rness, making it indeed the object of his life. In his character he lacked all those qualities which go to the making of a great king. His prayers and his
hers. Fortunately for himself and for England, there were two men ever at his side, who served both him and his people loyally and well, these being Earl Godwine and his second son, Harold, Earl of the East Saxo
and compassion. This was the man on whose shoulders Edward virtually laid all the responsibilities of his realm, while he spent most of his time in his palace at Westminster, so that he might be on the spot to superintend the progress of the building, which went on apace, and to consult with Abbot Edwy as to the form it should take. It was on the church itself, rather than on the buildings of the monastery, that the king lavished his especial care. He meant it to be in the
in grey stone, made so perfect as to defy the centuries, we must gratefully remember t
re the nave, at the east end the High Altar, and where the nave merged into the choir cross arms on
g, given to us in a French Life of the ki
d the foundatio
square blocks
oundation
towards the eas
s are very st
centre ri
at the wes
nd large bells
illars an
ch without
basis and t
k rises gra
tured are
toried th
e made wit
and loyal
n he finish
rs the chur
Cloister, and Chap
he east, vaul
his ordain
d their sec
ter and
officers r
d, the royal builder seems to have known that his eyes would never rest on his work, perfected as he dreamt of it. His longing therefore was that church and choir might be completed and dedicated, and for the rest he made such munificent g
s turning from their right sides to their left, and this he judged to be an omen which told of a great upheaval, of wars, pestilence, and famine, which should last for seventy years. Then, too, the Christ Child had appeared to hi
ss the beggar by, and he took from his hand a ring, "large, royal, and beautiful." The beggar took it and vanished. But these two pilgrims told how while they were in Syria and in great straits, having wandered from their path, an old man with a long, white beard, carrying two lighted tapers, stood in their pathway and questioned them. When they spoke o
e fasted more rigorously, he prayed more earnestly, an
me to Westminster, that they might take part in the great ceremony. Little did he dr
Christmas banquet in the palace. He conversed with the bishops and the nobles, and appointed the feast
ld take place. Death held no terrors for him; it was but the gate through which he must pass ere he could join that white-robed host of saints and martyrs whose presence he had felt so near to him through life.
ery secondary place in his thoughts. But womanlike she forgot all that in this moment, and thought only how best she could help and comfort him. Calmly she carried out his ever
freshness, and formed a vivid contrast to the colours to be found in the vestments of the bishops and the priests, the robes of the acolytes and singing boys, the distinctive dress of the monks, and the varied costume
mured the king as the echoes of
him concerning the disaster which would shortly overthrow the land. So earnest were his words that they struck terror into the hearts of all present; only Stigand, the Archbishop, dared declare that the king babbled in delirium. Yet other things did Edward bequeath in those last days. To his friend the Abbot Eadwine he gave his body
n that moment Edward seemed to have understood, as he had n
other, I commit my king
nt till near the end, when he
. For passing from the country of the dead, I verily hope to
d the gate of Paradise, and St. John, his own
nic, the royal funeral took place on the Feast of the Epiphany, but one day after the king had breathed his last, and the Abbey becam
idens, and wearing the pilgrim's ring, was laid in royal state on a bier, an
f monks went thither, and innumerable bodies of people. Here psalms resound, the sighs and tears burst out, and in
FUNERAL. FROM TH
FUNERAL. FROM TH
reverence for all things holy, and the noble gifts he made to the Church, men spoke of him rather as a saint than as a king. And indeed as a ruler he left but little mark on his times. Yet the Abbey Churc
of this "glorious king," he pulled down the greater part of the simple, stately building Edward had so loved, and set up in its place a much more ornate and magnificent piece of work. Edward built to the honour of St. Peter; Henry, to t
were kept. Neither of these latter places are shown to the general public, but when you go to see the Chapter-House, the entrance to which is in the east cloister, you will see to the right of it the doorway of the Pyx Chapel, which is wonderfully strong, and is said to be lined with the skins of Danes. The interior of this, with its stone altar and its solid stone arches, can have undergone very little alteration since Edward's day. You will get, too, what is probably a correct general idea of the whole building as it looked from the outside in those early days if, when you are in the Chapter-House, you look carefully at the pictures which are copied from
ith the main tower and the two smaller towers at the side. And notice too the figure of a man, who is st
side by side, but all unconsciously that unknown hand prophesied what should be throughou
throne on his death, declaring that the king had promised to make him his heir, and that Harold himself had vowed to support him. But the sturdy Englishmen who formed that council were resolved that never with their consent should a Norman rule over them, and Edward knew full well the man of their choice when he pointed to Harold as their future king. Th
ngels bore his white soul to heaven, and in his death he had be
from whence the crown had been borne. And you will see Harold-to quote the vivid words of Mr. Freeman, "at once wistfully and anxiously half drawing back the hand which was stretched forth to grasp the glittering gift. A path of danger lay open before him, and duty, no less than ambition, bade him enter upon the thorny road. And yet the risk had to be run. If he declined the crown, to whom should England offer it? Under him alone could there be the fain
ntil before the altar he and his people had given each other their solemn pledges, until "the blessing of the C
hey were anxious to return to their homes. But to delay the coronation until their next meeting was too dangerous to be drea
e already described to you, in the dim light of the Epiphany morning, a
h altar followed by a long procession, the singers chanting the prayer that justice and judgment might be the foundations of his throne, t
and demanded of the prelates, the Theyns, and the people of Engl
o strive after justice and mercy in all his judgments; and first the Bishop and afterwards Eldred prayed that the God who had wrought such mighty works, would pour down His best gifts on him chosen to be king of the
ant might be a true sign of the sanctifying of his heart, a means of grace for His glory and the welcome of His people. The crown was placed on his head; the sword was handed to him; sceptre and rod were given one after the other into his hands; while with each act the solemn voice of the Archbishop rose in
e crown, in his hand the sceptre, his sword was borne by two
d to the Palace hard by, and a great banquet was held on this Twelfth Night, the last
ed-Christmas festivities and meetings of the Council; the consecration of the new church; the death of King Edward; the choosing of K
n the centre round which all
lt. A greater future lay before it, and I doubt not that the Abbot Eadwine, shrewd man that he was, conscious of the charter