f forest land--and
now emerging from the trees to the left appeared a goodly company. First
came two riders abreast, each holding a banner. On the one was depicted
the cross and five martlets, the device of Edward, afterwards surnamed
the Confessor: on the other, a plain broad cross with a deep border round
it, and the streamer shaped into sharp points.

The first was familiar to Edith, who dropped her garland to gaze on the
approaching pageant; the last was strange to her. She had been
accustomed to see the banner of the great Earl Godwin by the side of the
Saxon king; and she said, almost indignantly,--

"Who dares, sweet grandam, to place banner or pennon where Earl Godwin's
ought to float?"

"Peace," said Hilda, "peace and look."

Immediately behind the standard-bearers came two figures--strangely
dissimilar indeed in mien, in years, in bearing: each bore on his left
wrist a hawk. The one was mounted on a milk-white palfrey, with housings
inlaid with gold and uncut jewels. Though not really old--for he was
much on this side of sixty--both his countenance and carriage evinced
age. His complexion, indeed, was extremely fair, and his cheeks ruddy;
but the visage was long and deeply furrowed, and from beneath a bonnet
not dissimilar to those in use among the Scotch, streamed hair long and
white as snow, mingling with a large and forked beard. White seemed his
chosen colour. White was the upper tunic clasped on his shoulder with a
broad ouche or brooch; white the woollen leggings fitted to somewhat
emaciated limbs; and white the mantle, though broidered with a broad hem
of gold and purple. The fashion of his dress was that which well became
a noble person, but it suited ill the somewhat frail and graceless figure
of the rider. Nevertheless, as Edith saw him, she rose, with an
expression of deep reverence on her countenance, and saying, "it is our
lord the King," advanced some steps down the hillock, and there stood,
her arms folded on her breast, and quite forgetful, in her innocence and
youth, that she had left the house without the cloak and coverchief which
were deemed indispensable to the fitting appearance of maid and matron
when they were seen abroad.

"Fair sir, and brother mine," said the deep voice of the younger rider,
in the Romance or Norman tongue, "I have heard that the small people of
whom my neighbours, the Breton tell us much, abound greatly in this fair
land of yours; and if I were not by