king, and then there will be an end of it. Let us talk of other things. + Thank God we are free men again, and our faces are set towards England, + where, from what I hear, we may have to meet open foes instead of false + friends, and may have to teach the Welsh, once and for all, that they and + their king cannot with impunity continually rise in rebellion against + England. + </p> + <p> + "Well, Wulf, you are the only one among us who has brought back aught from + Normandy, at least you and Beorn, for you have your horses and chains, and + the promise of the duke to grant you a boon. But these are small things. + You have gained great credit, and have shown yourself a gallant fighter, + and have further promises from the duke." + </p> + <p> + "I care not for his promises," Wulf said hotly. "I hold him to be a + dishonoured noble, and I would take naught from his hands." + </p> + <p> + "You are young yet, Wulf," Harold smiled, "and the duke's promise, made + before his nobles, will be held binding by him if ever the time should + come for you to claim it. Do not refuse benefits, lad, because you do not + like the hands that grant them. You rendered him a service, and need feel + no shame at receiving the reward for it. As soon as we return I shall take + steps to raise you and Beorn to the full dignity of thanes, with all + rights and privileges. My brother and my friends here can all testify to + the service you rendered to us, for much as I may have to complain of the + ending of my visit, it has at least been vastly better than our lot would + have been had we remained in the hands of Conrad of Ponthieu. You are both + very young to be placed in the position of rulers of your people, and in + ordinary cases you would not have been sworn to thane's services for some + years to come; but, as Earl of Wessex, I see good reason for departing + from the rule on this occasion, and I think that my thanes here will all + be of that opinion." There was a warm expression of approval from the + Saxons. "Then as soon as we set foot on English soil we will hold a court, + and invest you with your full rank." + </p> + <p> + They started from the mouth of the Seine, and as there was no nearer port + than that from which they had sailed, Harold directed the masters of the + ships to make for Bosham. + </p> + <p> + "It is like to be a fairer voyage than the last," he said, as with a light + breeze blowing behind them they sailed out from the mouth of the Seine. + "It will be longer, but assuredly more pleasant." + </p> + <p> + No incident whatever marked the voyage. The Saxons gave a shout of joy + when they first made out the outline of the hills of the Isle of Wight, + some twelve hours after leaving the mouth of the river; but it was not + until eight hours afterwards that they entered the harbour of Bosham. As + soon as the two Norman vessels were seen sailing up the quiet sheet of + water, everywhere fringed with forest, boats put out to meet them, to + ascertain the reason of their coming and to inquire for news of Harold and + his companions. As soon as his figure was made out standing on the poop, + one of the boats rowed off with the news, and by the time the vessels + dropped anchor off Bosham the whole of the inhabitants had gathered on the + shore, with loud shouts of joy and welcome. + </p> + <p> + As soon as they landed Harold and his companions proceeded at once to the + church, where a solemn service of thanksgiving was held for their + preservation from the dangers of the sea and for their safe return to + England. As soon as the service was over Harold sent off two horsemen to + bear to the king the news of his return, and to state that he himself + would ride to London on the following day. Then the earl bestowed handsome + presents upon the masters and crews of the ships that had brought them + over, and gave into their charge hawks and hounds, rich armour, and other + presents for the Duke of Normandy, and jewelled cups and other gifts to + the principal barons of his court. + </p> + <p> + The gifts were indeed of royal magnificence; but Harold's wealth was vast, + and, as he said to his brother, "We will at least show these Normans, that + in point of generosity an English earl is not to be outdone by a Norman + duke." As soon as these matters were attended to Harold held a court in + the great hall of Bosham, and there received the oaths of fealty from Wulf + and Beorn, and confirmed to them the possessions held by their fathers, + and invested them with the gold chains worn by thanes as the sign of their + rank. He afterwards bestowed a purse of gold upon Osgod, equal in value to + the one he had received from the Duke of Normandy. + </p> + <p> + "Should aught ever happen to your master," he said, "come you to me and + you shall be one of my own men, and shall not lack advancement in my + service." + </p> + <p> + "In faith, Master Wulf," Osgod said after the ceremony, "my father warned + me that the trade of a soldier was but a poor one, and that a good + handicraftsman could gain far more money. He will open his eyes when I + jingle these purses before him, for I might have hammered armour for years + before I gained as much as I have done in the three months since I left + England. I have enough to buy a farm and settle down did it so please me, + and I have clothes enough to last me well-nigh a lifetime, and rings + enough to set up a goldsmith's shop. For scarce one of the duke's barons + and knights but followed his example, and gave me a present for my share + in that little fight with the Bretons." + </p> + <p> + "As for the clothes, they will always be useful, Osgod; but were I you I + would get a stout leathern bag and put the purses and rings into it, and + bury them in some place known only to yourself, and where none are ever + likely to light upon them. You have no occasion for money now, and we may + hope that ere long all occasion for fighting will be over, and then, as + you say, you can buy a farm and marry." + </p> + <p> + "I am going always to remain your man," Osgod said in an aggrieved tone. + </p> + <p> + "Certainly, Osgod, I should wish for nothing else. You will always be my + friend, and shall have any post on the estates or in the house that you + may prefer. There will be no occasion for you to farm your land yourself, + you can let it, receiving the value of half the produce, and so taking + rank as a landowner, for which you yourself may care nothing, but which + will enable your wife to hold her head higher." + </p> + <p> + "I am not thinking of wives, my lord." + </p> + <p> + "Nonsense, Osgod, I want not to be called my lord." + </p> + <p> + "But you are a thane now and must be called so," Osgod said sternly; "and + it would be ill-becoming indeed if I your man did not so address you. But + I will take your advice about the gold, and when I get down to Steyning + will bury it deeply under the roots of a tree. It will be safer there than + if I buried it in my father's forge, for London is ever the centre of + troubles, and might be sacked and burnt down should there ever be war + between Mercia or Northumbria and Wessex." + </p> + <p> + "Heaven forbid that we should have more civil wars, Osgod." + </p> + <p> + "Amen to that, but there is never any saying. Assuredly Edwin and Morcar + love not our earl, and as to Tostig, though he is his brother, he is + hot-headed and passionate enough to play any part. And then there are the + Normans, and there is no doubt the duke will have to be reckoned with. + Altogether methinks my money will be safer under an oak-tree down at + Steyning than at Westminster." + </p> + <p> + "You are right enough there, Osgod; by all means carry out your ideas. But + there is the bell for supper, and I must go." + </p> + <p> + The next morning the party started at daybreak, and late that night + arrived at Westminster. There were great rejoicings in London and + throughout the south of England when it was known that the great earl had + returned from Normandy. Much uneasiness had been felt at his long absence, + and although accounts had come from time to time of the honour with which + he had been treated by Duke William, many felt that his prolonged stay was + an enforced one, and that he was a prisoner rather than a guest of the + duke. + </p> + <p> + The king himself was as rejoiced as his subjects at Harold's return. + Although in the early years of his reign he had been bitterly opposed to + the powerful family of Earl Godwin, to whom he owed his throne, he had of + late years learnt to appreciate the wisdom of Harold; and although still + Norman in his tastes as in his language, he had become much more English + at heart, and bitterly regretted the promise that he had years before + rashly given to the Duke of Normandy. + </p> + <p> + Harold too had relieved him of all the cares of government, which he + hated, and had enabled him to give his whole time and thought to religious + exercises, and to the rearing of the splendid abbey which was his chief + pleasure and pride. In his absence Edward had been obliged to attend to + state business. He was worried with the jealousies and demands of the Earl + of Mercia, with the constant complaints of the Northumbrians against their + harsh and imperious master Tostig, and by the fact that the Welsh were + taking advantage of the absence of Harold to cause fresh troubles. It was + just Christmas when Harold returned, and the snow fell heavily on the + night of his arrival at Westminster. + </p> + <p> + "It was lucky it did not come a few hours earlier, Beorn," Wulf said, as + he looked out of the casement. "We had a long and heavy ride yesterday, + and we could not have done it in one day had the snow been on the ground. + I suppose there will be a number of court festivities over Harold's + return. We have had enough of that sort of thing in Normandy, and I hope + that Harold will let us return at once to our estates." + </p> + <p> + "Speak for yourself, Wulf; for myself I love the court, and now that I am + a thane I shall enjoy it all the more." + </p> + <p> + "And I all the less," Wulf said. "Fifteen months ago we were but pages and + could at least have some fun, now we shall have to bear ourselves as men, + and the ladies of the court will be laughing at us and calling us the + little thanes, and there will be no getting away and going round to the + smithy to watch Osgod's father and men forging weapons. It will be all + very stupid." + </p> + <p> + In a short time an attendant summoned them to breakfast, and here they sat + down with the other thanes, Harold's wing of the palace being distinct + from that of the king. The earl sat at the head of the table, and talked + in undertones to his brother Gurth and two or three of his principal + thanes. The personal retainers of the nobles stood behind their seats and + served them with food, while Harold's pages waited on him and those + sitting next to him. + </p> + <p> + "We were a merrier party in the pages' room," Beorn whispered to Wulf, for + but few words were spoken as the meal went on. + </p> + <p> + "I think there is something in the air," Wulf said, "the earl looks more + serious than usual. Generally the meals are cheerful enough." + </p> + <p> + As soon as it was finished Harold said, "The king will receive you all in + half an hour, he desires to express to you his pleasure at your return + home. After that I beg that you will again gather here, as I have occasion + to speak to you." + </p> + <p> + The court was a more formal one than usual, the king's Norman + functionaries were all present as were several ecclesiastics. Among them + the Bishop of London, behind whom stood Wulf's old adversary, Walter + Fitz-Urse. Earl Harold introduced his companions in captivity, the king + receiving them very graciously. + </p> + <p> + "I am glad to see that you have all returned safely," he said. "The earl + tells me that you have all borne yourselves well in the battles you have + fought under the banner of my friend and ally Duke William of Normandy, + and that you have proved to his countrymen that the English are in no whit + inferior to themselves in courage. The earl specially recommended to me + his newly-made thanes, Wulf of Steyning and Beorn of Fareham, who did him + the greatest service by effecting their escape from the castle of + Beaurain, and at great risk bearing the news of his imprisonment to Duke + William. Wulf of Steyning, he tells me, gained the highest approval of the + duke and his knights by a deed of bravery when their camp was surprised by + the Bretons. The earl has informed me that in consideration of these + services he has advanced them to the rank of thanes, and confirmed them in + their father's possessions, and as service rendered to him is service + rendered to me, I thus bestow upon them a token of my approval;" and + beckoning to the young thanes to advance, he took two heavy gold bracelets + from his arm, and himself fastened them on those of the kneeling lads. + </p> + <p> + When the ceremony was over, Harold's party returned to the room where they + had breakfasted. It was an hour before the earl joined them. + </p> + <p> + "I have been in council with the king," he said, "and have thus been + forced to keep you waiting. We heard when abroad that the Welsh were again + becoming troublesome, but I find that matters are much worse than I had + supposed. Griffith has broken out into open rebellion; he has ravaged all + the borders, has entered the diocese of Wulfstan, the new Bishop of + Worcester, and carried his arms beyond the Severn, laying waste part of my + own earldom of Hereford. Edwin, who has just succeeded his father in the + earldom of Worcester, is young and new to his government, and, moreover, + his father was an ally of Griffith's. In any case, he needs far larger + forces than those at his command to undertake a war with the Welsh. This + time we must finish with them; treaties are of no avail they are ever + broken on the first opportunity, and a blow must be dealt that will render + them powerless for harm for generations to come. + </p> + <p> + "Therefore the king has commissioned me forthwith to act in the matter, + not only as Lord of Hereford but as Earl of the West Saxons. Winter is + upon us, and it will be impossible to undertake a regular campaign. Still + a blow must be struck, and that quickly and heavily in order to stop the + depredation and ruin they are spreading in the west counties. The + preparations must be secret and the blow sudden. There is no time for + calling out levies, that must be done in the spring. I must act only with + mounted men. I have already sent off a messenger to Bosham to bid my + housecarls mount and ride to Salisbury. They will number two hundred. I + pray you all to leave at once for your estates, or to send an order by a + swift messenger for your housecarls to ride to Salisbury, whither I myself + shall proceed in three days. Will each of you give me the tale of the + number of armed men who can take horse at an hour's notice." + </p> + <p> + Each of those present gave the number of housecarls in his service, and + they all expressed their willingness to ride themselves, in order to get + them ready the more speedily. The total mounted to three hundred and fifty + men. + </p> + <p> + "That with my own two hundred will be well-nigh sufficient," Harold said; + "but I will send off messengers at once to some of the thanes of Dorset + and Somerset to join us at Gloucester with their men, so that we shall be + fully a thousand strong, which will be ample for my purpose. I need not + impress upon you all to preserve an absolute silence as to the object for + which you are calling out your men. News spreads fast, and an incautious + word might ruin our enterprise. There is no occasion for you all to + accompany your men. Those of you who have been with me in Normandy will + doubtless desire to stay for a while with your wives and families, and you + may do equally good service by making preparations there for a more + serious campaign in the spring. I beg these to send with their housecarls + a trusted officer, and bid him place himself and his men under my orders." + </p> + <p> + The meeting at once broke up. + </p> + <p> + "I suppose you young warriors will bring your own men to Salisbury?" + Harold said, as Wulf and Beorn came up to take their leave of him. + </p> + <p> + "Certainly, my lord," Beorn said. "We have neither family nor relations to + keep us at home, and even if we had it would not suffice to keep us from + following your banner." + </p> + <p> + "It will be a warfare like that in which you have been engaged across the + sea," Harold said. "The Bretons you there fought with are kinsfolk of the + Welsh, speaking the same language, and being alike in customs and in + fighting. They trust to surprises, and to their speed of foot and + knowledge of their wild country, rather than to hard fighting in the open + plain. They have few towns to capture, and it is therefore hard to execute + reprisals upon them. Like the Bretons they are brave, and fight savagely + until the last, neither giving nor asking for quarter. They believe that + their country, which is so wild and hilly as to be a great natural + fortress, is unconquerable, and certainly neither Saxon nor Dane has ever + succeeded in getting any foothold there. But when the spring comes I hope + to teach them that even their wild hills are no defence, and that their + habits of savage plundering must be abandoned or we will exterminate them + altogether. But I have no thought of undertaking such a campaign now. Of + course you will take that tall follower of yours with you, Wulf." + </p> + <p> + "I fear that he would not stay behind even if I ordered him to do so," + Wulf laughed. "He will be overjoyed when I tell him there is a prospect of + fighting again, and all the more if it is against kinsmen of the Bretons, + against whom he feels a special grudge." + </p> + <p> + "The feeling would be more natural the other way," Harold said smiling, + "seeing that he inflicted upon them far greater damage than he received. + You will find fresh horses awaiting you. None of those that carried us + from Bosham yesterday are fit for another such journey to-day." + </p> + <p> + Wulf had told Osgod the first thing in the morning that he could return to + his family for a few days, only coming to the palace to serve his meals, + and he now hurried away to the armourer's shop, where he found that but + little work was going on, the men being absorbed in listening to Osgod's + account of his adventures. Ulred and the men rose and saluted respectfully + as Wulf entered. + </p> + <p> + "I am sorry to disturb you, Ulred," he said, "but I have come to fetch + Osgod away again. That is if he would prefer riding with me to remaining + quiet with you at home." + </p> + <p> + "If you are going, master, assuredly I am going with you," Osgod said. "I + am dry with talking already, and father must wait for the rest of my story + until I come back again. Are we going down to Steyning, my lord?" + </p> + <p> + "There first and afterwards elsewhere, but that is all I can tell you now. + The horses are ready, and there is not a moment to lose. We must get as + far on our way as possible before nightfall, for the matter is an urgent + one." + </p> + <p> + "I am ready," Osgod said, girding on his sword and putting his cap on his + head. "Good-bye, father. Tell mother I shall be back when I am back, and + that is all I can say about it." + </p> + <p> + They reached Steyning at two o'clock on the following afternoon, and + messengers were instantly sent round to the farms, bidding the men who + were bound as housecarls to appear on horseback and armed, with two days' + food in their wallets, an hour before daybreak next morning. Then a + messenger was despatched with a letter to the prior of Bramber, telling + him of Wulf's safe return, and begging him to excuse his coming over to + see him, as he had ridden nigh a hundred and fifty miles in three days, + and was forced to set out again at daybreak the next morning. As Wulf had + hoped, the letter was answered by the prior in person, and to him Wulf + related that evening the incidents of their stay in Normandy. + </p> + <p> + The prior shook his head. + </p> + <p> + "I have feared ever since I heard that Harold had fallen into the clutches + of the duke, that he would never get off scot free, but would either have + to pay a heavy ransom or make some concessions that would be even worse + for England. It is a bad business, Wulf, a bad business. The church has + ever been ready to grant absolution from oaths extracted by violence, but + this affair of the relics makes it more serious, and you may be sure that + William will make the most of the advantage he has gained. Harold is + absolutely powerless to fulfil his oath. Neither he nor the king, nor any + other man, can force a foreign monarch upon free England. And did Harold + declare for the Duke of Normandy, powerful and beloved as he is, he would + be driven into exile instantly. If he himself is elected king by the + people, as there is no doubt whatever will be the case, he must needs obey + their voice, and will have no choice between being King of England or an + exile. Still it is unfortunate. He will be branded as a perjurer. + William's influence may even induce the pope to excommunicate him, and + although the ban would go for but little here, it would serve as an excuse + for the other great earls to refuse to submit to his authority. Now tell + me, how is it that you have to ride again so suddenly when but just + arrived?" + </p> + <p> + "I can tell you, father, though I can tell no one else. Harold has ordered + us to bring out our housecarls, and with them he means to deal a blow + against the Welsh, who have been devastating our western counties. The + expedition is to be secret and sudden, although against what point and in + what manner the blow is to be struck Harold has kept his own counsel." + </p> + <p> + "The Welsh are ever a thorn in our side," the prior said, "and treaties + with them are useless. I trust that Harold will succeed in thoroughly + reducing them to obedience, for whenever there is trouble in the kingdom + they take advantage of it, and are ready to form alliances with any + ambitious earl who hoists the standard of revolt. And so you say Harold + has already made you full thane? I am well pleased to hear it, if for no + other reason than that it is good for people when they are ruled over by + their own lord and not by a stranger; though I say nothing against Egbert, + Harold's steward. Still no man can rule like the master himself." + </p> + <p> + At the first dawn of day Wulf mounted, and rode away from the palace + followed by Osgod. He was clad now in the ringed armour, a suit of which + he had had made of lighter material than usual. Only on the shoulders and + over the chest was the leather of the usual thickness, elsewhere it was + thin and extremely soft, and the rings did not overlap each other as much + as usual. The weight, therefore, was much less than that ordinarily worn + by thanes, although it differed but little from it in appearance. The + helmet, also, was of stout leather, thickly covered with metal rings, and + the flap fell down over the neck and ears, having a bar coming down in + front to protect the nose. + </p> + <p> + Osgod's suit was thicker and heavier, and was similar to that of the forty + men who were drawn up in two lines under the soldier whom Harold had sent + down to train them. They were a stout set of young fellows, well mounted + and armed, and as they broke into a cry of "Welcome to our thane," Wulf + felt proud to command such a body. + </p> + <p> + "Thanks, my friends," he said heartily. "I am glad to see that not one is + missing from your number, and feel sure that you will do credit to my + banner." + </p> + <p> + They rode that day to Fareham, where they received a hearty welcome from + Beorn, and starting in the morning with his troop of thirty men, reached + Salisbury late that evening. They were met at the entrance to the town by + one of Harold's officers, who conducted them to a large barn, where straw + had been thickly strewn for the men to sleep on. The horses were fastened + outside. + </p> + <p> + "Earl Harold arrived an hour since," the officer said, "and bade me tell + you that he is lodged at the reeve's, where he expects you." + </p> + <p> + They found on arriving at the house that many of the thanes had already + come in, and that some six hundred horsemen were bestowed in the town. On + a great sideboard were pies, cold joints of meat, wine and ale, and each + thane as he arrived helped himself to such food as he desired, and then + joined the party gathered round Harold. + </p> + <p> + "We shall pick up another hundred or two as we march along to-morrow," + Harold was saying when the two young thanes joined the group, "and shall + have a good nine hundred men by the time we reach Gloucester, where I + expect to find four or five hundred more awaiting us. I hear that our + coming has made a great stir here in Salisbury, the citizens do not know + what to make of so large a body of housecarls arriving in their midst. The + reeve tells me that they were in some fear of being eaten out of house and + home until they heard that we were to march on in the morning; after that + they did their best for us, and have arranged that every man shall have + his fill of meat and ale to-night, and again before starting." + </p> + <p> + Travelling as fast and as far as the horses could carry them, the force + reached Gloucester. Here they received an even warmer welcome than had + greeted them elsewhere, for the citizens had been greatly alarmed at the + Welsh forays, and as soon as they knew that the great earl himself was + with the troops they had no doubt that he had come to give them protection + and to punish their enemies. The contingents from Somerset and Dorset had + already arrived, and without the delay of a single day the troops again + started. + </p> + <p> + The housecarls, although mounted, were not trained to fight on horseback. + Their steeds were valuable only as enabling them to move with greater + celerity across the country than they could do on foot, and to bring them + fresh and in fighting condition to the scene of action. Once there they + dismounted, and a portion being told off to look after the horses, the + main body advanced on foot against the enemy. + </p> + <p> + There was yet a long ride before them. Following the Severn on its western + side so as to avoid the passage of the Avon, they rode to Worcester, and + then up through Dudley and Shrewsbury. + </p> + <p> + It would have been shorter to have passed through Hereford and Ludlow, but + Harold feared that they might there come upon some marauding party of the + Welsh, and any of these who escaped might carry the news across the + border, when the fleet-footed mountaineers would quickly have conveyed it + to the Welsh king at his castle at Rhuddlaw. Rhuddlaw, now a small + village, is situated in Denbighshire, and was an important military + position, situated as it was at no great distance from the sea, and + commanding the Vale of Clwyd, the most important avenue into Wales from + the north. From Shrewsbury they pushed forward as rapidly as possible to + Rhuddlaw; but quickly as they had journeyed, the news of their coming was + borne more rapidly. Griffith received the news an hour before their + arrival, and mounting, rode down to the Avon and embarked on board ship. + </p> + <p> + Great was the disappointment of the earl and his followers when they found + that the object of their long march across England had failed, and that + the capture of the Welsh king, which would have put an end to the trouble, + had been missed so narrowly. The castle was at once set on fire, the Welsh + ships on the Avon were also given to the flames, and the very same day + Harold led his troops away and by easy marches took them back to + Gloucester. Here they halted. The housecarls from the south, who had never + been in contact with the Welsh, were inclined to murmur among themselves + at having been led back without striking a blow, but the contingents from + the western counties, who had had experience of this wild warfare, told + them that they might consider themselves fortunate. + </p> + <p> + "You know not what a war with these savages is," an old housecarl who had + fought them again and again said to a listening group of Wulf's men. "You + might as well fight with the evil spirits of the air as with them. Fight! + there is no fighting in it, save when they have with them Danes from the + North, or Norwegians. With these to bear the brunt of the battle the Welsh + will fight valiantly in their fashion, but alone they know that they + cannot withstand us for a moment. I have been after them a score of times, + and it is a night-mare. You go up hills and through forests, you plunge + into morasses, you scramble up precipices; you are wet, you are hungry, + you are worn out, but never do you catch sight of one of them. + </p> + <p> + "Now and then, as you wind along the face of a hill, rocks will come + thundering down; in the woods and swamps you hear their mocking yells and + laughter. At the end of the day you drop down where you halt, and then + just as you fall off to sleep there is a wild yell, and in a moment they + are swarming among you, slashing and ripping with their long knives, + crawling on the ground and springing upon you, getting among the horses + and hamstringing or cutting them open. By the time those of you that are + alive have got together they have gone, and all is so quiet that were it + not for the scattered bodies you might believe that it was all a dream. + Two or three times before morning the attack will be repeated, until you + are forced to keep under arms in military array. As soon as it is light + you recommence your march, and so it goes on day after day, until at last, + worn-out and spent, and less in strength by half than when you started, + you gather under the shelter of the walls of one of the border towns. + </p> + <p> + "I should have been glad indeed if we had caught their king, for if he had + been held hostage in London we might have had peace; but well content am I + that Harold has abstained from entering upon a campaign which, terrible as + it is even in summer, would be beyond endurance of the strongest in + winter." + </p> + <p> + "Well, for my part," Osgod, who was one of the listeners, remarked, "I + would rather go on by myself and take the chance of getting a good blow at + some of these wild men than ride all the way back to Steyning to be + laughed at by the women there, as brave soldiers who have marched across + England and back and never unsheathed their swords. Nor will I believe + that Earl Harold can intend so to make a laughing-stock of us. The Bretons + were just as active as are these Welshmen, but he brought them to reason + there, and I warrant me he will do the same here. At any rate, he seems in + no hurry to move. We have been here nigh a week already, and why should he + keep us here if we are not to be employed?" + </p> + <p> + It was not very long before it became known that Harold had no intention + of marching away and leaving the Welsh unpunished, and that in the spring + a campaign on a great scale was to be undertaken against them. The thanes + of all the western counties were ordered to hold themselves in readiness + to join with their levies in the spring. The Somerset and Devon men were + to gather at Bristol, and thence to be conveyed by ships to the southern + coast of Wales; the troops at Gloucester were to march west, and Tostig + was to bring down a body of Northumbrian horse, and to enter Wales from + Chester. The housecarls, to their surprise, were ordered to lay aside + their ringed armour and heavy helmets, in place of which leather jerkins + and caps were served out to them; their heavy axes were to be left behind, + and they were to trust to the sword alone. They were to abandon the + tactics in which they had been trained of fighting shoulder to shoulder, + with shield overlapping shield, and were to exercise themselves in running + and climbing, in skirmishing with an imaginary foe, and rapidly gathering + in close formation to resist anticipated attack. Harold himself gave them + these instructions. + </p> + <p> + "You will have no foe to meet breast to breast," he said; "if we are to + conquer and to root out these hornets it must be by showing ourselves even + more active than they are. Speed and activity go for everything in a war + like this, while our own methods of fighting are absolutely useless. + Unless we make an end of this matter you may be called away from your + homes once a year to repel these attacks, while if you conquer now there + will be no Welsh foray again during your lifetime. Therefore it is worth + while to make a great effort, and for once to lay aside our own method of + fighting. Your commanders will see that all the exercises are well carried + out, and will report to me regarding those who show most zeal and energy. + Extra pay will be given to all, and I shall know how to reward those who + are reported to me as most deserving of it." + </p> + <p> + The troops set to work with great energy, and soon recognized the + advantage they gained by laying aside their heavy arms and armour. + Swimming, running, and climbing were practised incessantly, and when May + arrived, and with it the time for the commencement of the campaign, all + felt confident of their ability to cope with the Welsh in their own + methods of warfare. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0009" id="link2HCH0009"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IX. — IN THE WELSH VALLEYS. + </h2> + <p> + Wulf and Beorn did not form part of the expedition which was to embark + with Harold from Bristol, and to enter Wales by one of its southern + valleys. It was necessary that the gathering of the levies at Gloucester + should be strengthened by having as a nucleus three hundred trained + soldiers. The levies were lightly armed, and accustomed to fight in the + same irregular manner as their Welsh adversaries, whom they held in + considerable dread, for the fierce hillmen had again and again proved + themselves more than a match for the peaceable natives on the English side + of the border. The addition then of three hundred housecarls was required + to give them confidence. These had indeed abandoned for the time their + armour, heavy weapons, and solid formation, but they could still were it + necessary gather in a line, behind which the levies could rally, and which + would be impregnable to the undisciplined attacks of the Welsh. + </p> + <p> + The young thanes were somewhat disappointed at finding that they were not + to accompany the earl, but, as he told them, it was a mark of his + confidence that he should post them with the force where the fighting was + likely to be more severe and the risk greater than with that he himself + led. + </p> + <p> + "I shall penetrate into the heart of Wales," he said. "I shall have + horsemen with me, a strong force of trained soldiers and the levies, and + the enemy will, I feel sure, be unable to oppose us successfully; but it + is likely enough that when the Welsh find that my force from the south and + Tostig's from the north cannot be withstood, they will pour out on their + eastern frontier, and try to light such a flame in Worcester, Hereford, + and Gloucester, that we should be obliged to abandon our work, and hurry + back to stem the tide of their invasion. It is necessary therefore that + from this side also there should be a forward movement. My brother, Gurth, + will command here. I have strongly recommended you to him. Your experience + in the Breton war will be of assistance to you, and I have told him that + you can be far better trusted than many older than yourselves in carrying + out expeditions among their hills and valleys. + </p> + <p> + "I do not anticipate there will be any pitched battles; the Welsh know + that they cannot withstand our trained soldiers. It will be a war of + skirmishes, of detached fighting, of surprises, long marches, and great + fatigues. Every valley in the country is to be harried with fire and + sword. They are to be made to feel that even in their mountains they are + not safe from us, and as they never take prisoners nor give quarter in the + forays on our side of the border, so we will hunt them down like wolves in + their own forests. The work must be done so thoroughly that for a hundred + years at least the lesson will not be forgotten." + </p> + <p> + In the last week of May Gurth moved forward, marching first to Hereford as + a more central point of attack, and then crossing the border and entering + Wales. The troops carried no heavy baggage. Meat they expected to find; + flour was carried on two hundred pack-horses. The force was about 4000 + strong. The housecarls marched in a body, keeping solid order. Behind them + came the pack animals, each led separately, so that they could the more + easily make their way through forests or over broken ground. They marched + in lines, forty abreast. The light-armed levies, led by their respective + thanes, moved as they chose on the flanks of the trained troops or + followed in the rear. + </p> + <p> + When they halted on the first evening after crossing the frontier they + lighted their fires and bivouacked. Wulf and Beorn walked together through + the camp. + </p> + <p> + "In spite of the fact that they are all dressed somewhat alike in leather + jerkins, it is easy to see which are the trained soldiers," Wulf said. + "The housecarls are as merry over the food they have brought with them as + if they were going upon a march of pleasure through the hills, while the + border levies evidently regard the business as a serious one." + </p> + <p> + "That is no wonder," Beorn replied, "seeing how for years they have + suffered at the hands of the Welsh. Look at those hills, Wulf, I can count + a dozen beacons alight. Of course, they have heard of the preparations for + attack, and they are flashing the news from hill to hill of the advance of + our force. It will not be long before they gather to oppose us." + </p> + <p> + "It is like enough they may attack us to-night, Beorn. They may have had + spies at Hereford, and will have known two days ago of our coming. They + may reckon that we should anticipate no attack until farther among their + hills, and that we shall in consequence be careless, as in truth we seem + to be. I think it would be well to offer Gurth our housecarls to stand + sentry to-night." + </p> + <p> + "He might laugh at us," Beorn said doubtfully. + </p> + <p> + "Well, let him laugh; he will laugh good-humouredly anyhow, for he is of a + kindly and light-hearted disposition. At any rate there cannot be any harm + in proposing it, and after the surprise we got from the Bretons we cannot + be too cautious." + </p> + <p> + They walked to the fire where Gurth was sitting with four or five of his + friends, all of whom had furnished bodies of housecarls. The border thanes + had by his orders each remained with his own following, so that at all + times they should be in readiness to give orders and lead them in case of + surprise. + </p> + <p> + "Where have you been, young thanes?" Gurth asked. "You slipped away as + soon as our meal was finished, as if you were afraid of the wine-cup." + </p> + <p> + "We care not much for drinking," Beorn said, "and have been going through + the force to see how it was disposed. We have come to offer that our men + shall to-night furnish guards for the camp." + </p> + <p> + "There is no occasion for it," Gurth said, "the Welshmen will not attack + us until we are entangled among their hills." + </p> + <p> + "It depends upon how well they are led, my Lord Gurth," Wulf said. "If + they are well led they may attack us to-night, for they must know of our + approach, and will think it probable that we shall, being so near our own + border, be at first careless. The Bretons gave us just such a lesson, and + inflicted heavy loss upon the Norman army." + </p> + <p> + "Well, post your men as you like," Gurth said; "though it seems to me that + it would be better for them to husband their strength for to-morrow's + march." + </p> + <p> + "They shall have half a night's sleep each," Wulf said. + </p> + <p> + "If I had not known how stoutly you fought, and how your courage saved the + Norman camp, I should have said you were over-cautious," Gurth laughed. + "However I will not refuse your offer, young thanes, though methinks there + is no chance whatever of the Welsh disturbing us here." + </p> + <p> + Having obtained the permission, Beorn and Wulf returned to the fires of + their men. + </p> + <p> + "We are to have the honour of furnishing the guards to-night, Osgod. Tell + the men that Gurth relies upon our watchfulness. We don't want a + repetition of the surprise we had from the Bretons. It will be but a short + night's watch. 'Tis nine now, and by four it will be broad daylight. + Beorn's men and ours will march a hundred yards out from the camp. Half + can lie down to sleep at once, the other half we can post as sentries and + relieve them at half-past twelve. An attack if it comes will come from the + front, therefore we will post the men twenty or thirty yards apart along + there, and for some distance round the flanks. One of us will remain with + the party that lies down, so as to be in readiness to lead them at once + against any point attacked, the other will move round and round to see + that the sentries are vigilant." + </p> + <p> + "That is good news to me," Osgod said. "Methinks that affair in the Breton + wood has shaken my courage, for I have been looking at those trees in + front of us, and wondering whether the Welsh are gathering there, and + thinking how it would be with all these raw levies if they came down upon + us to-night It went hard for a bit with the Normans, tried soldiers though + they were, but I would not trust these levies to stand for a moment, for + they hold the Welsh in mighty respect." + </p> + <p> + The men cheerfully took their arms and fell in. They considered it a + compliment that they had been chosen to furnish the first guard. Beorn's + men, with a portion of Wulf's, were to furnish the first line of sentries. + The two young thanes, accompanied by Osgod, went round with them and + posted them, after giving them strict injunctions to be watchful and + vigilant. + </p> + <p> + "These savages," Beorn said, "will creep up through the grass as + noiselessly as cats, so you must keep your ears as well as your eyes well + open; and if you hear but the breaking of a twig challenge at once. Then, + if they rise, shout the alarm at the top of your voice, and do the whole + of you run back to us here if the cry comes from the front, if from either + flank hurry to that spot, and we shall do the same from here; but be + careful not to rouse the camp by a false alarm, for if you do, instead of + gaining credit we shall become the jest of the whole force." + </p> + <p> + When the sentries were placed, Beorn, with the leader of his band, began + to go the rounds, while Wulf and Osgod returned to their party. + </p> + <p> + "You can sleep, master, while I watch beside you," Osgod said. "I could + not sleep if I lay down, for I have got the yells of those Bretons in my + ears, and could not close an eye." + </p> + <p> + "Very well, Osgod; in that case I may as well take a nap." + </p> + <p> + He was soon sound asleep, and remained so until Osgod touched him. He sat + up in a moment. + </p> + <p> + "By the stars it is past midnight, my lord, and it is time for us to + relieve Beorn's party." The men were at once called to their feet, and the + relief effected. + </p> + <p> + "If an attack comes," Wulf said, as with Osgod he proceeded to walk + backwards and forwards along the line of sentries, "I fancy it will be + just before daybreak. Many of them may come from long distances, and their + leader would wait until the last moment in order to gather as large a + force together as possible. Besides, men sleep heaviest at that time, and + they would reckon that hour as best for a surprise." As they walked they + frequently paused to listen intently, and though once or twice they + thought they heard distant sounds, these might be caused by the passage of + a wild animal through the bushes. The sentries were all vigilant. It was + the first time that the Sussex lads had been in face of an enemy, and the + stillness of the night, the sombre forest in front of them, and the + possibility of a savage and unknown foe lurking there, kept them + thoroughly on the alert. Once or twice Wulf and Osgod went forward to + examine some bush that had seemed to the imagination of a sentry to have + moved, but in each case the alarm was groundless. + </p> + <p> + "It must be nearly three o'clock now, Osgod," Wulf said at last. "Another + half hour will decide it. I shall be glad when the morning comes, for this + work is trying, and I keep on fancying I hear noises." + </p> + <p> + "I fancy so too," Osgod said. "It seems to me like a sort of whisper or + rustling of leaves." + </p> + <p> + "That is just what it seems to me, Osgod. Let us stay where we are. We are + just in the centre of the line now." + </p> + <p> + "There are certainly sounds, my lord. I thought it was fancy before, but I + am sure now." + </p> + <p> + "I hear something," Wulf said. "It comes from the front. Run round to the + right and bring the sentries from that flank and post them in the + intervals of those in front, while I do the same on the left." + </p> + <p> + They had but just returned, when they heard a sharp sound like the + cracking of a stick a short distance in front. A dozen of the sentries at + once challenged. In an instant a number of figures sprang to their feet at + a distance of some fifty yards in front of them. Then a wild yell was + raised, and swarms of men came rushing towards them, while a volley of + arrows and javelins whizzed through the air. + </p> + <p> + "Fall back on the others, men!" Wulf shouted at the top of his voice, and + the line of sentries rushed back to Beorn's party, who leapt to their feet + at the sound of the Welsh war-cry. They had scarce formed in line when the + enemy were upon them. They received them with a volley of javelins, and + then shield to shield they withstood the attack They were fighting in + their own way now, and numerous as the Welsh were, they were unable, as + they ran up in scattered order, to break through the line. + </p> + <p> + "Steady, men, steady!" Wulf shouted out from his post in the middle of the + line. "Our friends will soon be up. Show a stout front. Do not give way a + foot." + </p> + <p> + In vain the Welshmen, with wild yells, strove to beat back the Saxon line. + Their very numbers were a hindrance to them. Those in front pressed + forward, so that those behind were unable to use their javelins or arrows. + Many creeping between the legs of the fighters of the front rank leapt + with a cat-like spring upon the Saxons, and strove to rip them with their + knives, but the light wicker-work shields covered with leather, which had + taken the place of the solid and heavy ones generally carried by the + housecarls, stood Wulf's followers in good stead; and although many of the + shields were penetrated by the knives of the Welsh, they in most cases + effectually screened the bodies of the soldiers. + </p> + <p> + The lightly-armed Welsh, on the other hand, were hewn down by the long + swords of the Saxons in the front rank, while the javelins of those behind + them flew with terrible effect among their assailants. There was, however, + no pause in the fury of the attacks of the Welsh, until, with a great + shout, the main body of the Saxons came up, and pressed forward in line + with the little body who had hitherto borne the brunt of the battle, while + on their flank the thane's levies poured in volley after volley of darts + and arrows. The fight ceased as suddenly as it began. The sound of a + deep-toned horn rose in the air, whereupon the Welsh instantly abandoned + the struggle, and before the Saxons had time to realize that the fighting + was over, they had disappeared in the forest. + </p> + <p> + "By St. Peter, young thanes!" Earl Gurth exclaimed as he came up to Wulf's + band, who were panting from their exertions, "you have saved us from a + grievous mishap this night. I take shame unto myself that I treated your + suggestion so lightly; for, by the saints, we should have fared badly + indeed had this wild foe taken us asleep. The thanks of the whole force + are due to you, and I will take care that my brother Harold knows how + narrow an escape we have had, and in telling the tale I shall not spare + either myself or the older thanes, who were disposed to mock your proposal + to keep guard over the camp, as showing an amount of caution altogether + unnecessary. The attack has been a lesson to me that I shall not forget, + and henceforth I shall select you and your force for any special service + requiring watchfulness and valour." + </p> + <p> + In going among their men Wulf and Beorn found that but six had fallen, for + the most part under the shower of javelins with which the Welsh had + heralded their attack. Many of the others had received wounds more or less + severe, but few of them were so badly hurt as to render it necessary to + leave them behind. Gurth called the thanes at once to a council. Fresh + wood was thrown on to his fire, and some twenty of the thanes took their + places round it. Wulf and Beorn were specially asked by Gurth to attend. + The attack of the Welsh had shown that they were by no means dismayed at + the extent of the preparations for the invasion of their mountains, and + that the advance must be conducted with the greatest caution and prudence. + </p> + <p> + "It is well," Gurth said, "that in the absence of Griffith they have many + leaders, and will therefore fight without any general plan. Did their + whole force fall upon one or other of our columns it might go very hard + with it; but we may be sure that each chief will desire to keep his + followers by him, in order to defend his own valleys. Nevertheless, they + have shown to-night that they can gather rapidly and in considerable + force, and we shall have to root them out piecemeal, and shall not be able + to scatter our force too widely. I am told that the valley at whose mouth + we now are contains a large number of villages, and to this we must + confine ourselves until we have done the work there. I trust that they + will oppose us stoutly. In that case we shall have the less trouble with + them when we come to undertake the more difficult task of pursuing them + among their hills." + </p> + <p> + The next morning the advance began, and they had proceeded but a short + distance when the Welsh again poured down upon them. This time the force + was prepared for the attack, and although the Welsh fought obstinately, + they were driven back without much difficulty. As soon as the attack + ceased Gurth gave the order for pursuit, and the housecarls held their + course straight up the valley at full speed, while the levies swarmed up + the hillsides to prevent the Welsh from rallying and attacking in flank. + The troops now felt the benefit of the abandonment of their heavy armour + and weapons, and pressed so hotly upon the flying Welsh that they entered + the first village with them. For a time the natives turned and fought + desperately in defence of their homes, but they were unable to withstand + the skill and discipline of the Saxon troops, and the measure that they + had so frequently dealt out to the Saxon villagers now fell on them. No + quarter was given. Every man, woman, and child was slaughtered, and the + houses given to the flames. Village after village was captured and burnt, + but the resistance became fainter and fainter, and the last three villages + at the head of the valley were found to be entirely deserted. Then, just + as the sun set, the force bivouacked for the night, the horns calling in + the scattered levies, who gradually rejoined them. + </p> + <p> + The next morning the force was broken up into five or six columns, each + having a proportion of the regular soldiers and a body of the levies. + These penetrated side valleys and climbed the hills. In many cases they + encountered resistance, stones being rolled down upon them, and the Welsh + defending strong barricades of felled trees. But everywhere the Saxons + were successful, and day after day continued the work, until at the end of + five days they were able to move where they would without encountering any + resistance. The force now marched forward from the head of the valley, + crossed a range of hills, and descended into another valley. They had now + grown more confident in themselves, and while a third of the force + proceeded to lay waste the valley, the rest, broken up into small columns, + ascended the hills on either side, carrying fire and sword into every + hamlet they came upon. + </p> + <p> + Several of the fortalices of the Welsh chiefs, perched on almost + inaccessible eminences, gave great trouble, and were only taken after + serious loss. One day Beorn and Wulf, with their own following and two + hundred and fifty light-armed levies, were despatched by Gurth to + Porthwyn, a stronghold belonging to a powerful chief named Llewellyn ap + Rhys. + </p> + <p> + "It is, from all I hear," he said, "a very strong place, and will require + all our force to capture it. Indeed it is reported to be so strong that it + may be necessary to leave it unmolested until we form a junction with + Harold, and can besiege it regularly. It would not do to make an + unsuccessful attack, for that would raise the spirits of the Welsh. All + that I wish of you is to obtain a view of the castle from all sides if + possible, to bring me back an exact account of its defences, and to give + me your opinion as to our chances of capturing it if we decide to lay + siege to it." + </p> + <p> + Porthwyn was forty miles distant, and Beorn and Wulf determined to march + some thirty of these, and then to push forward at daybreak so as to obtain + a view of the fortress in the early morning. They took with them a Welsh + boy as a guide. He had been spared in the last village captured, and had + been told that his life depended upon his guiding them faithfully. The + places of ten men who had fallen during the various fights had been filled + up by an equal number of Gurth's own housecarls. The seventy soldiers kept + with their leaders and the guide, the levies spreading out on either side. + </p> + <p> + Two of the irregulars who spoke a little Welsh accompanied the young + thanes to question the guide if necessary. The march was a heavy one. At + times they passed through thick forests in the valleys and on the lower + hillsides, at times crossed over bare hills, on whose summits the ground + was frequently so boggy that the men had to march with the greatest + caution. The guide, a sullen lad with matted hair, whose only attire was a + sheep-skin, was several times questioned sharply as to whether he was + certain of the way. He answered in monosyllables, saying that he knew + every foot of the road, and indeed he never hesitated for a moment. + </p> + <p> + "I suppose he is right," Wulf said, "although I thought it lay more to the + west than we are going, but we have wound about so among these forests and + hills that I am quite confused. There is one comfort, Beorn, if the guide + proves treacherous and we lose ourselves altogether, we have but to set + our faces to the rising sun and we shall find ourselves back on the + border, for I am sure that we could not retrace our steps to Gurth's + camp." + </p> + <p> + The sun was just setting when they found themselves on a bare plateau on + the crest of a range of hills higher than any they had before crossed. + </p> + <p> + "Ask him how far we are from Porthwyn," Wulf said to the interpreter. + </p> + <p> + "He says twelve miles, my lord." + </p> + <p> + "Then when we get across this flat, which looks full two miles wide, we + will camp in the first valley we come to." + </p> + <p> + As they advanced the ground became more and more boggy, and the troops had + to move carefully, stepping from one tussock of coarse grass to another, + the intervals being filled with black slimy mud. + </p> + <p> + "Ask him if this gets deeper," Beorn said angrily, "for if it does so we + are like to be all swallowed up. I believe he must be leading us wrong." + </p> + <p> + Osgod had charge of the boy, and was walking close beside him. As the + question was put by the interpreter the boy muttered that he knew the way. + The man turned to translate his answer to Beorn, when there was a sudden + shout. At the moment that Osgod was making a long step from one tuft to + another the boy stooped and caught his foot, and with a roar of surprise + and fury Osgod fell head-foremost into the morass. At the same moment the + lad darted away with a yell of defiance, leaping from tuft to tuft with + the agility of a hare. Several of the men started after him, but + unaccustomed to the treacherous bog four or five were immersed in it to + their waist before they had gone a dozen paces. + </p> + <p> + "Shoot! shoot!" Beorn shouted, and a dozen javelins were thrown, but the + boy was almost beyond distance, and his rapid and irregular movements + rendered it well-nigh impossible to take aim with any accuracy. Most of + the javelins flew wide of him, and he was soon beyond reach. Osgod was + well-nigh smothered before he could be rescued, and some of the other men + were only hauled out with the greatest difficulty. Three or four of the + most active men were sent forward, but presently returned with the news + that the bog became worse. + </p> + <p> + "The sun has already set," Wulf said, "and if darkness catches us here our + plight will be a bad one. Let us retrace our steps at once, Beorn." + </p> + <p> + It was with great difficulty that they made their way back to firm ground. + By the time they did so darkness had fallen. + </p> + <p> + "This is a bad business altogether, Beorn," Wulf said. "In the first place + we have lost our guide; in the second place we have no idea where we are, + for we may for aught we know have been going in the wrong direction all + the time; and, besides this, the boy will raise the country against us, + and in the morning we may be attacked by an overwhelming force." + </p> + <p> + "What do you think we had better do, Wulf?" + </p> + <p> + "Well, I should say we had better, in the first place, retrace our steps + to the valley, there we will light fires and cook the meat we have brought + with us. Then I should say we had best march for some hours. It matters + not in what direction so that we get as far as possible from here." + </p> + <p> + As Beorn could suggest nothing better, Wulf's counsel was carried out. + Supper was cooked and eaten in the forest, and after two hours for rest, + for the march had been a very fatiguing one, they started. The night was + moonless, and in the shadow of the trees the darkness was intense. The + housecarls kept together, moving as closely as possible to each other. The + levies were ordered to follow them. + </p> + <p> + After proceeding for two hours, Wulf said, "Let us halt and see if we are + all together." The housecarls halted, but when he went to the rear Wulf + could see no signs of the irregulars. + </p> + <p> + "Let no man speak or move," he said, "I want to listen." + </p> + <p> + But no sound broke the stillness of the wood. + </p> + <p> + "How foolish of Oswald and Edred," he said to Beorn. + </p> + <p> + "We told them to follow with their levies close behind us, and they must + have allowed them to fall to the rear. However, they can't be far behind." + </p> + <p> + They waited for half an hour, but the silence continued unbroken. + </p> + <p> + "Do you shout, Osgod," Wulf said; "they ought to hear miles away on a + still night like this." + </p> + <p> + Osgod—who had scarcely spoken since his fall, so furious was he at + having been outwitted by a boy, and having not only allowed him to escape, + but being himself rolled in the mire—raised his voice in a + tremendous shout. All listened intently, but no answering sound came back. + </p> + <p> + "They must have gone altogether wrong," Wulf said. "You know that we + crossed a streamlet that ran into this brook soon after we started. They + must have followed that up, thinking we had done so, and have gone up some + other valley. What is to be done, Beorn?" + </p> + <p> + "We crossed that streamlet half an hour after starting," Beorn said, "and + as we have spent half an hour here they must have by this time marched up + it two-hours' journey, and if we retrace our steps to that point they will + have got an hour and a half farther away; besides, they may have gone back + when they missed us. There is no saying which way to look for them. I + think we had better go on as before. In the morning we shall be able to + see the nature of the country, but to look for people who may be miles and + miles away, when one cannot see one's own hand, would be but lost time and + labour, and methinks we shall have need to husband all our strength before + we get out of the scrape into which we have fallen. If the two thanes had + obeyed orders and kept closer this would not have happened. They have lost + us by their own carelessness, and must manage as they can. We shall have + all our work to do to look out for ourselves. Seventy men lost in the + heart of these savage hills, which by to-morrow morning will swarm with + Welsh, have but a poor chance of ever seeing the English border again." + </p> + <p> + "It is not so bad as that, Beorn. I do not say that we are not in an + unpleasant position, but at any rate we are a great deal better off than + we were when we were driving headlong on to the coast of Normandy, or when + there were but three of us in the midst of the Bretons. They have to find + us in the first place, and it will need a good many of them to overcome us + when they do. I fancy that we are very near the head of this valley, the + ground is rising rapidly. I propose that we push on now till the trees + cease, and lie down there till morning breaks, and then cross the next + hill so as to find shelter in some other valley before the sun is fairly + up. From the top of the hill we may get a general view of the country, and + shall have some idea as to the course to take. We must first of all try to + find a native who can tell us which is the direction of Porthwyn and how + far it lies away. Our orders are to reconnoitre it and that must be done + before there is any question of return. Even if I were absolutely alone, I + would carry out that order." + </p> + <p> + Beorn was silent for a minute, and then said doubtfully, "Perhaps you are + right, Wulf; but when Gurth gave us the order he gave us more than three + hundred men to carry it out, and we have now but seventy." + </p> + <p> + By this time they were on their way up the valley, followed by their men. + </p> + <p> + "The fact that two hundred and fifty men have left us really makes the + matter easier than it would otherwise have been," Wulf said. "Of course + our guide carried the news of our coming straight to Porthwyn, and it is + like enough that fires are at present blazing on the hills. The larger + division is more likely to be seen than ours, and to be attacked, and we + shall have all the more chance of getting up unobserved. I sincerely trust + that the thanes, when they discover that they have lost us, will at once + lead their men back to Gurth's camp. In that case they may escape before + the Welsh can assemble and attack them; and as it would naturally be + supposed that as soon as we had lost our guide we retreated in a body, the + Welsh will imagine that there is no occasion for further vigilance." + </p> + <p> + "You are always too full of arguments for me, Wulf," Beorn laughed; "and + if you have made up your mind to go on, it is not of the least use my + saying anything against it; so have your own way." + </p> + <p> + At last the forest became less dense, and when they reached its edge they + lay down. Wulf slept for two or three hours, and then roused himself and + waited for the first sign of dawn. It was a heavy responsibility, for + though Beorn was of equal rank with himself he always gave way to his + opinion. He thought over whether it would not be better that Beorn should + march with all speed with the force to the east, and that he himself with + Osgod and perhaps two other men should make their way to Porthwyn; already + the Welsh might be out all over the mountains, and it was the larger body + that would be likely to be discovered and attacked. The Welsh would know + that on such a dark night, and in a strange country, they could not have + got a very long distance from the bog where the guide had escaped from + them, and the valley at whose head he now was would be the first place to + be searched. However, he did not like severing himself from the men who + had marched under his banner from Steyning, and he finally determined that + the whole should stay together. It was about half-past two when he roused + the band, and they at once started up the bare hillside. + </p> + <p> + "As it gets lighter," he said, "scatter and proceed singly. We shall be + far less likely to be noticed by anyone at a distance than if we march + together in a solid body. We must travel as fast as possible, so as to get + under shelter again before the sun is really up." + </p> + <p> + The men were all by this time well accustomed to climbing and hardened by + exercise, and at a rapid pace they breasted the hill, although it was in + some places exceedingly steep. By the time they reached its crest there + was light enough to permit of a view of the country round. In all + directions hills rose around them, bare and brown, and the growing light + in the sky showed that the east lay behind them. After waiting for a + minute or two to recover breath, they proceeded at a brisk trot. They met + with no bogs of importance, and after running for a mile the ground began + to slope downwards again, and they saw below them a wooded valley, similar + to that which they had left. By this time the hilltops were all lit up by + the rising sun. The spot where they stood, however, was still in shadow, + and in scattered order they ran rapidly down the hillside until they + reached the cover of the trees. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0010" id="link2HCH0010"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER X. — PORTHWYN. + </h2> + <p> + There was a short halt to enable the band to quench their thirst at a + little rivulet that trickled down the centre of the valley; then they + prepared to continue their march, Wulf impressing upon them the necessity + for moving as silently as possible. + </p> + <p> + "If we come upon a village of any size," he said, "we must avoid it. The + main point is to capture a native, and find out exactly where we are." + </p> + <p> + After walking for an hour they came suddenly upon a hut. It stood in a + cleared patch of ground; a small herd of goats were browsing round, and + some smoke curled up from a hole in the roof. Wulf halted his men. + </p> + <p> + "Beorn, you and I and Osgod and one of the interpreters had best go in + alone; there are not likely to be more than one or two men within, and it + will be well at any rate that our numbers should not be known." + </p> + <p> + Before advancing, however, he told the band to surround the clearing. "Let + no one escape," he said; "it would cost us our lives did one get away to + tell of our being here. See, too, that you bring down two or three of the + goats. Our meat is nearly exhausted, and it is well to replenish our + store." + </p> + <p> + After waiting until the men were in their places, Wulf ran forward across + the open ground with his three companions. There was no door to the hut, + and on entering it they saw that its only occupant was a decrepit old + woman. She gave a cry of dismay at the entrance of the strangers. + </p> + <p> + "Tell her not to be alarmed," Wulf said to the interpreter. + </p> + <p> + "We do not desire to do her any harm. Now ask her if she lives here by + herself," he went on, when the interpreter had spoken to the old woman. + </p> + <p> + "She lives here with her two sons," the man said; "they are away. There + were beacon-fires on the hills last evening, and they went out. She does + not know when they will return." + </p> + <p> + "Ask her how far it is to Porthwyn." + </p> + <p> + The answer was most satisfactory. "It is but three miles away, my lord. It + lies in the valley of which this is a branch." + </p> + <p> + "That is good news indeed, Beorn," Wulf said. "The boy led us in the right + direction, perhaps because he thought that if he did not do so we should + perceive it and tax him with treachery. But it is more likely that he + wished to lead us so close that he could, when he escaped, carry the news + of our being in the neighbourhood, in time for the Welshmen to surround + and cut us off before we could return. As she says that the beacon-fires + were lighted in the evening he can have lost no time, and the country must + be aroused. I wish we had the whole force here." + </p> + <p> + "What shall we do with this old crone?" Beorn said. "It would never do to + risk her giving an alarm, and though she looks feeble she might be able to + get down to Porthwyn." + </p> + <p> + "We will tie her securely, Beorn; we can't hurt the poor old creature. Her + sons are no doubt out with the Welsh bands hunting for us; but they will + return here sooner or later, so that no harm will come to her." + </p> + <p> + By his orders Osgod securely bound the old woman with a rope he found in + the hut, and then leaving her they went outside and called upon the men to + close in. Eight of the goats were killed, and were then cut up and divided + among the men. After a consultation Wulf and Beorn agreed that instead of + following the valley down, where they might meet with other huts, or even + a good-sized village, they had best keep along on the hillside, just + inside the line of trees, as in that way they would come out high up on + the side of the main valley, and probably obtain a good view of the + fortalice. + </p> + <p> + In single file they made their way among the trees, and in an hour the + valley that they were in opened considerably, and through the trees they + saw a large village at their feet. A quarter of a mile farther and they + stood on the side of a wide valley. There were numerous flocks and herds + to be seen grazing in it, and four or five villages could be made out; + their attention, however, was chiefly directed to the object of their + journey. Some three hundred feet below the spot where they stood a rock + jutted out from the hillside, and extended some five or six hundred feet + into the valley. Its sides were perpendicular save where it stood out from + the hill. Here a strong wall some forty feet high ran across it; two + square towers stood at the angles, but there was no gateway visible. The + wall was continued right round the top of the rock, which was crossed by + two other walls each defended by flanking towers. The castle itself stood + at the extremity of the rock, and was a strong and massive-looking + building. The men were all ordered to lie down as soon as the castle was + visible between the trees, and among these Wulf and Beorn followed by + Osgod moved cautiously, until they reached a spot whence they could obtain + through the foliage a full view of the building. + </p> + <p> + "It is a formidable place," said Beorn. "The chief who first planted + himself here knew what he was doing. Yes. I should fancy from the look of + it the castle at the end was built first, then gradually the walls were + added until the whole rock was inclosed. This bit nearest to us is + evidently an addition during the last few years. You can see that by the + colour of the stone. You see the other two walls have gateways in them + while this has none. I should say until this was built the entrance to the + castle was along the neck, but they must have got some other way now, and + so shut it up altogether. How on earth can they get in?" + </p> + <p> + "Certainly not at the sides," Wulf said, "for they are as near + perpendicular as possible. It must be at the other end of the rock, which + we can't see. It may slope a little more gradually there, and they may + have cut a zigzag road up. Suppose we climb the hill behind us, till we + get high enough to see over the trees and get a complete view of the + valley. There is no fear of our being noticed. We are a good five hundred + feet above it now, and even if anyone did see us up there they would take + us for two herdsmen. Of course we will leave our shields and weapons + behind us." + </p> + <p> + On attaining a spot from which a clear view of the whole valley could be + obtained, Wulf said: + </p> + <p> + "There, Beorn, do you see the hill juts out into the plain on the right, + half a mile from the castle, and is wooded to its foot. I think if we were + to make our way down there we should be able to obtain a view of the face + of the rock below the castle without leaving the shelter of the trees." + Beorn agreed that it was worth trying, and they returned to the men, + rearmed themselves, and spoke to Osgod. + </p> + <p> + "We are going to reconnoitre, Osgod, and may be an hour away. As we shall + not leave the forest there is no danger, and even were we seen we can + climb the hill again as fast as any Welshman can follow us. Do you keep an + eye on the castle, but do not stir until we return even if you hear + shouts. I have no doubt that we shall be able to rejoin you, and it is + most important that even if they do make us out they should have no reason + for supposing that there is any force behind us." After half an hour's + walking Beorn and Wulf found themselves at the edge of the wood in the + valley. + </p> + <p> + "There is the road, you see," Wulf exclaimed. "It goes straight up that + gradual slope to the bottom of the rock, then it makes two zigzags to the + edge of that point that juts out a little, whence there is a bridge thrown + across a gap to the point where there is a turret. I can't see it beyond + that. I should think they must have driven a tunnel from there right up + into the castle, for you see there are fifty feet of perpendicular rock + above that turret. In case of attack, of course, they would cut away the + bridge, and it would be next to impossible to throw another across. They + could overwhelm any force attempting it with stones from above, besides + sweeping the zigzag road below." + </p> + <p> + Beorn agreed that the place was absolutely impregnable on that side, and + that it could only be attacked from the hillside, and by carrying the + walls in succession. + </p> + <p> + "Well, there is nothing more to see," Wulf said, "so we may as well + return. You see there is a large village nestling down there just at the + foot of the rock. We could not see it from where we were before. + </p> + <p> + "Well, Osgod, have you seen anything going on in the castle?" + </p> + <p> + "No, my lord, everything has been very quiet It seems to me that there are + very few men about for such a strong place." + </p> + <p> + "No doubt most of them are out in pursuit of us, Osgod; we know that the + country was roused by the beacons, and that there must be a big force + somewhere in the hills. I only hope they wont find Oswald and Edred, or I + fear it will go hard with them. The levies fight well when they have the + housecarls with them, but by themselves and in a strange country I am + afraid they would lose heart. Now, Beorn, I am going down to the wall on + this side. We can see that there is no sentry on it, and I want to find + out if there is any other defence besides what we can see. It is very + important to know that, as we agreed that this is the side from which the + attack must be made." + </p> + <p> + Descending among the trees Wulf cautiously approached the wall. He found + on nearing it that a perpendicular cut some thirty feet wide and twenty + feet deep had been made across the rock. It stretched from the foot of one + flanking tower to the foot of the other, the wall between them being some + ten feet from its edge. Having ascertained this he returned to Beorn. + Having told him what he had seen, he sat looking at the castle. + </p> + <p> + "What are you thinking of, Wulf?" Beorn asked. "I suppose we had better + stop where we are till nightfall and then make eastward." + </p> + <p> + "I am thinking, in the first place, that it would cost a great number of + lives to take that place by assault." + </p> + <p> + "That it would," Beorn agreed. "We have seen no place of anything like + equal strength in Wales, or indeed anywhere else." + </p> + <p> + "There is no doubt about that," Wulf agreed. "If well defended it ought to + hold out for weeks, for when we have taken that wall in front of us only a + third of the work has been done. In the next place, I am thinking that + Llewellyn and the greater part of his garrison are away in the hills." + </p> + <p> + Beorn nodded. + </p> + <p> + "And that being so, it seems to me that the best plan will be to take it + ourselves." + </p> + <p> + Beorn looked at his friend to see if he were serious, but there was no + smile on Wulf's face. + </p> + <p> + "Do you really mean it, Wulf?" + </p> + <p> + "Yes I mean it, certainly. What is to prevent our taking it? There may + never be such a good opportunity again. We have not seen a dozen men on + the walls, and I don't suppose there are fifty there altogether. But even + if there are a hundred, they will have no chance with our men if we are + once among them. You see the gates through those inner walls are open, and + once over this first one the place will be all open to us." + </p> + <p> + "That is true enough, but how in the world are we to climb that wall?" + </p> + <p> + "That is what I am puzzling over, Beorn. You see there is no time to lose, + for Llewellyn and his men may be back to-night. If they find Oswald's + party this morning they will return at once, if they don't they may not be + back till the morning. But we cannot count on that, what has to be done + must be done at once." + </p> + <p> + He sat thinking a little longer. "We must cut down a couple of trees and + make a ladder, Beorn. The pine-trees grew very close together where we + passed through them a quarter of a mile before we got here, and were very + slender for their height. We have no axes or we could fell a couple of + them in a few minutes; but even if we had them, we should not dare use + them, for the chances are that the villagers are forbidden to cut down + trees anywhere near the castle, and the sound might bring people up from + below to see who was chopping. I was thinking of burning two of them down, + but in this dry weather the flames might run up them, and we should get a + blaze that would bring all the villagers up here." He beckoned to Osgod, + and when he came up told him that Beorn and he had agreed to try and take + the place. + </p> + <p> + "That is good," Osgod said joyfully. "I have been thinking of it, but I + did not see how you were to climb that wall." + </p> + <p> + "We must cut down two young pine-trees, but we must not chop them down." + </p> + <p> + "It would take a long time with our knives," Osgod said doubtfully. "It is + easy enough to cut through a pole three inches thick, but when it comes to + nine or ten it is a different matter." + </p> + <p> + "Then we must cut down small ones and tie them together. Bring twenty men + at once with you, Osgod, let the rest lie quiet, the less movement there + is the better." + </p> + <p> + As soon as the men were ready Wulf led them back to the point where the + pine-trees grew, then he selected eight of the tallest and slightest. They + were about three inches through at the foot, and were, he judged, at least + an inch and a half at twenty feet from the ground. Two men were set to + work at each tree, and in less than half an hour the eight trees were on + the ground. The branches were then lopped off, and four of the stems were + cut across five-and-twenty feet from the foot. The thin ends were then + placed together so as to overlap five feet. There was no difficulty about + lashings, as thongs were cut off the bottom of the men's leather jerkins. + The joint was made stronger by a light pole fifteen feet long being firmly + lashed across the junction. Thus the two poles for the ladder forty-five + feet long were ready for use. It needed only to lash cross-pieces for + steps, and in little over an hour from the time that work was begun the + ladder was complete. From the other young trees two ladders, each + twenty-five feet long, had been constructed in the meantime, and the whole + were then raised and carried back to the place where the band was lying. + </p> + <p> + "Now, men," Wulf said, "we are going to take this castle at once. I should + wait until nightfall were it not that I fear the return of the Welsh, but + as they may come back at any time there is not a minute to be lost. Now + let each understand his work. The short ladders are to enable us to cross + a cut twenty feet deep they have made through the rock; when we get over + this we can plant the long ladder against the wall. As soon as we gain the + top every man must lie down and crawl along over those who have preceded + him. If we are seen before a few of us are on the top of the wall we shall + fail, because they will have time to give the alarm, and shut the inner + gates. + </p> + <p> + "So far we have seen no one go in or out of the courts between these + walls, and have every hope that we shall find no one there. I expect they + are places where the cattle are kept in case of siege. Our great danger is + in the chance of our being noticed by men on other parts of the walls or + on the castle. However, as far as we can see their attention is entirely + directed the other way, for they are no doubt on the look-out for news + from their chief or for his return. My intention is that all shall gain + the top of the wall before a movement is made, but if an alarm is given, + those who have got to the top are at once to follow us down the staircase + into the courtyard and run at full speed to the gate. Not a moment's halt + is to be made there; we must run on to the next gate and there defend + ourselves until the rest come to our aid. They will be taken so completely + by surprise that, even if we are but four or five, we can hold the gate + until the rest come up, and each man, as soon as he gains the top of the + ladder, must run on at full speed to our aid. Cut down all with arms in + their hands, but do not hurt women or children. Tell off six men, Osgod, + to carry the ladder and place it against the wall, and to be the first to + follow us. Let the others follow in the order in which they stand in + rank." + </p> + <p> + They made their way down through the trees. As soon as they reached the + cut one short ladder was lowered, and the other was handed down and placed + against the opposite side of the cut. The end of the long ladder was then + lowered, and it was swung over and the upper end placed against the wall. + Six men then ascended the short ladder, and raised the long one until it + stood on the rock at the foot of the castle-wall. + </p> + <p> + "Now, Beorn, do you mount first and I will follow you." + </p> + <p> + "You should go first," Beorn said, "but I will do as you tell me." + </p> + <p> + As soon as Beorn was half-way up Wulf began to follow him, saying to Osgod + and the men, "Keep the same distance apart. Do not let more than two be on + the ladder at once whatever happens inside, if it were to break it would + be fatal to us all." As soon as he gained the top Wulf threw himself down + by the side of Beorn, and lay there watching the men on the other walls + and on the summit of the castle. Osgod and four men had joined them when + Wulf noticed a sudden stir and heard a shout. He leapt to his feet. + </p> + <p> + "Follow quickly, but be careful of the ladder," he called to those below; + then he dashed along the wall to the top of the staircase, and closely + followed by the others ran down and on through the gate in the next wall. + Here some five or six men were asleep in its shade, while some women were + standing in front of some low huts which bordered the yard on either side. + They gazed in astonishment for a moment at the seven men who appeared so + suddenly from the outer yard, and then set up a shrill cry of alarm. + Without heeding them Wulf ran on to the next gateway. Just as he reached + it a number of men came running up from the other side. "Osgod, do you and + Alfred cover our rear while we keep these men in front at bay." + </p> + <p> + The five men held the gate without difficulty against the Welsh who first + arrived, for these, at the shout of one of their comrades that men were + climbing the wall, had run down only with their knives, and could do + nothing against the Saxon shields and long swords. Presently, others with + spears and axes ran up, but the two young thanes and their three followers + still kept them back, for in the narrow gateway they could not be attacked + by more than their own number. Amid the yells of the Welsh Wulf could hear + nothing of what was passing behind them, and he was delighted when he + heard the voice of Osgod in his ear. + </p> + <p> + "There are eight here now, Wulf; we have finished with the Welshmen in the + courtyard, so you are clear behind. Our men are coming down from the wall + fast. In five minutes we shall have the whole band here. Now let me have a + turn;" and he stepped forward and took the place of one of the Saxons who + staggered back with a javelin in his shoulder. + </p> + <p> + Every moment added to the number of the Saxons. + </p> + <p> + "Let me know when they are all up," Wulf said to one of those behind him, + as he cut down a Welshman who sprang at him with uplifted knife. The + attack was growing weaker, as their assailants saw that instead of five + men they had now to face a considerable number, and Wulf had difficulty in + restraining his men. + </p> + <p> + "Keep back!" he shouted; "we must wait until we are all up, and then drive + them headlong before us and follow them into the castle. If they have once + time to shut the doors there we shall have a troublesome task." As he + spoke he yielded his place in the front rank to one of his followers, and + turned to see how matters stood behind. "Are they all up?" he asked. + </p> + <p> + "The last man told me that there were six more to come, my lord." + </p> + <p> + "Then we need wait no longer. Now, Beorn, all is ready—charge!" and + with a rush the Saxons swept through the gate, carrying the Welsh before + them and hewing down the front ranks. In an instant the defenders turned + and fled, but the Saxons pressed hard on their heels. Some of the Welsh + ran up the staircases to the walls, and many of the Saxons would have + followed them, but at Wulf's "To the castle, to the castle, we can deal + with them afterwards!" they followed him at once. On the steps up to the + gateway of the castle a desperate struggle was going on among the Welsh + themselves. + </p> + <p> + Seeing the Saxons pressing on the rear of the fugitives, those within the + castle strove to shut the door, but strove in vain, as the terror-stricken + men outside tried to force their way in. The two young thanes, with Osgod + and many of their followers, cut their way through the struggling mass and + reached the door. Those trying to shut it had already seen the + hopelessness of the endeavour, and had fled into the hall beyond, in which + a number of terrified women were wailing and shrieking. As Wulf burst in + he shouted to the Welsh, "Throw down your arms and surrender, and your + lives shall be spared" but his words were not understood, and as the Welsh + never gave quarter themselves they had no thought of quarter being offered + to them. + </p> + <p> + The women ceased screaming and broke into a death chant, many of them + seizing weapons from the walls, and joining the men in a last desperate + effort to drive back the Saxons. + </p> + <p> + For a moment those who had entered had difficulty in resisting the + desperate attack, but as others poured in they advanced, and although Wulf + continued to shout, "Spare all who throw down their arms," his orders were + of no avail, for the Welsh continued to fight desperately until the last + fell under the Saxon swords, most of the women, who fought with even + greater fury than the men, sharing their fate. As soon as the struggle was + over Wulf ordered Osgod to take eight or ten men, to find the entrance to + the tunnel leading down to the road on the face of the cliff, and to guard + it against any attack from without. Then, through his interpreters, he + called to the Welshmen on the walls that their lives should be spared if + they would lay down their arms. He was answered by derisive shouts and a + shower of javelins. + </p> + <p> + "We should lose a good many men in storming those two narrow staircases, + Beorn. There are but twenty or thirty of them, but that is enough to + defend such steep approaches. Let us take twenty men up to the top of the + castle, from there they can hurl javelins down at them, and they will soon + see that resistance is useless." + </p> + <p> + They ascended the stairs, but paused at the end of the room over the hall + which had been the scene of the conflict. An aged woman, whose dress + showed her high rank, was seated on a settle; beside her was a + white-headed harper, while two little children, a boy and a girl, stood at + her knee and looked fearlessly at the intruders. + </p> + <p> + Wulf despatched one of the men down to the hall to bring up the + interpreter. As soon as he arrived Wulf doffed his helmet and stepped + forward. + </p> + <p> + "Ask who this lady is and who are these children." + </p> + <p> + At a gesture from the old lady the harper answered: + </p> + <p> + "This is my mistress, Gweneth, the mother of Prince Llewellyn ap Rhys; + these are his children. In his name she bids you defiance. You have taken + his castle, but he will know how to avenge her and his children." + </p> + <p> + "I have no desire or intention of acting with any disrespect, still less + of injuring either your mistress or the children of Llewellyn," Wulf + replied, when this was translated to him. "My friend and I are Saxon + thanes, who have been forced to leave our homes and to embark on this war + in order to put a stop to the ravages committed across the border—the + burning of towns and villages, and the massacre of men, women, and + children by your countrymen. Llewellyn ap Rhys has brought this misfortune + upon himself, and did we render him motherless and childless, it would be + but the fate that he and his followers have inflicted upon many an + Englishman. But we do not make war upon women or children. Prisoners, of + course, you must be, but be assured of honourable treatment. None shall + enter this room save with your permission, and you can have your female + attendants to serve you as usual." + </p> + <p> + While the interpreter was repeating his speech Wulf and Beorn left the + room, and with the men ascended to the top of the castle, where they were + joined by the interpreter, who addressed the Welsh on the walls. These + replied with shouts of defiance, and a volley of javelins was poured down + upon them. Three or four were struck, the rest, seeing that all hope was + gone, rapidly gathered in a body at the head of the staircase leading from + the wall. + </p> + <p> + "They are going to run down," Beorn exclaimed, and leaning over the + parapet shouted to the Saxons in the courtyard below to stand on their + guard. + </p> + <p> + A minute later the Welsh rushed down, each intent on killing at least one + foe before he died. The Saxons' weapons and discipline were, however, too + much for them; but they fought until the last, not one of them throwing + down his weapon or asking for quarter. + </p> + <p> + "They are brave men. I would that we were not forced to slay them; but it + is their choosing and not ours, Beorn, and if they would but leave us + alone I am sure that nobody would wish to interfere with these wild + countrymen." + </p> + <p> + "What is the next thing to be done, Wulf?" + </p> + <p> + "I should say let us turn all the women and children, save the old lady's + attendants, out of the castle, they would only be a trouble to us. Then we + must examine the store of provisions, plant sentries and cut away that + bridge, or, at any rate, cut away so much of it that a blow or two with an + axe will suffice to send it down. We must not forget to haul up our + ladders. Llewellyn and his men may be back at any moment. Let us go down + together to that turret we saw on the face of the rock." + </p> + <p> + Orders were at once given, and the women and children collected and told + to leave the castle. They were allowed to carry away with them some eight + or ten men who were found to be still living. They went for the most part + in silence, but some of the elder women poured out voluble curses on the + Saxons. Beorn and Wulf had already gone down to the turret. There was a + very strong gateway in the courtyard, beyond this a tunnel sloping steeply + down, eight feet high and four feet wide, had been cut in the solid rock. + Following it they emerged upon a platform, principally occupied by the + turret. The path led through a strong gateway under this on to the wooden + bridge. Here Osgod with his ten men had taken their station. + </p> + <p> + "The women and children and a few wounded will be coming down directly, + Osgod. As soon as they have passed do you set to work with your men and + pull up the planking of the bridge, all save a single plank; loosen that, + so that you can if necessary at once cast it down after the rest. If you + see the Welshmen pouring up the road, throw it over at once without + waiting for further orders, then close the gate and take your station in + the turret." + </p> + <p> + "We are all getting very hungry, master. We have eaten nothing this + morning, and fighting sharpens the appetite." + </p> + <p> + "I had forgotten all about it, Osgod. I will see that food is cooked at + once, and will send down a portion for you and your men, and some tankards + of whatever liquor we can find in the cellars. We are going to make an + examination of them at once." + </p> + <p> + Returning to the courtyard, they told off a body of men to search the + cellars and granaries, and were glad to find that there was an ample store + of grain to last for months, together with large quantities of ale and a + few casks of wine. + </p> + <p> + "So far all is well," Beorn said, "but would it not be prudent to send off + at once to Gurth, to let him know that though we are masters of the castle + at present, we may in a few hours be surrounded by a swarm of angry + Welshmen?" + </p> + <p> + "That certainly is most desirable," Wulf agreed. "The question is, who are + we to send? It would be a terribly dangerous enterprise. Even now there + are a score of men from the village watching our movements from the wood + above. At any rate we must wait until nightfall." + </p> + <p> + Four sentries were posted on the wall by which they had ascended, as after + making a circuit of the place, this was they agreed the only point at + which a surprise was possible, unless there existed some secret passage + into the castle. They had just finished their inspection of the walls, + when there was a shout from their look-out at the top of the castle. + </p> + <p> + "A great number of men are coming down the valley," he cried to the thanes + in the courtyard below, and they at once mounted to the battlements. A + mile away great numbers of men could be seen running at the top of their + speed. There was neither order nor formation. Among them were a few + horsemen riding in a knot together, and round these a number of the + footmen were running in a close mass; but by far the greater proportion + straggled across the valley, some being a considerable distance behind the + rest. + </p> + <p> + "They are like a swarm of bees," Beorn said. + </p> + <p> + "Yes, and are just as angry. Of course, the news of what has happened here + was sent off to them at once, and has brought them back again. I trust + that it reached them before they came upon Oswald's party." + </p> + <p> + "They must have been on their return," Beorn said. "It was but two hours + ago that we won the castle. Had a swift messenger started the moment the + news reached the village, and had he known exactly the position where he + would find Llewellyn, he could not have taken the news to him and brought + them back here had they been some eight miles away. It must be farther + than that to the spot where we lost Oswald, and as the thanes would surely + be making their way either back to camp or eastward to the border, they + must have been many miles from here an hour since. We know that the Welsh + levies were summoned in the evening, and probably reached the spot where + we were deserted by the guide, before daybreak, and took up the search at + once. Therefore I think, Wulf, there can be no doubt that the messenger + from here must have met them as they were returning; but whether they had + overtaken and destroyed Oswald's command, or had failed in their search + for them, we cannot tell." + </p> + <p> + Wulf shook his head. "I fear the former is most likely. The Welsh here + must know every foot of their mountains, so that by scattering through the + valleys they could scarcely fail to come upon the traces of Oswald's + passage, and they would pursue him as hotly as wolves chase a deer. My + only hope is that Oswald may have established himself at daybreak this + morning in some strong position, and fortified himself there, in hopes + that we might rejoin him, and that Llewellyn had not begun the attack upon + it when the news reached him of the capture of his castle. How many, think + you, are there in that approaching throng?" + </p> + <p> + "Some four or five thousand I should say." + </p> + <p> + "Yes, quite five thousand, Beorn." + </p> + <p> + At the call of the watchmen the men had, of their own accord, all mounted + to the walls. + </p> + <p> + "We had better divide our commands," Beorn said. "Your force is double + mine. For the present I will undertake the defence of the rear walls if + you will take the front. Of course till an attack actually commences it + will not be necessary to keep more than a strong guard on duty." + </p> + <p> + "Certainly not," Wulf agreed. "The danger will be far greater at night + than by day, and we must give the men as much rest as possible. But I + think that you with your men and half of mine ought to take the command in + front, while I with the rest defend the rear." + </p> + <p> + "Not at all, Wulf, this is your affair altogether. I should never have + thought of trying to take the castle. It was your idea, and has been + carried out by you altogether. You are much fuller of plans than I am. I + will do my best to second you, but you must continue to be the head in the + matter." + </p> + <p> + "Very well, Beorn. I refuse to be considered in command, but we will + apportion our forces as you suggest. We will take care that at any rate + the Welsh shall not capture the castle as rapidly as we did, and so will + put four men always on duty at each of the gates in the interior walls, so + that if by any chance they manage to effect an entrance into one of the + yards they will be able to get no farther until our whole force can + assemble to oppose them." + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0011" id="link2HCH0011"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XI. — THE SECRET PASSAGE. + </h2> + <p> + Beorn called his men together and distributed them along the rear wall, + while Wulf made a fresh examination of the front. He had before noticed + that great piles of stone in blocks from fifty to a hundred pounds in + weight were piled along by the parapet, in readiness to hurl down upon any + foe attempting to ascend the road, while in the courtyard below was an + immense reserve of these missiles. He placed twenty of his men here, and + posted the other ten as sentries on the side walls, and then went down + through the passage to Osgod. The bridge was entirely demolished as he had + directed, with the exception of a single plank, which could be thrown over + in a moment. Osgod had closed the gate, and had fastened a rope from the + top of the turret to the plank, so that this could be hauled up, without + those engaged in the operation being exposed to missiles from the other + side of the chasm. + </p> + <p> + "One feels almost ashamed at being so safe," Osgod said, as Wulf joined + him on the turret. "It does not give one the chance of a fight." + </p> + <p> + "You have had one good fight to-day, Osgod, and can do without another. I + should be glad if we did not have to strike a blow till we see Gurth's + banner coming down the valley." + </p> + <p> + "We have done very well," Osgod agreed; "and I should be quite contented + if I had but come across that rascal who nearly smothered me in the bog." + </p> + <p> + "You need not bear malice against him, Osgod; for if he had not deserted + us and led Llewellyn's force away to the spot where he left us, we should + not be masters of the place as at present, and it would have been a + terrible business had we been obliged to take this stronghold by storm." + </p> + <p> + "That is true enough, master; except by hunger or by a surprise, such as + we carried out, I don't see how the place is to be taken if stoutly + defended. There is no reason why the Welsh should have been in such a + hurry to return, for they must know as well as we do that there is but + little chance of their getting in again. They have come to a halt now down + there, and half of them have thrown themselves on the ground like a pack + of tired hounds." + </p> + <p> + "I have no fear whatever of an open attack, Osgod. They can see for + themselves that the bridge is destroyed, and I do not think they will + dream of coming up that road, which, as they know, we can sweep with + stones from above. If they attack openly at all, it will be by the wall we + scaled. If they make twenty ladders such as we had they may think they + might gain a footing, especially as their archers high among the trees + would be able to fire down on the defenders of the wall. But what I am + really afraid of is that there may be some secret passage." + </p> + <p> + "Do you think so?" Osgod said, startled. "Where could it come from?" + </p> + <p> + "Well, Osgod, you see they have cut this winding road up the rock and have + made the tunnel hence to the courtyard, so the chiefs have had abundance + of labour at their disposal. They would naturally wish to provide a means + of escape if the castle were besieged, and like to fall by force or + famine; moreover it would enable them to send out messengers or receive + messages from without. A passage four feet high and two feet wide would + suffice. They may have driven such a passage from some place in the wood + behind and it may come up somewhere in the courtyard, perhaps in one of + the little huts along the side. Of course the entrance would be covered + here by a stone, and would be hidden among the bushes at the other end. + Still I do not think that this is likely, for a hostile force would almost + certainly take up its post in that wood, and attack the place in the rear. + If there is such a passage I think that it must open somewhere on the face + of the rock, on one side or the other. It looks to us almost + perpendicular, but there may be inequalities by which active men might + ascend at some point or other. For a considerable distance we could see + there were tufts of shrubs growing here and there, and one of these may + conceal a small opening. From this point a staircase may have been driven + up into the castle." + </p> + <p> + "That would be very awkward, master, if it were so." + </p> + <p> + "It would indeed. To-night all the force except the sentries shall gather + in the castle, where ten men by turns shall keep guard, one or two being + placed in the lower chambers. In this way we shall be safe; for before + more than three or four can enter we should be all on foot, and as they + can but come up in single file, could repulse them without difficulty. + Tomorrow we will lower men down with ropes from the walls, and examine + every clump of bushes growing on the face of the rock If we find any signs + of a path or entrance we shall have no difficulty in discovering where it + enters into the castle, and can effectually block it up. I shall then feel + much more comfortable than I do at present." + </p> + <p> + "I was looking forward to a good night's sleep," Osgod grumbled, "but your + idea, master, has quite done away with that. If I went off I should dream + that I had one of those Welsh wolves at my throat. However, it is a good + thing that you thought of it." + </p> + <p> + "I think, my lord," one of the soldiers said, "there are a number of our + men among the Welsh. I can make out helmets and shields, and I think many + are clad in leather jerkins." + </p> + <p> + Wulf looked attentively. + </p> + <p> + "Yes, there are certainly shields and helmets," he said. "I fear there is + no doubt they have overtaken Oswald's levies." + </p> + <p> + "And have made them prisoners?" + </p> + <p> + Wulf shook his head. "They never take prisoners, you know. I fear they + have slain them all and possessed themselves of their arms and clothes. In + no other way can there be Saxon shields and helmets among them." + </p> + <p> + "By St. Nicholas!" Osgod exclaimed, "it is too bad that we should be + standing here doing nothing. Why doesn't Llewellyn attack us instead of + keeping his men gaping there at the castle?" + </p> + <p> + "Because at present he can do nothing, and is not fool enough to throw + away hundreds of lives; besides, he must know that his mother and children + are in our hands." + </p> + <p> + Presently a white flag was raised among the Welsh. Wulf had expected this, + and had ordered a white cloth to be held in readiness to raise in reply. + As soon as this flew out to the wind three men were seen to advance with + the flag towards the foot of the road up to the castle. Wulf at once sent + for the two interpreters to join him. + </p> + <p> + "Shall you let them come up, master?" Osgod asked. "They are as + treacherous as snakes. See how that boy led us astray in the bog." + </p> + <p> + "You cannot get that boy out of your head, Osgod," Wulf laughed. "There is + no conceivable way by which three men could recapture this castle. There + is nothing for them to learn. They know its strength and everything + connected with it, and they can see for themselves that we have destroyed + the bridge. I shall be glad to hear what they have to say. Llewellyn + himself is, most likely, one of the number." + </p> + <p> + The little party mounted the road until they stood on the platform from + which the bridge started. One of them was a tall figure, dressed in + armour, and with long black hair flowing down from under his helmet over + his shoulders. Wulf at once, from the descriptions he had heard of the + chief's appearance, recognized him as Llewellyn ap Rhys. + </p> + <p> + "I would speak with the commander of the Saxons who have, in my absence, + taken my castle by treachery." + </p> + <p> + "I am the commander," Wulf said. + </p> + <p> + The Welshman's fingers clenched, and he glanced furiously at the young + Saxon. By a great effort, however, he restrained his passion, and said + courteously: "I am Llewellyn ap Rhys. To whom have I the pleasure of + speaking?" + </p> + <p> + "I am Wulf of Steyning, prince. I don't know altogether that I have taken + your castle by treachery, indeed I claim to have won it by fair fighting. + You went out with your force to attack me among the hills, and during your + absence I attacked and captured your castle. I will do your garrison + credit to say they fought bravely in spite of the surprise. I would gladly + have given them quarter, but they refused my offers, and, save a few + wounded, whom I allowed the women to carry off, died to a man fighting + bravely. No women were hurt or insulted, save those who took up arms and + fought among the men, and it was no fault of ours that they were killed. + Methinks that in your incursions into England you have not always shown + the same mercy." + </p> + <p> + Llewellyn was silent for a minute. He had indeed never shown any pity in + his forays, but had never expected that his castle and family would be in + the hands of the Saxons. + </p> + <p> + "I learn," he said at last, "from the women, that my mother and my + children are alive in your hands, and I thank you for the honorable + treatment I hear that they have received." + </p> + <p> + "They are safe and well," Wulf replied. "We Saxons do not massacre women + and children in cold blood. They will be honourably treated until I can + hand them over to the care of Earl Gurth, who will doubtless send them to + England as hostages." + </p> + <p> + "I shall try to win back my castle," Llewellyn said. "May I be sure that + whatever happens they will be safe?" + </p> + <p> + "You may. Even were you forcing your way into the castle I will guarantee + that no hair of their heads shall be injured. And now, prince, it is my + turn to question. I see Saxon helmets and shields among your followers. + Whence come they?" + </p> + <p> + A cloud passed over Llewellyn's face. He had not reckoned on their being + observed from the castle. Concealment was now out of question, and he said + boldly: "I defeated a party of your countrymen this morning. They came + with hostile intent into my territory, and they have been destroyed." + Although he had expected the answer, Wulf was shocked at the confirmation + of his fears. Llewellyn, indeed, had fallen on Oswald's levies and + annihilated them soon after daybreak. Having no idea that a party had + separated from them during the night, he was returning exulting in the + idea that he had destroyed the whole of the invaders, when the news had + reached him of the capture of his castle. Wulf was silent. "It is the + fortune of war," he said gravely. "It is not to me that you have to reckon + for the deed, but with Earl Gurth, for whom I hold this castle." + </p> + <p> + Llewellyn made no reply, but with a wave of his hand turned and went down + the hill again. + </p> + <p> + "I am even more than before convinced, Osgod, that there is a secret + passage. I was watching him closely when the interpreter told him that I + should hand his mother and children over to Gurth. He pressed his lips + together, and his face lighted up with exultation for a moment." + </p> + <p> + "What do you think he came here for, master?" + </p> + <p> + "He came here to assure himself if possible that their lives would not be + sacrificed in the event of his attacking." + </p> + <p> + "It is a pity you told him they would be safe," Osgod said. + </p> + <p> + "But they will be safe, and even if we are surprised and slain I would not + that Llewellyn should say that it was only the suddenness of his attack + that saved their lives. I will place two of our best men at their door + with orders that come what may they are to prevent anyone from entering. + But I don't think it will come to that. Should the passage enter into the + castle, as, if it exists, I have no doubt it does, we shall be prepared to + deal with them, if it opens elsewhere we shall have all our force save a + few sentries assembled, and though all the walls fall into their hands, we + ought to be able to hold it successfully till Gurth arrives to our + rescue." + </p> + <p> + Wulf returned to the castle, and then joined Beorn at his post on the wall + facing the wood. He communicated to him his ideas as to the probable + existence of a secret passage. + </p> + <p> + "We must provide a mode of retreat for your men on guard here, Beorn, in + case the Welsh enter by either of these yards instead of by the castle. + These flanking towers at the angles of the walls cut off all passage. We + will construct bridges with two or three planks across these towers, so + that your sentries can retreat from the rear wall to the next, and again + on to the inner wall. The doors between the courtyards shall be closed, so + that should they enter either of these outer courts they will be delayed, + and your men will have plenty of time to join us in the defence of the + last wall. However, I am convinced the castle itself will be the scene of + action. Five sentries will be enough to place on this wall. I will put two + on each of the cross walls, so that if your men give the alarm it will be + passed along speedily. I shall remove the last plank of the bridge at + nightfall, and have Osgod and four men in the turret and two on the wall + above them. We shall therefore have fifty-five men in the castle, and that + should be ample. They can keep watch and watch, so there will be over + twenty-five men under arms, and ready to throw themselves upon the Welsh + wherever they may enter." + </p> + <p> + These arrangements were carried out. At ten o'clock all lights were + extinguished, save a torch burning in each room on the ground floor. The + floors and walls had been carefully examined and sounded, but nothing + suspicious had been discovered. Four men were told off to each room except + the great hall, where twenty were gathered in reserve. Half were to keep + watch, but all were to lie down. The orders to those who were to keep + awake were strict If they heard a noise or saw a stone move they were to + keep silent, until two or three men had stepped out, then they were to + give the alarm, leap up, and throw themselves upon them. + </p> + <p> + "Were the alarm given," he said, "before they fairly issued out the stone + might be moved back again, and it would give us immense trouble before we + could demolish it or find the secret of the spring. Therefore, let them + get a footing first." + </p> + <p> + From time to time either Beorn or Wulf got up and went noiselessly round + to the different rooms to see that the watch was vigilant. As had been + arranged, each of those on guard raised a hand as they entered a room, so + as to show that they were awake. Wulf did not expect that any attempt + would be made before midnight. After that hour he sat in a corner of the + dais, leaning as if asleep, but with his eyes wandering round the room + watching every stone, and his ears listening for the faintest sound. He + had no feeling of sleepiness whatever, his senses being all strung up to + the highest pitch. + </p> + <p> + From time to time he held up a hand, and ten others were at once elevated, + showing that the watchers were as vigilant as himself. It was, he thought, + about one o'clock when he heard a faint creaking sound. It did not seem to + him to be in the hall itself, but in a room adjoining it, the doors having + all been left open. He rose to his feet, touched Beorn, who lay a pace or + two away, and stole noiselessly out, grasping his sword in his hand. He + stopped before he got to the open door of the next room and listened. All + seemed perfectly quiet. He stood motionless, until a minute later there + was a sudden shout, followed almost instantly by a clash of arms. + </p> + <p> + With a shout to his followers Wulf ran into the room. The four Saxons were + on their feet, and were attacking three men, who, as he entered, were + joined by a fourth from behind. He and Beorn threw themselves into the + fray just as one of the Saxons fell with his head cloven by a sweeping + blow from the tall figure opposed to him. One after another in rapid + succession the Welsh poured in from a narrow opening, but the Saxons + rushed up in overwhelming numbers. There was a brief fierce fight, and the + Welsh were slain or overpowered. The men who last emerged turned to fly, + but meeting those crowding up from behind were unable to do so. Others ran + in only to be cut down as soon as they appeared; a sound of fierce + shouting and angry struggle came through the opening. When no more showed + themselves, Wulf called for torches, and a dozen were soon at hand. + Seizing one he passed through the narrow opening. A winding staircase met + his view. With Beorn and some Saxons following close behind him, he + descended for a considerable distance, then he found himself in a low and + narrow passage, and following this for twenty yards stepped out into the + open air. + </p> + <p> + "We need do no more to-night, Beorn," he said. "We will see where this + comes out and block it up in the morning, though they are not likely to + try again. We can sleep now without fear of interruption." + </p> + <p> + His first step was to examine the bodies of the fallen Welshmen. He had + recognized in the tall man with whom he had crossed swords Llewellyn ap + Rhys, and found him lying beneath four of his followers, who had stood + over him and defended him to the last. He was glad to find that the Welsh + prince still lived, and directed that he should be at once carried to a + room and that every attention should be shown him. None of the other + fourteen Welshmen who had fallen showed any signs of life. + </p> + <p> + Ordering their bodies to be carried out into the courtyard, Wulf placed + four men on guard at the upper opening of the secret passage. They were to + be relieved every hour. He then went out and saw to the relief of the + sentries on the walls, and called down to Osgod that the attack had been + made and repulsed. He then went back and slept soundly till daybreak. On + going to the walls he learned that there had been a great commotion down + in the valley. Fierce shouts, loud wailing cries, and a confused sound of + running and talking had been heard. At daybreak the Welsh were still + there, and their fires had been lighted: one party were seen to march away + as soon as it was light, but others arrived, and their numbers appeared + about the same as on the previous evening. There was no general movement, + but it could be seen that they gathered in clusters, and listened to men + who addressed them with animated gestures. + </p> + <p> + "They don't know what to do," Wulf said to Osgod, whom he had joined in + the turret. "They believe their chief to be dead; they know that his + mother and children are prisoners in our hands; they can have little hope + of capturing this place, which they believe to be impregnable to open + attack. At present they must be without a leader, and yet they must be so + animated by a spirit of hate and revenge, and by the desire to wipe out + their humiliation by retaking this place, that they will not stir from in + front of it." + </p> + <p> + As he spoke a messenger came from Beorn, saying that the Welsh were + pouring arrows and javelins from the hill upon his sentries on the walls, + and that these were unable to show a head above the parapet. In one of the + sheds a large quantity of hides had been found, and taking a party laden + with them Wulf proceeded to the wall at the rear. Here he directed the + ladders that were still lying there to be cut up into lengths of eight + feet. These were fixed at intervals upon the parapet, and a cord fastened + along the top, the men engaged in the operations being protected by the + shields of their comrades from the rain of missiles from the trees. Hides + were thrown over the ropes, and these hid those on the wall from the view + of the enemy, while they themselves could peep out from time to time + between the hides to see that no preparations were being made for an + attack. + </p> + <p> + The secret passage was next investigated; it was found that the opening + was about half-way down the rock, and that the assailants must have + climbed up by a path that a goat could scarce traverse. Wulf set a party + to work to carry down stones from the courtyard, and to block up the + passage solidly for ten feet from the opening, a sentry being posted on + the wall above. After the erection of the shelter of hides the Welsh only + sent an occasional javelin from the trees, but by the loud yells that were + from time to time raised, there was no doubt they were still there in + force. + </p> + <p> + "It is evident that they are going to besiege us, Beorn," Wulf said when + they sat down to breakfast together. "The question is, are we to remain + here until rumour carries the report of our capture of the place to Gurth, + or shall we despatch messengers to him?" + </p> + <p> + "As you yourself said yesterday, the messengers could never get away, + Wulf. I would give a year's revenue if we could do so, for it may be a + long time before news comes to Gurth's ears. He may possibly hear of the + annihilation of Oswald's force, for any Welsh woman taken captive might + mention that in triumph, but they would certainly say nothing of such a + grievous blow to the Welsh cause as the capture of Porthwyn and the death + of Llewellyn in an attempt to recapture it. Gurth, therefore, naturally + supposing that we had been involved in Oswald's disaster, may abandon all + idea of moving against this place until the greater part of the country + was reduced to obedience." + </p> + <p> + "I see, Beorn, that the difficulty of a messenger getting through would be + indeed enormous; the Welsh must know that we are but a small band, and + that our first aim would be to communicate with Gurth. You may be sure, + therefore, that they will keep a vigilant guard all round the place at + night to see that no messenger makes his way out. Our two interpreters do + not know anything like enough Welsh to pass as natives, none of our people + know a word of the language, it would be sending anyone to almost certain + death. I think we must be content to depend upon ourselves. Gurth is sure + to learn the news sooner or later, for it will make a great stir all + through the country. I have just seen Llewellyn, he is very sorely + wounded. I think it would be a good thing to let the Welsh know that he is + in our hands, it will render them more chary of attacking us. We might + hang out a flag of truce, and when they come up in reply tell them that he + is alive but sorely wounded, and that they may send up a leech, who would + better attend to his wounds than we can do." + </p> + <p> + This was accordingly done. Two Welshmen of rank came up to the broken + bridge and were informed that their prince was sorely wounded, and that a + leech would be allowed to enter to attend upon him. An hour later a man + with a boy carrying a large basket came up the hill and crossed the plank + into the turret. The basket, which contained various herbs and + medicaments, was taken from the boy, who was then sent back again, while + the leech was taken up to the room where Llewellyn was lying, in the care + of his mother and her maids. + </p> + <p> + Three days passed without any change. The force in the valley was seen to + be considerably diminished, no hostile demonstration had taken place; but + twenty men always remained in the courtyard in the rear, in readiness to + run up to the wall in case the sentries gave an alarm. + </p> + <p> + On the fourth morning, just as day was breaking, a man ran into the castle + with the news that the Welsh were attacking the wall. Beorn and Wulf + sprung to their feet, and with every man except those on duty as sentries + ran off to the scene of attack. That it was a serious assault was evident + by the wild yells and shouts that were heard. + </p> + <p> + Wulf ran up the stairs to the wall. A storm of missiles was striking + against the hides; many of them failed to penetrate, but others did so, + and several of the men were lying wounded under shelter of the parapet, + while the rest were hurling down javelins between the openings of the + hides. + </p> + <p> + "What are they doing?" he asked the sub-officer in command of the party. + </p> + <p> + "They are preparing to scale the wall, my lord; they have numbers of + ladders." + </p> + <p> + Wulf was about to look out between the hides, but the officer exclaimed, + "Do not so risk your life, my lord; you can see down without danger;" and + he pushed out the lower side of one of the skins from the wall, so that + Wulf could look down without being seen by the Welsh archers. The fosse in + the rock and the narrow platform at the foot of the wall were alike + crowded with foes, who were planting a number of ladders side by side. + These were strongly constructed, and were each wide enough for two men to + mount abreast. Eight or ten of these ladders were already planted against + the wall, and the enemy were climbing up them. Wulf turned, and waving his + sword shouted to the men running into the courtyard from the walls and + castle to hasten up. Already a dozen had joined him, and scarce had these + placed themselves along the battlements when the heads of the Welshmen + appeared above it. + </p> + <p> + For a minute or two it seemed that these would overmaster the defence. + Several succeeded in crossing the parapet, but they were either cut down + or cast headlong into the courtyard. By this time the whole of the Saxons, + save the guard in the turret by the bridge, were on the wall, and were + able to form a close line along the parapet against which the ladders were + placed. The Welsh fought with an utter disregard of life; as fast as those + at the top were cut down or hurled backwards others took their place. So + closely did they swarm up the ladders that several of these broke with + their weight, killing many of those clustered below as well as those on + the rungs. But for an hour there was no pause. It was well for the + defenders that they had the protection of the line of hides, and were + therefore screened from the arrows of the bowmen on the hill; but these + soon ceased to shoot, as many of their comrades were hit by their + missiles, while they were unable to see whether the arrows had any effect + whatever upon the hidden defenders. At length the leaders of the + assailants saw that the task could not be achieved, and gave the signal by + the blowing of cow-horns that the attack should cease; but so furious were + their followers that many disregarded the summons, and continued their + efforts to gain a footing upon the wall, or at least to kill one of its + defenders, for some time after the main body had withdrawn. As soon as the + last of these was killed the garrison hurled the ladders backwards and + then gave a shout of triumph, which was answered by renewed yells of + defiance by the Welsh. + </p> + <p> + "It has been a hard fight, Wulf," Beorn said, as he removed his helmet. + </p> + <p> + "It has indeed. It was a well-planned attack, and was nearly successful. + We ought to have had a stronger guard there; but I did not think that they + would venture to attack at daylight, nor that they could have so quickly + run forward and placed their ladders. Had we been but a minute later in + arriving here they would have gained this wall and the courtyard. They + would, indeed, have got no farther, but their success would have so + excited them that we should have had to fight night and day. What has been + our loss?" + </p> + <p> + Five of the men were killed; many of the others had received severe wounds + on the head and shoulders from the knives of their assailants, and had it + not been for the protection afforded by the leathern helmets and jerkins + the number of killed would have been very much larger. + </p> + <p> + "I would as lief fight with a troop of wild cats," exclaimed Osgod—who, + as soon as he saw that there was no movement down on the plain, had run up + with half his little garrison to join in the defence of the wall,—as + he tried to staunch a deep wound that extended from his ear to his chin. + "Over and over again I saw a shock head come up above the wall, and before + I had time to take a fair blow at it the man would hurl himself over upon + me like a wild animal. Three times was I knocked down, and I am no chicken + either; if it had not been for my comrades on each side it would have gone + hard with me. I was able to return the service several times, but had the + Welsh been imps they could not have been more active or more fierce. There + must be a hundred lying slain along here or in the courtyard. I do not + wonder that Oswald's men were all killed by them, though after our + previous fights I held them in but small respect." + </p> + <p> + "It is a different thing, Osgod," Beorn said. "In the field we have always + had the advantage from our order and our discipline; but here it was man + against man. We had the advantage of position and they of numbers; but + discipline went for nothing on either side, and I doubt if we should have + done as well as they did had we been the assailants." + </p> + <p> + "I am ready to own that," Osgod agreed. "I like to fight with my feet on + firm ground, and should make but a poor figure balanced on the top of a + ladder." + </p> + <p> + When the tumult in the wood had died away Wulf raised a white flag, and + ordered one of the men who spoke Welsh to shout to the enemy that they + might approach without molestation and remove their wounded and dead from + the foot of the wall, and also said that the Saxon leaders desired to + speak to an officer of rank. + </p> + <p> + Two of these came out from the trees. "Hitherto," the interpreter cried + with a loud voice, "my lords, the noble thanes, Beorn of Fareham and Wulf + of Steyning, have given the most honourable treatment to your chief, + Llewellyn ap Rhys, wounded and a prisoner in their hands, and to his + family. Nor have they altered that treatment while you were attacking our + walls; but they bid me warn you and all others in arms against the + authority of our sovereign lord the king, that henceforth they will hold + them as hostages, and that their lives will be forfeited if any fresh + attack be made upon the castle." + </p> + <p> + Three days passed without any further acts of hostility by the Welsh. At + the end of that time Llewellyn was sufficiently recovered to sit up + supported by pillows on his couch. He had already heard of the defeat, + with terrible slaughter, of the attempt of his countrymen to recapture the + castle, and of the warning that had been given the Welsh that if the + attack was renewed the lives of himself and his family would be forfeited. + Beorn and Wulf paid him a visit as soon as they heard that he was in a + condition to talk to them. + </p> + <p> + "Prince," Wulf said through his interpreter, "it is, you must see, + hopeless for your followers to attempt to recapture this castle. The + bridge is destroyed, the secret passage by which you entered blocked up, + and we can resist any attack upon the rear wall. We have shown you and + yours a mercy such as you would certainly not have extended to English men + and women under similar circumstances, and grieved as we should be to be + obliged to proceed to extremities with prisoners, yet were the castle + again attacked, and were we to see that there was a prospect of its being + recaptured, we should not hesitate to slay you, as it would be treachery + to the king to allow so formidable an enemy as yourself to regain his + freedom. + </p> + <p> + "Your cause is hopeless. Harold, Tostig, and Gurth are carrying fire and + sword through your valleys, and your people will have to choose between + submission and death. Why should so hopeless a struggle continue? Gurth + will be here shortly, and then the fate that has befallen the districts + already subdued will light upon yours. Surely it will be better for + yourself and your people that this should be averted. This can only be + done by your sending orders to your followers to scatter to their homes + and to lay down their arms. We will at once in that case send a messenger + to the earl to tell him that the district has submitted. I must request + that in order the message shall reach him you shall bid two officers of + rank accompany our messenger to Gurth's camp; we giving them our + undertaking that they shall be allowed to leave it unmolested." + </p> + <p> + "Your offer tallies with my own intentions," Llewellyn said. "Had I been + free I would have resisted to the last, but as a prisoner, and with my + mother and children in your hands, I am powerless. My harper tells me that + fully four hundred of my followers fell in the attack, and with my + stronghold in your power, my tribesmen without a leader, and your armies + desolating the land, I see that further resistance here would but add to + the misfortunes of my people. I am ready, therefore, to send down my + harper and doctor to bid four of my chiefs come up here, under your safe + conduct. I shall lay the matter before them, and tell them that I being a + prisoner can no longer give them orders, but shall point out to them that + in my opinion further resistance can but bring terrible disasters upon the + district. This, on their return, they will lay before their men, and if, + as I trust, these will agree to scatter to their homes, they will furnish + the escort you desire for your messenger." + </p> + <p> + Two hours later three of the chiefs summoned arrived, the fourth having + fallen in the assault. They had a private interview with Llewellyn and + then left. A great meeting was held down in the valley, and in the + afternoon the three chiefs and six others came up to the castle and + formally made their submission before Beorn and Wulf, and besought them to + send a messenger to the earl praying him to forgive past offences and to + have mercy on the people. An hour later two of the Saxons bearing a letter + from Beorn and Wulf to Gurth started under an escort provided by the + chiefs. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0012" id="link2HCH0012"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XII. — EDITH. + </h2> + <p> + Two days after the departure of the messengers from the castle the + look-out gave notice that he perceived a large body of horsemen and + footmen coming down the valley, and half an hour later the banner of Gurth + could be made out. The garrison at once set to work to replace the + planking of the bridge, and this was accomplished by the time that the + Saxon earl, accompanied by several thanes, and followed by a strong body + of troops, reached the platform at the other end. As he did so Beorn and + Wulf crossed the bridge to meet him. + </p> + <p> + "You have done well indeed, thanes!" Gurth exclaimed. "You have made a + conquest to be proud of; for as we rode along this place seemed to us + well-nigh impregnable. But your messengers have told me how you captured + it, and how stoutly you have since defended it. It was a daring thought, + indeed, to attempt the assault of such a place with a handful of men. You + have rendered a splendid service to the king; for with the capture of this + fortress, and of Llewellyn himself and his children, there is no fear that + there will be trouble in this part of Wales for years to come. We, too, + are specially indebted to you, for had we been forced to besiege this + place it could only have been taken with a vast loss of life, and it might + well have resisted all our efforts. That seventy men should have taken it, + even if weakly defended, is wonderful indeed." + </p> + <p> + "It is to Wulf, my lord, that the credit is chiefly due," Beorn said. "It + was he who proposed and planned the attack; and though I have done my best + to support him, I have but acted as his second in command. He is + quicker-witted than I am, and far more fitted to lead." + </p> + <p> + Wulf was about to speak, when Gurth stopped him with a gesture of the + hand. + </p> + <p> + "At any rate, Beorn," he said, "you possess qualities that are by no means + common. That you are a brave soldier I know well, but so I trust are all + my thanes; still, it is not every one who has the wit to perceive that + another has sharper wits than himself, still fewer who would have the + generosity to stand aside and to give the major share in an exploit like + this to another. What you may lose in credit by your avowal you will at + least gain in the esteem of us all. Now, commandant," he said to Wulf with + a smile, "show us the way into this capture of yours." + </p> + <p> + Before entering the castle itself Gurth made a detour of the walls, and + upon seeing them was still more surprised than before at the manner in + which the capture had been effected. + </p> + <p> + "You see, thanes," he said, "the matter hinged on the possession of these + gates through the cross walls. That the rear walls should have been taken + by surprise was a daring action, but it would have availed nothing had the + garrison had time to close even the second of these gates; for though, as + it seems, no more numerous than our men, they could have easily held it + until reinforced from the village below, and would then have turned the + tables on their assailants. The capture was due to the quickness and + boldness with which Wulf and Beorn, with the few men who had obtained a + footing on the wall when the alarm was given, rushed forward and held the + inner gateway until the rest came up." + </p> + <p> + Gurth paused for a time on the wall above the point where the secret + passage came out on the face of the rock, and having asked many questions + as to how it was that they were so well prepared for Llewellyn and his + followers when they made the attack, he commended Wulf very strongly for + his conduct in this matter. + </p> + <p> + "Others might have taken the castle as you did, young thane," he said, + "but assuredly most would have lost it again, for having set guards on the + walls they would have given themselves up to feasting and sleep, without a + thought that there might possibly exist a secret passage through this + rock, which looks as if nothing short of a winged army could scale it. + What say you, thanes?" + </p> + <p> + The Saxons cordially agreed with the earl. They were stout fighters, but + better in the field than in council, and it was in no small degree to the + Danish blood in their veins that the sons of Godwin owed the vigour and + intellect that had raised the family to so lofty a position among their + countrymen. On concluding his inspection of the walls Gurth entered the + castle, and after first examining the entrance to the secret passage, sat + down with the thanes to a banquet, the preparation of which had been begun + as soon as their coming was perceived. After that Gurth paid a visit to + Llewellyn. + </p> + <p> + "Your fate is not in my hands, prince," he said to him, "but in that of my + brother Harold. As, however, you have used your influence to persuade your + people to submit, I shall do my best to induce him to take a favourable + view of your case." + </p> + <p> + The next day the main body of Gurth's force arrived, and encamped in the + valley. Llewellyn's chiefs all came in and made their submission, but the + people for the most part took to the hills. As, day after day, news came + of the terrible retaliation dealt out by the troops of Harold and Tostig + they lost heart altogether, and sent in messengers craving to be allowed + to come in and lay down their arms. Gurth at once accepted their + submission, and hundreds returned to their homes. In other parts of Wales + the feeling that resistance was vain rapidly extended. Their most fertile + valleys had all been turned into deserts, and even on their own hills and + among their own forests, where they had hitherto deemed themselves safe + from attack, they were pursued and hunted down by the now lightly-armed + Saxons. From all parts, therefore, offers to submit were sent in, and as a + proof of their submission and regret for past behaviour, they seized + Griffith their king, killed him, and sent his head to Harold, who + thereupon granted them terms, and ordered his forces to withdraw beyond + the border. + </p> + <p> + The campaign had lasted less than three months, but so terrible had been + the blow dealt to the Welsh that a hundred years passed before they again + ventured to renew their incursions into England. Llewellyn was pardoned, + but great breaches were made in the walls of the fortress facing the hill, + and these he was forbidden ever to repair. His children were taken to + England, to be brought up there, and to serve as hostages for his future + good behaviour. Harold, when he learnt the particulars of the capture and + defence of Porthwyn, expressed his approval in the warmest terms. + </p> + <p> + "You have performed the greatest and most important feat of the war, + Wulf," he said. "Yes, it is right that you should give every credit Beorn + for his share in the matter; but I know you both well, and am assured that + Beorn would never have conceived and carried out the attack, and that had + he done so successfully, he and his men would all have been slain by + Llewellyn that night. Beorn is a good youth; he is brave and kind-hearted; + he is no fool, and will make and excellent thane; will become a favourite + at court, and be always loyal and staunch. But I shall look to see you + more than this. You have a head quick to plan, readiness and decision in + danger, and, as you have shown, a genius for war. Study the writings of + the Romans, the greatest masters of war the world has ever seen, make + yourself acquainted with the methods of Caesar and other great commanders, + and do not neglect to ponder on their laws and customs. + </p> + <p> + "When matters are settled here, travel to the various courts of Europe and + acquaint yourself with the ways of peoples who are far more advanced than + we in civilization, and you may come to stand some day among the most + trusted councillors of the king, and as one of the best leaders of his + troops. I see that the success you have attained while as yet so young has + not puffed you up in any way. Always remember, Wulf, that though success + may be envied, those who are successful may yet be liked if only they + themselves do not seem conscious of success. I should say you had best not + make a long stay at court, but betake you, shortly, to your estate. It is + a good school, and one who can rule his own people wisely has a sound + preparation for posts of larger responsibility. You will always find in + the prior of Bramber a wise adviser, who will direct your studies, and + will aid you where your Latinity falls short. + </p> + <p> + "It will be time enough in another five years for you to go abroad; but, + of course, I do not wish you to remain all that time away from court. It + is never good to be forgotten; therefore, come up two or three times a + year. I trust that there will be no fresh wars or troubles to hinder your + studies or interfere with your life; but remember that there is always + danger from Normandy, therefore always keep on foot your force of + housecarls; and if, as I think, your estates can afford it, add to their + number, so that if trouble does come you will be able to again play a + prominent part in it." + </p> + <p> + Wulf's contingent marched with the rest of the troops from the east as far + as Reading, and there struck off by the nearest road to Steyning. He and + Beorn accompanied Harold to London, and after staying there for a short + time, and taking part in the fetes with which the conquest of the Welsh + was celebrated, Wulf returned to Steyning and took up the life he had + previously led there. Before starting he asked Harold's advice as to + whether he should fortify Steyning after the manner of the Norman castles. + </p> + <p> + "By no means, Wulf. Such castles are useful only against quarrelsome + neighbours. Wars are decided by great battles, and if these are lost a + castle does but bring ruin upon its possessor, for it must sooner or later + be taken. The man who, when a cause is lost, returns quietly to his home + and goes about his usual work may escape unnoticed, while one who shuts + himself up in a castle is certain to suffer at last from the vengeance of + the conquerors. Resistance maintained in forests and swamps, as was done + by the Bretons and Welsh, may weary out a foe, but a conqueror can wish + for nothing better than that the defeated may assemble themselves in towns + and castles, where he can slowly, perhaps, but surely destroy them + piecemeal." + </p> + <p> + The time passed quickly and pleasantly at Steyning. Wulf studied hard for + three or four hours a day, looked after his tenants, hunted and hawked, + doubled the number of his company of housecarls, and often rode over to + the priory of an evening. He now took his place naturally among the thanes + in that part of the country, the reputation he had gained in the two wars + giving him a standing among them, to which, from his youth, he would not + otherwise have been entitled. In accordance with Harold's advice he went + three times during the year up to court, where he generally met Beorn, who + spent the greater part of his time there. + </p> + <p> + "How you can like all this formality and ceremony is more than I can + imagine, Beorn." + </p> + <p> + "I don't care either for the formality or the ceremony, but I like the + amusement and the gaiety, and should ask with much more reason how can you + like to spend your time studying parchments and reading the doings of + those old Romans, when you might be enjoying yourself here. The matter is + altogether beyond me." + </p> + <p> + "I like it for itself, and I like it because it may some day be of great + service to me." + </p> + <p> + "You see you are ambitious, Wulf, and I am not. I don't want to be a great + commander or a state-councillor, and if I did want it ever so much I know + I should never be one or the other. I am content to be a thane, as my + father was before me, and seek no greater change than that of a stay for a + month at court. That brightens one up more than anything; and one cannot + be all one's life hunting in the woods and seeing after the tenants. By + the way, I had a quarrel the other day with your old Norman enemy, + Fitz-Urse. Your name was mentioned, and he chose to sneer offensively. I + told him that you had done more already than he would ever do if he lived + to be an old man. We came to high words, and next day met in the forest + and there settled it. He ran me through the arm, and I slashed his cheek. + As quarrelling is strictly forbidden he made some excuse and went over to + France, while I went down home till my arm was well again. I fancy we hurt + each other about equally, but the scar on my arm won't show, while I + fancy, from what the leech who dressed his wound told me, the scar is + likely to spoil his beauty for life." + </p> + <p> + "I am sorry you quarrelled with him about me, Beorn. It would have been + better to have said nothing, though I thank you for your championship." + </p> + <p> + "Nonsense, Wulf. I know very well you would not hear anyone speak ill of + me without taking up the cudgels for me." + </p> + <p> + Wulf could not deny this. "Certainly not, Beorn; still it is a pity to + make an enemy, and Fitz-Urse has shown in my case that he is not one who + forgives." + </p> + <p> + The Welsh campaign had terminated at the end of August, and it was a month + later that Wulf had returned to Steyning. Just a year afterwards he + received a message from Harold to come up to London, and to order his + housecarls to hold themselves in readiness to start immediately on + receiving an order from him. Somewhat surprised, for no news had reached + him of any trouble that could call for the employment of an armed force, + Wulf rode for London alone, bidding Osgod follow with the housecarls as + soon as he heard from him. When he reached the palace he heard news that + explained the cause of his summons. Northumbria had risen in rebellion + against Earl Tostig. He was accused of tyranny and oppression, and had + been continually away from his earldom, leaving it to be governed in his + absence by a thane. + </p> + <p> + The country north of the Humber had for a long period of years been + independent, appointing their own rulers, who owed no allegiance whatever + to the kings of the West Saxons. Although now incorporated in the kingdom + of England the Northumbrians regretted their lost independence, and this + all the more, that the population were for the most part Danish, and + viewed with an intense feeling of jealousy the preponderance gained by the + West Saxons. Tostig at the time the revolt declared itself was hunting + with the king—who had a great affection for him—in the forests + of Wiltshire, and had not arrived in town when Wulf reached the capital. + It was not until the afternoon that Wulf had an interview with Harold. The + earl had just come from a council and was alone. + </p> + <p> + "Thank you for coming up so speedily," he said as he shook the young thane + by the hand. "You have heard the news, I suppose?" + </p> + <p> + "I have heard that Northumberland has risen in rebellion." + </p> + <p> + "Yes, that was the news that arrived four days since." + </p> + <p> + "Is it serious?" + </p> + <p> + "Yes, very serious; the rebellion grows each day. It is headed by several + of the greatest landowners in the north, both Danish and Saxon, and the + worst part of the news is that the trouble has, as I hear, been stirred up + by Edwin of Mercia and his brother. It is the old rivalry between the + House of Leofric and ours. They are jealous of our influence with the + king, and would gladly rend England into two kingdoms again. We hear + to-day that the Northumbrian nobles have summoned a Gemot to meet, which + amounts in fact to a rebellion, not only against Tostig but against the + king." + </p> + <p> + "If Mercia joins Northumbria it would be a more serious business than that + in Wales." + </p> + <p> + "I think not that it will be so," Harold said. "Edwin has been always + conspiring. He stirred up the Welsh, he has encouraged the Norwegians, he + has intrigued in Northumbria. He and his brother have ever been a source + of trouble, and yet he has never openly rebelled; he sets others to do the + fighting for him, prepared if they are successful to reap the fruits of + their victory. There is, of course, still hope that moderate councils may + prevail, but I fear that the Northumbrians will consider that they have + gone too far to turn back. At present, at any rate, no steps will be + taken. As long as no armed forces are set in motion there are hopes that + matters may be arranged, but the approach of an army would set all + Northumbria on fire. The Gemot is summoned to meet this day week—that + is on the third of October—and we shall wait to hear what steps they + take. Messengers have already been sent to a large number of thanes to be + prepared for service. I would that all kept a force of housecarls as you + do. I am going down to-night to my house near Hampton. Do you come down + with me, Wulf. Edith will be glad to see you." + </p> + <p> + Wulf had in the days of his pageship several times accompanied Harold to + Hampton, and knew well the lady, who was known to the Saxons as Edith of + the Swan-neck. She was by birth far inferior in position to Harold. The + relation between them was similar to that known throughout the middle ages + as left-hand marriages. These were marriages contracted between men of + high rank and ladies of inferior position, and while they lasted were + regarded as being lawful; but they could be, and frequently were, broken + off, when for politic or other reasons the prince or noble had to seek + another alliance. The lady was of great beauty and talent, and exercised a + large influence over Harold. This was always employed for good, and she + was much beloved by the Saxons. + </p> + <p> + The alliance had been formed while Harold was quite a young man, and he + and Edith were fondly attached to each other. His rise, however, to the + position of the foremost man in England, and the prospect of his accession + to the throne, rendered it probable that ere long he would be obliged to + marry one who would strengthen his position, and would from her high birth + be fitted to share the crown with him. William of Normandy was perfectly + well aware of the relation in which Edith stood to Harold, and had not + regarded her as any obstacle to the earl's marriage with his daughter; and + even Harold himself had not attempted to give it as a reason for declining + the offer of the hand of the Norman princess. + </p> + <p> + As they rode down to Hampton the earl said, "I dare say you are somewhat + surprised at my leaving the court at this crisis, Wulf, but in truth I + want to keep my hands free. Tostig, you know, is rash and impetuous. I + love him well, but am not blind to his faults; and I fear that the people + of Northumbria have some just cause for complaint against him. He is + constantly away from his earldom. He was absent for months when he went to + Rome, and he spends a great part of his time either at the court here or + with the king at his hunting-lodges. The Northumbrians are a proud people, + and it is small wonder that they object to be governed by an absent earl. + Tostig is furious at what he terms the insolence of the Northumbrians, and + I would fain avoid all questions of dispute with him. It is not improbable + that the king and his councillors may be called upon to hear the + complaints of the Northumbrians, and to decide between them and Tostig. + This will be bitter enough for my brother. He may return at any moment, + and I greatly wish to avoid all argument with him before the matter is + discussed in council." + </p> + <p> + The house at Hampton was a large one, and here Edith lived in considerable + state. Grooms ran up and took the horses as Harold and Wulf dismounted. + Six retainers in jerkins embroidered with the earl's cognizance appeared + at the doors. As they entered the house, Edith came out from an inner room + and fondly embraced Harold. + </p> + <p> + "Who is this you have with you, Harold?" + </p> + <p> + "What, have you forgotten Wulf of Steyning, who has, as I told you, turned + out a great fighter, and was the captor of the castle of Porthwyn, and of + its owner, Llewellyn ap Rhys?" + </p> + <p> + "I did not know you again, Wulf," Edith said holding out her hand to him, + "but now that I hear who you are I recognize you. Why, it is four years + since I saw you, and you were then a mischievous little page. Harold has + often spoken to me about you, and your adventures in Normandy and Wales. I + did not expect to see you, Harold," she went on turning to the earl, + "after what you told me in the letter you sent me yesterday, about the + troubles in the north. I feared that you would be kept at court." + </p> + <p> + "Tostig and the king are still away," he said, "and he will return so + furious at this revolt against his authority, that, thinking as I do that + he is in no small degree at fault—for I have frequently remonstrated + with him at spending so large a portion of his time away from his earldom,—I + thought it best to get away." + </p> + <p> + "It is strange how Tostig differs from the rest of you," Edith said. "You + and Leofwyn, and Gurth are all gentle and courteous, while Tostig is + fierce and impetuous." + </p> + <p> + "Tostig has his faults," Harold said; "but we love each other dearly, and + from the time we were boys together we have never had a dispute. It will + be hard indeed upon me if I am called upon to side against him. We have + learnt, Edith, that Edwin and Morcar have been intriguing with the + Northumbrians. These Mercian earls are ever bringing troubles upon the + country, and I fear they will give even greater trouble in the future. If + they stir up disturbances, as they have done, against the king, who is + king by the will of the people, and also by right of birth, what will it + be when—" and he stopped. + </p> + <p> + "When you shall mount the throne, my Harold," Edith said proudly. "Oh, + that this feud between Leofric's house and Godwin's were at an end. It + bodes ill for England." + </p> + <p> + "It is natural," Harold said gently. "It is as gall and wormwood to the + earls of Mercia to see the ascendancy of the West Saxons, and still more + would it be so were I, Godwin's son, without a drop of royal blood in my + veins, to come to be their king." + </p> + <p> + "The feud must be closed," Edith said firmly, though Wulf noticed that her + face paled. "I have told you so before, Harold, and there is but one way." + </p> + <p> + "It shall never be closed in that way, Edith; rather would I lie in my + grave." + </p> + <p> + "You have not to think of yourself, Harold, still less of me. It is of + England you have to think—this England that will assuredly choose + you as its king, and who will have a right to expect that you will make + any or every sacrifice for its sake." + </p> + <p> + "Any but that," Harold said. + </p> + <p> + She smiled faintly and shook her head. Wulf did not understand the + conversation, but there was a look of earnest resolve in her face that + deeply impressed him. He had moved a short distance away, and now turned + and looked out of the window, while they exchanged a few more words, + having been, as he saw, altogether oblivious of his presence in the + earnestness with which they both spoke. + </p> + <p> + For a week Harold remained at Hampton. Wulf saw that he was much troubled + in his mind, and concluded that the messengers who came and went every day + were the bearers of bad tidings. It was seldom that he was away from the + side of Edith. When they were together she was always bright, but once or + twice when Wulf found her alone her features bore an expression of deep + sadness. + </p> + <p> + "We must ride for London, Wulf," Harold said one morning after reading a + letter brought by a royal messenger. "The king has laid his orders on me + to proceed at once to town, and indeed the news is well-nigh as bad as can + be. The Gemot has voted the deposition of Tostig, has even had the + insolence to declare him an outlaw, and has elected Morcar in his place. + It has also issued decrees declaring all partisans of Tostig outlaws, and + confiscating their estates. Two of Tostig's Danish housecarls were slain + on the first day of their meeting. Two hundred of Tostig's personal + followers have since been massacred; his treasury has been broken open, + and all its contents carried off. The election of Morcar shows but too + plainly the designs of the earls of Mercia. They wish to divide England + into two portions, and to reign supreme north of the Wellan. This will + give them full half of England, and would assuredly, even did we not + oppose them now, lead to a terrible war. The more terrible as William of + Normandy will be watching from across the channel, ready to take instant + advantage of our dissensions. God avert a war like this. Every sacrifice + must be made rather than that the men of the north and south of England + should fly at each other's throats." + </p> + <p> + The earl scarcely spoke a word during the ride to London, but rode + absorbed in his thoughts with a sad and anxious countenance. + </p> + <p> + Day after day the news became more serious. Morcar accepted the earldom of + Northumbria, hurried to York, and placing himself at the head of the + Northumbrian forces, marched south, being joined on the way by the men of + Lincoln, Nottingham, and Derby, in all of which shires the Danish element + was very strong. At Northampton, which had formed part of the government + of Tostig, Morcar was joined by his brother Edwin at the head of the + forces of Mercia, together with a large body of Welsh. They found the + people of Northampton less favourable to their cause than they had + expected, and in revenge harried the whole country, killing and burning, + and carrying off the cattle as booty and the men as slaves. + </p> + <p> + Harold bore the brunt of the trouble alone, for, regardless of the fact + that half the kingdom was in a flame, King Edward and Tostig continued + their hunting expeditions in Wiltshire, in spite of the urgent messages + sent by Harold entreating them to return. In the meantime, still hoping + that peace might in some way be preserved, Harold sent messages to all the + thanes of importance in Wessex, ordering them to prepare to march to + London with the whole of their retainers and levies, as soon as they + received orders to get in motion. But while he still tarried in Wiltshire + the king acceded to Harold's request that he might be empowered to go to + Northampton to treat in Edward's name with the rebels. + </p> + <p> + As soon as he received this permission Harold hastened to Northampton, + accompanied by only half a dozen of his thanes, among whom was Wulf. He + was received with respect by the rebels, but when their leaders assembled, + and in the king's name he called upon them to lay down their arms, to + cease from ravaging, and to lay any complaints they might have to make + against Tostig before the king or the National Gemot, he met with a flat + refusal. They would not listen to any proposition that involved the + possibility of the return of Tostig, and boldly said that if the king + wished to retain Northumbria as part of his realm he must confirm the + sentence of their Gemot upon Tostig, and must recognize their election of + Morcar to the earldom. + </p> + <p> + In all this Harold perceived clearly enough that, although it was the + Northumbrian leaders who were speaking, they were acting entirely under + the influence of Edwin and Morcar. All that he could obtain was that some + of the northern thanes should accompany him to lay their demands before + the king himself. Edward, upon hearing, by a swift messenger sent by + Harold, of the failure of his attempt to induce the Northumbrians to lay + down their arms, reluctantly abandoned the pleasures of the chase, and + proceeded to Bretford, near Salisbury, where there was a royal house, and + summoned a Witenagemot. As, however, the occasion was urgent, it was + attended only by the king's chief councillors, and by the thanes of that + part of Wessex. + </p> + <p> + Between Tostig and Harold the quarrel that the latter had feared had + already broken out. Harold was anxious above all things for peace, and + although the blow to his own interests and to those of his family, by the + transfer of Northumbria from his brother to one of the Mercian earls, was + a most serious one, he preferred that even this should take place to + embarking in a war that would involve the whole of England. Tostig was so + furious at finding that Harold was not willing to push matters to the last + extremity in his favour, that he accused him of being the secret + instigator of the Northumbrian revolt. The absurdity of such an accusation + was evident. It was as much to Harold's interest as to that of Tostig that + the great northern earldom should remain in the hands of his family; but + an angry man does not reason, and Tostig's fury was roused to the highest + point by the outspoken utterances of many of the members of the + Witenagemot. These boldly accused him of cruelty and avarice, and declared + that many of his acts of severity were caused by his determination, under + a show of justice, to possess himself of the wealth of those he condemned. + Tostig then rose and declared before the assembly that the whole rising + was the work of Harold. + </p> + <p> + The latter simply denied the charge on oath, and his word was accepted as + sufficient. The Witan then turned to the question as to how the revolt was + to be dealt with. The king was vehemently in favour of putting it down by + force of arms. Tostig was of all the Saxons his favourite friend, and he + considered the insult offered to him as dealt against himself. So + determined was he, that he sent out orders for the whole of the forces of + Wessex to march and join the royal standard. In vain Harold and Edward's + wisest councillors endeavoured to dissuade him from a step that would + deluge the country in blood, and might lead to terrible disaster. In vain + they pointed out that while all the thanes would willingly put their + forces at his disposal to resist a foreign foe, or even to repel an + invasion from the north, they would not risk life and fortune in an + endeavour to force a governor upon a people who hated him, and, as most + thought, with good reason. + </p> + <p> + The king was immovable; but Harold and his councillors took steps quietly + to inform the thanes that the Witan was opposed to the order, and that for + the present no harm would be done by disregarding the royal mandate. The + king, in his anger and mortification at finding himself unable to march + against the rebels with an overwhelming force, fell ill, and the control + of affairs passed into Harold's hands; and the king, whose fits of + passion, though extreme while they lasted, were but short-lived gave him + full power to deal with the matter as he thought best. + </p> + <p> + Harold had done all that he could for Tostig when he went to Northampton, + but had failed. There was no alternative now between a great war, followed + probably by a complete split of the kingdom, or acquiescence in the + demands of the men of the North. He did not hesitate, but in the name of + the king confirmed the decisions arrived at by the Gemot of York—recognized + Morcar as Earl of Northumbria, and granted a complete amnesty for all + offences committed during the rising, on condition only that a general + Witenagemot should be held at Oxford. At this meeting Northern and + Southern England were again solemnly reconciled, as they had been + forty-seven years before at an assembly held at the same place. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0013" id="link2HCH0013"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIII. — HAROLD, THE KING. + </h2> + <p> + The day before the great Witenagemot was to assemble, Wulf, as he came out + from the house where Harold had taken up his abode, was approached by a + man, who by his attire appeared to be a retainer of a thane; his face + seemed familiar to him, as he placed a letter in his hand. Wulf was now + very much in the confidence of Harold. It was a relief to the earl in the + midst of his trials and heavy responsibilities to open his mind freely to + one of whose faith and loyalty he was well assured, and he therefore was + far more communicative to the young thane than to the older councillors by + whom he was surrounded. Wulf opened the letter. It contained only the + words: "I am here; the bearer of this will lead you to me. Edith." + </p> + <p> + Looking more closely at the man he recognized him at once as one of the + servitors at Hampton, though his dress bore no signs of any cognizance. + Greatly surprised to hear of Edith's presence in Oxford unknown to Harold, + he at once followed the servant, who conducted him to a house on the + outskirts of the town. Wulf was ushered into a room, and the servant then + left him. A moment later Edith entered. + </p> + <p> + "My message must have surprised you, Wulf," she said, as he knelt on one + knee to kiss the hand she held out to him. + </p> + <p> + "It did indeed, lady, for it was but yesterday that the earl received a + letter from you written at Hampton. He said to me as he opened it, 'Would + I were in peace at Hampton, free from all these troubles and intrigues.'" + </p> + <p> + "I have come down in a horse-litter," she said, "and save the two + retainers who accompanied me none knew of my intentions. I know, Wulf, + that you have the confidence of the earl and that you love him and would + do your best for him." + </p> + <p> + "I would lay down my life for him, lady. Even did I not love and honour + him as I do, I would die for him, for he is the hope of England, and he + alone can guide the country through its troubles, both from within and + without. The life of a single man is as nought in the scale." + </p> + <p> + "Nor the happiness of a single woman," she added. "Now, Wulf, I want to + know from you exactly how matters stand here. My lord, when he writes to + me always does so cheerfully, ever making the best of things; but it is + most important that I should know his real mind. It is for that that I + have travelled here. This Witenagemot that assembles to-morrow—what + will come of it?" + </p> + <p> + "The earl thinks it will doubtless pass the resolution reconciling the + North and South, and declaring that there shall be oblivion for the past, + and that all things shall go back to their former footing save as to the + change of earls." + </p> + <p> + "It is easy to vote that," she said quietly; "but will it be held to? It + depends not upon Northumbrians nor Saxons, but upon Edwin and Morcar. They + have made a great step forward towards their end; they have united under + their government the northern half of England, and have wrested + Northumbria from Godwin's family. After making this great step, will they + rest and abstain from taking the next? Northumbria and Mercia united are + as strong as Wessex and East Anglia. Will they be content to remain under + a West Saxon king? Above all, will they submit to the rule of one of + Godwin's sons? I feel sure that they will not. What thinks the earl?" + </p> + <p> + "He thinks as you do, lady, although he considers that for the time the + danger is averted. He himself said to me yesterday, 'If these Mercian + earls are ready to defy the head of the royal line of England, think you + that they will ever recognize the sway of a member of my father's house?'" + </p> + <p> + "And what said you, Wulf?" + </p> + <p> + "I said that I did not doubt the ill-will of the Mercian earls, but that I + doubted whether Mercia would follow them if they strove to break up the + kingdom. 'Mercia is following them now,' he said; 'and has with + Northumbria stood in arms for some weeks past. There has ever been + jealousy of the supremacy of the West Saxons since the days when the + kingdom was united in one. These brothers will intrigue as their father + did before them. They will bring down the Welsh from their hills to aid + them, for though these people will not for generations try their strength + alone against us, they would gladly take advantage of it should such an + opportunity for revenge occur. Even now, when the blood is scarce dry on + their hearthstones, there is a large force of them under Edwin's banner.'" + </p> + <p> + "It is a grievous look-out for England," Edith said. "It would seem that + nothing can bring about peace and unity save the end of this terrible feud + between the families of Godwin and Leofric." + </p> + <p> + "That would indeed be a blessing for the country," Wulf agreed; "but of + all things that seems to me most hopeless." + </p> + <p> + "They must be reconciled!" Edith said, rising from her seat. "What is a + woman's love or a woman's life that they should stand in the way of the + peace of England? See you not, Wulf, there is but one way in which the + feud can be healed? Were it not for me Harold could marry the sister of + these earls, and if she were Queen of England the feud would be at an end. + A daughter of the house of Leofric, and a son of the house of Godwin, + would command the support of Mercia and Wessex alike, and as brothers of + the queen, Edwin and Morcar might well be content to be friends with her + husband and his brothers. I only stand in the way of this. I have already + urged this upon Harold, but he will not hear of it. Until now the Mercian + brothers might be a trouble, but they were not strong enough to be a + danger to the kingdom. Now that they hold half of it in their hands this + marriage has become a necessity. I must stand aside. What is my happiness + and my life that I should be an obstacle alike to my lord's glory and the + peace of England? Go to Harold; tell him that I am here, and pray that he + will come to me. Give your message to him briefly; say naught of what I + have said to you, though his heart will tell him at once what has brought + me here." + </p> + <p> + Silent, and confounded by the immensity of the sacrifice she proposed, for + he knew how deep and tender was her love for Harold, Wulf knelt on both + knees and reverently placed her hand to his lips, and then without a word + left the house, half blinded with tears, signing to the servant, who was + waiting without, to follow him. When he reached Harold's house he found + that the earl was with his brother Gurth and several of his councillors. + He did not hesitate, however, but entering the room, said, "My Lord + Harold, I pray to have speech of you for a minute upon an affair of urgent + importance." + </p> + <p> + Somewhat surprised the earl followed him out. + </p> + <p> + "What is it, Wulf?" he asked as they entered Harold's private closet. "You + look pale and strange, lad." + </p> + <p> + "I have a message to give you, my lord. The Lady Edith is here, and prays + that you will go to her at once." + </p> + <p> + The earl started as if struck with a blow. "Edith here!" he exclaimed, and + then with a troubled face he took several short turns up and down the + room. + </p> + <p> + "Where is she?" he said at last in a low voice. + </p> + <p> + "Her servant is without, my lord, and will conduct you to her." + </p> + <p> + "Tell Gurth and the others I am called away for an hour on urgent + business," he said. "Say nothing of Edith being here." Then he went out. + </p> + <p> + The man who was waiting doffed his hat, and at once led the way to the + house where Edith was staying. She moved swiftly towards him as he entered + the room and fell on his neck. Not a word was spoken for a minute or two, + then he said: + </p> + <p> + "Why have you come, Edith? But I need not ask, I know. I will not have it, + I will not have it! I have told you so before. Why is our happiness to be + sacrificed? I have given my work and my life to England, but I will not + give my happiness too, nor will I sacrifice yours." + </p> + <p> + "You would not be worthy of the trust England reposes in you, Harold," she + said quietly, "were you not ready to give all. As to my happiness, it is + at an end, for I should deem myself as a guilty wretch, as the cause of + countless woes to Englishmen, did I remain as I am. I have been happy, + dear, most happy, many long years. To my last day it will be a joy and a + pride, that nothing can take away, that I have been loved by the greatest + of Englishmen, and my sacrifice will seem light to me under the feeling + that it has purchased the happiness of England." + </p> + <p> + "But is my happiness to go for nothing?" Harold exclaimed passionately. + </p> + <p> + "You too, Harold, will have the knowledge that you have sacrificed + yourself, that as you have often risked your life, so have you for + England's sake given up your love. I have seen that it must be so for + years. As Earl of Wessex I might always have stood by your side, but as + soon as I saw that the people of England looked to you as their future + monarch, I knew that I could not share your throne. A king's heart is not + his own, as is that of a private man. As he must lead his people in + battle, and if needs be give his life for them, so must he give his hand + where it will most advantage them." + </p> + <p> + "I cannot do it," Harold said. "I will not sacrifice you even for England. + I will remain Earl of Wessex, and Edwin may reign as king if he so + chooses." + </p> + <p> + "That cannot be, Harold. If the people of England call you to the throne, + it is your duty to accept the summons. You know that none other could + guide them as you can, for already for years you have been their ruler. + They love you, they trust in you, and it were a shame indeed if the love + we bear each other should stand in the way of what is above all things + needful for the good of England. You know well enough that when the + national council meets to choose a king the South will declare for you. + But if Edwin and Morcar influence Mercia and the North to declare for + another, what remains but a breaking up of the kingdom, with perhaps a + great war?" + </p> + <p> + "I cannot do it, and I will not," Harold said, stopping in his walk and + standing before her. "My life, my work, all save you I will give up for + England—but you I will not." + </p> + <p> + Edith turned even paler than before. "You will not give me up, Harold, but + you cannot hold me. I can bear my life in seclusion and retirement, and + can even be happy in the thought of our past love, of your greatness, and + in the peace of England, which, I should have the consolation of knowing, + was due to the sacrifice that we had both made, but I could not live + happy, even with your love and your companionship, knowing that I have + brought woes upon England. Nor will I live so. Death will break the knot + if you will not do so, and I could die with a smile on my lips, knowing + that I was dying for your good and England's. If you will not break the + bond death shall do so, and ere to-morrow's sun rises, either by your + sacrifice or by my own hand, you will be free. Marry for the good of + England. Here is the ring by which you pledged your troth to me," and she + took it from her finger and dropped it in the fire that blazed on the + hearth. "There is the end of it, but not the end of our love. I shall + think of you, and pray for you always, Harold. Oh, my dear lord and + master, do not make it too hard for me!" and she threw herself on his neck + in a passion of tears. For two or three minutes they stood locked in each + other's close embrace, then she withdrew herself from his arms. + </p> + <p> + "Farewell," she said. "You have left my side many a time for battle, and + we parted bravely though we knew we might never meet again. Let us part so + now. We have each our battles to fight, but God will comfort us both, for + our sacrifice will have brought peace to England. Farewell, my dear lord, + farewell!" She touched his hand lightly and then tottered from the room, + falling senseless as soon as she had closed the door behind her. + </p> + <p> + Harold sank into a chair and covered his face with his hands, while his + breast heaved with short sobs. So he sat for some time; then he stood up. + </p> + <p> + "She is stronger and braver than I," he murmured; "but she is right. Only + by this sacrifice can England be saved, but even so I could not have made + it; but I know her so well that I feel she would carry out her threat + without hesitation." Then he went out of the house, but instead of + returning to the town took his way to the lonely path by the river, and + there for hours paced up and down. At last his mind was made up, the + sacrifice must be accepted. As she had said, their happiness must not + stand in the way of that of all England. He walked with a firm step back + to Oxford, and went straight to the house where Edwin and Morcar had taken + up their quarters. + </p> + <p> + "Tell Earl Edwin that Harold would speak with him," he said to the + retainer at the door. The man returned in a minute, and led the way to the + room where Edwin and his brother were standing awaiting him. They had had + several interviews since they arrived at Oxford, and supposed that he had + come to arrange some detail as to the assembly on the following day. + </p> + <p> + "Edwin," Harold said abruptly, "methinks that for the good of our country + it would be well that our houses should be united. Why should the sons of + Leofric and Godwin regard each other as rivals? We are earls of the + English people, and we cannot deny that the unfriendly feeling between us + has brought trouble on the country. Why should there not be an end of + this?" + </p> + <p> + Greatly surprised at this frank address, Edwin and Morcar both hastened to + say that for their part they had no quarrel whatever with any of the house + of Godwin, save with Tostig. + </p> + <p> + "Tostig will soon be beyond the sea, and will no longer be a source of + trouble. There is, it seems to me, but one way by which we can unite and + bind our interests into one. I have come to you to ask for the hand of + your sister Ealdgyth in marriage." + </p> + <p> + The two earls looked at each other in surprise. The proposition was + altogether unexpected, but they at once saw its advantages. They knew as + well as others that the choice of the nation at Edward's death was likely + to fall upon Harold, and it would add both to their dignity and security + that they should be brothers-in-law of the king. Such an alliance would do + away with the danger, that once seated on the throne Harold might become + reconciled with Tostig, and endeavour to replace him in the earldom of + Northumbria. This danger would be dissipated by the marriage. + </p> + <p> + "You would perhaps like to consult together before giving an answer," + Harold said courteously. + </p> + <p> + "By no means," Edwin said warmly. "Such an alliance is, as you say, in all + respects to be desired. Ealdgyth could wish for no nobler husband. We + should rejoice in obtaining such a spouse for her, and the union would + assuredly unite our families, do away with the unfriendly feeling of which + you spoke, and be of vast advantage to the realm in general. We need no + word of consultation, but accept your offer, and will with pleasure give + Ealdgyth in marriage to you. But is there not an obstacle?" + </p> + <p> + "The obstacle is at an end," Harold said gravely. "Of her own free will + and wish, and in order that there should be peace and union in England, + the Lady Edith has broken the tie that bound us." + </p> + <p> + The brothers, seeing that the subject was a painful one, wisely said no + more, but turned the conversation to the meeting on the following day, and + assured Harold that they hoped the decision would now be unanimous, and + then after a short time skilfully brought it round again to the subject of + the marriage. By nightfall the news was known throughout the city, and was + received with universal joy. The union seemed to all men a guarantee for + peace in England. The two great rival houses would now be bound by common + interests, and the feud that had several times been near breaking out into + civil war was extinguished. + </p> + <p> + The moment he returned to his house Harold called Wulf. + </p> + <p> + "Wulf, go at once to the Lady Edith. Tell her that though it has taken all + the brightness out of my life, and has made all my future dark, I have + done her bidding, and have sacrificed myself for England. Tell her that I + will write to her to-night, and send the letter to Hampton, where, I + trust, it will find her." + </p> + <p> + Wulf at once carried the message. He found Edith sitting with eyes swollen + with weeping, and yet with a calm and composed expression on her face. + </p> + <p> + "I knew that my lord would do as I prayed him," she said; "he has ever + thought first of England and then of himself. Tell him that I start in an + hour for Hampton, and shall there stay till I get his letter; there I will + answer it. Tell him I thank him from my heart, and that, much as I loved + and honoured him before, I shall to the end of my life love and honour him + yet more for having thus sacrificed himself for England. Tell him that you + found me calm and confident that he would grant my prayer, and that with + all my heart I wish him happiness." + </p> + <p> + Her lips quivered and her voice broke, and Wulf hurried away without + saying another word, for he felt that he himself was at the point of + bursting into tears. Harold was anxiously awaiting his return, and after + listening to the message turned abruptly and entered his private closet, + with a wave of the hand signifying that Wulf would not be further + required. + </p> + <p> + The next day the Witenagemot met. It was solemnly decreed that all old + scores should be wiped out; that Northern and Southern England were again + to be reconciled, as they had been forty-seven years before in an assembly + held by Canute in Oxford. It was decreed unanimously that the laws of + Canute should be renewed, and should have force in all parts of the + kingdom. + </p> + <p> + Until this decision was arrived at by the assembly Tostig had remained + with the king, but he now went into exile, and crossed the sea to + Flanders, where he had at an earlier period of his life, when Godwin's + whole family were in disgrace, taken refuge. He was accompanied by his + wife and many personal adherents. He left filled with rage and bitterness, + especially against Harold, who ought, he considered, to have supported him + to the utmost, and who should have been ready to put the whole forces of + Wessex in the field to replace him in the earldom. + </p> + <p> + By the time that Harold returned to London Edith had left his abode at + Hampton. He would have gladly handed it over to her and maintained it as + before, but she would not hear of this, though she had accepted from him + an income which would enable her to live comfortably in seclusion. + </p> + <p> + "I only do this," she said in her letter to him, "because I know that it + would grieve you if I refused; but I entreat you, Harold, make no + inquiries whither I have gone. I do not say that we can never meet again, + but years must pass over before we do so. You must not think of me as + always grieving. I have done what I am sure is right, and this will give + me comfort, and enable me to bear your absence; but you know that, even if + I never see you again, you will dwell in my heart as long as I live, its + sole lord and master. I have so many happy memories to look back upon that + I should be sorely to blame did I repine, and although I may not share the + throne that will ere long be yours, nor the love which Englishmen will + give their king, I shall be none the less proud of you, and shall be sure + that there will be always in your heart a kind thought of me. Forbear, I + pray you earnestly, to cause any search to be made for me. Doubtless you + might discover me if you chose, but it would only renew my pain. In time + we may be able to meet calmly and affectionately, as two old friends, but + till then it were best that we stood altogether apart." + </p> + <p> + Harold put down the letter with a sigh. But he had little time to lament + over private troubles. The king was ill; he had not rallied from the state + of prostration that succeeded his outburst of passion when he found + himself powerless to put down the Northern insurrection by force, and to + restore his favourite Tostig to his earldom. Day succeeded day, but he did + not rally. In vain the monks most famous for their skill in medicine came + from Canterbury and Glastonbury; in vain prayers were offered up in all + the cathedrals, and especially in his own Abbey of Westminster, and soon + the report spread among the people that Edward, the king, was sick unto + death, and all felt that it was a misfortune for England. + </p> + <p> + Edward was in no sense of the word a great king. He was a monk rather than + a monarch. The greatest object of his life had been to rear an abbey that + in point of magnificence should rival the stateliest fane in England. To + that his chief care was devoted, and for many years he was well content to + leave the care of government to Harold. But after the monarchs who had + immediately preceded him, his merits, if of a passive kind, were warmly + appreciated by his subjects. His rule had been free from oppression, and + he had always desired that justice should be done to all. In the earlier + part of his reign he was Norman in tongue, in heart, and in education; but + in the latter years of his life he had become far more English in his + leanings, and there can be no doubt that he bitterly regretted the promise + he had rashly given to William of Normandy that he should succeed him. + </p> + <p> + It was not only because the people respected and even loved the king that + they were grieved to hear that his days were numbered, but because they + saw that his death would bring trouble on the land. With him the line of + the Oethelings would become extinct, save for the boy Edgar and his + sisters. The boy had been born beyond the sea, and was as much a foreigner + as Edward himself had been, and Edward's partiality for the Normans in the + early years of his reign had so angered the English that Edgar's claims + would on this account alone have been dismissed. Moreover, boys' hands + were unfit to hold the sceptre of England in such troubled times. It was + to Harold that all eyes turned. He had for years exercised at least joint + authority with Edward; he was the foremost and most noble of Englishmen. + He was skilled in war, and wise in counsel, and the charm of his manner, + the strength and stateliness of his figure, and the singular beauty of his + face rendered him the popular idol. And yet men felt that it was a new + departure in English life and customs for one who had in his veins no drop + of royal blood to be chosen as king. His sister was Edward's wife, he was + Edward's friend and counsellor, but although the men of the South felt + that he was in all ways fitted to be king, they saw too that Northumbria + would assuredly stand aloof, and that the Mercian earls, brothers-in-law + as they were to be to Harold, would yet feel jealous that one of their own + rank was to be their sovereign. + </p> + <p> + The Witan, as the representative of the nation, had alone the right of + choosing the sovereign; but though they had often passed over those who by + birth stood nearest to the throne, they had never yet chosen one + altogether outside the royal family. It was a necessary step—for + young Edgar was not to be thought of—and yet men felt uneasy, now + that the time had come, at so complete a departure from custom. + </p> + <p> + Rapidly the king grew worse, and prayers were uttered up for him in every + church in England. The Christmas Witan met at Westminster, but little was + done. The great minster was consecrated on December 18th, and the absence + of its founder and builder was keenly missed at the ceremony. + </p> + <p> + The members of the Witan remained in attendance near the palace, hoping + for some guidance from the dying king. He had no power to leave the throne + to whom he wished, and yet his words could not but have great weight; but + he lay almost unconscious, and for two days remained speechless. But on + the 5th of January, the year being 1066, he suddenly awoke from sleep, in + the full possession of his senses. Harold was standing on one side of his + bed, Archbishop Stigand at the other. His wife sat at the foot of the bed, + chaffing her husband's feet; Robert Wymarc, his personal attendant, stood + by his head. The king on awakening prayed aloud, that if a vision he had + had was truly from heaven he might have strength to declare it; if it were + but the offspring of a disordered brain he prayed that he might not be + able to tell it. + </p> + <p> + Then he sat up in bed, supported by Robert; some of his chosen friends + were called in, and to them, with a strangely clear voice and with much + energy, he told the vision. It was that some monks he had known in his + youth had appeared to him, and told him that God had sent them to tell him + that on account of the sins of the earls, the bishops, and the men in holy + orders of every rank, God had put a curse upon England, and that within a + year and a day of his death fiends should stalk through the whole land, + and should harry it from one end to another with fire and sword. + </p> + <p> + The king's words filled his hearers with awe, Stigand alone deeming the + story but the dream of a dying man. Then Edward gave orders as to his + burial. He bade his friends not to grieve for him, but to rejoice in his + approaching deliverance, and he asked for the prayers of all his people + for his soul. At last those standing round called his mind to the great + subject which was for the moment first in the heart of every Englishman. + Who, when he was gone, they asked, would he wish to wear the royal crown + of England? The king stretched out his hand to Harold and said, "To thee, + Harold, my brother, I commit my kingdom." Then, after commending his wife + and his Norman favourites to Harold's care and protection, he turned his + thoughts from all earthly matters, received the last rites of the church, + and soon afterwards passed away tranquilly. + </p> + <p> + Rapidly the news spread through London that the king was dead. The members + of the Witan were still there, for the assembly had not separated, but + knowing that the king was dying had waited for the event. The earls and + great thanes of the South and West, of East Anglia and Wessex, were all + there together, probably with many from Mercia. There was no time lost. In + the afternoon they assembled. All knew on whom the choice would fall, for + Harold had been for long regarded as the only possible successor to the + throne, and the news that the dying king had, as far as he could, chosen + him as his successor, doubtless went for much in the minds of many who had + hitherto felt that it was a strange and unknown thing to accept as monarch + of England one who was not a member of the royal house. There was no + hesitation, no debate. By acclamation Harold was chosen king of the land, + and two great nobles were selected to inform him that the choice of the + Witan had fallen upon him. + </p> + <p> + They bore with them the two symbols of royalty, the crown and the axe, and + bade him accept them as being chosen both by the voice of the Witan and by + the king, whom he had so well and faithfully served. There was no + hesitation on the part of Harold. He had already counted the cost and + taken his resolution. He knew that he alone could hope to receive the + general support of the great earls. Leofric and Gurth were his brothers, + the Earls of Mercia and Northumbria had been mollified by the alliance + arranged with their sister. The last male of the royal line was a lad of + feeble character, and would be unable either to preserve peace at home or + to unite the nation against a foreign invader. The oath he had sworn to + William, although obtained partly by force partly by fraud, weighed upon + him, but he was powerless to keep it. Did he decline the crown it would + fall upon some other Englishman, and not upon the Norman. The vote of + England had chosen him, and it was clearly his duty to accept. The die had + been cast when Edith had bade him sacrifice her and himself for the good + of England, and it was too late to turn back now. Gravely he accepted the + dignity offered him. + </p> + <p> + Throughout London first, and then throughout the country, the news that + the Witan had unanimously chosen him, and that he had accepted, was + received with deep satisfaction. There was no time to be lost. The next + day was Epiphany, the termination of the Christian festival, the last upon + which the Witan could legally sit, and had the ceremony not taken place + then it must have been delayed until another great feast of the church—another + calling together of the Witan. All night the preparations for the two + great ceremonials were carried on. At daybreak the body of the dead king + was borne to the noble minster, that had been the chief object of his life + to raise and beautify, and there before the great altar it was laid to + rest with all the solemn pomp of the church. A few hours passed away and + the symbols of mourning were removed. Then the great prelates of the + church, the earls and the thanes of England, gathered for the coronation + of the successor of the king whom they had just laid in his last + resting-place. Eldred the primate of Northumberland performed the rites of + consecration—for Stigand, primate of England, had been irregularly + appointed, and was therefore deemed unfit for the high function. Before + investing him with the royal robes Eldred, according to custom, demanded + in a loud voice of the English people whether they were willing that + Harold should be crowned their king, and a mighty shout of assent rang + through the abbey. Then the earl swore first to preserve peace to the + church and all Christian people; secondly, to prevent wrong and robbery to + men of every rank; thirdly, to enforce justice and mercy in all his + judgments as he would that God should have mercy on him. Then after a + solemn prayer the prelate poured the oil of consecration upon Harold's + head; he was vested in royal robes, and with symbols appertaining to the + priesthood. A sword was girded to his side, that he might defend his + realm, and smite his enemies and those of the church of God. Then the + crown was placed on his head, the sceptre surmounted with the cross and + the rod with the holy dove placed in his hands, and Harold stood before + the people as the king chosen by themselves, named by his predecessor, and + consecrated by the church. A great banquet followed the coronation, and + then this day memorable in the history of England came to its close. + </p> + <p> + Wulf had been present at the two great events at the abbey and at the + banquet, and knew, better than most of those present, that the gravity on + Harold's face was not caused solely by the mighty responsibility that he + had assumed, but by sad thoughts in his heart. Wulf on his return from the + abbey had handed to Harold a small roll of parchment that had been slipped + into his hand by a man, who at once disappeared in the crowd after handing + it to him, with the words, "For the king". In the interval before the + banquet he handed this to Harold, who had opened and glanced at it, and + had then abruptly turned away. It contained but the words: "<i>That God + may bless my dear lord and king is the prayer of Edith.</i>" + </p> + <p> + "Do you know where she is?" Harold asked abruptly, turning upon Wulf. + </p> + <p> + "No, my lord." + </p> + <p> + "I have respected her wishes and made no inquiry," the king said. "Others + think, doubtless, that I am rejoicing at having gained the object of my + ambition, but as God knows, I would far rather have remained Earl of the + West Saxons with her by my side than rule over England." + </p> + <p> + "I know it, my lord," Wulf said. "But who beside yourself could rule + here?" + </p> + <p> + "No one," Harold answered; "and it is for England's sake and not my own + that I have this day accepted the crown. If you can find out where she has + betaken herself without making public inquiry I charge you to do so, and + to tell her that on this day I have thought mostly of her. Tell me not + where she is. What is done cannot be undone, but I would fain that, in the + time that is to come, I may at least know where to send her a message + should it be needful." + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0014" id="link2HCH0014"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIV. — WULF'S SUSPICIONS. + </h2> + <p> + Beyond the fact that the name of the king had changed, the death of Edward + and the accession of Harold made no sensible difference in the government + of the southern half of England. Harold had practically reigned for years, + and the fact that he was now able to give his orders direct instead of + having nominally to consult Edward, had only the effect that the affairs + of the state moved somewhat more promptly. Such of the Norman favourites + of Edward as desired to leave were permitted to do so, and were honourably + escorted to the coast, but many remained. The Norman prelates and abbots + retained their dignities undisturbed, and several of the court officials + of Edward held the same positions under Harold. + </p> + <p> + A fortnight after the coronation a party of Norman barons arrived, bearing + a summons from Duke William to Harold to fulfil the oath he had sworn to + be his man, and also to carry out his engagement to marry one of William's + daughters. They were received with all honour, and Harold informed them + that he would, without delay, reply to the duke's summons. A few days + later three thanes of high rank started for Normandy with Harold's reply. + Wulf accompanied them. + </p> + <p> + "I would that you should go with them, Wulf," Harold had said to him. "You + are too young to be one of my embassy to Duke William, but it would be + well that you should form one of the party. The duke knows you and has a + liking for you, and possibly may speak more freely to you than to my + official messengers. Moreover, you have many acquaintances and friends + there, and may gather valuable news as to the feeling in Normandy and the + probability of William's barons embarking in a desperate war for his + advantage." + </p> + <p> + "I shall be glad to go, my lord." + </p> + <p> + "The duke knows well enough what my answer must be. He is aware that were + I ready either to resign my kingship to him, or to agree to hold my crown + as his vassal, the people of England would laugh to scorn my assumption so + to dispose of them, and would assuredly renounce and slay me as a traitor + who had broken the oath I swore at my coronation. It is a mere formal + summons William makes, as one summons a city to surrender before + undertaking its siege. It is but a move in the game. That he will, if he + can, strike for the kingdom, I doubt not in any way, but it may well be + that his barons will refuse to embark in a war beyond the seas, which is + altogether beyond the military service they are bound to render. At any + rate, we have breathing time. Vast preparations must be made before he can + invade England, and until he is ready we shall have messengers passing to + and fro. A few of my chief councillors, the earls and great thanes, refuse + to believe that William will ever attempt by force of arms to grasp the + crown of England, but for myself I have no doubt he will do so. I shall at + once prepare for war; and the first step of all is to unite England from + the northern border to the southern sea, so that we may oppose the Normans + with our whole strength. This must be my personal work, other matters I + must for a time intrust to the earls." + </p> + <p> + The train was not a large one. One ship bore the thanes and their + attendants from Southampton to Rouen. They were received with all honour + at their landing, conducted to a house that had been assigned to their + use, and informed that they would be received by the duke on the following + day. They had brought their horses with them, and as soon as they were + housed Wulf mounted, and attended by Osgod rode to the castle of the De + Burgs. Three years had past since he had last been there. He had from time + to time received letters and greetings from Guy de Burg by the hands of + Normans who visited the court, and knew that although he had gained in + health and strength the predictions of the surgeons had been fulfilled, + and that he would never be able to take part in knightly exercises or + deeds of arms. The warden at the gate had sent in Wulf's name, and as he + alighted a tall young man ran down the steps and embraced him. + </p> + <p> + "I am overjoyed to see you, Wulf," he exclaimed. "When we heard that + Harold would send over an English embassy to answer the duke's demands, I + hoped that you would be among the number. Harold would be likely to choose + you, and I felt sure that you would come over to see me. I had a messenger + waiting at Rouen to bring me tidings of the arrival of your ship, and it + is scarcely an hour since he rode in with the news that, by inquiries + among the servants as they landed, he had learned that you were indeed of + the party. But I had hardly looked to see you until to-morrow morning, and + had indeed intended to ride over on my palfrey at daybreak." + </p> + <p> + "I would not delay, Guy, for the answer we bear will not be to the duke's + liking, and for aught I know he may pack us off again as soon as the + interview is ended. Therefore, I thought it best to lose not a moment." + </p> + <p> + "I see you have brought your tall retainer with you, Wulf. I am glad to + see the stout fellow again. But come in, they will chide me for keeping + you so long at the entrance." + </p> + <p> + Wulf was warmly received by the baron and his wife. "You are just what I + thought you would grow up, Wulf," the former said. "Indeed your figure was + so set and square before, that there was little chance of great + alteration. We have heard of you from time to time, and that you + distinguished yourself greatly in the war against the Welsh, and stood + high in the favour and affection of Harold. Guy has overshot you, you see, + in point of height, though he is scarce half your breadth," and the baron + looked with a suppressed sigh at the fragile young fellow, who stood with + his hand on Wulf's shoulder. + </p> + <p> + "He looks better and stronger than I expected, my lord," Wulf said. "You + must remember when I last saw him he could scarce walk across the room, + and in my heart I scarce hoped to ever see him again." + </p> + <p> + "He gains strength very slowly," De Burg said wistfully; "but although he + has to be careful of himself, he has no ailment." + </p> + <p> + "He could hardly gain strength while growing so fast," Wulf said; "but now + that he has gained his full height he will, doubtless, gather strength, + and as three years have done so much for him, another three years will I + hope do far more. The Lady Agnes is well, I trust?" + </p> + <p> + "She is well, and will be here anon," the baroness said. + </p> + <p> + Guy laughed with something of his former heartiness. "She was here when + the man brought news of your arrival, Wulf, but she fled away like a + startled deer, and has, I suppose, gone to put on her best kirtle in your + honour." + </p> + <p> + As he spoke Agnes entered the room. Considerable as was the change that + three years had wrought in the young men, it was still greater in her + case, for she had grown from a pretty young girl into a very lovely + maiden, whose cheek flushed as she presented it for Wulf's salute. + </p> + <p> + "Would you have known her again, Wulf?" Guy asked with a smile. + </p> + <p> + "I should certainly have known her, though she has so greatly changed," + Wulf replied. "I thought that you would be grown up and altered, but I + scarcely looked for so great an alteration in her, though I might of + course have known that it would be so." + </p> + <p> + "And now tell me, Wulf," the baron said, abruptly changing the + conversation, "how go things in England—are people united in + choosing Harold as their king?" + </p> + <p> + "The South, the East, and West are as one man," Wulf said. "Mercia, which + comprises the midlands, has accepted the choice. Northumbria has as yet + held itself aloof, although its earl has sworn allegiance and its primate + has placed the crown on Harold's head; but in time, I am well assured, the + North will also accept him. As I said when we spoke about it after Harold + had been tricked into taking an oath to be William's man, he had no more + power to pledge himself for England than I had. Englishmen are free to + choose their own king, and as Harold has long been their ruler, their + choice naturally fell on him. + </p> + <p> + "Harold is about to marry the sister of the Earls of Northumbria and + Mercia, the widow of Griffith of Wales, and this will, I hope, bind these + two powerful nobles to him. The only trouble is likely to come from + Tostig, who is, as you know, at the court of Norway. But as he is hated in + Northumbria, and the earl and his brother of Mercia both have personal + enmity against him, he can gather no following there, while Anglia and + Wessex are devoted to Harold. Still he and the King of Norway may cause + trouble." + </p> + <p> + "The answer of Harold's ambassadors is, of course, a refusal?" + </p> + <p> + "Assuredly," Wulf said. "I do not know the exact import of the reply, as, + although I have accompanied them, I am not a member of the embassy, being + too young to be intrusted with so weighty a matter. But there can be but + one answer. Harold is powerless to carry out his oath. He had the choice + of becoming King of England, and thus defending our rights and freedom, or + of refusing the crown, in which case he must have fled here, and could + have given no aid whatever to William, as he himself would be regarded as + the worst of traitors by the English. The duke must be perfectly well + aware that a king of England could not, without the assent of the people, + accept a foreign prince as his liege lord." + </p> + <p> + De Burg nodded. + </p> + <p> + "That is plainly so, Wulf; and although the duke professes intense + indignation against Harold, he himself has, over and over again, broken + his own oaths of allegiance to the King of France. Breaches of oaths go + for little, except they serve as pretexts for war. It would have been the + same thing if Harold had never taken the oath, except that his breach of + it will be an aid to William in a war against him. We northmen came to + France and conquered a province, simply by the right of the strongest. The + duke has doubled his dominions by the same right. He deems himself now + strong enough to conquer England; whether he is so remains to be seen. At + present methinks that but few of us are disposed to follow him in such an + enterprise, but there is never any saying how things will go at last. When + war is in the air men's minds become heated. There will be dignities, + estates, and titles to be won, and when many are ready to go, few like to + hang back. More than once already William has embarked on a war against + the wishes of the majority, but he has finally carried all with him, and + it may be so again, especially if he can win over the pope to + excommunicate Harold for the breach of an oath sworn on the relics." + </p> + <p> + "His excommunication will go for little in England," Wulf said sturdily. + "Many of our prelates, and almost all our clergy are Englishmen, and hold + in very small respect the claim of the pope to interfere in the affairs of + England." + </p> + <p> + "And if Harold died who would be likely to succeed him?" + </p> + <p> + "I have never thought of that," Wulf said, "and I should think that few + Englishmen have done so. If such a misfortune should happen, methinks that + England would be rent in two, and that while Wessex and Anglia would + choose one of his brothers, Mercia and the North would take Edwin or his + brother Morcar as their king, but assuredly no foreign prince would be + chosen." + </p> + <p> + "No, but with England divided the chance of conquest would be easier. You + are about the king, Wulf. Keep a shrewd guard over him. I say not for a + moment that the duke would countenance any attempt to do him harm, but + there are many rough spirits who might think that they would gain his + favour greatly did they clear his path of Harold, and who would feel all + the less scruple in doing so, should the pope be induced to excommunicate + him. Such things have happened again and again. Mind, I have no warrant + for my speech. Methinks the honour of De Burg is too well known for anyone + to venture to broach such a project before him, but so many kings and + great princes have fallen by an assassin's knife to clear the way for the + next heir or for an ambitious rival, that I cannot close my eyes to the + fact that one in Harold's position might well be made the subject of such + an attempt. The history of your own country will furnish you with examples + of what I say." + </p> + <p> + "Thank you, my lord," Wulf said gravely. "The thought that an assassin's + knife might be raised against Harold, who is of all men the most beloved + in England, has never once entered my mind, but I see there may be indeed + a danger of such an attempt being made. I do not greatly trust Morcar or + his brother, and the danger may come from them, or, as you say, from one + desirous of gaining favour with your duke. I will lay your warning to + heart." + </p> + <p> + The conversation now turned on other topics, on the Welsh war and the life + Wulf had been leading since they last met, and upon what had happened to + the many acquaintances Wulf had made in Normandy. They talked until long + past the usual hour for retiring to rest; Wulf slept at the chateau, and + rode into Rouen at an early hour in the morning. + </p> + <p> + The audience next day was a public one. William was surrounded by his + officers of state, and by a large number of his barons. The English envoys + were ushered in, and the duke asked them in a loud voice what answer they + brought to his just demands on the part of his sworn liegeman, Harold. + </p> + <p> + "The king of England bids us state, duke, that he holds an oath taken by a + prisoner under force to be invalid, especially when taken in ignorance of + the sanctity of the concealed relics; secondly, he says that he has been + elected by the people of England, and that he has no power whatever to + transfer the rights that they have conferred upon him, and which he has + sworn to maintain, and that they would absolutely refuse to be bound by + any act on his part contrary to the welfare of the kingdom, and to their + rights as freemen; thirdly, as to your demand that he should carry out his + promise to marry your daughter, he points out that the lady whose hand was + promised to him has since that time died; and lastly, that although as + Earl of Wessex he might transfer that engagement to another of your + daughters, as king of England he is unable to do so, as the will of the + people is that their king shall marry no foreign princess, but that the + royal family shall be of unmixed English blood." + </p> + <p> + William frowned heavily. "You hear, my lords," he said, after a pause, to + the Norman barons, "this English earl who was here as my guest refuses to + carry out the engagements to which he swore upon the holy relics. I + cannot, however, bring myself to believe that he will really persist in + this foul perjury, and shall persevere in my endeavours to bring him to a + sense of his duty, and to show him the foul dishonour that will rest upon + him should he persist in this contempt alike of our holy church and his + honour as a knight and a Christian, conduct that would bring upon him + eternal infamy and the scorn and contempt of all the princes and nobles of + Europe, and draw upon his head the wrath of the church." Then he abruptly + turned on his heel and left the audience-chamber, while the English envoys + returned to their house and made preparations for immediate departure. + </p> + <p> + A few minutes after his arrival there one of the duke's pages brought word + to Wulf that the duke desired to speak to him in private. He at once went + across to the palace. The duke received him cordially. + </p> + <p> + "I marked you were with the other thanes, and was glad to see one whom I + count as my friend. Tell me frankly, what think the people of England of + this monstrous act of perjury on the part of Harold?" + </p> + <p> + "To speak the truth, my lord duke," Wulf replied, "they trouble their + heads in no way about it. They hold that the right of electing their king + rests wholly with them, and that Harold's promise, to do what he had no + more power to do than the lowest born of Englishmen, was but a waste of + words. Harold himself feels the obligation far more than anyone else, and + had there been any other Englishman who could have united the people as + well as he could himself, he would gladly have stood aside; but there is + none such, and he had no choice but to accept the decision of the Witan, + and, for the sake of England, to lay aside his own scruples. The late + king, too, nominated him as his successor, and although his voice had no + legal weight, he is now regarded as almost a saint among the people. The + fact, therefore, that he, full of piety and religion as he was, should + have held that Harold's oath in no way prevented the people from choosing + him, has gone very far to satisfy any scruples that might have been felt." + </p> + <p> + "Edward at one time named me as his successor," the duke said shortly. + </p> + <p> + "So I have heard, my lord duke; but as he grew in years and learned more + of English feeling and character he became fully aware that the people + would accept no foreign prince, and that only the man who had for thirteen + years governed in his name could be their choice." + </p> + <p> + "And the great earls and thanes are likewise of that opinion?" + </p> + <p> + "Assuredly in Anglia and Wessex they are so. I know not the minds of Earls + Morcar and Edwin, but they were at the Witan and stood by his side at the + coronation, and doubtless felt that they could not rely upon their own + people if they attempted any open opposition to Harold." + </p> + <p> + "And you will support this usurper against me, Wulf?" + </p> + <p> + "I shall fight, my lord duke, for the king chosen by the people of + England. Should that choice some day fall on you I should be as faithful a + follower of yours as I am now of Harold." + </p> + <p> + "Well answered, young thane. You have twice done me loyal service, and I + at least do not forget my promises. As yet my mind is not made up as to my + course, but should fate will it so, William of England will not forget the + services rendered to William of Normandy." + </p> + <p> + A few minutes later Wulf rejoined his companions, and before nightfall the + ship was far on her way down the river. + </p> + <p> + "Shall we go back to Steyning, my lord, when we return home?" Osgod asked + as they stood by the bulwark together watching the passing shores. + </p> + <p> + "No, Osgod. I mean for a time to remain with the king. Baron de Burg + yesterday hinted to me that he thought it possible that some of the duke's + followers might endeavour to remove the obstacle between him and the + throne of England. There are in every country desperate men, who are ready + for any crime or deed of violence if they but think that its committal + will bring them a reward. We have had English kings assassinated before + now, and it has been the same in other countries. Moreover, there are many + Normans who were forced to fly from England when Godwin's family returned + from exile. These having a personal grudge against him would be willing to + gratify it, and at the same time to earn a place in William's favour. + Harold is so frank and unsuspicious that he will never think of taking + precautions for his personal safety. You and I, then, must serve as his + watch-dogs. It may be a difficult task, for we have no idea from what + quarter that danger may come, and yet by chance we may discover some clue + or other that will set us on the right track At any rate, if we are near + him, and keep a watchful eye on any strangers approaching him, we may save + him from a treacherous blow." + </p> + <p> + "Good, my lord. Methinks that Harold was wrong in not sending every Norman + across the seas, and every man with whom I have spoken thinks the same. + But at any rate we can, as you say, keep a sharp look-out, and although I + cannot be always near his person, I shall go about and listen; and it will + be hard if anything is on foot without my hearing some whisper of it. You + will tell him no word of your suspicions, I suppose?" + </p> + <p> + "Certainly not. I have fears rather than suspicions, and Baron De Burg + certainly spoke as if he regarded it as likely that such an attempt might + be made, and he knows his own people better than I do. He expressly said + that he had no special reason for giving me the warning, but he may have + heard some angry remark or some covert threat against Harold; and although + the duke would not, I feel sure, openly countenance his slaying, I think + that the slayers might confidently look for a reward from his gratitude + did they by their daggers open a way for him to the throne of England." + </p> + <p> + On the return of the embassy to London King Harold said to Wulf: "I have + no further occasion for your services at present, Wulf, and I suppose you + will return home and increase the number of your housecarls. It is not + with undisciplined levies that the Normans, if they come, must be met. It + is no question this time of Welsh mountaineers but of trained warriors, + and should they land they must be met by men as firm and as obedient to + orders as themselves. I am trying to impress this on all our thanes, but + most of them are hard to move, and deem that all that is necessary on the + day of battle is that men shall have strength and courage and arms." + </p> + <p> + "With your permission, my lord, I would rather abide near you, and leave + the training of my men to the officer who taught those who fought by my + side in Wales." + </p> + <p> + "I thought you did not care for the gaieties of the court?" Harold said, + in some surprise. + </p> + <p> + "Nor do I, my lord. For its gaieties I care nothing, but in times like + these there is much to be learned, and I would not bury myself in Steyning + when there is so much of importance going on in London." + </p> + <p> + "Then stay, Wulf, I shall be glad to have you here. I have but little time + to myself now, but it is a relief to put aside grave matters sometimes. I + will appoint a room for you near my own chamber. You have heard no news of + her, I suppose?" + </p> + <p> + "In truth, my lord, I know not how to set about the task, and it seems to + me that my only chance is to run against one of her serving-men in the + street." + </p> + <p> + "That is but a slight chance, Wulf; but even I, with all the power of + England in my hands, am equally at a loss. I cannot send round to all the + thanes of Wessex to ask if a strange lady has taken a house in their + jurisdiction, nor to all the parish priests to ask if a new worshipper has + come to their church. However, I believe that sooner or later she will + herself advise me where she has hidden. It may be that your stay here will + not be a long one, for I purpose journeying to the North." + </p> + <p> + "To Northumbria!" Wulf said in surprise. + </p> + <p> + "Yes; the people there refuse to recognize me, and I would win them by + going among them rather than by force. My dear friend Bishop Wulfstan will + accompany me. I shall take with me a body of my housecarls, partly as a + guard, but more because I cannot now travel as a private person. It is + very many years since an English king has visited Northumbria, and it is + not strange that these northern men should object to be ruled by a + stranger from the South. I shall take with me two or three of my thanes + only, but shall be glad for you to ride with me. Young as you are, you + have a quick eye and ready wit, and in case trouble should arise, I can + rely upon you more than upon many men far older than yourself." + </p> + <p> + The palace of Westminster was not an imposing edifice. London had not yet + become the capital of England, Oxford being the seat of government of most + of the kings, so that the palace was built on a simple plan, and had been + altered by Edward until the interior arrangements more nearly resembled + those of a convent than of a palace. Below was the great banqueting-hall, + and beyond this the chamber where the king heard complaints and + administered justice. Leading from this were the king and queen's private + chambers, where the one sat and read or received his chief councillors, + and the other worked with her maids, and listened to the music of the + harpers or the tales of war and love sung by bards. + </p> + <p> + Behind was the chapel. On the floor above a corridor ran from one end of + the building to the doors which separated the royal sleeping-rooms from + the rest. On either side of the corridor were small bed-chambers, where + the officers of the household and guests at the court slept, their + attendants lying in the corridor itself or in the kitchens, which with + other offices were contained in a separate building. The room assigned to + Wulf, and which Harold had ordered was henceforth to be retained for him, + was that on the right hand of the corridor, next to the door leading to + the royal apartments. Like the others it was a mere cell, with the straw + pallet covered with sheep-skins, with some rugs for covering. This + constituted the whole of the furniture. In the morning water was brought + in brass ewers and basins, either by the pages or servants of the guests. + </p> + <p> + "Nothing could be better, my lord, than this," Osgod said. "I am a light + sleeper, and lying across your door I am sure that no one could enter the + king's apartments without my hearing those heavy doors move." + </p> + <p> + "There is but little chance, Osgod, of an attack being made on him in that + fashion. Doubtless some of the royal servants sleep on the other side of + the door. No, if any design be attempted against his life it will be when + he is travelling, or when he is abroad amid a crowd." + </p> + <p> + "I saw Walter Fitz-Urse to-day, master, in the train of William of + London." + </p> + <p> + "Then he must have returned within the last day or two, Osgod, for he has + been absent for more than a year, and I know that when we sailed for + Normandy he was still absent, for I inquired of one of the court officials + if he had been here of late. What should bring him back again, I wonder. + He has long been out of his pageship, and he can hope for no preferment in + England while Harold is king. He has, I know, no great possessions in + Normandy, for I asked Guy about him, and learned that his father was a + knight of but small consideration, either as to his state or character, + and that the boy owed his place as page to William of London, to the fact + that he was a distant relation of the prelate. + </p> + <p> + "I would say harm of no man, but I should think he is as likely as another + to be mixed up in such a plot as we are talking of. He is landless, + hot-tempered, and ambitious. He owes no goodwill to Harold, for it was by + his intervention that he was sent away in disgrace after that quarrel with + me. At any rate, Osgod, since we have no one else to suspect, we will in + the first place watch him, or rather have him looked after, for I see not + how we ourselves can in any way keep near him. He knows me well, and has + doubtless seen you with me, and having seen you once would not be likely + to forget you." + </p> + <p> + "I think I can manage that," Osgod said confidently. "My father has a + small apprentice who well-nigh worries his life out with tricks and + trifling. I have more than once begged him off a beating, and methinks he + will do anything for me. He is as full of cunning as an ape, and, I + warrant me, would act his part marvellously. My father will be glad enough + to get him out of the forge for a while, and when I tell him that it is in + your service he will make no difficulty about it. He is fifteen years old, + but so small for his age that he would pass for three years younger than + he is." + </p> + <p> + "I think it is a very good plan, Osgod. You had best see your father in + the morning, and if he consents to your having the boy, bring him down to + the river-bank behind the abbey, where I will be awaiting you, and can + there talk to him without observation. You are sure that he can be trusted + to keep silence regarding what I tell him?" + </p> + <p> + "He can be trusted, my lord. In the first place he will enjoy playing his + part, and in the second he will know well enough that I should nearly flay + him alive with my stirrup-leather if he were to fail me, and that his life + in the forge would be worse than ever." + </p> + <p> + The next morning Wulf strolled down to the river-bank after breaking his + fast, and it was not long before Osgod joined him with the boy. + </p> + <p> + "Have you told him what he is required for, Osgod?" Wulf asked, as the + boy, doffing his cap, stood before him with an air of extreme humility. + </p> + <p> + "I am not good at the telling of tales, as you know, my lord, and I + thought it better that you should tell him just as much or as little as + you chose." + </p> + <p> + "You don't like your work at the forge, Ulf?" for that Wulf had learned + was the boy's name. + </p> + <p> + "I think that I like it better than it likes me," the boy replied. "When I + get to do the fine work I shall like it, but at present it is 'fetch this + tool, Ulf, or file that iron, or blow those bellows,' and if I do but + smile I get a cuff." + </p> + <p> + "No, no, Ulf," Osgod said. "Of course, at present you are but a beginner, + and at your age I too had to fetch and carry and be at the bidding of all + the men; and it is not for smiling that you get cuffed, but for playing + tricks and being away for hours when you are sent on a message to the next + street, and doing your errands wrongly. My father tells me you will be a + good workman some day. You will never be strong enough to wield a heavy + hammer or to forge a battle-axe, but he says your fingers are quick and + nimble, and that you will some day be able to do fine work such as clumsy + hands could not compass. But that is not to the point now." + </p> + <p> + "You will be glad to be out of the forge for a bit, Ulf?" Wulf asked. + </p> + <p> + "That should I, but not always." + </p> + <p> + "It will not be for very long. I want a watch set upon a Norman in order + to know where he goes, and whom he meets, and what he purposes. Osgod + tells me that he thinks you could play the part rarely, and that you would + be willing for his sake to do our bidding." + </p> + <p> + The boy looked up into Osgod's face with an expression of earnest + affection. + </p> + <p> + "I would do anything for him," he said, "even if I were to be cut to + pieces." + </p> + <p> + "Osgod is as much interested in the matter as I am, Ulf; and as he has + assured me that you are to be trusted, I will tell you more as to the man, + and my object in setting you to watch him." + </p> + <p> + "You can trust me, my lord," the boy said earnestly. "I will do your + bidding whatever it is." + </p> + <p> + "You know, Ulf, that the Duke of Normandy desires the crown of England?" + </p> + <p> + "So I have heard men say, my lord." + </p> + <p> + "Were King Harold out of the way, his chances of obtaining it would be + improved." + </p> + <p> + The boy nodded. + </p> + <p> + "I am sure that the duke himself would take no hand in bringing about + Harold's death, but there are many of his people who might think that they + would obtain a great reward were they to do so." + </p> + <p> + The boy nodded again. + </p> + <p> + "The man I wish you to watch is Walter Fitz-Urse, who is in the train of + the bishop. I have no particular reason for suspecting him, beyond the + fact that he has but just come over here, and this is scarcely a time a + Norman would come to London; though as the bishop is a relation and patron + of his he may have come merely to visit him. Still he has, as he thinks, a + cause for enmity against the king. He is needy, and, as I know, somewhat + unscrupulous. All this is little enough against a man; still it seems to + me that his coming bodes danger to the king, and this being so I desire + that he shall be watched, in order that I may find out what is his real + object in coming over here. I want you to post yourself near the gate of + the bishop's palace, and whenever he comes out to follow him save when he + is in the train of the bishop—most of all if he sallies out alone or + after dark. + </p> + <p> + "It will not do for you to be always dressed as an apprentice. Osgod will + procure for you such clothes as you may require for disguises. One day you + can be sitting there as a beggar asking alms, another as a girl from one + of the villages with eggs or fowls. You understand that you will have to + follow him, to mark where he goes in, and especially, should he be joined + by anybody when out, to endeavour to overhear something of what they say + to each other. Even a few words might suffice to show me whether my + suspicions are true or not. Do you think you can do that? Osgod tells me + that you are good at playing a part." + </p> + <p> + "I will do it, my lord, and that right gladly. It is a business after my + own heart, and I will warrant that those who see me one day will not know + me when they see me the next." + </p> + <p> + "Osgod will go with you now, and will stay near the bishop's palace until + the man you are to watch comes out, and will point him out to you. In a + day or two I may be going away with the king; when we return you will tell + us what you have found out. Till we go, Osgod will meet you here each + morning as the abbey bell rings out the hour of seven. You can tell him + anything that you have learned, and then he will give you such further + instructions as may seem needful; and remember you must be cautious, for + Walter Fitz-Urse would not hesitate to use his dagger on you did he come + upon you eaves-dropping." + </p> + <p> + "I will give him leave to do so if he catches me," the boy said. + </p> + <p> + "Very well, then; Osgod will go with you to buy such clothes as may be + necessary, and remember that you will be well rewarded for your work." + </p> + <p> + "I want no reward," the boy said, almost indignantly. "I am an apprentice, + and as my master has bid me do whatever Osgod commands, he has a right to + my services. But this is nothing. There is not one in London who would not + do aught in his power for Harold, and who would scorn to take pay for it. + As this is a matter in which his very life may be concerned, though I am + but a boy, and a small one at that, there is nought that I would not do, + even to the giving of my life, to spoil these Norman plots." + </p> + <p> + Osgod was about to chide the boy angrily for this freedom of speech, but + Wulf checked him. + </p> + <p> + "You are right, lad; and I am sorry I spoke of a reward. I myself would + have answered the same at your age, and would have died for Harold then as + I would now. I should have bethought me that the feelings of Englishmen, + gentle or simple, are the same towards the king, and I crave your pardon + for treating your loyal service as a thing to be paid for with money." + </p> + <p> + The boy's eyes filled with tears; he dropped on one knee, and seizing + Wulf's hand placed it to his lips, and then without a word sped away, + halting a hundred yards off till Osgod should join him. + </p> + <p> + "You have made a good choice," Wulf said; "the boy is wholly trustworthy, + and unless his face belies him he is as shrewd as he is faithful. My only + fear in the matter is, that he may be over rash in his desire to carry out + the trust we have given him. Warn him against that, and tell him that + should he be discovered and killed it would upset all our plans." + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0015" id="link2HCH0015"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XV. — A MEETING BY THE RIVER. + </h2> + <p> + During the three days that elapsed between Ulf's being set upon the track + of Walter Fitz-Urse and the departure of the king for the North, the boy + had no news to report to Osgod. The young Norman had not left the bishop's + palace alone. He had accompanied the prelate several times when he went + abroad, and had gone out with some of his countrymen who still held office + at the court. In one or other of the disguises Wulf had suggested, the boy + had hung about the gate of the bishop's palace until late in the evening, + but Walter Fitz-Urse had not come out after dark. On the day before + starting, Wulf was with Osgod when the latter met the boy at the + rendezvous. + </p> + <p> + After he heard Ulf's report Wulf said: "As we leave to-morrow this is the + last report you will have to make to us. So far it would seem that there + is nothing whatever to give grounds for suspicion, and if, after a few + days, you find that the Norman still remains quietly at the bishop's, + there will be no occasion for you to continue your watch until the time is + approaching for the king's return." + </p> + <p> + "Yes, my lord. But I cannot say surely that he does not go out of an + evening." + </p> + <p> + "Why, I thought you said that he certainly had not done so?" + </p> + <p> + "No, my lord; I said only that I had not seen him. He has certainly not + gone out through the great gates in his Norman dress, but that it seems to + me shows very little. As the bishop's guest he would pass out there, but + there is another entrance behind that he might use did he wish to go out + unobserved. Even at the main entrance I cannot tell but that, beneath the + cowl and frock of one of the many monks who pass in and out, Walter + Fitz-Urse may not be hidden. He would scarce go about such a business as + we suspect in his dress as a Norman noble, which is viewed with little + favour here in London, and would draw attention towards him, but would + assume, as I do, some disguise in which he could go about unremarked—it + might be that of a monk, it might be that of a lay servitor of the + palace." + </p> + <p> + "You are right, Ulf; I had not thought of that. That is indeed a + difficulty, and one that I do not see how you can get over. Are you sure + that he has not passed out by the main gate?" + </p> + <p> + "I have marked his walk and carriage closely, my lord. He steps along with + a long stride, and unless he be a better mummer than I judge him to be, I + should know him whether in a monk's gown or a servitor's cloak. It is no + easy thing to change a knight's stride into the shuffle of a sandalled + monk, or the noiseless step of a well-trained servitor in a bishop's + palace." + </p> + <p> + "You are a shrewd lad indeed, Ulf," Wulf said warmly; "and I feel that you + will fathom this matter if there be aught at the bottom. But, as you say, + you cannot watch more than one place." + </p> + <p> + "The other entrance is not altogether unwatched, my lord. The first day + you gave me my orders I went to one of my cronies, who has shared with me + in many an expedition when our master deemed that we were soundly asleep. + Without, as you may be sure, giving any reason, I told him that I had come + to believe that the Norman I pointed out to him was in the habit of going + out in disguise, and that I was mightily curious to find whither he went + and why, and therefore wanted him to watch, at the entrance behind the + palace. I bade him mark the walk of the persons that went out, and their + height, for the Norman is tall, and to follow any who might come out of + lofty stature, and with a walk and carriage that seemed to accord ill with + his appearance. So each evening, as soon as his house was closed and the + lights extinguished, he has slipped out, as he knows how, and has watched + till ten o'clock at the gate. It seemed to me that that would be late + enough, and indeed the doors are closed at that hour." + </p> + <p> + "You have done well, Ulf; but has not the boy questioned you as to your + reasons for thus setting a watch on the Norman?" + </p> + <p> + "I have told him nought beyond what I have said, my lord. He may guess + shrewdly enough that I should not myself take so much trouble in the + matter unless I had more reason than I have given; but we are closely + banded together, and just as I should do, without asking the reasons, any + such action did he propose it to me, so he carried out my wishes. I cannot + feel as sure as if I had watched him myself that Fitz-Urse has not passed + out in disguise unnoticed, but I have a strong belief that it is so. At + any rate, my lord, you can go away with the assurance that all that is + possible shall be done by us, and that even if he pass out once or twice + undiscovered there is good hope that we shall at last detect him." + </p> + <p> + After again commending the boy, Wulf returned to the palace with Osgod. + </p> + <p> + "I feel half ashamed of having entertained a suspicion of Fitz-Urse on + such slight grounds, Osgod." + </p> + <p> + "I think you have done quite right, my lord. You know how the fellow gave + a false report to the bishop of that quarrel with you. At any rate, should + nothing come of it, no harm will have been done. As to the boys, so far + from regarding it as a trouble, I feel sure that they view it as an + exciting pleasure, and are as keenly anxious to detect the Norman going + out in a disguise as you yourself can be. When they get tired of it they + will give it up." + </p> + <p> + Ulf, at any rate, was determined not to relax his watch during the absence + of the king. The more he thought of it the more certain he felt that if + Walter Fitz-Urse went out on any private business after nightfall he would + use one or other of the entrances at the rear of the palace, and + accordingly next day he arranged that one friend should watch the front + entrance of an evening, while he himself took post behind. As soon as it + was dark he lay down by the wall close to the entrance at which the + servitors generally passed in and out. The moon was up but was still + young, and the back of the palace lay in deep shadow; a projecting + buttress screened him to a great extent from view, while by peeping round + the corner he could watch those who came out and see them as they passed + from the shadow of the building into the comparatively light space beyond. + </p> + <p> + Many came in and out. The evening was bitterly cold, and his teeth + chattered as he lay, cautiously putting his head beyond the edge of the + stonework every time he heard any one leaving the palace. The heavy bell + had just struck eight, when a man wrapt up in a cloak passed out. He + differed in no respect from many of those who had preceded him, save that + he was somewhat taller. The hood of the cloak was drawn over his head. Ulf + raised himself to his knees and gazed after the figure. The man was + walking more slowly than the others had done, for most of them had hurried + along as if in haste to get their errands finished and to be in shelter + again from the keen wind. + </p> + <p> + "If that is Fitz-Urse, he is walking so as to avoid the appearance of + haste in case anyone should be looking after him," Ulf muttered to + himself. "At any rate I will follow him, he is more like the Norman than + anyone I have yet seen, though he carries his head forwarder and his + shoulders more rounded." As he watched him, the boy saw that as he + increased the distance from the palace the man quickened his pace, and + when he came into the moonlight was stepping rapidly along. + </p> + <p> + "That is my man," Ulf exclaimed. "He knows well enough that no one is + likely to be standing at the door, and thinks he need no longer walk + cautiously." Feeling sure that even if the man looked back he would not be + able to see him in the shadow, he started forward at a run, paused before + he reached the edge of the moonlight, and then, as soon as the figure + entered a lane between some houses, ran forward at the top of his speed. + The man was but a hundred yards in front of him when Ulf came to the + entrance of the lane. Just as he turned into it the man stopped and looked + round, and Ulf threw himself down by the side of a wall. + </p> + <p> + "That settles it," he said to himself. "No one who had not a fear of being + followed would turn and look round on such a night as this." + </p> + <p> + Ulf was barefooted, for although he generally wore soft shoes which were + almost as noiseless as the naked foot, he was dressed in rags, and a foot + covering of any sort would have been out of place. Always keeping in the + shade, having his eyes fixed on the man he was pursuing, and holding + himself in readiness to leap into a doorway or throw himself down should + he see him turn his head, he lessened the distance until he was within + some fifty yards of the other. The man took several turns, and at last + entered a long street leading down to the river. As soon as Ulf saw him + enter it he darted off at full speed, turned down another lane, and then, + when he got beyond the houses, and on to the broken ground that lay + between them and the river, ran until he was nearly facing the end of the + street which he had seen the man enter, and then threw himself down. + </p> + <p> + He had scarcely done so when he saw the figure issue from the street and + strike across the open ground towards the water. Crawling along on his + stomach Ulf followed him, until he halted on the bank. The man looked up + and down the river, stamped his foot impatiently, and then began to walk + to and fro. Presently he stopped and appeared to be listening; Ulf did the + same, and soon heard the distant splash of oars. They came nearer and + nearer. Ulf could not see the boat, for it was close under the bank, which + was some twenty yards away from him, but presently when the boat seemed + almost abreast of him the man on the bank said, "Where do you come from?" + </p> + <p> + "From fishing in deep water," a voice replied. + </p> + <p> + "That is right, come ashore." + </p> + <p> + The words were spoken by both in a language Ulf could not understand, and + he muttered a Saxon oath. The thought that any conversation Fitz-Urse + might have with a Norman would naturally be in that tongue had never once + occurred to him. Three men mounted the bank. One shook hands with + Fitz-Urse, the others had doffed their caps and stood listening bareheaded + to the conversation between their superiors. It was long and animated. At + first the stranger stamped his foot and seemed disappointed at the news + Fitz-Urse gave him, then as the latter continued to speak he seemed more + satisfied. + </p> + <p> + For fully half an hour they talked, then the men got into the boat and + rowed away, and Fitz-Urse turned and walked back to the palace. + </p> + <p> + Ulf did not follow him. The meeting for which Fitz-Urse had come out had + taken place, he would be sure to go straight back to the palace. Ulf lay + there for some time fairly crying with vexation. He had done something, he + had discovered that Fitz-Urse was indeed engaged in some undertaking that + had to be conducted with the greatest secrecy; but this was little to what + he would have learned had he understood the language. His only consolation + was that both Wulf and Osgod had likewise forgotten the probability that + the conversations he was charged to overhear might be in Norman. + </p> + <p> + Had Wulf still been in London he could have gone to him for fresh + instructions, but he had started at daybreak, and the king's party would + assuredly ride fast. There was no time to be lost. These men had a boat, + and probably came from a ship in the port. Were there really a conspiracy + against the king they might sail north and land in the Humber, though it + seemed more probable that they would wait for his return, for on his + journey he would be surrounded by his housecarls, and there would be far + less chance of finding him alone and unguarded than in London. Had it been + their intention to sail at once for the North, Walter Fitz-Urse would + probably have rowed away with them without returning to the palace. At any + rate it was too important a matter for him to trust to his own judgment, + and he determined to take counsel with his master. + </p> + <p> + He had not been near the forge since he had begun the search, and was + supposed to have gone down to stay with his family, who lived near + Reading. He had hidden away his apprentice dress beneath some stones in a + field half a mile from Westminster, and he presented himself in this at + the forge in the morning. + </p> + <p> + "You are back sooner than I expected, Ulf," Ulred said as he entered. "I + did not look for you for another week to come. Is all well at home?" + </p> + <p> + "All is well, master; but I have a message to deliver to you concerning + some business." + </p> + <p> + The armourer saw that his apprentice wished to speak to him in private. He + knew nothing of the reason for which Osgod had asked him to release the + boy from his work at the forge for a time, but had quite understood that + the wish to pay a visit to his family was but a cloak, and that the boy + was to be employed in some service for Wulf. Guessing, therefore, that the + message was one that should be delivered in private, he bade the boy + follow him from the forge and took him into the room above. + </p> + <p> + "What is it you would say to me, Ulf? Mind, I wish to hear nothing about + any private matter in which you may be engaged either by Wulf or Osgod. + They are both away and may not return for a month or more. I judged the + matter was a private one, as Osgod said nought of it to me." + </p> + <p> + "The matter is a private one, master, but as they are away I would fain + take your counsel on it." + </p> + <p> + The armourer shook his head decidedly. "I can listen to nought about it, + boy. It can be no business of mine, and unless he has given you license to + speak I would not on any account meddle with the affairs of the young + thane, who is a good lord to my son." + </p> + <p> + "That he has not done, sir; but I pray you to hear me," he added urgently + as the armourer was turning to leave the room. "It is a matter that may + touch the safety of our lord the king." + </p> + <p> + The armourer stopped. "Art well assured of what you say, Ulf?" + </p> + <p> + "For myself I can say nothing, master, but the young thane told me that he + had fears that some attempt or other might be made from the other side of + the sea against the king's life, and that although he had no strong + grounds, he thought that Walter Fitz-Urse, who had just returned here, + might be concerned in it, he having reasons for enmity against the king. + Therefore he appointed me to watch him." + </p> + <p> + He then related the scene he had witnessed on the river bank the evening + before. + </p> + <p> + "It is a strange story indeed, Ulf, and whatever it may mean, this meeting + can have been for no good purpose. The secrecy with which it was conducted + is enough to prove it. It is indeed unfortunate that you did not + understand what was said, for much may depend upon it. Well, this is a + grave affair, and I must think it over, Ulf. You have done well in telling + me. Has any plan occurred to you?" + </p> + <p> + "I thought that you might accompany me, master." + </p> + <p> + "That would I willingly, but though I have picked up enough of their + tongue to enable me to do business with the Normans at the king's court + when they come in to buy a dagger or to have a piece of armour repaired, I + could not follow their talk one with another. We must obtain someone who + can speak their language well, and who can be trusted to be discreet and + silent. Why, were it but whispered abroad that some Normans are plotting + against the life of the king, there would be so angry a stir that every + Norman in the land might be hunted down and slain. Do not go down to the + forge, I will tell my wife to give you some food, and you had best then go + up to the attic and sleep. You will have to be afoot again to-night, and + it were well that you kept altogether away from the others, so as to avoid + inconvenient questions. I will come up to you when I have thought the + matter over." + </p> + <p> + "Is aught troubling you, Ulred?" the armourer's wife asked when breakfast + was over and the men had gone downstairs again to their work. "Never have + I seen you sit so silently at the board." + </p> + <p> + "I am worried about a matter which I have learned this morning. It matters + not what it is now. Some time later you shall hear of it, but at present I + am pledged to say no word about it. I want above all things to find one + who speaks the Norman tongue well, and is yet a true Englishman. I have + been puzzling my brains, but cannot bethink me of anyone. Canst thou help + me?" + </p> + <p> + "Except about the court there are few such to be found, Ulred. If Wulf of + Steyning had been here he could doubtless have assisted you had it been a + matter you could have confided to him; for Osgod said that although he + himself had learned but little Norman his master was able to talk freely + with the Norman nobles." + </p> + <p> + "Ay, he learnt it partly when a page at court. But what you say reminds me + that it was but yesterday afternoon his friend Beorn came into my shop. He + had just arrived from his estate, and said how disappointed he was at + finding that Wulf had left London. I will go to the palace and see him at + once. I know but little of him save that I have heard from Osgod that he + is Wulf's firmest friend, and they fought together across in Normandy and + again against the Welsh. He has been here several times to have weapons + repaired, and knows that Osgod is Wulf's man. I wonder I did not think of + him, but my thoughts were running on people of our own condition." + </p> + <p> + Ulred at once put on his cap and proceeded to the palace, where he found + Beorn without difficulty. + </p> + <p> + "You have not come to tell me that the blade I left with you yesterday + cannot be fitted with a new hilt, Master Ulred? It is a favourite weapon + of mine, and I would rather pay twice the price of a new one than lose + it." + </p> + <p> + "I have come on another matter, my Lord Beorn. It is for your private ear. + May I pray you to come with me to my house, where I can enter upon it + without fear of being overheard?" + </p> + <p> + "Certainly I will come, Ulred, though I cannot think what this matter may + be." + </p> + <p> + "It concerns in some way the Thane of Steyning, my lord, and others even + higher in position." + </p> + <p> + "That is enough," Beorn said. "Anything that concerns Wulf concerns me, + and as he is in the matter you can count on me without question." + </p> + <p> + Upon reaching his house Ulred left Beorn for a moment in the room + upstairs, and fetched Ulf down from the attic. + </p> + <p> + "This is an apprentice lad of mine," he said, "and as it is he who has + been employed by the Thane of Steyning in this affair, it were best that + he himself informed you of it." + </p> + <p> + When Ulf had finished his story Beorn exclaimed, "I will go at once, and + will put such an affront upon this Walter Fitz-Urse that he must needs + meet me in mortal combat." + </p> + <p> + "But even if you slay him, my lord, that may not interfere with the + carrying out of this enterprise, in which, as we know, another of equal + rank with him is engaged." + </p> + <p> + "That is true, master armourer, and I spoke hastily. I thought perhaps it + was for this that you had informed me of the matter." + </p> + <p> + "No, my lord; it seemed to me that the first thing was to assure ourselves + for a certainty that the affair is really a plot against the king's life, + of which we have as yet no manner of proof, but simply the suspicion + entertained by my son's master. The first necessity is to find out for a + truth that it is so, and secondly to learn how and when it is to be + carried out; and this can only be by overhearing another conversation + between the plotters. As you have heard, Ulf could have learnt all this if + he had but understood the Norman tongue. Could I have spoken it well + enough to follow the conversation I would not have troubled you, but it + seemed to me that at their next meeting it needed that one should be + present who could speak Norman well. After considering in vain how to find + one who should at once know the Norman tongue and be a true and + trustworthy Englishman, my thoughts fell upon you, of whom I have always + heard my son speak as the companion and friend of his master, and I made + bold to come and lay the matter before you, thinking that you might either + take it in hand yourself or name one suitable for it." + </p> + <p> + "Certainly I will take it in hand myself," Beorn said, "and right glad am + I that you came to me. A matter in which the king's life is concerned I + would trust to no one but myself. And now, how think you shall we proceed? + for it may well be that these plotters may not meet again for some time, + seeing that the king is away." + </p> + <p> + "So it seems to me," the armourer said; "and, moreover, they may in their + talk last night have appointed some other place of meeting." + </p> + <p> + "What think you, Ulf?" Beorn said, turning to the boy. "Wulf would not + have chosen you for this business had he not had a good opinion of your + shrewdness; and, indeed, you have shown yourself well worthy of his + confidence." + </p> + <p> + "I should say, my lord, that I must go on the watch as before. It is most + likely that the Norman will, sooner or later, go out in the same disguise + and by the same way as before, and that the hour will be between seven and + nine in the evening—most likely between seven and eight, in order + that he may return from the meeting before the bishop's doors are closed + for the night." + </p> + <p> + "I will keep watch with you, Ulf. Were I sure that the meeting would take + place at the same spot as before you should show me where they landed, and + I would lie down there in readiness, but as they may meet elsewhere, it + seems to me that I must post myself by your side." + </p> + <p> + "It would be better, my lord, if you would take your place on the other + side of the open space, for although I, being small, can escape notice, + you might well be seen by those approaching the door. It will be + necessary, too, that you should put on sandals of soft leather or cloth, + so that your footfall should not be heard. Then, as I follow him, I would + run to where you are posted, and you could follow me, so that you could + keep me in sight and yet be beyond his view, for all our plans would be + foiled should he suspect that he was being followed." + </p> + <p> + "I will do as you advise. Come with me now and we will fix upon a station + to night, and afterwards you may be sure of finding me there between + half-past six and ten. Should you wish to see me at any other time you + will find me at the palace; I will not stir out between eight and nine in + the morning. I must say I wish it were warmer weather, for a watch of + three hours with the snow on the ground—and it is beginning to fall + now—is not so pleasant a way of spending the evening as I had looked + for when I came hither." + </p> + <p> + Beorn went out with Ulf, and they fixed upon a doorway some twenty yards + from the street down which the Norman had before gone. + </p> + <p> + "We must hope he will go by the same way," Beorn said, "for should he turn + to the right or left after issuing from the gate he will have gone so far + before you can run across and fetch me that we may well fail to pick up + his track again. It were well if we could arrange some signal by which you + would let me know should he so turn off. It would not do for you to call + or whistle." + </p> + <p> + "No, my lord; but I could howl like a dog. He would but think it some cur + lying under the wall I might howl once if he turns to the right, twice if + he turns to the left, and you could then cross the ground in that + direction, and I could meet you on the way without losing sight of him for + long." + </p> + <p> + "That would do well, Ulf, if you are sure you could imitate the howl of a + dog so nearly that he would not suspect it." + </p> + <p> + "I can do that," Ulf said confidently. "I have used the signal before with + my comrades, and to make sure will go out to the fields and practise + daily." + </p> + <p> + A month passed. Harold was still away in the North, and complete success + was attending his journey. The influence of Bishop Wulfstan, who was + greatly respected throughout the kingdom, did much, but Harold himself did + more. His noble presence, his courtesy to all, the assurances he gave of + his desire that all men should be well and justly ruled, that evil-doers + of whatever rank should be punished, that there should be no oppression + and no exaction of taxes beyond those borne by the whole community, won + the hearts of the people. They were, moreover, gratified by the confidence + that he had shown in coming among them, and in seeing for the first time + in the memory of man a monarch of England in Northumbria. + </p> + <p> + Ulf and Beorn had kept regular watch, but without success, and Ulf's + comrades had as steadily watched the other entrances. Beorn had two or + three conferences with Ulf. He was becoming impatient at the long delay, + though he acknowledged that it was possible it had been arranged that no + more meetings should take place until it was known that Harold was about + to return. The armourer was perhaps the most impatient of the three. He + was doing nothing, and his anxiety made him so irritable and captious at + his work that his men wondered what had come over their master. After + fretting for three weeks over his own inaction, he one morning told Ulf to + go to Beorn and say that he begged to have speech with him. An hour later + Beorn returned with Ulf. + </p> + <p> + "I bethought me last night, my lord," Ulred said, "while I lay awake + wondering over the matter, whether these fellows are still on board ship + or are in lodgings in London." + </p> + <p> + "It might be either, Ulred. I have frequently thought over the matter. + Possibly they may have stayed on board their ship till she left, and then + have come on shore in the guise of peaceful traders." + </p> + <p> + "If the ship did not return at once they may still be on board," the + armourer said, "for the wind has blown steadily from the east for the last + five weeks, and no ships have been able to leave the port. I blame myself + sorely that I did not think of it before, but at least I will lose no time + now if you think that good might come of it." + </p> + <p> + "It would certainly be good if you could find either the ship or the house + where the men are in lodging, but seeing that you know nothing of their + appearance or number, nor the name of the ship in which they came nor the + port she sailed from, I see not how you could set about it." + </p> + <p> + "I will first go to the port-reeve's office and find out the names of the + ships that arrived just before the time that the meeting by the river took + place. She may have come in early that day, or on the day before. They + would surely send word at once to him that they had arrived." + </p> + <p> + "You might learn something that way, Ulred, but we do not know that the + meeting Ulf saw was their first." + </p> + <p> + "That is true. But as Ulf's friend declares that he certainly had not gone + out that way during the evenings that he had been keeping watch, it is + likely that it was their first meeting." + </p> + <p> + "That is so, Ulred; and at any rate it would be well that you should make + the inquiries, and that, while we are keeping our watch as before, you + should try to gather some tidings of the fellows in another way." + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0016" id="link2HCH0016"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVI. — A VOYAGE NORTH. + </h2> + <p> + The armourer found without any difficulty that twenty-five vessels, + exclusive of small coasters, had arrived in the port during the thirty-six + hours previous to the time of the meeting on the bank. Of these, eighteen + were from English ports, seven from Normandy, France, or Flanders. Three + of the latter had sailed away, and of the four remaining in the port two + were from Rouen, one from Calais, and one from Flanders. Having obtained + the names of these, he took boat and rowed down the river and ascertained + where each lay at anchor. He then, with the assistance of some citizens of + standing of his acquaintance, obtained a view of the manifests of their + cargoes. The Flemish vessel carried cloth, the other three miscellaneous + cargoes—wine, dried fish, cloth, and other goods. + </p> + <p> + The Flemish vessel was the largest, those from Rouen and Calais were about + the same size. All had discharged their cargoes, and were waiting for a + change of wind to drop down the river. There was nothing unusual to be + observed on any of the ships. The men were for the most part down in the + forecastle, for the weather was too severe for them to lounge about on + deck. He talked the matter over with Beorn, and they agreed that it was + most probable that the men would embark from Calais rather than Rouen. It + was a far shorter and less perilous voyage, and moreover, as Frenchmen + they could move about without attracting attention, while as Normans they + would be viewed with a certain amount of hostility and suspicion. + </p> + <p> + "I will make it my business to watch that vessel. I know not whether any + good can come of it, but I would fain be doing something. If the wind + changes she will doubtless proceed to sea, and if they are still on board + of her they will come ashore, and I could see their numbers and where they + put up." + </p> + <p> + "That will indeed be important," Beorn said, "for we should then have two + places to watch, and should be almost certain to get to the root of the + matter. But how will you watch her?" + </p> + <p> + "There are many houses near the water's edge, on the southern side of the + river near which the ship is lying, she having moved away from the quays + when she discharged her cargo. I will hire a room in one of these, and + will there pass as much of my time as I can; and I will take with me my + apprentice Ernulf, whom I shall bid keep his eye upon the ship whenever I + myself am away. I need say nothing whatever of the reason of my desire + that I should be acquainted with everything that passes on board." + </p> + <p> + Ulred succeeded in getting a room exactly opposite the French vessel, and + sitting back from the window, was able, himself unseen, to notice + everything that passed on board the ship, which lay scarce her own length + from the shore. Upon the third day a boat containing a man wearing an + ample cloak with a hood, which was pulled far over his face, rowed up to + the side of the ship, and climbed up right nimbly into her waist. + </p> + <p> + "It is a Saxon cloak," the armourer said to himself, "but those are Norman + leggings. The man is tall, and the quickness with which he climbed over + shows that he is young. I doubt not that it is our man. I would give a + year's profits of the forge to be hidden down below at present. However, + it is much to have learnt that this is really the ship, and that the + Norman's friends are still on board. I would that Wulf were in London. He + has a keen wit, and would hit on some plan by which we might get to the + bottom of the matter. Beorn is a brave young thane, and were Wulf here + would second him valiantly, but he has none of the other's quickness of + thought. As soon as this fellow leaves the ship I will hurry back to take + counsel with him, and hear what the boy Ulf, who is a marvellously shrewd + little knave, may think of the matter." + </p> + <p> + Half an hour later the boat put off again; a man came to the side with the + visitor and retired below as soon as he left the ship. Ulred at once + hurried off, hailed a boat a short distance higher up and was rowed to + Westminster. As soon as he gained the house he despatched Ulf to Beorn. + The latter listened to the discovery that had been made, and then asked + the armourer what he advised should be done. + </p> + <p> + "That is just what I am at a loss about, my lord. Doubtless were we to go + to the city and tell the port-reeve that there are men on that craft who + have designs against the king's life, he would pounce upon them and throw + them into jail. But we have no evidence to give in support of the charge." + </p> + <p> + Beorn nodded his head in agreement. "If I had half a dozen of my own men + here," he said hotly, "I would go down in a boat after nightfall, seize + the vessel, and put all on board to the sword." + </p> + <p> + "That would hardly do, my lord," the armourer said gravely. "On the high + sea doubtless the thing might be done, but here in the port of London it + would be a desperate undertaking, especially as we have nought that in the + eyes of the law would in any way justify such action." + </p> + <p> + "Well, let us have your own advice, then," Beorn said impatiently. "You + think they cannot be arrested and they may not be slain. What do you + counsel shall be done!" + </p> + <p> + "I see nought to do but to continue to wait and to watch. We are better + off than we were before, inasmuch as we know where these men are." + </p> + <p> + "Yes, but we do not know where they will be to-morrow, for we know nothing + of what passed between Fitz-Urse and them; doubtless some settlement of + their plans has been come to. They may land or may sail away, for methinks + from the look of the sky there is like to be a change in the weather. You + see, the Norman may have taken them news that Harold will soon be on his + way back, for indeed a message arrived from him this morning with news + that all things had been well-nigh settled, and that he will shortly make + for York, where he is to wed the sister of the Northern earls. It may be + that the ship may be bound thither also. You left your apprentice on the + watch, I suppose?" + </p> + <p> + "Yes, I bade him keep his eye on the ship, and should any men leave her he + is to follow on their track and mark their movements." + </p> + <p> + "At any rate there can be little need for me to watch this evening," Beorn + said. "As Fitz-Urse has seen the others to-day he cannot want to meet them + to-night." + </p> + <p> + "No, that is certain," the armourer agreed; "but with your permission I + will call Ulf in. I told him before I sent him to you what I had observed. + Are you going to watch again this evening, boy?" he asked when Ulf + entered. "Methinks there can be little chance of his going out again + to-night." + </p> + <p> + "I shall keep even a stricter watch than usual, master," Ulf said, "for it + may be that the agreement at which they arrived to-day is that they sail + north, and in that case Walter Fitz-Urse may go on board the ship, and + hide there until the wind changes and they can get up sail." + </p> + <p> + "I think the boy is right, my lord. In a dark matter like this, where we + know so little, it behoves us to provide for every chance. But I think not + that there can be any need for you to be on watch, for it can hardly be + that they will hold another consultation on the river bank." + </p> + <p> + Ulf returned soon after ten o'clock. "He has not gone out by my gate, + master, but I find that my comrade is missing. When I went round as usual + to the other entrance he was not there." + </p> + <p> + "Perhaps he was tired and went home." + </p> + <p> + "No, indeed," the boy replied indignantly; "he has sworn to do what I told + him, and he knows that it would be bad for him if he broke his word; + besides, we are sworn comrades. He has never before failed me, and I + cannot but think that he must have seen the man go out and followed him. I + instructed him that if at any time he saw a man like the one we are + looking for he was to follow him wherever he went, and to bring me word + whether he met anyone and whether he returned to the palace or went into + any house. If he did so he was to make a small mark on the door-post with + chalk, so that in the morning he would be able to point it out with + surety. I will sit at my window and watch, and I warrant it will not be + long before he is here." + </p> + <p> + Half an hour later Ulf heard steps rapidly approaching; then a low + whistle. He put his head out of the window. + </p> + <p> + "What is the news, Edwyn?" + </p> + <p> + "A man came out in a cloak. He was tall. I followed him and heard a sword + clink under the cloak, and so felt sure it was the man we have been + looking for. I stole after him. He went straight down to the river and + gave two short calls. A boat was rowed up. Only a word or two was spoken, + and then he took his seat in it, and it was rowed away down the river." + </p> + <p> + "You have done well, comrade," Ulf said. "I warrant that some good will + come to us through your discovery. Good-night." + </p> + <p> + Ulf went and knocked at his master's door, and on Ulred opening it he told + him the news. + </p> + <p> + "I will go down right early," the armourer said. + </p> + <p> + "It is beginning to rain, master. The frost has broken, and the wind is + soft and warm." + </p> + <p> + "So much the worse, boy. I will be up at daylight, and you shall go down + the river with me. I may want to send you back with a message to Beorn." + </p> + <p> + Next morning they had rowed near to London Bridge when they saw a boat + approaching. The day had broken, but the light was still uncertain. As the + boat approached, however, Ulf said: "There is a boy in the boat, master, + and he wears an apprentice's cap. Maybe that it is Ernulf." The other boat + was keeping close inshore, for the tide had begun to run down. The + armourer told the boatman to row closer in, and presently called the boy's + name. + </p> + <p> + "Yes, master, it is I; I was just coming to you with news." + </p> + <p> + In a couple of minutes the boats were alongside of each other. "What is + your news, Ernulf? But I can guess; the ship has sailed." + </p> + <p> + "Yes, master; I lay down by the open window, and an hour before day broke + I was aroused by the creaking of ropes, and looking out could see that the + ship was getting up sail. Tide was then just on the turn, and five minutes + later her sails were spread and she went down the river. I came off to + tell you, but was some time before I could get a boat." + </p> + <p> + "Come on board here, Ernulf," the armourer said, "your message has saved + us further journey." He then paid off the lad's boatman, and with his two + apprentices returned to Westminster. "Beorn will be up by this time, Ulf. + You had best go and tell him the news. I will come with you to save time, + though I see not that there is aught to be done." + </p> + <p> + The thane at once came out and chatted for some time with Ulred, while Ulf + stood by, cap in hand. "It is certain that something should be done, and + yet I see not what it can be. What think you, boy? I see by your eyes that + you would fain speak." + </p> + <p> + "I should say, my lord, that it would be a good thing if we could discover + whether the Norman is still at the bishop's palace. He may have returned + early this morning." + </p> + <p> + "That can easily be done," Beorn said. "I will send my man to the bishop's + and bid him ask one of the servants if Walter Fitz-Urse is in. He need not + say that he comes from me, only that he has a message to deliver. If the + servant says he is there I will bid my fellow slip away when the man goes + to fetch him down. Supposing he has gone, as I should think he has done, + what then?" + </p> + <p> + "Then, my lord, I think there is more danger than if the Norman remained + here. It may be that the Normans have returned to France and abandoned any + plans they may have entertained. But it seems to me far more likely that + they have gone north to carry out the enterprise." + </p> + <p> + "Whither, think you, will they be bound, Ulf?" + </p> + <p> + "I should say to the Humber, my lord. They may on landing proceed to York, + or, if they have really designs against the king's life, may take post + somewhere on the road down from that city." + </p> + <p> + "By my faith the boy is right," Beorn said. "What say you, master + armourer?" + </p> + <p> + "I say the same, my lord. The villains have slipped through our fingers, + and we can do nought to stay them. It seems to me that not an hour should + be lost in sending a warning to the Thane of Steyning." + </p> + <p> + "I will mount myself and ride north," Beorn said. + </p> + <p> + "And I, my lord, will at once go down to the port and inquire if there be + a ship sailing to-day for the Humber. Scarce a day passes that one or more + do not start for the northern ports. Yes, Ulf, I shall take you with me. + You are charged with this business by the Thane of Steyning, and I am but + aiding you in it. I will go straight away to the city, my lord, and if a + ship be sailing—and after so long a bout of east wind it is like + that many will be doing so—I will be back in an hour with the news. + Maybe I can find a quick sailer, and shall be at one of the ports in the + Humber before the craft that left this morning." + </p> + <p> + "By the time you return I shall have found out whether Fitz-Urse is at the + bishop's palace, and shall have my horses ready to mount." + </p> + <p> + The armourer learnt in the city that several ships for the North had + already dropped down the river, and that three others were hastily + completing their lading, and would follow by the next tide. He learnt from + a trader that one of them was considered especially fast, and being + acquainted with the owner, he took the armourer with him, and arranged for + a passage for him and the boy. + </p> + <p> + "You will have to be on board this afternoon," the owner said. "The + shipmaster will not waste a tide, but as soon as it turns will up anchor + and make his way down the river in the dark. He knows the channel well, + and there will be light enough to enable him to hold on his course all + night. The east wind may return again, and he might be caught; so he has + decided to start as soon as the last bale is on board. He knows the sands + well, and you may reckon on a speedy passage if the wind holds as it is, + or even if it goes round to the east again, when he is once abreast of + Harwich." + </p> + <p> + On returning to Westminster Ulred learnt from Beorn that Fitz-Urse was + there no longer, having, as the servant said, left for Normandy. + </p> + <p> + "I am just starting, Ulred. Which will be at York first, you or I?" + </p> + <p> + "It depends upon the wind, my lord. A ship can sail night and day, but a + horse and rider must take some rest. It may be that we shall lay to at + night, but that must depend upon the shipmaster. If the breeze holds and + the ship goes on without stopping, methinks we shall be there before you." + </p> + <p> + "At any rate," Beorn said, "we may feel sure that we shall both be in + time. Whatever their designs they will have to lay their plans and wait + their opportunity, and such may not come for some time. Farewell, then, + Ulred, and a safe voyage to you. As for me, I have had enough of the sea, + and never wish to set foot on board ship again; for what with the want of + space and the tossing and the sickness, I would rather pass the time in + bonds in a prison cell than be cooped up in a ship." + </p> + <p> + A few minutes later Beorn, attended by his servants, started for the + North, and in the afternoon Ulred, after giving many orders to his head + man as to the conduct of his business during his absence, took boat, and + with Ulf went on board the ship. To the armourer it was a very serious + undertaking upon which he was embarking. He had never before set foot on + board of a ship, and a sea-voyage in those days was regarded as a very + dangerous business. Nothing short of his loyalty to Harold would have + induced him to have ventured on such an expedition. It was but a few + months since that the Northumbrians had been burning and sacking the + country round Northampton, and even putting aside the dangers of the sea, + he regarded the visit to the North as full of peril. + </p> + <p> + Ulf on the other hand was delighted. To him the journey was full of + interest and excitement, and on his return he would be regarded as a great + traveller by his comrades. His face, therefore, as he climbed on board + ship, was in strong contrast to the grave and serious visage of his + master. Before the vessel had passed Greenwich he had made the + acquaintance of the two ship's-boys, and soon felt perfectly at home on + board. He watched with great interest other craft that they met or passed, + and noted with great satisfaction that they overhauled several who had, + when first seen, been two or three miles ahead. The wind was blowing + briskly from the south-west, and with her great sail set the vessel ran + quickly through the water. Even when the tide turned she held on her + course, and keeping close inshore made good way against it. Many times + during the night he went out from the close sleeping-place to assure + himself that the vessel was still making way. When morning broke the tide + had again turned, and Ulf found that the vessel was now holding her course + near the middle of the river, which had widened to an extent that seemed + wonderful to him. + </p> + <p> + "Where have we got to now?" he asked one of the boys. "Are we out at sea? + There does not seem to be any land on the right hand." + </p> + <p> + "You would see it if it were clear. We are just opposite Foulness." + </p> + <p> + "The vessel rolls about a good deal." + </p> + <p> + "Do you feel ill?" the boy laughed. "This is nothing." + </p> + <p> + "No; I feel hungry, but that is all." + </p> + <p> + "If the wind holds as it is we shall not have it rougher than this, for we + shall steer more and more north, and as we always keep inside the sands + the land will shelter us. The shortest passage is straight ahead, but we + generally go through a channel between two sands into the Wallet, which + lies between the sands and the Essex shore. There are not many + ship-masters who will come down the river below Sheerness at night, and + even our master would not try it with a falling tide; but even if one does + touch when the tide is rising, one soon gets off again. She won't roll + about so much when we get inside the sands; and besides, I heard the + master say that he thought the wind would fall lighter as the sun got up." + </p> + <p> + "I should like it to keep on just as it is," Ulf said. "I do not want it + to blow so hard that we must go into port, and I don't want it to blow so + light that we shall go slowly." + </p> + <p> + "What are you in such a hurry for?" the boy asked. + </p> + <p> + "There are some people my master knows who have gone up in a ship that + started yesterday morning, and my master wants to be there before them." + </p> + <p> + "You need not be afraid, he is sure to be there first. Like enough we have + passed them already. The wind was not so strong yesterday as it was in the + night, and I expect they had to anchor when the tide turned. If they have + a master who knows the sands well they may have gone on when the tide + turned again, but it was likely they would anchor before they got down to + Sheerness. If they did, we passed them three or four hours ago. But anyhow + you are sure to be in first. We often beat vessels that started with us, + by a week. Most of them go outside all the sands when it is fine weather, + but we always keep inside; and it makes a great difference, for the tides + do not run so strong, and even with a light wind we can make way against + them, while those outside have to anchor." + </p> + <p> + "I can't make out how you can find your way in the dark." + </p> + <p> + "If it is a thick night and the weather is bad we anchor, but when it is + clear enough to see the stars, or if the wind is steady so as to give us + our direction, we go on. There is a man always standing at the side with a + lead-line, and that tells us the depth of water, which is quite guide + enough for the master. Of course we never sail in rough weather, for if we + went on the sand then we should soon go to pieces; but if it is fine when + we stick fast, which is very seldom, we put out the anchor and lower the + sail, and go to sleep until the tide floats us again. Come up into the + top; you can see a great deal farther from there than you can from the + deck." + </p> + <p> + Ulf found no difficulty in mounting to the top, although he was much + longer than his companion in getting up. There were several sail following + them, and Ulf was surprised at the knowledge his companion showed of + vessels that appeared to him almost precisely similar. + </p> + <p> + "The one nearest to us is the Alfred," he said. "I know her by that patch + on her sail. She trades with Harwich. Those two smaller craft behind are + bound, I should say, for Colchester or Maldon. That craft two miles ahead + of us is a foreigner. You can see her sail has a longer yard than the + others, and the sail is narrower at the bottom than it is at the top. + Those two or three small craft you see more inshore have passed through + the channel we shall follow into the Wallet. The farthest one is going on + to Harwich, the others into the rivers. There is a craft about our own + size hull down close by the land. She may be going to Harwich, or may be + going on north. She looks to me like a foreigner. If so, she has come last + from London. French and Flemish ships do not come within fifty miles of + this. And now I must go down. We do the cooking, and breakfast must be + ready in half an hour, or the master will be storming at us." + </p> + <p> + The wind held steadily from the south-west, and the vessel ran along near + the shore in smooth water. The armourer had been ill the first night, but + he came on deck soon after breakfast, and when once the vessel was past + the mouth of Harwich Bay and was close inland, he soon recovered. On the + morning of the fourth day after leaving port she entered the mouth of the + Humber, and by nine o'clock arrived at Hull. Landing at once the armourer + found a small vessel on the point of starting for York, and in half an + hour from the time of weighing anchor the tide turned, and they ran + rapidly along, helped by the flood. + </p> + <p> + "At what time will you reach York?" the armourer asked the master. + </p> + <p> + "By daylight to-morrow. We shall sail on until the flood is spent, and + then anchor and go on again as soon as the ebb has done." + </p> + <p> + "How far will you be from York when you anchor?" + </p> + <p> + "We shall most likely get to Selby, some fourteen miles away by the road, + though farther by the turns of the river." + </p> + <p> + "Could you put us ashore there, for we are anxious to reach the city as + soon as possible?" + </p> + <p> + "Oh, yes. I will put you ashore in the boat either there or wherever else + we may bring up." + </p> + <p> + They were three miles short of Selby when the ebb began to come down and + the anchor was dropped. The armourer and Ulf were at once landed, and + shouldering their bundles they set out at a brisk pace and passed through + Selby at four o'clock. No questions were asked them. There was but small + difference of dress between the people of the various parts of England, + and it was no unusual sight to see traders and others passing along the + road on their way to the Northern capital. + </p> + <p> + "I am right glad to be on firm land again," Ulred said; "for although, + after the first night, matters have been better than I expected, there was + always a movement that seemed to make my head swim." + </p> + <p> + "I liked it, master," Ulf said, "and if it were not that I am going to be + an armourer I would gladly be a sailor." + </p> + <p> + "You might not have said so if you had seen bad weather; and moreover, it + is one thing to be a passenger with nought to do but to amuse yourself, + and another to be always hauling at ropes and washing down decks as a + sailor. I am glad night is coming on, for I feel strange in this country I + know nothing of, and in the dark one place is like another." + </p> + <p> + "I would much rather walk along this road in the dark," Ulf laughed, "than + along some of the streets of London, where one may step any moment into a + deep hole or stumble into a heap of refuse." + </p> + <p> + "At any rate, in the dark no one can see we are strangers, Ulf, and though + I should not think there would be robbers on the road so near to York, + these Danes are rough folk, and I want to meet none of them. One man, or + even two, I in no ways fear, but when it comes to half a dozen even the + best sword-player may wish himself out of it." + </p> + <p> + They met, however, but one or two men on the road, and beyond exchanging + the usual salutation nothing was said; but Ulred was well pleased when + about seven o'clock they entered the streets of York. + </p> + <p> + They had already learned that the royal marriage had taken place on the + previous day, and that the king was expected to remain in York two days + longer before journeying south. There was a banquet being held at the + archbishop's palace, where the king was lodged, and on arriving there they + found that it would at present be impossible to get at Wulf, as supper had + just been served. A small bribe, however, was sufficient to induce one of + the bishop's servants to take the message to Osgod, who would be stationed + near his master's chair, that his father was at the entrance and prayed + him to come out to him as soon as possible. A few minutes later the tall + Saxon came out with an expression of utter bewilderment on his face. + </p> + <p> + "Is it really you, father, in flesh and blood?" he exclaimed as his eyes + fell on Ulred. + </p> + <p> + "I have never been taken for a ghost, Osgod, and if I were to give thee a + buffet methinks you would have no doubt upon the matter." + </p> + <p> + "But what brings you here, father? If they had told me that the great + Abbey tower stood without I could not be more surprised." + </p> + <p> + "Do you not see that I have brought Ulf with me, Osgod? If your head were + not so thick you would guess at once that I have come about the business + with which he was charged." + </p> + <p> + Osgod looked relieved. That his father should be in York had seemed to him + so strange and outrageous that he had first doubted his own eyes, and then + his father's sanity. Now for the first time the object of his coming + flashed upon him. + </p> + <p> + "Is there danger, father?" + </p> + <p> + "Methinks there is great danger. But the story is a long one." + </p> + <p> + "Then I cannot wait to hear it now, for I must needs return to Wulf. I + whispered in his ear that I must leave for a moment, but that I should be + back directly." + </p> + <p> + "Then just whisper to him again, Osgod, that I have urgent need for speech + with him. I suppose Beorn has not arrived?" + </p> + <p> + "Beorn!" Osgod repeated vaguely. + </p> + <p> + "The Thane of Fareham," the armourer said sharply. "Are your wits + wool-gathering altogether?" + </p> + <p> + "No, he is not here; nor has Wulf said a word of his coming, as he + assuredly would have done had he expected him." + </p> + <p> + "Well, when I tell you that he is riding from London, while I have come + thence by sea, you may suppose that we thought the matter urgent." + </p> + <p> + "I will tell Wulf at once, father, but I am sure that he cannot come out + for an hour yet." + </p> + <p> + "The matter will keep that while. I will go and look for a lodging for us + and get something to eat, for we have walked some seventeen miles, and my + legs are not so accustomed to exercise as my arms. In an hour we will be + here again." + </p> + <p> + Ulred and his apprentice had returned to the gate of the bishop's palace + but a few minutes when Wulf came out, followed by Osgod. "Your message + must be an important one, indeed, Ulred, to cause you to leave the forge + and to undertake so long a voyage. And you say Beorn is riding hither on + the same errand?" + </p> + <p> + "He is. It is a sort of race between us, and it seems that we have won." + </p> + <p> + "Let us step aside from here," Wulf said. "There are too many gathered + about to stare at the guests as they come and go for us to talk + unobserved. The cathedral yard is close by, and there will be no fear of + eaves-droppers there." + </p> + <p> + "It is Ulf's story," the armourer said when they reached the shadow of the + cathedral. "It is to him that the matter was committed, and though he was + forced to take me into his confidence, the merit of following up the + matter, if merit there be, is his." + </p> + <p> + Ulf accordingly related the story of his watching, the discovery he had + made by the river, and how Walter Fitz-Urse had been afterwards seen to + embark and had not returned. Ulred then stated how he had discovered the + ship from which the boat had come, and had seen the Norman go on board, + and how, when he learned that the ship had sailed, he had, after seeing + Beorn, taken passage in another vessel. "We have come up fast," he said, + "and the opinion of the master was that we have gained a full day on any + craft that started that morning. Of course, we know not that the villains + have come hither; they may have returned to France, they may have gone up + some of the other rivers in order to take post on the road the king will + follow on his way south. But at any rate we felt it right that you should + know that Fitz-Urse, with those with whom he has been holding secret + communication, have left London." + </p> + <p> + "You have done rightly indeed, Ulred, and in the king's name and for + myself I thank you heartily. Of course, we are still without any proof + that Fitz-Urse is conspiring against the king's life. It was unfortunate + indeed that Ulf did not understand the first conversation he heard, but I + ought to have foreseen that it was likely that any talk Fitz-Urse might + have with others would be in Norman. I cannot think now how I could have + overlooked such a probability. Of course, in the years that he has been + over here he has learnt to speak our language, but it would be with + Normans he would deal in the matter of which we suspect him. I will give + myself the night to think over the matter before I decide what steps we + had better take. Inside the bishop's palace, at any rate, the king is + safe, and, as you say, it is not likely that the Normans can be here for a + day at least. If their ship is a French one the master will be ignorant of + the dangers of the coast, and instead of threading his way through the + channels of the sands, as your master did, will have held his course far + outside them. I would we knew how many men are engaged in the matter." + </p> + <p> + "As to that we have no clue," the armourer said. "There was the man of his + own rank and the other two who met him on the bank, but whether these were + all, or whether there were a score of others on board the ship, I know + not. Certainly none showed themselves on the deck while I was watching + them. But this proves nothing. They would naturally be kept in + concealment, for had there been an unusual number of men on board, + inquiries would have been made as to whom they were and their business." + </p> + <p> + "I will meet you here at seven to-morrow morning, Ulred, and we shall then + have time to talk the matter over more fully." + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0017" id="link2HCH0017"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVII. — AN ATTEMPT AT ASSASSINATION. + </h2> + <p> + When Wulf met the armourer next morning in the cathedral close he was + accompanied by Beorn, who said, laughing, to the latter, "You have beaten + me fairly, friend Ulred, and it is well that I had no wager with you on + the race. But it was not by much, for I rode in here as the bells were + chiming eleven. I was glad to hear from Wulf when I roused him up that he + had learnt all the news from you, for indeed I was sore weary, and was + right pleased to wrap myself in my cloak and go straight to sleep instead + of having to sit up for an hour expounding my story." + </p> + <p> + "We have resolved in the first place, Ulred, to say nought of this matter + to the king," began Wulf. "He will have enough to occupy all his thoughts + in the affairs of the kingdom, and in the second place his nature is so + open that he will refuse to believe in such villainy unless upon strong + proof, and of actual proof we have none. Beorn's appearance here will + excite no surprise. He will say that having nought in particular to occupy + him he had ridden north to be at the wedding, and finding that he was too + late, would at any rate ride back with the king. With him and me and Osgod + ever on the watch, methinks there will be little fear of a surprise; and + it is by surprise only that they can succeed, for Harold himself is a + match for any four or five ordinary men if he has but time to draw his + sword. I will, however, on some excuse have half a score of Harold's + housecarls placed under my orders, and sleeping or waking the king shall + never be a moment unguarded. + </p> + <p> + "I should not think it is likely that Fitz-Urse will have more than five + or six men associated with him in such an enterprise. He would not take + more into his confidence than he could help, and six would suffice as well + as a score for a surprise; and that number could travel in disguise + without exciting attention, while twenty would assuredly do so; therefore + I feel sure that we shall not have to deal with more than six, including + the two leaders. Ulf, do you station yourself at the river-bank and mark + any vessels arriving. If the men come hither they will probably do as you + did, leave their ship at Hull and come up by a local trader. They would + thus avoid all questions they might be asked if passing through the + country on foot." + </p> + <p> + "And what is there for me to do, my lord Wulf?" the armourer said. + "Frankly, I have gone so far in this matter that I would fain see it + through." + </p> + <p> + "Of course we reckon upon you, Ulred. I have been talking it over with + Beorn, and it seemed to us that the best thing will be for you to ride + with Osgod. You can either make some slight change in your clothes and + ride as a man of mine, or you can ride as Osgod's father, who, having come + up here on matters connected with your business, have obtained permission + to ride in my train with him. I will see that you have that permission." + </p> + <p> + "I care not how I go so that I can be at hand if there is a blow to be + struck for the king." + </p> + <p> + "Then in that case, Ulred, it were best you went as my man, for you would + then have the entry of the houses where the king will stop and can aid us + in keeping guard." + </p> + <p> + "That will do well for me," Ulred replied. "Ulf had best journey back as + he came. He might go by ship after the king has left here." + </p> + <p> + "No, he shall travel with us. I will see the chamberlain who has charge of + the arrangements of the journey, and will get leave for him to ride in the + waggons with the servants." + </p> + <p> + During the three days before the king left York Ulf kept a vigilant watch + over the boats that came up the river, but he could see nothing of the men + he was searching for. Wulf had bought a horse for the armourer, and when + they started the latter took his place by Osgod's side, while Ulf was + seated in one of the waggons. The king rode with Bishop Wulfstan, next to + them rode the four thanes who had accompanied them through their journey, + and next to these Wulf and Beorn came on together. Behind came the queen's + litter, with a guard of housecarls, the main body of whom rode just + behind, while the waggons and servants brought up the rear. + </p> + <p> + "We need not trouble ourselves on the march, Beorn. It is not while the + king rides with so strong a following that the blow will be struck." + </p> + <p> + "I see not when they can ever get a chance," Beorn said. "The king will + stop always at religious houses, and they will scarcely storm a convent to + get at him." + </p> + <p> + "They would not attempt to storm it, Beorn, but they might enter it + secretly. But for my own part I think the most dangerous time is when he + mounts or dismounts. There is always a crowd assembled to see him, and two + or three reckless men might rush forward and stab him." + </p> + <p> + "It would be at the cost of their own lives," Beorn objected. + </p> + <p> + "It might be, but they would reckon much on the confusion that would + follow, and might think so to get away. They would probably have horses + somewhere close at hand, and might ride for the port where they had left + their ship. It is a great stake they are playing for, and doubtless they + are desperate men; though they would know the danger they might calculate + that some at least would escape to claim the reward. Then again, they + might manage to mingle with the servitors at one of the places where we + stop. This would not be difficult, for many beside the usual establishment + would be hired to aid in the preparations for the reception of the king. + That might be their safest plan, for were he stabbed suddenly at a meal + the assassins might very well escape in the confusion." + </p> + <p> + The first night they slept at a monastery at the village of Bautre. The + establishment was but a small one, and could entertain only the king and + queen, with the thanes and their personal attendants. The rest of the + train were lodged in the village. Although they had little fear that an + attack would be ventured in so quiet a village where the presence of + strangers would at once attract attention, Wulf, Beorn, and Osgod kept + watch in turns all night in the corridor. The night passed without cause + of alarm, and the next day they rode to Nottingham, where they were lodged + in the bishop's palace. Beorn and Wulf agreed that this was the place + where there was the greatest likelihood of an attack being made on + Harold's life. The ship might have sailed up the river and landed her + passengers a few miles from the town, where, among the number of country + people who would flock in to obtain sight of the king, no one would think + of questioning strangers. The armourer and Ulf were charged to wander + about the streets, and to closely scan every face. Wulf had with some + difficulty obtained from Harold the command of twelve of the soldiers. + </p> + <p> + "I have my reasons, my lord king, though I would rather not state them. I + would remind you that I have shown that it is not my habit to take alarm + lightly. Your brother Gurth laughed at me when I begged to watch over his + camp with my housecarls, and I saved him from a sudden attack by the Welsh + thereby." + </p> + <p> + "Then you think that there is danger of an attack upon me, Wulf?" + </p> + <p> + "I said not so, my lord. I have only begged you to appoint twelve of your + men to obey my orders solely, during your journey to London." + </p> + <p> + "You shall do as you like, Wulf," the king said at last. "You have proved + yourself brave as well as prudent before now, and are not given to vain + fears, therefore do as you please, but let me know nought about it. I + shall have to receive the visits of all the thanes of the neighbourhood + when I reach Nottingham, and the same in other towns. There will be many + persons coming in with petitions for the redress of grievances, and I + would not have my thoughts disturbed by other matters." + </p> + <p> + "You shall know nought about it, my lord," Wulf said. "It is like enough + that nothing will come of the matter, and none will be more glad than + myself to find that I am mistaken." + </p> + <p> + Orders accordingly had been given to the officer of the king's guard to + hand over twelve of his men to Wulf, and the latter had begged him to + choose twelve of his most intelligent men for this service. As soon as + they reached Nottingham Wulf took his small command aside. + </p> + <p> + "You have been chosen," he said, "for a special duty. I have learned that + there are disaffected men who may possibly make an attempt on the king's + life. You are to say no word of what I tell you to anyone. Meet me over by + that wall half an hour after sunset. Gather quietly one by one so as to + attract no attention. You will be posted round the palace, to keep watch + and ward during the night. As soon as it is daylight half of you will lie + down and sleep till mid-day, and then be in readiness for fresh duty. The + others I will instruct as to where to hold themselves. The king will + remain here two days, and watch must be kept over his safety night and + day." + </p> + <p> + As soon as their apartments were assigned to the different guests Wulf + went outside and examined the windows of the rooms to be occupied by the + king. They were on the first floor, and looked into a garden surrounded by + a high wall. + </p> + <p> + "At any rate, there is little fear of a successful surprise from this + side," Wulf said to Beorn, who was with him. "It would need a ladder to + scale the wall; this would have to be pulled up for them to descend into + the garden, and then carried across to mount to the window. If we post + Ulred with two men here and let four others lie down near to change guard + every two hours, it will be ample, for on an alarm being given, the + Normans however numerous will see that their attempt must fail. We can + therefore send the other six to bed after supper is over, for we cannot + suppose that they would be so daring as to force their way into the palace + at any other point." + </p> + <p> + As soon as it was dark Ulred and six of the soldiers were placed in the + garden; the others were directed to hold themselves in readiness to take + their post in the banqueting-hall. Just before the bell sounded for supper + Wulf was told that a boy desired to speak to him at the gate. He hurried + out, and, as he expected, saw Ulf waiting there. + </p> + <p> + "What news, Ulf,—hast seen Walter Fitz-Urse?" + </p> + <p> + "I have not seen him, my lord, but I am sure that I heard him speak. There + was a great crowd in the square after the king had entered, and among + those round me I heard one man speak to another in a foreign tongue, and + the voice was assuredly that of Walter Fitz-Urse. It was but two or three + words he said, but having listened to him for well-nigh half an hour that + night by the river, I am certain I was not mistaken in the voice. Close + beside me were two cowled monks, and I believe that it was one of them who + spoke. I looked round at the faces of the other men standing near, but + they all seemed honest countrymen or town folk. I should have followed the + monks to see where they went, but at that moment there was a rush among + the crowd to see some mummers who had just commenced their antics, and I + was swept along by it; and though I have been searching ever since, and + have so stared up into the cowls of monks, that I have been cursed as an + insolent boy many times, I have not seen our man." + </p> + <p> + "Thanks, Ulf. It is something to have learned that he is here. As to his + disguise, he may by this time have changed it. Still, I will be on my + guard, and will take care that no cowled monk approaches too closely to + the king. Take your place here at the gate and watch all who come in and + out, and if you see aught suspicious send in a soldier, whom I will place + by your side, to fetch me out." + </p> + <p> + One of the men was accordingly placed with the boy with orders to come to + Wulf, whether at the table or in the king's room, the moment Ulf told him + to do so. When the others went into the banquet Wulf posted two men just + outside the door, and placed the other three back against the wall nearest + to the king's chair. Here, standing against the arras, they were concealed + from the sight of the guests by the crowd of servitors passing to and fro. + </p> + <p> + "Stand with your hands on your daggers," Wulf said to them, "and watch + every man who approaches the king, no matter of what degree he may appear. + Be ready to spring forward in an instant if you see his hand go to his + dagger." + </p> + <p> + The bishop and king sat next to each other in the centre of the table on + the dais; on either side were the king's thanes, abbots and other + dignitaries of the church, and the nobles of the country. Wulf and Beorn + had begged to be excused from supping, and permission had been readily + granted by the king, as he knew that the bishop would be glad at having + two extra seats at his disposal; and they also, standing back by the wall, + closely scrutinized the movements of the attendants. It was a relief to + them when supper was over and the bishop and his principal guests retired + to a private room. The five soldiers were then told that they would not be + required until morning. + </p> + <p> + Wulf went out to the gate, and learnt from Ulf that he had seen no one + enter whom he took for Fitz-Urse. + </p> + <p> + "He may have gone in by some other entrance, my lord," he said, "for there + are three or four ways into the palace." + </p> + <p> + "We shall be on watch inside, Ulf. You need stay no longer. Be here in the + morning at seven." + </p> + <p> + After the king and queen had retired to bed and the palace was quiet Wulf, + Beorn, and Osgod stole from their room, and noiselessly passed along the + corridors until they came to the king's apartment, and then lay down + across the door. They were to keep watch in turns, Osgod being told to + keep the first watch and to rouse Wulf at midnight. This he did, and Wulf + lay for some time listening intently. The corridor was faintly lit by two + lamps, one at either end. Wulf had chosen the middle watch, because he + thought that if any attempt was made it would be soon after midnight, as + the assassins would wish to have many hours of darkness in which to make + their escape. He knew that Beorn was a sound sleeper, and could scarcely + be trusted to keep awake from midnight until four o'clock, and that it + were best he himself watched during that time. + </p> + <p> + Half an hour passed, and then he heard a very slight noise. A moment later + four figures appeared at the end of the corridor. He dared not wake his + companions, for they might speak or move, but he grasped his sword-hilt, + having drawn the blade in readiness when Osgod woke him. The men advanced + stealthily, and as they approached he saw they had drawn swords in their + hands. They paused a few paces away, and in a whisper one said: + </p> + <p> + "Here are three fellows asleep; what shall we do with them?" + </p> + <p> + "Draw your daggers and stab them to the heart," another replied. "Each + take one, and do not bungle over it. As you strike I will open the door + and rush in. Now!" + </p> + <p> + Wulf had gathered his legs under him in readiness to spring to his feet as + soon as he saw the figures, and as they swiftly advanced he leapt up with + a shout and crossed swords with the man nearest to him. + </p> + <p> + "Cut him down! Kill him! It is too late to draw back now!" one of the men + cried. The others, who had recoiled a moment when Wulf sprang up, rushed + at him just as he cut down the man he had first engaged. + </p> + <p> + "Cut them down and fly!" the one who had before given orders exclaimed, + lunging furiously at Wulf. + </p> + <p> + "Easier said than done, Walter Fitz-Urse!" Wulf exclaimed, as he parried a + blow and dealt one in return. It lighted on his opponent's shoulder, but + the blade shivered in his hand, for it had fallen upon mail armour + concealed under the Norman's garment. + </p> + <p> + "It is my turn now!" Fitz-Urse exclaimed, and raised his sword to strike a + sweeping blow at Wulf's head, but before it could fall the latter leapt + forward and caught the uplifted wrist, the impetus of the spring throwing + his opponent backwards, while Wulf fell heavily upon him, and for a moment + they rolled over and over. But Wulf was by far the most powerful, and + speedily got the upper hand. He had not noticed that his opponent, while + holding his sword in his right hand, had his dagger already drawn in his + left. The sword had flown from Fitz-Urse's hand as he fell, and Wulf, + believing him to be powerless, glanced round to see how the fray went with + the others, when the Norman stabbed him deeply in the side. Before he + could repeat the blow Wulf snatched his own dagger from his girdle and + buried it in the assassin's throat Then he raised himself on his left + hand. It was but a matter of seconds since the fight had commenced, but it + was already over. Osgod had slain one man, Beorn was following a flying + opponent down the corridor, and Harold, sword in hand, had just rushed + from his chamber. Wulf saw no more, but fell over insensible by the side + of his adversary. + </p> + <p> + "What is all this?" Harold shouted as he turned to Osgod, the only figure + standing, raising his sword as he spoke, for in the dim light he did not + recognize him. + </p> + <p> + "It means, my lord, that there has been an attempt on your life. I am + Osgod, Wulf's man. I fear my brave young master is killed!" and he dropped + on his knees by Wulf's side. By this time doors were opening all along the + corridor, and the king's thanes and other guests, awakened by Wulf's shout + and the clashing of swords, were pouring out, armed with the first weapon + they could snatch up. + </p> + <p> + "Bring lights!" Harold shouted. "My life has been attempted, and I fear + that the brave Thane of Steyning is killed." + </p> + <p> + The alarm spread fast, and the palace so lately hushed and silent was now + in an uproar, while the bishop with many other ecclesiastics, with + servants, retainers, and men-at-arms, mingled with the thanes. + </p> + <p> + "Keep all back!" Harold cried. "Let none approach these bodies until we + have examined them." + </p> + <p> + Torches were soon brought. Harold seized one, and bent over Wulf's body. + </p> + <p> + "Is he dead?" + </p> + <p> + "His heart beats, but feebly, my lord," Osgod replied. + </p> + <p> + "Where is he hurt?" + </p> + <p> + "There is a great patch of blood here on his right side just over the hip. + I see no other sign of a wound." + </p> + <p> + "We will carry him into my chamber," the king said. "But no; I forgot, the + queen is there. We will take him into the room opposite; it matters not + whose it is. Now, Osgod, aid me to lift him gently. Bishop, I pray you + send for the leeches most skilled in the treatment of sword wounds in the + city." Then he and Osgod carried Wulf into the chamber opposite his own, + and laid him on a pallet. + </p> + <p> + "Now see to the staunching of the flow of blood till the leeches arrive. I + must inquire into this matter. Who knows aught about it?" he asked as he + went out into the corridor. + </p> + <p> + "I do, my lord king," Beorn replied as he pushed his way through the + throng. "It was a plot to take your life. Wulf, his man Osgod, and myself + had no certain knowledge of it, but we had cause for suspicion, and + therefore lay outside your door. We were to take it in turns to watch. + Wulf was on guard, and as I awoke at his shout I saw him cut down that + villain who lies there with a cleft skull There were three others. I fell + upon one, Osgod took another, while Wulf engaged the man who seemed to be + the leader. Wulf's sword broke, but he closed with his opponent and they + fell together. Osgod ran his man through, and my opponent fled. I could + not catch him until he reached the door, but as that was closed he could + fly no farther, and I slew him there." + </p> + <p> + "Who and what are these men, good Beorn?" + </p> + <p> + "They are, I believe, Normans; but I know naught for certain beyond the + fact that the leader, he with whom Wulf was engaged, is Walter Fitz-Urse, + who was a page of the Bishop William of London, and was well known at the + court." + </p> + <p> + Exclamations of fury and indignation broke from those around, with the + cries of "Death to the Normans!" + </p> + <p> + Harold raised his hand. "Silence, my friends. Let us be fair and just as + it becomes Englishmen. There are villains of all nations, and it is not + because four caitiffs have thought to do a good service to their duke by + getting rid of me that we should blame men who will abhor this crime as + much as we can do. First let us see if Beorn is right as to this man. Hold + a torch to his face. It is Fitz-Urse truly. He was of knightly blood, but + has died in a most unknightly business. Wulf's dagger is still in his + throat. Let us see if we know anything of the others." + </p> + <p> + "I think that you will find them all strangers, my lord," Beorn said. "I + believe they came from beyond the sea to do this deed." + </p> + <p> + The man whom Wulf had first slain was evidently by his dress a person of + some rank; the other was of inferior station, as was also, as it was + found, the man Beorn had killed. + </p> + <p> + "Now, my lord bishop," the king said calmly, "we have a right next to ask + you how these men came to be in your palace. Know you aught of them?" + </p> + <p> + "I know nothing of them," the bishop replied. "So far as I am aware I have + never seen any of their faces before, and assuredly they were not here + with my cognizance. I will at once question all my people shrewdly, and + woe be to him who has admitted strangers here unknown to me at the time + when you were beneath my roof." + </p> + <p> + "And have this house searched from basement to roof, bishop. It may be + that there are others in hiding." + </p> + <p> + "With your permission, my lord," said Beorn, "I will at once take your + men, of whom we have posted six under your window, and will call up some + more and search the town. It is likely that there are others without with + horses held in readiness for these assassins to escape." + </p> + <p> + "Do so, Beorn. It will be well if we can catch some at least, so that we + can get to the bottom of this matter." + </p> + <p> + The bishop at once ordered his armed retainers to accompany Beorn, and + then proceeded to interrogate his officials and the domestics, and to see + that the latter made a complete search of the palace. All denied any + knowledge of strangers having entered, and the search revealed nothing but + four monks' gowns and hoods found wrapped up in a bundle in a small room + downstairs. Further questions had been then put. Some of the domestics + remembered that four monks had entered the palace late in the evening, and + one of the under chamberlains said that he had seen them, and they had + told him that they had just arrived from Flanders, and craved permission + to sleep in the palace for the night, as they were going on to + Peterborough in the morning. He had told them that this was impossible, as + he could give no permission without the leave of the bishop, who was at + present with the king and could not be disturbed, and that, moreover, + every room in the palace was occupied. He had given them the address of a + citizen, who would he was sure take them in. They had thanked him, and + said that they would go there, but doubtless instead of doing so they had + slipped aside, and had hidden themselves in the room where their gowns + were found. It was one used only for the storage of garments for poor + travellers who came along, and no one was likely to enter it on such an + evening. + </p> + <p> + This discovery was a great relief to the bishop and all within the palace, + as it showed that they were not there with the connivance of any of the + prelate's people. Before the matter was fully unravelled Beorn returned. + They had in a quiet spot a short distance from the palace come upon two + men with six horses. Before they could run up and seize them the two men + had leapt up into the saddles and galloped furiously away. Unfortunately + the other four horses had followed, and immediate pursuit was therefore + impossible. The housecarls had run to the spot where their horses were + stabled and had gone off in pursuit, but Beorn feared that the men would + have far too great a start to be overtaken. One of the officers had ridden + with the housecarls, and Beorn had told him to keep by the river-bank, as + the men would assuredly make for a ship that was lying somewhere down the + river, though whether at a distance of two miles or of twenty he knew not. + Long before Beorn's return Wulf's wound had been examined. Unguents had + been poured into it and bandages applied. The surgeons were of opinion + that it was a very grave one, but that at present they could not say how + the matter would terminate. + </p> + <p> + "Your story will keep till the morning, Beorn," the king said. "It is + still five hours to daylight, and we may as well retire to rest, unless, + indeed, you know that there are others engaged in the affair in London or + elsewhere who should be arrested before the news of the night's business + reaches them." + </p> + <p> + "I know of none such," Beorn said, "and believe that these four and the + two who have escaped were alone concerned in it. I will bring with me in + the morning a man and a boy who know more than I do of the matter; they + and Osgod, with whom Wulf will assuredly have talked it over, will be able + to tell you all that was known up to the moment when these men entered the + palace." + </p> + <p> + The armourer and Ulf told their story in the morning, and Beorn took + Osgod's place by Wulf's bedside, while he too was questioned by the king. + The latter then went to Wulf's chamber. + </p> + <p> + "What say the leeches this morning, Beorn? + </p> + <p> + "They are somewhat more hopeful, my lord. They say that his heart beats + more strongly than it did last night, Osgod says that he has not moved or + opened his eyes, but they say that this is not a bad sign, and that it may + be anxiety has brought on an exhaustion, for his breathing is more like + that of one who sleeps than of a man wounded to death." + </p> + <p> + "His face has grieviously changed since yesterday," the king said sadly, + looking down upon Wulf. "I would give my right hand rather than that he + should die. You have of a surety saved my life among you, Beorn, you and + his stout man-at-arms and the worthy armourer and that shrewd apprentice + of his for had they entered my chamber and taken me unawares they would + have slain me without doubt." + </p> + <p> + "I have done the best I could since I learnt from the armourer the + suspicion that Wulf entertained, but the whole thing is Wulf's doing. Had + I heard that Walter Fitz-Urse was back in London I should have given the + matter no further thought than that it was one Norman the more. It was, as + he told me, some words that Baron de Burg said when he saw him over in + Normandy the other day that first set him thinking. Then, he could not + understand why Fitz-Urse should return to London at this time, when + Normans are not overwelcome there, and this caused him to have some sort + of suspicion as to his reasons for undertaking such a journey, and + determined him to set a watch on the fellow's movements. Had it been any + other than Wulf who had so acted I should have laughed at his suspicions. + But he is as a brother to me, and knowing how sharp are his wits I am + always well content to follow him without question. I first heard of the + matter after the discovery that the Norman was having secret meetings with + some of his countrymen who were concealed on board a ship, and I at once + felt sure that Wulf had not been running on a false trail, and so did the + little I could to aid those who had the matter in hand." + </p> + <p> + "You have done well, Beorn, though as you say it is doubtless Wulf to whom + the chief credit is due. I regretted at first that the other two men had + escaped, but had they been taken they might, to save their own lives, have + implicated others, and I might have been forced to lay a complaint against + the Duke of Normandy. As it is now, the matter is at an end. Four men have + tried to murder me, and have been killed. Their bodies have been buried + this morning, and there is no more to be said about it. + </p> + <p> + "I was obliged to go down and show myself to the people an hour since, for + they assembled in a great crowd, clamouring to see me so that they might + know I was safe. I told them that while I thanked them for their loyal + care, there was nought to be alarmed about. It was true that there had + been an attempt on my life by four men, of whom the leader had a private + grudge against me for a disservice I did him some years ago, but that all + had been killed by my guards without even penetrating my chamber, and that + I had run no sort of personal risk, nor had I any reason whatever to + suppose that the malefactors had accomplices either within or without the + palace." + </p> + <p> + Late in the evening, when the surgeons were applying pungent salts to his + nostrils, Wulf opened his eyes. Osgod was standing beside him holding one + of his hands. + </p> + <p> + "It is all well, master," he said. "We finished them all off, and no harm + has happened to the king. You have been hurt, but I hope you will soon be + better. The leeches say that you are not to talk, and you had best sleep + as much as you can. They have got some stuff for you to drink here; do you + lie still and I will pour it between your lips." + </p> + <p> + A look of intelligence came into Wulf's eyes as Osgod spoke; he smiled + faintly, and murmured, "Thank God, the king is safe!" He swallowed a few + spoonfuls of the potion Osgod held to his lips, and then closing his eyes + his regular breathing soon showed that he was again asleep. On the + following day the king proceeded on his way to London, Beorn remaining to + nurse Wulf. The king would have loaded Ulred with presents, but the sturdy + armourer refused to receive anything save a small gold cup in remembrance. + </p> + <p> + "I want no reward for doing my duty," he said. "I have my trade that keeps + me, and should be no happier were I laden with money. All that I have done + in the matter has been to watch for a few hours at a window, and to make a + journey by ship to York, and I should be ashamed of myself indeed if I + could not take that slight trouble for my king without looking for a + reward." + </p> + <p> + As to Ulf he was thanked and praised, but the king decided to take no + steps to alter his condition until Wulf should be well enough to be + consulted in the matter. It was a fortnight before the doctors were able + to state with any confidence that the young thane was on the road towards + recovery, and still another month before he had gained sufficient strength + to be carried in a litter to London. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0018" id="link2HCH0018"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVIII. — THE NORTHERN INVASION. + </h2> + <p> + The news of Harold's marriage to Ealdgyth put an end to the demands of + William of Normandy that Harold should take one of his daughters to wife, + and in the complaints that he addressed to all Christendom against Harold + the breach of his promise in this respect was placed far more prominently + than his failure to carry out his oath to be the duke's man. It must have + been evident indeed to all that it was beyond the power of the English + king to keep this oath, obtained from him by force and treachery. He had + been elected by the voice of the English people, and had no more power + than the meanest of his subjects to hand the crown they had bestowed to + another. + </p> + <p> + The breach of this oath, however, served to obtain all the aid that the + church could give to William. Harold was solemnly excommunicated, and the + struggle for which the duke was preparing thereupon assumed the character + of a sacred war. In England itself the Bull of excommunication had no + effect whatever. The great bulk of bishops and clergy were Englishmen, and + thought far more of their king than of any foreign prince or prelate. Even + the bishops and abbots of Norman blood disregarded the commination, and + remained staunch to Harold. He had been a generous patron to the church, + had maintained them in all the privileges and dignities that Edward had + bestowed upon them, and possessed the love of the whole English people; + therefore, in spite of bann and interdict the churches remained open, + services were held as usual, and people were married and buried as if the + Papal Bull had never been issued. + </p> + <p> + But it was not so on the Continent. The Norman barons as a body had at + first refused to support the duke in an invasion of England, but as + individuals they had been brought round to join in William's project, and + to give far more aid in ships and men than they were bound to do by their + feudal engagements. Having accomplished this, William issued an invitation + to all adventurous spirits in Europe to join him in his crusade against + the excommunicated King of England, promising that all should share alike + in the plunder of England and in the division of its land. The bait was a + tempting one. Some joined the enterprise merely for the sake of gaining + glory under the banner of one who was regarded as the greatest military + leader in Europe, others were influenced by love of gain, while, as in the + crusades, numbers joined to obtain absolution for past misdeeds by taking + part in an enterprise blessed by the Pope. Thus the force which William + was collecting greatly exceeded that which the resources of Normandy alone + could have set on foot. + </p> + <p> + Among the first to hurry to the court of William, as soon as Harold's + accession to the throne was known, was Tostig, in whose mind the refusal + of Harold to embark in a civil war for his sake, and to force him upon the + people of Northumbria in spite of their detestation of him, was an injury + not to be forgiven. The fact that Tostig was ready thus to sacrifice + England to his own private quarrel showed a baseness and recklessness that + could hardly be expected from his early career. William naturally accepted + the alliance, received Tostig's oath of allegiance, and aided him in + fitting out a number of ships manned by Norman and Flemish adventurers. + Evading the watch kept by the English fleet they crossed the sea, landed, + and plundered and ravaged a considerable extent of country, and then + retired, Tostig being enraged that William of Normandy was unwilling to + send an expedition to act in concert with him until the whole of his plans + were prepared and his great army ready for sea. + </p> + <p> + Normandy indeed had been converted into a vast camp. In every port great + numbers of workmen laboured night and day building ships, for Normandy had + ceased to be a naval power, and its shipping was utterly insufficient to + carry the great army across. Tostig, impatient and hasty, thought no more + of the oath of allegiance that he had sworn to William. Driven from + Yorkshire by the forces of the northern earls he sailed to Scotland, where + he was welcomed by King Malcolm, both as a sworn brother and as the enemy + of England. From Scotland he entered into negotiations with Harold + Hardrada of Norway. This warlike monarch was in a fit mood to listen to + his advances; he had for years been engaged in a struggle with Denmark, + which he had ineffectually attempted to conquer, and had at last been + forced to conclude a treaty of peace with Sweyn, its king. + </p> + <p> + Tostig had already endeavoured by personal persuasions to induce Sweyn to + revive his claim to the crown of England, and to undertake its conquest; + but he altogether declined to undertake so dangerous and difficult an + enterprise, and Tostig had then turned to Harold of Norway. Whether his + interview with him was before he went to Scotland or whether he went + thence to Norway is a point on which historians differ. Some deny that any + interview took place, but the balance of probability lies strongly in + favour of an early interview, at which Harold entered heartily into + Tostig's plans, and began at once to make preparations for the enterprise. + </p> + <p> + It was certain that an invading force from Norway would land in + Northumbria, and Harold, although he might not be able to rely greatly + upon the assistance of the northern earls as against the Normans, knew + that they would do their best to defeat an expedition landing on their own + shores, especially when Tostig was a sharer in the invasion. His own + thoughts were wholly bent upon repelling the mighty expedition gathering + in Normandy, and for this purpose, by immense efforts, he collected the + greatest army and fleet that had ever been got together in England. An + incessant watch was kept up along the coast where the Normans might be + expected to land, while the fleet cruised for months between the Thames + and the Isle of Wight prepared to give battle to the invaders. + </p> + <p> + But the conditions of service in England were such that it was impossible + to keep a great force on foot for an indefinite time. The housecarls were + the only regular portion of the army The great bulk of the force, both + land and sea, consisting of the levies or militia, whose term of service + was very limited. It says much for the influence of Harold that he was + able for four months to keep his army and navy together. Had the foe + appeared, soldiers and sailors would have done their duty, but the long + term of inaction, the weary waiting for a foe that never came, was too + much, and when September arrived and the harvest was ready to be gathered + it was impossible even for him to keep the men longer together. The army + disbanded, the levies went to their homes, and the ships of the fleet + sailed away to the ports to which they belonged. All the efforts and + anxieties of Harold, all his lavish expenditure in feeding and providing + for so great a number of men had been thrown away. England lay for a time + absolutely defenceless against the coming storm. + </p> + <p> + It was not until August that Wulf had completely recovered his strength, + and was able to join the army. + </p> + <p> + "This is not a time," Harold said to him on the day he arrived at the + camp, "for the granting of dignities or the bestowal of grants. But if we + are successful, and I remain King of England, the services you have + rendered me at the risk of your life, Wulf, shall be worthily rewarded." + </p> + <p> + "I need no reward," Wulf replied. "My estates are sufficient for all my + needs, and I desire neither land nor dignity, being more than content that + I have been enabled to render a service to you and to England." + </p> + <p> + Wulf was, however, at once appointed as commander of the whole of the + housecarls supplied by the thanes of the south coast of Sussex. None of + these bodies were equal in strength to his own carefully prepared + contingent, few of the thanes having kept up more than fifteen or twenty + men constantly under arms, and these only for the past few months, in + consequence of Harold's exhortations. Altogether the force amounted to + about four hundred men. Each party had its own sub-officer, and Wulf did + his best to weld them into one body. When the army broke up, he returned + with the king to Westminster. The day after he arrived there a man met him + as he issued from the palace, and handed him a letter. It contained but + the words: + </p> + <p> + "<i>I would fain see you. If you will follow the bearer he will bring you + to me. Say naught to any one of this message. Edith.</i>" + </p> + <p> + "Is the distance far?" he asked the man. + </p> + <p> + "It is to Croydon, my lord. I have ridden here on horseback." + </p> + <p> + Wulf at once ordered his horse to be brought to him. + </p> + <p> + "Will you be back to-night, my lord," Osgod asked, as he mounted, "in case + the king should wish to see you?" + </p> + <p> + "I shall not be back till late, possibly not until to-morrow I do not tell + you where I am going, in order that if you are asked you may be able truly + to reply that I said nothing before I mounted, as to my destination." + </p> + <p> + It was just mid-day when Wulf drew up his horse before a modest house + standing in a secluded position a quarter of a mile from the village of + Croydon. Edith met him at the doorway. + </p> + <p> + "I thank you, Wulf, for answering my request so speedily. There is much + that I would ask you about my lord. I hear of him only by general report, + for although from time to time I send him messages I give him no + opportunity for writing to me, and I know that he has respected my wishes, + and has caused no search to be made for me." + </p> + <p> + "Harold sometimes speaks to me of you, lady, and has in no way forgotten + you. He did charge me to find out if I could the place of your abode; not + that he would seek an interview with you, but, should there be need, he + might be able to send a message." By this time they were seated in the + room where Edith spent the greater part of her time. + </p> + <p> + "It is better that we should not meet," she said earnestly. "His mission + is to work and to fight for England; mine to remain apart from all men and + to spend my time in prayers for him. I know that he places great + confidence in you, as indeed he well may, for I heard how you had saved + his life, well nigh at the expense of your own. Is he happy with his new + queen?" + </p> + <p> + "His thoughts at present, lady, are altogether turned to public affairs, + and it is well perhaps that it should be so. I do not think that he + receives much sympathy from the queen, who cares more, I should say, for + her brothers, the northern earls, than for her husband." + </p> + <p> + "It is scarce a wonder that it should be so," Edith replied; "though it + seems strange to me that any woman could live with Harold without loving + him with all her heart. And yet she may well feel that she, like Harold, + has been sacrificed. There was no shadow of love between them before their + marriage, in fact she may even have hated him, for it was he who brought + ruin and death upon her husband, the Welsh king. She must know that he + only married her in order to gain the firm alliance of her brothers, and + that her hand was given by them to Harold without any reference to her + feelings. I would that the king were happy, even though it were with + another. But it was not for his happiness that I left him, but that + England might be one. Is it true that the army is broken up and the fleet + scattered?" + </p> + <p> + "It is true, lady. Save for three or four thousand housecarls, there is + not an armed man in readiness to defend England." + </p> + <p> + "It must be a terrible trial to him." + </p> + <p> + "It is, my lady. He returned to town yesterday dispirited and cast down at + the failure of the work of months." + </p> + <p> + "Still they will reassemble rapidly," she said, "when the Normans really + come?" + </p> + <p> + "Doubtless they will. But the loss of the fleet is greater than that of + the army, for at sea we could have met and almost assuredly have conquered + them, for the Normans are no match for our sailors; whereas to meet so + great an army of trained soldiers, with hastily assembled levies, is to + fight under every disadvantage." + </p> + <p> + "And is the rumour true which says that Tostig and Harold of Norway are + also preparing for an invasion?" + </p> + <p> + "All reports that come to us through Denmark are to that effect." + </p> + <p> + "It is enough to make the stones cry out," Edith said indignantly, "that a + son of Godwin should thus betray England. I never thought it of him. He + was headstrong and passionate; yet as a young man he was loved almost as + much as Harold himself, nay, some loved him more. But it was not on + account of public affairs that I brought you here, but to talk of Harold. + I know nought of his daily doings, of his thoughts, or his troubles. Tell + me all you can of him, Wulf." + </p> + <p> + For a long time they talked of the king. She had from the first been drawn + towards Wulf by seeing how he loved Harold, and as they talked her tears + often fell. + </p> + <p> + "I am proud of him," she said at last; "more proud of him than when he was + the light of my life. My sacrifice has not been in vain. He is what I + would have him. One whose thoughts are all fixed upon his country; who + gives all his energy, all his wisdom, all his time to her service. Humbler + men can be happy, but a king has higher duties than others, and for him + love and marriage, wife and children, the joys of the peasant, must be + altogether secondary. The good of his country, the happiness and welfare + of tens of thousands are in his hands; and if in these respects he acts + worthily, if he gains the blessings of his people, he can afford to do + without the home joys that are so much to lesser men. You are sure that he + is not unhappy? If I did but know this, I would be content." + </p> + <p> + "I do not think he is unhappy," Wulf said confidently. "He has the + applause and love of all men, and the knowledge that all his work is for + the good of his country and his people. He may have regrets, but he has + little time to spend upon them when he has in hand so vast a work, upon + which night and day his every thought is directed." + </p> + <p> + "I suppose you wish to get back to-night, Wulf?" + </p> + <p> + "I should greatly prefer it," he said. + </p> + <p> + "And I would rather that you did not remain here. It may seem + inhospitable, but I feel it would be better so. No one here knows who I + am, and at first my servants were plied with questions whenever they went + abroad; but the wonder has died away, and the villagers have come to + believe that I am, as I gave out, the widow of a court official. Should it + be known that a young thane stayed here the night, it would set them + gossiping afresh. Stay and sup with me before you start." + </p> + <p> + "And am I to tell the king I have seen you?" he asked. + </p> + <p> + "What think you yourself, Wulf?" + </p> + <p> + "I am sure that he would be glad to know. I need not say where you are + living. I will say that you have charged me to keep it secret, and he will + forbear questioning me. But I am sure that it will give him deep pleasure + to know that I have seen you, to learn how you look, how you are living, + how you occupy yourself, and how you think of him. It cannot but be a + trial to him to know nothing of one he so loves. More than once he has + told me that he wondered whether you had entered a convent, whether you + were in health, how you bore yourself, and other matters." + </p> + <p> + "Tell him then, Wulf. You can tell him that great as has been my grief + over our separation, I can yet feel happy in my solitude in knowing how + nobly he is doing his kingly work, and that I have never wavered in my + assurance that I was right when I bade him go. Tell him that I have no + thought of entering a cloister; that I have my old servants and my garden + and needle-work; that I spend much of my time in ministering to my poorer + neighbours, and that I am getting to be loved by them. Say that my health + is good, and that I have every comfort I need save his presence. Tell him + that if I fall ill, and the leeches say that I shall die, I shall send for + him to see me once again, but that in such manner only will we meet in + this life; and that it is my prayer that he will not seek to alter my + resolution, for that the pain of parting again would be more than the joy + of seeing him. He is another woman's now, and that by my act, therefore it + would be a grievous sin for us, loving each other as we do, to meet again, + unless he or I was on a death-bed." + </p> + <p> + The supper was served early, and when it was eaten Wulf's horse was + brought round to the door. + </p> + <p> + "Am I to come again?" he asked. + </p> + <p> + She did not answer for a time. "Not unless I send for you, Wulf. Our + meeting has given me much pleasure, and I shall be the happier for it, but + for a time our talk of the past and present will unsettle me and stir up + afresh regrets and longings. Therefore, it were best that you come not + again until I send for you." + </p> + <p> + The darkness was just closing in when Wulf rode into Westminster. + </p> + <p> + "The king has twice asked for you, my lord," Osgod said, as he alighted. + "The last time a quarter of an hour since." + </p> + <p> + Wulf at once went to the king's closet, where he was at work with two or + three secretaries, to whom he was dictating. + </p> + <p> + "I want you, Wulf," the king said as he entered. "Where hast been?" Wulf + glanced at the secretaries, and Harold bade them retire till he summoned + them again. Wulf then related at length his interview with Edith. Harold + listened in silence. + </p> + <p> + "I am right glad at your news," he said, when the latter had finished. "It + is just what I thought she would do. Her words are lofty and wise; truly a + king can little hope for happiness such as that which is in the reach of + the humblest of his subjects. But we will talk of this again. For the + present I must think of public business. News has been brought me by a + sure hand from Denmark that the fleet of Norway has sailed. 'Tis said that + Harold has called out a levy of half the fighting men of his kingdom, and + that he has five hundred war-ships besides transports. His son, Magnus, + has been left behind to rule Norway with the title of king. Harold intends + to conquer England and reign here. I must lose no moment in sending the + news to the northern earls. Doubtless it is on their coast he will first + land. There is no one I would sooner trust than yourself, and you shall be + my messenger. + </p> + <p> + "I have the letters already written to them, warning them that every man + capable of bearing arms should be summoned to their standard, and every + preparation made to repulse the foe. Of help at present I can give them + none; my army is dispersed, my shores undefended, and at any moment + William's fleet may appear off the coast. Let them meet the Norwegians, + while I meet the Normans. It is for you to press upon them the counsels I + give in my letters; and I would that you should remain with them, sending + messages to me from time to time, giving me full tidings of what takes + place at York and how they fare in their struggle with Harold of Norway, + and, as I fear, with my brother Tostig. They met you at Northampton, and + they know the confidence I place in you and the services you rendered in + the Welsh campaign. However, although they may receive you well I fear + that your counsel will go for nought. They are haughty and headstrong, and + assuredly they will not be guided by one of my thanes. Do not, therefore, + press the matter with them, or risk incurring their anger. I want you to + stand well with them, for so only can you learn their views and keep me + informed of what is doing. Being assured that you would undertake the duty + I have highly commended you to them as my representative at York, and I + doubt not that you will be well received. Brothers-in-law though they are + I can count on but little aid from them in our struggle with the Normans, + but there they will be fighting for their own earldoms and will do their + best, though I fear the result, for they have been deaf to my entreaties + to keep an army on foot, and the hurried levies of the North will scarce + stand against the mighty army Harold Hardrada is bringing against them." + </p> + <p> + "I will start immediately, my lord." + </p> + <p> + "Here is a royal order upon all governors and thanes to give you changes + of horses and to aid you in all ways. Take that giant of yours with you, + he is a faithful fellow and is not wanting in sense; you will find him of + great use there. You will, of course, accompany the earls to the field. + Watch well how the levies fight, it is long since they have been called + upon to meet a foe, and I would fain know how much they can be trusted on + the day of battle. As your own horse has travelled to-day take two of my + best, here is an order to the head of the stables to deliver them to you. + Is there aught else that I can do for you?" + </p> + <p> + "Nothing, my lord. I understand your wishes, and will follow them as + closely as I can." + </p> + <p> + "Do not expose yourself too much on the field of battle, Wulf. I cannot + spare you, and therefore charge you not to be rash, and if matters go ill + to provide for your safety as far as you may." + </p> + <p> + Wulf found Osgod awaiting him in the hall below. + </p> + <p> + "I thought you might require me, master, so I waited till you had seen the + king." + </p> + <p> + "You did well, Osgod. I am starting on a journey to York and you are to + accompany me. We ride armed, so get on your coat of mail and take your + favourite axe, then carry this order to the stables and tell them to have + the two horses ready at the gates in half an hour's time; then go to the + kitchen and eat a hearty meal and put up some bread and cold meat in a + wallet. We shall ride fast and with few stoppages, for I have the royal + order for change of horses everywhere." + </p> + <p> + "That is good news, my lord. After dawdling away the last four months + doing nothing I am glad to hear that there is a chance of striking a + strong blow on someone, though who it is I know not." + </p> + <p> + "Now go, Osgod, I have also to change my clothes and drink a horn of ale + and eat something, though I supped but three hours since. Put my gayest + suit into the saddle-bag, for I may stay some time at York, and must make + a fair show, going as I do as Harold's messenger." + </p> + <p> + The journey was accomplished at an extraordinary rate of speed, Harold's + order procuring them a change of horses when ever they stopped; and they + but once halted for a few hours' sleep. Wulf found that Edwin and Morcar + were both at York, and alighted at the gate of their residence. Announcing + himself as a messenger from the king, he was at once conducted into their + presence. + </p> + <p> + "It is Wulf of Steyning, is it not?" Edwin said courteously. "The message + must be urgent indeed since Harold has chosen you to carry it. When did + you leave him?" + </p> + <p> + "I left Westminster at nine o'clock on the evening of Tuesday." + </p> + <p> + "And it is now but mid-day on Thursday," the earl said in a tone of + astonishment. "You have ridden nigh two hundred miles in less than forty + hours." + </p> + <p> + "The roads are good, my lord, and I had the king's order for changes of + horses whenever needed. I slept six hours at Northampton, but have ridden + without other stop save to take meals. I knew that the message I bore was + of importance, as you will see by the king's letter." + </p> + <p> + Edwin opened the letter and laid it before Morcar, and the two read it + together. + </p> + <p> + "This is serious news indeed," Edwin said when they had perused it. "So + Harold of Norway is on his way hither with five hundred warships and half + the males of Norway. Since the news has come from Denmark he must already + have been nigh a fortnight at sea, and if he had sailed hitherwards we + should have heard long ere this of his being within sight of our shores. + As we have heard nought of him it may be that his object has been + misreported, and that it is not against us that his fleet is bound." + </p> + <p> + "I fear that it can have no other destination," Wulf said; "though it may + be that it has sailed first to Scotland to obtain assistance from Malcolm. + There, too, he will find Tostig, whom the king fears is in alliance with + him." + </p> + <p> + "Then assuredly it is against us that he comes," Morcar said, "and unless + the winds shatter his fleet we shall hear of him before long. But he may + land anywhere from the border of Scotland to the Humber, and it is useless + our trying to hinder him along so great a line. He may delay his coming as + William of Normandy has done, and our men, like those of Harold, will not + remain under arms for months doing nothing. With so great an army he must + move slowly and we shall have plenty of time to gather our forces to meet + him. Harold urges us to call out the levies at once, but he does not know + the Northumbrians as we do. They will fight, and stoutly, but they will + scatter as soon as their term expires. It is but six weeks since we called + them under arms to repulse Tostig, and unless they themselves see the + danger presses they will not leave their homes again after so short an + interval. I am glad to see by the king's letter that he has charged you to + stay with us for a while. We shall be glad of your presence, both as the + agent of our royal brother and as one who has already proved himself a + valiant and skilful soldier." + </p> + <p> + Apartments were at once assigned to Wulf in the palace, and he was treated + as an honoured guest. He had been furnished by the royal chamberlain with + an ample sum of money, and every two or three days despatched messengers + to London. He was greatly disturbed in mind, for the earls made no + preparation whatever to meet the coming storm, but continued to hunt or to + hawk, to give entertainments, and to pass their time as if the news of a + mighty invasion had never reached them. The first attempts he made to urge + them to follow Harold's counsel were dismissed so curtly that he felt it + useless to persevere. + </p> + <p> + A fortnight passed by, and then a messenger rode into York with the news + that a vast fleet had entered the Tyne, and that the Norsemen were + harrying and burning the country. Harold Hardrada had first sailed to the + Isles of Shetland and Orkney, which, with the northern districts of the + mainland, formed a powerful Scandinavian province. Paul and Erning, the + two young earls of the state, and a large number of their subjects, joined + the fleet, as did a Scotch contingent sent by Malcolm and commanded by + Tostig, who also had with him the force he had brought from Flanders. + Iceland, then a great Norwegian colony, sent ships and men, as did an + Irish sovereign of Danish descent. + </p> + <p> + Roused to action at last the northern earls sent out summonses in all + directions for the levies to assemble. The invaders were next heard of at + Scarborough, which made a brave resistance, but the Norsemen took post on + the steep hill overhanging the town, and gathering there a vast pile of + wood set it on fire, and hurled blazing timbers down on the place. Many of + the houses caught fire, and this spread rapidly. The inhabitants + surrendered, but the greater portion was slaughtered and the town given up + to plunder. Holderness, like Scarborough, bravely but unsuccessfully + resisted the attack, and the great fleet sailing south entered the Humber. + Hour by hour messengers rode into York bringing news of the progress of + the invaders; hour by hour the Northumbrian levies poured into the + capital. + </p> + <p> + Much as he had disapproved of their previous carelessness and delay, Wulf + acknowledged that the two northern earls now bore themselves as men. They + saw to the defences of the town, mustered all the inhabitants capable of + bearing arms, arranged for the feeding and disposition of the levies, and + did all that was possible at so short a notice to get them to take the + field. But he saw, too, that this raw militia was but little calculated to + stand before the assault of the Norsemen. There was no body of seasoned + troops like the housecarls to serve as a nucleus, and to bear the chief + brunt of the battle. All alike were raw, inexperienced, and badly armed, + save for the axe, which was the favourite weapon of the English. + </p> + <p> + The great fleet made no stay but sailed up the Humber, packing closely in + the river as it narrowed, till it seemed well-nigh covered from shore to + shore with the crowded ships. It passed the little village of Selby, and + cast anchor beside the left bank of the Ouse, near the village of Riccall, + but nine miles' march from York. Olaf, the king's son, the two earls of + Orkney, and the bishop of those islands remained on board to guard the + ships, for the Northumbrian fleet, which was far too small to encounter so + great an armament, had taken refuge up the Wharfe, and might descend and + attack the Norse vessels were they left unguarded. The main body of the + great army under the king and Tostig landed and prepared to march upon + York. Sudden as the call had been there was no lack of spirit or + patriotism in the English levies. Among their ranks were many priests and + monks, who felt that it was their duty to aid in the defence of the land + against the semi-heathen host that invaded it. The memory of the past + invasion of the Norsemen, when the churches had been sacked and the + priests slain on the altar, inspired them, and they and the monks + responded as readily as did the laymen to the summons of the earls. These + had not hesitated to consult Wulf as to the post where they had best + station themselves to give battle, and the disposition of their forces. + One who had distinguished himself under Duke William of Normandy, and + under Harold in Wales, had, young though he was, more experience of war + than any of the northern thanes, and as the representative of Harold all + these were ready to listen with respect to his advice. He had already + spent four or five days in surveying the ground in the direction from + which the Norsemen were likely to advance, and had decided that a place + known as Gate Fulford, two miles from the city, was best calculated for + defence, it being situated on a narrow ridge, having the river and its + swampy banks on one side, and a flat marshy country on the other. Thither + the army of the earls marched to take up its position. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0019" id="link2HCH0019"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIX. — STAMFORD BRIDGE. + </h2> + <p> + Owing to the difficulty of getting the levies formed up and set in motion, + the Norsemen had arrived on the ground and had taken up a defensive + position before the English reached it. Had the force contained a strong + body of housecarls, Wulf, who had talked the matter over with the earls, + would have advised that they should fight on the defensive and allow the + Norsemen to attack; but with freshly-raised troops, ready and eager for + battle, but wanting the discipline that alone enables trained soldiers to + endure patiently a long series of attacks, he thought that there was more + chance of victory in attacking the enemy. Morcar commanded on the left, + Edwin on the right. Wulf took up his position by the side of Morcar, and + exchanged a few words with Osgod before advancing to the charge. + </p> + <p> + "This will be a right royal contest, master," the latter said as he + fingered his heavy axe. "Never before have I seen a set battle like this." + </p> + <p> + "Do you keep close to me, Osgod." + </p> + <p> + "That I am sure to do, master," the latter broke in. + </p> + <p> + "Yes, I know that while we fight you will be by my side, but it may be + that we shall have to fly. The Norsemen outnumber us greatly, and their + king is a host in himself. This is a good position to defend, but a bad + one to fly from. The king's last words were a charge to me not to throw + away my life, and therefore while I shall fight as long as fighting can + avail, I shall also do my best to save myself if we are defeated. As we + came along I kept near to the edge of the swamp, and some hundred yards + back I marked a spot where, as it seemed to me, there was a sort of path, + worn either by broken men and outlaws, who may dwell somewhere in its + recesses, or by men from a village beyond it. For this point, then, I + shall make if we are defeated. It may be that it was not a path, but at + least it offers a chance of escape. So when I give you the word, keep + close to my side." + </p> + <p> + Osgod nodded. His confidence in Wulf was absolutely boundless, and though + he revolted at the thought of retreat he knew well that so long as a + chance of victory remained Wulf would not quit the field. When within two + or three hundred yards of the enemy, Morcar advanced to the front of the + line with his standard-bearer beside him. + </p> + <p> + "On men!" he shouted, and with a yell the English poured down to the + attack The line of the Norsemen was on this side less strong than it was + near the river where their king had posted himself, and the Norsemen gave + way before the furious attack of the English. Morcar and many of his + thanes fought in the front rank. Wulf was close beside him, and before + their swords and the terrible axe of Osgod the invaders fell back foot by + foot, and shouts of triumph rose from the English; but it was not for + long. On the left Edwin could make no impression on the shield-wall of the + enemy, and presently their king caused his horns to blow the signal for + attack, and his line, hitherto immovable, flung itself on the English. The + king, a head taller than any of his men, fought in their front rank, his + terrible two-handed sword hewing down every man who opposed him. As the + English gave way the assault became more and more impetuous, and in a few + minutes the English broke and fled all along the line. + </p> + <p> + "All is lost, Osgod," Wulf said; as after fighting to the last he turned + his back on the foe. The scene on the ridge was now terrible; the exulting + Norsemen followed hard upon the flying English, uttering their shouts of + victory and cutting down all they overtook. Hampered by the crowd in front + of them great numbers of the English fell beneath the weapons of their + pursuers, others turned to the right or left, and hundreds were smothered + in the swamp by the river or in that on the other side. Once the flight + began, Osgod placed himself in front of his master, his powerful figure + and his weight enabling him to push his way through the crowd of + fugitives. Wulf kept close behind him, and they followed the edge of the + swamp until Wulf saw the faint indication of a path he had before noticed. + </p> + <p> + "Turn off here, Osgod; this is the place I spoke of. Let me go first, I am + lightest." + </p> + <p> + The ground shook beneath their feet, the slime oozed up to their ankles, + but, moderating their pace now, they sprang from tussock to tussock until + two or three hundred yards from the edge of the swamp. Then they paused + and looked round. The work of slaughter was still proceeding. Along the + edge of the swamp numbers of English could be seen, some half immerged, + some fast disappearing. In the din of the struggle none heard or heeded + their cries, each man was occupied solely with the thought of flight or + slaughter. Some half-dozen of the fugitives, seeing the two men were + making their way across the swamp, had followed in their footsteps. + </p> + <p> + Slowly and cautiously Wulf moved forward again. Sometimes a treacherous + tuft gave way and he slipped waist-deep into the mire, but Osgod was + always close at hand, and his long arm enabled him to reach forward to his + master from a firmer spot and to draw him from the bog. After an hour's + painful work the ground began to be firmer, and before long they were safe + in the forest beyond the swamp. Here for a while the party threw + themselves down exhausted. After an hour's rest the others asked Wulf what + they had best do. + </p> + <p> + "There is but one thing to be done," he replied; "make off to your homes. + The remnant of the army will reach York, and the Norsemen will doubtless + surround the city and lay siege to it. For the present our cause is lost, + and there is nought for us to do but to try and save our lives, which have + been spared well-nigh by a miracle." + </p> + <p> + Keeping south through the forest Wulf and his follower were several hours + before they emerged from its shade. Another three miles' walking brought + them to a village, where they learned they were six miles west of Selby. + Here they obtained some food, and then bearing off so as to strike the + south road arrived soon after nightfall at the house of the thane who had + supplied them with their last change of horses on their way north. The + news they brought excited the greatest consternation, but their host saw + at once that the only hope now was that Harold might bring help, and at + once placed the two horses which they had ridden to his house at their + disposal. Wulf and Osgod mounted at once, and travelled southwards at a + speed equal to that at which they had journeyed north. + </p> + <p> + When within a few miles of Peterborough they received news that seemed + almost too good to be true. Harold at the head of a great army had already + reached that town, and was pressing north at the top of his speed. From + east and west he was being joined by the levies of the thanes. Riding + forward to Peterborough they found the town crowded with troops, who, as + they learned, were to march forward again in half an hour. Wulf at once + made his way to the monastery, in which Harold was lodged. + </p> + <p> + "I need not ask your news, Wulf," Harold said, as, covered with dust and + mire, and almost reeling with exhaustion, the young thane entered his + private closet. + </p> + <p> + "The army of the northern earls has been well-nigh destroyed two miles + from York. Whether the earls themselves escaped I know not, for I left the + field while the slaughter was still going on. York will be at once + besieged, and as most of its fighting men went out to the battle and a + large proportion must have been slain, I fear that it can resist but a + short time the attack of the Norsemen. It was good news indeed when I + heard that you were advancing north." + </p> + <p> + "It is bad tidings that you bring, Wulf, but not unexpected. Directly I + heard that the enemy's fleet were off our northern coast and were burning + and pillaging unopposed, I speedily gathered what force I could in the + South, and sending on messengers ahead to summon the levies of East Anglia + to join me on the way, started north. Yesterday the news reached me that + the great fleet of Norway had sailed up the Humber, and I saw that I + should be too late to join Edwin and Morcar before they were forced to + give battle before York. Now tell me of the fight, and how you managed to + escape, for I see by your mail-coat and helmet, which are dinted and + frayed and the steel rings shorn off in many places, that you were in the + thick of it." + </p> + <p> + Wulf related the story of the battle, and the manner in which he had + escaped. + </p> + <p> + "You did wisely, Wulf, to mark a way of retreat before the battle + commenced. A good general should ever be prepared for defeat as well as + for victory. So the levies fought well?" + </p> + <p> + "They did, my lord. They engaged the Norsemen gallantly and well—much + better, indeed, than I had looked for them to do, and the day went + favourably until the King of Norway with his picked men threw themselves + upon them. Even after that they fought sturdily for a short time, and had + there been but a body of housecarls to form a shield-wall, behind which + they could have rallied, the day might still have been theirs. But you + look ill, my lord." + </p> + <p> + "I was on a bed of sickness when the news came; but it was no time for + lying abed. For the first two or three days' marches I was carried on a + litter, but I am now well enough to sit my horse. It cost me a sore + struggle to leave the South unguarded simply because my orders were not + obeyed here in the North. But there was no help for it, and we have been + marching well-nigh night and day in hopes that we might bring this matter + to a close, and return south before the Norman fleet appears off the + coast. We have already marched farther than would seem possible in the + time, but the men are all in good heart and eager to meet the Norsemen, + and I have addressed them and shown them the urgent necessity for speed. + We shall set forward again in half an hour. They have had six hours for + rest, so they can do another fifty miles before they halt again. You can + tarry here for a day to rest yourself, and can then ride on and overtake + us." + </p> + <p> + "I will go down and take a plunge in the river," Wulf said, "and shall be + ready to mount again by the time that the rearguard is in motion. I could + have kept on to London had it been needful, and shall be quite ready to + proceed with the army." + </p> + <p> + They were within a day's march of York when the news came that the city + had surrendered without waiting for an assault. The King of Norway had + offered favourable terms; a local Gemot had been held, and it had been + agreed to make peace with Harold of Norway, and not only to receive him as + king but to join him in his warfare against the South. Hostages were given + for their fidelity to their new lord, who in return gave hostages to York + for the good conduct of his troops. It was the city only that had so + treacherously behaved, and the surrender by no means included the whole + province. It was arranged, however, by the earls, that hostages should be + given for Northumbria at large, and they promised that a hundred and fifty + of these should be handed over at Stamford Bridge, eight miles north-east + of the city. + </p> + <p> + Here there was a palace of the old Northumbrian kings. The spot was + favourable for the encampment of an army, for the country round was + fertile and the bridge across the Derwent afforded facilities for the + collection of provisions over a large area. The bridge was a wooden one, + the country on either side of the river was flat, but considerably + elevated above the stream, with a slope down to it on both sides of the + bridge. + </p> + <p> + The news of the surrender of York made no change in Harold's plans. He had + come to give battle to the Norsemen, whether he did so under the walls of + the northern capital or elsewhere; accordingly he pressed rapidly forward. + </p> + <p> + In a few hours the army arrived in sight of York, which, had it resisted + but a day longer, would have been saved the humiliation of the surrender + and treaty. The invaders had all marched to Stamford Bridge, and the + people opened its gates and received with rejoicing the king, whose + authority they had the day before cast off. Beyond a short pause for food + there was no delay. Harold's thoughts were on the South, and he grudged + every hour that delayed his return to his post there. The men of the city + and the survivors of the army defeated at Fulford joined the force, which + kept on its way east to Stamford Bridge. The invaders, believing that + Northumbria lay at their feet, and without a thought that Harold was + advancing, were encamped in careless security on the low ground by the + river. The greater portion of their host had crossed the bridge; their + king, Tostig, and many of the great chiefs had taken up their abode in the + royal palace at Aldby, and were preparing to return to York, where the + king was to hold his court and formally to assume the government and to + proclaim the laws for his new kingdom. + </p> + <p> + Already the cortege had set out, clad not in warlike armour but in court + habiliments, when on the long road leading gently down to the river a + cloud of dust and the sparkle of arms was seen. There was little room for + doubt as to the nature of the arriving force. Northumbria could gather no + array that would venture thus to approach the army that had but five days + before crushed the levies of the North. It could only be Harold himself + who, with the men of the South, had thus unexpectedly arrived. Tostig at + once proposed a retreat to the ships at Riccall, so that the whole army + might be gathered together, but Harold Hardrada strove to marshal his army + for the battle, at the same time sending off mounted messengers to summons + the party left at the ships. But while all was in confusion among the main + body of the invaders on the eastern bank of the river, while men were + buckling on their armour and gathering in their ranks, the cloud of war + rolled rapidly down the descent, and with a mighty shout the English + vanguard fell upon the Norsemen on the western bank. + </p> + <p> + Valiantly they fought, but there was no resisting the solid array of the + English housecarls, or Thingmen as they were also called. Taken altogether + unprepared, and for the most part without their defensive armour, the + Norsemen could offer no successful resistance to the English host. Great + numbers were killed; others were driven headlong across the bridge or were + drowned in the stream, which is said to have been literally choked with + dead. But for a time the advance of the English was stayed; for one + Norseman, a man of great stature and prodigious strength, took post in the + middle of the narrow bridge and barred the way to the English host. But + one foe could attack him at a time, and so great was his strength and + prowess that it is said forty Englishmen fell under the mighty blows of + his two-handed sword, and at last he was only over-powered by one who made + his way along beneath the timbers of the bridge and stabbed him with his + spear from below. + </p> + <p> + His gallant stand, however, had sufficed to give his countrymen time to + complete their preparations, and the shield-wall of the Norsemen stretched + across the gentle ascent from the bridge. With his hands raised aloft, as + a sign that his mission was a peaceful one, an English thane with twenty + mounted horsemen rode across the bridge. He was met by the king, Tostig, + and his chiefs. Raising his voice the thane addressed Tostig, "I bring to + Tostig the greeting and message of his brother King Harold. Let him return + to his allegiance and he shall again have the earldom of Northumberland; + nay, he shall have a third of the kingdom to rule together with the king." + </p> + <p> + "What, then," Tostig asked, "shall be given to King Harold of Norway?" + </p> + <p> + "Seven feet of English ground!" the thane said sternly, "or more, + perchance, seeing he is taller than other men." + </p> + <p> + "Return to King Harold of England," Tostig said, "and bid him make ready + for the battle. Never shall men say in Norway that I brought their king + hither to England and then went over to his foes." + </p> + <p> + Harold's ambassador returned with his men across the river with Tostig's + message, and then in solid array the English Thingmen moved forward to the + attack. Had the King of Norway advanced to the end of the bridge a battle + would have been impossible, for the English could never have forced their + way across. But the kings were equally anxious for a battle. Harold of + Norway knew as well as the King of England that the host of Normandy was + on the point of sailing, and it was as essential for him to crush the + English army before the Normans landed as it was for Harold of England to + dispose at once of the Norse invaders. There were three claimants for the + English crown, and both kings felt the necessity of having their hands + free to meet the Normans. Harold of Norway may well have believed that his + host of tried warriors was capable of disposing of an army that, save for + its small body of regular troops, was wholly unused to war; therefore, he + held his array immovable while the English army crossed the bridge and + formed up for battle. + </p> + <p> + Steadily and firmly the solid line of the housecarls moved up the ascent, + and then as Harold's trumpet gave the signal of attack, flung themselves + upon the shield-wall of the Norsemen. The conflict was a terrible one. The + heavy two-handed axes of the English clashed against the long two-handed + swords of the Norsemen. Against such terrible weapons wielded by such + powerful arms, helmet and hauberk afforded but a poor defence. Casques and + the heads beneath them were cleft like egg-shells under the terrible + blows; but the gaps thus made in the ranks were at once filled from + behind, and for hours the struggle continued with unabated vigour on both + sides. Harold himself with a body of his thanes fought in the front line, + his position marked to his followers by his standard kept flying close + behind him. His great strength and height made him so formidable an + assailant that his standard generally flew well in advance of his fighting + line, while on the other side the still greater height and strength of the + King of Norway rendered him equally conspicuous. At last the obstinate + valour of the English housecarls prevailed over the resistance of the + fierce Norsemen, and the invading host was driven backward step by step up + the ascent until the level ground was reached. + </p> + <p> + Here the battle again raged as fiercely as ever. In vain did Harold of + Norway, followed by his bravest warriors, hurl himself upon the ranks of + the English, his terrible sword carrying death in its path. In vain did + his followers again and again strive to take the offensive. The English + line ever bore up against their attacks. The battle was still undecided + when, as the sun was going down, an English arrow pierced the throat of + the giant King of Norway. How Tostig, who had throughout the day fought by + his side, fell, we know not, but he died, as did the Irish prince who had + brought his followers to share in the plunder of England. There fell, too, + most of the bravest warriors of Norway, the last of the sea-kings who had + carried the banner, known as the land-waster, far and wide over Europe. + </p> + <p> + The slaughter was terrible, and at nightfall the Norsemen who survived + broke and fled to the shelter of their ships. Never in the history of + England was there a harder fought battle; never were English valour and + endurance more splendidly shown. Terrible, too, had been the losses on + their side. Many of the king's bravest thanes had fallen, and the ranks of + the housecarls were fearfully thinned. Complete as had been the victory, + absolute as had been the destruction of their foes, there was but little + rejoicing in the English camp that night. So exhausted were the troops by + their long march and the desperate struggle of the day that they threw + themselves down to sleep on the ground they had won, thickly covered as it + was with the bodies of friend and foe. + </p> + <p> + Wulf throughout the day had fought close to Harold. Osgod had kept close + beside him, and had warded off many a sweeping blow and cut down many a + pressing enemy. At the end of the day his left arm hung useless by his + side, well-nigh cleft off by the blow of a Norseman's sword. Wulf himself + had escaped without a scratch, thanks in a large measure to his follower's + watchfulness. When the battle was over he was one of the few thanes who + gathered round Harold. The latter felt no exultation at this victory. It + had cost him the flower of his army and numbers of his most valued thanes. + It had cost him, too, the life of a brother, to whom in spite of his + faults he had been deeply attached. He knew that there was before him a + struggle even more serious than that from which he had just emerged a + victor, and there was no saying how that struggle might end. + </p> + <p> + "I thank God that you are spared to me, Wulf," he said as the young thane + came up. "I marked you near me all through the battle, and none fought + more bravely. It has been a terrible day, and our victory is dearly + purchased indeed. I have sent a messenger to York, praying that every monk + skilled in surgery will at once hasten hither, that all men and boys shall + come and help to collect the wounded, and that such women as can aid will + accompany them. I cannot ask the men who have marched well-nigh night and + day since we left London, and borne the brunt of the day's battle, to do + more. England has need of their strength. The messenger was to stop at + Helmsley, and bid every soul left there to hurry to the field. It is but + two miles away, and in half an hour they will be here. The first thing for + them to do is to carry water to the wounded; there are no lack of vessels + in the Norsemen's camp." + </p> + <p> + "I will go to the bridge, my lord, and take them in charge when they + arrive, and set them at the work." + </p> + <p> + "You need rest as much as any, Wulf." + </p> + <p> + "I can rest to-morrow," Wulf said; "and at any rate could not sleep + to-night, for I must see to Osgod, who will, I fear, lose an arm." + </p> + <p> + "I am sorry to hear it," Harold said, "for one could ill spare so brave a + fellow. I saw the Norsemen going down under his axe, and assuredly no man + did more than he to-day." + </p> + <p> + "I will tell him what you say, my lord; it will do him good. I left him + sitting down on a bank bemoaning himself that he might not be cured in + time to fight the Normans." + </p> + <p> + Harold shook his head. "I would give half my estates, Wulf, that he should + be well enough to fight by your side in our first battle with the Normans. + That would mean that they would not land before two months have passed, + and by that time I would have all the force of England gathered to receive + them. As you are willing that it should be so, I will leave you in charge + of the camp to-night. It will be three hours before help can arrive from + York. Till then there is nought to do but to carry water to the wounded. + When they arrive the monks will dress the wounds, and the men and women + carry such as can be moved down by the river, where they can be treated + more easily than lying in the fields. Have a strict search made for the + body of my brother, and place a guard over it. Sweyn is in charge of the + Norse camp. There is great treasure there, which shall to-morrow be partly + divided among the troops." + </p> + <p> + Wulf went at once down to the bridge, while Harold and his thanes lay down + like the soldiers on the field of battle. In a short time men, women, and + children came in from Helmsley. Having been told what they were required + for, they had brought with them jugs and drinking cups, and also a supply + of torches. The first search was made over the ground west of the river. + Here few English had fallen, but the Norsemen lay thickly. Wulf ordered + that water should be given to all, foe as well as friend. The number of + living was small, for the heavy two handed axes had done their work + thoroughly. When such as survived had been seen to, Wulf led the villagers + over the bridge. + </p> + <p> + "Scatter right and left," he said, "and then move forward. You cannot go + wrong." Having seen them all at work, he hurried away to the spot where he + had left Osgod sitting. He had before leaving him staunched the flow of + blood by winding a bow string round the arm above the wound and then + twisting it tightly. + </p> + <p> + "How fares it with you, Osgod? Here is a ewer of water." + </p> + <p> + "That is good," Osgod said, after taking a mighty draught. "Truly I felt + as if the moisture of my body had all dried up, and not only my mouth but + my whole frame was parched." + </p> + <p> + "Why, Osgod," Wulf exclaimed, as he held the torch he carried close to + him, "your arm has gone!" + </p> + <p> + "That is so, master, an arm after the bone has been cleft through is of no + use to anyone, so I thought the sooner I got rid of it the better, and + having my knife handy I just cut through the flesh that remained. That was + the end of it. Would that we could get rid of all our evils as readily. + To-morrow I will walk to York and get the wound seared." + </p> + <p> + "The king sent to York for aid directly the battle was over, and we shall + have all the townsfolk here soon, among them monks and others skilled in + the dressing of wounds. I told the king of your misfortune." And he then + repeated what Harold had said. + </p> + <p> + "It does me good to hear that Harold is satisfied with me. I hope to + strike many a good blow for him yet." + </p> + <p> + "How still it is here, Osgod! There is scarce a sound to be heard from all + those lying round." + </p> + <p> + "There are but few with life in them, I reckon," Osgod said. "A Norse + sword and an English axe let out the life quickly when they strike fair. + This blow fell on my arm as my axe was raised to strike, and it were well + it did so, or it would have taken me in the neck, and then neither monk + nor leech could have brought me back to life. Had it been my right arm I + would as lief have been killed at once, for what good is a man without his + right arm?" + </p> + <p> + "You would have learned to use your left in time, Osgod. Now if you can + walk, come down to the river, and I will see that you are among the first + attended to." + </p> + <p> + "I will lie down here," Osgod said, "for in truth I feel as if I need + sleep. For the last two days I have been scarce able to keep my eyes open, + and now that I have had a drink I feel that a few hours' rest will do me + more good than any monk." + </p> + <p> + Osgod's words came slowly and heavily, and as he ended he lay down on his + back. Wulf saw that it was best that he should sleep, and so left him. In + two hours a great number of lights were seen along the road, and soon a + crowd of men and women from York appeared and scattered themselves over + the battlefield, the monks pouring balm into wounds and bandaging them up, + while the men and women carried the wounded, as fast as they were attended + to, down to the river. The bodies of Tostig and of the King of Norway were + both found, and a guard placed over them, and in the morning that of + Tostig was carried to York for burial in the cathedral, while Harold + Hardrada was buried where he fell. + </p> + <p> + Harold sent messengers to the Norsemen's fleet offering mercy to them if + they would surrender, and their chiefs come to York and swear never again + to raise their swords against England—an offer which was thankfully + accepted, for the English fleet had entered the Humber, and their retreat + was cut off. + </p> + <p> + The next day the Norse chiefs went to York and took the required oath, and + were then escorted back to their ships. So terrible had been the + slaughter, so complete the destruction of the invading army, that, even + including the guard that remained at the fleet, twenty-four ships sufficed + to carry away home the survivors of the mighty host. The task of burying + the slain was too great to be undertaken, and for many years afterwards + the field of battle was whitened with the bones of the invaders who had + fallen there. + </p> + <p> + On the day after the battle Harold returned with his army to York. Here + all who had fallen away from the cause of England were pardoned. Measures + were taken for making the fighting strength of the North available for the + general defence of the country. The wounded were cared for in the houses + of the citizens, and for five days the troops rested after their + prodigious exertions. + </p> + <p> + Early in the morning after the battle Osgod's wound had been seared with + red-hot irons. He had borne the pain unflinchingly, saying that he had + suffered as much from burns more than once while learning his trade as an + armourer. Wulf was not present, as he had thrown himself down to sleep as + soon as he had been relieved at daylight, but he saw him before he started + with the king for York. + </p> + <p> + "Yes, it hurts a bit, master," Osgod replied in answer to his inquiries. + "I could not expect otherwise. You will have to do without me for a few + days. I have made friends with some peasants at Helmsley. I shall stay + with them till the army marches south. If I were at York I should never + keep quiet; and the monks tell me the quieter I am the sooner my wounds + will heal. They are poor creatures, these monks; they wanted to make out + that it might be two or three months before I was fit for service again. I + told them it would be a shame to my manhood if in a fortnight I could not + wield an axe again. It is not as if I had been brought up softly. I have + burnt myself with hot irons many a time, and know that a few days suffices + to heal a sore." + </p> + <p> + "It is not the sore, Osgod; it is the veins that might burst out bleeding + again." + </p> + <p> + "That is what they said, master; but at present there is not much blood + left in me, I think, and by the time it comes again my veins ought to have + healed themselves. This plaguey bowstring hurts me well-nigh as much as + the smart of the irons; but the monks say I must bear it for a couple of + days, when they will put on some tight bandages in its place, but if I can + bear the pain it were better that it should be kept there for a week or + two." + </p> + <p> + Five days passed. The king laboured incessantly at making a settlement of + the affairs of the North. The thanes came in from all Northumbria. They + were full of thankfulness at the deliverance that had been wrought for + them, and the victor of Stamford Bridge was far more to them than the King + of England had ever been. All were received with kindness and courtesy, + and Harold felt that at Stamford Bridge he had conquered not only the host + of Norway but the Northern earldoms. On the evening of the fifth day after + the battle they held a great banquet at York. The feasting was at its + height when Harold was told that a messenger had arrived with urgent news, + and the man was at once brought in. He had ridden in two days from the + South, and brought the momentous news that on the third day after the + victory of Stamford Bridge the Norman host had landed in Sussex. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0020" id="link2HCH0020"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XX. — THE LANDING OF THE FOE. + </h2> + <p> + While Harold with his army had been anxiously and impatiently watching the + sea on the southern coast of England, the mixed host of the Duke of + Normandy had been no less anxiously awaiting a favourable breeze at the + port where the whole of the expedition was gathered. William had, however, + one great advantage. While Harold's army and navy were composed of levies, + bound by feudal obligations to remain but a certain time under arms, and + eager to return to their harvest operations, their wives and families, + William's was made up to a great extent of seasoned troops and + professional soldiers, gathered not only from his own dominions but from + all parts of Europe. + </p> + <p> + These were far more amenable to orders than were the English militia. + Tempted by the thought of the plunder of England, they had enlisted under + the duke's banner for the expedition. They had no thought of returning + home, and as long as they were well supplied with food, the delay in + starting mattered comparatively little to them; and thus while at length + the fleet and army of Harold scattered to their homes the Normans remained + in their camp, ready to embark on board the ships as soon as a favourable + wind blew. They were kept in good temper by receiving regular pay and + provisions, and as all plundering was strictly forbidden the country + people freely brought in supplies, and for a month the great army was fed + without difficulty; but as the resources of the country became exhausted + the duke grew more and more anxious to move to another port, and taking + advantage of a change of wind to the west he embarked his army and sailed + north along the coast of Normandy to the mouth of the Somme, and the + troops disembarked and encamped round the town of St. Valery. + </p> + <p> + Here there was another long delay, and while Harold was marching north to + meet the King of Norway the Normans were praying for a favourable wind at + the holy shrine at the Abbey of St. Valery. Two days after the host of + Harold Hardrada had been destroyed the wind suddenly shifted to the south. + There had on the previous day been a great religious ceremony; the holy + relics had been brought by the priests into the camp; the whole army had + joined in a solemn service; precious gifts had been offered at the shrine, + and as the change of wind was naturally ascribed to the influence of the + saint, the army was filled with enthusiasm, and believed that heaven had + declared in their favour. + </p> + <p> + From morning till night the scene of bustle and preparation went on, and + when darkness fell the whole host had embarked. Every ship was ordered to + bear a light, and a huge lantern was hoisted at the masthead of the <i>Mora</i>, + the duke's own ship, and orders were issued that all vessels should follow + the light. The <i>Mora</i>, however, was a quick sailer, and was not, like + the other vessels, deeply laden down with horses and men. When daylight + broke, therefore, she had so far outstripped the rest that no other sail + was in sight, and she anchored until the fleet came up, when the voyage + was continued, and at nine on the morning of Thursday the 28th of + September the Normans landed on English soil, near the village of + Pevensey. + </p> + <p> + The landing was unopposed; the housecarls were away north with their king, + the levies were scattered to their homes. To the surprise of the Normans + who landed in battle array no armed man was to be seen. Parties of mounted + men at once examined the country for miles round, but without finding + signs of the defending army they expected to meet. On the following + morning a small force was left in the Roman fortifications near Pevensey + to guard the ships, hauled up on the beach, from attack, and the duke with + his army marched away along the Roman road to Hastings, where William + established his headquarters and resolved to await the approach of the + army of England. A wooden castle was raised on the height, and the country + for miles round was harried by the Norman horse. Every house was given to + the flames; men were slain, women and children taken as slaves, and the + destruction was so complete that it seemed as if it had been done with the + deliberate purpose of forcing Harold to come down and give battle. + </p> + <p> + No sooner did Harold hear the news that the Normans had landed and were + harrying the land than he ordered the hall to be cleared and issued a + summons for the assembly of a Gemot, and in an hour an assemblage of all + the thanes gathered at York was held in the hall that had so shortly + before been the scene of peaceful feasting. Harold proclaimed to them the + news he had heard, and called upon them to arm and call together their + levies for the defence of England. An enthusiastic reply was given. As the + men of the South had crushed the invaders of the North, so would the men + of the North assist to repel the invasion of the South. Morcar and Edwin + promised solemnly to lead the forces of Northumbria and Mercia to London + without a day's delay, and though Harold trusted his brothers-in-law but + little, he hoped they would have to yield to the patriotic spirit of the + thanes and to play their part as Englishmen. + </p> + <p> + An hour later messengers started on horseback for the South, bidding all + men to assemble at London to fight for home and freedom against the + foreign invader, and orders were issued that the troops who had fought at + Stamford Bridge should march at daybreak. As soon as the council was over + Wulf mounted his horse and rode at full speed to Helmsley. He had each day + ridden over to see Osgod, who in his anxiety for a rapid cure was proving + himself a most amenable patient, and was strictly carrying out the + prescriptions of the monk who had taken charge of him and of other wounded + who were lying in the village. He was asleep on a rough pallet when Wulf + entered. + </p> + <p> + "A pest upon the Norman!" he exclaimed angrily when he heard Wulf's news. + "He might have given me a week longer at any rate. I am feeling mightily + better already, for to-day the monk has bandaged my arm, and that so tight + as almost to numb it. But that I care little for, as he has now taken off + that bow-string which was cutting its way into the flesh. He told me that + everything depended upon my keeping absolutely quiet for another week, for + the slightest exertion might make the wound break out afresh, and that if + it burst there would be but a poor chance for me. Well, I must travel in a + waggon instead of on horseback." + </p> + <p> + "You will do nothing of the sort, Osgod; I absolutely forbid it. It would + be an act of sheer madness. Besides, you would be useless at present even + if you went south, while if you rest here for three or four weeks you may + be able to take part in some of the battles; and, moreover, it may be + weeks before Harold moves against the Normans. At any rate, it is out of + the question that you should move at present. I am not going to have you + risk your life by such folly." + </p> + <p> + Osgod was silent for a minute or two and then said, "Well, master, I must + obey your orders, but never before did I feel it so hard a thing to do." + </p> + <p> + "It is for your own good and mine, Osgod. I am not going to lose so + faithful a follower, and would rather do without you for two months than + for all my life. But now I must be going, for I shall ride on ahead so as + to go down to Steyning and fetch our men. I was before sorry that, owing + to my being here, they did not come down with the king; now I am glad, for + I might have lost half of them, while as it is I shall have a hundred men + as good as his own to help to fill up the ranks of Harold's housecarls, + besides the general levy of my tenants." + </p> + <p> + On his march south Harold was joined by large numbers of men. The news of + the destruction of the army of Harold Hardrada had excited the greatest + enthusiasm, and the thanes presented themselves as a rule with more than + the number of men they were bound to furnish. Wulf rode on fast to London. + As soon as he arrived there he went to the armourer's shop. Ulred paused + at his work as he entered. "Welcome back, my lord Wulf!" he said. "So you + have come safe through the two great battles in the North. Has Osgod fared + equally well, I see that you have come without him?" + </p> + <p> + "Not equally well, Ulred. He fought with me at Fulford and received no + serious hurt, but at Stamford Bridge he was wounded so sorely that for a + time we thought it would go hard with him; but he has rallied and is doing + well, and save that he will come home without his left arm, he will, I + trust, soon be recovered. No man fought more stoutly than he did at + Stamford Bridge, and the king himself noticed his valour. Although his + wound was but five days' old when we started, he would have come south at + once if I would have suffered him, though he must assuredly have been + carried the whole way in a litter. It troubled him greatly to hear that we + should be face to face with the Normans, and he not there to strike a blow + for England." + </p> + <p> + "I am glad to hear that the boy lives," the armourer said; "for indeed + when I saw you alone my first thoughts were that he had fought his last + battle. We have terrible news from the South. The Normans are plundering + and slaying from Beachy Head well-nigh to Dover, and the people are flying + before them in crowds. However, matters will be changed as soon as the + king returns to town. London will send her militia in full strength, and + we hear that the thanes of the West are hurrying hither. 'Tis a pity + indeed that Harold was drawn off north, for had he been here the Normans + would have had to fight their best before they established themselves on + our shores." + </p> + <p> + "They could have landed in any case, Ulred. It was not the King of Norway + and Tostig, but the impatience of our sailors and troops, that left our + shores unguarded. Harold tried his best to keep them together, but in + vain. However, they rallied quickly when they heard of the landing in the + North, and are coming in freely now." + </p> + <p> + "Will the troops of Northumbria be here?" + </p> + <p> + "I doubt it greatly, Ulred. They are not true men, Edwin and Morcar; they + surrendered York before an arrow was shot against its walls, and received + Harold Hardrada as their king. They would be equally willing to + acknowledge William of Normandy so that they might but preserve their + earldoms under him. They have promised to send their whole forces forward + without delay, but I have no belief that they will be here. I am going to + Steyning as soon as I have eaten a meal and rested for a few hours. I + shall miss Osgod sorely. I trust that it will not be long before I have + him by my side." + </p> + <p> + "When will the army be back here, master?" + </p> + <p> + "In three days at most, I imagine. There will be but short stay here + before Harold marches south to meet the Normans. The news of the wanton + destruction they are making has roused him to fury, and he will assuredly + lose no time, even though he have but half the force of England behind + him." + </p> + <p> + "It is as well to have something to fall back on," the armourer said. "It + is not by one battle that England is to be conquered, and even if we lose + the first we may gain the second. We can stand the loss better than the + Normans, for doubtless William has brought all his strength with him, and + if beaten must make his way back to his ships, while Harold would in a + short time find himself at the head of a larger army than that with which + he may first meet them. Was the slaughter as great as they say at Stamford + Bridge?" + </p> + <p> + "It was terrible, Ulred; and though the Norsemen suffered vastly more than + we did, the ranks of the housecarls, on whom the brunt of the fighting + fell, have been sorely thinned. We shall feel their loss when we meet the + Normans. Against their heavily-armed troops and their squadrons of knights + and horsemen one of the Thingmen was worth three untried peasants. Had we + but half the number of our foe, and that half all housecarls, I should not + for a moment doubt the issue." + </p> + <p> + "London will put a strong body in the field, and though we have not the + training of the Thingmen you may trust us to fight sternly, Master Wulf; + and if we are beaten I will warrant that there will not be many of us to + bring the tidings back." + </p> + <p> + "Of that I am sure, Ulred. The citizens have more to lose and better know + what they are fighting for than the country levies, and as you say, I am + sure they will do their part stoutly. Well, I must stay here no longer. I + shall sleep for two or three hours, and then take a fresh horse from the + king's stable and to-morrow shall be at Steyning. By nightfall I shall be + on my way back with every man on the estate, a hundred and fifty besides + the housecarls, and two days' march will bring us here again. Ulf is well, + I hope? I do not see him." + </p> + <p> + "He has but carried home some arms I have been mending. We are working + night and day; since the news that the Normans had landed came, there has + been no thought of bed among the armourers and smiths of Westminster and + London. Each man works until he can work no longer, then throws himself + down for two or three hours' sleep, and then wakes up to work again; and + so it will be till the army has moved south with most of us in its ranks." + </p> + <p> + Wulf reached Steyning soon after daybreak, and as soon as the news that he + had arrived went round, the tenants flocked in. His coming had been + anxiously expected, for the alarm caused by the incursions all over the + country by the Norman horse was intense; and although, so far, none had + come west of Beachy Head, there was a general feeling that at any moment + they might make their appearance. The news, therefore, that Harold was + marching south with his army, and that all were to share in a pitched + battle with the invader instead of being slaughtered on their + hearthstones, caused a deep feeling of satisfaction. Wulf gave orders that + every man should assemble in fighting array at noon, and that if, later + on, news came that the enemy were approaching, the houses were to be + deserted, the stacks fired, and, driving the cattle before them, the women + and children should cross the hills and take shelter in the great forest + beyond. A few of the older men who were unfit to take part in a long day's + fighting were to aid the women in their work. + </p> + <p> + The arms of all the men were carefully inspected, and the weapons + remaining in the armoury served out to those worst provided. At one + o'clock the force marched off, Wulf riding at the head of the hundred + housecarls, while the tenants, a hundred and fifty strong, followed in + good order. Each man carried six days' provisions. They camped that night + in a forest twenty miles from Steyning, marched thirty miles the next day, + and early the following morning joined the great array that was gathering + on the hills south of London. To his great pleasure Wulf found that Beorn + had arrived the day before with his levy. They had not met since they had + returned from the North with Harold. + </p> + <p> + "So you have been up there again, Wulf, and fought at Fulford and Stamford + Bridge. It was very unlucky I was not in London when the army marched + north; but I received no summons, and heard nothing of it until the king + was well on his march. None of the thanes along the south coast were + summoned." + </p> + <p> + "So I heard, Beorn. I fancy the king thought that in case of a landing by + the Normans the men near the coast would all be wanted to help take the + women and cattle to places of security." + </p> + <p> + "No doubt that was the reason," Beorn said. "At any rate, I am sorry I + missed the fight at Stamford Bridge. The other seems to have been a bad + affair." + </p> + <p> + "Very bad; we suffered terribly. So much so, indeed, that the earls will + have a good excuse for not getting their levies together in time for the + battle with the Normans." + </p> + <p> + "They are false loons," Beorn said; "and brothers-in-law as they are of + his, it would have been well had the king after Stamford Bridge had their + heads smitten off for their traitorous surrender to the Norsemen." + </p> + <p> + "I have no doubt they will hold aloof now, Beorn, until they see how + matters go in the South, and if we are worsted they will hasten to make + their peace with William, and to swear to be his liegemen, just as they + swore to be liegemen to Harold Hardrada. But they will find out their + mistake in the end. William has promised to divide England among his needy + adventurers if he wins, and Edwin and Morcar will very speedily find that + they will not, in that case, be allowed to keep half the country as their + share." + </p> + <p> + It was a great host that was gathered ready for the march south. Gurth had + brought down the fighting men of East Anglia; the thanes of the West were + there with their tenants; the Bishop of Winchester, Harold's uncle, not + only brought the tenants of the church lands, but he himself with twelve + of his monks had put on armour under their monkish robes. The Abbot of + Peterborough headed a contingent from the Fen Country; the men of London + under the sheriff of the Mid Saxons were there, and prepared to die in + defence of the royal standard, which it was the special privilege of + London to guard. In the Abbey of Westminster, where Harold had received + his crown, and in every church of London, mass was celebrated day and + night, and was attended by crowds of troops and citizens. + </p> + <p> + Harold himself snatched a day from the cares of preparation to visit + Waltham, the abbey that he had founded, and in which he had taken so + lively an interest, and there earnestly prayed for victory, with the vow + that did he conquer in the strife he would regard himself as God's + ransomed servant, and would throughout his life specially devote himself + to His service. A day or two after Wulf's arrival in London a messenger + came from William of Normandy calling upon Harold to come down from his + throne, and to become, as he had sworn to be, the duke's man. Harold in + reply sent back a full answer to William's claims. He admitted that Edward + had promised the crown to William, but he said that according to the law + of England a man might at any time revoke his will, and this Edward had + done, and had named him as his successor. As to the oath he himself had + sworn, he maintained that it was an extorted oath, and therefore of no + binding force. Finally, he offered rich gifts to William if he would + depart quietly, but added that if he was bent on war he would meet him in + battle on the coming Saturday. + </p> + <p> + It is probable that William's insolent message was meant to have the + effect of inducing Harold to march against him. The Norman position was a + very strong one, and had been carefully fortified, and he hoped that + Harold would attempt to storm it. Gurth urged his brother to remain in + London, while he himself went with the army to battle. A large number of + the levies had as yet not come in, and with these, should the first battle + be unsuccessful, another army could be gathered to continue the struggle. + Moreover, whether the oath Harold had sworn was binding or not, he had + sworn, and it were better that another who was perfectly free in his + conscience should lead the English to battle. + </p> + <p> + Then, too, Gurth urged, if he himself was slain, it would matter + comparatively little, while Harold's death would jeopardize the whole + kingdom. He prayed him therefore to stay in London, and to gather another + and greater force, and to lay waste the whole land between London and the + coast, so that the Normans, whether successful or not in their first + battle, would be starved into a departure from the land. The counsel of + Gurth was approved of by the thanes, but Harold rejected it. He declared + that he would never let his brothers and friends go forth to danger on his + behalf while he himself drew back from facing it, neither could he bring + himself to harm the lands or the goods of any Englishman. + </p> + <p> + For six days Harold remained in London waiting, but in vain, for the + forces from the North to join him, and on the Thursday morning set out + with his army in order to meet the invaders on the day he had named. + Accounts differ very widely as to the strength of that army. Norman + writers, in order to glorify their own victory, speak of it as one of + prodigious numbers. English writers, on the other hand, endeavour to + explain the defeat by minimizing the number of those who followed Harold's + standard. Doubtless the English king, knowing the proved valour of his + housecarls, and fresh from the crushing defeat inflicted on the Norsemen, + considered the numbers to be sufficient. His military genius was + unquestionable, and next only to William the Norman he was regarded as the + greatest general in Europe. As there was no occasion for haste so long as + the Normans remained at Hastings he would not have moved forward with a + force he deemed insufficient, when he knew that in another week its + numbers would have been doubled. + </p> + <p> + On the day that the king made his last visit to Waltham, Wulf rode over to + Croydon in compliance with an entreaty he received from Edith. + </p> + <p> + "When does the army march?" she asked anxiously as she entered. + </p> + <p> + "The day after to-morrow, lady." + </p> + <p> + "And my lord goes with it?" + </p> + <p> + "He does. I myself think that Gurth's counsel was good, and that it were + best for England that he remained at Westminster; and yet I can understand + well that he himself would feel it a shame did he remain behind." + </p> + <p> + "I feel sore misgivings," Edith said, bursting into tears. "When he + marched north against the King of Norway and Tostig I felt no doubt he + would return victorious; but night after night I have had evil dreams, and + though I pray continually my spirit has no relief. I have never feared for + him before. I have always felt sure that whoever died Harold would be + spared for the sake of England, but I have no such feeling now. It seems + to me that I sacrificed him and myself in vain when I bade him leave me + and marry the sister of the Northern earls. No good has come of it. They + are behaving now as traitors, and he has lost his life's happiness. And + yet I did it for the best." + </p> + <p> + "It was a noble sacrifice, lady, and come what may you have no cause to + regret it." + </p> + <p> + "The queen is not with him," Edith said bitterly. + </p> + <p> + "No, she is at Oxford. You must not think, lady, that the king has been + unhappy since he came to the throne. He has been so incessantly occupied + with work that he has had no time for domestic happiness, even if it had + been within his reach. His thoughts are ever on England, and he has no + thought of self. Labouring ever for the good of his subjects, he has his + happiness alike in their love, and in the knowledge that he is doing all + that man can for their welfare. If he dies, he will die the death not only + of a soldier but of the noblest king that ever sat on the English throne, + and at all times he will be enshrined in the hearts of the English people, + whether Normans or Englishmen reign over the land." + </p> + <p> + "That is true, and I must take comfort from it, Wulf; but it was not for + this that I sent for you, but to ask you where the battle is likely to be + fought." + </p> + <p> + "Near Hastings, assuredly," Wulf replied. + </p> + <p> + "I shall travel south to-morrow. I have had a message from the king + praying me to see him, but that would be too much for me. He is another + woman's husband and I dare not meet him, it were sin for me to do so; but + I would fain be nearer to the scene of battle, so that in a few hours I + might journey there, in order that, if my lord dies, I might see him once + again. I know the superior of a convent at Lewes, and there I will betake + myself. Thence, as I believe, it is some sixteen miles to Hastings, and so + far as I have heard the Norman plunderers have not gone so far west. + Should aught happen to him, will you send a speedy messenger to me?" + </p> + <p> + "Should I live through the fight I will do so, lady, but even should I not + return the news will travel swiftly; but God forfend that so great a loss + should fall upon England." + </p> + <p> + "Amen," Edith murmured, "and yet I fear. Thanks, Wulf, for coming, + perchance we may not meet again. I am thinking of entering a convent, + probably that at Lewes. The struggle and pain here is well-nigh too great + for me, but in the walls of a cloister I may find peace. If my fears are + fulfilled I shall assuredly do this, and when I return to the convent I + shall leave it no more. My life is over. I have a happy past to look back + upon, in that am blest, and shall be happier than those who have no such + consolation. Moreover, I can still be proud of Harold, and may love him as + I might love the memory of a husband who is lost. God bless you, Wulf, and + protect you through the coming battle!" + </p> + <p> + Wulf rode sadly back to the camp. Although he had denied it to Edith, he + could not but admit to himself that the sacrifice that she and Harold had + made had, so far, been unavailing. It had failed to draw the Northern + earls closer to the king. The marriage had been productive of no happiness + to Harold, and the only reward he had gained had been in the sympathy of + the people, who knew well enough that he had sacrificed his love for the + good of his country. + </p> + <p> + The army marched rapidly. Beorn and Wulf rode together, and talked over + the chances of the coming battle. + </p> + <p> + "I cannot blame Harold for not remaining behind," Wulf said, "though it + were certainly more politic for him to have stayed in London. As he could + not do so, I think it would have been well had he bidden Gurth remain + behind to gather another army with which to meet the Normans should we be + defeated; or if he could not spare Gurth he might have left Leofric + behind. It is assuredly a mistake for the three brothers all to come, for + should all fall England would no longer have a head." + </p> + <p> + "Surely no such misfortune as that will befall us, Wulf." + </p> + <p> + "I know not. They will fight side by side, and should one fall all may + perish together. One at least ought to remain behind. It matters not how + many of us are killed, so that one of Godwin's sons is left to rally the + kingdom. You may be sure that if we are conquered the victors will be in + but poor condition to meet another foe; but if there is no one to gather + an army and unite all England against the Normans they will eat us up + piecemeal." + </p> + <p> + "We must not think of so terrible a thing, Wulf. It is not like you to + look at the dark side. Why, when we were in Wales, and in as bad a plight + as could well be, you always made light of danger, and managed affairs as + if we were certain to succeed. Why should we be defeated? Why should the + king be killed? He went through the terrible fight at Stamford Bridge + without a scratch. We have seen the Normans at work, and know that they + are not such terrible fellows; and as for their duke, I would assuredly + rather meet him in battle, doughty as he may be, than have faced Harold + Hardrada with his two-handed sword." + </p> + <p> + "I have every hope of winning the day, Beorn, but still I do regret much + that Gurth and Leofric are both here. Do you remember that in Wales we + agreed that it was always well to have a way of retreat in case of defeat? + Well, I feel that defeat this time will mean not only the defeat of an + army but the ruin of England." + </p> + <p> + On Friday afternoon the army reached rising ground near the village of + Senlac, which Harold had beforehand fixed upon as the place where he would + give battle to the invaders. Kent and Sussex he knew well. They had been + the home of his family, and he owned vast estates there. Doubtless in the + long weeks of waiting for the coming of the Norman fleet he had fixed upon + this spot as one well suited for a battle. It was necessary that the + English should fight on the defensive. The Normans were strong in cavalry, + while the English were unaccustomed to fight on horseback, and would have + been at a grievous disadvantage had they attacked the enemy. + </p> + <p> + The hill offered many advantages to a force standing on the defensive. The + great eastern road passed close to its foot, and its possession barred the + passage of the invaders in that direction. The ground between it and the + sea was marshy and broken, and its occupation by an English force left the + Normans no choice but to come out and attack them. + </p> + <p> + The sides were steep and the ground rose rapidly in the rear, so that the + Norman cavalry could not attack from behind. It was, indeed, a sort of + peninsula running southward from the main range of hills. + </p> + <p> + The moment the troops reached the ground the royal standard was planted, + and the men set to work to fell trees and to form a triple palisade along + the accessible sides of the hills. The force at Harold's command must have + been far nearer to the estimate given of its strength by the English + chroniclers than by the Normans, for the space occupied was insufficient + for the standing room of such an army as that enumerated by the latter + writers. + </p> + <p> + Harold relied almost entirely upon the housecarls. The levies might be + brave, but they were undisciplined, and might easily be thrown into + disorder; they would, too, be impatient under the trial of a long day's + battle. It is even said that he sent away some of the ill-armed levies, + who came flocking in from the country round, eager to revenge the injuries + received at the hands of the Normans. It was upon the shield-wall, the + favourite formation of the English, that he relied to win the battle. It + was their national mode of fighting. It was that in which Alfred had led + the Saxons to victory over the Danes. It was that in which they clashed + against the shield-wall of Norway and shattered it, and he might well hope + that the barons of Normandy and the adventurers from all parts of Europe + who fought under William's banner might well try in vain to break it. + </p> + <p> + In the evening a messenger arrived from William, again bidding Harold + resign the kingdom or meet the duke in single combat, the crown of England + to be the prize of the victor. Harold refused the challenge. He had proved + his personal courage too often for it to be supposed that he declined from + any feeling of cowardice, but he knew well that the issue could not be + thus decided. Were he to fall, the people would still refuse to accept + William as their king; were William to fall, the host that had gathered + for the plunder of England would still give battle. Nothing was therefore + to be gained by the proposed combat. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0021" id="link2HCH0021"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXI. — HASTINGS. + </h2> + <p> + The fiction of the Norman historians, that while the Normans passed the + night preceding the battle in prayer, the English spent it in feasting, is + even more palpably absurd than the many other falsehoods invented for the + purpose of damaging the character of Harold. The English army had marched + nearly seventy miles in the course of two days, and had in addition + laboured incessantly for many hours in erecting the palisades and in + digging ditches. We may be sure that after two such days the great mass of + the army lay down dog-tired directly their work was done, and slept till + morning. Harold and his thanes had shared in their labours, and knowing + the terrible work that awaited them in the morning, would most surely be + disposed to get as long a sleep as possible to prepare for it. + </p> + <p> + But what is most opposed to the Norman story is the fact that Harold was a + sincerely and deeply religious man, far more so than his rival. The life + of the one man was in accordance with his professions—he was gentle + and merciful, ever ready to forgive his enemies, averse to bloodshed, and + so true a friend of the church that the whole of the prelates and clergy + set the interdict of the pope at naught for his sake. The only exception + in his clemency to the conquered was in the case of the Welsh, and in this + instance the stern measures he adopted were in the end the most merciful. + No oaths could bind these marauders, and the stern punishment he inflicted + was the means of procuring for the West of England a respite from their + incursions that lasted for three generations. + </p> + <p> + William of Normandy, on the contrary, was absolutely merciless in warfare. + He was not cruel for the sake of cruelty, but where he deemed that the + policy demanded it, he was ruthless, and spared neither age nor sex. He + was lavish to the church, but it was rather because he needed and obtained + its aid than from any feeling of real piety. + </p> + <p> + In point of ability, both civil and military, the Duke of Normandy and + Harold of England were perhaps about equal; in point of nobility of + character there was no comparison between them. We may be sure that the + night before the battle Harold prayed as earnestly as he had prayed at + Waltham for the aid of Heaven. + </p> + <p> + Wulf and Beorn lay down among the thanes, after Harold, sitting with them + round a fire, had explained his plans for the battle. So calmly and + confidently did he speak, and so strong was their position, that even + those who had, like Wulf, doubted the wisdom of an advance until the whole + force of England had assembled, now felt something like an assurance of + victory, and all lay down to sleep with the belief that the victory at + Stamford Bridge would be repeated. + </p> + <p> + On waking, Wulf visited his men. They were already astir, and he was + astounded at seeing among them the towering figure of Osgod. + </p> + <p> + "Why, what means this, Osgod?" he exclaimed. "Did I not order you to rest + quietly at York?" + </p> + <p> + "That did you, my lord," Osgod said, "and no man obeys your orders more + readily than I, and anything that you bid me do I am willing to do if + possible; but in this it was not possible, for I could not remain at York, + either in rest or quiet. I should have had fever in my blood, and would by + this time have been lying as deep in the earth as Harold of Norway + himself. Therefore, in order to get the rest and quiet you had ordered, it + was necessary for me to come south. As you had left me well supplied with + money, I was able to do so in comfort, and though I could well enough walk + I have had myself carried in a litter by easy stages. I reached London on + Wednesday night, having been a fortnight on the way, and I arrived here an + hour since. Each day I walked a little, so as to keep my health and + exercise my limbs, and so well have I succeeded that my wound has + well-nigh healed; and although I doubt whether I shall be able to use a + heavy axe, I trust I shall be able to strike hard enough with the right + hand to split a few Norman helms." + </p> + <p> + "But the exertion may set your wounds bleeding afresh, Osgod," Wulf said, + unable to repress a smile at Osgod's argument. + </p> + <p> + "Methinks there is no fear of that. The most nights I have slept at + monasteries, and have inquired from the monks, whom I told that I must + needs stand by your side to-day, whether I should be fit. They said at + first that there would be some risk in the matter, but that if I continued + to take rest and quiet as I was doing, and the wound continued to heal + favourably, it was possible, if I abstained from actual fighting, I might + do so; but of late they have spoken more confidently. I told the monk who + seared my arm to do it heartily, for a little pain more or less was of + small account, so that he made a good job of it. And so, what with the + rest and quiet and my mind being at ease, it went on so well that a monk + who examined it at Westminster on Wednesday evening told me that save for + the healing of the skin the wound was pretty nigh cured, and that he + thought there was no chance whatever of its breaking out afresh. He + bandaged it tightly to prevent any rush of blood into the veins, and + though when I drove an axe just now into that stump yonder, I felt that I + had not got back my strength fully, I expect when I warm to the work I + shall strike as strongly as most." + </p> + <p> + "Well, at any rate you must take care of yourself, Osgod. You can aid me + in keeping our men steady, but I charge you not to fight yourself unless + you see the line waver. Then you can, of course, throw yourself into the + fray." + </p> + <p> + "I will keep myself back for that, master; but I am sure we shall all have + to do our best before sunset, and as all will be risking their lives there + is no reason why I should not do so as well as the rest." + </p> + <p> + The troops made a hearty breakfast from the food they carried, and + quenched their thirst at the little stream that ran down by the side of + the slope, then they were told off to the ground they were to occupy. + </p> + <p> + At nine in the morning the vanguard of the Norman army appeared over the + brow of a rise, and the English at once took up their positions. In the + centre were the housecarls of the royal house and those of the thanes, + together with the men of Kent, whose right it was ever to be in the front + of a battle, and the London citizens under their sheriff. All these were + armed and attired like the housecarls. In the centre of this array flew + the royal standard, and around it were the three royal brothers, Aelfwig + their uncle, with his monk's cowl over his helmet, and their nephew, + Hakon, the son of Sweyn. The housecarls were in a triple line. To the left + and right of them were the levies, as brave as their more heavily armed + comrades, but altogether without discipline, and armed in the most + primitive manner. A few only carried swords or axes, the majority had + spears or javelins. Many had only forks or sharp stakes, while some + carried stone hammers and axes, such as were used by their primitive + ancestors. + </p> + <p> + As the Norman army wound down from the opposite hill and formed up in the + order of battle, Harold rode along in front of his line exhorting all to + stand firm. + </p> + <p> + "They were there," he said, "to defend their country, and to defend their + country they had but to hold the hill. Were they steadfast and firm they + could assuredly resist the attack of this host who came to capture and + plunder England." + </p> + <p> + The order in which the Normans prepared for battle was similar to that of + the English. Both commanders had been well informed by spies of the + strength and position of their opponents, and the duke placed his tried + Norman troops in the centre to match themselves against the English + housecarls. His Breton contingent was on his left, while on the right were + the French, the Flemings, and the other foreign adventurers who had come + to fight under his banner. In the front line were the archers and + slingers, who were to open the battle and shake the line of the defenders. + Behind these came the infantry, who were to hew down the palisades and + clear a way for the cavalry charge full into the centre of the English + host. + </p> + <p> + A Norman trumpet gave the signal for the commencement of the battle, and + the archers along the whole line poured a storm of arrows into the + English. It was unanswered, for there were few bowmen among the defenders + of the hill, and the distance was too great for the javelin-men to hurl + their missiles. After the archers had shot several volleys of arrows they + fell back, and the infantry advanced against the hill; but before they did + so Taillifer, a Norman minstrel, dashed forward on horseback, and spurring + up the ascent, tossing his sword in the air and catching it as it fell, + rode up to the English line. One man he pierced with a lance, another he + cut down with his sword, and then fell dead under the blow of a heavy axe. + This mad exploit had scarce terminated when the Norman infantry advanced + up the hill. They were greeted with a shower of stones and javelins, which + slew many, but with unbroken front they pressed upwards until they reached + the palisade. Here a desperate struggle began. The Norman sword and spear + were met by the axes of the housecarls, and the clubs, spears, and forks + of the levies. In vain Norman, Breton, Frenchmen, and Fleming strove to + break the English line. The high position of the defenders gave them a + great advantage over their assailants, among whose crowded ranks the + javelin-men did great execution, while the Normans could receive little + aid from their archers. Both sides fought with obstinate valour. The + Norman battle-cry was "God help us!" the English "God Almighty and the + Holy Cross!" The latter invocation being to the relic at Waltham, which + was the king's special object of devotion. + </p> + <p> + With jeering cries too they greeted the efforts of their assailants to + cross the palisade and break their line. At last the Norman infantry fell + back broken and baffled, having suffered terrible loss, and now the + knights and horsemen, who formed the backbone of William's army, rode up + the hill. The duke himself, as well as his brother Odo, Bishop of Bayeau, + who fought beside him, had laid aside their Norman swords, and were armed + with heavy maces, weapons as formidable as the English axe. But the valour + of the horsemen, the strength of their armour, the length of their lances, + and the weight of their horses, availed no more against the shield-wall of + the housecarls than the infantry had done. The superior height and + strength of the English, and the sweep of their terrible battle-axes, + counterbalanced the advantage the horses afforded to the Normans, and the + hitherto irresistible chivalry of Normandy and France were, for the first + time, dashed backwards by trained infantry. + </p> + <p> + In front of the English line the ground was thickly covered with fallen + men and horses. There were but few wounded among them, for where the + English axe fell, whether on horse or rider, it did its work thoroughly. + But the English, too, had suffered. The action of swinging the axe with + both arms above the head left the neck and upper part of the body exposed, + and many had fallen pierced through and through by the Norman spears. A + great shout of triumph rose from the English line as the Norman horsemen, + unable to do more, fell sullenly back down the hill. As in the centre the + king with his thanes and housecarls had repelled the attack of the + Normans, so on the flanks the English levies had held their ground against + the Bretons and French; but, carried away by their exultation, the levies + on the right, forgetful of Harold's express orders that no man was to stir + from his place until he himself gave the signal for pursuit, broke their + line, and rushing down the hill fell on the retreating Bretons. + </p> + <p> + Unable to withstand the onslaught, and already disheartened by their + failure, the Bretons fled in wild alarm, and rushing towards the centre + for protection threw the Normans also into confusion. The panic spread + rapidly, the host wavered, and had already begun to fly, when William, + throwing off his helmet, rode among them, and exhorting some and striking + others with a lance he had caught up, at last restored order, and the + Breton infantry rallied and fell upon their pursuers, killing many and + driving the rest back up the hill. + </p> + <p> + Again the Norman infantry and cavalry together advanced up the hill, and + the terrible struggle recommenced. William and his brother the bishop + performed prodigies of valour, but not less valiantly fought Harold of + England and his brothers. The palisade was by this time destroyed in many + places, and desperate hand-to-hand contests now took place. Cutting his + way through meaner foes the duke strove to reach the royal standard and + encounter Harold himself. He was nearing his goal, when Gurth sprang + forward, eager above all things to protect Harold from harm. He hurled a + javelin at William, but the dart struck the Norman's horse only, and it + fell beneath him. William leapt to his feet, and springing upon Gurth + smote with his heavy mace full on his helmet, and the noble Earl of East + Anglia fell dead at his feet. Almost at the same moment his brother + Leofwin, fighting sword in hand, was slain. But the fall of the two royal + brothers in no way changed the fate of the battle. The men of Kent and + Essex, furious at the fall of their beloved earls, fought even more + fiercely than before to avenge their deaths. + </p> + <p> + William had remounted, but his second horse was also slain. Eustace of + Boulogne offered him his horse, and himself mounting that of one of his + followers they fell together upon the English line, but all the valour of + the duke and his chivalry failed to break it. On the French left the + Bretons had, indeed, succeeded in completely destroying the palisade, but + the levies stood firm, and no impression was made upon their solid line. + The attack had failed, and even William saw that it was hopeless any more + to hurl his troops against the shield-wall, but the manner in which the + English irregulars had been induced to break their array led him to try by + a feigned retreat to induce them to repeat their error. While the fight + yet raged around him he sent orders to the Bretons to turn and flee, and + then if the defenders pursued them to turn upon them while he ordered a + portion of his Norman force to make straight for the gap as soon as the + English left their posts. + </p> + <p> + The stratagem was successful. Again with exulting shouts the levies poured + out in pursuit of the Bretons. These fled for some distance, and then + suddenly turning fell on their pursuers. Ill-armed and undisciplined as + the levies were, and unable to withstand the attack of such overwhelming + numbers, they bore themselves gallantly. One party took possession of a + small outlying hill, and with showers of darts and stones they killed or + drove off all who attacked them. The greater part, however, made their way + to broken ground to the west of the hill, and made a stand on the steep + bank of a small ravine. The French horsemen charging down upon them, + unaware of the existence of the ravine, fell into it, and were slaughtered + in such numbers by the knives and spears of the English that the ravine + was well-nigh filled up with their dead bodies. + </p> + <p> + But gallantly as the levies had retrieved their error, it was a fatal one. + As soon as they had left their line, the Normans told off for the duty + pressed into the gap, and were followed by the whole of their main body, + and thus the English lost the advantage of position, and the contending + hosts faced each other on the hill, the ground now occupied by the Normans + being somewhat higher than that on which the housecarls stood. It was now + about three in the afternoon, and the fight had been raging for six hours, + but though thus outflanked and the order of their battle destroyed, the + veterans of Harold showed neither alarm nor discouragement. Their + formation was changed, the shield-wall still faced the Normans, and for a + time every effort to break it failed. + </p> + <p> + In vain the Norman cavalry charged down upon it, in vain their duke plied + his terrible mace. Occasionally men worn out by the long defensive battle + sprang from the English ranks and engaged knight or baron hand to hand. + All along the line such single-handed conflicts were going on, and the + roar of battle was as loud and fierce as at the beginning of the day. So + for three more hours the fight went on; with diminishing numbers, but with + undiminished bravery the English still held their ground, and as twilight + was now closing in, it seemed as if they would maintain it till nightfall. + Then William ordered up his archers again, bade them shoot their arrows + high into the air, so that they should fall among the king and his thanes + grouped round the standard. + </p> + <p> + The effect was terrible. Through helm and shoulder-guard the arrows made + their way; the soldiers held their shields above their heads, but the + thanes had no such protection. Harold glanced up for a moment, and as if + directed by the hand of fate an arrow struck him full in the eye, and he + fell prostrate as if struck by a thunderbolt. A cry of horror and dismay + burst from the thanes around him, but there was no time for the indulgence + of grief. The Normans too had seen the king fall, and with shouts of + triumph a body of knights tried to force their way in to take possession + of his body. But so long as an Englishman could swing axe this was not to + be, and the assault was repulsed as others had been before. Nor, when the + news of Harold's fall spread, did the brave housecarls lose heart, but + sternly and obstinately as ever held together. + </p> + <p> + At last the Normans burst in at the centre, each baron and knight striving + to be the first to pluck down the standards, the one the king's own + cognizance, the other the national banner, that waved side by side. One + after another the thanes were smitten down. Not one asked for quarter, not + one turned his back upon the foe. + </p> + <p> + Beorn and Wulf had, through the long fight, stood side by side, and the + watchfulness with which they guarded each other had carried them so far + unharmed through it. + </p> + <p> + "It is all over now, Beorn," Wulf said. "But it is not hard to die, for + with Harold the cause of England is lost." + </p> + <p> + "At any rate we will sell our lives dearly," Beorn said, as he struck a + Norman knight from his horse. But they were the last defenders of the + standards, and the end was at hand. Blows rained down upon them. Beorn was + beaten on to one knee; Wulf was so exhausted by his exertions that he + could scarce swing his axe, when a Norman baron pressed his horse through + the throng, and springing to the ground held his sword aloft and shouted: + "Stand back! stand back! these two men hold the duke's solemn pledge for + their lives!" Some of the others still pressed on, but he shouted again: + "Whoever strikes at them strikes at me!" + </p> + <p> + There was still hesitation, so furious were the Normans at the resistance + they had met with and the tremendous losses they had suffered. But another + baron exclaimed, "De Burg is right! I heard the pledge given, and so did + many of you. This is the young Saxon who saved the duke's camp from the + attack by the Bretons, and bore the brunt of their assault till we had + time to arm. The other brought with him the news that Harold was wrecked." + The words were decisive, and the Normans turned aside their horses to + attack other foes. + </p> + <p> + "Thank God I arrived in time, Wulf," Baron de Burg said. "I knew you would + be near the standard, but I was fighting elsewhere when the news reached + me that the line was broken and the standard on the point of capture. Are + you badly hurt, Beorn?" + </p> + <p> + "I am dizzy and faint," Beorn, who had risen to his feet, replied + unsteadily, "but I think not badly wounded." + </p> + <p> + "Walk by me one on each side holding my stirrup-leathers. I would place + you on my horse, but it were best that I myself should be seen." + </p> + <p> + He removed his helmet, and bareheaded moved off with the young thanes + walking beside him. Many Normans stopped as he made his way down the hill, + but to their questions he replied, "The duke has himself guaranteed the + safety of these thanes," and as he was well known to stand high in the + duke's favour his word was at once accepted. + </p> + <p> + In the meantime Harold's standard, whose emblem was a fighting man, and + the golden dragon, the national banner, had been carried off in triumph. + Four of the Normans whose names were long held in infamy by the English + discovered the body of the dying king, for it is said that he still + breathed. One of these was Eustace of Boulogne, the only man in the two + armies who had during the engagement shown signs of craven fear. Another + was the son of that Count of Ponthieu, who had once held Harold prisoner. + The others were Gifford and Montfort. One ran his spear through Harold's + breast, another struck off his head with his sword, a third pierced the + dead body, while the fourth further insulted the dead hero by cutting off + one of his legs—an action, however, which William when he heard of + it pronounced to be shameful, and expelled its perpetrator from the army. + </p> + <p> + But though the king was dead and the standard lost, the survivors of the + housecarls still fought on until darkness fell. The levies had fled just + before, hotly pursued by the Norman horse. Knowing the ground well the + light-armed footmen fled across a bog, and in the fast-gathering darkness + their pursuers did not notice the nature of the ground, but galloping on + plunged into the morass, where great numbers of them perished miserably, + either suffocated in the mud or slain by the English, who turned and fell + upon them with axe and spear as soon as they saw their plight. So great + was the slaughter, that those who had reined up their horses in time were + stricken with horror even after all the carnage they had witnessed on the + field of battle. + </p> + <p> + With darkness the battle came to an end. Few indeed of the housecarls drew + off under cover of the darkness; their force being almost annihilated. + With them had perished almost the whole of the thanes of the South of + England and East Anglia. The Sheriff of London had been carried off + desperately wounded by a few of his friends, but with this exception none + of Harold's companions and thanes left the field alive while daylight + lasted. A few only the next morning were found breathing among the mass of + dead, and some of these survived and returned at last to their homes: for + William, satisfied with the complete victory he had gained, issued orders + that all found alive on the field were to be well treated. He felt that he + was now King of England, and that clemency was his best policy. Permission + was given to the women who flocked in from the country round, to search + for the bodies of their friends and to remove them for burial. He also + commanded a search to be made for the body of Harold, but during the + night, while the exhausted soldiers slept heavily after their labours, the + camp-followers had been busy with the work of plunder, busiest round the + spot where the standards had stood, for here were stores of gold bracelets + and rings, the emblems of authority of the thanes, to be collected, and + rich garments to be carried off. Thus then, the heaps of corpses that + marked the spot where the fighting had all day been heaviest, were + unrecognizable, so terrible had been the wounds dealt by sword, + battle-axe, and mace. + </p> + <p> + De Burg had kept Wulf and Beorn with him all night, and they had lain down + and slept together. In the morning he committed them to the charge of some + of his personal followers, while he went to the duke to inform him of what + he had done. + </p> + <p> + "Thank you, De Burg," William said; "they are two brave young fellows. I + marked them in the fight more than once when I was near the standard, and + I should have grieved if ill had befallen them, for they did me loyal + service. I had given my word that they should retain their estates in case + I ever came to the throne here. I know not what to do with them. Were I to + let them go now, they would assuredly take part in any further resistance + that the English may offer to me. I will not ask them now to swear + allegiance to me, for fresh from the battle where they have lost so many + friends and the earl they loved so loyally, they would assuredly refuse." + </p> + <p> + "If you will grant me a short leave I will take ship back to Normandy and + place them in the care of my wife, where they can remain until matters + have settled down here." + </p> + <p> + "It is a good idea, De Burg; do so without delay. Methinks that after + yesterday there will be no real resistance offered to me. Harold and his + brothers and all the leading thanes lie dead. There is no one left to lead + the people or organize a resistance, therefore I can spare you for a + time." + </p> + <p> + Thanking the duke, De Burg returned to his captives and told them what had + been arranged. + </p> + <p> + "We owe you our heartiest thanks, Lord de Burg, for your kindness," Beorn + said. "Assuredly so long as England resists we will not acknowledge + William of Normandy as king, but when resistance ceases, we will of course + take the oath to him if only for the sake of our people; partial risings + could but bring down his vengeance and cause suffering and ruin to all + concerned. Therefore, we gratefully accept your offer, but first of all we + beg you to let us go to the spot where our housecarls fought. You remember + Wulf's man, Osgod?" + </p> + <p> + "That do I indeed," De Burg replied. "The great fellow who fought by his + side that night against the Bretons, and saved my son's life. Was he + there?" + </p> + <p> + "He was," Wulf said, "though greatly against my wishes; for he had lost an + arm in the fight at Stamford Bridge, and though it is little more than a + fortnight since, he had himself carried down here, contrary to my orders, + and insisted upon joining in the battle. I would fain search for his body + and give him burial." + </p> + <p> + "I will come with you at once," the Norman said, "I too owe him a debt of + gratitude." + </p> + <p> + The housecarls of Steyning had fallen to a man where they stood, and among + them after some searching they came upon the body of Osgod, distinguished + alike by its bulk and the loss of an arm. His axe lay with a broken shaft + by his side. His helmet was cleft asunder, and his face covered with + blood. + </p> + <p> + "His body is yet warm," Wulf said, as he lifted his arm. "I believe he + still lives." + </p> + <p> + De Burg called upon two Norman soldiers near to aid, and with their + assistance Wulf and Beorn carried Osgod down to the stream, where they + washed the blood from his face and bathed the wound in his head. + </p> + <p> + "He is certainly alive," Beorn said. "Doubtless he was stunned by the + blow, and has remained unconscious from the loss of blood." + </p> + <p> + De Burg sent for a flask of wine, and a little of this was poured through + Osgod's lips. Presently there was a deep sigh and a slight motion of the + figure, and then Osgod opened his eyes. + </p> + <p> + At first he seemed bewildered, but as his eyes fell on Wulf a look of + pleasure came into them, and he smiled faintly. + </p> + <p> + "I am alive, Osgod, and glad indeed to find that you are also. Beorn has + also escaped. Take a draught of wine; you have lost a lot of blood and had + none to spare." + </p> + <p> + They lifted him into a sitting position, and held the cup to his lips + while he drank a long draught. + </p> + <p> + "That is better," he murmured. "I can feel it going through my veins. I + shall be able to wield an axe yet again. This comes of fighting with a + weapon you don't know. The shaft broke as I was guarding my head, and I + don't remember anything after." + </p> + <p> + "It saved your life though, Osgod, for it broke the force of the blow + which would otherwise have cleft your skull. As it is, it has not gone + very deep, and the blood you have lost has run chiefly from a wound on + your left shoulder." + </p> + <p> + "How is it that you are here?" Osgod asked, looking round at the Normans. + </p> + <p> + "We are prisoners, though we have not surrendered," Wulf replied. "We were + saved by our good friend Lord de Burg, who has joined us in our search for + you. We are to be taken to Normandy as prisoners, and to remain in charge + of Lady de Burg." + </p> + <p> + "You shall go too, Osgod," De Burg said. "You will find it hard to be + nursed here, and my wife will see that your wounds are well cared for. + Your master will stay with you for the present, for I have matters to see + about before we start for the coast." + </p> + <p> + In half an hour he returned. "I have to ask you to perform a last service + to your dead king," he said. "The bodies of Gurth and Leofwin have been + found and borne away by your people for burial, but none can find the body + of Harold. All the dead that were near the standard were removed last + night by the soldiers, and among the great pile of dead none can recognize + that of your king." + </p> + <p> + Well as they knew him, Wulf and Beorn were unable to recognize the body of + Harold among the ghastly heap of mutilated corpses. After a time Wulf + said: + </p> + <p> + "There is one who might recognize it when all others failed. It is Edith, + whom he so long loved as his wife. She may recognize it by some mark or + sign unknown to others. If you will give me leave I will ride to Lewes, + where she is staying, and bring her hither." + </p> + <p> + "Certainly, Wulf; I will obtain a safe conduct for you from the duke." + </p> + <p> + Wulf had ridden, however, but a mile along the western road when he saw a + litter approaching borne by four men. He reined in his horse by its side. + An order was given from within, and as the bearers lowered it to the + ground Edith stepped out. She was deadly pale. Her eyes were red with + weeping, and she seemed to Wulf to have aged years since he saw her a week + before. + </p> + <p> + "My presentiments have come true, Wulf," she said. "It was no surprise to + me when last night the news came that the battle was lost and Harold + slain. I had looked and waited for it. You were coming to fetch me?" + </p> + <p> + "Yes, lady; Harold's body has not been found. Early this morning two monks + of Waltham, who had followed the army and seen the fight afar off, came + into camp, and with them Gytha, Harold's mother. She saw the duke, and + begged for Harold's body, offering its weight in gold if she might carry + it for burial to the Abbey of Waltham. The duke refused, saying that an + excommunicated man could not be buried in a holy place; she might remove + the bodies of her other two sons, but Harold's, when found, should be + buried by the seacoast. The monks searched in vain for the body. Beorn and + I have done the same, but have failed to recognize it in so vast a heap of + slain." + </p> + <p> + "I shall know it," Edith said. "Among a thousand dead I should know + Harold." + </p> + <p> + "It is a terrible sight, lady, for a woman to look upon," Wulf said + gently. + </p> + <p> + "I shall see nothing but him," she replied firmly. + </p> + <p> + He accompanied her back to the battle-ground, where the two monks joined + her. Wulf, who was greatly shaken by the sight of her set and white face, + left her with them. + </p> + <p> + What the eye of friendship had failed to accomplish, that of love detected + unerringly. There were marks on Harold's body by which Edith recognized + it. One of the monks bore the news to the duke, who charged Sir William + Malet to superintend the burial, and to do it with all honour. The remains + were collected and reverently placed together. They were wrapped in a + purple robe, and laid on a litter. Beorn and Wulf and the two monks lifted + it; Edith walked behind, followed by Lord de Burg and several other Norman + knights and barons who had known Harold in Normandy, and could admire and + appreciate the valour of the dead hero. The little procession went down to + the shore, where Norman soldiers had already dug a grave, and there by the + coast he had defended so well Harold was laid to rest, and over his body a + great cairn of stones was raised by order of the duke. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0022" id="link2HCH0022"> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXII. — THE LORD OF BRAMBER. + </h2> + <p> + Edith stood by while the Norman soldiers piled the stones over the grave. + No tear had fallen from her eyes from the time that she had reached the + field of battle. Her face was as pale as marble, and looked almost as + rigid. When the last stone was placed on the top of the cairn she turned + to Wulf and Beorn: + </p> + <p> + "Farewell, Wulf! farewell, Beorn! I am glad you were here. I am glad that + beside me stood two of his most trusted thanes, and two of the monks from + the abbey he founded, and whose welfare was so dear to him. I go to Lewes, + and when the doors of the convent close on me I shall be dead to the + world. Would that I were lying beneath that cairn by the side of my dear + lord. I cannot weep for him now, the springs of my heart seem frozen, but + I have time for that. Farewell, thanes! I shall remember you in my + prayers." So saying she turned away, and walked back to the litter. + </p> + <p> + "Poor lady!" Beorn exclaimed as he watched the litter, escorted by the two + monks, carried along the road. + </p> + <p> + "Poor lady indeed!" Wulf repeated; "and yet there are thousands in England + and Normandy who were widowed yesterday, and maybe she is better off than + many. She lost Harold the day she resigned him to another, and it was + harder perhaps to be parted from him in that fashion than to know that he + is dead now. She can think of him as his true widow, for assuredly the + queen who never cared aught for him is a widow but in name. Before, Edith + was tortured by the desire to see him and to comfort him, and yet his + marriage stood as a gulf between them, a gulf that she would never have + passed. Now she can think of him as her very own, as the man who had loved + her even as she had loved him. It is a grief, a terrible grief, but one + without bitterness. But see, Lord de Burg is coming this way, and as there + is a litter behind him I suppose all is ready for our departure." + </p> + <p> + "I am ready, young thanes," De Burg said as he came up. "We ride at once + for Pevensey, whither an order was sent some hours ago for a ship to be in + readiness to sail for Normandy." + </p> + <p> + Three horses were led up and mounted. They rode away, followed by an armed + party and the litter on which Osgod was laid. + </p> + <p> + "You have done your last duty to your king," the Norman said. "It is a fit + grave for a hero, and assuredly Harold was one. Maybe that it is not his + last resting-place. The duke at present doubtless felt constrained at + first to refuse him Christian burial, for had he granted Gytha's request, + it would have been an acknowledgment that the charges brought against him + were unfounded, and the excommunication of no avail; but I doubt not that + in time he will allow his body to be taken to his abbey at Waltham. Now," + he said less gravely, in order to turn their thoughts from the sad scenes + they had witnessed, "what think you of the future, will the Northern earls + head a national movement against us?" + </p> + <p> + "They are foul traitors!" Beorn exclaimed passionately; "and I would that + Wulf and I could meet them in fair lists and fight them." + </p> + <p> + "They will do nothing," Wulf said more quietly. "They will hasten to make + the best terms they can for themselves, and will ask to be permitted to + hold their earldoms as his vassals. But they will not long enjoy their + treachery; they are ever intriguers, and as soon as they see their + opportunity will conspire against William as they conspired against + Harold. Thank heaven they will receive scantier mercy at his hands than + they received at the king's. As for the South and East, who is to lead + them? There is no one left to whom they can look for guidance; doubtless + in some places they will resist, but such resistance can only bring ruin + upon those who attempt it. Maybe some will take to the forests or the + great eastern marshes, and may perhaps hold out for months, or even years. + But what can it avail in the end? Had Harold escaped alive there would + have been many a battle as obstinate as that of yesterday to fight before + England was conquered. Had any of the greater thanes escaped men would + have flocked to them, but they are all gone, save the few that were found + well-nigh lifeless this morning. Perhaps it is better as it is; for now + that William is victorious he will soon receive large bodies of + reinforcements, and as resistance would be vain, it were best that no + resistance were made. Duke William has shown himself a wise and just ruler + in Normandy, and will doubtless prove himself the same in England if he be + not angered by revolts and risings. It is hard that Englishmen should be + ruled by a foreigner, but it is no new thing for us. We Saxons conquered + the Britons, and in turn Danish kings have ruled over us; but Saxon and + Dane have become almost one, and the old grudges have died out. Maybe in + time you Normans also may become English." + </p> + <p> + "You would take the oath of allegiance to William then, Wulf?" + </p> + <p> + "Not now, my lord, but when England accepts him as her king I should be + willing to hold my lands from him as I have held them before from our + kings, that is, if the lands remain mine." + </p> + <p> + "They will remain yours," Lord de Burg said confidently. "The duke's + promise was publicly made, and he will certainly adhere to it; even if he + wished it, he could not, after charging Harold with perjury, break his own + promise." + </p> + <p> + The sun was sinking when they reached Pevensey, for the search for + Harold's body and the building of his cairn had occupied many hours. They + went at once on board one of the ships De Burg had himself furnished for + the expedition, and two days later landed at Rouen. They had brought + horses with them, and the two young thanes at once rode with the baron to + his chateau, leaving Osgod to be brought after them in his litter. Lord de + Burg was received with the greatest joy by his wife, Guy, and Agnes. They + had been in a state of terrible anxiety for the last twenty-four hours, + for a swift ship had been despatched by the duke with the news of the + victory, at daybreak after the battle, and it was known that the fight had + been long and desperately contested, and that a great number of barons and + knights had fallen. As soon as the first outburst of delight was over the + baron called in Wulf and Beorn, who had not followed him into the room, + feeling that he would prefer to greet his family alone. Guy gave an + exclamation of surprise and pleasure as they came forward. + </p> + <p> + "These are my prisoners," the baron said with a smile, "if I can call + prisoners those who have never surrendered. The duke has intrusted them to + my keeping, and has ordered that you shall hold them in safe custody." + </p> + <p> + "Lord de Burg does not tell you, lady, that he saved our lives, which but + for him were assuredly lost. We were well-nigh spent, and were surrounded + by a ring of foes when he broke in and stood beside us proclaiming that + the duke himself had given a pledge for our safety." + </p> + <p> + "I have paid part of the debt we owe," the baron said, "though I saved + them at no cost to myself, while Wulf defended Guy at the risk of his + life." + </p> + <p> + "How long do you stay with us, my lord?" + </p> + <p> + "As long as I can, wife. I went, as you know, unwillingly to the war, but + when all the Norman barons followed the duke I could not hold back. But I + trust to have no more of it; so terrible a field no man living has seen, + and in truth until twilight fell it seemed that we should be beaten, with + such obstinacy and endurance did the English fight. We won, but it was a + victory over the dead rather than the living. Of Harold's regular troops + no man turned, no man asked for quarter, they fell where they stood; and + even the irregulars, who had fought with equal bravery, when, as night + fell and all was lost, they fled, inflicted well-nigh as heavy a blow upon + us as had been dealt during the day. I have no animosity against them, + they are valiant men, and were in their right in defending their country, + and I would that I could stay peacefully here until the last blow has been + struck. I am well content with my estates, and need no foot of English + land, no share in English spoil I must fight for my liege lord as long as + fighting goes on, but that over I hope to return here and live in peace. + At any rate I can tarry quietly here for a week. Certainly no force can be + raised in time to oppose the duke's advance on London, and my sword + therefore may well rest in its scabbard. I suppose, thanes, you will not + object to give me your parole to attempt no escape?" + </p> + <p> + "Willingly, my lord," Beorn said. "If, contrary to our opinion, England + should rise and fight one more battle for freedom, we will give you due + notice that we shall if possible escape and cross the sea to join our + countrymen." + </p> + <p> + "That is fair enough," De Burg said with a smile, "and the moment you give + me notice I will clap you into so firm a cage that I warrant you will not + escape from it; but I trust the necessity will not arise. Now, Guy, take + your friends to their chambers and see to their comfort. I will not tell + the story of the battle until you return, for doubtless you are burning to + hear it, and in truth it will be famous in all times, both as one of the + sturdiest fights ever heard of, and because such great issues depended on + its results." + </p> + <p> + When Guy returned with his friends and a meal had been eaten, De Burg told + the story of the battle of Senlac. + </p> + <p> + "Such is the story as far as I know it," he added in conclusion, "but in + truth beyond the beginning and the end, and the fact that we twice fell + back and at one time were flying in headlong rout to our ships, I know + nothing. All day I was striving to break through a living wall, and + striving in vain. I can see now the close line of shields, the helmet + covered faces above them, and the terrible axes rising and falling, + cleaving through helmet and hauberk as if they had been pasteboard. It may + well-nigh be said that we have no wounded, for each man struck fell in his + track as if smitten by lightning. Can you add more, thanes?" + </p> + <p> + Beorn shook his head. + </p> + <p> + "It is like a dream," Wulf said. "We never moved through the long day. At + times there was a short lull, and then each man was fighting as best he + could. I know that my arms grew tired and that my axe seemed to grow + heavier, that horse and foot swept up to us, and there was occasionally + breathing time; that the royal brothers' voices rose ever cheeringly and + encouragingly until Gurth and Leofwin fell, and after that Harold's alone + was heard, though I think it came to my ears as from a distance, so great + was the tumult, so great our exertions. When Harold died I knew that all + was lost, but even that did not seem to affect me. I had become a sort of + machine, and fought almost mechanically, with a dim consciousness that the + end was close at hand. It was only at the last, when Beorn and I stood + back to back, that I seemed myself again, and was animated with new + strength that came, I suppose, from despair." + </p> + <p> + "It was an awful day," De Burg said. "I have fought in many battles under + the duke's banner, but the sternest of them were but paltry skirmishes in + comparison to this. Half of the nobles of Normandy lie dead, half the army + that filled the mighty fleet that sailed from St. Valery have fallen. + William is King of England, but whether that will in the end repay + Normandy for the loss she has suffered seems to me very doubtful. And now + let us to bed. I sleep not well on shipboard, and in truth I had such + dreams of death and slaughter that I ever awoke bathed with sweat, and in + such fear that I dared not go to sleep again." + </p> + <p> + At the end of a week the baron sailed again for England. To the two young + Englishmen the following weeks passed pleasantly. Ships came frequently + from England with news of what was doing there. William had tarried for + some time at his camp at Hastings, expecting to receive the submission of + all England. But not an Englishman came to bow before him. The Northern + earls had hurried to London as soon as they heard of the defeat at Senlac + and the death of the king and his brothers, and a Witan was instantly + summoned to choose his successor to the throne. + </p> + <p> + Edwin and Morcar thought that the choice of the nation would surely fall + upon one or other of them, as in rank and position they were now the first + men in the realm. They exerted themselves to the utmost to bring this + about, but no true-hearted Englishman could forgive either their + acceptance of Harold Hardrada as their king, or the long and treacherous + delay that had left Southern England to stand alone on the day of battle. + The choice of the Witan fell on the young Edgar, the grandson of Edmund + Ironside, the last male survivor of the royal blood. Edgar, however, was + never crowned, as that ceremony could only take place at one of the + festivals of the church, and it was therefore postponed until Christmas. + London was eager for resistance. Alfred had fought battle after battle + against the Danes, and though without their natural leaders, the people + throughout Southern England looked forward to a long and determined + struggle. With the army of the North as a rallying centre a force more + numerous than that which Harold had led might soon be gathered. But these + hopes were dashed to the ground by the treacherous Northern earls. Had one + of them been chosen to sit on the vacant throne they would doubtless have + done their best to maintain that throne, but they had been passed over, + and oblivious of the fact that it was to the South they owed the rescue of + their earldoms from the sway of the King of Norway and Tostig, they + sullenly marched away with their army and left the South to its fate. + </p> + <p> + While the cause of England was thus being betrayed and ruined, William was + advancing eastward along the coast ravaging and destroying. Romney was + levelled to the ground and its inhabitants slain. Dover opened its gates. + It is probable that most of the male population had joined Harold, and had + fallen at Senlac; and that the terrible fate of Romney had struck such + terror into the hearts of the inhabitants, who knew there was no army that + could advance to their assistance, that they surrendered at the + Conqueror's approach. To them William behaved with lenity and kindness. + His severity at Romney and his lenity at Dover had their effect. There + being no central authority, no army in the field, each town and district + was left to shift for itself; and assuredly none of them unaided could + hope to offer prolonged resistance to the Normans. As, after eight days' + stay at Dover, William advanced towards Canterbury, he was met by a + deputation of the citizens offering their submission, and soon from all + parts of Kent similar messages came in. + </p> + <p> + Kent had done its full share in the national defence on the hill near + Hastings, and was not to be blamed if, when all England remained supine + and inactive, its villagers refused to throw away their lives uselessly. + The duke was detained by sickness for a month near Canterbury, and there + received the submission of Kent and Sussex, and also that of the great + ecclesiastical city of Winchester; but the spirit of resistance in London + still burned brightly, and William was indisposed to risk the loss that + would be incurred by an assault upon its walls. He, therefore, moved round + in a wide circle, wasting the land, plundering and destroying, till the + citizens, convinced that resistance could only bring destruction upon + themselves and their city, and in spite of the efforts of their wounded + sheriff, sent an embassy to the duke at Berkhampstead to submit and do + homage to him. + </p> + <p> + Not London alone was represented by this embassy. The young king, elected + but uncrowned, was with it; two archbishops, two bishops, and many of the + chief men in England accompanied it, and although they were not the + spokesmen of any Witan, they might be said fairly to represent London and + Southern England. + </p> + <p> + Deserted by the North, without a leader, and seeing their land exposed to + wholesale ravages, the South and West Saxons were scarcely to be blamed + for preferring submission to destruction. They doubtless thought that + William, the wise ruler of Normandy, would make a far better king than the + boy they had chosen, who was himself almost as much a foreigner as + William, save that there was a strain of English royal blood in his veins. + So had England accepted Canute the Dane as her king, and he had ruled as + an English monarch wisely and well. + </p> + <p> + The embassy offered William the crown. The Norman prelates and priests, + who held so many of the dignities in the English Church, had worked hard + to incline men's minds to this end. Silent while England stood united + under its king to oppose the invader, their tongues were loosed as soon as + the strength of England was broken and its king dead, and they pointed out + that God had clearly designated William as their king by giving him + victory and by destroying alike Harold and his brothers. + </p> + <p> + William went through the farce of hesitating to accept the offer of the + crown, and held a consultation with his officers as to the answer he + should give. They of course replied that he should accept the offer. + William, therefore, marched with his army to London, where on + Christmas-day the same prelate who had anointed Harold King of England + crowned William as his successor. + </p> + <p> + A few days later Beorn and Wulf with Osgod, who had now completely + recovered from his wounds, set sail for England. There was no longer any + reason why they should not take their oaths to serve William. He was the + crowned king of England, the accepted of the people, as Harold had been, + and when all Southern England had submitted it was not for them, who had + received special favours at William's hand, to hold back. With them went + Lady de Burg, Guy, and Agnes, with many other Norman ladies on their way + to rejoin their lords in London. Baron de Burg, on the day after their + arrival at Westminster, led the two young thanes to the private apartment + of the king. He received them graciously. + </p> + <p> + "There are none of your nation," he said, "whose homage I more gladly + accept. You fought valiantly before under my banner, and will, I am sure, + be ready to do so again should occasion arise. I am thankful to my Lord de + Burg that he interposed in my name and saved your lives. I have not + forgotten the other part of my promise, and have this morning ordered my + justiciar to add to your estates forfeited lands adjoining." + </p> + <p> + Beorn and Wulf had previously talked the matter over. Their own + inclinations would have led them to refuse the offer, but as it was + certain that all the land forfeited to the crown by the death of its + holders in battle would be apportioned among William's Norman followers, + they thought that it would be wholly for the benefit both of the families + of the late thanes and for their tenants and people that they should + accept any estate William might bestow on them. They, therefore, thanked + the duke in suitable terms, and at once took the oaths for the lands he + might be pleased to bestow on them. A week later they received the formal + deeds, which in both cases more than doubled the estates they before + possessed. + </p> + <p> + The same evening Lord de Burg said to Wulf, who had tarried in London, + while Beorn had at once set out for Fareham: "I think the time has come, + Wulf, when I can speak of a subject that has been in my thoughts for a + long time, and which, although you have not spoken, has, as my wife and I + have both seen, been dear to you. Normandy and England are now one, and we + are vassals of the same king. As long as there was a probability that + Englishmen and Normans might again be ranged in battle against each other, + it was not expedient that aught should be done in the matter, but, now + this obstacle is removed, I can offer you the alliance on which I am sure + your heart is set, and give you the hand of my daughter in marriage." + </p> + <p> + "It is the greatest wish of my life," Wulf replied gratefully. "I should + have asked you for her hand before had it not been for the position of + public affairs. I love her dearly, though I have until now abstained from + speaking; and yet I would not wed her unless her heart went freely with + her hand." + </p> + <p> + "I think not that she will be disobedient to my wishes," De Burg said + smiling. "She has proved deaf to all her Norman suitors, and although + among them were some whom few maidens would have said no to, her mother + and I had no wish to force her inclinations, especially as we both + shrewdly suspected where her heart had been bestowed. This alliance, too, + has long been the dearest wish of Guy. On the bed of sickness where he lay + so long, and from which it seemed at one time that he would never rise, he + often spoke to me of it. He was fondly attached to his sister, and again + and again said that he wished of all things that you should some day + become her husband, as he was sure her happiness would be safe with you, + and that you would worthily fill his place to us, and would, when the time + came, rule nobly over the lands of De Burg." + </p> + <p> + "God forbid that that should ever be the case," Wulf said earnestly. "I + trust that Guy will live long, and that he will marry and leave + descendants to follow him." + </p> + <p> + The baron shook his head sadly. "Guy is better," he said, "but he is still + weak and fragile, and the leeches tell me that a rough winter or an + illness that would be nought to others might carry him off. I have small + hopes that he will ever marry. I am sure that no such thought is in his + mind. He is as eager now as he was four years ago that you should be a son + to us, and a husband to Agnes. He has also earnestly expressed the wish, + in which I also join, that you should take our name. You English have no + family names, but that will come with other Norman customs, and marrying a + De Burg it would seem natural that you should yourself become Wulf de + Burg." + </p> + <p> + "I should feel it a high honour. There is no more noble name in Normandy, + and I trust I may prove worthy of bearing it." + </p> + <p> + "That I have no fear of, Wulf, else I should not have offered you the hand + of my daughter. I will bring my wife and Guy in. I have offered you the + hand of Agnes, but it is right that you should ask her mother's consent, + although beforehand assured of it." + </p> + <p> + He left the room, and soon returned with Lady de Burg and Guy. + </p> + <p> + "My lord has told me," she said, before Wulf could speak, "that you would + ask my consent to your marriage with Agnes. I give it you unasked, freely + and gladly. I have but one regret—that the seas will divide us." + </p> + <p> + "Not so," the baron said; "William's court will be held in London, and for + years he will reside here far more than in Normandy, and will expect his + nobles to be frequently with him. I certainly shall not come alone, and + you will therefore have as many opportunities of seeing Agnes as if she + were married to a Norman whose estates did not lie near our own." + </p> + <p> + "I thank you most deeply, Lady de Burg, for the confidence which you show + in intrusting your daughter's happiness to me. I swear that with all my + might and power I will strive to make her happy, and will spare her to + visit you in Normandy whensoever you may wish it." + </p> + <p> + Guy came forward now and grasped Wulf's hand. + </p> + <p> + "How I have longed for this time, my brother," he said. "How I have hoped + that I might at least live long enough to know that the dearest wish of my + heart would be gratified. I can go hence now right willingly when God + calls me, knowing that my father and mother have another son to fill my + place, and that the happiness of my sister is secured." + </p> + <p> + "And now, wife, will you fetch Agnes from her chamber," the baron said. + </p> + <p> + In two or three minutes the baroness returned, leading Agnes, to whom she + had told the reason of her summons. The baron stepped forward and took her + hand. + </p> + <p> + "My daughter," he said, "the Thane of Steyning has asked for your hand in + marriage, and your mother and I have given our free and full consent, but + he would fain know from your own lips that you will come to him + willingly." + </p> + <p> + "I have loved you, Agnes, since while still but a boy I first saw you, and + my love has grown ever since. The happiness of my life depends upon your + answer, but unless your heart goes with your hand I would rather remain + unmarried to my dying day." + </p> + <p> + The girl had stood with downcast eyes and with flushed face until now. + When Wulf ceased speaking she looked up into his face: + </p> + <p> + "I love you, Wulf; I have always loved you. It is for your sake that I + have said no to the suitors of my own race who have sought my hand. I will + be a true wife and loving to you." + </p> + <p> + "Then take her, Wulf," the baron said, placing her hand in his. "You are + now her betrothed husband and our adopted son." + </p> + <p> + Wulf stooped and kissed the girl's lips, and the betrothal was completed. + After some talk it was arranged that Wulf should at once journey down to + Steyning, assume possession of his new estates, set the house in order, + and prepare for their coming. Guy was to accompany him, and as soon as all + was in readiness Wulf would come up to London and return with Lord and + Lady de Burg and Agnes, who would pay a short visit and all would then + cross to Normandy, for the marriage was to take place at their chateau + there. + </p> + <p> + "I was sure how it would be," Osgod said when Wulf told him the news that + night. "I should have been blind indeed if I had not seen it long ago. I + love not the Normans, but I make exception in the case of Lord de Burg and + his family. And truly it will in all respects be a good thing for your + tenants. Although the duke, or I suppose I ought to say the king, promises + greatly at present, there is no saying what he may do later on; and he has + all these locusts to provide for. 'Tis well indeed, then, that there + should be a Norman lady as well as an English thane at Steyning." + </p> + <p> + Wulf's return home gave rise to demonstrations of the greatest joy among + his tenants. They had heard nothing of him since the battle, and had + deemed him to have fallen with the rest of the defenders of the standard, + and had been living in fear of the arrival of some Norman baron to be + their lord. Wulf was greatly pleased to find that, although not one of his + housecarls had returned from Hastings, the greater portion of his + irregular levies had escaped at nightfall with the party who had inflicted + so heavy a blow upon their pursuers. For the next few days Wulf was + thoroughly occupied. The tenants of his new estates received him almost as + joyfully as his own had done, for, like them, they had expected the advent + of a Norman master. In one of the two estates that had fallen to him the + thane he had succeeded had left no heirs; while the other thane had left a + widow and a young family. Wulf arranged that these should remain in their + home, receiving for their maintenance half the rents of the estate. + </p> + <p> + Guy was greatly pleased with the fair country in which his sister's lot + was to be cast, but he owned frankly that the house seemed unworthy now of + the large estate, and was indeed but a poor place in comparison with the + noble chateau in which she had been brought up. + </p> + <p> + "That shall be remedied, Guy, as soon as matters settle down. I have laid + by none of my revenues, for the keeping up of a hundred housecarls has + taxed them to the utmost, but now that my income is more than doubled, and + this expense has altogether ceased, I shall have funds with which I can + soon begin to build. When I was young, Steyning seemed to me a fine house, + but after your Norman castles it is indeed but a poor place." + </p> + <p> + When, a fortnight later, the De Burgs arrived with Wulf, while Agnes + expressed herself delighted with the quaintness of the old Saxon home, her + father and mother were decidedly of Guy's opinion. + </p> + <p> + "The house is a good house in its way," the Baron said, "but there will be + great changes in the land. Much of it will be transferred to Norman hands, + and ere long castles and chateaux like ours at home will rise everywhere, + and as an English noble with broad lands it is but fit that your residence + should vie with others. But this shall be my care, and shall be my + daughter's special dowry. I foresee that it will be long ere matters + wholly settle down. Moreover, though William's hand is strong that of his + successor may be weak, and in time there will be the same troubles here + among the barons that there were in Normandy before William put them down + with a strong hand. Therefore, I should say we will build a castle rather + than a chateau, for such I am sure will be the style of all the Norman + buildings here, until England settles down to peace and quiet. I would not + disturb this house, Wulf; it is doubtless dear to you, and will, moreover, + serve as a dowager-house or as an abode for a younger son. We will fix on + a new site altogether, and there we will rear a castle worthy of the + estate. By the way, I have spoken to the king of your betrothal to my + daughter, and he is highly pleased. He says that it is his earnest wish + that his Norman nobles shall marry English heiresses, both because they + will thus come into possession of lands without disturbing the owners, and + because such mixture of blood will the more speedily weld the two peoples + into one; and that, similarly, he is glad to see a Norman maiden united to + an English noble of whom he has so high an opinion." + </p> + <p> + Fond as Wulf was of his old home he saw that it would be best to abandon + it for a new residence more suited to the times and more in accordance + with his own increased possessions and the home from which he was taking + his wife. After riding round the estates Lord de Burg and he fixed upon a + knoll of rising ground near the village of Bramber, and not far from the + religious house where Wulf had spent so many evenings, and whose prior had + been one of the first to welcome his return. + </p> + <p> + "I will charter a ship at Rouen," Lord de Burg said, "and send over a + master craftsman, skilful in designing and building castles, and a large + number of quarrymen, masons, and carpenters. Labour here is scarce, and + the men are unskilled at this kind of work. Rough labour can doubtless be + obtained, and your tenants can transport the stones from the quarry and + dig the fosse. I will send over a goodly number of men. It will cost no + more to employ three hundred for six months than fifty for three years." + </p> + <p> + A week later Wulf sailed for Rouen with the De Burgs. Beorn accompanied + him, as well as Osgod, to be present at the wedding, which took place at + Rouen Cathedral. A month later Wulf returned with his wife to Steyning. + Already an army of men were at work at Bramber. The tenants all gave their + assistance readily, and far beyond the amount their feudal tenure + required, for they saw the advantage it would be to them to have a strong + castle in their midst to which they could retire in case of danger. + Labourers had been engaged in large numbers from the country round by the + master craftsmen. The outlines of the castle had been traced, and the + ground dug for its foundations, while already the broad deep fosse which + was to surround it had been dug to a depth of several feet. The stones had + to be brought from a considerable distance, but as at this time of year + there was little work for the carts, those belonging not only to the + tenants of the estate, but to the cultivators for miles round were engaged + in the service. + </p> + <p> + In six months a stately pile had risen in the midst of the tranquil glade. + When it was ready for occupation Lord and Lady de Burg and their son came + over, and great festivities were held when Wulf de Burg (now Lord of + Bramber) moved into the castle. + </p> + <p> + Soon after the birth of their first son Wulf and his wife received a hasty + summons to cross the sea, and arrived in time to stand by the death-bed of + Guy. Wulf had been greatly moved by the storm of war that had swept over + the North of England, and the terrible vengeance taken by William there. + He had no pity for the traitor earls, but he grieved for the men who, but + for their treachery, would have fought at Hastings. He regretted deeply + the isolated risings in various parts of the country, whose only effect + was to bring ruin upon whole districts and to increase the sternness and + rigour of William's rule. + </p> + <p> + Wulf's after-life was divided between England and Normandy, as he became a + baron of the latter country at the death of Lord de Burg. He fought no + more in England, but more than once followed William's banner in his + struggles with his rebellious sons and turbulent nobles. He lived to see + the animosities between Englishmen and Normans beginning to die out, and + to find our kings relying upon sturdy English men-at-arms and bow-men in + their struggles with French kings and with the Norman barons who held so + large a portion of English soil. Osgod became the seneschal of the castle, + and held it for his lord during his absences in Normandy. Wulf took an + interest in the fortunes of Ulf, who in the course of time succeeded to + the business of Ulred, and became one of the most skilled and famous + armourers in London. Beorn married the former heiress of one of the + estates William had granted him, and his firm friendship with the Lord of + Bramber remained unbroken to the end of their lives. + </p> + <div style="height: 6em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Wulf the Saxon, by G. A. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Wulf the Saxon + A Story of the Norman Conquest + +Author: G. A. Henty + + +Release Date: August, 2005 [EBook #8745] +First Posted: August 9, 2003 +Last Updated: September 24, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WULF THE SAXON *** + + + + +Produced by Distributed Proofreaders + + + + + + + + +WULF THE SAXON + +A Story of the Norman Conquest + +By G. A. HENTY + + + + +PREFACE. + + +Although the immediate results of the Battle of Hastings may have +been of less importance to the world than were those of some other +great battles, the struggle has, in the long run, had a greater +influence upon the destiny of mankind than any other similar event +that has ever taken place. That admixture of Saxon, Danish, and +British races which had come to be known under the general name of +English, was in most respects far behind the rest of Europe. The +island was, as it had always been,--except during the rule of two +or three exceptionally strong kings,--distracted by internal +dissensions. Broad lines of division still separated the North +from the South, and under weak Kings the powerful Earls became +almost independent. The enterprise that had distinguished their +Saxon and Danish ancestors seems to have died out. There was a +general indisposition to change, and except in her ecclesiastical +buildings, England made but little progress in civilization from +the time of Alfred to that of Harold. Its insular position cut it +off from taking part in that rapid advance which, beginning in +Italy, was extending throughout Europe. The arrival, however, of +the impetuous Norman race, securing as it did a close connection +with the Continent, quickened the intellect of the people, raised +their intelligence, was of inestimable benefit to the English, and +played a most important part in raising England among the nations. +Moreover, it has helped to produce the race that has peopled Northern +America, Australia, and the south of Africa, holds possession of +India, and stands forth as the greatest civilizer in the world. The +Conquest of England by the Normans was achieved without even a +shadow of right or justice. It was at the time an unmixed curse to +England; but now we can recognize the enormous benefits that accrued +when in his turn the Englishman conquered the Norman, and the foreign +invaders became an integral portion of the people they had overcome. +For the historical details of the story, I have only had to go to +Freeman's magnificent _History of the Norman Conquest of England_, +which I hope will be perused by all of my readers who are able to +obtain it. + +G. A. HENTY + + + +CONTENTS. + +CHAP. + + +I. A QUARREL + +II. COUNTRY LIFE + +III. AT COURT + +IV. A STORM + +V. ROUEN + +VI. RELEASE OF THE EARL + +VII. THE OATH + +VIII. TROUBLE WITH WALES + +IX. IN THE WELSH VALLEYS + +X. PORTHWYN + +XI. THE SECRET PASSAGE + +XII. EDITH + +XIII. HAROLD, THE KING + +XIV. WULF'S SUSPICIONS + +XV. A MEETING BY THE RIVER + +XVI. A VOYAGE NORTH + +XVII. AN ATTEMPT AT ASSASSINATION + +XVIII. THE NORTHERN INVASION + +XIX. STAMFORD BRIDGE + +XX. THE LANDING OF THE FOE + +XXI. HASTINGS + +XXII. THE LORD OF BRAMBER + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + +THE LAST STAND AT HASTINGS + +THE YOUNG THANE COMES BACK TO STEYNING + +WULF AND HIS FOLLOWERS STORM LLEWELLYN'S STRONGHOLD + +WULF LEAPT FORWARD AND CAUGHT THE UPLIFTED WRIST + +WULF THE SAXON. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +A QUARREL. + +The great Abbey of Westminster was approaching its completion; an +army of masons and labourers swarmed like bees upon and around it, +and although differing widely in its massive architecture, with +round Saxon windows and arches, from the edifice that was two or +three generations later to be reared in its place,--to serve as a +still more fitting tomb for the ashes of its pious founder,--it was +a stately abbey, rivalling the most famous of the English fanes of +the period. + +From his palace hard by King Edward had watched with the deepest +interest the erection of the minster that was the dearest object +of his life. The King was surrounded by Normans, the people among +whom he had lived until called from his retirement to ascend the +throne of England, and whom he loved far better than those over +whom he reigned. He himself still lived almost the life of a recluse. +He was sincerely anxious for the good of his people, but took small +pains to ensure it, his life being largely passed in religious +devotions, and in watching over the rise of the abbey he had founded. + +A town had risen around minster and palace, and here the workmen +employed found their lodgings, while craftsmen of all descriptions +administered to the wants both of these and of the nobles of Edward's +court. + +From one of the side doors of the palace a page, some fifteen or +sixteen years of age, ran down the steps in haste. He was evidently +a Saxon by his fair hair and fresh complexion, and any observer of +the time would have seen that he must, therefore, be in the employment +of Earl Harold, the great minister, who had for many years virtually +ruled England in the name of its king. + +The young page was strongly and sturdily built. His garb was an +English one, but with some admixture of Norman fashions. He wore +tightly-fitting leg coverings, a garment somewhat resembling a +blouse of blue cloth girded in by a belt at the waist, and falling +in folds to the knee. Over his shoulders hung a short mantle of +orange colour with a hood. On his head was a cap with a wide brim +that was turned up closely behind, and projected in a pointed shovel +shape in front. In his belt was a small dagger. He wore shoes of +light yellow leather fastened by bands over the insteps. As he ran +down the steps of the palace he came into sharp contact with another +page who had just turned the corner of the street. + +"I crave your pardon, Walter Fitz-Urse," he said hurriedly, "but I +was in haste and saw you not." + +The other lad was as clearly Norman as the speaker was +Saxon. He was perhaps a year the senior in point of age, and +taller by half a head, but was of slighter build. The expression +of his face differed as widely from that of the Saxon as did +his swarthy complexion and dark hair, for while the latter +face wore a frank and pleasant expression, that of the Norman +was haughty and arrogant. + +"You did it on purpose," he said angrily, "and were we not +under the shadow of the palace I would chastise you as you +deserve." + +The smile died suddenly out from the Saxon's face. "Chastise +me!" he repeated. "You would find it somewhat difficult, +Master Fitz-Urse. Do you think you are talking to a Norman +serf? You will please to remember you are in England; but if +you are not satisfied with my apology, I will ride with you a +few miles into the country, and we will then try with equal +arms where the chastisement is to fall." + +The Norman put his hand to his dagger, but there was an +ominous growl from some men who had paused to listen to the +quarrel. + +"You are an insolent boor, Wulf of Steyning, and some day +I will punish you as you deserve." + +"Some day," the Saxon laughed, "we shall, I hope, see you +and all your tribe sent across the Channel. There are few of +us here who would not see your backs with pleasure." + +"What is this?" an imperious voice demanded; and turning +round, Wulf saw William, the Norman Bishop of London, who, +followed by several monks and pages, had pushed his way +through the crowd. "Walter Fitz-Urse, what means this altercation?" + +"The Saxon ran against me of set purpose, my lord," Walter Fitz-Urse +said, in tones of deep humility, "and because I complained he +challenged me to ride with him into the country to fight, and then +he said he hoped that some day all the Normans would be sent across +the Channel." + +"Is this so?" the prelate said sternly to Wulf; "did you +thus insult not only my page, but all of us, his countrymen?" + +"I ran against him by accident," Wulf said, looking up fearlessly +in the prelate's face. "I apologized, though I know not that I was +more in fault than he; but instead of taking my apology as one of +gentle blood should do, he spoke like a churl, and threatened me +with chastisement, and then I did say that I hoped he and all other +Normans in the land would some day be packed across the Channel." + +"Your ears ought to be slit as an insolent varlet." + +"I meant no insolence, my Lord Bishop; and as to the slitting of +my ears, I fancy Earl Harold, my master, would have something to +say on that score." + +The prelate was about to reply, but glancing at the angry faces of +the growing crowd, he said coldly: + +"I shall lay the matter before him. Come, Walter, enough of this. +You are also somewhat to blame for not having received more courteously +the apologies of this saucy page." + +The crowd fell back with angry mutterings as he turned, and, followed +by Walter Fitz-Urse and the ecclesiastics, made his way along the +street to the principal entrance of the palace. Without waiting +to watch his departure, Wulf, the Saxon page, pushed his way through +the crowd, and went off at full speed to carry the message with +which he had been charged. + +"Our king is a good king," a squarely-built man,--whose bare arms +with the knotted muscles showing through the skin, and hands begrimed +with charcoal, indicated that he was a smith,--remarked to a gossip +as the little crowd broke up, "but it is a grievous pity that he +was brought up a Norman, still more that he was not left in peace +to pass his life as a monk as he desired. He fills the land with +his Normans; soon as an English bishop dies, straightway a Norman +is clapped into his place. All the offices at court are filled +with them, and it is seldom a word of honest English is spoken in +the palace. The Norman castles are rising over the land, and his +favourites divide among them the territory of every English earl +or thane who incurs the king's displeasure. Were it not for Earl +Harold, one might as well be under Norman sway altogether." + +"Nay, nay, neighbour Ulred, matters are not so bad as that. I dare +say they would have been as you say had it not been for Earl Godwin +and his sons. But it was a great check that Godwin gave them when +he returned after his banishment, and the Norman bishops and nobles +hurried across the seas in a panic. For years now the king has left +all matters in the hands of Harold, and is well content if only he +can fast and pray like any monk, and give all his thoughts and +treasure to the building of yonder abbey." + +"We want neither a monk nor a Norman over us," the smith said +roughly, "still less one who is both Norman and monk I would rather +have a Dane, like Canute, who was a strong man and a firm one, than +this king, who, I doubt not, is full of good intentions, and is a +holy and pious monarch, but who is not strong enough for a ruler. +He leaves it to another to preserve England in peace, to keep in +order the great Earls of Mercia and the North, to hold the land +against Harold of Norway, Sweyn, and others, and, above all, to +watch the Normans across the water. A monk is well enough in a +convent, but truly 'tis bad for a country to have a monk as its +king." + +"There have been some war-loving prelates, Ulred; men +as ambitious as any of the great earls, and more dangerous, +because they have learning." + +"Ay, there have been great prelates," the smith agreed. "Look at +Lyfing of Worcester, to whom next only to Godwin the king owed his +throne. He was an Englishman first and a bishop afterwards, and was +a proof, if needed, that a man can be a great churchman and a great +patriot and statesman too. It was he rather than Godwin who overcame +the opposition of the Danish party, and got the Witan at last to +acquiesce in the choice of London and Wessex, and to give their +vote to Edward. + +"Well was it he did so. For had he failed we should have had as +great a struggle in England as when Alfred battled against the +Danes. We of London and the men of Wessex under the great Earl were +bent upon being ruled by a prince of our own blood. The last two +Danish kings had shown us that anything is better than being governed +by the Northmen. It was Lyfing who persuaded the Earl of Mercia to +side with Wessex rather than with Northumbria, but since Lyfing, +what great Englishman have we had in the church? Every bishopric +was granted by Edward to Norman priests, until Godwin and his sons +got the upper hand after their exile. Since then most of them have +been given to Germans. It would seem that the king was so set against +Englishmen that only by bringing in foreigners can Harold prevent +all preferment going to Normans. But what is the consequence? They +say now that our church is governed from Rome, whereas before +Edward's time we Englishmen did not think of taking our orders from +Italy. + +"There will trouble come of it all, neighbour. Perhaps not so long +as Edward reigns, but at his death. There is but one of the royal +race surviving, and he, like Edward, has lived all his life abroad. +There can be no doubt what the choice of Englishmen will be. Harold +has been our real ruler for years. He is wise and politic as well +as brave, and a great general. He is our own earl, and will assuredly +be chosen. Then we shall have trouble with the Normans. Already +they bear themselves as if they were our masters, and they will not +give up their hold without a struggle. Men say that William, their +duke, makes no secret of his hope to become master of England, in +which case God help us all. But that won't come as long as Harold +lives and Englishmen can wield sword and battle-axe. As for myself, +I have patched many a Norman suit of armour, but, by St. Swithin, +I shall have far more pleasure in marring than I have ever had in +mending them." + +"Know you who were the boys who had that contention just now?" + +"The Norman is a page of William, our Norman bishop; I know no more +of him than that the other is Wulf, who is a ward and page of Earl +Harold. His father was thane of Steyning in South Sussex, one of +Godwin's men, and at his death two years ago Harold took the lad +into his household, for he bore great affection for Gyrth, who had +accompanied him in his pilgrimage to Rome, and fought by his side +when he conquered the Welsh. It was there Gyrth got the wound that +at last brought about his death. Wulf has been to my smithy many +times, sometimes about matters of repairs to arms, but more often, +I think, to see my son Osgod. He had seen him once or twice in +calling at the shop, when one day Osgod, who is somewhat given to +mischief, was playing at ball, and drove it into the face of a son +of one of the Norman lords at court. The boy drew his dagger, and +there would have been blood shed, but Wulf, who was passing at the +time, and saw that the thing was a pure mishap and not the result +of set intention, threw himself between them. + +"There was a great fuss over it, for the boy took his tale to his +father, who demanded that Osgod should be punished, and would +doubtless have gained his end had not Wulf spoken to Earl Harold, +who intervened in the matter and persuaded the Norman to let it +drop. Since then the boys have been great friends in their way. +Osgod is a year older than the young thane, and has already made +up his mind to be his man when he grows up, and he has got me to +agree to it, though I would rather that he had stuck to my handicraft. +Still, the prospect is not a bad one. Harold will be King of England, +Wulf will be a powerful thane, and will doubtless some day hold +high place at court, and as he seems to have taken a real liking +to Osgod, the boy may have good chances. + +"Wulf will make a good fighting man one of these days. Harold sees +that all his pages are well instructed in arms, and the two boys +often have a bout with blunted swords when Wulf comes to my smithy; +and, by my faith, though I have taught Osgod myself, and he already +uses his arms well, the young thane is fully a match for him. You +would hardly believe that the boy can read as well as a monk, but +it is so. Earl Harold, you know, thinks a good deal of education, +and has founded a college at Waltham. He persuaded Wulf's father +to send him there, and, indeed, will take none as his pages unless +they can read. I see not what good reading can do to most men, but +doubtless for one who is at court and may hold some day a high post +there, it is useful to be able to read deeds and grants of estates, +instead of having to trust others' interpretation." + +"I wondered to see you press forward so suddenly into the crowd, +neighbour, seeing that you are a busy man, but I understand now +that you had an interest in the affair." + +"That had I. I was holding myself in readiness, if that Norman boy +drew his dagger, to give him such a blow across the wrist with my +cudgel that it would be long before he handled a weapon again. I +fear Wulf has got himself into trouble. The bishop will doubtless +complain to the king of the language used by one of Harold's pages, +and though the earl is well able to see that no harm comes to the +lad, it is likely he will send him away to his estates for a time. +For he strives always to avoid quarrels and disputes, and though +he will not give way a jot in matters where it seems to him that +the good of the realm is concerned, he will go much farther lengths +than most men would do in the way of conciliation. Look how he has +borne with Tostig and with the Earls of Mercia. He seems to have +no animosity in his nature, but is ready to forgive all injuries +as soon as pardon is asked." + +The smith was not far wrong in his opinion as to what was likely +to happen. As soon as Wulf returned to the palace he was told that +the earl desired his presence, and he proceeded at once to the +apartment where Harold transacted public business. It was a hall +of considerable size; the floor was strewed with rushes; three +scribes sat at a table, and to them the earl dictated his replies +and decisions on the various matters brought before him. When he +saw Wulf enter he rose from his seat, and, beckoning to him to +follow, pushed aside the hangings across a door leading to an +apartment behind and went in. Wulf had no fear whatever of any +severe consequence to himself from his quarrel with Walter Fitz-Urse, +but he was ashamed that his thoughtlessness should have given the +slightest trouble to the earl, for, popular as he was among all +classes of men in southern England, Harold was an object of love +as well as respect to his dependents, and indeed to all who came +in close contact with him. + +The earl was now forty-one years of age. He was very tall, and was +considered the strongest man in England. His face was singularly +handsome, with an expression of mingled gentleness and firmness. +His bearing was courteous to all. He united a frank and straightforward +manner with a polished address rare among his rough countrymen. +Harold had travelled more and farther than any Englishman of his +age. He had visited foreign courts and mingled with people more +advanced in civilization than were those of England or Normandy, +and was centuries ahead of the mass of his countrymen. He was an +ardent advocate of education, a strong supporter of the national +church, an upholder of the rights of all men, and although he +occasionally gave way to bursts of passion, was of a singularly +sweet and forgiving disposition. + +King Edward was respected by his people because, coming after two +utterly worthless kings, he had an earnest desire for their good, +although that desire seldom led to any very active results. He was +a member of their own royal house. He was deeply religious. His +life was pure and simple, and although all his tastes and sympathies +were with the land in which he had been brought up, Englishmen +forgave him this because at least he was a Saxon, while his +predecessors had been Danes. But while they respected Edward, for +Harold, their real ruler, they felt a passionate admiration. He was +a worthy representative of all that was best in the Saxon character. +He possessed in an eminent degree the openness of nature, the frank +liberality, the indomitable bravery, and the endurance of hardship +that distinguished the race. He was Earl of the West Saxons, and +as such had special claims to their fealty. + +London, it was true, did not lie in his earldom, but in that of his +brother Leofwyn, but Leofwyn and Harold were as one--true brothers +in heart and in disposition. The gentleness and courtesy of manner +that, although natural, had been softened and increased by Harold's +contact with foreigners, was not only pardoned but admired because +he was England's champion against foreigners. He had fought, and +victoriously, alike against the Norwegians, the Danes of Northumbria, +and the Welsh, and he struggled as sturdily, though peacefully, +against Norman influence in England. Already the dread of Norman +preponderance was present in the minds of Englishmen. It was no +secret that in his early days Edward had held out hopes, if he had +not given an actual promise, to William of Normandy that he should +succeed him. Of late the king had been somewhat weaned from his +Norman predilections, and had placed himself unreservedly in Harold's +hands, giving to the latter all real power while he confined himself +to the discharge of religious exercises, and to the supervision of +the building of his abbey, varied occasionally by hunting expeditions, +for he still retained a passionate love of the chase; but men knew +that the warlike Duke of Normandy would not be likely to forget the +promise, and that trouble might come to England from over the sea. + +Harold, then, they not only regarded as their present ruler, but +as their future king, and as the national leader and champion. +Edward had no children. The royal house was extinct save for Edward +the Atheling, who, like the present king, had lived all his life +abroad, and could have no sympathy with Englishmen. There being, +then, no one of the royal house available, who but Harold, the head +of the great house of Godwin, the earl of the West Saxons, the +virtual ruler of England, could be chosen? The English kings, +although generally selected from the royal house, ruled rather by +the election of the people as declared by their representatives in +the Witan than by their hereditary right. The prince next in +succession by blood might, at the death of the sovereign, be called +king, but he was not really a monarch until elected by the Witan +and formally consecrated. + +It had been nine months after he had been acclaimed to the throne +by the people of London that King Edward had been elected king by +the Witan, and formally enthroned. Thus, then, the fact that Harold +did not belong to the royal family mattered but little in the eyes +of Englishmen. To them belonged the right of choosing their own +monarch, and if they chose him, who was to say them nay? + +Wulf felt uncomfortable as he followed the stately figure into the +inner room, but he faced the Earl as the door closed behind him +with as fearless a look as that with which he had stood before the +haughty prelate of London. A slight smile played upon Harold's face +as he looked down upon the boy. + +"You are a troublesome varlet, Wulf, and the Lord Bishop has been +making serious complaint of you to the king. He says that you brawled +with his page, Walter Fitz-Urse; that you used insolent words against +his countrymen; and that you even withstood himself. What have you +to say to this?" + +"The brawling was on the part of the bishop's page and not of mine, +my lord. I was running out to carry the message with which you +charged me to Ernulf of Dover when I ran against Fitz-Urse. That +was not my fault, but a pure mischance, nevertheless I expressed +my regret in fitting terms. Instead of accepting them, he spoke +insolently, talked of chastising me, and put his hand on the hilt +of his dagger. Then, my lord, I grew angry too. Why should I, the +page of Earl Harold, submit to be thus contemptuously spoken to by +this young Norman, who is but the page of an upstart bishop, and +whom, if your lordship will give permission, I would right willingly +fight, with swords or any other weapons. Doubtless, in my anger, I +did not speak respectfully of Walter's countrymen, and for this I +am sorry, since it has been the ground of complaint and of trouble +to you." + +"In fact, Wulf, you spoke as a quarrelsome boy and not as the page +of one who has the cares of this kingdom on his shoulders, and whose +great desire is to keep peace between all parties," the earl put +in gravely. + +For the first time Wulf hung his head: + +"I was wrong, my lord." + +"You were wrong, Wulf; it is not good always to say what we think; +and you, as my page, should bear in mind that here at court it +behoves you to behave and to speak not as a headstrong boy, but as +one whose words may, rightly or wrongly, be considered as an echo +of those you may have heard from me. And now to the third charge, +that you withstood the prelate; a matter that, in the king's eyes, +is a very serious one." + +"The bishop would give ear to nought I had to say. He listened to +his own page's account and not to mine, and when I said in my defence +that though I did use the words about the Normans, I did so merely +as one boy quarrelling with the other, he said I ought to have my +ears slit. Surely, my lord, a free-born thane is not to be spoken +to even by a Norman bishop as if he were a Norman serf. I only +replied that before there was any slitting of ears your lordship +would have a say in the matter. So far, I admit, I did withstand +the bishop, and I see not how I could have made other reply." + +"It would have been better to have held your peace altogether, +Wulf." + +"It would, my lord, but it would also surely have been better had +the bishop abstained from talking about slitting ears." + +"That would have been better also, but two wrongs do not make a +right. I was present when the bishop made his complaint, and upon +my inquiring more into the matter, his version was somewhat similar +to yours. I then pointed out to him that if holy bishops lost their +tempers and used threats that were beyond their power to carry into +effect, they must not be too severe upon boys who forget the respect +due to their office. Nevertheless, I admitted that you were wrong, +and I promised the king, who was perhaps more disturbed by this +incident than there was any occasion for, that I would take you to +task seriously, and that to avoid any further brawl between you and +young Fitz-Urse, you should for a time be sent away from court. I +did this on the agreement that the bishop should, on his part, +admonish Walter Fitz-Urse against discourteous behaviour and unseemly +brawling, and had I known that he had put his hand on his dagger, +I would have gone further. Have you any witnesses that he did so?" + +"Yes, my lord; I saw the smith Ulred among those standing by, and +doubtless he would see the action." + +"That is well," Harold said. "I shall acquaint the bishop with the +fact when I tell him that I have ordered you to leave for your +estate at Steyning, and that if his page denies it, I have witnesses +to prove the truth of your assertions. I think in that case he will +be glad to drop the matter, for were I to mention the fact to the +king, he, who has a horror of the drawing of weapons, would order +Walter Fitz-Urse to be sent back to Normandy. So your exile is not +likely to be of long duration. You understand, Wulf, that I am not +seriously angered with you in this matter. You are but a boy, and +one cannot expect that you will behave as a prudent man; but remember, +lad, even a boy's words may do mischief, especially when placed as +you are. There may come a time when you shall show by deeds and not +by words your feelings against the Normans, but till then bear +yourself prudently. We Saxons are over given to hasty words, and +this is a fault. I myself, as all men know, have no love for the +Normans, but no one has heard me speak against them. The king loves +them, as is but natural, seeing that he was brought up amongst them, +and I have not withstood his wishes in the matter, trying only that +a certain amount of preferment in the land should be bestowed upon +those who are its owners and not strangers to it and its tongue. +You will ride this afternoon for Steyning, Wulf, but I hope it will +not be long before you are back again. If I had my own way in the +matter, I should think that sufficient had already been said and +done in so trifling a matter as a boys' quarrel; but as it has been +brought before our king by a bishop, it is in the king's eyes a +serious business, for assuredly he himself would have borne a reproof +from William of London more meekly than you did, and having therefore +become a church matter, it is altogether beyond my power to interfere. +At any rate, a short sojourn on your estate will do you no harm; +it is sometime since you were there, and it is a good thing that +the lord of the soil should be well known by those over whom he is +placed." + +Wulf bowed deeply and withdrew. The prospect of a visit for a few +weeks or even months to Steyning was not a terrible one. It was +some years since he had stayed there for any time. He had been two +years at Waltham, and since his father's death had been for the +most part with Harold, and the thought of an unrestricted life and +of spending his time as he chose, hunting and hawking, and going +about among his tenants, was by no means unpleasant. He was quite +satisfied that Harold was not seriously angered with him, and for +anything else he cared little. + +As he understood that his duties as a page were at present at an +end, he thought he would first call upon Ulred the smith, to ask +him if he had seen Walter Fitz-Urse handle his dagger, and also to +tell Osgod that he was going away for a time. He found the smith +at work. + +"Good morning, Master Wulf; though this is not the first time I +have seen you today, for I was at hand when you had that quarrel +with the Norman page." + +"Yes, I caught sight of your face, Ulred. It was about that I have +come to you. The bishop has made complaint against me to the king, +and Earl Harold has ordered me to go down to Steyning for a time. +Of course I acted wrongly in speaking as I did to the bishop, but +so far as Walter Fitz-Urse is concerned I maintain that I did no +wrong. I told my lord as much, and that the Norman put hand upon +his dagger. The earl said that if I could prove that it would benefit +my case. I told him that I had seen you close by, but that I did +not know whether you saw the page do it." + +"Assuredly I did," the smith replied, "and had my cudgel in readiness +to tap him on the wrist if he had drawn his dagger. I would testify +the same before King Edward himself." + +"Thank you, Ulred, I will tell my lord so." + +"I am sorry you are to be sent away from court. That is a bad job, +Master Wulf, and Osgod here will miss you greatly." + +"That shall I," the lad said. "Could you not take me down with you, +young master? You could teach me there how to comport myself as +your squire, so that when the time comes that you need one, I should +know my duties. Besides, you could practise on me with sword and +battle-axe." + +"I could not do much in the way of teaching you, Osgod, seeing as +yet I am myself but a learner, but I should be glad, in truth, to +have you with me, and it would be good for me to keep up my practice +in arms. I shall feel almost like a stranger there, and should like +to have one I know with me. I could ask Earl Harold to let me have +a horse for you from his stables, where he has two or three score +doing nothing." + +"With your favour, sir, I would rather trust to my own feet. I am +a stout walker, and though I shall not be able to keep up with you, +I think that each night I can get to the hostelrie where you may +put up; but, if not, it matters little, I can make my way after you +and join you there--that is, if my father will give me permission +to go." + +"You may as well go sooner as later," the smith said. "Since you +have taken into your head that you will be Master Wulf's man, I see +not that it will benefit you remaining in the forge. You know enough +now to mend a broken rivet and to do such repairs to helm and armour +as may be needed on an expedition; therefore, if the young thane +is minded to take you I have naught to say against it." + +"Then so shall it be," Wulf said, "I shall see my Lord Harold before +I start, and will tell him that you are minded to be my man, and +that I am minded so to take you. He will not object, I am sure, but +it were best to ask him, since, when I return to court, I shall +have you about me." + +"When do you start, Master Wulf?" + +"I am ordered to go to-day; therefore, as soon as I have +seen the earl again I shall be off." + +"Where will you sleep to-night?" + +"I shall ride to Guildford this afternoon." + +"Then you had better lay aside your hammer at once, Osgod," +the smith said, "and don fresh clothes, and make your best suit +into a bundle and start without delay; it is but ten o'clock, +and you may be at Guildford before sunset. 'Tis but thirty +miles, and eight hours' walking will take you there. If the young +thane tells you that Lord Harold makes objection to his taking +you, you can turn your face backward to-morrow and no harm +will be done." + +"I shall overtake you before you are half-way, Osgod, and +can then take you up behind me on my horse; and now I will +go back to the palace. I may have to wait some time before I +can see Earl Harold. From sunrise to sunset he has but a few +moments to himself, and I shall have to watch my time to get +a word with him." + +It was not, indeed, until two o'clock in the afternoon that +Wulf had a chance of speaking to the duke. Then, seeing that +he was for the moment alone, he entered the room and stood +with bowed head waiting for Harold to address him. + +"So you have come to say good-bye, Wulf," the latter said kindly; +"it is best so, boy. A time in the country will do you good, and +there will be much for you to do down there. I have ordered two of +my men to be in readiness to mount and ride with you, for I would +not that you should go unattended. One of them will bear a message +from me and a letter under my hand to the steward, and will tell +him that although you will, of course, remain as my ward until you +come of age, you are in all respects to be treated as if you were +already my sworn man, and thane. It would be well if you could +gather among your tenants twenty stout men as house-carls. The +steward is ordered to pay to you whatever moneys you may require, +and to account for them to me when he sends me in his checkers. +These house-carls will, of course, be paid. There must be ample +store of armour at Steyning for them, for your father was followed +by forty house-carls when he went with me to the Welsh wars. One +of the men who goes with you is a stout man-at-arms and is one of +my own house-carls; he will remain with you and will instruct your +men in arms and teach them to fight shoulder to shoulder. There may +be bad times ere long, and it is upon trained troops and not upon +hasty levies that we must most depend. In time I trust you will be +able to place fifty such men in the field, but at present twenty +will suffice. Have you aught to say to me before you go?" + +"Yes, my lord; first, to thank you for your kindness, and to say +that I will carry out your instructions; secondly, to tell you that +Ulred the smith saw Walter Fitz-Urse handle his dagger, and was +standing ready to knock it from his hand did he draw it. Lastly, +that Ulred's son Osgod, who is a stout lad a year older than myself, +and for his age well accustomed to arms, desires to be sworn as my +man and to serve me in hall and in field. I like him much and have +almost daily practised with him in arms, and I should be glad to +have him with me if you see no objection." + +"Not at all, Wulf; it is well that a man should have at his side +one in whom he can altogether trust, be he of gentle blood or simple +man-at-arms." + +"Then I may take him down with me, my lord?" + +"Yes, if it pleases you. Can he ride?" + +"Not as yet, my lord, I will see that he is instructed down at +Steyning. He started to walk this morning, understanding that if +you refused him permission to be my man he would at once return. +We shall overtake him on the road." + +"Bid one of your escort take him up behind," the earl said, "I like +his spirit. See that he is fittingly apparelled. You shall hear +from me ere long." + +Half an hour later Wulf mounted, and with his two followers rode +from Westminster. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +COUNTRY LIFE. + +Far from being depressed, Wulf felt his spirits rise as he rode +away on his banishment from court, for instead of feeling it a +disgrace he regarded it as a step forward in life. Earl Harold +could certainly, had he been so inclined, have smoothed down the +angry prelate, and could have retained him at court; but by the way +he had spoken, Wulf was convinced that the earl let him go because +he thought that it was good for him to be away. For four years he +had been under tutelage, first at Waltham, and then at the court. +In the last position his life had indeed been a pleasant one, for +as one of Harold's pages he had mixed with all the noble youths of +the court, and had had a place at every festive gathering. Still, +he had been but a page, and treated as a boy. Now he was to go +forth, and to learn his duties as his father's successor. + +Harold's steward, who had since the thane's death acted as the +earl's agent in the management of the estate, would instruct him +doubtless in his civil duties, while the soldier who rode behind +him would teach him how to lead men in battle, and how to make the +fighting force of the estate efficient. Beyond these duties his +time would be his own. He would have responsibilities, but they +would be the responsibilities of a thane towards his tenants, and +not of a page towards his master. He was going away a boy, but if +it pleased Harold that he should remain away for two years he would +return a thane. A young one, indeed, but one who had learned the +duties of his station, and who, if needs be, could take his place +in the field of battle at the head of his followers. For, even +putting aside the Normans, from whom the earl seemed to think the +greatest danger would come, there was never any long cessation of +fighting in England. + +There were the Welsh, who were always turbulent; the Danes of +Northumbria, who were still a distinct people, although throughout +the rest of England their identity was fast being merged into that +of the Saxons. There were the Norsemen, still ready to take every +opportunity of interfering in the affairs of England, or, if none +offered, to plunder and harry the coast. There were the earls of +Mercia, who bore no great love to the house of Godwin, and who +resented the ascendency of the West Saxons. Lastly, there was +Harold's brother Tostig, a fiery and turbulent noble, now Earl of +Northumbria, who was jealous of Harold, ever ready to join in plots, +and in close alliance with Norway already; he had several times +withstood the royal authority, and would assuredly again become a +fomenter of trouble should he see a favourable opportunity. At the +king's death, if not before, that opportunity would be sure to +present itself. Harold would be certainly chosen king by the people +of London and by the West Saxons, but almost as certainly would his +claim be disputed by the earls of Mercia on one hand, and by Tostig +and the Danes on the other. Wulf was sure, therefore, that the work +spent in preparing his tenants to take the field when called upon +to do so, would not be wasted. + +Full of these thoughts he rode for some miles from Westminster +without addressing himself to the two men behind him; then, bethinking +him that these were trusted followers of the earl, and had been +specially told off by him to accompany and stay with him, he called +them up to his side. Wulf had donned a riding suit instead of court +attire, which, in deference to the king's partiality for the Normans, +was, even among the staunchest opposers of the foreigners, a +compromise between Saxon and Norman fashions. He now wore a tunic +of a bright green cloth, girded in at the waist and reaching only +to the knee. Over this was worn a garment closely resembling the +Roman toga, though somewhat less ample. The folds in front fell +below the waist, but it was looped up at each shoulder by a brooch, +leaving the arms bare. His legs were clad in tightly-fitting trousers, +and his feet in somewhat high shoes. On his head he wore a cap in +shape closely resembling the Phrygian bonnet. He was armed with a +dagger, and a short sword, which hung by a leather strap, two or +three inches long, from his belt. The outer garment had a hood which +could in bad weather be drawn over the head. + +The man who was the bearer of Harold's orders to the steward wore +a civilian dress, not unlike that of Wulf's. He occupied the position +of a confidential scribe to Harold. The other wore the garb of a +soldier. He was clothed from head to foot in a tight fitting leather +suit, upon which were sewn iron rings overlapping each other, and +strongly resembling in appearance the chain-armour of later days. +His casque, with a curtain of leather similarly covered and affording +a protection to the neck, cheeks, and throat, hung from his saddle-bow, +and he wore a cap with a long projecting peak, while a cloak was +thrown over his shoulders and fell almost to his feet. + +"I am afraid you will find it but dull time with me, Leof," Wulf +said as they came up abreast of him, "for the earl says that he has +charged you to remain with me at Steyning." + +"I shall not be sorry for that," the soldier said bluntly, "for I +shall be right glad to be away from these Normans who fill every +place at court and swagger there as if Englishmen were but dirt +under their feet. Moreover, I love not London nor its ways, and +shall be glad to be down again among honest country folk, though I +would still rather be following my lord the earl in the field." + +"And you, Master Gurth, will your stay down at Steyning be a long +one?" + +"No, indeed. I have but to bear my master's wishes and instructions +to the steward, and to stay for a few days to see that they are +carried out according to his desires. I am not like Leof, for I +prefer life in London, where one meets with learned monks and others, +can obtain sometimes the use of a choice manuscript, and can hear +the news from beyond the seas, whereas in the country there is +nought to talk about save beeves and sheep. I like the journey well +enough, though I would that the animal I bestrode were more gentle +in his paces. He has for the last half-hour been fretting on the +rein to place himself by the side of yours. Horses are well enough +for nobles and fighting men, but for a peaceful scrivener like +myself a chair makes a far more comfortable seat." + +The soldier gave a contemptuous grunt, and Wulf laughed. "It is +well that we have not all the same tastes, but for my part a seat +in a chair tires me more than one in a saddle, and I am never more +happy than when galloping briskly along," and he shook the reins, +a signal which the horse had been expecting for a considerable time, +and at once responded to by breaking into a canter. + +"Stay you, I pray, Master Wulf," the scrivener cried in great +tribulation as his horse followed the example of its companion. +"Even if the animal does not break my neck he will jolt the life +out of me. I pray you curb him in if you would not see me prone in +the dust; and if I am disabled, who is to carry the earl's message +to the steward?" + +Wulf reined in his horse. "Pardon me, good Gurth. I had forgotten +that you are not accustomed to journey on horseback. I was scarce +conscious, indeed, that I touched my horse, but he is used to travel +more rapidly, and was so eager to be off at the slightest hint that +I was willing that he should do so. We will try and journey soberly +for the rest of the distance." + +Osgod was overtaken, plodding steadily along the road, fifteen miles +from town. Leof took him up on his horse, and they reached Guildford +just as the sun was setting. The inn, which stood in the principal +street of the town, was a low building built with a massive framework +filled in with bricks. The ground-floor was occupied by a single +room. At one end was the great fireplace where, over a pile of +blazing logs, were hung many cauldrons and pots. Round the room ran +a raised bench some six feet wide on which the guests disposed +themselves for sleep at night; rough tables and benches occupied +the rest of the room. Some twenty or thirty travellers were seated +at these. Few were eating, but the greater portion had horns of +beer or mead before them. As Wulf and his companions entered, after +giving over their horses to one of the helpers, the host, seeing +by his attire that he was of condition above the ordinary, came +forward and led him to the end of the room nearest the fire, where +the floor was raised a foot and a half above the general level, +forming a sort of dais where travellers of distinction could take +their meals apart from the rest of the guests. Leof was now spokesman. + +"We will have supper, and of your best, master host, for we have +ridden from London. We are in the service of Earl Harold, and are +riding with this young thane, Wulf of Steyning." + +The name of Earl Harold was sufficient to gain for them the best +attentions of their host, and in twenty minutes supper was served, +consisting of trout broiled over the fire, swine's flesh, and a +stew of fowls and smoked bacon flavoured with herbs. Wulf took the +head of the table, and the other three sat a short distance below +him. The dishes were handed round, and each with his dagger cut off +his portion and ate it on his wooden platter with the assistance +of dagger and fingers only, for the utility of forks was at that +time a matter undreamt of. After the meal was over, the host brought +a ewer of water with a napkin, and each dipped his fingers into the +water, an operation necessary even for the most dainty feeder. +Presently a glee singer came in, and for an hour amused the guests +with songs, for the most part of a patriotic character. + +Wulf was then conducted by the host to a small chamber upstairs, +where there was the luxury of a bed stuffed with straw. The rest +of the travellers, including Wulf's companions, merely wrapped +themselves in their cloaks and lay down on the raised bench which +ran round the room. + +On the afternoon of the third day the party arrived at Steyning. +It was four years since Wulf had been at home, and he gave a shout +of pleasure as his eye fell on the long low house with its background +of trees, and touching his horse with his heel he left his companions +behind and galloped towards the door. An old servitor came out. + +"Why, Cedric, do you not know me? I am Wulf, whom you first taught +to play single-stick and to draw a bow." + +"Why, surely it is my young master," Cedric said, taking the hand +that Wulf held out to him and placing it to his lips; "this is a +glad day indeed for us all. We have longed sorely for a sight of +you, for though I say nought against Master Egbert the steward, who +is well liked by all, it is not the same as having our lord with +us. You have come to stay, I trust." + +"For a time at any rate, Cedric. Earl Harold wishes me to learn my +duties as a thane and to fit myself to lead my people in the field +if it be necessary." + +"I trust that it never will be so," Cedric said, "but as we fought +under your father so will we all be ready to fight under you should +it be needful. The men of Steyning were never backward when there +was fighting to be done, and in my young days there was no lack of +that, though we have had quiet times since King Edward came to the +throne." + +The house was not built for the purpose of resistance, for, unlike +the Normans, the Saxons did not deem it necessary to convert their +houses into castles. It was, however, massively framed, the windows +on the ground-floor were barred, the door was strong and solid, and +after nightfall none could come in or go out without the knowledge +and consent of the master. Wulf's companions came up just as the +steward himself appeared at the door. He knew both Gurth and Leof, +having himself been in the service of Harold before being deputed +by him to manage the estates of Steyning during the earl's guardianship +of its thane. + +"The earl sends his greetings to you, Egbert," Gurth said, "and he +has sent us hither with the young thane, who, as the letter I bring +from the earl will inform you, has come down to take up his position +as lord here, and to learn from you all things connected with his +estate." + +"Welcome to Steyning, thane," the steward said, doffing his cap; +"it is well that you should be here. I have done my best to carry +out the earl's commands to keep all things in readiness for your +coming, and to be just and fair to the tenants, seeing that they +pay their dues, and yet not pressing too hardly upon them if things +go not well with them; but it is always best that the master should +be in his own place, and right willingly do I give over my authority +to you." + +"The authority has been in good hands, I know well," Wulf said, +"and right heartily do I thank you for having so well filled my +place; but I would not take up my thaneship as yet I am but a boy, +and have to learn my duties from you, and shall account myself but +as your pupil. I know something of the ways of court, but nothing +at all of those of the country, and it will be long before I am fit +to take the control of things into my own hands." + +They had by this time entered the great hall which formed the common +room of the establishment. Its arrangement was similar to that of +the room at the inn, with its raised dais for the master, his family, +and guests, while the rest of the room was devoted to the retainers +and servants. The cooking, however, was carried on in a room apart. +There were two fireplaces, one upon the dais and the other in the +body of the hall. On the walls hung trophies of the chase and arms +of all sorts. The wooden roof was supported by massive beams, and +with the exception of the trophies on the walls there was no attempt +at decoration of any kind. During the residence of the family at +the house, however, the hangings of tapestry, the work of generations +of dames of Steyning, their daughters and maids, hung upon the walls +round the dais. + +The news quickly spread of the arrival of the young thane, and a +score of men and eight or ten women and maids flocked into the hall +to welcome him, and as he stood on the dais each in turn came forward +to kiss his hand and salute him. + +"I think my first order must be," he said to the steward, "that a +cask of your best ale be broached." + +"That shall be done at once," Egbert replied; "there is never a +lack of drink here, but the best is none too good for the occasion. +And who is this youth with you?" he went on when he had given the +necessary orders, pointing to Osgod, who was standing somewhat shyly +apart. + +"He is my friend, and is going to be my body attendant and squire," +Wulf said. "He, like myself, knows nothing as yet of his duties, +but that he will be faithful and trusty I know full well, and the +earl himself said that I did wisely to bring him with me." + +"I will myself instruct him in his duties," Egbert said, "which +indeed are not hard to learn by one of willing mind. He will stand +behind you at table, will hand you your cup and take your orders. +In the old times it would have been his duty to see that you were +not struck down by a traitorous blow while you drank, but those +days are passed. When in the field he will carry your helmet till +you need to put it on; will keep close to you in the fight and guard +you with his shield from arrows, and with his sword from attacks +from behind; he will carry your banner, and see that as long as he +has strength to hold it, it floats fairly out as a rallying point +for your men. In the field indeed his duties are numerous, but at +home in peace, beyond seeing that your arms are bright and clean, +and that your orders are carried out properly, he will have but +little to do. It is well that you brought him with you, for otherwise +you would have had to choose one of the sons of your tenants, and +the choice would have been a difficult one, for each would have +desired the honour, and whichever you chose there would have been +sore jealousy among the others." + +The next day there was a great gathering in the hall. The whole of +the tenants attended, and took the oath to be Wulf's men, as they +had been those of his father, to obey his orders, and to follow him +in the field with the due number of men according to the size of +their holdings; while Wulf on his part swore to protect them from +all wrong and oppression, to be a just master, calling upon them +only for such service as he was entitled to demand, and exacting +no feus or payments beyond those customary. A bullock had been +killed, and after the ceremony was over all present sat down to a +banquet at which much ale was drunk and feasting went on till +nightfall. + +The next morning Wulf, accompanied by Leof and Egbert, rode round +the estate, choosing among the sons of the tenants thirty stout +young men willing to enrol themselves as house-carls, receiving a +regular rate of pay, and ready at all times to give service under +arms, and to remain in the field as long as they might be required, +whereas the general levy could only be kept under arms for a limited +time. He had already gone into the matter with Leof, who pointed +out that, as at present he had no wish to keep up any show or to +have a body of armed men in the house, it would suffice if the men +were exercised every day for a month, and after that merely practised +with sword and battle-axe for two or three hours once a week. On +these terms he had no difficulty in obtaining considerably more +than the number he asked for, and finally fifty men were enrolled. + +For those carls helmets were bought and coats of ringed armour made, +and for a month they exercised daily. Of manoeuvring there was +little indeed. The Saxons and Danes alike fought in line, with but +room enough between them to swing their battle-axes. Each carried +a spear as well as an axe, and when repelling the assault of an +enemy closed up so that their shields well-nigh touched each other. +Their exercise was generally either to engage in combats between +chosen pairs, or, dividing into two parties, to fight line against +line with blunted poles for spears and with stout cudgels for axes. +Leof in these combats acted as judge, decided which side had gained +the victory, praised the skilful, and chided the careless and +sluggish. He gave lessons in the use of the sword and battle-axe +to Wulf and Osgod, sometimes pitting them against each other, +sometimes fighting himself against Wulf, and teaching Osgod how to +assist his master by covering him with his shield. + +Sometimes he would order three or four of the men to shoot with +blunted arrows at Wulf, whom he taught to catch them on his shield +or to sever the shafts with a blow of his sword, while Osgod standing +by helped to cover him when two or three arrows flew at him together. +This was a daily exercise, and even after the month's regular work +was over some of the men came up every day to shoot, until Wulf had +attained such coolness and skill that he could in the great majority +of cases cut the shafts in two with his sword. + +But the whole day was by no means given up to warlike exercises. +Wulf rode out with the steward inspecting the houses and farms, +learning what there was to be learned of the rude processes of +agriculture, investigating the complaints of the depredations +committed by errant herds of swine or by neighbours' cattle and +sheep, seeing what was required in the repairs of farmhouses, and +learning from Egbert to discriminate between those who were unable +to pay their dues owing to misfortune, illness, or murrain among +the animals, and those whose losses were due to their own sloth or +carelessness. Upon these visits, too, the arms of the tenants were +inspected to ascertain that they could properly fulfil their service +if summoned to take the field. + +The lands embraced by Wulf's feof were of considerable extent, +reaching down to the sea, where they were some eight miles broad, +and running back twelve miles beyond Steyning. Several small hamlets +lay within it, and in case of war he could summon more than three +hundred men to his banner. Several of the neighbouring thanes rode +in as soon as they heard that Wulf had returned to fill his father's +place at Steyning, and these visits were duly returned. But accustomed +as Wulf had been to the orderliness of the court of the ascetic +King Edward the rude manners and nightly revelry of these rough +thanes by no means pleased him, so that he was glad when the visits +were over, and he could remain quietly at home, where he was not +without frequent guests. + +The most regular of his visitors was the prior of the monastery at +Bramber, which had been founded by the piety of one of Wulf's +ancestors. The prior had, though Wulf was ignorant of it, received +a letter from Earl Harold asking him to befriend Wulf, to encourage +him to keep up the studies he had followed at Waltham, and to see +that he did not fall into the drinking habit so common among the +Saxons. The priest was well fitted for the mission. He was by no +means a strict disciplinarian, but the monastery had the reputation +of being one of the best managed in Sussex, and among the monks +were many of good blood. He was passionately fond of art, and +encouraged its exercise among the monks, so that the illuminated +missals of Bramber were highly prized, and added largely to the +revenues of the monastery. + +The prior had been one of the monks at Waltham, and owed his elevation +to the influence of Earl Harold with the late thane of Steyning. +He was well taught in all the learning of the day, and having been +for a time at Westminster, knew more of court life than the majority +of the priors of isolated monasteries, and could suit his conversation +to his hearer. Harold had said in his letter, "The lad has good +parts. He is somewhat full of mischief, and has got into a scrape +here by a quarrel with a Norman page, and by failing somewhat in +the respect due to William of London, who took his compatriot's +part with too much zeal. But Wulf is shrewd, and benefited greatly +by his stay at Waltham, and both for the lad's own sake and for my +friendship with the good thane, his father, I would fain that he +grew up not only a sturdy Englishman, as to which I have no manner +of doubt, but one who may some day play his part at court, and be +a worthy friend and counsellor of an English king. Therefore I pray +you, father, to keep an eye on the lad, and spare him what time you +can from your duties. Tell him not that I have written to you, for +it is the nature of youth to be averse to anything that looks like +guardianship." + +Such a request from Earl Harold was regarded by the prior as an +order, and a few days after Wulf was installed at Steyning the prior +rode over on his palfrey, accompanied only by the almoner of the +convent. + +"Peace to you, my son," he said, as Wulf bowed respectfully to him, +"I have called not only as the prior of the monastery founded by the +piety of one of the thanes of Steyning, but to welcome one who was +a pupil at Earl Harold's college of Waltham, in which I at one time +was a preceptor. Not when you were there, for I was installed here +just before your good father's death." + +"I left there two years since," Wulf said, "in order to be one of +Earl Harold's pages; but I have not forgotten my reading, for the +earl insists that his pages give two hours a day to study." + +"Tis a good rule," the prior said, "for learning is like a weapon, +it soon becomes rusted when thrown aside. You will, I hope, continue +the habit." + +"I should wish to do so, father, but there are no manuscripts here." + +"In that at least I can supply your wants," the prior said. "My +monastery has a good library, and it will be quite at your service, +and also my advice in any matters that may concern you. My almoner +here, brother John, knows pretty well the circumstances of most of +your people, and may be able to tell you where your alms may be +well bestowed, and where they would do more harm than good. The +worthless are ever the most importunate, and for every honest man +in need there are twenty rogues abegging." + +The ice once broken, the prior came over frequently. His conversation +was bright and interesting. He himself was engaged in writing a +history of the Saxon and Danish monarchs from the times of Alfred, +and had stores of anecdotes of people and events of whom Wulf had +before heard only vague traditions from the wandering singers and +story-tellers who travelled the country, and were welcome guests +in every household. As Wulf was urged by the prior to come over +whenever time hung on his hands, his visits to the monastery were +naturally very much more frequent than those of the prior to Steyning. +Sometimes he would sit in the private apartment of the prior, but +more often he spent his time studying the rare manuscripts, or +watching the monks at their work of copying and illuminating. If +he went in the evening he generally sat in the refectory, where the +monks for the most part spent their evening in talk and harmless +amusement, for the strict rules and discipline that prevailed in +monastic establishments on the Continent had been unknown up to +that time in England, although some of the Norman bishops were doing +their best to introduce them into the establishments in their +dioceses,--a proceeding that caused great discontent, and was +strongly opposed by the English monks. These had, hitherto, regarded +monastic life as one of work for the good of the poor, and as +affording for those who wished it a tranquil retirement from the +trials of the world. Moreover, it offered special attractions to +those of quiet and studious tastes, since the monasteries provided +the architects and the painters, the teachers and the writers, and +it was here alone that learning was maintained and fostered. +Consequently, at Bramber there was none of that monastic asceticism +that prevailed abroad, and later became the rule in England also. + +During the day the monks had their pursuits according to their +tastes. There were those who worked in the copying and painting +room. There were some who drew plans for churches or the dwellings +of the wealthy, and who sometimes went out and superintended the +carrying out of their designs. Some were in charge of the garden, +where the work was chiefly done by the lay servitors, and where the +herbs and simples were grown that were used in the concoction of +the medicines distributed among the sick, and highly prized throughout +the country round. Two or three were skilled in music, and these +taught and conducted the choir, while two acted as teachers to +youths, the sons of thanes and others, who, moved by the ardour +with which their earl advocated learning, intrusted their sons to +the monks for education. Then when the day's work was done, and +vespers sung in the chapel, the monks gathered in the refectory. +The conversation was of a bright and varied description, and as +Wulf moved about from group to group he listened to the talk with +far greater pleasure than he had ever derived from that at court, +and largely increased his knowledge in many respects. + +National matters were discussed with keen interest, for the monks +were all English, and viewed with bitter hostility the elevation +of foreigners to the chief dignities of the church, not only because +they were foreigners, but because they introduced innovations of +all kinds, and sought to reduce the Church of England to subjection +to Rome, whereas previously it had been wholly independent of Papal +authority. In secular matters, too, there were dangers that threatened +the tranquillity of the country. Chief among these were the turbulence +and ambition of Tostig, and the menace to the kingdom by his extensive +earldom of Northumbria with its alien Danish population, which was +rendered more serious by his alliance with the kings of Norway. + +Then, too, it was doubtful whether the great central earldom of +Mercia could be relied upon to act cordially with the West Saxons; +Griffith of Wales was still restless and turbulent; and lastly, +there was the ever-present menace of the Norman duke. Had England +been united it could have laughed at the pretensions of the Duke +of Normandy; but with Northumbria ready at any moment to break into +civil war, and with Mercia doubtful, the claim of Normandy, however +shadowy and indefensible, could not but be considered as a grave +element of danger. + +Listening to the talk of the monks Wulf learned much more as to the +actual situation than he had done in the court of the Normanized +king, and his feelings of patriotism became more and more developed +and strengthened, while he applied himself with even greater ardour +to his military exercises, as he recognized more fully the necessity +that might arise for every West Saxon to be ready to take his place +in the line of battle. The evenings that he spent at home were by +no means dull. It was only in considerable towns that there were +inns for the accommodation of travellers. Everywhere else these +were dependent upon hospitality, and no door was ever closed in +their faces. It was seldom that less than five or six travellers +rested for the night at Steyning, and often that number was largely +exceeded. Besides the wayfarers there were the professional wanderers, +the minstrels, the story-tellers, and occasionally a troupe of +buffoons. + +All these were welcome, for they brought the news from without; the +last rumours in London concerning the quarrels of the earls; the +movements of the Danish ships that were harrying the coast, and +those of the vessels Earl Harold despatched to cope with them; the +prices of wool and hides in the chief markets; and even reports of +what was happening beyond the seas. Leaving the dais, Wulf would +go down and listen to the talk of the travellers, or, when they +were of a degree above the common, have them up beside him, and +question them as to their journeyings, the places they had visited, +and the personages they had seen. Thus his hours were fully occupied +from morning until night. He found far less time than he had expected +for sport, and although he occasionally went out with his falcons +or hunted the stag in the forest, which covered a wide extent of +country beyond the hills, it was but seldom that he could find +leisure for these amusements. + +"It seems to me that you are always doing something, Wulf," Osgod +said one day. "It is not at all the sort of life I should have +thought a young thane would live. Why, you work many more hours a +day than I did in my father's forge. It is either books, or the +affairs of the tenants, or visiting the monastery all day when you +are not at work with your sword exercises. When I have done with +my work with Leof I like to lie down in the sun and take it quietly, +and I cannot understand how you can be for ever on foot." + +"I have so many things to do, Osgod; there is so much to learn, and +I do not wish to grow up a mere beer swiller like Edmund of Angmering +or Ethelred of Arundel. Their lives are, as far as I can see, no +whit higher or more worthy than that of their own serfs, from whom +they differ only that they eat more, drink more, and sleep on softer +beds. Earl Harold expects better things than that of me, and I want +to make myself worthy of being one of those in whom he can place +confidence and on whom he can depend in case of trouble. I have +heard him say how bad it is for England that our thanes are, in +learning and culture, so far behind the nobles of other countries, +and that if England is ever to take her place among great nations +it must be by her thanes first raising themselves to the level of +the nobles abroad, who are the counsellors of their kings. I can +never hope to be anything like Earl Harold, who is the wisest and +greatest of Englishmen, but I do hope so to fit myself that some +day he may think me worthy of trust and confidence." + +"Well, master," Osgod said lazily, "every one to his liking. I +hope to be a good soldier and your true servant, but as for all +this thinking and learning it would weary me to death." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +AT COURT. + +Two months after Wulf had gone down to Steyning one of Harold's men +brought a short letter from the earl himself. "I am glad to hear, +Wulf," it began, "from my steward, Egbert, that you are applying +yourself so heartily to your work. I have also good accounts of you +from the Prior of Bramber, who sometimes writes to me. He is a good +and wise man, as well as a learned one, and I am right glad to hear +that you are spending your time so well. I told you that you should +hear if there was any alteration in your affair. Some change was +made as soon as you had left; for, two days later, meeting William +of London in the presence of the king, I told him that I had inquired +further into the matter, and had found that you were by no means +the aggressor in the quarrel with young Fitz-Urse, for that he had +fingered his dagger, and would doubtless have drawn it had there +not been many bystanders. I also said that, with all respect to +the bishop, it would have been better had he not inclined his ears +solely to the tale of his page, and that under the circumstances +it was scarcely wonderful that, being but a boy, you had defended +yourself when you were, as you deemed, unjustly accused. + +"The prelate sent at once for his page, who stoutly denied that he +had touched the hilt of his dagger, but I too had sent off for +Ulred, the armourer, and he brought with him a gossip who had also +been present. I asked the king's permission to introduce them, and +they entirely confirmed your story. Fitz-Urse exclaimed that it was +a Saxon plot to do him harm, and I could see that the bishop was +of the same opinion; but the king, who is ever anxious to do justice, +declared at once that he was sure that the two craftsmen were but +speaking the truth. He sternly rebuked Fitz-Urse as a liar, and +signified to the bishop that he would do well to punish him severely +by sending him back to Normandy, for that he would not tolerate his +presence at court--an order which the bishop obeyed with very bad +grace. But at any rate the lad was sent away by a ship a week later. + +"After the bishop had left the audience-chamber the king said that +he was afraid he had acted with harshness to you, as it seemed that +the fault was by no means wholly on your side, and that I could at +once recall you if I wished to do so. I thanked his majesty +dutifully, but said I thought it were best in all ways that for a +time you should remain away from court. In the first place, you +deserved some punishment for your want of respect for the bishop, +to whom you should have submitted yourself, even if you had thought +him unjust. In the second place, as Fitz-Urse had been sent away, +it would create an animosity against you on the part of his countrymen +at court were you to reappear at once; and lastly, that I considered +it would be to your benefit to pass at least some months on your +estates, learning your duties as thane, and making the acquaintance +of your people. Therefore, I wished you to continue at Steyning. +It will assuredly be pleasant for you to know that you are no longer +to be considered as being there in consequence of having fallen +under the king's displeasure, but simply because it is my wish that +you should for a time dwell among your people, and fit yourself to +be a wise lord to them." + +Wulf was much pleased at the receipt of this letter, partly because +the fact that he had been sent away in disgrace stung him, and he +had felt obliged frankly to acknowledge to the neighbouring thanes +that he had been sent down on account of a quarrel with a Norman +page; but chiefly because it showed the kindly interest that Harold +felt in him, and that although absent he had still thought of him. + +It was nigh ten months before he heard again. During that time he +had grown a good deal, and although he would never be tall, his +frame had so widened out that it was evident he would grow into an +exceptionally powerful man. + +At sixteen he was still a boy, and although his position at Steyning, +where, although still under the nominal tutelage of the earl's +steward, he was practically lord and master, accustomed to play the +part of host within its walls, and that of feudal lord over the +wide estates, had given him the habits of authority and the bearing +of one who respected himself, the merry expression of his face, +aided by a slight upward turn of his nose, showed that in other +respects he was unchanged. He had learned with his weapons all that +Leof could teach him. He could wield a light battle-axe, and with +his sword could turn aside or sever an arrow however sharply shot +at him, provided that he had time to mark its flight. With a +quarter-staff he was a match for any youth on the estate, and he +could hurl a dart with unerring aim. + +Osgod had sprung up into a powerful young fellow, taller than his +master by well-nigh a head, and his equal in exercises requiring +strength rather than quickness and skill. His duties at table had +been delegated to another, for there was a certain clumsiness in +Osgod's strength that no teaching could correct; and in his eagerness +to serve his master he so frequently spilled the contents of a cup, +or upset a platter, that even Egbert acknowledged that it was +hopeless to attempt to make a skilful servitor of him. + +The earl's second letter contained only the words: + +"Come up to London as soon as you receive this. Leave Egbert in +charge of everything as before." + +Although the time had not seemed long, and his occupations were so +varied that he had never felt dull since he had come down, Wulf was +delighted to receive the summons. He had, unconsciously to himself, +begun to feel restless, and to wonder whether Earl Harold had +altogether forgotten his existence. + +"We are going back to London, Osgod," he shouted. + +"I am right glad of it," the young giant said, stretching his arms +lazily. "I am grievously tired of the country, and had it not been +that nothing would induce me to leave your service, I have thought +sometimes that I would gladly be back again in my father's smithy, +hammering away on hot iron. I used to think it would be the grandest +thing possible to have nothing to do, but I have found that one can +have too much of a good thing. Certainly I am glad to be going back, +but I am not sure whether it won't be worse at court than it is +here." + +"Perhaps we may not be staying there," Wulf said encouragingly. +"Maybe the earl is going to start on some expedition; though we +have heard of no trouble, either in the North or in Wales. But even +if I stay at court, Osgod, you will often be able to be away, and +can spend some hours a day at the smithy, where, if you like, you +can take off your smock and belabour iron to your heart's content. +I should say you would be a rare help to your father, for, as Leof +says, for a downright solid blow there are not many men who could +surpass you." + +Osgod laughed. "Leof has not forgiven that blow I dealt him a month +ago, when I flattened in his helmet with my blunted axe and stretched +him senseless on the ground; in faith, I meant not to hit so hard, +but he had been taunting me with my slowness, and seeing an opening +for a blow at his head I could not resist it, and struck, as he was +always telling me to do, quickly." + +"You well-nigh killed him," Wulf said, shaking his head; "he has +not taken an axe in his hand since, at least not with either of us. +He said to me the first time I invited him to a bout, it was high +time a man should give up teaching when he came to be struck senseless +by a boy." + +"Not much of a boy," Osgod replied, "seeing that I stand over six +feet high, and got my muscles hardened early at the forge. However, +he bears me no ill-will; all he ever said to me on the matter was, +'I am glad to see that you can shake off your sluggishness sometimes, +Osgod; I should have been less earnest in my advice to you to strike +more quickly if I had thought that you were going to do it at my +expense. Keep those blows for your master's enemies, lad. If you +deal them to his friends you will lessen their number.'" + +"Have my horse brought round at once, Osgod, have the wallets packed, +and be ready to start in an hour's time. I cannot go without riding +over to say good-bye to the prior and some of the monks. Do you, +when you have packed, follow me; it is not greatly out of the way, +and I shall meet you on the road. A short half-hour will suffice +for me there." + +"So Harold has sent for you, Wulf?" the prior said, when the young +thane told him that he was on the point of starting for London. +"'Tis as well. Come back when you may, you will now be fit to rule +at Steyning, and to rule well, but I foresee that we are likely to +have you but seldom down here. You are in good train to rise high +among Englishmen. You already possess the favour of Earl Harold, +who is, in all respects but name, King of England. You possess far +more learning than most young men of your rank, and as Harold rightly +thinks much of such knowledge, you are likely, if you live, to learn +more. But better than this, so far as your prospects are concerned +in the troubled times that may be coming, you are quick witted and +ready. I hear that you are already very proficient in arms, and a +match for most grown men. Best of all, so far as your future happiness +is concerned, you have a kind heart and a good disposition. You +could scarce be a page of Earl Harold's and not be a true Englishman +and patriot; therefore, my son, I think that I can predict a bright +and honourable future for you if Harold lives and reigns King of +England. Be steadfast and firm, lad. Act ever in what your heart +tells you is the right; be neither hasty nor quarrelsome. But,"--he +broke off with a smile, "you have had one lesson that way already. +Now I will detain you no longer. _Pax vobiscum_, may God keep +and guard you! If opportunity offer, and a messenger comes this +way, write me a few lines; news of you will be always welcome at +Bramber." + +Leaving the prior, Wulf paid a hurried visit to the chambers where +the monks were engaged in their various avocations, and then started +at a canter and met Osgod coming along with a sumpter-horse carrying +the wallets, a store of provisions for the way, and Wulf's arms and +armour fastened to the crupper of his saddle. + +"You have done well, Osgod," Wulf said as he turned his horse, and +at a quieter pace proceeded beside him. "I forgot to give you any +directions or to speak about your bringing a pack-horse with you, +but I am glad you thought of it, for our steeds would have been +heavily burdened had all that baggage been divided between them." + +"We go back more heavily laden than we came," Osgod remarked. "My +wardrobe was then of the scantiest, and your own has been considerably +added to since we came here. Truly, Wulf, I feel that I have changed +mightily in this year, and can scarce believe that it is but a +twelvemonth back since I flung down my hammer and started on my +tramp to Guildford with a change of clothes dangling from the end +of my cudgel. I was glad when you and your party overtook me, for +I was badly scared once or twice when I met a rough fellow or two +on the way, though, fortunately, they did not deem me worth robbing. +We could give a good account of four or five of such knaves now." + +"There has been a change indeed, Osgod, and in me as much as in +you, though I have not shot up into such huge proportions. I was a +page then, and had learned but to obey. I am a boy still, but I +have begun to learn to rule; at any rate, to rule myself. I have +not conquered my fault of hastiness altogether." + +Osgod smiled broadly. + +"You are quick in temper still, Wulf. You remember it was but +yesterday that you rated me soundly because I had fed your hawks +early, and they were too lazy to fly when you wanted them." + +"Well, it was annoying," Wulf laughed; "and you deserved rating, +since you have been told over and over again that the hawks were +not to be fed early in the morning. Besides, the rating did you no +harm." + +"None at all, master. I know that you mean not what you say, and +hard words break no bones. I should have thought no more of it had +you yourself not remarked that you were still somewhat hasty of +temper." + +"I was wrong, Osgod," Wulf said, holding out his hand, "but you +know that I love you, and that though your carelessness and +forgetfulness chafe me sorely at times, I mean not what I say." + +"I know it, master, and I would not have you other than you are. I +suppose it is the thickness of my skull that prevents me from taking +in all that I am told, and perhaps if I had more to do I might do +it better. I shall be able to play my part when it comes to hard +blows, and you must remember that no one can excel in all things. +A staghound is trusty and sure when on the chase, but he could not +be taught to fetch and to carry and to perform all sorts of tricks +such as were done by the little mongrel cur that danced to the order +of the mountebank the other evening. My father always said I was a +fool, and that, though for a piece of rough hammering I was by no +means amiss, I should never learn the real intricacies of repairing +fine armour. Everything has its good, you see, Master Wulf; for had +my father thought better of me in his trade, I doubt if he would +ever have given me leave to quit it, and go as your man." + +"I have no doubt that is so, Osgod, and heartily glad am I that you +showed no genius for smith's work. Nature evidently intended you +to damage casques and armour rather than to repair them. You have +not got all my clothes with you," he added, as he looked round at +the led horse. + +"No indeed, Wulf," Osgod said, "nor a quarter of them, for in truth +your wardrobe has grown prodigiously since we came here. I had to +talk it over with Egbert, having but little faith in my own wits. +He advised me to take the two suits that were most fitted for court, +saying that if he heard you were going to remain there he would +send on the rest in charge of a couple of well-armed men." + +"That is the best plan, doubtless," Wulf agreed. "My hawking suit +and some of the others would be useless to me at court, and it would +have been folly to have burdened ourselves with them if we are +likely to return hither shortly." + +"Where shall we stop to-night?" Osgod asked. + +"At the monastery of the Grey Friars, where we put up on our way +from London. It will not be a long ride, but we started late. +To-morrow we shall of course make a long day's journey to Guildford. +I don't know what travellers would do were it not for the priories." + +"Sleep in the woods, Wulf, and be none the worse for it. For myself, +I would rather lie on the sward with a blazing fire and the greenwood +overhead, than sleep on the cold stones in a monk's kitchen, +especially if it happened to be a fast-day and one had gone to rest +on a well-nigh empty stomach." + +"It is never so bad as that," Wulf laughed; "as a rule, however +much the monks may fast, they entertain their guests well." + +"If it is an English monastery they do," Osgod admitted, "but not +where there is a Norman prior, with his new-fangled notions, and +his vigils and fasts and flagellations. If I ever become a monk, +which I trust is not likely, I will take care to enter a Saxon +house, where a man may laugh without its being held to be a deadly +sin, and can sleep honestly without being wakened up half a dozen +times by the chapel bell." + +"You would assuredly make but a bad monk, Osgod, and come what will +I do not think you will ever take to that vocation. But let us urge +on our horses to a better pace, or the kitchen will be closed, and +there will be but a poor chance of supper when we reach the priory." + +"Well, Osgod," Wulf asked the next morning as they rode on their +way, "how did you fare last night?" + +"Well enough as to the eating, there was a haunch of cold venison +that a king needn't have grumbled at, but truly my bones ache now +with the hardness of my couch. Couch! there was but the barest +handful of rushes on the cold stone floor, and I woke a score of +times feeling as if my bones were coming through the skin." + +"You have been spoilt, Osgod, by a year of sleeping softly. I marked +more than once how thickly the rushes were strewn in that corner +in which you always slept. How will it be when you have to stand +the hardships of a soldier's life?" + +"I can sleep well on the ground with my cloak round me," Osgod said +steadily, "and if the place be hard you have but to take up a sod +under your hip-bone and another under your shoulder, and you need +not envy one who sleeps on a straw bed. As to cold and wet, I have +never tried sleeping out of doors, but I doubt not that I can stand +it as well as another. As to eating and drinking, they say that +Earl Harold always looks closely after his men, and holds that if +soldiers are to fight well they must be fed well. At any rate, +Master Wulf, I shall be better off than you will, for I have never +been accustomed, as you have, to such luxuries as a straw bed; and +I doubt whether you ever went hungry to bed as I have done many and +many a time, for in the days when my father hoped to make an armourer +of me I was sent off supperless whenever I bungled a job or neglected +his instructions. I wonder what the earl can want you for in such +haste?" + +"I do not suppose he wants me in any haste at all. He may have +spoken to the king about me, and when Edward again spoke of my +returning he would simply send for me to come at once." + +Such indeed proved to be the case. When he waited on Harold as soon +as he arrived the latter held out his hand; "I am glad to see you +back again, Wulf. A year of country air and exercise has done wonders +for you, and though you are not as tall as you might be, you have +truly widened out into fair proportions, and should be able to swing +a battle-axe of full weight. Thinking it was time for you to return +here, I spoke to the king, who was in high good-humour, for he had +been mightily pleased that morning at some of the figures the monks +have wrought in stone for the adornment of his Church of St. Peter; +therefore he not only consented to your return, but chided me gently +for not having called you up to town before. 'The matter had +altogether slipped my mind,' he said; 'I told you that he might +return directly it was shown that it was the bishop's page who was +in fault, and from that day I have never thought of it.' + +"I told the king that I had purposely kept silence, for I thought +the day had come when you should learn your duties down there instead +of dawdling away your time at court. You need not put on a page's +attire any more. You will remain here as my ward, and I have had +so good an account from the good prior of Bramber that in a short +time I shall be able to receive your oath as Thane of Steyning. You +will attend me to court this evening as one of my gentlemen, and I +will then present you to the king, whom it is well that you should +thank for having pardoned you. I hear from the prior that the varlet +you took down with you has grown into a big man, and is well-nigh +as tall as I am already. He must have lodging with my followers +while you are here." + +Finding that he was to remain for the present at Westminster, Wulf +sent off a messenger at once to request Egbert to forward the rest +of his clothes immediately. That evening the earl took him into a +chamber, where the king was seated surrounded by a few of his +favourites. + +"This is Wulf of Steyning, my lord king," Harold said, "the youth +who was unfortunate enough to incur your royal displeasure a year +since, and who has upon your order returned from his estates. I +have had excellent accounts of him from my good friend the prior +of Bramber, who speaks well alike of his love of study and his +attention to the affairs of his estate. I have also heard from other +hands of his progress in military exercises, and that he bids fair +to become a valiant and skilful soldier of your majesty. He has +prayed me to express his thanks to your majesty for having pardoned +him, and having authorized me to enrol him again in the ranks of +my followers here." + +The king nodded pleasantly in answer to the deep bow that Wulf made. +"I was somewhat hasty in your matter," he said graciously, "and +dealt out somewhat hard measure to you, but doubtless, as Earl +Harold said, your stay in the country has been for your good, and +I am glad to hear that the worthy prior of Bramber speaks so well +of you." + +The earl gave a little nod to Wulf, and the latter, gathering that +his case was concluded, and that he could now go at once, retired +with another deep obeisance. + +Leaving the palace he made his way to the armourer's, whither he +had sent Osgod as soon as they arrived. The smith doffed his cap +as he entered. "I am right glad to see you back again, young master. +My son gave me a rare surprise, for truly when he walked in I did +not know him again, not having had him in my thoughts or having +heard of his arrival. The varlet saw that I did not know him, and +said, 'Canst mend me a broken dagger, master armourer?' + +"'That can I,' I answered, and would have said more, when a laugh +came from his great mouth that well-nigh shook the house, and I +knew that it was my son, though the note was deeper than his used +to be, and was, as I told him, more like the bellow of a bull than +the laugh of a young fellow of eighteen. His mother looked in from +behind the shop and said, 'Surely that must have been Osgod's laugh.' +'It was,' I said, 'and there he stands before you. The impudent +rascal has topped me by over half a head, though I am a fair height +myself.' Then she carried him away, and I saw no more of him until +I had finished my work. Since supper he has been telling me somewhat +of what he has been doing down with you, which, as far as I can +learn, amounts to nothing, save the exercising of his arms and the +devouring of victuals." + +"He did all there was to do, Ulred, except that he could not bring +that long body and those loose arms of his to offer me cup or platter +without risk to my garments, and even Egbert was forced to agree +that he should never be able to make a courtly servant of him; but +save in that matter Osgod has got on right well. He has always been +ready when I wanted him, and prepared at once to start with me +either on foot or horseback whenever I wished to go out. He is +growing into a mighty man-at-arms, and well-nigh broke the skull +as well as the casque of the captain and teacher of my house carls. +Another two years, if he goes on as he has done and we go into +battle again, no thane in the land will have a stouter body-guard." + +"Are you going to stay in London, Master Wulf?" + +"Yes; that is, while the earl is here. When he is away hunting or +attending to the affairs of the state I suppose I shall go with +him. Osgod of course will go with me. While here I shall have but +little use for his services, and he can be at home most part of the +day." + +"Then I trust you will soon be off," the smith said bluntly, "for +to have a youth six feet and a hand in height hanging about doing +nothing would set all the men thinking it well that they too should +be idle. Osgod was always ready enough for a talk, though I do not +say he could not work when it was necessary, but now that he is in +your worship's service and under no orders of mine, his tongue will +never cease wagging." + +"Oh, I am ready to work a bit, father. I know how long it took me +to hammer out a bar before, and I shall be curious to find out in +what time I can do it now." + +"I doubt you will spoil more than you make, Osgod. Still, I too +shall be curious to see how many strokes you can give with the big +hammer, and how quickly you can beat a bar into a blade." + +The stay in town was, however, of short duration, for four days +later the earl told him that he was going down to his house at +Bosham, and that he was to accompany him. + +"'Tis three months since I was away from London," he said. "The +king is going down into Hereford to hunt, and I am therefore free +for a while, as there are no matters of state that press at present, +though I fear that ere very long the Welsh will be up again. I hear +that their King Griffith, not content with the beating he had a +short time since, is again preparing for war. Still it may be some +time before the storm bursts, and I am longing to be down again +among the green woods or afloat on the water." + +Harold took with him a large party of personal friends, his brother +Wulfnoth, and his nephew Hakon. Among the party was Beorn, a young +thane, who also was a ward of the earl. He was two years older +than Wulf, but there had been a close friendship between them at +Edward's court. Shortly after Wulf's departure Beorn had also been +sent by the earl to his estates in Hampshire, and had been recalled +at the same time. + +Beorn was far less strong and active than Wulf, having been very +weakly during the early years of his life, nor had he had the same +advantages of education, as he only became Harold's ward a year +after Wulf was installed as a page at Westminster. He was a youth +of good and generous disposition, and looked with feelings of +admiration upon the strength and skill in arms of the younger lad, +and especially at his power of reading. + +"I can never be like you there, Wulf," he would say, "but I hope I +may some day grow as strong as you and as skilful in arms." + +Beorn's stay in the country had done much for him, his thin tall +frame had filled out and there was a healthy colour on his cheek. +He had practised diligently at military exercises, and although he +found when, on the first day after Wulf's arrival in London, he +challenged him to a trial in arms, he was still very greatly his +inferior in skill and strength, he bade fair to become a gallant +fighter. + +"It is a disappointment to me, Wulf," he said as he picked up the +battle-axe that had been struck from his hand and sent flying across +the hall by a sweeping blow of Wulf's weapon. "I have really worked +very hard, and I did think that I ought to have caught you up, +seeing that I am two years the elder. But you have gained more than +I have. I did as well as the other youths who were taught with me +by the house-carl Harold sent down with me, but I am sure I shall +never be as quick or hit as strongly as you do." + +"Oh yes, you will, Beorn. Age is nothing. You see you were sick and +ailing till you were fifteen years old, so those years counted for +nothing, and instead of being two years older than I am you are +many years younger. In another four or five years you will come to +your full strength, and will be able to strike a far heavier blow +than I can now; although I do not say heavier than I may be able +to do then, as you are neither so wide nor so deep chested as I am. +But what does it matter, one only fights sometimes. You have other +advantages, you are gentler in speech and manner and have a handsome +face. When we were pages together the bower-maidens of the queen +always made much of you, while they called me impudent, and would +give me many a slap on the cheek." + +"Well, you deserved it richly, Wulf, for you were always playing +tricks upon them--hiding their distaffs or tangling their thread, +and giving them pert answers when they wanted you to do their +errands. Well, I hope we shall be always great friends, Wulf. Your +estates lie not far from mine, and though we can scarce be called +neighbours we shall be within a day's ride of each other, and I +trust that we shall fight together under the good earl, and often +spend our time at each other's houses, and hunt and feast together." + +"I hope we shall be much together, Beorn," Wulf said warmly, "and +that we shall be sworn friends; but as for feasting, I care but +little for it. We Saxon thanes are too fond both of food and wine-cup, +and though I am no monk I would that our customs could be altered. +I hate foreigners, but their ways are in many respects better than +ours. The Normans, it is true, may not be much better than we are, +but then they are but Northmen a little civilized; but I have heard +the earl say that the French, and still more the Italians, are +vastly ahead of us in all arts, and bear themselves with a courtesy +and gentleness to each other that puts to shame our rough manners." + +"We should be neither happier nor better that I can see, Wulf, did +we adopt the manners of these Italians you speak of instead of our +own." + +"Perhaps not, Beorn, but we should be able to make the people happier +and better if we could raise them." + +"I will not even grant that, Wulf. Think you that the smith and the +shepherd, the bowmaker and the weaver, would be any the happier +could they read or even write than they are as they sing Saxon songs +over their work? I should like to be able to read, because Harold +thinks much of it, but except for that I see not that it would do +me much good. If the king makes me any further grant of land it +will be doubtless properly made out, and I can get a clerk or a +monk to read it to me. My steward will keep the tallies of the +tenants' payments. I can learn the history of our forefathers as +well from the songs and tales of the gleemen as from books." + +"You are as bad as my man Osgod," Wulf said indignantly. + +"Well, you need not get hot about it, good Wulf," Beorn laughed. +"When you come to see me I will have gleemen to sing the deeds of +our fathers to you. When I come to you I will sit as mum as a mouse +while you read to me from some monk's missal. I will force you +neither to eat nor to drink more than it pleases you, and you shall +give me as much to eat and drink as it pleases me, then we shall +be both well satisfied. As for your man Osgod, I wish I had such +a fellow. He will be well-nigh a giant one of these days, and in +strength may come to rival the earl, who is said to be the strongest +man on English soil." + +"He is a good fellow, Beorn, and I could wish for no better to hold +a shield over me in the day of battle or to stand back to back with +me in a hand-to-hand fight." + +"You should get him to stand in front of you," Beorn laughed. "He +would be a rare screen against arrows and javelins." + +The friends were well pleased when they heard they were both to +accompany Harold to Bosham, which was one of the favourite abodes +of the Earls of Wessex. It had originally been built as a hunting-seat, +but Godwin had grown to love the place, with its woods extending +for miles back and its quiet landlocked harbour, and additions had +been made until it had grown to be, in point of size at least, a +residence worthy of the great earls, and Harold preferred it to any +of the many mansions belonging to him. It was a large and gay party +that rode down the road through the quiet woods of Surrey and Sussex. +They put up each night at the houses of thanes, where, as notice +had been sent of their coming, they were royally entertained, and +those selected were proud to afford hospitality to the earl. + +For a week they stayed at Bosham, hunting in the forests, going off +in parties under the guidance of the foresters, some who cared not +for hard labour, hunting in the woods between Bosham and the hills, +while others went far inland into the weald, which was for the most +part covered by a great forest, with but a few scattered hamlets +here and there. Smoke rising among the trees showed where the +charcoal-burners were at work, or where the furnaces were glowing, +converting the ore into the tough iron that furnished arms and +armour for the greater portion of the men of the south. At the end +of the week the earl announced to his guests that he had provided +a new diversion for them. + +"You see those three ships in the harbour," he said. "They were +brought here last night, and three hundred men have been at work +all day preparing them for our reception. I propose that we all +embark with our dogs and servants, and sail along the coast, landing +where we please and taking our sport. As we sail eastward there +are abundant forests, and the game is far more plentiful than here, +and our trip will partake of the character of an adventure in thus +dropping upon unknown places. Tents have been stored on board the +vessels, with abundance of good cheer of all kinds, so that we can +establish ourselves where we will, and sleep on shore instead of +rocking uneasily on the waves." + +The proposal was received with acclamation, and the following morning +the whole party embarked upon the three ships. The largest was +occupied by Harold himself, his brother and nephew, and six or seven +of his principal thanes. In this craft too went Wulf and Beorn with +their men. On issuing from the harbour the ships' heads were turned +to the east. The wind was light and fitful, the sails therefore +were not loosed, and they proceeded under oars. There was but little +tide until they reached the extremity of the long point of Selsea, +past which they were hurried at great speed by the rapid current. +Rowing closer inshore they got into quieter water, and continued +their way until tide turned, when they anchored, and landing with +their dogs hunted in the woods for some hours. + +On their return to the sea-shore they found the tents erected and +supper prepared, and the sport having been good they remained another +day. The tide took them the next day past the shore of Wulf's estate, +and he begged the earl to land there and to pass a day or two with +his company at Steyning; but all were bent upon the chase, and they +kept on until they reached the point where the white cliffs began +to rise from the edge of the water. Here they landed again, and +spent two or three days in hunting. Neither Wulf nor Beorn had been +to sea before, and the quiet motion of the ships with their bellying +sails and banks of sturdy oarsmen delighted them. There had been +scarcely any motion, and neither had felt the qualms which they had +been warned were generally experienced for a while by those who +went upon the sea for the first time. + +When the journey was resumed Wulf was struck with surprise and +almost awe by the mighty cliffs that rose up from the water's edge. +Neither he nor Beorn had seen anything like this, for although both +their estates bordered the sea, the shores were flat, and vessels, +if needs be, could be hauled up on shore. + +"What would happen if a gale were to burst upon us here?" Wulf said +to his companion. "If the waves were to dash us against those white +rocks the ships would be broken up like egg-shells." + +"Your question is answered," Beorn said, as a bay suddenly opened +to their sight. "You see we are going in here, and shall anchor +snugly somewhere up this river in front of us, which is truly the +best haven we have seen since we left Bosham." Half an hour later +the vessels were moored to the bank, close to a wooden bridge which +spanned the little river. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +A STORM. + +After hunting for two days in the forests lying behind Newhaven, +and in the valley in which Lewes lies, they again embarked. The +master of Harold's ship had expressed some doubts as to the weather, +but as he stated that it was but some eight miles round the great +cliff that they saw to the east, and that beyond this the rocks +ceased and there was a bay in which they could ride at anchor, or +if necessary beach their vessels, it was determined to proceed, as +Harold had the day before been visited by a thane whose house lay +but two miles from the shore, and had accepted his invitation for +the party to take up their abode there for a few days, as he promised +them good sport in the forest. The cliffs rose higher as they +proceeded. They kept closer inshore, and although they could see +that the clouds were flying rapidly overhead they felt no breeze +whatever, being protected from the wind by the lofty cliffs. The +master was evidently uneasy, for he urged the rowers to exert +themselves to the utmost. Wulf and Beorn stood looking with amazement +at the cliffs towering up beside them. + +"Is it not strange that they should rise like this--like a wall +from the water?" Wulf said. "Had they been built up by human hands +they could scarcely have been more erect and regular. I have never +seen anything at all like it on land." + +"Then it must be something formed by the sea, Wulf. Do you see those +caverns at the foot of the cliff, and in some places you see there +is a mound of rocks as if newly formed? It may be that this white +stone is soft, and that the sea beating against the foot wears it +away in time, and then the rock overhead gives way by its weight +and so leaves an upright wall. Perhaps, long back, these hills were +like other hills, sloping gradually down into the sea; but in time, +perhaps many, many years before the Romans landed here, the sea +began to eat them away, and has continued to do so ever since, until +they are as we see them." + +"That may be so, Beorn. My father has told me that he could remember +when our estates stretched a good half-mile farther seaward, but +had since been eaten away by the waves, and he says that his father +had told him the same thing; therefore, as you say, in many hundreds +of years even hills, if the stone were soft, might also be worn +away. There we are rounding the point, and beyond there are no more +cliffs; doubtless it is in this bay that the Shipmaster Edred thinks +to anchor." + +At that moment their conversation was cut short by a tremendous +gust of wind rushing down the sloping hill into the bay striking +them with such terrible force that the ship heeled over until the +water rushed above the bulwark. The men were thrown against each +other, and several fell down to leeward. The confusion was heightened +by the fact that the great sail, which was but loosely furled to +its yard, burst the ropes, and the wind catching it buried the craft +still further, and she would have filled and sunk had not the +ship-master seized the tiller, and aided by the two sailors there +pushed it up, and so the boat's head payed off from the wind and +ran before it. + +The master shouted to the men to lower the sail, which was bellying +and flapping violently, but before his orders could be obeyed there +was a crash. The mast snapped off at the slings of the yard, and +the wreck fell over the bow of the boat. All hands were employed +for some minutes in getting the sail on board and furling it to its +yard, which was laid lengthways along the thwarts. It was found +that three men standing in the bows had been killed, and several +others badly hurt. The vessel was by this time some distance from +shore. Nothing could be done until she was freed of the water, with +which she was nigh half-full, and all hands were employed in bailing +it out. + +The squall had increased rather than lessened in fury, and by the +time the water was cleared out they were two miles from the headland. +Orders were then given to man the oars again but it was found that +several of these had been lost, having been washed away when the +men leapt up, believing that the boat would capsize, or had slipped +from the rowlocks unnoticed while they were engaged in getting in +the sail. This was a serious misfortune, for every oar was needed +to force her through the water in the teeth of the wind, which was +blowing directly off shore. The remaining oars were all double-banked, +Harold himself and his thanes taking their places among the rowers. + +For an hour they laboured their hardest, but at the end of that +time they were farther from shore than when they began, the force +of the wind acting on the poop and broad hull driving her seaward +faster than the rowers could force her shoreward. The sea, too, +was now getting up, and the motion of the vessel rendered it +increasingly difficult to row. Edred left his place at the tiller +and went forward to Harold. + +"My lord," he said, "it is useless. In spite of your efforts we are +drifting farther and farther out, and from the look of the sky I +fear that we are going to have a great gale, and there is nothing +to do but to set a little sail and to run before it. Maybe there +will presently be a shift of wind, which may enable us to make for +shore. At present you are but exhausting yourselves in vain, and +the sea will soon get up so much that it will be impossible to use +the oars." + +"So be it," Harold replied; and at the master's orders the oars +were laid in, and the men prepared to get sail upon her. A sailor +climbed up the mast and fastened the stays close to the point which +was broken off. Then another joined him, and a block was lashed to +the mast just below the stays, and the halliards were rove through +it; then Edred brought out a small sail, and this was hoisted, and +the vessel, which had before been rolling heavily, began to glide +swiftly through the water. They had had the satisfaction of seeing +that their consorts, although like themselves nearly capsized by +the squall, had suffered no damage, but after lowering their sails +and yards to the deck, had succeeded in rowing into the bay, their +lighter hull and draught enabling the oars to drive them through +the water in the teeth of the wind. + +"She is going along finely now," Wulf said. + +"Yes," Beorn agreed; "but before night there is like to be a sea +that will try her." + +Harold held a consultation with the master, and presently all the +men were called to work. The great sail was unrolled from its yard +and a portion cut off, somewhat wider than the beam of the boat, +and in length reaching from the bow to the mast. Nails and hammers +were brought up from the little cabin, and the canvas was stretched +from bulwark to bulwark and strongly nailed to the wood on either +side, oars being first lashed across at short intervals to support +it. + +"I suppose that is for us to lie under, Master Wulf?" Osgod said. +"It is a pity it was not erected before, for there is not a man on +board who is not drenched to the skin." + +"It is not put there to keep you dry, Osgod, but to keep the waves +from coming into the ship. But she goes over them well. The wind +is getting up, Osgod, and we shall have a great sea presently." + +"Then why don't we turn and sail back again? It seems to me to be +folly to be running away from the land if such is going to be the +weather." + +"How can we sail back again? Do you not see that it is the wind +that is blowing us off, and the vessel must go as the wind takes +her. One can go a little this way or that, but no man ever yet +sailed in the teeth of the wind." + +"This is the first time I have ever been to sea," Osgod said, "and +I trust it will be the last. The tossing of the ship makes me +strangely giddy, and many of the servants are downright ill with +it. Why men should go on the water when they can walk upon the land +is more than I can say. I think I will go and lie down under the +shelter of the sail, for indeed I feel as if I were about to die." + +Wulf himself was feeling strangely uncomfortable. As long as they +had been at work he had not felt unwell, for the necessity of holding +on to the bulwarks or ropes, and the excitement of their strange +position, had saved him from experiencing many qualms; but both he +and Beorn were soon glad to follow Osgod's example, and to lie down +on the boards under the rowers' benches. Fiercer and fiercer blew +the wind, more and more violent became the motion of the ship; +masses of water fell on the canvas forward, as she plunged into the +waves, and would have soon beaten it in had it not been for the +support of the oars. By evening most of the men were lying under +the shelter, while Harold's brother and friends had retired to the +little cabin in the stern. The earl himself remained by the side +of the ship-master, who had taken his place close to the tiller, +which was worked by four men. + +"Think you that she will weather it, Edred?" + +"I have little fear about that, my lord. She is a staunch boat, and +I have been aboard her in seas as heavy as this. Besides, that +thought of yours of stretching the canvas across her bow has greatly +improved her chances. The water runs off as fast as it falls on it, +and none comes on board. Had it not been for this every man would +have had to bail all night. No, I have no fear of her weathering +the gale. What I am afraid of is, that if this wind continues to +blow we shall assuredly be lost on the coast of Normandy." + +"That would be an ill fortune, indeed, for I know that the Normans +count all that are cast on their shores as lawful prey; and even +if we reach the land in safety and escape murder at the hands of +the lord of the soil and his people, I may fall into the hands of +Duke William, who is assuredly no friend of mine, seeing that I +stand in the way of his designs upon the throne of England. Truly +it was an evil moment when the thought of taking to the sea occurred +to me, and I would give a broad slice of my earldom to be back at +Bosham." + +Hour by hour the waves increased in size and violence, and often +poured in over the sides. The number of men on board was too great +for all to work effectively. They therefore were divided into two +parties, one being engaged in bailing while the other lay under +cover, the change being made every hour. Wulf preferred working +to lying still, for as the craft rolled the water washed over them, +while the din of the waves striking the ship's side, and the cataracts +of spray falling on to the canvas above were deafening, and it was +impossible to get a moment's sleep. All were glad when morning +broke, although the scene that met their eyes was the reverse of +comforting. Small as was the amount of sail the vessel tore through +the water under the pressure of the following wind. Great waves +with white crests pursued her, and as they neared her stern it +seemed to Wulf that they must inevitably fall over and crush her. +The spray torn from the crest by the wind filled the air. The wind +shrieked in the cordage, and the vessel creaked and groaned as she +rolled from side to side. + +"I would not have believed if I had not seen it, that the sea could +be so violent and ill-behaved," Wulf shouted to Osgod, who was then +standing beside him. + +"If my clothes were but dry and my stomach full I would not mind +so much," Osgod replied; "but to be drenched in water all night and +to have nought to eat in the morning, takes the courage out of one +mightily. How long, think you, will this go on?" + +"That no one can say. It may last two or three days." + +"And no food all that time!" Osgod exclaimed in dismay. + +"We could stand that well enough, Osgod; but I do not think there +is much chance of our being called upon to do so, for I heard one +of the sailors say that unless the storm abates marvellously we are +likely to be cast upon the French coast before nightfall." + +"I should be glad to be cast anywhere so it were out of this. At +least, whether it be France or England, there must be food to be +had on shore." + +"You do not understand, Osgod. Unless we happen to be cast upon a +shelving coast with sand or gravel the craft may be dashed to pieces, +and all lose their lives; for assuredly none could swim long in +such a sea as this." + +"Well, we must hope that we shall find a shore such as you speak +of," Osgod said tranquilly; "but for my part, I am content to take +the risk rather than wait another three days before getting anything +to eat." + +"And I would rather fast for a week than run the risk of the ship +being broken up on the rocks," Wulf replied. "I can swim but little +even in calm water, and I am sure that I could do nothing among +those waves." + +"I can swim, and will look after you," Osgod said confidently. "I +used to swim every day in the Thames." + +Wulf shook his head. "I daresay you might look after me if I fell +into the Thames, Osgod, but it is a very different thing in a sea +like this. These waves would dash a swimmer hither and thither as +if he were but a chip of wood; besides, the spray would smother +him. Even at this height above the water it is difficult to breathe +when one turns round and faces the wind. I think that our only +hope lies in running upon a flat shore, where the waves will wash +the vessel up so high that we may be able to leap out from the bow +on to the land beyond the reach of their fury." + +Late in the afternoon one of the sailors on the poop astern shouted +out that land was visible, and it was not long before it could be +seen from the deck. All eyes were directed anxiously towards it. + +"It is a rocky coast," Edred said, "but the rocks are not high, and +if we can manage to direct the vessel between two of them we may +escape. At present it is needful that most of the crew should keep +in the stern, but when we are about to strike they must all run +suddenly forward, so as to leap out as soon as she touches the +ground. There will be but little time given to them, for assuredly +the seas will batter her to pieces the moment she falls among the +rocks." + +Harold issued the order. All were to remain at their posts until +he gave the word, and were then to run forward. The master scanned +the shore anxiously. + +"See you, my lord, that opening right ahead of us? It seems to me +barely the width of the ship, but if I can direct her truly between +the rocks methinks that most of the crew will gain the land. I shall +myself take the helm. That is my duty and my right, and should I +not succeed in making the shore, I shall at least die well contented +with the thought that you who are the hope of England will be saved." + +"I would fain stay with you, Edred." + +"That cannot be, my lord. As it is my duty to stay by the ship to +the last, so it is your first duty to save your life for England. +I need no aid, for the vessel steers well, and by the help of a +rope round the tiller I can manage her alone. Farewell, my lord, +if we are not to meet again on earth. A very few minutes will decide +our fate." + +"Swimming will be of no use there, Osgod," Wulf said. "Look how +the spray dashes itself against the black rocks." + +"I thought not that it would be so bad," Osgod replied. "I wonder +the master does not cast anchor." + +"The ropes would not hold for a moment," Wulf said, "and when they +broke we might drift broadside on to the rocks, which would mean +destruction for all. The master is steering for that narrow opening +between these two great rocks ahead. It will be but two or three +minutes now before our fate is decided." + +At this moment Harold shouted: + +"Let each man make his peace with God." And baring his head he stood +silently for a minute or two, imitated by all on board. Then Harold +again raised his voice in a shout that was heard above the storm: + +"Move forward now all of you, but not further forward than the mast; +for if her head were too far down the master could not hold her +straight. Moreover, the mast will assuredly fall forward and crush +those in front of it. Therefore, let no man go forward of it until +the ship strikes." + +The sailors had already cut away the canvas stretched across the +bow, and all on board clustered just aft the mast. Wulf looked back, +and saw the master standing alone on the poop, with his eyes fixed +in front of him and a look of grim resolve on his face. Then he +turned again to look ahead. The scene was terrible. On either side +extended a long line of white foam. Great masses of water were +hurled against the rocks with a thundering crash, and the spray +flew high up into the air, and then, caught by the wind, was carried +far inland. The rocks were now but a few lengths ahead, and the +passage between them looked terribly narrow, so narrow that he +doubted if the ship could possibly pass through them. Not a word +was spoken on board as the ship neared the opening. Now she swerved +a little to one side, now a little to the other, as the waves lifted +her stern and swept her along, but the hand of the master checked +her immediately, and brought her head back to the line. + +She was but a length away from the passage when there was a crash +that shook her from stem to stern; then another great wave lifted +her, and Wulf saw a black wall of rock gleaming with the water that +streamed down it. The wall of rock flashed past the bulwarks so +closely that he could have touched it. A moment later the ship struck +again, this time with a force that threw many off their feet, while +the mast fell over the bow. Then once more she lifted, shot a few +feet further, then struck with tremendous force and remained +stationary. + +There was a grinding and splintering of planks, as the men rushed +forward, and then a wave swept over the vessel, carrying all on +deck before it into the cove beyond the rock, rolling them over and +over up a sandy shore behind. Some managed to dig their hands and +feet into the sand and to scramble out; more were sucked back again +by the receding waters. As Wulf found himself in the water he felt +his arm clutched, and Osgod shouted in his ear: "Do not struggle, +I can keep you up!" + +When thrown up on the sand Wulf tried in vain to resist the backward +rush of the water; he and Osgod were borne out again. When the next +wave again swept them up Wulf saw the earl standing knee-deep in +the water, and as he was swept past, Harold seized him and Osgod, +and with tremendous strength lifted them right out of the water. +"Keep still!" he shouted; "your weight will help me to keep my +feet." Wulf felt his supporter quiver as the water rushed out, for +he was waist-deep now; but directly afterwards he set them both +down on their feet, saying, "Run before the next wave comes." Ten +yards farther and they were beyond the reach of the sea. Harold +was with them, and directed those who had got ashore to form lines, +taking hold of each other's hands, and so to advance far into the +surf and grasp their comrades as they were swept up. Many were saved +in this way, although some of the rescuers were badly hurt by +floating pieces of wreckage, for the vessel had entirely broken up +immediately after her course had been arrested. + +As soon as all who could be seen were brought ashore it was found +that ten men were missing, among whom was the master of the ship, +most of them having probably been struck by floating timbers. As +soon as it was certain that no more would come ashore alive Harold +called the men together. Rough litters were made of oars and pieces +of sail, for the conveyance of those who had broken limbs or were +too much injured to walk, and the party prepared for a start. By +this time several men, apparently of the fishing class, had approached, +but stood a short distance away, evidently waiting for the departure +of the party before beginning the work of collecting whatever the +sea might cast up. Harold went over to them, and asked in the Norman +tongue: + +"What shore is this, and how far is it to the nearest town where +we can obtain shelter and assistance?" + +"You are in Ponthieu, in the territories of Count Conrad. The town +of St. Valery is but two miles along the coast. There you can obtain +all you need." + +Returning to his men, Harold ordered the wounded to be raised, and +the party at once set out. Harold had already taken off his gold +chain and rings, and had told his companions to do the same, in +order that the cupidity of the natives might not be excited nor +their rank guessed at. As soon as they started Wulf went up to him. + +"My lord," he said, "I fear that you have already been recognized +by one of the fishermen. I saw him looking earnestly at you, and +then whisper to one of his companions. After doing so he hurried +away." + +"That is bad news, Wulf; but I could hardly expect that I should +be long unrecognized. There are many vessels come and go between +the northern ports and our own, and in St. Valery there must be +numbers of sailors and fishermen who have seen me in London. Besides, +we are sure to be questioned by the count as to our rank and +condition, and even could we conceal it for a while, the news is +certain to be brought ere long from England of our having been blown +off the coast, and when it was known it would be speedily guessed +that we were the missing party. Hark you, Wulf; I have never heard +aught good of Count Conrad, and one cannot say what steps he may +take to force us to pay a heavy ransom, but it is like enough that +he will do all he can to prevent the news of my being in his hands +from reaching the ears of the duke. It is likely that you and Beorn, +being but lads, will be watched less rigorously than the rest of +us. Should this be so, try, if you find an opportunity, to send the +news to the duke that we are all held prisoners here. I shall, of +course, endeavour to communicate with him, but some chance may occur +by which you can do so more readily than I can." + +"I will try to do so, my lord; but I trust this Norman count will +treat you with all due honour and courtesy." + +Wulf then fell back to Beorn's side, and half an hour later the +shipwrecked party entered the gates of St. Valery. The townspeople +flocked round them, and as soon as they learned that they were a +party of shipwrecked Saxons who had been blown by the gale from +England, they were led to the house of the officer in command of +the town. He asked them a few questions, saying, "I must refer the +matter to the count. By the usages of our land all who are cast +upon it become his prisoners, to be put to ransom or otherwise as +he may decide. However, food shall be supplied you at once, but +you must be content to remain under guard until his pleasure is +known." + +They were accordingly at once placed in a disused granary, under +the charge of a strong guard. Food was brought to them, and as soon +as they had consumed this, most of the men threw themselves on the +ground, worn out by their long exertions. + +"This is a sorry welcome, Wulf, after our escape from the sea," +Beorn said. "Truly the land seems as inhospitable as the ocean." + +"It is not pleasant, Beorn, but at present I feel so thankful for +my escape from those terrible waves that even the thought that we +are all prisoners to this petty noble does not greatly concern me. +Doubtless William of Normandy, who is the liege lord of the land, +will speedily take us out of his hands. Were we alone it may be +that we should suffer a long stay in his dungeons, but Harold and +his brother are far too important personages to be allowed to remain +in the hands of one of the duke's vassals." + +"It is shameful," Beorn said indignantly. "I do not say that those +who are cast on our shores may not be often pillaged and ill-treated +by the common folk, but surely none of gentle blood would fail to +show them kindness and hospitality." + +"That is so on our coast of Sussex, but I have heard that further +west, and certainly among the Danes of Northumbria, vessels cast +on the coast are considered as gifts from the sea, and even the +lives of those who gain the shore are not often respected. I regret +much that Harold should be with us. It is true that his being here +will doubtless shorten the term of our imprisonment, but it is +unfortunate that he should fall into the hands of William, who is +as famous for craft and subtlety as he is for bravery and skill as +a leader." + +"But what can he gain from Harold?" Beorn asked. "Our earl is +well-nigh as much known throughout Europe as William of Normandy, +and all Christendom would cry out with shame were he treated with +ought but courtesy by the duke." + +"I doubt not that he will treat him with courtesy, Beorn, but he +may well wring some concessions from him before he lets him depart. +He may bargain that the Normans may be again allowed to hold land +in England, and to build their castles, as they did before Godwin +and his sons returned from exile, and the Normans had to fly the +land, save those around the person of the king. He may beg so many +bishoprics for Norman priests. There is no saying what concessions +he may extort. Of all princes in Europe I had rather Harold had +fallen into the hands of any other than into those of William of +Normandy." + +"Truly I have never troubled my head about such matters, Wulf, and +thought that it would be time to do so when I became a thane, and +had a vote at the Witan." + +"I have heard much of them from the prior of Bramber, who is a true +Englishman, and though a priest, learned in all matters that appertain +to the history of times past and of our own; he impressed upon me +that just as a boy must practise arms if he is to bear them worthily +as a man, so he should study the story of our kings, and learn what +is passing, not only in our own country but in others, if he is +ever to raise his voice in council." + +Harold and his thanes sat apart discussing the position, their +conclusion being very similar to that arrived at by Wulf. Chivalry +had but slight influence as yet in the West of Europe. Kings and +princes cared little as to the means by which they attained an end. +Rivals to a throne were put out of the way without scruple; the +profession of arms was a business like any other, carried on for +gain; a captured foe was valued chiefly for the amount of ransom +that could be obtained for him; petty barons and powerful nobles +alike levied exactions on those who might fall into their hands, +unless previously provided with a safe-conduct. Years later, when +King Richard was made a prisoner on his return from the Holy Land, +it was only because of his great exploits for the recapture of the +Holy Sepulchre that any feeling of reprobation was excited against +his captors. Thus then, although Normandy was at peace with England, +it did not seem an unnatural thing to Harold and his companions +that the noble into whose hands they had fallen should demand a +heavy ransom, or that the Duke of Normandy himself should utilize +the opportunity for his advantage. + +On the following morning they heard a large body of horsemen ride +up. A minute later the governor accompanied by a Norman noble +entered. They were followed by a number of men-at-arms, among whom +was a fisherman. + +"Now, fellow," the count said to this man, "which is the Saxon +Harold?" + +"I am," Harold said, advancing a step before his companions. "I +am Harold, Earl of Wessex. I have with my companions been cast on +your shores. I expect honourable treatment, and am willing to pay +any reasonable ransom should you demand one." + +"We will talk of that afterwards," the count said roughly; "for the +present you go with me to my castle at Beaurain. But first do you +and your men hand over all valuables that you may possess; they are +forfeited to me, being cast up on my land." + +Without a word Harold produced his chain of office and other +ornaments, and dropped them into a helmet which a soldier at the +orders of the count held out for them. His companions did the same, +the thanes first and then the two lads. + +"That will do," the count said to the soldiers. "That is my share, +you can search the rest yourselves." + +"I protest against this robbery," Harold said haughtily, "and will +proclaim you in all the courts of Europe as one who is false to his +station, and who condescends to pillage those whom fortune has cast +on his shores." + +"You can wait until you get an opportunity to do so," the count +sneered; "it is not likely to come for some time. You can do as you +like to the others," he went on to the governor, "I want not to be +cumbered with them. You can doubtless find work for them on the +fortifications, but if you can put them to no use or they are +troublesome, cut their throats and throw them into the sea." + +The Saxons fingered their knives, but Harold said in their own +tongue, "Resistance would be folly, the time may come when we may +turn the tables on this fellow." The soldiers now closed round +Harold and the thanes and led them out of the house. Here they were +ordered to mount each behind a soldier, and as soon as they had +done so they rode out from St. Valery, and crossing the river Somme +at Abbeville, and the Authie by a ford near Crecy, reached the +fortress of Beaurain on the river Canche near the town of Hesdin +before nightfall. On the road Wulf watched anxiously for a chance +to escape, but none offered itself. Soldiers rode on both sides of +the captives, and had he slipped from the horse he could not have +hoped to make his escape across an open country. As soon as they +entered the fortress Harold and the thanes were all consigned to +dungeons, but the count, learning that the two lads had been Harold's +pages, said they should wait on himself. "And see," he said to them, +"that your service is good, if you do not wish to dangle over the +moat at the end of a rope." + +"It is a shame that such a man should be a nobleman," Beorn exclaimed +indignantly to Wulf, as he saw that the soldiers were placing chains +upon Harold before they led him away. + +"He is a hateful-looking villain," Wulf said. "It is but lately +that he revolted against William. I heard of it from the prior. His +brother, the last Count of Ponthieu, joined France in an invasion +of Normandy. He fell in an ambush at St. Aubin, and this man became +count. For a time he was held prisoner by the duke, but afterwards +he was freed, and received back his dominions as a vassal. His face +is at once cruel and base. I told you the instructions Harold gave +me, Beorn; the need for carrying them out has arrived, and I will +try to make my escape without loss of time from this fortress to +bear the tidings to the duke." + +"I will escape with you, Wulf; two can get on better than one." + +"That is so, Beorn, and I would gladly have you with me, but maybe +I shall be detected in attempting to escape and be slain, or I may +fall into the hands of peasants and be brought back here, and if +we were together all hope of letting the duke know of our lord's +captivity would be at an end. Therefore it were best that I made +the attempt first. If I fail, which is like enough, then do you in +turn try to get away and bear the news to the duke." + +Beorn did not like to stay behind, but he saw that Wulf's plan was +best, and accordingly fell in with it. + +"Will you go at once?" he asked. + +"No; I will stay for a day or two to lull suspicion. They may watch +us just at first, but if they see that we do as we are ordered with +good-will they will cease to regard us so narrowly; moreover, it +will be needful to know the place well before I devise a plan of +escape." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +ROUEN. + +For the next two days the lives of the two young Saxons were well-nigh +unbearable. At meals the count by turns abused and jeered at them, +and his companions, following his example, lost no opportunity of +insulting them in every way. + +"If this goes on, Wulf," Beorn said as they threw themselves down +on the ground late that night, when the carousal was ended, "I shall +snatch the count's dagger from his belt and bury it in his heart, +though they put me to death by torture afterwards." + +"I thought of doing so myself, Beorn, to-night, when he threw a cup +of wine over me. But I said to myself my life is not my own, Harold's +rescue depends on it. We are bound as his men to suffer in patience +whatever may befall us. In another hour I shall try to make my +escape. When it was your turn to wait this evening I stole away for +a time, and went to the shed where they keep the war-engines and +took thence a coil of rope, which I have hidden in the courtyard. +You know that we noticed last night where the sentries were placed, +and decided where I might best drop from the wall unobserved. +Fortunately the moat is dry at present, though they can turn water +into it from the stream at will, so that once down I shall have no +difficulty in getting away. Now I want you to go to sleep directly, +I shall not stir until you do so, then when you are questioned in +the morning you can say that I was by your side when you went to +sleep, and that when you woke in the morning the place was vacant. +You can say that I told you during the day that I could not suffer +these insults much longer, and that you suppose that after you had +gone to sleep I must have got up and either killed myself or in +some way made my escape." + +Beorn lay quiet for a time and then Wulf said suddenly, "I have +changed my mind, Beorn; we will go together. I feel it is likely +that in his wrath at my escape the count may slay you, and thus the +object with which you remained behind would come to nothing, therefore +it is best that you go with me." + +"I was thinking so myself, Wulf, though I would not say it; but in +truth I think the risks we may run in making our way to Rouen are +small compared to those of staying here." + +"We must lose no time, Beorn. The castle is quiet now, and we must +be many miles away from here before morning, for you may be sure +the count's horsemen will scour the country far and wide in pursuit +of us." + +They had that morning, before the count was up and their services +were required, wandered about the fortress, apparently paying no +attention to anything, but really closely observing the approaches +to the walls and the general features of the country outside. They +now stole out, keeping in the shadow of the building, until they +reached the staircase leading up to the battlements, close to the +point Wulf had fixed upon for making their descent. This had been +chosen chiefly because no sentry was placed on that part of the +wall, the watch generally being careless, as Normandy was at present +at peace with its neighbours. When they reached the top of the steps +they listened for a short time, but everything was silent. Then +they stepped out on to the narrow pathway along the battlements, +fastened one end of the rope round a piece of stonework and let the +other end drop down into the fosse. + +"Shall we both go down together, the rope is strong enough?" Beorn +asked. + +"It is strong enough, but we had better go separately, Beorn; we +are neither of us accustomed to climb ropes, and if the upper one +were to slip down too fast he might knock the other off the rope. +It makes no matter who goes first. I will if you like, only mind +if you hear a footstep approaching let yourself down at once whether +I am off the rope or not. Be sure and twist your legs tightly round +it, or it will run through your fingers." + +Taking hold of the rope he at once swung himself over, and without +much difficulty reached the bottom in safety. He had scarcely done +so when Beorn came down beside him with a rush. + +"What made you come down like that, you narrowly missed coming on +my head?" + +"I believe I have cut my fingers to the bone," Beorn groaned; "I +feel as if I were holding a bar of hot iron. You had scarcely started +before I heard voices; they were evidently those of men going their +rounds, so I caught hold of the rope and swung myself off, but +before I got my legs fairly round the rope I began to slip, and +though I gripped it as hard as I could I could not stop myself, but +slid down like lightning." + +"Hush!" Wulf whispered, "they are coming along above." The voices +came nearer until they sounded directly overhead Wulf knew that it +was very unlikely they would notice the rope in the dark, but he +felt much relieved as he heard them pass on. He waited until they +could no longer be heard. + +"Now, Beorn, we can safely be off." + +It was muddy at the bottom of the fosse, but not so deep as they +thought it would be, and they scrambled up the opposite side and +then struck across the country south. Presently they came upon a +road, which they followed, until after three hours' walking they +reached the Authie river, at a spot where the bank was broken down. + +"This must be a ford, we had best try to wade across. Anyhow there +cannot be very many yards to swim, and we can both manage that." + +They found that the bottom was pebbly, and that even in the middle +the water was not much above their waists. + +"That is something done, at any rate," Beorn said. "Now which way +shall we go? This road we are on seems to lead south and we cannot +do better than follow it, the stars give us light enough, now that +our eyes are accustomed to the darkness." + +"Yes, we can keep this road, which is no doubt that by which we +travelled before, as far as the village which I heard them call +Noyelle, then we shall have to strike off to the left, for that +place was not far from Abbeville, and shall have to follow the Somme +up some distance, unless we can find means of crossing it." + +"I should think we had better leave the road before we get to the +village, so as to be well away from it. If any peasant were going +to work early and caught sight of us he would be sure to mention +it to any horseman who might come along searching for us. I noticed +that there were several woods on our right as we rode along." + +"That would be the safest way, no doubt," Wulf agreed. "Fortunately +we can do without food for to-morrow"--for both had managed to get +some supper after they had finished in the hall,--"and having made +up my mind to escape to-night I hid away a large piece of bread +under my smock. We can manage very well on that." + +Accordingly after an hour's walking they left the road and bore to +the south-west. But little of the land was cultivated, and they +were fortunate in not coming upon any woodland until light began +to break in the sky. Then they made their way to the nearest wood, +went in for some distance and then threw themselves down, and in a +few minutes were fast asleep. Accustomed to judge time by the +position of the sun, they saw when they awoke that it was already +past noon, and after eating a few mouthfuls of bread they continued +their journey. For the most part their course lay among woods, and +they did not venture across an open piece of country until after a +careful examination to see that no one was in sight. + +Shortly after starting they caught sight of a village in the distance, +which they afterwards learned was St. Riguier, but with these +exceptions saw no human habitation. Late in the afternoon they came +down on the bank of the Somme. This was thickly covered with long +reeds and rushes, and among these they sat down and ate the rest +of their bread, confident that however vigilant the search they +would not be traced. + +"This is a very different matter to the last crossing," Beorn said. +"This is a wide river, and I fear that I could not swim across it." + +"Nor should I like to try. But fortunately there is no occasion for +us to trust to swimming; for we can pull up or break off a number +of these great rushes and make them into two bunches; these will +give us ample support for our passage." + +"So they will, Wulf; I should never have thought of that." + +Two large bundles were soon made, the reeds being tied together by +a tough climber that wreathed itself everywhere among them, and as +soon as it was quite dark they went down to the water's edge, and +found to their satisfaction that the reeds possessed ample buoyancy +for their purpose. Wading in they started swimming, resting their +chests on the reeds and striking out with their legs, and in a few +minutes were on the southern bank of the river. + +"Now we must make to the east of south," Wulf said. "I should say +if we walk steadily all night we shall be beyond the territory of +this vile count. I hope before long we shall strike on some road +leading in the right direction, for if we get among the woods again +we shall be able to make no progress. But any road we may come upon +going at all in the right direction is likely to lead to Rouen." + +"How far is it, do you think?" + +"I have a very vague idea. The prior had a map of Normandy, and on +this he pointed out to me how the duchy had grown since William +came as a boy to be its duke. I can remember the general position +of the town, but not more than that. I should think from the Somme +to Rouen must be over seventy miles and less than a hundred, but +more closely than that I cannot guess." + +They came upon no road before morning, but as the country was open +they made good progress, and when they lay down in a thicket as the +day was breaking they calculated that they must be nearly thirty +miles south of the Somme. + +"I feel that I want sleep," Beorn said, "but still more that I want +food. If it is another sixty miles to Rouen I know not how we are +going to travel the distance fasting." + +"No, we must get some food to morrow or rather to day, Beorn. We +have nothing of any value to offer for it. They searched us too +closely for anything to escape them. We dare not go into any town +or village until we are quite sure that we are beyond the count's +territories, but we might enter some solitary hut and pray for a +piece of bread for charity, or we can walk all day, by which time +we shall surely be well beyond the Count of Ponthieu's territory, +and could boldly go into a town. If we are seized, we can demand +to be sent to Rouen, saying we are bearers of an important message +to Duke William, and even if they do not send us straight on, they +would hardly keep us without food." + +After sleeping for four or five hours they again started, and after +walking some miles came upon a herdsman's cottage The man was out, +and his wife looked with surprise at the two lads, whose garments, +though stained by sea water and travel, were evidently those of +youths of a class above the common. Beorn addressed her in her own +language, and told her that they were wayfarers who had lost their +road and were grievously in need of food. She at once invited them +to come in, and set before them some black bread and some cheese +made from goats' milk. They learned to their satisfaction that they +had long passed the limits of Ponthieu, and that Rouen was distant +about fifty miles. + +"The road from Amiens lies five miles to the east," she said; "but +it would be shorter for you to keep due south, for it inclines in +that direction. You will strike it after seven miles' walking, and +after that you cannot miss your way." + +After warmly thanking the woman for her hospitality the lads again +started, feeling greatly strengthened and refreshed by their meal; +but want of sleep told upon them, and when they got within sight +of the road they again lay down, and slept until the sun was setting. +Resuming their journey they followed the road, and before morning +crossed over a range of hills, and presently arrived at a small +hamlet close to which was a monastery. Towards this they directed +their steps, and seating themselves on the ground near the door, +waited until it was unbarred. + +"You are early wayfarers, my sons," the monk who opened the gates +said as they went up, "and you seem to have travelled far." + +"That have we, father, and are sorely in need of food." + +The hospitality of the monasteries was unbounded, and the monk at +once led them into the kitchen, where bread, meat, and wine were +placed before them. + +"Truly you were hungry," the monk said smilingly as he watched their +onslaught upon the joint. + +"We were well-nigh starving, father. For two days we have had nought +to eat save a crust of bread we had brought with us, and some that +a shepherd's wife bestowed upon us out of charity, and we have +walked from near Hesdin." + +"I do not ask out of curiosity, my sons," the monk said after a +pause, "and you know it is not our custom to question wayfarers who +come in to ask our hospitality; but it is strange to see two youths, +who by their dress and manner seem to belong to a superior station, +in so pitiable a state as you are, and wandering alone, as it would +seem, penniless through the country. I ask not your confidence, but +if you chose to give it maybe we might aid or advise you. Our prior +is a kindly man and very gentle with the faults of others." + +"We are Saxons, father. We were wrecked four days since near St. +Valery, and are now bound on an errand of high importance to Duke +William, to whom it is urgent we should arrive as soon as possible. +We have run sore peril on the way, and have been stripped of our +money and valuables." + +"Is your mission of importance to the duke as well as to yourselves?" +the monk asked gravely. + +"It is of great importance to him. I am sure that he would consider +that any one who assisted us on our way had done him good service." + +The monk look earnestly at them. "I will speak to the prior," he +said. He returned in a few minutes and bade them follow him. + +The prior was a tall, gentle old man. "I have heard your story from +brother Gregory," he said, "and I wished to see you that I might +judge for myself whether so strange a tale, as that two shipwrecked +boys should have important business with our duke, could be believed, +before I did aught to help you forward. You look to me honest of +purpose and of gentle blood, and not, I am sure, belonging to the +class of wayfarer who will trump up any story for the purpose of +gaining alms. Whether your errand with the duke is of the importance +you deem it I cannot say, but if you give me your word that you +consider it an urgent matter, I will aid you to proceed at once." + +"We do indeed consider it most urgent, father, and we are sure that +the duke will so regard it. We should not have walked well-nigh a +hundred miles in two days and nights, and that almost without food, +had we not deemed it so." + +"Brother Gregory," the prior said, "bid lay-brother Philip at once +prepare three palfreys, and tell him he is to ride himself with +these two Saxon youths to Rouen. The distance is thirty miles," he +went on as the monk left the room. "It is not yet six o'clock, and +though our palfreys are not accustomed to travel at rapid speed, +you will be there this afternoon in time to have audience with the +duke." + +The lads returned their warm thanks to the prior. "We would gladly +tell you the purport of our mission," Beorn said, "but we are only +the bearers of news, and the duke might be displeased did he know +that we had confided to any before it reached his own ear." + +"I wish not to learn it, my son. It is sufficient for me that you +have a mission to our duke, and that I am possibly furthering his +interest by aiding you to reach him. But, in sooth, I am more moved +by the desire to aid two stranger youths, whom the sea and man alike +seem to have treated hardly. Is it long since you left England?" + +"We have well-nigh lost account of time, father, so much has taken +place in a few days. 'Tis but a week since we were sailing along +the English coast with a large company in three ships, when a sudden +tempest arose, carried away our sail, blew us off the shore, and +then increasing in fury drove us before it until we were wrecked +on the coast of Ponthieu, near St. Valery. Since then we have been +prisoners, have escaped, and have journeyed here on foot." + +"Truly a bad week's work for you," the prior said. "Were all your +ships wrecked?" + +"No; our two consorts, being lighter and more easily rowed, regained +the land when we were blown off it." + +"Conrad of Ponthieu is an evil man," the prior said. "Had you come +ashore twenty miles farther south you would have been beyond his +jurisdiction. I fear that all the seacoast people view the goods +obtained from vessels cast ashore as a lawful prey, but your company +would assuredly have received fair hospitality if cast on the shores +of Normandy itself. But now methinks I hear the patter of the +palfreys' hoofs. Farewell, my sons, and may God who has protected +you through these dangers give you his blessing." + +The lads knelt before him as he placed his hands on their heads and +gave them his benediction. As they rose brother Gregory entered to +say that the horses were ready, and with renewed thanks to the prior +they followed him to the courtyard, mounted, and rode off with the +lay-brother, glad indeed to find their journey on foot thus abridged. +Impatient as they were to reach Rouen, the gentle pace at which the +palfreys ambled along fretted them very much. Brother Philip kept +up a constant string of talk on the monastery, its estates, the +kindness of the prior, the strictness of the subprior, and other +matters of great interest to himself, but of none to the boys, whose +thoughts were with Harold, chained and in prison. The palfreys, +however, made very fair progress, and it was but three o'clock when +they rode into the streets of Rouen, whose size and grandeur would +at any other time have impressed them much, for it was an incomparably +finer city than London. + +"That is the duke's palace," brother Philip said, as they approached +a stately building. "I will put up the horses at the convent at the +farther corner of this square, and will then go with you to the +palace, as I have orders to tell any officer who may make a difficulty +about you entering, that I am bid by the prior of Forges to say +that you are here on urgent business with the duke, and to pray +that you may have immediate audience with him." + +In those days great men were easy accessible, and one of the ushers, +on receiving the message from the prior, at once led the boys to +an apartment in which the duke was sitting. He looked up in some +surprise on seeing the two lads standing bareheaded at the door, +while the usher repeated the message he had received. + +"Advance," he said. "What is this business of which the prior of +Forges has sent me word?" + +The two boys advanced and knelt before the duke. He was a man of +about the same age as Harold, with dark hair and complexion, less +tall than the earl, but of a powerful figure, and a stern, resolute +face. The boys had discussed among themselves which should be the +speaker. Wulf had desired that Beorn, being the elder, should deliver +the message, but Beorn insisted that as Wulf himself had received +it from Harold, it was he who should be the one to deliver it to +the duke. + +"My Lord Duke," Wulf said, "we are Saxons, pages of Earl Harold, +and we bring you by his orders the news that the vessel in which +he was sailing along his coast had been blown off by a tempest and +cast on the shore of Ponthieu, near St. Valery, and that he and +his companions have been villainously ill-treated by Conrad, Count +of Ponthieu, who has seized them and cast them into dungeons in his +fortress of Beaurain, Harold and his companions being fettered like +malefactors." + +The duke was astounded at the news. No greater piece of good fortune +could have befallen him, for he had it in his power to lay his great +rival under an obligation to him, to show himself a generous prince, +and at the same time to obtain substantial benefits. He rose at +once to his feet. + +"By the Host," he exclaimed, "but this is foul treatment indeed of +the noble earl, and brings disgrace alike upon the Count of Ponthieu +and upon me, his liege lord. This wrong shall be remedied, and +speedily. You shall see that I waste no moment in rescuing your +lord from this unmannerly count." He struck his hand on the table, +and an attendant entered, "Pray the knights Fitz-Osberne and Warren +to come hither at once. And how is it, boys," he went on, as the +attendant hurried away, "that you were enabled to bear this message +to me?" + +"While Harold and his thanes were cast into prison," Wulf said, "the +count kept us to wait upon him; not for our services, but that he +might flout and ill-treat us. We obtained possession of a rope, and +let ourselves down at night from the battlements, and made our way +on foot as far as Forges, where the good prior, learning from us +that we had a message of importance to you, though nothing of its +import, sent us forward on palfreys, so that no time might be lost." + +"When did you leave Beaurain?" + +"It will be three days come midnight," Wulf said. + +"And how did you live by the way?" + +"We took a piece of bread with us, and once obtained food at a +shepherd's hut, and this morning we were well entertained at the +convent of Forges." + +"You have proved yourselves good and trusty messengers," the duke +said. "Would I were always as well served. As you are the earl's +pages you are of course of gentle blood?" + +"We are both his wards, my lord, and shall be thanes when we come +of age." + +"And how is it that you, young sir, who seem to be younger than +your companion, are the spokesman?" + +"It happened thus," Wulf said modestly. "Some fishermen came up +just after we had gained the shore with the loss of many of our +company. I marked that one of them started on seeing Earl Harold, +and whispered to a companion, and feeling sure that he had recognized +my lord, I told the earl of it as we walked towards St. Valery. He +then charged me if he was taken prisoner by the count to endeavour +to bear the news to you, and to give the same orders to my comrade +Beorn, saying it was likely that we might not be so strictly watched +as the men of the company, and might therefore succeed in slipping +away, as indeed turned out to be the case. I was desirous that Beorn +should tell you the tale, being older and more accustomed to the +speech of the court than I was, but he held that the message, being +first given to me, it was I who should deliver it." + +"He judged rightly," the duke said, "and deserves credit for thus +standing aside." + +At this moment two knights entered. "Fitz-Osberne, Warren," the +duke said, "a foul wrong has been done by Conrad of Ponthieu to +Earl Harold of Wessex, the foremost of Englishmen next to the king +himself, who has, with a company of his thanes, been cast ashore +near St. Valery. Instead of receiving honourable treatment, as was +his due, he has been most foully seized, chained, and with his +friends thrown into prison by the count, who has sent no intimation +of what has taken place to me, his lord, and had it not been for +these two brave and faithful youths, who effected their escape over +the battlements of Beaurain in order to bring me the news, the earl +might have lingered in shameful captivity. I pray you take horse +at once, with twenty chosen spears, and ride at the top of your +speed to Beaurain. There express in fitting terms to Conrad my +indignation at his foul treatment of one who should have been +received as a most honoured guest. Say that the earl and his company +must at once be released, and be accorded the treatment due not +only to themselves, but to them as my guests, and bid the count +mount with them and ride to my fortress of Eu, to which I myself +will at once journey to receive them. Tell Conrad that I will account +to him for any fair ransom he may claim, and if he demur to obey +my orders warn him that the whole force of Normandy shall at once +be set on foot against him. After having been for two years my +prisoner, methinks he will not care to run the risk of again being +shut up within my walls." + +"We will use all haste," Fitz-Osberne said. "Conrad's conduct is a +disgrace to every Norman noble, for all Europe will cry shame when +the news of the earl's treatment gets abroad. That Conrad should +hold him to ransom is only in accordance with his strict rights, +but that he should imprison and chain him is, by the saints, almost +beyond belief." + +As soon as the knights had left, the duke sent for his chamberlain, +and ordered him to conduct Beorn and Wulf to an apartment and to +see that they were at once furnished with garments befitting young +nobles, together with a purse of money for their immediate wants. +Then taking a long and heavy gold chain from his neck he placed it +on the table, and with a blow with his dagger cut it in sunder, and +handed half to each of the lads. + +"Take this," he said, "in token of my thanks for having brought me +this news, and remember, that if at any time you should have a boon +to ask that it is within my power to grant, I swear to you upon my +ducal honour that it shall be yours. Never have I received more +joyful news than that the great Earl of Wessex will shortly be my +guest." + +The lads bowed deeply, and then followed the chamberlain from the +apartment. + +"Well, what think you of it, Beorn?" Wulf said, when they found +themselves alone in a handsome chamber. + +"So far as rescuing Harold from the power of the Count of Ponthieu +we have surely succeeded even beyond our hopes. As to the rest, I +know not. As you were speaking I marked the satisfaction and joy +on the duke's face, and I said to myself that it was greater than +need have been caused by the thought that Earl Harold was to be his +guest." + +"So I thought myself, Beorn. There can be no doubt that, as he said, +he deemed it the best news he had ever received, and I fear greatly +that Harold will but exchange one captivity for another. It will +doubtless be a more pleasant one, but methinks Harold will find +himself as much a prisoner, although treated as an honoured guest +by William, as he was while lying in the dungeon of Conrad. It is +a bad business, and I greatly fear indeed that Harold will long rue +the unfortunate scheme of hunting along the coast that has brought +him to this pass." + +In a short time an attendant arrived with ewers, water, and four +suits of handsome garments, belts embroidered with gold thread, and +daggers, together with two plumed caps and purses, each containing +ten gold pieces; he informed them that two horses had been provided +for their use, and that they were to take their meals with the +duke's household, and to consider themselves in all respects as his +guests. + +"We look finer birds than we did when we rode in with brother +Philip," Beorn laughed when they had attired themselves in their +new garments. "The more sober of these suits are a good deal gayer +than those we wore at home even at court ceremonies." + +"King Edward objects to show," Wulf said, "and his own pages are +so sober in their attire that the earl likes not that we should +outshine them, and we usually cut a poor figure beside those of +William of London and the other Normans of his court." + +In a short time the chamberlain came in and informed them that +supper was served, and conducted them to the hall, where he presented +them to the duke's gentlemen and pages as William's guests, and +wards and pages of the Earl of Wessex. The news of Harold's shipwreck +and imprisonment travelled quickly, for orders had already been +issued for the court to prepare to start early the next morning to +accompany the duke to Eu, in order to receive with due honour +William's guest and friend, Harold of England; and while the meal +went on many questions were asked as to the shipwreck and prisonment +of the earl, and the liveliest indignation was expressed at the +conduct of Conrad of Ponthieu. + +"Truly all Normans will be reckoned churls," one of the gentlemen +exclaimed indignantly. "The fame of Harold's bravery, wisdom, and +courtesy to all men is known in every court in Europe, and that the +duke's vassal should have dared to imprison and chain him will +excite universal indignation. Why, the rudest of our own Norse +ancestors would not have so foully treated one so noble whom fate +had cast into his hands. Had we been at war with England it would +be shameful, but being at peace there are no words that can fitly +describe the outrage." + +When the meal was over, one of the duke's pages who was about the +same age as Beorn asked him what they were going to do with themselves. + +"If you have nothing better," he said, "will you ride with me to +my father's castle, it is but five miles away? My name is De Burg. +I can promise you a hearty welcome. My father was one of the knights +who accompanied the duke when he paid his visit to England some +fifteen years ago, and he liked the country much, and has ever since +spoken of the princely hospitality with which they were received +by your king. He did not meet Earl Harold then." + +"No, the earl with his father and brothers was away in exile," Wulf +said rather shortly, for that visit had been a most unpleasant one +to Englishmen. It had happened when the Norman influence was +altogether in the ascendant. The king was filling the chief places +at court and in the church with Normans, had bestowed wide domains +upon them, and their castles were everywhere rising to dominate the +land. Englishmen then regarded with hostility this visit of the +young Norman duke with his great train of knights, and although at +the return of Godwin and his sons the greater portion of the intruders +had been driven out, their influence still remained at court, and +it was even said that Edward had promised the duke that he should +be his successor. + +It was true that Englishmen laughed at the promise. The King of +England was chosen by the nation, and Edward had no shadow of right +to bequeath the throne even to one of his sons much less to a foreign +prince, who, although related to himself by marriage, had no drop +of English blood in his veins. Still, that the promise should ever +have been made rankled in the minds of the English people, the more +so as the power of Normandy increased, and the ambition as well as +the valour of its duke became more and more manifest According to +English law the promise was but an empty breath, absolutely without +effect or value. According to Norman law it constituted a powerful +claim, and Duke William was assuredly not a man to let such a claim +drop unpressed. + +Wulf had heard all this again and again, and the prior of Bramber +had explained it to him in all its bearings, showing him that little +as Englishmen might think of the promise given by Edward so long +ago, it would be likely to bring grievous trouble on the land at +his death. He might perhaps have said more in reference to William's +visit had not Beorn at once accepted the invitation to ride with +young De Burg to his father's castle. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + + +RELEASE OF THE EARL + +In a few minutes the three horses were brought out. Wulf and Beorn +were much pleased with the animals that had been placed at their +service. They were powerful horses, which could carry a knight in +his full armour with ease, and seemed full of spirit and fire. They +were handsomely caparisoned, and the lads felt as they sprang on +to their backs that they had never been so well mounted before. + +"You would have made the journey more quickly and easily if you had +had these horses three days ago," young De Burg laughed. + +"Yes, indeed. There would have been no occasion to hide in the woods +then. With our light weight on their backs they would have made +nothing of the journey." + +"You must not expect to see a castle," De Burg said presently, +"though I call it one. In his early days the duke set himself to +destroy the great majority of castles throughout Normandy, for as +you know he had no little trouble with his nobles, and held that +while the strength of these fortresses disposes men to engage either +in civil war or in private feuds with each other, they were of no +avail against the enemies of the country. My father, who is just +the age of the duke, was his loyal follower from the first, and of +his free will levelled his walls as did many others of the duke's +friends, in the first place because it gave the duke pleasure, and +in the second because, had only the castles of those opposed to the +duke been destroyed, there would have been such jealousy and animosity +on the part of their owners that matters would never have quieted +down in the country. Thus it is that throughout the land you will +find but few castles remaining. The nobles felt it strange at first +to be thus dwelling in houses undefended against attack, but they +soon learnt that it was far more convenient than to be shut up +within massive walls, and the present dwellings are much larger and +more comfortable than those of former days. The duke said rightly +that the abolition of fortresses well-nigh doubled his fighting +power, for that so many men were required to garrison them as to +greatly diminish the number their lords could take with them into +the field. You do not have castles in England, do you?" + +"No, we live in open houses, and hold that it is far better and +more pleasant to do so. There is no fighting between neighbours +with us. The great earls may quarrel and lead their forces into the +field, or may gather them against Danish and Norwegian pirates, but +except on these occasions, which are rare, all dwell peaceably in +their homes." + +The horses were fresh, and the five miles quickly passed over. + +"There is the house," De Burg said, pointing to a large building +standing on an eminence. It was castellated in form, and much of +the old building had been incorporated with the additions, but the +outer wall had been pulled down and the moat filled up. Broad +casements had replaced the narrow loopholes, and though the flag +of the De Burgs still waved over the keep, which stood a little +apart from the rest, the family no longer dwelt in it. + +"It is chiefly used as a storehouse now," Guy De Burg explained; +"but there, as you see, the old loopholes still remain, and in case +of trouble it might be held for a time. But of that, however, there +is little chance; the duke's hand is a heavy one, and he has shown +himself a great leader. He has raised Normandy well-nigh level with +France, and so long as he lives and reigns there is no fear of +domestic trouble." + +The gate stood open and they rode into a courtyard, when several +men came out and took the horses. Guy de Burg ran up a broad staircase +to the entrance of the house itself, and passed beneath a noble +entrance with a lofty pointed arch supported by clustered pillars. +Inside was a spacious hall paved with stone, and from this De Burg +turned into an apartment whose walls were covered with rich hangings. +Here a lady was at work embroidering, surrounded by several of her +maids similarly engaged. A girl some fourteen years old was reading +a missal, while the master of the castle was sitting in a chair +with low arms, and was playing with the ears of a hound whose head +was lying on his knee. + +"Well, Guy, what is your news?" he asked as his son entered. "Half +an hour since I received a message from the duke desiring me to +appear with ten men-at-arms in their best trappings to ride with +him to Eu. Is Conrad of Ponthieu giving trouble again, and who are +these young gentlemen with you?" + +Guy went down on one knee to kiss his father's hand, and then did +the same to his mother, then he said, "I will with your permission +answer the last question first, father. My friends are young Saxon +thanes, pages to Earl Harold, and at present guests of the duke." + +"You are bearers, doubtless, of some message from the king to our +duke?" + +"No, my lord," Beorn said, "we were bearers of a message from Earl +Harold." + +"It is to meet him, father, that we are to ride to Eu to-morrow. +He has been wrecked on the shores of Ponthieu, and has been foully +imprisoned and even fettered by Count Conrad. Beorn and Wulf escaped +from the prison and brought the news to the duke, who this afternoon +dispatched Fitz-Osberne and Warren at full speed to bid the count +at once free his prisoners, and deliver them over to him at Eu under +pain of his direst displeasure." + +"Harold in Normandy and a prisoner! This is strange news indeed. +We shall surely make him welcome, for he is in all respects a great +man, and save our own duke has a reputation second to none in +Europe." + +Wulf thought as he looked at the speaker that at least he had no +second thought in his mind. It was a frank honest face, martial in +its outline, but softened by a pleasant smile. + +He had spoken in a genial tone of affection to his son, and Wulf +thought, that although no doubt he was ready to take the field at +the summons of his lord, he preferred a quiet life in this stately +home. + +"This is news for you, wife," he went on. "You will have to furbish +up your gayest attire, for we shall be having grand doings in honour +of this great English earl, and our dames will have to look their +best in order that he may carry home a fair report of them to the +Saxon ladies. And how did you manage to escape, young sirs, and +when did you arrive with the news?" + +Beorn, who as the elder was specially addressed, shortly related +the story of their escape and journey. + +"You have done well," the baron said when he had concluded. "Guy, +you may learn from these young Saxons that even pages may be called +upon to do work of more importance than handing wine-cups and +standing behind their lord on state occasions. Had it not been for +their readiness and courage Harold might have lain weeks in prison, +maybe months, while the count was striving to wring the utmost +ransom from him. The lads would doubtless have been slain had they +been detected in making their escape or overtaken on the way, and +the attempt was therefore one that required courage as well as +devotion to their lord. I doubt not that you would exhibit both +qualities did opportunity offer, but I question whether you could +have walked the distance they did, and that on such scanty fare. +We Normans are too apt to trust wholly to our horses' legs to the +neglect of our own, and although I have no doubt that you could +ride as far as a horse could carry you, I warrant that you could +hardly have performed on foot the journey from Beaurain in twice +the time in which they did it. They must have exercised their legs +as well as their arms, and although in a campaign a Norman noble +depends upon his war horse both on the march and on the day of +battle, there may often be times when it is well that a knight +should be able to march as far as any of the footmen in the army. +Well, Agnes, and what have you to say to these Saxon youths? Methinks +your eyes are paying more attention to them than to your missal." + +"I can read my missal at any hour, father, but this is the first +time that I have seen young Saxon nobles. I thought there would +have been more difference between them and us. Their hair is fairer +and more golden and their eyes bluer, but their dress differs in +no way from our own." She spoke in a matter-of-fact and serious +air, as if it were a horse or a dog that she was commenting upon, +and both Beorn and Wulf smiled, while Guy laughed outright. + +"It is little wonder that their attire is like ours, Agnes," he +said, "seeing that they were furnished with it by the duke's orders. +You do not suppose that after being tossed about on the sea and +well-nigh drowned in landing, and being made prisoners, and then +travelling through the country and sleeping in the woods, Beorn and +Wulf would arrive here with their garments new and spotless. That +would indeed have been a miracle." + +"But, indeed," Beorn said, "our garments differ not greatly from +those we now have on, for Norman fashions are prevalent at King +Edward's court, and we had no choice but to conform to them. Your +language is always spoken there, and methinks that were you to visit +Westminster you would see but little difference between King Edward's +court and that of your own duke." + +"And your sisters, do they too dress like us?" + +"Queen Edith's ladies dress like her in Norman fashion, but away +from the court the attire is different and more simple. Sisters, +Wulf and I have none; we are orphans both, and wards of Earl Harold, +who holds our estates until we are of age to take the oaths to him +and to lead our men in battle." + +"And will you be barons like my father, or counts, or simple knights?" + +"We shall be none of these things, Lady Agnes. We have our great +earls as in France you have your great dukes, but below that we +have no titles. We are thanes, that is land owners, who hold their +land direct from our earls. Some have wider lands than others, but +as free thanes we are all equal. As to knights, we have not in +England the titles and ceremonies which are so much thought of in +France and in other courts." + +"That is a pity," the girl said gravely, "for the vows of knighthood +make a knight courteous and gentle to enemies and friends alike." + +"Or rather, Agnes," her mother put in, "they should do so; but in +truth, looking round at the cruel wars we have had in Normandy, I +do not see that men have been more gentle or courteous than they +would have been had they never taken the vows or had knightly spurs +buckled on; and in truth it seems to me from the news of what has +taken place beyond the sea, that in the civil troubles they have +had in England men are much more gentle with each other, and foes +are far more easily reconciled than with us in Normandy, who are +supposed to be bound by the laws of chivalry. Had our duke been +cast upon the shores of England as Harold has been cast upon that +of Ponthieu, I think that he would not have been so dishonourably +treated by one of the English thanes as Harold has been by Count +Conrad. When Godwin and his sons returned from the exile into which +they had been driven, and again became all powerful, there was not, +as I have heard from your father, a single drop of blood shed, nor +any vengeance taken upon the men who had brought about their exile. +It would have been very different had such things happened here." + +"You speak rightly, wife. The English are of a more gentle disposition +than we are, though nowise backward in battle. But now, Guy, it +is time that you were returning. You have already made a longer +stay than usual. I shall see you again to-morrow when we start for +Eu. Young sirs, I hope that on your return you will often ride over +here when your lord does not require you. We shall always be pleased +to see you, and although the forest lies some miles away, Guy can +show you good hunting, though not so good as that which, as I hear, +you can get in England, where the population is not so thick as it +is in this part of Normandy." + +The horses were brought round, and the three lads rode into Rouen +just as night was falling. + +Long before daybreak there was a stir in the streets of the city, +as parties of knights and nobles rode in with bodies of their +retainers in obedience to the orders of the duke. All in the palace +were awake early. A hasty breakfast was eaten, while just as the +sun rose the duke mounted his horse, and at the head of an array, +composed of some twenty barons and knights and four hundred +men-at-arms, rode out of the city. + +"There is a good deal more pomp and show here than there was when +we rode with Harold from London," Wulf said. "In truth these Norman +nobles make a far braver appearance in their armour and robes, and +with their banners carried behind them, than we do. Were the king +himself to ride in state through London he would scarce be so gaily +attended." + +"Duke William does not look as if he cared for show," Beorn said. + +"Nor does he," Guy, who was riding beside them, put in. "For himself +he is simple in his tastes, but he knows that the people are impressed +by pomp, and love to see a brave cavalcade, therefore he insists +on the observance of outward forms; and his court here on state +occasions vies, as they tell me, with that of Henry of France." + +"Where shall we rest tonight?" Wulf asked. "Methinks from the +appearance of the sky that we shall have rain, and unless we sleep +under shelter, many of these fine robes that we see are like to be +as much dabbled in mud as were those in which we arrived." + +"We shall sleep in no town, for there is no place on the road between +this and Eu that could receive so large a party; but soon after we +rode out yesterday a train of waggons with tents and all else needful +started from Rouen, and half-way to Eu we shall find the camp erected +and everything in readiness for our reception." + +This was indeed the case. The camp had been erected in a sheltered +valley, through which ran a stream that supplied the needs of man +and horses. The tents were placed in regular order, that of the +duke in the centre, those of his chief nobles in order of rank on +either side. Behind was a line for the use of the court officials, +pages, and knights of less degree, while the soldiers would sleep +in the open. As the party rode up a chamberlain with three or four +assistants met them. Each was provided with lists containing the +names of all the duke's following, and these were at once conducted +to the tents alloted to them, so that in a few minutes all were +housed without the slightest confusion or trouble. The squires of +the knights and nobles and the attendants of the officers and pages +at once took the horses and picketed them in lines behind the tents, +rubbing them down and cleaning them with the greatest care, and +then supplying them with forage from the piles that had that morning +been brought in from the neighbouring farms. Fuel in abundance had +also been stacked. A number of cooks had come on with the tent +equipage, and supper was already prepared for the duke and his +party, while animals had been slaughtered and cut up, and the +men-at-arms soon had the joints hanging over their bivouac fires. + +"This is all wonderfully well managed, Beorn," Wulf said. "I doubt +whether it could be done so well and orderly with us at home." + +"What does it matter?" Beorn said contemptuously. "It makes no +difference whether one sups five minutes after arrival or an hour." + +"It matters nothing, Beorn; but what is but a question of an hour's +waiting in a small party is one of going altogether supperless to +bed when it is a large one. The Normans have been constantly fighting +for the last twenty years, and you see they have learned how important +it is that everything should be regular and orderly. If they manage +matters with a large force as well as they do with a small one, as +it is probable that they do, see what an advantage it gives to them. +Were two armies to arrive near each other with the intention of +fighting in the morning, and one knew exactly what to do, and could +get their food in comfort and then lie down to rest, while the other +was all in confusion, no one knowing where he should go or where +to bestow himself, and, being unable to obtain food, forced to lie +down supperless, the first army would obtain a great advantage when +they met the next morning, especially if it had breakfasted well +while the other went into the fight still fasting. Look at ourselves +how weak we were that morning when we had lain down hungry and got +up fasting, while on the morning when the woman gave us that food, +simple as it was, we stepped out boldly and in spirits." + +"That is true enough, Wulf, but you know that among us it is said +that Earl Harold is always most careful for the comfort of his +soldiers." + +"Yes, the earl always thinks of those around him. As I have never +been in the field I know not what the arrangements are, but I cannot +think they would be so well ordered in a great gathering of Englishmen, +or that we should manage matters as well as the Normans with all +their experience have learnt to do." + +"Well, Wulf," Beorn laughed, "you had best study the matter, and +then ask the earl to appoint you to take charge of the arrangements +when he takes the field." + +"One could hardly have a more useful office," Wulf said earnestly; +"but it would need a man of experience and of high rank and position, +for our Saxon thanes are not accustomed to discipline as are these +Norman barons, and only one of great authority could induce them +to observe regulations and carry out any plan in due order." + +Beorn nodded. "That is true enough, Wulf, and it is therefore clear +that a good many years must pass before you can properly fill the +post of chief chamberlain to the army. For myself, I shall be well +content to do what fighting is required, and to leave all these +matters in your hands." + +"Yes; but it can't be left in the hands of one officer," Wulf said +warmly, "unless all give their aid willingly to carry out his plans." + +"Well, you need not be angry about it, Wulf. There will be time +enough for that when you get to be grand chamberlain. You know +what the Saxon thanes are--how ease-loving, and averse to trouble +themselves with aught save the chase. I would as soon marshal a +flock of sheep in military order and teach each to keep its place +as get the thanes to conform to strict orders and regulations." + +"And yet, Beorn," said Baron De Burg, who had just entered the tent +unnoticed by them in order to speak to his son, who with another +page shared it with them, "unless all will conform to strict orders +and regulations an army is but a mere gathering of armed men, +animated not by one will, but by as many wills as it contains men. +Such an army may be valiant; every man may be a hero, and yet it +may be shattered to pieces by another which gives itself up wholly +to the direction of one will. That is why we Normans have so badly +beaten the French. Every mail has his place in battle. He charges +when he is ordered to charge, or he is held in reserve the whole +day, and the battle ended without his ever striking a blow. We may +fret under inaction, we may see what we think chances of falling +upon the enemy wasted, but we know that our duke is a great leader, +that he has a plan for the battle and will carry it through, and +that disobedience to his orders would be an offence as great as +that of riding from the field. Hence we have learned to obey, and +consequently we have always been victorious against men as brave +as ourselves, but each obeying his own feudal lord, and so fighting +in detached bodies rather than as a whole. Your young companion is +in the right. In a duel between two men strength and skill is +everything; in a struggle between two armies obedience to orders +is a virtue even higher than bravery and skill at arms. Where is +Guy?" + +"He is in attendance on the duke, my lord," Beorn said. "We presented +ourselves also at his tent, but he told us that he required no duty +from us." + +"Let him come to my tent when he returns," the baron said; "that +is as soon as he has finished supper. I shall be glad if you will +also come, unless the duke sends for you, which methinks he is not +likely to do. He is in thoughtful mood to-day, and will probably +be alone." + +Two or three other knights were assembled in Baron de Burg's tent +when the three lads went in. De Burg said a few words to his +companions, explaining who they were, and then continued his +conversation with the others. Beorn and Wulf, as they stood behind +the chairs and listened to the talk, could not help being struck +with the difference between it and the conversations they had heard +at the houses of Saxon thanes. + +With Harold they had been accustomed to hear matters of state touched +on. The church and the struggle going on between the Norman prelates +and monks on the one hand and the English clergy on the other was +one that was frequently talked over, as were also the projects +Harold had at heart for encouraging the spread of education and +raising the condition of people generally. At the houses of the +thanes, however, the evenings were passed in feasting and song, and +it was seldom that there was anything like discussion upon general +affairs. Indeed, between men heated with wine and accustomed to +state their opinions bluntly anything like friendly argument was +well nigh impossible. De Burg and his companions made no allusion +at all to public affairs, but discussed gravely and calmly, and +with a courteous respect for each other's opinions, questions +connected with the art of war, hunting, the changed conditions +brought about by the demolition of castles, the improvements gradually +being introduced in armour, and other kindred topics. The other +nobles were men of about the same age as De Burg, and although the +latter's page from time to time carried round wine the goblets were +rarely emptied. + +Certain topics were touched upon only to be dropped at once, and +Wulf saw that subjects upon which there was any disagreement among +them were carefully avoided. + +When the boys returned to their tent Wulf said, "Their talk reminds +me of the evenings I spent with the prior, his almoner, and two or +three other monks, rather than of those at the houses of Saxon +thanes." + +Beorn nodded. "I am not so much against our customs of feasting and +merriment as you are, Wulf, and should not care to spend my evenings +often in listening to such grave talk, but truly these Norman barons +and knights are far more courteous in their speech than our own +thanes, and seem to care but little for the wine cup. I admit that +such men must be far wiser advisers for a king than are our Saxons, +saving of course Harold and his brothers." + +"The Normans are not all so abstemious as my father and those you +saw with him," Guy laughed. "Listen. You can hear songs and loud +laughter from many of the tents, ay, and might hear quarrels too +did you listen long enough. But those you saw were all men high in +the confidence of the duke. They have fought together under his +banner in many a field, and are all powerful barons. They are content +to hold their own, and have nothing to gain at the expense of others. +Their value is well established, and I believe that all of them +would be well pleased were they never called upon to set lance in +rest again. Methinks this evening they avoided all public questions +chiefly because we were present; and you see no word was spoken of +the unexpected accident that has thrown Harold on our shores, +although it must have been in all their minds; and doubtless they +talked it over as they rode hither to-day. I should not be surprised +if my father had us in his tent for the very reason that your being +there would prevent more being said about it. I do not suppose any +of them know exactly what is in the duke's mind--possibly he has +not even made it up himself; and it is assuredly wise here in +Normandy to express no strong opinion until the duke's own mind is +manifest." + +"I daresay you are right, Guy. I rather wondered why your father +had asked us as well as you to his tent when he had others with +him; but it is like enough that he thought our presence would prevent +any discussion on delicate topics." + +The next morning the cavalcade mounted early, and in the afternoon +rode into the fortress of Eu. It stood upon the river Bresle, and +had, previous to the conquest of Ponthieu, been the frontier guard +of Normandy on the north. It lay only some ten miles from the spot +where the Saxon galley had been wrecked. A messenger had arrived +there early in the day from Fitz-Osberne saying that Conrad of +Ponthieu had assented to the demand of the duke for the surrender +of his captives, that these had been at once released from their +confinement, and were now honourably entertained. They would start +on the following morning from Beaurain, and would be accompanied +by Conrad, who desired to come to Eu to pay his respects to the +duke. + +Although it had been certain that Conrad would not venture to refuse +the command of his powerful over-lord, Wulf and Beorn were greatly +delighted to hear that Harold and his companions had at once been +released from their imprisonment, and that they would so speedily +arrive at Eu. In the afternoon of the following day a messenger +arrived stating that the cavalcade was but an hour's ride away, and +preparations were at once made to receive it with all honour. The +garrison of the castle in their bravest attire lined the courtyard, +hangings brought from Rouen were disposed round the walls of the +great hall, two chairs of state were placed on the dais, the +men-at-arms who had come from Rouen were drawn up on either side +of the great entrance, and here William with his nobles assembled +when the cavalcade approached the castle. + +The procession was headed by the Norman men-at-arms of Fitz-Osberne +and Warren. After them rode Conrad of Ponthieu with Harold by his +side. Both carried hawks on their wrists, and were, apparently, on +the most amiable terms. Behind them rode Harold's brother and nephew +and the two Norman barons; they were followed by the Saxon thanes +and the officers of the count's household. Behind these came on +foot the Saxons of inferior degree who had been left at St. Valery, +and who had by Conrad's orders been sent to join the cavalcade where +it crossed the Somme at Abbeville; the procession was closed by a +strong body of the count's men-at-arms. They rode through the double +line of spearmen until they reached the entrance. Then as Harold +dismounted, the duke descended the steps and embraced him with the +warmest expressions of satisfaction at thus meeting the most +illustrious of Englishmen. + +Harold replied in suitable terms, and the duke then turned to Conrad +and thanked him warmly for having acceded to his request. + +Ponthieu was but newly conquered, and might yet be a thorn in the +side of Normandy in the event of a renewal of war with France. It +was therefore to William's interest to treat Conrad's obedience to +his orders as if it had been a voluntary submission, and to ignore +his discourteous treatment of his captives. In order to eradicate +all sense of injury on the part of his vassal, he not only paid him +the ransom for Harold but gave him a considerable grant of territory. +The duke now presented his nobles and principal officers to Harold, +and then with his arm placed familiarly on his guest's shoulder led +him into the hall, and placed him in the chair of state beside his +own, other seats being placed for Wulfnoth and Hakon and for some +of the principal Norman barons, while the rest mingled with the +Saxon thanes in the body of the hall. As soon as the reception was +over Wulf hurried out into the courtyard to speak to Osgod. + +"Right glad am I to see you again, Osgod; I have been troubled as +to how you were faring." + +"In truth we have fared badly enough, master; we have been working +like beasts of burden, without having food that would suffice for +an ass. However, it was not for long, and will do us no harm, though +there are more than one of those fellows at St. Valery with whom I +would gladly have ten minutes play with cudgel or quarter-staff. +You may guess how surprised we were yesterday evening when we were +suddenly called out from the shed where we were sleeping, and with +many professions of regret and apology for our treatment conducted +to better quarters, where a good honest meal was set before us, and +we were then told that the duke himself had just arrived at Eu, and +that Harold and all his following were there to be given up to him. +We had fresh rushes for our beds, and a hearty breakfast this +morning, and were then placed in boats and taken up to Abbeville. +We had been there but an hour when the earl arrived with the thanes, +and glad were we, as you may imagine, to see his face again. They +stopped there for an hour to rest their steeds and to dine, and +then we marched hither as you saw. I had missed you and Beorn from +Harold's party, and made shift to approach the earl and humbly ask +him what had become of you. 'No harm has befallen your master and +his friend, good fellow,' the earl said. 'They have indeed done me +good service, for they made their escape from Beaurain and carried +the news of our detention to Duke William, and it is thus that we +have all obtained our liberty.' You seem to have fared bravely, +Wulf, judging from your attire." + +"Yes, we were in sore plight when we arrived at Rouen, but the duke +saw that we were provided with clothes and with horses for our +journey here." + +At this moment an attendant came out from the hall and informed +Wulf that the duke desired speech with him. Beorn was already at +the entrance, and they were conducted on to the dais. + +"Here are your two pages," the duke said to Harold. "I hold myself +to be greatly their debtor for having carried me the news that has +brought about this meeting, and given me the pleasure of having you +as my guest. They are faithful lads and quick-witted, for no men +could have carried out the mission better or more promptly than +they did." + +"Still more am I indebted to them," Harold said as he held out his +hand to the two lads, who bent on one knee while they kissed it. +"I knew not of their going until I learnt from your barons that +they had reached Rouen with the news. They are wards of mine, and +although at one time my pages they have ceased to be so for more +than a year, and have both been down upon their estates learning +the duties of their station, which I deemed better for them than +wasting their time and getting into mischief at court." + +The duke nodded. "The result shows that your course was a wise one. +At court youths learn but little good. The atmosphere is not healthy +for men still less for boys, and these youths will shortly be of +an age when they will be fit to render men's service, as indeed +they have already done." The lads now retired from the dais. + +"It has been a fortunate week's work for us," Beorn said. "We have +obtained the freedom of our lord and have gained his approbation +and that of Duke William; though, indeed, it matters not greatly +as to the duke." + +"I don't know, Beorn; one cannot look into the future, and there +is no saying what may happen. Anyhow, even now it may be of advantage +to us. Honourably as the duke is treating Harold, the earl is still +wholly in his power, and until we hear something of his intentions +we are all just as much prisoners as we were to Conrad, although I +admit the captivity is a very much more pleasant one." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +THE OATH. + +From Eu the party travelled back to Rouen where there were feastings +and entertainments in honour of Harold. Nothing could be more +courteous than the duke's manner to his guest. He professed an +almost fraternal affection for him, and handsome lodgings were +assigned in the town to his thanes. A solemn court was held, at +which Harold was knighted by William himself with much state and +ceremonial, according to the rites of chivalry, which had then been +but recently introduced, and had not as yet extended into England. +There were great hunting parties in the forest, and to all outward +appearance the friendship between William and Harold was of the +warmest and most sincere nature. Harold himself was really gratified +at the pains that William took to show the esteem in which he held +him, and his thanes were all well satisfied with the attentions +bestowed upon them by the Norman barons. + +Beorn and Wulf had nothing to do save to make friends with young +Normans of their own age, to visit their castles and to join in the +hunting parties. The duke lost no opportunity of showing the sincerity +of the feelings of gratitude he had expressed to them for bringing +him the news of Harold's presence in his dominions, and they were +always specially invited to all court ceremonials, enjoying themselves +exceedingly. Wulf occasionally expressed his surprise to his +companion that no word was said as to their return to England, but +Beorn's answer always silenced him. + +"The earl himself seems well satisfied, Wulf. Why should you be +more anxious for him than he is for himself?" + +Once indeed he replied, "Harold is of so open and generous nature, +Beorn, that he would be the last person to suspect another of +dishonourable motives. Moreover, it is not because he is apparently +well content here that we must judge him to be without uneasiness. +Whatever he felt it would be impolitic to show it, and we see but +little of him now save when in company of the Normans. He cannot +but know that his presence is required in England." + +It was a matter of satisfaction to Wulf that Walter Fitz-Urse was +not at the court, he having a few weeks before returned to England, +where he was again in the suite of the Norman bishop of London. He +himself had become firm friends with Guy de Burg, and often rode +over with him to his father's residence, where they hunted in the +forest together or rode out with falcons on their wrists, Agnes de +Burg often accompanying them on her pony. + +Three weeks after their arrival at Rouen the Bretons broke out in +insurrection, and the duke invited Harold to accompany him on an +expedition to subdue them, courteously saying that he should obtain +great advantage from the military experience of his guest. + +Harold accepted the invitation, and with his thanes set out with +the duke. Against the disciplined forces of Normandy the Breton +peasants had no chance whatever in the open field, but their wild +and broken country, well-nigh covered with forest, afforded them +an opportunity for the display of their own method of fighting by +sudden surprises and attacks, and they defended their rough but +formidable intrenchments with desperate valour. Harold's experience +gained in his warfare with the Welsh was of much utility, and the +duke committed to his hands the formal command of the troops engaged, +averring that he himself knew comparatively little of warfare such +as this. + +Harold conducted the operations with equal vigour and prudence. +Stronghold after stronghold was attacked and captured, a small +portion of the force only being engaged in active operations, whilst +the rest were posted so as to repel the attempts of the Bretons to +aid the besieged. By his advice clemency was always shown to +the garrisons when the fortresses were stormed, and they were +permitted to return unharmed to their people, bearing the news that +the duke bore no ill-will towards them, and was ready to show mercy +to all who laid down their arms. Wulf and Beorn were permitted to +share in the assaults, and with the Saxon thanes followed Harold, +as he led the way on foot up to the intrenchments at one point, +while the duke with a party of his barons attacked at another. More +than once the English banner was carried into the heart of the +Breton fortress before the Normans had fought their way in, and on +each of these occasions the duke warmly expressed his admiration +for the courage of his English allies. At last there remained but +one formidable stronghold to be captured, and so strong was this +by nature, and so desperately defended, that for some time the +efforts of the besiegers were fruitless. + +One evening Guy de Burg had been with Wulf in his tent. Beorn was +out spending the evening with some of his Norman friends. When Guy +rose to go Wulf said that he would walk with him to his father's +tent, which was situated some little distance away. As there had +been strict regulations that none were to move about without arms, +he buckled on his sword and put on his helmet before starting. +Osgod, who was lying outside the tent, rose when they issued out +and followed them at a short distance. They went along at the rear +of the tents, when Wulf suddenly said: + +"It seems to me that I hear sounds in the forest, Guy." + +"De Launey's men are posted behind us," Guy said carelessly; "there +is no fear of an attack." + +"Not if they are vigilant," Wulf agreed. "But the Bretons have for +some time abstained from night surprises, and De Launey's men may +be keeping a poor watch." + +Suddenly there was a loud cry, followed immediately by the Breton +war-shout, and by a confusion of shouts, cries, and the sound of +the clashing of arms. + +The lads drew their swords and ran towards the scene of conflict, +when, from some bushes a short distance from them, a number of wild +figures sprung out. It was a party of the enemy who had made their +way through De Launey's sleeping men unobserved, and who now, knowing +that further concealment was useless, were rushing forward towards +the tents. Wulf's first impulse was to turn back, but young de +Burg, shouting his father's battle-cry, ran forward, and without +hesitation Wulf followed him. A moment later they were engaged with +the Bretons. + +"Back to back, Guy!" Wulf exclaimed, as he ran his sword through +the first man who attacked him. + +He had scarcely spoken when Osgod ran up and joined them, and +wielding the heavy axe he carried as if it had been a featherweight, +struck down several of the Bretons who ventured within its swing. + +Wulf defended himself as firmly, but had to shift his ground +continually to avoid the blows of the heavy spiked clubs with which +his assailants were armed. Presently he heard his name shouted, and +an instant later a crash, as Guy de Burg was struck down. + +"Stand over him, Osgod!" he shouted, and with a bound was beside +his companion, cutting down a Breton who was about to thrust his +spear into him. At the same moment a club descended on his helmet, +bringing him for a moment to his knee. He sprang up again, Osgod +striking his opponent to the ground before he could repeat his blow. + +For two or three minutes the fight went on. Wulf received more than +one stab from the Breton knives, as two or three of them often +rushed in upon him at once, but each time when he was hard pressed +Osgod's axe freed him from his assailants, for so terrible were the +blows dealt by the tall Saxon that the Bretons shrank from assailing +him, and thus left him free at times to render assistance to Wulf. +But the combat was too unequal to last long. A pike-thrust disabled +Wulf for a moment, and as his arm fell a blow from a club stretched +him beside Guy. Osgod had also received several wounds, but furious +at his master's fall he still defended himself with such vigour +that the Bretons again fell back. They were on the point of attacking +him anew, when there was a shout, and William and Harold, bareheaded +as they had leapt from the table, and followed by a score or two +of Norman barons and soldiers, fell upon the Bretons. The latter +with cries of alarm at once fled. + +By this time the Norman trumpets were everywhere sounding, and the +troops hastening out to repel the attack, which a few minutes later +ceased as suddenly as it began, the Bretons flying into the forest, +where pursuit by the heavily-armed Normans was hopeless. Returning +to the tents, the duke and Harold paused where Osgod, who had sunk +to the ground as soon as the Breton attack had ceased, was sitting +by the side of his master. + +"Whom have we here?" the duke asked. "Whoever they are we owe our +safety to them, Harold, for had it not been for the resistance they +made, the Bretons would have been among our tents before we had +time to catch up our arms. Bring a torch here!" he shouted; and two +or three soldiers came running up from the tents with lights. + +"Methinks it is one of my men," Harold said, and repeated the duke's +question in Saxon. + +"I am Osgod, my lord, the servant of Wulf of Steyning, who with his +friend, Guy de Burg, lies here beside me, I fear done to death." + +"I trust not, indeed," Harold said, stooping over the bodies. + +At this moment the men came up with the lights. "By the rood," +William exclaimed, "but they fought stoutly, whoever they are. The +ground round them is covered with the bodies of these Breton rascals. +There must be at least a score of them, while so far as I can see +there are but three of our men. Who are they, Harold?" + +"One is Guy, son of the Baron de Burg," Harold replied. "Another +is young Wulf, and this stout fellow is his man." + +"Right gallantly have they done," the duke exclaimed, "and I trust +that their lives are not spent. Let someone summon De Burg here +quickly. Carry his son to his tent, and bid my leech attend at once +to his wounds and to those of these brave Saxons." + +"I will carry Wulf to his tent myself," Harold said, raising the +lad and carrying him off, while four soldiers followed bearing +Osgod. They were laid down together in Wulf's tent. As the young +thane's helmet was removed, he opened his eyes and looked round in +bewilderment as he saw, by the light of the torches, Harold and +several others standing beside him. + +"What has happened?" he asked faintly. + +"The best thing that has happened is that you have come to yourself +and are able to speak, Wulf," Harold said. "But do not try to talk, +lad, until the leech comes and examines your wounds. You have done +us all a rare service to-night, for thanks to the carelessness of +De Launey's men, most of whom have paid for their error with their +lives, we should all have been taken by surprise had it not been +for the brave stand you made. Now we will take off your garments +and see where you are wounded. They seem to be soaked everywhere +with blood." + +"I received three or four gashes with their knives," Wulf said +feebly, "and I think a spear wound. How are the others?" + +"I know not about Guy," Harold said, "but your man is able to speak, +and has not, I hope, received mortal injuries." + +"Don't trouble yourself about me, Master Wulf," Osgod put in. "I +have got a few pricks with the knaves' knives, and a spear-thrust +or two, but as I was able to keep on my feet until the earl arrived +with help, I think the wounds are of no great consequence." + +"If aught happens to me," Wulf said to Harold, "I pray you to see +to him, my lord, and to take him as one of your own men. Had it not +been for him the Bretons would have made short work of us." + +He could barely utter the words, and again became insensible from +loss of blood. + +When he recovered the leech was kneeling beside him, pouring oil +into his wounds and applying bandages. + +"Do not try to talk," he said quietly, as Wulf opened his eyes. +"Lie quite still, the least movement might cause your wounds to +break out afresh. They are serious, but I think not of a mortal +nature." + +"Guy?" Wulf whispered. + +"He is in a more perilous condition than you are, but it is possible +that he too may live. As for your man here, I have as yet but glanced +at his wounds; but though cut sorely, I have no fear for his life. +Now drink this potion, and then go off to sleep if you can." + +Wulf drank off the contents of the goblet placed to his lips, and +in a few minutes was fast asleep. When he woke it was broad daylight, +and Beorn was sitting by his side. The latter put his finger to his +lips. + +"You are not to talk, Wulf. The leech gave me the strictest orders +when he was here a short time since, and said that you seemed to +be doing well. Osgod he says will surely recover, and be none the +worse for the letting out of some of his blood. The Bretons were +too hasty with their strokes, and although he has a dozen wounds +none of them are serious. Guy de Burg is alive, but as yet the +leech can say nothing. It has been a bad business. It seems that +De Launey's men were most of them killed whilst they were asleep. +The bodies of the sentries were found at their posts, but whether +they were asleep, or whether, as is thought more likely, their foes +stole up and killed them before they had time to utter a cry, we +know not. The Bretons attacked at two or three other points, but +nowhere with such success, though many Normans have fallen. Everyone +says that the party which passed through De Launey's men would have +reached the tents and probably killed most of those in them had +they not stopped while some of their number attacked you and Guy +de Burg. The duke and Harold have both said that your bravery saved +us from a great disaster. I would that I had been with you, but the +tent I was in was the farthest along the line, and the Bretons were +in full flight before we came upon the scene." + +Presently the Baron de Burg came to the side of the pallet on which +Wulf was lying. "I cannot say that I owe you the life of my son," +he said, laying his hand gently upon Wulf's, "for I know not as yet +whether he will live, but he was sensible when we brought him to +my tent, and he told me that you had stood over him and defended +him from the Bretons until you too fell. He was sensible all the +time, though unable to move." + +"It was Osgod who did most of the fighting, my lord," Wulf said. + +"He did much, Wulf, and it will be my pleasure to reward him, but +the duke, who is full of admiration at the slaughter done by three +alone, has caused the bodies to be examined. Twelve of them were +killed with axe wounds, nine by sword wounds. Guy tells me that he +knows that only two fell to his sword, therefore you must have slain +seven. Truly a feat that any man might be proud of, to say nothing +of a lad of your age. Guy is anxious to have you with him, and the +leech said that if you keep quiet to-day, and none of your wounds +break out afresh, it will do you no harm to be carried to my tent." + +Accordingly the next day Wulf was carried across to Lord de Burg's, +and his pallet set down by the side of Guy's. The latter was a +little better, and the leech had faint hopes of his recovery. His +right arm had been broken by a blow with a club, and so badly +fractured that it had already been taken off near the shoulder. His +most dangerous wound was a pike-thrust on the left side, which had +penetrated his lungs. He smiled faintly as Wulf was placed by his +side. Wulf tried to smile back again, but he was too much shocked +at the change in his friend's appearance. His cheeks had fallen +in, and his face was deadly pale. His lips were almost colourless, +and his eyes seemed unnaturally large. Wulf made an effort to speak +cheerfully. + +"We did not expect to come to this so soon, Guy," he said. "We +have often talked about fighting, but we never thought that our +first serious fight would end like this." + +"You have nothing to regret," Baron de Burg said. "You have both +done your duty nobly, and one of gentle blood can wish for no better +end than to die doing his duty against great odds. God grant that +you may both be spared, but if it be otherwise, death could not +come to you more gloriously than in giving your lives to save your +lords from surprise." + +Wulf's recovery was comparatively rapid. He was greatly pleased +when, a week after his removal, Osgod was brought into the tent by +Harold. He was still pale and feeble, but was able to walk, and +assured his young lord that he should soon be ready for another +fight with the Bretons. + +"There will be no more fighting," Harold said. "Yesterday their +chiefs came in to make their submission and ask for mercy, and on +this being granted their fortress has surrendered this morning. +They will pay a heavy fine in cattle, and their two strongest +fortresses are to be garrisoned by Norman troops. A considerable +slice of their territory is to be taken from them. In a week I hope +we shall all be on our way back to Rouen." + +Guy was mending very slowly. Even yet the leech could not say with +certainty that his life would be saved, and warned his father that +in any case he would for a very long time be an invalid. In another +week the camp was broken up. Wulf declared that he was well enough +to sit a horse, but the leech insisted that he should be carried +on a litter. + +"In another fortnight," he said, "you may be able to ride, but it +would not be safe to attempt to do so now. You are going on as well +as could be wished, and it would be madness to risk everything by +haste." + +Accordingly he and Guy were transported in litters to the baron's +residence, where Wulf steadily recovered his health and strength. +Osgod, who had received a heavy purse of gold from the baron, had +at the end of that time entirely recovered; Guy still lay pale and +feeble on his couch. + +"I scarcely wish to live," he said one day to his father. "I can +never be a warrior now. What have I got to live for?" + +"You have much to live for, Guy," his father said, "even if you +never bestride a war-horse. You have made a name for yourself for +bravery, and will always be held in respect. It is not as if you +had been from your birth weak and feeble. You will in time, I hope, +come to be lord of our estates and to look after our people, and +be beloved by them; and, if you cannot yourself lead them in the +field, you can see that they go well equipped, and do honour to +your banner. There are other things besides fighting to live for." + +"I would that you had had another son, father, and that Wulf had +been my brother. I should not so much have minded then that I could +not myself carry the banner of De Burg into the field." + +"Had he been one of ourselves, Guy, that might have come about," +his father said, "for if I have no other son I have a daughter. But +this young Saxon has his own estates in his own country. He would +not settle down here as a Norman baron, and I would not lose Agnes +nor be willing that she should go from us to dwell in a foreign +land. But no one can say what the future will bring about. The duke +has promised one of his daughters to Harold, and should the marriage +come off it will bind the two peoples more closely together. Besides, +you know, Edward of England has promised to Duke William that he +should succeed him." + +"I was speaking to Wulf about that one day, father, and he said +that Edward had no power to make the gift, for that the people of +England chose their king themselves, and that Edward's promise would +go for nothing with them. It is not with them as it is with us, +where a prince can name his successor." + +"That may be Saxon opinion, Guy, but it is not Norman, and assuredly +it is not the duke's; and friendly as are the relations between him +and Harold, it is clear that until this question is settled no +permanent friendship can be looked for between the two nations." + +Wulf was sorry when the time came that he could no longer linger +at Baron de Burg's chateau. The earl had more than once sent over +to say that his presence was looked for at court as soon as he was +sufficiently recovered to attend there, but he stayed on until he +felt so thoroughly strong and well that he could not make his health +any longer an excuse. On leaving, De Burg and his wife both pressed +him to come over whenever he could spare time. + +"You know, Wulf," the former said, "how warm is the affection Guy +has for you, and he will look very eagerly for your visits. Just +at present he has very few pleasures in life, and chief among them +will be your comings. We are all dull here, lad, and Agnes will +miss you sorely." + +"I will ride over whenever I can. I should be ungrateful indeed did +I not do so, after the great kindness you and Lady de Burg have +shown me; but even putting this aside I will come every day if I +can, if only for half an hour's talk with Guy." + +"I am glad to see you back again, Wulf," Earl Harold said as the +lad entered his room. "You look strong and well again, and might, +methinks, have come to us before now." + +"I could have done so, doubtless, my lord, but it pained me to leave +Guy, who is still on his couch, and will, I fear, never be strong +and well again." + +"We heard but a poor account of him from the duke's leech," Harold +said. "It is a sad thing; for one, who as a lad has shown such +bravery, would have turned out a gallant knight. I should have let +you linger there for some time yet, but the duke has frequently +asked after you, and I thought it were best that you came over; +though, in truth, there will be little for you to do here, and you +will be able to ride and see your friend when you will." + +"Are we likely to go back to England soon, my lord?" + +"I trust it will not be long. I have spoken of it more than once +to the duke, but he chides me for being weary of his company; which +indeed I am not, for no man could have treated another better than +he has done me. Still," he said, walking up and down the room, "I +am impatient to be off, but I am no more free to choose my time +here that I was at Beaurain. It is a velvet glove that is placed +on my shoulder, but there is an iron hand in it, I know right well." + +"Is there no possibility of escaping, my lord?" + +Harold looked keenly at the boy. "No, Wulf, treated as I am as a +guest I cannot fly without incurring the reproach of the basest +ingratitude, nor even if I wished it could I escape. Under the +excuse of doing me honour, there are Norman soldiers at the gate, +and a Norman sentry stands at my door. I must go through with it +now, and if need be promise all that William asks. This time there +is nowhere to send you to fetch aid for me. You have heard, I +suppose, that William has promised me his daughter in marriage?" + +"Yes, my lord, I have heard it. Is the marriage to take place soon?" + +Harold smiled. "The duke will not wish it to take place until he +sees that he can secure my services by the marriage. If that time +should never come I shall probably hear no more of it. Engagements +have been broken off before now many a time, and absolution for a +broken promise of that kind is not hard to obtain. You must attend +the court this evening, Wulf." + +Wulf bowed and withdrew, and in the evening attended the court in +the suite of Harold. As soon as the duke's eye fell upon him he +called him up. + +"Messieurs," he said to the barons present, "this lad is Wulf, Thane +of Steyning, and a follower of Earl Harold. He it was who, with the +young Guy de Burg, and aided only by a Saxon man-at-arms, withstood +the first rush of the Bretons, and so gained time by which I myself +and my barons were able to prepare ourselves to resist the attack. +Had it not been for them we should all have been taken by surprise, +and maybe slain. The Saxon and the two lads, Wulf and De Burg, all +fell wounded well-nigh to death, but not before twenty-one Bretons +lay dead around them. This was indeed a feat of arms that any of +you, valiant knights and barons as you are, might have been proud +to perform. + +"Already I had promised him any boon that in reason he may ask for +having borne to me the news that Earl Harold, my honoured guest and +brother-in-arms, had been cast on our shores, and I promise him +now, that should at any time it happen that I have any power or +influence in England, his estates shall remain to him and to his +heirs free from all service or dues, even though he has withstood +me in arms;--nay, more, that they shall be largely added to. Should +such issue never arise, and aught occur to render him desirous of +crossing the seas hither, I promise him a baron's feu as a token +of my gratitude for the great service he rendered me; and I am well +assured that, whether to a King of England or to a Duke of Normandy, +he will prove himself a true and faithful follower. I call on you +all here to witness this promise that I have made, and should there +be need, to recall it to my memory." + +The Normans above all things admired valour, and when Wulf, after +kneeling and kissing the duke's hand, retired shamefacedly to a +corner of the room, where he was joined by Beorn, one after another +came up to him and said a few words of approbation. + +"You have done well, young sir," Fitz-Osberne, one of the duke's +most trusted councillors said to him. "The duke is not given to +overpraise, and assuredly no one of your age has ever won such +commendation from his lips. After making so fair a commencement, +it will be your own fault indeed if you do not make a great name +for yourself in the future. There is not one of us who was in the +duke's camp that evening but feels that he owes you much for the +few minutes' delay that saved us from being taken altogether by +surprise. You are young, and may think but little of the promise the +duke has given you this evening, but the day may come when you will find +it stand you in good stead." + +Harold said nearly the same thing to Wulf when he saw him the next morning. + +"But there is no chance of the duke ever having power in England, my lord," +Wulf said. + +"I trust not, Wulf, but there is no doubt that his whole mind is bent upon +obtaining the throne of England. He has spoken to me openly about it, and +has more than hinted to me that I, if married to his daughter, would still, +as Earl of Wessex, be the foremost man in the land next to its sovereign +should he ever gain the kingdom." + +"And what said you, my lord, if I may be so bold as to ask?" + +"I said but little, lad. I am a prisoner, and I am well assured that I +shall never return to England until William thinks that he can depend upon +me. It is needful that I should return, and that quickly, for I hear that +there is fresh trouble in Wales, and I have received an urgent message from +the king to hasten to his side. It is hard to see what it is best to do." + +Four days later a grand ceremony was announced to take place, but few knew +what its nature was to be. That it was something beyond the ordinary was +certain by the number of barons and knights that were bidden to attend. A +dais was erected in the courtyard of the palace, and on this a table +covered with a cloth was placed. + +"I don't like this business," Wulf said to Beorn, as with the other Saxons +they took their place near the dais. "There is something very mysterious +about it, and I believe that at last we are going to see what William's +full intentions are." + +A religious ceremony was first held, and then the duke rose to his feet and +addressed the barons. He first recalled to them the promise that Edward of +England had made to him, and then went on: "The saints have worked in my +favour," he said, "by sending here as my guest my well-beloved +brother-in-arms, the great Earl of Wessex. Between us there is the closest +friendship, and to cement and make even closer the bonds between us, he has +become betrothed to my daughter, and through the lands I shall bestow upon +her he will become a baron of Normandy. Relying upon his affection and +friendship, I have called you here together to hear him swear in public +that which he has already told me privately--that he will be my faithful +feudatory, and will in all ways aid me to gain my lawful rights." + +Harold changed colour. The matter had come upon him as a surprise. +Doubtless he had in a vague way when discussing his future relations as +son-in-law to the duke, expressed his warm friendship and a general +willingness to be of service to him, but to be called upon to take an oath +publicly was a different matter. Most of those present had taken oaths of +allegiance to William and had broken them again and again, and William +himself had not less frequently broken his feudal oaths to his suzerain, +the King of France. But Harold was a man with a deep sense of religion, and +did not esteem as lightly as these Norman barons an oath thus sworn; but he +felt that he had fallen into a trap, and that resistance would but consign +him to a prison, if not a grave. + +He at once understood how hollow had been the pretended friendship of his +host; but he was in William's power, and unless as a friend the duke would +never permit so formidable a rival to quit his shores. As he hesitated he +saw a movement on the part of the Norman knights near the dais, and +understood that they had been previously informed of William's intentions, +and were there to enforce them. Their brows were bent on him angrily as he +hesitated, and more than one hand went to the hilt of the wearer's sword. +There was no drawing back, and placing his hand on the table he swore the +oath William had dictated. When he concluded William snatched the cloth +from the table, and below it were seen a number of bones and sacred relics +that had been brought from the cathedral. + +Enlightened as Harold was, he was not altogether free from the +superstitions of the age. For a moment he shuddered slightly and grew paler +than before, then he drew himself up to his full height, and looked calmly +into the exulting face of William. + +"I call you all to witness," the duke said in a loud voice, "that Harold, +Earl of Wessex, has taken a solemn oath upon the holy relics to be my +faithful feudatory." + +The shout that answered him was by no means universal, for there were many +among the Norman nobles who were shocked at the base trick that the duke +had played upon a guest for whom he had professed the warmest friendship. +The Saxon thanes could scarce contain their expressions of indignation, but +Harold as he sat down among them made a gesture commanding silence. + +"We sail for England to-morrow night," he said in low tones. "The duke told +me so as we came hither. The two ships will be in readiness for us to +embark in the morning. I did not understand then the price I was to pay. +Restrain yourselves now; when we are free men we can talk this over." + +An hour later they returned to the palace, where there was a brief and +formal interview between Harold and the duke. Both dissembled their real +feelings. The duke said that he regretted that the King of England's wishes +forced his guest to start so suddenly, and that he much regretted his +departure. Harold thanked him for the hospitality he had shown him, but +neither made any allusion whatever to the scene that had taken place in the +courtyard. Wulf rode over to say good-bye to Guy and his father. The latter +was walking up and down the hall with a gloomy face. + +"I blush for what has taken place to-day, Wulf," he said. "Tell the earl +that had we known what was going to occur there are few indeed who would +have attended at the ceremony, and that I for one shall hold him in no way +dishonoured if he breaks the vow that has thus been dishonourably extorted +from him. It was a trick and a base one, and I would tell Duke William so +to his face. What will men think of Norman faith when guests are thus +tricked to their disadvantage?" + +For an hour Wulf remained talking with the baron and his family. + +"I hope to see you again, Wulf," De Burg said, as the lad rose to take +leave. "Guy regards you as a brother, and though assuredly no Saxon will +set foot on Norman soil after to-day's doings, we may yet meet again." + +"I shall come over to England to see you, Wulf, if you come not here," Guy +said. "I begin to think that I shall get over this, although I may never be +really strong again. We shall often think and talk of you, Agnes and I; and +I should like, of all things, to come and stay in your Saxon home." + +"No one would be so welcome, Guy. If we are never to be brothers-in-arms as +we once talked of, we shall surely be brothers in heart, whether absent or +present." + +A few more words and Wulf took leave of them all and rode back to Rouen. In +the morning the duke accompanied Harold to the river bank and there took a +courteous farewell of him. It is not probable that he thought for a moment +that Harold would observe the oath, but he saw that its breach would be +almost as useful to him as its fulfilment, for it would enable him to +denounce his rival as a perjured and faithless man, and to represent any +expedition against England as being a sort of crusade to punish one who had +broken the most solemn vows made on the holy relics. Harold himself +preserved his usual calmness of demeanour, and stood talking quietly to the +duke while the latter's presents of hawks and hounds were taken on board +the ship, and the Saxons, silent and sullen, had passed over the gangway. +Then an apparently affectionate embrace was exchanged between the two +rivals. Harold crossed on to the ship, the great sails were hoisted, and +the two vessels proceeded down the river. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +TROUBLE WITH WALES. + +Harold took his place on the poop as the vessel started, and remained +looking fixedly at the duke, until the latter with the group of barons +turned and entered the town. + +"Farewell, William of Normandy," he said; "false friend and dishonoured +host. How shall we meet next time, I wonder, and where?" + +Hitherto the presence of the Norman attendants had prevented any private +converse between Harold and his followers, but having the poop to +themselves they now broke out into angry exclamations against the duke. + +"It was an unworthy and unknightly trick," Harold said calmly; "but let us +not talk of it now; it will be for the English people to decide the +question some day, and for English bishops to determine whether I am bound +by a vow thus extorted. Better at all events that I should be held for all +time to have been false and perjured, than that the English people should +fall under the Norman yoke. But maybe there will be no occasion for the +oath ever to come in question, William of Normandy or I may die before the +king, and then there will be an end of it. Let us talk of other things. +Thank God we are free men again, and our faces are set towards England, +where, from what I hear, we may have to meet open foes instead of false +friends, and may have to teach the Welsh, once and for all, that they and +their king cannot with impunity continually rise in rebellion against +England. + +"Well, Wulf, you are the only one among us who has brought back aught from +Normandy, at least you and Beorn, for you have your horses and chains, and +the promise of the duke to grant you a boon. But these are small things. +You have gained great credit, and have shown yourself a gallant fighter, +and have further promises from the duke." + +"I care not for his promises," Wulf said hotly. "I hold him to be a +dishonoured noble, and I would take naught from his hands." + +"You are young yet, Wulf," Harold smiled, "and the duke's promise, made +before his nobles, will be held binding by him if ever the time should come +for you to claim it. Do not refuse benefits, lad, because you do not like +the hands that grant them. You rendered him a service, and need feel no +shame at receiving the reward for it. As soon as we return I shall take +steps to raise you and Beorn to the full dignity of thanes, with all rights +and privileges. My brother and my friends here can all testify to the +service you rendered to us, for much as I may have to complain of the +ending of my visit, it has at least been vastly better than our lot would +have been had we remained in the hands of Conrad of Ponthieu. You are both +very young to be placed in the position of rulers of your people, and in +ordinary cases you would not have been sworn to thane's services for some +years to come; but, as Earl of Wessex, I see good reason for departing from +the rule on this occasion, and I think that my thanes here will all be of +that opinion." There was a warm expression of approval from the Saxons. +"Then as soon as we set foot on English soil we will hold a court, and +invest you with your full rank." + +They started from the mouth of the Seine, and as there was no nearer port +than that from which they had sailed, Harold directed the masters of the +ships to make for Bosham. + +"It is like to be a fairer voyage than the last," he said, as with a light +breeze blowing behind them they sailed out from the mouth of the Seine. "It +will be longer, but assuredly more pleasant." + +No incident whatever marked the voyage. The Saxons gave a shout of joy when +they first made out the outline of the hills of the Isle of Wight, some +twelve hours after leaving the mouth of the river; but it was not until +eight hours afterwards that they entered the harbour of Bosham. As soon as +the two Norman vessels were seen sailing up the quiet sheet of water, +everywhere fringed with forest, boats put out to meet them, to ascertain +the reason of their coming and to inquire for news of Harold and his +companions. As soon as his figure was made out standing on the poop, one of +the boats rowed off with the news, and by the time the vessels dropped +anchor off Bosham the whole of the inhabitants had gathered on the shore, +with loud shouts of joy and welcome. + +As soon as they landed Harold and his companions proceeded at once to the +church, where a solemn service of thanksgiving was held for their +preservation from the dangers of the sea and for their safe return to +England. As soon as the service was over Harold sent off two horsemen to +bear to the king the news of his return, and to state that he himself would +ride to London on the following day. Then the earl bestowed handsome +presents upon the masters and crews of the ships that had brought them +over, and gave into their charge hawks and hounds, rich armour, and other +presents for the Duke of Normandy, and jewelled cups and other gifts to the +principal barons of his court. + +The gifts were indeed of royal magnificence; but Harold's wealth was vast, +and, as he said to his brother, "We will at least show these Normans, that +in point of generosity an English earl is not to be outdone by a Norman +duke." As soon as these matters were attended to Harold held a court in the +great hall of Bosham, and there received the oaths of fealty from Wulf and +Beorn, and confirmed to them the possessions held by their fathers, and +invested them with the gold chains worn by thanes as the sign of their +rank. He afterwards bestowed a purse of gold upon Osgod, equal in value to +the one he had received from the Duke of Normandy. + +"Should aught ever happen to your master," he said, "come you to me and you +shall be one of my own men, and shall not lack advancement in my service." + +"In faith, Master Wulf," Osgod said after the ceremony, "my father warned +me that the trade of a soldier was but a poor one, and that a good +handicraftsman could gain far more money. He will open his eyes when I +jingle these purses before him, for I might have hammered armour for years +before I gained as much as I have done in the three months since I left +England. I have enough to buy a farm and settle down did it so please me, +and I have clothes enough to last me well-nigh a lifetime, and rings enough +to set up a goldsmith's shop. For scarce one of the duke's barons and +knights but followed his example, and gave me a present for my share in +that little fight with the Bretons." + +"As for the clothes, they will always be useful, Osgod; but were I you I +would get a stout leathern bag and put the purses and rings into it, and +bury them in some place known only to yourself, and where none are ever +likely to light upon them. You have no occasion for money now, and we may +hope that ere long all occasion for fighting will be over, and then, as you +say, you can buy a farm and marry." + +"I am going always to remain your man," Osgod said in an aggrieved tone. + +"Certainly, Osgod, I should wish for nothing else. You will always be my +friend, and shall have any post on the estates or in the house that you may +prefer. There will be no occasion for you to farm your land yourself, you +can let it, receiving the value of half the produce, and so taking rank as +a landowner, for which you yourself may care nothing, but which will enable +your wife to hold her head higher." + +"I am not thinking of wives, my lord." + +"Nonsense, Osgod, I want not to be called my lord." + +"But you are a thane now and must be called so," Osgod said sternly; "and +it would be ill-becoming indeed if I your man did not so address you. But I +will take your advice about the gold, and when I get down to Steyning will +bury it deeply under the roots of a tree. It will be safer there than if I +buried it in my father's forge, for London is ever the centre of troubles, +and might be sacked and burnt down should there ever be war between Mercia +or Northumbria and Wessex." + +"Heaven forbid that we should have more civil wars, Osgod." + +"Amen to that, but there is never any saying. Assuredly Edwin and Morcar +love not our earl, and as to Tostig, though he is his brother, he is +hot-headed and passionate enough to play any part. And then there are the +Normans, and there is no doubt the duke will have to be reckoned with. +Altogether methinks my money will be safer under an oak-tree down at +Steyning than at Westminster." + +"You are right enough there, Osgod; by all means carry out your ideas. But +there is the bell for supper, and I must go." + +The next morning the party started at daybreak, and late that night arrived +at Westminster. There were great rejoicings in London and throughout the +south of England when it was known that the great earl had returned from +Normandy. Much uneasiness had been felt at his long absence, and although +accounts had come from time to time of the honour with which he had been +treated by Duke William, many felt that his prolonged stay was an enforced +one, and that he was a prisoner rather than a guest of the duke. + +The king himself was as rejoiced as his subjects at Harold's return. +Although in the early years of his reign he had been bitterly opposed to +the powerful family of Earl Godwin, to whom he owed his throne, he had of +late years learnt to appreciate the wisdom of Harold; and although still +Norman in his tastes as in his language, he had become much more English at +heart, and bitterly regretted the promise that he had years before rashly +given to the Duke of Normandy. + +Harold too had relieved him of all the cares of government, which he hated, +and had enabled him to give his whole time and thought to religious +exercises, and to the rearing of the splendid abbey which was his chief +pleasure and pride. In his absence Edward had been obliged to attend to +state business. He was worried with the jealousies and demands of the Earl +of Mercia, with the constant complaints of the Northumbrians against their +harsh and imperious master Tostig, and by the fact that the Welsh were +taking advantage of the absence of Harold to cause fresh troubles. It was +just Christmas when Harold returned, and the snow fell heavily on the night +of his arrival at Westminster. + +"It was lucky it did not come a few hours earlier, Beorn," Wulf said, as he +looked out of the casement. "We had a long and heavy ride yesterday, and we +could not have done it in one day had the snow been on the ground. I +suppose there will be a number of court festivities over Harold's return. +We have had enough of that sort of thing in Normandy, and I hope that +Harold will let us return at once to our estates." + +"Speak for yourself, Wulf; for myself I love the court, and now that I am a +thane I shall enjoy it all the more." + +"And I all the less," Wulf said. "Fifteen months ago we were but pages and +could at least have some fun, now we shall have to bear ourselves as men, +and the ladies of the court will be laughing at us and calling us the +little thanes, and there will be no getting away and going round to the +smithy to watch Osgod's father and men forging weapons. It will be all very +stupid." + +In a short time an attendant summoned them to breakfast, and here they sat +down with the other thanes, Harold's wing of the palace being distinct from +that of the king. The earl sat at the head of the table, and talked in +undertones to his brother Gurth and two or three of his principal thanes. +The personal retainers of the nobles stood behind their seats and served +them with food, while Harold's pages waited on him and those sitting next +to him. + +"We were a merrier party in the pages' room," Beorn whispered to Wulf, for +but few words were spoken as the meal went on. + +"I think there is something in the air," Wulf said, "the earl looks more +serious than usual. Generally the meals are cheerful enough." + +As soon as it was finished Harold said, "The king will receive you all in +half an hour, he desires to express to you his pleasure at your return +home. After that I beg that you will again gather here, as I have occasion +to speak to you." + +The court was a more formal one than usual, the king's Norman functionaries +were all present as were several ecclesiastics. Among them the Bishop of +London, behind whom stood Wulf's old adversary, Walter Fitz-Urse. Earl +Harold introduced his companions in captivity, the king receiving them very +graciously. + +"I am glad to see that you have all returned safely," he said. "The earl +tells me that you have all borne yourselves well in the battles you have +fought under the banner of my friend and ally Duke William of Normandy, and +that you have proved to his countrymen that the English are in no whit +inferior to themselves in courage. The earl specially recommended to me his +newly-made thanes, Wulf of Steyning and Beorn of Fareham, who did him the +greatest service by effecting their escape from the castle of Beaurain, and +at great risk bearing the news of his imprisonment to Duke William. Wulf +of Steyning, he tells me, gained the highest approval of the duke and his +knights by a deed of bravery when their camp was surprised by the Bretons. +The earl has informed me that in consideration of these services he has +advanced them to the rank of thanes, and confirmed them in their father's +possessions, and as service rendered to him is service rendered to me, I +thus bestow upon them a token of my approval;" and beckoning to the young +thanes to advance, he took two heavy gold bracelets from his arm, and +himself fastened them on those of the kneeling lads. + +When the ceremony was over, Harold's party returned to the room where they +had breakfasted. It was an hour before the earl joined them. + +"I have been in council with the king," he said, "and have thus been forced +to keep you waiting. We heard when abroad that the Welsh were again +becoming troublesome, but I find that matters are much worse than I had +supposed. Griffith has broken out into open rebellion; he has ravaged all +the borders, has entered the diocese of Wulfstan, the new Bishop of +Worcester, and carried his arms beyond the Severn, laying waste part of my +own earldom of Hereford. Edwin, who has just succeeded his father in the +earldom of Worcester, is young and new to his government, and, moreover, +his father was an ally of Griffith's. In any case, he needs far larger +forces than those at his command to undertake a war with the Welsh. This +time we must finish with them; treaties are of no avail they are ever +broken on the first opportunity, and a blow must be dealt that will render +them powerless for harm for generations to come. + +"Therefore the king has commissioned me forthwith to act in the matter, not +only as Lord of Hereford but as Earl of the West Saxons. Winter is upon us, +and it will be impossible to undertake a regular campaign. Still a blow +must be struck, and that quickly and heavily in order to stop the +depredation and ruin they are spreading in the west counties. The +preparations must be secret and the blow sudden. There is no time for +calling out levies, that must be done in the spring. I must act only with +mounted men. I have already sent off a messenger to Bosham to bid my +housecarls mount and ride to Salisbury. They will number two hundred. I +pray you all to leave at once for your estates, or to send an order by a +swift messenger for your housecarls to ride to Salisbury, whither I myself +shall proceed in three days. Will each of you give me the tale of the +number of armed men who can take horse at an hour's notice." + +Each of those present gave the number of housecarls in his service, and +they all expressed their willingness to ride themselves, in order to get +them ready the more speedily. The total mounted to three hundred and fifty +men. + +"That with my own two hundred will be well-nigh sufficient," Harold said; +"but I will send off messengers at once to some of the thanes of Dorset and +Somerset to join us at Gloucester with their men, so that we shall be fully +a thousand strong, which will be ample for my purpose. I need not impress +upon you all to preserve an absolute silence as to the object for which you +are calling out your men. News spreads fast, and an incautious word might +ruin our enterprise. There is no occasion for you all to accompany your +men. Those of you who have been with me in Normandy will doubtless desire +to stay for a while with your wives and families, and you may do equally +good service by making preparations there for a more serious campaign in +the spring. I beg these to send with their housecarls a trusted officer, +and bid him place himself and his men under my orders." + +The meeting at once broke up. + +"I suppose you young warriors will bring your own men to Salisbury?" Harold +said, as Wulf and Beorn came up to take their leave of him. + +"Certainly, my lord," Beorn said. "We have neither family nor relations to +keep us at home, and even if we had it would not suffice to keep us from +following your banner." + +"It will be a warfare like that in which you have been engaged across the +sea," Harold said. "The Bretons you there fought with are kinsfolk of the +Welsh, speaking the same language, and being alike in customs and in +fighting. They trust to surprises, and to their speed of foot and +knowledge of their wild country, rather than to hard fighting in the open +plain. They have few towns to capture, and it is therefore hard to execute +reprisals upon them. Like the Bretons they are brave, and fight savagely +until the last, neither giving nor asking for quarter. They believe that +their country, which is so wild and hilly as to be a great natural +fortress, is unconquerable, and certainly neither Saxon nor Dane has ever +succeeded in getting any foothold there. But when the spring comes I hope +to teach them that even their wild hills are no defence, and that their +habits of savage plundering must be abandoned or we will exterminate them +altogether. But I have no thought of undertaking such a campaign now. Of +course you will take that tall follower of yours with you, Wulf." + +"I fear that he would not stay behind even if I ordered him to do so," Wulf +laughed. "He will be overjoyed when I tell him there is a prospect of +fighting again, and all the more if it is against kinsmen of the Bretons, +against whom he feels a special grudge." + +"The feeling would be more natural the other way," Harold said smiling, +"seeing that he inflicted upon them far greater damage than he received. +You will find fresh horses awaiting you. None of those that carried us from +Bosham yesterday are fit for another such journey to-day." + +Wulf had told Osgod the first thing in the morning that he could return to +his family for a few days, only coming to the palace to serve his meals, +and he now hurried away to the armourer's shop, where he found that but +little work was going on, the men being absorbed in listening to Osgod's +account of his adventures. Ulred and the men rose and saluted respectfully +as Wulf entered. + +"I am sorry to disturb you, Ulred," he said, "but I have come to fetch +Osgod away again. That is if he would prefer riding with me to remaining +quiet with you at home." + +"If you are going, master, assuredly I am going with you," Osgod said. "I +am dry with talking already, and father must wait for the rest of my story +until I come back again. Are we going down to Steyning, my lord?" + +"There first and afterwards elsewhere, but that is all I can tell you now. +The horses are ready, and there is not a moment to lose. We must get as far +on our way as possible before nightfall, for the matter is an urgent one." + +"I am ready," Osgod said, girding on his sword and putting his cap on his +head. "Good-bye, father. Tell mother I shall be back when I am back, and +that is all I can say about it." + +They reached Steyning at two o'clock on the following afternoon, and +messengers were instantly sent round to the farms, bidding the men who were +bound as housecarls to appear on horseback and armed, with two days' food +in their wallets, an hour before daybreak next morning. Then a messenger +was despatched with a letter to the prior of Bramber, telling him of Wulf's +safe return, and begging him to excuse his coming over to see him, as he +had ridden nigh a hundred and fifty miles in three days, and was forced to +set out again at daybreak the next morning. As Wulf had hoped, the letter +was answered by the prior in person, and to him Wulf related that evening +the incidents of their stay in Normandy. + +The prior shook his head. + +"I have feared ever since I heard that Harold had fallen into the clutches +of the duke, that he would never get off scot free, but would either have +to pay a heavy ransom or make some concessions that would be even worse for +England. It is a bad business, Wulf, a bad business. The church has ever +been ready to grant absolution from oaths extracted by violence, but this +affair of the relics makes it more serious, and you may be sure that +William will make the most of the advantage he has gained. Harold is +absolutely powerless to fulfil his oath. Neither he nor the king, nor any +other man, can force a foreign monarch upon free England. And did Harold +declare for the Duke of Normandy, powerful and beloved as he is, he would +be driven into exile instantly. If he himself is elected king by the +people, as there is no doubt whatever will be the case, he must needs obey +their voice, and will have no choice between being King of England or an +exile. Still it is unfortunate. He will be branded as a perjurer. William's +influence may even induce the pope to excommunicate him, and although the +ban would go for but little here, it would serve as an excuse for the other +great earls to refuse to submit to his authority. Now tell me, how is it +that you have to ride again so suddenly when but just arrived?" + +"I can tell you, father, though I can tell no one else. Harold has ordered +us to bring out our housecarls, and with them he means to deal a blow +against the Welsh, who have been devastating our western counties. The +expedition is to be secret and sudden, although against what point and in +what manner the blow is to be struck Harold has kept his own counsel." + +"The Welsh are ever a thorn in our side," the prior said, "and treaties +with them are useless. I trust that Harold will succeed in thoroughly +reducing them to obedience, for whenever there is trouble in the kingdom +they take advantage of it, and are ready to form alliances with any +ambitious earl who hoists the standard of revolt. And so you say Harold has +already made you full thane? I am well pleased to hear it, if for no other +reason than that it is good for people when they are ruled over by their +own lord and not by a stranger; though I say nothing against Egbert, +Harold's steward. Still no man can rule like the master himself." + +At the first dawn of day Wulf mounted, and rode away from the palace +followed by Osgod. He was clad now in the ringed armour, a suit of which he +had had made of lighter material than usual. Only on the shoulders and over +the chest was the leather of the usual thickness, elsewhere it was thin and +extremely soft, and the rings did not overlap each other as much as usual. +The weight, therefore, was much less than that ordinarily worn by thanes, +although it differed but little from it in appearance. The helmet, also, +was of stout leather, thickly covered with metal rings, and the flap fell +down over the neck and ears, having a bar coming down in front to protect +the nose. + +Osgod's suit was thicker and heavier, and was similar to that of the forty +men who were drawn up in two lines under the soldier whom Harold had sent +down to train them. They were a stout set of young fellows, well mounted +and armed, and as they broke into a cry of "Welcome to our thane," Wulf +felt proud to command such a body. + +"Thanks, my friends," he said heartily. "I am glad to see that not one is +missing from your number, and feel sure that you will do credit to my +banner." + +They rode that day to Fareham, where they received a hearty welcome from +Beorn, and starting in the morning with his troop of thirty men, reached +Salisbury late that evening. They were met at the entrance to the town by +one of Harold's officers, who conducted them to a large barn, where straw +had been thickly strewn for the men to sleep on. The horses were fastened +outside. + +"Earl Harold arrived an hour since," the officer said, "and bade me tell +you that he is lodged at the reeve's, where he expects you." + +They found on arriving at the house that many of the thanes had already +come in, and that some six hundred horsemen were bestowed in the town. On a +great sideboard were pies, cold joints of meat, wine and ale, and each +thane as he arrived helped himself to such food as he desired, and then +joined the party gathered round Harold. + +"We shall pick up another hundred or two as we march along to-morrow," +Harold was saying when the two young thanes joined the group, "and shall +have a good nine hundred men by the time we reach Gloucester, where I +expect to find four or five hundred more awaiting us. I hear that our +coming has made a great stir here in Salisbury, the citizens do not know +what to make of so large a body of housecarls arriving in their midst. The +reeve tells me that they were in some fear of being eaten out of house and +home until they heard that we were to march on in the morning; after that +they did their best for us, and have arranged that every man shall have his +fill of meat and ale to-night, and again before starting." + +Travelling as fast and as far as the horses could carry them, the force +reached Gloucester. Here they received an even warmer welcome than had +greeted them elsewhere, for the citizens had been greatly alarmed at the +Welsh forays, and as soon as they knew that the great earl himself was with +the troops they had no doubt that he had come to give them protection and +to punish their enemies. The contingents from Somerset and Dorset had +already arrived, and without the delay of a single day the troops again +started. + +The housecarls, although mounted, were not trained to fight on horseback. +Their steeds were valuable only as enabling them to move with greater +celerity across the country than they could do on foot, and to bring them +fresh and in fighting condition to the scene of action. Once there they +dismounted, and a portion being told off to look after the horses, the main +body advanced on foot against the enemy. + +There was yet a long ride before them. Following the Severn on its western +side so as to avoid the passage of the Avon, they rode to Worcester, and +then up through Dudley and Shrewsbury. + +It would have been shorter to have passed through Hereford and Ludlow, but +Harold feared that they might there come upon some marauding party of the +Welsh, and any of these who escaped might carry the news across the border, +when the fleet-footed mountaineers would quickly have conveyed it to the +Welsh king at his castle at Rhuddlaw. Rhuddlaw, now a small village, is +situated in Denbighshire, and was an important military position, situated +as it was at no great distance from the sea, and commanding the Vale of +Clwyd, the most important avenue into Wales from the north. From Shrewsbury +they pushed forward as rapidly as possible to Rhuddlaw; but quickly as they +had journeyed, the news of their coming was borne more rapidly. Griffith +received the news an hour before their arrival, and mounting, rode down to +the Avon and embarked on board ship. + +Great was the disappointment of the earl and his followers when they found +that the object of their long march across England had failed, and that the +capture of the Welsh king, which would have put an end to the trouble, had +been missed so narrowly. The castle was at once set on fire, the Welsh +ships on the Avon were also given to the flames, and the very same day +Harold led his troops away and by easy marches took them back to +Gloucester. Here they halted. The housecarls from the south, who had never +been in contact with the Welsh, were inclined to murmur among themselves at +having been led back without striking a blow, but the contingents from the +western counties, who had had experience of this wild warfare, told them +that they might consider themselves fortunate. + +"You know not what a war with these savages is," an old housecarl who had +fought them again and again said to a listening group of Wulf's men. "You +might as well fight with the evil spirits of the air as with them. Fight! +there is no fighting in it, save when they have with them Danes from the +North, or Norwegians. With these to bear the brunt of the battle the Welsh +will fight valiantly in their fashion, but alone they know that they cannot +withstand us for a moment. I have been after them a score of times, and it +is a night-mare. You go up hills and through forests, you plunge into +morasses, you scramble up precipices; you are wet, you are hungry, you are +worn out, but never do you catch sight of one of them. + +"Now and then, as you wind along the face of a hill, rocks will come +thundering down; in the woods and swamps you hear their mocking yells and +laughter. At the end of the day you drop down where you halt, and then just +as you fall off to sleep there is a wild yell, and in a moment they are +swarming among you, slashing and ripping with their long knives, crawling +on the ground and springing upon you, getting among the horses and +hamstringing or cutting them open. By the time those of you that are alive +have got together they have gone, and all is so quiet that were it not for +the scattered bodies you might believe that it was all a dream. Two or +three times before morning the attack will be repeated, until you are +forced to keep under arms in military array. As soon as it is light you +recommence your march, and so it goes on day after day, until at last, +worn-out and spent, and less in strength by half than when you started, you +gather under the shelter of the walls of one of the border towns. + +"I should have been glad indeed if we had caught their king, for if he had +been held hostage in London we might have had peace; but well content am I +that Harold has abstained from entering upon a campaign which, terrible as +it is even in summer, would be beyond endurance of the strongest in +winter." + +"Well, for my part," Osgod, who was one of the listeners, remarked, "I +would rather go on by myself and take the chance of getting a good blow at +some of these wild men than ride all the way back to Steyning to be laughed +at by the women there, as brave soldiers who have marched across England +and back and never unsheathed their swords. Nor will I believe that Earl +Harold can intend so to make a laughing-stock of us. The Bretons were just +as active as are these Welshmen, but he brought them to reason there, and I +warrant me he will do the same here. At any rate, he seems in no hurry to +move. We have been here nigh a week already, and why should he keep us here +if we are not to be employed?" + +It was not very long before it became known that Harold had no intention of +marching away and leaving the Welsh unpunished, and that in the spring a +campaign on a great scale was to be undertaken against them. The thanes of +all the western counties were ordered to hold themselves in readiness to +join with their levies in the spring. The Somerset and Devon men were to +gather at Bristol, and thence to be conveyed by ships to the southern coast +of Wales; the troops at Gloucester were to march west, and Tostig was to +bring down a body of Northumbrian horse, and to enter Wales from Chester. +The housecarls, to their surprise, were ordered to lay aside their ringed +armour and heavy helmets, in place of which leather jerkins and caps were +served out to them; their heavy axes were to be left behind, and they were +to trust to the sword alone. They were to abandon the tactics in which +they had been trained of fighting shoulder to shoulder, with shield +overlapping shield, and were to exercise themselves in running and +climbing, in skirmishing with an imaginary foe, and rapidly gathering in +close formation to resist anticipated attack. Harold himself gave them +these instructions. + +"You will have no foe to meet breast to breast," he said; "if we are to +conquer and to root out these hornets it must be by showing ourselves even +more active than they are. Speed and activity go for everything in a war +like this, while our own methods of fighting are absolutely useless. Unless +we make an end of this matter you may be called away from your homes once a +year to repel these attacks, while if you conquer now there will be no +Welsh foray again during your lifetime. Therefore it is worth while to make +a great effort, and for once to lay aside our own method of fighting. Your +commanders will see that all the exercises are well carried out, and will +report to me regarding those who show most zeal and energy. Extra pay will +be given to all, and I shall know how to reward those who are reported to +me as most deserving of it." + +The troops set to work with great energy, and soon recognized the advantage +they gained by laying aside their heavy arms and armour. Swimming, running, +and climbing were practised incessantly, and when May arrived, and with it +the time for the commencement of the campaign, all felt confident of their +ability to cope with the Welsh in their own methods of warfare. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +IN THE WELSH VALLEYS. + +Wulf and Beorn did not form part of the expedition which was to embark with +Harold from Bristol, and to enter Wales by one of its southern valleys. It +was necessary that the gathering of the levies at Gloucester should be +strengthened by having as a nucleus three hundred trained soldiers. The +levies were lightly armed, and accustomed to fight in the same irregular +manner as their Welsh adversaries, whom they held in considerable dread, +for the fierce hillmen had again and again proved themselves more than a +match for the peaceable natives on the English side of the border. The +addition then of three hundred housecarls was required to give them +confidence. These had indeed abandoned for the time their armour, heavy +weapons, and solid formation, but they could still were it necessary gather +in a line, behind which the levies could rally, and which would be +impregnable to the undisciplined attacks of the Welsh. + +The young thanes were somewhat disappointed at finding that they were not +to accompany the earl, but, as he told them, it was a mark of his +confidence that he should post them with the force where the fighting was +likely to be more severe and the risk greater than with that he himself +led. + +"I shall penetrate into the heart of Wales," he said. "I shall have +horsemen with me, a strong force of trained soldiers and the levies, and +the enemy will, I feel sure, be unable to oppose us successfully; but it is +likely enough that when the Welsh find that my force from the south and +Tostig's from the north cannot be withstood, they will pour out on their +eastern frontier, and try to light such a flame in Worcester, Hereford, and +Gloucester, that we should be obliged to abandon our work, and hurry back +to stem the tide of their invasion. It is necessary therefore that from +this side also there should be a forward movement. My brother, Gurth, will +command here. I have strongly recommended you to him. Your experience in +the Breton war will be of assistance to you, and I have told him that you +can be far better trusted than many older than yourselves in carrying out +expeditions among their hills and valleys. + +"I do not anticipate there will be any pitched battles; the Welsh know that +they cannot withstand our trained soldiers. It will be a war of +skirmishes, of detached fighting, of surprises, long marches, and great +fatigues. Every valley in the country is to be harried with fire and sword. +They are to be made to feel that even in their mountains they are not safe +from us, and as they never take prisoners nor give quarter in the forays on +our side of the border, so we will hunt them down like wolves in their own +forests. The work must be done so thoroughly that for a hundred years at +least the lesson will not be forgotten." + +In the last week of May Gurth moved forward, marching first to Hereford as +a more central point of attack, and then crossing the border and entering +Wales. The troops carried no heavy baggage. Meat they expected to find; +flour was carried on two hundred pack-horses. The force was about 4000 +strong. The housecarls marched in a body, keeping solid order. Behind them +came the pack animals, each led separately, so that they could the more +easily make their way through forests or over broken ground. They marched +in lines, forty abreast. The light-armed levies, led by their respective +thanes, moved as they chose on the flanks of the trained troops or followed +in the rear. + +When they halted on the first evening after crossing the frontier they +lighted their fires and bivouacked. Wulf and Beorn walked together through +the camp. + +"In spite of the fact that they are all dressed somewhat alike in leather +jerkins, it is easy to see which are the trained soldiers," Wulf said. "The +housecarls are as merry over the food they have brought with them as if +they were going upon a march of pleasure through the hills, while the +border levies evidently regard the business as a serious one." + +"That is no wonder," Beorn replied, "seeing how for years they have +suffered at the hands of the Welsh. Look at those hills, Wulf, I can count +a dozen beacons alight. Of course, they have heard of the preparations for +attack, and they are flashing the news from hill to hill of the advance of +our force. It will not be long before they gather to oppose us." + +"It is like enough they may attack us to-night, Beorn. They may have had +spies at Hereford, and will have known two days ago of our coming. They may +reckon that we should anticipate no attack until farther among their hills, +and that we shall in consequence be careless, as in truth we seem to be. I +think it would be well to offer Gurth our housecarls to stand sentry +to-night." + +"He might laugh at us," Beorn said doubtfully. + +"Well, let him laugh; he will laugh good-humouredly anyhow, for he is of a +kindly and light-hearted disposition. At any rate there cannot be any harm +in proposing it, and after the surprise we got from the Bretons we cannot +be too cautious." + +They walked to the fire where Gurth was sitting with four or five of his +friends, all of whom had furnished bodies of housecarls. The border thanes +had by his orders each remained with his own following, so that at all +times they should be in readiness to give orders and lead them in case of +surprise. + +"Where have you been, young thanes?" Gurth asked. "You slipped away as soon +as our meal was finished, as if you were afraid of the wine-cup." + +"We care not much for drinking," Beorn said, "and have been going through +the force to see how it was disposed. We have come to offer that our men +shall to-night furnish guards for the camp." + +"There is no occasion for it," Gurth said, "the Welshmen will not attack us +until we are entangled among their hills." + +"It depends upon how well they are led, my Lord Gurth," Wulf said. "If they +are well led they may attack us to-night, for they must know of our +approach, and will think it probable that we shall, being so near our own +border, be at first careless. The Bretons gave us just such a lesson, and +inflicted heavy loss upon the Norman army." + +"Well, post your men as you like," Gurth said; "though it seems to me that +it would be better for them to husband their strength for to-morrow's +march." + +"They shall have half a night's sleep each," Wulf said. + +"If I had not known how stoutly you fought, and how your courage saved the +Norman camp, I should have said you were over-cautious," Gurth laughed. +"However I will not refuse your offer, young thanes, though methinks there +is no chance whatever of the Welsh disturbing us here." + +Having obtained the permission, Beorn and Wulf returned to the fires of +their men. + +"We are to have the honour of furnishing the guards to-night, Osgod. Tell +the men that Gurth relies upon our watchfulness. We don't want a +repetition of the surprise we had from the Bretons. It will be but a short +night's watch. 'Tis nine now, and by four it will be broad daylight. +Beorn's men and ours will march a hundred yards out from the camp. Half can +lie down to sleep at once, the other half we can post as sentries and +relieve them at half-past twelve. An attack if it comes will come from the +front, therefore we will post the men twenty or thirty yards apart along +there, and for some distance round the flanks. One of us will remain with +the party that lies down, so as to be in readiness to lead them at once +against any point attacked, the other will move round and round to see that +the sentries are vigilant." + +"That is good news to me," Osgod said. "Methinks that affair in the Breton +wood has shaken my courage, for I have been looking at those trees in front +of us, and wondering whether the Welsh are gathering there, and thinking +how it would be with all these raw levies if they came down upon us +to-night It went hard for a bit with the Normans, tried soldiers though +they were, but I would not trust these levies to stand for a moment, for +they hold the Welsh in mighty respect." + +The men cheerfully took their arms and fell in. They considered it a +compliment that they had been chosen to furnish the first guard. Beorn's +men, with a portion of Wulf's, were to furnish the first line of sentries. +The two young thanes, accompanied by Osgod, went round with them and posted +them, after giving them strict injunctions to be watchful and vigilant. + +"These savages," Beorn said, "will creep up through the grass as +noiselessly as cats, so you must keep your ears as well as your eyes well +open; and if you hear but the breaking of a twig challenge at once. Then, +if they rise, shout the alarm at the top of your voice, and do the whole of +you run back to us here if the cry comes from the front, if from either +flank hurry to that spot, and we shall do the same from here; but be +careful not to rouse the camp by a false alarm, for if you do, instead of +gaining credit we shall become the jest of the whole force." + +When the sentries were placed, Beorn, with the leader of his band, began to +go the rounds, while Wulf and Osgod returned to their party. + +"You can sleep, master, while I watch beside you," Osgod said. "I could not +sleep if I lay down, for I have got the yells of those Bretons in my ears, +and could not close an eye." + +"Very well, Osgod; in that case I may as well take a nap." + +He was soon sound asleep, and remained so until Osgod touched him. He sat +up in a moment. + +"By the stars it is past midnight, my lord, and it is time for us to +relieve Beorn's party." The men were at once called to their feet, and the +relief effected. + +"If an attack comes," Wulf said, as with Osgod he proceeded to walk +backwards and forwards along the line of sentries, "I fancy it will be just +before daybreak. Many of them may come from long distances, and their +leader would wait until the last moment in order to gather as large a force +together as possible. Besides, men sleep heaviest at that time, and they +would reckon that hour as best for a surprise." As they walked they +frequently paused to listen intently, and though once or twice they thought +they heard distant sounds, these might be caused by the passage of a wild +animal through the bushes. The sentries were all vigilant. It was the first +time that the Sussex lads had been in face of an enemy, and the stillness +of the night, the sombre forest in front of them, and the possibility of a +savage and unknown foe lurking there, kept them thoroughly on the alert. +Once or twice Wulf and Osgod went forward to examine some bush that had +seemed to the imagination of a sentry to have moved, but in each case the +alarm was groundless. + +"It must be nearly three o'clock now, Osgod," Wulf said at last. "Another +half hour will decide it. I shall be glad when the morning comes, for this +work is trying, and I keep on fancying I hear noises." + +"I fancy so too," Osgod said. "It seems to me like a sort of whisper or +rustling of leaves." + +"That is just what it seems to me, Osgod. Let us stay where we are. We are +just in the centre of the line now." + +"There are certainly sounds, my lord. I thought it was fancy before, but I +am sure now." + +"I hear something," Wulf said. "It comes from the front. Run round to the +right and bring the sentries from that flank and post them in the intervals +of those in front, while I do the same on the left." + +They had but just returned, when they heard a sharp sound like the cracking +of a stick a short distance in front. A dozen of the sentries at once +challenged. In an instant a number of figures sprang to their feet at a +distance of some fifty yards in front of them. Then a wild yell was raised, +and swarms of men came rushing towards them, while a volley of arrows and +javelins whizzed through the air. + +"Fall back on the others, men!" Wulf shouted at the top of his voice, and +the line of sentries rushed back to Beorn's party, who leapt to their feet +at the sound of the Welsh war-cry. They had scarce formed in line when the +enemy were upon them. They received them with a volley of javelins, and +then shield to shield they withstood the attack They were fighting in their +own way now, and numerous as the Welsh were, they were unable, as they ran +up in scattered order, to break through the line. + +"Steady, men, steady!" Wulf shouted out from his post in the middle of the +line. "Our friends will soon be up. Show a stout front. Do not give way a +foot." + +In vain the Welshmen, with wild yells, strove to beat back the Saxon line. +Their very numbers were a hindrance to them. Those in front pressed +forward, so that those behind were unable to use their javelins or arrows. +Many creeping between the legs of the fighters of the front rank leapt with +a cat-like spring upon the Saxons, and strove to rip them with their +knives, but the light wicker-work shields covered with leather, which had +taken the place of the solid and heavy ones generally carried by the +housecarls, stood Wulf's followers in good stead; and although many of the +shields were penetrated by the knives of the Welsh, they in most cases +effectually screened the bodies of the soldiers. + +The lightly-armed Welsh, on the other hand, were hewn down by the long +swords of the Saxons in the front rank, while the javelins of those behind +them flew with terrible effect among their assailants. There was, however, +no pause in the fury of the attacks of the Welsh, until, with a great +shout, the main body of the Saxons came up, and pressed forward in line +with the little body who had hitherto borne the brunt of the battle, while +on their flank the thane's levies poured in volley after volley of darts +and arrows. The fight ceased as suddenly as it began. The sound of a +deep-toned horn rose in the air, whereupon the Welsh instantly abandoned +the struggle, and before the Saxons had time to realize that the fighting +was over, they had disappeared in the forest. + +"By St. Peter, young thanes!" Earl Gurth exclaimed as he came up to Wulf's +band, who were panting from their exertions, "you have saved us from a +grievous mishap this night. I take shame unto myself that I treated your +suggestion so lightly; for, by the saints, we should have fared badly +indeed had this wild foe taken us asleep. The thanks of the whole force are +due to you, and I will take care that my brother Harold knows how narrow an +escape we have had, and in telling the tale I shall not spare either myself +or the older thanes, who were disposed to mock your proposal to keep guard +over the camp, as showing an amount of caution altogether unnecessary. The +attack has been a lesson to me that I shall not forget, and henceforth I +shall select you and your force for any special service requiring +watchfulness and valour." + +In going among their men Wulf and Beorn found that but six had fallen, for +the most part under the shower of javelins with which the Welsh had +heralded their attack. Many of the others had received wounds more or less +severe, but few of them were so badly hurt as to render it necessary to +leave them behind. Gurth called the thanes at once to a council. Fresh wood +was thrown on to his fire, and some twenty of the thanes took their places +round it. Wulf and Beorn were specially asked by Gurth to attend. The +attack of the Welsh had shown that they were by no means dismayed at the +extent of the preparations for the invasion of their mountains, and that +the advance must be conducted with the greatest caution and prudence. + +"It is well," Gurth said, "that in the absence of Griffith they have many +leaders, and will therefore fight without any general plan. Did their whole +force fall upon one or other of our columns it might go very hard with it; +but we may be sure that each chief will desire to keep his followers by +him, in order to defend his own valleys. Nevertheless, they have shown +to-night that they can gather rapidly and in considerable force, and we +shall have to root them out piecemeal, and shall not be able to scatter our +force too widely. I am told that the valley at whose mouth we now are +contains a large number of villages, and to this we must confine ourselves +until we have done the work there. I trust that they will oppose us +stoutly. In that case we shall have the less trouble with them when we +come to undertake the more difficult task of pursuing them among their +hills." + +The next morning the advance began, and they had proceeded but a short +distance when the Welsh again poured down upon them. This time the force +was prepared for the attack, and although the Welsh fought obstinately, +they were driven back without much difficulty. As soon as the attack ceased +Gurth gave the order for pursuit, and the housecarls held their course +straight up the valley at full speed, while the levies swarmed up the +hillsides to prevent the Welsh from rallying and attacking in flank. The +troops now felt the benefit of the abandonment of their heavy armour and +weapons, and pressed so hotly upon the flying Welsh that they entered the +first village with them. For a time the natives turned and fought +desperately in defence of their homes, but they were unable to withstand +the skill and discipline of the Saxon troops, and the measure that they had +so frequently dealt out to the Saxon villagers now fell on them. No quarter +was given. Every man, woman, and child was slaughtered, and the houses +given to the flames. Village after village was captured and burnt, but the +resistance became fainter and fainter, and the last three villages at the +head of the valley were found to be entirely deserted. Then, just as the +sun set, the force bivouacked for the night, the horns calling in the +scattered levies, who gradually rejoined them. + +The next morning the force was broken up into five or six columns, each +having a proportion of the regular soldiers and a body of the levies. These +penetrated side valleys and climbed the hills. In many cases they +encountered resistance, stones being rolled down upon them, and the Welsh +defending strong barricades of felled trees. But everywhere the Saxons were +successful, and day after day continued the work, until at the end of five +days they were able to move where they would without encountering any +resistance. The force now marched forward from the head of the valley, +crossed a range of hills, and descended into another valley. They had now +grown more confident in themselves, and while a third of the force +proceeded to lay waste the valley, the rest, broken up into small columns, +ascended the hills on either side, carrying fire and sword into every +hamlet they came upon. + +Several of the fortalices of the Welsh chiefs, perched on almost +inaccessible eminences, gave great trouble, and were only taken after +serious loss. One day Beorn and Wulf, with their own following and two +hundred and fifty light-armed levies, were despatched by Gurth to Porthwyn, +a stronghold belonging to a powerful chief named Llewellyn ap Rhys. + +"It is, from all I hear," he said, "a very strong place, and will require +all our force to capture it. Indeed it is reported to be so strong that it +may be necessary to leave it unmolested until we form a junction with +Harold, and can besiege it regularly. It would not do to make an +unsuccessful attack, for that would raise the spirits of the Welsh. All +that I wish of you is to obtain a view of the castle from all sides if +possible, to bring me back an exact account of its defences, and to give me +your opinion as to our chances of capturing it if we decide to lay siege to +it." + +Porthwyn was forty miles distant, and Beorn and Wulf determined to march +some thirty of these, and then to push forward at daybreak so as to obtain +a view of the fortress in the early morning. They took with them a Welsh +boy as a guide. He had been spared in the last village captured, and had +been told that his life depended upon his guiding them faithfully. The +places of ten men who had fallen during the various fights had been filled +up by an equal number of Gurth's own housecarls. The seventy soldiers kept +with their leaders and the guide, the levies spreading out on either side. + +Two of the irregulars who spoke a little Welsh accompanied the young thanes +to question the guide if necessary. The march was a heavy one. At times +they passed through thick forests in the valleys and on the lower +hillsides, at times crossed over bare hills, on whose summits the ground +was frequently so boggy that the men had to march with the greatest +caution. The guide, a sullen lad with matted hair, whose only attire was a +sheep-skin, was several times questioned sharply as to whether he was +certain of the way. He answered in monosyllables, saying that he knew every +foot of the road, and indeed he never hesitated for a moment. + +"I suppose he is right," Wulf said, "although I thought it lay more to the +west than we are going, but we have wound about so among these forests and +hills that I am quite confused. There is one comfort, Beorn, if the guide +proves treacherous and we lose ourselves altogether, we have but to set our +faces to the rising sun and we shall find ourselves back on the border, for +I am sure that we could not retrace our steps to Gurth's camp." + +The sun was just setting when they found themselves on a bare plateau on +the crest of a range of hills higher than any they had before crossed. + +"Ask him how far we are from Porthwyn," Wulf said to the interpreter. + +"He says twelve miles, my lord." + +"Then when we get across this flat, which looks full two miles wide, we +will camp in the first valley we come to." + +As they advanced the ground became more and more boggy, and the troops had +to move carefully, stepping from one tussock of coarse grass to another, +the intervals being filled with black slimy mud. + +"Ask him if this gets deeper," Beorn said angrily, "for if it does so we +are like to be all swallowed up. I believe he must be leading us wrong." + +Osgod had charge of the boy, and was walking close beside him. As the +question was put by the interpreter the boy muttered that he knew the way. +The man turned to translate his answer to Beorn, when there was a sudden +shout. At the moment that Osgod was making a long step from one tuft to +another the boy stooped and caught his foot, and with a roar of surprise +and fury Osgod fell head-foremost into the morass. At the same moment the +lad darted away with a yell of defiance, leaping from tuft to tuft with the +agility of a hare. Several of the men started after him, but unaccustomed +to the treacherous bog four or five were immersed in it to their waist +before they had gone a dozen paces. + +"Shoot! shoot!" Beorn shouted, and a dozen javelins were thrown, but the +boy was almost beyond distance, and his rapid and irregular movements +rendered it well-nigh impossible to take aim with any accuracy. Most of the +javelins flew wide of him, and he was soon beyond reach. Osgod was +well-nigh smothered before he could be rescued, and some of the other men +were only hauled out with the greatest difficulty. Three or four of the +most active men were sent forward, but presently returned with the news +that the bog became worse. + +"The sun has already set," Wulf said, "and if darkness catches us here our +plight will be a bad one. Let us retrace our steps at once, Beorn." + +It was with great difficulty that they made their way back to firm ground. +By the time they did so darkness had fallen. + +"This is a bad business altogether, Beorn," Wulf said. "In the first place +we have lost our guide; in the second place we have no idea where we are, +for we may for aught we know have been going in the wrong direction all the +time; and, besides this, the boy will raise the country against us, and in +the morning we may be attacked by an overwhelming force." + +"What do you think we had better do, Wulf?" + +"Well, I should say we had better, in the first place, retrace our steps to +the valley, there we will light fires and cook the meat we have brought +with us. Then I should say we had best march for some hours. It matters not +in what direction so that we get as far as possible from here." + +As Beorn could suggest nothing better, Wulf's counsel was carried out. +Supper was cooked and eaten in the forest, and after two hours for rest, +for the march had been a very fatiguing one, they started. The night was +moonless, and in the shadow of the trees the darkness was intense. The +housecarls kept together, moving as closely as possible to each other. The +levies were ordered to follow them. + +After proceeding for two hours, Wulf said, "Let us halt and see if we are +all together." The housecarls halted, but when he went to the rear Wulf +could see no signs of the irregulars. + +"Let no man speak or move," he said, "I want to listen." + +But no sound broke the stillness of the wood. + +"How foolish of Oswald and Edred," he said to Beorn. + +"We told them to follow with their levies close behind us, and they must +have allowed them to fall to the rear. However, they can't be far behind." + +They waited for half an hour, but the silence continued unbroken. + +"Do you shout, Osgod," Wulf said; "they ought to hear miles away on a still +night like this." + +Osgod--who had scarcely spoken since his fall, so furious was he at having +been outwitted by a boy, and having not only allowed him to escape, but +being himself rolled in the mire--raised his voice in a tremendous shout. +All listened intently, but no answering sound came back. + +"They must have gone altogether wrong," Wulf said. "You know that we +crossed a streamlet that ran into this brook soon after we started. They +must have followed that up, thinking we had done so, and have gone up some +other valley. What is to be done, Beorn?" + +"We crossed that streamlet half an hour after starting," Beorn said, "and +as we have spent half an hour here they must have by this time marched up +it two-hours' journey, and if we retrace our steps to that point they will +have got an hour and a half farther away; besides, they may have gone back +when they missed us. There is no saying which way to look for them. I think +we had better go on as before. In the morning we shall be able to see the +nature of the country, but to look for people who may be miles and miles +away, when one cannot see one's own hand, would be but lost time and +labour, and methinks we shall have need to husband all our strength before +we get out of the scrape into which we have fallen. If the two thanes had +obeyed orders and kept closer this would not have happened. They have lost +us by their own carelessness, and must manage as they can. We shall have +all our work to do to look out for ourselves. Seventy men lost in the heart +of these savage hills, which by to-morrow morning will swarm with Welsh, +have but a poor chance of ever seeing the English border again." + +"It is not so bad as that, Beorn. I do not say that we are not in an +unpleasant position, but at any rate we are a great deal better off than we +were when we were driving headlong on to the coast of Normandy, or when +there were but three of us in the midst of the Bretons. They have to find +us in the first place, and it will need a good many of them to overcome us +when they do. I fancy that we are very near the head of this valley, the +ground is rising rapidly. I propose that we push on now till the trees +cease, and lie down there till morning breaks, and then cross the next hill +so as to find shelter in some other valley before the sun is fairly up. +From the top of the hill we may get a general view of the country, and +shall have some idea as to the course to take. We must first of all try to +find a native who can tell us which is the direction of Porthwyn and how +far it lies away. Our orders are to reconnoitre it and that must be done +before there is any question of return. Even if I were absolutely alone, I +would carry out that order." + +Beorn was silent for a minute, and then said doubtfully, "Perhaps you are +right, Wulf; but when Gurth gave us the order he gave us more than three +hundred men to carry it out, and we have now but seventy." + +By this time they were on their way up the valley, followed by their men. + +"The fact that two hundred and fifty men have left us really makes the +matter easier than it would otherwise have been," Wulf said. "Of course our +guide carried the news of our coming straight to Porthwyn, and it is like +enough that fires are at present blazing on the hills. The larger division +is more likely to be seen than ours, and to be attacked, and we shall have +all the more chance of getting up unobserved. I sincerely trust that the +thanes, when they discover that they have lost us, will at once lead their +men back to Gurth's camp. In that case they may escape before the Welsh can +assemble and attack them; and as it would naturally be supposed that as +soon as we had lost our guide we retreated in a body, the Welsh will +imagine that there is no occasion for further vigilance." + +"You are always too full of arguments for me, Wulf," Beorn laughed; "and if +you have made up your mind to go on, it is not of the least use my saying +anything against it; so have your own way." + +At last the forest became less dense, and when they reached its edge they +lay down. Wulf slept for two or three hours, and then roused himself and +waited for the first sign of dawn. It was a heavy responsibility, for +though Beorn was of equal rank with himself he always gave way to his +opinion. He thought over whether it would not be better that Beorn should +march with all speed with the force to the east, and that he himself with +Osgod and perhaps two other men should make their way to Porthwyn; already +the Welsh might be out all over the mountains, and it was the larger body +that would be likely to be discovered and attacked. The Welsh would know +that on such a dark night, and in a strange country, they could not have +got a very long distance from the bog where the guide had escaped from +them, and the valley at whose head he now was would be the first place to +be searched. However, he did not like severing himself from the men who had +marched under his banner from Steyning, and he finally determined that the +whole should stay together. It was about half-past two when he roused the +band, and they at once started up the bare hillside. + +"As it gets lighter," he said, "scatter and proceed singly. We shall be +far less likely to be noticed by anyone at a distance than if we march +together in a solid body. We must travel as fast as possible, so as to get +under shelter again before the sun is really up." + +The men were all by this time well accustomed to climbing and hardened by +exercise, and at a rapid pace they breasted the hill, although it was in +some places exceedingly steep. By the time they reached its crest there was +light enough to permit of a view of the country round. In all directions +hills rose around them, bare and brown, and the growing light in the sky +showed that the east lay behind them. After waiting for a minute or two to +recover breath, they proceeded at a brisk trot. They met with no bogs of +importance, and after running for a mile the ground began to slope +downwards again, and they saw below them a wooded valley, similar to that +which they had left. By this time the hilltops were all lit up by the +rising sun. The spot where they stood, however, was still in shadow, and +in scattered order they ran rapidly down the hillside until they reached +the cover of the trees. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +PORTHWYN. + +There was a short halt to enable the band to quench their thirst at a +little rivulet that trickled down the centre of the valley; then they +prepared to continue their march, Wulf impressing upon them the necessity +for moving as silently as possible. + +"If we come upon a village of any size," he said, "we must avoid it. The +main point is to capture a native, and find out exactly where we are." + +After walking for an hour they came suddenly upon a hut. It stood in a +cleared patch of ground; a small herd of goats were browsing round, and +some smoke curled up from a hole in the roof. Wulf halted his men. + +"Beorn, you and I and Osgod and one of the interpreters had best go in +alone; there are not likely to be more than one or two men within, and it +will be well at any rate that our numbers should not be known." + +Before advancing, however, he told the band to surround the clearing. "Let +no one escape," he said; "it would cost us our lives did one get away to +tell of our being here. See, too, that you bring down two or three of the +goats. Our meat is nearly exhausted, and it is well to replenish our +store." + +After waiting until the men were in their places, Wulf ran forward across +the open ground with his three companions. There was no door to the hut, +and on entering it they saw that its only occupant was a decrepit old +woman. She gave a cry of dismay at the entrance of the strangers. + +"Tell her not to be alarmed," Wulf said to the interpreter. + +"We do not desire to do her any harm. Now ask her if she lives here by +herself," he went on, when the interpreter had spoken to the old woman. + +"She lives here with her two sons," the man said; "they are away. There +were beacon-fires on the hills last evening, and they went out. She does +not know when they will return." + +"Ask her how far it is to Porthwyn." + +The answer was most satisfactory. "It is but three miles away, my lord. It +lies in the valley of which this is a branch." + +"That is good news indeed, Beorn," Wulf said. "The boy led us in the right +direction, perhaps because he thought that if he did not do so we should +perceive it and tax him with treachery. But it is more likely that he +wished to lead us so close that he could, when he escaped, carry the news +of our being in the neighbourhood, in time for the Welshmen to surround and +cut us off before we could return. As she says that the beacon-fires were +lighted in the evening he can have lost no time, and the country must be +aroused. I wish we had the whole force here." + +"What shall we do with this old crone?" Beorn said. "It would never do to +risk her giving an alarm, and though she looks feeble she might be able to +get down to Porthwyn." + +"We will tie her securely, Beorn; we can't hurt the poor old creature. Her +sons are no doubt out with the Welsh bands hunting for us; but they will +return here sooner or later, so that no harm will come to her." + +By his orders Osgod securely bound the old woman with a rope he found in +the hut, and then leaving her they went outside and called upon the men to +close in. Eight of the goats were killed, and were then cut up and divided +among the men. After a consultation Wulf and Beorn agreed that instead of +following the valley down, where they might meet with other huts, or even a +good-sized village, they had best keep along on the hillside, just inside +the line of trees, as in that way they would come out high up on the side +of the main valley, and probably obtain a good view of the fortalice. + +In single file they made their way among the trees, and in an hour the +valley that they were in opened considerably, and through the trees they +saw a large village at their feet. A quarter of a mile farther and they +stood on the side of a wide valley. There were numerous flocks and herds to +be seen grazing in it, and four or five villages could be made out; their +attention, however, was chiefly directed to the object of their journey. +Some three hundred feet below the spot where they stood a rock jutted out +from the hillside, and extended some five or six hundred feet into the +valley. Its sides were perpendicular save where it stood out from the hill. +Here a strong wall some forty feet high ran across it; two square towers +stood at the angles, but there was no gateway visible. The wall was +continued right round the top of the rock, which was crossed by two other +walls each defended by flanking towers. The castle itself stood at the +extremity of the rock, and was a strong and massive-looking building. The +men were all ordered to lie down as soon as the castle was visible between +the trees, and among these Wulf and Beorn followed by Osgod moved +cautiously, until they reached a spot whence they could obtain through the +foliage a full view of the building. + +"It is a formidable place," said Beorn. "The chief who first planted +himself here knew what he was doing. Yes. I should fancy from the look of +it the castle at the end was built first, then gradually the walls were +added until the whole rock was inclosed. This bit nearest to us is +evidently an addition during the last few years. You can see that by the +colour of the stone. You see the other two walls have gateways in them +while this has none. I should say until this was built the entrance to the +castle was along the neck, but they must have got some other way now, and +so shut it up altogether. How on earth can they get in?" + +"Certainly not at the sides," Wulf said, "for they are as near +perpendicular as possible. It must be at the other end of the rock, which +we can't see. It may slope a little more gradually there, and they may have +cut a zigzag road up. Suppose we climb the hill behind us, till we get +high enough to see over the trees and get a complete view of the valley. +There is no fear of our being noticed. We are a good five hundred feet +above it now, and even if anyone did see us up there they would take us for +two herdsmen. Of course we will leave our shields and weapons behind us." + +On attaining a spot from which a clear view of the whole valley could be +obtained, Wulf said: + +"There, Beorn, do you see the hill juts out into the plain on the right, +half a mile from the castle, and is wooded to its foot. I think if we were +to make our way down there we should be able to obtain a view of the face +of the rock below the castle without leaving the shelter of the trees." +Beorn agreed that it was worth trying, and they returned to the men, +rearmed themselves, and spoke to Osgod. + +"We are going to reconnoitre, Osgod, and may be an hour away. As we shall +not leave the forest there is no danger, and even were we seen we can climb +the hill again as fast as any Welshman can follow us. Do you keep an eye on +the castle, but do not stir until we return even if you hear shouts. I have +no doubt that we shall be able to rejoin you, and it is most important that +even if they do make us out they should have no reason for supposing that +there is any force behind us." After half an hour's walking Beorn and Wulf +found themselves at the edge of the wood in the valley. + +"There is the road, you see," Wulf exclaimed. "It goes straight up that +gradual slope to the bottom of the rock, then it makes two zigzags to the +edge of that point that juts out a little, whence there is a bridge thrown +across a gap to the point where there is a turret. I can't see it beyond +that. I should think they must have driven a tunnel from there right up +into the castle, for you see there are fifty feet of perpendicular rock +above that turret. In case of attack, of course, they would cut away the +bridge, and it would be next to impossible to throw another across. They +could overwhelm any force attempting it with stones from above, besides +sweeping the zigzag road below." + +Beorn agreed that the place was absolutely impregnable on that side, and +that it could only be attacked from the hillside, and by carrying the walls +in succession. + +"Well, there is nothing more to see," Wulf said, "so we may as well return. +You see there is a large village nestling down there just at the foot of +the rock. We could not see it from where we were before. + +"Well, Osgod, have you seen anything going on in the castle?" + +"No, my lord, everything has been very quiet It seems to me that there are +very few men about for such a strong place." + +"No doubt most of them are out in pursuit of us, Osgod; we know that the +country was roused by the beacons, and that there must be a big force +somewhere in the hills. I only hope they wont find Oswald and Edred, or I +fear it will go hard with them. The levies fight well when they have the +housecarls with them, but by themselves and in a strange country I am +afraid they would lose heart. Now, Beorn, I am going down to the wall on +this side. We can see that there is no sentry on it, and I want to find out +if there is any other defence besides what we can see. It is very important +to know that, as we agreed that this is the side from which the attack must +be made." + +Descending among the trees Wulf cautiously approached the wall. He found on +nearing it that a perpendicular cut some thirty feet wide and twenty feet +deep had been made across the rock. It stretched from the foot of one +flanking tower to the foot of the other, the wall between them being some +ten feet from its edge. Having ascertained this he returned to Beorn. +Having told him what he had seen, he sat looking at the castle. + +"What are you thinking of, Wulf?" Beorn asked. "I suppose we had better +stop where we are till nightfall and then make eastward." + +"I am thinking, in the first place, that it would cost a great number of +lives to take that place by assault." + +"That it would," Beorn agreed. "We have seen no place of anything like +equal strength in Wales, or indeed anywhere else." + +"There is no doubt about that," Wulf agreed. "If well defended it ought to +hold out for weeks, for when we have taken that wall in front of us only a +third of the work has been done. In the next place, I am thinking that +Llewellyn and the greater part of his garrison are away in the hills." + +Beorn nodded. + +"And that being so, it seems to me that the best plan will be to take it +ourselves." + +Beorn looked at his friend to see if he were serious, but there was no +smile on Wulf's face. + +"Do you really mean it, Wulf?" + +"Yes I mean it, certainly. What is to prevent our taking it? There may +never be such a good opportunity again. We have not seen a dozen men on the +walls, and I don't suppose there are fifty there altogether. But even if +there are a hundred, they will have no chance with our men if we are once +among them. You see the gates through those inner walls are open, and once +over this first one the place will be all open to us." + +"That is true enough, but how in the world are we to climb that wall?" + +"That is what I am puzzling over, Beorn. You see there is no time to lose, +for Llewellyn and his men may be back to-night. If they find Oswald's party +this morning they will return at once, if they don't they may not be back +till the morning. But we cannot count on that, what has to be done must be +done at once." + +He sat thinking a little longer. "We must cut down a couple of trees and +make a ladder, Beorn. The pine-trees grew very close together where we +passed through them a quarter of a mile before we got here, and were very +slender for their height. We have no axes or we could fell a couple of them +in a few minutes; but even if we had them, we should not dare use them, for +the chances are that the villagers are forbidden to cut down trees anywhere +near the castle, and the sound might bring people up from below to see who +was chopping. I was thinking of burning two of them down, but in this dry +weather the flames might run up them, and we should get a blaze that would +bring all the villagers up here." He beckoned to Osgod, and when he came up +told him that Beorn and he had agreed to try and take the place. + +"That is good," Osgod said joyfully. "I have been thinking of it, but I did +not see how you were to climb that wall." + +"We must cut down two young pine-trees, but we must not chop them down." + +"It would take a long time with our knives," Osgod said doubtfully. "It is +easy enough to cut through a pole three inches thick, but when it comes to +nine or ten it is a different matter." + +"Then we must cut down small ones and tie them together. Bring twenty men +at once with you, Osgod, let the rest lie quiet, the less movement there is +the better." + +As soon as the men were ready Wulf led them back to the point where the +pine-trees grew, then he selected eight of the tallest and slightest. They +were about three inches through at the foot, and were, he judged, at least +an inch and a half at twenty feet from the ground. Two men were set to work +at each tree, and in less than half an hour the eight trees were on the +ground. The branches were then lopped off, and four of the stems were cut +across five-and-twenty feet from the foot. The thin ends were then placed +together so as to overlap five feet. There was no difficulty about +lashings, as thongs were cut off the bottom of the men's leather jerkins. +The joint was made stronger by a light pole fifteen feet long being firmly +lashed across the junction. Thus the two poles for the ladder forty-five +feet long were ready for use. It needed only to lash cross-pieces for +steps, and in little over an hour from the time that work was begun the +ladder was complete. From the other young trees two ladders, each +twenty-five feet long, had been constructed in the meantime, and the whole +were then raised and carried back to the place where the band was lying. + +"Now, men," Wulf said, "we are going to take this castle at once. I should +wait until nightfall were it not that I fear the return of the Welsh, but +as they may come back at any time there is not a minute to be lost. Now let +each understand his work. The short ladders are to enable us to cross a cut +twenty feet deep they have made through the rock; when we get over this we +can plant the long ladder against the wall. As soon as we gain the top +every man must lie down and crawl along over those who have preceded him. +If we are seen before a few of us are on the top of the wall we shall fail, +because they will have time to give the alarm, and shut the inner gates. + +"So far we have seen no one go in or out of the courts between these walls, +and have every hope that we shall find no one there. I expect they are +places where the cattle are kept in case of siege. Our great danger is in +the chance of our being noticed by men on other parts of the walls or on +the castle. However, as far as we can see their attention is entirely +directed the other way, for they are no doubt on the look-out for news from +their chief or for his return. My intention is that all shall gain the top +of the wall before a movement is made, but if an alarm is given, those who +have got to the top are at once to follow us down the staircase into the +courtyard and run at full speed to the gate. Not a moment's halt is to be +made there; we must run on to the next gate and there defend ourselves +until the rest come to our aid. They will be taken so completely by +surprise that, even if we are but four or five, we can hold the gate until +the rest come up, and each man, as soon as he gains the top of the ladder, +must run on at full speed to our aid. Cut down all with arms in their +hands, but do not hurt women or children. Tell off six men, Osgod, to carry +the ladder and place it against the wall, and to be the first to follow us. +Let the others follow in the order in which they stand in rank." + +They made their way down through the trees. As soon as they reached the cut +one short ladder was lowered, and the other was handed down and placed +against the opposite side of the cut. The end of the long ladder was then +lowered, and it was swung over and the upper end placed against the wall. +Six men then ascended the short ladder, and raised the long one until it +stood on the rock at the foot of the castle-wall. + +"Now, Beorn, do you mount first and I will follow you." + +"You should go first," Beorn said, "but I will do as you tell me." + +As soon as Beorn was half-way up Wulf began to follow him, saying to Osgod +and the men, "Keep the same distance apart. Do not let more than two be on +the ladder at once whatever happens inside, if it were to break it would be +fatal to us all." As soon as he gained the top Wulf threw himself down by +the side of Beorn, and lay there watching the men on the other walls and on +the summit of the castle. Osgod and four men had joined them when Wulf +noticed a sudden stir and heard a shout. He leapt to his feet. + +"Follow quickly, but be careful of the ladder," he called to those below; +then he dashed along the wall to the top of the staircase, and closely +followed by the others ran down and on through the gate in the next wall. +Here some five or six men were asleep in its shade, while some women were +standing in front of some low huts which bordered the yard on either side. +They gazed in astonishment for a moment at the seven men who appeared so +suddenly from the outer yard, and then set up a shrill cry of alarm. +Without heeding them Wulf ran on to the next gateway. Just as he reached it +a number of men came running up from the other side. "Osgod, do you and +Alfred cover our rear while we keep these men in front at bay." + +The five men held the gate without difficulty against the Welsh who first +arrived, for these, at the shout of one of their comrades that men were +climbing the wall, had run down only with their knives, and could do +nothing against the Saxon shields and long swords. Presently, others with +spears and axes ran up, but the two young thanes and their three followers +still kept them back, for in the narrow gateway they could not be attacked +by more than their own number. Amid the yells of the Welsh Wulf could hear +nothing of what was passing behind them, and he was delighted when he heard +the voice of Osgod in his ear. + +"There are eight here now, Wulf; we have finished with the Welshmen in the +courtyard, so you are clear behind. Our men are coming down from the wall +fast. In five minutes we shall have the whole band here. Now let me have a +turn;" and he stepped forward and took the place of one of the Saxons who +staggered back with a javelin in his shoulder. + +Every moment added to the number of the Saxons. + +"Let me know when they are all up," Wulf said to one of those behind him, +as he cut down a Welshman who sprang at him with uplifted knife. The attack +was growing weaker, as their assailants saw that instead of five men they +had now to face a considerable number, and Wulf had difficulty in +restraining his men. + +"Keep back!" he shouted; "we must wait until we are all up, and then drive +them headlong before us and follow them into the castle. If they have once +time to shut the doors there we shall have a troublesome task." As he spoke +he yielded his place in the front rank to one of his followers, and turned +to see how matters stood behind. "Are they all up?" he asked. + +"The last man told me that there were six more to come, my lord." + +"Then we need wait no longer. Now, Beorn, all is ready--charge!" and with a +rush the Saxons swept through the gate, carrying the Welsh before them and +hewing down the front ranks. In an instant the defenders turned and fled, +but the Saxons pressed hard on their heels. Some of the Welsh ran up the +staircases to the walls, and many of the Saxons would have followed them, +but at Wulf's "To the castle, to the castle, we can deal with them +afterwards!" they followed him at once. On the steps up to the gateway of +the castle a desperate struggle was going on among the Welsh themselves. + +Seeing the Saxons pressing on the rear of the fugitives, those within the +castle strove to shut the door, but strove in vain, as the terror-stricken +men outside tried to force their way in. The two young thanes, with Osgod +and many of their followers, cut their way through the struggling mass and +reached the door. Those trying to shut it had already seen the hopelessness +of the endeavour, and had fled into the hall beyond, in which a number of +terrified women were wailing and shrieking. As Wulf burst in he shouted to +the Welsh, "Throw down your arms and surrender, and your lives shall be +spared" but his words were not understood, and as the Welsh never gave +quarter themselves they had no thought of quarter being offered to them. + +The women ceased screaming and broke into a death chant, many of them +seizing weapons from the walls, and joining the men in a last desperate +effort to drive back the Saxons. + +For a moment those who had entered had difficulty in resisting the +desperate attack, but as others poured in they advanced, and although Wulf +continued to shout, "Spare all who throw down their arms," his orders were +of no avail, for the Welsh continued to fight desperately until the last +fell under the Saxon swords, most of the women, who fought with even +greater fury than the men, sharing their fate. As soon as the struggle was +over Wulf ordered Osgod to take eight or ten men, to find the entrance to +the tunnel leading down to the road on the face of the cliff, and to guard +it against any attack from without. Then, through his interpreters, he +called to the Welshmen on the walls that their lives should be spared if +they would lay down their arms. He was answered by derisive shouts and a +shower of javelins. + +"We should lose a good many men in storming those two narrow staircases, +Beorn. There are but twenty or thirty of them, but that is enough to defend +such steep approaches. Let us take twenty men up to the top of the castle, +from there they can hurl javelins down at them, and they will soon see that +resistance is useless." + +They ascended the stairs, but paused at the end of the room over the hall +which had been the scene of the conflict. An aged woman, whose dress showed +her high rank, was seated on a settle; beside her was a white-headed +harper, while two little children, a boy and a girl, stood at her knee and +looked fearlessly at the intruders. + +Wulf despatched one of the men down to the hall to bring up the +interpreter. As soon as he arrived Wulf doffed his helmet and stepped +forward. + +"Ask who this lady is and who are these children." + +At a gesture from the old lady the harper answered: + +"This is my mistress, Gweneth, the mother of Prince Llewellyn ap Rhys; +these are his children. In his name she bids you defiance. You have taken +his castle, but he will know how to avenge her and his children." + +"I have no desire or intention of acting with any disrespect, still less of +injuring either your mistress or the children of Llewellyn," Wulf replied, +when this was translated to him. "My friend and I are Saxon thanes, who +have been forced to leave our homes and to embark on this war in order to +put a stop to the ravages committed across the border--the burning of towns +and villages, and the massacre of men, women, and children by your +countrymen. Llewellyn ap Rhys has brought this misfortune upon himself, and +did we render him motherless and childless, it would be but the fate that +he and his followers have inflicted upon many an Englishman. But we do not +make war upon women or children. Prisoners, of course, you must be, but be +assured of honourable treatment. None shall enter this room save with your +permission, and you can have your female attendants to serve you as usual." + +While the interpreter was repeating his speech Wulf and Beorn left the +room, and with the men ascended to the top of the castle, where they were +joined by the interpreter, who addressed the Welsh on the walls. These +replied with shouts of defiance, and a volley of javelins was poured down +upon them. Three or four were struck, the rest, seeing that all hope was +gone, rapidly gathered in a body at the head of the staircase leading from +the wall. + +"They are going to run down," Beorn exclaimed, and leaning over the parapet +shouted to the Saxons in the courtyard below to stand on their guard. + +A minute later the Welsh rushed down, each intent on killing at least one +foe before he died. The Saxons' weapons and discipline were, however, too +much for them; but they fought until the last, not one of them throwing +down his weapon or asking for quarter. + +"They are brave men. I would that we were not forced to slay them; but it +is their choosing and not ours, Beorn, and if they would but leave us alone +I am sure that nobody would wish to interfere with these wild countrymen." + +"What is the next thing to be done, Wulf?" + +"I should say let us turn all the women and children, save the old lady's +attendants, out of the castle, they would only be a trouble to us. Then we +must examine the store of provisions, plant sentries and cut away that +bridge, or, at any rate, cut away so much of it that a blow or two with an +axe will suffice to send it down. We must not forget to haul up our +ladders. Llewellyn and his men may be back at any moment. Let us go down +together to that turret we saw on the face of the rock." + +Orders were at once given, and the women and children collected and told to +leave the castle. They were allowed to carry away with them some eight or +ten men who were found to be still living. They went for the most part in +silence, but some of the elder women poured out voluble curses on the +Saxons. Beorn and Wulf had already gone down to the turret. There was a +very strong gateway in the courtyard, beyond this a tunnel sloping steeply +down, eight feet high and four feet wide, had been cut in the solid rock. +Following it they emerged upon a platform, principally occupied by the +turret. The path led through a strong gateway under this on to the wooden +bridge. Here Osgod with his ten men had taken their station. + +"The women and children and a few wounded will be coming down directly, +Osgod. As soon as they have passed do you set to work with your men and +pull up the planking of the bridge, all save a single plank; loosen that, +so that you can if necessary at once cast it down after the rest. If you +see the Welshmen pouring up the road, throw it over at once without waiting +for further orders, then close the gate and take your station in the +turret." + +"We are all getting very hungry, master. We have eaten nothing this +morning, and fighting sharpens the appetite." + +"I had forgotten all about it, Osgod. I will see that food is cooked at +once, and will send down a portion for you and your men, and some tankards +of whatever liquor we can find in the cellars. We are going to make an +examination of them at once." + +Returning to the courtyard, they told off a body of men to search the +cellars and granaries, and were glad to find that there was an ample store +of grain to last for months, together with large quantities of ale and a +few casks of wine. + +"So far all is well," Beorn said, "but would it not be prudent to send off +at once to Gurth, to let him know that though we are masters of the castle +at present, we may in a few hours be surrounded by a swarm of angry +Welshmen?" + +"That certainly is most desirable," Wulf agreed. "The question is, who are +we to send? It would be a terribly dangerous enterprise. Even now there are +a score of men from the village watching our movements from the wood above. +At any rate we must wait until nightfall." + +Four sentries were posted on the wall by which they had ascended, as after +making a circuit of the place, this was they agreed the only point at which +a surprise was possible, unless there existed some secret passage into the +castle. They had just finished their inspection of the walls, when there +was a shout from their look-out at the top of the castle. + +"A great number of men are coming down the valley," he cried to the thanes +in the courtyard below, and they at once mounted to the battlements. A mile +away great numbers of men could be seen running at the top of their speed. +There was neither order nor formation. Among them were a few horsemen +riding in a knot together, and round these a number of the footmen were +running in a close mass; but by far the greater proportion straggled across +the valley, some being a considerable distance behind the rest. + +"They are like a swarm of bees," Beorn said. + +"Yes, and are just as angry. Of course, the news of what has happened here +was sent off to them at once, and has brought them back again. I trust that +it reached them before they came upon Oswald's party." + +"They must have been on their return," Beorn said. "It was but two hours +ago that we won the castle. Had a swift messenger started the moment the +news reached the village, and had he known exactly the position where he +would find Llewellyn, he could not have taken the news to him and brought +them back here had they been some eight miles away. It must be farther than +that to the spot where we lost Oswald, and as the thanes would surely be +making their way either back to camp or eastward to the border, they must +have been many miles from here an hour since. We know that the Welsh levies +were summoned in the evening, and probably reached the spot where we were +deserted by the guide, before daybreak, and took up the search at once. +Therefore I think, Wulf, there can be no doubt that the messenger from here +must have met them as they were returning; but whether they had overtaken +and destroyed Oswald's command, or had failed in their search for them, we +cannot tell." + +Wulf shook his head. "I fear the former is most likely. The Welsh here must +know every foot of their mountains, so that by scattering through the +valleys they could scarcely fail to come upon the traces of Oswald's +passage, and they would pursue him as hotly as wolves chase a deer. My only +hope is that Oswald may have established himself at daybreak this morning +in some strong position, and fortified himself there, in hopes that we +might rejoin him, and that Llewellyn had not begun the attack upon it when +the news reached him of the capture of his castle. How many, think you, are +there in that approaching throng?" + +"Some four or five thousand I should say." + +"Yes, quite five thousand, Beorn." + +At the call of the watchmen the men had, of their own accord, all mounted +to the walls. + +"We had better divide our commands," Beorn said. "Your force is double +mine. For the present I will undertake the defence of the rear walls if you +will take the front. Of course till an attack actually commences it will +not be necessary to keep more than a strong guard on duty." + +"Certainly not," Wulf agreed. "The danger will be far greater at night than +by day, and we must give the men as much rest as possible. But I think that +you with your men and half of mine ought to take the command in front, +while I with the rest defend the rear." + +"Not at all, Wulf, this is your affair altogether. I should never have +thought of trying to take the castle. It was your idea, and has been +carried out by you altogether. You are much fuller of plans than I am. I +will do my best to second you, but you must continue to be the head in the +matter." + +"Very well, Beorn. I refuse to be considered in command, but we will +apportion our forces as you suggest. We will take care that at any rate the +Welsh shall not capture the castle as rapidly as we did, and so will put +four men always on duty at each of the gates in the interior walls, so that +if by any chance they manage to effect an entrance into one of the yards +they will be able to get no farther until our whole force can assemble to +oppose them." + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +THE SECRET PASSAGE. + +Beorn called his men together and distributed them along the rear wall, +while Wulf made a fresh examination of the front. He had before noticed +that great piles of stone in blocks from fifty to a hundred pounds in +weight were piled along by the parapet, in readiness to hurl down upon any +foe attempting to ascend the road, while in the courtyard below was an +immense reserve of these missiles. He placed twenty of his men here, and +posted the other ten as sentries on the side walls, and then went down +through the passage to Osgod. The bridge was entirely demolished as he had +directed, with the exception of a single plank, which could be thrown over +in a moment. Osgod had closed the gate, and had fastened a rope from the +top of the turret to the plank, so that this could be hauled up, without +those engaged in the operation being exposed to missiles from the other +side of the chasm. + +"One feels almost ashamed at being so safe," Osgod said, as Wulf joined him +on the turret. "It does not give one the chance of a fight." + +"You have had one good fight to-day, Osgod, and can do without another. I +should be glad if we did not have to strike a blow till we see Gurth's +banner coming down the valley." + +"We have done very well," Osgod agreed; "and I should be quite contented if +I had but come across that rascal who nearly smothered me in the bog." + +"You need not bear malice against him, Osgod; for if he had not deserted us +and led Llewellyn's force away to the spot where he left us, we should not +be masters of the place as at present, and it would have been a terrible +business had we been obliged to take this stronghold by storm." + +"That is true enough, master; except by hunger or by a surprise, such as we +carried out, I don't see how the place is to be taken if stoutly defended. +There is no reason why the Welsh should have been in such a hurry to +return, for they must know as well as we do that there is but little chance +of their getting in again. They have come to a halt now down there, and +half of them have thrown themselves on the ground like a pack of tired +hounds." + +"I have no fear whatever of an open attack, Osgod. They can see for +themselves that the bridge is destroyed, and I do not think they will dream +of coming up that road, which, as they know, we can sweep with stones from +above. If they attack openly at all, it will be by the wall we scaled. If +they make twenty ladders such as we had they may think they might gain a +footing, especially as their archers high among the trees would be able to +fire down on the defenders of the wall. But what I am really afraid of is +that there may be some secret passage." + +"Do you think so?" Osgod said, startled. "Where could it come from?" + +"Well, Osgod, you see they have cut this winding road up the rock and have +made the tunnel hence to the courtyard, so the chiefs have had abundance of +labour at their disposal. They would naturally wish to provide a means of +escape if the castle were besieged, and like to fall by force or famine; +moreover it would enable them to send out messengers or receive messages +from without. A passage four feet high and two feet wide would suffice. +They may have driven such a passage from some place in the wood behind and +it may come up somewhere in the courtyard, perhaps in one of the little +huts along the side. Of course the entrance would be covered here by a +stone, and would be hidden among the bushes at the other end. Still I do +not think that this is likely, for a hostile force would almost certainly +take up its post in that wood, and attack the place in the rear. If there +is such a passage I think that it must open somewhere on the face of the +rock, on one side or the other. It looks to us almost perpendicular, but +there may be inequalities by which active men might ascend at some point or +other. For a considerable distance we could see there were tufts of shrubs +growing here and there, and one of these may conceal a small opening. From +this point a staircase may have been driven up into the castle." + +"That would be very awkward, master, if it were so." + +"It would indeed. To-night all the force except the sentries shall gather +in the castle, where ten men by turns shall keep guard, one or two being +placed in the lower chambers. In this way we shall be safe; for before more +than three or four can enter we should be all on foot, and as they can but +come up in single file, could repulse them without difficulty. Tomorrow we +will lower men down with ropes from the walls, and examine every clump of +bushes growing on the face of the rock If we find any signs of a path or +entrance we shall have no difficulty in discovering where it enters into +the castle, and can effectually block it up. I shall then feel much more +comfortable than I do at present." + +"I was looking forward to a good night's sleep," Osgod grumbled, "but your +idea, master, has quite done away with that. If I went off I should dream +that I had one of those Welsh wolves at my throat. However, it is a good +thing that you thought of it." + +"I think, my lord," one of the soldiers said, "there are a number of our +men among the Welsh. I can make out helmets and shields, and I think many +are clad in leather jerkins." + +Wulf looked attentively. + +"Yes, there are certainly shields and helmets," he said. "I fear there is +no doubt they have overtaken Oswald's levies." + +"And have made them prisoners?" + +Wulf shook his head. "They never take prisoners, you know. I fear they have +slain them all and possessed themselves of their arms and clothes. In no +other way can there be Saxon shields and helmets among them." + +"By St. Nicholas!" Osgod exclaimed, "it is too bad that we should be +standing here doing nothing. Why doesn't Llewellyn attack us instead of +keeping his men gaping there at the castle?" + +"Because at present he can do nothing, and is not fool enough to throw away +hundreds of lives; besides, he must know that his mother and children are +in our hands." + +Presently a white flag was raised among the Welsh. Wulf had expected this, +and had ordered a white cloth to be held in readiness to raise in reply. As +soon as this flew out to the wind three men were seen to advance with the +flag towards the foot of the road up to the castle. Wulf at once sent for +the two interpreters to join him. + +"Shall you let them come up, master?" Osgod asked. "They are as treacherous +as snakes. See how that boy led us astray in the bog." + +"You cannot get that boy out of your head, Osgod," Wulf laughed. "There is +no conceivable way by which three men could recapture this castle. There is +nothing for them to learn. They know its strength and everything connected +with it, and they can see for themselves that we have destroyed the bridge. +I shall be glad to hear what they have to say. Llewellyn himself is, most +likely, one of the number." + +The little party mounted the road until they stood on the platform from +which the bridge started. One of them was a tall figure, dressed in armour, +and with long black hair flowing down from under his helmet over his +shoulders. Wulf at once, from the descriptions he had heard of the chief's +appearance, recognized him as Llewellyn ap Rhys. + +"I would speak with the commander of the Saxons who have, in my absence, +taken my castle by treachery." + +"I am the commander," Wulf said. + +The Welshman's fingers clenched, and he glanced furiously at the young +Saxon. By a great effort, however, he restrained his passion, and said +courteously: "I am Llewellyn ap Rhys. To whom have I the pleasure of +speaking?" + +"I am Wulf of Steyning, prince. I don't know altogether that I have taken +your castle by treachery, indeed I claim to have won it by fair fighting. +You went out with your force to attack me among the hills, and during your +absence I attacked and captured your castle. I will do your garrison credit +to say they fought bravely in spite of the surprise. I would gladly have +given them quarter, but they refused my offers, and, save a few wounded, +whom I allowed the women to carry off, died to a man fighting bravely. No +women were hurt or insulted, save those who took up arms and fought among +the men, and it was no fault of ours that they were killed. Methinks that +in your incursions into England you have not always shown the same mercy." + +Llewellyn was silent for a minute. He had indeed never shown any pity in +his forays, but had never expected that his castle and family would be in +the hands of the Saxons. + +"I learn," he said at last, "from the women, that my mother and my children +are alive in your hands, and I thank you for the honorable treatment I hear +that they have received." + +"They are safe and well," Wulf replied. "We Saxons do not massacre women +and children in cold blood. They will be honourably treated until I can +hand them over to the care of Earl Gurth, who will doubtless send them to +England as hostages." + +"I shall try to win back my castle," Llewellyn said. "May I be sure that +whatever happens they will be safe?" + +"You may. Even were you forcing your way into the castle I will guarantee +that no hair of their heads shall be injured. And now, prince, it is my +turn to question. I see Saxon helmets and shields among your followers. +Whence come they?" + +A cloud passed over Llewellyn's face. He had not reckoned on their being +observed from the castle. Concealment was now out of question, and he said +boldly: "I defeated a party of your countrymen this morning. They came with +hostile intent into my territory, and they have been destroyed." Although +he had expected the answer, Wulf was shocked at the confirmation of his +fears. Llewellyn, indeed, had fallen on Oswald's levies and annihilated +them soon after daybreak. Having no idea that a party had separated from +them during the night, he was returning exulting in the idea that he had +destroyed the whole of the invaders, when the news had reached him of the +capture of his castle. Wulf was silent. "It is the fortune of war," he +said gravely. "It is not to me that you have to reckon for the deed, but +with Earl Gurth, for whom I hold this castle." + +Llewellyn made no reply, but with a wave of his hand turned and went down +the hill again. + +"I am even more than before convinced, Osgod, that there is a secret +passage. I was watching him closely when the interpreter told him that I +should hand his mother and children over to Gurth. He pressed his lips +together, and his face lighted up with exultation for a moment." + +"What do you think he came here for, master?" + +"He came here to assure himself if possible that their lives would not be +sacrificed in the event of his attacking." + +"It is a pity you told him they would be safe," Osgod said. + +"But they will be safe, and even if we are surprised and slain I would not +that Llewellyn should say that it was only the suddenness of his attack +that saved their lives. I will place two of our best men at their door with +orders that come what may they are to prevent anyone from entering. But I +don't think it will come to that. Should the passage enter into the castle, +as, if it exists, I have no doubt it does, we shall be prepared to deal +with them, if it opens elsewhere we shall have all our force save a few +sentries assembled, and though all the walls fall into their hands, we +ought to be able to hold it successfully till Gurth arrives to our rescue." + +Wulf returned to the castle, and then joined Beorn at his post on the wall +facing the wood. He communicated to him his ideas as to the probable +existence of a secret passage. + +"We must provide a mode of retreat for your men on guard here, Beorn, in +case the Welsh enter by either of these yards instead of by the castle. +These flanking towers at the angles of the walls cut off all passage. We +will construct bridges with two or three planks across these towers, so +that your sentries can retreat from the rear wall to the next, and again on +to the inner wall. The doors between the courtyards shall be closed, so +that should they enter either of these outer courts they will be delayed, +and your men will have plenty of time to join us in the defence of the last +wall. However, I am convinced the castle itself will be the scene of +action. Five sentries will be enough to place on this wall. I will put two +on each of the cross walls, so that if your men give the alarm it will be +passed along speedily. I shall remove the last plank of the bridge at +nightfall, and have Osgod and four men in the turret and two on the wall +above them. We shall therefore have fifty-five men in the castle, and that +should be ample. They can keep watch and watch, so there will be over +twenty-five men under arms, and ready to throw themselves upon the Welsh +wherever they may enter." + +These arrangements were carried out. At ten o'clock all lights were +extinguished, save a torch burning in each room on the ground floor. The +floors and walls had been carefully examined and sounded, but nothing +suspicious had been discovered. Four men were told off to each room except +the great hall, where twenty were gathered in reserve. Half were to keep +watch, but all were to lie down. The orders to those who were to keep awake +were strict If they heard a noise or saw a stone move they were to keep +silent, until two or three men had stepped out, then they were to give the +alarm, leap up, and throw themselves upon them. + +"Were the alarm given," he said, "before they fairly issued out the stone +might be moved back again, and it would give us immense trouble before we +could demolish it or find the secret of the spring. Therefore, let them get +a footing first." + +From time to time either Beorn or Wulf got up and went noiselessly round to +the different rooms to see that the watch was vigilant. As had been +arranged, each of those on guard raised a hand as they entered a room, so +as to show that they were awake. Wulf did not expect that any attempt would +be made before midnight. After that hour he sat in a corner of the dais, +leaning as if asleep, but with his eyes wandering round the room watching +every stone, and his ears listening for the faintest sound. He had no +feeling of sleepiness whatever, his senses being all strung up to the +highest pitch. + +From time to time he held up a hand, and ten others were at once elevated, +showing that the watchers were as vigilant as himself. It was, he thought, +about one o'clock when he heard a faint creaking sound. It did not seem to +him to be in the hall itself, but in a room adjoining it, the doors having +all been left open. He rose to his feet, touched Beorn, who lay a pace or +two away, and stole noiselessly out, grasping his sword in his hand. He +stopped before he got to the open door of the next room and listened. All +seemed perfectly quiet. He stood motionless, until a minute later there was +a sudden shout, followed almost instantly by a clash of arms. + +With a shout to his followers Wulf ran into the room. The four Saxons were +on their feet, and were attacking three men, who, as he entered, were +joined by a fourth from behind. He and Beorn threw themselves into the fray +just as one of the Saxons fell with his head cloven by a sweeping blow from +the tall figure opposed to him. One after another in rapid succession the +Welsh poured in from a narrow opening, but the Saxons rushed up in +overwhelming numbers. There was a brief fierce fight, and the Welsh were +slain or overpowered. The men who last emerged turned to fly, but meeting +those crowding up from behind were unable to do so. Others ran in only to +be cut down as soon as they appeared; a sound of fierce shouting and angry +struggle came through the opening. When no more showed themselves, Wulf +called for torches, and a dozen were soon at hand. Seizing one he passed +through the narrow opening. A winding staircase met his view. With Beorn +and some Saxons following close behind him, he descended for a considerable +distance, then he found himself in a low and narrow passage, and following +this for twenty yards stepped out into the open air. + +"We need do no more to-night, Beorn," he said. "We will see where this +comes out and block it up in the morning, though they are not likely to try +again. We can sleep now without fear of interruption." + +His first step was to examine the bodies of the fallen Welshmen. He had +recognized in the tall man with whom he had crossed swords Llewellyn ap +Rhys, and found him lying beneath four of his followers, who had stood over +him and defended him to the last. He was glad to find that the Welsh prince +still lived, and directed that he should be at once carried to a room and +that every attention should be shown him. None of the other fourteen +Welshmen who had fallen showed any signs of life. + +Ordering their bodies to be carried out into the courtyard, Wulf placed +four men on guard at the upper opening of the secret passage. They were to +be relieved every hour. He then went out and saw to the relief of the +sentries on the walls, and called down to Osgod that the attack had been +made and repulsed. He then went back and slept soundly till daybreak. On +going to the walls he learned that there had been a great commotion down in +the valley. Fierce shouts, loud wailing cries, and a confused sound of +running and talking had been heard. At daybreak the Welsh were still there, +and their fires had been lighted: one party were seen to march away as soon +as it was light, but others arrived, and their numbers appeared about the +same as on the previous evening. There was no general movement, but it +could be seen that they gathered in clusters, and listened to men who +addressed them with animated gestures. + +"They don't know what to do," Wulf said to Osgod, whom he had joined in the +turret. "They believe their chief to be dead; they know that his mother and +children are prisoners in our hands; they can have little hope of capturing +this place, which they believe to be impregnable to open attack. At present +they must be without a leader, and yet they must be so animated by a spirit +of hate and revenge, and by the desire to wipe out their humiliation by +retaking this place, that they will not stir from in front of it." + +As he spoke a messenger came from Beorn, saying that the Welsh were pouring +arrows and javelins from the hill upon his sentries on the walls, and that +these were unable to show a head above the parapet. In one of the sheds a +large quantity of hides had been found, and taking a party laden with them +Wulf proceeded to the wall at the rear. Here he directed the ladders that +were still lying there to be cut up into lengths of eight feet. These were +fixed at intervals upon the parapet, and a cord fastened along the top, the +men engaged in the operations being protected by the shields of their +comrades from the rain of missiles from the trees. Hides were thrown over +the ropes, and these hid those on the wall from the view of the enemy, +while they themselves could peep out from time to time between the hides to +see that no preparations were being made for an attack. + +The secret passage was next investigated; it was found that the opening was +about half-way down the rock, and that the assailants must have climbed up +by a path that a goat could scarce traverse. Wulf set a party to work to +carry down stones from the courtyard, and to block up the passage solidly +for ten feet from the opening, a sentry being posted on the wall above. +After the erection of the shelter of hides the Welsh only sent an +occasional javelin from the trees, but by the loud yells that were from +time to time raised, there was no doubt they were still there in force. + +"It is evident that they are going to besiege us, Beorn," Wulf said when +they sat down to breakfast together. "The question is, are we to remain +here until rumour carries the report of our capture of the place to Gurth, +or shall we despatch messengers to him?" + +"As you yourself said yesterday, the messengers could never get away, Wulf. +I would give a year's revenue if we could do so, for it may be a long time +before news comes to Gurth's ears. He may possibly hear of the annihilation +of Oswald's force, for any Welsh woman taken captive might mention that in +triumph, but they would certainly say nothing of such a grievous blow to +the Welsh cause as the capture of Porthwyn and the death of Llewellyn in an +attempt to recapture it. Gurth, therefore, naturally supposing that we had +been involved in Oswald's disaster, may abandon all idea of moving against +this place until the greater part of the country was reduced to obedience." + +"I see, Beorn, that the difficulty of a messenger getting through would be +indeed enormous; the Welsh must know that we are but a small band, and that +our first aim would be to communicate with Gurth. You may be sure, +therefore, that they will keep a vigilant guard all round the place at +night to see that no messenger makes his way out. Our two interpreters do +not know anything like enough Welsh to pass as natives, none of our people +know a word of the language, it would be sending anyone to almost certain +death. I think we must be content to depend upon ourselves. Gurth is sure +to learn the news sooner or later, for it will make a great stir all +through the country. I have just seen Llewellyn, he is very sorely wounded. +I think it would be a good thing to let the Welsh know that he is in our +hands, it will render them more chary of attacking us. We might hang out a +flag of truce, and when they come up in reply tell them that he is alive +but sorely wounded, and that they may send up a leech, who would better +attend to his wounds than we can do." + +This was accordingly done. Two Welshmen of rank came up to the broken +bridge and were informed that their prince was sorely wounded, and that a +leech would be allowed to enter to attend upon him. An hour later a man +with a boy carrying a large basket came up the hill and crossed the plank +into the turret. The basket, which contained various herbs and medicaments, +was taken from the boy, who was then sent back again, while the leech was +taken up to the room where Llewellyn was lying, in the care of his mother +and her maids. + +Three days passed without any change. The force in the valley was seen to +be considerably diminished, no hostile demonstration had taken place; but +twenty men always remained in the courtyard in the rear, in readiness to +run up to the wall in case the sentries gave an alarm. + +On the fourth morning, just as day was breaking, a man ran into the castle +with the news that the Welsh were attacking the wall. Beorn and Wulf sprung +to their feet, and with every man except those on duty as sentries ran off +to the scene of attack. That it was a serious assault was evident by the +wild yells and shouts that were heard. + +Wulf ran up the stairs to the wall. A storm of missiles was striking +against the hides; many of them failed to penetrate, but others did so, and +several of the men were lying wounded under shelter of the parapet, while +the rest were hurling down javelins between the openings of the hides. + +"What are they doing?" he asked the sub-officer in command of the party. + +"They are preparing to scale the wall, my lord; they have numbers of +ladders." + +Wulf was about to look out between the hides, but the officer exclaimed, +"Do not so risk your life, my lord; you can see down without danger;" and +he pushed out the lower side of one of the skins from the wall, so that +Wulf could look down without being seen by the Welsh archers. The fosse in +the rock and the narrow platform at the foot of the wall were alike crowded +with foes, who were planting a number of ladders side by side. These were +strongly constructed, and were each wide enough for two men to mount +abreast. Eight or ten of these ladders were already planted against the +wall, and the enemy were climbing up them. Wulf turned, and waving his +sword shouted to the men running into the courtyard from the walls and +castle to hasten up. Already a dozen had joined him, and scarce had these +placed themselves along the battlements when the heads of the Welshmen +appeared above it. + +For a minute or two it seemed that these would overmaster the defence. +Several succeeded in crossing the parapet, but they were either cut down or +cast headlong into the courtyard. By this time the whole of the Saxons, +save the guard in the turret by the bridge, were on the wall, and were able +to form a close line along the parapet against which the ladders were +placed. The Welsh fought with an utter disregard of life; as fast as those +at the top were cut down or hurled backwards others took their place. So +closely did they swarm up the ladders that several of these broke with +their weight, killing many of those clustered below as well as those on the +rungs. But for an hour there was no pause. It was well for the defenders +that they had the protection of the line of hides, and were therefore +screened from the arrows of the bowmen on the hill; but these soon ceased +to shoot, as many of their comrades were hit by their missiles, while they +were unable to see whether the arrows had any effect whatever upon the +hidden defenders. At length the leaders of the assailants saw that the task +could not be achieved, and gave the signal by the blowing of cow-horns that +the attack should cease; but so furious were their followers that many +disregarded the summons, and continued their efforts to gain a footing upon +the wall, or at least to kill one of its defenders, for some time after the +main body had withdrawn. As soon as the last of these was killed the +garrison hurled the ladders backwards and then gave a shout of triumph, +which was answered by renewed yells of defiance by the Welsh. + +"It has been a hard fight, Wulf," Beorn said, as he removed his helmet. + +"It has indeed. It was a well-planned attack, and was nearly successful. We +ought to have had a stronger guard there; but I did not think that they +would venture to attack at daylight, nor that they could have so quickly +run forward and placed their ladders. Had we been but a minute later in +arriving here they would have gained this wall and the courtyard. They +would, indeed, have got no farther, but their success would have so excited +them that we should have had to fight night and day. What has been our +loss?" + +Five of the men were killed; many of the others had received severe wounds +on the head and shoulders from the knives of their assailants, and had it +not been for the protection afforded by the leathern helmets and jerkins +the number of killed would have been very much larger. + +"I would as lief fight with a troop of wild cats," exclaimed Osgod--who, as +soon as he saw that there was no movement down on the plain, had run up +with half his little garrison to join in the defence of the wall,--as he +tried to staunch a deep wound that extended from his ear to his chin. "Over +and over again I saw a shock head come up above the wall, and before I had +time to take a fair blow at it the man would hurl himself over upon me like +a wild animal. Three times was I knocked down, and I am no chicken either; +if it had not been for my comrades on each side it would have gone hard +with me. I was able to return the service several times, but had the Welsh +been imps they could not have been more active or more fierce. There must +be a hundred lying slain along here or in the courtyard. I do not wonder +that Oswald's men were all killed by them, though after our previous fights +I held them in but small respect." + +"It is a different thing, Osgod," Beorn said. "In the field we have always +had the advantage from our order and our discipline; but here it was man +against man. We had the advantage of position and they of numbers; but +discipline went for nothing on either side, and I doubt if we should have +done as well as they did had we been the assailants." + +"I am ready to own that," Osgod agreed. "I like to fight with my feet on +firm ground, and should make but a poor figure balanced on the top of a +ladder." + +When the tumult in the wood had died away Wulf raised a white flag, and +ordered one of the men who spoke Welsh to shout to the enemy that they +might approach without molestation and remove their wounded and dead from +the foot of the wall, and also said that the Saxon leaders desired to speak +to an officer of rank. + +Two of these came out from the trees. "Hitherto," the interpreter cried +with a loud voice, "my lords, the noble thanes, Beorn of Fareham and Wulf +of Steyning, have given the most honourable treatment to your chief, +Llewellyn ap Rhys, wounded and a prisoner in their hands, and to his +family. Nor have they altered that treatment while you were attacking our +walls; but they bid me warn you and all others in arms against the +authority of our sovereign lord the king, that henceforth they will hold +them as hostages, and that their lives will be forfeited if any fresh +attack be made upon the castle." + +Three days passed without any further acts of hostility by the Welsh. At +the end of that time Llewellyn was sufficiently recovered to sit up +supported by pillows on his couch. He had already heard of the defeat, with +terrible slaughter, of the attempt of his countrymen to recapture the +castle, and of the warning that had been given the Welsh that if the attack +was renewed the lives of himself and his family would be forfeited. Beorn +and Wulf paid him a visit as soon as they heard that he was in a condition +to talk to them. + +"Prince," Wulf said through his interpreter, "it is, you must see, hopeless +for your followers to attempt to recapture this castle. The bridge is +destroyed, the secret passage by which you entered blocked up, and we can +resist any attack upon the rear wall. We have shown you and yours a mercy +such as you would certainly not have extended to English men and women +under similar circumstances, and grieved as we should be to be obliged to +proceed to extremities with prisoners, yet were the castle again attacked, +and were we to see that there was a prospect of its being recaptured, we +should not hesitate to slay you, as it would be treachery to the king to +allow so formidable an enemy as yourself to regain his freedom. + +"Your cause is hopeless. Harold, Tostig, and Gurth are carrying fire and +sword through your valleys, and your people will have to choose between +submission and death. Why should so hopeless a struggle continue? Gurth +will be here shortly, and then the fate that has befallen the districts +already subdued will light upon yours. Surely it will be better for +yourself and your people that this should be averted. This can only be done +by your sending orders to your followers to scatter to their homes and to +lay down their arms. We will at once in that case send a messenger to the +earl to tell him that the district has submitted. I must request that in +order the message shall reach him you shall bid two officers of rank +accompany our messenger to Gurth's camp; we giving them our undertaking +that they shall be allowed to leave it unmolested." + +"Your offer tallies with my own intentions," Llewellyn said. "Had I been +free I would have resisted to the last, but as a prisoner, and with my +mother and children in your hands, I am powerless. My harper tells me that +fully four hundred of my followers fell in the attack, and with my +stronghold in your power, my tribesmen without a leader, and your armies +desolating the land, I see that further resistance here would but add to +the misfortunes of my people. I am ready, therefore, to send down my harper +and doctor to bid four of my chiefs come up here, under your safe conduct. +I shall lay the matter before them, and tell them that I being a prisoner +can no longer give them orders, but shall point out to them that in my +opinion further resistance can but bring terrible disasters upon the +district. This, on their return, they will lay before their men, and if, as +I trust, these will agree to scatter to their homes, they will furnish the +escort you desire for your messenger." + +Two hours later three of the chiefs summoned arrived, the fourth having +fallen in the assault. They had a private interview with Llewellyn and then +left. A great meeting was held down in the valley, and in the afternoon the +three chiefs and six others came up to the castle and formally made their +submission before Beorn and Wulf, and besought them to send a messenger to +the earl praying him to forgive past offences and to have mercy on the +people. An hour later two of the Saxons bearing a letter from Beorn and +Wulf to Gurth started under an escort provided by the chiefs. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +EDITH. + +Two days after the departure of the messengers from the castle the look-out +gave notice that he perceived a large body of horsemen and footmen coming +down the valley, and half an hour later the banner of Gurth could be made +out. The garrison at once set to work to replace the planking of the +bridge, and this was accomplished by the time that the Saxon earl, +accompanied by several thanes, and followed by a strong body of troops, +reached the platform at the other end. As he did so Beorn and Wulf crossed +the bridge to meet him. + +"You have done well indeed, thanes!" Gurth exclaimed. "You have made a +conquest to be proud of; for as we rode along this place seemed to us +well-nigh impregnable. But your messengers have told me how you captured +it, and how stoutly you have since defended it. It was a daring thought, +indeed, to attempt the assault of such a place with a handful of men. You +have rendered a splendid service to the king; for with the capture of this +fortress, and of Llewellyn himself and his children, there is no fear that +there will be trouble in this part of Wales for years to come. We, too, are +specially indebted to you, for had we been forced to besiege this place it +could only have been taken with a vast loss of life, and it might well have +resisted all our efforts. That seventy men should have taken it, even if +weakly defended, is wonderful indeed." + +"It is to Wulf, my lord, that the credit is chiefly due," Beorn said. "It +was he who proposed and planned the attack; and though I have done my best +to support him, I have but acted as his second in command. He is +quicker-witted than I am, and far more fitted to lead." + +Wulf was about to speak, when Gurth stopped him with a gesture of the hand. + +"At any rate, Beorn," he said, "you possess qualities that are by no means +common. That you are a brave soldier I know well, but so I trust are all my +thanes; still, it is not every one who has the wit to perceive that another +has sharper wits than himself, still fewer who would have the generosity to +stand aside and to give the major share in an exploit like this to another. +What you may lose in credit by your avowal you will at least gain in the +esteem of us all. Now, commandant," he said to Wulf with a smile, "show us +the way into this capture of yours." + +Before entering the castle itself Gurth made a detour of the walls, and +upon seeing them was still more surprised than before at the manner in +which the capture had been effected. + +"You see, thanes," he said, "the matter hinged on the possession of these +gates through the cross walls. That the rear walls should have been taken +by surprise was a daring action, but it would have availed nothing had the +garrison had time to close even the second of these gates; for though, as +it seems, no more numerous than our men, they could have easily held it +until reinforced from the village below, and would then have turned the +tables on their assailants. The capture was due to the quickness and +boldness with which Wulf and Beorn, with the few men who had obtained a +footing on the wall when the alarm was given, rushed forward and held the +inner gateway until the rest came up." + +Gurth paused for a time on the wall above the point where the secret +passage came out on the face of the rock, and having asked many questions +as to how it was that they were so well prepared for Llewellyn and his +followers when they made the attack, he commended Wulf very strongly for +his conduct in this matter. + +"Others might have taken the castle as you did, young thane," he said, "but +assuredly most would have lost it again, for having set guards on the walls +they would have given themselves up to feasting and sleep, without a +thought that there might possibly exist a secret passage through this rock, +which looks as if nothing short of a winged army could scale it. What say +you, thanes?" + +The Saxons cordially agreed with the earl. They were stout fighters, but +better in the field than in council, and it was in no small degree to the +Danish blood in their veins that the sons of Godwin owed the vigour and +intellect that had raised the family to so lofty a position among their +countrymen. On concluding his inspection of the walls Gurth entered the +castle, and after first examining the entrance to the secret passage, sat +down with the thanes to a banquet, the preparation of which had been begun +as soon as their coming was perceived. After that Gurth paid a visit to +Llewellyn. + +"Your fate is not in my hands, prince," he said to him, "but in that of my +brother Harold. As, however, you have used your influence to persuade your +people to submit, I shall do my best to induce him to take a favourable +view of your case." + +The next day the main body of Gurth's force arrived, and encamped in the +valley. Llewellyn's chiefs all came in and made their submission, but the +people for the most part took to the hills. As, day after day, news came of +the terrible retaliation dealt out by the troops of Harold and Tostig they +lost heart altogether, and sent in messengers craving to be allowed to come +in and lay down their arms. Gurth at once accepted their submission, and +hundreds returned to their homes. In other parts of Wales the feeling that +resistance was vain rapidly extended. Their most fertile valleys had all +been turned into deserts, and even on their own hills and among their own +forests, where they had hitherto deemed themselves safe from attack, they +were pursued and hunted down by the now lightly-armed Saxons. From all +parts, therefore, offers to submit were sent in, and as a proof of their +submission and regret for past behaviour, they seized Griffith their king, +killed him, and sent his head to Harold, who thereupon granted them terms, +and ordered his forces to withdraw beyond the border. + +The campaign had lasted less than three months, but so terrible had been +the blow dealt to the Welsh that a hundred years passed before they again +ventured to renew their incursions into England. Llewellyn was pardoned, +but great breaches were made in the walls of the fortress facing the hill, +and these he was forbidden ever to repair. His children were taken to +England, to be brought up there, and to serve as hostages for his future +good behaviour. Harold, when he learnt the particulars of the capture and +defence of Porthwyn, expressed his approval in the warmest terms. + +"You have performed the greatest and most important feat of the war, Wulf," +he said. "Yes, it is right that you should give every credit Beorn for his +share in the matter; but I know you both well, and am assured that Beorn +would never have conceived and carried out the attack, and that had he done +so successfully, he and his men would all have been slain by Llewellyn that +night. Beorn is a good youth; he is brave and kind-hearted; he is no fool, +and will make and excellent thane; will become a favourite at court, and be +always loyal and staunch. But I shall look to see you more than this. You +have a head quick to plan, readiness and decision in danger, and, as you +have shown, a genius for war. Study the writings of the Romans, the +greatest masters of war the world has ever seen, make yourself acquainted +with the methods of Caesar and other great commanders, and do not neglect +to ponder on their laws and customs. + +"When matters are settled here, travel to the various courts of Europe and +acquaint yourself with the ways of peoples who are far more advanced than +we in civilization, and you may come to stand some day among the most +trusted councillors of the king, and as one of the best leaders of his +troops. I see that the success you have attained while as yet so young has +not puffed you up in any way. Always remember, Wulf, that though success +may be envied, those who are successful may yet be liked if only they +themselves do not seem conscious of success. I should say you had best not +make a long stay at court, but betake you, shortly, to your estate. It is a +good school, and one who can rule his own people wisely has a sound +preparation for posts of larger responsibility. You will always find in the +prior of Bramber a wise adviser, who will direct your studies, and will aid +you where your Latinity falls short. + +"It will be time enough in another five years for you to go abroad; but, of +course, I do not wish you to remain all that time away from court. It is +never good to be forgotten; therefore, come up two or three times a year. I +trust that there will be no fresh wars or troubles to hinder your studies +or interfere with your life; but remember that there is always danger from +Normandy, therefore always keep on foot your force of housecarls; and if, +as I think, your estates can afford it, add to their number, so that if +trouble does come you will be able to again play a prominent part in it." + +Wulf's contingent marched with the rest of the troops from the east as far +as Reading, and there struck off by the nearest road to Steyning. He and +Beorn accompanied Harold to London, and after staying there for a short +time, and taking part in the fetes with which the conquest of the Welsh was +celebrated, Wulf returned to Steyning and took up the life he had +previously led there. Before starting he asked Harold's advice as to +whether he should fortify Steyning after the manner of the Norman castles. + +"By no means, Wulf. Such castles are useful only against quarrelsome +neighbours. Wars are decided by great battles, and if these are lost a +castle does but bring ruin upon its possessor, for it must sooner or later +be taken. The man who, when a cause is lost, returns quietly to his home +and goes about his usual work may escape unnoticed, while one who shuts +himself up in a castle is certain to suffer at last from the vengeance of +the conquerors. Resistance maintained in forests and swamps, as was done by +the Bretons and Welsh, may weary out a foe, but a conqueror can wish for +nothing better than that the defeated may assemble themselves in towns and +castles, where he can slowly, perhaps, but surely destroy them piecemeal." + +The time passed quickly and pleasantly at Steyning. Wulf studied hard for +three or four hours a day, looked after his tenants, hunted and hawked, +doubled the number of his company of housecarls, and often rode over to the +priory of an evening. He now took his place naturally among the thanes in +that part of the country, the reputation he had gained in the two wars +giving him a standing among them, to which, from his youth, he would not +otherwise have been entitled. In accordance with Harold's advice he went +three times during the year up to court, where he generally met Beorn, who +spent the greater part of his time there. + +"How you can like all this formality and ceremony is more than I can +imagine, Beorn." + +"I don't care either for the formality or the ceremony, but I like the +amusement and the gaiety, and should ask with much more reason how can you +like to spend your time studying parchments and reading the doings of those +old Romans, when you might be enjoying yourself here. The matter is +altogether beyond me." + +"I like it for itself, and I like it because it may some day be of great +service to me." + +"You see you are ambitious, Wulf, and I am not. I don't want to be a great +commander or a state-councillor, and if I did want it ever so much I know I +should never be one or the other. I am content to be a thane, as my father +was before me, and seek no greater change than that of a stay for a month +at court. That brightens one up more than anything; and one cannot be all +one's life hunting in the woods and seeing after the tenants. By the way, +I had a quarrel the other day with your old Norman enemy, Fitz-Urse. Your +name was mentioned, and he chose to sneer offensively. I told him that you +had done more already than he would ever do if he lived to be an old man. +We came to high words, and next day met in the forest and there settled it. +He ran me through the arm, and I slashed his cheek. As quarrelling is +strictly forbidden he made some excuse and went over to France, while I +went down home till my arm was well again. I fancy we hurt each other about +equally, but the scar on my arm won't show, while I fancy, from what the +leech who dressed his wound told me, the scar is likely to spoil his beauty +for life." + +"I am sorry you quarrelled with him about me, Beorn. It would have been +better to have said nothing, though I thank you for your championship." + +"Nonsense, Wulf. I know very well you would not hear anyone speak ill of me +without taking up the cudgels for me." + +Wulf could not deny this. "Certainly not, Beorn; still it is a pity to make +an enemy, and Fitz-Urse has shown in my case that he is not one who +forgives." + +The Welsh campaign had terminated at the end of August, and it was a month +later that Wulf had returned to Steyning. Just a year afterwards he +received a message from Harold to come up to London, and to order his +housecarls to hold themselves in readiness to start immediately on +receiving an order from him. Somewhat surprised, for no news had reached +him of any trouble that could call for the employment of an armed force, +Wulf rode for London alone, bidding Osgod follow with the housecarls as +soon as he heard from him. When he reached the palace he heard news that +explained the cause of his summons. Northumbria had risen in rebellion +against Earl Tostig. He was accused of tyranny and oppression, and had +been continually away from his earldom, leaving it to be governed in his +absence by a thane. + +The country north of the Humber had for a long period of years been +independent, appointing their own rulers, who owed no allegiance whatever +to the kings of the West Saxons. Although now incorporated in the kingdom +of England the Northumbrians regretted their lost independence, and this +all the more, that the population were for the most part Danish, and viewed +with an intense feeling of jealousy the preponderance gained by the West +Saxons. Tostig at the time the revolt declared itself was hunting with the +king--who had a great affection for him--in the forests of Wiltshire, and +had not arrived in town when Wulf reached the capital. It was not until the +afternoon that Wulf had an interview with Harold. The earl had just come +from a council and was alone. + +"Thank you for coming up so speedily," he said as he shook the young thane +by the hand. "You have heard the news, I suppose?" + +"I have heard that Northumberland has risen in rebellion." + +"Yes, that was the news that arrived four days since." + +"Is it serious?" + +"Yes, very serious; the rebellion grows each day. It is headed by several +of the greatest landowners in the north, both Danish and Saxon, and the +worst part of the news is that the trouble has, as I hear, been stirred up +by Edwin of Mercia and his brother. It is the old rivalry between the House +of Leofric and ours. They are jealous of our influence with the king, and +would gladly rend England into two kingdoms again. We hear to-day that the +Northumbrian nobles have summoned a Gemot to meet, which amounts in fact to +a rebellion, not only against Tostig but against the king." + +"If Mercia joins Northumbria it would be a more serious business than that +in Wales." + +"I think not that it will be so," Harold said. "Edwin has been always +conspiring. He stirred up the Welsh, he has encouraged the Norwegians, he +has intrigued in Northumbria. He and his brother have ever been a source +of trouble, and yet he has never openly rebelled; he sets others to do the +fighting for him, prepared if they are successful to reap the fruits of +their victory. There is, of course, still hope that moderate councils may +prevail, but I fear that the Northumbrians will consider that they have +gone too far to turn back. At present, at any rate, no steps will be taken. +As long as no armed forces are set in motion there are hopes that matters +may be arranged, but the approach of an army would set all Northumbria on +fire. The Gemot is summoned to meet this day week--that is on the third of +October--and we shall wait to hear what steps they take. Messengers have +already been sent to a large number of thanes to be prepared for service. I +would that all kept a force of housecarls as you do. I am going down +to-night to my house near Hampton. Do you come down with me, Wulf. Edith +will be glad to see you." + +Wulf had in the days of his pageship several times accompanied Harold to +Hampton, and knew well the lady, who was known to the Saxons as Edith of +the Swan-neck. She was by birth far inferior in position to Harold. The +relation between them was similar to that known throughout the middle ages +as left-hand marriages. These were marriages contracted between men of high +rank and ladies of inferior position, and while they lasted were regarded +as being lawful; but they could be, and frequently were, broken off, when +for politic or other reasons the prince or noble had to seek another +alliance. The lady was of great beauty and talent, and exercised a large +influence over Harold. This was always employed for good, and she was much +beloved by the Saxons. + +The alliance had been formed while Harold was quite a young man, and he and +Edith were fondly attached to each other. His rise, however, to the +position of the foremost man in England, and the prospect of his accession +to the throne, rendered it probable that ere long he would be obliged to +marry one who would strengthen his position, and would from her high birth +be fitted to share the crown with him. William of Normandy was perfectly +well aware of the relation in which Edith stood to Harold, and had not +regarded her as any obstacle to the earl's marriage with his daughter; and +even Harold himself had not attempted to give it as a reason for declining +the offer of the hand of the Norman princess. + +As they rode down to Hampton the earl said, "I dare say you are somewhat +surprised at my leaving the court at this crisis, Wulf, but in truth I want +to keep my hands free. Tostig, you know, is rash and impetuous. I love him +well, but am not blind to his faults; and I fear that the people of +Northumbria have some just cause for complaint against him. He is +constantly away from his earldom. He was absent for months when he went to +Rome, and he spends a great part of his time either at the court here or +with the king at his hunting-lodges. The Northumbrians are a proud people, +and it is small wonder that they object to be governed by an absent earl. +Tostig is furious at what he terms the insolence of the Northumbrians, and +I would fain avoid all questions of dispute with him. It is not improbable +that the king and his councillors may be called upon to hear the complaints +of the Northumbrians, and to decide between them and Tostig. This will be +bitter enough for my brother. He may return at any moment, and I greatly +wish to avoid all argument with him before the matter is discussed in +council." + +The house at Hampton was a large one, and here Edith lived in considerable +state. Grooms ran up and took the horses as Harold and Wulf dismounted. Six +retainers in jerkins embroidered with the earl's cognizance appeared at the +doors. As they entered the house, Edith came out from an inner room and +fondly embraced Harold. + +"Who is this you have with you, Harold?" + +"What, have you forgotten Wulf of Steyning, who has, as I told you, turned +out a great fighter, and was the captor of the castle of Porthwyn, and of +its owner, Llewellyn ap Rhys?" + +"I did not know you again, Wulf," Edith said holding out her hand to him, +"but now that I hear who you are I recognize you. Why, it is four years +since I saw you, and you were then a mischievous little page. Harold has +often spoken to me about you, and your adventures in Normandy and Wales. I +did not expect to see you, Harold," she went on turning to the earl, "after +what you told me in the letter you sent me yesterday, about the troubles in +the north. I feared that you would be kept at court." + +"Tostig and the king are still away," he said, "and he will return so +furious at this revolt against his authority, that, thinking as I do that +he is in no small degree at fault--for I have frequently remonstrated with +him at spending so large a portion of his time away from his earldom,--I +thought it best to get away." + +"It is strange how Tostig differs from the rest of you," Edith said. "You +and Leofwyn, and Gurth are all gentle and courteous, while Tostig is fierce +and impetuous." + +"Tostig has his faults," Harold said; "but we love each other dearly, and +from the time we were boys together we have never had a dispute. It will be +hard indeed upon me if I am called upon to side against him. We have +learnt, Edith, that Edwin and Morcar have been intriguing with the +Northumbrians. These Mercian earls are ever bringing troubles upon the +country, and I fear they will give even greater trouble in the future. If +they stir up disturbances, as they have done, against the king, who is king +by the will of the people, and also by right of birth, what will it be +when--" and he stopped. + +"When you shall mount the throne, my Harold," Edith said proudly. "Oh, that +this feud between Leofric's house and Godwin's were at an end. It bodes ill +for England." + +"It is natural," Harold said gently. "It is as gall and wormwood to the +earls of Mercia to see the ascendancy of the West Saxons, and still more +would it be so were I, Godwin's son, without a drop of royal blood in my +veins, to come to be their king." + +"The feud must be closed," Edith said firmly, though Wulf noticed that her +face paled. "I have told you so before, Harold, and there is but one way." + +"It shall never be closed in that way, Edith; rather would I lie in my +grave." + +"You have not to think of yourself, Harold, still less of me. It is of +England you have to think--this England that will assuredly choose you as +its king, and who will have a right to expect that you will make any or +every sacrifice for its sake." + +"Any but that," Harold said. + +She smiled faintly and shook her head. Wulf did not understand the +conversation, but there was a look of earnest resolve in her face that +deeply impressed him. He had moved a short distance away, and now turned +and looked out of the window, while they exchanged a few more words, having +been, as he saw, altogether oblivious of his presence in the earnestness +with which they both spoke. + +For a week Harold remained at Hampton. Wulf saw that he was much troubled +in his mind, and concluded that the messengers who came and went every day +were the bearers of bad tidings. It was seldom that he was away from the +side of Edith. When they were together she was always bright, but once or +twice when Wulf found her alone her features bore an expression of deep +sadness. + +"We must ride for London, Wulf," Harold said one morning after reading a +letter brought by a royal messenger. "The king has laid his orders on me to +proceed at once to town, and indeed the news is well-nigh as bad as can be. +The Gemot has voted the deposition of Tostig, has even had the insolence to +declare him an outlaw, and has elected Morcar in his place. It has also +issued decrees declaring all partisans of Tostig outlaws, and confiscating +their estates. Two of Tostig's Danish housecarls were slain on the first +day of their meeting. Two hundred of Tostig's personal followers have since +been massacred; his treasury has been broken open, and all its contents +carried off. The election of Morcar shows but too plainly the designs of +the earls of Mercia. They wish to divide England into two portions, and to +reign supreme north of the Wellan. This will give them full half of +England, and would assuredly, even did we not oppose them now, lead to a +terrible war. The more terrible as William of Normandy will be watching +from across the channel, ready to take instant advantage of our +dissensions. God avert a war like this. Every sacrifice must be made rather +than that the men of the north and south of England should fly at each +other's throats." + +The earl scarcely spoke a word during the ride to London, but rode absorbed +in his thoughts with a sad and anxious countenance. + +Day after day the news became more serious. Morcar accepted the earldom of +Northumbria, hurried to York, and placing himself at the head of the +Northumbrian forces, marched south, being joined on the way by the men of +Lincoln, Nottingham, and Derby, in all of which shires the Danish element +was very strong. At Northampton, which had formed part of the government of +Tostig, Morcar was joined by his brother Edwin at the head of the forces of +Mercia, together with a large body of Welsh. They found the people of +Northampton less favourable to their cause than they had expected, and in +revenge harried the whole country, killing and burning, and carrying off +the cattle as booty and the men as slaves. + +Harold bore the brunt of the trouble alone, for, regardless of the fact +that half the kingdom was in a flame, King Edward and Tostig continued +their hunting expeditions in Wiltshire, in spite of the urgent messages +sent by Harold entreating them to return. In the meantime, still hoping +that peace might in some way be preserved, Harold sent messages to all the +thanes of importance in Wessex, ordering them to prepare to march to London +with the whole of their retainers and levies, as soon as they received +orders to get in motion. But while he still tarried in Wiltshire the king +acceded to Harold's request that he might be empowered to go to Northampton +to treat in Edward's name with the rebels. + +As soon as he received this permission Harold hastened to Northampton, +accompanied by only half a dozen of his thanes, among whom was Wulf. He was +received with respect by the rebels, but when their leaders assembled, and +in the king's name he called upon them to lay down their arms, to cease +from ravaging, and to lay any complaints they might have to make against +Tostig before the king or the National Gemot, he met with a flat refusal. +They would not listen to any proposition that involved the possibility of +the return of Tostig, and boldly said that if the king wished to retain +Northumbria as part of his realm he must confirm the sentence of their +Gemot upon Tostig, and must recognize their election of Morcar to the +earldom. + +In all this Harold perceived clearly enough that, although it was the +Northumbrian leaders who were speaking, they were acting entirely under the +influence of Edwin and Morcar. All that he could obtain was that some of +the northern thanes should accompany him to lay their demands before the +king himself. Edward, upon hearing, by a swift messenger sent by Harold, of +the failure of his attempt to induce the Northumbrians to lay down their +arms, reluctantly abandoned the pleasures of the chase, and proceeded to +Bretford, near Salisbury, where there was a royal house, and summoned a +Witenagemot. As, however, the occasion was urgent, it was attended only by +the king's chief councillors, and by the thanes of that part of Wessex. + +Between Tostig and Harold the quarrel that the latter had feared had +already broken out. Harold was anxious above all things for peace, and +although the blow to his own interests and to those of his family, by the +transfer of Northumbria from his brother to one of the Mercian earls, was a +most serious one, he preferred that even this should take place to +embarking in a war that would involve the whole of England. Tostig was so +furious at finding that Harold was not willing to push matters to the last +extremity in his favour, that he accused him of being the secret instigator +of the Northumbrian revolt. The absurdity of such an accusation was +evident. It was as much to Harold's interest as to that of Tostig that the +great northern earldom should remain in the hands of his family; but an +angry man does not reason, and Tostig's fury was roused to the highest +point by the outspoken utterances of many of the members of the +Witenagemot. These boldly accused him of cruelty and avarice, and declared +that many of his acts of severity were caused by his determination, under a +show of justice, to possess himself of the wealth of those he condemned. +Tostig then rose and declared before the assembly that the whole rising was +the work of Harold. + +The latter simply denied the charge on oath, and his word was accepted as +sufficient. The Witan then turned to the question as to how the revolt was +to be dealt with. The king was vehemently in favour of putting it down by +force of arms. Tostig was of all the Saxons his favourite friend, and he +considered the insult offered to him as dealt against himself. So +determined was he, that he sent out orders for the whole of the forces of +Wessex to march and join the royal standard. In vain Harold and Edward's +wisest councillors endeavoured to dissuade him from a step that would +deluge the country in blood, and might lead to terrible disaster. In vain +they pointed out that while all the thanes would willingly put their forces +at his disposal to resist a foreign foe, or even to repel an invasion from +the north, they would not risk life and fortune in an endeavour to force a +governor upon a people who hated him, and, as most thought, with good +reason. + +The king was immovable; but Harold and his councillors took steps quietly +to inform the thanes that the Witan was opposed to the order, and that for +the present no harm would be done by disregarding the royal mandate. The +king, in his anger and mortification at finding himself unable to march +against the rebels with an overwhelming force, fell ill, and the control of +affairs passed into Harold's hands; and the king, whose fits of passion, +though extreme while they lasted, were but short-lived gave him full power +to deal with the matter as he thought best. + +Harold had done all that he could for Tostig when he went to Northampton, +but had failed. There was no alternative now between a great war, followed +probably by a complete split of the kingdom, or acquiescence in the demands +of the men of the North. He did not hesitate, but in the name of the king +confirmed the decisions arrived at by the Gemot of York--recognized Morcar +as Earl of Northumbria, and granted a complete amnesty for all offences +committed during the rising, on condition only that a general Witenagemot +should be held at Oxford. At this meeting Northern and Southern England +were again solemnly reconciled, as they had been forty-seven years before +at an assembly held at the same place. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +HAROLD, THE KING. + +The day before the great Witenagemot was to assemble, Wulf, as he came out +from the house where Harold had taken up his abode, was approached by a +man, who by his attire appeared to be a retainer of a thane; his face +seemed familiar to him, as he placed a letter in his hand. Wulf was now +very much in the confidence of Harold. It was a relief to the earl in the +midst of his trials and heavy responsibilities to open his mind freely to +one of whose faith and loyalty he was well assured, and he therefore was +far more communicative to the young thane than to the older councillors by +whom he was surrounded. Wulf opened the letter. It contained only the +words: "I am here; the bearer of this will lead you to me. Edith." + +Looking more closely at the man he recognized him at once as one of the +servitors at Hampton, though his dress bore no signs of any cognizance. +Greatly surprised to hear of Edith's presence in Oxford unknown to Harold, +he at once followed the servant, who conducted him to a house on the +outskirts of the town. Wulf was ushered into a room, and the servant then +left him. A moment later Edith entered. + +"My message must have surprised you, Wulf," she said, as he knelt on one +knee to kiss the hand she held out to him. + +"It did indeed, lady, for it was but yesterday that the earl received a +letter from you written at Hampton. He said to me as he opened it, 'Would I +were in peace at Hampton, free from all these troubles and intrigues.'" + +"I have come down in a horse-litter," she said, "and save the two retainers +who accompanied me none knew of my intentions. I know, Wulf, that you have +the confidence of the earl and that you love him and would do your best for +him." + +"I would lay down my life for him, lady. Even did I not love and honour him +as I do, I would die for him, for he is the hope of England, and he alone +can guide the country through its troubles, both from within and without. +The life of a single man is as nought in the scale." + +"Nor the happiness of a single woman," she added. "Now, Wulf, I want to +know from you exactly how matters stand here. My lord, when he writes to me +always does so cheerfully, ever making the best of things; but it is most +important that I should know his real mind. It is for that that I have +travelled here. This Witenagemot that assembles to-morrow--what will come +of it?" + +"The earl thinks it will doubtless pass the resolution reconciling the +North and South, and declaring that there shall be oblivion for the past, +and that all things shall go back to their former footing save as to the +change of earls." + +"It is easy to vote that," she said quietly; "but will it be held to? It +depends not upon Northumbrians nor Saxons, but upon Edwin and Morcar. They +have made a great step forward towards their end; they have united under +their government the northern half of England, and have wrested Northumbria +from Godwin's family. After making this great step, will they rest and +abstain from taking the next? Northumbria and Mercia united are as strong +as Wessex and East Anglia. Will they be content to remain under a West +Saxon king? Above all, will they submit to the rule of one of Godwin's +sons? I feel sure that they will not. What thinks the earl?" + +"He thinks as you do, lady, although he considers that for the time the +danger is averted. He himself said to me yesterday, 'If these Mercian earls +are ready to defy the head of the royal line of England, think you that +they will ever recognize the sway of a member of my father's house?'" + +"And what said you, Wulf?" + +"I said that I did not doubt the ill-will of the Mercian earls, but that I +doubted whether Mercia would follow them if they strove to break up the +kingdom. 'Mercia is following them now,' he said; 'and has with Northumbria +stood in arms for some weeks past. There has ever been jealousy of the +supremacy of the West Saxons since the days when the kingdom was united in +one. These brothers will intrigue as their father did before them. They +will bring down the Welsh from their hills to aid them, for though these +people will not for generations try their strength alone against us, they +would gladly take advantage of it should such an opportunity for revenge +occur. Even now, when the blood is scarce dry on their hearthstones, there +is a large force of them under Edwin's banner.'" + +"It is a grievous look-out for England," Edith said. "It would seem that +nothing can bring about peace and unity save the end of this terrible feud +between the families of Godwin and Leofric." + +"That would indeed be a blessing for the country," Wulf agreed; "but of all +things that seems to me most hopeless." + +"They must be reconciled!" Edith said, rising from her seat. "What is a +woman's love or a woman's life that they should stand in the way of the +peace of England? See you not, Wulf, there is but one way in which the feud +can be healed? Were it not for me Harold could marry the sister of these +earls, and if she were Queen of England the feud would be at an end. A +daughter of the house of Leofric, and a son of the house of Godwin, would +command the support of Mercia and Wessex alike, and as brothers of the +queen, Edwin and Morcar might well be content to be friends with her +husband and his brothers. I only stand in the way of this. I have already +urged this upon Harold, but he will not hear of it. Until now the Mercian +brothers might be a trouble, but they were not strong enough to be a danger +to the kingdom. Now that they hold half of it in their hands this marriage +has become a necessity. I must stand aside. What is my happiness and my +life that I should be an obstacle alike to my lord's glory and the peace of +England? Go to Harold; tell him that I am here, and pray that he will come +to me. Give your message to him briefly; say naught of what I have said to +you, though his heart will tell him at once what has brought me here." + +Silent, and confounded by the immensity of the sacrifice she proposed, for +he knew how deep and tender was her love for Harold, Wulf knelt on both +knees and reverently placed her hand to his lips, and then without a word +left the house, half blinded with tears, signing to the servant, who was +waiting without, to follow him. When he reached Harold's house he found +that the earl was with his brother Gurth and several of his councillors. He +did not hesitate, however, but entering the room, said, "My Lord Harold, I +pray to have speech of you for a minute upon an affair of urgent +importance." + +Somewhat surprised the earl followed him out. + +"What is it, Wulf?" he asked as they entered Harold's private closet. "You +look pale and strange, lad." + +"I have a message to give you, my lord. The Lady Edith is here, and prays +that you will go to her at once." + +The earl started as if struck with a blow. "Edith here!" he exclaimed, and +then with a troubled face he took several short turns up and down the room. + +"Where is she?" he said at last in a low voice. + +"Her servant is without, my lord, and will conduct you to her." + +"Tell Gurth and the others I am called away for an hour on urgent +business," he said. "Say nothing of Edith being here." Then he went out. + +The man who was waiting doffed his hat, and at once led the way to the +house where Edith was staying. She moved swiftly towards him as he entered +the room and fell on his neck. Not a word was spoken for a minute or two, +then he said: + +"Why have you come, Edith? But I need not ask, I know. I will not have it, +I will not have it! I have told you so before. Why is our happiness to be +sacrificed? I have given my work and my life to England, but I will not +give my happiness too, nor will I sacrifice yours." + +"You would not be worthy of the trust England reposes in you, Harold," she +said quietly, "were you not ready to give all. As to my happiness, it is at +an end, for I should deem myself as a guilty wretch, as the cause of +countless woes to Englishmen, did I remain as I am. I have been happy, +dear, most happy, many long years. To my last day it will be a joy and a +pride, that nothing can take away, that I have been loved by the greatest +of Englishmen, and my sacrifice will seem light to me under the feeling +that it has purchased the happiness of England." + +"But is my happiness to go for nothing?" Harold exclaimed passionately. + +"You too, Harold, will have the knowledge that you have sacrificed +yourself, that as you have often risked your life, so have you for +England's sake given up your love. I have seen that it must be so for +years. As Earl of Wessex I might always have stood by your side, but as +soon as I saw that the people of England looked to you as their future +monarch, I knew that I could not share your throne. A king's heart is not +his own, as is that of a private man. As he must lead his people in battle, +and if needs be give his life for them, so must he give his hand where it +will most advantage them." + +"I cannot do it," Harold said. "I will not sacrifice you even for England. +I will remain Earl of Wessex, and Edwin may reign as king if he so +chooses." + +"That cannot be, Harold. If the people of England call you to the throne, +it is your duty to accept the summons. You know that none other could guide +them as you can, for already for years you have been their ruler. They love +you, they trust in you, and it were a shame indeed if the love we bear each +other should stand in the way of what is above all things needful for the +good of England. You know well enough that when the national council meets +to choose a king the South will declare for you. But if Edwin and Morcar +influence Mercia and the North to declare for another, what remains but a +breaking up of the kingdom, with perhaps a great war?" + +"I cannot do it, and I will not," Harold said, stopping in his walk and +standing before her. "My life, my work, all save you I will give up for +England--but you I will not." + +Edith turned even paler than before. "You will not give me up, Harold, but +you cannot hold me. I can bear my life in seclusion and retirement, and can +even be happy in the thought of our past love, of your greatness, and in +the peace of England, which, I should have the consolation of knowing, was +due to the sacrifice that we had both made, but I could not live happy, +even with your love and your companionship, knowing that I have brought +woes upon England. Nor will I live so. Death will break the knot if you +will not do so, and I could die with a smile on my lips, knowing that I was +dying for your good and England's. If you will not break the bond death +shall do so, and ere to-morrow's sun rises, either by your sacrifice or by +my own hand, you will be free. Marry for the good of England. Here is the +ring by which you pledged your troth to me," and she took it from her +finger and dropped it in the fire that blazed on the hearth. "There is the +end of it, but not the end of our love. I shall think of you, and pray for +you always, Harold. Oh, my dear lord and master, do not make it too hard +for me!" and she threw herself on his neck in a passion of tears. For two +or three minutes they stood locked in each other's close embrace, then she +withdrew herself from his arms. + +"Farewell," she said. "You have left my side many a time for battle, and we +parted bravely though we knew we might never meet again. Let us part so +now. We have each our battles to fight, but God will comfort us both, for +our sacrifice will have brought peace to England. Farewell, my dear lord, +farewell!" She touched his hand lightly and then tottered from the room, +falling senseless as soon as she had closed the door behind her. + +Harold sank into a chair and covered his face with his hands, while his +breast heaved with short sobs. So he sat for some time; then he stood up. + +"She is stronger and braver than I," he murmured; "but she is right. Only +by this sacrifice can England be saved, but even so I could not have made +it; but I know her so well that I feel she would carry out her threat +without hesitation." Then he went out of the house, but instead of +returning to the town took his way to the lonely path by the river, and +there for hours paced up and down. At last his mind was made up, the +sacrifice must be accepted. As she had said, their happiness must not stand +in the way of that of all England. He walked with a firm step back to +Oxford, and went straight to the house where Edwin and Morcar had taken up +their quarters. + +"Tell Earl Edwin that Harold would speak with him," he said to the retainer +at the door. The man returned in a minute, and led the way to the room +where Edwin and his brother were standing awaiting him. They had had +several interviews since they arrived at Oxford, and supposed that he had +come to arrange some detail as to the assembly on the following day. + +"Edwin," Harold said abruptly, "methinks that for the good of our country +it would be well that our houses should be united. Why should the sons of +Leofric and Godwin regard each other as rivals? We are earls of the English +people, and we cannot deny that the unfriendly feeling between us has +brought trouble on the country. Why should there not be an end of this?" + +Greatly surprised at this frank address, Edwin and Morcar both hastened to +say that for their part they had no quarrel whatever with any of the house +of Godwin, save with Tostig. + +"Tostig will soon be beyond the sea, and will no longer be a source of +trouble. There is, it seems to me, but one way by which we can unite and +bind our interests into one. I have come to you to ask for the hand of your +sister Ealdgyth in marriage." + +The two earls looked at each other in surprise. The proposition was +altogether unexpected, but they at once saw its advantages. They knew as +well as others that the choice of the nation at Edward's death was likely +to fall upon Harold, and it would add both to their dignity and security +that they should be brothers-in-law of the king. Such an alliance would do +away with the danger, that once seated on the throne Harold might become +reconciled with Tostig, and endeavour to replace him in the earldom of +Northumbria. This danger would be dissipated by the marriage. + +"You would perhaps like to consult together before giving an answer," +Harold said courteously. + +"By no means," Edwin said warmly. "Such an alliance is, as you say, in all +respects to be desired. Ealdgyth could wish for no nobler husband. We +should rejoice in obtaining such a spouse for her, and the union would +assuredly unite our families, do away with the unfriendly feeling of which +you spoke, and be of vast advantage to the realm in general. We need no +word of consultation, but accept your offer, and will with pleasure give +Ealdgyth in marriage to you. But is there not an obstacle?" + +"The obstacle is at an end," Harold said gravely. "Of her own free will and +wish, and in order that there should be peace and union in England, the +Lady Edith has broken the tie that bound us." + +The brothers, seeing that the subject was a painful one, wisely said no +more, but turned the conversation to the meeting on the following day, and +assured Harold that they hoped the decision would now be unanimous, and +then after a short time skilfully brought it round again to the subject of +the marriage. By nightfall the news was known throughout the city, and was +received with universal joy. The union seemed to all men a guarantee for +peace in England. The two great rival houses would now be bound by common +interests, and the feud that had several times been near breaking out into +civil war was extinguished. + +The moment he returned to his house Harold called Wulf. + +"Wulf, go at once to the Lady Edith. Tell her that though it has taken all +the brightness out of my life, and has made all my future dark, I have done +her bidding, and have sacrificed myself for England. Tell her that I will +write to her to-night, and send the letter to Hampton, where, I trust, it +will find her." + +Wulf at once carried the message. He found Edith sitting with eyes swollen +with weeping, and yet with a calm and composed expression on her face. + +"I knew that my lord would do as I prayed him," she said; "he has ever +thought first of England and then of himself. Tell him that I start in an +hour for Hampton, and shall there stay till I get his letter; there I will +answer it. Tell him I thank him from my heart, and that, much as I loved +and honoured him before, I shall to the end of my life love and honour him +yet more for having thus sacrificed himself for England. Tell him that you +found me calm and confident that he would grant my prayer, and that with +all my heart I wish him happiness." + +Her lips quivered and her voice broke, and Wulf hurried away without saying +another word, for he felt that he himself was at the point of bursting into +tears. Harold was anxiously awaiting his return, and after listening to the +message turned abruptly and entered his private closet, with a wave of the +hand signifying that Wulf would not be further required. + +The next day the Witenagemot met. It was solemnly decreed that all old +scores should be wiped out; that Northern and Southern England were again +to be reconciled, as they had been forty-seven years before in an assembly +held by Canute in Oxford. It was decreed unanimously that the laws of +Canute should be renewed, and should have force in all parts of the +kingdom. + +Until this decision was arrived at by the assembly Tostig had remained with +the king, but he now went into exile, and crossed the sea to Flanders, +where he had at an earlier period of his life, when Godwin's whole family +were in disgrace, taken refuge. He was accompanied by his wife and many +personal adherents. He left filled with rage and bitterness, especially +against Harold, who ought, he considered, to have supported him to the +utmost, and who should have been ready to put the whole forces of Wessex in +the field to replace him in the earldom. + +By the time that Harold returned to London Edith had left his abode at +Hampton. He would have gladly handed it over to her and maintained it as +before, but she would not hear of this, though she had accepted from him an +income which would enable her to live comfortably in seclusion. + +"I only do this," she said in her letter to him, "because I know that it +would grieve you if I refused; but I entreat you, Harold, make no inquiries +whither I have gone. I do not say that we can never meet again, but years +must pass over before we do so. You must not think of me as always +grieving. I have done what I am sure is right, and this will give me +comfort, and enable me to bear your absence; but you know that, even if I +never see you again, you will dwell in my heart as long as I live, its sole +lord and master. I have so many happy memories to look back upon that I +should be sorely to blame did I repine, and although I may not share the +throne that will ere long be yours, nor the love which Englishmen will give +their king, I shall be none the less proud of you, and shall be sure that +there will be always in your heart a kind thought of me. Forbear, I pray +you earnestly, to cause any search to be made for me. Doubtless you might +discover me if you chose, but it would only renew my pain. In time we may +be able to meet calmly and affectionately, as two old friends, but till +then it were best that we stood altogether apart." + +Harold put down the letter with a sigh. But he had little time to lament +over private troubles. The king was ill; he had not rallied from the state +of prostration that succeeded his outburst of passion when he found himself +powerless to put down the Northern insurrection by force, and to restore +his favourite Tostig to his earldom. Day succeeded day, but he did not +rally. In vain the monks most famous for their skill in medicine came from +Canterbury and Glastonbury; in vain prayers were offered up in all the +cathedrals, and especially in his own Abbey of Westminster, and soon the +report spread among the people that Edward, the king, was sick unto death, +and all felt that it was a misfortune for England. + +Edward was in no sense of the word a great king. He was a monk rather than +a monarch. The greatest object of his life had been to rear an abbey that +in point of magnificence should rival the stateliest fane in England. To +that his chief care was devoted, and for many years he was well content to +leave the care of government to Harold. But after the monarchs who had +immediately preceded him, his merits, if of a passive kind, were warmly +appreciated by his subjects. His rule had been free from oppression, and he +had always desired that justice should be done to all. In the earlier part +of his reign he was Norman in tongue, in heart, and in education; but in +the latter years of his life he had become far more English in his +leanings, and there can be no doubt that he bitterly regretted the promise +he had rashly given to William of Normandy that he should succeed him. + +It was not only because the people respected and even loved the king that +they were grieved to hear that his days were numbered, but because they saw +that his death would bring trouble on the land. With him the line of the +Oethelings would become extinct, save for the boy Edgar and his sisters. +The boy had been born beyond the sea, and was as much a foreigner as Edward +himself had been, and Edward's partiality for the Normans in the early +years of his reign had so angered the English that Edgar's claims would on +this account alone have been dismissed. Moreover, boys' hands were unfit to +hold the sceptre of England in such troubled times. It was to Harold that +all eyes turned. He had for years exercised at least joint authority with +Edward; he was the foremost and most noble of Englishmen. He was skilled in +war, and wise in counsel, and the charm of his manner, the strength and +stateliness of his figure, and the singular beauty of his face rendered him +the popular idol. And yet men felt that it was a new departure in English +life and customs for one who had in his veins no drop of royal blood to be +chosen as king. His sister was Edward's wife, he was Edward's friend and +counsellor, but although the men of the South felt that he was in all ways +fitted to be king, they saw too that Northumbria would assuredly stand +aloof, and that the Mercian earls, brothers-in-law as they were to be to +Harold, would yet feel jealous that one of their own rank was to be their +sovereign. + +The Witan, as the representative of the nation, had alone the right of +choosing the sovereign; but though they had often passed over those who by +birth stood nearest to the throne, they had never yet chosen one altogether +outside the royal family. It was a necessary step--for young Edgar was not +to be thought of--and yet men felt uneasy, now that the time had come, at +so complete a departure from custom. + +Rapidly the king grew worse, and prayers were uttered up for him in every +church in England. The Christmas Witan met at Westminster, but little was +done. The great minster was consecrated on December 18th, and the absence +of its founder and builder was keenly missed at the ceremony. + +The members of the Witan remained in attendance near the palace, hoping for +some guidance from the dying king. He had no power to leave the throne to +whom he wished, and yet his words could not but have great weight; but he +lay almost unconscious, and for two days remained speechless. But on the +5th of January, the year being 1066, he suddenly awoke from sleep, in the +full possession of his senses. Harold was standing on one side of his bed, +Archbishop Stigand at the other. His wife sat at the foot of the bed, +chaffing her husband's feet; Robert Wymarc, his personal attendant, stood +by his head. The king on awakening prayed aloud, that if a vision he had +had was truly from heaven he might have strength to declare it; if it were +but the offspring of a disordered brain he prayed that he might not be able +to tell it. + +Then he sat up in bed, supported by Robert; some of his chosen friends were +called in, and to them, with a strangely clear voice and with much energy, +he told the vision. It was that some monks he had known in his youth had +appeared to him, and told him that God had sent them to tell him that on +account of the sins of the earls, the bishops, and the men in holy orders +of every rank, God had put a curse upon England, and that within a year and +a day of his death fiends should stalk through the whole land, and should +harry it from one end to another with fire and sword. + +The king's words filled his hearers with awe, Stigand alone deeming the +story but the dream of a dying man. Then Edward gave orders as to his +burial. He bade his friends not to grieve for him, but to rejoice in his +approaching deliverance, and he asked for the prayers of all his people for +his soul. At last those standing round called his mind to the great +subject which was for the moment first in the heart of every Englishman. +Who, when he was gone, they asked, would he wish to wear the royal crown of +England? The king stretched out his hand to Harold and said, "To thee, +Harold, my brother, I commit my kingdom." Then, after commending his wife +and his Norman favourites to Harold's care and protection, he turned his +thoughts from all earthly matters, received the last rites of the church, +and soon afterwards passed away tranquilly. + +Rapidly the news spread through London that the king was dead. The members +of the Witan were still there, for the assembly had not separated, but +knowing that the king was dying had waited for the event. The earls and +great thanes of the South and West, of East Anglia and Wessex, were all +there together, probably with many from Mercia. There was no time lost. In +the afternoon they assembled. All knew on whom the choice would fall, for +Harold had been for long regarded as the only possible successor to the +throne, and the news that the dying king had, as far as he could, chosen +him as his successor, doubtless went for much in the minds of many who had +hitherto felt that it was a strange and unknown thing to accept as monarch +of England one who was not a member of the royal house. There was no +hesitation, no debate. By acclamation Harold was chosen king of the land, +and two great nobles were selected to inform him that the choice of the +Witan had fallen upon him. + +They bore with them the two symbols of royalty, the crown and the axe, and +bade him accept them as being chosen both by the voice of the Witan and by +the king, whom he had so well and faithfully served. There was no +hesitation on the part of Harold. He had already counted the cost and taken +his resolution. He knew that he alone could hope to receive the general +support of the great earls. Leofric and Gurth were his brothers, the Earls +of Mercia and Northumbria had been mollified by the alliance arranged with +their sister. The last male of the royal line was a lad of feeble +character, and would be unable either to preserve peace at home or to unite +the nation against a foreign invader. The oath he had sworn to William, +although obtained partly by force partly by fraud, weighed upon him, but he +was powerless to keep it. Did he decline the crown it would fall upon some +other Englishman, and not upon the Norman. The vote of England had chosen +him, and it was clearly his duty to accept. The die had been cast when +Edith had bade him sacrifice her and himself for the good of England, and +it was too late to turn back now. Gravely he accepted the dignity offered +him. + +Throughout London first, and then throughout the country, the news that the +Witan had unanimously chosen him, and that he had accepted, was received +with deep satisfaction. There was no time to be lost. The next day was +Epiphany, the termination of the Christian festival, the last upon which +the Witan could legally sit, and had the ceremony not taken place then it +must have been delayed until another great feast of the church--another +calling together of the Witan. All night the preparations for the two great +ceremonials were carried on. At daybreak the body of the dead king was +borne to the noble minster, that had been the chief object of his life to +raise and beautify, and there before the great altar it was laid to rest +with all the solemn pomp of the church. A few hours passed away and the +symbols of mourning were removed. Then the great prelates of the church, +the earls and the thanes of England, gathered for the coronation of the +successor of the king whom they had just laid in his last resting-place. +Eldred the primate of Northumberland performed the rites of +consecration--for Stigand, primate of England, had been irregularly +appointed, and was therefore deemed unfit for the high function. Before +investing him with the royal robes Eldred, according to custom, demanded in +a loud voice of the English people whether they were willing that Harold +should be crowned their king, and a mighty shout of assent rang through the +abbey. Then the earl swore first to preserve peace to the church and all +Christian people; secondly, to prevent wrong and robbery to men of every +rank; thirdly, to enforce justice and mercy in all his judgments as he +would that God should have mercy on him. Then after a solemn prayer the +prelate poured the oil of consecration upon Harold's head; he was vested in +royal robes, and with symbols appertaining to the priesthood. A sword was +girded to his side, that he might defend his realm, and smite his enemies +and those of the church of God. Then the crown was placed on his head, the +sceptre surmounted with the cross and the rod with the holy dove placed in +his hands, and Harold stood before the people as the king chosen by +themselves, named by his predecessor, and consecrated by the church. A +great banquet followed the coronation, and then this day memorable in the +history of England came to its close. + +Wulf had been present at the two great events at the abbey and at the +banquet, and knew, better than most of those present, that the gravity on +Harold's face was not caused solely by the mighty responsibility that he +had assumed, but by sad thoughts in his heart. Wulf on his return from the +abbey had handed to Harold a small roll of parchment that had been slipped +into his hand by a man, who at once disappeared in the crowd after handing +it to him, with the words, "For the king". In the interval before the +banquet he handed this to Harold, who had opened and glanced at it, and had +then abruptly turned away. It contained but the words: "_That God may +bless my dear lord and king is the prayer of Edith._" + +"Do you know where she is?" Harold asked abruptly, turning upon Wulf. + +"No, my lord." + +"I have respected her wishes and made no inquiry," the king said. "Others +think, doubtless, that I am rejoicing at having gained the object of my +ambition, but as God knows, I would far rather have remained Earl of the +West Saxons with her by my side than rule over England." + +"I know it, my lord," Wulf said. "But who beside yourself could rule here?" + +"No one," Harold answered; "and it is for England's sake and not my own +that I have this day accepted the crown. If you can find out where she has +betaken herself without making public inquiry I charge you to do so, and to +tell her that on this day I have thought mostly of her. Tell me not where +she is. What is done cannot be undone, but I would fain that, in the time +that is to come, I may at least know where to send her a message should it +be needful." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +WULF'S SUSPICIONS. + +Beyond the fact that the name of the king had changed, the death of Edward +and the accession of Harold made no sensible difference in the government +of the southern half of England. Harold had practically reigned for years, +and the fact that he was now able to give his orders direct instead of +having nominally to consult Edward, had only the effect that the affairs of +the state moved somewhat more promptly. Such of the Norman favourites of +Edward as desired to leave were permitted to do so, and were honourably +escorted to the coast, but many remained. The Norman prelates and abbots +retained their dignities undisturbed, and several of the court officials of +Edward held the same positions under Harold. + +A fortnight after the coronation a party of Norman barons arrived, bearing +a summons from Duke William to Harold to fulfil the oath he had sworn to be +his man, and also to carry out his engagement to marry one of William's +daughters. They were received with all honour, and Harold informed them +that he would, without delay, reply to the duke's summons. A few days +later three thanes of high rank started for Normandy with Harold's reply. +Wulf accompanied them. + +"I would that you should go with them, Wulf," Harold had said to him. "You +are too young to be one of my embassy to Duke William, but it would be well +that you should form one of the party. The duke knows you and has a liking +for you, and possibly may speak more freely to you than to my official +messengers. Moreover, you have many acquaintances and friends there, and +may gather valuable news as to the feeling in Normandy and the probability +of William's barons embarking in a desperate war for his advantage." + +"I shall be glad to go, my lord." + +"The duke knows well enough what my answer must be. He is aware that were +I ready either to resign my kingship to him, or to agree to hold my crown +as his vassal, the people of England would laugh to scorn my assumption so +to dispose of them, and would assuredly renounce and slay me as a traitor +who had broken the oath I swore at my coronation. It is a mere formal +summons William makes, as one summons a city to surrender before +undertaking its siege. It is but a move in the game. That he will, if he +can, strike for the kingdom, I doubt not in any way, but it may well be +that his barons will refuse to embark in a war beyond the seas, which is +altogether beyond the military service they are bound to render. At any +rate, we have breathing time. Vast preparations must be made before he can +invade England, and until he is ready we shall have messengers passing to +and fro. A few of my chief councillors, the earls and great thanes, refuse +to believe that William will ever attempt by force of arms to grasp the +crown of England, but for myself I have no doubt he will do so. I shall at +once prepare for war; and the first step of all is to unite England from +the northern border to the southern sea, so that we may oppose the Normans +with our whole strength. This must be my personal work, other matters I +must for a time intrust to the earls." + +The train was not a large one. One ship bore the thanes and their +attendants from Southampton to Rouen. They were received with all honour at +their landing, conducted to a house that had been assigned to their use, +and informed that they would be received by the duke on the following day. +They had brought their horses with them, and as soon as they were housed +Wulf mounted, and attended by Osgod rode to the castle of the De Burgs. +Three years had past since he had last been there. He had from time to time +received letters and greetings from Guy de Burg by the hands of Normans who +visited the court, and knew that although he had gained in health and +strength the predictions of the surgeons had been fulfilled, and that he +would never be able to take part in knightly exercises or deeds of arms. +The warden at the gate had sent in Wulf's name, and as he alighted a tall +young man ran down the steps and embraced him. + +"I am overjoyed to see you, Wulf," he exclaimed. "When we heard that Harold +would send over an English embassy to answer the duke's demands, I hoped +that you would be among the number. Harold would be likely to choose you, +and I felt sure that you would come over to see me. I had a messenger +waiting at Rouen to bring me tidings of the arrival of your ship, and it is +scarcely an hour since he rode in with the news that, by inquiries among +the servants as they landed, he had learned that you were indeed of the +party. But I had hardly looked to see you until to-morrow morning, and had +indeed intended to ride over on my palfrey at daybreak." + +"I would not delay, Guy, for the answer we bear will not be to the duke's +liking, and for aught I know he may pack us off again as soon as the +interview is ended. Therefore, I thought it best to lose not a moment." + +"I see you have brought your tall retainer with you, Wulf. I am glad to +see the stout fellow again. But come in, they will chide me for keeping you +so long at the entrance." + +Wulf was warmly received by the baron and his wife. "You are just what I +thought you would grow up, Wulf," the former said. "Indeed your figure was +so set and square before, that there was little chance of great alteration. +We have heard of you from time to time, and that you distinguished yourself +greatly in the war against the Welsh, and stood high in the favour and +affection of Harold. Guy has overshot you, you see, in point of height, +though he is scarce half your breadth," and the baron looked with a +suppressed sigh at the fragile young fellow, who stood with his hand on +Wulf's shoulder. + +"He looks better and stronger than I expected, my lord," Wulf said. "You +must remember when I last saw him he could scarce walk across the room, and +in my heart I scarce hoped to ever see him again." + +"He gains strength very slowly," De Burg said wistfully; "but although he +has to be careful of himself, he has no ailment." + +"He could hardly gain strength while growing so fast," Wulf said; "but now +that he has gained his full height he will, doubtless, gather strength, and +as three years have done so much for him, another three years will I hope +do far more. The Lady Agnes is well, I trust?" + +"She is well, and will be here anon," the baroness said. + +Guy laughed with something of his former heartiness. "She was here when the +man brought news of your arrival, Wulf, but she fled away like a startled +deer, and has, I suppose, gone to put on her best kirtle in your honour." + +As he spoke Agnes entered the room. Considerable as was the change that +three years had wrought in the young men, it was still greater in her case, +for she had grown from a pretty young girl into a very lovely maiden, whose +cheek flushed as she presented it for Wulf's salute. + +"Would you have known her again, Wulf?" Guy asked with a smile. + +"I should certainly have known her, though she has so greatly changed," +Wulf replied. "I thought that you would be grown up and altered, but I +scarcely looked for so great an alteration in her, though I might of course +have known that it would be so." + +"And now tell me, Wulf," the baron said, abruptly changing the +conversation, "how go things in England--are people united in choosing +Harold as their king?" + +"The South, the East, and West are as one man," Wulf said. "Mercia, which +comprises the midlands, has accepted the choice. Northumbria has as yet +held itself aloof, although its earl has sworn allegiance and its primate +has placed the crown on Harold's head; but in time, I am well assured, the +North will also accept him. As I said when we spoke about it after Harold +had been tricked into taking an oath to be William's man, he had no more +power to pledge himself for England than I had. Englishmen are free to +choose their own king, and as Harold has long been their ruler, their +choice naturally fell on him. + +"Harold is about to marry the sister of the Earls of Northumbria and +Mercia, the widow of Griffith of Wales, and this will, I hope, bind these +two powerful nobles to him. The only trouble is likely to come from Tostig, +who is, as you know, at the court of Norway. But as he is hated in +Northumbria, and the earl and his brother of Mercia both have personal +enmity against him, he can gather no following there, while Anglia and +Wessex are devoted to Harold. Still he and the King of Norway may cause +trouble." + +"The answer of Harold's ambassadors is, of course, a refusal?" + +"Assuredly," Wulf said. "I do not know the exact import of the reply, as, +although I have accompanied them, I am not a member of the embassy, being +too young to be intrusted with so weighty a matter. But there can be but +one answer. Harold is powerless to carry out his oath. He had the choice of +becoming King of England, and thus defending our rights and freedom, or of +refusing the crown, in which case he must have fled here, and could have +given no aid whatever to William, as he himself would be regarded as the +worst of traitors by the English. The duke must be perfectly well aware +that a king of England could not, without the assent of the people, accept +a foreign prince as his liege lord." + +De Burg nodded. + +"That is plainly so, Wulf; and although the duke professes intense +indignation against Harold, he himself has, over and over again, broken his +own oaths of allegiance to the King of France. Breaches of oaths go for +little, except they serve as pretexts for war. It would have been the same +thing if Harold had never taken the oath, except that his breach of it will +be an aid to William in a war against him. We northmen came to France and +conquered a province, simply by the right of the strongest. The duke has +doubled his dominions by the same right. He deems himself now strong enough +to conquer England; whether he is so remains to be seen. At present +methinks that but few of us are disposed to follow him in such an +enterprise, but there is never any saying how things will go at last. When +war is in the air men's minds become heated. There will be dignities, +estates, and titles to be won, and when many are ready to go, few like to +hang back. More than once already William has embarked on a war against the +wishes of the majority, but he has finally carried all with him, and it may +be so again, especially if he can win over the pope to excommunicate Harold +for the breach of an oath sworn on the relics." + +"His excommunication will go for little in England," Wulf said sturdily. +"Many of our prelates, and almost all our clergy are Englishmen, and hold +in very small respect the claim of the pope to interfere in the affairs of +England." + +"And if Harold died who would be likely to succeed him?" + +"I have never thought of that," Wulf said, "and I should think that few +Englishmen have done so. If such a misfortune should happen, methinks that +England would be rent in two, and that while Wessex and Anglia would choose +one of his brothers, Mercia and the North would take Edwin or his brother +Morcar as their king, but assuredly no foreign prince would be chosen." + +"No, but with England divided the chance of conquest would be easier. You +are about the king, Wulf. Keep a shrewd guard over him. I say not for a +moment that the duke would countenance any attempt to do him harm, but +there are many rough spirits who might think that they would gain his +favour greatly did they clear his path of Harold, and who would feel all +the less scruple in doing so, should the pope be induced to excommunicate +him. Such things have happened again and again. Mind, I have no warrant for +my speech. Methinks the honour of De Burg is too well known for anyone to +venture to broach such a project before him, but so many kings and great +princes have fallen by an assassin's knife to clear the way for the next +heir or for an ambitious rival, that I cannot close my eyes to the fact +that one in Harold's position might well be made the subject of such an +attempt. The history of your own country will furnish you with examples of +what I say." + +"Thank you, my lord," Wulf said gravely. "The thought that an assassin's +knife might be raised against Harold, who is of all men the most beloved in +England, has never once entered my mind, but I see there may be indeed a +danger of such an attempt being made. I do not greatly trust Morcar or his +brother, and the danger may come from them, or, as you say, from one +desirous of gaining favour with your duke. I will lay your warning to +heart." + +The conversation now turned on other topics, on the Welsh war and the life +Wulf had been leading since they last met, and upon what had happened to +the many acquaintances Wulf had made in Normandy. They talked until long +past the usual hour for retiring to rest; Wulf slept at the chateau, and +rode into Rouen at an early hour in the morning. + +The audience next day was a public one. William was surrounded by his +officers of state, and by a large number of his barons. The English envoys +were ushered in, and the duke asked them in a loud voice what answer they +brought to his just demands on the part of his sworn liegeman, Harold. + +"The king of England bids us state, duke, that he holds an oath taken by a +prisoner under force to be invalid, especially when taken in ignorance of +the sanctity of the concealed relics; secondly, he says that he has been +elected by the people of England, and that he has no power whatever to +transfer the rights that they have conferred upon him, and which he has +sworn to maintain, and that they would absolutely refuse to be bound by any +act on his part contrary to the welfare of the kingdom, and to their rights +as freemen; thirdly, as to your demand that he should carry out his promise +to marry your daughter, he points out that the lady whose hand was promised +to him has since that time died; and lastly, that although as Earl of +Wessex he might transfer that engagement to another of your daughters, as +king of England he is unable to do so, as the will of the people is that +their king shall marry no foreign princess, but that the royal family shall +be of unmixed English blood." + +William frowned heavily. "You hear, my lords," he said, after a pause, to +the Norman barons, "this English earl who was here as my guest refuses to +carry out the engagements to which he swore upon the holy relics. I cannot, +however, bring myself to believe that he will really persist in this foul +perjury, and shall persevere in my endeavours to bring him to a sense of +his duty, and to show him the foul dishonour that will rest upon him should +he persist in this contempt alike of our holy church and his honour as a +knight and a Christian, conduct that would bring upon him eternal infamy +and the scorn and contempt of all the princes and nobles of Europe, and +draw upon his head the wrath of the church." Then he abruptly turned on his +heel and left the audience-chamber, while the English envoys returned to +their house and made preparations for immediate departure. + +A few minutes after his arrival there one of the duke's pages brought word +to Wulf that the duke desired to speak to him in private. He at once went +across to the palace. The duke received him cordially. + +"I marked you were with the other thanes, and was glad to see one whom I +count as my friend. Tell me frankly, what think the people of England of +this monstrous act of perjury on the part of Harold?" + +"To speak the truth, my lord duke," Wulf replied, "they trouble their heads +in no way about it. They hold that the right of electing their king rests +wholly with them, and that Harold's promise, to do what he had no more +power to do than the lowest born of Englishmen, was but a waste of words. +Harold himself feels the obligation far more than anyone else, and had +there been any other Englishman who could have united the people as well as +he could himself, he would gladly have stood aside; but there is none such, +and he had no choice but to accept the decision of the Witan, and, for the +sake of England, to lay aside his own scruples. The late king, too, +nominated him as his successor, and although his voice had no legal weight, +he is now regarded as almost a saint among the people. The fact, therefore, +that he, full of piety and religion as he was, should have held that +Harold's oath in no way prevented the people from choosing him, has gone +very far to satisfy any scruples that might have been felt." + +"Edward at one time named me as his successor," the duke said shortly. + +"So I have heard, my lord duke; but as he grew in years and learned more of +English feeling and character he became fully aware that the people would +accept no foreign prince, and that only the man who had for thirteen years +governed in his name could be their choice." + +"And the great earls and thanes are likewise of that opinion?" + +"Assuredly in Anglia and Wessex they are so. I know not the minds of Earls +Morcar and Edwin, but they were at the Witan and stood by his side at the +coronation, and doubtless felt that they could not rely upon their own +people if they attempted any open opposition to Harold." + +"And you will support this usurper against me, Wulf?" + +"I shall fight, my lord duke, for the king chosen by the people of England. +Should that choice some day fall on you I should be as faithful a follower +of yours as I am now of Harold." + +"Well answered, young thane. You have twice done me loyal service, and I at +least do not forget my promises. As yet my mind is not made up as to my +course, but should fate will it so, William of England will not forget the +services rendered to William of Normandy." + +A few minutes later Wulf rejoined his companions, and before nightfall the +ship was far on her way down the river. + +"Shall we go back to Steyning, my lord, when we return home?" Osgod asked +as they stood by the bulwark together watching the passing shores. + +"No, Osgod. I mean for a time to remain with the king. Baron de Burg +yesterday hinted to me that he thought it possible that some of the duke's +followers might endeavour to remove the obstacle between him and the throne +of England. There are in every country desperate men, who are ready for any +crime or deed of violence if they but think that its committal will bring +them a reward. We have had English kings assassinated before now, and it +has been the same in other countries. Moreover, there are many Normans who +were forced to fly from England when Godwin's family returned from exile. +These having a personal grudge against him would be willing to gratify it, +and at the same time to earn a place in William's favour. Harold is so +frank and unsuspicious that he will never think of taking precautions for +his personal safety. You and I, then, must serve as his watch-dogs. It may +be a difficult task, for we have no idea from what quarter that danger may +come, and yet by chance we may discover some clue or other that will set us +on the right track At any rate, if we are near him, and keep a watchful eye +on any strangers approaching him, we may save him from a treacherous blow." + +"Good, my lord. Methinks that Harold was wrong in not sending every Norman +across the seas, and every man with whom I have spoken thinks the same. But +at any rate we can, as you say, keep a sharp look-out, and although I +cannot be always near his person, I shall go about and listen; and it will +be hard if anything is on foot without my hearing some whisper of it. You +will tell him no word of your suspicions, I suppose?" + +"Certainly not. I have fears rather than suspicions, and Baron De Burg +certainly spoke as if he regarded it as likely that such an attempt might +be made, and he knows his own people better than I do. He expressly said +that he had no special reason for giving me the warning, but he may have +heard some angry remark or some covert threat against Harold; and although +the duke would not, I feel sure, openly countenance his slaying, I think +that the slayers might confidently look for a reward from his gratitude did +they by their daggers open a way for him to the throne of England." + +On the return of the embassy to London King Harold said to Wulf: "I have no +further occasion for your services at present, Wulf, and I suppose you will +return home and increase the number of your housecarls. It is not with +undisciplined levies that the Normans, if they come, must be met. It is no +question this time of Welsh mountaineers but of trained warriors, and +should they land they must be met by men as firm and as obedient to orders +as themselves. I am trying to impress this on all our thanes, but most of +them are hard to move, and deem that all that is necessary on the day of +battle is that men shall have strength and courage and arms." + +"With your permission, my lord, I would rather abide near you, and leave +the training of my men to the officer who taught those who fought by my +side in Wales." + +"I thought you did not care for the gaieties of the court?" Harold said, in +some surprise. + +"Nor do I, my lord. For its gaieties I care nothing, but in times like +these there is much to be learned, and I would not bury myself in Steyning +when there is so much of importance going on in London." + +"Then stay, Wulf, I shall be glad to have you here. I have but little time +to myself now, but it is a relief to put aside grave matters sometimes. I +will appoint a room for you near my own chamber. You have heard no news of +her, I suppose?" + +"In truth, my lord, I know not how to set about the task, and it seems to +me that my only chance is to run against one of her serving-men in the +street." + +"That is but a slight chance, Wulf; but even I, with all the power of +England in my hands, am equally at a loss. I cannot send round to all the +thanes of Wessex to ask if a strange lady has taken a house in their +jurisdiction, nor to all the parish priests to ask if a new worshipper has +come to their church. However, I believe that sooner or later she will +herself advise me where she has hidden. It may be that your stay here will +not be a long one, for I purpose journeying to the North." + +"To Northumbria!" Wulf said in surprise. + +"Yes; the people there refuse to recognize me, and I would win them by +going among them rather than by force. My dear friend Bishop Wulfstan will +accompany me. I shall take with me a body of my housecarls, partly as a +guard, but more because I cannot now travel as a private person. It is very +many years since an English king has visited Northumbria, and it is not +strange that these northern men should object to be ruled by a stranger +from the South. I shall take with me two or three of my thanes only, but +shall be glad for you to ride with me. Young as you are, you have a quick +eye and ready wit, and in case trouble should arise, I can rely upon you +more than upon many men far older than yourself." + +The palace of Westminster was not an imposing edifice. London had not yet +become the capital of England, Oxford being the seat of government of most +of the kings, so that the palace was built on a simple plan, and had been +altered by Edward until the interior arrangements more nearly resembled +those of a convent than of a palace. Below was the great banqueting-hall, +and beyond this the chamber where the king heard complaints and +administered justice. Leading from this were the king and queen's private +chambers, where the one sat and read or received his chief councillors, and +the other worked with her maids, and listened to the music of the harpers +or the tales of war and love sung by bards. + +Behind was the chapel. On the floor above a corridor ran from one end of +the building to the doors which separated the royal sleeping-rooms from the +rest. On either side of the corridor were small bed-chambers, where the +officers of the household and guests at the court slept, their attendants +lying in the corridor itself or in the kitchens, which with other offices +were contained in a separate building. The room assigned to Wulf, and which +Harold had ordered was henceforth to be retained for him, was that on the +right hand of the corridor, next to the door leading to the royal +apartments. Like the others it was a mere cell, with the straw pallet +covered with sheep-skins, with some rugs for covering. This constituted the +whole of the furniture. In the morning water was brought in brass ewers and +basins, either by the pages or servants of the guests. + +"Nothing could be better, my lord, than this," Osgod said. "I am a light +sleeper, and lying across your door I am sure that no one could enter the +king's apartments without my hearing those heavy doors move." + +"There is but little chance, Osgod, of an attack being made on him in that +fashion. Doubtless some of the royal servants sleep on the other side of +the door. No, if any design be attempted against his life it will be when +he is travelling, or when he is abroad amid a crowd." + +"I saw Walter Fitz-Urse to-day, master, in the train of William of London." + +"Then he must have returned within the last day or two, Osgod, for he has +been absent for more than a year, and I know that when we sailed for +Normandy he was still absent, for I inquired of one of the court officials +if he had been here of late. What should bring him back again, I wonder. +He has long been out of his pageship, and he can hope for no preferment in +England while Harold is king. He has, I know, no great possessions in +Normandy, for I asked Guy about him, and learned that his father was a +knight of but small consideration, either as to his state or character, and +that the boy owed his place as page to William of London, to the fact that +he was a distant relation of the prelate. + +"I would say harm of no man, but I should think he is as likely as another +to be mixed up in such a plot as we are talking of. He is landless, +hot-tempered, and ambitious. He owes no goodwill to Harold, for it was by +his intervention that he was sent away in disgrace after that quarrel with +me. At any rate, Osgod, since we have no one else to suspect, we will in +the first place watch him, or rather have him looked after, for I see not +how we ourselves can in any way keep near him. He knows me well, and has +doubtless seen you with me, and having seen you once would not be likely to +forget you." + +"I think I can manage that," Osgod said confidently. "My father has a small +apprentice who well-nigh worries his life out with tricks and trifling. I +have more than once begged him off a beating, and methinks he will do +anything for me. He is as full of cunning as an ape, and, I warrant me, +would act his part marvellously. My father will be glad enough to get him +out of the forge for a while, and when I tell him that it is in your +service he will make no difficulty about it. He is fifteen years old, but +so small for his age that he would pass for three years younger than he +is." + +"I think it is a very good plan, Osgod. You had best see your father in the +morning, and if he consents to your having the boy, bring him down to the +river-bank behind the abbey, where I will be awaiting you, and can there +talk to him without observation. You are sure that he can be trusted to +keep silence regarding what I tell him?" + +"He can be trusted, my lord. In the first place he will enjoy playing his +part, and in the second he will know well enough that I should nearly flay +him alive with my stirrup-leather if he were to fail me, and that his life +in the forge would be worse than ever." + +The next morning Wulf strolled down to the river-bank after breaking his +fast, and it was not long before Osgod joined him with the boy. + +"Have you told him what he is required for, Osgod?" Wulf asked, as the boy, +doffing his cap, stood before him with an air of extreme humility. + +"I am not good at the telling of tales, as you know, my lord, and I thought +it better that you should tell him just as much or as little as you chose." + +"You don't like your work at the forge, Ulf?" for that Wulf had learned was +the boy's name. + +"I think that I like it better than it likes me," the boy replied. "When I +get to do the fine work I shall like it, but at present it is 'fetch this +tool, Ulf, or file that iron, or blow those bellows,' and if I do but smile +I get a cuff." + +"No, no, Ulf," Osgod said. "Of course, at present you are but a beginner, +and at your age I too had to fetch and carry and be at the bidding of all +the men; and it is not for smiling that you get cuffed, but for playing +tricks and being away for hours when you are sent on a message to the next +street, and doing your errands wrongly. My father tells me you will be a +good workman some day. You will never be strong enough to wield a heavy +hammer or to forge a battle-axe, but he says your fingers are quick and +nimble, and that you will some day be able to do fine work such as clumsy +hands could not compass. But that is not to the point now." + +"You will be glad to be out of the forge for a bit, Ulf?" Wulf asked. + +"That should I, but not always." + +"It will not be for very long. I want a watch set upon a Norman in order to +know where he goes, and whom he meets, and what he purposes. Osgod tells me +that he thinks you could play the part rarely, and that you would be +willing for his sake to do our bidding." + +The boy looked up into Osgod's face with an expression of earnest +affection. + +"I would do anything for him," he said, "even if I were to be cut to +pieces." + +"Osgod is as much interested in the matter as I am, Ulf; and as he has +assured me that you are to be trusted, I will tell you more as to the man, +and my object in setting you to watch him." + +"You can trust me, my lord," the boy said earnestly. "I will do your +bidding whatever it is." + +"You know, Ulf, that the Duke of Normandy desires the crown of England?" + +"So I have heard men say, my lord." + +"Were King Harold out of the way, his chances of obtaining it would be +improved." + +The boy nodded. + +"I am sure that the duke himself would take no hand in bringing about +Harold's death, but there are many of his people who might think that they +would obtain a great reward were they to do so." + +The boy nodded again. + +"The man I wish you to watch is Walter Fitz-Urse, who is in the train of +the bishop. I have no particular reason for suspecting him, beyond the fact +that he has but just come over here, and this is scarcely a time a Norman +would come to London; though as the bishop is a relation and patron of his +he may have come merely to visit him. Still he has, as he thinks, a cause +for enmity against the king. He is needy, and, as I know, somewhat +unscrupulous. All this is little enough against a man; still it seems to me +that his coming bodes danger to the king, and this being so I desire that +he shall be watched, in order that I may find out what is his real object +in coming over here. I want you to post yourself near the gate of the +bishop's palace, and whenever he comes out to follow him save when he is in +the train of the bishop--most of all if he sallies out alone or after dark. + +"It will not do for you to be always dressed as an apprentice. Osgod will +procure for you such clothes as you may require for disguises. One day you +can be sitting there as a beggar asking alms, another as a girl from one of +the villages with eggs or fowls. You understand that you will have to +follow him, to mark where he goes in, and especially, should he be joined +by anybody when out, to endeavour to overhear something of what they say to +each other. Even a few words might suffice to show me whether my suspicions +are true or not. Do you think you can do that? Osgod tells me that you are +good at playing a part." + +"I will do it, my lord, and that right gladly. It is a business after my +own heart, and I will warrant that those who see me one day will not know +me when they see me the next." + +"Osgod will go with you now, and will stay near the bishop's palace until +the man you are to watch comes out, and will point him out to you. In a day +or two I may be going away with the king; when we return you will tell us +what you have found out. Till we go, Osgod will meet you here each morning +as the abbey bell rings out the hour of seven. You can tell him anything +that you have learned, and then he will give you such further instructions +as may seem needful; and remember you must be cautious, for Walter +Fitz-Urse would not hesitate to use his dagger on you did he come upon you +eaves-dropping." + +"I will give him leave to do so if he catches me," the boy said. + +"Very well, then; Osgod will go with you to buy such clothes as may be +necessary, and remember that you will be well rewarded for your work." + +"I want no reward," the boy said, almost indignantly. "I am an apprentice, +and as my master has bid me do whatever Osgod commands, he has a right to +my services. But this is nothing. There is not one in London who would not +do aught in his power for Harold, and who would scorn to take pay for +it. As this is a matter in which his very life may be concerned, though I +am but a boy, and a small one at that, there is nought that I would not do, +even to the giving of my life, to spoil these Norman plots." + +Osgod was about to chide the boy angrily for this freedom of speech, but +Wulf checked him. + +"You are right, lad; and I am sorry I spoke of a reward. I myself would +have answered the same at your age, and would have died for Harold then as +I would now. I should have bethought me that the feelings of Englishmen, +gentle or simple, are the same towards the king, and I crave your pardon +for treating your loyal service as a thing to be paid for with money." + +The boy's eyes filled with tears; he dropped on one knee, and seizing +Wulf's hand placed it to his lips, and then without a word sped away, +halting a hundred yards off till Osgod should join him. + +"You have made a good choice," Wulf said; "the boy is wholly trustworthy, +and unless his face belies him he is as shrewd as he is faithful. My only +fear in the matter is, that he may be over rash in his desire to carry out +the trust we have given him. Warn him against that, and tell him that +should he be discovered and killed it would upset all our plans." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +A MEETING BY THE RIVER. + +During the three days that elapsed between Ulf's being set upon the track +of Walter Fitz-Urse and the departure of the king for the North, the boy +had no news to report to Osgod. The young Norman had not left the bishop's +palace alone. He had accompanied the prelate several times when he went +abroad, and had gone out with some of his countrymen who still held office +at the court. In one or other of the disguises Wulf had suggested, the boy +had hung about the gate of the bishop's palace until late in the evening, +but Walter Fitz-Urse had not come out after dark. On the day before +starting, Wulf was with Osgod when the latter met the boy at the +rendezvous. + +After he heard Ulf's report Wulf said: "As we leave to-morrow this is the +last report you will have to make to us. So far it would seem that there is +nothing whatever to give grounds for suspicion, and if, after a few days, +you find that the Norman still remains quietly at the bishop's, there will +be no occasion for you to continue your watch until the time is approaching +for the king's return." + +"Yes, my lord. But I cannot say surely that he does not go out of an +evening." + +"Why, I thought you said that he certainly had not done so?" + +"No, my lord; I said only that I had not seen him. He has certainly not +gone out through the great gates in his Norman dress, but that it seems to +me shows very little. As the bishop's guest he would pass out there, but +there is another entrance behind that he might use did he wish to go out +unobserved. Even at the main entrance I cannot tell but that, beneath the +cowl and frock of one of the many monks who pass in and out, Walter +Fitz-Urse may not be hidden. He would scarce go about such a business as we +suspect in his dress as a Norman noble, which is viewed with little favour +here in London, and would draw attention towards him, but would assume, as +I do, some disguise in which he could go about unremarked--it might be that +of a monk, it might be that of a lay servitor of the palace." + +"You are right, Ulf; I had not thought of that. That is indeed a +difficulty, and one that I do not see how you can get over. Are you sure +that he has not passed out by the main gate?" + +"I have marked his walk and carriage closely, my lord. He steps along with +a long stride, and unless he be a better mummer than I judge him to be, I +should know him whether in a monk's gown or a servitor's cloak. It is no +easy thing to change a knight's stride into the shuffle of a sandalled +monk, or the noiseless step of a well-trained servitor in a bishop's +palace." + +"You are a shrewd lad indeed, Ulf," Wulf said warmly; "and I feel that you +will fathom this matter if there be aught at the bottom. But, as you say, +you cannot watch more than one place." + +"The other entrance is not altogether unwatched, my lord. The first day +you gave me my orders I went to one of my cronies, who has shared with me +in many an expedition when our master deemed that we were soundly asleep. +Without, as you may be sure, giving any reason, I told him that I had come +to believe that the Norman I pointed out to him was in the habit of going +out in disguise, and that I was mightily curious to find whither he went +and why, and therefore wanted him to watch, at the entrance behind the +palace. I bade him mark the walk of the persons that went out, and their +height, for the Norman is tall, and to follow any who might come out of +lofty stature, and with a walk and carriage that seemed to accord ill with +his appearance. So each evening, as soon as his house was closed and the +lights extinguished, he has slipped out, as he knows how, and has watched +till ten o'clock at the gate. It seemed to me that that would be late +enough, and indeed the doors are closed at that hour." + +"You have done well, Ulf; but has not the boy questioned you as to your +reasons for thus setting a watch on the Norman?" + +"I have told him nought beyond what I have said, my lord. He may guess +shrewdly enough that I should not myself take so much trouble in the matter +unless I had more reason than I have given; but we are closely banded +together, and just as I should do, without asking the reasons, any such +action did he propose it to me, so he carried out my wishes. I cannot feel +as sure as if I had watched him myself that Fitz-Urse has not passed out in +disguise unnoticed, but I have a strong belief that it is so. At any rate, +my lord, you can go away with the assurance that all that is possible shall +be done by us, and that even if he pass out once or twice undiscovered +there is good hope that we shall at last detect him." + +After again commending the boy, Wulf returned to the palace with Osgod. + +"I feel half ashamed of having entertained a suspicion of Fitz-Urse on such +slight grounds, Osgod." + +"I think you have done quite right, my lord. You know how the fellow gave a +false report to the bishop of that quarrel with you. At any rate, should +nothing come of it, no harm will have been done. As to the boys, so far +from regarding it as a trouble, I feel sure that they view it as an +exciting pleasure, and are as keenly anxious to detect the Norman going out +in a disguise as you yourself can be. When they get tired of it they will +give it up." + +Ulf, at any rate, was determined not to relax his watch during the absence +of the king. The more he thought of it the more certain he felt that if +Walter Fitz-Urse went out on any private business after nightfall he would +use one or other of the entrances at the rear of the palace, and +accordingly next day he arranged that one friend should watch the front +entrance of an evening, while he himself took post behind. As soon as it +was dark he lay down by the wall close to the entrance at which the +servitors generally passed in and out. The moon was up but was still young, +and the back of the palace lay in deep shadow; a projecting buttress +screened him to a great extent from view, while by peeping round the corner +he could watch those who came out and see them as they passed from the +shadow of the building into the comparatively light space beyond. + +Many came in and out. The evening was bitterly cold, and his teeth +chattered as he lay, cautiously putting his head beyond the edge of the +stonework every time he heard any one leaving the palace. The heavy bell +had just struck eight, when a man wrapt up in a cloak passed out. He +differed in no respect from many of those who had preceded him, save that +he was somewhat taller. The hood of the cloak was drawn over his head. Ulf +raised himself to his knees and gazed after the figure. The man was walking +more slowly than the others had done, for most of them had hurried along as +if in haste to get their errands finished and to be in shelter again from +the keen wind. + +"If that is Fitz-Urse, he is walking so as to avoid the appearance of haste +in case anyone should be looking after him," Ulf muttered to himself. "At +any rate I will follow him, he is more like the Norman than anyone I have +yet seen, though he carries his head forwarder and his shoulders more +rounded." As he watched him, the boy saw that as he increased the distance +from the palace the man quickened his pace, and when he came into the +moonlight was stepping rapidly along. + +"That is my man," Ulf exclaimed. "He knows well enough that no one is +likely to be standing at the door, and thinks he need no longer walk +cautiously." Feeling sure that even if the man looked back he would not be +able to see him in the shadow, he started forward at a run, paused before +he reached the edge of the moonlight, and then, as soon as the figure +entered a lane between some houses, ran forward at the top of his speed. +The man was but a hundred yards in front of him when Ulf came to the +entrance of the lane. Just as he turned into it the man stopped and looked +round, and Ulf threw himself down by the side of a wall. + +"That settles it," he said to himself. "No one who had not a fear of being +followed would turn and look round on such a night as this." + +Ulf was barefooted, for although he generally wore soft shoes which were +almost as noiseless as the naked foot, he was dressed in rags, and a foot +covering of any sort would have been out of place. Always keeping in the +shade, having his eyes fixed on the man he was pursuing, and holding +himself in readiness to leap into a doorway or throw himself down should he +see him turn his head, he lessened the distance until he was within some +fifty yards of the other. The man took several turns, and at last entered a +long street leading down to the river. As soon as Ulf saw him enter it he +darted off at full speed, turned down another lane, and then, when he got +beyond the houses, and on to the broken ground that lay between them and +the river, ran until he was nearly facing the end of the street which he +had seen the man enter, and then threw himself down. + +He had scarcely done so when he saw the figure issue from the street and +strike across the open ground towards the water. Crawling along on his +stomach Ulf followed him, until he halted on the bank. The man looked up and +down the river, stamped his foot impatiently, and then began to walk to and +fro. Presently he stopped and appeared to be listening; Ulf did the same, +and soon heard the distant splash of oars. They came nearer and nearer. Ulf +could not see the boat, for it was close under the bank, which was some +twenty yards away from him, but presently when the boat seemed almost +abreast of him the man on the bank said, "Where do you come from?" + +"From fishing in deep water," a voice replied. + +"That is right, come ashore." + +The words were spoken by both in a language Ulf could not understand, and +he muttered a Saxon oath. The thought that any conversation Fitz-Urse might +have with a Norman would naturally be in that tongue had never once +occurred to him. Three men mounted the bank. One shook hands with +Fitz-Urse, the others had doffed their caps and stood listening bareheaded +to the conversation between their superiors. It was long and animated. At +first the stranger stamped his foot and seemed disappointed at the news +Fitz-Urse gave him, then as the latter continued to speak he seemed more +satisfied. + +For fully half an hour they talked, then the men got into the boat and +rowed away, and Fitz-Urse turned and walked back to the palace. + +Ulf did not follow him. The meeting for which Fitz-Urse had come out had +taken place, he would be sure to go straight back to the palace. Ulf lay +there for some time fairly crying with vexation. He had done something, he +had discovered that Fitz-Urse was indeed engaged in some undertaking that +had to be conducted with the greatest secrecy; but this was little to what +he would have learned had he understood the language. His only consolation +was that both Wulf and Osgod had likewise forgotten the probability that +the conversations he was charged to overhear might be in Norman. + +Had Wulf still been in London he could have gone to him for fresh +instructions, but he had started at daybreak, and the king's party would +assuredly ride fast. There was no time to be lost. These men had a boat, +and probably came from a ship in the port. Were there really a conspiracy +against the king they might sail north and land in the Humber, though it +seemed more probable that they would wait for his return, for on his +journey he would be surrounded by his housecarls, and there would be far +less chance of finding him alone and unguarded than in London. Had it been +their intention to sail at once for the North, Walter Fitz-Urse would +probably have rowed away with them without returning to the palace. At any +rate it was too important a matter for him to trust to his own judgment, +and he determined to take counsel with his master. + +He had not been near the forge since he had begun the search, and was +supposed to have gone down to stay with his family, who lived near Reading. +He had hidden away his apprentice dress beneath some stones in a field half +a mile from Westminster, and he presented himself in this at the forge in +the morning. + +"You are back sooner than I expected, Ulf," Ulred said as he entered. "I +did not look for you for another week to come. Is all well at home?" + +"All is well, master; but I have a message to deliver to you concerning +some business." + +The armourer saw that his apprentice wished to speak to him in private. He +knew nothing of the reason for which Osgod had asked him to release the boy +from his work at the forge for a time, but had quite understood that the +wish to pay a visit to his family was but a cloak, and that the boy was to +be employed in some service for Wulf. Guessing, therefore, that the message +was one that should be delivered in private, he bade the boy follow him +from the forge and took him into the room above. + +"What is it you would say to me, Ulf? Mind, I wish to hear nothing about +any private matter in which you may be engaged either by Wulf or Osgod. +They are both away and may not return for a month or more. I judged the +matter was a private one, as Osgod said nought of it to me." + +"The matter is a private one, master, but as they are away I would fain +take your counsel on it." + +The armourer shook his head decidedly. "I can listen to nought about it, +boy. It can be no business of mine, and unless he has given you license to +speak I would not on any account meddle with the affairs of the young +thane, who is a good lord to my son." + +"That he has not done, sir; but I pray you to hear me," he added urgently +as the armourer was turning to leave the room. "It is a matter that may +touch the safety of our lord the king." + +The armourer stopped. "Art well assured of what you say, Ulf?" + +"For myself I can say nothing, master, but the young thane told me that he +had fears that some attempt or other might be made from the other side of +the sea against the king's life, and that although he had no strong +grounds, he thought that Walter Fitz-Urse, who had just returned here, +might be concerned in it, he having reasons for enmity against the king. +Therefore he appointed me to watch him." + +He then related the scene he had witnessed on the river bank the evening +before. + +"It is a strange story indeed, Ulf, and whatever it may mean, this meeting +can have been for no good purpose. The secrecy with which it was conducted +is enough to prove it. It is indeed unfortunate that you did not understand +what was said, for much may depend upon it. Well, this is a grave affair, +and I must think it over, Ulf. You have done well in telling me. Has any +plan occurred to you?" + +"I thought that you might accompany me, master." + +"That would I willingly, but though I have picked up enough of their tongue +to enable me to do business with the Normans at the king's court when they +come in to buy a dagger or to have a piece of armour repaired, I could not +follow their talk one with another. We must obtain someone who can speak +their language well, and who can be trusted to be discreet and silent. Why, +were it but whispered abroad that some Normans are plotting against the +life of the king, there would be so angry a stir that every Norman in the +land might be hunted down and slain. Do not go down to the forge, I will +tell my wife to give you some food, and you had best then go up to the +attic and sleep. You will have to be afoot again to-night, and it were well +that you kept altogether away from the others, so as to avoid inconvenient +questions. I will come up to you when I have thought the matter over." + +"Is aught troubling you, Ulred?" the armourer's wife asked when breakfast +was over and the men had gone downstairs again to their work. "Never have I +seen you sit so silently at the board." + +"I am worried about a matter which I have learned this morning. It matters +not what it is now. Some time later you shall hear of it, but at present I +am pledged to say no word about it. I want above all things to find one who +speaks the Norman tongue well, and is yet a true Englishman. I have been +puzzling my brains, but cannot bethink me of anyone. Canst thou help me?" + +"Except about the court there are few such to be found, Ulred. If Wulf of +Steyning had been here he could doubtless have assisted you had it been a +matter you could have confided to him; for Osgod said that although he +himself had learned but little Norman his master was able to talk freely +with the Norman nobles." + +"Ay, he learnt it partly when a page at court. But what you say reminds me +that it was but yesterday afternoon his friend Beorn came into my shop. He +had just arrived from his estate, and said how disappointed he was at +finding that Wulf had left London. I will go to the palace and see him at +once. I know but little of him save that I have heard from Osgod that he is +Wulf's firmest friend, and they fought together across in Normandy and +again against the Welsh. He has been here several times to have weapons +repaired, and knows that Osgod is Wulf's man. I wonder I did not think of +him, but my thoughts were running on people of our own condition." + +Ulred at once put on his cap and proceeded to the palace, where he found +Beorn without difficulty. + +"You have not come to tell me that the blade I left with you yesterday +cannot be fitted with a new hilt, Master Ulred? It is a favourite weapon +of mine, and I would rather pay twice the price of a new one than lose it." + +"I have come on another matter, my Lord Beorn. It is for your private ear. +May I pray you to come with me to my house, where I can enter upon it +without fear of being overheard?" + +"Certainly I will come, Ulred, though I cannot think what this matter may +be." + +"It concerns in some way the Thane of Steyning, my lord, and others even +higher in position." + +"That is enough," Beorn said. "Anything that concerns Wulf concerns me, and +as he is in the matter you can count on me without question." + +Upon reaching his house Ulred left Beorn for a moment in the room upstairs, +and fetched Ulf down from the attic. + +"This is an apprentice lad of mine," he said, "and as it is he who has been +employed by the Thane of Steyning in this affair, it were best that he +himself informed you of it." + +When Ulf had finished his story Beorn exclaimed, "I will go at once, and +will put such an affront upon this Walter Fitz-Urse that he must needs meet +me in mortal combat." + +"But even if you slay him, my lord, that may not interfere with the +carrying out of this enterprise, in which, as we know, another of equal +rank with him is engaged." + +"That is true, master armourer, and I spoke hastily. I thought perhaps it +was for this that you had informed me of the matter." + +"No, my lord; it seemed to me that the first thing was to assure ourselves +for a certainty that the affair is really a plot against the king's life, +of which we have as yet no manner of proof, but simply the suspicion +entertained by my son's master. The first necessity is to find out for a +truth that it is so, and secondly to learn how and when it is to be carried +out; and this can only be by overhearing another conversation between the +plotters. As you have heard, Ulf could have learnt all this if he had but +understood the Norman tongue. Could I have spoken it well enough to follow +the conversation I would not have troubled you, but it seemed to me that at +their next meeting it needed that one should be present who could speak +Norman well. After considering in vain how to find one who should at once +know the Norman tongue and be a true and trustworthy Englishman, my +thoughts fell upon you, of whom I have always heard my son speak as the +companion and friend of his master, and I made bold to come and lay the +matter before you, thinking that you might either take it in hand yourself +or name one suitable for it." + +"Certainly I will take it in hand myself," Beorn said, "and right glad am I +that you came to me. A matter in which the king's life is concerned I would +trust to no one but myself. And now, how think you shall we proceed? for +it may well be that these plotters may not meet again for some time, seeing +that the king is away." + +"So it seems to me," the armourer said; "and, moreover, they may in their +talk last night have appointed some other place of meeting." + +"What think you, Ulf?" Beorn said, turning to the boy. "Wulf would not +have chosen you for this business had he not had a good opinion of your +shrewdness; and, indeed, you have shown yourself well worthy of his +confidence." + +"I should say, my lord, that I must go on the watch as before. It is most +likely that the Norman will, sooner or later, go out in the same disguise +and by the same way as before, and that the hour will be between seven and +nine in the evening--most likely between seven and eight, in order that he +may return from the meeting before the bishop's doors are closed for the +night." + +"I will keep watch with you, Ulf. Were I sure that the meeting would take +place at the same spot as before you should show me where they landed, and +I would lie down there in readiness, but as they may meet elsewhere, it +seems to me that I must post myself by your side." + +"It would be better, my lord, if you would take your place on the other +side of the open space, for although I, being small, can escape notice, you +might well be seen by those approaching the door. It will be necessary, +too, that you should put on sandals of soft leather or cloth, so that your +footfall should not be heard. Then, as I follow him, I would run to where +you are posted, and you could follow me, so that you could keep me in sight +and yet be beyond his view, for all our plans would be foiled should he +suspect that he was being followed." + +"I will do as you advise. Come with me now and we will fix upon a station +to night, and afterwards you may be sure of finding me there between +half-past six and ten. Should you wish to see me at any other time you will +find me at the palace; I will not stir out between eight and nine in the +morning. I must say I wish it were warmer weather, for a watch of three +hours with the snow on the ground--and it is beginning to fall now--is not +so pleasant a way of spending the evening as I had looked for when I came +hither." + +Beorn went out with Ulf, and they fixed upon a doorway some twenty yards +from the street down which the Norman had before gone. + +"We must hope he will go by the same way," Beorn said, "for should he turn +to the right or left after issuing from the gate he will have gone so far +before you can run across and fetch me that we may well fail to pick up his +track again. It were well if we could arrange some signal by which you +would let me know should he so turn off. It would not do for you to call or +whistle." + +"No, my lord; but I could howl like a dog. He would but think it some cur +lying under the wall I might howl once if he turns to the right, twice if +he turns to the left, and you could then cross the ground in that +direction, and I could meet you on the way without losing sight of him for +long." + +"That would do well, Ulf, if you are sure you could imitate the howl of a +dog so nearly that he would not suspect it." + +"I can do that," Ulf said confidently. "I have used the signal before with +my comrades, and to make sure will go out to the fields and practise +daily." + +A month passed. Harold was still away in the North, and complete success +was attending his journey. The influence of Bishop Wulfstan, who was +greatly respected throughout the kingdom, did much, but Harold himself did +more. His noble presence, his courtesy to all, the assurances he gave of +his desire that all men should be well and justly ruled, that evil-doers of +whatever rank should be punished, that there should be no oppression and no +exaction of taxes beyond those borne by the whole community, won the hearts +of the people. They were, moreover, gratified by the confidence that he had +shown in coming among them, and in seeing for the first time in the memory +of man a monarch of England in Northumbria. + +Ulf and Beorn had kept regular watch, but without success, and Ulf's +comrades had as steadily watched the other entrances. Beorn had two or +three conferences with Ulf. He was becoming impatient at the long delay, +though he acknowledged that it was possible it had been arranged that no +more meetings should take place until it was known that Harold was about to +return. The armourer was perhaps the most impatient of the three. He was +doing nothing, and his anxiety made him so irritable and captious at his +work that his men wondered what had come over their master. After fretting +for three weeks over his own inaction, he one morning told Ulf to go to +Beorn and say that he begged to have speech with him. An hour later Beorn +returned with Ulf. + +"I bethought me last night, my lord," Ulred said, "while I lay awake +wondering over the matter, whether these fellows are still on board ship or +are in lodgings in London." + +"It might be either, Ulred. I have frequently thought over the matter. +Possibly they may have stayed on board their ship till she left, and then +have come on shore in the guise of peaceful traders." + +"If the ship did not return at once they may still be on board," the +armourer said, "for the wind has blown steadily from the east for the last +five weeks, and no ships have been able to leave the port. I blame myself +sorely that I did not think of it before, but at least I will lose no time +now if you think that good might come of it." + +"It would certainly be good if you could find either the ship or the house +where the men are in lodging, but seeing that you know nothing of their +appearance or number, nor the name of the ship in which they came nor the +port she sailed from, I see not how you could set about it." + +"I will first go to the port-reeve's office and find out the names of the +ships that arrived just before the time that the meeting by the river took +place. She may have come in early that day, or on the day before. They +would surely send word at once to him that they had arrived." + +"You might learn something that way, Ulred, but we do not know that the +meeting Ulf saw was their first." + +"That is true. But as Ulf's friend declares that he certainly had not gone +out that way during the evenings that he had been keeping watch, it is +likely that it was their first meeting." + +"That is so, Ulred; and at any rate it would be well that you should make +the inquiries, and that, while we are keeping our watch as before, you +should try to gather some tidings of the fellows in another way." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +A VOYAGE NORTH. + +The armourer found without any difficulty that twenty-five vessels, +exclusive of small coasters, had arrived in the port during the thirty-six +hours previous to the time of the meeting on the bank. Of these, eighteen +were from English ports, seven from Normandy, France, or Flanders. Three of +the latter had sailed away, and of the four remaining in the port two were +from Rouen, one from Calais, and one from Flanders. Having obtained the +names of these, he took boat and rowed down the river and ascertained where +each lay at anchor. He then, with the assistance of some citizens of +standing of his acquaintance, obtained a view of the manifests of their +cargoes. The Flemish vessel carried cloth, the other three miscellaneous +cargoes--wine, dried fish, cloth, and other goods. + +The Flemish vessel was the largest, those from Rouen and Calais were about +the same size. All had discharged their cargoes, and were waiting for a +change of wind to drop down the river. There was nothing unusual to be +observed on any of the ships. The men were for the most part down in the +forecastle, for the weather was too severe for them to lounge about on +deck. He talked the matter over with Beorn, and they agreed that it was +most probable that the men would embark from Calais rather than Rouen. It +was a far shorter and less perilous voyage, and moreover, as Frenchmen they +could move about without attracting attention, while as Normans they would +be viewed with a certain amount of hostility and suspicion. + +"I will make it my business to watch that vessel. I know not whether any +good can come of it, but I would fain be doing something. If the wind +changes she will doubtless proceed to sea, and if they are still on board +of her they will come ashore, and I could see their numbers and where they +put up." + +"That will indeed be important," Beorn said, "for we should then have two +places to watch, and should be almost certain to get to the root of the +matter. But how will you watch her?" + +"There are many houses near the water's edge, on the southern side of the +river near which the ship is lying, she having moved away from the quays +when she discharged her cargo. I will hire a room in one of these, and will +there pass as much of my time as I can; and I will take with me my +apprentice Ernulf, whom I shall bid keep his eye upon the ship whenever I +myself am away. I need say nothing whatever of the reason of my desire that +I should be acquainted with everything that passes on board." + +Ulred succeeded in getting a room exactly opposite the French vessel, and +sitting back from the window, was able, himself unseen, to notice +everything that passed on board the ship, which lay scarce her own length +from the shore. Upon the third day a boat containing a man wearing an ample +cloak with a hood, which was pulled far over his face, rowed up to the side +of the ship, and climbed up right nimbly into her waist. + +"It is a Saxon cloak," the armourer said to himself, "but those are Norman +leggings. The man is tall, and the quickness with which he climbed over +shows that he is young. I doubt not that it is our man. I would give a +year's profits of the forge to be hidden down below at present. However, it +is much to have learnt that this is really the ship, and that the Norman's +friends are still on board. I would that Wulf were in London. He has a keen +wit, and would hit on some plan by which we might get to the bottom of the +matter. Beorn is a brave young thane, and were Wulf here would second him +valiantly, but he has none of the other's quickness of thought. As soon as +this fellow leaves the ship I will hurry back to take counsel with him, and +hear what the boy Ulf, who is a marvellously shrewd little knave, may think +of the matter." + +Half an hour later the boat put off again; a man came to the side with the +visitor and retired below as soon as he left the ship. Ulred at once +hurried off, hailed a boat a short distance higher up and was rowed to +Westminster. As soon as he gained the house he despatched Ulf to Beorn. The +latter listened to the discovery that had been made, and then asked the +armourer what he advised should be done. + +"That is just what I am at a loss about, my lord. Doubtless were we to go +to the city and tell the port-reeve that there are men on that craft who +have designs against the king's life, he would pounce upon them and throw +them into jail. But we have no evidence to give in support of the charge." + +Beorn nodded his head in agreement. "If I had half a dozen of my own men +here," he said hotly, "I would go down in a boat after nightfall, seize the +vessel, and put all on board to the sword." + +"That would hardly do, my lord," the armourer said gravely. "On the high +sea doubtless the thing might be done, but here in the port of London it +would be a desperate undertaking, especially as we have nought that in the +eyes of the law would in any way justify such action." + +"Well, let us have your own advice, then," Beorn said impatiently. "You +think they cannot be arrested and they may not be slain. What do you +counsel shall be done!" + +"I see nought to do but to continue to wait and to watch. We are better +off than we were before, inasmuch as we know where these men are." + +"Yes, but we do not know where they will be to-morrow, for we know nothing +of what passed between Fitz-Urse and them; doubtless some settlement of +their plans has been come to. They may land or may sail away, for methinks +from the look of the sky there is like to be a change in the weather. You +see, the Norman may have taken them news that Harold will soon be on his +way back, for indeed a message arrived from him this morning with news that +all things had been well-nigh settled, and that he will shortly make for +York, where he is to wed the sister of the Northern earls. It may be that +the ship may be bound thither also. You left your apprentice on the watch, +I suppose?" + +"Yes, I bade him keep his eye on the ship, and should any men leave her he +is to follow on their track and mark their movements." + +"At any rate there can be little need for me to watch this evening," Beorn +said. "As Fitz-Urse has seen the others to-day he cannot want to meet them +to-night." + +"No, that is certain," the armourer agreed; "but with your permission I +will call Ulf in. I told him before I sent him to you what I had observed. +Are you going to watch again this evening, boy?" he asked when Ulf entered. +"Methinks there can be little chance of his going out again to-night." + +"I shall keep even a stricter watch than usual, master," Ulf said, "for it +may be that the agreement at which they arrived to-day is that they sail +north, and in that case Walter Fitz-Urse may go on board the ship, and hide +there until the wind changes and they can get up sail." + +"I think the boy is right, my lord. In a dark matter like this, where we +know so little, it behoves us to provide for every chance. But I think not +that there can be any need for you to be on watch, for it can hardly be +that they will hold another consultation on the river bank." + +Ulf returned soon after ten o'clock. "He has not gone out by my gate, +master, but I find that my comrade is missing. When I went round as usual +to the other entrance he was not there." + +"Perhaps he was tired and went home." + +"No, indeed," the boy replied indignantly; "he has sworn to do what I told +him, and he knows that it would be bad for him if he broke his word; +besides, we are sworn comrades. He has never before failed me, and I +cannot but think that he must have seen the man go out and followed him. I +instructed him that if at any time he saw a man like the one we are looking +for he was to follow him wherever he went, and to bring me word whether he +met anyone and whether he returned to the palace or went into any house. If +he did so he was to make a small mark on the door-post with chalk, so that +in the morning he would be able to point it out with surety. I will sit at +my window and watch, and I warrant it will not be long before he is here." + +Half an hour later Ulf heard steps rapidly approaching; then a low whistle. +He put his head out of the window. + +"What is the news, Edwyn?" + +"A man came out in a cloak. He was tall. I followed him and heard a sword +clink under the cloak, and so felt sure it was the man we have been looking +for. I stole after him. He went straight down to the river and gave two +short calls. A boat was rowed up. Only a word or two was spoken, and then +he took his seat in it, and it was rowed away down the river." + +"You have done well, comrade," Ulf said. "I warrant that some good will +come to us through your discovery. Good-night." + +Ulf went and knocked at his master's door, and on Ulred opening it he told +him the news. + +"I will go down right early," the armourer said. + +"It is beginning to rain, master. The frost has broken, and the wind is +soft and warm." + +"So much the worse, boy. I will be up at daylight, and you shall go down +the river with me. I may want to send you back with a message to Beorn." + +Next morning they had rowed near to London Bridge when they saw a boat +approaching. The day had broken, but the light was still uncertain. As the +boat approached, however, Ulf said: "There is a boy in the boat, master, +and he wears an apprentice's cap. Maybe that it is Ernulf." The other boat +was keeping close inshore, for the tide had begun to run down. The +armourer told the boatman to row closer in, and presently called the boy's +name. + +"Yes, master, it is I; I was just coming to you with news." + +In a couple of minutes the boats were alongside of each other. "What is +your news, Ernulf? But I can guess; the ship has sailed." + +"Yes, master; I lay down by the open window, and an hour before day broke I +was aroused by the creaking of ropes, and looking out could see that the +ship was getting up sail. Tide was then just on the turn, and five minutes +later her sails were spread and she went down the river. I came off to tell +you, but was some time before I could get a boat." + +"Come on board here, Ernulf," the armourer said, "your message has saved us +further journey." He then paid off the lad's boatman, and with his two +apprentices returned to Westminster. "Beorn will be up by this time, Ulf. +You had best go and tell him the news. I will come with you to save time, +though I see not that there is aught to be done." + +The thane at once came out and chatted for some time with Ulred, while Ulf +stood by, cap in hand. "It is certain that something should be done, and +yet I see not what it can be. What think you, boy? I see by your eyes that +you would fain speak." + +"I should say, my lord, that it would be a good thing if we could discover +whether the Norman is still at the bishop's palace. He may have returned +early this morning." + +"That can easily be done," Beorn said. "I will send my man to the bishop's +and bid him ask one of the servants if Walter Fitz-Urse is in. He need not +say that he comes from me, only that he has a message to deliver. If the +servant says he is there I will bid my fellow slip away when the man goes +to fetch him down. Supposing he has gone, as I should think he has done, +what then?" + +"Then, my lord, I think there is more danger than if the Norman remained +here. It may be that the Normans have returned to France and abandoned any +plans they may have entertained. But it seems to me far more likely that +they have gone north to carry out the enterprise." + +"Whither, think you, will they be bound, Ulf?" + +"I should say to the Humber, my lord. They may on landing proceed to York, +or, if they have really designs against the king's life, may take post +somewhere on the road down from that city." + +"By my faith the boy is right," Beorn said. "What say you, master +armourer?" + +"I say the same, my lord. The villains have slipped through our fingers, +and we can do nought to stay them. It seems to me that not an hour should +be lost in sending a warning to the Thane of Steyning." + +"I will mount myself and ride north," Beorn said. + +"And I, my lord, will at once go down to the port and inquire if there be a +ship sailing to-day for the Humber. Scarce a day passes that one or more +do not start for the northern ports. Yes, Ulf, I shall take you with me. +You are charged with this business by the Thane of Steyning, and I am but +aiding you in it. I will go straight away to the city, my lord, and if a +ship be sailing--and after so long a bout of east wind it is like that many +will be doing so--I will be back in an hour with the news. Maybe I can find +a quick sailer, and shall be at one of the ports in the Humber before the +craft that left this morning." + +"By the time you return I shall have found out whether Fitz-Urse is at the +bishop's palace, and shall have my horses ready to mount." + +The armourer learnt in the city that several ships for the North had +already dropped down the river, and that three others were hastily +completing their lading, and would follow by the next tide. He learnt from +a trader that one of them was considered especially fast, and being +acquainted with the owner, he took the armourer with him, and arranged for +a passage for him and the boy. + +"You will have to be on board this afternoon," the owner said. "The +shipmaster will not waste a tide, but as soon as it turns will up anchor +and make his way down the river in the dark. He knows the channel well, and +there will be light enough to enable him to hold on his course all night. +The east wind may return again, and he might be caught; so he has decided +to start as soon as the last bale is on board. He knows the sands well, and +you may reckon on a speedy passage if the wind holds as it is, or even if +it goes round to the east again, when he is once abreast of Harwich." + +On returning to Westminster Ulred learnt from Beorn that Fitz-Urse was +there no longer, having, as the servant said, left for Normandy. + +"I am just starting, Ulred. Which will be at York first, you or I?" + +"It depends upon the wind, my lord. A ship can sail night and day, but a +horse and rider must take some rest. It may be that we shall lay to at +night, but that must depend upon the shipmaster. If the breeze holds and +the ship goes on without stopping, methinks we shall be there before you." + +"At any rate," Beorn said, "we may feel sure that we shall both be in time. +Whatever their designs they will have to lay their plans and wait their +opportunity, and such may not come for some time. Farewell, then, Ulred, +and a safe voyage to you. As for me, I have had enough of the sea, and +never wish to set foot on board ship again; for what with the want of space +and the tossing and the sickness, I would rather pass the time in bonds in +a prison cell than be cooped up in a ship." + +A few minutes later Beorn, attended by his servants, started for the North, +and in the afternoon Ulred, after giving many orders to his head man as to +the conduct of his business during his absence, took boat, and with Ulf +went on board the ship. To the armourer it was a very serious undertaking +upon which he was embarking. He had never before set foot on board of a +ship, and a sea-voyage in those days was regarded as a very dangerous +business. Nothing short of his loyalty to Harold would have induced him to +have ventured on such an expedition. It was but a few months since that +the Northumbrians had been burning and sacking the country round +Northampton, and even putting aside the dangers of the sea, he regarded the +visit to the North as full of peril. + +Ulf on the other hand was delighted. To him the journey was full of +interest and excitement, and on his return he would be regarded as a great +traveller by his comrades. His face, therefore, as he climbed on board +ship, was in strong contrast to the grave and serious visage of his master. +Before the vessel had passed Greenwich he had made the acquaintance of the +two ship's-boys, and soon felt perfectly at home on board. He watched with +great interest other craft that they met or passed, and noted with great +satisfaction that they overhauled several who had, when first seen, been +two or three miles ahead. The wind was blowing briskly from the south-west, +and with her great sail set the vessel ran quickly through the water. Even +when the tide turned she held on her course, and keeping close inshore made +good way against it. Many times during the night he went out from the close +sleeping-place to assure himself that the vessel was still making way. +When morning broke the tide had again turned, and Ulf found that the vessel +was now holding her course near the middle of the river, which had widened +to an extent that seemed wonderful to him. + +"Where have we got to now?" he asked one of the boys. "Are we out at sea? +There does not seem to be any land on the right hand." + +"You would see it if it were clear. We are just opposite Foulness." + +"The vessel rolls about a good deal." + +"Do you feel ill?" the boy laughed. "This is nothing." + +"No; I feel hungry, but that is all." + +"If the wind holds as it is we shall not have it rougher than this, for we +shall steer more and more north, and as we always keep inside the sands the +land will shelter us. The shortest passage is straight ahead, but we +generally go through a channel between two sands into the Wallet, which +lies between the sands and the Essex shore. There are not many ship-masters +who will come down the river below Sheerness at night, and even our master +would not try it with a falling tide; but even if one does touch when the +tide is rising, one soon gets off again. She won't roll about so much when +we get inside the sands; and besides, I heard the master say that he +thought the wind would fall lighter as the sun got up." + +"I should like it to keep on just as it is," Ulf said. "I do not want it to +blow so hard that we must go into port, and I don't want it to blow so +light that we shall go slowly." + +"What are you in such a hurry for?" the boy asked. + +"There are some people my master knows who have gone up in a ship that +started yesterday morning, and my master wants to be there before them." + +"You need not be afraid, he is sure to be there first. Like enough we have +passed them already. The wind was not so strong yesterday as it was in the +night, and I expect they had to anchor when the tide turned. If they have a +master who knows the sands well they may have gone on when the tide turned +again, but it was likely they would anchor before they got down to +Sheerness. If they did, we passed them three or four hours ago. But anyhow +you are sure to be in first. We often beat vessels that started with us, by +a week. Most of them go outside all the sands when it is fine weather, but +we always keep inside; and it makes a great difference, for the tides do +not run so strong, and even with a light wind we can make way against them, +while those outside have to anchor." + +"I can't make out how you can find your way in the dark." + +"If it is a thick night and the weather is bad we anchor, but when it is +clear enough to see the stars, or if the wind is steady so as to give us +our direction, we go on. There is a man always standing at the side with a +lead-line, and that tells us the depth of water, which is quite guide +enough for the master. Of course we never sail in rough weather, for if we +went on the sand then we should soon go to pieces; but if it is fine when +we stick fast, which is very seldom, we put out the anchor and lower the +sail, and go to sleep until the tide floats us again. Come up into the +top; you can see a great deal farther from there than you can from the +deck." + +Ulf found no difficulty in mounting to the top, although he was much longer +than his companion in getting up. There were several sail following them, +and Ulf was surprised at the knowledge his companion showed of vessels that +appeared to him almost precisely similar. + +"The one nearest to us is the Alfred," he said. "I know her by that patch +on her sail. She trades with Harwich. Those two smaller craft behind are +bound, I should say, for Colchester or Maldon. That craft two miles ahead +of us is a foreigner. You can see her sail has a longer yard than the +others, and the sail is narrower at the bottom than it is at the top. Those +two or three small craft you see more inshore have passed through the +channel we shall follow into the Wallet. The farthest one is going on to +Harwich, the others into the rivers. There is a craft about our own size +hull down close by the land. She may be going to Harwich, or may be going +on north. She looks to me like a foreigner. If so, she has come last from +London. French and Flemish ships do not come within fifty miles of this. +And now I must go down. We do the cooking, and breakfast must be ready in +half an hour, or the master will be storming at us." + +The wind held steadily from the south-west, and the vessel ran along near +the shore in smooth water. The armourer had been ill the first night, but +he came on deck soon after breakfast, and when once the vessel was past the +mouth of Harwich Bay and was close inland, he soon recovered. On the +morning of the fourth day after leaving port she entered the mouth of the +Humber, and by nine o'clock arrived at Hull. Landing at once the armourer +found a small vessel on the point of starting for York, and in half an hour +from the time of weighing anchor the tide turned, and they ran rapidly +along, helped by the flood. + +"At what time will you reach York?" the armourer asked the master. + +"By daylight to-morrow. We shall sail on until the flood is spent, and then +anchor and go on again as soon as the ebb has done." + +"How far will you be from York when you anchor?" + +"We shall most likely get to Selby, some fourteen miles away by the road, +though farther by the turns of the river." + +"Could you put us ashore there, for we are anxious to reach the city as +soon as possible?" + +"Oh, yes. I will put you ashore in the boat either there or wherever else +we may bring up." + +They were three miles short of Selby when the ebb began to come down and +the anchor was dropped. The armourer and Ulf were at once landed, and +shouldering their bundles they set out at a brisk pace and passed through +Selby at four o'clock. No questions were asked them. There was but small +difference of dress between the people of the various parts of England, and +it was no unusual sight to see traders and others passing along the road on +their way to the Northern capital. + +"I am right glad to be on firm land again," Ulred said; "for although, +after the first night, matters have been better than I expected, there was +always a movement that seemed to make my head swim." + +"I liked it, master," Ulf said, "and if it were not that I am going to be +an armourer I would gladly be a sailor." + +"You might not have said so if you had seen bad weather; and moreover, it +is one thing to be a passenger with nought to do but to amuse yourself, and +another to be always hauling at ropes and washing down decks as a sailor. I +am glad night is coming on, for I feel strange in this country I know +nothing of, and in the dark one place is like another." + +"I would much rather walk along this road in the dark," Ulf laughed, "than +along some of the streets of London, where one may step any moment into a +deep hole or stumble into a heap of refuse." + +"At any rate, in the dark no one can see we are strangers, Ulf, and though +I should not think there would be robbers on the road so near to York, +these Danes are rough folk, and I want to meet none of them. One man, or +even two, I in no ways fear, but when it comes to half a dozen even the +best sword-player may wish himself out of it." + +They met, however, but one or two men on the road, and beyond exchanging +the usual salutation nothing was said; but Ulred was well pleased when +about seven o'clock they entered the streets of York. + +They had already learned that the royal marriage had taken place on the +previous day, and that the king was expected to remain in York two days +longer before journeying south. There was a banquet being held at the +archbishop's palace, where the king was lodged, and on arriving there they +found that it would at present be impossible to get at Wulf, as supper had +just been served. A small bribe, however, was sufficient to induce one of +the bishop's servants to take the message to Osgod, who would be stationed +near his master's chair, that his father was at the entrance and prayed him +to come out to him as soon as possible. A few minutes later the tall Saxon +came out with an expression of utter bewilderment on his face. + +"Is it really you, father, in flesh and blood?" he exclaimed as his eyes +fell on Ulred. + +"I have never been taken for a ghost, Osgod, and if I were to give thee a +buffet methinks you would have no doubt upon the matter." + +"But what brings you here, father? If they had told me that the great Abbey +tower stood without I could not be more surprised." + +"Do you not see that I have brought Ulf with me, Osgod? If your head were +not so thick you would guess at once that I have come about the business +with which he was charged." + +Osgod looked relieved. That his father should be in York had seemed to him +so strange and outrageous that he had first doubted his own eyes, and then +his father's sanity. Now for the first time the object of his coming +flashed upon him. + +"Is there danger, father?" + +"Methinks there is great danger. But the story is a long one." + +"Then I cannot wait to hear it now, for I must needs return to Wulf. I +whispered in his ear that I must leave for a moment, but that I should be +back directly." + +"Then just whisper to him again, Osgod, that I have urgent need for speech +with him. I suppose Beorn has not arrived?" + +"Beorn!" Osgod repeated vaguely. + +"The Thane of Fareham," the armourer said sharply. "Are your wits +wool-gathering altogether?" + +"No, he is not here; nor has Wulf said a word of his coming, as he +assuredly would have done had he expected him." + +"Well, when I tell you that he is riding from London, while I have come +thence by sea, you may suppose that we thought the matter urgent." + +"I will tell Wulf at once, father, but I am sure that he cannot come out +for an hour yet." + +"The matter will keep that while. I will go and look for a lodging for us +and get something to eat, for we have walked some seventeen miles, and my +legs are not so accustomed to exercise as my arms. In an hour we will be +here again." + +Ulred and his apprentice had returned to the gate of the bishop's palace +but a few minutes when Wulf came out, followed by Osgod. "Your message must +be an important one, indeed, Ulred, to cause you to leave the forge and to +undertake so long a voyage. And you say Beorn is riding hither on the same +errand?" + +"He is. It is a sort of race between us, and it seems that we have won." + +"Let us step aside from here," Wulf said. "There are too many gathered +about to stare at the guests as they come and go for us to talk unobserved. +The cathedral yard is close by, and there will be no fear of eaves-droppers +there." + +"It is Ulf's story," the armourer said when they reached the shadow of the +cathedral. "It is to him that the matter was committed, and though he was +forced to take me into his confidence, the merit of following up the +matter, if merit there be, is his." + +Ulf accordingly related the story of his watching, the discovery he had +made by the river, and how Walter Fitz-Urse had been afterwards seen to +embark and had not returned. Ulred then stated how he had discovered the +ship from which the boat had come, and had seen the Norman go on board, and +how, when he learned that the ship had sailed, he had, after seeing Beorn, +taken passage in another vessel. "We have come up fast," he said, "and the +opinion of the master was that we have gained a full day on any craft that +started that morning. Of course, we know not that the villains have come +hither; they may have returned to France, they may have gone up some of the +other rivers in order to take post on the road the king will follow on his +way south. But at any rate we felt it right that you should know that +Fitz-Urse, with those with whom he has been holding secret communication, +have left London." + +"You have done rightly indeed, Ulred, and in the king's name and for myself +I thank you heartily. Of course, we are still without any proof that +Fitz-Urse is conspiring against the king's life. It was unfortunate indeed +that Ulf did not understand the first conversation he heard, but I ought to +have foreseen that it was likely that any talk Fitz-Urse might have with +others would be in Norman. I cannot think now how I could have overlooked +such a probability. Of course, in the years that he has been over here he +has learnt to speak our language, but it would be with Normans he would +deal in the matter of which we suspect him. I will give myself the night to +think over the matter before I decide what steps we had better take. Inside +the bishop's palace, at any rate, the king is safe, and, as you say, it is +not likely that the Normans can be here for a day at least. If their ship +is a French one the master will be ignorant of the dangers of the coast, +and instead of threading his way through the channels of the sands, as your +master did, will have held his course far outside them. I would we knew how +many men are engaged in the matter." + +"As to that we have no clue," the armourer said. "There was the man of his +own rank and the other two who met him on the bank, but whether these were +all, or whether there were a score of others on board the ship, I know not. +Certainly none showed themselves on the deck while I was watching them. But +this proves nothing. They would naturally be kept in concealment, for had +there been an unusual number of men on board, inquiries would have been +made as to whom they were and their business." + +"I will meet you here at seven to-morrow morning, Ulred, and we shall then +have time to talk the matter over more fully." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + +AN ATTEMPT AT ASSASSINATION. + +When Wulf met the armourer next morning in the cathedral close he was +accompanied by Beorn, who said, laughing, to the latter, "You have beaten +me fairly, friend Ulred, and it is well that I had no wager with you on the +race. But it was not by much, for I rode in here as the bells were chiming +eleven. I was glad to hear from Wulf when I roused him up that he had +learnt all the news from you, for indeed I was sore weary, and was right +pleased to wrap myself in my cloak and go straight to sleep instead of +having to sit up for an hour expounding my story." + +"We have resolved in the first place, Ulred, to say nought of this matter +to the king," began Wulf. "He will have enough to occupy all his thoughts +in the affairs of the kingdom, and in the second place his nature is so +open that he will refuse to believe in such villainy unless upon strong +proof, and of actual proof we have none. Beorn's appearance here will +excite no surprise. He will say that having nought in particular to occupy +him he had ridden north to be at the wedding, and finding that he was too +late, would at any rate ride back with the king. With him and me and Osgod +ever on the watch, methinks there will be little fear of a surprise; and it +is by surprise only that they can succeed, for Harold himself is a match +for any four or five ordinary men if he has but time to draw his sword. I +will, however, on some excuse have half a score of Harold's housecarls +placed under my orders, and sleeping or waking the king shall never be a +moment unguarded. + +"I should not think it is likely that Fitz-Urse will have more than five or +six men associated with him in such an enterprise. He would not take more +into his confidence than he could help, and six would suffice as well as a +score for a surprise; and that number could travel in disguise without +exciting attention, while twenty would assuredly do so; therefore I feel +sure that we shall not have to deal with more than six, including the two +leaders. Ulf, do you station yourself at the river-bank and mark any +vessels arriving. If the men come hither they will probably do as you did, +leave their ship at Hull and come up by a local trader. They would thus +avoid all questions they might be asked if passing through the country on +foot." + +"And what is there for me to do, my lord Wulf?" the armourer said. +"Frankly, I have gone so far in this matter that I would fain see it +through." + +"Of course we reckon upon you, Ulred. I have been talking it over with +Beorn, and it seemed to us that the best thing will be for you to ride with +Osgod. You can either make some slight change in your clothes and ride as a +man of mine, or you can ride as Osgod's father, who, having come up here on +matters connected with your business, have obtained permission to ride in +my train with him. I will see that you have that permission." + +"I care not how I go so that I can be at hand if there is a blow to be +struck for the king." + +"Then in that case, Ulred, it were best you went as my man, for you would +then have the entry of the houses where the king will stop and can aid us +in keeping guard." + +"That will do well for me," Ulred replied. "Ulf had best journey back as he +came. He might go by ship after the king has left here." + +"No, he shall travel with us. I will see the chamberlain who has charge of +the arrangements of the journey, and will get leave for him to ride in the +waggons with the servants." + +During the three days before the king left York Ulf kept a vigilant watch +over the boats that came up the river, but he could see nothing of the men +he was searching for. Wulf had bought a horse for the armourer, and when +they started the latter took his place by Osgod's side, while Ulf was +seated in one of the waggons. The king rode with Bishop Wulfstan, next to +them rode the four thanes who had accompanied them through their journey, +and next to these Wulf and Beorn came on together. Behind came the queen's +litter, with a guard of housecarls, the main body of whom rode just behind, +while the waggons and servants brought up the rear. + +"We need not trouble ourselves on the march, Beorn. It is not while the +king rides with so strong a following that the blow will be struck." + +"I see not when they can ever get a chance," Beorn said. "The king will +stop always at religious houses, and they will scarcely storm a convent to +get at him." + +"They would not attempt to storm it, Beorn, but they might enter it +secretly. But for my own part I think the most dangerous time is when he +mounts or dismounts. There is always a crowd assembled to see him, and two +or three reckless men might rush forward and stab him." + +"It would be at the cost of their own lives," Beorn objected. + +"It might be, but they would reckon much on the confusion that would +follow, and might think so to get away. They would probably have horses +somewhere close at hand, and might ride for the port where they had left +their ship. It is a great stake they are playing for, and doubtless they +are desperate men; though they would know the danger they might calculate +that some at least would escape to claim the reward. Then again, they +might manage to mingle with the servitors at one of the places where we +stop. This would not be difficult, for many beside the usual establishment +would be hired to aid in the preparations for the reception of the king. +That might be their safest plan, for were he stabbed suddenly at a meal the +assassins might very well escape in the confusion." + +The first night they slept at a monastery at the village of Bautre. The +establishment was but a small one, and could entertain only the king and +queen, with the thanes and their personal attendants. The rest of the train +were lodged in the village. Although they had little fear that an attack +would be ventured in so quiet a village where the presence of strangers +would at once attract attention, Wulf, Beorn, and Osgod kept watch in turns +all night in the corridor. The night passed without cause of alarm, and the +next day they rode to Nottingham, where they were lodged in the bishop's +palace. Beorn and Wulf agreed that this was the place where there was the +greatest likelihood of an attack being made on Harold's life. The ship +might have sailed up the river and landed her passengers a few miles from +the town, where, among the number of country people who would flock in to +obtain sight of the king, no one would think of questioning strangers. The +armourer and Ulf were charged to wander about the streets, and to closely +scan every face. Wulf had with some difficulty obtained from Harold the +command of twelve of the soldiers. + +"I have my reasons, my lord king, though I would rather not state them. I +would remind you that I have shown that it is not my habit to take alarm +lightly. Your brother Gurth laughed at me when I begged to watch over his +camp with my housecarls, and I saved him from a sudden attack by the Welsh +thereby." + +"Then you think that there is danger of an attack upon me, Wulf?" + +"I said not so, my lord. I have only begged you to appoint twelve of your +men to obey my orders solely, during your journey to London." + +"You shall do as you like, Wulf," the king said at last. "You have proved +yourself brave as well as prudent before now, and are not given to vain +fears, therefore do as you please, but let me know nought about it. I shall +have to receive the visits of all the thanes of the neighbourhood when I +reach Nottingham, and the same in other towns. There will be many persons +coming in with petitions for the redress of grievances, and I would not +have my thoughts disturbed by other matters." + +"You shall know nought about it, my lord," Wulf said. "It is like enough +that nothing will come of the matter, and none will be more glad than +myself to find that I am mistaken." + +Orders accordingly had been given to the officer of the king's guard to +hand over twelve of his men to Wulf, and the latter had begged him to +choose twelve of his most intelligent men for this service. As soon as they +reached Nottingham Wulf took his small command aside. + +"You have been chosen," he said, "for a special duty. I have learned that +there are disaffected men who may possibly make an attempt on the king's +life. You are to say no word of what I tell you to anyone. Meet me over by +that wall half an hour after sunset. Gather quietly one by one so as to +attract no attention. You will be posted round the palace, to keep watch +and ward during the night. As soon as it is daylight half of you will lie +down and sleep till mid-day, and then be in readiness for fresh duty. The +others I will instruct as to where to hold themselves. The king will remain +here two days, and watch must be kept over his safety night and day." + +As soon as their apartments were assigned to the different guests Wulf went +outside and examined the windows of the rooms to be occupied by the king. +They were on the first floor, and looked into a garden surrounded by a high +wall. + +"At any rate, there is little fear of a successful surprise from this +side," Wulf said to Beorn, who was with him. "It would need a ladder to +scale the wall; this would have to be pulled up for them to descend into +the garden, and then carried across to mount to the window. If we post +Ulred with two men here and let four others lie down near to change guard +every two hours, it will be ample, for on an alarm being given, the Normans +however numerous will see that their attempt must fail. We can therefore +send the other six to bed after supper is over, for we cannot suppose that +they would be so daring as to force their way into the palace at any other +point." + +As soon as it was dark Ulred and six of the soldiers were placed in the +garden; the others were directed to hold themselves in readiness to take +their post in the banqueting-hall. Just before the bell sounded for supper +Wulf was told that a boy desired to speak to him at the gate. He hurried +out, and, as he expected, saw Ulf waiting there. + +"What news, Ulf,--hast seen Walter Fitz-Urse?" + +"I have not seen him, my lord, but I am sure that I heard him speak. There +was a great crowd in the square after the king had entered, and among those +round me I heard one man speak to another in a foreign tongue, and the +voice was assuredly that of Walter Fitz-Urse. It was but two or three words +he said, but having listened to him for well-nigh half an hour that night +by the river, I am certain I was not mistaken in the voice. Close beside me +were two cowled monks, and I believe that it was one of them who spoke. I +looked round at the faces of the other men standing near, but they all +seemed honest countrymen or town folk. I should have followed the monks to +see where they went, but at that moment there was a rush among the crowd to +see some mummers who had just commenced their antics, and I was swept along +by it; and though I have been searching ever since, and have so stared up +into the cowls of monks, that I have been cursed as an insolent boy many +times, I have not seen our man." + +"Thanks, Ulf. It is something to have learned that he is here. As to his +disguise, he may by this time have changed it. Still, I will be on my +guard, and will take care that no cowled monk approaches too closely to the +king. Take your place here at the gate and watch all who come in and out, +and if you see aught suspicious send in a soldier, whom I will place by +your side, to fetch me out." + +One of the men was accordingly placed with the boy with orders to come to +Wulf, whether at the table or in the king's room, the moment Ulf told him +to do so. When the others went into the banquet Wulf posted two men just +outside the door, and placed the other three back against the wall nearest +to the king's chair. Here, standing against the arras, they were concealed +from the sight of the guests by the crowd of servitors passing to and fro. + +"Stand with your hands on your daggers," Wulf said to them, "and watch +every man who approaches the king, no matter of what degree he may appear. +Be ready to spring forward in an instant if you see his hand go to his +dagger." + +The bishop and king sat next to each other in the centre of the table on +the dais; on either side were the king's thanes, abbots and other +dignitaries of the church, and the nobles of the country. Wulf and Beorn +had begged to be excused from supping, and permission had been readily +granted by the king, as he knew that the bishop would be glad at having two +extra seats at his disposal; and they also, standing back by the wall, +closely scrutinized the movements of the attendants. It was a relief to +them when supper was over and the bishop and his principal guests retired +to a private room. The five soldiers were then told that they would not be +required until morning. + +Wulf went out to the gate, and learnt from Ulf that he had seen no one +enter whom he took for Fitz-Urse. + +"He may have gone in by some other entrance, my lord," he said, "for there +are three or four ways into the palace." + +"We shall be on watch inside, Ulf. You need stay no longer. Be here in the +morning at seven." + +After the king and queen had retired to bed and the palace was quiet Wulf, +Beorn, and Osgod stole from their room, and noiselessly passed along the +corridors until they came to the king's apartment, and then lay down across +the door. They were to keep watch in turns, Osgod being told to keep the +first watch and to rouse Wulf at midnight. This he did, and Wulf lay for +some time listening intently. The corridor was faintly lit by two lamps, +one at either end. Wulf had chosen the middle watch, because he thought +that if any attempt was made it would be soon after midnight, as the +assassins would wish to have many hours of darkness in which to make their +escape. He knew that Beorn was a sound sleeper, and could scarcely be +trusted to keep awake from midnight until four o'clock, and that it were +best he himself watched during that time. + +Half an hour passed, and then he heard a very slight noise. A moment later +four figures appeared at the end of the corridor. He dared not wake his +companions, for they might speak or move, but he grasped his sword-hilt, +having drawn the blade in readiness when Osgod woke him. The men advanced +stealthily, and as they approached he saw they had drawn swords in their +hands. They paused a few paces away, and in a whisper one said: + +"Here are three fellows asleep; what shall we do with them?" + +"Draw your daggers and stab them to the heart," another replied. "Each take +one, and do not bungle over it. As you strike I will open the door and rush +in. Now!" + +Wulf had gathered his legs under him in readiness to spring to his feet as +soon as he saw the figures, and as they swiftly advanced he leapt up with a +shout and crossed swords with the man nearest to him. + +"Cut him down! Kill him! It is too late to draw back now!" one of the men +cried. The others, who had recoiled a moment when Wulf sprang up, rushed at +him just as he cut down the man he had first engaged. + +"Cut them down and fly!" the one who had before given orders exclaimed, +lunging furiously at Wulf. + +"Easier said than done, Walter Fitz-Urse!" Wulf exclaimed, as he parried a +blow and dealt one in return. It lighted on his opponent's shoulder, but +the blade shivered in his hand, for it had fallen upon mail armour +concealed under the Norman's garment. + +"It is my turn now!" Fitz-Urse exclaimed, and raised his sword to strike a +sweeping blow at Wulf's head, but before it could fall the latter leapt +forward and caught the uplifted wrist, the impetus of the spring throwing +his opponent backwards, while Wulf fell heavily upon him, and for a moment +they rolled over and over. But Wulf was by far the most powerful, and +speedily got the upper hand. He had not noticed that his opponent, while +holding his sword in his right hand, had his dagger already drawn in his +left. The sword had flown from Fitz-Urse's hand as he fell, and Wulf, +believing him to be powerless, glanced round to see how the fray went with +the others, when the Norman stabbed him deeply in the side. Before he could +repeat the blow Wulf snatched his own dagger from his girdle and buried it +in the assassin's throat Then he raised himself on his left hand. It was +but a matter of seconds since the fight had commenced, but it was already +over. Osgod had slain one man, Beorn was following a flying opponent down +the corridor, and Harold, sword in hand, had just rushed from his chamber. +Wulf saw no more, but fell over insensible by the side of his adversary. + +"What is all this?" Harold shouted as he turned to Osgod, the only figure +standing, raising his sword as he spoke, for in the dim light he did not +recognize him. + +"It means, my lord, that there has been an attempt on your life. I am +Osgod, Wulf's man. I fear my brave young master is killed!" and he dropped +on his knees by Wulf's side. By this time doors were opening all along the +corridor, and the king's thanes and other guests, awakened by Wulf's shout +and the clashing of swords, were pouring out, armed with the first weapon +they could snatch up. + +"Bring lights!" Harold shouted. "My life has been attempted, and I fear +that the brave Thane of Steyning is killed." + +The alarm spread fast, and the palace so lately hushed and silent was now +in an uproar, while the bishop with many other ecclesiastics, with +servants, retainers, and men-at-arms, mingled with the thanes. + +"Keep all back!" Harold cried. "Let none approach these bodies until we +have examined them." + +Torches were soon brought. Harold seized one, and bent over Wulf's body. + +"Is he dead?" + +"His heart beats, but feebly, my lord," Osgod replied. + +"Where is he hurt?" + +"There is a great patch of blood here on his right side just over the hip. +I see no other sign of a wound." + +"We will carry him into my chamber," the king said. "But no; I forgot, the +queen is there. We will take him into the room opposite; it matters not +whose it is. Now, Osgod, aid me to lift him gently. Bishop, I pray you send +for the leeches most skilled in the treatment of sword wounds in the city." +Then he and Osgod carried Wulf into the chamber opposite his own, and laid +him on a pallet. + +"Now see to the staunching of the flow of blood till the leeches arrive. I +must inquire into this matter. Who knows aught about it?" he asked as he +went out into the corridor. + +"I do, my lord king," Beorn replied as he pushed his way through the +throng. "It was a plot to take your life. Wulf, his man Osgod, and myself +had no certain knowledge of it, but we had cause for suspicion, and +therefore lay outside your door. We were to take it in turns to watch. +Wulf was on guard, and as I awoke at his shout I saw him cut down that +villain who lies there with a cleft skull There were three others. I fell +upon one, Osgod took another, while Wulf engaged the man who seemed to be +the leader. Wulf's sword broke, but he closed with his opponent and they +fell together. Osgod ran his man through, and my opponent fled. I could not +catch him until he reached the door, but as that was closed he could fly no +farther, and I slew him there." + +"Who and what are these men, good Beorn?" + +"They are, I believe, Normans; but I know naught for certain beyond the +fact that the leader, he with whom Wulf was engaged, is Walter Fitz-Urse, +who was a page of the Bishop William of London, and was well known at the +court." + +Exclamations of fury and indignation broke from those around, with the +cries of "Death to the Normans!" + +Harold raised his hand. "Silence, my friends. Let us be fair and just as it +becomes Englishmen. There are villains of all nations, and it is not +because four caitiffs have thought to do a good service to their duke by +getting rid of me that we should blame men who will abhor this crime as +much as we can do. First let us see if Beorn is right as to this man. Hold +a torch to his face. It is Fitz-Urse truly. He was of knightly blood, but +has died in a most unknightly business. Wulf's dagger is still in his +throat. Let us see if we know anything of the others." + +"I think that you will find them all strangers, my lord," Beorn said. "I +believe they came from beyond the sea to do this deed." + +The man whom Wulf had first slain was evidently by his dress a person of +some rank; the other was of inferior station, as was also, as it was found, +the man Beorn had killed. + +"Now, my lord bishop," the king said calmly, "we have a right next to ask +you how these men came to be in your palace. Know you aught of them?" + +"I know nothing of them," the bishop replied. "So far as I am aware I have +never seen any of their faces before, and assuredly they were not here with +my cognizance. I will at once question all my people shrewdly, and woe be +to him who has admitted strangers here unknown to me at the time when you +were beneath my roof." + +"And have this house searched from basement to roof, bishop. It may be that +there are others in hiding." + +"With your permission, my lord," said Beorn, "I will at once take your men, +of whom we have posted six under your window, and will call up some more +and search the town. It is likely that there are others without with horses +held in readiness for these assassins to escape." + +"Do so, Beorn. It will be well if we can catch some at least, so that we +can get to the bottom of this matter." + +The bishop at once ordered his armed retainers to accompany Beorn, and then +proceeded to interrogate his officials and the domestics, and to see that +the latter made a complete search of the palace. All denied any knowledge +of strangers having entered, and the search revealed nothing but four +monks' gowns and hoods found wrapped up in a bundle in a small room +downstairs. Further questions had been then put. Some of the domestics +remembered that four monks had entered the palace late in the evening, and +one of the under chamberlains said that he had seen them, and they had told +him that they had just arrived from Flanders, and craved permission to +sleep in the palace for the night, as they were going on to Peterborough in +the morning. He had told them that this was impossible, as he could give no +permission without the leave of the bishop, who was at present with the +king and could not be disturbed, and that, moreover, every room in the +palace was occupied. He had given them the address of a citizen, who would +he was sure take them in. They had thanked him, and said that they would go +there, but doubtless instead of doing so they had slipped aside, and had +hidden themselves in the room where their gowns were found. It was one used +only for the storage of garments for poor travellers who came along, and no +one was likely to enter it on such an evening. + +This discovery was a great relief to the bishop and all within the palace, +as it showed that they were not there with the connivance of any of the +prelate's people. Before the matter was fully unravelled Beorn returned. +They had in a quiet spot a short distance from the palace come upon two men +with six horses. Before they could run up and seize them the two men had +leapt up into the saddles and galloped furiously away. Unfortunately the +other four horses had followed, and immediate pursuit was therefore +impossible. The housecarls had run to the spot where their horses were +stabled and had gone off in pursuit, but Beorn feared that the men would +have far too great a start to be overtaken. One of the officers had ridden +with the housecarls, and Beorn had told him to keep by the river-bank, as +the men would assuredly make for a ship that was lying somewhere down the +river, though whether at a distance of two miles or of twenty he knew not. +Long before Beorn's return Wulf's wound had been examined. Unguents had +been poured into it and bandages applied. The surgeons were of opinion that +it was a very grave one, but that at present they could not say how the +matter would terminate. + +"Your story will keep till the morning, Beorn," the king said. "It is still +five hours to daylight, and we may as well retire to rest, unless, indeed, +you know that there are others engaged in the affair in London or elsewhere +who should be arrested before the news of the night's business reaches +them." + +"I know of none such," Beorn said, "and believe that these four and the two +who have escaped were alone concerned in it. I will bring with me in the +morning a man and a boy who know more than I do of the matter; they and +Osgod, with whom Wulf will assuredly have talked it over, will be able to +tell you all that was known up to the moment when these men entered the +palace." + +The armourer and Ulf told their story in the morning, and Beorn took +Osgod's place by Wulf's bedside, while he too was questioned by the king. +The latter then went to Wulf's chamber. + +"What say the leeches this morning, Beorn? + +"They are somewhat more hopeful, my lord. They say that his heart beats +more strongly than it did last night, Osgod says that he has not moved or +opened his eyes, but they say that this is not a bad sign, and that it may +be anxiety has brought on an exhaustion, for his breathing is more like +that of one who sleeps than of a man wounded to death." + +"His face has grieviously changed since yesterday," the king said sadly, +looking down upon Wulf. "I would give my right hand rather than that he +should die. You have of a surety saved my life among you, Beorn, you and +his stout man-at-arms and the worthy armourer and that shrewd apprentice of +his for had they entered my chamber and taken me unawares they would have +slain me without doubt." + +"I have done the best I could since I learnt from the armourer the +suspicion that Wulf entertained, but the whole thing is Wulf's doing. Had I +heard that Walter Fitz-Urse was back in London I should have given the +matter no further thought than that it was one Norman the more. It was, as +he told me, some words that Baron de Burg said when he saw him over in +Normandy the other day that first set him thinking. Then, he could not +understand why Fitz-Urse should return to London at this time, when Normans +are not overwelcome there, and this caused him to have some sort of +suspicion as to his reasons for undertaking such a journey, and determined +him to set a watch on the fellow's movements. Had it been any other than +Wulf who had so acted I should have laughed at his suspicions. But he is as +a brother to me, and knowing how sharp are his wits I am always well +content to follow him without question. I first heard of the matter after +the discovery that the Norman was having secret meetings with some of his +countrymen who were concealed on board a ship, and I at once felt sure that +Wulf had not been running on a false trail, and so did the little I could +to aid those who had the matter in hand." + +"You have done well, Beorn, though as you say it is doubtless Wulf to whom +the chief credit is due. I regretted at first that the other two men had +escaped, but had they been taken they might, to save their own lives, have +implicated others, and I might have been forced to lay a complaint against +the Duke of Normandy. As it is now, the matter is at an end. Four men have +tried to murder me, and have been killed. Their bodies have been buried +this morning, and there is no more to be said about it. + +"I was obliged to go down and show myself to the people an hour since, for +they assembled in a great crowd, clamouring to see me so that they might +know I was safe. I told them that while I thanked them for their loyal +care, there was nought to be alarmed about. It was true that there had been +an attempt on my life by four men, of whom the leader had a private grudge +against me for a disservice I did him some years ago, but that all had been +killed by my guards without even penetrating my chamber, and that I had run +no sort of personal risk, nor had I any reason whatever to suppose that the +malefactors had accomplices either within or without the palace." + +Late in the evening, when the surgeons were applying pungent salts to his +nostrils, Wulf opened his eyes. Osgod was standing beside him holding one +of his hands. + +"It is all well, master," he said. "We finished them all off, and no harm +has happened to the king. You have been hurt, but I hope you will soon be +better. The leeches say that you are not to talk, and you had best sleep as +much as you can. They have got some stuff for you to drink here; do you +lie still and I will pour it between your lips." + +A look of intelligence came into Wulf's eyes as Osgod spoke; he smiled +faintly, and murmured, "Thank God, the king is safe!" He swallowed a few +spoonfuls of the potion Osgod held to his lips, and then closing his eyes +his regular breathing soon showed that he was again asleep. On the +following day the king proceeded on his way to London, Beorn remaining to +nurse Wulf. The king would have loaded Ulred with presents, but the sturdy +armourer refused to receive anything save a small gold cup in remembrance. + +"I want no reward for doing my duty," he said. "I have my trade that keeps +me, and should be no happier were I laden with money. All that I have done +in the matter has been to watch for a few hours at a window, and to make a +journey by ship to York, and I should be ashamed of myself indeed if I +could not take that slight trouble for my king without looking for a +reward." + +As to Ulf he was thanked and praised, but the king decided to take no steps +to alter his condition until Wulf should be well enough to be consulted in +the matter. It was a fortnight before the doctors were able to state with +any confidence that the young thane was on the road towards recovery, and +still another month before he had gained sufficient strength to be carried +in a litter to London. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + +THE NORTHERN INVASION. + +The news of Harold's marriage to Ealdgyth put an end to the demands of +William of Normandy that Harold should take one of his daughters to wife, +and in the complaints that he addressed to all Christendom against Harold +the breach of his promise in this respect was placed far more prominently +than his failure to carry out his oath to be the duke's man. It must have +been evident indeed to all that it was beyond the power of the English king +to keep this oath, obtained from him by force and treachery. He had been +elected by the voice of the English people, and had no more power than the +meanest of his subjects to hand the crown they had bestowed to another. + +The breach of this oath, however, served to obtain all the aid that the +church could give to William. Harold was solemnly excommunicated, and the +struggle for which the duke was preparing thereupon assumed the character +of a sacred war. In England itself the Bull of excommunication had no +effect whatever. The great bulk of bishops and clergy were Englishmen, and +thought far more of their king than of any foreign prince or prelate. Even +the bishops and abbots of Norman blood disregarded the commination, and +remained staunch to Harold. He had been a generous patron to the church, +had maintained them in all the privileges and dignities that Edward had +bestowed upon them, and possessed the love of the whole English people; +therefore, in spite of bann and interdict the churches remained open, +services were held as usual, and people were married and buried as if the +Papal Bull had never been issued. + +But it was not so on the Continent. The Norman barons as a body had at +first refused to support the duke in an invasion of England, but as +individuals they had been brought round to join in William's project, and +to give far more aid in ships and men than they were bound to do by their +feudal engagements. Having accomplished this, William issued an invitation +to all adventurous spirits in Europe to join him in his crusade against the +excommunicated King of England, promising that all should share alike in +the plunder of England and in the division of its land. The bait was a +tempting one. Some joined the enterprise merely for the sake of gaining +glory under the banner of one who was regarded as the greatest military +leader in Europe, others were influenced by love of gain, while, as in the +crusades, numbers joined to obtain absolution for past misdeeds by taking +part in an enterprise blessed by the Pope. Thus the force which William was +collecting greatly exceeded that which the resources of Normandy alone +could have set on foot. + +Among the first to hurry to the court of William, as soon as Harold's +accession to the throne was known, was Tostig, in whose mind the refusal of +Harold to embark in a civil war for his sake, and to force him upon the +people of Northumbria in spite of their detestation of him, was an injury +not to be forgiven. The fact that Tostig was ready thus to sacrifice +England to his own private quarrel showed a baseness and recklessness that +could hardly be expected from his early career. William naturally accepted +the alliance, received Tostig's oath of allegiance, and aided him in +fitting out a number of ships manned by Norman and Flemish adventurers. +Evading the watch kept by the English fleet they crossed the sea, landed, +and plundered and ravaged a considerable extent of country, and then +retired, Tostig being enraged that William of Normandy was unwilling to +send an expedition to act in concert with him until the whole of his plans +were prepared and his great army ready for sea. + +Normandy indeed had been converted into a vast camp. In every port great +numbers of workmen laboured night and day building ships, for Normandy had +ceased to be a naval power, and its shipping was utterly insufficient to +carry the great army across. Tostig, impatient and hasty, thought no more +of the oath of allegiance that he had sworn to William. Driven from +Yorkshire by the forces of the northern earls he sailed to Scotland, where +he was welcomed by King Malcolm, both as a sworn brother and as the enemy +of England. From Scotland he entered into negotiations with Harold Hardrada +of Norway. This warlike monarch was in a fit mood to listen to his +advances; he had for years been engaged in a struggle with Denmark, which +he had ineffectually attempted to conquer, and had at last been forced to +conclude a treaty of peace with Sweyn, its king. + +Tostig had already endeavoured by personal persuasions to induce Sweyn to +revive his claim to the crown of England, and to undertake its conquest; +but he altogether declined to undertake so dangerous and difficult an +enterprise, and Tostig had then turned to Harold of Norway. Whether his +interview with him was before he went to Scotland or whether he went thence +to Norway is a point on which historians differ. Some deny that any +interview took place, but the balance of probability lies strongly in +favour of an early interview, at which Harold entered heartily into +Tostig's plans, and began at once to make preparations for the enterprise. + +It was certain that an invading force from Norway would land in +Northumbria, and Harold, although he might not be able to rely greatly upon +the assistance of the northern earls as against the Normans, knew that they +would do their best to defeat an expedition landing on their own shores, +especially when Tostig was a sharer in the invasion. His own thoughts were +wholly bent upon repelling the mighty expedition gathering in Normandy, and +for this purpose, by immense efforts, he collected the greatest army and +fleet that had ever been got together in England. An incessant watch was +kept up along the coast where the Normans might be expected to land, while +the fleet cruised for months between the Thames and the Isle of Wight +prepared to give battle to the invaders. + +But the conditions of service in England were such that it was impossible +to keep a great force on foot for an indefinite time. The housecarls were +the only regular portion of the army The great bulk of the force, both land +and sea, consisting of the levies or militia, whose term of service was +very limited. It says much for the influence of Harold that he was able +for four months to keep his army and navy together. Had the foe appeared, +soldiers and sailors would have done their duty, but the long term of +inaction, the weary waiting for a foe that never came, was too much, and +when September arrived and the harvest was ready to be gathered it was +impossible even for him to keep the men longer together. The army +disbanded, the levies went to their homes, and the ships of the fleet +sailed away to the ports to which they belonged. All the efforts and +anxieties of Harold, all his lavish expenditure in feeding and providing +for so great a number of men had been thrown away. England lay for a time +absolutely defenceless against the coming storm. + +It was not until August that Wulf had completely recovered his strength, +and was able to join the army. + +"This is not a time," Harold said to him on the day he arrived at the camp, +"for the granting of dignities or the bestowal of grants. But if we are +successful, and I remain King of England, the services you have rendered me +at the risk of your life, Wulf, shall be worthily rewarded." + +"I need no reward," Wulf replied. "My estates are sufficient for all my +needs, and I desire neither land nor dignity, being more than content that +I have been enabled to render a service to you and to England." + +Wulf was, however, at once appointed as commander of the whole of the +housecarls supplied by the thanes of the south coast of Sussex. None of +these bodies were equal in strength to his own carefully prepared +contingent, few of the thanes having kept up more than fifteen or twenty +men constantly under arms, and these only for the past few months, in +consequence of Harold's exhortations. Altogether the force amounted to +about four hundred men. Each party had its own sub-officer, and Wulf did +his best to weld them into one body. When the army broke up, he returned +with the king to Westminster. The day after he arrived there a man met him +as he issued from the palace, and handed him a letter. It contained but the +words: + +"_I would fain see you. If you will follow the bearer he will bring you +to me. Say naught to any one of this message. Edith._" + +"Is the distance far?" he asked the man. + +"It is to Croydon, my lord. I have ridden here on horseback." + +Wulf at once ordered his horse to be brought to him. + +"Will you be back to-night, my lord," Osgod asked, as he mounted, "in case +the king should wish to see you?" + +"I shall not be back till late, possibly not until to-morrow I do not tell +you where I am going, in order that if you are asked you may be able truly +to reply that I said nothing before I mounted, as to my destination." + +It was just mid-day when Wulf drew up his horse before a modest house +standing in a secluded position a quarter of a mile from the village of +Croydon. Edith met him at the doorway. + +"I thank you, Wulf, for answering my request so speedily. There is much +that I would ask you about my lord. I hear of him only by general report, +for although from time to time I send him messages I give him no +opportunity for writing to me, and I know that he has respected my wishes, +and has caused no search to be made for me." + +"Harold sometimes speaks to me of you, lady, and has in no way forgotten +you. He did charge me to find out if I could the place of your abode; not +that he would seek an interview with you, but, should there be need, he +might be able to send a message." By this time they were seated in the room +where Edith spent the greater part of her time. + +"It is better that we should not meet," she said earnestly. "His mission +is to work and to fight for England; mine to remain apart from all men and +to spend my time in prayers for him. I know that he places great confidence +in you, as indeed he well may, for I heard how you had saved his life, well +nigh at the expense of your own. Is he happy with his new queen?" + +"His thoughts at present, lady, are altogether turned to public affairs, +and it is well perhaps that it should be so. I do not think that he +receives much sympathy from the queen, who cares more, I should say, for +her brothers, the northern earls, than for her husband." + +"It is scarce a wonder that it should be so," Edith replied; "though it +seems strange to me that any woman could live with Harold without loving +him with all her heart. And yet she may well feel that she, like Harold, +has been sacrificed. There was no shadow of love between them before their +marriage, in fact she may even have hated him, for it was he who brought +ruin and death upon her husband, the Welsh king. She must know that he +only married her in order to gain the firm alliance of her brothers, and +that her hand was given by them to Harold without any reference to her +feelings. I would that the king were happy, even though it were with +another. But it was not for his happiness that I left him, but that England +might be one. Is it true that the army is broken up and the fleet +scattered?" + +"It is true, lady. Save for three or four thousand housecarls, there is not +an armed man in readiness to defend England." + +"It must be a terrible trial to him." + +"It is, my lady. He returned to town yesterday dispirited and cast down at +the failure of the work of months." + +"Still they will reassemble rapidly," she said, "when the Normans really +come?" + +"Doubtless they will. But the loss of the fleet is greater than that of the +army, for at sea we could have met and almost assuredly have conquered +them, for the Normans are no match for our sailors; whereas to meet so +great an army of trained soldiers, with hastily assembled levies, is to +fight under every disadvantage." + +"And is the rumour true which says that Tostig and Harold of Norway are +also preparing for an invasion?" + +"All reports that come to us through Denmark are to that effect." + +"It is enough to make the stones cry out," Edith said indignantly, "that a +son of Godwin should thus betray England. I never thought it of him. He +was headstrong and passionate; yet as a young man he was loved almost as +much as Harold himself, nay, some loved him more. But it was not on account +of public affairs that I brought you here, but to talk of Harold. I know +nought of his daily doings, of his thoughts, or his troubles. Tell me all +you can of him, Wulf." + +For a long time they talked of the king. She had from the first been drawn +towards Wulf by seeing how he loved Harold, and as they talked her tears +often fell. + +"I am proud of him," she said at last; "more proud of him than when he was +the light of my life. My sacrifice has not been in vain. He is what I would +have him. One whose thoughts are all fixed upon his country; who gives all +his energy, all his wisdom, all his time to her service. Humbler men can be +happy, but a king has higher duties than others, and for him love and +marriage, wife and children, the joys of the peasant, must be altogether +secondary. The good of his country, the happiness and welfare of tens of +thousands are in his hands; and if in these respects he acts worthily, if +he gains the blessings of his people, he can afford to do without the home +joys that are so much to lesser men. You are sure that he is not unhappy? +If I did but know this, I would be content." + +"I do not think he is unhappy," Wulf said confidently. "He has the +applause and love of all men, and the knowledge that all his work is for +the good of his country and his people. He may have regrets, but he has +little time to spend upon them when he has in hand so vast a work, upon +which night and day his every thought is directed." + +"I suppose you wish to get back to-night, Wulf?" + +"I should greatly prefer it," he said. + +"And I would rather that you did not remain here. It may seem inhospitable, +but I feel it would be better so. No one here knows who I am, and at first +my servants were plied with questions whenever they went abroad; but the +wonder has died away, and the villagers have come to believe that I am, as +I gave out, the widow of a court official. Should it be known that a young +thane stayed here the night, it would set them gossiping afresh. Stay and +sup with me before you start." + +"And am I to tell the king I have seen you?" he asked. + +"What think you yourself, Wulf?" + +"I am sure that he would be glad to know. I need not say where you are +living. I will say that you have charged me to keep it secret, and he will +forbear questioning me. But I am sure that it will give him deep pleasure +to know that I have seen you, to learn how you look, how you are living, +how you occupy yourself, and how you think of him. It cannot but be a trial +to him to know nothing of one he so loves. More than once he has told me +that he wondered whether you had entered a convent, whether you were in +health, how you bore yourself, and other matters." + +"Tell him then, Wulf. You can tell him that great as has been my grief over +our separation, I can yet feel happy in my solitude in knowing how nobly he +is doing his kingly work, and that I have never wavered in my assurance +that I was right when I bade him go. Tell him that I have no thought of +entering a cloister; that I have my old servants and my garden and +needle-work; that I spend much of my time in ministering to my poorer +neighbours, and that I am getting to be loved by them. Say that my health +is good, and that I have every comfort I need save his presence. Tell him +that if I fall ill, and the leeches say that I shall die, I shall send for +him to see me once again, but that in such manner only will we meet in this +life; and that it is my prayer that he will not seek to alter my +resolution, for that the pain of parting again would be more than the joy +of seeing him. He is another woman's now, and that by my act, therefore it +would be a grievous sin for us, loving each other as we do, to meet again, +unless he or I was on a death-bed." + +The supper was served early, and when it was eaten Wulf's horse was brought +round to the door. + +"Am I to come again?" he asked. + +She did not answer for a time. "Not unless I send for you, Wulf. Our +meeting has given me much pleasure, and I shall be the happier for it, but +for a time our talk of the past and present will unsettle me and stir up +afresh regrets and longings. Therefore, it were best that you come not +again until I send for you." + +The darkness was just closing in when Wulf rode into Westminster. + +"The king has twice asked for you, my lord," Osgod said, as he alighted. +"The last time a quarter of an hour since." + +Wulf at once went to the king's closet, where he was at work with two or +three secretaries, to whom he was dictating. + +"I want you, Wulf," the king said as he entered. "Where hast been?" Wulf +glanced at the secretaries, and Harold bade them retire till he summoned +them again. Wulf then related at length his interview with Edith. Harold +listened in silence. + +"I am right glad at your news," he said, when the latter had finished. "It +is just what I thought she would do. Her words are lofty and wise; truly a +king can little hope for happiness such as that which is in the reach of +the humblest of his subjects. But we will talk of this again. For the +present I must think of public business. News has been brought me by a sure +hand from Denmark that the fleet of Norway has sailed. 'Tis said that +Harold has called out a levy of half the fighting men of his kingdom, and +that he has five hundred war-ships besides transports. His son, Magnus, has +been left behind to rule Norway with the title of king. Harold intends to +conquer England and reign here. I must lose no moment in sending the news +to the northern earls. Doubtless it is on their coast he will first land. +There is no one I would sooner trust than yourself, and you shall be my +messenger. + +"I have the letters already written to them, warning them that every man +capable of bearing arms should be summoned to their standard, and every +preparation made to repulse the foe. Of help at present I can give them +none; my army is dispersed, my shores undefended, and at any moment +William's fleet may appear off the coast. Let them meet the Norwegians, +while I meet the Normans. It is for you to press upon them the counsels I +give in my letters; and I would that you should remain with them, sending +messages to me from time to time, giving me full tidings of what takes +place at York and how they fare in their struggle with Harold of Norway, +and, as I fear, with my brother Tostig. They met you at Northampton, and +they know the confidence I place in you and the services you rendered in +the Welsh campaign. However, although they may receive you well I fear that +your counsel will go for nought. They are haughty and headstrong, and +assuredly they will not be guided by one of my thanes. Do not, therefore, +press the matter with them, or risk incurring their anger. I want you to +stand well with them, for so only can you learn their views and keep me +informed of what is doing. Being assured that you would undertake the duty +I have highly commended you to them as my representative at York, and I +doubt not that you will be well received. Brothers-in-law though they are I +can count on but little aid from them in our struggle with the Normans, but +there they will be fighting for their own earldoms and will do their best, +though I fear the result, for they have been deaf to my entreaties to keep +an army on foot, and the hurried levies of the North will scarce stand +against the mighty army Harold Hardrada is bringing against them." + +"I will start immediately, my lord." + +"Here is a royal order upon all governors and thanes to give you changes of +horses and to aid you in all ways. Take that giant of yours with you, he is +a faithful fellow and is not wanting in sense; you will find him of great +use there. You will, of course, accompany the earls to the field. Watch +well how the levies fight, it is long since they have been called upon to +meet a foe, and I would fain know how much they can be trusted on the day +of battle. As your own horse has travelled to-day take two of my best, here +is an order to the head of the stables to deliver them to you. Is there +aught else that I can do for you?" + +"Nothing, my lord. I understand your wishes, and will follow them as +closely as I can." + +"Do not expose yourself too much on the field of battle, Wulf. I cannot +spare you, and therefore charge you not to be rash, and if matters go ill +to provide for your safety as far as you may." + +Wulf found Osgod awaiting him in the hall below. + +"I thought you might require me, master, so I waited till you had seen the +king." + +"You did well, Osgod. I am starting on a journey to York and you are to +accompany me. We ride armed, so get on your coat of mail and take your +favourite axe, then carry this order to the stables and tell them to have +the two horses ready at the gates in half an hour's time; then go to the +kitchen and eat a hearty meal and put up some bread and cold meat in a +wallet. We shall ride fast and with few stoppages, for I have the royal +order for change of horses everywhere." + +"That is good news, my lord. After dawdling away the last four months doing +nothing I am glad to hear that there is a chance of striking a strong blow +on someone, though who it is I know not." + +"Now go, Osgod, I have also to change my clothes and drink a horn of ale +and eat something, though I supped but three hours since. Put my gayest +suit into the saddle-bag, for I may stay some time at York, and must make a +fair show, going as I do as Harold's messenger." + +The journey was accomplished at an extraordinary rate of speed, Harold's +order procuring them a change of horses when ever they stopped; and they +but once halted for a few hours' sleep. Wulf found that Edwin and Morcar +were both at York, and alighted at the gate of their residence. Announcing +himself as a messenger from the king, he was at once conducted into their +presence. + +"It is Wulf of Steyning, is it not?" Edwin said courteously. "The message +must be urgent indeed since Harold has chosen you to carry it. When did you +leave him?" + +"I left Westminster at nine o'clock on the evening of Tuesday." + +"And it is now but mid-day on Thursday," the earl said in a tone of +astonishment. "You have ridden nigh two hundred miles in less than forty +hours." + +"The roads are good, my lord, and I had the king's order for changes of +horses whenever needed. I slept six hours at Northampton, but have ridden +without other stop save to take meals. I knew that the message I bore was +of importance, as you will see by the king's letter." + +Edwin opened the letter and laid it before Morcar, and the two read it +together. + +"This is serious news indeed," Edwin said when they had perused it. "So +Harold of Norway is on his way hither with five hundred warships and half +the males of Norway. Since the news has come from Denmark he must already +have been nigh a fortnight at sea, and if he had sailed hitherwards we +should have heard long ere this of his being within sight of our shores. As +we have heard nought of him it may be that his object has been misreported, +and that it is not against us that his fleet is bound." + +"I fear that it can have no other destination," Wulf said; "though it may +be that it has sailed first to Scotland to obtain assistance from Malcolm. +There, too, he will find Tostig, whom the king fears is in alliance with +him." + +"Then assuredly it is against us that he comes," Morcar said, "and unless +the winds shatter his fleet we shall hear of him before long. But he may +land anywhere from the border of Scotland to the Humber, and it is useless +our trying to hinder him along so great a line. He may delay his coming as +William of Normandy has done, and our men, like those of Harold, will not +remain under arms for months doing nothing. With so great an army he must +move slowly and we shall have plenty of time to gather our forces to meet +him. Harold urges us to call out the levies at once, but he does not know +the Northumbrians as we do. They will fight, and stoutly, but they will +scatter as soon as their term expires. It is but six weeks since we called +them under arms to repulse Tostig, and unless they themselves see the +danger presses they will not leave their homes again after so short an +interval. I am glad to see by the king's letter that he has charged you to +stay with us for a while. We shall be glad of your presence, both as the +agent of our royal brother and as one who has already proved himself a +valiant and skilful soldier." + +Apartments were at once assigned to Wulf in the palace, and he was treated +as an honoured guest. He had been furnished by the royal chamberlain with +an ample sum of money, and every two or three days despatched messengers to +London. He was greatly disturbed in mind, for the earls made no preparation +whatever to meet the coming storm, but continued to hunt or to hawk, to +give entertainments, and to pass their time as if the news of a mighty +invasion had never reached them. The first attempts he made to urge them to +follow Harold's counsel were dismissed so curtly that he felt it useless to +persevere. + +A fortnight passed by, and then a messenger rode into York with the news +that a vast fleet had entered the Tyne, and that the Norsemen were harrying +and burning the country. Harold Hardrada had first sailed to the Isles of +Shetland and Orkney, which, with the northern districts of the mainland, +formed a powerful Scandinavian province. Paul and Erning, the two young +earls of the state, and a large number of their subjects, joined the fleet, +as did a Scotch contingent sent by Malcolm and commanded by Tostig, who +also had with him the force he had brought from Flanders. Iceland, then a +great Norwegian colony, sent ships and men, as did an Irish sovereign of +Danish descent. + +Roused to action at last the northern earls sent out summonses in all +directions for the levies to assemble. The invaders were next heard of at +Scarborough, which made a brave resistance, but the Norsemen took post on +the steep hill overhanging the town, and gathering there a vast pile of +wood set it on fire, and hurled blazing timbers down on the place. Many of +the houses caught fire, and this spread rapidly. The inhabitants +surrendered, but the greater portion was slaughtered and the town given up +to plunder. Holderness, like Scarborough, bravely but unsuccessfully +resisted the attack, and the great fleet sailing south entered the Humber. +Hour by hour messengers rode into York bringing news of the progress of the +invaders; hour by hour the Northumbrian levies poured into the capital. + +Much as he had disapproved of their previous carelessness and delay, Wulf +acknowledged that the two northern earls now bore themselves as men. They +saw to the defences of the town, mustered all the inhabitants capable of +bearing arms, arranged for the feeding and disposition of the levies, and +did all that was possible at so short a notice to get them to take the +field. But he saw, too, that this raw militia was but little calculated to +stand before the assault of the Norsemen. There was no body of seasoned +troops like the housecarls to serve as a nucleus, and to bear the chief +brunt of the battle. All alike were raw, inexperienced, and badly armed, +save for the axe, which was the favourite weapon of the English. + +The great fleet made no stay but sailed up the Humber, packing closely in +the river as it narrowed, till it seemed well-nigh covered from shore to +shore with the crowded ships. It passed the little village of Selby, and +cast anchor beside the left bank of the Ouse, near the village of Riccall, +but nine miles' march from York. Olaf, the king's son, the two earls of +Orkney, and the bishop of those islands remained on board to guard the +ships, for the Northumbrian fleet, which was far too small to encounter so +great an armament, had taken refuge up the Wharfe, and might descend and +attack the Norse vessels were they left unguarded. The main body of the +great army under the king and Tostig landed and prepared to march upon +York. Sudden as the call had been there was no lack of spirit or +patriotism in the English levies. Among their ranks were many priests and +monks, who felt that it was their duty to aid in the defence of the land +against the semi-heathen host that invaded it. The memory of the past +invasion of the Norsemen, when the churches had been sacked and the priests +slain on the altar, inspired them, and they and the monks responded as +readily as did the laymen to the summons of the earls. These had not +hesitated to consult Wulf as to the post where they had best station +themselves to give battle, and the disposition of their forces. One who had +distinguished himself under Duke William of Normandy, and under Harold in +Wales, had, young though he was, more experience of war than any of the +northern thanes, and as the representative of Harold all these were ready +to listen with respect to his advice. He had already spent four or five +days in surveying the ground in the direction from which the Norsemen were +likely to advance, and had decided that a place known as Gate Fulford, two +miles from the city, was best calculated for defence, it being situated on +a narrow ridge, having the river and its swampy banks on one side, and a +flat marshy country on the other. Thither the army of the earls marched to +take up its position. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + +STAMFORD BRIDGE. + +Owing to the difficulty of getting the levies formed up and set in motion, +the Norsemen had arrived on the ground and had taken up a defensive +position before the English reached it. Had the force contained a strong +body of housecarls, Wulf, who had talked the matter over with the earls, +would have advised that they should fight on the defensive and allow the +Norsemen to attack; but with freshly-raised troops, ready and eager for +battle, but wanting the discipline that alone enables trained soldiers to +endure patiently a long series of attacks, he thought that there was more +chance of victory in attacking the enemy. Morcar commanded on the left, +Edwin on the right. Wulf took up his position by the side of Morcar, and +exchanged a few words with Osgod before advancing to the charge. + +"This will be a right royal contest, master," the latter said as he +fingered his heavy axe. "Never before have I seen a set battle like this." + +"Do you keep close to me, Osgod." + +"That I am sure to do, master," the latter broke in. + +"Yes, I know that while we fight you will be by my side, but it may be that +we shall have to fly. The Norsemen outnumber us greatly, and their king is +a host in himself. This is a good position to defend, but a bad one to fly +from. The king's last words were a charge to me not to throw away my life, +and therefore while I shall fight as long as fighting can avail, I shall +also do my best to save myself if we are defeated. As we came along I kept +near to the edge of the swamp, and some hundred yards back I marked a spot +where, as it seemed to me, there was a sort of path, worn either by broken +men and outlaws, who may dwell somewhere in its recesses, or by men from a +village beyond it. For this point, then, I shall make if we are defeated. +It may be that it was not a path, but at least it offers a chance of +escape. So when I give you the word, keep close to my side." + +Osgod nodded. His confidence in Wulf was absolutely boundless, and though +he revolted at the thought of retreat he knew well that so long as a chance +of victory remained Wulf would not quit the field. When within two or three +hundred yards of the enemy, Morcar advanced to the front of the line with +his standard-bearer beside him. + +"On men!" he shouted, and with a yell the English poured down to the attack +The line of the Norsemen was on this side less strong than it was near the +river where their king had posted himself, and the Norsemen gave way before +the furious attack of the English. Morcar and many of his thanes fought in +the front rank. Wulf was close beside him, and before their swords and the +terrible axe of Osgod the invaders fell back foot by foot, and shouts of +triumph rose from the English; but it was not for long. On the left Edwin +could make no impression on the shield-wall of the enemy, and presently +their king caused his horns to blow the signal for attack, and his line, +hitherto immovable, flung itself on the English. The king, a head taller +than any of his men, fought in their front rank, his terrible two-handed +sword hewing down every man who opposed him. As the English gave way the +assault became more and more impetuous, and in a few minutes the English +broke and fled all along the line. + +"All is lost, Osgod," Wulf said; as after fighting to the last he turned +his back on the foe. The scene on the ridge was now terrible; the exulting +Norsemen followed hard upon the flying English, uttering their shouts of +victory and cutting down all they overtook. Hampered by the crowd in front +of them great numbers of the English fell beneath the weapons of their +pursuers, others turned to the right or left, and hundreds were smothered +in the swamp by the river or in that on the other side. Once the flight +began, Osgod placed himself in front of his master, his powerful figure and +his weight enabling him to push his way through the crowd of fugitives. +Wulf kept close behind him, and they followed the edge of the swamp until +Wulf saw the faint indication of a path he had before noticed. + +"Turn off here, Osgod; this is the place I spoke of. Let me go first, I am +lightest." + +The ground shook beneath their feet, the slime oozed up to their ankles, +but, moderating their pace now, they sprang from tussock to tussock until +two or three hundred yards from the edge of the swamp. Then they paused and +looked round. The work of slaughter was still proceeding. Along the edge +of the swamp numbers of English could be seen, some half immerged, some +fast disappearing. In the din of the struggle none heard or heeded their +cries, each man was occupied solely with the thought of flight or +slaughter. Some half-dozen of the fugitives, seeing the two men were making +their way across the swamp, had followed in their footsteps. + +Slowly and cautiously Wulf moved forward again. Sometimes a treacherous +tuft gave way and he slipped waist-deep into the mire, but Osgod was always +close at hand, and his long arm enabled him to reach forward to his master +from a firmer spot and to draw him from the bog. After an hour's painful +work the ground began to be firmer, and before long they were safe in the +forest beyond the swamp. Here for a while the party threw themselves down +exhausted. After an hour's rest the others asked Wulf what they had best +do. + +"There is but one thing to be done," he replied; "make off to your homes. +The remnant of the army will reach York, and the Norsemen will doubtless +surround the city and lay siege to it. For the present our cause is lost, +and there is nought for us to do but to try and save our lives, which have +been spared well-nigh by a miracle." + +Keeping south through the forest Wulf and his follower were several hours +before they emerged from its shade. Another three miles' walking brought +them to a village, where they learned they were six miles west of Selby. +Here they obtained some food, and then bearing off so as to strike the +south road arrived soon after nightfall at the house of the thane who had +supplied them with their last change of horses on their way north. The news +they brought excited the greatest consternation, but their host saw at once +that the only hope now was that Harold might bring help, and at once placed +the two horses which they had ridden to his house at their disposal. Wulf +and Osgod mounted at once, and travelled southwards at a speed equal to +that at which they had journeyed north. + +When within a few miles of Peterborough they received news that seemed +almost too good to be true. Harold at the head of a great army had already +reached that town, and was pressing north at the top of his speed. From +east and west he was being joined by the levies of the thanes. Riding +forward to Peterborough they found the town crowded with troops, who, as +they learned, were to march forward again in half an hour. Wulf at once +made his way to the monastery, in which Harold was lodged. + +"I need not ask your news, Wulf," Harold said, as, covered with dust and +mire, and almost reeling with exhaustion, the young thane entered his +private closet. + +"The army of the northern earls has been well-nigh destroyed two miles from +York. Whether the earls themselves escaped I know not, for I left the field +while the slaughter was still going on. York will be at once besieged, and +as most of its fighting men went out to the battle and a large proportion +must have been slain, I fear that it can resist but a short time the attack +of the Norsemen. It was good news indeed when I heard that you were +advancing north." + +"It is bad tidings that you bring, Wulf, but not unexpected. Directly I +heard that the enemy's fleet were off our northern coast and were burning +and pillaging unopposed, I speedily gathered what force I could in the +South, and sending on messengers ahead to summon the levies of East Anglia +to join me on the way, started north. Yesterday the news reached me that +the great fleet of Norway had sailed up the Humber, and I saw that I should +be too late to join Edwin and Morcar before they were forced to give battle +before York. Now tell me of the fight, and how you managed to escape, for +I see by your mail-coat and helmet, which are dinted and frayed and the +steel rings shorn off in many places, that you were in the thick of it." + +Wulf related the story of the battle, and the manner in which he had +escaped. + +"You did wisely, Wulf, to mark a way of retreat before the battle +commenced. A good general should ever be prepared for defeat as well as for +victory. So the levies fought well?" + +"They did, my lord. They engaged the Norsemen gallantly and well--much +better, indeed, than I had looked for them to do, and the day went +favourably until the King of Norway with his picked men threw themselves +upon them. Even after that they fought sturdily for a short time, and had +there been but a body of housecarls to form a shield-wall, behind which +they could have rallied, the day might still have been theirs. But you +look ill, my lord." + +"I was on a bed of sickness when the news came; but it was no time for +lying abed. For the first two or three days' marches I was carried on a +litter, but I am now well enough to sit my horse. It cost me a sore +struggle to leave the South unguarded simply because my orders were not +obeyed here in the North. But there was no help for it, and we have been +marching well-nigh night and day in hopes that we might bring this matter +to a close, and return south before the Norman fleet appears off the coast. +We have already marched farther than would seem possible in the time, but +the men are all in good heart and eager to meet the Norsemen, and I have +addressed them and shown them the urgent necessity for speed. We shall set +forward again in half an hour. They have had six hours for rest, so they +can do another fifty miles before they halt again. You can tarry here for a +day to rest yourself, and can then ride on and overtake us." + +"I will go down and take a plunge in the river," Wulf said, "and shall be +ready to mount again by the time that the rearguard is in motion. I could +have kept on to London had it been needful, and shall be quite ready to +proceed with the army." + +They were within a day's march of York when the news came that the city had +surrendered without waiting for an assault. The King of Norway had offered +favourable terms; a local Gemot had been held, and it had been agreed to +make peace with Harold of Norway, and not only to receive him as king but +to join him in his warfare against the South. Hostages were given for their +fidelity to their new lord, who in return gave hostages to York for the +good conduct of his troops. It was the city only that had so treacherously +behaved, and the surrender by no means included the whole province. It was +arranged, however, by the earls, that hostages should be given for +Northumbria at large, and they promised that a hundred and fifty of these +should be handed over at Stamford Bridge, eight miles north-east of the +city. + +Here there was a palace of the old Northumbrian kings. The spot was +favourable for the encampment of an army, for the country round was fertile +and the bridge across the Derwent afforded facilities for the collection of +provisions over a large area. The bridge was a wooden one, the country on +either side of the river was flat, but considerably elevated above the +stream, with a slope down to it on both sides of the bridge. + +The news of the surrender of York made no change in Harold's plans. He had +come to give battle to the Norsemen, whether he did so under the walls of +the northern capital or elsewhere; accordingly he pressed rapidly forward. + +In a few hours the army arrived in sight of York, which, had it resisted +but a day longer, would have been saved the humiliation of the surrender +and treaty. The invaders had all marched to Stamford Bridge, and the people +opened its gates and received with rejoicing the king, whose authority they +had the day before cast off. Beyond a short pause for food there was no +delay. Harold's thoughts were on the South, and he grudged every hour that +delayed his return to his post there. The men of the city and the +survivors of the army defeated at Fulford joined the force, which kept on +its way east to Stamford Bridge. The invaders, believing that Northumbria +lay at their feet, and without a thought that Harold was advancing, were +encamped in careless security on the low ground by the river. The greater +portion of their host had crossed the bridge; their king, Tostig, and many +of the great chiefs had taken up their abode in the royal palace at Aldby, +and were preparing to return to York, where the king was to hold his court +and formally to assume the government and to proclaim the laws for his new +kingdom. + +Already the cortege had set out, clad not in warlike armour but in court +habiliments, when on the long road leading gently down to the river a cloud +of dust and the sparkle of arms was seen. There was little room for doubt +as to the nature of the arriving force. Northumbria could gather no array +that would venture thus to approach the army that had but five days before +crushed the levies of the North. It could only be Harold himself who, with +the men of the South, had thus unexpectedly arrived. Tostig at once +proposed a retreat to the ships at Riccall, so that the whole army might be +gathered together, but Harold Hardrada strove to marshal his army for the +battle, at the same time sending off mounted messengers to summons the +party left at the ships. But while all was in confusion among the main body +of the invaders on the eastern bank of the river, while men were buckling +on their armour and gathering in their ranks, the cloud of war rolled +rapidly down the descent, and with a mighty shout the English vanguard fell +upon the Norsemen on the western bank. + +Valiantly they fought, but there was no resisting the solid array of the +English housecarls, or Thingmen as they were also called. Taken altogether +unprepared, and for the most part without their defensive armour, the +Norsemen could offer no successful resistance to the English host. Great +numbers were killed; others were driven headlong across the bridge or were +drowned in the stream, which is said to have been literally choked with +dead. But for a time the advance of the English was stayed; for one +Norseman, a man of great stature and prodigious strength, took post in the +middle of the narrow bridge and barred the way to the English host. But one +foe could attack him at a time, and so great was his strength and prowess +that it is said forty Englishmen fell under the mighty blows of his +two-handed sword, and at last he was only over-powered by one who made his +way along beneath the timbers of the bridge and stabbed him with his spear +from below. + +His gallant stand, however, had sufficed to give his countrymen time to +complete their preparations, and the shield-wall of the Norsemen stretched +across the gentle ascent from the bridge. With his hands raised aloft, as a +sign that his mission was a peaceful one, an English thane with twenty +mounted horsemen rode across the bridge. He was met by the king, Tostig, +and his chiefs. Raising his voice the thane addressed Tostig, "I bring to +Tostig the greeting and message of his brother King Harold. Let him return +to his allegiance and he shall again have the earldom of Northumberland; +nay, he shall have a third of the kingdom to rule together with the king." + +"What, then," Tostig asked, "shall be given to King Harold of Norway?" + +"Seven feet of English ground!" the thane said sternly, "or more, +perchance, seeing he is taller than other men." + +"Return to King Harold of England," Tostig said, "and bid him make ready +for the battle. Never shall men say in Norway that I brought their king +hither to England and then went over to his foes." + +Harold's ambassador returned with his men across the river with Tostig's +message, and then in solid array the English Thingmen moved forward to the +attack. Had the King of Norway advanced to the end of the bridge a battle +would have been impossible, for the English could never have forced their +way across. But the kings were equally anxious for a battle. Harold of +Norway knew as well as the King of England that the host of Normandy was on +the point of sailing, and it was as essential for him to crush the English +army before the Normans landed as it was for Harold of England to dispose +at once of the Norse invaders. There were three claimants for the English +crown, and both kings felt the necessity of having their hands free to meet +the Normans. Harold of Norway may well have believed that his host of tried +warriors was capable of disposing of an army that, save for its small body +of regular troops, was wholly unused to war; therefore, he held his array +immovable while the English army crossed the bridge and formed up for +battle. + +Steadily and firmly the solid line of the housecarls moved up the ascent, +and then as Harold's trumpet gave the signal of attack, flung themselves +upon the shield-wall of the Norsemen. The conflict was a terrible one. The +heavy two-handed axes of the English clashed against the long two-handed +swords of the Norsemen. Against such terrible weapons wielded by such +powerful arms, helmet and hauberk afforded but a poor defence. Casques and +the heads beneath them were cleft like egg-shells under the terrible blows; +but the gaps thus made in the ranks were at once filled from behind, and +for hours the struggle continued with unabated vigour on both sides. Harold +himself with a body of his thanes fought in the front line, his position +marked to his followers by his standard kept flying close behind him. His +great strength and height made him so formidable an assailant that his +standard generally flew well in advance of his fighting line, while on the +other side the still greater height and strength of the King of Norway +rendered him equally conspicuous. At last the obstinate valour of the +English housecarls prevailed over the resistance of the fierce Norsemen, +and the invading host was driven backward step by step up the ascent until +the level ground was reached. + +Here the battle again raged as fiercely as ever. In vain did Harold of +Norway, followed by his bravest warriors, hurl himself upon the ranks of +the English, his terrible sword carrying death in its path. In vain did his +followers again and again strive to take the offensive. The English line +ever bore up against their attacks. The battle was still undecided when, as +the sun was going down, an English arrow pierced the throat of the giant +King of Norway. How Tostig, who had throughout the day fought by his side, +fell, we know not, but he died, as did the Irish prince who had brought his +followers to share in the plunder of England. There fell, too, most of the +bravest warriors of Norway, the last of the sea-kings who had carried the +banner, known as the land-waster, far and wide over Europe. + +The slaughter was terrible, and at nightfall the Norsemen who survived +broke and fled to the shelter of their ships. Never in the history of +England was there a harder fought battle; never were English valour and +endurance more splendidly shown. Terrible, too, had been the losses on +their side. Many of the king's bravest thanes had fallen, and the ranks of +the housecarls were fearfully thinned. Complete as had been the victory, +absolute as had been the destruction of their foes, there was but little +rejoicing in the English camp that night. So exhausted were the troops by +their long march and the desperate struggle of the day that they threw +themselves down to sleep on the ground they had won, thickly covered as it +was with the bodies of friend and foe. + +Wulf throughout the day had fought close to Harold. Osgod had kept close +beside him, and had warded off many a sweeping blow and cut down many a +pressing enemy. At the end of the day his left arm hung useless by his +side, well-nigh cleft off by the blow of a Norseman's sword. Wulf himself +had escaped without a scratch, thanks in a large measure to his follower's +watchfulness. When the battle was over he was one of the few thanes who +gathered round Harold. The latter felt no exultation at this victory. It +had cost him the flower of his army and numbers of his most valued thanes. +It had cost him, too, the life of a brother, to whom in spite of his faults +he had been deeply attached. He knew that there was before him a struggle +even more serious than that from which he had just emerged a victor, and +there was no saying how that struggle might end. + +"I thank God that you are spared to me, Wulf," he said as the young thane +came up. "I marked you near me all through the battle, and none fought more +bravely. It has been a terrible day, and our victory is dearly purchased +indeed. I have sent a messenger to York, praying that every monk skilled in +surgery will at once hasten hither, that all men and boys shall come and +help to collect the wounded, and that such women as can aid will accompany +them. I cannot ask the men who have marched well-nigh night and day since +we left London, and borne the brunt of the day's battle, to do more. +England has need of their strength. The messenger was to stop at Helmsley, +and bid every soul left there to hurry to the field. It is but two miles +away, and in half an hour they will be here. The first thing for them to do +is to carry water to the wounded; there are no lack of vessels in the +Norsemen's camp." + +"I will go to the bridge, my lord, and take them in charge when they +arrive, and set them at the work." + +"You need rest as much as any, Wulf." + +"I can rest to-morrow," Wulf said; "and at any rate could not sleep +to-night, for I must see to Osgod, who will, I fear, lose an arm." + +"I am sorry to hear it," Harold said, "for one could ill spare so brave a +fellow. I saw the Norsemen going down under his axe, and assuredly no man +did more than he to-day." + +"I will tell him what you say, my lord; it will do him good. I left him +sitting down on a bank bemoaning himself that he might not be cured in time +to fight the Normans." + +Harold shook his head. "I would give half my estates, Wulf, that he should +be well enough to fight by your side in our first battle with the Normans. +That would mean that they would not land before two months have passed, and +by that time I would have all the force of England gathered to receive +them. As you are willing that it should be so, I will leave you in charge +of the camp to-night. It will be three hours before help can arrive from +York. Till then there is nought to do but to carry water to the wounded. +When they arrive the monks will dress the wounds, and the men and women +carry such as can be moved down by the river, where they can be treated +more easily than lying in the fields. Have a strict search made for the +body of my brother, and place a guard over it. Sweyn is in charge of the +Norse camp. There is great treasure there, which shall to-morrow be partly +divided among the troops." + +Wulf went at once down to the bridge, while Harold and his thanes lay down +like the soldiers on the field of battle. In a short time men, women, and +children came in from Helmsley. Having been told what they were required +for, they had brought with them jugs and drinking cups, and also a supply +of torches. The first search was made over the ground west of the river. +Here few English had fallen, but the Norsemen lay thickly. Wulf ordered +that water should be given to all, foe as well as friend. The number of +living was small, for the heavy two handed axes had done their work +thoroughly. When such as survived had been seen to, Wulf led the villagers +over the bridge. + +"Scatter right and left," he said, "and then move forward. You cannot go +wrong." Having seen them all at work, he hurried away to the spot where he +had left Osgod sitting. He had before leaving him staunched the flow of +blood by winding a bow string round the arm above the wound and then +twisting it tightly. + +"How fares it with you, Osgod? Here is a ewer of water." + +"That is good," Osgod said, after taking a mighty draught. "Truly I felt +as if the moisture of my body had all dried up, and not only my mouth but +my whole frame was parched." + +"Why, Osgod," Wulf exclaimed, as he held the torch he carried close to him, +"your arm has gone!" + +"That is so, master, an arm after the bone has been cleft through is of no +use to anyone, so I thought the sooner I got rid of it the better, and +having my knife handy I just cut through the flesh that remained. That was +the end of it. Would that we could get rid of all our evils as readily. +To-morrow I will walk to York and get the wound seared." + +"The king sent to York for aid directly the battle was over, and we shall +have all the townsfolk here soon, among them monks and others skilled in +the dressing of wounds. I told the king of your misfortune." And he then +repeated what Harold had said. + +"It does me good to hear that Harold is satisfied with me. I hope to +strike many a good blow for him yet." + +"How still it is here, Osgod! There is scarce a sound to be heard from all +those lying round." + +"There are but few with life in them, I reckon," Osgod said. "A Norse +sword and an English axe let out the life quickly when they strike fair. +This blow fell on my arm as my axe was raised to strike, and it were well +it did so, or it would have taken me in the neck, and then neither monk nor +leech could have brought me back to life. Had it been my right arm I would +as lief have been killed at once, for what good is a man without his right +arm?" + +"You would have learned to use your left in time, Osgod. Now if you can +walk, come down to the river, and I will see that you are among the first +attended to." + +"I will lie down here," Osgod said, "for in truth I feel as if I need +sleep. For the last two days I have been scarce able to keep my eyes open, +and now that I have had a drink I feel that a few hours' rest will do me +more good than any monk." + +Osgod's words came slowly and heavily, and as he ended he lay down on his +back. Wulf saw that it was best that he should sleep, and so left him. In +two hours a great number of lights were seen along the road, and soon a +crowd of men and women from York appeared and scattered themselves over the +battlefield, the monks pouring balm into wounds and bandaging them up, +while the men and women carried the wounded, as fast as they were attended +to, down to the river. The bodies of Tostig and of the King of Norway were +both found, and a guard placed over them, and in the morning that of Tostig +was carried to York for burial in the cathedral, while Harold Hardrada was +buried where he fell. + +Harold sent messengers to the Norsemen's fleet offering mercy to them if +they would surrender, and their chiefs come to York and swear never again +to raise their swords against England--an offer which was thankfully +accepted, for the English fleet had entered the Humber, and their retreat +was cut off. + +The next day the Norse chiefs went to York and took the required oath, and +were then escorted back to their ships. So terrible had been the +slaughter, so complete the destruction of the invading army, that, even +including the guard that remained at the fleet, twenty-four ships sufficed +to carry away home the survivors of the mighty host. The task of burying +the slain was too great to be undertaken, and for many years afterwards the +field of battle was whitened with the bones of the invaders who had fallen +there. + +On the day after the battle Harold returned with his army to York. Here all +who had fallen away from the cause of England were pardoned. Measures were +taken for making the fighting strength of the North available for the +general defence of the country. The wounded were cared for in the houses of +the citizens, and for five days the troops rested after their prodigious +exertions. + +Early in the morning after the battle Osgod's wound had been seared with +red-hot irons. He had borne the pain unflinchingly, saying that he had +suffered as much from burns more than once while learning his trade as an +armourer. Wulf was not present, as he had thrown himself down to sleep as +soon as he had been relieved at daylight, but he saw him before he started +with the king for York. + +"Yes, it hurts a bit, master," Osgod replied in answer to his inquiries. "I +could not expect otherwise. You will have to do without me for a few days. +I have made friends with some peasants at Helmsley. I shall stay with them +till the army marches south. If I were at York I should never keep quiet; +and the monks tell me the quieter I am the sooner my wounds will heal. They +are poor creatures, these monks; they wanted to make out that it might be +two or three months before I was fit for service again. I told them it +would be a shame to my manhood if in a fortnight I could not wield an axe +again. It is not as if I had been brought up softly. I have burnt myself +with hot irons many a time, and know that a few days suffices to heal a +sore." + +"It is not the sore, Osgod; it is the veins that might burst out bleeding +again." + +"That is what they said, master; but at present there is not much blood +left in me, I think, and by the time it comes again my veins ought to have +healed themselves. This plaguey bowstring hurts me well-nigh as much as the +smart of the irons; but the monks say I must bear it for a couple of days, +when they will put on some tight bandages in its place, but if I can bear +the pain it were better that it should be kept there for a week or two." + +Five days passed. The king laboured incessantly at making a settlement of +the affairs of the North. The thanes came in from all Northumbria. They +were full of thankfulness at the deliverance that had been wrought for +them, and the victor of Stamford Bridge was far more to them than the King +of England had ever been. All were received with kindness and courtesy, and +Harold felt that at Stamford Bridge he had conquered not only the host of +Norway but the Northern earldoms. On the evening of the fifth day after +the battle they held a great banquet at York. The feasting was at its +height when Harold was told that a messenger had arrived with urgent news, +and the man was at once brought in. He had ridden in two days from the +South, and brought the momentous news that on the third day after the +victory of Stamford Bridge the Norman host had landed in Sussex. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + +THE LANDING OF THE FOE. + +While Harold with his army had been anxiously and impatiently watching the +sea on the southern coast of England, the mixed host of the Duke of +Normandy had been no less anxiously awaiting a favourable breeze at the +port where the whole of the expedition was gathered. William had, however, +one great advantage. While Harold's army and navy were composed of levies, +bound by feudal obligations to remain but a certain time under arms, and +eager to return to their harvest operations, their wives and families, +William's was made up to a great extent of seasoned troops and professional +soldiers, gathered not only from his own dominions but from all parts of +Europe. + +These were far more amenable to orders than were the English militia. +Tempted by the thought of the plunder of England, they had enlisted under +the duke's banner for the expedition. They had no thought of returning +home, and as long as they were well supplied with food, the delay in +starting mattered comparatively little to them; and thus while at length +the fleet and army of Harold scattered to their homes the Normans remained +in their camp, ready to embark on board the ships as soon as a favourable +wind blew. They were kept in good temper by receiving regular pay and +provisions, and as all plundering was strictly forbidden the country people +freely brought in supplies, and for a month the great army was fed without +difficulty; but as the resources of the country became exhausted the duke +grew more and more anxious to move to another port, and taking advantage of +a change of wind to the west he embarked his army and sailed north along +the coast of Normandy to the mouth of the Somme, and the troops disembarked +and encamped round the town of St. Valery. + +Here there was another long delay, and while Harold was marching north to +meet the King of Norway the Normans were praying for a favourable wind at +the holy shrine at the Abbey of St. Valery. Two days after the host of +Harold Hardrada had been destroyed the wind suddenly shifted to the south. +There had on the previous day been a great religious ceremony; the holy +relics had been brought by the priests into the camp; the whole army had +joined in a solemn service; precious gifts had been offered at the shrine, +and as the change of wind was naturally ascribed to the influence of the +saint, the army was filled with enthusiasm, and believed that heaven had +declared in their favour. + +From morning till night the scene of bustle and preparation went on, and +when darkness fell the whole host had embarked. Every ship was ordered to +bear a light, and a huge lantern was hoisted at the masthead of the +_Mora_, the duke's own ship, and orders were issued that all vessels +should follow the light. The _Mora_, however, was a quick sailer, and +was not, like the other vessels, deeply laden down with horses and men. +When daylight broke, therefore, she had so far outstripped the rest that no +other sail was in sight, and she anchored until the fleet came up, when the +voyage was continued, and at nine on the morning of Thursday the 28th of +September the Normans landed on English soil, near the village of Pevensey. + +The landing was unopposed; the housecarls were away north with their king, +the levies were scattered to their homes. To the surprise of the Normans +who landed in battle array no armed man was to be seen. Parties of mounted +men at once examined the country for miles round, but without finding signs +of the defending army they expected to meet. On the following morning a +small force was left in the Roman fortifications near Pevensey to guard the +ships, hauled up on the beach, from attack, and the duke with his army +marched away along the Roman road to Hastings, where William established +his headquarters and resolved to await the approach of the army of England. +A wooden castle was raised on the height, and the country for miles round +was harried by the Norman horse. Every house was given to the flames; men +were slain, women and children taken as slaves, and the destruction was so +complete that it seemed as if it had been done with the deliberate purpose +of forcing Harold to come down and give battle. + +No sooner did Harold hear the news that the Normans had landed and were +harrying the land than he ordered the hall to be cleared and issued a +summons for the assembly of a Gemot, and in an hour an assemblage of all +the thanes gathered at York was held in the hall that had so shortly before +been the scene of peaceful feasting. Harold proclaimed to them the news he +had heard, and called upon them to arm and call together their levies for +the defence of England. An enthusiastic reply was given. As the men of the +South had crushed the invaders of the North, so would the men of the North +assist to repel the invasion of the South. Morcar and Edwin promised +solemnly to lead the forces of Northumbria and Mercia to London without a +day's delay, and though Harold trusted his brothers-in-law but little, he +hoped they would have to yield to the patriotic spirit of the thanes and to +play their part as Englishmen. + +An hour later messengers started on horseback for the South, bidding all +men to assemble at London to fight for home and freedom against the foreign +invader, and orders were issued that the troops who had fought at Stamford +Bridge should march at daybreak. As soon as the council was over Wulf +mounted his horse and rode at full speed to Helmsley. He had each day +ridden over to see Osgod, who in his anxiety for a rapid cure was proving +himself a most amenable patient, and was strictly carrying out the +prescriptions of the monk who had taken charge of him and of other wounded +who were lying in the village. He was asleep on a rough pallet when Wulf +entered. + +"A pest upon the Norman!" he exclaimed angrily when he heard Wulf's news. +"He might have given me a week longer at any rate. I am feeling mightily +better already, for to-day the monk has bandaged my arm, and that so tight +as almost to numb it. But that I care little for, as he has now taken off +that bow-string which was cutting its way into the flesh. He told me that +everything depended upon my keeping absolutely quiet for another week, for +the slightest exertion might make the wound break out afresh, and that if +it burst there would be but a poor chance for me. Well, I must travel in a +waggon instead of on horseback." + +"You will do nothing of the sort, Osgod; I absolutely forbid it. It would +be an act of sheer madness. Besides, you would be useless at present even +if you went south, while if you rest here for three or four weeks you may +be able to take part in some of the battles; and, moreover, it may be weeks +before Harold moves against the Normans. At any rate, it is out of the +question that you should move at present. I am not going to have you risk +your life by such folly." + +Osgod was silent for a minute or two and then said, "Well, master, I must +obey your orders, but never before did I feel it so hard a thing to do." + +"It is for your own good and mine, Osgod. I am not going to lose so +faithful a follower, and would rather do without you for two months than +for all my life. But now I must be going, for I shall ride on ahead so as +to go down to Steyning and fetch our men. I was before sorry that, owing to +my being here, they did not come down with the king; now I am glad, for I +might have lost half of them, while as it is I shall have a hundred men as +good as his own to help to fill up the ranks of Harold's housecarls, +besides the general levy of my tenants." + +On his march south Harold was joined by large numbers of men. The news of +the destruction of the army of Harold Hardrada had excited the greatest +enthusiasm, and the thanes presented themselves as a rule with more than +the number of men they were bound to furnish. Wulf rode on fast to London. +As soon as he arrived there he went to the armourer's shop. Ulred paused +at his work as he entered. "Welcome back, my lord Wulf!" he said. "So you +have come safe through the two great battles in the North. Has Osgod fared +equally well, I see that you have come without him?" + +"Not equally well, Ulred. He fought with me at Fulford and received no +serious hurt, but at Stamford Bridge he was wounded so sorely that for a +time we thought it would go hard with him; but he has rallied and is doing +well, and save that he will come home without his left arm, he will, I +trust, soon be recovered. No man fought more stoutly than he did at +Stamford Bridge, and the king himself noticed his valour. Although his +wound was but five days' old when we started, he would have come south at +once if I would have suffered him, though he must assuredly have been +carried the whole way in a litter. It troubled him greatly to hear that we +should be face to face with the Normans, and he not there to strike a blow +for England." + +"I am glad to hear that the boy lives," the armourer said; "for indeed when +I saw you alone my first thoughts were that he had fought his last battle. +We have terrible news from the South. The Normans are plundering and +slaying from Beachy Head well-nigh to Dover, and the people are flying +before them in crowds. However, matters will be changed as soon as the king +returns to town. London will send her militia in full strength, and we hear +that the thanes of the West are hurrying hither. 'Tis a pity indeed that +Harold was drawn off north, for had he been here the Normans would have had +to fight their best before they established themselves on our shores." + +"They could have landed in any case, Ulred. It was not the King of Norway +and Tostig, but the impatience of our sailors and troops, that left our +shores unguarded. Harold tried his best to keep them together, but in vain. +However, they rallied quickly when they heard of the landing in the North, +and are coming in freely now." + +"Will the troops of Northumbria be here?" + +"I doubt it greatly, Ulred. They are not true men, Edwin and Morcar; they +surrendered York before an arrow was shot against its walls, and received +Harold Hardrada as their king. They would be equally willing to +acknowledge William of Normandy so that they might but preserve their +earldoms under him. They have promised to send their whole forces forward +without delay, but I have no belief that they will be here. I am going to +Steyning as soon as I have eaten a meal and rested for a few hours. I shall +miss Osgod sorely. I trust that it will not be long before I have him by my +side." + +"When will the army be back here, master?" + +"In three days at most, I imagine. There will be but short stay here before +Harold marches south to meet the Normans. The news of the wanton +destruction they are making has roused him to fury, and he will assuredly +lose no time, even though he have but half the force of England behind +him." + +"It is as well to have something to fall back on," the armourer said. "It +is not by one battle that England is to be conquered, and even if we lose +the first we may gain the second. We can stand the loss better than the +Normans, for doubtless William has brought all his strength with him, and +if beaten must make his way back to his ships, while Harold would in a +short time find himself at the head of a larger army than that with which +he may first meet them. Was the slaughter as great as they say at Stamford +Bridge?" + +"It was terrible, Ulred; and though the Norsemen suffered vastly more than +we did, the ranks of the housecarls, on whom the brunt of the fighting +fell, have been sorely thinned. We shall feel their loss when we meet the +Normans. Against their heavily-armed troops and their squadrons of knights +and horsemen one of the Thingmen was worth three untried peasants. Had we +but half the number of our foe, and that half all housecarls, I should not +for a moment doubt the issue." + +"London will put a strong body in the field, and though we have not the +training of the Thingmen you may trust us to fight sternly, Master Wulf; +and if we are beaten I will warrant that there will not be many of us to +bring the tidings back." + +"Of that I am sure, Ulred. The citizens have more to lose and better know +what they are fighting for than the country levies, and as you say, I am +sure they will do their part stoutly. Well, I must stay here no longer. I +shall sleep for two or three hours, and then take a fresh horse from the +king's stable and to-morrow shall be at Steyning. By nightfall I shall be +on my way back with every man on the estate, a hundred and fifty besides +the housecarls, and two days' march will bring us here again. Ulf is well, +I hope? I do not see him." + +"He has but carried home some arms I have been mending. We are working +night and day; since the news that the Normans had landed came, there has +been no thought of bed among the armourers and smiths of Westminster and +London. Each man works until he can work no longer, then throws himself +down for two or three hours' sleep, and then wakes up to work again; and so +it will be till the army has moved south with most of us in its ranks." + +Wulf reached Steyning soon after daybreak, and as soon as the news that he +had arrived went round, the tenants flocked in. His coming had been +anxiously expected, for the alarm caused by the incursions all over the +country by the Norman horse was intense; and although, so far, none had +come west of Beachy Head, there was a general feeling that at any moment +they might make their appearance. The news, therefore, that Harold was +marching south with his army, and that all were to share in a pitched +battle with the invader instead of being slaughtered on their hearthstones, +caused a deep feeling of satisfaction. Wulf gave orders that every man +should assemble in fighting array at noon, and that if, later on, news came +that the enemy were approaching, the houses were to be deserted, the stacks +fired, and, driving the cattle before them, the women and children should +cross the hills and take shelter in the great forest beyond. A few of the +older men who were unfit to take part in a long day's fighting were to aid +the women in their work. + +The arms of all the men were carefully inspected, and the weapons remaining +in the armoury served out to those worst provided. At one o'clock the force +marched off, Wulf riding at the head of the hundred housecarls, while the +tenants, a hundred and fifty strong, followed in good order. Each man +carried six days' provisions. They camped that night in a forest twenty +miles from Steyning, marched thirty miles the next day, and early the +following morning joined the great array that was gathering on the hills +south of London. To his great pleasure Wulf found that Beorn had arrived +the day before with his levy. They had not met since they had returned from +the North with Harold. + +"So you have been up there again, Wulf, and fought at Fulford and Stamford +Bridge. It was very unlucky I was not in London when the army marched +north; but I received no summons, and heard nothing of it until the king +was well on his march. None of the thanes along the south coast were +summoned." + +"So I heard, Beorn. I fancy the king thought that in case of a landing by +the Normans the men near the coast would all be wanted to help take the +women and cattle to places of security." + +"No doubt that was the reason," Beorn said. "At any rate, I am sorry I +missed the fight at Stamford Bridge. The other seems to have been a bad +affair." + +"Very bad; we suffered terribly. So much so, indeed, that the earls will +have a good excuse for not getting their levies together in time for the +battle with the Normans." + +"They are false loons," Beorn said; "and brothers-in-law as they are of +his, it would have been well had the king after Stamford Bridge had their +heads smitten off for their traitorous surrender to the Norsemen." + +"I have no doubt they will hold aloof now, Beorn, until they see how +matters go in the South, and if we are worsted they will hasten to make +their peace with William, and to swear to be his liegemen, just as they +swore to be liegemen to Harold Hardrada. But they will find out their +mistake in the end. William has promised to divide England among his needy +adventurers if he wins, and Edwin and Morcar will very speedily find that +they will not, in that case, be allowed to keep half the country as their +share." + +It was a great host that was gathered ready for the march south. Gurth had +brought down the fighting men of East Anglia; the thanes of the West were +there with their tenants; the Bishop of Winchester, Harold's uncle, not +only brought the tenants of the church lands, but he himself with twelve of +his monks had put on armour under their monkish robes. The Abbot of +Peterborough headed a contingent from the Fen Country; the men of London +under the sheriff of the Mid Saxons were there, and prepared to die in +defence of the royal standard, which it was the special privilege of London +to guard. In the Abbey of Westminster, where Harold had received his +crown, and in every church of London, mass was celebrated day and night, +and was attended by crowds of troops and citizens. + +Harold himself snatched a day from the cares of preparation to visit +Waltham, the abbey that he had founded, and in which he had taken so lively +an interest, and there earnestly prayed for victory, with the vow that did +he conquer in the strife he would regard himself as God's ransomed servant, +and would throughout his life specially devote himself to His service. A +day or two after Wulf's arrival in London a messenger came from William of +Normandy calling upon Harold to come down from his throne, and to become, +as he had sworn to be, the duke's man. Harold in reply sent back a full +answer to William's claims. He admitted that Edward had promised the crown +to William, but he said that according to the law of England a man might at +any time revoke his will, and this Edward had done, and had named him as +his successor. As to the oath he himself had sworn, he maintained that it +was an extorted oath, and therefore of no binding force. Finally, he +offered rich gifts to William if he would depart quietly, but added that if +he was bent on war he would meet him in battle on the coming Saturday. + +It is probable that William's insolent message was meant to have the effect +of inducing Harold to march against him. The Norman position was a very +strong one, and had been carefully fortified, and he hoped that Harold +would attempt to storm it. Gurth urged his brother to remain in London, +while he himself went with the army to battle. A large number of the levies +had as yet not come in, and with these, should the first battle be +unsuccessful, another army could be gathered to continue the struggle. +Moreover, whether the oath Harold had sworn was binding or not, he had +sworn, and it were better that another who was perfectly free in his +conscience should lead the English to battle. + +Then, too, Gurth urged, if he himself was slain, it would matter +comparatively little, while Harold's death would jeopardize the whole +kingdom. He prayed him therefore to stay in London, and to gather another +and greater force, and to lay waste the whole land between London and the +coast, so that the Normans, whether successful or not in their first +battle, would be starved into a departure from the land. The counsel of +Gurth was approved of by the thanes, but Harold rejected it. He declared +that he would never let his brothers and friends go forth to danger on his +behalf while he himself drew back from facing it, neither could he bring +himself to harm the lands or the goods of any Englishman. + +For six days Harold remained in London waiting, but in vain, for the forces +from the North to join him, and on the Thursday morning set out with his +army in order to meet the invaders on the day he had named. Accounts differ +very widely as to the strength of that army. Norman writers, in order to +glorify their own victory, speak of it as one of prodigious numbers. +English writers, on the other hand, endeavour to explain the defeat by +minimizing the number of those who followed Harold's standard. Doubtless +the English king, knowing the proved valour of his housecarls, and fresh +from the crushing defeat inflicted on the Norsemen, considered the numbers +to be sufficient. His military genius was unquestionable, and next only to +William the Norman he was regarded as the greatest general in Europe. As +there was no occasion for haste so long as the Normans remained at Hastings +he would not have moved forward with a force he deemed insufficient, when +he knew that in another week its numbers would have been doubled. + +On the day that the king made his last visit to Waltham, Wulf rode over to +Croydon in compliance with an entreaty he received from Edith. + +"When does the army march?" she asked anxiously as she entered. + +"The day after to-morrow, lady." + +"And my lord goes with it?" + +"He does. I myself think that Gurth's counsel was good, and that it were +best for England that he remained at Westminster; and yet I can understand +well that he himself would feel it a shame did he remain behind." + +"I feel sore misgivings," Edith said, bursting into tears. "When he +marched north against the King of Norway and Tostig I felt no doubt he +would return victorious; but night after night I have had evil dreams, and +though I pray continually my spirit has no relief. I have never feared for +him before. I have always felt sure that whoever died Harold would be +spared for the sake of England, but I have no such feeling now. It seems to +me that I sacrificed him and myself in vain when I bade him leave me and +marry the sister of the Northern earls. No good has come of it. They are +behaving now as traitors, and he has lost his life's happiness. And yet I +did it for the best." + +"It was a noble sacrifice, lady, and come what may you have no cause to +regret it." + +"The queen is not with him," Edith said bitterly. + +"No, she is at Oxford. You must not think, lady, that the king has been +unhappy since he came to the throne. He has been so incessantly occupied +with work that he has had no time for domestic happiness, even if it had +been within his reach. His thoughts are ever on England, and he has no +thought of self. Labouring ever for the good of his subjects, he has his +happiness alike in their love, and in the knowledge that he is doing all +that man can for their welfare. If he dies, he will die the death not only +of a soldier but of the noblest king that ever sat on the English throne, +and at all times he will be enshrined in the hearts of the English people, +whether Normans or Englishmen reign over the land." + +"That is true, and I must take comfort from it, Wulf; but it was not for +this that I sent for you, but to ask you where the battle is likely to be +fought." + +"Near Hastings, assuredly," Wulf replied. + +"I shall travel south to-morrow. I have had a message from the king praying +me to see him, but that would be too much for me. He is another woman's +husband and I dare not meet him, it were sin for me to do so; but I would +fain be nearer to the scene of battle, so that in a few hours I might +journey there, in order that, if my lord dies, I might see him once again. +I know the superior of a convent at Lewes, and there I will betake myself. +Thence, as I believe, it is some sixteen miles to Hastings, and so far as I +have heard the Norman plunderers have not gone so far west. Should aught +happen to him, will you send a speedy messenger to me?" + +"Should I live through the fight I will do so, lady, but even should I not +return the news will travel swiftly; but God forfend that so great a loss +should fall upon England." + +"Amen," Edith murmured, "and yet I fear. Thanks, Wulf, for coming, +perchance we may not meet again. I am thinking of entering a convent, +probably that at Lewes. The struggle and pain here is well-nigh too great +for me, but in the walls of a cloister I may find peace. If my fears are +fulfilled I shall assuredly do this, and when I return to the convent I +shall leave it no more. My life is over. I have a happy past to look back +upon, in that am blest, and shall be happier than those who have no such +consolation. Moreover, I can still be proud of Harold, and may love him as +I might love the memory of a husband who is lost. God bless you, Wulf, and +protect you through the coming battle!" + +Wulf rode sadly back to the camp. Although he had denied it to Edith, he +could not but admit to himself that the sacrifice that she and Harold had +made had, so far, been unavailing. It had failed to draw the Northern earls +closer to the king. The marriage had been productive of no happiness to +Harold, and the only reward he had gained had been in the sympathy of the +people, who knew well enough that he had sacrificed his love for the good +of his country. + +The army marched rapidly. Beorn and Wulf rode together, and talked over the +chances of the coming battle. + +"I cannot blame Harold for not remaining behind," Wulf said, "though it +were certainly more politic for him to have stayed in London. As he could +not do so, I think it would have been well had he bidden Gurth remain +behind to gather another army with which to meet the Normans should we be +defeated; or if he could not spare Gurth he might have left Leofric behind. +It is assuredly a mistake for the three brothers all to come, for should +all fall England would no longer have a head." + +"Surely no such misfortune as that will befall us, Wulf." + +"I know not. They will fight side by side, and should one fall all may +perish together. One at least ought to remain behind. It matters not how +many of us are killed, so that one of Godwin's sons is left to rally the +kingdom. You may be sure that if we are conquered the victors will be in +but poor condition to meet another foe; but if there is no one to gather an +army and unite all England against the Normans they will eat us up +piecemeal." + +"We must not think of so terrible a thing, Wulf. It is not like you to look +at the dark side. Why, when we were in Wales, and in as bad a plight as +could well be, you always made light of danger, and managed affairs as if +we were certain to succeed. Why should we be defeated? Why should the king +be killed? He went through the terrible fight at Stamford Bridge without a +scratch. We have seen the Normans at work, and know that they are not such +terrible fellows; and as for their duke, I would assuredly rather meet him +in battle, doughty as he may be, than have faced Harold Hardrada with his +two-handed sword." + +"I have every hope of winning the day, Beorn, but still I do regret much +that Gurth and Leofric are both here. Do you remember that in Wales we +agreed that it was always well to have a way of retreat in case of defeat? +Well, I feel that defeat this time will mean not only the defeat of an army +but the ruin of England." + +On Friday afternoon the army reached rising ground near the village of +Senlac, which Harold had beforehand fixed upon as the place where he would +give battle to the invaders. Kent and Sussex he knew well. They had been +the home of his family, and he owned vast estates there. Doubtless in the +long weeks of waiting for the coming of the Norman fleet he had fixed upon +this spot as one well suited for a battle. It was necessary that the +English should fight on the defensive. The Normans were strong in cavalry, +while the English were unaccustomed to fight on horseback, and would have +been at a grievous disadvantage had they attacked the enemy. + +The hill offered many advantages to a force standing on the defensive. The +great eastern road passed close to its foot, and its possession barred the +passage of the invaders in that direction. The ground between it and the +sea was marshy and broken, and its occupation by an English force left the +Normans no choice but to come out and attack them. + +The sides were steep and the ground rose rapidly in the rear, so that the +Norman cavalry could not attack from behind. It was, indeed, a sort of +peninsula running southward from the main range of hills. + +The moment the troops reached the ground the royal standard was planted, +and the men set to work to fell trees and to form a triple palisade along +the accessible sides of the hills. The force at Harold's command must have +been far nearer to the estimate given of its strength by the English +chroniclers than by the Normans, for the space occupied was insufficient +for the standing room of such an army as that enumerated by the latter +writers. + +Harold relied almost entirely upon the housecarls. The levies might be +brave, but they were undisciplined, and might easily be thrown into +disorder; they would, too, be impatient under the trial of a long day's +battle. It is even said that he sent away some of the ill-armed levies, who +came flocking in from the country round, eager to revenge the injuries +received at the hands of the Normans. It was upon the shield-wall, the +favourite formation of the English, that he relied to win the battle. It +was their national mode of fighting. It was that in which Alfred had led +the Saxons to victory over the Danes. It was that in which they clashed +against the shield-wall of Norway and shattered it, and he might well hope +that the barons of Normandy and the adventurers from all parts of Europe +who fought under William's banner might well try in vain to break it. + +In the evening a messenger arrived from William, again bidding Harold +resign the kingdom or meet the duke in single combat, the crown of England +to be the prize of the victor. Harold refused the challenge. He had proved +his personal courage too often for it to be supposed that he declined from +any feeling of cowardice, but he knew well that the issue could not be thus +decided. Were he to fall, the people would still refuse to accept William +as their king; were William to fall, the host that had gathered for the +plunder of England would still give battle. Nothing was therefore to be +gained by the proposed combat. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + +HASTINGS. + +The fiction of the Norman historians, that while the Normans passed the +night preceding the battle in prayer, the English spent it in feasting, is +even more palpably absurd than the many other falsehoods invented for the +purpose of damaging the character of Harold. The English army had marched +nearly seventy miles in the course of two days, and had in addition +laboured incessantly for many hours in erecting the palisades and in +digging ditches. We may be sure that after two such days the great mass of +the army lay down dog-tired directly their work was done, and slept till +morning. Harold and his thanes had shared in their labours, and knowing the +terrible work that awaited them in the morning, would most surely be +disposed to get as long a sleep as possible to prepare for it. + +But what is most opposed to the Norman story is the fact that Harold was a +sincerely and deeply religious man, far more so than his rival. The life of +the one man was in accordance with his professions--he was gentle and +merciful, ever ready to forgive his enemies, averse to bloodshed, and so +true a friend of the church that the whole of the prelates and clergy set +the interdict of the pope at naught for his sake. The only exception in his +clemency to the conquered was in the case of the Welsh, and in this +instance the stern measures he adopted were in the end the most merciful. +No oaths could bind these marauders, and the stern punishment he inflicted +was the means of procuring for the West of England a respite from their +incursions that lasted for three generations. + +William of Normandy, on the contrary, was absolutely merciless in warfare. +He was not cruel for the sake of cruelty, but where he deemed that the +policy demanded it, he was ruthless, and spared neither age nor sex. He was +lavish to the church, but it was rather because he needed and obtained its +aid than from any feeling of real piety. + +In point of ability, both civil and military, the Duke of Normandy and +Harold of England were perhaps about equal; in point of nobility of +character there was no comparison between them. We may be sure that the +night before the battle Harold prayed as earnestly as he had prayed at +Waltham for the aid of Heaven. + +Wulf and Beorn lay down among the thanes, after Harold, sitting with them +round a fire, had explained his plans for the battle. So calmly and +confidently did he speak, and so strong was their position, that even those +who had, like Wulf, doubted the wisdom of an advance until the whole force +of England had assembled, now felt something like an assurance of victory, +and all lay down to sleep with the belief that the victory at Stamford +Bridge would be repeated. + +On waking, Wulf visited his men. They were already astir, and he was +astounded at seeing among them the towering figure of Osgod. + +"Why, what means this, Osgod?" he exclaimed. "Did I not order you to rest +quietly at York?" + +"That did you, my lord," Osgod said, "and no man obeys your orders more +readily than I, and anything that you bid me do I am willing to do if +possible; but in this it was not possible, for I could not remain at York, +either in rest or quiet. I should have had fever in my blood, and would by +this time have been lying as deep in the earth as Harold of Norway himself. +Therefore, in order to get the rest and quiet you had ordered, it was +necessary for me to come south. As you had left me well supplied with +money, I was able to do so in comfort, and though I could well enough walk +I have had myself carried in a litter by easy stages. I reached London on +Wednesday night, having been a fortnight on the way, and I arrived here an +hour since. Each day I walked a little, so as to keep my health and +exercise my limbs, and so well have I succeeded that my wound has well-nigh +healed; and although I doubt whether I shall be able to use a heavy axe, I +trust I shall be able to strike hard enough with the right hand to split a +few Norman helms." + +"But the exertion may set your wounds bleeding afresh, Osgod," Wulf said, +unable to repress a smile at Osgod's argument. + +"Methinks there is no fear of that. The most nights I have slept at +monasteries, and have inquired from the monks, whom I told that I must +needs stand by your side to-day, whether I should be fit. They said at +first that there would be some risk in the matter, but that if I continued +to take rest and quiet as I was doing, and the wound continued to heal +favourably, it was possible, if I abstained from actual fighting, I might +do so; but of late they have spoken more confidently. I told the monk who +seared my arm to do it heartily, for a little pain more or less was of +small account, so that he made a good job of it. And so, what with the rest +and quiet and my mind being at ease, it went on so well that a monk who +examined it at Westminster on Wednesday evening told me that save for the +healing of the skin the wound was pretty nigh cured, and that he thought +there was no chance whatever of its breaking out afresh. He bandaged it +tightly to prevent any rush of blood into the veins, and though when I +drove an axe just now into that stump yonder, I felt that I had not got +back my strength fully, I expect when I warm to the work I shall strike as +strongly as most." + +"Well, at any rate you must take care of yourself, Osgod. You can aid me +in keeping our men steady, but I charge you not to fight yourself unless +you see the line waver. Then you can, of course, throw yourself into the +fray." + +"I will keep myself back for that, master; but I am sure we shall all have +to do our best before sunset, and as all will be risking their lives there +is no reason why I should not do so as well as the rest." + +The troops made a hearty breakfast from the food they carried, and quenched +their thirst at the little stream that ran down by the side of the slope, +then they were told off to the ground they were to occupy. + +At nine in the morning the vanguard of the Norman army appeared over the +brow of a rise, and the English at once took up their positions. In the +centre were the housecarls of the royal house and those of the thanes, +together with the men of Kent, whose right it was ever to be in the front +of a battle, and the London citizens under their sheriff. All these were +armed and attired like the housecarls. In the centre of this array flew the +royal standard, and around it were the three royal brothers, Aelfwig their +uncle, with his monk's cowl over his helmet, and their nephew, Hakon, the +son of Sweyn. The housecarls were in a triple line. To the left and right +of them were the levies, as brave as their more heavily armed comrades, but +altogether without discipline, and armed in the most primitive manner. A +few only carried swords or axes, the majority had spears or javelins. Many +had only forks or sharp stakes, while some carried stone hammers and axes, +such as were used by their primitive ancestors. + +As the Norman army wound down from the opposite hill and formed up in the +order of battle, Harold rode along in front of his line exhorting all to +stand firm. + +"They were there," he said, "to defend their country, and to defend their +country they had but to hold the hill. Were they steadfast and firm they +could assuredly resist the attack of this host who came to capture and +plunder England." + +The order in which the Normans prepared for battle was similar to that of +the English. Both commanders had been well informed by spies of the +strength and position of their opponents, and the duke placed his tried +Norman troops in the centre to match themselves against the English +housecarls. His Breton contingent was on his left, while on the right were +the French, the Flemings, and the other foreign adventurers who had come to +fight under his banner. In the front line were the archers and slingers, +who were to open the battle and shake the line of the defenders. Behind +these came the infantry, who were to hew down the palisades and clear a way +for the cavalry charge full into the centre of the English host. + +A Norman trumpet gave the signal for the commencement of the battle, and +the archers along the whole line poured a storm of arrows into the English. +It was unanswered, for there were few bowmen among the defenders of the +hill, and the distance was too great for the javelin-men to hurl their +missiles. After the archers had shot several volleys of arrows they fell +back, and the infantry advanced against the hill; but before they did so +Taillifer, a Norman minstrel, dashed forward on horseback, and spurring up +the ascent, tossing his sword in the air and catching it as it fell, rode +up to the English line. One man he pierced with a lance, another he cut +down with his sword, and then fell dead under the blow of a heavy axe. +This mad exploit had scarce terminated when the Norman infantry advanced up +the hill. They were greeted with a shower of stones and javelins, which +slew many, but with unbroken front they pressed upwards until they reached +the palisade. Here a desperate struggle began. The Norman sword and spear +were met by the axes of the housecarls, and the clubs, spears, and forks of +the levies. In vain Norman, Breton, Frenchmen, and Fleming strove to break +the English line. The high position of the defenders gave them a great +advantage over their assailants, among whose crowded ranks the javelin-men +did great execution, while the Normans could receive little aid from their +archers. Both sides fought with obstinate valour. The Norman battle-cry was +"God help us!" the English "God Almighty and the Holy Cross!" The latter +invocation being to the relic at Waltham, which was the king's special +object of devotion. + +With jeering cries too they greeted the efforts of their assailants to +cross the palisade and break their line. At last the Norman infantry fell +back broken and baffled, having suffered terrible loss, and now the knights +and horsemen, who formed the backbone of William's army, rode up the hill. +The duke himself, as well as his brother Odo, Bishop of Bayeau, who fought +beside him, had laid aside their Norman swords, and were armed with heavy +maces, weapons as formidable as the English axe. But the valour of the +horsemen, the strength of their armour, the length of their lances, and the +weight of their horses, availed no more against the shield-wall of the +housecarls than the infantry had done. The superior height and strength of +the English, and the sweep of their terrible battle-axes, counterbalanced +the advantage the horses afforded to the Normans, and the hitherto +irresistible chivalry of Normandy and France were, for the first time, +dashed backwards by trained infantry. + +In front of the English line the ground was thickly covered with fallen men +and horses. There were but few wounded among them, for where the English +axe fell, whether on horse or rider, it did its work thoroughly. But the +English, too, had suffered. The action of swinging the axe with both arms +above the head left the neck and upper part of the body exposed, and many +had fallen pierced through and through by the Norman spears. A great shout +of triumph rose from the English line as the Norman horsemen, unable to do +more, fell sullenly back down the hill. As in the centre the king with his +thanes and housecarls had repelled the attack of the Normans, so on the +flanks the English levies had held their ground against the Bretons and +French; but, carried away by their exultation, the levies on the right, +forgetful of Harold's express orders that no man was to stir from his place +until he himself gave the signal for pursuit, broke their line, and rushing +down the hill fell on the retreating Bretons. + +Unable to withstand the onslaught, and already disheartened by their +failure, the Bretons fled in wild alarm, and rushing towards the centre for +protection threw the Normans also into confusion. The panic spread rapidly, +the host wavered, and had already begun to fly, when William, throwing off +his helmet, rode among them, and exhorting some and striking others with a +lance he had caught up, at last restored order, and the Breton infantry +rallied and fell upon their pursuers, killing many and driving the rest +back up the hill. + +Again the Norman infantry and cavalry together advanced up the hill, and +the terrible struggle recommenced. William and his brother the bishop +performed prodigies of valour, but not less valiantly fought Harold of +England and his brothers. The palisade was by this time destroyed in many +places, and desperate hand-to-hand contests now took place. Cutting his way +through meaner foes the duke strove to reach the royal standard and +encounter Harold himself. He was nearing his goal, when Gurth sprang +forward, eager above all things to protect Harold from harm. He hurled a +javelin at William, but the dart struck the Norman's horse only, and it +fell beneath him. William leapt to his feet, and springing upon Gurth smote +with his heavy mace full on his helmet, and the noble Earl of East Anglia +fell dead at his feet. Almost at the same moment his brother Leofwin, +fighting sword in hand, was slain. But the fall of the two royal brothers +in no way changed the fate of the battle. The men of Kent and Essex, +furious at the fall of their beloved earls, fought even more fiercely than +before to avenge their deaths. + +William had remounted, but his second horse was also slain. Eustace of +Boulogne offered him his horse, and himself mounting that of one of his +followers they fell together upon the English line, but all the valour of +the duke and his chivalry failed to break it. On the French left the +Bretons had, indeed, succeeded in completely destroying the palisade, but +the levies stood firm, and no impression was made upon their solid line. +The attack had failed, and even William saw that it was hopeless any more +to hurl his troops against the shield-wall, but the manner in which the +English irregulars had been induced to break their array led him to try by +a feigned retreat to induce them to repeat their error. While the fight yet +raged around him he sent orders to the Bretons to turn and flee, and then +if the defenders pursued them to turn upon them while he ordered a portion +of his Norman force to make straight for the gap as soon as the English +left their posts. + +The stratagem was successful. Again with exulting shouts the levies poured +out in pursuit of the Bretons. These fled for some distance, and then +suddenly turning fell on their pursuers. Ill-armed and undisciplined as the +levies were, and unable to withstand the attack of such overwhelming +numbers, they bore themselves gallantly. One party took possession of a +small outlying hill, and with showers of darts and stones they killed or +drove off all who attacked them. The greater part, however, made their way +to broken ground to the west of the hill, and made a stand on the steep +bank of a small ravine. The French horsemen charging down upon them, +unaware of the existence of the ravine, fell into it, and were slaughtered +in such numbers by the knives and spears of the English that the ravine was +well-nigh filled up with their dead bodies. + +But gallantly as the levies had retrieved their error, it was a fatal one. +As soon as they had left their line, the Normans told off for the duty +pressed into the gap, and were followed by the whole of their main body, +and thus the English lost the advantage of position, and the contending +hosts faced each other on the hill, the ground now occupied by the Normans +being somewhat higher than that on which the housecarls stood. It was now +about three in the afternoon, and the fight had been raging for six hours, +but though thus outflanked and the order of their battle destroyed, the +veterans of Harold showed neither alarm nor discouragement. Their formation +was changed, the shield-wall still faced the Normans, and for a time every +effort to break it failed. + +In vain the Norman cavalry charged down upon it, in vain their duke plied +his terrible mace. Occasionally men worn out by the long defensive battle +sprang from the English ranks and engaged knight or baron hand to hand. All +along the line such single-handed conflicts were going on, and the roar of +battle was as loud and fierce as at the beginning of the day. So for three +more hours the fight went on; with diminishing numbers, but with +undiminished bravery the English still held their ground, and as twilight +was now closing in, it seemed as if they would maintain it till nightfall. +Then William ordered up his archers again, bade them shoot their arrows +high into the air, so that they should fall among the king and his thanes +grouped round the standard. + +The effect was terrible. Through helm and shoulder-guard the arrows made +their way; the soldiers held their shields above their heads, but the +thanes had no such protection. Harold glanced up for a moment, and as if +directed by the hand of fate an arrow struck him full in the eye, and he +fell prostrate as if struck by a thunderbolt. A cry of horror and dismay +burst from the thanes around him, but there was no time for the indulgence +of grief. The Normans too had seen the king fall, and with shouts of +triumph a body of knights tried to force their way in to take possession of +his body. But so long as an Englishman could swing axe this was not to be, +and the assault was repulsed as others had been before. Nor, when the news +of Harold's fall spread, did the brave housecarls lose heart, but sternly +and obstinately as ever held together. + +At last the Normans burst in at the centre, each baron and knight striving +to be the first to pluck down the standards, the one the king's own +cognizance, the other the national banner, that waved side by side. One +after another the thanes were smitten down. Not one asked for quarter, not +one turned his back upon the foe. + +Beorn and Wulf had, through the long fight, stood side by side, and the +watchfulness with which they guarded each other had carried them so far +unharmed through it. + +"It is all over now, Beorn," Wulf said. "But it is not hard to die, for +with Harold the cause of England is lost." + +"At any rate we will sell our lives dearly," Beorn said, as he struck a +Norman knight from his horse. But they were the last defenders of the +standards, and the end was at hand. Blows rained down upon them. Beorn was +beaten on to one knee; Wulf was so exhausted by his exertions that he could +scarce swing his axe, when a Norman baron pressed his horse through the +throng, and springing to the ground held his sword aloft and shouted: +"Stand back! stand back! these two men hold the duke's solemn pledge for +their lives!" Some of the others still pressed on, but he shouted again: +"Whoever strikes at them strikes at me!" + +There was still hesitation, so furious were the Normans at the resistance +they had met with and the tremendous losses they had suffered. But another +baron exclaimed, "De Burg is right! I heard the pledge given, and so did +many of you. This is the young Saxon who saved the duke's camp from the +attack by the Bretons, and bore the brunt of their assault till we had time +to arm. The other brought with him the news that Harold was wrecked." The +words were decisive, and the Normans turned aside their horses to attack +other foes. + +"Thank God I arrived in time, Wulf," Baron de Burg said. "I knew you would +be near the standard, but I was fighting elsewhere when the news reached me +that the line was broken and the standard on the point of capture. Are you +badly hurt, Beorn?" + +"I am dizzy and faint," Beorn, who had risen to his feet, replied +unsteadily, "but I think not badly wounded." + +"Walk by me one on each side holding my stirrup-leathers. I would place +you on my horse, but it were best that I myself should be seen." + +He removed his helmet, and bareheaded moved off with the young thanes +walking beside him. Many Normans stopped as he made his way down the hill, +but to their questions he replied, "The duke has himself guaranteed the +safety of these thanes," and as he was well known to stand high in the +duke's favour his word was at once accepted. + +In the meantime Harold's standard, whose emblem was a fighting man, and the +golden dragon, the national banner, had been carried off in triumph. Four +of the Normans whose names were long held in infamy by the English +discovered the body of the dying king, for it is said that he still +breathed. One of these was Eustace of Boulogne, the only man in the two +armies who had during the engagement shown signs of craven fear. Another +was the son of that Count of Ponthieu, who had once held Harold prisoner. +The others were Gifford and Montfort. One ran his spear through Harold's +breast, another struck off his head with his sword, a third pierced the +dead body, while the fourth further insulted the dead hero by cutting off +one of his legs--an action, however, which William when he heard of it +pronounced to be shameful, and expelled its perpetrator from the army. + +But though the king was dead and the standard lost, the survivors of the +housecarls still fought on until darkness fell. The levies had fled just +before, hotly pursued by the Norman horse. Knowing the ground well the +light-armed footmen fled across a bog, and in the fast-gathering darkness +their pursuers did not notice the nature of the ground, but galloping on +plunged into the morass, where great numbers of them perished miserably, +either suffocated in the mud or slain by the English, who turned and fell +upon them with axe and spear as soon as they saw their plight. So great was +the slaughter, that those who had reined up their horses in time were +stricken with horror even after all the carnage they had witnessed on the +field of battle. + +With darkness the battle came to an end. Few indeed of the housecarls drew +off under cover of the darkness; their force being almost annihilated. With +them had perished almost the whole of the thanes of the South of England +and East Anglia. The Sheriff of London had been carried off desperately +wounded by a few of his friends, but with this exception none of Harold's +companions and thanes left the field alive while daylight lasted. A few +only the next morning were found breathing among the mass of dead, and some +of these survived and returned at last to their homes: for William, +satisfied with the complete victory he had gained, issued orders that all +found alive on the field were to be well treated. He felt that he was now +King of England, and that clemency was his best policy. Permission was +given to the women who flocked in from the country round, to search for the +bodies of their friends and to remove them for burial. He also commanded a +search to be made for the body of Harold, but during the night, while the +exhausted soldiers slept heavily after their labours, the camp-followers +had been busy with the work of plunder, busiest round the spot where the +standards had stood, for here were stores of gold bracelets and rings, the +emblems of authority of the thanes, to be collected, and rich garments to +be carried off. Thus then, the heaps of corpses that marked the spot where +the fighting had all day been heaviest, were unrecognizable, so terrible +had been the wounds dealt by sword, battle-axe, and mace. + +De Burg had kept Wulf and Beorn with him all night, and they had lain down +and slept together. In the morning he committed them to the charge of some +of his personal followers, while he went to the duke to inform him of what +he had done. + +"Thank you, De Burg," William said; "they are two brave young fellows. I +marked them in the fight more than once when I was near the standard, and I +should have grieved if ill had befallen them, for they did me loyal +service. I had given my word that they should retain their estates in case +I ever came to the throne here. I know not what to do with them. Were I to +let them go now, they would assuredly take part in any further resistance +that the English may offer to me. I will not ask them now to swear +allegiance to me, for fresh from the battle where they have lost so many +friends and the earl they loved so loyally, they would assuredly refuse." + +"If you will grant me a short leave I will take ship back to Normandy and +place them in the care of my wife, where they can remain until matters have +settled down here." + +"It is a good idea, De Burg; do so without delay. Methinks that after +yesterday there will be no real resistance offered to me. Harold and his +brothers and all the leading thanes lie dead. There is no one left to lead +the people or organize a resistance, therefore I can spare you for a time." + +Thanking the duke, De Burg returned to his captives and told them what had +been arranged. + +"We owe you our heartiest thanks, Lord de Burg, for your kindness," Beorn +said. "Assuredly so long as England resists we will not acknowledge William +of Normandy as king, but when resistance ceases, we will of course take the +oath to him if only for the sake of our people; partial risings could but +bring down his vengeance and cause suffering and ruin to all concerned. +Therefore, we gratefully accept your offer, but first of all we beg you to +let us go to the spot where our housecarls fought. You remember Wulf's man, +Osgod?" + +"That do I indeed," De Burg replied. "The great fellow who fought by his +side that night against the Bretons, and saved my son's life. Was he +there?" + +"He was," Wulf said, "though greatly against my wishes; for he had lost an +arm in the fight at Stamford Bridge, and though it is little more than a +fortnight since, he had himself carried down here, contrary to my orders, +and insisted upon joining in the battle. I would fain search for his body +and give him burial." + +"I will come with you at once," the Norman said, "I too owe him a debt of +gratitude." + +The housecarls of Steyning had fallen to a man where they stood, and among +them after some searching they came upon the body of Osgod, distinguished +alike by its bulk and the loss of an arm. His axe lay with a broken shaft +by his side. His helmet was cleft asunder, and his face covered with +blood. + +"His body is yet warm," Wulf said, as he lifted his arm. "I believe he +still lives." + +De Burg called upon two Norman soldiers near to aid, and with their +assistance Wulf and Beorn carried Osgod down to the stream, where they +washed the blood from his face and bathed the wound in his head. + +"He is certainly alive," Beorn said. "Doubtless he was stunned by the blow, +and has remained unconscious from the loss of blood." + +De Burg sent for a flask of wine, and a little of this was poured through +Osgod's lips. Presently there was a deep sigh and a slight motion of the +figure, and then Osgod opened his eyes. + +At first he seemed bewildered, but as his eyes fell on Wulf a look of +pleasure came into them, and he smiled faintly. + +"I am alive, Osgod, and glad indeed to find that you are also. Beorn has +also escaped. Take a draught of wine; you have lost a lot of blood and had +none to spare." + +They lifted him into a sitting position, and held the cup to his lips while +he drank a long draught. + +"That is better," he murmured. "I can feel it going through my veins. I +shall be able to wield an axe yet again. This comes of fighting with a +weapon you don't know. The shaft broke as I was guarding my head, and I +don't remember anything after." + +"It saved your life though, Osgod, for it broke the force of the blow which +would otherwise have cleft your skull. As it is, it has not gone very deep, +and the blood you have lost has run chiefly from a wound on your left +shoulder." + +"How is it that you are here?" Osgod asked, looking round at the Normans. + +"We are prisoners, though we have not surrendered," Wulf replied. "We were +saved by our good friend Lord de Burg, who has joined us in our search for +you. We are to be taken to Normandy as prisoners, and to remain in charge +of Lady de Burg." + +"You shall go too, Osgod," De Burg said. "You will find it hard to be +nursed here, and my wife will see that your wounds are well cared for. Your +master will stay with you for the present, for I have matters to see about +before we start for the coast." + +In half an hour he returned. "I have to ask you to perform a last service +to your dead king," he said. "The bodies of Gurth and Leofwin have been +found and borne away by your people for burial, but none can find the body +of Harold. All the dead that were near the standard were removed last +night by the soldiers, and among the great pile of dead none can recognize +that of your king." + +Well as they knew him, Wulf and Beorn were unable to recognize the body of +Harold among the ghastly heap of mutilated corpses. After a time Wulf said: + +"There is one who might recognize it when all others failed. It is Edith, +whom he so long loved as his wife. She may recognize it by some mark or +sign unknown to others. If you will give me leave I will ride to Lewes, +where she is staying, and bring her hither." + +"Certainly, Wulf; I will obtain a safe conduct for you from the duke." + +Wulf had ridden, however, but a mile along the western road when he saw a +litter approaching borne by four men. He reined in his horse by its side. +An order was given from within, and as the bearers lowered it to the ground +Edith stepped out. She was deadly pale. Her eyes were red with weeping, and +she seemed to Wulf to have aged years since he saw her a week before. + +"My presentiments have come true, Wulf," she said. "It was no surprise to +me when last night the news came that the battle was lost and Harold slain. +I had looked and waited for it. You were coming to fetch me?" + +"Yes, lady; Harold's body has not been found. Early this morning two monks +of Waltham, who had followed the army and seen the fight afar off, came +into camp, and with them Gytha, Harold's mother. She saw the duke, and +begged for Harold's body, offering its weight in gold if she might carry it +for burial to the Abbey of Waltham. The duke refused, saying that an +excommunicated man could not be buried in a holy place; she might remove +the bodies of her other two sons, but Harold's, when found, should be +buried by the seacoast. The monks searched in vain for the body. Beorn and +I have done the same, but have failed to recognize it in so vast a heap of +slain." + +"I shall know it," Edith said. "Among a thousand dead I should know +Harold." + +"It is a terrible sight, lady, for a woman to look upon," Wulf said gently. + +"I shall see nothing but him," she replied firmly. + +He accompanied her back to the battle-ground, where the two monks joined +her. Wulf, who was greatly shaken by the sight of her set and white face, +left her with them. + +What the eye of friendship had failed to accomplish, that of love detected +unerringly. There were marks on Harold's body by which Edith recognized it. +One of the monks bore the news to the duke, who charged Sir William Malet +to superintend the burial, and to do it with all honour. The remains were +collected and reverently placed together. They were wrapped in a purple +robe, and laid on a litter. Beorn and Wulf and the two monks lifted it; +Edith walked behind, followed by Lord de Burg and several other Norman +knights and barons who had known Harold in Normandy, and could admire and +appreciate the valour of the dead hero. The little procession went down to +the shore, where Norman soldiers had already dug a grave, and there by the +coast he had defended so well Harold was laid to rest, and over his body a +great cairn of stones was raised by order of the duke. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + + +THE LORD OF BRAMBER. + +Edith stood by while the Norman soldiers piled the stones over the grave. +No tear had fallen from her eyes from the time that she had reached the +field of battle. Her face was as pale as marble, and looked almost as +rigid. When the last stone was placed on the top of the cairn she turned to +Wulf and Beorn: + +"Farewell, Wulf! farewell, Beorn! I am glad you were here. I am glad that +beside me stood two of his most trusted thanes, and two of the monks from +the abbey he founded, and whose welfare was so dear to him. I go to Lewes, +and when the doors of the convent close on me I shall be dead to the world. +Would that I were lying beneath that cairn by the side of my dear lord. I +cannot weep for him now, the springs of my heart seem frozen, but I have +time for that. Farewell, thanes! I shall remember you in my prayers." So +saying she turned away, and walked back to the litter. + +"Poor lady!" Beorn exclaimed as he watched the litter, escorted by the two +monks, carried along the road. + +"Poor lady indeed!" Wulf repeated; "and yet there are thousands in England +and Normandy who were widowed yesterday, and maybe she is better off than +many. She lost Harold the day she resigned him to another, and it was +harder perhaps to be parted from him in that fashion than to know that he +is dead now. She can think of him as his true widow, for assuredly the +queen who never cared aught for him is a widow but in name. Before, Edith +was tortured by the desire to see him and to comfort him, and yet his +marriage stood as a gulf between them, a gulf that she would never have +passed. Now she can think of him as her very own, as the man who had loved +her even as she had loved him. It is a grief, a terrible grief, but one +without bitterness. But see, Lord de Burg is coming this way, and as there +is a litter behind him I suppose all is ready for our departure." + +"I am ready, young thanes," De Burg said as he came up. "We ride at once +for Pevensey, whither an order was sent some hours ago for a ship to be in +readiness to sail for Normandy." + +Three horses were led up and mounted. They rode away, followed by an armed +party and the litter on which Osgod was laid. + +"You have done your last duty to your king," the Norman said. "It is a fit +grave for a hero, and assuredly Harold was one. Maybe that it is not his +last resting-place. The duke at present doubtless felt constrained at first +to refuse him Christian burial, for had he granted Gytha's request, it +would have been an acknowledgment that the charges brought against him were +unfounded, and the excommunication of no avail; but I doubt not that in +time he will allow his body to be taken to his abbey at Waltham. Now," he +said less gravely, in order to turn their thoughts from the sad scenes they +had witnessed, "what think you of the future, will the Northern earls head +a national movement against us?" + +"They are foul traitors!" Beorn exclaimed passionately; "and I would that +Wulf and I could meet them in fair lists and fight them." + +"They will do nothing," Wulf said more quietly. "They will hasten to make +the best terms they can for themselves, and will ask to be permitted to +hold their earldoms as his vassals. But they will not long enjoy their +treachery; they are ever intriguers, and as soon as they see their +opportunity will conspire against William as they conspired against Harold. +Thank heaven they will receive scantier mercy at his hands than they +received at the king's. As for the South and East, who is to lead them? +There is no one left to whom they can look for guidance; doubtless in some +places they will resist, but such resistance can only bring ruin upon those +who attempt it. Maybe some will take to the forests or the great eastern +marshes, and may perhaps hold out for months, or even years. But what can +it avail in the end? Had Harold escaped alive there would have been many a +battle as obstinate as that of yesterday to fight before England was +conquered. Had any of the greater thanes escaped men would have flocked to +them, but they are all gone, save the few that were found well-nigh +lifeless this morning. Perhaps it is better as it is; for now that William +is victorious he will soon receive large bodies of reinforcements, and as +resistance would be vain, it were best that no resistance were made. Duke +William has shown himself a wise and just ruler in Normandy, and will +doubtless prove himself the same in England if he be not angered by revolts +and risings. It is hard that Englishmen should be ruled by a foreigner, but +it is no new thing for us. We Saxons conquered the Britons, and in turn +Danish kings have ruled over us; but Saxon and Dane have become almost one, +and the old grudges have died out. Maybe in time you Normans also may +become English." + +"You would take the oath of allegiance to William then, Wulf?" + +"Not now, my lord, but when England accepts him as her king I should be +willing to hold my lands from him as I have held them before from our +kings, that is, if the lands remain mine." + +"They will remain yours," Lord de Burg said confidently. "The duke's +promise was publicly made, and he will certainly adhere to it; even if he +wished it, he could not, after charging Harold with perjury, break his own +promise." + +The sun was sinking when they reached Pevensey, for the search for Harold's +body and the building of his cairn had occupied many hours. They went at +once on board one of the ships De Burg had himself furnished for the +expedition, and two days later landed at Rouen. They had brought horses +with them, and the two young thanes at once rode with the baron to his +chateau, leaving Osgod to be brought after them in his litter. Lord de Burg +was received with the greatest joy by his wife, Guy, and Agnes. They had +been in a state of terrible anxiety for the last twenty-four hours, for a +swift ship had been despatched by the duke with the news of the victory, at +daybreak after the battle, and it was known that the fight had been long +and desperately contested, and that a great number of barons and knights +had fallen. As soon as the first outburst of delight was over the baron +called in Wulf and Beorn, who had not followed him into the room, feeling +that he would prefer to greet his family alone. Guy gave an exclamation of +surprise and pleasure as they came forward. + +"These are my prisoners," the baron said with a smile, "if I can call +prisoners those who have never surrendered. The duke has intrusted them to +my keeping, and has ordered that you shall hold them in safe custody." + +"Lord de Burg does not tell you, lady, that he saved our lives, which but +for him were assuredly lost. We were well-nigh spent, and were surrounded +by a ring of foes when he broke in and stood beside us proclaiming that the +duke himself had given a pledge for our safety." + +"I have paid part of the debt we owe," the baron said, "though I saved them +at no cost to myself, while Wulf defended Guy at the risk of his life." + +"How long do you stay with us, my lord?" + +"As long as I can, wife. I went, as you know, unwillingly to the war, but +when all the Norman barons followed the duke I could not hold back. But I +trust to have no more of it; so terrible a field no man living has seen, +and in truth until twilight fell it seemed that we should be beaten, with +such obstinacy and endurance did the English fight. We won, but it was a +victory over the dead rather than the living. Of Harold's regular troops no +man turned, no man asked for quarter, they fell where they stood; and even +the irregulars, who had fought with equal bravery, when, as night fell and +all was lost, they fled, inflicted well-nigh as heavy a blow upon us as had +been dealt during the day. I have no animosity against them, they are +valiant men, and were in their right in defending their country, and I +would that I could stay peacefully here until the last blow has been +struck. I am well content with my estates, and need no foot of English +land, no share in English spoil I must fight for my liege lord as long as +fighting goes on, but that over I hope to return here and live in peace. +At any rate I can tarry quietly here for a week. Certainly no force can be +raised in time to oppose the duke's advance on London, and my sword +therefore may well rest in its scabbard. I suppose, thanes, you will not +object to give me your parole to attempt no escape?" + +"Willingly, my lord," Beorn said. "If, contrary to our opinion, England +should rise and fight one more battle for freedom, we will give you due +notice that we shall if possible escape and cross the sea to join our +countrymen." + +"That is fair enough," De Burg said with a smile, "and the moment you give +me notice I will clap you into so firm a cage that I warrant you will not +escape from it; but I trust the necessity will not arise. Now, Guy, take +your friends to their chambers and see to their comfort. I will not tell +the story of the battle until you return, for doubtless you are burning to +hear it, and in truth it will be famous in all times, both as one of the +sturdiest fights ever heard of, and because such great issues depended on +its results." + +When Guy returned with his friends and a meal had been eaten, De Burg told +the story of the battle of Senlac. + +"Such is the story as far as I know it," he added in conclusion, "but in +truth beyond the beginning and the end, and the fact that we twice fell +back and at one time were flying in headlong rout to our ships, I know +nothing. All day I was striving to break through a living wall, and +striving in vain. I can see now the close line of shields, the helmet +covered faces above them, and the terrible axes rising and falling, +cleaving through helmet and hauberk as if they had been pasteboard. It may +well-nigh be said that we have no wounded, for each man struck fell in his +track as if smitten by lightning. Can you add more, thanes?" + +Beorn shook his head. + +"It is like a dream," Wulf said. "We never moved through the long day. At +times there was a short lull, and then each man was fighting as best he +could. I know that my arms grew tired and that my axe seemed to grow +heavier, that horse and foot swept up to us, and there was occasionally +breathing time; that the royal brothers' voices rose ever cheeringly and +encouragingly until Gurth and Leofwin fell, and after that Harold's alone +was heard, though I think it came to my ears as from a distance, so great +was the tumult, so great our exertions. When Harold died I knew that all +was lost, but even that did not seem to affect me. I had become a sort of +machine, and fought almost mechanically, with a dim consciousness that the +end was close at hand. It was only at the last, when Beorn and I stood back +to back, that I seemed myself again, and was animated with new strength +that came, I suppose, from despair." + +"It was an awful day," De Burg said. "I have fought in many battles under +the duke's banner, but the sternest of them were but paltry skirmishes in +comparison to this. Half of the nobles of Normandy lie dead, half the army +that filled the mighty fleet that sailed from St. Valery have fallen. +William is King of England, but whether that will in the end repay Normandy +for the loss she has suffered seems to me very doubtful. And now let us to +bed. I sleep not well on shipboard, and in truth I had such dreams of death +and slaughter that I ever awoke bathed with sweat, and in such fear that I +dared not go to sleep again." + +At the end of a week the baron sailed again for England. To the two young +Englishmen the following weeks passed pleasantly. Ships came frequently +from England with news of what was doing there. William had tarried for +some time at his camp at Hastings, expecting to receive the submission of +all England. But not an Englishman came to bow before him. The Northern +earls had hurried to London as soon as they heard of the defeat at Senlac +and the death of the king and his brothers, and a Witan was instantly +summoned to choose his successor to the throne. + +Edwin and Morcar thought that the choice of the nation would surely fall +upon one or other of them, as in rank and position they were now the first +men in the realm. They exerted themselves to the utmost to bring this +about, but no true-hearted Englishman could forgive either their acceptance +of Harold Hardrada as their king, or the long and treacherous delay that +had left Southern England to stand alone on the day of battle. The choice +of the Witan fell on the young Edgar, the grandson of Edmund Ironside, the +last male survivor of the royal blood. Edgar, however, was never crowned, +as that ceremony could only take place at one of the festivals of the +church, and it was therefore postponed until Christmas. London was eager +for resistance. Alfred had fought battle after battle against the Danes, +and though without their natural leaders, the people throughout Southern +England looked forward to a long and determined struggle. With the army of +the North as a rallying centre a force more numerous than that which Harold +had led might soon be gathered. But these hopes were dashed to the ground +by the treacherous Northern earls. Had one of them been chosen to sit on +the vacant throne they would doubtless have done their best to maintain +that throne, but they had been passed over, and oblivious of the fact that +it was to the South they owed the rescue of their earldoms from the sway of +the King of Norway and Tostig, they sullenly marched away with their army +and left the South to its fate. + +While the cause of England was thus being betrayed and ruined, William was +advancing eastward along the coast ravaging and destroying. Romney was +levelled to the ground and its inhabitants slain. Dover opened its gates. +It is probable that most of the male population had joined Harold, and had +fallen at Senlac; and that the terrible fate of Romney had struck such +terror into the hearts of the inhabitants, who knew there was no army that +could advance to their assistance, that they surrendered at the Conqueror's +approach. To them William behaved with lenity and kindness. His severity at +Romney and his lenity at Dover had their effect. There being no central +authority, no army in the field, each town and district was left to shift +for itself; and assuredly none of them unaided could hope to offer +prolonged resistance to the Normans. As, after eight days' stay at Dover, +William advanced towards Canterbury, he was met by a deputation of the +citizens offering their submission, and soon from all parts of Kent similar +messages came in. + +Kent had done its full share in the national defence on the hill near +Hastings, and was not to be blamed if, when all England remained supine and +inactive, its villagers refused to throw away their lives uselessly. The +duke was detained by sickness for a month near Canterbury, and there +received the submission of Kent and Sussex, and also that of the great +ecclesiastical city of Winchester; but the spirit of resistance in London +still burned brightly, and William was indisposed to risk the loss that +would be incurred by an assault upon its walls. He, therefore, moved round +in a wide circle, wasting the land, plundering and destroying, till the +citizens, convinced that resistance could only bring destruction upon +themselves and their city, and in spite of the efforts of their wounded +sheriff, sent an embassy to the duke at Berkhampstead to submit and do +homage to him. + +Not London alone was represented by this embassy. The young king, elected +but uncrowned, was with it; two archbishops, two bishops, and many of the +chief men in England accompanied it, and although they were not the +spokesmen of any Witan, they might be said fairly to represent London and +Southern England. + +Deserted by the North, without a leader, and seeing their land exposed to +wholesale ravages, the South and West Saxons were scarcely to be blamed for +preferring submission to destruction. They doubtless thought that William, +the wise ruler of Normandy, would make a far better king than the boy they +had chosen, who was himself almost as much a foreigner as William, save +that there was a strain of English royal blood in his veins. So had England +accepted Canute the Dane as her king, and he had ruled as an English +monarch wisely and well. + +The embassy offered William the crown. The Norman prelates and priests, who +held so many of the dignities in the English Church, had worked hard to +incline men's minds to this end. Silent while England stood united under +its king to oppose the invader, their tongues were loosed as soon as the +strength of England was broken and its king dead, and they pointed out that +God had clearly designated William as their king by giving him victory and +by destroying alike Harold and his brothers. + +William went through the farce of hesitating to accept the offer of the +crown, and held a consultation with his officers as to the answer he should +give. They of course replied that he should accept the offer. William, +therefore, marched with his army to London, where on Christmas-day the same +prelate who had anointed Harold King of England crowned William as his +successor. + +A few days later Beorn and Wulf with Osgod, who had now completely +recovered from his wounds, set sail for England. There was no longer any +reason why they should not take their oaths to serve William. He was the +crowned king of England, the accepted of the people, as Harold had been, +and when all Southern England had submitted it was not for them, who had +received special favours at William's hand, to hold back. With them went +Lady de Burg, Guy, and Agnes, with many other Norman ladies on their way to +rejoin their lords in London. Baron de Burg, on the day after their +arrival at Westminster, led the two young thanes to the private apartment +of the king. He received them graciously. + +"There are none of your nation," he said, "whose homage I more gladly +accept. You fought valiantly before under my banner, and will, I am sure, +be ready to do so again should occasion arise. I am thankful to my Lord de +Burg that he interposed in my name and saved your lives. I have not +forgotten the other part of my promise, and have this morning ordered my +justiciar to add to your estates forfeited lands adjoining." + +Beorn and Wulf had previously talked the matter over. Their own +inclinations would have led them to refuse the offer, but as it was certain +that all the land forfeited to the crown by the death of its holders in +battle would be apportioned among William's Norman followers, they thought +that it would be wholly for the benefit both of the families of the late +thanes and for their tenants and people that they should accept any estate +William might bestow on them. They, therefore, thanked the duke in +suitable terms, and at once took the oaths for the lands he might be +pleased to bestow on them. A week later they received the formal deeds, +which in both cases more than doubled the estates they before possessed. + +The same evening Lord de Burg said to Wulf, who had tarried in London, +while Beorn had at once set out for Fareham: "I think the time has come, +Wulf, when I can speak of a subject that has been in my thoughts for a long +time, and which, although you have not spoken, has, as my wife and I have +both seen, been dear to you. Normandy and England are now one, and we are +vassals of the same king. As long as there was a probability that +Englishmen and Normans might again be ranged in battle against each other, +it was not expedient that aught should be done in the matter, but, now this +obstacle is removed, I can offer you the alliance on which I am sure your +heart is set, and give you the hand of my daughter in marriage." + +"It is the greatest wish of my life," Wulf replied gratefully. "I should +have asked you for her hand before had it not been for the position of +public affairs. I love her dearly, though I have until now abstained from +speaking; and yet I would not wed her unless her heart went freely with her +hand." + +"I think not that she will be disobedient to my wishes," De Burg said +smiling. "She has proved deaf to all her Norman suitors, and although among +them were some whom few maidens would have said no to, her mother and I had +no wish to force her inclinations, especially as we both shrewdly suspected +where her heart had been bestowed. This alliance, too, has long been the +dearest wish of Guy. On the bed of sickness where he lay so long, and from +which it seemed at one time that he would never rise, he often spoke to me +of it. He was fondly attached to his sister, and again and again said that +he wished of all things that you should some day become her husband, as he +was sure her happiness would be safe with you, and that you would worthily +fill his place to us, and would, when the time came, rule nobly over the +lands of De Burg." + +"God forbid that that should ever be the case," Wulf said earnestly. "I +trust that Guy will live long, and that he will marry and leave descendants +to follow him." + +The baron shook his head sadly. "Guy is better," he said, "but he is still +weak and fragile, and the leeches tell me that a rough winter or an illness +that would be nought to others might carry him off. I have small hopes that +he will ever marry. I am sure that no such thought is in his mind. He is as +eager now as he was four years ago that you should be a son to us, and a +husband to Agnes. He has also earnestly expressed the wish, in which I also +join, that you should take our name. You English have no family names, but +that will come with other Norman customs, and marrying a De Burg it would +seem natural that you should yourself become Wulf de Burg." + +"I should feel it a high honour. There is no more noble name in Normandy, +and I trust I may prove worthy of bearing it." + +"That I have no fear of, Wulf, else I should not have offered you the hand +of my daughter. I will bring my wife and Guy in. I have offered you the +hand of Agnes, but it is right that you should ask her mother's consent, +although beforehand assured of it." + +He left the room, and soon returned with Lady de Burg and Guy. + +"My lord has told me," she said, before Wulf could speak, "that you would +ask my consent to your marriage with Agnes. I give it you unasked, freely +and gladly. I have but one regret--that the seas will divide us." + +"Not so," the baron said; "William's court will be held in London, and for +years he will reside here far more than in Normandy, and will expect his +nobles to be frequently with him. I certainly shall not come alone, and you +will therefore have as many opportunities of seeing Agnes as if she were +married to a Norman whose estates did not lie near our own." + +"I thank you most deeply, Lady de Burg, for the confidence which you show +in intrusting your daughter's happiness to me. I swear that with all my +might and power I will strive to make her happy, and will spare her to +visit you in Normandy whensoever you may wish it." + +Guy came forward now and grasped Wulf's hand. + +"How I have longed for this time, my brother," he said. "How I have hoped +that I might at least live long enough to know that the dearest wish of my +heart would be gratified. I can go hence now right willingly when God calls +me, knowing that my father and mother have another son to fill my place, +and that the happiness of my sister is secured." + +"And now, wife, will you fetch Agnes from her chamber," the baron said. + +In two or three minutes the baroness returned, leading Agnes, to whom she +had told the reason of her summons. The baron stepped forward and took her +hand. + +"My daughter," he said, "the Thane of Steyning has asked for your hand in +marriage, and your mother and I have given our free and full consent, but +he would fain know from your own lips that you will come to him willingly." + +"I have loved you, Agnes, since while still but a boy I first saw you, and +my love has grown ever since. The happiness of my life depends upon your +answer, but unless your heart goes with your hand I would rather remain +unmarried to my dying day." + +The girl had stood with downcast eyes and with flushed face until now. When +Wulf ceased speaking she looked up into his face: + +"I love you, Wulf; I have always loved you. It is for your sake that I have +said no to the suitors of my own race who have sought my hand. I will be a +true wife and loving to you." + +"Then take her, Wulf," the baron said, placing her hand in his. "You are +now her betrothed husband and our adopted son." + +Wulf stooped and kissed the girl's lips, and the betrothal was completed. +After some talk it was arranged that Wulf should at once journey down to +Steyning, assume possession of his new estates, set the house in order, and +prepare for their coming. Guy was to accompany him, and as soon as all was +in readiness Wulf would come up to London and return with Lord and Lady de +Burg and Agnes, who would pay a short visit and all would then cross to +Normandy, for the marriage was to take place at their chateau there. + +"I was sure how it would be," Osgod said when Wulf told him the news that +night. "I should have been blind indeed if I had not seen it long ago. I +love not the Normans, but I make exception in the case of Lord de Burg and +his family. And truly it will in all respects be a good thing for your +tenants. Although the duke, or I suppose I ought to say the king, promises +greatly at present, there is no saying what he may do later on; and he has +all these locusts to provide for. 'Tis well indeed, then, that there should +be a Norman lady as well as an English thane at Steyning." + +Wulf's return home gave rise to demonstrations of the greatest joy among +his tenants. They had heard nothing of him since the battle, and had deemed +him to have fallen with the rest of the defenders of the standard, and had +been living in fear of the arrival of some Norman baron to be their lord. +Wulf was greatly pleased to find that, although not one of his housecarls +had returned from Hastings, the greater portion of his irregular levies had +escaped at nightfall with the party who had inflicted so heavy a blow upon +their pursuers. For the next few days Wulf was thoroughly occupied. The +tenants of his new estates received him almost as joyfully as his own had +done, for, like them, they had expected the advent of a Norman master. In +one of the two estates that had fallen to him the thane he had succeeded +had left no heirs; while the other thane had left a widow and a young +family. Wulf arranged that these should remain in their home, receiving for +their maintenance half the rents of the estate. + +Guy was greatly pleased with the fair country in which his sister's lot was +to be cast, but he owned frankly that the house seemed unworthy now of the +large estate, and was indeed but a poor place in comparison with the noble +chateau in which she had been brought up. + +"That shall be remedied, Guy, as soon as matters settle down. I have laid +by none of my revenues, for the keeping up of a hundred housecarls has +taxed them to the utmost, but now that my income is more than doubled, and +this expense has altogether ceased, I shall have funds with which I can +soon begin to build. When I was young, Steyning seemed to me a fine house, +but after your Norman castles it is indeed but a poor place." + +When, a fortnight later, the De Burgs arrived with Wulf, while Agnes +expressed herself delighted with the quaintness of the old Saxon home, her +father and mother were decidedly of Guy's opinion. + +"The house is a good house in its way," the Baron said, "but there will be +great changes in the land. Much of it will be transferred to Norman hands, +and ere long castles and chateaux like ours at home will rise everywhere, +and as an English noble with broad lands it is but fit that your residence +should vie with others. But this shall be my care, and shall be my +daughter's special dowry. I foresee that it will be long ere matters wholly +settle down. Moreover, though William's hand is strong that of his +successor may be weak, and in time there will be the same troubles here +among the barons that there were in Normandy before William put them down +with a strong hand. Therefore, I should say we will build a castle rather +than a chateau, for such I am sure will be the style of all the Norman +buildings here, until England settles down to peace and quiet. I would not +disturb this house, Wulf; it is doubtless dear to you, and will, moreover, +serve as a dowager-house or as an abode for a younger son. We will fix on a +new site altogether, and there we will rear a castle worthy of the estate. +By the way, I have spoken to the king of your betrothal to my daughter, and +he is highly pleased. He says that it is his earnest wish that his Norman +nobles shall marry English heiresses, both because they will thus come into +possession of lands without disturbing the owners, and because such mixture +of blood will the more speedily weld the two peoples into one; and that, +similarly, he is glad to see a Norman maiden united to an English noble of +whom he has so high an opinion." + +Fond as Wulf was of his old home he saw that it would be best to abandon it +for a new residence more suited to the times and more in accordance with +his own increased possessions and the home from which he was taking his +wife. After riding round the estates Lord de Burg and he fixed upon a knoll +of rising ground near the village of Bramber, and not far from the +religious house where Wulf had spent so many evenings, and whose prior had +been one of the first to welcome his return. + +"I will charter a ship at Rouen," Lord de Burg said, "and send over a +master craftsman, skilful in designing and building castles, and a large +number of quarrymen, masons, and carpenters. Labour here is scarce, and the +men are unskilled at this kind of work. Rough labour can doubtless be +obtained, and your tenants can transport the stones from the quarry and dig +the fosse. I will send over a goodly number of men. It will cost no more to +employ three hundred for six months than fifty for three years." + +A week later Wulf sailed for Rouen with the De Burgs. Beorn accompanied him, +as well as Osgod, to be present at the wedding, which took place at Rouen +Cathedral. A month later Wulf returned with his wife to Steyning. Already +an army of men were at work at Bramber. The tenants all gave their +assistance readily, and far beyond the amount their feudal tenure required, +for they saw the advantage it would be to them to have a strong castle in +their midst to which they could retire in case of danger. Labourers had +been engaged in large numbers from the country round by the master +craftsmen. The outlines of the castle had been traced, and the ground dug +for its foundations, while already the broad deep fosse which was to +surround it had been dug to a depth of several feet. The stones had to be +brought from a considerable distance, but as at this time of year there was +little work for the carts, those belonging not only to the tenants of the +estate, but to the cultivators for miles round were engaged in the service. + +In six months a stately pile had risen in the midst of the tranquil glade. +When it was ready for occupation Lord and Lady de Burg and their son came +over, and great festivities were held when Wulf de Burg (now Lord of +Bramber) moved into the castle. + +Soon after the birth of their first son Wulf and his wife received a hasty +summons to cross the sea, and arrived in time to stand by the death-bed of +Guy. Wulf had been greatly moved by the storm of war that had swept over +the North of England, and the terrible vengeance taken by William there. +He had no pity for the traitor earls, but he grieved for the men who, but +for their treachery, would have fought at Hastings. He regretted deeply +the isolated risings in various parts of the country, whose only effect was +to bring ruin upon whole districts and to increase the sternness and rigour +of William's rule. + +Wulf's after-life was divided between England and Normandy, as he became a +baron of the latter country at the death of Lord de Burg. He fought no more +in England, but more than once followed William's banner in his struggles +with his rebellious sons and turbulent nobles. He lived to see the +animosities between Englishmen and Normans beginning to die out, and to +find our kings relying upon sturdy English men-at-arms and bow-men in their +struggles with French kings and with the Norman barons who held so large a +portion of English soil. Osgod became the seneschal of the castle, and held +it for his lord during his absences in Normandy. Wulf took an interest in +the fortunes of Ulf, who in the course of time succeeded to the business of +Ulred, and became one of the most skilled and famous armourers in London. +Beorn married the former heiress of one of the estates William had granted +him, and his firm friendship with the Lord of Bramber remained unbroken to +the end of their lives. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Wulf the Saxon, by G. A. 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Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Wulf the Saxon + A Story of the Norman Conquest + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Release Date: August, 2005 [EBook #8745] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on August 9, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WULF THE SAXON *** + + + + +Produced by Distributed Proofreaders + + + + +WULF THE SAXON + +A Story of the Norman Conquest + +By G. A. HENTY + + + + +PREFACE. + + +Although the immediate results of the Battle of Hastings may have +been of less importance to the world than were those of some other +great battles, the struggle has, in the long run, had a greater +influence upon the destiny of mankind than any other similar event +that has ever taken place. That admixture of Saxon, Danish, and +British races which had come to be known under the general name of +English, was in most respects far behind the rest of Europe. The +island was, as it had always been,--except during the rule of two +or three exceptionally strong kings,--distracted by internal +dissensions. Broad lines of division still separated the North +from the South, and under weak Kings the powerful Earls became +almost independent. The enterprise that had distinguished their +Saxon and Danish ancestors seems to have died out. There was a +general indisposition to change, and except in her ecclesiastical +buildings, England made but little progress in civilization from +the time of Alfred to that of Harold. Its insular position cut it +off from taking part in that rapid advance which, beginning in +Italy, was extending throughout Europe. The arrival, however, of +the impetuous Norman race, securing as it did a close connection +with the Continent, quickened the intellect of the people, raised +their intelligence, was of inestimable benefit to the English, and +played a most important part in raising England among the nations. +Moreover, it has helped to produce the race that has peopled Northern +America, Australia, and the south of Africa, holds possession of +India, and stands forth as the greatest civilizer in the world. The +Conquest of England by the Normans was achieved without even a +shadow of right or justice. It was at the time an unmixed curse to +England; but now we can recognize the enormous benefits that accrued +when in his turn the Englishman conquered the Norman, and the foreign +invaders became an integral portion of the people they had overcome. +For the historical details of the story, I have only had to go to +Freeman's magnificent _History of the Norman Conquest of England_, +which I hope will be perused by all of my readers who are able to +obtain it. + +G. A. HENTY + + + +CONTENTS. + +CHAP. + + +I. A QUARREL + +II. COUNTRY LIFE + +III. AT COURT + +IV. A STORM + +V. ROUEN + +VI. RELEASE OF THE EARL + +VII. THE OATH + +VIII. TROUBLE WITH WALES + +IX. IN THE WELSH VALLEYS + +X. PORTHWYN + +XI. THE SECRET PASSAGE + +XII. EDITH + +XIII. HAROLD, THE KING + +XIV. WULF'S SUSPICIONS + +XV. A MEETING BY THE RIVER + +XVI. A VOYAGE NORTH + +XVII. AN ATTEMPT AT ASSASSINATION + +XVIII. THE NORTHERN INVASION + +XIX. STAMFORD BRIDGE + +XX. THE LANDING OF THE FOE + +XXI. HASTINGS + +XXII. THE LORD OF BRAMBER + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + +THE LAST STAND AT HASTINGS + +THE YOUNG THANE COMES BACK TO STEYNING + +WULF AND HIS FOLLOWERS STORM LLEWELLYN'S STRONGHOLD + +WULF LEAPT FORWARD AND CAUGHT THE UPLIFTED WRIST + +WULF THE SAXON. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +A QUARREL. + +The great Abbey of Westminster was approaching its completion; an +army of masons and labourers swarmed like bees upon and around it, +and although differing widely in its massive architecture, with +round Saxon windows and arches, from the edifice that was two or +three generations later to be reared in its place,--to serve as a +still more fitting tomb for the ashes of its pious founder,--it was +a stately abbey, rivalling the most famous of the English fanes of +the period. + +From his palace hard by King Edward had watched with the deepest +interest the erection of the minster that was the dearest object +of his life. The King was surrounded by Normans, the people among +whom he had lived until called from his retirement to ascend the +throne of England, and whom he loved far better than those over +whom he reigned. He himself still lived almost the life of a recluse. +He was sincerely anxious for the good of his people, but took small +pains to ensure it, his life being largely passed in religious +devotions, and in watching over the rise of the abbey he had founded. + +A town had risen around minster and palace, and here the workmen +employed found their lodgings, while craftsmen of all descriptions +administered to the wants both of these and of the nobles of Edward's +court. + +From one of the side doors of the palace a page, some fifteen or +sixteen years of age, ran down the steps in haste. He was evidently +a Saxon by his fair hair and fresh complexion, and any observer of +the time would have seen that he must, therefore, be in the employment +of Earl Harold, the great minister, who had for many years virtually +ruled England in the name of its king. + +The young page was strongly and sturdily built. His garb was an +English one, but with some admixture of Norman fashions. He wore +tightly-fitting leg coverings, a garment somewhat resembling a +blouse of blue cloth girded in by a belt at the waist, and falling +in folds to the knee. Over his shoulders hung a short mantle of +orange colour with a hood. On his head was a cap with a wide brim +that was turned up closely behind, and projected in a pointed shovel +shape in front. In his belt was a small dagger. He wore shoes of +light yellow leather fastened by bands over the insteps. As he ran +down the steps of the palace he came into sharp contact with another +page who had just turned the corner of the street. + +"I crave your pardon, Walter Fitz-Urse," he said hurriedly, "but I +was in haste and saw you not." + +The other lad was as clearly Norman as the speaker was +Saxon. He was perhaps a year the senior in point of age, and +taller by half a head, but was of slighter build. The expression +of his face differed as widely from that of the Saxon as did +his swarthy complexion and dark hair, for while the latter +face wore a frank and pleasant expression, that of the Norman +was haughty and arrogant. + +"You did it on purpose," he said angrily, "and were we not +under the shadow of the palace I would chastise you as you +deserve." + +The smile died suddenly out from the Saxon's face. "Chastise +me!" he repeated. "You would find it somewhat difficult, +Master Fitz-Urse. Do you think you are talking to a Norman +serf? You will please to remember you are in England; but if +you are not satisfied with my apology, I will ride with you a +few miles into the country, and we will then try with equal +arms where the chastisement is to fall." + +The Norman put his hand to his dagger, but there was an +ominous growl from some men who had paused to listen to the +quarrel. + +"You are an insolent boor, Wulf of Steyning, and some day +I will punish you as you deserve." + +"Some day," the Saxon laughed, "we shall, I hope, see you +and all your tribe sent across the Channel. There are few of +us here who would not see your backs with pleasure." + +"What is this?" an imperious voice demanded; and turning +round, Wulf saw William, the Norman Bishop of London, who, +followed by several monks and pages, had pushed his way +through the crowd. "Walter Fitz-Urse, what means this altercation?" + +"The Saxon ran against me of set purpose, my lord," Walter Fitz-Urse +said, in tones of deep humility, "and because I complained he +challenged me to ride with him into the country to fight, and then +he said he hoped that some day all the Normans would be sent across +the Channel." + +"Is this so?" the prelate said sternly to Wulf; "did you +thus insult not only my page, but all of us, his countrymen?" + +"I ran against him by accident," Wulf said, looking up fearlessly +in the prelate's face. "I apologized, though I know not that I was +more in fault than he; but instead of taking my apology as one of +gentle blood should do, he spoke like a churl, and threatened me +with chastisement, and then I did say that I hoped he and all other +Normans in the land would some day be packed across the Channel." + +"Your ears ought to be slit as an insolent varlet." + +"I meant no insolence, my Lord Bishop; and as to the slitting of +my ears, I fancy Earl Harold, my master, would have something to +say on that score." + +The prelate was about to reply, but glancing at the angry faces of +the growing crowd, he said coldly: + +"I shall lay the matter before him. Come, Walter, enough of this. +You are also somewhat to blame for not having received more courteously +the apologies of this saucy page." + +The crowd fell back with angry mutterings as he turned, and, followed +by Walter Fitz-Urse and the ecclesiastics, made his way along the +street to the principal entrance of the palace. Without waiting +to watch his departure, Wulf, the Saxon page, pushed his way through +the crowd, and went off at full speed to carry the message with +which he had been charged. + +"Our king is a good king," a squarely-built man,--whose bare arms +with the knotted muscles showing through the skin, and hands begrimed +with charcoal, indicated that he was a smith,--remarked to a gossip +as the little crowd broke up, "but it is a grievous pity that he +was brought up a Norman, still more that he was not left in peace +to pass his life as a monk as he desired. He fills the land with +his Normans; soon as an English bishop dies, straightway a Norman +is clapped into his place. All the offices at court are filled +with them, and it is seldom a word of honest English is spoken in +the palace. The Norman castles are rising over the land, and his +favourites divide among them the territory of every English earl +or thane who incurs the king's displeasure. Were it not for Earl +Harold, one might as well be under Norman sway altogether." + +"Nay, nay, neighbour Ulred, matters are not so bad as that. I dare +say they would have been as you say had it not been for Earl Godwin +and his sons. But it was a great check that Godwin gave them when +he returned after his banishment, and the Norman bishops and nobles +hurried across the seas in a panic. For years now the king has left +all matters in the hands of Harold, and is well content if only he +can fast and pray like any monk, and give all his thoughts and +treasure to the building of yonder abbey." + +"We want neither a monk nor a Norman over us," the smith said +roughly, "still less one who is both Norman and monk I would rather +have a Dane, like Canute, who was a strong man and a firm one, than +this king, who, I doubt not, is full of good intentions, and is a +holy and pious monarch, but who is not strong enough for a ruler. +He leaves it to another to preserve England in peace, to keep in +order the great Earls of Mercia and the North, to hold the land +against Harold of Norway, Sweyn, and others, and, above all, to +watch the Normans across the water. A monk is well enough in a +convent, but truly 'tis bad for a country to have a monk as its +king." + +"There have been some war-loving prelates, Ulred; men +as ambitious as any of the great earls, and more dangerous, +because they have learning." + +"Ay, there have been great prelates," the smith agreed. "Look at +Lyfing of Worcester, to whom next only to Godwin the king owed his +throne. He was an Englishman first and a bishop afterwards, and was +a proof, if needed, that a man can be a great churchman and a great +patriot and statesman too. It was he rather than Godwin who overcame +the opposition of the Danish party, and got the Witan at last to +acquiesce in the choice of London and Wessex, and to give their +vote to Edward. + +"Well was it he did so. For had he failed we should have had as +great a struggle in England as when Alfred battled against the +Danes. We of London and the men of Wessex under the great Earl were +bent upon being ruled by a prince of our own blood. The last two +Danish kings had shown us that anything is better than being governed +by the Northmen. It was Lyfing who persuaded the Earl of Mercia to +side with Wessex rather than with Northumbria, but since Lyfing, +what great Englishman have we had in the church? Every bishopric +was granted by Edward to Norman priests, until Godwin and his sons +got the upper hand after their exile. Since then most of them have +been given to Germans. It would seem that the king was so set against +Englishmen that only by bringing in foreigners can Harold prevent +all preferment going to Normans. But what is the consequence? They +say now that our church is governed from Rome, whereas before +Edward's time we Englishmen did not think of taking our orders from +Italy. + +"There will trouble come of it all, neighbour. Perhaps not so long +as Edward reigns, but at his death. There is but one of the royal +race surviving, and he, like Edward, has lived all his life abroad. +There can be no doubt what the choice of Englishmen will be. Harold +has been our real ruler for years. He is wise and politic as well +as brave, and a great general. He is our own earl, and will assuredly +be chosen. Then we shall have trouble with the Normans. Already +they bear themselves as if they were our masters, and they will not +give up their hold without a struggle. Men say that William, their +duke, makes no secret of his hope to become master of England, in +which case God help us all. But that won't come as long as Harold +lives and Englishmen can wield sword and battle-axe. As for myself, +I have patched many a Norman suit of armour, but, by St. Swithin, +I shall have far more pleasure in marring than I have ever had in +mending them." + +"Know you who were the boys who had that contention just now?" + +"The Norman is a page of William, our Norman bishop; I know no more +of him than that The other is Wulf, who is a ward and page of Earl +Harold. His father was thane of Steyning in South Sussex, one of +Godwin's men, and at his death two years ago Harold took the lad +into his household, for he bore great affection for Gyrth, who had +accompanied him in his pilgrimage to Rome, and fought by his side +when he conquered the Welsh. It was there Gyrth got the wound that +at last brought about his death. Wulf has been to my smithy many +times, sometimes about matters of repairs to arms, but more often, +I think, to see my son Osgod. He had seen him once or twice in +calling at the shop, when one day Osgod, who is somewhat given to +mischief, was playing at ball, and drove it into the face of a son +of one of the Norman lords at court. The boy drew his dagger, and +there would have been blood shed, but Wulf, who was passing at the +time, and saw that the thing was a pure mishap and not the result +of set intention, threw himself between them. + +"There was a great fuss over it, for the boy took his tale to his +father, who demanded that Osgod should be punished, and would +doubtless have gained his end had not Wulf spoken to Earl Harold, +who intervened in the matter and persuaded the Norman to let it +drop. Since then the boys have been great friends in their way. +Osgod is a year older than the young thane, and has already made +up his mind to be his man when he grows up, and he has got me to +agree to it, though I would rather that he had stuck to my handicraft. +Still, the prospect is not a bad one. Harold will be King of England, +Wulf will be a powerful thane, and will doubtless some day hold +high place at court, and as he seems to have taken a real liking +to Osgod, the boy may have good chances. + +"Wulf will make a good fighting man one of these days. Harold sees +that all his pages are well instructed in arms, and the two boys +often have a bout with blunted swords when Wulf comes to my smithy; +and, by my faith, though I have taught Osgod myself, and he already +uses his arms well, the young thane is fully a match for him. You +would hardly believe that the boy can read as well as a monk, but +it is so. Earl Harold, you know, thinks a good deal of education, +and has founded a college at Waltham. He persuaded Wulf's father +to send him there, and, indeed, will take none as his pages unless +they can read. I see not what good reading can do to most men, but +doubtless for one who is at court and may hold some day a high post +there, it is useful to be able to read deeds and grants of estates, +instead of having to trust others' interpretation." + +"I wondered to see you press forward so suddenly into the crowd, +neighbour, seeing that you are a busy man, but I understand now +that you had an interest in the affair." + +"That had I. I was holding myself in readiness, if that Norman boy +drew his dagger, to give him such a blow across the wrist with my +cudgel that it would be long before he handled a weapon again. I +fear Wulf has got himself into trouble. The bishop will doubtless +complain to the king of the language used by one of Harold's pages, +and though the earl is well able to see that no harm comes to the +lad, it is likely he will send him away to his estates for a time. +For he strives always to avoid quarrels and disputes, and though +he will not give way a jot in matters where it seems to him that +the good of the realm is concerned, he will go much farther lengths +than most men would do in the way of conciliation. Look how he has +borne with Tostig and with the Earls of Mercia. He seems to have +no animosity in his nature, but is ready to forgive all injuries +as soon as pardon is asked." + +The smith was not far wrong in his opinion as to what was likely +to happen. As soon as Wulf returned to the palace he was told that +the earl desired his presence, and he proceeded at once to the +apartment where Harold transacted public business. It was a hall +of considerable size; the floor was strewed with rushes; three +scribes sat at a table, and to them the earl dictated his replies +and decisions on the various matters brought before him. When he +saw Wulf enter he rose from his seat, and, beckoning to him to +follow, pushed aside the hangings across a door leading to an +apartment behind and went in. Wulf had no fear whatever of any +severe consequence to himself from his quarrel with Walter Fitz-Urse, +but he was ashamed that his thoughtlessness should have given the +slightest trouble to the earl, for, popular as he was among all +classes of men in southern England, Harold was an object of love +as well as respect to his dependents, and indeed to all who came +in close contact with him. + +The earl was now forty-one years of age. He was very tall, and was +considered the strongest man in England. His face was singularly +handsome, with an expression of mingled gentleness and firmness. +His bearing was courteous to all. He united a frank and straightforward +manner with a polished address rare among his rough countrymen. +Harold had travelled more and farther than any Englishman of his +age. He had visited foreign courts and mingled with people more +advanced in civilization than were those of England or Normandy, +and was centuries ahead of the mass of his countrymen. He was an +ardent advocate of education, a strong supporter of the national +church, an upholder of the rights of all men, and although he +occasionally gave way to bursts of passion, was of a singularly +sweet and forgiving disposition. + +King Edward was respected by his people because, coming after two +utterly worthless kings, he had an earnest desire for their good, +although that desire seldom led to any very active results. He was +a member of their own royal house. He was deeply religious. His +life was pure and simple, and although all his tastes and sympathies +were with the land in which he had been brought up, Englishmen +forgave him this because at least he was a Saxon, while his +predecessors had been Danes. But while they respected Edward, for +Harold, their real ruler, they felt a passionate admiration. He was +a worthy representative of all that was best in the Saxon character. +He possessed in an eminent degree the openness of nature, the frank +liberality, the indomitable bravery, and the endurance of hardship +that distinguished the race. He was Earl of the West Saxons, and +as such had special claims to their fealty. + +London, it was true, did not lie in his earldom, but in that of his +brother Leofwyn, but Leofwyn and Harold were as one--true brothers +in heart and in disposition. The gentleness and courtesy of manner +that, although natural, had been softened and increased by Harold's +contact with foreigners, was not only pardoned but admired because +he was England's champion against foreigners. He had fought, and +victoriously, alike against the Norwegians, the Danes of Northumbria, +and the Welsh, and he struggled as sturdily, though peacefully, +against Norman influence in England. Already the dread of Norman +preponderance was present in the minds of Englishmen. It was no +secret that in his early days Edward had held out hopes, if he had +not given an actual promise, to William of Normandy that he should +succeed him. Of late the king had been somewhat weaned from his +Norman predilections, and had placed himself unreservedly in Harold's +hands, giving to the latter all real power while he confined himself +to the discharge of religious exercises, and to the supervision of +the building of his abbey, varied occasionally by hunting expeditions, +for he still retained a passionate love of the chase; but men knew +that the warlike Duke of Normandy would not be likely to forget the +promise, and that trouble might come to England from over the sea. + +Harold, then, they not only regarded as their present ruler, but +as their future king, and as the national leader and champion. +Edward had no children. The royal house was extinct save for Edward +the Atheling, who, like the present king, had lived all his life +abroad, and could have no sympathy with Englishmen. There being, +then, no one of the royal house available, who but Harold, the head +of the great house of Godwin, the earl of the West Saxons, the +virtual ruler of England, could be chosen? The English kings, +although generally selected from the royal house, ruled rather by +the election of the people as declared by their representatives in +the Witan than by their hereditary right. The prince next in +succession by blood might, at the death of the sovereign, be called +king, but he was not really a monarch until elected by the Witan +and formally consecrated. + +It had been nine months after he had been acclaimed to the throne +by the people of London that King Edward had been elected king by +the Witan, and formally enthroned. Thus, then, the fact that Harold +did not belong to the royal family mattered but little in the eyes +of Englishmen. To them belonged the right of choosing their own +monarch, and if they chose him, who was to say them nay? + +Wulf felt uncomfortable as he followed the stately figure into the +inner room, but he faced the Earl as the door closed behind him +with as fearless a look as that with which he had stood before the +haughty prelate of London. A slight smile played upon Harold's face +as he looked down upon the boy. + +"You are a troublesome varlet, Wulf, and the Lord Bishop has been +making serious complaint of you to the king. He says that you brawled +with his page, Walter Fitz-Urse; that you used insolent words against +his countrymen; and that you even withstood himself. What have you +to say to this?" + +"The brawling was on the part of the bishop's page and not of mine, +my lord. I was running out to carry the message with which you +charged me to Ernulf of Dover when I ran against Fitz-Urse. That +was not my fault, but a pure mischance, nevertheless I expressed +my regret in fitting terms. Instead of accepting them, he spoke +insolently, talked of chastising me, and put his hand on the hilt +of his dagger. Then, my lord, I grew angry too. Why should I, the +page of Earl Harold, submit to be thus contemptuously spoken to by +this young Norman, who is but the page of an upstart bishop, and +whom, if your lordship will give permission, I would right willingly +fight, with swords or any other weapons. Doubtless, in my anger, I +did not speak respectfully of Walter's countrymen, and for this I +am sorry, since it has been the ground of complaint and of trouble +to you." + +"In fact, Wulf, you spoke as a quarrelsome boy and not as the page +of one who has the cares of this kingdom on his shoulders, and whose +great desire is to keep peace between all parties," the earl put +in gravely. + +For the first time Wulf hung his head: + +"I was wrong, my lord." + +"You were wrong, Wulf; it is not good always to say what we think; +and you, as my page, should bear in mind that here at court it +behoves you to behave and to speak not as a headstrong boy, but as +one whose words may, rightly or wrongly, be considered as an echo +of those you may have heard from me. And now to the third charge, +that you withstood the prelate; a matter that, in the king's eyes, +is a very serious one." + +"The bishop would give ear to nought I had to say. He listened to +his own page's account and not to mine, and when I said in my defence +that though I did use the words about the Normans, I did so merely +as one boy quarrelling with the other, he said I ought to have my +ears slit. Surely, my lord, a free-born thane is not to be spoken +to even by a Norman bishop as if he were a Norman serf. I only +replied that before there was any slitting of ears your lordship +would have a say in the matter. So far, I admit, I did withstand +the bishop, and I see not how I could have made other reply." + +"It would have been better to have held your peace altogether, +Wulf." + +"It would, my lord, but it would also surely have been better had +the bishop abstained from talking about slitting ears." + +"That would have been better also, but two wrongs do not make a +right. I was present when the bishop made his complaint, and upon +my inquiring more into the matter, his version was somewhat similar +to yours. I then pointed out to him that if holy bishops lost their +tempers and used threats that were beyond their power to carry into +effect, they must not be too severe upon boys who forget the respect +due to their office. Nevertheless, I admitted that you were wrong, +and I promised the king, who was perhaps more disturbed by this +incident than there was any occasion for, that I would take you to +task seriously, and that to avoid any further brawl between you and +young Fitz-Urse, you should for a time be sent away from court. I +did this on the agreement that the bishop should, on his part, +admonish Walter Fitz-Urse against discourteous behaviour and unseemly +brawling, and had I known that he had put his hand on his dagger, +I would have gone further. Have you any witnesses that he did so?" + +"Yes, my lord; I saw the smith Ulred among those standing by, and +doubtless he would see the action." + +"That is well," Harold said. "I shall acquaint the bishop with the +fact when I tell him that I have ordered you to leave for your +estate at Steyning, and that if his page denies it, I have witnesses +to prove the truth of your assertions. I think in that case he will +be glad to drop the matter, for were I to mention the fact to the +king, he, who has a horror of the drawing of weapons, would order +Walter Fitz-Urse to be sent back to Normandy. So your exile is not +likely to be of long duration. You understand, Wulf, that I am not +seriously angered with you in this matter. You are but a boy, and +one cannot expect that you will behave as a prudent man; but remember, +lad, even a boy's words may do mischief, especially when placed as +you are. There may come a time when you shall show by deeds and not +by words your feelings against the Normans, but till then bear +yourself prudently. We Saxons are over given to hasty words, and +this is a fault. I myself, as all men know, have no love for the +Normans, but no one has heard me speak against them. The king loves +them, as is but natural, seeing that he was brought up amongst them, +and I have not withstood his wishes in the matter, trying only that +a certain amount of preferment in the land should be bestowed upon +those who are its owners and not strangers to it and its tongue. +You will ride this afternoon for Steyning, Wulf, but I hope it will +not be long before you are back again. If I had my own way in the +matter, I should think that sufficient had already been said and +done in so trifling a matter as a boys' quarrel; but as it has been +brought before our king by a bishop, it is in the king's eyes a +serious business, for assuredly he himself would have borne a reproof +from William of London more meekly than you did, and having therefore +become a church matter, it is altogether beyond my power to interfere. +At any rate, a short sojourn on your estate will do you no harm; +it is sometime since you were there, and it is a good thing that +the lord of the soil should be well known by those over whom he is +placed." + +Wulf bowed deeply and withdrew. The prospect of a visit for a few +weeks or even months to Steyning was not a terrible one. It was +some years since he had stayed there for any time. He had been two +years at Waltham, and since his father's death had been for the +most part with Harold, and the thought of an unrestricted life and +of spending his time as he chose, hunting and hawking, and going +about among his tenants, was by no means unpleasant. He was quite +satisfied that Harold was not seriously angered with him, and for +anything else he cared little. + +As he understood that his duties as a page were at present at an +end, he thought he would first call upon Ulred the smith, to ask +him if he had seen Walter Fitz-Urse handle his dagger, and also to +tell Osgod that he was going away for a time. He found the smith +at work. + +"Good morning, Master Wulf; though this is not the first time I +have seen you today, for I was at hand when you had that quarrel +with the Norman page." + +"Yes, I caught sight of your face, Ulred. It was about that I have +come to you. The bishop has made complaint against me to the king, +and Earl Harold has ordered me to go down to Steyning for a time. +Of course I acted wrongly in speaking as I did to the bishop, but +so far as Walter Fitz-Urse is concerned I maintain that I did no +wrong. I told my lord as much, and that the Norman put hand upon +his dagger. The earl said that if I could prove that it would benefit +my case. I told him that I had seen you close by, but that I did +not know whether you saw the page do it." + +"Assuredly I did," the smith replied, "and had my cudgel in readiness +to tap him on the wrist if he had drawn his dagger. I would testify +the same before King Edward himself." + +"Thank you, Ulred, I will tell my lord so." + +"I am sorry you are to be sent away from court. That is a bad job, +Master Wulf, and Osgod here will miss you greatly." + +"That shall I," the lad said. "Could you not take me down with you, +young master? You could teach me there how to comport myself as +your squire, so that when the time comes that you need one, I should +know my duties. Besides, you could practise on me with sword and +battle-axe." + +"I could not do much in the way of teaching you, Osgod, seeing as +yet I am myself but a learner, but I should be glad, in truth, to +have you with me, and it would be good for me to keep up my practice +in arms. I shall feel almost like a stranger there, and should like +to have one I know with me. I could ask Earl Harold to let me have +a horse for you from his stables, where he has two or three score +doing nothing." + +"With your favour, sir, I would rather trust to my own feet. I am +a stout walker, and though I shall not be able to keep up with you, +I think that each night I can get to the hostelrie where you may +put up; but, if not, it matters little, I can make my way after you +and join you there--that is, if my father will give me permission +to go." + +"You may as well go sooner as later," the smith said. "Since you +have taken into your head that you will be Master Wulf's man, I see +not that it will benefit you remaining in the forge. You know enough +now to mend a broken rivet and to do such repairs to helm and armour +as may be needed on an expedition; therefore, if the young thane +is minded to take you I have naught to say against it." + +"Then so shall it be," Wulf said, "I shall see my Lord Harold before +I start, and will tell him that you are minded to be my man, and +that I am minded so to take you. He will not object, I am sure, but +it were best to ask him, since, when I return to court, I shall +have you about me." + +"When do you start, Master Wulf?" + +"I am ordered to go to-day; therefore, as soon as I have +seen the earl again I shall be off." + +"Where will you sleep to-night?" + +"I shall ride to Guildford this afternoon." + +"Then you had better lay aside your hammer at once, Osgod," +the smith said, "and don fresh clothes, and make your best suit +into a bundle and start without delay; it is but ten o'clock, +and you may be at Guildford before sunset. 'Tis but thirty +miles, and eight hours' walking will take you there. If the young +thane tells you that Lord Harold makes objection to his taking +you, you can turn your face backward to-morrow and no harm +will be done." + +"I shall overtake you before you are half-way, Osgod, and +can then take you up behind me on my horse; and now I will +go back to the palace. I may have to wait some time before I +can see Earl Harold. From sunrise to sunset he has but a few +moments to himself, and I shall have to watch my time to get +a word with him." + +It was not, indeed, until two o'clock in the afternoon that +Wulf had a chance of speaking to the duke. Then, seeing that +he was for the moment alone, he entered the room and stood +with bowed head waiting for Harold to address him. + +"So you have come to say good-bye, Wulf," the latter said kindly; +"it is best so, boy. A time in the country will do you good, and +there will be much for you to do down there. I have ordered two of +my men to be in readiness to mount and ride with you, for I would +not that you should go unattended. One of them will bear a message +from me and a letter under my hand to the steward, and will tell +him that although you will, of course, remain as my ward until you +come of age, you are in all respects to be treated as if you were +already my sworn man, and thane. It would be well if you could +gather among your tenants twenty stout men as house-carls. The +steward is ordered to pay to you whatever moneys you may require, +and to account for them to me when he sends me in his checkers. +These house-carls will, of course, be paid. There must be ample +store of armour at Steyning for them, for your father was followed +by forty house-carls when he went with me to the Welsh wars. One +of the men who goes with you is a stout man-at-arms and is one of +my own house-carls; he will remain with you and will instruct your +men in arms and teach them to fight shoulder to shoulder. There may +be bad times ere long, and it is upon trained troops and not upon +hasty levies that we must most depend. In time I trust you will be +able to place fifty such men in the field, but at present twenty +will suffice. Have you aught to say to me before you go?" + +"Yes, my lord; first, to thank you for your kindness, and to say +that I will carry out your instructions; secondly, to tell you that +Ulred the smith saw Walter Fitz-Urse handle his dagger, and was +standing ready to knock it from his hand did he draw it. Lastly, +that Ulred's son Osgod, who is a stout lad a year older than myself, +and for his age well accustomed to arms, desires to be sworn as my +man and to serve me in hall and in field. I like him much and have +almost daily practised with him in arms, and I should be glad to +have him with me if you see no objection." + +"Not at all, Wulf; it is well that a man should have at his side +one in whom he can altogether trust, be he of gentle blood or simple +man-at-arms." + +"Then I may take him down with me, my lord?" + +"Yes, if it pleases you. Can he ride?" + +"Not as yet, my lord, I will see that he is instructed down at +Steyning. He started to walk this morning, understanding that if +you refused him permission to be my man he would at once return. +We shall overtake him on the road." + +"Bid one of your escort take him up behind," the earl said, "I like +his spirit. See that he is fittingly apparelled. You shall hear +from me ere long." + +Half an hour later Wulf mounted, and with his two followers rode +from Westminster. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +COUNTRY LIFE. + +Far from being depressed, Wulf felt his spirits rise as he rode +away on his banishment from court, for instead of feeling it a +disgrace he regarded it as a step forward in life. Earl Harold +could certainly, had he been so inclined, have smoothed down the +angry prelate, and could have retained him at court; but by the way +he had spoken, Wulf was convinced that the earl let him go because +he thought that it was good for him to be away. For four years he +had been under tutelage, first at Waltham, and then at the court. +In the last position his life had indeed been a pleasant one, for +as one of Harold's pages he had mixed with all the noble youths of +the court, and had had a place at every festive gathering. Still, +he had been but a page, and treated as a boy. Now he was to go +forth, and to learn his duties as his father's successor. + +Harold's steward, who had since the thane's death acted as the +earl's agent in the management of the estate, would instruct him +doubtless in his civil duties, while the soldier who rode behind +him would teach him how to lead men in battle, and how to make the +fighting force of the estate efficient. Beyond these duties his +time would be his own. He would have responsibilities, but they +would be the responsibilities of a thane towards his tenants, and +not of a page towards his master. He was going away a boy, but if +it pleased Harold that he should remain away for two years he would +return a thane. A young one, indeed, but one who had learned the +duties of his station, and who, if needs be, could take his place +in the field of battle at the head of his followers. For, even +putting aside the Normans, from whom the earl seemed to think the +greatest danger would come, there was never any long cessation of +fighting in England. + +There were the Welsh, who were always turbulent; the Danes of +Northumbria, who were still a distinct people, although throughout +the rest of England their identity was fast being merged into that +of the Saxons. There were the Norsemen, still ready to take every +opportunity of interfering in the affairs of England, or, if none +offered, to plunder and harry the coast. There were the earls of +Mercia, who bore no great love to the house of Godwin, and who +resented the ascendency of the West Saxons. Lastly, there was +Harold's brother Tostig, a fiery and turbulent noble, now Earl of +Northumbria, who was jealous of Harold, ever ready to join in plots, +and in close alliance with Norway already; he had several times +withstood the royal authority, and would assuredly again become a +fomenter of trouble should he see a favourable opportunity. At the +king's death, if not before, that opportunity would be sure to +present itself. Harold would be certainly chosen king by the people +of London and by the West Saxons, but almost as certainly would his +claim be disputed by the earls of Mercia on one hand, and by Tostig +and the Danes on the other. Wulf was sure, therefore, that the work +spent in preparing his tenants to take the field when called upon +to do so, would not be wasted. + +Full of these thoughts he rode for some miles from Westminster +without addressing himself to the two men behind him; then, bethinking +him that these were trusted followers of the earl, and had been +specially told off by him to accompany and stay with him, he called +them up to his side. Wulf had donned a riding suit instead of court +attire, which, in deference to the king's partiality for the Normans, +was, even among the staunchest opposers of the foreigners, a +compromise between Saxon and Norman fashions. He now wore a tunic +of a bright green cloth, girded in at the waist and reaching only +to the knee. Over this was worn a garment closely resembling the +Roman toga, though somewhat less ample. The folds in front fell +below the waist, but it was looped up at each shoulder by a brooch, +leaving the arms bare. His legs were clad in tightly-fitting trousers, +and his feet in somewhat high shoes. On his head he wore a cap in +shape closely resembling the Phrygian bonnet. He was armed with a +dagger, and a short sword, which hung by a leather strap, two or +three inches long, from his belt. The outer garment had a hood which +could in bad weather be drawn over the head. + +The man who was the bearer of Harold's orders to the steward wore +a civilian dress, not unlike that of Wulf's. He occupied the position +of a confidential scribe to Harold. The other wore the garb of a +soldier. He was clothed from head to foot in a tight fitting leather +suit, upon which were sewn iron rings overlapping each other, and +strongly resembling in appearance the chain-armour of later days. +His casque, with a curtain of leather similarly covered and affording +a protection to the neck, cheeks, and throat, hung from his saddle-bow, +and he wore a cap with a long projecting peak, while a cloak was +thrown over his shoulders and fell almost to his feet. + +"I am afraid you will find it but dull time with me, Leof," Wulf +said as they came up abreast of him, "for the earl says that he has +charged you to remain with me at Steyning." + +"I shall not be sorry for that," the soldier said bluntly, "for I +shall be right glad to be away from these Normans who fill every +place at court and swagger there as if Englishmen were but dirt +under their feet. Moreover, I love not London nor its ways, and +shall be glad to be down again among honest country folk, though I +would still rather be following my lord the earl in the field." + +"And you, Master Gurth, will your stay down at Steyning be a long +one?" + +"No, indeed. I have but to bear my master's wishes and instructions +to the steward, and to stay for a few days to see that they are +carried out according to his desires. I am not like Leof, for I +prefer life in London, where one meets with learned monks and others, +can obtain sometimes the use of a choice manuscript, and can hear +the news from beyond the seas, whereas in the country there is +nought to talk about save beeves and sheep. I like the journey well +enough, though I would that the animal I bestrode were more gentle +in his paces. He has for the last half-hour been fretting on the +rein to place himself by the side of yours. Horses are well enough +for nobles and fighting men, but for a peaceful scrivener like +myself a chair makes a far more comfortable seat." + +The soldier gave a contemptuous grunt, and Wulf laughed. "It is +well that we have not all the same tastes, but for my part a seat +in a chair tires me more than one in a saddle, and I am never more +happy than when galloping briskly along," and he shook the reins, +a signal which the horse had been expecting for a considerable time, +and at once responded to by breaking into a canter. + +"Stay you, I pray, Master Wulf," the scrivener cried in great +tribulation as his horse followed the example of its companion. +"Even if the animal does not break my neck he will jolt the life +out of me. I pray you curb him in if you would not see me prone in +the dust; and if I am disabled, who is to carry the earl's message +to the steward?" + +Wulf reined in his horse. "Pardon me, good Gurth. I had forgotten +that you are not accustomed to journey on horseback. I was scarce +conscious, indeed, that I touched my horse, but he is used to travel +more rapidly, and was so eager to be off at the slightest hint that +I was willing that he should do so. We will try and journey soberly +for the rest of the distance." + +Osgod was overtaken, plodding steadily along the road, fifteen miles +from town. Leof took him up on his horse, and they reached Guildford +just as the sun was setting. The inn, which stood in the principal +street of the town, was a low building built with a massive framework +filled in with bricks. The ground-floor was occupied by a single +room. At one end was the great fireplace where, over a pile of +blazing logs, were hung many cauldrons and pots. Round the room ran +a raised bench some six feet wide on which the guests disposed +themselves for sleep at night; rough tables and benches occupied +the rest of the room. Some twenty or thirty travellers were seated +at these. Few were eating, but the greater portion had horns of +beer or mead before them. As Wulf and his companions entered, after +giving over their horses to one of the helpers, the host, seeing +by his attire that he was of condition above the ordinary, came +forward and led him to the end of the room nearest the fire, where +the floor was raised a foot and a half above the general level, +forming a sort of dais where travellers of distinction could take +their meals apart from the rest of the guests. Leof was now spokesman. + +"We will have supper, and of your best, master host, for we have +ridden from London. We are in the service of Earl Harold, and are +riding with this young thane, Wulf of Steyning." + +The name of Earl Harold was sufficient to gain for them the best +attentions of their host, and in twenty minutes supper was served, +consisting of trout broiled over the fire, swine's flesh, and a +stew of fowls and smoked bacon flavoured with herbs. Wulf took the +head of the table, and the other three sat a short distance below +him. The dishes were handed round, and each with his dagger cut off +his portion and ate it on his wooden platter with the assistance +of dagger and fingers only, for the utility of forks was at that +time a matter undreamt of. After the meal was over, the host brought +a ewer of water with a napkin, and each dipped his fingers into the +water, an operation necessary even for the most dainty feeder. +Presently a glee singer came in, and for an hour amused the guests +with songs, for the most part of a patriotic character. + +Wulf was then conducted by the host to a small chamber upstairs, +where there was the luxury of a bed stuffed with straw. The rest +of the travellers, including Wulf's companions, merely wrapped +themselves in their cloaks and lay down on the raised bench which +ran round the room. + +On the afternoon of the third day the party arrived at Steyning. +It was four years since Wulf had been at home, and he gave a shout +of pleasure as his eye fell on the long low house with its background +of trees, and touching his horse with his heel he left his companions +behind and galloped towards the door. An old servitor came out. + +"Why, Cedric, do you not know me? I am Wulf, whom you first taught +to play single-stick and to draw a bow." + +"Why, surely it is my young master," Cedric said, taking the hand +that Wulf held out to him and placing it to his lips; "this is a +glad day indeed for us all. We have longed sorely for a sight of +you, for though I say nought against Master Egbert the steward, who +is well liked by all, it is not the same as having our lord with +us. You have come to stay, I trust." + +"For a time at any rate, Cedric. Earl Harold wishes me to learn my +duties as a thane and to fit myself to lead my people in the field +if it be necessary." + +"I trust that it never will be so," Cedric said, "but as we fought +under your father so will we all be ready to fight under you should +it be needful. The men of Steyning were never backward when there +was fighting to be done, and in my young days there was no lack of +that, though we have had quiet times since King Edward came to the +throne." + +The house was not built for the purpose of resistance, for, unlike +the Normans, the Saxons did not deem it necessary to convert their +houses into castles. It was, however, massively framed, the windows +on the ground-floor were barred, the door was strong and solid, and +after nightfall none could come in or go out without the knowledge +and consent of the master. Wulf's companions came up just as the +steward himself appeared at the door. He knew both Gurth and Leof, +having himself been in the service of Harold before being deputed +by him to manage the estates of Steyning during the earl's guardianship +of its thane. + +"The earl sends his greetings to you, Egbert," Gurth said, and he +has sent us hither with the young thane, who, as the letter I bring +from the earl will inform you, has come down to take up his position +as lord here, and to learn from you all things connected with his +estate." + +"Welcome to Steyning, thane," the steward said, doffing his cap; +"it is well that you should be here. I have done my best to carry +out the earl's commands to keep all things in readiness for your +coming, and to be just and fair to the tenants, seeing that they +pay their dues, and yet not pressing too hardly upon them if things +go not well with them; but it is always best that the master should +be in his own place, and right willingly do I give over my authority +to you." + +"The authority has been in good hands, I know well," Wulf said," +and right heartily do I thank you for having so well filled my +place; but I would not take up my thaneship as yet I am but a boy, +and have to learn my duties from you, and shall account myself but +as your pupil. I know something of the ways of court, but nothing +at all of those of the country, and it will be long before I am fit +to take the control of things into my own hands." + +They had by this time entered the great hall which formed the common +room of the establishment. Its arrangement was similar to that of +the room at the inn, with its raised dais for the master, his family, +and guests, while the rest of the room was devoted to the retainers +and servants. The cooking, however, was carried on in a room apart. +There were two fireplaces, one upon the dais and the other in the +body of the hall. On the walls hung trophies of the chase and arms +of all sorts. The wooden roof was supported by massive beams, and +with the exception of the trophies on the walls there was no attempt +at decoration of any kind. During the residence of the family at +the house, however, the hangings of tapestry, the work of generations +of dames of Steyning, their daughters and maids, hung upon the walls +round the dais. + +The news quickly spread of the arrival of the young thane, and a +score of men and eight or ten women and maids flocked into the hall +to welcome him, and as he stood on the dais each in turn came forward +to kiss his hand and salute him. + +"I think my first order must be," he said to the steward, "that a +cask of your best ale be broached." + +"That shall be done at once," Egbert replied; "there is never a +lack of drink here, but the best is none too good for the occasion. +And who is this youth with you?" he went on when he had given the +necessary orders, pointing to Osgod, who was standing somewhat shyly +apart. + +"He is my friend, and is going to be my body attendant and squire," +Wulf said. "He, like myself, knows nothing as yet of his duties, +but that he will be faithful and trusty I know full well, and the +earl himself said that I did wisely to bring him with me." + +"I will myself instruct him in his duties," Egbert said, "which +indeed are not hard to learn by one of willing mind. He will stand +behind you at table, will hand you your cup and take your orders. +In the old times it would have been his duty to see that you were +not struck down by a traitorous blow while you drank, but those +days are passed. When in the field he will carry your helmet till +you need to put it on; will keep close to you in the fight and guard +you with his shield from arrows, and with his sword from attacks +from behind; he will carry your banner, and see that as long as he +has strength to hold it, it floats fairly out as a rallying point +for your men. In the field indeed his duties are numerous, but at +home in peace, beyond seeing that your arms are bright and clean, +and that your orders are carried out properly, he will have but +little to do. It is well that you brought him with you, for otherwise +you would have had to choose one of the sons of your tenants, and +the choice would have been a difficult one, for each would have +desired the honour, and whichever you chose there would have been +sore jealousy among the others." + +The next day there was a great gathering in the hall. The whole of +the tenants attended, and took the oath to be Wulf's men, as they +had been those of his father, to obey his orders, and to follow him +in the field with the due number of men according to the size of +their holdings; while Wulf on his part swore to protect them from +all wrong and oppression, to be a just master, calling upon them +only for such service as he was entitled to demand, and exacting +no feus or payments beyond those customary. A bullock had been +killed, and after the ceremony was over all present sat down to a +banquet at which much ale was drunk and feasting went on till +nightfall. + +The next morning Wulf, accompanied by Leof and Egbert, rode round +the estate, choosing among the sons of the tenants thirty stout +young men willing to enrol themselves as house-carls, receiving a +regular rate of pay, and ready at all times to give service under +arms, and to remain in the field as long as they might be required, +whereas the general levy could only be kept under arms for a limited +time. He had already gone into the matter with Leof, who pointed +out that, as at present he had no wish to keep up any show or to +have a body of armed men in the house, it would suffice if the men +were exercised every day for a month, and after that merely practised +with sword and battle-axe for two or three hours once a week. On +these terms he had no difficulty in obtaining considerably more +than the number he asked for, and finally fifty men were enrolled. + +For those carls helmets were bought and coats of ringed armour made, +and for a month they exercised daily. Of manoeuvring there was +little indeed. The Saxons and Danes alike fought in line, with but +room enough between them to swing their battle-axes. Each carried +a spear as well as an axe, and when repelling the assault of an +enemy closed up so that their shields well-nigh touched each other. +Their exercise was generally either to engage in combats between +chosen pairs, or, dividing into two parties, to fight line against +line with blunted poles for spears and with stout cudgels for axes. +Leof in these combats acted as judge, decided which side had gained +the victory, praised the skilful, and chided the careless and +sluggish. He gave lessons in the use of the sword and battle-axe +to Wulf and Osgod, sometimes pitting them against each other, +sometimes fighting himself against Wulf, and teaching Osgod how to +assist his master by covering him with his shield. + +Sometimes he would order three or four of the men to shoot with +blunted arrows at Wulf, whom he taught to catch them on his shield +or to sever the shafts with a blow of his sword, while Osgod standing +by helped to cover him when two or three arrows flew at him together. +This was a daily exercise, and even after the month's regular work +was over some of the men came up every day to shoot, until Wulf had +attained such coolness and skill that he could in the great majority +of cases cut the shafts in two with his sword. + +But the whole day was by no means given up to warlike exercises. +Wulf rode out with the steward inspecting the houses and farms, +learning what there was to be learned of the rude processes of +agriculture, investigating the complaints of the depredations +committed by errant herds of swine or by neighbours' cattle and +sheep, seeing what was required in the repairs of farmhouses, and +learning from Egbert to discriminate between those who were unable +to pay their dues owing to misfortune, illness, or murrain among +the animals, and those whose Josses were due to their own sloth or +carelessness. Upon these visits, too, the arms of the tenants were +inspected to ascertain that they could properly fulfil their service +if summoned to take the field. + +The lands embraced by Wulf's feof were of considerable extent, +reaching down to the sea, where they were some eight miles broad, +and running back twelve miles beyond Steyning. Several small hamlets +lay within it, and in case of war he could summon more than three +hundred men to his banner. Several of the neighbouring thanes rode +in as soon as they heard that Wulf had returned to fill his father's +place at Steyning, and these visits were duly returned. But accustomed +as Wulf had been to the orderliness of the court of the ascetic +King Edward the rude manners and nightly revelry of these rough +thanes by no means pleased him, so that he was glad when the visits +were over, and he could remain quietly at home, where he was not +without frequent guests. + +The most regular of his visitors was the prior of the monastery at +Bramber, which had been founded by the piety of one of Wulf's +ancestors. The prior had, though Wulf was ignorant of it, received +a letter from Earl Harold asking him to befriend Wulf, to encourage +him to keep up the studies he had followed at Waltham, and to see +that he did not fall into the drinking habit so common among the +Saxons. The priest was well fitted for the mission. He was by no +means a strict disciplinarian, but the monastery had the reputation +of being one of the best managed in Sussex, and among the monks +were many of good blood. He was passionately fond of art, and +encouraged its exercise among the monks, so that the illuminated +missals of Bramber were highly prized, and added largely to the +revenues of the monastery. + +The prior had been one of the monks at Waltham, and owed his elevation +to the influence of Earl Harold with the late thane of Steyning. +He was well taught in all the learning of the day, and having been +for a time at Westminster, knew more of court life than the majority +of the priors of isolated monasteries, and could suit his conversation +to his hearer. Harold had said in his letter, "The lad has good +parts. He is somewhat full of mischief, and has got into a scrape +here by a quarrel with a Norman page, and by failing somewhat in +the respect due to William of London, who took his compatriot's +part with too much zeal. But Wulf is shrewd, and benefited greatly +by his stay at Waltham, and both for the lad's own sake and for my +friendship with the good thane, his father, I would fain that he +grew up not only a sturdy Englishman, as to which I have no manner +of doubt, but one who may some day play his part at court, and be +a worthy friend and counsellor of an English king. Therefore I pray +you, father, to keep an eye on the lad, and spare him what time you +can from your duties. Tell him not that I have written to you, for +it is the nature of youth to be averse to anything that looks like +guardianship." + +Such a request from Earl Harold was regarded by the prior as an +order, and a few days after Wulf was installed at Steyning the prior +rode over on his palfrey, accompanied only by the almoner of the +convent. + +"Peace to you, my son," he said, as Wulf bowed respectfully to him," +I have called not only as the prior of the monastery founded by the +piety of one of the thanes of Steyning, but to welcome one who was +a pupil at Earl Harold's college of Waltham, in which I at one time +was a preceptor. Not when you were there, for I was installed here +just before your good father's death." + +"I left there two years since," Wulf said, "in order to be one of +Earl Harold's pages; but I have not forgotten my reading, for the +earl insists that his pages give two hours a day to study." + +"Tis a good rule," the prior said, "for learning is like a weapon, +it soon becomes rusted when thrown aside. You will, I hope, continue +the habit." + +"I should wish to do so, father, but there are no manuscripts here." + +"In that at least I can supply your wants," the prior said. "My +monastery has a good library, and it will be quite at your service, +and also my advice in any matters that may concern you. My almoner +here, brother John, knows pretty well the circumstances of most of +your people, and may be able to tell you where your alms may be +well bestowed, and where they would do more harm than good. The +worthless are ever the most importunate, and for every honest man +in need there are twenty rogues abegging." + +The ice once broken, the prior came over frequently. His conversation +was bright and interesting. He himself was engaged in writing a +history of the Saxon and Danish monarchs from the times of Alfred, +and had stores of anecdotes of people and events of whom Wulf had +before heard only vague traditions from the wandering singers and +story-tellers who travelled the country, and were welcome guests +in every household. As Wulf was urged by the prior to come over +whenever time hung on his hands, his visits to the monastery were +naturally very much more frequent than those of the prior to Steyning. +Sometimes he would sit in the private apartment of the prior, but +more often he spent his time studying the rare manuscripts, or +watching the monks at their work of copying and illuminating. If +he went in the evening he generally sat in the refectory, where the +monks for the most part spent their evening in talk and harmless +amusement, for the strict rules and discipline that prevailed in +monastic establishments on the Continent had been unknown up to +that time in England, although some of the Norman bishops were doing +their best to introduce them into the establishments in their +dioceses,--a proceeding that caused great discontent, and was +strongly opposed by the English monks. These had, hitherto, regarded +monastic life as one of work for the good of the poor, and as +affording for those who wished it a tranquil retirement from the +trials of the world. Moreover, it offered special attractions to +those of quiet and studious tastes, since the monasteries provided +the architects and the painters, the teachers and the writers, and +it was here alone that learning was maintained and fostered. +Consequently, at Bramber there was none of that monastic asceticism +that prevailed abroad, and later became the rule in England also. + +During the day the monks had their pursuits according to their +tastes. There were those who worked in the copying and painting +room. There were some who drew plans for churches or the dwellings +of the wealthy, and who sometimes went out and superintended the +carrying out of their designs. Some were in charge of the garden, +where the work was chiefly done by the lay servitors, and where the +herbs and simples were grown that were used in the concoction of +the medicines distributed among the sick, and highly prized throughout +the country round. Two or three were skilled in music, and these +taught and conducted the choir, while two acted as teachers to +youths, the sons of thanes and others, who, moved by the ardour +with which their earl advocated learning, intrusted their sons to +the monks for education. Then when the day's work was done, and +vespers sung in the chapel, the monks gathered in the refectory. +The conversation was of a bright and varied description, and as +Wulf moved about from group to group he listened to the talk with +far greater pleasure than he had ever derived from that at court, +and largely increased his knowledge in many respects. + +National matters were discussed with keen interest, for the monks +were all English, and viewed with bitter hostility the elevation +of foreigners to the chief dignities of the church, not only because +they were foreigners, but because they introduced innovations of +all kinds, and sought to reduce the Church of England to subjection +to Rome, whereas previously it had been wholly independent of Papal +authority. In secular matters, too, there were dangers that threatened +the tranquillity of the country. Chief among these were the turbulence +and ambition of Tostig, and the menace to the kingdom by his extensive +earldom of Northumbria with its alien Danish population, which was +rendered more serious by his alliance with the kings of Norway. + +Then, too, it was doubtful whether the great central earldom of +Mercia could be relied upon to act cordially with the West Saxons; +Griffith of Wales was still restless and turbulent; and lastly, +there was the ever-present menace of the Norman duke. Had England +been united it could have laughed at the pretensions of the Duke +of Normandy; but with Northumbria ready at any moment to break into +civil war, and with Mercia doubtful, the claim of Normandy, however +shadowy and indefensible, could not but be considered as a grave +element of danger. + +Listening to the talk of the monks Wulf learned much more as to the +actual situation than he had done in the court of the Normanized +king, and his feelings of patriotism became more and more developed +and strengthened, while he applied himself with even greater ardour +to his military exercises, as he recognized more fully the necessity +that might arise for every West Saxon to be ready to take his place +in the line of battle. The evenings that he spent at home were by +no means dull. It was only in considerable towns that there were +inns for the accommodation of travellers. Everywhere else these +were dependent upon hospitality, and no door was ever closed in +their faces. It was seldom that less than five or six travellers +rested for the night at Steyning, and often that number was largely +exceeded. Besides the wayfarers there were the professional wanderers, +the minstrels, the story-tellers, and occasionally a troupe of +buffoons. + +All these were welcome, for they brought the news from without; the +last rumours in London concerning the quarrels of the earls; the +movements of the Danish ships that were harrying the coast, and +those of the vessels Earl Harold despatched to cope with them; the +prices of wool and hides in the chief markets; and even reports of +what was happening beyond the seas. Leaving the dais, Wulf would +go down and listen to the talk of the travellers, or, when they +were of a degree above the common, have them up beside him, and +question them as to their journeyings, the places they had visited, +and the personages they had seen. Thus his hours were fully occupied +from morning until night. He found far less time than he had expected +for sport, and although he occasionally went out with his falcons +or hunted the stag in the forest, which covered a wide extent of +country beyond the hills, it was but seldom that he could find +leisure for these amusements. + +"It seems to me that you are always doing something, Wulf," Osgod +said one day. "It is not at all the sort of life I should have +thought a young thane would live. Why, you work many more hours a +day than I did in my father's forge. It is either books, or the +affairs of the tenants, or visiting the monastery all day when you +are not at work with your sword exercises. When I have done with +my work with Leof I like to lie down in the sun and take it quietly, +and I cannot understand how you can be for ever on foot." + +"I have so many things to do, Osgod; there is so much to learn, and +I do not wish to grow up a mere beer swiller like Edmund of Angmering +or Ethelred of Arundel. Their lives are, as far as I can see, no +whit higher or more worthy than that of their own serfs, from whom +they differ only that they eat more, drink more, and sleep on softer +beds. Earl Harold expects better things than that of me, and I want +to make myself worthy of being one of those in whom he can place +confidence and on whom he can depend in case of trouble. I have +heard him say how bad it is for England that our thanes are, in +learning and culture, so far behind the nobles of other countries, +and that if England is ever to take her place among great nations +it must be by her thanes first raising themselves to the level of +the nobles abroad, who are the counsellors of their kings. I can +never hope to be anything like Earl Harold, who is the wisest and +greatest of Englishmen, but I do hope so to fit myself that some +day he may think me worthy of trust and confidence." + +"Well, master," Osgod said lazily, "every one to his liking. I +hope to be a good soldier and your true servant, but as for all +this thinking and learning it would weary me to death." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +AT COURT. + +Two months after Wulf had gone down to Steyning one of Harold's men +brought a short letter from the earl himself. "I am glad to hear, +Wulf," it began, "from my steward, Egbert, that you are applying +yourself so heartily to your work. I have also good accounts of you +from the Prior of Bramber, who sometimes writes to me. He is a good +and wise man, as well as a learned one, and I am right glad to hear +that you are spending your time so well. I told you that you should +hear if there was any alteration in your affair. Some change was +made as soon as you had left; for, two days later, meeting William +of London in the presence of the king, I told him that I had inquired +further into the matter, and had found that you were by no means +the aggressor in the quarrel with young Fitz-Urse, for that he had +fingered his dagger, and would doubtless have drawn it had there +not been many bystanders. I also said that, with all respect to +the bishop, it would have been better had he not inclined his ears +solely to the tale of his page, and that under the circumstances +it was scarcely wonderful that, being but a boy, you had defended +yourself when you were, as you deemed, unjustly accused. + +"The prelate sent at once for his page, who stoutly denied that he +had touched the hilt of his dagger, but I too had sent off for +Ulred, the armourer, and he brought with him a gossip who had also +been present. I asked the king's permission to introduce them, and +they entirely confirmed your story. Fitz-Urse exclaimed that it was +a Saxon plot to do him harm, and I could see that the bishop was +of the same opinion; but the king, who is ever anxious to do justice, +declared at once that he was sure that the two craftsmen were but +speaking the truth. He sternly rebuked Fitz-Urse as a liar, and +signified to the bishop that he would do well to punish him severely +by sending him back to Normandy, for that he would not tolerate his +presence at court--an order which the bishop obeyed with very bad +grace. But at any rate the lad was sent away by a ship a week later. + +"After the bishop had left the audience-chamber the king said that +he was afraid he had acted with harshness to you, as it seemed that +the fault was by no means wholly on your side, and that I could at +once recall you if I wished to do so. I thanked his majesty +dutifully, but said I thought it were best in all ways that for a +time you should remain away from court. In the first place, you +deserved some punishment for your want of respect for the bishop, +to whom you should have submitted yourself, even if you had thought +him unjust. In the second place, as Fitz-Urse had been sent away, +it would create an animosity against you on the part of his countrymen +at court were you to reappear at once; and lastly, that I considered +it would be to your benefit to pass at least some months on your +estates, learning your duties as thane, and making the acquaintance +of your people. Therefore, I wished you to continue at Steyning. +It will assuredly be pleasant for you to know that you are no longer +to be considered as being there in consequence of having fallen +under the king's displeasure, but simply because it is my wish that +you should for a time dwell among your people, and fit yourself to +be a wise lord to them." + +Wulf was much pleased at the receipt of this letter, partly because +the fact that he had been sent away in disgrace stung him, and he +had felt obliged frankly to acknowledge to the neighbouring thanes +that he had been sent down on account of a quarrel with a Norman +page; but chiefly because it showed the kindly interest that Harold +felt in him, and that although absent he had still thought of him. + +It was nigh ten months before he heard again. During that time he +had grown a good deal, and although he would never be tall, his +frame had so widened out that it was evident he would grow into an +exceptionally powerful man. + +At sixteen he was still a boy, and although his position at Steyning, +where, although still under the nominal tutelage of the earl's +steward, he was practically lord and master, accustomed to play the +part of host within its walls, and that of feudal lord over the +wide estates, had given him the habits of authority and the bearing +of one who respected himself, the merry expression of his face, +aided by a slight upward turn of his nose, showed that in other +respects he was unchanged. He had learned with his weapons all that +Leof could teach him. He could wield a light battle-axe, and with +his sword could turn aside or sever an arrow however sharply shot +at him, provided that he had time to mark its flight. With a +quarter-staff he was a match for any youth on the estate, and he +could hurl a dart with unerring aim. + +Osgod had sprung up into a powerful young fellow, taller than his +master by well-nigh a head, and his equal in exercises requiring +strength rather than quickness and skill. His duties at table had +been delegated to another, for there was a certain clumsiness in +Osgod's strength that no teaching could correct; and in his eagerness +to serve his master he so frequently spilled the contents of a cup, +or upset a platter, that even Egbert acknowledged that it was +hopeless to attempt to make a skilful servitor of him. + +The earl's second letter contained only the words: + +"Come up to London as soon as you receive this. Leave Egbert in +charge of everything as before." + +Although the time had not seemed long, and his occupations were so +varied that he had never felt dull since he had come down, Wulf was +delighted to receive the summons. He had, unconsciously to himself, +begun to feel restless, and to wonder whether Earl Harold had +altogether forgotten his existence. + +"We are going back to London, Osgod," he shouted. + +"I am right glad of it," the young giant said, stretching his arms +lazily. "I am grievously tired of the country, and had it not been +that nothing would induce me to leave your service, I have thought +sometimes that I would gladly be back again in my father's smithy, +hammering away on hot iron. I used to think it would be the grandest +thing possible to have nothing to do, but I have found that one can +have too much of a good thing. Certainly I am glad to be going back, +but I am not sure whether it won't be worse at court than it is +here." + +"Perhaps we may not be staying there," Wulf said encouragingly. +"Maybe the earl is going to start on some expedition; though we +have heard of no trouble, either in the North or in Wales. But even +if I stay at court, Osgod, you will often be able to be away, and +can spend some hours a day at the smithy, where, if you like, you +can take off your smock and belabour iron to your heart's content. +I should say you would be a rare help to your father, for, as Leof +says, for a downright solid blow there are not many men who could +surpass you." + +Osgod laughed. "Leof has not forgiven that blow I dealt him a month +ago, when I flattened in his helmet with my blunted axe and stretched +him senseless on the ground; in faith, I meant not to hit so hard, +but he had been taunting me with my slowness, and seeing an opening +for a blow at his head I could not resist it, and struck, as he was +always telling me to do, quickly." + +"You well-nigh killed him," Wulf said, shaking his head; "he has +not taken an axe in his hand since, at least not with either of us. +He said to me the first time I invited him to a bout, it was high +time a man should give up teaching when he came to be struck senseless +by a boy." + +"Not much of a boy," Osgod replied, "seeing that I stand over six +feet high, and got my muscles hardened early at the forge. However, +he bears me no ill-will; all he ever said to me on the matter was, +'I am glad to see that you can shake off your sluggishness sometimes, +Osgod; I should have been less earnest in my advice to you to strike +more quickly if I had thought that you were going to do it at my +expense. Keep those blows for your master's enemies, lad. If you +deal them to his friends you will lessen their number.'" + +"Have my horse brought round at once, Osgod, have the wallets packed, +and be ready to start in an hour's time. I cannot go without riding +over to say good-bye to the prior and some of the monks. Do you, +when you have packed, follow me; it is not greatly out of the way, +and I shall meet you on the road. A short half-hour will suffice +for me there." + +"So Harold has sent for you, Wulf?" the prior said, when the young +thane told him that he was on the point of starting for London. +"'Tis as well. Come back when you may, you will now be fit to rule +at Steyning, and to rule well, but I foresee that we are likely to +have you but seldom down here. You are in good train to rise high +among Englishmen. You already possess the favour of Earl Harold, +who is, in all respects but name, King of England. You possess far +more learning than most young men of your rank, and as Harold rightly +thinks much of such knowledge, you are likely, if you live, to learn +more. But better than this, so far as your prospects are concerned +in the troubled times that may be coming, you are quick witted and +ready. I hear that you are already very proficient in arms, and a +match for most grown men. Best of all, so far as your future happiness +is concerned, you have a kind heart and a good disposition. You +could scarce be a page of Earl Harold's and not be a true Englishman +and patriot; therefore, my son, I think that I can predict a bright +and honourable future for you if Harold lives and reigns King of +England. Be steadfast and firm, lad. Act ever in what your heart +tells you is the right; be neither hasty nor quarrelsome. But,"--he +broke off with a smile, "you have had one lesson that way already. +Now I will detain you no longer. _Pax vobiscum_, may God keep +and guard you! If opportunity offer, and a messenger comes this +way, write me a few lines; news of you will be always welcome at +Bramber." + +Leaving the prior, Wulf paid a hurried visit to the chambers where +the monks were engaged in their various avocations, and then started +at a canter and met Osgod coming along with a sumpter-horse carrying +the wallets, a store of provisions for the way, and Wulf's arms and +armour fastened to the crupper of his saddle. + +"You have done well, Osgod," Wulf said as he turned his horse, and +at a quieter pace proceeded beside him. "I forgot to give you any +directions or to speak about your bringing a pack-horse with you, +but I am glad you thought of it, for our steeds would have been +heavily burdened had all that baggage been divided between them." + +"We go back more heavily laden than we came," Osgod remarked. "My +wardrobe was then of the scantiest, and your own has been considerably +added to since we came here. Truly, Wulf, I feel that I have changed +mightily in this year, and can scarce believe that it is but a +twelvemonth back since I flung down my hammer and started on my +tramp to Guildford with a change of clothes dangling from the end +of my cudgel. I was glad when you and your party overtook me, for +I was badly scared once or twice when I met a rough fellow or two +on the way, though, fortunately, they did not deem me worth robbing. +We could give a good account of four or five of such knaves now." + +"There has been a change indeed, Osgod, and in me as much as in +you, though I have not shot up into such huge proportions. I was a +page then, and had learned but to obey. I am a boy still, but I +have begun to learn to rule; at any rate, to rule myself. I have +not conquered my fault of hastiness altogether." + +Osgod smiled broadly. + +"You are quick in temper still, Wulf. You remember it was but +yesterday that you rated me soundly because I had fed your hawks +early, and they were too lazy to fly when you wanted them." + +"Well, it was annoying," Wulf laughed; "and you deserved rating, +since you have been told over and over again that the hawks were +not to be fed early in the morning. Besides, the rating did you no +harm." + +"None at all, master. I know that you mean not what you say, and +hard words break no bones. I should have thought no more of it had +you yourself not remarked that you were still somewhat hasty of +temper." + +"I was wrong, Osgod," Wulf said, holding out his hand, "but you +know that I love you, and that though your carelessness and +forgetfulness chafe me sorely at times, I mean not what I say." + +"I know it, master, and I would not have you other than you are. I +suppose it is the thickness of my skull that prevents me from taking +in all that I am told, and perhaps if I had more to do I might do +it better. I shall be able to play my part when it comes to hard +blows, and you must remember that no one can excel in all things. +A staghound is trusty and sure when on the chase, but he could not +be taught to fetch and to carry and to perform all sorts of tricks +such as were done by the little mongrel cur that danced to the order +of the mountebank the other evening. My father always said I was a +fool, and that, though for a piece of rough hammering I was by no +means amiss, I should never learn the real intricacies of repairing +fine armour. Everything has its good, you see, Master Wulf; for had +my father thought better of me in his trade, I doubt if he would +ever have given me leave to quit it, and go as your man." + +"I have no doubt that is so, Osgod, and heartily glad am I that you +showed no genius for smith's work. Nature evidently intended you +to damage casques and armour rather than to repair them. You have +not got all my clothes with you," he added, as he looked round at +the led horse. + +"No indeed, Wulf," Osgod said, "nor a quarter of them, for in truth +your wardrobe has grown prodigiously since we came here. I had to +talk it over with Egbert, having but little faith in my own wits. +He advised me to take the two suits that were most fitted for court, +saying that if he heard you were going to remain there he would +send on the rest in charge of a couple of well-armed men." + +"That is the best plan, doubtless," Wulf agreed. "My hawking suit +and some of the others would be useless to me at court, and it would +have been folly to have burdened ourselves with them if we are +likely to return hither shortly." + +"Where shall we stop to-night?" Osgod asked. + +"At the monastery of the Grey Friars, where we put up on our way +from London. It will not be a long ride, but we started late. +To-morrow we shall of course make a long day's journey to Guildford. +I don't know what travellers would do were it not for the priories." + +"Sleep in the woods, Wulf, and be none the worse for it. For myself, +I would rather lie on the sward with a blazing fire and the greenwood +overhead, than sleep on the cold stones in a monk's kitchen, +especially if it happened to be a fast-day and one had gone to rest +on a well-nigh empty stomach." + +"It is never so bad as that," Wulf laughed; "as a rule, however +much the monks may fast, they entertain their guests well." + +"If it is an English monastery they do," Osgod admitted, "but not +where there is a Norman prior, with his new-fangled notions, and +his vigils and fasts and flagellations. If I ever become a monk, +which I trust is not likely, I will take care to enter a Saxon +house, where a man may laugh without its being held to be a deadly +sin, and can sleep honestly without being wakened up half a dozen +times by the chapel bell." + +"You would assuredly make but a bad monk, Osgod, and come what will +I do not think you will ever take to that vocation. But let us urge +on our horses to a better pace, or the kitchen will be closed, and +there will be but a poor chance of supper when we reach the priory." + +"Well, Osgod," Wulf asked the next morning as they rode on their +way, "how did you fare last night?" + +"Well enough as to the eating, there was a haunch of cold venison +that a king needn't have grumbled at, but truly my bones ache now +with the hardness of my couch. Couch! there was but the barest +handful of rushes on the cold stone floor, and I woke a score of +times feeling as if my bones were coming through the skin." + +"You have been spoilt, Osgod, by a year of sleeping softly I marked +more than once how thickly the rushes were strewn in that corner +in which you always slept. How will it be when you have to stand +the hardships of a soldier's life?" + +"I can sleep well on the ground with my cloak round me," Osgod said +steadily, "and if the place be hard you have but to take up a sod +under your hip-bone and another under your shoulder, and you need +not envy one who sleeps on a straw bed. As to cold and wet, I have +never tried sleeping out of doors, but I doubt not that I can stand +it as well as another. As to eating and drinking, they say that +Earl Harold always looks closely after his men, and holds that if +soldiers are to fight well they must be fed well. At any rate, +Master Wulf, I shall be better off than you will, for I have never +been accustomed, as you have, to such luxuries as a straw bed; and +I doubt whether you ever went hungry to bed as I have done many and +many a time, for in the days when my father hoped to make an armourer +of me I was sent off supperless whenever I bungled a job or neglected +his instructions. I wonder what the earl can want you for in such +haste?" + +"I do not suppose he wants me in any haste at all. He may have +spoken to the king about me, and when Edward again spoke of my +returning he would simply send for me to come at once." + +Such indeed proved to be the case. When he waited on Harold as soon +as he arrived the latter held out his hand; "I am glad to see you +back again, Wulf. A year of country air and exercise has done wonders +for you, and though you are not as tall as you might be, you have +truly widened out into fair proportions, and should be able to swing +a battle-axe of full weight. Thinking it was time for you to return +here, I spoke to the king, who was in high good-humour, for he had +been mightily pleased that morning at some of the figures the monks +have wrought in stone for the adornment of his Church of St. Peter; +therefore he not only consented to your return, but chided me gently +for not having called you up to town before. 'The matter had +altogether slipped my mind,' he said; 'I told you that he might +return directly it was shown that it was the bishop's page who was +in fault, and from that day I have never thought of it.' + +"I told the king that I had purposely kept silence, for I thought +the day had come when you should learn your duties down there instead +of dawdling away your time at court. You need not put on a page's +attire any more. You will remain here as my ward, and I have had +so good an account from the good prior of Bramber that in a short +time I shall be able to receive your oath as Thane of Steyning. You +will attend me to court this evening as one of my gentlemen, and I +will then present you to the king, whom it is well that you should +thank for having pardoned you. I hear from the prior that the varlet +you took down with you has grown into a big man, and is well-nigh +as tall as I am already. He must have lodging with my followers +while you are here." + +Finding that he was to remain for the present at Westminster, Wulf +sent off a messenger at once to request Egbert to forward the rest +of his clothes immediately. That evening the earl took him into a +chamber, where the king was seated surrounded by a few of his +favourites. + +"This is Wulf of Steyning, my lord king," Harold said, "the youth +who was unfortunate enough to incur your royal displeasure a year +since, and who has upon your order returned from his estates. I +have had excellent accounts of him from my good friend the prior +of Bramber, who speaks well alike of his love of study and his +attention to the affairs of his estate. I have also heard from other +hands of his progress in military exercises, and that he bids fair +to become a valiant and skilful soldier of your majesty. He has +prayed me to express his thanks to your majesty for having pardoned +him, and having authorized me to enrol him again in the ranks of +my followers here." + +The king nodded pleasantly in answer to the deep bow that Wulf made. +"I was somewhat hasty in your matter," he said graciously, "and +dealt out somewhat hard measure to you, but doubtless, as Earl +Harold said, your stay in the country has been for your good, and +I am glad to hear that the worthy prior of Bramber speaks so well +of you." + +The earl gave a little nod to Wulf, and the latter, gathering that +his case was concluded, and that he could now go at once, retired +with another deep obeisance. + +Leaving the palace he made his way to the armourer's, whither he +had sent Osgod as soon as they arrived. The smith doffed his cap +as he entered. "I am right glad to see you back again, young master. +My son gave me a rare surprise, for truly when he walked in I did +not know him again, not having had him in my thoughts or having +heard of his arrival. The varlet saw that I did not know him, and +said, 'Canst mend me a broken dagger, master armourer?' + +"'That can I,' I answered, and would have said more, when a laugh +came from his great mouth that well-nigh shook the house, and I +knew that it was my son, though the note was deeper than his used +to be, and was, as I told him, more like the bellow of a bull than +the laugh of a young fellow of eighteen. His mother looked in from +behind the shop and said, 'Surely that must have been Osgod's laugh.' +'It was,' I said, 'and there he stands before you. The impudent +rascal has topped me by over half a head, though I am a fair height +myself.' Then she carried him away, and I saw no more of him until +I had finished my work. Since supper he has been telling me somewhat +of what he has been doing down with you, which, as far as I can +learn, amounts to nothing, save the exercising of his arms and the +devouring of victuals." + +"He did all there was to do, Ulred, except that he could not bring +that long body and those loose arms of his to offer me cup or platter +without risk to my garments, and even Egbert was forced to agree +that he should never be able to make a courtly servant of him; but +save in that matter Osgod has got on right well. He has always been +ready when I wanted him, and prepared at once to start with me +either on foot or horseback whenever I wished to go out. He is +growing into a mighty man-at-arms, and well-nigh broke the skull +as well as the casque of the captain and teacher of my house carls. +Another two years, if he goes on as he has done and we go into +battle again, no thane in the land will have a stouter body-guard." + +"Are you going to stay in London, Master Wulf?" + +"Yes; that is, while the earl is here. When he is away hunting or +attending to the affairs of the state I suppose I shall go with +him. Osgod of course will go with me. While here I shall have but +little use for his services, and he can be at home most part of the +day." + +"Then I trust you will soon be off," the smith said bluntly, "for +to have a youth six feet and a hand in height hanging about doing +nothing would set all the men thinking it well that they too should +be idle. Osgod was always ready enough for a talk, though I do not +say he could not work when it was necessary, but now that he is in +your worship's service and under no orders of mine, his tongue will +never cease wagging." + +"Oh, I am ready to work a bit, father. I know how long it took me +to hammer out a bar before, and I shall be curious to find out in +what time I can do it now." + +"I doubt you will spoil more than you make, Osgod. Still, I too +shall be curious to see how many strokes you can give with the big +hammer, and how quickly you can beat a bar into a blade." + +The stay in town was, however, of short duration, for four days +later the earl told him that he was going down to his house at +Bosham, and that he was to accompany him. + +"'Tis three months since I was away from London," he said. "The +king is going down into Hereford to hunt, and I am therefore free +for a while, as there are no matters of state that press at present, +though I fear that ere very long the Welsh will be up again. I hear +that their King Griffith, not content with the beating he had a +short time since, is again preparing for war. Still it may be some +time before the storm bursts, and I am longing to be down again +among the green woods or afloat on the water." + +Harold took with him a large party of personal friends, his brother +Wulfnoth, and his nephew Hakon. Among the party was Beorn, a young +thane, who also was a ward of the earl. He was two years older +than Wulf, but there had been a close friendship between them at +Edward's court. Shortly after Wulf's departure Beorn had also been +sent by the earl to his estates in Hampshire, and had been recalled +at the same time. + +Beorn was far less strong and active than Wulf, having been very +weakly during the early years of his life, nor had he had the same +advantages of education, as he only became Harold's ward a year +after Wulf was installed as a page at Westminster. He was a youth +of good and generous disposition, and looked with feelings of +admiration upon the strength and skill in arms of the younger lad, +and especially at his power of reading. + +"I can never be like you there, Wulf," he would say, "but I hope I +may some day grow as strong as you and as skilful in arms." + +Beorn's stay in the country had done much for him, his thin tall +frame had filled out and there was a healthy colour on his cheek. +He had practised diligently at military exercises, and although he +found when, on the first day after Wulf's arrival in London, he +challenged him to a trial in arms, he was still very greatly his +inferior in skill and strength, he bade fair to become a gallant +fighter. + +"It is a disappointment to me, Wulf," he said as he picked up the +battle-axe that had been struck from his hand and sent flying across +the hall by a sweeping blow of Wulf's weapon. "I have really worked +very hard, and I did think that I ought to have caught you up, +seeing that I am two years the elder. But you have gained more than +I have. I did as well as the other youths who were taught with me +by the house-carl Harold sent down with me, but I am sure I shall +never be as quick or hit as strongly as you do." + +"Oh yes, you will, Beorn. Age is nothing. You see you were sick and +ailing till you were fifteen years old, so those years counted for +nothing, and instead of being two years older than I am you are +many years younger. In another four or five years you will come to +your full strength, and will be able to strike a far heavier blow +than I can now; although I do not say heavier than I may be able +to do then, as you are neither so wide nor so deep chested as I am. +But what does it matter, one only fights sometimes. You have other +advantages, you are gentler in speech and manner and have a handsome +face. When we were pages together the bower-maidens of the queen +always made much of you, while they called me impudent, and would +give me many a slap on the cheek." + +"Well, you deserved it richly, Wulf, for you were always playing +tricks upon them-hiding their distaffs or tangling their thread, +and giving them pert answers when they wanted you to do their +errands. Well, I hope we shall be always great friends, Wulf. Your +estates lie not far from mine, and though we can scarce be called +neighbours we shall be within a day's ride of each other, and I +trust that we shall fight together under the good earl, and often +spend our time at each other's houses, and hunt and feast together." + +"I hope we shall be much together, Beorn," Wulf said warmly, "and +that we shall be sworn friends; but as for feasting, I care but +little for it. We Saxon thanes are too fond both of food and wine-cup, +and though I am no monk I would that our customs could be altered. +I hate foreigners, but their ways are in many respects better than +ours. The Normans, it is true, may not be much better than we are, +but then they are but Northmen a little civilized; but I have heard +the earl say that the French, and still more the Italians, are +vastly ahead of us in all arts, and bear themselves with a courtesy +and gentleness to each other that puts to shame our rough manners." + +"We should be neither happier nor better that I can see, Wulf, did +we adopt the manners of these Italians you speak of instead of our +own." + +"Perhaps not, Beorn, but we should be able to make the people happier +and better if we could raise them." + +"I will not even grant that, Wulf. Think you that the smith and the +shepherd, the bowmaker and the weaver, would be any the happier +could they read or even write than they are as they sing Saxon songs +over their work? I should like to be able to read, because Harold +thinks much of it, but except for that I see not that it would do +me much good. If the king makes me any further grant of land it +will be doubtless properly made out, and I can get a clerk or a +monk to read it to me. My steward will keep the tallies of the +tenants' payments. I can learn the history of our forefathers as +well from the songs and tales of the gleemen as from books." + +"You are as bad as my man Osgod," Wulf said indignantly. + +"Well, you need not get hot about it, good Wulf," Beorn laughed. +"When you come to see me I will have gleemen to sing the deeds of +our fathers to you. When I come to you I will sit as mum as a mouse +while you read to me from some monk's missal. I will force you +neither to eat nor to drink more than it pleases you, and you shall +give me as much to eat and drink as it pleases me, then we shall +be both well satisfied. As for your man Osgod, I wish I had such +a fellow. He will be well-nigh a giant one of these days, and in +strength may come to rival the earl, who is said to be the strongest +man on English soil." + +"He is a good fellow, Beorn, and I could wish for no better to hold +a shield over me in the day of battle or to stand back to back with +me in a hand-to-hand fight." + +"You should get him to stand in front of you," Beorn laughed. "He +would be a rare screen against arrows and javelins." + +The friends were well pleased when they heard they were both to +accompany Harold to Bosham, which was one of the favourite abodes +of the Earls of Wessex. It had originally been built as a hunting-seat, +but Godwin had grown to love the place, with its woods extending +for miles back and its quiet landlocked harbour, and additions had +been made until it had grown to be, in point of size at least, a +residence worthy of the great earls, and Harold preferred it to any +of the many mansions belonging to him. It was a large and gay party +that rode down the road through the quiet woods of Surrey and Sussex. +They put up each night at the houses of thanes, where, as notice +had been sent of their coming, they were royally entertained, and +those selected were proud to afford hospitality to the earl. + +For a week they stayed at Bosham, hunting in the forests, going off +in parties under the guidance of the foresters, some who cared not +for hard labour, hunting in the woods between Bosham and the hills, +while others went far inland into the weald, which was for the most +part covered by a great forest, with but a few scattered hamlets +here and there. Smoke rising among the trees showed where the +charcoal-burners were at work, or where the furnaces were glowing, +converting the ore into the tough iron that furnished arms and +armour for the greater portion of the men of the south. At the end +of the week the earl announced to his guests that he had provided +a new diversion for them. + +"You see those three ships in the harbour," he said. "They were +brought here last night, and three hundred men have been at work +all day preparing them for our reception. I propose that we all +embark with our dogs and servants, and sail along the coast, landing +where we please and taking our sport. As we sail eastward there +are abundant forests, and the game is far more plentiful than here, +and our trip will partake of the character of an adventure in thus +dropping upon unknown places. Tents have been stored on board the +vessels, with abundance of good cheer of all kinds, so that we can +establish ourselves where we will, and sleep on shore instead of +rocking uneasily on the waves." + +The proposal was received with acclamation, and the following morning +the whole party embarked upon the three ships. The largest was +occupied by Harold himself, his brother and nephew, and six or seven +of his principal thanes. In this craft too went Wulf and Beorn with +their men. On issuing from the harbour the ships' heads were turned +to the east. The wind was light and fitful, the sails therefore +were not loosed, and they proceeded under oars. There was but little +tide until they reached the extremity of the long point of Selsea, +past which they were hurried at great speed by the rapid current. +Rowing closer inshore they got into quieter water, and continued +their way until tide turned, when they anchored, and landing with +their dogs hunted in the woods for some hours. + +On their return to the sea-shore they found the tents erected and +supper prepared, and the sport having been good they remained another +day. The tide took them the next day past the shore of Wulf's estate, +and he begged the earl to land there and to pass a day or two with +his company at Steyning; but all were bent upon the chase, and they +kept on until they reached the point where the white cliffs began +to rise from the edge of the water. Here they landed again, and +spent two or three days in hunting. Neither Wulf nor Beorn had been +to sea before, and the quiet motion of the ships with their bellying +sails and banks of sturdy oarsmen delighted them. There had been +scarcely any motion, and neither had felt the qualms which they had +been warned were generally experienced for a while by those who +went upon the sea for the first time. + +When the journey was resumed Wulf was struck with surprise and +almost awe by the mighty cliffs that rose up from the water's edge. +Neither he nor Beorn had seen anything like this, for although both +their estates bordered the sea, the shores were flat, and vessels, +if needs be, could be hauled up on shore. + +"What would happen if a gale were to burst upon us here?" Wulf said +to his companion. "If the waves were to dash us against those white +rocks the ships would be broken up like egg-shells." + +"Your question is answered," Beorn said, as a bay suddenly opened +to their sight. "You see we are going in here, and shall anchor +snugly somewhere up this river in front of us, which is truly the +best haven we have seen since we left Bosham." Half an hour later +the vessels were moored to the bank, close to a wooden bridge which +spanned the little river. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +A STORM. + +After hunting for two days in the forests lying behind Newhaven, +and in the valley in which Lewes lies, they again embarked. The +master of Harold's ship had expressed some doubts as to the weather, +but as he stated that it was but some eight miles round the great +cliff that they saw to the east, and that beyond this the rocks +ceased and there was a bay in which they could ride at anchor, or +if necessary beach their vessels, it was determined to proceed, as +Harold had the day before been visited by a thane whose house lay +but two miles from the shore, and had accepted his invitation for +the party to take up their abode there for a few days, as he promised +them good sport in the forest. The cliffs rose higher as they +proceeded. They kept closer inshore, and although they could see +that the clouds were flying rapidly overhead they felt no breeze +whatever, being protected from the wind by the lofty cliffs. The +master was evidently uneasy, for he urged the rowers to exert +themselves to the utmost. Wulf and Beorn stood looking with amazement +at the cliffs towering up beside them. + +"Is it not strange that they should rise like this--like a wall +from the water?" Wulf said. "Had they been built up by human hands +they could scarcely have been more erect and regular. I have never +seen anything at all like it on land." + +"Then it must be something formed by the sea, Wulf. Do you see those +caverns at the foot of the cliff, and in some places you see there +is a mound of rocks as if newly formed? It may be that this white +stone is soft, and that the sea beating against the foot wears it +away in time, and then the rock overhead gives way by its weight +and so leaves an upright wall. Perhaps, long back, these hills were +like other hills, sloping gradually down into the sea; but in time, +perhaps many, many years before the Romans landed here, the sea +began to eat them away, and has continued to do so ever since, until +they are as we see them." + +"That may be so, Beorn. My father has told me that he could remember +when our estates stretched a good half-mile farther seaward, but +had since been eaten away by the waves, and he says that his father +had told him the same thing; therefore, as you say, in many hundreds +of years even hills, if the stone were soft, might also be worn +away. There we are rounding the point, and beyond there are no more +cliffs; doubtless it is in this bay that the Shipmaster Edred thinks +to anchor." + +At that moment their conversation was cut short by a tremendous +gust of wind rushing down the sloping hill into the bay striking +them with such terrible force that the ship heeled over until the +water rushed above the bulwark. The men were thrown against each +other, and several fell down to leeward. The confusion was heightened +by the fact that the great sail, which was but loosely furled to +its yard, burst the ropes, and the wind catching it buried the craft +still further, and she would have filled and sunk had not the +ship-master seized the tiller, and aided by the two sailors there +pushed it up, and so the boat's head payed off from the wind and +ran before it. + +The master shouted to the men to lower the sail, which was bellying +and flapping violently, but before his orders could be obeyed there +was a crash. The mast snapped off at the slings of the yard, and +the wreck fell over the bow of the boat. All hands were employed +for some minutes in getting the sail on board and furling it to its +yard, which was laid lengthways along the thwarts. It was found +that three men standing in the bows had been killed, and several +others badly hurt. The vessel was by this time some distance from +shore. Nothing could be done until she was freed of the water, with +which she was nigh half-full, and all hands were employed in bailing +it out. + +The squall had increased rather than lessened in fury, and by the +time the water was cleared out they were two miles from the headland. +Orders were then given to man the oars again but it was found that +several of these had been lost, having been washed away when the +men leapt up, believing that the boat would capsize, or had slipped +from the rowlocks unnoticed while they were engaged in getting in +the sail. This was a serious misfortune, for every oar was needed +to force her through the water in the teeth of the wind, which was +blowing directly off shore. The remaining oars were all double-banked, +Harold himself and his thanes taking their places among the rowers. + +For an hour they laboured their hardest, but at the end of that +time they were farther from shore than when they began, the force +of the wind acting on the poop and broad hull driving her seaward +faster than the rowers could force her shoreward. The sea, too, +was now getting up, and the motion of the vessel rendered it +increasingly difficult to row. Edred left his place at the tiller +and went forward to Harold. + +"My lord," he said, "it is useless. In spite of your efforts we are +drifting farther and farther out, and from the look of the sky I +fear that we are going to have a great gale, and there is nothing +to do but to set a little sail and to run before it. Maybe there +will presently be a shift of wind, which may enable us to make for +shore. At present you are but exhausting yourselves in vain, and +the sea will soon get up so much that it will be impossible to use +the oars." + +"So be it," Harold replied; and at the master's orders the oars +were laid in, and the men prepared to get sail upon her. A sailor +climbed up the mast and fastened the stays close to the point which +was broken off. Then another joined him, and a block was lashed to +the mast just below the stays, and the halliards were rove through +it; then Edred brought out a small sail, and this was hoisted, and +the vessel, which had before been rolling heavily, began to glide +swiftly through the water. They had had the satisfaction of seeing +that their consorts, although like themselves nearly capsized by +the squall, had suffered no damage, but after lowering their sails +and yards to the deck, had succeeded in rowing into the bay, their +lighter hull and draught enabling the oars to drive them through +the water in the teeth of the wind. + +"She is going along finely now," Wulf said. + +"Yes," Beorn agreed; "but before night there is like to be a sea +that will try her." + +Harold held a consultation with the master, and presently all the +men were called to work. The great sail was unrolled from its yard +and a portion cut off, somewhat wider than the beam of the boat, +and in length reaching from the bow to the mast. Nails and hammers +were brought up from the little cabin, and the canvas was stretched +from bulwark to bulwark and strongly nailed to the wood on either +side, oars being first lashed across at short intervals to support +it. + +"I suppose that is for us to lie under, Master Wulf?" Osgod said. +"It is a pity it was not erected before, for there is not a man on +board who is not drenched to the skin." + +"It is not put there to keep you dry, Osgod, but to keep the waves +from coming into the ship. But she goes over them well. The wind +is getting up, Osgod, and we shall have a great sea presently." + +"Then why don't we turn and sail back again? It seems to me to be +folly to be running away from the land if such is going to be the +weather." + +"How can we sail back again? Do you not see that it is the wind +that is blowing us off, and the vessel must go as the wind takes +her. One can go a little this way or that, but no man ever yet +sailed in the teeth of the wind." + +"This is the first time I have ever been to sea," Osgod said, "and +I trust it will be the last. The tossing of the ship makes me +strangely giddy, and many of the servants are downright ill with +it. Why men should go on the water when they can walk upon the land +is more than I can say. I think I will go and lie down under the +shelter of the sail, for indeed I feel as if I were about to die." + +Wulf himself was feeling strangely uncomfortable. As long as they +had been at work he had not felt unwell, for the necessity of holding +on to the bulwarks or ropes, and the excitement of their strange +position, had saved him from experiencing many qualms; but both he +and Beorn were soon glad to follow Osgod's example, and to lie down +on the boards under the rowers' benches. Fiercer and fiercer blew +the wind, more and more violent became the motion of the ship; +masses of water fell on the canvas forward, as she plunged into the +waves, and would have soon beaten it in had it not been for the +support of the oars. By evening most of the men were lying under +the shelter, while Harold's brother and friends had retired to the +little cabin in the stern. The earl himself remained by the side +of the ship-master, who had taken his place close to the tiller, +which was worked by four men. + +"Think you that she will weather it, Edred?" + +"I have little fear about that, my lord. She is a staunch boat, and +I have been aboard her in seas as heavy as this. Besides, that +thought of yours of stretching the canvas across her bow has greatly +improved her chances. The water runs off as fast as it falls on it, +and none comes on board. Had it not been for this every man would +have had to bail all night. No, I have no fear of her weathering +the gale. What I am afraid of is, that if this wind continues to +blow we shall assuredly be lost on the coast of Normandy." + +"That would be an ill fortune, indeed, for I know that the Normans +count all that are cast on their shores as lawful prey; and even +if we reach the land in safety and escape murder at the hands of +the lord of the soil and his people, I may fall into the hands of +Duke William, who is assuredly no friend of mine, seeing that I +stand in the way of his designs upon the throne of England. Truly +it was an evil moment when the thought of taking to the sea occurred +to me, and I would give a broad slice of my earldom to be back at +Bosham." + +Hour by hour the waves increased in size and violence, and often +poured in over the sides. The number of men on board was too great +for all to work effectively. They therefore were divided into two +parties, one being engaged in bailing while the other lay under +cover, the change being made every hour. Wulf preferred working +to lying still, for as the craft rolled the water washed over them, +while the din of the waves striking the ship's side, and the cataracts +of spray falling on to the canvas above were deafening, and it was +impossible to get a moment's sleep. All were glad when morning +broke, although the scene that met their eyes was the reverse of +comforting. Small as was the amount of sail the vessel tore through +the water under the pressure of the following wind. Great waves +with white crests pursued her, and as they neared her stern it +seemed to Wulf that they must inevitably fall over and crush her. +The spray torn from the crest by the wind filled the air. The wind +shrieked in the cordage, and the vessel creaked and groaned as she +rolled from side to side. + +"I would not have believed if I had not seen it, that the sea could +be so violent and ill-behaved," Wulf shouted to Osgod, who was then +standing beside him. + +"If my clothes were but dry and my stomach full I would not mind +so much," Osgod replied; "but to be drenched in water all night and +to have nought to eat in the morning, takes the courage out of one +mightily. How long, think you, will this go on?" + +"That no one can say. It may last two or three days." + +"And no food all that time!" Osgod exclaimed in dismay. + +"We could stand that well enough, Osgod; but I do not think there +is much chance of our being called upon to do so, for I heard one +of the sailors say that unless the storm abates marvellously we are +likely to be cast upon the French coast before nightfall." + +"I should be glad to be cast anywhere so it were out of this. At +least, whether it be France or England, there must be food to be +had on shore" + +"You do not understand, Osgod. Unless we happen to be cast upon a +shelving coast with sand or gravel the craft may be dashed to pieces, +and all lose their lives; for assuredly none could swim long in +such a sea as this." + +"Well, we must hope that we shall find a shore such as you speak +of," Osgod said tranquilly; "but for my part, I am content to take +the risk rather than wait another three days before getting anything +to eat." + +"And I would rather fast for a week than run the risk of the ship +being broken up on the rocks," Wulf replied. "I can swim but little +even in calm water, and I am sure that I could do nothing among +those waves." + +"I can swim, and will look after you," Osgod said confidently. "I +used to swim every day in the Thames." + +Wulf shook his head. "I daresay you might look after me if I fell +into the Thames, Osgod, but it is a very different thing in a sea +like this. These waves would dash a swimmer hither and thither as +if he were but a chip of wood; besides, the spray would smother +him. Even at this height above the water it is difficult to breathe +when one turns round and faces the wind. I think that our only +hope lies in running upon a flat shore, where the waves will wash +the vessel up so high that we may be able to leap out from the bow +on to the land beyond the reach of their fury." + +Late in the afternoon one of the sailors on the poop astern shouted +out that land was visible, and it was not long before it could be +seen from the deck. All eyes were directed anxiously towards it. + +"It is a rocky coast," Edred said, "but the rocks are not high, and +if we can manage to direct the vessel between two of them we may +escape. At present it is needful that most of the crew should keep +in the stern, but when we are about to strike they must all run +suddenly forward, so as to leap out as soon as she touches the +ground. There will be but little time given to them, for assuredly +the seas will batter her to pieces the moment she falls among the +rocks." + +Harold issued the order. All were to remain at their posts until +he gave the word, and were then to run forward. The master scanned +the shore anxiously. + +"See you, my lord, that opening right ahead of us? It seems to me +barely the width of the ship, but if I can direct her truly between +the rocks methinks that most of the crew will gain the land. I shall +myself take the helm. That is my duty and my right, and should I +not succeed in making the shore, I shall at least die well contented +with the thought that you who are the hope of England will be saved." + +"I would fain stay with you, Edred." + +"That cannot be, my lord. As it is my duty to stay by the ship to +the last, so it is your first duty to save your life for England. +I need no aid, for the vessel steers well, and by the help of a +rope round the tiller I can manage her alone. Farewell, my lord, +if we are not to meet again on earth. A very few minutes will decide +our fate." + +"Swimming will be of no use there, Osgod," Wulf said. "Look how +the spray dashes itself against the black rocks." + +"I thought not that it would be so bad," Osgod replied. "I wonder +the master does not cast anchor." + +"The ropes would not hold for a moment," Wulf said, "and when they +broke we might drift broadside on to the rocks, which would mean +destruction for all. The master is steering for that narrow opening +between these two great rocks ahead. It will be but two or three +minutes now before our fate is decided." + +At this moment Harold shouted: + +"Let each man make his peace with God." And baring his head he stood +silently for a minute or two, imitated by all on board. Then Harold +again raised his voice in a shout that was heard above the storm: + +"Move forward now all of you, but not further forward than the mast; +for if her head were too far down the master could not hold her +straight. Moreover, the mast will assuredly fall forward and crush +those in front of it. Therefore, let no man go forward of it until +the ship strikes." + +The sailors had already cut away the canvas stretched across the +bow, and all on board clustered just aft the mast. Wulf looked back, +and saw the master standing alone on the poop, with his eyes fixed +in front of him and a look of grim resolve on his face. Then he +turned again to look ahead. The scene was terrible. On either side +extended a long line of white foam. Great masses of water were +hurled against the rocks with a thundering crash, and the spray +flew high up into the air, and then, caught by the wind, was carried +far inland. The rocks were now but a few lengths ahead, and the +passage between them looked terribly narrow, so narrow that he +doubted if the ship could possibly pass through them. Not a word +was spoken on board as the ship neared the opening. Now she swerved +a little to one side, now a little to the other, as the waves lifted +her stern and swept her along, but the hand of the master checked +her immediately, and brought her head back to the line. + +She was but a length away from the passage when there was a crash +that shook her from stem to stern; then another great wave lifted +her, and Wulf saw a black wall of rock gleaming with the water that +streamed down it. The wall of rock flashed past the bulwarks so +closely that he could have touched it A moment later the ship struck +again, this time with a force that threw many off their feet, while +the mast fell over the bow. Then once more she lifted, shot a few +feet further, then struck with tremendous force and remained +stationary. + +There was a grinding and splintering of planks, as the men rushed +forward, and then a wave swept over the vessel, carrying all on +deck before it into the cove beyond the rock, rolling them over and +over up a sandy shore behind. Some managed to dig their hands and +feet into the sand and to scramble out; more were sucked back again +by the receding waters. As Wulf found himself in the water he felt +his arm clutched, and Osgod shouted in his ear: "Do not struggle, +I can keep you up!" + +When thrown up on the sand Wulf tried in vain to resist the backward +rush of the water; he and Osgod were borne out again. When the next +wave again swept them up Wulf saw the earl standing knee-deep in +the water, and as he was swept past, Harold seized him and Osgod, +and with tremendous strength lifted them right out of the water. +"Keep still!" he shouted; "your weight will help me to keep my +feet." Wulf felt his supporter quiver as the water rushed out, for +he was waist-deep now; but directly afterwards he set them both +down on their feet, saying, "Run before the next wave comes." Ten +yards farther and they were beyond the reach of the sea. Harold +was with them, and directed those who had got ashore to form lines, +taking hold of each other's hands, and so to advance far into the +surf and grasp their comrades as they were swept up. Many were saved +in this way, although some of the rescuers were badly hurt by +floating pieces of wreckage, for the vessel had entirely broken up +immediately after her course had been arrested. + +As soon as all who could be seen were brought ashore it was found +that ten men were missing, among whom was the master of the ship, +most of them having probably been struck by floating timbers. As +soon as it was certain that no more would come ashore alive Harold +called the men together. Rough litters were made of oars and pieces +of sail, for the conveyance of those who had broken limbs or were +too much injured to walk, and the party prepared for a start. By +this time several men, apparently of the fishing class, had approached, +but stood a short distance away, evidently waiting for the departure +of the party before beginning the work of collecting whatever the +sea might cast up. Harold went over to them, and asked in the Norman +tongue: + +"What shore is this, and how far is it to the nearest town where +we can obtain shelter and assistance?" + +"You are in Ponthieu, in the territories of Count Conrad. The town +of St. Valery is but two miles along the coast. There you can obtain +all you need." + +Returning to his men, Harold ordered the wounded to be raised, and +the party at once set out. Harold had already taken off his gold +chain and rings, and had told his companions to do the same, in +order that the cupidity of the natives might not be excited nor +their rank guessed at. As soon as they started Wulf went up to him. + +"My lord," he said, "I fear that you have already been recognized +by one of the fishermen. I saw him looking earnestly at you, and +then whisper to one of his companions. After doing so he hurried +away." + +"That is bad news, Wulf; but I could hardly expect that I should +be long unrecognized. There are many vessels come and go between +the northern ports and our own, and in St. Valery there must be +numbers of sailors and fishermen who have seen me in London. Besides, +we are sure to be questioned by the count as to our rank and +condition, and even could we conceal it for a while, the news is +certain to be brought ere long from England of our having been blown +off the coast, and when it was known it would be speedily guessed +that we were the missing party. Hark you, Wulf; I have never heard +aught good of Count Conrad, and one cannot say what steps he may +take to force us to pay a heavy ransom, but it is like enough that +he will do all he can to prevent the news of my being in his hands +from reaching the ears of the duke. It is likely that you and Beorn, +being but lads, will be watched less rigorously than the rest of +us. Should this be so, try, if you find an opportunity, to send the +news to the duke that we are all held prisoners here. I shall, of +course, endeavour to communicate with him, but some chance may occur +by which you can do so more readily than I can." + +"I will try to do so, my lord; but I trust this Norman count will +treat you with all due honour and courtesy." + +Wulf then fell back to Beorn's side, and half an hour later the +shipwrecked party entered the gates of St. Valery. The townspeople +flocked round them, and as soon as they learned that they were a +party of shipwrecked Saxons who had been blown by the gale from +England, they were led to the house of the officer in command of +the town. He asked them a few questions, saying, "I must refer the +matter to the count. By the usages of our land all who are cast +upon it become his prisoners, to be put to ransom or otherwise as +he may decide. However, food shall be supplied you at once, but +you must be content to remain under guard until his pleasure is +known." + +They were accordingly at once placed in a disused granary, under +the charge of a strong guard. Food was brought to them, and as soon +as they had consumed this, most of the men threw themselves on the +ground, worn out by their long exertions. + +"This is a sorry welcome, Wulf, after our escape from the sea," +Beorn said. "Truly the land seems as inhospitable as the ocean." + +"It is not pleasant, Beorn, but at present I feel so thankful for +my escape from those terrible waves that even the thought that we +are all prisoners to this petty noble does not greatly concern me. +Doubtless William of Normandy, who is the liege lord of the land, +will speedily take us out of his hands. Were we alone it may be +that we should suffer a long stay in his dungeons, but Harold and +his brother are far too important personages to be allowed to remain +in the hands of one of the duke's vassals." + +"It is shameful," Beorn said indignantly. "I do not say that those +who are cast on our shores may not be often pillaged and ill-treated +by the common folk, but surely none of gentle blood would fail to +show them kindness and hospitality." + +"That is so on our coast of Sussex, but I have heard that further +west, and certainly among the Danes of Northumbria, vessels cast +on the coast are considered as gifts from the sea, and even the +lives of those who gain the shore are not often respected. I regret +much that Harold should be with us. It is true that his being here +will doubtless shorten the term of our imprisonment, but it is +unfortunate that he should fall into the hands of William, who is +as famous for craft and subtlety as he is for bravery and skill as +a leader." + +"But what can he gain from Harold?" Beorn asked. "Our earl is +well-nigh as much known throughout Europe as William of Normandy, +and all Christendom would cry out with shame were he treated with +ought but courtesy by the duke." + +"I doubt not that he will treat him with courtesy, Beorn, but he +may well wring some concessions from him before he lets him depart. +He may bargain that the Normans may be again allowed to hold land +in England, and to build their castles, as they did before Godwin +and his sons returned from exile, and the Normans had to fly the +land, save those around the person of the king. He may beg so many +bishoprics for Norman priests. There is no saying what concessions +he may extort. Of all princes in Europe I had rather Harold had +fallen into the hands of any other than into those of William of +Normandy." + +"Truly I have never troubled my head about such matters, Wulf, and +thought that it would be time to do so when I became a thane, and +had a vote at the Witan." + +"I have heard much of them from the prior of Bramber, who is a true +Englishman, and though a priest, learned in all matters that appertain +to the history of times past and of our own; he impressed upon me +that just as a boy must practise arms if he is to bear them worthily +as a man, so he should study the story of our kings, and learn what +is passing, not only in our own country but in others, if he is +ever to raise his voice in council." + +Harold and his thanes sat apart discussing the position, their +conclusion being very similar to that arrived at by Wulf. Chivalry +had but slight influence as yet in the West of Europe. Kings and +princes cared little as to the means by which they attained an end. +Rivals to a throne were put out of the way without scruple; the +profession of arms was a business like any other, carried on for +gain; a captured foe was valued chiefly for the amount of ransom +that could be obtained for him; petty barons and powerful nobles +alike levied exactions on those who might fall into their hands, +unless previously provided with a safe-conduct. Years later, when +King Richard was made a prisoner on his return from the Holy Land, +it was only because of his great exploits for the recapture of the +Holy Sepulchre that any feeling of reprobation was excited against +his captors. Thus then, although Normandy was at peace with England, +it did not seem an unnatural thing to Harold and his companions +that the noble into whose hands they had fallen should demand a +heavy ransom, or that the Duke of Normandy himself should utilize +the opportunity for his advantage. + +On the following morning they heard a large body of horsemen ride +up. A minute later the governor accompanied by a Norman noble +entered. They were followed by a number of men-at-arms, among whom +was a fisherman. + +"Now, fellow," the count said to this man, "which is the Saxon +Harold?" + +"I am," Harold said, advancing a step before his companions. "I +am Harold, Earl of Wessex. I have with my companions been cast on +your shores. I expect honourable treatment, and am willing to pay +any reasonable ransom should you demand one." + +"We will talk of that afterwards," the count said roughly; "for the +present you go with me to my castle at Beaurain. But first do you +and your men hand over all valuables that you may possess; they are +forfeited to me, being cast up on my land." + +Without a word Harold produced his chain of office and other +ornaments, and dropped them into a helmet which a soldier at the +orders of the count held out for them. His companions did the same, +the thanes first and then the two lads. + +"That will do," the count said to the soldiers. "That is my share, +you can search the rest yourselves." + +"I protest against this robbery," Harold said haughtily, "and will +proclaim you in all the courts of Europe as one who is false to his +station, and who condescends to pillage those whom fortune has cast +on his shores." + +"You can wait until you get an opportunity to do so," the count +sneered; "it is not likely to come for some time. You can do as you +like to the others," he went on to the governor, "I want not to be +cumbered with them. You can doubtless find work for them on the +fortifications, but if you can put them to no use or they are +troublesome, cut their throats and throw them into the sea." + +The Saxons fingered their knives, but Harold said in their own +tongue, "Resistance would be folly, the time may come when we may +turn the tables on this fellow." The soldiers now closed round +Harold and the thanes and led them out of the house. Here they were +ordered to mount each behind a soldier, and as soon as they had +done so they rode out from St. Valery, and crossing the river Somme +at Abbeville, and the Authie by a ford near Crecy, reached the +fortress of Beaurain on the river Canche near the town of Hesdin +before nightfall. On the road Wulf watched anxiously for a chance +to escape, but none offered itself. Soldiers rode on both sides of +the captives, and had he slipped from the horse he could not have +hoped to make his escape across an open country. As soon as they +entered the fortress Harold and the thanes were all consigned to +dungeons, but the count, learning that the two lads had been Harold's +pages, said they should wait on himself. "And see," he said to them, +"that your service is good, if you do not wish to dangle over the +moat at the end of a rope." + +"It is a shame that such a man should be a nobleman," Beorn exclaimed +indignantly to Wulf, as he saw that the soldiers were placing chains +upon Harold before they led him away. + +"He is a hateful-looking villain," Wulf said. "It is but lately +that he revolted against William. I heard of it from the prior. His +brother, the last Count of Ponthieu, joined France in an invasion +of Normandy. He fell in an ambush at St. Aubin, and this man became +count. For a time he was held prisoner by the duke, but afterwards +he was freed, and received back his dominions as a vassal. His face +is at once cruel and base. I told you the instructions Harold gave +me, Beorn; the need for carrying them out has arrived, and I will +try to make my escape without loss of time from this fortress to +bear the tidings to the duke." + +"I will escape with you, Wulf; two can get on better than one." + +"That is so, Beorn, and I would gladly have you with me, but maybe +I shall be detected in attempting to escape and be slain, or I may +fall into the hands of peasants and be brought back here, and if +we were together all hope of letting the duke know of our lord's +captivity would be at an end. Therefore it were best that I made +the attempt first. If I fail, which is like enough, then do you in +turn try to get away and bear the news to the duke." + +Beorn did not like to stay behind, but he saw that Wulf's plan was +best, and accordingly fell in with it. + +"Will you go at once?" he asked. + +"No; I will stay for a day or two to lull suspicion. They may watch +us just at first, but if they see that we do as we are ordered with +good-will they will cease to regard us so narrowly; moreover, it +will be needful to know the place well before I devise a plan of +escape." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +ROUEN. + +For the next two days the lives of the two young Saxons were well-nigh +unbearable. At meals the count by turns abused and jeered at them, +and his companions, following his example, lost no opportunity of +insulting them in every way. + +"If this goes on, Wulf," Beorn said as they threw themselves down +on the ground late that night, when the carousal was ended, "I shall +snatch the count's dagger from his belt and bury it in his heart, +though they put me to death by torture afterwards." + +"I thought of doing so myself, Beorn, to-night, when he threw a cup +of wine over me. But I said to myself my life is not my own, Harold's +rescue depends on it. We are bound as his men to suffer in patience +whatever may befall us. In another hour I shall try to make my +escape. When it was your turn to wait this evening I stole away for +a time, and went to the shed where they keep the war-engines and +took thence a coil of rope, which I have hidden in the courtyard. +You know that we noticed last night where the sentries were placed, +and decided where I might best drop from the wall unobserved. +Fortunately the moat is dry at present, though they can turn water +into it from the stream at will, so that once down I shall have no +difficulty in getting away. Now I want you to go to sleep directly, +I shall not stir until you do so, then when you are questioned in +the morning you can say that I was by your side when you went to +sleep, and that when you woke in the morning the place was vacant. +You can say that I told you during the day that I could not suffer +these insults much longer, and that you suppose that after you had +gone to sleep I must have got up and either killed myself or in +some way made my escape." + +Beorn lay quiet for a time and then Wulf said suddenly, "I have +changed my mind, Beorn; we will go together. I feel it is likely +that in his wrath at my escape the count may slay you, and thus the +object with which you remained behind would come to nothing, therefore +it is best that you go with me." + +"I was thinking so myself, Wulf, though I would not say it; but in +truth I think the risks we may run in making our way to Rouen are +small compared to those of staying here." + +"We must lose no time, Beorn. The castle is quiet now, and we must +be many miles away from here before morning, for you may be sure +the count's horsemen will scour the country far and wide in pursuit +of us." + +They had that morning, before the count was up and their services +were required, wandered about the fortress, apparently paying no +attention to anything, but really closely observing the approaches +to the walls and the general features of the country outside. They +now stole out, keeping in the shadow of the building, until they +reached the staircase leading up to the battlements, close to the +point Wulf had fixed upon for making their descent. This had been +chosen chiefly because no sentry was placed on that part of the +wall, the watch generally being careless, as Normandy was at present +at peace with its neighbours. When they reached the top of the steps +they listened for a short time, but everything was silent. Then +they stepped out on to the narrow pathway along the battlements, +fastened one end of the rope round a piece of stonework and let the +other end drop down into the fosse. + +"Shall we both go down together, the rope is strong enough?" Beorn +asked. + +"It is strong enough, but we had better go separately, Beorn; we +are neither of us accustomed to climb ropes, and if the upper one +were to slip down too fast he might knock the other off the rope. +It makes no matter who goes first. I will if you like, only mind +if you hear a footstep approaching let yourself down at once whether +I am off the rope or not. Be sure and twist your legs tightly round +it, or it will run through your fingers." + +Taking hold of the rope he at once swung himself over, and without +much difficulty reached the bottom in safety. He had scarcely done +so when Beorn came down beside him with a rush. + +"What made you come down like that, you narrowly missed coming on +my head?" + +"I believe I have cut my fingers to the bone," Beorn groaned; "I +feel as if I were holding a bar of hot iron. You had scarcely started +before I heard voices; they were evidently those of men going their +rounds, so I caught hold of the rope and swung myself off, but +before I got my legs fairly round the rope I began to slip, and +though I gripped it as hard as I could I could not stop myself, but +slid down like lightning." + +"Hush!" Wulf whispered, "they are coming along above." The voices +came nearer until they sounded directly overhead Wulf knew that it +was very unlikely they would notice the rope in the dark, but he +felt much relieved as he heard them pass on. He waited until they +could no longer be heard. + +"Now, Beorn, we can safely be off." + +It was muddy at the bottom of the fosse, but not so deep as they +thought it would be, and they scrambled up the opposite side and +then struck across the country south. Presently they came upon a +road, which they followed, until after three hours' walking they +reached the Authie river, at a spot where the bank was broken down. + +"This must be a ford, we had best try to wade across. Anyhow there +cannot be very many yards to swim, and we can both manage that." + +They found that the bottom was pebbly, and that even in the middle +the water was not much above their waists. + +"That is something done, at any rate," Beorn said. "Now which way +shall we go? This road we are on seems to lead south and we cannot +do better than follow it, the stars give us light enough, now that +our eyes are accustomed to the darkness." + +"Yes, we can keep this road, which is no doubt that by which we +travelled before, as far as the village which I heard them call +Noyelle, then we shall have to strike off to the left, for that +place was not far from Abbeville, and shall have to follow the Somme +up some distance, unless we can find means of crossing it." + +"I should think we had better leave the road before we get to the +village, so as to be well away from it. If any peasant were going +to work early and caught sight of us he would be sure to mention +it to any horseman who might come along searching for us. I noticed +that there were several woods on our right as we rode along." + +"That would be the safest way, no doubt," Wulf agreed. "Fortunately +we can do without food for to-morrow"--for both had managed to get +some supper after they had finished in the hall,--"and having made +up my mind to escape to-night I hid away a large piece of bread +under my smock. We can manage very well on that." + +Accordingly after an hour's walking they left the road and bore to +the south-west. But little of the land was cultivated, and they +were fortunate in not coming upon any woodland until light began +to break in the sky. Then they made their way to the nearest wood, +went in for some distance and then threw themselves down, and in a +few minutes were fast asleep. Accustomed to judge time by the +position of the sun, they saw when they awoke that it was already +past noon, and after eating a few mouthfuls of bread they continued +their journey. For the most part their course lay among woods, and +they did not venture across an open piece of country until after a +careful examination to see that no one was in sight. + +Shortly after starting they caught sight of a village in the distance, +which they afterwards learned was St. Riguier, but with these +exceptions saw no human habitation. Late in the afternoon they came +down on the bank of the Somme. This was thickly covered with long +reeds and rushes, and among these they sat down and ate the rest +of their bread, confident that however vigilant the search they +would not be traced. + +"This is a very different matter to the last crossing," Beorn said. +"This is a wide river, and I fear that I could not swim across it." + +"Nor should I like to try. But fortunately there is no occasion for +us to trust to swimming; for we can pull up or break off a number +of these great rushes and make them into two bunches; these will +give us ample support for our passage." + +"So they will, Wulf; I should never have thought of that." + +Two large bundles were soon made, the reeds being tied together by +a tough climber that wreathed itself everywhere among them, and as +soon as it was quite dark they went down to the water's edge, and +found to their satisfaction that the reeds possessed ample buoyancy +for their purpose. Wading in they started swimming, resting their +chests on the reeds and striking out with their legs, and in a few +minutes were on the southern bank of the river. + +"Now we must make to the east of south," Wulf said. "I should say +if we walk steadily all night we shall be beyond the territory of +this vile count. I hope before long we shall strike on some road +leading in the right direction, for if we get among the woods again +we shall be able to make no progress. But any road we may come upon +going at all in the right direction is likely to lead to Rouen." + +"How far is it, do you think?" + +"I have a very vague idea. The prior had a map of Normandy, and on +this he pointed out to me how the duchy had grown since William +came as a boy to be its duke. I can remember the general position +of the town, but not more than that. I should think from the Somme +to Rouen must be over seventy miles and less than a hundred, but +more closely than that I cannot guess." + +They came upon no road before morning, but as the country was open +they made good progress, and when they lay down in a thicket as the +day was breaking they calculated that they must be nearly thirty +miles south of the Somme. + +"I feel that I want sleep," Beorn said, "but still more that I want +food. If it is another sixty miles to Rouen I know not how we are +going to travel the distance fasting" + +"No, we must get some food to morrow or rather to day, Beorn. We +have nothing of any value to offer for it. They searched us too +closely for anything to escape them. We dare not go into any town +or village until we are quite sure that we are beyond the count's +territories, but we might enter some solitary hut and pray for a +piece of bread for charity, or we can walk all day, by which time +we shall surely be well beyond the Count of Ponthieu's territory, +and could boldly go into a town. If we are seized, we can demand +to be sent to Rouen, saying we are bearers of an important message +to Duke William, and even if they do not send us straight on, they +would hardly keep us without food." + +After sleeping for four or five hours they again started, and after +walking some miles came upon a herdsman's cottage The man was out, +and his wife looked with surprise at the two lads, whose garments, +though stained by sea water and travel, were evidently those of +youths of a class above the common. Beorn addressed her in her own +language, and told her that they were wayfarers who had lost their +road and were grievously in need of food. She at once invited them +to come in, and set before them some black bread and some cheese +made from goats' milk. They learned to their satisfaction that they +had long passed the limits of Ponthieu, and that Rouen was distant +about fifty miles. + +"The road from Amiens lies five miles to the east," she said; "but +it would be shorter for you to keep due south, for it inclines in +that direction. You will strike it after seven miles' walking, and +after that you cannot miss your way." + +After warmly thanking the woman for her hospitality the lads again +started, feeling greatly strengthened and refreshed by their meal; +but want of sleep told upon them, and when they got within sight +of the road they again lay down, and slept until the sun was setting. +Resuming their journey they followed the road, and before morning +crossed over a range of hills, and presently arrived at a small +hamlet close to which was a monastery. Towards this they directed +their steps, and seating themselves on the ground near the door, +waited until it was unbarred. + +"You are early wayfarers, my sons," the monk who opened the gates +said as they went up, "and you seem to have travelled far." + +"That have we, father, and are sorely in need of food." + +The hospitality of the monasteries was unbounded, and the monk at +once led them into the kitchen, where bread, meat, and wine were +placed before them. + +"Truly you were hungry," the monk said smilingly as he watched their +onslaught upon the joint. + +"We were well-nigh starving, father. For two days we have had nought +to eat save a crust of bread we had brought with us, and some that +a shepherd's wife bestowed upon us out of charity, and we have +walked from near Hesdin." + +"I do not ask out of curiosity, my sons," the monk said after a +pause, "and you know it is not our custom to question wayfarers who +come in to ask our hospitality; but it is strange to see two youths, +who by their dress and manner seem to belong to a superior station, +in so pitiable a state as you are, and wandering alone, as it would +seem, penniless through the country. I ask not your confidence, but +if you chose to give it maybe we might aid or advise you. Our prior +is a kindly man and very gentle with the faults of others." + +"We are Saxons, father. We were wrecked four days since near St. +Valery, and are now bound on an errand of high importance to Duke +William, to whom it is urgent we should arrive as soon as possible. +We have run sore peril on the way, and have been stripped of our +money and valuables." + +"Is your mission of importance to the duke as well as to yourselves?" +the monk asked gravely. + +"It is of great importance to him. I am sure that he would consider +that any one who assisted us on our way had done him good service." + +The monk look earnestly at them. "I will speak to the prior," he +said. He returned in a few minutes and bade them follow him. + +The prior was a tall, gentle old man. "I have heard your story from +brother Gregory," he said, "and I wished to see you that I might +judge for myself whether so strange a tale, as that two shipwrecked +boys should have important business with our duke, could be believed, +before I did aught to help you forward. You look to me honest of +purpose and of gentle blood, and not, I am sure, belonging to the +class of wayfarer who will trump up any story for the purpose of +gaining alms. Whether your errand with the duke is of the importance +you deem it I cannot say, but if you give me your word that you +consider it an urgent matter, I will aid you to proceed at once." + +"We do indeed consider it most urgent, father, and we are sure that +the duke will so regard it. We should not have walked well-nigh a +hundred miles in two days and nights, and that almost without food, +had we not deemed it so." + +"Brother Gregory," the prior said, "bid lay-brother Philip at once +prepare three palfreys, and tell him he is to ride himself with +these two Saxon youths to Rouen. The distance is thirty miles," he +went on as the monk left the room. "It is not yet six o'clock, and +though our palfreys are not accustomed to travel at rapid speed, +you will be there this afternoon in time to have audience with the +duke." + +The lads returned their warm thanks to the prior. "We would gladly +tell you the purport of our mission," Beorn said, "but we are only +the bearers of news, and the duke might be displeased did he know +that we had confided to any before it reached his own ear." + +"I wish not to learn it, my son. It is sufficient for me that you +have a mission to our duke, and that I am possibly furthering his +interest by aiding you to reach him. But, in sooth, I am more moved +by the desire to aid two stranger youths, whom the sea and man alike +seem to have treated hardly. Is it long since you left England?" + +"We have well-nigh lost account of time, father, so much has taken +place in a few days. 'Tis but a week since we were sailing along +the English coast with a large company in three ships, when a sudden +tempest arose, carried away our sail, blew us off the shore, and +then increasing in fury drove us before it until we were wrecked +on the coast of Ponthieu, near St. Valery. Since then we have been +prisoners, have escaped, and have journeyed here on foot." + +"Truly a bad week's work for you," the prior said. "Were all your +ships wrecked?" + +"No; our two consorts, being lighter and more easily rowed, regained +the land when we were blown off it." + +"Conrad of Ponthieu is an evil man," the prior said. "Had you come +ashore twenty miles farther south you would have been beyond his +jurisdiction. I fear that all the seacoast people view the goods +obtained from vessels cast ashore as a lawful prey, but your company +would assuredly have received fair hospitality if cast on the shores +of Normandy itself. But now methinks I hear the patter of the +palfreys' hoofs. Farewell, my sons, and may God who has protected +you through these dangers give you his blessing." + +The lads knelt before him as he placed his hands on their heads and +gave them his benediction. As they rose brother Gregory entered to +say that the horses were ready, and with renewed thanks to the prior +they followed him to the courtyard, mounted, and rode off with the +lay-brother, glad indeed to find their journey on foot thus abridged. +Impatient as they were to reach Rouen, the gentle pace at which the +palfreys ambled along fretted them very much. Brother Philip kept +up a constant string of talk on the monastery, its estates, the +kindness of the prior, the strictness of the subprior, and other +matters of great interest to himself, but of none to the boys, whose +thoughts were with Harold, chained and in prison. The palfreys, +however, made very fair progress, and it was but three o'clock when +they rode into the streets of Rouen, whose size and grandeur would +at any other time have impressed them much, for it was an incomparably +finer city than London. + +"That is the duke's palace," brother Philip said, as they approached +a stately building. "I will put up the horses at the convent at the +farther corner of this square, and will then go with you to the +palace, as I have orders to tell any officer who may make a difficulty +about you entering, that I am bid by the prior of Forges to say +that you are here on urgent business with the duke, and to pray +that you may have immediate audience with him." + +In those days great men were easy accessible, and one of the ushers, +on receiving the message from the prior, at once led the boys to +an apartment in which the duke was sitting. He looked up in some +surprise on seeing the two lads standing bareheaded at the door, +while the usher repeated the message he had received. + +"Advance," he said. "What is this business of which the prior of +Forges has sent me word?" + +The two boys advanced and knelt before the duke. He was a man of +about the same age as Harold, with dark hair and complexion, less +tall than the earl, but of a powerful figure, and a stern, resolute +face. The boys had discussed among themselves which should be the +speaker. Wulf had desired that Beorn, being the elder, should deliver +the message, but Beorn insisted that as Wulf himself had received +it from Harold, it was he who should be the one to deliver it to +the duke. + +"My Lord Duke," Wulf said, "we are Saxons, pages of Earl Harold, +and we bring you by his orders the news that the vessel in which +he was sailing along his coast had been blown off by a tempest and +cast on the shore of Ponthieu, near St. Valery, and that he and +his companions have been villainously ill-treated by Conrad, Count +of Ponthieu, who has seized them and cast them into dungeons in his +fortress of Beaurain, Harold and his companions being fettered like +malefactors." + +The duke was astounded at the news. No greater piece of good fortune +could have befallen him, for he had it in his power to lay his great +rival under an obligation to him, to show himself a generous prince, +and at the same time to obtain substantial benefits. He rose at +once to his feet. + +"By the Host," he exclaimed, "but this is foul treatment indeed of +the noble earl, and brings disgrace alike upon the Count of Ponthieu +and upon me, his liege lord. This wrong shall be remedied, and +speedily. You shall see that I waste no moment in rescuing your +lord from this unmannerly count." He struck his hand on the table, +and an attendant entered, "Pray the knights Fitz-Osberne and Warren +to come hither at once. And how is it, boys," he went on, as the +attendant hurried away, "that you were enabled to bear this message +to me?" + +"While Harold and his thanes were cast into prison," Wulf said, "the +count kept us to wait upon him; not for our services, but that he +might flout and ill-treat us. We obtained possession of a rope, and +let ourselves down at night from the battlements, and made our way +on foot as far as Forges, where the good prior, learning from us +that we had a message of importance to you, though nothing of its +import, sent us forward on palfreys, so that no time might be lost." + +"When did you leave Beaurain?" + +"It will be three days come midnight," Wulf said. + +"And how did you live by the way?" + +"We took a piece of bread with us, and once obtained food at a +shepherd's hut, and this morning we were well entertained at the +convent of Forges." + +"You have proved yourselves good and trusty messengers," the duke +said. "Would I were always as well served. As you are the earl's +pages you are of course of gentle blood?" + +"We are both his wards, my lord, and shall be thanes when we come +of age." + +"And how is it that you, young sir, who seem to be younger than +your companion, are the spokesman?" + +"It happened thus," Wulf said modestly. "Some fishermen came up +just after we had gained the shore with the loss of many of our +company. I marked that one of them started on seeing Earl Harold, +and whispered to a companion, and feeling sure that he had recognized +my lord, I told the earl of it as we walked towards St. Valery. He +then charged me if he was taken prisoner by the count to endeavour +to bear the news to you, and to give the same orders to my comrade +Beorn, saying it was likely that we might not be so strictly watched +as the men of the company, and might therefore succeed in slipping +away, as indeed turned out to be the case. I was desirous that Beorn +should tell you the tale, being older and more accustomed to the +speech of the court than I was, but he held that the message, being +first given to me, it was I who should deliver it." + +"He judged rightly," the duke said, "and deserves credit for thus +standing aside." + +At this moment two knights entered. "Fitz-Osberne, Warren," the +duke said, "a foul wrong has been done by Conrad of Ponthieu to +Earl Harold of Wessex, the foremost of Englishmen next to the king +himself, who has, with a company of his thanes, been cast ashore +near St. Valery. Instead of receiving honourable treatment, as was +his due, he has been most foully seized, chained, and with his +friends thrown into prison by the count, who has sent no intimation +of what has taken place to me, his lord, and had it not been for +these two brave and faithful youths, who effected their escape over +the battlements of Beaurain in order to bring me the news, the earl +might have lingered in shameful captivity. I pray you take horse +at once, with twenty chosen spears, and ride at the top of your +speed to Beaurain. There express in fitting terms to Conrad my +indignation at his foul treatment of one who should have been +received as a most honoured guest. Say that the earl and his company +must at once be released, and be accorded the treatment due not +only to themselves, but to them as my guests, and bid the count +mount with them and ride to my fortress of Eu, to which I myself +will at once journey to receive them. Tell Conrad that I will account +to him for any fair ransom he may claim, and if he demur to obey +my orders warn him that the whole force of Normandy shall at once +be set on foot against him. After having been for two years my +prisoner, methinks he will not care to run the risk of again being +shut up within my walls." + +"We will use all haste," Fitz-Osberne said. "Conrad's conduct is a +disgrace to every Norman noble, for all Europe will cry shame when +the news of the earl's treatment gets abroad. That Conrad should +hold him to ransom is only in accordance with his strict rights, +but that he should imprison and chain him is, by the saints, almost +beyond belief." + +As soon as the knights had left, the duke sent for his chamberlain, +and ordered him to conduct Beorn and Wulf to an apartment and to +see that they were at once furnished with garments befitting young +nobles, together with a purse of money for their immediate wants. +Then taking a long and heavy gold chain from his neck he placed it +on the table, and with a blow with his dagger cut it in sunder, and +handed half to each of the lads. + +"Take this," he said, "in token of my thanks for having brought me +this news, and remember, that if at any time you should have a boon +to ask that it is within my power to grant, I swear to you upon my +ducal honour that it shall be yours. Never have I received more +joyful news than that the great Earl of Wessex will shortly be my +guest." + +The lads bowed deeply, and then followed the chamberlain from the +apartment. + +"Well, what think you of it, Beorn?" Wulf said, when they found +themselves alone in a handsome chamber. + +"So far as rescuing Harold from the power of the Count of Ponthieu +we have surely succeeded even beyond our hopes. As to the rest, I +know not. As you were speaking I marked the satisfaction and joy +on the duke's face, and I said to myself that it was greater than +need have been caused by the thought that Earl Harold was to be his +guest." + +"So I thought myself, Beorn. There can be no doubt that, as he said, +he deemed it the best news he had ever received, and I fear greatly +that Harold will but exchange one captivity for another. It will +doubtless be a more pleasant one, but methinks Harold will find +himself as much a prisoner, although treated as an honoured guest +by William, as he was while lying in the dungeon of Conrad. It is +a bad business, and I greatly fear indeed that Harold will long rue +the unfortunate scheme of hunting along the coast that has brought +him to this pass." + +In a short time an attendant arrived with ewers, water, and four +suits of handsome garments, belts embroidered with gold thread, and +daggers, together with two plumed caps and purses, each containing +ten gold pieces; he informed them that two horses had been provided +for their use, and that they were to take their meals with the +duke's household, and to consider themselves in all respects as his +guests. + +"We look finer birds than we did when we rode in with brother +Philip," Beorn laughed when they had attired themselves in their +new garments. "The more sober of these suits are a good deal gayer +than those we wore at home even at court ceremonies." + +"King Edward objects to show," Wulf said, "and his own pages are +so sober in their attire that the earl likes not that we should +outshine them, and we usually cut a poor figure beside those of +William of London and the other Normans of his court." + +In a short time the chamberlain came in and informed them that +supper was served, and conducted them to the hall, where he presented +them to the duke's gentlemen and pages as William's guests, and +wards and pages of the Earl of Wessex. The news of Harold's shipwreck +and imprisonment travelled quickly, for orders had already been +issued for the court to prepare to start early the next morning to +accompany the duke to Eu, in order to receive with due honour +William's guest and friend, Harold of England; and while the meal +went on many questions were asked as to the shipwreck and prisonment +of the earl, and the liveliest indignation was expressed at the +conduct of Conrad of Ponthieu. + +"Truly all Normans will be reckoned churls," one of the gentlemen +exclaimed indignantly. "The fame of Harold's bravery, wisdom, and +courtesy to all men is known in every court in Europe, and that the +duke's vassal should have dared to imprison and chain him will +excite universal indignation. Why, the rudest of our own Norse +ancestors would not have so foully treated one so noble whom fate +had cast into his hands. Had we been at war with England it would +be shameful, but being at peace there are no words that can fitly +describe the outrage." + +When the meal was over, one of the duke's pages who was about the +same age as Beorn asked him what they were going to do with themselves. + +"If you have nothing better," he said, "will you ride with me to +my father's castle, it is but five miles away? My name is De Burg. +I can promise you a hearty welcome. My father was one of the knights +who accompanied the duke when he paid his visit to England some +fifteen years ago, and he liked the country much, and has ever since +spoken of the princely hospitality with which they were received +by your king. He did not meet Earl Harold then." + +"No, the earl with his father and brothers was away in exile," Wulf +said rather shortly, for that visit had been a most unpleasant one +to Englishmen. It had happened when the Norman influence was +altogether in the ascendant. The king was filling the chief places +at court and in the church with Normans, had bestowed wide domains +upon them, and their castles were everywhere rising to dominate the +land. Englishmen then regarded with hostility this visit of the +young Norman duke with his great train of knights, and although at +the return of Godwin and his sons the greater portion of the intruders +had been driven out, their influence still remained at court, and +it was even said that Edward had promised the duke that he should +be his successor. + +It was true that Englishmen laughed at the promise. The King of +England was chosen by the nation, and Edward had no shadow of right +to bequeath the throne even to one of his sons much less to a foreign +prince, who, although related to himself by marriage, had no drop +of English blood in his veins. Still, that the promise should ever +have been made rankled in the minds of the English people, the more +so as the power of Normandy increased, and the ambition as well as +the valour of its duke became more and more manifest According to +English law the promise was but an empty breath, absolutely without +effect or value. According to Norman law it constituted a powerful +claim, and Duke William was assuredly not a man to let such a claim +drop unpressed. + +Wulf had heard all this again and again, and the prior of Bramber +had explained it to him in all its bearings, showing him that little +as Englishmen might think of the promise given by Edward so long +ago, it would be likely to bring grievous trouble on the land at +his death. He might perhaps have said more in reference to William's +visit had not Beorn at once accepted the invitation to ride with +young De Burg to his father's castle. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + + +RELEASE OF THE EARL + +In a few minutes the three horses were brought out. Wulf and Beorn +were much pleased with the animals that had been placed at their +service. They were powerful horses, which could carry a knight in +his full armour with ease, and seemed full of spirit and fire. They +were handsomely caparisoned, and the lads felt as they sprang on +to their backs that they had never been so well mounted before. + +"You would have made the journey more quickly and easily if you had +had these horses three days ago," young De Burg laughed. + +"Yes, indeed. There would have been no occasion to hide in the woods +then. With our light weight on their backs they would have made +nothing of the journey." + +"You must not expect to see a castle," De Burg said presently, +"though I call it one. In his early days the duke set himself to +destroy the great majority of castles throughout Normandy, for as +you know he had no little trouble with his nobles, and held that +while the strength of these fortresses disposes men to engage either +in civil war or in private feuds with each other, they were of no +avail against the enemies of the country. My father, who is just +the age of the duke, was his loyal follower from the first, and of +his free will levelled his walls as did many others of the duke's +friends, in the first place because it gave the duke pleasure, and +in the second because, had only the castles of those opposed to the +duke been destroyed, there would have been such jealousy and animosity +on the part of their owners that matters would never have quieted +down in the country. Thus it is that throughout the land you will +find but few castles remaining. The nobles felt it strange at first +to be thus dwelling in houses undefended against attack, but they +soon learnt that it was far more convenient than to be shut up +within massive walls, and the present dwellings are much larger and +more comfortable than those of former days. The duke said rightly +that the abolition of fortresses well-nigh doubled his fighting +power, for that so many men were required to garrison them as to +greatly diminish the number their lords could take with them into +the field. You do not have castles in England, do you?" + +"No, we live in open houses, and hold that it is far better and +more pleasant to do so. There is no fighting between neighbours +with us. The great earls may quarrel and lead their forces into the +field, or may gather them against Danish and Norwegian pirates, but +except on these occasions, which are rare, all dwell peaceably in +their homes." + +The horses were fresh, and the five miles quickly passed over. + +"There is the house," De Burg said, pointing to a large building +standing on an eminence. It was castellated in form, and much of +the old building had been incorporated with the additions, but the +outer wall had been pulled down and the moat filled up. Broad +casements had replaced the narrow loopholes, and though the flag +of the De Burgs still waved over the keep, which stood a little +apart from the rest, the family no longer dwelt in it. + +"It is chiefly used as a storehouse now," Guy De Burg explained; +"but there, as you see, the old loopholes still remain, and in case +of trouble it might be held for a time. But of that, however, there +is little chance; the duke's hand is a heavy one, and he has shown +himself a great leader. He has raised Normandy well-nigh level with +France, and so long as he lives and reigns there is no fear of +domestic trouble." + +The gate stood open and they rode into a courtyard, when several +men came out and took the horses. Guy de Burg ran up a broad staircase +to the entrance of the house itself, and passed beneath a noble +entrance with a lofty pointed arch supported by clustered pillars. +Inside was a spacious hall paved with stone, and from this De Burg +turned into an apartment whose walls were covered with rich hangings. +Here a lady was at work embroidering, surrounded by several of her +maids similarly engaged. A girl some fourteen years old was reading +a missal, while the master of the castle was sitting in a chair +with low arms, and was playing with the ears of a hound whose head +was lying on his knee. + +"Well, Guy, what is your news?" he asked as his son entered. "Half +an hour since I received a message from the duke desiring me to +appear with ten men-at-arms in their best trappings to ride with +him to Eu. Is Conrad of Ponthieu giving trouble again, and who are +these young gentlemen with you?" + +Guy went down on one knee to kiss his father's hand, and then did +the same to his mother, then he said, "I will with your permission +answer the last question first, father. My friends are young Saxon +thanes, pages to Earl Harold, and at present guests of the duke." + +"You are bearers, doubtless, of some message from the king to our +duke?" + +"No, my lord," Beorn said, "we were bearers of a message from Earl +Harold." + +"It is to meet him, father, that we are to ride to Eu to-morrow. +He has been wrecked on the shores of Ponthieu, and has been foully +imprisoned and even fettered by Count Conrad. Beorn and Wulf escaped +from the prison and brought the news to the duke, who this afternoon +dispatched Fitz-Osberne and Warren at full speed to bid the count +at once free his prisoners, and deliver them over to him at Eu under +pain of his direst displeasure." + +"Harold in Normandy and a prisoner! This is strange news indeed. +We shall surely make him welcome, for he is in all respects a great +man, and save our own duke has a reputation second to none in +Europe." + +Wulf thought as he looked at the speaker that at least he had no +second thought in his mind. It was a frank honest face, martial in +its outline, but softened by a pleasant smile. + +He had spoken in a genial tone of affection to his son, and Wulf +thought, that although no doubt he was ready to take the field at +the summons of his lord, he preferred a quiet life in this stately +home. + +"This is news for you, wife," he went on. "You will have to furbish +up your gayest attire, for we shall be having grand doings in honour +of this great English earl, and our dames will have to look their +best in order that he may carry home a fair report of them to the +Saxon ladies. And how did you manage to escape, young sirs, and +when did you arrive with the news?" + +Beorn, who as the elder was specially addressed, shortly related +the story of their escape and journey. + +"You have done well," the baron said when he had concluded. "Guy, +you may learn from these young Saxons that even pages may be called +upon to do work of more importance than handing wine-cups and +standing behind their lord on state occasions. Had it not been for +their readiness and courage Harold might have lain weeks in prison, +maybe months, while the count was striving to wring the utmost +ransom from him. The lads would doubtless have been slain had they +been detected in making their escape or overtaken on the way, and +the attempt was therefore one that required courage as well as +devotion to their lord. I doubt not that you would exhibit both +qualities did opportunity offer, but I question whether you could +have walked the distance they did, and that on such scanty fare. +We Normans are too apt to trust wholly to our horses' legs to the +neglect of our own, and although I have no doubt that you could +ride as far as a horse could carry you, I warrant that you could +hardly have performed on foot the journey from Beaurain in twice +the time in which they did it. They must have exercised their legs +as well as their arms, and although in a campaign a Norman noble +depends upon his war horse both on the march and on the day of +battle, there may often be times when it is well that a knight +should be able to march as far as any of the footmen in the army. +Well, Agnes, and what have you to say to these Saxon youths? Methinks +your eyes are paying more attention to them than to your missal." + +"I can read my missal at any hour, father, but this is the first +time that I have seen young Saxon nobles. I thought there would +have been more difference between them and us. Their hair is fairer +and more golden and their eyes bluer, but their dress differs in +no way from our own." She spoke in a matter-of-fact and serious +air, as if it were a horse or a dog that she was commenting upon, +and both Beorn and Wulf smiled, while Guy laughed outright. + +"It is little wonder that their attire is like ours, Agnes," he +said, "seeing that they were furnished with it by the duke's orders. +You do not suppose that after being tossed about on the sea and +well-nigh drowned in landing, and being made prisoners, and then +travelling through the country and sleeping in the woods, Beorn and +Wulf would arrive here with their garments new and spotless. That +would indeed have been a miracle." + +"But, indeed," Beorn said, "our garments differ not greatly from +those we now have on, for Norman fashions are prevalent at King +Edward's court, and we had no choice but to conform to them. Your +language is always spoken there, and methinks that were you to visit +Westminster you would see but little difference between King Edward's +court and that of your own duke." + +"And your sisters, do they too dress like us?" + +"Queen Edith's ladies dress like her in Norman fashion, but away +from the court the attire is different and more simple. Sisters, +Wulf and I have none; we are orphans both, and wards of Earl Harold, +who holds our estates until we are of age to take the oaths to him +and to lead our men in battle." + +"And will you be barons like my father, or counts, or simple knights?" + +"We shall be none of these things, Lady Agnes. We have our great +earls as in France you have your great dukes, but below that we +have no titles. We are thanes, that is land owners, who hold their +land direct from our earls. Some have wider lands than others, but +as free thanes we are all equal. As to knights, we have not in +England the titles and ceremonies which are so much thought of in +France and in other courts." + +"That is a pity," the girl said gravely, "for the vows of knighthood +make a knight courteous and gentle to enemies and friends alike." + +"Or rather, Agnes," her mother put in, "they should do so; but in +truth, looking round at the cruel wars we have had in Normandy, I +do not see that men have been more gentle or courteous than they +would have been had they never taken the vows or had knightly spurs +buckled on; and in truth it seems to me from the news of what has +taken place beyond the sea, that in the civil troubles they have +had in England men are much more gentle with each other, and foes +are far more easily reconciled than with us in Normandy, who are +supposed to be bound by the laws of chivalry. Had our duke been +cast upon the shores of England as Harold has been cast upon that +of Ponthieu, I think that he would not have been so dishonourably +treated by one of the English thanes as Harold has been by Count +Conrad. When Godwin and his sons returned from the exile into which +they had been driven, and again became all powerful, there was not, +as I have heard from your father, a single drop of blood shed, nor +any vengeance taken upon the men who had brought about their exile. +It would have been very different had such things happened here." + +"You speak rightly, wife. The English are of a more gentle disposition +than we are, though nowise backward in battle. But now, Guy, it +is time that you were returning. You have already made a longer +stay than usual. I shall see you again to-morrow when we start for +Eu. Young sirs, I hope that on your return you will often ride over +here when your lord does not require you. We shall always be pleased +to see you, and although the forest lies some miles away, Guy can +show you good hunting, though not so good as that which, as I hear, +you can get in England, where the population is not so thick as it +is in this part of Normandy." + +The horses were brought round, and the three lads rode into Rouen +just as night was falling. + +Long before daybreak there was a stir in the streets of the city, +as parties of knights and nobles rode in with bodies of their +retainers in obedience to the orders of the duke. All in the palace +were awake early. A hasty breakfast was eaten, while just as the +sun rose the duke mounted his horse, and at the head of an array, +composed of some twenty barons and knights and four hundred +men-at-arms, rode out of the city. + +"There is a good deal more pomp and show here than there was when +we rode with Harold from London," Wulf said. "In truth these Norman +nobles make a far braver appearance in their armour and robes, and +with their banners carried behind them, than we do. Were the king +himself to ride in state through London he would scarce be so gaily +attended." + +"Duke William does not look as if he cared for show," Beorn said. + +"Nor does he," Guy, who was riding beside them, put in. "For himself +he is simple in his tastes, but he knows that the people are impressed +by pomp, and love to see a brave cavalcade, therefore he insists +on the observance of outward forms; and his court here on state +occasions vies, as they tell me, with that of Henry of France." + +"Where shall we rest tonight?" Wulf asked. "Methinks from the +appearance of the sky that we shall have rain, and unless we sleep +under shelter, many of these fine robes that we see are like to be +as much dabbled in mud as were those in which we arrived." + +"We shall sleep in no town, for there is no place on the road between +this and Eu that could receive so large a party; but soon after we +rode out yesterday a train of waggons with tents and all else needful +started from Rouen, and half-way to Eu we shall find the camp erected +and everything in readiness for our reception." + +This was indeed the case. The camp had been erected in a sheltered +valley, through which ran a stream that supplied the needs of man +and horses. The tents were placed in regular order, that of the +duke in the centre, those of his chief nobles in order of rank on +either side. Behind was a line for the use of the court officials, +pages, and knights of less degree, while the soldiers would sleep +in the open. As the party rode up a chamberlain with three or four +assistants met them. Each was provided with lists containing the +names of all the duke's following, and these were at once conducted +to the tents alloted to them, so that in a few minutes all were +housed without the slightest confusion or trouble. The squires of +the knights and nobles and the attendants of the officers and pages +at once took the horses and picketed them in lines behind the tents, +rubbing them down and cleaning them with the greatest care, and +then supplying them with forage from the piles that had that morning +been brought in from the neighbouring farms. Fuel in abundance had +also been stacked. A number of cooks had come on with the tent +equipage, and supper was already prepared for the duke and his +party, while animals had been slaughtered and cut up, and the +men-at-arms soon had the joints hanging over their bivouac fires. + +"This is all wonderfully well managed, Beorn," Wulf said. "I doubt +whether it could be done so well and orderly with us at home." + +"What does it matter?" Beorn said contemptuously. "It makes no +difference whether one sups five minutes after arrival or an hour." + +"It matters nothing, Beorn; but what is but a question of an hour's +waiting in a small party is one of going altogether supperless to +bed when it is a large one. The Normans have been constantly fighting +for the last twenty years, and you see they have learned how important +it is that everything should be regular and orderly. If they manage +matters with a large force as well as they do with a small one, as +it is probable that they do, see what an advantage it gives to them. +Were two armies to arrive near each other with the intention of +fighting in the morning, and one knew exactly what to do, and could +get their food in comfort and then lie down to rest, while the other +was all in confusion, no one knowing where he should go or where +to bestow himself, and, being unable to obtain food, forced to lie +down supperless, the first army would obtain a great advantage when +they met the next morning, especially if it had breakfasted well +while the other went into the fight still fasting. Look at ourselves +how weak we were that morning when we had lain down hungry and got +up fasting, while on the morning when the woman gave us that food, +simple as it was, we stepped out boldly and in spirits." + +"That is true enough, Wulf, but you know that among us it is said +that Earl Harold is always most careful for the comfort of his +soldiers." + +"Yes, the earl always thinks of those around him. As I have never +been in the field I know not what the arrangements are, but I cannot +think they would be so well ordered in a great gathering of Englishmen, +or that we should manage matters as well as the Normans with all +their experience have learnt to do." + +"Well, Wulf," Beorn laughed, "you had best study the matter, and +then ask the earl to appoint you to take charge of the arrangements +when he takes the field." + +"One could hardly have a more useful office," Wulf said earnestly; +"but it would need a man of experience and of high rank and position, +for our Saxon thanes are not accustomed to discipline as are these +Norman barons, and only one of great authority could induce them +to observe regulations and carry out any plan in due order." + +Beorn nodded. "That is true enough, Wulf, and it is therefore clear +that a good many years must pass before you can properly fill the +post of chief chamberlain to the army. For myself, I shall be well +content to do what fighting is required, and to leave all these +matters in your hands." + +"Yes; but it can't be left in the hands of one officer," Wulf said +warmly, "unless all give their aid willingly to carry out his plans." + +"Well, you need not be angry about it, Wulf. There will be time +enough for that when you get to be grand chamberlain. You know +what the Saxon thanes are--how ease-loving, and averse to trouble +themselves with aught save the chase. I would as soon marshal a +flock of sheep in military order and teach each to keep its place +as get the thanes to conform to strict orders and regulations." + +"And yet, Beorn," said Baron De Burg, who had just entered the tent +unnoticed by them in order to speak to his son, who with another +page shared it with them, "unless all will conform to strict orders +and regulations an army is but a mere gathering of armed men, +animated not by one will, but by as many wills as it contains men. +Such an army may be valiant; every man may be a hero, and yet it +may be shattered to pieces by another which gives itself up wholly +to the direction of one will. That is why we Normans have so badly +beaten the French. Every mail has his place in battle. He charges +when he is ordered to charge, or he is held in reserve the whole +day, and the battle ended without his ever striking a blow. We may +fret under inaction, we may see what we think chances of falling +upon the enemy wasted, but we know that our duke is a great leader, +that he has a plan for the battle and will carry it through, and +that disobedience to his orders would be an offence as great as +that of riding from the field. Hence we have learned to obey, and +consequently we have always been victorious against men as brave +as ourselves, but each obeying his own feudal lord, and so fighting +in detached bodies rather than as a whole. Your young companion is +in the right. In a duel between two men strength and skill is +everything; in a struggle between two armies obedience to orders +is a virtue even higher than bravery and skill at arms. Where is +Guy?" + +"He is in attendance on the duke, my lord," Beorn said. "We presented +ourselves also at his tent, but he told us that he required no duty +from us." + +"Let him come to my tent when he returns," the baron said; "that +is as soon as he has finished supper. I shall be glad if you will +also come, unless the duke sends for you, which methinks he is not +likely to do. He is in thoughtful mood to-day, and will probably +be alone." + +Two or three other knights were assembled in Baron de Burg's tent +when the three lads went in. De Burg said a few words to his +companions, explaining who they were, and then continued his +conversation with the others. Beorn and Wulf, as they stood behind +the chairs and listened to the talk, could not help being struck +with the difference between it and the conversations they had heard +at the houses of Saxon thanes. + +With Harold they had been accustomed to hear matters of state touched +on. The church and the struggle going on between the Norman prelates +and monks on the one hand and the English clergy on the other was +one that was frequently talked over, as were also the projects +Harold had at heart for encouraging the spread of education and +raising the condition of people generally. At the houses of the +thanes, however, the evenings were passed in feasting and song, and +it was seldom that there was anything like discussion upon general +affairs. Indeed, between men heated with wine and accustomed to +state their opinions bluntly anything like friendly argument was +well nigh impossible. De Burg and his companions made no allusion +at all to public affairs, but discussed gravely and calmly, and +with a courteous respect for each other's opinions, questions +connected with the art of war, hunting, the changed conditions +brought about by the demolition of castles, the improvements gradually +being introduced in armour, and other kindred topics. The other +nobles were men of about the same age as De Burg, and although the +latter's page from time to time carried round wine the goblets were +rarely emptied. + +Certain topics were touched upon only to be dropped at once, and +Wulf saw that subjects upon which there was any disagreement among +them were carefully avoided. + +When the boys returned to their tent Wulf said, "Their talk reminds +me of the evenings I spent with the prior, his almoner, and two or +three other monks, rather than of those at the houses of Saxon +thanes." + +Beorn nodded. "I am not so much against our customs of feasting and +merriment as you are, Wulf, and should not care to spend my evenings +often in listening to such grave talk, but truly these Norman barons +and knights are far more courteous in their speech than our own +thanes, and seem to care but little for the wine cup. I admit that +such men must be far wiser advisers for a king than are our Saxons, +saving of course Harold and his brothers." + +"The Normans are not all so abstemious as my father and those you +saw with him," Guy laughed. "Listen. You can hear songs and loud +laughter from many of the tents, ay, and might hear quarrels too +did you listen long enough. But those you saw were all men high in +the confidence of the duke. They have fought together under his +banner in many a field, and are all powerful barons. They are content +to hold their own, and have nothing to gain at the expense of others. +Their value is well established, and I believe that all of them +would be well pleased were they never called upon to set lance in +rest again Methinks this evening they avoided all public questions +chiefly because we were present; and you see no word was spoken of +the unexpected accident that has thrown Harold on our shores, +although it must have been in all their minds; and doubtless they +talked it over as they rode hither to-day. I should not be surprised +if my father had us in his tent for the very reason that your being +there would prevent more being said about it. I do not suppose any +of them know exactly what is in the duke's mind--possibly he has +not even made it up himself; and it is assuredly wise here in +Normandy to express no strong opinion until the duke's own mind is +manifest." + +"I daresay you are right, Guy. I rather wondered why your father +had asked us as well as you to his tent when he had others with +him; but it is like enough that he thought our presence would prevent +any discussion on delicate topics." + +The next morning the cavalcade mounted early, and in the afternoon +rode into the fortress of Eu. It stood upon the river Bresle, and +had, previous to the conquest of Ponthieu, been the frontier guard +of Normandy on the north. It lay only some ten miles from the spot +where the Saxon galley had been wrecked. A messenger had arrived +there early in the day from. Fitz-Osberne saying that Conrad of +Ponthieu had assented to the demand of the duke for the surrender +of his captives, that these had been at once released from their +confinement, and were now honourably entertained. They would start +on the following morning from Beaurain, and would be accompanied +by Conrad, who desired to come to Eu to pay his respects to the +duke. + +Although it had been certain that Conrad would not venture to refuse +the command of his powerful over-lord, Wulf and Beorn were greatly +delighted to hear that Harold and his companions had at once been +released from their imprisonment, and that they would so speedily +arrive at Eu. In the afternoon of the following day a messenger +arrived stating that the cavalcade was but an hour's ride away, and +preparations were at once made to receive it with all honour. The +garrison of the castle in their bravest attire lined the courtyard, +hangings brought from Rouen were disposed round the walls of the +great hall, two chairs of state were placed on the dais, the +men-at-arms who had come from Rouen were drawn up on either side +of the great entrance, and here William with his nobles assembled +when the cavalcade approached the castle. + +The procession was headed by the Norman men-at-arms of Fitz-Osberne +and Warren. After them rode Conrad of Ponthieu with Harold by his +side. Both carried hawks on their wrists, and were, apparently, on +the most amiable terms. Behind them rode Harold's brother and nephew +and the two Norman barons; they were followed by the Saxon thanes +and the officers of the count's household. Behind these came on +foot the Saxons of inferior degree who had been left at St. Valery, +and who had by Conrad's orders been sent to join the cavalcade where +it crossed the Somme at Abbeville; the procession was closed by a +strong body of the count's men-at-arms. They rode through the double +line of spearmen until they reached the entrance. Then as Harold +dismounted, the duke descended the steps and embraced him with the +warmest expressions of satisfaction at thus meeting the most +illustrious of Englishmen. + +Harold replied in suitable terms, and the duke then turned to Conrad +and thanked him warmly for having acceded to his request. + +Ponthieu was but newly conquered, and might yet be a thorn in the +side of Normandy in the event of a renewal of war with France. It +was therefore to William's interest to treat Conrad's obedience to +his orders as if it had been a voluntary submission, and to ignore +his discourteous treatment of his captives. In order to eradicate +all sense of injury on the part of his vassal, he not only paid him +the ransom for Harold but gave him a considerable grant of territory. +The duke now presented his nobles and principal officers to Harold, +and then with his arm placed familiarly on his guest's shoulder led +him into the hall, and placed him in the chair of state beside his +own, other seats being placed for Wulfnoth and Hakon and for some +of the principal Norman barons, while the rest mingled with the +Saxon thanes in the body of the hall. As soon as the reception was +over Wulf hurried out into the courtyard to speak to Osgod. + +"Right glad am I to see you again, Osgod; I have been troubled as +to how you were faring." + +"In truth we have fared badly enough, master; we have been working +like beasts of burden, without having food that would suffice for +an ass. However, it was not for long, and will do us no harm, though +there are more than one of those fellows at St. Valery with whom I +would gladly have ten minutes play with cudgel or quarter-staff. +You may guess how surprised we were yesterday evening when we were +suddenly called out from the shed where we were sleeping, and with +many professions of regret and apology for our treatment conducted +to better quarters, where a good honest meal was set before us, and +we were then told that the duke himself had just arrived at Eu, and +that Harold and all his following were there to be given up to him. +We had fresh rushes for our beds, and a hearty breakfast this +morning, and were then placed in boats and taken up to Abbeville. +We had been there but an hour when the earl arrived with the thanes, +and glad were we, as you may imagine, to see his face again. They +stopped there for an hour to rest their steeds and to dine, and +then we marched hither as you saw. I had missed you and Beorn from +Harold's party, and made shift to approach the earl and humbly ask +him what had become of you. 'No harm has befallen your master and +his friend, good fellow,' the earl said. 'They have indeed done me +good service, for they made their escape from Beaurain and carried +the news of our detention to Duke William, and it is thus that we +have all obtained our liberty.' You seem to have fared bravely, +Wulf, judging from your attire." + +"Yes, we were in sore plight when we arrived at Rouen, but the duke +saw that we were provided with clothes and with horses for our +journey here." + +At this moment an attendant came out from the hall and informed +Wulf that the duke desired speech with him. Beorn was already at +the entrance, and they were conducted on to the dais. + +"Here are your two pages," the duke said to Harold. "I hold myself +to be greatly their debtor for having carried me the news that has +brought about this meeting, and given me the pleasure of having you +as my guest. They are faithful lads and quick-witted, for no men +could have carried out the mission better or more promptly than +they did." + +"Still more am I indebted to them," Harold said as he held out his +hand to the two lads, who bent on one knee while they kissed it. +"I knew not of their going until I learnt from your barons that +they had reached Rouen with the news. They are wards of mine, and +although at one time my pages they have ceased to be so for more +than a year, and have both been down upon their estates learning +the duties of their station, which I deemed better for them than +wasting their time and getting into mischief at court." + +The duke nodded. "The result shows that your course was a wise one. +At court youths learn but little good. The atmosphere is not healthy +for men still less for boys, and these youths will shortly be of +an age when they will be fit to render men's service, as indeed +they have already done." The lads now retired from the dais. + +"It has been a fortunate week's work for us," Beorn said. "We have +obtained the freedom of our lord and have gained his approbation +and that of Duke William; though, indeed, it matters not greatly +as to the duke." + +"I don't know, Beorn; one cannot look into the future, and there +is no saying what may happen. Anyhow, even now it may be of advantage +to us. Honourably as the duke is treating Harold, the earl is still +wholly in his power, and until we hear something of his intentions +we are all just as much prisoners as we were to Conrad, although I +admit the captivity is a very much more pleasant one." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +THE OATH. + +From Eu the party travelled back to Rouen where there were feastings +and entertainments in honour of Harold. Nothing could be more +courteous than the duke's manner to his guest. He professed an +almost fraternal affection for him, and handsome lodgings were +assigned in the town to his thanes. A solemn court was held, at +which Harold was knighted by William himself with much state and +ceremonial, according to the rites of chivalry, which had then been +but recently introduced, and had not as yet extended into England. +There were great hunting parties in the forest, and to all outward +appearance the friendship between William and Harold was of the +warmest and most sincere nature. Harold himself was really gratified +at the pains that William took to show the esteem in which he held +him, and his thanes were all well satisfied with the attentions +bestowed upon them by the Norman barons. + +Beorn and Wulf had nothing to do save to make friends with young +Normans of their own age, to visit their castles and to join in the +hunting parties. The duke lost no opportunity of showing the sincerity +of the feelings of gratitude he had expressed to them for bringing +him the news of Harold's presence in his dominions, and they were +always specially invited to all court ceremonials, enjoying themselves +exceedingly. Wulf occasionally expressed his surprise to his +companion that no word was said as to their return to England, but +Beorn's answer always silenced him. + +"The earl himself seems well satisfied, Wulf. Why should you be +more anxious for him than he is for himself?" + +Once indeed he replied, "Harold is of so open and generous nature, +Beorn, that he would be the last person to suspect another of +dishonourable motives. Moreover, it is not because he is apparently +well content here that we must judge him to be without uneasiness. +Whatever he felt it would be impolitic to show it, and we see but +little of him now save when in company of the Normans. He cannot +but know that his presence is required in England." + +It was a matter of satisfaction to Wulf that Walter Fitz-Urse was +not at the court, he having a few weeks before returned to England, +where he was again in the suite of the Norman bishop of London. He +himself had become firm friends with Guy de Burg, and often rode +over with him to his father's residence, where they hunted in the +forest together or rode out with falcons on their wrists, Agnes de +Burg often accompanying them on her pony. + +Three weeks after their arrival at Rouen the Bretons broke out in +insurrection, and the duke invited Harold to accompany him on an +expedition to subdue them, courteously saying that he should obtain +great advantage from the military experience of his guest. + +Harold accepted the invitation, and with his thanes set out with +the duke. Against the disciplined forces of Normandy the Breton +peasants had no chance whatever in the open field, but their wild +and broken country, well-nigh covered with forest, afforded them +an opportunity for the display of their own method of fighting by +sudden surprises and attacks, and they defended their rough but +formidable intrenchments with desperate valour. Harold's experience +gained in his warfare with the Welsh was of much utility, and the +duke committed to his hands the formal command of the troops engaged, +averring that he himself knew comparatively little of warfare such +as this. + +Harold conducted the operations with equal vigour and prudence. +Stronghold after stronghold was attacked and captured, a small +portion of the force only being engaged in active operations, whilst +the rest were posted so as to repel the attempts of the Bretons to +aid the besieged. By his advice clemency was always shown to +the garrisons when the fortresses were stormed, and they were +permitted to return unharmed to their people, bearing the news that +the duke bore no ill-will towards them, and was ready to show mercy +to all who laid down their arms. Wulf and Beorn were permitted to +share in the assaults, and with the Saxon thanes followed Harold, +as he led the way on foot up to the intrenchments at one point, +while the duke with a party of his barons attacked at another. More +than once the English banner was carried into the heart of the +Breton fortress before the Normans had fought their way in, and on +each of these occasions the duke warmly expressed his admiration +for the courage of his English allies. At last there remained but +one formidable stronghold to be captured, and so strong was this +by nature, and so desperately defended, that for some time the +efforts of the besiegers were fruitless. + +One evening Guy de Burg had been with Wulf in his tent. Beorn was +out spending the evening with some of his Norman friends. When Guy +rose to go Wulf said that he would walk with him to his father's +tent, which was situated some little distance away. As there had +been strict regulations that none were to move about without arms, +he buckled on his sword and put on his helmet before starting. +Osgod, who was lying outside the tent, rose when they issued out +and followed them at a short distance. They went along at the rear +of the tents, when Wulf suddenly said: + +"It seems to me that I hear sounds in the forest, Guy." + +"De Launey's men are posted behind us," Guy said carelessly; "there +is no fear of an attack." + +"Not if they are vigilant," Wulf agreed. "But the Bretons have for +some time abstained from night surprises, and De Launey's men may +be keeping a poor watch." + +Suddenly there was a loud cry, followed immediately by the Breton +war-shout, and by a confusion of shouts, cries, and the sound of +the clashing of arms. + +The lads drew their swords and ran towards the scene of conflict, +when, from some bushes a short distance from them, a number of wild +figures sprung out. It was a party of the enemy who had made their +way through De Launey's sleeping men unobserved, and who now, knowing +that further concealment was useless, were rushing forward towards +the tents. Wulf's first impulse was to turn back, but young de +Burg, shouting his father's battle-cry, ran forward, and without +hesitation Wulf followed him. A moment later they were engaged with +the Bretons. + +"Back to back, Guy!" Wulf exclaimed, as he ran his sword through +the first man who attacked him. + +He had scarcely spoken when Osgod ran up and joined them, and +wielding the heavy axe he carried as if it had been a featherweight, +struck down several of the Bretons who ventured within its swing. + +Wulf defended himself as firmly, but had to shift his ground +continually to avoid the blows of the heavy spiked clubs with which +his assailants were armed. Presently he heard his name shouted, and +an instant later a crash, as Guy de Burg was struck down. + +"Stand over him, Osgod!" he shouted, and with a bound was beside +his companion, cutting down a Breton who was about to thrust his +spear into him. At the same moment a club descended on his helmet, +bringing him for a moment to his knee. He sprang up again, Osgod +striking his opponent to the ground before he could repeat his blow. + +For two or three minutes the fight went on. Wulf received more than +one stab from the Breton knives, as two or three of them often +rushed in upon him at once, but each time when he was hard pressed +Osgod's axe freed him from his assailants, for so terrible were the +blows dealt by the tall Saxon that the Bretons shrank from assailing +him, and thus left him free at times to render assistance to Wulf. +But the combat was too unequal to last long. A pike-thrust disabled +Wulf for a moment, and as his arm fell a blow from a club stretched +him beside Guy. Osgod had also received several wounds, but furious +at his master's fall he still defended himself with such vigour +that the Bretons again fell back. They were on the point of attacking +him anew, when there was a shout, and William and Harold, bareheaded +as they had leapt from the table, and followed by a score or two +of Norman barons and soldiers, fell upon the Bretons. The latter +with cries of alarm at once fled. + +By this time the Norman trumpets were everywhere sounding, and the +troops hastening out to repel the attack, which a few minutes later +ceased as suddenly as it began, the Bretons flying into the forest, +where pursuit by the heavily-armed Normans was hopeless. Returning +to the tents, the duke and Harold paused where Osgod, who had sunk +to the ground as soon as the Breton attack had ceased, was sitting +by the side of his master. + +"Whom have we here?" the duke asked. "Whoever they are we owe our +safety to them, Harold, for had it not been for the resistance they +made, the Bretons would have been among our tents before we had +time to catch up our arms. Bring a torch here!" he shouted; and two +or three soldiers came running up from the tents with lights. + +"Methinks it is one of my men," Harold said, and repeated the duke's +question in Saxon. + +"I am Osgod, my lord, the servant of Wulf of Steyning, who with his +friend, Guy de Burg, lies here beside me, I fear done to death." + +"I trust not, indeed," Harold said, stooping over the bodies. + +At this moment the men came up with the lights. "By the rood," +William exclaimed, "but they fought stoutly, whoever they are. The +ground round them is covered with the bodies of these Breton rascals. +There must be at least a score of them, while so far as I can see +there are but three of our men. Who are they, Harold?" + +"One is Guy, son of the Baron de Burg," Harold replied. "Another +is young Wulf, and this stout fellow is his man." + +"Right gallantly have they done," the duke exclaimed, "and I trust +that their lives are not spent. Let someone summon De Burg here +quickly. Carry his son to his tent, and bid my leech attend at once +to his wounds and to those of these brave Saxons." + +"I will carry Wulf to his tent myself," Harold said, raising the +lad and carrying him off, while four soldiers followed bearing +Osgod. They were laid down together in Wulf's tent. As the young +thane's helmet was removed, he opened his eyes and looked round in +bewilderment as he saw, by the light of the torches, Harold and +several others standing beside him. + +"What has happened?" he asked faintly. + +"The best thing that has happened is that you have come to yourself +and are able to speak, Wulf," Harold said. "But do not try to talk, +lad, until the leech comes and examines your wounds. You have done +us all a rare service to-night, for thanks to the carelessness of +De Launey's men, most of whom have paid for their error with their +lives, we should all have been taken by surprise had it not been +for the brave stand you made. Now we will take off your garments +and see where you are wounded. They seem to be soaked everywhere +with blood." + +"I received three or four gashes with their knives," Wulf said +feebly, "and I think a spear wound. How are the others?" + +"I know not about Guy," Harold said, "but your man is able to speak, +and has not, I hope, received mortal injuries." + +"Don't trouble yourself about me, Master Wulf," Osgod put in. "I +have got a few pricks with the knaves' knives, and a spear-thrust +or two, but as I was able to keep on my feet until the earl arrived +with help, I think the wounds are of no great consequence." + +"If aught happens to me," Wulf said to Harold, "I pray you to see +to him, my lord, and to take him as one of your own men. Had it not +been for him the Bretons would have made short work of us." + +He could barely utter the words, and again became insensible from +loss of blood. + +When he recovered the leech was kneeling beside him, pouring oil +into his wounds and applying bandages. + +"Do not try to talk," he said quietly, as Wulf opened his eyes. +"Lie quite still, the least movement might cause your wounds to +break out afresh. They are serious, but I think not of a mortal +nature." + +"Guy?" Wulf whispered. + +"He is in a more perilous condition than you are, but it is possible +that he too may live. As for your man here, I have as yet but glanced +at his wounds; but though cut sorely, I have no fear for his life. +Now drink this potion, and then go off to sleep if you can." + +Wulf drank off the contents of the goblet placed to his lips, and +in a few minutes was fast asleep. When he woke it was broad daylight, +and Beorn was sitting by his side. The latter put his finger to his +lips. + +"You are not to talk, Wulf. The leech gave me the strictest orders +when he was here a short time since, and said that you seemed to +be doing well. Osgod he says will surely recover, and be none the +worse for the letting out of some of his blood. The Bretons were +too hasty with their strokes, and although he has a dozen wounds +none of them are serious. Guy de Burg is alive, but as yet the +leech can say nothing. It has been a bad business. It seems that +De Launey's men were most of them killed whilst they were asleep. +The bodies of the sentries were found at their posts, but whether +they were asleep, or whether, as is thought more likely, their foes +stole up and killed them before they had time to utter a cry, we +know not. The Bretons attacked at two or three other points, but +nowhere with such success, though many Normans have fallen. Everyone +says that the party which passed through De Launey's men would have +reached the tents and probably killed most of those in them had +they not stopped while some of their number attacked you and Guy +de Burg. The duke and Harold have both said that your bravery saved +us from a great disaster. I would that I had been with you, but the +tent I was in was the farthest along the line, and the Bretons were +in full flight before we came upon the scene." + +Presently the Baron de Burg came to the side of the pallet on which +Wulf was lying. "I cannot say that I owe you the life of my son," +he said, laying his hand gently upon Wulf's, "for I know not as yet +whether he will live, but he was sensible when we brought him to +my tent, and he told me that you had stood over him and defended +him from the Bretons until you too fell. He was sensible all the +time, though unable to move." + +"It was Osgod who did most of the fighting, my lord," Wulf said. + +"He did much, Wulf, and it will be my pleasure to reward him, but +the duke, who is full of admiration at the slaughter done by three +alone, has caused the bodies to be examined. Twelve of them were +killed with axe wounds, nine by sword wounds. Guy tells me that he +knows that only two fell to his sword, therefore you must have slain +seven. Truly a feat that any man might be proud of, to say nothing +of a lad of your age. Guy is anxious to have you with him, and the +leech said that if you keep quiet to-day, and none of your wounds +break out afresh, it will do you no harm to be carried to my tent." + +Accordingly the next day Wulf was carried across to Lord de Burg's, +and his pallet set down by the side of Guy's. The latter was a +little better, and the leech had faint hopes of his recovery. His +right arm had been broken by a blow with a club, and so badly +fractured that it had already been taken off near the shoulder. His +most dangerous wound was a pike-thrust on the left side, which had +penetrated his lungs. He smiled faintly as Wulf was placed by his +side. Wulf tried to smile back again, but he was too much shocked +at the change in his friend's appearance. His cheeks had fallen +in, and his face was deadly pale. His lips were almost colourless, +and his eyes seemed unnaturally large. Wulf made an effort to speak +cheerfully. + +"We did not expect to come to this so soon, Guy," he said. "We +have often talked about fighting, but we never thought that our +first serious fight would end like this." + +"You have nothing to regret," Baron de Burg said. "You have both +done your duty nobly, and one of gentle blood can wish for no better +end than to die doing his duty against great odds. God grant that +you may both be spared, but if it be otherwise, death could not +come to you more gloriously than in giving your lives to save your +lords from surprise." + +Wulf's recovery was comparatively rapid. He was greatly pleased +when, a week after his removal, Osgod was brought into the tent by +Harold. He was still pale and feeble, but was able to walk, and +assured his young lord that he should soon be ready for another +fight with the Bretons. + +"There will be no more fighting," Harold said. "Yesterday their +chiefs came in to make their submission and ask for mercy, and on +this being granted their fortress has surrendered this morning. +They will pay a heavy fine in cattle, and their two strongest +fortresses are to be garrisoned by Norman troops. A considerable +slice of their territory is to be taken from them. In a week I hope +we shall all be on our way back to Rouen." + +Guy was mending very slowly. Even yet the leech could not say with +certainty that his life would be saved, and warned his father that +in any case he would for a very long time be an invalid. In another +week the camp was broken up. Wulf declared that he was well enough +to sit a horse, but the leech insisted that he should be carried +on a litter. + +"In another fortnight," he said, "you may be able to ride, but it +would not be safe to attempt to do so now. You are going on as well +as could be wished, and it would be madness to risk everything by +haste." + +Accordingly he and Guy were transported in litters to the baron's +residence, where Wulf steadily recovered his health and strength. +Osgod, who had received a heavy purse of gold from the baron, had +at the end of that time entirely recovered; Guy still lay pale and +feeble on his couch. + +"I scarcely wish to live," he said one day to his father. "I can +never be a warrior now. What have I got to live for?" + +"You have much to live for, Guy," his father said, "even if you +never bestride a war-horse. You have made a name for yourself for +bravery, and will always be held in respect. It is not as if you +had been from your birth weak and feeble. You will in time, I hope, +come to be lord of our estates and to look after our people, and +be beloved by them; and, if you cannot yourself lead them in the +field, you can see that they go well equipped, and do honour to +your banner. There are other things besides fighting to live for." + +"I would that you had had another son, father, and that Wulf had +been my brother. I should not so much have minded then that I could +not myself carry the banner of De Burg into the field." + +"Had he been one of ourselves, Guy, that might have come about," +his father said, "for if I have no other son I have a daughter. But +this young Saxon has his own estates in his own country. He would +not settle down here as a Norman baron, and I would not lose Agnes +nor be willing that she should go from us to dwell in a foreign +land. But no one can say what the future will bring about. The duke +has promised one of his daughters to Harold, and should the marriage +come off it will bind the two peoples more closely together. Besides, +you know, Edward of England has promised to Duke William that he +should succeed him." + +"I was speaking to Wulf about that one day, father, and he said +that Edward had no power to make the gift, for that the people of +England chose their king themselves, and that Edward's promise would +go for nothing with them. It is not with them as it is with us, +where a prince can name his successor." + +"That may be Saxon opinion, Guy, but it is not Norman, and assuredly +it is not the duke's; and friendly as are the relations between him +and Harold, it is clear that until this question is settled no +permanent friendship can be looked for between the two nations." + +Wulf was sorry when the time came that he could no longer linger +at Baron de Burg's chateau. The earl had more than once sent over +to say that his presence was looked for at court as soon as he was +sufficiently recovered to attend there, but he stayed on until he +felt so thoroughly strong and well that he could not make his health +any longer an excuse. On leaving, De Burg and his wife both pressed +him to come over whenever he could spare time. + +"You know, Wulf," the former said, "how warm is the affection Guy +has for you, and he will look very eagerly for your visits. Just +at present he has very few pleasures in life, and chief among them +will be your comings. We are all dull here, lad, and Agnes will +miss you sorely." + +"I will ride over whenever I can. I should be ungrateful indeed did +I not do so, after the great kindness you and Lady de Burg have +shown me; but even putting this aside I will come every day if I +can, if only for half an hour's talk with Guy." + +"I am glad to see you back again, Wulf," Earl Harold said as the +lad entered his room. "You look strong and well again, and might, +methinks, have come to us before now." + +"I could have done so, doubtless, my lord, but it pained me to leave +Guy, who is still on his couch, and will, I fear, never be strong +and well again." + +"We heard but a poor account of him from the duke's leech," Harold +said. "It is a sad thing; for one, who as a lad has shown such +bravery, would have turned out a gallant knight. I should have let +you linger there for some time yet, but the duke has frequently +asked after you, and I thought it were best that you came over; +though, in truth, there will be little for you to do here, and you +will be able to ride and see your friend when you will." + +"Are we likely to go back to England soon, my lord?" + +"I trust it will not be long. I have spoken of it more than once +to the duke, but he chides me for being weary of his company; which +indeed I am not, for no man could have treated another better than +he has done me. Still," he said, walking up and down the room, "I +am impatient to be off, but I am no more free to choose my time +here that I was at Beaurain. It is a velvet glove that is placed +on my shoulder, but there is an iron hand in it, I know right well." + +"Is there no possibility of escaping, my lord?" + +Harold looked keenly at the boy. "No, Wulf, treated as I am as a +guest I cannot fly without incurring the reproach of the basest +ingratitude, nor even if I wished it could I escape. Under the +excuse of doing me honour, there are Norman soldiers at the gate, +and a Norman sentry stands at my door. I must go through with it +now, and if need be promise all that William asks. This time there +is nowhere to send you to fetch aid for me. You have heard, I +suppose, that William has promised me his daughter in marriage?" + +"Yes, my lord, I have heard it. Is the marriage to take place soon?" + +Harold smiled. "The duke will not wish it to take place until he +sees that he can secure my services by the marriage. If that time +should never come I shall probably hear no more of it. Engagements +have been broken off before now many a time, and absolution for a +broken promise of that kind is not hard to obtain. You must attend +the court this evening, Wulf." + +Wulf bowed and withdrew, and in the evening attended the court in +the suite of Harold. As soon as the duke's eye fell upon him he +called him up. + +"Messieurs," he said to the barons present, "this lad is Wulf, Thane +of Steyning, and a follower of Earl Harold. He it was who, with the +young Guy de Burg, and aided only by a Saxon man-at-arms, withstood +the first rush of the Bretons, and so gained time by which I myself +and my barons were able to prepare ourselves to resist the attack. +Had it not been for them we should all have been taken by surprise, +and maybe slain. The Saxon and the two lads, Wulf and De Burg, all +fell wounded well-nigh to death, but not before twenty-one Bretons +lay dead around them. This was indeed a feat of arms that any of +you, valiant knights and barons as you are, might have been proud +to perform. + +"Already I had promised him any boon that in reason he may ask for +having borne to me the news that Earl Harold, my honoured guest and +brother-in-arms, had been cast on our shores, and I promise him +now, that should at any time it happen that I have any power or +influence in England, his estates shall remain to him and to his +heirs free from all service or dues, even though he has withstood +me in arms;--nay, more, that they shall be largely added to. Should +such issue never arise, and aught occur to render him desirous of +crossing the seas hither, I promise him a baron's feu as a token +of my gratitude for the great service he rendered me; and I am well +assured that, whether to a King of England or to a Duke of Normandy, +he will prove himself a true and faithful follower. I call on you +all here to witness this promise that I have made, and should there +be need, to recall it to my memory." + +The Normans above all things admired valour, and when Wulf, after +kneeling and kissing the duke's hand, retired shamefacedly to a +corner of the room, where he was joined by Beorn, one after another +came up to him and said a few words of approbation. + +"You have done well, young sir," Fitz-Osberne, one of the duke's +most trusted councillors said to him. "The duke is not given to +overpraise, and assuredly no one of your age has ever won such +commendation from his lips. After making so fair a commencement, +it will be your own fault indeed if you do not make a great name +for yourself in the future. There is not one of us who was in the +duke's camp that evening but feels that he owes you much for the +few minutes' delay that saved us from being taken altogether by +surprise. You are young, and may think but little of the promise the +duke has given you this evening, but the day may come when you will find +it stand you in good stead." + +Harold said nearly the same thing to Wulf when he saw him the next morning. + +"But there is no chance of the duke ever having power in England, my lord," +Wulf said. + +"I trust not, Wulf, but there is no doubt that his whole mind is bent upon +obtaining the throne of England. He has spoken to me openly about it, and +has more than hinted to me that I, if married to his daughter, would still, +as Earl of Wessex, be the foremost man in the land next to its sovereign +should he ever gain the kingdom." + +"And what said you, my lord, if I may be so bold as to ask?" + +"I said but little, lad. I am a prisoner, and I am well assured that I +shall never return to England until William thinks that he can depend upon +me. It is needful that I should return, and that quickly, for I hear that +there is fresh trouble in Wales, and I have received an urgent message from +the king to hasten to his side. It is hard to see what it is best to do." + +Four days later a grand ceremony was announced to take place, but few knew +what its nature was to be. That it was something beyond the ordinary was +certain by the number of barons and knights that were bidden to attend. A +dais was erected in the courtyard of the palace, and on this a table +covered with a cloth was placed. + +"I don't like this business," Wulf said to Beorn, as with the other Saxons +they took their place near the dais. "There is something very mysterious +about it, and I believe that at last we are going to see what William's +full intentions are." + +A religious ceremony was first held, and then the duke rose to his feet and +addressed the barons. He first recalled to them the promise that Edward of +England had made to him, and then went on: "The saints have worked in my +favour," he said, "by sending here as my guest my well-beloved +brother-in-arms, the great Earl of Wessex. Between us there is the closest +friendship, and to cement and make even closer the bonds between us, he has +become betrothed to my daughter, and through the lands I shall bestow upon +her he will become a baron of Normandy. Relying upon his affection and +friendship, I have called you here together to hear him swear in public +that which he has already told me privately--that he will be my faithful +feudatory, and will in all ways aid me to gain my lawful rights." + +Harold changed colour. The matter had come upon him as a surprise. +Doubtless he had in a vague way when discussing his future relations as +son-in-law to the duke, expressed his warm friendship and a general +willingness to be of service to him, but to be called upon to take an oath +publicly was a different matter. Most of those present had taken oaths of +allegiance to William and had broken them again and again, and William +himself had not less frequently broken his feudal oaths to his suzerain, +the King of France. But Harold was a man with a deep sense of religion, and +did not esteem as lightly as these Norman barons an oath thus sworn; but he +felt that he had fallen into a trap, and that resistance would but consign +him to a prison, if not a grave. + +He at once understood how hollow had been the pretended friendship of his +host; but he was in William's power, and unless as a friend the duke would +never permit so formidable a rival to quit his shores. As he hesitated he +saw a movement on the part of the Norman knights near the dais, and +understood that they had been previously informed of William's intentions, +and were there to enforce them. Their brows were bent on him angrily as he +hesitated, and more than one hand went to the hilt of the wearer's sword. +There was no drawing back, and placing his hand on the table he swore the +oath William had dictated. When he concluded William snatched the cloth +from the table, and below it were seen a number of bones and sacred relics +that had been brought from the cathedral. + +Enlightened as Harold was, he was not altogether free from the +superstitions of the age. For a moment he shuddered slightly and grew paler +than before, then he drew himself up to his full height, and looked calmly +into the exulting face of William. + +"I call you all to witness," the duke said in a loud voice, "that Harold, +Earl of Wessex, has taken a solemn oath upon the holy relics to be my +faithful feudatory." + +The shout that answered him was by no means universal, for there were many +among the Norman nobles who were shocked at the base trick that the duke +had played upon a guest for whom he had professed the warmest friendship. +The Saxon thanes could scarce contain their expressions of indignation, but +Harold as he sat down among them made a gesture commanding silence. + +"We sail for England to-morrow night," he said in low tones. "The duke told +me so as we came hither. The two ships will be in readiness for us to +embark in the morning. I did not understand then the price I was to pay. +Restrain yourselves now; when we are free men we can talk this over." + +An hour later they returned to the palace, where there was a brief and +formal interview between Harold and the duke. Both dissembled their real +feelings. The duke said that he regretted that the King of England's wishes +forced his guest to start so suddenly, and that he much regretted his +departure. Harold thanked him for the hospitality he had shown him, but +neither made any allusion whatever to the scene that had taken place in the +courtyard. Wulf rode over to say good-bye to Guy and his father. The latter +was walking up and down the hall with a gloomy face. + +"I blush for what has taken place to-day, Wulf," he said. "Tell the earl +that had we known what was going to occur there are few indeed who would +have attended at the ceremony, and that I for one shall hold him in no way +dishonoured if he breaks the vow that has thus been dishonourably extorted +from him. It was a trick and a base one, and I would tell Duke William so +to his face. What will men think of Norman faith when guests are thus +tricked to their disadvantage?" + +For an hour Wulf remained talking with the baron and his family. + +"I hope to see you again, Wulf," De Burg said, as the lad rose to take +leave. "Guy regards you as a brother, and though assuredly no Saxon will +set foot on Norman soil after to-day's doings, we may yet meet again." + +"I shall come over to England to see you, Wulf, if you come not here," Guy +said. "I begin to think that I shall get over this, although I may never be +really strong again. We shall often think and talk of you, Agnes and I; and +I should like, of all things, to come and stay in your Saxon home." + +"No one would be so welcome, Guy. If we are never to be brothers-in-arms as +we once talked of, we shall surely be brothers in heart, whether absent or +present." + +A few more words and Wulf took leave of them all and rode back to Rouen. In +the morning the duke accompanied Harold to the river bank and there took a +courteous farewell of him. It is not probable that he thought for a moment +that Harold would observe the oath, but he saw that its breach would be +almost as useful to him as its fulfilment, for it would enable him to +denounce his rival as a perjured and faithless man, and to represent any +expedition against England as being a sort of crusade to punish one who had +broken the most solemn vows made on the holy relics. Harold himself +preserved his usual calmness of demeanour, and stood talking quietly to the +duke while the latter's presents of hawks and hounds were taken on board +the ship, and the Saxons, silent and sullen, had passed over the gangway. +Then an apparently affectionate embrace was exchanged between the two +rivals. Harold crossed on to the ship, the great sails were hoisted, and +the two vessels proceeded down the river. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +TROUBLE WITH WALES. + +Harold took his place on the poop as the vessel started, and remained +looking fixedly at the duke, until the latter with the group of barons +turned and entered the town. + +"Farewell, William of Normandy," he said; "false friend and dishonoured +host. How shall we meet next time, I wonder, and where?" + +Hitherto the presence of the Norman attendants had prevented any private +converse between Harold and his followers, but having the poop to +themselves they now broke out into angry exclamations against the duke. + +"It was an unworthy and unknightly trick," Harold said calmly; "but let us +not talk of it now; it will be for the English people to decide the +question some day, and for English bishops to determine whether I am bound +by a vow thus extorted. Better at all events that I should be held for all +time to have been false and perjured, than that the English people should +fall under the Norman yoke. But maybe there will be no occasion for the +oath ever to come in question, William of Normandy or I may die before the +king, and then there will be an end of it. Let us talk of other things. +Thank God we are free men again, and our faces are set towards England, +where, from what I hear, we may have to meet open foes instead of false +friends, and may have to teach the Welsh, once and for all, that they and +their king cannot with impunity continually rise in rebellion against +England. + +"Well, Wulf, you are the only one among us who has brought back aught from +Normandy, at least you and Beorn, for you have your horses and chains, and +the promise of the duke to grant you a boon. But these are small things. +You have gained great credit, and have shown yourself a gallant fighter, +and have further promises from the duke." + +"I care not for his promises," Wulf said hotly. "I hold him to be a +dishonoured noble, and I would take naught from his hands." + +"You are young yet, Wulf," Harold smiled, "and the duke's promise, made +before his nobles, will be held binding by him if ever the time should come +for you to claim it. Do not refuse benefits, lad, because you do not like +the hands that grant them. You rendered him a service, and need feel no +shame at receiving the reward for it. As soon as we return I shall take +steps to raise you and Beorn to the full dignity of thanes, with all rights +and privileges. My brother and my friends here can all testify to the +service you rendered to us, for much as I may have to complain of the +ending of my visit, it has at least been vastly better than our lot would +have been had we remained in the hands of Conrad of Ponthieu. You are both +very young to be placed in the position of rulers of your people, and in +ordinary cases you would not have been sworn to thane's services for some +years to come; but, as Earl of Wessex, I see good reason for departing from +the rule on this occasion, and I think that my thanes here will all be of +that opinion." There was a warm expression of approval from the Saxons. +"Then as soon as we set foot on English soil we will hold a court, and +invest you with your full rank." + +They started from the mouth of the Seine, and as there was no nearer port +than that from which they had sailed, Harold directed the masters of the +ships to make for Bosham. + +"It is like to be a fairer voyage than the last," he said, as with a light +breeze blowing behind them they sailed out from the mouth of the Seine. "It +will be longer, but assuredly more pleasant." + +No incident whatever marked the voyage. The Saxons gave a shout of joy when +they first made out the outline of the hills of the Isle of Wight, some +twelve hours after leaving the mouth of the river; but it was not until +eight hours afterwards that they entered the harbour of Bosham. As soon as +the two Norman vessels were seen sailing up the quiet sheet of water, +everywhere fringed with forest, boats put out to meet them, to ascertain +the reason of their coming and to inquire for news of Harold and his +companions. As soon as his figure was made out standing on the poop, one of +the boats rowed off with the news, and by the time the vessels dropped +anchor off Bosham the whole of the inhabitants had gathered on the shore, +with loud shouts of joy and welcome. + +As soon as they landed Harold and his companions proceeded at once to the +church, where a solemn service of thanksgiving was held for their +preservation from the dangers of the sea and for their safe return to +England. As soon as the service was over Harold sent off two horsemen to +bear to the king the news of his return, and to state that he himself would +ride to London on the following day. Then the earl bestowed handsome +presents upon the masters and crews of the ships that had brought them +over, and gave into their charge hawks and hounds, rich armour, and other +presents for the Duke of Normandy, and jewelled cups and other gifts to the +principal barons of his court. + +The gifts were indeed of royal magnificence; but Harold's wealth was vast, +and, as he said to his brother, "We will at least show these Normans, that +in point of generosity an English earl is not to be outdone by a Norman +duke." As soon as these matters were attended to Harold held a court in the +great hall of Bosham, and there received the oaths of fealty from Wulf and +Beorn, and confirmed to them the possessions held by their fathers, and +invested them with the gold chains worn by thanes as the sign of their +rank. He afterwards bestowed a purse of gold upon Osgod, equal in value to +the one he had received from the Duke of Normandy. + +"Should aught ever happen to your master," he said, "come you to me and you +shall be one of my own men, and shall not lack advancement in my service." + +"In faith, Master Wulf," Osgod said after the ceremony, "my father warned +me that the trade of a soldier was but a poor one, and that a good +handicraftsman could gain far more money. He will open his eyes when I +jingle these purses before him, for I might have hammered armour for years +before I gained as much as I have done in the three months since I left +England. I have enough to buy a farm and settle down did it so please me, +and I have clothes enough to last me well-nigh a lifetime, and rings enough +to set up a goldsmith's shop. For scarce one of the duke's barons and +knights but followed his example, and gave me a present for my share in +that little fight with the Bretons." + +"As for the clothes, they will always be useful, Osgod; but were I you I +would get a stout leathern bag and put the purses and rings into it, and +bury them in some place known only to yourself, and where none are ever +likely to light upon them. You have no occasion for money now, and we may +hope that ere long all occasion for fighting will be over, and then, as you +say, you can buy a farm and marry." + +"I am going always to remain your man," Osgod said in an aggrieved tone. + +"Certainly, Osgod, I should wish for nothing else. You will always be my +friend, and shall have any post on the estates or in the house that you may +prefer. There will be no occasion for you to farm your land yourself, you +can let it, receiving the value of half the produce, and so taking rank as +a landowner, for which you yourself may care nothing, but which will enable +your wife to hold her head higher." + +"I am not thinking of wives, my lord." + +"Nonsense, Osgod, I want not to be called my lord." + +"But you are a thane now and must be called so," Osgod said sternly; "and +it would be ill-becoming indeed if I your man did not so address you. But I +will take your advice about the gold, and when I get down to Steyning will +bury it deeply under the roots of a tree. It will be safer there than if I +buried it in my father's forge, for London is ever the centre of troubles, +and might be sacked and burnt down should there ever be war between Mercia +or Northumbria and Wessex." + +"Heaven forbid that we should have more civil wars, Osgod." + +"Amen to that, but there is never any saying. Assuredly Edwin and Morcar +love not our earl, and as to Tostig, though he is his brother, he is +hot-headed and passionate enough to play any part. And then there are the +Normans, and there is no doubt the duke will have to be reckoned with. +Altogether methinks my money will be safer under an oak-tree down at +Steyning than at Westminster." + +"You are right enough there, Osgod; by all means carry out your ideas. But +there is the bell for supper, and I must go." + +The next morning the party started at daybreak, and late that night arrived +at Westminster. There were great rejoicings in London and throughout the +south of England when it was known that the great earl had returned from +Normandy. Much uneasiness had been felt at his long absence, and although +accounts had come from time to time of the honour with which he had been +treated by Duke William, many felt that his prolonged stay was an enforced +one, and that he was a prisoner rather than a guest of the duke. + +The king himself was as rejoiced as his subjects at Harold's return. +Although in the early years of his reign he had been bitterly opposed to +the powerful family of Earl Godwin, to whom he owed his throne, he had of +late years learnt to appreciate the wisdom of Harold; and although still +Norman in his tastes as in his language, he had become much more English at +heart, and bitterly regretted the promise that he had years before rashly +given to the Duke of Normandy. + +Harold too had relieved him of all the cares of government, which he hated, +and had enabled him to give his whole time and thought to religious +exercises, and to the rearing of the splendid abbey which was his chief +pleasure and pride. In his absence Edward had been obliged to attend to +state business. He was worried with the jealousies and demands of the Earl +of Mercia, with the constant complaints of the Northumbrians against their +harsh and imperious master Tostig, and by the fact that the Welsh were +taking advantage of the absence of Harold to cause fresh troubles. It was +just Christmas when Harold returned, and the snow fell heavily on the night +of his arrival at Westminster. + +"It was lucky it did not come a few hours earlier, Beorn," Wulf said, as he +looked out of the casement. "We had a long and heavy ride yesterday, and we +could not have done it in one day had the snow been on the ground. I +suppose there will be a number of court festivities over Harold's return. +We have had enough of that sort of thing in Normandy, and I hope that +Harold will let us return at once to our estates." + +"Speak for yourself, Wulf; for myself I love the court, and now that I am a +thane I shall enjoy it all the more." + +"And I all the less," Wulf said. "Fifteen months ago we were but pages and +could at least have some fun, now we shall have to bear ourselves as men, +and the ladies of the court will be laughing at us and calling us the +little thanes, and there will be no getting away and going round to the +smithy to watch Osgod's father and men forging weapons. It will be all very +stupid." + +In a short time an attendant summoned them to breakfast, and here they sat +down with the other thanes, Harold's wing of the palace being distinct from +that of the king. The earl sat at the head of the table, and talked in +undertones to his brother Gurth and two or three of his principal thanes. +The personal retainers of the nobles stood behind their seats and served +them with food, while Harold's pages waited on him and those sitting next +to him. + +"We were a merrier party in the pages' room," Beorn whispered to Wulf, for +but few words were spoken as the meal went on. + +"I think there is something in the air," Wulf said, "the earl looks more +serious than usual. Generally the meals are cheerful enough." + +As soon as it was finished Harold said, "The king will receive you all in +half an hour, he desires to express to you his pleasure at your return +home. After that I beg that you will again gather here, as I have occasion +to speak to you." + +The court was a more formal one than usual, the king's Norman functionaries +were all present as were several ecclesiastics. Among them the Bishop of +London, behind whom stood Wulf's old adversary, Walter Fitz-Urse. Earl +Harold introduced his companions in captivity, the king receiving them very +graciously. + +"I am glad to see that you have all returned safely," he said. "The earl +tells me that you have all borne yourselves well in the battles you have +fought under the banner of my friend and ally Duke William of Normandy, and +that you have proved to his countrymen that the English are in no whit +inferior to themselves in courage. The earl specially recommended to me his +newly-made thanes, Wulf of Steyning and Beorn of Fareham, who did him the +greatest service by effecting their escape from the castle of Beaurain, and +at great risk bearing the news of his imprisonment to Duke William. Wulf +of Steyning, he tells me, gained the highest approval of the duke and his +knights by a deed of bravery when their camp was surprised by the Bretons. +The earl has informed me that in consideration of these services he has +advanced them to the rank of thanes, and confirmed them in their father's +possessions, and as service rendered to him is service rendered to me, I +thus bestow upon them a token of my approval;" and beckoning to the young +thanes to advance, he took two heavy gold bracelets from his arm, and +himself fastened them on those of the kneeling lads. + +When the ceremony was over, Harold's party returned to the room where they +had breakfasted. It was an hour before the earl joined them. + +"I have been in council with the king," he said, "and have thus been forced +to keep you waiting. We heard when abroad that the Welsh were again +becoming troublesome, but I find that matters are much worse than I had +supposed. Griffith has broken out into open rebellion; he has ravaged all +the borders, has entered the diocese of Wulfstan, the new Bishop of +Worcester, and carried his arms beyond the Severn, laying waste part of my +own earldom of Hereford. Edwin, who has just succeeded his father in the +earldom of Worcester, is young and new to his government, and, moreover, +his father was an ally of Griffith's. In any case, he needs far larger +forces than those at his command to undertake a war with the Welsh. This +time we must finish with them; treaties are of no avail they are ever +broken on the first opportunity, and a blow must be dealt that will render +them powerless for harm for generations to come. + +"Therefore the king has commissioned me forthwith to act in the matter, not +only as Lord of Hereford but as Earl of the West Saxons. Winter is upon us, +and it will be impossible to undertake a regular campaign. Still a blow +must be struck, and that quickly and heavily in order to stop the +depredation and ruin they are spreading in the west counties. The +preparations must be secret and the blow sudden. There is no time for +calling out levies, that must be done in the spring. I must act only with +mounted men. I have already sent off a messenger to Bosham to bid my +housecarls mount and ride to Salisbury. They will number two hundred. I +pray you all to leave at once for your estates, or to send an order by a +swift messenger for your housecarls to ride to Salisbury, whither I myself +shall proceed in three days. Will each of you give me the tale of the +number of armed men who can take horse at an hour's notice." + +Each of those present gave the number of housecarls in his service, and +they all expressed their willingness to ride themselves, in order to get +them ready the more speedily. The total mounted to three hundred and fifty +men. + +"That with my own two hundred will be well-nigh sufficient," Harold said; +"but I will send off messengers at once to some of the thanes of Dorset and +Somerset to join us at Gloucester with their men, so that we shall be fully +a thousand strong, which will be ample for my purpose. I need not impress +upon you all to preserve an absolute silence as to the object for which you +are calling out your men. News spreads fast, and an incautious word might +ruin our enterprise. There is no occasion for you all to accompany your +men. Those of you who have been with me in Normandy will doubtless desire +to stay for a while with your wives and families, and you may do equally +good service by making preparations there for a more serious campaign in +the spring. I beg these to send with their housecarls a trusted officer, +and bid him place himself and his men under my orders." + +The meeting at once broke up. + +"I suppose you young warriors will bring your own men to Salisbury?" Harold +said, as Wulf and Beorn came up to take their leave of him. + +"Certainly, my lord," Beorn said. "We have neither family nor relations to +keep us at home, and even if we had it would not suffice to keep us from +following your banner." + +"It will be a warfare like that in which you have been engaged across the +sea," Harold said. "The Bretons you there fought with are kinsfolk of the +Welsh, speaking the same language, and being alike in customs and in +fighting. They trust to surprises, and to their speed of foot and +knowledge of their wild country, rather than to hard fighting in the open +plain. They have few towns to capture, and it is therefore hard to execute +reprisals upon them. Like the Bretons they are brave, and fight savagely +until the last, neither giving nor asking for quarter. They believe that +their country, which is so wild and hilly as to be a great natural +fortress, is unconquerable, and certainly neither Saxon nor Dane has ever +succeeded in getting any foothold there. But when the spring comes I hope +to teach them that even their wild hills are no defence, and that their +habits of savage plundering must be abandoned or we will exterminate them +altogether. But I have no thought of undertaking such a campaign now. Of +course you will take that tall follower of yours with you, Wulf." + +"I fear that he would not stay behind even if I ordered him to do so," Wulf +laughed. "He will be overjoyed when I tell him there is a prospect of +fighting again, and all the more if it is against kinsmen of the Bretons, +against whom he feels a special grudge." + +"The feeling would be more natural the other way," Harold said smiling, +"seeing that he inflicted upon them far greater damage than he received. +You will find fresh horses awaiting you. None of those that carried us from +Bosham yesterday are fit for another such journey to-day." + +Wulf had told Osgod the first thing in the morning that he could return to +his family for a few days, only coming to the palace to serve his meals, +and he now hurried away to the armourer's shop, where he found that but +little work was going on, the men being absorbed in listening to Osgod's +account of his adventures. Ulred and the men rose and saluted respectfully +as Wulf entered. + +"I am sorry to disturb you, Ulred," he said, "but I have come to fetch +Osgod away again. That is if he would prefer riding with me to remaining +quiet with you at home." + +"If you are going, master, assuredly I am going with you," Osgod said. "I +am dry with talking already, and father must wait for the rest of my story +until I come back again. Are we going down to Steyning, my lord?" + +"There first and afterwards elsewhere, but that is all I can tell you now. +The horses are ready, and there is not a moment to lose. We must get as far +on our way as possible before nightfall, for the matter is an urgent one." + +"I am ready," Osgod said, girding on his sword and putting his cap on his +head. "Good-bye, father. Tell mother I shall be back when I am back, and +that is all I can say about it." + +They reached Steyning at two o'clock on the following afternoon, and +messengers were instantly sent round to the farms, bidding the men who were +bound as housecarls to appear on horseback and armed, with two days' food +in their wallets, an hour before daybreak next morning. Then a messenger +was despatched with a letter to the prior of Bramber, telling him of Wulf's +safe return, and begging him to excuse his coming over to see him, as he +had ridden nigh a hundred and fifty miles in three days, and was forced to +set out again at daybreak the next morning. As Wulf had hoped, the letter +was answered by the prior in person, and to him Wulf related that evening +the incidents of their stay in Normandy. + +The prior shook his head. + +"I have feared ever since I heard that Harold had fallen into the clutches +of the duke, that he would never get off scot free, but would either have +to pay a heavy ransom or make some concessions that would be even worse for +England. It is a bad business, Wulf, a bad business. The church has ever +been ready to grant absolution from oaths extracted by violence, but this +affair of the relics makes it more serious, and you may be sure that +William will make the most of the advantage he has gained. Harold is +absolutely powerless to fulfil his oath. Neither he nor the king, nor any +other man, can force a foreign monarch upon free England. And did Harold +declare for the Duke of Normandy, powerful and beloved as he is, he would +be driven into exile instantly. If he himself is elected king by the +people, as there is no doubt whatever will be the case, he must needs obey +their voice, and will have no choice between being King of England or an +exile. Still it is unfortunate. He will be branded as a perjurer William's +influence may even induce the pope to excommunicate him, and although the +ban would go for but little here, it would serve as an excuse for the other +great earls to refuse to submit to his authority. Now tell me, how is it +that you have to ride again so suddenly when but just arrived?" + +"I can tell you, father, though I can tell no one else. Harold has ordered +us to bring out our housecarls, and with them he means to deal a blow +against the Welsh, who have been devastating our western counties. The +expedition is to be secret and sudden, although against what point and in +what manner the blow is to be struck Harold has kept his own counsel." + +"The Welsh are ever a thorn in our side," the prior said, "and treaties +with them are useless. I trust that Harold will succeed in thoroughly +reducing them to obedience, for whenever there is trouble in the kingdom +they take advantage of it, and are ready to form alliances with any +ambitious earl who hoists the standard of revolt. And so you say Harold has +already made you full thane? I am well pleased to hear it, if for no other +reason than that it is good for people when they are ruled over by their +own lord and not by a stranger; though I say nothing against Egbert, +Harold's steward. Still no man can rule like the master himself." + +At the first dawn of day Wulf mounted, and rode away from the palace +followed by Osgod. He was clad now in the ringed armour, a suit of which he +had had made of lighter material than usual. Only on the shoulders and over +the chest was the leather of the usual thickness, elsewhere it was thin and +extremely soft, and the rings did not overlap each other as much as usual. +The weight, therefore, was much less than that ordinarily worn by thanes, +although it differed but little from it in appearance. The helmet, also, +was of stout leather, thickly covered with metal rings, and the flap fell +down over the neck and ears, having a bar coming down in front to protect +the nose. + +Osgod's suit was thicker and heavier, and was similar to that of the forty +men who were drawn up in two lines under the soldier whom Harold had sent +down to train them. They were a stout set of young fellows, well mounted +and armed, and as they broke into a cry of "Welcome to our thane," Wulf +felt proud to command such a body. + +"Thanks, my friends," he said heartily. "I am glad to see that not one is +missing from your number, and feel sure that you will do credit to my +banner." + +They rode that day to Fareham, where they received a hearty welcome from +Beorn, and starting in the morning with his troop of thirty men, reached +Salisbury late that evening. They were met at the entrance to the town by +one of Harold's officers, who conducted them to a large barn, where straw +had been thickly strewn for the men to sleep on. The horses were fastened +outside. + +"Earl Harold arrived an hour since," the officer said, "and bade me tell +you that he is lodged at the reeve's, where he expects you." + +They found on arriving at the house that many of the thanes had already +come in, and that some six hundred horsemen were bestowed in the town. On a +great sideboard were pies, cold joints of meat, wine and ale, and each +thane as he arrived helped himself to such food as he desired, and then +joined the party gathered round Harold. + +"We shall pick up another hundred or two as we march along to-morrow," +Harold was saying when the two young thanes joined the group, "and shall +have a good nine hundred men by the time we reach Gloucester, where I +expect to find four or five hundred more awaiting us. I hear that our +coming has made a great stir here in Salisbury, the citizens do not know +what to make of so large a body of housecarls arriving in their midst. The +reeve tells me that they were in some fear of being eaten out of house and +home until they heard that we were to march on in the morning; after that +they did their best for us, and have arranged that every man shall have his +fill of meat and ale to-night, and again before starting." + +Travelling as fast and as far as the horses could carry them, the force +reached Gloucester. Here they received an even warmer welcome than had +greeted them elsewhere, for the citizens had been greatly alarmed at the +Welsh forays, and as soon as they knew that the great earl himself was with +the troops they had no doubt that he had come to give them protection and +to punish their enemies. The contingents from Somerset and Dorset had +already arrived, and without the delay of a single day the troops again +started. + +The housecarls, although mounted, were not trained to fight on horseback. +Their steeds were valuable only as enabling them to move with greater +celerity across the country than they could do on foot, and to bring them +fresh and in fighting condition to the scene of action. Once there they +dismounted, and a portion being told off to look after the horses, the main +body advanced on foot against the enemy. + +There was yet a long ride before them. Following the Severn on its western +side so as to avoid the passage of the Avon, they rode to Worcester, and +then up through Dudley and Shrewsbury. + +It would have been shorter to have passed through Hereford and Ludlow, but +Harold feared that they might there come upon some marauding party of the +Welsh, and any of these who escaped might carry the news across the border, +when the fleet-footed mountaineers would quickly have conveyed it to the +Welsh king at his castle at Rhuddlaw. Rhuddlaw, now a small village, is +situated in Denbighshire, and was an important military position, situated +as it was at no great distance from the sea, and commanding the Vale of +Clwyd, the most important avenue into Wales from the north. From Shrewsbury +they pushed forward as rapidly as possible to Rhuddlaw; but quickly as they +had journeyed, the news of their coming was borne more rapidly. Griffith +received the news an hour before their arrival, and mounting, rode down to +the Avon and embarked on board ship. + +Great was the disappointment of the earl and his followers when they found +that the object of their long march across England had failed, and that the +capture of the Welsh king, which would have put an end to the trouble, had +been missed so narrowly. The castle was at once set on fire, the Welsh +ships on the Avon were also given to the flames, and the very same day +Harold led his troops away and by easy marches took them back to +Gloucester. Here they halted. The housecarls from the south, who had never +been in contact with the Welsh, were inclined to murmur among themselves at +having been led back without striking a blow, but the contingents from the +western counties, who had had experience of this wild warfare, told them +that they might consider themselves fortunate. + +"You know not what a war with these savages is," an old housecarl who had +fought them again and again said to a listening group of Wulf's men. "You +might as well fight with the evil spirits of the air as with them. Fight! +there is no fighting in it, save when they have with them Danes from the +North, or Norwegians. With these to bear the brunt of the battle the Welsh +will fight valiantly in their fashion, but alone they know that they cannot +withstand us for a moment. I have been after them a score of times, and it +is a night-mare. You go up hills and through forests, you plunge into +morasses, you scramble up precipices; you are wet, you are hungry, you are +worn out, but never do you catch sight of one of them. + +"Now and then, as you wind along the face of a hill, rocks will come +thundering down; in the woods and swamps you hear their mocking yells and +laughter. At the end of the day you drop down where you halt, and then just +as you fall off to sleep there is a wild yell, and in a moment they are +swarming among you, slashing and ripping with their long knives, crawling +on the ground and springing upon you, getting among the horses and +hamstringing or cutting them open. By the time those of you that are alive +have got together they have gone, and all is so quiet that were it not for +the scattered bodies you might believe that it was all a dream. Two or +three times before morning the attack will be repeated, until you are +forced to keep under arms in military array. As soon as it is light you +recommence your march, and so it goes on day after day, until at last, +worn-out and spent, and less in strength by half than when you started, you +gather under the shelter of the walls of one of the border towns. + +"I should have been glad indeed if we had caught their king, for if he had +been held hostage in London we might have had peace; but well content am I +that Harold has abstained from entering upon a campaign which, terrible as +it is even in summer, would be beyond endurance of the strongest in +winter." + +"Well, for my part," Osgod, who was one of the listeners, remarked, "I +would rather go on by myself and take the chance of getting a good blow at +some of these wild men than ride all the way back to Steyning to be laughed +at by the women there, as brave soldiers who have marched across England +and back and never unsheathed their swords. Nor will I believe that Earl +Harold can intend so to make a laughing-stock of us. The Bretons were just +as active as are these Welshmen, but he brought them to reason there, and I +warrant me he will do the same here. At any rate, he seems in no hurry to +move. We have been here nigh a week already, and why should he keep us here +if we are not to be employed?" + +It was not very long before it became known that Harold had no intention of +marching away and leaving the Welsh unpunished, and that in the spring a +campaign on a great scale was to be undertaken against them. The thanes of +all the western counties were ordered to hold themselves in readiness to +join with their levies in the spring. The Somerset and Devon men were to +gather at Bristol, and thence to be conveyed by ships to the southern coast +of Wales; the troops at Gloucester were to march west, and Tostig was to +bring down a body of Northumbrian horse, and to enter Wales from Chester. +The housecarls, to their surprise, were ordered to lay aside their ringed +armour and heavy helmets, in place of which leather jerkins and caps were +served out to them; their heavy axes were to be left behind, and they were +to trust to the sword alone. They were to abandon the tactics in which +they had been trained of fighting shoulder to shoulder, with shield +overlapping shield, and were to exercise themselves in running and +climbing, in skirmishing with an imaginary foe, and rapidly gathering in +close formation to resist anticipated attack. Harold himself gave them +these instructions. + +"You will have no foe to meet breast to breast," he said; "if we are to +conquer and to root out these hornets it must be by showing ourselves even +more active than they are. Speed and activity go for everything in a war +like this, while our own methods of fighting are absolutely useless. Unless +we make an end of this matter you may be called away from your homes once a +year to repel these attacks, while if you conquer now there will be no +Welsh foray again during your lifetime. Therefore it is worth while to make +a great effort, and for once to lay aside our own method of fighting. Your +commanders will see that all the exercises are well carried out, and will +report to me regarding those who show most zeal and energy. Extra pay will +be given to all, and I shall know how to reward those who are reported to +me as most deserving of it." + +The troops set to work with great energy, and soon recognized the advantage +they gained by laying aside their heavy arms and armour. Swimming, running, +and climbing were practised incessantly, and when May arrived, and with it +the time for the commencement of the campaign, all felt confident of their +ability to cope with the Welsh in their own methods of warfare. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +IN THE WELSH VALLEYS. + +Wulf and Beorn did not form part of the expedition which was to embark with +Harold from Bristol, and to enter Wales by one of its southern valleys. It +was necessary that the gathering of the levies at Gloucester should be +strengthened by having as a nucleus three hundred trained soldiers. The +levies were lightly armed, and accustomed to fight in the same irregular +manner as their Welsh adversaries, whom they held in considerable dread, +for the fierce hillmen had again and again proved themselves more than a +match for the peaceable natives on the English side of the border. The +addition then of three hundred housecarls was required to give them +confidence. These had indeed abandoned for the time their armour, heavy +weapons, and solid formation, but they could still were it necessary gather +in a line, behind which the levies could rally, and which would be +impregnable to the undisciplined attacks of the Welsh. + +The young thanes were somewhat disappointed at finding that they were not +to accompany the earl, but, as he told them, it was a mark of his +confidence that he should post them with the force where the fighting was +likely to be more severe and the risk greater than with that he himself +led. + +"I shall penetrate into the heart of Wales," he said. "I shall have +horsemen with me, a strong force of trained soldiers and the levies, and +the enemy will, I feel sure, be unable to oppose us successfully; but it is +likely enough that when the Welsh find that my force from the south and +Tostig's from the north cannot be withstood, they will pour out on their +eastern frontier, and try to light such a flame in Worcester, Hereford, and +Gloucester, that we should be obliged to abandon our work, and hurry back +to stem the tide of their invasion. It is necessary therefore that from +this side also there should be a forward movement. My brother, Gurth, will +command here. I have strongly recommended you to him. Your experience in +the Breton war will be of assistance to you, and I have told him that you +can be far better trusted than many older than yourselves in carrying out +expeditions among their hills and valleys. + +"I do not anticipate there will be any pitched battles; the Welsh know that +they cannot withstand our trained soldiers. It will be a war of +skirmishes, of detached fighting, of surprises, long marches, and great +fatigues. Every valley in the country is to be harried with fire and sword. +They are to be made to feel that even in their mountains they are not safe +from us, and as they never take prisoners nor give quarter in the forays on +our side of the border, so we will hunt them down like wolves in their own +forests. The work must be done so thoroughly that for a hundred years at +least the lesson will not be forgotten." + +In the last week of May Gurth moved forward, marching first to Hereford as +a more central point of attack, and then crossing the border and entering +Wales. The troops carried no heavy baggage. Meat they expected to find; +flour was carried on two hundred pack-horses. The force was about 4000 +strong. The housecarls marched in a body, keeping solid order. Behind them +came the pack animals, each led separately, so that they could the more +easily make their way through forests or over broken ground. They marched +in lines, forty abreast. The light-armed levies, led by their respective +thanes, moved as they chose on the flanks of the trained troops or followed +in the rear. + +When they halted on the first evening after crossing the frontier they +lighted their fires and bivouacked. Wulf and Beorn walked together through +the camp. + +"In spite of the fact that they are all dressed somewhat alike in leather +jerkins, it is easy to see which are the trained soldiers," Wulf said. "The +housecarls are as merry over the food they have brought with them as if +they were going upon a march of pleasure through the hills, while the +border levies evidently regard the business as a serious one." + +"That is no wonder," Beorn replied, "seeing how for years they have +suffered at the hands of the Welsh. Look at those hills, Wulf, I can count +a dozen beacons alight. Of course, they have heard of the preparations for +attack, and they are flashing the news from hill to hill of the advance of +our force. It will not be long before they gather to oppose us." + +"It is like enough they may attack us to-night, Beorn. They may have had +spies at Hereford, and will have known two days ago of our coming. They may +reckon that we should anticipate no attack until farther among their hills, +and that we shall in consequence be careless, as in truth we seem to be. I +think it would be well to offer Gurth our housecarls to stand sentry +to-night." + +"He might laugh at us," Beorn said doubtfully. + +"Well, let him laugh; he will laugh good-humouredly anyhow, for he is of a +kindly and light-hearted disposition. At any rate there cannot be any harm +in proposing it, and after the surprise we got from the Bretons we cannot +be too cautious." + +They walked to the fire where Gurth was sitting with four or five of his +friends, all of whom had furnished bodies of housecarls. The border thanes +had by his orders each remained with his own following, so that at all +times they should be in readiness to give orders and lead them in case of +surprise. + +"Where have you been, young thanes?" Gurth asked. "You slipped away as soon +as our meal was finished, as if you were afraid of the wine-cup." + +"We care not much for drinking," Beorn said, "and have been going through +the force to see how it was disposed. We have come to offer that our men +shall to-night furnish guards for the camp." + +"There is no occasion for it," Gurth said, "the Welshmen will not attack us +until we are entangled among their hills." + +"It depends upon how well they are led, my Lord Gurth," Wulf said. "If they +are well led they may attack us to-night, for they must know of our +approach, and will think it probable that we shall, being so near our own +border, be at first careless. The Bretons gave us just such a lesson, and +inflicted heavy loss upon the Norman army." + +"Well, post your men as you like," Gurth said; "though it seems to me that +it would be better for them to husband their strength for to-morrow's +march." + +"They shall have half a night's sleep each," Wulf said. + +"If I had not known how stoutly you fought, and how your courage saved the +Norman camp, I should have said you were over-cautious," Gurth laughed. +"However I will not refuse your offer, young thanes, though methinks there +is no chance whatever of the Welsh disturbing us here." + +Having obtained the permission, Beorn and Wulf returned to the fires of +their men. + +"We are to have the honour of furnishing the guards to-night, Osgod. Tell +the men that Gurth relies upon our watchfulness. We don't want a +repetition of the surprise we had from the Bretons. It will be but a short +night's watch. 'Tis nine now, and by four it will be broad daylight. +Beorn's men and ours will march a hundred yards out from the camp. Half can +lie down to sleep at once, the other half we can post as sentries and +relieve them at half-past twelve. An attack if it comes will come from the +front, therefore we will post the men twenty or thirty yards apart along +there, and for some distance round the flanks. One of us will remain with +the party that lies down, so as to be in readiness to lead them at once +against any point attacked, the other will move round and round to see that +the sentries are vigilant." + +"That is good news to me," Osgod said. "Methinks that affair in the Breton +wood has shaken my courage, for I have been looking at those trees in front +of us, and wondering whether the Welsh are gathering there, and thinking +how it would be with all these raw levies if they came down upon us +to-night It went hard for a bit with the Normans, tried soldiers though +they were, but I would not trust these levies to stand for a moment, for +they hold the Welsh in mighty respect." + +The men cheerfully took their arms and fell in. They considered it a +compliment that they had been chosen to furnish the first guard. Beorn's +men, with a portion of Wulf's, were to furnish the first line of sentries. +The two young thanes, accompanied by Osgod, went round with them and posted +them, after giving them strict injunctions to be watchful and vigilant. + +"These savages," Beorn said, "will creep up through the grass as +noiselessly as cats, so you must keep your ears as well as your eyes well +open; and if you hear but the breaking of a twig challenge at once. Then, +if they rise, shout the alarm at the top of your voice, and do the whole of +you run back to us here if the cry comes from the front, if from either +flank hurry to that spot, and we shall do the same from here; but be +careful not to rouse the camp by a false alarm, for if you do, instead of +gaining credit we shall become the jest of the whole force." + +When the sentries were placed, Beorn, with the leader of his band, began to +go the rounds, while Wulf and Osgod returned to their party. + +"You can sleep, master, while I watch beside you," Osgod said. "I could not +sleep if I lay down, for I have got the yells of those Bretons in my ears, +and could not close an eye." + +"Very well, Osgod; in that case I may as well take a nap." + +He was soon sound asleep, and remained so until Osgod touched him. He sat +up in a moment. + +"By the stars it is past midnight, my lord, and it is time for us to +relieve Beorn's party." The men were at once called to their feet, and the +relief effected. + +"If an attack comes," Wulf said, as with Osgod he proceeded to walk +backwards and forwards along the line of sentries, "I fancy it will be just +before daybreak. Many of them may come from long distances, and their +leader would wait until the last moment in order to gather as large a force +together as possible. Besides, men sleep heaviest at that time, and they +would reckon that hour as best for a surprise." As they walked they +frequently paused to listen intently, and though once or twice they thought +they heard distant sounds, these might be caused by the passage of a wild +animal through the bushes. The sentries were all vigilant. It was the first +time that the Sussex lads had been in face of an enemy, and the stillness +of the night, the sombre forest in front of them, and the possibility of a +savage and unknown foe lurking there, kept them thoroughly on the alert. +Once or twice Wulf and Osgod went forward to examine some bush that had +seemed to the imagination of a sentry to have moved, but in each case the +alarm was groundless. + +"It must be nearly three o'clock now, Osgod," Wulf said at last. "Another +half hour will decide it. I shall be glad when the morning comes, for this +work is trying, and I keep on fancying I hear noises." + +"I fancy so too," Osgod said. "It seems to me like a sort of whisper or +rustling of leaves." + +"That is just what it seems to me, Osgod. Let us stay where we are. We are +just in the centre of the line now." + +"There are certainly sounds, my lord. I thought it was fancy before, but I +am sure now." + +"I hear something," Wulf said. "It comes from the front. Run round to the +right and bring the sentries from that flank and post them in the intervals +of those in front, while I do the same on the left." + +They had but just returned, when they heard a sharp sound like the cracking +of a stick a short distance in front. A dozen of the sentries at once +challenged. In an instant a number of figures sprang to their feet at a +distance of some fifty yards in front of them. Then a wild yell was raised, +and swarms of men came rushing towards them, while a volley of arrows and +javelins whizzed through the air. + +"Fall back on the others, men!" Wulf shouted at the top of his voice, and +the line of sentries rushed back to Beorn's party, who leapt to their feet +at the sound of the Welsh war-cry. They had scarce formed in line when the +enemy were upon them. They received them with a volley of javelins, and +then shield to shield they withstood the attack They were fighting in their +own way now, and numerous as the Welsh were, they were unable, as they ran +up in scattered order, to break through the line. + +"Steady, men, steady!" Wulf shouted out from his post in the middle of the +line. "Our friends will soon be up. Show a stout front. Do not give way a +foot." + +In vain the Welshmen, with wild yells, strove to beat back the Saxon line. +Their very numbers were a hindrance to them. Those in front pressed +forward, so that those behind were unable to use their javelins or arrows. +Many creeping between the legs of the fighters of the front rank leapt with +a cat-like spring upon the Saxons, and strove to rip them with their +knives, but the light wicker-work shields covered with leather, which had +taken the place of the solid and heavy ones generally carried by the +housecarls, stood Wulf's followers in good stead; and although many of the +shields were penetrated by the knives of the Welsh, they in most cases +effectually screened the bodies of the soldiers. + +The lightly-armed Welsh, on the other hand, were hewn down by the long +swords of the Saxons in the front rank, while the javelins of those behind +them flew with terrible effect among their assailants. There was, however, +no pause in the fury of the attacks of the Welsh, until, with a great +shout, the main body of the Saxons came up, and pressed forward in line +with the little body who had hitherto borne the brunt of the battle, while +on their flank the thane's levies poured in volley after volley of darts +and arrows. The fight ceased as suddenly as it began. The sound of a +deep-toned horn rose in the air, whereupon the Welsh instantly abandoned +the struggle, and before the Saxons had time to realize that the fighting +was over, they had disappeared in the forest. + +"By St. Peter, young thanes!" Earl Gurth exclaimed as he came up to Wulf's +band, who were panting from their exertions, "you have saved us from a +grievous mishap this night. I take shame unto myself that I treated your +suggestion so lightly; for, by the saints, we should have fared badly +indeed had this wild foe taken us asleep. The thanks of the whole force are +due to you, and I will take care that my brother Harold knows how narrow an +escape we have had, and in telling the tale I shall not spare either myself +or the older thanes, who were disposed to mock your proposal to keep guard +over the camp, as showing an amount of caution altogether unnecessary. The +attack has been a lesson to me that I shall not forget, and henceforth I +shall select you and your force for any special service requiring +watchfulness and valour." + +In going among their men Wulf and Beorn found that but six had fallen, for +the most part under the shower of javelins with which the Welsh had +heralded their attack. Many of the others had received wounds more or less +severe, but few of them were so badly hurt as to render it necessary to +leave them behind. Gurth called the thanes at once to a council. Fresh wood +was thrown on to his fire, and some twenty of the thanes took their places +round it. Wulf and Beorn were specially asked by Gurth to attend. The +attack of the Welsh had shown that they were by no means dismayed at the +extent of the preparations for the invasion of their mountains, and that +the advance must be conducted with the greatest caution and prudence. + +"It is well," Gurth said, "that in the absence of Griffith they have many +leaders, and will therefore fight without any general plan. Did their whole +force fall upon one or other of our columns it might go very hard with it; +but we may be sure that each chief will desire to keep his followers by +him, in order to defend his own valleys. Nevertheless, they have shown +to-night that they can gather rapidly and in considerable force, and we +shall have to root them out piecemeal, and shall not be able to scatter our +force too widely. I am told that the valley at whose mouth we now are +contains a large number of villages, and to this we must confine ourselves +until we have done the work there. I trust that they will oppose us +stoutly. In that case we shall have the less trouble with them when we +come to undertake the more difficult task of pursuing them among their +hills." + +The next morning the advance began, and they had proceeded but a short +distance when the Welsh again poured down upon them. This time the force +was prepared for the attack, and although the Welsh fought obstinately, +they were driven back without much difficulty. As soon as the attack ceased +Gurth gave the order for pursuit, and the housecarls held their course +straight up the valley at full speed, while the levies swarmed up the +hillsides to prevent the Welsh from rallying and attacking in flank. The +troops now felt the benefit of the abandonment of their heavy armour and +weapons, and pressed so hotly upon the flying Welsh that they entered the +first village with them. For a time the natives turned and fought +desperately in defence of their homes, but they were unable to withstand +the skill and discipline of the Saxon troops, and the measure that they had +so frequently dealt out to the Saxon villagers now fell on them. No quarter +was given. Every man, woman, and child was slaughtered, and the houses +given to the flames. Village after village was captured and burnt, but the +resistance became fainter and fainter, and the last three villages at the +head of the valley were found to be entirely deserted. Then, just as the +sun set, the force bivouacked for the night, the horns calling in the +scattered levies, who gradually rejoined them. + +The next morning the force was broken up into five or six columns, each +having a proportion of the regular soldiers and a body of the levies. These +penetrated side valleys and climbed the hills. In many cases they +encountered resistance, stones being rolled down upon them, and the Welsh +defending strong barricades of felled trees. But everywhere the Saxons were +successful, and day after day continued the work, until at the end of five +days they were able to move where they would without encountering any +resistance. The force now marched forward from the head of the valley, +crossed a range of hills, and descended into another valley. They had now +grown more confident in themselves, and while a third of the force +proceeded to lay waste the valley, the rest, broken up into small columns, +ascended the hills on either side, carrying fire and sword into every +hamlet they came upon. + +Several of the fortalices of the Welsh chiefs, perched on almost +inaccessible eminences, gave great trouble, and were only taken after +serious loss. One day Beorn and Wulf, with their own following and two +hundred and fifty light-armed levies, were despatched by Gurth to Porthwyn, +a stronghold belonging to a powerful chief named Llewellyn ap Rhys. + +"It is, from all I hear," he said, "a very strong place, and will require +all our force to capture it. Indeed it is reported to be so strong that it +may be necessary to leave it unmolested until we form a junction with +Harold, and can besiege it regularly. It would not do to make an +unsuccessful attack, for that would raise the spirits of the Welsh. All +that I wish of you is to obtain a view of the castle from all sides if +possible, to bring me back an exact account of its defences, and to give me +your opinion as to our chances of capturing it if we decide to lay siege to +it." + +Porthwyn was forty miles distant, and Beorn and Wulf determined to march +some thirty of these, and then to push forward at daybreak so as to obtain +a view of the fortress in the early morning. They took with them a Welsh +boy as a guide. He had been spared in the last village captured, and had +been told that his life depended upon his guiding them faithfully. The +places of ten men who had fallen during the various fights had been filled +up by an equal number of Gurth's own housecarls. The seventy soldiers kept +with their leaders and the guide, the levies spreading out on either side. + +Two of the irregulars who spoke a little Welsh accompanied the young thanes +to question the guide if necessary. The march was a heavy one. At times +they passed through thick forests in the valleys and on the lower +hillsides, at times crossed over bare hills, on whose summits the ground +was frequently so boggy that the men had to march with the greatest +caution. The guide, a sullen lad with matted hair, whose only attire was a +sheep-skin, was several times questioned sharply as to whether he was +certain of the way. He answered in monosyllables, saying that he knew every +foot of the road, and indeed he never hesitated for a moment. + +"I suppose he is right," Wulf said, "although I thought it lay more to the +west than we are going, but we have wound about so among these forests and +hills that I am quite confused. There is one comfort, Beorn, if the guide +proves treacherous and we lose ourselves altogether, we have but to set our +faces to the rising sun and we shall find ourselves back on the border, for +I am sure that we could not retrace our steps to Gurth's camp." + +The sun was just setting when they found themselves on a bare plateau on +the crest of a range of hills higher than any they had before crossed. + +"Ask him how far we are from Porthwyn," Wulf said to the interpreter. + +"He says twelve miles, my lord." + +"Then when we get across this flat, which looks full two miles wide, we +will camp in the first valley we come to." + +As they advanced the ground became more and more boggy, and the troops had +to move carefully, stepping from one tussock of coarse grass to another, +the intervals being filled with black slimy mud. + +"Ask him if this gets deeper," Beorn said angrily, "for if it does so we +are like to be all swallowed up. I believe he must be leading us wrong." + +Osgod had charge of the boy, and was walking close beside him. As the +question was put by the interpreter the boy muttered that he knew the way. +The man turned to translate his answer to Beorn, when there was a sudden +shout. At the moment that Osgod was making a long step from one tuft to +another the boy stooped and caught his foot, and with a roar of surprise +and fury Osgod fell head-foremost into the morass. At the same moment the +lad darted away with a yell of defiance, leaping from tuft to tuft with the +agility of a hare. Several of the men started after him, but unaccustomed +to the treacherous bog four or five were immersed in it to their waist +before they had gone a dozen paces. + +"Shoot! shoot!" Beorn shouted, and a dozen javelins were thrown, but the +boy was almost beyond distance, and his rapid and irregular movements +rendered it well-nigh impossible to take aim with any accuracy. Most of the +javelins flew wide of him, and he was soon beyond reach. Osgod was +well-nigh smothered before he could be rescued, and some of the other men +were only hauled out with the greatest difficulty. Three or four of the +most active men were sent forward, but presently returned with the news +that the bog became worse. + +"The sun has already set," Wulf said, "and if darkness catches us here our +plight will be a bad one. Let us retrace our steps at once, Beorn." + +It was with great difficulty that they made their way back to firm ground. +By the time they did so darkness had fallen. + +"This is a bad business altogether, Beorn," Wulf said. "In the first place +we have lost our guide; in the second place we have no idea where we are, +for we may for aught we know have been going in the wrong direction all the +time; and, besides this, the boy will raise the country against us, and in +the morning we may be attacked by an overwhelming force." + +"What do you think we had better do, Wulf?" + +"Well, I should say we had better, in the first place, retrace our steps to +the valley, there we will light fires and cook the meat we have brought +with us. Then I should say we had best march for some hours. It matters not +in what direction so that we get as far as possible from here." + +As Beorn could suggest nothing better, Wulf's counsel was carried out. +Supper was cooked and eaten in the forest, and after two hours for rest, +for the march had been a very fatiguing one, they started. The night was +moonless, and in the shadow of the trees the darkness was intense. The +housecarls kept together, moving as closely as possible to each other. The +levies were ordered to follow them. + +After proceeding for two hours, Wulf said, "Let us halt and see if we are +all together." The housecarls halted, but when he went to the rear Wulf +could see no signs of the irregulars. + +"Let no man speak or move," he said, "I want to listen." + +But no sound broke the stillness of the wood. + +"How foolish of Oswald and Edred," he said to Beorn. + +"We told them to follow with their levies close behind us, and they must +have allowed them to fall to the rear. However, they can't be far behind." + +They waited for half an hour, but the silence continued unbroken. + +"Do you shout, Osgod," Wulf said; "they ought to hear miles away on a still +night like this." + +Osgod--who had scarcely spoken since his fall, so furious was he at having +been outwitted by a boy, and having not only allowed him to escape, but +being himself rolled in the mire--raised his voice in a tremendous shout. +All listened intently, but no answering sound came back. + +"They must have gone altogether wrong," Wulf said. "You know that we +crossed a streamlet that ran into this brook soon after we started. They +must have followed that up, thinking we had done so, and have gone up some +other valley. What is to be done, Beorn?" + +"We crossed that streamlet half an hour after starting," Beorn said, "and +as we have spent half an hour here they must have by this time marched up +it two-hours' journey, and if we retrace our steps to that point they will +have got an hour and a half farther away; besides, they may have gone back +when they missed us. There is no saying which way to look for them. I think +we had better go on as before. In the morning we shall be able to see the +nature of the country, but to look for people who may be miles and miles +away, when one cannot see one's own hand, would be but lost time and +labour, and methinks we shall have need to husband all our strength before +we get out of the scrape into which we have fallen. If the two thanes had +obeyed orders and kept closer this would not have happened. They have lost +us by their own carelessness, and must manage as they can. We shall have +all our work to do to look out for ourselves. Seventy men lost in the heart +of these savage hills, which by to-morrow morning will swarm with Welsh, +have but a poor chance of ever seeing the English border again." + +"It is not so bad as that, Beorn. I do not say that we are not in an +unpleasant position, but at any rate we are a great deal better off than we +were when we were driving headlong on to the coast of Normandy, or when +there were but three of us in the midst of the Bretons. They have to find +us in the first place, and it will need a good many of them to overcome us +when they do. I fancy that we are very near the head of this valley, the +ground is rising rapidly. I propose that we push on now till the trees +cease, and lie down there till morning breaks, and then cross the next hill +so as to find shelter in some other valley before the sun is fairly up. +From the top of the hill we may get a general view of the country, and +shall have some idea as to the course to take. We must first of all try to +find a native who can tell us which is the direction of Porthwyn and how +far it lies away. Our orders are to reconnoitre it and that must be done +before there is any question of return. Even if I were absolutely alone, I +would carry out that order." + +Beorn was silent for a minute, and then said doubtfully, "Perhaps you are +right, Wulf; but when Gurth gave us the order he gave us more than three +hundred men to carry it out, and we have now but seventy." + +By this time they were on their way up the valley, followed by their men. + +"The fact that two hundred and fifty men have left us really makes the +matter easier than it would otherwise have been," Wulf said. "Of course our +guide carried the news of our coming straight to Porthwyn, and it is like +enough that fires are at present blazing on the hills. The larger division +is more likely to be seen than ours, and to be attacked, and we shall have +all the more chance of getting up unobserved. I sincerely trust that the +thanes, when they discover that they have lost us, will at once lead their +men back to Gurth's camp. In that case they may escape before the Welsh can +assemble and attack them; and as it would naturally be supposed that as +soon as we had lost our guide we retreated in a body, the Welsh will +imagine that there is no occasion for further vigilance." + +"You are always too full of arguments for me, Wulf," Beorn laughed; "and if +you have made up your mind to go on, it is not of the least use my saying +anything against it; so have your own way." + +At last the forest became less dense, and when they reached its edge they +lay down. Wulf slept for two or three hours, and then roused himself and +waited for the first sign of dawn. It was a heavy responsibility, for +though Beorn was of equal rank with himself he always gave way to his +opinion. He thought over whether it would not be better that Beorn should +march with all speed with the force to the east, and that he himself with +Osgod and perhaps two other men should make their way to Porthwyn; already +the Welsh might be out all over the mountains, and it was the larger body +that would be likely to be discovered and attacked. The Welsh would know +that on such a dark night, and in a strange country, they could not have +got a very long distance from the bog where the guide had escaped from +them, and the valley at whose head he now was would be the first place to +be searched. However, he did not like severing himself from the men who had +marched under his banner from Steyning, and he finally determined that the +whole should stay together. It was about half-past two when he roused the +band, and they at once started up the bare hillside. + +"As it gets lighter," he said, "scatter and proceed singly. We shall be +far less likely to be noticed by anyone at a distance than if we march +together in a solid body. We must travel as fast as possible, so as to get +under shelter again before the sun is really up." + +The men were all by this time well accustomed to climbing and hardened by +exercise, and at a rapid pace they breasted the hill, although it was in +some places exceedingly steep. By the time they reached its crest there was +light enough to permit of a view of the country round. In all directions +hills rose around them, bare and brown, and the growing light in the sky +showed that the east lay behind them. After waiting for a minute or two to +recover breath, they proceeded at a brisk trot. They met with no bogs of +importance, and after running for a mile the ground began to slope +downwards again, and they saw below them a wooded valley, similar to that +which they had left. By this time the hilltops were all lit up by the +rising sun. The spot where they stood, however, was still in shadow, and +in scattered order they ran rapidly down the hillside until they reached +the cover of the trees. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +PORTHWYN. + +There was a short halt to enable the band to quench their thirst at a +little rivulet that trickled down the centre of the valley; then they +prepared to continue their march, Wulf impressing upon them the necessity +for moving as silently as possible. + +"If we come upon a village of any size," he said, "we must avoid it. The +main point is to capture a native, and find out exactly where we are." + +After walking for an hour they came suddenly upon a hut. It stood in a +cleared patch of ground; a small herd of goats were browsing round, and +some smoke curled up from a hole in the roof. Wulf halted his men. + +"Beorn, you and I and Osgod and one of the interpreters had best go in +alone; there are not likely to be more than one or two men within, and it +will be well at any rate that our numbers should not be known." + +Before advancing, however, he told the band to surround the clearing. "Let +no one escape," he said; "it would cost us our lives did one get away to +tell of our being here. See, too, that you bring down two or three of the +goats. Our meat is nearly exhausted, and it is well to replenish our +store." + +After waiting until the men were in their places, Wulf ran forward across +the open ground with his three companions. There was no door to the hut, +and on entering it they saw that its only occupant was a decrepit old +woman. She gave a cry of dismay at the entrance of the strangers. + +"Tell her not to be alarmed," Wulf said to the interpreter. + +"We do not desire to do her any harm. Now ask her if she lives here by +herself," he went on, when the interpreter had spoken to the old woman. + +"She lives here with her two sons," the man said; "they are away. There +were beacon-fires on the hills last evening, and they went out. She does +not know when they will return." + +"Ask her how far it is to Porthwyn." + +The answer was most satisfactory. "It is but three miles away, my lord. It +lies in the valley of which this is a branch." + +"That is good news indeed, Beorn," Wulf said. "The boy led us in the right +direction, perhaps because he thought that if he did not do so we should +perceive it and tax him with treachery. But it is more likely that he +wished to lead us so close that he could, when he escaped, carry the news +of our being in the neighbourhood, in time for the Welshmen to surround and +cut us off before we could return. As she says that the beacon-fires were +lighted in the evening he can have lost no time, and the country must be +aroused. I wish we had the whole force here." + +"What shall we do with this old crone?" Beorn said. "It would never do to +risk her giving an alarm, and though she looks feeble she might be able to +get down to Porthwyn." + +"We will tie her securely, Beorn; we can't hurt the poor old creature. Her +sons are no doubt out with the Welsh bands hunting for us; but they will +return here sooner or later, so that no harm will come to her." + +By his orders Osgod securely bound the old woman with a rope he found in +the hut, and then leaving her they went outside and called upon the men to +close in. Eight of the goats were killed, and were then cut up and divided +among the men. After a consultation Wulf and Beorn agreed that instead of +following the valley down, where they might meet with other huts, or even a +good-sized village, they had best keep along on the hillside, just inside +the line of trees, as in that way they would come out high up on the side +of the main valley, and probably obtain a good view of the fortalice. + +In single file they made their way among the trees, and in an hour the +valley that they were in opened considerably, and through the trees they +saw a large village at their feet. A quarter of a mile farther and they +stood on the side of a wide valley. There were numerous flocks and herds to +be seen grazing in it, and four or five villages could be made out; their +attention, however, was chiefly directed to the object of their journey. +Some three hundred feet below the spot where they stood a rock jutted out +from the hillside, and extended some five or six hundred feet into the +valley. Its sides were perpendicular save where it stood out from the hill. +Here a strong wall some forty feet high ran across it; two square towers +stood at the angles, but there was no gateway visible. The wall was +continued right round the top of the rock, which was crossed by two other +walls each defended by flanking towers. The castle itself stood at the +extremity of the rock, and was a strong and massive-looking building. The +men were all ordered to lie down as soon as the castle was visible between +the trees, and among these Wulf and Beorn followed by Osgod moved +cautiously, until they reached a spot whence they could obtain through the +foliage a full view of the building. + +"It is a formidable place," said Beorn. "The chief who first planted +himself here knew what he was doing. Yes. I should fancy from the look of +it the castle at the end was built first, then gradually the walls were +added until the whole rock was inclosed. This bit nearest to us is +evidently an addition during the last few years. You can see that by the +colour of the stone. You see the other two walls have gateways in them +while this has none. I should say until this was built the entrance to the +castle was along the neck, but they must have got some other way now, and +so shut it up altogether. How on earth can they get in?" + +"Certainly not at the sides," Wulf said, "for they are as near +perpendicular as possible. It must be at the other end of the rock, which +we can't see. It may slope a little more gradually there, and they may have +cut a zigzag road up. Suppose we climb the hill behind us, till we get +high enough to see over the trees and get a complete view of the valley. +There is no fear of our being noticed. We are a good five hundred feet +above it now, and even if anyone did see us up there they would take us for +two herdsmen. Of course we will leave our shields and weapons behind us." + +On attaining a spot from which a clear view of the whole valley could be +obtained, Wulf said: + +"There, Beorn, do you see the hill juts out into the plain on the right, +half a mile from the castle, and is wooded to its foot. I think if we were +to make our way down there we should be able to obtain a view of the face +of the rock below the castle without leaving the shelter of the trees." +Beorn agreed that it was worth trying, and they returned to the men, +rearmed themselves, and spoke to Osgod. + +"We are going to reconnoitre, Osgod, and may be an hour away. As we shall +not leave the forest there is no danger, and even were we seen we can climb +the hill again as fast as any Welshman can follow us. Do you keep an eye on +the castle, but do not stir until we return even if you hear shouts. I have +no doubt that we shall be able to rejoin you, and it is most important that +even if they do make us out they should have no reason for supposing that +there is any force behind us." After half an hour's walking Beorn and Wulf +found themselves at the edge of the wood in the valley. + +"There is the road, you see," Wulf exclaimed. "It goes straight up that +gradual slope to the bottom of the rock, then it makes two zigzags to the +edge of that point that juts out a little, whence there is a bridge thrown +across a gap to the point where there is a turret. I can't see it beyond +that. I should think they must have driven a tunnel from there right up +into the castle, for you see there are fifty feet of perpendicular rock +above that turret. In case of attack, of course, they would cut away the +bridge, and it would be next to impossible to throw another across. They +could overwhelm any force attempting it with stones from above, besides +sweeping the zigzag road below." + +Beorn agreed that the place was absolutely impregnable on that side, and +that it could only be attacked from the hillside, and by carrying the walls +in succession. + +"Well, there is nothing more to see," Wulf said, "so we may as well return. +You see there is a large village nestling down there just at the foot of +the rock. We could not see it from where we were before. + +"Well, Osgod, have you seen anything going on in the castle?" + +"No, my lord, everything has been very quiet It seems to me that there are +very few men about for such a strong place." + +"No doubt most of them are out in pursuit of us, Osgod; we know that the +country was roused by the beacons, and that there must be a big force +somewhere in the hills. I only hope they wont find Oswald and Edred, or I +fear it will go hard with them. The levies fight well when they have the +housecarls with them, but by themselves and in a strange country I am +afraid they would lose heart. Now, Beorn, I am going down to the wall on +this side. We can see that there is no sentry on it, and I want to find out +if there is any other defence besides what we can see. It is very important +to know that, as we agreed that this is the side from which the attack must +be made." + +Descending among the trees Wulf cautiously approached the wall. He found on +nearing it that a perpendicular cut some thirty feet wide and twenty feet +deep had been made across the rock. It stretched from the foot of one +flanking tower to the foot of the other, the wall between them being some +ten feet from its edge. Having ascertained this he returned to Beorn. +Having told him what he had seen, he sat looking at the castle. + +"What are you thinking of, Wulf?" Beorn asked. "I suppose we had better +stop where we are till nightfall and then make eastward." + +"I am thinking, in the first place, that it would cost a great number of +lives to take that place by assault." + +"That it would," Beorn agreed. "We have seen no place of anything like +equal strength in Wales, or indeed anywhere else." + +"There is no doubt about that," Wulf agreed. "If well defended it ought to +hold out for weeks, for when we have taken that wall in front of us only a +third of the work has been done. In the next place, I am thinking that +Llewellyn and the greater part of his garrison are away in the hills." + +Beorn nodded. + +"And that being so, it seems to me that the best plan will be to take it +ourselves." + +Beorn looked at his friend to see if he were serious, but there was no +smile on Wulf's face. + +"Do you really mean it, Wulf?" + +"Yes I mean it, certainly. What is to prevent our taking it? There may +never be such a good opportunity again. We have not seen a dozen men on the +walls, and I don't suppose there are fifty there altogether. But even if +there are a hundred, they will have no chance with our men if we are once +among them. You see the gates through those inner walls are open, and once +over this first one the place will be all open to us." + +"That is true enough, but how in the world are we to climb that wall?" + +"That is what I am puzzling over, Beorn. You see there is no time to lose, +for Llewellyn and his men may be back to-night. If they find Oswald's party +this morning they will return at once, if they don't they may not be back +till the morning. But we cannot count on that, what has to be done must be +done at once." + +He sat thinking a little longer. "We must cut down a couple of trees and +make a ladder, Beorn. The pine-trees grew very close together where we +passed through them a quarter of a mile before we got here, and were very +slender for their height. We have no axes or we could fell a couple of them +in a few minutes; but even if we had them, we should not dare use them, for +the chances are that the villagers are forbidden to cut down trees anywhere +near the castle, and the sound might bring people up from below to see who +was chopping. I was thinking of burning two of them down, but in this dry +weather the flames might run up them, and we should get a blaze that would +bring all the villagers up here." He beckoned to Osgod, and when he came up +told him that Beorn and he had agreed to try and take the place." + +"That is good," Osgod said joyfully. "I have been thinking of it, but I did +not see how you were to climb that wall." + +"We must cut down two young pine-trees, but we must not chop them down." + +"It would take a long time with our knives," Osgod said doubtfully. "It is +easy enough to cut through a pole three inches thick, but when it comes to +nine or ten it is a different matter." + +"Then we must cut down small ones and tie them together. Bring twenty men +at once with you, Osgod, let the rest lie quiet, the less movement there is +the better." + +As soon as the men were ready Wulf led them back to the point where the +pine-trees grew, then he selected eight of the tallest and slightest. They +were about three inches through at the foot, and were, he judged, at least +an inch and a half at twenty feet from the ground. Two men were set to work +at each tree, and in less than half an hour the eight trees were on the +ground. The branches were then lopped off, and four of the stems were cut +across five-and-twenty feet from the foot. The thin ends were then placed +together so as to overlap five feet. There was no difficulty about +lashings, as thongs were cut off the bottom of the men's leather jerkins. +The joint was made stronger by a light pole fifteen feet long being firmly +lashed across the junction. Thus the two poles for the ladder forty-five +feet long were ready for use. It needed only to lash cross-pieces for +steps, and in little over an hour from the time that work was begun the +ladder was complete. From the other young trees two ladders, each +twenty-five feet long, had been constructed in the meantime, and the whole +were then raised and carried back to the place where the band was lying. + +"Now, men," Wulf said, "we are going to take this castle at once. I should +wait until nightfall were it not that I fear the return of the Welsh, but +as they may come back at any time there is not a minute to be lost. Now let +each understand his work. The short ladders are to enable us to cross a cut +twenty feet deep they have made through the rock; when we get over this we +can plant the long ladder against the wall. As soon as we gain the top +every man must lie down and crawl along over those who have preceded him. +If we are seen before a few of us are on the top of the wall we shall fail, +because they will have time to give the alarm, and shut the inner gates. + +"So far we have seen no one go in or out of the courts between these walls, +and have every hope that we shall find no one there. I expect they are +places where the cattle are kept in case of siege. Our great danger is in +the chance of our being noticed by men on other parts of the walls or on +the castle. However, as far as we can see their attention is entirely +directed the other way, for they are no doubt on the look-out for news from +their chief or for his return. My intention is that all shall gain the top +of the wall before a movement is made, but if an alarm is given, those who +have got to the top are at once to follow us down the staircase into the +courtyard and run at full speed to the gate. Not a moment's halt is to be +made there; we must run on to the next gate and there defend ourselves +until the rest come to our aid. They will be taken so completely by +surprise that, even if we are but four or five, we can hold the gate until +the rest come up, and each man, as soon as he gains the top of the ladder, +must run on at full speed to our aid. Cut down all with arms in their +hands, but do not hurt women or children. Tell off six men, Osgod, to carry +the ladder and place it against the wall, and to be the first to follow us. +Let the others follow in the order in which they stand in rank" + +They made their way down through the trees. As soon as they reached the cut +one short ladder was lowered, and the other was handed down and placed +against the opposite side of the cut. The end of the long ladder was then +lowered, and it was swung over and the upper end placed against the wall. +Six men then ascended the short ladder, and raised the long one until it +stood on the rock at the foot of the castle-wall. + +"Now, Beorn, do you mount first and I will follow you." + +"You should go first," Beorn said, "but I will do as you tell me." + +As soon as Beorn was half-way up Wulf began to follow him, saying to Osgod +and the men, "Keep the same distance apart. Do not let more than two be on +the ladder at once whatever happens inside, if it were to break it would be +fatal to us all." As soon as he gained the top Wulf threw himself down by +the side of Beorn, and lay there watching the men on the other walls and on +the summit of the castle. Osgod and four men had joined them when Wulf +noticed a sudden stir and heard a shout. He leapt to his feet. + +"Follow quickly, but be careful of the ladder," he called to those below; +then he dashed along the wall to the top of the staircase, and closely +followed by the others ran down and on through the gate in the next wall. +Here some five or six men were asleep in its shade, while some women were +standing in front of some low huts which bordered the yard on either side. +They gazed in astonishment for a moment at the seven men who appeared so +suddenly from the outer yard, and then set up a shrill cry of alarm. +Without heeding them Wulf ran on to the next gateway. Just as he reached it +a number of men came running up from the other side. "Osgod, do you and +Alfred cover our rear while we keep these men in front at bay." + +The five men held the gate without difficulty against the Welsh who first +arrived, for these, at the shout of one of their comrades that men were +climbing the wall, had run down only with their knives, and could do +nothing against the Saxon shields and long swords. Presently, others with +spears and axes ran up, but the two young thanes and their three followers +still kept them back, for in the narrow gateway they could not be attacked +by more than their own number. Amid the yells of the Welsh Wulf could hear +nothing of what was passing behind them, and he was delighted when he heard +the voice of Osgod in his ear. + +"There are eight here now, Wulf; we have finished with the Welshmen in the +courtyard, so you are clear behind. Our men are coming down from the wall +fast. In five minutes we shall have the whole band here. Now let me have a +turn;" and he stepped forward and took the place of one of the Saxons who +staggered back with a javelin in his shoulder. + +Every moment added to the number of the Saxons. + +"Let me know when they are all up," Wulf said to one of those behind him, +as he cut down a Welshman who sprang at him with uplifted knife. The attack +was growing weaker, as their assailants saw that instead of five men they +had now to face a considerable number, and Wulf had difficulty in +restraining his men. + +"Keep back!" he shouted; "we must wait until we are all up, and then drive +them headlong before us and follow them into the castle. If they have once +time to shut the doors there we shall have a troublesome task." As he spoke +he yielded his place in the front rank to one of his followers, and turned +to see how matters stood behind. "Are they all up?" he asked. + +"The last man told me that there were six more to come, my lord." + +"Then we need wait no longer. Now, Beorn, all is ready--charge!" and with a +rush the Saxons swept through the gate, carrying the Welsh before them and +hewing down the front ranks. In an instant the defenders turned and fled, +but the Saxons pressed hard on their heels. Some of the Welsh ran up the +staircases to the walls, and many of the Saxons would have followed them, +but at Wulf's "To the castle, to the castle, we can deal with them +afterwards!" they followed him at once. On the steps up to the gateway of +the castle a desperate struggle was going on among the Welsh themselves. + +Seeing the Saxons pressing on the rear of the fugitives, those within the +castle strove to shut the door, but strove in vain, as the terror-stricken +men outside tried to force their way in. The two young thanes, with Osgod +and many of their followers, cut their way through the struggling mass and +reached the door. Those trying to shut it had already seen the hopelessness +of the endeavour, and had fled into the hall beyond, in which a number of +terrified women were wailing and shrieking. As Wulf burst in he shouted to +the Welsh, "Throw down your arms and surrender, and your lives shall be +spared" but his words were not understood, and as the Welsh never gave +quarter themselves they had no thought of quarter being offered to them. + +The women ceased screaming and broke into a death chant, many of them +seizing weapons from the walls, and joining the men in a last desperate +effort to drive back the Saxons. + +For a moment those who had entered had difficulty in resisting the +desperate attack, but as others poured in they advanced, and although Wulf +continued to shout, "Spare all who throw down their arms," his orders were +of no avail, for the Welsh continued to fight desperately until the last +fell under the Saxon swords, most of the women, who fought with even +greater fury than the men, sharing their fate. As soon as the struggle was +over Wulf ordered Osgod to take eight or ten men, to find the entrance to +the tunnel leading down to the road on the face of the cliff, and to guard +it against any attack from without. Then, through his interpreters, he +called to the Welshmen on the walls that their lives should be spared if +they would lay down their arms. He was answered by derisive shouts and a +shower of javelins. + +"We should lose a good many men in storming those two narrow staircases, +Beorn. There are but twenty or thirty of them, but that is enough to defend +such steep approaches. Let us take twenty men up to the top of the castle, +from there they can hurl javelins down at them, and they will soon see that +resistance is useless." + +They ascended the stairs, but paused at the end of the room over the hall +which had been the scene of the conflict. An aged woman, whose dress showed +her high rank, was seated on a settle; beside her was a white-headed +harper, while two little children, a boy and a girl, stood at her knee and +looked fearlessly at the intruders. + +Wulf despatched one of the men down to the hall to bring up the +interpreter. As soon as he arrived Wulf doffed his helmet and stepped +forward. + +"Ask who this lady is and who are these children." + +At a gesture from the old lady the harper answered: + +"This is my mistress, Gweneth, the mother of Prince Llewellyn ap Rhys; +these are his children. In his name she bids you defiance. You have taken +his castle, but he will know how to avenge her and his children." + +"I have no desire or intention of acting with any disrespect, still less of +injuring either your mistress or the children of Llewellyn," Wulf replied, +when this was translated to him. "My friend and I are Saxon thanes, who +have been forced to leave our homes and to embark on this war in order to +put a stop to the ravages committed across the border--the burning of towns +and villages, and the massacre of men, women, and children by your +countrymen. Llewellyn ap Rhys has brought this misfortune upon himself, and +did we render him motherless and childless, it would be but the fate that +he and his followers have inflicted upon many an Englishman. But we do not +make war upon women or children. Prisoners, of course, you must be, but be +assured of honourable treatment. None shall enter this room save with your +permission, and you can have your female attendants to serve you as usual." + +While the interpreter was repeating his speech Wulf and Beorn left the +room, and with the men ascended to the top of the castle, where they were +joined by the interpreter, who addressed the Welsh on the walls. These +replied with shouts of defiance, and a volley of javelins was poured down +upon them. Three or four were struck, the rest, seeing that all hope was +gone, rapidly gathered in a body at the head of the staircase leading from +the wall. + +"They are going to run down," Beorn exclaimed, and leaning over the parapet +shouted to the Saxons in the courtyard below to stand on their guard. + +A minute later the Welsh rushed down, each intent on killing at least one +foe before he died. The Saxons' weapons and discipline were, however, too +much for them; but they fought until the last, not one of them throwing +down his weapon or asking for quarter. + +"They are brave men. I would that we were not forced to slay them; but it +is their choosing and not ours, Beorn, and if they would but leave us alone +I am sure that nobody would wish to interfere with these wild countrymen." + +"What is the next thing to be done, Wulf?" + +"I should say let us turn all the women and children, save the old lady's +attendants, out of the castle, they would only be a trouble to us. Then we +must examine the store of provisions, plant sentries and cut away that +bridge, or, at any rate, cut away so much of it that a blow or two with an +axe will suffice to send it down. We must not forget to haul up our +ladders. Llewellyn and his men may be back at any moment. Let us go down +together to that turret we saw on the face of the rock" + +Orders were at once given, and the women and children collected and told to +leave the castle. They were allowed to carry away with them some eight or +ten men who were found to be still living. They went for the most part in +silence, but some of the elder women poured out voluble curses on the +Saxons. Beorn and Wulf had already gone down to the turret. There was a +very strong gateway in the courtyard, beyond this a tunnel sloping steeply +down, eight feet high and four feet wide, had been cut in the solid rock. +Following it they emerged upon a platform, principally occupied by the +turret. The path led through a strong gateway under this on to the wooden +bridge. Here Osgod with his ten men had taken their station. + +"The women and children and a few wounded will be coming down directly, +Osgod. As soon as they have passed do you set to work with your men and +pull up the planking of the bridge, all save a single plank; loosen that, +so that you can if necessary at once cast it down after the rest. If you +see the Welshmen pouring up the road, throw it over at once without waiting +for further orders, then close the gate and take your station in the +turret." + +"We are all getting very hungry, master. We have eaten nothing this +morning, and fighting sharpens the appetite." + +"I had forgotten all about it, Osgod. I will see that food is cooked at +once, and will send down a portion for you and your men, and some tankards +of whatever liquor we can find in the cellars. We are going to make an +examination of them at once." + +Returning to the courtyard, they told off a body of men to search the +cellars and granaries, and were glad to find that there was an ample store +of grain to last for months, together with large quantities of ale and a +few casks of wine. + +"So far all is well," Beorn said, "but would it not be prudent to send off +at once to Gurth, to let him know that though we are masters of the castle +at present, we may in a few hours be surrounded by a swarm of angry +Welshmen?" + +"That certainly is most desirable," Wulf agreed. "The question is, who are +we to send? It would be a terribly dangerous enterprise. Even now there are +a score of men from the village watching our movements from the wood above. +At any rate we must wait until nightfall." + +Four sentries were posted on the wall by which they had ascended, as after +making a circuit of the place, this was they agreed the only point at which +a surprise was possible, unless there existed some secret passage into the +castle. They had just finished their inspection of the walls, when there +was a shout from their look-out at the top of the castle. + +"A great number of men are coming down the valley," he cried to the thanes +in the courtyard below, and they at once mounted to the battlements. A mile +away great numbers of men could be seen running at the top of their speed. +There was neither order nor formation. Among them were a few horsemen +riding in a knot together, and round these a number of the footmen were +running in a close mass; but by far the greater proportion straggled across +the valley, some being a considerable distance behind the rest. + +"They are like a swarm of bees," Beorn said. + +"Yes, and are just as angry. Of course, the news of what has happened here +was sent off to them at once, and has brought them back again. I trust that +it reached them before they came upon Oswald's party." + +"They must have been on their return," Beorn said. "It was but two hours +ago that we won the castle. Had a swift messenger started the moment the +news reached the village, and had he known exactly the position where he +would find Llewellyn, he could not have taken the news to him and brought +them back here had they been some eight miles away. It must be farther than +that to the spot where we lost Oswald, and as the thanes would surely be +making their way either back to camp or eastward to the border, they must +have been many miles from here an hour since. We know that the Welsh levies +were summoned in the evening, and probably reached the spot where we were +deserted by the guide, before daybreak, and took up the search at once. +Therefore I think, Wulf, there can be no doubt that the messenger from here +must have met them as they were returning; but whether they had overtaken +and destroyed Oswald's command, or had failed in their search for them, we +cannot tell." + +Wulf shook his head. "I fear the former is most likely. The Welsh here must +know every foot of their mountains, so that by scattering through the +valleys they could scarcely fail to come upon the traces of Oswald's +passage, and they would pursue him as hotly as wolves chase a deer. My only +hope is that Oswald may have established himself at daybreak this morning +in some strong position, and fortified himself there, in hopes that we +might rejoin him, and that Llewellyn had not begun the attack upon it when +the news reached him of the capture of his castle. How many, think you, are +there in that approaching throng?" + +"Some four or five thousand I should say." + +"Yes, quite five thousand, Beorn." + +At the call of the watchmen the men had, of their own accord, all mounted +to the walls. + +"We had better divide our commands," Beorn said. "Your force is double +mine. For the present I will undertake the defence of the rear walls if you +will take the front. Of course till an attack actually commences it will +not be necessary to keep more than a strong guard on duty." + +"Certainly not," Wulf agreed. "The danger will be far greater at night than +by day, and we must give the men as much rest as possible. But I think that +you with your men and half of mine ought to take the command in front, +while I with the rest defend the rear." + +"Not at all, Wulf, this is your affair altogether. I should never have +thought of trying to take the castle. It was your idea, and has been +carried out by you altogether. You are much fuller of plans than I am. I +will do my best to second you, but you must continue to be the head in the +matter." + +"Very well, Beorn. I refuse to be considered in command, but we will +apportion our forces as you suggest. We will take care that at any rate the +Welsh shall not capture the castle as rapidly as we did, and so will put +four men always on duty at each of the gates in the interior walls, so that +if by any chance they manage to effect an entrance into one of the yards +they will be able to get no farther until our whole force can assemble to +oppose them." + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +THE SECRET PASSAGE. + +Beorn called his men together and distributed them along the rear wall, +while Wulf made a fresh examination of the front. He had before noticed +that great piles of stone in blocks from fifty to a hundred pounds in +weight were piled along by the parapet, in readiness to hurl down upon any +foe attempting to ascend the road, while in the courtyard below was an +immense reserve of these missiles. He placed twenty of his men here, and +posted the other ten as sentries on the side walls, and then went down +through the passage to Osgod. The bridge was entirely demolished as he had +directed, with the exception of a single plank, which could be thrown over +in a moment. Osgod had closed the gate, and had fastened a rope from the +top of the turret to the plank, so that this could be hauled up, without +those engaged in the operation being exposed to missiles from the other +side of the chasm. + +"One feels almost ashamed at being so safe," Osgod said, as Wulf joined him +on the turret. "It does not give one the chance of a fight." + +"You have had one good fight to-day, Osgod, and can do without another. I +should be glad if we did not have to strike a blow till we see Gurth's +banner coming down the valley." + +"We have done very well," Osgod agreed; "and I should be quite contented if +I had but come across that rascal who nearly smothered me in the bog." + +"You need not bear malice against him, Osgod; for if he had not deserted us +and led Llewellyn's force away to the spot where he left us, we should not +be masters of the place as at present, and it would have been a terrible +business had we been obliged to take this stronghold by storm." + +"That is true enough, master; except by hunger or by a surprise, such as we +carried out, I don't see how the place is to be taken if stoutly defended. +There is no reason why the Welsh should have been in such a hurry to +return, for they must know as well as we do that there is but little chance +of their getting in again. They have come to a halt now down there, and +half of them have thrown themselves on the ground like a pack of tired +hounds." + +"I have no fear whatever of an open attack, Osgod. They can see for +themselves that the bridge is destroyed, and I do not think they will dream +of coming up that road, which, as they know, we can sweep with stones from +above. If they attack openly at all, it will be by the wall we scaled. If +they make twenty ladders such as we had they may think they might gain a +footing, especially as their archers high among the trees would be able to +fire down on the defenders of the wall. But what I am really afraid of is +that there may be some secret passage." + +"Do you think so?" Osgod said, startled. "Where could it come from?" + +"Well, Osgod, you see they have cut this winding road up the rock and have +made the tunnel hence to the courtyard, so the chiefs have had abundance of +labour at their disposal. They would naturally wish to provide a means of +escape if the castle were besieged, and like to fall by force or famine; +moreover it would enable them to send out messengers or receive messages +from without. A passage four feet high and two feet wide would suffice. +They may have driven such a passage from some place in the wood behind and +it may come up somewhere in the courtyard, perhaps in one of the little +huts along the side. Of course the entrance would be covered here by a +stone, and would be hidden among the bushes at the other end. Still I do +not think that this is likely, for a hostile force would almost certainly +take up its post in that wood, and attack the place in the rear. If there +is such a passage I think that it must open somewhere on the face of the +rock, on one side or the other. It looks to us almost perpendicular, but +there may be inequalities by which active men might ascend at some point or +other. For a considerable distance we could see there were tufts of shrubs +growing here and there, and one of these may conceal a small opening. From +this point a staircase may have been driven up into the castle." + +"That would be very awkward, master, if it were so." + +"It would indeed. To-night all the force except the sentries shall gather +in the castle, where ten men by turns shall keep guard, one or two being +placed in the lower chambers. In this way we shall be safe; for before more +than three or four can enter we should be all on foot, and as they can but +come up in single file, could repulse them without difficulty. Tomorrow we +will lower men down with ropes from the walls, and examine every clump of +bushes growing on the face of the rock If we find any signs of a path or +entrance we shall have no difficulty in discovering where it enters into +the castle, and can effectually block it up. I shall then feel much more +comfortable than I do at present." + +"I was looking forward to a good night's sleep," Osgod grumbled, "but your +idea, master, has quite done away with that. If I went off I should dream +that I had one of those Welsh wolves at my throat. However, it is a good +thing that you thought of it." + +"I think, my lord," one of the soldiers said, "there are a number of our +men among the Welsh. I can make out helmets and shields, and I think many +are clad in leather jerkins." + +Wulf looked attentively. + +"Yes, there are certainly shields and helmets," he said. "I fear there is +no doubt they have overtaken Oswald's levies." + +"And have made them prisoners?" + +Wulf shook his head. "They never take prisoners, you know. I fear they have +slain them all and possessed themselves of their arms and clothes. In no +other way can there be Saxon shields and helmets among them." + +"By St. Nicholas!" Osgod exclaimed, "it is too bad that we should be +standing here doing nothing. Why doesn't Llewellyn attack us instead of +keeping his men gaping there at the castle?" + +"Because at present he can do nothing, and is not fool enough to throw away +hundreds of lives; besides, he must know that his mother and children are +in our hands." + +Presently a white flag was raised among the Welsh. Wulf had expected this, +and had ordered a white cloth to be held in readiness to raise in reply. As +soon as this flew out to the wind three men were seen to advance with the +flag towards the foot of the road up to the castle. Wulf at once sent for +the two interpreters to join him. + +"Shall you let them come up, master?" Osgod asked. "They are as treacherous +as snakes. See how that boy led us astray in the bog." + +"You cannot get that boy out of your head, Osgod," Wulf laughed. "There is +no conceivable way by which three men could recapture this castle. There is +nothing for them to learn. They know its strength and everything connected +with it, and they can see for themselves that we have destroyed the bridge. +I shall be glad to hear what they have to say. Llewellyn himself is, most +likely, one of the number." + +The little party mounted the road until they stood on the platform from +which the bridge started. One of them was a tall figure, dressed in armour, +and with long black hair flowing down from under his helmet over his +shoulders. Wulf at once, from the descriptions he had heard of the chief's +appearance, recognized him as Llewellyn ap Rhys. + +"I would speak with the commander of the Saxons who have, in my absence, +taken my castle by treachery." + +"I am the commander," Wulf said. + +The Welshman's fingers clenched, and he glanced furiously at the young +Saxon. By a great effort, however, he restrained his passion, and said +courteously: "I am Llewellyn ap Rhys. To whom have I the pleasure of +speaking?" + +"I am Wulf of Steyning, prince. I don't know altogether that I have taken +your castle by treachery, indeed I claim to have won it by fair fighting. +You went out with your force to attack me among the hills, and during your +absence I attacked and captured your castle. I will do your garrison credit +to say they fought bravely in spite of the surprise. I would gladly have +given them quarter, but they refused my offers, and, save a few wounded, +whom I allowed the women to carry off, died to a man fighting bravely. No +women were hurt or insulted, save those who took up arms and fought among +the men, and it was no fault of ours that they were killed. Methinks that +in your incursions into England you have not always shown the same mercy." + +Llewellyn was silent for a minute. He had indeed never shown any pity in +his forays, but had never expected that his castle and family would be in +the hands of the Saxons. + +"I learn," he said at last, "from the women, that my mother and my children +are alive in your hands, and I thank you for the honorable treatment I hear +that they have received." + +"They are safe and well," Wulf replied. "We Saxons do not massacre women +and children in cold blood. They will be honourably treated until I can +hand them over to the care of Earl Gurth, who will doubtless send them to +England as hostages." + +"I shall try to win back my castle," Llewellyn said. "May I be sure that +whatever happens they will be safe?" + +"You may. Even were you forcing your way into the castle I will guarantee +that no hair of their heads shall be injured. And now, prince, it is my +turn to question. I see Saxon helmets and shields among your followers. +Whence come they?" + +A cloud passed over Llewellyn's face. He had not reckoned on their being +observed from the castle. Concealment was now out of question, and he said +boldly: "I defeated a party of your countrymen this morning. They came with +hostile intent into my territory, and they have been destroyed." Although +he had expected the answer, Wulf was shocked at the confirmation of his +fears. Llewellyn, indeed, had fallen on Oswald's levies and annihilated +them soon after daybreak. Having no idea that a party had separated from +them during the night, he was returning exulting in the idea that he had +destroyed the whole of the invaders, when the news had reached him of the +capture of his castle. Wulf was silent. "It is the fortune of war," he +said gravely. "It is not to me that you have to reckon for the deed, but +with Earl Gurth, for whom I hold this castle." + +Llewellyn made no reply, but with a wave of his hand turned and went down +the hill again. + +"I am even more than before convinced, Osgod, that there is a secret +passage. I was watching him closely when the interpreter told him that I +should hand his mother and children over to Gurth. He pressed his lips +together, and his face lighted up with exultation for a moment." + +"What do you think he came here for, master?" + +"He came here to assure himself if possible that their lives would not be +sacrificed in the event of his attacking." + +"It is a pity you told him they would be safe," Osgod said. + +"But they will be safe, and even if we are surprised and slain I would not +that Llewellyn should say that it was only the suddenness of his attack +that saved their lives. I will place two of our best men at their door with +orders that come what may they are to prevent anyone from entering. But I +don't think it will come to that. Should the passage enter into the castle, +as, if it exists, I have no doubt it does, we shall be prepared to deal +with them, if it opens elsewhere we shall have all our force save a few +sentries assembled, and though all the walls fall into their hands, we +ought to be able to hold it successfully till Gurth arrives to our rescue." + +Wulf returned to the castle, and then joined Beorn at his post on the wall +facing the wood. He communicated to him his ideas as to the probable +existence of a secret passage. + +"We must provide a mode of retreat for your men on guard here, Beorn, in +case the Welsh enter by either of these yards instead of by the castle. +These flanking towers at the angles of the walls cut off all passage. We +will construct bridges with two or three planks across these towers, so +that your sentries can retreat from the rear wall to the next, and again on +to the inner wall. The doors between the courtyards shall be closed, so +that should they enter either of these outer courts they will be delayed, +and your men will have plenty of time to join us in the defence of the last +wall. However, I am convinced the castle itself will be the scene of +action. Five sentries will be enough to place on this wall. I will put two +on each of the cross walls, so that if your men give the alarm it will be +passed along speedily. I shall remove the last plank of the bridge at +nightfall, and have Osgod and four men in the turret and two on the wall +above them. We shall therefore have fifty-five men in the castle, and that +should be ample. They can keep watch and watch, so there will be over +twenty-five men under arms, and ready to throw themselves upon the Welsh +wherever they may enter." + +These arrangements were carried out. At ten o'clock all lights were +extinguished, save a torch burning in each room on the ground floor. The +floors and walls had been carefully examined and sounded, but nothing +suspicious had been discovered. Four men were told off to each room except +the great hall, where twenty were gathered in reserve. Half were to keep +watch, but all were to lie down. The orders to those who were to keep awake +were strict If they heard a noise or saw a stone move they were to keep +silent, until two or three men had stepped out, then they were to give the +alarm, leap up, and throw themselves upon them. + +"Were the alarm given," he said, "before they fairly issued out the stone +might be moved back again, and it would give us immense trouble before we +could demolish it or find the secret of the spring. Therefore, let them get +a footing first." + +From time to time either Beorn or Wulf got up and went noiselessly round to +the different rooms to see that the watch was vigilant. As had been +arranged, each of those on guard raised a hand as they entered a room, so +as to show that they were awake. Wulf did not expect that any attempt would +be made before midnight. After that hour he sat in a corner of the dais, +leaning as if asleep, but with his eyes wandering round the room watching +every stone, and his ears listening for the faintest sound. He had no +feeling of sleepiness whatever, his senses being all strung up to the +highest pitch. + +From time to time he held up a hand, and ten others were at once elevated, +showing that the watchers were as vigilant as himself. It was, he thought, +about one o'clock when he heard a faint creaking sound. It did not seem to +him to be in the hall itself, but in a room adjoining it, the doors having +all been left open. He rose to his feet, touched Beorn, who lay a pace or +two away, and stole noiselessly out, grasping his sword in his hand. He +stopped before he got to the open door of the next room and listened. All +seemed perfectly quiet. He stood motionless, until a minute later there was +a sudden shout, followed almost instantly by a clash of arms. + +With a shout to his followers Wulf ran into the room. The four Saxons were +on their feet, and were attacking three men, who, as he entered, were +joined by a fourth from behind. He and Beorn threw themselves into the fray +just as one of the Saxons fell with his head cloven by a sweeping blow from +the tall figure opposed to him. One after another in rapid succession the +Welsh poured in from a narrow opening, but the Saxons rushed up in +overwhelming numbers. There was a brief fierce fight, and the Welsh were +slain or overpowered. The men who last emerged turned to fly, but meeting +those crowding up from behind were unable to do so. Others ran in only to +be cut down as soon as they appeared; a sound of fierce shouting and angry +struggle came through the opening. When no more showed themselves, Wulf +called for torches, and a dozen were soon at hand. Seizing one he passed +through the narrow opening. A winding staircase met his view. With Beorn +and some Saxons following close behind him, he descended for a considerable +distance, then he found himself in a low and narrow passage, and following +this for twenty yards stepped out into the open air. + +"We need do no more to-night, Beorn," he said. "We will see where this +comes out and block it up in the morning, though they are not likely to try +again. We can sleep now without fear of interruption." + +His first step was to examine the bodies of the fallen Welshmen. He had +recognized in the tall man with whom he had crossed swords Llewellyn ap +Rhys, and found him lying beneath four of his followers, who had stood over +him and defended him to the last. He was glad to find that the Welsh prince +still lived, and directed that he should be at once carried to a room and +that every attention should be shown him. None of the other fourteen +Welshmen who had fallen showed any signs of life. + +Ordering their bodies to be carried out into the courtyard, Wulf placed +four men on guard at the upper opening of the secret passage. They were to +be relieved every hour. He then went out and saw to the relief of the +sentries on the walls, and called down to Osgod that the attack had been +made and repulsed. He then went back and slept soundly till daybreak On +going to the walls he learned that there had been a great commotion down in +the valley. Fierce shouts, loud wailing cries, and a confused sound of +running and talking had been heard. At daybreak the Welsh were still there, +and their fires had been lighted: one party were seen to march away as soon +as it was light, but others arrived, and their numbers appeared about the +same as on the previous evening. There was no general movement, but it +could be seen that they gathered in clusters, and listened to men who +addressed them with animated gestures. + +"They don't know what to do," Wulf said to Osgod, whom he had joined in the +turret. "They believe their chief to be dead; they know that his mother and +children are prisoners in our hands; they can have little hope of capturing +this place, which they believe to be impregnable to open attack. At present +they must be without a leader, and yet they must be so animated by a spirit +of hate and revenge, and by the desire to wipe out their humiliation by +retaking this place, that they will not stir from in front of it." + +As he spoke a messenger came from Beorn, saying that the Welsh were pouring +arrows and javelins from the hill upon his sentries on the walls, and that +these were unable to show a head above the parapet. In one of the sheds a +large quantity of hides had been found, and taking a party laden with them +Wulf proceeded to the wall at the rear. Here he directed the ladders that +were still lying there to be cut up into lengths of eight feet. These were +fixed at intervals upon the parapet, and a cord fastened along the top, the +men engaged in the operations being protected by the shields of their +comrades from the rain of missiles from the trees. Hides were thrown over +the ropes, and these hid those on the wall from the view of the enemy, +while they themselves could peep out from time to time between the hides to +see that no preparations were being made for an attack. + +The secret passage was next investigated; it was found that the opening was +about half-way down the rock, and that the assailants must have climbed up +by a path that a goat could scarce traverse. Wulf set a party to work to +carry down stones from the courtyard, and to block up the passage solidly +for ten feet from the opening, a sentry being posted on the wall above. +After the erection of the shelter of hides the Welsh only sent an +occasional javelin from the trees, but by the loud yells that were from +time to time raised, there was no doubt they were still there in force. + +"It is evident that they are going to besiege us, Beorn," Wulf said when +they sat down to breakfast together. "The question is, are we to remain +here until rumour carries the report of our capture of the place to Gurth, +or shall we despatch messengers to him?" + +"As you yourself said yesterday, the messengers could never get away, Wulf. +I would give a year's revenue if we could do so, for it may be a long time +before news comes to Gurth's ears. He may possibly hear of the annihilation +of Oswald's force, for any Welsh woman taken captive might mention that in +triumph, but they would certainly say nothing of such a grievous blow to +the Welsh cause as the capture of Porthwyn and the death of Llewellyn in an +attempt to recapture it. Gurth, therefore, naturally supposing that we had +been involved in Oswald's disaster, may abandon all idea of moving against +this place until the greater part of the country was reduced to obedience." + +"I see, Beorn, that the difficulty of a messenger getting through would be +indeed enormous; the Welsh must know that we are but a small band, and that +our first aim would be to communicate with Gurth. You may be sure, +therefore, that they will keep a vigilant guard all round the place at +night to see that no messenger makes his way out. Our two interpreters do +not know anything like enough Welsh to pass as natives, none of our people +know a word of the language, it would be sending anyone to almost certain +death. I think we must be content to depend upon ourselves. Gurth is sure +to learn the news sooner or later, for it will make a great stir all +through the country. I have just seen Llewellyn, he is very sorely wounded. +I think it would be a good thing to let the Welsh know that he is in our +hands, it will render them more chary of attacking us. We might hang out a +flag of truce, and when they come up in reply tell them that he is alive +but sorely wounded, and that they may send up a leech, who would better +attend to his wounds than we can do." + +This was accordingly done. Two Welshmen of rank came up to the broken +bridge and were informed that their prince was sorely wounded, and that a +leech would be allowed to enter to attend upon him. An hour later a man +with a boy carrying a large basket came up the hill and crossed the plank +into the turret. The basket, which contained various herbs and medicaments, +was taken from the boy, who was then sent back again, while the leech was +taken up to the room where Llewellyn was lying, in the care of his mother +and her maids. + +Three days passed without any change. The force in the valley was seen to +be considerably diminished, no hostile demonstration had taken place; but +twenty men always remained in the courtyard in the rear, in readiness to +run up to the wall in case the sentries gave an alarm. + +On the fourth morning, just as day was breaking, a man ran into the castle +with the news that the Welsh were attacking the wall. Beorn and Wulf sprung +to their feet, and with every man except those on duty as sentries ran off +to the scene of attack. That it was a serious assault was evident by the +wild yells and shouts that were heard. + +Wulf ran up the stairs to the wall. A storm of missiles was striking +against the hides; many of them failed to penetrate, but others did so, and +several of the men were lying wounded under shelter of the parapet, while +the rest were hurling down javelins between the openings of the hides. + +"What are they doing?" he asked the sub-officer in command of the party. + +"They are preparing to scale the wall, my lord; they have numbers of +ladders." + +Wulf was about to look out between the hides, but the officer exclaimed, +"Do not so risk your life, my lord; you can see down without danger;" and +he pushed out the lower side of one of the skins from the wall, so that +Wulf could look down without being seen by the Welsh archers. The fosse in +the rock and the narrow platform at the foot of the wall were alike crowded +with foes, who were planting a number of ladders side by side. These were +strongly constructed, and were each wide enough for two men to mount +abreast. Eight or ten of these ladders were already planted against the +wall, and the enemy were climbing up them. Wulf turned, and waving his +sword shouted to the men running into the courtyard from the walls and +castle to hasten up. Already a dozen had joined him, and scarce had these +placed themselves along the battlements when the heads of the Welshmen +appeared above it. + +For a minute or two it seemed that these would overmaster the defence. +Several succeeded in crossing the parapet, but they were either cut down or +cast headlong into the courtyard. By this time the whole of the Saxons, +save the guard in the turret by the bridge, were on the wall, and were able +to form a close line along the parapet against which the ladders were +placed. The Welsh fought with an utter disregard of life; as fast as those +at the top were cut down or hurled backwards others took their place. So +closely did they swarm up the ladders that several of these broke with +their weight, killing many of those clustered below as well as those on the +rungs. But for an hour there was no pause. It was well for the defenders +that they had the protection of the line of hides, and were therefore +screened from the arrows of the bowmen on the hill; but these soon ceased +to shoot, as many of their comrades were hit by their missiles, while they +were unable to see whether the arrows had any effect whatever upon the +hidden defenders. At length the leaders of the assailants saw that the task +could not be achieved, and gave the signal by the blowing of cow-horns that +the attack should cease; but so furious were their followers that many +disregarded the summons, and continued their efforts to gain a footing upon +the wall, or at least to kill one of its defenders, for some time after the +main body had withdrawn. As soon as the last of these was killed the +garrison hurled the ladders backwards and then gave a shout of triumph, +which was answered by renewed yells of defiance by the Welsh. + +"It has been a hard fight, Wulf," Beorn said, as he removed his helmet. + +"It has indeed. It was a well-planned attack, and was nearly successful. We +ought to have had a stronger guard there; but I did not think that they +would venture to attack at daylight, nor that they could have so quickly +run forward and placed their ladders. Had we been but a minute later in +arriving here they would have gained this wall and the courtyard. They +would, indeed, have got no farther, but their success would have so excited +them that we should have had to fight night and day. What has been our +loss?" + +Five of the men were killed; many of the others had received severe wounds +on the head and shoulders from the knives of their assailants, and had it +not been for the protection afforded by the leathern helmets and jerkins +the number of killed would have been very much larger. + +"I would as lief fight with a troop of wild cats," exclaimed Osgod--who, as +soon as he saw that there was no movement down on the plain, had run up +with half his little garrison to join in the defence of the wall,--as he +tried to staunch a deep wound that extended from his ear to his chin. "Over +and over again I saw a shock head come up above the wall, and before I had +time to take a fair blow at it the man would hurl himself over upon me like +a wild animal. Three times was I knocked down, and I am no chicken either; +if it had not been for my comrades on each side it would have gone hard +with me. I was able to return the service several times, but had the Welsh +been imps they could not have been more active or more fierce. There must +be a hundred lying slain along here or in the courtyard. I do not wonder +that Oswald's men were all killed by them, though after our previous fights +I held them in but small respect." + +"It is a different thing, Osgod," Beorn said. "In the field we have always +had the advantage from our order and our discipline; but here it was man +against man. We had the advantage of position and they of numbers; but +discipline went for nothing on either side, and I doubt if we should have +done as well as they did had we been the assailants." + +"I am ready to own that," Osgod agreed. "I like to fight with my feet on +firm ground, and should make but a poor figure balanced on the top of a +ladder." + +When the tumult in the wood had died away Wulf raised a white flag, and +ordered one of the men who spoke Welsh to shout to the enemy that they +might approach without molestation and remove their wounded and dead from +the foot of the wall, and also said that the Saxon leaders desired to speak +to an officer of rank. + +Two of these came out from the trees. "Hitherto," the interpreter cried +with a loud voice, "my lords, the noble thanes, Beorn of Fareham and Wulf +of Steyning, have given the most honourable treatment to your chief, +Llewellyn ap Rhys, wounded and a prisoner in their hands, and to his +family. Nor have they altered that treatment while you were attacking our +walls; but they bid me warn you and all others in arms against the +authority of our sovereign lord the king, that henceforth they will hold +them as hostages, and that their lives will be forfeited if any fresh +attack be made upon the castle." + +Three days passed without any further acts of hostility by the Welsh. At +the end of that time Llewellyn was sufficiently recovered to sit up +supported by pillows on his couch. He had already heard of the defeat, with +terrible slaughter, of the attempt of his countrymen to recapture the +castle, and of the warning that had been given the Welsh that if the attack +was renewed the lives of himself and his family would be forfeited. Beorn +and Wulf paid him a visit as soon as they heard that he was in a condition +to talk to them. + +"Prince," Wulf said through his interpreter, "it is, you must see, hopeless +for your followers to attempt to recapture this castle. The bridge is +destroyed, the secret passage by which you entered blocked up, and we can +resist any attack upon the rear wall. We have shown you and yours a mercy +such as you would certainly not have extended to English men and women +under similar circumstances, and grieved as we should be to be obliged to +proceed to extremities with prisoners, yet were the castle again attacked, +and were we to see that there was a prospect of its being recaptured, we +should not hesitate to slay you, as it would be treachery to the king to +allow so formidable an enemy as yourself to regain his freedom. + +"Your cause is hopeless. Harold, Tostig, and Gurth are carrying fire and +sword through your valleys, and your people will have to choose between +submission and death. Why should so hopeless a struggle continue? Gurth +will be here shortly, and then the fate that has befallen the districts +already subdued will light upon yours. Surely it will be better for +yourself and your people that this should be averted. This can only be done +by your sending orders to your followers to scatter to their homes and to +lay down their arms. We will at once in that case send a messenger to the +earl to tell him that the district has submitted. I must request that in +order the message shall reach him you shall bid two officers of rank +accompany our messenger to Gurth's camp; we giving them our undertaking +that they shall be allowed to leave it unmolested." + +"Your offer tallies with my own intentions," Llewellyn said. "Had I been +free I would have resisted to the last, but as a prisoner, and with my +mother and children in your hands, I am powerless. My harper tells me that +fully four hundred of my followers fell in the attack, and with my +stronghold in your power, my tribesmen without a leader, and your armies +desolating the land, I see that further resistance here would but add to +the misfortunes of my people. I am ready, therefore, to send down my harper +and doctor to bid four of my chiefs come up here, under your safe conduct. +I shall lay the matter before them, and tell them that I being a prisoner +can no longer give them orders, but shall point out to them that in my +opinion further resistance can but bring terrible disasters upon the +district. This, on their return, they will lay before their men, and if, as +I trust, these will agree to scatter to their homes, they will furnish the +escort you desire for your messenger." + +Two hours later three of the chiefs summoned arrived, the fourth having +fallen in the assault. They had a private interview with Llewellyn and then +left. A great meeting was held down in the valley, and in the afternoon the +three chiefs and six others came up to the castle and formally made their +submission before Beorn and Wulf, and besought them to send a messenger to +the earl praying him to forgive past offences and to have mercy on the +people. An hour later two of the Saxons bearing a letter from Beorn and +Wulf to Gurth started under an escort provided by the chiefs. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +EDITH. + +Two days after the departure of the messengers from the castle the look-out +gave notice that he perceived a large body of horsemen and footmen coming +down the valley, and half an hour later the banner of Gurth could be made +out. The garrison at once set to work to replace the planking of the +bridge, and this was accomplished by the time that the Saxon earl, +accompanied by several thanes, and followed by a strong body of troops, +reached the platform at the other end. As he did so Beorn and Wulf crossed +the bridge to meet him. + +"You have done well indeed, thanes!" Gurth exclaimed. "You have made a +conquest to be proud of; for as we rode along this place seemed to us +well-nigh impregnable. But your messengers have told me how you captured +it, and how stoutly you have since defended it. It was a daring thought, +indeed, to attempt the assault of such a place with a handful of men. You +have rendered a splendid service to the king; for with the capture of this +fortress, and of Llewellyn himself and his children, there is no fear that +there will be trouble in this part of Wales for years to come. We, too, are +specially indebted to you, for had we been forced to besiege this place it +could only have been taken with a vast loss of life, and it might well have +resisted all our efforts. That seventy men should have taken it, even if +weakly defended, is wonderful indeed." + +"It is to Wulf, my lord, that the credit is chiefly due," Beorn said. "It +was he who proposed and planned the attack; and though I have done my best +to support him, I have but acted as his second in command. He is +quicker-witted than I am, and far more fitted to lead." + +Wulf was about to speak, when Gurth stopped him with a gesture of the hand. + +"At any rate, Beorn," he said, "you possess qualities that are by no means +common. That you are a brave soldier I know well, but so I trust are all my +thanes; still, it is not every one who has the wit to perceive that another +has sharper wits than himself, still fewer who would have the generosity to +stand aside and to give the major share in an exploit like this to another. +What you may lose in credit by your avowal you will at least gain in the +esteem of us all. Now, commandant," he said to Wulf with a smile, "show us +the way into this capture of yours." + +Before entering the castle itself Gurth made a detour of the walls, and +upon seeing them was still more surprised than before at the manner in +which the capture had been effected. + +"You see, thanes," he said, "the matter hinged on the possession of these +gates through the cross walls. That the rear walls should have been taken +by surprise was a daring action, but it would have availed nothing had the +garrison had time to close even the second of these gates; for though, as +it seems, no more numerous than our men, they could have easily held it +until reinforced from the village below, and would then have turned the +tables on their assailants. The capture was due to the quickness and +boldness with which Wulf and Beorn, with the few men who had obtained a +footing on the wall when the alarm was given, rushed forward and held the +inner gateway until the rest came up." + +Gurth paused for a time on the wall above the point where the secret +passage came out on the face of the rock, and having asked many questions +as to how it was that they were so well prepared for Llewellyn and his +followers when they made the attack, he commended Wulf very strongly for +his conduct in this matter. + +"Others might have taken the castle as you did, young thane," he said, "but +assuredly most would have lost it again, for having set guards on the walls +they would have given themselves up to feasting and sleep, without a +thought that there might possibly exist a secret passage through this rock, +which looks as if nothing short of a winged army could scale it. What say +you, thanes?" + +The Saxons cordially agreed with the earl. They were stout fighters, but +better in the field than in council, and it was in no small degree to the +Danish blood in their veins that the sons of Godwin owed the vigour and +intellect that had raised the family to so lofty a position among their +countrymen. On concluding his inspection of the walls Gurth entered the +castle, and after first examining the entrance to the secret passage, sat +down with the thanes to a banquet, the preparation of which had been begun +as soon as their coming was perceived. After that Gurth paid a visit to +Llewellyn. + +"Your fate is not in my hands, prince," he said to him, "but in that of my +brother Harold. As, however, you have used your influence to persuade your +people to submit, I shall do my best to induce him to take a favourable +view of your case." + +The next day the main body of Gurth's force arrived, and encamped in the +valley. Llewellyn's chiefs all came in and made their submission, but the +people for the most part took to the hills. As, day after day, news came of +the terrible retaliation dealt out by the troops of Harold and Tostig they +lost heart altogether, and sent in messengers craving to be allowed to come +in and lay down their arms. Gurth at once accepted their submission, and +hundreds returned to their homes. In other parts of Wales the feeling that +resistance was vain rapidly extended. Their most fertile valleys had all +been turned into deserts, and even on their own hills and among their own +forests, where they had hitherto deemed themselves safe from attack, they +were pursued and hunted down by the now lightly-armed Saxons. From all +parts, therefore, offers to submit were sent in, and as a proof of their +submission and regret for past behaviour, they seized Griffith their king, +killed him, and sent his head to Harold, who thereupon granted them terms, +and ordered his forces to withdraw beyond the border. + +The campaign had lasted less than three months, but so terrible had been +the blow dealt to the Welsh that a hundred years passed before they again +ventured to renew their incursions into England. Llewellyn was pardoned, +but great breaches were made in the walls of the fortress facing the hill, +and these he was forbidden ever to repair. His children were taken to +England, to be brought up there, and to serve as hostages for his future +good behaviour. Harold, when he learnt the particulars of the capture and +defence of Porthwyn, expressed his approval in the warmest terms. + +"You have performed the greatest and most important feat of the war, Wulf," +he said. "Yes, it is right that you should give every credit Beorn for his +share in the matter; but I know you both well, and am assured that Beorn +would never have conceived and carried out the attack, and that had he done +so successfully, he and his men would all have been slain by Llewellyn that +night. Beorn is a good youth; he is brave and kind-hearted; he is no fool, +and will make and excellent thane; will become a favourite at court, and be +always loyal and staunch. But I shall look to see you more than this. You +have a head quick to plan, readiness and decision in danger, and, as you +have shown, a genius for war. Study the writings of the Romans, the +greatest masters of war the world has ever seen, make yourself acquainted +with the methods of Caesar and other great commanders, and do not neglect +to ponder on their laws and customs. + +"When matters are settled here, travel to the various courts of Europe and +acquaint yourself with the ways of peoples who are far more advanced than +we in civilization, and you may come to stand some day among the most +trusted councillors of the king, and as one of the best leaders of his +troops. I see that the success you have attained while as yet so young has +not puffed you up in any way. Always remember, Wulf, that though success +may be envied, those who are successful may yet be liked if only they +themselves do not seem conscious of success. I should say you had best not +make a long stay at court, but betake you, shortly, to your estate. It is a +good school, and one who can rule his own people wisely has a sound +preparation for posts of larger responsibility. You will always find in the +prior of Bramber a wise adviser, who will direct your studies, and will aid +you where your Latinity falls short. + +"It will be time enough in another five years for you to go abroad; but, of +course, I do not wish you to remain all that time away from court. It is +never good to be forgotten; therefore, come up two or three times a year. I +trust that there will be no fresh wars or troubles to hinder your studies +or interfere with your life; but remember that there is always danger from +Normandy, therefore always keep on foot your force of housecarls; and if, +as I think, your estates can afford it, add to their number, so that if +trouble does come you will be able to again play a prominent part in it." + +Wulf's contingent marched with the rest of the troops from the east as far +as Reading, and there struck off by the nearest road to Steyning. He and +Beorn accompanied Harold to London, and after staying there for a short +time, and taking part in the fetes with which the conquest of the Welsh was +celebrated, Wulf returned to Steyning and took up the life he had +previously led there. Before starting he asked Harold's advice as to +whether he should fortify Steyning after the manner of the Norman castles. + +"By no means, Wulf. Such castles are useful only against quarrelsome +neighbours. Wars are decided by great battles, and if these are lost a +castle does but bring ruin upon its possessor, for it must sooner or later +be taken. The man who, when a cause is lost, returns quietly to his home +and goes about his usual work may escape unnoticed, while one who shuts +himself up in a castle is certain to suffer at last from the vengeance of +the conquerors. Resistance maintained in forests and swamps, as was done by +the Bretons and Welsh, may weary out a foe, but a conqueror can wish for +nothing better than that the defeated may assemble themselves in towns and +castles, where he can slowly, perhaps, but surely destroy them piecemeal." + +The time passed quickly and pleasantly at Steyning. Wulf studied hard for +three or four hours a day, looked after his tenants, hunted and hawked, +doubled the number of his company of housecarls, and often rode over to the +priory of an evening. He now took his place naturally among the thanes in +that part of the country, the reputation he had gained in the two wars +giving him a standing among them, to which, from his youth, he would not +otherwise have been entitled. In accordance with Harold's advice he went +three times during the year up to court, where he generally met Beorn, who +spent the greater part of his time there. + +"How you can like all this formality and ceremony is more than I can +imagine, Beorn." + +"I don't care either for the formality or the ceremony, but I like the +amusement and the gaiety, and should ask with much more reason how can you +like to spend your time studying parchments and reading the doings of those +old Romans, when you might be enjoying yourself here. The matter is +altogether beyond me." + +"I like it for itself, and I like it because it may some day be of great +service to me." + +"You see you are ambitious, Wulf, and I am not. I don't want to be a great +commander or a state-councillor, and if I did want it ever so much I know I +should never be one or the other. I am content to be a thane, as my father +was before me, and seek no greater change than that of a stay for a month +at court. That brightens one up more than anything; and one cannot be all +one's life hunting in the woods and seeing after the tenants. By the way, +I had a quarrel the other day with your old Norman enemy, Fitz-Urse. Your +name was mentioned, and he chose to sneer offensively. I told him that you +had done more already than he would ever do if he lived to be an old man. +We came to high words, and next day met in the forest and there settled it. +He ran me through the arm, and I slashed his cheek. As quarrelling is +strictly forbidden he made some excuse and went over to France, while I +went down home till my arm was well again. I fancy we hurt each other about +equally, but the scar on my arm won't show, while I fancy, from what the +leech who dressed his wound told me, the sear is likely to spoil his beauty +for life." + +"I am sorry you quarrelled with him about me, Beorn. It would have been +better to have said nothing, though I thank you for your championship." + +"Nonsense, Wulf. I know very well you would not hear anyone speak ill of me +without taking up the cudgels for me." + +Wulf could not deny this. "Certainly not, Beorn; still it is a pity to make +an enemy, and Fitz-Urse has shown in my case that he is not one who +forgives." + +The Welsh campaign had terminated at the end of August, and it was a month +later that Wulf had returned to Steyning. Just a year afterwards he +received a message from Harold to come up to London, and to order his +housecarls to hold themselves in readiness to start immediately on +receiving an order from him. Somewhat surprised, for no news had reached +him of any trouble that could call for the employment of an armed force, +Wulf rode for London alone, bidding Osgod follow with the housecarls as +soon as he heard from him. When he reached the palace he heard news that +explained the cause of his summons. Northumbria had risen in rebellion +against Earl Tostig. He was accused of tyranny and oppression, and had +been continually away from his earldom, leaving it to be governed in his +absence by a thane. + +The country north of the Humber had for a long period of years been +independent, appointing their own rulers, who owed no allegiance whatever +to the kings of the West Saxons. Although now incorporated in the kingdom +of England the Northumbrians regretted their lost independence, and this +all the more, that the population were for the most part Danish, and viewed +with an intense feeling of jealousy the preponderance gained by the West +Saxons. Tostig at the time the revolt declared itself was hunting with the +king--who had a great affection for him--in the forests of Wiltshire, and +had not arrived in town when Wulf reached the capital. It was not until the +afternoon that Wulf had an interview with Harold. The earl had just come +from a council and was alone. + +"Thank you for coming up so speedily," he said as he shook the young thane +by the hand. "You have heard the news, I suppose?" + +"I have heard that Northumberland has risen in rebellion." + +"Yes, that was the news that arrived four days since." + +"Is it serious?" + +"Yes, very serious; the rebellion grows each day. It is headed by several +of the greatest landowners in the north, both Danish and Saxon, and the +worst part of the news is that the trouble has, as I hear, been stirred up +by Edwin of Mercia and his brother. It is the old rivalry between the House +of Leofric and ours. They are jealous of our influence with the king, and +would gladly rend England into two kingdoms again. We hear to-day that the +Northumbrian nobles have summoned a Gemot to meet, which amounts in fact to +a rebellion, not only against Tostig but against the king." + +"If Mercia joins Northumbria it would be a more serious business than that +in Wales." + +"I think not that it will be so," Harold said. "Edwin has been always +conspiring. He stirred up the Welsh, he has encouraged the Norwegians, he +has intrigued in Northumbria. He and his brother have ever been a source +of trouble, and yet he has never openly rebelled; he sets others to do the +fighting for him, prepared if they are successful to reap the fruits of +their victory. There is, of course, still hope that moderate councils may +prevail, but I fear that the Northumbrians will consider that they have +gone too far to turn back. At present, at any rate, no steps will be taken. +As long as no armed forces are set in motion there are hopes that matters +may be arranged, but the approach of an army would set all Northumbria on +fire. The Gemot is summoned to meet this day week--that is on the third of +October--and we shall wait to hear what steps they take. Messengers have +already been sent to a large number of thanes to be prepared for service. I +would that all kept a force of housecarls as you do. I am going down +to-night to my house near Hampton. Do you come down with me, Wulf. Edith +will be glad to see you." + +Wulf had in the days of his pageship several times accompanied Harold to +Hampton, and knew well the lady, who was known to the Saxons as Edith of +the Swan-neck. She was by birth far inferior in position to Harold. The +relation between them was similar to that known throughout the middle ages +as left-hand marriages. These were marriages contracted between men of high +rank and ladies of inferior position, and while they lasted were regarded +as being lawful; but they could be, and frequently were, broken off, when +for politic or other reasons the prince or noble had to seek another +alliance. The lady was of great beauty and talent, and exercised a large +influence over Harold. This was always employed for good, and she was much +beloved by the Saxons. + +The alliance had been formed while Harold was quite a young man, and he and +Edith were fondly attached to each other. His rise, however, to the +position of the foremost man in England, and the prospect of his accession +to the throne, rendered it probable that ere long he would be obliged to +marry one who would strengthen his position, and would from her high birth +be fitted to share the crown with him. William of Normandy was perfectly +well aware of the relation in which Edith stood to Harold, and had not +regarded her as any obstacle to the earl's marriage with his daughter; and +even Harold himself had not attempted to give it as a reason for declining +the offer of the hand of the Norman princess. + +As they rode down to Hampton the earl said, "I dare say you are somewhat +surprised at my leaving the court at this crisis, Wulf, but in truth I want +to keep my hands free. Tostig, you know, is rash and impetuous. I love him +well, but am not blind to his faults; and I fear that the people of +Northumbria have some just cause for complaint against him. He is +constantly away from his earldom. He was absent for months when he went to +Rome, and he spends a great part of his time either at the court here or +with the king at his hunting-lodges. The Northumbrians are a proud people, +and it is small wonder that they object to be governed by an absent earl. +Tostig is furious at what he terms the insolence of the Northumbrians, and +I would fain avoid all questions of dispute with him. It is not improbable +that the king and his councillors may be called upon to hear the complaints +of the Northumbrians, and to decide between them and Tostig. This will be +bitter enough for my brother. He may return at any moment, and I greatly +wish to avoid all argument with him before the matter is discussed in +council." + +The house at Hampton was a large one, and here Edith lived in considerable +state. Grooms ran up and took the horses as Harold and Wulf dismounted. Six +retainers in jerkins embroidered with the earl's cognizance appeared at the +doors. As they entered the house, Edith came out from an inner room and +fondly embraced Harold. + +"Who is this you have with you, Harold?" + +"What, have you forgotten Wulf of Steyning, who has, as I told you, turned +out a great fighter, and was the captor of the castle of Porthwyn, and of +its owner, Llewellyn ap Rhys?" + +"I did not know you again, Wulf," Edith said holding out her hand to him, +"but now that I hear who you are I recognize you. Why, it is four years +since I saw you, and you were then a mischievous little page. Harold has +often spoken to me about you, and your adventures in Normandy and Wales. I +did not expect to see you, Harold," she went on turning to the earl, "after +what you told me in the letter you sent me yesterday, about the troubles in +the north. I feared that you would be kept at court." + +"Tostig and the king are still away," he said, "and he will return so +furious at this revolt against his authority, that, thinking as I do that +he is in no small degree at fault--for I have frequently remonstrated with +him at spending so large a portion of his time away from his earldom,--I +thought it best to get away." + +"It is strange how Tostig differs from the rest of you," Edith said. "You +and Leofwyn, and Gurth are all gentle and courteous, while Tostig is fierce +and impetuous." + +"Tostig has his faults," Harold said; "but we love each other dearly, and +from the time we were boys together we have never had a dispute. It will be +hard indeed upon me if I am called upon to side against him. We have +learnt, Edith, that Edwin and Morcar have been intriguing with the +Northumbrians. These Mercian earls are ever bringing troubles upon the +country, and I fear they will give even greater trouble in the future. If +they stir up disturbances, as they have done, against the king, who is king +by the will of the people, and also by right of birth, what will it be +when--" and he stopped. + +"When you shall mount the throne, my Harold," Edith said proudly. "Oh, that +this feud between Leofric's house and Godwin's were at an end. It bodes ill +for England." + +"It is natural," Harold said gently. "It is as gall and wormwood to the +earls of Mercia to see the ascendancy of the West Saxons, and still more +would it be so were I, Godwin's son, without a drop of royal blood in my +veins, to come to be their king." + +"The feud must be closed," Edith said firmly, though Wulf noticed that her +face paled. "I have told you so before, Harold, and there is but one way." + +"It shall never be closed in that way, Edith; rather would I lie in my +grave." + +"You have not to think of yourself, Harold, still less of me. It is of +England you have to think--this England that will assuredly choose you as +its king, and who will have a right to expect that you will make any or +every sacrifice for its sake" + +"Any but that," Harold said. + +She smiled faintly and shook her head. Wulf did not understand the +conversation, but there was a look of earnest resolve in her face that +deeply impressed him. He had moved a short distance away, and now turned +and looked out of the window, while they exchanged a few more words, having +been, as he saw, altogether oblivious of his presence in the earnestness +with which they both spoke. + +For a week Harold remained at Hampton. Wulf saw that he was much troubled +in his mind, and concluded that the messengers who came and went every day +were the bearers of bad tidings. It was seldom that he was away from the +side of Edith. When they were together she was always bright, but once or +twice when Wulf found her alone her features bore an expression of deep +sadness. + +"We must ride for London, Wulf," Harold said one morning after reading a +letter brought by a royal messenger. "The king has laid his orders on me to +proceed at once to town, and indeed the news is well-nigh as bad as can be. +The Gemot has voted the deposition of Tostig, has even had the insolence to +declare him an outlaw, and has elected Morcar in his place. It has also +issued decrees declaring all partisans of Tostig outlaws, and confiscating +their estates. Two of Tostig's Danish housecarls were slain on the first +day of their meeting. Two hundred of Tostig's personal followers have since +been massacred; his treasury has been broken open, and all its contents +carried off. The election of Morcar shows but too plainly the designs of +the earls of Mercia. They wish to divide England into two portions, and to +reign supreme north of the Wellan. This will give them full half of +England, and would assuredly, even did we not oppose them now, lead to a +terrible war. The more terrible as William of Normandy will be watching +from across the channel, ready to take instant advantage of our +dissensions. God avert a war like this. Every sacrifice must be made rather +than that the men of the north and south of England should fly at each +other's throats." + +The earl scarcely spoke a word during the ride to London, but rode absorbed +in his thoughts with a sad and anxious countenance. + +Day after day the news became more serious. Morcar accepted the earldom of +Northumbria, hurried to York, and placing himself at the head of the +Northumbrian forces, marched south, being joined on the way by the men of +Lincoln, Nottingham, and Derby, in all of which shires the Danish element +was very strong. At Northampton, which had formed part of the government of +Tostig, Morcar was joined by his brother Edwin at the head of the forces of +Mercia, together with a large body of Welsh. They found the people of +Northampton less favourable to their cause than they had expected, and in +revenge harried the whole country, killing and burning, and carrying off +the cattle as booty and the men as slaves. + +Harold bore the brunt of the trouble alone, for, regardless of the fact +that half the kingdom was in a flame, King Edward and Tostig continued +their hunting expeditions in Wiltshire, in spite of the urgent messages +sent by Harold entreating them to return. In the meantime, still hoping +that peace might in some way be preserved, Harold sent messages to all the +thanes of importance in Wessex, ordering them to prepare to march to London +with the whole of their retainers and levies, as soon as they received +orders to get in motion. But while he still tarried in Wiltshire the king +acceded to Harold's request that he might be empowered to go to Northampton +to treat in Edward's name with the rebels. + +As soon as he received this permission Harold hastened to Northampton, +accompanied by only half a dozen of his thanes, among whom was Wulf. He was +received with respect by the rebels, but when their leaders assembled, and +in the king's name he called upon them to lay down their arms, to cease +from ravaging, and to lay any complaints they might have to make against +Tostig before the king or the National Gemot, he met with a flat refusal. +They would not listen to any proposition that involved the possibility of +the return of Tostig, and boldly said that if the king wished to retain +Northumbria as part of his realm he must confirm the sentence of their +Gemot upon Tostig, and must recognize their election of Morcar to the +earldom. + +In all this Harold perceived clearly enough that, although it was the +Northumbrian leaders who were speaking, they were acting entirely under the +influence of Edwin and Morcar. All that he could obtain was that some of +the northern thanes should accompany him to lay their demands before the +king himself. Edward, upon hearing, by a swift messenger sent by Harold, of +the failure of his attempt to induce the Northumbrians to lay down their +arms, reluctantly abandoned the pleasures of the chase, and proceeded to +Bretford, near Salisbury, where there was a royal house, and summoned a +Witenagemot. As, however, the occasion was urgent, it was attended only by +the king's chief councillors, and by the thanes of that part of Wessex. + +Between Tostig and Harold the quarrel that the latter had feared had +already broken out. Harold was anxious above all things for peace, and +although the blow to his own interests and to those of his family, by the +transfer of Northumbria from his brother to one of the Mercian earls, was a +most serious one, he preferred that even this should take place to +embarking in a war that would involve the whole of England. Tostig was so +furious at finding that Harold was not willing to push matters to the last +extremity in his favour, that he accused him of being the secret instigator +of the Northumbrian revolt. The absurdity of such an accusation was +evident. It was as much to Harold's interest as to that of Tostig that the +great northern earldom should remain in the hands of his family; but an +angry man does not reason, and Tostig's fury was roused to the highest +point by the outspoken utterances of many of the members of the +Witenagemot. These boldly accused him of cruelty and avarice, and declared +that many of his acts of severity were caused by his determination, under a +show of justice, to possess himself of the wealth of those he condemned. +Tostig then rose and declared before the assembly that the whole rising was +the work of Harold. + +The latter simply denied the charge on oath, and his word was accepted as +sufficient. The Witan then turned to the question as to how the revolt was +to be dealt with. The king was vehemently in favour of putting it down by +force of arms. Tostig was of all the Saxons his favourite friend, and he +considered the insult offered to him as dealt against himself. So +determined was he, that he sent out orders for the whole of the forces of +Wessex to march and join the royal standard. In vain Harold and Edward's +wisest councillors endeavoured to dissuade him from a step that would +deluge the country in blood, and might lead to terrible disaster. In vain +they pointed out that while all the thanes would willingly put their forces +at his disposal to resist a foreign foe, or even to repel an invasion from +the north, they would not risk life and fortune in an endeavour to force a +governor upon a people who hated him, and, as most thought, with good +reason. + +The king was immovable; but Harold and his councillors took steps quietly +to inform the thanes that the Witan was opposed to the order, and that for +the present no harm would be done by disregarding the royal mandate. The +king, in his anger and mortification at finding himself unable to march +against the rebels with an overwhelming force, fell ill, and the control of +affairs passed into Harold's hands; and the king, whose fits of passion, +though extreme while they lasted, were but short-lived gave him full power +to deal with the matter as he thought best. + +Harold had done all that he could for Tostig when he went to Northampton, +but had failed. There was no alternative now between a great war, followed +probably by a complete split of the kingdom, or acquiescence in the demands +of the men of the North. He did not hesitate, but in the name of the king +confirmed the decisions arrived at by the Gemot of York--recognized Morcar +as Earl of Northumbria, and granted a complete amnesty for all offences +committed during the rising, on condition only that a general Witenagemot +should be held at Oxford. At this meeting Northern and Southern England +were again solemnly reconciled, as they had been forty-seven years before +at an assembly held at the same place. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +HAROLD, THE KING. + +The day before the great Witenagemot was to assemble, Wulf, as he came out +from the house where Harold had taken up his abode, was approached by a +man, who by his attire appeared to be a retainer of a thane; his face +seemed familiar to him, as he placed a letter in his hand. Wulf was now +very much in the confidence of Harold. It was a relief to the earl in the +midst of his trials and heavy responsibilities to open his mind freely to +one of whose faith and loyalty he was well assured, and he therefore was +far more communicative to the young thane than to the older councillors by +whom he was surrounded. Wulf opened the letter. It contained only the +words: "I am here; the bearer of this will lead you to me. Edith." + +Looking more closely at the man he recognized him at once as one of the +servitors at Hampton, though his dress bore no signs of any cognizance. +Greatly surprised to hear of Edith's presence in Oxford unknown to Harold, +he at once followed the servant, who conducted him to a house on the +outskirts of the town. Wulf was ushered into a room, and the servant then +left him. A moment later Edith entered. + +"My message must have surprised you, Wulf," she said, as he knelt on one +knee to kiss the hand she held out to him. + +"It did indeed, lady, for it was but yesterday that the earl received a +letter from you written at Hampton. He said to me as he opened it, 'Would I +were in peace at Hampton, free from all these troubles and intrigues.'" + +"I have come down in a horse-litter," she said, "and save the two retainers +who accompanied me none knew of my intentions. I know, Wulf, that you have +the confidence of the earl and that you love him and would do your best for +him." + +"I would lay down my life for him, lady. Even did I not love and honour him +as I do, I would die for him, for he is the hope of England, and he alone +can guide the country through its troubles, both from within and without. +The life of a single man is as nought in the scale." + +"Nor the happiness of a single woman," she added. "Now, Wulf, I want to +know from you exactly how matters stand here. My lord, when he writes to me +always does so cheerfully, ever making the best of things; but it is most +important that I should know his real mind. It is for that that I have +travelled here. This Witenagemot that assembles to-morrow--what will come +of it?" + +"The earl thinks it will doubtless pass the resolution reconciling the +North and South, and declaring that there shall be oblivion for the past, +and that all things shall go back to their former footing save as to the +change of earls." + +"It is easy to vote that," she said quietly; "but will it be held to? It +depends not upon Northumbrians nor Saxons, but upon Edwin and Morcar. They +have made a great step forward towards their end; they have united under +their government the northern half of England, and have wrested Northumbria +from Godwin's family. After making this great step, will they rest and +abstain from taking the next? Northumbria and Mercia united are as strong +as Wessex and East Anglia. Will they be content to remain under a West +Saxon king? Above all, will they submit to the rule of one of Godwin's +sons? I feel sure that they will not. What thinks the earl?" + +"He thinks as you do, lady, although he considers that for the time the +danger is averted. He himself said to me yesterday, 'If these Mercian earls +are ready to defy the head of the royal line of England, think you that +they will ever recognize the sway of a member of my father's house?'" + +"And what said you, Wulf?" + +"I said that I did not doubt the ill-will of the Mercian earls, but that I +doubted whether Mercia would follow them if they strove to break up the +kingdom. 'Mercia is following them now,' he said; 'and has with Northumbria +stood in arms for some weeks past. There has ever been jealousy of the +supremacy of the West Saxons since the days when the kingdom was united in +one. These brothers will intrigue as their father did before them. They +will bring down the Welsh from their hills to aid them, for though these +people will not for generations try their strength alone against us, they +would gladly take advantage of it should such an opportunity for revenge +occur. Even now, when the blood is scarce dry on their hearthstones, there +is a large force of them under Edwin's banner.'" + +"It is a grievous look-out for England," Edith said. "It would seem that +nothing can bring about peace and unity save the end of this terrible feud +between the families of Godwin and Leofric." + +"That would indeed be a blessing for the country," Wulf agreed; "but of all +things that seems to me most hopeless." + +"They must be reconciled!" Edith said, rising from her seat. "What is a +woman's love or a woman's life that they should stand in the way of the +peace of England? See you not, Wulf, there is but one way in which the feud +can be healed? Were it not for me Harold could marry the sister of these +earls, and if she were Queen of England the feud would be at an end. A +daughter of the house of Leofric, and a son of the house of Godwin, would +command the support of Mercia and Wessex alike, and as brothers of the +queen, Edwin and Morcar might well be content to be friends with her +husband and his brothers. I only stand in the way of this. I have already +urged this upon Harold, but he will not hear of it. Until now the Mercian +brothers might be a trouble, but they were not strong enough to be a danger +to the kingdom. Now that they hold half of it in their hands this marriage +has become a necessity. I must stand aside. What is my happiness and my +life that I should be an obstacle alike to my lord's glory and the peace of +England? Go to Harold; tell him that I am here, and pray that he will come +to me. Give your message to him briefly; say naught of what I have said to +you, though his heart will tell him at once what has brought me here." + +Silent, and confounded by the immensity of the sacrifice she proposed, for +he knew how deep and tender was her love for Harold, Wulf knelt on both +knees and reverently placed her hand to his lips, and then without a word +left the house, half blinded with tears, signing to the servant, who was +waiting without, to follow him. When he reached Harold's house he found +that the earl was with his brother Gurth and several of his councillors. He +did not hesitate, however, but entering the room, said, "My Lord Harold, I +pray to have speech of you for a minute upon an affair of urgent +importance." + +Somewhat surprised the earl followed him out. + +"What is it, Wulf?" he asked as they entered Harold's private closet. "You +look pale and strange, lad." + +"I have a message to give you, my lord. The Lady Edith is here, and prays +that you will go to her at once." + +The earl started as if struck with a blow. "Edith here!" he exclaimed, and +then with a troubled face he took several short turns up and down the room. + +"Where is she?" he said at last in a low voice. + +"Her servant is without, my lord, and will conduct you to her." + +"Tell Gurth and the others I am called away for an hour on urgent +business," he said. "Say nothing of Edith being here." Then he went out. + +The man who was waiting doffed his hat, and at once led the way to the +house where Edith was staying. She moved swiftly towards him as he entered +the room and fell on his neck. Not a word was spoken for a minute or two, +then he said: + +"Why have you come, Edith? But I need not ask, I know. I will not have it, +I will not have it! I have told you so before. Why is our happiness to be +sacrificed? I have given my work and my life to England, but I will not +give my happiness too, nor will I sacrifice yours." + +"You would not be worthy of the trust England reposes in you, Harold," she +said quietly, "were you not ready to give all. As to my happiness, it is at +an end, for I should deem myself as a guilty wretch, as the cause of +countless woes to Englishmen, did I remain as I am. I have been happy, +dear, most happy, many long years. To my last day it will be a joy and a +pride, that nothing can take away, that I have been loved by the greatest +of Englishmen, and my sacrifice will seem light to me under the feeling +that it has purchased the happiness of England." + +"But is my happiness to go for nothing?" Harold exclaimed passionately. + +"You too, Harold, will have the knowledge that you have sacrificed +yourself, that as you have often risked your life, so have you for +England's sake given up your love. I have seen that it must be so for +years. As Earl of Wessex I might always have stood by your side, but as +soon as I saw that the people of England looked to you as their future +monarch, I knew that I could not share your throne. A king's heart is not +his own, as is that of a private man. As he must lead his people in battle, +and if needs be give his life for them, so must he give his hand where it +will most advantage them." + +"I cannot do it," Harold said. "I will not sacrifice you even for England. +I will remain Earl of Wessex, and Edwin may reign as king if he so +chooses." + +"That cannot be, Harold. If the people of England call you to the throne, +it is your duty to accept the summons. You know that none other could guide +them as you can, for already for years you have been their ruler. They love +you, they trust in you, and it were a shame indeed if the love we bear each +other should stand in the way of what is above all things needful for the +good of England. You know well enough that when the national council meets +to choose a king the South will declare for you. But if Edwin and Morcar +influence Mercia and the North to declare for another, what remains but a +breaking up of the kingdom, with perhaps a great war?" + +"I cannot do it, and I will not," Harold said, stopping in his walk and +standing before her. "My life, my work, all save you I will give up for +England--but you I will not." + +Edith turned even paler than before. "You will not give me up, Harold, but +you cannot hold me. I can bear my life in seclusion and retirement, and can +even be happy in the thought of our past love, of your greatness, and in +the peace of England, which, I should have the consolation of knowing, was +due to the sacrifice that we had both made, but I could not live happy, +even with your love and your companionship, knowing that I have brought +woes upon England. Nor will I live so. Death will break the knot if you +will not do so, and I could die with a smile on my lips, knowing that I was +dying for your good and England's. If you will not break the bond death +shall do so, and ere to-morrow's sun rises, either by your sacrifice or by +my own hand, you will be free. Marry for the good of England. Here is the +ring by which you pledged your troth to me," and she took it from her +finger and dropped it in the fire that blazed on the hearth. "There is the +end of it, but not the end of our love. I shall think of you, and pray for +you always, Harold. Oh, my dear lord and master, do not make it too hard +for me!" and she threw herself on his neck in a passion of tears. For two +or three minutes they stood locked in each other's close embrace, then she +withdrew herself from his arms. + +"Farewell," she said. "You have left my side many a time for battle, and we +parted bravely though we knew we might never meet again. Let us part so +now. We have each our battles to fight, but God will comfort us both, for +our sacrifice will have brought peace to England. Farewell, my dear lord, +farewell!" She touched his hand lightly and then tottered from the room, +falling senseless as soon as she had closed the door behind her. + +Harold sank into a chair and covered his face with his hands, while his +breast heaved with short sobs. So he sat for some time; then he stood up. + +"She is stronger and braver than I," he murmured; "but she is right. Only +by this sacrifice can England be saved, but even so I could not have made +it; but I know her so well that I feel she would carry out her threat +without hesitation." Then he went out of the house, but instead of +returning to the town took his way to the lonely path by the river, and +there for hours paced up and down. At last his mind was made up, the +sacrifice must be accepted. As she had said, their happiness must not stand +in the way of that of all England. He walked with a firm step back to +Oxford, and went straight to the house where Edwin and Morcar had taken up +their quarters. + +"Tell Earl Edwin that Harold would speak with him," he said to the retainer +at the door. The man returned in a minute, and led the way to the room +where Edwin and his brother were standing awaiting him. They had had +several interviews since they arrived at Oxford, and supposed that he had +come to arrange some detail as to the assembly on the following day. + +"Edwin," Harold said abruptly, "methinks that for the good of our country +it would be well that our houses should be united. Why should the sons of +Leofric and Godwin regard each other as rivals? We are earls of the English +people, and we cannot deny that the unfriendly feeling between us has +brought trouble on the country. Why should there not be an end of this?" + +Greatly surprised at this frank address, Edwin and Morcar both hastened to +say that for their part they had no quarrel whatever with any of the house +of Godwin, save with Tostig. + +"Tostig will soon be beyond the sea, and will no longer be a source of +trouble. There is, it seems to me, but one way by which we can unite and +bind our interests into one. I have come to you to ask for the hand of your +sister Ealdgyth in marriage." + +The two earls looked at each other in surprise. The proposition was +altogether unexpected, but they at once saw its advantages. They knew as +well as others that the choice of the nation at Edward's death was likely +to fall upon Harold, and it would add both to their dignity and security +that they should be brothers-in-law of the king. Such an alliance would do +away with the danger, that once seated on the throne Harold might become +reconciled with Tostig, and endeavour to replace him in the earldom of +Northumbria. This danger would be dissipated by the marriage. + +"You would perhaps like to consult together before giving an answer," +Harold said courteously. + +"By no means," Edwin said warmly. "Such an alliance is, as you say, in all +respects to be desired. Ealdgyth could wish for no nobler husband. We +should rejoice in obtaining such a spouse for her, and the union would +assuredly unite our families, do away with the unfriendly feeling of which +you spoke, and be of vast advantage to the realm in general. We need no +word of consultation, but accept your offer, and will with pleasure give +Ealdgyth in marriage to you. But is there not an obstacle?" + +"The obstacle is at an end," Harold said gravely. "Of her own free will and +wish, and in order that there should be peace and union in England, the +Lady Edith has broken the tie that bound us." + +The brothers, seeing that the subject was a painful one, wisely said no +more, but turned the conversation to the meeting on the following day, and +assured Harold that they hoped the decision would now be unanimous, and +then after a short time skilfully brought it round again to the subject of +the marriage. By nightfall the news was known throughout the city, and was +received with universal joy. The union seemed to all men a guarantee for +peace in England. The two great rival houses would now be bound by common +interests, and the feud that had several times been near breaking out into +civil war was extinguished. + +The moment he returned to his house Harold called Wulf. + +"Wulf, go at once to the Lady Edith. Tell her that though it has taken all +the brightness out of my life, and has made all my future dark, I have done +her bidding, and have sacrificed myself for England. Tell her that I will +write to her to-night, and send the letter to Hampton, where, I trust, it +will find her." + +Wulf at once carried the message. He found Edith sitting with eyes swollen +with weeping, and yet with a calm and composed expression on her face. + +"I knew that my lord would do as I prayed him," she said; "he has ever +thought first of England and then of himself. Tell him that I start in an +hour for Hampton, and shall there stay till I get his letter; there I will +answer it. Tell him I thank him from my heart, and that, much as I loved +and honoured him before, I shall to the end of my life love and honour him +yet more for having thus sacrificed himself for England. Tell him that you +found me calm and confident that he would grant my prayer, and that with +all my heart I wish him happiness." + +Her lips quivered and her voice broke, and Wulf hurried away without saying +another word, for he felt that he himself was at the point of bursting into +tears. Harold was anxiously awaiting his return, and after listening to the +message turned abruptly and entered his private closet, with a wave of the +hand signifying that Wulf would not be further required. + +The next day the Witenagemot met. It was solemnly decreed that all old +scores should be wiped out; that Northern and Southern England were again +to be reconciled, as they had been forty-seven years before in an assembly +held by Canute in Oxford. It was decreed unanimously that the laws of +Canute should be renewed, and should have force in all parts of the +kingdom. + +Until this decision was arrived at by the assembly Tostig had remained with +the king, but he now went into exile, and crossed the sea to Flanders, +where he had at an earlier period of his life, when Godwin's whole family +were in disgrace, taken refuge. He was accompanied by his wife and many +personal adherents. He left filled with rage and bitterness, especially +against Harold, who ought, he considered, to have supported him to the +utmost, and who should have been ready to put the whole forces of Wessex in +the field to replace him in the earldom. + +By the time that Harold returned to London Edith had left his abode at +Hampton. He would have gladly handed it over to her and maintained it as +before, but she would not hear of this, though she had accepted from him an +income which would enable her to live comfortably in seclusion. + +"I only do this," she said in her letter to him, "because I know that it +would grieve you if I refused; but I entreat you, Harold, make no inquiries +whither I have gone. I do not say that we can never meet again, but years +must pass over before we do so. You must not think of me as always +grieving. I have done what I am sure is right, and this will give me +comfort, and enable me to bear your absence; but you know that, even if I +never see you again, you will dwell in my heart as long as I live, its sole +lord and master. I have so many happy memories to look back upon that I +should be sorely to blame did I repine, and although I may not share the +throne that will ere long be yours, nor the love which Englishmen will give +their king, I shall be none the less proud of you, and shall be sure that +there will be always in your heart a kind thought of me. Forbear, I pray +you earnestly, to cause any search to be made for me. Doubtless you might +discover me if you chose, but it would only renew my pain. In time we may +be able to meet calmly and affectionately, as two old friends, but till +then it were best that we stood altogether apart." + +Harold put down the letter with a sigh. But he had little time to lament +over private troubles. The king was ill; he had not rallied from the state +of prostration that succeeded his outburst of passion when he found himself +powerless to put down the Northern insurrection by force, and to restore +his favourite Tostig to his earldom. Day succeeded day, but he did not +rally. In vain the monks most famous for their skill in medicine came from +Canterbury and Glastonbury; in vain prayers were offered up in all the +cathedrals, and especially in his own Abbey of Westminster, and soon the +report spread among the people that Edward, the king, was sick unto death, +and all felt that it was a misfortune for England. + +Edward was in no sense of the word a great king. He was a monk rather than +a monarch. The greatest object of his life had been to rear an abbey that +in point of magnificence should rival the stateliest fane in England. To +that his chief care was devoted, and for many years he was well content to +leave the care of government to Harold. But after the monarchs who had +immediately preceded him, his merits, if of a passive kind, were warmly +appreciated by his subjects. His rule had been free from oppression, and he +had always desired that justice should be done to all. In the earlier part +of his reign he was Norman in tongue, in heart, and in education; but in +the latter years of his life he had become far more English in his +leanings, and there can be no doubt that he bitterly regretted the promise +he had rashly given to William of Normandy that he should succeed him. + +It was not only because the people respected and even loved the king that +they were grieved to hear that his days were numbered, but because they saw +that his death would bring trouble on the land. With him the line of the +Oethelings would become extinct, save for the boy Edgar and his sisters. +The boy had been born beyond the sea, and was as much a foreigner as Edward +himself had been, and Edward's partiality for the Normans in the early +years of his reign had so angered the English that Edgar's claims would on +this account alone have been dismissed. Moreover, boys' hands were unfit to +hold the sceptre of England in such troubled times. It was to Harold that +all eyes turned. He had for years exercised at least joint authority with +Edward; he was the foremost and most noble of Englishmen. He was skilled in +war, and wise in counsel, and the charm of his manner, the strength and +stateliness of his figure, and the singular beauty of his face rendered him +the popular idol. And yet men felt that it was a new departure in English +life and customs for one who had in his veins no drop of royal blood to be +chosen as king. His sister was Edward's wife, he was Edward's friend and +counsellor, but although the men of the South felt that he was in all ways +fitted to be king, they saw too that Northumbria would assuredly stand +aloof, and that the Mercian earls, brothers-in-law as they were to be to +Harold, would yet feel jealous that one of their own rank was to be their +sovereign. + +The Witan, as the representative of the nation, had alone the right of +choosing the sovereign; but though they had often passed over those who by +birth stood nearest to the throne, they had never yet chosen one altogether +outside the royal family. It was a necessary step--for young Edgar was not +to be thought of--and yet men felt uneasy, now that the time had come, at +so complete a departure from custom. + +Rapidly the king grew worse, and prayers were uttered up for him in every +church in England. The Christmas Witan met at Westminster, but little was +done. The great minster was consecrated on December 18th, and the absence +of its founder and builder was keenly missed at the ceremony. + +The members of the Witan remained in attendance near the palace, hoping for +some guidance from the dying king. He had no power to leave the throne to +whom he wished, and yet his words could not but have great weight; but he +lay almost unconscious, and for two days remained speechless. But on the +5th of January, the year being 1066, he suddenly awoke from sleep, in the +full possession of his senses. Harold was standing on one side of his bed, +Archbishop Stigand at the other. His wife sat at the foot of the bed, +chaffing her husband's feet; Robert Wymarc, his personal attendant, stood +by his head. The king on awakening prayed aloud, that if a vision he had +had was truly from heaven he might have strength to declare it; if it were +but the offspring of a disordered brain he prayed that he might not be able +to tell it. + +Then he sat up in bed, supported by Robert; some of his chosen friends were +called in, and to them, with a strangely clear voice and with much energy, +he told the vision. It was that some monks he had known in his youth had +appeared to him, and told him that God had sent them to tell him that on +account of the sins of the earls, the bishops, and the men in holy orders +of every rank, God had put a curse upon England, and that within a year and +a day of his death fiends should stalk through the whole land, and should +harry it from one end to another with fire and sword. + +The king's words filled his hearers with awe, Stigand alone deeming the +story but the dream of a dying man. Then Edward gave orders as to his +burial. He bade his friends not to grieve for him, but to rejoice in his +approaching deliverance, and he asked for the prayers of all his people for +his soul. At last those standing round called his mind to the great +subject which was for the moment first in the heart of every Englishman. +Who, when he was gone, they asked, would he wish to wear the royal crown of +England? The king stretched out his hand to Harold and said, "To thee, +Harold, my brother, I commit my kingdom." Then, after commending his wife +and his Norman favourites to Harold's care and protection, he turned his +thoughts from all earthly matters, received the last rites of the church, +and soon afterwards passed away tranquilly. + +Rapidly the news spread through London that the king was dead. The members +of the Witan were still there, for the assembly had not separated, but +knowing that the king was dying had waited for the event. The earls and +great thanes of the South and West, of East Anglia and Wessex, were all +there together, probably with many from Mercia. There was no time lost. In +the afternoon they assembled. All knew on whom the choice would fall, for +Harold had been for long regarded as the only possible successor to the +throne, and the news that the dying king had, as far as he could, chosen +him as his successor, doubtless went for much in the minds of many who had +hitherto felt that it was a strange and unknown thing to accept as monarch +of England one who was not a member of the royal house. There was no +hesitation, no debate. By acclamation Harold was chosen king of the land, +and two great nobles were selected to inform him that the choice of the +Witan had fallen upon him. + +They bore with them the two symbols of royalty, the crown and the axe, and +bade him accept them as being chosen both by the voice of the Witan and by +the king, whom he had so well and faithfully served. There was no +hesitation on the part of Harold. He had already counted the cost and taken +his resolution. He knew that he alone could hope to receive the general +support of the great earls. Leofric and Gurth were his brothers, the Earls +of Mercia and Northumbria had been mollified by the alliance arranged with +their sister. The last male of the royal line was a lad of feeble +character, and would be unable either to preserve peace at home or to unite +the nation against a foreign invader. The oath he had sworn to William, +although obtained partly by force partly by fraud, weighed upon him, but he +was powerless to keep it. Did he decline the crown it would fall upon some +other Englishman, and not upon the Norman. The vote of England had chosen +him, and it was clearly his duty to accept. The die had been cast when +Edith had bade him sacrifice her and himself for the good of England, and +it was too late to turn back now. Gravely he accepted the dignity offered +him. + +Throughout London first, and then throughout the country, the news that the +Witan had unanimously chosen him, and that he had accepted, was received +with deep satisfaction. There was no time to be lost. The next day was +Epiphany, the termination of the Christian festival, the last upon which +the Witan could legally sit, and had the ceremony not taken place then it +must have been delayed until another great feast of the church--another +calling together of the Witan. All night the preparations for the two great +ceremonials were carried on. At daybreak the body of the dead king was +borne to the noble minster, that had been the chief object of his life to +raise and beautify, and there before the great altar it was laid to rest +with all the solemn pomp of the church. A few hours passed away and the +symbols of mourning were removed. Then the great prelates of the church, +the earls and the thanes of England, gathered for the coronation of the +successor of the king whom they had just laid in his last resting-place. +Eldred the primate of Northumberland performed the rites of +consecration--for Stigand, primate of England, had been irregularly +appointed, and was therefore deemed unfit for the high function. Before +investing him with the royal robes Eldred, according to custom, demanded in +a loud voice of the English people whether they were willing that Harold +should be crowned their king, and a mighty shout of assent rang through the +abbey. Then the earl swore first to preserve peace to the church and all +Christian people; secondly, to prevent wrong and robbery to men of every +rank; thirdly, to enforce justice and mercy in all his judgments as he +would that God should have mercy on him. Then after a solemn prayer the +prelate poured the oil of consecration upon Harold's head; he was vested in +royal robes, and with symbols appertaining to the priesthood. A sword was +girded to his side, that he might defend his realm, and smite his enemies +and those of the church of God. Then the crown was placed on his head, the +sceptre surmounted with the cross and the rod with the holy dove placed in +his hands, and Harold stood before the people as the king chosen by +themselves, named by his predecessor, and consecrated by the church. A +great banquet followed the coronation, and then this day memorable in the +history of England came to its close. + +Wulf had been present at the two great events at the abbey and at the +banquet, and knew, better than most of those present, that the gravity on +Harold's face was not caused solely by the mighty responsibility that he +had assumed, but by sad thoughts in his heart. Wulf on his return from the +abbey had handed to Harold a small roll of parchment that had been slipped +into his hand by a man, who at once disappeared in the crowd after handing +it to him, with the words, "For the king". In the interval before the +banquet he handed this to Harold, who had opened and glanced at it, and had +then abruptly turned away. It contained but the words: "_That God may +bless my dear lord and king is the prayer of Edith._" + +"Do you know where she is?" Harold asked abruptly, turning upon Wulf. + +"No, my lord." + +"I have respected her wishes and made no inquiry," the king said. "Others +think, doubtless, that I am rejoicing at having gained the object of my +ambition, but as God knows, I would far rather have remained Earl of the +West Saxons with her by my side than rule over England." + +"I know it, my lord," Wulf said. "But who beside yourself could rule here?" + +"No one," Harold answered; "and it is for England's sake and not my own +that I have this day accepted the crown. If you can find out where she has +betaken herself without making public inquiry I charge you to do so, and to +tell her that on this day I have thought mostly of her. Tell me not where +she is. What is done cannot be undone, but I would fain that, in the time +that is to come, I may at least know where to send her a message should it +be needful." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +WULF'S SUSPICIONS. + +Beyond the fact that the name of the king had changed, the death of Edward +and the accession of Harold made no sensible difference in the government +of the southern half of England. Harold had practically reigned for years, +and the fact that he was now able to give his orders direct instead of +having nominally to consult Edward, had only the effect that the affairs of +the state moved somewhat more promptly. Such of the Norman favourites of +Edward as desired to leave were permitted to do so, and were honourably +escorted to the coast, but many remained. The Norman prelates and abbots +retained their dignities undisturbed, and several of the court officials of +Edward held the same positions under Harold. + +A fortnight after the coronation a party of Norman barons arrived, bearing +a summons from Duke William to Harold to fulfil the oath he had sworn to be +his man, and also to carry out his engagement to marry one of William's +daughters. They were received with all honour, and Harold informed them +that he would, without delay, reply to the duke's summons. A few days +later three thanes of high rank started for Normandy with Harold's reply. +Wulf accompanied them. + +"I would that you should go with them, Wulf," Harold had said to him. "You +are too young to be one of my embassy to Duke William, but it would be well +that you should form one of the party. The duke knows you and has a liking +for you, and possibly may speak more freely to you than to my official +messengers. Moreover, you have many acquaintances and friends there, and +may gather valuable news as to the feeling in Normandy and the probability +of William's barons embarking in a desperate war for his advantage." + +"I shall be glad to go, my lord." + +"The duke knows well enough what my answer must be. He is aware that were +I ready either to resign my kingship to him, or to agree to hold my crown +as his vassal, the people of England would laugh to scorn my assumption so +to dispose of them, and would assuredly renounce and slay me as a traitor +who had broken the oath I swore at my coronation. It is a mere formal +summons William makes, as one summons a city to surrender before +undertaking its siege. It is but a move in the game. That he will, if he +can, strike for the kingdom, I doubt not in any way, but it may well be +that his barons will refuse to embark in a war beyond the seas, which is +altogether beyond the military service they are bound to render. At any +rate, we have breathing time. Vast preparations must be made before he can +invade England, and until he is ready we shall have messengers passing to +and fro. A few of my chief councillors, the earls and great thanes, refuse +to believe that William will ever attempt by force of arms to grasp the +crown of England, but for myself I have no doubt he will do so. I shall at +once prepare for war; and the first step of all is to unite England from +the northern border to the southern sea, so that we may oppose the Normans +with our whole strength. This must be my personal work, other matters I +must for a time intrust to the earls." + +The train was not a large one. One ship bore the thanes and their +attendants from Southampton to Rouen. They were received with all honour at +their landing, conducted to a house that had been assigned to their use, +and informed that they would be received by the duke on the following day. +They had brought their horses with them, and as soon as they were housed +Wulf mounted, and attended by Osgod rode to the castle of the De Burgs. +Three years had past since he had last been there. He had from time to time +received letters and greetings from Guy de Burg by the hands of Normans who +visited the court, and knew that although he had gained in health and +strength the predictions of the surgeons had been fulfilled, and that he +would never be able to take part in knightly exercises or deeds of arms. +The warden at the gate had sent in Wulf's name, and as he alighted a tall +young man ran down the steps and embraced him. + +"I am overjoyed to see you, Wulf," he exclaimed. "When we heard that Harold +would send over an English embassy to answer the duke's demands, I hoped +that you would be among the number. Harold would be likely to choose you, +and I felt sure that you would come over to see me. I had a messenger +waiting at Rouen to bring me tidings of the arrival of your ship, and it is +scarcely an hour since he rode in with the news that, by inquiries among +the servants as they landed, he had learned that you were indeed of the +party. But I had hardly looked to see you until to-morrow morning, and had +indeed intended to ride over on my palfrey at daybreak." + +"I would not delay, Guy, for the answer we bear will not be to the duke's +liking, and for aught I know he may pack us off again as soon as the +interview is ended. Therefore, I thought it best to lose not a moment." + +"I see you have brought your tall retainer with you, Wulf. I am glad to +see the stout fellow again. But come in, they will chide me for keeping you +so long at the entrance." + +Wulf was warmly received by the baron and his wife. "You are just what I +thought you would grow up, Wulf," the former said. "Indeed your figure was +so set and square before, that there was little chance of great alteration. +We have heard of you from time to time, and that you distinguished yourself +greatly in the war against the Welsh, and stood high in the favour and +affection of Harold. Guy has overshot you, you see, in point of height, +though he is scarce half your breadth," and the baron looked with a +suppressed sigh at the fragile young fellow, who stood with his hand on +Wulf's shoulder. + +"He looks better and stronger than I expected, my lord," Wulf said. "You +must remember when I last saw him he could scarce walk across the room, and +in my heart I scarce hoped to ever see him again." + +"He gains strength very slowly," De Burg said wistfully; "but although he +has to be careful of himself, he has no ailment." + +"He could hardly gain strength while growing so fast," Wulf said; "but now +that he has gained his full height he will, doubtless, gather strength, and +as three years have done so much for him, another three years will I hope +do far more. The Lady Agnes is well, I trust?" + +"She is well, and will be here anon," the baroness said. + +Guy laughed with something of his former heartiness. "She was here when the +man brought news of your arrival, Wulf, but she fled away like a startled +deer, and has, I suppose, gone to put on her best kirtle in your honour." + +As he spoke Agnes entered the room. Considerable as was the change that +three years had wrought in the young men, it was still greater in her case, +for she had grown from a pretty young girl into a very lovely maiden, whose +cheek flushed as she presented it for Wulf's salute. + +"Would you have known her again, Wulf?" Guy asked with a smile. + +"I should certainly have known her, though she has so greatly changed," +Wulf replied. "I thought that you would be grown up and altered, but I +scarcely looked for so great an alteration in her, though I might of course +have known that it would be so." + +"And now tell me, Wulf," the baron said, abruptly changing the +conversation, "how go things in England--are people united in choosing +Harold as their king?" + +"The South, the East, and West are as one man," Wulf said. "Mercia, which +comprises the midlands, has accepted the choice. Northumbria has as yet +held itself aloof, although its earl has sworn allegiance and its primate +has placed the crown on Harold's head; but in time, I am well assured, the +North will also accept him. As I said when we spoke about it after Harold +had been tricked into taking an oath to be William's man, he had no more +power to pledge himself for England than I had. Englishmen are free to +choose their own king, and as Harold has long been their ruler, their +choice naturally fell on him. + +"Harold is about to marry the sister of the Earls of Northumbria and +Mercia, the widow of Griffith of Wales, and this will, I hope, bind these +two powerful nobles to him. The only trouble is likely to come from Tostig, +who is, as you know, at the court of Norway. But as he is hated in +Northumbria, and the earl and his brother of Mercia both have personal +enmity against him, he can gather no following there, while Anglia and +Wessex are devoted to Harold. Still he and the King of Norway may cause +trouble." + +"The answer of Harold's ambassadors is, of course, a refusal?" + +"Assuredly," Wulf said. "I do not know the exact import of the reply, as, +although I have accompanied them, I am not a member of the embassy, being +too young to be intrusted with so weighty a matter. But there can be but +one answer. Harold is powerless to carry out his oath. He had the choice of +becoming King of England, and thus defending our rights and freedom, or of +refusing the crown, in which case he must have fled here, and could have +given no aid whatever to William, as he himself would be regarded as the +worst of traitors by the English. The duke must be perfectly well aware +that a king of England could not, without the assent of the people, accept +a foreign prince as his liege lord." + +De Burg nodded. + +"That is plainly so, Wulf; and although the duke professes intense +indignation against Harold, he himself has, over and over again, broken his +own oaths of allegiance to the King of France. Breaches of oaths go for +little, except they serve as pretexts for war. It would have been the same +thing if Harold had never taken the oath, except that his breach of it will +be an aid to William in a war against him. We northmen came to France and +conquered a province, simply by the right of the strongest. The duke has +doubled his dominions by the same right. He deems himself now strong enough +to conquer England; whether he is so remains to be seen. At present +methinks that but few of us are disposed to follow him in such an +enterprise, but there is never any saying how things will go at last. When +war is in the air men's minds become heated. There will be dignities, +estates, and titles to be won, and when many are ready to go, few like to +hang back. More than once already William has embarked on a war against the +wishes of the majority, but he has finally carried all with him, and it may +be so again, especially if he can win over the pope to excommunicate Harold +for the breach of an oath sworn on the relics." + +"His excommunication will go for little in England," Wulf said sturdily. +"Many of our prelates, and almost all our clergy are Englishmen, and hold +in very small respect the claim of the pope to interfere in the affairs of +England." + +"And if Harold died who would be likely to succeed him?" + +"I have never thought of that," Wulf said, "and I should think that few +Englishmen have done so. If such a misfortune should happen, methinks that +England would be rent in two, and that while Wessex and Anglia would choose +one of his brothers, Mercia and the North would take Edwin or his brother +Morcar as their king, but assuredly no foreign prince would be chosen." + +"No, but with England divided the chance of conquest would be easier. You +are about the king, Wulf. Keep a shrewd guard over him. I say not for a +moment that the duke would countenance any attempt to do him harm, but +there are many rough spirits who might think that they would gain his +favour greatly did they clear his path of Harold, and who would feel all +the less scruple in doing so, should the pope be induced to excommunicate +him. Such things have happened again and again. Mind, I have no warrant for +my speech. Methinks the honour of De Burg is too well known for anyone to +venture to broach such a project before him, but so many kings and great +princes have fallen by an assassin's knife to clear the way for the next +heir or for an ambitious rival, that I cannot close my eyes to the fact +that one in Harold's position might well be made the subject of such an +attempt. The history of your own country will furnish you with examples of +what I say." + +"Thank you, my lord," Wulf said gravely. "The thought that an assassin's +knife might be raised against Harold, who is of all men the most beloved in +England, has never once entered my mind, but I see there may be indeed a +danger of such an attempt being made. I do not greatly trust Morcar or his +brother, and the danger may come from them, or, as you say, from one +desirous of gaining favour with your duke. I will lay your warning to +heart." + +The conversation now turned on other topics, on the Welsh war and the life +Wulf had been leading since they last met, and upon what had happened to +the many acquaintances Wulf had made in Normandy. They talked until long +past the usual hour for retiring to rest; Wulf slept at the chateau, and +rode into Rouen at an early hour in the morning. + +The audience next day was a public one. William was surrounded by his +officers of state, and by a large number of his barons. The English envoys +were ushered in, and the duke asked them in a loud voice what answer they +brought to his just demands on the part of his sworn liegeman, Harold. + +"The king of England bids us state, duke, that he holds an oath taken by a +prisoner under force to be invalid, especially when taken in ignorance of +the sanctity of the concealed relics; secondly, he says that he has been +elected by the people of England, and that he has no power whatever to +transfer the rights that they have conferred upon him, and which he has +sworn to maintain, and that they would absolutely refuse to be bound by any +act on his part contrary to the welfare of the kingdom, and to their rights +as freemen; thirdly, as to your demand that he should carry out his promise +to marry your daughter, he points out that the lady whose hand was promised +to him has since that time died; and lastly, that although as Earl of +Wessex he might transfer that engagement to another of your daughters, as +king of England he is unable to do so, as the will of the people is that +their king shall marry no foreign princess, but that the royal family shall +be of unmixed English blood." + +William frowned heavily. "You hear, my lords," he said, after a pause, to +the Norman barons, "this English earl who was here as my guest refuses to +carry out the engagements to which he swore upon the holy relics. I cannot, +however, bring myself to believe that he will really persist in this foul +perjury, and shall persevere in my endeavours to bring him to a sense of +his duty, and to show him the foul dishonour that will rest upon him should +he persist in this contempt alike of our holy church and his honour as a +knight and a Christian, conduct that would bring upon him eternal infamy +and the scorn and contempt of all the princes and nobles of Europe, and +draw upon his head the wrath of the church." Then he abruptly turned on his +heel and left the audience-chamber, while the English envoys returned to +their house and made preparations for immediate departure. + +A few minutes after his arrival there one of the duke's pages brought word +to Wulf that the duke desired to speak to him in private. He at once went +across to the palace. The duke received him cordially. + +"I marked you were with the other thanes, and was glad to see one whom I +count as my friend. Tell me frankly, what think the people of England of +this monstrous act of perjury on the part of Harold?" + +"To speak the truth, my lord duke," Wulf replied, "they trouble their heads +in no way about it. They hold that the right of electing their king rests +wholly with them, and that Harold's promise, to do what he had no more +power to do than the lowest born of Englishmen, was but a waste of words. +Harold himself feels the obligation far more than anyone else, and had +there been any other Englishman who could have united the people as well as +he could himself, he would gladly have stood aside; but there is none such, +and he had no choice but to accept the decision of the Witan, and, for the +sake of England, to lay aside his own scruples. The late king, too, +nominated him as his successor, and although his voice had no legal weight, +he is now regarded as almost a saint among the people. The fact, therefore, +that he, full of piety and religion as he was, should have held that +Harold's oath in no way prevented the people from choosing him, has gone +very far to satisfy any scruples that might have been felt." + +"Edward at one time named me as his successor," the duke said shortly. + +"So I have heard, my lord duke; but as he grew in years and learned more of +English feeling and character he became fully aware that the people would +accept no foreign prince, and that only the man who had for thirteen years +governed in his name could be their choice." + +"And the great earls and thanes are likewise of that opinion?" + +"Assuredly in Anglia and Wessex they are so. I know not the minds of Earls +Morcar and Edwin, but they were at the Witan and stood by his side at the +coronation, and doubtless felt that they could not rely upon their own +people if they attempted any open opposition to Harold." + +"And you will support this usurper against me, Wulf?" + +"I shall fight, my lord duke, for the king chosen by the people of England. +Should that choice some day fall on you I should be as faithful a follower +of yours as I am now of Harold." + +"Well answered, young thane. You have twice done me loyal service, and I at +least do not forget my promises. As yet my mind is not made up as to my +course, but should fate will it so, William of England will not forget the +services rendered to William of Normandy." + +A few minutes later Wulf rejoined his companions, and before nightfall the +ship was far on her way down the river. + +"Shall we go back to Steyning, my lord, when we return home?" Osgod asked +as they stood by the bulwark together watching the passing shores. + +"No, Osgod. I mean for a time to remain with the king. Baron de Burg +yesterday hinted to me that he thought it possible that some of the duke's +followers might endeavour to remove the obstacle between him and the throne +of England. There are in every country desperate men, who are ready for any +crime or deed of violence if they but think that its committal will bring +them a reward. We have had English kings assassinated before now, and it +has been the same in other countries. Moreover, there are many Normans who +were forced to fly from England when Godwin's family returned from exile. +These having a personal grudge against him would be willing to gratify it, +and at the same time to earn a place in William's favour. Harold is so +frank and unsuspicious that he will never think of taking precautions for +his personal safety. You and I, then, must serve as his watch-dogs. It may +be a difficult task, for we have no idea from what quarter that danger may +come, and yet by chance we may discover some clue or other that will set us +on the right track At any rate, if we are near him, and keep a watchful eye +on any strangers approaching him, we may save him from a treacherous blow." + +"Good, my lord. Methinks that Harold was wrong in not sending every Norman +across the seas, and every man with whom I have spoken thinks the same. But +at any rate we can, as you say, keep a sharp look-out, and although I +cannot be always near his person, I shall go about and listen; and it will +be hard if anything is on foot without my hearing some whisper of it. You +will tell him no word of your suspicions, I suppose?" + +"Certainly not. I have fears rather than suspicions, and Baron De Burg +certainly spoke as if he regarded it as likely that such an attempt might +be made, and he knows his own people better than I do. He expressly said +that he had no special reason for giving me the warning, but he may have +heard some angry remark or some covert threat against Harold; and although +the duke would not, I feel sure, openly countenance his slaying, I think +that the slayers might confidently look for a reward from his gratitude did +they by their daggers open a way for him to the throne of England." + +On the return of the embassy to London King Harold said to Wulf: "I have no +further occasion for your services at present, Wulf, and I suppose you will +return home and increase the number of your housecarls. It is not with +undisciplined levies that the Normans, if they come, must be met. It is no +question this time of Welsh mountaineers but of trained warriors, and +should they land they must be met by men as firm and as obedient to orders +as themselves. I am trying to impress this on all our thanes, but most of +them are hard to move, and deem that all that is necessary on the day of +battle is that men shall have strength and courage and arms." + +"With your permission, my lord, I would rather abide near you, and leave +the training of my men to the officer who taught those who fought by my +side in Wales." + +"I thought you did not care for the gaieties of the court?" Harold said, in +some surprise. + +"Nor do I, my lord. For its gaieties I care nothing, but in times like +these there is much to be learned, and I would not bury myself in Steyning +when there is so much of importance going on in London." + +"Then stay, Wulf, I shall be glad to have you here. I have but little time +to myself now, but it is a relief to put aside grave matters sometimes. I +will appoint a room for you near my own chamber. You have heard no news of +her, I suppose?" + +"In truth, my lord, I know not how to set about the task, and it seems to +me that my only chance is to run against one of her serving-men in the +street." + +"That is but a slight chance, Wulf; but even I, with all the power of +England in my hands, am equally at a loss. I cannot send round to all the +thanes of Wessex to ask if a strange lady has taken a house in their +jurisdiction, nor to all the parish priests to ask if a new worshipper has +come to their church. However, I believe that sooner or later she will +herself advise me where she has hidden. It may be that your stay here will +not be a long one, for I purpose journeying to the North." + +"To Northumbria!" Wulf said in surprise. + +"Yes; the people there refuse to recognize me, and I would win them by +going among them rather than by force. My dear friend Bishop Wulfstan will +accompany me. I shall take with me a body of my housecarls, partly as a +guard, but more because I cannot now travel as a private person. It is very +many years since an English king has visited Northumbria, and it is not +strange that these northern men should object to be ruled by a stranger +from the South. I shall take with me two or three of my thanes only, but +shall be glad for you to ride with me. Young as you are, you have a quick +eye and ready wit, and in case trouble should arise, I can rely upon you +more than upon many men far older than yourself." + +The palace of Westminster was not an imposing edifice. London had not yet +become the capital of England, Oxford being the seat of government of most +of the kings, so that the palace was built on a simple plan, and had been +altered by Edward until the interior arrangements more nearly resembled +those of a convent than of a palace. Below was the great banqueting-hall, +and beyond this the chamber where the king heard complaints and +administered justice. Leading from this were the king and queen's private +chambers, where the one sat and read or received his chief councillors, and +the other worked with her maids, and listened to the music of the harpers +or the tales of war and love sung by bards. + +Behind was the chapel. On the floor above a corridor ran from one end of +the building to the doors which separated the royal sleeping-rooms from the +rest. On either side of the corridor were small bed-chambers, where the +officers of the household and guests at the court slept, their attendants +lying in the corridor itself or in the kitchens, which with other offices +were contained in a separate building. The room assigned to Wulf, and which +Harold had ordered was henceforth to be retained for him, was that on the +right hand of the corridor, next to the door leading to the royal +apartments. Like the others it was a mere cell, with the straw pallet +covered with sheep-skins, with some rugs for covering. This constituted the +whole of the furniture. In the morning water was brought in brass ewers and +basins, either by the pages or servants of the guests. + +"Nothing could be better, my lord, than this," Osgod said. "I am a light +sleeper, and lying across your door I am sure that no one could enter the +king's apartments without my hearing those heavy doors move." + +"There is but little chance, Osgod, of an attack being made on him in that +fashion. Doubtless some of the royal servants sleep on the other side of +the door. No, if any design be attempted against his life it will be when +he is travelling, or when he is abroad amid a crowd." + +"I saw Walter Fitz-Urse to-day, master, in the train of William of London." + +"Then he must have returned within the last day or two, Osgod, for he has +been absent for more than a year, and I know that when we sailed for +Normandy he was still absent, for I inquired of one of the court officials +if he had been here of late. What should bring him back again, I wonder. +He has long been out of his pageship, and he can hope for no preferment in +England while Harold is king. He has, I know, no great possessions in +Normandy, for I asked Guy about him, and learned that his father was a +knight of but small consideration, either as to his state or character, and +that the boy owed his place as page to William of London, to the fact that +he was a distant relation of the prelate. + +"I would say harm of no man, but I should think he is as likely as another +to be mixed up in such a plot as we are talking of. He is landless, +hot-tempered, and ambitious. He owes no goodwill to Harold, for it was by +his intervention that he was sent away in disgrace after that quarrel with +me. At any rate, Osgod, since we have no one else to suspect, we will in +the first place watch him, or rather have him looked after, for I see not +how we ourselves can in any way keep near him. He knows me well, and has +doubtless seen you with me, and having seen you once would not be likely to +forget you." + +"I think I can manage that," Osgod said confidently. "My father has a small +apprentice who well-nigh worries his life out with tricks and trifling. I +have more than once begged him off a beating, and methinks he will do +anything for me. He is as full of cunning as an ape, and, I warrant me, +would act his part marvellously. My father will be glad enough to get him +out of the forge for a while, and when I tell him that it is in your +service he will make no difficulty about it. He is fifteen years old, but +so small for his age that he would pass for three years younger than he +is." + +"I think it is a very good plan, Osgod. You had best see your father in the +morning, and if he consents to your having the boy, bring him down to the +river-bank behind the abbey, where I will be awaiting you, and can there +talk to him without observation. You are sure that he can be trusted to +keep silence regarding what I tell him?" + +"He can be trusted, my lord. In the first place he will enjoy playing his +part, and in the second he will know well enough that I should nearly flay +him alive with my stirrup-leather if he were to fail me, and that his life +in the forge would be worse than ever." + +The next morning Wulf strolled down to the river-bank after breaking his +fast, and it was not long before Osgod joined him with the boy. + +"Have you told him what he is required for, Osgod?" Wulf asked, as the boy, +doffing his cap, stood before him with an air of extreme humility. + +"I am not good at the telling of tales, as you know, my lord, and I thought +it better that you should tell him just as much or as little as you chose." + +"You don't like your work at the forge, Ulf?" for that Wulf had learned was +the boy's name. + +"I think that I like it better than it likes me," the boy replied. "When I +get to do the fine work I shall like it, but at present it is 'fetch this +tool, Ulf, or file that iron, or blow those bellows,' and if I do but smile +I get a cuff." + +"No, no, Ulf," Osgod said. "Of course, at present you are but a beginner, +and at your age I too had to fetch and carry and be at the bidding of all +the men; and it is not for smiling that you get cuffed, but for playing +tricks and being away for hours when you are sent on a message to the next +street, and doing your errands wrongly. My father tells me you will be a +good workman some day. You will never be strong enough to wield a heavy +hammer or to forge a battle-axe, but he says your fingers are quick and +nimble, and that you will some day be able to do fine work such as clumsy +hands could not compass. But that is not to the point now." + +"You will be glad to be out of the forge for a bit, Ulf?" Wulf asked. + +"That should I, but not always." + +"It will not be for very long. I want a watch set upon a Norman in order to +know where he goes, and whom he meets, and what he purposes. Osgod tells me +that he thinks you could play the part rarely, and that you would be +willing for his sake to do our bidding." + +The boy looked up into Osgod's face with an expression of earnest +affection. + +"I would do anything for him," he said, "even if I were to be cut to +pieces." + +"Osgod is as much interested in the matter as I am, Ulf; and as he has +assured me that you are to be trusted, I will tell you more as to the man, +and my object in setting you to watch him." + +"You can trust me, my lord," the boy said earnestly. "I will do your +bidding whatever it is." + +"You know, Ulf, that the Duke of Normandy desires the crown of England?" + +"So I have heard men say, my lord." + +"Were King Harold out of the way, his chances of obtaining it would be +improved." + +The boy nodded. + +"I am sure that the duke himself would take no hand in bringing about +Harold's death, but there are many of his people who might think that they +would obtain a great reward were they to do so." + +The boy nodded again. + +"The man I wish you to watch is Walter Fitz-Urse, who is in the train of +the bishop. I have no particular reason for suspecting him, beyond the fact +that he has but just come over here, and this is scarcely a time a Norman +would come to London; though as the bishop is a relation and patron of his +he may have come merely to visit him. Still he has, as he thinks, a cause +for enmity against the king. He is needy, and, as I know, somewhat +unscrupulous. All this is little enough against a man; still it seems to me +that his coming bodes danger to the king, and this being so I desire that +he shall be watched, in order that I may find out what is his real object +in coming over here. I want you to post yourself near the gate of the +bishop's palace, and whenever he comes out to follow him save when he is in +the train of the bishop--most of all if he sallies out alone or after dark. + +"It will not do for you to be always dressed as an apprentice. Osgod will +procure for you such clothes as you may require for disguises. One day you +can be sitting there as a beggar asking alms, another as a girl from one of +the villages with eggs or fowls. You understand that you will have to +follow him, to mark where he goes in, and especially, should he be joined +by anybody when out, to endeavour to overhear something of what they say to +each other. Even a few words might suffice to show me whether my suspicions +are true or not. Do you think you can do that? Osgod tells me that you are +good at playing a part." + +"I will do it, my lord, and that right gladly. It is a business after my +own heart, and I will warrant that those who see me one day will not know +me when they see me the next." + +"Osgod will go with you now, and will stay near the bishop's palace until +the man you are to watch comes out, and will point him out to you. In a day +or two I may be going away with the king; when we return you will tell us +what you have found out. Till we go, Osgod will meet you here each morning +as the abbey bell rings out the hour of seven. You can tell him anything +that you have learned, and then he will give you such further instructions +as may seem needful; and remember you must be cautious, for Walter +Fitz-Urse would not hesitate to use his dagger on you did he come upon you +eaves-dropping." + +"I will give him leave to do so if he catches me," the boy said. + +"Very well, then; Osgod will go with you to buy such clothes as may be +necessary, and remember that you will be well rewarded for your work." + +"I want no reward," the boy said, almost indignantly. "I am an apprentice, +and as my master has bid me do whatever Osgod commands, he has a right to +my services. But this is nothing. There is not one in London who would not +do aught in his power for Harold, and who would scorn to take pay for +it. As this is a matter in which his very life may be concerned, though I +am but a boy, and a small one at that, there is nought that I would not do, +even to the giving of my life, to spoil these Norman plots." + +Osgod was about to chide the boy angrily for this freedom of speech, but +Wulf checked him. + +"You are right, lad; and I am sorry I spoke of a reward. I myself would +have answered the same at your age, and would have died for Harold then as +I would now. I should have bethought me that the feelings of Englishmen, +gentle or simple, are the same towards the king, and I crave your pardon +for treating your loyal service as a thing to be paid for with money." + +The boy's eyes filled with tears; he dropped on one knee, and seizing +Wulf's hand placed it to his lips, and then without a word sped away, +halting a hundred yards off till Osgod should join him. + +"You have made a good choice," Wulf said; "the boy is wholly trustworthy, +and unless his face belies him he is as shrewd as he is faithful. My only +fear in the matter is, that he may be over rash in his desire to carry out +the trust we have given him. Warn him against that, and tell him that +should he be discovered and killed it would upset all our plans." + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +A MEETING BY THE RIVER. + +During the three days that elapsed between Ulf's being set upon the track +of Walter Fitz-Urse and the departure of the king for the North, the boy +had no news to report to Osgod. The young Norman had not left the bishop's +palace alone. He had accompanied the prelate several times when he went +abroad, and had gone out with some of his countrymen who still held office +at the court. In one or other of the disguises Wulf had suggested, the boy +had hung about the gate of the bishop's palace until late in the evening, +but Walter Fitz-Urse had not come out after dark. On the day before +starting, Wulf was with Osgod when the latter met the boy at the +rendezvous. + +After he heard Ulf's report Wulf said: "As we leave to-morrow this is the +last report you will have to make to us. So far it would seem that there is +nothing whatever to give grounds for suspicion, and if, after a few days, +you find that the Norman still remains quietly at the bishop's, there will +be no occasion for you to continue your watch until the time is approaching +for the king's return." + +"Yes, my lord. But I cannot say surely that he does not go out of an +evening." + +"Why, I thought you said that he certainly had not done so?" + +"No, my lord; I said only that I had not seen him. He has certainly not +gone out through the great gates in his Norman dress, but that it seems to +me shows very little. As the bishop's guest he would pass out there, but +there is another entrance behind that he might use did he wish to go out +unobserved. Even at the main entrance I cannot tell but that, beneath the +cowl and frock of one of the many monks who pass in and out, Walter +Fitz-Urse may not be hidden. He would scarce go about such a business as we +suspect in his dress as a Norman noble, which is viewed with little favour +here in London, and would draw attention towards him, but would assume, as +I do, some disguise in which he could go about unremarked--it might be that +of a monk, it might be that of a lay servitor of the palace." + +"You are right, Ulf; I had not thought of that. That is indeed a +difficulty, and one that I do not see how you can get over. Are you sure +that he has not passed out by the main gate?" + +"I have marked his walk and carriage closely, my lord. He steps along with +a long stride, and unless he be a better mummer than I judge him to be, I +should know him whether in a monk's gown or a servitor's cloak. It is no +easy thing to change a knight's stride into the shuffle of a sandalled +monk, or the noiseless step of a well-trained servitor in a bishop's +palace." + +"You are a shrewd lad indeed, Ulf," Wulf said warmly; "and I feel that you +will fathom this matter if there be aught at the bottom. But, as you say, +you cannot watch more than one place." + +"The other entrance is not altogether unwatched, my lord. The first day +you gave me my orders I went to one of my cronies, who has shared with me +in many an expedition when our master deemed that we were soundly asleep. +Without, as you may be sure, giving any reason, I told him that I had come +to believe that the Norman I pointed out to him was in the habit of going +out in disguise, and that I was mightily curious to find whither he went +and why, and therefore wanted him to watch, at the entrance behind the +palace. I bade him mark the walk of the persons that went out, and their +height, for the Norman is tall, and to follow any who might come out of +lofty stature, and with a walk and carriage that seemed to accord ill with +his appearance. So each evening, as soon as his house was closed and the +lights extinguished, he has slipped out, as he knows how, and has watched +till ten o'clock at the gate. It seemed to me that that would be late +enough, and indeed the doors are closed at that hour." + +"You have done well, Ulf; but has not the boy questioned you as to your +reasons for thus setting a watch on the Norman?" + +"I have told him nought beyond what I have said, my lord. He may guess +shrewdly enough that I should not myself take so much trouble in the matter +unless I had more reason than I have given; but we are closely banded +together, and just as I should do, without asking the reasons, any such +action did he propose it to me, so he carried out my wishes. I cannot feel +as sure as if I had watched him myself that Fitz-Urse has not passed out in +disguise unnoticed, but I have a strong belief that it is so. At any rate, +my lord, you can go away with the assurance that all that is possible shall +be done by us, and that even if he pass out once or twice undiscovered +there is good hope that we shall at last detect him." + +After again commending the boy, Wulf returned to the palace with Osgod. + +"I feel half ashamed of having entertained a suspicion of Fitz-Urse on such +slight grounds, Osgod." + +"I think you have done quite right, my lord. You know how the fellow gave a +false report to the bishop of that quarrel with you. At any rate, should +nothing come of it, no harm will have been done. As to the boys, so far +from regarding it as a trouble, I feel sure that they view it as an +exciting pleasure, and are as keenly anxious to detect the Norman going out +in a disguise as you yourself can be. When they get tired of it they will +give it up." + +Ulf, at any rate, was determined not to relax his watch during the absence +of the king. The more he thought of it the more certain he felt that if +Walter Fitz-Urse went out on any private business after nightfall he would +use one or other of the entrances at the rear of the palace, and +accordingly next day he arranged that one friend should watch the front +entrance of an evening, while he himself took post behind. As soon as it +was dark he lay down by the wall close to the entrance at which the +servitors generally passed in and out. The moon was up but was still young, +and the back of the palace lay in deep shadow; a projecting buttress +screened him to a great extent from view, while by peeping round the corner +he could watch those who came out and see them as they passed from the +shadow of the building into the comparatively light space beyond. + +Many came in and out. The evening was bitterly cold, and his teeth +chattered as he lay, cautiously putting his head beyond the edge of the +stonework every time he heard any one leaving the palace. The heavy bell +had just struck eight, when a man wrapt up in a cloak passed out. He +differed in no respect from many of those who had preceded him, save that +he was somewhat taller. The hood of the cloak was drawn over his head. Ulf +raised himself to his knees and gazed after the figure. The man was walking +more slowly than the others had done, for most of them had hurried along as +if in haste to get their errands finished and to be in shelter again from +the keen wind. + +"If that is Fitz-Urse, he is walking so as to avoid the appearance of haste +in case anyone should be looking after him," Ulf muttered to himself. "At +any rate I will follow him, he is more like the Norman than anyone I have +yet seen, though he carries his head forwarder and his shoulders more +rounded." As he watched him, the boy saw that as he increased the distance +from the palace the man quickened his pace, and when he came into the +moonlight was stepping rapidly along. + +"That is my man," Ulf exclaimed. "He knows well enough that no one is +likely to be standing at the door, and thinks he need no longer walk +cautiously." Feeling sure that even if the man looked back he would not be +able to see him in the shadow, he started forward at a run, paused before +he reached the edge of the moonlight, and then, as soon as the figure +entered a lane between some houses, ran forward at the top of his speed. +The man was but a hundred yards in front of him when Ulf came to the +entrance of the lane. Just as he turned into it the man stopped and looked +round, and Ulf threw himself down by the side of a wall. + +"That settles it," he said to himself. "No one who had not a fear of being +followed would turn and look round on such a night as this." + +Ulf was barefooted, for although he generally wore soft shoes which were +almost as noiseless as the naked foot, he was dressed in rags, and a foot +covering of any sort would have been out of place. Always keeping in the +shade, having his eyes fixed on the man he was pursuing, and holding +himself in readiness to leap into a doorway or throw himself down should he +see him turn his head, he lessened the distance until he was within some +fifty yards of the other. The man took several turns, and at last entered a +long street leading down to the river. As soon as Ulf saw him enter it he +darted off at full speed, turned down another lane, and then, when he got +beyond the houses, and on to the broken ground that lay between them and +the river, ran until he was nearly facing the end of the street which he +had seen the man enter, and then threw himself down. + +He had scarcely done so when he saw the figure issue from the street and +strike across the open ground towards the water. Crawling along on his +stomach Ulf followed him, until he halted on the bank The man looked up and +down the river, stamped his foot impatiently, and then began to walk to and +fro. Presently he stopped and appeared to be listening; Ulf did the same, +and soon heard the distant splash of oars. They came nearer and nearer. Ulf +could not see the boat, for it was close under the bank, which was some +twenty yards away from him, but presently when the boat seemed almost +abreast of him the man on the bank said, "Where do you come from?" + +"From fishing in deep water," a voice replied. + +"That is right, come ashore." + +The words were spoken by both in a language Ulf could not understand, and +he muttered a Saxon oath. The thought that any conversation Fitz-Urse might +have with a Norman would naturally be in that tongue had never once +occurred to him. Three men mounted the bank. One shook hands with +Fitz-Urse, the others had doffed their caps and stood listening bareheaded +to the conversation between their superiors. It was long and animated. At +first the stranger stamped his foot and seemed disappointed at the news +Fitz-Urse gave him, then as the latter continued to speak he seemed more +satisfied. + +For fully half an hour they talked, then the men got into the boat and +rowed away, and Fitz-Urse turned and walked back to the palace. + +Ulf did not follow him. The meeting for which Fitz-Urse had come out had +taken place, he would be sure to go straight back to the palace. Ulf lay +there for some time fairly crying with vexation. He had done something, he +had discovered that Fitz-Urse was indeed engaged in some undertaking that +had to be conducted with the greatest secrecy; but this was little to what +he would have learned had he understood the language. His only consolation +was that both Wulf and Osgod had likewise forgotten the probability that +the conversations he was charged to overhear might be in Norman. + +Had Wulf still been in London he could have gone to him for fresh +instructions, but he had started at daybreak, and the king's party would +assuredly ride fast. There was no time to be lost. These men had a boat, +and probably came from a ship in the port. Were there really a conspiracy +against the king they might sail north and land in the Humber, though it +seemed more probable that they would wait for his return, for on his +journey he would be surrounded by his housecarls, and there would be far +less chance of finding him alone and unguarded than in London. Had it been +their intention to sail at once for the North, Walter Fitz-Urse would +probably have rowed away with them without returning to the palace. At any +rate it was too important a matter for him to trust to his own judgment, +and he determined to take counsel with his master. + +He had not been near the forge since he had begun the search, and was +supposed to have gone down to stay with his family, who lived near Reading. +He had hidden away his apprentice dress beneath some stones in a field half +a mile from Westminster, and he presented himself in this at the forge in +the morning. + +"You are back sooner than I expected, Ulf," Ulred said as he entered. "I +did not look for you for another week to come. Is all well at home?" + +"All is well, master; but I have a message to deliver to you concerning +some business." + +The armourer saw that his apprentice wished to speak to him in private. He +knew nothing of the reason for which Osgod had asked him to release the boy +from his work at the forge for a time, but had quite understood that the +wish to pay a visit to his family was but a cloak, and that the boy was to +be employed in some service for Wulf. Guessing, therefore, that the message +was one that should be delivered in private, he bade the boy follow him +from the forge and took him into the room above. + +"What is it you would say to me, Ulf? Mind, I wish to hear nothing about +any private matter in which you may be engaged either by Wulf or Osgod. +They are both away and may not return for a month or more. I judged the +matter was a private one, as Osgod said nought of it to me." + +"The matter is a private one, master, but as they are away I would fain +take your counsel on it." + +The armourer shook his head decidedly. "I can listen to nought about it, +boy. It can be no business of mine, and unless he has given you license to +speak I would not on any account meddle with the affairs of the young +thane, who is a good lord to my son." + +"That he has not done, sir; but I pray you to hear me," he added urgently +as the armourer was turning to leave the room. "It is a matter that may +touch the safety of our lord the king." + +The armourer stopped. "Art well assured of what you say, Ulf?" + +"For myself I can say nothing, master, but the young thane told me that he +had fears that some attempt or other might be made from the other side of +the sea against the king's life, and that although he had no strong +grounds, he thought that Walter Fitz-Urse, who had just returned here, +might be concerned in it, he having reasons for enmity against the king. +Therefore he appointed me to watch him." + +He then related the scene he had witnessed on the river bank the evening +before. + +"It is a strange story indeed, Ulf, and whatever it may mean, this meeting +can have been for no good purpose. The secrecy with which it was conducted +is enough to prove it. It is indeed unfortunate that you did not understand +what was said, for much may depend upon it. Well, this is a grave affair, +and I must think it over, Ulf. You have done well in telling me. Has any +plan occurred to you?" + +"I thought that you might accompany me, master." + +"That would I willingly, but though I have picked up enough of their tongue +to enable me to do business with the Normans at the king's court when they +come in to buy a dagger or to have a piece of armour repaired, I could not +follow their talk one with another. We must obtain someone who can speak +their language well, and who can be trusted to be discreet and silent. Why, +were it but whispered abroad that some Normans are plotting against the +life of the king, there would be so angry a stir that every Norman in the +land might be hunted down and slain. Do not go down to the forge, I will +tell my wife to give you some food, and you had best then go up to the +attic and sleep. You will have to be afoot again to-night, and it were well +that you kept altogether away from the others, so as to avoid inconvenient +questions. I will come up to you when I have thought the matter over." + +"Is aught troubling you, Ulred?" the armourer's wife asked when breakfast +was over and the men had gone downstairs again to their work. "Never have I +seen you sit so silently at the board." + +"I am worried about a matter which I have learned this morning. It matters +not what it is now. Some time later you shall hear of it, but at present I +am pledged to say no word about it. I want above all things to find one who +speaks the Norman tongue well, and is yet a true Englishman. I have been +puzzling my brains, but cannot bethink me of anyone. Canst thou help me?" + +"Except about the court there are few such to be found, Ulred. If Wulf of +Steyning had been here he could doubtless have assisted you had it been a +matter you could have confided to him; for Osgod said that although he +himself had learned but little Norman his master was able to talk freely +with the Norman nobles." + +"Ay, he learnt it partly when a page at court. But what you say reminds me +that it was but yesterday afternoon his friend Beorn came into my shop. He +had just arrived from his estate, and said how disappointed he was at +finding that Wulf had left London. I will go to the palace and see him at +once. I know but little of him save that I have heard from Osgod that he is +Wulf's firmest friend, and they fought together across in Normandy and +again against the Welsh. He has been here several times to have weapons +repaired, and knows that Osgod is Wulf's man. I wonder I did not think of +him, but my thoughts were running on people of our own condition." + +Ulred at once put on his cap and proceeded to the palace, where he found +Beorn without difficulty. + +"You have not come to tell me that the blade I left with you yesterday +cannot be fitted with a new hilt, Master Ulred? It is a favourite weapon +of mine, and I would rather pay twice the price of a new one than lose it." + +"I have come on another matter, my Lord Beorn. It is for your private ear. +May I pray you to come with me to my house, where I can enter upon it +without fear of being overheard?" + +"Certainly I will come, Ulred, though I cannot think what this matter may +be." + +"It concerns in some way the Thane of Steyning, my lord, and others even +higher in position." + +"That is enough," Beorn said. "Anything that concerns Wulf concerns me, and +as he is in the matter you can count on me without question." + +Upon reaching his house Ulred left Beorn for a moment in the room upstairs, +and fetched Ulf down from the attic. + +"This is an apprentice lad of mine," he said, "and as it is he who has been +employed by the Thane of Steyning in this affair, it were best that he +himself informed you of it" + +When Ulf had finished his story Beorn exclaimed, "I will go at once, and +will put such an affront upon this Walter Fitz-Urse that he must needs meet +me in mortal combat." + +"But even if you slay him, my lord, that may not interfere with the +carrying out of this enterprise, in which, as we know, another of equal +rank with him is engaged." + +"That is true, master armourer, and I spoke hastily. I thought perhaps it +was for this that you had informed me of the matter." + +"No, my lord; it seemed to me that the first thing was to assure ourselves +for a certainty that the affair is really a plot against the king's life, +of which we have as yet no manner of proof, but simply the suspicion +entertained by my son's master. The first necessity is to find out for a +truth that it is so, and secondly to learn how and when it is to be carried +out; and this can only be by overhearing another conversation between the +plotters. As you have heard, Ulf could have learnt all this if he had but +understood the Norman tongue. Could I have spoken it well enough to follow +the conversation I would not have troubled you, but it seemed to me that at +their next meeting it needed that one should be present who could speak +Norman well. After considering in vain how to find one who should at once +know the Norman tongue and be a true and trustworthy Englishman, my +thoughts fell upon you, of whom I have always heard my son speak as the +companion and friend of his master, and I made bold to come and lay the +matter before you, thinking that you might either take it in hand yourself +or name one suitable for it." + +"Certainly I will take it in hand myself," Beorn said, "and right glad am I +that you came to me. A matter in which the king's life is concerned I would +trust to no one but myself. And now, how think you shall we proceed? for +it may well be that these plotters may not meet again for some time, seeing +that the king is away." + +"So it seems to me," the armourer said; "and, moreover, they may in their +talk last night have appointed some other place of meeting." + +"What think you, Ulf?" Beorn said, turning to the boy. "Wulf would not +have chosen you for this business had he not had a good opinion of your +shrewdness; and, indeed, you have shown yourself well worthy of his +confidence." + +"I should say, my lord, that I must go on the watch as before. It is most +likely that the Norman will, sooner or later, go out in the same disguise +and by the same way as before, and that the hour will be between seven and +nine in the evening--most likely between seven and eight, in order that he +may return from the meeting before the bishop's doors are closed for the +night." + +"I will keep watch with you, Ulf. Were I sure that the meeting would take +place at the same spot as before you should show me where they landed, and +I would lie down there in readiness, but as they may meet elsewhere, it +seems to me that I must post myself by your side." + +"It would be better, my lord, if you would take your place on the other +side of the open space, for although I, being small, can escape notice, you +might well be seen by those approaching the door. It will be necessary, +too, that you should put on sandals of soft leather or cloth, so that your +footfall should not be heard. Then, as I follow him, I would run to where +you are posted, and you could follow me, so that you could keep me in sight +and yet be beyond his view, for all our plans would be foiled should he +suspect that he was being followed." + +"I will do as you advise. Come with me now and we will fix upon a station +to night, and afterwards you may be sure of finding me there between +half-past six and ten. Should you wish to see me at any other time you will +find me at the palace; I will not stir out between eight and nine in the +morning. I must say I wish it were warmer weather, for a watch of three +hours with the snow on the ground--and it is beginning to fall now--is not +so pleasant a way of spending the evening as I had looked for when I came +hither." + +Beorn went out with Ulf, and they fixed upon a doorway some twenty yards +from the street down which the Norman had before gone. + +"We must hope he will go by the same way," Beorn said, "for should he turn +to the right or left after issuing from the gate he will have gone so far +before you can run across and fetch me that we may well fail to pick up his +track again. It were well if we could arrange some signal by which you +would let me know should he so turn off. It would not do for you to call or +whistle." + +"No, my lord; but I could howl like a dog. He would but think it some cur +lying under the wall I might howl once if he turns to the right, twice if +he turns to the left, and you could then cross the ground in that +direction, and I could meet you on the way without losing sight of him for +long." + +"That would do well, Ulf, if you are sure you could imitate the howl of a +dog so nearly that he would not suspect it." + +"I can do that," Ulf said confidently. "I have used the signal before with +my comrades, and to make sure will go out to the fields and practise +daily." + +A month passed. Harold was still away in the North, and complete success +was attending his journey. The influence of Bishop Wulfstan, who was +greatly respected throughout the kingdom, did much, but Harold himself did +more. His noble presence, his courtesy to all, the assurances he gave of +his desire that all men should be well and justly ruled, that evil-doers of +whatever rank should be punished, that there should be no oppression and no +exaction of taxes beyond those borne by the whole community, won the hearts +of the people. They were, moreover, gratified by the confidence that he had +shown in coming among them, and in seeing for the first time in the memory +of man a monarch of England in Northumbria. + +Ulf and Beorn had kept regular watch, but without success, and Ulf's +comrades had as steadily watched the other entrances. Beorn had two or +three conferences with Ulf. He was becoming impatient at the long delay, +though he acknowledged that it was possible it had been arranged that no +more meetings should take place until it was known that Harold was about to +return. The armourer was perhaps the most impatient of the three. He was +doing nothing, and his anxiety made him so irritable and captious at his +work that his men wondered what had come over their master. After fretting +for three weeks over his own inaction, he one morning told Ulf to go to +Beorn and say that he begged to have speech with him. An hour later Beorn +returned with Ulf. + +"I bethought me last night, my lord," Ulred said, "while I lay awake +wondering over the matter, whether these fellows are still on board ship or +are in lodgings in London." + +"It might be either, Ulred. I have frequently thought over the matter. +Possibly they may have stayed on board their ship till she left, and then +have come on shore in the guise of peaceful traders." + +"If the ship did not return at once they may still be on board," the +armourer said, "for the wind has blown steadily from the east for the last +five weeks, and no ships have been able to leave the port. I blame myself +sorely that I did not think of it before, but at least I will lose no time +now if you think that good might come of it." + +"It would certainly be good if you could find either the ship or the house +where the men are in lodging, but seeing that you know nothing of their +appearance or number, nor the name of the ship in which they came nor the +port she sailed from, I see not how you could set about it." + +"I will first go to the port-reeve's office and find out the names of the +ships that arrived just before the time that the meeting by the river took +place. She may have come in early that day, or on the day before. They +would surely send word at once to him that they had arrived." + +"You might learn something that way, Ulred, but we do not know that the +meeting Ulf saw was their first." + +"That is true. But as Ulf's friend declares that he certainly had not gone +out that way during the evenings that he had been keeping watch, it is +likely that it was their first meeting." + +"That is so, Ulred; and at any rate it would be well that you should make +the inquiries, and that, while we are keeping our watch as before, you +should try to gather some tidings of the fellows in another way." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +A VOYAGE NORTH. + +The armourer found without any difficulty that twenty-five vessels, +exclusive of small coasters, had arrived in the port during the thirty-six +hours previous to the time of the meeting on the bank. Of these, eighteen +were from English ports, seven from Normandy, France, or Flanders. Three of +the latter had sailed away, and of the four remaining in the port two were +from Rouen, one from Calais, and one from Flanders. Having obtained the +names of these, he took boat and rowed down the river and ascertained where +each lay at anchor. He then, with the assistance of some citizens of +standing of his acquaintance, obtained a view of the manifests of their +cargoes. The Flemish vessel carried cloth, the other three miscellaneous +cargoes--wine, dried fish, cloth, and other goods. + +The Flemish vessel was the largest, those from Rouen and Calais were about +the same size. All had discharged their cargoes, and were waiting for a +change of wind to drop down the river. There was nothing unusual to be +observed on any of the ships. The men were for the most part down in the +forecastle, for the weather was too severe for them to lounge about on +deck. He talked the matter over with Beorn, and they agreed that it was +most probable that the men would embark from Calais rather than Rouen. It +was a far shorter and less perilous voyage, and moreover, as Frenchmen they +could move about without attracting attention, while as Normans they would +be viewed with a certain amount of hostility and suspicion. + +"I will make it my business to watch that vessel. I know not whether any +good can come of it, but I would fain be doing something. If the wind +changes she will doubtless proceed to sea, and if they are still on board +of her they will come ashore, and I could see their numbers and where they +put up." + +"That will indeed be important," Beorn said, "for we should then have two +places to watch, and should be almost certain to get to the root of the +matter. But how will you watch her?" + +"There are many houses near the water's edge, on the southern side of the +river near which the ship is lying, she having moved away from the quays +when she discharged her cargo. I will hire a room in one of these, and will +there pass as much of my time as I can; and I will take with me my +apprentice Ernulf, whom I shall bid keep his eye upon the ship whenever I +myself am away. I need say nothing whatever of the reason of my desire that +I should be acquainted with everything that passes on board." + +Ulred succeeded in getting a room exactly opposite the French vessel, and +sitting back from the window, was able, himself unseen, to notice +everything that passed on board the ship, which lay scarce her own length +from the shore. Upon the third day a boat containing a man wearing an ample +cloak with a hood, which was pulled far over his face, rowed up to the side +of the ship, and climbed up right nimbly into her waist. + +"It is a Saxon cloak," the armourer said to himself, "but those are Norman +leggings. The man is tall, and the quickness with which he climbed over +shows that he is young. I doubt not that it is our man. I would give a +year's profits of the forge to be hidden down below at present. However, it +is much to have learnt that this is really the ship, and that the Norman's +friends are still on board. I would that Wulf were in London. He has a keen +wit, and would hit on some plan by which we might get to the bottom of the +matter. Beorn is a brave young thane, and were Wulf here would second him +valiantly, but he has none of the other's quickness of thought. As soon as +this fellow leaves the ship I will hurry back to take counsel with him, and +hear what the boy Ulf, who is a marvellously shrewd little knave, may think +of the matter." + +Half an hour later the boat put off again; a man came to the side with the +visitor and retired below as soon as he left the ship. Ulred at once +hurried off, hailed a boat a short distance higher up and was rowed to +Westminster. As soon as he gained the house he despatched Ulf to Beorn. The +latter listened to the discovery that had been made, and then asked the +armourer what he advised should be done. + +"That is just what I am at a loss about, my lord. Doubtless were we to go +to the city and tell the port-reeve that there are men on that craft who +have designs against the king's life, he would pounce upon them and throw +them into jail. But we have no evidence to give in support of the charge." + +Beorn nodded his head in agreement. "If I had half a dozen of my own men +here," he said hotly, "I would go down in a boat after nightfall, seize the +vessel, and put all on board to the sword." + +"That would hardly do, my lord," the armourer said gravely. "On the high +sea doubtless the thing might be done, but here in the port of London it +would be a desperate undertaking, especially as we have nought that in the +eyes of the law would in any way justify such action." + +"Well, let us have your own advice, then," Beorn said impatiently. "You +think they cannot be arrested and they may not be slain. What do you +counsel shall be done!" + +"I see nought to do but to continue to wait and to watch. We are better +off than we were before, inasmuch as we know where these men are." + +"Yes, but we do not know where they will be to-morrow, for we know nothing +of what passed between Fitz-Urse and them; doubtless some settlement of +their plans has been come to. They may land or may sail away, for methinks +from the look of the sky there is like to be a change in the weather. You +see, the Norman may have taken them news that Harold will soon be on his +way back, for indeed a message arrived from him this morning with news that +all things had been well-nigh settled, and that he will shortly make for +York, where he is to wed the sister of the Northern earls. It may be that +the ship may be bound thither also. You left your apprentice on the watch, +I suppose?" + +"Yes, I bade him keep his eye on the ship, and should any men leave her he +is to follow on their track and mark their movements." + +"At any rate there can be little need for me to watch this evening," Beorn +said. "As Fitz-Urse has seen the others to-day he cannot want to meet them +to-night" + +"No, that is certain," the armourer agreed; "but with your permission I +will call Ulf in. I told him before I sent him to you what I had observed. +Are you going to watch again this evening, boy?" he asked when Ulf entered. +"Methinks there can be little chance of his going out again to-night." + +"I shall keep even a stricter watch than usual, master," Ulf said, "for it +may be that the agreement at which they arrived to-day is that they sail +north, and in that case Walter Fitz-Urse may go on board the ship, and hide +there until the wind changes and they can get up sail" + +"I think the boy is right, my lord. In a dark matter like this, where we +know so little, it behoves us to provide for every chance. But I think not +that there can be any need for you to be on watch, for it can hardly be +that they will hold another consultation on the river bank." + +Ulf returned soon after ten o'clock. "He has not gone out by my gate, +master, but I find that my comrade is missing. When I went round as usual +to the other entrance he was not there." + +"Perhaps he was tired and went home." + +"No, indeed," the boy replied indignantly; "he has sworn to do what I told +him, and he knows that it would be bad for him if he broke his word; +besides, we are sworn comrades. He has never before failed me, and I +cannot but think that he must have seen the man go out and followed him. I +instructed him that if at any time he saw a man like the one we are looking +for he was to follow him wherever he went, and to bring me word whether he +met anyone and whether he returned to the palace or went into any house. If +he did so he was to make a small mark on the door-post with chalk, so that +in the morning he would be able to point it out with surety. I will sit at +my window and watch, and I warrant it will not be long before he is here." + +Half an hour later Ulf heard steps rapidly approaching; then a low whistle. +He put his head out of the window. + +"What is the news, Edwyn?" + +"A man came out in a cloak. He was tall. I followed him and heard a sword +clink under the cloak, and so felt sure it was the man we have been looking +for. I stole after him. He went straight down to the river and gave two +short calls. A boat was rowed up. Only a word or two was spoken, and then +he took his seat in it, and it was rowed away down the river." + +"You have done well, comrade," Ulf said. "I warrant that some good will +come to us through your discovery. Good-night." + +Ulf went and knocked at his master's door, and on Ulred opening it he told +him the news. + +"I will go down right early," the armourer said. + +"It is beginning to rain, master. The frost has broken, and the wind is +soft and warm." + +"So much the worse, boy. I will be up at daylight, and you shall go down +the river with me. I may want to send you back with a message to Beorn." + +Next morning they had rowed near to London Bridge when they saw a boat +approaching. The day had broken, but the light was still uncertain. As the +boat approached, however, Ulf said: "There is a boy in the boat, master, +and he wears an apprentice's cap. Maybe that it is Ernulf." The other boat +was keeping close inshore, for the tide had begun to run down. The +armourer told the boatman to row closer in, and presently called the boy's +name. + +"Yes, master, it is I; I was just coming to you with news." + +In a couple of minutes the boats were alongside of each other. "What is +your news, Ernulf? But I can guess; the ship has sailed." + +"Yes, master; I lay down by the open window, and an hour before day broke I +was aroused by the creaking of ropes, and looking out could see that the +ship was getting up sail. Tide was then just on the turn, and five minutes +later her sails were spread and she went down the river. I came off to tell +you, but was some time before I could get a boat." + +"Come on board here, Ernulf," the armourer said, "your message has saved us +further journey." He then paid off the lad's boatman, and with his two +apprentices returned to Westminster. "Beorn will be up by this time, Ulf. +You had best go and tell him the news. I will come with you to save time, +though I see not that there is aught to be done." + +The thane at once came out and chatted for some time with Ulred, while Ulf +stood by, cap in hand. "It is certain that something should be done, and +yet I see not what it can be. What think you, boy? I see by your eyes that +you would fain speak." + +"I should say, my lord, that it would be a good thing if we could discover +whether the Norman is still at the bishop's palace. He may have returned +early this morning." + +"That can easily be done," Beorn said. "I will send my man to the bishop's +and bid him ask one of the servants if Walter Fitz-Urse is in. He need not +say that he comes from me, only that he has a message to deliver. If the +servant says he is there I will bid my fellow slip away when the man goes +to fetch him down. Supposing he has gone, as I should think he has done, +what then?" + +"Then, my lord, I think there is more danger than if the Norman remained +here. It may be that the Normans have returned to France and abandoned any +plans they may have entertained. But it seems to me far more likely that +they have gone north to carry out the enterprise." + +"Whither, think you, will they be bound, Ulf?" + +"I should say to the Humber, my lord. They may on landing proceed to York, +or, if they have really designs against the king's life, may take post +somewhere on the road down from that city." + +"By my faith the boy is right," Beorn said. "What say you, master +armourer?" + +"I say the same, my lord. The villains have slipped through our fingers, +and we can do nought to stay them. It seems to me that not an hour should +be lost in sending a warning to the Thane of Steyning." + +"I will mount myself and ride north," Beorn said. + +"And I, my lord, will at once go down to the port and inquire if there be a +ship sailing to-day for the Humber. Scarce a day passes that one or more +do not start for the northern ports. Yes, Ulf, I shall take you with me. +You are charged with this business by the Thane of Steyning, and I am but +aiding you in it. I will go straight away to the city, my lord, and if a +ship be sailing--and after so long a bout of east wind it is like that many +will be doing so--I will be back in an hour with the news. Maybe I can find +a quick sailer, and shall be at one of the ports in the Humber before the +craft that left this morning." + +"By the time you return I shall have found out whether Fitz-Urse is at the +bishop's palace, and shall have my horses ready to mount." + +The armourer learnt in the city that several ships for the North had +already dropped down the river, and that three others were hastily +completing their lading, and would follow by the next tide. He learnt from +a trader that one of them was considered especially fast, and being +acquainted with the owner, he took the armourer with him, and arranged for +a passage for him and the boy. + +"You will have to be on board this afternoon," the owner said. "The +shipmaster will not waste a tide, but as soon as it turns will up anchor +and make his way down the river in the dark. He knows the channel well, and +there will be light enough to enable him to hold on his course all night. +The east wind may return again, and he might be caught; so he has decided +to start as soon as the last bale is on board. He knows the sands well, and +you may reckon on a speedy passage if the wind holds as it is, or even if +it goes round to the east again, when he is once abreast of Harwich." + +On returning to Westminster Ulred learnt from Beorn that Fitz-Urse was +there no longer, having, as the servant said, left for Normandy. + +"I am just starting, Ulred. Which will be at York first, you or I?" + +"It depends upon the wind, my lord. A ship can sail night and day, but a +horse and rider must take some rest. It may be that we shall lay to at +night, but that must depend upon the shipmaster. If the breeze holds and +the ship goes on without stopping, methinks we shall be there before you." + +"At any rate," Beorn said, "we may feel sure that we shall both be in time. +Whatever their designs they will have to lay their plans and wait their +opportunity, and such may not come for some time. Farewell, then, Ulred, +and a safe voyage to you. As for me, I have had enough of the sea, and +never wish to set foot on board ship again; for what with the want of space +and the tossing and the sickness, I would rather pass the time in bonds in +a prison cell than be cooped up in a ship." + +A few minutes later Beorn, attended by his servants, started for the North, +and in the afternoon Ulred, after giving many orders to his head man as to +the conduct of his business during his absence, took boat, and with Ulf +went on board the ship. To the armourer it was a very serious undertaking +upon which he was embarking. He had never before set foot on board of a +ship, and a sea-voyage in those days was regarded as a very dangerous +business. Nothing short of his loyalty to Harold would have induced him to +have ventured on such an expedition. It was but a few months since that +the Northumbrians had been burning and sacking the country round +Northampton, and even putting aside the dangers of the sea, he regarded the +visit to the North as full of peril. + +Ulf on the other hand was delighted. To him the journey was full of +interest and excitement, and on his return he would be regarded as a great +traveller by his comrades. His face, therefore, as he climbed on board +ship, was in strong contrast to the grave and serious visage of his master. +Before the vessel had passed Greenwich he had made the acquaintance of the +two ship's-boys, and soon felt perfectly at home on board. He watched with +great interest other craft that they met or passed, and noted with great +satisfaction that they overhauled several who had, when first seen, been +two or three miles ahead. The wind was blowing briskly from the south-west, +and with her great sail set the vessel ran quickly through the water. Even +when the tide turned she held on her course, and keeping close inshore made +good way against it. Many times during the night he went out from the close +sleeping--place to assure himself that the vessel was still making way. +When morning broke the tide had again turned, and Ulf found that the vessel +was now holding her course near the middle of the river, which had widened +to an extent that seemed wonderful to him. + +"Where have we got to now?" he asked one of the boys. "Are we out at sea? +There does not seem to be any land on the right hand." + +"You would see it if it were clear. We are just opposite Foulness." + +"The vessel rolls about a good deal." + +"Do you feel ill?" the boy laughed. "This is nothing." + +"No; I feel hungry, but that is all." + +"If the wind holds as it is we shall not have it rougher than this, for we +shall steer more and more north, and as we always keep inside the sands the +land will shelter us. The shortest passage is straight ahead, but we +generally go through a channel between two sands into the Wallet, which +lies between the sands and the Essex shore. There are not many ship-masters +who will come down the river below Sheerness at night, and even our master +would not try it with a falling tide; but even if one does touch when the +tide is rising, one soon gets off again. She won't roll about so much when +we get inside the sands; and besides, I heard the master say that he +thought the wind would fall lighter as the sun got up." + +"I should like it to keep on just as it is," Ulf said. "I do not want it to +blow so hard that we must go into port, and I don't want it to blow so +light that we shall go slowly." + +"What are you in such a hurry for?" the boy asked. + +"There are some people my master knows who have gone up in a ship that +started yesterday morning, and my master wants to be there before them." + +"You need not be afraid, he is sure to be there first. Like enough we have +passed them already. The wind was not so strong yesterday as it was in the +night, and I expect they had to anchor when the tide turned. If they have a +master who knows the sands well they may have gone on when the tide turned +again, but it was likely they would anchor before they got down to +Sheerness. If they did, we passed them three or four hours ago. But anyhow +you are sure to be in first. We often beat vessels that started with us, by +a week. Most of them go outside all the sands when it is fine weather, but +we always keep inside; and it makes a great difference, for the tides do +not run so strong, and even with a light wind we can make way against them, +while those outside have to anchor." + +"I can't make out how you can find your way in the dark." + +"If it is a thick night and the weather is bad we anchor, but when it is +clear enough to see the stars, or if the wind is steady so as to give us +our direction, we go on. There is a man always standing at the side with a +lead-line, and that tells us the depth of water, which is quite guide +enough for the master. Of course we never sail in rough weather, for if we +went on the sand then we should soon go to pieces; but if it is fine when +we stick fast, which is very seldom, we put out the anchor and lower the +sail, and go to sleep until the tide floats us again. Come up into the +top; you can see a great deal farther from there than you can from the +deck." + +Ulf found no difficulty in mounting to the top, although he was much longer +than his companion in getting up. There were several sail following them, +and Ulf was surprised at the knowledge his companion showed of vessels that +appeared to him almost precisely similar. + +"The one nearest to us is the Alfred," he said. "I know her by that patch +on her sail. She trades with Harwich. Those two smaller craft behind are +bound, I should say, for Colchester or Maldon. That craft two miles ahead +of us is a foreigner. You can see her sail has a longer yard than the +others, and the sail is narrower at the bottom than it is at the top. Those +two or three small craft you see more inshore have passed through the +channel we shall follow into the Wallet The farthest one is going on to +Harwich, the others into the rivers. There is a craft about our own size +hull down close by the land. She may be going to Harwich, or may be going +on north. She looks to me like a foreigner. If so, she has come last from +London. French and Flemish ships do not come within fifty miles of this. +And now I must go down. We do the cooking, and breakfast must be ready in +half an hour, or the master will be storming at us." + +The wind held steadily from the south-west, and the vessel ran along near +the shore in smooth water. The armourer had been ill the first night, but +he came on deck soon after breakfast, and when once the vessel was past the +mouth of Harwich Bay and was close inland, he soon recovered. On the +morning of the fourth day after leaving port she entered the mouth of the +Humber, and by nine o'clock arrived at Hull. Landing at once the armourer +found a small vessel on the point of starting for York, and in half an hour +from the time of weighing anchor the tide turned, and they ran rapidly +along, helped by the flood. + +"At what time will you reach York?" the armourer asked the master. + +"By daylight to-morrow. We shall sail on until the flood is spent, and then +anchor and go on again as soon as the ebb has done." + +"How far will you be from York when you anchor?" + +"We shall most likely get to Selby, some fourteen miles away by the road, +though farther by the turns of the river." + +"Could you put us ashore there, for we are anxious to reach the city as +soon as possible?" + +"Oh, yes. I will put you ashore in the boat either there or wherever else +we may bring up." + +They were three miles short of Selby when the ebb began to come down and +the anchor was dropped. The armourer and Ulf were at once landed, and +shouldering their bundles they set out at a brisk pace and passed through +Selby at four o'clock. No questions were asked them. There was but small +difference of dress between the people of the various parts of England, and +it was no unusual sight to see traders and others passing along the road on +their way to the Northern capital. + +"I am right glad to be on firm land again," Ulred said; "for although, +after the first night, matters have been better than I expected, there was +always a movement that seemed to make my head swim." + +"I liked it, master," Ulf said, "and if it were not that I am going to be +an armourer I would gladly be a sailor." + +"You might not have said so if you had seen bad weather; and moreover, it +is one thing to be a passenger with nought to do but to amuse yourself, and +another to be always hauling at ropes and washing down decks as a sailor. I +am glad night is coming on, for I feel strange in this country I know +nothing of, and in the dark one place is like another." + +"I would much rather walk along this road in the dark," Ulf laughed, "than +along some of the streets of London, where one may step any moment into a +deep hole or stumble into a heap of refuse." + +"At any rate, in the dark no one can see we are strangers, Ulf, and though +I should not think there would be robbers on the road so near to York, +these Danes are rough folk, and I want to meet none of them. One man, or +even two, I in no ways fear, but when it comes to half a dozen even the +best sword-player may wish himself out of it." + +They met, however, but one or two men on the road, and beyond exchanging +the usual salutation nothing was said; but Ulred was well pleased when +about seven o'clock they entered the streets of York. + +They had already learned that the royal marriage had taken place on the +previous day, and that the king was expected to remain in York two days +longer before journeying south. There was a banquet being held at the +archbishop's palace, where the king was lodged, and on arriving there they +found that it would at present be impossible to get at Wulf, as supper had +just been served. A small bribe, however, was sufficient to induce one of +the bishop's servants to take the message to Osgod, who would be stationed +near his master's chair, that his father was at the entrance and prayed him +to come out to him as soon as possible. A few minutes later the tall Saxon +came out with an expression of utter bewilderment on his face. + +"Is it really you, father, in flesh and blood?" he exclaimed as his eyes +fell on Ulred. + +"I have never been taken for a ghost, Osgod, and if I were to give thee a +buffet methinks you would have no doubt upon the matter." + +"But what brings you here, father? If they had told me that the great Abbey +tower stood without I could not be more surprised." + +"Do you not see that I have brought Ulf with me, Osgod? If your head were +not so thick you would guess at once that I have come about the business +with which he was charged." + +Osgod looked relieved. That his father should be in York had seemed to him +so strange and outrageous that he had first doubted his own eyes, and then +his father's sanity. Now for the first time the object of his coming +flashed upon him. + +"Is there danger, father?" + +"Methinks there is great danger. But the story is a long one." + +"Then I cannot wait to hear it now, for I must needs return to Wulf. I +whispered in his ear that I must leave for a moment, but that I should be +back directly." + +"Then just whisper to him again, Osgod, that I have urgent need for speech +with him. I suppose Beorn has not arrived?" + +"Beorn!" Osgod repeated vaguely. + +"The Thane of Fareham," the armourer said sharply. "Are your wits +wool-gathering altogether?" + +"No, he is not here; nor has Wulf said a word of his coming, as he +assuredly would have done had he expected him." + +"Well, when I tell you that he is riding from London, while I have come +thence by sea, you may suppose that we thought the matter urgent." + +"I will tell Wulf at once, father, but I am sure that he cannot come out +for an hour yet." + +"The matter will keep that while. I will go and look for a lodging for us +and get something to eat, for we have walked some seventeen miles, and my +legs are not so accustomed to exercise as my arms. In an hour we will be +here again." + +Ulred and his apprentice had returned to the gate of the bishop's palace +but a few minutes when Wulf came out, followed by Osgod. "Your message must +be an important one, indeed, Ulred, to cause you to leave the forge and to +undertake so long a voyage. And you say Beorn is riding hither on the same +errand?" + +"He is. It is a sort of race between us, and it seems that we have won." + +"Let us step aside from here," Wulf said. "There are too many gathered +about to stare at the guests as they come and go for us to talk unobserved. +The cathedral yard is close by, and there will be no fear of eaves-droppers +there." + +"It is Ulf's story," the armourer said when they reached the shadow of the +cathedral. "It is to him that the matter was committed, and though he was +forced to take me into his confidence, the merit of following up the +matter, if merit there be, is his." + +Ulf accordingly related the story of his watching, the discovery he had +made by the river, and how Walter Fitz-Urse had been afterwards seen to +embark and had not returned. Ulred then stated how he had discovered the +ship from which the boat had come, and had seen the Norman go on board, and +how, when he learned that the ship had sailed, he had, after seeing Beorn, +taken passage in another vessel. "We have come up fast," he said, "and the +opinion of the master was that we have gained a full day on any craft that +started that morning. Of course, we know not that the villains have come +hither; they may have returned to France, they may have gone up some of the +other rivers in order to take post on the road the king will follow on his +way south. But at any rate we felt it right that you should know that +Fitz-Urse, with those with whom he has been holding secret communication, +have left London." + +"You have done rightly indeed, Ulred, and in the king's name and for myself +I thank you heartily. Of course, we are still without any proof that +Fitz-Urse is conspiring against the king's life. It was unfortunate indeed +that Ulf did not understand the first conversation he heard, but I ought to +have foreseen that it was likely that any talk Fitz-Urse might have with +others would be in Norman. I cannot think now how I could have overlooked +such a probability. Of course, in the years that he has been over here he +has learnt to speak our language, but it would be with Normans he would +deal in the matter of which we suspect him. I will give myself the night to +think over the matter before I decide what steps we had better take. Inside +the bishop's palace, at any rate, the king is safe, and, as you say, it is +not likely that the Normans can be here for a day at least. If their ship +is a French one the master will be ignorant of the dangers of the coast, +and instead of threading his way through the channels of the sands, as your +master did, will have held his course far outside them. I would we knew how +many men are engaged in the matter." + +"As to that we have no clue," the armourer said. "There was the man of his +own rank and the other two who met him on the bank, but whether these were +all, or whether there were a score of others on board the ship, I know not. +Certainly none showed themselves on the deck while I was watching them. But +this proves nothing. They would naturally be kept in concealment, for had +there been an unusual number of men on board, inquiries would have been +made as to whom they were and their business." + +"I will meet you here at seven to-morrow morning, Ulred, and we shall then +have time to talk the matter over more fully." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + +AN ATTEMPT AT ASSASSINATION. + +When Wulf met the armourer next morning in the cathedral close he was +accompanied by Beorn, who said, laughing, to the latter, "You have beaten +me fairly, friend Ulred, and it is well that I had no wager with you on the +race. But it was not by much, for I rode in here as the bells were chiming +eleven. I was glad to hear from Wulf when I roused him up that he had +learnt all the news from you, for indeed I was sore weary, and was right +pleased to wrap myself in my cloak and go straight to sleep instead of +having to sit up for an hour expounding my story." + +"We have resolved in the first place, Ulred, to say nought of this matter +to the king," began Wulf. "He will have enough to occupy all his thoughts +in the affairs of the kingdom, and in the second place his nature is so +open that he will refuse to believe in such villainy unless upon strong +proof, and of actual proof we have none. Beorn's appearance here will +excite no surprise. He will say that having nought in particular to occupy +him he had ridden north to be at the wedding, and finding that he was too +late, would at any rate ride back with the king. With him and me and Osgod +ever on the watch, methinks there will be little fear of a surprise; and it +is by surprise only that they can succeed, for Harold himself is a match +for any four or five ordinary men if he has but time to draw his sword. I +will, however, on some excuse have half a score of Harold's housecarls +placed under my orders, and sleeping or waking the king shall never be a +moment unguarded. + +"I should not think it is likely that Fitz-Urse will have more than five or +six men associated with him in such an enterprise. He would not take more +into his confidence than he could help, and six would suffice as well as a +score for a surprise; and that number could travel in disguise without +exciting attention, while twenty would assuredly do so; therefore I feel +sure that we shall not have to deal with more than six, including the two +leaders. Ulf, do you station yourself at the river-bank and mark any +vessels arriving. If the men come hither they will probably do as you did, +leave their ship at Hull and come up by a local trader. They would thus +avoid all questions they might be asked if passing through the country on +foot." + +"And what is there for me to do, my lord Wulf?" the armourer said. +"Frankly, I have gone so far in this matter that I would fain see it +through." + +"Of course we reckon upon you, Ulred. I have been talking it over with +Beorn, and it seemed to us that the best thing will be for you to ride with +Osgod. You can either make some slight change in your clothes and ride as a +man of mine, or you can ride as Osgod's father, who, having come up here on +matters connected with your business, have obtained permission to ride in +my train with him. I will see that you have that permission." + +"I care not how I go so that I can be at hand if there is a blow to be +struck for the king." + +"Then in that case, Ulred, it were best you went as my man, for you would +then have the entry of the houses where the king will stop and can aid us +in keeping guard." + +"That will do well for me," Ulred replied. "Ulf had best journey back as he +came. He might go by ship after the king has left here." + +"No, he shall travel with us. I will see the chamberlain who has charge of +the arrangements of the journey, and will get leave for him to ride in the +waggons with the servants." + +During the three days before the king left York Ulf kept a vigilant watch +over the boats that came up the river, but he could see nothing of the men +he was searching for. Wulf had bought a horse for the armourer, and when +they started the latter took his place by Osgod's side, while Ulf was +seated in one of the waggons. The king rode with Bishop Wulfstan, next to +them rode the four thanes who had accompanied them through their journey, +and next to these Wulf and Beorn came on together. Behind came the queen's +litter, with a guard of housecarls, the main body of whom rode just behind, +while the waggons and servants brought up the rear. + +"We need not trouble ourselves on the march, Beorn. It is not while the +king rides with so strong a following that the blow will be struck." + +"I see not when they can ever get a chance," Beorn said. "The king will +stop always at religious houses, and they will scarcely storm a convent to +get at him." + +"They would not attempt to storm it, Beorn, but they might enter it +secretly. But for my own part I think the most dangerous time is when he +mounts or dismounts. There is always a crowd assembled to see him, and two +or three reckless men might rush forward and stab him." + +"It would be at the cost of their own lives," Beorn objected. + +"It might be, but they would reckon much on the confusion that would +follow, and might think so to get away. They would probably have horses +somewhere close at hand, and might ride for the port where they had left +their ship. It is a great stake they are playing for, and doubtless they +are desperate men; though they would know the danger they might calculate +that some at least would escape to claim the reward. Then again, they +might manage to mingle with the servitors at one of the places where we +stop. This would not be difficult, for many beside the usual establishment +would be hired to aid in the preparations for the reception of the king. +That might be their safest plan, for were he stabbed suddenly at a meal the +assassins might very well escape in the confusion." + +The first night they slept at a monastery at the village of Bautre. The +establishment was but a small one, and could entertain only the king and +queen, with the thanes and their personal attendants. The rest of the train +were lodged in the village. Although they had little fear that an attack +would be ventured in so quiet a village where the presence of strangers +would at once attract attention, Wulf, Beorn, and Osgod kept watch in turns +all night in the corridor. The night passed without cause of alarm, and the +next day they rode to Nottingham, where they were lodged in the bishop's +palace. Beorn and Wulf agreed that this was the place where there was the +greatest likelihood of an attack being made on Harold's life. The ship +might have sailed up the river and landed her passengers a few miles from +the town, where, among the number of country people who would flock in to +obtain sight of the king, no one would think of questioning strangers. The +armourer and Ulf were charged to wander about the streets, and to closely +scan every face. Wulf had with some difficulty obtained from Harold the +command of twelve of the soldiers. + +"I have my reasons, my lord king, though I would rather not state them. I +would remind you that I have shown that it is not my habit to take alarm +lightly. Your brother Gurth laughed at me when I begged to watch over his +camp with my housecarls, and I saved him from a sudden attack by the Welsh +thereby." + +"Then you think that there is danger of an attack upon me, Wulf?" + +"I said not so, my lord. I have only begged you to appoint twelve of your +men to obey my orders solely, during your journey to London." + +"You shall do as you like, Wulf," the king said at last. "You have proved +yourself brave as well as prudent before now, and are not given to vain +fears, therefore do as you please, but let me know nought about it. I shall +have to receive the visits of all the thanes of the neighbourhood when I +reach Nottingham, and the same in other towns. There will be many persons +coming in with petitions for the redress of grievances, and I would not +have my thoughts disturbed by other matters." + +"You shall know nought about it, my lord," Wulf said. "It is like enough +that nothing will come of the matter, and none will be more glad than +myself to find that I am mistaken." + +Orders accordingly had been given to the officer of the king's guard to +hand over twelve of his men to Wulf, and the latter had begged him to +choose twelve of his most intelligent men for this service. As soon as they +reached Nottingham Wulf took his small command aside. + +"You have been chosen," he said, "for a special duty. I have learned that +there are disaffected men who may possibly make an attempt on the king's +life. You are to say no word of what I tell you to anyone. Meet me over by +that wall half an hour after sunset. Gather quietly one by one so as to +attract no attention. You will be posted round the palace, to keep watch +and ward during the night. As soon as it is daylight half of you will lie +down and sleep till mid-day, and then be in readiness for fresh duty. The +others I will instruct as to where to hold themselves. The king will remain +here two days, and watch must be kept over his safety night and day." + +As soon as their apartments were assigned to the different guests Wulf went +outside and examined the windows of the rooms to be occupied by the king. +They were on the first floor, and looked into a garden surrounded by a high +wall. + +"At any rate, there is little fear of a successful surprise from this +side," Wulf said to Beorn, who was with him. "It would need a ladder to +scale the wall; this would have to be pulled up for them to descend into +the garden, and then carried across to mount to the window. If we post +Ulred with two men here and let four others lie down near to change guard +every two hours, it will be ample, for on an alarm being given, the Normans +however numerous will see that their attempt must fail. We can therefore +send the other six to bed after supper is over, for we cannot suppose that +they would be so daring as to force their way into the palace at any other +point." + +As soon as it was dark Ulred and six of the soldiers were placed in the +garden; the others were directed to hold themselves in readiness to take +their post in the banqueting-hall. Just before the bell sounded for supper +Wulf was told that a boy desired to speak to him at the gate. He hurried +out, and, as he expected, saw Ulf waiting there. + +"What news, Ulf,--hast seen Walter Fitz-Urse?" + +"I have not seen him, my lord, but I am sure that I heard him speak. There +was a great crowd in the square after the king had entered, and among those +round me I heard one man speak to another in a foreign tongue, and the +voice was assuredly that of Walter Fitz-Urse. It was but two or three words +he said, but having listened to him for well-nigh half an hour that night +by the river, I am certain I was not mistaken in the voice. Close beside me +were two cowled monks, and I believe that it was one of them who spoke. I +looked round at the faces of the other men standing near, but they all +seemed honest countrymen or town folk. I should have followed the monks to +see where they went, but at that moment there was a rush among the crowd to +see some mummers who had just commenced their antics, and I was swept along +by it; and though I have been searching ever since, and have so stared up +into the cowls of monks, that I have been cursed as an insolent boy many +times, I have not seen our man." + +"Thanks, Ulf. It is something to have learned that he is here. As to his +disguise, he may by this time have changed it. Still, I will be on my +guard, and will take care that no cowled monk approaches too closely to the +king. Take your place here at the gate and watch all who come in and out, +and if you see aught suspicious send in a soldier, whom I will place by +your side, to fetch me out." + +One of the men was accordingly placed with the boy with orders to come to +Wulf, whether at the table or in the king's room, the moment Ulf told him +to do so. When the others went into the banquet Wulf posted two men just +outside the door, and placed the other three back against the wall nearest +to the king's chair. Here, standing against the arras, they were concealed +from the sight of the guests by the crowd of servitors passing to and fro. + +"Stand with your hands on your daggers," Wulf said to them, "and watch +every man who approaches the king, no matter of what degree he may appear. +Be ready to spring forward in an instant if you see his hand go to his +dagger." + +The bishop and king sat next to each other in the centre of the table on +the dais; on either side were the king's thanes, abbots and other +dignitaries of the church, and the nobles of the country. Wulf and Beorn +had begged to be excused from supping, and permission had been readily +granted by the king, as he knew that the bishop would be glad at having two +extra seats at his disposal; and they also, standing back by the wall, +closely scrutinized the movements of the attendants. It was a relief to +them when supper was over and the bishop and his principal guests retired +to a private room. The five soldiers were then told that they would not be +required until morning. + +Wulf went out to the gate, and learnt from Ulf that he had seen no one +enter whom he took for Fitz-Urse. + +"He may have gone in by some other entrance, my lord," he said, "for there +are three or four ways into the palace." + +"We shall be on watch inside, Ulf. You need stay no longer. Be here in the +morning at seven." + +After the king and queen had retired to bed and the palace was quiet Wulf, +Beorn, and Osgod stole from their room, and noiselessly passed along the +corridors until they came to the king's apartment, and then lay down across +the door. They were to keep watch in turns, Osgod being told to keep the +first watch and to rouse Wulf at midnight. This he did, and Wulf lay for +some time listening intently. The corridor was faintly lit by two lamps, +one at either end. Wulf had chosen the middle watch, because he thought +that if any attempt was made it would be soon after midnight, as the +assassins would wish to have many hours of darkness in which to make their +escape. He knew that Beorn was a sound sleeper, and could scarcely be +trusted to keep awake from midnight until four o'clock, and that it were +best he himself watched during that time. + +Half an hour passed, and then he heard a very slight noise. A moment later +four figures appeared at the end of the corridor. He dared not wake his +companions, for they might speak or move, but he grasped his sword-hilt, +having drawn the blade in readiness when Osgod woke him. The men advanced +stealthily, and as they approached he saw they had drawn swords in their +hands. They paused a few paces away, and in a whisper one said: + +"Here are three fellows asleep; what shall we do with them?" + +"Draw your daggers and stab them to the heart," another replied. "Each take +one, and do not bungle over it. As you strike I will open the door and rush +in. Now!" + +Wulf had gathered his legs under him in readiness to spring to his feet as +soon as he saw the figures, and as they swiftly advanced he leapt up with a +shout and crossed swords with the man nearest to him. + +"Cut him down! Kill him! It is too late to draw back now!" one of the men +cried. The others, who had recoiled a moment when Wulf sprang up, rushed at +him just as he cut down the man he had first engaged. + +"Cut them down and fly!" the one who had before given orders exclaimed, +lunging furiously at Wulf. + +"Easier said than done, Walter Fitz-Urse!" Wulf exclaimed, as he parried a +blow and dealt one in return. It lighted on his opponent's shoulder, but +the blade shivered in his hand, for it had fallen upon mail armour +concealed under the Norman's garment. + +"It is my turn now!" Fitz-Urse exclaimed, and raised his sword to strike a +sweeping blow at Wulf's head, but before it could fall the latter leapt +forward and caught the uplifted wrist, the impetus of the spring throwing +his opponent backwards, while Wulf fell heavily upon him, and for a moment +they rolled over and over. But Wulf was by far the most powerful, and +speedily got the upper hand. He had not noticed that his opponent, while +holding his sword in his right hand, had his dagger already drawn in his +left. The sword had flown from Fitz-Urse's hand as he fell, and Wulf, +believing him to be powerless, glanced round to see how the fray went with +the others, when the Norman stabbed him deeply in the side. Before he could +repeat the blow Wulf snatched his own dagger from his girdle and buried it +in the assassin's throat Then he raised himself on his left hand. It was +but a matter of seconds since the fight had commenced, but it was already +over. Osgod had slain one man, Beorn was following a flying opponent down +the corridor, and Harold, sword in hand, had just rushed from his chamber. +Wulf saw no more, but fell over insensible by the side of his adversary. + +"What is all this?" Harold shouted as he turned to Osgod, the only figure +standing, raising his sword as he spoke, for in the dim light he did not +recognize him. + +"It means, my lord, that there has been an attempt on your life. I am +Osgod, Wulf's man. I fear my brave young master is killed!" and he dropped +on his knees by Wulf's side. By this time doors were opening all along the +corridor, and the king's thanes and other guests, awakened by Wulf's shout +and the clashing of swords, were pouring out, armed with the first weapon +they could snatch up. + +"Bring lights!" Harold shouted. "My life has been attempted, and I fear +that the brave Thane of Steyning is killed." + +The alarm spread fast, and the palace so lately hushed and silent was now +in an uproar, while the bishop with many other ecclesiastics, with +servants, retainers, and men-at-arms, mingled with the thanes. + +"Keep all back!" Harold cried. "Let none approach these bodies until we +have examined them." + +Torches were soon brought. Harold seized one, and bent over Wulf's body. + +"Is he dead?" + +"His heart beats, but feebly, my lord," Osgod replied. + +"Where is he hurt?" + +"There is a great patch of blood here on his right side just over the hip. +I see no other sign of a wound." + +"We will carry him into my chamber," the king said. "But no; I forgot, the +queen is there. We will take him into the room opposite; it matters not +whose it is. Now, Osgod, aid me to lift him gently. Bishop, I pray you send +for the leeches most skilled in the treatment of sword wounds in the city." +Then he and Osgod carried Wulf into the chamber opposite his own, and laid +him on a pallet. + +"Now see to the staunching of the flow of blood till the leeches arrive. I +must inquire into this matter. Who knows aught about it?" he asked as he +went out into the corridor. + +"I do, my lord king," Beorn replied as he pushed his way through the +throng. "It was a plot to take your life. Wulf, his man Osgod, and myself +had no certain knowledge of it, but we had cause for suspicion, and +therefore lay outside your door. We were to take it in turns to watch. +Wulf was on guard, and as I awoke at his shout I saw him cut down that +villain who lies there with a cleft skull There were three others. I fell +upon one, Osgod took another, while Wulf engaged the man who seemed to be +the leader. Wulf's sword broke, but he closed with his opponent and they +fell together. Osgod ran his man through, and my opponent fled. I could not +catch him until he reached the door, but as that was closed he could fly no +farther, and I slew him there." + +"Who and what are these men, good Beorn?" + +"They are, I believe, Normans; but I know naught for certain beyond the +fact that the leader, he with whom Wulf was engaged, is Walter Fitz-Urse, +who was a page of the Bishop William of London, and was well known at the +court." + +Exclamations of fury and indignation broke from those around, with the +cries of "Death to the Normans!" + +Harold raised his hand. "Silence, my friends. Let us be fair and just as it +becomes Englishmen. There are villains of all nations, and it is not +because four caitiffs have thought to do a good service to their duke by +getting rid of me that we should blame men who will abhor this crime as +much as we can do. First let us see if Beorn is right as to this man. Hold +a torch to his face. It is Fitz-Urse truly. He was of knightly blood, but +has died in a most unknightly business. Wulf's dagger is still in his +throat. Let us see if we know anything of the others." + +"I think that you will find them all strangers, my lord," Beorn said. "I +believe they came from beyond the sea to do this deed." + +The man whom Wulf had first slain was evidently by his dress a person of +some rank; the other was of inferior station, as was also, as it was found, +the man Beorn had killed. + +"Now, my lord bishop," the king said calmly, "we have a right next to ask +you how these men came to be in your palace. Know you aught of them?" + +"I know nothing of them," the bishop replied. "So far as I am aware I have +never seen any of their faces before, and assuredly they were not here with +my cognizance. I will at once question all my people shrewdly, and woe be +to him who has admitted strangers here unknown to me at the time when you +were beneath my roof." + +"And have this house searched from basement to roof, bishop. It may be that +there are others in hiding." + +"With your permission, my lord," said Beorn, "I will at once take your men, +of whom we have posted six under your window, and will call up some more +and search the town. It is likely that there are others without with horses +held in readiness for these assassins to escape." + +"Do so, Beorn. It will be well if we can catch some at least, so that we +can get to the bottom of this matter." + +The bishop at once ordered his armed retainers to accompany Beorn, and then +proceeded to interrogate his officials and the domestics, and to see that +the latter made a complete search of the palace. All denied any knowledge +of strangers having entered, and the search revealed nothing but four +monks' gowns and hoods found wrapped up in a bundle in a small room +downstairs. Further questions had been then put. Some of the domestics +remembered that four monks had entered the palace late in the evening, and +one of the under chamberlains said that he had seen them, and they had told +him that they had just arrived from Flanders, and craved permission to +sleep in the palace for the night, as they were going on to Peterborough in +the morning. He had told them that this was impossible, as he could give no +permission without the leave of the bishop, who was at present with the +king and could not be disturbed, and that, moreover, every room in the +palace was occupied. He had given them the address of a citizen, who would +he was sure take them in. They had thanked him, and said that they would go +there, but doubtless instead of doing so they had slipped aside, and had +hidden themselves in the room where their gowns were found. It was one used +only for the storage of garments for poor travellers who came along, and no +one was likely to enter it on such an evening. + +This discovery was a great relief to the bishop and all within the palace, +as it showed that they were not there with the connivance of any of the +prelate's people. Before the matter was fully unravelled Beorn returned. +They had in a quiet spot a short distance from the palace come upon two men +with six horses. Before they could run up and seize them the two men had +leapt up into the saddles and galloped furiously away. Unfortunately the +other four horses had followed, and immediate pursuit was therefore +impossible. The housecarls had run to the spot where their horses were +stabled and had gone off in pursuit, but Beorn feared that the men would +have far too great a start to be overtaken. One of the officers had ridden +with the housecarls, and Beorn had told him to keep by the river-bank, as +the men would assuredly make for a ship that was lying somewhere down the +river, though whether at a distance of two miles or of twenty he knew not. +Long before Beorn's return Wulf's wound had been examined. Unguents had +been poured into it and bandages applied. The surgeons were of opinion that +it was a very grave one, but that at present they could not say how the +matter would terminate. + +"Your story will keep till the morning, Beorn," the king said. "It is still +five hours to daylight, and we may as well retire to rest, unless, indeed, +you know that there are others engaged in the affair in London or elsewhere +who should be arrested before the news of the night's business reaches +them." + +"I know of none such," Beorn said, "and believe that these four and the two +who have escaped were alone concerned in it. I will bring with me in the +morning a man and a boy who know more than I do of the matter; they and +Osgod, with whom Wulf will assuredly have talked it over, will be able to +tell you all that was known up to the moment when these men entered the +palace." + +The armourer and Ulf told their story in the morning, and Beorn took +Osgod's place by Wulf's bedside, while he too was questioned by the king. +The latter then went to Wulf's chamber. + +"What say the leeches this morning, Beorn? + +"They are somewhat more hopeful, my lord. They say that his heart beats +more strongly than it did last night, Osgod says that he has not moved or +opened his eyes, but they say that this is not a bad sign, and that it may +be anxiety has brought on an exhaustion, for his breathing is more like +that of one who sleeps than of a man wounded to death." + +"His face has grieviously changed since yesterday," the king said sadly, +looking down upon Wulf. "I would give my right hand rather than that he +should die. You have of a surety saved my life among you, Beorn, you and +his stout man-at-arms and the worthy armourer and that shrewd apprentice of +his for had they entered my chamber and taken me unawares they would have +slain me without doubt" + +"I have done the best I could since I learnt from the armourer the +suspicion that Wulf entertained, but the whole thing is Wulf's doing. Had I +heard that Walter Fitz-Urse was back in London I should have given the +matter no further thought than that it was one Norman the more. It was, as +he told me, some words that Baron de Burg said when he saw him over in +Normandy the other day that first set him thinking. Then, he could not +understand why Fitz-Urse should return to London at this time, when Normans +are not overwelcome there, and this caused him to have some sort of +suspicion as to his reasons for undertaking such a journey, and determined +him to set a watch on the fellow's movements. Had it been any other than +Wulf who had so acted I should have laughed at his suspicions. But he is as +a brother to me, and knowing how sharp are his wits I am always well +content to follow him without question. I first heard of the matter after +the discovery that the Norman was having secret meetings with some of his +countrymen who were concealed on board a ship, and I at once felt sure that +Wulf had not been running on a false trail, and so did the little I could +to aid those who had the matter in hand." + +"You have done well, Beorn, though as you say it is doubtless Wulf to whom +the chief credit is due. I regretted at first that the other two men had +escaped, but had they been taken they might, to save their own lives, have +implicated others, and I might have been forced to lay a complaint against +the Duke of Normandy. As it is now, the matter is at an end. Four men have +tried to murder me, and have been killed. Their bodies have been buried +this morning, and there is no more to be said about it. + +"I was obliged to go down and show myself to the people an hour since, for +they assembled in a great crowd, clamouring to see me so that they might +know I was safe. I told them that while I thanked them for their loyal +care, there was nought to be alarmed about. It was true that there had been +an attempt on my life by four men, of whom the leader had a private grudge +against me for a disservice I did him some years ago, but that all had been +killed by my guards without even penetrating my chamber, and that I had run +no sort of personal risk, nor had I any reason whatever to suppose that the +malefactors had accomplices either within or without the palace." + +Late in the evening, when the surgeons were applying pungent salts to his +nostrils, Wulf opened his eyes. Osgod was standing beside him holding one +of his hands. + +"It is all well, master," he said. "We finished them all off, and no harm +has happened to the king. You have been hurt, but I hope you will soon be +better. The leeches say that you are not to talk, and you had best sleep as +much as you can. They have got some stuff for you to drink here; do you +lie still and I will pour it between your lips." + +A look of intelligence came into Wulf's eyes as Osgod spoke; he smiled +faintly, and murmured, "Thank God, the king is safe!" He swallowed a few +spoonfuls of the potion Osgod held to his lips, and then closing his eyes +his regular breathing soon showed that he was again asleep. On the +following day the king proceeded on his way to London, Beorn remaining to +nurse Wulf. The king would have loaded Ulred with presents, but the sturdy +armourer refused to receive anything save a small gold cup in remembrance. + +"I want no reward for doing my duty," he said. "I have my trade that keeps +me, and should be no happier were I laden with money. All that I have done +in the matter has been to watch for a few hours at a window, and to make a +journey by ship to York, and I should be ashamed of myself indeed if I +could not take that slight trouble for my king without looking for a +reward." + +As to Ulf he was thanked and praised, but the king decided to take no steps +to alter his condition until Wulf should be well enough to be consulted in +the matter. It was a fortnight before the doctors were able to state with +any confidence that the young thane was on the road towards recovery, and +still another month before he had gained sufficient strength to be carried +in a litter to London. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + +THE NORTHERN INVASION. + +The news of Harold's marriage to Ealdgyth put an end to the demands of +William of Normandy that Harold should take one of his daughters to wife, +and in the complaints that he addressed to all Christendom against Harold +the breach of his promise in this respect was placed far more prominently +than his failure to carry out his oath to be the duke's man. It must have +been evident indeed to all that it was beyond the power of the English king +to keep this oath, obtained from him by force and treachery. He had been +elected by the voice of the English people, and had no more power than the +meanest of his subjects to hand the crown they had bestowed to another. + +The breach of this oath, however, served to obtain all the aid that the +church could give to William. Harold was solemnly excommunicated, and the +struggle for which the duke was preparing thereupon assumed the character +of a sacred war. In England itself the Bull of excommunication had no +effect whatever. The great bulk of bishops and clergy were Englishmen, and +thought far more of their king than of any foreign prince or prelate. Even +the bishops and abbots of Norman blood disregarded the commination, and +remained staunch to Harold. He had been a generous patron to the church, +had maintained them in all the privileges and dignities that Edward had +bestowed upon them, and possessed the love of the whole English people; +therefore, in spite of bann and interdict the churches remained open, +services were held as usual, and people were married and buried as if the +Papal Bull had never been issued. + +But it was not so on the Continent. The Norman barons as a body had at +first refused to support the duke in an invasion of England, but as +individuals they had been brought round to join in William's project, and +to give far more aid in ships and men than they were bound to do by their +feudal engagements. Having accomplished this, William issued an invitation +to all adventurous spirits in Europe to join him in his crusade against the +excommunicated King of England, promising that all should share alike in +the plunder of England and in the division of its land. The bait was a +tempting one. Some joined the enterprise merely for the sake of gaining +glory under the banner of one who was regarded as the greatest military +leader in Europe, others were influenced by love of gain, while, as in the +crusades, numbers joined to obtain absolution for past misdeeds by taking +part in an enterprise blessed by the Pope. Thus the force which William was +collecting greatly exceeded that which the resources of Normandy alone +could have set on foot. + +Among the first to hurry to the court of William, as soon as Harold's +accession to the throne was known, was Tostig, in whose mind the refusal of +Harold to embark in a civil war for his sake, and to force him upon the +people of Northumbria in spite of their detestation of him, was an injury +not to be forgiven. The fact that Tostig was ready thus to sacrifice +England to his own private quarrel showed a baseness and recklessness that +could hardly be expected from his early career. William naturally accepted +the alliance, received Tostig's oath of allegiance, and aided him in +fitting out a number of ships manned by Norman and Flemish adventurers. +Evading the watch kept by the English fleet they crossed the sea, landed, +and plundered and ravaged a considerable extent of country, and then +retired, Tostig being enraged that William of Normandy was unwilling to +send an expedition to act in concert with him until the whole of his plans +were prepared and his great army ready for sea. + +Normandy indeed had been converted into a vast camp. In every port great +numbers of workmen laboured night and day building ships, for Normandy had +ceased to be a naval power, and its shipping was utterly insufficient to +carry the great army across. Tostig, impatient and hasty, thought no more +of the oath of allegiance that he had sworn to William. Driven from +Yorkshire by the forces of the northern earls he sailed to Scotland, where +he was welcomed by King Malcolm, both as a sworn brother and as the enemy +of England. From Scotland he entered into negotiations with Harold Hardrada +of Norway. This warlike monarch was in a fit mood to listen to his +advances; he had for years been engaged in a struggle with Denmark, which +he had ineffectually attempted to conquer, and had at last been forced to +conclude a treaty of peace with Sweyn, its king. + +Tostig had already endeavoured by personal persuasions to induce Sweyn to +revive his claim to the crown of England, and to undertake its conquest; +but he altogether declined to undertake so dangerous and difficult an +enterprise, and Tostig had then turned to Harold of Norway. Whether his +interview with him was before he went to Scotland or whether he went thence +to Norway is a point on which historians differ. Some deny that any +interview took place, but the balance of probability lies strongly in +favour of an early interview, at which Harold entered heartily into +Tostig's plans, and began at once to make preparations for the enterprise. + +It was certain that an invading force from Norway would land in +Northumbria, and Harold, although he might not be able to rely greatly upon +the assistance of the northern earls as against the Normans, knew that they +would do their best to defeat an expedition landing on their own shores, +especially when Tostig was a sharer in the invasion. His own thoughts were +wholly bent upon repelling the mighty expedition gathering in Normandy, and +for this purpose, by immense efforts, he collected the greatest army and +fleet that had ever been got together in England. An incessant watch was +kept up along the coast where the Normans might be expected to land, while +the fleet cruised for months between the Thames and the Isle of Wight +prepared to give battle to the invaders. + +But the conditions of service in England were such that it was impossible +to keep a great force on foot for an indefinite time. The housecarls were +the only regular portion of the army The great bulk of the force, both land +and sea, consisting of the levies or militia, whose term of service was +very limited. It says much for the influence of Harold that he was able +for four months to keep his army and navy together. Had the foe appeared, +soldiers and sailors would have done their duty, but the long term of +inaction, the weary waiting for a foe that never came, was too much, and +when September arrived and the harvest was ready to be gathered it was +impossible even for him to keep the men longer together. The army +disbanded, the levies went to their homes, and the ships of the fleet +sailed away to the ports to which they belonged. All the efforts and +anxieties of Harold, all his lavish expenditure in feeding and providing +for so great a number of men had been thrown away. England lay for a time +absolutely defenceless against the coming storm. + +It was not until August that Wulf had completely recovered his strength, +and was able to join the army. + +"This is not a time," Harold said to him on the day he arrived at the camp, +"for the granting of dignities or the bestowal of grants. But if we are +successful, and I remain King of England, the services you have rendered me +at the risk of your life, Wulf, shall be worthily rewarded." + +"I need no reward," Wulf replied. "My estates are sufficient for all my +needs, and I desire neither land nor dignity, being more than content that +I have been enabled to render a service to you and to England." + +Wulf was, however, at once appointed as commander of the whole of the +housecarls supplied by the thanes of the south coast of Sussex. None of +these bodies were equal in strength to his own carefully prepared +contingent, few of the thanes having kept up more than fifteen or twenty +men constantly under arms, and these only for the past few months, in +consequence of Harold's exhortations. Altogether the force amounted to +about four hundred men. Each party had its own sub-officer, and Wulf did +his best to weld them into one body. When the army broke up, he returned +with the king to Westminster. The day after he arrived there a man met him +as he issued from the palace, and handed him a letter. It contained but the +words: + +"_I would fain see you. If you will follow the bearer he will bring you +to me. Say naught to any one of this message. Edith._" + +"Is the distance far?" he asked the man. + +"It is to Croydon, my lord. I have ridden here on horseback." + +Wulf at once ordered his horse to be brought to him. + +"Will you be back to-night, my lord," Osgod asked, as he mounted, "in case +the king should wish to see you?" + +"I shall not be back till late, possibly not until to-morrow I do not tell +you where I am going, in order that if you are asked you may be able truly +to reply that I said nothing before I mounted, as to my destination." + +It was just mid-day when Wulf drew up his horse before a modest house +standing in a secluded position a quarter of a mile from the village of +Croydon. Edith met him at the doorway. + +"I thank you, Wulf, for answering my request so speedily. There is much +that I would ask you about my lord. I hear of him only by general report, +for although from time to time I send him messages I give him no +opportunity for writing to me, and I know that he has respected my wishes, +and has caused no search to be made for me." + +"Harold sometimes speaks to me of you, lady, and has in no way forgotten +you. He did charge me to find out if I could the place of your abode; not +that he would seek an interview with you, but, should there be need, he +might be able to send a message." By this time they were seated in the room +where Edith spent the greater part of her time. + +"It is better that we should not meet," she said earnestly. "His mission +is to work and to fight for England; mine to remain apart from all men and +to spend my time in prayers for him. I know that he places great confidence +in you, as indeed he well may, for I heard how you had saved his life, well +nigh at the expense of your own. Is he happy with his new queen?" + +"His thoughts at present, lady, are altogether turned to public affairs, +and it is well perhaps that it should be so. I do not think that he +receives much sympathy from the queen, who cares more, I should say, for +her brothers, the northern earls, than for her husband." + +"It is scarce a wonder that it should be so," Edith replied; "though it +seems strange to me that any woman could live with Harold without loving +him with all her heart. And yet she may well feel that she, like Harold, +has been sacrificed. There was no shadow of love between them before their +marriage, in fact she may even have hated him, for it was he who brought +ruin and death upon her husband, the Welsh king. She must know that he +only married her in order to gain the firm alliance of her brothers, and +that her hand was given by them to Harold without any reference to her +feelings. I would that the king were happy, even though it were with +another. But it was not for his happiness that I left him, but that England +might be one. Is it true that the army is broken up and the fleet +scattered?" + +"It is true, lady. Save for three or four thousand housecarls, there is not +an armed man in readiness to defend England." + +"It must be a terrible trial to him." + +"It is, my lady. He returned to town yesterday dispirited and cast down at +the failure of the work of months." + +"Still they will reassemble rapidly," she said, "when the Normans really +come?" + +"Doubtless they will. But the loss of the fleet is greater than that of the +army, for at sea we could have met and almost assuredly have conquered +them, for the Normans are no match for our sailors; whereas to meet so +great an army of trained soldiers, with hastily assembled levies, is to +fight under every disadvantage." + +"And is the rumour true which says that Tostig and Harold of Norway are +also preparing for an invasion?" + +"All reports that come to us through Denmark are to that effect." + +"It is enough to make the stones cry out," Edith said indignantly, "that a +son of Godwin should thus betray England. I never thought it of him. He +was headstrong and passionate; yet as a young man he was loved almost as +much as Harold himself, nay, some loved him more. But it was not on account +of public affairs that I brought you here, but to talk of Harold. I know +nought of his daily doings, of his thoughts, or his troubles. Tell me all +you can of him, Wulf." + +For a long time they talked of the king. She had from the first been drawn +towards Wulf by seeing how he loved Harold, and as they talked her tears +often fell. + +"I am proud of him," she said at last; "more proud of him than when he was +the light of my life. My sacrifice has not been in vain. He is what I would +have him. One whose thoughts are all fixed upon his country; who gives all +his energy, all his wisdom, all his time to her service. Humbler men can be +happy, but a king has higher duties than others, and for him love and +marriage, wife and children, the joys of the peasant, must be altogether +secondary. The good of his country, the happiness and welfare of tens of +thousands are in his hands; and if in these respects he acts worthily, if +he gains the blessings of his people, he can afford to do without the home +joys that are so much to lesser men. You are sure that he is not unhappy? +If I did but know this, I would be content." + +"I do not think he is unhappy," Wulf said confidently. "He has the +applause and love of all men, and the knowledge that all his work is for +the good of his country and his people. He may have regrets, but he has +little time to spend upon them when he has in hand so vast a work, upon +which night and day his every thought is directed." + +"I suppose you wish to get back to-night, Wulf?" + +"I should greatly prefer it," he said. + +"And I would rather that you did not remain here. It may seem inhospitable, +but I feel it would be better so. No one here knows who I am, and at first +my servants were plied with questions whenever they went abroad; but the +wonder has died away, and the villagers have come to believe that I am, as +I gave out, the widow of a court official. Should it be known that a young +thane stayed here the night, it would set them gossiping afresh. Stay and +sup with me before you start." + +"And am I to tell the king I have seen you?" he asked. + +"What think you yourself, Wulf?" + +"I am sure that he would be glad to know. I need not say where you are +living. I will say that you have charged me to keep it secret, and he will +forbear questioning me. But I am sure that it will give him deep pleasure +to know that I have seen you, to learn how you look, how you are living, +how you occupy yourself, and how you think of him. It cannot but be a trial +to him to know nothing of one he so loves. More than once he has told me +that he wondered whether you had entered a convent, whether you were in +health, how you bore yourself, and other matters." + +"Tell him then, Wulf. You can tell him that great as has been my grief over +our separation, I can yet feel happy in my solitude in knowing how nobly he +is doing his kingly work, and that I have never wavered in my assurance +that I was right when I bade him go. Tell him that I have no thought of +entering a cloister; that I have my old servants and my garden and +needle-work; that I spend much of my time in ministering to my poorer +neighbours, and that I am getting to be loved by them. Say that my health +is good, and that I have every comfort I need save his presence. Tell him +that if I fall ill, and the leeches say that I shall die, I shall send for +him to see me once again, but that in such manner only will we meet in this +life; and that it is my prayer that he will not seek to alter my +resolution, for that the pain of parting again would be more than the joy +of seeing him. He is another woman's now, and that by my act, therefore it +would be a grievous sin for us, loving each other as we do, to meet again, +unless he or I was on a death-bed." + +The supper was served early, and when it was eaten Wulf's horse was brought +round to the door. + +"Am I to come again?" he asked. + +She did not answer for a time. "Not unless I send for you, Wulf. Our +meeting has given me much pleasure, and I shall be the happier for it, but +for a time our talk of the past and present will unsettle me and stir up +afresh regrets and longings. Therefore, it were best that you come not +again until I send for you." + +The darkness was just closing in when Wulf rode into Westminster. + +"The king has twice asked for you, my lord," Osgod said, as he alighted. +"The last time a quarter of an hour since." + +Wulf at once went to the king's closet, where he was at work with two or +three secretaries, to whom he was dictating. + +"I want you, Wulf," the king said as he entered. "Where hast been?" Wulf +glanced at the secretaries, and Harold bade them retire till he summoned +them again. Wulf then related at length his interview with Edith. Harold +listened in silence. + +"I am right glad at your news," he said, when the latter had finished. "It +is just what I thought she would do. Her words are lofty and wise; truly a +king can little hope for happiness such as that which is in the reach of +the humblest of his subjects. But we will talk of this again. For the +present I must think of public business. News has been brought me by a sure +hand from Denmark that the fleet of Norway has sailed. 'Tis said that +Harold has called out a levy of half the fighting men of his kingdom, and +that he has five hundred war-ships besides transports. His son, Magnus, has +been left behind to rule Norway with the title of king. Harold intends to +conquer England and reign here. I must lose no moment in sending the news +to the northern earls. Doubtless it is on their coast he will first land. +There is no one I would sooner trust than yourself, and you shall be my +messenger. + +"I have the letters already written to them, warning them that every man +capable of bearing arms should be summoned to their standard, and every +preparation made to repulse the foe. Of help at present I can give them +none; my army is dispersed, my shores undefended, and at any moment +William's fleet may appear off the coast. Let them meet the Norwegians, +while I meet the Normans. It is for you to press upon them the counsels I +give in my letters; and I would that you should remain with them, sending +messages to me from time to time, giving me full tidings of what takes +place at York and how they fare in their struggle with Harold of Norway, +and, as I fear, with my brother Tostig. They met you at Northampton, and +they know the confidence I place in you and the services you rendered in +the Welsh campaign. However, although they may receive you well I fear that +your counsel will go for nought. They are haughty and headstrong, and +assuredly they will not be guided by one of my thanes. Do not, therefore, +press the matter with them, or risk incurring their anger. I want you to +stand well with them, for so only can you learn their views and keep me +informed of what is doing. Being assured that you would undertake the duty +I have highly commended you to them as my representative at York, and I +doubt not that you will be well received. Brothers-in-law though they are I +can count on but little aid from them in our struggle with the Normans, but +there they will be fighting for their own earldoms and will do their best, +though I fear the result, for they have been deaf to my entreaties to keep +an army on foot, and the hurried levies of the North will scarce stand +against the mighty army Harold Hardrada is bringing against them." + +"I will start immediately, my lord." + +"Here is a royal order upon all governors and thanes to give you changes of +horses and to aid you in all ways. Take that giant of yours with you, he is +a faithful fellow and is not wanting in sense; you will find him of great +use there. You will, of course, accompany the earls to the field. Watch +well how the levies fight, it is long since they have been called upon to +meet a foe, and I would fain know how much they can be trusted on the day +of battle. As your own horse has travelled to-day take two of my best, here +is an order to the head of the stables to deliver them to you. Is there +aught else that I can do for you?" + +"Nothing, my lord. I understand your wishes, and will follow them as +closely as I can." + +"Do not expose yourself too much on the field of battle, Wulf. I cannot +spare you, and therefore charge you not to be rash, and if matters go ill +to provide for your safety as far as you may." + +Wulf found Osgod awaiting him in the hall below. + +"I thought you might require me, master, so I waited till you had seen the +king." + +"You did well, Osgod. I am starting on a journey to York and you are to +accompany me. We ride armed, so get on your coat of mail and take your +favourite axe, then carry this order to the stables and tell them to have +the two horses ready at the gates in half an hour's time; then go to the +kitchen and eat a hearty meal and put up some bread and cold meat in a +wallet. We shall ride fast and with few stoppages, for I have the royal +order for change of horses everywhere." + +"That is good news, my lord. After dawdling away the last four months doing +nothing I am glad to hear that there is a chance of striking a strong blow +on someone, though who it is I know not." + +"Now go, Osgod, I have also to change my clothes and drink a horn of ale +and eat something, though I supped but three hours since. Put my gayest +suit into the saddle-bag, for I may stay some time at York, and must make a +fair show, going as I do as Harold's messenger." + +The journey was accomplished at an extraordinary rate of speed, Harold's +order procuring them a change of horses when ever they stopped; and they +but once halted for a few hours' sleep. Wulf found that Edwin and Morcar +were both at York, and alighted at the gate of their residence. Announcing +himself as a messenger from the king, he was at once conducted into their +presence. + +"It is Wulf of Steyning, is it not?" Edwin said courteously. "The message +must be urgent indeed since Harold has chosen you to carry it. When did you +leave him?" + +"I left Westminster at nine o'clock on the evening of Tuesday." + +"And it is now but mid-day on Thursday," the earl said in a tone of +astonishment. "You have ridden nigh two hundred miles in less than forty +hours." + +"The roads are good, my lord, and I had the king's order for changes of +horses whenever needed. I slept six hours at Northampton, but have ridden +without other stop save to take meals. I knew that the message I bore was +of importance, as you will see by the king's letter." + +Edwin opened the letter and laid it before Morcar, and the two read it +together. + +"This is serious news indeed," Edwin said when they had perused it. "So +Harold of Norway is on his way hither with five hundred warships and half +the males of Norway. Since the news has come from Denmark he must already +have been nigh a fortnight at sea, and if he had sailed hitherwards we +should have heard long ere this of his being within sight of our shores. As +we have heard nought of him it may be that his object has been misreported, +and that it is not against us that his fleet is bound." + +"I fear that it can have no other destination," Wulf said; "though it may +be that it has sailed first to Scotland to obtain assistance from Malcolm. +There, too, he will find Tostig, whom the king fears is in alliance with +him." + +"Then assuredly it is against us that he comes," Morcar said, "and unless +the winds shatter his fleet we shall hear of him before long. But he may +land anywhere from the border of Scotland to the Humber, and it is useless +our trying to hinder him along so great a line. He may delay his coming as +William of Normandy has done, and our men, like those of Harold, will not +remain under arms for months doing nothing. With so great an army he must +move slowly and we shall have plenty of time to gather our forces to meet +him. Harold urges us to call out the levies at once, but he does not know +the Northumbrians as we do. They will fight, and stoutly, but they will +scatter as soon as their term expires. It is but six weeks since we called +them under arms to repulse Tostig, and unless they themselves see the +danger presses they will not leave their homes again after so short an +interval. I am glad to see by the king's letter that he has charged you to +stay with us for a while. We shall be glad of your presence, both as the +agent of our royal brother and as one who has already proved himself a +valiant and skilful soldier." + +Apartments were at once assigned to Wulf in the palace, and he was treated +as an honoured guest. He had been furnished by the royal chamberlain with +an ample sum of money, and every two or three days despatched messengers to +London. He was greatly disturbed in mind, for the earls made no preparation +whatever to meet the coming storm, but continued to hunt or to hawk, to +give entertainments, and to pass their time as if the news of a mighty +invasion had never reached them. The first attempts he made to urge them to +follow Harold's counsel were dismissed so curtly that he felt it useless to +persevere. + +A fortnight passed by, and then a messenger rode into York with the news +that a vast fleet had entered the Tyne, and that the Norsemen were harrying +and burning the country. Harold Hardrada had first sailed to the Isles of +Shetland and Orkney, which, with the northern districts of the mainland, +formed a powerful Scandinavian province. Paul and Erning, the two young +earls of the state, and a large number of their subjects, joined the fleet, +as did a Scotch contingent sent by Malcolm and commanded by Tostig, who +also had with him the force he had brought from Flanders. Iceland, then a +great Norwegian colony, sent ships and men, as did an Irish sovereign of +Danish descent. + +Roused to action at last the northern earls sent out summonses in all +directions for the levies to assemble. The invaders were next heard of at +Scarborough, which made a brave resistance, but the Norsemen took post on +the steep hill overhanging the town, and gathering there a vast pile of +wood set it on fire, and hurled blazing timbers down on the place. Many of +the houses caught fire, and this spread rapidly. The inhabitants +surrendered, but the greater portion was slaughtered and the town given up +to plunder. Holderness, like Scarborough, bravely but unsuccessfully +resisted the attack, and the great fleet sailing south entered the Humber. +Hour by hour messengers rode into York bringing news of the progress of the +invaders; hour by hour the Northumbrian levies poured into the capital. + +Much as he had disapproved of their previous carelessness and delay, Wulf +acknowledged that the two northern earls now bore themselves as men. They +saw to the defences of the town, mustered all the inhabitants capable of +bearing arms, arranged for the feeding and disposition of the levies, and +did all that was possible at so short a notice to get them to take the +field But he saw, too, that this raw militia was but little calculated to +stand before the assault of the Norsemen. There was no body of seasoned +troops like the housecarls to serve as a nucleus, and to bear the chief +brunt of the battle. All alike were raw, inexperienced, and badly armed, +save for the axe, which was the favourite weapon of the English. + +The great fleet made no stay but sailed up the Humber, packing closely in +the river as it narrowed, till it seemed well-nigh covered from shore to +shore with the crowded ships. It passed the little village of Selby, and +cast anchor beside the left bank of the Ouse, near the village of Riccall, +but nine miles' march from York. Olaf, the king's son, the two earls of +Orkney, and the bishop of those islands remained on board to guard the +ships, for the Northumbrian fleet, which was far too small to encounter so +great an armament, had taken refuge up the Wharfe, and might descend and +attack the Norse vessels were they left unguarded. The main body of the +great army under the king and Tostig landed and prepared to march upon +York. Sudden as the call had been there was no lack of spirit or +patriotism in the English levies. Among their ranks were many priests and +monks, who felt that it was their duty to aid in the defence of the land +against the semi-heathen host that invaded it. The memory of the past +invasion of the Norsemen, when the churches had been sacked and the priests +slain on the altar, inspired them, and they and the monks responded as +readily as did the laymen to the summons of the earls. These had not +hesitated to consult Wulf as to the post where they had best station +themselves to give battle, and the disposition of their forces. One who had +distinguished himself under Duke William of Normandy, and under Harold in +Wales, had, young though he was, more experience of war than any of the +northern thanes, and as the representative of Harold all these were ready +to listen with respect to his advice. He had already spent four or five +days in surveying the ground in the direction from which the Norsemen were +likely to advance, and had decided that a place known as Gate Fulford, two +miles from the city, was best calculated for defence, it being situated on +a narrow ridge, having the river and its swampy banks on one side, and a +flat marshy country on the other. Thither the army of the earls marched to +take up its position. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + +STAMFORD BRIDGE. + +Owing to the difficulty of getting the levies formed up and set in motion, +the Norsemen had arrived on the ground and had taken up a defensive +position before the English reached it. Had the force contained a strong +body of housecarls, Wulf, who had talked the matter over with the earls, +would have advised that they should fight on the defensive and allow the +Norsemen to attack; but with freshly-raised troops, ready and eager for +battle, but wanting the discipline that alone enables trained soldiers to +endure patiently a long series of attacks, he thought that there was more +chance of victory in attacking the enemy. Morcar commanded on the left, +Edwin on the right. Wulf took up his position by the side of Morcar, and +exchanged a few words with Osgod before advancing to the charge. + +"This will be a right royal contest, master," the latter said as he +fingered his heavy axe. "Never before have I seen a set battle like this." + +"Do you keep close to me, Osgod." + +"That I am sure to do, master," the latter broke in. + +"Yes, I know that while we fight you will be by my side, but it may be that +we shall have to fly. The Norsemen outnumber us greatly, and their king is +a host in himself. This is a good position to defend, but a bad one to fly +from. The king's last words were a charge to me not to throw away my life, +and therefore while I shall fight as long as fighting can avail, I shall +also do my best to save myself if we are defeated. As we came along I kept +near to the edge of the swamp, and some hundred yards back I marked a spot +where, as it seemed to me, there was a sort of path, worn either by broken +men and outlaws, who may dwell somewhere in its recesses, or by men from a +village beyond it. For this point, then, I shall make if we are defeated. +It may be that it was not a path, but at least it offers a chance of +escape. So when I give you the word, keep close to my side." + +Osgod nodded. His confidence in Wulf was absolutely boundless, and though +he revolted at the thought of retreat he knew well that so long as a chance +of victory remained Wulf would not quit the field. When within two or three +hundred yards of the enemy, Morcar advanced to the front of the line with +his standard-bearer beside him. + +"On men!" he shouted, and with a yell the English poured down to the attack +The line of the Norsemen was on this side less strong than it was near the +river where their king had posted himself, and the Norsemen gave way before +the furious attack of the English. Morcar and many of his thanes fought in +the front rank. Wulf was close beside him, and before their swords and the +terrible axe of Osgod the invaders fell back foot by foot, and shouts of +triumph rose from the English; but it was not for long. On the left Edwin +could make no impression on the shield-wall of the enemy, and presently +their king caused his horns to blow the signal for attack, and his line, +hitherto immovable, flung itself on the English. The king, a head taller +than any of his men, fought in their front rank, his terrible two-handed +sword hewing down every man who opposed him. As the English gave way the +assault became more and more impetuous, and in a few minutes the English +broke and fled all along the line. + +"All is lost, Osgod," Wulf said; as after fighting to the last he turned +his back on the foe. The scene on the ridge was now terrible; the exulting +Norsemen followed hard upon the flying English, uttering their shouts of +victory and cutting down all they overtook. Hampered by the crowd in front +of them great numbers of the English fell beneath the weapons of their +pursuers, others turned to the right or left, and hundreds were smothered +in the swamp by the river or in that on the other side. Once the flight +began, Osgod placed himself in front of his master, his powerful figure and +his weight enabling him to push his way through the crowd of fugitives. +Wulf kept close behind him, and they followed the edge of the swamp until +Wulf saw the faint indication of a path he had before noticed. + +"Turn off here, Osgod; this is the place I spoke of. Let me go first, I am +lightest." + +The ground shook beneath their feet, the slime oozed up to their ankles, +but, moderating their pace now, they sprang from tussock to tussock until +two or three hundred yards from the edge of the swamp. Then they paused and +looked round. The work of slaughter was still proceeding. Along the edge +of the swamp numbers of English could be seen, some half immerged, some +fast disappearing. In the din of the struggle none heard or heeded their +cries, each man was occupied solely with the thought of flight or +slaughter. Some half-dozen of the fugitives, seeing the two men were making +their way across the swamp, had followed in their footsteps. + +Slowly and cautiously Wulf moved forward again. Sometimes a treacherous +tuft gave way and he slipped waist-deep into the mire, but Osgod was always +close at hand, and his long arm enabled him to reach forward to his master +from a firmer spot and to draw him from the bog. After an hour's painful +work the ground began to be firmer, and before long they were safe in the +forest beyond the swamp. Here for a while the party threw themselves down +exhausted. After an hour's rest the others asked Wulf what they had best +do. + +"There is but one thing to be done," he replied; "make off to your homes. +The remnant of the army will reach York, and the Norsemen will doubtless +surround the city and lay siege to it. For the present our cause is lost, +and there is nought for us to do but to try and save our lives, which have +been spared well-nigh by a miracle." + +Keeping south through the forest Wulf and his follower were several hours +before they emerged from its shade. Another three miles' walking brought +them to a village, where they learned they were six miles west of Selby. +Here they obtained some food, and then bearing off so as to strike the +south road arrived soon after nightfall at the house of the thane who had +supplied them with their last change of horses on their way north. The news +they brought excited the greatest consternation, but their host saw at once +that the only hope now was that Harold might bring help, and at once placed +the two horses which they had ridden to his house at their disposal. Wulf +and Osgod mounted at once, and travelled southwards at a speed equal to +that at which they had journeyed north. + +When within a few miles of Peterborough they received news that seemed +almost too good to be true. Harold at the head of a great army had already +reached that town, and was pressing north at the top of his speed. From +east and west he was being joined by the levies of the thanes. Riding +forward to Peterborough they found the town crowded with troops, who, as +they learned, were to march forward again in half an hour. Wulf at once +made his way to the monastery, in which Harold was lodged. + +"I need not ask your news, Wulf," Harold said, as, covered with dust and +mire, and almost reeling with exhaustion, the young thane entered his +private closet. + +"The army of the northern earls has been well-nigh destroyed two miles from +York. Whether the earls themselves escaped I know not, for I left the field +while the slaughter was still going on. York will be at once besieged, and +as most of its fighting men went out to the battle and a large proportion +must have been slain, I fear that it can resist but a short time the attack +of the Norsemen. It was good news indeed when I heard that you were +advancing north." + +"It is bad tidings that you bring, Wulf, but not unexpected. Directly I +heard that the enemy's fleet were off our northern coast and were burning +and pillaging unopposed, I speedily gathered what force I could in the +South, and sending on messengers ahead to summon the levies of East Anglia +to join me on the way, started north. Yesterday the news reached me that +the great fleet of Norway had sailed up the Humber, and I saw that I should +be too late to join Edwin and Morcar before they were forced to give battle +before York. Now tell me of the fight, and how you managed to escape, for +I see by your mail-coat and helmet, which are dinted and frayed and the +steel rings shorn off in many places, that you were in the thick of it" + +Wulf related the story of the battle, and the manner in which he had +escaped. + +"You did wisely, Wulf, to mark a way of retreat before the battle +commenced. A good general should ever be prepared for defeat as well as for +victory. So the levies fought well?" + +"They did, my lord. They engaged the Norsemen gallantly and well--much +better, indeed, than I had looked for them to do, and the day went +favourably until the King of Norway with his picked men threw themselves +upon them. Even after that they fought sturdily for a short time, and had +there been but a body of housecarls to form a shield-wall, behind which +they could have rallied, the day might still have been theirs. But you +look ill, my lord." + +"I was on a bed of sickness when the news came; but it was no time for +lying abed. For the first two or three days' marches I was carried on a +litter, but I am now well enough to sit my horse. It cost me a sore +struggle to leave the South unguarded simply because my orders were not +obeyed here in the North. But there was no help for it, and we have been +marching well-nigh night and day in hopes that we might bring this matter +to a close, and return south before the Norman fleet appears off the coast. +We have already marched farther than would seem possible in the time, but +the men are all in good heart and eager to meet the Norsemen, and I have +addressed them and shown them the urgent necessity for speed. We shall set +forward again in half an hour. They have had six hours for rest, so they +can do another fifty miles before they halt again. You can tarry here for a +day to rest yourself, and can then ride on and overtake us." + +"I will go down and take a plunge in the river," Wulf said, "and shall be +ready to mount again by the time that the rearguard is in motion. I could +have kept on to London had it been needful, and shall be quite ready to +proceed with the army." + +They were within a day's march of York when the news came that the city had +surrendered without waiting for an assault. The King of Norway had offered +favourable terms; a local Gemot had been held, and it had been agreed to +make peace with Harold of Norway, and not only to receive him as king but +to join him in his warfare against the South. Hostages were given for their +fidelity to their new lord, who in return gave hostages to York for the +good conduct of his troops. It was the city only that had so treacherously +behaved, and the surrender by no means included the whole province. It was +arranged, however, by the earls, that hostages should be given for +Northumbria at large, and they promised that a hundred and fifty of these +should be handed over at Stamford Bridge, eight miles north-east of the +city. + +Here there was a palace of the old Northumbrian kings. The spot was +favourable for the encampment of an army, for the country round was fertile +and the bridge across the Derwent afforded facilities for the collection of +provisions over a large area. The bridge was a wooden one, the country on +either side of the river was flat, but considerably elevated above the +stream, with a slope down to it on both sides of the bridge. + +The news of the surrender of York made no change in Harold's plans. He had +come to give battle to the Norsemen, whether he did so under the walls of +the northern capital or elsewhere; accordingly he pressed rapidly forward. + +In a few hours the army arrived in sight of York, which, had it resisted +but a day longer, would have been saved the humiliation of the surrender +and treaty. The invaders had all marched to Stamford Bridge, and the people +opened its gates and received with rejoicing the king, whose authority they +had the day before cast off. Beyond a short pause for food there was no +delay. Harold's thoughts were on the South, and he grudged every hour that +delayed his return to his post there. The men of the city and the +survivors of the army defeated at Fulford joined the force, which kept on +its way east to Stamford Bridge. The invaders, believing that Northumbria +lay at their feet, and without a thought that Harold was advancing, were +encamped in careless security on the low ground by the river. The greater +portion of their host had crossed the bridge; their king, Tostig, and many +of the great chiefs had taken up their abode in the royal palace at Aldby, +and were preparing to return to York, where the king was to hold his court +and formally to assume the government and to proclaim the laws for his new +kingdom. + +Already the cortege had set out, clad not in warlike armour but in court +habiliments, when on the long road leading gently down to the river a cloud +of dust and the sparkle of arms was seen. There was little room for doubt +as to the nature of the arriving force. Northumbria could gather no array +that would venture thus to approach the army that had but five days before +crushed the levies of the North. It could only be Harold himself who, with +the men of the South, had thus unexpectedly arrived. Tostig at once +proposed a retreat to the ships at Riccall, so that the whole army might be +gathered together, but Harold Hardrada strove to marshal his army for the +battle, at the same time sending off mounted messengers to summons the +party left at the ships. But while all was in confusion among the main body +of the invaders on the eastern bank of the river, while men were buckling +on their armour and gathering in their ranks, the cloud of war rolled +rapidly down the descent, and with a mighty shout the English vanguard fell +upon the Norsemen on the western bank. + +Valiantly they fought, but there was no resisting the solid array of the +English housecarls, or Thingmen as they were also called. Taken altogether +unprepared, and for the most part without their defensive armour, the +Norsemen could offer no successful resistance to the English host. Great +numbers were killed; others were driven headlong across the bridge or were +drowned in the stream, which is said to have been literally choked with +dead. But for a time the advance of the English was stayed; for one +Norseman, a man of great stature and prodigious strength, took post in the +middle of the narrow bridge and barred the way to the English host. But one +foe could attack him at a time, and so great was his strength and prowess +that it is said forty Englishmen fell under the mighty blows of his +two-handed sword, and at last he was only over-powered by one who made his +way along beneath the timbers of the bridge and stabbed him with his spear +from below. + +His gallant stand, however, had sufficed to give his countrymen time to +complete their preparations, and the shield-wall of the Norsemen stretched +across the gentle ascent from the bridge. With his hands raised aloft, as a +sign that his mission was a peaceful one, an English thane with twenty +mounted horsemen rode across the bridge. He was met by the king, Tostig, +and his chiefs. Raising his voice the thane addressed Tostig, "I bring to +Tostig the greeting and message of his brother King Harold. Let him return +to his allegiance and he shall again have the earldom of Northumberland; +nay, he shall have a third of the kingdom to rule together with the king." + +"What, then," Tostig asked, "shall be given to King Harold of Norway?" + +"Seven feet of English ground!" the thane said sternly, "or more, +perchance, seeing he is taller than other men." + +"Return to King Harold of England," Tostig said, "and bid him make ready +for the battle. Never shall men say in Norway that I brought their king +hither to England and then went over to his foes." + +Harold's ambassador returned with his men across the river with Tostig's +message, and then in solid array the English Thingmen moved forward to the +attack. Had the King of Norway advanced to the end of the bridge a battle +would have been impossible, for the English could never have forced their +way across. But the kings were equally anxious for a battle. Harold of +Norway knew as well as the King of England that the host of Normandy was on +the point of sailing, and it was as essential for him to crush the English +army before the Normans landed as it was for Harold of England to dispose +at once of the Norse invaders. There were three claimants for the English +crown, and both kings felt the necessity of having their hands free to meet +the Normans. Harold of Norway may well have believed that his host of tried +warriors was capable of disposing of an army that, save for its small body +of regular troops, was wholly unused to war; therefore, he held his array +immovable while the English army crossed the bridge and formed up for +battle. + +Steadily and firmly the solid line of the housecarls moved up the assent, +and then as Harold's trumpet gave the signal of attack, flung themselves +upon the shield-wall of the Norsemen. The conflict was a terrible one. The +heavy two-handed axes of the English clashed against the long two-handed +swords of the Norsemen. Against such terrible weapons wielded by such +powerful arms, helmet and hauberk afforded but a poor defence. Casques and +the heads beneath them were cleft like egg-shells under the terrible blows; +but the gaps thus made in the ranks were at once filled from behind, and +for hours the struggle continued with unabated vigour on both sides. Harold +himself with a body of his thanes fought in the front line, his position +marked to his followers by his standard kept flying close behind him. His +great strength and height made him so formidable an assailant that his +standard generally flew well in advance of his fighting line, while on the +other side the still greater height and strength of the King of Norway +rendered him equally conspicuous. At last the obstinate valour of the +English housecarls prevailed over the resistance of the fierce Norsemen, +and the invading host was driven backward step by step up the ascent until +the level ground was reached. + +Here the battle again raged as fiercely as ever. In vain did Harold of +Norway, followed by his bravest warriors, hurl himself upon the ranks of +the English, his terrible sword carrying death in its path. In vain did his +followers again and again strive to take the offensive. The English line +ever bore up against their attacks. The battle was still undecided when, as +the sun was going down, an English arrow pierced the throat of the giant +King of Norway. How Tostig, who had throughout the day fought by his side, +fell, we know not, but he died, as did the Irish prince who had brought his +followers to share in the plunder of England. There fell, too, most of the +bravest warriors of Norway, the last of the sea-kings who had carried the +banner, known as the land-waster, far and wide over Europe. + +The slaughter was terrible, and at nightfall the Norsemen who survived +broke and fled to the shelter of their ships. Never in the history of +England was there a harder fought battle; never were English valour and +endurance more splendidly shown. Terrible, too, had been the losses on +their side. Many of the king's bravest thanes had fallen, and the ranks of +the housecarls were fearfully thinned. Complete as had been the victory, +absolute as had been the destruction of their foes, there was but little +rejoicing in the English camp that night. So exhausted were the troops by +their long march and the desperate struggle of the day that they threw +themselves down to sleep on the ground they had won, thickly covered as it +was with the bodies of friend and foe. + +Wulf throughout the day had fought close to Harold. Osgod had kept close +beside him, and had warded off many a sweeping blow and cut down many a +pressing enemy. At the end of the day his left arm hung useless by his +side, well-nigh cleft off by the blow of a Norseman's sword. Wulf himself +had escaped without a scratch, thanks in a large measure to his follower's +watchfulness. When the battle was over he was one of the few thanes who +gathered round Harold. The latter felt no exultation at this victory. It +had cost him the flower of his army and numbers of his most valued thanes. +It had cost him, too, the life of a brother, to whom in spite of his faults +he had been deeply attached. He knew that there was before him a struggle +even more serious than that from which he had just emerged a victor, and +there was no saying how that struggle might end. + +"I thank God that you are spared to me, Wulf," he said as the young thane +came up. "I marked you near me all through the battle, and none fought more +bravely. It has been a terrible day, and our victory is dearly purchased +indeed. I have sent a messenger to York, praying that every monk skilled in +surgery will at once hasten hither, that all men and boys shall come and +help to collect the wounded, and that such women as can aid will accompany +them. I cannot ask the men who have marched well-nigh night and day since +we left London, and borne the brunt of the day's battle, to do more. +England has need of their strength. The messenger was to stop at Helmsley, +and bid every soul left there to hurry to the field. It is but two miles +away, and in half an hour they will be here. The first thing for them to do +is to carry water to the wounded; there are no lack of vessels in the +Norsemen's camp." + +"I will go to the bridge, my lord, and take them in charge when they +arrive, and set them at the work." + +"You need rest as much as any, Wulf." + +"I can rest to-morrow," Wulf said; "and at any rate could not sleep +to-night, for I must see to Osgod, who will, I fear, lose an arm." + +"I am sorry to hear it," Harold said, "for one could ill spare so brave a +fellow. I saw the Norsemen going down under his axe, and assuredly no man +did more than he to-day." + +"I will tell him what you say, my lord; it will do him good. I left him +sitting down on a bank bemoaning himself that he might not be cured in time +to fight the Normans." + +Harold shook his head. "I would give half my estates, Wulf, that he should +be well enough to fight by your side in our first battle with the Normans. +That would mean that they would not land before two months have passed, and +by that time I would have all the force of England gathered to receive +them. As you are willing that it should be so, I will leave you in charge +of the camp to-night. It will be three hours before help can arrive from +York. Till then there is nought to do but to carry water to the wounded. +When they arrive the monks will dress the wounds, and the men and women +carry such as can be moved down by the river, where they can be treated +more easily than lying in the fields. Have a strict search made for the +body of my brother, and place a guard over it. Sweyn is in charge of the +Norse camp. There is great treasure there, which shall to-morrow be partly +divided among the troops." + +Wulf went at once down to the bridge, while Harold and his thanes lay down +like the soldiers on the field of battle. In a short time men, women, and +children came in from Helmsley. Having been told what they were required +for, they had brought with them jugs and drinking cups, and also a supply +of torches. The first search was made over the ground west of the river. +Here few English had fallen, but the Norsemen lay thickly. Wulf ordered +that water should be given to all, foe as well as friend. The number of +living was small, for the heavy two handed axes had done their work +thoroughly. When such as survived had been seen to, Wulf led the villagers +over the bridge. + +"Scatter right and left," he said, "and then move forward. You cannot go +wrong." Having seen them all at work, he hurried away to the spot where he +had left Osgod sitting. He had before leaving him staunched the flow of +blood by winding a bow string round the arm above the wound and then +twisting it tightly. + +"How fares it with you, Osgod? Here is a ewer of water." + +"That is good," Osgod said, after taking a mighty draught. "Truly I felt +as if the moisture of my body had all dried up, and not only my mouth but +my whole frame was parched." + +"Why, Osgod," Wulf exclaimed, as he held the torch he carried close to him, +"your arm has gone!" + +"That is so, master, an arm after the bone has been cleft through is of no +use to anyone, so I thought the sooner I got rid of it the better, and +having my knife handy I just cut through the flesh that remained. That was +the end of it. Would that we could get rid of all our evils as readily. +To-morrow I will walk to York and get the wound seared." + +"The king sent to York for aid directly the battle was over, and we shall +have all the townsfolk here soon, among them monks and others skilled in +the dressing of wounds. I told the king of your misfortune." And he then +repeated what Harold had said. + +"It does me good to hear that Harold is satisfied with me. I hope to +strike many a good blow for him yet." + +"How still it is here, Osgod! There is scarce a sound to be heard from all +those lying round." + +"There are but few with life in them, I reckon," Osgod said. "A Norse +sword and an English axe let out the life quickly when they strike fair. +This blow fell on my arm as my axe was raised to strike, and it were well +it did so, or it would have taken me in the neck, and then neither monk nor +leech could have brought me back to life. Had it been my right arm I would +as lief have been killed at once, for what good is a man without his right +arm?" + +"You would have learned to use your left in time, Osgod. Now if you can +walk, come down to the river, and I will see that you are among the first +attended to." + +"I will lie down here," Osgod said, "for in truth I feel as if I need +sleep. For the last two days I have been scarce able to keep my eyes open, +and now that I have had a drink I feel that a few hours' rest will do me +more good than any monk." + +Osgod's words came slowly and heavily, and as he ended he lay down on his +back. Wulf saw that it was best that he should sleep, and so left him. In +two hours a great number of lights were seen along the road, and soon a +crowd of men and women from York appeared and scattered themselves over the +battlefield, the monks pouring balm into wounds and bandaging them up, +while the men and women carried the wounded, as fast as they were attended +to, down to the river. The bodies of Tostig and of the King of Norway were +both found, and a guard placed over them, and in the morning that of Tostig +was carried to York for burial in the cathedral, while Harold Hardrada was +buried where he fell. + +Harold sent messengers to the Norsemen's fleet offering mercy to them if +they would surrender, and their chiefs come to York and swear never again +to raise their swords against England--an offer which was thankfully +accepted, for the English fleet had entered the Humber, and their retreat +was cut off. + +The next day the Norse chiefs went to York and took the required oath, and +were then escorted back to their ships. So terrible had been the +slaughter, so complete the destruction of the invading army, that, even +including the guard that remained at the fleet, twenty-four ships sufficed +to carry away home the survivors of the mighty host. The task of burying +the slain was too great to be undertaken, and for many years afterwards the +field of battle was whitened with the bones of the invaders who had fallen +there. + +On the day after the battle Harold returned with his army to York. Here all +who had fallen away from the cause of England were pardoned. Measures were +taken for making the fighting strength of the North available for the +general defence of the country. The wounded were cared for in the houses of +the citizens, and for five days the troops rested after their prodigious +exertions. + +Early in the morning after the battle Osgod's wound had been seared with +red-hot irons. He had borne the pain unflinchingly, saying that he had +suffered as much from burns more than once while learning his trade as an +armourer. Wulf was not present, as he had thrown himself down to sleep as +soon as he had been relieved at daylight, but he saw him before he started +with the king for York. + +"Yes, it hurts a bit, master," Osgod replied in answer to his inquiries. "I +could not expect otherwise. You will have to do without me for a few days. +I have made friends with some peasants at Helmsley. I shall stay with them +till the army marches south. If I were at York I should never keep quiet; +and the monks tell me the quieter I am the sooner my wounds will heal. They +are poor creatures, these monks; they wanted to make out that it might be +two or three months before I was fit for service again. I told them it +would be a shame to my manhood if in a fortnight I could not wield an axe +again. It is not as if I had been brought up softly. I have burnt myself +with hot irons many a time, and know that a few days suffices to heal a +sore." + +"It is not the sore, Osgod; it is the veins that might burst out bleeding +again." + +"That is what they said, master; but at present there is not much blood +left in me, I think, and by the time it comes again my veins ought to have +healed themselves. This plaguey bowstring hurts me well-nigh as much as the +smart of the irons; but the monks say I must bear it for a couple of days, +when they will put on some tight bandages in its place, but if I can bear +the pain it were better that it should be kept there for a week or two." + +Five days passed. The king laboured incessantly at making a settlement of +the affairs of the North. The thanes came in from all Northumbria. They +were full of thankfulness at the deliverance that had been wrought for +them, and the victor of Stamford Bridge was far more to them than the King +of England had ever been. All were received with kindness and courtesy, and +Harold felt that at Stamford Bridge he had conquered not only the host of +Norway but the Northern earldoms. On the evening of the fifth day after +the battle they held a great banquet at York. The feasting was at its +height when Harold was told that a messenger had arrived with urgent news, +and the man was at once brought in. He had ridden in two days from the +South, and brought the momentous news that on the third day after the +victory of Stamford Bridge the Norman host had landed in Sussex. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + +THE LANDING OF THE FOE. + +While Harold with his army had been anxiously and impatiently watching the +sea on the southern coast of England, the mixed host of the Duke of +Normandy had been no less anxiously awaiting a favourable breeze at the +port where the whole of the expedition was gathered. William had, however, +one great advantage. While Harold's army and navy were composed of levies, +bound by feudal obligations to remain but a certain time under arms, and +eager to return to their harvest operations, their wives and families, +William's was made up to a great extent of seasoned troops and professional +soldiers, gathered not only from his own dominions but from all parts of +Europe. + +These were far more amenable to orders than were the English militia. +Tempted by the thought of the plunder of England, they had enlisted under +the duke's banner for the expedition. They had no thought of returning +home, and as long as they were well supplied with food, the delay in +starting mattered comparatively little to them; and thus while at length +the fleet and army of Harold scattered to their homes the Normans remained +in their camp, ready to embark on board the ships as soon as a favourable +wind blew. They were kept in good temper by receiving regular pay and +provisions, and as all plundering was strictly forbidden the country people +freely brought in supplies, and for a month the great army was fed without +difficulty; but as the resources of the country became exhausted the duke +grew more and more anxious to move to another port, and taking advantage of +a change of wind to the west he embarked his army and sailed north along +the coast of Normandy to the mouth of the Somme, and the troops disembarked +and encamped round the town of St. Valery. + +Here there was another long delay, and while Harold was marching north to +meet the King of Norway the Normans were praying for a favourable wind at +the holy shrine at the Abbey of St. Valery. Two days after the host of +Harold Hardrada had been destroyed the wind suddenly shifted to the south. +There had on the previous day been a great religious ceremony; the holy +relics had been brought by the priests into the camp; the whole army had +joined in a solemn service; precious gifts had been offered at the shrine, +and as the change of wind was naturally ascribed to the influence of the +saint, the army was filled with enthusiasm, and believed that heaven had +declared in their favour. + +From morning till night the scene of bustle and preparation went on, and +when darkness fell the whole host had embarked. Every ship was ordered to +bear a light, and a huge lantern was hoisted at the masthead of the +_Mora_, the duke's own ship, and orders were issued that all vessels +should follow the light. The _Mora_, however, was a quick sailer, and +was not, like the other vessels, deeply laden down with horses and men. +When daylight broke, therefore, she had so far outstripped the rest that no +other sail was in sight, and she anchored until the fleet came up, when the +voyage was continued, and at nine on the morning of Thursday the 28th of +September the Normans landed on English soil, near the village of Pevensey. + +The landing was unopposed; the housecarls were away north with their king, +the levies were scattered to their homes. To the surprise of the Normans +who landed in battle array no armed man was to be seen. Parties of mounted +men at once examined the country for miles round, but without finding signs +of the defending army they expected to meet. On the following morning a +small force was left in the Roman fortifications near Pevensey to guard the +ships, hauled up on the beach, from attack, and the duke with his army +marched away along the Roman road to Hastings, where William established +his headquarters and resolved to await the approach of the army of England. +A wooden castle was raised on the height, and the country for miles round +was harried by the Norman horse. Every house was given to the flames; men +were slain, women and children taken as slaves, and the destruction was so +complete that it seemed as if it had been done with the deliberate purpose +of forcing Harold to come down and give battle. + +No sooner did Harold hear the news that the Normans had landed and were +harrying the land than he ordered the hall to be cleared and issued a +summons for the assembly of a Gemot, and in an hour an assemblage of all +the thanes gathered at York was held in the hall that had so shortly before +been the scene of peaceful feasting. Harold proclaimed to them the news he +had heard, and called upon them to arm and call together their levies for +the defence of England. An enthusiastic reply was given. As the men of the +South had crushed the invaders of the North, so would the men of the North +assist to repel the invasion of the South. Morcar and Edwin promised +solemnly to lead the forces of Northumbria and Mercia to London without a +day's delay, and though Harold trusted his brothers-in-law but little, he +hoped they would have to yield to the patriotic spirit of the thanes and to +play their part as Englishmen. + +An hour later messengers started on horseback for the South, bidding all +men to assemble at London to fight for home and freedom against the foreign +invader, and orders were issued that the troops who had fought at Stamford +Bridge should march at daybreak. As soon as the council was over Wulf +mounted his horse and rode at full speed to Helmsley. He had each day +ridden over to see Osgod, who in his anxiety for a rapid cure was proving +himself a most amenable patient, and was strictly carrying out the +prescriptions of the monk who had taken charge of him and of other wounded +who were lying in the village. He was asleep on a rough pallet when Wulf +entered. + +"A pest upon the Norman!" he exclaimed angrily when he heard Wulf's news. +"He might have given me a week longer at any rate. I am feeling mightily +better already, for to-day the monk has bandaged my arm, and that so tight +as almost to numb it. But that I care little for, as he has now taken off +that bow-string which was cutting its way into the flesh. He told me that +everything depended upon my keeping absolutely quiet for another week, for +the slightest exertion might make the wound break out afresh, and that if +it burst there would be but a poor chance for me. Well, I must travel in a +waggon instead of on horseback" + +"You will do nothing of the sort, Osgod; I absolutely forbid it. It would +be an act of sheer madness. Besides, you would be useless at present even +if you went south, while if you rest here for three or four weeks you may +be able to take part in some of the battles; and, moreover, it may be weeks +before Harold moves against the Normans. At any rate, it is out of the +question that you should move at present. I am not going to have you risk +your life by such folly." + +Osgod was silent for a minute or two and then said, "Well, master, I must +obey your orders, but never before did I feel it so hard a thing to do." + +"It is for your own good and mine, Osgod. I am not going to lose so +faithful a follower, and would rather do without you for two months than +for all my life. But now I must be going, for I shall ride on ahead so as +to go down to Steyning and fetch our men. I was before sorry that, owing to +my being here, they did not come down with the king; now I am glad, for I +might have lost half of them, while as it is I shall have a hundred men as +good as his own to help to fill up the ranks of Harold's housecarls, +besides the general levy of my tenants." + +On his march south Harold was joined by large numbers of men. The news of +the destruction of the army of Harold Hardrada had excited the greatest +enthusiasm, and the thanes presented themselves as a rule with more than +the number of men they were bound to furnish. Wulf rode on fast to London. +As soon as he arrived there he went to the armourer's shop. Ulred paused +at his work as he entered. "Welcome back, my lord Wulf!" he said. "So you +have come safe through the two great battles in the North. Has Osgod fared +equally well, I see that you have come without him?" + +"Not equally well, Ulred. He fought with me at Fulford and received no +serious hurt, but at Stamford Bridge he was wounded so sorely that for a +time we thought it would go hard with him; but he has rallied and is doing +well, and save that he will come home without his left arm, he will, I +trust, soon be recovered. No man fought more stoutly than he did at +Stamford Bridge, and the king himself noticed his valour. Although his +wound was but five days' old when we started, he would have come south at +once if I would have suffered him, though he must assuredly have been +carried the whole way in a litter. It troubled him greatly to hear that we +should be face to face with the Normans, and he not there to strike a blow +for England." + +"I am glad to hear that the boy lives," the armourer said; "for indeed when +I saw you alone my first thoughts were that he had fought his last battle. +We have terrible news from the South. The Normans are plundering and +slaying from Beachy Head well-nigh to Dover, and the people are flying +before them in crowds. However, matters will be changed as soon as the king +returns to town. London will send her militia in full strength, and we hear +that the thanes of the West are hurrying hither. 'Tis a pity indeed that +Harold was drawn off north, for had he been here the Normans would have had +to fight their best before they established themselves on our shores." + +"They could have landed in any case, Ulred. It was not the King of Norway +and Tostig, but the impatience of our sailors and troops, that left our +shores unguarded. Harold tried his best to keep them together, but in vain. +However, they rallied quickly when they heard of the landing in the North, +and are coming in freely now." + +"Will the troops of Northumbria be here?" + +"I doubt it greatly, Ulred. They are not true men, Edwin and Morcar; they +surrendered York before an arrow was shot against its walls, and received +Harold Hardrada as their king. They would be equally willing to +acknowledge William of Normandy so that they might but preserve their +earldoms under him. They have promised to send their whole forces forward +without delay, but I have no belief that they will be here. I am going to +Steyning as soon as I have eaten a meal and rested for a few hours. I shall +miss Osgod sorely. I trust that it will not be long before I have him by my +side." + +"When will the army be back here, master?" + +"In three days at most, I imagine. There will be but short stay here before +Harold marches south to meet the Normans. The news of the wanton +destruction they are making has roused him to fury, and he will assuredly +lose no time, even though he have but half the force of England behind +him." + +"It is as well to have something to fall back on," the armourer said. "It +is not by one battle that England is to be conquered, and even if we lose +the first we may gain the second. We can stand the loss better than the +Normans, for doubtless William has brought all his strength with him, and +if beaten must make his way back to his ships, while Harold would in a +short time find himself at the head of a larger army than that with which +he may first meet them. Was the slaughter as great as they say at Stamford +Bridge?" + +"It was terrible, Ulred; and though the Norsemen suffered vastly more than +we did, the ranks of the housecarls, on whom the brunt of the fighting +fell, have been sorely thinned. We shall feel their loss when we meet the +Normans. Against their heavily-armed troops and their squadrons of knights +and horsemen one of the Thingmen was worth three untried peasants. Had we +but half the number of our foe, and that half all housecarls, I should not +for a moment doubt the issue." + +"London will put a strong body in the field, and though we have not the +training of the Thingmen you may trust us to fight sternly, Master Wulf; +and if we are beaten I will warrant that there will not be many of us to +bring the tidings back." + +"Of that I am sure, Ulred. The citizens have more to lose and better know +what they are fighting for than the country levies, and as you say, I am +sure they will do their part stoutly. Well, I must stay here no longer. I +shall sleep for two or three hours, and then take a fresh horse from the +king's stable and to-morrow shall be at Steyning. By nightfall I shall be +on my way back with every man on the estate, a hundred and fifty besides +the housecarls, and two days' march will bring us here again. Ulf is well, +I hope? I do not see him." + +"He has but carried home some arms I have been mending. We are working +night and day; since the news that the Normans had landed came, there has +been no thought of bed among the armourers and smiths of Westminster and +London. Each man works until he can work no longer, then throws himself +down for two or three hours' sleep, and then wakes up to work again; and so +it will be till the army has moved south with most of us in its ranks." + +Wulf reached Steyning soon after daybreak, and as soon as the news that he +had arrived went round, the tenants flocked in. His coming had been +anxiously expected, for the alarm caused by the incursions all over the +country by the Norman horse was intense; and although, so far, none had +come west of Beachy Head, there was a general feeling that at any moment +they might make their appearance. The news, therefore, that Harold was +marching south with his army, and that all were to share in a pitched +battle with the invader instead of being slaughtered on their hearthstones, +caused a deep feeling of satisfaction. Wulf gave orders that every man +should assemble in fighting array at noon, and that if, later on, news came +that the enemy were approaching, the houses were to be deserted, the stacks +fired, and, driving the cattle before them, the women and children should +cross the hills and take shelter in the great forest beyond. A few of the +older men who were unfit to take part in a long day's fighting were to aid +the women in their work. + +The arms of all the men were carefully inspected, and the weapons remaining +in the armoury served out to those worst provided. At one o'clock the force +marched off, Wulf riding at the head of the hundred housecarls, while the +tenants, a hundred and fifty strong, followed in good order. Each man +carried six days' provisions. They camped that night in a forest twenty +miles from Steyning, marched thirty miles the next day, and early the +following morning joined the great array that was gathering on the hills +south of London. To his great pleasure Wulf found that Beorn had arrived +the day before with his levy. They had not met since they had returned from +the North with Harold. + +"So you have been up there again, Wulf, and fought at Fulford and Stamford +Bridge. It was very unlucky I was not in London when the army marched +north; but I received no summons, and heard nothing of it until the king +was well on his march. None of the thanes along the south coast were +summoned." + +"So I heard, Beorn. I fancy the king thought that in case of a landing by +the Normans the men near the coast would all be wanted to help take the +women and cattle to places of security." + +"No doubt that was the reason," Beorn said. "At any rate, I am sorry I +missed the fight at Stamford Bridge. The other seems to have been a bad +affair." + +"Very bad; we suffered terribly. So much so, indeed, that the earls will +have a good excuse for not getting their levies together in time for the +battle with the Normans." + +"They are false loons," Beorn said; "and brothers-in-law as they are of +his, it would have been well had the king after Stamford Bridge had their +heads smitten off for their traitorous surrender to the Norsemen." + +"I have no doubt they will hold aloof now, Beorn, until they see how +matters go in the South, and if we are worsted they will hasten to make +their peace with William, and to swear to be his liegemen, just as they +swore to be liegemen to Harold Hardrada. But they will find out their +mistake in the end. William has promised to divide England among his needy +adventurers if he wins, and Edwin and Morcar will very speedily find that +they will not, in that case, be allowed to keep half the country as their +share." + +It was a great host that was gathered ready for the march south. Gurth had +brought down the fighting men of East Anglia; the thanes of the West were +there with their tenants; the Bishop of Winchester, Harold's uncle, not +only brought the tenants of the church lands, but he himself with twelve of +his monks had put on armour under their monkish robes. The Abbot of +Peterborough headed a contingent from the Fen Country; the men of London +under the sheriff of the Mid Saxons were there, and prepared to die in +defence of the royal standard, which it was the special privilege of London +to guard. In the Abbey of Westminster, where Harold had received his +crown, and in every church of London, mass was celebrated day and night, +and was attended by crowds of troops and citizens. + +Harold himself snatched a day from the cares of preparation to visit +Waltham, the abbey that he had founded, and in which he had taken so lively +an interest, and there earnestly prayed for victory, with the vow that did +he conquer in the strife he would regard himself as God's ransomed servant, +and would throughout his life specially devote himself to His service. A +day or two after Wulf's arrival in London a messenger came from William of +Normandy calling upon Harold to come down from his throne, and to become, +as he had sworn to be, the duke's man. Harold in reply sent back a full +answer to William's claims. He admitted that Edward had promised the crown +to William, but he said that according to the law of England a man might at +any time revoke his will, and this Edward had done, and had named him as +his successor. As to the oath he himself had sworn, he maintained that it +was an extorted oath, and therefore of no binding force. Finally, he +offered rich gifts to William if he would depart quietly, but added that if +he was bent on war he would meet him in battle on the coming Saturday. + +It is probable that William's insolent message was meant to have the effect +of inducing Harold to march against him. The Norman position was a very +strong one, and had been carefully fortified, and he hoped that Harold +would attempt to storm it. Gurth urged his brother to remain in London, +while he himself went with the army to battle. A large number of the levies +had as yet not come in, and with these, should the first battle be +unsuccessful, another army could be gathered to continue the struggle. +Moreover, whether the oath Harold had sworn was binding or not, he had +sworn, and it were better that another who was perfectly free in his +conscience should lead the English to battle. + +Then, too, Gurth urged, if he himself was slain, it would matter +comparatively little, while Harold's death would jeopardize the whole +kingdom. He prayed him therefore to stay in London, and to gather another +and greater force, and to lay waste the whole land between London and the +coast, so that the Normans, whether successful or not in their first +battle, would be starved into a departure from the land. The counsel of +Gurth was approved of by the thanes, but Harold rejected it. He declared +that he would never let his brothers and friends go forth to danger on his +behalf while he himself drew back from facing it, neither could he bring +himself to harm the lands or the goods of any Englishman. + +For six days Harold remained in London waiting, but in vain, for the forces +from the North to join him, and on the Thursday morning set out with his +army in order to meet the invaders on the day he had named. Accounts differ +very widely as to the strength of that army. Norman writers, in order to +glorify their own victory, speak of it as one of prodigious numbers. +English writers, on the other hand, endeavour to explain the defeat by +minimizing the number of those who followed Harold's standard. Doubtless +the English king, knowing the proved valour of his housecarls, and fresh +from the crushing defeat inflicted on the Norsemen, considered the numbers +to be sufficient. His military genius was unquestionable, and next only to +William the Norman he was regarded as the greatest general in Europe. As +there was no occasion for haste so long as the Normans remained at Hastings +he would not have moved forward with a force he deemed insufficient, when +he knew that in another week its numbers would have been doubled. + +On the day that the king made his last visit to Waltham, Wulf rode over to +Croydon in compliance with an entreaty he received from Edith. + +"When does the army march?" she asked anxiously as she entered. + +"The day after to-morrow, lady." + +"And my lord goes with it?" + +"He does. I myself think that Gurth's counsel was good, and that it were +best for England that he remained at Westminster; and yet I can understand +well that he himself would feel it a shame did he remain behind." + +"I feel sore misgivings," Edith said, bursting into tears. "When he +marched north against the King of Norway and Tostig I felt no doubt he +would return victorious; but night after night I have had evil dreams, and +though I pray continually my spirit has no relief. I have never feared for +him before. I have always felt sure that whoever died Harold would be +spared for the sake of England, but I have no such feeling now. It seems to +me that I sacrificed him and myself in vain when I bade him leave me and +marry the sister of the Northern earls. No good has come of it. They are +behaving now as traitors, and he has lost his life's happiness. And yet I +did it for the best." + +"It was a noble sacrifice, lady, and come what may you have no cause to +regret it." + +"The queen is not with him," Edith said bitterly. + +"No, she is at Oxford. You must not think, lady, that the king has been +unhappy since he came to the throne. He has been so incessantly occupied +with work that he has had no time for domestic happiness, even if it had +been within his reach. His thoughts are ever on England, and he has no +thought of self. Labouring ever for the good of his subjects, he has his +happiness alike in their love, and in the knowledge that he is doing all +that man can for their welfare. If he dies, he will die the death not only +of a soldier but of the noblest king that ever sat on the English throne, +and at all times he will be enshrined in the hearts of the English people, +whether Normans or Englishmen reign over the land." + +"That is true, and I must take comfort from it, Wulf; but it was not for +this that I sent for you, but to ask you where the battle is likely to be +fought." + +"Near Hastings, assuredly," Wulf replied. + +"I shall travel south to-morrow. I have had a message from the king praying +me to see him, but that would be too much for me. He is another woman's +husband and I dare not meet him, it were sin for me to do so; but I would +fain be nearer to the scene of battle, so that in a few hours I might +journey there, in order that, if my lord dies, I might see him once again. +I know the superior of a convent at Lewes, and there I will betake myself. +Thence, as I believe, it is some sixteen miles to Hastings, and so far as I +have heard the Norman plunderers have not gone so far west. Should aught +happen to him, will you send a speedy messenger to me?" + +"Should I live through the fight I will do so, lady, but even should I not +return the news will travel swiftly; but God forfend that so great a loss +should fall upon England." + +"Amen," Edith murmured, "and yet I fear. Thanks, Wulf, for coming, +perchance we may not meet again. I am thinking of entering a convent, +probably that at Lewes. The struggle and pain here is well-nigh too great +for me, but in the walls of a cloister I may find peace. If my fears are +fulfilled I shall assuredly do this, and when I return to the convent I +shall leave it no more. My life is over. I have a happy past to look back +upon, in that am blest, and shall be happier than those who have no such +consolation. Moreover, I can still be proud of Harold, and may love him as +I might love the memory of a husband who is lost. God bless you, Wulf, and +protect you through the coming battle!" + +Wulf rode sadly back to the camp. Although he had denied it to Edith, he +could not but admit to himself that the sacrifice that she and Harold had +made had, so far, been unavailing. It had failed to draw the Northern earls +closer to the king. The marriage had been productive of no happiness to +Harold, and the only reward he had gained had been in the sympathy of the +people, who knew well enough that he had sacrificed his love for the good +of his country. + +The army marched rapidly. Beorn and Wulf rode together, and talked over the +chances of the coming battle. + +"I cannot blame Harold for not remaining behind," Wulf said, "though it +were certainly more politic for him to have stayed in London. As he could +not do so, I think it would have been well had he bidden Gurth remain +behind to gather another army with which to meet the Normans should we be +defeated; or if he could not spare Gurth he might have left Leofric behind. +It is assuredly a mistake for the three brothers all to come, for should +all fall England would no longer have a head." + +"Surely no such misfortune as that will befall us, Wulf." + +"I know not. They will fight side by side, and should one fall all may +perish together. One at least ought to remain behind. It matters not how +many of us are killed, so that one of Godwin's sons is left to rally the +kingdom. You may be sure that if we are conquered the victors will be in +but poor condition to meet another foe; but if there is no one to gather an +army and unite all England against the Normans they will eat us up +piecemeal." + +"We must not think of so terrible a thing, Wulf. It is not like you to look +at the dark side. Why, when we were in Wales, and in as bad a plight as +could well be, you always made light of danger, and managed affairs as if +we were certain to succeed. Why should we be defeated? Why should the king +be killed? He went through the terrible fight at Stamford Bridge without a +scratch. We have seen the Normans at work, and know that they are not such +terrible fellows; and as for their duke, I would assuredly rather meet him +in battle, doughty as he may be, than have faced Harold Hardrada with his +two-handed sword." + +"I have every hope of winning the day, Beorn, but still I do regret much +that Gurth and Leofric are both here. Do you remember that in Wales we +agreed that it was always well to have a way of retreat in case of defeat? +Well, I feel that defeat this time will mean not only the defeat of an army +but the ruin of England." + +On Friday afternoon the army reached rising ground near the village of +Senlac, which Harold had beforehand fixed upon as the place where he would +give battle to the invaders. Kent and Sussex he knew well. They had been +the home of his family, and he owned vast estates there. Doubtless in the +long weeks of waiting for the coming of the Norman fleet he had fixed upon +this spot as one well suited for a battle. It was necessary that the +English should fight on the defensive. The Normans were strong in cavalry, +while the English were unaccustomed to fight on horseback, and would have +been at a grievous disadvantage had they attacked the enemy. + +The hill offered many advantages to a force standing on the defensive. The +great eastern road passed close to its foot, and its possession barred the +passage of the invaders in that direction. The ground between it and the +sea was marshy and broken, and its occupation by an English force left the +Normans no choice but to come out and attack them. + +The sides were steep and the ground rose rapidly in the rear, so that the +Norman cavalry could not attack from behind. It was, indeed, a sort of +peninsula running southward from the main range of hills. + +The moment the troops reached the ground the royal standard was planted, +and the men set to work to fell trees and to form a triple palisade along +the accessible sides of the hills. The force at Harold's command must have +been far nearer to the estimate given of its strength by the English +chroniclers than by the Normans, for the space occupied was insufficient +for the standing room of such an army as that enumerated by the latter +writers. + +Harold relied almost entirely upon the housecarls. The levies might be +brave, but they were undisciplined, and might easily be thrown into +disorder; they would, too, be impatient under the trial of a long day's +battle. It is even said that he sent away some of the ill-armed levies, who +came flocking in from the country round, eager to revenge the injuries +received at the hands of the Normans. It was upon the shield-wall, the +favourite formation of the English, that he relied to win the battle. It +was their national mode of fighting. It was that in which Alfred had led +the Saxons to victory over the Danes. It was that in which they clashed +against the shield-wall of Norway and shattered it, and he might well hope +that the barons of Normandy and the adventurers from all parts of Europe +who fought under William's banner might well try in vain to break it. + +In the evening a messenger arrived from William, again bidding Harold +resign the kingdom or meet the duke in single combat, the crown of England +to be the prize of the victor. Harold refused the challenge. He had proved +his personal courage too often for it to be supposed that he declined from +any feeling of cowardice, but he knew well that the issue could not be thus +decided. Were he to fall, the people would still refuse to accept William +as their king; were William to fall, the host that had gathered for the +plunder of England would still give battle. Nothing was therefore to be +gained by the proposed combat. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + +HASTINGS. + +The fiction of the Norman historians, that while the Normans passed the +night preceding the battle in prayer, the English spent it in feasting, is +even more palpably absurd than the many other falsehoods invented for the +purpose of damaging the character of Harold. The English army had marched +nearly seventy miles in the course of two days, and had in addition +laboured incessantly for many hours in erecting the palisades and in +digging ditches. We may be sure that after two such days the great mass of +the army lay down dog-tired directly their work was done, and slept till +morning. Harold and his thanes had shared in their labours, and knowing the +terrible work that awaited them in the morning, would most surely be +disposed to get as long a sleep as possible to prepare for it. + +But what is most opposed to the Norman story is the fact that Harold was a +sincerely and deeply religious man, far more so than his rival. The life of +the one man was in accordance with his professions--he was gentle and +merciful, ever ready to forgive his enemies, averse to bloodshed, and so +true a friend of the church that the whole of the prelates and clergy set +the interdict of the pope at naught for his sake. The only exception in his +clemency to the conquered was in the case of the Welsh, and in this +instance the stern measures he adopted were in the end the most merciful. +No oaths could bind these marauders, and the stern punishment he inflicted +was the means of procuring for the West of England a respite from their +incursions that lasted for three generations. + +William of Normandy, on the contrary, was absolutely merciless in warfare. +He was not cruel for the sake of cruelty, but where he deemed that the +policy demanded it, he was ruthless, and spared neither age nor sex. He was +lavish to the church, but it was rather because he needed and obtained its +aid than from any feeling of real piety. + +In point of ability, both civil and military, the Duke of Normandy and +Harold of England were perhaps about equal; in point of nobility of +character there was no comparison between them. We may be sure that the +night before the battle Harold prayed as earnestly as he had prayed at +Waltham for the aid of Heaven. + +Wulf and Beorn lay down among the thanes, after Harold, sitting with them +round a fire, had explained his plans for the battle. So calmly and +confidently did he speak, and so strong was their position, that even those +who had, like Wulf, doubted the wisdom of an advance until the whole force +of England had assembled, now felt something like an assurance of victory, +and all lay down to sleep with the belief that the victory at Stamford +Bridge would be repeated. + +On waking, Wulf visited his men. They were already astir, and he was +astounded at seeing among them the towering figure of Osgod. + +"Why, what means this, Osgod?" he exclaimed. "Did I not order you to rest +quietly at York?" + +"That did you, my lord," Osgod said, "and no man obeys your orders more +readily than I, and anything that you bid me do I am willing to do if +possible; but in this it was not possible, for I could not remain at York, +either in rest or quiet. I should have had fever in my blood, and would by +this time have been lying as deep in the earth as Harold of Norway himself. +Therefore, in order to get the rest and quiet you had ordered, it was +necessary for me to come south. As you had left me well supplied with +money, I was able to do so in comfort, and though I could well enough walk +I have had myself carried in a litter by easy stages. I reached London on +Wednesday night, having been a fortnight on the way, and I arrived here an +hour since. Each day I walked a little, so as to keep my health and +exercise my limbs, and so well have I succeeded that my wound has well-nigh +healed; and although I doubt whether I shall be able to use a heavy axe, I +trust I shall be able to strike hard enough with the right hand to split a +few Norman helms." + +"But the exertion may set your wounds bleeding afresh, Osgod," Wulf said, +unable to repress a smile at Osgod's argument. + +"Methinks there is no fear of that. The most nights I have slept at +monasteries, and have inquired from the monks, whom I told that I must +needs stand by your side to-day, whether I should be fit. They said at +first that there would be some risk in the matter, but that if I continued +to take rest and quiet as I was doing, and the wound continued to heal +favourably, it was possible, if I abstained from actual fighting, I might +do so; but of late they have spoken more confidently. I told the monk who +seared my arm to do it heartily, for a little pain more or less was of +small account, so that he made a good job of it. And so, what with the rest +and quiet and my mind being at ease, it went on so well that a monk who +examined it at Westminster on Wednesday evening told me that save for the +healing of the skin the wound was pretty nigh cured, and that he thought +there was no chance whatever of its breaking out afresh. He bandaged it +tightly to prevent any rush of blood into the veins, and though when I +drove an axe just now into that stump yonder, I felt that I had not got +back my strength fully, I expect when I warm to the work I shall strike as +strongly as most." + +"Well, at any rate you must take care of yourself, Osgod. You can aid me +in keeping our men steady, but I charge you not to fight yourself unless +you see the line waver. Then you can, of course, throw yourself into the +fray." + +"I will keep myself back for that, master; but I am sure we shall all have +to do our best before sunset, and as all will be risking their lives there +is no reason why I should not do so as well as the rest." + +The troops made a hearty breakfast from the food they carried, and quenched +their thirst at the little stream that ran down by the side of the slope, +then they were told off to the ground they were to occupy. + +At nine in the morning the vanguard of the Norman army appeared over the +brow of a rise, and the English at once took up their positions. In the +centre were the housecarls of the royal house and those of the thanes, +together with the men of Kent, whose right it was ever to be in the front +of a battle, and the London citizens under their sheriff. All these were +armed and attired like the housecarls. In the centre of this array flew the +royal standard, and around it were the three royal brothers, Aelfwig their +uncle, with his monk's cowl over his helmet, and their nephew, Hakon, the +son of Sweyn. The housecarls were in a triple line. To the left and right +of them were the levies, as brave as their more heavily armed comrades, but +altogether without discipline, and armed in the most primitive manner. A +few only carried swords or axes, the majority had spears or javelins. Many +had only forks or sharp stakes, while some carried stone hammers and axes, +such as were used by their primitive ancestors. + +As the Norman army wound down from the opposite hill and formed up in the +order of battle, Harold rode along in front of his line exhorting all to +stand firm. + +"They were there," he said, "to defend their country, and to defend their +country they had but to hold the hill. Were they steadfast and firm they +could assuredly resist the attack of this host who came to capture and +plunder England." + +The order in which the Normans prepared for battle was similar to that of +the English. Both commanders had been well informed by spies of the +strength and position of their opponents, and the duke placed his tried +Norman troops in the centre to match themselves against the English +housecarls. His Breton contingent was on his left, while on the right were +the French, the Flemings, and the other foreign adventurers who had come to +fight under his banner. In the front line were the archers and slingers, +who were to open the battle and shake the line of the defenders. Behind +these came the infantry, who were to hew down the palisades and clear a way +for the cavalry charge full into the centre of the English host. + +A Norman trumpet gave the signal for the commencement of the battle, and +the archers along the whole line poured a storm of arrows into the English. +It was unanswered, for there were few bowmen among the defenders of the +hill, and the distance was too great for the javelin-men to hurl their +missiles. After the archers had shot several volleys of arrows they fell +back, and the infantry advanced against the hill; but before they did so +Taillifer, a Norman minstrel, dashed forward on horseback, and spurring up +the ascent, tossing his sword in the air and catching it as it fell, rode +up to the English line. One man he pierced with a lance, another he cut +down with his sword, and then fell dead under the blow of a heavy axe. +This mad exploit had scarce terminated when the Norman infantry advanced up +the hill. They were greeted with a shower of stones and javelins, which +slew many, but with unbroken front they pressed upwards until they reached +the palisade. Here a desperate struggle began. The Norman sword and spear +were met by the axes of the housecarls, and the clubs, spears, and forks of +the levies. In vain Norman, Breton, Frenchmen, and Fleming strove to break +the English line. The high position of the defenders gave them a great +advantage over their assailants, among whose crowded ranks the javelin-men +did great execution, while the Normans could receive little aid from their +archers. Both sides fought with obstinate valour. The Norman battle-cry was +"God help us!" the English "God Almighty and the Holy Cross!" The latter +invocation being to the relic at Waltham, which was the king's special +object of devotion. + +With jeering cries too they greeted the efforts of their assailants to +cross the palisade and break their line. At last the Norman infantry fell +back broken and baffled, having suffered terrible loss, and now the knights +and horsemen, who formed the backbone of William's army, rode up the hill. +The duke himself, as well as his brother Odo, Bishop of Bayeau, who fought +beside him, had laid aside their Norman swords, and were armed with heavy +maces, weapons as formidable as the English axe. But the valour of the +horsemen, the strength of their armour, the length of their lances, and the +weight of their horses, availed no more against the shield-wall of the +housecarls than the infantry had done. The superior height and strength of +the English, and the sweep of their terrible battle-axes, counterbalanced +the advantage the horses afforded to the Normans, and the hitherto +irresistible chivalry of Normandy and France were, for the first time, +dashed backwards by trained infantry. + +In front of the English line the ground was thickly covered with fallen men +and horses. There were but few wounded among them, for where the English +axe fell, whether on horse or rider, it did its work thoroughly. But the +English, too, had suffered. The action of swinging the axe with both arms +above the head left the neck and upper part of the body exposed, and many +had fallen pierced through and through by the Norman spears. A great shout +of triumph rose from the English line as the Norman horsemen, unable to do +more, fell sullenly back down the hill. As in the centre the king with his +thanes and housecarls had repelled the attack of the Normans, so on the +flanks the English levies had held their ground against the Bretons and +French; but, carried away by their exultation, the levies on the right, +forgetful of Harold's express orders that no man was to stir from his place +until he himself gave the signal for pursuit, broke their line, and rushing +down the hill fell on the retreating Bretons. + +Unable to withstand the onslaught, and already disheartened by their +failure, the Bretons fled in wild alarm, and rushing towards the centre for +protection threw the Normans also into confusion. The panic spread rapidly, +the host wavered, and had already begun to fly, when William, throwing off +his helmet, rode among them, and exhorting some and striking others with a +lance he had caught up, at last restored order, and the Breton infantry +rallied and fell upon their pursuers, killing many and driving the rest +back up the hill. + +Again the Norman infantry and cavalry together advanced up the hill, and +the terrible struggle recommenced. William and his brother the bishop +performed prodigies of valour, but not less valiantly fought Harold of +England and his brothers. The palisade was by this time destroyed in many +places, and desperate hand-to-hand contests now took place. Cutting his way +through meaner foes the duke strove to reach the royal standard and +encounter Harold himself. He was nearing his goal, when Gurth sprang +forward, eager above all things to protect Harold from harm. He hurled a +javelin at William, but the dart struck the Norman's horse only, and it +fell beneath him. William leapt to his feet, and springing upon Gurth smote +with his heavy mace full on his helmet, and the noble Earl of East Anglia +fell dead at his feet. Almost at the same moment his brother Leofwin, +fighting sword in hand, was slain. But the fall of the two royal brothers +in no way changed the fate of the battle. The men of Kent and Essex, +furious at the fall of their beloved earls, fought even more fiercely than +before to avenge their deaths. + +William had remounted, but his second horse was also slain. Eustace of +Boulogne offered him his horse, and himself mounting that of one of his +followers they fell together upon the English line, but all the valour of +the duke and his chivalry failed to break it. On the French left the +Bretons had, indeed, succeeded in completely destroying the palisade, but +the levies stood firm, and no impression was made upon their solid line. +The attack had failed, and even William saw that it was hopeless any more +to hurl his troops against the shield-wall, but the manner in which the +English irregulars had been induced to break their array led him to try by +a feigned retreat to induce them to repeat their error. While the fight yet +raged around him he sent orders to the Bretons to turn and flee, and then +if the defenders pursued them to turn upon them while he ordered a portion +of his Norman force to make straight for the gap as soon as the English +left their posts. + +The stratagem was successful. Again with exulting shouts the levies poured +out in pursuit of the Bretons. These fled for some distance, and then +suddenly turning fell on their pursuers. Ill-armed and undisciplined as the +levies were, and unable to withstand the attack of such overwhelming +numbers, they bore themselves gallantly. One party took possession of a +small outlying hill, and with showers of darts and stones they killed or +drove off all who attacked them. The greater part, however, made their way +to broken ground to the west of the hill, and made a stand on the steep +bank of a small ravine. The French horsemen charging down upon them, +unaware of the existence of the ravine, fell into it, and were slaughtered +in such numbers by the knives and spears of the English that the ravine was +well-nigh filled up with their dead bodies. + +But gallantly as the levies had retrieved their error, it was a fatal one. +As soon as they had left their line, the Normans told off for the duty +pressed into the gap, and were followed by the whole of their main body, +and thus the English lost the advantage of position, and the contending +hosts faced each other on the hill, the ground now occupied by the Normans +being somewhat higher than that on which the housecarls stood. It was now +about three in the afternoon, and the fight had been raging for six hours, +but though thus outflanked and the order of their battle destroyed, the +veterans of Harold showed neither alarm nor discouragement. Their formation +was changed, the shield-wall still faced the Normans, and for a time every +effort to break it failed. + +In vain the Norman cavalry charged down upon it, in vain their duke plied +his terrible mace. Occasionally men worn out by the long defensive battle +sprang from the English ranks and engaged knight or baron hand to hand. All +along the line such single-handed conflicts were going on, and the roar of +battle was as loud and fierce as at the beginning of the day. So for three +more hours the fight went on; with diminishing numbers, but with +undiminished bravery the English still held their ground, and as twilight +was now closing in, it seemed as if they would maintain it till nightfall. +Then William ordered up his archers again, bade them shoot their arrows +high into the air, so that they should fall among the king and his thanes +grouped round the standard. + +The effect was terrible. Through helm and shoulder-guard the arrows made +their way; the soldiers held their shields above their heads, but the +thanes had no such protection. Harold glanced up for a moment, and as if +directed by the hand of fate an arrow struck him full in the eye, and he +fell prostrate as if struck by a thunderbolt. A cry of horror and dismay +burst from the thanes around him, but there was no time for the indulgence +of grief. The Normans too had seen the king fall, and with shouts of +triumph a body of knights tried to force their way in to take possession of +his body. But so long as an Englishman could swing axe this was not to be, +and the assault was repulsed as others had been before. Nor, when the news +of Harold's fall spread, did the brave housecarls lose heart, but sternly +and obstinately as ever held together. + +At last the Normans burst in at the centre, each baron and knight striving +to be the first to pluck down the standards, the one the king's own +cognizance, the other the national banner, that waved side by side. One +after another the thanes were smitten down. Not one asked for quarter, not +one turned his back upon the foe. + +Beorn and Wulf had, through the long fight, stood side by side, and the +watchfulness with which they guarded each other had carried them so far +unharmed through it. + +"It is all over now, Beorn," Wulf said. "But it is not hard to die, for +with Harold the cause of England is lost." + +"At any rate we will sell our lives dearly," Beorn said, as he struck a +Norman knight from his horse. But they were the last defenders of the +standards, and the end was at hand. Blows rained down upon them. Beorn was +beaten on to one knee; Wulf was so exhausted by his exertions that he could +scarce swing his axe, when a Norman baron pressed his horse through the +throng, and springing to the ground held his sword aloft and shouted: +"Stand back! stand back! these two men hold the duke's solemn pledge for +their lives!" Some of the others still pressed on, but he shouted again: +"Whoever strikes at them strikes at me!" + +There was still hesitation, so furious were the Normans at the resistance +they had met with and the tremendous losses they had suffered. But another +baron exclaimed, "De Burg is right! I heard the pledge given, and so did +many of you. This is the young Saxon who saved the duke's camp from the +attack by the Bretons, and bore the brunt of their assault till we had time +to arm. The other brought with him the news that Harold was wrecked." The +words were decisive, and the Normans turned aside their horses to attack +other foes. + +"Thank God I arrived in time, Wulf," Baron de Burg said. "I knew you would +be near the standard, but I was fighting elsewhere when the news reached me +that the line was broken and the standard on the point of capture. Are you +badly hurt, Beorn?" + +"I am dizzy and faint," Beorn, who had risen to his feet, replied +unsteadily, "but I think not badly wounded." + +"Walk by me one on each side holding my stirrup-leathers. I would place +you on my horse, but it were best that I myself should be seen." + +He removed his helmet, and bareheaded moved off with the young thanes +walking beside him. Many Normans stopped as he made his way down the hill, +but to their questions he replied, "The duke has himself guaranteed the +safety of these thanes," and as he was well known to stand high in the +duke's favour his word was at once accepted. + +In the meantime Harold's standard, whose emblem was a fighting man, and the +golden dragon, the national banner, had been carried off in triumph. Four +of the Normans whose names were long held in infamy by the English +discovered the body of the dying king, for it is said that he still +breathed. One of these was Eustace of Boulogne, the only man in the two +armies who had during the engagement shown signs of craven fear. Another +was the son of that Count of Ponthieu, who had once held Harold prisoner. +The others were Gifford and Montfort. One ran his spear through Harold's +breast, another struck off his head with his sword, a third pierced the +dead body, while the fourth further insulted the dead hero by cutting off +one of his legs--an action, however, which William when he heard of it +pronounced to be shameful, and expelled its perpetrator from the army. + +But though the king was dead and the standard lost, the survivors of the +housecarls still fought on until darkness fell. The levies had fled just +before, hotly pursued by the Norman horse. Knowing the ground well the +light-armed footmen fled across a bog, and in the fast-gathering darkness +their pursuers did not notice the nature of the ground, but galloping on +plunged into the morass, where great numbers of them perished miserably, +either suffocated in the mud or slain by the English, who turned and fell +upon them with axe and spear as soon as they saw their plight. So great was +the slaughter, that those who had reined up their horses in time were +stricken with horror even after all the carnage they had witnessed on the +field of battle. + +With darkness the battle came to an end. Few indeed of the housecarls drew +off under cover of the darkness; their force being almost annihilated. With +them had perished almost the whole of the thanes of the South of England +and East Anglia. The Sheriff of London had been carried off desperately +wounded by a few of his friends, but with this exception none of Harold's +companions and thanes left the field alive while daylight lasted. A few +only the next morning were found breathing among the mass of dead, and some +of these survived and returned at last to their homes: for William, +satisfied with the complete victory he had gained, issued orders that all +found alive on the field were to be well treated. He felt that he was now +King of England, and that clemency was his best policy. Permission was +given to the women who flocked in from the country round, to search for the +bodies of their friends and to remove them for burial He also commanded a +search to be made for the body of Harold, but during the night, while the +exhausted soldiers slept heavily after their labours, the camp-followers +had been busy with the work of plunder, busiest round the spot where the +standards had stood, for here were stores of gold bracelets and rings, the +emblems of authority of the thanes, to be collected, and rich garments to +be carried off. Thus then, the heaps of corpses that marked the spot where +the fighting had all day been heaviest, were unrecognizable, so terrible +had been the wounds dealt by sword, battle-axe, and mace. + +De Burg had kept Wulf and Beorn with him all night, and they had lain down +and slept together. In the morning he committed them to the charge of some +of his personal followers, while he went to the duke to inform him of what +he had done. + +"Thank you, De Burg," William said; "they are two brave young fellows. I +marked them in the fight more than once when I was near the standard, and I +should have grieved if ill had befallen them, for they did me loyal +service. I had given my word that they should retain their estates in case +I ever came to the throne here. I know not what to do with them. Were I to +let them go now, they would assuredly take part in any further resistance +that the English may offer to me. I will not ask them now to swear +allegiance to me, for fresh from the battle where they have lost so many +friends and the earl they loved so loyally, they would assuredly refuse." + +"If you will grant me a short leave I will take ship back to Normandy and +place them in the care of my wife, where they can remain until matters have +settled down here." + +"It is a good idea, De Burg; do so without delay. Methinks that after +yesterday there will be no real resistance offered to me. Harold and his +brothers and all the leading thanes lie dead. There is no one left to lead +the people or organize a resistance, therefore I can spare you for a time." + +Thanking the duke, De Burg returned to his captives and told them what had +been arranged. + +"We owe you our heartiest thanks, Lord de Burg, for your kindness," Beorn +said. "Assuredly so long as England resists we will not acknowledge William +of Normandy as king, but when resistance ceases, we will of course take the +oath to him if only for the sake of our people; partial risings could but +bring down his vengeance and cause suffering and ruin to all concerned. +Therefore, we gratefully accept your offer, but first of all we beg you to +let us go to the spot where our housecarls fought. You remember Wulf's man, +Osgod?" + +"That do I indeed," De Burg replied. "The great fellow who fought by his +side that night against the Bretons, and saved my son's life. Was he +there?" + +"He was," Wulf said, "though greatly against my wishes; for he had lost an +arm in the fight at Stamford Bridge, and though it is little more than a +fortnight since, he had himself carried down here, contrary to my orders, +and insisted upon joining in the battle. I would fain search for his body +and give him burial." + +"I will come with you at once," the Norman said, "I too owe him a debt of +gratitude." + +The housecarls of Steyning had fallen to a man where they stood, and among +them after some searching they came upon the body of Osgod, distinguished +alike by its bulk and the loss of an arm. His axe lay with a broken shaft +by his side. His helmet was cleft asunder, and his face covered with +blood. + +"His body is yet warm," Wulf said, as he lifted his arm. "I believe he +still lives." + +De Burg called upon two Norman soldiers near to aid, and with their +assistance Wulf and Beorn carried Osgod down to the stream, where they +washed the blood from his face and bathed the wound in his head. + +"He is certainly alive," Beorn said. "Doubtless he was stunned by the blow, +and has remained unconscious from the loss of blood." + +De Burg sent for a flask of wine, and a little of this was poured through +Osgod's lips. Presently there was a deep sigh and a slight motion of the +figure, and then Osgod opened his eyes. + +At first he seemed bewildered, but as his eyes fell on Wulf a look of +pleasure came into them, and he smiled faintly. + +"I am alive, Osgod, and glad indeed to find that you are also. Beorn has +also escaped. Take a draught of wine; you have lost a lot of blood and had +none to spare." + +They lifted him into a sitting position, and held the cup to his lips while +he drank a long draught. + +"That is better," he murmured. "I can feel it going through my veins. I +shall be able to wield an axe yet again. This comes of fighting with a +weapon you don't know. The shaft broke as I was guarding my head, and I +don't remember anything after." + +"It saved your life though, Osgod, for it broke the force of the blow which +would otherwise have cleft your skull. As it is, it has not gone very deep, +and the blood you have lost has run chiefly from a wound on your left +shoulder." + +"How is it that you are here?" Osgod asked, looking round at the Normans. + +"We are prisoners, though we have not surrendered," Wulf replied. "We were +saved by our good friend Lord de Burg, who has joined us in our search for +you. We are to be taken to Normandy as prisoners, and to remain in charge +of Lady de Burg." + +"You shall go too, Osgod," De Burg said. "You will find it hard to be +nursed here, and my wife will see that your wounds are well cared for. Your +master will stay with you for the present, for I have matters to see about +before we start for the coast." + +In half an hour he returned. "I have to ask you to perform a last service +to your dead king," he said. "The bodies of Gurth and Leofwin have been +found and borne away by your people for burial, but none can find the body +of Harold. All the dead that were near the standard were removed last +night by the soldiers, and among the great pile of dead none can recognize +that of your king." + +Well as they knew him, Wulf and Beorn were unable to recognize the body of +Harold among the ghastly heap of mutilated corpses. After a time Wulf said: + +"There is one who might recognize it when all others failed. It is Edith, +whom he so long loved as his wife. She may recognize it by some mark or +sign unknown to others. If you will give me leave I will ride to Lewes, +where she is staying, and bring her hither." + +"Certainly, Wulf; I will obtain a safe conduct for you from the duke." + +Wulf had ridden, however, but a mile along the western road when he saw a +litter approaching borne by four men. He reined in his horse by its side. +An order was given from within, and as the bearers lowered it to the ground +Edith stepped out. She was deadly pale. Her eyes were red with weeping, and +she seemed to Wulf to have aged years since he saw her a week before. + +"My presentiments have come true, Wulf," she said. "It was no surprise to +me when last night the news came that the battle was lost and Harold slain. +I had looked and waited for it. You were coming to fetch me?" + +"Yes, lady; Harold's body has not been found. Early this morning two monks +of Waltham, who had followed the army and seen the fight afar off, came +into camp, and with them Gytha, Harold's mother. She saw the duke, and +begged for Harold's body, offering its weight in gold if she might carry it +for burial to the Abbey of Waltham. The duke refused, saying that an +excommunicated man could not be buried in a holy place; she might remove +the bodies of her other two sons, but Harold's, when found, should be +buried by the seacoast. The monks searched in vain for the body. Beorn and +I have done the same, but have failed to recognize it in so vast a heap of +slain." + +"I shall know it," Edith said. "Among a thousand dead I should know +Harold." + +"It is a terrible sight, lady, for a woman to look upon," Wulf said gently. + +"I shall see nothing but him," she replied firmly. + +He accompanied her back to the battle-ground, where the two monks joined +her. Wulf, who was greatly shaken by the sight of her set and white face, +left her with them. + +What the eye of friendship had failed to accomplish, that of love detected +unerringly. There were marks on Harold's body by which Edith recognized it. +One of the monks bore the news to the duke, who charged Sir William Malet +to superintend the burial, and to do it with all honour. The remains were +collected and reverently placed together. They were wrapped in a purple +robe, and laid on a litter. Beorn and Wulf and the two monks lifted it; +Edith walked behind, followed by Lord de Burg and several other Norman +knights and barons who had known Harold in Normandy, and could admire and +appreciate the valour of the dead hero. The little procession went down to +the shore, where Norman soldiers had already dug a grave, and there by the +coast he had defended so well Harold was laid to rest, and over his body a +great cairn of stones was raised by order of the duke. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + + +THE LORD OF BRAMBER. + +Edith stood by while the Norman soldiers piled the stones over the grave. +No tear had fallen from her eyes from the time that she had reached the +field of battle. Her face was as pale as marble, and looked almost as +rigid. When the last stone was placed on the top of the cairn she turned to +Wulf and Beorn: + +"Farewell, Wulf! farewell, Beorn! I am glad you were here. I am glad that +beside me stood two of his most trusted thanes, and two of the monks from +the abbey he founded, and whose welfare was so dear to him. I go to Lewes, +and when the doors of the convent close on me I shall be dead to the world. +Would that I were lying beneath that cairn by the side of my dear lord. I +cannot weep for him now, the springs of my heart seem frozen, but I have +time for that. Farewell, thanes! I shall remember you in my prayers." So +saying she turned away, and walked back to the litter. + +"Poor lady!" Beorn exclaimed as he watched the litter, escorted by the two +monks, carried along the road. + +"Poor lady indeed!" Wulf repeated; "and yet there are thousands in England +and Normandy who were widowed yesterday, and maybe she is better off than +many. She lost Harold the day she resigned him to another, and it was +harder perhaps to be parted from him in that fashion than to know that he +is dead now. She can think of him as his true widow, for assuredly the +queen who never cared aught for him is a widow but in name. Before, Edith +was tortured by the desire to see him and to comfort him, and yet his +marriage stood as a gulf between them, a gulf that she would never have +passed. Now she can think of him as her very own, as the man who had loved +her even as she had loved him. It is a grief, a terrible grief, but one +without bitterness. But see, Lord de Burg is coming this way, and as there +is a litter behind him I suppose all is ready for our departure." + +"I am ready, young thanes," De Burg said as he came up. "We ride at once +for Pevensey, whither an order was sent some hours ago for a ship to be in +readiness to sail for Normandy." + +Three horses were led up and mounted. They rode away, followed by an armed +party and the litter on which Osgod was laid. + +"You have done your last duty to your king," the Norman said. "It is a fit +grave for a hero, and assuredly Harold was one. Maybe that it is not his +last resting-place. The duke at present doubtless felt constrained at first +to refuse him Christian burial, for had he granted Gytha's request, it +would have been an acknowledgment that the charges brought against him were +unfounded, and the excommunication of no avail; but I doubt not that in +time he will allow his body to be taken to his abbey at Waltham. Now," he +said less gravely, in order to turn their thoughts from the sad scenes they +had witnessed, "what think you of the future, will the Northern earls head +a national movement against us?" + +"They are foul traitors!" Beorn exclaimed passionately; "and I would that +Wulf and I could meet them in fair lists and fight them." + +"They will do nothing," Wulf said more quietly. "They will hasten to make +the best terms they can for themselves, and will ask to be permitted to +hold their earldoms as his vassals. But they will not long enjoy their +treachery; they are ever intriguers, and as soon as they see their +opportunity will conspire against William as they conspired against Harold. +Thank heaven they will receive scantier mercy at his hands than they +received at the king's. As for the South and East, who is to lead them? +There is no one left to whom they can look for guidance; doubtless in some +places they will resist, but such resistance can only bring ruin upon those +who attempt it. Maybe some will take to the forests or the great eastern +marshes, and may perhaps hold out for months, or even years. But what can +it avail in the end? Had Harold escaped alive there would have been many a +battle as obstinate as that of yesterday to fight before England was +conquered. Had any of the greater thanes escaped men would have flocked to +them, but they are all gone, save the few that were found well-nigh +lifeless this morning. Perhaps it is better as it is; for now that William +is victorious he will soon receive large bodies of reinforcements, and as +resistance would be vain, it were best that no resistance were made. Duke +William has shown himself a wise and just ruler in Normandy, and will +doubtless prove himself the same in England if he be not angered by revolts +and risings. It is hard that Englishmen should be ruled by a foreigner, but +it is no new thing for us. We Saxons conquered the Britons, and in turn +Danish kings have ruled over us; but Saxon and Dane have become almost one, +and the old grudges have died out. Maybe in time you Normans also may +become English." + +"You would take the oath of allegiance to William then, Wulf?" + +"Not now, my lord, but when England accepts him as her king I should be +willing to hold my lands from him as I have held them before from our +kings, that is, if the lands remain mine." + +"They will remain yours," Lord de Burg said confidently. "The duke's +promise was publicly made, and he will certainly adhere to it; even if he +wished it, he could not, after charging Harold with perjury, break his own +promise." + +The sun was sinking when they reached Pevensey, for the search for Harold's +body and the building of his cairn had occupied many hours. They went at +once on board one of the ships De Burg had himself furnished for the +expedition, and two days later landed at Rouen. They had brought horses +with them, and the two young thanes at once rode with the baron to his +chateau, leaving Osgod to be brought after them in his litter. Lord de Burg +was received with the greatest joy by his wife, Guy, and Agnes. They had +been in a state of terrible anxiety for the last twenty-four hours, for a +swift ship had been despatched by the duke with the news of the victory, at +daybreak after the battle, and it was known that the fight had been long +and desperately contested, and that a great number of barons and knights +had fallen. As soon as the first outburst of delight was over the baron +called in Wulf and Beorn, who had not followed him into the room, feeling +that he would prefer to greet his family alone. Guy gave an exclamation of +surprise and pleasure as they came forward. + +"These are my prisoners," the baron said with a smile, "if I can call +prisoners those who have never surrendered. The duke has intrusted them to +my keeping, and has ordered that you shall hold them in safe custody." + +"Lord de Burg does not tell you, lady, that he saved our lives, which but +for him were assuredly lost. We were well-nigh spent, and were surrounded +by a ring of foes when he broke in and stood beside us proclaiming that the +duke himself had given a pledge for our safety." + +"I have paid part of the debt we owe," the baron said, "though I saved them +at no cost to myself, while Wulf defended Guy at the risk of his life." + +"How long do you stay with us, my lord?" + +"As long as I can, wife. I went, as you know, unwillingly to the war, but +when all the Norman barons followed the duke I could not hold back. But I +trust to have no more of it; so terrible a field no man living has seen, +and in truth until twilight fell it seemed that we should be beaten, with +such obstinacy and endurance did the English fight. We won, but it was a +victory over the dead rather than the living. Of Harold's regular troops no +man turned, no man asked for quarter, they fell where they stood; and even +the irregulars, who had fought with equal bravery, when, as night fell and +all was lost, they fled, inflicted well-nigh as heavy a blow upon us as had +been dealt during the day. I have no animosity against them, they are +valiant men, and were in their right in defending their country, and I +would that I could stay peacefully here until the last blow has been +struck. I am well content with my estates, and need no foot of English +land, no share in English spoil I must fight for my liege lord as long as +fighting goes on, but that over I hope to return here and live in peace. +At any rate I can tarry quietly here for a week Certainly no force can be +raised in time to oppose the duke's advance on London, and my sword +therefore may well rest in its scabbard. I suppose, thanes, you will not +object to give me your parole to attempt no escape?" + +"Willingly, my lord," Beorn said. "If, contrary to our opinion, England +should rise and fight one more battle for freedom, we will give you due +notice that we shall if possible escape and cross the sea to join our +countrymen." + +"That is fair enough," De Burg said with a smile, "and the moment you give +me notice I will clap you into so firm a cage that I warrant you will not +escape from it; but I trust the necessity will not arise. Now, Guy, take +your friends to their chambers and see to their comfort. I will not tell +the story of the battle until you return, for doubtless you are burning to +hear it, and in truth it will be famous in all times, both as one of the +sturdiest fights ever heard of, and because such great issues depended on +its results." + +When Guy returned with his friends and a meal had been eaten, De Burg told +the story of the battle of Senlac. + +"Such is the story as far as I know it," he added in conclusion, "but in +truth beyond the beginning and the end, and the fact that we twice fell +back and at one time were flying in headlong rout to our ships, I know +nothing. All day I was striving to break through a living wall, and +striving in vain. I can see now the close line of shields, the helmet +covered faces above them, and the terrible axes rising and falling, +cleaving through helmet and hauberk as if they had been pasteboard. It may +well-nigh be said that we have no wounded, for each man struck fell in his +track as if smitten by lightning. Can you add more, thanes?" + +Beorn shook his head. + +"It is like a dream," Wulf said. "We never moved through the long day. At +times there was a short lull, and then each man was fighting as best he +could. I know that my arms grew tired and that my axe seemed to grow +heavier, that horse and foot swept up to us, and there was occasionally +breathing time; that the royal brothers' voices rose ever cheeringly and +encouragingly until Gurth and Leofwin fell, and after that Harold's alone +was heard, though I think it came to my ears as from a distance, so great +was the tumult, so great our exertions. When Harold died I knew that all +was lost, but even that did not seem to affect me. I had become a sort of +machine, and fought almost mechanically, with a dim consciousness that the +end was close at hand. It was only at the last, when Beorn and I stood back +to back, that I seemed myself again, and was animated with new strength +that came, I suppose, from despair." + +"It was an awful day," De Burg said. "I have fought in many battles under +the duke's banner, but the sternest of them were but paltry skirmishes in +comparison to this. Half of the nobles of Normandy lie dead, half the army +that filled the mighty fleet that sailed from St. Valery have fallen. +William is King of England, but whether that will in the end repay Normandy +for the loss she has suffered seems to me very doubtful. And now let us to +bed. I sleep not well on shipboard, and in truth I had such dreams of death +and slaughter that I ever awoke bathed with sweat, and in such fear that I +dared not go to sleep again." + +At the end of a week the baron sailed again for England. To the two young +Englishmen the following weeks passed pleasantly. Ships came frequently +from England with news of what was doing there. William had tarried for +some time at his camp at Hastings, expecting to receive the submission of +all England. But not an Englishman came to bow before him. The Northern +earls had hurried to London as soon as they heard of the defeat at Senlac +and the death of the king and his brothers, and a Witan was instantly +summoned to choose his successor to the throne. + +Edwin and Morcar thought that the choice of the nation would surely fall +upon one or other of them, as in rank and position they were now the first +men in the realm. They exerted themselves to the utmost to bring this +about, but no true-hearted Englishman could forgive either their acceptance +of Harold Hardrada as their king, or the long and treacherous delay that +had left Southern England to stand alone on the day of battle. The choice +of the Witan fell on the young Edgar, the grandson of Edmund Ironside, the +last male survivor of the royal blood. Edgar, however, was never crowned, +as that ceremony could only take place at one of the festivals of the +church, and it was therefore postponed until Christmas. London was eager +for resistance. Alfred had fought battle after battle against the Danes, +and though without their natural leaders, the people throughout Southern +England looked forward to a long and determined struggle. With the army of +the North as a rallying centre a force more numerous than that which Harold +had led might soon be gathered. But these hopes were dashed to the ground +by the treacherous Northern earls. Had one of them been chosen to sit on +the vacant throne they would doubtless have done their best to maintain +that throne, but they had been passed over, and oblivious of the fact that +it was to the South they owed the rescue of their earldoms from the sway of +the King of Norway and Tostig, they sullenly marched away with their army +and left the South to its fate. + +While the cause of England was thus being betrayed and ruined, William was +advancing eastward along the coast ravaging and destroying. Romney was +levelled to the ground and its inhabitants slain. Dover opened its gates. +It is probable that most of the male population had joined Harold, and had +fallen at Senlac; and that the terrible fate of Romney had struck such +terror into the hearts of the inhabitants, who knew there was no army that +could advance to their assistance, that they surrendered at the Conqueror's +approach. To them William behaved with lenity and kindness. His severity at +Romney and his lenity at Dover had their effect. There being no central +authority, no army in the field, each town and district was left to shift +for itself; and assuredly none of them unaided could hope to offer +prolonged resistance to the Normans. As, after eight days' stay at Dover, +William advanced towards Canterbury, he was met by a deputation of the +citizens offering their submission, and soon from all parts of Kent similar +messages came in. + +Kent had done its full share in the national defence on the hill near +Hastings, and was not to be blamed if, when all England remained supine and +inactive, its villagers refused to throw away their lives uselessly. The +duke was detained by sickness for a month near Canterbury, and there +received the submission of Kent and Sussex, and also that of the great +ecclesiastical city of Winchester; but the spirit of resistance in London +still burned brightly, and William was indisposed to risk the loss that +would be incurred by an assault upon its walls. He, therefore, moved round +in a wide circle, wasting the land, plundering and destroying, till the +citizens, convinced that resistance could only bring destruction upon +themselves and their city, and in spite of the efforts of their wounded +sheriff, sent an embassy to the duke at Berkhampstead to submit and do +homage to him. + +Not London alone was represented by this embassy. The young king, elected +but uncrowned, was with it; two archbishops, two bishops, and many of the +chief men in England accompanied it, and although they were not the +spokesmen of any Witan, they might be said fairly to represent London and +Southern England. + +Deserted by the North, without a leader, and seeing their land exposed to +wholesale ravages, the South and West Saxons were scarcely to be blamed for +preferring submission to destruction. They doubtless thought that William, +the wise ruler of Normandy, would make a far better king than the boy they +had chosen, who was himself almost as much a foreigner as William, save +that there was a strain of English royal blood in his veins. So had England +accepted Canute the Dane as her king, and he had ruled as an English +monarch wisely and well. + +The embassy offered William the crown. The Norman prelates and priests, who +held so many of the dignities in the English Church, had worked hard to +incline men's minds to this end. Silent while England stood united under +its king to oppose the invader, their tongues were loosed as soon as the +strength of England was broken and its king dead, and they pointed out that +God had clearly designated William as their king by giving him victory and +by destroying alike Harold and his brothers. + +William went through the farce of hesitating to accept the offer of the +crown, and held a consultation with his officers as to the answer he should +give. They of course replied that he should accept the offer. William, +therefore, marched with his army to London, where on Christmas-day the same +prelate who had anointed Harold King of England crowned William as his +successor. + +A few days later Beorn and Wulf with Osgod, who had now completely +recovered from his wounds, set sail for England. There was no longer any +reason why they should not take their oaths to serve William. He was the +crowned king of England, the accepted of the people, as Harold had been, +and when all Southern England had submitted it was not for them, who had +received special favours at William's hand, to hold back. With them went +Lady de Burg, Guy, and Agnes, with many other Norman ladies on their way to +rejoin their lords in London. Baron de Burg, on the day after their +arrival at Westminster, led the two young thanes to the private apartment +of the king. He received them graciously. + +"There are none of your nation," he said, "whose homage I more gladly +accept. You fought valiantly before under my banner, and will, I am sure, +be ready to do so again should occasion arise. I am thankful to my Lord de +Burg that he interposed in my name and saved your lives. I have not +forgotten the other part of my promise, and have this morning ordered my +justiciar to add to your estates forfeited lands adjoining." + +Beorn and Wulf had previously talked the matter over. Their own +inclinations would have led them to refuse the offer, but as it was certain +that all the land forfeited to the crown by the death of its holders in +battle would be apportioned among William's Norman followers, they thought +that it would be wholly for the benefit both of the families of the late +thanes and for their tenants and people that they should accept any estate +William might bestow on them. They, therefore, thanked the duke in +suitable terms, and at once took the oaths for the lands he might be +pleased to bestow on them. A week later they received the formal deeds, +which in both cases more than doubled the estates they before possessed. + +The same evening Lord de Burg said to Wulf, who had tarried in London, +while Beorn had at once set out for Fareham: "I think the time has come, +Wulf, when I can speak of a subject that has been in my thoughts for a long +time, and which, although you have not spoken, has, as my wife and I have +both seen, been dear to you. Normandy and England are now one, and we are +vassals of the same king. As long as there was a probability that +Englishmen and Normans might again be ranged in battle against each other, +it was not expedient that aught should be done in the matter, but, now this +obstacle is removed, I can offer you the alliance on which I am sure your +heart is set, and give you the hand of my daughter in marriage." + +"It is the greatest wish of my life," Wulf replied gratefully. "I should +have asked you for her hand before had it not been for the position of +public affairs. I love her dearly, though I have until now abstained from +speaking; and yet I would not wed her unless her heart went freely with her +hand." + +"I think not that she will be disobedient to my wishes," De Burg said +smiling. "She has proved deaf to all her Norman suitors, and although among +them were some whom few maidens would have said no to, her mother and I had +no wish to force her inclinations, especially as we both shrewdly suspected +where her heart had been bestowed. This alliance, too, has long been the +dearest wish of Guy. On the bed of sickness where he lay so long, and from +which it seemed at one time that he would never rise, he often spoke to me +of it. He was fondly attached to his sister, and again and again said that +he wished of all things that you should some day become her husband, as he +was sure her happiness would be safe with you, and that you would worthily +fill his place to us, and would, when the time came, rule nobly over the +lands of De Burg." + +"God forbid that that should ever be the case," Wulf said earnestly. "I +trust that Guy will live long, and that he will marry and leave descendants +to follow him." + +The baron shook his head sadly. "Guy is better," he said, "but he is still +weak and fragile, and the leeches tell me that a rough winter or an illness +that would be nought to others might carry him off. I have small hopes that +he will ever marry. I am sure that no such thought is in his mind. He is as +eager now as he was four years ago that you should be a son to us, and a +husband to Agnes. He has also earnestly expressed the wish, in which I also +join, that you should take our name. You English have no family names, but +that will come with other Norman customs, and marrying a De Burg it would +seem natural that you should yourself become Wulf de Burg." + +"I should feel it a high honour. There is no more noble name in Normandy, +and I trust I may prove worthy of bearing it." + +"That I have no fear of, Wulf, else I should not have offered you the hand +of my daughter. I will bring my wife and Guy in. I have offered you the +hand of Agnes, but it is right that you should ask her mother's consent, +although beforehand assured of it." + +He left the room, and soon returned with Lady de Burg and Guy. + +"My lord has told me," she said, before Wulf could speak, "that you would +ask my consent to your marriage with Agnes. I give it you unasked, freely +and gladly. I have but one regret--that the seas will divide us." + +"Not so," the baron said; "William's court will be held in London, and for +years he will reside here far more than in Normandy, and will expect his +nobles to be frequently with him. I certainly shall not come alone, and you +will therefore have as many opportunities of seeing Agnes as if she were +married to a Norman whose estates did not lie near our own." + +"I thank you most deeply, Lady de Burg, for the confidence which you show +in intrusting your daughter's happiness to me. I swear that with all my +might and power I will strive to make her happy, and will spare her to +visit you in Normandy whensoever you may wish it." + +Guy came forward now and grasped Wulf's hand. + +"How I have longed for this time, my brother," he said. "How I have hoped +that I might at least live long enough to know that the dearest wish of my +heart would be gratified. I can go hence now right willingly when God calls +me, knowing that my father and mother have another son to fill my place, +and that the happiness of my sister is secured." + +"And now, wife, will you fetch Agnes from her chamber," the baron said. + +In two or three minutes the baroness returned, leading Agnes, to whom she +had told the reason of her summons. The baron stepped forward and took her +hand. + +"My daughter," he said, "the Thane of Steyning has asked for your hand in +marriage, and your mother and I have given our free and full consent, but +he would fain know from your own lips that you will come to him willingly." + +"I have loved you, Agnes, since while still but a boy I first saw you, and +my love has grown ever since. The happiness of my life depends upon your +answer, but unless your heart goes with your hand I would rather remain +unmarried to my dying day." + +The girl had stood with downcast eyes and with flushed face until now. When +Wulf ceased speaking she looked up into his face: + +"I love you, Wulf; I have always loved you. It is for your sake that I have +said no to the suitors of my own race who have sought my hand. I will be a +true wife and loving to you." + +"Then take her, Wulf," the baron said, placing her hand in his. "You are +now her betrothed husband and our adopted son." + +Wulf stooped and kissed the girl's lips, and the betrothal was completed. +After some talk it was arranged that Wulf should at once journey down to +Steyning, assume possession of his new estates, set the house in order, and +prepare for their coming. Guy was to accompany him, and as soon as all was +in readiness Wulf would come up to London and return with Lord and Lady de +Burg and Agnes, who would pay a short visit and all would then cross to +Normandy, for the marriage was to take place at their chateau there. + +"I was sure how it would be," Osgod said when Wulf told him the news that +night. "I should have been blind indeed if I had not seen it long ago. I +love not the Normans, but I make exception in the case of Lord de Burg and +his family. And truly it will in all respects be a good thing for your +tenants. Although the duke, or I suppose I ought to say the king, promises +greatly at present, there is no saying what he may do later on; and he has +all these locusts to provide for. 'Tis well indeed, then, that there should +be a Norman lady as well as an English thane at Steyning." + +Wulf's return home gave rise to demonstrations of the greatest joy among +his tenants. They had heard nothing of him since the battle, and had deemed +him to have fallen with the rest of the defenders of the standard, and had +been living in fear of the arrival of some Norman baron to be their lord. +Wulf was greatly pleased to find that, although not one of his housecarls +had returned from Hastings, the greater portion of his irregular levies had +escaped at nightfall with the party who had inflicted so heavy a blow upon +their pursuers. For the next few days Wulf was thoroughly occupied. The +tenants of his new estates received him almost as joyfully as his own had +done, for, like them, they had expected the advent of a Norman master. In +one of the two estates that had fallen to him the thane he had succeeded +had left no heirs; while the other thane had left a widow and a young +family. Wulf arranged that these should remain in their home, receiving for +their maintenance half the rents of the estate. + +Guy was greatly pleased with the fair country in which his sister's lot was +to be cast, but he owned frankly that the house seemed unworthy now of the +large estate, and was indeed but a poor place in comparison with the noble +chateau in which she had been brought up. + +"That shall be remedied, Guy, as soon as matters settle down. I have laid +by none of my revenues, for the keeping up of a hundred housecarls has +taxed them to the utmost, but now that my income is more than doubled, and +this expense has altogether ceased, I shall have funds with which I can +soon begin to build. When I was young, Steyning seemed to me a fine house, +but after your Norman castles it is indeed but a poor place." + +When, a fortnight later, the De Burgs arrived with Wulf, while Agnes +expressed herself delighted with the quaintness of the old Saxon home, her +father and mother were decidedly of Guy's opinion. + +"The house is a good house in its way," the Baron said, "but there will be +great changes in the land. Much of it will be transferred to Norman hands, +and ere long castles and chateaux like ours at home will rise everywhere, +and as an English noble with broad lands it is but fit that your residence +should vie with others. But this shall be my care, and shall be my +daughter's special dowry. I foresee that it will be long ere matters wholly +settle down. Moreover, though William's hand is strong that of his +successor may be weak, and in time there will be the same troubles here +among the barons that there were in Normandy before William put them down +with a strong hand. Therefore, I should say we will build a castle rather +than a chateau, for such I am sure will be the style of all the Norman +buildings here, until England settles down to peace and quiet. I would not +disturb this house, Wulf; it is doubtless dear to you, and will, moreover, +serve as a dowager-house or as an abode for a younger son. We will fix on a +new site altogether, and there we will rear a castle worthy of the estate. +By the way, I have spoken to the king of your betrothal to my daughter, and +he is highly pleased. He says that it is his earnest wish that his Norman +nobles shall marry English heiresses, both because they will thus come into +possession of lands without disturbing the owners, and because such mixture +of blood will the more speedily weld the two peoples into one; and that, +similarly, he is glad to see a Norman maiden united to an English noble of +whom he has so high an opinion." + +Fond as Wulf was of his old home he saw that it would be best to abandon it +for a new residence more suited to the times and more in accordance with +his own increased possessions and the home from which he was taking his +wife. After riding round the estates Lord de Burg and he fixed upon a knoll +of rising ground near the village of Bramber, and not far from the +religious house where Wulf had spent so many evenings, and whose prior had +been one of the first to welcome his return. + +"I will charter a ship at Rouen," Lord de Burg said, "and send over a +master craftsman, skilful in designing and building castles, and a large +number of quarrymen, masons, and carpenters. Labour here is scarce, and the +men are unskilled at this kind of work. Rough labour can doubtless be +obtained, and your tenants can transport the stones from the quarry and dig +the fosse. I will send over a goodly number of men. It will cost no more to +employ three hundred for six months than fifty for three years." + +A week later Wulf sailed for Rouen with the De Burgs Beorn accompanied him, +as well as Osgod, to be present at the wedding, which took place at Rouen +Cathedral. A month later Wulf returned with his wife to Steyning. Already +an army of men were at work at Bramber. The tenants all gave their +assistance readily, and far beyond the amount their feudal tenure required, +for they saw the advantage it would be to them to have a strong castle in +their midst to which they could retire in case of danger. Labourers had +been engaged in large numbers from the country round by the master +craftsmen. The outlines of the castle had been traced, and the ground dug +for its foundations, while already the broad deep fosse which was to +surround it had been dug to a depth of several feet. The stones had to be +brought from a considerable distance, but as at this time of year there was +little work for the carts, those belonging not only to the tenants of the +estate, but to the cultivators for miles round were engaged in the service. + +In six months a stately pile had risen in the midst of the tranquil glade. +When it was ready for occupation Lord and Lady de Burg and their son came +over, and great festivities were held when Wulf de Burg (now Lord of +Bramber) moved into the castle. + +Soon after the birth of their first son Wulf and his wife received a hasty +summons to cross the sea, and arrived in time to stand by the death-bed of +Guy. Wulf had been greatly moved by the storm of war that had swept over +the North of England, and the terrible vengeance taken by William there. +He had no pity for the traitor earls, but he grieved for the men who, but +for their treachery, would have fought at Hastings. He regretted deeply +the isolated risings in various parts of the country, whose only effect was +to bring ruin upon whole districts and to increase the sternness and rigour +of William's rule. + +Wulf's after-life was divided between England and Normandy, as he became a +baron of the latter country at the death of Lord de Burg. He fought no more +in England, but more than once followed William's banner in his struggles +with his rebellious sons and turbulent nobles. He lived to see the +animosities between Englishmen and Normans beginning to die out, and to +find our kings relying upon sturdy English men-at-arms and bow-men in their +struggles with French kings and with the Norman barons who held so large a +portion of English soil. Osgod became the seneschal of the castle, and held +it for his lord during his absences in Normandy. Wulf took an interest in +the fortunes of Ulf, who in the course of time succeeded to the business of +Ulred, and became one of the most skilled and famous armourers in London. +Beorn married the former heiress of one of the estates William had granted +him, and his firm friendship with the Lord of Bramber remained unbroken to +the end of their lives. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Wulf the Saxon, by G. A. Henty + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WULF THE SAXON *** + +This file should be named wulfs10.txt or wulfs10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, wulfs11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, wulfs10a.txt + +Produced by Distributed Proofreaders + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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