Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Before the grim array, and hard by Tostig's banner, the King checked his steed and cried: "Is Tostig, the son of Godwin and Githa, by the flag of the Northumbrian earldom?" With his helmet raised, and his Norwegian mantle flowing over his mail, Earl Tostig rode forth at that voice, and came up to the speaker. "What wouldst thou with me, daring foe?"
And for the last few weeks, though I said it not to alarm thee, I have had strange noises in my ears, and a surge, as of blood, to the temples." "O Godwin! dear spouse," said Githa, tenderly, "and I was blind to the cause, but wondered why there was some change in thy manner! But I will go to Hilda to-morrow; she hath charms against all disease."
He turned, and knelt to Githa. She threw her arms over his broad breast, and wept bitterly. "Say say, Harold, that I have not reproached thee for Tostig's death. I have obeyed the last commands of Godwin my lord. I have deemed thee ever right and just; now let me not lose thee, too. They go with thee, all my surviving sons, save the exile Wolnoth, him whom now I shall never behold again.
This chanced on the 8 of Iune at Lambeth aforesaid, where, on the same day a mariage was solemnized betwéene the ladie Githa, the daughter of a noble man called Osgot Clappa, and a Danish lord also called Canute Prudan. His bodie was buried at Winchester besides his father. Hen.
Moved and marvelling at this touch of sentiment in the calm earl, in whom indeed such sentiment was rare, Githa roused herself from her musings, and said, simply and anxiously: "I fear my lord is not well, that he speaks thus to Githa!" The Earl smiled faintly. "Thou art right with thy woman's wit, wife.
On the announcement of these decrees, which were received with loud applause by all the crowd assembled to hear them, Tostig, rallying round him his house-carles, left the town. He went first to Githa, with whom his wife had sought refuge, and, after a long conference with his mother, he, and his haughty Countess, journeyed to the sea- coast, and took ship for Flanders.
Then Harold took forth the key which Hilda had given him, and unlocked the cyst, and there lay the white winding-sheet of the dead, and a scroll. Harold took the scroll, and bent over it, reading by the mingled light of the lamp and the dawn: "All hail, Harold, heir of Godwin the great, and Githa the king-born!
He turned, and knelt to Githa. She threw her arms over his broad breast, and wept bitterly. "Say say, Harold, that I have not reproached thee for Tostig's death. I have obeyed the last commands of Godwin my lord. I have deemed thee ever right and just; now let me not lose thee, too. They go with thee, all my surviving sons, save the exile Wolnoth, him whom now I shall never behold again.
Earl Godwin sate with his wife, Githa, in a room out of the Hall, which looked on the Thames, awaiting Harold, who was expected to arrive ere nightfall.
I would not, Githa, that the tree of my house, planted in the storm, and watered with lavish blood, should wither away." The old Earl paused, and Githa said, loftily: "Fear not that thy name will pass from the earth, or thy race from power.
Word Of The Day