[Footnote 9: Other authority supplies the fact that free leave was given, expressly for the purpose of seeking and interring the dead; see _William of Poitiers_, and _Benoit de Sainte-More_ on the same subject.] [Footnote 10: WALTHAM ABBEY, founded or restored by Harold. According to _William of Poitiers_, and _Ordericus_, the body was brought to William; and being refused to Ghita, Harold's mother, was committed to William Malet, to be buried on the sea shore. _William of Malmsbury_ has a different account: he says the body was given to Ghita, who bore it to Waltham. Perhaps this and other variations of the story were subsequent inventions, to suppress the dishonourable truth, as to William's revenge. The accounts in _Benoit_, the _Brut_, and _L'Estoire de Seint Ædward_, are in our appendix. The story told in the _Waltham MS_. (Cott. Jul. D. vi.) as to the pious offices of Osgod Cnoppe, and Ailric the childemaister, two of its monks, and the more romantic legend, in Harold's life, (Harl. MS. 3776),--see our appendix,--are both quoted in Palgrave's _History of England_, 1831. As to the Editha brought to Osgod's aid in discerning the body, and as to her being different from 'Eddeva pulchra' of Domesday, see _Introd. Dom_. ii. 79.] [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER XXV. HOW WILLIAM WAS CROWNED KING; AND HOW HE AT LAST FELL ILL AT ROUEN[1]. [The duke placed a guard in Hastings[2], from the best of his knights, so as to garrison the castle well, and went thence to Romenel[3], to destroy it utterly, because some of his people had arrived there, I know not by what accident, and the false and traitorous had killed them by felony. On that account he was very wroth against them, and grievously punished them for it. Proceeding thence, he rested no where till he reached Dover, at the strong fort he had ordered to be made at the foot of the hill. The castle on the hill was well garrisoned, and there all the goods of the country round were stored, and all the people had collected. The place being well fortified, and being out of the reach of any engines, they had made ready to defend themselves, and determined to contest the matter with the duke; and it was so well fenced in, and so high, and had so many towers and walls, that it was no easy matter to take it, as long as provisions should last.