And, at least, for a fairly free
treatment of the subject, I have the authority of those previous authors
whom I have mentioned.
In the different versions, the founder of Grimsby is variously described
as a steward of the Danish king's castle, a merchant, a fisher, and in
the English poem---probably because it was felt that none other would
have undertaken the drowning of the prince---as a thrall. Another
version gives no account of the sack episode, but says that Grim finds
both queen and prince wandering on the shore. Grim the fisher is
certainly a historic character in his own town, and it has not been hard
to combine the various callings of the worthy foster-father of Havelok
and the troubles of both mother and son. A third local variant tells
that Havelok was found at Grimsby by the fisher adrift in an open boat;
and I have given that boat also a place in the story, in a different way.
The names of the kings are too far lost to be set back in their place in
history, but Professor Skeet gives the probable date of Havelok and Grim
as at the end of the sixth century, with a possible identification of
the former with the "governor of Lincoln" baptized by Paulinus. I have,
therefore, assumed this period where required. But a legend of this kind
is a romance of all time, and needs no confinement to date and place.
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