Page:Cassell's Illustrated History of England vol 1.djvu/107

A.D. 1068.] Besides the injuries inflicted upon their country, the two leaders of this rebellion had private insults to atone. The Conqueror, at the time of his election to the crown, had promised his daughter in marriage to Edwin, in order to secure his adherence; but when the king was called upon to fulfil his engagement he refused to do so, and this disappointment induced the two brothers to take up arms against him.



None knew better than William the importance of celerity in quelling a revolt, especially when supported by such powerful leaders. He advanced, therefore, with rapid marches towards the north. On his way he gave orders to fortify Warwick Castle, which he committed to the government of Henry de Beaumont, one of his nobles; and that of Nottingham to William Peverell, another Norman leader.



Using the utmost expedition, the Conqueror reached York before the arrival of the promised succours, or the English were prepared for resistance; and the two earls had no other resource than to appeal to the clemency of the victor. Archil, a potent nobleman in those parts, imitated their example, and delivered his son as a hostage for his fidelity; nor were the people, thus deserted by their leaders, able to make any further resistance. But the treatment which William gave the chiefs was very different from that which fell to the share of their followers. He observed religiously the terms which he had granted to the former, and allowed them for the present to keep possession of their estates; but he extended the rigours of his confiscations over the latter, and gave away their lands to his foreign adventurers. These, planted through the whole country, and in possession of the military power, left Edwin and Morcar, when he pretended to spare, destitute of all support, and ready to fall whenever he should think proper to command their ruin. A peace which he made with Malcolm, who did him homage for Cumberland, seemed at the same time to deprive them of all prospect of foreign assistance.

The English were now sensible that their final destruction was intended; and that, instead of a sovereign, whom they had hoped to gain by their submissions, they had tamely surrendered themselves without resistance to a tyrant and a conqueror. Though the early confiscation of the estates of Harold's followers might seem iniquitous, being inflicted on men who had never sworn fealty to the Duke of Normandy, who were ignorant of his pretensions, and who only fought in defence of the government which they themselves had established in their own country; yet were these rigours, however contrary to the ancient Saxon laws, excused on account of the urgent necessities of the prince. Those who were not involved in the present ruin hoped that they should thenceforth enjoy, without molestation, their possessions and their dignities; but the successive destruction of so many other families convinced there that the king intended to rely entirely on the support and affections of foreigners; and they foresaw new forfeitures, attainders, and acts of violence, as the necessary result of this destructive plan of administration. They observed that no Englishman possessed his confidence, or was entrusted with any command or authority; and that the strangers, whom a rigorous discipline could have but ill restrained, were encouraged in their insolence and tyranny.

Convinced of the hopelessness of resistance, many of the English fled to foreign countries to seek that security denied them in their own.

Edgar Atheling, dreading the unscrupulous policy of William, yielded to the advice of Cospatriok, a powerful Northumbrian noble, and fled with him, accompanied by his mother Agatha and his two sisters Margaret and Christina, to Scotland, where they were hospitably received by Malcolm, who soon afterwards espoused the former princess—the latter became a nun. If the English were thus oppressed, and driven from their homes, the position of the conquerors was anything but an agreeable one. On all sides they were surrounded by bitter enemies, who, if too feeble and disunited to oppose them in the field, never failed to slay them, singly or in small parties, whenever an