The fourth day of Christmas, 28th December, is the the Feast of the Holy Innocents. In 1065, this day fell on a Thursday.
The Holy Innocents are the children murdered by Herod after the birth of Jesus (Matt. 2:16). These were not martyrs like Stephen, who died heroically in a vision of the glorified Christ. They were not inspired like John to speak the Word of life and understand the mysteries of God.
Matthew 2
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they [the wise men] departed into their own country another way.
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.
Too ill to attend the ceremony himself, King Edward sent Queen Edith to officiate at the dedication of the new Westminster Abbey. All the leading men of England including Harold Godwinson were present. William of Normandy was not.
From Barlow’s The Life of Edward
“When that celebrated day, which the blessed passion of the Holy Innocents adorns, had come, the excellent prince ordered them to hasten on wth the dedication of the church and no more to put it off to another time. Edward gave himself up to complaints and lamentation that he, being consumed by the fire of his illness, could not attend with the rest. But his consort [Queen Edith], whom he had possesed only in appearence and whose secrets this man of God had not known in the flesh, exerted herself on the orders of the noble king so that the sacrement of the holy consecration should be completed. The pontiffs and nobles of the kingdom were present, the clergy and people worshipped in praise and glory of God, and with new dowry gifts they joined the chaste bride to the Lamb.”
ASC 1065
About midwinter King Edward came to Westminster, and had the minster there consecrated, which he had himself built to the honour of God, and St. Peter, and all God's saints. This church-hallowing was on Childermas-day. [28th December]
Paris’s Lives of Edward
On the fourth day, which was that of the Innocents,
The prelates come, the chiefs come,
To furnish whatever appertains
To so great a dedication.
The king forces himself to come there,
Since for it he had a great longing ;
But so weak and ill is he,
So much doubt has his head and feebleness has his heart.
He cannot be according to his wish
Present, which much afflicts him.
But much he commands and admonishes
That the feast should be full.
The queen, who is courageous,
Well conceals her grief, which is great,
Much she struggles to furnish
What may please her lord ;
She is queen, he is king,
Both in church and in palace.
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