Wulf the Saxon | Page 4

given to
Germans. It would seem that the king was so set against Englishmen
that only by bringing in foreigners can Harold prevent all preferment
going to Normans. But what is the consequence? They say now that our
church is governed from Rome, whereas before Edward's time we
Englishmen did not think of taking our orders from Italy.
"There will trouble come of it all, neighbour. Perhaps not so long as
Edward reigns, but at his death. There is but one of the royal race
surviving, and he, like Edward, has lived all his life abroad. There can

be no doubt what the choice of Englishmen will be. Harold has been
our real ruler for years. He is wise and politic as well as brave, and a
great general. He is our own earl, and will assuredly be chosen. Then
we shall have trouble with the Normans. Already they bear themselves
as if they were our masters, and they will not give up their hold without
a struggle. Men say that William, their duke, makes no secret of his
hope to become master of England, in which case God help us all. But
that won't come as long as Harold lives and Englishmen can wield
sword and battle-axe. As for myself, I have patched many a Norman
suit of armour, but, by St. Swithin, I shall have far more pleasure in
marring than I have ever had in mending them."
"Know you who were the boys who had that contention just now?"
"The Norman is a page of William, our Norman bishop; I know no
more of him than that The other is Wulf, who is a ward and page of
Earl Harold. His father was thane of Steyning in South Sussex, one of
Godwin's men, and at his death two years ago Harold took the lad into
his household, for he bore great affection for Gyrth, who had
accompanied him in his pilgrimage to Rome, and fought by his side
when he conquered the Welsh. It was there Gyrth got the wound that at
last brought about his death. Wulf has been to my smithy many times,
sometimes about matters of repairs to arms, but more often, I think, to
see my son Osgod. He had seen him once or twice in calling at the shop,
when one day Osgod, who is somewhat given to mischief, was playing
at ball, and drove it into the face of a son of one of the Norman lords at
court. The boy drew his dagger, and there would have been blood shed,
but Wulf, who was passing at the time, and saw that the thing was a
pure mishap and not the result of set intention, threw himself between
them.
"There was a great fuss over it, for the boy took his tale to his father,
who demanded that Osgod should be punished, and would doubtless
have gained his end had not Wulf spoken to Earl Harold, who
intervened in the matter and persuaded the Norman to let it drop. Since
then the boys have been great friends in their way. Osgod is a year
older than the young thane, and has already made up his mind to be his

man when he grows up, and he has got me to agree to it, though I
would rather that he had stuck to my handicraft. Still, the prospect is
not a bad one. Harold will be King of England, Wulf will be a powerful
thane, and will doubtless some day hold high place at court, and as he
seems to have taken a real liking to Osgod, the boy may have good
chances.
"Wulf will make a good fighting man one of these days. Harold sees
that all his pages are well instructed in arms, and the two boys often
have a bout with blunted swords when Wulf comes to my smithy; and,
by my faith, though I have taught Osgod myself, and he already uses
his arms well, the young thane is fully a match for him. You would
hardly believe that the boy can read as well as a monk, but it is so. Earl
Harold, you know, thinks a good deal of education, and has founded a
college at Waltham. He persuaded Wulf's father to send him there, and,
indeed, will take none as his pages unless they can read. I see not what
good reading can do to most men, but doubtless for one who is at court
and may hold some day a high post there, it is useful to be able to read
deeds and grants of estates, instead of having to trust others'
interpretation."
"I wondered to see you press forward so suddenly into the crowd,
neighbour, seeing that you are a busy man, but I understand