Nor wilt thou forget that thou didst intercede for the boy that he
might retain his ancestral possessions, which boon thou didst only
obtain at the cost of his widowed mother's marriage with Hugo, Lord
of Malville, outre mer.
It was then settled that the two boys, Etienne de Melville and
Wilfred of Aescendune, thereby thrown together, should each inherit
the lands and honours of their respective sires; but that, should
the latter die, the united estates should fall to Etienne de
Malville, did he still survive.
In this arrangement, we naturally saw danger to our own precious
charge--for our spiritual child he was--Wilfred of Aescendune.
His mother died the year after the Conquest, and passed, as we
thought, happily from a world of sin and sorrow.
The boy, at first disconsolate with grief, recovered his health and
spirits after awhile, and if allowed to live, might assuredly grow
to man's estate, and perpetuate his ancient line.
If allowed, I say, for we have just received evidence that the
mother was poisoned, and we tremble with horror lest the boy should
share her fate.
This evidence is in the form of a dying confession, which, at the
request of the poor penitent, we have written with pen and ink.
When thou hast read it, for the love of God and of His saints,
especially of our father Benedict, stretch forth thine hand and
protect the unhappy bearer, the youthful lord of Aescendune.
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