[King Olaf’s Kinsman by Charles Whistler]@TWC D-Link bookKing Olaf’s Kinsman CHAPTER 4: Earl Wulfnoth Of Sussex 13/26
"Ulfkytel is our earl." "Aye, I have heard of him as an honest man," Godwine said. "Come ashore, King Olaf, and you other thanes, and there will be good cheer for you." "Can you steer us into the haven, young sir ?" asked Rani, who stood by smiling to himself.
"We must have the ships inside the island while the tide serves." "Aye, that I can," said the boy eagerly; "I take my own ship in and out without troubling any other to help." And with that he took hold of Rani's arm and showed him mark after mark, giving him depth of water and the like, while we listened and watched his face. Presently Olaf said: "Take command of my ship, Godwine, and lead the rest." "You will take the risk, lord king," he answered laughing. "Aye, and will hold you blameless if she takes the ground before she is beached." Now there was no doubt that Godwine was used to command, and was confident in himself, for he made no more ado, but took charge, and bade Rani signal the rest to follow, while he went to the helm himself. Then said Olaf to me while the boy was intent on his work: "Here is one who will be a great man in England some day, and I think before long." And I had thought the same; for Earl Wulfnoth's son would rank high for the sake of his birth, and it seemed that he was fitted to take the great place that might be his. So Godwine beached the ships well, in the lee of the island on which the great castle stands when the tide is high, and we went ashore.
The castle gates were well guarded in our honour, for Godwine had sent the boat back with word who we were. There greeted us Earl Wulfnoth himself in the courtyard of his great house.
One went inside the castle walls to find almost a village of buildings, all of timber, that had grown up round the hall that stood in the midst, and that had its courtyard and stockading, as had our own house on the open hill at Bures.
I think there was no stronger place than this castle of Pevensea in all Sussex, if anywhere on the southern coasts. Now it were long to say how Wulfnoth the earl welcomed King Olaf, but it was after a kingly sort, for he was king in all but name in his earldom, shut off as it is from the rest of England by the deep forests.
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