ld, and he
turned his thoughts, therefore, again to the accession of William of
Normandy, who was the nearest relative on his mother's side, as the only
means of saving the realm from falling into the hands of the usurper
Harold. A long and vexatious contest then ensued, in which the leading
powers and influences of the kingdom were divided and distracted by the
plans, plots, maneuvers, and counter maneuvers of Harold to obtain the
accession for himself, and of Edward to secure it for William of
Normandy. In this contest Harold conquered in the first instance, and
Edward and William in the end.

CHAPTER VII.

KING HAROLD.

A.D. 1063-1066

Harold and William.--Quarrel between Godwin and Edward.--Treaty between
Godwin and Edward.--Hostages.--The giving of hostages now
abandoned.--Cruelties inflicted.--Canute's hostages.--Godwin's
hostages.--Edward declines to give up the hostages.--Harold goes to
Normandy.--Harold's interview with Edward.--The storm.--Harold
shipwrecked.--Guy, count of Ponthieu.--Harold a prisoner.--He is
ransomed by William.--William's hospitality.--His policy in
this.--William's treatment of his guests.--William's policy.--William
makes known to Harold his claims to the English crown.--Harold's
dissimulation.--William's precautions.--The betrothment.--William
retains a hostage.--Harold's apparent acquiescence.--The public
oath.--The great assembly of knights and nobles.--The threefold
oath.--William's precaution.--The sacred relics.--Harold's
departure.--His measures to secure the throne.--Age and infirmities of
Edward.--Westminster.--Edward's death.--The crown offered to
Harold.--Harold's coronation.--He knights Edgar.--Harold violates his
plighted faith to William.

Harold, the son of the Earl Godwin, who was maneuvering to gain
possession of the English throne, and William of Normandy, though they
lived on opposite sides of the English Channel, the one in France and
the other in England, were still personally known to each other; for not
only had William, as was stated in the last chapter, paid a visit to
England, but Harold himself, on one occasion, made an excursion to
Normandy. The circumstances of this expedition were, in some respects,
quite extraordinary, and illustrate in a striking manner some of the
peculiar ideas and customs of the times. They were as follows:

During the life of Harold's father Godwin, there was a very serious
quarrel between him, that is, Godwin, and King