But when I rose in the morning after Ulf had come, and found that he and Godwine had gone in the night, and was told by Wulfnoth who the warrior was, and what he had asked for his son, I was very angry, though I knew that the earl had little cause to love the house of Ethelred.
But the earl said, very quietly: "There are two kings in England, and no king of England.

Choice is free to me, and I choose that king who will honour my son, and who has done me no wrong.

Were you to go to Cnut I would hold you blameworthy, seeing how things have been between you and Eadmund.
Godwine goes to Cnut even as he flies to his ships.

No man may say that he did but join him when he was victor." Now, it was not Wulfnoth's way to give reasons thus for aught that he did, and I was surprised that he would do so to me.

But I could look at things in his way if I put my own love for Eadmund aside, and I said: "I may not blame you, lord earl, maybe; but it is hard for me to see my friend take what I think the wrong side." "Think no ill of him.