■M'4 
 
 -w
 
 OF THL 
 UN IVER5ITY 
 or ILLINOIS 
 
 v.l

 
 €. 
 
 ■'i.^
 
 DRAMATIC STORIES. 
 
 ' Let us know wlien we may cry, 
 
 ' Altro Volto.' Ariglice, 'Again', again!' " 
 
 Spectator. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 HENRY COLBURN AND RICHARD BENTLEY 
 
 NEW BURLIXGTOX STREET. 
 1832.
 
 
 C3 
 
 O 
 
 d 
 
 6 
 3 
 
 J 
 
 d 
 cr 
 
 CO 
 
 a; 
 
 823 
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 VOL. 1.
 
 GODWIN \yi) GODA. 
 
 A few loose leax^es from the History of 
 
 England. 
 
 It was already long past nine in tlie fore- 
 noon : but the herdsman Llfhoth had not yet 
 begun his morning meal, called afterwards 
 by the Norman settlers dimmer or digmer (our 
 dSmmerJ from the fact of their discussing this 
 important matter at ten o'clock : that nation 
 having erer been more adranoed than us in 
 the civilization of gourmandise. 
 
 But the ninth hour was past, and Ulfiioth 
 had not begun his meal : the barley hndas, or 
 loaves, on the stone hearth, were baked to 
 
 B 2
 
 4 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 almost the same consistency as the embers, 
 among which they had been placed; the ale, 
 which had been punctually drawn from a 
 large air-tight vat, had, bubble by bubble, 
 lost the creamy cap wherewith it had crowned 
 the deep burnt clay tankard, into which it 
 had been emptied ; and the honey, which 
 stood by, in a similar but smaller jar, on 
 a three-legged round oaken block (serving as 
 a table,) seemed by the number of flies, which 
 were strugghng through its tenacious sweets, 
 to afford strong presumption that it also had 
 been for a long time exposed. 
 
 The herdsman's meal was in point of fact 
 spoiling ; rather a singular circumstance, see- 
 ing that there he was to have eaten it, if he 
 had chosen ; nor is this circumstance the 
 less singular from the fact that he was 
 waiting for his son, whom he had expected 
 home a fall hour before. The father was na- 
 turally uneasy at his son's tarrying; not so 
 much on account of the viands spoihng, but 
 a little because his delay was unexpected ; yet 
 on this head he might have easily set his heart 
 at rest, and foretold most favourably from his
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 5 
 
 son*s absence; for in truth the lad had gone 
 that morning on no greater or less an errand 
 than to court a young girl, who with her mo- 
 ther hved on the borders of the neighbouring 
 shire of Somerset, and to whom he had been 
 long attached, but had never, further than by 
 outward signs of attention, told of his affec- 
 tion; he had gone that morning, (though against 
 the serious, and as he thought unaccountable 
 advice of his father,) owing partly to some tales 
 he had heard in the neighbourhood, to risk 
 all his hopes on one hazard, and either to 
 win an avowal of her love, or, if he could 
 not do that, at once to give up all thoughts 
 about her; such at least, he declared to his 
 father, were his alternatives. 
 
 Ulfnoth, who was older than his son, and 
 perhaps knew something more of the human 
 heart, very hkely did not beheve that this lat- 
 ter alternative could so readily be adopted ; 
 and knowing how much his son had at stake 
 on the issue of the present visit, might very 
 likely have felt anxious concerning it ; though 
 surely the natural or at any rate the most 
 plausible inference would have been that his
 
 6 GODWIN AND GODA, 
 
 son's delay was caused by the success of his 
 suit — for what would have been more likely 
 than that an accepted suitor should choose to 
 stay by his mistress's side and feast on the 
 contemplation of her charms^ rather than to 
 return home punctually at meal-time^ and eat 
 warm barley loaves and honey and drink ale, 
 even though in the company of the best of 
 fathers ? To be sure his son had faithfully pro- 
 mised to be back by half past eight, ^ come 
 what might;' but what is more natural than 
 that a happy lover's memory of all temporal 
 things, — and especially of those most temporal 
 things called minutes — should be drowned 
 in the flood of his overflowing joy ? How- 
 ever natural and likely all this might be, this 
 favourable construction on his son's delay 
 hardly, if at all occurred to old Ulfnoth, as 
 from time to time he kept going to the door 
 of his low round vaulted hovel, built after the 
 fashion of those times of alternate rows of 
 turves and heavy stones, kept in their places 
 by thick rough-hewn oaken timbers; or yet 
 more often thrusting his head from one of the 
 round eyelet holes or windows, which imme-
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 7 
 
 diately looked over the Highburn hills ; for 
 over these he knew lay his son's path home- 
 wards. 
 
 And not much wonder that these favorable 
 forebodings did not occur to Ulihoth's mind; 
 for in fact he had almost forgotten the cause 
 of his son's absence altogether; or at least his 
 recollection was, for the time, absorbed in 
 his fear what its consequences might prove; 
 for he had heard, since his son's departure 
 that morning, that a desperate fight had been 
 fought the day before, not further oif than 
 Scearstan, about twelve miles in the shire, be- 
 tween the English and the Danes; that the 
 fight had not been ended at night-fall, and 
 it was supposed would have been renewed 
 that morning; and his dread arose from the 
 danger his son plainly would run of inadver- 
 tently faUing in with some straggling bands 
 of the marauding foe, and being made pri- 
 soner, even if nothing worse should happen 
 to him. 
 
 Hour after hour passed away; and with 
 every passing hour the father's anxiety be- 
 came more powerful and insupportable. From
 
 » GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 time to time he sallied forth from his hovel, 
 with the intention of going in search of his 
 son ; but no sooner had he got out of sight 
 of his home, than an irresistible impulse al- 
 ways drew him back thither again, with the 
 deceitful hope that his son might even in his 
 absence have returned. The only person in 
 his employ, whom he could have sent on the 
 almost useless search after his son, was a 
 young lad who was already occupied in tend- 
 ing the cattle in the leas; besides Ulihoth 
 knew not even where to find him. 
 
 Meanwhile his feeUngs rose to agony : 
 mid-day came — and passed — the sixth hour 
 after it— the hour of the evening meal drew 
 near.; and the food that had been placed 
 on the table, nine hours before, remained 
 still untasted and untouched — save by the 
 flies. 
 
 Great therefore were Ulfnoth's surprise 
 and joy, when at length, on withdrawing 
 his head from the before-mentioned eyelet 
 hole, he saw that his son had entered the 
 hovel, unobserved by him: and the following 
 dialogue at once took place between them.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. » 
 
 Vlfn, Ah! at last! I greet and welcome thee, 
 Godwin. 
 
 Godiv. I thank thee, my father. 
 
 Ulfn, I gladden to see thee safe : this is 
 well. 
 
 Godw. Is it, father? 
 
 Ulfn, I trust so: hast thou fallen in with 
 them ? 
 
 Godw. Them ! whom ? 
 
 Ulfn, The foe. 
 
 Godw. I wot of no foe: nor heed none. 
 
 Ulfn. Good ! then now tell me how thou 
 hast sped in the wooing, that I could not 
 rede thee from : I should fear indeed by thy 
 brow, not 
 
 Godw. Father, fear nothing. Ask nothing, 
 father, I beg thee. What boots it asking, 
 when the answer is foreknown? What boots 
 it fearing, when the vjorst is known? 
 
 And Godwin flung himself impatiently on a 
 wooden bench by the fire-side and hid his face 
 in his hands, his elbows resting on his knees; 
 and his breast began heaving, as though he 
 were sobbing violently. 
 
 The father came near to his son. He stood 
 
 B 3
 
 10 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 a minute gazing on him, till the tears stood in 
 his own eyes, and then bending over him, 
 that his own silver-white beard mingled with 
 the auburn clusters of his son's hair, he laid 
 his hand softly on his shoulder, and said: 
 Weep not, Godwin. 
 Godw, I weep not, father. 
 At these words Godwin, with a start, turned 
 his face up towards his father and showed 
 that his eyes though blood-shot and swollen, 
 were indeed unwet by tears. 
 Ulfn. Be calm then, Godwin. 
 Godw. I cannot: that can I not. Ulfnoth, 
 my father, how can thy son be calm? 
 
 And he rose hastily from his seat, and be- 
 gan quickly pacing up and down the narrow 
 area of their dwelling: after a minute or two 
 thus pacing, he stopped before his father and 
 addressed him in a mild tone: 
 
 Spake I not harshly to thee, my father? 
 forgive me. 
 
 Ulfn. Thou spakest not harshly to thine old 
 father, Godwin; never didst thou that; or 
 hadst thou done so now, how could I choose 
 but forgive thee — and thou in grief?
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 11 
 
 Godiv. Bless thee, my father; God and Our 
 Lady bless thee for that word. 
 
 The father and son embraced; and the lat- 
 ter after unloading his heart of its burthen of 
 tears, shed on his parent's bosom, retook his 
 seat, and began again to speak, 
 
 Godiv. I begged thee even now, my father, 
 to ask nothing of me — but methinks it were 
 better I should tell thee all; and thou wilt not 
 scorn me, father, that I feel my wound so 
 keenly ; even though the pain make me thus 
 womanish; thou wilt not scorn thy son, as 
 yon haughty woman has scorned him — aye — 
 scorn was the true word she spake — Aelfgiva 
 the daughter of the sons of Hengist would 
 scorn to wive with the son of a neatherd ! 
 
 Ulfn. Were those her words ? 
 
 Godw. Those were her words, father, those 
 were her own hving words: thinkest thou I 
 can ever forget them? that one hissing — sting- 
 ing word of scorn : thinkest thou I can ever 
 forget that? 
 
 Ulfn. Then she should have meant, that if 
 she knew thee other than as a neatherd's son, 
 she might have wived thee ?
 
 12 ' GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Godw, Might ! no, by my manhood and 
 Christendom — but that might she not — lovely 
 unchristened witch as she is, — for so men say 
 she is, — and so whether she be or be not, reck 
 I nought, — but that never might she now. No, 
 father ; — this morning at cock-crow had God- 
 win been an Earldorman of the land, and 
 Aehgiva but the lowly maiden she seems to 
 be, I would have gladly laid my wealth, my 
 hopes, my heart, at that maiden's feet — but 
 she scorns me as I am — and now were I other 
 than a neatherd's son — and she — aye even 
 did she woo me for my love — by God, I 
 would pay her back her scorn in full and 
 over. 
 
 Ulfn. It is weU, — dear son, beheve me it is 
 well; and perhaps I could not find a fitter 
 time to tell thee, what long ere now 
 
 Godw. Nay, father, father, teU me nothing 
 now, father; save it may be how I may 
 forget this — what name may I caU her by — 
 and not wrong her, or rather not do her too 
 much worship? and for whom has she scorned 
 thy son ! father? For some fair-skinned Dane, 
 I wis; for so the tale runs, father, does it
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 13 
 
 not? So of her as of so many of our English 
 mothers and daughters — foul befall the day 
 that first these strangers landed on our shores! 
 how many an Enghsh woman's eye have they 
 not taken with their smug- washed faces ? how 
 many a heart have they not entangled mth 
 their clean-kempt curls! God's wounds! but 
 it is enough to make a man swear back his 
 oath from King or Bishop. 
 
 Vlfn. Godwin, thy words are hot and hasty. 
 
 Godw. It is easy for thee, UHhoth, to find 
 them so; whose heart has chilled for such 
 thoughts as mine, and is slow to feel with 
 them. 
 
 Ulfn, My son not long since blamed himself 
 for speaking harshly to his father. 
 
 Godw. Father, dear father, I forgat : forgat 
 both myself and my own words; and now 
 sue for forgiveness. 
 
 He knelt down on one knee before his fa- 
 ther, who raised him, blessed him, and kissed 
 him on the forehead. 
 
 Ulfn. Speak we no more of it, my dearly 
 loved son. 
 
 Godw, No, dearest father; no more at aU of
 
 14 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 this : it does no good. I will forget her, father. 
 Wa la ! wa la ! Aelfgiva ! that I should ever 
 join those words of thee. 
 
 And again the rejected suitor gave way to 
 the flood of his grief. After a few minutes 
 he turned suddenly to his father again : 
 
 Godw. Thou askedest me, father, when I 
 came in, about the foe; what knowest thou 
 of them? there must be great need of fight- 
 ing-men now. 
 
 Ulfn. I will tell thee, son, what I have 
 heard; but first let us eat. 
 
 Godw. Nay, father, I have no heart to eat. 
 
 Ulfn. What, boy, for that our loudas are 
 somewhat over-brenned, and our ale may be 
 flat? is it shame that thy tarrying hath marred 
 them that lets thee from eating? let not that 
 irk thee; we- will have fresh. 
 
 Godw. Jest not with me, father; I am un- 
 happy. 
 
 TJlfn. But the mirth of a friend may season 
 sorrow : so saith the saw. Nevertheless I will 
 not jest, an thou will not, my son. But come 
 thou and eat with thy father, Godwin. 
 
 Godw. Indeed and truth, father, I cannot.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 15 
 
 Ulfn. Not at my begging, my son? 
 
 Godw. I will: — I will try, my father. 
 
 They sat down to the table together; and 
 Godwin kept his word: he tried to eat; but 
 Tivithout much success, and it must be owned 
 that herein his father, pressing as he had been, 
 sat his son a very bad example, for he did 
 not swallow many mouthsful himself. 
 
 At Godwin's repeated questions about the 
 foe, Ulfhoth told him all he had heard of 
 the fight of the foregoing day at Scearstan; 
 and among other things, that the kings of the 
 adverse armies were said to have fought hand 
 to hand; that the well-tried traitor Eadric, 
 and Edmond's darhng, Aelmaer had fought in 
 the ranks of the Danes against their lord; and 
 that the slaughter had been great and fearful. 
 But all these and such-hke tidings were flow- 
 ing into unheeded ears, for in the middle of 
 one of his father's most pathetic lamentations 
 over the state of their bleeding country, God- 
 win started up and said he should go to 
 bed. 
 
 His father started too at this intimation 
 which was unpohte, — to say the least of it.
 
 16 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 TJlfn, My son, it is early ^ but thou art surely 
 weary with over-walking. 
 
 Godw. Aye, father, I am somewhat. 
 
 Ulfn. Thou must needs be; for thou must 
 have been far round this day, my son ; 
 thou earnest not straight from. . , ,1 would say 
 thou camest not over the Highbum hiUs, 
 Godwin. 
 
 Godw. No, my father; I walked some way 
 round— for I thought — I felt the air would 
 do me good. 
 
 In fact after he had left Aelfgiva's cottage 
 the young Saxon had run, rather than walked, 
 a circuit of not far short of thirty miles, be- 
 fore he came back to his home; which consi- 
 dering the risk he incurred of keeping his 
 father waiting for his two meals was decidedly 
 wrong. 
 
 They parted for the night, therefore — the 
 father and son; — and the latter, without his 
 wonted prayers, betook himself at once to his 
 straw pallet.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 17 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 But Godwin had no rest till after midnight ; 
 then he sank into a sound and deep sleep, 
 from which an hour before sunrise he awoke, 
 with the feehng of having dreamed a fearful 
 dream, though no circumstance of it could he 
 remember. 
 
 He straightway rose, again omitting his 
 prayers, and on his way to the door of the 
 hovel, passed into the room where he had left 
 his father the preceding night. He found him 
 there: whether he had risen before him, or 
 had indeed not at all retired to rest, Godwin 
 knew not. 
 
 The usual morning greetings passed not 
 between them, for the son was silent from
 
 18 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 wonder, and may be some annoyance at seeing 
 his father so unexpectedly. Ulfnoth at once 
 addressed him thus ; — 
 
 " This was even as I feared, Godwin." 
 
 Godw, How ? what fearedst thou, father ? 
 
 Vlfn, That thou shouldst thus early leave our 
 home, Godwin. 
 
 Godiv. And why should I not, father ? 
 
 Ulfn. For what avail shouldst thou, son ? 
 Aelsig will out with the herds as he went yes- 
 tern. 
 
 Godw. Nay, but Aelsig had better tarry with 
 thee ; I will go with the herds, as is my duty. 
 
 Ulfn. Tliere is no need, Godwin, and I had 
 liefer far thou shouldst tarry with me 5 the 
 herds 
 
 Godw. Oh ! dear father, it was not so much 
 for them I thought — I am thinking — more 
 mayhap than I ought — about myself just now; 
 and in sooth I feel I shall be better soon, for I 
 am not well, father. I have slept heavily, but 
 not with refreshment, and my head pains me ; 
 I shall be better in the open air ; the weather 
 is so still, and the midsummer morning so mild
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 19 
 
 and lovely, that mayhap it may make me mild, 
 father ; I would ^-ish to go. 
 
 U/fn. But my great fear is, dear son, lest 
 thou shouldst fall in -^iN^th some of these harry- 
 ing Danes. 
 
 Godw. No fear of that, father ; I mil go no 
 further than the Shimmer-stone; only the 
 devil-guild could find me there ; and I would 
 give even them a kindred welcome. 
 
 Ulfn. Hush, my darhng son. 
 
 Godiv. Ave Maria ! Pater noster ! Amen ! 
 (and not even a mental addition was made to 
 this formula; the peasantr}^ of those times 
 being too ill-taught or careless to master much 
 of a language, not a syllable of which they un- 
 derstood.) My words are wild this morning, 
 father ; nor wonder : but fear not for me, I 
 shall not be harmed. Being alone for some 
 while will bring me to myself. (The old man 
 was taking up a staff, — which he now laid down 
 again. Godwin marked both these actions). 
 Fare thee well, my loved father, till meal-tide 
 bless me. 
 
 Ulfn, I do, my son ; I, in the name of our
 
 20 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 common Father bless thee : may he be with 
 thee, and ward thee. 
 
 With the aid of young Aelsig, the herd, to 
 the number of half a score head, were now 
 turned out of their stalls ; and after an embrace 
 from his father, Godwin departed from the 
 hovel. Ulfhoth stood watching his son till 
 both he and his horned charge (having seemed, 
 as seen through the thick morning mist, to 
 dilate into gigantic and grotesque forms) at last 
 flickered away from his sight ; h^ then turned, 
 first into his hovel, and then into his bed. 
 
 For some minutes Godwin ascended a hill 
 from the brow of which, though he now stood 
 above the mist, nothing was discernible but 
 what seemed a vast, and calm, and shoreless 
 sea, with here and there an island peak (the 
 tops of other hills) rising from its waters ; he 
 then turned sharply to his left, and by a 
 much more steep descent plunging into the 
 mist, he gained a long narrow strip of meadow- 
 valley below. This was skirted on his right, 
 as he walked along it, by the hill he had just 
 crossed ; on his left by a spinney, or copse, of
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 21 
 
 ash trees. Neither of these boundaries indeed 
 were now \'isible to Godwin ; but he knew their 
 direction and distance from him well, and every 
 inch of the ground he was treading. Towards 
 the valley's further end, which he now ap- 
 proached, the hills suddenly changed their 
 character to that of steep and, in parts, rocky 
 chiFs — the copse to the left, gradually assuming 
 a more woodhke appearance, after widening out 
 into a crescent, shut in and closed with them. 
 Godwin, wearied beyond measure of the slow 
 pace at which he had of necessity followed the 
 cattle, and which was so thoroughly unconge- 
 nial to his then state of mind — and strangely 
 put out of humour by the rapid clearing up 
 of the weather, left the beasts to shift for 
 themselves, and darted at full speed through 
 an opening in the spinney — rushing on a few 
 yards, heedless of the boughs or under^vood 
 that came across his path, dashing them aside, 
 or crushing them down with an almost unnatu- 
 ral energy, as though he were a man flpng 
 from death, or on towards some object on the 
 gaining of which more than his life depended, 
 and which mthout the utmost haste he should
 
 22 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 surely and irrecoverably lose. His career was 
 like that of a wounded beast, who strives to 
 overcome his sense of pain by the triumphant 
 bearing down of all obstacles that come 
 athwart him, and rather seeks than shuns 
 them. In this way the young Saxon rushed 
 on, nor stopped tiU he soon arrived at the goal 
 of his course and stood in front of the Shimmer- 
 stone. 
 
 It was a lovely spot, and one which a happy 
 man might weU have chosen as a fit retreat 
 wherein "to sigh away a summer's afternoon;" 
 but though it possessed this lovehness, so 
 much in accordance with a calm state of bliss- 
 ful feeling, it wanted that grandeur and subli- 
 mity which can overawe and subdue the turbu- 
 lent emotions of the mind, and make man, even 
 in his proudest or most thoughtless moments, 
 own that he is not quite the absolute lord of 
 this material world ; therefore this spot, which 
 was simply lovely, was not the best suited for 
 Godwin in his present mood. It consisted of 
 a small, nearly circular, area, of about twenty 
 feet diameter, carpetted with that pecuharly 
 thick and diminutive grass, the appearance of
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 23 
 
 which a well-mown la^vTi is meant to imitate ; 
 around this velvet flooring was hterally a fringe 
 of daisies, for very few were to be seen mthin 
 the border ; beyond them rose, for three parts 
 of the circumference, an amphitheatre of taller 
 wild flowers, among which the white, purple 
 and yeUow fox-glove were yet conspicuous, — of 
 underwood, such as the golden and the silver 
 broom, and of trees mostly ash, a continuation 
 of the adjoining copse ; the fourth part of 
 this supposed circle was cut ofi* by loft}^ 
 rocks, the principal of which was that from 
 which the place derived its title — the Shimmer- 
 stone. This was a broad smooth grey rock 
 rising nearly fifteen feet from the surface of 
 the soil ; at the top of it was a large natural 
 pool or cistern of the clearest spring water, 
 overflowing the horizontal edge towards the 
 area ; and thus a thin sheet of water was con- 
 stantly shding down the face of the rock, which, 
 though it has been called smooth, (for so it 
 looked to the eye) was yet sufiiciently broken 
 to shghtly ripple the water in its descent, so 
 that when the rays of the sun, or more parti- 
 cularly of the moon, were thro"v\Ti on it the
 
 24 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 effect produced was most beautiful, though 
 hardly to be explained in words ; it may per- 
 haps be described as if the stone were quiver- 
 ing and sparkling, and it was this effect that 
 the Saxon peasants had intended to typify in 
 the name they had bestowed on the stone. 
 The water, which was so continually falling, 
 did not however form either pool or brook at 
 the foot of the rock, but there disappeared 
 among some overhanging shrubs that grew 
 around. Upon nearer inspection it was seen 
 that in fact the rock did not rise, as it seemed 
 to do, immediately from the soil, but between 
 it and the grass area there was a fissure of 
 trifling breadth, but apparently of considerable 
 depth, down which the water was heard, and 
 under some hghts was even seen to gush in 
 search probably of some new outlet. Another 
 feature which added to the singularity of the 
 Shimmer-stone, was the contrast which its 
 smooth face afforded to the shaggy and fan- 
 tastic masses of rock by which it was flanked 
 on either side. 
 
 Such a spot at such a period could not be 
 without its legend, and that of the Shimmer-
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 25 
 
 stone was simple enough and apparently of 
 British extraction. According to it, the account 
 generally received as authentic, that Giants 
 were the aboriginal inhabitants of this island, 
 is a mistatement ; for the race of Fairies had 
 lived and left here long before their huge suc- 
 cessors were bom or thought of. The legend 
 runs that one of these fair beings, whose 
 name has not reached posterity, so far forgot 
 her high and etherial nature as to fall mor- 
 tally in love with a young and handsome 
 adventurer from far-off lands — perhaps a tin- 
 merchant from Pheenicia— or an oyster-dredger 
 from Etruria — that, like all her sex, whether 
 Fairies or women, she easily succeeded in turn- 
 ing the young man's head and seducing him 
 from his lawful pursuits ; that they hved toge- 
 ther though illicitly, yet happily for a year, 
 and had a daughter ; that soon afterwards 
 the affair came to the ears of the Queen of the 
 Fairies, who, hke Diana or Queen Ehzabeth, was 
 always outrageous if any of her attendants made 
 a false step in the ways of modesty — that she vi- 
 sited the naughty pair — read them an awful lec- 
 ture on morahty and virtue — sent the young man 
 
 VOL. I. c
 
 26 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 about his business again, and gave the trembhng 
 mother the option of two things, namely, whe- 
 ther she herself or her infant should be at once 
 deprived of being. The Fairy without hesitation 
 chose the dreadful lot for herself, and only ven- 
 tured to recommend her babe to her sovereign's 
 care. The Queen was touched, but her word 
 was passed — she promised however to befriend 
 the infant, and gave the fairy the choice of what 
 form she would assume, and the assurance that, 
 as soon as she did assume it, her own immor- 
 tality should be transformed to her child. The 
 Fairy, overwhelmed with this nobleness, and 
 something softened by her own loss of life and 
 a lover, became, " like Niobe all tears," and 
 dissolved into the pool at the top of the Shim- 
 mer-stone ; the child became a Fairy ; and the 
 Queen, before lea^dng the spot, added, as a far- 
 ther proof of her generosity, as also of her falli- 
 bility, that the daughter should some day dry the 
 mother's tears and restore her to being : which 
 foreboding has perhaps been fulfilled, as the 
 Shimmer-stone has been dry for some centuries. 
 To return to our tale. The spot, which 
 has led to this digression, did not at the time
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 27 
 
 we are now introduced to it, enjoy the most 
 favourable character ; for, by the beginning of 
 the eleventh century Fairies had fallen into con- 
 siderable disrepute, and were held to be much 
 more prone to mahce and mischief, than to 
 goodwill and love towards the sons of men 3 and 
 the Shimmer-stone was said to be haunted — not 
 only by fairies (as well it might if the foregoing 
 tale were true) — but by sundry" more awful and 
 powerful visitants, the avowed and inveterate 
 foes of man ; although the circumstance of so 
 fair and tranquil a scene being allotted to such 
 foul and stormy spirits can hardly be accounted 
 for, unless by the fact that one superstition 
 generally dovetails T\dth a former one, and that 
 the behefs and fears of the untaught vulgar, 
 though taking perhaps a new shape, have 
 generally adhered to the old locaUties and rites 
 of their forefathers. 
 
 Both Godwin and his father were aware of 
 the e\41 report in which the Shimmer-stone 
 was held, but neither of them seemingly gave 
 much credit thereto, for with the former it was 
 a favourite haunt ; and it may be remembered 
 that when in the previously recorded conversa- 
 
 C 2
 
 28 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 tion he proposed on the present occasion to 
 visit it, his proposal drew no expression of 
 warning or surprise from his father, who mere- 
 ly reproved his son for the wanton levity of 
 his words on what was at any rate a serious mat- 
 ter. But though young Godwin did not much 
 believe that the Shimmer-stone was haunted 
 by evil spirits, yet it might well be that, in 
 his present state of mind, vaguely recollecting 
 the tales he had heard concerning it, he intui- 
 tively formed the intention of going there, as it 
 were in very bravery and daring of dangers, 
 the general existence of which formed part of 
 his creed. He stood accordingly before the 
 Shimmer-stone — but stood not long — for the 
 restlessness of his mind was too great to aUow 
 his body to rest— he staid however on the spot 
 for some time, — now flinging himself on the 
 cold wet earth and pouring out his agony alter- 
 nately in prayers to the saints, or in impreca- 
 tions to the devils ; — now pacing up and down, 
 quickly and furiously, — until the smooth turf 
 became actually broken and miry mth his 
 wearing footsteps ;— and anon standing for a 
 second or two, stiU as the rocks around him.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 29 
 
 with folded arms, and clenched hands and lips 
 and teeth, until his fiiry again burst forth and 
 drove him into motion. His thoughts were 
 various and rapid, but all whirhng indistinctly 
 round one central point, hke the spokes round 
 the nave of a chariot wheel at its fullest speed ; 
 that centre thought of all was his wounded 
 vanity ; and as a cure for this, the strangest and 
 wildest fancies darted through his brain ; one 
 as flitting as the rest, but which he tried most 
 to grasp, was the notion which he had un- 
 knowingly hinted at, during the conversation 
 with his father on the foregoing evening — that 
 he would join the Enghsh army and fight against 
 the Danes ; — for against those oppressors of 
 his country^, — now that he had received, as he 
 thought, a personal injury from one of them, — 
 he had conceived the most exterminating 
 hatred. Such is patriotism. Such was that 
 of Hampden. Such was that of Tell. Such was 
 that of Junius Brutus. 
 
 It was now a full hour that Godwin had 
 arrived at this spot; and he was yet in the 
 same untamed mood : — untamed, even by 
 the extraordinary beauty which a fine sun-
 
 30 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 rise was now shedding over that beautiful 
 scene: for the mist had all rolled away; the 
 rich rosy light was falling playfully on the 
 shimmering sheet of water^ coming slant and 
 checquered through the scarce stirring and dew- 
 jewelled leaves, rich in all the expanded ver- 
 dure of mid-summer : among those leaves the 
 many-voiced birds were trilling their morning- 
 song of joy; and the tinkling bubble of the un- 
 seen brook joined as an instrumental accom- 
 paniment to their vocal chorus. But all this 
 was lost on Godwin — there was no passage 
 to his heart either through his eyes or his ears: 
 in that sweet hour of calm, in that fair scene 
 of quiet, he was raving Uke a madman; and 
 the now hoarse tones of his voice kept starthng 
 the echoes of that gentle solitude. At that 
 time he spoke as follows : — 
 
 " No help ? — None ? — None from man — nor 
 saint— -nor God ? — None. Nor from Devil ? — 
 ha!— if Heaven will not help, will not Hell?'' 
 
 The loud cry with which he uttered this 
 for a moment hushed even the frightened birds ; 
 and for the moment the stillness startled God- 
 win ; but he immediately went on : —
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 31 
 
 "Ha! ha! — ha, ha! mayhap it shall be so — 
 mayhap Hell will help me— a trial! I call for 
 a trial — a trial of their might to aid when 
 wanted^-they come not — none comes: oh! how 
 I Tvdsh — aye, spite of this sweat that beads my 
 brow, I do wdsh that the great Foe of our 
 kind but dared — now and here — to come and. . ' 
 
 While these words were yet Hving on his 
 hps, he was startled by the sound of sharp 
 ringing metal, and by the sight of the figure 
 as of an armed man, who leapt, seemingly from 
 behind the Shimmer-stone, dowTi within arm's 
 length by his side. 
 
 Godwin's first feehng was that of extreme 
 fear, and he cowered under it; and as he so 
 stooped, cowering and trembhng, if the painter's 
 pencil had transferred those two figures to the 
 canvass, it would hardly have been possible 
 to have exhibited a greater contrast both in 
 dress, mien and bearing. 
 
 For the stranger, after the first bend 
 with which he had bounded to the earth, 
 stood upright, firm and fearless ; he was 
 clad in armour; his helmet, in form nearly 
 fitting to the head, with a strong sharp
 
 32 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 spike at the top, was of bright yellow metal; 
 his body-armour was of tegulated-mail of the 
 same material fitting tight to the arms, shoul- 
 ders, chest and back, girded round the waist 
 with a narrow belt of black leather and fal- 
 hng loosely nearly to the knees; close hose 
 or stockings of scarlet cloth were on his legs; 
 and yeUow- thonged sandals on his feet; on 
 his left side, hung by a yeUow metal chain 
 from his shoulder, was a broad straight sword, 
 in a plain scarlet cloth sheath; and in his 
 right hand he bore a bright steel-headed spear 
 of at least twelve feet in length : his face was 
 fair ; but his eyes black and bright as starry 
 midnight; black also was his beard, which 
 grew over cheek and chin, as well as his hair, 
 which fell from under his helmet in long curls 
 full half way down his back. 
 
 Godwin on the other hand had no weapon 
 either oiFensive or defensive, save a short 
 hand-knife, stuck unsheathed in his undressed 
 leathern girdle; his tunic, of the same shape 
 as the stranger's coat of mail, was of coarse grey 
 woollen stuiF; his stockings were bandages of 
 the same material; his shoon also of undressed
 
 GODWIN AND GODA, 33 
 
 leather, rudely constructed and fastened round 
 the feet and ancles with unsightly thongs; and 
 his body was wrapped in a large fiiU fold of 
 woollen stuff, striped with broad lines of black 
 and grey, and worn over the left shoulder 
 and under the right arm. Godwin's face too 
 was fair, but his eyes were correspondingly 
 blue and clear as sunny noon day; and his 
 just bristhng beard and his still close curhng 
 hair, unconfined by cap or bonnet, were of 
 the brightest auburn. 
 
 Not a minute had they gazed on one 
 another, when the stranger spoke, say- 
 ing:— 
 
 '' HaU, youth !" 
 
 At the sound of his voice, Godwin started 
 to his feet and stood as upright as he, and 
 answered: — "Hail, Stranger!" 
 
 Stran. How namest thou thyself? 
 
 Godw. Godwin Ulfhothson ; and thou, by 
 thy tongue, art no Saxon; — a Dane, I wis — 
 and of them that fight against our land. What 
 wouldst thou of me? 
 
 Stran. Help. 
 
 Godw, Of me? in what wise? 
 c 3
 
 34 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Stran. That thou shouldst tell me how far 
 hence to the mouth of the Severn river, where 
 our ships lie ; and show me the road thither. 
 
 Godw. How foohsh must that Dane be, who 
 would trust his safety to a Saxon. 
 
 Stran. The brave man fears not the foe 
 whom he trusteth; nor will a brave foe, so 
 trusted, break that trust. We fought again 
 yestern with thy landsmen, and— if not worsted 
 — at least we gat not the better: I lost my way 
 toward evenfall; and have wandered the live- 
 long night amid these woods and hills. Lead 
 me to our ships and I will well reward thee; 
 I speak not of what I would do for thee, 
 were we Danes the lords of this Anglen land; 
 but, as we are, I will give thee gold enough to 
 buy tenfold as many herds as thine, if they 
 be thine, that I saw grazing in yonder meadow. 
 What sayest thou to my bidding ? 
 
 Godiv. The road is not long thither, Dane; 
 but it might be fearsome to guide thee along 
 it. The landsmen, enheartened by their yes- 
 terday's luck, will be on the look out on all 
 sides; and they would spare neither thee nor 
 thy guide.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 35 
 
 Stran. It need not seem that thou art my 
 guide — and then surely they will not harm 
 thee ? 
 
 The Dane said this as though he looked for 
 an answer; but Godwin gave him none ; he 
 seemed lost in deep thought. The Dane drew 
 off the mailed glove of his right hand, and from 
 the fourth finger he took a massy gold ring, 
 fashioned hke a twisted serpent, the flat part 
 of whose head was a plate of steel ; on it 
 were engraved the words uij: m No> fUl/in NotJi 
 or Help in need,) He put this ring into God- 
 win's hand and said: — "Take this as earnest of 
 what I will do here after — the toy is of some 
 worth." 
 
 Godwin took the ring in his hand — looked 
 at it for a moment and then suddenly asked : 
 "What is thy name, stranger?" 
 
 Stran. It stands on my ring. My name is 
 Ulf. 
 
 Godwin muttered to himself — Ulf — Ulf- 
 noth — it is strange. 
 
 Ulf. What is strange? (he received no an- 
 swer.) Wilt thou aid me? 
 
 Still for a second or two no answer; at last
 
 36 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Godwin spoke : — " Take back thy ring, Dane, 
 I will take neither bribe nor reward: but I 
 will try and lead thee to thy ships." 
 
 Ulf, I thank thee, Saxon; and at least I 
 will do that again when I am safe. 
 
 Godwin now took off his striped cloak and 
 so adjusted it on Ulf's shoulders as to hide 
 his glittering armour; he put in his hand also 
 instead of his spear, which the Dane threw aside, 
 the staff which he had himself carried ; and thus 
 clad, the Dane followed the Saxon neatherd 
 through the ashen-copse, towards the lea where 
 the beasts were grazing. Scarcely however 
 had Godwin stepped out into the opener space, 
 than he turned sharply round on his follower, 
 and with a quickness, curiously contrasting 
 with his former manner, which for some 
 minutes had been slow and thoughtftJ and 
 almost absent, he plucked the helmet from 
 the Dane's head, and dashed it deeply among 
 the neighbouring bushes, at the same time 
 crying out : — " By St. Mary ! but I forgat 
 that !" 
 
 Vlf. Good lad! thou knowest not the worth 
 of the helm thou throwest away.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 3? 
 
 Godiv. Is it of more than the head it warded? 
 — See yonder. 
 
 He pointed to the top of the hills, now to 
 their left, where stood a part)^ of half a score 
 rudely armed peasants. Ulf was about to with- 
 draw into the copse again; but Godwin caught 
 him by the arm, and said: — "No — lest they 
 have seen us. Do the mantle over thy head: 
 bear thyself boldly; and come on. Seem not 
 to mark them till they speak." 
 
 Whether or not the peasants had before 
 seen them, they were no sooner fairly 
 out of the copse than one of the party 
 called dovm. to them : — " Ho! who goes 
 there ?" 
 
 Godw. Friends. The good morning to thee, 
 Walther. 
 
 JVal. Young Heort? 
 
 Godw. The same. (For by that name, signi- 
 fying herdsman, Godwin was known among 
 the country people.) 
 
 Wal Who with thee? 
 
 Godiv, A friend. What do ye? 
 
 Wal. We seek the runaway Danes. We 
 have here three; and they say there lurks one
 
 38 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 of wealth and might among these woods: 
 but we shall fang him. Farewell. 
 
 Godwin repeated the greeting; and the 
 countrymen descended behind the rocks in 
 the very direction^ whence Ulf had sprung 
 down a few minutes before; so that had the 
 Saxons been those few minutes sooner, they 
 would certainly have taken him. 
 
 God. So that is over, Dane; thou wilt hardly 
 blame me that I have lied for thy sake. 
 
 Ulf. Nay, not so, Saxon; thou namedst 
 me thy friend; at least thou art mine. 
 
 God. Well. Let us wend quickly; but yet 
 not rashly. 
 
 And driving the astonished herd homeward, 
 they soon presented themselves before the no 
 less astonished Ulfnoth. 
 
 Godwin briefly gave his father to know 
 what the stranger was; he was at once hospi- 
 tably received; and his armour and showy 
 apparel were, without loss of time, efi'ectuaUy 
 concealed beneath the entire dress of a Saxon 
 peasant. Godwin proposed to send Aelsig 
 out with the herds ; but his father more cauti- 
 ously kept him at home, lest the boy should
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 39 
 
 babble of their having a stranger for a guest; 
 and the old man's caution was in the nature of 
 one thought for the stranger, and two for him- 
 self; for if any of his countrymen should learn 
 the fact of his harbouring a Dane, and especially 
 one of wealth, as Ulf clearly was (for Godwin's 
 father easily perceived that the armour was 
 richly gilt) he was well aware they would not 
 only disregard the rites of hospitahty, but would 
 rigidly punish the host, who had exercised them. 
 The morning-meal however was hastened for 
 the hungry wanderer; previous to which Ulf- 
 noth and his son pledged the stranger, each 
 drinking to the other's health in a cup of 
 ale : a custom then of late introduction into 
 the country, which in fact had arisen from 
 the many murders committed betw-een the 
 Danes and the Enghsh, when they were feast- 
 ing together; the unguarded posture of drink- 
 ing presenting too inviting a temptation for 
 the dagger of a mahcious foeman; and the 
 above-mentioned pledge, (from which our En- 
 ghsh habit of taking wine with one another 
 is said to be derived) was adopted as the means 
 of preventing such unmanly attacks; and strange
 
 40 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 to say, the precaution rarely, if ever, was found 
 ineifectual. After the meal was over, Aelsig was 
 dispatched about household affairs into an in- 
 ner room, so that he could not leave the 
 hovel unseen, as he would needs have to 
 pass through the room where they were sit- 
 ting. The greater part of the day was consumed 
 in not unfriendly conversation; for, although 
 frequently urged both by father and son, the 
 Dane would not dream of retiring to rest him- 
 self ; and it must be owned, the forbearance 
 on his part arose less from courtesy than from 
 suspicion; which, seeing how boldly and frankly 
 he had acted with Godwin, on their first inter- 
 view, may seem strange ; but then it must 
 be remembered that Ulf s situation at that 
 time was pretty nearly as bad as it could be; 
 so that any adventure could not weU have made 
 it worse; and at any rate he had no great rea- 
 son, armed as he was, to fear much from a 
 neatherd whom in fact his very appearance, as 
 we have read, almost frightened out of his 
 wits : besides it must also be taken into con 
 sideration, that at that time he was almost 
 starving with hunger, and a starving man
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 41 
 
 is not always very prudent, as we may see 
 even in these refined and wiser days, when a 
 man in the extremity of hunger has been 
 known to be so imprudent as to take a half- 
 penny roll from a baker's window, at the im- 
 minent risk of incurring the very just and 
 commensurate punishment of transportation. 
 
 But Ulf 's hunger being now appeased, and 
 his situation somewhat bettered, it might be a 
 natural sort of reaction, that he should now begin 
 to think he might be worse off than he was, 
 and to feel not very secure as the duration of 
 his present security. In fact however this was 
 not all; he had observed that the old Saxon 
 had all but asked him what his rank in hfe 
 was, which the Dane thought impertinent in 
 every sense of the word; that the father and 
 son had from time to time exchanged, as he 
 thought, \eYj knowing looks with one another; 
 and moreover that the conversation had begun 
 to flag good deal; (for the idea never occurred 
 to him that his own suspicions might perhaps 
 have made himself less talkative;) and about 
 an hour before the evening meal-tide (as scon 
 after which as it should be dark enough, it had
 
 42 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 been agreed that he and Godwin were to 
 start on their journey) when the old father 
 got up and in plain Enghsh told his son he 
 wished to speak with him in secret — and 
 when in fact this secret conference seemed 
 to be stretching to the whole length of this 
 hour, — Ulf became what a modern officer would 
 call " quite nervous."
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 43 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 That there may be however no chance 
 of the reader's unnecessarily participating in 
 the Dane's anxiety, the whole of the conver- 
 sation between father and son shall be laid 
 before him. They proceeded not many yards 
 from the hovel, and then turned to the right, 
 down a fine and probably natural avenue of 
 large beeches; the whole length of which, 
 about forty yards, and half-way back again, 
 they walked before either uttered a word; and 
 then the father broke the silence: — 
 
 JJlfn. And so thou wilt risk the travel with 
 this Dane, Godwin? 
 
 Godw, Surely, my father: should I not? 
 
 Ulfn. I would have thee do as thou thinkest 
 best.
 
 44 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Godw. Nay, my dear father, may it please 
 thee rather to give me rede herein. 
 
 Ulfn. What thinkest thou to do, when thou 
 shalt have seen him safe among his landsmen? 
 
 Godw. Surely to return hither, father. 
 
 Ulfn. Nay, do not that, my son. There 
 were httle wit in that. Our landsmen will 
 be wood when they shall know of thy aiding 
 the Dane's escape, as they surely shall know it 
 through Aelsig, therefore this place will not 
 be safe for thee. 
 
 Godw. Then I shall not aid the Dane. 
 
 Ulfn. Is not thy word pledged thereto? 
 
 Godw. I shall break it. 
 
 TJlfn. Would that be wise, my son ; or right? 
 
 Godw. Both, I think, my father^ for must 
 not what is right be wise? and this would 
 be right. 
 
 Ulfn. I cannot think so. 
 
 Godw. Yes, my father; when I undertook to 
 aid this stranger I did so at all risk that might 
 befall myself, but myself only: if thou think 
 our landsmen shall find out what I have done 
 herein, well I know their wrath will not fall on 
 me only; and the less so that I shall be beyond
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. .45 
 
 their reach; but on thee, my loved father, will 
 they pour out the wrath, which if at all, should 
 only fall on thy son. 
 
 Ulfn. But that they shall not ; for mark me, 
 I too shall leave this place when thou dost; 
 and therefore do I give thee rede not to return 
 hither. 
 
 Godw. Thou leave here, father? and shall the 
 son, by any kindness to another, drive his fa- 
 ther from the home of his old age to harbour 
 among strangers? That may never be. 
 
 Ulfn. Nor shall it be. My home I shall leave 
 wiUingly, not driven thence; and not among 
 strangers shall I harbour, but among friends; 
 I go to Lundene, son, where I have many 
 friends. 
 
 Godw. In Lundene ! so far away, my father ? 
 
 Ulfn. Yes, my son, the friends of thy fa- 
 ther's youth are there in many; and thither 
 wall I go. 
 
 Godw. I will with thee, father; I will leave 
 this Dane to shift for himself; thou and I will 
 not part, beloved father. 
 
 Ulfn. Yea, my son, it were better, both for 
 my good, and for thine, that we should for a
 
 46 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 while part. Listen to me; — or let me first 
 ask thee^ rememberest thou much of thine 
 early childhood ? 
 
 Godw. Before I came to live here with thee, 
 father ? I well remember that. 
 
 Ulfn. It is of before that time I ask 
 thee. 
 
 Godiv. I remember not many things; I mean 
 other than I have met with ere I came 
 hither; save that I herded swine or sheep, in- 
 stead of kine and oxen. I remember too that 
 those I lived with treated me kindly and called 
 me son; and I loved them and grieved to 
 leave them; and methinks I must have come 
 a long way hither, for I remember walking 
 many — many days till I was sore weary, ere I 
 reached hither. 
 
 Ulfn. Thou sayest right, my son; thou wert 
 then dwelling far hence in the north of Northum- 
 berland. But rememberest thou of nothing: 
 even before that time ? 
 
 Godw. No — and yet I have somewhiles 
 had, as it were, day-dreams of another life, 
 wherein methought I remembered myself to 
 have been among lofty houses, such as I
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 47 
 
 have never in truth seen, or only in passing 
 through towns hither; but then methought I 
 Hved in them; and among much wealth, and 
 the shene of gold and silver; and with many 
 folks, such as I never saw — neither here, nor 
 in the Northumbrian woods; and it was strange 
 enough, but when yon Dane jumped down 
 from the side of the Shimmer-stone this morn, 
 decked in all his ghttering weapons, it was 
 just as though one of the forms of these my 
 dreams stood h\dng and in the flesh before 
 me: but I remember nothing staidly. 
 
 Ulfn. Yet thy remembrance is no dream, 
 Godwin; for I will now tell thee what I have 
 long been about to tell thee, what I much 
 wish I had before told thee: and would have 
 yestem night, but thou couldst not then bend 
 thine ear to hear me: hear me then now 
 thou art no son of a neatherd. 
 
 Godw, Oh! Ulfnoth— my father — tarr)-, I 
 pray thee, what wouldst thou tell me ? not 
 that ; not that I am another's son. 
 
 Ulfn. UHhoth the neatherd is not thy father, 
 Godwin; and yet am I thy father. 
 
 Godw. Tliou speakest a riddle, father.
 
 48 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 TJlfn. Surely not uneasy to unriddle^ Godwin; 
 I am thy father; but I am no neatherd. 
 
 Godw. How ! no neatheard! do I dream 
 now? — Or were my former dream-like thoughts 
 truths ? — No neatherd? 
 
 Ulfn. Go; ask the monks that gather up the 
 lore of our land^ Who is Ulihoth? Know ye 
 of him? Go: ask it of the makers, that sing 
 the lays of the brave and the mighty, and 
 they shall both answer; We know him well: 
 Ulfnoth the Ealdorman — Ulfnoth the Childe 
 of the south-Saxons. Such was thy father, 
 Godwin; such was I. 
 
 Godw, Thou! my father! — a Thane! — and I 
 then an Eorl : oh, Aelfgiva ! Aelfgiva ! hadst 
 thou known this. 
 
 Ulfn. She had loved thee ; a poor maiden — 
 would that have been — 
 
 Godw. No, my father, not me; but mayhap 
 my state— not Godwin the Cheorl but God- 
 win the Eorl— to him she might have listened — 
 but Godwin knows her now — and himself too 
 better than he did when she yestern morning 
 ^cor^jec? him —proud, haughty, woman — mayest 
 thou too meet — but no — I will not ban thee —
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 49 
 
 He had stopped shorty and with raised 
 hands looked up, as though through the 
 thickly-pleached boughs above him, he would 
 have called down a curse from heaven ; he 
 now bent his head down on his chest — was 
 silent for a moment — and then again resum- 
 ing his walk addressed his father : 
 
 Godiv, Go on, I beg thee, my father, I will 
 not break in on thee again; and mark not 
 what I have just said. 
 
 Ulfn. My son, to tell thee all that is meet for 
 thee to know would take a longer time than 
 we can bestow thereon; yet all that is needful 
 for thee to know will I shortly unfold to thee. 
 Tliy mother, Godwin, fared forth from this 
 world, when thou, our only child, wert but 
 scarce five winters old; thou hadst lived up 
 to that time as a babe in the bosom of wealth 
 and ease; but trouble soon arose, which made 
 me deem that a fitter home might be found 
 for thee than mine own, — and some one who 
 might as then better fulfil the duties of a fa- 
 'ther to thee, than could I, — a warrior : still I 
 loved not to part from thee ; but I know 
 not what might have happened had it not been 
 
 VOL. I. D
 
 50 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 for that fearful and countless slaughter of the 
 Danes, that took place on St. Bricemas-day, 
 whereof thou must have heard, — as what Saxon 
 hath not? for do not our landsmen to this 
 day, as they belike will for all coming ages, 
 keep up the shocking remembrance of that 
 bloody massacre? turning to a rejoicing what 
 then was, and aye should be a thing for weep- 
 ing and wailing. Oh! Godwin, my son! but 
 that was a fearful day, and may God grant 
 we never see such again. The sun, that rose 
 over a smiling and peaceful land, ere he set, 
 saw that land all drenched and reeking with 
 the blood of men — why say I of men? for nei- 
 ther women nor children — not even babies at 
 their mother's breast were spared from the but- 
 cher's knife. Oh God! why must I recall that 
 sight! (The old man stopped his foot, though 
 he went on with his narrative.) Or why saw 
 I it at all? I was in Lundene at the time, 
 Godwin ; and never — never shall I forget my 
 fear and dread on that dreadful day. The 
 slaughter was begun at a town in Hertford- 
 shire, about a score and three miles from Lun- 
 dene; the place has ill been called Welwin,
 
 GODWIN AND GOD A. 51 
 
 from that day's deeds; for little indeed of 
 weal did England win therefrom. I was roused 
 from slumber early in the morning by cries 
 of murder ! The yells of the slaughterers, and 
 the shrieks and groans of the slaughtered min- 
 gled frightfully together : I had known nothing 
 of what was about to take place, neither I nor 
 any EngUsh Thane hardly then in the town. It 
 was that traitor, Aedric Streona's work ; that 
 I must call him uncle ! (wa la ! traitor that 
 he is both to King and kin) — ^for he had told 
 the too beheving Kjng that the Danes were all 
 sworn to beshrew him of his life; — and after- 
 wards all his Witan; and then have his kingdom 
 without any withstanding. I beheved not the 
 tale ; but the king did — and the slaughter 
 w^as done — the slaughter of nearly all the 
 Danes that w^ere dwelling and had for years 
 dw^elt in the kingdom. I walked that day 
 through the streets of Lundene, that were miry, 
 and in some places in pools over my schoon 
 with blood. But the worst sight of all — it was 
 the death of a w^oman, Godwin — a lady she 
 was — the sister of the Danish King Swegen, 
 the father of this King, who is now fighting 
 
 D 2 
 
 LIBRARY ^^^^^ 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF W^^
 
 52 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 with King Edmund of the Iron Side : —her 
 name was Gunhilda. She was beautiful as 
 beauty ; I never saw but one woman hke her, 
 and that was thy assoilzied mother, Godwin ; 
 they were as like each other, as though they 
 had been sisters, yet were they no kindred. 
 Gunhilda had wedded an Enghsh Eorl— Pallig 
 by name — I knew him well; she had first 
 of her own wiU taken up Christenhood : but her 
 husband had the year before unhappily joined 
 with his ships some of her roving landsmen 
 who came too often to this our land — harrying 
 and burning wherever they went — and Pallig, 
 to whom King Aethelred had been formerly 
 kind and dear, joined the Danes: for Aedric 
 had stung him to the quick with taunts and ill- 
 deeds, — and the King had withdrawn his love 
 from him, — and PaUig in wrath had so shaken 
 off the truth he had sworn to the King : but 
 Gunhilda sent to him, and bade him come back 
 to his truth and leave her landsmen, and she 
 gave herself a pledge to Aedric that her hus - 
 band would return;— and he did so, the eve 
 only of St. Bricemas day : and on the noon of 
 that day did these eyes behold the fall of aU
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 53 
 
 that house. The place of their death was in a 
 field belonging to a farm, called the Ceolmun- 
 dinge Haga, not far from the western gate of 
 the town of Lundene. There was a great 
 crowd of folk there to witness their death; 
 and Aedric himself was there; but not the King. 
 Tlie block that the headsman was about to use 
 was nothing but the unsawn bole of a large 
 oak, which had lately been felled, and fallen 
 in that place. The cart came up with Gun- 
 hilda, PaUig and their child — a daughter — and 
 not six years old. AU eyes were drawn to Gun- 
 hilda;--she came down staidly from the cart, 
 and stood looking fixedly on her husband— her 
 arms crossed over her breast, which, with one 
 of her shoulders, was bare, but for the long 
 flaxen hair that veiled them: she and PaUig 
 kissed each other — and then he laid his head on 
 the block ; it was stricken off at one blow, 
 and rolled all blood-besmeared to the wife's 
 feet. She had been ashy pale, and when 
 the blow fell, her hue changed to blood-red ; 
 but not a feature stirred, nor came the slightest 
 sound from her hps. Her features soon set into 
 their former paleness, and she kissed her babe
 
 .54 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 and moved forward towards the headsman : but 
 Aedric from his place cried harshly : No ! and 
 pointed with his staif to the child. Then the poor 
 mother flushed again — and held her breath — 
 and bit her lips— and turned her eye almost 
 beseechingly to Aedric — but she saw the calm 
 sternness, that was in his, and answered it with 
 hers. Another moment and the headsman's 
 knife was in her child's heart; and then, Gun- 
 hilda, uttering a shriek, so shriU, that the hills 
 and woods around sounded it again, threw her- 
 self on both her knees, and raising her eyes and 
 both her hands to heaven, cried thus ; — Oh 
 God! God! God! wilt thou not awreak this 
 murder? upon aU who aid it — upon all who 
 witness it — and upon their kith and kin — 
 and upon aU this hated land ; tenfold— aye 
 a hundred fold wilt thou not awreak it ? 
 Butchers! hear me! for I speak your doom. 
 Murderers ! listen to me ! for my tongue thrills 
 with the truth of the times to come. Woe! 
 woe, — upon you — Woe and death ! death in the 
 field of battle — and in the bed of ease — death 
 in the market — and in the hall; feasting and 
 fasting — in joy and in pain— woe and death
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 55 
 
 upon you ! May your own land drink your own 
 blood— till she stink with the drunkenness there- 
 of — may she drink it; may your men be cra- 
 ven in fight and traitors in peace; may your 
 women be harlots to their husbands — haters of 
 their offspring — may your children turn like ad- 
 ders on you : — strife be of your councils — hope- 
 lessness come down upon your souls and bUght 
 them — and then, when in sheer cowardice ye 
 would pray a blessing of your God, may ye ask 
 a curse, and have it — mine — and my blood be 
 on you, and your children, and your children's 
 children. She fell forward — I saw the headman's 
 axe ghtter aloft — I turned my face — I heard 
 a heavy sound — I looked again — and the 
 once worshipped Gunhilda was a headless 
 trunk. 
 
 The old Ealdorman paused, and leant against 
 a tree, overcome by the mighty host of emotions 
 which his memory had stirred up within him. 
 Godwin too was silent, not unmoved by 
 this harrowing tale ; after a minute or so Ulf- 
 noth wrung his son's hand and then went on ; — 
 " I know not, my son, why I have told thee 
 of all this, save that the recollections thronged
 
 56 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 SO thickly, and weighed so heavily on my heart, 
 that I could not but disburthen it. The rest 
 shall be told quickly. That very day of St. 
 Brice, ere I had hardly gat over from the 
 shock my feelings had undergone, I took to 
 horse and rode, without once resting by the 
 way, to my strong house at Dofre where I 
 had left thee; and in fear for thy safety, 
 though I hardly know what I feared, I gave 
 thee to the care of a trusty friend and sent thee 
 away to a kinsman in the north, with a strong 
 charge that he should rear thee unknowing of 
 thy birth, nor tell thee thereof but upon my 
 death. Seven long years passed ere mine eyes 
 again beheld my son ; but I often heard of God- 
 win. Meanwhile Gunhilda's curse fell heavily on 
 the land: woe and death were upon us — in every 
 shape : the Danes with their wonted leaders — 
 fire and iron — harryed our land : Swegen, the 
 brother of Gunhilda, came the year after her 
 death with a mighty force ; and his men, after 
 forcing the Enghsh to give them food, were 
 wont to slay the host and burn the hostelry. 
 During aU that time I was often in toil and 
 turmoil^ and ever at odds with the shameless
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. S7 
 
 Aedric and his as shameless brother Brihtric. 
 At length they thoroughly poisoned King 
 Aethelred's heart against me, so that he loathed 
 me, and they taught him to think me guilty of 
 having forsworn myself against him. Then in 
 great ^vTath I fled and gathered together what 
 ships I could, and harryed all along the south 
 coast and wrought all the eyil I could to Aedric 
 and his brother ; yet often while I was thus doing 
 Gunhilda's words would come athawrt me and 
 I would feel they were being fulfilled, and that 
 I was indeed as a tool working out her curse 
 on our land; and then I would think with 
 myself that it were better I should rest under 
 mine ills, than add to those of my fatherland ; 
 but it was not yet so to be : for Brihtric had 
 heard he might easily seize me if he would look 
 well about; so he took eighty of the King's 
 ships that were got together to hold this land 
 safe from out-forces. I had at most but 
 twent}' ships : and he thought he should work 
 himself much worship in getting me into his 
 hands quick or dead. But as they were coming 
 down towards me there rose against them a 
 wind such as no man before minded, and beat 
 
 D 3
 
 58 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 and broke their ships, and threw them on land; 
 then I soon came up to them and burned them; 
 and as I heard afterwards, when tidings how 
 these had fared reached the other ships where 
 the King was, it was as though they were all 
 redeless ; and the King went home ; and all the 
 Ealdormen and High-Wittan left their ships. 
 And now wishing not that this evil should 
 spread too far, I also left my ships ; only my 
 friends being aware whither I was going ; and I 
 came hither and took up a herdsman's dress 
 and dwelling and sent for thee. We have 
 lived here now, my son, together for seven 
 years — the same time that we were before 
 
 parted — and now we part again." 
 
 Godw. Dear father, need I say how heed- 
 fully I have hstened to thy marvellous tale ? It 
 hath saddened me — or rather made me earnest; 
 but this doth sadden me that thou shouldst 
 say we must now part; why so, my father, 
 may thy son, without angering thee, ask thee 
 
 it: 
 
 why ? May I not go with thee to Lun- 
 dene, my father, and hve with thee there, if 
 thou now deem it needful to wend thither. 
 Let us not part, father. I am so young
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 59 
 
 too, younger than my years in all worldly 
 wisdom ; and what shall I do if left without 
 thy kindly rede and aid? Shall I not surely 
 founder as a boat at sea without rower or 
 rudder ? I pray thee, dear father, if it shall 
 seem meet to thee, take me \\ith thee. 
 
 JJlfn, That cannot be ; better we should stay 
 here, Godwin, unknown and unmarked, than 
 that the father, to further his own worship- 
 greedy plans, should bring his son's hfe into 
 danger. 
 
 Godw. Then stay we here, dear father \ stay 
 we here unmarked and unknown. I am well 
 enough therewith : I seek not to be known or 
 noted more than as young Heort Ulihoth- 
 son. And sure the worship thou sayst thou 
 art greedy of, can never make amends for, or 
 weigh as much as the happiness we have 
 shared together here. 
 
 TJlfn. Thou speakest, son, in sooth as one 
 young in the wisdom of the world ; wait but 
 till a few years more shall have darkened thy 
 cheeks, and seamed thy brow, and thou shalt 
 think far other from what thou thinkest now ; 
 wait but even till thou have seen some of this
 
 60 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 world's wealth and joy ; tiU thou hast tasted 
 how sweet are many of the apples that hang 
 on the tree of life, and thou wilt yearn to pluck 
 more, and long to have of that wealth and 
 joy, and be as greedy after worship as ever 
 was thy father Ulfhoth. I know thou hast 
 spoken now as thou now feelest — but so thou 
 wilt not always feel ; nay, so hast thou not 
 always felt. I have marked thee and thy 
 feelings, Godwin, and the things that have 
 been as spurs both to thy feelings and thy 
 deeds ; and I know, though thou mayst thyself 
 not know it, that thou too art not without 
 hunger after worship — else why thy striving 
 to be master always at all games, whether of 
 chance or of strength? Why thy lust to be 
 King at leaping and hurling the quoit, wrestling 
 and stafF-playing ? Thou art not one that in 
 after-life will sit down and think enough of 
 lowhness. Nay, dear son, I know thee better 
 nor thou knowest thyself. Hearken to the 
 words of thy father. Go with this Dane to 
 the ships of King Knouthe ; from the stran- 
 ger's dress and bearing and words, I deem 
 him to be of high and lordly birth ; and surely
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 61 
 
 he will not be thankless for the toil and danger 
 thou shalt have thoroughgone to help him. 
 Stay then with the Danes .... 
 
 Godiv. Stay with the Danes^ my father ! the 
 foes, the bitter foes of our poor land ! 
 
 Ulfn. Even so, Godwin ; stay with them, 
 and as a friend : I tell thee, boy, our land 
 is undone — our landsmen have undone it. 
 Gunhilda's curse hath been y-wToken — but not 
 yet to the uttermost: and in a falling house 
 shall not every one save himself? — I speak 
 to thee of that, which belike smacks more 
 of guile than of wisdom ; nevertheless such is 
 my speech, and such my rede, and be ruled 
 by me therein. Make a friend of this Dane ; 
 thou well niayest : nor deem, Godwin, that 
 in aught I have here said, I have bidden 
 thee to hate our land, or leave its weal. 
 Mayhap the time may come — thou doing as 
 I rede thee — that thou mayst more mightily 
 aid thy land, than ever thy single arm, or 
 that of a hundred backing thine could now 
 do. So now thou knowest my -svill : answer 
 not, but do it : thou shalt hear from me 
 from time to time. And now, dear son, let
 
 62 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 US in; or yonder stranger will indeed much 
 wonder at our long tarrying. 
 
 They moved towards the door ; Godwin, 
 as bidden, making no reply to his father's 
 strange counsel, which did indeed to his mind 
 savour more of pohcy than of honesty. At 
 the door they found Ulf standing, whose 
 anxiety had by this time risen to fever-heat, 
 and impelled him to go and seek either the 
 cause of his host's absence, or the means of 
 his safety in flight. 
 
 After a few incidental compliments they aU 
 turned again into the hovel ; and in a few mi- 
 nutes sat down to their evening-meal. It was 
 finished, and Godwin had not yet, or hardly 
 spoken. His father sent Aelsig, who had 
 tended them, out of the hovel on some errand 
 which he whispered in his ear ; and when the 
 lad presently returned, and signified he had 
 done as had been bidden, the old man rose 
 and said; — "Dane; the evening wears. Thou 
 wilt be thinking of departing ?" 
 
 Ulfn. I am ready, Saxon. Is thy son ? 
 
 Godw. I am. 
 
 Ulfn, The shades of night forespeak to hide
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 63 
 
 you. May ye fare well and safely. Two horses 
 are saddled for you at the door. Dane, I trust 
 to thee mine only son; and hope, that if ye 
 reach the King, and thy voice can aught avail, 
 thou wilt get him entered into the kingly 
 household. Here he cannot stay; for should 
 our landsmen know that he saved thee, his own 
 safety would be truly doubtful. We are not 
 what we seem ; our tale he wdll tell thee on 
 your road; and now again farewell, Godwin, and 
 — God bless thee. — (In thine ear this — thy great 
 uncle Aedric was once in truth a herdsman, — ^he 
 is now a wealthy Ealdorman — be as he is in 
 all but his tricking.) Farewell to both. 
 
 Ulf, Farewell, my kind harbourer. I hope 
 I shall never have need to change the first 
 feehngs of trust and kindness I had toward 
 thy son. Farewell. 
 
 After the father and son had heartily em- 
 braced, Godwin and the Dane mounted the 
 horses and departed. Tliey travelled during 
 the whole night ; and during their journey, Ulf 
 again was won by the frankness and yet evi- 
 dent melancholy of Godwin, who told him 
 all his story, fully to confide in him.
 
 64 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 At day break the following morning from 
 the top of a hill they caught the first ^dew of 
 the Severn; whose waters being at low tide 
 had left the estuary a bare desart of moist and 
 glistening sand and mud^ except where here 
 and there small pools remained, or rivulets 
 were rolling down towards the main stream — 
 like a brood of young snakes hastening to their 
 dam : along the margins of these, and of the 
 river, were innumerable hosts of the diffe- 
 rent tribes of water-fowl, seeking their shelly 
 food, at that most favourable hour when the 
 absence of both the waters and the day, gave 
 them the double chance of being undisturbed 
 by man. So thoroughly different was the 
 face of the scene, that though Ulf well remem- 
 bered the spot, whereon he then halted, he could
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 65 
 
 hardly bring himself to beheve^ that the in- 
 accessible stream^ which he now beheld could be 
 the same^ which a day or two before he had seen 
 flooded up to its willowy banks ; and bearing 
 with ease and safety the whole of the Danish 
 fleet: and moreover that said fleet, to Ulf's fur- 
 ther discomfort and consternation, had totally 
 disappeared : after ascertaining however, from 
 Godwin that he was certain that was the 
 Severn — and being himself as certain this 
 was the hill, where he had dined a few 
 days back, he continued riding on in the 
 expectation that the vessels had got under 
 weigh, and dropped further doTNTi the river — 
 at any rate with the hope of falhng in with 
 some of the natives, who might give him some 
 information concerning the destination of his 
 countrymen. He thought it prudent however 
 to avoid the tillages, lest the not very usual 
 circumstance of two peasants being mounted 
 should attract observation, and curiosity 
 by any means hunt out that he was a 
 Dane. 
 
 After some time riding in this way, as they 
 turned the corner of a wood, they perceived
 
 6*6 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 coming towards them^ at not many yards dis- 
 tance, a single armed horseman ; Ulf s first im- 
 pulse was to rein in, in preparation of turning 
 and flying ; for being but defensively armed, 
 with the exception of his short sword, which, 
 encumbered as he was with the peasant's dress, 
 he could not easily get at, — nor use, if he could 
 have got it — and knowing that his companion 
 was quite unarmed, he was aware that they 
 two would prove but a poor match for a well- 
 armed soldier, if his intentions should be hos- 
 tile. Ulf cried therefore " Follow !" but at the 
 very moment that he was turning his horse's 
 head, Godwin drew his attention back by cry- 
 ing out : — " See ! see ! he flies !" — ^for in truth 
 the soldier, mthout deliberating even so long 
 as Ulf had done, upon his first sight of their 
 approach, turned tail, and was now galloping 
 off, as fast as his horse could carry him. 
 
 Ulf stood up in his stirrups and bent his head 
 forwards, really mth the silly intention of 
 assisting his sight of the receding object, by 
 that projection of half a yard ; then struck his 
 heels on his horse's sides, and gallopped off as 
 fast as he could after the flying man.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 67 
 
 Godwin did not exactly know what to do ; 
 for he shared the Dane's uncommunicated con- 
 viction that they two would be unequal to the 
 soldier, and therefore he somewhat marvelled 
 at Ulf s single pursuit of him ; but he had not 
 long to reason on the matter, for Ulf turning 
 round in his saddle, beckoned him on with his 
 waving, and again shouted — " Follow 1" 
 
 The young Saxon therefore — his fear of 
 being thought a coward weighing, it must be 
 owned, more with him than the love of warUke 
 emprize — did, at his best speed, follow — -but 
 not far — for his horse in descending a grass 
 slope stumbled against a mole-hiU, and both 
 man and beast received as good entertainment 
 as a roll could afford them. Godwin rose un- 
 hurt, and succeeded in regaining his steed's 
 bridle, before the latter did his legs : he re- 
 mounted, with the undaunted intention of pur- 
 suing his career ; but he stopped first to 
 reconnoitre, for while he was roUing he thought 
 he heard Ulf shouting very loud, — but 
 what, he could not make out, — and on now 
 looking he beheld that the soldier was staying
 
 68^ GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 stilly awaiting the arrival of Ulf. Godwin was 
 again astonished to find that the latter slacken- 
 ed nothing of his speed, towards such apparent 
 peril ; so as in common duty bound, he galloped 
 on again to see what help he could give his 
 comrade in the approaching encounter; shout- 
 ing nevertheless to him as loud as his loss of 
 breath would let him, to wait till he overtook 
 him : but all in vain ; on rode Ulf, either not 
 hearing or not heeding, till he came up with 
 the stranger ; and then Godwin, expecting to 
 see the former at once tumbled out of his sad- 
 dle, was disappointed ; for as well as he could 
 see — and that was not over-well, as the east- 
 wind, that he was riding against, had filled 
 his eyes with salt water, — their meeting seemed 
 quite friendly ; still he did not think it right 
 to give over his exertions to come up with 
 Ulf; though his late fall suggested it might be 
 prudent a little to abate them. He did so ac- 
 cordingly — and in less than a minute stopped 
 suddenly, at seeing the soldier fall from his 
 saddle — Ulf turn round and gallop back ; 
 and hearing a loud shout as from the wood
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 69 
 
 on the left of the latter, whose voice he also 
 heard overtopping that shout, and cr^dng : 
 " Back ! back ! for Hfe." 
 
 Back therefore rode Godwin : just as he 
 turned the comer they had before come round, 
 he threw a hasty glance behind, and saw that 
 Ulf was coming after him, pursued by a large 
 band of men incompletely armed, and ap- 
 parently all on foot : this was in their favour, 
 and Godwin therefore made the most of it, 
 and did not look round again till he halted at 
 what he considered a safe distance from aU 
 pursuit or surprize, nearly in the middle of a 
 large open field ; where, when he did look round 
 and could see no sign whatever of his Danish 
 comrade, he began to accuse himself of having 
 acted very unfairly towards him : and perhaps 
 the gentle reader wiU be of the same opinion ; 
 even if he do not go farther, and think this young 
 Saxon a downright coward : but this would be 
 a mistake of the gentle reader's, for Godwin 
 was not a coward — he had hved the life of a 
 neatherd, (any idea of a pun is solemnly de- 
 precated), — and he had been taken suddenly 
 from that hfe of quiet, and thrust into a scene
 
 70 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 of doubt and danger — and it was the doubt ra- 
 ther than the danger that took him by surprise ; 
 for had Godwin been placed that day in a field 
 of battle, perhaps he would not have yielded 
 in bravery to the bravest ; as it was, that pre- 
 sence of mind which he might then have com- 
 manded, had now escaped him, owing to 
 the very uncertainty of the perils to which it 
 was to be opposed ; and therefore, when he 
 began to cautiously retrace the ground he had 
 just rode over, in hopes of falling in mth the 
 Dane, a shout from the left, drove him startled 
 off to the right at full speed again. 
 
 The shout however was repeated, and he 
 heard his own name called — and looking back 
 he saw Ulf pricking across the field towards 
 him. Stupified with shame, Godwin waited 
 his arrival, expecting to be overwhelmed with 
 taunts or reproaches, but the Dane rode 
 up smihng good himiouredly, and said ;— « 
 "Why, Gudin, (according to his vernacular 
 pronunciation of the name) we say in Daene- 
 mearke 
 
 ' Hard to know 
 
 Friend from foe !*
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 7l 
 
 Wottest thou of our saw, that thou fleddest so 
 from me ?" 
 
 Godiv. In sooth I — no — I knew thee not. 
 
 Ulf. I thought not. I sped round there 
 rightward, deeming as it turned out, that so 
 we should spht our followers. 
 
 Godw. What were they ? — I should not have 
 left thee. 
 
 Ulf. Nay, but I am glad thou didst. What 
 were they ? why they were landsfolk of thine 
 I wis ; %y the wondersome ill-will they seemed 
 to bear to me and poor Olau yonder. 
 
 Godtu. Knewest thou him then ? 
 
 Ulf. Aye — but first let us think which way 
 we should ride. Whither Ues Lundene ! 
 
 Godw. I wot not. 
 
 Ulf. It should be south-east from where our 
 ships lay, as I was told ; but which the south- 
 east may be, I wot not. 
 
 Godw. That I can tell thee. Yonder. 
 
 Ulf. Why how knowest. . . .? Oh ! thy for- 
 mer calling hath taught thee the lore of the 
 heavens. Well ! yonderwards then we will ride, 
 and cannot far miss our mark. 
 
 Godw. Ride we then to Lundene ?
 
 72 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Vlf, Even thither — for thither have marched 
 our men^ and sailed our ships — so Olau told 
 me. 
 
 Godw, A landsman of thine behke ? 
 
 Ulf. Nay — a Sweathe ; but of our host : he 
 was wounded at Scearstan I know, and I 
 take it came up hither too late for our ships. 
 Poor Olau ! we never were great friends — but 
 never more shall we be foes. 
 
 Godw. He is dead then. I saw him fall; felled, 
 I wis, by the men that followed us. 
 
 Ulf. A curse on their SaxonJ souls ! nay, 1 
 forgat myself, friend : even as thou sayest, Olau 
 is dead; at least I think so — -for a dart was sent 
 from the ambush, which nigh took away my 
 right ear by the way, and struck him in his 
 neck. I rode oiF, seeing him fall, and that my 
 foes, who then first shewed themselves, were so 
 many; and on looking back I saw one bare the 
 Sweatheman's head on the top of a spear: from 
 all which I gather that he is dead. And now, 
 Godwin, as we must be safe from all following, 
 and I wax wonderously hungry, to say nought 
 of my being something weary, what if we 
 unhorse ourselves awhile, and look into those
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 73 
 
 wallets, that thy good father hath foreseen us 
 with: yon pretty brook under the trees shall 
 be the true place for a short meal and rest; 
 and may help us to a draught, when aU our 
 ale is drunken ; or weaken it a whit, if may- 
 hap I should find your Saxon barley -wine 
 too strong for my poor Danish brains. 
 
 Godw. What shaU we do mth the horses ? 
 
 Jjlf. Why, poor things! let them have a 
 bit of food and rest too; they shall find enough 
 sweet grass to graze on hereabouts. Stay — ^let 
 us tie their bridle-thongs together. Now, they 
 must be right cunning to get away; or strangely 
 one-minded: and that they are not, for see, 
 the mare wants a drink of the brook before 
 her food, and the stallion seems hefer to fall 
 a grazing. — So, ho! there! — Nay, let them at 
 ease, Gudin; let them fight out their own 
 fights. — Now what have we here? — Bread and 
 cheese ! — a hungry man could w^sh no better — 
 aha ! but better there is, I see, without the 
 wishing for: what meat is this? 
 
 Godw. Dried swine's flesh. 
 
 Ulf. We'U moisten it anon, Gudin : it smacks 
 well, though somewhat saltish in sooth, that 
 
 VOL. I. E
 
 74 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 it makes a man forget his manners, and drink 
 ere his fellow: thou canst not pledge me, as 
 there is but one skin between us: but the 
 Fiend is in the drink if I cannot trust thee by 
 this. 
 
 Godw. In spite of my leaving thee just now? 
 
 Ulf. Ah! that ale's as strong as brand-wine : — 
 aye; spite of any thing: — drink, good fellow 
 mine. 
 
 Godw. Wuss hail! 
 
 Ulf. Lo there! the winsome mare hath her 
 way after all ! she hath coaxed the stallion to 
 the water's brink. 
 
 Godw. We have a saw in west Seaxena: 
 
 The grey mare bith the better horse. 
 
 Ulf. Good; that's good: 
 
 The grey mare bith the better horse. 
 
 and true for thee here; as thy mare is of that 
 hue, and hath proved herself the better. 
 
 The grey mare is the better horse — 
 And yet the stallion's none the worse. 
 
 They tell me I have some skill in rhime- 
 craft, Gudin; but I beheve them not; yet
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 75 
 
 that first line likes me well: for so it is in good 
 sooth and earnest, both with grey mares, and 
 white women: the she hath ever the better, 
 as thou wilt own some day, young friend, when 
 thou shalt learn somewhat of such things. 
 Give me the ale, if thou hast not emptied 
 the. ...What? aha! then thou hast learnt 
 something of these things already? awell! 
 never too late to mend, they say ; never too 
 early to make, say I. — Is she a bonny wench ? 
 
 Godw. In sooth, friend Dane, thou art wrong 
 —I am — there was no thought in my head of 
 any woman. 
 
 Ulf, No — I'll be sworn for thee. — Ah ! a 
 draught of that ale is worth a hard day's work- 
 here — empty the flask— -no — thou thinkest not 
 of women — never a thought of one in thy 
 head just then — nor in thy heart — eh ? I could 
 wonder what made it pump all the red blood 
 into thy cheeks then, at what I said : — Well — 
 I am wondrous hea\'y — it's the ale, methinks — 
 I shaU wrap me in my cloak, and stretch me 
 down here — and nap a while — wilt thou keep 
 watch so long?— Gudin! wilt thou watch, 
 whiles I sleep ? 
 
 E 2
 
 76 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Godw. Aye — aye. 
 
 Ulf, So — so — broke into a day dream did I ? 
 thou wilt easy believe I am sorry therefore — 
 thou wert wandering with her by moonlight 
 just then — not true ? see about thee though — 
 look sharp — the Fiend fetch that furze-bush — 
 how it stings a man's head ; — see about thee 
 I say, Gudin ; lest one of us — yaw-aw-aw ! 
 one of us — trim Danemen — run off with thy 
 fair — 
 
 Godw. God's curse ! 
 Ulf. What's that? eh? 
 
 Godw, Oh — nought; I thought — a pismire 
 stung me, I think. ... 
 
 Ulf. How thou swarest! and at such a tri- 
 fle ; I thought to be sure the foe were on us ; 
 or the furze had pricked thy head; or some- 
 thing. . , .well, wake me not again; unless some 
 one do come; and when I wake, if thou art 
 weary — I'U — I'll watch for thee. Don't forget 
 the. . . .1 shan't. . . »my sleep would ha' been 
 a cold one by this — but for thee, Gudin, I'll tell 
 the. . . .teU my wed-brother. . . .to. . , .yes I 
 mil. . . , 
 
 Ulf having fairly talked himself to sleep.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 77 
 
 God^\dn in not the very happiest frame of 
 mind, began the watch. After a turn or two, he 
 sat down on the bank by his friend 3 feeling too 
 restless to walk about ; — and while sitting, he 
 could shake off his nervous feehng, he thought, 
 by shaking his legs as rapidly as he chose: 
 the plan succeeded to a marv^el; and he soon 
 became quite tranquil and motionless, save that 
 every now and then his head would nod for- 
 ward; and then he would find his eyes were 
 shut; and so after a Httle, purely to prevent 
 this nodding, he laid his head down on the 
 bank; and if his eyes were shut now for longer 
 than a minute, it was only because he never 
 was in the habit of sleeping mth them open.
 
 78 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 CHAPTER V, 
 
 Godwin dreamt a dream. It was a very 
 long one; but on the whole not worth record- 
 ing, for it contained an abundance of extreme 
 absurdities, such as — that his companion was 
 a woman and he was making love to her; that 
 he was riding in a city, which he knew to be 
 London, (where according to his waking me- 
 mory he had never been,) with a long beard 
 on his chin, and a king by his side;' — and so 
 forth.— 
 
 When Godwin woke, he was exceedingly 
 vexed ; not only to find that he had slept several 
 hours; (for by the hot south sun, it was noon;) 
 but also to see that the Dane was awake and 
 seemingly watching — though not him; for he
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 29^ 
 
 was leaning against a tree^ with his back turned. 
 Godwin was exceedingly vexed; for he felt 
 this was the second instance, during their short 
 acquaintance, in which he had proved himself 
 unworthy of it; and perhaps from the incident 
 above dreamily hinted at, he felt quite attached 
 to his new comrade, and very anxious that 
 nothing should happen to interfere with their 
 growing friendship : so he was well inclined 
 to curse himself for having been guilty of such 
 carelessness, which he felt assured could not 
 but give the Dane a ver}^ poor opinion of his 
 trustworthiness; for he thoroughly attributed 
 Ulf 's remarks on his having left him during their 
 late flight, to a spirit of good nature and kindness 
 that would not say anything calculated to hurt 
 his feehngs. Godwin lay therefore in this way— < 
 with his eyes wide open — chewing the cud of 
 bitter fancy (for there was no sweet in it) and an- 
 ticipating the blame, or the not less gaUing jests, 
 that he expected to receive from his friend. But 
 he made no movement to rise; the shame of being 
 '^ ta'en napping," when, according to his pro- 
 mise, he ought to have been up and about, so far 
 overcame him as to superinduce a kind of stupid
 
 80 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 lethargy, which he had no power or will to shake 
 off : in this way therefore he lay for full ten mi- 
 nutes; his ill-humour with himself growing so 
 large and unbearable, that he shifted a share 
 of it on his friend, for not turning round and 
 seeing that he ivas awake, which would at 
 least have spared him the trouble of self hu- 
 miliation, he thought; and just as he thought 
 this, the Dane, — strange enough, — did turn 
 round; and — still more strange — Godwin in- 
 stinctively shut his eyes again and feigned sleep. 
 He heard Ulf mutter something — he supposed 
 a curse — and expected a cuff, or some such 
 rouser ; but no such thing came ; and Godwin, 
 cautiously re-opening his eyes, saw that the 
 Dane had taken up his old station again; so 
 that he found himself in just as unpleasant 
 and inextricable a situation as before, and with 
 just as little courage to attempt to remove 
 himself from it. How long he might possibly 
 have lain thus, it is not for me to say; but he 
 did not in fact lie very long; for his sight 
 being attracted by a something glittering in the 
 shrubs, he turned his eyes thither, and saw a 
 few yards from his head an upcoiled adder.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 81 
 
 whose upraised and flattened head and quiver- 
 ing double tongue, pointing straight towards 
 him, indicated no very affectionate purpose on 
 her part. Godwin started up at once, as any 
 man in his place probably would have done; 
 and the adder glode away quickly into the brake, 
 as any serpent in hers probably would. 
 
 Ulf. Why ! what's come to thee, friend and 
 fellow? so sudden a start from so sound a 
 sleep ? — (Godwin hung down his head.) Has 
 any thing affray'd thee ? bad dreams behke — 
 ah ! thou shouldst be too young and guileless 
 to have bad dreams — we, in sooth, who have 
 seen somewhat of the world — wa la ! — well, 
 Gudin, hast had thy rest out? I thought I 
 would watch for thee, even till evenfall, if no 
 harm came — for doubtless thou wert well 
 wearied with our long ride — 
 
 Godiv. Oh ! friend ; wilt thou forgive me ? 
 
 Ulf. Forgive thee, Gudin ! — here — help me 
 gird the horses, and talk not of forgiveness, 
 where there was no fault. Hadst thou indeed 
 been a young warrior, and of my band — and 
 hadst served me the trick of sleeping over thy 
 watch — then sooth and truth something might 
 E 3
 
 82 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 have been said about forgiveness, and I wis 
 that not much of that saying should have been 
 on my part; but thou hast led an idle life, 
 Gudin — and therefore a httle work may well 
 over-work thee ; yet — heigho ! with aU its 
 idleness perhaps it was a happier one than 
 ours — at least more guileless. So: to horse, and 
 away. 
 
 This speech, which no one can surely doubt 
 was meant kindly — on the whole greatly dis- 
 pleased the young Saxon — more than even it 
 might have done, if it had been fuU of the jests 
 or the blame, which in fancy he had so much 
 shrunk from : in fact what the Dane had said 
 wounded Godwin in a more sensitive part even 
 than honour— it wounded his vanity — for Ulf 
 spoke of him as a boy not only unused to, but 
 quite unfit for, perils ; and this gaUed the Saxon, 
 who, as a peasant had been ambitious, — as a 
 noble was already beginning to feel proud : and 
 Ulf s speech had moreover a little hurt his con- 
 science — for he had talk'd of his guilelessness — 
 and Godwin's heart knew that it was not with- 
 out all guile— nay— had he not two minutes ago 
 absolutely taken himself in the manour ? (to
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 83 
 
 make use of a very incorrect expression) had 
 he not detected himself in the practice of a 
 piece of (to say the least of it) unnecessary- 
 deceit ? 
 
 They mounted and rode off— no incident 
 occurring to them during the rest of the after- 
 noon, which they passed away in conversation 
 on various topics : but Godwin could not but 
 think it strange that the Dane should never 
 advert to his own rank or condition in life, 
 which Godwin, (now that his father had ex- 
 pressed such an opinion), plainly saw was of a 
 very superior grade — he ventured more than once 
 to attempt leading the conversation to the sub- 
 ject; but his design was evidently seen through, 
 and a evidently, though always good-humoured- 
 ly, baffled; and Godwin did not think it prudent, 
 nor perhaps pohte, to pop the question in too 
 undisguised a manner : and so the matter re- 
 mained in mystery. 
 
 About half an hour before the sun set, they 
 lost sight of him behind a bank to the right of 
 the road they were riding, which had for some 
 time lain by the side of a broadish, but not
 
 84 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 deep rivulet, whose petty waters — like shallow- 
 minded mortals, — made a great deal more fuss 
 of every httle obstacle they met with, than a 
 deep and sensible river would have done of 
 any, of even tenfold greater magnitude. The 
 banks of this rivulet, when they first joined it, 
 had been scarcely perceptible elevations above 
 the plain around, and in fact should scarcely 
 be termed the banks, as between them and the 
 water's edge on either side, stretched a broad 
 level of sand and gravel, interspersed with clus- 
 ters of willows, and patches of green sward 
 and rushes ; gradually however as our travel- 
 lers proceeded, these banks became higher and 
 broader, as the marginal space within them 
 also became more shelving and narrower; so 
 that at the time they lost sight of the sun, 
 the road they were on was not broad enough 
 to allow of their riding abreast ; and the west- 
 ern bank, (that to their right, of course) was 
 considerably above their heads, of a steep as- 
 cent and craggy appearance, (though as 
 much composed of marie, as of stone,) and 
 topped by bushes, among which were here and
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 85 
 
 there seen, the huge snake-hke roots of some 
 larger trees that grew beyond their sight : 
 the rivulet flowed to their left, and the bank 
 on the opposite side, though as high, was 
 not nearly so abrupt ; but from its slope, it 
 seemed rather the last of a range of gra- 
 dually rising hills which were seen above it : 
 that slope however, which continued dowTi to 
 the water's brink, rendered the sandy level, as 
 long as it lasted, the preferable road. 
 
 Such was the general character of this scene, 
 which had thus successively changed from plain 
 to valley, and now from valley to dell : but it 
 was by no means a plain straight-forward dell 
 — for the rivulet, which followed its turnino-s, 
 (though at first it might have been supposed 
 to guide them,) while its course lay through 
 level ground, had contented itself with very 
 few and simply graceftd bendings \ but it now 
 indulged in the most extraordinary sinuosities 3 
 at times sweeping round into huge circular 
 segments ; at others breaking off in almost 
 acute angles. 
 
 Godwin was riding the first of the two, and 
 at last Ulf called on him to stop.
 
 86* GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Ulf. I have been thinkings friend Gudin, 
 that it will be at least pleasant to pass the 
 night under shelter of some roof. 
 
 Godw. I was thinking somewhat to the same 
 end. 
 
 Ulf. And hast though thought aught of the 
 means to bring about this wishful end^ Gudin ? 
 for methinks this dingle, by the way it is going 
 on, if it have any outlet at all, will scantly 
 lead to any dwelhng of man. 
 
 Godw. What then is to be done ? Sleep here ? 
 
 Ulf. Not if I can help it. No, no ', that's 
 all well enough in its fitting time, when war or 
 need call for it ; but a man's httle better than 
 a bear, and worse than an ass, who would 
 sleep on the cold earth under the bare sky, 
 when he could get either straw or coverhd. 
 Besides, we have no food. So let us cross the 
 brook, and up yon slope, and look about us 
 for some hut or hovel, where we may pass the 
 night, and, if it may be, not with empty beUies. 
 
 Godw. But, Ulf, how wilt thou dare go among 
 my landsmen ? 
 
 Ulf. Dare 1 umph 1 why, as for the daring ; 
 that's one thing, — and I've a thought -, which is
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 87 
 
 quite another. What hinders I should pass for 
 a kinsman of thine, riding with thee on busi- 
 ness to Lundene ? 
 
 Godw. Thy tongue, good Dane. 
 
 XJlf. But I will lose it, good Seaxan ; I wiU 
 be speechless for the nonce, and thou shalt 
 give out I have been so since baby-hood -, and 
 who shaU gainsay that ? Not I. 
 
 Godw. I would something better might be 
 thought of. I love not teUing untruth. 
 
 So spoke Godwin, whom the reader's recol- 
 lection of some late events may lead to think 
 not the most scrupulous lover of truth. 
 And yet Godwin spoke now most truly and 
 sincerely >; as he had done when, on his first 
 meeting wdth Ulf, he half apologized for ha\ing 
 uttered an untruth to screen him : but how 
 many men now lining are there— honourable 
 and upright men — who, though they would 
 scorn to utter a he mth their lips, are in the 
 daily — almost hourly, habit of suffering them- 
 selves to be betrayed into hes in their actions — 
 for such are all deceit and dissembling — and such 
 are the best qualifications for the best society.
 
 88 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 But this is moralizing. Ul£, who of course 
 
 knew nothing of society — that is of what is so 
 
 called now-a-days — and also nothing abqut 
 
 Godwin's secret thoughts or actions, did not 
 
 moralize, but on the contrary whistled — loud and 
 
 long — and in great surprise, and then added — 
 
 " Well, Gudin there's no gainsaying that an 
 
 untruth it should be; but thinkest thou to 
 
 go through this shuffling world, and tell 
 
 nothing but truth ? Not a whit, not a whit ; 
 
 begin by whiles, that thy tongue may get wont 
 
 to the blisters ; for they are sure to follow 
 
 every falsehood; that thou sure knowest. 
 
 However, in downright earnest, I see no other 
 
 way to help us at this shift; and though I 
 
 don't call myself much of a liar, by my sword's 
 
 edge, this is one I would never stick to tell, 
 
 and would do it now — only thou knowest that 
 
 should rather spoil our sport, and mar our 
 
 tale at once — 'twere no sorry jest though either 
 
 for a man stoutly to aver in good Danish 
 
 speech, that he were a dumb Seaxon : ha ! ha ! 
 
 ha 1 " 
 
 Godwin joined in the laugh ; though he felt
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 89 
 
 it was somehow something against him; and 
 then added gravely 3 — " Art thou a christian, 
 Ulf?" 
 
 TJlf. No — I am none — nor will I be. I 
 know httle of the new faith^ that some of my 
 landsmen have taken up in the stead of that 
 of their Fathers^ and of their Fathers' Great-fa- 
 thers : nor love I what httle I may know. Ulf 
 should think poorly of any faith that should 
 teach him that, rather than not speak the nar- 
 rowest truth, one, with whom he had broken 
 bread, and shaken hands, might be bewrayed 
 even to death. 
 
 All this had been said very dignifiedly, and 
 was taken as such by God^v^dn \ and it is ten 
 to one that the tT\'o hitherto friends would 
 immediately have quarrelled, having luckily 
 struck the very key-note of all discord and dis- 
 union, when suddenly the Dane's attention 
 was called off to another quarter. 
 
 Between one of the hills to their left and a 
 higher one beyond it, his eye was caught by 
 a flickering as of m^Tiads of minute sparks — 
 a moment's glance informed him of the cause : 
 -down the sloping valley, formed at the junc-
 
 90 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 ture of those two hills, were coming a large 
 body of armed horsemen, who, from their loftier 
 elevation, were yet exposed to the last rays 
 of the setting sun; and their closely bristling 
 spear-heads, and every ring or scale of their 
 mail, each acting as a little mirror, and all in 
 motion, reflected back those rays, as it were, 
 broken into countless sparkles. The troop were 
 coming at a sharp angle to our travellers, as if 
 from somewhere about the same quarter, and to- 
 wards the same point, and it was indeed evident 
 that if they both pursued their course, they 
 must in a few minutes join. Ulf reined in crying: 
 
 " Hey there ! whom have we yonder ?" 
 
 Godw. Warmen. 
 
 Ulf, It looks so. 
 
 Godw. Danes ? 
 
 Ulf. Danes ! no ! look at yon flag, with 
 the cross and four martletts, that flouts the 
 dark east so bravely — hadst thou seen that 
 standard in the throng of spears as oft as I 
 have, thou hadst not asked that. The Seaxon 
 host, as I am the son of Sprakalegs. 
 
 Godw, What do we ? — fly ? 
 
 Ulf. Aye, I think so. No. See.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 91 
 
 He pointed to two spearmen who, haidng 
 ridden to the brow of the nearer hill, seemed 
 reconnoitring and looking towards the quarter 
 where they sat. 
 
 Godtv. Back along the glen. 
 
 Ulf. No hope of escape : our beasts are so 
 jaded. They come down to us. 
 
 Godiv. What is to be done then, Dane? 
 
 Ulf. Humph! 'tis n't easy to say. I know 
 but one thing. 
 
 Godw, What? what? 
 
 Ulf. No good in telhng it, as thou wilt not 
 tell untruth. 
 
 Godw, Oh, I see ; so be it then. Speak not, 
 
 Ulf. I am dumb. 
 
 If these last words of Ulfs had not been lost 
 in the panting and puffing of the t>;\^o horses, 
 who now came up, their riders must have heard, 
 and probably would not quite have beheved 
 them. As it was, Godwin answered to their 
 challenge; and told the deprecated untruth 
 ghbly enough, considering how averse he had 
 shown himself to its first proposition. After 
 some whispering between the two spearmen 
 they ordered our friends to follow them -,
 
 92 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 which they did; Godwin having received an 
 admonitory wink from his comrade. 
 
 They ascended the hill in company ; and in 
 the little valley beyond they found the army 
 had halted^ and were now busily employed in 
 pitching their tents, and making preparations 
 for bivouacking for the night. 
 
 The spearmen rode towards a groupe of 
 horsemen, who were then in the act of dis- 
 mounting ; at a httle distance from them, God- 
 win and Ulf were ordered by their captors to 
 halt 5 one of the latter rode forward to this 
 groupe, while the other remained to watch 
 over his charge; in about a minute his com- 
 rade returned, and said : " Bring them on. 
 You ceorls, off your horses." 
 
 They accordingly dismounted and were usher- 
 ed into the middle of the groupe, who, by 
 their splendid dresses, were evidently men of 
 rank. Among them stood one, by the head 
 taller than any present, and proportionably 
 broad-chested and strong hmbed; distin- 
 guished too no less by the singular simphcity 
 of his accoutrements, consisting chiefly of a 
 plain shirt of steel, or rather iron scale-mail,
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 93 
 
 the meshes of which were of unusual size, and 
 any thing but pohshed — a conical helmet, that 
 might fairly be called downright rusty — 'and 
 a huge axe, that might by most men have been 
 considered unwieldy — which two latter wea- 
 pons he was giving into the hands of an at- 
 tendant, and therefore stood bare-headed, thus 
 presenting the fullest view of his fine, but 
 somewhat hard set features — his broad sharp 
 hazel eyes, overhung by brown bushey eye- 
 brows, — and his square forehead and almost 
 bald crown : he eyed the new-comers for a 
 moment, and then said vnth somewhat of a 
 sneer: "A costly fang, — or as our WaUsh kinsman 
 should say, — a sumptuous prize, — ^by my troth." 
 (One of the leaders said something to him in 
 an under tone, and Godwin saw that another, 
 who on their first arrival had drawn up his 
 mantle so as to hide his features, and had 
 slunk back, was now, as it seemed, making 
 some sign to him, but what he could 
 not comprehend : the iron clad warrior 
 proceeded :) " Pshaw ! Aedric Streona ; thou 
 wouldst see a wolf in every sheep skin; how-
 
 9.4 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 be it, foster-father, as thou hast some trial, I 
 beheve, in such things of spying and treachery, 
 thou mayest e'en talk with them, an it list 
 thee. I go to my tent." 
 
 He walked away, accompanied by most of 
 the party ; and the individual he had thus 
 addressed, (of whom the reader has before 
 heard something,) a short, stooping, hollow 
 pale-cheeked, and sunken grey-eyed man, af- 
 ter watching their departure with an iU sup- 
 pressed scowl, turned sharply round to Ulf 
 and striking him with the lower end of his 
 spear-stafF, said ; — ^" Now ceorl, whence is 
 he ?"— (thus addressing him in the most 
 contumehous form, that of the third person 
 singular.} 
 
 Ulf flushed angrily, and doubtless would 
 have betrayed himself by answering, but God- 
 win promptly interposed ; — '^ From Wiltshire.'' 
 
 Aed. Who spoke to him? look he to his 
 own business. I askedhis feUow. Answer, ceorl. 
 
 And he again raised his spear-staff. 
 
 Godw. He cannot ; he is dumb. 
 
 Aed. Will he speak, booby ?
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. *9S 
 
 The spear-stafF fell on Godwin's shoulder. 
 Godiv. By my father's soul ! but that — 
 Aed. Ah ! and who is his father ? Boors 
 swear not so. What is his father ? 
 
 Godwin saw the stranger, who had before 
 beckoned to him, and who was now standing 
 behind Aedric, raise his finger as in warning; 
 he hesitated therefore to reply ; though he cer- 
 tainly had not been about to tell the straight- 
 forward truth ; for this seeming interest from 
 a stranger and the caution he indicated had 
 a different effect from what it was probably 
 meant to have, and threw Godwin off his guard. 
 Aed, Answer, hind ! or I will have him 
 flung to the dogs. Answer, straight. 
 
 A murmur rose among the by-standers, and 
 one of them said ; — " Thou speakest somewhat 
 over-harshly to the youth, methinks, Lord 
 Streona." 
 
 Aed. Indeed ! when I need thy rede, my 
 Ijord, I will ask it. (But in spite of this bra- 
 vado, he was plainly cowed by the remon- 
 strance, and put his question again in a less 
 passionate tone.) Who is his father, I say; 
 what is his name ?
 
 96 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Godw. My father is a neatherd, by his call- 
 ing and is named thereafter. 
 
 Aed. And lives in Wiltshire ? 
 
 Godw. Aye. 
 
 Aed And thence he is now coming ? 
 
 Godw. My father ? 
 
 Aed. No, fool, himself. 
 
 Godw. I have said so. 
 
 Aed. Aye— thou hast — fto Ulf.J. Is he too 
 from Wiltshire ? 
 
 Godw. Have I not told thee he cannot speak. 
 
 Aed. He can hear though, can he not ? 
 
 Godwin, who saw Ulf had made no sign 
 of intelligence to Aedric's question, answered 
 boldly;-^ 
 
 No. He is deaf as well as dumb. 
 
 Aed That I believe : one just as well as 
 the other. (He appeared to reflect a minute.) 
 Aye — so be it. For the now, hinds, I question 
 you no farther; we shall see though on the 
 morrow what answer can be wrung from both 
 Qf you — from the dumb as well as from the 
 talkative ; for, by my beard, I will have some 
 reckoning how two Saxon hinds should be 
 so far from home — and on horseback too. '
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 97 
 
 Godw. We were riding to Londonbuiy. 
 
 Aed. I asked not now; and I again rede 
 him to be not so flippant of speech, young 
 man ; I tell him fairly I believe not his tale — 
 and after ye have slept apart from each other 
 a night, I may hap to hear another guess 
 tale on the morn. Let them be well warded 
 and apart. — Who eats with the King to-night ? 
 
 And turning superciliously on his heel, he 
 left the spot followed by nearly all the bye- 
 standers ; the muffled one, after another signal 
 of warning, departing also. Godwin turned 
 on Ulf a somewhat beseeching glance, meant 
 to convey his hope that the latter would firmly 
 bear out the tale he told for him; and this 
 glance was seemingly understood, and answered 
 by a shght bend of the head. In another 
 minute they were being conveyed away by 
 the guards, each to a different part of the 
 camp. Ulf we will leave for a time. 
 
 Godwin's place of confinement was a small 
 tent of coarse canvass, mth no other accom- 
 modation in it than what the natural soil af- 
 forded—this however, as the w^eather wa^ mild 
 and dLTY, and the spot protected by the awning 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 98 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 from the heavy dews, gave Godwin Httle con- 
 cern. Bread and water were put before him ; 
 and he was asked to eat, but dechned; his 
 hands and feet were then bound with cords, 
 his knife taken from him, his person searched 
 to see if he had any other weapon concealed ; 
 and then, with an admonition to keep still, 
 he was left alone. 
 
 But although Godwin might be as indifferent 
 as to his present accommodation, as it was itself, 
 yet he certainly was by no means so as to 
 the results of the next day's investigation; 
 for though he had no reason to doubt his 
 companion's fidelity, and the more espe- 
 cially as any betrayal on the Dane's part 
 would quite as much, if not more, affect 
 himself; still he could not but fear lest the 
 ingenuity or threats of Streona might cause 
 a discovery, the effects of which he thought, 
 from the specimen he had had of his great- 
 uncle's temper, he might easily anticipate. 
 Nay, Godwin more doubted his own strength 
 and firmness than Ulf's; and it was not till 
 after frequent self-representations of what the 
 consequences would surely be to his friend.
 
 GODWIN ANB GODA. 9S 
 
 that he could repel the notion of demanding 
 an interview mth King Edmund, and at once 
 avow his name and rank as a Saxon Thane. 
 But independent of the absolute selfishness 
 of such a scheme, there were other objections 
 to it, which perhaps had some weight in de- 
 termining Godwin not to adopt it. He could 
 not bhnd himself to the clear difficulty there 
 would be in obtaining an interview with the 
 King, unless by chance ; he could not but be 
 aware that even then there would be the 
 strongest likehhood of disbehef attaching to his 
 tale ; and from what his father had told him 
 he was thoroughly convinced that in that 
 case, the only one who might probably credit 
 it — his great-uncle Streona — would be, in ap- 
 pearance, his most strenuous disbehever j that 
 he might have an opportunity of getting rid 
 of him, in the character of an impostor. Who 
 his unknown and speechless monitor might 
 be, he could not conceive: he was sure it 
 could not be his father for many reasons — 
 (for that idea had naturally occurred to him) — 
 the principle of which, besides his declared 
 intention of going at once to his friends in 
 
 F 2
 
 100 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 London, was the improbability that he should 
 venture into the English camp, at a time 
 when his kinsman and bitterest foe was plainly 
 in full power. Abandoning therefore this idea, 
 but not the hope that this person, whoever 
 he might be, who had thus shewn a wish, 
 might also have the means to befriend him, 
 he began nevertheless to think if somehow 
 he might not contrive the means of his own 
 escape. This was rather what Lady Macbeth 
 would have called, " a foohsh thought," seeing 
 that Godwin's honour, had he been able to 
 effect his own escape, would have stood very 
 nearly in the same predicament with regard 
 to Ulf, as it would have done had he en- 
 sured his safety by the means he had be- 
 fore proposed; besides which, bound as he 
 was, hand and foot, the chances of his flight, 
 even could he get out of the tent, were about 
 as poor as they possibly could be. Still urged 
 by the seemingly innate hatred of confinement 
 that is in man's heart, he was bent on mak- 
 ing a trial. 
 
 His meditations, which had lasted for nearly 
 two hours, had been but once interrupted by
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 101 
 
 his warder^ who had then merely put his 
 head in at the opening of the tent, and bade 
 him sleep well; to which salutation Godwin, 
 very ungraciously, had made no reply. Pre- 
 viously to this he had heard the sound of 
 voices, talking and laughing together, at no 
 great distance; and had seen through the 
 canvass of the tent, on one side of the en- 
 trance the glow as of a large watch-fire, which, 
 gradually strengthening as the night became 
 darker, and occasionally intercepted by the 
 huge and gaunt shadows of armed men, had 
 now died away into darkness, as had also 
 the voices into silence — yet neither complete— 
 for through a rent in the canvass over-head 
 the full moon shot down a beam, strong 
 enough, by its reflection, to render visible the 
 whole of the inside of the tent— and from 
 without he plainly heard the measured tread 
 of his sentinel, from time to time accompa- 
 nied by a low unvar^dng chaunt of some such 
 a fragment of Saxon song as follows : — 
 
 How I long for the lovely 
 
 Upbreaking of light — 
 The bringer of beauty —
 
 102 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 The bearer of brightness — 
 The breather of sweetness — 
 
 The stirrer of song — 
 The merry- eyed morning. 
 
 That now plays the micher, 
 And slothfuUy sleeps 
 
 On the slope of the sky ;— 
 The up-waker of war — 
 
 And the lightning of weapons : 
 Then should we fearlessly 
 
 Follow to fight, 
 With a sureness of winning — 
 
 For who could withstand us ?- 
 Him of the Iron-side — 
 
 Imp of our island — 
 Eadmond of Eangeland's 
 
 Eorls the King — 
 Of our laymen the leader — 
 
 The lord of our land — 
 The herald of winning — 
 
 The hewer of helmets — 
 The splitter of shields — 
 
 The splinterer of swords : 
 Him vv^ill we follow — 
 
 The feller of foemen — 
 The manful — the mighty — 
 
 The giver of might •• 
 Oh ! why doth the dawning
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 103 
 
 So drowsily linger ? 
 Or why do we wait 
 For the waning of night ? 
 
 At last the song ceased^ and with it the 
 sentry's march. Godwin now set earnestly 
 to work to free himself from his captivity. 
 He tried with all his force to burst the bonds — 
 he strained till the tightened cords cut and drew 
 blood from his wrists and ankles — till he was 
 forced, from the very pain, to give up the 
 useless experiment. He next endeavoured, by 
 bending his feet up backwards, to reach with 
 them to his hands, and so to loosen the knot ; 
 herein he partly succeeded : for after several 
 contorsions made at the imminent risk of 
 disarranging his spinal column, he managed 
 to shp off one fold of the bandage round his 
 feet so as to be able to move them about 
 three inches from one another; but no far- 
 ther progress could he make in his work of 
 self-emancipation, and what he had done was 
 evidently but of little avail, for even should 
 he succeed in escaping unseen from the tent 
 and the camp, he could only hope to shuffle 
 away at the rate of a quarter a mile an hour at
 
 104 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 the uttermost ; still he would not despair^ but, 
 as well as he could manage, crept and crawled 
 along, much after the fashion of a wounded 
 snake to the entrance of the tent. Cautiously 
 lifting up the lower part of the hanging he 
 saw at one glance that aU hope of escape in 
 that quarter was utterly out of the question ; 
 for not only did the moonshine gleam so 
 clearly and uninterruptedly on the space in 
 front of the tent as to render it impossible for 
 any body to move unseen across it, if there 
 should happen to be watchers; but also this 
 latter fact was put out of aU doubt, as not ten 
 yards before him stood his warder, leaning 
 on his spear, and seemingly looking with a 
 fixed gaze at the very spot where Godwin 
 lay crouching; indeed this latter conjecture 
 seemed more than probable, for even as God- 
 win, like a fascinated bird, kept moveless 
 with his eye on the soldier, the latter started 
 from his post, and with a rapid stride ad- 
 vanced towards the tent. This at once broke 
 the charm — if there was one — and Godwin, 
 with what haste he could, drew back into the 
 tent, and rolled himself together as if asleep.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 105 
 
 Hardly had he assumed this position before 
 the soldier drew the hanging aside, and cried 
 out ; — 
 
 Hey there ! Rapling ! 
 
 Godwin answered him with a hearty snore, 
 which considering it was his first attempt, 
 was a very good imitation. 
 
 What ! sleeping ? hm ! must ha' been the 
 wind then. 
 
 And the soldier left the tent and resumed 
 his march and song. 
 
 When these were again finished, Godwin re- 
 commenced his researches. This time he 
 managed to rise on his feet, and contrived 
 to shuffle round the tent, every where trying 
 if in any spot he could raise the bottom of 
 the hangings from the ground, and so creep 
 out at the back of the tent, where it was 
 in shade — but the tent had been too well 
 and securely pegged down, and the exer- 
 tions he could make to loosen the pegs, 
 were necessarily so weak as to be quite 
 unavailing, for if he exerted himself he was 
 sure to tumble down ; which besides being an 
 awkward action for a romance-writer to teU 
 
 F 3
 
 106* GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 of— almost as bad as a lover eating — was 
 moreover unpleasant to our hero ; who finally 
 salving his conscience with the reflection that 
 he had done all in his power to get away, re- 
 solved to await the issue of the coming day 
 calmly and bravely ; and making himself as 
 comfortable a bed with his cloak as he could, 
 betook himself to sleep in down-right earnest. 
 
 Just as he was falling off into his first doze, 
 and his brain was floating in a dehghtful 
 dreamy confusion of thoughts and things, he 
 was woke up by a sudden sound, something 
 like the twang of a bov/-string, close to him. 
 He opened his eyes and listened — but hearing 
 no further noise, his senses, satisfied with the 
 proof of watchfulness they had exhibited, 
 again consigned themselves to lethargy. But 
 the noise was presently repeated, though not 
 quite the same as before — it was now sharper 
 and shriUer and — in Godwin's mind — compa- 
 rable to nothing. He started up— leaned upon 
 his elbow— fixed his eyes in the direction, 
 whence the sound came, (which was behind 
 him, opposite to the entrance) — and listened 
 as intently as his now thickly-beating heart 
 would let him. After a short pause the noise
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 107 
 
 was repeated — and this time, as the narrow 
 moon-beam was on the spot, whereto his 
 attention was directed, he plainly saw some- 
 thing bright flash doA\Tiward, and almost dis- 
 appear in the darkness beneath — but his eye 
 having followed its track, he still conld per- 
 ceive it ghmmer — and now remaining statio- 
 nary : his first feehng was that of awe, all 
 but mounting to fear — for Godwin's mind of 
 course shared the age's unmanning behef in 
 the supernatural, to the agency whereof ever}- 
 unusual or unknown occurrence was blindly 
 attributed : — and this feehng was so over- 
 powering, that he could not break the spell of 
 silence which was on his tongue — although he 
 wished to do so : he still listened however, 
 and to his encreasing astonishment heard his 
 own name uttered ; but in so shght a whisper, 
 that it might almost have seemed as if the 
 gentle night-wind, which from time to time 
 was heard faintly sighing past, had gained the 
 faculty of human speech, though not any 
 greater strength to employ it. Godwdn lav 
 paralysed; but on his name being repeated 
 in the same tone, his tongue suddenly loosened
 
 108 GOWDIN AND GODA. 
 
 — he cried out aloud — " Who there ?" — strove 
 to spring up, and fell, not without great 
 noise. ^ — Utter silence followed. 
 
 After a pause —Godwin repeated his ques- 
 tion, though in a more cautious tone; — and it 
 was answered by a low and lengthened — " Sh!" 
 
 " Who there then ?" 
 
 " Sh! — Art thou alone ?" — asked the Breath. 
 
 '^ Aye — who is it ?" 
 
 "Sh!— keep still." 
 
 And the noise, that had before startled 
 him, was reiterated; and Godwin could now 
 clearly perceive it arose from the ripping of 
 the tent's canvass by some sharp instrument. 
 
 He waited silently, until his invisible visitor 
 had finished his work, which consisted in 
 cutting a perpendicular opening nearly man- 
 high down to the ground. This done the 
 opening was drawn on one side — a just dis- 
 tinguishable head was introduced, which said 
 — still in the same whisper : — " Now— come — 
 quick — ^but still." 
 
 Godw. I cannot stir — I am bound. 
 
 ...."Sh!....Here!" 
 
 And a dagger was pitched within a few
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 109 
 
 inches of Godwin, its blade sticking half way 
 in the soil. 
 
 Godw. It helps nought. My hands are 
 thonged behind. 
 
 The figure stept completely into the tent — 
 (Godwin could only see that it was darkly 
 robed) — stooped — picked up the dagger, and 
 searched for the manacles on Godwin's wrists. 
 
 The latter could hardly doubt that his vi- 
 sitor's intentions were friendly — still the man 
 had a naked dagger in his hand — and he him- 
 self was defenceless and bound — so he could 
 not help sapng ; — " Stop, who is it ?" 
 
 . . . . " 'Sh ! Wait r " Was the only an- 
 swer. 
 
 In less than a minute Godwin's hands were 
 free. The stranger then put the weapon into 
 them, and he himself cut the cord that fet- 
 tered him. 
 
 "Now. Fohow!" 
 
 Godwin obeyed. Slowly and cautiously they 
 stole out at the back of the tent, and stopt a 
 minute to look around them. The spot whereon 
 they actually stood was in isolated shade, 
 thrown from the tent, but all immediately
 
 110 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 around them was bright moonlight: several 
 paces to their left indeed a broken Hne of 
 shade was formed^ by a long row of tents, 
 and to that quarter the stranger directed God- 
 win's attention ; directly after adding his mys- 
 terious " ^ sh !" — as he pointed rightward to a 
 soldier on his watch^ who was pacing within 
 a spear's length, and straight towards them. 
 Godwin's first impulse was to shrink back into 
 the tent, but the stranger caught his wrist, 
 and held him with the grasp of a giant. God- 
 win now, for the first time, caught a decided 
 view of his companion's features, and could 
 not refrain from uttering above a whisper — 
 " Father !" 
 
 Ulfiioth merely tightened his grasp and 
 shook his son's arm; with the other hand 
 again pointing to the sentry, (who at that 
 very moment was turning back on his beat ;) 
 and then whispering : " Now" — he darted across 
 the interjacent space of moonshine — never all 
 the while relinquishing his hold of his son— 
 and arrived with him in safety at the nearest 
 station of shade. 
 
 Here they paused a little, in almost breath-
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. Ill 
 
 less silence, tiU the sentry had gained the 
 further point of his beat — had marched the 
 whole length facing them — and had again 
 turned his back. Then they made another 
 excursion, and taking a slight bend leftwards, 
 got out of the sentinels' ken. They proceeded 
 warily along the hne of shade, which God- 
 win found was even more broken than it had 
 seemed to be at a distance ; for not only was 
 the shadow itself jagged and indented, as 
 thrown by the pyramidical tent-tops — (so that 
 they were often forced to creep on aU fours 
 close to the tents, in order to avoid the 
 light as much as possible 3) — but there were 
 likewise every here and there intermittent 
 spaces of hght, similar to the one they had 
 first passed, though none of such breadth. 
 On the verge of one of these, which they 
 were just about to launch into, Godwin seized 
 hold of his father's cloak, and held him back ; 
 for the young man's eye, now accustomed to 
 the scene and nerved by daring, was quicker 
 of sight than his father's and had caught 
 a ghtter underneath a large tree at some dis- 
 tance from them ; and Godwin thought this
 
 112 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 probably proceeded from the arms of some 
 other sentinel. A moment proved he was 
 right, for a soldier advanced from under the 
 tree and, glancing first at the moon, turned 
 towards the east. 
 
 Ulfnoth whispered to his son — " A wonder 
 how I passed him before :" — And while he was 
 dehberating whether he should venture to take 
 advantage of the man's situation, as his back 
 was nearly turned towards them, the chance 
 was put an end to by the soldier turning 
 round — advancing a few steps towards them— 
 and then striking the head of his short spear into 
 the ground, crossing his arms, and resting 
 them on the butt-end ; thereby settling him- 
 self into perhaps a very convenient position for 
 himself, but certainly a very inconvenient one 
 for the father and son, as his face was turned 
 almost straight to the spot, where they were. 
 
 After a httle thought, and a shrug of his 
 own shoulders, Ulihoth gently tapped one of 
 his son's, with another warning, ..." Sh!". . . , 
 and then lay himself down and crept to the 
 edge of the shade; whence he slowly thrust 
 out his head a httle, so as to get a view of the
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 113 
 
 moon^ to see what hopes he could gather from 
 the looks of the sk}^. The prospect was as 
 gloomy as he could have wished for. A huge 
 sea of clouds was rising from the south, 
 threatening to overw^helm the island moon: 
 UMhoth therefore drew back, and anxiously- 
 waited the approach of this deluge of darkness. 
 It came — the shade on which they stood seemed 
 to dilate and expand over the surrounding 
 light — which as yet however was but dimmed 
 Ulihoth waited for the general darkness, when 
 — instead of that — the shadow subsided — 
 the light returned —as fully and brilliantly as 
 before. 
 
 Still Ulfhoth waited. This had only been 
 a thin forerunner, he thought, of the thick 
 mass he had seen : — but it seemed he was 
 mistaken — for the moonhght continued clear 
 and unclouded. After quickly w4thdra\\dng his 
 tongue from his palate — (the only way 
 of expressing this universal signal of dis- 
 appointment) — Uhhoth again stooped and 
 crept to his former position, much wonder- 
 ing what the de\dl had come across the 
 clouds, that they had not yet gone across the
 
 114 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 moon. On looking out however all his doubts 
 on this head were soon cleared up ; for he saw 
 that the mass he had before observed had 
 passed by, below the satellite — therefore of 
 course without obscuring it — and the receding 
 edges of the cloud were already losing the 
 bright silver gleam they had stolen from the 
 moon in passing. 
 
 "Curse him" — said Ulfnoth, meaning the 
 moon, according to his Saxon notion of that 
 luminary's gender ; which exclamation, even 
 if grammatical, was certainly not prudent, as 
 it was uttered in a louder tone than, all things 
 considered, was in any way adviseable. 
 
 Godwin stooped down and touched his 
 father, who thinking his son meant thereby 
 to reprimand him, was naturally angry with 
 him ; first, because it was a liberty ; and se- 
 condly, because he knew he deserved a re- 
 primand: he was quite wrong, however, as 
 to his son's intentions, for Godwin had mere- 
 ly wished to draw his father's attention to the 
 fact that the sentinel had moved from his posi- 
 tion, and was in fact coming — though slowly 
 — straight towards them ; as if he had a mind
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 115 
 
 to take up his station on the very spot they 
 occupied : if he had however, he changed it 
 before he got there, and turning back, gave our 
 two friends an opportunity they did not this 
 time let shp. 
 
 They passed safely over the dangerous 
 ground, and after a little more incidental 
 creeping and crawhng, arrived at the out- 
 skirts of the camp, adjoining a low coppice 
 of brushwood, which ran down the side of 
 a tolerably steep descent. 
 
 " God be thanked ! we are safe," — said Ulf- 
 noth ; to which pious thanksgiving he im- 
 mediately added — "and the devil fetch the 
 moon for darkening his light at the only time 
 we needed it." 
 
 For the gathering clouds had now sudden- 
 ly swept up across the sky, and it was all 
 thorough darkness. Godwin and his father 
 proceeded nevertheless as quickly as they 
 could, the latter leading the way, and the 
 former following his footsteps and his exam- 
 ple of silence — for though he burned to ask 
 some questions of his father, he knew it
 
 116 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 would be of no use to do so till his parent 
 himself should begin the conversation. 
 
 After descending to the bottom of the 
 hill, they ascended another, not so high or 
 so steep; and while on the top of this, the 
 clouds broke asunder and the moon shone in 
 fuU strength through the gap. Ulihoth 
 turned and looked round — and so struck was 
 he with the beauty of the moon-ht camp — 
 standing like a silent city of ivory pyramids— 
 that in spite of the precariousness of their si- 
 tuation, he could not help saying to his son, — 
 " Look back, Godwin, — for an eye-glance." 
 
 Godwin looked back — but even as he 
 turned to do so, the beautiful scene was en- 
 gulphed in darkness. 
 
 " Ah ! no help !" obser^-ed Ulfhoth. 
 
 They descended this hill — a gentle slope 
 merely on the other side — and as they went, 
 Ulfhoth could not help morahzing to himself, 
 on the instabihty of aU sublunar}- things — 
 a natural train of thought perhaps to fall 
 into after what he had just witnessed : but 
 as there was nothing very new in his notions
 
 GODWIN AND GOD A. 117 
 
 on the subject, and as God-s^in was spared 
 them, there can be no excuse for inflicting 
 them on the reader; especially as it might 
 prove a self-infliction on the \^Titer.
 
 118 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 On arriving at the bottom of this slope, 
 they crossed a small rivulet, and by the mo- 
 mentary outbnrsting of the moon, Godwin 
 recognized the spot as the one where he and 
 Ulf had been when they first descried the 
 approach of the English army. The father 
 here stopped and said : — " Now, Godwin, we 
 are safe — but stay yet an eye-glance."' 
 
 He then clapped his hands thrice together, 
 and was answered by a whistle, close at 
 hand : directly after a splash was heard in 
 the water, and the trot of a horse, which was 
 brought up to the spot by a serf.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 119 
 
 Vlfn. Well, Sweinkop; — now away again 
 and watch. 
 
 The serf gave the reins of the horse into 
 his master's hands and departed. As soon 
 as he was gone, Ulihoth turned round and 
 embraced his son, and said : — " Dear son ! 
 this has been so far lucky — now to horse 
 and away with what speed thou canst — for 
 this is no safe tarrying-place for thee." 
 
 Godw, There is but one horse, father, 
 thou ridest with me, sure ? 
 
 Vlfn, No, no. I stay here. 
 
 Godw, In safety ? 
 
 Ulfn. Aye, I hope so. Sure I know that 
 flight by me would bring danger and following 
 after us both. Thine will not be worth Streona's 
 whUe to hunt much after : — it will but seem 
 likely that thou shouldst have fled, whatever 
 thou wert — for he knows thee not, though he 
 clearly guesses thee other than thou seemest: 
 but our together flight should fix thee as my 
 son ; and then he would raise hue and cry after 
 us as traitors. 
 
 Godw, I never thought it could be thou, I
 
 120 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 saw this even, minding what thou hadst told 
 me of that man. I should have thought thou 
 wouldst have rather shunned him. 
 
 Ulfn. And so would I. It was chance 
 brought us together; I joined the King ne- 
 ver dreaming to find Aedric there — nor was 
 he indeed when I first came ; for at Scears- 
 ton fight he had behaved him more traitor- 
 ously than ever — he hewed off a Dane's head, 
 whose features were like Eadmund's — and 
 held it up in sight of the English, teUing 
 them it was their King's, and bidding them 
 therefore flee ; which they did in great deal 
 and should have been wholly routed, but 
 that Eadmund took ofiF his helm, and rode 
 among them, and rallied them — and how 
 could I think that after this — this topping 
 deed of treachery— Aedric should ever show 
 his face again before the Ironside ? — But 
 so it is, the snake-tongued traitor beguiles 
 the ready son, meseems, as easily as he 
 beguiled the unready father; — he came 
 with some tale or other — he himself had been 
 mistaken — I wot not what— and wot not why
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 121 
 
 I waste the worthfiil time in chattering here 
 with thee, boy, when thou shouldst be on 
 thy road :— only to think of this Aedric — he 
 had been fighting they say that very day vnth 
 Aehnar against Eadmund — and spite of all 
 this, he is now forgiven — for that he was the 
 King's foster-father — and has sworn to be 
 his true man ; — and he has shaken hands \Adth 
 me too — I had as Hef have grappled a wolfs 
 paw — but up, up, boy, — go, and my blessing 
 \\dth thee. 
 
 Godw. But the Dane, father ? our guest. — 
 
 UJfn. He must even shift for himself, son. 
 
 Godw. ShaU that be right, dear father ? 
 
 Ulfn. Sometimes, Godwin, we must think 
 of ourselves alone. 
 
 Godw. But even so, do we not by lea^ang 
 the Dane, bring greater danger on ourselves ? 
 He wiU think himself betrayed ; and what 
 warrant have we that he will not teU who 
 I am ; and of our harbouring him ? 
 
 This h^-pothesis seemed rather to puzzle Ulf- 
 noth, and after a pause, he muttered to him- 
 self; — 'True — quite true — farther foresight than 
 I had" — then after a farther pause, he added:— 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 122 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 "So then — stay thou here — in the shade — and 
 wait my back-coming." 
 
 Godw. May I not with thee, father ? 
 
 Ulfn. — Surely not. Art wood ? — Do as I 
 bid thee, and keep stiU. — Here, hold the reins. 
 I will do nought to endanger either of us. 
 
 Ulfnoth departed : and to Godwin's anxious 
 imagination seemed to tarry an uncon- 
 scionable period. When his expectation be- 
 gan to be thoroughly wearied, his thoughts 
 turned, as if for relief, to other subjects. 
 Left now to himself, and the great load of 
 doubt removed from his heart, the recol- 
 lection of Aelfgiva returned thither with a 
 power, rather strengthened by its tempora- 
 ry absence ; he strove to drive it away ; but 
 could not ; his mind, being now comparative- 
 ly at ease, naturally recurred to the constant 
 idea of its easiest hours 5 when he was before 
 alone in the tent it might have seemed that 
 the bonds upon his limbs had also shackled 
 his soul, and tied it down only to thoughts 
 of self and his then difficulties ; but now that 
 he was again free, so also was his imagina- 
 tion, and it roamed away from his present si-
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 123 
 
 tuation — back into the regions of the past — 
 the once sweet and flowery past, but where 
 now he would only meet Tvith desart misery 
 and the waters of bitterness. He sat upon 
 a rock and gave way to these feelings, till 
 they forced tears to his eyes and do-^^Ti his 
 cheeks — he rose ashamed of his weakness — 
 ashamed that he himself should have wit- 
 nessed it — he vowed he would return her 
 scorn vrLth scorn — and wished only for an 
 opportunity^ of meeting her to prove it ; — 
 but the very idea of this meeting made him 
 feel he was stiU her lover;— and he fomid 
 himself, in fancy, kneehng at her feet. He 
 sprung up more ashamed of this than of his 
 tears, and regardless of his father's bidding, 
 as reckless of the consequences of his diso- 
 bedience, he walked out into the again clear 
 moonlight, — and in a few minutes was met by 
 Ulf and his father. 
 
 Ulfn. Godwin ! Is this doing as I bade 
 thee — Foohsh boy, wouldst thou lose aU our 
 lives ? 
 
 Godw. Dear father ! forgive me 5 I was 
 wandering. 
 
 G 2
 
 124 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Vlfn. Humph ! no need to tell me that. 
 Well ! — where is the horse ? 
 
 Godw. The horse ? Did he bide with me ? 
 
 Ulfn. By St. Winfired ! hast thou let him 
 go? 
 
 Godw. I dare say he is not gone far—let 
 us hope so. 
 
 Ulfn. And how shall we find him — chosen 
 as he was of a dark hue — an he keep in the 
 shade ;~ and an he be gone. . . . 
 
 Ulf. We must foot it friend Gudin — that's 
 the worst. 
 
 Ulfn. Is it the worst, good Dane ? thou 
 speakest easy, for whose safety two Saxon 
 Aethels have forgone their own. 
 
 Ulf WeU, no need to squabble, name- 
 sake; for methinks yonder stands the wight 
 steed, — to be seen, though not a white one — 
 very meekly grazing. 
 
 Ulfn. Where ? — oh — aye — I see — so — soh 
 — whew ! whew 1 boy ! 
 
 Ulfnoth luckily succeded in capturing the 
 horse, and having done so he said ; — " Now, 
 to horse without further loss of time— ye 
 must ride two-fold — and with what speed
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 125 
 
 ye can; for we ^ may have been marked. 
 Ulf, ride straight for Lundene — keep from 
 towns as much as may be — ye will find 
 the Danish host somewhere in the neigh- 
 bourhood. Godwin, we shall meet again. Fare- 
 well to both. 
 
 Having both mounted on the horse Ulf 
 and Godwin rode slowly off, till they came 
 to the entrance of the glen again, (for they 
 retraced their morning's course,) and then 
 at fuU speed across the country, Godwin's 
 knowledge of the stars assisting them as to 
 what route to pursue. 
 
 They did not slacken their speed till the 
 first grey streaks of morning assured them 
 they had ridden far and fast enough to be 
 safe from all pursuit, and then Ulf related 
 the particulars of his escape, which it seemed 
 had not been so easy as Godwin's, for a 
 guard had slept in the tent with him, while 
 another kept watch without: — that he him- 
 self, having been awake, had first been aware 
 of Ulihoth's endeavour to effect his escape 
 (attempted in the same manner that Godwin's 
 had been ;) — that he had at once, and without
 
 126 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 any intervening superstition, comprehended the 
 design ; but that the noise had woke up the 
 guard also, who luckily at once began asking 
 questions as if in order to let his friendly visitor 
 know of his danger ; — that after a time the 
 guard slept again, and that then he had crept 
 to the side of the tent, whispered the fact 
 to the person without, who then thrust in 
 the dagger through the opening already made,' — 
 and that with the weapon he contrived first 
 to cut his own manacles, and then to stab the 
 sleeping man. 
 
 " I liked not the deed— (said Ulf)— but need 
 drove me to it ; for I thought I could not es- 
 cape but by cutting through the tent, and 
 that should surely wake him — it was to be 
 his life or mine, I saw — so I chose the lat- 
 ter ; and thinking it were not much other than 
 as though he stood ready with weapon to 
 take my hfe, — I saved it by taking his. -^ Well 
 — this done — I could not help it, thou seest,- — 
 I cut my feet free — and then stole on 
 tip-toe to the outlet of the tent, where 
 all was dark as dark— and still as still — so 
 I thought mayhap the other guard was
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 127 
 
 sleeping too, and that 'twould be grief to 
 wake him by making a noise in ripping the 
 canvass, so I stole stilly out, and stumbled 
 straight against some one who was walking 
 towards me — how I came not to hear him I 
 know not — however I drove my weapon clean 
 into his breast — and somewhat hastily — for 
 I never stopped to ask whether he was friend 
 or foe...." 
 
 Godw. Good God ! my father ! 
 
 Ulf. Aye — it might have been he sure 
 enough ; but it was not thou knowest, for 
 thou sawest him since, hale and hearty — it was 
 the guard, I take it, for I never stopped to 
 ask ; but away with thy father, who heard 
 the fall and then just joined me — and here 
 I am : — and yonder I see is a Thorp, where 
 I think we may safely dare both to seek for 
 food, and for another horse. And so, as I 
 have had talk enough, I shall be dumb 
 again.
 
 128 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 They succeeded in obtaining what they 
 wanted ; and as their subsequent journey pre- 
 sented no further incident worthy of remark^ 
 it may without any further circumlocution be 
 added, that they arrived safely at the Da- 
 nish camp, then pitched before the very walls 
 of London, whose inhabitants stiU held out 
 in the hope that their King would hasten 
 to their rehef. 
 
 They arrived in sight of the camp early 
 in the morning, and having fastened their 
 horses to a tree — proceeded quietly and un- 
 challenged towards the camp, which they in 
 like manner entered -, for the Saxon peasantry
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 129 
 
 of the neighbourhood were either so friendly to 
 — or so frightened at — the Danes, that they were 
 treated T\ith the most marked and condescend- 
 ing contempt, and allowed to wander about 
 the camp wherever they chose, no further notice 
 being taken of them than if they had been 
 so many hounds, who were driven away with 
 cuffs and kicks just as the humour crossed their 
 masters. Godwin's heart sickened mthin him, 
 and his face flushed wath T\Tath, as he saw 
 one of his countrymen thus driven a few pa- 
 ces length from him by three or four Danish 
 soldiers, who with stones and staves were 
 pelting and beating him, seemingly not more 
 to their own amusement than to that of 
 the idle spectators around, Saxons as well 
 as Danes. An angry exclamation even rose 
 on Godwin's hps; but Ulf twitched him by 
 his skirt, and laying his finger on his own 
 lips whispered, " Beware V 
 
 They continued their progress and approach- 
 ed a tent of larger size and more splendid ap- 
 pearance than any at least of those that were 
 within their sight; in shape it was rather square 
 than pyramidical 5 its texture was of some glossy 
 
 G 3
 
 130 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 substance — apparently silk — and its colours 
 twofold, of broad alternate waves of green and 
 white. As they came nearer to this tent, a sol- 
 dier on guard stepped forward, and stretching 
 his halbart across their way, said gruffly : 
 
 Back, Churls ! what want ye here ? (then 
 immediately changing his tone) My lord larl ! 
 I crave your forgiveness. 
 
 Ulf. (Smiling and nodding to the man) ; 
 Hast it Haco; ask a better boon the next 
 time, and it shall hardly be withheld thee : 
 (then turning to Godwin) — that man saved 
 my life at Scearston. 
 
 They passed on towards the entrance of 
 the tent, where the hangings were drawn partly 
 aside, and looped up with green silken ropes ; 
 on the right hand of this gang-way, as they 
 were about to enter, stood a low thorn, tangled 
 in the intricate tmgs of which was a large 
 bumble-bee, buzzing and beating about the 
 bush to try^and escape from it : this incident was 
 considered an omen among the Saxon peasantry, 
 or rather as a ground on which an omen might 
 at the will of the spectator be erected ; for they 
 held that whatever wish he should frame
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 131 
 
 at such a time would certainly not fail : 
 Godwin, when — similar occasions offer- 
 ed themselves had been in the constant 
 habit of framing the only wish which his 
 simple hfe had rendered hkely to occur to 
 him — namely that he might be united with 
 Aelfgiva — and this had in truth become 
 so much a habit that even now the vnsh 
 rose spontaneously and instinctively the up- 
 permost in his heart — he stopped it however 
 ere it reached perfect birth, and inwardly wish- 
 ed — " May I forget her !" 
 
 They entered the tent, and were met by 
 another guard, who however immediately 
 made way for them on Ulf's announcing his 
 name, in a low voice, he then added, " All 
 within ?" 
 
 The guard bowed ; they passed on, and Ulf 
 raising the hanging cautiously with one hand, 
 they stood wdthin the inner tent. A glance of 
 less than a minute showed Godwin what it 
 wiU take much longer to describe. 
 
 To his left, seated on a cross-legged and 
 richly carved oaken settle, something in shape
 
 132 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 like a modern camp-stool, before a round ta- 
 ble, of the same wood, was a young man, 
 of a beauty and fairness, that would have 
 been absolutely effeminate but for the large- 
 ness of his features and stature — the strength 
 that the latter showed — and the deep thought 
 that was inherent in the former. His nose 
 was thin, high and eagle-beaked in shape : 
 his hair, of a lighter auburn than Godwin's, 
 hung in profuse clusters down his back and 
 shoulders, and sparkled as though it were 
 sprinkled with gold dust. Around his head 
 he wore a bandeau of large pearls sewed on 
 a strip of crimson velvet, fastened behind 
 with two gold strings, with a pearl also at 
 the end of each ; from this band hung over 
 either ear a Greek cross of gold : he also had 
 a necklace of pearls, and beahs or wristlets of 
 the same, and Hkewise a bracelet above the 
 elbow of the right arm made of a broad band 
 of gold set with various precious stones ; his 
 under tunic was of yellow silk, long sleeved 
 and setting loosely on the body; over this 
 he wore a full crimson cloth mantle, woven
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. . 133 
 
 with ravens, of the natural colour — nearly of the 
 natural size — and in the attitude that heralds 
 term mantling : — this outer dress was fastened 
 in front w^th a large emerald and feU back 
 over both shoulders. The individual thus sump- 
 tuously arrayed seemed busily employed in 
 studying a map, painted on a large roU of 
 veUum, in which study he was assisted, or 
 accompanied, by an old grey-headed man, 
 who stood behind his chair, simply dressed 
 in a long flossing robe of purple cloth, with 
 long loose sleeves, and fitting closely to his 
 neck. Behind the youth's seat in a cor- 
 ner stood a long thick brass rod, on the top 
 of which was perched another manthng raven ; 
 and so well had the look of hfe been pre- 
 served in the stuffed bird, that GodTvin was 
 fairly cheated by its glossy plumage and 
 glistening eyes, and expected that the next 
 moment its expanding wings would bear it 
 from the roost, which it appeared just about 
 to leave. 
 
 To the Saxon's right another groupe caught 
 his eye ; two ladies were sitting on ivory set- 
 tles on either side of a small ebony table cu-
 
 134 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 riously inlaid with silver; they were playing 
 together the game of Taefl, or tables^ which, 
 with some subsequent modifications, was af- 
 terwards called The Ladies' game — and now, (per- 
 haps from having become a favourite in pot- 
 houses,) obtains with us the less elegant title 
 of Draughts : the back of one of these ladies 
 was turned to Godwin, so that he could only 
 see that her long unhanded hair was quite 
 black, and one of her arms very white — and 
 that she wore a very handsome violet-coloured 
 mantle of silk, adorned with embroidered 
 leaves and flowers : the other lady who sat 
 almost fronting him, seemed so busily bent 
 over her game, that Godwin could but discern 
 that the colour of her hair, which was most 
 elaborately dressed and adorned with very 
 many gems, and the general outline of her 
 features bore a strong resemblance to those 
 of the youth, who was studying geography : — 
 her apparel was equally splendid and tasteful ; 
 but before Godwin had time to note its details 
 an incident and conversation took place, which 
 perhaps it will be more to the tale-writer's 
 business to record at once, than to waste his
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 135 
 
 own and the reader's time by any longer dwel- 
 ling in this somewhat La belle AssembUe style, 
 on the fashionable morning costume of nine 
 centuries ago. 
 
 The fair-haired lady sighed. The other lady 
 laughed -, and said -, — " Oh sister ! would I sigh 
 for the loss of a man !" 
 
 The former lady looked up, vn^ a flushed 
 face, a frowning brow, and eyes, whose bright 
 blue flashed fire even through a gathering 
 cloud of tears. 
 
 The black-haired Ijady answered this look 
 immediately with : — " Nay, my darhng Adrida, 
 think not I meant ^m." 
 
 While this was uttering, Adrida had started 
 back; and now mth a changed countenance, 
 yet more flushed in hue, but lighter in aspect, 
 she leaped up, crying out — " Mighty Freya ! 
 there he is ! — " 
 
 And she now sprung forward, flung her 
 arms round Ulf s neck — kissed his hps often 
 and long — then looked in his face as if to be 
 certain she was not mistaken — then turned 
 pale — and then hid her face in his breast and 
 burst out crying.
 
 136 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 This outcry and action — all passing as quick 
 as lightning, — caused a great stir in the 
 tent. 
 
 The other lady rose and came forward — not 
 without overturning her settle — and said — " Oh 
 ULf ! how glad I am to see thee — ^but I shall 
 scold thee well for thy long tarrying — come, 
 come, sisterhng, eat him not aU up with kisses/' 
 
 And the lady addressed did indeed stint her 
 appetite, however disinclined thereto ; for hav- 
 ing met Godwin's eye, she blushed again; 
 disengaged her arms from the Dane's neck, 
 and drew back. 
 
 The other lady without loss of time occupied 
 her place; and the Saxon swain, unlike Vir- 
 gil's, certainly must have envied, as well as 
 wondered at, his new acquaintance's good for- 
 tune — it is very probable though that he did 
 not observe that the salute of the latter lady 
 came not quite in such a volley as had that of 
 the former. 
 
 In the mean-while the pearl-diademed youth 
 had also advanced and said; — '^Well, Ulf; I 
 greet thee : I began to fear for thee."
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 137 
 
 Vlf. What shame should I not take to my- 
 self, who have made my King feel fear ? 
 
 " Tut, brother," answered the as yet nameless 
 King, — (for I wish the reader to be just in 
 Godwin's state of ignorance) — ^Hut; there be 
 more than one kind of fear." 
 
 " How knows the King that ?" asked the 
 dark-haired lady, with an arch smile. 
 
 '^ By hearsay ;" answered Adrida. 
 
 " I thank thee, sister :" said the youth ; and 
 then again turning to Ulf — " and where gatst 
 thou this churhsh gear ? — and who is yon ? 
 should I know his face ?" 
 
 Vlf. A Saxon. 
 
 " — WTiat !" exclaimed the other impetuously 
 — "bring a Saxon Ceorl before King Knute ! — 
 Stay — stay— stay : I wronged thee, and him ; I 
 see ; he hath done thee some good turn sure." 
 
 Vlf. Nothing but saved my life. — 
 
 Knute. Nothing hut ? — hm ! — well ; thou 
 mayst play off a jeer on thy brother, Ulf: — 
 but it were as well not done before a stranger, 
 methinks, — even though he be a Saxon herds- 
 man. Young man, thou art welcome. I thank 
 thee for saving us a friend. Adrida wilt thou 
 not thank him too ?
 
 138 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 The first part of this short royal speech was 
 uttered angrily; the middle part solemnly; 
 and the latter part dignifiedly. The young 
 Danish King then turned on his heel^ and 
 joined his elderly companion at the table, who 
 seemed quite disconcerted at all that had been 
 taking place. 
 
 Adrida did as she was bade — she came for- 
 ward and thanked Godwin, with dignity, but 
 with a cordiality, that deprived it of all stif- 
 ness : — the other lady also thanked him — it 
 seemed to Godwin though, with more of dignity 
 than of cordiality — that is to say with some 
 stiffness — she said — " The sister of Ulf is 
 no less thankful for his safety than is his 
 wife." 
 
 This great diiFerence of relationship might 
 perhaps explain this slight diiFerence in their 
 demeanour to the young Saxon ; — ^but if it be 
 fair to guess at the workings of the female 
 heart — it might be presumed that the wife 
 felt gratitude to her husband's preserver, un- 
 alloyed by any consideration of his lowly rank ; 
 while that consideration did perhaps a little 
 weigh with the sister, who saw in Godwin, but 
 what her brother-in-law had at first seen— a
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 139 
 
 Saxon churl — of all creatures the most 
 despicable in the eyes of a noble Danish 
 maiden. 
 
 To both these addresses Godwin had replied 
 by gently bending his head forward and blush- 
 ing immoderately — as for speaking it was 
 clearly out of the question. 
 
 Ulf remarked his silence and said ; — " Ah ! 
 friend, thou'lt find a tongue anon — and then 
 added in a lower voice — " and some one else 
 perhaps a kindlier one." 
 
 Adrida, who had not heard this latter sen- 
 tence, (as in truth it was not meant she should) 
 again took up the speech, as at the same time 
 she twined her arm fondly within her hus- 
 band's ;•— " Thou must tell us, Ulf, of all thy 
 wanderings." 
 
 "Not yet, sister," said Knute, coming forward, 
 all trace of anger gone from his fair face — " not 
 yet — let our poor brother have a little rest be- 
 fore we lay so heavy a toil on him." 
 
 " Thou forgettest, my Lord," said the other 
 lady, " that my sister must needs be sore eager 
 to hear of her husband's wanderings." 
 
 Adrida blushed — frowned — and then smiled
 
 140 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 and raising her finger to her lips merely said — 
 " Fie, on thee, Goda !" 
 
 Goda. Fie, for what, sister ? — art thou not 
 anxious ? 
 
 Adr, Not as thou meanest, Goda. 
 
 Goda, Then fie on thee, Adrida: and so 
 thy wife caring so httle about thee, brother, 
 thou mayest do well to hearken to our kingly 
 orother's rede, and go to rest a bit. 
 
 Ulf. With many thanks to you all I had 
 liefer eat a bit— seeing that my fast is yet 
 whole ; and I guess my friend is not less hun- 
 gered than myself. 
 
 Knute. Out on thee, man ; why spakest not 
 before ? within there ! 
 
 Ulf, Nay, my Lord, let us rather first go 
 wash and don other gear, as I have been some- 
 what overlong in this : moreover I wish to 
 clothe my Saxon saviour in a dress somewhat 
 more becoming him. 
 
 Knute looked first at Godwin — then at Ulf: 
 Goda looked first at Ulf, and then at Godwin ; 
 while Adrida seemed well contented with never 
 taking her eyes off her husband's face ; who 
 smiled — perhaps at her — perhaps at the other
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Ill 
 
 two — perhaps at nothing at all : he said, how- 
 ever: "Come, Gudin, hast thou any thing 
 against this plan ?" 
 
 Godmn said — nothing ; which, if he had said 
 anything, would probably have been his an- 
 swer ; but he bowed, which meant as much ; 
 and Ulf having shaken hands ^\'ith the King 
 and kissed his wife and sister, said to them ; — 
 " FareweU, then for the while :" and he and 
 GodT^dn left the tent. 
 
 As they were crossing the sort of passage, 
 between the inner and outer hangings, another 
 female passed them a few paces off 5 she was 
 entering the inner tent by another opening, 
 and the two young men caught only a very 
 transient glance at her face and figure. 
 
 " Who the Devil can that be r" muttered 
 Ulf. 
 
 And Godwin answered : " I'm sure I can't 
 teU." 
 
 This struck Ulf as being rather odd, be- 
 cause, of course, the Saxon could know nothing 
 about the matter -, but it had somehow occurred 
 to GodT^dn that, except the female was clad 
 in splendid apparel, she looked, as far as he
 
 142 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 could judge by the hasty ghmpse he had had 
 of her, uncommonly hke Aelfgiva; but the 
 moment this idea had crossed him, its pal- 
 pable absurdity had also been manifest, so that 
 he made an unintended answer to Ulf's equally 
 unexpecting question.
 
 GODTVIX AKD GODA. 143 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 They passed on chatting of one thing or 
 another, till they arrived at ULf s tent, where 
 I shall detain them and the reader only just 
 so long as to inform the latter that they both 
 shifted their di*ess: Ulf putting on a plain 
 tunic and mantle of green cloth ; while to God- 
 win he assigned a splendid suit of blue 
 steel mail, the hnks of wliich were so small 
 and fine that the armour yielded to the move- 
 ment of every Umb, and yet, according to 
 Ulf s description, so craftily were they wrought 
 that neither sword-edge, nor spear-head, though 
 driven with the utmost violence could do 
 more than shghtly bruise the wearer. 
 
 Thus accoutred they returned to the royal 
 tent, where a table had been hastily, but plen-
 
 144 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 tifully spread with all the luxuries of the season. 
 At their entrance the party had been aug- 
 mented by the strange lady they had observed 
 on quitting the tent; with whom the King 
 seemed in earnest conversation in a corner, 
 for he was talking, though in a low voice, very 
 vehemently, while she was casting down her 
 eyes, and looking not a little red in the face : 
 this made Ulf turn round to his companion, 
 with the intention of saying ; — ' Oho ! I see 
 what's in the wind' — he changed his mind 
 however, before he formed his phrase, and 
 said instead; — "Why, what ails thee; man?" 
 — for the young Saxon's face was absolutely 
 green, and the expression of it ghastly and 
 terrific, as though he had seen a terrible and 
 unexpected vision. In fact, he saw Aelfgiva 
 herself. 
 
 He was so struck by the sight of her, that 
 he heard not his friend's question ; which how- 
 ever had been uttered so loudly as to call the 
 attention of all the others in the tent; the 
 natural movement that they made recalled 
 Godwin to his senses; he drew himself up 
 to his fuU height, and then bowed himself
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 145 
 
 gracefully forward, with a smile on his still 
 haggard and quivering Ups. 
 
 Ulf, seeing him thus restored, and sur- 
 mising his agitation to have arisen from some 
 transient pain, said ; — " I beg to bring be- 
 fore King Knute a young Seaxon Aethel, by 
 name Gudin, the son of Ulfnoth, once Childe 
 of the South-Seaxons." 
 
 Every one present showed astonishment at 
 this announcement, even the old long-bearded 
 geographer ; UlPs sister blushed, and her black 
 eyes sparkled beautifully ; Aelfgiva had opened 
 her large blue ones, with an expression of 
 exceeding astonishment, when she heard the 
 name, and she opened them stiU wider when 
 she looked on and plainly recognized God- 
 win, who turned not his gaze from her; and 
 Knute, said ; — " Ah ! sayest thou ? — in sooth 
 now, brother Ulf?" 
 
 Ulf. In sooth and truth. Should I dare 
 speak other to my King ? 
 
 Knute. But thou art fond of a jeer, brother ; 
 as that speech and smile something betoken : 
 but they shall not anger me. But come, this 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 146 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 is well: methought my brother Ulf would 
 not have owned his safety to a Seaxon 
 Ceorl. 
 
 Vlf, In troth though brother, Ulf would not 
 have been nice on that head. 
 
 The King either did not hear, or did not 
 think fit to notice this reply, but advancing 
 to Godwin, he extended his hand, and kindly 
 said ; — " We thank thee, young Seaxon, and 
 with more heart now than before, for we think 
 no shame to speak thanks to a Seaxon, even 
 though he should be a foe, which we will 
 yet hope not to find thee." 
 
 Godwin, (still gazing on Aelfgiva, who had 
 dropped her eyes, as if oppressed by his fixed 
 stare, — as perhaps she was — ) took no notice 
 whatever of the King's speech, gracious as it 
 was, (and all Kings' speeches always are so — ) 
 and therefore the King drew himself up into 
 a posture of offended dignity, and said to Ulf — 
 
 " Is the Seaxon Aethel asleep ?" 
 
 Ulf answered : "No, not yet, my Lord :" — 
 for he happened to be whispering to his wife — 
 it does not much matter what about — ^when 
 the King spoke to him, and had somehow
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 147 
 
 or other misunderstood what was said to 
 him. 
 
 Knute. Now ! are ye both mad ? 
 
 Vlf. What is it, my Lord ?— Why, Gudm, 
 the King was speaking to thee. 
 
 Godiv. Indeed ? — I crave — I am sure — ^no— 
 the King spake not to me. 
 
 Knute. By the head of Odin ! but he did 
 though, young man ; and moreover he is not 
 wont to speak twice on one thing : but I bcheve 
 thy brain was whirhng some other where, so no 
 more need be said about it. I bade thee my hand. 
 
 Godw. I take it, King of Danemark. 
 
 Knute. Frank and free : I hke it. Her© — 
 this is a landsman of thine ; knowest thou him ? 
 
 Godw. No, my Lord. 
 
 Knute. No? what not know Aelfhehn, the 
 Eorl of Northampton? methinks the Seaxon 
 Aethels know mighty httle of one another ; I 
 shall trust to make them better known. 
 
 Aelfh. If this young man be the son of 
 Child Ulfnoth, I knew his father weU : but he 
 is dead. 
 
 Godw. My father hves — at least he lives, 
 whom I have ever known as father. 
 
 h2
 
 148 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Wf. Not unwisely put in, Gudin ; for they 
 say the most knowing bairn can never know 
 his own father ; at least so / was told : how- 
 ever, I will warrant, my kingly brother, that 
 Childe Ulfnoth is ahve — whether he be my 
 friend's father or no — ^by the token that I bear 
 a friendly word or two from him to thee, 
 about some things of state— the which, toge- 
 ther with a full reckoning of how this youth 
 most likely never met with yon elder ere 
 now, and sundry other things of great weight, — 
 mostly touching mine own self, — I shall lay 
 open to your kingly ken so soon, — and, may 
 it please you, no sooner — as I have some- 
 whit softened down the wolf of hunger, which 
 at this time is gnawing most mightily and 
 mainly at my poor bowels. 
 
 Knute. Sit then ; the meal waits for thee. 
 
 Ulf, Well: it has no right to grumble; I 
 have waited long enough for it. 
 
 Knute. Sit at my right, fair Alfifa— thy 
 father to my left — the rest where they 
 wiU. 
 
 This httle speech and its results created a 
 world of wonders in Godwin's mind :•— for first
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 149 
 
 he did not comprehend the name, by which the 
 Danish King had addressed Aelfgiva — and he 
 looked at her, with a start, as though he must 
 have been previously mistaken as to her per- 
 son ; having concluded however that he was 
 correct as to her^ his second wonder was, 
 that the individual, addressed as her father, was 
 the identical Elder, to whom he had been in- 
 troduced as Aelfhelm, Earl of Northampton ; 
 now how Aehgiva's father could possibly be an 
 Earl was more than he could by any means 
 comprehend; so his second conclusion was, that 
 he must have been mistaken, and that the 
 lady he saw before him was only most super- 
 naturaUy hke the humble queen of his aiFec- 
 tions; just however as this argument, by its 
 weight, was turning the balance of his doubts, 
 an additional circumstance was thrown into the 
 other scale, which made it at once preponde- 
 rate, and (to continue this elaborate metaphor) 
 caused aU opinion as to the lady's non-identity 
 fairly to kick the beam : for the old Earl him- 
 self addressed her by the name of his dear 
 daughter Aelfgiva ; which the King pronounced 
 after him, adding ; — " I must learn this Seaxon
 
 150 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 utterance of thy name, Dearling, for it is 
 prettier far than ours." 
 
 The King's invitation was accepted : they sat 
 down to the table therefore, which being a 
 round one, each person present had the fuU 
 opportunity of seeing every other face in the 
 circle : a much more amiable arrangement, 
 by the way, than that of our modern long 
 tables, at which one can only see the faces of 
 those opposite him, or immediately to his 
 right and left ; whereby I have often seen a 
 jealous lover or husband, who happened to be 
 removed two or three seats from the object 
 of his affections, go through a deal of indecent 
 awkwardness in the course of a meal, in order 
 to ascertain, as far as he was able, what 
 could possibly be her inducement, to be so 
 unseasonably and unaccountably merry, as she 
 seemed to be, with the stupidly handsome man, 
 whom the mahcious lady of the house had 
 placed at her side — but whither am I wander- 
 ing ? — I have yet to seat our own royal party. 
 
 Aelfgiva and her father have been aheady 
 disposed of; to the right of the former sat 
 Ulf; and next him, his wife; then Godwin;
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 151 
 
 and then Goda, who sitting to the left of Aelf- 
 hehrij thus completed the Httle circle. 
 
 During the greater part of the meal, which 
 was a very lengthened one, Godwin watched 
 his former mistress with no very amiable mix- 
 ture of doubt, hope, despair and jealousy — 
 the latter fully w^arranted by the very unequi- 
 vocal attentions which the young monarch 
 continually paid to her, and which, according 
 to Godwin's notions, were received with the 
 most evidently unbecoming pleasure : she in 
 her turn, from time to time, cast several 
 glances at her old lover ; and scarcely t^vo of 
 them were alike, as they originated from ex- 
 ceedingly different feehngsj for he looked so 
 handsome in his new^ costume, that she was more 
 than half inchned to coquette with him ; des- 
 pite her owTi newly invented dignity, and the 
 royal patent for it, which she was not without 
 hopes of obtaining — ^but then she remembered 
 these things were not of every day's occurrence, 
 and therefore not to be rashly sacrificed — and 
 with this thought, the old scorn returned to her 
 beautiful face ; the same she had formerly felt 
 for Godwin, when she only knew from her mo-
 
 152 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 therms account, that she was descended of a 
 noble race, though without any hope of joining 
 it again : then, there were all possible variations 
 of wonder at the tale which Ulf, true to his 
 word, related of his first meeting with the 
 Saxon, and of all he had subsequently heard, 
 done and suffered : nor would it be justice to 
 her to omit a feeling of excessive annoyance, 
 when she saw at length, that the King's 
 laughing and black-eyed sister-in-law had 
 succeeded in bantering Godwin into conver- 
 sation, the subject of which, indicated by 
 more than one downright shout of laughter, 
 Aelfgiva gave herself infinitely futile pains to 
 discover ; so that in a quarter of an hour from 
 the first laugh that passed between them, she 
 thoroughly hated the merry-hearted Dane, and 
 indeed took occasion in the course of the morn- 
 ing to whisper to the King, that she could 
 not bear people with black hair, and for her 
 part believed that Ulf and his sister were very 
 strange folk — at which the King smiled, and 
 answered : " Very hkely !" 
 
 The topic of conversation changed by de- 
 grees to the politics of the day ; and herein the
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 153 
 
 ladies joined as little, or with as little success, 
 as they have ever done, on such subjects, from 
 before that day to this: Godwin was at first 
 very httle interested in what was going on, 
 and evidently preferred chatting in an under- 
 tone -with his right-hand neighbour — but she 
 at last fairly told him to hold his tongue, and 
 listen ; and with a feehng of chivalry, known 
 to all men of all ages — (at least to all men of a 
 youthful age) — he bowed and obeyed. 
 
 To his own surprise, the theme of the ge- 
 neral conversation was much more interesting 
 to him than he could have anticipated it 
 would have been — and he soon became so 
 absorbed in it as completely to lose all 
 thoughts of other things, even of those very 
 black bright eyes, the rays of which had been 
 for the last half hour evolving a considerable 
 quantity of caloric from his pericardium. He 
 was astonished to find how intensely ignorant a 
 man might be of the state of the country in 
 which he dwelt — (in this year of grace, 1832, 
 such bhssfiil ignorance is not confined to shep- 
 herds) nor — was he less astonished at the in- 
 timate knowledge which strangers displayed on 
 
 H 3
 
 154 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 the subject. Knute and his brother-in-law were 
 plainly well acquainted — not only with the face 
 of the land, — ^but with many of the Saxon 
 chieftains also, who from time to time had 
 either openly or secretly abandoned their own 
 King, to side with the adventurous Dane — • 
 among the former class, it was clear Godwin 
 might enumerate his new old friend with a 
 long beard, who expressed it as his opinion 
 that if a decisive blow were not soon struck, 
 the Enghsh Lords would return to their alle- 
 giance, now that they had a King, who knew 
 how to govern. 
 
 " Aye — and to fight too" — interrupted Knute 
 — " that can he right well : how the unready 
 Ethehed ever begat so ready a son is to me 
 a wonderment : had he been born in wedlock, 
 I should never have believed that his mother's 
 husband was his father. Howbeit methinks 
 we need not fear much of back-sliding on the 
 part of the English Earls, while their King is 
 as mighty a fool as his father on one head — 
 and will put faith and trust in his most trusty 
 and faithful follower Aedric Streona — ^who in 
 sooth is the greatest knave, that. . , .
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 155 
 
 Aelfh. Perhaps thou knowest not. King, 
 that Aedric is of kin to yonder youth. — 
 
 Knute blushed and looked foolish ; thinking 
 he had said something to the same effect ; and 
 Ulf said ; 
 
 ^^ Oh ! that does nothing : — ^never stickle for 
 Gudin's being here, at speaking iU of his kins- 
 man Aedric, I know all about that." 
 
 Somehow Godwin felt angry at all this — 
 in fact his vanity was again a Httle hurt ; for 
 he thought he was being treated too much as 
 a boy, whose actions were about to be dis- 
 posed of by others, with some reference in- 
 deed to his feehngs, but with none to his 
 win ; so he thought he would show he had an 
 opinion of his own upon things in general-^ 
 made two or three exceedingly absurd and un- 
 seasonable observations — was laughed at by 
 Goda — and after that, with great dignity and 
 prudence, held his tongue. 
 
 The discussion mainly turned upon the point 
 whether, or not, it was advisable to make another 
 attack upon the city of London, in the hopes 
 of effecting an entrance, before King Edmund 
 could arrive to raise the siege ; or at once to
 
 156 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 march forward in order to oppose that mo- 
 narch's further progress; this latter proceed- 
 ing was strenuously advised by the old Saxon 
 noble, who contended that the city was strong 
 enough to resist all attack for several days at 
 least — that by such an attack, even if Edmund 
 did not come soon upon them, the strength and 
 number of the Danes would be necessarily 
 much diminished ; and if they succeeded they 
 would thus be in but an iU condition to defend 
 a city, the strong holds of which they must have 
 obviously weakened before they could gain them; 
 besides which the disaffection of the conquered 
 citizens might be reckoned on, as a certainty; to- 
 gether with the fact, that they would take every 
 opportunity of co-operating with their country- 
 men from without : — on the other hand, if they 
 marched at once against Edmund — who pro- 
 bably was not far distant — the Danes would 
 have the advantage of presenting a body of men, 
 refreshed from fatigue, and recruited in num- 
 bers, (as they had been by the arrival of other 
 vessels) — against those who would be wearied 
 by a long march, and in a state of doubt as 
 to how far their enemies had been successful
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 157 
 
 in other quarters. Ulf coincided in this view 
 of the case; as also did one or tTN^o other chiefs, 
 whom the King had sent for to consult with 
 on the occasion : — ^but he himself remained re- 
 solute to his first opinion ; that to attack — 
 or, as he put it — to win the city was the point 
 of the first importance: he could not easily 
 give any reasons for this — except the very 
 powerful one, that he considered it the best 
 — and when he found he could not readily 
 convince others to think so too — and that he 
 was fairly talked out of the field, — he began to 
 show spxiptoms of royal sulkiness — by frown- 
 ing and thrumming wdth his fingers on the 
 table-^so that every body but Aelf helm, (who 
 did not seem to know much of him,) and Ulf, 
 (who did not seem to care much for him,) 
 thought it prudent, — at least to hold their ton- 
 gues — and began to dehberate whether it 
 would not be as well to change their opinions. 
 
 At this critical crisis an officer entered in 
 great haste, and out of breath, — who stated he 
 had ridden hard from the north-west out-posts, 
 whence the Enghsh army had been descried 
 marching towards the city.
 
 158 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Knute at this information^ started up and 
 exclaimed in a voice like a roaring wind , — " By 
 the thunder of Thor ! but I wiU win yon Burg 
 yet — out with me^ Lords !" 
 
 And seizing the sacred standard in his hand, 
 he rushed from the tent, followed by Aelfhelm 
 and the Danes. Ulf merely paused at the en- 
 trance, blew back a laughing kiss to the wo- 
 men, and then laying hold of Godwin's arm, 
 drew him after him, saying; "Come along, 
 Gudin, we'U show thee some kingly sport 
 anon." 
 
 Godwin happened to be looking back into 
 the tent at the moment when Goda returned 
 her brother's sufflatory kiss — and whether 
 from vanity, or what not, he thought the fin- 
 gers that wafted the greeting, waved as much 
 towards him, as to his companion : he did 
 not, however, think fit to return it. — 
 
 Without the tent all was bustle and noise — • 
 
 " Drums beating — trumpets braying. 
 Men shouting — ^horses neighing." 
 
 AU minghng together — and producing, on an 
 unaccustomed mind, a sense of astonishment,
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 159 
 
 and awe at what seemed the most chaotic confu- 
 sion ; and as this feehng gradually subsided with 
 the subsiding storm, it was succeeded by one 
 of the same nature, though of a different cast, 
 at the order and regularity which, as by en- 
 chantment, had arisen from so much apparent 
 disorder. — 
 
 Godwin now perceived nothing but a large 
 body of well organized warriors — whose every 
 movement seemed directed by one will — • 
 simultaneously impelling the whole mass — 
 the Saxon loiterers had all, either been driven, 
 or fled away, at the first commencement of 
 the tumult — the horsemen were mounted — 
 the footmen serried in their ranks— and the 
 silence, that succeeded the previous bustle, 
 was only occasionally interrupted by the 
 voice of the war-trumpets, that seemed to 
 be holding question and answer with each 
 other from the most distant out-posts of the 
 army. 
 
 Ulf and Godwin, having horsed themselves, 
 joined the Danish King on an eminence near 
 the western gate of the city ; not far from 
 them stood the ruinous remains of what ap-
 
 16*0 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 peared to have been formerly a large farming 
 establishment — probably dilapidated in some 
 of the numerous battles which of late years 
 had been fought in the immediate vicinity 
 of the metropolis ; the field on which they 
 stood was of grass — but it had been so long 
 neglected, that weeds and underwood had ex- 
 tended over its surface, and given it the 
 appearance of an uncultivated common. 
 
 Knute himself, when the two friends ar- 
 rived on the spot, stood dismounted in the 
 centre of a knot of horsemen, and was busily 
 engaged in issuing orders and putting on 
 his armour — a rather necessary precaution, 
 which he had forgotten to take, in the first 
 moments of his enthusiasm. 
 
 He nodded very graciously both to Ulf 
 and Godwin on their arrival, and if his sa- 
 lute was not as elegant as the bow of some 
 of his successors on the Enghsh throne, it 
 may be remembered, that he was neither so 
 refined a monarch, nor one, who deemed that 
 sharing with the toils and pleasures of his 
 people was incompatible with the dignity or 
 duties of a King. 
 
 Just as he was slipping his arm through
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 161 
 
 the sleeve of a splendid hauberk, (the scales 
 of which were alternately of gold, silver and 
 blue steel,) a horseman was seen riding at 
 fuU speed towards the group. Knute stepped 
 out of the circle, and advanced a few paces 
 to meet him : — the rider, as he came nearer, 
 drew from his bosom a smaU scroll, which he 
 waved above his head : he was about to pass 
 the King, and make for the groupe of horse- 
 men, when Knute seized the bridle of his 
 horse, and with such a ^'iolent jerk, as not 
 only effectually checked the beast in his fall 
 career, but caused him to wheel round so 
 suddenly, that the hapless rider was fairly 
 whirled out of his seat, and roUed for some 
 yards on the ground — amid the uncontrolled 
 laughter of the spectators, in which the King 
 most heartily joined : the man had lost hold of 
 the scroll in his fall, and Knute stepped for- 
 ward and picked it up; but hardly had he 
 done so, ere the messenger had regained his 
 feet, — and now made a rush, -mth the unce- 
 remonious intention of snatchmg the packet 
 from the royal hands — at the same time 
 screaming out — in Saxon ; — " For the King ! 
 — for King Knute !"
 
 16*2 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Knute, still laughing, gave him a good hu- 
 moured push, which had nearly again brought 
 him to the ground — and answered — "Well 
 — fool — for me ! — from Streona ?" 
 
 Saxon, Aye — for King Knute. 
 
 Knute. Blockhead ! — I thought so. — Here 
 — Bocler ! 
 
 The person thus addressed stepped for- 
 ward from the groupe — a tall, thin, gaunt 
 figure, with a singularly sharp pale face and 
 beak-hke nose; he was dressed in tight bo- 
 dy-clothes of scarlet cloth, and a black man- 
 tle, reaching hardly to his knees, with a very 
 large and full scarlet hood, which being thrown 
 over his head, nearly enveloped his features 
 and gave them, by contrast, an additional look 
 of acuteness ; to a broad girdle, of the same 
 colour as his mantle, hung on the right side 
 a large unsheathed knife by a steel chain, 
 on the left a small leathern case, which con- 
 tained an ink horn, and a few reed pens : 
 this personage was no less than the Danish 
 King's secretary for foreign affairs ; for which 
 important avocation he was qualified by the 
 possession of an acquirement, not very common
 
 GODWIN AND GOD A. 163 
 
 in those rude days, even among men of the best 
 education — namely that of reading and writing ; 
 was also something of a poet, and much more 
 of a critic, — his great talent Ipng in cutting up 
 the productions of others — he was a cutter up 
 too in another sense, being the King's confiden- 
 tial carver ; and as an emblem of this latter 
 office, he bore the large knife before mentioned. 
 
 Knute, accompanied by this man, approached 
 the half decayed trunk of a tree, which lay 
 a short distance from the groupe, and seem- 
 ed from its appearance to have lain there 
 for some years — having been separated from 
 the root, which, a few yards off, had again 
 sprouted up into a moderate sized shrub: — 
 As the monarch, for his greater convenience 
 in discussing his tidings, was about to seat 
 himself on the stem, Aelfhelm, who stood 
 speaking with Godwdn, suddenly and with 
 a look of horror exclaimed ; — " Mother 
 of mercy ! Look where the King is about to 
 sit." 
 
 Godwin accordingly looked ; as did Ulf, 
 who also heard the exclamation ; and the 
 latter very quietly said ; — " Well ! wiU
 
 164 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 the tree turn to a dragon and fly off with 
 him."— 
 
 Aelfhelm replied in a low solemn tone — 
 " Upon that tree^ young man, some eighteen 
 winters back, thy King's lovely aunt, the 
 fair Gunhilda, lay her head, to have it strick- 
 en off by — " 
 
 " Dwarfs of darkness !" burst in Ulf— and 
 turned with a flushed face upon his heel— 
 and was striding away : — But Godwin 
 caught him by the arm ; and uttering the 
 thought, which by an extraordinary train 
 of associations, the recollection of his 
 father's narrative had raised, he said ; 
 " The ladies, Ulf — thy friends • — • where are 
 they ?"— 
 
 VJf, Why askest thou ? 
 
 Godw. They are safe ? 
 
 Ulf, Look yonder, Gudin — (he pointed 
 over the houses of the city to some vessels 
 which were under weigh and making sail up 
 the river) — Our sea-horses have spread their 
 manes to the wind, and trample your river 
 in their full pride and strength — my sister 
 and my wife are there — and safe.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 165 
 
 GodT^in's impulse was naturally to ask some- 
 thing after Aelfgiva — but he checked the first 
 hasty expression of his thought ; and before he 
 had arrayed it in a more sober guise. King Knute 
 was returning from his conference, clearly much 
 chafed by the tidings which his scribe had 
 communicated to him from the scroll. His 
 brow was bent and darkened — ^his cheek red — 
 his eye distent and fiery — and he dragged 
 the yet undonned coat of mail after him, as 
 Apollo might have done the conquered but 
 scarcely killed P^^thon. — 
 
 '^ Well, Lords !" — said he, "such of you as 
 think not with me — and ye be the most I 
 beheve — have a strong helpmate in the foe- 
 man's leaguer — one to whom / had looked 
 for help — this tentime turncoat Streona — may 
 the wolf of hell gnaw his treacherous bowels 
 — he too thinks as ye — and redes me to 
 withdraw from the siege of yon fair cit}\ 
 
 A murmur of approbation at this intelh- 
 gence broke from the assembly. 
 
 Knute. Aha ! it hketh you well then, this 
 same traitor's counsel ? — though it seems ye
 
 166 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 dare not openly avow it — has none among 
 
 you the heart to do so ? 
 
 TJlf. Aye — and tongue too have I, King 
 
 Knute. — 
 
 Knute. Indeed ? — go on — 
 
 And lowering his brow and compressing 
 
 his lips — as though he would give utterance 
 neither by look or word to the ^vrath that 
 was boiling within him^ the monarch slowly 
 and deliberately began to arrange his armour, 
 and put on his helmet and shield, as they were 
 handed to him by an attendant. — 
 
 TJlf. I have little to say. King ; for I have 
 said my say before — I said it, ere I knew what 
 was Streona's mind — -and mine is not changed 
 because he happens to agree therewith. I 
 know not why he doth so agree — nor care^— 
 but I know, that, turncoat as he may be, we 
 have good ground to be sure he would not be- 
 friend his landsmen, or befoe his old friends the 
 Danes — I thought it unwise and dangerous 
 to attack the city now — Streona, it seems 
 thinks so too, and I think so still; it is ever 
 better to be wary than rash, . . .
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 167 
 
 Knute, Methinks thy speech smacks some- 
 what of cowardice ; brother Ulf. — 
 
 Ulf s hand instinctively raised the spear he 
 held, with a quick and angry gesture, — but 
 he instantly checked it, and gracefully waving 
 the weapon over his head, slightly bowed, 
 and with a sneer retorted ; — 
 
 " Did my deed so smack when I saved thee 
 from the fangs of the Shwedish dogs, brother 
 King ?" 
 
 " Raven of hell !" — ^roared the King — and 
 then, snatching a ponderous battle-axe from 
 the hands of his armourer, he shouted still 
 louder — "Ye, that be brave, follow your King !'* 
 — and then rushed down the side of the hill. 
 
 An instantaneous movement took place in 
 the groupe of officers, but not one third of 
 them accepted the royal invitation : Ulf saw 
 this in a moment ; and before the latter party 
 had so far detached themselves from the re- 
 mainder, that the division should be appa- 
 rent to the common soldiers, he cried out ; — 
 
 " And ye, that be cowards, follow your 
 leader !" 
 
 The whole army was now in motion. In two
 
 168 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 seconds Ulf was at Knute's side, and said to 
 him. ." I — to the ships." 
 
 " Where thou wilt, hot-head !" — was the 
 gracious answer, and — 
 
 " The same to thee — -and a mad-cap to top 
 it" — the reply — 
 
 And Ulf with his followers, among whom 
 was Godwin, bore down to the right, towards 
 the Thames.
 
 tJOUWIN AND GODA. 169 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 The city of London^ at the time of our nar- 
 rative, was not only surrounded, as for some 
 centuries afterguards, by a high turretted wall, 
 guarding it to the east, north, and west, but 
 was also flanked by one of a similar structure, 
 which extended along the southern side, de- 
 fending it from any attack by the river : the 
 only approach on this quarter, except by vessels, 
 was by a large rudely-built, and fortified wooden 
 bridge, which had a few months back been erect- 
 ed, yery nearly on the same site as the present, 
 (or nearly late) old one, and was then, as now, a 
 great thoroughfare from the borough of London 
 the Southern work, as it was called, — (our 
 modem Southwark) — at this time considered 
 
 VOL. I. I
 
 170 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 the great emporium to the city. This bridge 
 was however in a state of great dilapida- 
 tion — (or^ if a more correct word may 
 be coined for the nonce — of dihgnation;) 
 — as, not long before the opening of our tale, 
 it had been nearly destroyed by a party of the 
 Danes, who, — assisted by the Norwegian Sea- 
 King, Saint Olave — ^had vigorously, but vain- 
 ly, besieged the city ; — and it had not yet 
 been put in passable repair. 
 
 Against this southern wall Ulf, with his 
 brave band of " cowards", meant to direct his 
 attack -y while the Danish King led the greater 
 part of the army against the western gate. 
 The good citizens however were by no means 
 unprepared for their reception, and gave them 
 indeed as warm a one as an honest enemy 
 could expect. 
 
 " Comparisons are odorous" — but neverthe- 
 less it might be matter of curious^and not uninte- 
 resting speculation for the political economist, to 
 institute a parallel between a London Alder- 
 man of the eleventh century, and one of the 
 nineteenth ; and it is conceived the comparison 
 would not turn out so much to the disadvantage
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 171 
 
 of the latter, as might at first be expected. If 
 the aldermen of our day are not so expert with 
 the sword and spear as were their predecessors 
 of olden times ; it must be confessed they are 
 quite as handy with other weapons which 
 have at least the coincidence of being formed 
 of the same metal ; — if they are not quite as 
 eager in the pursuit of " the mimic war ;" they 
 cannot yet be said to have entirely given up 
 hunting— at any rate after venison; — and if 
 there be any faith to be given to the cedant 
 arma tog(E, the change has surely been for 
 the better from the rude warrior into the ci\dl 
 magistrate. Lea\-ing such discussions, how- 
 ever, to those whom it may concern, let us, 
 gentle reader, return to our tale. 
 
 Ulf's party had more difficulties to encoun- 
 ter than the mere strength of the waU, against 
 which they were about to direct their efforts : 
 in the first place the fleet at his command 
 was but a small one ; as nearly half the ships 
 were gone up the river to give safe escort 
 to the ladies ; and though what he had, 
 might have been more than a match for those 
 which, well manned and fitted, were aheady 
 
 I 2
 
 172 GODWIN AND GOD A. 
 
 sailing from the port of London to oppose him ; 
 — ^)"et, when these latter were assisted by 
 the citizens from the wall, as well as by a 
 mob of peasants and others, who had taken 
 refuge from the adjacent villages amid the 
 half ruins of Southwark, and from time to 
 time, as the Danish vessels neared the Surrey 
 shore, annoyed them with showers of stones, 
 brick bats and other rude missiles; the odds were 
 certainly not in favour of the Dane. His present 
 object was to keep as much as possible midway 
 in the river, so as to be out of reach of the 
 English on land, and to bear down on the 
 adversaries' ships ; as he foresaw, tiU he had 
 overcome these, all attack on the city wall 
 would be worse than nugatorj^. 
 
 Godwin, who was on board the same vessel 
 as his friend, watched all the proceedings with 
 an anxious — and (truth to teU) — a sickening 
 heart. It would ill become the writer to invest 
 the hero of so short and insignificant a tale as 
 this mth any extraordinary^ or preposterous 
 qualities ; had it been a three volume romance 
 indeed, then it might have been expected, or 
 surely permitted, that the hero should figure
 
 GODWIN AND GOD A. 173 
 
 away in the possession of all manner of impossi- 
 ble virtues; he might be as dauntless as a demi- 
 god ; and although his previous life had been 
 wholly passed amid sohtude and oxen, he 
 might of a sudden be inspired with the deepest 
 knowledge in the noble science of war — and 
 prove as admirable a tactician, both by sea and 
 land, as if he had served half a life under 
 a Wellington and a Nelson : but, as beforesaid, 
 in so short a tale as this, we must not look 
 for such out-of-the-way things ; we must try 
 to content ourselves with a httle simple human 
 nature and common feehng; and under the 
 influence of these it cannot be denied that our 
 hero did feel mortally afraid on the present 
 occasion. The very uncertainty of what he 
 was to do, — and what was about to be done 
 to him, — mingling with the predominant sense 
 of danger, — was enough to confuse him. The 
 flashing of the different weapons — the stern 
 and ruthless countenances of those around 
 him — most looking as if they were famishing 
 with the thirst for blood — the discordant din 
 of rattling arms — oaths — words of command, 
 or wrath — and shouts of defiances-echoing on
 
 174 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 every side — the very motion of the vessel — 
 trifling as it was upon the almost smooth 
 water — but to him new and therefore impor- 
 tant — all these helped to add to his confusion 
 — and the sights and sounds and sensations, 
 which to other more accustomed hearts were 
 exhilarating, to his were only bewildering and 
 painful ', — over and above all, was the feeling 
 — scarcely defined indeed — but as a shadow 
 swaying over the chaos of his thoughts — that 
 he was engaged in no good cause — the con- 
 sciousness or conceit of which has inspired 
 men to the daring of all dangers and evils ; 
 and will do so, until the world grow wise 
 enough to feel that the better a cause may 
 truly be, the less should it be suUied with the 
 blood of man — and that no cause can be so 
 good, but that such means of establishing it 
 must tend to make it a bad one. 
 
 As Godwin leant in this state of numbed 
 sensation against the mast of the vessel, faintly 
 contrasting the recollection of his former ha- 
 bits of life with his present situation, and but 
 fitfully thinking either of Aelfgiva or Goda, 
 he suddenly caught a glance of her brother's
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 175 
 
 dark eye — so like her own — fixed upon him, 
 with an unusual expression of sternness, which, 
 as their glances met, was changed, by a slight 
 curl of the upper Up, into one of scorn : God- 
 win's blood rushed to his pale face — that look, — 
 if it failed to nerve him — for his knees still 
 tottered, and his heart still trembled — at least 
 inspired him with resolution — ^he stept up to 
 Ulf, and said in a loud voice, (for he could not 
 trust to its own natural tone ; — " Can I — can I 
 be of no good here, Ulf?" 
 
 Ulf, Of httle in troth, methinks, my poor 
 lad — (and this was said kindly, and without a 
 tinge of sarcasm.) 
 
 Godwin's conscience however gave this 
 expression a tone, which did not naturally 
 belong to it, and he repHed somewhat tartly; — 
 " Well, but try me at any rate — dost take me 
 for a coward ?" 
 
 Ulf. WTiy not ? thou hast heard / am one — 
 and thou wouldst hardly look to be braver than 
 a tried hand : however, look not angr)^ — (which 
 Godwin was certainly tr^^ng to do with all his 
 might) —but take this mace— and brain me with 
 it as many of yon huge townsmen as may hap
 
 176 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 to come within thy arm's swing — take heed 
 withal that thou ward thine own self well : — 
 keep to the windward of them, steersman — 
 and show rather as though we would pass 
 them — so — good ! — Gudin, we shall be in the 
 thick of them in an eye-glance — and we fore- 
 most in the thick throng, lad : so take heart — 
 though after the first blow stricken and taken, 
 thou wilt feel a man in earnest. 
 
 Ulf's manoeuvre answered as it had been 
 wished. The Londoners, supposing it was the 
 intention of the Danes to pass them down 
 the river, began to tack so as to prevent them, 
 and while they were in the state of confusion 
 necessarily caused by this sudden movement, 
 the Danish vessels hove down upon them, 
 and threw them into the utmost disorder: and 
 Ulf was thus compensated for any advantage 
 his opponents might possess in the superior 
 lightness of their boats, which were built at 
 the furthest for coasting only, and were there- 
 fore not near so large as those belonging to 
 the Danes ; the latter being constructed, for the 
 most part, mth half decks, and otherwise more 
 heavily built, in order to meet the contingencies
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 177 
 
 of stress of weather and other accidents, that 
 might happen during a passage over the open 
 seas : but their very bulk was, by this manoeu- 
 vre, rendered in the highest degree available 
 and effective; for by thus taking the enemy 
 by surprise, before they had time to avoid or 
 properly prepare for them, the force, with 
 which they bore down, was such as to shatter, 
 or at least disable aU the vessels, vrith which 
 their heavily-beaked prows came in contact. 
 
 The young Dane's prediction, \\dth regard 
 to Godwin, was verified by the event : the 
 Saxon — stiU quite uncertain what he was go- 
 ing to do — and stiU not at aU Hking his 
 situation — was standing at the prow of his 
 ship, with one foot resting near the root of 
 the bow-spit, — and just as the crush of the 
 iron-beak into the side of an opposing vessel 
 very nearly shook him off his perch, — a stone 
 from the walls of the city feU upon that pro- 
 truded foot, and Godwin, considerably dis- 
 concerted by this double disaster, turned and 
 revenged himself, by striking a hea\7' armed 
 Londoner just within his reach so satisfactory 
 a blow under his ear, that duly sensible of the 
 
 I 3
 
 178 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 obligation, he made a bow down to the very 
 water, and probably down to the very ground — 
 in plain EngHsh, went to the bottom. 
 
 The individual thus peremptorily disposed of 
 happened to be the brother of the Captain 
 of the vessel, into which the Danish prow 
 had rather rudely introduced itself, — an ex- 
 ample which the water was rapidly following. 
 — ^The captain was naturally annoyed at both 
 these events — the loss of his brother, (who, 
 being his junior, had not stood much in his 
 way through life) — and the probable loss of 
 his own life, which might ensue from the 
 swamping of his boat — so in mere despair 
 he ordered the grappling irons to be flung 
 out, and boldly enough darted on board the 
 adversaries' vessel, followed by as many of 
 his men, as either had time enough to escape 
 from their own before she went down, or 
 were not effectually checked by, (what our 
 lawyers call,) a stoppage in transitu. 
 
 The Danish vessel was now crowded to 
 such a degree, that all fighting was necessa- 
 rily dispensed with. The opposing parties were 
 so wedged together, that no man had the power
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 179 
 
 of raising his hands, either to attack or de- 
 fend — and this dense mass of H^dng beings 
 kept swapng from one side of the boat to the 
 other, — to the great danger of up setting it, — as 
 one or the other party prevailed in pressing 
 their opponents towards the vessel's edge : — it 
 was a strange scene on board this Danish 
 ship — wanting altogether the reckless and rio- 
 tous energ)', that generally distinguishes a 
 desperate struggle, although each individual 
 was now straining eyery nerve in the certainty 
 that the strife was for life or death: but it 
 was carried on calculatingly and almost si- 
 lently — those only who were in the centre felt 
 themselves comparatively safe ; and as from 
 time to time, taking advantage of the pur- 
 chase offered them by their situation, they 
 exerted themselves in concert to press the 
 throng outwards, they would set up a shout of 
 encouragement ; but it was echoed faintly, and 
 quite died away before it reached the outer- 
 most of that small and sullen circle — stiU these 
 repeated efforts were to a certain degree effec- 
 tive — ^man after man fell over the edge — and 
 in falling the poor wretches would occasionally
 
 180 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 drag after them a foe, — or a friend, in their 
 hopeless endeavours to save themselves : one 
 man — ^a Dane — struck off the hand of an old 
 comrade, who had clung to him in his need — 
 and the next moment was himself pushed head- 
 long into the water : — some even of those few, 
 who could not swim, plunged into the river in 
 the bold impulse of rather braving death than 
 submitting to it — and Dane and Englishman 
 were seen strugghng against each other — and 
 with each other in the reddening waters — all 
 national hostility lost in the stronger passion 
 of hfe — to be preserved at every sacrifice. 
 More room was thus given for the exertions 
 of others, and none were slow in using it — 
 daggers and short swords were soon at work in 
 the thick of the crowd ; and many a man, who 
 was stabbed to the death, was for a long time 
 kept standing, in aU appearance of hfe, by 
 the press around. 
 
 Godwin had been forced into the midst of 
 his own countrymen, and wishing rather for 
 their room than their company, was making 
 the most desperate, and not unsuccessful, ef- 
 forts to give himself elbow room — struggling
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 181 
 
 with an energy that seemed marvellously to 
 please a tall shm well-favoured Dane, with 
 very long curling hair and piercingly bright 
 blue eyes -, who, standing close behind him, 
 seemed quite contentedly to permit himself 
 to be carried backwards and forwards which- 
 ever way it pleased fate to send him, making 
 no exertion of his own, but immoderately 
 laughing at those of others, and especially at 
 Godwin's, to whom from time to time he 
 addressed some exhortatory admonition, in- 
 variably followed by a burst of laughter. 
 
 The man's mirth began to be irksome to 
 Godwin, who at length, as soon as he was 
 able, turned round and asked him somewhat 
 sharply, what he was laughing at : this only 
 encreased the Dane's ^merriment, which na- 
 turally augmented Godwin's rage, and he re- 
 peated his question in a more determined and 
 violent tone. He was answered ; — " Ha ! ha ! 
 — I am laughing, friend — ha ! ha ! ha 1 ha ! 
 I am only laughing — ha ! ha ! ha !" 
 
 Godvj, At what, fool ? 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! my right name's Haco, friend — 
 and I am laughing as much^ — ha ! ha ! as rauch
 
 182 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 at thee, as at any other thing in the world ! — 
 ha ! ha ! — to see how a Saxon gooseling is a 
 pecking at his kindred ganders — ha ! ha ! 
 ha !" 
 
 GodTvin's only reply to this facetious remark 
 was by raising a dagger : but the young Da- 
 nish Democritus caught his wrist, — \\Tenched 
 the weapon from his hand, — and with a laugh 
 flung it over their heads high into the air 
 adding; " ^^hy, friendhng, thou'lt bring the 
 ravens on thee, as well as the geese — ha ! ha ! 
 — make as few foes as may be in this naughty 
 world ; ha ! ha ! ha !" 
 
 Godwin, with a still more angry exclama- 
 tion, not unhke the fashionable oath of a mo- 
 dem coal-heaver, began to raise the heavy 
 mace, which hung by a thong to his right 
 wrist, when he was forestalled by a stout 
 square-bmlt Londoner, who seized the Dane 
 by the rim of his gorget, and swung him 
 sharply round, exclaiming; — " I owe thee an 
 old reckoning of grudge, Haco." 
 
 " Double or quits be the stake f — answered 
 Haco ^-ith his same laugh, as he shook off 
 the Londoner, and laid him prostrate on the
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 183 
 
 deck, -^dth a facility, that quite astonished 
 Godwin, when he considered the comparative 
 shape and apparent strength of the two men. 
 
 Haco. Aha ! ha ! ha ! Come brain me this 
 goose, friend of our leader : — wilt not ? — Oh ! 
 then ; there be more ways than one of doing 
 such a deed. 
 
 And so saying he raised his heel, which 
 was armed with a hea^y iron plate and spike, 
 and dashed it down upon the head of his un- 
 fortunate foe, with such force, that it crushed 
 through iron mail, and skull — and scattered 
 his blood and brains about, as though he had 
 trod hastily into a muddy puddle. 
 
 With a revolting sense of horror Godwin 
 turned aside from this disgusting spectacle, and 
 encountered the eyes of Ulf, who was cutting 
 his way towards him : — one more sweep of his 
 huge sword — somewhat unpleasantly close to 
 Godwin, — and the Dane stood as close ; — and 
 thus addressed him ; " What idle again, Gu- 
 din? thou forespakest better things at the 
 bemminsr." 
 
 Godw. I have not been idle, Ulf. 
 
 Haco. No — that I \sill witness. Ha ! ha ! ha !
 
 184 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Ulf. Ah ! kinsman Haco — ^how farest thou ? 
 
 Haco. Wondersome weary of this work 
 akeady. 
 
 XJlf, Thou hest — thou never yet wert weary 
 of working mischief. Come, Gudin, follow me ; 
 we must clear the decks of these lubbards. 
 
 Haco. Geese, man — that's their right name 
 — ha ! ha ! ha ! is it not Gudin ? . . since that's 
 thine : come — come, don't sulk. 
 
 JJlf, What ! have ye quarrelled ? — make it 
 up, like great babies as ye both are : no one 
 ever quarrels with Haco, Gudin. 
 
 Haco. No one hoice, in troth ; (and he took 
 Godwin's proffered hand and shook it heartily, 
 adding in a lower voice, as his laugh died 
 away into a yawn ;) — He may say what he will 
 though, but I am woundy weary of all this. 
 
 As they were following Ulf, who apparently 
 was making a regular tour of the vessel, an 
 old white-headed Saxon sprung up from the 
 hold, where he had been forced down, and 
 caught hold of Haco's hair, crying out; 
 " Devil ! devil ! thou owest me for a son's 
 life." 
 
 Haco, Let go my hair, old man, or the foul
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 185 
 
 fiend fetch thee — I have just paid his brother 
 yonder for thee—wouldst have me pay twice 
 over ? ha ! ha ! — but let go my hair — thou 
 hurtest me. 
 
 This was cried out as loudly and frac- 
 tiously, as if the speaker were indeed the great 
 baby Ulf had designated him — he heard the 
 exclamation^ and turning round laughed out a — 
 " poor fellow !" — and with a back-stroke of his 
 sword cut right through the lock of hair, which 
 the old Saxon held by ; who, thus suddenly 
 released, tottered and fell back into the hold. 
 
 Haco. Ban you both for a pair of the most 
 bunghng shearers that ever sheared man — my 
 poor hair ! I must have that ringlet back 
 though, with thy leave, old Ceorl. 
 
 And having said this, he leapt after the 
 Saxon into the hold below. 
 
 In a few minutes he rejoined Ulf and God- 
 win, mth a serious — even a sad face — bearing 
 his long lock of hair in his left hand, while 
 his right remained as it had been, when God- 
 win first saw him, unarmed except by a gaunt- 
 let of steel scale-mail, with large spiked knobs 
 of iron at the back and knuckles; which,
 
 186* GODWIN AND GOD A. 
 
 though a decently efficient weapon in suitable 
 cases, might have seemed hardly sufficient 
 in a conflict of swords and spears — maces and 
 axes, such as was now raging around. 
 
 Ulf noticed his kinsman's unguardedness 
 (if there be such a word) and remarked ; — 
 " Why, Haco, art going to trust all to luck 
 and thy fist ?" 
 
 Haco. Ah no ! kinsman — ^w^ait a while — only 
 look here what thou hast done with thine ugly 
 sword — this was the handsomest lock of my 
 head now — I'd not have minded had it been 
 cut off for one of yon old Ceorl's fair lands- 
 women — well I must swear it was — to the first 
 I fall in with — and for her : — meanwhile, that 
 for thee, for laughing at what toucheth thee not. 
 
 He struck a fat Saxon, who was standing 
 by, listening with great good humour to his 
 speech, a blow with his closed hand full in the 
 face ; it sent him bleeding backwards upon the 
 deck. 
 
 "That touched him near enough methinks" — 
 said Godwin with a timidity, wherewith a young 
 man generally lets off his first jests in the 
 company of old jokers : — mere mauvaise honte,
 
 GODWIN AKD GODA. 187 
 
 take my word for it, youthful punster, — 'who- 
 ever you may be, that read this book — and 
 such as will always, as it did in this instance, 
 ensure you certain failure, and your own con- 
 sequent self-abashment. 
 
 " So much for my fist" — said Haco — " now 
 for my luck." 
 
 He thrust the lock of hair down the gorget 
 of his hood of mail, drew out his sword, and 
 waving it over his head, cried out ; — " Now ! a 
 hfe for every hair !" — and dashed into the 
 midst of a groupe of Saxons. 
 
 " Stay and reckon them first" — shouted Ulf 
 after him. 
 
 Haco's laugh and answer were heard, " Nay, 
 nay — the reckoning ever after the banquet :" 
 but he did not turn his head — and Ulf and 
 Godwin directly afterwards lost sight of him. 
 
 They two continued fighting side by side; 
 and the former now with as much circumspec- 
 tion and nerve, as if he had never handled a 
 more harmless weapon than the ponderous 
 mace, with w^hich he was knocking men down, 
 very much to his own and his comrade's satis- 
 faction. During the morning's work he had
 
 188 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 good reason to acknowledge the truth of 
 Ulf s recommendation of the suit of armour 
 he had given him' — many a good hard blow 
 and thrust^ from sword and spear, did it turn 
 aside with no other effect than that which we 
 moderns would feel from the smart ajophcation 
 of a thickish piece of ground ash or black- 
 thorn — ^unpleasant enough to be sure at the 
 time, and like to cause bruises afterwards — 
 but I should imagine — having, I must own, 
 no experience on either side of the question — 
 that these were not so bad as wounds and 
 scars : — and I presume men thought so for- 
 merly ; else why did they wear armour ? es- 
 pecially the invulnerables, as we learn from 
 the poets they did. 
 
 Once when Godwin was fighting with a 
 Londoner, and, his foot slipping on the blood- 
 smeared deck, he had fallen prostrate, Ulf 
 stood over him and received on his shield a 
 blow from the Londoner's mace, which, if it 
 had fallen where intended, would probably 
 have prevented Godwin the trouble of getting 
 up again : he soon repaid the favour, when 
 Ulf was engaged hand to hand with one foe.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 189 
 
 and another was about to stab him unawares 
 in the side of the neck, (the mail flap which 
 hung from his helmet having been wrenched 
 off in the course of the fray :) — Godwin seized 
 the man (who was doing such an unfair thing 
 behind his friend's back) by the uphfted arm, 
 and swung him over the edge of the vessel 
 into the river — the man clung to Godwin's 
 armour in his fall, and dragged him after him, 
 and though a tolerable swimmer, yet embar- 
 rassed by his heavy armour, and the desperate 
 struggles of a droTVTiing man, Godwin would 
 certainly have shared the fate of his adver- 
 sary, when a bolt from a cross-bow drove 
 sheer into the Londoner's brain, who instantly 
 loosed his hold and sank ; the hand that had 
 shot the bolt was directly lowered to Godwin's 
 assistance, and as it raised him into the vessel, 
 his saviour with a laugh exclaimed ; — '^ Ha ! 
 ha ! ha ! it is quite wondersome to see how 
 ye geese take to the water ha ! ha !" 
 
 Such circumstances were, in these rude and 
 unhappy times, the foundations whereon 
 friendships between man and man were most 
 frequently erected — -similarity of disposition—
 
 190 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 or moral attributes being seldom taken into 
 consideration. 
 
 In less than three quarters of an hour the 
 Danish ship was very considerably cleared — 
 of a great portion indeed of its own proper 
 men, — and of the whole of the London intru- 
 ders : the unsightly bodies of the slain and 
 wounded lay in heaps about the deck and in 
 the hold — and Ulf, that he might be enabled 
 in as good trim as possible to join his other 
 ships, — (which were still in hard contest with the 
 Enghsh,) gave orders that all the corpses should 
 be thrown overboard ; — while the wounded of 
 both sides he charitably commanded to be 
 crammed away into the hold ; he himself, at- 
 tended by Godwin and Haco, assisting in the 
 execution of his own orders. During the whole 
 of this ceremony, there was as much mirth 
 going on, as though the party were occupied in 
 a very pleasant and agreeable pursuit ; for with 
 these men bloodshed and slaughter were so 
 thoroughly a matter of mere hard labour, that 
 as soon as they had ceased from the actual toil, 
 they flew to jests and laughter with the 
 same avidity and carelessness, that schoolboys
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 191 
 
 do to their cricket or football, when the tasks 
 of the day are completed. 
 
 One of the first bodies, which fell in the 
 way of our three friends, was that of the old 
 Saxon, who had caught Haco by the hair : he 
 was lying in a pond of his own blood — and had 
 evidently been most dehberately butchered; 
 his throat was cut nearly round, so that his 
 head was almost severed from his body ; and 
 hung danghng back, — the hideous chasm of his 
 wound thus yawning to its utmost extent. 
 
 At first they did not recognize him, so be- 
 smeared and disfigured were his features ; but 
 as Haco stooped and laid hold of his once sil- 
 ver white locks, now clotted with black blood, 
 he cried out 3 " Aha ! old friend — just where 
 I left thee.'' 
 
 Ulf muttered in his throat ; — " Cold blood- 
 ed scoundrel 1" 
 
 Haco looked up -wdth distended eyes and 
 raised brows, as though to wonder what his 
 kinsman could mean ; and when he saw that 
 his teeth were clenched, his hps curled, his 
 face red, and his eyes fixed angrily upon him,
 
 192 GODWIN AND GOD A. 
 
 he burst out laughing — ^but instantly checking 
 himself, he added in a deep and earnest 
 tone ; — No — no^ — ^by my troth and manhood 
 — ^no. — Thou doest me foul wrong, kinsman, 
 if thou believe this of Haco." 
 
 Vlf, I did think it, Haco — but forgive me : 
 I should have known thee better, than 
 deemed so ill of thee. 
 
 Haco, True for thee there : — no — I left the 
 old man barely stunned by a knock-down blow 
 I lent him — as without some such ceremony 
 I should never have gotten my lock of hair 
 again from the old grey beard : — I'd give my 
 iron hand-shoe to know the man who slew 
 him though. 
 
 A soldier, who was passing by with the 
 corpse of a comrade over his shoulder, 
 stopped and said ; " That did I then, Head- 
 man; and would mainly like the guer- 
 don." 
 
 Haco. Take it then, in the name of the 
 devil — (and so saying, he struck him his fa- 
 vourite blow with the back of his clenched 
 hand, which sent him reeling a few paces
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 193 
 
 back with his burden, till they both fell hea- 
 vily together : Haco laughed and added ; — 
 " My only fear is, that that cursen Seaxon head- 
 piece thou hast stolen will lessen the worth of 
 thy guerdon somewhat — which was natheless 
 dealt as fairly as might be : — ^yes the hind stirs/' 
 Ulf, Better — ^better — ^kinsman — we cannot 
 spare a man now. — 
 
 Haco. Troth ! ask the man if I spared him. 
 And at a jest though much on a par with 
 Godwin's, that was mentioned some time 
 back, both Haco and Ulf laughed so loudly, 
 that the young Saxon felt he should have 
 seemed very unsocial, or at least have laid 
 himself open to the imputation of great stu- 
 pidity, if he had not laughed with them. 
 
 By the time Ulf was enabled to join the 
 rest of his fleet, the Londoners had been ef- 
 fectually discomfited — ^by far the greater part 
 of the vessels ha^dng been either sunk, cap- 
 tured, or disabled — and the few, that were 
 capable of such an exertion, now making, 
 at their utmost speed, for the port. 
 
 Ulfs next object was to attack the wall; 
 but before he commenced this movement, he 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 194 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 wished to ascertain, if possible, what success 
 had attended the eflforts of his royal brother- 
 in-law : — ^he therefore gave orders for a small 
 boat to row to the Middlesex shore, and 
 reconnoitre ; and the command of this en- 
 terprize he entrusted to Haco, who laughed 
 as he leapt into the boat, and cried out ; — 
 " Thou'rt bent on making me earn a good 
 night's sleep, I see, kinsman ; if not a longer 
 one" — and as though at the very thoughts of 
 it, he yawned portentously. 
 
 He had not proceeded far from the side 
 of the ship, bearing up the river, in order 
 to effect a landing out of bow-shot from the 
 city, when Ulf, who was standing on the deck, 
 suddenly exclaimed ; — " Death of my father! 
 see yonder, Gudin — what's doing there ? " 
 
 Godwin looked in the appointed direction, 
 and saw the Danish army in full march up 
 a hill away from the city ; and while he was 
 joinmg his friend in wondering what could 
 be the cause of this sudden retreat ; Ulf said ; 
 "The Iron- side is there, I would wager my 
 life — Hok ! Haco ! back — man — ^back ! — " 
 
 Haco heard the shout, but probably not
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 195 
 
 its import — for he merely turned back his 
 head, laughed loud, and waving his hand, 
 shouted something in return, which also did 
 not reach its intended destination. 
 
 Ulf, in a mutter bade him go to — a place 
 not to be mentioned, even to eyes polite, — ^for 
 a fool ; and then anxiously waited what would 
 become of him. 
 
 Before the boat got near enough to the 
 shore to enable those on board to attempt a 
 landing, — (which indeed they would have found 
 it difficult to do in most places, as it was 
 now low water; and deep mud, between the 
 river and its banks, prevented access to the 
 firm land ;) — a horseman was observed to gal- 
 lop down from the Danish army at a furious 
 rate, towards the water's edge. He seemed 
 to see Haco, and to change his course ac- 
 cordingly, which before was directed towards 
 the main fleet. 
 
 Ulf observed — " So — ^he'll make the mad- 
 brain hear, it is to be hoped — tidings of ill 
 though, I fear." 
 
 The horseman was now close upon the bank, 
 and yet, to the astonishment of the spectators, 
 
 K 2
 
 196 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 he neither reined in^ nor turned aside; but 
 still pushed right forward. — 
 
 Ulf, Is the man wood ? — or such an ass, 
 as to think a horse can swim through mud, 
 up to his belly-girth. 
 
 Godw. He seems to have lost all sway- 
 over the beast — see, how he tugs at the 
 reins ! — 
 
 Ulf, Who can it be ? — ^he is lost if — 
 
 Before he could end his sentence, the over 
 excited animal had plunged into the mud, 
 and in a moment afterrv^ards was shding about, 
 without the least power of regulating his own 
 motions. 
 
 " Now — turn him ! — turn him to the shore !" 
 — shouted Ulf, though he must himself have 
 known without the least chance of being 
 heard : — " firm hand and steady seat may yet 
 save them both— and both or neither — Block- 
 head ! he is not spurring the steed surely." 
 
 Ulf s negatively uttered conjecture was cor- 
 rect — the horseman, though still retaining much 
 presence of mind, had evidently lost his pru- 
 dence ; and even the former advantage was 
 rapidly deserting him, as his horse, becoming
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 197 
 
 more restive under the influence of the spur, 
 plunged farther and deeper in, thus rendering 
 his rider's situation every moment more preca- 
 rious — the man was confounded too, by the 
 deafening and unintelligible shouts of encou- 
 ragement or advice, that were sent from his 
 coxmtrymen in the ships — ^he was half blinded 
 and choked by the filth, which his horse at 
 every fresh plunge splashed around him — he 
 let go the reins and clung round the neck 
 with his arms — and more tightly than before 
 pressed his bent legs against his horse's sides 
 — the long iron spurs, or rather spikes went 
 deep through the hide — the horse reared — 
 and shpped on one side with his head in the 
 mud — the man tried to turn in the saddle, 
 but could not — the spurs were too fast in the 
 beast's flesh, who, under the pain, made one 
 more terrific plunge — reared once more to 
 his full height — and feU backwards, burying 
 his rider beneath him. 
 
 A dead silence instantaneously followed ; 
 broken only by the continuous plashing strug- 
 gles of the man and brute— and the occasional 
 sobs of the latter. Haco, venturing as near to
 
 198 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 the mud bank as he could, ^\dthout running 
 upon it, threw out a rope towards the spot, 
 in the hopes of yet sa\^ng the man — but it was 
 too short, in the first place, as it did not 
 reach more than half way to the place re- 
 quired ; and it would have been too late, even 
 had it been longer, for all was still there in 
 a very few moments : and the sheet of mud, 
 though spotted and discoloured, resumed its 
 former slimy aspect. 
 
 Godwdn, who had watched the catastrophe 
 till it was over, and then turned away sick at 
 having done so, now suddenly called his 
 friend's attention to some ships, which were 
 making fast down the river towards them. 
 
 Ulf cried out — " As I Uve, Gudin, those 
 be our ships coming back — chased, I won- 
 der ? — or what ? — we must send a rowing 
 boat out to get their tidings quicker. The 
 most blundering day I ever fought through." 
 Not heeding GodT\'in*s question whether 
 there would not be danger to the ladies, 
 Ulf proceeded to give the necessar}^ orders 
 to the captain of the nearest vessel ; but be- 
 fore they could be executed, Haco, ha\'ing
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 199 
 
 also descried the approaching vessels, was off 
 at full speed towards them. — 
 
 Vlf. Good — he will do better — and what 
 ive are to do, we shaU find out anon, I take 
 it : — not do-wn the river any ■v^^se ; for I see 
 our kingly brother is at quick march straight 
 the other way. Banger thou saidst — umph ! 
 — may be. — Aha! the riddle is out then — 
 and as I guessed it : — see yonder spinney of 
 spears at the western gate, Gudin — and 
 the floating banner, that flutters above them 
 aU : Aedmund is in earnest there — and our 
 cunning King has thought it "^ise to eat his 
 own words, and be off without gi^'ing the 
 Saxon the meeting : — what a high-blown rage 
 he will be in at aU this now — I would not 
 take his crown to be forced to have the stub- 
 born brain, that it girdles : — but — 
 Your kings — your kings — 
 They may do strange things — 
 
 as old Ruder the Rymer says. (The boat 
 
 was now back within ear-shot of Ulf's ship; 
 
 and he continued) — Now Haco, what news ? 
 Haco. Ha ! ha ! ha ! Bad enough I 
 Ulf. Thought so, by thy laughing. Come ! 
 
 the worst at once.
 
 200 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Haco. Oh ! here's one, who'll make worse of 
 the worst itself. 
 
 He sprung into the vessel, followed, in a 
 more deliberate manner, by a short squat 
 squabby man, whom Ulf greeted by the name 
 of Aelfheagge, — which, being interpreted, sig- 
 nifieth — Tall as an elf- — ^in which cognomen, 
 there was probably as much irony then, as there 
 would be earnest now-a-days. 
 
 Ulf. And now give thy tidings in as few 
 words as may be, friend; for we have little 
 time to waste in talk. 
 
 Be it known in the mean while, that to the 
 individual thus addressed, had been entrusted 
 the command of that portion of the fleet, 
 which had been sent as an escort with the 
 ladies. 
 
 Aelfh. Thou speakest sooth, headman ; there 
 is little time to waste in words — nor will I 
 do so now — not that I know I am ever given 
 to waste — ^in any way — that time, the which 
 may be somehow well employed. — 
 
 Ulf. Well — well — to the point — to the point. 
 
 Aelfh. To the point we shall come in due 
 time, headman — ^but every thing hath its time, 
 — even as every time hath — ahem ! —
 
 GODWIN AND GODA, 201 
 
 Haco whispered to Godwin — " Wait a bit, 
 and thou shalt see Ulf in great wrath." 
 
 To which Godwin answered — "Little wonder: 
 I am so already." 
 
 Aelfheagge continued — " I know not, head- 
 man, how ye have found the wind hereabouts 
 — ^but farther up the river, it has been blowing 
 from every point in the sky — and that is the 
 great fault I ever find with your inland saihng, 
 that one never can know what mind the wind 
 will be of for two eye-twinkles together — 
 and up this river methinks it chops and 
 changes more than I ever met with any wind, 
 ever since I have serv^ed on ship-board — and 
 that is now just nine and thirty winters, come 
 next spring — to say nothing of the service of 
 my father, who. , . 
 
 IJlf. Thunder and hail ! would thou wouldst 
 say nothing, if thou canst not to the point — • 
 what has aU this to do with the business, 
 booby ? — what brings thee back ? 
 
 Aelfh. Let me see — what has it to do ? why, 
 I was speaking of the wind, was I not ? 
 
 Ulf. What brings thee back, I ask ? — not 
 
 this cursed wind, which thou hast sailed right 
 
 in the teeth of, to come hither. 
 
 K 3
 
 202 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Aelfh. Nay — nay — headman — not right in 
 the teethj so to say — for the wind is — now — and 
 has been, for the last half watch, I take it,— 
 nor-east by east; and we have been sail- 
 ing 
 
 Ulf. To hell — 'thou shalt sail, or swim straight- 
 ways ; an thou answer not — (he caught hold 
 of Aelf heagge by the throat) tell me, dog, what 
 brings thee back, in five words. 
 
 Aelfh. I cannot — ^by any means — utter half 
 so many words — an thou loosen not thy hold — 
 from my throat. 
 
 Haco. Better take him at his five words, Ulf, 
 or we shall know nothing about it — ha ! ha ! ha I 
 he has told me six times as much as he has 
 thee — and yet I know just as httle. 
 
 Ulf. Well fool — ^have it thine own way — (and 
 he flung the man from him with such force, 
 that he must certainly have fallen backwards 
 into the hold, had he not struck the back 
 of his head against the mast, and was thus 
 bounded back again into Ulf's arms — who 
 grappled him by the shoulder — shook him 
 violently' — and shouted in his ear ; — Now 
 I've got thee again I'll shake thy bones out
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 20S 
 
 of thy fat, if thou answer not straightfor- 
 ward. 
 
 Aelfh, Bless me ! — -well ! — where was I? 
 
 Haco, Not quite in the teeth of the wind ; 
 but mighty near in the throat of the river : 
 ha ! ha ! what a funny httle hole thou wouldst 
 ha' made in the water, Aelfheagge. 
 
 Ulf. Now thou hast got breath again — 
 answer. 
 
 Aelfh, What? 
 
 Haco, Oh ! that Blocer isn't here to note 
 down, that for once Aelfheagge answered in 
 one short word. 
 
 Vlf, What brings thee back ? 
 
 Aelfh. I see. I shall unfold the whole tale 
 in as few words as thou couldst wish, head- 
 man. Though this is not the first time — nor 
 the second — ^nor may the ninth, that I have 
 been up this river, yet I openly avouch, I 
 know not yet the names of half 
 
 Ulf growled out an angry : " Now !" — and 
 l^egan shaking his victim as vigorously as though 
 he meant really to put his above threat into 
 immediate execution. 
 
 Aelfh. We — e — ell — I — I — I will go — o— on.
 
 204 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Bless me — phew ! how this kind of thing 
 takes away one's breath. 
 
 Haco. It's clear we can make nothing out 
 of him, Ulf. Here are our ships now close 
 at hand — I'll go on board some of them, and 
 find some one, who can unfold the matter 
 to us. 
 
 Aelfh. Thou'lt find no one who knows half 
 so much about it, as I do, Haco. 
 
 Haco. Or will talk half so much about it, I 
 trust, old boy. Why what in the name of 
 evil is this? other ships coming down the 
 river ? — Seaxon ones, I trow. 
 Aelfh. Aye — that's it ! 
 
 Ulf and Haco spoke together, the latter 
 asking : " That's what f* and the former : 
 " ff^7iat's that ?" 
 
 And Aelfheagge answered : " That's what I 
 was all along going to tell thee, headman, about 
 these self-same ships." 
 
 Ulf. How many be there ? 
 Aelfh. That I cannot for a surety say, in as 
 much as I turned hither so soon as I saw them 
 at all. 
 
 Ulf Was that cowardice, or folly, now?
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 205 
 
 (Aelf heagge began to make a suitable answer 
 to this question, but Ulf without paying the 
 least attention to him, continued;) — It boots 
 nothing after all ; — Haco, leap into yon boat — 
 get the ship with the women fenced in by the 
 rest of the fleet, on aU sides ; — that done — we 
 will cut through them — stay — I will come vnth 
 thee, Haco : — stop on board, Gudin, till I 
 come back. — Steersman, bring the ship round 
 to the van, I will join thee there. 
 
 Having said this, he sprang after Haco into 
 the boat, and they were rowed away up to the 
 newly arrived ships. 
 
 Godmn was not a httle mortified at being 
 obliged to remain behind, without being able 
 to satisfy himself as to the safety of the females, 
 about whom, — as he fancied collectively — he felt 
 a very sudden and intense interest: and his fancy 
 was not entirely devoid of foundation — for he 
 could not be entirely careless of the welfare of his 
 friend's "wdfe, though he had as yet seen so 
 Httle of her; while for another female rela- 
 tive of his — of whom he had seen quite as 
 little, — ^he felt more interest than he perhaps 
 acknowledged to himself; — and though he sin-
 
 206 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 cerely believed he had brought himself not to 
 care any more about Aelf giva, yet he certainly 
 did — ^enough at least to make her safety a 
 matter of consideration to him, so that he was 
 in reality doubly deceiving himself. 
 
 But another mortification, which Godwhi 
 had to undergo, was listening to the long ha- 
 rangue of Aelfheagge, the beginning of which 
 — (for to no reader — not even the most pa- 
 tient, — would I administer the whole dose) — 
 was somewhat as foUows : 
 
 " Thus it is, young man, — thus it ever is, — 
 and thus as thou waxest elder, thou wilt find it 
 ever wiU be, — that those, who have done good 
 deeds in their time, and have grown old in 
 the doing such, are slighted by the young and 
 upstart, who deem that bravery of heart and 
 bearing can make every amends for skiU and 
 knowledge. Not that I mean our Headman, — 
 the brother-in-law of our King, — is wanting in 
 either of these — ^but he is young, young man, 
 and so too is his aforesaid brother-in-law our 
 King; and they are both too much given to 
 the trusting in that bravery I spake of, and 
 the which that they both have, none can gain-
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 207 
 
 say, who is any wise a truth-speaker, but they 
 are too much given to trust all to that, which 
 unaided is of but little avail — ^for what availeth 
 might without cunning to back it? What 
 booketh the heart to be strong, if the head be 
 weak J even as the ship, whose masts are of 
 oak and whose sails are of strong canvass, if 
 without a rudder, should be tossed about and 
 driven upon shoals and rocks — I say rocks, 
 because in the seas, — where may be thou hast 
 never been, — there be such things, — and also 
 shoals, which is not the most fitting word for 
 the mud-banks, whereby we are surrounded; 
 and this river though a broad and fair one, is 
 by no means hke a sea, unless indeed it be 
 some of those inland seas, which I mind to 
 have sailed across in Norw^egenland, when 
 some twenty winters back, I went with our then 
 King, — that was this King's father, — to wage 
 war against Olave the King of that land ; and 
 truth to speak, — the which I love to speak and hear 
 spoken at all times and risks, we were beaten 
 back again, with much loss of men and wealth, 
 and some of good name — but that latter at 
 least was soon redeemed — and indeed I am
 
 208 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 bold to say that our mishap was altogether to 
 be laid to the chance of war, rather than to 
 any lack of either skill or bravery on our part 
 — for even the bravest and most skilful must 
 at times yield to the stress of chance — even as 
 the steersman, be he never so good, cannot 
 always stand against the stress of weather 
 — which brings me to the point." 
 
 How it did so, it might be difficult to de- 
 termine ; but after this rather Nestorian induc- 
 tion, he commenced and proceeded to relate, 
 how after he had made some way up the river, 
 — ^giving Godwin the most accurately topogra- 
 phical descriptions of the different points he 
 had passed, but the names of which he re- 
 peated his most solemn assertion he did not 
 know — he of a sudden came in sight of four 
 vessels, who were saihng round a tongue of 
 land towards him ; and that after taking coun- 
 sel between his head and his heart, — ^which he 
 assured Godwin should always be done in all 
 matters even of the most trifling importance, — 
 he had deemed it prudent to turn back — not 
 with any thought of flying before a foe, but 
 taking into due consideration the weight of the
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 209 
 
 charge, with which he was entrusted, and the 
 chance that there might be other vessels in 
 the rear : he then launched into a disquisition 
 on prudence, branching out at intervals into 
 various observations on the art of war, — the 
 natural history of the Kraken, — the best mode 
 of making the voice heard during a storm, — and 
 of keeping vegetables fresh during a sea-voyage, 
 — with other such relative and appropriate mat- 
 ters; in the fall course of which he was checked 
 by the return of Ulf. 
 
 '' Now, Aelfheagge," he said, as he mounted 
 the vessel — " off with thee, man, and change 
 place with Haco, who for the nonce hath the 
 command of thy ship — ladies and all : get all 
 the boats out — well manned — Haco mil 
 take charge of one — ^let them aU keep close 
 round thy ship — ^like a brood of young duck- 
 lings round their mother — and heark, lad, turn 
 not tail, and run foul of thy young ones, 
 shouldst thou hap to come in sight of a few of 
 the foemen's sail — but keep steadily on — thou 
 shalt come to no harm — now, away with thee." 
 
 '^ Nay, but headman,'' said Aelfheagge,Hnger- 
 ing with one foot on the deck, and the other on
 
 210 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 the ladder — ^' I swear now the only ground 
 I had for returning was. . ." 
 
 To get out of the way — retorted Ulf. 
 
 Aelfh. — Nay — nay — by my troth — not for 
 mine own sake — 
 
 Ul/n. Then for thine own sake, I rede thee 
 to get out of harm's way now — or of a surety 
 thou wilt — somehow or other — ^get a fall back- 
 wards into the boat — and may be into the 
 water : — go — go — and without a speech. — 
 
 Aelfheagge obeyed — though not without a 
 speech — ^but as the whole of it — (except the 
 words — " I am not fond of speaking") — was 
 lost upon Ulf, and it must be added upon 
 Godwin too, the reader must excuse the 
 omission thereof. 
 
 Ulf continued — " Gudin, thou hast fought 
 bravely to-day, wilt thou undertake the charge 
 of one of the boats ?" 
 
 Godwin blushed, and looked modest ; though 
 he felt, in fact, proud of what he considered a 
 very honourable distinction on the part of his 
 friend, for in his own estimation, and perha2:)s in 
 that of some readers, the charge thus offered to 
 him was one of danger, and one that required both
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 211 
 
 the requisites^ concerning which Aelf heagge had 
 just favoured him with a dissertation — ^but Ulf 
 knew better than either Godwdn or the reader 
 — he calculated^ indeed^ the impression made 
 upon the former by his offer would be just 
 what it was — and that the young Saxon's flat- 
 tered vanity would magnify the importance of 
 the charge, wherewith he proposed to entrust 
 him — for he himself knew, that in reality no 
 skill, and a merely ordinary share of bravery 
 were requisite for the office ; and, even if God- 
 win had exhibited a much less satisfactory por- 
 tion of the latter quahty, than he had done 
 during that morning's fight, still Ulf would 
 have been contented to have confided the present 
 charge to him — out of pure necessity, arising 
 fi'om the paucity of men, whom he might, with 
 any appearance of decency, place in authority 
 over others; — so many of his captains had been 
 either slain or disabled in the preceding conflict 
 — and the presence of most of the rest being 
 indispensably required to manage the larger 
 vessels. 
 
 Godwin expressed his willing acquiescence
 
 212 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 in the proposed arrangement ; and at the same 
 time his fears that he was unworthy a charge 
 of such weight. 
 
 His friend did not care to undeceive him 
 as to this latter point — ^but rephed very gravely 
 — " True Godwin— it is of great weight — even 
 to guard the wife and the sister of thy friend — 
 but the weightier the charge, the hghter should 
 seem the duty — go — and prove thyself worthy 
 of it. — Aelfheagge, this young Saxon then 
 goes with thee — thou wilt leave him in charge 
 of that boat — and unfold to him all that may 
 be needful for him to do." 
 
 Aelfheagge promised he would do as desired 
 — and most elaborately did he keep his word ; 
 and if Godwin's patience was not quite ex- 
 hausted, it was perhaps owing to the newly- 
 induced respect wherewith the Dane's gar- 
 rulity was tempered' — who now offered his 
 advice with the most scrupulous deference ; for 
 like many other railers against princes, peers 
 and potentates, he was at heart a great time- 
 server, and a most obsequious venerator of a 
 title.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 213 
 
 But Godwin's attention was in truth very 
 little engaged by the advice of his counsellor 
 — even sugared as it was — ^he was occupied — 
 at first with some awkward thoughts, that 
 would intrude about the propriety of his being 
 in arms against his countrymen — and after- 
 wards — (when by dint of every thing but rea- 
 son) he had expelled these intruders in watching 
 the deck of the ship, which they were ap- 
 proaching, whereon he plainly saw Haco in 
 conversation with three ladies ; Godwin's heart 
 beat quickly at the sight — and yet more quick- 
 ly, as he perceived the young Dane very gal- 
 lantly kiss the hands of two of them — and then 
 adroitly — and as Godwin thought very ostenta- 
 tiously — spring into a boat. Before they got 
 near enough to the vessel for Godwin to distin- 
 guish the ladies' features, they had descended 
 into the hold ; and he thus lost all chance of 
 seeing them, as he had no excuse for ascending 
 the vessel. 
 
 In a few minutes the Danish fleet was 
 arranged, and in motion up the river : the 
 ships arranged in the shape of a long oval, 
 having each end pointed so as to form a
 
 214 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 wedge; Ulf's vessel being the point of the 
 vanward angle : — in the centre was the ship 
 containing the females — « immediately round 
 which, rowed a swarm of small boats — fenced 
 in by a line of the larger vessels. 
 
 Opposite the island of Thorney — a small spot 
 of land bounded on the south by the river, 
 and on every other side by extensive marshes 
 — so called from the numerous thorn-bushes by 
 which it was overgrown ; among which stood 
 several poor fishermen's hovels, around the 
 ruins of an old Roman temple of Apollo — (and 
 on the site of which latter, some years after, 
 King Edward the Confessor laid the ground- 
 work of our present Westminster Abbey) — oppo- 
 site this island, the Saxon ships, amounting al- 
 together not to more than a score, were ranged, 
 crescentwise, across the river — as though with 
 the intention of opposing the enemy. — But 
 as the Danes approached, this curved Hne of 
 ships opened, those in the centre fell back 
 on either hand close to the shore, so as ap- 
 parently to leave a free passage for the Danish 
 vessels. 
 
 On they came steadily and swiftly — and it
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 215 
 
 seemed as though they would pass ^\'ithout 
 either party molesting the other; when sud- 
 denly, as the Danes had about midway passed 
 the Saxons, the latter drove in upon them 
 with an irresistible fury; by this manoeuvre 
 attacking the weakest part of the enemy's 
 fleet, that which was guarded by only a single 
 line of ships, through which they easily broke 
 and were now nmning down, or scattering 
 on either side the smaller boats, apparently 
 with as much faciUty as a ruffled swan would 
 dash through a bed of river-lihes. 
 
 Ulf was vexed beyond expression, and quite 
 as much so, by being outwitted, as by the 
 chance of defeat or discomfiture, with which 
 he seemed to be threatened ; he ordered the 
 vessels in the van to turn round to the suc- 
 cour of the others 3 and at the same time sent 
 word along the line to Aelfheagge to sail on 
 — avoiding fight as much as possible. — But 
 the mandate was of but little avail; for by 
 the time it reached its destination, a Saxon 
 vessel was along side of the Dane's — and 
 the crew of each were already closely en- 
 gaged in desperate conflict: — on board the
 
 216 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 former was Godwin: — ^in its progress it had 
 overturned the boat in which he was stand- 
 ing — he had saved himself by scrambhng 
 up the side of the ship, scarcely conscious of 
 the peril into which he was thrusting him- 
 self — and yet when a man on board was about 
 to cut him down, with great presence of mind 
 he had called out — '^ Barest thou slay a Saxon 
 Eorl?" 
 
 The man dropped his weapon with the same 
 alacrity, that the Gaul displayed, when a some- 
 what similar exclamation was addressed to 
 him by the third founder of Rome ; and God- 
 win trod the deck of the Saxon ship unre- 
 garded and unknown. 
 
 He had remained tranquil enough tUl he 
 saw that the hostile intentions of his coun- 
 trymen were directed against the vessel which 
 enshrined so much of interest to him — and 
 then bawhng to them to beware, he began 
 exercising his sword, (having dropped his mace 
 in the water) with an energy that spoke great- 
 ly for his zeal, but very httle for his prudence : 
 for the result was that some of the sailors 
 thinking him mad- — thus putting the most fa-
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 217 
 
 vourable construction on his conduct — ^laid 
 him prostrate and stunned upon the deck. 
 
 When he recovered, the first objects that 
 met his dim sight were two men bending 
 over him — the one with a raised battle-axe — 
 seemingly about to descend upon his own — 
 (Godwin's) — head — and the other staring into 
 his face, and holding his comrade's uplifted 
 arm. 
 
 Godwin sighed out — " They must be saved" 
 — and the latter — that is the man who was 
 staring at him, — instantly rejoined — 
 
 " There — said he was a landsman — knew it 
 by the cut of his gib" — 
 
 This man had probably saved our hero's hfe 
 — if so, he received but a sorr)^ reward for his 
 pains; for the next moment Godwin leapt up — 
 knocked him backwards overboard — stabbed 
 the axe-bearer to the heart — and then sprang 
 into Aelfheagge's ship. — This was now, he 
 found, in possession of the Saxons : Aelfheagge 
 himself he perceived bound to the mast, and 
 attempting to reason with four or five Saxons 
 who were heartily laughing at him — and per- 
 haps not quite understanding him : he broke off 
 
 VOL. I. L
 
 218 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 from his argument to call to Godwin, — who paid 
 him no attention however, but hastened down 
 into the hold, whence he distinctly heard the 
 cries and wailing of women. 
 
 He found them all three there — Aehgiva — 
 Adrida — and Goda — together with several of 
 their maidens; it was these latter, who were 
 shrieking : the two former ladies were already 
 bound ; Aehgiva was sitting, looking haughty 
 and careless; Adrida stood, looking haughty 
 also, but with an expression of rage in her 
 blue eyes, that even added to her beauty, as 
 Godwin thought in the momentary glance he 
 gave her ; for his whole attention was at once 
 drawn to Goda, who with dishevelled hair and 
 torn garments, and a bloody dagger grasped 
 in her hand, was struggling desperately with 
 a man, probably the captain of the Saxon 
 ship, who seemed foiled in his endeavours to 
 secure the hands of the Danish maiden. 
 
 ^' Fixen !" he cried out — '' thou hast drawn 
 blood from me — and shalt. , , ," 
 
 His tongue was stopped by the sudden 
 dashing in of his front teeth by the hilt of 
 Godwin's sword, which he had swung round
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. ' 219 
 
 by the blade, and flung against the Saxon's 
 mouth ; — his face being the only part of his 
 person, that was unprotected by armour : — he 
 was stunned, and reeled back — and before he 
 could at all recover himself, the same uncouth 
 weapon had inflicted a setthng wound under 
 his left temple. 
 
 As Godwin dealt the last blow he roared out 
 — " Danes — ^be there none here to fight for the 
 sisters of your King and your leader ?" 
 
 About half a score of Danes, who had been 
 batthng in the back-ground T\ath the Saxons, 
 now sprang forward at this appeal ; and with 
 increased fury attacked their more numerous 
 but not so desperate foes : the conflict raged 
 madly for some seconds ; during which Godwdn, 
 though fighting incessantly, noticed that the 
 noise on the deck above had augmented — 
 stamping and tramphng mingled with shouts 
 and groans — and became more and more con- 
 founded together — while from various spots the 
 hot blood was hterally streaming do"\^Ti upon 
 the fighters beneath. — After a short interval 
 of this doubtful riot, Ulf, with a shout, leapt 
 into the hold — stood still — ^glanced round him 
 
 L 2
 
 220 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 quickly but tremulously — drew in his breath a 
 moment — and then cried out — ^^ Safe — safe — 
 all saved ! by Tuisco !" 
 
 He darted up to his wife — kissed her lips, 
 and cut her bonds with his sword — ^kissed her 
 again — then cut Aelfgiva's bonds — and then 
 ran up to Godwin, who was holding Goda 
 almost fainting in his arms : Ulf kissed 
 her cheek — clasped and wrung Godwin's 
 hand — muttered some inarticulate sounds, 
 while the tears stood in his eyes — laughed, 
 bit his hp — nodded hastily to his friend — 
 and again bounded upon the deck ; — cutting 
 down two Saxons in his extasy, and by way of 
 finale. 
 
 In a few minutes all the enemy who were 
 in the hold either were slaughtered, or had 
 yielded themselves : meanwhile the tumult 
 above gradually died away ; and when Ulf 
 made his second appearance in the hold, it was 
 with the welcome assurance, that the foe had 
 withdrawn their ships, and that they them- 
 selves were now again saihng in perfect safety 
 up the river.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 221 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 As soon as Ulf had seen tranquillity re* 
 stored on board Aelfheagge's vessel, he left it, 
 after taking leave of his wife and sister how- 
 ever ; and Godwin, very much against his 
 inchnation, felt it his duty to foUow him. No 
 other incident worth noting occurred tiU they 
 arrived off Brentford ; before which towTi they 
 perceived the Danish army had encamped : 
 whereupon Ulf gave orders for their debark- 
 ation and, with Godwin, accompanied the ladies 
 to Knute's tent. 
 
 They were received graciously enough by the 
 monarch ; who, in spite of his recent defeat — 
 (or, I believe, under such circumstances the
 
 222 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 more correct military phrase would be retreat) 
 — happened to be in exceedingly good humour. 
 He had just finished a good meal, which, may 
 be, contributed some httle to his said humour, 
 and very hospitably commanded the board to be 
 instantly replenished for the new comers. But 
 the females requested to be excused, plead- 
 ing fatigue ; therefore they retired, and Ulf 
 followed their example ; first having given the 
 King a succinct account of the ' hair-breadth 
 'scapes,' they had gone through; though 
 something to Godwin's astonishment Ulf did 
 not mention his name throughout ; and he 
 could not help thinking that, at least from him, 
 his conduct had merited some notice. 
 
 On their way to ULf's tent, Godwin thought 
 he was about to allude to this omission when 
 he began a speech thus : — 
 
 " I dare say, Gudin, thou thoughtest my 
 haviour rather odd just now ; didst not ?" 
 Godw. In what, Ulf? 
 
 Vlf. Oh!— Why in that I took not the. King's 
 bidding to eat with him — ^but thou must know 
 that, recldess as I may seem, meliketh not to 
 be nicknamed coward ; so that tiU my kingly
 
 GODWIX AND GODA. 223 
 
 brother take back that unkingly word, we break 
 not bread together. 
 
 Whether this was what Ulf originally meant 
 to have explained, when he first addressed 
 Godwin, cannot, I should suppose, be a mat- 
 ter of very great interest to any one ; at all 
 events Godwin thought it was all quite right, 
 and moreover said he thought his friend 
 was so. 
 
 When they arrived at Ulf' s tent, they made 
 as good a meal as they could from such unso- 
 phisticated viands as were within their reach, 
 consisting of boiled eels, roast horse flesh, 
 oaten cakes, and cheese, with plenty of strong 
 ale to wash them down. Having thus most 
 generously satisfied the wants of nature, they 
 changed their dress, each putting on one of the 
 same texture and shape — (for they both be- 
 longed to Ulf) — namely hosen, and close 
 coats reaching to the knee, of hnen — differing 
 however in colour; — Ulf's being of lilac, and 
 Godwin's of dark green : while dressing, the 
 latter complained grievously to his friend of his 
 bruises and stiffness ; and felt still more sore, 
 when Ulf heartily laughed at him.
 
 224 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 "Never fear, Gudin/' — ^he said — "no need for 
 the leech this bout; — ^but cheer up — thou mayst 
 be luckier another — and then the sheen fingers 
 of ladies may be busied in thy healing : but 
 come ; let us take a stroll along the meadows 
 by the water side; the aftermidday is bright 
 and hot — and I have no mind to sit weltering 
 in a tent : we will go to the King some while 
 before even-meal-tide — and just see if he have 
 aught to say to me/' 
 
 Godw, But may hap he may want thee, ere 
 then. 
 
 UJf. He can send for me. 
 Godw. But those he sends will know not 
 where to find thee. 
 
 Ulf. Paugh ! they can seek for me — ^worry 
 not thyself upon that head, dear lad — but come 
 out a-walking. 
 
 They went accordingly, westward away from 
 the town of Old Brentford, as it is now called, 
 — ^which then, as now, was built close down to 
 the Thames; and before whose walls the Danish 
 camp was now pitched : they sauntered along 
 the pleasant meadows, • that now form part of 
 the park belonging to Sion house, and Godwin^
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 225 
 
 to whom the present cultivated prospect offered 
 a not unpleasing contrast T\dth the T\ald scenery 
 in which his youth had been passed^ grew con- 
 templative and began to morahse aloud upon 
 the astonishing absurdity of man, who could 
 not be content to enjoy such spots in their 
 beauty and tranquilhty, but must soil them 
 with bloodshed and slaughter. 
 
 "Aye — ^but to win them, Gudin," interrupted 
 Ulf, who hated morahsing — and having the 
 advantage of some years of age, and many of 
 experience, over the simple neatherd, could 
 naturally judge much more correctly than God- 
 win about such matters — he continued — " To 
 ^vin such a lovely land, Gudin — were it not worth 
 the shedding of much blood — aye — even to 
 the slaving of half a folk? — As the world wags, 
 blood must be shed — and slaughter must be 
 done, as the price of aU that is worthy of man 
 — of aU that is dear to him — a somewhat dear 
 price, mayhap thou mayst say — ^but sure none 
 but women or the woman-hearted among men 
 would withhold the payment of it." 
 
 To this it may perhaps be inferred that 
 Godwin had nothing to reply — as he did in 
 
 L 3
 
 226 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 fact not reply — ^but if any reader^ not hap- 
 pening quite to agree with Ulf's view of the 
 case, should think ill of our hero for not being 
 able to rebut the same ; let him, or her, suppose 
 he could have said all that there was to say on 
 the subject, and was only prevented from so 
 doing by the sound of a very sweet voice, that 
 was heard singing behind a row of old thorn 
 trees, which ran between the two friends and 
 the bank of the river. 
 
 Ulf laid his finger on his lips — at the 
 same time whispering — " One of thy lazy 
 landswomen, I take it, singing a ditty to her 
 sheep" — 
 
 They crept on a few paces — and Ulf added — 
 " No — by my troth — the words are Danish 
 — oho ! then I wis I know the singer — ^listen !" 
 
 Godwin did listen; but his heart beat as 
 tumultuously at Ulf*s intimation, as though it 
 had contained the most stirring tidings — the 
 reader will hardly think it worth while to 
 guess why it should so beat — ^but certainly the 
 voice was a very sweet one — and the words 
 — as far as he heard them — ran somehow 
 thus — •
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 227 
 
 * »»♦•♦* 
 
 And lovely looks the sunlit river. 
 
 When 'neath the winds its wavelets quiver — 
 
 And lightly sound the tiny trills 
 
 The birdlings maken with their bills : 
 
 Light and lovely — sweet and sheen 
 
 All things in the summer been. 
 
 But lighter than the tiny trills 
 
 The birdlings maken with their bills — 
 
 And lovelier than the sunlit river. 
 
 When 'neath the winds its wavelets quiver, — 
 
 And sweeter than the sigh that heaves 
 
 From the living rose's leaves — 
 
 And sheen ier than the heaven's height. 
 
 When all its star-lamps are a-light — 
 
 Are voice, and smile, and breath, and eyes 
 
 Of heigh — ho — aw — yaw ! 
 
 The singer broke off with a sigh, which 
 ended in a most dehberate and sonorous yawn 
 ' — and Ulf scarcely stifling his laughter, beck- 
 oned Godwin on a httle further. 
 
 They advanced, and peeping round the thorn 
 bushes, beheld, to the young Saxon's excessive 
 wonderment, Ijmg at full length upon the grass 
 bank, which just there overhung the water, the 
 slim and elegant figure of a man. He was
 
 228 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 clad in a dress of scarlet silk — the whole of 
 which fitted close to his well-shaped body — 
 his shoes were of yellow leather — and round 
 his neck he bore several chains of silver and 
 gold — of the lightest possible fabrication of that 
 period : between him and the grass was spread 
 a long large mantle of dark stuif, which was 
 loosely tied over his right shoulder; he was 
 supporting himself on his left elbow ; and in 
 the same hand was twirhng a large buttercup 
 round his lips — while in the right he bore a 
 scarlet silk bonnet, adorned with a tuft of 
 raven's feathers, with which he was slowly and 
 languidly fanning his face — which was turned 
 away from the intruders. 
 
 " Knowest thou the butterfly ?" whispered 
 Ulf. 
 
 " How should I ?" asked Godwin. — 
 Ulf. Why thou hast known it in the grub — 
 stop a bit — 
 
 He stooped and picked up a large flint, that 
 lay at his feet, and flung it over the man's 
 head into the water : — wherein it fell — ^unseen 
 by him — but not unheard — for it made a splen- 
 did splash.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 229 
 
 The day-dreamer slightly started — stopped 
 twirhng and fanning — and exclaimed — " My 
 life !— what a fish !" 
 
 Ulf burst out laughing, and said — "A fiendish 
 bad swimmer, Haco" — 
 
 Haco laughed too, as without turning his 
 head he answered — " Why — ^it was thou, kins- 
 man :" his laugh though was much more faint 
 than when he had been on board. 
 
 Wf, Nay — hardly so, Haco — unless like the 
 Elf Holdbrecht, I could be in water and on 
 earth at the same time. — Godwin, didst thou 
 ever see such a lazybones ? 
 
 Haco, Ah ! is the young Seaxon \A\kv thee ? 
 — (he turned his head and nodded to Godwin) 
 now, an thou hadst jumped into the water, friend, 
 I should not have wondered me — seeing swim- 
 ming is after thy kind : but for Ulf to do such 
 a thing — is — truly — ya — aw ! — astounding. — • 
 
 Ulf. What the devil art thou doing here ? 
 
 Haco, I am so hot — 
 
 Ulf, And so thou'rt Ipng on a southern bank, 
 by way of cooling thyself? 
 
 Haco, I might ha' taken cold had I lain in
 
 230 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 the shade — ^but the sun does in truth get 
 grievously into one's eyes, I find. — 
 
 Ulf, Ha ! ha ! ha ! why dost not get out of 
 the way, then ? 
 
 Haco, Ha ! ha ! ha — ^yaw ! why should I get 
 out of the way — when I can shut mine eyes. — 
 I am right sleepy. , 
 
 Godw. By St. Luke ! there's a snake close 
 to thy head, Haco. 
 
 Ulf laughed — and Haco asked — "Is there ! — 
 where ?'' — and just turned his head round. 
 
 t/^.-— There is tho'— -in truth- 
 He sprang back, for the reptile, the existence 
 of which he had before thought was the mere 
 creation of a jest, was very near his own feet, 
 and still nearer the head of Haco, to whom he 
 now cried out — " Up — ^up — man—- the worm is 
 going to dart at thee" — 
 
 Haco said — "Aye — an adder! — How she 
 sishes" — and very deliberately pounced down 
 upon the viper with the bonnet, which he held 
 in his right hand — 
 
 Both Godwin and Ulf cried out to him to 
 take heed —
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 231 
 
 " She'll sting thee thro' the silk" — exclaimed 
 the latter — 
 
 " She'U be right cunning then" — rephed the 
 other, coolly — at the same time lifting up the 
 serpent to their \aew — as he held it between 
 his bent fore-finger and thumb by the neck — 
 while its body kept twisting and coiling round 
 his wTist T^-ith a horribly wrathful energ)\ — 
 
 Ulf, who understood as much about snakes, 
 as Godwin did a few days back of scale-armour, 
 — ^was still in great alarm lest his kinsman 
 should be wounded, firmly behe\4ng that the 
 viper had the power, as it evidently had the 
 wdU to do him some mischief with its tail — but 
 Haco said — "Nay — nay — ^my lad — I did'nt 
 wont, when I was a boy, to go adder catch- 
 ing with old Rudolph the Swede, for nought :" 
 — while he said these words, he had risen 
 upon his legs, and at the same, time by 
 the pressure of his finger and thumb, stran- 
 gled the adder, whose black venom oozed 
 out of its bleeding jaws : with the other hand 
 he untsnsted the reptile's coils — continu- 
 ing — " Thou'rt a fool of a snake to come and 
 bother man in this way — to the water-
 
 232 GODWIN AND GODA* 
 
 fiend with thee — (and he flung the lank and 
 lifeless reptile into the river — ) And now what 
 shall we do, Ulf ? for I cannot get ridden of 
 you twain, as easily as I have of yon beast, I 
 fear/' — 
 
 Ulf, from sheer ignorance was as much asto- 
 nished by a deed, of which Godwin, from a 
 greater knowledge of such matters thought, very 
 little, as the latter would have been by the ex- 
 hibition of Haco's strength and activity during 
 the sea-fights, had he previously seen him in 
 the affectedly languid condition, which it was 
 his constant habit to assume — and under this 
 impression, Ulf, without answering Haco's 
 question, replied — 
 
 "By my word of truth, Haco — ^but thou art a 
 brave man" — 
 
 " And by mine, Ulf, thou art a fool" — an- 
 swered Haco — ^ 
 
 Ulf, who somehow thought this repartee in- 
 ferred an imputation on his own bravery, as 
 having attributed more danger to a feat than 
 it really possessed — asked very tartly — " How 
 so?"— 
 
 At which Haco calmly laughed^ — and re-
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 233 
 
 peated his question — " What shall we do ? 
 — I'm too warm to walk — and thou too hot to 
 talk."— 
 
 "Oh!"— saidUlf. 
 
 And " Oh !" said Haco— 
 
 Whereupon Godmn, that he might have 
 some share in such an interesting conversation^ 
 asked — " Knows either of you what time of day 
 it is?" 
 
 But they either knew nothing about the 
 matter, or were not courteous enough to return 
 an answer ; — but Ulf burst out laughing, and 
 said — "Well — Haco — thou wert right — lam a 
 fool—" 
 
 He took hold of Haco's hand ; and shook it 
 so heartily, that the latter cried out — " Life 
 and body ! shake not so hard — ^have some 
 thought of a man's nerves" — 
 
 " Pooh !" — said Ulf — " a man's nonsense — 
 come up with me to the King's : thou eatest 
 with him this evening?" — 
 
 Haco, — Why — I think so — but it cannot 
 surely be meal-time yet — truly, what with 
 fighting and eating, a man gets Httle rest in this 
 mad world.
 
 234 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Ulf. Not yet— I take it— but the King will 
 want our rede, belike. 
 
 Haco. — Then want may for once be the 
 King's King — no — no — ha ! ha ! ha ! — I cannot 
 do and think in one day — and IVe done enough 
 this — ^liowever I'U saunter up with you to the 
 King's — just to hear you all prattle — or may 
 be to toy away an hour with thy sister, Ulf. 
 
 Ulf laughed and said — " Aye — aye — I wish I 
 may catch thee toying with her" — 
 
 And Godwin, who did not laugh — ^wished 
 Haco at the devil — ^but did not tell him so. 
 
 They were now slowly walking back to- 
 wards the town — Haco, every now and then, 
 uttering the most languid invectives against 
 the heat, and requesting his companions not to 
 go at the pace of running footmen. — 
 
 "By the way," said Ulf, "what hast thou done 
 with the lock of hair, that I cut oif for thee 
 this morning ?" 
 
 Haco, Truly by the way indeed — ^kinsman — 
 I'll tell thee what — thou shall do slaughter with 
 me some odd day, for that misdeed — 
 
 Ulf, — When it is cooler weather, Haco — 
 
 Haco. Oh ! troth — aye — we'll wait till win-
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 235 
 
 ter^ and meanwhile I'll give the lock — see 
 — here it is, poor thing — to Goda — and 
 
 Ulf. Wilt thou ?— 
 
 Haco. In sooth, yes — and this same even too 
 — and before thine own eyes. — 
 
 Ulf. We shall see — 
 
 Haco. Thou shalt — unless thou shut them, as 
 I do, when the sun gets in them — and I ^^-ill 
 moreover dit a lay, about it — the gift, that is 
 — and it shall begin — 
 
 Lovely lips have sigh'd for thee. 
 
 Have sought for thee. 
 
 Have sued for thee, — 
 Lovely lips have sued for thee — 
 
 Many a time and oft : 
 But mine have still said nay to them — 
 
 Said nay to them 
 
 Said nay .... 
 
 Ulf. Pooh — booh ! — said bray to them. 
 
 Haco. — Bray? 
 
 Ulf — ^Aye — 7iay sounds too hke a horse's 
 speech — surely thou speakest in thine own — 
 
 " 0^-oh !" drawl'd out Haco — putting his fin- 
 ger to the side of his nose, and winking at God-
 
 236 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 win behind Ulf 's back ; he laughed good-hu- 
 mouredly, and then said very solemnly — " My 
 dear friends — I believe that even hearts have 
 been broken — or at least much cracked — about 
 that said ringlet of mine." 
 
 " Fophng !" muttered Godwin, his patience 
 utterly exhausted by all this nonsense — 
 
 Ulf stared round at him with astonishment 
 on his countenance ; and when Godwin turned 
 his head, and caught this look — ^he also saw 
 Haco's face thrust forward beyond Ulf 's — wear- 
 ing the same expression, but so burlesqued by 
 the extreme elevation of his eye-brows and 
 the contraction of his hps, that despite of himself 
 Godwin was forced to burst out laughing; 
 ' — which set both the others off too. 
 
 They arrived at length, tolerably good friends, 
 at Knute's tent — before which, as they had ex- 
 pected, they found most of the leaders of the 
 army in consultation with the King ; who said 
 on seeing Ulf — " Soh ! brother-in-law — thou 
 comest somewhat of the latest : — we have 
 needed thy rede here—
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 237 
 
 Ulf bowed with a sneer on his hps ; which 
 was distantly reflected by a frown on the King's 
 forehead. — ^The former took his seat however 
 in silence — and hstened^ seemingly with atten- 
 tion, to the debate that was going on as to the 
 expediency of remaining where they were, 
 or marching still further westward. 
 
 At last Knute, vexed at Ulf's petulant si- 
 lence, beckoned him up to him — and Godwin 
 overheard the King say — " Why what aileth 
 thee, Ulf — art playing the dumby again?" — and 
 Ulf's answer — "The speech of a coward could 
 avail little" — he then saw the King start back 
 and draw Ulf aside, where they remained 
 in earnest conversation for a few moments, 
 which ended in Knute's laughingly shaking 
 his brother-in-law by the hand— and they 
 returned to the table, Ulf giving a signi- 
 ficant and self-sufficient side nod at God- 
 win. — 
 
 The debate was now resumed — and Ulf for 
 
 once happened to agree with the King's view 
 of the case, namely, that they had better wait 
 the arrival of the English King; — whether he 
 did so from conviction, or prudence, it is not
 
 238 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 for me to determine. This counsel was finally 
 determined upon :■ — the assembly broke up — ^if 
 such could be called breaking up ; as by far 
 the greater part of those present accepted the 
 King's general invitation, of taking their even- 
 ing meal with him in his tent — ^whither they 
 now adjourned. 
 
 Just as they were going in, Knute beckoned 
 Godwin to his side — ^laid hold of his arm — 
 and in a low voice expressed his hearty thanks 
 for the service, which he had been told, he had 
 rendered him. — 
 
 Ulf, who was walking by Godwin's side, 
 whispered to him — " I knew that was the best 
 channel for the tidings to flow to his ear." 
 
 And the courtiers, who knew nothing of the 
 cause for this hidden familiarity between the 
 King and the young Saxon, looked inquiringly 
 and dissatisfied at one another; and some 
 even went so far as to whisper something 
 about the caprice of Kings — ^but this was done 
 in a very low tone — and nothing particular, 
 after all could have been meant, by such gene- 
 ral expressions ; as those who uttered them 
 were among the most obsequious in their de-
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 239 
 
 meanour to the monarch during the course of 
 the evening. — 
 
 Knute still leaning on Godwin's arm, they 
 entered the tent together — and found the ladies 
 there — and Haco with them. Even the King 
 seemed startled at seeing him there — and much 
 more so was Godwin, who nearly drew blood 
 from his Hp, out of sheer vexation of spirit. — 
 
 Haco, however, seemed nothing disconcerted 
 by the event — but making a low and graceful 
 bow to Knute, he said — ^^ I hope my King 
 will forgive this freedom — but of a truth, I 
 found the debate out yonder something 
 warm and wearisome, so I came in hither to 
 cool myself." 
 
 Knute nodded very superciliously — and went 
 to his seat at the table — at his left he placed 
 Godmn — ^w^hile Aelfgiva occupied his right. 
 During the meal Godwin's attention was un- 
 pleasantly di^dded by those, which he obser^^ed 
 the King was paying to Aelfgiva on one side — 
 and Haco to Goda — (by whose side he had 
 contrived to seat himself) — on the other. — He 
 observed too, that Ulf more than once raised 
 up his finger to his kinsman, as though to
 
 240 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 warn him — ^but the warning only seemed to 
 have the effect of rendering him more perse- 
 vering in his ci^dhties to the lady — so that by 
 the time supper was over, there was not a place 
 of e\'il — either real or imaginary — to which God- 
 win had not in his wishes sent the Danish puppy. 
 At last he saw, that — even while Ulf's eyes were 
 full upon them — Haco drew from beneath his 
 doublet the identical lock of hair, about which 
 there had been so much talk — and handed it to 
 Goda — who, blushing, and directing a half 
 glance under her eye-lashes at her brother — 
 took it : and to crown Godwin's excessive an- 
 noyance, he turned, and beheld Ulf smihng, as 
 though he really enjoyed the scene. 
 
 Half choking with passion and jealousy, and 
 in his heart cursing poor Goda for the arrantest 
 coquette that ever hved — ^he leant his head in 
 his two hands, supporting his elbows on the 
 table — and remained in this position — ^gnawing 
 at his own hands for a considerable time — 
 heedless of the rising revelry that sounded 
 round him. In the middle, however, of a loud 
 shout that had followed probably some toast or 
 other — ^he heard — as Aelfgiva had that morning
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 241 
 
 told him, a whisper might be best heard during 
 a tempest — his own name pronounced in a soft 
 voice at his ear : — he started up — but instead 
 of turning round to where the voice came 
 from, his attention was at once rivetted by 
 the scene of joyous tumults before him : — it 
 was quite dusk — but he could plainly see that 
 all around were standing — emptied goblets and 
 drawn swords were waving in every direction — 
 while every man was shouting a loud "hurrah!" 
 at the topmast of his lungs — and many of them 
 aiding the clamour, by striking the bottom of 
 their cups, or the blades of their weapons, upon 
 the ringing board. — Godwin rose instinctively, 
 and saw that the women no longer occupied 
 their places ; unused as he was to such scenes 
 of festi\4t)^, he somehow guessed that it was 
 their health that had been so tumultuously 
 toasted ; and perhaps this guess was a httle as- 
 sisted by the cry of "The Ladies! The Ladies!" 
 which he heard mingling with the else undis- 
 tinguishable riot : — ^he joined instinctively, but 
 not very loudly in the shout, wliich was im- 
 mediately echoed by a laugh from Uvo or three 
 to his left, and he heard one say — " \Miy the 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 242 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Saxon Eorl has drunk to his own health — I 
 thought he was gone." — 
 
 Godwin felt confused and turned to his 
 left, and there saw, grouped round the King, 
 and conversing with him, the females, for 
 whose sake he thought this storm of gallantry 
 had been raised ; at the same moment he 
 again heard the same soft voice, saying ; " I 
 would speak with Earl Gudin an hour hence — 
 alone : there is an oak between this and the 
 river — there !" 
 
 While these words were uttering, Godwin — 
 fascinated by them, and intuitively fearing lest 
 by at all changing his position he should lose 
 a syllable — ^had not stirred ; when they ceased 
 he turned his head round rapidly; but could 
 only see that the women were retiring at a side 
 passage, close at his elbow; he could, how- 
 ever, distinguish the features of none of them. 
 
 The King resumed his seat — the nobles did 
 so too — and the loud din suddenly died away 
 into the indistinct buss of general conver- 
 sation. 
 
 Godwin sat abstracted and thoughtful, unno- 
 ticing what was going on about him, and
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 243 
 
 luckily unnoticed by others : his whole heart 
 and mind were engrossed by the words he 
 had just heard, and by the most different 
 endeavours to guess at the speaker of them : 
 the language had been pure Saxon ; but his 
 owTi name had been pronounced in the Danish 
 dialect : was the speaker a Dane speaking 
 Saxon ? — or a Saxon speaking Danish ? — was 
 it Aelfgiva or Goda ? — for by some trick of 
 fancy, not perhaps overtempered by humility, 
 he at once attributed the words to one of these 
 ladies ; then the notion did occur to him, that 
 this was a rather presumptuous supposition -, 
 and he then thought that it might have been 
 a jest of one of their maidens ; but this was 
 rather the suggestion of his modesty than of 
 his imagination ; for he abandoned it at once 
 as highly improbable, and recurred to what 
 he could not help however owning to him- 
 self was next to impossible, the idea that it 
 must have been one of the before-mentioned 
 ladies. Of a sudden his old fancy recurred 
 to him, that the voice might have been 
 that of some unearthly visitor — and for no 
 good purpose — then he recollected his fa- 
 il 2
 
 244 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 ther's whisper in the tent the night he had 
 been taken by his countrymen' — could this 
 have been he? — in the midst of the Danish 
 camp ! — impossible — unless indeed he had 
 some very strong motive — and what could that 
 be ? and he set himself sedulously to work 
 to try and guess at the motive for such an 
 extraordinary act — when it suddenly occurred 
 to him that though his father's whisper had 
 been very low on that occasion ; yet it had 
 been both in sound and tone, thoroughly dis- 
 tinguishable from the one he had just heard — 
 which was undoubtedly a woman's : — and as 
 soon as he had settled there could be no doubt 
 on this point he remembered how he had been 
 that morning deceived by Haco's voice — and 
 for aught he knew his whisper might be as 
 melodious as his singing : was it then a joke 
 of his rival's — for so he already set him down 
 to be — and the thought of this sent the blood 
 rushing back upon his heart ; whence in a 
 moment it gushed again through every vein 
 with the impetuosity of a torrent, as the 
 thought flashed across him, that it might have 
 been no joke — ^but an earnest challenge from
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 245 
 
 the young Dane — to meet him for the purpoes 
 of doing deadly battle with him — he looked 
 earnestly through the gloom ; though now in 
 parts dissipated, yet on the whole rendered 
 more indistinct by the introduction of a few 
 lights ; he gazed at the spot, where Haco had 
 sat — he was no longer there — he strained his 
 eyes round the tent to try if he could discover 
 him anywhere else — ^but he could not: whither 
 could he be gone ? — perhaps after the ladies — 
 perhaps — but unable to bear the conflict of 
 these incongruous fancies, heated with Uquor 
 as he was — long — ^long before the appointed 
 hour had elapsed, Godwin escaped from the 
 tent — and sought and soon found the desig- 
 nated spot.
 
 246* GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 It was a lovely night, or rather twilight, 
 for it was that season of the year, when so 
 few hours intervene between the setting and 
 the rising of the sun, that the hngering light 
 he leaves at his departure is triumphant over 
 darkness, and remains to mingle with his 
 returning splendour. Not a cloud was there 
 in the sky, scarcely a breath of air was there 
 abroad : the queen of night looked pale, as 
 though with fear that her reign was ending; 
 her court was that evening but thinly attended; 
 none but the brightest of her stars were present, 
 and they too were pale, and trembling : — so 
 beautiful and tranquil was the scene, that as
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 247 
 
 Godwin stood beneath the gigantic oak^ hsten- 
 ing to the rusthng of its shining leaves, that 
 seemed to stir of their own will — to the rip- 
 pHng flow of the ghttering river — and to the 
 song of a nightingale, who, nearly the last of 
 her tribe, was breathing her sad farewell from 
 the woods on the opposite bank — and even the 
 shouts of the revellers in the camp, coming 
 at interv^als upon his ear, softened and sweet- 
 ened by distance, were not without adding a 
 pleasing effect ; as he hstened to these sounds, 
 he could not but own the spell of so much 
 beauty and tranquillity, which mingled with 
 and became part of his own feelings : and all 
 thoughts of e\^ — aU of fear were gone from 
 out his breast. 
 
 Tims it is, that the external effects of nature 
 have over the mind of man a power as various 
 as it is extensive : — frequently subduing the 
 most turbulent passions, or on the other 
 hand, exciting the wildest emotions : — for 
 there appears to be an in\'isible but indis- 
 soluble link, that binds the human mind, not 
 alone with the matter, wherein it is inherent — 
 but also with all the vast material world around
 
 248 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 US ; the variety of its workings, even upon 
 the same individual, may be attributable to 
 many causes : a different state of tempera- 
 ment, a different state of merely physical 
 constitution will cause scenes of the same 
 class, or even the self- same scene to pro- 
 duce quite different effects upon the mind ; 
 silence and solitude wiU at one time tranquil- 
 lize, at another madden : there is much too 
 in the novelty of any situation ; if the heart is 
 taken by surprise by any unexpected effect of 
 nature, it may be weaned away from its then 
 predominant feeling, however strong that may 
 have been before : if we are wandering forth 
 in moodiness or wrath, and suddenly come 
 upon a new and fine prospect — or are over- 
 taken by a storm — or surprised by an unex- 
 pectedly briUiant sunset — the probable effect 
 would be — always dependent on our physical 
 state — that our previous thoughts would be 
 absorbed in sensations of admiration — excite- 
 ment — or tranquillity : but if — in the same 
 state of mind — we had sought such scenes, in 
 the hope of changing or modifying the nature 
 of our feelings, almost to a certainty we should
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 249 
 
 be disappointed in the result. — It seems as 
 though nature would allow of no controul — of 
 no dictation — her influence over men's mind 
 is independent of his volition — nor will she 
 permit him to interfere therewith. 
 
 As Godwin now sat upon the gnarled roots 
 of the old oak, aU his former conjectures, as 
 to who the whisperer in the tent might be, rose 
 to his mind; but gradually — distinctly — and 
 calmly — one by one he discussed their plausi- 
 bihty; not omitting the supernatural agency, 
 to which he was strongly inchned to attribute 
 the sounds — ^but it now seemed to his hopes, 
 that the object of such a visitant would pro- 
 bably be for good, rather than for e\dl ; or at 
 the worst to warn him of some evil, which he 
 might avoid : — the thought of its ha\ing been 
 Haco did indeed for the moment ruffle him; 
 l3ut he speedily decided upon the improbabihty 
 of this supposition — and ha\dng done this, it 
 was no difficult task for him to resolve, even 
 should it have been he, to behave with suitable 
 dignity and tranquiUity on the occasion.- — The 
 conclusion at which he at last arrived was that 
 the voice had been Aelfgiva's ; how he came 
 
 M 8
 
 250 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 to this opinion it niight be difficult to deter- 
 mine ; for the only (and not very logical) 
 train of reason he adopted was that the lan- 
 guage had been Saxon — and that he knew of 
 no other Saxon female being in the camp : — and 
 he got over the difficulty of the Danish pronun- 
 ciation of his name by supposing it must have 
 ])een a mistake— that in the confusion he had 
 heard that one word incorrectly ; and he had 
 been so used for the last few days to hear his 
 name thus pronounced^ that this mistake was 
 exceedingly natural — at least so he argued. 
 
 As this point was now settled most tho- 
 roughly to Godwin's satisfaction, there was 
 nothing left for him but to be very impatient 
 at the non-arrival of Aelfgiva, and to wonder 
 proportionably what she possibly could have 
 to communicate to him : — as this impatience 
 grew upon him, he became more and more 
 restless — walked up and down under the 
 oak, and in fancy went through every mode 
 of greeting that imagination could suggest 
 lo him — at one moment, he was suing at 
 her feet — at the next, she at his — a thorough 
 explanation however was the result of a few
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 251 
 
 minutes' conversation — she easily accounted 
 for her former pride, which had always warred 
 against her inclinations, that she now frankly 
 confessed — for aware of her own high birth, 
 how could she encourage hopes in a poor 
 swain, which, to all human appearance, never 
 could be realized ? but now the case was dif- 
 ferent ; she saw in him a lover, whose station 
 offered no impediment to the return of his 
 affection ; and by this avowal — interspersed by 
 a few words of kindness — she made ample 
 compensation for the former coldness and 
 haughtiness of her demeanour : — and the na- 
 tural result of all this was a full and hearty 
 reconciliation with his first Love. 
 
 Just as this was effected to his heart's con- 
 tent, he happened to look round in a direction, 
 where he had just before been gazing — and a 
 female, clad in white, was close at his side. 
 
 The apparition gave him as sudden a shock 
 as though a bucket of cold water had been 
 emptied upon his head — he stood still — and 
 sank reverentially and instinctively on one knee 
 — Aelfgiva had flown from his thoughts — it 
 ivas a fairy stood before him : — his limbs
 
 252 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 quaked— his flesh quivered — but it was not 
 with fear — his unquaiHng eye was fixed on the 
 figure before him — waiting in awe till she 
 should speak to him. 
 
 She stood exactly between the young Saxon 
 and the moon, whose rays shining through her 
 long black hair, and loose white drapery, 
 aided Godwin's imagination in giving her a 
 supernatural look ; and this was yet increased 
 by the greenish glare, which, as she fronted 
 the west, irradiated her features, and lit up her 
 sparkling ey^s. She waited so — nearly a mi- 
 nute — which seemed at least fifteen to God- 
 win — without speaking ; her lips though were 
 smiling — he thought beneficently — but it is 
 by no means certain that some little feminine 
 archness had not thus wreathed them, at the 
 evident mistake into which the young earl 
 had fallen ; for at last in tones, that were 
 nearly akin to laughter, Goda said in her na- 
 tive Danish ; — '' Nay, rise. Earl Gudin : thou 
 shouldst keep thy knee for the true fairy of this 
 tree." 
 
 Godwin did as he was bidden : the spell was 
 over — he rose to his feet — and to tell the truth
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 253 
 
 felt a little confused at his own palpable error : 
 and yet if beauty may claim the homage of 
 man's devotion — as it ever has done— and 
 surely ever will do — Godwin need have felt no 
 shame at kneehng at Goda's feet — for she stood 
 there as beautiful a being, as ever in the love- 
 liness of youth was worshipped beneath a July 
 moon. Her face and the singular hue of her 
 eyes and hair — singular for those cUmes and 
 times, when the blood of the southerns had 
 not mingled with those of the north — these 
 have been before noticed : to these may be 
 added that she was tall, above the ordinary 
 height of woman, but withal so exquisitely 
 formed, and so hghtly graceful in all her move- 
 ments, that, unless when immediately con- 
 trasted with shorter women, connoisseurs (for 
 there were such even in those days) had been 
 known to declare that she was rather under the 
 middling size. Godwin was no connoisseur 
 — and perhaps he was not much to be pitied 
 on that score — ^he only knew that a very beau- 
 tiful woman was standing before him — a wo- 
 man, with whom he had begun to have several
 
 254 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 violent indications of falling in love— and that 
 he could not conceive what on earth she could 
 want with him : he tried to express this 
 same thought— of course in more courteous 
 language — but could only stammer out the 
 words; — "May I ask.. if.. it is the Lady 
 Goda ?" 
 
 Goda, Even so^ Eorl Gudin — and I doubt 
 not, thou wonderest no little, that she should 
 have asked for this meeting. 
 
 Godw. I. .that is. .if. .yes. 
 
 Goda. Well, Gudin : I will tell thee why 
 I have so done — and trust thou wilt not 
 deem ill of me therefore. Thou hast this day 
 saved my life — thou hast before saved that of 
 my brother. 1 owe thee largely for these 
 deeds. 
 
 Godw. Nay, lady, I did but my duty. 
 
 Goda. That cannot lessen my thankfulness 
 to thee, Gudin ; and that thankfulness may, I 
 hope, plead for the strong and deep share I 
 take in thy welfare. 
 
 She paused a short interval — and Godwin, who 
 had been deeply engaged by gazing on his own
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 255 
 
 feet — looked up into her face — and said — " In- 
 deed, lady, .indeed and troth I could not. . 
 there is no need. .1 beg thee go on, dear lady." 
 
 Goda. Tlien, Gudin, much as I owe to thee, 
 — ^l^eing here ; I will say the seeing thee here 
 among my landsmen, gives me great pain. 
 
 Godw, Oh ! why, lady? 
 
 Goda. They are in weapons against thy 
 fatherland, Gudin — and thou art aiding them. 
 Forgive me, if what I say wounds thee : but 
 I cannot think how a man can draw sword 
 against his own landsmen — ^ there are many 
 Saxons, who have, it is true, joined our King 
 in so doing— but they have all done so from 
 bad feehngs — to ^^Teak some poor revenge — to 
 work out ^ome paltry plot — but thou art too 
 young, I hope, Gudin, to be swayed by such 
 feelings — why fightest thou against thy father- 
 land? 
 
 -Godwin thought a moment and then an 
 swered — " At my father's bidding I do it, 
 lady." 
 
 This short and simple answer produced a 
 powerful revulsion in Go da's feehngs : she had, 
 as she herself said, taken a powerful and pro-
 
 256 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 found interest in the young Saxon — warrant- 
 able certainly by the great services he had 
 rendered to her and Ulf : — ^her high notions 
 of honour had been hurt at the unpatriotic 
 conduct of one^ who though her senior in 
 years^ was much her junior in experience and 
 worldly wisdom — she hoped indeed he might 
 have good reason for adopting this conduct — 
 but she greatly feared also that he had been 
 seduced into it by her brother — and in this 
 case, she felt it a duty both to him and God- 
 win, to open the eyes of the latter to the 
 error of his present proceedings — she felt 
 that by so doing she might indeed lose a friend 
 — at least the society of one — ^but she felt cer- 
 tain also, that she could not but gain his 
 esteem : the womanly love of exercising a 
 moral influence over a young man — an influ- 
 ence of the most happy or baneful effbcts, 
 according as it is well or ill wielded — this had 
 in great measure prompted her to take the pre- 
 sent step — ^but with this motive was largely 
 mingled the hope, already hinted at, that God- 
 win might be able amply to justify his conduct 
 — ^whereby she would have retained his society.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 257 
 
 and been able to bestow on him that warm 
 esteem, which, while his actions remained under 
 the sHghtest shade of suspicion she could not 
 possibly do. This hope was now fuUy satisfied, 
 for — so high and indisputable was the vene- 
 ration paid at these times to parental authority 
 — that a father's command would have au- 
 thorised and justified much more singular and 
 seemingly unaccountable deeds than that of 
 God-vvdn's bearing arms against his countrymen, 
 for so many Saxons openly did the same, that 
 by a mind less nice and scrupulous than was 
 Goda's, no such account would have been 
 required : but satisfactory as this explanation 
 was — strange to say — ^it disconcerted and dis- 
 tressed the Danish lady — ^it was in fact too 
 satisfactory — it left nothing to argue about — 
 nothing further to question — in any other rea- 
 sons, that Godwin might have given, something 
 of this nature there must have been — this she 
 had — if not calculated on — at least naturally 
 expected — and this would have vindicated her 
 present interference fi-om the charge of too 
 great intrusion : but now there was nothing 
 left for her to say ; and she felt that she had
 
 258 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 taken a step, which many might think unbe- 
 seeming her sex and rank, and which even in 
 Godwin's eyes must at least appear to have 
 been particularly unnecessary ; and this greatly 
 distressed her naturally proud spirit. A ques- 
 tion might indeed here be raised, how far 
 Godwin spoke strict truth on the present occa- 
 sion — and it is feared the reply would not be 
 over-favourable to our hero : for in the first 
 place it may be remembered, that Ulfnoth's 
 counsel to his son was not a command to take 
 arms against his countrymen — but merely ad- 
 vice to remain among the Danes ; and in the 
 second, it may be very much doubted (even 
 putting the fact of Godwin's bearing arms out 
 of the case) whether his motive for remaining 
 in the Danish host wholly proceeded from what 
 his father had said to him : it is true he had 
 not been long with them, and during that short 
 time, he had been hurried by circumstances 
 into acts, which if cooler deliberation had been 
 afforded him, he would probably have shrunk 
 from ; but the revulsion of feelings produced 
 by the sight of Aelfgiva, and the sudden 
 passion, he had fancifully conceived for Goda,
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 259 
 
 had kept his mind in a state of bewildering 
 tumult : indeed scarcely at any other period, 
 but when he stood on the very verge of the 
 deed, had the thought even occurred to him 
 that he was in arms against his country — and 
 it has been shown how that thought was 
 checked and stifled by a rapid succession of 
 stirring events : still all this explanation cannot 
 exculpate Godwin from the charge of disinge- 
 nuousness in his present answer — and the 
 more so, as it must be owned, he was himself 
 aware of the fact, and had in truth (or rather 
 untruth) moulded that answer in a manner he 
 thought best calculated to put an end to Goda's 
 objection. 
 
 After nearly a minute's pause — she replied — 
 "Indeed! at thy father's bidding! — so — It 
 is well. — He, I wis, had good grounds for bid- 
 ding thee/' 
 
 Godiv. I know, not, lady — he told me indeed 
 that— 
 
 Goda. Nay— that I ask not — will not hear: — 
 quite enough, that thou doest what thy father 
 bids thee— farewell. 
 
 Godwin was startled by the change of her
 
 260 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 manner — it had previously been marked by a 
 slight hesitation, and much kindliness : it was 
 now most decided and chilly : — he was startled 
 though by it, into energy — he cried out; — 
 " Leave me not, lady — dear lady, leave me 
 not." — As he repeated these words he dropt on 
 one knee, and seized the hem of her scarf in his 
 clasped hands. 
 
 Go da. Rise, I beg thee, rise — why should I 
 stay ? — pray rise. 
 
 Godwin let go her scarf — but did not 
 rise : he continued — his hands still clasped ; — 
 ^*^ Leave me not just yet — I thought thou 
 wert kindly — friendly towards me — and the 
 thought made me so happy." 
 
 Goda. I am kindly towards thee, Gudin. 
 
 Godw. Aye, so is thy brother, lady — and so 
 am I to him — ^but that is not the kindliness I 
 long for — either to have or to give — it is not — 
 oh, lady, I yearn for some one to love. 
 
 Goda. To love, Gudin ? 
 
 Godw. Oh — ^yes, yes — be not wrathful with 
 me — but I am so lonely — so quite alone in 
 this world — ^lonely as the poor bird whose nest 
 hath been plundered — whose mate hath been
 
 GODWIN AND GOD A. 261 
 
 killed — I am sure thou wouldst feel with me, 
 if thou knewest all, — but thou dost, lady — the 
 Seaxon — 
 
 Godwin could proceed no farther, but hiding 
 his face in his hands, gave way to the tearful 
 torrent of his grief. — 
 
 Goda — the current of her thoughts thus again 
 suddenly — perhaps unpleasantly — checked and 
 changed — exclaimed — " The Lady Aelfgiva !" 
 
 Godtv. — Aye — she — she — the proud — the 
 scornful — she scorned my love — she trampled 
 upon my heart, as though it had been a worm 
 in her path — she was too proud to listen to a 
 lowly neatherd — as I was then thought ; — that 
 is over though — and 'tis well it is so — but I am 
 still lonely — and need a being to love — ^lady — 
 lady — sister of mine only friend — may I — dare 
 I love thee ? — 
 
 Goda. — Me ! — Me!! — thinkest thou then so 
 poorly of Goda, that thou wouldst shift thy 
 heart's love from a Seaxon Cucquean upon 
 her— ?—• 
 
 Godw. — Oh, no — Goda — Lady Goda — no — 
 say not so — Aelfgiva — is she what thou sayest ? 
 — she never had my heart's love — she would
 
 262 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 not have it — she spurned it — let her go then — 
 I will not think of her —she was not worthy 
 of me — even of poor me — if she were what 
 thou sayest— and I see it is so — (Godwin had 
 risen to his feet^ and spoken the last words 
 proudly enough — -he now humbled his tone 
 again — as he continued — ) But if thou — of 
 whom I am indeed so unworthy — if thou 
 wouldst but let me love thee — that is all I ask. 
 
 Goda^ who somehow was more gratified at 
 hearing Godwin speak ill of Aelfgiva than she 
 had any good reason to be, replied — "Nay, Gu- 
 din— I cannot let thee — either way — neither to 
 love me — nor from loving me — " 
 
 Godw,— -Oh, yes, — surely yes — I only ask if 
 I may love thee — say — I may. — 
 
 He clasped her hand — but instantly let it go 
 again, as though he had done wrong — 
 
 Goda. Nay — were I to say so — it would be 
 giving thee a hope — which I should not mean, 
 to fulfil— 
 
 Godiv. No — no — indeed I would not take it 
 so — I only want to know that my love would 
 not anger thee— would it ? — yonder Dane loves 
 thee — may not I ? —
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 263 
 
 Goda. Who ?— 
 
 Godiv. He of the fair golden locks — I forget 
 his name- — oh! Haco ' 
 
 Goda. He ! — ha ! ha ! — '(she laughed slightly 
 and scornfally — and then went on) — Haco loves 
 nothing but himself — and could love nought 
 but was hke himself — I should be sore grieved, 
 if I thought he loved me. 
 
 Godiv. — He does though — he does — how 
 could he otherwise indeed ? — when he may sit 
 near thee — and talk with thee — thee smiling 
 on him^ — and may give thee love tokens. — 
 
 Goda. — What ! — ■ (this was said sharply 
 and angrily — for Godwin had certainly used 
 a rather strong expression) — What love-token 
 gave Haco ever to me ? — has he said he ever 
 did? 
 
 Godiv. Surely, Lady, — surely I myself saw 
 thee take a ringlet of his own hair, from his 
 own hands, this same evening. — 
 
 Goda. — Oh ! that ! — I forgat — see — here it 
 is — (she drew it from her girdle — ) and now^ 
 there — (she flung it up into the air, w^here it 
 was soon wafted out of sight by the rising 
 wind — ) but that was no love-token, Gudin —
 
 264 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 I took in sooth at his earnest begging — for 
 that he told me he had a wager upon my so 
 doing, with my brother Ulf, who had cut it off, 
 he told me, as he slept — no, were Haco to talk 
 of love to Goda, she would in truth be an- 
 gered — ^but we will not go back to that now — 
 let us rather part. — ■ 
 
 Godw. — Oh — no — no — tarry yet a little 
 
 while. — 
 
 Goda. — Nay, it is getting late in the night- — 
 
 and see the sky is quite over-cast ; and by the 
 quick rustling of the leaves, we are about to 
 have rain. — 
 
 Godwin looked up, and though he would 
 have given worlds — if he had had any — to have 
 refuted Goda's proj)osition about the weather 5 
 yet, — whether from the habit of truth-telHng, 
 (so lately exemplified,) or from a natural dis- 
 like of impunging his weather-wisdom — he 
 could not bring himself, hke Juliet, to swear 
 downright against the positive truth of appear- 
 ances :■ — and he was, perhaps, the less inchned 
 to venture this, as besides the evident change 
 in the heavens, which had gradually taken 
 place unobserved by Godwin, a few large drops
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 265 
 
 of rain were already pattering among the leaves 
 over head — ^lie had nothing, therefore, but to 
 sigh and say — " We are indeed, I fear." — 
 
 Goda. Good night, then, Gudin — we part 
 friends. 
 
 Godw. — Oh — I hope so, lady. — Good night 
 — I may not love thee, then ? — 
 
 Goda. I will not say thou mayest. — 
 Godw. — But thou wilt not say I may not. — 
 Goda. I say nothing — good night. Sleep 
 well.— 
 
 She held out her hand to him — which ti- 
 midly and tremulously he bent his hps upon. 
 She then left him : and Godwin, having 
 watched her till he could see her no longer, 
 wandered about in the rain, for an hour and 
 thi'ee quarters, — and perhaps a few odd mi- 
 nutes, — ^before he could find his way to her 
 brother's tent. 
 
 VOL. I.
 
 266 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 CHAPTER XIL 
 
 From the consideration that it never should 
 be the ambition of a tale-writer to invade the 
 province of the legitimate historian^ (though I 
 cannot, perhaps, stand quite acquitted from 
 the charge of having lately made a feeble eifort 
 in that quarter,) I now refrain from following 
 our Saxon hero through the various battles be- 
 tween his countrymen and the Danes, in all of 
 which he more or less distinguished himself; 
 at the battle of Assandun in particular, where, 
 by the again repeated treachery of Edric, the 
 Enghsh were entirely routed, and as old Wil- 
 liam Malmsbury says, the flower of the no-
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 267 
 
 bility of the land perished, Godwin succeeded, 
 at the imminent risk of his Ufe, in saving the 
 consecrated standard of the Danes ; from the 
 appearance of which, their celebrated leader 
 Thurchil, had, in the morning, promised them 
 certain victor)^ : — the soothsayer being also a 
 bard, God\^dn's exploit was sung by him in 
 verse, and his name soon became famihar in 
 the camp, and a favourite watch-word among 
 the common men. Nor, while he thus rose in 
 estimation with his own sex, did he lose ground 
 with the other. — Goda and he were frequently 
 together ; and his love for her as it gradually 
 assumed a more manly tone than it had worn 
 at its commencement, evidently gave her no 
 displeasure. Tlirough her endeavours, also, an 
 interview was brought about between Godwin 
 and Aelfgiva, who was now fairly domesticated 
 in the royal household, (or rather teiit hold,) 
 and in no unequivocal situation : but such things, 
 though not perhaps admired, were certainly 
 not so much reprobated then, as they would 
 be — could they, by any possibiHty, occur — in 
 our moral times ; for surely, if now a female were 
 to suffer her reputation to be sullied, especially. 
 N 2
 
 268 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 by royalty, she would at once be scouted out of 
 all society. 
 
 Goda had brought about this meeting, nei- 
 ther to try her lover's firmness, nor to show 
 any triumph over the latter lady ; though had 
 she known less of their respective charac- 
 ters, the experiment would have been either 
 a dangerous, or at least, a vain one ; but she 
 calculated on the result which actually took 
 place. God\\dn proferred the hand of friend- 
 ship to the Saxon lady, who coldly and cere- 
 moniously took it, and assured Godwin that 
 she did ever entertain the highest esteem for 
 him — which was at any rate more than he could 
 have brought himself to say for her. 
 
 After the battle of Assandun, Edmond had 
 retired to Gloucester, and before Knute could 
 get up \^dth him, the English King, by his 
 actiidty, was enabled again to take the field, 
 with a considerable body of men. 
 
 Knute, who arrived over night, immediately 
 pitched his tents, and gave orders to his men 
 to prepare for battle at day-break. It was a 
 hazardous experiment of the Dane; for, ex- 
 hausted as his men were by fatigue, and di-
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 269 
 
 minished in number, he was well aware that if 
 'the results of the next day's conflict should be 
 unfavourable to him, his ruin was certain : for 
 he had left his ships behind him to sail round 
 the Land's End — and had, therefore, neither 
 means of retreat, nor of recruiting his army in 
 case of discomfiture : these arguments were 
 strongly urged by several of his officers ; but 
 contrary to his usual custom, the young Danish 
 King Hstened to their arguments with patience, 
 and even condescended to answer some of 
 them. He observed, that the situation of the 
 EngUsh monarch was considerably worse than 
 his own — that although his army was the more 
 numerous of the two, it had been hastily con- 
 cocted of raw and undisciplined recruits — and 
 that these once worsted, Edmond could never 
 again entertain any hopes of meeting him in 
 the field ; he reminded them, that after their 
 late brilliant success at Assandun, followed as 
 it had been, by the ceding of London, and all 
 the principal cities and towns in his march, 
 it would be to tarnish that briUiancy, to hesi- 
 tate for a day to encounter the foe ; besides 
 the evident advantage that delay would give
 
 270 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 them of augmenting and organizing their 
 troops. Whether his royal arguments were 
 good or not, does not much signify, as of course 
 they were adopted. 
 
 But though Knute was thus calm in his out- 
 ward demeanour, he was anything but so at 
 heart ; he well knew the extent of the dan- 
 ger he was about to incur, and his courage 
 rather arose from dogged defiance of that 
 danger, than from cool and calculating de- 
 termination. After the assembly had broken 
 up, he detained his brother-in-law and Godwin 
 with him for some time, chatting over the most 
 common-place topics ; and it was not till the 
 thought occurred to him, that this might appear 
 in their eyes, as very trifling and absurd, that 
 he dismissed them for " all night." 
 
 Not even then did he retire to rest, but for 
 half an hour continued pacing up and down, in 
 his tent, revolving in his mind all the chances 
 of the coming morrow — blaming himself for 
 risking so much upon a single hazard — and 
 then angry for having blamed himself; for the 
 first time in his hfe he felt a strange but strong 
 awe at the idea of the coming fight—perhaps
 
 GODWIN AND GOD A. 27 1 
 
 because for the first time in his hfe he was 
 thinking at all concerning the matter^ — and he 
 began to imagine that war was not only a very 
 useless, but rather a sanguinary invention, and 
 that the happiness of men might be somehow 
 better secured, than by setting them to slay one 
 another mth as little remorse or feeling, as 
 wild beasts destroy each other for the sake of 
 food. But the more he felt this imagination 
 steahng upon him, the more he strove to 
 struggle with and conquer it; and it is well 
 he did so ; or we might have had Knute figur- 
 ing — if at all — in the pages of history, as a 
 mere philosopher or philanthropist — instead 
 of his being the brave — the great — the rich — 
 the pious King, that various chroniclers have 
 designated him. 
 
 But the struggle in his mind was too much 
 for him — he required opener space to breathe 
 and move in; he saUied out therefore into the 
 open air, without any fixed purpose whither he 
 was going. The sentinel at the royal tent, and 
 those with whom he fell in with in his route, 
 knowing his person, (for he was undistinguished 
 by any regal habiliments, being clad in a plain
 
 272 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 brown leathern jerkin and hose, which he wore 
 under his armour) allowed him to pass on, 
 without question or observation, except such 
 as they made to themselves as to the odd 
 fancy, which had induced their King to wander 
 about alone at that time of night. At last 
 Knute stood before his brother-in-law's tent, 
 and would have at once entered, but the sentry 
 on guard placed his halbert across the entry, so 
 as to bar his ingress. 
 
 " What wantest here ?" asked the man. 
 " To go in," answered the King. 
 " Canst not go in here — larl Ulf's tent." 
 " I know it, good friend. — I will go in !" 
 " Ah! thou mayest will — ^but thou shalt not." 
 " What ! Churl !— oh — aye — The ravens 
 raven for the martlets." 
 
 " Well— I know that : what of it ?" 
 " Why it is the watch-word, fool, is it not ? 
 " Well, I know that too— fool — and what 
 of that ? That shall not pass thee in here." 
 " Sword of Surtur ! knowest thou me ? 
 " No. How the sword should I ?" 
 " I am the King : — Knute the son of Svein." 
 " That's a black lie. — Make me beheve that
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 273 
 
 King Knute would go about this time o' the 
 night in that gear and this gait — and I will give 
 thee good leave to throttle me." 
 
 " By my troth ! I will try and make thee 
 believe it then ;" and so saying, the King, who, 
 though rather amused at first, had now lost all 
 his little stock of patience, sprung at the man's 
 throat ; but the active Dane evaded the gripe, 
 though Knute succeeded in grasping his halbert 
 with both hands, and they began a tough 
 struggle for the possession of the weapon — the 
 man shouting at the pitch of his voice : 
 
 '^ Ho ! betrayal here ! betrayal." 
 
 "Troth! I think so !"— exclaimed Ulf, who 
 half undressed, and followed by Godwin in the 
 same plight, now sprang from the tent, and 
 knocked the pertinacious Dane to the ground : 
 "Why what is all this?" — he continued — 
 " King Knute here ? strugghng with this hind !" 
 
 Knute, Nay — harm him not — brother — 
 harm him not — he hath but done his duty. 
 
 Ulf. Duty — forsooth ! — I will teach the 
 knave his duty — an I catch him. 
 
 But both the threat and the intercession 
 were equally in vain ; for as soon as the man 
 
 N 3
 
 274 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 had learnt by inference, that it really was the 
 King with whom he had been so roughly 
 parleying, he started upon his legs, and ran off 
 with all his might and main ; and has never 
 been heard of again from that time to this ; 
 — and very likely never will be. 
 XJlf. Is ought amiss, King ? 
 Knute, Nay — ■ but I was weary of being 
 alone. 
 
 IJlf. Why, we have but just left thee. 
 Knute. Hours ago, surely: but come, don 
 your cloaks, and lend me one ; and walk out 
 with me — I have to speak with you. 
 
 The cloaks were fetched — put on — and the 
 three warriors walked together some way in 
 silence; only interrupted by the challenges of 
 the sentinels, to which Ulf replied, as the King 
 seemed wrapped in meditation.' — They passed 
 the outposts, and still proceeded onward 
 slowly and in silence^ when Ulf thought it pru- 
 dent to ask ; — ^^ Whither are we going, Knute ? 
 — ^we are beyond our own camp." 
 Knute. A little farther. 
 Silence followed ; and they continued walk-
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 275 
 
 ing away from the Danisli encampment; 
 when Ulf again broke in ; — ^^ We had better 
 turn back we shall be upon the foeman 
 straight/' 
 
 Knute, Stay — I would speak ^vith you 
 first. 
 
 But though he said Stay, he continued 
 walking; in a minute though he resumed 
 his speech, and said — " If I should fall to 
 morrow, friends, — and I feel a foreboding that 
 I shaU— '* 
 
 Ulf tried to laugh, but failed : and so he said 
 instead — " Nay, brother, talk not thus — think 
 not thus — it is unlike thee." 
 
 Knute. Listen to me, Ulf — I say lest I 
 should fall, I have one or two things to ask 
 of thee, beforehand. I need not beg of thee to 
 love and foster my poor sister ; thou wilt do so 
 for her own sake. 
 
 Ulf, I will, brother, indeed I will — but — 
 hark ! we are close upon the EngHsh leaguer — 
 I heard their watch give the word — ^back, for 
 the love of life : we are all without wea- 
 pons. 
 
 Knute. No-=-A few steps further, — round
 
 276 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 by this spinney — there can be no risk there : — 
 I will whisper too. 
 
 He paused a moment, and then continued ; — 
 " Take heed of the Seaxon lady also — or 
 rather, Gudin, do thou that : ye have known 
 one another formerly, she teUs me ; take heed 
 of her if I die ; and entreat her not the less 
 kindly, that she has loved King Knute. — One 
 thing more, Gudin, I think thou lovest Goda — 
 nay, I have seen it.. ," 
 
 Ulf could not quite keep down the ^ Oho '/ 
 which rose to his lips, expressive quite as much 
 of self-approbation at a secret guess of his own, 
 as of astonishment at the discovery of the 
 fact : the King did not hear his ejaculation, 
 but proceeded — '^ And, Ulf, I think thy 
 sister loveth Gudin — nay, I may dare say, I 
 know it/' 
 
 Godwin cried out " Me ?" 
 And Ulf said " Umph !" at this announxje- 
 ment — astonishment being the cause of both 
 these exclamations — unmingled in Ulf's case 
 by any of his former se¥-conceitedness : — God- 
 win's feehngs on the occasion may, I presume, 
 be readily imagined.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 2/7 
 
 The King continued, " I would wish — in- 
 deed I pray, — that in case I die to-morrow, they 
 may be made — " 
 
 " How now ! — stand ! — who goes there ?" 
 cried a Saxon sentinel starting out from the 
 covert of the wood close beside them. 
 
 Godwin promptly answered, — " Friends. 
 Eadmond and Eangland !" — for his quick ear 
 had caught the watch-word, uttered in his native 
 tongue, which Ulf had only indistinctly heard. 
 
 " Friends ! — so !" observed the sentrj-, " I 
 wonder much what brought you out here." 
 
 Godwin made no reply ; but Ulf said in a 
 low voice to the King, " Better go back at once 
 — as though we had come to the ■s\Tong post : 
 Gudin can unfold that." 
 
 Knute answered in a louder tone ^^ Nay, — a 
 little further on — just to see what may be seen 
 — as we are so far safe." 
 
 " What's that r" cried the sentinel, " stand 
 back ! that is no Seaxon tongue : ho ! fellows ! 
 up and hither !" 
 
 Godwin started forward — grappled the sol- 
 dier by the throat, and flung him on the ground 
 falhng upon him, so as to keep his hold : —
 
 ^78 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 " That is a Seaxon gri'pe at least," he cried, — 
 ^^ Now, — away — my Lord and Ulf — I will hold 
 the man here till ye are safe." 
 
 Ulf. Stab him at once — with his own dagger. 
 
 Godw. No ! — no ! not yet, at least ; — ^he 
 cannot harm us now -, I will take heed he 
 shall not away ! 
 
 Knute. We go not without thee, Gudin — 
 come with us. 
 
 Godw. I run little or no risk — my name will 
 save me — but away with you. I hear some of 
 them coming, I fear : — think what your being 
 taken would be to your friends yonder. 
 
 Ulf, True ; come brother : and follow thou, 
 Gudin, as soon as may be. 
 
 Godwin watched them out of sight, and then 
 stooping to the man, said — " Swear thou wilt 
 not betray us, and I will leave thee safe." 
 
 The man made a desperate struggle, but 
 Godwin tightened his grasp on his throat, and 
 added, " No — I loose thee not, till thou hast 
 sworn." 
 
 It then occurred to him that as he was 
 strangling the man, it might be difficult for 
 him to speak at the moment — so something
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 279 
 
 relaxing his grasp, he said to him, " Wih thou 
 swear not to betray us." 
 
 " I will," gasped out the man. 
 
 Godiv. By the holy gospel. 
 
 " By the holy gospel." 
 
 "I trust thee," said Godwin; and letting 
 the man go, he sprang to his feet, and followed 
 his friends at full speed. 
 
 " More fool thou !" roared the soldier leaping 
 up also, and seizing his cross-bow, a bolt from 
 which he sent whizzing after Godwin, at the 
 same time adding, — " Thou shouldst have 
 asked first, whether I were christened." 
 
 The bolt cut through the flesh of Godvrin's 
 shoulder, and pained him sharply, but he did 
 not relax in his speed; nor was there much 
 reason why he should, as he plainly heard the 
 Seaxon sentinel summoning his comrades, and 
 from their shouts guessed that they were al- 
 ready in pursuit after him : Godwin accord- 
 ingly shouted to his friends lest he should go 
 astray, and miss the Danish camp : the shout 
 was returned ; Knute insisted on waiting till 
 he came up with them ; and when he did, the 
 all three set off racing, and stopped not till they
 
 280 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 were safe within the out-posts of their camp* 
 A volley of quarries was sent after them^ but 
 they all fell far short of their mark, for the 
 Saxon pursuers had shot them more in dis- 
 appointment, than with any other aim, as they 
 had not thought it prudent to venture within 
 bow- shot of the enemy. 
 
 As soon as they were quite safe, Knute 
 flung himself upon the grass, and fell a laugh- 
 ing, while Ulf stood by looking unusually 
 serious and sentimental. 
 
 Knute, through the peals of his laughter — 
 said to him. 
 
 " Well ! ha ! ha ! ha ! — I know it was — ha ! 
 ha ! I know it was a mad business — but — ha ! 
 ha ! thou needest not — ha ! ha ! Thou needest 
 not look so woundy grave over it, Ulf — ha ! 
 ha ! ha ! nor shake thy head so wonderous 
 wisely — ha ! — ^lia ! — at least it has driven away 
 my gloominess, ha ! — ha ! — ha ! — I'll swear if 
 I die not to-night of laughing, ha ! — ha ! — ha ! — 
 I never shall — at all ! 
 
 Godw. — It was a great risk though, my 
 lord. 
 
 Knute. — So it was, Gudin — ha ! ha ! — so it
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 281 
 
 was Ulf — a right great risk — and we owe thee, 
 young Seaxon — ha ! ha ! ha ! what a great deal 
 we do owe thee. — Well — let us be earnest : — I 
 see you both are — and I see too that the 
 eastern welkin is fleckering with the dawn. — 
 He rose very haughtily — So now away to our 
 tents, and don our harness : come to me as 
 soon as ye are ready. — 
 
 As Ulf and Godwin were on the road to their 
 tent, the latter thought it high time to mention 
 his wound, which, though in the hurry of run- 
 ning, he had not much felt it, now pained him 
 excessively. 
 
 Ulf learning it was only a flesh wound, did 
 not at all commiserate him — but on the con- 
 trary, laughed and congratulated him on being 
 fairly initiated into the comfortable mysteries of 
 warfare. — 
 
 " I well mind me," said he, "the first wound 
 I ever got — ^it was at the storming of my fa- 
 ther's house, by some Norwegian Vikingri — 
 I was much younger than thou at the time — 
 it was an ugly gash, athwart the right breast 
 — and it bled wastefally — and pained me 
 sorely — ^but I was fighting under my father's
 
 282 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 eye — and I knew I had better bite my tongue 
 off than make moan of pain to Sprakalegs ; — 
 at length however, a dizziness came upon me, 
 and I could not see where I smote — nor scarcely 
 lift my arm to smite at all — my flesh all tin- 
 gled so= — and I just mind my father's turning 
 to me, and saying—' Now ;--thou bleedest boy ?' 
 —for the blood had oozed through my chain 
 mail; — and my answering — 'Indeed, father?' 
 — and then I fell in a swoon. — Ha 1 ha ! I 
 often look at that scar now, and think of that 
 day. 
 
 Godw. This place is plaguing sore though.—^ 
 Ulf. I dare say it is — ^but 'tis quite a trifle 
 for all that : but come, here we are — and now 
 thou shalt have the choice of who shall play 
 thy leech — thy friend's wife, or his sister — ah ! 
 ha ! ha ! — ^nay, never be ashamed of loving 
 Ulf's sister, man. 
 
 Godw. — I am not ashamed of it, Ulf. — 
 Vlf. Why blush then? 
 
 Godw, Blush men never but from shame ? — 
 Ulf. Oh ! hang me if I know — 'tis a wo- 
 manly trick, methinks, altogether : — and makes 
 a man look womanfaced.
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 283 
 
 Without putting God^\'in to the necessity of 
 choosing, Ulf requested his sister to look after 
 his wound, and she, as behoved a noble lady of 
 those days, cheerfully undertook the duty: it was 
 found that the wound was, in fact, but trifling, 
 but that the broad head of the arrow had driven 
 in part of the coarse stuff of which his man- 
 tle was made ; it was the chafing of this, that 
 had caused him so much annoyance ; it was 
 soon removed, and a heahng salve apphed ; he 
 felt perfectly reheved, and enabled, without any 
 inconvenience, to bear the weight of his ar- 
 mour. 
 
 As soon as he was accoutred, having re- 
 turned his thanks — ^w^hich, if their heartiness 
 should have been judged by their fluency of 
 utterance, were not very hearty; — he proceeded 
 with his friend to the royal tent. Tlie King 
 was already armed, and in a more than usual 
 sumptuous suit ; and holding conference ^4th 
 several of his chieftains. Each having re- 
 ceived his instructions, they one by one de- 
 parted ; and Knute with his immediate atten- 
 dants, sallied out of his tent, to mount the noble
 
 284 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 courser, which stood impatiently pawing at the 
 entrance. 
 
 To Jj]f, who stood by his side, as he 
 mounted, he said — " I have not been able to get 
 over my bodings, though — and therefore I 
 have donned this gear — that at least I may 
 faU like a King." 
 
 Ulf said " Pooh !" — and Knute only frowned, 
 and bit his lip — but that httle sarcastic 
 " Pooh !" had a strong effect upon him — and 
 quite soured the sweetness of his precious 
 temper. — Had Ulf said " Pooh !" now when 
 the King first mentioned his presentiment — 
 ten to one the effect would have been that he 
 had been ashamed of the weakness, and the 
 first to laugh at himself; — ^but Ulf then took the 
 affair seriously — and so of course did Knute : 
 — ^but now that this presentiment had taken — 
 so to say — a visible shape — ; now that, under 
 its influence, he had committed an overt act of 
 rebellion against the supremacy of sound sense, 
 he could not bear to be ridiculed — or to 
 fancy that he was — so stuck his spurs into 
 his horse — checked him at the same mo-
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 285 
 
 merit — and then gave the reins to the rearing 
 beast^ who galloped oif at a speed that defied 
 all competition. 
 
 ULf, Godwin, and other chieftains followed 
 as soon as they could mount — but though they 
 used their utmost haste, they did not get up 
 with the King till he had just finished an 
 harangue to the soldiers ; the loss of which 
 was probably of some consequence to them — 
 though the reader might find it troublesome to 
 have it repeated. 
 
 The Danish army now moved on, and sooji 
 came in sight of the Enghsh marching for- 
 ward to meet them. Already the two hostile 
 bodies had halted T\ithin bow-shot of each 
 other — already their bows were at their shoul- 
 ders, waiting the signal to be discharged — when 
 a small body of horsemen were perceived gal- 
 loping at a furious rate from an adjoining hill. 
 
 The leader, who rode some yards in advance 
 of the others, was distinguishable by a long 
 white mantle and plume, both which streamed 
 behind him in the wind, as he rode most ra- 
 pidly on — shouting as he came, and waving his 
 armed hand over his head. —
 
 286 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Both armies paused, wondering what this 
 could mean — their leaders gave the signal to 
 lower their weapons : as soon as this was done 
 the horseman reined in, so that his followers 
 might come up with him ; two of whom he 
 despatched as messengers, one to each of the 
 adverse armies. — 
 
 The message was, a request that either party 
 would suspend their hostile operations for the 
 space of but half an hour, and draw near, and 
 listen to the words of one, who was willing to 
 serve both Kings. — 
 
 A short consultation took place in either 
 army, between the monarchs and their chief- 
 tains : before the Danes had come to any con- 
 clusion, a herald arrived from Edmund to en- 
 quire whether Knute was willing to accede to 
 the proposition of the stranger, as the Eng- 
 lish were so; and the Danish King imme- 
 diately gave orders for his men to march for- 
 ward with their arms reversed. — The English 
 followed their example, without waiting for the 
 return of their herald. 
 
 Meantime, the horseman, with whom this 
 arrangement had originated, had ridden alone
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 287 
 
 to the top of a small knoll, which stood about 
 midway between the two powers. To this spot, 
 therefore, both the Enghsh and the Danes di- 
 rected their steps — ^but no sooner were the 
 former near enough to distinguish the features 
 of the horseman, than they set up an unani- 
 mous and deafening shout of '^ The Betrayer ! 
 the Betrayer !" and the bowmen all levelled 
 their weapons against him. 
 
 The rider merely stood up in his stirrups, 
 and raised his right arm and open hand erect — 
 as though to awe the Saxons into quiet — and 
 his bold and uncompromising demeanour, had 
 its desired effect ; the Saxons paused ; but the 
 Danes, who had misunderstood both their shout, 
 and the object of their aim — answered the former 
 with as loud a one — and leveUing their bows 
 against their enemies, several random arrows 
 were discharged, before order could be res- 
 tored. 
 
 Owing to the active exertions of Edmond 
 and his officers, the volley was not returned : 
 and Knute, doubly enraged, that his men alone 
 should have committed a breach of disciphne,
 
 258 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 rode angrily along his ranks, and demanded 
 who it was that had shot the first shot. 
 
 ^^ We thought they were about to shoot at 
 us, King ;" — said a sturdy yeoman, who stood 
 the last of one of the wings. — 
 
 "Who bade him either think — or do ?" roared 
 out the infuriated monarch. — " This to teach 
 him better." 
 
 He raised his heavy mace — the man neither 
 drew back nor quailed — the weapon fell down 
 upon his head— and he dropped flat forward 
 on the earth. — 
 
 Another man, who had stood next the fallen 
 one, stepped forward and said — " My brother 
 shot no shot, King ; - 1 did: — though not the 
 first. 
 
 "What!" cried out Knute— " why said'st 
 not so before ? the blow should have been thine 
 — and such another — ^by — " he checked himself 
 in the whirl he was giving to his weapon, 
 and added — " But no — one lesson shall be 
 enough." 
 
 He then rode back sullenly to his station, 
 and seeing that the English were again march-
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 289 
 
 ing forward, gave orders for his men to do the 
 same. 
 
 The tsYo armies formed, in two segments of 
 a circle, round the mount ; near enough to be 
 within hearing of the rider, Godwin, who 
 before had not recognized him, now said to 
 Knute — " It is Edric Streona, my lord." 
 
 " Thinkest thou I ne'er saw Edric Streona 
 before ?" was the answer ; at which God- 
 win bowed, and Ulf shrugged his shoul- 
 ders. 
 
 Edric, so soon as he saw tranquiUit\" esta- 
 bhshed among his numerous audience, ad- 
 dressed them as follows — first turning to his 
 O'WTi countrymen : — 
 
 " Why seek ye my life ? — why blame ye 
 me ? — Doom me not hastily — or ye \\ill doom 
 me -wTongfiilly — deem not ill of me, for that I 
 have done all I could, to stay the evils that 
 were harrpng our poor land : I have but done, 
 what meseemed best — if the end have not 
 turned out good, blame not me therefore — I 
 would have ended this wasting war : I would 
 do so now. Hear me then, O kings, even 
 though ye heed not my words, yet hear them. 
 
 VOL. I. O
 
 290 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 We have, most worthy leaders, fought long 
 enough against one another ; there hath been 
 but too much blood shed between both the 
 folk ; and the manhood of the war-men on both 
 sides is enough seen by trial ; as well as that of 
 both yourselves hkewise ; and yet can ye bear 
 neither good nor evil luck. If one of you win 
 the fight, he foUoweth him that is overcome ; 
 and if he chance to be worsted, he resteth not 
 till he have acquired new strength to fight 
 eftsoons with him that is the overcomer. 
 What should ye mean by this your untamable 
 hardihood ? At what mark shooteth your 
 greedy lust to bear rule, and your too great 
 thirst to gain a name ? If ye fight for a king- 
 dom, deal this between you two, which while- 
 ome was enough for seven kings : but if ye 
 covet to win a name and great praise, and for 
 the same are driven to try the risk whether 
 ye shall wield or yield the sway ; find out 
 a way, whereby ye may without so great 
 slaughter, and without such sad bloodshed 
 of both your guiltless folk, try whether of you 
 is more worthy to be raised.'' 
 
 This speech was received with acclamations
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 291 
 
 from both hosts — and Edmond Ironside, 
 spurring his horse a few yards forward, waved 
 his hand over his head, and cried in a tone, 
 which was heard plainly above the shouts of 
 the two armies — "I am ready !" 
 
 Knute did not exhibit so much alacrit}' upon 
 the occasion — ^for, though no coward, he cer- 
 tainly would rather have avoided a single con- 
 flict with Edmond, whose gigantic stature and 
 strength gave him a tremendous advantage 
 over any adversary whom he might encounter. 
 Some months back, when Edmond had pro- 
 posed to put the issue of the warfare on the 
 chance of a single combat between them, 
 Knute had cooUy rephed — ' Let him who 
 talks of fighting in winter, take heed to be 
 ready in summer :' at present however there 
 was no such chance of evading the proposed 
 contest — the proposition had been made in 
 the face and in the hearing of both armies — 
 had been jo\4ully and clamorously acknow- 
 ledged by them — had been immediately ac- 
 cepted by Edmond ; whose bold and fearless 
 bearing had gained him a continuance of the 
 applauding shouts, even from his enemies. 
 o2
 
 292 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 AU this passed with the rapidity of thought 
 through Knute's mind ; and the result of his 
 quick dehberation was a resolution to accept 
 the challenge, at all risks ; but lest the scarcely 
 momentary delay, occasioned by this reflection, 
 might be supposed to originate in fear or hesi- 
 tation, he also resolved to join battle with the 
 Saxon upon the instant. 
 
 He called Godwin therefore to his side, and 
 said to him — " Go — say to yonder braggart, 
 I will meet him — on horse — sword in hand 
 — and man to man, alone — within the half 
 hour — on yonder aight : bear him these ti- 
 dings, and the defiance of Knute Sweinson, 
 King of half the north/' 
 
 Godwin, accompanied by a herald, took and 
 delivered the message, omitting indeed, as 
 matter of surplusage, the honorable title, 
 which the Danish monarch, in his courtesy, 
 had bestowed upon his foe. 
 
 Edmund received Godwin kindly — heard the 
 message, and rephed calmly — '^ ^Tis well — I 
 shall wait on the King of half the north — and 
 nearly of half our Engelland, good sooth," 
 (he added with a scornful smile) — '^ to judge
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 293 
 
 by the many English that follow him : — 
 his host is indeed rife vnth betrayers, I 
 wis" — (he proceeded in a sterner tone) — 
 " that he could find a Seaxan so readily to 
 come on such an errand — go back, young 
 man/' 
 
 Godwin blushed — and did as he was bidden 
 — and gave Edmund's answer to Knute in a 
 trembhng voice — and with flushed face and 
 fiery eye — this httle taunt of his natural lord's 
 had done more to make him feel enmity and 
 hatred towards the Enghsh, than all his father's 
 arguments and commands — backed even by 
 the stronger influence — though he would not 
 have acknowledged it to have been so, of 
 Goda's beaut}\ 
 
 The two armies now separated. Edric 
 ranged with neither ; but retired with his few 
 followers, as he had come, at a hard gallop. 
 
 It might not be difiicult to assign a probable 
 cause for the apparently patriotic advice which 
 this eminent traitor had just given; advice 
 which seemed so admirably calculated to ter- 
 minate the frightful horrors, with which this 
 unhappy land had been for so long a period
 
 294 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 afflicted. For it did indeed seem most jast 
 that those who had set the devastating machine 
 of war at work, should be called upon at their 
 personal peril, to put a stop to the farther pro- 
 gress of the mischief: and it was evident that 
 in the case of the death or submission of either 
 king, the war would necessarily be at end — as 
 the main-spring of the evil — the emulation of 
 ambition — ^would be annihilated. But a deeper 
 and more self-interested motive may without 
 much injustice be attributed to Edric on this 
 occasion : he was himself an ambitious man — 
 and in the hope of furthering his own aspiring 
 views, he had first turned traitor to his too 
 trusting king, and by counsel — money — and 
 men, had aided the Danes in their success- 
 ful attempts against him : — for he calculated that 
 Swein's gratitude would raise him to a higher 
 pitch of importance, than he ever hoped of 
 attaining under the reign of Ethelred — to 
 whom he could by his loyalty render by no 
 means such efficient services, as by his disloy- 
 alty he could to the Danish invader. He perceived 
 also that so long as England was thus invaded 
 by a brave and pertinacious enemy, there was
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. » 295 
 
 no chance for the estabhshment of that tran- 
 quillity, which was indispensable for the settle- 
 ment of his own power — even could he have 
 been content with what he was hkely to obtain 
 under an Enghsh king : — ^he saw also a further 
 impediment to his projects of ambition, in the 
 disunion which prevailed throughout the coun- 
 tr}^, between those chieftains and their numerous 
 retainers, on whom she rehed for support : — 
 continually mistrusting and betraying one 
 another, they hved in a state of cixil warfare ; 
 and Edric was aware that one half the nation 
 were ready to join the standard of any foreign 
 enemy were it only that they might be enabled 
 to wreak their feud against their domestic foes. 
 Edric had therefore willingly and powerfully 
 assisted both Swein and his son Knute in their 
 attempts to conquer England — for the most part 
 he had done so covertly — and yet often openly — 
 in the latter case trusting, and always success- 
 fully, to the fondness and imbecihty of Ethehed 
 for the means of purchasing his pardon and con- 
 fidence, either by false exculpation, or feigned 
 repentance : but when, at the death of this 
 king, aptly surnamed the Unready, his natural
 
 296 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 son Edmund stepped into the seat of power, 
 and seized the slackened reins of government 
 with a strong and resolute hand, Edric saw that 
 Ke had now an additional difficulty to compete 
 with — and that he was matched with one, 
 whose genius was equal to his own cunning, 
 and whose bravery bid fair to frustrate all 
 his complicated schemes. At the battle of 
 Scearstan, he had adopted the desperate ex- 
 periment, (before alluded to,) of cutting off 
 the head of one Osmear, a man, who bore some 
 small resemblance to the English monarch, 
 and raising it aloft, crying to the Saxons to flee 
 — ^for ' there was the head of Edmund !' — on 
 that occasion he had but narrowly escaped the 
 avenging spear of the indignant King : he had 
 been received afterwards, it is true, upon his 
 solemn oath that he had himself been mistaken, 
 into pardon and partial favour — ^but coldly and 
 unconfidentially — and he had but awaited a 
 more propitious opportunity of completing his 
 long career of treachery. At Assandun, he had 
 fled with his division — in the hopes, that by 
 thus subtracting a large portion from the Eng- 
 lish army, they would be defeated. They were
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 297 
 
 SO, it is true, but yet not so wholly as he had 
 expected. He had subsequently sent message 
 after message to Edmund, in order to explain 
 his conduct on that occasion — ^but in vain — 
 the EngUsh king refused to Hsten to them, and 
 at length swore upon the holy gospels that he 
 would behead the next messenger who should 
 come from Edric. Still the game was not 
 played out — and after revoMng the affair de- 
 liberately and calmly he adopted the expedient 
 just narrated : he argued with himself — if in 
 a single battle Edmund should be slain, he 
 might confidently calculate on the gratitude 
 of Knute ; if on the other hand, Edmund 
 should be the victor, he should be enabled to 
 go before him with an appeal to the conse- 
 quences of his advice, as the best answer to 
 the charge of treachery or disloyalty : and if 
 both should fall, as his eager wish led him to 
 hope, then the very highest desire of his ambi- 
 tion would be within his reach, and he would 
 daringly, and fearlessly himself ascend the 
 vacant throne, and endeavour, by the boldness 
 and decision of this act — if he could not unite 
 all parties in allegiance — at least to terrify them 
 o 3
 
 298 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 into submission. As far as it had gone, his 
 device had answered to his most sanguine 
 expectations; and he now anxiously and not 
 without some fear awaited its issue. 
 
 Meanwhile Knute, attended by a few chief- 
 tains, and his favourite mare, had been ferried 
 over to the spot appointed for the battle — an 
 aight or islet of the name of Olney, situated 
 about midway in the stream of the Severn — 
 on one side of the island grew a thick fringe 
 of osiers — otherwise it was bare of trees and 
 shrubs, and covered with (considering its damp 
 situation) a singularly short and smooth sward. 
 The osiers by Knute's direction were all feUed 
 — ^he himself assisting cheerfuUy in the ope- 
 ration — ^ For,' he observed, ^ it would be too 
 bad if Seaxons on the other side should see 
 all the sport — and his true Danes none 
 on t.' 
 
 As soon as this was finished — ^he desired to 
 be left alone ; retaining Ulf, a few moments after 
 the rest had departed, in a secret conference, 
 the particulars of which have never been yet 
 revealed — nor shall they be now— thus much 
 however may be told, that when Knute shook
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 299 
 
 hands with Ulf, on the edge of the island, 
 as the latter was stepping into the ferry- 
 boat, the former was by all present, distinctly 
 heard to pronounce the words — -" Farewell, 
 brother." 
 
 Knute did not long wait alone upon the 
 island, for before his friends had reached the 
 one shore — a rudely constructed raft, had put 
 off from the other, bearing Edmond, his horse, 
 and several Saxon officers. 
 
 Knute's first feehng was that of suspicion of 
 treachery — nor was the feeling confined to him 
 alone — for Ulf, when he saw the laden raft, 
 which he had not done at first, owing to the 
 intervening aiglet, ordered the ferry-boat to 
 be steered round — and to be rowed back as 
 quickly as could be to the island : — but Knute, 
 by one of those wonderful inconsistencies of 
 our nature, which as often amuse, as they 
 annoy us, as soon as he perceived that his own 
 suspicious fears were shared by others — grew 
 ashamed of them — and waving his hand to 
 Ulf, he cried — " Back ! back ! I will meet 
 them" — and then led his steed slowly and 
 proudly towards the raft.
 
 300 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Edmund^ who in this action, and the move- 
 ment of the Danes, read their doubts, in order 
 at once to remove them, hastily mounted his 
 horse, and then spurred the restive animal, 
 who sprang upon the island, spuming the raft 
 with his hoofs, and sending it spinning down 
 the stream. The Danish king, a httle aston- 
 ished at the feat, stopped — deliberately mounted, 
 and waited till Edmund came up within a few 
 yards of him, when Edmund also drew up : they 
 both bowed, but spoke not — and remained for 
 some minutes, sitting and intently scrutinizing 
 each other. 
 
 In dress, bearing, and general appearance 
 the two Kings, certainly presented a striking 
 contrast. Knute, mounted on a bright bay 
 mare, richly caparisoned — ^her head-staU and 
 bridle adorned with precious stones — ^was clad 
 in a most sumptuous suit of chain-mail, the 
 meshes of which were alternately of dead gold 
 and bright steel — his helmet of the latter 
 metal, but inlaid with sprigs of dead gold, 
 and fastened under the chin, by a broad 
 band of similar chain mail, was surmounted 
 by a plume of black feathers — and in his hand
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 301 
 
 he bore his naked sword — -the scabbard of 
 which he had sent back by Ulf. — Edmund on 
 the other hand sat on a hea\y grey staUion, 
 whose accoutrements were utterly without or- 
 nament — he wore the same suit of half-rusty 
 mail in which he has been before seen, and 
 the same plumeless and dinted casque on his 
 head — ^his sword was still at rest in its sheath : 
 stem, severe, determined, — he looked like Mars 
 himself 3 while his adversary, (to borrow ano- 
 ther simile from the same old mythology,) bore 
 rather the aspect of one of the milder Deities 
 of Olympus — Apollo or Mercur)- — ^r^-ho had 
 descended from his celestial seat to put on 
 the unwonted but easily assumed habihments 
 of combat. 
 
 The tv\"o armies had arranged themselves on 
 each side of the river in anxious and almost 
 breathless expectation, watching every move- 
 ment of their leaders, on the conflict between 
 whom such important results depended: — ^at 
 some distance ofi^ on a rising ground, which by 
 the windings of the stream also faced the island, 
 was stationed a large body of horsemen — this 
 was Edric, and the whole of his di^asion, that 
 had fled from Assandun ; he had chosen that
 
 302 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 spot^ as commanding a tolerably good view of 
 the scene of combat^ and yet being sufficiently 
 far removed from either army; to neither of 
 whom, he felt it, just at that time, quite pru- 
 dent to entrust himself. 
 
 After the two Kings had for some moments 
 eyed one another in silence, as though each 
 was measuring his antagonist's strength, and 
 speculating where his own blows would be 
 Ukely to tell the most effectually — Knute put 
 in motion his steed, who had showed con- 
 siderably more impatience than his master, by 
 pawing and tossing his head — and slowly, but 
 still at the same distance, rode round the 
 English King : Edmund, who, as soon as 
 Knute began to move, had drawn his sword, as 
 slowly turned his horse round, so as still to 
 face his enemy — and at length, as if weary of 
 this delay, he said in a calm, though loud voice 
 — " Come on — / am ready." 
 
 The repetition of these words — and the 
 peculiar emphasis which Edmund laid on that 
 one little monosyllable, so thoroughly raised all 
 Knute' s spirit, that without waiting to complete 
 his circuit — ^without even considering the disad- 
 vantage of the rising ground which was now
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 303 
 
 between him and Edmund — he reined his 
 horse back — even till his hind hoofs splashed 
 among the sedges at the island's brink — and 
 then urging him forward with spur and voice, 
 with upUfted sword darted full speed at his 
 foe : Edmund sat quietly stiU to receive him, 
 raising his own sword diagonally above his 
 head, so as most effectually to ward off the 
 threatened blow — ^but as Knute came up with 
 him, he suddenly changed his method of attack, 
 and struck Edmund, under his sword, a heavy 
 blow on the left side of his neck — the Enghsh 
 King just tottered in his seat — just enough for 
 it to be perceived by the lookers-on — and from 
 the Danish army a shout of exultation was raised, 
 to congratulate their leader on having given 
 the first and so good a blow : but before the 
 sound of that shout could reach the ears of the 
 combatants, Edmund had revenged himself for 
 that blow, with a back stroke of his sword; 
 which Knute just escaped by crouching for- 
 ward, but which carried off his plume and the 
 golden ornament that held it. 
 
 "A pretty shittle-cock;" said Edmund, as 
 he quietly turned his horse round, so as to
 
 304 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 oppose Knute again— the latter also turned, 
 and again spurred forward to the charge — and 
 this time Edmund came at full speed to meet 
 him. 
 
 And now, indeed, the combat became real 
 and desperate — their weapons rose and fell, 
 with the flash and rapidity of lightning — their 
 armour rattled hke hail, under the heavy and 
 quick blows : — now they close in with one 
 another so near, that they cannot strike with 
 their swords — ^now they are too far apart for 
 their blows to tell : — their horses even seem 
 animated with the hostile fury of their riders — 
 they rear — they neigh — they strike out at one 
 another with their paws — they bite each other 
 on the breast and shoulders, till they draw 
 blood : — ^blood also — if it does not yet stain 
 the brightness of either fighter's sword, — is 
 weltering through the links of their mail, 
 which in many parts has been crashed through, 
 by the sheer force of the adversary's sword : — 
 Edmund now aims a furious plunge at Knute 
 — the latter beats down the blade — it enters 
 deep into the breast of his mare, who rears 
 under the pain so madly and suddenly, that
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 305 
 
 her rider is nearly thrown off backwards — and 
 the infixed weapon — not without dreadfully 
 lacerating the poor beast — ^is wrenched out of 
 Edmund's hand — the mare recovers herself, 
 and plunges down again with such force, that 
 Knute is thrown upon Edmund — they grapple 
 — the mare falls — and drags to the earth after 
 her both the combatants — Edmund's steed 
 gallops off — ^plunges into the stream — and is 
 dro'\;\TLed. 
 
 The kings rise from their all but mortal 
 struggle on the ground — Knute had dropped 
 his sword in the fall — and Edmund seizes it — 
 Knute plucks his foe's from the still gasping 
 breast of his mare — wards off a furious blow 
 of the Saxon's — then cries — " Stay !" — and 
 plunges the blade into the suiFering beast's 
 heart. — 
 
 A short pause ensued — the combat was then 
 resumed, but not with the same ardour as 
 before — neither of the combatants could well 
 manage his newweapon — Knute's was too heavy 
 for him — -Edmund's too hght — their arms 
 ached with the exertion — they were both weary 
 — and even faint from loss of blood — they
 
 306 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 fought on however^ for another hour — neither 
 gaining any decided advantage over the other — 
 and at the end of that period, they simulta- 
 neously paused — and rested on their swords, 
 within arm's length of each other. 
 
 The shouts and cries of encouragement or 
 fear, which had all along accompanied the blows 
 of the two champions — waxing or waning in 
 loudness, according to the increased or dimi- 
 nished interest of the conflict, were now hushed 
 down into silence, or at most an anxious 
 murmur, as the excitement of the scene had 
 stopped, and suspense again became predomi- 
 nant. — How great must have been the aston- 
 ishment of both armies, when after a protracted 
 pause of several minutes, they saw their leaders 
 approach stiU nearer — fling away their swords 
 — and grasp each other's hand. — While yet this 
 sense of astonishment chained the lips of the 
 spectator with silence ; Edric at once guessing 
 what had led to this unexpected termination of 
 the duel, turned round, and fled with his host. 
 
 Then the murmur of surprise gradually rose 
 and ran along the ranks, till it swelled into an 
 exclamation of joy, and ' The war is over !' 
 ' The kings are friends '/ ^ Long live Edmond
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 307 
 
 and Knout he !' 'Long live Knute and Eadmond ! 
 — high ! high !' resounded on either side. Ulf, 
 Godwin, Haco, and some other chieftains put 
 off in a boat towards the island, at the signal 
 of Knute ; and some of the Seaxon leaders did 
 the same at that of Edmond. 
 
 While they are crossing the river, it may not 
 be amiss to revert to the two Kings, from 
 whose company the reader has been somewhat 
 unceremoniously, and perhaps unaccountably, 
 hurried away: but it shall be accounted for; for 
 I hate all unnecessary mystery — and myself, not 
 knowing much of art, utterly denegate the vah- 
 dity of the old estabhshed rule, about ars est 
 celare artem, and therefore I candidly confess 
 that the transition loas made for the sake of 
 effect. 
 
 The fact is then, that Knute had began to 
 suspect he should not be able to come up to 
 time — and that if Edmond should not be in the 
 same condition, he himself should stand a very 
 good chance of being worsted : after he had 
 taken as much breath as he could get there- 
 fore he had addressed the Saxon King thus ; — 
 " What need ought thus to stir us, most worthy 
 king, that for the gaining of a kingdom,
 
 308 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 we should thus put our Uves at risk ? Better 
 were it^ that laying weapons and ill-will aside, 
 we should stoop to some fair understanding. 
 Let us become sworn brethren, and deal the 
 kingdom betwixt us : that henceforth we may- 
 be such friends as thou mayest use my things as 
 thine — and I thine as mine." 
 
 Whether Edmond participated in Knute's 
 doubt as to the event of the combat cannot be 
 correctly stated, as there is no record of that 
 fact ; but he was evidently pleased and pacified 
 at the proposal, for he flung away his sword — 
 Knute did the same, and they joined hands 
 together, as before mentioned ; Edmond saying 
 at the time, " I like thy rede so weU, that I 
 even thus greet thee, my brother Knute." 
 
 On the arrival of the chieftains the terms of 
 the reconcihation were shortly explained, while 
 the leeches stripped the monarchs of their 
 armour, and apphed heahng salves to their 
 wounds : they were then reclad in softer gar- 
 ments; cloaks having been spread, they lay 
 themselves on them, while the thanes of both 
 nations (the little isle by this time being 
 crowded with them) stood around to Hsten or
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 309 
 
 advise. — With perhaps a somewhat unseem- 
 ingly hastiness^ — affording at any rate a curious 
 contrast to the decent dilatoriness that pervades 
 our modern treaties^ be they on ever so 
 trifling a subject, — the stipulations of the peace 
 were drawTi up, committed to writing by the 
 clerks, and signed with a cross by both mo- 
 narchs, and most of the nobles and ecclesiastics 
 who were present. By this pacification it was 
 agreed that the kingdom should be di^-ided be- 
 tween the two Kings :— That the Thames should 
 be the hne of division : — that all the territory to 
 the south of that river, together with Middlesex, 
 should be retained by Edmond; while the rest to 
 the north— (a much larger share by the way, 
 though as shrewd pohticians of the day observed, 
 a much less cultivated and valuable portion) — 
 was allotted to Knute, it was settled also that a 
 large sum should be paid by Edmund in order 
 to enable the Dane to discharge his army. — 
 The kings embraced each other, as did also 
 most of the thanes, and they then interchanged 
 oaths that they would abide by the terms of the 
 treaty. The oath taken by Eadmond and the 
 Saxons was "By God's holy spell." The
 
 310 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Danes swore, each by his father's head, or 
 sword. Knute, to make all sure, swore both 
 oaths ; he had been baptized, by the name of 
 Lambert, when an infant ; so that he thought 
 it proper to take the same oath that other 
 Christians did ; but as in reality he knew httle 
 or nothing of the divine mysteries of that reli- 
 gion, having been bred among camps and 
 heathens ; he like an honest and conscientious 
 infidel, (if such a thing may be,) swore an oath 
 which he beheved would be binding on him : 
 and so both parties were satisfied, and most 
 especially the pious Wulfgar, the Abbot of 
 Abbandune, or Abingdon, (as we perversely 
 call it,) who, after several persevering exhorta- 
 tions, wrung from Knute a further oath (of 
 rather an equivocal nature) that he would duly 
 and quickly attend to those solemn doctrines, 
 to which he had been re-born by baptism — 
 and a free and unqualified permission to con- 
 vert as many of his heathen followers as he 
 might be able. 
 
 Knute, in the pohtest phrases of the day, 
 requested the pleasure of Edmond's company 
 for a few days in his new capital of Gloucester ;
 
 GODWIN AND GODA. 311 
 
 but Eadmond, quite as politely, though very 
 peremptorily, decHned 'his brother's' exceedingly 
 civil invitation, urging the necessity of his im- 
 mediate attendance at his old capital of Lon- 
 don. 
 
 And so the kings separated j and Eadmond 
 with his army departed. 
 
 Just as Knute landed on the banks of 
 the Severn, near Deerhurst; while the accla- 
 mations of the soldiery were ringing around, 
 (for without understanding any thing about the 
 matter, they were thoroughly con\^nced that 
 their leader had achieved a great triumph of 
 some sort or other) a dead body was carried by, 
 and the king, being in an inquiring mood, 
 asked ; — " Ha ! has there been slaughter done 
 here ? — how is this ?" 
 
 Most of the thanes looked exceedingly 
 sheepish at this question, as though it some- 
 how imphcated their honour or veracity, but 
 none answered ; this of course made Knute 
 angry, and he repeated his question. 
 
 " How is this, I say ? has slaughter been 
 done here ?"
 
 312 GODWIN AND GODA. 
 
 Ulf stepped forward, and answered " Aye.'^ 
 
 Knute. / By whom ? 
 
 Vlf. By him, who when he did it, was not 
 King of half Eangland. 
 
 Knute. Ah ! — I remember. 
 
 He walked slowly on and said no more ; till 
 Godwin, in order to say something congratula- 
 tory, took the hberty,of observing that the 
 King's foreboding had not been fulfilled. 
 
 Ulf answered, " Nay, but it has : the King 
 foreboded he should fall to-day, — and has he 
 not had a mighty fall, — from his horse ?" 
 
 To which Knute replied, " The King shall 
 yet have a much more lowly fall than that, 
 before night, brother Ulf.'* 
 
 And even Ulf wondered at this strange 
 speech. 
 
 END OF VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON : 
 G. SCHULZE, 13, POLAND STREET.

 
 :^
 
 ^mi 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBAN A 
 
 lllliilll 
 
 3 0112 040250422 
 
 / 
 
 mm