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diff --git a/40513-8.txt b/40513-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 130010f..0000000 --- a/40513-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9415 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Danes, Saxons and Normans, by John G. Edgar - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org - - -Title: Danes, Saxons and Normans - or, Stories of our ancestors - -Author: John G. Edgar - -Release Date: August 16, 2012 [EBook #40513] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DANES, SAXONS AND NORMANS *** - - - - -Produced by sp1nd, Matthew Wheaton and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - DANES, SAXONS, AND NORMANS; - - OR, - - Stories of our Ancestors. - - BY - J. G. EDGAR, - AUTHOR OF "BOYHOOD OF GREAT MEN," "CAVALIERS AND ROUNDHEADS," ETC. - - - LONDON: - S. O. BEETON, 248, STRAND. - 1863. - - - - -PREFACE. - - -In the following pages I have endeavoured to tell in a popular way the -story of the Norman Conquest, and to give an idea of the principal -personages who figured in England at the period when that memorable -event took place; and I have endeavoured, I hope not without some -degree of success, to treat the subject in a popular and picturesque -style, without any sacrifice of historic truth. - -With a view of rendering the important event which I have attempted to -illustrate, more intelligible to the reader, I have commenced by -showing how the Normans under Rolfganger forced a settlement in the -dominions of Charles the Simple, whilst Alfred the Great was -struggling with the Danes in England, and have recounted the events -which led to a connexion between the courts of Rouen and Westminster, -and to the invasion of England by William the Norman. - -It has been truly observed that the history of the Conquest is at once -so familiar at first sight, that it appears superfluous to multiply -details, so difficult to realize on examination, that a writer feels -himself under the necessity of investing with importance many -particulars previously regarded as uninteresting, and that the defeat -at Hastings was not the catastrophe over which the curtain drops to -close the Saxon tragedy, but "the first scene in a new act of the -continuous drama." I have therefore continued my narrative for many -years after the fall of Harold and the building of Battle Abbey, and -have traced the Conqueror's career from the coast of Sussex to the -banks of the Humber and the borders of the Tweed. - -For the same reason I have narrated the quarrels which convulsed the -Conqueror's own family--have related how son fought against father, -and brother against brother--and have indicated the circumstances -which, after a fierce war of succession in England, resulted in the -peaceful coronation of Henry Plantagenet, and the establishment of -that great house whose chiefs were so long the pride of England and -the terror of her foes. - - J. G. E. - - - - -ANALYSIS OF CONTENTS. - - - CHAPTER I. - - - ROLFGANGER AND HIS COMRADES:--Rolfganger's banishment--Settles - in France--Ludicrous incident during the ceremony of - Rolfganger's taking the oath of fealty to Charles the Simple - - - CHAPTER II. - - WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR:--His birth and parentage--Duke Robert's - pride in him--Is declared successor to Robert the Devil--Duke - Robert's death--Opposition to William's succession--Conspiracy - headed by Bessi and Cotentin--William flees from them--Defeat of - the conspirators, and accession of William to the ducal throne - of Normandy--His cruelty--Good qualities of William - - - CHAPTER III. - - THE DANES IN ENGLAND:--The Saxons come to the assistance of the - Britons--Seize on Britain--Formation of the Kingdom of - England--The first inroad of the Danes--Death of Ethelred, and - accession of Alfred the Great to the throne of England--Alfred - in the swineherd's cottage--Visits the Danish camp--Drives the - Danes from England--Sweyn, King of Denmark, invades England--Is - bribed to retire--Massacre of St. Brice--Sweyn again invades - England--His sudden death--Canute succeeds him--Treachery and - punishment of Edric Streone--Canute's marriage--Death of - Canute--Accession of Harold Harefoot--His death--Accession of - Hardicanute--His death - - - CHAPTER IV. - - EARL GODWIN:--Ulf and Godwin--Canute's partiality to - Godwin--Godwin becomes Earl of Wessex--Marries the daughter of - Sweyn, King of Denmark--Godwin espouses the cause of - Hardicanute--Godwin procures the crown of England for Edward the - Confessor - - - CHAPTER V. - - EDWARD THE CONFESSOR:--His parentage--Death of his brother - Alfred--Edward demands justice of Hardicanute--Ascends the - English throne--Edward and the leper--Edward marries Edith, - daughter of Godwin - - - CHAPTER VI. - - THE KING AND THE KING-MAKER:--Edward's Norman friends--Dislike - of the Normans by the English--Quarrel between Eustace of - Boulogne and the townsmen of Dover--Godwin's quarrel with - Edward--Godwin is outlawed--William of Normandy visits - England--His reception--Godwin returns to England--Is restored - to power--Godwin's awful death - - - CHAPTER VII. - - MATILDA OF FLANDERS:--William of Normandy determines to marry - Matilda of Flanders--Matilda's pedigree--Her father's - acquiescence in William's proposal--Her refusal to the - espousal--William's love-making--Matilda's consent is - obtained--The Pope's opposition to the marriage--William - overcomes the Pope's scruples--Obtains a dispensation--Marries - Matilda of Flanders - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - SIWARD THE DANE:--His appearance--The mystic banner--Siward's - reception by Hardicanute--Tostig's raillery and its - punishment--Battle between Eadulph, Earl of Northumberland, and - Siward--Siward is sent by Edward the Confessor to defend the - Northumbrian coast--Death of Siward - - - CHAPTER IX. - - HAROLD, THE SAXON KING:--Harold's personal appearance--Harold's - first appearance in national affairs--His great military - reputation--Harold proposes to visit Normandy--King Edward tries - to dissuade him--He sets out--His cordial reception by Duke - William--Harold accompanies William in a war against the - Bretons--William extorts a promise from Harold to aid him in - obtaining the English crown--Death of Edward the Confessor - - - CHAPTER X. - - DUKE WILLIAM AND HIS DIFFICULTIES:--William has news of Harold's - accession to the English throne--Harold is summoned by the Court - of Rome to defend himself on the charges of perjury and - sacrilege--He refuses to acknowledge the jurisdiction of the See - of Rome--William is ordered by the Pope to invade England--He - prepares to set out--William Fitzosborne overrules the - objections of the Norman nobles. - - - CHAPTER XI. - - TOSTIG, SON OF GODWIN:--Tostig is made Earl of - Northumberland--His cruelty--The Northumbrians force him to - flee--Harold is sent against the insurgents--Tostig is - deposed--His anger is turned against Harold--The massacre of - Hereford--Tostig repairs to Flanders--Obtains aid from William - of Normandy--Tostig's unfavourable reception by Sweyn, King of - Denmark - - - CHAPTER XII. - - HAROLD HARDRADA:--His personal appearance--Harold at the battle - of Stiklestad is wounded--Harold with his companions goes to - Constantinople and takes service as a varing--The varings--Goes - to Africa and Sicily, and makes an armed pilgrimage to - Jerusalem--Drives out the Moslems--Returns to Constantinople--Is - enamoured of Maria, niece of the Empress Zoe--The Empress in - love with Harold--Magnus, the illegitimate son of Olaf, usurps - the throne of Norway--Harold, wishing to assert his superior - claim, is detained in Constantinople by the Empress--Is - delivered by a Greek lady--Rouses his companions, carries off - Maria, and sets sail for Denmark--Hardrada shares the throne - with Magnus--Death of Magnus--Tostig applies to Hardrada for - assistance against Harold, King of England--Tostig makes a - descent on England--Hardrada sails for England--The - apprehensions of the Norwegians - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - THE ALARM IN ENGLAND:--Harold's indefatigable exertions for the - welfare of England--Duke William claims fulfilment of Harold's - promise--Harold's refusal--Duke William sends again to - Harold--His offers again refused--William's threat--The - alarm--Tostig lands in the North--Harold goes against him - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - THE BATTLE OF STAMFORD BRIDGE:--Tostig and Hardrada burn - Scarborough, take York, and encamp on the river Derwent at - Stamford Bridge--The approach of the English--Harold's - proposition to Tostig--Tostig's refusal--The battle--Hardrada is - slain--Harold a second time offers peace--Is refused--Tostig is - slain--The defence of the bridge--Termination of the - conflict--The Norwegians leave England--Harold claims the booty - as his own--Discontent in the army--Harold receives news of - William's landing - - - CHAPTER XV. - - PHILIP OF FRANCE:--William of Normandy seeks the assistance of - Philip, King of France--The French barons refuse to aid him in - his invasion - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - THE NORMAN ARMAMENT:--William decides to invade England in - August, 1066--William's treatment of the Saxon spy--The weather - not being favourable, the Normans are filled with superstitious - fears--William's strategy to calm their apprehensions--The - Normans set sail--William's ship sails away from the rest--The - landing--William burns his fleet--Overruns the county of - Sussex--Receives intelligence of the Saxons' approach - - - CHAPTER XVII. - - HAROLD'S HOST:--Harold arrives in London--His ill-timed - rashness--Not being able to attack William unawares, Harold - halts at Epiton, and fortifies his position--The Saxon chiefs - advise a retreat--Harold refuses to listen to them--William - denounces Harold as a perjurer and liar--The effect of William's - message on the Saxons--Gurth advises Harold to quit the - army--The night before the battle - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS:--Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, blesses the - Norman army--Arrangement of the Norman army--William in - 1066--Superstitious fears of the Normans--William's address to - his soldiers--Taillefer, the Norman minstrel--The attack--The - Norman first division is repulsed--They renew the - charge--Obstinate resistance of the Saxons--William's - strategy--Its success--Harold and Leofwine are slain--Gurth's - courageous resistance--Gurth is slain--Rout of the - Saxons--William pitches his camp for the night - - - CHAPTER XIX. - - THE BODY OF HAROLD:--William returns thanks for his - victory--Calls over the muster-roll--The Saxons seek to bury - their dead--William refuses to allow the body of Harold to be - buried--At the intercession of the monks of Waltham he - relents--The search for the body--Harold's burial - - - CHAPTER XX. - - THE CONQUEROR AND THE KENTISHMEN:--William finding no allegiance - paid him, takes Dover and marches towards London--Is opposed by - a large body of Kentishmen--The advancing wood--Parley with the - Kentishmen--William turns towards the west, and crosses the - Thames at Wallingford--The Saxon Wigod's - treachery--Berkhampstead is taken - - - CHAPTER XXI. - - EDGAR ATHELING:--The Londoners determine upon crowning Edgar - Atheling--Edgar's birth and parentage--His popularity with the - people--Harold, afraid of Edgar's popularity, treats him with - great respect and honour--Edgar is proclaimed king--Ansgar, the - standard-bearer of the City of London, excites the people to - deliver the keys of London to the Conqueror--Edgar Atheling, the - archbishops, and chief citizens pay homage to William - - - CHAPTER XXII. - - CORONATION OF THE CONQUEROR:--William marches towards - London--The Abbot and inhabitants of St. Albans oppose - him--William, doubting the propriety of accepting the crown, - holds a council of war--The speech of Aimery de Thouars decides - the council--Christmas day, 1066, is fixed for the - coronation--The ceremony is performed by Aldred, Archbishop of - York; Stigand, Archbishop of Canterbury declining to crown - him--Tumult during the coronation--The lion banner of Normandy - is planted on the Tower of London, and the south and east of - England given to William's followers--He embarks for - Normandy--His enthusiastic reception--He refuses to take the - oath of fealty to the Pope - - - CHAPTER XXIII. - - THE SIEGE OF EXETER:--During William's absence in Normandy, the - Norman barons treat the Saxons with great cruelty--Saxon leagues - are formed--William, receiving notice of the state of affairs in - England, returns home--He ingratiates himself with the chiefs - and the populace--William proceeds westward--Is opposed at - Exeter--He attacks the town--Desperate resistance of the - besieged--Exeter is taken--Somerset and Gloucester - subjugated--Escape of Githa, Harold's mother--Bad treatment of - the Saxon women - - - CHAPTER XXIV. - - MATILDA AND BRIHTRIK:--Matilda's arrival and enthusiastic - reception in England--Origin of Matilda's popularity--Her - vindictive spirit--In her early years becomes enamoured of - Brihtrik--Brihtrik does not reciprocate her affection--Brihtrik - leaves Bruges--Matilda's indignation at his - coolness--Probability of Brihtrik's speaking too freely about - the Duchess Matilda--Matilda, after the siege of Exeter keeps - Brihtrik's possessions as her share of the spoil--Brihtrik is - imprisoned--His death - - - CHAPTER XXV. - - THE NORMANS IN NORTHUMBERLAND:--State of the county of - Northumberland in 1068--The Conqueror marches northward--York is - taken--Robert Comine is deputed to extend the conquest as far as - Durham--Eghelwin, Bishop of Durham's advice to Comine--The - vengeance of the Northumbrians--The King of Denmark sends a - fleet to the assistance of the English--The Saxons and Danes - march upon York--The Normans are driven into the citadel--The - citadel is taken--William's wrath at the death of Comine and the - destruction of York--He bribes the Danes to depart--William - again marches upon York--York is once more taken by the - Normans--After ravaging Northumberland, the Normans reach - Durham--The bishop and clergy of Durham set out for Holy - Island--William enters Durham, and surprises the - Saxons--William's guides, marching to Hexham, lose the way, and - are separated from the rest of the army--The army is - regained--William halts at Hexham--The subjugated territory is - divided amongst William's nobles--The Normans erect castles for - the better governance of the Northumbrians - - - CHAPTER XXVI. - - COSPATRICK AND THE CONQUEROR:--William determines to conciliate - the Northumbrians--Cospatrick--His birth and parentage--The - crimes of the house of Godwin--Cospatrick's enmity to - Harold--Cospatrick claims the earldom of - Northumberland--William's bargain with Cospatrick - - - CHAPTER XXVII. - - SAXON SAINTS AND NORMAN SOLDIERS:--The saving of the church of - St. John of Beverley--The inhabitants of Beverley take refuge in - the church of St. John--The Normans hear reports of the riches - lodged within the walls of the church--Toustain heads the - Normans in the pillage of the church--Toustain's - misadventure--Superstitious terror of the Normans - - - CHAPTER XXVIII. - - THE REDUCTION OF CHESTER:--William determines to take - Chester--The soldiers murmur--William marches into - Chester--Gherbaud, a Fleming, made Earl of Chester--Gherbaud, - finding the earldom too much trouble, resigns--Hugh le Loup is - appointed in his stead--His parentage--Nigel joins Hugh le Loup - at Chester--Gilbert de Lacy is granted the domain of - Pontefract--Blackburn and Rochdale succumb to him - - - CHAPTER XXIX. - - LANFRANC OF PAVIA:--The Pope's legates arrive in - London--Deposition of the Saxon bishops--Lanfranc is appointed - to the Archbishopric of Canterbury--Lanfranc's birth-place--His - fame at Bec-Hellouin--Lanfranc gains the friendship of William - the Norman--Lanfranc opposes William's marriage--He gains a - dispensation for William--Is restored to favour--Is made Abbot - of Caen--William's delight at Lanfranc's appointment to the - province of Canterbury--The Pope's letter to - Lanfranc--Lanfranc's entry into Canterbury--The church in - ruins--Lanfranc gains the primacy of England for - Canterbury--Undertakes a revision of the Scriptures--The Saxons - averse to the revision--Lanfranc the people's champion - - - CHAPTER XXX. - - EDWIN AND MORKAR:--Their personal appearance--Edwin the - handsomest man of his age--They took no part in the battle of - Hastings--Aspire to the throne--Edgar Atheling's adherents too - strong--Go to York--Their plans--William attempts to conciliate - them--William promises his daughter in marriage to Edwin--Edwin - and Morkar accompany William to the Continent--William refuses - to give his daughter to Edwin--Edwin and Morkar escape from - Court--Their enterprise fails--Reconciliation to William--A - mighty conspiracy formed--The camp of refuge--Morkar is deluded - by William's promises and imprisoned--Edwin resolves to leave - Ely--Is betrayed by three of his officers--Is attacked by the - Normans--Attempts to escape--Edwin's death--William's grief - - - CHAPTER XXXI. - - IVO TAILLE-BOIS:--His unpopularity--His marriage to Lucy, sister - of Edwin and Morkar--His tyranny--His various modes of - annoyance--His oppression of the monks of Spalding--The monks - leave Spalding--Some Angevin monks are substituted in their - place - - - CHAPTER XXXII. - - HEREWARD THE SAXON:--Hereward, living in Flanders, is told by - some exiles of the spoliation of his home--He sets out for - England--Assembles his friends and retakes his paternal - home--His popularity--Is made captain of the camp at Ely--Is - admitted a member of the high Saxon militia--Is sneered at by - the Norman knights--Turauld, the fighting churchman--Turauld is - appointed Abbot of Peterborough--Hereward makes a descent on the - abbey and carries off the crosses, sacred vestments, - &c.--Turauld arrives at Peterborough--Ivo Taille-Bois proposes - to Turauld to attack the camp of Ely--Hereward attacks Turauld's - soldiers at the abbey, seizes upon the abbot and his attendants, - and detains them prisoners--Sweyn, King of Denmark, fits out a - fleet for the assistance of the Saxons--Sweyn joins Hereward at - Ely--William bribes him to return--Departure and sacrilege of - the Danes--The Normans commence siege operations--Hereward - attacks the workmen--Hereward is suspected of being in league - with the Evil One--Ivo Taille-Bois procures the services of a - witch to disenchant Hereward's operations--Hereward's - bonfire--Blockade of the Isle of Ely--Treachery of the monks of - Ely--Rout of the Saxons--Hereward's escape--His daring attack on - the Norman station--Exploits of Hereward and his - followers--Hereward's marriage--Hereward accepts the king's - peace--His treacherous assassination--Valorous defence--Asselm's - remark - - - CHAPTER XXXIII. - - BUILDING OF BATTLE ABBEY:--William begins to build Battle - Abbey--Deficiency of water--William's promise--The abbey - built--Endowment of the abbey - - - CHAPTER XXXIV. - - MALCOLM CANMORE:--William determines to invade - Scotland--Malcolm's parentage--Siward, upon Malcolm's flight - from Scotland, protects him--Edward the Confessor's court--The - Scots request the restoration of Malcolm--Malcolm prepares to - attack Macbeth--Defeat of Macbeth--His death--Lulach attempts to - usurp the throne--His death--Malcolm is crowned at Scone--A - conspiracy is formed to dethrone Malcolm--The conspirators - defeated--Malcolm's ingratitude to the English--Northumberland - devastated by the Scots--Malcolm shelters Edgar and Margaret - Atheling--Malcolm marries Margaret Atheling--Malcolm raises an - army to vindicate Edgar Atheling's right to the English - throne--Treaty with William - - - CHAPTER XXXV. - - THE DEATH OF COSPATRICK:--Cospatrick attempts to draw Malcolm - from Northumberland--Durham cathedral in disorder--Deposition of - the Bishop of Durham--Cospatrick is deprived of the earldom of - Northumberland--He goes to Flanders--The clergy enemies to - Cospatrick--Cospatrick's pilgrimage to the Holy Land--His - illness--Sends to Melrose for the hermits Aldwin and - Turgot--Cospatrick's gifts--His death--His son--Burial in Norham - church--Norham a memorial of his greatness - - - CHAPTER XXXVI. - - ATHELING AND HIS ALLIES:--Malcolm Canmore promises to aid Edgar - Atheling--Malcolm's inability to do so--Atheling seeks a - reconciliation with William--Obtains it--Atheling being - suspected, again flies to Scotland--Personal appearance of Edgar - Atheling--Atheling seeks allies in Flanders--Is - disappointed--Philip of France offers his assistance--Offers - Atheling the fortress of Montreuil--Atheling's misfortunes--His - fleet lost at sea--Determines to seek peace with William--Joins - William at Rouen--His amusements - - - CHAPTER XXXVII. - - FITZOSBORNE AND DE GAEL:--The marriage at Norwich--William's - disapproval thereof--The marriage feast--Signs of a coming - storm--The conspiracy--The conspirators apply to Sweyn, king of - Denmark, for aid--Roger Fitzosborne raises an army at - Hereford--Is stopped at Worcester--Fitzosborne - excommunicated--The battle at Worcester--Defeat of - Fitzosborne--De Gael raises his standard at Cambridge--Is - defeated at Fagadon--De Gael escapes--Flies to Norwich--Goes to - Brittany for aid--The Bretons expelled from England--Sweyn's - descent on the eastern coast--Fitzosborne refuses William's - present at Easter--William's anger - - - CHAPTER XXXVIII. - - WALTHEOF, SON OF SIWARD:--Tostig usurps the earldom of - Northumberland--Waltheof figures as Earl of Huntingdon--Waltheof - submits to the Conqueror--He joins the Northumbrians in their - insurrection--His share in the death of Comine--Prodigies of - valour--Reconciliation with William--Marriage to - Judith--Friendship with Vaulcher--Fitzosborne and De Gael try to - persuade him to join their conspiracy--Promises secrecy--Is - betrayed by his wife--Is confined in Winchester - Castle--Sentenced to death--Fearing a riot, Waltheof is - privately executed--Judith, Waltheof's wife, is destined for - Simon de Senlis--Her dislike to the match--Judith repairs to - Croyland--Her death in poverty - - - CHAPTER XXXIX. - - WULSTAN, BISHOP OF WORCESTER:--Wulstan accompanies Edgar - Atheling to make his submission to William--Wulstan a simple - weak-minded man--Wulstan is confirmed in his diocese--His - services to the Norman king--Lanfranc reports Wulstan - incapacitated--Is summoned to the great council in Westminster - church--Is commanded to give up his robes and staff--Resigns his - staff at the tomb of the Confessor--Wulstan is entreated to - resume his episcopal robes--Wulstan beloved by the Saxons - - - CHAPTER XL. - - ROBERT CURTHOSE:--William's dismal forebodings--Robert, his - eldest son--Robert recognised as heir of Normandy--Badly - trained--His good qualities--His nickname--Robert claims - Maine--William refuses to cede it to him--Robert's - indignation--William Rufus' and Henry Beauclerc's practical - joke--Its evil consequences--Robert attempts to seize Rouen--His - failure--Robert's bad counsellors--Robert asks Normandy, or part - of England, of his father--Being refused, he leaves Normandy and - goes to Flanders--Is everywhere well received--His waste of - money - - - CHAPTER XLI. - - THE CONQUEROR AND HIS HEIR:--Curthose craves support from Philip - of France--Repairs to Gerberoy--Curthose's reception at - Gerberoy--Matilda sends money to Curthose--William's - displeasure--Matilda still sends to Curthose--William upbraids - her--Matilda's maternal affection--William orders Samson the - Breton to have his eyes put out--Samson escapes--Curthose raises - an army--William besieges Curthose in Archembrage--Curthose's - sally--His success--Hand to hand with his father--William - unhorsed--His rescue--William refuses to be reconciled with - Curthose--Forgives Curthose--Malcolm Canmore invades - England--Curthose is sent to repulse him--Malcolm retreats into - Scotland--Curthose founds Newcastle--Matilda of Flanders - dies--William's quarrel with Curthose again breaks out - - - CHAPTER XLII. - - ODO, BISHOP OF BAYEUX:--Odo, regent of England--William enriches - his relations on his mother's side--Odo, no shaveling--The - warrior-monk--Odo celebrates mass at Hastings--Leads the cavalry - at that battle--Odo is created Grand Justiciary of England--Earl - of Hereford--Odo, during William's absence, behaves badly--The - murder of Liulf--Vaulcher attempts to mediate between Leofwin - and Gislebert, and the relations of Liulf--Meets the Saxons at - Gateshead--Eadulf, the Saxon spokesman--Eadulf incites the - Northumbrians to slay the bishop--Odo marches northward to - punish the murderers--The Saxons, unable to take Durham, - disperse--Odo's cruelty--Odo prepares to leave England for - Italy--Reasons for doing so--William much displeased at Odo's - intention--Odo intercepted off the Isle of Wight--Arraigned - before the council of barons--William's impeachment of - Odo--William sentences Odo--Odo defies his authority--Odo is - carried to Normandy and imprisoned - - - CHAPTER XLIII. - - DOOMSDAY BOOK:--William begins to think about casting up his - subjects' accounts--His commissioners--Bad understanding between - the king and the barons--The manner of carrying out the - undertaking--The council for the discussion of the Doomsday - Book--The Goddess of Discord in the council--William asserts - himself proprietor of all the land that belonged to Edward the - Confessor, Harold, and the house of Godwin--Several barons - renounce their allegiance--Their descendants - - - CHAPTER XLIV. - - THE CONQUEROR'S DEATH:--Louis le Gros--Curthose and Beauclerc at - Conflans--The quarrel between Louis and Beauclerc--Philip - ravages Normandy--William goes against him--Christina Atheling - is persuaded to take the veil--Edgar is sent on a - pilgrimage--The bone of contention--William's lying-in--Curthose - joins Philip--William reaches Mantes--The town on fire--The - accident--William is removed to the priory of St. - Gervase--Conscience-stricken--William's bequests--Death of - William - - - CHAPTER XLV. - - THE BURIAL AT CAEN:--Consternation in Rouen--Inside the priory - of St. Gervase--The conqueror's body deserted--The Archbishop of - Rouen attends to the funereal honours--Interruption of the - ceremony--Fitzarthur is recompensed--The Anglo-Norman barons - decide for Robert as King of England - - - CHAPTER XLVI. - - THE RED KING:--William Rufus--Personal appearance--Gains the - support of Lanfranc--Wulnoth and Morkar committed to - prison--Odo, bishop of Bayeux, at the head of a conspiracy to - dethrone William--Lanfranc as prime minister--Rufus conciliates - the Saxon Thanes--The insurgents repulsed at Rochester--Curthose - is bribed to let William remain on the throne--William forgets - his promises to the Anglo-Saxons--Lanfranc's disgust at his - perfidy--Death of Lanfranc--Rufus a bachelor--His dissolute - morals--Ravages committed by William's followers--London Bridge - built--Westminster Hall founded--Discontent in the land - - - CHAPTER XLVII. - - RUFUS AND THE JEWS:--The Jews in England--Favour with Rufus--The - disputation--Conversion of the young Jew--William's avarice - - - CHAPTER XLVIII. - - RUFUS AND THE SCOTS:--William's longings for Normandy--Atheling - being expelled from Normandy, once more takes refuge with - Malcolm Canmore--Canmore invades England--William patches up a - peace with Curthose, and prepares to march against the - Scots--Malcolm falls back--Everything wrong with the - English--Malcolm's defiance--Peace--Rufus being sick, sends for - Malcolm to settle disputes--Rufus treats him badly--Malcolm - ravages Northumberland as far as Alnwick--The castle of Ivo de - Vesci besieged--Hammond Morael--His deliverance of the - garrison--Malcolm's death--Morael's escape--The sally--Rout of - the Scots--Malcolm's burial--Donald Bane usurps the Scottish - throne--Atheling returns to England - - - CHAPTER XLIX. - - ROBERT DE MOUBRAY:--Possessions of Moubray--The - conspiracy--Moubray suspected--The King marches - northward--Tynemouth taken--Bamburgh impregnable--Erection of - Malvoisin--Moubray captured--Moubray's wife defends the Castle - of Bamburgh--Surrender of Bamburgh--Moubray imprisoned at - Windsor--His death - - - CHAPTER L. - - HENRY BEAUCLERC:--Personal appearance of Beauclerc--A native of - England--His manners--His learning--Military education--Addicted - to gaming--Beauclerc's avarice--Beauclerc lends money to - Curthose--Lord of Cotentin--Selection of a chaplain--Takes part - with Curthose in the defence of Normandy--Firm dealing at - Rouen--Curthose comes to terms with Rufus--They besiege Henry in - the Castle of Mont St. Michael--The Red King in danger--Defence - of the saddle--Want of water in the fortress--Curthose grants - permission to Beauclerc to get water--Beauclerc - defeated--Departs to Brittany--Beauclerc feels assured he will - ascend the throne of England--Is elected governor of - Damfront--Rufus, jealous of Beauclerc, invites him to - England--Joins his brother--Fondness for the - chase--"Deersfoot"--Presentiments - - - CHAPTER LI. - - THE DEATH OF RUFUS:--Rufus at Malwood--His vision--The Abbot of - Gloucester's despatch--The breakfast--The six arrows--Departure - for the chase--Tyrel and Rufus hunt together--The King's - bow-string breaks--Commands Tyrel to shoot--The King's - death--Tyrel escapes to France--The King's last ride - - - CHAPTER LII. - - A CHANGE OF FORTUNE:--Beauclerc goes to Winchester--William de - Breteuil protests against Henry having the keys--Beauclerc - secures the public money and regal ornaments--Is crowned at - Westminster--Curthose's adherents--Beauclerc marries Edith, - daughter of Margaret Atheling--Edith changes her name to - Maude--Godrick and Godiva--Where is Curthose? - - - CHAPTER LIII. - - CURTHOSE AT THE CRUSADE:--Peter the Hermit--Success of his - preaching--Curthose and Atheling resolve to take part in the - Crusade--Rufus supplies them with money--Curthose's - popularity--Edgar Atheling does not go with Curthose--Atheling - sets out for Scotland, to dethrone Donald Bane--Curthose meets - the other princes at Constantinople--Curthose's valour--At - Antioch--Edgar Atheling joins Curthose--Atheling and Curthose - the terror of the Saracens--Election of the King of - Jerusalem--Curthose declines the honour--Death of Odo, Bishop of - Bayeux--Curthose at Conversano--The territory of - Conversano--Curthose marries Sybil, daughter of the Count of - Conversano--Waste of time - - - CHAPTER LIV. - - BEAUCLERC AND CURTHOSE:--Ralph Flambard, "the fighting bishop," - is imprisoned--Flambard incites Curthose to invade - England--Curthose embarks for England--Curthose sells his - birthright--Resigns his pension in favour of the queen--His - indignation at finding himself duped--The castle of - Rouen--Beauclerc proposes to purchase Normandy--Being refused, - he prepares to take it by force--Tinchebray--The battle--Fortune - against the English--Treason!--Nigel de Albini--Curthose and - Atheling captured--Curthose imprisoned in Cardiff--Attempts to - escape--Is subjected to a rigorous durance--Edgar Atheling's old - age - - - CHAPTER LV. - - AFTER TINCHEBRAY:--William Clito--Louis of France attempts to - place Clito on the throne of Normandy--Death of - Clito--Beauclerc's reputation not so good--The Queen Maude's - popularity--Death of Henry's son--Geoffrey of Anjou--His - marriage to the daughter of Henry--Stephen of Bouillon seizes - the crown of England--The treaty of Wallingford--Henry - II.--Conclusion - - - - - INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS. - - - ALTAR - ANDIRON - APPEAL TO HAROLD HARFAGHER, HILDA'S - ARCHERS, ENGLISH - ARMS - BARBACAN - BATTLE ABBEY, HASTINGS - BATTLE-FIELD, THE - BAYEUX TAPESTRY, FROM THE - BODY OF RUFUS, BRINGING HOME THE - BONDMAN, SAXON (FROM STRUTT) - BOOKS, THE DOOM'S-DAY - BOSS - BOSTON, FEN COUNTRY NEAR - BOUILLON, GODFREY DE, ELECTED KING OF JERUSALEM - BOWS - BRACKET - BRINGING HOME THE BODY OF RUFUS - BROTHER HAROLD, TOSTIG'S PARTING SPEECH TO HIS - BRUGES, BELFRY AT - BUTTRESS - CHARLES THE SIMPLE, ROLFGANGER PAYING HOMAGE TO, 6 - CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE, JERUSALEM - CHURCH PORCH - CLOISTERS - COMMOTION DURING THE CROWNING OF WILLIAM - CONQUEROR, EDWIN, EARL OF MERCIA, AND THE DAUGHTERS - OF THE - COOKS--FROM BAYEUX TAPESTRY - CROSSBOW - CROZIER - CRUSADE, PETER THE HERMIT PREACHING THE - CURTHOSE AND THE SARACEN - DEATH OF MALCOLM CANMORE - DEATH OF SIWARD WITH HARNESS ON HIS BACK - DEATH, SWEYN STRUCK BY THE HAND OF - DELIVERANCE FROM HIS EASTERN DUNGEON, HARDRADA'S - DISTAFF, WOMAN WITH - DOOM'S-DAY BOOKS, THE - DOOR OF WESTMINSTER ABBEY - DOVER, SHAKESPEARE'S CLIFF - EDWIN, EARL OF MERCIA, AND THE DAUGHTERS OF THE CONQUEROR - ENGLISH ARCHERS - FEN COUNTRY NEAR BOSTON - FERN ISLANDS, OFF THE COAST OF NORTHUMBERLAND - FLINT CASTLE, ON THE ESTUARY OF THE DEE - FOREST LAWS, OLD - FOREST, THE - FORUM AT ROME, RUINS OF THE - GIRDLE AND PURSE - GODFREY DE BOUILLON ELECTED KING OF JERUSALEM - GODWIN, THE JUDGMENT OF GOD ON - GOOD SHIP MOIRA, THE, WILLIAM OF NORMANDY, OWNER - HAND OF DEATH, SWEYN STRUCK BY THE - HARDRADA'S DELIVERANCE FROM HIS EASTERN DUNGEON - HARFAGHER, HILDA'S APPEAL TO HAROLD - HAROLD HAS NEWS OF WILLIAM'S LANDING - HAROLD, TOSTIG'S PARTING SPEECH TO HIS BROTHER - HAROLD, WILLIAM EXTORTING A PROMISE FROM - HART, THE - HASTINGS, BATTLE ABBEY - HAWK - HAWKING - HAWK STRIKING THE QUARRY - HENRY BEAUCLERC AND LOUIS LE GROS, THE QUARREL OF - HERALDIC VANE - HERDSMAN (FROM STRUTT) - HERMIT, PETER THE, PREACHING THE FIRST CRUSADE - HEXHAM, WILLIAM'S MARCH ON - HILDA'S APPEAL TO HAROLD HARFAGHER - HOLY SEPULCHRE, JERUSALEM, CHURCH OF THE - HOMAGE TO CHARLES THE SIMPLE, ROLFGANGER PAYING - HUNTING - INITIAL LETTER A - INITIAL LETTER I - INITIAL LETTER O - ISLANDS, FERN, OFF THE COAST OF NORTHUMBERLAND - JERUSALEM, CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE - JERUSALEM, GODFREY DE BOUILLON ELECTED KING OF - JERUSALEM, PILGRIMS IN SIGHT OF - JUDGMENT OF GOD ON GODWIN, THE - KNIGHTS JOUSTING (FROM STRUTT) - LAWS, OLD FOREST - LINCOLNSHIRE, TATTERSHALL CASTLE - LOCH LOMOND - LONG BOW - LOUIS LE GROS, THE QUARREL OF HENRY BEAUCLERC AND - LOVE-MAKING, WILLIAM'S - MALCOLM CANMORE, DEATH OF - MINERVA - MOIRA, THE GOOD SHIP, WILLIAM OF NORMANDY, OWNER - MUNDANE TREE OF THE SCANDINAVIANS, YGGDRASILL - NORMAN PRELATES BLESSING THE TROOPS - NORMAN RUSTIC (FROM STRUTT) - NORMAN RUSTIC, ELEVENTH CENTURY - NORWEGIAN CHAMPION AT THE BATTLE OF STAMFORD BRIDGE, - THE - OLD FOREST LAWS - PARTING SPEECH TO HIS BROTHER HAROLD, TOSTIG'S - PEASANT, WILLIAM AND THE - PETER THE HERMIT PREACHING THE FIRST CRUSADE - PILGRIMS IN SIGHT OF JERUSALEM - PROMISE, WILLIAM EXHORTING A, FROM HAROLD - PURSE AND GIRDLE - QUARREL OF HENRY BEAUCLERC AND LOUIS LE GROS, THE - QUARRY, HAWK STRIKING THE - "RAVEN OF EARTHLY TERROR," THE - ROCHESTER - ROLFGANGER PAYING HOMAGE TO CHARLES THE SIMPLE - RUINS OF THE FORUM AT ROME - RUFUS, BRINGING HOME THE BODY OF - RUSTIC, NORMAN (FROM STRUTT) - RUSTIC, NORMAN, ELEVENTH CENTURY - SARACEN, CURTHOSE AND THE - SAXON BONDMAN (FROM STRUTT) - SCANDINAVIANS, YGGDRASILL, THE MUNDANE TREE OF THE - SEPULCHRE, CHURCH OF THE HOLY, JERUSALEM - SHAKESPEARE'S CLIFF, DOVER - SHIELDS - SIWARD, DEATH OF, WITH HARNESS ON HIS BACK - STAMFORD BRIDGE, THE NORWEGIAN CHAMPION AT THE BATTLE - OF - SWEYN STRUCK BY THE HAND OF DEATH - TAILPIECE TO CHAPTER I. - TAILPIECE TO CHAPTER V. - TAILPIECE TO CHAPTER VIII. - TAILPIECE TO CHAPTER XV. - TAILPIECE TO CHAPTER XXXV. - TAILPIECE TO CHAPTER XLI. - TAILPIECE TO CHAPTER XLIV. - TAILPIECE TO CHAPTER LI. - TAILPIECE TO CHAPTER LIV. - TAPESTRY, FROM THE BAYEUX - TATTERSHALL CASTLE, LINCOLNSHIRE - THOR - TOSTIG'S PARTING SPEECH TO HIS BROTHER HAROLD - TRIESTE - TROOPS, THE NORMAN PRELATES BLESSING THE - TYNEMOUTH - VANE, HERALDIC - WESTMINSTER ABBEY, DOOR OF - WILLIAM AND THE PEASANT - WILLIAM, COMMOTION DURING THE CROWNING OF - WILLIAM EXTORTING A PROMISE FROM HAROLD - WILLIAM'S LANDING, HAROLD HAS NEWS OF - WILLIAM'S LOVE-MAKING - WILLIAM'S MARCH ON HEXHAM - WOMAN WITH DISTAFF - YGGDRASILL, THE MUNDANE TREE OF THE SCANDINAVIANS - - - - -DANES, SAXONS, AND NORMANS; - -OR, - -Stories of our Ancestors. - - - - -I. - -[Illustration: Hilda's appeal to Harold Harfagher.] - -ROLFGANGER AND HIS COMRADES. - - -One day towards the close of the ninth century, Harold, King of -Norway, exasperated at the insubordination and contumacy of the chiefs -among whom that land of mountain, and forest, and fiord was divided, -vowed not to cut his fair hair till he had reduced the whole country -to his sovereign authority. The process proved, as he doubtless -foresaw, somewhat difficult and slow. Indeed, the chiefs of Norway, -who were, in fact, petty kings, disputed the ground inch by inch, and -Harold was occupied for so many years ere consummating his victories, -that his hair, growing ridiculously long and thick, led to his -receiving the surname of "Hirsute." - -Even after having sustained numerous defeats on the land, the fierce -chiefs--all Vikings, and, like their adversaries, worshippers of -Odin--taking to the sea, ravaged the coasts and islands, and excited -the Norwegians to rebellion. Harold, however, resolved to do his work -thoroughly, went on board his war-fleet, sailed in pursuit of his -foes, and, having sunk several of their vessels, forced the others to -seek refuge in the Hebrides, where the exiled war-chiefs--many of them -ancestors of the Anglo-Norman nobles--consoled themselves with horns -of potent drink, with schemes for conquering kingdoms, and with the -hope of better fortune and brighter days. - -It appears that in the long and arduous struggle which gave him the -sole and undisputed sovereignty of Norway, Harold had been faithfully -served by a Jarl named Rognvald; and it was to this Jarl's -timber-palace, in Möre, that the victorious King repaired to celebrate -the performance of his vow. Elate with triumphs, perhaps more signal -than he had anticipated, Harold made himself quite at home; and -having, before indulging in the Jarl's good cheer, refreshed himself -with a bath and combed his hair, he requested Rognvald to cut off his -superfluous locks. - -"Now, Jarl," exclaimed Harold, when this operation was over, "methinks -I should no longer be called 'Hirsute.'" - -"No, King," replied Rognvald, struck with surprise and pleasure at the -improvement in Harold's appearance; "your hair is now so beautiful -that, instead of being surnamed 'Hirsute,' you must be surnamed -'Harfagher.'" - -It happened that Rognvald, by his spouse Hilda, had a son named Rolf, -or Roll, who was regarded as the foremost among the noble men of -Norway. He was as remarkable for his sagacity in peace, and for his -courage in war as for his bulk and stature, which were such that his -feet touched the ground when he bestrode the horses of the country. -From this peculiarity the son of Rognvald found himself under the -necessity of walking when engaged in any enterprise on the land; and -this circumstance led to his becoming generally known among his -countrymen as Rolfganger. - -But the sea appears to have been Rolfganger's favourite element. From -his youth he had delighted in maritime adventures, and in such -exploits as made the men of the north celebrated as sea-kings; and one -day, when returning from a cruise in the Baltic, he, while off the -coast of Wighen, shortened sail, and ventured on the exercise of a -privilege of impressing provisions, long enjoyed by sea-kings, and -known as "strandhug." But he found that, with Harold Harfagher on the -throne, and stringent laws against piracy in force, the rights of -property were not thus to be set at defiance. In fact, the peasants -whose flocks had been carried away complained to the King; and the -King, without regard to the offender's rank, ordered him to be tried -by a Council of Justice. - -Notwithstanding Rognvald's services to the King and his personal -influence with Harold Harfagher, Rolfganger's chance of escaping -sentence of banishment appeared slight. Moved, however, by maternal -tenderness, Hilda, the spouse of Rognvald, made an effort to save her -son. Presenting herself at the rude court of Norway, she endeavoured -to soften the King's heart. - -"King," said she, "I ask you, for my husband's sake, to pardon my -son." - -"Hilda," replied Harold, "it is impossible." - -"What!" exclaimed Hilda, rearing herself to her full height; "am I to -understand that the very name of our race has become hateful to you? -Beware," continued she, speaking in accents of menace, "how you expel -from the country and treat as an enemy a man of noble race. Listen, -King, to what I tell you. It is dangerous to attack the wolf. When -once he is angered, let the herd in the forest beware!" - -But Harold Harfagher was determined to make the laws respected, and, -notwithstanding Hilda's vague threats, a sentence of perpetual exile -was passed against her tall son. Rolfganger, however, was not a man -to give way to despair. Fitting out his ships in some rocky coves, -still pointed out, he embarked at an island off the mouth of -Stor-fiord, took a last look at his native country, with its rugged -scenery, its rapids, cataracts, and fiords, forests of dark pine and -mountains of white snow, herds of reindeer and clouds of birds, and, -sailing for the Hebrides, placed himself at the head of the banished -Norwegians, who speedily, under his auspices, resolved on a grand -piratical enterprise, which they did not doubt would result in -conquest and plunder. - -Having cut their cable and given the reins to the great -sea-horses--such was their expression--the Normans made an attempt to -land in England, where Alfred the Great then reigned. Defeated in this -attempt by the war-ships with which the Saxon King guarded the coast, -they turned their prows towards France, and, entering the mouth of the -Seine, sailed up the river, pillaging the banks as they proceeded, -and, with little delay, found themselves admitted into Rouen, on which -they fixed as their future capital. - -It was the year 876 when Rolfganger and his comrades sailed up the -Seine; and on becoming aware of their presence in France, Charles the -Simple, who then, as heir of Charlemagne, wielded the French sceptre -with feeble hand, summoned the warriors of his kingdom to stop the -progress of the Normans. An army, accordingly, was mustered and sent, -under the command of the Duke of France, to encounter the grim -invaders. Before fighting, however, the French deemed it prudent to -tempt the Normans with offers of lands and honours, on condition of -their submitting to King Charles, and sent messengers to hold a -parley. But the Normans treated the proposals with lofty disdain. - -"Go back to your King," cried they, "and say that we will submit to no -man, and that we will assert dominion over all we acquire by force of -arms." - -With this answer the ambassadors returned to the French camp, and ere -long the Normans were attacked in their entrenchments. But Rolfganger -and his comrades rushed to arms, and fought with such courage that the -French suffered a complete defeat, and the Duke of France fell by the -hand of a fisherman of Rouen. - -The Normans, after vanquishing the host of King Charles, found -themselves at liberty to pursue their voyage; and Rolfganger, availing -himself of the advantage, sailed up the Seine, and laid siege to -Paris. Baffled in his attempt to enter the city, the Norman hero -consoled himself by taking Bayeux, Evreux, and other places, and -gradually found himself ruling as a conqueror over the greater part of -Neustria. At Evreux, he seized as his prey a lady named Popa, the -daughter of Count Beranger, whom he espoused; and, becoming gradually -more civilized, he rendered himself wonderfully popular with the -inhabitants of the district subject to his sway. - -Meanwhile the French suffered so severely from the hostility of the -Normans, that Charles the Simple recognised the expediency of securing -the friendship of warriors so formidable. With this object he sent the -Archbishop of Rouen to negotiate with Rolfganger, and the result was -that the Sea-King consented to become a Christian, to wed Gisla, the -daughter of Charles, and to live at peace with France, on condition -that the French monarch ceded to him the province of Neustria. - -Matters having reached this stage, preparations were made to ratify -the treaty in a solemn manner, and for that purpose Charles the Simple -and Rolfganger agreed to hold a conference at the village at St. -Clair, on the green-margined Epte. Each was accompanied by a numerous -train, and, while the French pitched their tents on one side of the -river, the Normans pitched theirs on the other. At the appointed hour, -however, Rolfganger crossed the Epte, approached the chair of state, -placed his hand between those of the King, took, without kneeling, the -oath of fealty, and then, supposing the ceremony was over, turned to -depart. - -"But," said the Frenchmen, "it is fitting that he who receives such a -gift of territory should kneel before the King and kiss his foot." - -"Nay," exclaimed Rolfganger; "never will I kneel before a mortal; -never will I kiss the foot of any man." - -The French counts, however, insisted on this ceremony, and Rolfganger, -with an affectation of simplicity, made a sign to one of his comrades. -The Norman, obeying his chief's gesture, immediately stepped forward -and seized upon Charles's foot. Neglecting, however, to bend his own -knee, he lifted the King's foot so high in the effort to bring it to -his lips, that the chair of state was overturned, and the heir of -Charlemagne lay sprawling on his back. - -[Illustration: Rolfganger paying homage to Charles the Simple.] - -At this ludicrous incident the Normans raised shouts of derisive -laughter, and the French held up their hands in horror. For a few -moments all was confusion, but fortunately no serious quarrel -resulted; and soon after, Rolfganger was received into the Christian -Church, and married to Gisla, the King's daughter, at Rouen. - -Rolfganger, having begun life anew as a Christian and a Count, divided -the territory of Neustria among his comrades, and changed its name to -Normandy. Maintaining internal order by severe laws, and administering -affairs with vigour, he soon became famous as the most successful -justiciary of the age. Such was the security felt under his -government, that mechanics and labourers flocked to establish -themselves in the newly-founded state, and the Normans applied -themselves to the arts of peace with as much ardour as they had -previously exhibited in their predatory enterprises. - -Gradually adopting the French tongue, and refining their manners, -Rolfganger's comrades and their heirs were metamorphosed from a band -of pagan sea-kings and pirates into the most refined, the most -chivalrous, and the most religious race in Christendom--orators from -their cradle; warriors charging in chain mail, with resistless -courage, at the head of fighting men; and munificent benefactors to -religious houses, where holy monks kept alive the flame of ancient -learning, and dispensed befitting charities to the indigent and poor. - -[Illustration] - - - - -II. - -WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. - - -One glorious afternoon in the autumn of the year 1023, some damsels of -humble rank were making merry and dancing joyously under the shade of -trees in the neighbourhood of Falaise, when, homeward from the chase, -accompanied by knights, squires, and grooms, with his bugle at his -girdle, his hawk on his wrist, and his hounds running at his horse's -feet, came, riding with feudal pride, that Duke of Normandy whom some, -in consideration, perhaps, of substantial favours, called Robert the -Magnificent, and whom others, in allusion to his violent temper, -characterized as Robert the Devil. - -Not being quite indifferent to female charms, Duke Robert reined up, -and, as he did so, with an eye wandering from face to form and from -form to face, the grace and beauty of one of the dancers arrested his -attention and touched his heart. After expressing his admiration, and -learning that she was the daughter of a tanner, the duke pursued his -way. But he was more silent and meditative than usual; and, soon -after reaching the Castle of Falaise, he deputed the most discreet of -his knights to go to the father of the damsel to reveal his passion -and to plead his cause. - -It appears that the negotiation was attended with considerable -difficulty. At first, the tanner, who had to be consulted, treated the -duke's proposals with scorn; but, after a pause, he agreed to take the -advice of his brother, who, as a hermit in the neighbouring forest, -enjoyed a high reputation for sanctity. The oracle's response was not -quite consistent with his religious pretensions. Though dead, -according to his own account, to the vanities of the world, the hermit -would seem to have cherished a lingering sympathy with human frailty. -At all events, he declared that subjects ought, in all things, to -conform to the will of their prince; and the tanner, without further -scruple, allowed his daughter to be conducted to the castle of Robert -the Devil. In due time Arlette gave birth to a son, destined, as -"William the Conqueror," to enrol his name in the annals of fame. - -It was the 14th of October, 1024, when William the Norman drew his -first breath in the Castle of Falaise. Arlette had previously been -startled with a dream, portending that her son should reign over -Normandy and England; and no sooner did William see the light than he -gave a pledge of that energy which he was in after years to exhibit. -Being laid upon the floor, he seized the rushes in his hands, and -grasped them with such determination, that the matrons who were -present expressed their astonishment, and congratulated Arlette on -being the mother of such a boy. - -"Be of good cheer," cried one of them, with prophetic enthusiasm; "for -verily your son will prove a king!" - -At first Robert the Devil did not deign to notice the existence of the -boy who was so soon to wear the chaplet of golden roses that formed -the ducal diadem of Normandy; but William, when a year old, was -presented to the duke, and immediately won the feudal magnate's heart. - -"Verily," said he, "this is a boy to be proud of. He is wonderfully -like my ancestors, the old dukes of the Normans, and he must be -nurtured with care." - -From that time the mother and the child were dear to Duke Robert. -Arlette was treated with as much state as if a nuptial benediction had -been pronounced by the Archbishop of Rouen: and William was educated -with more than the care generally bestowed, at that time, on the -princes of Christendom. At eight he could read the "Commentaries of -Cæsar;" and in after life he was in the habit of repeating a saying of -one of the old counts of Anjou, "that a king without letters is a -crowned ass." - -It happened that, about the year 1033, Robert the Devil, reflecting on -his manifold transgressions, and eager to make atonement, resolved on -a penitential pilgrimage to Jerusalem. A serious obstacle, however, -presented itself. The Norman nobles, with whom the descendant of -Rolfganger was in high favour, on being convened, protested loudly -against his departure. - -"The state," they with one voice exclaimed, "will be in great peril if -we are left without a chief." - -"By my faith!" said Robert, "I will not leave you without a chief. I -have a little bastard--I know he is my son; and he will grow a gallant -man, if it please God. Take him, then, as your liege lord; for I -declare him my heir, and bestow upon him the whole Duchy of Normandy." - -No objections were raised to the Duke's proposal. In fact, everything -seems to have gone more smoothly than could have been anticipated. -William was formally presented to the assembly, and each feudal lord, -placing his hand within those of the boy, took the oath of allegiance -with such formalities as were customary. - -Having arranged matters to his satisfaction, and placed his son under -the protection of the court of France, Duke Robert took the pilgrim's -scrip and staff, and, attended by a band of knights, set out for the -Holy Sepulchre. On reaching Asia Minor he fell sick, and, dispensing -with the company of his knights, hired four Saracens to carry him in a -litter onward to Jerusalem. When approaching the Holy City, he was met -by a palmer from Normandy, and waved his hand in token of recognition. - -"Palmer," cried the duke, "tell my valiant lords that you have seen me -carried towards Paradise on the backs of fiends." - -The fate of Duke Robert was never clearly ascertained; but from his -pilgrimage to Jerusalem it is certain that he did not return to -Normandy. Within a year of his departure, indeed, news reached Rouen -that the pilgrim-duke had breathed his last at Nice; and the Normans, -though without implicitly believing the report, gradually came to -think of him as one who had gone to his long home. - -With news of the death of Robert the Magnificent came the crisis of -the fate of "William the Bastard." Notwithstanding the oath taken with -so much ceremony, the Norman barons were in no humour to submit to a -boy--and to a boy, especially, who was illegitimate. - -It was in vain that the guardians of young William exerted all their -energies to establish his power. One pretender after another was put -down by the strong hand. But the old Norman seigneurs, who had -submitted with reluctance to the rule of legitimate princes, steeled -their hearts against the humiliation of bending their knees to a -bastard. - -Among the nobles of Normandy, by far the haughtiest and most turbulent -were the seigneurs of Bessi and Cotentin. These men were proud to -excess of their Norwegian descent, and very tenacious of their -Scandinavian traditions and customs. Indeed, they treated with -something like contempt the conversion of the Normans to Christianity, -carried pagan devices on their shields, and rode into battle with the -old Scandinavian war-cry of "Thor aide!" Rejoicing, above all things, -in the purity of their blood, these ancient seigneurs not only talked -with ridicule of the idea of submitting to the son of Arlette, but -formed a strong league, marshalled their fighting men, and prepared to -display their banners and seize William's person. - -When this conspiracy was formed, William had attained his seventeenth -year, and, utterly unconscious of his danger, was residing in a castle -unprepared for defence. The Counts of Bessi and Cotentin were making -ready to mount their war-steeds and secure their prey, when one of -their household fools stole away during the night, reached the castle -where William was, clamoured for admittance in a loud voice, and would -not be silenced till led to the young duke's presence. On getting -audience of William, the fool hastily told him of his peril, and -warned him to fly instantly. - -"What say you?" asked William in surprise. - -"I tell you," answered the fool, "that your enemies are coming, and, -if you don't fly without delay, you'll be slain." - -After some further questioning, William resolved to take the fool's -advice, and mounting, spurred rapidly towards the Castle of Falaise. -But he was imperfectly acquainted with the country; and he had not -ridden far when he missed his way. William reined up his steed, and -halted in perplexity and dismay; and his alarm was increased by -hearing sounds as of enemies following at no great distance. -Fortunately, at that moment, however, he met a peasant, who, by -pointing out the way to the fugitive, and setting the pursuers off in -a wrong direction, enabled the duke to reach Falaise in safety. - -At that time, Henry, grandson of Hugh Capet, figured as King of -France, and wore the diadem which his grandsire had torn from the head -of the heirs of Charlemagne. In other days, Henry had been protected -against the enmity of an imperious mother and a turbulent brother by -Robert the Magnificent; and when William hastened to the French court, -Henry, moved by the young duke's tale of distress, and remembering -Robert's services, promised to give all the aid in his power. Ere long -he redeemed his pledge by leading a French army against the -insurgents. The result was the defeat of the rebel lords in a pitched -battle at the "Val des Dunes," near Caen, and a victory which, for a -time, gave security to Arlette's son on the ducal throne of Rollo. - -William's youth was so far fortunate. His friends regarded him with -idolatry; and his enemies, forced to admit that he seemed not unworthy -of his position, became quiescent. The day on which he mounted his -horse without placing foot in stirrup was hailed with joy; and the day -on which he received knighthood was kept as a holiday throughout -Normandy. - -As time passed on, William showed himself very ambitious, and somewhat -vindictive. He made war on his neighbours in Maine and Britanny on -slender provocations, and resented without mercy any offensive -allusion to his maternal parentage. One day, when he was besieging the -town of Alençon, the inhabitants, to annoy him, beat leather skins on -the walls, in allusion to the occupation of his grandfather, and -shouted, "Hides, hides!" William, in bitter rage, revenged himself by -causing the hands and feet of all his prisoners to be cut off, and -thrown by the slingers over the walls into the town. - -But, whatever William's faults, he was loved and respected by his -friends. Nor could the duke's worst enemy deny that he looked a prince -of whom any people might well have been proud. In person he was scarce -above the ordinary height; but so grand was his air, and so majestic -his bearing, that he seemed to tower above ordinary mortals. His -strength of arm was prodigious; and few were the warriors in that age -who could even bend his bow. His face was sufficiently handsome to -command the admiration of women, and his aspect sufficiently stern to -awe men into submission to his will. No prince in Europe was more -capable of producing an impression on a beholder than, at the age of -twenty-five, was the warrior destined to attempt and accomplish that -mighty exploit since celebrated as the Norman Conquest of England. - -[Illustration] - - - - -III. - -[Illustration: Sweyn struck by the hand of death.] - -THE DANES IN ENGLAND. - - -At the time when William the Norman was making good his claim to the -Dukedom won by Rolfganger, the Saxons had been settled in England for -nearly six centuries. During that long period, however, the country -had frequently been exposed to the horrors of civil war and to the -inroads of those ruthless Northmen, who "replunged into barbarism the -nations over which they swept." - -It was about the year 451 that the Saxons, with huge axes on their -shoulders, set foot on the shores of Britain. At that period--when the -ancient Britons, left by the Roman conquerors at the mercy of the -Picts and Scots, were complaining that the barbarians drove them to -the sea, and that the sea drove them back to the barbarians--there -anchored off the coast of Kent three bulky ships, commanded by Hengist -and Horsa, two Saxon chiefs, who claimed descent from Woden, their god -of war, and boasted of some military skill acquired when fighting in -the ranks of Rome. From Hengist and Horsa, still worshippers of Thor -and Woden, the Britons implored aid against the Picts and Scots; and -the Saxon chiefs, calling over a band of their countrymen, speedily -drove the painted Caledonians to their mountains and fastnesses. - -After having rescued the Britons from their northern neighbours, the -Saxons did not exhibit any haste to leave the country which they had -delivered. Indeed, these mighty sons of Woden rather seemed ambitious -of making Britain their own; and Hengist, having settled in -Lincolnshire, gave a great feast. Among other guests who on this -occasion came to the Saxon's stronghold was Vortigern, a King among -the Britons, and, his eye being arrested and his heart inflamed by the -grace and beauty of Rowena, the daughter of Hengist, while she -presented the wassail-cup on bended knee, he became so desperately -enamoured that he never rested till the fair and fascinating Saxon was -his wife. After the marriage of Vortigern and Rowena, the Saxons -plainly intimated their intention of being masters of Britain, and, -the sword having been drawn, the two races--the Saxons and the -Celts--commenced that struggle which lasted for more than a hundred -and fifty years, during which King Arthur and the Knights of his Round -Table are said to have wrought those marvellous exploits which have -been celebrated by chroniclers and bards. - -At length, however, the Saxons, in spite of prolonged resistance, -established their supremacy, and, during the existence of the Saxon -Heptarchy, which included the whole country, subject to seven -Princes, the conquerors of Britain became converts to Christianity, -and members of the Catholic Church; and, abandoning the worship of -Thor and Woden, they endeavoured to show their zeal by erecting -churches and monasteries. - -As time passed on, Egbert, King of Wessex, in 827 prevailed over all -rivals, formed the separate provinces into a single state, and reigned -as King of England. But while the Saxons were still engaged in putting -down the Celts and cutting each other to pieces, a band of grim -adventurers one morning sailed into the port of Teignmouth. In the -discharge of his duty, a Saxon magistrate proceeded to the shore to -learn whence they came and what they wanted. Without deigning an -answer, the strangers slew the magistrate and his attendants, -plundered the town, carried the booty to their ships, and then, -hoisting their sails, took their departure. This was the first -appearance in England of those Danes who were, ere long, to rend the -Anglo-Saxon empire in pieces, and place their King on the English -throne. - -In fact, from the time of this their first visit to the English coast, -the Danes were constantly finding their way to England, and -signalising their inroads by every kind of barbarity. They were the -most reckless of pirates and pagans, calling the ocean their home and -the tempest their servant, and delighting to shed the blood of -Christian priests, to desecrate churches, and to stable their steeds -in chapels. In their cruel inroads, they tossed infants on the points -of their spears, and mocked the idea of tears and mourning. For them, -indeed, death had no terrors, for they believed themselves secure, -especially if they fell in battle, of being conveyed to Valhalla; and -gloried in the prospect of feasting in the halls of Odin, waited on by -lovely damsels, and quaffing beer out of huge cups of horn. Settling -gradually in Northumberland, East Anglia, and Mercia, the Danes -occupied the whole country north of the Thames. Only one province -remained to the Saxons, that of Wessex, which then extended from the -mouth of the Thames to the Bristol Channel. - -Such was the state of affairs when, in 871, a Saxon King, named -Ethelred, was slain in a conflict with the Danes, and was succeeded by -his son, Alfred, afterwards Alfred the Great, but then a youth of -twenty-two. At first, the courage and ability of the young King -inspired the Saxons with high hopes. But Alfred, puffed up with -conceit of his superior knowledge, despised those whom he governed, -and his contemptuous indifference to their opinions and wishes -rendered him ere long so very unpopular that when, after having -reigned seven years, he was under the necessity of preparing against -an inroad of the Danes, he found himself, to his mortification, almost -unsupported. In vain the King, after the fashion of his ancestors, -sent messengers of war to town and hamlet, bearing the arrow and naked -sword, and proclaiming, "Let each man that is not a nothing leave his -house and come!" So few obeyed the summons that Alfred, deeply -mortified, abandoned his throne, and sought refuge in Cornwall. - -It was at this dismal period that Alfred found shelter in the hut of a -swineherd, and, while examining his arrows, allowed the cakes to burn. -"Stupid man!" cried the swineherd's wife, unaware of his quality, "you -will not take the trouble to prevent my bread from burning, though -you're always so glad to eat it." - -But, ere long, Alfred emerged from his obscure lurking-place, visited -the Danish camp disguised as a harper, and, while entertaining the -rude Northmen with music and song, became so well acquainted with the -situation of affairs that he took immediate steps to restore the old -Saxon nationality. Summoning fighting men of the Saxon race from every -quarter, Alfred met the Danes in the field, vanquished them in eight -battles, and finally reduced them to submission and obedience. - -After the death of Alfred the Great, who had, after his restoration, -reigned with lustre and glory, Ethelstane, pursuing Alfred's -conquests, recovered York, crossed the Tweed, defeated the Danes and -Cambrians at Bamborough, and brought the whole island under his -dominion. For some time after Ethelstane's triumphs, the Saxons were -allowed unmolestedly to sow and reap, to buy and sell, to marry and -give in marriage. - -In 994, however, Sweyn, King of Denmark, turned his eyes covetously -towards England, where Ethelred the Unready then reigned; and -forthwith, in company with Olaf, King of Norway, undertook an -expedition. Despairing of opposing the invaders with success, -Ethelred bribed them with a large sum of money to retire, and both of -them withdrew, after having sworn not again to trouble England. -Nevertheless, in 1001, Sweyn, in whom the spirit of the pirate was -strong, reappeared; and the Saxon King, seeing no way of getting rid -of such a foe except by bribery, agreed to pay an annual tribute, to -be levied throughout England under the name of "Dane-gold." - -Sweyn, to whom an arrangement that was every year to replenish his -treasury seemed satisfactory, returned to Denmark. Many Danes, -however, remained in England, and conducted themselves with such -intolerable insolence that the Saxons projected a general massacre of -their unwelcome guests, and fixed on St. Brice's Day, 1002, for the -execution of their hoarded vengeance. Ethelred, who, having lost his -first wife, Elgira, the mother of Edmund Ironsides, had espoused Emma, -sister of the Duke of Normandy, and who deemed himself secure in the -alliance of the heir of Rolfganger, unhappily consented to the -massacre, and, on the appointed day, the Saxons applied themselves to -the work of extermination, little dreaming what would be the -consequences. - -No sooner did Sweyn hear of the massacre of St. Brice, than he vowed -revenge, and, embarking with a mighty force, landed in England, and -commenced a work of bloodshed, carnage, sacrilege, destruction, and -every kind of enormity. Ethelred, after a vain attempt at resistance, -fled to Normandy, with Emma his wife, and their two sons, Alfred and -Edward; while Sweyn, left a victor, caused himself to be proclaimed -King of England. But he did not live long to enjoy his conquests. One -day, while feasting at Thetford, drinking to excess, and threatening -to spoil the monastery of St. Edmund, he suddenly felt as if he had -been violently struck, and the chiefs, who sat around in a circle, -observed that his face underwent a rapid change. - -"Oh!" exclaimed Sweyn, gasping for breath, "I have been struck by this -St. Edmund with a sword!" - -"Nay," said the Danish chiefs, who did not share their King's -superstitious feeling, "there is no St. Edmund here." - -Death, however, seemed written on Sweyn's face, and horror took -possession of his soul. After suffering terrible tortures for three -days, he breathed his last, and left his claims and pretensions to his -son Canute, who, coming victoriously out of that struggle with Edmund -Ironsides, in which the royal Saxon, after repeatedly defeating the -Danes, perished by the hand of an assassin, succeeded to the English -throne, where he was destined to render his name memorable and his -memory illustrious as Canute the Great. - -It appears that, during these unfortunate struggles with the Danes, -Ethelred and his son Edmund Ironsides relied much on the services of a -man whom the Saxon King delighted to honour, and whom English -historians have since branded as one of the most infamous traitors -that ever breathed English air. This was Edric Streone, who had -obtained from Ethelred the Earldom of Mercia, and who evinced his -gratitude for that and countless favours by betraying his benefactor -and suborning a ruffian to stab his benefactor's son. - -After Ironsides' murder, Edric hastened to Canute and claimed a -reward. Not unwilling, perhaps, to profit by the treachery, but -abhorring the traitor, the Danish conqueror had recourse to -dissimulation, and spoke to Edric in language which raised the -villain's hopes. - -"Depend upon it," said Canute, "I will set your head higher than any -man's in the realm;" and, by way of redeeming his promise, he soon -after ordered the traitor to be beheaded. - -"King," cried Edric, in amazement, "remember you not your promise?" - -"I do," answered Canute, with grim humour. "I promised to set your -head higher than other men's, and I will keep my word." And having -ordered Edric to be executed, he caused the body to be flung into the -Thames, and the head to be placed high over the highest of the gates -of London. - -After having won considerable popularity among the Saxons by the -execution of Edric Streone, Canute, who figured as King of Denmark and -Norway, as well as England, endeavoured to strengthen his position by -a matrimonial alliance. With this view the royal Dane wedded Emma of -Normandy, the widow of Ethelred; and it was supposed that, at his -death, Hardicanute, the son whom he had by this fair descendant of -Rolfganger, was to succeed to the English throne. - -In 1035, however, when Canute the Great went the way of all flesh, and -when his remains were laid in the Cathedral of Winchester, there was -living in London one of his illegitimate sons, named Harold, who, from -his swiftness in running, was surnamed Harefoot. Immediately, Harold -Harefoot claimed the crown, and a contest took place between his -adherents and those of Hardicanute, who was then in Denmark. Harold -Harefoot, however, being favoured by the Danes of London, carried the -day; and finding that the Archbishop refused to perform the ceremony -of coronation, he placed the crown on his head with his own hand, -became an avowed enemy of the Church, lived as one "who had abjured -Christianity," and displayed his contempt for religious rites by -having his table served and sending out his dogs to hunt at the hour -when people were assembling for worship. - -After reigning four years, however, he breathed his last, and was -buried at Westminster. - -When Harold Harefoot died, Hardicanute was at Bruges with his mother, -the Norman Emma, and he immediately sailed for England. No attempt -seems to have been made to restore the Saxon line. Indeed, Hardicanute -found himself received with general joy, and commenced his career as -King of England by causing the body of his half-brother to be dug out -of his tomb at Westminster and thrown into the Thames. Hardicanute -then abandoned himself to gluttony and drunkenness, and scandalously -oppressed the nation over which he swayed the sceptre. His career, -however, was brief, and his end was so sudden, that some have ascribed -it to foul play. - -It was the 8th of June, 1041, and Hardicanute was celebrating the -wedding of a Danish chief at Lambeth. Nobody expected a catastrophe, -for he was still little more than twenty, and his constitution was -remarkably strong. While revelling and carousing, however, he suddenly -tossed up his arms and dropped on the floor a corpse. Some ascribed -the death of Hardicanute to poison, but none lamented his fate; and, -by the Saxons, the event was rather hailed as a sign for the -restoration of the Saxon line and the heirs of Alfred. - - - - -IV. - -EARL GODWIN. - - -One morning, at the time when Edmund Ironside and Canute were -struggling desperately for the kingdom of England, and when the son of -Ethelred had just defeated the son of Sweyn in a great battle in -Warwickshire, a Danish captain--Ulf by name--separated from his men, -and, flying to save his life, entered a wood with the paths of which -he was quite unacquainted. Halting in one of the glades, and looking -round in extreme perplexity, he felt relieved by the approach of a -young Saxon, in the garb of a herdsman, driving his father's oxen to -the pastures. - -"Thy name, youth," said Ulf to the herdsman, saluting him after the -fashion of his country. - -"I," answered the herdsman, "am Godwin, son of Wolwoth; and thou, if I -mistake not, art one of the Danes." - -"It is true," said Ulf. "I have wandered about all night, and now I -beg you tell me how far I am from the Danish camp, or from the ships -stationed in the Severn, and by what road I can reach them." - -"Mad," exclaimed Godwin, "must be the Dane who looks for safety at the -hands of a Saxon." - -"Nevertheless," said Ulf, "I entreat thee to leave thy herd and guide -me to the camp, and I promise that thou shalt be richly rewarded." - -"The way is long," said Godwin, shaking his head, "and perilous would -be the attempt. The peasants, emboldened by victory, are everywhere up -in arms, and little mercy would they show either to thee or thy -guide." - -"Accept this, youth," said the Dane, coaxingly, as he drew a gold ring -from his finger. - -"No," answered Godwin, after examining the jewel with curiosity, "I -will not take the ring, but I will give you what aid I can." - -Having thus promised his assistance to Ulf, Godwin took the Danish -captain under his guidance, and led him to Wolwoth's cottage hard by, -and, when night came, prepared to conduct him, by bye-paths, to the -camp. They were about to depart when Wolwoth, with a tear in his eye, -laid his hand in that of the Dane. - -"Stranger," said the old man, "know that it is my only son who trusts -to your good faith. For him there will be no safety among his -countrymen from the moment he has served you as a guide. Present him, -therefore, to Canute, that he may be taken into your king's service." - -"Fear not, Saxon," said Ulf, "I will do more than you ask for your -son. I will treat him as my own." - -The Dane and Godwin then left Wolwoth's cottage, and, under the -guidance of the young herdsman, the Dane reached the camp in safety. -Nor was his promise forgotten. On entering his tent, Ulf seated Godwin -on a seat as highly-raised as his own, and, from that hour, treated -him with paternal kindness. - -It was under such romantic circumstances, if we may credit ancient -chroniclers and modern historians, that Godwin entered on that -marvellous career which was destined to conduct him to more than regal -power in England. Presented by Ulf to Canute, the son of Wolwoth soon -won the favour of the Danish king; nor was he of a family whose -members ever allowed any scrupulous adherence to honour to stand in -the way of ambitious aspirations. Indeed, he was nephew of that Edric -Streone who had betrayed Ethelred the Unready, and whom Canute had -found it necessary to sacrifice to the national indignation; and it -has been observed that, "even as kinsman to Edric, who, whatever his -crimes, must have retained a party it was wise to conciliate, Godwin's -favour with Canute, whose policy would lead him to show marked -distinction to any able Saxon follower, ceases to be surprising." - -But, however that may have been, Godwin, protected by the king and -inspired by ambition, rose rapidly to fame and fortune. Having -accompanied Canute to Denmark, and afterwards signalized his military -skill by a great victory over the Norwegians, he returned to England -with the reputation of being, of all others, the man whom the Danish -King delighted to honour. No distinction now appeared too high to be -conferred on the son of Wolwoth. Ere long he began to figure as Earl -of Wessex, and husband of Thyra, one of Canute's daughters. - -Godwin's marriage with the daughter of Canute did not increase the -Saxon Earl's popularity. Indeed, Thyra was accused of sending young -Saxons as slaves to Denmark, and regarded with much antipathy. One -day, however, Thyra was killed by lightning; soon after, her only son -was drowned in the Thames; and Godwin lost no time in supplying the -places of his lady and his heir. - -Again at liberty to gratify his ambition by a royal alliance, he -wedded Githa, daughter of Sweyne, Canute's successor on the throne of -Denmark; and the Danish princess, as time passed on, made her husband -father of six sons--Sweyne, Harold, Tostig, Gurth, Leofwine, and -Wolwoth--besides two daughters--Edith and Thyra--all destined to have -their names associated in history with that memorable event known as -the Norman Conquest. - -Meanwhile, Godwin was taking that part in national events which he -hoped would raise him to still higher power among his countrymen, when -Canute the Great breathed his last, and was laid at rest in the -cathedral at Winchester. Then there arose a dispute about the -sovereignty of England between Hardicanute and Harold Harefoot. The -South declared for Hardicanute, the North for Harefoot. Both had their -chances; but Harold Harefoot being in England at the time, as we have -seen, while Hardicanute was in Denmark, had decidedly the advantage -over his rival. - -Godwin, however, favouring Hardicanute, invited Queen Emma to England. -He assumed the office of Protector, and received the oaths of the men -of the South. But for once the son of Wolwoth found fortune adverse to -his policy; and, having waited till Emma made peace with Harold -Harefoot, the potent Earl also swore obedience, and allowed the claims -of Hardicanute to rest. - -But when time passed over, and affairs took a turn, when Harold -Harefoot died, and Hardicanute, having come to England, ascended the -throne, excited the national discontent by imposing excessive taxes, -and was perpetually alarmed, in the midst of his debaucheries, with -intelligence of tax-gatherers murdered and cities in insurrection, it -became pretty clear that the Danish domination must, ere long, come to -an end. Then Godwin, who had ever a keen eye to his interest, -doubtless watched the signs of the times with all the vigilance -demanded by the occasion, and marked well the course of events which -were occurring to place the game in his hands. Accordingly, when, in -the summer of 1041, Hardicanute expired so suddenly at Lambeth, while -taking part in the wedding festivities of one of his Danish chiefs, -Godwin perceived that the time had arrived for the restoration of -Saxon royalty. With his characteristic energy, he raised his standard, -and applied himself to the business. His success was even more signal -than he anticipated. Indeed, if he had chosen, he might have ascended -the throne of Alfred and of Canute. But his policy was to increase his -own power without exciting the envy of others. With this view he -assembled a great council at Gillingham. Acting by his advice, the -assembled chiefs resolved on calling to the throne, not the true heir -of England--the son of Edmund Ironsides, who resided in Hungary, and -probably had a will of his own--but an Anglo-Saxon prince who had been -long absent from England--an exile known to be inoffensive in -character as well as interesting from misfortune, and with whom Godwin -doubtless believed he could do whatever he pleased. At all events, it -was as King-maker, and not as King, that the ennobled son of Wolwoth -aspired, at this crisis, to influence the destinies of England. - - - - -V. - -EDWARD THE CONFESSOR. - - -While Duke William was overcoming his enemies in Normandy, and Earl -Godwin was putting an end to the domination of the Danes in England, -there might have been observed about the Court of Rouen a man of mild -aspect and saintly habits, who had reached the age of forty. He was an -exile, a Saxon prince, and one of the heirs of Alfred. - -It was about the opening of the eleventh century that King Ethelred, -then a widower, and father of Edmund Ironsides, espoused Emma, sister -of Richard, Duke of Normandy. From this marriage sprung two sons and a -daughter. The sons were named Edward and Alfred; the name of the -daughter was Goda. - -Edward was a native of England, and drew his first breath, in the year -1002, at Islip, near Oxford. At an early age, however, when the -massacre of the Danes on the day of St. Brice resulted in the exile of -Ethelred, Edward, with the other children of Ethelred and Emma, found -refuge at the Court of Normandy. It was there that the youth of Edward -was passed; it was there that his tastes were formed; and it was there -that, brooding over the misfortunes of his country and his race, he -sought consolation in those saintly theories and romantic practices -which distinguished him so widely from the princes of that fierce and -adventurous period which preceded the first Crusade. - -When Ethelred the Unready breathed his last, in 1016, and Canute the -Great demanded the widowed queen in marriage, and Emma, delighted at -the prospect of still sharing the throne of England, threw herself -into the arms of the royal Dane, her two sons, Edward and Alfred, -remained for a time securely in Normandy. Indeed, they do not appear -to have been by any means pleased at the idea of their mother uniting -her fate with a man whom they had regarded as their father's mortal -foe. However, as years passed over, the sons of Ethelred received an -invitation from Harold Harefoot to visit their native country, and -they did not think fit to decline. At all events, it appears that -Alfred proceeded to England, and that he went attended by a train of -six hundred Normans. - -On arriving in England, Alfred was immediately invited by Harold -Harefoot to come to London, and, not suspecting any snare, he hastened -to present himself at court. No sooner, however, had the Saxon prince -reached Guildford than he was met by Earl Godwin, conducted under some -pretence into the Castle, separated from his attendants--who were -massacred by hundreds--and then put in chains, to be conveyed to the -Isle of Ely, where he was deprived of his sight, and so severely -treated that he died of misery and pain. - -Edward, who had remained in Normandy, soon learned with horror that -his brother had been murdered; and when Hardicanute succeeded Harold -Harefoot, he hastened to England to demand justice on Godwin. -Hardicanute received his half-brother with kindness, promised that he -should have satisfaction, and summoned the Earl of Wessex to answer -for the murder of Prince Alfred. But Godwin's experience was great, -and his craft was equal to his experience. Without scruple, he offered -to swear that he was entirely guiltless of young Alfred's death, and -at the same time presented Hardicanute with a magnificent galley, -ornamented with gilded metal, and manned by eighty warriors, every one -of whom had a gilded axe on his left shoulder, a javelin in his right -hand, and bracelets on each arm. The young Danish king looked upon -this gift as a most conclusive argument in favour of Godwin's -innocence--and the son of Wolwoth was saved. - -Edward returned to Normandy, and passed the next five years of his -life in monkish austerities. But when the Danish domination came to an -end, and the Grand Council was held at Gillingham, Godwin, as if to -atone for consigning one of the sons of Ethelred to a tomb, hastened -to place the other on a throne. Edward, then in his fortieth year, was -accordingly elected king, and, on reaching England, was crowned at -Winchester, in that sacred edifice where his illustrious ancestors -and their Danish foes reposed in peace together. - -It is related by the chroniclers of this period, that when Edward, -arrayed in royal robes, and accompanied by bishops and nobles, was on -the point of entering the church to be crowned, a man afflicted with -leprosy sat by the gate. - -"What do you there?" cried the king's friends. "Move out of the way." - -"Nay," said Edward, meekly, "suffer him to remain." - -"King!" cried the leper, in a loud voice, "I conjure you, by the -living God, to have me carried into the church, that I may pray to be -made whole!" - -"Unworthy should I be of heaven if I did not," Edward replied; and, -stooping forward, he raised the leprous man on his back, bore him into -the church, and prayed earnestly, and not in vain, for his -restoration. Roger Hoveden even asserts that the king's prayers were -heard, and that the leper was made whole from that hour. But, in any -case, there can be no doubt that on the fierce nobles and people of -his realm such a scene as this must have produced a strange -impression. It was believed that Edward's sanctity gave him the power -to heal; and belief in the influence which his hand was in this way -supposed to have, led to the custom of English sovereigns touching for -the king's evil. - -In fact, however, people soon discovered that Edward was more of a -monk than a monarch; and far happier would he have been if he had -remained in Normandy, and sought refuge from the rude and wicked world -in the quiet of a cloister. It soon appeared, moreover, that the son -of Ethelred was intended to be king but in name; and that the son of -Wolwoth was to be virtually sovereign of England. The plan was not -unlikely to succeed. Indeed, Edward was so saintly and so simple, that -Godwin might, to the hour of his death, have exercised all real power, -had he not, with the vulgar ambition natural to such a man, risked -everything for the chance of his posterity occupying the English -throne. - -It appears that Godwin, by his marriage with Githa, the Danish -princess, had, besides six sons, two daughters, Edith and Thyra. -Edith, at the time of the restoration of the Saxon monarchy, is -described as having been young, beautiful, and remarkable for her -learning. It can hardly be doubted that her character and disposition -contrasted favourably with the other members of the family that then -domineered in England; and she was praised for not resembling them. -"As the thorn produces the rose," people said, "so Godwin produced -Edith." - -The idea of making his daughter the wife of a king, and perhaps living -to see his grandson wear a crown, fired Godwin's imagination; and it -is even said that Edward, before leaving Normandy, was forced to -swear, in the most solemn manner, that, if elected, he would marry -Edith. But however that may have been, the imperious Earl insisted on -the meek king becoming his son-in-law; and a man who, even in the days -of his youth, had been much too saintly to think of matrimony, was -compelled, when turned of forty, to espouse a woman on the hands of -whose father was his brother's blood, and to whose family he had, -naturally enough, a thorough aversion. - -[Illustration] - - - - -VI. - -[Illustration: The judgment of God on Godwin.] - -THE KING AND THE KING-MAKER. - - -It was 1042 when Edward--afterwards celebrated as the Confessor--found -himself placed by the hand of Godwin on the throne of his ancestors, -and provided with a wife and queen in the person of Edith, Godwin's -daughter. At first, matters went pleasantly enough, and, indeed, -appeared promising. But no real friendship could exist between the -Anglo-Saxon king and the man whom he regarded as his brother's -murderer. Ere six years passed, Godwin and the king were foes, and -England was the scene of discord and disorder. - -At that time the prejudice of the Anglo-Saxons against foreigners was -peculiarly strong. Before returning to the land of his birth, -therefore, Edward was under the necessity of promising that he should -bring with him no considerable number of Normans. The condition was -observed in so far that few Normans did accompany Edward to England. -But no sooner was he seated on the throne, and in a position to grant -favours, than his palace was open to all comers; and guests from the -court of Rouen flocked to the court of Westminster. - -When Edward's Norman friends presented themselves, they met with the -most cordial welcome; and being, for the most part, men of adventurous -talents, they soon began to look upon the country as their property, -and grasped at every office which the king had to bestow. Ere long, -Norman priests found themselves bishops in England; Norman warriors -figured as governors of English castles; and the court became so -thoroughly Normanized, that the national dress, language, and manners, -went wholly out of fashion. - -The Anglo-Saxon nobles do not appear to have manifested any jealousy -of the king's friends. In fact, their inclination was quite the -reverse. The polish and refinement of their new associates excited -their admiration, and they hastened to adopt the Norman fashions. -Throwing aside their long cloaks, they assumed the short Norman -mantle, with its wide sleeves; they neglected their native tongue to -imitate, as well as they could, the language spoken by Norman prelates -and warriors; and, instead of signing their names, as of old, they -began to affix seals to their deeds. The Anglo-Saxon dress, manners, -and language were no longer accounted worthy of men who pretended to -rank and breeding. - -Meanwhile, Godwin not only steadily abstained from adopting the Norman -fashions, but looked upon the king's foreign friends as mortal foes, -and regarded everything about them with hatred. He felt, with pain, -that they kept alive the memory of Prince Alfred and their murdered -countrymen, and he perceived with uneasiness that each new arrival had -the effect of weakening his influence with the king. It was under such -circumstances that he set his face against foreigners, and found means -of exciting the popular prejudices against the man whom, for selfish -purposes, he had, to the exclusion of the true heir, placed on the -English throne. The multitude, ever ready to be deluded, took -precisely the view Godwin wished, and began to speak of the pampered -and overgrown adventurer as a neglected and long-suffering patriot. - -"Is it astonishing," said one, "that the author and support of -Edward's reign should be indignant at seeing new men from a foreign -nation raised above him?" - -"And yet," observed another, "never does he utter a harsh word to the -man whom he himself created king." - -"Curse all Norman favourites!" exclaimed a third. - -"And," cried a fourth, "long life to the great chief--to the chief -magnanimous by sea and land!" - -While such was the situation of affairs, Eustace, Count of Boulogne, -happened, in the year 1048, to come as a guest to England. Eustace was -husband of Edward's sister, Goda; and the king naturally strove to -make the visit of his brother-in-law as pleasant as possible. After -remaining for some time at the English court, however, Eustace -prepared to return home; but on reaching Dover, where he intended to -embark, an awkward quarrel took place between his attendants and the -townsmen. A fray was the consequence; and in a conflict which took -place, twenty of the count's men were unfortunately slain. Angry and -indignant at the slaughter of his followers, Eustace, instead of -embarking, turned back to demand redress, and hastened to lay his -complaint before the king, who was then keeping his court in the -castle of Gloucester. - -Edward, ashamed of the riot, and horrified at the bloodshed, promised -that condign punishment should be inflicted on the perpetrators of the -outrage, and deputed the duty to Godwin, in whose earldom the town of -Dover was included. - -"Go without delay," said Edward, "and chastise by a military -execution, those who have attacked my relative with arms in their -hands, and who have disturbed the peace of the country." - -"Nay," said Godwin, "it is not right to condemn, without hearing, men -whom it is your duty to protect." - -Nettled by the tone of Godwin's refusal, and aware of the refractory -spirit by which the earl was animated, Edward gave way to anger, and -convoked a great council at Gloucester. Before this assembly Godwin -was summoned to answer for his conduct. Instead of appearing, the Earl -of Wessex mustered an army with the object of setting Edward at -defiance. England seemed on the verge of a civil war, but a peace was -patched up by the mediation of Siward, Earl of Northumberland, and -Leofric, Earl of Mercia, husband of that Godiva whose equestrian feat -at Coventry the grateful citizens have since so often commemorated. -But the efforts of Siward and Leofric proved vain. The king and Godwin -indeed pretended to be reconciled. But neither was sincere. Ere long, -the quarrel broke out afresh with great bitterness; and the earl, -finding the king much more resolute than could have been expected, -consulted his safety by escaping with his wife and family to Flanders. - -Freed from the presence of his imperious father-in-law, and feeling -himself at length a king in reality, Edward passed sentence of -outlawry on Godwin and his sons, seized on their earldoms, and -confiscated their property. Even Edith, the queen, did not escape her -share of the adversity of her house. After being deprived of her lands -and money she was sent to a convent in Hampshire, and condemned in a -cloister to sigh with regret over the ambition that had united her -fate with that of a man who had regarded her with a sentiment akin to -horror. - -"It is not meet," said Edward's Norman friends, ironically, "that -while this woman's family undergo all the evils of exile, she herself -should sleep upon down." - -"But the King's wife!" remonstrated the Anglo-Saxon nobles. - -"Tush!" answered the Normans, significantly; "she is his wife only in -name." - -While Godwin was an exile in Flanders, William, Duke of Normandy, paid -a visit to the King of England. Edward received his kinsman with -great affection, entertained him magnificently, and treated him with -such distinction as encouraged the Norman Duke's most ambitious hopes. -Indeed, it has been said that "William appeared in England more a king -than Edward himself, and that his ambitious mind was not slow in -conceiving the hope of becoming such in reality." Nor did William -return to Normandy without tokens of Edward's good will. Magnificent -presents of armour, horses, dogs, and falcons were the substantial -pledges with which the monk-king accompanied his assurances of -friendship for the warrior-duke. - -But, meantime, Godwin grew weary of exile and eager for revenge. -Impatient to return to England, and to wreak his fury on the Norman -favourites, the banished earl resolved, at all hazards, on leaving -Flanders. Having obtained ships from Count Baldwin, he sailed from -Bruges; and, soon after Edward had witnessed the departure of his -martial kinsman for Normandy, the fleet of his outlawed father-in-law -sailed up the Thames and anchored at Southwark. - -Edward was in London when Godwin's fleet appeared in this menacing -attitude; and, assembling his council, the king, with a flash of -ancestral spirit, evinced a strong desire to oppose force to force. -But, though the Norman courtiers were anxious to come to blows with -their mortal foe, the king was the only Englishman who participated in -their sentiments. Not only were the citizens of London all ready to -take up arms for the outlawed earl; but even Siward and Leofric, the -chiefs who had ever stood in opposition to Godwin, were in favour of -his restoration; and the soldiers who formed the royal army were -animated by such an antipathy to the foreign favourites, that it was -felt they could not be depended on in the event of matters being -pushed to extremity. In these circumstances, the king reluctantly -consented to refer the question to a council of nobles; and this -council, presided over by Robert Stigand, Bishop of East Anglia, -decided that the whole case should be submitted for judgment to the -Witenagemote, the National Council of the Anglo-Saxons. - -On learning what had occurred, the Norman courtiers perceived that -there was no hope for them but in escape. Without hesitation, -therefore, they mounted their horses, and spurred from the palace of -Westminster. Headed by Robert, Archbishop of Canterbury, and William, -Bishop of London, a troop of Norman knights and gentlemen dashed -eastward, fought their way through the city, and, making for the -coast, embarked in fishing-boats; others fled to northern castles, -held by Hugh the Norman, and Osbert, surnamed Pentecost; and thence, -with Hugh and Osbert, made for the north, crossed the Tweed, and -sought security on Scottish soil. No mercy, they well knew, could be -expected at the hands of Godwin, and quite as little at the hands of a -multitude believing in his patriotism and exasperated against his -foes. - -Meanwhile, the Witenagemote having been convoked, and all the best men -in the country having assembled to take part in the deliberations, -Godwin spoke in his own defence. The proceedings, as had been foreseen -from the beginning, resulted in the revocation of the sentence of -outlawry against the earl and his sons, and restoration to their lands -and honours. An exception was, indeed, made in the case of Godwin's -eldest son, Sweyn, who, having debauched the abbess of Leominster, and -murdered his kinsman, Earl Beorn, was deemed unworthy of the company -of Christians and warriors. But Sweyn relieved his family from all -awkwardness on this point by voluntarily undertaking a penitential -pilgrimage on foot to the Holy Sepulchre. - -Matters having been thus arranged, the king accepted from Godwin the -oath of peace; and Godwin, as hostages for his good faith, placed his -youngest son, Wolnoth, and Haco, the son of Sweyn, in the hands of the -king, who sent them to the court of Rouen. At the same time, William, -the Norman Bishop of London, was, by the king's wish, recalled to -England; but Robert, the Norman Archbishop of Canterbury, was not so -fortunate. Stigand, instituted as Robert's successor, took possession -of the pallium which the Norman prelate had left behind in his sudden -flight. - -When her kinsmen were restored to England, Edith, the queen, brought -from her convent in Hampshire, once more appeared at the palace of -Westminster; and the house of Godwin seemed more firmly established -than ever. The king, ceasing to struggle against the earl's influence, -occupied his attention with completing the abbey which he had been -building at Westminster, and Leofric and Siward seemed to bow to their -great rival's power and popularity. But the days of Godwin were -numbered. - -It was the spring of 1054; Edward was holding his court in the castle -of Winchester; and Godwin and his sons were among the guests. One day, -when the feast was spread, and the king and the earl were seated at -the board, an attendant, who was stepping forward to pour wine into a -cup, happened to stumble with one foot, and quickly recovered himself -with the other. Edward smiled; and Godwin, willing to give a hint to -his sons, who were perpetually brawling with each other, turned -towards them. - -"Well," remarked the earl, "you see how the brother has come to the -support of the brother." - -"Ay," said the king, in a significant tone; "brother needs the aid of -brother; and would to God my brother Alfred yet lived to aid me!" - -"Oh, king!" exclaimed Godwin, startled and irritated, "why is it that, -on the slightest recollection of your brother, you ever look so -angrily on me?" - -Edward deigned no reply; but his pale brow grew stern, and his -withered cheek flushed with resentment. - -"If," continued the earl, taking a piece of bread in his hand--"if I -contributed, even indirectly, to your brother's death, may the God of -Heaven grant this may choke me!" - -With these words Godwin put the bread into his mouth; and, as he did -so, and as the eyes of the king were bent intently on his countenance, -the earl fell from his seat. - -"It is the judgment of God!" muttered the courtiers with a shudder. - -Tostig and Gurth, two of Godwin's sons, rushed forward, raised him in -their arms, and bore him from the hall; and, five days later, the Earl -of Wessex was a corpse. - - - - -VII. - -[Illustration: William's love-making] - -MATILDA OF FLANDERS. - - -On the memorable day on which William the Norman, during the exile of -Earl Godwin, appeared as an honoured guest in the halls of -Westminster, and speculated on the probability of figuring, at no -distant period, as King of England, the crown worn by Edward the -Confessor was not the only prize on which the young duke had set his -mind. In fact, love was blended with ambition in William's heart. He -had determined, somewhat in defiance of canon and precedent, to -espouse Matilda of Flanders; and no one who visited Bruges and looked -upon the fair and intelligent face of that graceful Flemish princess -could have wondered that a warrior-duke, not yet thirty, should -meditate the indiscretion of defying popes and prelates to enjoy the -privilege of calling her his own. - -Matilda's pedigree was such as to make her a desirable bride for the -struggling son of Duke Robert. She was one of the daughters of -Baldwin, Count of Flanders, by Adele, daughter of Robert, King of -France; and, through an Anglo-Saxon ancestress, she had in her veins -the blood of Alfred the Great. But even with a much less illustrious -descent, Matilda would have been highly distinguished among the -princesses of the eleventh century. Nature had gifted the daughter of -Count Baldwin with beauty and talent, and careful education had -rendered her one of the most attractive and captivating among the -high-born maidens of whom Christendom could boast. William's ambition -and his heart were naturally enough fascinated with the idea of -wedding a princess of such rank and beauty; and while yet he found the -coronal of Normandy sitting somewhat uneasily on his brow, he sent -ambassadors to the Court of Flanders to demand Matilda's hand. - -Notwithstanding William's illegitimate birth and disputed title, Count -Baldwin expressed no objection to accept him as a son-in-law. Indeed, -the count, feeling that William could prove a valuable friend or a -formidable foe, hailed the proposal with gratification. But two -obstacles immediately presented themselves--one difficulty was the -repugnance of Matilda, the other was the laws of the Church. - -Matilda had no stronger objections to being led to the altar than -other ladies of her age. In fact, she is understood to have already -dreamed of the bridal veil and the marriage vow, and to have been -eager to become the spouse of a Saxon nobleman named Brihtrik, who had -appeared at her father's court. Perhaps Matilda's thoughts had dwelt -on Brihtrik longer than prudence warranted. In any case, when the -ambassadors from Rouen presented themselves at Bruges, she set -herself decidedly against the proposal of which they were the bearers. - -"Why," said Baldwin, "do you object to the Count of the Normans?" - -"Mention him not!" exclaimed Matilda, with a disdainful toss of her -finely-shaped head. "I will not have a bastard for my husband!" - -But William, who feared not man's wrath, was not to be daunted by -woman's scorn. Every day he became more convinced of the necessity of -uniting himself with some princess capable, by her rank and lineage, -of giving dignity to his position. It appears, moreover, that the -warrior-duke really entertained a strong affection for Matilda; and he -seized an opportunity of manifesting the excess of his attachment by a -violent kind of love-making, which has long been out of fashion. - -It is related that one day, when Matilda had been at mass, and was -quietly walking with her ladies of honour along the streets of Bruges -on her way to the palace, to employ her hands with the embroidery work -for which she was destined to become famous, and perhaps to occupy her -thoughts with the fair Saxon noble who had won her young heart without -giving his in return, William, arrayed as if for battle and mounted on -horseback, suddenly and unexpectedly made his appearance. Alighting -with a bound, he seized the princess in his strong arms, shook her, -beat her, rolled her on the ground, and fearfully damaged her rich -garments. After this extraordinary exhibition, he sprang into his -saddle, set spurs to his horse, and rode away at full speed. - -It might have been supposed that William's violent conduct would have -increased Matilda's aversion to the match. The reverse, however, was -the case. The princess, in fact, appears to have been overwhelmed by -such a proof of affection. - -"I am now convinced of the sincerity of his love," she said, "and I -will offer no further objections to taking him as a husband." - -Ere Matilda began to conquer the repugnance she had expressed to a -union with the son of Duke Robert, William found, to his annoyance, -that the Church opposed his marriage with the fair Flemish princess, -on the ground of their being within the prohibited degrees of -relationship. It would seem, in fact, that Adele, Countess of -Flanders, had, in early youth, been betrothed to William's uncle, -Richard, Duke of Normandy; so that the mother of Matilda stood in the -relationship of aunt to the Norman duke, "an affinity," as has been -observed, "quite near enough to account for, if not to justify the -interference of the Church." - -Nevertheless, William did not despair. Indeed, he had thoroughly made -up his mind to be Matilda's husband and Baldwin's son-in-law, and to -permit no priest to baffle him in a matrimonial scheme which ambition -and love alike rendered dear to his heart. It was in vain that Pope -Nicholas set himself in opposition to the marriage, and that the -legitimate heirs of Rolfganger prepared to take advantage of a rupture -between the son of Arlette and the See of Rome. William's perseverance -and policy overcame all obstacles, and at length, with a dispensation -in his hand, he claimed and received the bride he had so long wooed. - -It was after his visit to the Court of Westminster, in 1052, and after -the restoration of Godwin and his sons to their country, that William -the Norman led Matilda of Flanders to the altar, and flattered himself -that, by espousing a descendant of Alfred, he had smoothed his way to -the throne from which Alfred had ruled England. - -[Illustration] - - - - -VIII. - -[Illustration: Death of Siward with harness on his back.] - -SIWARD THE DANE. - - -At the time when Godwin and Edward were at feud, and when the earl was -browbeating the saintly prince whom he had placed on the English -throne--among the Saxons and Normans who assembled around the king to -discuss a grave question, or strike a great blow, might have been -observed an aged warrior of gigantic stature, leaning on a two-handed -sword, and regarding Saxon thane and Norman count with an expression -indicative of some degree of calm contempt. His dress recalled the -days of Canute and Hardicanute; his hair was white with years; his -frame was bowed with time; but his spirit was such as time could -neither bend nor break; and his eye still glanced at the sight of -battle-axe and shield. "Gray and vast, as some image of a gone and -mightier age, towered over all Siward, the son of Beorn, the great -Earl of Northumberland." - -Siward was one of the most remarkable men who figured in the reign of -Edward the Confessor, and he had a history still more remarkable than -himself. A Dane, and of noble birth, he had, at an early age, left his -native shores, with an idea, perhaps, of emulating the feats of -Hasting or Haveloke. Landing in the Orcades, he engaged in single -combat, and put to the rout a large dragon, which had long been the -terror of the rude islanders. After performing this exploit, Siward -put to sea, left the Orcades behind, and, guiding his ship as a -horseman does a steed, reached the northern coast of England. Having -sprung ashore, and wandered into the forest in quest of adventures, he -met a venerable old man, with a long white beard, who entered into -conversation with him, presented him with a mystic banner, and gave -him some sage advice. - -"This banner," said the venerable man, "is called 'the raven of -earthly terror;' take it as thy standard; direct thy voyage southward -to the mouth of a river called the Thames, which will lead thee to a -city called London, where reigns the son of Canute, who will bid thee -welcome, and aid thee to become great in this land." - -Siward does not appear to have disdained the idea of exchanging the -pine plank for the rush-strewed hall. At all events, he took the -mystic banner and the advice of the venerable man, steered his course -towards the Thames, and, reaching London, presented himself to the -king. It was an age when men of huge proportions and fearless hearts -were in great request; and Siward's reception was all that could have -been wished. - -The favour shown by the Danish king to Siward naturally made him the -object of envy. Many absurd stories were consequently circulated -about his origin and parentage. He was described as the grandson of a -bear; and Tostig, Earl of Huntingdon, took occasion to affront him -before the whole court. But the adventurous Dane gave his enemies a -lesson which they never forgot. Defying Tostig to mortal combat, he -signalized his prowess beyond all dispute, and terminated the duel by -cutting off his antagonist's head. More convinced than ever of -Siward's value as an adherent, Hardicanute bestowed on him the earldom -which Tostig had enjoyed. - -After being installed as Earl of Huntingdon, Siward played his part -with energy and wisdom. The ability he displayed seemed fully to -justify his sudden rise to importance, and a circumstance ere long -occurred which gave him an opportunity of still further advancing his -fortunes. - -It happened that Uchtred, the great Saxon Earl of Northumberland, -having been gathered to his fathers, Eadulph, the son of Uchtred, -ruled from the Humber to the Tweed. Not content, however, with this -territory, Eadulph undertook an expedition against the Welsh, and -committed fearful depredations. Enraged at the northern earl making -war without his consent, Hardicanute resolved on a severe -chastisement, and entrusted Siward with the duty of inflicting it. -Aware of his danger, Eadulph mounted, and hastened towards London to -implore the king's clemency. But it was too late. While Eadulph was on -his way south, Siward, going north, met him face to face. A conflict -ensued. Eadulph fell, and Siward carried his head to Hardicanute. - -It was shortly after the encounter which terminated in the death of -Eadulph, that Edward the Confessor ascended the throne of his -ancestors. At that time the fortunes of Siward, as foreigner and Dane, -were probably in great peril. The event, however, proved to his -advantage. There was some dread of a Danish fleet appearing on the -Northumbrian coast; and the new king, in considerable alarm, took -counsel with his great men. - -"What is to be done?" asked the king. - -"It is best," answered the thanes, "that the little devil should be -first opposed to the great devil. Let Siward the Dane be sent to rule -that part of your realm likely to be invaded by the Danes." - -The king listened, and, as he was advised, nominated Siward Earl of -Northumberland. Siward, repairing to York, the capital of the North, -won the favour of the province by espousing Alfleda, granddaughter of -Uchtred, and then governed the inhabitants with an ability and a -vigour that excited the admiration of Leofric, and roused the jealousy -of Godwin. The Danes, considering, perhaps, that their gigantic -countryman would be a formidable antagonist to encounter, refrained -from any attempt at invasion, and, moreover, sent messages of peace -and friendship to Edward. "We will," said they, "allow you to reign -unmolested over your country, and content ourselves with the lands -which God has given us." - -Years passed over, and Siward was keeping his court at York, and -ruling Northumberland with complete success, when the unfortunate -conflict between the townsmen of Dover and the train of Eustace of -Boulogne brought the quarrel of Edward and Godwin to a crisis. Siward -and Leofric were then summoned to the king's aid, and commanded to -lead their fighting men against the forces of the refractory earl. -Both obeyed, and, at their call, the inhabitants of Northumberland and -Mercia took up arms. Hostile, however, as Siward and Leofric were to -Godwin, they could not help perceiving that the country was wholly on -his side. Indeed, the murmurs of their own soldiers convinced the -Earls of Northumberland and Mercia of the utter impolicy of pushing -matters to extremity. Generously sacrificing resentment to patriotism, -they raised their voices in favour of Godwin's restoration and against -Godwin's foes. - -Scarcely had Godwin gone to his account, when Siward became aware that -his own end was drawing nigh. The Danish earl had just returned from -that expedition into Scotland which resulted in the overthrow of -Macbeth, when he was prostrated with sickness at York. Feeling that -the great destroyer was upon him, Siward became horrified at the -prospect of dying in bed, and in night-gear. - -"Raise me," he said to those who watched his uneasy couch. "Let me die -like a warrior, and not huddled up together like a cow!" - -"What wouldest thou, great earl?" asked the attendants. - -"Put my coat of mail on my back," said Siward; "place my helmet on my -head, my shield on my left arm, and my gilt axe in my right hand, that -I may expire as a warrior should." - -The command of the dying earl was obeyed. Clad, by his own desire, in -all the habiliments of war, and sitting up in his bed, Siward, with -calm courage, awaited the last enemy, and died with the same martial -dignity which had characterized his life. His remains were laid in the -monastery of Galmanho, which he had founded at York; and, as a -memorial of his prodigious prowess, there was long afterwards shown a -rock of granite which he was said to have split with one blow of his -mighty battle-axe. - -[Illustration: Yggdrasill, the Mundane Tree of the Scandinavians] - - - - -IX. - -[Illustration: William extorting a promise from Harold.] - -HAROLD, THE SAXON KING. - - -When Earl Godwin breathed his last, under circumstances so memorable, -his second son, Harold, succeeded to his earldom, and inherited his -influence. A robust and active man, of tall, though not gigantic -stature, with long fair hair, a pleasing countenance, dignified -manners, and popular address--such appears to have been Harold, the -son of Godwin. - -It was when Hardicanute died so suddenly, at the marriage feast at -Lambeth, that Harold began to figure in public, and to take a -prominent part in national affairs. At that crisis, Harold was one of -the first to raise a standard against the Danes, and he is even said -to have contributed to the triumph of the Saxon cause, by inviting -many of the Danish chiefs to a banquet, and causing them to be put to -the sword while over their cups. But, whatever truth there may be in -such a story, it seems that Harold shared in the prosperity of the -house of Godwin at the opening of Edward's reign, and that when -Godwin, outlawed and exiled, in 1048 escaped to Bruges, Harold, with -his brother Leofwin, fled to Bristol, and there took shipping for the -Irish coast. When Godwin returned from Bruges, Harold and Leofwin, -coming from Ireland, joined their father at the Isle of Wight, and -took part in that formidable demonstration which startled King Edward -and his Norman courtiers in the halls of Westminster. - -After the restoration of Godwin, and the banishment of the Normans, -Harold would seem to have been higher in Edward's favour than any of -his kinsmen; and after the death of Godwin, Harold was quietly put in -possession of the vast earldom south of the Thames which his sire had -so long enjoyed. Both as regarded military reputation and territorial -power he was now foremost among the Anglo-Saxons, and he immensely -increased his fame by the skill he displayed in a war with the -refractory Welsh. - -The originator of this war was Algar, son of the great Leofric, who, -becoming discontented, gave his daughter Aldith in marriage to a Welsh -prince named Griffith, and encouraged that crowned Celt to make an -incursion into the English territories. During this inroad the city of -Hereford was sacked and much mischief done; but Harold, on being sent -with an army, speedily put the Welsh to the rout, and forced Griffith -to submit. Untaught, however, by his severe experience of the -superiority of the English, Griffith once more rebelled; and Harold, -marching back to the borders of Wales, caused such terror, that, to -pacify him, the Welsh sacrificed Griffith to save themselves, and -sent the head of the murdered prince to the English camp, on the point -of a spear. - -After his victories over the Welsh, Harold returned to London, and -found himself hailed by the multitude as a conqueror. His popularity -was now immense, and wherever he appeared his name was shouted with -enthusiasm. - -"Harold! Harold the Earl!" was the cry. - -"Since Edward the king has no heirs," was the saying, "no man is so -worthy to succeed to the crown." - -While such was the popularity of the son of Godwin, and while all -rivalry with him was so completely out of the question that Algar died -of despair and regret, Harold, with a view of recovering his brother -Wolnoth and his nephew Haco, who had been sent as hostages to Duke -William, and who were still retained at the court of Rouen, proposed -to visit Normandy. On intimating his intention to Edward, however, the -king hesitated to grant permission. - -"Your journey," said the king, "will certainly bring some evil on -yourself, and on your country." - -"In what way, O king?" asked Harold in amazement. - -"I know Duke William and his crafty mind," replied Edward; "he hates -you, and will grant you nothing unless he gain greatly by it. The only -way to obtain the hostages from him were to send some one else." - -"I fear it is otherwise," said Harold. - -"Well," said Edward, "I will not prevent your going; but, if you do -go, it will be without my consent." - -Not much influenced by Edward's warnings, Harold departed for -Normandy. As if going on an excursion for pleasure, he set out, -surrounded by his gay comrades, with his hawks and his hounds. - -But a circumstance soon occurred to make him serious. Having sailed -from one of the ports of Sussex, Harold's vessels were driven by -contrary winds towards the mouth of the Somme; and the earl, forced to -land on the territories of Guy, Count of Ponthieu, was seized by that -feudal personage as a captive, despoiled of all his property, and -placed securely under lock and key, in the castle of Beaurain. - -One day, when William the Norman was at Rouen, a messenger from Harold -arrived hurriedly and in haste, with intelligence of his captivity. -William expressed high indignation, and demanded extradition of the -Saxon earl with a menace, which was meant to serve for ransom. Guy of -Ponthieu, however, demanded a fine estate and a large sum of money, -and would listen to no proposal less advantageous to himself. William -was, in consequence, obliged to grant what the count demanded; and, -the matter having been arranged, Harold was set free and conducted to -Rouen. - -On reaching the Norman capital, Harold met with a reception which soon -effaced the remembrance of his captivity in the stronghold of Count -Guy. At the same time William intimated that the hostages were at -Harold's disposal; but he pressed the earl to remain for a time as his -guest, and see something of the land. Harold, who was bold and -confident, accepted the invitation; and having, with his companions, -been admitted into the Norman order of knighthood, he began to figure -prominently in the festivals and pageants of the Norman court. - -While Harold the Saxon was in this position, William the Norman -undertook an expedition against the Bretons. Before setting out, the -martial duke requested Harold's company; and Harold, consenting -without hesitation, went with his Saxon comrades to take part in the -war. During this campaign, William treated Harold with the utmost -consideration; and the Norman duke and the Saxon earl slept in one -tent, ate at the same table, and conducted themselves towards each -other like men on terms of the most intimate friendship. - -In this expedition against the Bretons, Harold and his Saxon -companions bore themselves with a courage which excited high -admiration; and, in spite of Edward's prophecy, everything seemed to -go smoothly; when one day, as the duke and the earl rode along, side -by side, enlivening the way with friendly colloquy, William artfully -turned the conversation to his early acquaintance with the King of -England, and suddenly revealed the ambitious project which was -occupying his mind. - -"In the days of my youth," said William, turning on his saddle, -playing with his bridle-rein, and looking Harold in the face, "your -king and I lived under the same roof like brothers; and he then -promised that, if ever he came to be King of England, I should be -nominated heir to his crown." - -Harold, in perplexed surprise, muttered some words. - -"Wherefore, Harold," continued William, "if thou wouldst aid me in -realizing this promise, be sure that, if I obtain the kingdom, -whatever thou askest thou shalt have. What is thine answer?" - -"Be it as thou sayest," murmured Harold, taken by surprise, and -finding it impossible to answer otherwise than with some vague words -of compliance. - -"Then," added William, growing bolder in his proposals, "since thou -consentest to serve me, thou must engage to fortify the castle of -Dover, to dig there a well of fresh water, and when the time comes, to -deliver up the place to my people. Moreover, to make the bond between -us the stronger, thou must give thy sister Thyra in marriage to one of -my barons; and thou must take to wife my daughter Adeliza. On thy -departure, thou must leave me, as guarantee for thy promise, one of -the two hostages thou hast come to reclaim, and I will restore him to -thee in England when I come there as king." - -"I acquiesce in your demands," said Harold, eager to get rid of a -subject which every moment became more embarrassing, and, without -pursuing the conversation further, the duke and the earl rode on side -by side towards Bayeux. - -But it soon became apparent that William the Norman was by no means -satisfied with the promise he had wrung from his Saxon guest. No -sooner had the duke reached Bayeux than he prepared to exact a more -solemn and ceremonious pledge; and, having caused such sacred relics -as bones of saints to be brought from the churches, placed in a vessel -in the council hall of the castle, and covered with a rich cloth of -gold, so as to have the appearance of a table, he convoked his barons -and prelates on a certain day, and intimated to Harold that his -presence would be required. - -At the hour appointed, baron and bishop crowded to the council hall; -and William, with a sword in his hand and the coronal of Normandy on -his brow, took his seat on the throne, caused two small reliquaries -to be placed on the cloth of gold, and intimated, by a gesture, his -desire that Harold should approach. - -"Harold," said the Duke, "I require thee, before this noble assembly, -to confirm, by oath, the promises thou hast made to me--namely, to aid -me to obtain the kingdom of England after the death of King Edward, to -marry my daughter, and to send thy sister, that I may give her to one -of my lords." - -"I swear," said Harold, extending his hand over the two reliquaries, -"to execute my promise as far as lies in my power, if I live, and if -God aid me." - -"God aid him!" repeated the barons and bishops who stood around. - -The ceremony being thus complete, William made a sign; the cloth of -gold was raised; and before Harold's eyes lay bones and entire -skeletons of saints, upon which he had, without suspecting their -presence, so solemnly sworn. With a shudder and a change of -countenance, which did not escape notice, he turned away from the -sight. But the oath which he had sworn appeared to the Normans far too -sacred ever to be broken; and he was allowed to depart for England -with his nephew, the son of Sweyn. William accompanied them to the -seaside, made them valuable presents, and repaired to Rouen, rejoicing -in the thought, that the man most likely to have baffled his -aspirations after the crown of England, was bound, by the most solemn -oath, to aid him to the utmost. - -Meanwhile, Harold's ships went tilting over the waters; and, on -reaching England in a mood the reverse of serene, he hastened to -London, presented himself to Edward, and related what had passed -between the duke and himself. The saintly king heard the tidings with -sadness, and expressed himself in words of woe. - -"Did I not warn you," he said, after a painful silence, "warn you over -and over again, that I knew Duke William, and that thy journey would -bring evil on thyself and on thy country?" - -"It is true," said Harold. - -"Heaven grant," continued Edward, "that these evils happen not in my -time!" - -And, in truth, there was little danger of Edward living to witness -the troubles in store for the land of his fathers. The king's days -were now "dwindling to the shortest span." Aware that he was hourly -sinking, Edward occupied himself more and more with religious -devotions, and manifested much anxiety for the completion of the Abbey -of Westminster, which, under his auspices, had risen on Thorney Island -in the form of a cross, with a high tower in the centre. Intending to -consecrate this edifice with great splendour at the Christmas of 1065, -Edward summoned all the nobles and clergy to be present. But before -the appointed day he became too weak to leave his chamber. - -Edith, the queen, consequently presided at the consecration; and -scarcely was the ceremony over, when Harold became aware that his -royal brother-in-law could not survive many days. In fact, Edward, -stretched on a bed of sickness, and haunted by terrible visions of -fiends wandering over England, was looking, almost with impatience, -for the hour that was to deliver him from the evils to come. Nor was -the patience of the royal saint put to any long or severe trial. - -It was Thursday, the 5th of January, 1066, and the king lay in that -chamber of the palace of Westminster long afterwards, when known as -"The Painted Chamber," associated with his memory. Robert Stigand, -Archbishop of Canterbury, with many nobles and prelates, stood by his -couch; for Edward was on the eve of going where the weary are at rest; -and nobles and prelates were, doubtless, anxious to hear his last -will. He was, however, entirely absorbed in melancholy forebodings; -and, as passages of Scripture denouncing woe to nations occurred -involuntarily to his memory, he repeated them with a wild energy which -horrified those who surrounded his couch. - -"The Lord has bent his bow," exclaimed the dying king, "the Lord has -prepared his sword; he brandishes it like unto a warrior; his wrath is -manifested in steel and flame." - -"The saints defend us!" muttered those present, terrified at the -king's ejaculations. - -"Tush!" exclaimed Archbishop Stigand, with a sneer of contempt; "why -tremble ye at the dreams of a sick old man?" - -In such a frame of mind, Edward the king breathed his last; and it is -said that, having been asked whom he wished to succeed to his throne, -he named Harold, son of Godwin. But whether or not such was the case, -Harold was elected on the day after Edward's funeral, and allowed -himself to be crowned at once, in violation of his oath to William the -Norman, and in defiance of the claims of Edgar Atheling, grandson of -Edmund Ironsides, and heir of the Saxon kings. In order to bind the -chiefs of the House of Leofric to his interest, and to render his -throne more secure, Harold espoused Aldith, daughter of Earl Algar, -and widow of that Griffith whose head the Welsh had sent to him on the -point of a spear. - -Nevertheless, the position of Harold was encompassed with danger, and -the minds of his subjects were filled with gloom and apprehension. As -men reflected on the dying words of Edward the king, they recalled to -mind old prophecies which increased their alarm. One of these -predicted such calamities as the Saxons had never experienced since -they left the Elbe; and another, which was more to the point, -predicted the conquest of England by a people from France. While vague -terrors preyed upon England, the appearance of a comet daunted all -hearts, and was regarded, as it seemed to come, as a herald of woe. - -"Thou hast then returned," said a monk of the period; "thou hast -returned at length, thou who wilt cause so many mothers to weep! Many -times have I seen thee shine; but thou lookest to me more terrible now -that thou announcest the ruin of my country." - -[Illustration] - - - - -X. - -DUKE WILLIAM AND HIS DIFFICULTIES. - - -It was early one day, about the opening of the year 1066, and the -ground was hard with frost, when William the Norman left the palace of -Rouen, and crossed the Seine to test some new arrows in the park of -Rouvray. While the duke was occupied in stringing that mighty bow -which, save himself, no man then living could bend, a messenger from -England reached him with tidings of such import, that his colour -changed, and his lip quivered with emotion. It was to the effect that -Edward the Confessor was dead, and that Harold, son of Godwin, had -seized the English crown. - -Giving his bow to an attendant, William walked to the margin of the -Seine, stepped into his barge, and, without speaking, indicated by a -gesture his wish to return to Rouen. On reaching the castle, he -entered the great hall, and paced up and down with a restless and -excited step, "often," say the chronicles, "changing posture and -attitude, and oft loosening and tightening the strings of his mantle." -Such, indeed, seemed his agitation, that no member of his household -ventured for some time to ask the cause. - -Meantime, rumours of the intelligence brought by the messenger from -England began to creep about, and a Norman noble, probably William -Fitzosborne, the duke's seneschal, and the proudest of Norman -magnates, presented himself to learn the actual state of affairs. -Fitzosborne, who was Count of Breteuil, and destined one day to higher -rank, had such a reputation for _hauteur_ that he was surnamed "The -Proud Spirit." Without any of that hesitation exhibited by others, he -approached William the Norman, and inquired the cause of his emotion. - -"My lord," said he, "pray communicate your news. It is bruited about -that the King of England is dead, and that Harold, breaking faith with -you, has usurped the crown." - -"They say truly who so report," answered the duke; "and my grief is -touching the death of Edward, and my anger is touching the wrong done -me by Harold." - -"Sir," said Fitzosborne, "chafe not at what may be amended. For -Edward's death, it is true, there is no remedy; but there is a remedy -for the injury done you by Harold. Yours is the right, and you have -stout warriors. Strike with courage: the work is already half done." - -Genius, however, is generally patient; and William was too crafty to -spoil his game by indiscreet haste. He went cautiously and gradually -to work; and not till he had twice, in courteous phrase, required -Harold to fulfil the treaty so solemnly concluded, did he threaten the -Saxon with invasion and punishment. Then, however, he cast hesitation -to the winds, and resolved on inflicting a signal chastisement. "I -doubt not," he said, "of finding that man a feeble foe, who has proved -so faithless a friend." - -In the meantime negotiations were vigorously commenced at Rome, and -Harold was charged before the pontifical court with perjury and -sacrilege. The Saxon king was summoned to defend himself, and -endeavoured to escape by refusing to acknowledge the jurisdiction of -the court. But this did not serve his purpose. The conclave assembled -at the Lateran, under the inspiration of the famous Hildebrand, -decided that William should enter England, and bring that kingdom back -to the Holy See; and a papal bull, directed against Harold and his -adherents, was presented to William, along with a consecrated banner, -an agnus of gold, and a ring which contained a hair of St. Peter, set -in a diamond of great price. - -A council of high Norman nobles was now convened at Rouen; and -William, addressing his friends, demanded counsel and aid. There was -no difference of opinion. All were ready to take part with their duke -in the invasion of England, and each man present delighted his soul -with visions of rich manors on the Thames or the Mersey. However, they -advised him to consult the general feeling of the community; and, -accordingly, the merchants and traders of Normandy, as well as the -lords and knights, were summoned to confer with the duke. - -Lillebonne was the place appointed for this memorable assembly, and -thither came all the wealthiest and most important subjects of -Normandy. William, after opening his heart to them, explained his -views and craved pecuniary aid, and they then withdrew to deliberate -in freedom. The result was not quite satisfactory. The Normans were -greatly divided in opinion. Some were anxious to aid the duke with men -and money; but others positively objected, declaring that they had -already more debts than they could pay. - -It was now that William Fitzosborne did better service than a hundred -knights could have rendered to his liege lord. Raising his voice above -the tumult, he exerted that eloquence for which the Norman nobles were -so remarkable. - -"Why this confusion and discord?" asked Fitzosborne. "Why dispute thus -among ourselves? The duke hath need of us, and he is our lord----" - -"William is our lord; but we owe him no aid beyond the seas," -interrupted the assembly. - -"It is our duty to make offers of aid, rather than to wait his -requests," continued Fitzosborne. "He hath need of us now; and if we -fail him, and he gains his end, he will remember it to our -disadvantage. Let us, then, prove by our acts that we love him, and -let us entitle ourselves to his gratitude." - -"Doubtless, William is our lord," cried the Normans; "but is it not -enough for us to pay him his dues? We owe him no aid beyond the seas. -He hath already oppressed us enough with his wars; let him fail in -this new enterprise, and our country is undone." - -"Well," said Fitzosborne, changing his plan, "let us return to the -duke; and I, as knowing the position of each man present, will take -upon me to excuse the limited offers of the assembly." - -"So be it," was the answer; and the Normans, with Fitzosborne at their -head, returned to Duke William's presence. - -"Sire," said Fitzosborne, addressing William, "I do not believe that -there are in the whole world people more zealous than yours. You know -the aids they have given you--the onerous services they have rendered. -Well, sire, they will do more. They offer to serve you beyond the seas -as they have done here." - -"No, no!" cried the Normans, "we did not charge you with such an -answer." - -"For my own part," continued Fitzosborne, "I will, out of love to you, -give sixty well-appointed ships, each charged with fifty fighting men. -Forward, then, and spare us in nothing! He who hath hitherto only -supplied you with two good mounted soldiers will now supply four." - -"We did not say that," cried the Normans, "and it shall not be so. In -things within his own country, we will serve the duke, as is due; but -we are not bound to assist him to conquer another man's country. -Besides, if once we rendered double service, and followed him across -the sea, he would make it a right and a custom for the future; he -would burden our children with it." - -"It shall not be--it cannot be!" shouted the assembled Normans -vociferously; and, after forming themselves into groups of ten, -twenty, and thirty, they declaimed tumultuously, and then separated. - -William was enraged beyond measure--the blood of Rolfganger boiled in -his veins--and the spirit of Robert the Devil flashed from his eyes. -Nevertheless, by such an effort as only such a man is capable of, he -exercised sufficient command over himself to control his temper, bow -his pride, and resort to artifice. Summoning separately the men with -whom in a body he had failed, he requested the support of each as a -personal favour. This plan of proceeding proved completely successful. -No Norman, when alone with the duke, and under the influence of his -eloquence and his eye, had the courage to refuse; and every one of -those who had shouted "It cannot be!" consented to give to the full -extent of his means. - -With the papal bull in his hands, and promises of aid from his -subjects, carefully registered when they had been made, William -summoned the Normans to the consecrated banner, and published his ban -in the neighbouring countries, with promises of pay and pillage. Both -Normans and foreigners answered his call. From all directions martial -adventurers crowded to his standard. The papal bull and the promises -of plunder did their work. From France and Flanders; from Maine, and -Aquitaine, and Brittany, and from Anjou, ruled by the ancestors of -the Plantagenets--from the Alps, and from the banks of the -Rhine--multitudes crowded, with sword and cross-bow, to range -themselves under the consecrated banner, and to aid in the conquest -and share in the plunder of England. - -[Illustration] - - - - -XI. - -[Illustration: Tostig's parting speech to his brother Harold.] - -TOSTIG, SON OF GODWIN. - - -In the spring of 1066, when the crown of Edward the Confessor was -placed on the head of Harold the Saxon; and when the news of the -coronation, carried to Rouen, kindled the ire of William the Norman, -there was living in Flanders, musing over the past, watching events -with a keen eye, an English exile, who was Harold's brother and his -sworn foe. This exile was Tostig, the third son of Godwin and Githa. - -When the riot between the townsmen of Dover and the train of Eustace -of Boulogne resulted in the dispersion of the family of Godwin, -Tostig, then in the pride of early manhood, accompanying his father to -Flanders, wedded Judith, daughter of Count Baldwin, and sister of -Matilda, whom William the Norman, after vanquishing so many obstacles, -received as his bride. This high alliance would seem to have rendered -Tostig's pride intolerable; and he returned to England with ridiculous -notions of his hereditary claims, and absurd ideas of his personal -importance. It was a period, however, when the members of Godwin's -house were encouraged to conduct themselves as if England had existed -solely for their advantage; and when Siward died, leaving one son too -young to succeed to his authority, Tostig claimed and received the -earldom of Northumberland. - -Accustomed to the sway of such chiefs as Uchtred and Siward, the men -of the north were not perhaps particularly pleased with their new -earl. But whether or not, Tostig soon gave them cause to be -discontented. Cruel and tyrannical in his notions, he appeared at York -with the tax-gatherer on one hand, and the executioner on the other, -and treated the Northumbrians as if he had been a conqueror, and they -had been the inhabitants of a conquered province. Brooking no -restraint, he violated old customs and laws, levied enormous imposts, -and violently put to death those who refused to submit to his -exactions. Gamel, the son of Orm, and Ulf, the son of Dolphin, are -mentioned as among the thanes of high rank whom, with fell treachery, -he allured to the castle of York, and caused to be put to death, under -his own roof, and in his own chamber. - -Of all people, the Northumbrians were the least likely to tolerate -such tyranny. Meeting at Gamelburn, Dunstan, son of Agelnoth, and -Gloricern, son of Eadulf, with two hundred soldiers, raised the -standard of insurrection; and, under the command of their native -chiefs, the men of the north sprang to arms to avenge their -slaughtered countrymen and fight for their ancient liberties. Marching -to York, Dunstan and Gloricern prepared to seize the tyrant in his -castle. - -Tostig was in the capital of the north, when he suddenly became aware -that armed men were approaching with hostile intent. Unprepared for -resistance, and shrinking from the peril he had defied, the son of -Godwin resolved to fly; and, escaping with some of the chief ministers -of his violence and injustice, he left his officers and servants to -contend with the men whom he had exasperated. The Northumbrians, -taking possession of York, seized the arsenal and treasury, and, -assembling a council, formally deposed Tostig, and elected Morkar, -one of the sons of Algar, and one of the grandsons of Leofric and -Godiva, in his stead. - -When news of the tumult in Northumberland, and of the expulsion of -Tostig, reached the Confessor's court, Harold mustered an army and -marched northward to deal with the insurgents. This, however, he soon -found would be no easy operation. The Northumbrians met him at Oxford, -and in such a way as convinced him of the expediency of listening to -their complaints. A conference was consequently held, and Harold -endeavoured to exculpate his brother and to soften the Northumbrians. - -"If," said Harold, "you will receive Tostig again as your earl, I -promise that he will govern with equity, and according to law." - -"No!" cried the Northumbrians with one voice, and with that Danish -burr which their descendants have inherited; "we were born free; we -were brought up free; and a haughty ruler we cannot abide. We have -been taught by our ancestors to live free or to die. We have said. -Bear thou our answer to Edward the king." - -Harold could not dispute the justice of the complaints of the -Northumbrians. Without delay he went to explain their grievances to -the king; and Edward sent him back to give the royal sanction to -Tostig's deposition, and to the election of Morkar, the grandson of -Leofric. - -Henceforth, it was not so much against the Northumbrians as against -Harold that Tostig's wrath burned fiercely; and when the brothers soon -after met at Windsor, at Edward's board, a scene was enacted which -made the blood of the saintly king run cold. Harold, it appears, -pledged Edward in a cup of wine; and Tostig, exclaiming that such -familiarity with the king was unseemly, pulled Harold by the hair of -his head. A scuffle immediately ensued, and but for the presence of -the king would have ended in bloodshed. - -"It is notorious," said Edward, raising his hands in holy horror, -"that all the sons of Godwin are so transcendently wicked, that if -they see any house which they covet, they will murder the owner in the -night-time, and destroy his children, to get possession. Verily, they -will one day destroy each other." - -After this outrageous scene at Windsor, Harold and Tostig were at -deadly feud; and when Harold, somewhat later, was on his way to -Hereford with the king, Tostig, going thither and entering his -brother's house, attacked the servants, who were preparing a great -feast. Killing the unoffending men, and severing the heads and hewing -the limbs from the bodies, he put the corpses into the winecasks, and -then, riding forth as if to meet the king and his party, he hinted at -the brutal enormity he had perpetrated. - -"Harold," he said, as he turned away, "you will find the meat for your -feast well powdered." - -And, as Tostig spoke these words, the brothers parted, not to meet -again till that day when they met face to face as foes, each with a -weapon in his hand and an army at his back. - -After the massacre at Hereford, Tostig, with revenge gnawing at his -heart, and threats on his lips, sailed from England and repaired to -the court of Flanders. For a time he remained brooding in silence over -his wrongs, and watching his opportunity. No sooner, however, did he -receive intelligence of Edward's death and Harold's coronation, than -he sprang to action, and cried that the time for vengeance had -arrived. Mounting in haste, he made his way without delay to Normandy, -and urged Duke William, his brother-in-law, to lose no time in hurling -Harold from the throne. - -"Be not so impatient, brave Tostig," said William. - -"Why," asked Tostig, excitedly, "should a perjurer be allowed to reign -in peace? Have not I more credit and power in England? Yea, and I can -assure possession of the country to any one who will unite with me to -make the conquest." - -But William was not the man to be imposed upon by vain boasts; and -Tostig was somewhat mortified at the reception with which his -proposals were met. Willing, however, to test the banished Saxon's -influence, the duke furnished him with some ships to make a descent. -But Tostig, instead of sailing for England, sailed to the Baltic -trusting to secure the aid of his uncle, Sweyn, King of Denmark. This -attempt, however, failed. Sweyn gave Tostig a harsh refusal; and the -nephew, leaving his uncle in discontent, but still breathing threats -of revenge against his brother, made for Norway, where a king reigned -more likely than Sweyn to take part in a bold adventure, and better -qualified to conduct a bold adventure to a triumphant conclusion. - - - - -XII. - -[Illustration: Hardrada's deliverance from his eastern dungeon.] - -HAROLD HARDRADA. - - -When Tostig's ships came to anchor, and when Tostig, landing at -Drontheim, presented himself at the rude palace of the old kings of -Norway, the crown of that northern realm was worn by the last of those -heroes who called the ocean their home and the tempest their servant. -This was Harold Hardrada, a warrior of high renown, who had fought -countless battles on the sea as well as on the land, who had probably -seen more of the world than any man then living, and who, in every -respect, looked worthy of the fame he had won. His height exceeded -seven feet; and, though the hands and feet appeared somewhat large, -the whole person was fairly proportioned. He had a short beard, a long -moustache, and fair hair falling over his shoulders. His aspect was, -on the whole, pleasing, and would always have been so but for the -circumstance of one eyebrow being somewhat higher than the other, and -giving a sinister expression to his face when he frowned. - -Hardrada was son of Sigurd and brother of Olaf--that King of Norway -who established Christianity in his kingdom by the strong hand. -Hardrada, however, appears to have been more of a sea-king than a -saint. - -At an early age, Hardrada fought by the side of Olaf in the sanguinary -battle of Stiklestad. The elder brother fell, but the younger escaped, -after his body had been covered with wounds, and his blood freely -poured out. Taking to the forest, he was received into the cottage of -a woodman, and there lay concealed till his wounds were healed and his -spirits revived. - -Restored to health and hope, Hardrada left his lurking-place, and -turned his face eastward. Faring forth with a brave band of comrades -on a career of adventure, he set foot, after many romantic wanderings, -on the banks of the Bosphorus, and, halting with his comrades at -Constantinople, took service, as a varing, in the bodyguard then -maintained by the Emperor of the East. - -The varings were of high account at the Imperial Court. Generally -Danes, Swedes, or Germans, they exhibited the courage characteristic -of Northmen, and wore their hair long, after the fashion of their -native countries. Armed with huge axes, which they were in the habit -of carrying on their shoulders, they stood as guards at the door of -the emperor's chamber, and paraded his capital, imposing respect and -awe. - -Among the varings, Hardrada, though the brother of a king, did not -disdain to enrol himself and his comrades. But his wild and free -spirit could ill brook the necessary subordination, and, after some -quarrel with a Greek commander, he repaired to Africa. Fighting there -with the Saracens, and despoiling them of gold and jewels, he became -celebrated and rich. Turning to Sicily, he increased his fame and his -wealth; and then, as if to consecrate his deeds of violence, he made -an armed pilgrimage to Jerusalem, not yet visited by Peter the Hermit; -and, sweeping Moslem and marauder from his path, ascended Mount -Calvary, and knelt at the Holy Sepulchre. - -From Jerusalem Hardrada returned to Constantinople, and there became -enamoured of Maria, a niece of the Empress Zoe, while he himself -became dear to the heart of the empress. The predicament was -perplexing, and might have baffled the ingenuity of another man. But -Hardrada was equal to the occasion, and freed himself by a romantic -elopement from the snares by which he was surrounded. - -It appears that Olaf, the brother of Hardrada, though deemed worthy of -canonization, had been somewhat general in his attentions to the fair -sex; and, among other consequences of his amours, was an illegitimate -son, named Magnus. In the absence of Hardrada, Magnus contrived to win -the sovereignty of Norway from the heir of Canute; and no sooner did -Hardrada hear of his nephew's elevation than he determined to assert -his own superior claim. - -But Hardrada had scarcely intimated his intention of returning to -Norway, when he found there was a lioness in the way. Eager to detain -the varing who had won her heart, the empress caused him to be charged -with some irregularity, and imprisoned. Hardrada was accordingly -incarcerated. But a Greek lady, incited by a dream, resolved to -attempt his deliverance, and lowered ropes from the roof of a tower to -the dungeon in which he lay. Escaping in this way, Hardrada hastily -roused his varings, proceeded to the palace of Maria, niece of the -empress, bore off the princess in his strong arms to the quay, -embarked with her in his galley, and gave his sails to the wind. - -At length, Hardrada, with the bride and the wealth he had won, set his -foot on the shores of Norway, and, raising an army, made an effort to -grasp the crown. Magnus, however, proved a formidable adversary; and -Hardrada, perceiving the difficulty of a complete triumph, made a -compromise, and agreed to share the kingdom with his nephew. - -On the death of Magnus, however, Hardrada became king of all Norway. -Such he was, and highly considered among European sovereigns on -account of his experience, his prowess, and his wealth, when Tostig, -with the proposals which had been coldly treated in Normandy and -scornfully repelled in Denmark, reached Drontheim, appeared at the log -palace, and approached him with honeyed words. "The world knows well," -said the banished son of Godwin, "that there lives no warrior worthy -to be compared to thee. Thou hast only to will it, and England will be -thine." - -Hardrada was neither insensible to such flattery, nor proof against -such a temptation. Allowing himself to be persuaded, he promised to -put to sea whenever the ice should melt and the ocean become -navigable, and commenced preparations for the grand expedition. - -Tostig, however, was much too impatient to await the convenience of -his Norwegian ally. With his own fleet he set out to prepare the way, -and, with a band of men recruited in Flanders, Holland, and Friesland, -he made a descent on the northern coast of England. But the -inhabitants, roused at the news of villages pillaged, and granges -burned, rose in such numbers that he was compelled to make for -Scotland, and, anchoring off the Orkney Islands, he waited till the -winds should blow the Norwegian ships to his aid. - -Hardrada, meanwhile, fitted out several hundred ships of war; and the -Norwegians, encamped on their coast, waited the signal to embark. -Their enthusiasm was not excessive. Vague presentiments of evil -pervaded their ranks, and the sleep of many of the warriors was broken -by ill-omened visions. One dreamed that, the fleet having put to sea, -flocks of vultures perched on the masts and sails; and that a woman, -sword in hand, sitting on a rock, cried to the birds with a loud -voice, "Go without fear; you shall have enough to eat and to choose -from, for I go with them." Another dreamed that he saw his comrades -land in England, and encounter an English army, in front of which was -a woman of gigantic stature, riding on a wolf, and giving it human -bodies to devour. - -The imaginations of the Norwegian warriors were disagreeably -influenced by these presages; and more threatening than either of the -dreams appeared an incident that occurred as the Norwegian king, with -his son Olaf, and his war-steed black as a raven, and his banner, "The -Ravager of the World," embarked. As Hardrada set foot in the royal -barge, the weight of his body pressed the boat so much down in the -water, as to cause general apprehension. But, undismayed, Hardrada set -sail, touched at the Orcades, and joined his fleet with that of -Tostig, who was all impatience for carnage and revenge. - - - - -XIII. - -[Illustration: Door of Westminster Abbey.] - -THE ALARM IN ENGLAND. - - -It was the summer of 1066, and William the Norman was gathering -continental warriors to his standard, and Harold Hardrada was manning -his lofty war-ships with grim Norwegians, and Harold the Saxon king -was applying his energies with diligence and care to the difficulties -of his position, when the people of England were seized with alarm at -the prospect of an invasion. - -From the day of Harold's coronation at Westminster, he devoted himself -ably and vigorously to his regal duties. Never, indeed, had English -monarch shown himself more considerate for the people's feelings, or -more ardent for their welfare. The new reign was marked by a complete -return to the national customs, by a diminution of the taxes -previously levied, and by a more decided impartiality in the -administration of justice. By all means in his power Harold -endeavoured to render his reign popular. "Ever active for the good of -his country," says the chronicler, "he spared himself no fatigue by -land or by sea." - -Notwithstanding his vigour and energy, clouds soon began to gather -around the Saxon king. In the midst of his efforts to keep together a -decaying empire, Harold was disagreeably interrupted by the arrival of -a messenger from Duke William to claim fulfilment of the promise made -at Bayeux. - -"William Duke of Normandy," said the messenger, "reminds thee of the -oath which thou didst swear to him upon good and holy relics." - -"It is true that I swore such an oath to Duke William," replied -Harold, "but I swore it under compulsion. I promised that which did -not belong to me, and which I could not perform. My royalty is not -mine, nor can I divest myself of it without consent of the country. As -for my sister Thyra, whom the duke claims, to marry her to one of the -chiefs, she died this year. Would he have me send her body?" - -The Norman with this answer departed, and hastened to Duke William. -But, with as little delay as possible, he was sent back, and appeared -at Westminster with a new message, couched in terms of gentle -remonstrance. - -"Duke William," said the messenger, "entreats you, if you will not -abide by all the conditions, at least to execute one of them, and -take, as wife, his daughter Adeliza, whom you promised to marry." - -"I could not marry," said Harold, "without the country's consent; and -besides," he added, "it is now impossible for me to wed the daughter -of Duke William, since I have already wedded another woman." - -"Is this thine answer?" asked the Norman. - -"It is," replied Harold. - -"Then," said the Norman, "Duke William swears that, within the year, -he will come and demand the whole of his debt, and pursue you, as -perjurer, to the very places where you think you have the surest and -firmest footing." - -Rumours of William's projects crept about England, and the country was -soon in serious apprehension. The appearance of the comet, coming, it -was believed, as a harbinger of woe, added to the general alarm; and -while thousands nightly went out to gaze at "the blazing star," -merchant and pilgrim carried to castle and cottage intelligence of the -formidable preparations making by Duke William for the subjugation of -England. - -In the midst of the alarm which prevailed, Harold at first displayed a -vigilance worthy of the crisis. All summer, and far into autumn, he -remained steadily at his post, guarding the southern coast. Even when -news of Tostig's ravages came, he did not leave London, but left the -chastisement of his brother to the Northumbrians and their earl. - -But events baffled Harold's plans. When summer passed and autumn came -without an invasion, men, wise in their own conceit, began to ridicule -the idea of the peril being imminent; and Harold, not uninfluenced by -the general impression that William would not attempt to land before -winter, allowed his army to disband, and the fleet to run short of -provisions. - -Such was the position of affairs, when news reached London that -Hardrada, in company with Tostig, had landed in the North, defeated -the Northumbrians in a sharp battle, and taken measures for forcing -York to yield. - -No sooner did Harold become aware of the new danger than he roused -himself to action. Convincing himself, perhaps reluctantly, that the -peril which he left behind was not extreme, the Saxon king hastily -drew his men together, and prepared to crush the host of grim -Norwegians. Turning his face northward, Harold pushed on, by forced -marches, to York, and succeeded in reaching the capital of the North -on the very evening before Hardrada and Tostig anticipated placing on -its walls "The Ravager of the World." - - - - -XIV. - -[Illustration: The Norwegian Champion at Stamford Bridge.] - -THE BATTLE OF STAMFORD BRIDGE. - - -The month of September, 1066, was drawing towards its close, and so -far all had prospered with Tostig and his Norwegian ally. After -burning Scarborough, they had sailed up the Humber, advanced towards -York, fought a tough battle, and placed themselves in such a position -before the capital of the North, that the citizens recognised the -necessity of yielding. Indeed, they had agreed to open the gates on -the morning of the 25th, and on that morning Tostig and Hardrada--who -had broken up their lines, and encamped on the river Derwent, at -Stamford Bridge, seven miles from York--were to march in triumph into -the city, and hold a grand council to regulate the affairs of the -province. - -It was a Monday; and early in the morning, Hardrada and Tostig, -leaving part of their army encamped on the other side of the Derwent, -rode side by side towards York, accompanied by some thousands of their -soldiers. The weather being warm--for it was "one of those autumnal -days in which the sun is still in all its vigour"--and no resistance -being anticipated, the Norwegians laid aside their coats of mail, and -dispensed with all defensive armour except helmets and bucklers. When -approaching York, however, they suddenly perceived clouds of dust, -and, through the clouds, steel glittering in the sun. - -"Who are these men?" asked Hardrada, in surprise. - -"They must be Northumbrians," answered Tostig, "coming either to crave -friendship or to ask pardon." - -The Norwegians, however, had not advanced many paces, when Tostig was -disagreeably undeceived. The approaching mass grew more distinct, and -the sun revealed an army in battle order. - -"It is King Harold," said Tostig, scarce mustering voice sufficient to -speak the words. - -"Ride!" said Hardrada, turning to three of his horsemen--"ride! and, -with all haste, bring our warriors from the camp." - -The horsemen darted off with the speed of the wind; and Hardrada, -unfurling "The Ravager of the World," on the folds of which a vast -raven was depicted, ranged his men round the banner in a long, narrow -line, curved at the extremities. Pressing against each other, with -their spears planted in the ground, and the points turned against the -foe, the Norwegians stood ready for conflict; and their king, mounted -on his coal-black steed, his helmet glittering with gold, rode along -the line, singing, as was his wont on such occasions, extempore -verses, to excite the valour of his men. - -"Let us fight," he sang, "though without our cuirasses; let us forward -to the edge of blue steel. Our helmets shine in the sun. For brave men -that is enough." - -While Hardrada thus sang, about twenty mounted warriors--horses and -riders clad in steel--dashed out from the Saxon ranks. Approaching the -Norwegian lines, they suddenly halted, and intimated their wish to -hold a parley. - -"Where," cried one of them, "is Tostig, the son of Godwin?" - -"Here," answered Tostig, spurring forward his steed. - -"If thou art Tostig," said the Saxon, "thy brother greets thee by me, -and offers thee peace, with his friendship, and thine ancient -honours." - -"These are fine words," said Tostig, bitterly; "but if I accept your -offers, what shall be given to the noble King Hardrada, son of Sigurd, -my faithful ally?" - -"He," replied the Saxon, "shall have seven feet of English land, or a -little more, for his height exceeds that of other men." - -"Then," said Tostig, "go back and say to my brother that he may -prepare to fight; for none but liars will ever say that the son of -Godwin deserted the son of Sigurd." - -The parley ended; and the Saxon warriors rode back to their host. The -Norwegians and Saxons then closed in the shock of war, and the -conflict immediately became fierce and sanguinary. But, from the -first, the invaders had the worst of the encounter. With their huge -battle-axes, wielded with both hands, the Saxons rushed furiously on -their foes, cleaving down all opposition, and breaking the first rank -of the Norwegians. Hardrada, pierced with an arrow, fell in the heat -of the strife; and, as his gigantic form disappeared from the black -steed, the banner he had brought from Norway was trampled in the dust -and captured by the foe. - -No sooner did Hardrada fall than Tostig took command of the -Norwegians, and prepared to continue the strife. Harold, however, -paused in his assault, and sent once more to offer peace. But the -Norwegians would not listen to terms. - -"We will rather die," said they, "than owe our lives to those who have -killed our king." - -On receiving this answer, the Saxon king led on his men to the attack, -and fearful was the carnage that ensued. In vain did bands of the -Norwegians, roused in their camp by Hardrada's riders, hurry up to the -aid of their fast-falling comrades. Fatigued with their hasty march -under a burning sun, they fell in heaps before the axes of their foes. -Ere long, the struggle ceased: Tostig lay dead on the ground, and -around him the Norwegian chiefs who had followed their king to -minister to his vengeance. - -But, meanwhile, the Norwegians who had not passed the Derwent drew -together to make a desperate defence; and the Saxons advanced to -consummate their victory. This, however, proved no easy achievement. -In fact, the strength and resolution of one man long kept the Saxons -at bay. - -At that time the Derwent was crossed by a wooden bridge. Long and -furiously was this bridge contested; and when the Norwegians, yielding -to overwhelming press of numbers, retreated, one warrior, of tall -stature and mighty strength, remained to defy, single-handed, the -might of his foes. Armed with a battle-axe, which few men could have -wielded, he struck down every one who ventured within his reach; and, -when forty men had fallen by his hand, the boldest Saxons recoiled in -dismay from a foe who appeared armed with supernatural power. - -But at length the Norwegian was taken unawares. Perceiving the -certainty of death in attempting an encounter hand to hand, one of the -Saxons seized a long spear, leaped into a boat, and floated quietly -under the bridge. Availing himself of a favourable opportunity, the -Saxon dexterously thrust his spear through the planks right into the -Norwegian's body; and the huge champion, without even seeing his new -adversary, fell mortally wounded. Harold then became master of the -bridge, and led his soldiers to the Norwegian camp. - -Nothing that could be called resistance was now attempted. The -Norwegians had given way to despair; and when Harold, for the third -time, sent to offer peace, the proposal was gladly accepted. -Accordingly, a treaty was hastily concluded; and after Olaf, son of -Hardrada, had sworn friendship to the Saxon king, the Norwegians took -to their ships, and, with sad hearts, set sail for their northern -homes. - -The victory at Stamford Bridge placed much booty, and a considerable -quantity of gold, in the hands of the Saxons. All this Harold, as -king, claimed as his own; and deep was the discontent which the -avarice, or economy, of the son of Godwin, on this occasion, created -in the ranks of the victorious army. Many of the Anglo-Saxon chiefs -took mortal offence, and ridiculed the idea of serving a king who had -not sufficient generosity to share the spoil of a vanquished enemy -with those by whom the enemy had been vanquished. - -The discontent of the Anglo-Saxons was at its height, when Harold -suddenly became aware that he was in no position to lose friends and -adherents. The breezes in which his banners waved at Stamford Bridge -had filled the sails, and impelled to the English shores, the fleet of -an invader more formidable than the adventurous Hardrada. While Harold -the Saxon was wrangling with his earls and thanes in the city of York, -William the Norman had landed with his counts and vavasors, on the -coast of Sussex. - -Alarm now appeared on the face of every Saxon, and confusion added to -the discontent that pervaded Harold's ranks. But no time was to be -lost. Without even taking time to bury the slain, the Saxon king -turned his face southward. For many years after, the bones of the -slaughtered Norwegians whitened the scene of the battle of Stamford -Bridge; and, so late as the nineteenth century, swords, heads of -halberds, and horseshoes, have often been turned up, and excited -interest, as memorials of the day on which the great Hardrada was -overthrown, and the "Ravager of the World" trampled in the dust. - -[Illustration] - - - - -XV. - -PHILIP OF FRANCE. - - -While Duke William was preparing for the invasion of England, and the -nobles of Normandy were mustering their fighting men, and adventurous -warriors were flocking from all quarters, with eager anticipation, to -take part in the daring enterprise, he bethought him of repairing to -the court of France, with the object of enlisting the sympathies, and -securing the support, of the French king. - -Philip, the son of Henry, and great-grandson of Hugh Capet, was then a -boy of fourteen, and reigning under the guardianship of Baldwin, Count -of Flanders. He was residing at St. Germain when William appeared to -ask his aid and salute him with a degree of feudal deference seldom -shown by the Dukes of Normandy to the Capetian kings. - -"You are my seigneur," said William, addressing the young king; "and -if it please you to aid me, and I, by God's grace, obtain my rights -over England, I promise to do you homage for it, as though I held it -from you." - -"Well," answered Philip, "I will assemble my council of barons; for, -without their advice, I cannot decide an affair so important." - -A council was accordingly called, and the expediency of assisting -William was discussed; but the French barons, one and all, pronounced -strongly against rendering any aid. - -"You know," said they to the king, "how ill the Normans obey you now." - -"True," said Philip. - -"It will be worse if they possess England," said the barons. "Besides, -it would cost us a great deal to assist Duke William; and, if he fail -in his enterprise, the English will be our enemies for ever." - -The council, having determined on giving William no aid, rose; and -Philip, repairing to the Norman duke, communicated the decision. - -"My barons," said he, "are of opinion that they ought not, in any way, -to aid you in the conquest of England." - -"Are they?" exclaimed William, much disappointed. "Then, by the -splendour of God! I will show them that I can conquer England without -their help." - -"But," asked the boy-king, with a sneer, "who will take care of your -duchy while you are grasping at a crown?" - -"My duchy," answered William, fiercely, "shall not trouble my -neighbours. I have a spouse of prudence, who can take charge of my -duchy, and could take charge of much more, if it were necessary." - -And King Philip parted with his great subject, whom he was never -henceforth to think of but as a formidable foe. - -[Illustration] - - - - -XVI. - -[Illustration: The good ship Moira, William of Normandy, owner] - -THE NORMAN ARMAMENT. - - -All through the summer of 1066, while England was ringing with alarm, -Normandy was resounding with preparations; armourers were busy forging -weapons and coats of mail; shipwrights were occupied with the -construction of vessels; and men were continually employed carrying -arms from workshop to port. Everything, meantime, seemed to favour -William's project of conquest; and he fixed on a day about the middle -of August as the time for his departure. - -The mouth of the Dive was appointed as the rendezvous; and there, in -good time, William's mighty armament was ready for the enterprise. -Sixty thousand men came to the Norman standard; and the fleet -consisted of four hundred ships and a thousand other vessels, great -and small. For a month, however, the winds, proving adverse, detained -the fleet in port. An Anglo-Saxon was caught making observations, -taken into custody, and carried before William. - -"You are a spy," said the duke. - -The man, with William's terrible eye upon him, could not muster -courage to deny the charge. - -"Nevertheless," said the duke, "you shall see everything; though -Harold need not trouble himself to ascertain my force; for he shall -both see and feel it, ere the year has run its course." - -At length a southern breeze sprang up, and the Normans set sail. But -they soon found the impossibility of proceeding on their voyage. -Carried as far as the roadstead of St. Valery, at the mouth of the -Somme, they were under the necessity of landing and submitting to a -further delay. - -William's patience was now severely tried. The weather was stormy; -rain fell in torrents; some ships, shattered by the tempest, sank with -their crews; and the men began to lose heart. The fearful difficulties -that beset the enterprise forced themselves on every mind; and while -conversing with each other under their tents, dripping with water, -they talked of the ships that had been lost, and exaggerated the -number of the bodies cast ashore. - -"The man is mad who thus seeks to seize the land of another," said -some of the soldiers. - -"And, doubtless," suggested others, "God is offended with such -designs, and proves it by refusing us a favourable wind." - -Not unaware that such conversations were held, William became uneasy -and restless. He plied the men with strong drink to stimulate their -courage, and was frequently observed to enter the church of St. -Valery, to remain long in prayer, and to gaze anxiously, as he left -the building, at the weathercock that ornamented the belfry. - -On Tuesday, the 26th of September, while William was occupied with -somewhat sad thoughts, a brilliant idea crossed his brain, and filled -his heart with hope. Either prompted by sincere faith, or by a desire -to dissipate the gloom that hung over his mighty host, he caused a -coffer containing the bones of St. Valery to be taken from the church -and solemnly carried through the camp. The duke made rich offerings; -every soldier gave his mite; and the adventurers in a body joined in -prayer. This ceremony had the effect of calming superstitious fears; -and when next morning dawned, it seemed as if their prayers had been -answered and a miracle wrought; for the weather was fine, and the wind -was favourable. - -No time was now lost. At daybreak the sleepers were roused from their -repose; orders for immediate embarcation were given; the soldiers, -cheered by the change of weather, joyfully hastened on board; and the -mariners made ready to haul up their anchors and spread their sails. - -William's own ship--a gift of Matilda the duchess--was named the -Moira, commanded by a skipper of skill, known as Stephen, the son of -Gerard, and ornamented by a figure-head representing William Rufus, -then a little boy, with a bent bow in his hands. On the sails of -divers colours were painted the arms of Normandy, and at the masthead -flew the consecrated banner sent to William by the pope. Large -lanterns, fixed on poles, were intended to serve as a rallying-point -for the whole fleet. - -After much bustle and exertion, everything was in readiness for -sailing; and, William having embarked, the Moira, followed by fourteen -hundred vessels, great and small, made for the open sea, while a cheer -rose from sixty thousand tongues. The voyage was, on the whole, -prosperous. But the Moira, sailing much more swiftly than the other -ships, outstripped them during the day, and at night left them far -behind. In the morning William found to his dismay that his friends -were not to be seen. - -"Go to the masthead," said the duke, addressing Stephen; and the -skipper obeyed. - -"I see only sky and sea," said the skipper. - -"Never mind," said William, affecting a gay countenance; "cast anchor -till they come in sight." - -At the same time, to keep away fear and anxiety, he ordered a copious -repast, with spiced wines; and, this having been disposed of, he -caused the skipper again to go aloft. - -"What do you see now?" asked William. - -"Four vessels," answered the skipper. - -"Look again," said William. - -"Ah!" cried the skipper, "I see a forest of masts and sails." - -"Our fleet!" exclaimed William, joyfully; and ere long, the fourteen -hundred vessels having come up, the Moira was once more at their head, -and gallantly leading the way to the coast of Sussex. - -On that September day, the Norman fleet, without encountering the -slightest opposition, sailed into the Bay of Pevensey, and cast anchor -hard by that ancient castle, whose foundations were then washed by the -waves, though the sea is now a mile distant from its stately ruins. -The process of disembarking the troops was immediately commenced. -First landed the archers, clad in short coats, with their bows in -their hands; then the horsemen, in steel helmets and coats of mail, -with long lances and double-edged swords; and then the armourers, -smiths, carpenters, and pioneers. Everything was done in perfect -order, and with a degree of precision which must have pleased -William's eye. - -The duke was the last to land; and, as he did so, a slight accident -occurred, which some were inclined to regard as a presage of evil, but -to which, with his wonted tact, he contrived to give an interpretation -highly favourable to the fortunes of their enterprise. When his foot -touched the shore, he slipped and fell on his face, and a murmur -instantly arose. - -"God preserve us!" exclaimed some in horror. - -"This is a bad sign," cried others. - -"Lords, what is it you say?" exclaimed William, rising with a spring. -"Why are you amazed? See you not that I have taken seizin of this land -with my hands, and all that it contains is our own?" - -It is said that after landing, William ordered the ships forming his -fleet to be burned, that the Normans, seeing all hope of retreat cut -off, might be induced to fight the more desperately; and then he -marched towards Hastings. - -On a broad plain, between Pevensey and Hastings, the Normans pitched -their camp. Having erected two wooden castles, brought with them to -serve as receptacles for provisions during the campaign, or as places -of refuge in case of disaster, they sent out bodies of troops to -overrun the neighbourhood. The inhabitants, terrified at the approach -of foes whom they were utterly unprepared to meet, fled from their -dwellings to the churches; and the country seemed to lie so open, -that many of the invaders indulged in the anticipation of taking -possession without resistance. - -Far otherwise, however, was it ordered. In fact, the Anglo-Saxons were -rising from the Thames to the Tweed; and William soon received warning -from one of the Normans settled in England not to trust to -appearances. - -"Be upon your guard," was the message, "for in four days the son of -Godwin will be at the head of a hundred thousand men." - -The warning was well meant, but somewhat unnecessary. William was not -the man to be taken by surprise, as Hardrada had been. His camp was -carefully guarded; and his outposts, extending to a great distance, -kept watch night and day with unceasing vigilance. At length, on the -morning of Friday, the 13th of October, horsemen galloped into the -camp in such haste, that they had scarcely breath sufficient to -communicate their intelligence. - -"With what tidings come you?" asked the Normans eagerly. - -"With tidings," answered the horsemen, "that the Saxon king is -advancing furiously." - -[Illustration: Harold has news of William's landing.] - - - - -XVII. - -HAROLD'S HOST. - - -As Harold, after his victory over the Norwegians, left York to hasten -to London, he summoned the men of the provinces through which he -passed to arm in defence of their country. The Anglo-Saxons obeyed the -summons with the utmost possible celerity, and bands of armed men were -soon on their way to the capital. But Harold's conduct ruined all. -With a rashness of which even Tostig would hardly, under such -circumstances, have been guilty, he resolved to venture on a battle -before the great Anglo-Saxon nobles and their fighting-men came up; -and, accompanied by his brothers, Gurth and Leofwine, he left the -capital at the head of an army composed mainly of Kentishmen and -Londoners, utterly inferior both in numbers and discipline to the -force arrayed under the banner of his potent foe. - -Elate with the success of his arms at Stamford Bridge, and probably -deluding himself with the idea that he could conquer William as he had -conquered Hardrada, Harold marched with fierce rapidity till he was -within seven miles of the Norman camp. But convinced, at that stage, -of the impossibility of coming on William unawares, he changed his -tactics, halted near the village then known as Epiton, took possession -of some hilly ground, and fortified his position with ditches, -palisades, ramparts of slates, and willow hurdles. Thus strongly -intrenched, he resolved to stand on the defensive. - -Meanwhile, some spies, sent to make observations on the hostile army, -and bring intelligence of the disposition and force of the Normans, -returned to the camp, and gave their report. - -"There are more priests," said the spies, "in Duke William's camp, -than there are fighting men on the English side." - -"Ah," said Harold, with a smile, "you have mistaken warriors for -priests, because the Normans shave their beards, and wear their hair -short. Those whom you saw in such numbers are not priests, but brave -soldiers, who will soon show us what they are worth." - -"It seems to us," said some of the Saxon chiefs, on whom the report of -the spies, doubtless, was not without effect, "that we should act -prudently in avoiding a battle for the present, and retreating towards -London, ravaging the country as we go, and thus starving out the -foreigners." - -"I cannot ravage the country which has been committed to my care," -answered Harold. "By my faith, that were indeed treason; and I prefer -taking the chances of battle with my courage, my good cause, and the -few men I have." - -But ere long the Saxon chiefs had reason to doubt the goodness of -Harold's cause. While this conversation as to the expediency of a -retreat was taking place, a monk from William arrived with a message -for Harold, and found his way to the presence of the Saxon king. - -"William, Duke of Normandy," said the monk, addressing Harold, -"requires thee to do one of three things: either to surrender to him, -the crown of England; or to submit your quarrel to the arbitration of -the pope; or to refer its decision to the chances of a single combat." - -"And my answer," said Harold, briefly, "is, that I will not resign the -crown; I will not refer the matter to the pope; and a single combat I -will not fight." - -"Then," said the monk, solemnly, "Duke William denounces thee as -perjurer and liar; and all who support thee are excommunicated. The -papal bull is in the Norman tent." - -The mention of excommunication produced an instantaneous effect on the -Saxon chiefs, and they looked at each other like men suddenly seized -with superstitious terror. - -"This is a business of great danger," they murmured. - -"Whatever the danger may be, we ought to fight," said a thane; "for -here is not a question of receiving a new lord as if our king were -dead; the matter in hand is very different. William of Normandy has -given our lands to his barons and his people, most of whom have -already rendered him homage for them. They come not only to ruin us, -but to ruin our descendants also, and to take from us the country of -our ancestors." - -"It is true," cried the Saxons, recovering their courage. "Let us -neither make peace, truce, nor treaty with the invader." - -"Let us swear," cried all, "to drive out the Normans, or die in the -attempt." - -An oath was accordingly taken by the Saxon chiefs. But when their -enthusiasm evaporated, the thought of fighting for national existence -under the auspices of a man branded as "perjurer and liar" troubled -every conscience. Even Harold's brothers could not conceal their -uneasiness, and Gurth frankly and honestly expressed his sentiments. - -"Harold," said Gurth, "let me persuade you not to be present in the -battle, but to return to London and seek fresh reinforcements, while -we sustain the Norman's attack." - -"And why?" asked Harold. - -"Thou canst not deny," replied Gurth, "that, whether on compulsion or -willingly, thou hast sworn an oath to Duke William upon the relics of -saints. Why risk a combat with a perjury against thee? For us, who -have taken no oath, the war is just: we defend our country. Leave us, -then, to fight the battle. If we retreat, thou canst aid us; if we -fall, thou canst avenge us." - -"My duty," said Harold, "forbids me to remain apart while others risk -their lives." - -The night of Friday, the 13th of October, had now come, and by the -Saxons little doubt was entertained that the Norman duke would attack -them on the morrow. Nor was their anticipation incorrect. Indeed, -William had intimated to his army that next day would be a day of -battle; and, while the Norman warriors prepared their arms, Norman -monks and priests prayed, and chanted litanies, and confessed the -soldiers, and administered the sacrament. - -The Saxons passed the night in a far different and much less devout -manner. It seems that the 14th of October was the day of Harold's -nativity, and that the Saxons, eager to celebrate such an occasion, or -hailing it as a fair excuse for carousing, dedicated the night to -joviality. Around their fires wine and ale flowed in abundance, and -men, grouped in large circles, sang national ballads, and filled and -emptied horns and flagons with a reckless indifference to the -probability that next morning their ideas would be confused and their -nerves disordered. - -And thus, almost face to face with the Normans, and soon to be hand to -hand, the Saxons, under King Harold's standard, beheld the break of -that day on which, against fearful odds, they were to fight a battle -for the sovereignty of England. - -[Illustration: Battle Abbey, Hastings.] - - - - -XVIII. - -[Illustration: The Norman prelates blessing the troops.] - -THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS. - - -On the morning of Saturday, the 14th of October, 1066, the day of St. -Calixtus, William the Norman rose from his couch, and prepared to tear -the crown of Edward the Confessor from the head of Harold, son of -Godwin. - -Before forming into battle order, the Normans went through an -impressive religious ceremony. Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, and Geoffrey, -Bishop of Coutance, celebrated mass, and solemnly blessed the troops; -and then Odo, who was warrior as well as prelate, and wore a hauberk -under his rochet, mounted his tall white charger, and, with a baton of -command in his hand, aided to marshal the cavalry. - -The Norman army was ranged in three divisions. In the first were the -men of Boulogne, Ponthieu, and most of the continental adventurers, -whom the prospect of pay and plunder had brought to the invading -standard; in the second appeared the auxiliaries from Brittany, Maine, -and Poitou; while the third was composed of the high Norman chivalry, -and comprised hundreds of knights and nobles, whose names were -afterwards registered in the roll of Battle Abbey, and whose -descendants ranked among the mediæval magnates of England. Gallantly -they mounted--Fitzosborne and Warren, Gourney and Grantmesnil, Percy -and Peverill, Montgomery and Mortimer, Merley and Montfichet, Bruce, -Bigod, and Bohun, De Vere, De Vesci, De Clare, De La Val, and De -Roos--completely covered with linked mail, armed with lances and -swords, and with crosses or dragons and wolves painted on their -shields. - -But, while warriors were mounting, the proudest and grandest of these -barons attracted little attention. It was on the chief of that mighty -host that all eyes were turned--on the martial duke, under whose -auspices was now to be fought one of the greatest battles of the -world--a battle the result of which has ever since exercised no -unimportant influence on the destinies of the human race. - -William was now in his forty-third year, and time had left its traces -behind. But, bald as he was, and worn with the cares of four decades, -the Norman duke had all the vigour, energy, and martial enthusiasm of -youth. Never, perhaps, had he appeared more worthy of his high -fortunes than when, with some of the relics on which Harold had sworn, -around his neck, he stood in view of the great army of which he was -the soul. - -This display having served its purpose, William hastened to complete -the process of arming; and his squires, while handing him his hauberk, -in their haste presented him with the backpiece first. - -"This is an evil omen," said the lords around. - -"Tush!" exclaimed William, laughing their fears to scorn. "Methinks it -is rather a good omen: it betokens that the last shall be first--that -the duke will be a king." - -Having completely armed himself, with the exception of his helmet, -William intrusted his standard to Tonstain le Blanc, a young warrior, -and sprang upon his magnificent Spanish charger, which the King of -Castile had sent him as a gift. Thus armed, and thus mounted, with the -consecrated standard waving over his head, he raised his voice to -address his soldiers ere they marched upon the foe. - -"Normans and warriors," said the duke, "you are now about to encounter -your enemies. Fight your best, and spare not. What I gain, you gain; -if I conquer, you conquer; if I take the land, you will share it. We -shall all be rich. Know, however, that I came here not merely to take -that which is my due, but to revenge our whole nation for the felon -acts, perjuries, and treasons of these Saxons. In the night of St. -Brice they put to death the Danes, both men and women. Afterwards they -decimated the companions of my kinsman, Alfred, and put him to death. -On then, in God's name, and chastise them for all their misdeeds!" - -As William concluded his address, the Norman priests and monks retired -to a neighbouring hill to pray for victory; and the Norman warriors, -with a shout of "Dieu aide!" began their march to the Saxon camp. In a -short time they came in sight of the place where Harold and his men, -all on foot around their standard, and strongly posted, stood ready, -with their huge axes, to fight to the death. - -While such was the position of the hostile armies, a Norman minstrel, -named Taillefer, rendered himself prominently conspicuous. Giving the -spur to his horse, he rode out in front of the Norman array, and, in a -loud voice, raised the song of Charlemagne and Roland, then so famous -throughout Christendom. As he proceeded, he played with his sword, -tossing the weapon far into the air, and then catching it in his right -hand with wondrous dexterity; while the warriors behind vociferously -repeated the burthen of his song, and loudly shouted, "Dieu aide!" - -When the Normans approached the Saxon intrenchments, their archers -began the conflict by letting fly a shower of arrows, and the -crossbowmen discharged their bolts. But neither arrows nor bolts did -much execution. In fact, most of the shots were rendered useless by -the high parapets of the Saxon redoubts, and the archers and bowmen -found, with dismay, that their efforts were in vain. - -But the infantry, armed with spears, and the cavalry, with their long -lances, now advanced, and charging the gates of the redoubts, -endeavoured to force an entrance. The Saxons, however, forming a solid -mass, encountered their assailants with courage, and swinging with -both hands their heavy axes, broke lances into shivers, and cut -through coats of mail. - -It was in vain that the Normans forming the first division of -William's army perseveringly endeavoured to tear up the stakes and -penetrate the redoubts. Foiled and dispirited, archers and bowmen, -infantry and cavalry, fell back on that column where the duke, in -person, commanded. - -But William was not to be baffled. Spurring his Spanish charger in -among the archers, he ordered them to shoot, not straightforward, but -into the air, so that their arrows might fall into the enemy's camp. - -"See you not," said the duke, "that your shafts fall harmless against -the parapets? Shoot in the air. Let your arrows fall as if from the -heavens." - -The archers then, advancing in a body, profited by William's -suggestion; and so successful proved the manoeuvre, that many of the -Saxons, and, among others, King Harold, were wounded in the face. - -In the meantime, the Norman horse and foot renewed the attack with -shouts of "Notre Dame!" "Dieu aide!" and an impetuosity which seemed -to promise success. But if the attack was fierce, the resistance was -stubborn. Notwithstanding the execution done by arrows and bolts, and -their frightful wounds, Harold and his men fought with mighty courage. -Driven back from one of the gates to a deep ravine, which was -concealed by brushwood and long grass, the Normans found their -situation deplorable. Horses and men rolled over each other into the -ravine, perishing miserably; and, when William's Spanish charger was -killed under him, and the great war-chief for a moment disappeared, -alarm seized the invaders. - -"The duke is slain!" was the cry; and the Normans, giving way to -panic, commenced a retreat. - -"No!" exclaimed William, in a voice of thunder, as he disentangled -himself from his fallen steed; "I am here. Look at me. I still live, -and, with God's help, I will conquer." - -And taking off his helmet that he might be the more readily -recognised, William threw himself before the fugitives, and -threatening some, striking others with his lance, he barred their -passage, and ordered the cavalry to return to the attack. But every -effort to force the redoubts proved fruitless; still the charge of the -Normans was broken on the wall of shields; and, in spite of the -fearful odds against them, the Saxons still held gallantly out. - -It was now that William determined on a stratagem to lure the Saxons -from their intrenchments, and ordered a thousand horse to advance to -the redoubts and then retire. His command was skilfully obeyed; and -when the Saxons saw their enemies fly as if beaten, they lost the -coolness they had hitherto exhibited, and, with their axes hanging -from their necks, rushed furiously forth in pursuit. - -But brief indeed was their imaginary triumph. Suddenly the Normans -halted, faced about, and being joined by another body of cavalry, that -had watched the manoeuvre, turned fiercely upon the pursuers with -sword and lance, and quickly put them to the rout. - -Evening was now approaching; and William, availing himself of the -confusion and disorder which the success of his stratagem had created -among the Saxons, once more assailed the redoubts, and this time with -success. In rushed horse and foot, hewing down all who opposed them. -In vain the Saxons struggled desperately, overthrowing cavalry and -infantry, and continued the combat hand to hand and foot to foot. -Their numbers rapidly diminished; and at length the king and his two -brothers were left almost without aid to defend the standard. - -No hope now remained for the Saxons, and soon all was over. Harold, -previously wounded in the eye, fell to rise no more. Leofwine shared -his brother's fate and died by his side; and Gurth, courageously -facing the foe, maintained a contest single-handed against a host of -knightly adversaries. But William, pushing forward, mace in hand, -struck the Saxon hero a blow of irresistible violence, and Gurth fell -on the mangled corpses of his kinsmen and countrymen. - -Ere this the sun had set, and still the conflict was continued; and -the Saxons, vain as were their efforts, maintained an irregular -struggle till darkness rendered it impossible to know friend from foe, -except by the difference of language. The vanquished islanders then -fled in the direction of London. But when the moon rose, the victors -fiercely urged the pursuit. The Norman cavalry, flushed with triumph, -granted no quarter. Thousands of Saxons, dispersed and despairing, -fell by the weapons of pursuers, and thousands more died on the roads -of wounds and fatigue. - -Meanwhile, William ordered the consecrated standard to be set up where -that of the Saxons had fallen, and, pitching his tent on the field of -battle, passed that October night almost within hearing of the groans -of the dying. - -[Illustration] - - - - -XIX. - -THE BODY OF HAROLD. - - -No sooner did Sunday morning dawn than William, having first evinced -his gratitude to Heaven for the victory gained, applied himself to -ascertain the extent of his loss. Having vowed to erect on the field -of battle an abbey, to be dedicated to St. Martin, the patron saint of -the warriors of Gaul, the Conqueror drew up his troops, and called -over the names of all who had crossed the sea, from a list made at St. -Valery. - -While this roll was being called over, many of the wives and mothers -of the Saxons who had armed in the neighbourhood of Hastings to fight -for King Harold appeared on the field to search for and bury the -bodies of their husbands and sons. William immediately caused the -corpses of the men who had fallen on his side to be buried, and gave -the Saxons leave to do the same for their countrymen. - -[Illustration] - -For some time, however, no one had the courage to mention the -propriety of giving Christian burial to the Saxon king; and the body -of Harold lay on the field without being claimed or sought for. At -length Githa, the widow of Godwin, sent to ask the Conqueror's -permission to render the last honours to her son, but William sternly -refused. - -"The mother," said the messengers, "would even give the weight of the -body in gold." - -"Nevertheless," said William, "the man, false to his word and to his -religion, shall have no other sepulchre than the sands of the shore." - -William, however, relented. It happened that Harold had founded and -enriched the abbey of Waltham, and that the abbot felt himself in duty -bound to obtain Christian burial for such a benefactor. Accordingly he -deputed Osgod and Ailrik, two Saxon monks, to demand permission to -transfer the body of Harold to their church; and the Conqueror granted -the permission they asked. - -But Osgod and Ailrik found their mission somewhat difficult to fulfil. -So disfigured, in fact, were most of the dead with wounds and bruises, -that one could hardly be known from another. In vain the monks sought -among the mass of slain, stripped as they were of armour and clothing. -The monks of Waltham could not recognise the corpse of him whom they -sought, and, in their difficulty, they resolved to invoke female aid. - -At that time there was living, probably in retirement, a Saxon woman -known as Edith the Fair. This woman, who was remarkable for her -beauty, and especially for the gracefulness of her neck, which -chroniclers have compared to the swan's, had, before Harold's -coronation and his marriage with Aldith, been entertained by him as a -mistress; and, on being applied to, she consented to assist the monks -in their search. Better acquainted than they were with the features of -the man she had loved, Edith was successful in discovering the corpse. - -The body of Harold having thus--thanks to the zeal and exertions of -the monks--been found, was, with those of his brothers, Gurth and -Leofwine, placed at the disposal of their mother, the widowed Githa. -With her consent they were buried in the abbey of Waltham. The -Conqueror sent William Mallet, one of his knights, to see the corpse -honourably interred; and at the east end of the choir, in a tomb long -pointed out as that containing the remains of the Saxon king, were -inscribed the words-- - - "HAROLD INFELIX." - -"But here," says Sir Richard Baker, "Giraldus Cambrensis tells a -strange story, that Harold was not slain in the battle, but only -wounded and lost his left eye, and then escaped by flight to Chester, -where he afterwards led a holy anchorite's life in the cell of St. -James, fast by St. John's Church." - - - - -XX. - -[Illustration] - -THE CONQUEROR AND THE KENTISHMEN. - - -After his victory at Hastings, William remained for some time on the -field, waiting for the men of the country to appear at his camp and -make their submission. Finding, however, that nobody came, he marched -along the sea coast, took Dover, and then advanced by the great Roman -road towards London. - -While passing through Kent, the conquerors, for a time, pursued their -way without interruption. Suddenly, however, at a place where the -road, approaching the Thames, ran through a forest, they found their -passage disputed by a large body of Kentishmen. Each man carried in -his hand a green bough, and at a distance they presented the -appearance of a wood in motion. - -"This," said the Normans, crossing themselves, "is magic--the work of -Satan." - -On drawing near, however, the Kentishmen threw the green boughs to the -ground, raised their banner, and drew their swords; and William, aware -that the men of Kent were not foes to be despised, asked with what -intent they came against him in such a fashion. - -"We come," cried the men of Kent, "to fight for our liberty, and for -the laws we have enjoyed under King Edward." - -"Well," answered William, whose object it now was, if possible, to -conciliate, "ye shall have your ancient customs and your laws which ye -demand, so that ye acknowledge me king of England." - -The Kentishmen, on hearing this, consented to lay down their arms, -having concluded a treaty by which they agreed to offer no further -resistance, on condition that they should be as free as they had -before been. William sent forward five hundred horsemen towards -London; and learning that the citizens were likely to stand on their -defence, he resolved to turn towards the west, and passed the Thames -at Wallingford. - -On reaching Wallingford, which had been regarded by the Saxons as a -stronghold of the first importance, William was struck with the -capacity of the place, and eager to secure it as one of his -strongholds. On this point there was no difficulty. In fact, -Wallingford was in possession of a Saxon thane named Wigod, who had -neither the will nor the power to resist, but who had an only daughter -named Aldith, with no insuperable objection to become the bride of a -Norman knight. The Conqueror immediately provided the fair Aldith with -a husband, in the person of Robert D'Oyley, one of his favourite -warriors; and the marriage ceremony having been performed without any -unnecessary delay, D'Oyley was left, in the company of his bride and -his father-in-law, to make the castle as strong as possible; while the -Conqueror, marching to Berkhampstead, cut off all communication -between London and the north, and continued so to hem in the city that -the inhabitants became every day more apprehensive of being exposed to -the horrors of famine. - - - - -XXI. - -EDGAR ATHELING. - - -News of the Norman victory at Hastings speedily reached London; and -the city became the scene of commotion and debate. So strong, however, -appeared the necessity for doing something decisive, that men calmed -themselves to consider their position; and, by way of dealing with the -crisis, they resolved on placing the Confessor's crown on the head of -Edgar Atheling, the Confessor's kinsman, and the undoubted heir of the -Saxon kings. - -Atheling was grandson of Edmund Ironsides, and a native of Hungary. In -fact, it seems that when Canute the Dane, in 1017, made himself master -of England, he found in the kingdom two sons of Ironsides, who bore -the names of Edmund and Edward. Wishing, it is said, to have the Saxon -princes put to death, but apprehensive of the consequences of ordering -their execution, Canute sent them to the King of Sweden, with a -request that they might be secretly made away with. Not caring, -however, to have the blood of two innocent boys to answer for, the -royal Swede sent them to Hungary; and the king of that country, after -receiving them with reluctance, reared them with kindness. As time -passed on, Edmund died without heirs; but Edward, known as The Exile, -espousing Agatha, daughter of an Emperor of Germany, became father of -a handsome and fair-haired boy, known as Edgar Atheling, and two -girls, named Margaret and Christina. - -During the reigns of Harold Harefoot and Hardicanute, the son of -Ironsides remained forgotten in exile. But the Confessor, in his old -age, finding himself childless, and knowing that his end was drawing -nigh, turned his thoughts towards his expatriated kinsman, and -despatched Aldred, Archbishop of York, to escort the heir of Alfred -from the German court. The result was, that Edward the Exile, bringing -with him his wife and three children, returned to the country of his -ancestors, with high hopes of wearing the crown. But not long after -arriving in England he went the way of all flesh, leaving his son much -too young to assert his own rights, and without adherents sufficiently -influential to cope successfully with the wealthy and popular chief of -the House of Godwin. - -At the time when the Confessor drew his last breath, in the Painted -Chamber, Edgar Atheling was a boy of ten; and Harold had very little -difficulty in excluding him from the throne. It has been asserted, -indeed, that, from the earliest period, minors had been set aside, as -a matter of course, by the Saxon customs; and that the Atheling's -nonage positively disqualified him from wearing the crown. -Nevertheless, the youth, the beauty, the hereditary claims of the boy, -won him many friends; and he was much beloved by the people, who, in -their loyal affection, called him their darling. - -"He is young and handsome," said they, "and descended from the true -race, the best race of the country." - -It would seem that the Atheling's claims caused Harold considerable -uneasiness. In fact, historians state that the son of Godwin was kept -in constant dread "of anything being contrived against him in favour -of Edgar by those who had a great affection for the ancient royal -family." However, Harold, to keep them quiet, showed the boy great -respect, gave him the earldom of Oxford, and "took care of his -education," says one historian, "as if he would have it thought that -he intended to resign the crown to him when he should be of fit age to -govern." - -But whatever may have been Harold's motives or intentions, no sooner -did he fall at Hastings than the popular cry rose in Edgar's favour. -Opinions, however, were divided as to the person most worthy of being -king. Edwin and Morkar, the grandsons of Leofric, claimed the honour -for one of themselves; and men influenced by the papal bull, stood up -for Duke William. But both Stigand, Archbishop of Canterbury, and -Aldred, Archbishop of York, declared strongly for the Atheling; and at -length, after much hesitation and much dispute, the boy was publicly -proclaimed. - -Such was the stage at which affairs had arrived in London, when -William, from his camp at Berkhampstead, found a way of communicating -with Ansgar, the standard-bearer of the city, an officer whom, in -1051, he had seen at Edward's court; and when Ansgar, assembling the -chief citizens, without informing them of William's message to -himself, impressed upon them the expediency of negotiating with the -invaders. - -"Honourable brothers," said Ansgar, "our resources are nearly -exhausted. The city is threatened with assault, and no army comes to -our aid." - -"True," murmured the citizens. - -"Such," continued Ansgar, "is our situation; but when strength is -exhausted, when courage can do no more, artifice and stratagem still -remain. I advise you to resort to them." - -"In what way?" asked the citizens. - -"The enemy," answered Ansgar, "is not yet aware of our miserable -position: let us profit by that circumstance, and send them fair words -by a man capable of deceiving them, who will feign to convey your -submission, and, in sign of peace, will lay his hand in theirs if -required." - -"Yes," cried the citizens: "we will, in that case, be able to obtain a -suspension of hostilities, and protract negotiations until the arrival -of succours." - -After this scene, in which Ansgar skilfully acted his part, his -counsel was enthusiastically adopted. But the messenger sent to delude -William returned to London devoted to the Norman duke's cause, and -gave so flattering a report of the Conqueror, that the citizens became -eager to acknowledge such a man as King of England. The feeling proved -marvellously contagious, and London was soon under the influence of -one of those popular outbursts which nothing can resist. - -"What should be done?" asked Ansgar. - -"Let the keys of the city be carried to Duke William," was the answer. - -The warriors and prelates who surrounded Edgar Atheling were probably -somewhat surprised at this sudden resolution, and they were certainly -in no position to restrain or counteract it. They therefore yielded to -the current; and the young king, accompanied by the two archbishops, -Stigand and Aldred, by Wulstan, Bishop of Worcester, and by the chief -citizens, proceeded to Berkhampstead to make their submission. On -presenting themselves to the Conqueror they swore fidelity, gave -hostages, and received his promise to be gentle and clement. William -regarded the grandson of Ironsides with interest, kissed the boy -tenderly, and spoke to him with kindness. Doubtless, in the eye of a -prince of Edgar Atheling's age, a dog and a pony would have seemed -more to be desired than the crown and throne of England; nor can it be -said that, in after years, when his valour and his capacity had been -proved, he ever looked back with excessive regret to the crown he had -lost and the throne from which he had been excluded. - -[Illustration: Saxon Bondman (from Strutt).] - - - - -XXII. - -[Illustration: Commotion during the crowning of William.] - -CORONATION OF THE CONQUEROR. - - -After Edgar Atheling and the Saxon chiefs and prelates had made their -submission to the conqueror of Hastings, and given hostages for their -fidelity, William--having previously sent forward a strong body of -soldiers to construct a fortress in the heart of London--left -Berkhampstead, and marched towards the wealthy city on the Thames, ere -long to become the capital of England. - -It seemed as if the progress of the Normans would now be easy. Most -men of rank and worldly discretion, especially the bishops--whose -influence was strong--believed that the national cause could not be -maintained, and were inclined to support Duke William as a matter of -duty. - -"It is needful," men said to each other, "to fall in with the times, -and not to oppose the will of God, by whom the powers of the world are -raised up." - -But all Saxons did not take this view; and while the Normans were on -their way from Berkhampstead to London, an incident occurred which -gave William an idea of the hostile spirit by which many of the -natives were animated. On approaching the ancient abbey of St. Alban's -he found, with surprise, that numbers of huge trees had been cut down, -and so disposed as to intercept the march of his army. William -immediately sent for the abbot, whose name was Frithrik, and demanded -the reason of this attempt to intercept his passage. - -"Why," asked the Conqueror, "hast thou thus cut down thy woods?" - -"I have done my duty," answered the abbot, boldly; "and had all of my -order done the same, as they ought to have done, thou wouldst not have -advanced so far into our country." - -After having advanced near London, William, pondering the propriety of -assuming the crown, held a council of war, ostensibly to discuss the -means of promptly completing the conquest, but in reality to get -nearer the object on which his heart had so long been set. - -"It appears," said some of William's friends, addressing their chief, -"that, in order to mitigate resistance, it is politic that thou -shouldst assume the title of King of the English." - -"No," said William, feigning an indifference which he was far from -feeling; "I demand, at least, some delay. I have not come to England -for my own interest alone, but for that of the whole Norman nation. -And besides, if it be the will of God that I should become king, the -time has not yet arrived. Too many countries and too many men have yet -to be subjected." - -"Yes; it is not yet time to create a king," said the Norman nobles, -interpreting William's scruples literally. - -"This is too modest of Duke William," said Aimery de Thouars, a -captain of auxiliaries, rising and speaking with much energy. "It is -too modest of him to appeal to soldiers, whether or no they will have -their lord a king. Soldiers have nothing to do with questions of this -nature; and our discussions only serve to retard that which, as a -matter of feeling, we all so ardently desire." - -After the speech of Aimery de Thouars, the Norman nobles felt bound to -support the opinion he had expressed; and it was unanimously resolved -that William should be crowned before proceeding farther with the work -of the conquest. Accordingly, he entered London, took up his residence -at the Tower, and ordered the necessary preparations to be made for -the ceremony. - -Christmas was the day fixed for placing the Confessor's crown on the -Conqueror's head, and the church of Westminster was decorated for the -occasion. The Archbishop of Canterbury was invited to perform the -office; but Stigand declined. The Archbishop of York was then invited; -and Aldred consented. The Norman cavalry, posted around Westminster, -carefully watched over the safety of those who took part in the -ceremony; and William, walking between two ranks of soldiers, entered -the abbey, accompanied by two hundred and sixty of his counts and -captains. - -When everything was ready for the ceremony of coronation, Geoffrey, -Bishop of Coutance, and Aldred, Archbishop of York, ascended a -platform; and Geoffrey asked the Normans, and Aldred asked the -English, whether they would have William for their king. Those present -answered by acclamations so loud as to produce awkward results. The -Norman cavalry posted in the vicinity, mistaking the meaning of the -cries, and hastily concluding that a riot had taken place, drew their -swords, spurred towards the church, and, in their confusion, set fire -to some houses. The noise and tumult reaching the interior, caused -Normans and Saxons hastily to disperse, and William was left alone -with Aldred and the Saxon and Norman priests. The ceremony was, -however, completed; and William somewhat hastily took the oaths to -treat the Saxon people as well as the best king ever elected by them. - -Having planted the lion banner of Normandy on the Tower of London, and -portioned out the south and east of England among his followers, -William embarked at Pevensey to visit his continental dominions, -taking with him as hostages, Edgar Atheling and several Saxon chiefs, -and more gold and silver than could have been found in all Gaul. - -In Normandy he was received with boundless enthusiasm. Crowds flocked -from Rouen to the seashore to welcome his return. The Normans and the -French vied with each other in doing him honour. William's vanity was -gratified, and he displayed his munificence by presenting his guests -with the chased gold and silver plate, and the massive drinking-cups, -of which the Saxons had been despoiled. - -No one dared now to allude to his illegitimacy, or to mention his -grandsire, the tanner. William had, in fact, made himself the most -independent of European sovereigns; and even the great Hildebrand, -when exalted to the papal throne as Gregory the Seventh, in vain asked -for the oath of fealty. - -"I hold my kingdom of God and of my sword," was the stern answer of -the Conqueror. - -[Illustration] - - - - -XXIII. - -THE SIEGE OF EXETER. - - -After having seated himself on the throne of Edward the Confessor, and -attained the object of his ambition, William was not, perhaps, -unwilling to pursue a policy of clemency and conciliation towards the -Saxons. The Norman barons and knights might have been satisfied with -the lands of the Saxons who had fallen at Hastings. But the numerous -adventurers who had followed the Norman standard had yet to be gorged -with plunder. While the Conqueror was on the Continent, these men were -guilty of indiscreet severity; and the Saxons, unable to brook their -insolence, formed leagues, and vowed to assert their liberty or die in -its defence. - -Messengers, hastily despatched, carried to Rouen intelligence of the -state of affairs; and William in alarm hastened to Dieppe, and on a -cold December night embarked for England. On reaching London he found -that city in a ferment; and conscious that his military force was not -as yet sufficient to keep down a whole nation, he resorted to -artifice--called around him Saxon chiefs and prelates, promised all -they asked--celebrated, in their company, the festival of -Christmas--and having in this way gained over the leaders, addressed -to the populace a proclamation, couched in the Saxon language, and -engaging to maintain the laws of King Edward. - -After making these and other promises, never intended to be kept, -William left London, and proceeded westward, to pursue the work of -conquest. At Exeter, where Githa, the widow of Godwin and mother of -Harold, had resided since Hastings, the citizens, bent on resistance, -fortified their walls, repaired their towers, and, summoning fighting -men from the neighbouring country, indicated their determination to -bid the Conqueror defiance. - -Informed of the attitude assumed by the men of Exeter, William halted -at a place four miles distant from the city, and sent, summoning the -citizens to surrender and swear the oath of fidelity. - -"No," answered the citizens of Exeter; "we shall swear no oath of -fidelity to this pretended king, nor admit him within our walls. But -if he thinks proper to receive, by way of tribute, the impost we pay -to our kings, we will give it to him." - -"I require subjects," was William's scornful reply, "and I will have -them on no such conditions as are offered." - -Without further parley, William ordered his banner to advance -forthwith, and the Norman army speedily invested Exeter. Ere the -assault began, however, some of the chief men, in pursuance of a -secret negotiation, came to the king, demanded peace on terms of -surrender, and delivered hostages. But on returning within the walls, -the bulk of the citizens exclaimed against their treaty, kept the -gates closed, and stood to their arms. William, who was not to be -trifled with, caused one of the hostages to be brought in sight of the -ramparts, and had his eyes put out. But the determination of the -inhabitants was inflexible; and it was not till the siege had lasted -nearly three weeks, and till forty-eight houses were destroyed, that -their courage gave way, and they repaired to the Norman camp, in the -attitude of suppliants, with their priests bearing missals and sacred -vessels. - -Having gained possession of Exeter, William ordered a strong fortress -to be constructed out of the houses that had been destroyed during the -siege, and proceeded with the subjugation of the west; adding Somerset -and Gloucester to the conquered territory; dividing the land among his -warriors; and on almost every eminence erecting strong and gloomy -castles to keep the Saxons in awe. Recognising the importance of -Gloucester as a barrier against the incursions of the Welsh, William -fortified the north and south with embattled walls and gates, and -selected its castle for his residence in winter, as he had already -made the Tower of London his residence in summer, and the palace of -Winchester his residence in spring. - -Ere Exeter surrendered, Githa, the widow of Godwin, and a number of -other women, escaped to one of the islands of the Severn; then to -Bath; and from Bath gained the western coast, and embarked for -Flanders. Fortunate, comparatively speaking, were those who thus -betook themselves to exile. Cruel, indeed, if we are to believe -historians, was the fate of those who remained. While thanes of high -name and great descent were supplanted by men who had been weavers in -Flanders and drovers in Normandy, their wives and sisters were -degraded to the dust. - -"Ignoble grooms, the scum of armies," says the chronicler, "did as -they pleased with the noblest women, and left them nothing but to weep -and wish for death." - -[Illustration] - - - - -XXIV. - -[Illustration: Belfry at Bruges] - -MATILDA AND BRIHTRIK. - - -While William the Norman was occupied with the subjugation of the -west, Matilda of Flanders arrived in England to share her husband's -triumph. It was in the spring of 1068, after the siege of Exeter, that -Matilda, with her children, set foot on English ground. Her reception -was all that she could have desired. Her grace and majesty quite -charmed the people; and when, with great state, she was crowned at -Westminster, she was cheered enthusiastically. - -The popularity of Matilda arose from a belief that her counsels often -softened the heart of the Conqueror towards the Saxons, and disposed -him to clemency. Such was probably the case. On one occasion, however, -the royal lady manifested a most vindictive spirit, and exercised the -influence she possessed with her husband to avenge, in a signal -manner, a slight which she deemed had been put upon her in the days of -a somewhat wayward youth. - -It appears that when the daughter of Count Baldwin was a girl at -Bruges, with nothing particular to occupy her attention, a young and -noble Saxon, named Brihtrik, arrived at her father's court as -ambassador from Edward the Confessor, and brought with him the -reputation of being enormously rich. Matilda was then passing her time -in exchanging sharp sayings with her sister, Judith, going to mass -with her ladies of honour, working at the embroidery in which she had -such skill, and applying her fine intelligence to the studies which -rendered her one of the most accomplished of European princesses. -Captivated with Brihtrik's handsome person, long hair, and fair face, -and being at an age when ladies are supposed to fall in love without -profoundly calculating the consequences, the Flemish princess soon -found her heart full of a romantic kind of affection for the -interesting stranger. - -Brihtrik, however, does not appear to have evinced excessive joy at -his good fortune. In vain the daughter of Count Baldwin indulged in -dreams and in hints of uniting her fate with his. The Saxon lord, -either from having another bride in view, or not relishing the idea of -ladies taking the initiative in love, proved insensible to -allurements, and left the court of Bruges, and the beautiful Matilda, -without having given proof of anything like reciprocity of sentiment. - -Matilda was by no means gratified with Brihtrik's coolness. Indeed, -she would seem to have brooded over the memory of the Saxon for many -long years. In any case, when time passed over, and she became the -bride of William the Norman, Queen of England, and the mother of sons -destined to wear crowns and coronals, she had not forgotten Brihtrik -the Saxon. - -It is just probable that Brihtrik might not always have spoken of the -daughter of Count Baldwin with the discretion which he ought to have -exercised. When the alarm of invasion was agitating England, and the -name of Duke William was on every tongue, the Saxon, over his cups in -his own hall, or even in the palace of Westminster, might have been -tempted, under the influence of repeated potations, to speak too -freely of his early acquaintance with Matilda the duchess; and his -words might have been carried to the palace of Rouen. At all events, -she still sighed for vengeance on the man who had trifled with her -affections, or treated her advances with indifference. - -Matilda had an early opportunity of proving to Brihtrik that he had -not been forgiven. The possessions of Brihtrik, which included -Tewkesbury and Thornbury, lay in the south-west of England; and after -the taking of Exeter, the lands of the vanquished in that quarter were -divided among the conquerors. One of the first names inscribed on the -partition-roll was that of Matilda of Flanders; and her portion of the -plunder was all the land of Brihtrik the Saxon. But Matilda's -resentment was too deep to be satisfied with impoverishing Brihtrik; -and the potent queen still further avenged her outraged vanity by -imprisoning the object of her youthful love after she had plundered -him. - -Accordingly, Brihtrik, having been arrested at his manor-house, was -incarcerated in the castle of Winchester. In a dungeon of that -palatial stronghold, with misery for his mate, and precluded, -probably, from looking on the face of day, save through the iron bars -of a prison house, Brihtrik had the prospect of leisure to lament the -coolness of which he had been guilty towards the daughter of Count -Baldwin, and to curse the fate that had made the offended fair one the -spouse of a king and conqueror of England. - -But Brihtrik did not long survive the date of his incarceration. -Whether he died a natural death, or fell a victim to Matilda's -relentless vengeance, does not clearly appear. It is certain, however, -that the Saxon lord drew his last breath in prison, and that he was -buried with a degree of secrecy which suggested suspicions of foul -play. - - - - -XXV. - -[Illustration: William's march on Hexham] - -THE NORMANS IN NORTHUMBERLAND. - - -It was the autumn of 1068, and the south, east, and west of England -having yielded to the Conqueror, and been portioned out among his -adventurous followers, the theatre of English independence became -somewhat limited. William, however, had not yet reason to sigh for -another country to conquer. North of the Humber was a vast province, -where no Norman banner had yet waved, where no Norman horseshoe had -left its print, but where tall Danes and wealthy Saxons, who were -prepared to do battle fearlessly for their liberty, were leaving their -houses to sleep in tents, or in the open air, swearing never again to -repose beneath the shelter of a roof till they had freed their -country. - -At length, however, the Conqueror marched northward, and, advancing -upon York, slaughtered all who attempted resistance, and, sword in -hand, entered the capital of the north. Feeling that the struggle was -hopeless, many of the chief Northumbrians descended the Humber in -boats, and sought refuge on Scottish soil, there to watch events; and -William, after erecting a strong castle, and appointing William Malet -as Governor of York, returned southward. But the aspect of affairs -speedily became so alarming, that the king prepared for a second -expedition, and reached York at the very time when the citizens and -the inhabitants of the country had formed a league, and were besieging -the Norman fortress. Attacking them with his wonted energy, William -succeeded in killing or dispersing the insurgents, and, determined on -extending his sovereignty at least as far as Durham, he entrusted the -task of doing so to Robert Comine, whom he by anticipation created -earl of the county that was to be subdued. - -With an army of nine thousand men, twelve hundred of whom were -horsemen, Robert Comine ventured on his perilous enterprise. At first -all seemed to go prosperously; and he became quite confident when he -found himself approaching Durham without having seen the face of a -foe. At that point, however, he was met by Eghelwin, Bishop of Durham, -who hinted that there was danger in the way. - -"I advise you," said the bishop, "to be prudent and beware of a -surprise." - -"Who would attack me?" asked Comine, with contempt. "None of you, I -imagine, would dare to do so." And with these words the Norman warrior -rode into the city and took up his quarters in the bishop's palace, -while his troops encamped in the square. - -Everything, so far, seemed secure; but after nightfall a wonderful -change occurred. On every hill a signal-fire was lighted, and armed -men, gathering from the banks of the Tyne, assembled in great numbers, -and hastened towards Durham. By daybreak they were before the walls, -and, forcing the gates, they entered with a mighty rush, and fell -ferociously upon the Normans. Dismayed, but not yet despairing, Comine -attempted to rally his soldiers in the bishop's palace, erected -barricades, and showered arrows from the roofs; but every effort -proved vain. The Northumbrians, resolutely pressing on, set fire to -the episcopal mansion, and Comine and every man within the walls -perished in the flames. - -After this successful attempt at revolt, the Northumbrians summoned -allies to their side. They implored aid from the King of Denmark, and -they recalled the Saxons who had exiled themselves to the Scottish -frontier. Both responded with alacrity. A Danish fleet, sent by the -King of Denmark, under the command of his brother, entered the Humber; -and Edward Atheling, Siward Beorn, and Merlesweyn, and Waltheof, son -of the great Siward, who had all taken refuge in Scotland, hastened to -Durham. - -It was the autumn of 1069, when the Saxons and Danes, after uniting -their forces, marched upon York, the Saxons forming the van, the Danes -the main army. Messengers went before, announcing deliverance from the -invaders; and, ere long, the Normans were surprised to find the city -invested on all sides. For several days the garrison offered a brave -resistance, but on the eighth day--it was Saturday, the 19th of -September--the besiegers had made such progress that the Normans, -seeing that they must depend on their citadel, and fearing that the -neighbouring houses might be used as materials for filling up the -moats, set them on fire. The flames, leaping from house to house, made -rapid progress; and the Northumbrians and their Danish allies, guided -by the light, penetrated within the walls. - -The Normans now took to the citadel, and still hoped to save -themselves. The assault of the besiegers, however, proved -irresistible. The citadel was taken. A conflict of the most desperate -character took place: the Northumbrians and the Danes sought to excel -each other in deeds of valour; and thousands of Normans fell in the -sanguinary encounter. The victors granted quarter to William Malet and -his wife and children, who were conveyed on board the Danish fleet, -and then imprudently proceeded to destroy the fortifications erected -by the Normans, in order to efface all vestiges of the invasion. This -done, they raised the shout of triumph, and expressed their impatience -for the arrival of spring to march southward, and drive the conquerors -from the land. Meanwhile, as King of England, Edgar Atheling concluded -a treaty of alliance with the citizens of York, and had the -gratification of being recognised from the Humber to the Tweed. - -William was hunting in the Forest of Dean when he received -intelligence that the Northumbrians had killed Robert Comine at -Durham, and taken possession of York. The wrath of the Norman king -burned fiercely. - -"By the Divine splendour!" he exclaimed, "I will never again lay aside -my lance till I have slain all the Northumbrians;" and he prepared -forthwith to execute his threat. But, resolved to facilitate -operations by buying off the Danes, he sent messengers to the Danish -king's brother, with offers of a large sum of money; and the Dane, -yielding to temptation, agreed to take the bribe, and withdrew without -striking another blow. - -Having thus deprived the Northumbrians of their allies, William -assembled an army composed of picked soldiers, and, by forced marches, -suddenly appeared at York. The Northumbrians, taken by surprise, and -dispirited by the departure of the Danes, nevertheless girded -themselves up for the combat, resisted with the courage of despair, -and fell by thousands while attempting to oppose the Conqueror's -passage through the breaches of the walls. But long as was the -struggle, and dearly-purchased as was William's success, his victory -was complete. Edgar Atheling left as a fugitive the land of his -ancestors, and all who could, made their escape northward. - -Finding himself once more master of York, William determined to extend -his conquest to the Tweed. Cruelly and savagely the work was begun. -Precipitating themselves on Northumberland, the Normans wreaked their -fury on all that the land contained. Flocks and herds were massacred -as well as men; corn-fields were burned with the towns and hamlets -they surrounded; and the devastation seems to have been pursued on -such a scale as to render the country uninhabitable. Wasting, burning, -slaughtering as they went, the Normans at length reached Durham, which -in the previous year had witnessed the death of Robert Comine. - -When, one winter's day, news of the Conqueror's approach reached -Durham, the bishop and his clergy were well-nigh in despair. It was -the very depth of the season. Nevertheless, they resolved to be gone. - -"Let us fly," they cried, "to some place where neither Norman, nor -Burgundian, nor brigand, nor vagabond can reach us." - -Accordingly they set out for Holy Island, carrying with them the bones -of St. Cuthbert and all their moveables of value. They left, however, -a crucifix, richly adorned with gold and silver gems, which had, in -other days, been presented to the church by Tostig, the son of Godwin, -and his haughty countess, Judith of Flanders. This crucifix appears to -have been too heavy for the monks to carry. But they consoled -themselves with the idea that, instead of tempting sacrilege, it would -act as a protection to the church, and to the sick and infirm persons -who had crawled to seek refuge within the sacred precincts, and who, -overcome with pain, and misery, and fatigue, lay in crowds on the bare -stones. - -While the bishop and clergy were flying, William entered Durham, and -the Normans took possession of the city, without being disturbed in -their slumbers as Robert Comine had been. Indeed, resistance was now -scarcely thought of, even by the most desperate; and the conquering -army traversed Northumberland in all directions, killing the -unresisting. The sufferings of the inhabitants were fearful. Between -the Humber and the Tweed, more than a hundred thousand human beings -perished by famine and the sword; and many, bidding farewell for ever -to the fields and homesteads of their fathers, hurried northward, and -sought safety in the Merse and Lothian. - -But the expedition proved infinitely more fatiguing than any -previously undertaken by the conquerors. Their march was through -terrible roads, across rivers, and over hills covered with snow. On -reaching Hexham, William's army had suffered severely. Horses sank -never to rise again, and the riders complained of the hardships as -intolerable. One dark night William was horrified to learn that his -guides had missed their way, and that he was separated from his army. -The Conqueror found himself in the awkward predicament of being in a -strange and hostile country, with not more than six attendants. The -circumstance caused him some pensive reflection; and when, with the -aid of the morning light, he regained his army, it appeared that the -danger he had passed had produced considerable effect on his mind. - -On reaching Hexham, William halted; and ordering his captains to -overrun the country to the north and west, he returned to York, and -caused himself to be crowned in the northern capital. At the same time -he endeavoured to confirm his conquests by planting Norman warriors of -high rank throughout the territory that had been subjugated. William -de Warren, William de Percy, and others were gifted with manors and -villages in Yorkshire; William de Lacy obtained the great domain of -Pontefract; Robert de Brus was settled in Durham; Ralph Meschines took -possession of the mountainous district of Cumberland; Robert de -Umfraville had a grant of Prudhoe and Redesdale; William de Merley -obtained the lands of Morpeth, on which he and his heirs built the -castle of Morpeth and the abbey of Newminster; and Ivo de Vesci became -lord of Alnwick, and husband of the heiress of a Saxon chief who had -fallen at Hastings. All these Norman warriors erected strong castles, -manned the walls with foreign soldiers, and applied their energies to -keep down the Northumbrians. - -[Illustration] - - - - -XXVI. - -COSPATRICK AND THE CONQUEROR. - - -It would seem that William's taste of Northumberland during his -campaign made him pause and ponder. Perceiving the difficulty of -retaining such a district in subjection against the inclination of the -inhabitants, he recognised the policy of conciliation. Under such -circumstances he bethought him of the claims of a Saxon of illustrious -birth, whom the Northumbrians regarded with pride as the heir of their -ancient earls. - -At the time when Harold reigned at Westminster, when Tostig was -tempting the King of Norway to invade England, and when William the -Norman was preparing that mighty armament the accounts of which filled -the minds of the Saxons with dismay and alarm, without rousing them to -preparations for a patriotic resistance, there might have been seen, -in the north of England, riding somewhat discontentedly to the -Northumbrian earl's court at York, or stalking about the woods of -Raby, with a spear in his right hand, a hawk on his left wrist, and -greyhounds running at his heels, a young man with fair face and blue -eyes, whose dress was the short garment, reaching to mid-knee, of the -Normans, but whose moustache, long hair, and speech, strongly -tinctured with the "burr" which the Danes introduced into -Northumberland, indicated, in a manner not to be mistaken, his -genuinely English birth. He was a Saxon thane of high consideration, -and was known as Cospatrick. Frank and hasty was this personage, ever -too ready to trust foes and to quarrel with friends; but with all his -faults, he was destined to play in his own day a conspicuous part in -the affairs of struggling England north of the Humber, and to figure -in history as male ancestor of the two mighty mediæval families of -Neville and Dunbar. - -The father of Cospatrick was Malred, the son of Crinian; and his -mother was Algitha, daughter of the great Uchtred, Earl of -Northumberland. Moreover, the blood of the Saxon kings ran in -Cospatrick's veins; for Uchtred had married Elfgiva, King Ethelred's -daughter; and of that marriage Algitha was the issue. It was natural -that, with such a pedigree, Cospatrick should be somewhat -discontented; that he should look with discontent on the domination of -the House of Godwin; that, as grandson of Uchtred, he should grow -indignant at the sight of Tostig figuring as Earl of Northumberland; -that, as great-grandson of Ethelred, he should boil with indignation -at the sight of Harold on the throne of his young kinsman, the -Atheling. - -It is necessary, in order to comprehend the course taken by the great -Anglo-Saxon Houses at the time of the Conquest, to remember that the -members of Godwin's House appeared to them wholly different beings -from the personages represented to our generation by the writers of -romantic histories and historic romances. Almost every one of them -stood charged with some fearful crime. Edric Streone was the worst of -ingrates and traitors. Godwin had on his hands the blood of the young -Alfred. Sweyn had debauched a nun and assassinated a kinsman. Harold -had the weight of perjury and usurpation on his soul. Tostig's name -was associated with bloodshed, savagery, and treason. Even Edith, the -queen, was not free from reproach. Chroniclers tell how, on the fourth -night of Christmas, 1065, while the Confessor was on his death-bed, -starting restlessly from dreams of woe and terror, Edith, for love of -her brother, Tostig, caused some Northumbrians, who were dependents of -Cospatrick, to be murdered in the king's court. - -Such being the idea entertained of the House of Godwin, Cospatrick was -probably in no mood to pray for the usurpation of Harold being -attended with success. More probably, indeed, the Saxon magnate, rich, -potent, ambitious, and surrounded, in his halls at Raby, by a huge -household of warriors, coerles, serfs, and adherents of every -description, who fed at his board, lived on his hospitality, and -ministered to his pride, reflected with bitterness on being excluded -from the government of that magnificent province, which from infancy -he had been taught to regard as his birthright, and only awaited a -favourable opportunity to enforce his hereditary claim to these fair -domains. - -Thus it came to pass, that when the enterprise of the Normans so -prospered, that the Saxon prelates and chiefs carried Edgar Atheling -to Berkhampstead, Cospatrick claimed the earldom of Northumberland, as -heir of Uchtred. William the Conqueror, however, proved as -unaccommodating as Harold the Usurper had been; and Cospatrick not -only saw the government of Northumberland bestowed upon another, but -found that he was no longer safe on the south of the Tweed. - -However, when William perceived the necessity for cultivating the -good-will of the Northumbrians, he entered into negotiations with -Cospatrick, and indicated his readiness to come to terms. A bargain -was soon struck between the Conqueror and the grandson of Uchtred. -Cospatrick paid William a large sum of money, and William invested -Cospatrick with the earldom of Northumberland. - -[Illustration] - - - - -XXVII. - -SAXON SAINTS AND NORMAN SOLDIERS. - - -At the time when William the Conqueror was north of the Humber; when -the Normans were ruthlessly ravaging Northumberland with fire and -sword; when the bishop and clergy of Durham were carrying off the body -of St. Cuthbert to Holy Island; and when the invaders were -slaughtering man and beast without a thought of mercy, one spot of -ground escaped, as if by miracle, from devastation, and remained -cultivated and covered with buildings, when every other part of the -country around was laid waste or given to the flames. The land thus -miraculously saved from the spoiler's hand lay around, and belonged -to, the church of St. John of Beverley. - -It appears that, in 1070, when the Normans were encamped about seven -miles from Beverley, many Northumbrians, in utter despair of resisting -the invaders with the slightest success, remembered, in the hour of -darkness, that St. John of Beverley was a saint of Saxon race, and, in -accordance with the ideas prevalent at the time, believed he was -potent enough to afford them protection. Alarmed beyond measure at the -approach of the Conqueror, and at the accounts of atrocities -perpetrated by the victorious Normans, many women of rank whose -husbands and brothers had fallen, and old men on the verge of the -grave, taking with them their most valuable property, gathered to the -church of Beverley, and prostrating themselves at the shrine of St. -John, prayed to their canonized countryman, "that he, remembering in -heaven he was born a Saxon, might protect them and their property from -the fury of the foreigners." Having thus committed themselves to the -care of St. John, the refugees awaited the issue, with fear and -trembling indeed, but not without hope of salvation. - -In the meantime, there reached the Norman camp tidings that many -Northumbrians of great riches had sought shelter in the church of -Beverley, and that most of the wealth of the neighbourhood had been -lodged in safety within the walls. This report roused the avarice of -the invaders; nor did any thought of the sacred character of the -edifice, or of the saint to whom it was dedicated, restrain their -aspirations after plunder. Whatever an Umfraville or a Merley might -think of sacrilege, the crime was one which the majority of the -conquerors lightly regarded. Every consideration, however holy, -vanished in presence of the temptation presented by the prospect of -booty; and the warriors of the Conquest had as little hesitation in -robbing a church as in plundering a henhouse. - -Among the military adventurers encamped near Beverley was a soldier -named Toustain. This man, who seems to have had neither scruples nor -fears, on hearing that spoil was to be easily come by, immediately -resolved on a foray. Buckling on his mail, calling out his men, and -mounting his horse, Toustain, at the head of his troops, rode from the -camp, and dashed across the country to Beverley, eager to commence the -work of pillage, and only uneasy at the possibility of any one being -before him. - -But Toustain was destined to disappointment. Entering Beverley with -his band at his back, he rode on, and pursued his way towards the -church without encountering resistance, and found that the people had -taken refuge and crowded together in the cemetery. Giving his horse -the spur, Toustain leaped the wall; and running his keen eye along the -crowd, he was attracted by an old man, whose attire was of the richest -description. - -The individual on whose figure the eye of Toustain thus rested was an -aged thane--so advanced in years, indeed, that he probably remembered -the days of Earl Uchtred. With his long, loose robe, long white hair, -and long white moustache, the aspect of the man was venerable and -striking. But what attracted Toustain's attention was not the white -beard, nor the long robes, but the bracelets with which, according to -the custom of the country, the arms of the aged thane were loaded. In -fact, the sight of the bracelets caused Toustain's eye to gleam with -avarice; and drawing his sword, he spurred forward with the intention -of making them his own. - -But, according to the proverb, there is much between the cup and the -lip; and the truth of this Toustain now found to his cost. Terrified -at the Norman's drawn blade and menacing manner, the old thane -tottered hastily to the church, to place himself under the protection -of the patron saint of the place; and Toustain, who had no more -respect for the Saxon saint than for those who invoked his aid, -pursued sword in hand. Scarcely, however, had the Norman, with avarice -at his heart and blasphemy on his lips, spurred through the doorway, -when his horse, touching the pavement, slipped, lost its footing, and -fell, bearing its rider to the ground with a crash which seemed -sufficient to break every bone in his body. - -On seeing their leader fall, and lie as if dead, the Norman soldiers -were seized with superstitious terror. It seemed as if the Saxon saint -had, in his wrath, struck Toustain down. Hurriedly turning their -horses' heads, they left Beverley at a gallop, hastened in terror to -their camp, and related to the companions of their enterprise the -terrible example which St. John of Beverley had just given of his -power. The accident produced a lasting effect on the invading army; -and when the Normans again marched to slay and plunder, not one -soldier in their ranks was daring enough to expose himself to -supernatural vengeance by molesting any person under the protection of -St. John of Beverley. - -[Illustration] - - - - -XXVIII. - -THE REDUCTION OF CHESTER. - - -While the conquerors of Northumberland passed the winter of 1070 at -York, and rested from the fatigues they had undergone in their -campaign north of the Humber, William occupied his mind with schemes -for the reduction of the country around Chester--"the one great city -of England that had not yet heard the tramp of the foreigners' -horses." When winter passed, and spring began to bring back the grass -to the fields and leaves to the trees, the Norman king intimated his -intention of setting out on the important expedition. - -But the effect produced by William's orders, that war-steeds should be -saddled, and warriors should mount, to encounter new perils, was such -as he could hardly have anticipated. Loud murmurs immediately arose in -the army, especially among the auxiliaries from Anjou and Brittany. -Exaggerated accounts of the ruggedness of the province of Chester and -of the ferocity of the inhabitants circulated through the camp; and -the terrible hardships suffered in Northumberland utterly disinclined -the soldiers for a campaign on the banks of the Dee. - -"This service," said they, "is more intolerable than slavery. We -demand leave to return to our homes." - -"Wait awhile," said William, coaxingly: "after victory I promise you -repose; and with repose, great estates, as the reward of your -exertions." - -After some difficulty the murmurs of the Normans were silenced; and -William, leading his army over the intervening mountains by paths till -then deemed impracticable for cavalry, entered the city of Chester as -a conqueror. Having erected a strong castle to keep the natives in -awe, he gave the command of the province to a Fleming, named Gherbaud, -with the title of Earl of Chester. - -Elate, doubtless, with his good fortune, Gherbaud entered on his -duties with vigour. His ardour, however, was speedily damped. It -appeared that the accounts of the ferocity of the men of Chester that -had reached York were not altogether without foundation. The English -and Welsh, hitherto sworn foes, and continually at strife, seemed to -vie with each other in their attacks on the invaders. Harassed on -every hand, and exposed to continual anxiety and peril, Gherbaud grew -tired of Chester, abandoned his earldom, and intensely disgusted with -his taste of the conquered country, retired to Flanders. - -It now appeared necessary to place the earldom of Chester in the hands -of a man who, while gifted with the governing faculty, could laugh at -danger, and fatigue, and ferocious foes. Accordingly, William, duly -weighing the circumstances of the case, conferred the post of danger -on that feudal personage who figures in the history of the period as -Hugh d'Avranches, and who, from bearing a wolf's head painted on his -shield, was familiarly known among his contemporaries as Hugh le Loup. - -Hugh le Loup was son of Richard Gosse, and, on the mother's side, -stood to William in the relationship of nephew. Full of courage and -ambition, he shrunk neither from the perils nor the toils that had -disgusted and dismayed Gherbaud. Passing the Dee with his two -lieutenants, Robert de Malpas and Robert d'Avranches, Hugh conquered -Flintshire, and built a castle at Rhuddlan, which was occupied by -Robert d'Avranches; while Robert de Malpas having built a castle on a -high hill, gave the place his name, which it still bears. Both of -these warriors exhibited high courage, carried on a fierce war with -the natives, and fought sanguinary battles, in which they dyed their -spears in Welsh blood. - -When Hugh le Loup found himself installed as Earl of Chester, but -surrounded on all sides by implacable foes, he naturally felt desirous -of having some of his countrymen at hand to share his fortunes. With -this view he sent to Normandy for an old friend, named Nigel, who -brought with him five brothers, to whom Hugh granted lands in the -earldom of Chester. Besides appointing Nigel Constable and Hereditary -Marshal of Chester, Hugh granted him the town of Halton, near the -Mersey, and all four-legged beasts of more than one colour taken from -the Welsh, besides other privileges; and the five brothers were all -provided for. One was gifted with the office of Constable of Halton, -and the lands of Weston and Ashton, with all the bulls taken from the -Welsh, and the best ox for the man-at-arms who carried his banner; the -second of the brothers received as much land as an ox could plough in -two days; the third, who was a priest, was gifted with the church of -Runcorn; and two others became lords of a domain in that village. - -About the time that Hugh le Loup was consolidating his power in -Chester, Gilbert de Lacy, to whom William had granted the magnificent -domain of Pontefract, passed the mountains west of York, advancing -boldly into the county of Lancaster, which then formed part of -Chester. Gilbert took possession of this immense territory, extending -south and east to the borders of Yorkshire, forcibly expelled the -ancient proprietors, and constituted himself lord of the towns of -Blackburn and Rochdale, and all the land which he overran. - -[Illustration: Flint Castle, on the Estuary of the Dee] - - - - -XXIX. - -[Illustration: Ruins of the Forum at Rome] - -LANFRANC OF PAVIA. - - -About Easter, 1070, three ecclesiastics of high rank, sent by the -Pope, at King William's request, arrived in England in the capacity of -legates. One was bishop of Sion, the other two were cardinals, and -their errand was to set the Church of England in order. After being -received by William with great honour, and magnificently entertained -in the castle of Winchester, the legates convoked a great assembly of -Norman priests and warriors, and summoned to it the Anglo-Saxon -prelates and abbots. Having opened the business of the assembly by -solemnly placing the Confessor's crown on the Conqueror's head, they -proceeded to the discharge of their harsh duties, and pronounced -sentence of deposition on many abbots and prelates. - -Among those who were deposed, the most important, from his position -and influence, was Robert Stigand, Archbishop of Canterbury. The -difficulty of finding a proper successor to Stigand was not -overlooked. Without delay, the legates prepared to bestow the -archbishopric of Canterbury on Lanfranc of Pavia, one of the greatest -scholars and most remarkable men of the century in which he lived. - -Lanfranc was a native of the city of Pavia, and a man of gentle blood. -A scholar by nature, he early applied himself to those studies which -enabled him to figure as the leader of the intellectual movement of -the age. It has been said that, "to comprehend the extent of his -talents, one must be Herodian in grammar, Aristotle in dialectics, -Cicero in rhetoric, Augustine and Jerome in scriptural lore." - -Becoming a monk of Bec-Hellouin, Lanfranc rapidly raised that humble -monastery to the dignity of a university, and came to be acknowledged -as the great teacher of Latin Christendom. So signal was his success, -and so high his reputation, that, from the remotest parts of Western -Europe, and even from Greece, students resorted to Bec-Hellouin as to -a new Athens. - -While at Bec-Hellouin, Lanfranc had the gratification to gain the -confidence of William the Norman, and he became zealously attached to -the ambitious duke's fortunes. But a serious difference arose. -Lanfranc happened to set himself in opposition to William's marriage -with Matilda of Flanders, as being within the degrees of relationship -prohibited by the Church; and as, in regard to this affair, the duke -would brook no contradiction, the priest of Pavia was commanded to -depart. It is related that William, to speed Lanfranc on his way back -to his native land, sent him a horse so lame of one foot, that it -might be said to go on three legs, and that Lanfranc, meeting William -on the road, begged at least to have a quadruped, and not a tripod, -for his journey. But however that may have been, Lanfranc found his -way to Rome, and placed himself under the wing of the Pope. - -Once at Rome, Lanfranc began carefully to examine the case of -William's relationship to Matilda in all its bearings. Ere long, his -opinion as to its merits underwent a change. After examining canon and -precedent, he arrived at the conclusion that, though the letter of the -law was against the union of the duke and the Flemish princess, yet -that the alliance came under the category of those to which the Church -should accord dispensation. Having convinced himself on this point, -Lanfranc exerted his efforts earnestly as William's advocate, and -though dealing with a Pope decidedly averse to the marriage, he -managed matters so skilfully as to obtain a formal dispensation, which -not only restored him to the Norman duke's good opinion, but gave him -a higher place in the martial magnate's favour than he before -occupied. - -Removed from the cloisters of Bec-Hellouin to figure as Abbot of Caen, -Lanfranc became the soul of William's councils and his plenipotentiary -at Rome. He it was who, in that capacity, brought to a successful -issue the negotiations regarding the invasion of England. - -When the papal legate proposed Lanfranc as Stigand's successor in the -archbishopric of Canterbury, William gladly approved of the selection. -Lanfranc was then at Caen. No time, however, was lost in sending him -to England. Matilda hastened his departure; and his arrival was -celebrated by the Normans with joy. "He is," said they, "an institutor -sent from God to reform the habits of the English." - -The gratification which the elevation of Lanfranc caused was not -confined to the conquerors of Neustria and England. The Pope evinced -his high satisfaction by sending his own pallium to the new -archbishop, with an epistle worded in the most complimentary strain. - -"I long to see your face," wrote the Pontiff, "and am only consoled -for your absence by reflecting on the happy fruits which England will -derive from your care." - -When Lanfranc made his entry into Canterbury, the condition to which -the church was reduced filled his heart with sadness. During the -Conquest the edifice had met with rough treatment. It had been -pillaged, despoiled of its ornaments, and even set on fire, and the -high altar was half buried beneath a heap of rubbish. - -It was not difficult for a man of Lanfranc's influence to repair the -church; but there was a grave question, whether Canterbury or York -should possess the primacy of England, which had long furnished matter -for dispute. It was a serious controversy, and one from which Lanfranc -felt that it would ill become him to shrink. - -By this time the Saxon Alred, bowed down with sorrow, had gone where -the weary are at rest, and Thomas, one of William's Norman chaplains, -figured as Archbishop of York. Thomas was naturally reluctant to give -up his claims; and some of the earlier evidences were so ambiguous, -that he had a fair excuse for being pertinacious. After a long -process, however, Lanfranc established his claim to the primacy; -became, as such, first member of the Grand Council of State, and by -his success established the great principle, "that whatever rights had -legally subsisted before the Conquest were to be preserved and -maintained, unaffected by the accession of a new dynasty." - -After thus being recognised as primate, Lanfranc was hailed as, "by -the grace of God, father of all the churches," and as such undertook a -task of great delicacy. Owing to the ignorance of Anglo-Saxon -transcribers, the text of the biblical books had become much -corrupted; and Lanfranc employed himself in a new edition of the Holy -Scriptures, diligently occupying himself with the work, and executing -much of it with his own hand. The Saxons, incapable of comprehending -the necessity that existed for such revision, raised a cry that the -primate was falsifying the sacred books. But Lanfranc went on with his -labours, and without heeding the hostile attitude assumed towards him -by the vanquished islanders, was ever zealous in standing up for their -rights. He endeavoured to enact the part of a father to the conquered -populace; he devoted his whole energies to the service of his adopted -country, and he ever rejoiced in the name of Englishman. - -[Illustration] - - - - -XXX. - -[Illustration: Edwin, Earl of Mercia, and the daughters of the -Conqueror.] - -EDWIN AND MORKAR. - - -While Lanfranc was, as Archbishop of Canterbury, establishing his -claims to the primacy of England, the year 1071 witnessed the utter -ruin of that great Saxon House of which, in the days of Edward the -Confessor, Leofric, Earl of Mercia, had been the head. - -Edwin and Morkar, the sons of Algar, and grandsons of Leofric and -Godiva, were fair to look upon and pleasant to converse with. They -were proud, indeed, but their pride did not detract from their -popularity. The people rather thought it became them; for it was well -known that, while the immediate forefathers of most Saxon thanes had -held the plough or enriched themselves by trade, the Mercian earls -could justly boast of a long pedigree. Leofric, the husband of Godiva, -was sixth in descent from his renowned ancestor of the same name; and -his heirs were all the prouder of the circumstance, that their -position had been maintained with honour and dignity, while other -families, yielding to wars, revolutions, and confiscations, had ceased -to exist or degenerated into ceorles. - -Edwin, Earl of Mercia, was considered the handsomest man of his age. -With the earldom of Leofric, he had inherited the beauty of Godiva. -His frank features, valiant spirit, and engaging manners made him a -great favourite with men; and few women, whether peasant girls or -princesses, could look without admiration upon his fair face, blue -eyes, handsome figure, and the long light hair that flowed over his -manly shoulders. - -Edwin and Morkar had taken no part in the battle of Hastings. That, -however, was no fault of theirs, for Harold, rashly as it would seem, -had left London to encounter the Normans before his brothers-in-law -could possibly bring up the men of the north to his aid. On reaching -London they heard of his defeat and fall. - -The idea of aspiring to the vacant throne was not unnatural to men -situated as Edwin and Morkar were. They accordingly appeared as -candidates for the difficult post of King of England. What might have -been the result if one of them had been elected it would be useless to -speculate. Sufficient it is to say that the adherents of Edgar -Atheling were too resolute to be influenced and too numerous to be -overawed. Finding their claims disregarded, Edwin and Morkar took -their sister Aldith, the widow of Harold, from the palace of -Westminster, escorted her to Chester, and then repaired to York with -some dream of separating the northern provinces from the rest of -England, and defending them to the death against the Norman invaders. - -Events speedily opened the eyes of the northern earls to the absurdity -of their project. Almost every day brought to York such intelligence -as convinced them that they were pursuing an impolitic course; and -when they learned that William the Norman had obtained possession of -London and the Confessor's crown, they deemed it prudent to hasten -southward to present themselves to the Conqueror, to profess their -friendship, and offer their allegiance. - -William, well understanding the importance of being recognised as king -by such men as Edwin and Morkar, treated the sons of Algar with -distinction. Moreover, to insure the fidelity of the two brothers, -William promised Edwin one of his daughters in marriage; and, -fascinated by the prospects opened up to their view, they remained -quietly and submissively at the Conqueror's court. It does not appear -to have occurred to them that they were regarded in the light either -of captives or of hostages. - -As months passed on, however, and William, anxious to display himself -on the Continent in his new character, prepared to embark at Pevensey -for Normandy, Edwin and Morkar suddenly learned their real position. -The Conqueror peremptorily commanded the attendance of the two Saxon -earls, and they were fain to obey. But it was with sullen reluctance; -and when, after having been duly admired and criticised by the dames -and damsels at the court of Rouen, they returned to England, it was -with a determination to break their chains without delay. - -Matters were soon brought to a crisis. Edwin reminded William of the -promise of his daughter's hand, and demanded her in marriage. William -made a reply which sounded like a refusal, and seemed to savour of -insult. The Saxon earl tossed back his head with an air of defiance, -as if to indicate his opinion that the granddaughter of Arlette would -have been highly honoured by becoming the wife of the grandson of -Godiva. Soon after, it was publicly known that Edwin and Morkar, -having escaped from the court, had departed for the north; and the -prayers of the people accompanied them in their flight, while monks -and priests offered up fervent orisons for their safety and success. - -The prayers and orisons, however, cannot be said to have proved of -much avail. The enterprise of Edwin and Morkar resulted in failure; -the Saxon earls were fain to retreat to the borders of Scotland; and -events ere long seeming to render the Saxon cause hopeless, the -chiefs, after William's coronation at York, lost heart and hope, and -consented to capitulate. On the banks of the Tees, where William was -encamped, a formal reconciliation took place. Edwin and Morkar, with -other Saxons of high name, made their peace with the Conqueror, and -with a sigh for the freedom they left behind, returned to his court. - -Brief, however, was the residence of the Saxon earls in the halls of -the Norman king. In fact, the deposition of the Saxon bishops, and the -sufferings they had to endure, fired the soul of every Saxon with -fierce indignation. A mighty conspiracy was formed, with ramifications -over all England; and men, driven to the last stage of despair, -determined to establish an extensive armed station. - -At that time the district to the north of Cambridgeshire, of which Ely -and Croyland formed part, was almost a moving bog, intersected by -rivers, overgrown with rushes and willows, clouded with fogs and -vapours, and presenting the appearance of a vast lake interspersed -with islands. On these islands there stood, as monuments of the piety -of the Saxon kings, religious houses, built on piles and earth brought -from a distance--here an abbey, there a hermitage. - -It was to this district, wholly impracticable for cavalry and -heavily-armed troops, that Saxon chiefs despoiled of their lands, and -Saxon priests deprived of their livings, repaired in great numbers. -Constructing intrenchments of earth and wood, they formed what was -called the Camp of Refuge. Thither, from Scotland, came Robert -Stigand, the deposed Archbishop of Canterbury, and Eghelwin, the -deposed Bishop of Durham; and thither, from the court of the Norman, -after having escaped countless perils, and wandered for months in -woods and solitary places, came Edwin and Morkar, the Saxon earls. - -William was startled at this second escape of his long-haired -captives, and by no means easy at the idea of their being at liberty. -He immediately contrived to convey to them promises never intended to -be kept, and Morkar was sufficiently credulous to listen. Yielding to -the temptations held out, the young earl abandoned the camp at Ely. -Scarcely, however, had he left the intrenchments when he was seized, -bound hand and foot, carried to a Norman castle, put forcibly in -irons, and left under the custody of Robert de Beaumont--one of those -men from whose keeping there was small chance of escaping. - -Edwin, hearing of his brother's imprisonment, became somewhat -desperate. He resolved to leave Ely, not to surrender, but to struggle -so long as life remained. With a few adherents he wandered for six -months from place to place, vainly endeavouring to rouse his -countrymen to a great effort for their deliverance. While thus -occupied he was betrayed by three of his officers, who basely sold him -to the Normans. Warned of his danger, Edwin was one day riding, with -twenty attendants, towards the sea, with some notion of reaching the -coast of Scotland, when a band of Normans suddenly rushed upon him. -Endeavouring to escape, the Saxon earl galloped on; but stopped by a -brook so swollen with the tide that it was impossible to cross, he -dismounted from his steed and turned desperately to bay. - -Nor in that hour did the young and popular Saxon earl bear himself in -a manner unworthy of his position as one of the great race which for -six centuries had given kings and war-chiefs to the British isles. For -a long time he defended himself with heroic courage against a host of -assailants; and at last--when overborne by numbers and forced to his -knees, he fell as, in such circumstances, a brave man should--he died -without fear, as he had fought without hope. - -The death of Edwin was lamented by Normans as well as Saxons; even the -grim Conqueror's heart was touched to the core. When the head of the -Saxon earl, with its long, flowing hair, was carried to London, -William could not restrain his tears. The king, says the chronicler, -wept over the fate of one whom he loved, and whom he would fain have -attached to his fortunes. - - - - -XXXI. - -[Illustration: OLD FOREST LAWS] - -IVO TAILLE-BOIS. - - -Among the martial adventurers of the Continent whom William the -Norman, before sailing to the Conquest, allured to his standard, and -whose services he rewarded with the lands and lordships of the -Saxons, slain, imprisoned, or expatriated during his progress from the -coast of Sussex to the verge of "mountainous Northumberland," one of -the most unpopular with the vanquished islanders was Ivo Taille-Bois. - -Nevertheless, Ivo Taille-Bois was a remarkable man in his way. A -native of Angers, he came to the Conquest as a captain of Angevin -auxiliaries, with a spirit equally mercenary and unscrupulous. Fortune -favoured his career; and having done much work from which a Norman -noble would have shrunk, he found that his aspirations after wealth -and power were likely to be realized. It was on the ruins of the great -House of Leofric that Ivo eventually contrived to exalt himself. - -When Edwin was killed, under circumstances so touching, and Morkar was -imprisoned, under circumstances so melancholy, Ivo Taille-Bois -received in marriage Lucy, the youngest sister of the two earls, and -with her a large part of their hereditary domains. This immediately -made Ivo a man of importance; and as the bulk of his land was situated -about Spalding, towards the borders of Cambridge and Lincoln, he -called himself Viscount of Spalding, and began to let the inhabitants -feel his territorial power in such a way, that they cursed the chance -which had metamorphosed a captain of mercenaries into a feudal lord. - -Among a band of conquerors such as accompanied William the Norman to -England, there must always be many more or less tyrannical to the -vanquished; but the tyranny of Ivo Taille-Bois was something by -itself. He was so fond of outraging the feelings and invading the -rights of the populace, that he seemed to indulge in it as a luxury; -and no humility on their part could in the slightest degree mitigate -his violence. It was in vain that they paid all the rents he demanded; -that they rendered all the services he required; that they appeared in -his presence on bended knee; and that they addressed him in the most -deferential tone: he only became the more cruel and more exacting. - -The account given by a contemporary chronicler of the oppressions -practised by Ivo Taille-Bois on the inhabitants of the district -subject to his sway is sufficient, even at this distance of time, to -excite strong indignation. Though they rendered him all possible -honour, he showed them neither affability nor kindness; on the -contrary, he vexed them, imprisoned them, tormented them, and tortured -them. Often he hounded his dogs on their cattle while quietly grazing, -drove their beasts into the marshes, drowned them in ponds, broke -their backs or limbs, and by mutilating them in various ways, rendered -them unfit for service. - -Ivo seemed to delight in cruelty for cruelty's sake; and under such -treatment, the people who were his victims gradually gave way to -despair. Selling what little they still possessed, they sought in -other lands the peace no longer to be found at home. Ivo, however, -feeling the necessity of somebody to oppress, and looking round, fixed -his eyes on some Saxon monks. - -It happened that there stood near Spalding, and by the gates of the -terrible Angevin, a religious house which was dependent on the abbey -of Croyland and inhabited by some of the Croyland monks. Ivo, having -forced the peasantry of the neighbourhood to decamp, turned his -attention to this religious house, and soon succeeded in making it an -earthly purgatory. The monks attempted to save themselves by -refraining from giving the slightest offence; but this only added to -his bitterness. He lamed their horses and cattle, killed their sheep -and poultry, attacked their servants on the highway, and oppressed -their tenants in every way which his ingenuity could invent. - -Nevertheless, the monks held on. Not by any means inclined to yield -their home without a struggle, they did all they could, by prayers, -supplications, and presents to his dependents, to soften Ivo's heart. -But they were utterly unsuccessful. They found that matters became -worse and worse. Their patience and long-suffering came to an end. -They packed up their books and their sacred vessels, and committing -their house to God's keeping, prepared to depart. "We have tried all, -and suffered all," said they; "now let us begone;" and shaking the -dust from their feet, they repaired to Croyland. - -On the departure of the monks Ivo was rejoiced beyond measure. He -immediately despatched a messenger to his native town of Angers, and -requested to have some holy men sent over to England. A prior and five -monks soon appeared, and took possession of the religious house at -Spalding. The Abbot of Croyland, who was an Anglo-Saxon, protested -against their installation, and complained to the king's council -against proceedings so lawless. But no redress could be obtained; and -Ivo Taille-Bois continued in the daily perpetration of enormities, for -which, had he lived two centuries later, he would have been tried -before a jury at Westminster, and hanged at the Nine Elms. - -[Illustration: Norman rustic (from Strutt)] - - - - -XXXII. - -[Illustration: Tattershall Castle, Lincolnshire.] - -HEREWARD THE SAXON. - - -While Edgar Atheling was seeking refuge in Scotland, and while Edwin -and Morkar were, by their wavering, bringing ruin on the House of -Leofric, and rendering the Saxon cause utterly hopeless, there was -living in Flanders a native of England, who bore the name of Hereward -and a high reputation for courage and prowess. - -Hereward, having long been settled in Flanders, had taken no part in -the earlier struggle between Normans and Saxons. Some of the -vanquished islanders, however, flying from the Conqueror's sword, -sought their countryman, and intimated that they brought him bad news. - -"Your father," said the exiles, "has been dead for a year; your mother -has been exposed to many indignities and vexations; and your heritage -is in possession of a foreigner." - -"By the Holy Rood!" exclaimed Hereward, "if such are the tidings you -bring from England, it is high time for me to be there." - -After this, Hereward was not guilty of any delay. He prepared for a -voyage, embarked for England, reached the coast, and made his way to -Lincolnshire, where, surrounded by woodland and marshes, with a wide -avenue in front, and an orchard in the rear, near the abbeys of -Croyland and Peterborough, and near the Isle of Ely, stood the rude -wooden mansion which his fathers had called their own. The sight of -his birthplace fired Hereward's patriotism; and making himself known -to such of his friends and kinsmen as had survived the struggle, he -induced them to arm. Having, without exciting the suspicion of the -Normans, assembled them in a body, he attacked the foreigner who had -evicted his mother, and conducted the enterprise with such courage, -that he was enabled to take possession of his property. - -But scarcely had Hereward installed himself in his paternal property, -when he found that he could not, with safety, limit his operations to -a single exploit. Accordingly he commenced a partisan warfare in the -neighbourhood of his dwelling, and at the head of his little band -encountered the garrisons of towns and strongholds. Such were the -skill and courage he displayed, that his name soon became celebrated -over England. Songs in his praise were sung in the streets, and the -Saxons turned their eyes towards him with hope long unfelt. - -On hearing of the exploits of Hereward, the Saxons who had formed the -Camp of Refuge at Ely requested him to become their captain; and -Hereward, most readily consenting, passed, with the comrades of his -victories, to the Isle. His arrival excited the courage and revived -the hopes of the Saxons. Before taking the command, however, he -desired to become a member of the high Saxon militia, and to be -admitted with the proper ceremonies into that body. - -The demand was suggestive of some difficulties, for it was necessary -to have the services of a priest of high rank to bless the arms, and -at this stage of the Conquest few priests of high rank were -sufficiently courageous to defy the wrath of the conquerors. Among -those, however, who regarded Hereward as the hero destined to save his -country was Brand, the Abbot of Peterborough. This abbot, a man of -high temper and indomitable spirit, consented to perform the ceremony; -and Hereward repaired to the abbey. Having confessed at evening, and -watched all night in the church, he laid his sword on the altar at the -hour of mass in the morning, received, while kneeling, his blade from -the hand of the abbot, took the sacrament, and rose to go forth and -wield it in the cause of his country. - -The ceremony that was performed in the abbey of Peterborough was no -secret to the Normans in the neighbourhood. The knights with whom -Hereward had crossed swords soon learned that he had repaired to the -abbey, and sneered scornfully at the idea of a warrior's belt being -girded on by an abbot. - -"He who has his sword girded on by a priest," said they, "is not -knight, but a degenerate burgess." - -But it was against the Saxon abbot, in the first place, and not -against Hereward, that the wrath of the conquerors was directed. No -sooner did news of the ceremony at Peterborough reach the ears of -those high in authority, than Brand was doomed; and ere long soldiers -appeared to seize him in the king's name. They, however, were too -late. Before their arrival he had breathed his last; and a foreigner -was, without delay, appointed to fill the bold Saxon's place. - -Among the fighting churchmen whom the Conquest had introduced to -England was a native of Fécamp, named Turauld. Accommodated with an -abbey at the expense of the vanquished, this man had rendered himself -notorious by the stern method he used of drilling the Saxon monks into -discipline. Whenever they proved refractory he was in the habit of -crying, "A moi, mes hommes d'armes;" and he made his abbey the scene -of military violence. - -The system pursued by Turauld in his abbey soon became a matter of -notoriety, and reached the king's ears. William thought himself bound -to interfere, but was at some loss to decide in what way such an -offender should be punished. On the death of Abbot Brand, however, the -difficulty vanished, and Turauld was immediately appointed to the -abbey of Peterborough. - -"That is somewhat near the Saxon Camp of Refuge," remarked Turauld. - -"It is a dangerous post, doubtless," said William, smiling grimly; -"but very fit for an abbot who is so good a soldier." - -Attended by Norman warriors, Turauld in due time approached -Peterborough to take possession. But apprehensive of danger, he halted -some leagues from the abbey, and sent men forward to ascertain the -position of the refugees. - -The monks of Peterborough, in the utmost trepidation, determined to -admit the foreigner; and Hereward, not unaware of their intentions, -made a descent on the abbey. Finding that the monks could not be -relied on, he resolved on a desperate expedient. While the scouts of -Turauld were making observations, he carried off the crosses, -chalices, sacred vessels, and whatever valuable ornaments the abbey -contained, and conveyed them by water to the camp. - -"Now," he said, "we have hostages for the fidelity of the monks." - -Soon after Hereward left the abbey of Peterborough, Turauld, -encompassed by Norman lances, presented himself at the gates. The -monks, trembling for their lives, bent their shaven crowns, and -admitted their new abbot without hesitation; and Turauld, having taken -possession, was forthwith installed. At the same time he appropriated -sixty-two hides of land belonging to the abbey to his soldiers, to -reward their services and encourage their zeal. - -Meantime, Ivo Taille-Bois, clad in his linked mail, and followed by -armed men, rode to the abbey of Peterborough. On being admitted to the -abbot's presence Ivo proposed an expedition to the Isle of Ely, to -destroy the Camp of Refuge and crush the insurgents. Turauld -sanctioned the expedition, but declined to take an active part in it; -and everything having been arranged, the Angevin viscount advanced -boldly with his men through the forests and willows which served the -Saxons as intrenchments, while the abbot, surrounded by Normans of -high rank, remained at what he considered a safe distance. - -But Ivo Taille-Bois was destined to miss his foes, and Turauld to meet -those whom Ivo sought. Aware of the projects of the Normans and of -their movements, Hereward was on the alert. Contriving to escape -unobserved from the wood by one side while Ivo entered by the other, -the Saxon chief, leaving the Angevin viscount to pursue his search in -vain, fell suddenly upon the abbot and the abbot's Norman attendants, -seized them without difficulty as prisoners, and kept them securely in -the marshes till they paid a large ransom. - -Nevertheless, the position of Hereward and his comrades became every -day more perilous. About this time, however, they were reinforced by -allies, whose presence inspired them with some hope of accomplishing -their country's deliverance. Indignant at his brother's conduct at -York, Sweyn, King of Denmark, fitted out a new fleet, and came in -person to the aid of the vanquished islanders. But the royal Dane soon -tired of an enterprise which he found was much less promising than he -had anticipated. After sailing up the Humber without receiving any -particular encouragement, he returned to Denmark. - -But, however disappointed he might have been, Sweyn, while departing -from the shores of England, did not withdraw his fleet. Entering -Boston Wash, the Danish ships, by the mouth of the Ouse and the Glen, -succeeded in reaching the Isle of Ely. Hereward hailed with joy the -arrival of the Danes, and welcomed them as friends and liberators. - -William was startled at the arrival of Danish auxiliaries, but he was -not particularly perplexed. Perfectly comprehending how to deal with -King Sweyn, the Conqueror hastened to send ambassadors to Denmark with -artful messages and costly presents. The successor of Canute, -completely won over to the Norman cause, did without scruple that -which he had, some months earlier, punished his brother for doing; and -Hereward and his comrades soon learned to their dismay that they were -once more betrayed by their Northern allies. - -When the Danes at Ely, on whose powerful aid Hereward had built such -hopes, received orders to return home, they were far from manifesting -any reluctance. They seemed determined, however, not to go -empty-handed. In fact, the temptation of carrying off the ornaments -and sacred vessels which Hereward had brought from the abbey of -Peterborough was more than the grisly Northmen could resist; and -seizing everything in the way of treasure upon which they could lay -hands, they embarked, and turning the prows of their ships homewards, -gave their sails to the wind, laughing grimly at the ridiculous plight -in which they left the men they had come to save. - -Affairs now hurried to a catastrophe. Ivo Taille-Bois and Abbot -Turauld rejoiced in the hope of triumph and revenge; and Hereward -could not but confess that the prospects of the Saxons at Ely were -dismal in the extreme. By-and-by news reached the Camp of Refuge that -William was assembling forces, and that a great blow was to be struck, -and as weeks passed on, the Camp of Refuge was invested by land and -water. On every side workmen were set to form dykes and causeways over -the marshes; and on the west, over waters covered with reeds and -willows, the Normans commenced the construction of a road three -hundred paces in length. - -But most of the labour was found to be in vain. The Normans had no -rest. Hereward and his friends, incessant in their attacks and artful -in their stratagems, constantly interrupted the work; and the workmen, -finding themselves disturbed in the most sudden and unexpected manner, -gave way to superstitious terror. - -"Assuredly," they exclaimed, "this Hereward is in league with the Evil -One." - -"Think you so?" cried Ivo Taille-Bois; "then we must fight him with -his own weapons." - -The idea of the Angevin viscount was highly approved of; and he soon -procured the services of a witch, whose enchantments, he declared, -would disenchant Hereward's operations. Accordingly this woman was -brought to the scene of action, and posted in a wooden tower at the -place where the work was in progress. The result, however, was not -such as Ivo had predicted. In fact, while the Norman pioneers and -soldiers were all confident in the potency of the witch's charms, -Hereward suddenly made a sally, set fire to the osiers that covered -the marsh like a forest, and gave witch, workmen, and warriors to the -flames. - -At this fresh misfortune the Normans began to consider their -enterprise hopeless, and the blood of Ivo Taille-Bois boiled at the -thought of being baffled by a "degenerate burgess" like Hereward. The -address and activity of the Saxon chief really seemed to preclude the -possibility of success. Nevertheless, the Normans persevered; and for -months the Isle of Ely was blockaded so closely that provisions were -with extreme difficulty obtained from without. - -When the operations reached this stage, William bethought him of the -monks of Ely, and devised a scheme for enforcing their aid. Without -warning he seized all the manors belonging to the abbey situated -without the Isle; and the monks, unable to endure poverty and misery, -and the famine that stared them in the face, resolved to put an end to -the contest. With this view they sent to the Norman camp, and offered -to show a passage, on condition of being left in possession of their -property. Gilbert de Clare and William Warren having plighted their -faith, and a treaty having been entered into, the monks fulfilled -their promise, and the Normans prepared to penetrate into the Isle. - -Hereward and the Saxons, utterly unsuspicious of the treachery of the -monks of Ely, were resting from their arduous exertions, when the -sound of arms and the war-cry of Normans intimated that their foes -were upon them. Completely taken by surprise, the Saxons were in no -position to resist; and after a thousand of them had fallen, the camp -was closely surrounded, and the majority were forced to lay down their -arms. But better far would it have been for them to fight to the last. -Many of those who submitted had their hands cut off and their eyes put -out, and were then turned adrift as warnings against future revolts; -others--and among them Archbishop Stigand and Bishop Eghelwin--were -incarcerated and sentenced to imprisonment for life. - -But in the midst of carnage and disaster, Hereward was undaunted. When -others laid down their arms, he still disdained the thought of -yielding. Closely attended by a few zealous adherents, the Saxon -chief broke from the assailants, retreated by paths into which the -Normans did not venture to follow, passed from marsh to marsh, and -overcoming every obstacle, made his way to the lowlands of -Lincolnshire. - -It happened that the Normans had a station in the immediate -neighbourhood of the place where Hereward and his friends found -themselves after their hair-breadth escape. The temptation of a daring -adventure was, under the circumstances, irresistible. Hereward made -himself known to some fishermen, who were in the habit of every day -taking fish to the garrison; and the fishermen, sympathizing with his -views, were induced to lend their aid. Receiving Hereward and his -companions into the boats, and concealing them under straw, the -fishermen, next day, approached the station as usual; and the Normans, -who were just sitting down to dinner, preparatory to riding forth on -an expedition, were not in the least apprehensive of danger. Suddenly -strange voices were heard, and Hereward and his men entering with -their axes in their hands, rushed upon the Normans, and hewed down -many before they knew what was taking place. Alarmed and despairing, -the survivors fled, leaving their horses, which were ready saddled, a -prey to the victors. - -After this exploit, which struck dismay into the hearts of his -enemies, and considerably modified the joy with which the Normans -announced their success at Ely, Hereward resumed operations with his -old spirit. With a band of patriotic men, which gradually swelled to -the number of a hundred, the indomitable Saxon performed countless -feats of valour. Ever lying in ambush, and granting no quarter, he -exerted his skill and energy with such effect, that he well avenged, -if he could not redeem, the disaster of Ely. His comrades, all well -armed and inspired by his example, encountered the foe with a degree -of courage seldom equalled, and appearing suddenly at various points, -never shrunk from odds save such as appeared overwhelming. Not one of -them was known to have declined a conflict with fewer than four -Normans; and Hereward, on his part, often fought with as many as -seven. - -While Hereward was signalizing his prowess and courage in such a way -that his name was idolized all over England, a lady of large -property, named Alswithe, hearing of his fame and admiring his -exploits, offered him her hand. Grateful for such a mark of esteem, -Hereward accepted the proposal, and married her without delay. But -Alswithe, dreading her husband's continual exposure to danger, -employed all her influence to induce him to make his peace with the -Conqueror; and Hereward, who loved his wife tenderly, gradually -yielded to her entreaties, and at length accepted the king's peace. - -Having exchanged peril for security, and glory for ease, Hereward -indulged in dreams of peace and comfort. But the Normans were not -disposed to spare so formidable a foe. Determined to rid the country, -by some means, of one who might again prove a mighty adversary, they -several times attacked his house without success. One day, however, -Fortune placed him in their power. - -It was a summer afternoon; and, after having dined, Hereward stretched -himself in his orchard, with his hound at his feet, to enjoy some -repose. He was without a coat of mail, but beside him lay his sword -and a short spear, which Saxons of his rank always carried with them. -As Hereward slept, a band of armed men, led by Asselm, a Norman, and -Raoul de Dol, a knight of Brittany, cautiously penetrated into the -orchard; and he, suddenly awakened by the barking of the hound, found -himself hemmed in. But even in this emergency the heart of the hero -did not fail him. Rising with a bound, before which the armed band -recoiled, he faced his foes and demanded their errand. - -"Whom seek you?" he asked, sternly. - -"You," was the significant answer. - -"False traitors!" he cried; "the king has granted me his peace. Seek -you me for my goods or my life?" - -"Both." - -"Then," exclaimed Hereward, "ye shall pay for them dearly!" and with -these words he thrust his short spear with such force against a Norman -knight who stood near, that it pierced through the hauberk into the -heart, and came out dripping with life's blood. - -The Normans, startled, but confident in their numbers, now attempted -to close with Hereward, and inflicted numerous wounds. But the Saxon -hero returned blow for blow. When his spear broke he drew his sword, -and made so desperate a resistance, that, at times, the issue of the -combat appeared doubtful. Even when his sword broke on the helmet of -one of his antagonists, he continued to fight with the pommel; and -fifteen Normans had fallen beneath his hand, when he, at once, -received four lance thrusts, and felt himself borne to the ground. -Still he continued to struggle. Seizing a buckler, he struck Raoul de -Dol so fiercely in the face, that the warlike Breton fell dead on the -spot. But strength and life were now spent, and Hereward sank and -expired. - -As Hereward lay dead, Asselm, the Norman, cut off the hero's head, but -not without an emphatic expression of admiration. "By the virtue of -God!" he exclaimed, "I swear that I have never in my life seen so -valiant a man!" - -[Illustration: Fen country near Boston.] - - - - -XXXIII. - -BUILDING OF BATTLE ABBEY. - - -While pursuing his victorious career, William the Conqueror did not -forget the vow which, immediately after the battle of Hastings, he -made to erect an abbey, to be dedicated to the Holy Trinity and to St. -Martin, the patron of the warriors of Gaul. - -It is related that, when the foundations were dug, and the first -stones of the edifice laid, the architects discovered that there would -be a deficiency of water. Somewhat disconcerted, they repaired to -William, and acquainted him with the untoward circumstance. - -"Never mind," said the Conqueror, in a tone more jovial than his wont; -"work away, and, if God give me life, there shall be more wine among -the monks of Battle Abbey than there is in the best convent of -Christendom." - -According to William's orders, the work was proceeded with: the outer -walls were traced round the hill which Harold and his men had covered -with their bodies; and the adjacent land was granted to the abbey. - -When the building of Battle Abbey was finished, William offered his -sword and the regal robe he had worn at his coronation; and -seven-score monks were brought from the great convent of Marmontiers, -near Tours, to inhabit the edifice and pray for the souls of all who -had died on the field. This magnificent structure is now in ruins, and -the altar-stone, standing amid stagnant water, marks the spot where -the Pope's consecrated banner was planted by William in the hour of -carnage and victory. - -[Illustration] - - - - -XXXIV. - -MALCOLM CANMORE. - - -After devastating Northumberland, reducing the men of Chester, and -entirely crushing the refugees in the camp of Ely, William turned his -attention towards the reduction of Scotland, where reigned a king who -had some power and much inclination to work him annoyance. - -Malcolm Canmore was son of Duncan, King of Scots, whose murder by -Macbeth, Buchanan has narrated and Shakspeare immortalized. In danger -of being destroyed by the usurper, Malcolm and his brother, Donald -Bane, after lurking for awhile in Scotland, resolved to fly--one made -for Northumberland, the other for the Western Isles. - -At that time Siward the Dane ruled Northumberland; and of that great -and sapient earl the mother of Malcolm had been a near kinswoman. This -circumstance was sufficient to insure the Scottish prince a friendly -reception; and, on reaching York, he had the consolation of being -treated with every possible kindness. Moreover, when Siward carried -him to the court of Westminster, the Confessor--who could not help -comparing Malcolm's circumstances to his own, while an exile in -Normandy--after expressing a strong sympathy with his misfortunes, and -a strong interest in his welfare, bade him be of good cheer. - -At the Confessor's court, among Saxon thanes and Norman chevaliers, -Malcolm might have learned to forget the crown which he had lost and -the rude land from which he had been forced to fly; but it happened -that Macbeth, after forfeiting the popularity by the aid of which he -had usurped the Scottish throne, became a cruel and rapacious tyrant. -The Scots, in disgust, manifested a decided desire for Malcolm's -restoration; and Macduff, thane of Fife, abandoning Macbeth's cause, -espoused that of Malcolm with enthusiasm and energy. - -About the time of Godwin's restoration to England, messages of -encouragement from the north of the Tweed reached Malcolm in his -exile; and, without much hesitation, the young prince, now grown to be -a man of huge stature, resolved on an expedition to regain his -father's crown. Powerful was the aid on which he had to rely; for the -Confessor readily lent his countenance to the enterprise, and Siward -undertook to conduct it to a successful issue. - -A fleet was soon fitted out to land soldiers on the Scottish coast; -and an army of horse, commanded by Siward and his son, escorted -Malcolm across the Tweed and through Lothian. The enterprise proved -perfectly successful. In vain Hugh the Norman, Osborne, surnamed -Pentecost, and other foreigners who had fled into Scotland at the time -of Godwin's return, drew their swords in favour of the usurper. A -battle was fought; the son of Siward fell, and many Anglo-Danes. But -Malcolm was victorious; and Macbeth, who in the battle had lost all -his Norman allies, was deserted by his army, forced to fly, and -overtaken and slain at Lanfanan in Aberdeenshire. An effort was then -made by some of Macbeth's friends to raise a kinsman of the usurper, -named Lulach, to the throne; but the friends of Malcolm soon put an -end to Lulach's pretensions and his life, and the son of Duncan was, -without further opposition, crowned at Scone. - -Nevertheless, a plot was soon after formed to put Malcolm to death, -and of this the chief author was a nobleman who frequented the court. -Malcolm early became aware of the existence of the plot, but affected -ignorance, till one day, when out hunting, he took the chief -conspirator aside, and severely reproached him. - -"But," said Malcolm, "here is a fit place and time to do that manfully -which you have intended to do treacherously; and here draw your sword, -if you dare." - -The nobleman, however, fell on his knees, confessed his fault, asked -forgiveness, and ever afterwards served his king faithfully. - -It cannot be said that Malcolm Canmore, when seated securely on the -Scottish throne, displayed any particular gratitude to his -benefactors. Indeed, the nation under the protection of which he had -found safety in the day of adversity, and by the aid of which he had -gained his crown, had more than once strong reason to complain of his -enmity and denounce his ingratitude. But it was chiefly in the third -year after the landing of William the Norman that Malcolm offended. -When the Northumbrians drew together at York, to make head against the -Conqueror's power, Malcolm mustered an army to lead to their -assistance. Ere he was ready to take the field, however, the -Northumbrians were put down; but, unwilling to be baulked of carnage -and plunder, he marched by way of Carlisle, which, with Cumberland, he -then held from the English crown, into Northumberland, and let loose -all the fury of his barbarous subjects on the land where he had found -rest in his weariness and consolation in his despair. - -The Scots proceeded with energy to the work of destruction and -bloodshed. Cleveland was savagely overrun; Wearmouth was sacked; St. -Peter's Church was burned; the banks of the Wear were ravaged without -mercy; and everywhere the inhabitants were treated with barbarous -cruelty. Able-bodied men and women were driven off captive, like -flocks of sheep, and in such numbers, that, for many years after, -there was scarcely a tenement in Scotland without English slaves of -one sex or the other. Blood, meanwhile, flowed like water. -Grandfathers and grandmothers, on the verge of the grave, and infants -torn from their mothers' arms, were ruthlessly slaughtered. Warriors, -calling themselves men and Christians, exhibited neither humanity nor -religion. Never had Pagan Danes or Norwegians been guilty of such -atrocities as were perpetrated on this memorable occasion. - -One day, while the church of St. Peter was in flames, and while the -Scots were revelling in carnage and cruelty, Malcolm, as he rode along -and witnessed savage outrages which it is charitable to suppose he -could not prevent, received intelligence that Edgar Atheling, with his -mother Agatha, and his two sisters, Margaret and Christina--whom the -chronicler describes as "comely young women"--were on board a ship in -the harbour, waiting for a fair wind, but scarcely knew whither to -steer their course. The tale of their distress appears to have touched -the heart of Malcolm; he sent messages of kindness, invited them to -repair to Scotland, and assured them that they might there reside in -safety as long as they pleased. In their despair, the royal exiles -grasped at this invitation, and the mariners steered for Scotland. - -Accordingly, when Malcolm Canmore returned to his own dominions, he -found that the heirs of Alfred and of Ironsides had sought refuge on -the Scottish shores. The young king hastened to make their -acquaintance; and the result was important in its influence on the -destinies of England. The sweetness and piety of Margaret Atheling, -endowed as she was with all the comeliness characteristic of Saxon -women, produced a strange effect on the royal Scot, and he soon -arrived at the conclusion that the opportunity of securing such a -bride ought not to be neglected. A marriage was, in due time, -celebrated; the Saxon Queen of Scots, by her precepts and example, -exercised a softening and civilizing influence on her fierce husband -and his savage subjects; their daughter Maude became the wife of Henry -Beauclerc; and from their ancestress--the heiress of Henry and Maude, -married to Geoffrey, the brave and accomplished Count of Anjou--the -Plantagenets inherited royal Saxon blood, and that sympathy with the -vanquished race which made them, when kings, the favourites and heroes -of the English people. - -William the Conqueror was not, of course, inattentive to what was -passing in the north; nor, indeed, did Malcolm allow the Norman to -overlook his existence. In 1073, the Scottish king gathered an army, -and crossed the Border to vindicate the claim of his wife's family to -the English crown. By this time, however, William had put the Saxons -throughout England under his feet, and resolved to bring Malcolm to -reason by demanding the extradition of those who had taken refuge in -Scotland. - -With this object William placed himself at the head of his army, and, -for the first time, crossed the Tweed. Not inclined to try conclusions -with an antagonist so formidable, Malcolm presented himself to the -Conqueror at a place near the frontier, which is supposed to have been -Berwick; and, though declining to surrender the Saxon emigrants, "met -King William in a peaceful attitude, touched his hand in sign of -friendship, promised that William's enemies should be his also, and -freely acknowledged himself his vassal and liegeman." - -[Illustration: Fern Islands, off the Coast of Northumberland.] - - - - -XXXV. - -[Illustration] - -THE DEATH OF COSPATRICK. - - -It was the year 1072, when the destruction of the camp of Ely ruined -the last hope which the Saxons entertained of making head against the -Conqueror; and the year 1073 witnessed the exile of the last Saxon of -illustrious lineage whom the Conqueror allowed to occupy a high -position and exercise important functions. - -It appears that after the installation of Cospatrick as Earl of -Northumberland, the peace of the North was unbroken save by the -terrible inroad of Malcolm, King of Scots. On that occasion, -Cospatrick, having no force sufficiently powerful to oppose that of -the Scottish king, endeavoured to draw Malcolm from Northumberland by -making an incursion into Cumberland in the direction of Carlisle, -which then lay in ruins. But finding the Scots too intent on carnage -and plunder to move, he was fain to return, to shut himself up in -Bamburgh, and in that fortress to listen, with unavailing regret, to -accounts of the barbarous atrocities perpetrated by the invaders. - -At length affairs began to settle; and the Bishop of Durham and his -clergy, hearing that William had departed for the South, ventured back -to their church. They found everything in disorder. Even the -magnificent crucifix, the gift of Tostig and Judith, was stripped of -all its ornaments, and tossed upon the floor. Nor was this the worst -that was to befall. Ere long the bishop was degraded, and a native of -Lorraine, named Vaulcher, instituted in his place. - -When Vaulcher, accompanied by a numerous train of Norman knights, -reached York, Cospatrick presented himself, and conducted the new -bishop to Durham. Perhaps, by this attention to Vaulcher, Cospatrick -hoped to escape such a fate as had befallen every other Saxon of high -rank. But if so, he was mistaken. Between the Norman king and the -Saxon earl no real confidence existed. Every movement in -Northumberland hostile to the Normans had exposed Cospatrick to -suspicion; and, after having received Malcolm's homage, William, -thinking he could dispense with the aid of the grandson of Uchtred, -alleged that he had taken part in the murder of Robert Comine and in -the siege of York, and formally deprived him of his earldom. - -Cospatrick was now at his wits' end. Mortified at his own reverses, -and grieving at the oppression under which his countrymen were -labouring, but against which it seemed vain to struggle single-handed, -he left England and passed over to Flanders, to which the Saxons still -looked with hope of aid. But all efforts proved vain; and he returned -to die in poverty on the verge of the great northern province which he -had lately ruled. - -It would seem that Cospatrick had, by advising the flight of the -bishop from Durham, lost favour with the clergy, and that they used -all their efforts to terrify him with threats of the wrath of St. -Cuthbert. An aged priest of Durham, while in Holy Island, professed -to have had a dream, in which he saw a great Northumbrian thane, who -had maltreated the bishop and his company during their flight, -suffering the torments of hell, and in which St. Cuthbert appeared -denouncing woes against Cospatrick. This dream derived importance from -the circumstance of the Northumbrian thane having died at the very -time; and when related to Cospatrick, now grown old and infirm, it -caused him much trouble of spirit. Indeed, he is said to have -forthwith taken the shoes from his feet, and set out on a pilgrimage -to Holy Island, to propitiate St. Cuthbert by prayers and offerings. - -After his pilgrimage to Holy Island, Cospatrick found rest for a time -at Norham, on the Tweed. At that place, weary with adversity and woe, -he soon felt himself sinking under his infirmities. At length, sick -unto death, he bethought him of religious consolation, and intimated -his wish to have the spiritual aid of Aldwin and Turgot, two monks in -whose piety and prayers he had great confidence. - -At Melrose--not on the spot occupied by the magnificent ruins of that -great abbey, to which Sir Walter Scott has, in our day, given so wide -a fame, but in a flat peninsula, described by Bede as "almost inclosed -by the windings of the river Tweed"--the Culdees had, in the seventh -century, erected a religious house. After flourishing for two hundred -years, this edifice had suffered at the hand of King Kenneth, and -gradually dwindled down to a chapel sacred to St. Cuthbert. In this -chapel Aldwin and Turgot were "living in poverty and contrite in -spirit for the sake of Christ." On receiving Cospatrick's message, -these holy men hurried down the Tweed, eager to comfort the expiring -sinner. - -On reaching Norham the monks found the Saxon earl loudly lamenting his -shortcomings, and expressing penitence for his sins, and they -confessed him with all the ceremonies usual on such occasions. Before -their departure he gave them two dorsals, or pieces of tapestry which -were hung against walls as screens for the back, and begged that, in -whatever place the monks might chance to take rest, they would hang -the dorsals up in memory of him. This scene over, Cospatrick yielded -up his breath. - -It was destined that the posterity of this great Saxon, who passed his -last days hovering between two countries, in neither of which he could -find a home, and who died in misery, and with lamentations on his -lips, should exercise the very highest authority in centuries then to -come. He left two sons. One of these was Cospatrick, founder of the -House of Dunbar, whose chiefs were so great in war and peace; the -other was Dolfin, male ancestor of the Nevilles, who became famous for -making and unmaking kings. - -Meanwhile, Cospatrick was laid at rest in the porch of the church of -Norham. In the chancel of that ancient edifice, a recumbent effigy, in -the decorated style of the fourteenth century, when his descendants on -both sides of the Tweed were in all their glory, still recalls his -memory, when the places that once knew them know them no more--when -the castle of Dunbar is desolate, and when Raby no longer owns a -Neville as its lord. - -[Illustration] - - - - -XXXVI. - -[Illustration] - -ATHELING AND HIS ALLIES. - - -When Edgar Atheling, after the disastrous defeat of the Saxons at -York, took refuge in Scotland, he found himself treated with great -respect. Malcolm Canmore, saluting the exiled prince as true King of -England, assured him of a secure asylum, and influenced, doubtless, by -the charms of the fair Margaret, still further evinced his sympathy -with the Saxon cause by bestowing offices and lands on the expatriated -chiefs. Moreover, he promised Atheling every aid to regain the throne -of his ancestors. - -The King of Scots was probably quite sincere in his professions of -friendship and promises of support; but his power to assist the Saxons -was by no means equal to his will. Besides, the mighty energy of -William, bearing down all opposition, was calculated to daunt the -boldest foe. Malcolm was brave as a lion; yet he might, without -exposing himself to the imputation of cowardice, feel some degree of -alarm as he conjured up visions of Norman warriors crossing the river -Tweed, sweeping through the Merse and Lothian, and pursuing their -victorious career as far north as to cool the hoofs of their horses in -the waters of the Tay, and plant their standard on the towers of the -palace of Scone. - -At all events, it is certain that, after a brief residence in -Scotland, Atheling recognised the necessity of seeking a -reconciliation with the Conqueror. This was, without difficulty, -obtained. Then, as ever, William was kind and forgiving to the heir of -Alfred. But, as the work of the Conquest went on, and as the Saxons, -exasperated by the deposition of their bishops and abbots, indicated -their intention of making a great effort to recover their liberty, -Atheling discovered that he was the object of suspicion. Indeed, it -was natural that such should have been the case; for his name was in -the mouth of all ardent patriots, and songs were sung in which he was -described as "the brave, the beautiful darling of England." Perceiving -that snares were set for him, Atheling effected his escape from court; -and, with all the haste he could, made for Scotland. - -"Curse him!" exclaimed the Normans; "he is the most fickle of human -beings." - -"Ah!" cried the Saxons, "he is young and handsome, and descended from -the true race--the best race of the country." - -It must be admitted that, so far as appearances went, the Saxons had -reason to be proud of the heir of their ancient kings. Atheling was -now approaching manhood, and looked worthy, indeed, of a nation's -regard. His person was handsome, his figure tall and graceful, his -manner courteous to excess, his temper serene to a fault, and he spoke -with taste and eloquence. Brave he was beyond question, but somewhat -slow in action; and while ever and anon giving proof that he inherited -the courage of Ironsides, he constantly showed symptoms of having in -his veins the sluggish blood of Ethelred. - -Indeed, the prospects of Edgar Atheling were at no time so encouraging -as to tempt him to heroic ventures to regain the crown which had, for -a brief season, been his. After the day on which Malcolm Canmore did -homage to William the Norman, aid from Scotland could not reasonably -be expected. Not yet content, however, to submit tamely to -circumstances, Atheling, in 1075, repaired to Flanders, probably when -Cospatrick, after being deprived of Northumberland, went thither to -crave the alliance of Count Robert, who, though Matilda's kinsman, was -William's political enemy, and, moreover, a descendant of Alfred the -Great. But Atheling's application was not attended with success, and -he returned to Scotland with the impression that the Saxon cause was -too hopeless to enlist the alliance of any European prince, when, -somewhat to his surprise, he was favoured with a friendly message from -the King of France. - -Philip, though young, was no longer the mere boy whose countenance and -support William the Norman had asked before undertaking his expedition -against Harold. The heir of Hugh Capet was now in his thirty-third -year, perfectly capable of comprehending his position, and of -estimating the power of a Duke of Normandy who was also King of -England. In fact, he had somewhat recent evidence of William's -strength and his own weakness. While William, who had left England in -1073, was on the Continent, carrying on war in Maine with signal -success, Philip had taken up arms against the Count of Flanders, and -sustained a shameful defeat before Cassel. The idea of a man who had -been vanquished by Count Robert of Flanders having to encounter -William the Conqueror was not pleasant; and the French king, eager in -the extreme to multiply William's enemies on the English side of the -Channel, resolved to afford the Saxons such encouragement as to enable -them to keep their conqueror in his insular dominions. - -It was under the influence of such apprehensions, and with a view of -accomplishing such an object, that Philip invited Atheling to France. - -"Come hither," wrote the French king to the English prince--"come and -aid me with your counsel. I will give you the fortress of Montreuil, -which is so situated that thence you can either make a descent on -England or ravage Normandy." - -Atheling was not proof against such temptation. On receiving Philip's -message, he prepared, with the companions of his exile, to embark for -France, and made arrangements for his voyage. Malcolm, as William's -liegeman, could not openly lend his countenance to the enterprise of -his brother-in-law. Nevertheless, he secretly supplied Atheling with -money, and furnished the companions of the exiled prince with arms. - -But the expedition, and all the projects to which it was to lead, were -destined to come to nought. The voyage of the adventurers proved the -very reverse of fortunate. Scarcely had Atheling's fleet lost sight of -the Scottish shores when a violent tempest arose. The vessels were -scattered like leaves in autumn. Some sank, and others, going to -pieces on the northern coast of England, left their crews at the mercy -of the Norman officials, who made them prisoners. Atheling, and those -who sailed in his ship, were wrecked, but escaped captivity. However, -they lost everything; and in sadness and gloom they made their way, -some on foot, others miserably mounted, back to the Scottish court, -where Atheling, with his wonted eloquence, narrated to Malcolm and -Margaret the misfortunes of the voyage. - -"And now," asked Atheling, in conclusion, "what is to be done?" - -"It seems to me," answered Malcolm, "that fortune is decidedly against -you. Wherefore, struggle no longer with fate, but seek peace, once -more, of William the Norman." - -At all times Atheling was easily persuaded; and, on this occasion, he -was in no frame of mind to dispute the wisdom of Malcolm's counsel. -Accordingly he sent a message to William, who was still on the -Continent; and William, responding frankly, asked him to repair to -Normandy. Entering England by the north, passing through the country -escorted by Norman counts, and entertained by them in the tall and -turretted castles which already crowned every height, and which -contrasted strangely with the low, irregular buildings, surrounded by -woods, in which dwelt such of the Saxons of rank as had escaped death -or banishment, Atheling could not fail to be impressed with a -conviction of the fact that the work of the Conquest had gone much too -far to be undone by force of arms, and that any thought of resistance -was absurd. - -Embarking for the Continent, he reached Rouen in safety, and was -received by the Conqueror with kindness. A pension was granted to the -banished prince to defray his personal expenses; but, taking a fancy -to a charger in the stables of the palace, he afterwards parted with -his pension in order to become master of the animal. For years -Atheling remained at the palace of Rouen, amusing himself with hawks, -dogs, and horses, and reflecting, with philosophic calmness, on the -crown he had lost and the land from which he was exiled. - -[Illustration: Hawk striking the quarry.] - - - - -XXXVII. - -FITZOSBORNE AND DE GAEL. - - -One day in the course of the year 1074, when William the Conqueror was -in Normandy fighting with his Continental foes, and while Archbishop -Lanfranc governed England in the king's absence, a great marriage took -place in the castle of Norwich. Many guests of high rank were bidden; -and the occasion was rendered memorable by the circumstance that the -feast with which it was celebrated proved fatal to almost every -individual who happened to be present. - -About the year 1073, William Fitzosborne, the Conqueror's famous -comrade in arms, departed this life, leaving two sons, named William -and Roger, and a daughter, named Emma. William, succeeding to his -father's lands in Normandy, was known as Lord of Breteuil; Roger, -inheriting his father's English possessions, became Earl of Hereford; -and Emma was sought in marriage by a young Breton, who figured as Earl -of Norfolk, and naturally felt ambitious of allying himself with the -high Norman nobility. But a union between Ralph de Gael and the -daughter of Fitzosborne did not meet with the Conqueror's approval. In -fact, William set his face decidedly against the matrimonial project, -and, being at the time in Normandy, sent a messenger to forbid, in the -most peremptory tone, the celebration of the marriage. - -The interference of William was more than the high spirit of Roger -Fitzosborne could brook. He resolved at once to set the Conqueror's -prohibition at defiance; and, on a day appointed for the wedding, -conveyed his sister to Norwich. - -The ceremony was performed with a pomp worthy of the rank of the -parties; and when the feast was spread in the castle hall, Norman -bishops, and lords of high degree, both Norman and Welsh, and ladies -fair to look upon, gathered around the board. So far all went -smoothly. But as dishes were carved and cups emptied the master of the -feast and his guests became rapidly excited and frank to excess. The -habitual respect displayed by the Norman nobles for the great -war-chief who had led them to conquest and plunder vanished as wine -flowed in abundance, and the two earls especially vociferated in a -strain which caused many present to stare in silent surprise. - -"What is this man?" asked Roger Fitzosborne, in accents of supreme -contempt--"what is this man, who dictates who are to be the husbands -of ladies descended from the comrades of Rollo?--A bastard, owing this -kingdom to my father, to whose memory this interference is an insult." - -"He is a bastard, and a man of low birth," cried the Normans. "He may -call himself a king; but 'tis clear that he is not made for one, and -that he is not agreeable in the sight of God." - -"And," exclaimed the Saxons, "he invaded England, he massacred the -legitimate heirs of our kings and nobles, or obliged them to -expatriate themselves." - -"What is worst of all," roared the military adventurers who had -followed William's banner in hopes of high reward, "he has not -honoured as he might those who came to his aid--those who raised him -higher than any of his predecessors." - -"Yes," cried others; "what has he given to us, the conquerors covered -with wounds? Sterile tracts of land, of which he deprives us whenever -he sees them improving." - -"It is true!" shouted the guests, tumultuously; "the man is odious to -all; his death would gladden the hearts of all. Let him die!" - -After further vociferation, the two earls, several bishops and abbots, -many Normans and Saxons, and the Welsh chieftains, bound themselves by -oath to rise against William, and arranged to ask the aid of Sweyn, -King of Denmark, to insure the success of their perilous project. -Perhaps, with the morning, repentance came, and many rued the words -they had spoken and the promises they had made over wine at the -festive board. But it was too late to retreat; and the two earls, to -lessen the danger of being betrayed, resolved on immediate action. -Roger Fitzosborne hastened home to raise his banner at Hereford; and -Ralph de Gael prepared to shorten his honeymoon, leave the company of -his bride, and raise his banner at Cambridge. - -On reaching the province of which he was earl, Roger Fitzosborne lost -no time in rallying his friends around him. Not only did he gather the -discontented Normans to his standard. The Welsh on the Marches rose at -his summons, and, with wild and vague hopes of recovering -independence, rushed with enthusiasm to his aid. Having assembled a -force which he deemed sufficiently formidable to inspire foes with -terror, he commenced his march eastward, with the intention of joining -De Gael. But, on reaching the Severn, and attempting to pass that -river by the bridge at Worcester, he found, somewhat to his surprise, -that preparations had been made to stop his progress. - -In fact, the conspirators at Norwich had not very faithfully kept -their secret. By some means or other, Lanfranc had become acquainted -with the whole project; and when in possession of such intelligence -the great archbishop was not the man to sleep at his post. He -despatched soldiers from London to throw themselves in Roger's path; -and he so far made use of the spiritual artillery at his command as to -level a sentence of excommunication against the Norman earl. - -Meanwhile, the king's friends were not idle in the west. Walter de -Lacy, a Norman baron, and Eghelwig, the Saxon abbot of Evesham, roused -the people of the country to take arms against Roger Fitzosborne and -his Welshmen; and the people, regarding the Welsh as their natural -enemies, obeyed the call of Walter and Eghelwig, and crowded to the -royal standard. - -At length the royal soldiers and the insurgents met face to face. It -was on the banks of the Severn that the hostile armies encountered and -fought a sanguinary battle. The Welsh, however, were defeated, and -with such slaughter that the river was crimsoned with their blood. -Roger Fitzosborne was made prisoner, and with him many adherents were -taken with arms in their hands. The chief was kept in secure custody -till the Conqueror should decide what was to be his fate. But the -inferior captives were summarily disposed of. Some were hung on -gibbets, some had their eyes put out, and others underwent such -mutilation as to render them incapable of further mischief. - -While such disasters attended the adventure of Roger Fitzosborne on -the Severn, Ralph de Gael did not yield to the temptation of lingering -with his fair bride at Norwich. Leaving that city, the bold Breton -encamped in the neighbourhood of Cambridge, and succeeded in alluring -a multitude of Saxons to his standard. But Ralph de Gael's part of the -enterprise proved little more successful than that of Roger -Fitzosborne had been. While the Breton earl was still gathering men to -his camp, William de Warren, with Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, and Geoffrey, -Bishop of Coutance, took the field, and the insurgents found -themselves menaced by a force decidedly superior to them in number. -Not shrinking, however, from a conflict, they bravely faced the royal -force at a place named Fagadon. There a stubborn battle was fought; -but Ralph de Gael's men were completely defeated; and the chief -escaped from the lost field, while many of his adherents were taken -and treated with the utmost cruelty. Indeed, the victors are said to -have been so merciless as to cut off the right foot of every captive, -no matter what his rank or nation. - -In the midst of this operation, Ralph de Gael had the fortune to reach -Norwich. He threw himself into the citadel with some vague and -desperate notions of defending himself to the last. Seeing, however, -the impossibility of holding out, he left the fortress under the -charge of his bride, and sailed to Brittany to implore the aid of his -friends. The daughter of Fitzosborne made a brave defence, but her -resistance proved vain. After a somewhat protracted struggle, the -men-at-arms, seeing famine staring them in the face, recognised the -necessity of yielding, and agreed, not only to surrender Norwich, but -to leave England in case of their lives being spared. Almost every -Breton who had come to England with the Conqueror was involved in the -ruin of Ralph de Gael, and departed from the English shores. "Glory be -to God in the highest!" Lanfranc wrote joyfully to King William, "your -kingdom is freed from the filthy Bretons." - -On returning to England, William, at Christmas, held a great council -of barons, and dealt with the rebel chiefs. Both were condemned to -lose their estates. De Gael, being absent, could not, of course, be -punished in person; but Fitzosborne, who appeared before the assembly, -was sentenced to perpetual imprisonment. - -When matters had reached this stage, a son of Sweyn, King of Denmark, -unaware of the ruin of those who had craved assistance, approached the -eastern coast. But the Danes made no attempt to land. On learning what -had happened they turned their helms towards Flanders, and left -Fitzosborne to his fate. - -But even captivity and chains could not break the strong spirit nor -humble the haughty pride of Fitzosborne. Even in his dungeon he found -a way of braving and insulting the king whom he had attempted to -dethrone. One day, during Easter, the Conqueror, according to a Norman -custom, sent him a magnificent suit of precious stuff, as if he had -been at liberty. Fitzosborne received the vestments with a smile, -examined the coat and mantle of silk, and handled the jacket, trimmed -with foreign furs, as if highly pleased. Having done so, however, -Roger ordered a fire to be kindled, and committed coat, mantle, and -jacket to the flames. - -"Thus," said he, "does the son of William Fitzosborne treat the gifts -of the bastard to whom his father gave a crown." - -"By the splendour of God!" exclaimed the Conqueror, boiling with -anger, when informed of this scene, "the man who has thus insulted me -shall never leave his prison alive." - - - - -XXXVIII. - -[Illustration: Thor.] - -WALTHEOF, SON OF SIWARD. - - -Siward the Dane, when he expired at York, exhibiting his martial -spirit to the last--clad, at his own request, in all the habiliments -of war, with his helmet on his head, his coat of mail on his back, his -gilt battle-axe in his hand, and that mystic banner, "The Raven of -Earthly Terror," waving over his head--left, by his wife, the daughter -of Earl Alred, one son to inherit his renown. The name of the son of -Siward was Waltheof, and his career was anticipated with hope by the -inhabitants of the provinces which his great father had ruled. - -At the time of Siward's death, however, Waltheof was too young to -succeed to Northumberland. Indeed, Tostig, as one of the sons of -Godwin, immediately grasped at the earldom. Waltheof, however, soon -began to figure as Earl of Huntingdon, and gave evidence of -inheriting his father's courage and prowess in the conflicts of the -Northumbrians with Tostig and Harold Hardrada. - -After the battle of Hastings, Waltheof made his submission to the -Conqueror. As a consequence, when William visited the Continent, the -son of Siward was taken, with Edwin and Morkar, to grace the -Conqueror's triumphant return to Rouen. But the sympathies of Waltheof -were with the vanquished; and when the spirit of the country rose -against the invaders he left London, and hurried northward, to take -part in the operations of the Northumbrians. He was still very young; -but, like his father, he was remarkable for his tall stature, his -physical strength, and his strong arm; and the presence of the son of -Siward was hailed with delight by those whom Siward had so often led. - -When the Northumbrians, after the tragical death of Robert Comine, and -the landing of the Danes, marched from Durham and besieged York, -Waltheof performed prodigies of valour. Placing himself in ambuscade -at one of the gates, battle-axe in hand, he fell upon some Normans who -were attempting to escape, and laid twenty of them dead on the ground. -A hundred men, who hoped to save themselves by flight, took refuge in -a neighbouring wood; but Waltheof, who pursued them closely, was in no -humour to allow them to escape. - -"I will save myself further trouble," he said, "by setting the wood on -fire." - -Putting his threat immediately into execution, Waltheof gave the wood -to the flames; and a Danish poet, who was also a warrior, celebrating -Waltheof's deeds in verse, compared his valour to that of Odin, and -congratulated him on having given the English wolves an ample repast -on Norman corses. - -When William was interrupted, while hunting in the Forest of Dean, -with news of the outbreak beyond the Humber, and swore never again to -lay aside his lance till he had slain all the Northumbrians, and -marched suddenly with his choice troops to York, Waltheof once more -fought like a hero of romance. Planting himself in a breach, through -which only a single person could enter at a time, he cleft Norman -after Norman with his ponderous battle-axe. His prowess on the -occasion moved the admiration of his antagonists; and William was -unable to refrain from expressions of surprise. - -"By the Divine splendour!" he exclaimed, "I must make a friend of the -man who dare do such deeds." - -Accordingly a reconciliation was proposed; and a meeting was appointed -at the Norman camp on the banks of the Tees. Everything went smoothly. -Waltheof, in token of homage, placed his bare hand in that of the -Conqueror, and William bestowed the earldoms of Huntingdon and -Northampton on the son of Siward. - -After this submission Waltheof received Judith, one of the Conqueror's -nieces, in marriage, became the father of two children, and, after the -deprivation of Cospatrick, had his highest ambition gratified by being -installed as Earl of Northumberland. In that capacity the Anglo-Dane -lived in the closest friendship with Vaulcher of Lorraine, Bishop of -Durham. Sitting with Vaulcher in the synods of his clergy, Waltheof -humbly and obediently put in execution the decrees of the bishop for -reforming religion within the diocese. Nor did he by such conduct lose -the favour of the English. All appeared prosperous; and Waltheof, -united to the king's niece, and occupying his father's seat, enjoyed -the favour of the Conqueror without having forfeited his popularity -with the vanquished, when the conspiracy of Norwich, for which he -cannot be considered to have been responsible, involved him in ruin -and cost him his life. - -On that day, when Norman counts, Saxon thanes, and Welsh chiefs -assembled at Norwich to celebrate the marriage of Ralph de Gael with -the daughter of William Fitzosborne, conspicuous, by his high head and -gigantic stature appeared Waltheof, the Anglo-Dane. It would seem, -however, that Waltheof took no part in the abuse lavished upon the -uncle of his wife. But when the tumult was at the loudest, one of the -Norman earls, rising suddenly, hushed the assembly to silence, and -solemnly appealed to Waltheof to take part in the revolt. - -"Brave man," said the earl, with that eloquence for which the Normans -were so famous, "this is a great moment for your country; this is, for -you, the hour of vengeance and fortune. Join us, and we will -re-establish the kingdom of England in every respect as it was in the -time of King Edward. One of us three shall be king, the other two -shall command under him, and all lordships shall be held of us. -William is occupied beyond sea; we are satisfied that he will not -again cross the Channel. Now, brave warrior, adopt our plan; 'tis the -best for thee, for thy family, and for thy crushed and fallen nation." - -"It is! it is!" shouted the guests in chorus. - -But Waltheof hesitated and remained silent. Warned by former failures, -and with the fate of Edwin and Morkar before his mind's eye, he shrunk -from embarking in an enterprise which he felt must terminate in -disaster. At length he allowed himself so far to be drawn into the -league that he promised secrecy. - -It would seem, however, that Waltheof did not keep his word. The -secret preyed on his mind. Uneasy, restless, and sleepless, he -revealed the conspiracy first to his wife, Judith, and then to -Archbishop Lanfranc. It is even said that he was persuaded by the -primate to repair to Normandy and warn the Conqueror. - -At all events, Waltheof did not escape punishment. When, in due time, -the fleet invited from Denmark, commanded by the son of King Sweyn, -approached the coast, Waltheof was accused of having invited the Danes -over, lodged in the Castle of Winchester, and, ere long, brought to -trial. He denied the charge. But the evidence given by Judith against -her husband, whom she disliked, appeared conclusive, and the court was -only divided in opinion as to the punishment to be inflicted. - -"He deserves execution as a revolted Englishman," said some. - -"No," argued others, "it should be perpetual imprisonment as a -revolted officer of the king's." - -While Waltheof remained a prisoner in the Castle of Winchester, his -fate hung in the balance for nearly a year. But his enemies were eager -for his destruction. Judith was eager to be a widow; Ivo Taille-Bois -had set his heart on some of Waltheof's land which adjoined his own; -and many Normans had a keen eye to the great earldom which had been -enjoyed by the son of Siward. William did not resist the pressure, and -sentence of death was pronounced. - -The 29th of April, 1075, was appointed for the execution of Waltheof. -But such was his popularity that the Normans apprehended an -insurrection as the consequence of openly beheading him. It was, -therefore, determined that the utmost secrecy should be observed. -Before daybreak, accordingly, while the citizens of Winchester still -slept, Norman officers, appearing in Waltheof's prison, informed him -that his hour was come; and Waltheof, rising, arrayed himself in his -earl's robes and walked forth to execution. Escorted by soldiers, -attended by priests, and followed by some of the poor whose home was -the street, the son of Siward directed his steps to a hill outside the -city. On reaching this place, where the last scene was to be enacted, -he prostrated himself on the ground, and, for a few moments, prayed in -a low and earnest tone. - -"Rise, that we may fulfil our orders," said the Normans, alarmed at -the thought of the news spreading and a rescue being attempted. - -"Wait," he replied calmly, "till I have said the Lord's Prayer for -myself and for you." - -"Yes," said they, consenting. - -Waltheof, rising from his prostrate attitude, but remaining on his -knees, said, in a loud voice, "Our Father, which art in Heaven." -However, when he reached the words "lead us not into temptation," the -executioner, growing impatient and uneasy, suddenly drew his large -sword, waved it in the air, and with one blow severed the earl's head -from his body. Alarmed at the approach of day, the Normans hastily dug -a hole between two roads, threw in the body, and covered it with -earth. - -The possessions of Waltheof, and the earldom of Northampton, devolved -upon Judith, his widow; and that lady consoled herself in her -bereavement by regaling her imagination with the idea of sharing her -wealth and power with a husband of her own choosing. But it soon -appeared that in this respect the widow of Waltheof had made a serious -miscalculation. William, in fact, without consulting her taste, -destined her hand for Simon de Senlis, a French knight of unquestioned -courage, but lame and somewhat deformed; and Judith expressed her -utter horror of the match. - -"What!" she exclaimed, "I marry a man who is lame and ill-shapen? -Never!" - -"As you will, madam," said the Conqueror, grimly; "but, at all events, -Simon de Senlis shall be Earl of Northampton." - -Meanwhile, the body of Waltheof was removed from the place where it -had been hastily buried to the Abbey of Croyland, and interred in the -chapter-house. Judith, disappointed in her hopes of a second husband, -and mortified at the spectacle of Simon de Senlis figuring as Earl of -Northampton, repaired to Croyland, and, as if to appease the spirit of -the man whom she had betrayed, offered a silken cloth at his -sepulchre. Left with her two children in poverty and obscurity, the -widow of Waltheof passed the remainder of her life mournfully in a -remote corner of England. - -[Illustration] - - - - -XXXIX. - -WULSTAN, BISHOP OF WORCESTER. - - -In that memorable day when Edgar Atheling appeared at the Norman camp -at Berkhampstead to make his submission to the conqueror of Hastings, -one of the Saxon prelates who accompanied the grandson of Edmund -Ironside was Wulstan, Bishop of Worcester. - -Wulstan had taken part in the election of Edgar Atheling, and probably -felt as anxious as any of his neighbours to maintain the national -independence. But after having arrived at the conclusion that the game -was up, and sworn allegiance to William the Norman, he continued -faithful to his oath; and, in doing so, earned the distinction of -being described by a modern historian as "a simple, weak-minded man, -who, after a momentary impulse of patriotic enthusiasm, became -heartily reconciled with the conquerors." - -It appears that long after the other prelates of Saxon race were -somewhat summarily deposed, Wulstan was, in consequence of his -fidelity to William, allowed to remain Bishop of Worcester. In that -capacity he rendered to the Norman cause services which only a Saxon -churchman could have rendered. When the violence shown towards the -Saxon clergy raised so much resentment throughout England that in some -provinces no Norman bishop durst show his face, Wulstan made pastoral -visitations, calmed the popular excitement, and proclaimed the -amnesties of the king; and when Roger Fitzosborne, raising the -standard of revolt, marched from Hereford, in hopes of crossing the -Severn and joining Ralph de Gael, Wulstan not only rallied the natives -of Worcester around the royal standard, but marched in person to -oppose the rebel earl's progress. - -Wulstan, after these events, doubtless considered his position secure. -Indeed, it was quite natural that he should. But he was deficient in -that kind of erudition which Lanfranc deemed that a bishop ought to -possess--and Lanfranc, being no respecter of persons, reported him as -"insufficient for his place for want of learning." - -It was the year 1076; and a great council of barons and bishops was -held in the church of Westminster, under the auspices of Lanfranc and -under the presidency of William. Before that assembly Wulstan was -cited; and by the assembly he was unanimously declared incapable of -exercising episcopal functions. When this judgment was pronounced, -William ordered Wulstan to take off his pontifical robes, and resign -his staff and ring, the ensigns of his ecclesiastical dignity. -Wulstan, however, was so amazed and indignant, that, instead of -obeying quietly, as was anticipated, he rose, turned towards the -Conqueror, and exclaimed, with energy-- - -"A better man than you, O king! bestowed these robes upon me, and to -him I will restore them!" - -As Wulstan spoke, the Norman barons and bishops stared in mute -surprise, and they were astonished when the venerable man, as if under -Divine inspiration, walked to the Confessor's tomb. - -"Thou, holy Edward," said he, "gavest me this staff, and to thee I -return and confide it!" - -Suiting the action to the words, Wulstan energetically struck the -tombstone with the end of his pastoral staff; and then turning back to -the Normans, he said, with calm scorn-- - -"I received my staff from a better man than any of _you_! I have -returned it to him. Take it from him if you can!" - -At this distant period it would be impossible adequately to describe -the effect produced on the assembled Normans by this scene. Had all -the heroes, saints, and martyrs of that great regal House whose throne -the son of Arlette so unworthily occupied come out of their graves, -and walked in procession before the council, the bishops and barons -could not have been more astonished. The air of Wulstan, his -unexpected energy, and the circumstances under which it was displayed, -produced a feeling of wonder mingled with superstitious awe. The king -did not repeat his demand; but Lanfranc mustered voice to entreat -Wulstan to put on his robes and remain in his bishopric. - -But the effect produced on the bishops and barons within the church of -Westminster was trifling compared with the impression produced -throughout the country. According to popular report, something -resembling a miracle had been wrought. It must be confessed, indeed, -that the story lost nothing in the telling. The rumour ran, that when -Wulstan struck the tomb his staff penetrated into the stone as into -soft earth, and that no one was able to draw it but the bishop -himself. The story spread far and wide, and was told by many an -oppressed peasant at the cottage hearth, by many a bold outlaw under -the greenwood tree, and by many a sad-hearted Saxon, driven from his -country, dressed as a Varing, and guarding the palace of the Emperor -of Constantinople. - -[Illustration: Herdsman (from Strutt)] - - - - -XL. - -ROBERT CURTHOSE. - - -The conquest of England having been accomplished, and the Saxons -completely reduced to submission, the Conqueror, instead of enjoying -his triumph, became sad and uneasy. Doubts as to the fidelity of his -barons, and dismal forebodings as to the fate of his sons, haunted him -day and night; and he even went so far, in his intense anxiety, as to -consult some "wise men," who were supposed to have the gift of -divination, as to the future of his line. Had any magician really had -the power of revealing to him the fortune of his descendants in an -enchanted mirror, as conjurers in another age revealed to Catherine de -Medici the fortunes of her posterity, his worst apprehensions would -have been confirmed. As it was, the conduct of his son Robert filled -his heart with sadness and his mind with gloom. - -Robert was the eldest son of William and Matilda. He drew his first -breath about the year 1053; and his appearance was hailed with delight -by his parents. Both William and Matilda appear to have indulged young -Robert in such a way as utterly to spoil him; and when he passed from -childhood to boyhood he acquired most dangerous notions of his -importance. - -When William sailed to conquer England, Robert had reached his -thirteenth year. Ere that period he had been formally recognised by -the Norman barons as heir of the duchy, and affianced to the heiress -of the Counts of Maine; and when William sailed in the _Moira_, Robert -was associated with Matilda in the administration of affairs. -Flattered, complimented, and allowed to exercise enormous influence in -Normandy during the absence of his sire, Robert early assumed the airs -of an independent sovereign, and began to treat the parental authority -with undisguised contempt. - -Notwithstanding the influence which unfortunate training produced on -the heir-apparent of Normandy, Robert, as he grew up to manhood, -displayed qualities which recommended him to the hearts of the Norman -chivalry. Brave and eloquent, intrepid and generous, he was just the -person to secure the affection of a martial and high-spirited race of -nobles. In war his prowess reminded men of the heroes of romance. But -his appearance was in no respect heroic. He was under the ordinary -height, fat to excess, and large in the bones. Rollo would have been -astonished at the aspect of his heir; and William was so impressed -with the shortness of Robert's legs, that the father, in ridicule, -called the son "Curthose." - -While Curthose was emerging from his teens, the death of the heiress -of Maine and the annexation of that province to Normandy resulted in a -quarrel between William and his heir. Eager to have a dominion of his -own, Curthose claimed Maine as husband of the heiress; and the -inhabitants, eager to have a lord of their own, supported Curthose's -claim heart and soul. William, however, treated the idea with cold -contempt; and while Curthose was brooding over this as a serious -injury, circumstances occurred to fire his indignation. - -It was the year 1077, and the Conqueror, Queen Matilda, and their sons -happened to be on a visit to Laigle. One day, about noon, Curthose, -with his friends around him, was standing in the courtyard of the -house in which he lodged, expatiating with his wonted eloquence on his -wrongs, and his brothers, William Rufus and Henry Beauclerc, who had -been in the habit of taking part against Curthose in the domestic -feud, coming thither, ascended to the upper rooms, where, making a -great noise, they began to play at dice, after the manner of the -soldiers of that age. Suddenly Rufus and Beauclerc conceived the idea -of varying their amusement, and, without calculating the consequences, -they threw a quantity of water on Curthose and those with whom he was -in earnest and animated conversation. - -This insult stung Curthose to the quick. Giving way to irritation, he -swore that no man on earth should so treat him with impunity; and, -drawing his sword, with a gesture of menace he sprang to the doorway, -and rushed upstairs to inflict chastisement. Fortunately, his friends -interfered in time to prevent bloodshed. But high words passed, -defiances were exchanged, and the scene was so tumultuous that the -Conqueror's presence became necessary to prevent the disputants from -coming to blows. - -At length order was restored. It was even supposed that the quarrel -was at an end. But, all the time, the blood of Curthose was boiling in -his veins, and his high spirit was swelling with anger and grief. Next -night he left Laigle with a choice band of friends, and proceeded to -Rouen. With some vague notion, he attempted to surprise the citadel. -The enterprise, however, failed, and many of his adherents were -arrested. Curthose, however, escaped, passed the frontier of Normandy, -took refuge in La Perche, and found shelter in the castle of Sorel. - -The conduct of his heir naturally excited the Conqueror's wrath. -Curthose, however, had a powerful advocate in his mother, Matilda, and -a reconciliation took place. But this domestic peace was not of long -duration. The adherents of Curthose, generally gay and thoughtless -young men, exercised all their art to stimulate his ambition; and he -yielded somewhat too readily to their suggestions. - -"Noble son of a king," said they, "thy father's people must take good -care of his treasure, since thou hast not a penny to bestow on thy -followers. Why endurest thou to remain so poor when thy father is so -rich?" - -"But what can I do?" asked Curthose. - -"Ask him for a portion of his England," they answered; "or, at least, -for the duchy of Normandy, which he promised thee before all his -barons." - -Curthose did as he was advised. Excited and discontented, he went to -William, and demanded to be put in possession of either part of the -kingdom of England or the duchy of Normandy. William, instead of -complying, exhorted Curthose, in a paternal tone, to amend his life, -and to behave in a manner more worthy of the position he was destined -to occupy. - -"Return to your duty as a son," said the Conqueror, "and then make -choice of better counsellors than you now have. Make choice of wise -and grave persons of mature age to guide you--such a man, for -instance, as Archbishop Lanfranc." - -"Sir King!" replied Curthose, so sharply that William started, "I -came here to claim my right, and not to listen to sermons. I heard -enough of them, and wearisome enough they were, when I was at my -grammar. Answer me, therefore, distinctly, so that I may know what I -have to do; for I am firmly resolved not to live on the bread of -others, and not to receive the wages of any man." - -"Know, then," exclaimed William, angrily, "that I will not divest -myself of Normandy, to which I was born, nor share England, which I -have acquired with so much labour." - -"Well," said Curthose, "I will go and serve strangers, and perhaps -obtain from them what is refused me in my own country." - -Without further ceremony, Curthose summoned his adherents, mounted his -horse, and, with a soul glowing with pride and a spirit swelling with -indignation, rode out from Rouen and away towards Flanders. Passing -from country to country, from castle to castle, and from court to -court, Curthose travelled over Europe, publishing his grievances and -demanding aid. Nor was his story, told in eloquent language, without -influence on the magnates whom he visited. Counts, dukes, and princes -testified their sympathy, and drew their purses. Their liberality, -however, had no beneficial influence on the wanderer's circumstances. -In fact, Curthose was one of those men who can give the most sapient -advice as to the affairs of their friends, while their own affairs are -going to ruin as rapidly as their enemies could wish. All that he -received to support his cause slipped through his fingers. -Mountebanks, parasites, and women of equivocal reputation perpetually -preyed upon him. All that Curthose obtained from barons and princes to -buy arms and equip men passed into the hands of those who ministered -to his amusement or contributed to his pleasure. Hard pressed for -money, inconvenienced by poverty and all its concomitant evils, -compelled to beg afresh, but, probably, with less success than on the -first occasion, he found himself under the necessity of going to the -usurers, and borrowing gold at exorbitant interest. Such were the -steps by which Curthose entered upon that fatal path which finally, -notwithstanding his great fame as a prince and soldier, and as a -champion of the Cross, conducted him to disaster and defeat, and to a -long and dismal captivity in the dungeons of Cardiff. - - - - -XLI. - -THE CONQUEROR AND HIS HEIR. - - -While Robert Curthose was journeying from castle to castle and from -court to court, Philip, King of France, now in his twenty-seventh -year, and William the Conqueror's sworn foe, was offering bribes and -protection to all the discontented Normans. After wandering about -Flanders, Lorraine, and Aquitaine, Curthose at length turned his -horse's head towards France, made for St. Germain, and craved sympathy -and support from the great grandson of Hugh Capet. - -Never did monarch listen to exiled prince with more eagerness than -Philip of France listened to the heir of Normandy. Fearing and hating -William as he did, Philip smiled with delight at the idea of setting -the son to pull down the father, and readily promised his utmost aid. -After much conversation on the subject, Curthose formed his plan of -action, and, under the auspices of the French king, repaired to -Gerberoy, a castle on the frontiers of Normandy. - -At that period it was the custom that the castle of Gerberoy should be -occupied by two viscounts, equal in authority, and that fugitives from -all nations should find protection within its walls. The reception of -Curthose at this stronghold was all that he could have wished. He was -courteously received at the gate by Elie, one of the viscounts, and -afterwards cordially welcomed by Elie's colleague. - -Ere this, Matilda of Flanders became aware of the pecuniary -embarrassments of her son, and, eager to administer relief without -informing William, she contrived, by means of a Breton named Samson, -to send Curthose sums of money. Hearing of this, the Conqueror forbade -her to hold any communication with a son who had forfeited all title -to consideration. Matilda, however, had a will of her own. Her -maternal anxiety proving, in this case, infinitely stronger than -respect for her husband's mandate, she continued secretly to assist -Curthose in the midst of his multitudinous difficulties. William, -learning that he had been disobeyed, was highly indignant, and -addressed his spouse in language somewhat reproachful. - -"Behold my wife," said the Conqueror; "she whom I have loved as mine -own soul--to whom I have confided the government of my realms, my -treasures, and all that in this world I possess of power and -greatness--she hath supported mine adversary against me; she hath -strengthened and enriched him with the wealth I confided to her -keeping; she hath secretly employed her zeal and subtlety in his -cause, and done everything she could to encourage him against me." - -"My lord," answered Matilda, "be not surprised if I feel a mother's -tenderness for my first-born son. By the virtue of the Most High! I -protest that if my son Robert were dead, and hidden far from the sight -of the living, seven feet deep in the earth, and that the price of my -blood would restore him to life, I would cheerfully bid it flow." - -"But," said William, "you support my enemy with the very money I have -committed to your keeping." - -"And how," asked Matilda, "can you suppose that I could enjoy the -pomps and luxuries with which I was surrounded when I knew that he was -pining in want and misery? Far from my heart be such hardness!" - -On hearing this, William grew pale with vexation. In his rage he -bethought him of Matilda's messenger, and gave peremptory orders that -Samson should be arrested and deprived of his sight. But the Breton, -hearing that his eyes were to be put out, made his escape, and sought -safety in the cloister. The old chronicler deemed the circumstance one -in regard to which he had a right to be jocular, and remarked that -Samson turned monk to save at once his body and soul. - -Meanwhile, Curthose hoisted his flag and invited mercenaries to -repair, without delay, to the castle of Gerberoy. Thither they flocked -as eagles to the carnage. From France, from Flanders, and from -Normandy they hastened, on foot and on horseback, with sword and with -spear. Even men-at-arms who had served in William's court, who had -lived under his protection, and who had partaken of the fruits of his -successes, willing to worship the rising sun, left Rouen and galloped -to Gerberoy. Curthose ere long found himself at the head of a -formidable force, and Philip of France rejoiced in the triumph which -he anticipated from having set the son against the father. - -William was startled at the menacing attitude which Curthose had -assumed, but he acted with all the energy of his earlier days. Landing -in Normandy, the Conqueror prepared to encounter his refractory heir -as he had encountered other foes, and, attended by his son, William -Rufus, appeared in hostile array, and at the head of a numerous army, -before Archembrage, where Curthose then was. - -It was now Curthose's turn to feel some degree of anxiety. Inclosed -within the walls of Archembrage, he saw himself hemmed in by a force -with which his own was too weak to cope. But the chivalrous spirit of -the heir of Normandy was not to be daunted by the odds arrayed against -him; and making a sally, with his lance in rest, and his best warriors -at his back, he bore down opposition and carried confusion into the -enemy's camp. - -It was on this occasion that Curthose and the Conqueror encountered -hand to hand. Unaware who was his adversary, Curthose so strenuously -exerted his marvellous prowess that William, who had never before been -worsted in close conflict, was wounded and unhorsed. Alarmed at -disasters which to him were quite novel, William bellowed out much -more loudly than was consistent with the dignity of a conqueror, and -the Norman knights, spurring in to the rescue, shouted out that it was -the king. On discovering who was the wounded knight, Curthose -dismounted, lifted William from the ground, aided him to regain his -saddle, and left him at liberty to depart. - -After the affray at Archembrage, the Norman counts and bishops used -their utmost endeavours to reconcile William and his son. At first -their efforts were unavailing. The Conqueror would scarcely listen to -their entreaties, and, even after listening, he resisted sternly and -stubbornly. - -"Why," he asked, "do you solicit me in favour of a traitor who has -seduced from me those soldiers whom I have fed with my bread and whom -I have supplied with the arms they bear?" - -As time passed on, however, William's heart softened. Perhaps, when -cured of his wound, he recovered from the mortification of spirit -caused by the remembrance of his overthrow and affright at -Archembrage. At all events, he yielded to the solicitations of the -Norman counts and bishops, expressed his willingness to forgive the -past, and granted Curthose full pardon for his rebellious exploits. - -While the good understanding consequent on this reconciliation between -father and son lasted, William departed for England, and not, perhaps, -deeming it safe to leave Curthose in Normandy, requested the honour of -his company. In England, however, there was work for a warrior to do. -Malcolm, King of Scots, crossing the Tweed, began once more to ravage -Northumberland, and Curthose, placed at the head of an army, was sent -to repel the invader. But in this expedition the heir of Normandy had -no opportunity of winning new laurels. Malcolm, alarmed at the -approach of so redoubted a champion, retreated rapidly to his own -dominions; and Curthose, to leave some memorial of his northern -expedition, erected a strong fort on the Tyne, to which was given the -name of Newcastle. - -Matters so far went smoothly; but in the year 1083 Matilda of Flanders -died; and soon after the queen's death, the quarrel between the -Conqueror and his heir broke out afresh. - -[Illustration] - - - - -XLII. - -[Illustration: From the Bayeux Tapestry.] - -ODO, BISHOP OF BAYEUX. - - -During the time that King William was on the Continent fighting with -Robert Curthose, the government of England was committed to Odo, -Bishop of Bayeux. Before this period Odo's arrogance had been -sufficiently conspicuous, and during the time he exercised viceregal -functions events occurred to minister to his pride to such a degree -that he became altogether intolerable. - -It was one of the great objects of William the Norman to elevate those -to whom he was related on the mother's side. After the death of Robert -the Devil, Arlette, probably ambitious of figuring in a less equivocal -position than that which she had previously occupied, united herself -in marriage with Herluin de Couteville, and found herself the mother -of two legitimate sons. William did not neglect their interests. One -of them, Robert, became Earl of Mortain; the other, named Odo, and -dedicated to the Church at an early age, became Bishop of Bayeux. - -But, though Bishop of Bayeux, Odo was no meek shaveling nor -pale-faced student. He was a daring warrior and a cautious libertine, -and is pictured with defiance in his eye and rings on his finger; at -one time leading a fiery charge of Norman cavalry, at another inditing -love epistles to the dames of Rouen while pretending to be occupied -with a treatise on some such relic as the finger of St. Thomas. His -addiction to sinful pleasures was, in fact, notorious; and one of the -results of his amours was a son, named John, who distinguished himself -in the reign of his kinsman, Henry Beauclerc. - -In the scenes with which the Norman invasion of England commenced, Odo -of Bayeux enacted a prominent part. When Edward the Confessor expired, -and Harold usurped the throne of young Atheling, and William -calculated the chances of success in the event of undertaking an -enterprise, Odo was one of the Normans who met at Rouen, who tendered -the hesitating duke their support, and who promised to serve with -money and goods, even to pledging or alienating their inheritances. On -that day, also, which witnessed the battle of Hastings Odo was a -prominent personage. In the morning he celebrated mass and blessed the -troops; and, having performed this duty, he mounted his tall white -charger and displayed his military skill by setting the cavalry in -order for battle. - -Hastings having been won, and the work of the Conquest proceeding, -Odo's services did not go unrewarded. While his brother Robert became -Earl of Cornwall, Odo became Grand Justiciary of England, and obtained -the earldom of Kent; and at a later period, having meanwhile shared -the whole of Archbishop Stigand's property with Adeliza, wife of Hugh -Grantmesnil, he, on the forfeiture of Roger Fitzosborne, received a -grant of the earldom of Hereford. - -Never had fortune been more favourable to a human being than for years -she seemed to Odo. Unluckily for the warlike Bishop of Bayeux, his -pride swelled as his power and possessions increased; and at length, -when invested, during William's absence from England, with viceregal -authority, he lost all sense of discretion, and acted like a man whose -head prosperity had turned. - -It happened that, after the execution of Waltheof at Winchester, the -earldom of Northumberland was purchased from the Conqueror by -Vaulcher, Bishop of Durham, and that his government was somewhat -unsatisfactory. Vaulcher, indeed, appears to have been a learned, -pious, and well-meaning man, and to have shown his respect for popular -sentiment by the high consideration he paid to Liulf, a Saxon thane -connected by marriage with the wife of Siward and with the mother of -Cospatrick. But Leofwin, the bishop's chaplain and chief confidant, -and Gislebert, a kinsman who acted as the bishop's deputy in -administering the affairs of this province, regarded Liulf with envy -and malice. After frequent exhibitions of ill-will, they conspired to -murder Liulf; and Gislebert, entering the Saxon thane's house by -night, put him and his family to the sword. - -Vaulcher was naturally much enraged at this atrocity. Such, however, -was his position that he was fain to pass over the crime, and even to -continue his countenance to Leofwin and Gislebert. The Northumbrians, -deeming that this was adding insult to injury, held nocturnal -conferences, as in the time of Robert Comine, and were so evidently -bent on mischief, that Vaulcher recognised the necessity of doing -something to allay the ferment. With this object he announced his -intention of holding a court, and mediating between the relatives of -Liulf on the one part and Leofwin and Gislebert on the other. - -It was on the 14th of May, 1080, and at Gateshead, that Vaulcher met -the Northumbrians. The bishop was attended by Leofwin and Gislebert, -and about a hundred men of foreign birth; and the Northumbrians, all -secretly armed, were headed by Eadulf, surnamed Rus, a great-grandson -of Earl Uchtred, and a connexion by marriage of Liulf. Knowing the -French language, Eadulf acted as spokesman, and conferred with the -bishop on the business of the day, and then stated that he must -consult his followers as to the terms proposed. But instead of doing -so, he cried out--"Short reed, good reed, slay ye the bishop;" and the -Northumbrians, who had come with weapons concealed under their -clothes, instantly brandished them in the air. In order to encourage -his followers, Eadulf struck down Vaulcher with his own hand; and the -Northumbrians, rushing on the bishop's attendants, slaughtered them -without mercy. Only two servants, men who were natives of England, -escaped the massacre. - -News of this outrage at Gateshead was carried to Odo. The Bishop of -Bayeux smiled grimly, and, girding on his armour, promptly marched -northward to punish the perpetrators of the murder. But, meanwhile, -the Northumbrians had marched to Durham, attacked that city, and, -after finding their efforts vain, dispersed in all directions. Eadulf -and the ringleaders fled the country; and, when Odo's approach was -announced, few remained at home except those who had taken no part in -the insurrection. - -But Odo had ridden northward indulging in visions of carnage and -plunder; and he was not to be baffled in his expectations by -considerations of justice. Aware that the murderers of the bishop had -fled, he avenged their crime on the whole province, ravaged the -country, executed many of the inhabitants, mutilated others in the -most revolting manner, plundered the church at Durham of the sacred -ornaments which Bishop Eghelwin had formerly saved by removal to Holy -Island, and gained a high reputation among the most disreputable class -of the Norman conquerors, who proudly described him as "one of the -greatest quellers of the English." - -On learning what had occurred in Northumberland, William was doubtless -surprised to hear of his brother acting so like a madman. But his -astonishment was still greater when he learned that Odo was on the -point of leaving England and proceeding to Italy. In fact, the queller -of the Northumbrians, relying on some prediction of an Italian -soothsayer that the next Pope should be named Odo, had bought a palace -in Rome, and, in order to secure his election to the papal chair, was -not only preparing to go thither, but had engaged his nephew, Hugh Le -Loup, Earl of Chester, and many other Norman knights and barons, to -form his court. - -The idea of Odo aspiring to the chair of St. Peter proved in the -highest degree displeasing to William. Sailing from Normandy without -delay, he contrived to intercept Odo off the Isle of Wight. Assembling -a council of Norman barons, he presented Odo to them, and accused him -of having abused his power as judge and earl. - -"This man," explained William, "has despoiled churches; he has -maltreated the Saxons to the danger of the common cause; and he has -attempted to seduce and take with him beyond the Alps the warriors on -whose fidelity the safety of the country depended. Consider these -grievances," said William, in conclusion, "and tell me how I ought to -act towards such a brother." - -The barons looked at each other; but no one ventured to reply. - -"Ha!" exclaimed William, "offensive foolhardiness must be restrained -in time. Therefore," continued he, after a pause, "let this man be -arrested and put into safe custody." - -But the idea of Odo being a bishop daunted the boldest. None present -had the courage to put out a hand. At length William advanced and -seized Odo's robe. - -"I am a priest--I am a minister of God!" cried Odo. "The Pope alone -can judge between us." - -"It is not as priest or prelate that I judge," exclaimed William, -grasping the bishop's robe more tightly than before; "it is as my -vassal, my earl, and my false viceroy." - -Odo, finding all protests unavailing, was fain to yield to his fate. -Carried to Normandy, he was lodged in a strong fortress, and made to -suffer for the sins committed in the days of his prosperity. In fact, -the licentiousness for which he had been notorious was urged as a -reason against his release, and he remained in durance almost without -hope of seeing his prison-doors opened. - -[Illustration: Cooks--from Bayeux Tapestry.] - - - - -XLIII. - -[Illustration: The Doom's-day Books] - -DOOMSDAY BOOK. - - -The House of Godwin having been overthrown; the son of Siward -executed; one grandson of Leofric in the grave, the other in a -dungeon; and one son of Cospatrick relegated to obscurity in Durham, -the other condemned to exile in Lothian; William the Conqueror shook -off all feelings of apprehension in so far as concerned the -vanquished, and bethought him of casting up accounts with the -companions of his victories. With this view he commissioned Walter -Gifford, Henry de Ferrars, Remi, Bishop of Lincoln, and other persons -of distinction, to traverse the country in all directions, and -ascertain what amount of property each man possessed, and what -proportion each should contribute towards the revenue. - -This process, however necessary, does not appear to have been highly -gratifying to those whom it chiefly concerned. Indeed, the Norman -king and the Norman barons had, ere this, begun to regard each other -with distrust and hostility. William accused them of caring more for -their private interests than the general welfare; and they retaliated -by reproaching him with greediness of gain and a desire to appropriate -to himself, under the pretext of public utility, the wealth that had -been acquired by their united exertions. No forcible opposition, -however, was offered to the inquest which William ordered; and the -Royal commissioners proceeded to the execution of their laborious -duties. - -Making progresses through the various counties of England, the -commissioners established a court of inquiry in each place of -importance, and caused the results of their investigations to be -regularly registered in a book. The king's name was placed first, with -the lands and revenues he enjoyed; then the names of the chiefs or -smaller proprietors, according to their military rank and the value of -their territory. The whole business was conducted with the utmost -regularity, and with such care as rendered the lapse of years -inevitable before the completion of their inquiry. - -When this territorial register, described by the Normans as the "Grand -Roll," but talked of by the Saxons as "Doom's-Day Book," was -completed, all the Norman chiefs, clerks as well as laymen, were -convoked, in 1086, to discuss and decide the various claims that had -been made and disputes that had arisen during the inquest. It was a -magnificent assembly, presided over by William, and consisting of -prelates, barons, and knights, glutted with the blood and gorged with -the spoil of the slaughtered and banished Anglo-Saxon lords. But many -of them came thither in no amicable mood; and the Goddess of Discord -availed herself of their frame of mind to celebrate a festival. - -It appears that William asserted himself proprietor, by inheritance, -of all the land that had belonged to Edward the Confessor, to Harold -the Usurper, and to the various members of the House of Godwin, and -thus interfered with the claims of many Normans who had served him -most zealously at the time of the invasion. Much discontent was felt -in consequence, and expressed without hesitation. Men deprived of -their estates held strong language; and, finally, unable to obtain -redress, they renounced their allegiance, left the country they had -helped to conquer, passed the Tweed, and offered their homage to -Malcolm Canmore. - -This circumstance was destined to exercise considerable influence in -after ages. The Normans crossed the frontier with feelings the reverse -of tender towards the country they were leaving, and taught their -children to turn the points of their spears southward. Two centuries -later it was the perfidy of their descendants that baffled the genius -of the first Great Edward; and it was the courage and prowess of their -children's children which enabled Robert Bruce to wrest from Edward's -son the crown of Scotland on the field of Bannockburn. - -[Illustration: Norman Rustic, 11th century (from Strutt)] - - - - -XLIV. - -[Illustration: The quarrel of Henry Beauclerc and Louis le Gros] - -THE CONQUEROR'S DEATH. - - -It was the spring of 1086, and Philip, King of France--weak as ever, -and with a reputation decidedly the worse for wear--was at Conflans, -on the Seine; and with him was his son, afterwards, as Louis le Gros, -distinguished as the foremost man of his time, but then scarcely out -of his teens, and showing no signs of the talent and energy which -history has associated with his name. In fact, this prince was "gay, -conciliating all hearts to him, and of such extreme good-nature," says -his biographer, "that to some men he seemed almost weak." - -While Philip was at Conflans with his court, Conflans was doubtless an -attractive place. Indeed, the court of Philip included so many young -men sent to be instructed in knightly accomplishments, under the royal -auspices, that they almost formed an army. At the same time, weary, -perhaps, of Rouen, and eager for change of scene Robert Curthose and -Henry Beauclerc--whom the Conqueror had recently invested with joint -authority as governors of Normandy--repaired to Conflans on a visit, -"entertaining the time with a variety of sports." - -One day, when the three princes were in the palace, Henry and Louis -commenced playing chess, while Curthose sat looking out on the banks -of the Seine, or paced the room, pondering some vague project -connected with love or war. Henry appears to have had marvellous luck; -and Louis, perhaps not quite satisfied of having fair play, lost not -only his money but his temper also. High words, and a quarrel not -remarkable for princely dignity were the consequences. Louis, getting -into a rage, perhaps for the first time in his life, called Henry the -son of a bastard, and threw the chessmen in his face. Henry, provoked -in the highest degree, reproached Louis with being the heir of -usurping, effeminate, and priest-ridden kings, and felled him to the -floor with the chessboard. In the vehemence of his passion, Henry -would have slain Louis on the spot; but Curthose, recovering from the -amazement produced by the scene, hastily interfered, dragged his -brother away, and hurried to the stables. Mounting, the Norman princes -spurred off with the speed of the wind, and scarcely halted till they -were beyond the French frontier. - -On learning what had occurred, Philip swore to be avenged. Rousing -himself from apathy, and availing himself of William's absence from -the Continent, the French king made a hostile incursion into Normandy; -and, ere long, the Conqueror, while in England, learned that his -liege lord was ravaging his territory and besieging his towns. - -William was, by this time, in his sixty-third year, and by no means so -energetic as in days gone by. Nevertheless, his spirit was high as -ever. Resolved to go in person to face the danger and punish the -aggression, he prepared to cross the Channel. Before doing so, -however, he determined to remove from the vanquished islanders the -temptation of making a last desperate effort to restore their national -royalty. - -At this time, Edgar Atheling, and his sister, Christina, were both in -England. The Atheling, with some touch of sentiment for the land over -which his sires had reigned, had, in the previous year, returned from -Normandy; and Christina, having perhaps exhausted the patience of King -Malcolm, had returned from Scotland. The presence of the royal Saxons -could hardly, under all the circumstances, have been of vital -consequence. But suspicion had now become a disease with the -Conqueror, and he could not embark without having first disposed of -them to his satisfaction. Accordingly, he so strongly impressed upon -Christina the propriety of becoming a religious, that the princess, -albeit not yet forty, still comely to behold, and perhaps by no means -averse to the veil of a bride, was fain to take the veil of a nun in -the convent of Rumsey; and he demonstrated so clearly to Atheling the -propriety of undertaking an expedition to the Holy Land, that the -prince, after being promised money to support his dignity, consented -to set out on a pilgrimage. - -Matters having thus been settled, William, with Edgar Atheling under -his wing, and Rufus in attendance, embarked for the Continent. Having -set his iron heel once more on Norman soil, the Conqueror first -shipped off the grandson of Ironside to Apulia, with a retinue of two -hundred knights, and then applied himself to his dispute with the heir -of Hugh Capet. - -It appears that the real cause of debate between William and Philip -was the country of Vexin, situated between the Epte and the Oise. This -territory had been wrested from Normandy and united to France during -the troubles consequent upon the rumoured death of Robert the Devil. -William, less inclined than of yore to submit the question of -possession to the arbitrament of the sword, flattered himself that he -should be able to regain the Vexin by peaceful means, and with this -hope opened negotiations. - -While negotiations were pending, William, whose corpulence had caused -him serious inconvenience, felt the necessity of placing himself in -the hands of his physicians and, by their advice, he kept his bed, and -attempted to reduce himself by a rigorous diet. Philip, deeming that -he had little to fear from such an adversary, returned evasive replies -to William's demands, and found that the Conqueror bore the delay so -patiently, that he ventured one day, at Paris, to indulge, at -William's expense, in a coarse jest, which was faithfully repeated at -Rouen. - -"By my faith!" said Philip, "our cousin, the King of England, is very -long about his lying-in! What rejoicings there will be when he gets -up! What a number of candles I must provide for his churching!" - -"Ha!" angrily exclaimed William, when told what Philip had said, "no -cost shall the King of France incur on that day for candles or lights. -For," added he, his anger rising and swelling into fury, "by the -splendour and birth of God! I will be churched at Notre Dame de Paris -with ten thousand lances for my candles." - -While the blood of William was boiling with indignation at his liege -lord's insulting jest, an incident occurred which must have added much -to his annoyance. Curthose, falling under Philip's influence, and -allured by Philip's promises, broke once more with his father, and -prepared for the third time to leave the Norman court. William stormed -as was his wont on such occasions, cursed his son's folly, and heaped -maledictions on his head. Curthose, however, paid no regard to the -reproaches of a sire with whom he could not agree; though it could -hardly have been without reluctance that he left the duchy of which he -was the recognised heir, to sit at the hearth, and feed at the board, -and climb the stairs of strangers. But, whatever his feelings, -Curthose did go; and the grim Conqueror cursed him as he departed. - -William now shook off sickness, discarded his physicians, rose from -his bed, mustered his men-at-arms, buckled on his mail, and entered -the territory of Philip. More than threescore years had passed since -the son of Arlette drew his first breath; but he proved, in a manner -not to be mistaken, that time had not bent his spirit nor softened his -heart. It was late in July, the harvest was at hand, and the summer's -sun shone on fields of yellow corn, on vineyards rich with grapes, and -orchards laden with fruit. William spared nothing. He ordered his -cavalry to burn the corn, to tear up the vines, and to cut down the -fruit-trees. Slaughtering, destroying, and ravaging with all the fury -he had seventeen years earlier displayed in Northumberland, William -reached Mantes, on the Seine. - -It was Sunday, the 15th of August, when the Conqueror appeared at -Mantes; and, on effecting an entrance, he immediately ordered the town -to be set on fire. His orders were promptly obeyed; and as the flames -leaped from roof to roof, seizing on cottages, and castles, and -churches, and shot crackling upwards like a serpent's tongue, William, -as if in a frenzy, shouted at the top of his voice, galloped through -the conflagration, and seemed to enjoy the terrible scene. But -suddenly his haughty spirit was brought low. While riding through the -ruins, he spurred his horse towards a ditch which crossed his path. -While in the act of springing, the animal set its foot on some burning -embers, started, plunged furiously, and came to the ground, throwing -the corpulent rider with such violence against the saddle as to cause -a severe wound in the stomach. - -It soon became apparent that William was not destined to reach Paris -or to appear at Notre Dame; in fact, the Conqueror was in no slight -danger. Weak from recent confinement, heated by excitement, by the -fire, and by the weather, he became feverish, and ordered himself to -be conveyed back to Rouen. But when laid in his own chamber he could -not rest; and so great was the annoyance he experienced from the noise -of the streets, that it was deemed expedient to remove him to the -priory of St. Gervase. In that religious house, which belonged to the -monks of Fescamp, and stood on a hill outside the city, William, under -the care of Gilbert, Bishop of Lysieux, and Goutard, Abbot of -Jumieges, who tended him as physicians, languished for weeks. But his -condition daily became worse, and, not deluding himself with hopes of -recovery, he prepared for death. - -When stretched on a bed from which he felt there was no probability of -his rising, William reflected seriously on his past life, and regarded -many actions in a very different light from that in which he had been -in the habit of viewing them during the years of health and vigour. -Eager to make atonement, he caused money to be given to the poor, and -to be sent to the religious houses of England and Mantes to rebuild -the churches which, by his orders, had been burned. At the same time -he ordered the prison doors to be opened, and freedom to be given to -captives, among whom were Wulnoth, brother of Harold; Morkar, brother -of Edwin; and William's own brother, Odo of Bayeux. - -It was now Wednesday, the 8th of September, 1087, and the Conqueror -became aware that he was on the point of passing that bourne from -which no traveller returns. But still he seems to have remained -somewhat unconvinced of the vanity of sublunary greatness. Ordering -the officers of his household to repair to his chamber, he, weak as he -was, delivered an harangue of some length on his military -achievements, dilated on the renown he had acquired as a ruler of men, -and dictated his last will to his sons. Robert Curthose was at -Abbeville; but William Rufus and Henry Beauclerc were by the bed of -their dying father. - -"I leave Normandy," said the Conqueror, "to my eldest son Robert, in -accordance with the wishes of the Normans; but wretched will be the -land subject to his rule. As for England, I leave it to no one, -because I acquired it by force and bloodshed. I replace it in God's -hands, wishing that my son William, who has ever been obedient to me, -may, if it please God, obtain that kingdom and prosper in it." - -"And," said Henry, stepping forward and speaking with energy, "what, -then, will you give me, my father?" - -"Give thee?" replied William; "I give thee five thousand pounds in -silver from my treasury." - -"But," said Henry, "what can I do with this money if I have neither -house nor land?" - -"Be content, my son," answered the Conqueror, "and have confidence in -God. Allow thine elder brothers to precede thee. Thy time will come -after theirs." - -This scene having been enacted, William awaited that pale spectre -which comes with impartiality to the cottages of the poor and the -castles of kings. Nor was his patience severely tried. At sunrise, on -Thursday morning, he awoke from the feverish slumber in which he -passed the last night his spirit was to spend on earth. It was bright -and clear; the rising sun shone on the storied windows of the priory, -the bells were ringing, and the monks were singing a Latin hymn to the -hour of prime. - -"What means that noise?" inquired William, in faint accents. - -"They are ringing prime at the church of St. Mary," was the answer. - -"Ha!" faltered William; and then adding, "I commend my soul to Mary, -the Holy Mother of God," he raised his hands to heaven, and instantly -expired. - -[Illustration] - - - - -XLV. - -THE BURIAL AT CAEN. - - -One Thursday the 10th of September, 1087, consternation and dismay -pervaded the city of Rouen. Neither Granada after Boabdil's flight, -nor Edinburgh after the death of King James at Flodden, presented such -a scene of confusion as did the capital of Normandy on that morning -when it became known that William the Conqueror had breathed his last. -Fear fell upon all men who had anything to lose, and they ran wildly -about, beating their breasts, tearing their hair, and imploring -advice, as if a hostile army had been before the gates. - -Meanwhile, within the convent of St. Gervase and the castle of Rouen -were enacted such scenes as, when reflected on, make human beings -blush for human nature. No sooner did William breathe his last than -his physicians, and the attendants who had watched his couch during -the night, hastily left the chamber of death, and mounting their -horses, rode away to look after their property; and, when the news -reached the castle, the servants carried off plate, armour, clothes, -linen, and everything that was not too hot or too heavy, and fled -from the place. It is even said that the body of the great -warrior-statesman was left on the floor with scarcely a shred of -covering, and that it remained in that position for several hours. - -It is most discreditable, indeed, to the memory of William's two sons, -Rufus and Beauclerc, that such should have been the case. But these -young men were wholly intent on their own interests. Rufus was already -on his way to England, and Beauclerc was busy receiving the five -thousand pounds, seeing the silver carefully weighed, and depositing -the treasure in a chest, fastened with bands of iron, and secured with -strong locks. Never was there a more thorough display of intense -selfishness. Even Curthose, with all his faults, would not have been -guilty of such filial impiety. - -It almost seemed as if the Conqueror was to be denied Christian -burial. But William, Archbishop of Rouen, had the decency to think of -the dead king, and ordered a procession to be arranged. Dressed in -their habits, monks and priests, with cross, candles, and censers, -repaired to the chamber to pray for the soul that had departed, and -the archbishop gave orders that the corpse should be conveyed to Caen, -and buried in the cathedral which William had built and dedicated to -St. Stephen. But nobody showed the least inclination to take an active -part in the obsequies. - -At length a Norman knight, named Herluin, probably a kinsman of -Arlette's husband, William's stepfather, volunteered to take the -trouble and bear the expense. Having hired a hearse and men, Herluin -removed the body to the banks of the Seine, and, having caused it to -be placed in a boat, attended it, by the river and the sea, to Caen. -On reaching that place the corpse was met by the Abbot of Caen, with -all his monks, and by many other priests and laymen, among whom -appeared Henry Beauclerc. But a fire suddenly breaking out in the town -dissolved the procession, and the corpse, deserted by all but the -monks of St. Stephen, was borne by them to the cathedral. - -Between the altar and the choir of the Cathedral of Caen a tomb was -prepared; and when the time appointed for the inhumation arrived all -the bishops and abbots of Normandy assembled for the ceremony. Mass -was then said; and the body, without a coffin, but clothed in royal -robes, was about to be lowered, when suddenly a man, advancing from -the crowd, stepped forward and interrupted the process. - -"Priests and bishops," said he, in a loud voice, "this ground is mine. -It was the site of my father's house. The man for whom you have now -prayed took it from me by force to build his church upon it." - -"It is true," said several voices. - -"I have not sold my land," continued the man; "I have not pawned it--I -have not forfeited it--I have not given it. Mine the ground is by -right, and I demand it." - -"Who art thou?" they asked. - -"My name," he answered, "is Asselin Fitzarthur, and in God's name I -forbid the body of the spoiler to be laid in this place. Here was the -floor of my father's house--it was violently wrested from us; and I -charge you, as ye shall answer for it before the face of God, not to -cover this body with the earth of my inheritance." - -"He hath the law of Normandy on his side," muttered those present. - -Perceiving how the matter stood, the bishops caused Fitzarthur to -approach, and a bargain was hastily struck. The bishops agreed to pay -sixty pence for the immediate place of sepulture, and to give -equitable recompence for the rest of the ground; and Fitzarthur, -contented with their assurance, withdrew his protest. The body was -then placed in its narrow receptacle, and, the ceremony having been -hastily completed, the grave closed over the remains of William the -Conqueror. - -The right of Robert Curthose to the coronal of Normandy was not -disputed, and when that prince arrived at Rouen he quietly took -possession of the dominions of Rollo. But the succession to the crown -of England was a question which the Anglo-Norman barons deemed -themselves entitled to decide. A council was accordingly held for that -purpose; and at this assembly the majority of those present gave it as -their opinion that crown and coronal should go together--that the two -countries should have one and the same government--and that the crown -of England should be placed where the coronal of Normandy already -was, on the head of Duke Robert. But, in the midst of their -deliberations, the dignity of the assembled barons was rudely shocked. -News, in fact, came across the Channel which seemed to indicate that -their wishes on the subject of the succession were not thought worthy -even of being consulted, and which, by creating bitter animosities, -was destined to produce an alarming and not altogether unimportant -civil war. - -[Illustration] - - - - -XLVI. - -[Illustration: Shakespeare's Cliff, Dover.] - -THE RED KING. - - -About the time when news that the Conqueror had commended his soul to -the Virgin Mary and expired at the convent of St. Gervase was causing -consternation and affright in the city of Rouen, there might have been -seen, at the port of Wissant, near Calais, a thickset and -rude-mannered man, of twenty-seven or thereabouts, who stammered in -Norman French, swore "by the face of St. Luke," and went blustering -about in the excess of his eagerness to embark for the shores of -England. - -The appearance of this person was the reverse of prepossessing. His -stature was mean, his figure was ungraceful, his face florid, his -forehead shaped like a window, his hair fiery red, and his -countenance, which had not a redeeming feature, was deformed by a -disagreeable defect in the eyes. It was William Rufus, the Conqueror's -second son, on his way to seize the English throne. - -On setting foot in England, Rufus hastened to Winchester, presented -himself to the treasurer, and gained that officer over to his views. -Having obtained the keys of the treasury, he found much silver and -gold, and a quantity of jewels. Upon weighing these carefully, and -taking an inventory, he succeeded in gaining the support of Lanfranc; -and, having prevailed on the Norman barons then in England to -recognise him as king, he was crowned by the archbishop in the -cathedral of Winchester. - -It would seem that at this stage Rufus apprehended some danger from -the enmity of the Saxons. At all events, his first act of royal -authority was directed against men of the vanquished race. In -accordance with the Conqueror's dying command, four captives of high -rank had been restored to liberty. These were Roger Fitzosborne, Odo -of Bayeux, Wulnoth, brother of Harold, and Morkar, brother of Edwin. -Of these, Rufus ordered Wulnoth and Morkar to be seized, and again -committed to prison at Winchester. - -Events soon occurred to convince the Red King that he had mistaken the -quarter whence danger was to come. In fact, the Norman barons, who had -assembled at Rouen, were furious at the intelligence of a coronation -having taken place without their consent, and, ere long, they reached -England, breathing defiance and threatening vengeance. Soon a party -was formed with the avowed resolution of pulling Rufus from the -throne, and placing the crown of England on Curthose's head. - -At the head of this party figured Odo, the fierce and haughty Bishop -of Bayeux, now released from prison. Owing Lanfranc an old grudge, and -willing to pay the debt with interest, Odo exerted all his influence -to destroy the settlement of which the archbishop was author, and -proved so successful in his efforts that a formidable conspiracy was -formed with that object. Day by day it was strengthened by the names -of powerful nobles and influential churchmen. Hugh de Grantmesnil, -Robert Mortain, Earl of Cornwall; Robert Montgomery, Earl of -Shrewsbury; Robert Moubray, Earl of Northumberland; and William -Carilif, Bishop of Durham, were among the many eminent personages who -vowed to place Curthose on the Conqueror's throne. With the object of -perplexing the movements of Rufus while awaiting the coming of -Curthose, they fortified themselves in different parts of the country. -Hugh de Grantmesnil fortified himself in Leicester; the Earl of -Cornwall posted himself at Pevensey; the Earl of Shrewsbury held -Norwich; the Earl of Northumberland seized Bristol; William Carilif -occupied the castle of Durham; and Odo himself took possession of the -castle of Rochester. The banners of the insurgents waved from hundreds -of other strongholds; and they only awaited the arrival of Curthose to -strike a decisive blow. - -[Illustration: Rochester] - -The position of Rufus appeared somewhat perilous. Left to his own -resources he must have fallen from the throne he so unworthily -occupied. But the circumstance of having a minister of such wisdom and -experience as Lanfranc at his side considerably altered the case; and, -acting under the auspices of the archbishop, Rufus took the only step -likely to save him from impending ruin. - -In passing through England, as it then was, foreigners were -surprised, after passing the Norman fortresses, which on every height -frowned with heavy, massive, and gloomy turrets, to come, ever and -anon, on two-storied houses, quite unfortified, and standing in the -midst of parks, through which, watched by the herdsmen, herds and -flocks grazed in security. These were the seats of such Saxons of -consideration as had escaped the Norman sword; not mighty chiefs, like -Edwin or Cospatrick, but thanes who, perhaps, had been too proud to -march under the banner of the son of Godwin; men who had not, for -years, wandered out from the shadow of their paternal oaks; whom -isolation had rendered eccentric, and whom oppression had rendered -irascible. - -In the hour of need, Rufus was reminded of these Saxon thanes, who had -long been exclaiming over their cups against Norman tyranny, summoned -them to his court, asked their counsels, and promised, in the event of -their rendering aid, to restore to them the right of carrying arms, -and the privileges of the chase. The simple Saxons fell into the -snare, gave credit to his frank assurances, and issued to the natives -a proclamation couched in the words to which the Saxons had been long -accustomed. - -"Let every man," such were the words--"let every man that is not a -nothing, whether in the town or country, leave his house and come." - -The appeal was not made in vain. At the time and place appointed -thirty thousand Saxons rallied round the Red King's banner. - -It was at the head of this body of men, who were mostly on foot, that -William, with some Norman cavalry, marched towards Rochester, where -Odo of Bayeux was strongly posted. The Saxons, to whom Odo was -peculiarly odious, displayed great eagerness for the strife, vowed -vengeance against the oppressors, and beleaguered Rochester on all -sides. Closely pressed, the Bishop of Bayeux and his friends soon -offered to yield, and to acknowledge Rufus as King, on condition of -being allowed to retain their honours and their lands. Rufus, who was -brave, though his courage somewhat resembled that of a wild beast, at -first refused to listen to such terms. But the Normans in his army, -having no mind to slaughter their friends and kinsmen, pressed him to -accede. - -"We, who have aided thee in this danger," said they, "pray thee to -spare our countrymen and relatives, who are also thine, and who aided -thy father to conquer England." - -"Well," said Rufus, yielding to their representations, "I will grant -them liberty to depart with arms and horses." - -"But," said Odo, "we must stipulate that the king's military music -shall not play in token of victory at our departure." - -"By St. Luke's face!" exclaimed Rufus, fiercely, on hearing of this -demand, "I will not make any such concession for a thousand gold -marks." - -Accordingly, when Odo and his friends left Rochester, with colours -lowered, the royal trumpets sounded in token of victory; but far -louder were the clamours that arose from the assembled Saxons. - -"Bring us cords!" some cried; "we will hang this traitor bishop, with -all his accomplices!" - -"O king!" cried others, "why dost thou let him go free? He is not -worthy to live--the traitor, the perjurer, the murderer of so many -thousand men." - -The war, after raging for some time longer, was terminated by a -treaty. Curthose was bribed with a grant of land and with a promise of -succeeding to the crown in the event of his surviving Rufus; while his -adherents were pardoned and returned to their estates. But how did -Rufus treat the Anglo-Saxons who had secured him victory? How did he -fulfil the promises made to the Saxon chiefs who had brought their -countrymen around him in the hour of need? - -No sooner was the war at an end than Rufus became infinitely more -tyrannical than ever his father had been. In vain Lanfranc, who had, -as it were, stood sponsor, reminded the Red King of the pledges he had -given. - -"Remember your promises," said the venerable prelate. - -"Tush!" stammered out Rufus; "how can a king keep all the promises he -makes?" - -Lanfranc was horrified. Dumb with amazement at the idea of solemn -engagements, for which he had stood security, being thus repudiated, -the archbishop retired into privacy, and soon after went the way of -all flesh. The death of Lanfranc was regarded as a national calamity; -and the Red King, freed from all restraint, and pursuing his career -without scruple and without fear, lived like a scoundrel, and reigned -like a tyrant. - -Rufus seems to have had as little sympathy with the sentiments of that -gallant French monarch who said that "society without ladies would be -like the year without the spring; or, rather, like spring without the -flowers," as with the sentiment of another French monarch, who said -that, "if good faith were banished from all the rest of the world, it -should still be found in the breasts of kings." No gentle wife had the -Red King to exercise a softening influence on his harsh heart. From -the first he was a confirmed bachelor, and his morals were dissolute -in the extreme. It is true that at the court of Winchester no mediæval -Diana of Poictiers or Madame Pompadour scandalized the grave and -decorous by the spectacle of an abandoned woman, arrayed in purple and -fine linen, enjoying a degree of royal favour not vouchsafed to a -wedded wife. But Rufus indulged without restraint in amours with -females too obscure to be mentioned by chroniclers; and such was the -reputation of the king's court that, when he made progresses through -England, women who had not discarded decency left their homes to save -their honour, and took refuge in the depths of the forests. - -At the same time the country through which the Red King passed was -ruthlessly ravaged by his train. Goods and provisions were lawlessly -seized; and such was the spirit of the courtiers that, when they found -in the houses of the Saxons more than they could consume, they amused -themselves by giving articles of food to the flames, and using wine to -wash the feet of their horses. - -Another kind of oppression was heavily felt by the vanquished race. -The king deemed it necessary to construct a new wall round the Tower, -to build a bridge over the Thames, and to add a great hall to the -palace of Westminster. All around London men were taxed, and bands of -labourers were forcibly compelled to take part in the works. Murmurs -and complaints were frequent; but murmurs were useless and complaints -unavailing. - -In fact, under the government of the Red King, the affairs of England -were conducted without the least reference to the feelings of those to -whom he owed his throne. Deep, of course, was the discontent. - -"Every year that passed," says the chronicler, "was heavy and full of -sorrow, on account of the vexations without number, and the multiplied -taxes." - -[Illustration: Knights jousting (from Strutt)] - - - - -XLVII. - -RUFUS AND THE JEWS. - - -Among the evils which the Saxons associated with the Norman Conquest, -not the least was the introduction, by William the Conqueror, of a -considerable number of Jews into England. Doubtless, ere that event, -the fame of their wealth, and of the atrocious means by which it had -been acquired, had preceded them. But their arrival from Rouen caused -much dismay. Accounts of their usury, their traffic in human beings, -and the insults offered by them to the Christian religion, were -carried through the land, and so influenced the popular mind, that, of -all the nations of modern Europe, the Anglo-Saxons learned most -thoroughly to despise the degraded remnants of the chosen people. -There was something about the appearance of men of Hebrew race which -raised involuntary antipathy in the breasts of the inhabitants of -England; and wherever the face of a Jew appeared, with the sensual -lip, the sharp, hooked nose, and features the reverse of beautiful, -hands instinctively clenched and lips curled with scorn. - -The Red King did not share the prejudices of his Saxon subjects. Being -an infidel, he could not think the worse of them because they were -not Christians; and being a spendthrift, he was glad to avail himself -of their wealth, without particularly inquiring into the nefarious -means by which it had been acquired. In any case, Rufus gave the Jews -considerable encouragement in matters of religion; and, whenever an -opportunity occurred, he showed that he was not above pocketing their -gold. - -It appears that on one occasion the Red King even consented to a -disputation being held in his presence between Jews and Christians. -Before the arrival of the day appointed, the Jews came to Rufus, laid -rich presents at his feet, and implored him to insure them a fair and -impartial hearing. - -"Doubtless," he answered; "and you must quit yourselves like men." - -"Assuredly," said the Jews. - -"And if you prevail in argument," exclaimed Rufus, "I swear by St. -Luke's face that I myself will turn Jew, and be of your religion." - -This disputation, like most disputations of the kind, came to nought, -and Rufus was not called upon to redeem his pledge of becoming a -convert. He did, however, contrive to turn the conversion of others to -account. When a Jew happened to be brought to a knowledge of the -truth, Rufus was quite ready, on certain terms, to lay his commands on -the convert to return to Judaism. In this way, which ill became the -king of a Christian people, he obtained considerable sums of money. - -On one occasion a wealthy old Jew, whose son had seen the error of his -ways, and embraced Christianity, appeared at the king's court, told -his tale of woe, and entreated assistance. - -"I am sore troubled," said the Hebrew; "I am bowed down with grief. O -king," he continued, presenting Rufus with sixty marks, "command my -son to return to the faith of his fathers." - -"Ay," said Rufus, clutching the money; "bring your son to me, and I -will bring him to reason." - -The old Jew retired, and soon after returned with his son. The young -Israelite, however, was unabashed as he entered the Red King's -presence, conscious of the goodness of his cause. - -"Young man," said Rufus, by way of settling the business in as few -words as possible, "I command you, without delay, to return to the -religion of your nation." - -"King," said the young Israelite, in a tone of mournful reproach, "I -marvel that you can give such advice. Being a Christian, you ought to -feel it your duty rather to persuade me to remain steadfast to -Christianity." - -"Dog!" stammered out Rufus, in a loud tone; "get out of my sight -without delay, or it will be the worse for thee." - -The convert went his way, and the old Jew remained, deeply mortified -at the result of the royal mediation, for which he had paid so high a -price. But even at that instant his intense love of gold, prevailing -over all considerations of propriety, prompted an attempt to recover -his sixty marks. - -"Since, O king," he said, "you have not persuaded my son to return to -his religion, it would be but fair to restore to me the gold I gave to -that end." - -"Nay," answered the king, with his usual oath; "I have taken trouble -enough, and have done work enough, for the gold, and more. And yet I -would like to show you how kindly I can deal. Therefore you shall have -one-half of the sixty marks, and in conscience you cannot deny me the -other." - -[Illustration: Andiron.] - - - - -XLVIII. - -[Illustration: Death of Malcolm Canmore, the Scottish King] - -RUFUS AND THE SCOTS. - - -While William Rufus, having set honour and decency at defiance, was -playing the part of a tyrant and oppressor in England, he ever and -anon gave indications, not to be mistaken, of a desire to play the -part of a usurper in Normandy. - -Repairing to the Continent, with some idea of taking possession of his -brother's duchy, Rufus expelled from Normandy the unfortunate heir of -the Saxon kings, who had returned from Apulia. Homeless and well-nigh -desperate, Edgar Atheling once more sought refuge in Scotland; and -Malcolm Canmore, irritated, perhaps, at the treatment with which his -brother-in-law had met, resolved on making Rufus feel his enmity. - -"Years since," said the King of Scots, "I was fain to recognise -William the Norman as my liege lord; and I acknowledge Robert Curthose -as the heir of William the Norman; but as for this Red King, I can -only recognise him as a usurper, and he shall only know me as a foe." - -Rufus was still in Normandy, when intelligence reached him that -Malcolm, accompanied by the Atheling, had, in the month of May, 1091, -crossed the frontier; and he was seriously alarmed at tidings of an -invasion that might lead to important consequences. Under such -circumstances he perceived the policy of going craftily to work; and, -after patching up a peace with his brother Robert, prevailed on the -Norman duke to attend him to England, and aid in bringing Malcolm to -reason. It was in the autumn of 1091 when, with Curthose by his side, -an army at his back, and a fleet at sea, Rufus moved northward to try -conclusions with the royal Scot. - -On hearing of the approach of the King of England, Malcolm fell back -in some dismay. Nevertheless, Rufus was not quite in a position to -congratulate himself on the success of his expedition. In fact, -everything went wrong. The weather proved altogether unfavourable. -Before the close of September, the English fleet was destroyed by a -storm; and, soon after Michaelmas, the army began to suffer so -fearfully from cold and want, that there appeared little prospect of -the enterprise having other than a disastrous termination. - -While such was the state of affairs, Malcolm Canmore, turning to bay, -sent a messenger to the English camp with expressions of friendship to -Curthose, and of scornful defiance to Rufus. Curthose, however, with -characteristic generosity, stood firmly by Rufus at this crisis. -Mounting his steed, he rode to the Scottish camp, had an interview -with Edgar Atheling, persuaded the Saxon prince that, for all -parties, peace was the wisest policy, and finally succeeded in -negotiating a treaty between the two kings. - -Rufus now deemed himself secured against Malcolm's hostility; and -scarcely had Curthose rendered this service when the Norman duke began -to experience the gross ingratitude of the Red King. In utter disgust, -Curthose resolved forthwith to leave England, and, crossing the sea, -he established himself at Rouen with the intention of securing himself -against further hostility. - -Meanwhile Rufus, while keeping his court at Gloucester, fell so sick, -that physicians despaired of his life. Stretched on a bed of -suffering, the Red King became extremely penitent and anxious to atone -for his sins. While in this frame of mind, William invited Malcolm -Canmore to come and settle all disputes. But ere the King of Scots -reached Gloucester, Rufus was in a fair way of recovering, and in no -mood to sacrifice either to justice or righteousness. Without even -condescending to see Malcolm, he disdainfully ordered him to submit -his disputes to his peers, the Anglo-Norman nobles; and Malcolm--his -blood boiling at the treatment with which he had met--returned home, -vowing to make the Red King repent his insolence. - -No sooner, accordingly, did Malcolm reach Scotland, than he assembled -a great army, and marched towards England. Attended by his eldest son, -Edward, he entered Northumberland, ravaged the country with fire and -sword, advanced as far as Alnwick, invested the castle of Ivo de -Vesci, and besieged that stronghold so closely that the garrison lost -all hope. - -It was the month of November, 1093--a Sunday, and the day of St. -Brice. The rain had fallen in torrents; the river Alne was in flood; -and the garrison had given way to perplexity and despair. No chance of -the siege being raised, or of escape by any other means, could be -entertained; and the remembrance of the savage cruelty of the Scots -under Malcolm, twenty years earlier, filled every heart with -consternation. In this emergency, Hammond Morael, of Bamburgh, a -soldier of courage and determination, undertook to deliver the -garrison, or die in the attempt. Mounting a fleet steed, he issued -from the castle, and, carrying the keys on the point of his spear, he -rode towards the Scottish camp. On being challenged, he professed his -willingness to surrender the keys of the fortress, but demanded -permission to present them to the King of Scots in person. Malcolm, -informed of Hammond's approach, immediately came forth; and Morael, -spurring forward, pierced the Scottish king through the heart. - -A loud cry arose as Malcolm fell, and the Scotch camp was in -commotion. Hammond, however, had well calculated his danger and his -chances of escape. Turning rein without the delay of an instant, he -gave his horse the spur, galloped towards a wood, made for the Alne, -then swollen with rain, and, dashing in at all hazards, escaped by -swimming the river at a place long afterwards known as "Hammond's -Ford." - -While the Scots, amazed at the unexpected fall of their king, were in -confusion, the soldiers forming the garrison of Alnwick availed -themselves of the circumstance. Sallying, they made a fierce attack; -and the Scots, put to the rout, either fell by the sword, or were -drowned in attempting to pass the river. Among the warriors slain on -this occasion was Malcolm's son Edward, a young prince of great -promise. - -The rout of the Scots was so sudden, and their dispersion so complete, -that the victors, without opposition, took possession of Malcolm's -body. But though left in the hands of the foe, the corpse was not -denied a Christian's grave. Placed in a cart by the Northumbrians, it -was conveyed to Tynemouth, and there laid, with funereal honours, in -the priory of St. Oswin, a famous religious house, which Robert de -Moubray had wrested from the monks of St. Cuthbert, and bestowed on -the monks of St. Alban's. - -In the meantime, news that Malcolm and his son had fallen at Alnwick -reached the Scottish court, and overwhelmed Queen Margaret with grief. -Nothing seemed sufficient to console the royal lady for the loss she -had sustained. Indeed, she is said to have prayed that she might not -survive them, and to have expired within three days of the catastrophe -which made her a widow. - -The children of Malcolm Canmore and Margaret Atheling, when thus -deprived of both parents, were in no enviable plight. The courtiers, -being for the most part Normans and Saxons, were regarded and hated by -the Scots as strangers or foreigners; and the only man capable of -protecting the royal children was their uncle, Donald Bane. But that -prince proved the reverse of generous. Instead of maintaining the -interests of the eldest of his nephews, he resolved on availing -himself of his nephew's nonage to seize the crown. - -It was not difficult for Donald Bane to realize his aspirations. The -prejudices of the Scots as to the laws of succession, and the claims -of Magnus, King of Norway, were in his favour. Without scruple he -gratified the patriotism of the Scots by declaring for the banishment -of all Normans and Saxons; and at the same time he purchased the -support of the Norwegian king by ceding to him the Western Isles. -Having thus strengthened his claims, Donald Bane mounted the Scottish -throne. - -When affairs reached this stage, the Normans and Saxons escaped from -Scotland with all convenient speed. With Normans and Saxons to England -went Edgar Atheling; and with Atheling, to the country over which his -sires had reigned, went the children of Malcolm and Margaret, to seek -refuge in the land of their maternal ancestors till the occurrence of -events calculated to lead to their restoration to home and country. - -[Illustration: Tynemouth.] - - - - -XLIX. - -[Illustration] - -ROBERT DE MOUBRAY - - -About the spring of 1095, William Rufus was menaced with ruin. It was -Robert de Moubray, Earl of Northumberland--a man who possessed two -hundred and eighty manors--whose influence the Red King now had to -dread. - -Not without bitter grumbling had the Norman barons hitherto submitted -to the law by which the Norman king retained the exclusive right of -hunting in the forests of England. Nevertheless, this privilege was -maintained by Rufus as vigorously as ever it had been by the mighty -Conqueror. The Saxons contemptuously called him "The Wild Beast Herd," -while the Normans conspired to take off his crown, and place it on the -head of Stephen, Earl of Albemarle, son of the Conqueror's sister. At -the head of this conspiracy, which included several of the highest -Norman nobles, Robert de Moubray nobly placed himself. - -Rufus was not altogether unaware of the conspiracy formed by the -Anglo-Norman barons to overturn the throne. Indeed, Moubray drew -suspicion on himself by failing to appear at court on the occasion of -a great assembly of knights and barons at Easter. In order to bring -matters to a crisis, Rufus issued a proclamation that, at the feast of -Whitsuntide, every great landholder should attend, or be excluded from -the public peace. Moubray, instead of presenting himself, sent Rufus a -message, which sounded like a defiance. - -"I will not attend," said the Norman earl, "unless the king sends me -hostages, and a safe-conduct to protect me going and returning." - -"By St. Luke's face!" cried Rufus, stammering with rage, "if he will -not come to me, I will go to him!" - -According to this threat, the Red King mustered an army and marched -northward. Besieging the castle of Tynemouth, which was held by a -garrison commanded by Moubray's brother, he, after two months, took -that fortress, and then marched on to Bamburgh, where Moubray was -spending his time in the company of a young woman of great beauty, -whom he had recently married. But Rufus, discovering that Bamburgh was -quite impregnable, erected near it a stronghold called Malvoisin, or -"Ill Neighbour," and, placing therein a strong garrison to keep that -of Bamburgh in check, returned southward with the bulk of his army. - -Meanwhile Moubray had established communications with the garrison of -Newcastle, and conceived the hope of making himself master of that -stronghold. With this object, he one night set out from Bamburgh, -attended by thirty horse; but, unfortunately for his scheme, he was -observed by the garrison of Malvoisin, closely pursued, and forced to -take refuge in the priory of Tynemouth. At that place, after being -besieged and wounded in the leg, he was taken prisoner with his -comrades. - -Rufus, on hearing of Moubray's capture, sent orders to secure Bamburgh -without delay. But this was no easy business. The garrison, under the -auspices of Moubray's young countess, and Hammond Morael--that warrior -who had slain Malcolm Canmore--proved as stubborn as ever, and the -besiegers were well-nigh in despair. Rufus, however, was not to be -baffled by a woman. - -"Carry her husband before the castle," he cried, "and let his eyes be -put out if it is not immediately surrendered." - -The king's orders were promptly obeyed. The soldiers left by Rufus at -Malvoisin led Moubray in chains before the castle of Bamburgh, and -summoned the countess to a parley. No sooner did she appear than they -intimated their intention of putting out Moubray's eyes unless she -instantly yielded the castle. The fair countess could not hesitate; -without delay she threw the keys over the walls; and the soldiers of -Rufus entering, took all prisoners. Morael, however, earned his pardon -by revealing the names of all the conspirators; and Moubray, sentenced -to perpetual imprisonment, was conveyed to the castle of Windsor. - -After long captivity, however, Moubray was permitted to retire to the -Abbey of St. Alban's. In that great religious house, the once haughty -Earl of Northumberland assumed the monastic habit, and became a meek -shaveling. He appears to have survived his unfortunate rebellion fully -thirty years. - -"You must know," says the chronicler, "that Robert de Moubray, the -brave knight and Earl of Northumberland, was deprived of sight some -days before he died. He was a very old man, and devoted to God, and -became a monk at St. Alban's, where, after living a holy life for some -time, he departed to the Lord, and was honourably buried in a place -not far from the chapter-house." - - - - -L. - -[Illustration: Hawking.] - -HENRY BEAUCLERC. - - -At the time when Rufus became King of England, and Curthose took -possession of Normandy, Henry, third son of the Conqueror, was in his -twentieth year. Both in personal appearance and intellectual capacity -he was decidedly superior to his brothers. He was a princely -personage, of tall stature, and firmly built, with brown hair, a -brilliant complexion, and clear, penetrating eyes, thoughtful rather -than dreamy, which ever seemed to be looking to the future. He thought -much, but spoke little, for his mind was occupied with projects of -ambition, which he would not have whispered even to the winds. - -Henry had the advantage of being a native of England. It was at -Selby, in Yorkshire, where an abbey was afterwards founded by the -Conqueror, that Matilda of Flanders, during 1068, the first year of -her residence in England, became the mother of her third son. But -though a native of "the proud isle of liberty," Henry can hardly be -described as an Englishman. His manners were foreign; his habits were -those of a Norman; and it does not appear that he could even speak the -English language. But he never failed, when such was his interest, to -profess ardent love for his native land, and strong sympathy with the -struggles of those who were its inhabitants. - -In critical moods, William the Conqueror was in the habit of repeating -a phrase of one of the old counts of Anjou, as to a king without -learning being a crowned ass; and the words sank deep into Henry's -mind. The prince, thus strongly impressed with the necessity of -acquiring knowledge, exhibited exemplary diligence; and, in 1084, -William, when keeping his court at Abingdon, left him under the care -of Robert D'Oyly, to be educated by the monks. Subsequently Henry was -instructed beyond seas in philosophy and the liberal sciences, and won -such renown for his knowledge that he was distinguished by the -honourable surname of Beauclerc. - -Meanwhile, Henry's military education was not neglected. It was an -age, as the grim Conqueror knew full well, in which no prince could -hope to prosper who was not prepared to lead fighting men to the -field, and ride boldly, through all dangers, into the thickest ranks -of foemen. Henry was carefully trained in all the warlike exercises of -the period; and, in 1086, he was, with the ceremonies befitting his -rank, admitted to the honour of knighthood. - -The accomplishments of Henry were not confined to arms and letters. -The scene at Laigle, when he and Rufus were playing at dice, after the -fashion of soldiers at the time of the Conquest--the scene at -Conflans, when he won so much money from Prince Louis that the heir of -France lost his temper--lead to the suspicion that Henry was addicted -to gaming; and there is evidence that his success in playing for -money, if not miraculous, was quite equal to his success in playing -for kingdoms and crowns. - -When the Conqueror, on his death-bed, left Beauclerc five thousand -pounds in white silver, and gave the assurance that, after his -brothers had their turn of sovereignty, his would certainly come, -Beauclerc, who probably valued the legacy more than the assurance, -hastened to secure the treasure. He immediately went to receive the -money, had it carefully told and weighed, packed it in chests, -strongly locked, and bound with iron. But the silver did not long -remain in the strong boxes. Curthose came to Normandy poor, and eager -to borrow from any one who would lend on any terms; and Beauclerc was -not unwilling to advance on good security. A bargain was accordingly -struck between the brothers. Curthose received a sum which gladdened -his heart; and Beauclerc, in consideration thereof, took possession of -that part of Normandy known as Cotentin. - -One morning, when Beauclerc was hunting near Caen, he entered a church -to hear mass. The priest, whose name was Roger, comprehending the -taste, and consulting the convenience of his visitor, made the service -so brief that Beauclerc was impressed with a high admiration of his -sense. - -"By Heavens!" he exclaimed, "this is the most sensible priest I ever -knew. I must attach him to my fortunes." - -Roger, who evinced no unwillingness, immediately became Beauclerc's -chaplain, and lived to flourish as Bishop of Sarum, and first minister -of England. - -Beauclerc was figuring as lord of Cotentin, when, in 1090, Rufus -invaded Normandy, and threatened Curthose with ruin. The circumstance, -doubtless, caused him alarm, and interfered with his plans. With a -keen eye to his own interest, however, he took part with Curthose, and -exerted himself to prevent Rufus taking possession of the duchy. - -It appears that, when the Red King seemed likely to conquer, some of -the inhabitants of Rouen, influenced by threats, promises, and bribes, -conspired to surrender the city. Beauclerc, informed of their scheme, -resolved to baffle it; and, suddenly entering Rouen, he proceeded to a -tower, where the chief conspirator was, and, throwing him headlong to -the ground, caused such terror among the confederates that the city -was saved. But Curthose soon after came to terms with the invader; -and Rufus was in no mood to spare the man who had disappointed his -hopes of complete success. - -Not unaware of his danger, Beauclerc threw himself into Mont St. -Michael, and in that fort, situated on a rock, determined to bid the -Red King defiance. Rufus, however, induced Curthose to join in -bringing Beauclerc to submission; and the two princes, with a powerful -army, appeared at Mont St. Michael, and commenced a close siege. - -For a time Beauclerc seems to have resisted bravely, and on one -occasion the Red King was in the utmost peril of death or captivity. -Riding carelessly along the shore one day, Rufus was attacked by three -horsemen, who bore him to the ground, and his saddle with him. He was, -of course, in extreme danger. But seizing his saddle in one hand, and -drawing his sword with the other, he managed to defend himself till -his soldiers came to the rescue. - -"O king!" exclaimed the soldiers, "how could you be so obstinate to -save a saddle?" - -"Nay," cried Rufus, "it would have angered me at the very heart if the -knaves could have bragged they had won my saddle from me." - -Meanwhile, the siege was so closely pressed that provisions ran short, -and every man in the fort was suffering from the want of fresh water. -Beauclerc, however, sent a messenger to beseech the besiegers not to -deny him the enjoyment of that which belonged to all men; and -Curthose, touched with compassion, ordered that the garrison should be -allowed to take in a supply. Rufus, who, when this occurred, was -possibly on the shore fighting about his saddle, was highly enraged on -hearing of this permission, and took Curthose to task in no courteous -terms. - -"You show your warlike skill," stammered the Red King, "in letting -your enemy help himself to drink. By St. Luke's face! you have now -only to supply him with meat to make him hold out for twelve months." - -"And how," asked Curthose, "could I leave a brother to die of thirst? -What other brother have we if we lose him?" - -Notwithstanding the supply of fresh water, Beauclerc could not much -longer hold out. After enduring a rigorous siege he was compelled, for -want of provisions, to submit to fate. Rufus despoiled him of all he -possessed, and it was with difficulty he obtained leave to depart to -Brittany. His escort consisted of one knight, three squires, and a -chaplain; and with these adherents, who either disdained to desert him -in his distress, or felt strong faith in his destiny, Beauclerc -wandered about, sometimes in want of the necessaries of life, and -utterly hopeless of reaching any place that could be called a home. - -But genius is generally prophetic; and Beauclerc scarcely required to -recall his father's dying words to feel assured that he was yet to -reign in the land of his birth, and over the land he had just quitted -for poverty and exile. The consciousness that he was one day to be -great gave the Conqueror's son a dignity in all that he said or did. -Even as a vagrant, Beauclerc was an influential personage; and he -impressed strangers with so high a notion of his talents and his -political wisdom, that he was, ere long, elected by the people of -Damfront as governor of their city. - -It happened, however, that Beauclerc was soon tempted from the -government of Damfront. His high reputation for intellect and decision -filled the mind of Rufus with jealousy, and the Red King, deeming, -perhaps, that his gifted brother would be much less likely to work -mischief under his own eye than when rambling about Europe and ready -to head any movement promising a change of fortune, expressed his -desire for a reconciliation. Beauclerc, who perfectly comprehended the -motives of Rufus, calculated his chances, and, trusting to the chapter -of accidents, came to England. - -Beauclerc now suffered all the inconveniences likely, in the eleventh -century, to surround a prince without land and without money. Even for -abilities he got no credit; he was sneered at as "having little in -him." He was fond of the chase; and, having no horses, he was forced -when hunting to follow the game on foot, but such was his speed that -the courtiers of the Red King surnamed him "Deersfoot." Beauclerc, -however, bore all inconveniences and taunts with patience; perhaps, -remembering the paternal assurance that, after his brothers', his turn -would surely come, he hoped he might, by patience, conquer adversity. -If so, he was not doomed to disappointment. It has been remarked that -generally there is in human affairs an extreme point of depression, -from which they naturally ascend in an opposite direction; and -Beauclerc's case was not to prove any exception to the general rule. - -[Illustration: Woman with distaff] - - - - -LI. - -[Illustration: Bringing home the body of Rufus] - -THE DEATH OF RUFUS. - - -On the evening of Wednesday, the 1st of August, 1100, William Rufus, -intent on chasing the deer of the New Forest, stretched his limbs to -rest in the hunting-seat that then crowned the height of Malwood. - -At dead of night, a loud voice roused the royal household from repose; -and the officers, starting to their feet to listen, with surprise -heard the king invoking the aid of the Virgin Mary, and calling for -lights in his chamber. On entering, they learned that his rest had -been disturbed by a fearful vision, in which he himself figured with -the veins of his arms broken and blood flowing in streams. Such was -the effect produced on the King's imagination, that he would not allow -them to leave the side of his couch till the sun rose, and the light -of day streamed into the chamber. - -Nevertheless, on the morning of Thursday, a grand breakfast was spread -in the hall of the hunting-seat, and Rufus rose to indulge in the good -cheer. As he was dressing, however, a messenger arrived with a -despatch from the Norman Abbot of Gloucester, warning the king that -danger was at hand. - -"One of my monks," said the abbot, "has had a dream of evil omen. He -has seen Jesus Christ seated on His throne, and at His feet a woman -supplicating Him in these words--'Saviour of the world, look down with -pity upon this people, who suffer under the yoke of William.'" - -"Tush!" cried Rufus, breaking into a loud laugh; "do they take me for -a Saxon with their dreams? Do they think I am one of the idiots who -tremble because an old woman sneezes? But I warrant the monk would -have something for his dream. Let him have a hundred shillings, and -bid him look that he dream more auspicious dreams in future." - -With these words, Rufus tied his shoes, left his chamber, and seated -himself at table with his friends around him. It was a gay party that -feasted that morning in the hunting-lodge of Malwood, and included -many personages of high degree. Among them were the king's brother, -Henry Beauclerc; his bosom friend, Walter Tyrel; his bow-bearer, Nigel -de Albini; his treasurer, William de Breteuil, who was eldest son of -the great Fitzosborne, and hardly less proud than his father had been. -Perhaps Rufus, with the scene of the previous night preying on his -mind, felt unwontedly depressed. At all events, he ate more than -usual, and drank copiously, as if to banish sadness. The potations, of -course, soon took effect. The king's spirits rose. He blustered and -swore with characteristic indecency. - -While Rufus was still passing round the wine-cup, an artificer brought -him six arrows for cross-bows, which seemed so sharp and strong as to -excite much admiration. The king received the arrows, praised the -workmanship, took four for his own use, and handed the others to -Walter Tyrel. - -"There, Tyrel," said he, "take two; for you know how to shoot to some -purpose. Sharp arrows for the best shot! And now to horse!" - -The king and the Norman knights, excited with wine, strung their -hunting-horns round their necks, called for their horses, sprang into -their saddles, and with huntsmen in attendance, their hounds running -at their feet, rode down the steep of Malwood, and entered the New -Forest. According to the custom of the period, they then dispersed -through the wood to pursue the game. Walter Tyrel, however, remained -with the king, and all day their dogs hunted together. - -At length, as the sun was setting, the king and the knight found -themselves at a place known as Charingham, where were the ruins of a -chapel which the Conqueror had dismantled. At that instant, a large -hart, roused by the huntsmen, came bounding up between Rufus and -Tyrel, who were on opposite sides of the glade. The king instantly -pulled his trigger; but, the cord of the cross-bow breaking, the arrow -did not fly. The stag, however, hearing a sharp sound, halted -abruptly; and Rufus, after making a sign to his comrade to shoot, -without being understood, cried out impatiently-- - -"Shoot, Walter, shoot, in the devil's name!" - -The knight bent his bow, and at that instant an arrow, whistling -through the air, pierced the king's breast. In another moment he -dropped from his horse, and expired without having time to utter a -word. - -When Rufus fell to the ground, Tyrel, in great alarm at what he saw, -leaped from his horse and rushed forward. But the king was already a -corpse. Perceiving that life was quite extinct, Tyrel sprang upon his -horse, spurred through the glade, rode hastily to the coast, embarked -for France, and soon set foot on continental soil. Protesting his -innocence, but horrified at being suspected of killing a king, even by -accident, the knight afterwards went to Palestine. - -A rumour that the king was killed ran through the forest; but none of -the knights or nobles deemed it their duty to pay any attention to the -corpse. For hours the body remained among the rank grass that grew -over the ruins of the chapel of Charingham, as completely abandoned as -that of the Conqueror had been in the convent at Rouen. - -However, as the evening advanced, a charcoal-burner, passing by with -his cart, observed the body pierced with an arrow, and recognised it -as that of the king. More humane and considerate than Norman knights -and nobles, the charcoal-burner wrapped the corpse in rags, placed it -in his cart, and conveyed it to the castle of Winchester. Soon after, -Rufus was buried in the choir of that cathedral, where Anglo-Saxon -kings and their Danish foes reposed in peace together. Scarcely a -tear, however, was shed over the grave of the Red King. The -Anglo-Normans felt no grief at his death, and the Anglo-Saxons openly -rejoiced that the destroyer had struck down their oppressor in the -midst of his pride. - -[Illustration] - - - - -LII. - -[Illustration] - -A CHANGE OF FORTUNE. - - -When a rumour ran through the New Forest that Rufus had fallen, never -again to rise, Henry Beauclerc, far from manifesting any excessive -grief at the death of his rude brother, sprang upon his horse--which -was probably a borrowed one--and, with a resolution to turn the -circumstance to the best account, spurred off to Winchester, to secure -the royal treasure, as a preliminary step to seizing the crown. - -On reaching Winchester, Beauclerc rode straight to the castle, and -demanded the keys of the treasury; but, while the officials were still -hesitating, William de Breteuil galloped up breathless and in haste, -and, in his capacity of treasurer, protested against the keys being -surrendered. - -"Thou and I," he said to Beauclerc, "ought loyally to remember the -fealty we swore to the Duke Robert, thy brother. He has received our -homage, and, absent or present, he is entitled to the crown." - -"Nevertheless," answered Beauclerc, who observed that the populace had -gathered, "no man shall have possession of the crown of England but -whom the people appoint." - -As he spoke these words, Beauclerc, seeing it was no time to be -squeamish, drew his sword, and a scuffle ensued. But it was not -serious. Indeed, Breteuil and other lords, seeing the mob on Henry's -side, deemed it prudent to retire; while he secured the public money -and the regal ornaments. Hastening then to London, and gaining the -support of the bishop, he was elected as king, and solemnly crowned -before the high altar in the abbey of Westminster. - -Nevertheless, many of the Anglo-Norman barons continued faithful to -the cause of Curthose, and prepared to support his claims to the -crown. But Beauclerc was not a man to surrender, without a struggle, -the prize he had so boldly grasped. Feeling his insecurity, he -determined on adopting measures of safety. He set himself to win the -hearts and to secure the aid of the Saxons; he reminded them of his -being a native of the country, and promised, as their king, to guide -himself by their counsel, to maintain their ancient liberties, and to -grant them a charter confirming the laws in force during the reign of -Edward the Confessor. The Saxons, on hearing Beauclerc's promises, -consented to befriend him; and he, to consolidate the alliance, -engaged to marry a woman of Saxon race. - -At that time there was in the convent of Rumsey, in Hampshire, where -she had been educated under the care of her aunt Christina, a daughter -of Malcolm Canmore and of Margaret Atheling. The hand of the princess, -whose name was Edith, had been sought by Norman lords of high rank; -and Beauclerc and she had loved in other days. But a somewhat serious -objection was made to their union. It was said that she had taken the -veil of a nun. An inquiry, however, was instituted, and it appeared -that she had never been consecrated to God. - -"I must confess," she said, "that I have sometimes appeared veiled, -but only for this reason: in my youth, when I was under the care of my -aunt Christina, she, to protect me, as she said, from the Normans--who -then assailed the honour of every woman they met--used to place a -piece of black stuff on my head; and when I refused to wear it, she -treated me harshly. In her presence I wore this cloth, but as soon as -she left me I threw it on the ground, and trampled on it in childish -anger." - -In order, however, that the position of Edith might be formally -investigated, an assembly of clergy and lay lords was convoked at -Rochester, and this assembly decided that "the girl was free to -marry." Accordingly she was united to Beauclerc, and exchanged her -name of Edith for that of Maude. Even envy itself could not discover a -flaw in her conduct as wife; but it is said that the Anglo-Norman -barons favourable to Curthose affected to regard Henry's marriage with -a princess in whose veins ran the blood of the vanquished race as a -_mésalliance_, and, in derision, nicknamed the regal pair Godrick and -Godiva. Beauclerc, perhaps, did not relish the joke, but, like a man -of sense, he laughed at the allusion. - -In fact, Henry had more serious business to think of, for the -partisans of his brother were watching their opportunity, and only -awaiting the presence of Curthose to do their utmost to overturn -Beauclerc's throne. And where, in reality, had that eccentric son of -chivalry been at the time of the crisis of his fate? Had he been -carried away to Fairyland, between death and life, like King Arthur, -or borne to another region on the backs of fiends, like his grandsire, -Robert the Devil? In order to ascertain his "whereabouts," we must -follow his steps on an expedition which at that time excited universal -interest, and which was destined to exercise no slight influence on -the destinies of Europe and of Asia. - -[Illustration] - - - - -LIII. - -[Illustration: Peter the Hermit preaching the first Crusade] - -CURTHOSE AT THE CRUSADE. - - -In the autumn of 1095, a little man, of mean aspect and eccentric -manners, arrayed in a coarse woollen mantle, and mounted on a mule, -rode about Europe, exhorting Christians to arm for the rescue of the -Holy Sepulchre. Sometimes he preached in a church, or at the -market-cross; at others, under a tree by the wayside; and wherever he -went people crowded round him, hung on his eloquent words, and seemed -delighted if they could touch the hem of his mantle, or pluck a hair -from the mane of his mule. This remarkable man was known as Peter the -Hermit, who had recently visited Jerusalem as a pilgrim, and vowed to -deliver the Holy Land from the domination of the Turks. - -[Illustration] - -The preaching of Peter the Hermit was marvellously successful. Peasant -and peer alike confessed the grandeur of his idea; and, as the -conquest of England by the Normans had inspired feudal warriors with a -desire for adventurous enterprise, multitudes expressed their -willingness to take part in a crusade. Many men of princely rank, -among whom the chief was Godfrey de Bouillon, Duke of Lorraine, -assumed the cross, alienated their possessions, and mustered armies to -fight in Palestine. At length the idea which was agitating all -Christendom, penetrating to the castle of Rouen, excited the ardent -imagination of Robert Curthose, and stirred the somewhat sluggish -blood of Edgar Atheling. - -Both princes resolved to take part in the Holy War. But a serious -obstacle presented itself. Money was necessary, and neither the heir -of the Conqueror nor the heir of the Saxon kings had the means of -defraying their expenses. The difficulty, however, was overcome. -Rufus, who was glad to hear of his brother's wish to leave Europe, -agreed to furnish ten thousand marks on condition of being put in -possession of Normandy for five years; and Curthose, having received -the sum, made his preparations, and set up his white banner -embroidered with gold. - -In spite of his faults, few men of that period were more popular than -the Norman duke; and, eager to fight under a chief so brave and -generous, a goodly band of warriors, led by feudal barons of great -name, came around his standard. Aubrey de Vere, Everard Percy, Girard -Gourney, Conan Montacute, Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, and Stephen, Earl of -Albemarle, were among those who attended the Conqueror's heir. Edgar -Atheling, who was on the point of setting out for Scotland to dethrone -Donald Bane, and seat his youthful nephew on the Scottish throne, did -not accompany his friend. But he promised to join Curthose in the Holy -Land, with a host of Saxons, which he was about to lead against the -Scottish usurper. - -[Illustration: Church of the Holy Sepulchre Jerusalem] - -Meanwhile, Curthose, at the head of his army, and attended by his -chaplain, Arnold de Rohés, made his way eastward, met the pious -Godfrey de Bouillon, and other pilgrim-princes, under the walls of -Constantinople, and, after causing much alarm to the Emperor Alexis, -crossed the Bosphorus, and marched towards Nice. - -[Illustration: Curthose and the Saracen] - -No sooner was Curthose on Asiatic soil than his valour and prowess -excited general admiration. At the siege of Nice he repelled the -fierce onset of the Sultan's cavalry; at the battle of Dogorgan he -performed prodigies of valour, made the most magnificent charge of the -day, spurring into the midst of the foe, with his banner flying and -his sword flashing, and cutting down three Emirs with his own hand; at -Antioch he led the van of the Crusaders, seized the bridge, defended -by towers masked with iron, and during one of the subsequent -skirmishes when fiercely attacked by a gigantic Saracen, who figured -as chief in command, he cleft him with his battle-axe from crown to -chest. - -[Illustration: Pilgrims in sight of Jerusalem.] - -"Pagan dog!" exclaimed Curthose, as the Saracen fell lifeless to the -ground; "I devote thy impure soul to the powers of hell." - -At Laodicea, Curthose was joined by Edgar Atheling. Faithful to his -promise, the Saxon prince, after seating his nephew on the Scottish -throne, brought the flower of the Saxon race to fight for the Holy -Sepulchre. Side by side, like brothers, Curthose and Atheling marched -to Jerusalem; side by side they fought at the siege of the Holy City; -and side by side, in the hour of victory, they scaled the walls, -Saracens bearing back in terror before the Norman's falchion and the -Saxon's axe. - -[Illustration: Godfrey de Bouillon elected King of Jerusalem] - -After taking possession of Jerusalem, the Crusaders assembled for the -purpose of electing a king; and it is understood that Curthose might, -if he had chosen, worn the crown of Jerusalem. However, Curthose -declined the high honour, which fell to the lot of Godfrey de -Bouillon; and, after taking part in the battle of Ascalon, where, at -the head of the European cavalry, he broke the Saracens' ranks, -penetrated to their centre, and seized the Moslem standard, he left -the Holy Land, and returned to Europe. - -When Curthose was at Palermo, on his way home, Odo of Bayeux breathed -his last. The Norman duke, having buried his uncle in St. Mary's -Church, pursued his way, and found himself quite at home among the -Normans, whose families had been settled by warlike adventurers in -Southern Italy. All these Norman warriors treated the heir of the -great William with high honour; and all their daughters manifested -interest in a hero who had won such fame as a Champion of the Cross. -But of all the Normans of Southern Italy, none showed Curthose so much -hospitality as William, Count of Conversano, a kinsman of the -Guiscards, founders of the Norman dynasty in Naples. - -The Count of Conversano was the most powerful lord in Lower Apulia. -His possessions extended along the shores of the Adriatic, from -Otranto to Bari. His castle was situated on an eminence, amid olive -groves, and was replete with all those means for rendering life -pleasant which the feudal system brought into existence. Curthose -thought Conversano a terrestrial paradise, and was delighted with his -host's fine hounds, choice hawks, and mettled steeds; but, above all, -he was delighted, charmed, and fascinated with his host's daughter, -Sybil, who was still in her teens, and as beautiful as she was young. - -It could not be concealed that Curthose was verging on fifty, and that -Sybil was just seventeen. But that was no conclusive objection to a -match. In fact, such fame as that of a Crusader, and such rank as Duke -of Normandy, were strong recommendations; so, when Curthose told his -enamoured tale, Sybil smiled on her lover; and, ere long, the daughter -of the Count of Conversano was led to the altar, and became Duchess of -Normandy. - -Even after his marriage Curthose found himself too comfortable to -move. Perhaps he was averse to change the splendour of Conversano for -the irksome poverty of Rouen. At all events he lingered in the scene -of his courtship, and among the olive groves on the shores of the -Adriatic wasted months, which, if judiciously spent, might have -secured him a duchy and assured him a crown. - -[Illustration: Trieste.] - - - - -LIV. - -BEAUCLERC AND CURTHOSE. - - -Among the ministers who enjoyed the favour of Rufus, and ministered to -his tyranny, none had rendered himself more odious to the people of -England than Ralph Flambard, Bishop of Durham, known as "the fighting -bishop," and celebrated as founder of the castle of Norham-on-Tweed. -Immediately on taking possession of the throne, Henry caused Flambard -to be arrested and imprisoned in the Tower. Flambard, however, -contrived to escape; and, passing over to Normandy, he exerted his -eloquence to persuade Curthose to invade England and seize the English -crown. - -For some time Curthose, who had just arrived from Italy with his -bride, remained inactive. Indeed, the Norman duke was so much occupied -with showing off Sybil of Conversano, and devising pageants on which -to squander her fortune, that he had no leisure "to play for kingdoms -and crowns." In 1102, however, when the young duchess was dead, and -her money spent, Curthose lent a willing ear to the tempter, roused -himself to energy, made preparations, and embarked for England. - -It now appeared that Beauclerc would have to fight desperately for -the throne he had so boldly seized; and, summoning the Saxons, he -marched to Pevensey, where he anticipated his brother would land. -Curthose, however, landed at Portsmouth. But the brothers gradually -approached each other, and a sanguinary conflict appeared inevitable. -Ere Beauclerc and Curthose met, however, the quarrel had been -adjusted. Instead of a bloody battle there was a hurried treaty. -Curthose, who was in want of money, sold what he deemed his birthright -for an annual pension of three thousand marks; and the brothers -embraced with all the semblance of genuine affection. - -Returning to Normandy, Curthose scrupulously maintained the treaty. -Nevertheless, to his surprise, he found that his pension was not -regularly paid. Feeling, no doubt, extreme inconvenience from the -circumstance, he paid a visit to England to make arrangements for -regularity in future. But, ere this, the Norman duke had yielded to -the temptation of indulging too frequently in the wine-cup, and, when -at Beauclerc's court, he was often drunk for days together. On such -occasions, of course, nothing was too absurd for him to consent to; -and one night, when intoxicated, he was easily prevailed on to resign -his annual pension in favour of the queen, who was his goddaughter. On -recovering possession of his faculties, and becoming aware of the -advantage taken of him while under the influence of wine, he expressed -high indignation, and, much exasperated, returned to Normandy. - -By this time the castle of Rouen was the most miserable of ducal -palaces, and Normandy was the most wretched of duchies. Poverty -reigned in the palace; disorder prevailed in the duchy. While -Curthose, for want of fitting raiment, lay in bed for days, Robert de -Belesme, Earl of Shrewsbury, whom Beauclerc had exiled from England, -ravaged Normandy at his pleasure; and matters soon reached such a -stage that the Norman nobles entreated the King of England to -interfere. Beauclerc, who only wanted an excuse, received their -message with gladness, and, by way of settling affairs, proposed to -purchase the duchy. - -"Thou hast the title of lord," he said, addressing Curthose, "but thou -art no longer a lord in reality; for they scorn, who should obey thee. -Yield to me thy duchy, and I will give thee money." - -Curthose declined the proposal with disdain; and Beauclerc, having -prepared to take Normandy by force of arms, fitted out an armament, -and soon appeared on continental soil with a determination to conquer. -For a time, however, Beauclerc and Curthose proceeded with caution, -and not till the autumn of 1106 did they put their fortunes to the -chance of a decisive engagement. - -It was Friday, the 28th of September--the vigil of St. Michael, and -just forty years after William the Conqueror had landed at Pevensey; -and Beauclerc, with a great army, was besieging the castle of -Tinchebray, situated about three leagues from the town of Mortain. -Curthose, however, having promised speedy relief, the garrison made a -brave defence; and the Norman duke, having allied himself with De -Belesme, came to redeem his pledge, accompanied by Edgar Atheling, who -by his side had fought so gallantly beneath the Cross in Palestine. - -On learning that a hostile force was approaching, Beauclerc turned to -give battle; and the trumpets having sounded an onset, Curthose began -the conflict by a charge so hot, that for a time the English were -thrown into confusion. Bearing down all opposition, William Crispin, -Count d'Evreux, fought his way to the English standard, and dealt the -king so violent a blow on the head that blood gushed from his mouth. -Beauclerc, indeed, was in extreme peril, and his army in danger of -being scattered in dismay. At a critical moment, however, a cry of -"Treason!" arose to turn the fortunes of the day; and De Belesme was -observed leading away his men, and basely deserting his allies. - -While Curthose and his friends were still under the influence of -surprise and indignation, Beauclerc recovered himself, and, showing -himself to his army, encouraged them by words and gestures to -encounter the foe, weakened by desertion. But meanwhile Curthose, -rallying his broken forces, made another onset; and never in his -younger days, neither on the plain of Antioch nor on the plain of -Archembrage, had his courage and prowess been more conspicuous. Foe -after foe went down before his weapon, and it seemed for a moment that -his single arm was about to retrieve the day. - -At Beauclerc's side, however, was Nigel de Albini, a Norman warrior, -who, more than thirty years earlier, marched with the Conqueror on the -terrible expedition into Northumberland, and who had since figured as -bow-bearer to Rufus. For a captain who had faced the tall Danes of -Northumberland even the prowess of the bravest champion of the Cross -had no terrors; and Albini followed Curthose through the battle as -keenly as he had ever chased a stag in the New Forest. At length, -availing himself of an opportunity, he killed the duke's horse, and -found the redoubted Crusader at his mercy. At that moment forward -rushed Ealdric, the king's chaplain, by whom Curthose was disentangled -from his prostrate steed, and conducted to his victorious brother. -With Curthose were captured several men of high rank, the most -distinguished of whom was his friend Edgar Atheling, who, by some -strange destiny, was ever leagued with the unfortunate. - -The captive princes were forthwith conveyed to England. Curthose was -committed as a prisoner to the castle at Cardiff. Atheling was allowed -to go at large, having no longer sufficient influence to endanger the -king's throne. The captors, meanwhile, were well rewarded--Nigel de -Albini having a grant of the lands forfeited by the great Robert de -Moubray; while Ealdric, the king's chaplain, was promoted to the -bishopric of Llandaff. - -At first Curthose was indulged with some measure of freedom, and -allowed to walk along the banks of the Severn. For a time he seemed -content with his lot. One day, however, his old spirit of adventure -seized him, and, leaping on a horse, he broke from his keepers, and -rode off at full speed. Unfortunately for him, his horse floundered in -a morass, and having been secured, he was subjected to a rigorous -durance. Some even say his eyes were put out. But, however that may -have been, he remained in his prison at Cardiff till 1135, and then -dying, was laid at rest in the cathedral of Gloucester, where his tomb -is still to be seen. - -Edgar Atheling long survived his comrade-in-arms. Indeed, the life of -the Saxon prince far exceeded the term of years ordinarily allotted to -mortal man. Well-nigh a century after the battle of Hastings, and his -coronation as king, when the first of our Plantagenet sovereigns was -on the English throne, Atheling was still alive in England, in full -possession of his faculties, and probably telling old stories of the -Norman Conquest, and the First Crusade, and of William the Norman, and -Rufus, and Curthose, and Beauclerc, and a hundred other warriors and -statesmen who had gone the way of all flesh, and who were known only -by name to the generation amid which he found himself lingering out -the last years of his strange and diversified career. - -[Illustration] - - - - -LV. - -[Illustration: English Archers.] - -AFTER TINCHEBRAY. - - -When Curthose was defeated at Tinchebray and carried captive to the -castle of Cardiff, the son whom he had been left by Sybil of -Conversano was a little boy, known as William Clito. Not relishing the -spectacle of so ambitious a prince as Henry Beauclerc figuring at once -as King of England and Duke of Normandy, Louis, King of France--he -who, in his earlier years, had quarrelled with the Conqueror's sons -over their game of chess at Conflans--supported the pretensions of the -son of Robert, and formed a league, with the object of putting him in -possession of the duchy which Rolfganger had wrested from Charles the -Simple. This, however, proved a much more difficult matter than Louis -had anticipated. In fact, Beauclerc exerted himself with such effect -that all efforts to diminish his power proved vain; and when, in 1132, -William Clito, who had been invested with the earldom of Flanders, -died of a wound received while besieging Alost, Louis gave up the -struggle in despair. - -Meanwhile, Beauclerc had not improved his reputation in the country -where he reigned as king. He had been faithless at once to the Saxon -people who had placed him on the throne, and to the Saxon princess -who, for the sake of her race, had, somewhat against her inclination, -united her fate with his. Every promise made to the English had been -so unscrupulously violated, that they began to speak of royalty as -synonymous with crime; and Maude died with the melancholy reflection -that she had sacrificed herself for her race in vain. - -Ere "the good queen" was laid at rest in the cathedral of Winchester, -she made Henry father of two children--a son, William Atheling, who -married a daughter of the Count of Anjou, and a daughter, Matilda, -wife of Henry, Emperor of Germany. The son, however, was drowned while -on his voyage from Normandy in a vessel called _The White Ship_; and -the daughter, on the death of her imperial husband, returned to -England a young and beautiful widow. - -About that time, Fulke, Count of Anjou, bowed down with grief at the -loss of his wife, undertook a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to seek -consolation at the Holy Sepulchre. Before going, Fulke gave Anjou to -his eldest son, Geoffrey, who, from wearing a sprig of flowering broom -in his hat instead of a feather, was surnamed Plantagenet. Being an -accomplished and handsome prince, Geoffrey Plantagenet had the good -fortune to secure the friendship of Henry Beauclerc and the hand of -the Empress Matilda, who was expected to succeed, on her father's -death, to the crown of England and the coronal of Normandy. - -It was, however, otherwise ordered. When, in 1135, Henry Beauclerc, -having eaten lampreys to excess--such is the story--breathed his last -in Normandy, his martial nephew, Stephen of Bouillon, claimed the -English crown, and seated himself on the throne. But Matilda was not -the woman to submit tamely to exclusion under such circumstances; and -a war of succession between her and Stephen was the consequence. A -long and sanguinary struggle resulted, and continued, with varying -success, till 1153, when it was agreed, by the treaty of Wallingford, -that Stephen should be allowed to reign during his life, on condition -of recognising young Henry Plantagenet, the son of Geoffrey and -Matilda, as his heir. Next year, on the death of Stephen, Henry, who, -by his marriage with Eleanor of Aquitaine, had extended his -continental dominions from the Channel to the Pyrenees, was crowned -King of England in the cathedral of Winchester. From the first he -seems to have been in high favour with the nation. In fact, the -people, remembering that he derived his descent, through his -grandmother, "the good queen Maude," from the ancient monarchs of -England, called him "the Saxon king," described him as the natural foe -of the Norman nobles, and believed him favourable to such a system of -laws as popular tradition ascribed to Edward the Confessor. - -But the day for the rise of the vanquished race had not yet come. Nor -was it, indeed, till more than a century later, when Simon de Montfort -had fallen at Evesham, and the third Henry had gone to his grave, that -the monarchy of the Plantagenets, having passed through that terrible -struggle celebrated as the Barons' War, was enabled to emancipate -itself, in some measure, from the trammels of feudalism, and associate -its fortunes with the nation. It was then that the first Edward, -already famous as the conqueror of Evesham, returned from romantic -adventures and hair-breadth escapes in the East to rule England with -justice and righteousness--to give prosperity to the country and -protection to the people--to win, by his admirable laws, the title of -the English Justinian; and, by his profound and patriotic policy, to -unite hostile races into a nation capable of great achievements in war -and peace. - - THE END. - - - LONDON: - SAVILL AND EDWARDS, PRINTERS, CHANDOS STREET, - COVENT GARDEN. - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Danes, Saxons and Normans, by John G. 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