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 affured 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, no longer ftrove to conceal his aims, but openly aspired at the succession. He everywhere insinuated, that as the heir-apparent to the crown was utterly unequal to the task of government, both from age and natural imbecillity, there was none 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

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 January, in the sixty-fifth year of his age, A.D. 1066. and twenty-fifth of his reign.

This prince, who was reverenced by the monks, under the titles of Saint and Confessor, had but weak pretensions to either, being indolent, irresolute, and credulous. The tranquillity of his reign was owing rather to the weakness of his foreign enemies than to 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 canonisation, He was the first who, from his supposed sanctity, touched for the king's-evil.

Harold, whose intrigues and virtues seemed to give 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.

But neither his valour, his justice, nor his popularity, were able to secure him from the mis

fortunes

fortunes attendant upon an ill-grounded title. The first symptoms of his 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.

But he was not yet without succour; for Harfagar, king of Norway, who had been brought over by his remonstrances, 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. Mean-while 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 Norwe-
gian, 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-ax: 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 de-
part 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 news
was brought of a fresh invasion, more formidable
than had ever been formed against England be-
fore. This was under the conduct of William,
duke of Normandy, who landed at Hastings with
an army of disciplined veterans, and laid claim to
the English crown.

William, who was afterwards called the Conqueror, 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 greatness to his birth, but still more to his own personal merit. His body was vigorous, his mind capacious and noble, and his courage not

Sept. 29,

1066.

to

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 remonstrances, 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, from whence he never returned, left young William rather the inheritor of his wishes than his 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 Robert, were under great difficulties in supporting the government against this complication of dangers; and the young prince, when he came of age, found himself reduced to a very low condition. But the great qualities which he soon displayed in the field and the cabinet gave encouragement to his friends, and struck a terror into his enemies. He on all sides opposed his rebellious subjects, and repressed foreign invaders, while his valour and conduct prevailed in every action. The tranquillity which he had thus established in his dominions induced him to extend his views; and some overtures, made him by Edward the Confessor, in the latter part of his reign, who was wavering in the choice of a successor, inflamed his ambition with a desire of succeeding