This story is not about myself, though, because I tell of things that I
have seen, my name must needs come into it now and then. The man whose
deeds I would not have forgotten is my foster-brother, Havelok, of whom
I suppose every one in England has heard. Havelok the Dane men call him
here, and that is how he will always be known, as I think.
He being so well known, it is likely that some will write down his
doings, and, not knowing them save by hearsay, will write them wrongly
and in different ways, whereof will come confusion, and at last none
will be believed. Wherefore, as he will not set them down himself, it is
best that I do so. Not that I would have anyone think that the
penmanship is mine. Well may I handle oar, and fairly well axe and
sword, as is fitting for a seaman, but the pen made of goose feather is
beyond my rough grip in its littleness, though I may make shift to use a
sail-needle, for it is stiff and straightforward in its ways, and no
scrawling goeth therewith.
Therefore my friend Wislac, the English priest, will be the penman,
having skill thereto. I would have it known that I can well trust him to
write even as I speak, though he has full leave to set aside all hard
words and unseemly, such as a sailor is apt to use unawares; and where
my Danish way of speaking goeth not altogether with the English, he may
alter the wording as he will, so long as the sense is always the same.
Then, also, will he read over to me what he has written, and therefore
all may be sure that this is indeed my true story.
have seen, my name must needs come into it now and then. The man whose
deeds I would not have forgotten is my foster-brother, Havelok, of whom
I suppose every one in England has heard. Havelok the Dane men call him
here, and that is how he will always be known, as I think.
He being so well known, it is likely that some will write down his
doings, and, not knowing them save by hearsay, will write them wrongly
and in different ways, whereof will come confusion, and at last none
will be believed. Wherefore, as he will not set them down himself, it is
best that I do so. Not that I would have anyone think that the
penmanship is mine. Well may I handle oar, and fairly well axe and
sword, as is fitting for a seaman, but the pen made of goose feather is
beyond my rough grip in its littleness, though I may make shift to use a
sail-needle, for it is stiff and straightforward in its ways, and no
scrawling goeth therewith.
Therefore my friend Wislac, the English priest, will be the penman,
having skill thereto. I would have it known that I can well trust him to
write even as I speak, though he has full leave to set aside all hard
words and unseemly, such as a sailor is apt to use unawares; and where
my Danish way of speaking goeth not altogether with the English, he may
alter the wording as he will, so long as the sense is always the same.
Then, also, will he read over to me what he has written, and therefore
all may be sure that this is indeed my true story.
