Upon these visits, too, the arms of the tenants were
inspected to ascertain that they could properly fulfil their service
if summoned to take the field.
The lands embraced by Wulf's feof were of considerable extent,
reaching down to the sea, where they were some eight miles broad,
and running back twelve miles beyond Steyning. Several small hamlets
lay within it, and in case of war he could summon more than three
hundred men to his banner. Several of the neighbouring thanes rode
in as soon as they heard that Wulf had returned to fill his father's
place at Steyning, and these visits were duly returned. But accustomed
as Wulf had been to the orderliness of the court of the ascetic
King Edward the rude manners and nightly revelry of these rough
thanes by no means pleased him, so that he was glad when the visits
were over, and he could remain quietly at home, where he was not
without frequent guests.
The most regular of his visitors was the prior of the monastery at
Bramber, which had been founded by the piety of one of Wulf's
ancestors. The prior had, though Wulf was ignorant of it, received
a letter from Earl Harold asking him to befriend Wulf, to encourage
him to keep up the studies he had followed at Waltham, and to see
that he did not fall into the drinking habit so common among the
Saxons. The priest was well fitted for the mission. He was by no
means a strict disciplinarian, but the monastery had the reputation
of being one of the best managed in Sussex, and among the monks
were many of good blood.
Pages:
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50