left a leafless land, and here all was decked in the sweet green of
the first leaves, and all the banks were yellow with the primroses.
I heard the Franks scoffing at the houses of the town, and at the
wooden tower of the church which rose from among them; but I cared
not at all, for nothing like the beauty of sky and land had they to
show me beyond the sea.

And when the men thronged to the wharf, it seemed to me that never
had I looked on their like for goodliness and health, as their
great English laugh rang out over their work, and the sound of the
English voices made the old music for me.

The king was not at Norwich, but inland at Thetford, and there we
must seek him. But his steward rode down to us from the hall, which
stands a mile from the river, on its hill. Thither we were led in
all state as the messengers of the great king, and there we bided
for a day or two while they made ready a train of horses which
should take us to our journey's end. We had some wondrous gifts for
Ethelbert from Carl.

There is only one of these Frankish companions of mine of whom I
need speak, and that one was a young noble from our old land, named
Werbode. I had seen somewhat of him in these last wars, for he had
led the men of his father, and had been set under Ecgbert, who had
won to high command. So we were both Saxons, and of about the same
age; and it was pleasant to find ourselves together on the voyage,
for he was a good comrade, and, like myself, not altogether
thinking and feeling with the Franks.

So we saw much of each other on the voyage, and now it was pleasant
to take him about the old town, and show him what the new home of
the Saxon kin was like here in England. There was a great fair
going on at this time, and we enjoyed it; for though there was not
the richness of wares we had been wont to see at the like
gatherings of merchants and chapmen beyond the seas, here were
mirth and freedom, and rough plenty, which were as good, or better.

And presently he said that here we had horses which were as fine as
any he had ever seen, and that put a thought into my mind. I would
buy one for myself rather than ride one found me by the town reeve;
for I had to get home to Somerset, and I would make no delay.

"Well, then," says Werbode, "let us go and see if you people have
forgotten the ancient Saxon manner of horse dealing."

So we went to the horse fair, and there our foreign dress drew
every dealer in the place ro