Atheling, his son, who was too young, weak, and inactive, to avail himself of his title. The king was now, therefore, thrown into new difficulties. He saw the youth and inexperience of Edgar, and dreaded the immoderate ambition of Harold. He could not, without reluctance, think of increasing the grandeur of a family which had risen on the ruins of royal authority, and had been stained with the blood of his own brother. In this uncertainty he is said to have cast his eyes on William duke of Normandy, as a person fit to succeed him; but of the truth of this circumstance we must, at this distance of time, be contented to remain in uncertainty.

Uurahia In the mean time Harold did not remit in obedience in North to the king, or his assiduities to the people; still increasumbers ing in his power, and preparing his way for his advanceland.

ment, on the first vacancy, to the throne. In these aims fortune herself seemed to assist him; and two incidents, which happened about this time, contributed to fix that popularity of which he had been so long eagerly in pursuit. The Welsh renewing their hostilities under prince Griffith, were repelled by him, and rendered tributary to the crown of England. The other incident was no less honourable: his brother Tosti, who had been appointed to the government of Northumberland, having grievously oppressed the people, was expelled in an insurrection, and Harold was ordered by the king to reinstate him in his power, and punish the insurgents. While yet at the head of an army, preparing to take signal vengeance for the injury done to his brother, he was met by a deputation of the people who had been so cruelly governed. They assured him that they had no intention to rebel, but had taken up arms merely to protect themselves from the cruelty of a rapacious governor. They enumerated the grievances they had sustained

from his tyranny, brought the strongest proofs of his guilt, and appealed to Harold's equity for redress. This nobleman, convinced of Tosti's brutality, sacrificed his affection to his duty; and not only procured their pardon from the king, but confirmed the governor whom the Northumbrians had chosen in his command. From that time Harold became the idol of the people; and, indeed, his virtues deserved their love, had they not been excited by ambition.

Harold, thus secure of the affections of the English, Edward no longer strove to conceal his aims, but openly aspired Beckh at the succession. He every where insinuated, that as ger Stirbt the heir apparent to the crown was utterly unequal to the task of government both from age and natural imbecility, there was no one so proper as a man of mature experience and tried integrity: he alleged, that a man born in England was only fit to govern Englishmen; and that none but an able general could defend them against so many foreign enemies as they were every day threatened with. The people readily saw to what these speeches tended; and instead of discountenancing his pretensions, assisted them with their wishes. and applause. Edward, broken with age and infirmities, his mind entirely engrossed by the visions of superstition, and warmly attached to none, saw the danger to which the government was exposed, but took feeble and irresolute steps to secure the succession. While he continued thus uncertain, he was surprised by sickness, which brought him to his end on the fifth of A. D. January, in the sixty-fifth year of his age, and 1066. twenty-fifth of his reign.

This prince, who was reverenced by the monks, un- Eward's

der the titles of Saint and Confessor, had but weak Character. pretensions to either, being indolent, irresolute, and credulous. The tranquillity of his reign was owing ra

VOL. I.

ther to the weakness of his foreign enemies than his own domestic strength. But, though he seemed to have few active virtues, yet he certainly had no vices of an atrocious kind; and the want of the passions, rather than their restraint, was then, as it has been long since, the best title to canonization. He was the first who, from his supposed sanctity, touched for the king's evil.

Harold Harold, whose intrigues and virtues seemed to give usuport a right to his pretensions, ascended the throne without any opposition. The citizens of London, who were ever fond of an elective monarchy, seconded his claims; the clergy adopted his cause; and the body of the people, whose friend he had been, sincerely loved him. Nor were the first acts of his reign unworthy of the general prejudice in his favour. He took the most effectual measures for an impartial administration of justice; ordered the laws to be revised and reformed; and those disturbers of the public peace to be punished, who had thriven under the lenity of the last reign.

Harold's But neither his valour, his justice, nor his popularity, Brutha were able to secure him from the misfortunes attendant conspiristupon an ill-grounded title. The first symptoms of his gegan in danger came from his own brother Tosti, who had taken

refuge in Flanders, and went among the princes of the continent, endeavouring to engage them in a league against Harold, whom he represented as a tyrant and usurper. Not content with this, being furnished with some ships by the earl of Flanders, he made a descent upon the Isle of Wight, which he laid under contribution, and pillaged along the coast, until he was encountered and routed by Morcar, who had been appointed to the government from which he was expelled.

Jie Ner: But he was not yet without succour; for Harfagar, weger king of Norway, who had been brought over by his relanden. monstrances, arrived with a fleet of two hundred sail at

the mouth of the river Humber, where he was joined by the shattered remains of Tosti's forces. It was in vain that the earls of Mercia and Northumberland attempted to stop their progress, with a body of new-raised undisciplined troops: they were quickly routed, and York fell a prey to the enemy. Meanwhile Harold, being informed of this misfortune, hastened with an army to the protection of his people, and expressed the utmost ardour to show himself worthy of their favour. He had given so many proofs of an equitable and prudent administration, that the people flocked from all quarters to join his standard; and as soon as he reached the enemy at Stanford, he found himself in a condition of giving them battle. The action was very bloody; but the victory was decisive on the side of Harold, and ended in the total rout of the Norwegians, Harfagar their king and Tosti being slain. Those who escaped, owed their safety to the personal prowess of a brave Norwegian, who is said to have defended a bridge over the Derwent for three hours, against the whole English army; during which time he slew forty of their best men with his battle-axe: but he was at length slain by an arrow. Harold, pursuing his victory, made himself master of a Norwegian fleet that lay in the river Ouse; and had the generosity to give prince Olave, the son of Harfagar, his liberty, and allowed him to depart with twenty vessels. There had never before been in England an engagement between two such numerous armies, each being composed of no less than threescore thousand men. The news of this victory diffused inexpressible joy over the whole kingdom; they gloried in a monarch, who now showed himself able to defend them from insult, and avenge them of their invaders: but they had not long time for triumph, when intelligence was brought of a fresh invasion more formidable than had

ever been formed against England before. This was
Sept. 29, under the conduct of William, duke of Nor.
... 1066.
mandy, who landed at Hastings with an-
army of disciplined veterans, and laid claim to the
English crown.

Wilhelm
William, who was afterwards called the Conqueror,
Jer Eroberer, was the natural son of Robert, duke of Normandy. His
mother's name was Arlette, a beautiful maid of Falaise,
whom Robert fell in love with as she stood gazing at the
door whilst he passed through the town. William, who
was the offspring of this amour, owed a part of his great-
ness to his birth, but still more to his own personal me-
rit. His body was vigorous, his mind capacious and
noble, and his courage not to be repressed by apparent
danger. His father Robert growing old, and, as was
common with princes then, superstitious also, resolved
upon a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, contrary to the advice
and opinion of all his nobility. As his heart was fixed
upon the expedition, instead of attending to their re-
monstrances, he showed them his son William, whom,
though illegitimate, he tenderly loved, and recommended
to their care, exacting an oath from them of homage
and fealty. He then put him, as he was yet but ten years
of
age, under the tutelage of the French king; and soon
after going into Asia, whence he never returned, left
young William rather the inheritor of his wishes than
the crown. In fact, William, from the beginning, found
himself exposed to many dangers, and much opposition,
from his youth and inexperience, from the reproach of
his birth, from a suspected guardian, a disputed title,
and a distracted state. The regency, appointed by Ro-
bert, were under great difficulties in supporting the go-
vernment against this complication of dangers: and the
young prince, when he came of age, found himself re-
duced to a very low condition. But the great qualities