"
"But, Lord King, he has with him a meinie of full forty knights."
"So much the better. I shall have the more valiant Englishmen to help my
valiant French."
So Hereward rode round, outside the walls, to William's new entrenched
palace, outside the west gate, by the castle.
And then Hereward went in, and knelt before the Norman, and put his hands
between William's hands, and swore to be his man.
"I have kept my word," said he, "which I sent to thee at Rouen seven years
agone. Thou art King of all England; and I am the last man to say so."
"And since thou hast said it, I am King indeed. Come with me, and dine;
and to-morrow I will see thy knights."
And William walked out of the hall leaning on Hereward's shoulder, at
which all the Normans gnashed their teeth with envy.
"And for my knights, Lord King? Thine and mine will mix, for a while yet,
like oil and water; and I fear lest there be murder done between them."
"Likely enough."
So the knights were bestowed in a "vill" near by; "and the next day the
venerable king himself went forth to see those knights, and caused them to
stand, and march before him, both with arms, and without. With whom being
much delighted, he praised them, congratulating them on their beauty and
stature, and saying that they must all be knights of fame in war.
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