Facts About Edith and The Confessor’s Wife
The crown Edith of Wessex wears on the cover of The Confessor’s Wife is a copy of the actual one worn by the real Edith, shown on an 11th century manuscript!
Edith of Wessex is considered by many historians to be the ‘author’ of the Bayeux Tapestry.
Edith of Wessex was educated at Wilton Abbey. She spoke several languages & studied grammar, mathematics, rhetoric, weaving, and embroidery, among other things.
When the Domesday Book was compiled, Edith of Wessex was one of the richest people in England.
In The Confessor’s Wife, King Edward’s death scene was based directly on the scene from the Bayeux Tapestry. Edith of Wessex is one of only 3 women depicted in the tapestry.
In The Confessor’s Wife I describe a pendant Edith of Wessex receives from her brother. I used my own pendant as a basis for the description, one I got in my travels in Eastern Europe.
In 1066 Haley’s comet was seen in the skies above London. It’s even depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry. And I included it in The Confessor’s Wife!
Reader Comments:
Thank you for yet another book that brought an amazing woman back to life. Made me want to cheat and look ahead to the outcome of the battles but i did not The story wove history into a gorgeous exciting and colorful tapestry. 5 Stars
I found this book positively fascinating. The author’s writing style is wonderful and truly brings the characters to life.
EXCERPT:
Prologue
Bosham in Kent, 1035
“Why? What would possess you to burn the stable?”
Edith watched her brother try to reply. Then the puppy cried out again and his words were incoherent. “We were playing. We made a manor out of old wood in the corner of the stable.”
Godwin’s focus was on Edith now. “And?”
She looked down, her dishevelled hair escaping from her circlet and hiding her face. Her small hands unconsciously played with a rend in her dress. “I got cold.”
Godwin shifted impatiently in his chair. “Why didn’t you come inside?”
Edith glanced at her mother, receiving a frown in return. “Because we had words earlier and she stormed out.” Gytha’s voice was shrill, something Godwin had never gotten used to.
“Is this true?” Not that he doubted his wife’s word, but he wanted to hear the child’s side.
Edith nodded, still unable to face her father.
The earl sighed. Lately his daughter and wife had been ‘having words’ as Gytha described. Those words were usually spoken at volume, and without filter, so all in the manor knew of the daily arguments. “What happened next?”
“I got some fire.” Tostig startled them although his voice was a hoarse whisper. “Edith wouldn’t go inside even though I told her if she was cold she should, but she wouldn’t…” Tostig’s words had started to run together again.
Edith took over. “Tostig got a faggot from the hearth in the hall and brought it outside so we could have our own hearth.”
Godwin stared at them both. “You brought fire into the stable. Fire. Have you lost your wits? What were you thinking?” He knew the questions were unanswerable; he’d learned from his eldest two boys that children rarely, if ever, knew the reasons for their actions. However, Tostig was a clever child and Edith was old enough to know better. Edith; perhaps another sign of her recent rebellious streak? He shook his head. “Do you understand what you’ve done?”
The pup chose that moment to whine, the sound ending with a painful wheeze. Tostig’s head jerked toward the noise, his eyes wide. He looked back at his father then at the dog, raising a shaking arm to point at the creature. Tears flowed in earnest, staining his tunic with dark patches.
There would be no reasoning with them this evening, Godwin realised that. He stood suddenly, addressing Gytha. “Take Edith to her room. We’ll speak tomorrow.”
“But father…” Godwin held up a hand to stop his daughter’s protest. He knew she would ask to stay with Tostig, they’d grown close the last couple of years and were now almost inseparable.
The earl turned toward Tostig. “You stay here and watch the dog. You did this, you’ll learn to be more responsible.” After a flurry of movement, the hall was deserted except for a small boy and two dogs.
Tostig looked around the room in a panic, wishing Edith was there. He looked down at the dog on the table, its small body trembling with the effort of breathing. He never thought to ask about the rest of the litter for this one was his, the one his father had promised him. The puppy yelped, causing its mother to howl. Tostig, gulping back his sobs, gently picked up the small dog and carried it to the mother, whose tail thumped gratefully on the floor. Placing the puppy next to the huge female wolfhound, he positioned himself a short distance from both and stared, his eyes blurring.
He remained like that the rest of the night, watching the small pathetic creature try desperately to stay alive. Its ragged breathing grew worse as it made one last attempt to nuzzle its mother before growing limp. Tostig watched its tiny chest rise one last time then fall still.
The boy’s screams accompanied those of the howling mother. She poked her nose at her baby, trying to get it to move, then looked pitifully at Tostig, still screaming and on the floor, grasping a chair leg.
When the carls rushed to the source of the screams, they found Edith asleep on the floor outside the hall, her hand stretched out to touch the door.
“Will I be whipped?”
Godwin stared at his son and wondered if he had done the right thing. The boy looked thinner, seemed smaller than before; his eyes were unfocussed and there were dark circles under them not caused by the smoke of the fire. His voice was so low the earl strained to hear.
“He should be.” The comment came from the doorway to the hall.
“Harold, leave. This is none of your business.”
“Father, he burned the barn! He could have killed the horses.”
Godwin glared at his son. He suspected enmity toward Tostig, and here was the proof. “Go. Now!”
The boy shuffled out, glancing malevolently at Tostig.
Godwin returned his gaze to his younger son. “No, you won’t be whipped.” Tostig looked up sharply, confusion added to the raw grief his face openly displayed. Godwin saw the boy had learnt a lesson, and a difficult one.
Edith watched her brother and saw his surprise. Did this mean her own punishment would be light? She stood and waited her turn.
“Daughter.”
Edith looked at her father hopefully.
“You’ve become wilful and disrespectful, unbecoming traits in one from this family. We’re sending you away, to be educated and to learn to become a woman of high standing, as you were born to.”
“No!”
Godwin saw his wife wince, from the corner of his eye, and ignored it. “You WILL learn to behave like a young lady should. You’ll listen to your superiors and obey their orders, or I’ll know about it.”
Edith’s body sagged, and she grabbed a chair to steady herself. The smell of smoke still emanated from her clothes and hair, making her queasy. She couldn’t get all the words out, only “where?”
“We’re sending you to Wilton Abbey, your new home.”
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Copyright Kelly Evans
Kelly Evans - Author 
