Page:The child's pictorial history of England; (IA childspictorialh00corn).pdf/60

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good nor very clever, and both died within six years.

21. All this while there was a Saxon prince, named Edward, son of king Ethelred, living at the court of the Duke of Normandy, who was his uncle, and had afforded him shelter and protection whilst his enemies were ruling in England.

22. He was now restored to the throne, and the English people thought themselves happy in having again a king of their own nation; but they little foresaw the terrible consequences of placing over them one who had formed so close a connection with the Normans.

23. Edward was attached to the Normans, for they had been kind to him in his misfortunes; but it was neither wise nor just to bring a great number of them to his court, and set them up above his own countrymen, by giving them the highest appointments in the government, which, of course, gave offence to the English noblemen.

24. Edward was called the Confessor, because he spent much of his time in devotion. He rebuilt Westminster Abbey, which was founded during the Heptarchy; but this building was pulled down about 160 years afterwards, by Henry the Third, who erected the present edifice in its place.