To receive the oath, he caused a parliament to be called. It is commonly said that it was at Bayeux[14] that he had his great council assembled. He sent for all the holy bodies thither, and put so many of them together as to fill a whole chest, and then covered them with a pall; but Harold neither saw them, nor knew of their being there; for nought was shewn or told to him about it; and over all was a philactery, the best that he could select; OIL DE BOEF[15], I have heard it called. When Harold placed his hand upon it, the hand trembled, and the flesh quivered; but he swore, and promised upon his oath, to take Ele to wife, and to deliver up England to the duke: and thereunto to do all in his power, according to his might and wit, after the death of Edward, if he should live, so help him God and the holy relics there! Many cried "God grant it[16]!" and when Harold had kissed the saints, and had risen upon his feet, the duke led him up to the chest, and made him stand near it; and took off the chest the pall that had covered it, and shewed Harold upon what holy relics he had sworn; and he was sorely alarmed at the sight. Then when all was ready for his journey homeward, he took his leave; and William exhorted him to be true to his word, and kissed him in the name of good faith and friendship. And Harold passed freely homeward, and arrived safely in England. [Footnote 1: Seneschal, 'lieutenant du duc pour l'administration civile;' 'ce mot, dérivé de la langue Franke, signifie proprement serviteur gardien des troupeaux ou gardien de la famille, _senes-skalch._ C'était un office de la maison des rois franks, et, par suite de la conquête, une dignité politique de la Gaule.' _Thierry_, i. 270.] [Footnote 2: Wace generally writes Harold's name thus; we shall, however, henceforth use the usual historical spelling: as also in the case of Godwin, whom Wace calls Gwigne, and some of the Norman chronicles Gaudvin.] [Footnote 3: Alias Githe or Githa.] [Footnote 4: Ead-githa of the Saxon chronicle, who married in 1043, and died in 1075.] [Footnote 5: The scene of the Bayeux tapestry opens here.] [Footnote 6: 'I cannot say how the truth may be, I but tell the tale as 'twas told to me.' Benoit de Sainte-More sends the archbishop of Canterbury to William, at Edward's desire, to convey his intention of leaving to the duke the inheritance of the English crown. L'arcevesque de Cantorbire, Li plus hauz hom de son empire, Out en Normendie tramis, Les anz avant, si cum je vos dis, Por afermer ce qu'il li done, Tot le reaume e la corone. And Harold's mission is described as being expressly intended, in the following year, to confirm the same bequest: