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Updated: June 26, 2025
At once I saw several whose faces had burnt themselves, as it were, into my mind at the Moot; but none of Matelgar's friends among them. They were quiet when their leader went in, and he wasted no time, but spoke in his own direct way. "See here, thanes; here is Heregar, whom we outlawed but the other day. Take my word and Ealhstan's and Osric's for it that there was a mistake.
Now when he had read the first few lines, he looked up, and reading from the letter, which doubtless told him the names of the bearers "Heregar I know," he said; "which is Wulfhere?" Then Wulfhere bowed, and the king asked for Wislac and Aldhelm, and then for each of the men in turn.
And this I meant from my heart, for no more could I see that any man should need than this: honour of his fellows and of the king, and love and lands, and friends. Surely is a man rich in these things. Yet must Alfred the Atheling add a word. "Call me your friend also, Heregar, if you will, for fain would I be so," and he held out his strong white hand to take mine.
Then my heart leaped up with gladness, and I turned to seek Heregar; but he was coming, and so I waited. Then the dame clamoured for her reward, which Harek had as nearly forgotten as had I. "Mother," the scald said gravely, "when I work a spell with hammer and nail, the footprint into which the nail is driven is of her who cast the evil eye on me." "Why, so it should be."
Now Tatwine, the old abbot, sat with him and heard this, and straightway he began to tremble, and cry out that such work was unfit for a bishop. So the bishop said to me, very quietly, but with a look in his eyes which seemed to show that this was what he longed for: "Heregar, my son, go and tell the thanes what the abbot says, and ask if they will go without me."
He lifted his hands, crying "Victory!" thrice, and then saying very softly, "Heregar, my son," was silent thereafter till he died at the time of the lowest ebb, only his lips moving as if in prayer. And I remembered the strange voice I had heard crying round me, and I wept, for I thought how much more was wrought by the prayers of feeble ones than men wot of.
Then she looked hard at me, and said that she had heard from her aunt why Osric so trusted me, and that she was proud of Heregar. And I said that I had but done the things that someone had to do, and which came in my way, as it seemed to me, wherein I was fortunate. At that she smiled at me, seeming to think more of the matter than that, and so talked of other things.
Now this is the spell," and she chanted somewhat in broad Wessex, and save that Baldur's name and Thor's hammer also came into it, I do not know what it all was. I waxed impatient now, for I thought that Heregar might be waiting for us. But she and Harek exchanged spells, and then I said: "Now, dame, know you of any thane in hiding hereabouts?" Thereat she looked sharply at me. "I know nothing.
If you were Ealhstan himself, with his forked hat on, you must go." "Heregar my master's friend," cried one of the two thralls, "if it be true you are outlawed, as I heard yesterday, go and win yourself inlawed again by this."
He was not yet sped when we beat off the Danes. And he had time to speak to me." I bowed in silence, not knowing what to say. Strange that, now my enemy was dead, I had no joy in it; but I thought of Alswythe only. The sheriff went on, looking at me closely. "He bade me find Heregar, the outlawed thane who spoke last night to me, and bid him forgive.
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