ies.

Thirdly, That Edward left William the crown by will.

On this assertion alone, of the three, the Norman Conqueror himself seems
to have rested a positive claim [292]. But if so, where was the will?
Why was it never produced or producible? If destroyed, where were the
witnesses? why were they not cited? The testamentary dispositions of an
Anglo-Saxon king were always respected, and went far towards the
succession. But it was absolutely necessary to prove them before the
Witan [293]. An oral act of this kind, in the words of the dying
Sovereign, would be legal, but they must be confirmed by those who heard
them. Why, when William was master of England, and acknowledged by a
National Assembly convened in London, and when all who heard the dying
King would have been naturally disposed to give every evidence in
William's favour, not only to flatter the new sovereign, but to soothe
the national pride, and justify the Norman succession by a more popular
plea than conquest,--why were no witnesses summoned to prove the bequest!
Alred, Stigand, and the Abbot of Westminster, must have been present at
the death-bed of the King, and these priests concurred in submission to
William. If they had any testimony as to Edward's bequest in his favour,
would they not have been too glad to give it, in justification of
themselves, in compliment to William, in duty to the people, in
vindication of law against force! But no such attempt at proof was
ventured upon.

Against these, the mere assertion of William, and the authority of
Normans who could know nothing of the truth of the matter, while they had
every interest to misrepresent the facts--we have the positive assurances
of the best possible authorities. The Saxon Chronicle (worth all the
other annalists put together) says expressly, that Edward left the crown
to Harold:

"The sage, ne'ertheless,
The realm committed
To a highly-born man;
Harold's self,
The noble Earl.
He in all time
Obeyed faithfully
His rightful lord,
By words and deeds:
Nor aught neglected
Which needful was
To his sovereign king."

Florence of Worcester, the next best authority, (valuable from supplying
omissions in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle,) says expressly that the King
chose Harold for his successor before his decease [294], that he was
elected by the chief men of all England, and consecrated by Alred.
Hoveden, Simon (Dunelm.), the