ne so greatlie in his heart, as he outwardlie
made shew to doo, but rather for feare of his puissance dissembled
with him, least he should otherwise put him selfe in danger both of
losse of life and kingdome.

Howsoeuer it was, he vsed his counsell in ordering of things
[Sidenote: K. Edward dealeth strictlie with his mother queene Emma.]
concerning the state of the common wealth, and namelie in the hard
handling of his mother queene Emma, against whome diuers accusations
were brought and alledged: as first, for that she consented to marie
with K. Cnute, the publike enimie of the realme: againe, for that she
did nothing aid or succour hir sons while they liued in exile, but
that woorse was, contriued to make them away; for which cause she
[Sidenote: Queene Emma despoiled of hir goods.]
was despoiled of all hir goods. And because she was defamed to be
[Sidenote: She is accused of dissolute liuing.]
naught of hir bodie with Alwine or Adwine bishop of Winchester, both
she and the same bishop were committed to prison within the citie of
Winchester (as some write.) Howbeit others affirme, that she was
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._ She purgeth hir selfe by the law Ordalium.]
strictlie kept in the abbie of Warwell, till by way of purging hir
selfe, after a maruellous manner, in passing barefooted ouer certeine
hot shares or plough-irons, according to the law _Ordalium,_ she
cleared hir selfe (as the world tooke it) and was restored to hir
first estate and dignitie.

[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
Hir excessiue couetousnesse, without regard had to the poore,
caused hir also to be euill reported of. Againe, for that she euer
shewed hir selfe to be more naturall to the issue which she had by hir
second husband Cnute, than to hir children which she had by hir first
husband king Egelred (as it were declaring how she was affected toward
the fathers, by the loue borne to the children) she lost a great peece
of good will at the hands of hir sonnes Alfred and Edward: so that now
the said Edward inioieng the realme, was easilie induced to thinke
euill of hir, and therevpon vsed hir the more vncurteouslie. But hir
great liberalitie imploied on the church of Winchester, which she
furnished with maruellous rich iewels and ornaments, wan hir great
commendation in the world, and excused hir partlie in the sight of
manie, of the infamie imputed to hir for the immoderate filling of hir
coffers by all waies and meanes she could deuise. Now when she had