The king had three sons, who were men exceeding fair; the eldest hight
Vortimer,--Pascent, and Catiger. Garengan was an earl, who possessed
Kent long, and his father before him, and he afterwards through his
kin (by inheritance), when he best weened to hold his land, then had
it the queen, and Hengest in his hand; strange it seemed to the
knight, what the king thought. The king loved the heathens and harmed
the Christians, the heathens had all this land to rule under their
hand, and the king's three sons oft suffered sorrow and care. Their
mother was then dead, therefore they had the less counsel--their
mother was a woman most good, and led a life very Christian, and their
stepmother was heathen, Hengest's daughter.
It was not long but a while, that the king made a feast, exceeding
great, the heathens he brought thereto, he weened most well to do;
thither came thanes, knights and swains. And all that knew of book
(the Christians) forsook the feast, for the heathen men were highest
in the court, and the Christian fold was held for base; the heathens
were blithe, for the king loved them greatly.
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