ly touched the sick, and healed them; and you know His sacred
name is not among the dusty line of human kings.

CHAPTER VII--ENGLAND UNDER HAROLD THE SECOND, AND CONQUERED BY THE
NORMANS

Harold was crowned King of England on the very day of the maudlin
Confessor's funeral. He had good need to be quick about it. When the
news reached Norman William, hunting in his park at Rouen, he dropped his
bow, returned to his palace, called his nobles to council, and presently
sent ambassadors to Harold, calling on him to keep his oath and resign
the Crown. Harold would do no such thing. The barons of France leagued
together round Duke William for the invasion of England. Duke William
promised freely to distribute English wealth and English lands among
them. The Pope sent to Normandy a consecrated banner, and a ring
containing a hair which he warranted to have grown on the head of Saint
Peter. He blessed the enterprise; and cursed Harold; and requested that
the Normans would pay 'Peter's Pence'--or a tax to himself of a penny a
year on every house--a little more regularly in future, if they could
make it convenient.

King Harold had a rebel brother in Flanders, who was a vassal of HAROLD
HARDRADA, King of Norway. This brother, and this Norwegian King, joining
their forces against England, with Duke William's help, won a fight in
which the English were commanded by two nobles; and then besieged York.
Harold, who was waiting for the Normans on the coast at Hastings, with
his army, marched to Stamford Bridge upon the river Derwent to give them
instant battle.

He found them drawn up in a hollow circle, marked out by their shining
spears. Riding round this circle at a distance, to survey it, he saw a
brave figure on horseback, in a blue mantle and a bright helmet, whose
horse suddenly stumbled and threw him.

'Who is that man who has fallen?' Harold asked of one of his captains.

'The King of Norway,' he replied.

'He is a tall and stately king,' said Harold, 'but his end is near.'

He added, in a little while, 'Go yonder to my brother, and tell him, if
he withdraw his troops, he shall be Earl of Northumberland, and rich and
powerful in England.'

The captain rode away and gave the message.

'What will he give to my friend the King of Norway?' asked the brother.

'Seven feet of earth for a grave,' replied the captain.

'No more?' returned the brother, with a smile.

'The King of Norway being a tall man,