The Journey of Rheinfrid 291

to carry the holy shrine, the monks began
their journey, and, singing joyful canticles,
the brotherhood accompanied them with
cross and banners and burning tapers, and
set them well on their way beyond the river.

Now think of Rheinfrid and Hereman
traversing the wild England of those olden
times. One day they were wandering in
the depths of the woods; on another they
were moving along some neglected Roman
road, through swamps and quagmires.
Now they were passing hastily through the
ruins of some Saxon thorpe which had been
burned by the Normans, or lodging for the
night as guests at some convent or priory, or
crossing a dangerous river-ford, or making
a brief stay in a busy town to preach and
exhibit the shrine of the saint, so that the
diseased and suffering might be touched by
the miraculous relics. And all along their
journey they gathered the offerings which the
people brought them.

“This, surely,” thought Rheinfrid, “is
the journey appointed me”; and his spirit
was at last peaceful and contented.

Now in the third week of their pilgrimage
they came to a wide moor which they had to