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strange chance lost？ First； of course； by the length and danger of the
coasting voyage。 It was one thing to have； like Columbus and Vespucci；
Cortes and Pizarro； the Azores as a halfway port； another to have
Greenland； or even Iceland。 It was one thing to run south…west upon
Columbus's track； across the Mar de Damas； the Ladies' Sea； which hardly
knows a storm； with the blazing blue above； the blazing blue below； in an
ever…warming climate； where every breath is life and joy； another to
struggle against the fogs and icebergs； the rocks and currents of the dreary
North Atlantic。 No wonder； then； that the knowledge of Markland； and
Vinland； and Whiteman's Land died away in a few generations； and
became but fireside sagas for the winter nights。
But there were other causes； more honourable to the dogged energy of
the Norse。 They were in those very years conquering and settling nearer
home as no other peopleunless； perhaps； the old Ionian Greeks
conquered and settled。
Greenland； we have seen； they heldthe western side at leastand held
it long and well enough to afford； it is said； 2；600 pounds of walrus' teeth
as yearly tithe to the Pope； besides Peter's pence； and to build many a
convent； and church； and cathedral； with farms and homesteads round； for
one saga speaks of Greenland as producing wheat of the finest quality。
All is ruined now； perhaps by gradual change of climate。
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But they had richer fields of enterprise than Greenland； Iceland； and
the Faroes。 Their boldest outlaws at that very timewhether from
Norway； Sweden； Denmark； or Britainwere forming the imperial life…
guard of the Byzantine Emperor； as the once famous Varangers of
Constantinople； and that splendid epoch of their race was just dawning； of
which my lamented friend； the late Sir Edmund Head； says so well in his
preface to Viga Glum's Icelandic Saga； 〃The Sagas； of which this tale is
one； were posed for the men who have left their mark in every corner
of Europe； and whose language and laws are at this moment important
elements in the speech and institutions of England； America； and Australia。
There is no page of modern history in which the influence of the
Norsemen and their conquests must not be taken into accountRussia；
Constantinople； Greece； Palestine； Sicily； the coasts of Africa； Southern
Italy； France； the Spanish Peninsula； England； Scotland； Ireland； and every
rock and island round them； have been visited； and most of them at one
time or the other ruled； by the men of Scandinavia。 The motto on the
sword of Roger Guiscard was a proud one：
Appulus et Calaber； Siculus mihi servit et Afer。
Every island； says Sir Edmund Head； and trulyfor the name of
almost every island on the coast of England； Scotland； and Eastern Ireland；
ends in either EY or AY or OE； a Norse appellative； as is the word 〃island〃
itselfis a mark of its having been； at some time or other； visited by the
Vikings of Scandinavia。
Norway； meanwhile； was convulsed by war； and what perhaps was of
more immediate consequence； Svend Fork…beard； whom we Englishmen
call Sweynthe renegade from that Christian Faith which had been forced
on him by his German conqueror； the Emperor Otto II。with his illustrious
son Cnut； whom we call Canute； were just calling together all the most
daring spirits of the Baltic coasts for the subjugation of England； and when
that great feat was performed； the Scandinavian emigration was paralysed；
probably； for a time by the fearful wars at home。 While the king of
Sweden； and St。 Olaf Tryggvason； king of Norway； were setting on
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Denmark during Cnut's pilgrimage to Rome； and Cnut； sailing with a
mighty fleet to Norway； was driving St。 Olaf into Russia； to return and fall
in the fratricidal battle of Stiklesteadduring； strangely enough； a total
eclipse of the sunVinland was like enough to remain still uncolonised。
After Cnut's short…lived triumphking as he was of Denmark； Norway；
England； and half Scotland； and what not of Wendish Folk inside the
Balticthe force of the Norsemen seems to have been exhausted in their
native lands。 Once more only； if I remember right； did 〃Lochlin；〃 really
and hopefully send forth her 〃mailed swarm〃 to conquer a foreign land；
and with a result unexpected alike by them and by their enemies。 Had it
been otherwise； we might not have been here this day。
Let me sketch for you once morethough you have heard it； doubtless；
many a timethe tale of that tremendous fortnight which settled the fate of
Britain； and therefore of North America； which decidedjust in those great
times when the decision was to be made… …whether we should be on a par
with the other civilised nations of Europe； like them the 〃heirs of all the
ages；〃 with our share not only of Roman Christianity and Roman
centralisationa member of the great ity of European nations； held
together in one Christian bond by the Popebut heirs also of Roman
civilisation； Roman literature； Roman Law； and therefore； in due time； of
Greek philosophy and art。 No less a question than this； it seems to me；
hung in the balance during that fortnight of autumn； 1066。
Poor old Edward the Confessor； holy； weak； and sad； lay in his new
choir of Westminsterwhere the wicked ceased from troubling； and the
weary were at rest。 The crowned ascetic had left no heir behind。
England seemed as a corpse； to which all the eagles might gather together；
and the South…English； in their utter need； had chosen for their king the
ablest； and it may be the justest； man in BritainEarl Harold Godwinsson：
himself； like half the upper classes of England then； of the all…dominant
Norse blood； for his mother was a Danish princess。 Then out of Norway；
with a mighty host； came Harold Hardraade； taller than all men； the ideal
Viking of his time。 Half…brother of the now dead St。 Olaf； severely
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wounded when he was but fifteen； at Stiklestead； when Olaf fell； he had
warred and plundered on many a coast。 He had been away to Russia to
King Jaroslaf； he had been in the Emperor's Varanger guard at
Constantinopleand； it was whispered； had slain a lion there with his bare
hands； he had carved his name and his rades' in Runic charactersif
you go to Venice you may see them at this day on the loins of the great
marble lion； which stood in his time not in Venice but in Athens。 And
now； king of Norway and conqueror； for the time； of Denmark； why
should he not take England； as Sweyn and Canute took it sixty years
before； when the flower of the English gentry perished at the fatal battle of
Assingdune？ If he and his half…barbarous host had conquered； the
civilisation of Britain would have been thrown back； perhaps； for centuries。
But it was not to be。
England WAS to be conquered by the Norman； but by the civilised；
not the barbaric； by the Norse who had settled； but four generations before；
in the North East of France under Rou； Rollo； Rolf the Gangerso…called；
they say； because his legs were so long that； when on horseback； he
touched the ground and seemed to gang； or walk。 He and his Norsemen
had taken their share of France； and called it Normandy to this day； and
meanwhile； with that docility and adaptability which marks so often truly
great spirits； they had changed their creed； their language； their habits； and
had bee； from heathen and murderous Berserkers； the most truly
civilised people of Europe； andas was most natural thenthe most
faithful allies and servants of the Pope of Rome。 So greatly had they
changed； and so fast； that William Duke of Normandy； the great… great…
grandson of Rolf the wild Viking； was perhaps the finest gentleman； as
well as the most cultivated sovereign； and the greatest statesman and
warrior in all Europe。
So Harold of Norway came with all his Vikings to Stamford Bridge by
York； and took； by ing； only that which Harold of England promised
him； namely； 〃forasmuch as he was taller than any other man； seven feet
of English ground。〃
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The story of that great battle； told with a few inaccuracies； but told as
only great poets tell； you should read； if you have not read it already； in the
〃Heimskringla〃 of Snorri Sturluson； the Homer of the North：
High feast that day held the birds of the air and the beasts of the field；
White…tailed erne and sallow glede； Dusky raven； with horny neb； And the
gray deer the wolf of the wood。
The bones of the slain； men say； whitened the place for fifty years to
e。
And remember； that on the same day on which that fight befell
September 27； 1066William； Duke of Normandy； with all his French…
speaking Norsemen； was sailing across the British Channel； under the
protection of a banner consecrated by the Pope； to conquer that England
which the Norse…speaking Normans could not conquer。
And now King Harold showed himself a man。 He turned at once
from the North of England to the South。 He raised the folk of the
Southern； as he had raised those of the Central and Northern shires； and in
sixteen daysafter a march which in those times was a prodigious feathe
was entrenched upon the fatal down which men called Heathfield then；
and Senlac； but Battle to this daywith William and his French Normans
opposite him on Telham hill。
Then came the battle of Hastings。 You all know what befell upon that
day； and how the old weapon was matched against the newthe English
axe against the Norman lanceand beaten only because the English broke
their ranks。 If you wish to refresh your memories； read the tale once
more in Mr。 Freeman's 〃History of England；〃 or Professor Creasy's 〃
Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World；〃 or even； best of all； the late Lord
Lytton's splendid romance of 〃Harold。〃 And when you go to England； go；
as some of you may have gone already； to Battle； and there from