p for many years. And now,
behold! here he stands. In all the world he has no peer, and ye may
well rejoice in the beauty and manliness of your king. Come now and
pay homage to Havelok, and I myself will be your leader!"

Jarl Ubbe turned to Havelok, where he stood with Goldborough beside
him, and knelt before him to do homage, an example which was followed
by all present. At a second and still larger assembly held a fortnight
later a similar oath of fealty was sworn by all, Havelok was dubbed
knight by the noble Ubbe, and a great festival was celebrated, with
sports and amusements for the populace. A council of war and vengeance
was held with the great nobles.

The Death of Godard

Havelok, now acknowledged King of Denmark, was unsatisfied until he had
punished the treacherous Godard, and he took a solemn oath from his
soldiers that they would never cease the search for the traitor till
they had captured him and brought him bound to judgment. After all,
Godard was captured as he was hunting. Grim's three sons, now knighted
by King Havelok, met him in the forest, and bade him come to the king,
who called on him to remember and account for his treatment of
Birkabeyn's children. Godard struck out furiously with his fists, but
Sir Robert the Red wounded him in the right arm. When Godard's men
joined in the combat, Robert and his brothers soon slew ten of their
adversaries, and the rest fled; returning, ashamed at the bitter
reproaches of their lord, they were all slain by Havelok's men. Godard
was taken, bound hand and foot, placed on a miserable jade with his
face to the tail, and so led to Havelok. The king refused to be the
judge of his own cause, and entrusted to Ubbe the task of presiding at
the traitor's trial. No mercy was shown to the cruel Jarl Godard, and
he was condemned to a traitor's death, with torments of terrible
barbarity. The sentence was carried out to the letter, and Denmark
rejoiced in the punishment of a cruel villain.

Death of Godrich

Meanwhile Earl Godrich of Cornwall had heard with great uneasiness
that Havelok had become King of Denmark, and intended to invade
England with a mighty army to assert his wife's right to the throne.
He recognised that his own device to shame Goldborough had turned
against him, and that he must now fight for his life and the usurped
dominion he held over England. Godrich summoned his army to Lincoln
for the defence of the realm against the Danes, and called