Harold, Book 10. The Last Of The Saxon Kings

Northumbria. Suddenly there was a shout as to arms from the encampment; and Morc

rcia, behind it the hills of Wales. The troops that come hit

rode forth from the van two riders. Fast and far from the rest they rode, and behind them, fast as they could, spurred two others, who bore on high, one the pennon of Mercia, one the red lion of North Wales. Right to the embankment and palisade which beg

ee," said Morcar, "our

[212] t

he young and crownless prince was scarce out of boyhood, but already his name was sung by the bards, and circled in the halls of G

ail like a river of light, trumpets and fifes were heard in the distance; and all in Morcar's host stood hushed but stern, gazing anxious and afar, as the coming armament swept on. And from the midst were

ound, the chiefs of the insurgen

n recognising the standard of Harold, were unanimous in advice to send a peaceful deputation, setting forth their wrongs under Tostig, and the justice of their cause. "For the Earl," said

his own brother

r, if we convince but h

lo-

adoc's fierce eyes flashed fire; but he

the light-armed scouts who went forth from Morcar's camp to gaze on the procession, with that singular fearlessness which characterised, at th

, having already agreed on the deputation, about a score of the pri

s Danish house-carles. All the men throughout broad England that he could command or bribe to his cause, were those fifty or sixty hireling Danes. And it seemed that already there was dispute between the brothers, for Harold's face was flushed,

oul shame to talk of treaty and summons to robbers and rebel

ce and rig

not, then, to a

nd right are, as I

the armed men, and, with bare heads, and a monk lifting the roo

tors, Gamel Beorn and Gloneion! You will not hear them? If so, I wil

earldom. Go, Tostig, thou art not now in the mood to hear reason. Retire into

wled the fierce warrior; and, tossing his arm on high with

ndard of his King, and round him came several of the Saxon c

ached, and saluted the

olded; not only extortion of tribute the most rapacious and illegal, but murder the fiercest and most foul. Thegns of high birth, without offence or suspicion, but who had either excited Tostig's jealousy, or resist

thegns; strong in our course, we swelled into the might of a people. Our wrongs found sympathy beyond our province, for liberty spreads over hu

ar now against the King and the Law. Come with your complaints to your Prince and your Wi

nd, O noble Earl,-so are we willing to come. But when thou wert absent f

and granting that hot blood and mortal infirmity of judgment have caused Tostig to err against you and the right, think still of his qualities to reign over men whose lands, and whose rivers, lie ever exposed to the dread Northern sea- kings. Where will ye find a chief with arm as strong, and heart as dauntless?

rough with the rattling Danish burr, rose above all, "for we were born free. A proud and ba

t foreseeing great evil in the surrender of his brother's interests, whether by lowering the King's dignity to the demands of armed force, or sending abroad in all his fierce passions a man so highly connected with Norman and Dane, so vindictive and so grasping, as Tostig, t

he could give not. His idea of law was but force, and by force alone he demanded now to be defended. Harold, then, wishing not alone to be judge in his brother's c

of person, especially when backed by warlike renown, that the Proceres were half disposed to forget, in admiration of the earl's surpassing beauty of form, the dark tales of his hideous guilt. But his passions hurrying him away er

r King nor Witan can replace thee in thine earldom. Tell us not farther of these

said Thorold, a great Anglo-Dane from Lincolnshire, "fo

embly, and met but one common

rough his gnashing teeth, without vouchsafin

The next day, the Northumbrian delegates were heard; and they made the customary proposition in those cases o

d, where the King (persuaded to the journey by Alred,