Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/394

 ON THE LIFE AND DEATH OF EARL GODWINE.* § 3. GODWIXE DURIXG THE REIGX OF HAROLD THE FIRST AN^D HARTHACNUT. At the death of Cnut, Godwiue appears as the cliief man of Englisli blood in the reahn, and as taking a prominent part in the dissessions as to the succession between Harold and Harthacnut. This brings ns almost immediately to the great question of God"vine's life and character, the accusa- tion which, with many writers, has branded his name with indelible infamy. Had he, or had he not, any share in betraying the iEtlicling ^-Elfred to Harold I., or in the loath- some torments which that barbarian inflicted upon his rival and his adherents ? To examine into this question, we must look at the state of affairs immediately following the death of Cnut, when the crowns which had been heaj)ed upon the head of that illustrious monarch were divided among a host of unworthy successors. That of England was disputed between his natural son Harold, and Harthacnut, his son by Emma, who was consequently half- brother to the Eno-lish yEthelinirs. According to Malmes- o o o bury and Wendover, the Danes in England wei'e in ftivour of Harold, the English divided between Harthacnut and the sons of iEthelred ; Godwine, wliom the former calls "maximus justitijo pi-o])ugnator," apj)cars as the champion of Emma and Harthacnut. Florence says nothing of this, nor does one version of the Saxon Chronicle, wliile the other makes Godwine, at the head of the West-8axons, act at first as the chief supporter of llarthacnut's claim to the entire kingdom, aii«K after the division was agn.'od uj>on, as the ministei' of" that prince and Iiis mollici- in Wcssex. Now, i(- is worth notice that this last versi(ni of the ('liioniclc, uhich dill'crs very nuich in its dates from the other, makes no mention of (iodwine's sup- posed treaciiery to the ji^theling iKl trod, nor, indeed, records • C'oiitiniK-il Iroiii |>. 'JTi'-', anlr.