23. Edward was attached to the Normans, for they had been kind to him in his misfortunes; but it was neither wise nor just to bring a great number of them to his court, and set them up above his own countrymen, by giving them the highest appointments in the government, which, of course, gave offence to the English noblemen.
24. Edward was called the Confessor, because he spent much of his time in devotion. He rebuilt Westminster Abbey, which was founded during the Heptarchy; but this building was pulled down about 160 years afterwards, by Henry the Third, who erected the present edifice in its place.
25. But I was going to tell you what happened in consequence of the king’s attachment to the Normans. His uncle was dead, and his cousin William, a bold spirited prince, who was now Duke of Normandy, came over to England to visit the king, and see what sort of a place it was.
26. He brought a great many noblemen with him, and it seems they all liked the country so much that the Duke thought he should like to be its king, and his friends thought they should like to get good estates here; so king Edward was persuaded to make a will, or give his promise, that, when he died, his cousin William, who was more than twenty years younger than himself, should be his successor. The English lords knew nothing about this at the time, but they had reason enough to know it afterwards, as you will presently find.
27. Edward the Confessor died at the beginning of the year 1066, when Harold, his wife’s brother, a brave and popular nobleman, took possession of the throne, with the consent of the chief nobles and clergy.
QUESTIONS.
1. Who succeeded Alfred?
2. Who was the next king?