least as I gave her any admonition), that she was now a queen, and
that the character and title of father merged in that of subject. This
behavior, however, did not cure me of my affection towards her, nor
lessen the uneasiness which I afterwards bore on Edward's dismissing her
from his bed.

"One thing which principally induced me to labor the promotion of Edward
was the simplicity or weakness of that prince, under whom I promised
myself absolute dominion under another name. Nor did this opinion
deceive me; for, during his whole reign, my administration was in the
highest degree despotic: I had everything of royalty but the outward
ensigns; no man ever applying for a place, or any kind of preferment,
but to me only. A circumstance which, as it greatly enriched my coffers,
so it no less pampered my ambition, and satisfied my vanity with a
numerous attendance; and I had the pleasure of seeing those who only
bowed to the king prostrating themselves before me.

"Edward the Confessor, or St. Edward, as some have called him, in
derision I suppose, being a very silly fellow, had all the faults
incident, and almost inseparable, to fools. He married my daughter
Editha from his fear of disobliging me; and afterwards, out of hatred to
me, refused even to consummate his marriage, though she was one of the
most beautiful women of her age. He was likewise guilty of the basest
ingratitude to his mother (a vice to which fools are chiefly, if not
only, liable); and, in return for her endeavors to procure him a throne
in his youth, confined her in a loathsome prison in her old age.
This, it is true, he did by my advice; but as to her walking over nine
plowshares red-hot, and giving nine manors, when she had not one in her
possession, there is not a syllable of veracity in it.

"The first great perplexity I fell into was on the account of my son
Swane, who had deflowered the abbess of Leon, since called Leominster,
in Herefordshire. After this fact he retired into Denmark, whence he
sent to me to obtain his pardon. The king at first refused it, being
moved thereto, as I afterwards found, by some churchmen, particularly by
one of his chaplains, whom I had prevented from obtaining a bishopric.
Upon this my son Swane invaded the coasts with several ships, and
committed many outrageous cruelties; which, indeed, did his business, as
they served me to apply to the fear of this king, which I had long
since discovered to be his predominant pas