s and the poor, and return soon. As for Algar, what sayest
thou?"

"I fear me," answered the large-souled Harold, with a victorious effort
of justice over resentment, "that if you reject his suit you will drive
him into some perilous extremes. Despite his rash and proud spirit, he
is brave against foes, and beloved by the ceorls, who oft like best the
frank and hasty spirit. Wherefore some power and lordship it were wise
to give, without dispossessing others, and not more wise than due, for
his father served you well."

"And hath endowed more houses of God than any earl in the kingdom. But
Algar is no Leofric. We will consider your words and heed them. Bless
you, beau frere! and send in the cheapman. The thumb of St. Jude! What
a gift to my new church of St. Peter! The thumb of St. Jude! Non nobis
gloria! Sancta Maria! The thumb of St. Jude!"

BOOK V.
DEATH AND LOVE.

CHAPTER I.

Harold, without waiting once more to see Edith, nor even taking leave of
his father, repaired to Dunwich [124], the capital of his earldom. In his
absence, the King wholly forgot Algar and his suit; and in the mean while
the only lordships at his disposal, Stigand, the grasping bishop, got
from him without an effort. In much wrath, Earl Algar, on the fourth
day, assembling all the loose men-at-arms he could find around the
metropolis, and at the head of a numerous disorderly band, took his way
into Wales, with his young daughter Aldyth, to whom the crown of a Welch
king was perhaps some comfort for the loss of the fair Earl; though the
rumour ran that she had long since lost her heart to her father's foe.

Edith, after a long homily from the King, returned to Hilda; nor did her
godmother renew the subject of the convent. All she said on parting,
was, "Even in youth the silver cord may be loosened, and the golden bowl
may be broken; and rather perhaps in youth than in age, when the heart
has grown hard, wilt thou recall with a sigh my counsels."

Godwin had departed to Wales; all his sons were at their several
lordships; Edward was left alone to his monks and relic-venders. And so
months passed.

Now it was the custom with the old kings of England to hold state and
wear their crowns thrice a year, at Christmas, at Easter, and at
Whitsuntide; and in those times their nobles came round them, and there
was much feasting and great pomp.

So, in the Easter of the year of our Lord 1053, King Edward kept his
court a