Some will ever say, no doubt, that they took the Cross on them by necessity; but I know that it was not so.

Nor have their lives since that time given any reason for the thought.
Then Alfred asked the name of that old warrior who withstood us, and Osmund told him.
"I will have that chief as a hostage," the king said, "for I think that he is worth taming." "I think that King Alfred's hostages are not in any way to be pitied," Osmund said.
"Save that they are kept from home and friends, I would have them as happy as may be," the king answered; "but I would have none presume on what mercy came to you, Jarl Osmund, for the sake of the Christmastide message." "I think that none will do so," Osmund said.

"There is full knowledge among my kin that you showed mercy when justice was about to be done, and well they know that your kindness was not weakness.
It is likely that the mercy shown here also will do more for peace than would even destruction of your enemies." So it seemed at last, for on the fourteenth day of the siege the Danes accepted the king's terms with one consent.

And more than that, Guthrum and thirty of his chiefs asked that they might be baptized; which was a wonder to all of our host.
Now I have said nothing about the life in the great camp before Bridgwater, for it had nothing of much note to me, though it was pleasant enough.

I think there was some jealousy of me among the younger thanes at one time; but it passed because I would not notice it, and also because I took no sort of authority on me, being only the king's guest and warrior as yet.