d was rowed back
to the ship that held the Earl and his sons.

Now this was the manoeuvre of Godwin's array. His vessels having passed
London Bridge, had rested awhile on the banks of the Southward suburb
(Suth-weorde)--since called Southwark--and the King's ships lay to the
north; but the fleet of the Earl's, after a brief halt, veered
majestically round, and coming close to the palace of Westminster,
inclined northward, as if to hem the King's ships. Meanwhile the land
forces drew up close to the Strand, almost within bow-shot of the King's
troops, that kept the ground inland; thus Vebba saw before him, so near
as scarcely to be distinguished from each other, on the river the rival
fleets, on the shore the rival armaments.

High above all the vessels towered the majestic bark, or aesca, that had
borne Harold from the Irish shores. Its fashion was that of the ancient
sea-kings, to one of whom it had belonged. Its curved and mighty prow,
richly gilded, stood out far above the waves: the prow, the head of the
sea-snake; the stern its spire; head and spire alike glittering in the
sun.

The boat drew up to the lofty side of the vessel, a ladder was lowered,
the nuncius ascended lightly and stood on deck. At the farther end
grouped the sailors, few in number, and at respectful distance from the
Earl and his sons.

Godwin himself was but half armed. His head was bare, nor had he other
weapon of offence than the gilt battle-axe of the Danes--weapon as much
of office as of war; but his broad breast was covered with the ring mail
of the time. His stature was lower than that of any of his sons; nor did
his form exhibit greater physical strength than that of a man, well
shaped, robust, and deep of chest, who still preserved in age the pith
and sinew of mature manhood. Neither, indeed, did legend or fame ascribe
to that eminent personage those romantic achievements, those feats of
purely animal prowess, which distinguished his rival, Siward. Brave he
was, but brave as a leader; those faculties in which he appears to have
excelled all his contemporaries, were more analogous to the requisites of
success in civilised times, than those which won renown of old. And
perhaps England was the only country then in Europe which could have
given to those faculties their fitting career. He possessed essentially
the arts of party; he knew how to deal with vast masses of mankind; he
could carry along with his interests the fervid