CHAPTER VIII--THE CONQUEST OF ENGLAND--DECEMBER 1066-MARCH 1070



The coronation of William had its effect in a moment. It made him
really king over part of England; it put him into a new position
with regard to the rest. As soon as there was a king, men flocked
to swear oaths to him and become his men. They came from shires
where he had no real authority. It was most likely now, rather
than at Berkhampstead, that Edwin and Morkere at last made up their
minds to acknowledge some king. They became William's men and
received again their lands and earldoms as his grant. Other chief
men from the North also submitted and received their lands and
honours again. But Edwin and Morkere were not allowed to go back
to their earldoms. William thought it safer to keep them near
himself, under the guise of honour--Edwin was even promised one of
his daughters in marriage--but really half as prisoners, half as
hostages. Of the two other earls, Waltheof son of Siward, who held
the shires of Northampton and Huntingdon, and Oswulf who held the
earldom of Bernicia or modern Northumberland, we hear nothing at
this moment. As for Waltheof, it is strange if he were not at
Senlac; it is strange if he were there and came away alive. But we
only know that he was in William's allegiance a few months later.
Oswulf must have held out in some marked way. It was William's
policy to act as king even where he had no means of carrying out
his kingly orders. He therefore in February 1067 granted the
Bernician earldom to an Englishman named Copsige, who had acted as
Tostig's lieutenant. This implies the formal deprivation of
Oswulf. But William sent no force with the new earl, who had to