we shall honour, and heathendom hate.  Each good man shall have his right, if God it will grant, and each thral and each slave be set free.  And here I give to you in hand each church-land all free; and I forgive to each widow her lord’s testament, and each shall love other as though they were brothers.  And thus we shall in our day put down Hengest’s laws, and him and his heathendom that he hither brought, and deceived my father through his treacherous crafts; through his daughter Rowenne he betrayed my father.  And my father so evilly began, that he shunned the Christendom, and loved the heathen laws too much, which we shall avoid the while that we live.”

Then answered Saint Germain—­for such words he was glad:—­“I thank my Lord, who shaped the daylight, that he such mercy sent to mankind!” These bishops proceeded over this land, and set it all in God’s hand, and the Christendom they righted, and the folk thereto instructed; and then soon thereafter they departed to Rome, and said to the Pope, who was named Romain, how they had done here, restored the Christendom.  And thus it stood a time in the same wise.

Go we yet to Vortiger—­of all kings be he most wretched!—­he loved Rowenne, of the heathen race, Hengest’s daughter, she seemed to him well soft.  Rowenne bethought her what she might do, how she might avenge her father and her friends’ death.  Oft she sent messengers to Vortimer the king; she sent him treasures of many a kind, of silver and of gold, the best of any land; she asked his favour, that she might here dwell with Vortiger his father, and follow his counsels.  The king for his father’s request granted to her her prayer, except that she should do well, and love the Christendom; all that the king yearned, all she it granted.  But alas! that Vortimer was not aware of her thought; alas! that the good king of her thought knew nothing; that he knew not the treachery that the wicked woman thought!

It befell on a time she betook her to counsel, that she would go to the King Vortimer, and do by his counsel all her need, and at what time she might do well, and receive the Christendom.  Forth she gan ride to Vortimer the king; when she him met, fair she greeted him:  “Hail be thou, lord king, Britain’s darling!  I am come to thee; Christendom I will receive, on the same day that thou thyself deemest fit.”

Then was Vortimer the king blithe through all things; he weened that it were sooth what the wretch said.  Trumpets there blew, bliss was in the court; forth men brought the water before the king; they sate then at the board with much bliss.  When the king had eaten, then went the thanes-men to meat; in hall they drank; harps there resounded.  The treacherous Rowenne went to a tun, wherein was placed the king’s dearest wine.  She took in hand a bowl of red gold, and she gan to pour out on the king’s bench.  When she saw her time, she filled her vessel with wine, and before all the company she went to the king,