"
And so the French went out of Spalding town.
"Don't be in a hurry to thank your saints!" shouted Ivo to his victims. "I
shall be back this day three months; and then you shall see a row of
gibbets all the way from here to Deeping, and an Englishman hanging on
every one."
CHAPTER XXII.
HOW HEREWARD SAILED FOE ENGLAND ONCE AND FOR ALL.
So Hereward fought the Viscount of Pinkney, who had the usual luck which
befell those who crossed swords with him, and plotted meanwhile with Gyda
and the Countess Judith. Abbot Egelsin sent them news from King Sweyn in
Denmark; soon Judith and Tosti's two sons went themselves to Sweyn, and
helped the plot and the fitting out of the armament. News they had from
England in plenty, by messengers from Queen Matilda to the sister who was
intriguing to dethrone her husband, and by private messengers from Durham
and from York.
Baldwin, the _debonnaire_ marquis, had not lived to see this fruit of
his long efforts to please everybody. He had gone to his rest the year
before; and now there ruled in Bruges his son, Baldwin the Good, "Count
Palatine," as he styled himself, and his wife Richilda, the Lady of
Hainault.
They probably cared as little for the success of their sister Matilda as
they did for that of their sister Judith; and followed out--Baldwin at
least--the great marquis's plan of making Flanders a retreat for the
fugitives of all the countries round.
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