[Sidenote:  HAROLD.  K. Edward departed this life.  An.  Christi.] King Edward being thus departed this life, the peeres of the land were in great doubt & perplexitie to whome they might best commit the roiall gouernement of the realme. [Sidenote:  1065, after the account of the church of England. Matth.  West. Polydor.  Edeling, that is, a noble man, and such one as is come of the kings blood.] For there was not anie among them that had iust title thereto, or able and apt to take the charge vpon him.  For although Edgar surnamed Edeling, the sonne of Edward the outlaw, that was sonne of Edmund Ironside, was at the same time latelie come into England, with his mother and sisters out of Hungarie where he was borne:  yet for that he was but a child, & not of sufficient age to beare rule, they durst not as then commit the gouernement of the realme vnto him, least (as some haue thought) his tendernesse of age might first breed a contempt of his person, and therewith minister occasion to ciuill discord, wherby a shipwracke of the estate might ensue, to the great annoie and present ouerthrow of such as then liued in the same.  But what consideration soeuer they had in this behalfe, they ought not to haue defrauded the yoong gentleman of his lawfull right to the crowne.  For as we haue heard and seene, God, whose prouidence and mightie power is shewed by ouerthrowing of high and mightie things now and then, by the weake and feeble hath gouerned states and kingdomes oftentimes in as good quiet and princelie policie by a child, as by men of age and great discretion.

But to the purpose, beside the doubt which rested among the lords, how to bestow the crowne, the manifold and strange woonders, which, were seene and heard in those daies, betokening (as men thought) some change to be at hand in the state of the realme, made the lords afraid, and namelie bicause they stood in great doubt of William duke of Normandie, who pretended a right to the crowne, as lawfull heire appointed by king Edward, for that he was kin to him in the [Sidenote:  Dukes of Normandie.] second and third degree.  For Richard the first of that name duke of Normandie, begot Richard the second, and Emma; which Emma bare Edward by hir husband Ethelred.  Richard the second had also issue Richard the third, and Robert, which Robert by a concubine had issue William, surnamed the bastard, that was now duke of Normandie, and after the death of his coosine king Edward, made claime (as is said) to the crowne of England.

Whilest the lords were thus studieng and consulting what should be [Sidenote:  Harold proclaimed king of England.] best for them to doo in these doubts, Harold, the son of Goodwine earle of Kent, proclaimed himselfe king of England:  the people being not much offended therewith, bicause of the great confidence and opinion which they had latelie conceiued of his valiancie.  Some write [Sidenote:  Edmerus.] (among whome Edmerus is one) how king Edward ordeined