Wulf the Saxon | Page 7

only replied that before
there was any slitting of ears your lordship would have a say in the
matter. So far, I admit, I did withstand the bishop, and I see not how I
could have made other reply."
"It would have been better to have held your peace altogether, Wulf."
"It would, my lord, but it would also surely have been better had the
bishop abstained from talking about slitting ears."
"That would have been better also, but two wrongs do not make a right.
I was present when the bishop made his complaint, and upon my
inquiring more into the matter, his version was somewhat similar to
yours. I then pointed out to him that if holy bishops lost their tempers

and used threats that were beyond their power to carry into effect, they
must not be too severe upon boys who forget the respect due to their
office. Nevertheless, I admitted that you were wrong, and I promised
the king, who was perhaps more disturbed by this incident than there
was any occasion for, that I would take you to task seriously, and that
to avoid any further brawl between you and young Fitz-Urse, you
should for a time be sent away from court. I did this on the agreement
that the bishop should, on his part, admonish Walter Fitz-Urse against
discourteous behaviour and unseemly brawling, and had I known that
he had put his hand on his dagger, I would have gone further. Have you
any witnesses that he did so?"
"Yes, my lord; I saw the smith Ulred among those standing by, and
doubtless he would see the action."
"That is well," Harold said. "I shall acquaint the bishop with the fact
when I tell him that I have ordered you to leave for your estate at
Steyning, and that if his page denies it, I have witnesses to prove the
truth of your assertions. I think in that case he will be glad to drop the
matter, for were I to mention the fact to the king, he, who has a horror
of the drawing of weapons, would order Walter Fitz-Urse to be sent
back to Normandy. So your exile is not likely to be of long duration.
You understand, Wulf, that I am not seriously angered with you in this
matter. You are but a boy, and one cannot expect that you will behave
as a prudent man; but remember, lad, even a boy's words may do
mischief, especially when placed as you are. There may come a time
when you shall show by deeds and not by words your feelings against
the Normans, but till then bear yourself prudently. We Saxons are over
given to hasty words, and this is a fault. I myself, as all men know,
have no love for the Normans, but no one has heard me speak against
them. The king loves them, as is but natural, seeing that he was brought
up amongst them, and I have not withstood his wishes in the matter,
trying only that a certain amount of preferment in the land should be
bestowed upon those who are its owners and not strangers to it and its
tongue. You will ride this afternoon for Steyning, Wulf, but I hope it
will not be long before you are back again. If I had my own way in the
matter, I should think that sufficient had already been said and done in

so trifling a matter as a boys' quarrel; but as it has been brought before
our king by a bishop, it is in the king's eyes a serious business, for
assuredly he himself would have borne a reproof from William of
London more meekly than you did, and having therefore become a
church matter, it is altogether beyond my power to interfere. At any
rate, a short sojourn on your estate will do you no harm; it is sometime
since you were there, and it is a good thing that the lord of the soil
should be well known by those over whom he is placed."
Wulf bowed deeply and withdrew. The prospect of a visit for a few
weeks or even months to Steyning was not a terrible one. It was some
years since he had stayed there for any time. He had been two years at
Waltham, and since his father's death had been for the most part with
Harold, and the thought of an unrestricted life and of spending his time
as he chose, hunting and hawking, and going about among his tenants,
was by no means unpleasant. He was quite satisfied that Harold was
not seriously angered with him, and for anything else he cared little.
As he understood that his duties as a page were at present at an end,