Harold: The Last of the Saxon Kings |
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Common terms and phrases
abbot Aldyth Algar Alred amidst Anglo-Danes answered arms Atheling brave breast brother brow Canute ceorl Cerdic chief chroniclers Church Count cried crown Dane dead death Duke Earl Earl Godwin Earl's earldom Edith Edward England English eyes face fate father fierce Fitzosborne Fylgia gazed Githa Godrith Godwin grave Gryffyth Gurth Haco hall hand Hardrada Harold Harold Hardrada hath head heard heart Hilda holy honour King King's knight knowest land Lanfranc Leofwine lips looked lord Mallet de Graville Matilda of Flanders Mercia monk murmured noble Norman Norsemen numbers oath Odo of Bayeux pale passed paused peace prelate priest prince Roman Roman de Rou rose round sate Saxon seemed Sexwolf side smile soul spear spoke steed Stigand stood Sweyn sword thee thegns thine thou art thou hast thought throne Tostig Vala Vebba voice warrior Welch William William the Norman Witan Wolnoth words young youth
Popular passages
Page viii - I borrow the words of the Reviewer, since none other could so tersely express my design, or so clearly account for the leading characteristics in its conduct and completion. There are two ways of employing the materials of History in the service of Romance : the one consists in lending to ideal personages, and to an imaginary fable, the additional interest to be derived from historical groupings : the other, in extracting the main interest of romantic narrative from History itself. Those who adopt...
Page 306 - ... field without victory, that ye cannot be beaten. While I speak, the winds swell the sails of the Norse ships, bearing home the corpse of Hardrada. Accomplish this day the last triumph of England; add to these hills a new mount of the conquered dead! And when, in far times and strange lands, scald and scop shall praise the brave man for some valiant deed wrought in some holy cause, they shall say, ' He was brave as those who fought by the side of Harold, and swept from the sward of England the...
Page 14 - ... the young Earl's vigorous and healthful mind ; and though before his exile, he came more often than any of Godwin's sons to the old Roman house, he had smiled with proud incredulity at her vague prophecies, and rejected all her offers of aid from invisible agencies with the calm reply — "The brave man wants no charms to encourage him to his duty, and the good man scorns all warnings that would deter him from fulfilling it.
Page 305 - HAROLD'S SPEECH TO HIS ARMY BEFORE THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS. THIS day, O friends and Englishmen, sons of our common land, — this day, ye fight for liberty. The Count of the Normans hath, I know, a mighty army ; I disguise not its strength. That army he hath collected together by promising to each man a share in the spoils of England. Already, in his court and his camp, he hath parcelled out the lands of this kingdom ; and fierce are the robbers that fight for the hope of plunder ! But he cannot offer...
Page 162 - Pencadair, who had faithfully adhered to him, being desired to give his opinion about the royal army, and whether he thought that of the rebels would make resistance, and what would be the final event of this war, replied, 'This nation, O...