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Updated: June 18, 2025
She was listening with a face of shame and horror to the complaint of Herluin, Steward of Peterborough, who had fallen in that afternoon with Hereward and his crew of "housecarles." To keep a following of stout housecarles, or men-at-arms, was the pride as well as the duty of an Anglo-Danish Lord, as it was, till lately, of a Scoto-Danish Highland Laird.
So I sent for the steward, and asked him where they might be bestowed, and after a little thought, he said that the abbot, who had a following of honest housecarles, would take them in; and that he managed for us, and afterwards told me that Ealhstan's men had gained great praise, both for themselves and the bishop, by their ways in the abbey.
The housecarles rushed in on Hereward, who had enough to do to keep them at arm's length by long sweeps of his sword.
Then, again, for a man so subsisting it might be hard to win a way to a great man's favour, though, indeed, a stout warrior was always sure to find welcome with him who had lands to protect, but not so certainly with the other housecarles among whom he would come.
Promise me that, if you can help it, none of my poor housecarles shall suffer for my sins. I led them into trouble. I am punished. I have made restitution, at least to St. Peter. See that my father and mother, if they be the Christians they call themselves, forgive and forget all offences except mine." "I will; so help me all saints and our Lord.
"Alone. I and Martin to spy out the land; and a dozen or so of housecarles to take care of the ship in harbor." "But you have promised to fight the Viscount of Pinkney." "I will be back again in time for him. Not a word, I must go to England, or go mad." "But Countess Gyda? Who will squire her to Bruges?" "You, and the rest of my men. You must tell her all.
But this time, if the story of the sub-prior was to be believed, Hereward and his housecarles had taken an ugly stride forward toward the pit.
He was now nigh at his wits' end; the housecarles had closed round him in a ring with the intention of seizing him; and however well he might defend his front, he might be crippled at any moment from behind: but in the very nick of time Martin Lightfoot burst through the crowd, set himself heel to heel with his master, and broke out, not with threats, but with a good-humored laugh.
"You may come safely with me, my poor lambs," said the Bishop. "I am glad to find something to do fit for a churchman. To me, my housecarles." But they were all off plundering. "We will stand by you and the ladies, and see you safe down to the ships," said Winter, and so they went off. Hereward would gladly have gone with them, as Alftruda piteously entreated him.
Yet I will say it truly, that thought of her had no share in bringing me on this mad errand, which might have ending in such fashion as would break her heart. One man, as my guide had said, sat just inside the hall, but I knew him not. Since he had my hall and his own to tend, Matelgar must have hired more and new housecarles.
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