There is now quite a colony here, nearly 300 people.  The church is very commodious, and every day, for the whole period of these late dreadful wars, mass has been said therein for our suffering brethren “contra Paganos.”  Thank God that he hath at length heard our prayers; our late foes are no longer Pagans but Christians, and are as eager to build up as they were to cast down; in fact, several of them have offered their zealous aid in the rebuilding of our priory.

We had such a happy Christmas evening.  We sat by the fire, and Alfgar was made to relate the whole story again of his escape with Edmund from Carisbrooke, of his imprisonment by Edric in the Synodune woods, of the attack and defence of Clifton.  We had all heard it before, but still we wanted to hear it again, just to contrast present peace and joy with the danger and trials of those days, and to make them sweeter by the contrast.  Truly our Christmas worship had need to be praise and thanksgiving, not only for the great mystery the church commemorates, but also for present mercies so freely bestowed upon us all.

Second Sunday after Easter, 1017.—­

We have just received intelligence that Canute has been solemnly crowned at St. Paul’s Church, in London, by Archbishop Lyfing.  He called a council of the whole kingdom previously, to which both my brother and I were summoned, but I cared not to attend.  Elfwyn, however, went, and wanted Alfgar to go, but he begged hard to be excused, I imagine for two reasons.  First of all, he laments Edmund too deeply to welcome his former enemy as his successor; and secondly, he does not care to leave Ethelgiva again.

Well, Elfwyn tells us that when all were present—­bishops, ealdormen, thanes, and the noblest of the people—­Canute solemnly proposed that they should accept him as their king, giving them to understand that, by a tacit understanding with Edmund, it had been agreed that the kingdom should not be permanently divided, but that the survivor should inherit and govern the whole realm.

The wise men replied that, since Edmund’s children were too young to govern, they could not desire a better monarch than Canute; they committed the little ones to his care, and acknowledged him as king of all England.

And on the morrow Archbishop Lyfing, who had so shortly before crowned Edmund, placed the emblem of regal dignity on the head of Canute in St. Paul’s Cathedral.

I hear Edric Streorn is confirmed in the earldom of Mercia.  I still fear that man.

Sunday after Ascension, 1017.—­

On this happy Sunday it has pleased God to restore us to our home once more.  The priory is rebuilt in more than its former beauty, and the hall beside it stands conspicuous in its splendour.  They have not changed the appearance much, for it was the especial wish of every one concerned that it should remind one of old associations as much as possible.

The good bishop of Dorchester, the abbot of Abingdon, and many others of my friends amongst the brethren there, the neighbouring clergy and thanes, all met together to dedicate the new house to God.  High mass was solemnly sung in the minster church, and the whole building was hallowed with psalm and prayer to God; after which followed a temperate banquet.