ABOUT CANUTE THE GREAT.

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any attempt on the part of the Duke of Normandy in favor of the sons of Emma, by marrying that widowed queen.

3. Canute, though brought up a pagan, embraced Christianity, and his conduct was so wise and prudent that he has been called by historians Canute the Great. He was large in person, and very strong; he was of fair complexion, and distinguished for his beauty; his hair was thick and long, and his eyes were bright and sparkling. 4. England, under his government, enjoyed many years of tranquillity. During this time Canute employed himself in making new laws, and in promoting the prosperity of the country. Poetry was the favorite art of the age, and Canute did not disdain the character of a poet; the first stanza of a poem written by him on hearing the monks of Ely singing, as he was passing by on the water, is still on record:

5. Cheerful sang the monks of Ely,

As Canute the king was passing by;
Row to the shore, knights, said the king,
And let us hear these churchmen sing.

This poem was afterwards sung in the churches, which gives us a curious notion of the sacred poetry of those times.

6. The manner in which Canute rebuked the flattery of his courtiers is worth relating. They had been extolling him as the greatest

tidence in the English? 3. What of Canute? 4. What of England during his reign?

50 REIGNS OF HAROLD HAREFOOT AND OF HARDICANUTE.

and most powerful king in the world, and added that it was im possible for anything to resist his commands. Canute ordered his chair to be placed on the sea-shore while the tide was rising.

7. As the waters approached, he commanded them to retire and to obey the voice of him who was lord of the ocean. He sat some time, pretending to expect that the waves would obey; but they continued to rise higher and higher, till they touched the king's feet, when, turning to his courtiers, who stood by wondering what it all meant, he made them observe, and acknowledge, that God alone was omnipotent.

8. Canute received many of the English nobles into great favor. The chief of them was Earl Godwin, a powerful and ambitious man, who married his daughter, and whose son afterwards became king, as you will presently hear. Canute died in 1035, having preserved England in peace during the whole of his reign, a term of eighteen years.

CHAPTER XXV.

Reigns of Harold Harefoot, and of Hardicanute.

1. CANUTE left three sons; Sweyn, Harold, and Hardicanute. The succession to the throne of England had been settled on the latter, who was Queen Emma's son; but he being in Denmark when his father died, Harold seized on the crown, and took possession of the late king's treasures. Earl Godwin, and the greater part of the English, declared for Hardicanute.

2. The difficulty was settled by a division of the kingdom. It was agreed that the portion assigned to Hardicanute should be governed by Emma, until his return. Harold soon gained Godwin to his interests, by promising to marry his daughter, and to declare her children heirs to the crown.

3. Two sons of Ethelred and Emma were yet living in Normandy, under the protection of their uncle. To get them into his power, Harold forged a letter in the name of Emma, earnestly inviting them to come to England, where, they were told, they would be received with joy by the people, and one of them acknowledged as king. Still further to deceive them, the letter was filled with abuse of Harold himself.

4 The letter was written so much in the style of their mother, that the princes were deceived. Alfred, the more active of the two, trusting himself with a few Normans on board some ships, sailed for England. Soon after landing he was met by Godwin, who professed the greatest friendship for him, and loaded him with caresses.

5. Repeat a verse written by him. 6, 7. Relate the anecdote of Canute rebuking his courtiers. 8. What of Earl Godwin? When did Canute die?

XXV.-1. What happened in England upon Canute's death? 2. How were the diff culties settled? 3. What of Harold's stratagem? 4, 5. Relate the particulars of the

EDWARD THE CONFESSOR.

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5. But the treacherous earl, taking advantage of his confidence, seized him in the night-time, and sent him to Ely, where he was either actually murdered, or died in consequence of the cruel treatment he suffered.

6. As soon as Emma heard of his fate, she fled into Flanders, and Harold took possession of the whole kingdom. He did not, however, long enjoy the fruits of his cruelty and ambition, for he died in 1039. He was remarkable for his swiftness in walking and running, which obtained for him the name of Harold Harefoot.

7. As soon as Hardicanute, who had joined his mother in Flanders, heard of the death of Harold, he came to England, and was received with joy by the people. But he soon lost the affections of his subjects by his bad conduct. His violent government, however, did not last long, for he died in 1041, having shortened his life by intemperance.

CHAPTER XXVI.

Edward the Confessor.-Harold.-About the Conquest.

1. THE ill conduct of Harold and Hardicanute had disgusted the English with Danish sovereigns, and they now resolved to restore the Saxon line of princes. Edward, commonly called the Exile,

death of Alfred? 6. What did Harold then do? When did he die? What was he sur named? 7. Who succeeded Harold? When did Hardicanute die?

XXVI.-1. What led to the restoration of the Saxon race of kings? Who was the

that son of Edmund Ironside who, as we have already related, was taken care of by the King of Hungary, was the nearest heir to the

crown.

2. But he was so little known, and at so great a distance, that he was passed by, and Edward, called the Confessor, which is synonymous with Saint, the son of Ethelred and Emma, was invited to ascend the throne. Edward, having a timid and unambitious disposition, did not desire to be king, but was prevailed on by Earl Godwin, now the most powerful person in the kingdom, to be crowned.

3. The restoration of the Saxon line caused great joy throughout the kingdom, and was long celebrated by an annual festival, called Hokeday. Edward married Edgitha, daughter of Earl Godwin. He took off a tax which had been first imposed by Ethelred to raise money to bribe the Danes, and hence called Danegelt.

4. Edward, having been brought up by the Normans, had many favorites of that nation, who came flocking over to him, and were loaded by him with benefits. He likewise introduced the Norman fashion of wearing loose trowsers, and substituted the Norman title Baron, for the old Anglo-Saxon word Thane.

5. The English nobles, and especially Earl Godwin, took great offence at the king's regard for the Normans. Their jealousies at length became so violent, that the king banished Godwin, and gave his possessions to Norman favorites. Even the queen, because she was the earl's daughter, was very harshly treated, and it is said that to clear herself from some charge, she was compelled to walk over red-hot ploughshares, which she did without being injured.

6. Godwin assembled a large force, and compelled the king to restore to him his possessions, and to banish the Normans, who left the country as quickly and as secretly as possible, to avoid being murdered by the populace.

7. Godwin died soon after, as he was sitting at table with the king. Harold, his eldest son, was quite as ambitious as his father, and had set his heart on succeeding Edward, who had no children, on the throne. But the king, to defeat his ambitious designs, sent for Edward the Exile to come to England.

8. The prince obeyed the summons, but died a few months after his arrival, leaving a little son, named Edgar Atheling, and two daughters, friendless orphans in a country from which he had himself been banished forty years. His death strengthened the hopes of Harold, and on the death of Edward the Confessor, in 1066, l.e was crowned king.

9. He did not find the throne a peaceable possession; for William Duke of Normandy immediately asserted his right to it, under pretence that Edward had left him the kingdom in his will. To main

nearest heir? 2. Who was called to the throne? What of Edward? 3. What of a festival? Whom did Edward marry? 4. Who were the favorites of Edward? What changes did he introduce? 5. What was the consequence? How was Godwin treated? How the queen? 6. What did Godwin do? 7. What of Harold, son of Godwin? Whom did Edward wish to be his heir? 8. Who was Edgar Atheling? When did Edward he Confessor die? Who succeeded Edward? 9. Who disputed Harold's possession?

SAXON KINGS OF ENGLAND.

53

tain his claim, William went with a large army to England, where he landed on the twenty-eighth of September, 1066.

10. On the fourteenth of October was fought the great battle of Hastings, a battle that completely changed the fate of England. Harold was killed by a wound in the eye from an arrow, and Wil liam gained a complete victory. The result of this conflict threw the English into the utmost consternation.

11. Some of the nobles assembled at London to deliberate on placing Edgar Atheling on the throne; but before they had time to come to a decision, William the Conqueror was at the gates. The greater part of the nobles, with Edgar Atheling at their head, went forth to meet him, and offered him the vacant throne, which he, with a little pretended hesitation, accepted. He was crowned at Westminster, on Christmas day, 1066, and thus was completed the Conquest of England, as it is called.

10. When was the battle of Hastings fought? What was the result? nobles do? When was William crowned?

11. What did tha