224 HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

chap. to be entrusted with the government of Nortlium-lii. berland ; and Harold’s influence obtained thatdukedom for his own brother Tosti.

There are two circumstances related ofSiward,which discover his high sense of honour, and hismartial disposition. When intelligence was broughthim of his son Osbern’s death , he was inconso-lable ; till he heard, that the wound was receivedin the breast, and that he had behaved with greatgallantry in the action. When he found his owndeath approaching, he ordered his servants toclothe him in a complete suit of armour; andsitting erect on the couch, with a spear in hishand, declared, that, in that posture, the onlyone worthy of a warrior, he would patientlyawait the fatal moment.

The king , now worn out with cares andinfirmities, felt himself far advanced in the declineof life ; and having no issue himself, began tothink of appointing a successor to the kingdom.He sent a deputation to Hungary, to inviteover his nephew, Edward, son of his elder bro-ther, and the only remaining heir of the Saxonline. That prince, whose succession to the crownwould have been easy and undisputed, came toEngland with his children , Edgar , furnamedAtheling, Margaret and Christina; but his death,which happened a few days after his arrival,threw the king into new difficulties. He saw,that the great power and ambition of Harold hadtempted him to think of obtaining possession ofthe throne on the first vacancy, and that Edgar,

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