II. A.D. 1066. (Waltham), MS. Cott. Julius, D. And that twilight witnessed the Pope-blessed banner float ing where the dawn had seen the last Saxon standard wave. The English army dispersed; every living man to a saddened hearth. The Norman pitched his camp on the field. On the morrow the slain were buried. The Abbey of Battle, built on the spot, commemorates the invaders in whose behoof for ages lamps burned and prayers ascended; but neither the graves nor yet the names of those who died in this strenuous defence of their country have been preserved. Among heaps of mutilated dead, the abbot of Hyde, with twelve of his monks cased in mail, and the brothers Gyrth, Leofwine, and King Harold, were hardly recognised-the last only to be known by the affectionate eye of Eadgyth his queen—if indeed, as story tells, she, the fair' of the swan's neck' searched the bloody field. Some base villein struck that noble corpse and gashed its thigh: him William cashiered on the spot. But in answer to the entreaties of the late king's mother, who offered the body's weight in gold for it, he bade one Malet G. Pictav. bury it on the shore-an excommunicate, a traitor. The conquest completed itself in this cruelty, in this insult. W. Malm. At a subsequent day Anglo-Norman writers tempered MS. Cott. the incident with anecdotes of generosity. Saxon ima(Waltham) gination, too, fondly conceived the recovery of Harold Ailred, R. and Gyrth, cherishing the faith that each retired to some cell, or at least rested in hallowed ground. But the facts, as above, befitted the hardness of the times and the severity of William's nature. So, also, Norman chroniclers inveigh against the cowardice of the English, Cat. B.H.I. whose very numbers, they say, conduced to their overG. Pictav. throw: against the perjury of their king, which set God W. Malm. and his saints against him. But later historians of that vi. W. Malm. O. Vital. Jul. D. vi p. 394. Ellis. In trod. Dom. MS. 3776, fo, i. Hardy, No. 1267. race, aware that no glory could attach to the protracted II. destruction of a rabble, have done justice to heroism in a CHAP. subdued people, and restored honour to the last Saxon 6 king. They were few in number, and brave in the A.D. 1066. extreme.' 'He would have governed the country with prudence and with courage.' 20. Returning to the port of Hastings, William, for five Sept. 15days, impatiently awaited submission. Then, on receiving fresh troops, spread his army through Kent, Hants, Surrey, Middlesex, Hertfordshire; everywhere plundering, burning vills, slaughtering people. Meanwhile the Earls Eadwine and Morkere, Queen Flo. Wig. Eadgyth's brothers, rallied and ruined England's hopes. In conjunction with Ealdred, Archbishop of York, certain who had been of the late king's council, the citizens of London and the seamen, these proclaimed or affected to support the Ætheling's succession: but presently, through jealousy, fear, or corruption, they who had fled from the field of Senlac abandoned this cause also; and under dire need' the compromised prelates conducted Eadgar to the conqueror's feet. Subsequently Ansgar, chief ealdorman, and the better sort of Londoners also came in. These all, giving hostages, swore obedience. 'It had been wiser had this yielding happened earlier, since God, for our sins, would not better it,' is the pathetic moral of the Saxon chronicler. On his part, in feudal formula, William vowed that he would be a loving lord to them. Nevertheless his people still pillaged and laid waste wheresoever they went. It may be that the duke made no effort to restrain A.S.Chron. this; willing rather to wear out opposition through the Flo. Wig. terror it inspired. Certainly, the wild spirit he had evoked, would not be quelled at his bidding. And the fixed idea became manifest now and long afterwards, that joint adventurers had equal rights in the II. G. Pictav. I. Wido, 599 sq. ib. 617. p. 205. CHAP. spoil; they had conquered with the Duke of Normandy, but not for him. England, then, lay prostrate, A.D. 1066. mutilated; without mind to counsel, without arms to protect, without heart to animate; only spasmodic action remained to it. Impregnable Dover, thronged with fugitives, had proferred its keys: Canterbury had succumbed. Only the folk of Romney Marsh rose against some disembarkment of alien recruits. By alternation of severity and liberal promises, William awed or beguiled the city chiefs and the great men of the home counties. Not less through their sense of self-interest than by reason of the Pope's countenance, G. Pictav. he obtained adherence of the prelates. Of these latter, Stigand the primate, unrecognised at Rome, had been first to submit; Ealdred Archbishop of York, Wulfstan Bishop of Worcester, and Walter Bishop of Hereford, prominent among the clergy, also bowed to the occaFlo. Wig. sion. At Berkhampstead, Eadgar the Ætheling knelt, sware fealty, gave hostages. London opened its gates; and, with the freeholders of the southern parts, prayed preservation of privileges and uses. The result of his arms thus, however partially, admitted, security in his possession became expedient to William; and the English, accustomed to kingly rule, yet without trustworthy claimant to the throne, were easily persuaded that in him who had so quickly subjugated, they might find one able to protect, them. For peace sake they became anxious to barter pardon. Under a like compromise, Cnut had been faithful. But to obtain consent of his allies and of the violent soldiery, William held out prospects of counties, baronies, knight's fees, rich alliances, wardships, commands, and all other emlouments dependent on a feudal sovereignty. A.S.Chron. Saxon and Norman thus prepared, and a stronghold II. A.D. 1066. Flo. Wig. built in London, the solemn crowning took place took place CHAP. in the new abbey of Westminster. Let us recollect that within memory of many then living both Harold and Cnut had been enthroned in accordance with the G. Pict. theory of regal fitness and popular assent: that, at this Dec. 25. juncture, whosoever would have stood for election must have possessed one or more of these claims-consanguinuity, ableness, public esteem: that Eadgar Ætheling, the all-acknowledged heir, failed at the main test of fitness, scarcely reaching that of general favour : that remoter descendants of Ethelred II. made no audible appeal nor came forth as champions of their country: that, in this supreme hour, neither Eadwine, Morkere, nor any other recorded, in anywise merited popular confidence. We shall then admit that the nation's acceptance of William, however distasteful to Saxon feelings, was neither abnormal nor contrary to custom. Without claim through descent, he, an alien, prevailed through more cogent means: so prevailing, had Cnut and native Harold excellently reigned. And when the popular voice-suborned or terrified, still the voice-had given assent, there remained to constitute William true and lawful king of England only the open undertaking on his part to fulfil his duties as defined by use, and that religious ceremony which should bind and consecrate him to the office. And William encour- G. Pictav. aged the nation's hopes, for he said he desired the O. Vit. iii. tranquillity of the country rather than its crown. 203. 14. vv. 803-4. O. V. iii. On Christmas Day Normans and Saxons pressed Wido, within and without the church. William came, sup- G. Pictav. ported on the right by Stigand, on the left by Ealdred, 205-6. archbishops. The anthem ceased. Geoffry, Bishop of Coutances, from a pulpit, demanded in French whether the king proposed were agreeable to the people. And the Cf. Lib. Eliensis ii. 222, and Flo. Wig. ad loc II. A.D. 1066. G. Neu brig, i. 1. Wido, vv. 817-59. CHAP. conquerors, by shouts and clapping of hands, answered affirmatively. Either Stigand declined, or he was not suffered, to officiate. But, in the Saxon tongue, Ealdred put the same question. A louder cry-for in it the Normans joined-testified a loyal, if not full and free assent. But so discordant was that cry-a cry composite of triumph and of despair-or the last articulate English tone so jarred on foreign ears-that the crowd outside, in paroxysm of fear, of wrath, or through blank misgiving, fired the neighbourhood. Even from within the church, almost every one rushed forth either to protect property or to rob. Few except the priests remained; but they, in trembling haste, performed the indispensable rites. On the Evangils, William took the oath obligatory on a Saxon king, albeit he swore in French. He called God and his saints to record that 'he would protect the church and its ministers; govern the nation with equity; enact just laws, and cause them to be observed; and would repress all rapines and Flo. Wig. unjust judgments.' Adding specially, it would seem, S. Dunelm. that he would behave mercifully to his subjects,' and A.S.Chron. treat this nation as well as any king whose benificence ensis, they best remembered, so they would be faithful to him ;' that he would govern English and Normans by W. Malm. the same laws.' Being then anointed, and the crown set on his head by the Archbishop of York, henceforth it became the Conqueror's part to protect the realm. Hoved. Lib. Eli II. 101. O. Vit. iv. 1. At Barking in Essex (for as yet he dared not inhabit London) there came to him Eadwine and Morkere, grandsons of Leofric and Godiva of cherished memory; Copsi, late Tostig's deputy; Thorkell of Lime; SiwardBarn and Ealdred, of royal blood; Eadric, the forester, Flo. Wig. nephew of Eadice Streona. Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, and the borders of Wales found themselves |