vember 14t

eel thoroughly sickened by the very remembrance of the bloodshed and treachery which hav

there were those amongst us who were not consenting parties, who entered not into the counsels of those men

ildren seek their bower, and Alfgar went with them; then he addressed his people with that co

present within the

replied they; "none have b

ied to be a friend as well as a master, have you any of you a suspicion what the sheriff is

ast one of the ceorls rose up,

hey intend to avenge them

about it to you or an

in the work, but when they found we would do noth

what is the exact wo

de me think that plunder and massac

ny particular n

hat of

Siric's insol

s," I r

ness. Men who have attended mass during the day, surely would not so forget their God as to go through

but then the looks and

hority they had for th

ceorl who had before spoken, "t

s of our hearts--O Ethelred, son of Edgar, hast thou forgotten

t the cruel deed of treachery about to be c

ung Alfgar, and we determined to detain him if possible by persuasion, keeping

ize any opportunity of saving the effusion of blood, or of giving protection to any who might seek refuge under the shelter of o

o Alfgar that we might speak to him, and

tering, and we wish you to remain with us, and share our

ebauches he generally sleeps far into the next da

men who hate your father's race are abroad, and did you fall int

s house, even there, this day. They cannot forgive me my Danish b

g, as is often the case, has blunted their fee

any thanks for

ther to detain me at the cas

lstorm pelted down. Glad was I, although the distance was not great, to see the lights of the priory, and to dry my chilled limbs and we

howling blast without, as it dashed the hail against the ca

pline b

cial meaning tonight in one verse--"A thousand shall fall beside thee,

of the details of the plot, only that there was a plot, and I knew that if I sent a brother, the Danes, in their hatred to monks, would probably set th

ntous state of things around us, could not have slept had we retired. Ever and anon we looked forth from doors and windows into the black darkness without; but although it was near midnight, neither sight nor sound told of aught amiss, and we were beginning to yiel

Father Adhelm

men who shout for mastery, met our ears, followed or interm

eased, as a conflagration well might in such a wind, and soon the whole horizon was i

e had restrained him from returning home. He is sav

ion, we determined to go to the scene in a body, to mitig

ery slow progress, but it was not for want of good will. The fire grew brighter and brighter as we proceeded, and the shouts louder and louder. We knew that Anlaf had a party of his countrymen, all of them obnoxious to the English, and could easily understand that

ees were all rocking wildly in the wind, and here and there a severed branch fell down before us. Occasionally a gust of rain and hail descended. The path

th thorns. It is hard to kick again

," said I, "and w

t my own

ed our path. But plainer and plainer the wind brought the fierce shouts of the assailants to our

ar and fortified dwelling of Anlaf. It was wrapped in flames from top to basement, and even as we lo

it, and who had doubtless prevented the escape of the inmates. We were evidently too

hall, and half drunk with wine. Surprised at the banquet, they fell an easy prey, and were slaughtered almost without resistance, after which the hous

surrounding the sheriff, the crafty and cruel Edric Streorn, and in the

ng that you thus league yourself with his deadly enemi

hose who, trusting to the faith of Christians, dwelt blindly in our midst. And now, what can we say? How

a homily; keep it for next Sunday, when

pted by a loud cry

lf cub! Slay him, and

s, when I recognised Alfgar, who by some means had learned t

; "save him! He is a Christi

t the poor lad had already been brought

rm over his head, and abjured them under the name of Christ, and as th

the sheriff, coming forward, seconded m

for his share of the n

ve me the poo

hich shone so luridly from his burning home might fall upon him, wh

rious wound, but was exhausted, as much I thought by the violence of his emotions as by his injuries. He was wet through; h

wake, had looked from the window, seen the flames, and had started thither at once, swimming the mo

he was coming to himself, my brother aiding me, when th

he to Elfwyn; "we have had a fair night's work, and destroyed

reserve life; your work has

ged him this night of his enemies, who are also,

less midnight m

Danes; had they been Christians it would

lood all the nations o

you will hear tidings soon of other Danish holds than this. The land may rejoice

to be seen," w

gave him to the care of Osred, the domestic physician. He looked at the patient, and pronounced a favourable opinion, saying that with time and care all would be well. But his

drew's

he scenes through which he had passed during the dreadful night which followed St. Brice's Day. But, thanks to a good constitution,

d to awake out of sleep, and I saw his

m I?" he

cendune; you have b

h dreadful dreams!--but

ng for days, my dear son. Y

but evidently

Christmas Day

r, who has been released today from the confinement of his chamber, has en

o hunt in the woods, I was alone with him in his chamber, and thought t

have not lately inqui

at me ve

ou would tell me. I have no fa

people have t

m; but afterwards the real separated itself from the unreal, and I knew that my father and all his friends, my Danish uncles amongst them, had peris

f consolation as I could think of, and telling him that he must always

t may I retire to my chamber? I wish

you will n

no oth

ttle chamber, from which

the Epi

ed by real Christians and loving friends here at Aescendune, I fear the Church would have lost him altogether. Such a commentary was the massacre of St. Brice on the Christian doctrine of love and forgiveness! He felt it grievously at first, but he was able at length to distinguish between men that say they are of Christ, and are not, and