Wulfric the Weapon Thane / A Story of the Danish Conquest of East Anglia

ain, and at first I was dazed, not knowing where I was, so

am I?"

, surely," he said;

I spoke again to him, asking if the grea

en say?" I

plain man to unriddle. But I think that half Reedham are here to see justice

nd some way in which the truth might make itself known, as it were. Nor did he hold much with trial by hot water, or heated ploughshares, and the like; finding new ways of his own contriving, which often brought

e old quarrel about rights of manor or the like, I thought nothing o

patiently as I might until then, keeping thought quiet as best I could by looking for

a long gray beard and gray eyes, that glittered bright and restless under shaggy eyebrows. Beorn, too, was brought in at the same time, and we were set opposite

end, in whose side was my broken arrow. All the lower end of the hall was f

e many men whom I knew by sight, honest thane

o were there bound were accused, giving the names of those half-do

d Earl U

Beorn has been a friend of mine, though no close one. Therefore is more need that I must be very careful that justice is not swayed b

to praise the even handedness of that sayi

a judge be praise

two men found fighting over the body of a third who is known, as men say, to have been friendly with both. No man saw the beginning

from the time when I parted f

e earl

ou that Beorn

ecause I know that he bore ill will towards

kytel; "now le

rrow in its side. And though he knew not why I had done the deed, for the sake of his friendship with my father a

should rather have made Wulfric help you and thank you;

e. Also they showed the arrow, which fitted exactly to the headed end which was in Lodbrok's side, and was the same as two that were in

the throat, and it was so, Whereon the jailer was bidden to bring our swords, and i

unded then?" a

I wa

Beorn's sword st

them, for he too had seen the deer hanging where I had left it, nearly a mile away from where the figh

thus for help," said

k's dog flew at B

k, and there were one or two who knew how closely Beorn seemed t

ad watched my face and B

many ways in which it might be bloodstained in that affair. Now, were these two robbers, I would hold that they were fighting ov

an to his body first and cried over it, pulling his coat with its paws and licking his

it, for justice's sake; but when it saw Beorn, it bristled up, flying at his throat so

rn," said the earl, "

; but now should each of us lay hand on

's breast, and first I laid my hand thereon, looking into the

he was innocent--and naught happened. For I looked, as I think many looked, to see the blood start from the wound that he had given the jarl, but it was not so.

y the table from before

said. "I have heard and

this would end. In an hour they brought us back, and set us

y the weregild {

"that were to confess gui

Beorn

fric, let us pay

d from him

he man is an outlander! To whom will you

arl had trapped him very nearly, and he grew

" I said quietly, thinking th

eason to suspect me

said the earl. "Th

ord Earl," I went on, for he spoke

r earl was more powerful in East Anglia. Maybe Eadmund's power came by lo

g be troubled with common manslayers while I sit in his seat of jus

waiting for what

n a minute, and se

st he

is guilty, but I

ven to me, that proofs of guilt were evenly balanced, so that once again

, and friends have fought, and there is

ith him, and saw that they were puzzl

into the hands of the greatest Judge of all. As Lodbrok the Dane came by sea, these men shall be judged upon the sea by Him who is over all. And surely the innocent shall escape, and the guilty shall be punished in such

ked sharply at us to see if any s

rn was doubtless fearful lest the wrath of Eadmund the King should prevail in the

lins there, who knew

ou shot ill--if your arrow went by chance to Lodbrok'

or, indeed, would it have told aught of the other wound that had been ma

moment I thought that Beorn was about to speak, but he forbore. Then Ulfkytel sighed heavily and tu

urned to us an

o Lodbrok's boat this night, and set adrift to take what may come. Only this I lay upon you, that the innocent man shall not harm the guilty. As for himself, he need, as I th

tel's, and I, who feared not the sea, was glad; but Beorn would have fallen

lfkytel, "for maybe it is lo

set them afloat

earl sharply. "There would be a rescue for a c

l, for now that I knew the worst my spirits rose, and I had some hopes of escape, for there was every sign of fair weath

example from me, but he would not; and after a while sat silent in a

forth to the coast. At that Beorn started up and cried out, wringing his hands and

ast, he was safe. And I spoke roughly, so that I think he believed me, so plain did I make it that I

t of Caistor town. A few men shouted and ran after us, but the guards spurred their horses, and it was of

ings hard for them; but we went on southward, riding very fast, until after many long miles we came to the little hill of the ot

ch Lodbrok had come, and in which I had passed so many pleasant hours with him. Then the thought crossed my mind that what he had taught me of her was like to be my safety no

re thanes and many more guards,

e swiftly towards us. It was Egfrid, my brother-in-law t

, did so, and made no trouble about his coming to my side. Th

cerning this business, and I have ridden hard to get to Reedham, but I met the earl, who told me all. And I have prayed

I s

nd not so much; for if I must die you will take m

Shame on me were I to dream thereof--and on any man

ou hear

common sense. And at that, instead of being wrath, he smiled at me as on a child, and said, 'What know you of justice?'; so that I was as on

man here--Beorn. Do you go to Reedham and tend Lodbrok's hawk for me, and send word to my f

hen went back upon the slaying of

his, ground his teeth and cursed under his breath, for there seemed to have

tone of Beorn's house should be unblackened by fire by this time tomorrow

od, but much harm may come therefrom. Wait bu

ses and riders which stayed the moonlight from them. But at this time the stranger came towards us, and I saw that it was the priest who served the Church of St. Peter, hard by where we stood. H

to see you thus. But justice

answered, "and ri

ith me; "but it is likely that you go to your death on the wide sea. Many a man have I shriven

new that the risks before me wer

hem to draw aside in such wise as to prevent my riding off, though, bound as I was, it had been of little use to try to do so

all his coldness forgotten, the priest of Burgh shrived me and blessed me, bidding me keep a good

no word to any man, and with his head bent as with the weight of knowledge that must not be told, and maybe with sor

comfort to me, and I went back to Egfrid with a c

hat the time was come, and we rode towards him, and I made Egfrid

but he said no word, and maybe his senses had left him by reason of his terror. They haled him to the boat and unbound him, set

see that all was there as when Lodbrok came. And all was there, though that was l

aking, I cried to the earl concerni

ive my poor folk if they fought

"I sent a messenger before I gave sentence. But I sho

who tended the

d on arm and hand?" for we had been stripped of naught b

earl a

d he will be of life itself. Let the men be," and then in a mom

ed the thane to whom he

rue," I sa

he earl; and when one told him that we sh

will not; do

on. But Beorn's dagger fell on the floor of the boat

th him. But I signed him back, and when the fishermen put out oars and pushed from the shore, tow

nd creak of the large boat's oars, and a murmured word or two from those on board her. Then from Burgh Tower came the

sound to the help of St. Wilfrith's men. And straightway I remembered the words of the good prior, and was comforted, for surely if St. Wilfrith's might could sink the pirate ship it

f, and now I began to hope that the still weat

fishing boat until we came to that place, as nearly as might be, where I had s

boats lay side by side on the gently-heaving water,

lifting his hand and

lindness, nor think ill of me. For I do my best,

in a few moments his boat was gone into the sho

n saw that he was in some sort of fit or swoon, and paid no heed to aught. Yet I though

ereafter came into my mind. But I could not slay a helpless man, even this one, though I sat fingering the dagger for a lo

ng less and less plain under the moon. Yet I feared Beorn's treachery, and doubted for a while, until the coil of rope that lay at my feet caught my eye as I pondered. With that I made no more ado, but took it and bound

ocked by the gentle rise and fall of