Godwin, then a mere youth, would
naturally have commenced his career in the cause of Canute; and as the
son of a formidable chief of thegn's rank, and even as kinsman to Edric,
who, whatever his crimes, must have retained a party it was wise to
conciliate, Godwin's favour with Canute, whose policy would lead him to
show marked distinction to any able Saxon follower, ceases to be
surprising.

The son of Wolnoth accompanied Canute in his military expedition to the
Scandinavian continent, and here a signal victory, planned by Godwin and
executed solely by himself and the Saxon band under his command, without
aid from Canute's Danes, made the most memorable military exploit of his
life, and confirmed his rising fortunes.

Edric, though he is said to have been low born, had married the sister of
King Ethelred; and as Godwin advanced in fame, Canute did not disdain to
bestow his own sister in marriage on the eloquent favourite, who probably
kept no small portion of the Saxon population to their allegiance. On
the death of this, his first wife, who bore him but one son [101] (who
died by accident), he found a second spouse in the same royal house; and
the mother of his six living sons and two daughters was the niece of his
king, and sister of Sweyn, who subsequently filled the throne of Denmark.
After the death of Canute, the Saxon's predilections in favour of the
Saxon line became apparent; but it was either his policy or his
principles always to defer to the popular will as expressed in the
national council; and on the preference given by the Witan to Harold the
son of Canute over the heirs of Ethelred, he yielded his own
inclinations. The great power of the Danes, and the amicable fusion of
their race with the Saxon which had now taken place, are apparent in this
decision; for not only did Earl Leofric, of Mercia, though himself a
Saxon (as well as the Earl of Northumbria, with the thegns north of the
Thames), declare for Harold the Dane, but the citizens of London were of
the same party; and Godwin represented little more than the feeling of
his own principality of Wessex.

From that time, Godwin, however, became identified with the English
cause; and even many who believed him guilty of some share in the murder,
or at least the betrayal, of Alfred [102], Edward's brother, sought
excuses in the disgust with which Godwin had regarded the foreign retinue
that Alfred had brought with him, as if to owe his throne to Norma