Page 26
Of Harold the second English King after the Danes.
KIng Edward the Confessour, being himselfe without issue, had in his life time, sent into Hungary for his Nephew Edward called the Outlaw, the sonne of Edmund Ironside; with a purpose to designe him his Successour in the Crowne, but he dying soone after his comming into England, King Edward then gave his Sonne Edgar the name of Atheling; as to say; Prince Edgar meaning to designe him for his Successour, but being prevented by death, before the successour was fully established, and Edgar Atheling, though he had right, yet being young, and not of power to make good his Right, Harold the sonne of Earle Goodwyn steps into the Throne, and never standing upon ceremonies, set himselfe the Crowne upon his owne head, wherein, though as a violater of holy Rites, he offended the Clergy, yet not any either of Clergy or Layity, durst oppose him, as being at that time the most martiall man in the Kingdome; and such a one, as the state of the Realme stood at that time in need of, and besides his owne worthinesse had the assistance of Edwyn and Marchar, the two great Earles of Yorkeshire and Chester, whose sister Algyth he had marryed. It is true withall, that King Edward had appointed the Crowne after his owne decease, sometimes to William Duke of Normandy, sometimes to Edgar Atheling, and sometimes to this Harold, so as he was Crowned by Aldred Arch-bishop of Yorke, as not comming in by intrusion or wrong, but by the appointment of King Edward, though that appointment of King Edwa••d, was rather to make him Regent, during the minority of Edgar, then to make him absolute King, but howsoever, being once in the Throne, he was then able to make his owne Title, and to make Prince Edgar some amends, he created him Earle of Oxford, which was indeed to use him like a Childe, take away a Je∣well, and please him with an Apple. Yet Harold having once gotten into the Throne, he c••rryed himselfe with great Valour and Justice, for the time he sate in it, which was but very short, as being indeed but tottering from the very beginning, and that chiefly by meanes of his owne Brother To••stayne, who by diverting his Forces to suppresse a Rebellion, made him of lesse force to resist an invasion. But now that we have shewed how Harold entred the Throne, we must forbeare to shew how he was cast out, till we come to him that cast him out, who because he was not onely of another Family, but of another Nation, we must necessarily take the beginning from a deeper roote, and indeed, seeing in him, we shall joyne our Island to the Continent, which is a larger world: Our Kings hereafter, will afford a larger Extent for matter of Discourse then heretofore they have done.