Note 52 — Chapter XI · THE ELECTION OF HAROLD.[1] January 5th–April 16th, 1066.
Reading edition
At this point we lose the contemporary Life of Eadward. He speaks of no event later than the funeral, except in an allusion to the Battle of Stamfordbridge (426);
“Quis canet æquoreo vastum fervore tumentem
Humbram congressum Regibus æquivocis?”
He declines entering on the subject for fear of wounding the feelings of Eadgyth. Except from this one place, and from the dying recommendation of Eadward, which last he makes as dark as possible (see Appendix B), we should never learn from him that Harold ever reigned at all. William is never mentioned or alluded to. It is clear that, writing as he did for Eadgyth, under William, he could not write as he would, and, courtier as he was, he was not willing to write in the way that might have been most acceptable.