But rather it maie
be thought, that king Edward had made no such promise at all, but
perceiued the ambitious desire of duke William, and therefore would
not that anie occasion should be ministred unto him to take hold of.
Wherefore, he was loth that Harold should go ouer vnto him, least that
might happen, which happened in deed.
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._ _Matth. West._ _Fabian_.
Falling out between brethren. The cruell dealing of earle Tostie.]
In the foure and twentieth and last yeere of king Edward his
reigne, or therabout, there fell variance betwixt the two brethren,
earle Harold and earle Tostie at Windsor, where the court then lay, in
so much that earle Harold caught Tostie by the haire of the head in
the kings presence, and stroke him. Heervpon, Tostie departing from
the court in great anger, came to Hereford in the marches of Wales,
where Harolds seruants were preparing for the kings comming to their
maisters house, which seruants he tooke and slue, chopping them in
peeces, and threw into this hogshead of wine a leg, into that barrell
of sider an arme, into this vessell of ale an head: and so into the
lomes of meth and tubs of brine and other liquor he bestowed the parts
of the dead carcasses of his brothers seruants, sending the king woord
that he had prouided at his brothers manor, against his coming, good
plentie of sowse & powdred meat, whatsoeuer he should find beside.
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