Chapter VII

FROM THE ELECTION OF EADWARD TO THE BANISHMENT OF GODWINE. 1042–1051.
A. D. PAGE
The struggle between Normans and Englishmen begins
with the accession of Eadward 4
Import of Eadward’s election; resolve of the English
people to have none but an English King 4
Other possible candidates; Swend Estrithson; Eadward
the son of Eadmund 5
Eadward the one available representative of the old
stock 5

§ 1. _The Election and Coronation of Eadward._ 1042–1043.
June, 1042 Popular election of Eadward 5
Delay of the coronation; its probable causes 6
Eadward probably absent from England and unwilling
to accept the Crown 6–7
Embassy to Eadward; negotiations between him and
Godwine 7–8
Eadward accepts the Crown and returns to England 8
Christmas? Witenagemót of Gillingham
1042–1043 9
Opposition to Eadward’s election in the interest of
Swend Estrithson 9
Eadward the only possible choice; nature of his
claims 10–14
April 3, Eadward crowned at Winchester
1043 14
Exhortation of Archbishop Eadsige; position of
Eadward; his relations to Godwine and the other
great Earls 14–16
Presence of foreign Ambassadors at the coronation;
Eadward’s foreign connexions; his relations with
Magnus of Denmark and with the French Princes 16–19
Gifts of the English nobles; Godwine gives a ship to
the King 19–20

§ 2. _Condition of England during the early years of Eadward._
Character of Eadward; his position as a Saint 20–21
Eadward’s memory acceptable to Englishmen and
Normans alike 22
Eadward’s personal character; purely monastic nature
of his virtues; points of likeness to his father 23–24
His love of hunting; contrast with the humanity of
Anselm 25–27
Personal appearance and habits of Eadward 27
His love of favourites; his fondness for foreigners;
promotion of Normans to high office 28–30
The Norman Conquest begins under Eadward 30
Relations between Eadward and Godwine; Norman
calumnies against Godwine and his sons 30–31
Character of Godwine; his relations to
ecclesiastical bodies; his over care for his own
household 31–33
His good and strict government of his Earldom 33–34
Godwine never reached the same power as Harold did
afterwards 35
Godwine’s eloquence; importance of speech at the
time 35
1043 Godwine’s family; Swegen raised to an Earldom 36
1045? Promotion of Beorn and Harold 36–37
Character of Harold; his military genius 37–39
His civil virtues; his singular forbearance; his
championship of England against strangers 39–40
His foreign travels; his patronage of Germans as
opposed to Frenchmen 40–41
Harold’s personal character; his alleged spoliation
of monasteries; his friendship with Saint
Wulfstan; his foundation of Waltham 41–42
Frankness and openness of his personal demeanour;
alleged charges of rashness 42–43
Story of Eadgyth Swanneshals 43
Comparison between Harold and Constantine
Palaiologos 43–44
Character of Swegen 44–45
Character of the Lady Eadgyth; her doubtful loyalty
to England; her relations to her husband 45–47
Greatness of Godwine and his house 47–48
The other Earldoms; Mercia under Leofric;
Northumberland under Siward 48–50
General condition of England; tendency not to
separation but to union; comparison with Frankish
history 50
Nature of the Earldoms as affected by the Danish
conquest; special position of Northumberland 50–51
The King’s Writs; light thrown by them on the
condition of Folkland 52–53
General powers of the Witan not lessened 53
1040 Affairs of Scotland; reign and death of Duncan 53–54
1040–1058 Reign of Macbeth; his distribution of money at Rome 54–55
1039–1063 Affairs of Wales; reign of Gruffydd of North Wales 55–56
1039 His victory over Eadwine at Rhyd-y-groes 56
1042 His wars in South Wales and victory at Aberteifi 56
Eadward’s relations with foreign powers; his
connexion with Germany 56
Claims of Magnus of Norway on the Crown of England 57
The reign of Eadward comparatively peaceful 57

§ 3. _From the Coronation of Eadward to the Remission of the War-tax._
1043–1051.
1043–1051 Character of the first nine years of Eadward 58
Relations between Eadward and his mother; probable
offence given by Emma 58–61
November Witenagemót of Gloucester; Eadward and the Earls
16, 1043 despoil Emma of her treasure 61–62
Probable connexion of Emma with the partizans of
1043–1046 Swend; banishments of Osbeorn, Osgod Clapa,
Gunhild, and others 62–64
April–Nov. Stigand appointed Bishop of the East-Angles and
1043 deposed 64–65
Importance of ecclesiastical appointments; mode of
appointing Bishops; increased connexion with Rome;
prevalence of simony 65–68
Siward Abbot of Abingdon appointed Coadjutor to
1044–1050 Archbishop Eadsige; he retires to Abingdon and
dies 68–69
July 25, Death of Ælfweard, Bishop of London
1044 69
August 10, Restoration of Stigand; Robert of Jumièges Bishop of
1044 London 70–71
Baneful influence of Robert; his calumnies against
Godwine; his connexion with the Norman Conquest 70–71
1044–1047 Condition of Northern Europe; war between Swend and
Magnus; conduct of Godescalc 72–73
1044–1045 Magnus claims the English Crown; answer of Eadward;
preparations against Magnus 73–74
Early life and exploits of Harold Hardrada; his
1030–1044 escape from Stikkelstad; he enters the Byzantine
service 74–76
1038–1040 He commands the Warangians in Sicily 76
His crusade or pilgrimage; he escapes from
Constantinople and joins Swend in Sweden 76–78
1045 Swend and Harold attack Magnus and save England from
invasion 78
Jan. 23, Marriage of Eadward and Eadgyth; promotions of
1045 Harold and Beorn 79
Death of Brihtwold, Bishop of the Wilsætas; Hermann
of Lotharingia succeeds; policy of the promotion
of German prelates 79–81
March 23, Death of Bishop Lyfing; his career and character
1046 81–83
1046–1072 Leofric succeeds him in Cornwall and Devonshire 83
1050 He removes the see to Exeter, and subjects his
Canons to the rule of Chrodegang 83–85
1046–1062 Ealdred succeeds Lyfing at Worcester; his character 85–86
Gruffydd ap Llywelyn reconciled with the King; his
joint expedition with Swegen against Gruffydd ap
Rhydderch 87
Swegen’s abduction of Eadgifu; he throws up his
Earldom and retires to Denmark; suppression of
Leominster Abbey 87–89
Banishment of Osgod Clapa 89–90
1047 Affairs of Scandinavia; Harold joins Magnus and
receives a share of the Kingdom of Norway 90–91
Swend asks help from England; his request is
supported in the Witenagemót by Godwine, but
rejected on the motion of Leofric 91–92
Magnus defeats Swend; he occupies Denmark and dies
suddenly 92–93
1048–1061 Harold succeeds in Norway, Swend in Denmark; their
long warfare 93
Norwegian and Danish embassies to England; help
1048 again refused to Swend; peace concluded with
Harold 93
1046–1047 Physical phænomena 93–94
Aug. 29, Ælfwine, Bishop of Winchester, dies; Stigand
1047 succeeds 94
1048 Ravages of Lothen and Yrling; the King and the Earls
pursue the pirates, but they escape to Flanders 94–96
Relations with Flanders; their analogy with the
relations with Normandy in 991 and 1000 96
Alliance with the Emperor Henry; his nomination of
German Popes 96
1048–1054 Pontificate of Leo the Ninth 96–97
1047 Godfrey of Lotharingia and Baldwin of Flanders rebel
against the Emperor 97
1049 Leo excommunicates Godfrey; Godfrey submits, but
Baldwin continues his ravages 97–98
Denmark and England join the Emperor against
Baldwin; the English fleet watches the Channel;
submission of Baldwin 98–99
Baldwin’s submission lets loose the English exiles;
Osgod Clapa at sea; Swegen seeks reconciliation
with Eadward 99–100
Harold and Beorn oppose his restoration; his
outlawry is renewed 100–101
Beorn entrapped and slain by Swegen 102–104
Swegen declared Nithing by the army; nature of the
military Gemót 104–105
Swegen escapes to Flanders and is received by
Baldwin; universal indignation against him in
England 105–107
Midlent, Swegen restored to his Earldom by the intervention
1050 of Bishop Ealdred 107–109
1049 Various military operations; movements of Osgod
Clapa 109–110
July Ships from Ireland in the Bristol Channel joined by
Gruffydd of South Wales 110
July 29 Campaign of Bishop Ealdred; his defeat by Gruffydd 110–111
Increasing connexion of England with the continent;
1049–1050 English attendance at synods; synods at Rheims and
Mainz 111–113
Deaths of Bishops and Abbots; Siward dies, and
1049 Eadsige resumes the primacy; Eadnoth of Dorchester
dies and is succeeded by Ulf the Norman 113
Midlent, Witenagemót of London; reduction of the fleet;
1050 Swegen inlawed 114–115
The King’s vow of pilgrimage to Rome; Bishops
Ealdred and Hermann sent to obtain a dispensation 115–116
Synods of Rome and Vercelli; Lanfranc and Berengar;
Ulf confirmed in his Bishoprick; pilgrimage of
Macbeth? 116–118
Death of Archbishop Eadsige; the monks of Christ
Oct. 29 Church elect Ælfric, who is supported by Godwine
but rejected by the King 118–120
Midlent, Witenagemót of London; Robert of Jumièges appointed
1051 to Canterbury, Spearhafoc to London, and Rudolf to
the Abbey of Abingdon 120–121
Robert returns from Rome with the pallium; he
July 27 refuses to consecrate Spearhafoc, who holds his
see without consecration 121–123
The remaining ships paid off; remission of the
Midlent? Heregeld; distinction between Danegeld and
Heregeld 123–125

§ 4. _The Banishment of Earl Godwine._ 1051.
The foreign influence at its height; contrast
between Danish and Norman influences; revolt of
England against the strangers 125–129
Universal indignation at the appointment of Robert;
his cabals against Godwine 129–130
September Visit of Eustace of Boulogne to Eadward at
Gloucester; his outrages at Dover on his return 130–133
Eustace accuses the men of Dover to Eadward; Eadward
commands Godwine to inflict military chastisement
on them; Godwine refuses, and demands a legal
trial 133–137
Robert excites the King against Godwine; the Witan
summoned to Gloucester to hear charges against the
Earl 137–138
Outrages of the Normans in Herefordshire; building
of castles; Richard’s Castle 138–140
Godwine and his sons gather the force of their
Earldoms at Beverstone; Siward, Leofric, and Ralph
gather theirs at Gloucester 141
Negotiations between Godwine and the King; Godwine’s
Sept. 8 offers refused through the influence of the
Frenchmen; he demands the surrender of Eustace and
the other criminals 142–143
The full force of the Northern Earldoms assembles at
Gloucester; Eadward refuses to surrender Eustace 143–144
Eagerness of the Northumbrians for battle; march of
the West-Saxons and East-Angles on Gloucester 144–146
Mediation of Leofric; adjournment to a Gemót in
London 146–147
Gemót of London; Eadward at the head of an army;
Sept. 29 outlawry of Swegen renewed; Godwine and Harold
summoned to appear as criminals 147–149
Final summons to the Earls; their demand for a
safe-conduct is refused 149–150
Godwine and his family outlawed; Godwine, Swegen,
&c., take refuge in Flanders 151
Harold determines on resistance; he and Leofwine
sail from Bristol to Dublin, where they are
received by King Diarmid; vain pursuit of Bishop
Ealdred 152–155
Eadgyth sent to Wherwell 155–156
General character of the story; explanation of
Godwine’s conduct: effect of his fall on the minds
of his contemporaries 157–160
Oct. Temporary triumph of the Norman party; advancement
1051–Sept. of Ralph, Odda, and Ælfgar
1052 160–161
Spearhafoc deposed and William appointed Bishop of
London 161
Visit of Duke William 161–162