Passages in the Life and Reign of Harold, the Last of the Saxon Kings

Extract

There is a singular story accompanying the eventful life of Godwine, the father of Harold, which is given by Mr. Freeman as gathered from the “half-mythical” chronicles of Ralph the Black, a writer who flourished early in the thirteenth century. He tells us how Cnut in a jealous fit sent Godwine to Denmark with letters, requesting those officials to whom they were addressed to cut off the bearer's head; but Godwine was too shrewd for his master, and like the “messenger of Pausanias” read the letter by the way—“expalluit novus Urias” which let him into the light of the awful secret. The legend goes on to show how, naturally enough, he recovered himself, and cleverly substituted other letters, which bore a different burden, directing the Danes to show great kindness to him, as he was a regent, and to give him the king's sister in marriage. The scheme appeared to answer, for all was satisfactorily carried out; and Cnut is said to have put the best face upon the matter; he received Godwine as a brother, and gave him the rank of “consul.”t A writer of the eleventh century speaks very contemptuously of Godwine and his family, prompted probably by his great dislike to Harold, i.e., “The numerous progeny of Earl Godwine was daily waxing stronger and stronger upon the earth.”‡