A Thane of Wessex

Somerset gathered on the ancient hill of Brent. All my life before that seems to have been as nothing, so quiet and uneventful it was compared to what came after. I h

as thane, and tried to govern my people as well and wisely as he, that I too

in my want of experience, to criticize the ways of the king and his ordering of matters -- thinking at the same time no thought of disloyalty; for had anyone dispara

king, was but a few years dead, and it was likely enough that some of the houses of the old seven kings might dare to make headway against Ethelwulf his successor, and for a t

Matelgar spoke me fair at the rere-feast of my father's funeral, and thereafter would often ride over and sup with me, I was proud to think, in my f

ishness, and, moreover, brought in friends and bought men of his, who, by flattering me, soon made th

and I, who had seen nothing of courts, wondered that so many armed men should be needed in a peaceful hall, and yet watched them as one watches a gay show, till some fifty men of

that name, calling too on my men to aid me. But they were overmatched, and dared not resist, for the swords of the king's men were

ng and my own helplessness, till I lost count of days, and at last hope itself. And all that time the real reason for my arrest, and for the accusation that caused it, never entered my mind, and leas

ht out by my surly jailers at last, set, half blind with the darkness of the prison, on a good horse,

me, for I had been hardly treated, seeing none save the men who fed me and saw that my chains were kept secure. Then I looked in the faces of my guards, but all were unknown to me. As I had

orld looked very fair to me after t

arret river, and I watched a salmon leap as we did so; and then on over the level marshes till I could see that the wide circle on Brent top was black with swarming people. Often enough, as the cloud shadows passed from them, arms and bright armour sparkled in the sunlight among the crowd; and then I

set their ranks more orderly. But I, clad as I was in the rags of the finery I had worn at the feast whence I was taken, shrank within myself, ashamed to me

urney. At first I had been so stunned and dazed by the release -- as my removal from the dungeon seemed to me --that I had been content to feel

nt nothing from them thus far. But as we turned our horses' heads up the steep, a longing at last came over me to speak, and I turned to a gray-bearded man w

Great Mooti was summoned, and that presently I should know the whole meaning of this thing that had befallen me. Then my sp

hicker as we neared the edge of the first great square platform on the hilltop. And when we reached this, my guards reined up to breathe their horses, for Brent has from this first platform a yet steeper rise to the ancient circle o

eating and drinking, having come from far. There were, too, shows of every kind to beguile the hours of waiting or to tempt the curious, for many of

owd round them. But among these crowds were few freemen, so that I judged that the Moot was

ngs, but looked up to where it seemed that I must be judged. I could make out one or two banners pitched and floating idly in the sunshine, and one seemed to have a golden cross at its stave head; but I could make out none of the devices on them,

e freshness of the ride on me, and with

, and my guards seemed to grow impatient. Still the crowds did not thin

great mound, and there dismounted. And now they bound my hands again, and if I asked them to forbear I cannot well remember, but I think I did so in vain. For my mind was

made up of people who smiled and talked rapidly, leading one who had either gained a cause or had been acquitted. There were perhaps other people who met us or whom we

only the gap where we should enter; and right opposite that gap seemed the place of honour, for there were a score or more of chairs set, each with a thane thereon, and in the midst of them sat those behind

hey were those of Eanulf the Ealdorman, and of Ealhstan the Bishop. And when I saw the first I feared, for the great ealdorman was a stern and pitiless man,

ake counsel upon it; and then Eanulf pronounced judgment, and the men sat down in their places in the ring

until the ealdorman rose and spoke l

erset should speak ill of Ethelwulf the King, and plot against him, is not to be borne. But that all men may know and fear the doom that shall be to such an

ed in a flash upon me -- and I remembered the accusation that had been brought against me, and I knew that it was I of whom Eanulf spoke. Then shame fell on me, to give place at once to

rded man, who had answered me when I asked my one questio

ot be. And I knew not then why he thus spok

iled for I thought him a friend at least; but he looked not at me. Then from him I turned to seek the face of some other whom I might know. And I saw thanes, friends of my father, whom I had

nd mad bitterness that I fain would feel no more, I would tell all of that trial, if trial on

n, standing there and listening as though the words spoken o

e, bending his brows as he

f our Lord the King, Ethelwulf. What answer have you to make to this charge? And, moreove

ld my shoulder, gripped it tightly, and I remembered his words, so that in a flash it came to me that an in

I why they are brought against me, or by whom. Let them spe

s relaxed, and I saw, too, that the bishop

whom these char

I answered, "for no man may say

enemies?

truthfully, for I had, as my

those against you the he

re I could make reply; and they spoke toge

ht him plainly troubled for me, for his face was white, and the hand on which his chin rested was turning the e

t it would be well to call the accusers first and hear

t this Heregar speaks truth in sayi

rcle was hushed, for a little talk had mu

and speak things for which (as once before, at the bidding of the man I love best on earth) I must do long penanc

illingly, rose Matelgar, my friend, as I had deemed him, and behind him a score of those friends

ought that surely either I or they had mistaken t

f those foolish, boy-wise words of mine that had, and meant, no harm, but on which were now built mountains of seeming proof. So that, when at last all those men had spoken I was d

k, and then a silence fell. The level afternoon sun seemed to blaze on m

Bishop brok

he said, sadly enough; "but if a man conspires, there needs must be o

reof, and disavowal of the same. Yet I thought that Matelgar the Thane knew of my love for Alswy

ere, though Matelgar must have known it. When that was finished, Eanulf bade me call men to disprove these things. And

e, I could forbear n

ne speak

t few years of my manhood they, alas for my own folly could not speak. What they might they did, and my heart

storm in the air, nor should I have started had the whole assembly broken into one thund

have his words? What help can come from his following? It seems to me that Matelgar the Thane and these friends of his might well have laughed away all these foolishnesses, rather than hoard them up to bring before this solemn council. This, too, I hold for injustice, tha

bear, was yet the beginning of good to all the land, by reason of those words which it taught the bishop to say, and which found

nd on me. There my guards bade me sit down, and I did so, resting head on hands, and thinking of nought, as it seemed

olid and secure had suddenly become treacherous as Severn ooze. And now it was to me as though an earthquake had shaken my t

nd brown haired, smiling at me as she was wont. And I deemed her, too

madness. Now must I think for myself again, and meet what must be. Yet I would look at no man as I went towards t

in his voice and it seemed as thou

; yet for the sake of your youth, and for the pleading of Ealhstan, our Bishop, your doom shall be lighter than some think fit. Death it might be; but that shall not pass now on you, or

moment, an

None in all Wessex shalt harbour you or aid you, but none shall you harm, save you harm them. Go hence

nd given a day's start, like some wild beast, in which to fly from the hand of every man that would seek his life. But I was to be safe from such harm, and bu

nemies had got the mastery, and that ruin wa

Eanulf's face. But Ealhstan the Bishop, knowing well, I think, what was in my mind, rose from his seat, and came to

s, and the ways of men are not all alike. Foolish you have been, Heregar, my son, but the Lord who gave wisdom to Solomon the youth, will give to you, if you will ask Him. Go your way in peace, and if you will heed m

ce, and my hard heart bent before him, though my body would n

's old friends r

will keep him from wanton attack, or from the

signed

good ash, iron-shod quarterstaff into my hands. Then my guards led me away from the assembly, and

for Cornwall, and turn viking

Then the bitterness of my heart overcame me, and I turned,

nt -- a