They
have made a great step forward towards their end; they have united under
their government the northern half of England, and have wrested Northumbria
from Godwin's family. After making this great step, will they rest and
abstain from taking the next? Northumbria and Mercia united are as strong
as Wessex and East Anglia. Will they be content to remain under a West
Saxon king? Above all, will they submit to the rule of one of Godwin's
sons? I feel sure that they will not. What thinks the earl?"
"He thinks as you do, lady, although he considers that for the time the
danger is averted. He himself said to me yesterday, 'If these Mercian earls
are ready to defy the head of the royal line of England, think you that
they will ever recognize the sway of a member of my father's house?'"
"And what said you, Wulf?"
"I said that I did not doubt the ill-will of the Mercian earls, but that I
doubted whether Mercia would follow them if they strove to break up the
kingdom. 'Mercia is following them now,' he said; 'and has with Northumbria
stood in arms for some weeks past. There has ever been jealousy of the
supremacy of the West Saxons since the days when the kingdom was united in
one. These brothers will intrigue as their father did before them. They
will bring down the Welsh from their hills to aid them, for though these
people will not for generations try their strength alone against us, they
would gladly take advantage of it should such an opportunity for revenge
occur.
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