94 CHRONICLE OF THE SAGA IX. consecrated king of England, it appeared to liim that he had a better right to the kingdom of England than Harald, by reason of the relationship between him and King Edward.* He thought, also, that he had grounds for avenging the aifront that Harald had put upon him Avith respect to his daughter. From all these grounds William gathered together a great army in Normandy, and had many men, and sufficient trans- port-shipping. The day that he rode out of the castle to his ships, and had mounted his horse, his wife came to him, and wanted to speak with him ; but when he saw her he struck at her with his heel, and set his spurs so deep into her breast that she fell down deadf; and the earl rode on to his ships, and went with his ships over to England. His brother. Archbishop Otto, was with him; and when the earl came to England he began to plunder, and take possession of the land as he came along. Earl William was stouter and stronger than other men ; a great horseman and warrior, but somewhat stern; and a very sensible man, but not considered a man to be relied on. Chapter King Harald Godwinsson gave King Harald Sigurds- Faii of son's son Olaf leave to go away, with the men who King had followed him and had not fallen in battle ; but Godwins- he himself turned round with his army to go south, son. £q^ YiQ had heard that William the Bastard was over- whelming the south of England with a vast army, and was subduing the country for himself. With King Harald went his brothers Swend and Gyrder, and Earl Walthiof. King Harald and Earl William
- The relationship here alluded to is that Emma, the wife of Ethelred
and mother of Edward the Confessor, was a sister of William, and that he, as uncle of Edward, was nearer than Harald in relationship; hut this is evidently an error of Snorro. William's father was Robert Longspear, son of Richard ; and Emma was Richard's daughter, and aunt, not sister, of William. f This story is false, or relates to some concubine ; for William's queen, Matilda, was crowned in London.
