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Earle Tostie afflicteth his brother Harold on sea and land, he taketh the repulse, and persuadeth Harfager king of Norweie to attempt the conquest of England against Harold, Harfager & Tostie with their powers arriue at Humber, they fight with the Northumbers vnder the conduct of Edwine and Marchar, and discomfit them; Harold leuieth an armie against them, the rare valiantnes of a Norwegian souldior; Harfager and Tostie slaine in battell; the Norwegians are foiled and flie; Harolds vnequall and parciall dividing of the spoile, he goeth to Yorke to reforms things amisse.

THE NINTH CHAPTER.

Whilest Harold desirous to reteine, and verie loth to let go his vsurped roialtie, had crackt his credit with the duke of Normandie, and by his lewd reuolting from voluntarie promises ratified with solemne othes, had also kindled the fire of the dukes furie against him; it came to passe, that the proud and presumptuous man was (to [Sidenote:  Tostie seekes to disquiets his brother.] begin withall) vexed in his owne flesh, I meane his owne kinred.  For Tostie the brother of king Harold (who in the daies of king Edward for his crueltie had beene chased out of the realme by the Northumbers) returning out of Flanders, assembled a nauie of ships from diuers parts to the number of 60, with the which he arriued in [Sidenote:  Matt.  West. saith but 40. Polydor. Ran Higd. Sim.  Dun.] the Ile of Wight, & there spoiled the countrie, and afterward sailing about by the coasts of Kent, he tooke sundrie preies their[a] also, and came at the last to Sandwich:  so that Harold was now constreined to appoint the nauie which he had prepared against the Normans, to go against his brother earle Tostie.  Whereof the said Tostie being aduertised, drew towards Lindsey in Lincolnshire, and there taking [Sidenote:  Wil.  Malm. Tosties repelled. Polydor. Ran.  Higd.] land did much hurt in the countrie, both with sword and fire, till at length Edwine earle of Mercia, and Marchar earle of Northumberland, aided with the kings nauie, chased him from thence, and caused him to flie into Scotland, not without some losse both of his men and ships.

This trouble was scarse quieted, but streightwaies another came in the necke thereof, farre more dangerous than the first.  For Tostie, perceiuing that he could get no aid in Scotland to make anie [Sidenote:  Harold Harfager king of Norweie.] acccount of, sailed forth into Norweie, and there persuaded Harold Harfager king of that realme, to saile with an armie into England, persuading him that by meanes of ciuill dissention latelie kindled betwixt the king and his lords (which was not so) it should be an easie matter for him to make a conquest of the whole realme, and reigne ouer them as his predecessors had done before.  Some authors affirme, that Harold king of Norwey tooke this enterprise in hand [Sidenote:  Matt.