OLD WAS CROWNED KING

in his stead. Thus three very important events--the consecration of
Westminster Abbey, the death of Edward the Confessor, and the crowning
of Harold--all occurred during the same Christmas festival.

In the terrible year 1066 England had three kings. The reign of
Harold, the son of Godwine, who succeeded Edward the Confessor,
terminated at the battle of Senlac, or Hastings, and on the following

CHRISTMAS DAY WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR WAS CROWNED KING

by Archbishop Ealdred. He had not at that time conquered all the land,
and it was a long while before he really possessed the whole of it.
Still, he was the king, chosen, crowned, and anointed, and no one ever
was able to drive him out of the land, and the crown of England has
ever since been held by his descendants.

[5] Green's "History of the English People."

[6] Tennyson.

[7] "History of Winchester."

[8] "History of King Arthur and His Noble Knights."

[9] "The Franklin's Tale."

[10] "Romance of Ipomydon."

[11] "Old English History."

[12] "Short History of the Norman Conquest."

[13] "History of the English People."

[14] J. G. Whittier.

[15] "Chambers's Journal," Dec. 28, 1867.

[Illustration]

CHAPTER IV.

CHRISTMAS, FROM THE NORMAN CONQUEST
TO MAGNA CHARTA.

(1066 to 1215.)

Now we come to the

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS UNDER THE NORMANS.

[Illustration: A KING AT DINNER.]

Lord Macaulay says "the polite luxury of the Normans presented a
striking contrast to the coarse voracity and drunkenness of their
Saxon and Danish neighbours." And certainly the above example of a
royal dinner scene (from a manuscript of the fourteenth century) gives
an idea of stately ceremony which is not found in any manuscripts
previous to the coming over of the Normans. They "loved to display
their magnificence, not in huge piles of food and hogsheads of strong
drink, but in large and stately edifices, rich armour, gallant horses,
choice falcons, well-ordered tournaments, banquets delicate rather
than abundant, and wines remarkable rather for their exquisite flavour
than for their intoxicating power." Quite so. But even the Normans
were not all temperate. And, while it is quite true that the refined
manners and chivalrous spirit of the Normans exercised a powerful
influence on the Anglo-Saxons, it is equally true that the conquerors
on mingling with the English people adopted many