To the two young
Englishmen the following weeks passed pleasantly. Ships came frequently
from England with news of what was doing there. William had tarried for
some time at his camp at Hastings, expecting to receive the submission of
all England. But not an Englishman came to bow before him. The Northern
earls had hurried to London as soon as they heard of the defeat at Senlac
and the death of the king and his brothers, and a Witan was instantly
summoned to choose his successor to the throne.
Edwin and Morcar thought that the choice of the nation would surely fall
upon one or other of them, as in rank and position they were now the first
men in the realm. They exerted themselves to the utmost to bring this
about, but no true-hearted Englishman could forgive either their acceptance
of Harold Hardrada as their king, or the long and treacherous delay that
had left Southern England to stand alone on the day of battle. The choice
of the Witan fell on the young Edgar, the grandson of Edmund Ironside, the
last male survivor of the royal blood. Edgar, however, was never crowned,
as that ceremony could only take place at one of the festivals of the
church, and it was therefore postponed until Christmas. London was eager
for resistance. Alfred had fought battle after battle against the Danes,
and though without their natural leaders, the people throughout Southern
England looked forward to a long and determined struggle.
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