Waltheof; after which she did not die, but
lived on many years, [Footnote: If Ingulf can be trusted, Torfrida died
about A. D. 1085.] spending all day in nursing and feeding the Countess
Godiva, and lying all night on Hereward's tomb, and praying that he might
find grace and mercy in that day.
And at last Godiva died; and they took her away and buried her with great
pomp in her own minster church of Coventry.
And after that Torfrida died likewise; because she had nothing left for
which to live. And they laid her in Hereward's grave, and their dust is
mingled to this day.
And Leofric the priest lived on to a good old age, and above all things he
remembered the deeds and the sins of his master, and wrote them in a book,
and this is what remains thereof.
But when Martin Lightfoot died, no man has said; for no man in those days
took account of such poor churls and running serving-men.
And Hereward's comrades were all scattered abroad, some maimed, some
blinded, some with tongues cut out, to beg by the wayside, or crawl into
convents, and then die; while their sisters and daughters, ladies born and
bred, were the slaves of grooms and scullions from beyond the sea.
And so, as sang Thorkel Skallason,--
"Cold heart and bloody hand
Now rule English land.
Pages:
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658