Sir Oscar met him at the foot of the throne, and took from him his great
sword and his dirk.

Then Kenric turned and faced the people, and spoke to them in a loud,
clear voice.

"Men of Bute," said he, "much do I tremble at this great and solemn duty
that you have thrust upon me. I am but a stripling, fitted better to
play upon the hills in boyish sport than to rule over men who are my
elders. If it be that I am indeed to be your king, then do I deem your
choice made only because I am my dear father's son, and not that I have
any virtue or prowess that would befit me for that high office. And now
I ask you, men of Bute, whether you have ever found any fault with the
manner in which the late king, Earl Hamish, ruled this land, and whether
you know of anything deserving blame in myself, that should unfit me to
be your lord and king?"

They replied as with the voice of one man that they knew no fault of any
kind.

Then standing upon the Stone of Destiny, Kenric took from the steward a
straight white wand, and the abbot and three friars anointed him king.
At the same time old Dovenald, clothed in a scarlet robe, advanced from
the crowd, and bending low before the throne repeated the catalogue of
Kenric's ancestors.

When these ceremonies were over, the young king swore upon his sword
that he would continue his vassals in the possession of their lands and
defend their rights with his own life, and do exact justice to all his