After a week's journeying they encamped near a town, and halted there two or three days in order to collect provisions for the next advance; for the supplies which they could obtain in the country districts were wholly insufficient for so great a host of men.

Here the armies were to separate, the French marching to Genoa, the English to Marseilles, the town at which they were to take ship.
One evening the earl sent Cuthbert with a message to another English lord, staying in the town at the palace of the bishop, who was a friend of his.
Cnut accompanied Cuthbert, for he now made a point of seldom letting him out of his sight.

It was light when they reached the bishop's palace, but here they were delayed for some time, and night had fallen when they sallied out.
The town was already quiet, for the inhabitants cared not to show themselves in the streets now that such a large army of fierce men were in the neighborhood.
The orders indeed of the monarchs were stringent, but discipline there was but little of, and the soldiery in those days regarded peaceful citizens as fair game; hence, when they came from the palace the streets of the city were already hushed and quiet, for the orders of the king had been peremptory that no men-at-arms, or others except those on duty, were to be away from their camp after nightfall.

This order had been absolutely necessary, so many were the complaints brought in by country peasants and farmers of the doings of bands of soldiers.
Cnut and Cuthbert proceeded along the streets unmolested for some distance.

Occasionally a solitary passer-by, with hooded cape, hurried past.