The Last of the Vikings

by John Bowling

  CHAPTER XXIX.

  EDGAR ATHELING.

  "Oh how wretched Is that poor man that hangs on princes' favours!"

  Shakespeare.

  Sigurd, after the rebuff he had received at the hands of Oswald, spedhim on his way to Scotland, aflame with a wrath which was about equallydivided between Oswald and the Normans. He was accompanied by somehalf-dozen of his followers. And there, at the court of Malcolm ofScotland, he laid before the Prince Atheling his scheme for the recoveryof the kingdom.

  Now, Prince Edgar was a weak, voluptuous prince, who spent his days indissipation, and surrounded by foreign parasites; but he was universallyacknowledged to be the legitimate heir to the throne of England. Everyone who knew him intimately had little hope of his ever winning it byforce of arms, or of his worthily filling it, if it should ever bewrested from the grasp of the astute William. The Conqueror well knewthe weakness of this princeling, and with consummate policy he kept himwell supplied with money, knowing that if he had the means to gratifyhis vicious and effeminate disposition, he would not be easily moved toundertake any dangerous or arduous enterprise.

  But the Atheling, like all weak and vacillating natures, could be falseor fickle to his master William at very short notice. He was capablealso, in a vain and feeble sort of way, of grasping at the Englishsceptre, for no better or nobler motive than the desire to gratify hischildish vanity, and to further indulge his voluptuous and sensualhabits.

  There was nothing in common between the fierce and fiery descendant ofthe Vikings, Sigurd, and this weathercock of princely descent. Sigurdwas as valorous and uncompromising as the Atheling was ease-loving andcowardly. Still, it was quite easy for this enthusiast to infuse intothe Prince's mind most exaggerated ideas of the rally of the Saxonsunder Oswald, and to lead him to believe that the prospect of regainingthe throne of England was easy of achievement. He also managed to faninto a flame the petty jealousies of which the prince was capable, byrepresenting to him that Oswald was intent on asserting his own claimsto the kingdom.

  It was a matter of profound surprise to us, and not a littleconsternation also, when scarcely a month had elapsed from the date ofSigurd's expulsion from the camp, to find that Saxon runners everywherethroughout the kingdom were conveying the Prince's summons to all Saxonleaders, outlaws, and ecclesiastics, together with a certain number offreemen, and churls, who, according to Saxon laws, had the right toattend these parliaments, or witans, of the nation. The witan wassummoned to meet in Lakesland, one of the wildest and most inaccessibleparts of Northumbria. Oswald and I were summoned, and a number of thosewho owned Oswald's chieftainship.

  We weighed carefully this matter, and we could not rid ourselves of theapprehension that Sigurd somehow was at the bottom of it, seeing thatthe _bodes_ who bare these summonses were followers of the Jarl.

  Personally, I was much averse to the project, being unable to see whatgood could come of it, in our present feeble and distracted state. ButOswald considered it desirable that we should obey this summons as loyalSaxons. Accordingly, a company of us, under the leadership of Oswald,started for this rendezvous amid the Lakes. We were compelled to use theutmost secrecy in our movements, and travel by night, as the Normanswere still thickly posted throughout the north. It would certainly havebeen most dangerous to travel by day, even with so small a company asours. We were practically but two days march from the place ofrendezvous. So we started after nightfall on the first day, and, bysteadily pressing on, we covered one-half the distance, arriving ere itwas daylight at a place of refuge evidently well known to our leader,but which came as a revelation to me, for we came upon a band of Saxonsnear to an inlet of the sea, which ran into a thickly wooded headland.Here were a company of hardy men, partly fisherman, and partly tradersand freebooters, who owned a vessel capable of carrying a considerablecargo; which bare sometimes Saxon refugees to foreign lands, at othertimes engaged in peaceful trading with distant ports, and had frequentlybeen employed by armed bands of Saxons for the purpose of making swiftdescents upon their foes in various parts of the kingdom. From thissource I found that wines and breadstuffs, as well as munitions of war,had systematically been supplied to the Saxon outlaws. I was toldvoyages were frequently made, not only to Ireland and Scotland, but evento ports on the Mediterranean sea.

  Here we rested for the day, and at nightfall we went aboard this vessel;and, the wind being favourable, in a couple of hours they ran us acrossthe bay of Morcam, landing us in sight of the Westmoreland hills, andcertainly saving us more than a twenty miles' trudge. We were now withinsome eight miles of our destination, and still had the most of the nightbefore us. Our sailor friends were able to tell us, also, that there wasno encampment of Normans within many miles of our route; so we continuedour march for an hour or two at a steady pace, without the slightestalarm or molestation. At last, our path lay through a narrow pass ordefile in the mountains, and we were rapidly drawing near to therendezvous. We now found it necessary to move with the utmost caution,for the path was rugged and narrow, and there was an eeriness about theplace which was suggestive of anything uncanny. Huge boulders frequentlyconfronted us, looming up out of the darkness so suddenly as quite totake my breath away. Oswald and I were a trifle ahead of the others, andwere discussing to ourselves as to what could be the purpose of thePrince, in summoning at so unpropitious a time the Saxon witan.

  "Does the Prince intend to take up arms, think you, my lord?" said I toOswald.

  "I expect little from the Atheling, Father, of that sort of thing. He isfickle, cowardly, and dissolute into the bargain. He dallied at thecourt of Malcolm at our last effort at York, until the cause was lost;and he sped him back again, and never stayed to strike a single blow. Iam afraid some hare-brained purpose moves him, or some petty ambitionwhich is unworthy of a prince, and which he will not back with any forceof character, or any persistence. He will simply provoke a revolt whichcannot be successful, whilst at the very first repulse he will vanish,and leave his unhappy followers to the relentless extermination policyof William."

  "You have no faith in revolt, I think?"

  "None whatever. It is absolutely hopeless. If we had but had a leader atYork, brave and skilful as our last King Harold, and one who could haveunited us, the thing was half assured. But now Saxon graves holdprisoner for ever the flower of our people; and to attempt to offer anorganised opposition to the Norman forces--why, it were sheer madness.The only two points in the kingdom where any show of resistance is made,is our own little colony, and in Lincolnshire, where Hereward stillprecariously holds out."

  "But does not the Prince know this, think you? Or is he incapable ofgrasping the situation?"

  "The Prince, I have already intimated, is not a factor worth consideringfor a moment. I very strongly suspect that Sigurd is at the bottom ofthis. He, I believe, has stirred the Prince up either to ambition or tojealousy, and I should not wonder if I were arraigned as traitor as apreliminary to some madcap exploit of Sigurd's. Do not be in the leastsurprised if this gathering ends in dire mischief and disunion."

  "What is that?" we both exclaimed in a breath, as we saw the figure of aman dart from behind a huge boulder, and swiftly run along the passahead of us.

  "I like not that," said Oswald. "He has no friendly motive, I warrant;"and he at once drew his sword, and called Wulfhere. "Your Grace hadbetter take second rank," said he to me. Then, halting a moment till thecompany drew near, he addressed them.

  "Men, have all your weapons ready."

  Immediately every swordsman's blade gleamed in the darkness, and everyarcher's bow was unslung, and an arrow affixed.

  "Rear guard!" said he, in an undertone.

  "Aye, aye!" responded two gruff voices, which I knew to be Badger's andBretwul's.

  "Beware! and be ready; and keep close up. Now, men, let us move steadilyforward."

  So we pressed slowly and steadily forward, Oswald and Wulfhere passingno boulder or obstruction without first carefully pee
ring behind it tosee if any foe ambushed there. Suddenly there was a halt, the sword ofOswald was uplifted, and I could descry a muffled human figure standingin the centre of the path.

  "Who art thou?" said Oswald. "Speak, or I will cleave thee from head tofoot."

  "Listen!" said the figure. "I am the shadow of a vanishing race. WhenSaxon hates Saxon and is greedier than greedy hawk for Saxon's blood;and when Saxon loves Norman habits, and makes friends of the hatedoppressor; what hope is there of a restoration of the old race! If theFates have decreed it, well--'tis enough. I only ask for a grave in somelonely spot, where the groans of my people will not disturb my longrepose. But beware, Saxons! there are fierce enemies abroad--Saxon, too.Beware! The would-be avenger has a sharp sword, and will not stay hishand. So beware! the swoop of the eagle is swift and strong, and histalons are sharp."

  With that, the strange figure turned and fled along the pass with thespeed of a mountain roe.

  "That is a strange visitant," I said. "The voice might be the voice of awoman. I almost fancied I had heard it before."

  "In any case, it is the voice of a friend. The warning is unmistakable;the enemy to be dreaded is Saxon also," said Oswald.

  I began to wish most devoutly that the night were past. My nerves werequite unstrung, and the yelp of a fox, or wolf, in the vicinity, theflap-flap, of the night-owl's wing, or the scurrying footsteps of therabbits, set me in a violent tremble. Oswald headed the party forward,though I would most gladly have called a halt, and waited for the clay.We quickly found that our troubles were not yet past, for not a quarterof a mile had been traversed since our last visitant, when suddenly, andwithout warning, we were beset behind and before by armed men, whohurled themselves upon us with the fury of wild beasts. Oswald had onlytime to raise his shield to save himself from the furious stroke of somepowerful enemy. Before I had time to realise it, friend and foe werelaying about them with the fury of madmen. No sooner did I grasp thesituation than immediately I rushed to the front, though it was at theimminent peril of my life. Lifting up the sacred emblem of my office, Icried,--

  "Peace! In God's name, I charge peace!"

  At the sight of the blessed cross the assailants recoiled a pace or two.

  "Who are you?" I cried. "Saxon or Norman?"

  "They are Saxon," said Oswald. "I know well who aimed the blows at mylife. 'Tis Sigurd, one professing to be of our nation."

  "I am not of thy nation, dastardly renegade, dancing attendance uponNorman wenches, and warring in silken hose."

  "If I warred with as little sense and as little skill as thyself, Ishould soon be as impotent as thou art, and have never a Saxon left meto lead to battle."

  "Sigurd," said I, in as authoritative tone as I could command, and stillholding up the emblem of peace and goodwill to men, "I charge you, inGod's name, that you call off your men, and cease this fratricidalstrife."

  "What care I, monk," said he fiercely, "for thy God? He is the God ofcowards, and not of warriors."

  But having breathed out this defiance, he gathered up a wounded comradewho had felt the keenness of Wulfhere's sword, and, without utteringanother word, he headed his men for the hills.

  "Now, my lord," said I, "what is to be done? This, I fear, is only aprecursor of trouble and discord at our witan. I would you were willingeven now to beat a retreat, nor take further risks to yourself and men,in so bootless an errand.

  "The Prince professedly has summoned me, and I would not draw back untilfully assured that mutual council is profitless," said Oswald.

  "Let me go forward, my lord, and meet the Prince. I think my sacredoffice will protect me. If I think good will come of this gathering, Iwill communicate with you."

  "No, Father; no man shall ever say I failed to respond to the call of myPrince, despisable though I believe him to be. Nor will my duty to myrace and to my country permit me to stand aloof from this witan, for Godknows we have need both of council and of all the wisdom left to us.But, nevertheless, I have no faith in this gathering. The Prince, Idoubt me, is an indolent sensualist, and, like all weak-minded men, mosteasily provoked into jealousy. The ominous figure we have just met isdeeply involved in this scheme, I am now sure. A sturdy, valorous man,and a foeman of direst sort, but utterly incapable of moderation. Hecherishes a mortal hatred of me, and I now know that I shall take mylife in my hand when I enter the council; but that is a risk which givesme no uneasiness. So let us advance, for the light, I see, is breakingover the tops of the mountains, and very soon we shall have the day."

  So, nerving ourselves for any contingency, we continued our march. Thishad now become much pleasanter, and infinitely easier, in consequence ofthe approach of day.

  By-and-by we drew aside into a sheltered dell, in order to partake ofour morning meal, which we despatched as hastily as possible, in orderthat we might reach the rendezvous early. We had not journeyed far,however, before we were accosted by a man, who emerged from behind aheap of stones at the head of the pass, and surveyed us narrowly.

  "Saxons?" said he.

  "Aye, Saxons all," we replied.

  "What say ye?"

  "Down with the Normans!" we replied.

  "Right," said he. "Down with the Normans!" Then he gave us sundrydirections as to the nearest route to the place of meeting. We foundthis route to be again somewhat difficult; for such a stern, wildcountry it is difficult to imagine, much more to describe. We againentered a narrow defile between two frowning and rugged hills, and in alittle while this defile opened out into a magnificent,amphitheatre-like vale, enclosed with lofty peaks and rugged hills onevery hand, whilst below us there lay a magnificent sheet of water inthe centre of the valley, with thick woods running around it; the baldand boulder-strewn hills towering high above all, most imposing in theirrugged grandeur and might. Underneath them, the valley was mostbewitching in the loveliness of its umbrageous woods. As outlets to thisbeautiful valley, there were but the pass we had descended, and anothernarrow defile at the foot of the lake, where the water made its exit.Involuntarily we came to halt. Indeed, the prospect before us was atonce so wild, and yet so charming, that we could not but stand and gaze,enchanted with the scene.

  "Now, Father," said Oswald, "what think you of Lakesland?"

  "Well," said I, "lovely as our beloved Craven is, it pales before thismagnificent country."

  "Yes; and the strength of it! Had Sigurd but a tithe of moderation andself-restraint, there are no Norman forces in this Northumberland thatcould drive him out."

  Well, we resumed our march by rounding the head of the lake by adifficult and tangled forest path. This done, we continued our journeydown the opposite side of the valley and along the side of the lake,until eventually we were taken in hand by one of a group of men,evidently set for the purpose, and by him we were conducted to ayeoman's dwelling, embowered in trees of massive girth on all sides. Thehabitation was similar to the rough but substantial dwellings we wereall familiar with. There were some considerable outbuildings and anenclosure carefully fenced round by a lofty wall, and evidently intendedfor the protection of the sheep and cattle at night, during the wintermonths; for the wolves were wont to pack, sometimes in considerablenumbers, and become very daring and vicious, when the pinch of hungerwas upon them.

  As soon as we entered this enclosure, we found there was assembledalready a goodly company of men of various grades, all of them armed tothe teeth. Many of them were evidently Saxons who had held considerablepositions in the land prior to the coming of the Normans, though nowevidently much broken. The scared and suspicious looks with which theyscrutinised every new-comer, told plainly that they were much used totreachery, and familiar with double-dealing. There were also numbers whowere clearly men of war. The look of defiance on their countenances, andthe well-stocked quivers over their shoulders, told plainly they werechiefs of the bold outlaws who lived by the might of their trustyswords, and their long bows. No one could misunderstand their fierce anddaring attitude.

  There were some also who
, by their armour, had evidently learnedsomething of the methods of war pursued by the Normans. Indeed, as wehave said, before the coming of William, large numbers of the Normanshad thronged the court of the pious Edward, and Saxon noblemen in goodlynumbers had practised the joust at tournaments, adopting Norman weapons,affecting a budding errantry, and talking Norman French. There was herealso a goodly number of the humbler ranks; for, according to old Saxonlaw, not only freemen, but even villeins and churls had the right ofrepresentatives at the witanagemot, or council. Oswald immediatelyjoined himself to a company of these men of knightly appearance, many ofwhom he knew, having fought side by side with them at York.

  Sigurd I quickly espied, standing with another group of the old stock,rude, unlettered, and primitive in habit and dress. I could easily see,without seeming to notice or observe them narrowly, that these menviewed with no favourable eye what they were wont to call the prankingof Norman manners and dress on the part of Oswald and the others I havespoken of. It was plainly to be seen, also, that Sigurd had donesomething to inflame their minds against Oswald, for they eyed himsavagely and suspiciously.

  I proceeded, however, at once to the house place, to make my obedienceto Prince Edgar, who, with certain of his personal friends, awaited theassembling of the members of the witan. The Prince was dressed in a richvelvet dress, with elaborate fringing of silk, and for a head-dress thehat and feather worn by Norman courtiers. He was also accompanied by aNorman favourite, a most truculent parasite, of a vain and dissipatedappearance, and, as I thought, a very unsuitable companion for a princewho preferred claims to the Saxon throne.

  Elaborate arrangements had evidently been made for display, and for thecomfort and luxury of the Prince. He was accompanied by his cook, hisvalet, and several serving-men; whilst he had, with infinite trouble tothe servants, brought with him wines, and delicacies, and dainties,which were to me no good augury, and which, do as I would, I could notbut despise in one who made pretence of so desperate an enterprise asthe overthrow of the Norman rule in England. For, view it as we might, amost desperate enterprise it most surely was.

  At the appointed hour for the council to begin, a chair was brought outof doors, and placed in such a position that its occupant could commanda view of the whole company. Over this chair a richly-embroidered coverwas thrown, and the Prince immediately took possession of it; whilst theNorman favourite came behind, and ostentatiously placed a crown upon hishead. This burlesque of royalty was expected to produce a shout of loyalenthusiasm from the assembled company; but, with the exception of hisown followers, not a whisper of applause greeted it, though the marks ofderision on the countenances of many of the Saxons were open andundisguised.

  Now, as the senior ecclesiastic present, it became my lot to read whatthe Prince was pleased to call the "Royal Proclamation," calling thismeeting of the witan, which being done, the Prince next addressed thecompany. In pompous and affected tones he said,--

  "Reverend fathers, valiant knights and liegemen, I have called togethermy faithful witan to consider the state of our unhappy country, and whatmay best be done for the recovery of my rights as the lawful King ofEngland. To this end I seek your advice; and not only so, but I furtherlay my commands upon you, as my faithful subjects, liegemen, andvassals, to help me in this enterprise. To this end I would furtherinsist that it is necessary that you should lay aside all purposes ofindividual self-assertion, and join yourselves and your forces to thegeneral movement. Now, whilst speaking on this head, I may say, withshame and regret, it has been reported to me that sundry knights, ofwhom I expected better things, are not true to our cause, but are actingwithout regard to the claims of myself as the lawful King of England,and are setting up a separate authority; warring according to methodsnot sanctioned by me or my faithful witan. I hear there are those whoare willing to forfeit their allegiance to me, and, for their ownpersonal ends, going even so far as to seek a servile alliance with ourfoes, to the betrayal of the Saxon cause. Now let it be known to youthat I claim the undivided allegiance of all Saxons, and that I purposewith rigour to punish all traitors to my cause and to my kingdom. I havebeen too long slighted and set at naught by my lieges and vassals, and Iwould know what of it? There are loyal men and true in your ranks, Iknow, who despise and hate such factious conduct as much as I do myself;and I call upon all who can bear testimony to this flagrant disloyaltyon the part of certain of my subjects, to stand forth and declare it atthis council, for I purpose with utmost rigour to punish all factionistsand traitors who are cringingly seeking alliances with the Norman foe."

  At this invitation Sigurd stepped from the ranks, and said,--

  "Puissant Prince, if it be your will, I have a charge to make againstOswald the Ealdorman, son of Ulfson, who is now present. As he wellknows, I have made this charge to his face, that he has built a fortressfor himself and all such churls and freemen as are willing toacknowledge his chieftainship. I charge him also with speakingslightingly of your Highness's valour, and your ability to regain yourrightful throne. I charge him also with endeavouring to enter intocowardly alliance with the Norman foe--promising, if certain meagreconcessions be made to him, he will withhold his followers fromrebellion, and all endeavours to resist the Normans. I charge him withattempting to gain a dishonourable alliance with the house of DeMontfort. Which several charges I have attempted to make good at thesword's point. And I call upon him now to answer for it with his life,as all traitors and trucemakers should."

  "If Oswald the Ealdorman be present, I call upon him to make such answeras best he can against the charges preferred by our valiant and trustyknight, Sigurd the Saxon Dane, who, by his fealty to us and his zeal forthe Saxon cause, has won our hearty trust and confidence."

  At this summons Oswald stepped forth a pace or two, and, removing hishelmet and visor, said, in firm and unfaltering tones,--

  "Sire, may I be bold enough to ask if this is the purpose for whichvaliant knights and lieges have been summoned from far and near?"

  "Silence, dog! and answer the charges made against thee! Then we shallconsider the weightier matters appertaining to our realm. But we willhave an answer to these charges."

  "The charges, sire, made against me by the Jarl, are the creation of hisown heated brain; and the reason he has brought them hither is becausehe failed ignobly to make them good with his weapons. I declinealtogether to wrangle out with him this petty personal quarrel inpresence of this assembly. If we are to consider matters of greatermoment, matters which concern our country and the present desperatestate of the Saxon cause, then I am prepared to offer my poor services,either in this council or in face of our common foe."

  "Well said, Sir Knight!" cried a gruff voice, which belonged to theleader of a party of knights who had entered the enclosure during theforegoing dialogue, and whose seedy and travel-stained garments, andrusty arms and accoutrements, bore ample token of much exposure and muchrough usage.

  "Sirrah!" shouted the Prince, waxing wroth at the bold front andfearless language of Oswald, "dost thou presume to answer thy King afterthis fashion? By my halidame, if this continues there will be never ascurvy clown in my kingdom who will not think he may beard his Princewith impunity. But I will know whither all this is tending. I have longhad my eye upon that boorish and untamed son of Earl Leofric, whom mencall Hereward, who is carrying on warfare in the Fen country--palpablyfor his own ends and his own glory, for he never so much as acknowledgesmy sovereignty or sends his dutiful submission to me. Now thou dostpresume to imitate the conduct of the braggart Hereward, and must needscollect an army for thy own personal advantage, and not for the glory ofthy Prince. Men of my faithful witan, I call upon you to note this, forI have determined I will rid the Saxon cause of all such disloyaltraitors."

  "'Tis pity, sire," said Oswald, in tones in which anger and contemptwere mingled, "that you never thought it worth your while to collect anarmy for yourself, or at least to place yourself at the head of onecollected for you. We would fain see what kind of stuff our P
rince ismade of. Will you tell this witan, Prince, where you were when so manygood lives were lost at York in your cause?"

  "Well spoken, sir!" shouted the gruff voice, with even more emphasisthan before.

  "Dost thou call in question my valour, villain!" roared the Prince. "Byour Lady, I'll have no more of thy effrontery, dog! Disarm him, loyalknights!"

  Immediately half a dozen of the Saxon leaders sprang forward at thebidding of the Prince; but they quailed before Oswald as they saw thebroadsword whipped from its scabbard, and perform a swift circle in theair.

  "Here's to thee, with all my heart, Sir Knight! I like thy metal!" saidthe stranger knight, as he sprang to Oswald's side, brandishing a hugesword; whilst his followers quickly ranged themselves on the same side,ready for the fray.

  "Treason! treason!" almost screamed the Prince, in abject terror,starting from his seat and preparing to beat a retreat.

  I gently laid my hand on his shoulder, and said, "Have patience, sire.These men mean no harm, only they are not wont to receive such harshrebukes."

  This seemed to reassure him, for, addressing the unknown knight, hesaid,--

  "Who art thou who thus boldly takes sides with this traitor to mycause?"

  The stranger made no answer, but slowly removed his headgear.Immediately a score of voices shouted, "The Wake! the Wake! 'TisHereward!"

  "Yes," said Hereward. "I am the Wake, whom thou hast been cowardlycharging with treason. Hark! Dost thou think Hereward is going to perillife and limb, or waste precious lives, to set such a dolt on the throneof England as thou hast proved thyself this day; and on the formeroccasion, when we met at York, for instance? Marry, no! A niddering whoflies for his life at the first approach of danger is not fit to wield asceptre in these lands. A Prince who fosters faction, and is pettishlyjealous of braver men than himself, had better turn monk; a _shaven_crown would better become thee than the Crown of England."

  "By the blessed Virgin, I vow I will humble thy pride, dog, ere I havedone with thee! I will not be bullied in my own witan, though thou be ason of Earl Leofric!"

  "Ah, well," said Hereward, with a sneer, "thou art of the wrong metalthyself, but if thou hast a knight brave enough to cross a sword on thybehalf, let him stand forth, and I will oblige him with a bout; 'twouldbe a little diversion in this fool's errand of ours."

  "I will champion the Prince, braggart; with a curse on thee for thybase-hearted treachery to thy wife Torfrida!" shouted the brave andcholeric Sigurd, rushing forward and brandishing his sword in the faceof Hereward.

  Instantly there was such a clamour of voices, clash of swords, and direconfusion, in the arena, that I was terrified at this tumult of fierceand angry passions. Oswald and I rushed in between these fiercecombatants and called aloud for peace, which with the utmost difficultywe obtained. Seeing the strange state of frenzy in which most presentwere, I urgently requested that all further discussion should cease forthe day.