It might be that they would let our party go on, finding them to all seeming nought but church folk; but one could not tell, and I feared.

So also did Elfric when I went to him and told him what these ships were, and that they were bearing down on us.
"We cannot fight," he said.

"We must let things be as the Lord will." "If any roughness is shown to the womenfolk," I said, "there will be one man who will fight." "And will lose his life for naught," he answered.

"If the worst comes to the worst we must even do as the queen has bidden us before now.

We must proclaim her, and then we shall be safe from harm, if captives to Cnut.