sought to persuade the Londoners to aduance one of them to the
kingdome: as Wil. Mal. writeth. But Simon of Durham saith, that Aldred
archbishop of Yorke, and the said earles with others would haue made
Edgar Etheling king. Howbeit, whilest manie of the Nobilitie and
others prepared to make themselues redie to giue a new battell to the
Normans (how or whatsoeuer was the cause) the said earles drew
homewards with their powers, to the great discomfort of their freends.
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ The bishops blamed.] Wil. Malm. séemeth to put
blame in the bishops, for that the lords went not forward with their
purpose in aduancing Edgar Etheling to the crowne. For the bishops
(saith he) refused to ioine with the lords in that behalfe, and so
through enuie and spite which one part bare to another, when they
could not agrée vpon an Englishman, they receiued a stranger,
[Sidenote: The archbishop of Yorke & other submit themselues to king
William.] insomuch that vpon king William his comming vnto Beorcham,
Aldred archbishop of Yorke, Wolstane bishop of Worcester, and Walter
bishop of Hereford, Edgar Etheling, and the foresaid earles Edwin and
Marchar came and submitted themselues vnto him, whom he gentlie
receiued, and incontinentlie made an agréement with them, taking their
oth and hostages (as some write) and yet neuerthelesse he permitted
his people to spoile and burne the countrie.

But now, when the feast of Christs natiuitie (commonlie called
Christmas) was at hand, he approched to the citie of London, and
comming thither, caused his vauntgard first to enter into the stréets,
where finding some resistance, he easilie subdued the citizens that
thus tooke vpon them to withstand him, [Sidenote: _Gemeticensis._]
though not without some bloudshed (as Gemeticen. writeth) but as by
others it should appéere, he was receiued into the citie without anie
resistance at all; and so being in possession thereof, he spake manie