- U2 ON THE LIFE AND DEATH OF EARL GODWINE.
and represents them as bcliaving with great insolence to the king personally. Vet this is just Avhat, according to the account of Mahnesbury, the English writers expressly denied, and is hardly consistent with the phrase of the Chronicle, that they were " the King's darlings." As regards the more important question, how they governed their Earldoms, their popularity, wherever they come, except in Somersetshire, seems sutRcient proof of the good government of Godwine and Harold, while it aflbrds some pi'esumption against that of Swegen. Nothing is to my mind clearer than that they were the essentially English party, the impersonation of the West- Saxon feelins;, hated by the French intruders, and looked on with more or less of envy and suspicion by the Northern Earls and their half Danish followers. Whether Godwine had or had not any share in the miserable fate of Alfred, no stain can be found attaching to the subsequent administi'ation either of himself or his son. The Norman wi-iters, who rake up every fable against them, only, after all, bring vague accusations without jToof, or else paltry legends, which carry their own confutation with them. When we have continually repeated nothing but the same charge of " treason " against Godwine, of "■ perjury "' against Harold, we may at once perceive that the doubtful crime of the father against the English ^theling, and the crime, if crime it was, of the son against the Norman Duke, were the greatest of which they could accuse them. In fact, their hatred is the very noblest tribute that could be paid to rulers whose great object was the support of the national cause, and the exclusion of all foreign influence. Judging Godwine and his son by their certain recorded actions, and not by the vague declamations of enemies, they are entitled to the praise of having raised
- iii<l maintained themselves in greatness by a thoroughly
));iti'i<ttic policy, and without any distinctly ]>roved crime. Along wiih the advaiiccincnt of (iodwine and his sons, King Eadwaid, not long after his election, yuccn lii.i inai-ried, in pursuance of his engagement t(> •fy"'- the carl, his eldest daughter Eadgylh, (.r, in )iio(l( 111 oriliogiviphy, Edith." (iodwine probably ' The FrtMich writfrn Heeiii Hnn-ly (>i. 211')) ({ivca rathut n Myccniuiui turn to ptiZ'/.li-il with tliis iminn. Tliii-rry irirnriiiH llw niiinn ; tlio " i-liiiriimiift' i-t (loiico iiH tliiit it m " ilitii iitiiif fftiiiilii-r |><iur crc'tttiin-," n» thr (jiirfii appcnrM in (ho IvUwiilii! (in Ktliflswitlu!." .M. In liiiiii' <n furnn-i- punf, lii-ciMm.s niiiif ddinitfly liinni:w IliHtofy of tin- Duki'Hof Nonnun'ly "In liclk' ICj^iatliu."
