Chronicles : The Historie of England | Page 7

day, in the which about two and twentie
yéeres before, or (as some copies haue) thirtéene yéeres, the Welshmen
had slaine Edwine, [Sidenote: Harold inuadeth the shires of Dorset and

Summerset.] the brother of earle Leofrike. Shortlie after, earle Harold
and his brother Leofwine returning out of Ireland, entered into the
Seuerne sea, landing on the coasts of Summersetshire and Dorsetshire,
where falling to spoile, they were incountred by a power assembled out
of the counties of Deuonshire and Summersetshire: but Harold put his
aduersaries to flight, and slue thirtie gentlemen of honor, or thanes (as
they called them) with a great number of others. Then Harold and his
brethren, returning with their preie and bootie to their ships, and
coasting about the point of Cornwall, came and ioined with their father
& their other brethren, then soiorning in the Ile of Wight.
King Edward to withstand their malice, had rigged and furnished foorth
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._] sixtie ships of warre, with the which he
himselfe went to the water, not sticking to lie aboord at that season,
although he had appointed for capteines and admerals two earles that
were his coosins, Odo and Rafe, who had charge of the whole armie.
Rafe was his nephue, as sonne to his sister Goda by hir first husband
Gualter de Maunt. But although they were knowne to be sufficient men
for the ordering of such businesse, yet he thought the necessitie to be
such, as his person could not be presentlie spared. Therefore he was
diligent in foreséeing of things by good aduise, although age would not
giue him leaue to execute the same by his owne hand and force of
bodie. But as the nauies on both parts were readie to haue ioined, they
were seuered by reason of a thicke mist that then rose, wherby their
furious rage was restreined for that time: and immediatlie therevpon,
Goodwine and his complices were forced by a contrarie wind, to
returne to the places from whence they came. Shortlie after by
mediation of friends, a peace was made, and earle Goodwine restored
home, and obteined againe both the kings fauour, and all his former
liuings: for he was such an eloquent & wise man, that he clered and
purged himselfe of all such crimes and accusations, as in anie sort had
béene laid against him. Thus haue some written concerning this
agréement betwixt king Edward and erle Goodwine, where other make
somewhat larger report thereof, as thus.
At the same time that the two sonnes of erle Goodwine Harold and
Leofwine came foorth of Ireland, and inuaded the west countrie, king

Edward rigged foorth fortie ships, the which throughlie furnished with
men, munition, and vittels, he sent vnto Sandwich, commanding the
capteines there to wait for the comming of erle Goodwine, whom he
vnderstood to be in a readinesse to returne into England: but
notwithstanding, there wanted no diligence in them to looke to their
charge, erle Goodwine secretlie with a few ships which he had got
togither, ariued in Kent; and sending foorth his letters and messengers
abroad to the citizens of Canturburie, to them of Sussex, Southerie, &
others, required aid of them, who with one consent promised to liue and
die with him.
The capteines of the nauie at Sandwich aduertised hereof, made
towards the place where they thought to haue found earle Goodwine:
but he being warned of their comming, escaped by flight, and got him
out of their danger, wherevpon they withdrew to Sandwich, and after
returned to London. Earle Goodwine aduertised thereof, sailed to the
Ile of Wight, and wafted vp and downe those seas, till his sonnes
Harold and Leofwine came and ioined their nauie with his, and
ceassing from spoile, onlie sought to recouer vittels to serue their turne.
And incresing their power by such aid as they might any where procure,
at length they came to Sandwich, wherof king Edward hauing
knowledge, being then at London, he sent abroad to raise all the power
he might [Sidenote: It séemeth that earle Goodwine was well friended.]
make. But they that were appointed to come vnto him, lingred time, in
which meane while earle Goodwine comming into the Thames, & so vp
the riuer, arriued in Southwarke, on the day of the exaltation of the
crosse in September, being monday, and their staieng for the tide,
solicited the Londoners, so that he obteined of them what he could
desire.
Afterwards, without disturbance, he passed vp the riuer with the tide
through the south arch of the bridge, & at the same instant, a mightie
armie which he had by land, mustered in the fields on that south side
the same riuer, and herewith his nauie made towards the north side of
the riuer, as if they ment to