ENGLAND. 



597 



H:-norT. 



and is re- 

 conciled 

 with the 

 king. 



His son 

 Harold as- 

 pires to the 

 crown. 



The king 

 secretly ap- 

 points Wil- 

 liam of 

 Normandy 

 hii jneces- 



shop of Canterbury, who was a Norman, and the most 

 obnoxious of his countrymen, should be banished, and 

 that Godwin should give hostages for his future obe- 

 dience. This turbulent nobleman was thus reinstated 

 in all his former power ; but his hostages, for greater 

 security, were sent by Edward to his kinsman, the 

 Duke of Normandy. Godwin's death, however, re- 

 lieved the king, for a time, from farther disquietude ; 

 but his son Harold inherited the power and ambition of 

 his father, and was superior to him in talents and in 

 virtue. By his insinuating address, he had softened, 

 in some degree, the hatred which Edward had always 

 borne to his family ; and his popularity was daily increa- 

 sing, by his generosity and affability of manners. 



The king saw the growing authority of Harold, but 

 had not vigour to oppose it ; and at last had recourse 

 to the dangerous expedient of setting up as a rival, Al- 

 gar, the son of Leofric, Duke of Mercia, who possess- 

 ed the government of East Anglia. Algar, however, 

 was unable to stand I>efore the power and the intrigues 

 of Harold, whose influence obtained his expulsion from 

 his government, and his banishment from the kingdom ; 

 and the death of Algar, and his father Leofric, which 

 happened soon after, freed Harold from any farther ap- 

 prehension from that quarter. His power was also 

 considerably augmented, by the accession of his brother 

 Tosti to the dukedom of Northumberland. Siward, the 

 former duke, had greatly distinguished himself, by an 

 expedition to Scotland against the usurper Macbeth, 

 whom he defeated and killed in battle, and restored 

 Malcolm Kenmore to the throne of his father; but he 

 lost in that enterprise his oldest son Osbeme ; and as 

 his second son, Waltheof, was too voung to be entrust- 

 ed with such a government, Harold had the influence 

 to procure it for iiis own brother. Edward could not 

 but perceive, that this nobleman was aiming at the suc- 

 cession to the throne ; and, as he felt himself broken 

 down by age anil infirniitirx, he invited his nephew 

 Edward, the son of Edmund Ironside, from Hungary, 

 and appointed him his successor in the kingdom. The 

 death of that prince, however, which happened a few 

 days after his arrival in England, and the tender age 

 and inexperience of his son Edgar Atheling, threw the 

 king into new difficulties. He still retained his dislike 

 to the family of Godwin ; and could not brook the idea, 

 that they who had risen on the ruins of his authority, 

 should succeed to his throne. He therefore cast his eye 

 on his kinsman William, Duke of Normandy, and even 

 secretly commissioned Robert, archbishop "of Canter- 

 bury, to inform William of his intentions. 



Duke William had displayed the greatest abilities, both 

 :nan and a warrior. He had come to the go- 

 vernment when a minor ; and the regency established 

 by his father could with difficulty maintain themselves, 

 amidst the dangers of foreign invasion and internal dis- 

 i. But the prince no sooner cnme to maturity, 

 than he struck terror into his enemies, by the vigour 

 and wisdom of his administration. His valour and con- 

 duct prevailed in every action. He compelled hi- in- 

 vaders to retire ; reduced his turbulent and licentious 

 barons to submission ; and ,-oon established his domi- 

 nions in complete tranquillity. The intelligence of Ed- 

 ward's intentions excited his' ambitious hopes; and he 

 endeavoured, by every mean, to secure their object. 

 Harold, howcw-r, was equally unremitting in ettabtafe- 

 ing his power, and preparing" for the expected vacancy. 

 -1 extorted, by his intrigues, the king's consent 

 to release the hostages which had been given by his 

 father, and which were still in the hands of the Duke 



of Normandy. He was unwilling that such near rela- History.^ 

 tions should remain prisoners in a distant country, and """ T~~~' 

 was afraid that they might be retained as pledges for 

 his own good behaviour, in the event of any dispute 

 about the succession. He therefore had no sooner ob- 

 tained Edward's sanction for their release, than he set 

 sail with a numerous retinue for Normandy. He was 

 driven by a tempest on the territories of the Count of 

 Ponthieu, who, being informed of his quality, detained 

 him prisoner, and demanded an exorbitant sum for his 

 ransom. Harold, however, found means to acquaint 

 the Duke of Normandy with his situation ; and William 

 immediately seized this favourable opportunity of gain- 

 ing over Harold to his views. Supported by the influ- 

 ence of this most powerful nobleman, he thought his 

 succession to the tlirone of England would be secured ; 

 and he accordingly compelled the Count of Ponthieu 

 to set him at liberty, and received him at Rouen with 

 every demonstration of respect and esteem. They 

 were both ignorant of each other's pretensions ; and 

 Harold was not a little surprized, when he heard, for 

 the first time, of the intentions of Edward to make 

 William his heir. He was obliged, however, to con- 

 ceal his feelings. William offered him his daughter in 

 marriage, and promised to raise his family to still 

 greater honours, if he would assist him with his power. 

 He also required him to take an oath that he would 

 be true to his engagements : to all of which, Harold 

 was obliged to feign compliance ; and they parted with 

 all the *ppearance of mutual friendship. 



The ambition of Harold soon made him forget an Harold 01- 

 oath which had been extorted by necessity ; and the P ses * c 

 discovery of Edward's design prompted him the more "'i; ent > on s of 

 to strengthen his power, and augment the number of 

 his friends. He took every opportunity of encouraging 

 the English in their hatred to the Normans, and al- 

 ways deprecated their subjection to foreign influence. 

 He thus attempted to reconcile them to his succession ; 

 and, by a show of great power and influence, he deter- 

 red Edward from openly declaring his intention in fa- 

 vour of William. 



About this time, Harold also acquired very general 

 favour, by an opportunity which he had of displaying 

 his abilities and justice. The Welsh, under their prince 

 Griffith, had made repeated inroads, and committed 

 great depredations on the frontiers, and had been al- 

 ways able to shelter themselves from pursuit among 

 their inaccessible mountains. Harold was determined 

 to repress these troublesome plunderers. He attacked 

 them both by sea and land, and followed up his suc- 

 cesses with such vigour, that, in order to save them- 

 selves from total destruction, they were compelled to 

 deliver up the head of their prince, and submit them- 

 selves to the authority of Edward. 



An insurrection had also broken out among the 

 Northumbrians, which was headed by Morcar, Duke 

 of Mercia, and his brother Edwin; and which had 

 been occasioned by the tyrannical temper and injustice 

 of Duke Tosti. 1 larold was commanded by the king to 

 repress the insurgents ; and he marched a considerable 

 army into Northumberland for this purpose : but, be- His gene, 

 fort; coining to action, Morcar, relying mi the generous rous con- 

 di^piisitioii of his opponent, requested to be heard in duct, 

 his own defence ; when he represented, in such strong 

 colours, the cruelties and indignities which the North- 

 umbrians had suffered from Tosti, and their determi- 

 nation to peri.sli rather than be exposed to a renewal of 

 them, that Harold abandoned his brother'/, cause, and 

 refused to be the instrument of his tyranny. He even 



