.

HOW ALDRED THE THANE KEPT HIS FAITH, AND OWEN FLED WITH OSWALD.
Our Sussex was the last land in all England that was heathen.

I suppose that the last heathen thanes in Sussex were those whose manors lay in the Andredsweald, as did ours.

Most of these thanes had held aloof from the faith because at the first coming of good Bishop Wilfrith, some twelve years ago, those who had hearkened to him were mostly thralls and freemen of the lower ranks, and they would not follow their lead.

Yet of these there were some, like my father, who had no hatred, to say the least, of the Christian and his creed, and did but need the words of one who could speak rightly to them to turn altogether from the Asir.
Maybe the only man who was at this time really fierce against the faith was Erpwald, the thane of Wisborough, some half-score miles from us northwards across the forest.