William sent to the Northumbrians one Copsi, a Thane of mark and worth, as
his procurator, to expel Oswulf. Oswulf and the land-folk answered by
killing Copsi, and doing, every man, that which was right in his own eyes.
William determined to propitiate the young earls. Perhaps he intended to
govern the centre and north of England through them, as feudal vassals,
and hoped, meanwhile, to pay his Norman conquerors sufficiently out of the
forfeited lands of Harold, and those who had fought by his side at
Hastings. It was not his policy to make himself, much less to call
himself, the Conqueror of England. He claimed to be its legitimate
sovereign, deriving from his cousin, Edward the Confessor; and whosoever
would acknowledge him as such had neither right nor cause to fear.
Therefore he sent for the young earls. He courted Waltheof, and more,
really loved him. He promised Edwin his daughter in marriage. Some say it
was Constance, afterwards married to Alan Fergant of Brittany; but it may,
also, have been the beautiful Adelaide, who, none knew why, early gave up
the world, and died in a convent. Be that as it may, the two young people
saw each, and loved each other at Rouen, whither William took Waltheof,
Edwin, and his brother; as honored guests in name, in reality as hostages,
likewise.
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