Page:The Elene of Cynewulf.djvu/27

 And they went forth from the council as the mighty queen, strong in her cities, had bidden them, and earnestly pondered, sad of heart, and sought shrewdly what that sin might be that they had wrought in the province against the emperor, wherewith the queen reproached them.

And there spake before the people one learned in ancient writings and wise of speech (his name was Judas):—‘I know well that she wishes to ask concerning that victor-tree whereon suffered the Lord of hosts, God’s own Son, guiltless of all evil, Him whom, unspotted with any sin, our fathers in days of yore hung upon the high cross through hate—fearful was that thought! Now is there great need that we steadfastly fortify our minds not to betray that murder, nor declare where the holy tree was hid after the stress of strife, lest thereby the wise writings of old be cast aside, and the lore of our fathers forsaken. For if this shall be known, it will not be long that the race of the Israelites and the faith of the Jews shall hold sway over the world. Thus once my father’s father, prophet with the wisdom of age and far-famed in victory—his name was Zaccheus—gave like counsel unto my father and spake this word, which in after times he himself told to his son, as he turned him from the world:—“If in the days of thy life it happen that thou hear sage men ask of the holy tree and stir up strife concerning the rood of victory whereon the true King was crucified, Lord of heaven and Child of all peace, then do thou, my dear son, ere death snatch