Originally Posted by
Pericles of Athens
Earl Waltheof scratches the back of his neck, as various figures petition for this boon or that. Eventually he speaks his peice, standing and addressing the King before the Witan with a clear voice. “I brought more men to the Meres than any other lord, and yet such actions are a simple matter of maintaining one’s own oaths toward the crown. As such I have served you faithfully, as I served Godwin, and as my father served both Edward the Confessor and Cnut the Great, God rest their souls.” He dutifully made the sign of the cross. “In life my noble father Siward was Earl of Northumbria, Cumberland, and Westmoreland. Yet upon his death the lands of Northumbria were usurped by Tostig, and those of the Cumberland were lost entirely.” He shifted positions, straightening his back. “My father-in-law Osulf is Earl of Northumbria, and much of the lands my father once held now lie in the hands of leal noble vassals and even the crown.. I would not dispute these claims, nor would I seek all the lads my family once held. Yet many lands in the north, that were once my father’s to watch over, are attended by none besides the local thegns. And so I would seek to push a claim on some of those provinces my father held in Yorkshire. If you deem it proper I would see the lands bordered by de Tosny’s to the north, de Champagne’s to the west, the royal domains of York to the east, and the rivers Ouse and Foss to the south.. where those rivers meet the sea.” Reclaiming even this portion of his father’s land, or a portion of this portion, in the north would make him a notable figure in Northumbria. And reaching the sea would allow Waltheof access to new avenues of trade and economic growth.
(OOC: The general area he’s talking about is - 38 Driffield, 39 Beverley/Hull, 40 Howden, 41 Pocklington, 42 Flaxton/Crayke, 43 Derwent)