Then was the fair news of the morning manifest
among the nation, spread far throughout the people,
to the vexation of many who would keep secret the 970
law of the Lord. It was heralded through the cities,
as far as the sea embosoms the land, through every
town, that the rood of Christ, buried of yore in the
earth, had been found, best emblem of victory of
them that were raised aloft before or since, holy 975
beneath the heavens. Unto the Jews, men of misfortune,
it was a most bitter grief and most hated
of fates that they could change neither it nor the
joy of the Christians in the world. Then the queen 980
bade messengers from her noble company make
them ready with haste, for they were to seek the
lord of the Romans over the deep sea, and declare
unto that warrior in person the best of glad tidings--how
the tree of victory, that had been hidden a long 985
time before to grieve the holy ones, the Christian
people, had been discovered and found in the earth
through the grace of the Creator.
Then was the soul of the king rejoiced at that 990
fair news, and his heart filled with gladness. And
in the city there was no want of richly-clad questioners
concerning what was come from afar. The
greatest comfort in the world, a joyful soul, was 995
come unto him at those glad tidings which the messengers,
leaders of the army, brought to him over
the eastern ways, how the warriors with the glorious
queen had made a prosperous voyage over the sea
into the land of the Greeks. The emperor bade
them prepare themselves again for the journey with 1000
the greatest haste. The warriors made no delay
when once they heard the answer, the message of
the prince. He bade them, heroes hardy of soul,
give greeting to Elene, renowned in war, if they
should survive the sea and make a prosperous 1005
voyage unto the holy city. And Constantine furthermore
bade the messengers charge her to build
a church there on the mountain-slope for the weal
of them both, a temple of the Lord on Calvary for 1010
the joy of Christ and the solace of men, there
where the holy rood was found, fairest of all trees
the dwellers on earth have ever known. 1015