attended by a great number of Norman soldiers, came to Winchester, to have an interview with their mother, who was staying at that place. This some of the men in power took amiss, and were indignant at it ; because, although unjustly so, they were much more devoted to king Harold than to them, and especially, as it is said, the earl Godwin. He, after having hurried on Alfred towards London for the purpose of an interview with king Harold, in obedience to his commands, detained him and placed him in close custody. Some of his attendants he dispersed, some he placed in chains, and afterwards put out their eyes ; some he scalped and tortured, and deprived of their hands and feet, by cutting them off. Many, also, he caused to be sold, and by various and shocking deaths he put to death six hundred men at Guilford. But their souls, we believe, are now rejoicing in Paradise with the Saints, whose bodies, without cause, were so cruelly consigned to death on earth. On hearing this, queen Emma in great haste sent back her son Edward, who had remained with her, into Normandy ; whereupon, by the command of Godwin and certain others, the Clito Alfred was led in the most strict bonds to the isle of Ely ; but as soon as the ship came to shore, on board of it, they instantly in the most cruel manner put out his eyes, and then, being led to the monastery by the monks, he was delivered into their charge ; here, shortly afterwards, he departed this life, and his body was buried with due honor in the south porch on the western side of the church, while his soul enjoys the delights of Paradise. In the year 1037, Harold king of the Mercians and Northumbrians, was chosen king by the nobles and the people, to reign over all England. But flardicanute, because he stayed too long in Denmark and delayed coming to England as he had been requested, was entirely set aside, and his mother Elfgiva, who was also called Emma, the former queen of the English, at the beginning of the winter, was expelled from England without mercy, and shortly afterwards, passing over in a ship to Flanders, was received with honor by earl Baldwin. He, in the way that became such a man, as long as her need demanded it, willingly took care that all necessaries were provided her. In the same year, a short time before this, Avic, the prior of Evesham, a man of great piety, died. 108 ANNALS OF RICHARD DE HOVEDEN. A.D. 1037.