to his pleasure. He intended to fortify his interest by giving in
marriage to the king his daughter, a lady of great beauty, great virtue,
and an education beyond her sex. Godwin had, however, powerful rivals in
the king's favor. This monarch, who possessed many of the private
virtues, had a grateful remembrance of his favorable reception in
Normandy; he caressed the people of that country, and promoted several
to the first places, ecclesiastical and civil, in his kingdom. This
begot an uneasiness in all the English; but Earl Godwin was
particularly offended. The Normans, on the other hand, accused Godwin of
a design on the crown, the justice of which imputation the whole tenor
of his conduct evinced sufficiently. But as his cabals began to break
into action before they were in perfect ripeness for it, the Norman
party prevailed, and Godwin was banished. This man was not only very
popular at home by his generosity and address, but he found means to
engage even, foreigners in his interests. Baldwin, Earl of Flanders,
gave him a very kind reception. By his assistance Godwin fitted out a
fleet, hired a competent force, sailed to England, and having near
Sandwich deceived the king's navy, he presented himself at London before
he was expected. The king made ready as great a force as the time would
admit to oppose him. The galleys of Edward and Godwin met on the Thames;
but such was the general favor to Godwin, such the popularity of his
cause, that the king's men threw down their arms, and refused to fight
against their countrymen in favor of strangers. Edward was obliged to
treat with his own subjects, and in consequence of this treaty to
dismiss the Normans, whom he believed to be the best attached to his
interests. Godwin used the power to which he was restored to gratify his
personal revenge, showing no mercy to his enemies. Some of his sons
behaved in the most tyrannical manner. The great lords of the kingdom
envied and hated a greatness which annihilated the royal authority,
eclipsed them, and oppressed the people; but Godwin's death soon after
quieted for a while their murmurs. The king, who had the least share in
the transactions of his own reign, and who was of a temper not to
perceive his own insignificance, begun in his old age to think of a
successor. He had no children: for some weak reasons of religion or
personal dislike, he had never cohabited with his wife. He sent for his
nephew Edward, the son of Edmund Ir