44 
HAROLD II. AND THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY. 
By J. LANGFIELD WARD, M.A. October 25th, 1892. 
Of all our battles, that of Hastings was perhaps the one which 
brought about the most decisive results, and had the greatest 
influence in determining subsequent events. The story of that 
time is well illustrated in the well known tapestry in the 
Cathedral at Bayeux. It is doubtful whether the work is English 
or Norman. The English ladies of that age were famed for 
their skill with the needle. At the date of Hastings, there was 
in the Cathedral of Ely a tapestry depicting the death of the 
valiant Brihtnoth, at Maldon, and this was the work of English 
women. But the fact that the tapestry kept at Bayeux repre- 
sented the overthrow of England’s army, and was intended to 
illustrate William’s rightful claim to the crown of Knglana— 
this seems to compel us to the conclusion that the work was in 
conception Norman, and was the work of Norman ladies. 
Several persons connected with Bayeux, including Odo, the 
Bishop, are represented on the tapestry. The work is valuable 
to the student of the history of the time. On the death of 
King Canute the Mighty, his wide realm was divided ; Norway 
fell to one son, Denmark to another, and England to a third. 
Godwin, who from an unknown origin had risen to the highest 
position under Canute, had married a connection of that King’s. 
Harold, their son, reigned three years. The detestation of 
Danish rule, caused by the conduct of Harold and his successor 
Harthacnut, brought about the election of the Saxon repre- 
sentative, Edward the Confessor—one of the characters depicted 
on the tapestry. Edward showed great partiality to the 
Normans, and disregarded the claims of the native English to a 
fair share in the government. The central struggle of the reign 
is the encounter between the English party, with Godwin at the 
head, and the Norman party. The history is the temporary 
triumph of the Normans, their sudden overthrow, and the final 
supremacy of the English in England until William came. 
Godwin strove by hand and tongue to vindicate the claim of our 
ancestors to manage their affairs without foreign intervention, 
and this his life’s work was taken up by his son Harold on the 
death of his father. On one occasion Harold and his brother 
Sweyn, with their retainers, marched to Gloucester to defend the 
rights of the citizens of Dover. Shortly afterwards, Godwin, his 
wife, and three of his sons, fled to Bosham—named in the 
tapestry. Harold fled to Ireland, the fall of the house of 
Godwin was complete, and the ascendancy of the Normans 
became thoroughly established. At this juncture the future 
