rned to the hall, which was crowded to the
fullest extent. And for the poorer guests, who could not find
admittance, tables were spread in the open air, beneath the shade of
spreading trees, for the day was lovely even for June.

Canute remained throughout the entertainment, and, by his unaffected
condescension and his cheerful sympathy, won the hearts of all. His
general demeanour tends to efface his foreign descent from the mind.
Yet we sighed for Edmund, for which even Canute would pardon us. He
should have presided at the board.

When the night was far advanced the whole party broke up and retired
to rest, after a day calculated to efface the recollection of many a
hardship past.

For my part, when I returned to the priory, I mused for a long time on
the dark paths through which our Lord has conducted us to this happy
day. I thought of the period of Alfgar's conversion and baptism, of
St. Brice's night, for which England has paid so heavy a penance, now,
we trust, happily over. And while I thus thought, my musings led me to
the tomb of Bertric, whose sacred relics, as those of a martyr, now
lie interred beneath our high altar, and I wondered whether his
blessed spirit could sympathise in our earthly joy. Yes; I doubt it
not; and that he witnesses it from above. Through suffering to joy has
been our lot; through suffering to glory his.

Tuesday.--

The king left this morning. His engagements are too numerous to permit
him to give much space to recreation. Before he left he summoned
Alfgar, Anlaf, and Elfwyn, to a conference in the library--for they
have a library as of old in the hall--and then he told Alfgar that he
had talked with Anlaf who wished to convey the manorial rights of his
former patrimony, and all its revenues, to his son, and to join our
brotherhood, and that he desired him to witness the deed. Now, all the
former charters of Aescendune were destroyed in the old hall, and the
king had caused a new one to be drawn up, supplying all the defects
caused by the loss of the earlier documents; conferring and securing,
by royal charter, all the lands of Aescendune, and those formerly
appertaining to Anlaf, upon Alfgar, and his successors for ever, not,
as he said, as a deed of gift, but as a charter securing and defining
their rights and liberties, for him and his successors, to all future
generations; and adding all the waste land of the adjacent forest,
formerly holden of the crown, to their domains, w