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HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

c H a p. his preparations , had equipped a considerablem. fleet, much superior to that of the enemy ; andthe earl hastily, before their appearance, madehis retreat into the Flemish harbours”. TheEnglish court, allured by the present security,and destitute of all vigorous counsels, allowedthe seamen to disband , and the fleet to go todecay’*; while Godwin, expecting this event,kept his men in readiness for action. He put tosea immediately, and sailed to the Isle of Wight,where he was joined by Harold with a squadron,which that nobleman had collected in Ireland.He was now master of the sea; and entering everyharbour on the southern coast, he seized all theships 17 , and summoned his followers in thosecounties, which had so long been subject tohis government, to assist him in procuring justiceto himself, his family, and his country, againstthe tyranny of foreigners. Reinforced by greatnumbers from all quarters, he entered the Thames;and appearing before London, threw every thinginto confusion. The king alone seemed resoluteto defend himself to the last extremity; but theinterposition of the English nobility , many ofwhom favoured Godwin’s pretensions , madeEdward hearken to terms of accommodation; andthe feigned humility of the earl, who disclaimedall intentions of offering violence to his sovereign,

3! Sim. Dun. p. 186.

Chron. Sax. p. 166.

" Ibid.