f 
566 • E' N G 
acceffion, A. D. 1041, in confequence of exceffes at the 
marriage of a Danifli lord, which was celebrated at Lam¬ 
beth. 
Edward, furnamed the Confeflor, from his great piety, 
liad many rivals, whofe claims to the crown were, per¬ 
haps, better founded than his own. The lineal defcen- 
dents ot ihe l ift Saxon monarch were in being,'though at 
the remote diffance of the kingdom of Hungary. Sweyn, 
the eldeft fon of Hardicanute, was hill alive, but engaged 
in a defultory war in Norway. 'It required therefore the 
utmoft diligence and fagacity in Edward to fecure his 
claim, before either of thefe princes could come over to 
difpute his title. His own authority, though great in the 
kingdom, was not fufficient to accomplifh this end ; his 
pretenfions were therefore feconded by Godwin, whofe 
power was yet very extenfive. This nobleman, long an 
enemy to Iris family, finding, upon the prefent occasion, 
that their interefts, were united, he laid afide all former 
animofity, and concurred in fixing him upon the throne. 
1 he firff a£ts ot his reign bore the appearance'of injus¬ 
tice and Severity ; for-lie claimed back all grants that 
lin'd been made by the crown in former reigns; and he 
ordered his mother, Emma, who was ever intriguing 
againft him, to be flint up in a monaflery. As he had 
been bred in the Norman court, he Iliew-ed, in every in¬ 
stance, a predilection for the cuftoms, laws, and even the 
natives, of that country, in preference to his own; and, 
though he had married Editha, the daughter of God¬ 
win, yet, either from miftaken piety, or fixed averlion, 
during his whole reign he abftained from her bed. 
However thefe aCtions might have been regarded by 
many .of the king’s Subjects, (forthey were all of a doubt¬ 
ful kind,) certain it is that Godwin, who had long grown 
too powerful for a fubjcCt, made them the pretext of his 
oppofition. He began by complaining of the influence 
of the Normans in the government; and his animofities 
foon broke out into aCtion. Euftace, count of Boulogne, 
who had married Edward’s lifter, arrived in England 
upon a vilit to the king, and was received with great ho¬ 
nour and afteftion. Upon his return to Dover, having 
fent a Servant before him to prepare accommodations, an 
affray happened between this domeftic and the townfmen, 
sn which he loff his life. The count and his attendants 
attempting to revenge the death of his Servant, the in¬ 
habitants took arms; and both fides engaging with great 
fury, the count was obliged to fly, after having loft about 
twenty of his men, and (lain as many of the town’s people. 
Exafperated at this infult, he returned to the court at 
Gloucester, and demanded juftice of the king, who very 
warmly efpoufed his quarrel. He inftantly gave orders 
to Godwin, in whofe government Dover lav, to go and 
pnnilli the inhabitants for their violation of the peace. 
This was a juncture highly gratifying to the Schemes of 
■thisafpiring nobleman; and, thinking that now wasthetime 
to ingratiate himfelf with the people, he abfolute.ly re- 
fufed to obey the king’s command. Senfible, however, 
that obedience would foon be enforced, unlefs he could 
defend his inference, lie prepared for an immediate at¬ 
tack upon Edward. Under a pretence of reprefling Some 
diforders in Wales, he Secretly alTembled a great army, 
and attempted to furprife the king, who continued, with¬ 
out fufpicion, at Gloucefter. Nevertheless, being foon 
informed of Godwin’s treachery, his fitft ftep was to Sum¬ 
mon all the alliftance he could then get, and, in the mean 
while, to protract the time by a pretended negociation. 
But as foon as be found himfelf in a capacity to take 
the field, he marched out to attack Godwin ; who, find¬ 
ing himfelf unable to oppofe his Superior force, or to keep 
his ground, took (belter with Baldwin, earl of Flanders. 
His effates, together with thofe of his fons, were confis¬ 
cated.; and the opulence and authority of the family 
feemed, for a time, to be wholly overthrown. But God¬ 
win’s power was too ftrong to be (haken by fo flight a 
blurt ;Aor, being aflirted with a fleet by the earl of Flan¬ 
ders, he landed on the iile of Wight, where he was joined 
L A N D. 
by bis fon Harold, with a Squadron which that nobleman 
had collected in Ireland. From thence, being reinforced 
by great numbers of his former dependents and followers., 
he failed up the Thames, and, appearing before London, 
threw the metropolis into the utmoft: confufion. In this 
exigence, the king alone feemed refolute, and anxious to 
engage the enemy ; hut his nobility, many of whom were 
Secretly inclined tp. Godwfin, brought on a negociation, in 
which it w;ts ftipulated, that the king Should difmifsalL 
his foreign Servants, the primate being among the num¬ 
ber, and that Godwin (hould give hoftages for his own 
future good behaviour. But Godwin’s death, which foon 
followed, prevented him from reaping the fruits of an 
agreement, by which the king’s authority was almoft: re¬ 
duced to a fhadovv. 
Godwin was Succeeded in his government and offices 
by his fon Harold, who in ambition was equal to hjs 
father, but in virtues and abilities, far Superior. By a 
modeft and gentle demeanor he acquired the good-Will of 
Edward, or at lead Softened thofe impreffions of hatred 
which he had long borne the whole family. He greatly 
insinuated himfelf into the afteCtions of the people by his 
liberality, difintereftednefs, and apparent candour. By 
thefe art's he not only Supplanted Algar, duke of Mercia, 
whom the king railed up to rival his power, but he got 
his brother Tofti mat e duke of Northumberland, upon 
the death of Sivvard, who had long governed that pro¬ 
vince. Harold’s engaging manners increafed his popu¬ 
larity to Such-a degree, that he began to be talked of as 
the mod proper perfon to fucceed to the crown. But 
nothing could be more adverfe to Edward than fuch an 
■event, as he abhorred a fuccelfor from the family of God¬ 
win. Roufed, therefore, by thefe rumours, he lent for 
his nephew, Edward, from Hungary, who was, in fa cl, the 
lineal defeendent from the ancient Saxon kings. Prince 
Edward foon arrived, but was Scarcely landed, when he 
died, leaving his pretenfions to Edgar Atheling, his fon, 
who was too young to avail himfelf of his title. Edward 
was now thrown into new difficulties. He faw the youth 
and inexperience of Edgar, and dreaded the immoderate 
ambition of Harold. He could not, without reluftance, 
think of increasing the power of a family which had rifen 
on the ruins of royal authority, and had been tainted with 
the blood of his own brother. I11 this dilemma he is laid 
to have caft his eyes on William duke of Normandy, as 
a perfon mod proper to fucceed him ; but of the truth of 
this conjecture we muft for ever remain, in uncertainty. 
In the mean time, Harold remitted nothing of his re- 
fpeCtful obedience to the king, or his affiduities to pleafe 
the people; whereby he effectually prepared the way for 
his advancement, on the firft vacancy, to the throne. In 
thefe aims fortune feemed conffantly to affift him ; and 
two incidents happened about this time, A. D. 1057, 
which contributed greatly to fix that popularity of which 
he had been fo long in purfuit. TheWelfti renewing their 
holtililies under prince Griffin, were repelled by him, and 
rendered tributary to the crown of fjlngland. The other 
incident was no lefs honourable: his brother Tofti, who 
had been appointed to the government of Northumber¬ 
land, having grievoufly opprefled the people, was ex¬ 
pelled in an iniurreClion ; and Harold was ordered by the 
king to reinftate him in his. power, and punilh the infur- 
gents. While yet at the head of an army, preparing to 
take vengeance for the injury done to his brother, he was 
met by a deputation of the people, who had been cruelly 
governed. They allured him that they had no intention 
to rebel, but had taken up arms merely to proteCt them- 
felves from the violence of a rapacious governor. They 
enumerated the grievances they had fuftained from his 
tyranny, brought the ftrongeft proofs o£ his guilt, and 
appealed to Harold’s equity for redrefs, Convinced of 
Tofti’s unjuft and rigid government,-,|hejacrlficed frater¬ 
nal affection to his duty ; and not only 'procured a pardon 
for the people, but confirmed the governor in his office, 
whom the Northumbrians had chofen in his room. From 
that 
