Harold, Complete

d wold-like as if the metropolis of England lay a hundred miles distant. Even to this day patches of such land, in the neighbourhood of Norwood, may betray what the count

rsh and severe, perhaps, against the ceorl and the poor man, as in the days of Rufus, though more mild unquestionably to the nobles. To all beneath the rank of abbot and thegn, the king's

g did not commence till October, he had ever on his wrist some young falcon to essay, or some old favourite to exercise. And now, just as William was beginning to grow w

p in a half embattled wall of brick and rubble. Upon this gate sate, quite unmoved and apathetic, a tall ceorl, or labourer, while behind it was a gazing curious group of men of the same rank, clad in those blue tunics of which our peasant's smock is the successor, and leaning on scythes and flails. Sour and ominous were the looks they bent upon that Norman cavalcade. The men were at least as well clad as those of the same condition are now; and their robust limbs and r

Saxon, though with a strong foreign accent), after he had recovered his seat,

rl to reap;" said the ceorl, doggedly, still seated on th

hat signal twenty swords flashed in the air behind, as the Norman nobles spurred to the place. Putting back with one ha

ned aside to conceal their laughter; the Saxon felt them in the latter and truer sense, and stood rebuked. That great king, whom he now recognised, with all

illiam, my cousin,"

in the Norman tongue, but he kept open the gate, and the train passe

thou not that his lands have passed from him, and that he is outlawed

d the Saxon simply, "these lands that were Harol

ixhaendman nor to Saxon. All the lands of Harold hereabout were

rice, we, the ceorls of the Earl, made up from our own earnings in the Earl's noble service. And this very day, in token thereof, have we quaffed the bedden-ale 27. Whe

ng in penetration when his attention was fairly roused, changed countenance at this proof of rough and homely affection on th

n, but there are those who would do so, and I advise you, brotherlik

ching the long knife in his leathern belt, "and he who sets grip

ormans, who now, in a broad field, where the corn sprang green, and which they seemed to delight in wantonly tramplin

claimed him to be the Duke's bold and haughty brother, Odo 28, Bishop of Bayeux;-

lone showed his displeasure, "these wagers all savour of heathenesse,

ake no gentle rejoinder, when William, whose profound craft or sagacity was always at watch, lest his

see, your falcon is first in pride of place. By the bones of St. Valery, how nobly he t

ng one over the other, fell bittern and hawk, while William's Norway falcon, smaller

the natives destroy each other!" He placed his whist

," said K