THE KING'S MIRROR 

 XXVII 



THE VARIOUS CLASSES AMONG THE KINGSMEN 



Son. I believe I have now had correct and adequate 

 answers, and it no longer seems strange to me that such 

 men as you have just talked about would rather be 

 kingsmen than remain in the country, even though their 

 duties are as toilsome as those of the farmer, or even 

 more so. But now I wish to ask you to describe the other 

 services at the king's court, so that I may, if possible, 

 gain some knowledge of every one of them. 



Father. That is surely possible, and since you are in- 

 terested in such matters, I shall give you what informa- 

 tion I have concerning them. There are certain other 

 housecarles at the king's court, who, in addition to 

 the housecarle's title, have a by-name and are called 

 | /"" gests." ^ They have this name from their manifold 

 1 duties; for they visit the homes of many, though not 

 1 always with friendly intent These men are also in the 

 king's pay and get half the wages of " hirdmen.'J] These 

 1 are the duties that belong to the office of these menfthey 

 serve as spies throughout the king's domain to make 

 / &i,~t*\ sure whether he has any enemies in his kingdom;] and 

 I if such are found/jtne gests are to slay themjjif they are 

 (,** 1\ \ able to do so.But if the king sends his gests upon his 

 5^ ^ ~0 1 enemies and those against whom they are sent are slain, 

 f // fa f I they are to have for their trouble as much of the ene- 

 l mies' wealth as they can carry away at the time, only 

 / no gold, for that is the king's, as is all the rest that the 

 / gests are unable to bring away. And whenever the king 



* See American Historical Review, XIII, 469-471. 



