Hereward, The Last of the English

greatest potentate in Europe after the Kaiser of Germany and the Kaiser of Constantinople, exte

d of that famous Baldwin Bras-de-fer,-who, when the foul fiend rose out of the Scheldt, and tried to drag him down, tried cold steel upon him (being

Bald of France, a descendant of Charlemagne himself. Married up to Ethelwulf of England, and thus stepmother of

evenons

remiers

away wit

ughter of Charlemagne's house, would have attacked him with horse and foot, fire and sword, had n

gainst Baldwin the excommunication destined for him wh

traight to Rome, and told

s no doubt. Of his repentance (in all matters short of amendment of life, by giving up the fair Judith), still less. But the Pope has "another motive for so acting. He fears lest Baldwin, under the weight of Charles's wrath and indignation, should mak

nswered, after pouting and sulking, by making Baldwin bona fide king of all between Somm

ears after, there ruled over that same land Bal

t the Emperor of Germany; during which war he had burnt the cathedral of Nimeg

daughter of the King of France. He had become tutor of Philip, the young King, and more or less thereby regent of the north of France, and had fulfilled his office wisely and well. He had married his eldest son, Baldwin the Good, to the terrible sorceress Richilda, heiress of Hainault, wherefore the bridegroom was named Baldw

e North more feared and respected than B

namely, the valiant men of Scaldmariland, which we now call Holland. Of them hereafter. At the moment of Hereward's arrival, he was

rold Naemansson, and offering to take service with him, he returned for answer that the said Harold might make proof of his faith a

rd with his sea-cocks, marched northwest up to Guisnes, with little Arnulf can

snes, and summoned the Count, by t

ng of lances and slipping up of horses, and hewing at heads and shoulders so well defended in mail that no one was much hurt. The archers and arbalisters, meanwhile, amused thems

ous fashion of fighting, stood by, mightily amused, and vow

he same comedy

ling in him from head to heel; "and try if I cannot do somewhat towards deciding all this. If we figh

"Let me see him fight!" as if he h

fine sir, if it please y

ances," quoth Herewa

e the Frenchmen to the right, make a run for it, and get between them and

atelain's knights with four Guisnes knights around him. Then at those knights he rode, and slew them every one; and mounted that wounded knight on his own horse and led him across the field, though the archers s

we here, who fancy they

and would have hewed off the riders' likewise, crying that the bear must be fed, had not Hereward bidden them give quarter according to the civilized fashion of France a

he heart of the Count of Guisnes became as water; and his knights, both those who were captives and those who were not, complained indignantly of the unchivalrous tric

s any of them; but he was hired, not to joust at a tournament, but to ma

e killed in fair fight. The knight being, says the chronicler, "magnificent in valor of soul and counsel of war, and held to be as a lion in fortitude throughout the army," and seeing that Hereward was by no means a large or heavy man, replied as cour

ses all four in a row, sitting on their hind-quarte

th at once, as they leaped up

n "the devil's smithy"; the sparks flew, and the iron

rd struck his man such a blow under the

d, and picking him up, he threw him over

e likeness between Hereward's attitude, and that of a bea

ullock outright before he we

his swoon, struggled violen

as the stronger man; and crushing h

cht is taken!" shouted they of

Vikings all!" shouted Hereward. And the Dan

wise; and so it befell, that Herewar

llant knight?" asked

ew of Eustace, C

will be ransomed.

ned and fettered, and sent off to Hereward's

stupefied with grief at the loss of his nephew, sent the due

ubles of Baldwin, an