It was on the last day of April that we saw the English shores again, early in the morning, with the sun on the low green hills of Norfolk.  By sunset we were far in the heart of the land, at Norwich, and across the wide river the cuckoo was calling.  We had left a leafless land, and here all was decked in the sweet green of the first leaves, and all the banks were yellow with the primroses.  I heard the Franks scoffing at the houses of the town, and at the wooden tower of the church which rose from among them; but I cared not at all, for nothing like the beauty of sky and land had they to show me beyond the sea.

And when the men thronged to the wharf, it seemed to me that never had I looked on their like for goodliness and health, as their great English laugh rang out over their work, and the sound of the English voices made the old music for me.

The king was not at Norwich, but inland at Thetford, and there we must seek him.  But his steward rode down to us from the hall, which stands a mile from the river, on its hill.  Thither we were led in all state as the messengers of the great king, and there we bided for a day or two while they made ready a train of horses which should take us to our journey’s end.  We had some wondrous gifts for Ethelbert from Carl.

There is only one of these Frankish companions of mine of whom I need speak, and that one was a young noble from our old land, named Werbode.  I had seen somewhat of him in these last wars, for he had led the men of his father, and had been set under Ecgbert, who had won to high command.  So we were both Saxons, and of about the same age; and it was pleasant to find ourselves together on the voyage, for he was a good comrade, and, like myself, not altogether thinking and feeling with the Franks.

So we saw much of each other on the voyage, and now it was pleasant to take him about the old town, and show him what the new home of the Saxon kin was like here in England.  There was a great fair going on at this time, and we enjoyed it; for though there was not the richness of wares we had been wont to see at the like gatherings of merchants and chapmen beyond the seas, here were mirth and freedom, and rough plenty, which were as good, or better.

And presently he said that here we had horses which were as fine as any he had ever seen, and that put a thought into my mind.  I would buy one for myself rather than ride one found me by the town reeve; for I had to get home to Somerset, and I would make no delay.

“Well, then,” says Werbode, “let us go and see if you people have forgotten the ancient Saxon manner of horse dealing.”

So we went to the horse fair, and there our foreign dress drew every dealer in the place round us as soon as I had looked in the mouth of one likely steed.  After which, as may be supposed, it was not likely that I could make any choice at all; but we two sat on the bench outside the town gate, and had, I think, every horse in the fair trotted past us, whether good or bad.  And at last the noise, and to tell the truth the wrangling of the dealers, grew tiresome, and we went our way, some other buyer having taken their notice for a moment.