wall and across the fire on the hearth, was the longest table of
all, and in the midst of that was the high place for the king and
queen and a few others. That dais was the only place where the
guests did not sit on both sides of the tables, for the king's
board stood open to the midst of the hall on its three low steps
that he might see and be seen by all his guests, and be fitly
served from in front.

On the hearth a great yule log burnt brightly, and all round the
wall were set torches in their sconces, so that the hall was very
bright. On the walls were the costly hangings that we took
everywhere with us, and above them shone the spare arms and helms
and shields of the house-carles, mixed with heads of boar and stag
and wolf from the Mendips and Quantocks where Ina hunted, each head
with its story. Up and down in the spaces between the tables
hurried the servants who tended the guests, so that the hall was
full of life and brightness from end to end. There was peace in all
Wessex at this time, and so here was a full gathering of guests to
the little town.

Ina and Ethelburga the queen were on the high place, and to their
left was Herewald, the Somerset ealdorman, who lived in
Glastonbury, and was a good friend of mine, as will be seen, with
his fair daughter Elfrida, and on the right of the king was Nunna,
his cousin, and his wife. Owen was next to Herewald, at one end of
the high place, and at the other end was Sigebald, the Dorset
ealdorman, under whom I had fought not so long ago. There were many
others of high rank in the west to the right and left of these
again at the long tables.