in Denmark.

Havelok and Ubbe

Havelok dared not reveal himself and his errand until he knew more of
the state of parties in the country, and he therefore only begged
permission to live and trade there, giving Ubbe, as a token of
goodwill and a tribute to his power, a valuable ring, which the jarl
prized greatly. Ubbe, gazing at the so-called merchant's great stature
and beauty, lamented that he was not of noble birth, and planned to
persuade him to take up the profession of arms. At first, however, he
simply granted Havelok permission to trade, and invited him and
Goldborough to a feast, promising them safety and honour under his
protection. Havelok dreaded lest his wife's beauty might place them in
jeopardy, but he dared not refuse the invitation, which was pointedly
given to both; accordingly, when they went to Ubbe's hall, Goldborough
was escorted by Robert the Red and William Wendut.

Ubbe received them with all honour, and all men marvelled at
Goldborough's beauty, and Ubbe's wife loved Goldborough at first sight
as her husband did Havelok, so that the feast passed off with all joy
and mirth, and none dared raise a hand or lift his voice against the
wandering merchant whom Ubbe so strangely favoured. But Ubbe knew that
when once Havelok and his wife were away from his protection there
would be little safety for them, since the rough Danish nobles would
think nothing of stealing a trader's fair wife, and many a man had
cast longing eyes on Goldborough's loveliness. Therefore when the
feast was over, and Havelok took his leave, Ubbe sent with him a body
of ten knights and sixty men-at-arms, and recommended them to the
magistrate of the town, Bernard Brown, a true and upright man, bidding
him, as he prized his life, keep the strangers in safety and honour.
Well it was that Ubbe and Bernard Brown took these precautions, for
late at night a riotous crowd came to Bernard's house clamouring for
admittance. Bernard withstood the angry mob, armed with a great axe,
but they burst the door in by hurling a huge stone; and then Havelok
joined in the defence. He drew out the great beam which barred the
door, and crying, "Come quickly to me, and you shall stay here! Curses
on him who flees!" began to lay about him with the big beam, so that
three fell dead at once. A terrible fight followed, in which Havelok,
armed only with the beam, slew twenty men in armour, and was then sore
beset by the rest of the troop, aiming darts