He
remembered how, on the day of his throning, those children had stood at
the verge of the court to receive his blessing and to kiss his hand, and
his heart bled at the thought that any of these little ones should be in
danger.
At last, after much hard thinking, he put on his sword and ordered his
pony to be bridled. Then he rode south to the abbey of St. Blane's.
Calling to the good abbot he bade him open the chapel and let him enter.
There the young king threw himself down before the altar and fervently
prayed to God for help in his hour of need, asking for the power to save
the children from the wrath of their enemies. And in the quiet of that
holy place God's spirit entered into his heart and he felt strong.
So when he had finished his prayers the abbot, hearing him, said: "My
son, have faith, and our Father will give you His help. And now, tell
me, I beseech you, what means you foresee of saving our people from the
swords of our enemies?"
And Kenric said: "Holy father, it is by your help that I hope to do this
thing. This day will I send into your grange all the meal and flour that
now lie in my granaries at Rothesay, and you shall store it away in
secret places. Ere the sun sets this night every woman and bairn now
alive in Bute shall be brought to the abbey, and they shall live here,
guarded by a band of our best men-at-arms.
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