They have gone to Beccles, for they hear that a ship lies there whose master will gladly take them to London." That was good hearing, for so would all be safe.

The men pressed me to come with them, but I would not do so, meaning to hasten on to the bishop's place and make him fly to Beccles and take ship also, starting this very night.

So I bid them go, and on that their leader, a stout freeman named Leof, whom I knew well as one of Egfrid's best men, said that he would come with me.

Nor would he hear of aught else.
"What would Egfrid my master say if I left his brother to go alone ?" he asked me simply; and so I suffered him, and we two went towards South Elmham together.
Soon Leof saw a horse in a field and caught it, mounting bareback, and after that we went on well enough.
Darkness fell, and all the low clouds were reddened with the light of fires behind us, and ever as we looked back would be a fresh fire and light in the sky, for the Danes were at their work.

We pushed on steadily, but the lanes were rough, and the miles seemed very long in the darkness; but at last we crossed the Elmham stream and rode to the stockaded house that was the bishop's, and which stands pleasant and well placed on a little hill beyond the low ground, and with no woodland very near it.
We shouted, and at last men fully armed came and let us in.