his squire, scions of the noble houses of Salcote and of Dengie.
After them rode yet more knights, squires, tenants of various
degree, and servants, surrounded by a great number of peasantry
and villeins, who walked and ran with their women folk and
children.

Following the road through the village, the procession turned to
the left at the great arch which marked the boundary of the
monk's lands, and headed for Stangate Abbey, some two miles
away, by the path that ran between the arable land and the Salt
marshes, which are flooded at high tide. At length they came to
the stone gate of the Abbey, that gave the place its name of
Stangate. Here they were met by a company of the Cluniac monks,
who dwelt in this wild and lonely spot upon the water's edge,
headed by their prior, John Fitz Brien. He was a venerable,
white-haired man, clad in wide-sleeved, black robes, and preceded
by a priest carrying a silver cross. Now the procession
separated, Godwin and Wulf, with certain of the knights and their
esquires, being led to the Priory, while the main body of it
entered the church, or stood about outside its door.

Arrived in the house, the two knights elect were taken to a room
where their hair was cut and their chins were shaved by a barber
who awaited them. Then, under the guidance of two old knights
named Sir Anthony de Mandeville and Sir Roger de Merci, they were
conducted to baths surrounded with rich cloths. Into these,
having been undressed by the squires, they entered and bathed
themselves, while Sir Anthony and Sir Roger spoke to them through
the cloths of the high duties of their vocation, ending by
pouring water over them, and signing their bare bodies with the