¶How the erle Godewyn came ayen in to Englonde & had ayen all his londe / and after¦warde saynt Edwarde weded his doughter.
AS the Erle Godewin that was dwel∣lynge in Denmarke had moche herde of the godnesse of kyng Edwarde / & yt he was so full of mercy & of pyte. He thought yt he wol∣de go ayen in to Englonde / for to seke & to ha∣ue grace of the good kynge Edwarde that soo mercy full was / that he myght haue ayen hys londe in peas. And arayed hym as moche as he myght & put hym to warde the see & came in to Englonde to London there the kynge was that tyme and all the lordes of Englonde / and helde a parlyament. Godewin sente to hym yt were his frendes / and were the moost grettest lordes of the londe / & prayed them to beseche the kynges graet for hym / & that he wolde hys peas & his londe graunte hym. The lordes led¦de hym before the kyng to seke his grade. And anone as the kynge hym sawe / he apeled hym of treason & of the deth of Alured his brother and these wordes vnto hym sayde. Traytour Godewin sayd the kynge I the appele / yt thou hast betrayed & slayn my brother Alured. Cer¦tes syr sayde Godewin. sauynge your grace & your peas and your lordshyp. I hym neuer be¦trayed / ne yet hym slewe· & therfore I put me in rewarde of ye courte. Now fayr lordes sayd the kynge. ye yt ben my lyeges / erles & barons of the londe that here be assembled / fulle welle ye herde my appele / And the answere also of Godewin / and therfore I woll that ye a war∣de and dooth ryght. The erles & Barones tho gadred them all togyder for to do this a warde by themself / and so they spake dyuersely amū∣ge them. For some sayd / there was neuer aly∣aunce by homage seriment seruyce ne by lord¦shyp bytwene Godewin and Alured / for why¦che thynge they myght hym drawe. And att the laste they deuysyd and demed / That he sholde put hym in ye kynges mercy all togyder. Tho spake ye erle Leuerik of Couentree a good mā to god and to all the worlde / and tolde hys rea¦son in this manere & sayd. The erle Godewin is the best fended man of Englonde after the Kynge / & well it myght not be agayne sayd / ye wythout counsell of Godwin Alured was ne¦uer put to dethe / wherfore I a warde as tow∣chynge my parte / that hymself & hys sone & e∣uery of vs .xii. erles that ben hys frendes goo before the kynge / charged with as moche gol∣de & syluer as we maye bere betwyxt our hon∣des / praynge ye kyng to forgyue his euyll wyll to the erle Godewin / & receyue hys homage / & his londe yelde ayen. And they accorded vnto that a warde / and came in thys maner as is a∣bouesayd euery of them with holde and syluer as moche as they myght bere bytwene her hon¦des before the kynge / & there sayd the fourme & the maner of they accorde & of theyr a warde The kyng wolde not theym agayne saye / But as moche as they ordeyned / he graunted & con¦fermed And so was ye erle Godewin accorded with the kynge / & so he had ayen all his londe. And afterwarde he bare hym so well & so wyse¦ly / that the kynge loued hym wonder moche / & with hym he was fulle preuy. And within a lytell tyme they loued so moche / that there the kynge spowsed Godewyns doughter / & made her quene. And neuerthelesse though the kyng∣ge had a wyf / yet he lyued euer in chastyce & clē¦nesse of body without ony flesshely dede doyn∣ge with his wyf. And the quene also in her hal∣fe ladde an holy lyf two yere / and deyed. And afterwarde the kyng lyued all hys lyf without ony wyf. ¶The kynge yaue the erledome of Oxenforde to Harolde that was Godewyns sone / and made hym erle. And so well they we∣re beloued / bothe the fader and he / and so pry¦ue with the kyng / both the fader and the sone that they myghte doo by ryght what thynge that they wolde For ayenst ryght wolde he no¦thynge doo for noo maner man / soo good and true he was of conscyence. And therfore oure lorde Ihesu Cryste greate specyall loue vnto hym shewed.