A Thane of Wessex | Page 6

and my heart turned to them in gratitude for a little, though Matelgar's
treachery had seemed to make it a stone within me.
They ended, and the silence came again. It seemed long, and weighed
on me like a thunderstorm in the air, nor should I have started had the
whole assembly broken into one thunderclap of hatred of me. But
instead of that, came the calm voice of Ealhstan the Bishop:
"Eanulf and freemen of Somerset, there is one who witnesses for this
Heregar more plainly than all these. That witness is himself, in his
youth and inexperience. What are the wild words a boy will say? Who
will plot against a mighty king with a boy for partner? What weight
have his words? What help can come from his following? It seems to
me that Matelgar the Thane and these friends of his might well have
laughed away all these foolishnesses, rather than hoard them up to
bring before this solemn council. This, too, I hold for injustice, that one
should be kept in ward till his trial, unknowing of all that is against him,
unhelped by the counsel of any freeman, and unable to send word to
those who should stand by him at his trial. Indeed, this thing must be
righted, I tell you, before England is a free land."
At that there went a sound of assent round the Moot, and it seems to me,
looking back, that that trial of mine, hard as it was to bear, was yet the
beginning of good to all the land, by reason of those words which it
taught the bishop to say, and which found an abiding place in the hearts
of the honest men who heard; so that in these days of Alfred, our wise
king, they have borne fruit.
Then Eanulf signed to my guards, and they led me away and over the
brow of the hill, that the Moot might speak its mind on me. There my
guards bade me sit down, and I did so, resting head on hands, and
thinking of nought, as it seemed to me, until suddenly rose up hate of
Matelgar, and of Eanulf, and of all that great assembly, and of all the
world.
There was an earthquake once when I was but a boy, and never could I

forget how it was as though all things one had deemed solid and secure
had suddenly become treacherous as Severn ooze. And now it was to
me as though an earthquake had shaken my thoughts of men. For, till
that day, never had I found cause to distrust anyone who was friend of
mine. Now could I trust none.
Then rose up in my mind the image of Alswythe, fair, and blue eyed,
and brown haired, smiling at me as she was wont. And I deemed her,
too, false, as having tricked me to meet her that this might come upon
me.
Well it was that they called me back into the ring to hear my doom, for
such thoughts as these will drive a man to madness. Now must I think
for myself again, and meet what must be. Yet I would look at no man
as I went towards the place of my judges, and stood before them with
my eyes cast down. For I was beaten, and cared no more for aught.
Eanulf spoke; but he had no anger in his voice and it seemed as though
he repeated the words of others.
"Heregar, son of Herewulf," he said, "these things have been brought
against you by honourable men, and you cannot disprove them--hardly
can you deny them. They may not be passed over; yet for the sake of
your youth, and for the pleading of Ealhstan, our Bishop, your doom
shall be lighter than some think fit. Death it might be; but that shall not
pass now on you, or for this. But Thane you may be no longer, and we
do confirm that sentence. Landless also you must be, as unworthy to
hold it. Outlaw surely must he be who plots against the Head of law."
He paused a moment, and then said:
"This, then, is your doom. Outlawed you are from this day forward, but
wolf's head [ii] you shall not be. None in all Wessex shalt harbour you
or aid you, but none shall you harm, save you harm them. Go hence
from this place and from this land, to some land where no man knows
you; and so shall you rest again."
Now, had I not been blinded with rage and shame, I might have seen

that there was mercy in this sentence, and hope also. For I had seen a
man outlawed once, and given a day's start, like some wild beast,