Chronicles : The Historie of England | Page 2

laie.
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd. ex Mariano_. _Alb. Crantz_.] Some write
(which seemeth also to be confirmed by the Danish chronicles) that
king Hardiknought in his life time had receiued this Edward into his
court, and reteined him still in the same in most honorable wise. But for
that it may appeare in the abstract of the Danish chronicles, what their

writers had of this matter recorded, we doo here passe ouer, referring
those that be desirous to know the diuersitie of our writers and theirs,
vnto the same chronicles, where they may find it more at large
expressed. This in no wise is to be [Sidenote: Polydor. Danes expelled.]
left vnremembred, that immediatlie after the death of Hardiknought, it
was not onelie decreed & agreed vpon by the great lords & nobles of
the realme, that no Dane from thenceforth should reigne ouer them, but
also all men of warre and souldiers of the Danes, which laie within anie
citie or castell in garrison within the realme of England, were then
expelled and put out or rather slaine (as the Danish writers [Sidenote:
_Simon Dun._] doo rehearse.) Amongst other that were banished, the
ladie Gonild [Sidenote: Gonill néece to K. Swaine.] néece to king
Swaine by his sister, was one, being as then a widow, and with hir two
of hir sonnes, which she had then liuing; Heming and Turkill were also
caused to auoid. Some write that Alfred the [Sidenote: Polydor.]
brother of king Edward, came not into the realme till after the death of
Hardiknought, and that he did helpe to expell the Danes, which being
doon, he was slaine by earle Goodwine and other of his complices. But
how this may stand, considering the circumstances of the time, with
such things as are written by diuers authors hereof, it may well be
doubted. Neuerthelesse, whether earle Goodwine was guiltie to the
death of Alfred, either at this time, or before, certeine it is, that he so
cleared himselfe of that crime vnto king Edward the brother of Alfred,
that there was none so highlie in fauour with him as earle Goodwine
was, insomuch that king Edward maried the ladie [Sidenote: K. Edward
marieth the daughter of earle Goodwine.] Editha, the daughter of earle
Goodwine, begotten of his wife Thira that was sister to king
Hardiknought, and not of his second wife, as some haue written.
Howbeit, king Edward neuer had to doo with hir in fleshlie wise. But
whether he absteined because he had happilie [Sidenote: Polydor.]
vowed chastitie, either of impotencie of nature, or for a priuie hate
[Sidenote: K. Edward absteineth from the companie of his wife.] that
he bare to hir kin, men doubted. For it was thought, that he estéemed
not earle Goodwine so greatlie in his heart, as he outwardlie made shew
to doo, but rather for feare of his puissance dissembled with him, least
he should otherwise put him selfe in danger both of losse of life and
kingdome.

Howsoeuer it was, he vsed his counsell in ordering of things [Sidenote:
K. Edward dealeth strictlie with his mother quéene Emma.] concerning
the state of the common wealth, and namelie in the hard handling of his
mother queene Emma, against whome diuers accusations were brought
and alledged: as first, for that she consented to marie with K. Cnute, the
publike enimie of the realme: againe, for that she did nothing aid or
succour hir sons while they liued in exile, but that woorse was,
contriued to make them away; for which cause she [Sidenote: Quéene
Emma despoiled of hir goods.] was despoiled of all hir goods. And
because she was defamed to be [Sidenote: She is accused of dissolute
liuing.] naught of hir bodie with Alwine or Adwine bishop of
Winchester, both she and the same bishop were committed to prison
within the citie of Winchester (as some write.) Howbeit others affirme,
that she was [Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._ She purgeth hir selfe by the law
Ordalium.] strictlie kept in the abbie of Warwell, till by way of purging
hir selfe, after a maruellous manner, in passing barefooted ouer certeine
hot shares or plough-irons, according to the law _Ordalium,_ she
cleared hir selfe (as the world tooke it) and was restored to hir first
estate and dignitie.
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._] Hir excessiue couetousnesse, without regard
had to the poore, caused hir also to be euill reported of. Againe, for that
she euer shewed hir selfe to be more naturall to the issue which she had
by hir second husband Cnute, than to hir children which she had by hir
first husband king Egelred (as it were declaring how she was affected
toward the fathers, by the loue borne to the children) she lost a great
péece of good will at the hands of hir sonnes