The trick by which the Mock-king, or King of the Beggars (parallel to
our Boy-bishop, and perhaps to that enigmatic churls' King of the "O. E.
Chronicle", s.a. 1017, Eadwiceorla-kyning) gets allegiance paid to
him, and so secures himself in his attack on the real king, is cleverly
devised. The king, besides being a counsel giver himself, and speaking
the law, has "counsellors", old and wise men, "sapientes" (like the
0. E. Thyle). The aged warrior counsellor, as Starcad here and Master
Hildebrand in the "Nibelungenlied", is one type of these persons,
another is the false counsellor, as Woden in guise of Bruni, another
the braggart, as Hunferth in "Beowulf's Lay". At "moots" where laws
are made, kings and regents chosen, cases judged, resolutions taken of
national importance, there are discussions, as in that armed most the
host.

The king has, beside his estates up and down the country, sometimes
(like Hrothgar with his palace Heorot in "Beowulf's Lay") a great fort
and treasure house, as Eormenric, whose palace may well have really
existed. There is often a primitive and negroid character about
dwellings of formidable personages, heads placed on stakes adorn their
exterior, or shields are ranged round the walls.

The provinces are ruled by removable earls appointed by the king,
often his own kinsmen, sometimes the heads of old ruling families. The
"hundreds" make up the province or subkingdom. They may be granted to
king's thanes, who became "hundred-elders". Twelve hundreds are in one
case bestowed upon a man.

The "yeoman's" estate is not only honourable but useful, as Starcad
generously and truly acknowledges. Agriculture should be fostered and