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Updated: June 24, 2025
A few nights after Elfric's arrival, when the palace gates had been shut for the night, the compline service said, the household guard posted, and the boys had retired to their sleeping apartments, he heard a low knock at his door. He opened it, and Edwy entered. "Are you disposed for a pleasant evening, Elfric?" "Such pleasure as there is in sleep." "No, I do not mean that.
"I shall keep a vacant place for you by my side," said Ella, "so that we may feast together, my son, when the king releases you; it is a great honour that he should think of you now." Elfric followed the messenger, who led him into the interior of the palace, where he found Edwy impatiently awaiting him in the royal dressing chamber.
Accordingly, Edwy called Elfric to sit by his side at the substantial meal which commenced the day, and saw, with much pleasure, that the cloud had partly passed from his friend's brow for the hope of immediate action, of the excitement of battle, had done much to drive lowness and depression from the young warrior.
Edred had already ascended, while Edwy, the son of his elder brother, was an infant, not as regent, but as king; and in any case of unfitness on the part of the heir apparent, it was in the power of the Witan to pass him over, and to choose for the public good some other member of the royal house. The same Witan conferred upon Edgar the title of sub-king of Mercia under his brother.
Odo, archbishop of Canterbury, the obedient tool of Dunstan, on the day of the coronation obtruded himself with his abettor into the private apartment, to which the king had retired with his queen, only accompanied by her mother; and here the ambitious abbot, after loading Edwy with the bitterest reproaches for his shameless sensuality, thrust him back by main force into the hall, where the nobles of the kingdom were still engaged at their banquet.
These had been asides, while all the company were listening to the gleeman; but now Edwy threw himself heart and soul into the current conversation, and all went merry as a marriage peal, until the ceremoniarius for Edwy loved formality in some things threw open the folding doors and announced the captain of the hus-carles, and Elfric of Aescendune.
"They may speak for themselves," said the leader, confronting Alfred. "Art thou a Mercian and a friend of King Edgar? Under which king? Speak, or die!" "I seek King Edgar. My name is Alfred, son of Ella of Aescendune." "Who sheltered the men of Wessex, and entertained the impious Edwy in his castle." "We had no power to resist had we wished to do so." "Which you evidently did not.
But when his father had returned to Aescendune alone, Elfric felt that home ties were shattered, and that he had nothing but the royal favour to depend upon, so he yielded to the wishes of King Edwy in all points. Amongst these Elfric was soon conspicuous and soon a leader.
"Oh, he is gone to have another encounter with the Evil One at Glastonbury, and is fashioning a pair of tongs for the purpose," said Edwy, alluding to the legend already current amongst the credulous populace; "and I wish," he muttered, "the Evil One would get the best of it and fly away with him. Ella could interpose no further objection, although scarcely satisfied with the programme.
Although Edwy and his little troop had been successful in gaining the main road, and in escaping into Wessex, yet few of his followers had been so fortunate, and his broken forces were seeking safety and escape in all directions, wanderers in a hostile country.
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