80
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
which, when Canute and Hardicanute his son were dead, King Edward
the Confessor gave to Earl Harold.
In the other MSS. mentioned, entitled Vita Haroldi, the reason of
Harold's favour to Waltham is shown. Struck down by paralysis and
advised by his physicians to attend to the offices of the Cross, Harold
appeals to the Guardians of the Holy Cross for their prayers, whereupon
he was shortly restored to perfect health. In his gratitude Harold decides
to build at Waltham, and the MSS continues "Foundations of a large
church are rapidly laid ; the walls rise, lofty columns at equal distances
unite the walls, with interlacing arcades or vaults ; a roof of leaden plates
keeps out the wind and weather, the number of clergy is increased from a
shameful two to the mystic twelve of the company of the Apostles."
He also, with splendid liberality, endowed the church with estates and
possessions that the Canons might have sufficient for their necessities,
and he obtained a confirmation of these gifts by the King's authority.
This confirmation is known as the Great Charter of Waltham and was
granted in 1062. It is in Latin and the text exists in two MSS., one in
the Public Record Office and the other in the British Museum. The
Essex manors enumerated in the Charter include High Ongar, South
Weald, Upminster, Woodford, Nazing, Netteswell, Loughton, Tippedene
and Alwartune, the two latter now being identified as in Loughton.
Professor Freeman fixes the date of the consecration of Harold's church
as 1059 or 1060. That it could not have been later is certain, for it was
consecrated by Kinsize, Archbishop of York, who died in December,
1060. Harold, as you know, was brother-in-law of Edward the Confessor,
and upon the latter's death usurped the throne, his possession of which
was disputed by William of Normandy, although, as Fuller says, "both
their titles twisted together could not make half a good claim to the
crown." Then follows one of the most familiar episodes of English
history, the invasion of England by William to assert his claim, his
resistance by Harold, the fight at Senlac on the south coast, and the defeat
and death of Harold. Evidences as to the burial place of Harold are
strangely contradictory. With some show of reason and probability
it is asserted that he was buried on the sea-shore, but other reports,
equally credible, give him sepulture within the walls of the church
he built; certain it is that a tomb called by his name was shown in the
Abbey down to the Dissolution, and that when Fuller wrote in 1642 frag-
ments of this tomb were in existence, one indeed, to which I shall call
your attention later, existing until this day. The question will probably
never be actually determined.
Subsequent kings and their queens were benefactors to the Abbey,
but the next great epoch in its history comes in the reign of Henry II.
This king, in expiation of the murder of Thomas a Becket, had vowed to
build an abbey of Canons regular in his honour and for the remission
of his own sins, but, compromising with his conscience, failed to do so,
but converted by papal licence Harold's foundation of secular canons
into a house of regulars, alleging immorality as a reason. Henry went
to Waltham 11 June, 1177, and by the authority of the Pope formally
inducted the sixteen regular canons of the new foundation. The new
house, at first a priory, was made an abbey in 1184, and Walter de Gant