f moral right could hardly be surpassed in the annals of warfare, the conquerors strove to give

all who had opposed him were therefore in the position of conquered rebels; and secondly, since the Pope had exco

ns. William doubtless intended at first to govern justly, and strove to unite the two nations--English and Norman; therefore, when the occasion offered, he bade his knights and barons who aspired to an English estate marry the widows or daughters of the dispossesse

ish was often

the old proverb--none the less ruthless and cruel

hristmas Day at Westminster Abbey, which on the previous feast of the Epiphany, in the same year, as we reckon time, had witnessed the coronation of his hapless rival. There he swore

ounced to be forfeited; hence the widow and son of Edmund were li

and they pleaded for the youngster whose gallant bearing had made an impressio

e fair manor, on one condition: the lady of Aescendune must marry a Norman knight, recommended by himself; in which case, the right of succession af

ans of those who had died around her husband, and that by refusal of the terms she threw away Wilfred's inheritance, and consigned herself and children to beggary--then she wavered, and after man

" she said, "but can

e, where, if the truth be told, he had not borne an exemplary character, and the bishop would fain have found a better

by clerkly hands--that Wilfred stood next in succession. There was need of this, for Hugo had a son

r of succession to Wilfred, fai

grace 1067, on the old moated manor of Aescendune, on its clear river

hronicles--were gathered together in crowds on the green between the castle and the venerable priory of

s of that English, so unlike our own, yet its direct progenitor in language, contrasted sharply with an occasional shout

n nearly every aged one; for many

as yet lived and were permitted to hold their lands up to this time in peace, while he came from a neighbouring castle, newly erected, where he had spent the night with great po

tole, received them at the door of the pri

, here present, as thy wedded wife, accordin

replied, in

esent, as thy wedded husband, according to

id: "I will," but all present m

hop con

in the name of the Fath

e ring, praying that she who should wear it might ever be faithful to her

like an aspen leaf; after which the bishop led the way to the hig

en another troop of Norman men-at-arms; then each on his own horse, his squire by his side; the neighbouring barons, who had already built their castles and strengthened themselves in the land; then, pre

rance--the one supple and lithe in every limb, with dark, restless eyes, and quick, nervous temperament; the other, the English boy, with

uld have noted a certain air of distrust which showed itself from time to ti

their races? Could they forget that each was a claimant of the land

the Normans and the deep silence of the Englishmen--many of whom would sooner

Sexwulf, of this most

her senses through grief at the death of her lord, the no

as death as she e

the match, only she would save

be able to

ord, is to inherit if he live; and if he die, then th

t wager much upon his chance

say so, if we value our

astle of Aescendune that night; as it

ned with the wei

noble were

imagined the dead Edmund might appear--roused even from the grave, to see the seat he ha

h lady, and may their union be a type of the union betwixt the two people, who, forgetting that

ught they meant it in the delirium of the jovial scene, and fancie

English guests. "It reminds me of the happy time wh

s case to lie down inside the wolf,

compulsory, or he had not been there

forget the solemn covenant he has made today, to lo

ther, that day is far of

, on the Thames, who had but lately, full of years, gone to his rest, spared the sad days of the Conquest--days utterly unanticipated

and her only daughter Edith. For what was the alternative? Was it not to go forth as fugitives and vagabonds on the face of the

hat Winifred of Aescendune