ON THE LIFE AND DEATH OF EARL GODWINE. 243 liis foes, who might wish to brand one w^hom they called traitor with relationship to an earlier traitor ; it would suit Danish friends to represent him as connected with one who was so conspicuous in setting up the Danish throne in England ; it would even suit those among his English friends who, with a weakness common in all ages, might regard a connection with Eadric as deriving more of honour from the splendour of his rank than of disgrace from the infamy of his crimes. On the other hand, it is certainly strange at first sight, that if Godwine's lowly origin were a historical fact, it should never have been brought up against him by any of his adver- saries. This argument is pressed with some force by M. Emile de Bonnechose, but it is easy to answer that the difficulty exists, though in a milder form, in any case ; for, as Eadric is always called a man of low birth, it does but put the herdman ancestor a generation or two further back.^ Again, if Ave accept the Norse legend, we understand the rather mysterious way in wdiich Godwine himself comes on the stage under the patronage of Cnut and Ulf, better than if we suppose him to have been a member of a powerful English family. If he had been so, he would surely have been introduced as such ; whereas those who connect him with the house of Eadric do it backwards ; they describe Wulfnoth as the father of Godwine, not Godwine as the son of Wulfnoth. Even those who speak of his nobility never introduce him in that manner. Against all this, there still lies the direct testimony of Florence, certainly weighty, and perhaps conclusive. Never- theless I cannot help thinking that enough may be said on the other side to entitle the more romantic view, supported as it is by two such names as Turner and Thierry, at least to a respectful consideration. It follows at once from this version, if we accept it, that we must sever Godwine from all natal connection with
- M. de Bonnechose quotes William of bury as mentioning the " virtutes
Jumieges as a testimony to the "Parentum majorum " of Godwine; but this is a NobiiiUis" of Godwine ; which proves too mis<juotation,as Mahuesbury is speaking, much, as that writer says "niaguam regni not of Godwine, but of his son Swegen. Angloruni partem * * * ex parentum The " majores " must be taken loosely nobihtate seu vi vel fraudulentia vendi- for Godwine himself, especially consider- caverat." For anyhow, if Godwine were ing the context, " Swauus nmltotiens a never so noble, it was not to his nobility patre et fratre Haroldo descivit, et, pirata tiiat he owed his position. M. de Bonne- iac-tus, praidis mariuis virtutes majorum chose goes on to quote William of Malmes- polluit."
