A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Emma
EMMA, Daughter of Richard II. Duke of Normandy, Wife of Ethelred and Canute, Mother of Edward the Confessor, Kings of England.
On the deposition of Ethelred, she sent their sons, Alfred and Edward, to Normandy; and Canute, who was jealous of the protection afforded them, to prevent their uncle's taking any steps in their favour, gave him his sister in marriage, and espoused Emma himself, by contract, securing to the children he should have by her the succession to the crown of England. Thus setting aside, not only the elder children of Ethelred, but likewise those he had had by Emma; who never forgave their mother for having thus sold them to the enemy of their father.
Canute had a son by her, named Hardicanute, who being also left king of Denmark, was absent from England at the time of his father's death; and a large party being favourable to his half brother Harold, Emma, who was appointed regent, and given earl Godwin, for counsel, found it very difficult to keep the crown for him, as her coadjutor, was secretly the friend of Harold. Seeing that Hardicanute did not appear, she proposed sending to Normandy for the sons of Ethelred, alledging only the natural desire of a mother to see those children from whom she had so long been separated. But Godwin saw clearly that the views and hope of Emma were to rekindle, by their presence, the love of the English for their ancient race of monarchs, and to secure them the crown, if her youngest son would not quit Denmark: he, however, craftily applauded her design, and facilitated its execution; that he might immolate to Harold those important victims. But Emma, though unsuspicious of his perfidy, had the distrust of a mother. She never suffered the two princes to visit Godwin together, keeping one of them constantly under her own eye; and only permitting the other to leave her under the escort of the faithful Normans they had brought over with them. Godwin, not being able to destroy both, sacrificed the eldest; and Emma secretly sent back Edward to his asylum in Normandy. Godwin, furious at being disappointed, accused her of treason, and had credit enough to banish her the kingdom. Hardicanute, at length, came over, and all parties united under him, during his short reign; when Edward the Confessor ascended the throne.
Emma, who was a woman of abilities, had so great a share of the government and so much credit at court, that the earl of Kent, who had enjoyed a great authority in preceding reigns, grew jealous of her. He charged her with several crimes, and the king, who was easily imposed upon, believed her guilty; went suddenly to Winchester, the place of her residence, deprived her of all her treasures, and reduced her to the greatest poverty, so that she almost died of famine.
In this condition, she had recourse to the bishop of Winchester, to whom she was related; but this furnished her enemies with a new handle for calumny: and it was determined she should submit to the trial of the fire-ordeal, in which she came off unhurt. And king Edward fell on his knees before his mother, begged her pardon, and submitted to be scourged by the bishop, as a penitent.
Rapin, however, says, that she spent the last ten years of her life in misery, in a kind of prison at Winchester; from whence she was not delivered but by death, in the year 1052.