sons of Canute.

SAXON LINE RESTORED.

Edward the Confessor, son of Ethelred.

Harold, son of Earl Godwin, usurped the throne,

though Edgar Atheling, grandson of Edmund Iron

side, was the natural heir.

CHAPTER XXVII.

William I., surnamed the Conqueror.-The Saxon Nobles degraded.

CROWNING OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR.

1. WILLIAM the Conqueror was of middle height, and stoutly made, with great strength of body. He had a stern countenance,

XXVII.-1, 2. What is said of William the Conqueror? 3. What is said of his first

THE SAXON NOBLES DEGRADED.

55

and was a shrewd, clear-headed man. We can easily believe him. to have been of a grave and thoughtful temper, for we cannot find that he ever indulged in any gayeties or amusements, except hunting, of which he was particularly fond.

2. It is also said that he never admitted any one to intimacy or familiarity. He had a few favorites, and those were well chosen, which was a strong proof of his wisdom. He was considered religious, being very exact in the performance of all religious observances. He certainly showed great instances of generosity, but ambition was his ruling passion.

3. William began his reign with so much prudence and moderation, that his new subjects thought they had great reason to be satisfied. But whilst he treated them with seeming confidence and friendship, he took care to place all real power in the hands of the Normans. He everywhere disarmed the Saxons. He built fortresses in all the principal cities, and placed Norman soldiers in them.

4. Still he professed the greatest regard for the rights and laws of his English subjects. By this mixture of lenity and rigor, he so subdued and quieted the minds of the people, that he ventured to visit his native country within six months after he left it. The chief of the English nobles accompanied him.

5. These made a display of wealth and magnificence which quite astonished the foreigners. A Norman historian, who was present, speaks with admiration of the beauty of their persons, the costly workmanship of their silver plate, and the elegance of their embroideries: arts in which the English then excelled.

6. It now became evident that the English were only kept in subjection through fear of the Conqueror. No sooner were they relieved from his presence, than they made an effort to regain their liberty. William hastened back to England, and, by his vigorous measures, disconcerted the plans of the rebels.

7. Many years were passed in unavailing struggles on the part of the English to throw off the Norman yoke. The king, regarding them as inveterate enemies, endeavored to reduce them to a condition in which they should no longer be formidable to his government.

8. The nobles were degraded from their rank, and stripped of the greater part of their possessions. The clergy were also deposed, and their places supplied by foreigners. Amongst the new-comers was one at least worthy of being remembered.

9. This was Lanfranc, an Italian, who was made archbishop of Canterbury, who, by his wisdom and prudence, and influence over the king, which he employed in moderating the violence of his tem per, proved himself to be one of the best friends of the poor dejected English.

10. During these troubles, Edgar Atheling had taken refuge with Malcolm, King of Scotland, who married Margaret, one of his

measures? 4, 5. What of the English nobles? 6. What did the English do in his absence? What did William do? 7. How did William treat the English? 8. What of the nobles? What of the clergy? 9. What is said of Lanfranc? 10. What became

56

GAME LAWS ESTABLISHED.

sisters, and warmly espoused the cause of the Anglo-Saxons. He marched into England with an army, but William soon obliged him to retreat.

11. In 1071, Malcolm being about to make a second attempt to place Edgar on the throne of England, William marched against him with a large force. The two armies met on the borders of Scotland, and a battle was about to ensue, when the two kings made peace with one another.

12. One of the conditions was that Edgar should be given up te William, who promised, if he would renounce all claim to the throne of England, to give him a mark a day-a little more than three dollars-which was considered a very handsome allowance in those days. Edgar assented to these terms, and both he and William remained true to their agreement.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Game Laws established. Rebellion of Robert.-He is besieged by his Father.-Interesting Incident during the Siege.-The Domes-day Book.-Death of William I.

1. WE have already stated that William was very fond of hunt ing. He made many very severe laws against those who interfered with his favorite amusement. A person who killed a deer or a boar,

of Edgar Atheling? Whom did Malcolm marry? 11. 12. What was the result of Malolm's second attempt?

XXVIII.-1. What laws did William make? 2. What of the New Forest? 3. What

REBELLION OF ROBERT.

57

or even a hare, was punished much more severely than one who killed a man.

2. Not content with the large forests which the former kings had possessed, he drove the inhabitants of more than thirty villages from their homes, and reserved this large district as a habitation for wild beasts, calling it the New Forest.

3. This king enjoyed but little repose. First a conspiracy among his Norman nobles threatened his life, and afterwards the rebellion of his eldest son, Robert, kept his Norman dominions for many years in a state of disturbance. This prince had long been jealous of the king's affection for his two younger brothers, but a trifling incident caused him to rise in open rebellion.

4. The three princes, with their father, who happened to be in Normandy, were residing at a certain castle. One day, as Robert was passing through the court-yard, after having been frolicking with his younger brothers, they sportively threw some water upon him, from the window.

5. Robert would have taken it as a continuance of the fun, but for the evil suggestions of one of his attendants, who had personal grounds of offence with the younger princes and their father. He persuaded Robert that it was intended as a public insult, which he ought to resent.

6. The passionate youth, drawing his sword, rushed up stairs, determined to be revenged on his brothers. The whole castle was filled with tumult, which the king himself could hardly appease. Robert, having received, as he thought, no atonement for the insult, left the castle that very night, and openly declared war against his father.

7. Robert was very popular among the Normans, and they joined his standard in great numbers. But after a hard struggle, he was driven out of Normandy, and took refuge in Serberoy, a small castle belonging to the King of France, to which William immediately laid siege.

8. The garrison sallied out, headed by Prince Robert, who selected for his antagonist a knight who appeared in front of the besiegers, in complete armor, and having his face covered with the visor of his helmet. The furious assault of the prince overthrew his antagonist, horse and man. His lance was already at the throat of the fallen knight to take away his life, when, by the voice, he discovered that he was about to kill his own father.

9. His remorse and horror at the thought that he was near being guilty of so fearful an act, subdued in a moment his rebellious feelings. Springing from his horse, he threw himself upon his knees in an agony of grief, and begged forgiveness for his offences, offering to make any atonement.

10. William was too angry to forgive him; after reproaching him bitterly, he departed for his own camp, on Robert's horse, which that prince assisted him to mount. It was a long time

caused disturbance to the king? 4, 5, 6. Relate the incident that was the immediate "ause of the rebellior 7. What was the result of the war? 8, 9, 10. Relate the occur.

58 STATE OF ENGLAND AFTER THE NORMAN CONQUEST.

before he would listen to Robert's contrite entreaties. At last, Queen Matilda, who was a very good and pious woman, prevailed with the king to pardon his son.

11. William had now a little leisure, of which he took advantage to have a survey made of his English kingdom. The record of the survey was made in a book called Domes-day Book, which is yet preserved in the Tower; and all possessors of estates who are curious to know to whom their land belonged at the Conquest, whether it was ploughed land or pasture, what was then its value, and, in some cases, what cattle it was stocked with, may there get information of all these matters.

12. One would have thought that, after all his turmoils, William would have been glad to have passed the latter part of his life in repose; but, on the contrary, upon some trifling quarrel with Philip I. of France, he led an army into that country, destroying and laying waste everything that came in his way; every town or village through which he passed was reduced to ashes.

13. This cruelty brought on him its own punishment; for, after burning the town of Mantes, his horse, flinching from the smoking ashes, made a violent plunge, and the king, being very corpulent, got a bruise which caused his death on the ninth of September, 1087. He was in the sixty-third year of his age, and had reigned twentyone years in England.

CHAPTER XXIX.

State of England after the Norman Conquest.-The English Language.

1. It may be useful to pause and contemplate the state of Eng'and after the Normans had established their power. The highest in rank after the king were the Norman barons, who were made rich and powerful by the spoils of the Anglo-Saxon nobles. The next class was composed of Norman soldiers, who had helped to achieve the Conquest, and who settled as tenants on the lands that had been given to their leaders.

2. With this class gradually became blended the old AngloSaxon thanes, or nobles, and also the Anglo-Saxon eorls, or farmers, who, if they had never taken up arms against the Conqueror, were allowed, on putting themselves under the protection of some Norman baron, to live unmolested.

3. It was not till long after William and his followers were all dead and gone, that the descendants of the two nations could endure each other; the Normans holding in contempt the stupid, ignorant Saxons, and the Saxons detesting their tyrannical oppressors.

rence that led to the submission of Robert. 11. What is the Domes-day Book? 12. What new war did William engage in? 13. What caused his death? When did he die? What was his age? What the length of his reign?

XXIX.-1. How was the land distributed after the Conquest? 2. What was the condition of the Saxon nobles and farmers? 3. What feelings existed between the Normans