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Updated: May 8, 2025
Osbiorn had ruined the plan, and he only, if it was ruined. "And who was I, to obey Hereward?" asked Osbiorn, fiercely. "And who wert thou, to disobey me?" asked Sweyn, in a terrible voice. "Hereward is right. We shall see what thou sayest to all this, in full Thing at home in Denmark." Then Edwin rose, entreating peace. "They were beaten. The hand of God was against them.
And he told Earl Osbiorn so, so fiercely, that his life would have been in danger, had not the force of his arm been as much feared as the force of his name was needed. At last they came to Yarmouth. Osbiorn would needs land there, and try Norwich. Hereward was nigh desperate: but he hit upon a plan. Let Osbiorn do so, if he would.
"Osbiorn the Earl has not, it seems, heard this of Hereward: that because he is accustomed to command, he is also accustomed to obey. What thou wilt do, do, and bid me do. He that quarrels with his captain cuts his own throat and his fellows' too." "Wisely spoken!" said the earls; and Hereward went back to his ship. "Torfrida," said he, bitterly, "the game is lost before it is begun."
"Men's daggers are apt to get loose at such times as these." "What do you mean?" and Earl Osbiorn went from him, and into the now thinning press. Soon only a few remained, to search, by the glare of the flames, for what their fellows might have overlooked. "Now the play is played out," said Hereward, "we may as well go down, and to our ships."
Hereward is a man of his word, and we will share and share alike." And he turned and went down the narrow winding stair. Earl Osbiorn gave one look at his turned back; an evil spirit of covetousness came over him; and he smote Hereward full and strong upon the hind-head. The sword turned upon the magic helm, and the sparks flashed out bright and wide.
"They must go," said Hereward, half-peevishly. "Sweyn has right, and Osbiorn too. The game is played out. Sweep the chessmen off the board, as Earl Ulf did by Canute the king." "And lost his life thereby. I shall stand by, and see thee play the last pawn." "And lose thy life equally." "What matter? I heard thee sing,
But he heard his name called on every side in angry tones. "Who wants Hereward?" "Earl Osbiorn, here he is." "Those scoundrel monks have hidden all the altar furniture. If you wish to save them from being tortured to death, you had best find it." Hereward ran with him into the Cathedral.
He strengthened the walls of Chester, and trampled out the last embers of rebellion; he went down south to Salisbury, King of England once again. Why did he not push on at once against the one rebellion left alight, that of Hereward and his fenmen? It may be that he understood him and them. It may be that he meant to treat with Sweyn, as he had done, if the story be true, with Osbiorn.
But Hereward grew anxious and more anxious, as days and weeks went on, and yet there was no news of Osbiorn and his Danes at Norwich. Time was precious. He had to march his little army to the Wash, and then transport it by boats no easy matter to Lynn in Norfolk, as his nearest point of attack.
Some drunken ruffians would have burnt the church for mere mischief. But Osbiorn, as well as Hereward, stopped that. And gradually they got the men down to the ships; some drunk, some struggling under plunder; some cursing and quarrelling because nothing had fallen to their lot.
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