Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/215

 related to  them  how  Christ   had    appeared  to  him,  and  how  he in  baptism  was  named  Eustace,  and  how  it  had  all  happened  to  him  about  his  wife  and  his  children. Then in  about  fifteen  days they came  to  the  emperor  and  the  soldiers;  they  then  related  all to him,  how  they  had  found  him;  and  the  emperor  went  to  meet him, and  kissed  him  and  asked  why  he  had  willed  to  go  so  far from his  country. He then  related  in  order  to  him  and  to  all  his nobility, all  his  journey,  and  his  wife's,  and  his  children's.     Then the emperor,  and  all,  were  very  blithe  at  his  return,  and  besought him that  he  would  again  assume  the   authority  which  he  had formerly; and  he  did  so. He then  bade  men  assemble  an  army; and when  he  reviewed  the  army,  he  then  perceived  that  there  was not a  sufficient  army  to  meet  their  enemies. Then he  bade  men collect from  every  city  and  town  more  soldiers. Then it  happened that they  commanded  the  council  of  the  town  in  which  his  sons had been  brought  up,  that  they  should  equip  two  soldiers  for  the army. Then they  chose  the  two  youths  because  they  were  bold, and handsome,  and  foreigners,  for  the  military  service. So all  the army was  assembled  before  him,  and  he  arrayed  them  in  order, and   disposed    them,   as  his    custom  was. Then he    saw  among others the  young  knights,  that  they  were  fair  in  countenance  and tall in  stature;  so  he  placed  them  the  foremost  in  his  service,  and became inflamed  with  love  of  them;  and  after  he  had  disposed  all his host  as  his  custom  was,  he  went  to  the  fight  and  overran  the lands which  the  heathen  had  taken  away,  and  subjected  them  to the  emperor. Then he  went  forth  over  the  river  which  was  named Idispis in  the  inner  lands  of  the  heathen,  and  overcame  them,  and wasted their  country;  moreover  he  desired  to  penetrate  it  further. Then, by  God's  fore-ordaining,  he  came  to  the  land  where  his  wife was; she  had  taken  up  her  abode  in  a  garden-enclosure,  and  she was, as  we  said   above,  unharmed,  through  God's  protection,  by the  heathen  society.

Then came  Eustace  with  his  army  to  the  town  wherein  she  was. Her dwelling  there  was  very  winsome  to  encamp  in,  and  his  tents were pitched  nigh  at  hand  to  her  dwelling. Then it  happened also that   the   two   youths,  her   sons,  chose   to   abide   with   their