The plans of the Countess were so far successful, 1070-1073 that the great castle of Le Mans was betrayed apply to to him. He filled it with his troops, and threatened the subjugation of the new republic. Fear overcame prudence: the citizens sought the aid The citizens of Fulk of Anjou: he gave it readily, and entered Fulk. with his troops: the castle was very strong, and its position commanding. As usual, the city suffered much by the attempt to reduce the fortress part was burned; at length Geoffrey de Mayenne was compelled to surrender, and Gersenda was forgotten in obscurity and shame. 1073 England. ? 9. Such had been the urgent perils of England, that when William was first informed by Summary of Arnold of the revolt of Maine, he could not then make any endeavour to regain his power; but when Fulk of Anjou entered the country, he was enabled to adopt the needful measures for revenging the insult offered to his authority. This was just at the juncture when the long series of conflicts having been terminated by Malcolm's submission, all seemed quiet and secure in his realm. All the English chieftains whom he might have feared, were banished, or in the dungeon, or slain. Wales was kept quiet by Robert de Breteuil, to whom, upon the death of Fitz-Osbern, William had granted the great Earldom of Hereford, and who promised in every way to emulate his father. Waltheof, now a member of the Norman family, was established in Northumbria: the dangerous coast opposite to Denmark, well and effectually 1073 Regents in guarded by Ralph de Guader, the Earl of East Anglia: and he therefore determined to carry on the war in person against the insurgents. England. As Regents or Justiciars during his absence, he appointed William de Warrenne and Richard de Benefacta; but others whom he could well trust also had a share in command. Geoffrey de Mowbray,-whose title of Bishop of Coutances, can alone remind us of his ecclesiastical functions, which he seems entirely to have abandoned, -continued as commander-in-chief, at least of the soldiery of the southern districts. Odo of Bayeux had nearly the same disgraceful preeminence. William returns to Normandy. Enters 10. All preparations made, William issued his summons to his lieges, commanding them to accompany him in his voyage royal. When he had crossed the channel and entered Normandy, his troops were estimated at sixty thousand men, unquestionably an exaggeration; but the force was very large, and the English constituted a very considerable proportion of the army. William advanced into Maine, but not rapidly, devastating the country as he proceeded, burning towns and villages, spoiling the crops and destroying the vineyards. This is the first time that Englishmen ever fought upon French ground, and they did their work heartily. No resistance of any importance could be offered. Fresnay surrendered: before its walls William conferred the degree of knighthood upon Robert, the son 1073 of Roger of Montgomery, heir also of Talvas, heir also of Belesme, which name or title he assumed, and who here began his career of cruelty and violence. Sulley next surrendered, and all the country as William advanced accepted his authority with seeming joyfulness. Fulk dared not wait his approach. William presented him- Takes Mans. self before Mans. He solemnly summoned the inhabitants to surrender, and thus avert the punishment otherwise prepared for them. One day's consultation determined them to submit. Mans saw her republic expire. Forth came the citizens bearing the keys, and humbly craving mercy they were graciously received: William promised them the full enjoyment of their usages and customs, and the whole province followed the example of the capital. Fulk, however, bearing for some short time, Fulk resists. but with great vexation, this success of the Normans, renewed his endeavours to re-possess himself of the Maine. He began by intriguing amongst the Baronage. Some willingly entered into his schemes; but John de la Flêche, who himself would have had a good and plausible reason for opposing William, adhered to him with the greatest fidelity, and therefore became the object of Fulk's inveterate hostility. The war began again. Hoel of Brittany came to the help of Fulk. William again raised the combined forces of the Normans and the English: the Angevines and the Bretons under Hoel and Fulk advanced 1073 [1079, Art.de secured to William. to meet the Anglo-Norman forces, but no actual conflict ensued. The Cardinal Legate mediated, V. 1. dates.] and a treaty of peace was concluded at La Blanchelande. William's right over Maine was But Maine is confirmed by Fulk, and he might again write himself "Dux Coenomanensium" in his royal charters. But what was even more important, the right of Robert was confirmed in like manBetrothed as he had been to Margaret, it might have been said that the marriage never having been completed, his right had expired, but it was now solemnly acknowledged by his liege lord. 8.11. William's sons. Richard. ner. William continued some time longer in Normandy, enjoying the return of prosperity. No object had he so much at heart as securing the succession of Robert to his French dominions. Robert, his first-born, was most particularly the object of his father's unwise fondness. Clever, but bold and turbulent, he had already shewn undutifulness towards his father; and great dissensions had risen between him and his two surviving brothers, William and Henry, though Robert had already attained manhood, and Henry was almost a child. Richard, who intervened between Robert and William, now commonly called Rufus, was dead: a youth of great promise, but who had been killed in some mysterious manner, which seemed to make people loth to speak even of the circumstance; and the short and obscure notices of his death are very the only matters recorded concerning him in history, though his name appears occasionally as a member of the great council, and as such attesting his father's charters. 1073-4 It seems that, even at this period, Robert Robert, Courthose put forth those pretensions which excited the envy of his brothers. He became the head of a party of young men of congenial disposition; and although William was yet very vigorous, there were many who began to be inclined to court the heir-apparent, and amongst them one who was much in William's favour, Robert de Belesme, who, if knighthood constituted, as has been supposed, a special obligation between the parties conferring and receiving the degree, was, so far, William's adopted son. When the Conqueror was told of the escapades which the heir-apparent committed, he was amused by these demonstrations of character. He took them as a joke, and said, with an oath, Courthose will become a good soldier as he grows older. anxiety. Matilda viewed her sons' dissensions in a very Matilda's different light; they occasioned to her great grief and sorrow: her mind was full of evil forebodings, and she consulted, as it is said, a holy man, a hermit on the Rhine, supposed to have the gift of prophecy, as to the destinies which would befal her children. After three days, he gave his answer; and such was the answer as ever thereafter to fill her heart with sorrow. Neither piety |