In silence, she suffered herself to be carried back to the manor of Oswald to await the morning when she would be taken to the gerefa for trial. CHAPTER XXI—THE TRIAL OF EGWINA Before the ealdorman of the shire, and the gerefa or reeve, was Egwina taken. It was the folk moot of the shire. The bishop should have been present, but he was attending the king at Windshore. Many were in attendance, and the maiden shrank from the curious eyes fixed upon her. “In the Lord,” said Edwy the gleeman, as he took the oath, “I accuse not the maiden neither for hate, nor art, nor unjust avarice, nor do I know anything more true, but so my mind said to me, and I myself tell for truth, that this maiden, called Egwina the Fair, is the thief of my harp.” “Thou art sure of this, Edwy?” asked the gerefa, Beornwulf, won by the sweet face of the maiden. “Marry, am I not on my oath?” blustered the man. “Not only do I ween that the maiden took the harp, but I wot it.” “Declare then thy charge,” said Beornwulf. “The maiden did enter the hall but three days since at sunset,” deposed Edwy. “She sang and well did she please my Lord Oswald. That ye may know that naught but love of justice, and the restoration of mine own property doth animate me, I will say that she sang well. Then did my lord call for more, and the maiden asked for my harp, but, being unwilling that the sunbeam of the gleeman should go from my hands, I loaned it not. My Lord Oswald then commanded that the maiden have the harp, and it was given her. She gave it me again. The next night she sang again at the glee. In the morning she went her way. Lo! when I would have accompanied my song with the instrument it was gone. We followed after the maiden, and found it with her. I have said.” He sat down. The statement was clear and direct. Egwina looked at the gerefa, and saw that he was impressed by the recital. Friendless and alone in the crowd she sat with none to believe in her innocence. Ælfric next took the oath, and deposed that the morning thereafter, the first night of which the harper spake, he had entered the hall. There sat the maiden, and in her hands was the harp of Edwy which she did finger with lingering touch. He had joined in the pursuit of the girl, and when they found her, behold the harp was in her hands. When he had made an end of speaking, he raised his right hand solemnly and said: “In the name of the almighty God! As I here stand in true witness, unbidden and unbought; so oversaw I it with mine eyes, and overheard it with mine ears what I have said.” The maiden raised her head and looked the fellow straight in the eye. Ælfric quailed at that clear gaze, and in some confusion took his seat. Oswald the thegn then took the oath, and swore to the truth of what the other two had said, adding, that though he compassionated the maiden, he felt that he must deliver her to the doom of the land.