He has sent messengers to
Eanulf, bidding him come here in all haste to speak with him and you."
So I asked where he was, and the brother said that he lay at Wells,
which pleased Wulfhere, who said that he would be here shortly, and that
we were in luck, seeing that he wanted another good night's rest; and
indeed so did I, sorely, though that I might yet stay near Alswythe was
better still.
Before the two hours the bishop had set, there was a clamour in the
great yard, and we thought the messenger from Osric had surely come. And
so it was, for almost directly the bishop sent for us, and we were taken
back to the same chamber. But he was alone now, and motioned us to seats
beside him to one side.
Then they brought in a thane whom I did not know, and he said he was a
messenger from Osric, laying a letter on the table at the same time. I
saw that his armour was battle stained, and that he looked sorely downcast.
Not so the bishop as he read, for that which was written he had already
expected, and he never changed his set look. Once he read the letter
through, and then again aloud for us to hear. Thus it ran after fit
greeting:
"Now what befell in the first fight you know or shall know shortly from
our trusty messenger Heregar, by whom the flight was stayed from that
field, on the Hill of Cannington.
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