“Wilt thou partake of the holy bread and wine, or wilt thou, as the woman hath done, assoil thy soul’s guilt by confession?”
Ælfric’s lip curled.
“Naught fear I, sir priest. On with thy ordeal! What have I to confess?”
“Heardst thou not what the woman confessed?” asked the bishop. “That thou hadst enticed her into this deed by the offer of money to buy the freedom of her child. Man, man! Partakest thou of the Eucharist and purgest not thy soul by confession?”
“Naught have I to confess,” reiterated the man, doggedly. “Falsely hath the woman sworn to thee, as thou wilt see.”
With horror in his face at the temerity of the juggler, Denewulf administered the sacrament. Ælfric partook of it, and then, as before, twelve men were chosen from each side of those for and against him. Nine feet of the length of the foot of the accused were measured from the fire where the iron lay heating. For this distance was the iron to be carried. Just before the last collect the bishop lifted the iron to the staples, and then after the prayer he led in the accused.
With firm step the man advanced, and grasped the iron steadfastly with both hands. He walked the required distance, carrying the iron steadily, then flung it on the floor with an oath.
The bishop and the honest Saxons ranged on either side of the church started back in horror. Tremblingly, fearful of seeing the man struck down for his impiety, the bishop approached the wretch and bound up his hands, putting the seal of the church upon them. After the required three days the bandages were removed, and foully mattered were the burns.
“Guilty art thou,” said the bishop with sorrow to the juggler. “Evil wouldst thou have wrought upon another, and evil hast thou brought upon thyself. Son, didst thou not remember that the Lord hath said, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay’? Then wherefore shouldst thou try to wreak upon the maiden that for which only thine own actions were responsible? See, the judgment of God hath fallen upon thee! Guilty art thou shown to be. Purged must thy soul be of its dire sin. Go forth from this day without thy weapons; and travel barefoot to the graves of the four saints: St. Edwin, St. Guthlac, St. Oswald, and St. Neot. No shelter must thou have at night. Thou must fast, and watch, and pray both day and night, and willingly weary thyself. Iron shall not come to thy hair nor to thy nails. No warm bath shalt thou affect, nor soft bed; flesh shalt thou not eat nor shalt thou partake of drink which can intoxicate. Inside of a church thou shalt not go, because of the oath which thou didst utter at the trial of God’s holy ordeal, but thou shalt seek the tombs of these saints and there confess thy sins and pray for intercession. When thou hast finished thy penance, and severe it is, son, for greatly hast thou sinned, shriven and absolved from guilt, thou canst return and again mingle amongst thy fellows. Arise and go, and may God in His infinite mercy be with thee in thy wanderings.”
With heads bowed the assembly listened to the dire punishment meted out to the wretch. Such was the power of the Church over the people that not once did it enter the head of Ælfric to disobey her command.