ery has been made which interests us all greatly. At
the time of Alfgar's trial at Oxford, Herstan fancied there must be a
secret staircase communicating with Edmund's room, but sought it in
vain. Now that Edric has avowed the deed, Hermann has obtained the
king's permission to make a thorough search all through the house, and
in the thickness of the huge stone chimney a secret staircase has been
found, with a door opening through the thickness of the wall and
panelling into the room in which Edmund slept, as well as another door
opening into the banqueting hall, where Sigeferth and Morcar were
murdered. It is all clear as day now. Edric must have entered the
royal chamber from the banqueting hall in the dead of the night, and
thus, when no human eye beheld, have accomplished his evil deed. Ah,
well! he could not escape the eye of Him who has said "Vengeance is
mine, I will repay."

Eastertide, 1018--

A son is born to Alfgar and Ethelgiva; and today, Low Sunday, they
presented their babe to Him who said, "Suffer little children to come
unto me." They have named him Edmund. The grandparents, both well and
happy, were present; and the proud and happy father's eyes sparkled
with joy over his little Edmund, glistening from the baptismal font.
It fell to my happy lot thus to enrol the dear child amongst the lambs
of Christ's fold. God grant him length of days here, and endless
length of days beyond the skies when time shall be no more!

. . . . . .

Here we close our extracts from Father Cuthbert's Diary; but; before
taking leave of him, we are sure our readers would like to hear a few
more words about his future fortunes, and those of the house of
Aescendune.

Better king than Canute, saving only the great Alfred, and perhaps
Edgar, had never sat on the English throne. Under his auspices a
change became visible throughout the whole country: villages again
gladdened the blackened wastes; minsters and churches were rebuilt,
whose broad, square Saxon towers yet hand down the memory of our
ancestors. Agriculture revived; golden corn covered the bloodstained
scenes of warfare; men lived once more in peace under the shadow of
their homes, none daring to make them afraid. Peace, with its hallowed
associations, gladdened England for fifty long years {xxi}.

Anlaf was the first of the group we have introduced to our readers to
leave this transitory world for a better one. He died a few years
after the accession of Canute. F