Of our long ride to the king's place there is little to tell. Only that
everywhere the news seemed to have flown before us, and men knew who we
were and what our errand, crowding round us to hear all about the
fighting, and to be assured that the Danes had truly gone. And great
cheer made they for us everywhere, so that we were treated as princes
almost.
Therefore, that was a merry ride and a pleasant in the early June
weather, and we were ever cheerful, for it so happened, as may have been
already seen, that no one of us had lost close friend or kin in the
battles, but had the rather gained much. Yet maybe we were the only ones
of whom that might be said; for mixed with the joy was mourning over all
the land. And of all my company, I had the most cause to be
lighthearted; so that for all I had gained I thought the hard things I
had gone through were well worth the bearing. Ever, therefore, have I
judged him the happiest who out of hardship gains rest; for he best
knows its worth.
So at last we came to Salisbury town, and that was full of a brilliant
company: the courtiers of the king, and their following again. Yet, for
all their magnificence, thanks to our good bishop's gifts, we showed
well as we rode into the streets, and I think were envied by many
because the marks of honourable war were yet on us; so that the men
spoke of Aldhelm's crushed headpiece, or Wulfhere's gashed shield that
bore the mark of the axe that he stopped from me, or my riven mail that
Alswythe's scarf would scarcely hide, and Wislac's broken crest.
And if they looked from us to our men, there was yet more of the like to
speak about; for not one of the standard guard had been scatheless from
heavy weapon play.
Being thus marked we were easy to be known, and hardly had we drawn rein
at the great hostelry where we should wait till the king summoned us,
when a thane came to me, asking if we were from bishop or ealdorman. And
when I said we were so, bearing letters from them, he bade us to the
king's presence at once, tarrying for nothing, as we were waited for.
Fain would we have washed away the stains of travel; but he was urgent,
saying that the king's word brooked no delay. Therefore, leaving our
horses with the people of the inn, we followed him, marching in order,
to the great house where Ethelwulf was.
Here were guards and many thanes, and I must show the tokens given me,
before we might enter, while our thane stood by, impatient at the
formalities.
Those over, we came to a greet hall high-ceiled with oak, and carved
everywhere, and strewn with sweet sedges, and on the high place sat the
king and queen and one of the athelings.
Now I had never seen the king before, but I thought him like all that I
had heard of in stories. For he sat in his purple robes, ermine-trimmed,
having on a little gold crown over his long, curling hair, and his
gloves and shoes were of cloth of gold, curiously wrought with pearls,
while at his feet sat a page, holding a cushion whereon lay sceptre and
orb.
But I looked to see the face of a warrior under the gold circle of the
king, and therein was disappointed; for his face was kind and gentle, as
many a good warrior's has been in time of peace, but lacked those lines
which a man might know would harden into grimness and strength in time
of need. And I thought that Ealhstan was like a king, and Ethelwulf like
a bishop rather.
Yet by the king's side, leaning on his chair, was one whom I then noted
not, having eyes only for his father--Alfred the Atheling, who, to my
mind, is both warrior and saint, as though Ethelwulf, his father, and
Ealhstan, his teacher, had each taught him the properties of the other,
making a perfect king.
Now, while I looked, our guide went and made obeisance before the king,
telling him of our coming, and at that the face of Ethelwulf lighted up,
and he called to us to come near and give our message. And I saw the
queen clasp her hands, as preparing to hear things all too heavy for a
lady's ear, while the atheling stood up and gazed eagerly at us. Then,
too, over all the court was deep silence, as they made a lane through
which we must pass to reach the throne, and our feet seemed to make all
the sound there was.
So we tramped up, and bowed low before the king, who ran his eyes over
us, though not as a captain: but as one who knows men of all sorts well,
and is accustomed to judge their faces.
Then he said to me; "You are Heregar, the bishop's standard bearer. We
have heard of you as such, and welcome you, knowing you must bring good
news, as your face tells me."
"I am Heregar, Lord King," I answered, "and I bring good news--written
in these which I am to give into your own hand."
Then the king smiled a little, and signed the atheling to take the
letters, and give them him.
But I, not knowing court ways, must needs think this beside my duty, and
said quickly, not knowing to whom I spoke; "Pardon me, Thane, I am to
give these into the king's own hand," and so stepped past him, holding
out the letters to Ethelwulf.
And at that the atheling laughed outright, which was strange to me in
the king's presence, saying, "Not so far wrong, standard bearer, if not
very polite;" and so stepped back to his place, still laughing.
But Ethelwulf did not notice this, having taken the letters eagerly from
me, and broken open the first that came.
Now when he had read the first few lines, he looked up, and reading from
the letter, which doubtless told him the names of the bearers--
"Heregar I know," he said; "which is Wulfhere?"
Then Wulfhere bowed, and the king asked for Wislac and Aldhelm, and then
for each of the men in turn. And when each had answered, he looked hard
at us, still holding the letter open, but saying nothing, and then fell
to reading again. So we must stand still till all those letters were read.
Presently he took one, and reading the outside, gave it to the atheling,
saying it was to him, and went on reading. That the atheling took, and
as he read, looked at us, and it seemed particularly at me, though I
thought nothing of that.
At last the king finished, and turned to a tall, noble-looking warrior
who stood very near the dais, bidding him treat us with all honour, and
see to our lodging near him while we were at court. Shortly, he said, he
would speak to us of all we could tell him.
Then he held out his ungloved hand to us, which the atheling made a
smiling sign for me to kiss, and that we all did, and then he looked
pleasantly at us, and went his way from the hall, followed by his close
attendants, with the queen and the atheling.
So soon as the king was gone, the talk began all over the hall, and most
of all they crowded round us to learn what we could tell them; but that
tall thane, whose name was Ceorle, came and took us away, telling the
rest jestingly that they should have the second telling of the news, but
that the king must have the first. And so he took us to guest chambers
in his own house, and there left us in charge of his steward, treating
us four thanes with all honour, and our men, as became their standing,
among his own best men.
At least, this last was but for a short time, for the lay brethren came
to me, looking oddly at me, and saying that they were in a strait; for,
being lay brethren first, and warriors after, they knew not how to join
in the talk and idle jests of the servants and housecarles. Moreover,
they said that their vows obliged them to certain duties of prayer. And
this I thought was honest of them, for many a lay brother would, when he
found that I noted not their state, have broken out of bounds gladly,
for the time.
So I sent for the steward, and asked him where they might be bestowed,
and after a little thought, he said that the abbot, who had a following
of honest housecarles, would take them in; and that he managed for us,
and afterwards told me that Ealhstan's men had gained great praise, both
for themselves and the bishop, by their ways in the abbey.
This is a little thing: but I tell it because it shows what sort of man
Bishop Ealhstan was. For even over these rough warriors he had gained
such a power for good that he had made of them all he wished--sturdy
champions of the faith, both bodily and spiritually.
So when those three were gone elsewhere our only serving man was my
collier, and well was he treated in Ceorle's house.
We bided quietly there all the rest of that day and that night, and then
in the morning were bidden to speak with the king, Ceorle taking us four
himself and sending one to find the lay brethren and Dudda.
The king sat with Alfred the Atheling in a private chamber, no other but
Ceorle being beside him while we were there. And I was a little
frightened about my putting aside the young prince now, for I knew who
he was from Ceorle. But he had a pleasant look and greeting for us as we
came in. So also had Ethelwulf himself, who seemed less stately than
yesterday when he sat in his royal attire in full court.
Richly dressed he was now, with a gold circlet on his head and great
gold bracelets on his arms; but he was in no high place, only sitting
easily in a carved and cushioned chair, while the atheling sat on a
settle by the window.
The letters I had brought lay open on the table at the king's elbow, and
his hand was on them, and there were other writings scattered about;
great ones with red seals hanging thereto--made no doubt by the gold
signet which stood close by in its open casket.
"Come near, Thanes," the king said in his deep, quiet voice. "Let us
talk together of this matter as friends, for a useless king were I but
for such as you who keep my throne from the blows of enemies."
"Stay, Father," said Alfred the Atheling, starting up. "Let me write
while the thanes speak," and he gathered up pens and such, and a roll of
parchment, sitting down at the table and then holding pen ready, and
looking at us.
The king smiled at him and his haste, and said, "Verily, Thanes, you
must mind your words if Alfred writes them down, for he will ever keep
records of tales such as yours, saying that they are for men to read
hereafter."
But that had no terrors for us, seeing that we had a plain tale to tell,
truth and nothing more. So, as Ceorle bid us, we four sat down by the
window, and the king asked me to tell my story from the first.
So I began by saying that I had seen the landing of the Danes at Stert,
and warned the watchmen of the levy.
There Alfred stopped me, holding up his pen suddenly.
"Tell us, Thane, of the Watchet landing," he said.
And when I began to tell of that he looked up again, with his eyes
dancing, and asked me how I came on Quantock hill.
Thereat the king laughed a little, saying that Alfred should have been a
lawman, and the atheling said that, with his father's help, he meant to
be such, and a good one.
And that he has become, for the laws he has given us will last, as it
seems to me, till the name of Saxon has departed.
Then I was a little in doubt what to say, and the king saw this. So he
told me kindly that he had had very full accounts written by the bishop
and ealdormen; but now both he and the atheling would fain hear about
myself; that is, if my friends already knew all, and if I would not heed
Ceorle.
Now I saw that I must speak more of myself than I wished, and would fain
have been excused, saying something of that sort. But the atheling asked
me to think of them as friends who would feel for me, saying, too, that
of my own history he would not write, and so kindly did he urge me,
drawing me on, that at last I had told him all from the beginning of my
troubles, even to the time when I rode with Alswythe into Glastonbury
and sought the bishop.
"That is well told," said Alfred, when I had finished so far, and the
king sighed a little, but left all the speaking to his son.
"Now, Wulfhere," he went on, "it is your turn," and so made the old
warrior take up the tale; but he bade him begin at the first fight.
However, Wulfhere must needs go back to the war arrow business, and then
to the staying of the flight at Cannington, and in this Alfred did not
stop him, though I thought it more than needed.
So he told all his tale, even to the slaying of the berserk, and things
like that. And as he told of the breaking of the ring, and our stand
inside of it, Alfred the Atheling wrote fast, and presently he bade
Wulfhere cease, and going to a corner took down a harp, while his father
smiled on him, and tuning it, broke out into a wondrous war song that
made our hearts beat fast, for we seemed to feel that it was full of the
very shout and ring of battle inside our circle of foes, and we were as
men who looked on and saw our own deeds over again, only made more
glorious by the hand of the poet and the voice of the singer.
So that when he ended the king's eyes flashed, and Ceorle's face was red
and good to look at with a war light on it, and Wislac shouted, as I had
nearly done.
But at that sound, strange in the king's presence, we all started, and
Wislac seemed abashed.
"Truly, Lord King," he said humbly, "I could not help it."
"Almost had I done as you did," said the kindly king. "Alfred must bear
the blame. Now shall you tell your story."
But Wislac said he had nought to add to Wulfhere's tale, save that
Aldhelm here had saved him at his own cost, and that he had had,
moreover, as much fighting as he was like ever to want.
But even from him Alfred gained many things about the fighting, and from
Aldhelm also, and these he wrote down.
Thus we all told our tales, and they were long in the telling, so that
when Aldhelm had finished, the king rose up, blaming Alfred gently for
the long sitting, saying, however, that he had feared somewhat of the
sort, but that doubtless the thanes were more wearied than either of the
other three who had listened.
"Now," he said, "well have you four thanes deserved of me and of all,
and you shall not say that the king is ungrateful. And I think that each
of you has said less of your own selves than might be said, or, indeed,
than is said in these letters. Now have Ceorle and I and my council
spoken of this matter, and we have thought of rewards fitting for the
shield wall of the standard."
Then would we thank the king; but he bade us wait for a little, putting
his hand on those great parchments with the seals. One of these he took
and gave to Aldhelm.
"This is to your father, confirming his rights of the land he holds of
me to him and his heirs for ever, by reason of your good service. Yet is
there a little blame to you from the way in which you found a foremost
place, though much praise for the holding thereof and in your manner of
ending that quarrel."
So Aldhelm took the deed and kissed the king's hand in token of homage,
going to his place very glad, for this was what his father desired most
of all.
Then the king beckoned Wislac and gave him also a deed like Aldhelm's,
granting him the lordship of the manor of Goring on the Thames, and that
was a good reward to the stout Mercian, who thanked the king, saying
that he wotted not how his majesty knew what he would have most wished.
Whereupon the king laughed, saying that kings knew more than men gave
them credit for, and so Wislac did homage, and sat down.
Then Ethelwulf looked at Wulfhere, and said; "Wulfhere, my old warrior,
I know not rightly what to do with you, for you are a lonely man, and I
think that a place in my court would not suit you. Nor would you care to
hold a manor in a strange place. Wait a little, and we will think it over."
Now at that Wulfhere looked glad, for I think he feared rather than
desired reward.
Now came my turn, and my face flushed, and I was a little frightened,
for there was but one thing I wanted, and I feared that that might not be.
But the king made a step towards me and took me by the hand, looking
hard at me.
"Heregar," he said, "yours has been a strange story, and from beginning
to end you have been first in this victory that will gain us peace for
many years to come. Moreover you have suffered wrong, being punished for
evil falsely laid to your charge on my account. And that I must show all
men to be untrue, and that I, the king, hold it so. Now shall you choose
your own reward."
Then was I sorely abashed, not knowing how to say what I longed for, and
the king stood waiting a little. And maybe I should never have got it
out, but the atheling looked up, and said:
"May I speak for you, Heregar?"
And so plainly did I see that he knew all, that I asked him to do so,
and he came beside me and said; "Heregar needs but one thing, my father,
and that is the hand of the maiden he loves--Alswythe the daughter of
Matelgar, and your ward since her father was slain."
"Are you so foolish as to ask no more than that?" said the king, smiling.
And on that my tongue was loosed, and I answered; "Aye my Lord the King.
If foolish it be to long for the one whom a man loves, and who loves
him, so that he holds her beyond all other reward."
"Then is your request granted," said the king very kindly. "Yet must you
have withal to keep so great a treasure rightly."
Now I had forgotten that I was landless, and well it was for me that the
king went on quickly; "So I give you the lands that were Matelgar's, and
your own lands again; and my men, and at my cost, shall build your halls
afresh that the Danes have burnt. And whatever rights were Matelgar's or
your father's shall be confirmed to you and yours for ever. Yet these
things are but justice, and no reward."
So he paused a little, and I found courage to speak.
"My Lord the King, I need no more than you have given, for love and
honour and lands have come back to me, and withal friendship of these
three here, and of Ealhstan the Bishop, and of the noble ealdormen;
while but for what has befallen I might have been still a careless
thane, living at ease and for naught; but now, having heard Your good
words, it is enough, and reward fit for any man."
And this I meant from my heart, for no more could I see that any man
should need than this: honour of his fellows and of the king, and love
and lands, and friends. Surely is a man rich in these things.
Yet must Alfred the Atheling add a word.
"Call me your friend also, Heregar, if you will, for fain would I be
so," and he held out his strong white hand to take mine.
And it is good to think that, as it were, the grasp of his has never
slackened from that day to this, but that he is my friend still.
Then Ceorle must say likewise, and last of all the king said; "Friend to
all my people would I be, and to none more than to those who have risked
life for the land. Therefore, to you and yours am I friend always, so
that you shall ever think of me as friend first and king after. Nor is
it to everyone that I dare say that, Heregar, my friend."
And he took my hand also, as the atheling and Ceorle had taken it.
So was I fain to weep for very joy at all this that had come to me, and
must turn away for a little lest it should be seen.
Then the king spoke cheerfully, as on business.
"Now, Heregar, I have work for you to do in your home; for I would have
no man idle. Here is Watchet town burnt up, and no man left--for its
lord is slain--to see that it is built aright, and that each man, or
family, has his own again. Now, you knew that place well, nor is it very
far from you. Therefore shall you see to all that, and you shall have
writings from me to back you. But men must know that you yourself have
power there, and, therefore, I make you lord of all Quantock side, from
Watchet stream to Parret, and from the borders of your own land at
Cannington to Severn shore between those two. And this shall you render
in return for those rights: that you shall be ready at all times to bear
the standard of Wessex, against all comers from over seas, at my bidding."
Now that was the Dragon of Wessex of which the old witch spoke. And lo!
those things that had been foretold of me were sooth, and I knelt before
the king, and swore to bear him this service faithfully.
So the rest bore witness of that oath gladly, rejoicing in the honour,
which was in truth to them as well as to me, for I could not have gone
through aught without them, and if mine was the grip on Ealhstan's
banner shaft, theirs were the hands that had kept it there.
Then said Ethelwulf; "Choose now one who shall have charge under you of
the watchings and beacons on your shore."
And straightway I turned to Wulfhere, and begged him to do this for me,
and it was good to see the warrior's face light up with gladness as he
promised to give me his help. Doubtless that was what the king had in
store for him, for at once he gave him the manor of the Watchet thane
who had been slain, for as it chanced he had no heirs, and the land came
back to the king.
That was the end of a long morning's work, and very kindly did Ethelwulf
take his leave of us, saying that we must have these matters confirmed
when the Witan [xii] met in two days' time.
So we went out, landed men and noble, and with us went the atheling, who
took us to his own lodgings at the abbey, where he would see and speak
to our men that he might write yet more from their lips, for he said
that often it was good to hear what the common sort thought.
And my collier must needs tell him--for he was very pleasant, so that
none need fear his rank--of Grendel, and also of the saint, which
mightily pleased the atheling. So that often would he call me "Grendel"
in sport thereafter, for we grew close friends in the time we bided at
Salisbury.
And that seemed long to me, for now would I fain be back at Glastonbury
with Alswythe.
Soon Wislac, also, grew tired of the court, and said that he longed for
the deep meadows and lofty trees, and green downs along the clear river
in this June time, and must seek his own home again. But it seemed that
Alfred over-persuaded him, for reasons which he told me not, and he stayed.
We went to the great meeting of the Witan, taking our seats there when
our rights were confirmed to us. And into my hands was put the standard
of Wessex by the king himself, and I bore it to the great church, there
to be blessed in the bearing thereof.
And there stood Ealhstan himself in his robes, having come even that
morning for this very purpose. And that was pleasant, and even as I
should have most wished. Moreover, my friends, and Alfred, and Ceorle
stood by me as if for shield wall at that time, and I was well attended.
Now betimes, in the afternoon, came Alfred the Atheling to me as I sat
with Ceorle, talking of the arms of the vikings, and asked me to come
and speak with friends of his, who would not see him save he brought me.
And at that Ceorle laughed, saying that they must be of importance if
they would deny the prince an audience, making conditions. And Alfred
said very gravely that they were so, and maybe the only people, save the
king and queen, who might delay seeing him.
So I was curious to know who these were. But we left Ceorle still
laughing. Then Alfred took me to the abbey, and sent one of his men to
say we had come, who, when he returned, bade us into the presence of
these people.
When we came to a great door, in a part of the abbey where I had not
before been, he took my arm, and pushed me in first, saying that he
would ensure himself a good reception; and there sat Ealhstan, and
beside him stood Alswythe, smiling at me, and with a little colour in
her face.