Tell me in all truth if there are those who would not make peace with me ?" Then said Osmund: "Some will not, but they are few." "What if you make peace and they do not?
what shall you do with them ?" "They must go their own way; we have no power over them." "Has not Guthrum ?" "No more than we.

A free Dane cannot be hound, unless he chooses, by another man's word." Then Alfred said plainly: "I cannot treat for peace till I have the word of every chief in Exeter.

Go your ways and let that be known." So Osmund bowed, and went out with his fellows.

And when he had gone, the king turned to me.
"Have I spoken aright, King Ranald ?" "In the best way possible, lord king," I answered.
"Go after those Danish lords," the king said to one of his thanes, "and bid them to feast with me tonight, for I think that I have said too much to them." So they were bidden to the king's feast presently, and I suppose they could do nought but come, for it was plain that he meant to honour them.

After they had gone back into the town, Alfred spoke with my men, and what he said pleased them well.
Then he went to his resting tent, and I walked with Odda to his quarters, and sat there, waiting for the king to send for me to speak with him, as I expected.