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church in England. The Christmas Witan met at Westminster, but little was

done. The great minster was consecrated on December 18th, and the absence

of its founder and builder was keenly missed at the ceremony.

The members of the Witan remained in attendance near the palace, hoping for

some guidance from the dying king. He had no power to leave the throne to

whom he wished, and yet his words could not but have great weight; but he

lay almost unconscious, and for two days remained speechless. But on the

5th of January, the year being 1066, he suddenly awoke from sleep, in the

full possession of his senses. Harold was standing on one side of his bed,

Archbishop Stigand at the other. His wife sat at the foot of the bed,

chaffing her husband's feet; Robert Wymarc, his personal attendant, stood

by his head. The king on awakening prayed aloud, that if a vision he had

had was truly from heaven he might have strength to declare it; if it were

but the offspring of a disordered brain he prayed that he might not be able

to tell it.

Then he sat up in bed, supported by Robert; some of his chosen friends were

called in, and to them, with a strangely clear voice and with much energy,

he told the vision. It was that some monks he had known in his youth had

appeared to him, and told him that God had sent them to tell him that on

account of the sins of the earls, the bishops, and the men in holy orders

of every rank, God had put a curse upon England, and that within a year and

a day of his death fiends should stalk through the whole land, and should

harry it from one end to another with fire and sword.

The king's words filled his hearers with awe, Stigand alone deeming the

story but the dream of a dying man. Then Edward gave orders as to his

burial. He bade his friends not to grieve for him, but to rejoice in his

approaching deliverance, and he asked for the prayers of all his people for

his soul. At last those standing round called his mind to the great

subject which was for the moment first in the heart of every Englishman.

Who, when he was gone, they asked, would he wish to wear the royal crown of

England? The king stretched out his hand to Harold and said, "To thee,

Harold, my brother, I commit my kingdom." Then, after commending his wife

and his Norman favourites to Harold's care and protection, he turned his

thoughts from all earthly matters, received the last rites of the church,

and soon afterwards passed away tranquilly.

Rapidly the news spread through London that the king was dead. The members

of the Witan were still there, for the assembly had not separated, but

knowing that the king was dying had waited for the event. The earls and

great thanes of the South and West, of East Anglia and Wessex, were all

there together, probably with many from Mercia. There was no time lost. In

the afternoon they assembled. All knew on whom the choice would fall, for

Harold had been for long regarded as the only possible successor to the

throne, and the news that the dying king had, as far as he could, chosen

him as his successor, doubtless went for much in the minds of many who had

hitherto felt that it was a strange and unknown thing to accept as monarch

of England one who was not a member of the royal house. There was no

hesitation, no debate. By acclamation Harold was chosen king of the land,

and two great nobles were selected to inform him that the choice of the

Witan had fallen upon him.

They bore with them the two symbols of royalty, the crown and the axe, and

bade him accept them as being chosen both by the voice of the Witan and by

the king, whom he had so well and faithfully served. There was no

hesitation on the part of Harold. He had already counted the cost and taken

his resolution. He knew that he alone could hope to receive the general

support of the great earls. Leofric and Gurth were his brothers, the Earls

of Mercia and Northumbria had been mollified by the alliance arranged with

their sister. The last male of the royal line was a lad of feeble

character, and would be unable either to preserve peace at home or to unite

the nation against a foreign invader. The oath he had sworn to William,

although obtained partly by force partly by fraud, weighed upon him, but he

was powerless to keep it. Did he decline the crown it would fall upon some

other Englishman, and not upon the Norman. The vote of England had chosen

him, and it was clearly his duty to accept. The die had been cast when

Edith had bade him sacrifice her and himself for the good of England, and

it was too late to turn back now. Gravely he accepted the dignity offered

him.

Throughout London first, and then throughout the country, the news that the

Witan had unanimously chosen him, and that he had accepted, was received

with deep satisfaction. There was no time to be lost. The next day was

Epiphany, the termination of the Christian festival, the last upon which

the Witan could legally sit, and had the ceremony not taken place then it

must have been delayed until another great feast of the church--another

calling together of the Witan. All night the preparations for the two great

ceremonials were carried on. At daybreak the body of the dead king was

borne to the noble minster, that had been the chief object of his life to

raise and beautify, and there before the great altar it was laid to rest

with all the solemn pomp of the church. A few hours passed away and the

symbols of mourning were removed. Then the great prelates of the church,

the earls and the thanes of England, gathered for the coronation of the

successor of the king whom they had just laid in his last resting-place.

Eldred the primate of Northumberland performed the rites of

consecration--for Stigand, primate of England, had been irregularly

appointed, and was therefore deemed unfit for the high function. Before

investing him with the royal robes Eldred, according to custom, demanded in

a loud voice of the English people whether they were willing that Harold

should be crowned their king, and a mighty shout of assent rang through the

abbey. Then the earl swore first to preserve peace to the church and all

Christian people; secondly, to prevent wrong and robbery to men of every

rank; thirdly, to enforce justice and mercy in all his judgments as he

would that God should have mercy on him. Then after a solemn prayer the

prelate poured the oil of consecration upon Harold's head; he was vested in

royal robes, and with symbols appertaining to the priesthood. A sword was

girded to his side, that he might defend his realm, and smite his enemies

and those of the church of God. Then the crown was placed on his head, the

sceptre surmounted with the cross and the rod with the holy dove placed in

his hands, and Harold stood before the people as the king chosen by

themselves, named by his predecessor, and consecrated by the church. A

great banquet followed the coronation, and then this day memorable in the

history of England came to its close.

Wulf had been present at the two great events at the abbey and at the

banquet, and knew, better than most of those present, that the gravity on

Harold's face was not caused solely by the mighty responsibility that he

had assumed, but by sad thoughts in his heart. Wulf on his return from the

abbey had handed to Harold a small roll of parchment that had been slipped

into his hand by a man, who at once disappeared in the crowd after handing

it to him, with the words, "For the king". In the interval before the

banquet he handed this to Harold, who had opened and glanced at it, and had

then abruptly turned away. It contained but the words: "_That God may

bless my dear lord and king is the prayer of Edith._"

"Do you know where she is?" Harold asked abruptly, turning upon Wulf.

"No, my lord."

"I have respected her wishes and made no inquiry," the king said. "Others

think, doubtless, that I am rejoicing at having gained the object of my

ambition, but as God knows, I would far rather have remained Earl of the

West Saxons with her by my side than rule over England."

"I know it, my lord," Wulf said. "But who beside yourself could rule here?"

"No one," Harold answered; "and it is for England's sake and not my own

that I have this day accepted the crown. If you can find out where she has

betaken herself without making public inquiry I charge you to do so, and to

tell her that on this day I have thought mostly of her. Tell me not where

she is. What is done cannot be undone, but I would fain that, in the time

that is to come, I may at least know where to send her a message should it

be needful."

CHAPTER XIV.

WULF'S SUSPICIONS.

Beyond the fact that the name of the king had changed, the death of Edward

and the accession of Harold made no sensible difference in the government

of the southern half of England. Harold had practically reigned for years,

and the fact that he was now able to give his orders direct instead of

having nominally to consult Edward, had only the effect that the affairs of

the state moved somewhat more promptly. Such of the Norman favourites of

Edward as desired to leave were permitted to do so, and were honourably

escorted to the coast, but many remained. The Norman prelates and abbots

retained their dignities undisturbed, and several of the court officials of

Edward held the same positions under Harold.

A fortnight after the coronation a party of Norman barons arrived, bearing

a summons from Duke William to Harold to fulfil the oath he had sworn to be

his man, and also to carry out his engagement to marry one of William's

daughters. They were received with all honour, and Harold informed them

that he would, without delay, reply to the duke's summons. A few days

later three thanes of high rank started for Normandy with Harold's reply.

Wulf accompanied them.

"I would that you should go with them, Wulf," Harold had said to him. "You

are too young to be one of my embassy to Duke William, but it would be well

that you should form one of the party. The duke knows you and has a liking

for you, and possibly may speak more freely to you than to my official

messengers. Moreover, you have many acquaintances and friends there, and

may gather valuable news as to the feeling in Normandy and the probability

of William's barons embarking in a desperate war for his advantage."

"I shall be glad to go, my lord."

"The duke knows well enough what my answer must be. He is aware that were

I ready either to resign my kingship to him, or to agree to hold my crown

as his vassal, the people of England would laugh to scorn my assumption so

to dispose of them, and would assuredly renounce and slay me as a traitor

who had broken the oath I swore at my coronation. It is a mere formal

summons William makes, as one summons a city to surrender before

undertaking its siege. It is but a move in the game. That he will, if he

can, strike for the kingdom, I doubt not in any way, but it may well be

that his barons will refuse to embark in a war beyond the seas, which is

altogether beyond the military service they are bound to render. At any

rate, we have breathing time. Vast preparations must be made before he can

invade England, and until he is ready we shall have messengers passing to

and fro. A few of my chief councillors, the earls and great thanes, refuse

to believe that William will ever attempt by force of arms to grasp the

crown of England, but for myself I have no doubt he will do so. I shall at

once prepare for war; and the first step of all is to unite England from

the northern border to the southern sea, so that we may oppose the Normans

with our whole strength. This must be my personal work, other matters I

must for a time intrust to the earls."

The train was not a large one. One ship bore the thanes and their

attendants from Southampton to Rouen. They were received with all honour at

their landing, conducted to a house that had been assigned to their use,

and informed that they would be received by the duke on the following day.

They had brought their horses with them, and as soon as they were housed

Wulf mounted, and attended by Osgod rode to the castle of the De Burgs.

Three years had past since he had last been there. He had from time to time

received letters and greetings from Guy de Burg by the hands of Normans who

visited the court, and knew that although he had gained in health and

strength the predictions of the surgeons had been fulfilled, and that he

would never be able to take part in knightly exercises or deeds of arms.

The warden at the gate had sent in Wulf's name, and as he alighted a tall

young man ran down the steps and embraced him.

"I am overjoyed to see you, Wulf," he exclaimed. "When we heard that Harold

would send over an English embassy to answer the duke's demands, I hoped

that you would be among the number. Harold would be likely to choose you,

and I felt sure that you would come over to see me. I had a messenger

waiting at Rouen to bring me tidings of the arrival of your ship, and it is

scarcely an hour since he rode in with the news that, by inquiries among

the servants as they landed, he had learned that you were indeed of the

party. But I had hardly looked to see you until to-morrow morning, and had

indeed intended to ride over on my palfrey at daybreak."

"I would not delay, Guy, for the answer we bear will not be to the duke's

liking, and for aught I know he may pack us off again as soon as the

interview is ended. Therefore, I thought it best to lose not a moment."

"I see you have brought your tall retainer with you, Wulf. I am glad to

see the stout fellow again. But come in, they will chide me for keeping you

so long at the entrance."

Wulf was warmly received by the baron and his wife. "You are just what I

thought you would grow up, Wulf," the former said. "Indeed your figure was

so set and square before, that there was little chance of great alteration.

We have heard of you from time to time, and that you distinguished yourself