Cuthbert,
who was a modest young fellow, felt almost ashamed at the honours which
were bestowed upon him. The usual ceremonies and penances which young
knights had to undergo before admission into the body--and which in those
days were extremely punctilious, and indeed severe, consisting, among
other things, in fasting, in watching the armour at night, in seclusion
and religious services--were omitted when the accolade was bestowed for
bravery in the field.

The king ordered his armourer at once to make for Cuthbert a suit of the
finest armour, and authorized him to carry on his shield a sword raising
a royal crown from the ground, in token of the deed for which the honour
of knighthood had been bestowed upon him.

Upon his return to the earl's camp the news of his new dignity spread at
once among the followers of Sir Walter, and many and hearty were the
cheers that went up from the throats of the Saxon foresters, led by Cnut.
These humble friends were indeed delighted at his success, for they felt
that to him they owed very much; and his kindness of manner and the
gaiety of heart which he had shown during the hardships they had
undergone since their start, had greatly endeared him to them.

Cuthbert was now to take rank among the knights who followed the banner
of the earl. A tent was erected for him, an esquire assigned to him, and
the lad as he entered his new abode felt almost bewildered at the change
which had taken place in one short day--that he, at the age of sixteen,
should have earned the honour of knighthood, and the approval of the King
of England, expressed before all the great barons of the realm, was
indeed an honour such as he could never have hoped for; and the thought
of what his mother would say should the news reach her in her quiet Saxon
home, brought the tears into his eyes. He had not gone through the usual
religious ceremonies, but he knelt in his tent alone, and prayed that he
might be made worthy of the honours bestowed upon him; that he might
fulfil the duties of a Christian knight fearlessly and honourably; that
his sword might never be raised but for the right; that he might devote
himself to the protection of the oppressed, and the honour of God; that
his heart might be kept from evil; and that he might carry through life,
unstained his new escutcheon.

If the English had thought that their victory would have gained them
immunity from the Saracen attacks, they were speedily undeceived. T