KING HAROLD

[Old English Chronicle ]

Harold son of Godwin was elected king of England , on the death of Edward the Confessor early in 1066, William, Duke of Nornmandy claimed the crown, and won it at the battle of Senlac or Hastings.

An. M.LXVI. In this year king Harold came from York to Westminster, at the Easter which was after the Midwinter in which the king died and Easter was then on the day the sixteenth before the Kal. of May (April 16th). Then was seen over all England such a sign in the heavens as no man ever before saw. Some men said that it was the star Cometa,, which some men called the haired star and it first appeared on the eve of Litania major, tile eighteenth before the Kal. of May (April 24th), and so shone all the seven nights. And shortly afterwards, earl Tostig came from beyond sea into Wight with as large a fleet as he could get and there was paid both in money and provisions.

And he then went thence, and did harm everywhere by the sea-coast where he could approach, until he came to Sandwich. Then it was made known to king Harold, who was in London, that Tostig his brother was come to Sandwich. He then gathered so great a naval force, and also a land force, as no king here in the land had before gathered because it had for truth been said to him, that Count William from Normandy, king Eadward'a kinsman, would come hither and subdue the land, all as it afterwards came to pass.

When Tostig learned that, that king Harold was proceeding towards Sandwich. he went from Sandwich, and took some of the butsecarles with him, some willingly and some unwillingly and then went north into the Humber, and there harried in Lindsey, and there slew many good men. When earl Eadwine and earl Morkere were apprised of that, they came thither, and drove him from the land; and he then went to Scotland, and the king of the Scots gave him an asylum, and aided him with provisions, and he there abode all the summer. Then came king Harold to Sandwich, and there awaited his fleet, because it was long before it could be gathered. And when his fleet was gathered, he went to Wight, and there lay all the summer and the autumn; and a land-force was kept everywhere by the sea, though at the end it availed naught. When it was the Nativity of St. Mary (Sept. 8th) the men's provisions were gone, and no man could longer keep him there.

The men were then allowed to go home, and the king rode up, and the ships were driven to London, and many perished before they came hither. When the ships were come home, came king Harald from Norway, north into the Tyne, and unawares with a very large naval force. And earl Tostig came to him with all that he had got, as they had before settled and then they both went, with all the fleet, along the Ouse, up towards York. When it was announced to king Harold in the south when he had come from on ship-board, that king Harald of Norway and earl Tostig had landed near York, he went northward, by day and by night, as speedily as he could gather his force. Then, before that king Harald could could thither, earl Eadwine and earl Morkere had gathered from their earldom as large a body as they could get, and fought against the army, and made great slaughter, and there were many of the English people slain, and drowned, and driven in fight and the Northmen had possession of the place of carnage. And this fight was on the vigil of Matthew the apostle (Sept. 30th), and it was Wednesday. And then, after the fight king Harald of Norway and earl Tostig went to York, with as many people as to them seemed good. And they gave them hostages from the city, and aided them in procuring food, and so they went thence to their ships, and agreed to full peace so that they should all go with him south and this land subdue.

Then, during this, came Harold, king of the Angles, with all his force, on the Sunday, to Tadcastcr, and there arrayed his fleet ; and then on Monday went out through York. And king Harald of Norway, and earl Tostig, and their army, were gone from their ships beyond York to Stamford-bridge, because it had been promised them as certain that there, from all the shire, hostages would be brought to meet them. Then came Harold, king of the Angles, against them unawares, beyond the bridge, and they were engaged together, and were fighting very boldly long in the day; and there were king Harald of Norway, and earl Tostig slain, and numberless people with them, both Norman and English, and the Normans fled from the English. Then was there one of the Norwegians who withstood the English folk, so that they could not pass over the bridge or win the victory. Then an Englishman aimed at him with an arrow but it availed naught ; and then came another under the bridge and pierced him through under the corselet . Then came Harold king of the Angles over the bridge, and his force onward with him , and there made great slaughter of both Norwegians and Flemings ; and the king's son Hetmund Harold let go home to Norway with all the ships .

Then came William Count of Normandy to Pevensey on St. Michael's mass-eve (Sept 28th ) ; and immediately after they were ready, they constructed a castle at the town of Hastings. This was then made known to king Harold, and he gathered a great army, and came to meet him at the hoar apple-tree. And William came against him unawares, ere his people were in the battle order. But the king, nevertheless, boldly fought against him with those men who would follow him ; and there was a great slaughter made on each side. There were slain king Harold, and earl Leofwine his brother, and earl Gyrth his brother, and many good men; and the French had possession of the place of carnage as to them God granted for the people's sins. Archbishop Ealdred then, and the townsmen of London would have Eadgar child for king, as was indeed his natural right and Eadwine and Morkere promised him that they would fight with him; but as it ever should be the forwarder so was it ever, from day to day, slower and worse, as at the end it all went. This fight was fought on the day of Calixtus the pope (Oct. 14th). And count William went afterwards again to Hastings, and there awaited whether the nation would submit to him ; but when lie perceived that they would not come to him he went up with all his army which was left to him, and what had afterwards come over sea to him, and harried all that part which he passed over, until he came to Berkhampstead. And there came to meet him archbishop Ealdred, and Eadgar child, and earl Eadwine, and earl Morkere, and all the best men of London, and then from necessity submitted when the greatest harm had been done; and it was very imprudent that it was not done earlier, as God would not better it for our sins ; and they gave hostages, and swore oaths to him and he promised them that he would be a kind lord to them and yet, during this, they harried all that they passed over .

Then on Midwinter's day, archbishop Ealdred hallowed him king at Westminster; and he pledged him on Christ's book, and also swore, before he would set the crown on his head, that he would govern this nation as well as any king before him had best done, if they would be faithful to him.