The Rival Heirs being the Third and Last Chronicle of Aescendune

e fifth of October, in year of gra

of clouds, but as yet he gladdened the woods and hills a

e the hills, crowned with forest; on his right hand lay the lowly habitations of the tenantry, the farmhouses of the churls, the yet humbler dwellings of the thralls

ng at first the upward course of the river, until it

ere the road left the forest. Immediately he blew the huge curved horn which he carried at his belt; and at the blast the inhabitants of the castle and village poured

had sustained a crushing defeat, and been driven to seek refuge in their ships, and that these warriors, now approaching, were their own

soldiers were welcomed? No hirelings they, who fought for mere glory, or lust of gold, but husbands,

ories well known at Aescendune, where a young son of the then thane fifty years agone had died a martyr's death, pi

ion of the former hall and village by the ferocious Danes. And now God had heard their litanies: "From the fury of the Northmen, good Lord deliver us," and

n the steps of the great hall to receive her lord, fair as th

imitive type, with his brown hair, his sunburnt yet handsome features, the fruit of country air and wood

ms of the faithful partner of his joys and sorrows, who awaited his embrace; there was a moment of almost

mund and Winifre

lfred's priory hard by) rang with somewhat dissonant clamour; strains of music, whi

o you say of the c

the Northmen," was the

the very waves of the sea seemed molten in its beams, while the beasts of the field howled as if they scented the coming banquet of

king was appeased. But the minstrels sang many a song of the glories of the English race, particularly of the thanes of Aescendune, and of the best and noblest warrior amongst them--Alfgar,

given all, the huge fire replenished, the wine and mead handed round, t

to that post by the suffrages of all true Engli

nk with ac

hem, they have fallen in no unjust war, but for hearth and altar, for their country and their God; and this I swear, that while

in solemn silence,

w, while we were in Northumbria, or I trow he had never landed at all. The day after tomorrow we don our harness again to meet this new foe, but it will be child's play compared with that which is past. Shall we, who have conquered the a

in the day after tomorrow, oh, my l

who has already given us such an earnest of victory

ne to the devoted wife, but young W

ake me this

ifteen, not old enough or stron

Normans are

o much for th

her, let

other needs

and what day better than thi

he Danes, but there is less danger in these dainty Frenchmen. The grandson of Alfgar should be encouraged, not restrained, when

ed her lord's care. The moon was high in the heavens ere the last song was

to rest; the day after tomorrow we march again; for Harold will complete his levies on the

h such confidence dream of the fatal collapse of their fame and glory which awaited them! They fell into the fatal error of underestimating their foe. Had it been otherwise, a host had a

and beaten the Danes; let the men of Sussex take their turn with t

lishman whose genius equalled that of William lay dea

; foremost amongst these was the patriot king himself. He knew the foe, and was perhaps the only man in the country who did; he knew that civilisation had only sharpened

hed not from

nt of evil weighed upon her spirits. She could not leave her husband one moment while he was yet spared to her; ever and anon she was sur

ar as to obtain a promise that he should not actually enter the battle, an

nt the aspiration for the day of their happy reunion, the danger over!--how chilling the unexpressed,

a minor key, contrasting strongly with the jubilant notes of the previous night; and at an early hour, the husband and wife retired to their bowe

thou wert not so when we parted for the last fig

ress my spirits now, my Edmund; it must be mere weakness, b

Him. I go forth at the call of duty, and thou couldst not

ve thy wife's weakness; b

atever may chance to me or others, there can be no danger to them, for victory must follow our Harold. Hadst thou s

ssness to God; let us commit ourselves in p

of arms; then came the hasty meal, the long lingering farewell; and the husband and father rode away with his faithful retainers; his bo

with eyes fast filling with tears, they watched the departing band as it entered into the forest, then gorgeous with all the tints of autumn, the

lude to the fall of the leaf; the forests were but array

s of decay, glided the brilliant train of

go forth to die for your country than the