Part 21 (2/2)

”Elfric,” said the king, ”you must be my right hand in the field: you will be ready to invade your native Mercia tomorrow. Think you your own friends are firm?”

”My father, although he has disowned me, would never disown his lawful king; the duty and love he bore to your murdered father would forbid.”

”Well, Redwald, have you known this many hours?”

”I heard it at the frontier town of Mercia, Reading, last night, and took all my measures immediately.”

”Then, can we really depend upon Wess.e.x?”

”I treat so indeed, my lord, else we should be in a very bad way indeed.”

”Well, we must rest now. Elgiva, darling, this is a cold termination to our first anniversary, but your husband's love shall ever protect you until he be cold in death.

”Goodnight, Elfric, be ready for the morrow.

”Goodnight, Redwald, trustiest warrior who ever served grateful lord.

”Goodnight, gentlemen all.”

And thus the royal party broke up, and thus ended the first anniversary of the ill-starred union.

On the morrow all was haste and confusion in the royal palace. Elgiva departed early for Winchester, which, being farther removed from the frontier, was safer than London from any sudden excursion on the part of the Mercians, and the city was also devoted to the royal family. The citizens of London were directed to provide for the defence of their city, while the royal guards, attended by the immediate va.s.sals of the crown, prepared to march into the heart of the rebellious district.

It is too often supposed that the feudal system was of Norman importation, whereas its very foundation--the act of homage, or of ”becoming your man,”--was brought by the Saxons and Angles from their German home. The lord was the protector of the va.s.sal, but the va.s.sal was bound to attend his feudal superior both in peace and war.

So imperative was this obligation, that a va.s.sal who abandoned his lord in the field of battle was liable to the death of a traitor.

Therefore Edwy soon found himself at the head of a compact body of ten thousand men, all bound to stand by him to death. But there was one very disheartening circ.u.mstance, which attracted notice. No volunteers joined the little army, although a royal proclamation had promised lands from the territories of the rebels to each successful combatant in the cause of Edwy and Elgiva.

The fear of the Church hung on all, the conviction that the law of both Church and State had been broken by the young king; the universal belief in the sanct.i.ty of Dunstan, and in the true patriotism of Odo whom they called ”the good;” the thoughtless misgovernment since the wiser counsellors had dispersed--all these things weakened the hearts of the followers of Edwy.

There was therefore but little enthusiasm when the inhabitants saw the soldiers of the king march out by the Watling Street, and the soldiers themselves looked dispirited.

It was early dawn on the second day from the feast that the departure took place. Cynewulf, a valiant Earl of Wess.e.x, was the real commander; nominally, Edwy commanded in person, and Elfric rode out of London by his side. Redwald's rank would not have ent.i.tled him to the chief command.

Pa.s.sing through the environs of the city, they gained the open country, and marched steadily along the causeway the Romans had so firmly laid, until they reached Verulam or St. Alban's, where they pa.s.sed the night.

It excited great discontent amongst the inhabitants that Edwy did not visit the shrine of the saint, the glory of their town; and his departure again took place amidst gloomy silence.

They were now about to cross the frontier and enter Mercia, then in many respects an independent state; governed, it might be, by the same monarch and Witan as Wess.e.x, even as Scotland and England are governed by the same sovereign and Parliament, yet retaining like them its own peculiar code of laws in many respects.

And now Mercia had sternly refused to be governed any longer by the ”enemy of the Church,” and chose the Etheling, Edgar, to be its king.

Acting with the sanction of Odo, whom he deeply revered, the young Edgar, then only in his fifteenth year, accepted the offer, and the whole force of Mercia was gathering to support him when Edwy crossed the border.

It must not be supposed that either Cynewulf or Redwald expected to conquer the Mercians with ten thousand men. No, their design was simpler: they had learned where Edgar was residing, and that the forces around him were small. One bold stroke might secure his person, and then Edwy might make his own terms. This was the secret of the advice they both gave to the young king.

Redwald had, as we shall see, deep designs of his own to serve also, but they had been locked for years in his own breast, and no servant could seem more trusty and faithful than he did, or act with more energy in his master's cause.

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