WW/A
 
 
 i.
 
 VITA HAROLDI.

 
 MOULD FOR A PILGRIM'S BADGE OF THE HOLY CROSS OF 
 WALTHAM. 
 
 Tkt illustration kindly lent by the British Archaeological Association.
 
 VITA HAROLD I. 
 
 THE ROMANCE OF THE LIFE 
 
 OF 
 
 HAROLD, KING OF ENGLAND. 
 
 From the Unique Manufcript in the Britijh Mufium. 
 
 EDITED, 
 
 WITH NOTES AND A TRANSLATION, 
 
 BY 
 
 WALTER DE GRAY BIRCH, F.S.A., 
 
 A Senior Assistant lit the Department of Manuscripts in the British Museum , 
 
 Honorary Secretary of the British ArcJueological Association; 
 
 Member of (he Committee of the Paragraphical Society, etc. 
 
 LONDON : ELLIOT STOCK, 
 
 62, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.G. 
 1885.
 

 
 INTRODUCTION, 
 
 [HE romantic life of King HAROLD 
 the laft monarch before England 
 fell under a feries of dominations of 
 foreign dynafties, which has lafted 
 nearly nine hundred years has, for a confiderable 
 time, formed an interefting theme with hiftorians 
 and men of literature. It is printed in the follow- 
 ing pages from a careful collation with the unique 
 manufcript in the Harley Library of the Britifh 
 Mufeum, No. 3776, with a tranflation for the 
 firft time. 
 
 For the convenience of reference, I mall divide 
 the fubject of this introduction into the following 
 fections : (i) Defcription of the Manufcript; 
 (2) Hiftory of the Manufcript ; (3) Notices of 
 the Hiftorical Points, and of the Tranflation. 
 
 I. DESCRIPTION OF THE MANUSCRIPT.. 
 
 The manufcript is of quarto fize, meafuring 
 i of- inches by 8 inches, of fomewhat thick and
 
 vi Introduction. 
 
 rough vellum. The writing, in pale-coloured ink, is 
 contained in thirty-one lines to a page, in a Gothic 
 or black-letter book hand, occafionally difficult to 
 interpret, becaufe of the fimilar way of forming 
 the m, ni, ui, in, etc. It is evidently written, or 
 rather copied from the author's own writing, by a 
 fcribe ignorant of Latin perhaps a novice of the 
 great Abbey of Waltham for feveral words are 
 found divided erroneoufly, and others occur where 
 they are improperly joined together. The ink, 
 originally black, is now of a faded brown colour. 
 The ornamental initial letters at the beginning of 
 paragraphs are of red or blue colour ; and the 
 rubrics, or contents of chapters, are in red. The 
 writing is of the latter end of the thirteenth 
 century, or, at lateft, of the beginning of the 
 fourteenth century. 
 
 The volume, of which the " Vita Haroldi " 
 forms the firft article, contains feveral other 
 treatifes, written by the fame fcribe, which have 
 been difturbed at fome time from their original 
 order of production, and other works have been 
 introduced, although they have no connection 
 with Waltham. The Waltham treatifes are 
 numbered by the fcribe in numerical order, fo that 
 we can readily reconftruct the arrangement of the 
 volume when it repofed upon the quiet fhelves of 
 the fcriptorium of that great monaftery. The 
 fubjoined table mows the contents of the work :
 
 Introduction. vii 
 
 Numeration Numeration Folio 
 
 of the of the 
 
 Waltham Harley 
 
 Library. Library. 
 
 .1. (i) Vita Haroldi ... 1-24 
 
 .a. (2) Ifta quae fecuntur . . . 
 
 deficiunt in Libro 
 de Inventione 
 Crucis noftre de 
 Waltham, etc. ... 25-30 
 
 .5. Lift of reliques 
 
 brought by Harold 
 to Waltham Ab- 
 bey, etc. (Lat.) ... 31-35^ 
 
 .6. Miracles performed 
 
 by the wood of 
 the Holy Crofs at 
 the altar of St. 
 John the Evange- 
 lift, etc. (Lat.) ... 35^-38 
 
 A- Verfes on Waltham 
 
 Abbey ; Names of 
 the Abbots, etc.; 
 Vifions, etc. (Lat. 
 and French) ... 38-42 
 
 .8. A tracl on the In- 
 vention of the 
 Holy Crofs of 
 Waltham ... 43-62 
 
 *(3) A fhort chronicle of 
 England from 
 
 * Numbers 3 to 7 have been added to the volume ; 
 they are not of the fame fize, and are of later date. There 
 is no evidence connecting them with Waltham. 

 
 viii Introduction. 
 
 Numeration Numeration Folio 
 
 of the of the 
 
 Waltham Harley 
 
 Library. Library. 
 
 1066 to 1128 
 
 (Lat.) 63-66 
 
 *(4) Life of St. Brandan 
 
 (Lat.) 67-75^ 
 
 *l(5) Henry of Saltrey's 
 " Purgatory of St. 
 Patrick "(Z-0'.)... 75^-82 
 
 *(6) Life of Tungal, 
 Bifhop of Cafhel 
 (Lat.) 82-89^ 
 
 * (7) ThreeVifionsofHell, 
 
 etc. (Lat.) ... 89^-92 
 .2. (8) Meditation of St. 
 
 Bonaventura, 
 Minifter - General 
 of the Minorite 
 Friars (Lat.) ... 94-114 
 .3. Philofophical treat- 
 
 ifes on fobriety ; 
 old age, etc. (Lat.) 1 14^-1 16/> 
 (9) Verfes on " Quid eft 
 Femina." This, 
 although made a 
 feparate article, in 
 the Harley cata- 
 logue, is part of 
 the old numera- 
 tion 3. It ends 
 abruptly at the 
 bottom of the page 116^-117 
 
 I
 
 Introduction. ix 
 
 Numeration Numeration Folio 
 
 of the of the 
 
 Waltham Harley 
 
 Library. Library, 
 
 *(io) " Martilogium fanc- 
 torum in Anglia." 
 A later trad: on 
 the burial-places 
 of Englifh faints 
 (Lat.) 118-128 
 
 *(n) A calendar of the 
 Saints' days and 
 feftivals, between 
 two fly-leaves, from 
 a fervice book 
 (Lat.) 129-135 
 
 II. HISTORY OF THE MANUSCRIPT. 
 
 Of the authorfhip of this early tale (whether 
 true or legendary we may never know) nothing 
 is known for certain. Internal evidences point to 
 the probability that it was compofed about a 
 hundred and fifty years after the battle of Haftings. 
 Sir Thomas DufFus Hardy (whofe account of the 
 Codex is given in his " Defcriptive Catalogue of 
 Manufcripts relating to the Early Hiftory of Great 
 Britain," vol. i., pp. 668-671) ftates that in his 
 opinion "there is probably fome truth in this 
 curious narrative, but its errors are great and 
 numerous. It is, however, known from good 
 evidence that there was a report in circulation at 
 an early period that Harold had efcaped from the 
 
 * Thefe two articles have never belonged to the Waltham 
 MS.
 
 x Introduction. 
 
 (laughter at Haftings ;" and he refers to Brompton, 1 
 Knyghton, 2 jElred of Rievaulx, 3 and Giraldus 
 Cambrenfis, 4 thofe who are curious to know more 
 on this fubject. It is unneceffary to purfue this 
 afpect of the fubject on this occafion, for the object 
 in view is not to theorize upon a matter which, 
 after all that can be faid on both fides, muft yet 
 remain unfolved. The endeavour of the prefent 
 work is to prefent to the reader, in a convenient 
 form, a text carefully collated from the only 
 manufcript known to exift at the prefent time, 
 with a tranflation appended to it (as literal as the 
 remarkable ftyle and phrafeology, obfcure, and in 
 many places abfolutely unintelligible, as it is, will 
 allow it to be, but yet not flavifhly clofe fo as to 
 be uninterefting to the general reader), for the ufe 
 of thofe who cannot read it in the original Latin 
 in which it is compofed. 
 
 From what religious houfe the Manufcript 
 pafled ultimately into the hands of the great 
 collector of the Harley Library is not, indeed, 
 difficult to conjecture. 
 
 Here, again, Sir Thomas D. Hardy advances a 
 feet which is highly probable. That learned 
 palaeographer confiders that the compofition was 
 written apparently with the object of proving that 
 Harold was not buried at Waltham, the traditional 
 place of his fepulture, which, indeed, made that 
 great Houfe of Secular Canons rich and famous in 
 the annals of Britifh Monaftiqifm. Now, as there 
 
 1 Chronicle, col. 961. 8 Col. 2342. 
 
 8 P. 394- 4 P. 874-
 
 Introduction. xi 
 
 is little doubt that the work itfelf was compofed, 
 and certainly as far as the prefent manufcript is 
 concerned, no doubt at all that it was tranfcribed, 
 in the Abbey of Waltham, it is difficult to con- 
 ceive any means for accounting for the apparent 
 anomaly of an eftablimment which owed its prof- 
 perity, in a vital degree, to the pious fentiments 
 which cluftered around the fanctified fepulchre of 
 the unfortunate King, caufing a tranfcript, or per- 
 haps more than one, to be made of a treatife 
 founded upon a fact, and profefTmg to prove a 
 fact, which, if generally accepted, would have 
 utterly deftroyed the cultus of the departed 
 monarch on which the flouriming condition of the 
 Abbey both morally and financially depended. 
 
 Hardy, confcious of this difficulty, fuggefts that 
 the authormip of this work here defignated by 
 him as " little elfe than an hiftorical romance " 
 muft be attributed to " one of the fecular canons 
 who had been expelled 'from that eftablimment, 
 and with the intention of robbing it of the honour 
 of holding the remains of its founder." But when 
 we come to examine the theory thus advanced, it 
 falls to the ground, for even if we admit the fug- 
 geftion of authormip at the date to which he fays 
 internal evidence points viz., one hundred and 
 fifty years after the battle of Haftings, A.D. 1066 + 
 i5O = A.D. 1216, as tolerably accurate, 1 can we 
 poflibly admit that, after giving the manufcript a 
 
 1 The probability of this date is borne out in feveral 
 paflages to which footnotes are given in the places where they 
 occur.
 
 xii Introduction. 
 
 place in the Jc riptorium or library of the Abbey 
 for nearly two hundred years, during which time 
 every inmate would have conftant accefs to a work 
 which could not fail to aroufe his intereft and 
 excite his critical comments, if not to make his 
 faith in the orthodox ftory of his founder's 
 fortunes, the authorities of that inftitution would 
 permit a tranfcript fuch as this undoubtedly is, an 
 unpolimed, almoft, we may fay, an unconnected 
 copy to be made about the beginning of the four- 
 teenth century? 
 
 III. NOTICE OF THE HISTORICAL POINTS ; 
 
 AND OF THE TRANSLATION. 
 
 In this unique MS., which has been carefully 
 collated for the prefs, there are few points to 
 which the attention of the reader may conve- 
 niently be directed here. The fimple e is ufed in 
 all cafes for the < or ce of ftandard Latin ortho- 
 graphy ; b is occafionally added to fuch words as 
 abundo, where the afpirate is manifeftly an error, 
 its addition, no doubt, marking the peculiar pro- 
 nunciation of Latin by our infular fcholars at the 
 time when this manufcript was prepared. Another 
 interefting deviation from the claflical form, but 
 one which is very reprefentative of the early 
 mediaeval period, is the ufe of the forms reicio^ 
 eicio, etc., for rejicio, ejicio, etc., where the j is 
 eliminated from its proper place between two 
 vowels. Set is ufed generally for Sed. 
 
 The punctuation is peculiar: no rules appear
 
 Introduction. xiii 
 
 to have guided the compofer, who puts a point (.), 
 the equivalent of our comma (,), in many places 
 where we mould certainly not ufe any ftop ; the 
 colon (:) is alfo frequently placed dividing words 
 from each other in paflages where the modern 
 ideas of punctuation would not allow fuch a 
 practice. The comma and the femicolon are un- 
 known ; but the inverted femicolon (i) is occa- 
 fionally ufed, much more fparingly than the point 
 and the colon, in places where we mould expect to 
 fee the femicolon or comma. 
 
 The text in the following pages reprefents the 
 actual reading of the MS. I have preferred to 
 retain even manifeft errors in this text rather than 
 attempt to explain them by any alteration. Moft 
 of thefe] errors, after all, eafily explain themfelves. 
 The footnotes are marked H., to mow that the 
 readings are thofe of this Harley Manufcript. 
 The collations are : 
 
 (i.) With the text, printed by M. Francifque 
 Michel in his Chroniques Anglo-Normandes ', recueil 
 d'Extraits et d'Ecrits relatifs a rHiftoire de 
 Normandie et d'Angleterre, 8vo., Rouen, 1835, 
 Tome ii., pp. 143-222. 
 
 The text of chapters viii. and xii. are omitted 
 by M. Michel, whofe text is otherwife fairly 
 accurate and faithful. Where the readings of 
 this edition are quoted in my footnotes, they are 
 diftinguifhed by the letter M. 
 
 (ii.) With a very poorly edited copy of the 
 above text in the Cbroniques, by Rev. Dr. Giles, 
 of C. C. C. Oxford, in his Vita Quorundam
 
 xiv Introduction. 
 
 Anglo-Saxonum, " Original Lives of Anglo-Saxons 
 and others who lived before the Conqueft." This 
 work, which was printed and publifhed for the 
 Caxton Society by J. RufTell Smith, 1854, is now 
 out of print. The remarkable peculiarities which 
 the editor evinced in abfurdly endeavouring to 
 reduce the orthography of the manuscript to what 
 he fancied was a claflical ftandard, his carelelThefs 
 in failing to confult the text of the MS. where the 
 accuracy of the text of the Chroniques was doubtful, 
 and the inaccuracies T with which his work abounds 
 culminating in his ludicrous footnote concerning 
 his inability to point to . the identification of a 
 well-known locality in Shropfhire combine to 
 render the text he gives in the Vita abfolutely 
 ufeless for purpofes of critical examination or for 
 quotation. I have collated a large number of 
 thefe numerous departures from the true reading 
 of the MS. in footnotes diftinguifhed by the 
 letter G. 
 
 The tranflation of this manuscript into Englifh 
 is here, as has been faid before, for the firft time 
 attempted. And here I have to thank my col- 
 league, Mr. I. H. Jeayes, for considerable afliftance 
 in the work. The peculiar ftyle and diction, in- 
 volved and obfcure as it is almoit throughout 
 the work (except in a few narrative pafTages 
 where the author condefcends to write in a lucid 
 and fuccincT: manner), occasionally takes fuch 
 
 1 The firft word of his title, Vita for Vit<e, fhows the fame 
 carcleflhefs which runs through the whole of the work.
 
 Introduction. xv 
 
 wandering flights of fancy that, even if we accept 
 the readings of the fcribe who made this Harley 
 MS. as always correct a fact which is by no 
 means fure, for no fecond copy is extant with 
 which to compare them it is almoft impoflible to 
 divine what the author wifhed to intimate to his 
 hearers and readers, veiled and hidden in fentences 
 of great length, crowded with " fefquipedalian 
 words," and overflowing with that peculiar charac- 
 teriftic of antithesis which the Anglo-Saxon and 
 early Englifh literary man fo ftrongly affected. 
 
 W. DE GRAY BIRCH. 
 
 December, 1884.

 
 VITA HAROLDI REGIS.
 
 Incipit Prologus in vita vtri venerabilis Haroldi 
 quondam Anglorum regis. 
 
 [ICUT federis tabernaculi fub Moyfe . MS Hari. 
 
 . . 377 ' * 
 
 ut templi fub Salomone Dominici . 
 divine commendant littere conftruc- 
 tores : ita et eos profecuntur laudi- 
 qui devocione prona offerre aut preparare 
 conftruccioni neceflaria : fideliter ftuduerunt. Apud 
 Neemiam 1 qui deriferunt edificantes inprecacione 
 terribili percelluntur. Reedificatores lerufalem . 
 titulis ab Hefdra perpetuis afcripti : nominis et 
 operis fui perhennem pofteris memoriam confecra- 
 runt. Hujufmodi confideracio ad ferendum quale- 
 cunque fuffragium operi fandlo in quo defudatis 
 patres reverendi tenuem licet cenfu et viribus im- 
 becillem parvitatem meam : vehementer vere fateor 
 incitavit. Accedit ftimulo huic calcarium infuper 
 vice jam ultro currenti . nine fraterna cum arnica 
 fuafione poftulacio . inde cum paterna juflione 
 follicita commonicio. Sencio quidem laboris 
 plenum . fet mercede fpero refertum . et quod vefter 
 1 Nehem. vi.
 
 4 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 nutus injungit . et quod nofter animus geftit. 
 Expetendus autem fummoque nifu cenfetur am- 
 plectendus modici fudor temporis . quo non exigui 
 et labentis evi celebritas: immo laudis et glorie eo 
 manfure quo eterne decus et fplendor optinetur. 
 Ceterum quovis pro labore aut opere . laudis tranfi- 
 torie expetifle mercedem : operam perdidifie eft et 
 impenfam. Non folum autem fed nee nullatenus 
 expetite ultro tamen ingefte adquievifle favoris 
 illecebre interni teftis et eterni judicis feipfum 
 retribucione et laude privafle eft. Extat enim de 
 ejufmodi : ejufdem diffinicio hunc habens modum : 
 Amen 1 dico vobis : receperunt mercedem fuam. 
 
 Jubet igitur ac petit auctoritas paterna . et 
 fraterna caritas veftra quatinus opus egregium 
 quod ceptum excellenter decenterque provectum . 
 laudabilem 2 inftanter urgetis ad terminum . fump- 
 tibus invigilem hinc inde aflumptis promovere . ne 
 forte piis defint o[peri]bus copie neceflarie ad hoc 
 perficiendum. Ex variis nempe patrum fcriptis 
 volumen infigne in modulum unius libri com- 
 pactum . ad laudem et de laude gloriofe ac deifice 
 crucis operiofius elaboratum geftis memorabilibus 3 
 r ib. fundatoris veftri 4 . cujus memoria in benedictione 
 
 eft . cupitis infigniri . talique ut ita dicatur 
 celeumate laborem votivum confummari. Lauda- 
 bile procul dubio quia devotum . quia providum 
 hac in parte: fanctitatis veftre defiderium. Eft 
 quidem devocionis nee indebite quod tanti viri 
 magnalia nafciture preoptatis pofteritati litterarum 
 
 1 Matt. vi. 2, 5. 2 H. ; laudabile, G.M. 
 
 8 H.M. ; memorabilibus, G. 4 H.M. ; noftri, G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 5 
 
 indiciis fideliter aflignare. Eo quippe juris tenore 
 peculiarem patronum et perpetuum nutritorem 
 veftrum debitis tenemini virtutum fuarum pre- 
 coniis illuftrare . quo crimini poterat ingratitudinis 
 non oblique aflcribi : (\ promeritos 1 laudum ipfius 
 titulos . editui fui et alumpni defidiofo filencio 
 pofteris furarentur. Providencie nichilominus com- 
 petentis eft quod laudibus fancte crucis ipfius 
 cultoris devotiflimi laudes decernitis fubrogandas. 
 Crucis fancte ex toto nimirum accedit glorie quic- 
 quid in fervi fui meritis et virtutibus: enituit 
 commendabile. 
 
 Inter hec quam mee pariter incumbat modicitati 
 animo magno et volenti quicquid vires fuggefferint 
 immo quicquid gratia celeftis indulferit ad im- 
 pendia tarn boni operis haut 2 fegniter corrogare 
 quis nefciat ? Veftrum fiquidem immo Haroldi 
 veftri quinimmo fancte utrorumque crucis jamdiu 
 panem comedens ociofus . quo veftros erga me 
 fereniores vultus afpicio : eo in me feveriorem 
 illorum fenfuram 3 pertimefcere jure debeo . fi tantis 
 quod abfit beneficiis non dixerim ingratum fet 4 
 inofficiofum . tarn gratis quam graciofe exhibitum : 
 contingat inveniri. Geram igitur morem veftris 
 pro pofTe defideriis geram quam potero vicem 
 beneficiis : ea tamen racione quatinus et vos v.eftra 
 michi pacta fervetis. Tenorem fcilicet fcribendorum 
 diligentius examinetis . examinata tantummodo 
 approbetis : aut emendetis. Sermonis quoque 
 
 1 Pro meritos, MS., with mark by a late hand to join the 
 words. 2 H.M. ; haud, G. 
 
 8 Sic MS. ; cenfuram, G. 4 Sed, G.
 
 6 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 reicientes 1 minus elimati rufticitatem . fententiam 
 fi videbitur refervetis 2 eleganciori ut dignum eft 
 ftilo explicandam. Nee enim defunt largiente 
 Domino cetui fanditatis veftre Befeleelis 3 . Ooliab 4 . 
 feu Hyram 5 peritiflimi fuccefTores . qui oblatam 
 in donaria Domini a fupplici vulgo rudem 
 materiam . locis et ufibus congruentibus noverint 
 adaptare. Noverint quoque arte magiftra prout 
 res exigit fingula queque fubtilius expolire . 
 refecare fuperflua informia componere: deformia 
 f. 2. exornare. Mee vero tantifper intererit impericie . 
 
 aptiorem fabrice materiam a montibus excifam . 
 et ratibus impofitam . ad planiora deducere. Quod 
 egifle putabor fi a prifcorum libris . fi a fedulis 6 
 modernorum . fi a quorumdam fidelium rela- 
 cionibus veris . paflim collegia: hujus libelli apicibus 
 
 1 Rejicientes, G. 2 Referventes, G. 
 
 3 Befeleel I. anno mundi 2544 . ante Jefum Chriftum 1510 . 
 films Uri et Marie fororis Moyfis . de tribu Juda. Hunc 
 ipfum elegit Dominus cum Ooliab . de tribu Dan . quos imple- 
 vit fpiritu Dei . fapientia et intelligentia . et fcientia in omni 
 opere ad excogitandum quidquid fabrefieri poterat ex auro et 
 argento . et ere . marmore et gemmis . et diverfitate lignorum . 
 ad edificandum tabernaculum fcederis . arcam teftimonii . pro- 
 pitiatorium . et cunfta vafa tabernaculi. (F. P. Dutripon, 
 ' Concordantiae,' Paris, 1844, p. 157.) Befeleel's name occurs in 
 Exod. xxxi. 2 ; xxxv. 30 ; xxxvi. I ; xxxvii. I ; xxxviii. 22 ; 
 I Par. ii. 20 ; 2 Par. i. 5. 
 
 4 Ooliab . filius Achifamech a tribu Dan. Artifex a Deo 
 vocatus . fpirituque Sapientie et intelligence impletus ad edi- 
 ficationem tabernaculi una cum Befeleel. (Dutripon, ut fupra, 
 p. 983.) Ooliab occurs in Exod. xxxi. 6 ; xxxv. 34 ; xxxvi. I ; 
 xxxviii. 23. 
 
 8 Hiram . artifex erarius plenus fapientia, etc. (Dutripon, 
 ut fupra, p. 607.) Hiram occurs by name in 3 Reg. vii. 13 ; 
 xl. 45 ; 2 Par. ii. 13 ; iv. 1 1, 16. 
 
 H.M.; fchedulis, G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. j 
 
 que injungitis tradidero: fimplicium noticie pro- 
 futura. Oracionum autem veftrarum aura lenis et 
 placida fragilem eloquii noftri cimbam crucis 
 vexillo pro velo . et jufti fui precibus pro am- 
 pluftribus 1 inftrudam: in portum fecundi litoris 
 perducat. Amen. 
 
 1 Ampliis tribus. M. ; apluftribus, G. 
 
 EXPLICIT PROLOGUS.
 
 INCIPIUNT CAPITULA. 
 
 PRIMUM. Quod fpeculum ferenitatis et clemende 
 eluceat in geftis regis Haroldi. Quod frater regine 
 fuit . quam fanctus duxit Edwardus. Qualiter 
 pater ejus Godwinus dolum eludens Cnutonis 
 regis . fororem ipfius accepit in uxorem . et quod 
 de viciis nutritorum fuorum Haroldus infigniter 
 triumphaverit. 
 
 II. Quod Wallia per Haroldum pene deleta fit : 
 et qualiter ipfe per virtutem Sancte Crucis de 
 Waltham de paralifi 1 convaluerit. 
 
 III. Quomodo ecclefiam Sancte Crucis apud 
 Waltham conftruxerit . ditaverit . ornaverit . atque 
 ordinaverit Haroldus . et quod Henricus Anglorum 
 rex amotis fecularibus ipfum locum canonicis in- 
 fignivit regularibus. 
 
 IV. Quod divinitus difpofitum fuit ut homo ifte 
 in regem erigeretur . et victis hoftibus ab eo : ab 
 aliis ipfe victus a regno deiceretur . et de anacho- 
 rita valde religiofo qui minifter ipfius jam folitarii 
 fuerat. 
 
 V. Quod inter vulneratores feminecem inven- 
 tum et Wintoniam perduclum . mulier quedam 
 
 1 H.M. ; paralyfi, G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 9 
 
 Saracena biennio ibidem delitefcentem fanaverit 
 Haroldum . et quod pro contrahendis contra 
 Normannos auxiliis . Saxones Dacofque expetierit 
 nilque profecerit. 
 
 VI. Quod in fe tandem idem reverfus intellex- 
 erit Deum fibi in via mundi adverfari . unde 
 Chrifti fe conformans cruci ut hoftem antiquum 
 melius triumpharet gaudet fe ab hominibus fuifle 
 fuperatum. 
 
 VII. Quod pro expeciendis 1 fanctorum fuffragiis 
 longam inierit peregrinacionem : et quod ante- 
 quam regnum habuiflet . fanctorum limina apofto- 
 lorum adierit. 
 
 VIII. Ammiracio 2 fcriptoris cum exclamacione 
 brevi fuper benignitate Dei qua fit ut etiam pec- 
 cata eleciorum : ipfis cooperentur in bonum. 
 
 No NUM. Quod de peccato Haroldi multa di- f>2bt 
 cuntur a multis : et de quercu fecus Rothomagum 
 fub qua juraverat . que corticem exuta manet 
 ufque in prefens. 
 
 X. Satiffaccio quorundam pro Haroldo . qua 
 eum de perjurio excufantes . Domino favente et 
 fandlo connivente Edwardo ipfum regnafle affir- 
 mant . et de vifione Abbatis Elfini . qua victorem 
 Norwagicorum ipfum fore prenunciavit fanclus 
 Edwardus. 
 
 UNDECIMUM. De cruce fancta admirabilis quo- 
 rum 3 relacio que regi Haroldo feftinanti ad pre- 
 lium caput perhibetur inclinafTe et alia quedam 
 fatis de ipfa cruce ftupenda miracula certiflime 
 approbata. 
 
 XII. Diverforum diverfa interpretacio fuper 
 predictis fignis crucis fe inclinantis et quercus are- 
 facte . et quod Haroldus fe ipfum bene judicando 
 
 1 H.M. ; expetendis, G. 2 H.M.'; Admiratio, G. 
 
 3 H.M. ; quorundam, G.
 
 io Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 judicium prevenerit divinum et non formidet 
 humanum. 
 
 XIII. Quod multis in peregre 1 annis exaclis 2 
 ad Angliam ob exercitandam pacienciam et benig- 
 nitatem Haroldus rediens Chriftianum fe vocitari 
 fecerit . decenniumque in rupe quadam expleverit 
 folitarie vivens . et in hujus temporis antichriftos 
 compendiofa inveccio. 
 
 XIIII. Quod in confinio Wallencium 3 poft- 
 modum Haroldus pluribus in locis tempore multo 
 degens . pacienter eorum frequencius tulerit af- 
 fultus . faciem velans panno . et nomen nomine 
 alio . ne aliquatenus cognofceretur quod tandem 
 ad ejus veneracionem converfa eft immanitas per- 
 fecutorum. 4 
 
 XV. Quod vir Domini Haroldus fugit obfe- 
 quentes quos adierat et diu fuftinuerat perfe- 
 quentes . et quod voce de celo lapfa defignatus fit 
 ei locus paufacionis fue . et quod femiplenis ver- 
 borum indiciis . fcifcitantibus innuerit fe fuiffe 
 Haroldum et quod fcripto fucceflbris fui plenius 
 oftendetur inferius hujus rei certitudo. 
 
 XVI. Monetur lector ne fpernat Jeccionem 
 quam fentit a non nullorum 5 opinionibus difcre- 
 pare . et de triplici occafione contraria exiftiman- 
 cium fuper materia prefenti . et de Willelmi 
 Melduneliis 6 circa Haroldi fata errore triformi. 
 
 XVII. Quid accident Waltammenfibus 7 circa 
 
 1 Inperegre, M.G. 
 
 2 H.M. ; extraftis, G. H.M. ; Wallenfium, G. 
 
 4 H.M. ; perfequutorum, G. 
 
 5 H. ; nonnullorum, M.G. 
 
 H.M. ; Melduncnfis, rightly, G. 
 
 7 H.M. ; Walthammcnfibus, G. The fcribe of the Harley 
 MS. has written this word thus, "Walta menfibus," clearly 
 proving that he did not undcrftand what he was writing.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 1 1 
 
 patroni fui fepulturam pie follicitis fed mulieris 
 cujufdam errore delufis. 
 
 XVIII. Quid frater Haroldi Gurta nomine f. 3. 
 Abbati Waltero vel aliis refponderit fuper fratris 
 fui requifitus cineribus vel fepultura. 
 
 XIX. Quod viri Dei fuccefibr de geftis Haroldi 
 beatiflimi vera fcribens . caufas geftorum minus 
 congrue . bis aflignaverit . et prime aflignacionis 
 difcuflio . et competens prolatis fentenciarum divi- 
 ciarum 1 . teftimoniis ejufdem improbacio. 
 
 XX. Secunde aflignacionis infirmacio et fcrip- 
 toris ad ledorem deprecacio et de difficultate 
 materiam refarciendi a prifcis fcriptoribus varie 
 laceratam. 
 
 1 Diverfarum, M.G. 
 
 EXPLICIUNT CAPITULA.
 
 Quod fpeculum Jerenitatis et clemencie Dei elu- 
 ceat in geftis regis Haro\T\di. 1 Quod f rater regine 
 fuit quam Janftus duxit Edwardus. Qjialiter 
 pater ejus Godwinus dolum eludens Cnutonis regis 
 Jororem ipfius accepit in uxorem . et quod de viciis 
 nutritorum Juorum Haroldus infigniter trium- 
 ph aver it. 
 
 INCIPIT VITA SERVI DEI HARO[L]DP. 
 QUONDAM REGIS . ANGLORUM. 
 
 CAPITULUM I. 
 
 |LLUSTRISSIMI vere quia regis legi- 
 timi Haroldi jam rite ac legitime 
 coronati gefta recenfere . nichil 2 aliud 
 eft quam divine ferenitatis fimul et 
 clemencie quafi fpeculum quoddam lucidiflimum 
 piis mentibus exhibere. Quod ut clareat mani- 
 feftius: ipfius immundana 3 feu in Chrifti milicia 
 primordium progreflum et terminum dilucide 
 curabimus fummatimque legentibus intimare. Vere 
 
 1 G. ; Harodi, H. Haro[l]di, M. 
 
 2 H.M.; Nihil, G. ; and fo in all cafes throughout the text. 
 8 In mundana, M.G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. i 3 
 
 autem regem iJluftriflimum legittimeque 1 hunc 
 dixerimus coronatum . qui fe ipfum bene regendo 
 illique devotiflime cui fervire regnare eft obfe- 
 quendo: coronam adeptus eft primum jufticie 
 et poftmodum glorie fempiterne. Hunc God- 
 winus 2 comes potentiffimus . ex forore Cnutonis 
 Anglorum pariter et Dacorum regis habuit filium 
 fratrem vero regine venerabilis quam rex et con- 
 feflbr fanctiffimus duxerat Edwardus. Cujus felici 
 matrimonio quamquam citra opus juncta fuerit 
 maritale utrifque nimirum permanentibus in per- 
 petue virginitatis flore : promocionis tamen multi- 
 mode caufa fuit paterne familie. Conftat vero 
 
 X 
 
 1 H.M. ; legitimeque, G. 
 
 2 It will be ufeful to introduce here a table fhowing the 
 pedigree of Harold, Edward the ConfefTor, and William the 
 Conqueror, and their relationfhip with each other. 
 
 Richard L, 'Sans-Peur,' 
 Duke of Normandy, d. 996. 
 
 Richard II., 'Le (2.) in ioi7,=Emma,=f={i,)in ioi2,Ethel- Godwin, 
 Bon,' D. of Nor- Canute, K. of d.io54. 
 
 mandy, d. 1027. England and 
 Denmark. 
 
 red II., K. of Earl of 
 England, d. Kent, d. 
 1016. 1053. 
 
 Kicnara i\.ooeri i., ^.ureu, 
 III., D. 'LeDiable,' d.iO36. 
 
 J1.1JWAKU,- 
 
 'The Con- 
 
 /UUU, nAMUVU 11., - 
 
 in 1044. E. of Kent, 
 
 of Nor- D. of Nor- 
 
 feffor,' K. 
 
 K. of Eng- 
 
 mandy, mandy, d. 
 
 of Eng- 
 
 land 1066, d. 
 
 d. 1028, 1035. 
 
 land, a. 
 
 1066. 
 
 , 
 
 1066. 
 
 
 gyth. 
 
 WILLIAM, 'The Gurth. God- Ed- Mag- Ulf. Har- Gy-=Wladimir, 
 
 Conqueror,' win. mund. nus. old. tha. fon of Ja- 
 
 bom 1027, D. roflav, 
 
 of Normandy Grand- 
 
 1035, K. of Duke of 
 
 England 1066, Ruffia, 
 
 d. 1087. d. 1051.
 
 14 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 ipfius genitorem vel ceterorum quofdam de illius 
 genere . turn 1 prodicionis turn 1 et aliorum nota faci- 
 norum infamatos 2 graviter fuifle. 
 
 Hiis 3 vero mails . neceflitate cavendi imminentis 
 exicii : Godwinus fe primo immifcuit deinde ulte- 
 rius evagatur. Tuende fiquidem falutis obtentu 
 dolum temptare 4 compulfus . dum femel cedit ad 
 f. 3 b - votum : fraudibus in pofterum minuende felicitatis 
 
 intuitu licencius nitebatur. Dum enim prefatus 
 rex Dacie diadema Anglic ufurpaflet : cerneretque 
 Godwinum incredibili aftucia nee minori audacia 
 preditum fenfim ad fublimia confcendere timere 
 cepit homo advena . indigene adolefcentis viribus 
 fimul armatam et aftu animofltatem. Cujus licet 
 fibi perneceflariam in multis expertam habuiflet 
 induftriam : quiddam tamen de fpiritu Saulis mente 
 concipiens ereptorem fuum propugnatoremque 
 ftrenuiflimum dolo perdere cogitavit . quern palam 
 opprimere nifi per invidiofam maliciam facile non 
 fuit. Excogitato igitur confilio Godwinum quafi 
 pro arduis regni utriufque negociis mittit in 
 Daciam . tale quid fecum mente pertractans . Non 
 fit fuper eum manus mea ; fed fit fuper eum manus 
 Dacorum . cum 5 igitur jam medium equor navi 
 opulentiflimo inftrucla apparatu fecaret ; cepit fuf- 
 picio juvenis animum vehemencius titillare . fere- 
 bat namque fignatas regis anulo Jitteras . fingulis 
 fcilicet illius terre optimatibus fingulas . quarum 
 
 1 H.G. ; tantum . . . tantum, M. 
 
 2 M.G.; the letters ama in this^ord written in modern ink, H. 
 8 H.M. ; His, G. 4 H.M.; tentare, G. 
 
 6 H.M. ; Quum, G ; and fo throughout the text when ufed 
 as a conjunction.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 15 
 
 omnium prorfus nefciebat fentencias. Unius igitur 
 figillorum cautus effractor ex brevi inclufo fe in 
 brevi agnofcit capitali dandum fupplicio ; fi por- 
 titoris cum ventum fuerit ad portum plenius 
 fungatur officio. Tenor enim fcripture hie erat . 
 ut quicumque illius feriem primitus advertifTet . 
 bajulum ejus Godwinum nomine capite incon- 
 tinent! 1 mutilaret. 
 
 Expalluit novus Urias comperto quod fibi a 
 rege parabatur . exicio paratque ut paucis utamur 
 dolum extimplo 2 eludere dolo . fecit fie : extractaf- 
 que a ceris fuis fingulas confregit cartulas 3 . calli- 
 daque clerici cujufdam manu reponit recentes . 
 quarum fumma fuit ut Godwinum fummo univer- 
 forum tripudio exceptum . regie fororis nupciis 
 darent . nee aliter ei quam fibi ft adeflet in hiis 4 
 que regia exigebant negocia incunctanter cuncti 
 parerent. Sic regis bono regia mutatur fentencia . 
 fie miles milicie mutat ftipendia . fie indebita cedit 
 pena et debita bene merito accedit gloria. Sic 
 denique in fratrem recipit quern utilem repperit 
 rex militem . quern eciam paulo poft fecit confulem 
 habuitque pervigilem in reliquum proviforem. 
 
 Quo tamen eventu Godwinus in Dacorum plus f - * 
 quam fatis favorem efrufus . gentis fue quampluri- 
 bus fiebat infeftus. 5 Non nullos quoque de femine 
 regio quorum unus frater Sancti Edwardi fuit Nota de EH- 
 
 , | j'jv r J wardo et God- 
 
 dolo perdidit licque non modo in concives . immo wino Pas 
 et in dominos naturales non pauca deliquit. Verum tempor 
 
 1 H.M.G.; for incontinenter. 2 H.M. ; extemplo, G. 
 3 H.M. ; chartulas, G. 4 H. ; iis, M.G. 
 
 5 In feftus, H.
 
 1 6 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 de hiis 1 alias qui voluerit plura inquirat. Quo 2 
 enim ad fufceptam attinet materiam . fatis eft iccirco 
 nos vel compendiofe ifta prelibaffe ne inconfulte 
 videremur ilia preterifie: que minus intelligentes 
 ad fervi Dei Haroldi contumeliam novimus inter- 
 file . cum fanum fapientes hec quam maxime ad 
 ipfius gloriam videant pertinere. Qui enim 
 gratia comitante divina vicium vicit quod ut ifti 
 volunt natura inflixit quod convictus inftituit : 
 eo utique favorabilius triumphavit . quo et hoc 
 ipfum quod natus . quod educatus eft : fuperando 
 mutavit. Nam etfi vicio ipfe quoque ut afieritur 
 evo adhuc rudis ceflifie vifus eft . a natura fimul et 
 nutritura . violenciam paflus eftimandus eft. Patet 
 igitur quia operante eo qui de eadem mafia vas 
 aliud facit in honorem . aliud in contumeliam . id 
 quoque in virtutis Harpldo verfum eft meritum et 
 Jaudis preconium quod ei ad vituperium ab indodis 
 fuerat objectum. Sic rutilos producit . fie niveos 3 
 quafi nutrit rofarum liliorumque: fpina flores . 
 quorum prerogative non adimit immo adicit 4 qua- 
 Jitas abjectior ex conforcio cumulum venuftatis. 
 
 1 H.M. ; his, G. 2 H.M. ; Quod, G. 
 
 3 H. ; niveas, M.G. 4 H.M. ; adjicit, G.
 
 Qjuod Wallia 'per Haroldum pene deleta fit ; et 
 qualiter ipfe -per virtutem Sanfte Crucis de Wal- 
 tbam de paraliji 1 convaluerit ij 
 
 [IRIBUS autem corporis quantum pre- 
 ftiterit quam acer et ftrenuus animis 
 armifque innotuerit: fubacta immo 
 ad internicionem 2 per Haroldum 
 pene deleta : Wallia eft experta. In hiis 3 quidem 
 triumphis . vivente adhuc fancto rege Edwardo : 
 infignis enituit . Hiis regi et regno pacem et quie- 
 tem quam fortiter tarn et utiliter adquifivit. In- 
 terea dum inter coevos probitate et potencia major . 
 fummis eciam in regno proceribus prelacior efle 
 videretur : manus omnipotentis que percutit et 
 medetur carnem iftius gravi percuilione tetigit . 
 ut fie prefentibus necnon 4 et futuris anime ipfius 
 vulneribus medelam procuraret. Paralifin 5 vocant 
 medici genus morbi quo corpus hominis attactum Nota de M- 
 debita dedifcit officia . obfequia homini derogat j??J Mcdico< 
 confueta. Reddit enim fubito partem quam in- 
 vaferit . aut corporis totum : ftupidum torpens 
 
 1 H.M. ; paralyfi, G. a H.M. ; internecionem, G. 
 
 8 H.M. ; his, G.; and fo always throughout this text. 
 4 H. ; nee non, M.G. 5 H.M. ; Paralyfm, G.
 
 1 8 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 et quafi emortuum. Haroldus hac repente tadhis 
 ac proftractus 1 moleftia ; cum ceteris eflet merori 
 turn 2 prefertim regi: fit precipui caufa doloris. 
 Hunc enim velut quodam prefagio futurorum pre 
 ceteris carum habuit et dilectum ; cum ftirpis 
 illius quofdam fufpectos habuifTe dicatur aliqua- 
 tenus et invifos. Quod fibi penes regem fanctifli- 
 mum dileccionis et gracie privilegium non affini- 
 tatis quamlibet grata propinquitas non probitatis 
 non induftrie fingularis quibus erat preditus emi- 
 nentia ; immo fola celeftis infpiracio conciliate 
 eftimatur. Probabile enim fatis eft ad gloriam in 
 hac parte Haroldi quia vir Deo plenus . divinique in 
 multis confilii non ignarus eo indulgencius 3 ipfum 
 amaverit quo perpetuum in celis pocius coheredem 
 quam in terris fibi futurum previdebat momen- 
 taneum fucceflbrem. Directi igitur regis a latere 
 medici, necnon et alii atque alii prece precioque 
 hinc inde allecti . egrotum ambiunt, quod ars feu 
 conjectura fuggerit exierunt 4 . fed Omnipotentis 
 manum vires hominum ammovere 5 non poflunt. 
 Pervenit fama triftior ad aures Alemannorum im- 
 peratoris . qui regi Anglorum affinitate proxi- 
 mus . dileccione et amicicia erat conjunctiflimus. 
 Huic medicus quidam nomine Ailardus fami- 
 liaris erat . quern et artis fue duplex exercicium 
 pericia et experiencia multa reddebat probatiffi- 
 mum . et quod pluris eft favor divinus in pro- 
 curanda fofpitate languencium : exhibuit graciofum. 
 
 1 H.M. ; proftratus, G. 
 
 2 H. ; tantun, M. ; tantum, G. 3 H.M. ; diligentius, G. 
 4 H.M. ; excierunt, G. 5 H.M. ; amovere, G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 19 
 
 Hunc igitur imperator adhibendam 1 ftrenuiflimo 
 juveni medelam: regi amantiflimo celeriter defti- 
 navit. Qui ad egrum deductus egritudinis mate- 
 riam fagaciter rimatus curam adhibuit quam potuit . 
 fet 2 in ventum omnis cedit opera: ubi hominis 
 artificio celeftis opifex molitur adverfa. 
 
 Ea tempeftate lapidea crucifix! regis noftri ymago 3 
 non multis ante celitus revelata et reperta tempori- 
 bus . et ad Waltham 4 nutu perlata divino: miris 
 in loco virtutum chorufcabat 5 fignis. Perpendens 
 itaque phificus 6 nature auctorem naturalibus artis 
 fue viribus contraire . omnemque inferioris nature 
 racionem . naturantis 7 nature prejudicio funditus 
 hebetari ; intellexit protinus hominem verbere 
 conftringi virtutis illius de cujus manu non eft qui 
 poflit eruere. Qui mox ut virum decuit fidelem f. 5 . 
 et prudentem . cui manu nequivit : ore non diftulit 
 remedium procurare. Nil enim moris habens falla- 
 cium mencienciumque medicorum opem voluit a fe 
 feparari . quam fenfit jam : per fe non pofle conferri. 
 Nee fuum tamen egrotum reliquid 8 defperatum, 
 fet a fpe vana in folidam hunc fpem transferens . 
 in eo fperare qui falus eft . fperancium in fe 
 fideliter fuadebat. A quo ut ocius optate falutis 
 gaudia percipere mereretur: crucis falutifere ob- 
 
 1 H.M. ; ad adhibendam, G. 
 
 2 H.M. ; fed, G.; and fo always throughout. 
 
 3 H.M. ; imago, G. 
 
 4 There are feveral interefting trafts relating to the crofs at 
 Waltham in the fame Harley MS. from which this text is de- 
 rived. For a mould, from which leaden badges of the Holy 
 Crofs were caft, fee Journal of the Britijb Arcbteological Affi- 
 liation, vol. xxix. 421; cf. xxx. 52. 
 
 5 H.M. ; corufcabat, G. 6 H.M. phyficus, G. 
 7 H.M.; naturantis, omitted, G. 8 H.M. ; reliquit, G.
 
 2o Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 fequiis hunc infiftere . votumque illi vovere . prout 
 fibi didtaret interna devocio : falubriter adhortatur. 
 Languidus vero falutis confilium fano percepit 
 animo . mittitque concito ad locum ubi crux vir- 
 tuofa Celebris radiabat: exennia 1 ingencia. Sup- 
 plicat obnixius loci cuftodibus falutaris nimirum 
 figni peculiarius cultui mancipatis . quatinus et 
 criminum veniam et dolorum levamen utriufque 
 videlicet hominis fofpitatem fedulis fibi dignentur 
 precibus optinere. 2 Nee defuit in longum cle- 
 mencia falvatoris falutem a fe fide non fidla poftu- 
 lanti. Mox etenim dolor cum languore decrevit 
 a corpore amor vero cum devocione circa fancte 
 crucis obfequium jam convalefcenti mirabiliter 
 crefcebat in mente. In brevi fiquidem pleniflime 
 redditus fofpitati . quantum medicine qua 3 con- 
 valuerat extiterit devotus: magnificus 4 compro- 
 bavit operum documentis. Veniens enim ad fanctam 
 crucem Waltamenfem 5 falutaria curacionis fue 
 vota perfolvit donaria obtulit preciofa . miniftris 
 plurima largitus eft . fe ipfum gloriofe crucis 
 tutele commendans . hancque fublimius honorare 
 difponens : letus tandem 6 a loco . non corde rece- 
 dens fed corpore : domino Regi et forori regine fe 
 incolumen 7 prefentavit. Congratulatur fratri re- 
 gina . rex militi congaudet : univerfa fimul curia 
 exultacione feftiva letatur. Nee quia convaluit . 
 fet quia celitus receperat fanitatem : omnes quidem 
 
 1 H.M. ; exenia, G. 
 
 2 H.M.; obtinere, G. 8 H.; quam, M.; [per] quam, G. 
 4 H.M. ; magnificis, G. 5 H.M. ; Walthamienfem, G. 
 
 6 H. ; tamen, M.G. 7 H. ; incolumem, M.G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 21 
 
 in commune . plaudebant fet rex ut erat fandtif- 
 fimus impenfius gratulatur. Geminata fiquidem 
 letitia pre ceteris triumphabat . qui et Chrifti de- 
 lectabatur virtutibus tam pia exhibentis et devo- 
 cionis 1 fideique profedtibus pafcebatur in illis : quos 
 talium exhibicio in amore folidabat ejufdem piiiTmii 
 Redemptoris. 
 
 1 H. ; dovocionis, M. ; devotionis, G.
 
 f 5b Quomodo ecclefiam Sanfte Cruets apud Waltham 
 
 conftruxerit . ditaverit . ornaverit . atque ordina- 
 vertt Haroldus et . quod Henricus Anglorum rex 
 amotis fecularibus locum ipjius Canonicis in- 
 Jignivit regularibus. . . . . iij. 
 
 | AM vero hunc in quo vel per quern 
 virtus experta . et oftenfa virtutis 
 prebuit tam multis incentivum nil 
 aliud cogitare nil loqui perpenderes: 
 nifi qualiter divinis poflet beneficiis excellencius 
 congruenciufque refpondere qualiter honore con- 
 digno falutis adepte gaudia . fancte quiviflet cruci 
 compenfare. Quo impenfius autem ejus intendebat 
 cultui et infiftebat decori . eo fublimius gracia ilium 
 celeftis virtutum et devocionis ditabat incrementis. 
 Qua vir nobilis commercii fpecie magnopere de- 
 Je&atus . contendebat inftancius de perceptis 
 muneribus gracias exhibendo beneficia mereri 
 pociora. Intuetur preterea quia et viro illi ad 
 gracias non exiles teneretur . per quern fuperna 
 pietas tot fibi exordia referafTet commodorum: de- 
 cernitque condigno hunc fidei fue et devocionis 
 premio munerandum. Cuftodie fiquidem oratorii
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 23 
 
 crucis adorande duo tantum clerici tarn brevibus 
 ftipendiis quam tectis content! humilibus vide- 
 bantur infervire. At vir magnificus locum et loci 
 cultum omnimodis cupiens cum fuis cultoribus 
 fublimare novam ibi bafilicam fabricare . mini- 
 trorum augere numerum redditufque 1 eorum 
 proponit ampliare. Utque celebriorem fama 
 illuftriorem clericorum frequencia . celeftibus nobi- 
 litatum muneribus locum terrigenis exhiberet: 
 fcolas 2 ibidem inftitui fub regimine magiftri 
 Ailardi fue ut prelibatum eft falutis miniftri : 
 difpoficione fatagebat prudenti. Nee paulo fegnius 
 quod mente conceperat rerum pergebat effectibus 
 parturire. Jaciuntur feftinato ecclefie amplioris 
 fundamenta . furgunt parietes . columpne 3 fublimes . 
 diftantes ab invicem parietes . arcuum aut teftu- 
 dinum emicidiis mutuo federantur. Culmen im- 
 pofitum aeris ab introgreflis plumbei objective 
 laminis: variam fecludit intemperiem. Binarius 
 clericorum numerus fcilicet infamis: in mifticum 4 
 fenatus apoftolici duodenarium convalefcet. 5 Pul- 
 cherrima nimirum racione ut totidem in ejus 
 templo fancte crucis laudibus perhenniter 6 in- 
 fervirent perfone quot illius gloriam mundo princi- f. 6. 
 paliter ab inicio homines nunciaflent. Hiis vero 
 predia et poflefliones unde fibi ad omnem fufficien- 
 ciam neceflaria provenirent liberali munificencia con- 
 tulit regia quoque auctoritate confirmari optinuit. 7 
 
 1 H.M. ; reditufque, G. 2 H.M. ; fcholas, G. 
 
 3 H.M. ; columnae, G. 4 H.M. ; myfticum, G. 
 
 6 M. ; convalefcit, G. ; -cet altered to -cit, H. 
 6 H.M. ; perenniter, G. 7 H.M. ; obtinuit, G.
 
 24 Vita Haroldl Regis. 
 
 Jam fi temptemus 1 ftilo 2 evolvere quot donariis 3 
 quam preciofis et multiplicibus vafis et ornamentis 
 vario inftructam decore illam edem Dominicam 
 nobilitaverit . fidem fcribendis forfan derogabit 
 tantarum rerum multitude. Verum ne fimditus 
 vel in hac parte magnificencie illius memoria 
 deleatur ad quod tamen livor vehemencius afpirafle 
 cognofcitur : opere precium eft pro zeli fervore 
 obniti . et cum fpecies 4 ipfe rerum fublate funt 
 quafdam velut umbras ipfarum confiderare volen- 
 tibus intimare. Indicium proinde rerum illarum 
 que a primo Normannici generis Anglorum rege 
 Willelmo in Haroldi ut traditur invidiam fancte 
 fue crucis ecclefie violenter ablate . et in Neuftriam 
 tranflate funt : prefenti duximus pagine inferendum. 
 NOTA. Tranftulit enim ut legitur idem rex de Waltham 
 
 Sum ma . vj . 
 
 miiibus et . vj . m Normanniam feptem fcrinia . ubi tria fuerunt 
 
 centis et . Ixvj . 
 
 Hbris. Scilicet aurea et quatuor argentea deaurata : cum gemmis 
 
 in cappis aureis A f 
 
 et argemeis . in preciofis plena reliquiarum . Quatuor textus: auro 
 
 crucibus textis . r r K. s-\ -11 
 
 etcasuiamque argento . gemmifque 5 ornatos . Quatuor tunbula 
 magna : aurea atque argentea . Sex candelabra : 
 quorum duo aurea cetera argentea . Tres urceos 
 magnos ex Greco opere : argenteos atque deauratos. 
 Quatuor cruces auro atque argento et gemmis : 
 fabricatas . Unam crucem ex quinquaginta marcis 
 argenti fufilem . Quinque veftimenta facerdotalia 
 preciofiflima : auro gemmifque ornata . Quinque 
 cafulas auro gemmifque ornatas: in una quarum 
 
 1 H.M. ; tentemus, G. 
 
 2 H.M. ; ftylo, G. ; and fo always in the cafes of this word. 
 
 3 See this MS. fol. 31, where a confiderable lift is given. 
 
 crucibus textis . 
 et casulam < 
 vocata est : 
 Domin 
 ad me. 
 
 4 H.M. ; fpeices, G. 
 
 6 H.G. ; an erafure in H., gcmmi 
 
 z 

 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 25 
 
 erant duodecim marce auri . Duas capas: auro 
 gemmifque ornatas . Quinque calices : duos aureos 
 ceteros argenteos . Quatuor altaria cum reliquiis : 
 quorum unum aureum cetera argentea deaurata. 
 Unum cornu vinacium argenteum . centum folidis 
 computatum . Decem philacteria . unum quorum 
 de duabus marcis auri : et gemmis preciofis . 
 cetera: auro argentoque parata . Duas fambucas 
 fellas femineas : ex multo auro fabricatas . Duas 
 campanas : preciofas . Hec et alia permulta que f - 6 b - 
 longum eflet referre . queque Normannorum 
 ambicio incomparabilia eftimaret . devote per 
 Haroldum fancte cruci oblata et per Willelmum 
 invidiofe nofcuntur ablata. Hujus tamen abla- 
 cionis invidiam perfunctoria quadam vifus eft idem 
 Willelmus compenfacione palliafTe ficut infcriptum 
 ilia plenius refertur qua de invencione fancte fepius 
 memorate crucis edita . ordinem quoque quo ad 
 Waltham perlata eft ipfa crux : luculenter infinuat. 
 Ubi eciam que et quanta loco fancto five in prediis 
 et variis redditibus 1 five in rebus multiplicibus ad 
 minifterium vel ornatum ecclefie pertinentibus . 
 mirabili devocionis ardore contulerit vir pius : 
 plenius reperitur expreflum. Nam quia ftilus ad 
 ea properat explicanda que cultor crucis geflit ac 
 pertulit poftquam fe ipfum in holocauftum Domino 
 fuaviflimum optulit 2 tollens jam quotidie crucem 
 fuam et Chriftum fequens . pauca de hiis 3 perftri- 
 gendo referimus que de rebus fuis velut facrificium 
 
 1 H.M. ; reditibus, G. ; and fo always in the cafes of this 
 word. 
 
 2 H.M. ; obtulit, G. ; and fo always in the various forms of 
 this verb. 3 H.M. j iis, G.
 
 26 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 jufticie: Cruci confecrata donavit. Quorum tarn 
 multis in rebus mobilibus illi fublatis quecumque 
 in terris . et villis 1 five ecclefiis aliifque redditibus 
 loco affignavit hactenus fine diminucione magna 
 non attamen fine nulla ut dicitur poflidere vide- 
 tur. Statum vero ecclefie Walthamenfis per dive 
 recordacionis regem Henricum fecundum in opti- 
 mum noftris modo temporibus gradum videmus 
 reformatum. 2 Canonici namque fub rigida . et 
 difciplinabili regula ecclefiafticis excubiis per 
 Haroldum mancipati ad fecularia fenfim tractu 
 temporis plus equo devoluti facro canoni pretulerant 
 vanitatem feculi. Nomen enim trahentes de utroque 
 feculo videlicet et canone: perverfo ordine rem 
 nominis dimidiavere. Secundum 3 namque fpiri- 
 tantes et canonem fpernentes . hujus fcita et illius 
 oblectamenta : lance librabant minus equa . unde 
 pofthabitis divinis officiis fpaciabantur in triviis 
 mundi : quibus verfandum erat in atriis domus 
 Domini. Quibus demum pio regis jam dicti zelo 
 inde amotis regularibus canonicis locus idem 
 nobiliter infignitur. Qui Greco bene canoni regu- 
 Jam jungentes Latinam . fie gemine vocis et rei 
 fimplicis virtutem vivendo teneunt 4 . quod Grecis 
 jure et Latinis maxime veneracioni efle deberent. 
 HosHenricus officinis regularibus venuftiflime deco- 
 ravit : fet Haroldus redditibus 5 neceflariis gratiflime 
 
 1 H. ; et villis, omitted, M.G. 
 
 8 This paflage clearly indicates that the prefent text was 
 written after the death of King Henry II., 6 July, A.D. 1 1 89. 
 
 3 Sic MS. Scdm for Sclm ; with a marginal note Seculum f 
 Seculum, M.G. 
 
 4 M.G. ; tenent, G. 6 H.M. ; reditibus, G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 27 
 
 fublimavit. Hiis enim fuftentatur grex Dominicus r. 7 . 
 in fanctitate et jufticia ibidem Domino devotiffime 
 ferviens; hiis cotidie 1 adventancium caterve innu- 
 merabiles: multimoda confequantur 2 humanitatis 
 bona. Hiis viatores 3 hiis famelicus: victum et 
 viaticum hiis languens : curam hiis algens ; tegmen . 
 hiis tectum : hofpes et advena. Hiis denique omnis 
 egens . neceffitati fue fubfidia recepit oportuna. 4 
 
 1 H.M. ; quotidie, G. 2 H.M. ; confequuntur, G. 
 
 8 H. ; viator, M.G. 4 H.M. ; opportuna, G.
 
 ghiod divinitus difpojitum fuit ut homo ifte in 
 
 regem ertgeretur et aliis viflis hoftibus ab eo . ab 
 
 aliis i-pfe vittus a regno deiceretur . et de Ana- 
 
 cborita valde religiofo qui minifter ipfius jam 
 
 folitarii fuerat. . ' . , . . iiij 
 
 UIS novit hominum quomodo com- 
 pingantur ofla hominis in ventre 
 pregnantis? Quis vero fcivit vel 
 fcire poterit . quid conducat homini 
 in vita fua ? Dominatur plerumque homo homini 
 in malum fuum. Deprimitur nonnunquam et 
 fubicitur ab homine homo homini: in bonum 
 fuum. Sic in fervum fervorum fratribus fuis 
 addicitur Chanaan . fie manus Jofeph fraterno 
 addicte zelo : in Chophmo fervierunt. Sic et 
 Haroldus nofter ut ad propofitum redeamus tan- 
 quam fuper ventum fubito elevatur et repente 
 eliditur valide. Regno pariter acclamante in regem 
 erigitur . cefis qui irruperant barbaris victor ab acie 
 cum triumpho revertitur. Recentem fupervenifTe 
 hoftem ut audit non metuit . fed infultat extermi- 
 natori fuo veluti protinus exterminando occurfitat. 
 Manus conferit : et concidit congreditur et con- 
 fciditur. Confciditur quidem et concidit . fet
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 29 
 
 numquid ad perniciem vel ad infipienciam fibi? 
 Num hoc fuftinebit manus ilia regis crucifix! . qua 
 obftetricante egreflus eft coluber tortuofus? ea 
 quidem permittente tetigit oiTa ejus . et fingula 
 fere membra hoftilis framea . carnem quoque ejus 
 graviter vulneravit. Hac difpenfante hac mirabiliter 
 difponente hec omnia fuo evenere Haroldo ut in 
 ventre pregnantis ecclefie hominis ante tempora 
 fecularia precogniti et fuis temporibus per hec 
 omnia Deo nafcituri et perfecle placituri : ofTa com- 
 pingerentur. Conceptus namque per devocionem 
 fecundum interiorem hominem Deo . hiis exerciciis f- 7 *> 
 crefcebat et augmentabatur formabatur et folida- 
 batur : ut demum in parturicione egrediente pre 
 dolore Rachelis anima fufciperet in eo Jacob pro 
 Bennoni: 1 Benjamin. Qui enim matri fue videlicet 
 angelice doloris et mortis filius vifus eft . patri Deo 
 qui populum mente fuperbum crimine hifpidum 
 variaque prodicione cruentum hoc eventu decreverat 
 fupplantandum : filius dextere 2 mira ipfius permu- 
 tacione efFectus. Verum quia ubique fere terrarum 
 celebri fermone vulgatum eft quemadmodum 
 Edwardo fanctiflimo ad celefte tranflato in regno 
 terreno fuccefTerit Haroldus qualiter ejufdem favore 
 de Norwagicis triumphaverit quamque magnani- 
 miter quam celer et imparatus pre nimia mentis 
 conftancia fupervenientibus Normannis occurrerit . 
 ac cefis fociis ipfe quoque in hofte ceciderit : nos 
 que poft hec per eum divinitus ac circa eum fadta 
 plerofque latere cognovimus : Domino favente 
 
 1 In reference to Gen. xxxv. 1 8. 
 
 2 H.M. ; dextra:, G.
 
 30 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 fcribemus. Quorum alia a quodam venerabilis 
 
 admodum vite anachorita nomine Sebrichto . qui 
 
 viro beato pluribus dum adviveret miniftravit 
 
 annis . alia ab aliis eque fide digniflimis accepimus 
 
 viris . qui nobis ea hec certitudine fcribenda retu- 
 
 lerunt : qua effe veriffima indubitanter probaverunt. 
 
 Porro que poft felicem ipfius excefTum a corpore 
 
 celefti per eum virtute patrata: pagine afTcribentur 
 
 ab illis qui prefentes cum fierent interfiierunt fcripta 
 
 nobifque tranfmifTa funt. Predictus autem vir Dei 
 
 olim minifter ejus et fequipeda devotiflimus . ut 
 
 ille de mundo receflit . et quia ad Deum abiit 
 
 miraculorum indiciis patenter declaravit : ejus 
 
 ferventer in bono emulabatur exemplum. Cupiens 
 
 quippequo ille pervenerat et ipfe pervenire: ftudebat 
 
 quam fimilius potuit ficut ille ambulaverat : et ipfe 
 
 ambulare. Igitur quod et Haroldum fuifle noverat 
 
 peregrinacionis Jaborem amplexus natalis foli fpon- 
 
 taneus exul . ut cujus fanctorum et domefticus Dei 
 
 efle mereretur : efficitur. Nudus denique pedes a 
 
 confinio recedit urbis Ceftrenfis ubi thefaurum 
 
 quern devotus aliquot annis ibidem obfervant 1 parte 
 
 in fuperni regis coronam fublata . partis reliquum 
 
 humi defoflum dimittebat : nudus eciam cupiditatis 
 
 f - 8 - mundane progreditur. Sic nudus et expeditus 
 
 crucem Dominicam in loco quo Dominicis aptata 
 
 fuit membris aditurus : fepulcrum ejus gloriofum 
 
 vifitaturus . in loco ubi fteterunt pedes ejus adora- 
 
 turus . Angliam demum egreditur plurima nichi- 
 
 lominus et alia fandla fanctorum limina ut fecerat 
 
 Haroldus lacrimis rigaturus . linguas infuper quas 
 
 1 H.M. ; obfervarat, G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 31 
 
 non noverat auditurus . et tribulaciones pro Chrifto 
 non modicas cum gaudio fubiturus . alienigenarum 
 fines ingreditur. Poftremo voti faluberrimi compos 
 effectus poft varies quos enumerare non vacat 
 circuitus ad patrium ut Haroldus folum revertitur. 
 Reverfus vero in villa quadam territorii Oxene- 
 fordenfis Stantona 1 nomine fefe permanfurum 
 recepit . receptum : inclufit. Inclufus plerifque ob 
 fcelera claufis et incarceratis aufteriorem ufque ad 
 mortem vitam duxit. Hinc religion's quibufque 
 venerabilis effectus et carus: a multis gracia edifica- 
 cionis mutue : requiri folebat et defideranter adiri. 
 
 Innotuerat enim devotiflimus Deo diftrictiflimus 
 fibi affabilis cunctis . beneficus multis ; benevolus 
 univerfis. Per hec et hujufmodi Chrifti cuicunque 
 bonus odor effectus cum 2 in odore unguentorum 
 ejus cuncli traherentur . me cum ceteris tanquam 
 pufillum cum majoribus fimul rapuit . fibique 
 arctius vinculo dileccionis aftrinxit. Quern adhuc 
 vero tener . religionis profeffione tenellus . cum 
 per internuncios utrobique graviores creberrime 
 aliquociens 3 per memetipfum vifitaflem: 4 ad in- 
 tima demum familiaritatis facraria ab ipfo admiflus 
 fum. In quo tandem annis jam proveccior 5 adeo 
 profeci : ut fecum de interioris hominis ftatu con- 
 ferenti . vix quippiam fuorum michi fecretorum 
 quod inftruccionis mee negotium expeteret : celare 
 
 1 Stanton Harcourt, about five miles from Witney, G. 
 
 2 H.M. ; quum, G. ; and fo always. 
 
 3 H. M. ; aliquoties, G. 
 
 4 Note in the margin of the MS. : "Auctor praefens fuit," 
 in a handwriting of the fourteenth century. 
 
 6 H.M. ; proveftior, G.
 
 32 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 valuiflet. Qui cum rufticanus eflet et totius eloquii 
 alterius quam Anglici nefcius 1 . mirabilem tenebat . 
 et amabilem de religionis fumma proque ydioma 2 
 fuo luculenter proferebat fentenciam . ut de meipfo 
 aiebat . quod fencio dicam in paciencia et fpe 
 falutis mee fummam puto confiftere. Subiciebat 
 quanta oftendiflet fibi Dominus tribulaciones multas 
 et magnas . quamque clementer converfus vivificafTet 
 fe . et quam de abiflis 3 terre potenter reduxiflet fe. 
 Interferebat et quanta paflus eflet in corpore quanta 
 in mente connumerans et diftinguens utriufque de- 
 fectus hominis et varies affectus demonum aflultus 
 f> 8 k improbos . non parum quoque acerbos hominum 
 infultus. Addebatque inter hec omnia jam jam 
 paulo minus naufraganti fola mifero michi fpes in 
 crucifixo pro anchora ruit . qua firmiter nifus omnia 
 poft modicum quafi in fpumam et favillam eva- 
 nuifle vidi que paulo ante ipfa morte intolera- 
 biliora duxi. Verumptamen 4 tales inquit ac tantas 
 fuftinui afflicciones carnis . ex quo corpus miferum 
 tanquam feram indomabilem hujus in quo five 
 carceris inclufi anguftiis ut inexpertus quifque fer- 
 ream materiam five lapideam vix umquam crederet 
 tanta durare valuifle. 
 
 Hec ille non jactabundus de fe ipfo et laboribus 
 fuis pro Chrifto fet memorabat animandum me 
 inter ipfa videlicet tyrocinii fpiritualis inexperta 
 certamina trepidantem tanquam emeritus jam miles 
 proprii fudoris familiari experimento ac roboran- 
 
 1 Written twice in H. ; the firft word has a pen line drawn 
 through it 
 
 2 H. ; ydiomafte], M. ; idiomate, G. 
 
 8 H.M. ; abyffis, G. 4 H.M. ; verumtamen, G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 33 
 
 dum talibus : eftimabat. Talia vero mente com- 
 punctus proferebat non eorum que pertuliflet 
 erumpnam J deflens: fet illius quam ad erumpnarum 2 
 fuarum levamen percepiflet confolacionis et gracie 
 fpiritualis memoriam : cum mira dulcedine crucians. 
 Hec de viri iftius vita et moribus non fuperflue 
 ut eftimamus pagine videbantur inferenda . quatinus 
 ex fanctitate alumpni liquidius docentur 3 quante per- 
 feccionis culmine converfacio claruerit fui nutritoris. 
 Hie de Haroldo mencionem faciens non aliter eum 
 quam dominum fuum nominabat . ipfum profecto 
 fe patronum habere in celo exultans quern precep- 
 torem in mundo habuiffet. Per hunc igitur ut 
 premiflum eft . et alios qui virum Dei viteque 
 ipfius inftitutum variumque pro locis et temporibus 
 ftatum agnoverant: ea que fecuntur comparata funt 
 et vulgata. Horum nonnulli quod ipfe Haroldus 
 ipfe 4 quondam in diademate gloriofus effet dum 
 viveret nefcierunt converfacionis tamen illius teftes 
 fuerunt . et quibus deguifTet in locis ex quo foli- 
 tariam in Anglia duxit vitam plenius agnoverunt. 
 Mundi namque gloriam cujus in feipfo ignobiles 
 et lugubres exitus expertus fuiflet medullitus 
 perhorceflcens 5 poftquam in terra olim fua vivere 
 mftituit . nomen fibi novum ipfe impofuit . habita- 
 cionis quoque loca ne quis eflet cui quolibet eventu 
 proderetur non femel mutavit. Verum hec feriatim 
 inferius profequemur : 6 nunc a digreflionis excefTu ad f - 9- 
 ordinem cepte narracionis ftilo currente accedamus. 
 
 1 H.M. ; aerumnam, G. 2 H.M. ; asrumnarum, G. 
 
 3 H. ; docentur, M. ; doceatur, G. 
 
 4 H. ; the fecond ipfe omitted, M.G. 
 
 5 H.M. ; perhorrefcens, G. 6 H. ; perfequemur, M.G. 
 
 D
 
 Quod inter vulneratos Jeminecem tnventum . et 
 Wintoniam perduftum mulier quedam Saracena 
 biennio ibidem deli tef cent em fanaverit Haroldum . 
 et quod pro contrahendis contra Normannos auxiliis 
 Sax ones Dacofque expecierit . nilque profecerit . v. 
 
 igitur ac fuperato in 
 primo congreflu a Normannis exer- 
 citu Anglorum Rex Haroldus plagis 
 confoflus innumeris inter mor- 
 tuos . et ipfe profternitur. Nee poterant tamen 
 quamlibet multa . quamlibet letalia vulnera vitam 
 fimditus viro adimere : quern pietas falvatoris ad 
 vitam et vicloriam felicius difpofuit reparare. Re- 
 cedentibus itaque a Joco cedis hoftilibus caftris a 
 mulierculis quas miferacio ad alliganda fauciorum 
 vulnera illuc attraxerat: exanguis 1 jam et vix pal- 
 pitans pugnator ille pridie potentiflimus invenitur. 
 Ab hiis 2 Samaritani erga eum vices implentur . ab 
 hiis in vicinum tugurium . alligatis vulneribus fuis 
 deportatur. Inde a duobus ut fertur mediocribus 
 viris quos francalanos five agricolas 3 vocant agnitus . 
 
 1 H. ; exfanguis, M.G. 2 H. ; ab iis, M.G. 
 
 3 Judging from the context, the Francalanus was probably 
 the fame as the Franco homo of Domefday, of whom Sir H.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 35 
 
 et callide occultatus ad Wintonienfium deducitur 
 civitatem. Hie biennio latebras in quodam cellario 
 fovens a quadam muliere genere Saracena artis 
 cirurgice peritiflima: curatus eft . et Altiflimi 
 cooperante medicina : ad integerrimam perductus 
 fanitatem. Qui viribus quoque receptis regie 
 magnanimitatis confident!: 1 quam animus nee in 
 corporis ftrage omiferat : magnarum conatibus rerum 
 credidit approbandam. Jam victoris fui jugo regni 
 tocius nobilitas vulgufque colla fubmiferant . jam 
 proceres pene cuncti aut perempti aut patria pulfi: 
 avitos honores alienigenis parciendos ac poflidendos 
 dimiferant. 
 
 Cernens itaque Haroldus fuorum cladem . hof- 
 tium felicitatem : corde ingemuit . et patrias magis 
 quam proprias deplorans erumpnas 2 : aut com- 
 moriendum fimditus aut fubveniendum civibus de- 
 cernebat. Penalius enim ipfa quam vix effugiflet 
 nece ducebat . fi nee fuis erepcioni fore temptaviflet 
 miferrime viventibus : nee mifere peremptis ulcioni. 
 Transfretavit igitur in Germaniam generis fui geni- S5ne a Haroidi 
 tricem aditurus Saxoniam . gentis fue jam utro- Ger 
 bique vulgatum miferabilem cafum cunclis ipfe 
 miferandus deplorat . cognates ad ferenda proprie 
 ftirpi fuffragia inftanter folicitat. Allegat infor- 
 tunium tarn repentine cladis non viribus aut virtuti 
 
 Ellis in his Introduction, ii. 112, gives a note, tending to fhew 
 that thefe francones homines are entered as if attached to the 
 manor, with the villani and bordarii. The Francigena (fee 
 Ellis, Introd., ii. 426) was probably one who could not fhew 
 his right to be confidered an Englifhman. 
 
 1 H.M. ; confidential^ G. 
 
 2 H. M. ; asrumnas, G.
 
 36 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 hoftium . non ignavie civium . non denique timi- 
 ditati . non imbecillitati fue efTe imputandum. 
 Solam fibi in tali eventu animofitatem fuiife peri- 
 culo . que fuarum confcia in rebus bellicis virium . 
 et victoriarum . hoftilem multitudinem cum paucif- 
 fimo milite excepiffet. Vincere enim afTuetus et 
 vinci nefcius victum me ait credidiflem . fi paulo 
 fegnius novande 1 inimicis victoriam retulifTem. 
 Cefis namque favore divino a nobis cum rege fuo 
 Norwagicis qui regni noftri fines ab aquilone 
 irruperant: exercitibus etducibus noftris ad propria 
 dimiffis repente a regione auftrali fupervenere Nor- 
 manni. Quibus et ipfe cum paucis repentinus 
 occurrens non inferior viribus aut animis . fed 
 numero minor compreflus . tandem cecidi non 
 vidhis cefli. Non incertam igitur victoriam de 
 talibus confeftim fumemus quos eventus non virtus 
 hac vice fuperiores oftendit. Quorum in propriam 2 
 devocionem . et fua infolencia . et tocius nobis 
 premeditate congreflionis modus et exacerbate 
 multitudinis copiofa folacia exhibebunt. Hiis et 
 hujufmodi Saxones talibus quoque Dacos quos 
 nichilominus follicite adivit pro expugnandis fecum 
 regni fui invaforibus interpellat. Quorum ftudia 
 ut vidit in diverfa niti in que 3 fua minus per- 
 currere vota primo quidem graviter anxie mentis 
 fluctibus eftuare cepit . vehementerque addici. In 
 hoc quippe ut erat fagaciflimus fecuritati fue rex 
 jam Anglorum et Normannorum dux caute prorfus 
 
 1 H.M. ; novam de, G. 
 
 2 H.j promptu, G. ; perpetu[am], M. 
 
 3 H. ; inque, M.G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 37 
 
 follerterque profpexerat ut mifla legacione regis 
 gentifque Dacorum aliarum eciam finitimarum 
 nacionum amicicias fibi abftringere 1 . et graciam 
 conciliare feftinaret. 
 
 1 H.M. ; adftringere, G.
 
 f. 10. 
 
 Quod infe tandem idem re-verfus, intellexit 1 Deum 
 Jibi in via mundi adverfari unde Chrifti Je con- 
 formant cruci ut hoftem melius triumpharet anti- 
 quum gaudet fe ab hominibus fuijjejup era turn . 17. 
 
 ANDEM vero in fe reverfus Haroldus 
 et quafi a fantaftico quo diucius 
 fompnio fibi redditus ad cor fuum 
 totus convertitur. Intelligit vel fero 
 obfiftentem fibi in via hac qua inaniter ambulabat 
 Deum . fuique fuiffe angeli quern intus exteriufque 
 in fe fue tarn pertinaciter cedentem pertulifTet 
 gladium. Apertifque mentis fue oculis aliud de 
 cetero fibi genus eligendum videt preliorum alia 
 requirenda prefidia. Refpexerat enim oculo jam 
 propicio crucifixus rex regis dejecti labores et 
 longos cruciatus . nee ulterius paciebatur peculiarem 
 vexilli fui cultorem tanti meroris abyfTo demergi in- 
 volvi laberinto. 2 Refpexerat fane . lapfum crimine . 
 et lapfum a dignitate quo refpiciente Japfus cadunt : 
 et lapfi refurgunt. Refpexerat denique ut fletu 
 lapfus culpam dilueret . fpem vero et ftudium 
 regnandi non deponeret fed mutaret. Cepit igitur 
 
 1 H. ; intellexerit, M.G. 
 
 2 H.M. ; labyrintho, G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 39 
 
 lapfus videre et deflere fub afpeclu cuncla cernentis 
 criminum fuorum et errorum lapfus cepit regni 
 longe felicioris faciliorem multo viam agnofcere . 
 et copiam prefentire. Sedet animo crucis quam 
 amaverat imitatorem efle tollere quotidie crucem 
 fuam venire poft crucifixum : et ipfum fequi. Nee 
 vero a mente excidit quia ut ad hec idoneus fieri 
 poflit fe ipfum in primis abnegare necefle fit. Quod 
 nichilominus ut poflit eundem ipfum fibi in exem- 
 plum proponit et adjutorem afTumit . qui cum in 
 forma Dei eflet feipfum formam fervi accipiens 
 exinanivit. Intuetur jam qualiter Dominus mundi 
 mundanum cum eflet in mundo fprevit imperium . 
 qui et quefitus in regem : fugerit . et milibus obfe- 
 quencium turbis folitarie orationis fecerTum pre- 
 tulerit. Reminifcitur datam huic per paflionis 
 dure et mortis dire fupplicium omnem in celo 
 et in terra poteftatem. Previdet ab omni carne 
 huic tandem occurrendum . donandum ab eo omnem 
 hominem regno vel fupplicio meminit fempiterno. 
 Scit quidem 1 fi eatur ad committendum bellum 
 cum eo ipfe cum decem milibus fibi occurrenti 
 obvius cum viginti milibus veniat cujus adventus 
 improvifus cujus difpar apparatus . quam 2 latenter 
 invadit tarn potenter improvidum quemque et 
 imparatum nonnunquam exterminat et extinguit. 
 
 Pofthabito igitur inani temporalis regni ftudio 
 abjecto terrene concertacionis exiciali propofito. 
 Ad hunc regem adhuc longe agentem legationem f. ro . 
 mittere ab eo que vere pacis funt tota proponit 
 intencione poftulare. Cujus tamen iram fuis ut 
 
 1 Quoniam, G. ; qrn, H. ; quantum, M. 2 H. ; quern, M.G.
 
 4 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 timebat offenfis cumulatam ne fua forte Tola legacio 
 minus fufficeret delinire: inquirendos cenfuit et 
 quibus pofTet obfequiis inquirendos . et fue lega- 
 cionis congruos adjutores et ydoneos apud iratum 
 regem interventores . cujus de cetero folius gratiam 
 probavit t gloriam ambiendam. Mutatur itaque 
 in Haroldo hominis repente exterioris habitus . et 
 interioris affectus. Fulcit quam armare confuevit 
 manum . curtata in baculum hafta . pro clipeo: 
 pera collo appenditur . fiJtro vertex adumbratur : 
 quern munire galea . ornare diadema folebat. 
 Pedes et tybie pro fandaliis et ocreis vel nudantur 
 funditus vel femicinciis obvolvuntur. Ut autem 
 et reliqua hreviter explicemus: omnis armatura 
 fortis . totus potentis ornatus vel abdicatur penitus . 
 aut in abjeccionem transfertur: et penitentis penam. 
 Nam humeris lacertis . lumbis et Jateri : lorica 
 folum . folita non adimitur . fed proprius admo- 
 vetur. Abftracta 1 fiquidem et abjedla interula: 
 nude carni calibis duricies copulatur. Sic vigilans 
 non armatus fed incarceratus incedit ferro . fie 
 dormientem non thorus excipit . fed thorax includit. 
 Et mira plane exterius afTumpta mutacio ifta. 
 Jocundum fane et angelis et omnibus fanclis fpec- 
 taculum . circa tantum et talem virum . talis ac 
 tanta permutacio rerum . verum multo jocundius 
 intra ipfum fibimet exhibebat interius arbiter Deus . 
 creans et formans in eo pro tenebris lucem . et uni- 
 verfum ftratum ejus mirabiliter verfans. Vere 
 inquam mutacio hec : non cujufcunque fed dextere 
 excelfi ubi crudelitas . et feritas mitefcit in cle- 
 1 G. ; abftinfta, M. ; abflir.fta, altered to abftrada, H.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 41 
 
 menciam et lenitatem . contrahitur elatio : in 
 humilitatem . Set quis mutacionis adeo felicis 
 univerfa commemoret ? Ut innumera vel 1 paucis 
 includam . hac mutacione concupifcencia carnis . et 
 mundi in horum verfa contemptum et odium: 
 defiderio ceflit et amori celeftium. 
 
 Sic fie operante dextera excelfi rex tranfit in 
 militem et militem quidem Chrifti : plus jam con- 
 tempto quam prius cupito regno mundi. Tranfit 
 rex in militem efficitur rex miles . ut ita efficiatur 
 miles rex, et rex fimul ac miles tranfeat [in regem. f- 
 Illi enim militare aggreditur miles ifte cui militare 
 regnare eft . et regnare quidem in prefenti : in 
 future conregnare. Illud vero conregnare multo 
 felicius quam iftud regnare eft quod tamen regnare 
 mundo et mundi regno fublimius et majus eft. 
 Militando quidem regnat et regnando militat . 
 donee mutet manfuris mutabilia miles Chrifti et 
 abforbeatur mors in victoriam . et bellum vertatur 
 in tropheum. 2 Tune rex tranfibit in regem militans 
 in triumphantem follicitus in fecurum moribundus 
 in Temper victurum. Interea innovate rege inno- 
 vato et milite . regnum novum in Haroldo cum 
 innovata fucceflit milicia: ipfius quoque cum fin- 
 gulis fuis fenfibus et membris in novos reflorefcit 
 ufus mundi cordis et corporis fubftancia tota. In 
 fame et fiti in frigore et nuditate in orationibus 
 in vigiliis in contumeliis 3 et injuriis . in omni 
 denique labore et erumpna maceratur caro roboratur 
 
 1 H. ; vel, omitted, M.G. This is a clear inftance of Giles 
 copying Michel inftead of reading the M.S. 
 
 2 H.M. ; tropaeum, G. 3 H.M. ; contumelis, G.
 
 42 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 fpiritus : anima delectatur. Quatitur fufpiriis peftus 
 hanelum 1 . quod prius tumidum: fpirabat cedis 
 minas intonabat. Rorant lumina imbre lacri- 
 marum. Fulmineum quiddam indignantis animi 
 nutu in emulos confueta vibrare. Nil jam elatum 
 cervicofum nichil aut truculentum os fupercilia . et 
 cervix pretendebant. Modeftia inceflum regit pietas 
 animum . affectus: puritas fibi defendit. Interiores 
 quoque motus et exteriores : honeftas informat . 
 fanctitas in fuas partes omnia ejus aflumit. Vide- 
 tur jam fibi Haroldus folito felicius imperare . 
 regnare fublimius tucius et utilius militare. Gaudet 
 fe ab hominibus victum . dum mundum dum feipfum 
 vincendo : victus quoque melius de Diabolo didicit 
 triumphare. 
 
 1 H. ; Quantis s. p. anhelat, M. ; q. s. p. anhelum, G.
 
 Quo d pro expetendis fanftorum fuffragiis longum 
 inierit peregrinacionem et quod antequam regnum 
 habuijjet Janfforum limina apoftolorum adierit . vij. 
 
 NSTRUCTUS vero ab 1 unccione que 
 jam ilium docebat de omnibus celeftis 
 quern invenerat thefaurum defiderii 
 ne prede pateat inepte publicatus . 
 caucius fentit abfcondendum. Nam et ovis primo 
 genita feu bovis nee apta fciebat aratris . nee 
 tondenda . quin et poma que germinant : legis 
 sanccione immunda decerni. Hujufmodi ergo a 
 Spiritu Sancto edoctus oraculis, omnes qui fibi 
 ufque ad id temporis adhefifle vifi funt : amicos f. t. 
 relinquid . neceflarios deferit . ab univerfis demum 
 qui ipfum noverant: clam recedit. Adit populos 
 antea ignotos . requirit non ignotos . fed olim 
 quidem dileccione precognitos jam devocionis affectu 
 ardius complexes : longe lateque patronos. Abiit 
 igitur in regionem longinquam 2 vir ifte nunc vere 
 nobilis . loca invifere facra fanctorum in fuis 
 ubique fedibus . aut edibus veneraturus reliquias . 
 regnum Dei quod intra fe jam tenebat corum fuf- 
 
 1 H.M. ; omitted, G. 2 H.G. ; lo[n]ginquam, G.
 
 44 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 fragiis plenius et perfeccius accipere . et in fuam 
 demum patriam reverti. Adierat quidem antea 
 nondum videlicet Anglorum confecutus regnum 
 fummorum limina Chrifti apoftolorum devocionis 
 plane inftindhi . et fandlarum ab urbe reliquiarum 
 ad fua pocius reportandi quam in urbe adorandi 
 obtentu. Ferventifllmo namque ftudio facras col- 
 ligere fategerat reliquias 1 ab illo prefertim tempore 
 quo Sancte Crucis edificare apud Waltham ut 
 prediftum eft ecclefiam cepit : et ditare. Unde 
 accidit ut votis precum folutis turn prece turn precio 
 varioque ingenio innumeris fandorum pignorum 
 opibus adquifitis magnificorum quoque martyrum 2 
 
 1 For a long lift of thefe relics fee MS. Harl. 3776, f. 31. 
 The chapter treating of them commences with a fhort poem : 
 
 " Hoc facrum pondus fibi confervavit Haroldus 
 Scilicet iftarum thefaurus reliquiarum. 
 Quas tulit ignotis a partibus atque remotis. 
 Unde crucis fanfte : fe premuniret in ede." 
 
 2 The Virgin martyrs Chryfanthus and Daria are cele- 
 brated in the Calendar on the 25th Oftober. According to 
 Alban Butler (vol. x., p. 502) Chryfanthus and Daria were 
 ftrangers who came to Rome from the Eaft in the third century, 
 the firft from Alexandria, the fecond from Athens. Chry- 
 fanthus, after having efpoufed Daria, perfuaded her to prefer a 
 ftate of perpetual virginity to that of marriage, that they 
 might more eafily with perfect purity of heart trample the 
 world under their feet, and accomplifh the folemn confecration 
 they had made of themfelves to Chrift in their baptifm. Their 
 martyrdom probably took place during the perfecution of 
 Valerian, A.D. 237. They were interred on the Salarian way, 
 their remains being found in the reign of Conitantine the 
 Great. This part of the Catacombs was long known by the 
 name of the Cemetery of SS. Chryfanthus and Daria. Their 
 tomb was decorated by Pope Damafus, their remains tranflated 
 by Pope Stephen VI. in A.D. 866, part into the Lateran 
 bafilica, and part into the Church of the Twelve Apoftles. 
 This, at leaft, is true of the relics of their companions who had
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 45 
 
 Crifanti et Darie rediens ad propria beata fimul 
 ofla vifus fit afportafle a Roma. Verum tanti 
 predam thefauri tandem fibi prereptam Roman! 
 fencientes et id non eque ferentes: jam abeuntem . 
 jam longius abfcedentem diete jam tercie feu quarte 
 emenfo itinere pium confecuti predonem greflum 
 fiftere cogunt. Nee enim reniti aut viribus vel 
 fuga erumpere indigenarum multitude paucos fine- 
 bat peregrinos. Quid multa ? Tenetur . arctatur . 
 conviciis urgetur Haroldus. Quodque hiis egrius 
 tulit . priftinis pofleflbribus minus 1 prout afferebant 
 legittime conquifitas: reddere compellitur inefti- 
 mabilis precii margaritas. Predictorum igitur 
 Chrifti teftium in divinis non fuffragiis violencia 
 Romanorum fpoliatus . cetera non minus preciof- 
 iflima Rome obiterve 2 adquifita . in ecclefia fepius 
 memorata patrie redditus fecum attulit reveren- 
 tiflime confervanda. Devocionis vero illius et 
 cautele . vigilanciam in adquirendis et refervandis 
 fandlorum reliquiis fi quern plenius nofTe juvat: 
 prenotatum de invencione crucis Waltamenfis 
 fuperius tra&atum ftudiofe revolvat. Nos enim f. 12. 
 que a veteribus fcripta funt intermittentes : novum 
 noftrum novo ftili officio profequemur ut cepimus 
 Chrifto ducente peregrinum. Quern et fi multas 
 perluftrantem orbis Chriftiani provincias . totque 
 
 been walled up at their tomb. The remains of SS. Chry- 
 fanthus and Daria had been tranflated to the Abbey of Prom 
 in the diocefe of Triers in A.D. 842, by gift of Pope Sergius II. 
 In A.D. 844 they were removed to the Abbey of St. Avol or 
 St. Navor in the diocefe of Metz, according to Mabillon, 
 Sac. iz 1 . Bened. p. 6 1 1. 
 
 1 H. ; omitted, M.G. 2 G. ; ob iter ve, H.M.
 
 46 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 tarn falubriter in tali perluftracione tempora con- 
 fumentem nee locis fmgulis nee diebus comitari 
 valemus queve egerit aut pertulerit in peregrina- 
 cione longiflima fmgillatim nofle ac referre : faltem 
 a finibus noftris elongatum jam diucius profecuti . 
 ad nos quoque denuo remeanti alacrius occurramus. 
 Comitantemvero . et deducentem nullifque aliquan- 
 do temporibus aut locis ipfum relinquentem . 
 Dominum magnifice collaudemus benedicentes in 
 Domino pariter et famulum fuum: venientem 
 equidem in nomine Domini.
 
 Ammiracio l J crip tor is cum exclamacione brevi 
 Juper benignitate Dei qua fit ut eciam peccata elec- 
 torum ipjis cooperentur in bonum . . viij. 
 
 INTERIM autem in hoc nomine illo 
 ambulante . illius anima per mul- 
 tarum cum fponfa circuicionem pla- 
 tearum quefitum et inventum tenente 
 fponfum . ipfius jam fpiritum in Deo falutari fuo 
 exultantem gratulabunda cum pfalmifta audire 
 michi videor voce canentem . "Convertere 2 . anima 
 mea . in requiem tuam: quia Dominus benefecit 
 tibi." Hie vero precordis leticia benefici Domini 
 circa {ervum fuum admirando magnalia : exclamare 
 libet. O larga pietas et mira benignitas fpiritus 
 tui O virtus et fapientia eterni Patris coeterne fili 
 O dulcis O bone Jefu. O ineftimabilem et in- 
 veftigabilem confiliorum tuorum altitudinem . Vere 
 cogitaciones cordis tui avertere nemo potest. O 
 quam vera fenfit de te que alloquens te. "Si 3 de- 
 creveris" ait . "salvare nos: continue liberabimur." 
 Quam fidelis quamque accepcione dignus fermo . 
 
 1 The text of this chapter is omitted by Michel, who dates, 
 " In quo hiftorias materiam minime reperies." 
 
 2 Pfalm. cxiv. 7. 8 Cf. Efth. xiii. 9.
 
 48 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 fidenter prolatus ad apoftolo tuo. "Scimus" inquit 
 "quoniamdiligentibus 1 Deum: omnia cooperantur 
 in bonum." Benedictum fit cum patre coeterno . et 
 Spiritu coevo nomen glorie tue fanctum . qui cum 
 iratus fueris mifericordiam facis et ut aflerit mulier 
 fancta: omnia peccata hominum in tribulacione 
 dimittis. Et quidem omnia hec vera efle et in hunc 
 modum innumera . que paflim leguntur in literis 
 facris de te fuper hiis que perficis et exhibes dili- 
 gentibus te in uno demonftrafti 2 tuo hoc dilecto 
 dilectore. Quam evidens nobis argumentum quam 
 f. 12. b. prelucidum in uno homine ifto fuavitatis fimul et 
 fortitudinis tue fpeculum condidifti O fapientia 
 que ex ore Altiflimi prodidifti attingens a fine 
 ufque ad finem fortiter et difponens omnia fuaviter. 
 Ab hiis fontibus fuavitatis et fortitudinis illi duo 
 rivi procedunt gratie et feveritatis feu clemencie et 
 diftriccionis quibus debriata fuperficies terre fanc- 
 torum everfis zizanniis 3 femen producit in fructum 
 vite eterne. Quante enim ferenitatis pariter et 
 gratie fuit quod ficut multi putant propter iniquita- 
 tem corripuifti quidem fed in eternum non pro- 
 jecifti hominem iftum . corripiens et corrigens 
 caucioremque fibi . tibi devociorem ex ipfa quoque 
 iniquitate exhibens eum. Quanta fuavitate quanta- 
 que fortitudine ufus es circa eum tarn valide de 
 manu mortis eripiens ilium vitam corporis ejus nee 
 jaculis nee gladiis fibi permittens auferri .vitam vero 
 anime etiam 4 peccato ut dicitur ablatam reftituens 
 et reformans ei? Hinc et ipfius injufticia inventa 
 
 1 Rom. viii. 28. 2 H. ; dcmonftrati, G. 
 
 3 H. ; zizaniis, G. 4 H. ; et, G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 49 
 
 eft habundare in gloriam tuam . quandoquidem ex 
 multa magnitudine et magna multitudine dulce- 
 dinis benignitatis tue ubi habundavit iniquitas fua 
 fuperhabundavit in eo gratia tua . ut eo impenfws 
 diligeret te . quo plenius indulgenciam confeque- 
 retur a te. Itaque clarefceret quia jdiligenti te 
 cooperantur in bonum non aliqua fed omnia dum 
 quod in malum Temper eft: ei cooperatur in bonum 
 eternum 1 . fuum videlicet et tantum peccatum. 
 
 1 H. ; non aeternum, G.
 
 Quod de peccato Haroldi multa dicuntur a 
 
 multis et de quercu Jecus Rotbomagum Jub qua 
 
 juraverat qu<e corticem exuta manet ufque in 
 
 ix. 
 
 E quo nimirum ipfius peccato quia 
 multi multa loquuntur . loqui de- 
 bemus vel pauca et nos : et quid de 
 eo fenciant qui vel exaggerare vel qui 
 attenuare illud familiare habent in medium pro- 
 ferre. Nam ipfum non qualemcumque 1 fed im- 
 maniflimum pat[r]afie 2 peccatum plerique accufant 
 in tantum ut huic ejus enormi peccato Anglice 
 Jibertatis ruinam eftiment imputandam. Aflumpfifle 
 enim in vanum afleritur nomen Domini Dei fui 
 adeo ut perjurio illud polluere non timeret cujus 
 piaculi crimen prodigio mirabili divinitus quoque 
 aftruuntdenotari. Quercusenim proceritatis magne . 
 multeque olim pulchritudinis ficut hodie quoque 
 cernentibus demonftratur fub qua jurisjurandi 
 facramentum duci Normannorum preftitit: mox 
 ut illud regnum quod ei fervandum juraverat . 
 
 1 H.M. ; qualecumque, G. 
 
 2 Patafle, H. ; pat[r]affe, M.; patrafle, G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 51 
 
 ufurpando infregit : virore depofito defluentibus 
 foliis corticem quod dictu mirum eft repente exuifle 
 perhibetur. Res digna fpectaculo quod lignum 
 multis condenfifque frondibus pauloante fpeciofum 
 non fegnius quam hedera 1 ione 2 . quam oliva 
 alterius prophete radicitus exaruit albique fa<5H 
 funt rami ejus. Auget miraculum fubditi mar- 
 coris : perpetuitas invicti roboris arboris exficcate 
 quod frequenter cum plurimis et ipfi mirati fumus. 
 Quis enim non obftupefcat vafte magnitudinis 
 robor . ramufculis etiam minutis non imminutum 
 fed undique inconfractum ab imis radicibus ufque 
 ad fummitatem frondium omni velamento corticis 
 fpoliatum . tot jam feculis nee etate ceffifle . nee 
 carie tabuiffe . nee ventorum turbine impactum . 
 nee imbrium inundacione infufum . putruifTe . vel 
 faltem nutafle? Quo figno in anni circiter cen- 
 tefimi quadragefimi fpacium 3 cum arborem vidimus 
 jam porrecto . infandi fcelus perjurii vicinorum 
 loco Rothomagus jactuabat . celitus infamari. 
 Modico namque intervallo ab urbe ipfa diftat arbor 
 infaufta ameno imminens faltui qui ftrate non 
 multum abjacet a ponte Sequane ad Grandimon- 
 tenfes 4 eremitas 5 fefe protendenti. Omine tam 
 
 1 Jonah iv. 6, 7, 9, 10. 2 H.M.; lonae, G. 
 
 3 If this be taken to fignify that the author beheld the 
 withered tree after a lapfe of 140 years from the occurrence, 
 we arrive at a date certainly prior to A.D. 1 206, the feventh and 
 eighth regnal year of King John. 
 
 4 "Anno 1156 Henricus II. prioratum ordinis Grandimon- 
 tcnfis fundavit in Silva Roboreti, quern paulo poft in vivarium 
 fuum prope Rotomagum tranftulit ad finiftram fluminis Sequanae 
 ripam ; unde locus ille nomen fumfit beatae Marias de Vivario." 
 Gallia Chrijliana, xi. 47. c. 
 
 5 " La premiere vie des religieux de Grandmont, fut celle
 
 52 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 invifo Londonias primum fibi prefumpfifle fertur 
 Rothomagus fubjugandas. Nee alio magis aufpicio 
 tota fimul Neuftria egentis et avare domine com- 
 pendiis prodigas Anglorum opes ancillari pofTe: 
 docta eft non defperare. Hiis adicitur 1 ab illis qui 
 Haroldum jam vere victorem linguis adhuc in- 
 fectantur . illius poft modum ac poft mcxlicum 
 confecuta quam facilis tarn et crudelis dejeccio qua 
 ut inopinate regnum amifit. Sic infufpicabiliter 
 vitam vix confervando necem evafit. 
 
 des ermites, fi 1'on en croit 1'opinion commune, diffe'rente de 
 celle du pere Mabillon," etc. Richard et Giraud, Biblioth. 
 Safr., xii. 262. 
 1 H.M. ; adjicitur, G.
 
 Satis faccio quorumdam pro Haroldo qua eum de 
 ferjurio excufantes Domino favente et Sanfto con- 
 nivente Edwardo ipjum regnajfe affirmant et de 
 vi/ione abbatis Eljini qua vittorem Norwagicorum 
 ipfum fore prenunciavit Janttus Edwardus . x. 
 
 DIVERSO nonnulli ex fine ipfius . et 
 creberrime eciam antea interlucenti- 
 bus circa eum fuperni favoris indiciis 
 viri Deo dile&i faftum mecientes . 
 tarn jurisjurandi minus obfervati . quam regni 
 quoque rite fufcepti : nituntur inducere rationem . 
 Quod enim rem ut ex poftfacto inquiunt manifeftum f. 13 1>. 
 eft univerfe procul dubio genti fue exicialem il ob- 
 fervaretur juravit: tam fue voluntati adverfum 
 quam fuorum faluti contrarium fuit. Juravit Notade jura- 
 
 . ... ,. mento Haroldi. 
 
 tamen metu conitriccus qui in virum conftantem et 
 continue mori vel perpetuo incarcerari renuentem 
 non immerito caderet. Nee vero alius a tantis 
 anguftiis patebat exitus: in terra aliena in manu 
 poteftatis tante conclufo . fragilitati ergo mortal! 
 que vitam nifi in vita . vix exuit morem gerens et 
 confilio qualiumcunque in tali tempore prefencium 
 amicorum : exortum 1 preftitit juramentum in quo 
 1 H.M. ; extortum, G.
 
 54 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 et leges mundane et divini canones variis vite hujus 
 neceflitatibus condefcendifle . non ignorantur. De 
 jure extorquentis hujufmodi facramentum . alii ut 
 Jibuerit difputabunt. Licuit vero ut manifeftum 
 eft fie elicitum . fi tamen quod nemo diffitetur 
 eciam illicitum fuifTet : non implere juramentum. 
 Hac vero quia alias nequivit de medio fe tenentium 
 Haroldus exiit Normannorum. Qui fuis demum 
 redditus quid pertulerit . quid egerit : cunctis 
 palam exponit. Exponentem ut audit : univerfitas 
 in iram excandefcit . initam mediante facramento 
 paccionem improbat ne obfervetur . vehementer 
 reclamat. Abfit inquiunt abfit ut ferviamus Nor- 
 mannis! Abfit ut faftus Normanici jugo bar- 
 barico : nobilitatis Anglice urbana libertas nulla- 
 tenus fubfternatur ! Quid multa ? 
 
 Conclamant omnes, fedet hec fentencia cunftis. 
 
 Pofthabitoque juramenti quod nullum efie cre- 
 debatur periculo : Haroldus demum unanimi 
 omnium confilio fublimatur in regem. Quod 
 preter divinitatis nutum minime accidifle : celitus 
 poft in brevi fuerat declaratum . cum enim rex 
 Norwagenfis 1 clafle adveclus numerofa intrafTet 
 Angliam aggreflufque Eboracenfem provinciam 
 cede et incendiis obvia queque vaftaret illique rex 
 Npudeinfir- novus coacto exercitu fcftinaret occurrere tybie fu- 
 
 mitate tybie. . . , . -11 n 
 
 bito unms vehementimmo cepit dolore conftrmgi. 
 
 Qui ex fuo tali compede plus fubditorum difcrimini 
 
 L 14. quam fuo congemifcens dolori noctem pene totam 
 
 1 For account of this invafion and its refult, fee the Anglo- 
 Saxon Chronicle, ad annum 1066.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 55 
 
 fufpiriis et precibus agentes infompnem familiarem 
 fancte crucis 1 expecierat fubvencionem. In ipfa 
 vero node aftititit in vifione fervo Domini Elfino 2 
 abbati Ramefienfi fanctus et vigil propugnator 
 fuorum rex Edwardus predeceffor viri merentis et 
 afflicti exponens . abbati regis utrumque et corporis 
 fcilicet et cordis incommodum cogitaciones infuper 
 illius in cubili fuo ei manifeftans . mittenfque eum 
 et dicens ei. " Surgens vade et annunciabis regi 
 veftro ex me quia et prefentis fui doloris medelam 
 et imminentis belli me interveniente Deus ei con- 
 ceflit victoriam. Sit ei cogitacionum cordis fui 
 revelatio confequende incontinent! divinitus fignum 
 medicine fit et revelacionis infolite argumentum: 
 capefTende victorie prefagium indubitatum." Rex 
 itaque ut paucis utamur divinis curatur beneficiis 
 exhilaratur oraculis. Hoftes fidenter aggreflus 
 facile vincit . quia non . fuis fed illius viribus 
 fuperavit . qui fanat contritos corde et alligat 
 contritiones eorum . deiciens 3 gladio diligentium fe 
 hoftes fuorum. Colligitur ergo racione non im- 
 probabili fuadente . quia fanctiflimo predeceflbre 
 
 1 H.M. ; carcis, G. 
 
 2 This Abbot Elfmus is the Alfwynus or Aylwynus of Dugdale, 
 who places him from A.D. 1043-1079. The Anglo-Saxon 
 chronicle mentions him as ^Elfwine in A.D. 1046 or 1048. 
 He occurs in feveral charters in Kemble's Codex as Alwinus 
 (No. 809), ^Elfwinus (Nos. 853, 904, 919), ^Elfwine (No. 853), 
 ^Elfwin (No. 904), and ^Elfwyne (No. 904). The French 
 metrical poem printed by Rev. Mr. Luard among the " Mailer 
 of the Rolls Series" (No. 3), p. 143, fays : 
 
 " Une abe*s fu de Ramfeie, 
 Ki Alexe ont nun, de feinte vie, 
 E li aparut feint Aedward," etc. 
 
 3 H.M. ; dejiciens, G.
 
 56 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 fuo connivente Deo quam maxime 1 difponente 
 regnum fuerit aflecutus quod fan<5ti et patrocinio 
 munitus et oraculo premonitus divino aftipulante 
 fuffragio de hofte fuperbo tarn meruit triumph- 
 aliter liberare. 
 
 1 Thefe words repeated by error of the fcribe, and after- 
 wards their firft introdudlion into the text fcored through with 
 the pen.
 
 De crucefantta admirabilis quorumdam relacio . 
 que Regi Haroldo feftinanti ad prelium . caput per- 
 bibetur inclinajje et alia quedamjatis de ipja cruce 
 ftupenda certij/ime appro bat a 1 . . . xj. 
 
 |UI adhuc non folum hiis racionibus 
 et fignis defenfa eft legittima fceptri- 
 gere poteftatis adepcio . et ejufdem 
 favorabilis execucio comprobatur. 
 Novo enim et feculis omnibus inaudito Sal- 
 vatoris clemencia fuum dignata eft peculiarem 
 fervum figno iterum fublimius infignire quo unius 
 fimul tarn privilegiati titulo miraculi et fuum 
 erga devotum regem et favorem oftenderet et 
 amorem . et illius contra probra infamancium 
 perenniter defenfaret honorem. Res ubique prope 
 modum vulgata eft . oculifque ad hoc ufque 
 tempus fubjecta que accidit. Revertens fiquidem 
 a cede hoftium rex fortiffimus : et novis qui fuper- 
 venerant feftinus occurrens inimicis . dileclam fibi f - *4 b. 
 ecclefiam nulla patitur feftinacionis inftancia pre- . 
 terire. Divertit igitur devotus, ad ipfam ingreditur, 
 profternitur . et liquefadlis intimis 2 precordiorum 
 
 1 See MS. Harl. 3776, f. 54. "De eleccione et coronacione 
 et de inclinacione capitis Sanfte crucis." 
 H., internis, M.G.
 
 58 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 medullis : Crucem fanctam adorat . vota graciarum 
 pro optento 1 tropheo 2 exaggerat pro optinendo fi 
 placeat fumme majeftati : preces fuppliciter inge- 
 minat. Oracione poftremo completa: imminentis 
 belli eventu cuncta moderantis arbitrio fideli 
 devocione attencius delegate feipfum victoriofiflimo 
 figno commendans cum receflurus jam demiflb 
 vertice et prono corpore cruci facrofancte valefac- 
 turus de more inclinaret fe: inclinavit pariter 
 fe vultus ymaginis 3 crucifixe. Terruit nimirum et 
 exhilaravit quofdam aftancium mirabile . et favor- 
 abile opus Salvatoris. Quid enim favorabilius vel 
 cogitari potuit quam ut rex feculorum immortalis 
 invifibilis vifibiliter refalutare videretur regem 
 mortalium miferorum falutantem fe . et fibi 
 humiliter caput inclinanti caput fibi faxee ymaginis 
 quam dignanter tam et potenter inclinare ? 
 Quam nichilominus et terribile infirmitati humane 
 fuit tam infolita videre ut contra naturam faxum 
 flecleretur et quod fupra naturam eft Deus in 
 fua ymagine homini inclinare cerneretur! De 
 hoc vero quid dicemus quod ubi ars humana nee 
 tenuem valuit divine ymaginis perforare palmam . 
 ibi ymago ipfa flexiffe vifa eft cervicem corpu- 
 lentam? Sudat homo artifex et cruorem elicit: 
 foramen vero in manu Japideum efficit. 4 Orat 
 homo in brevi defiturus efle rex . et collum 
 lapideum quod manu hominis et fi aliquatenus 
 foraretur nullatenus tamen flecteretur . flectitur 
 
 1 H. ; obtenti, M. ; obftento, G. 
 * H.M. ; tropeo, G. 
 
 3 H.M. j imaginis, G. ; and fimilarly throughout in cafes of 
 this word. * H. ; [non] efficit, M.G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 59 
 
 repente nee frangitur . inclinatur fed a tocius inte- 
 gritate fubjecti corporis vel annex! capitis nee 
 tenuiflima rima mediante diflipatur. Nee in 
 fimplici tantum materia tale . et tantum effiilfit 
 miraculum. Nam quod lapis interius latens hec 
 et argentum exterius ambiens duplicate videlicet 
 prodigio pertulit pariter et oftendit. Ipfa nempe 
 illius ymago de quo fcriptum eft . Suxerunt 1 mel de 
 fetra oleumque de Jaxo durijfimo . materia quidem 
 petrina . immo et faxea eft . qualitate duriflima : 
 circa humeros collum et Jacertos fpifla . et ut ita 1 15. 
 dicatur corpulenta. 
 
 Hec revelacione divina in mentis cujufclam 
 vertice fub terra fuit reperta . nee fciri hactenus 
 potuit quomodo vel a quo fculpta fit vel ibidem 
 repofita et occultata. Perducta quoque eft celefti 
 regimine ad locum fepius nominatum . quo hec 
 contigifle perhibentur bobus nimirum carrum cui 
 impofita fuit ad transferendum earn per centum 
 viginti circiter miliaria 2 illuc directe pergentibus 
 nee aliorsum a cepto itinere declinari finentibus. 
 Ibi laminis argenteis veftita . et patibulo eminent! 
 annexa nee affixa fuit. Nee enim vel tantillum 
 artificii in fefe admifit humani . ut foramina quibus 
 clavi de more induci valuiflent : in ea ullatenus 
 homo facere potuiflet. Nee enim iftud intemp- 
 tatum 3 fuit . Verum palma dextere illius ferreo 
 vix inftrumento aliquantulum fuperficie tenus 
 terebrata molliciem habuiffe inventa eft . unde 
 emifit fanguinem . fed duriciem non amifit qua 
 
 1 Deut. xxxii. 1 3. 2 H.M. ; milliaria, G. 
 
 3 H.M. ; intentatum, G.
 
 60 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 repulit acutiflimam celtem vel tarincam. Preftitit 
 hoc ymaginis 1 fue dextere 2 Domini dextera . que 
 ut pfalmifta 3 . cecinit fecit virtutem . unde et 
 material! huic dextere que ibidem fubneditur 
 congrue adaptatur . ut ipfa tot fignis infignita tot 
 prodigiis fublimata . rebus pocius quam fermonibus 
 dicere intelligatur . Dextera* Domini exaltavit me 
 dextera Domini fecit virtutem. Hec vero omnia 
 nunc iccirco retulimus ut clarefceret audientibus 
 multiplicitas Dominice virtutis . quam in tali fecit 
 inclinacione fancti capitis facrofancte ymaginis . 
 ut enim prefati fumus tarn in argentea quam in 
 lapidea efrulfit materia Dominice dignacionis pariter 
 et virtutis opus hoc admirabile in oculis noftris 
 quod juxta cornu altaris . ubi hoc geftum eft 
 cotidie infpicimus. Nee enim vel lapis crepuit 
 vel lamina fcifTuram fenfit feu rugam contraxit . 
 cum a parte colli racione inclinacionis tante folito 
 amplius tenderetur . et e regione gutturis et 
 faucium non minori proporcione plicari cerneretur. 
 Nee vero parva fuit primarie difpoficionis immu- 
 tacio . ubi mentum ymaginis quod eminuifle olim 
 accepimus . nunc ad pectus ufque demiflum ei 
 velut infedifle ex premifla ut dictum eft inclinacione 
 videmus. 
 
 1 H.M. ; imaginis, G. 
 
 8 H.M. ; dextra, G. ; and fo always in cafes of this word. 
 
 3 Pfa., H. ; pura, M. ; pfalmifta, G. 
 
 4 Pfalm. cxvii. 16.
 
 Diverforutn 1 diverfa inter $r et acio Ju-per predittis 
 fignis cruets Je inclinantis et quercus arefafte : et f. 15 b. 
 quod Haroldusjeipjumjudicando judicium prevenerit 
 divinum et non formidet humanum . . xii. 
 
 |OC quoque tante pietatis opus quam 
 dulce et propicium tune prefentibus 
 vifum eft omen portendifle tarn in- 
 fauftum et crudele pofterorum non- 
 nulli pretendifle dixerunt. Triumphato namque 
 in brevi poft hec cum fuis rege eorum : {iibjec- 
 cionem Anglorum Jamentabilemque depreflionem 
 regni inclinacionem iftam prefignafle plurimi efti- 
 mabant. Ceterum quibus rei gefte ordinem . et 
 regis devoti erga crucem precedens pariterque 
 fubfequens meritum attendentibus . longe verifi- 
 milior meritoque benignior in opere tarn divino 
 occurrit interpretacio. Deus enim qui merita fup- 
 plicum femper excedit et vota . fupplices fuos 
 fupra quam petunt et intelligunt: exaudire jugi- 
 ter confuevit. Unde multociens 2 quos clemencius 
 exaudit ad falutem . durius exaudit ad voluntatem. 
 
 1 This chapter omitted, M., with the following note : 
 " Hoc capitulum omifimus ut longum et infulfum valde." 
 
 2 H. ; multoties, G.
 
 62 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 Nam ad voluntatem contra eorum falutem : fuos 
 exaudit folum inimicos. Nee eft necefie de qui- 
 bufcunque electis aut reprobis utriufque exaudi- 
 cionis exempla memorando : fermonem in longum 
 protrahere. Sufficit reproborum principem con- 
 fiderare fanctum virum Job ad temptandum petifle . 
 et femel et iterum accepifle . ficque ad dampnacionis 
 fue cumulum exauditum efle. Satis fit e diverfo 
 ipfum electorum omnium caput meminifle paflionis 
 imminente aculeo calicis tranflacionem petife nee 
 optinuiffe fue tamen voluntatis nutum evidencius 
 expreflifle fet patris beneplacito ipfam fubjecifle 
 immo et ipfam penitus abjeciffe. 1 Non inquit 
 mea voluntas fet tua fiat. Deus enim in tali 
 voluntate proprio filio non pepercit pro omnibus 
 nobis tradens ilium . ut cum de torrente in via 
 bibiflet propterea exaltaret caput : quod in cruce 
 quum bibifiet continue inclinavit. PremifTe tamen 
 confummacionis diccio : hoftis humani generis 
 denunciata deviccio fiiit. Qua denunciacione pro- 
 mulgata caput inclinavit in pace dormiens . poft 
 follicitudinis bellice longas vigilias . et poft fan- 
 guinei fudoris agonem . in pace in id ipfum fuavi- 
 ter requiefcens. Hec vero increduli : in contrarium 
 converterunt. Quando vero triumphum de ini- 
 micis confummavit . tune fe regem victorem Jivor 
 deviclus vicifTe credebat. Ipfe autem quid egiffet 
 non incertus, caput inviclum, et donee vinceret 
 femper ereclum in fompnum tarn plene fecurus 
 inclinavit. Patet jam quam peculiari figno fideli 
 adoratori fuo vicloriam meliorem quam ceteri 
 1 Immo . . . abjecifle, H. j omitted, G,
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 63 
 
 peterent aut intelligerent . caput inclinando rex 
 regi fe oftenderit conceflifTe. Ne enim prevaleret 
 erronea viclorum contra fui victorem exiftimacio: 
 et crederetur regnum amififle qui Judeorum rex 
 dicebatur efle acceflit prefidis litteris indita opi- 
 nionis temerarie improbacio . capiti jam inclinato : 
 titulo fuppofito. Erat enim fcriptum in eo: 
 Jefus 1 Nazarenus rex 'Judeorum. Permanfit enim 
 vere rex . cui plebs impia quia regnum invidit ut 
 ejus caput inclinaret : et ipfum occidit. At ille 
 pariter et caput inclinavit et fibi regni potenciam 
 vendicavit quam fe plenius accepirTe convefcens, 
 caput in tantum inclinatum fuper omnes celos 
 exaltavit. Nemo igitur exiftimet nomen regium 
 feu regiam regi cui 2 tale fignum preftitum eft a 
 rege regum omnium . dignitatem deperifle : vel 
 quia fibi in fua ymagine inclinari dignatus eft, vel 
 quia vifibiliter triumphare de hoftibus imminenti- 
 bus ab eodem eidem permifTum non eft. Si vero 
 et ad regnum cujus fibi temporalis adminiftracio 
 divinitus collata prius eft et pofterius ablata . pre- 
 fagium tarn infolite virtutis duxerit quis exten- 
 dendum Anglice felicitatis depreflionem necnon 
 et Jibertatis tarn laice quam ecclefiaftice non abnui- 
 mus confignificari infulanis extunc 3 fatis expertam 
 dejectionem. Verumptamen ex hoc fervi fui pre- 
 rogative crux fancta prejudicari non patitur . quia 
 et quiddam aliud id quod pro eo fpecialiter egit . 
 univerfaliter fignare concedit. Ipfius nempe gemi- 
 tibus pulfata et lacrimis . obfequiis infuper magni- 
 fice honorata: pro gratis officiis votiva ei non 
 
 1 John xix. 1 9. 2 Cui, H. ; omitted, G. 3 H. ; ex tune, G.
 
 64 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 autem invifa rependere . debuit vel pronunciare. 
 Set neque tranfitoria et caduca immo ftancia bona 
 et eterna piis preftat et promittit cultoribus eter- 
 nus . et invariabilis Deus pro fuis laboribus vel 
 obfequiis. Annuit ergo dedit et conceflit rex regi 
 quod peciit . et fi forte aliter et melius concedere 
 fcivit . et dare potuit utpote celeftis . terreno . 
 permanens in eternum : ad eterna tranfituro. Ab- 
 f. 16 b. ftulit autem umbratile regnum cui verum fervavit 
 et eternum ne foret illud tranfeunti ad iftud vel 
 Jeve impedimentum. Ne vero cogitaciones homi- 
 num timide quorum et incerte funt providencie 
 ob impendentis molem difcriminis cogitarent pium 
 Dominum adverfus devotum famulum cogitaciones 
 tantum cogitafle affliccionis . et non eciam pacis: 
 immanitatem futuri fcandali prevenire decrevit im- 
 menntatem premiffi miraculi . utque tandem hiis * 
 finem imponamus talibus clemencie fue indiciis . 
 dominus dominancium et inftantis glorie . et ex- 
 tantis gratie fue 2 manifeftacionem . preferre fervo 
 fuo dignatus eft et conferre. Hiis denique beneficiis 
 et in perfecucionis nubilo et in abjectionis Juto . 
 margaritam fuo inferendam diademati illuftrem ex- 
 hibuit et oftendit . fumma poteftas . infinita pietas 
 inaccefla fublimitas . fapiencie . clemencie 3 . et 
 magnificencie omnipotentis Dei Patris et Filii et 
 Spiritus Sancti folius et unius regis feculorum eterni. 
 Quod vero de quercu opponunt alii viderint ipfi 
 qui filveftres . et feras et arbores colunt . qui Jigna 
 infenfibilia . et bruta animalia hominibus nature fue 
 confortibus ad ymaginem Dei factis et quod hiis 
 
 1 H. ; piis, G. 2 Indiciis . . . gratie fue. 8 H. ; gratiz, G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 65 
 
 amplius eft Dei morte redemptis : preferre nee 
 metuunt nee erubefcunt. Viderint ne forte jurare 
 cogentis et fecuture ilJius pofteritatis pocius quam 
 juramentum exhibentis prefignaverit aufpicia : 
 arbor ipfa. Viderint et dijudicent utrum eis con- 
 gruat per quos fan6litatis pariter et libertatis viror 
 et vigor emarcuit et evanuit antique in Anglia 
 ecclefie quod ubi regni fui primordia pulfare 
 ceperunt lignum viride et frondofum fubito 
 exaruit . decorem repente exuit 1 . et confufibilem 
 tenuit nuditatem. In hunc modum fecundum ea 
 que accidifie dicuntur pro rege noftro beato 
 Haroldo vel contra ipfum aliis fie aliis vero fie 
 fencientibus, nos que parcium fuerunt tetigifTe 
 fufficiat diffinitivum calculum lectoris feu potius 
 cuncta fcientis Dei : examini concedentes. Quan- 
 tum vero noftrarum intererat virium per hec que 
 non fuperflue ut eftimamus commemorata funt 
 lapides fcandalorum de via tolJere . et planum 
 iter facere didtante ut confidimus ipfa rerum veri- 
 tate 2 conati fumus. Supereft jam ut redeunti et 
 de via longiflima venienti ad nos regi noftro et 
 patrono celeriter occurramus et repatrianti in An- 
 glorum primum . deinde in Angelorum patriam 
 devoto fidelis ftili minifterio pro viribus obfe- f. I7 . 
 quamur. Ipfe vero non modo humanum fet et 
 divinum jam accufando et judicando fe . fie ftuduit 
 judicium prevenire ut fit ei pro minimo ab hiis 
 judicari . qui in partem utramlibet odio propen- 
 fiores aut favore: juxta humanum diem judicant . 
 crebrius erronie rarius vere. 
 
 1 exuut, H. ; cxuit, G. 2 H. ; verum reritate, G. 
 
 F
 
 Quod multis in peregrinatione annis exaftis ad 
 Angliam ob exercitandam pacienciam et benignitatem 
 Haroldus rediens Chriftianum fe vocitari fecerit 
 decenniumque in rupe quadam expleverit 1 Jolitarie 
 vivens ; et in hujus temporis Antichriftos compen- 
 dioja inveccio . .- , . ^ . . . x iij. 
 
 XACTIS igitur in fandlo religiofe pere- 
 grinacionis fudore quampluribus annis 
 alium converfacionis modum corpori 
 jam laboris diuturnitate etateque 
 confedto de cetero cenfuit imponendum. Didi- 
 cerat quidem innumeras fanftorum quos adierat 
 virtutes et vitas fandliflimas . decrevitque jam 
 greflum figere . circuitionibus finem dare valefa- 
 cere ex integro Marthe . cum Maria federe. 
 Meditacionibus eorum que vifu vel auditu perce- 
 perat ex dictis bonorum et geftis animum fpiritu- 
 aliter ruminando quo liberius faginare 2 quatinus 
 cum pfalmifta re et veritate cantare potuiffet . Sicufi 
 adipe et pinguedine repleatur a[nima] m[ea] et 
 la\biis\ ex\ultantibus\ lau\dat] os meum* Gufta- 
 verat ac tenuit et ipfe turn in fe turn et in dulci ac 
 
 1 H.M. ; explevit, G. 2 H.M. ; saginaret, G. 
 
 3 Pfalm Ixii. 6. 4 H.M. ; maum, G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 67 
 
 fuavi juftorum fanctitate . quam dulcis et fuavis 
 eft fanctorum Sanctus ; factuque ducit optimum in 
 reliquum vacare plenius . ut videat perfeccius . 
 fciat felicius quia Dominus ipfe eft Deus. Verum 
 ne corporalis vacacio ut eft familiare incautis 
 animo inferret feriato ignaviam aut torporem . in 
 ilia potiflimum vacare terra et quiefcere preelegit 
 ex cujus incolatu patiencie et benignitatis majus 
 exercitium majufque argumentum : habiturum fe 
 exhibiturumque previdit. Sciebat perfeccionis 
 culmen cujus pectore jam dilatato gerebat amplitu- 
 dinem . in eo quam maxime eminere quod films 
 unigenitus fummi patris fratribus adoptivis indicere 
 dignatus eft et docere . Orate 1 . inquiens . pro 
 calumniantibus et perfequentibus vos . benefacite 
 hits qui oderunt vos . ut fitis filii patris veftri qui 
 in celis eft qui facit Jolem Juum oriri fuper bonos 
 et malos . et pluit fuper juftos et injuftos. 
 Afpirans igitur precordiali affectu ad vere hujus f. 17 b. 
 perfeccionis meritum et premium ad quam pocius 
 tendere vel in qua manere terra quam ad illam et 
 in ilia debuiflet que tot fui perfecutores : quot 
 illius pofleflbres . quot in ilia potentes tot fe 
 odientes . tot ferme fe calumpniantes quot fibi vel 
 de fe Joquentes continet. Nee vero temere jam: 
 tarn forti fe credit certamini committit difcrimini. 
 Non enim ignorat interni fui robur inhabitatoris 
 quern inhabitabat . et a quo inhabitabatur nee veta- 
 batur 2 cum apoftolo dicere: An* experimentum 
 queritis ejus qui in me loquitur Chriftus ? 
 
 1 Matt. v. 44, 45. 2 H.M. ; verebatur, G. 
 
 3 ^ Cor. xiii. 3.
 
 68 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 Tanti hofpitis jconfciencia fisus Chriftianum fe 
 voluit nominari . ut ei unione jam fpiritus con- 
 junctus 1 communione uniretur etiam vocabuli: quern 
 fe inhabitantem in fe loqui : in fe noverat et operari 
 in fe et pati. Nam et illud corde fibi . opere vero 
 etiam nobis cum Paulo loquebatur : Omniu^ poffum 
 in eo qui me confortat. Nori fie impii . non fie quos 
 hoftis verfipellis hoftisdejiciens et dejectus . fie armat 
 ut perimat fie roborat ut enervet. Docet enim vos 
 ponere carnem brachium veftrum ut recedat a Deo 
 cor veftrum ut fitis ficut myrice florentes et fteriles . 
 habitetifque nunc in terra falfuginis que fuis 
 fructum cultoribus non producit poft in terra 
 inhabitabili : que fuis incolis requiem non concedit. 
 In hac enim terra : folum fempiternus horror inha- 
 bitat. Quis enim habitabit cum igne devorante 
 aut quis habitabit cum ardoribus fempiternis? 
 Quibus tamen 3 poftremis verbis propheticis abfque 
 abufione abutimur . ignium non nefcientes diverfi- 
 tatem . quorum ifte peccatores fine confumpcione 
 confumit . ille peccata confumendo . peccatores 
 juftificans illuminat pariter et accendit. Quid 
 autem nobis eft de .hiis qui foris funt loqui vel 
 judicare . qui ecclefiam immo ecclefias exterius 
 quidem rapiunt et diripiunt . fet intus nee intrant 
 nee inhabitant vineam quidem Domini Saboth 4 . 
 pro pofTe fuo vindemiantes et fuccidentes . fet ab 
 ejus cultore jam ipfi precifi . et nifi refipifcant . in 
 ignem eternum in puncto mittendi ? Verum 5 quia 
 
 1 H.M. ; cunjunftus, G. a Philip, iv. 13. 
 
 3 H.M.; tame, G. H.; Sabaoth, M.G. 
 
 5 H. ; Utrum, M.G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 69 
 
 Antichrifti facti funt ifti ad 1 noftrum pocius 
 redeuntes Chriftianum hos fibi relinquamus et fuo 
 igni. Nam et nunc tefte propheta ignis adverfarios 
 devorat . et juxta vitis vere fentenciam: palmesf. is. 
 poft mittendus 2 in ignem jam ardet. Chriftianus 
 vero nofter novus et vetus . novus : nomine vetus 
 profeffione 3 . Chrifto fe inhabitante fecurus jam 
 mundi victor et illius qui in mundo eft principis 
 debellator novo marte nova preliandi arte fuos 
 aggreditur vincere victores. Contulerat ei fuus 
 rex cui fpe recuperandi regni amifli jam diu mili- 
 taverat . ignem caritatis . quo flatu Sandli Spiritus 
 eftuante . vi6tricium fibi armorum copiam tribula- 
 cionum mallei fuper incudem pacienciefabricaverant. 
 Hiis pro amiflb quidem regno fet celefti non 
 terreno . certare didicerat invictiflime fciens quia 
 ficut nullo fine ita nee ullo hofte cum illud obtinu- 
 ifTet poflet amittere. Appulfus igitur demum in 
 regnum quondam fuum periculofe quidem habitum 
 fet fructuofe amifTum . armis quibus erat munitus 
 pro regno incomparabiliter meliore viriliter pug- 
 naturus . caftrum ingreditur fuis copiis fatis aptum. 
 In quadam namque rupe fecus Dovram fefe re- 
 cipiens . collegit primum fe in fe ; deinde con- 
 fcendens a fe fuper fe cernebat terram a longe 
 cujus interdum regem quoque oculi fui videbant 
 in fuo decore in qua 4 et cum quo etiam ipfe certa 
 fpe prefumebat regnare. Hie juxta decalogi 
 fummam decennium in vite folitarie tyrocinio miles 
 jam emeritus complens . vitalia legis divine pre- 
 
 1 H. ; ifti? Ad, M.G. * H. ; poftmittendus, M.G. 
 
 3 H.M.; prefeffione, G. * H.; quo, M.G.
 
 JQ Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 cepta divinius ipfe vivendo certabat pocius excedere 
 quam implere. Noverat enim id quidem virtutis . 
 hoc efTe fanclitatis . inchoacionis illud: iftud per- 
 feccionis. Ulud quoque necefTarium hoc cenfebat 
 gloriofum. Hie denique confilium illic imperium 
 attendebat . hominum pariter falutem et gloriam: 
 zelantis et procurantis Dei. Non vero multum a 
 loco ubi regnum terrenum pene moriendo pridem 
 ipfe amiferat. Hie locus aberat ubi vitam fie 
 inftituendo degebat . regnoque celorum vim 
 faciendo illud rapiebat. Hie ergo paciencia hie et 
 clemencia viri vires fuas exercebant et perdebant . 
 ubi et preteritus fuus fuorumque lapfus . prefenfque 
 hoftium faftus . memorie necnon . et afpectui fuo 
 quo frequencius ingerebatur . eo benignius ad 
 retribuenda retribuentibus fibi non mala fet pie 
 interceflionis ampla beneficia incitabatur.
 
 Quodinconfinio Wallenfiumpoflmodum Haroldus f- 
 pluribus in locis tern-pore multo degens patient er 
 eorum frequencius tulerit ajfultus . faciem velans 
 panno et nomen nomine alio ne aliquatenus agnojce- 
 retur . et quod tandem ad ejus venerationem converfa 
 eft immanitas perfecutorum . . . xiiij. 
 
 (ECOLENS vero quia et Ualenfibus 
 licet ob juftam ut tune temporis 
 videbatur gentis fue defenfionem 
 extitifTet quandoque infeftus . eupit 
 jam Chriftianus perferre cum Paulo . quod 
 egerat quondam Haroldus cum Saulo. Pertendit 
 igitur Cancie valefaciens ufque in partes Wallie 
 multoque ibi diverfis in locis moratus tempor'e : 
 manebat cum illis et orabat pro illis quern illi non 
 fe jam oppugnantem . fed pro fe pugnantem inde- 
 finenter impugnabant gratis. Accefmrus vero ut 
 premifTum eft in terram fibi ante cognitam ne 
 quavis occafione a quolibet agnitus . virtutis 
 meritum precio vanitatis dum laus oblata jure in 
 eo Jaudanda profequitur venditaret faciem fuam et 
 nomen proprium omnibus abfcondebat . proceflurus 
 in publicum : velamen panniculi jugiter vultui 
 pretendebat. Nomen requifitus: Chriftianum fe
 
 72 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 dici aiebat. Qui enim nominis appellacione uni- 
 verfis cicatricum vero fuarum infpeccione quibufdam 
 innotuerat: vultum fimul 1 et vocabulum occultabat. 
 Timebat namque ne forte his indiciis proderetur. 
 Metuebat fiquidem ne vel a fuis fi qui forte 
 fuperefle potuifient vel ab aJienis quoque fi 
 agnofceretur ? plaufibus exciperetur feu priftine 
 dignitatis et moderne humilitatis intuitu . feu etiam 
 domeftice neceflitudinis aut familiaritatis obtentu. 
 Nee enim timendum erat ne talem etatem feu con- 
 verfacionem agens talem: ab hoftibus fi proderetur 
 hoftiliter traclaretur . et durius quam fe ipfe con- 
 ftruxerat 2 : per ipfos ardaretur. Non erat incertum 
 tamen quia fi eorum notitie exponeretur moleftius 
 utique quam eculeis 3 et carceribus laudibus ipforum 
 et preconiis premeretur. Quis enim tarn humilem 
 et mitem . tam benignum et leuem 4 tarn mundi 
 rebus inanem . mundique amatoribus fponte de- 
 fpicabilem videns . prefertim fi quante olim 
 exceliencie quanteque affiuencie nee non et 
 potencie fuiiTet minime Jateret . quicquid pofTet 
 venerationis et honoris non ei devotiffime ex- 
 I9 hiberet ? De ejus namque parfimonia et paciencia 
 illud in eo mirabile commendatur quod non tam 
 ad injurias pacienciam quam benificenciam repen- 
 4ebat et cariosum jam corpusculum refocillabat 
 pocius quam reficiebat tenuiffimis alimentis. De 
 quo et hoc a quodam religiofo admodum Chrifti 
 fervo accepimus . quia fi quando vel exilem pifci- 
 
 1 H.M. ; fimal, G. 2 H.M. ; conftrixcrat, G. 
 
 8 H.M. ; aculcis, G. * H.j kncm, M.G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 73 
 
 culum edebat . nunquam infumpto 1 uno latere 
 latus reliquum attingebat . aut regirabat . fed vel 
 miniftro vel egeno fi affuiflet : intadum porrigebat. 
 Ejus nimirum vir fan<5tus intencione rigidiflima 
 complexus exemplum cujus fibi nominis vendicarat 
 participium : maluit temporaliter cum Chrifto . et 
 pro Chrifto jam a Chrifto di<5tus Chriftianus 
 defpici et affligi : quam mundi favoribus et 
 oble<5tamentis demulceri . unde et ifeipfum fevicie 
 Wallenfmm ultro duxerat exponendum ponens fibi 
 ante mentis oculos pafchalem Agnum qui fponte 
 feipfum optulit 2 impiis facerdotibus pro nobis 
 immolandum. 
 
 Sicut enim 3 Chriftus ambulavit Chriftianus 
 cupiens ambulare Agnum quern forte fequi non 
 poterat per illibatam carnis mundiciam fequi 
 feftinabat quocumque iret turn per mundi cordis 
 puritatem . turn per affli&i corporis paflionem. 
 Paciendi namque fervens amore quafi parum 
 reputans quicquid ipfe fibi carnifex afperitatis 
 intulifiet corpori et inedie effere gentis Jibenter 
 adivit contubernium . a qua etfi quominus crucifi- 
 gendum variis tamen modis fe noverat affligendum. 
 Nee fecus quam fperabat et optabat: ab infidis 
 ferinifque homunculis pertulit . verberibus namque 
 feviflimis a latrunculis eorum fepius vehementer 
 attritus quibus etiam poffent dampnis 2 afficiebatur. 
 
 1 H.M. ; confumrto, G. 2 H.M. ; obtulit, G. 
 
 3 The ufe of the ancient diacritical mark of abbreviation for 
 this word (.tt.) goes far to (hew that the fcribe of this MS. was 
 here copying from an original document, quite as old, in point of 
 date, as the aftual fafts which it propofes to narrate. 
 
 * H.M.; damnis, G.
 
 74 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 Fraudabant eum viatico . vefte fpolibant utque 
 peccunias 1 quas non habebat exhiberet nimiis et 
 exquifitis eum cruciatibus et injuriis contorquebant . 
 faciebant talia homines beftiales . quibus apte fatis 
 congruit quod de Longobardis fanctus Gregorius 
 ait ; " Quorum," inquid, 2 " funt zinzungie 3 pene 
 et gratie fpate." Perferebat vero homo Dei 
 univerfa mente placita 4 . hylari vultu . ore dulci- 
 loquo . manu munifica ; nee quievit pietas hujuf- 
 cemodi cum impietate conflictus . quoufque illius 
 malum in hujus bono deviclum . verecundiam 
 vicle imprimeret . victrici gratiam cumularet et 
 gloriam. Pafcebat etenim ac potabat ut vox 
 f. 19 b. monet apoftolica inimicos . mulcebat predones 
 beneficiis . mitigabat tortores : miraculo inaudite 
 lenitatis. Congerebat perinde de camino multe 
 caritatis carbones ignis fuper capita eorum . unde 
 mol[l]ita eorum duricia medullitusdemumliquefacla 
 colere cepit . et honorare quern folebat illudere et 
 flagellare. Infiftit manus obfequiis . que feviebat 
 plagis. Ingeminat laudes afTueta lingua contu- 
 meliis. Virtus enim inexperte bonitatis more 
 aromatum quo durius traclabatur forcius redolebat . 
 laciufque diffufa : multis per girum odor vite in 
 
 1 H.M. ; pecunias, G. 2 H.M. ; inquit, G. 
 
 3 H.M.; fuzugiae, G. The reference is to S. Gregorii 
 Magni Epiftolarum, lib. i. xxxi. (Migne, vol. Ixxvii., fol. 484.) 
 " quia ficut peccata mea increbantur, non Romanorum, fed 
 Langobardorum epifcopus fadlus fum, quorum fynthiciae fpathae 
 funt, et gratia pcena." The annotator writes, " Sjntbici* funt 
 pafta, conventiones, a Graeco evvOr)x.r). Spatba, gladius ; unde 
 
 fpatbarius; . . . Senfus igitur eft; Langobardorum pafta, con- 
 traftus, id eft, jura omnia quac apud Romanes conftant ex 
 padlis ct contraftibus, verfantur in vi et ferro." 
 
 4 H.M. ; placida, G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 75 
 
 vitam fiebat. Pellebat namque et fugabat fpiramen 
 diabolicum nebulofi furoris : a precordiis brutorum 
 licet hominum illapfa fenfibus eorum fragrancia 
 fuavis fandle illius opinionis. Putares jam 
 plerofque ex hiis: illud ei de canticis affectibus pocius 
 quam vocibus concrepare . In 1 odore unguent or um 
 tuorum currimus anime Jiquidem noftre dilexerunt te. 
 
 \ " Oleum affufum nomen tuum ; ideo adolefcentulae di- 
 lexerunt te. Trahe me : poft te curremus in odorem unguen- 
 torum tuorum." Cant. Cantt., 1.1,2.
 
 Quod vir Domini Haroldus fugit obfequios quos 
 adierat et diu Juftinuerat perfequentes et quod voce 
 de celo lap/a defignatus fit ei locus paufacionis Jue . 
 et quodfemiplenis verborum indiciis .Jcifcitantibus 
 innuerit Je fuijje Haroldum et quod fcripto fuccef- 
 foris Jui plenius oftendetur infer ius : kujus rei cer- 
 titudo xv. 
 
 T vir Domini humilitatis profunde cultor 
 amator quietis cuftos follicitus utriu- 
 que . ne alterutrius boni faltem exi- 
 guum admitteret detrimentum : quos 
 perfecuturos cenfuerat expetendos . inclinatos jam 
 ad obfequia decernit fugiendos. Cedebat in eo 
 jam corporei roboris virtus laboribus quidem cedere 
 nefcia . fed annis infracta. Crederes olim roborari 
 pocius quam infirmari genua ejus a jejunio . clunes 
 et pedes meando agilitatem fumere fatigacionem 
 vix fentire. At jam decrepito experiri erat : quia 
 
 " Omnia J fert etas." 
 
 Fufa igitur fupplici oracione ad Dominum : 
 locum previderi divinitus fibique jamjam de- 
 ficienti jam pre fue folius fuaviflime defiderio 
 
 ^ Stat. Tbeb.y iii. 562.
 
 Vita Haroldl Regis. 77 
 
 vifionis precordiali fpiritu languenti folita poftulat 
 benignitate concedi : in quo vite reliquum 
 fub filentio optate quietis tranfigeret . et felici 
 demum exceflu terminaret. Senciens autem per 
 fpiritum benignum Dominum pauperis fui pium 
 exaudifTe defiderium imponi fe fecit vili ju- f. 20. 
 mento . folitoque contentus miniftro . iter quo 
 ilium Dominus deftinare dignaretur aggreditur . 
 pedibus iccirco fubvedhis alienis : quia virtus jam 
 aberat fuis. Recedens igitur fcienter nefcius . et 
 fapienter indoctus ductu comitatus angelico . Cef- 
 trenfem demum pervenit ad urbem . Ubi mox 
 die inclinato ad vefperam . mediam ingrefTus 
 civitatem : cum manfionis locum miniftrum in- 
 quirere precepifTet: vox repente hujufcemodi auri- 
 bus eorum illabitur . "Vade," inquid, 1 " vir bone 
 ad ecclefiam fancti Johannis paratam ibi accipies 
 manfionem." Attonitus ad audita minifter oculo 
 undique circumfpectans curiofo . edite vocis in- 
 quire prolatorem : fed non comparuit. Nimirum 
 angelum Domini bonum qui itinera fua fecum 
 comitatus bene femper difpofuiflet ilium fecifle 2 
 qui de parata fibi manfione . hec denunciaflet viro 
 Dei non fuit incertum. Ipfe vero more fuo panno 
 ante oculos pendente . et totam pene faciem 
 operiente . afpectum fibi velaverat ne videlicet 
 occurrentibus ob notabilem cicatricum fuarum ob- 
 duccionem ftupori effet . vel fi agnofceretur eciam 
 veneracioni . vel ne ad mentis abdita . fenfibus un- 
 decunque occurrenti pateret aditus vanitati. De- 
 iignant mox digito qui circumftabant ecclefiam 
 1 H.M. ; inquit, G. H.M. ; fuifle, G.
 
 78 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 celefti oraculo fibi defignatam: accedit . et gratu- 
 lanter accipitur . hofpes celitus deftinatus. Mi- 
 graverat fane ab hac luce de recent! venerabilis 
 anachorita ejufdem loci cafulam fuam divinitus 
 provifo cedens fandliflimo fucceflbri. Sufcepit vero 
 letabunda et gaudens . licet quifnam eflet . cercius 
 non agnofcens regem fuum filia Syon ecclefia vide- 
 licet memorata fedentem ignobile quidem fubjugale . 
 fanctum tamen et fibi venientem in omnibus falu- 
 tarem. Ibidem quoque manens a vifitantibus fe . 
 et que edificacionis erant ab eo reportantibus . fre- 
 quenter requifitus an bello ubi rex Haroldus occu- 
 buiffe ferebatur interfuiflet : refpondebat . " Interfui 
 plane." Sufpicantibus vero nonnullis ne forte ipfe 
 efTet Haroldus : et curiofius quoat 1 licuit inde fcifci- 
 tantibus aliquociens 2 ita de fe loquebatur . "Quando 
 apud Haftingas dimicatum eft : nullus Haroldo me 
 carior habebatur." Hujufmodi ut ita dicatur femi- 
 f. 20 b. verbiis ancipitem de fe nulli opinionem firmabat 
 pocius in fuis conjecturis quam in veritatis certi- 
 tudine 3 confirmabat. Quemadmodum vero rei 
 hujus evidencia univerfis demum palam innotuerit 
 non noftri fed viri venerabilis quern in ejufdem 
 anachorefeos inhabitacione habuit fuccefTorem . 
 verbis inferius exprimetur. 
 
 1 H.M. ; quoad, G. 2 H.M. ; aliquoties, G. 
 
 8 H. ; certitudincm, M.G.
 
 Monetur leftor nefpernat leccionem quamjentit 
 a nonnullorum opinionibus difcrepare . et de triplici 
 occafione contraria exiftimancium Juper materia pre- 
 fenti et de Willelmi Meldunenfis circa Haroldi fata 
 errore trlformi ..... xvj. 
 
 INTERIM vero ledori noftro humiliter 
 fuggerendum exiftimo ne ifta uteque 1 
 a noftra 2 pravitate digefta ducat 
 fpernenda . quia aliter atque aliter 
 plerofque forfan meminit de hac ipfa . et dixifTe et 
 fcripfifle materia. Manifeftum enim eft quia non 
 folum plebei relatores immo et illuftriflimi rethores 3 
 non modo diverfa fed penitus contraria fenferunt . 
 et fcripferunt fuper hiis que facta feu fata Haroldi 
 contingunt. Convincitur autem turn evident! 
 racione turn et auctoritate non pofle efle verum 
 altrinfecus: quod diflbnat. Hoc ipfa quidem 
 veritate dictante : fanctus dixit leronymus. 4 In 
 fentenciarum vero quas hie ventilamus racione 
 triplex poterit a bene confiderantibus affignari con- 
 trarietatis feu quod eciam inficiari nullus debet 
 falfitatis occafio. In primis equidem perfpicuum 
 
 1 H.M. ; utique, G. 2 H.M. ; nofta parvitate, G. 
 
 3 H.M. ; rhetorcs, G. 4 H.M. ; Hieronymus, G.
 
 80 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 eft quia in multis rei veritas univerfos pene diucius 
 latuit. Hinc odium perfone . feu favor benevolis : 
 commentandi bona malevolis : fimiliter mala de 
 incertis configendi : liberam videbatur ceflifle 
 facultatem. Hiis facundiflimus aftipulatur in 
 cronicis fuis Meldunenfis Willelmus 1 promittitque 
 fe medium inter obtrec"lancium . necnon et com- 
 mendancium partes inceflurum. Crediderim pro- 
 culdubio ipfum pro viribus veris inftitifle nee 
 juftis preconiis . nee vituperiis . debitis negociorum 
 merita ultro defraudafle. Verum quia audita non 
 eciam vifa fcribebat hyftoriarum Jege audloris 
 veritas tuta eft ubi veritas quoque ipfa geftorum : 
 naufragatur. Alias : nee ipfi beatiffimi Evange- 
 liorum fcriptores periculum falfitatis efFugerant. 
 Sic Salvatoris pater dicitur Jofeph . fie difcipulorum 
 quidam fratres ejus peculiarius ceteris nominantur . 
 non quod verus fed quod putativus eos pater filios 
 habuerit non quidem naturales fed pocius adoptivos. 
 f - 2I - Secutus igitur opinionem et vero minus afluetus et 
 ifte quod vero jam patet fuifTe oppofitum : hiftorie 
 fue quamlibet veritati pro viribus innixe agnofcitur 
 indidifle. Ceterum in aliis que de meritis Haroldi 
 vel moribus prout animus tulit aut fama fuggeflit 
 aureo nunc vero piceo commentatus eft ftilo 
 venalius forte exorbitaverit a tramite veri in ipfum 
 vero Chriftum Domini trunculencius deliquit. Tres 
 enim lanceas in ipfum violentus intorfit . quibus 
 non tarn illius perfonam quam ipfam contigit 
 
 1 The hiftorian William of Malmefbury. The paflages alluded 
 to are in his Gejia Regum, ed. Hardy, Englifli Hiftorical 
 Society, 2 vols., 8vo, pp. 339, 383-385, 408-420.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 81 
 
 impeti veritatem. Dixit eum ictu fagitte: capita 
 vulnerato oppetifTe J . dixit militem qui regi mortuo 
 femur inciderat ducis cenfura victoris : ab exercitu 
 pulfum. 2 Retulit a matre funus regium oblata 
 pecunia a triumphatore Willelmo poftulatum . fed 
 receptum abfque pecunia: apud Waltham tumu- 
 latum. 3 Sic in femur . fie in caput fie in omne 
 hominis corpus lingua licencius debachatur 4 ora- 
 toris clanculo fcriptitantis . quam militis armata 
 manus in propatuJo dimicantis. Verum tam a 
 fagitta oris iftorum quam et a framea manus illorum 
 liberavit Dominus pauperem et inopem quern et 
 rethoribus 5 et regibus multis probavit in pluribus 
 pociorem. 6 Non quidem de omnibus dico dabit 
 Dominus fimpliciter gradient! intelligere que fcribo . 
 fentire que fencio. Temperancius vero fcripfit hujus 
 
 1 "jaftu fagittae violato cerebro procubuit." (W. Malm., 
 Gejia Regum, p. 416) ; "arainus lethali arundine iflus mortem 
 implevit " (ibid.} 
 
 2 "Jacentis femur unus militum gladio profcidit ; unde a 
 Willelmo ignominis notatus, quod rem ignavam et pudendam 
 feciflet, militia pulfus eft " (ibid.) 
 
 3 " Corpus Haroldi matri repetenti fine pretio mifit, licet 
 ilia multum per legates obtulifiet : acceptum itaque apud 
 Waltham fepelivit, quam ipfe ecclefiam, ex proprio conftructam 
 in honore fanfte Crucis, canonicis impleverat." (W. Malm., 
 Gefta Regum, p. 420.) To which Hardy adds in a note : 
 "There feems to have been a fabulous ftory current during 
 the twelfth, century that Harold efcaped from the battle of 
 Haftings. Giraldus Cambrenfis aflerts that it was believed 
 Harold had fled from the battlefield, pierced with many 
 wounds, and with the lofs of his left eye, and that he ended his 
 days pioufly at Chefter. Both Knighton and Brompton quote 
 this ftory. W. Piftavienfis fays that William refufcd the body 
 to his mother, who offered its weight in gold for it, ordering it 
 to be buried on the fea coaft. 
 
 4 H.M. ; debacchatur, G. 5 H.M. ; rhetoribus, G. 
 6 pocior 5, H. ; pocior eft, M. ; potiorem efle, G. 
 
 G
 
 82 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 ipfius fcriptoris contemporaneus venerabilis ad- 
 modum abbas Edelredus 1 fuper hec in vita fan<5ti 
 predeceflbris ejus regis Eadwardi. 2 Dicit quidem 
 aut occubuifle Haroldum in prelio aut penitencie 
 refervatum : non fine vulneribus evafifle. 
 
 1 H.M.; Ethelredus, G. This refers to Ailred, Abbot of 
 Rievaulx, whofe work " De Vita et Miraculis Edwardi Con- 
 feflbris " is printed by Twyfden in the Decem Scriptores, cols. 
 369-414. The fpecial chapter " De Victoria Regis Haroldi per 
 beati Regis merita " is given in cols. 404, 405. 
 
 2 H.M. ; Edwardi, G.
 
 Quid accidit IValthammenfibus circa patronifui 
 fepulturam piefollicitisfedmulieris cujufdam errors 
 delufis ....... 
 
 [ON mediocriter tamen id domini 
 Willelmi aut attenuat in tali errore 
 offenfam: quodapudWalthamgeftum 
 longe lateque percrebuit. Revera 
 enim ipfos quoque peculiares ae domefticos regis 
 Walthamenfes canonicos infandus hie rumor pre- 
 occupaverat. In bello fiquidem Haftingenfi regem 
 occubuifle ora pene omnium loquebantur. Debite 
 igitur patrono fuo liberaliflimo devocionis clerici 
 non immemores fepedicti . quandam fagacis animi f - 2I - 
 feminam nomine Editham in partes illas ubi 
 dimicatum fuerat quantocius miferunt quatinus vel 
 extincti membra domini fui ad fe deferret in fua re- 
 verentiflime bafilica fepelienda. Videbatur enim 1 
 ad hoc attemptandum 2 . quo imbecillior et in- 
 favorabilior hie fexus qui et ipfis cruentis licloribus 
 minimum fufpedlus . plurimum vero miferendus 
 cenferetur. Hec autem pre ceteris femina com- 
 
 1 H.M. ; enim aptior, G 2 H.M. ; attentandum, G.
 
 84 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 modius videbatur ad hoc deftinanda 1 que inter 
 milia 2 mortuorum illiusquem inquirebat eo quoque 
 facilius decerneret eoque benivolencius tractaret 
 exuvias . quo eum arctius amaverat et plenius 
 noverat utpote 3 quam thai ami ipfius fecretis liberius 
 interfuifle conftaret. Ad locum vero fedis infaufte 
 cum accederet : percepit a multis id nimirum 
 jactabunde difleminantibus circumquaque Nor- 
 mannis regem Anglorum ignominiofe vidhim cruce 
 femifradlo fuper faciem campi cum interfedtis jacere 
 peremptum. 
 
 Viderit lector quid verius probet. Alii etenim 
 eos qui feminecem fuitulerant regem . hunc quoque 
 rumorem fparfiffe exiftimabant in populo . fuo 
 pariter et illius periculo in hoc profpicientes . 
 quibus indubitato foret exicio . fi ilium vivere : 
 hoftis audiret. Inter hec mulieris errorem non 
 mirandum . que defecti . cruentati . jam denigrati . 
 jam fetentis corporis fpeciem minus difcernere 
 valens : pro eftimacione publica truncatum cadaver 
 cum aliud non inveniret quod cercius agnofceret 
 regis proprium : rapuit et fecum attulit alienum. 
 Quod a canonicis reverenter exceptum : indifcufla 
 rei veritate honefte in ecclefia Sancle Crucis fepul- 
 ture eff traditum. 
 
 1 H.M.; dcftituanda, G. 2 H.M.; millia, G. 
 
 3 H.M. ; utquc, G.
 
 Quid f rater Haroldi Gurta nomine abbati 
 Waltero vel aliis refponderit Ju-per fratris Jui 
 requifitus cimribus vel fepultura . . xviij, 
 
 N diebus vero regis Henrici fecundi 
 vifus eft tarn ab ipfo rege quam a 
 magnatibus terre . et populo Gurta 
 frater Haroldi quern in libro fuo 
 jam dictus hyftoriographus tempore adventus 
 Normannorum aliquid plus puero etatis habuiffe 
 refert prudentia vero animi . et probitate nil diftare 
 a viro. Erat autem jam tune grandevus valde . 
 et ficut ea tempeftate a multis accepimus qui eum 
 viderant venuftus afpeftu . facie decorus . proceri- 
 tate corporis admodum longus. Hunc vidit etiam f. 22. 
 pie recordacionis canonicorum regularium apud 
 Waltham abbas primus . dompnus 1 Walterus 2 . a 
 
 1 H.M. ; dominus, G. 
 
 2 Waltham, according to Dugdale, Man. AngL, vi. 57, con- 
 tinued to be a college for about 1 1 5 years, according to Harold's 
 foundation, from 1062 to 1177, when Henry I., determined to 
 inflitute Regular Canons in room of Seculars, " quia clerici 
 feculares, qui ibidem hue ufque manferant, mundanis operibus 
 et illecebris illicitis magis quam divino fervitio intendebant." 
 Guido or Wido Ruffus the Dean, being fufpended, refigned 
 in 1 174, and in 1 177 on the eve of Pcntcccft, Walter de Gaunt,
 
 86 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 quo una cum fratribus fibi adherentibus in curia 
 regis apud Wodeftocam 1 diligenter fcifcitari ftuduit 
 utrum revera cineres germani fui in fuo ut crede- 
 batur monafterio fervarentur. Quibus 2 ille anglice 
 refpondit . " Rufticum " ait " quemlibet habere 
 poteftis . Haroldum non habetis." Ad locum tamen 
 per feipfum venit crucem fanctam adoraturus . 
 Oftenfoque fibi farcofago 3 fratris ut dicebatur : 
 oblique illud intuitus " non " ait " homo fcit " . fie 
 enim jurabat "non hicjacet Haroldus." Vivat in 
 longum et vigeat in Chrifto dominus Michael 
 canonicus probate religionis . camerarius ecclefie 
 Walthamenfis qui multis aftantibus quorum non- 
 nulli adhuc fuperfunt hec ab hore 4 viri fe audivifle 
 conftanter affeverat. Hiis autem pro legencium 
 commonicione ne perturbet eos varietas incerta 
 fcriptorum breviter nee inutiliter ut confidimus 
 prelibatis . jam ut promiflimus 5 viri fuperius 
 memorati verba ponenda funt quibus manifefte 
 docetur . qualiter fervi fui noticiam Chrifti benig- 
 nitas plurimis evidentiflime patefaceret indiciis. 
 
 a canon of Ofeney, was conftituted firft abbot. He died on the 
 eve of Afcenfion Day, 1201. The mention of his name here 
 in the text feems to indicate that his deceafe was recent, and 
 helps to point the MS. to the date which I have affigned to it. 
 
 1 Woodftock, near Oxford. 
 
 2 On the margin of the MS. a monogram of the word Nota, 
 to draw the attention of the reader. 
 
 3 H.M. ; farbofago, G. * H. j ore, M.G. 
 5 H.M. ; promiffimus, G.
 
 Quod viri del JucceJJor de geftis Haroldi bea- 
 tiflimi vera Jcribens caufas geftorum minus congrue 
 bis aflignaverit et -prime ajfignacionis dijcuflio et 
 competent prolatis fentenciarum diverjarum teftimo- 
 niis e<ujdem improbacio .... xix. 
 
 IN quibus fideliflimi relatoris id quoque 
 verbis perpendendum eft quia ficut 
 res geftas luculenter digeflit et vere 
 ita geftorum caufas minus ut ple- 
 rifque videri poteft convenienter et provide quod 
 pace tanti viri dictum {it exprimere curavit. Ubi 
 illud tercium adverti poteft quod contrarietatis 
 occafionem inter fcriptores diximus peperirTe. 
 Qualitas fcilicet mentis feu intelligencia fingula 
 queque referendum qui pro fui affeccione animi 
 viri fandi 1 affectum propofitumque in hiis que 
 geflit mecientes : quid quare fecerit nifi funt affig- 
 natis racionibus intimare. Quorum fenfa fcriben- 
 cium credulitas incaucius exprimendo facia ple- 
 rumque infignia . interpretacione non vera fufcavit. 
 Quod non femel fed fecundo bono huic viro in fue 
 
 1 H. ; fanftifiimi, M.G.
 
 Vita Harolai Regis. 
 
 narracionis ferie ill is videtur accidiffe . qui rationi 
 perfpicue nee non aliorum opinioni amplius inni- 
 tentes eorum videlicet qui fervo domini familiarius 
 f 32 t>j adheferant ipfius quodam modo intimam mentis 
 ymaginem cordibus fuis alcius impreffere. Que 
 vero ilia fint quibus minus adquiefcit ipfius ut 
 creditur tenor veritatis opere precium eft breviter 
 difcutere . quo fimplicioribus pro pofle auditoribus 
 vim difcrecionis aperientes . omnem dubietatis 
 caliginem de medio auferamus. Dicit igitur 
 memoratus vir de fancto tune peregrinante ita. 
 Poftmodum quia natalis foli Temper dulcis effe 
 folet inhabitacio : ad Angliam cujus antea rex 
 extiterat concito properavit. Cum autem fapi- 
 entum diffinicione tritum fit : quia infirmus eft 
 adhuc cui patria fua dulcis eft . fortis vero jam . 
 cum omne folum patria eft . perfedus quoque cui 
 omne folum exilium eft . cui non pateat abfurde 
 dici virum ut ipfe dicit fenectute aridum . diutur- 
 nitate itineris utique religiofi confra<5lum . natalis 
 foli ut repatriaret dulcedine attractum? Dicente 
 infuper Domino ad Abraham: Ingredere 1 de tera^ 
 tua . itemque in pfalmo . Oblivifcere* populum 
 tuum et domum patris tut. Quern etate minorem 
 animi firmitate . et fanctitate meriti . inferiorem 
 pariter et imbecilliorem . tenere non potuit terre 
 fue . populi fui . domufque paterne dulcedo aut 
 memoria duceret jam vel attraheret in omnibus 
 
 1 H.M. ; Egredere, G. Gen. xii. i. 
 
 2 H. ; terra, M.G. The MS. originally had the word 
 dextera written in error, the x being now crafcd. 
 
 s Pfalm. xliv. ii.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 89 
 
 hiis quo provecciorem eo proculdubio et perfec- 
 ciorem. Aut hanc omifTam olim dulcedinem corde 
 ruminanti non continue iJlud evangelicum auribus 
 interioris hominis forcius inthonaret : * Nemo' 2 ' 
 mittens manum Juam ad aratrum . et refpiciens 
 retro aptus eft regno Dei ? Nee vero perpendit 
 fcriptor pius quale tune fuerit illud ejus natale 
 folum qualiter immutatum quam fibi fuifque 
 infeftum quam omni jam fui refpectu . et fi 
 mollioribus adhuc duceretur affectibus . efle pofTet 
 eciam grave fibi ad videndum. 
 
 1 H.M. ; intonaret, G. 2 Luc. ix. 62.
 
 Secunde affignacionis infirmacio et J "crip tor is ad 
 leftorem deprecacio et de difficultate materiam 
 refarciendi a prifcis Jcriptoribus varie lacera- 
 tam . .... . . . .xx. 
 
 I EC fatis validiore 1 paulo inferius ra- 
 cione fulcitur ubi caufam allegat 
 qua Ceftriam aditurus deferuit Salo- 
 peflyram. Refert eum ne tribulacio 
 exterior interioris hominis quietem a modera- 
 minis fui ftatu deiceret locum ilium deferuiffe in 
 quo . ficut idem perhibet vehementer . et fepiflime 
 a Wallenfibus dampnis 2 et verberibus affliclus . 
 feptennio 3 quietus in fe : et Domino humiliter 
 23- g rac i as agens : vifus eft permanfiffe. Que profeclo 
 fentencia alia nichilominus 4 adhibita confideracione 
 deprehenditur efle invalida excepta illorum quoque 
 tradicione qui eum fines Wallenfium ob hanc 
 ipfam racionem inhabitant affirmant: quatinus 
 pateretur ab illis quos graviflima olim populacione 
 attriverat quamlibet jufta ut putabatur de caufa: 
 
 1 validi ore, H. ; validiore, M.G. 2 H.M. ; damnis, G. 
 
 8 H. ; feptennio, M.G. 4 H.M. ; nihilominus, G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 91 
 
 quicquid eum perpeti cuncta fuaviter difponentis 
 Dei clemens difpenfacio permifirTet. Si enim de- 
 clinande infeftacionis illius obtentu fedem mutare 
 decreviffet : fecifTet hoc utique cicius nee tociens 
 dampnis 1 et verberibus: affligi expectaflet. Nee 
 enim infcius erat in oris eorum in quorum olim 
 medio . triennali ut fertur expedicione hyemando . 
 niniio ipforum periculo intus et in cute ut dicitur 
 eos noverat. Fuit hec quando adhuc comes tanta 
 eos virtute perdomuit . peneque delevit . quanta 
 omnium fequencium ufque in prefens regum vires 
 nequivere. 
 
 Tanti enim roboris fuifTe perhibetur cum fuerit 
 audacia fingularis: ut ficut legimus in bello quoque 
 Normannorum nullus ad eum armatorum accef- 
 ferit hoftium quin ftatim primo ictu equum et 
 equitem deiceret lethaliter fauciatos. 2 Quam adeo 
 mirabilem . jam mutaverat fortitudinem fperans 
 in domino . pennis afTumptis volans . et nufquam 
 in volatu deficiens. Hoc autem folum volatili 
 tarn forti jam erat formidini ne favoris fcilicet 
 mundani vifco fuarum aliquatenus pennarum virtus 
 infirmaretur fieretque infirmus et non tarn volucrum 
 quas pafcit Deus quam illorum hominum fimilis 
 quos pafcit ventus 3 : fi fibi feptem Sampfonis crines 
 adulacionis novacula raderentur. Id folum ergo 
 fugit quod fojum formidavit non fane Wallenfis 
 telum fed peccatoris oleum. Sciebat Wallenfes: 
 ignotos habere fufpicacioni . in religione probatos 
 
 1 H.M. ; toties damnis, G. 
 
 2 On the margin of the MS. a monogram of the word Nota. 
 
 3 Cf. Milton, Lycidas, " But fwoln with wind," etc.
 
 % 
 
 92 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 veneracioni . ideoque illorum afpernari contu- 
 bernia . iftorum admirari. Vir autem domini 
 hinc quidem juftus et fortis . illic prudens et tem- 
 perans: afpernantes fortiter expeciit . ut quod 
 meruifle fe timuit malum jufte pateretur . ad- 
 mirantes prudenter deferuit . ne temperate medio- 
 critatis bono privaretur. Meminit quia oJivam 
 pulchram 1 uberem 2 fructiferam . a facie vocis 
 f. 23 b. grandis: fubito juxta prophetam combufTit ignis: 
 quamobrem voluit ambulare cum magnis . neque 
 in mirabilibus fuper fe. Quos ergo diu fuftinuerat 
 fupra dorfum fuum fabricantes : peccatores fubter- 
 fugit . caput fibi impugnare feftinantes. 
 
 Set jam finem fermo flagitat . liber claudendus 
 eft ut que de Haroldo innotefcere necefle eft : 
 ilJorum qui hec plenius agnoverunt ftilus evolvat. 
 Benivolum 3 vero lectorem in fui cake libellus ifte 
 linali claufula femper habeat exoratum . quatinus 
 fui aucloris exceflus piis precibus dignetur expiare 
 fecumque fancti Regis Haroldi opitulante inter- 
 ceflione ad portum falutis eterne ipfum pariter 
 optineat 4 pervenire . Multiloquio etiam in pre- 
 fenti opufculo fcriptoris eo clemencius indulgeat 
 veniam quod 5 difficilius fuiffe confpicit propofitum 6 
 materiam tot prius veterum ftudiis auclorum d\f- 
 ciffam multipliciter et dilaceratam refarcire quodam 
 modo et innovare ac vetuftam . ut ita dicatur 
 ci[m]bam 7 et conquafTatam inter famofos hyftori- 
 
 1 H.M. ; pulcram, G. 2 H.M. ; uberem, uberem, G. 
 
 8 H.M. ; Benevolum, G. * H.M. ; obtineat, G. 
 8 H.M. ; quo, G. H.M; propofitam, G' 
 
 7 cibu, altered to ciba, H. ; cibum, M. ; cymbam, G.
 
 Vita Haroldl Regis. 93 
 
 arum fcopuJos in adverfum eciam undique nitentibus 
 tanquam ventis . obtredlancium linguis et litteris . 
 ad deftinatam perduxiffe ftacionem. Sit autem 
 Deo adjutori noftro omnis honor et gloria . qui 
 trinus et unus folus imperat benedidtus laudabilis 
 gloriofus et fuperexaltatus in fecula. Amen.
 
 NARRATIO INCLUSI QUI SANCTO SUCCESSIT 
 HAROLDO DE TRANSITU IPSIUS SANCTISSIMI 
 REGIS ET DE MIRACULIS PER EUM PATRATIS 
 POSTQUAM MIGRAVIT AD DoMINUM PREMISSA 
 RELACIONE COMPENDIOSA DE HITS QUE GESSIT 
 AC PERTULIT EX QUO TERRENUM AMISIT IM- 
 
 PERIUM. 
 
 ICRIPTUM eft quoniam tribulacio 1 
 pacienciam operatur paciencia : pro- 
 bacionem . probacio vero : fpem. Ad 
 probacionem paciencie . et fanfte 
 fpei confirmacionem . permittit quandoque Deus 
 fuos tribulari in prefenti ut liberet a tribulacione 
 perhenni . unde et virum venerabilem Haroldum 
 regem quondam Anglorum permifit in tempore 
 tribulari . et ab hoftibus fuperari et a regno fuo eici 2 . 
 ne de vidtoria prius habita fuperbiret . et in 
 regnum elevatus profperitatis occafione amorem 
 divinum poftponeret . fet in paupertate pofitus 
 fandtius et beacius viveret dum a terrenis occupa- 
 cionibus animum omnino liberum haberet. Igitur 
 
 1 i Rom. v. 3, 4. 2 H.M. ; ejici, G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Regis. 95 
 
 poft regni fui amiflionem et plagarum fuarum 
 quas a Normannis pertulerat curacionem . tanquam 
 peregrinus ad loca fancta per terras multas tune 1 f - 
 arripuit . et diu in tali peregrinacione propter 
 Deum laboravit. Poftmodum vero fenedlute 
 aridus . et diuturnitate itineris confraclus fatigato 
 corpori alterius modi religionem indicere ftuduit. 
 Set quia natalis foli Temper dulcis efle folet in- 
 habitacio : ad Angliam cujus ante rex extitit con- 
 cito properavit . ut ibi pauper et vilis : et habitu 
 humilis : refiduum vite fue percurreret : ubi 
 quondam rex dives et fublimis . in veftibus amidus 
 preciofis . floruerat . et tanto apud Deum ejus 
 crefceret meritum . quanto benigniorem gereret 
 animum quod cotidie 2 pofTet adverfarios fuos 
 intueri . et in regno quod amiferat profperari et 
 fecundum preceptum Domini pro eis Deum 
 fideliter deprecari. Poftquam natalis foli fines 
 attigit eremitice vite folitudinem elegit et ibi in 
 pluribus locis converfatus ab omnibus incognitus 
 ufque quo cunctis terrenis extremum valefaceret 
 fideliter Deo miniftravit. Non autem animi 
 levitate facta eft ab eo locorum mutacio . fet quere- 
 bat ubi quiecius ferviret Deo. Habuit autem idem 
 vir nobilis miniftrum quondam Moyfen nomine . 
 qui michi qui hec fcribo inclufo in eodem loco 
 apud Ceftriam ubi dominus Haroldus heremita 
 et amicus Dei obiit: per biennium miniftravit. 
 Eodem vero Moyfe . et viris fidelibus referentibus 
 
 1 H. ; iter, M.G. This paffage clearly fhows that G. copied 
 M., and did not collate his text upon the MS. itfelf. 
 
 2 H.M. ; quotidie, G.
 
 96 Vita Haroldi Regis. 
 
 ea que fecuntur multa tamen pretermittens bre- 
 viter et fideliter narrabo. Pervenit autem tandem 
 vir Domini ad Salopeflyra 1 fcilicet ad territorium 
 quod Cefwrthin 2 nominatur . et ibi per feptennium 
 eodem Moyfe illi miniftrante heremiticam] vitam 
 ducensvalde inquietabatur a latronibus Wallenfibus . 
 et dampnis et verberibus vehementer et fepiflime 
 affligebatur. Que omnia pacienter fuftinuit . in 
 omnibus gracias Deo humiliter exhibuit. Set tamen 
 poftmodum ne tribulacio exterior interioris hominis 
 quietem 3 a moderaminis fui ftatu deiceret : 4 locum 
 
 1 H. ; Salopeffyra[m], M. ; Salopeffyram, G. 
 
 2 H. ; Cefwrthin, M.G. Michel makes no attempt to feek 
 for this place ; Giles contents himfelf with faying, " The 
 fituation of this place has not been identified." There can, 
 however, be no doubt that " Cefwrtbin " is identical with 
 Cbefwardine, a parifh in the hundred of North Bradford, in 
 the northern divifion of the county of Salop, four miles fouth- 
 caft of Market Drayton. The church is dedicated to St. 
 Swithin. According to Eyton, Antiquities of Sbropjbire, x. 28, 
 etc., Domefday Book enters the manor of Cifeworde-and- 
 Ceppecanole, now Chipnall, in the StafFordmire hundred of 
 Pireholle, held immediately of the king by Robert de Stafford. 
 The celebrated Countefs Godiva held it at the time of 
 Harold's hermitage there. The name has been varioufly 
 fpelled Chefewurda, Chefworda, Chefwordyn, Chefworth, 
 Chefew'rthin, Chefeword, and fo forth. It pafled into pofleflion 
 of the great family of Le Strange, but Eyton was unaware of 
 the mention of the place in this MS. John Le Strange 
 granted the advowfon of the church to Haughmond Abbey. 
 There does not appear to be extant any documentary evidence 
 mowing the exadl time when the manor pafled out of the 
 county of Stafford and was accounted to be in Shropshire, but 
 from the text of this paffage it is clear that this had already 
 taken place before the writing of the MS. Eyton mows inci- 
 dentally that it muft have been at fome period between 1 1 89 
 and 1255 ; at the latter date it enters as a parcel of Bradford 
 hundred in the roll of that hundred. 
 
 8 quietem, omitted, M.G. * H.M. ; dejicerct, G.
 
 Vita Haroldi Reg is. 97 
 
 ilium deferuit . et predido miniftro ejus fubfe- 
 quente . Ceftriam profedus eft. Ibique in capella 
 fandi Jacobi que fita eft fuper fluvium De appella- 
 tum : extra muros civitatis in cimeterio 1 fandi 
 Johannis Baptifte per feptennium : fcilicet ufque 
 ad mortem . heremitice vivens religiosiflime con- 
 verfabatur. Utebatur autem ad nudum tamdiu 
 lorica : quoufque tota putrefieret . et omnino con- 
 fumpta videretur. Scifluras vero ejus . et portiun-f. 34 b. 
 culas diflblutas miniftro fuo Moyfi imperavit ut in 
 fluvium de fecreto proiceret 2 . ne ipfum ea fuifle 
 ufum alicui hominum pateret. Caftiffimus quidem 
 fuit corpore . et continens corde humilis et prudens. 
 Cujus condicionis eflet Temper occultabat ne forte 
 in nimia ab hominibus veneracione haberetur . 
 unde animus elatus a reditudinis tramite laberetur . 
 et apud Deum humilitatis ipfius meritum minue- 
 retur. Raro quidem capella exiit fed oracioni 
 affidue intendit perficiens quod dominus ait. 
 Quia oportefi Jemper or are et non deficere. Ante, 
 oculos fuos femper pannum pendentem habuit . qui 
 totam fere faciem velabat ita quod longiufcule 
 iturus dudoris manu indigebat. Quare autem hoc 
 fecerit . minifter ejus ignorabat . fed forte hoc 
 agebat ne vultus defedi cicatricum appareret 
 obduccio . vel ne ad cor ejus pateret aditus fecu- 
 laribus vanitatibus dum oculis liber concederetur 
 egreflus vel ne ab aliquibus qui eum prius viderant 
 veraciter agnofceretur et ab hominibus venera- 
 retur. 
 
 1 H.M.; caemetcrio, G. * H'.M. ; projicerct, G. 
 
 3 Luc. xviii. i. 
 
 H
 
 D EXITU EXTREMO HAROLDI. 
 
 PPROPINQUANTE autem die exitus 
 venerabilis 1 viri Haroldi perventum 
 eft ad hoc quod extreme neceflitatis 
 urgente articulo vir fanctus viatici 
 falutaris indigeret folacio . Unde accedens facerdos . 
 quern ego bene novi Andreas nomine . de ecclefia 
 fancti Johannis . infirmum vifitabat et illi quiquid 2 
 mos exigit Chriftianus devote exhibebat. Extre- 
 mam vero ipfius audiens confeflionem eum interro- 
 gavit cujus condicionis vir fuerit. Cui ille . " Si 
 michi dixeris in verbo Domini quod me vivente 
 quod tibi dixero nulli propalabis 3 fatisfaciam rationi 
 tue interrogationis." Cui facerdos. " In periculo 
 anime mee dico tibi quod quicquid mihi dixeris 
 omnibus erit incognitum . ufque quo extremum 
 efflaveris halitum." Turn ille . " Verum eft quod 
 rex fui quondam Anglic Haroldus nomine . nunc 
 autem pauper et jacens in cinere . et ut celarem 
 nomen meum appellari me feci nomine Chris- 
 tianum." 
 
 1 H.M.; vencrabiliis, G. 2 H. ; quicquid, M.G. 
 
 * H.G. ; propalatis, M.
 
 Vita Haroldl Regis. 99 
 
 Non diu poft hec emifit fpiritum : et jam omnium 
 hoftium fuorum vidor migravit ad dominum. 
 Sacerdos vero ftatim omnibus nunciavit . quod ei 
 vir Dei in extrema confeflione intimavit et ipfum 
 efle certiflime re ... - 1 
 
 1 Here the MS. ends abruptly at the foot of the page 
 rc[gem Haroldum] . . . M.
 
 TRANSLATION. 
 
 THE 
 
 LIFE OF KING HAROLD.
 
 PROLOGUE TO THE LIFE OF THE VENERABLE 
 HERO HAROLD, FORMERLY KING OF THE 
 ENGLISH. 
 
 UST as the Holy Scriptures com- 
 mend the builders of the ark of the 
 covenant under the difpenfation of 
 Mofes, and of the temple of the 
 Lord under that of Solomon, fo alfo do they deem 
 thofe men worthy of praife who have faithfully 
 laboured with earneft devotion to offer or prepare 
 things which are necefTary for the building. Ac- 
 cording to Nehemiah, thofe who derided the 
 builders are overthrown with a terrible impreca- 
 tion; the rebuilders of Jerufalem, having been 
 rewarded with hereditary titles by Ezra, fanctified 
 an everlafting remembrance of their name and their 
 work to their pofterity. Such a confideration, I 
 truly confefs, vehemently ftimulated my infigni- 
 ficance, although it is of flender value and of 
 tottering ftrength, to contribute fome kind of 
 afliftance to the holy work in which ye toil, 
 reverend fathers. There is added to this ftimula-
 
 1 04 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 tion, moreover, as the turn runs already beyond 
 meafure, on the one fide a brotherly requeft with 
 friendly perfuafion, on the other fide an anxious 
 admoniming with a paternal command. I feel, 
 indeed, that it is a work full of labour, yet I 
 truft it is replenifhed with its own reward, and 
 that it is the performing of your wifhes and the 
 outcome of our own eagernefs. But the pains 
 of a little fpace of time are rightly to be under- 
 gone and accepted, with the height of our ftrength, 
 when in return we are rewarded, not by the 
 applaufe of a frail and fleeting age, but rather by 
 that of a praife and glory which will endure in 
 that place where an eternal honour and fplendour 
 is obtained. Neverthelefs, although to have looked 
 for the reward of tranfitory praife for one's labour 
 on one's work, is to have loft one's trouble and 
 one's talk, in the fame way to accept the attraction 
 of a favour, not indeed fought for, although freely 
 beftowed, is to have deprived one's felf of the 
 reward of internal felf-confcioufnefs and of the 
 praife of the eternal Judge. For we muft bear in 
 mind how applicable to fuch a pofition is that 
 declaration couched in thefe words : Amen, I fay 
 unto you, they have received their reward. 
 
 Your fatherly authority, then, orders, and your 
 brotherly love begs, me to take every watchful 
 care, with afliftance gathered together on all fides, 
 to promote a remarkable work which, begun 
 indeed excellently, and worthily carried on, ye do 
 urgently prefs forward to a praifeworthy termina- 
 tion, left by chance any ftore of things needful
 
 The Life of King Harold. 105 
 
 for the completion of this undertaking fhould be 
 wanting to the dutiful tafk. For ye do truly 
 defire that a work of remarkable character fuch 
 as this is, caft in the form of a fingle book, and 
 compiled from various records written by our 
 fathers, and ftudioufly worked out to the praife, 
 and concerning the praife, of the glorious and 
 God-bearing Crofs, with the memorable deeds 
 of your founder (whofe memory we do cheer- 
 fully blefs), mould be rendered famous, and that 
 a talk dedicated in this way mould be completed 
 with fuch a cheer, fo to fpeak. The defire of 
 your holinefs is praifeworthy, without doubt, 
 becaufe it is the refult of your devotion, and 
 becaufe it has a good end in view. For it is, 
 indeed, a mark of no undue devotion of yours, 
 that you earneftly defire, by the medium of a 
 literary compofition, to hand down faithfully to a 
 pofterity which is about to be born, the great 
 deeds of fo great a hero. For, of a truth, ye are 
 held bound, by juft fuch a right, to illuftrate by 
 due praife of his virtues, the merits of your own 
 proper patron and everlafting benefactor, as on 
 the other hand ye might fo be, not unduly, 
 accufed of the crime of ingratitude, if you, his 
 guardians and his nurflings, were by your filence 
 to rob pofterity of any knowledge of the efpecially 
 deferving notices of his praife. It cannot be denied 
 that it is the duty of that excellent prudence of 
 yours, to decree that the praifes of one who was a 
 moft devout worfhipper of the Holy Crofs, muft 
 be founded. For, indeed, whatever commenda-
 
 1 06 'The Life of King Harold. 
 
 tion is deferved by the merits and virtues of its 
 fervant, really belongs altogether to the glory of 
 that Holy Crofs. 
 
 And in all this, who does not know how eager 
 my moderate abilities are, in no idle fpirit to fet 
 to work at profecuting fo good a book with a 
 liberal fpirit, willingly employing whatever my 
 ftrength can propofe yea, rather whatever God's 
 grace can endow me with ? If I eat the bread of 
 idlenefs, which belongs to you, or rather to 
 Harold yea, much rather to the Holy Crofs of 
 you both the more I behold your ferene faces 
 looking at me, fo much the more ought I properly 
 to dread a feverer condemnation at your hands, 
 if which God forbid it mould chance that I be 
 found, I will not fay ungrateful, but carelefs, after 
 being endowed with fo many benefits, freely and 
 gracioufly beftowed as they indeed are. I will, 
 therefore, comply to the utmoft of my ability 
 with your wifhes. I will mow the greateft poflible 
 gratitude for your kindnefs, provided that you on 
 your part keep to your agreement with me. That 
 is, that you diligently fcrutinize the contents of 
 my writings, and having examined them, then and 
 then only approve or correct them ; rejecting the 
 unpolifhed and badly exprefled diction, but re- 
 ferving, if you think right, the idea, to be ex- 
 preffed as it mould be, in a more elegant ftyle. 
 For under God's guidance, the holy band of 
 which you are members, is not lacking in highly 
 educated fuccefibrs of Bezeleel, Aholiab, or Hyram, 
 men who knew well how to employ, in fuitable
 
 Ljfe of King Harold. 1 07 
 
 places and fitting ufes, the raw material offered 
 up by a fimple-minded congregation as gifts 
 to the Lord. They knew, too, how with the 
 hand of a mafter, and in accordance with the 
 circumftances of the occafion, to polifh each fepa- 
 rate article as deftly as poflible, to prune off the 
 fuperfluous, to arrange the things wanting in 
 order, to adorn the things that were fhapelefs. 
 But all that my want of fkill can venture to 
 undertake, is to hew out from the mountain-fide, 
 and place upon rafts, a quarry in fome fmall 
 degree prepared for a fabric, and to pilot it down 
 the ftream to more convenient fites, and I mail 
 feel that I have done this when I have handed 
 down, in obedience to your injunctions, a feries of 
 notices which are calculated to benefit the fimple 
 who will take the trouble to ftudy them, gathered 
 together from ancient books, from current writings, 
 from true accounts of the faithful, be they who 
 they .may, and gleaned fo as to form the principal 
 points of intereft in this work. So may the gentle 
 and placid breeze of your prayers waft into the 
 harbour of a favourable more the fragile bark of 
 my compofition, rigged as it is with the banner 
 of the Crofs for its fail, and the prayers of its 
 faithfulnefs for its figurehead. Amen. 
 
 END OF TH-E PROLOGUE.
 
 HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS. 
 
 I. WHAT a mirror of cheerfulnefs and gentlenefs 
 mines forth in the ads of King HAROLD. How 
 he was the brother of the Queen, whom the holy 
 Edward married. How his father Godwin, efcap- 
 ing the fnare of King Canute, received the latter 's 
 fifter to wife ; and how Harold fignally triumphed 
 over the vices of thofe who brought him up. 
 
 II. How Wales was nearly deftroyed by Harold; 
 and how he recovered from paralyfis by the virtue 
 of the Holy Crofs of Waltham. 
 
 III. How Harold built, enriched, adorned, and 
 regulated the Church of the Holy Crofs at 
 Waltham ; and how Henry, King of the Englifh, 
 abolimed the fecular canons, and diftinguimed the 
 place by the appointment of regular canons. 
 
 IV. How it was divinely ordained that this 
 man mould be raifed to the petition of King, and, 
 after having defeated his enemies, mould in his 
 turn be conquered by other enemies and depofed 
 from his kingdom ; and concerning a very pious
 
 The Life of King Harold. \ 09 
 
 anchorite, who had been a fervant of Harold after 
 he became a hermit himfelf. 
 
 V. How a certain Saracen woman found him 
 half dead amongft his aflailants, brought him to 
 Winchefter, and healed him as he lay there con- 
 cealed for two years ; and how he fought out the 
 Saxons and Danes to collect allies againft the 
 Normans, but was unfuccefsful. 
 
 VI. How at length, coming to himfelf, he per- 
 ceived that God was oppofing him in his worldly 
 path ; wherefore, conforming himfelf to the Crofs 
 of Chrift that he might the better triumph over 
 the old enemy, he rejoices that he has fuffered 
 defeat at the hands of men. 
 
 VII. How he entered on a long pilgrimage to 
 obtain the prayers of holy men ; and how, before 
 he became a King, he vifited the refting-places of 
 the holy Apoftles. 
 
 VIII. The admiration of the writer, with a 
 brief exclamation on the goodnefs of God, by 
 which it happens that the fins even of the elect 
 work in them for good. 
 
 IX. How many things are faid by many people 
 about Harold's fin ; and concerning the oak hard 
 by Rouen, under which he made the oath, which 
 remains, though ftript of its bark, to this day. 
 
 X. The excufe fome make for Harold, whereby, 
 exonerating him from perjury, they aftert that it 
 was with the fanction of God and confent of the
 
 1 1 o The Life of King Harold. 
 
 
 
 holy Edward that he became King ; and concern- 
 ing the vifion of the Abbot Elfinus, in which the 
 holy Edward declared that Harold fhould be 
 conqueror over the Norwegians. 
 
 XI. A wonderful account concerning a Holy 
 Crofs which is alleged to have bowed its head 
 to Harold as he was haftening to battle, and 
 certain other very aftounding miracles concerning 
 this Crofs, proved to be undoubtedly true. 
 
 XII. Different interpretations of different men 
 concerning the above-mentioned figns of the bow- 
 ing Crofs and the withered oak ; and how Harold, 
 by judging himfelf favourably, anticipated the 
 divine judgment and fears not man's. 
 
 XIII. How, after many years fpent abroad, 
 Harold, returning to England for the purpofe of 
 exercifing his patience and meeknefs, caufed him- 
 felf to be called CHRISTIAN,' and lived ten years in 
 certain rock in folitude; with a fhort invective 
 againft the Antichrifts of that time. 
 
 XIV. How Harold afterwards fpent a long 
 time in various places on the borders of the 
 Welfh, bore their repeated afTaults in patience, 
 hiding his face with a cloth, and changing his 
 name for another left he mould by fome means be 
 recognised ; how at length the cruelty of his 
 perfecutors was changed into veneration for him. 
 
 XV. How Harold, the man of God, avoided 
 the obfequious who perfecuted him, whom he had 
 approached, and long borne with ; and how a place 
 of reft was appointed for him by a voice that fell
 
 1'he Life of King Harold. 1 1 1 
 
 from heaven ; and how he hinted in ambiguous 
 words to thofe who afked him that he was Harold ; 
 and how the truth of the matter will be mown 
 more fully in the account given by his fuccefTor. 
 
 XVI. The reader is advifed not to defpife the 
 reading which he feels differs from the opinions of 
 fome ; and concerning the three occafions of thofe 
 who think differently about this prefent fubject ; 
 and concerning the threefold miftake of William 
 of Malmefbury on the fate of Harold. 
 
 XVII. What happened to the people of Wal- 
 tham in their holy anxiety concerning the burial 
 of their patron ; and how they were mifled by a 
 woman's miftake. 
 
 XVIII. How a brother of Harold, Gurth by 
 name, replied to Walter the Abbot, or others, 
 when aflced concerning the afhes or the burial of 
 his brother. 
 
 XIX. How the fucceflbr of the man of God, 
 writing a true account of the deeds of the moft 
 blefTed Harold, has on two occafions afligned in- 
 appropriate reafons for his actions; with a dif- 
 cuflion on the firft reafon, and a full difproval of 
 the fame by the production of the evidence of 
 various opinions. 
 
 XX. The weaknefs of the fecond reafon afligned, 
 and the writer's warning to the reader ; and on 
 the difficulty of patching up materials torn in- 
 difcriminately by ancient writers. 
 
 HERE END THE CHAPTERS.
 
 HERE BEGINS THE LIFE OF HAROLD, SERVANT 
 OF GOD, FORMERLY KlNG OF THE ENGLISH. 
 
 CHAP. I. What a mirror of cheerfulnefs and 
 gentlenefs Jhines forth in the atts of King Harold. 
 Plow he was the brother of the Queen, whom the 
 holy Edward married. How his father Godwin, 
 ejc aping the Jnare of King Canute, received the 
 latter 's fifter to wife ; and how Harold fignally 
 triumphed over the vices of thofe who brought him 
 up. 
 
 MHMMM 
 
 |O review the actions of the moft 
 illuftrious and rightfully appointed 
 King HAROLD, at this time duly and 
 lawfully crowned, is nothing elfe than 
 to difplay to pious minds a moft brilliant reflection 
 of a divine ferenity and meeknefs. And that this 
 may the more clearly appear we will take care to 
 mow forth to our readers clearly and briefly the 
 beginning, progrefs, and ending of his warfare 
 with the world and with Chrift. We mail, indeed, 
 have fpoken truth when we called him a king 
 moft illuftrious and lawfully crowned, for by ruling
 
 The Life of King Harold. 1 1 3 
 
 himfelf aright and by fubmitting himfelf humbly 
 to Him, to ferve whom is to be a king, he obtained 
 firft a crown of juftice, and afterwards a crown of 
 eternal glory. Godwin, a moft powerful Earl, begat 
 him from a fifter of Canute, King of the Englifh 
 and the Danes, which Harold was brother indeed of 
 the revered Queen whom the King and moft holy 
 confeflbr Edward had married. And although 
 me had been united in an aufpicious marriage with 
 him, yet fhort of confummation, and though both 
 of them, forfooth, preferved their flower of per- 
 petual maidenhood, me was yet a caufe of much 
 preferment to her father's family. It is plain, 
 however, that her father, or fome of the other 
 members of her family, had been heavily branded 
 with the mark of treafon and other crimes. 
 
 Godwin, indeed, firft entangled himfelf in thefe 
 mifdeeds, from the neceflity of averting an immi- 
 nent deftruction, but afterwards he wanders farther 
 in deceit. Compelled to ufe deceit under pretence 
 of enfuring his own fafety, while once he yields to 
 his wifhes, he afterwards committed fraud more 
 freely when he faw his profperity declining. For 
 when the above-mentioned King of Denmark had 
 ufurped the diadem of England, and he faw that 
 Godwin, a man endued with incredible cunning, 
 and no lefs audacity, was gradually rifmg to a high 
 pofition, he himfelf, a foreigner, began to fear the 
 bold fpirit of this young native, armed as it was 
 with power and craft. And although he had 
 found his induftry very ufeful to him on many 
 occafions, yet conceiving in his mind fomething of
 
 H4 Tfo Lfi f King Harold. 
 
 the fpirit of Saul, he determined to ruin by 
 trickery this moft ftrenuous defpoiler and 
 champion, fince it was not eafy to crum him 
 openly except by fpiteful malice. Having thought 
 out, therefore, a plan, he fends Godwin into Den- 
 mark, as if on important bufinefs concerning both 
 kingdoms, having in his heart fome fuch thought 
 as this : " Let not my hand be upon him, but the 
 hand of the Danes." Now as he was failing along 
 in mid-ocean, in a vefTel fitted with the moft lavifh 
 appointments, a fufpicion began to agitate the 
 mind of the youth. For he was bearer of letters 
 fealed with the King's fignet, one for each of the 
 chief men of that country, the contents of which 
 he was quite ignorant. Breaking, therefore, care- 
 fully one of the feals, he learnt from the brief en- 
 clofure that he would be fhortly given over to the 
 punimment of death, when he arrived in port, if 
 he were to difcharge any further his duty as letter- 
 carrier. For the tenour of the writing was that 
 whoever mould firft learn the contents of the 
 letter, was immediately to ftrike off the head of 
 its bearer, Godwin by name. 
 
 This new Uriah grew pale when he found that 
 his deftruclion was being compafled by the King, 
 and prepares (to make a long ftory fhort) to 
 efcape the trick by another trick. This is what he 
 did : he broke open and took out each letter from 
 its feal, and fubftituted a frefh letter written by 
 the clever hand of a clerk, the fubftance of which 
 was that Godwin was to be received with great 
 and univerfal rejoicings ; to receive in marriage the
 
 The Life of King Harold. 1 1 5 
 
 King's fifter, and that they all were to yield him 
 obedience in what concerned the King's bufinefs, 
 as they would the King himfelf if he were prefent. 
 Thus the King's command was changed to the 
 King's advantage. Thus the foldier changes his 
 foldier's pay ; thus an undeferved punimment is 
 unaccomplished, and a glory that is deferved 
 accrues to him who earned it ; thus at length the 
 King receives as a brother him whom he had 
 hitherto found but a ufeful foldier, and making 
 him foon after a ftate officer, found in him for the 
 future an ever-watchful and prudent minifter. 
 
 Though Godwin was received with much favour 
 by the Danes by this occurrence, yet he came to 
 be on ill terms with many of his own family ; and 
 fome members alfo of the royal family he deftroyed 
 by treachery, of whom one was the brother of the 
 holy Edward: and thus not only againft his 
 fellow-countrymen, but alfo againft his natural 
 lords he committed not a few offences. But on 
 this matter let him who wifhes to know feek 
 elfewhere. As far as pertains to the fubjecl: in 
 hand, it is enough that we have juft briefly touched 
 on fuch things, left we mould feem to have patted 
 over, without confederation, thofe other matters 
 which we know that people, who underftand little 
 about them, have perverted to the difcredit of 
 Harold, the fervant of God, for wife men fee 
 aright that thefe things pertain in the higheft 
 degree to his renown. For he who, by divine 
 favour, has overcome a vice which, as they would 
 have it, nature has inflicted, and which focial
 
 ii6 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 habits have formed, has certainly gained a greater 
 victory in that he has overcome and got rid of the 
 felf-fame vice in which he was born and reared ; 
 for though Harold even, it is afTerted, feems to 
 have given way to vice in his youth, he was con- 
 fidered to have fuffered violence by his nature and 
 rearing. It is plain, then, that, by the help of Him 
 who from the fame lump of clay makes one vefTel 
 to honour and another to difhonour, this circum- 
 ftance, which had been caft up againft him to his 
 difcredit by ignorant men, was turned by Harold 
 to his virtue's benefit, and to the advancement of 
 his honour. Thus a thorn brings forth bright 
 red rofes, and produces, fo to fpeak, fnow-white 
 lilies, from whofe natural functions the meaner 
 property of the thorn fubtracts not, but rather 
 adds to it, from the combination, an increafe of 
 beauty.
 
 CHAP. II. How Wales was nearly deftroyed 
 by Harold; and how . he recovered from paralyfis 
 by the virtue of the Holy Crofs of Waltham. 
 
 UT how Harold excelled in ftrength 
 of body, and how famous he became 
 for fhrewdnefs of mind and vigour 
 in arms, was proved by the way he 
 fubdued Wales aye, and nearly deftroyed it to 
 extermination. Thefe victories gave him a con- 
 fpicuous pofition even during the lifetime of the 
 holy Edward ; and through them he acquired, by 
 his bravery, a peace and tranquillity moft fervice- 
 able to the King and the whole kingdom. 
 
 Meanwhile, though he feemed to be greater than 
 his contemporaries in uprightnefs and power, and 
 even feemed to outihine the higheft princes of 
 the kingdom, the hand of the Almighty, which 
 ftrikes as well as heals, afflicted his flefh with a 
 grievous ftroke, in order that he might obtain by 
 his prefent and future wounds a remedy for his 
 foul. Phyficians call paralyfis that fpecies of difeafe 
 by which a man's body, when affected by it,
 
 I 1 8 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 forgets its proper functions, and deprives him of 
 his accuftomed duties, for it fuddenly renders the 
 part which it has attacked, or the whole of the 
 body, fenfelefs, torpid, and, as it were, dead. 
 Harold, fuddenly attacked and proftrated by this 
 affliction, becomes an occafion of an extraordinary 
 forrow, for all people grieved for him, efpecially 
 the King ; for the latter, as if by fome prefenti- 
 ment of future things, loved Harold, and held 
 him dear beyond all others, though it is faid that 
 he looked on fome members of that family with a 
 certain degree of fufpicion and hatred. And it 
 was not the nearnefs of kinfhip, pleafant though it 
 was, nor that excellence of honour and fmgular 
 induftry with which he was endowed, but fimply 
 a divine infpiration which, it is thought, produced 
 in this moft pious King's mind fuch a predilection 
 and favour towards Harold. It tends, indeed, to 
 Harold's honour at this period, that a man, full 
 of God, and not ignorant on many occafions of 
 the divine purpofe, mould love him, and love him 
 the more intenfely that he forefaw that Harold 
 mould be an everlafting co-heir with him in 
 heaven, rather than his temporary fucceflbr on 
 earth. Therefore the King's own fpecial phyficians, 
 befides others felected from all quarters by entreaty 
 or payment, gather round the fick man, and try 
 everything that art or conjecture can fuggeft, but 
 the power of man cannot put afide the hand of the 
 Almighty. 
 
 The fad news reached the ears of the King of 
 the Alemanni, who was both near akin to the
 
 The Life of King Harold. 1 1 9 
 
 King and clofely united to him in affection and 
 friendship. At his Court there dwelt a certain 
 phyfician named Ailard, a man moft trufted by 
 reafon of his double practice in the art, as well 
 great fkill as experience, but, what is of greater 
 value, the grace of God mowed him much favour 
 in effecting the cure of the fick. Him therefore 
 the Emperor refolved to fend with all fpeed to his 
 dear friend the King, that he might apply his 
 cure to the vigorous young man. On being led 
 to the fick man Ailard carefully examined the 
 nature of the illnefs, and devoted every attention 
 to him ; but every labour is of no avail when a 
 heavenly worker operates in opposition to the art 
 of man. 
 
 At that time a ftone figure of our crucified 
 King had recently been revealed and difcovered 
 by the heavenly direction, which, having been 
 brought by God's defire to Waltham, was famous 
 in that place for its miraculous virtues. The 
 phyfician therefore, after confideration, perceiving 
 that the Author of Nature was acting in oppofition 
 to the powers of Nature's art, and that the whole 
 fyftem of the lower nature was being thoroughly 
 deadened by the counteracting influences of Him 
 who created nature, forthwith concluded that the 
 man was being afflicted by a ftroke of His power, 
 from whofe hand there is none who can deliver. 
 And foon, as became a truftworthy and prudent 
 man, he did not delay, as he was unable to cure 
 him by his hand, to procure a remedy by his 
 mouth. For, unlike deceitful and lying doctors,
 
 1 20 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 he was willing that the help which he already felt 
 could not be given by him mould be obtained 
 from other fources. He did not, however, leave 
 the fick man in defpair, but directing him from a 
 hope that was vain to a hope that was well 
 founded, he perfuaded him to put his hope in 
 Him who is the falvation of them who truft 
 faithfully in Him. And that he might the 
 quicker deferve to tafte the joys of a much- 
 defired health, he exhorts him for his profit to 
 attend to the offices of the Crofs which giveth 
 falvation, and to vow a vow to it, as his inward 
 devotion might dictate to him. 
 
 The fick man liftened to the plan for his re- 
 covery in a fenfible fpirit, and fends with all hafte 
 to the place where the miraculous Crofs difplayed its 
 mighty gifts. He prays with great earneftnefs that 
 the guardians of the place, whofe peculiar duty it 
 was to minifter at the health-giving fymbol, would 
 deign to obtain for him by their hearty prayers 
 pardon for his fins and alleviation of his fufferings ; 
 in a word, health for both the inner and outer man. 
 Nor was the mercy of the Saviour long wanting 
 to him who afked for health with a faith unfeigned, 
 for foon the pain and weaknefs of his body grew 
 lefs ; but as he became ftronger his love and devotion 
 for the obfervances of the Holy Crofs wonderfully 
 increafed. And thus reftored in a fhort time to 
 perfect health, he proved by acts of magnificence 
 how indebted and devoted he was to the medicine 
 by which he had regained his health. For coming 
 to the Holy Crofs of Waltham, he paid the vows
 
 The Life of King Harold. 1 2 1 
 
 he had made for his health, offered coftly prefents, 
 gave rich gifts to the attendants, commending 
 himfelf to the guardianfhip of that glorious Crofs, 
 and intending to endow it with ftill more exalted 
 honour. Rejoiced, he at length departed from 
 the place in body, but not in fpirit, and prefented 
 himfelf fafe and found to the King, and to the 
 Queen his fifter. The Queen congratulates her 
 brother : the King rejoices with his foldier : the 
 whole Court is glad with a joyous exultation, 
 not becaufe Harold had recovered his health, but 
 becaufe it was from Heaven he had recovered it. 
 All, indeed, with one mind applauded ; but the 
 King, as he was holieft, rejoices with greater 
 feeling. He indeed excelled all others in a double 
 joy, becaufe he was wont to find delight in the 
 virtues of Chrift, who brings to pafs fuch holy 
 works, and to feed on thofe advances of devotion 
 and faith which the accomplishment of fuch 
 miracles was calculated to ftrengthen in the love 
 of the fame moft Holy Redeemer.
 
 CHAP. HI. How Harold built, enriched, 
 adorned, and regulated the Church of the Holy 
 Crofs at Waltham ; and how Henry, King of the 
 Englifli, aboliflied thejecular canons, and diftinguiflied 
 the -place by the appointment of regular canons. 
 
 UT now obferve that this man, in 
 whom and through whom a virtue, 
 thus experienced and difplayed, gave 
 to fb many an incentive to a virtuous 
 life, could think or fpeak of nothing elfe but how 
 he could make an excellent and fitting return for 
 fuch divine benefits, and how he could, in com- 
 penfation, give joy to that holy Crofs with an 
 honour worthy of a health reftored. But in pro- 
 portion as he applied himfelf more zealoufly for 
 the Crofs's honour, and ftrove for its glory, fo 
 much the more exceedingly did the favour of 
 Heaven enrich him with increafe of virtues and 
 devotion, with which manner of exchange he was 
 greatly delighted, and endeavoured the more in- 
 tently, by difplaying gratitude for gifts he had 
 received, to deferve ftill more valuable benefits.
 
 The Life of King Harold. 123 
 
 He confiders, alfo, that he is bound, for thefe 
 fubftantial favours, to that man whofe heavenly 
 piety had unlocked to him the approaches to fb 
 many privileges, and refolves to prefent him with 
 a reward worthy of his faith and devotion. For 
 there were only two clergy there to pray and take 
 charge of the fervice and wormip of the Crofs, 
 though they, indeed, feemed content with their 
 fmall emolument and humble dwellings. 
 
 But this excellent man, eager to exalt the place 
 and its wormip with all clafTes of its worfhippers, 
 propofes to build there a new temple, to increafe 
 the number of attendants, and to augment their 
 revenues; and in order that its fame and the throng 
 of its clergy might difplay the place in the eyes 
 of mankind, ennobled as it had been by heavenly 
 gifts, more famous and more glorious, he caufed, 
 by a prudent arrangement, fchools to be founded 
 there, under the direction of Mafter Ailard, the 
 preferver of his health, as has been juft now narrated. 
 Nor was he flow to bring forth that which he 
 had conceived in his mind. Foundations of a 
 large church are rapidly laid ; the walls rife ; lofty 
 columns at equal diftances unite the walls with 
 interlacing arcades or vaults ; a roof of leaden plates 
 keeps out the wind and the inclemencies of the 
 weather. The number of clergy is increafed from a 
 fhameful two to the myftic twelve of the company 
 of the Apoftles, and for this excellent reafon, that 
 the fame number of men who had told forth Chrift's 
 glory to the world from the beginning, might ferve 
 in eternal praife in the temple of His holy Crofs.
 
 1 24 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 He alfo, with a fplendid liberality, endowed them 
 with eftates and pofleffions, that they might have 
 fufficient for their neceflities ; and he obtained a 
 confirmation of thefe gifts by the King's authority. 
 Now, if we attempt to defcribe at length the 
 number of gifts, the value and varied character of 
 the veflels and ornaments with which he ennobled 
 this houfe of God, the multiplicity of facts might 
 perhaps detract from the exactnefs of the narrative. 
 But left the account of his munificence mould be 
 loft altogether, or in this particular and it is 
 known that a violent jealoufy has aimed at this 
 it is worth while to endeavour, with a fpirit of 
 fervent zeal (fince the real fubftance of the facts 
 themfelves has been loft), to make known to 
 thofe who wifh to confider them, the madows, fo 
 to fpeak, of the facts. We have therefore thought 
 good to infert on the prefent page an account of 
 thofe things which, through jealoufy of Harold, as 
 they fay, were abftracted from the Church of the 
 Holy Crofs by William, the firft Norman King 
 of the Englifh, and carried off to Neuftria. For 
 that King, as we read, carried off to Normandy, 
 from Waltham, feven fhrines, of which three were 
 gold and four filver-gilt, full of relics and precious 
 gems ; four books of Holy Writ, ornamented with 
 gold, filver, and gems in their bindings ; four large 
 gold and filver cenfers; fix candelabra, of which 
 two were gold and the reft filver; three large 
 pitchers of Greek work, filver and gilt; four 
 crofles worked in gold and filver and precious ftones ; 
 one crofs that was caft from fifty gold marks ; five
 
 The Life of King Harold. 125 
 
 moft precious prieftly veftments, ornamented with 
 gold and gems ; five hoods, ornamented with gold 
 and gems, in one of which were twelve gold 
 marks; two copes, ornamented with gold and 
 gems ; five chalices, two gold and the reft filver ; 
 four altars with their relics, of which one altar 
 was gold, and the other filver-gilt ; one filver 
 wine-horn, valued at one hundred millings; ten 
 phylacteries, one of which was prepared from two 
 gold marks and precious gems, and the others 
 from gold and filver ; two dulcimers ; fome faddles 
 for women, worked with much gold; and two 
 bells of great value. 
 
 Thefe, and very many other things, which it 
 would take a long time to mention, and which the 
 ambition of the Normans would confider incom- 
 parable, are known to have been offered to the 
 Holy Crofs by Harold in his piety, and taken away 
 by William through hatred. The latter, however, 
 feems to have palliated the heinoufnefs of the 
 robbery by an eafy kind of compenfation by 
 difleminating a clear account of the progrefs of 
 events by which the Crofs was difcovered and 
 conveyed to Waltham, wherein it is alfo more 
 fully expreffed what, and how many, things the 
 holy man, in a wonderful warmth of devotion, 
 prefented to the holy place, either in eftates, or 
 various revenues, or in a multitude of things per- 
 taining to the fervice or adornment of the church. 
 But as my pen is in hafte to explain what the 
 worfhipper of the Crofs did and fuffered after he 
 offered himfelf as a fweet facrifice to the Lord,
 
 1 26 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 bearing his crofs now daily and following Chrift, 
 we proceed to relate what he gave from his own 
 refources, and confecrated to the Crofs as a facrifice 
 of juftice ; which things, indeed, after the removal 
 of many of the moveables, whatever he afligned to 
 the place in lands and vills, or churches and other 
 revenues, to all appearance it ftill poflefles, without 
 great diminution, yet not, as is faid, without fome 
 lofs. But the conftitution of the Church of Waltham, 
 we fee, was formed afrefli, to a high ftate of per- 
 fection, in our time by King Henry the Second, of 
 divine memory. For the canons, who were under 
 a ilrict rule and difcipline, dedicated by Harold to 
 their facred watches, finking through the gradual 
 lapfe of time to fecular purfuits, had put before 
 the facred canonical rule the emptinefs of fecular 
 life. For deriving their name from both words, 
 the " faeculum " and the " canon," they divided 
 the meaning of their name in reverfe order, for 
 lufting after fecular things and defpifing the canon 
 rule, they weighed the knowledge of the latter 
 with the pleafures of the former in a falfe balance ; 
 wherefore cafting afide their facred duties, they, 
 who ought to have fpent their time in the halls of 
 the Lord's houfe, ftrutted about in the common 
 paths of the world. Thefe men being at length 
 removed from their office by the holy zeal of the 
 above-mentioned King, the fame place is ennobled 
 by the inftitution of regular canons. They 
 happily, uniting the Latin rule with the Greek 
 canon, preferve in their life the virtues of the 
 double word and the fimpte matter, fo that they 
 
 *
 
 The Life of King Harold. 1 27 
 
 ought to be objects of the greateft veneration both 
 to the Greeks and the Latins. Thefe men Henry 
 moft honourably adorned with offices built for 
 regular canons; but Harold, with the kindeft 
 thought, increafed their incomes. For by thefe 
 men the Lord's flock, which ferved the Lord there 
 in holinefs and righteoufnefs, is fupported ; by 
 them day by day innumerable crowds of travellers 
 obtain all the benefits of humanity ; at fheir hands 
 the traveller and the hungry man receive food and 
 provisions ; from them the fick man receives 
 attention, and he who is cold a covering, and 
 the ftranger and foreigner a roof to cover him in 
 a word, everyone who is in need obtains at the 
 hands of thefe men afliftance fuitable to his 
 neceflities.
 
 CHAP. IV. How it was divinely ordained 
 that this man Jhould be raifed to the pojition of 
 King, and, after having defeated his enemies, Jhould 
 in his turn be conquered by other enemies, anddepofed 
 from his kingdom ; and concerning a very pious 
 anchorite, who had been ajervant of Harold, after 
 he became a hermit himjelf. 
 
 IHO knows how the bones of a man 
 are framed in the womb of her who 
 is with child ? And who has learnt, 
 or who can learn, what is beft for 
 a man in his lifetime ? One man generally rules 
 another to his hurt. Sometimes a man is fubdued 
 and fubjected by one man to another for his good. 
 Thus Chanaan is in bondage to his brother as a 
 fervant of fervants; thus the hands of Jofeph, 
 given over to bondage by his brothers' jealoufy, 
 did fervice in Chophmos ; thus, too, our Harold, 
 to return to our fubject, is fuddenly raifed, as it 
 were, on the wind, and is in a moment violently 
 thrown down. He is raifed to be King by the 
 acclamation of the kingdom ; he returns a victor
 
 The Life of King Harold. 129 
 
 from the battle in triumph, having flain the 
 barbarians who had attacked him. He fears not 
 to hear that his late enemy has come upon him, 
 but jeers at him ; he runs to attack his deftroyer, 
 as though he would at one blow deftroy him. 
 He joins battle, and falls; he attacks, and is cut 
 down he is indeed cut down and fallen, but is 
 it to his deftruction or his folly ? Will that hand 
 of the crucified King, from which came forth a 
 writhing ferpent, fuftain him ? That hand, indeed, 
 permitting it, the enemy's fpear pierced his bones 
 and nearly every limb, and grievoufly wounded 
 him. 
 
 All thefe things happened to Harold by the 
 direction and wonderful difpenfation of that fame 
 hand, in order that in the womb of the pregnant 
 Church the bones of a man fore-ordained before 
 fecular times, and deftined by God to be born, and 
 by all thefe means to pleafe God perfectly, might 
 be fafhioned. For conceived through piety ac- 
 cording to the inward man, he grew and was 
 increafed towards God in thefe exercifes, and was 
 formed and ftrengthened fo that at length, like 
 Jacob, when Rachel departed on account of pain 
 in parturition, he obtained a Benjamin for a 
 Benoni. For he who to his mother feemed a 
 fon, forfooth, of angelic pain and death, by God 
 his father, who had ordained that by this event a 
 people haughty in mind, rough in ill-doings, and 
 cruel in all kinds of treachery, mould be fup- 
 planted, he was made by a wonderful transforma- 
 tion the fon of his right hand. But as it was 
 
 K
 
 130 he Life of King Harold. 
 
 noifed abroad by common converfation how 
 Harold had fucceeded to the earthly kingdom of 
 the moft blefled Edv/ard (himfelf tranflated to a 
 heavenly kingdom), and how he had triumphed 
 over the Norwegians with Edward's help, and how 
 bravely and with t what impulfe and unprepared- 
 nefs, from an exceflive fteadfaftnefs of purpofe, 
 he went againft the Normans who were attacking 
 him, and how, with his comrades flain, he fell on 
 the enemy (ingle-handed, we, God helping us, will 
 write in our account of thofe things which happened 
 by the divine agency through him and concerning 
 him, after the facts narrated above, which we know 
 have efcaped the notice of moft chroniclers. 
 
 Some of thefe things we heard from a cer- 
 tain hermit of venerable life, Sebricht by name, 
 who, while he lived, was a fervant for many 
 years to the holy man; and others from equally 
 truftworthy authorities, who have related thefe 
 fads to us with a certainty which has proved them 
 to be true. And further, thofe things which 
 happened after his death through power from 
 heaven, and which will be written on this page, 
 have been written by thofe who were prefent when 
 they happened, and have been handed down to us. 
 But the above-mentioned man of God, once 
 Harold's moft devoted fervant and follower, when 
 he departed from this world, and it was clearly 
 mown by his miracles that he had gone to heaven, 
 emulated his example in doing good moft fervently, 
 defiring to arrive at fuch a point of holinefs as he 
 had reached, and being zealous to work in as
 
 The Life of King Harold. 131 
 
 fimilar a way as he had walked. Therefore, 
 becaufe he knew Harold had done To, he under- 
 takes the toil of a pilgrimage, and becomes a 
 voluntary exile from his native foil, that he might 
 be worthy to become a holy man and a fervant of 
 God. With naked feet he leaves the borders of 
 the city of Chefter, where he left the treafure 
 which he had preferved there for fo many years, 
 taking only a portion for the crown of his heavenly 
 King, but leaving the reft dug up upon the ground; 
 and thus ftripped of all worldly defire he goes forth 
 on his pilgrimage. 
 
 Thus bare and unencumbered, intending to 
 approach the Lord's Crofs on the fpot where 
 that Crofs was fafhioned for the Lord's body, to 
 vifit His glorious fepulchre, and to adore the fpot 
 where His feet refted, he at length departs from 
 England; and, hoping to bedew with his tears 
 the refting-places of other holy men as Harold 
 had done, to liften to ftrange languages which 
 he knew not, and to undergo with joy no fmall 
 tribulation for Chrift's fake, he enters the country 
 of ftrangers. At length, having accomplimed his 
 vow, after many wanderings which there is here 
 no fpace to mention, he returns to his native 
 country as Harold had done. And on his return 
 he betook himfelf to a town in the Oxford diftricl: 
 called Stanton, and, confining himfelf there, led a 
 feverer life till the time of his death than thofe 
 who are confined and imprifoned for their crimes. 
 Here, becoming an object of veneration and 
 affection to all religious people, he was wont to be
 
 132 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 fought out and vifited by many for the fake of a 
 mutual edification. 
 
 For he had become well known as a man moft 
 devout, felf-contained, affable to all, benevolent to 
 many, well-wiming to all. By thefe means and in 
 this way there arofe a goodly odour of Chrift, and 
 as all were borne along in the odour of his holy 
 deeds, I alfo, an infignificant perfon, as it were, 
 among greater ones, was carried along with the 
 reft and became clofely bound to him by a chain 
 of love. But I, when ftill of a tender age, and 
 young in the profeflion of religion, had vifited 
 him often through older meflengers, but fometimes 
 in my own perfon, and was at laft admitted to the 
 inmoft fanctities of a familiar friendfhip. At 
 length, when I was older, I advanced fo far that 
 he would fcarcely hide any of his fecrets from me 
 which feemed ufeful for my inftruction as I talked 
 with him on the ftate of the inner man. And he, 
 though he was country-bred, and ignorant of any 
 language but Englim, he yet held a wonderful 
 and admirable opinion concerning religion, and 
 was clever in exprefling himfelf in his own idiom ; 
 as he ufed to fay concerning myfelf : " Let me fay 
 what I think I believe that the fum-total of my 
 falvation confifts in patience and hope." He 
 would add how many things the Lord had mown 
 him in the fhape of many and great tribulations, 
 and how mercifully he had, by converting him, 
 given him new life, and how powerfully he had 
 led him from the depths of earth. He would 
 mention, too, what fufferings he had undergone in
 
 The Life of King Harold. 1 3 3 
 
 the body, and in mind, enumerating and diftin- 
 guifhing the weaknefs and various affections of 
 both the wicked aflaults of devils, and the no 
 lefs bitter infults of men ; and he would add: "In 
 all thefe trials which came upon me, an all but 
 fhipwrecked wretch, my only hope was in the 
 crucified One, my anchor ; and leaning firmly on 
 this I faw, after a time, all my troubles, which I 
 had but juft before deemed more intolerable than 
 death itfelf, pafs away, as it were, into foam and 
 ames. I have indeed borne," faid he, " fuch and fo 
 great afflictions of the flefh (to flee from which I 
 have confined my miferable body like fome un- 
 tameable beaft in the narrownefs of this prifon) 
 that an ignorant man would fcarcely believe could 
 be fuftained by any body, though it were made of 
 iron or ftone." 
 
 Thefe things he ufed to relate, not boafting of 
 himfelf or of his labours for Chrift, but he thought, 
 like fome veteran telling the familiar experiences 
 of his labours, that I, trembling on the brink of 
 the fame untried ftruggles of my fpiritual appren- 
 ticefhip might be animated and ftrengthened by 
 their recital. Of fuch things he would fpeakwith 
 much feeling, not deploring the hardfhip of his 
 fufferings, but giving forth with a wondrous 
 fweetnefs a memory of that confolation and 
 fpiritual grace which he had found to be the alle- 
 viation of his trials. 
 
 Thefe matters concerning the man's life and 
 manners we thought it not out of place to infert 
 into thefe pages, in order that from the piety of the
 
 134 T/ie Life of King Harold. 
 
 pupil it may the more plainly be mown on what a 
 pinnacle of perfection the life and converfation of 
 the teacher mines forth. He, indeed, making 
 mention of Harold, would call him his matter, 
 rejoicing that he had in heaven an advocate whom, 
 when on earth, he had as a preceptor. This, then, 
 is the man by whom, as has been faid above, as 
 well as by others who knew the man of God, and 
 how his pofition of life was ordered and changed 
 according to place and time, thefe things have 
 been arranged and made known. And of thefe 
 fome were ignorant that Harold was once, when 
 he lived, a crowned king, but were witneffes of 
 his converfation and knew well in what places he 
 lived from the time when he fpent his life in 
 folitude in England. For he, dreading from his 
 heart the glory of the world, of which he had ex- 
 perienced fuch ignoble and unhappy refults, when 
 he refolved to live in his own country, took a new 
 name, and changed from time to time the place 
 of his dwelling, left by fome chance it mould be 
 betrayed to anyone. But we will difcourfe of 
 thefe things in their order below. Let us now 
 from this exceflive digreflion proceed without 
 more delay to the narration of what we have 
 already begun.
 
 CHAP. V. How a certain Saracen woman 
 found him half dead amongft his ajfailants, 
 brought him to Winchefter^ and healed him as 
 he lay there concealed for two years ; and how 
 he fought out the Saxons and Danes to collebl allies 
 againft the Normans, but was unfuccejsful. 
 
 [HEN, then, the Englifh army was 
 beaten and overcome at the firft 
 attack of the Normans, King Harold, 
 pierced with numerous blows, is 
 thrown to the ground amongft the dead ; yet his 
 wounds, many and deathly though they were, 
 could not altogether deprive of life him whom the 
 goodnefs of the Saviour had moft happily ordained 
 to reftore to life and victory. Thus, as the 
 enemy's hoft departed from the fcene of the 
 (laughter, he, who the day before was fo powerful, 
 is found ftunned and fcarcely breathing by fome 
 women whom pity and a defire to bind up the 
 wounds of the maimed had drawn thither. They 
 act the part of Samaritans by him, and binding up 
 his wounds, they carry him to a neighbouring hut.
 
 136 T/ie Life of King Harold. 
 
 From thence, as is reported, he is borne by two 
 common men, franklins or hinds, unrecognifed and 
 cunningly hidden, to the city of Winchefter. 
 Here, preferving the fecret of his hiding-place, in 
 a certain cellar, for two years, he was cured by a 
 certain woman, a Saracen, very fkilled in the art 
 of furgery, and with the co-operation of the 
 medicine of the Moft High, was reftored to perfect 
 health. On regaining his ftrength thus, he 
 thought he would prove by great deeds the 
 courage of his royal fpirit which his foul had not 
 loft in the overthrow of his body. Already had 
 the nobles of his kingdom, as well as the people, 
 bowed their necks to the yoke of the conqueror ; 
 already had nearly all his chiefs either perifhed or 
 been driven from the country, leaving their 
 anceftral honours to be divided and pofleffed by 
 ftrangers. 
 
 Harold, therefore, beholding the deftruction of 
 his own people and the fuccefs of the enemy, 
 groaned in fpirit, and forrowing more for his 
 country's troubles than his own, refolved that he 
 would perifh with his people or procure affi fiance 
 for them. He crofled over, therefore, to Germany, 
 the home of his race, with the intention of pro- 
 ceeding to Saxony ; but grieves to find that already 
 the miferable overthrow of his nation is common 
 talk in all quarters. He earneftly begs his kinsfolk 
 to lend their afliftance to one of their own ftock ; 
 he declares that the misfortune of fo fudden a 
 difafter was not to be attributed to the ftrength or 
 valour of the enemy, nor to the cowardice of the
 
 The Life of King Harold. 137 
 
 < 
 
 citizens, nor, indeed, to his own timidity or help- 
 Jeflhefs; but that their danger lay in the very 
 fact of their bravery, which, confcious as they were 
 of their prowefs and victories, had Jed them to 
 oppofe fuch a multitude of the enemy with too 
 fmall a force of foldiers. " For," faid he, " accuf- 
 tomed as I am to victory, and unacquainted with 
 defeat, I mould have thought myfelf beaten if I 
 had been but a little more tardy in gaining a frefh 
 victory over the enemy. For when, by Divine 
 grace, the Norwegians and their King, who had 
 overrun our territory from the north, were {lain 
 by us, and our armies and generals had been dif- 
 mifled to their own homes, fuddenly the Normans 
 came upon us from the fouth. And I, meeting 
 them haftily with a fmall force, not inferior in 
 courage or fpirit, but only in numbers, at length 
 fell ; but though conquered, I did not yield. No 
 uncertain victory, then, mall we gain immediately 
 over fuch as thefe, whom accident, and not bravery, 
 has on this occafion mown to be our fuperiors. 
 And to the attainment of this end, the enemy's 
 infolence, and the manner of their unexpected 
 attack, will prove the devotion of my people, and 
 give confolation to our enraged army." 
 
 With thefe and fimilar arguments he im- 
 portunes the Saxons, as well as the Danes whom 
 he vifited with an equal anxiety, to fecure their 
 help in driving out the invaders from his kingdom. 
 But when he faw that their interefts were directed 
 into other channels, he was at firft difturbed by, 
 and gave himfelf up to, the agitations of a great
 
 138 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 anxiety. For he who was now King of the 
 Englim, as well .as Duke of the Normans, in his 
 forefight for his own fecurity had been thoughtful 
 and prudent enough to anticipate Harold by 
 haftening to ally himfelf, by means of an em- 
 bafly, in friendfhip with the King and nation of 
 the Danes, as well as with the neighbouring 
 countries, and to conciliate their favour.
 
 CHAP. VI. How at length, coming to himfelf, 
 he perceived that God was opposing him in his 
 worldly path ; wherefore, conforming himfelf to 
 the Crofs of Chrift that he might the better 
 triumph over the old enemy, he rejoices that he 
 has Juffered defeat at the hands of men. 
 
 |OW Harold, coming at length to him- 
 felf, and returning, as it were, from 
 his fantaftic dream, is completely 
 changed in his heart. He perceives, 
 though late, that it was God who was oppofing 
 him in the way in which he was fo fruitleflly 
 walking, and that it was His angel's fword which 
 had been borne againft him and his obftinate 
 efforts ; and the eyes of his underftanding being 
 opened, he fees that he muft choofe another kind 
 of warfare, and that other kinds of defences would 
 be required. For the crucified King had looked 
 upon the toils and long-fufferings of the dethroned 
 King with a regard already favourable to him, 
 and would not further fuffer the fpecial devotee 
 of His banner to be engulphed in the depths, or
 
 1 40 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 be overwhelmed in the maze of fo great an afflic- 
 tion. He had beheld him fallen in fin and from 
 his high dignity ; and when He beholds, ruin 
 ceafes and the fallen arife. He had beheld, in 
 fhort, that He might warn away his fin's fault 
 with tears ; yet He had not deprived him of the 
 hope and defire of ruling, but had changed the 
 nature of his defire. 
 
 He begins, then, to fee his errors, and to lament 
 the faults of his fins and wrong-doings in the 
 fight of Him who fees all things : he begins to 
 find that the path to a more blefled kingdom is 
 far eafier, and to have a foretafte of his oppor- 
 tunity. He is fixed in his mind to become an 
 imitator of the Crofs which he had loved, to bear 
 his crofs daily, to come after the crucified One, 
 and to follow Him. Nor does it efcape his notice 
 that, in order to become fit for thefe things, he 
 mufl firft deny himfelf. As much as he can, then, 
 he propofes to take Him for an example and a 
 helper, who, though He was in the nature of 
 God, (tripped Himfelf of His divinity, and took 
 the form of a fervant. He now fees how the 
 Lord of the world, when He was in the world, 
 defpifed a worldly kingdom; and, when they 
 fought to make Him a King, fled, and preferred 
 the retirement of a folitary life to a throng of 
 followers. He remembers that all pov/er was 
 given to Him in heaven and earth by the humilia- 
 tion of a bitter paflion and a cruel death. He 
 forefees that this muft eventually be undergone by 
 all flem. He remembers that all mankind muft re-
 
 The Life of King Harold. 141 
 
 ceive from Him an eternal kingdom or an eternal 
 punifhment. He knows that if he were to pro- 
 pofe to make war againft Him, and were to go 
 againft Him with ten thoufand, that He would 
 come to meet him with twenty thoufand, whofe 
 unexpected coming and whofe extraordinary pre- 
 parations fometimes exterminate and deftroy him 
 whom He affails fecretly and powerfully when 
 He is lead expected, and he who is unprepared 
 for Him. 
 
 Putting on one fide, then, his vain defire of a 
 temporal kingdom, and cafting off the fatal purpofe 
 of an earthly ftrife, he propofes to fend an embaffy 
 to that King who is ftill far off, impelling him 
 to inquire from Him what are the terms of a 
 true peace. And fearing that His anger will be 
 increafed by his offences, and left, perchance, his 
 embaffy alone may not be fufficient to propitiate 
 Him, he refolves to feek out and entreat others, 
 fitting and fuited to the purpofe, with all the 
 prayers he can, to help him and interpofe for him 
 with the angry King, whofe favour and glory 
 alone he thought worthy of foliciting. Thus the 
 outward appearance and inward difpofition of 
 Harold are both fuddenly changed. The hand 
 which he was wont to arm, he fupports with a 
 fpear fhortened into a ftaff. Inftead of a fhield, a 
 wallet hangs from his neck. His head, which he 
 was wont to equip with a helmet, and adorn with 
 a diadem, is fhaded with a head-drefs. His feet 
 and legs, in the place of fandals and greaves, are 
 either altogether bare, or encafed in ftockings.
 
 142 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 But let me relate the reft in a few words : all the 
 armour of the warrior, the whole adornment of 
 this mighty man, is either left off altogether, or 
 elfe worn for the humiliation and punimment of 
 the penitent. Not only is the breaftplate not 
 thrown off from his moulders, arms, loins, and fide, 
 but it is brought clofer to his body ; for the inner 
 garments being taken off and thrown afide, the 
 roughnefs of the metal is next to the bare flefh. 
 Thus when awake, he walks, not indeed armed fo 
 much as imprifoned in armour. Thus when he 
 fleeps, a bed 1 does not receive him, but he is em- 
 bedded in a cuirafs. The change in the outer 
 appearance which he afTumed was wonderful. 
 Pleafant indeed was this great alteration in fuch a 
 man, both to the angels and all the faints ; but far 
 more pleafing was the change wrought in the inner 
 man by God the Judge, who created and formed 
 in him light inftead of darknefs, and turned in a 
 miraculous manner the man's whole nature. 
 
 In truth, I fay, the change was not brought 
 about by the hand of man, but by the right 
 hand of the Moft High, at whofe word a cruel 
 and favage nature foftens into mildnefs and gentle- 
 nefs, exaltation becomes humility ; but who can 
 tell of all the benefits of fo blefied a change? 
 That I may condenfe in a few words an endlefs 
 matter : by this change, luft of the flefh and the 
 world was transformed into a contempt and hatred 
 of fuch things, and yielded to a defire and love for 
 heavenly things. 
 
 1 A play on the words " thorus " and " thorax."
 
 The Life of King Harold. 143 
 
 Thus, I repeat, by the help of the Mod High, 
 the King is transformed into the foldier, and the 
 foldier of Chrift indeed, the kingdom of the world 
 being now more defpifed than it was before defired. 
 The King is transformed into the foldier ; the 
 King becomes a foldier that fo the foldier may 
 become a king, and that he who is both king and 
 foldier may be transformed into a king. The 
 foldier begins to act a foldier's part on the fide of 
 Him for whom to fight is to be a king ; to reign 
 indeed in the prefent, and to reign with Him here- 
 after. For that reigning with Him is far better 
 than this preient reigning, for it is a far fublimer 
 and greater thing than reigning in the world and 
 over a worldly kingdom. By becoming a foldier, 
 indeed, he reigns, and by reigning he beomes a 
 foldier, until the foldier of Chrift changes all 
 mutable things into things that endure, and death 
 be fwallowed up in victory, and battle be turned 
 into a trophy. Then mall the King receive his 
 kingdom, the foldier mail become a conqueror: 
 the anxious man mail feel fecure, and he that is 
 mortal (hall live for ever. Meanwhile the King 
 and foldier thus changed, a new kingdom and a 
 new warfare are given to Harold, the whole 
 nature of his foul and body throughout every 
 fenfe and limb blooms afrefh and to new ufes in 
 the world. In hunger and thirft, in cold and 
 nakednefs, in prayers, in watchings, in infults and 
 wrongs; in a word, in every toil and hardfhip, 
 the flefh is weakened, the fpirit ftrengthened, the 
 foul rejoiced. His panting breaft trembles with
 
 1 44 T/ie Life of King Harold. 
 
 fighs, which before fwelled with {laughters and 
 thundered forth threatenings. His eyes are be- 
 dewed with mowers of tears, which were wont to 
 flafh forth lightnings on his rivals, at the bidding 
 of an angry foul. His face, his brows, his neck 
 difplayed no elation, pride, nor cruelty ; modefty 
 regulates his gait ; piety, his mind ; purity guides 
 his affections. Integrity gives form to his inward 
 and outward movements; fanctity changes all his 
 doings into her own ways. Harold appears now 
 to govern himfelf more happily than is wont, to 
 reign more eminently, to wage war with greater 
 fecurity and ufefulnefs. He delights that he has 
 been conquered by man, fince by conquering the 
 world and himfelf he has, though conquered, learnt 
 how .to achieve a more glorious victory over the 
 devil.
 
 CHAP. VII. How he entered on a long pilgri- 
 mage to obtain the prayers of holy men ; and how, 
 before he became a King, he viftted the reft ing-places 
 of the holy Apoftles. 
 
 INSTRUCTED with an undion which 
 now taught him concerning all 
 things, he feels that he muft care- 
 fully conceal that treafure of heavenly 
 afpiration, left, if published abroad thoughtleflly, 
 it might be expofed to robbery. For firftlings of 
 fheep or kine are not fhorn nor put to the plough, 
 and firft-fruits were deemed unclean. 
 
 Therefore, inftru&ed by fuch divine orders as 
 thefe from the Holy Spirit, he leaves all his friends 
 who had feemed to cleave to him up to that time : 
 he deferts his kinsfolk : he retires fecretly from all 
 who had known him : he approaches peoples 
 hitherto unknown to him : he feeks for fupporters 
 far and wide amongft thofe who are not unknown 
 to him, but who were in days gone by indeed 
 well known to and loved by him, and now more 
 clofely united in a feeling of devotion. This 
 
 L
 
 146 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 man, now a noble man indeed, departed then to a 
 far-diftant country to vifit facred places in order 
 that he might pay honour to relics of the faints in 
 their own homes and mrines; to obtain more 
 fully and perfectly by their interceflion the kingdom 
 of God which he already held within his breaft, 
 intending after that to return to his own country. 
 
 Before this he had vifited the refting-places of 
 Chrift's moft exalted apoftles, when he had not yet 
 fucceeded to the throne of the Englim, by an 
 inftinct of devotion indeed, but alfo with the object 
 of bringing holy relics from their city to his own, 
 rather than wormipping them in theirs. For he 
 had had a very fervent defire to collect facred 
 relics, efpecially from the time he began to build 
 and found the church of the Holy Crofs at 
 Waltham, as we have narrated above; whence it 
 happened that, having obtained numerous pledges 
 of the faints, he appears alfo, by payment of vows 
 and prayers and money, to have carried off from 
 Rome on his return to his own country the 
 blefled bones of the martyrs Chryfanthus and 
 Daria. But the Romans, perceiving at length that 
 they were being robbed of a great treafure, and 
 not thinking it right, follow the pious plunderer 
 juft as he is departing, or, indeed, had already de- 
 parted three or four days' journey, and ftop his 
 progrefs. For a whole hoft of the natives were 
 not inclined to allow a few pilgrims to refift them 
 by force or break away in flight. What more 
 mall be faid ? Harold is flopped, bound, and over- 
 whelmed with infults, and he thought it hardeft
 
 The Life of King Harold. 147 
 
 of all that he was compelled to give up thofe 
 pearls of pricelefs value which he had lawfully 
 obtained from their former poffefTors, as they 
 indeed confefled. Returning to his own country, 
 then, for the violence of the Romans could not 
 rob him of the prayers and favour of the above- 
 mentioned witnefles of Chrift, and having managed 
 to obtain, in fpite of all, fome very precious relics 
 at Rome, he brought them home to be reverently 
 preferved in the church which has fo often been 
 mentioned. 
 
 And if anyone cares to know at greater length 
 the watchfulnefs of his devotion and care in 
 acquiring and preferving thefe relics of the faints, 
 let him read carefully the treatife above-mentioned 
 concerning the finding of the Crofs at Waltham. 
 But we ourfelves, omitting what has been written 
 by ancient writers, will give our pen a new duty, 
 and follow, as we began to do, our new pilgrim, 
 with Chrift for a guide. And if we are unable to 
 accompany him to every place and on every (ingle 
 day as he wanders through many countries of 
 Chriftendom and fpends fo beneficially his time ; 
 or if we do not know and cannot relate every 
 fingle thing he did or fuffered on his long pil- 
 grimage, Jet us at all events, following him as he 
 is now already a long way off from our mores, go 
 and meet him as he returns to us with all fpeed. 
 And let us give God higheft praife who was with 
 him and guided him, and who at no time or place 
 deferted him, and let us do honour to him in the 
 Lord, who comes, indeed, in the name of the Lord.
 
 CHAP. VIII. The admiration of the writer , 
 with a brief exclamation on the goodnejs of God, 
 by which it happens that the fins even of the 
 eleR work in them for good. 
 
 JEAN WHILE, as Harold continues 
 walking in the name of the Lord, 
 his foul like a bride feeking her 
 bridegroom, as he wanders through 
 many places, and having found him, holds him, 
 rejoicing with his fpirit as it glories in God his 
 Saviour, I feem to hear him finging with the 
 pfalmift, " Turn, my foul, to thy reft, for the Lord 
 has mown favour to thee." But he, for joy of 
 heart and admiration of the mighty ads of his 
 beneficent Lord towards his fervant, joyfully ex- 
 claims: O abounding piety and wondrous kind- 
 nefs of Thy Spirit ! O virtue and wifclom ! O 
 co-eternal Son of an eternal Father ! O fweet and 
 blefled Jefus! O ineftimable and unfearchable 
 height of Thy counfels, truly no man can turn the 
 thoughts of Thy heart. O how true were the 
 feelings of her who faid to Thee, " If Thou haft
 
 The Life of King Harold. 149 
 
 decreed to fave us, we mall for ever be delivered." 
 How faithful, how worthy of acceptation is that 
 faying, fo confidently uttered by Thy apoftle! 
 " We know," he fays, " that all things work to- 
 gether for good to thofe that love Him." Blefled 
 be the holy name of Thy glory with the co-eternal 
 Father and co-eval Spirit, who, when Thou wert 
 angry, haft pity, and as the holy woman relates, 
 forgiveft all the fins of mankind in their tribula- 
 tion. And, indeed, all thefe things Thou haft 
 mown to be true, and countlefs, according to this 
 meafure which are everywhere written in facred 
 literature about Thee concerning thofe things 
 which Thou doeft and fhoweft to thofe that love 
 Thee, in this one man who loved and was loved 
 by Thee. How plain the argument to us, how 
 clear a fpectacle of gentlenefs and fortitude haft 
 Thou builti up in this one man ! O Wifdom, who 
 haft uttered words from the mouth of the Moft 
 High, taking in hand with firmnefs all things 
 from beginning to end, and difpofing them with 
 gentlenefs ! From thefe fprings of gentlenefs and 
 firmnefs proceed thofe two rivers of grace and 
 feverity or mercy and ftriclnefs, watered by which 
 the furface of the earth of the faints, the tares 
 being uprooted, brings forth its feed to the fruit 
 of eternal life. 
 
 With what calmnefs and favour didft Thou take 
 hold of this man, and, as fome think, on account 
 of his wickednefs ; yet didft thou not hurl him into 
 eternity, but, taking hold of him and correcting 
 him, broughteft him forth from his very iniquity to
 
 150 'The Life of King Harold. 
 
 be more careful for himfelf, more devoted to Thee. 
 What gentlenefs and what firmnefs didft Thou 
 exercife with him, fnatching him fo powerfully 
 from the hand of death, and not allowing his life 
 to be taken away by javelin or fword, but reftoring 
 and re-creating in him the life of his foul, a life, 
 as has been mown, deprived of its fin. Hence, too, 
 his unrighteoufnefs was found to abound to Thy 
 glory, fince out of the great and manifold fweet- 
 nefs of Thy kindnefs, where his wickednefs 
 abounded, Thy grace abounded more and more in 
 him, in order that in proportion as he mould love 
 Thee more, he might receive a fuller pardon from 
 Thee. That it might appear plain that not fome 
 things but all things work together for good to 
 him who loves Thee, and even one's own great 
 fin, which indeed is always evil, worketh to fuch 
 a man to his eternal benefit.
 
 CHAP. IX. How many things are faid by 
 many people about Harold's fin; and concerning 
 the oak hard by Rouen , under which he made the 
 oath, which remains, though ftripilof its bark, to 
 this day. 
 
 ONCERNING this man's fin, fince 
 many hiftorians fay much about it, 
 we alfo ought to fpeak, and bring 
 forward for impartial confideration 
 what thofe, who have a defire to exaggerate or 
 detract from it, think on the matter. For the 
 majority accufe him of having committed a fin of 
 no common kind; but of fuch heinoufnefs, indeed, 
 that they are of opinion the downfall of Englifh 
 liberty muft be imputed to its enormity. For it 
 is aflerted that he took the name of the Lord God 
 in vain, and feared not to pollute it with a falfe 
 oath ; and they alfo add that this act of fin was 
 marked out by a wonderful miracle from heaven. 
 
 For the oak, which was once a tree of great height 
 and beauty, as is proved by thofe who behold it 
 to-day, under which Harold made the oath to the 
 Duke of the Normans, as foon as he ufurped the
 
 152 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 kingdom which he had fworn to preferve for him, 
 and thus broke his oath, is ftated, wonderful to 
 relate, to have fhed its bark, and to have loft its 
 greennefs and its foliage. A fight well worth 
 feeing, for a tree which was a little time before 
 remarkable for the number and thicknefs of its 
 leaves, fhrivelled up from the roots, as quickly as 
 did the gourd of Jonah and the olive of that other 
 prophet, and all its branches became white. The 
 lafting nature of the withered tree, an indeftruc- 
 tible oak, increafes the miracle of the blight falling 
 upon it, and this we have frequently, in common 
 with many more, wondered at. 
 
 Who, indeed, would not be amazed that this oak, 
 of fuch vaft magnitude, not weakened by fmall 
 branches but everywhere unbroken, from the loweft 
 roots to the topmoft leaves, thus ftripped of every 
 covering of bark, had not already yielded to old age 
 and courfe of time ; or wafted by decay, or beaten 
 upon by the violence of the winds, and flooded by 
 many rains, had not grown rotten or, at leaft, bent ! 
 But when we faw the tree one hundred and forty 
 years after this event, when it was ftill to be feen thus 
 marked, a man of Rouen declared that the crime 
 of fo enormous a perjury had been thus fignalized 
 by Heaven. The ill-feted tree ftill ftands at a 
 mort diftance from the city itfelf, overhanging a 
 pleafant glade, which is not far from the bridge 
 over the Seine ftretching towards the hermits of 
 Grandmont. The man of Rouen is faid to have 
 prefumed, at the unufual omen, that London would 
 fir ft be fubdued.
 
 The Life of King Harold. 153 
 
 The whole of Neuftria, in like manner, learned 
 to hope that the vaft riches of the Englifh might 
 fubferve the waftefulnefs of her needy and greedy 
 miftrefs. To this is added, by thofe who inveigh 
 againft Harold, already truly a conqueror, the 
 overthrow, as eafy as it was cruel, and as rapid as 
 it was undeferved, whereby he unexpectedly loft 
 his kingdom. Thus, without fufpecling it, he 
 efcaped deftruction by only juft preferving his life.
 
 CHAP. X. The excufe Jome make for Harold, 
 whereby, exonerating him from perjury, they ajjert 
 that it was with thefanftion of God and confent of 
 the holy Edward that he became King ; and con- 
 cerning the vijion of the Abbot Elfin, in which 
 the holy Edward declared that Harold Jhould be 
 conqueror over the Norwegians. 
 
 N the other hand, fome people, for the 
 fame reafon (and frequently even 
 before this many were of this 
 opinion, eftimating the act of the 
 beloved man of God by the marks of divine 
 favour which fhone around him), endeavour to 
 bring forward a reafon for the non-fulfilment of 
 the oath, and that Harold was quite right in 
 afluming the kingly power. For judging from 
 what happened after, if what he had fworn had 
 been obferved, it would have been beyond a 
 doubt a difaftrous thing to the nation, as it was 
 againft his own wifh, and difadvantageous to the 
 fafety of his people. For he made the oath under 
 reftraint of fear, which fell upon this fteadfaft
 
 The Life of King Harold. 155 
 
 man, who very rightly refufed to meet an im- 
 mediate death, or a never-ending imprifonment. 
 And befides, there appeared no other way out of 
 the difficulty, confined as he was in a foreign 
 country, and in fuch powerful hands; therefore, 
 yielding to the dictates of human frailty, which 
 never gives up life willingly, and to the advice of 
 fome friends who were with him at the time, he 
 took the oath thus prefented to him, to which both 
 human laws and the divine canon are known to have 
 condefcended through various neceflities of this life. 
 Concerning the right of extorting this oath, 
 others will difpute as they pleafe. But it was 
 lawful for him not to fulfil an oath thus forced 
 from him, if, which none deny, the oath itfelf 
 were illegal ; and by its means, for he could 
 not have done fo otherwife, he efcaped from the 
 Normans who were keeping him prifoner. And 
 when he at length was reftored to his own people, 
 he told everyone openly what he had fufTered and 
 what he had done. And when they hear his 
 account they are all with one mind feized with 
 rage, reject an agreement made under compulfion 
 of an oath, and cry out vehemently that it muft 
 not be obferved. Heaven forbid, fay they, that 
 we mould ferve the Normans! Heaven forbid 
 that the liberty of our city and of our Englifh 
 nobility mould ever be fubfervient to the barbarian 
 yoke of Norman pride ! Why mould more be 
 faid ? All cry with one voice : one opinion is in 
 every mind. Putting afide, then, all danger from 
 the oath, which was thought to be of no value,
 
 156 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 Harold at length, by the unanimous advice of all, 
 is raifed to the throne. But that this had not 
 happened with the divine Will had been declared 
 a little time after from heaven. For when the 
 Norwegian King, failing with a numerous fleet, 
 had made an entry into England, attacking the 
 province of York with fire and fword, and had 
 begun to Jay wafte everything that came in his 
 way, and when the newly-elected King was haften- 
 ing to meet him with an army he had collected, he 
 was fuddenly feized with moft violent pain in his leg. 
 Fettered as he thus had become, and in agony for 
 the peril of his fubjects rather than at his own 
 pain, pafling nearly the whole night without fleep 
 in fighs and prayers, he begged for the familiar 
 afliftance of the Holy Crofs. In the fame night 
 there appeared to that fervant of the Lord, Elfin, 
 the Abbot of Ramfey, King Edward, the holy and 
 watchful defender of his people, the predeceflbr of 
 our forrowing and afflicted hero, telling the Abbot 
 the misfortune of the King which had happened 
 to his body and fpirit, mowing him befides the 
 King's thoughts as he lay upon his bed ; fending 
 him, and faying to him, " Rife, go, and tell your 
 King from me the remedy for his prefent pain and 
 the threatened war, that, at my interceflion, God 
 has granted him the victory. Let the revelation 
 of his heart's thoughts be a fign to him from 
 heaven that the remedy is to be attended to, and 
 let the argument of this unwonted revelation be a 
 certain omen of his obtaining the victory." So the 
 King, to fpeak briefly, is cured by divine favour,
 
 The Life of King Harold. 157 
 
 and is exhilarated by heavenly meflages. Attack- 
 ing the enemy with confidence he eafily conquers 
 them, for he overcame not by his own ftrength, 
 but by the might of Him who heals thofe that are 
 broken in heart, and binds up their wounds, 
 deftroying with the fword the enemies of thofe 
 that love him. Therefore we gather by the per- 
 fuafion of an argument which is not improbable, 
 becaufe he obtained the kingdom by the connivance 
 of his moft holy predecefTor and the ordaining of 
 God, that, fortified as he was by the favour of the 
 faint and advifed by his divine meflage, God Him- 
 felf afTenting thereto, he thus deferved to gain a 
 triumphant victory over his haughty foe.
 
 
 CHAP. XL A wonderful account concerning a 
 Holy Crofs which is alleged to have bowed its head 
 to Harold as he was haftening to battle ; and cer- 
 tain other very abounding miracles concerning 
 this Crofs, proved to be undoubtedly true. 
 
 OT only was his legal affumption of 
 the kingly power defended by thefe 
 events and figns, but his favourable 
 performance of the fame is proved. 
 For, by a fign new and quite unheard-of in all 
 ages, the clemency of the Saviour deigned to fignalize 
 His own peculiar fervant in a more exalted manner 
 for the fecond time, by which act of fo fignal a 
 miracle, the favour and Jove of Heaven were dif- 
 played to the devoted King, and his honour de- 
 fended for ever againft the reproaches of defamers. 
 The circumftance which happened was noifed about 
 everywhere, as was its due, and is vifible to the 
 eye to the prefent day. As he was returning 
 from the flaughter of his enemies, this moft valiant 
 King, haftening to meet fome new adverfaries who 
 had attacked him, no prefTure of hafte would allow
 
 The Life of King Harold. 159 
 
 him to pafs by his beloved church. He turns 
 afide to it in his devotion, enters, proftrates him- 
 felf, and the innermoft feelings of his heart be- 
 coming foftened, he worfhips the Holy Crofs, 
 multiplies vow upon vow of thanks for the victory 
 he had juft gained, and humbly doubles his prayers 
 that he may obtain another trophy of victory, if 
 it mould pleafe God's High Majefty. His prayers 
 being at length finifhed, and the ifTue of the im- 
 pending conflict entrufted in his earneft devotion 
 to the faithful judgment of Him who orders 
 all things, as he was on the point of returning 
 with bent head and {looping body, and faying 
 farewell to the Holy Crofs, he bowed himfelf, as 
 the cuftom is, and in refponfe the countenance of 
 the crucified image bowed itfelf. 
 
 This wonderful and aufpicious action of the Saviour 
 gladdened while it terrified fome of thofe who flood 
 by. For what could even be conceived more aufpi- 
 cious than that the immortal King of Eternity, 
 though invifible, mould be feen to anfwer the falute 
 of a King of miferable mortals, and mould deign and 
 have the power to incline His head to him ! How 
 terrible this was to human weaknefs to fee fuch 
 ftrange things, that, contrary to all nature, a ftone 
 mould bend ; and, what is beyond nature, that God 
 in His own image mould be feen to bend to a human 
 being ! And what mail we fay of this, that, where 
 the art of man could not pierce even the thin 
 palm of the divine image, the image itfelf was 
 feen to bend its bodily neck? The workman toils 
 and draws blood, and makes a hole in the hand of
 
 1 60 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 ftone. A man, deftined foon to be a King no longer, 
 prays, and the neck of ftone which, although, it 
 might by fome means be pierced by man's hand, 
 could by no means be bent, fuddenly bends itfelf, 
 yet is not broken ; bows itfelf, but from the com- 
 pletenefs of the whole body or the joined head, 
 not the flighteft crack is made. And not only in 
 the mere material was this great miracle fo re- 
 markable. For the image being of ftone infide, 
 and the outfide filver, a double miracle was per- 
 formed and difplayed. It was the image, forfooth, 
 of Him of whom it is written: "They have 
 fipped honey from the ftone, and oil from the 
 hardeft rock." The fubftance indeed was of ftone, 
 yea, of very rock, hardeft in quality, thick about 
 the moulders, neck, and arms of the image, and, 
 fo to fpeak, corpulent. 
 
 This image was difcovered by divine revelation, 
 buried in the earth on the top of a certain hill ; 
 nor was it known how or by whom it was fafhioned, 
 or depofited and concealed there. It was brought 
 by divine command direct to the place we have 
 fo often mentioned, where thefe things are faid to 
 have occurred, by oxen, who drew the cart on 
 which it was laid about one hundred and twenty 
 miles, and they would not allow it to turn afide any- 
 where from the journey it had undertaken. There 
 it was covered with filver plates, and was not joined 
 or fixed to the lofty crofs. For it allowed fo little 
 of man's workmanfhip on it, that a man could 
 not even make the holes for the nails to be driven 
 in. Nor was this attempted, but the palm of the
 
 The Life of King Harold. 1 6 1 
 
 right hand, as foon as a little of the furface had 
 been bored by an iron, was found to poflefs a foft- 
 nefs whence it emitted blood ; but it loft not its 
 hardnefs, whereby it repelled the hardeft auger. 
 The right hand of the Lord gave this quality to the 
 right hand of His image, which, as the Pfalmift 
 fang, hath given ftrength, whence alfo it is a fitting 
 quality of this material right hand, that being made 
 illuftrious by fo many figns, and glorious by fo many 
 prodigies, it may feem to declare, not fo much in 
 words as in fact, "The right hand of the Lord 
 hath exalted me ; the right hand of the Lord hath 
 given ftrength." 
 
 Now, we have related all this to the end that the 
 manifold nature of the heavenly power might appear, 
 which was mown in this bending of the facred head 
 of the holy image ; for, as we have faid, in the filver 
 as well as the ftony fubftance, this wonderful act of 
 heavenly condefcenfion and power fhone forth to 
 our eyes, which we can ftill behold to-day near 
 the horn of the altar where the occurrence hap- 
 pened. For the ftone did not crack, nor did the 
 filver plate experience a cleft, or contract a wrinkle, 
 though it was ftretched to an unwonted degree 
 from that part of the neck through fuch a bending ; 
 nor was it feen to be folded in the leaft propor- 
 tion from the region of the neck and jaw. But 
 there was an alteration, and not a fmall one, from its 
 original pofition, for whereas the chin of the image, 
 as we have formerly heard, ftood ftraight out, we 
 fee it now hangs down and fettled upon the breaft, 
 by reafon of the bending which we have defcribed. 
 
 M
 
 CHAP. XII. Different interpretations of dif- 
 ferent men concerning the above-mentioned figns of 
 the bowing Crojs and m the withered oak ; and how 
 Harold, by judging .himjelf^ favourably anticipated 
 the divine judgment and fears not man's. 
 
 LTHOUGH this wonderful work of 
 piety feemed at the time to have 
 portended a happy and aufpicious 
 omen, yet fome people afterwards 
 faid that it prefaged an unlucky and difaftrous 
 event. For when, a fhorf time after, the King 
 was beaten with his army, many thought that the 
 bending of the image fignified the fubjugation of 
 the Englim and the lamentable downfall of the 
 kingdom. But to thofe who look into the order 
 of the occurrences and the fervices of the pious 
 King towards the Crofs, both before and after the 
 event, the former interpretation of fo divine an 
 action feems more probable and more liberal. For 
 God, who always gives in excefs of the merits and 
 prayers of His fuppliant, is wont to Jiften to thofe 
 who pray to Him as foon as they afk beyond what
 
 The Life of King Harold. 163 
 
 they afk and underftand. Wherefore He turns a 
 deaf ear oftentimes to what His petitioners wifh, 
 but anfwers their prayers for their good and fafety ; 
 for it is only His enemy's wifhes that He grants 
 to their own destruction. 
 
 But it is not neceflary to make a long tale by 
 narrating how He has anfwered the prayers of fome 
 of the elect as well as finners. It is fufficient to 
 bear in mind that the chief of reprobates fought to 
 tempt that holy man Job, that this was accepted now 
 and again, but was anfwered to the augmentation of 
 his own condemnation. Let it fuffice to call to 
 mind, on the other hand, that He, the chief of all 
 the elect, when the fting of His fuffering was at 
 hand, afked that the cup might pafs from Him, but 
 obtained not the prayer which He had made accord- 
 ing to His wifhes, but fubjected His will to the 
 good pleafure of the Father, yea, and rendered it 
 completely in fubjection. " Not My will," said He, 
 " but Thine be done." For God in fuch a wim as 
 that, fpared not His own Son, giving Him up for 
 us all, that He might on that account, when he 
 had drunk of the brook in the way, lift up His 
 head which He bowed upon the Crofs. The 
 ftory of the confummation was declared to be the 
 overthrow of the enemy of mankind. And on 
 this declaration becoming known, He bowed His 
 head in peaceful {lumber, after the long vigils 
 of an anxious conflict ; and fweetly refted in 
 peace after the agony of His bloody fweat. But 
 thefe things unbelievers have interpreted contrari- 
 wife. When He achieved the victory over His
 
 164 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 enemies, defeated fpite thought that it had con- 
 quered the victorious King. But He, knowing 
 what He had done, bent His invincible head, 
 which in victory He carried erect, in a fecure and 
 peaceful fleep. It is now plain by this diftinguifh- 
 ing fign the King had mown, in bending His 
 head to the fuppliant King, that He had granted 
 him a better victory than the reft looked for or 
 thought. For, left an erroneous opinion mould 
 prevail with the conquered againft the conqueror, 
 and left He who was faid to be the King of the 
 Jews mould be thought to have loft His kingdom, 
 there was added the governor's difapproval of the 
 rafh opinion in letters, in the infcription placed 
 over His head, which was already bent. For It 
 was written there, " Jefus of Nazareth, King of 
 the Jews." He remained, in truth, a king, for 
 the wicked multitude envied Him His kingdom, 
 and killed Him, fo that He bowed His Head. 
 But He indeed bowed His head, afluming at the 
 fame time the power of His kingdom; which 
 confefling 1 that He had received in its fulnefs, 
 He exalted His bowed head above the heavens. 
 
 Let no one think that the royal name or royal 
 dignity (to whom fuch a mark was mown by the 
 King of all Kings) was loft by the King, either 
 becaufe He deigned to bow in his own image or 
 becaufe it was not permitted the fame King 
 vifibly to triumph over his threatening enemies by 
 the fame means. But if anyone thinks that the 
 
 1 Convefcens, //'/. eating together with ; here evidently a 
 corrupt reading, perhaps for confeflus.
 
 The Life of King Harold. 1 65 
 
 prefage of fuch an unexpected virtue fignified the 
 extenfion of the kingdom, whofe temporal adminif- 
 tration was at firft conferred on him, and after- 
 wards taken from him, we do not deny that the 
 downfall of Englifli profperity, and the overthrow 
 of the liberty of the laity as well as the Church, 
 which was experienced from that time, was por- 
 tended to the inhabitants of our ifland. But the 
 Holy Crofs does not fuffer the rights of its fervant 
 to be diminifhed becaufe of its greater confederation 
 for him. 
 
 But the eternal and unchanging God offers and 
 promifes to His wormippers for their labours and 
 their religious worfhip not tranfitory and perifhable 
 things, but rather ftable, good, and eternal things. 
 Therefore the King granted, gave, and yielded to 
 the King what he wimed. And if he could in any 
 other or better way have known how to give or 
 grant it, it would have been the heavenly granting 
 to an earthly, one, a permanent for ever and ever 
 to a tranfitory one. But He took away a fhadowy 
 kingdom from him for whom He preferved a true 
 and everlafting one, that the former might not be 
 even a flight hindrance to his pafTmg to the latter. 
 And left the thoughts of men (whofe forefight re- 
 garding impending danger is full of fear and doubt) 
 mould imagine that the good Lord purpofed to 
 fuch an extent to bring affliction inftead of peace 
 on his devoted fervant, He refolved that the vaft- 
 nefs of the miracle which He had performed 
 fhould anticipate the enormity of a future offence, 
 and that we might put a limit to fuch things as
 
 1 66 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 thefe, He deigned to beftow and confer the mani- 
 feftation of His clemency on His fervant. By 
 thefe benefits, in fine, the exalted power, the 
 infinite holinefs, the unapproachable fublimity of 
 the mercy and greatnefs of Almighty God the 
 Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, the one and only 
 King of Eternity, difplayed on the King's diadem a 
 pearl of great brilliancy, when he was under a cloud 
 of perfecution and in a flough of defpondency. 
 
 And as for what fome allege abput the oak, let 
 thofe attend to that who worfhip the beafts of the 
 foreft and trees, and who fear not nor blum to 
 prefer the fenfelefs wood and the brute beafts to 
 men, partakers of their own nature, made after the 
 image of God, and what is more than this, 
 redeemed by His death. Let them take care 
 left perchance the tree itfelf foretold an omen for 
 him who enforced the oath and his immediate 
 pofterity rather than for him who took the oath. 
 Let them confider and decide whether it feemeth 
 fitting to them by whofe agency the bloom and 
 vigour of the fanctity and liberty of the ancient 
 Church of England wafted and vanimed, that, when 
 the firft pulfe of the kingdom began to beat, a green 
 and leafy tree dried up, caft off in a moment its 
 beauty, and difplayed a perplexing nakednefs. 
 
 But let it fuffice that we have touched upon 
 both fides of thefe matters which are related 
 to have happened by fome in favour of King 
 Harold, and by others in oppofition to him, leaving 
 the fettlement of the queftion to the final decifion 
 of the reader, or rather of the immortal God who
 
 The Life of King Harold. 1 67 
 
 knoweth all things. As far as we have been able, 
 we have tried by means of what we have related, 
 and which appeared to us not irrelevant to the 
 fubject, to remove the ftumbling-ftones from the 
 way, and to make the path plain, the actual fads, 
 as we truft, guiding us. 
 
 It remains for us now to go and meet, with 
 what fpeed we may, our King and patron, who is 
 returning to us from his long journey, and to 
 follow him to the bed of our power v/ith the 
 devoted fervice of our trufty pen, as he returns 
 home firft to the home of the Angles and then of 
 the Angels. But he himfelf, by accufmg and 
 judging himfelf, ftrove fo to anticipate the judg- 
 ment of man and of God that it mattered very 
 little to him to be judged by thofe who, according 
 as they were difpofed towards him by hatred or 
 goodwill, judge according to their human lights, 
 generally wrongly, and feldom rightly.
 
 CHAP. XIII. How, after many years Jpent 
 abroad, Harold, returning to England for the 
 purpofe of exercijing his patience and meeknefs, 
 caujed himfelf to be called CHRISTIAN, and lived 
 ten years in a certain rock infolitude ; with a Jhort 
 inveRive againft the Antichrifts of that time. 
 
 FTER fpending many years in the 
 holy labour of a religious pilgrimage, 
 Harold decided to practife a new 
 method of life upon his body, worn 
 out as it was with long toils and old age. He 
 had learnt, indeed, the countlefs virtues and moft 
 holy lives of the faints whom he had vifited, and 
 he now refolved to ftay his fteps, to make an end 
 of his wanderings, to bid farewell afrefh to the 
 activity of Martha, and to reft quiet, like Mary, 
 in meditation on the fayings and doings of holy 
 men which he had heard and feen, that he might 
 the more lavifhly enrich his fpirit, fo as to be able 
 to fing with the Pfalmift in deed and in truth, 
 "That my foul may be filled with marrow and 
 fatnefs, and my mouth praifes Thee with joyful
 
 The Life of King Harold. 1 69 
 
 lips." He had experienced and maintained in his 
 own perfon, and in the fweet and gentle fanctity 
 of the righteous, how gentle and pleafant is the 
 holy of holies; and he thinks that it would be 
 beft for him to reft in future, that he may fee more 
 perfectly, and know in a more blefled way, that 
 the Lord Himfelf is God. 
 
 But left this bodily repofe (as is cuftomary to 
 the thoughtlefs) mould bring lazinefs or torpor 
 upon his mind, he elected to reft and repofe in 
 that land, by refiding in which he forefees that 
 he will be able 'to poffefs and difplay a greater 
 exercife and a more effective proof of his patience 
 and goodnefs. He knew that the height of per- 
 fection, which he felt in his enlarged breaft in all 
 its fulnefs, would ftand out moft clearly in that 
 faying which the only begotten Son of the Moft 
 High deigned to utter and teach the brothers of 
 his adoption, " Pray," faid He, " for them which 
 defpitefully ufe you and perfecute you ; do good 
 to them that hate you, that ye may be the children 
 of your Father which is in heaven, for He maketh 
 His fun to rife on the good and on the evil, and 
 fendeth rain on the juft and on the unjuft." He 
 afpired, therefore, in his heart's affection to the 
 merit and reward of that true perfection to which 
 he ought the rather to ftrive, and to remain in that 
 land which contains as many of his perfecutors as 
 there are dwellers therein ; as many of his haters 
 as there are men therein ; almoft as many revilers 
 as men who fpeak with him and of him. But he 
 does not truft himfelf to fo ferious a ftruggle, nor
 
 170 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 commit himfelf to fuch a danger without due con- 
 fideration ; for he is well aware of the ftrength of 
 Him who dwelleth in him, and in whom he 
 dwells ; nor did he fear to fay with the Apoftle, 
 " Since ye feek a proof of Chrift fpeaking in 
 me." With full truft, then, in the knowledge 
 that he has fuch a gueft within him, he wimed 
 to be called CHRISTIAN by name, that, being 
 already joined in a union of the Spirit, he might 
 alfo be united in the communion of name to 
 Him who, he knew, was dwelling in him, fpeak- 
 ing in him, working in him, and fuffering in him. 
 For he faid with Paul, in his heart to himfelf, 
 but to us alfo in work, " I can do all things 
 through Him who ftrengtheneth me." 
 
 It is not thus with the wicked man, nor with 
 thofe whom a treacherous enemy an enemy who 
 overthrows and is overthrown arms only to deftroy, 
 flrengthens only to make weak. For fuch an one 
 teaches you to place your reliance in your own 
 flefh, that your heart may be alienated from God ; 
 that you may be like the tamarifk, blooming yet 
 barren ; and that you may dwell now in a land of 
 faltnefs, which yields no fruit to its cultivators, 
 and afterwards in an uninhabitable land, which 
 gives no reft to thofe who dwell therein. In this 
 land only eternal horror dwells. For who can dwell 
 with the devouring flame, or who can abide with 
 everlafting fires? But thefe laft prophetic words 
 we ufe without abufe, knowing the difference of 
 thofe fires: with which the one confumes fmners 
 without deftroying them ; but the other, by con-
 
 The Life of King Harold. 171 
 
 fuming the fins, juftifies the finners, illuminating 
 and kindling them. Yet why mould we fpeak of 
 thefe, of whom we are not concerned to fpeak or 
 judge, who, indeed, rob and deftroy the church 
 aye, and churches outwardly, but inwardly enter 
 not into nor inhabit them gathering the fruit 
 and lopping the vineyard of the Lord of Hofts ; 
 but now they are cut down by the hufbandman, 
 and, unlefs they grow wife in time, they are to be 
 caft in a moment into eternal fire. Now becaufe 
 thefe men are become Antichrifts, let us rather 
 leave them to themfelves and their flame and 
 return to our Chriftian. For even now, as the 
 prophet witnefleth, the flame devours the enemy, 
 and in obedience to the fentence of the true vine, 
 the branch is afterwards caft into the fire and 
 burnt. 
 
 But our Chriftian, new in name but old in 
 profeflion, fecure in Chrift who dwelleth in him 
 already the victor of the world and of that Prince 
 who is in the world by a new warfare and a new 
 art of fighting begins to conquer his conquerors. 
 His King, with whom he had waged war already 
 a long time in the hope of regaining his loft 
 kingdom, had beftowed on him the flame of 
 affection, with which, fanned by the breath of this 
 Holy Spirit, the hammers of affliction had forged 
 upon the anvil of fuffering a great panoply of 
 victorious arms. With thefe he had learnt to 
 fight without defeat for his loft kingdom but a 
 kingdom, indeed, in heaven, not on earth, know- 
 ing that, when he had obtained that, he could
 
 172 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 never lofe it at the hands of any enemy. Led, 
 then, at length to his former kingdom poflefled, 
 indeed, with great danger, but loft to his great 
 gain ready to fight manfully with thofe weapons 
 with which he was armed for a new and incom- 
 parably better kingdom, he enters the camp 
 equipped with all his armour. For, retiring into 
 a cavern hard by Dover, he firft compofed his 
 mind, then, rifing up out of himfelf, he beheld 
 the land far above him, whofe King fometimes his 
 eyes could fee in all His glory, in whom and with 
 whom he prefumed to have a certain hope of 
 reigning. 
 
 Here, fulfilling all the commandments, he 
 fpent ten years of folitary life, like a foldier in 
 his recruit fervice, and at length, becoming a 
 veteran, he ftrove, by leading a godly life, to 
 exceed even rather than fulfil the vital precepts of 
 the Divine Law. For he knew that that was a 
 life of virtue, this a life of holinefs ; that a life of 
 beginning, this a life of perfection; that alfo he 
 judged neceflary, this glorious here, in fhort, he 
 looked for counfel, there for empire, for the fafety 
 of mankind, and at the fame time for the glory of 
 a jealous and favourable God. 
 
 Now this place, where he had thus determined to 
 fpend his life, was not far diftant from the fpot where 
 he had formerly loft his earthly kingdom by nearly 
 meeting his death, and by this act feized power from 
 the Kingdom of Heaven. Here, therefore, the 
 patience and gentlenefs of the man exercifed and 
 wafted his ftrength, where both his own and his
 
 The Life of King Harold. 173 
 
 people's paft misfortunes, and the prefent pride of 
 his enemies, was brought to his memory and fight 
 more frequently, forafmuch as he was more urged 
 in a more generous fpirit to repay, not evil for 
 evil, but the bounteous gifts of his holy inter- 
 ceffion.
 
 CHAP. XIV. How Harold afterwards Jpent 
 a long time in various places on the borders of the 
 Welfli) bore their repeated ajjaults in patience, 
 hiding his face with a cloth, and changing his 
 name for another left he jhould by Jome means be 
 recognifed ; how at length the cruelty of his per- 
 Jecutors was changed into veneration for him. 
 
 |lVING, then, among the Welfh, al- 
 though he had been at one time an 
 object of hatred to them, on account 
 of what feemed at the time a juft 
 defence of his own race, he now defires, as 
 Chriftian, to fuffer with Paul what he had, as 
 Harold, done with Saul. Bidding farewell, then, 
 to Kent, he proceeds to Wales, and ftaying there 
 in various places a long time, he Jived with 
 the Welfh and prayed for them, although they, 
 without provocation, ceafed not to afTault him, 
 who was now not fighting againft them, but for 
 them. But as he was going into a land, as we 
 have ftated before, where he was once known, he 
 concealed both his features and his name, wearing
 
 The Life of King Harold. 175 
 
 always in public the veil of a little piece of cloth 
 before his face, left, if he were recognifed by any, 
 the offer of their adoration to the merits of his 
 virtues might lead him to become vain. If, then, 
 his name were afked, he would fay that men called 
 him Chriftian. He, indeed, difguifed both his 
 face and his name, becaufe his name was known to 
 all, and his face to many. For he was afraid that he 
 might be betrayed bythefe indications, and he feared 
 left he mould be greeted with applaufe from his own 
 friends, if perchance any furvived, or by ftrangers 
 even, if he were recognifed, either at the contempla- 
 tion of his former dignity and prefent humility, or 
 under pretence of friendship or familiarity. 
 
 But it was not to be feared that, even if 
 he were betrayed by his enemies, he would be 
 treated in a hoftile manner, leading fuch a life 
 and behaviour as he was doing, or put into clofer 
 reftraint than he had put himfelf. Yet it was 
 very probable, if his fecrets were known, that he 
 might be troubled by what was worfe than tortures 
 or imprifonment, namely, praife and applaufe. 
 For who would not mow all the reverence and 
 honour he could to fuch a man, when he faw how 
 lowly-minded and mild how kind-hearted and 
 gentle how indifferent to worldly things he was ; 
 and how, by his own free-will, he had become an 
 object of contempt to lovers of the world, efpe- 
 cially if it were no fecret that in former times he 
 had held a confpicuous pofition in the world, and 
 had been rich and powerful? And this is re- 
 markable about his frugality and patience, that he
 
 ij6 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 did not fo much bear wrongs with patience, as 
 repay them with kindnefTes ; and that he did not 
 fo refrefh his faft-decaying body with food, as juft 
 keep it alive. On this matter we have heard 
 fully, from a certain holy fervant of Chrift, that 
 if he were at any time eating a lean and fmall fifh, 
 he would never eat but one half of it, leaving the 
 other half untouched not even turning it over, 
 but would hand it juft as it was to his fervant, or 
 to fome needy man, if one were prefent. By thefe 
 ftrict refolutions this holy man, following the 
 example of Him whofe Name he claimed to mare, 
 preferred to be defpifed and afflicted for a while 
 with Chrift, and for Chrift, fince now he was 
 called Chriftian from Chrift, rather than be ener- 
 vated by the favours and pleafures of the world ; 
 for which reafon he had of his own free-will 
 expofed himfelf to the favage company of the 
 Welfh, putting before his mental vifion that Pafchal 
 Lamb who freely offered Himfelf to wicked priefts 
 to be facrificed for us. 
 
 For, defiring to walk as Chrift walked, this 
 Chriftian haftened to follow wherever He went, 
 through the purity of a worldly heart, and fuffer- 
 ing of an afflicted body, that Lamb, which per- 
 chance he could not follow in the unfoiled cleannefs 
 of the flefh. For burning with a love of fuffering, 
 as if he thought of too little account all the hard- 
 fhip and failings he brought on his own body, 
 himfelf his own torturer, he chofe to enter into 
 companionfhip with a wild race, at whofe hands 
 he knew he mould be fubjected to many afflictions,
 
 The Life of King Harold. 1 77 
 
 if not indeed crucifixion itfelf. He differed, in 
 truth, from thefe treacherous, favage, and defpicable 
 men, only what he looked for and expected, for 
 he was often violently beaten with very cruel 
 ftripes at the hands of robbers, from whom alfo 
 he fuffered every poflible injury. They pilfered 
 his provifions, and robbed him of his clothes ; 
 and to induce him to bring forth money, of which 
 he had none, they tortured him with exceffive and 
 exquifite torments and ill-treatment. 
 
 Such, indeed, was the conduct of thefe men, or 
 rather wild beafts, that that faying of St. Gregory 
 concerning the Longobardi fuits their cafe exactly : 
 " Whofe very compacts are punimments, and whofe 
 favours are fwords." But the man of God bore it 
 all with a tranquil mind, a cheerful countenance, a 
 gentle voice, and a generous hand. Nor did his pious 
 habits ceafe, though he had to ftruggle with fuch 
 impiety, until the evil of the latter was overcome 
 and put to mame by the goodnefs of the former, 
 and glory and honour was heaped upon the piety 
 which had won the victory. For he gave food 
 and drink to his enemies, as the Apoftle tells us 
 to do. He foftened the hearts of his defpoilers by 
 kindneffes he made his tormentors gentle by his 
 wondrous, unheard-of meeknefs. He heaped, fo to 
 fpeak, from the furnace of a great affection, coals 
 of fire upon their heads, fo that the hardnefs of 
 their hearts, foftened to the marrow, was at length 
 melted, and they began to worfhip and honour 
 him whom they had been accuftomed to mock and 
 fcourge. The hand which once raged with ftripes, 
 
 N
 
 178 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 is now conftant in kindnefles. The tongue, once 
 ufed to contumely, redoubles its praifes. For the 
 virtue of his not yet experienced goodnefs, after the 
 manner of perfumes, the more it was handled, the 
 ftronger fcent it had, and being widely diffufed, 
 the odour of his life became, by its difperfion, life 
 to many. For the fweet fragrance of his holy 
 reputation, gliding into their fenfes, drove away 
 and put to flight that devil's breath of raging 
 mift from the hearts of thefe brute beafts, though 
 human beings ; and you might well think that fuch 
 an utterance as this came from their tuneful hearts, 
 rather than their voices: "In the odour of Thy 
 ointments we run, for our fouls have loved Thee."
 
 CHAP. XV. How Harold, the man of God, 
 avoided the obfequious who perjecuted him, whom 
 he had approached, and long borne with ; and how 
 a place of reft was appointed for him by a 'voice 
 that fell from heaven ; and how he hinted in 
 ambiguous words to thoje who ajked him that he 
 was Harold; and how the truth of the matter 
 will be fliown more fully in the account given by 
 his Juccejfor. 
 
 UT this man of God, this practifer of 
 a deep humility, this lover of quiet- 
 nefs, this careful guardian of both 
 thefe virtues, left he mould lofe or 
 deftroy in the leaft either of thefe good qualities, 
 decides that he muft fly from thofe whom he had 
 firft fought out to perfecute him, but who now 
 were inclined to worfhip him. The virtue of his 
 bodily ftrength, which would not yield to labours, 
 but was become broken with years, began to give 
 way in him. Once you would have thought that 
 his knees were growing ftrong rather than weak 
 by his faftings ; that his legs were gaining activity ;
 
 1 80 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 that he fcarcely felt fatigue. But now the decrepit 
 old man was to experience that " Old age brings 
 everything." He makes a prayer to the Lord 
 that he may be mown a place, in his declining 
 years, defiring a pleafant vifion to his faint- 
 ing heart, and begs that God with His wonted 
 kindnefs will grant him fuch a refting-place, where 
 he may pafs the remainder of his life in the quiet 
 of a much-defired repofe, and there end his days 
 by a happy death. And feeling that the Lord in 
 His beneficent fpirit had liftened to the pious defire 
 of His poor fuppliant, he caufed himfelf to be 
 mounted on a poor beaft, and, content with his 
 ufual attendant, ftarts on the journey which the 
 Lord would deign to appoint for him ; and was 
 thus borne by feet that were another's becaufe his 
 own had no ftrength left in them. Departing, 
 then, ignorant by defign, and wifely uninformed of 
 his journey's end, and led by angelic guidance, he 
 reached at length the city of Chefter, where, as the 
 day was declining towards evening, arriving in the 
 midft of the city, when he heard his attendants in- 
 quiring where they were to ftay, a voice fuddenly 
 falls upon them. " Go," it faid, " good man, to the 
 church of St. John ; there you mall find a refting- 
 place prepared for you." The attendant, aftonifhed 
 at what he heard, gazes all round with curious 
 eye, feeking for the owner- of the voice, but none 
 was vifible. It was clear, forfooth, that it was the 
 Lord's holy angel who, accompanying them on 
 their journey, and ordering everything for their 
 benefit, had told the man of God that a place was
 
 The Life of King Harold. 1 8 1 
 
 prepared for him. And he, as was his cuftom, 
 with the veil that hung before his eyes covering 
 nearly the whole of his face, had difguifed his 
 countenance, left he might frighten thofe who met 
 him by the remarkable appearance of his wounds ; 
 or left, if he were recognifed, a feeling of vanity 
 might fteal over his fenfes at the reverence he would 
 be fubjedled to. The byftanders foon point out 
 with their finger the church which was fignified to 
 them by the divine oracle ; he approaches, and is 
 heartily welcomed as a heavenly-appointed gueft. 
 
 For the fad was that a venerable hermit of that 
 place had recently departed this life, thus leaving 
 his little dwelling vacant for a holy fucceffor thus 
 divinely provided. The daughter of Sion, by 
 which I mean the church we have mentioned 
 above, full of joy and gladnefs (though no one 
 knew for certain who he was), received her King, 
 though feated in this ignoble fafhion, and yet a 
 faint, and coming in all things as a Saviour to 
 them. And as he abode there, when he was fre- 
 quently afked by thofe who came to vifit him, and 
 who reported what edification they gained from 
 him, whether he was prefent at the war when King 
 Harold was faid to have been killed, he replied, 
 " I was certainly there." But to fome who fuf- 
 pected that perhaps he might be Harold himfelf, 
 and who queftioned him more clofely than was 
 right, he would fometimes thus fpeak of himfelf, 
 " When the battle of Haftings was fought,' there 
 was no one more dear to Harold than myfelf." 
 With fuch ambiguous words, fo to fpeak, he did
 
 1 82 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 not fo much confirm the truth of the facts, as 
 refufe to ftrengthen them in their doubtful con- 
 jectures. But how the evidence of the matter 
 became at length plainly known to all will be 
 mown below in the words, not of ourfelves, but of 
 a venerable man who fucceeded Harold in his 
 habitation at the fame hermitage.
 
 CHAP. XVI. The reader 
 dejpife the reading which he feels differs from the 
 opinions ofjome; and concerning the three occafions 
 of thofe who think differently about this prejent 
 Jubjeft ; and concerning the threefold miftake of 
 William of Malmejbury on the fate of Harold. 
 
 IEANWHILE, i think i ought in aii 
 
 humility to fuggeft to the reader 
 that he fhould not think he ought 
 to defpife our hiftory from its 
 evident infignificance, becaufe, perchance, he re- 
 members that many perfons have fpoken' and 
 written on this fame fubject in one place or 
 another; for it is plain that not only ordinary 
 hiftorians, but alfo moft renowned orators, have 
 thought and written not only differently, but 
 quite the oppofite to each other concerning the 
 words of Harold. For it is quite clear, both by 
 common-fenfe as well as authority, that what 
 differs from truth cannot be true. This alfo St. 
 Jerome, at the dictation of truth itfelf, has faid. 
 But in the reafonablenefs of thefe opinions which
 
 1 84 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 we are here ventilating, a threefold caufe of 
 difference of opinion or, what no one ought to 
 deny, of falfehood, can be afligned by thofe who 
 well confider the matter. In the firft place, 
 indeed, it is plain that, in many cafes, the truth 
 of matters has for a long time efcaped everyone. 
 Hence diflike of, or favour to, a particular perfon 
 feems to have given an excellent opportunity to 
 kindly-difpofed perfons of relating good things, 
 and likewife to evil-difpofed perfons of inventing 
 evil things, when the facts themfelves were un- 
 certain. 
 
 Actuated by fome fuch confederation as this, 
 that moft eloquent William of Malmefbury 
 difcriminates in his chronicles, and promifes to 
 take a half-way pofition between Harold's de- 
 tractors and his fupporters. I mould have thought 
 he would, without doubt, have infifted on the 
 truth for its very virtue's fake, and would not 
 willingly have defrauded the merits of the affair 
 of their juft praifes or their due criticifm. But 
 becaufe he wrote of things he had heard of but 
 had not feen, by the law of hiftories the truth of 
 the writer is aflured where the truth of the facts 
 themfelves is wrecked ; otherwife, not even had 
 the moft blefled writers of the Gofpels efcaped the 
 rifk of miftakes thus Jofeph is called the father 
 of the Saviour ; thus certain of His difciples are 
 more particularly called His brothers than the reft, 
 not that their real father, but their putative father 
 had them as fons, not indeed natural, but adopted 
 fons. Therefore, following general opinion, and
 
 The Life of King Harold. 185 
 
 unaccuftomed to the truth, this man is known to 
 have introduced into his hiftory what it is plain 
 was the reverfe of the truth, however much the 
 truth of things is relied on to ftrengthen one's ftory. 
 But in the other things, which he commented 
 upon at one time with a pen of gold, at another 
 with a pen fteeped with pitch, concerning the 
 merits or manners of Harold, as his mind in- 
 formed him or report fuggefted, perhaps he 
 wandered from the path of truth fomewhat par- 
 donably ; but he fell more feverely when he at- 
 tacked the very Anointed of the Lord. For he 
 turned upon himfelf in his impetuonty three 
 fpears, by which it chanced that, not his perfon 
 indeed, but his truth was attacked. He faid that 
 Harold met his death by an arrow-wound upon 
 his head ; he faid that the foldier who attacked 
 the dead King's thigh had been driven from the 
 army after cenfure from the victorious Duke ; he 
 related that money was offered by his mother to 
 the victorious William for a royal funeral, but 
 that he was taken away, without payment of 
 money, and buried at Waltham. Thus, concern- 
 ing the thigh, the head, and the man's whole 
 body, the tongue of the fpeaker, who writes many 
 things in fecret, runs riot with more licence than 
 the armed hand of the foldier who fights openly. 
 But the Lord has delivered the poor and needy 
 man whom He has proved to be more mighty 
 in moft things than many orators and kings from 
 the arrow of the mouth of the one and from the 
 fpear in the hand of the other.
 
 1 86 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 I do not fpeak of all thefe things ; but the 
 Lord will give to him who walks in fimplicity the 
 power to underftand what I write, to think what 
 I think. But a contemporary of the prefent writer 
 has written in temperate language an account of 
 thefe things (namely, Ethelred, a venerable abbot) 
 in the life of his holy predeceflbr, King Edward. 
 He fays, indeed, that Harold either fell in battle 
 or efcaped, not without wounds, referved for re- 
 pentance.
 
 CHAP. XV IL What happened to the people of 
 Waltham in their holy anxiety concerning the 
 burial of their patron ; and how they were mifled 
 by a woman s miftake. 
 
 lUT the offence of fuch a miftake on 
 the part of William is a great deal 
 lefTened becaufe what took place at 
 Waltham was well known far and 
 wide. For, in truth, this horrible report had 
 reached the ears of the private domeftic canons of 
 the King at Waltham, feeing that nearly everyone 
 was faying that the King had fallen at the battle of 
 Haftings. The clerks, fo often mentioned above, 
 not unmindful of the devotion due to their moft 
 generous patron, fent a certain woman of a mrewd 
 intelligence, Edith by name, to the diftrict where 
 the battle had been fought, that me might carry 
 away the limbs of their dead lord, to be buried 
 reverently in their church. She feemed [a more 
 fuitable perfon] to make the attempt, infomuch as 
 the weaker and lefs favoured fex would be con- 
 fidered lefs an object of fufpicion to the cruel
 
 1 88 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 officers in authority, and more an obje<5t of com- 
 panion. But this woman feemed more fitted than 
 all others to carry out this affair, becaufe me could 
 more eafily difcover amongft the thoufands of 
 corpfes him me fought, and would handle his 
 remains more tenderly, becaufe me loved him ex- 
 ceedingly, and knew him well, inafmuch as it was 
 clear that me had been frequently prefent in the 
 fecret places of his chamber. But when me reached 
 the ill-omened fpot, me heard from many Normans, 
 who were everywhere boafting, that the King of 
 the Angles was ignominioufly beaten, with his 
 crofs broken in halves, and that he was lying on 
 the battle-field, killed amongft the {lain. 
 
 But let the reader fee what turned out to be a 
 truer account. For others thought that they who 
 had carried off the King half dead, had fet about 
 this report, forefeeing that it would be dangerous 
 to them and to him, and would prove their certain 
 deftrudion, if the enemy mould hear that he was 
 alive. We muft not therefore wonder at the 
 miftake of the woman who, unable to difcern the 
 features of the body hacked about as it was, 
 covered with blood, already becoming black and 
 decompofed, fince me could not find one which 
 me could be certain was the King's feized hold 
 of, and carried off with her, another man's mangled 
 corpfe, to fatisfy the public eftimation. And this 
 was the body which was received in all reverence 
 by the Canons of Waltham, without queftioning 
 the truth of the matter, and was handed over for 
 burial in the Church of the Holy Crofs.
 
 CHAP. XVIII.How a brother of Harold, 
 Gurth by name, replied to Walter the Abbot, or 
 others, when ajked concerning the a/hes or the 
 burial of his brother. 
 
 N the days of King Henry II., there 
 was feen by that King himfelf, as 
 well as the nobles and people of the 
 land, a brother of Harold named 
 Gurth, whom the above-mentioned hiftorian in his 
 book relates at the time of the arrival of the 
 Normans to have been in years little more than a 
 boy, but in wifdom and uprightnefs of mind, 
 almoft a man. But he was, at the period we 
 fpeak of, of a great age, and, as we heard from 
 many who faw him at that time, beautiful to 
 look upon, noble in mien, and very tall in figure. 
 The Abbot of the regular canons at Waltham, 
 the Lord Walter, of pious memory, was the firft 
 to fee him; and was very eager to aik him, as 
 well as his brothers, who were about the King's 
 Court at Woodftock, whether in real truth the 
 afhes of his brother were preferved in their
 
 1 90 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 monaftery, as was generally believed. He replied 
 in Englifh, "You may have fome countryman, 
 but you have not Harold." Yet he came to the 
 place himfelf to worfhip the Holy Crofs, and 
 when his brother's coffin was mown to him, look- 
 ing afkance at it, faid : " Man knoweth not " (for 
 fo he fware). "Harold lies not here." May that 
 Lord Michael, Canon of the approved religion, 
 Chamberlain of the Church at Waltham, live long 
 and flourim in Chrift, who firmly aflerts that he 
 heard thefe words from the man's own mouth, 
 while many flood by, fome of whom ftill furvive. 
 Thus having difcufied thefe things briefly and, as 
 we truft, not unprofitably, for the information of 
 our readers, left the uncertain differences of writers 
 mould difturb them, we will now, as we promifed, 
 fet down the words of the man we fpoke of 
 above, by which it is clearly taught how the good- 
 nefs of Chrift made plain by many figns the fame 
 of His fervant.
 
 CHAP. XIX. How the fucce/or of the man 
 of God, writing a true account of the deeds of the 
 moft blejfcd Harold^ has on two occafions ajjigned 
 inappropriate reafons for his aflions ; with a dif- 
 cujjion on the fir ft reafon, and a full difpro-val of 
 the fame by the production of the evidence of various 
 opinions. 
 
 |E muft confider that view alfo in the 
 words of the moft faithful relator, 
 that, juft as he lucidly explained 
 things that were done, fo he took 
 care to exprefs the reafon of the things done not 
 fufficiently fitly and prudently, as moft people 
 think ; and this may be faid without offence to 
 fuch a great man. Hence, therefore, that third 
 thing can be taken into confederation, which, as 
 we faid, gave rife to a ground of difference among 
 the writers : I mean, the quality of mind or in- 
 telligence of thofe who relate all thefe things in 
 order, who, according to the bent of their mind, 
 meafuring the affection of the moft holy man, and 
 the purpofe of his actions, have taken on them-
 
 192 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 felves to intimate the reafons of thofe actions. 
 The evident credulity of thefe writers by carelefs 
 expreflions has darkened with an interpretation 
 far from true deeds worthy of the higheft praife. 
 And this feems to have happened not once, but 
 twice, to this good man in the courfe of his narra- 
 tive, in their opinion who, fully relying on felf- 
 evident reafons and other perfons' opinions I 
 mean the opinions of thofe who had clung more 
 clofely to the fervant of the Lord have imprefled 
 in fome way or other more deeply on their hearts 
 an inward likenefs of his mind. But what thofe 
 things may be, by which the courfe of that truth 
 is not fufficiently eftablifhed (as is thought) it is 
 worth while to difcufs briefly, to the end that we 
 may remove from the midft of it all darknefs of 
 doubt, bringing to bear the force of our difcretion, 
 as far as we can, on our more fimple-minded 
 hearers. 
 
 Thus the aforefaid man fays of the faint 
 who was then on his journey ings, as follows : 
 " Afterwards, becaufe to live on one's own native 
 foil is always pleafant, he made all hafte to Eng- 
 land, where he had formerly been King, that he 
 might fpend there the remainder of his days." 
 But fince it is a trite faying of the wife that that 
 man is yet weak who holds his fatherland dear, 
 but ftill ftrong when he makes any land his father- 
 land, and even perfect when every land is a land 
 of exile to him ; who does not fee that it is abfurd 
 that a man withered with old age, as he himfelf 
 fays, and broken down by the length of his
 
 The Life of King Harold. 193 
 
 journey, religious though it was, fhould be de- , 
 clared to have been attracted by the fweetnefs of 
 his native foil to feek a fatherland again in it? 
 And does not the Lord fay to Abraham, " Get 
 thee out of thy country ;" and again in the Pfalm, 
 " Forget thine own people and thy father's houfe "? 
 And if the fweetnefs or recollection of his land, 
 his people, and his father's houfe could not hold 
 him of lefs age or inferior ftrength of mind, or 
 holinefs of purpofe, would it lead or would it 
 attract him to all thefe things whereby the more 
 he advanced the more perfect he became ? but 
 would not that faying of the evangelift thunder in 
 the fpiritual ears of the man who was pondering 
 in his heart over the fweetnefs he had loft, " No 
 man putting his hand to the plough, and looking 
 back, is fit for the kingdom of God " ? And again, 
 the well-meaning writer does not confider what 
 fort of a thing that native foil was to him how 
 it was ftill unchanged, how it was hoftile to him 
 and his party, and how it could even feem to him 
 to be irkfome when he looked back upon the 
 whole of his life, even if he was ftill led along by 
 an affection tenderer than ever.
 
 CHAP. XX. The weaknefs of the Jecond reafon 
 aj/igned, and the writer's warning to the reader ; 
 and on the difficulty of patching up materials torn 
 indifcriminately by ancient writers. 
 
 |ND indeed he has no ftronger ground 
 to ftand on, when he alleges the 
 reafon why he left Shropfhire to 
 go to Chefter. He relates that he 
 abandoned the place in which (as the writer main- 
 tains), though fo cruelly and frequently afflicted in 
 lofles and ftripes by the Welm, he feemed to have 
 fettled, at peace with himfelf and giving thanks 
 to God, for the fpace of feven years, in order that 
 the outward tribulation might not deftroy the 
 repofe of the inward man from its attitude of felf- 
 control. But this opinion is detected to be in- 
 valid, no lefs than the other, when confidered, 
 and when the tradition is accepted of thofe who 
 affert that he dwelt in the country of the Welfh 
 for this very reafon, which defcribes how he 
 fuffered at the hands of thofe whom he had in 
 paft years afflicted with fuch utter devaftation,
 
 The Life of King Harold. 195 
 
 though with an apparently juft caufe, whatever 
 the merciful difpenfation of God, who orders all 
 things in kindnefs, had permitted him to fuffer. 
 For if, under pretext of withdrawing him from 
 fuch violence, he had refolved to change his abode, 
 he would have done it fooner, and not have waited 
 to be afflicted fo often with lofTes and ftripes. For 
 he was well acquainted with their fhores, in the 
 midft of which, in a three-years' expedition, he 
 knew them to their exceflive coft, as is related, 
 thoroughly and entirely, as one fays. For this 
 was the land which he had fubdued by his won- 
 derful bravery, when yet an Earl, and nearly 
 deftroyed it, which not one of the Kings who 
 fucceeded him up to this prefent day had power 
 to do. 
 
 For it is maintained that he poflefTed fuch 
 ftrength, and withal fuch wonderful boldnefs that, 
 as we read, not one of the armed Norman army 
 approached to attack him, but both horfe and 
 rider were overthrown by him at the firft blow, 
 mortally wounded. This remarkable valour he 
 had now put off, trufting now in the Lord, and 
 flying with wings he had aflumed, and nowhere 
 failing in his flight. But the only thing he feared 
 was that the power of his wings might be weakened 
 by the lubricity of a worldly profperity, becoming 
 feeble and not fo much like the birds whom God 
 feeds as thofe men whom the wind feeds, if in his 
 cafe the feven locks of Samfon mould be morn by 
 the razor of adulation. It was this alone he fled 
 from, becaufe it was the only thing he feared ; it
 
 196 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 was not, indeed, the weapons of the Welfh, but 
 the oil of the finner. He knew that the Welfh 
 held the unknown in fufpicion, but thofe who were 
 approved in religion in veneration, and that 
 therefore they defpifed the companionmip of the 
 one, and admired that of the other. But the man 
 of God, now juft and brave, now prudent and 
 temperate, fought out thofe who defpifed him, that 
 he might fuffer juftly what he feared he had de- 
 ferved; and wifely deferted thofe who admired 
 him, left he mould be deprived of the benefit of 
 his temperate moderation. He remembered that 
 the fire near the prophet fuddenly burnt the beau- 
 tiful, fertile, and fruit-bearing olive-tree, at the 
 appearance of a loud voice ; wherefore he wifhed 
 to walk with the great and not amongft thofe who 
 looked on him with admiration. Therefore he 
 evades liars and finners whom he had for a long 
 time borne upon his back, when he faw they were 
 haftening to ftrike on the head. 
 
 But now my ftory pleads for an ending. My 
 book muft be clofed, that the pen of thofe who 
 know thefe things more fully may narrate what it 
 is neceflary to be known concerning Harold. But 
 Jet this little book in its laft fentences implore the 
 benevolent reader to deign to make allowance for 
 the excefles of the author by holy prayers, and 
 aflifted by the mterceflion of the pious King 
 Harold, let him take him in his company to the 
 harbour of eternal fafety ; may he grant pardon 
 for the garruloufnefs of the writer of this prefent 
 work when he fees how very difficult it was to
 
 The Life of King Harold. 197 
 
 patch up and make new again the materials at his 
 command, torn and mifplaced as they are by the 
 ftudies of former authors, and to guide into the 
 wifhed-for haven the boat, old and mattered, 
 amid the ill-famed rocks of hiftories, while the 
 tongues and writings of calumniators are, as it 
 were, winds fighting againft it. But all glory and 
 honour be to God our helper, who alone, the 
 Trinity and Unity, is King, blefled, worthy of 
 praife, glorious and highly exalted for ever.
 
 THE NARRATIVE OF THE HERMIT 
 
 whojucceeded the holy Harold on the death of that 
 mo ft -pious King, and the miracles which were per- 
 formed by his means after he departed to the Lord, 
 preceded by a fliort account of his doings andfuffer- 
 ings from the time he loft his earthly kingdom. 
 
 T is written that tribulation worketh 
 patience, patience experience, expe- 
 rience hope. For the experience of 
 patience and confirmation of a pious 
 hope, God fometimes permits His people to have 
 tribulation in this life that He may free them 
 from an eternal tribulation, wherefore He alfo 
 allowed the venerable Harold, once King of the 
 Angles, to have tribulation, and to be overcome 
 by his enemies, and expelled from his kingdom, 
 left he might grow proud becaufe he had gained a 
 victory ; and left, having been raifed to kingly 
 power, he might put on one fide the love of God 
 becaufe of his profperity, but having been placed 
 in poverty that he might live a more holy and 
 blefled life, while he had his mind altogether free 
 from earthly occupations.
 
 The Life of King Harold. 199 
 
 Therefore, after the lofs of his kingdom, and 
 the cure of the wounds he had received at the 
 hands of the Normans, he takes a [journey] in 
 the guife of a pilgrim to holy places through many 
 lands, working for God on his holy pilgrimage. 
 But after a time, being ftiff with old age and 
 mattered by his long journey, he became defirous 
 to inflict on his weary body another form of 
 religious practice. And becaufe to live on one's 
 native foil is always pleafant, he made all hafte to 
 England, where he had formerly been King, that 
 he might fpend there the remainder of his days, 
 poor, defpifed, and meanly clad, where once he 
 had flourimed as a king, wealthy, exalted, and 
 clad in coftly garments, and in order that his merit 
 might increafe in the fight of God (in proportion 
 as he might poflefs a more benevolent fpirit) be- 
 caufe he would be able every day to look upon 
 his adverfaries and be happy in the kingdom he 
 had loft, and alfo to obey the Lord's command in 
 praying faithfully to God for them. 
 
 On arriving at the mores of his native country, 
 he chofe the folitary life of a hermit, and living there 
 in many places unknown to all till he made his laft 
 farewell to earthly things, he miniftered to God by 
 faith. Nor did he change his place of abode by any 
 caprice, but he fought where he might ferve God 
 with moft tranquillity. Now this fame noble man 
 had formerly an attendant named Mofes, who, 
 when I, the prefent writer, was confined in the 
 fame place at Chefter, where the Lord Harold, the 
 hermit and friend of God died, attended me alfo
 
 200 The Life of King Harold. 
 
 for two years. And I will tell you briefly and 
 faithfully, though I muft omit much, the events 
 which follow according to the account of Mofes and 
 other faithful men. At length the man of God came 
 to Shropfhire, to a place called (Cefwrthin) Chef- 
 wardine, and there for feven years leading the life of 
 a hermit, with this Mofes for his attendant, he was 
 very much difturbed by Welfh robbers, and was 
 frequently and violently afflicted at their hands by 
 their robberies and afTaults. All this he bore 
 with patience, in all things giving thanks to God 
 with humility. But after a time, left outward 
 tribulation mould caft him down from his pofition 
 of control over his inward man, he left that place, 
 and followed by the above-mentioned attendant, 
 fet out for Chefter, and there, in the Chapel of 
 St. James, which is fituated on the River Dee, 
 outfide the walls of the city in the cemetery of St. 
 John Baptift, he fpent a hermit's life with great 
 ftrictnefs for feven years, until his death. He 
 wore for a long time a corfelet next his {kin, till it 
 was all rotten, and quite worn away. But the 
 cuttings and loofe pieces he bade his fervant throw 
 fecretly into the river, that it might appear to no 
 man that he had worn it. In his body, indeed, he 
 was moft chafte and continent : in heart, lowly and 
 prudent. Of what ftation of life he was he always 
 kept a fecret, that he might not by chance be 
 held in too great veneration by men, whereby his 
 mind being elated he might flip from the path of 
 uprightnefs, and the merit of his humility might 
 be diminifhed in the fight of God. He rarely
 
 The Life of King Harold. 201 
 
 quitted the chapel, but was conftant in continual 
 prayer, doing what God has faid : that men ought 
 always to pray and not to faint. In front of his 
 eyes he hung at all times a cloth, which covered 
 nearly the whole of his face, fo that when he 
 wifhed to walk at all far he required the hand of 
 a guide. Why he did this, his attendant did not 
 know ; but perhaps he did it to hide the appear- 
 ance of the wounds upon his gamed face, or left, 
 if a free outlet for his eyes exifted, an opening for 
 fecular vanities might be made for his foul, or elfe 
 it was that he might not be recognifed and vene- 
 rated by any who had feen him in former times.
 
 ON THE LAST MOMENTS OF HAROLD. 
 
 |OW as the day of the death of the 
 venerable Harold drew near, and as 
 that laft moment of extreme neceflity 
 arrived when the holy man demanded 
 the confolation of the Holy Sacrament, a prieft, 
 whom I knew well, named Andrew, came and 
 vifited the fide man and adminiftered to him all 
 that the Chriftian rite requires. But as he was 
 liftening to his laft confeflion, he afked him of 
 what ftation of life he was ? To whom he replied : 
 " If you will promife me, on the Word of the 
 Lord, that, as long as I live, you will not divulge 
 what I tell you, I will fatisfy the motive of your 
 queftion." The prieft anfwered : " On peril of 
 my foul, I declare to you that anything you mail 
 tell me mall be preferved a fecret from everyone 
 till you have drawn your laflrbreath." Then he 
 replied : " It is true that I was formerly the King 
 of England, Harold by name, but now am I a 
 poor man, lying in afhes ; and, that I might 
 conceal my name, I caufed myfelf to be called
 
 The Life of King Harold. 203 
 
 Chriftian." Not long after this he gave up the 
 ghoft, and now, conqueror over all his enemies, he 
 has departed to the Lord. But the prieft at once 
 told them all that the man of God had confefled 
 to him, in his laft words, that he was indeed King 
 Harold.
 
 INDEX. 
 
 AILARD, physician and abbot, 17, 18, 23 
 Alemrxnni, the, 18 
 Anchorite, at Chester, 78 
 Andrew, a priest, 98 
 Antichrists, 69 
 
 Benjamin, 29 
 
 Benoni, 29 
 
 Beseleel, 6 
 
 Brompton, the historian, 81 
 
 Butler, Alban, 44 
 
 Ceswrthin, or Cheswardine, co. Salop, 96 
 
 Chanaan, 28 
 
 Chester, city, 30, 77, 81, 95, 97 
 
 chapel of St. James, 97 
 
 cemetery of St. John Baptist, 97 
 
 chapel of St. John, 77 
 
 church of St. John, 98 
 
 Chophmos, 28 
 
 Chrysanthus, the martyr, 44, 45 
 
 Cnut, King, 13 
 
 Daci, the, or Danes, 13-15, 3 6 i 37 
 Darin, the martyr, 44, 45 
 De, River, 97 
 Domesday Book, 34 
 Dover, 69 
 
 Edward the Confessor, 13, 15, 17 
 
 Ellis, Sir Henry, 35 
 
 Elsinus, the abbot, 55 
 
 Esdras, 3 
 
 Eyton, Rev. R. W., quoted, 96 
 
 Francalanus, 34 
 
 Germany, 35 
 Giraldus Cambrensis, 81 
 Godiva, Countess, 96 
 Godwin, Earl, 13-15 
 Grandmont, Priory of, 51 
 Gregory, St., 74 
 
 Hardy, Sir Thos. D., ix.-xi., 81 
 
 Harold, description of the MS. Vita, i. ; 
 history of the MS., ix. ; notice of his- 
 torical points and translation, xii. ; pedi- 
 gree of, 13 
 
 Hastings, xi., 78 
 
 Henry I., King, 26 
 
 Henry II., King, 51 
 
 Hiram, 6 
 
 Jacob, 29 
 Jeronymus, 79 
 Jerusalem, 3 
 Jonah, 51 
 Joseph, 28 
 Joseph, St., 80 
 
 Knighton, the historian, 81 
 Longobardi, the, 74 
 
 Martha, 66 _ 
 
 Mary, Virgin, 66 
 
 Moses, 3 
 
 Moses, or Moyses, a servant, 95-97 
 
 Nehemiah, quoted, 3 
 Neustria, 24, 52 
 Normandy, 24, 29, 34, 54 
 Norway, 29, 36, 50, 54 
 
 Ooliab, 6 
 Oxfordshire, 31 
 
 Paralysis, 17 
 Paul, St., 70 
 
 Pedigree of Harold and William the Con- 
 queror, 13 
 Prom Abbey, 45 
 
 Rachel, 29 
 Relics, 44 
 Rothomagus, 51 
 
 Saboth. 68 
 Samaritans, the, 34 
 Saracen, a, woman, 35 
 Saul, 14, 71 
 Saxony, 35, 36 
 Sebricht, anchorite, 30 
 Shropshire, 96 
 Stanton, in Oxfordshire, 31 
 Stephen VI., Pope, 44 
 Syon, 78 
 
 Uriah, 15 
 
 Wales, 17, 71, 73 
 Waltham, 19, 20, 24-26, 8t 
 William the Conqueror, 13, 24-26 , 
 William of Malmesbitry, 80, 81 
 W. Pictaviensis, the historian, 81 
 Winchester, city, 35
 
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