THE MYSTERY OF CORFE. 51 



rank and station who were his brethren in arms. Whatever 

 his character, he had undoubtedly ruled with a firm hand the 

 turbulent subjects under his charge, aided by the master 

 mind of Dunstan. 



That Edward inherited the qualities of his father, alike the 

 good and bad, there is amply testimony, and the opposition 

 to his succession to the Crown seems to have been largely 

 based upon the fact that he had a violent temper, and w r as 

 in the habit of constantly maltreating his servants or any 

 others who displeased him. Another, though perhaps less 

 forceful, reason put forward by the supporters of Elfrida and 

 her son, Ethelred, was that Edgar, although he was actually 

 in possession of the Throne, had not been crowned when 

 Edward was born. It seems more probable, however, that 

 the true reason for the hostile attitude of many of his subjects 

 to his succession was based upon the fact that Edward's 

 legitimacy was somewhat doubtful. For it is to be observed 

 that while Elfrida appears as witness to many charters after 

 her marriage to Edgar, the mother of Edward does not once 

 sign, so far as I am aware. This fact is not of course by any 

 means conclusive, but bearing in mind Edgar's character 

 as revealed by the early Chronicles, the supposition that 

 Edward was illegitimate is by no means unlikely. Whatever 

 the reason may have been, it is clear that a considerable num- 

 ber of those whose opinions had weight supported the claims 

 of Elfrida and her infant in opposition to Edward. 



Be the rights of the case what they may, Edward had been 

 designated by Edgar as his successor, and it would seem that 

 prior to the year 971 he was regarded as heir to the King- 

 dom, for in the will of Elfeah, who died in that year, there 

 is a bequest to " the Elder Athling " " the king's son and 

 heir." * Ethelred, be it remembered, was, at the death of 

 Edgar, a child of about seven years of age, and although 

 perhaps a pawn in the game, he cannot have exercised any 



* Birch : Vol. III., p. 432. 



