Westminster at Midnight

“Lonely wind and lonely king, no one remember his glorious things.” 

 

The Church of Westminster, the centre of English power, was always dark and cold, not only in the evening, but also during the daytime. The most significant figure at night was the wind. Shouting like an unfortunate man, the wind complained about what things happened in the past and now. 

 

In the Churchyard buried all Anglo-Saxon Kings, who dominated England for over three hundred years before the Norman Conquest in 1066. Their names were written on the stones in Anglo-Saxon instead of being in English. Upon those lonely tombs, the moon was shining brightly, giving the kings a last relief. 

 

King William I’s unfavourable domination in England made himself guilty. Every night since October 14th, 1066, when he defeated and killed the legal Anglo-Saxon King Harold II to seize the English throne, he suffered from insomnia, thinking about the former King Edward, his elder cousin. 

 

Edward’s rule was popular. That’s because he ordered the English troops against Danish invaders, ending Danish oppression of England. Furthermore, he reopened many churches belonged to the Christian Church to recover own English culture favoring his people. 

 

However, such a benevolent leader passed away suddenly. After Edward’s death, England faced a succession crisis since Edward was sonless. Edward’s brother-in-law, Harold Godwinson, later known as Harold II, succeeded the crown with opposition throughout the country. Similar to William, Harold II suppressed the revolts with violence. In such a critical period, William was seen as the liberator of the whole state against the so-called tyrant Harold, eliminating all Harold’s forces in Hastings. 

 

William contemplated about his rule in the past. He did not converted into a welcomed king like Edward, instead, he continued the high-handed policy pursued by Harold II, that was to oppress all his opponents without compromising with them. From then on, as his rule of England had illegal origin, he had to suppress the numerous rebellions. William had no choice but to impose massacre towards his fellow civilians. The most famous action, called Harrying of the North, left a range of wastelands in Northern England, resulting in the death of thousands of people because of famine. 

 

“I need to get relieved, by going to the churchyard to meet with the kings in the 

past.” William thought. 

 

It was midnight, William left his castle without any noise. Holding a candle in his hand, he stepped in the churchyard carefully, like a thief who had just committed theft. Strange sounds came across him unexpectedly. 

 

“Lonely light and lonely sight, Frenchmen speaking what the Englishmen like.”

 

William was frightened. He wondered why the speaker knew that he was a Frenchman instead of a native Englishman. What’s more, the strange rhyme of the sentence made him more confused about who the person was. Moving backwards, he looked around to see if there was anyone there. Uncannily, he found nothing. 

 

“Who are you?” Asked William. “Are you human, or evil? Are you alive, or dead? What do you want me to do? Tell me, tell me, I feel insecure.” 

 

“I, the noble English King, Edward, calling from the Churchyard, talking to you William, about some useful idioms.” 

 

William was shocked. Hist strong legs started to shiver, making him unable to stand up straight. With his hands shaking, he could not even catch the candle which lit up the roads for him. 

 

William questioned the strange sounds. “Oh, my dear cousin, who calls you up?” 

 

“William, do not shake and shiver, they just want to show their anger.” Edward’s ghost replied. 

 

“Well, who are they?” William asked again. 

 

“Your fellow predecessors, the glorious Anglo-Saxon warriors. Crimes you commit was to conquer England at once, without asking our permissions and response.” 

 

William was afraid of being punished. He recognised his faults of killing English people for strengthening his own position. Of course, he not only overthrown the “tyrant” Harold II, but also the lasting domination of the legitimate Anglo-Saxon line. His loss of support originated from the angers of the former kings and the civilians who belonged to them. 

 

“So, what should I do?” Asked William the last time. 

 

“Grant me as Saint Edward; believe me, you will get your reward.” 

 

William came to a sudden realization.

 

“Thank you my great cousin Edward, the former king who was beloved by the English people. I appreciate your help. You restored the crown from the Danish invaders, leading citizens to win the war. Dying sorrowfully without any kids, succeeded by your brutal brother-in-law, who was lack of support, just like a black sheep among the white. I defeated him and tried to recover this land with honour and glory. In fact, no English people want to see a tyrant overthrown by another tyrant.” 

 

William walked back to his palace. On his way, wind stopped blowing as strongly as before, and the moon changed its mood, into a delight one. Crows and owls shouted no more, turning into the creatures inside the dark, deeply without coming out to attach the sun. On the morning of the next day, William granted Edward as Saint Edward, giving him the title “Edward the Confessor”. 

 

“That’s what former kings wanted to see.” William whispered to himself.