Anglo-Saxons -- Early works to 1800; Great Britain -- History -- Anglo-Saxon period, 449-1066 -- Sources
A.D. 1065. This year, before Lammas, ordered Earl Harold his men
to build at Portskeweth in Wales. But when he had begun, and
collected many materials, and thought to have King Edward there
for the purpose of hunting, even when it was all ready, came
Caradoc, son of Griffin, with all the gang that he could get, and
slew almost all that were building there; and they seized the
materials that were there got ready. Wist we not who first
advised the wicked deed. This was done on the mass-day of St.
Bartholomew. Soon after this all the thanes in Yorkshire and in
Northumberland gathered themselves together at York, and outlawed
their Earl Tosty; slaying all the men of his clan that they could
reach, both Danish and English; and took all his weapons in York,
with gold and silver, and all his money that they could anywhere
there find. They then sent after Morkar, son of Earl Elgar, and
chose him for their earl. He went south with all the shire, and
with Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire and Lincolnshire, till he
came to Northampton; where his brother Edwin came to meet him
with the men that were in his earldom. Many Britons also came
with him. Harold also there met them; on whom they imposed an
errand to King Edward, sending also messengers with him, and
requesting that they might have Morcar for their earl. This the
king granted; and sent back Harold to them, to Northampton, on
the eve of St. Simon and St. Jude; and announced to them the
same, and confirmed it by hand, and renewed there the laws of
Knute. But the Northern men did much harm about Northampton,
whilst he went on their errand: either that they slew men, and
burned houses and corn; or took all the cattle that they could
come at; which amounted to many thousands. Many hundred men also
they took, and led northward with them; so that not only that
shire, but others near it were the worse for many winters. Then
Earl Tosty and his wife, and all they who acted with him, went
south over sea with him to Earl Baldwin; who received them all:
and they were there all the winter. About midwinter King Edward
came to Westminster, and had the minster there consecrated, which
he had himself built to the honour of God, and St. Peter, and all
God's saints. This church-hallowing was on Childermas-day. He
died on the eve of twelfth-day; and he was buried on twelfth-day
in the same minster; as it is hereafter said.
Here Edward king, (86)
of Angles lord,
sent his stedfast
soul to Christ.
In the kingdom of God
a holy spirit!
He in the world here
abode awhile,
in the kingly throng
of council sage.
Four and twenty
winters wielding
the sceptre freely,
wealth he dispensed.
In the tide of health,
the youthful monarch,
offspring of Ethelred!
ruled well his subjects;
the Welsh and the Scots,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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