[1] Seneschal, 'lieutenant du duc pour l'administration civile;' 'ce mot, dérivé de la langue Franke, signifie proprement serviteur gardien des troupeaux ou gardien de la famille, senes-skalch. C'était un office de la maison des rois franks, et, par suite de la conquête, une dignité politique de la Gaule.' Thierry, i. 270.
[2] Wace generally writes Harold's name thus; we shall, however, henceforth use the usual historical spelling: as also in the case of Godwin, whom Wace calls Gwigne, and some of the Norman chronicles Gaudvin.
[3] Alias Githe or Githa.
[4] Ead-githa of the Saxon chronicle, who married in 1043, and died in 1075.
[5] The scene of the Bayeux tapestry opens here.
'I cannot say how the truth may be,
I but tell the tale as 'twas told to me.'
Benoit de Sainte-More sends the archbishop of Canterbury to William, at Edward's desire, to convey his intention of leaving to the duke the inheritance of the English crown.
L'arcevesque de Cantorbire,
Li plus hauz hom de son empire,
Out en Normendie tramis,
Les anz avant, si cum je vos dis,
Por afermer ce qu'il li done,
Tot le reaume e la corone.
And Harold's mission is described as being expressly intended, in the following year, to confirm the same bequest: