He ran his eyes over the writing very quickly, and then said:
"Here is nothing private; shall I read aloud?"
But the thanes fell to talking quickly, and I nodded.
"Alfred the king to his cousin Ranald Vemundsson, greeting. Odda the ealdorman of Devon, and one Godred, have spoken to me of yourself--one telling of help given freely and without question of reward or bargain made, and the other of certain plain words spoken this morning. Now I would fain see you, and since the said Godred seems to doubt if you will come to me, I ask it under my own hand thus. For I have thanks to give both to you and your men, and also would ask you somewhat which it is my hope that you will not refuse me. Therefore, my cousin, I would ask you to come with our ealdorman tomorrow and hear all I would say."
Then Neot said,
"That is all. I think you will not refuse so kindly an invitation. The writing is the king's own, and here is his name at the end."
So he showed it me. The letter was better written than the name, as it seemed to me.
"I will take your word for it," I said, laughing as I looked; "but it is a kindly letter, and I will surely come."
"Ay; he has written to you as to an equal," Odda said.
"That is so. Now I would have the good king know that I am not that; I am but a sea king. Maybe he thinks that I shall be a good ally, and makes more of my power than should be. I told Godred the thane as plainly as I could what I was, this morning."