win, yet either from mistaken piety, or fixed aversion, during his whole reign he abstained from her society !* 15. Thus having no legitimate issue, and being wholly engrossed, during the continuance of a long reign, with the visions of superstition, he was at last surprised by sickness, which brought him to his end, on the 5th of January, in the sixty-fifth year of his age, and twenty-fifth of his reign. 16. Harold, the son of a popular nobleman, whose name was Godwin, and whose virtues seemed to give a right to his pretensions, ascended the throne without any opposition. But neither his valour, his justice, nor his popularity were able to secure him from the misfortunes attendant upon an ill-grounded title. His pretensions were opposed by William duke of Normandy, who insisted that the crown be longed of right to him, it being bequeathed to him by Edward the Confessor.t Questions for Examination. 1. By whose interest was Edward the Martyr crowned king? 2. Relate the circumstances attending the king's death. 3. Who succeeded Edward? 4. What was the conduct of the Danes during Ethelred's reign? 5. What method did Ethelred take to destroy the Danes? 6. What was the consequence of Ethelred's perfidy? 7. By whom was Sweyn succeeded! 9. Did Canute reprove his courtiers for their flattery? 10 Repeat the words Canute made use of on this occasion. 11. Where did Canute die? and what issue did he leave? 13. Whom did the English place on the throne upor. the death of Hardica. nute? 14. Where had Edward the Confessor been bred? and what predilections had he in consequence? 15. How long did Edward reign? 16. What were the pretensions of William duke of Normandy to the English throne ? SECTION V. Ah! who can tell the horrors of that day When Harold fell on the ensanguined field, Where rank 'gainst rank rushed on, in dread array, 1. (A.D. 1066.) WILLIAM, who was afterwards called the Conqueror, was 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, while he passed through the town. William, who was This contributed to gain him the title of Saint and Confessor. + Edward the Confessor converted a small monastery into the beautiful. cathedral called Westminster Abbey, where he built his own sepulchre and which, until very lately, has been the usual burial place of the English marchs D the offspring of this amour, owed a part of his greatness to his birth, but still more to his own personal merit. 2. His body was vigorous, his mind capacious and noble, and his courage not to be repressed by apparent danger. Upon coming to his dukedom of Normandy, though yet very young, he on all sides opposed his rebellious subjects, and repressed foreign invaders, while his valour and conduct prevailed in every action. 3. The tranquillity which he had thus established in his dominions induced him to extend his views; and some overtures made by Edward the Confessor, in the latter part of his reign, who was wavering in the choice of successor, inflamed his ambition with a desire of succeeding to the English throne. 4. The pope himself was not behind the rest in favouring his pretensions; and, either influenced by the apparent justice of his claims, or by the hopes of extending the authority of the church, he immediately pronounced Harold an usurper. With such favourable incentives, William soon found himself at the head of a chosen army of sixty thousand men, all equipped in the most warlike and splendid manner. 5. It was in the beginning of summer that he embarked this powerful body on board a fleet of three hundred sail; and, after some small opposition from the weather, landed at Pevensey,* on the coast of Sussex, with resolute tranquillity. 6. Harold, who seemed resolved to defend his right to the crown, and retain that sovereignty which he had received from the people, who only had a right to bestow it, was now returning, flushed with conquest, from defeating the Norwegians, who had invaded the kingdom, with all the forces he had employed in that expedition, and all he could invite or collect in the country through which he passed. His army was composed of active and valiant troops, in high spirits, strongly attached to their king, and eager to engage. 7. On the other hand, the army of William consisted of the flower of the continent, and had long been inured to danger. The men of Britanny, Boulogne, Flanders, Poictou, Maine, Orleans, France, and Normandy, were all voluntarily united under his command. England never before, nor ever since, saw two such armies drawn up to dispute its crown. 8. The day before the battle, William sent an offer to Harold to decide the quarrel between them by single combat, and thus to spare the blood of thousands: but Harold refused, and said he would leave it to the God of armies to determine. Both armies, therefore, that night pitched in * A small town in Sussex. sight of each other, expecting the dawning of the day with impatience The English passed the night in songs and feasting; the Normans in devotion and prayer. (Oct. 13, 1066.) 9. The next morning, at seven, as soon as day appeared, both armies were drawn up in array against Each other. Harold appeared in the centre of his forces, leading on his army on foot, that his men might be more encouraged, by seeing their king exposed to an equality of danger. William fought on horseback, leading on his army, that moved at once, singing the songs of Roland, one of the famous chiefs of their country. 10. The Normans began to fight with their cross-bows, which, at first, galled and surprised the English; and, as their ranks were close, their arrows did great execution. But soon they came to closer night, and the English with their bills hewed down their adversaries with great slaughter. Confusion was spreading among the ranks, when William, who found himself on the brink of destruction, hastened with a select band to the relief of his forces. 11. His presence restored the suspense of battle; he was seen in every place, endeavouring to pierce the ranks of the enemy, and had three horses slain under him. At length, perceiving that the English continued impenetrable, he pretended to give ground, which, as he expected, drew the enemy from their ranks, and he was instantly ready to take advantage of their disorder. 12. Upon a signal given, the Normans immediately returned to the charge with greater fury than before, broke the English troops, and pursued them to a rising ground. It was in this extremity that Harold was seen flying from rank to rank, rallying and inspiring his troops with vigour; and though he had toiled all day, till near night-fall, in front of his Kentish men, yet he still seemed unabated in force or courage, keeping his men to the post of honour. 13. Once more, therefore, the victory seemed to turr against the Normans, and they fell in great numbers, so that the fierceness and obstinacy of this memorable battle was often renewed by the courage of the leaders, whenever that of the soldiers began to slacken. Fortune at length de termined a victory that valour was unable to decide. 14. Harold, making a furious onset at the head of his troops against the Norman heavy armed infantry, was shot into the brains by an arrow; and his two valiant brothers, fighting by his side, shared the same fate. He fell with his sword in his hand, amidst heaps of slain; and, after the bat tle, the royal corpse could hardly be distinguished among the dead.* This was the end of the Saxon monarchy in England which had continued for more than six hundred years. Popes. Benedict VII.......... John XIV......... John XV. Gregory V.. Silvester II. John XVI........ Sergius IV.. 975 1041 Robert II... 997 1031 1060 984 Basilius II.. Benedict VIII..... 1012 Leo IX........... 1046 Emperors of the West. Stephen X........ 1057 Conrad II.. 973 Constantine IV.... 1002 983 Grimus.. ..... 1005 1002 Malcolm Il....... 1054 1024 Duncan I.... 1055 Henry II.... Nicholas II..... 1059 Henry III.......... 1039 Alexander II...... 1061 | Henry IV........ 1056 EMINENT PERSONS. 1031 In the reigns of Edward the Martyr, Ethelred II. and Edmund: the duke of Mercia, who took part with Elfrida and the clergy, against the king. Dunstan, Ethelgar, Elfric, Siricius, Alphage, and Livingus, archbishops of Canterbury. In the reigns of Canute, Harold, Hardicanute, and Edward the Confessor: Elnothus, Edsine, and Robert, archbishops of Canterbury. God win, earl of Kent, whose estates being afterwards swallowed by inundations of the sea, are now denominated the Goodwin Sands.-In the reign of Harold Il.. Leofwin and Gurf, brothers to the king. Stigand, archbishop of Canter bury. Tosti, earl of Northumberland. Questions for Examination. 1. Who was William the Conqueror? 5. When and where did William land? 6,7. Of what were the armies of Harold and William composed? 8. How did the two armies pass the night previous to the battle? 9. In what way did Harold and William lead their respective armies to battle? 11 12, 13. Describe the conduct of William and Harold. 14. How did Harold fall? How long did the Saxon monarchy continue in England? * The English in this battle neither used the long-bow nor cross-bow, but both were used by the Normans. The English forces were nearly all in fantry, while by far the greater part of the Norman army was composed of cavalry. It is therefore probable, that to the want of cavalry, and the no using any missive weapons, may be in a great measure attributed the defeat of Harold's army. Certain it is, that the victory remained undecided from aine in the morning till the close of the day, when the death of the king, wh tad stain many Normans with his own hand, finally turned the scale. Porn 1024 CHAPTER IV WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. Died Sept. 9th, 1087. Began to reign Dec. 25th, 1066. Reigned 21 years. 1. (A. D. 1066.) As soon as William passed the Thames at Wallingford, Stigand, the primate, made submission to him in the name of the clergy and before he came within sight of the city, all the chief nobility came into his camp, and declared their intention of yielding to his authority. William was glad of being peaceably put in possession of a throne which several of his predecessors had not gained without repeated victories. 2. But, in order to give his invasion all the sanction pos sible, he was crowned at Westminster by the archbishop of York, and took the oath usual in the times of the Saxon and Danish kings; which was, to protect and defend the church, to observe the laws of the realm, and to govern the people with impartiality. Having thus secured the govern ment, and by a mixture of rigour and lenity, brought the English to an entire submission, he resolved to return to the continent, there to enjoy the triumph and congratulations of his ancient subjects. |