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.