by M. M. Blake
CHAPTER V.
SAXON AND NORMAN.
The little village of Exning in Suffolk was once an important place,the seat of the royal palace of the kings and queens of East Anglia,wherein was born the celebrated St. Etheldreda, who was the foundressof the monastery of Ely; and its state did not entirely disappear tillA.D. 1200, when a plague broke out which desolated the population, anda New Market was set up a few miles from it, which still bears thatname, and is the well-known racing centre.
Ralph de Guader, as Earl of East Anglia, became the lord of thisancient palace of the East Anglian royal family, and, as it was in hisday the fashion for weddings to take place at the house of thebridegroom, it was here that preparations were made for his union withEmma Fitzosbern.
It was in every way convenient for Ralph's purposes. Situated on theextreme verge of his estates, jutting out towards the west, whence hisbride must come, it was the very nearest point at which she could enterhis domain; near also to Northampton and Huntingdon, over whichWaltheof Siwardsson was earl, regarding whom, as we know, De Guader haddeep-laid schemes. The celebrity it bore as the time-honoured residenceof the East Anglian royalty, and the birthplace of one of thebest-beloved of Saxon saints, endeared it to the hearts of the Saxonnobles and thegns, whom it was Ralph's policy to conciliate, and ofwhom he had invited to the banquet all who still possessed any remnantof their former wealth, and many who had little left but names toconjure with.
Divers Breton nobles and knights also held manors in the neighbourhood,and De Guader had in his own following a strong body of Bretonmercenaries, and took care to bid the leading men amongst them, and allhe could gather of his mother's countrymen having settlements inEngland, to the feast. Many Normans also were invited, men who wereknown to be discontented with their share of the spoil of fair landsand deer forests and riches of various kinds distributed after theConquest, or who, like De Guader and Hereford, were smarting underWilliam's tyrannous whims. Last, but most important amongst the guests,were the members of the Saxon Church, many of whom came to the bridal,including several of the high positions of bishop and abbot.
Only the highest in rank of such a large assembly could be shelteredunder the roof of the palace, built though it had been to suitAnglo-Saxon notions of hospitality, which were on a bounteous scale.
The knights and thegns of humbler degree were encamped in theneighbourhood in every variety of tent and hut that would serve fortemporary shelter, while each noble or chief brought with him a goodlytrain of house-carles, squires, and pages, and a motley following ofattendants and grooms, with horses and hounds and sumpter mules ladenwith baggage. For miles around the air was rent with the neighing ofhorses and shouting of men, the barking of dogs and clashing of arms,and the braying of trumpets, while above each gay tent floated a silkenbanner bearing the arms of the occupant, or, at least, tall lancesstuck in the ground beside it fluttered their pennoncelles around it.All was merry clamour and confusion, and doubtless Newmarket Heathitself was as gay as it now is on the morning of the Two ThousandGuineas.
The East Anglian earl had elected to have the festivities arrangedaccording to Saxon fashions. Nevertheless, he had endeavoured tosatisfy the tastes of all his guests, and a variety of entertainmentswas provided. A magnificent pavilion had been erected for the many whocould not be accommodated with seats in the banqueting-hall of thepalace, over which waved richly-coloured flags embroidered with thearms of the three great earls,--the azure lion rampant which Waltheofhad assumed as his emblem, the red, blue, and golden arms of Hereford,and De Guader's own cognisance, party per pale or and sable, with abend vairy.
To one side of it were spacious lists hung with scarlet cloth, onehundred yards long by forty broad, having benches for spectators intiers along the length of the barriers, and in the centre, on eachside, a canopy, one destined for the three earls, who were to be judgesof the combat, the other for Emma Fitzosbern,--from whose hands asQueen of Beauty the victors were to receive their prizes,--the nobleladies who were her guests, and the maidens of her train. The tourneywas to take place a full day before the wedding, so that the combatantsmight be rested, and fit for the labour of feasting. The combats werein no case to be _a outrance_, but merely a trial of strength andskill.
On the opposite side of the pavilion a large space of ground was markedout for sports of a less aristocratic character, and set with targetsfor archery, a quintain,--not the knightly quintain supplied with afull suit of good armour, such as chivalric aspirants tried their skillon, the providing of which was a serious item in the expenses of afeudal castle, but a mere ring and sand-bag,--leaping bars, racecoursesboth for horse and foot racing, a bear-pit, and other sports to pleasethe various tastes of the soldiery,--the socmen or tenants holding landby service other than knightly,--the bordars or cottagers holdingportions of land on condition of supplying the lord of the manor withpoultry, eggs, and other small provisions,--and such other freemen asDe Guader deemed it well to conciliate.
A richly-decked bower had been prepared for Emma Fitzosbern in the oldAnglo-Saxon palace, and in this she sat with her favourite, Eadgyth ofNorwich, on the evening of their arrival at Exning. Eadgyth was to beher chief bridemaid, and the policy of the bridegroom was notill-served by this honour paid to the relative of the great Englishearl. Emma's face was radiant with happiness, for she loved Ralph deGuader deeply, and her buoyant disposition did not tempt her to meetdifficulties half way; so she was able to throw to the winds allforeboding as to sinister results from the bold step she and herbridegroom were about to take in opposing the Conqueror's will.
Eadgyth, however, though evidently trying to be as gay as beseemed theoccasion, was unable to hide from Emma's quick eyes the fact that shewas herself in low spirits, betrayed by a tinge of sadness in her tone,and half-stifled sighs that would make way between her merry speeches.
'Eadgyth, something hath vexed thee,' said Emma earnestly. 'Be frankwith me, and tell me thy sorrow, by the memory of the freedom withwhich I have reposed my woes with thee.'
'Nay,' replied Eadgyth, with a forced smile, a faint one, it must besaid, like December sunshine, 'it would be a sin to talk to thee ofsorrow on thy bridal eve.'
'Thou canst not hide it, Eadgyth; thou wouldst do more kindly to tellme all.'
'Thou knowest the young knight, Sir Aimand de Sourdeval, who rides inthy bridegroom's _meinie_?' said Eadgyth in a low hesitating tone.
She had taken Emma's hand in her own, and was twisting the betrothalring which circled the slender third finger round and round, but,though her face was averted, her white neck and forehead grew pinkunder Emma's gaze.
'A gallant knight and of good lineage,' said Emma quietly. 'My brothersaid but the other day that he counted him amongst the best lances heknows.'
'Thou wilt remember he rescued my poor gazehound Freya from the fangsof the wolf the day thy Danish hawk was first flown, and leeched hertenderly after, even using on her a talisman which had been given tohim by a holy palmer from the East, nursing the poor beast as gently asif she had been a human child.'
''Tis a good sign in a man to show tenderness to the poor beasts whocannot make their wrongs public,' said Emma. 'He who will sufferinconvenience to save a beast pain, will not do less for weak women orfeeble children that come under his charge.'
Eadgyth looked up with sparkling agreement in her eyes, but bent herhead again as she continued,--
'This evening, as we drew near the goal of our journey, he tookadvantage of his duty as escort to ride his destrier close to the sideof my palfrey, and asked me what colours I meant to wear at thetourney, and to give him a favour to wear in his helm, with manycompliments, saying my good renown was such that the noble Godfrey deBouillon himself would not disdain to break a lance in my honour.'
'And what was thine answer, sweet friend?' asked Emma. 'I know not whatin this can find thee food for grief.'
Eadgyth continued in a grave and measured voice,--
'I thanked him that he should do me such complim
ent, and said I doubtednot his lance and sword would well defend my favour, being plied by aGod-fearing knight, and in the cause of a maiden who hath nought toconceal; but I could give no favour, for I had ever held that she wholets a good man risk life and limb in her service, should be ready toguerdon the victor, and that I could not do.'
'Now, Eadgyth, why shouldst thou have given such an answer?' asked Emmavehemently. 'Read me thy riddle, I pray thee, for, in good sooth, Ideem not thou hast the knight in ill-favour.'
'Surely the riddle is plain to read,' answered Eadgyth, 'and thoushouldest know enough of my mind to answer it. Is not Sir Aimand aNorman, and am I not the cousin of Harold Godwinsson?'
'I tell thee truly I am sick of thy eternal Harold Godwinsson!' criedEmma, springing up and pacing the room. 'His name is dragged forth inseason or out of season. It must be hard for the poor man to rest inhis grave! Here are eight years the Normans and the Saxons--if Saxonthou wilt own thyself, sometimes thou wilt correct me that thou art anAnglo-Dane!--have been living in peace, and marrying and giving inmarriage, and thou wouldst wake up old quarrels, and part them insunder again. As well might I refuse to marry Ralph de Guader becauseof his English blood.'
'But the earl fought with thy people. How know I but that my kinsfolkfell by Sir Aimand's hand? He was at Senlac, though but a young squire.The gulf that yawns between us is impassable!' and Eadgyth's shouldersshook with an irrepressible shudder.
'Even so,' said Emma, 'it was in fair fight on a hardly-contestedfield, and Sir Aimand would be in no way blood-guilty therefor. When aquarrel is ended, generous foes shake hands.'
'So said Sir Aimand. For he asked me if any reason were behind myanswer that he might know, and I told him frankly that my heart stillbled for my country's wounds, and that I could not forget that thelance he offered to ply in mine honour had tilted against mycountrymen, had perhaps been dyed with the blood of those dear to me.He answered and said, that it had been a fair fight, with no ill bloodbetween the combatants; that God had made the Norman arms prevail, andthat I ought to accede to His holy will. But I cannot feel it so,'Eadgyth ended, with a sigh.
'Then I must try to comfort thee some other way,' said Emma, resumingher seat, and taking the face of her friend in both her hands, andturning it up and kissing it, for Eadgyth was sitting on a low stool ather feet, as was her wont. 'Remember thou art on thy way to thy dearNorwich, where some of thy kin may still be found; nay, some may beamongst the invited guests to the banquet, and encamped near thee evennow. We know, at least, that more than one noble thegn will be present.Who can say what fate may have in store for thee?'
Eadgyth shook her head.
'Alas, Emma! I shall not find comfort so. There was that in the face ofthe poor knight as he turned away that I fear me will haunt my memoryto my dying day.'
'Nay then, if that be thy mood, I will waste no pity on thee,' saidEmma. 'Shame on thee, that thou shouldst send my countryman away with asad face, and doubtless an aching heart, for such a fantastic whim!'
But the soft tones of her voice somewhat belied her declaration thatshe would bestow no pity on her wayward friend.