1074 The thanks giving monasteries at Caen. nor intellect, neither scepticism nor even infidelity, will restrain mankind from seeking the forbidden knowledge of futurity; and the history of nations, as well as that of individuals, testifies how remarkably these attempts to lift up the veil of futurity, whether begun in faith, or effected by demoniacal agency, or by mere juggling and delusion, have been punished by drawing down the curse and the misfortune. 8 12. In other respects, William was in tranquillity: Normandy well governed and flourishing, and he and Matilda, amongst other works of piety, continued the erection of their two great monasteries, which although begun nearly ten years before, had proceeded but slowly. St. Etienne was however advancing towards completion, and it seems that even in this, intended to be a good work, William proceeded with his characteristic impetuosity and want of regard for the rights of others. The greater portion of the church and monastery was built upon his own domains, but there was a small piece of land upon which the eastern part of the Basilica was to stand which belonged to one Asceline. It occupied the space of the presbytery and choir. William was never deficient in liberality; but whether Asceline asked too large a price or otherwise offended the Conqueror, we know not; but whatever were the circumstances, William seized the land against the owner's will, and the usurped portion was enclosed within the consecrated walls. His 1074 Meanwhile, satisfaction arises in 813. Whilst William was thus successful upon the main-land, he was again in most imminent danger of losing the kingdom he had won. acquisition of the crown had been reprobated as great disan act of injustice; and if this were dubious, England. there were none who could deny the wrong he had inflicted upon the English as a nation, not even they who had profited the most by the spoil. Moreover, there was a great and general dissatisfaction prevailing amongst a large portion of the Anglo-Norman settlers. There was no principle upon which the land had been distributed, except William's absolute will and pleasure. They despised, or affected to despise, the sterile fields and wasted and depopulated domains, with which, as they alleged, their services had been mocked and not rewarded. No ruler who pays by confiscations ever earns the love of his dependants. If they are loyal to him, it is simply to the extent that his interests are united to their own. Heavy taxations had been repeatedly imposed by William, and in this respect, there was no immunity for the conquering race. The land was charged equally, by whomsoever it was held. In addition to the injuries resulting from the prosecution of the wars and insurrections which had raged in England, there had been a succession of unfavourable seasons. Indeed, during the whole of William's reign, murrain destroyed the cattle; storms and tempests wasted the immature har 1074 508 THE BRETONS IN ENGLAND. vests. There is no stage of society in which these afflictions have not a political influence.-To supply the fruits of the earth is beyond man's creative power, and the pestilence or the famine distract the plans of the wisest government, and cause both the heart and hand of man to fail. § 14. Amongst the conquering settlers, there were, as has been before observed, a great number of Bretons. In coming over to England, they had brought with them their dislike of the Normans, and the Normans continued to hate and despise them. They considered the Bretons as a foul race; and whether they were Bretons bretonnants, or Bretons gallicants, they were equally The Bretons disliked. It was amongst them, largely as they had been rewarded, that the discontent began, and of this the chief and leader was Ralph Guader. Earl of East Anglia, he had rendered good service to William, but a cause of offence arose which extended itself to another most influential chieftain. are especially discontented. Guader's marriage. It seems that Fitz-Osbern's daughter had been promised in marriage to Guader, and upon the death of the Earl of Hereford, his son Roger carried the contract into effect by bestowing the maiden upon her betrothed. her betrothed. William was extremely offended by this alliance. The cause of his anger is not clearly understood, but if we can join the various and very discordant accounts, it should seem, that, having first fully sanctioned the marriage, he afterwards forbade it-whether he fully possessed the prerogative of wardship over the daughters of his tenants in capite, and could therefore retract any license he had given, or whether he dreaded the union of two such powerful houses, cannot be ascertained; but he manifested his anger: and the two nobles, perhaps out of apprehension for themselves, determined to strike the first blow, and conspired to dethrone the King. 1075 The bridal feast was held at the now obscure village of Ixning, near the Rech-dyke, dividing the kingdoms of East Anglia and Mercia, on the borders of Guader's Earldom. As usual, there Meeting at was a numerous and merry gathering, and amidst the wassail and the gleeman's song, the plot so fatal to its authors, was matured. the marriage. invited. Amongst the guests was one invited, not Waltheof without deep purpose,-Waltheof. His govern ment of Northumbria, notwithstanding his feuds, had continued encreasing in strength and popularity. This was owing in great measure to his thorough union of interest with the Bishop Walchere. In order that the Bishop might be the better able to dwell safely at Durham, Waltheof had encreased the fortifications, perhaps rebuilt the castle which Gospatric began; and when the Bishop held his synod, Waltheof sat humbly in a low place amongst the presbyters, concurring in every measure needed for the preservation of "Christianity" in the Earldom. Waltheof, who had joined the Earldom of North 1075 ampton to Northumbria, was the last representative of the high nobility of old England. He alone remained in wealth and apparent prosWalther perity. Yet Waltheof must have been always England. morally in solitude ;-where could he look for his position in A plot formed. former peers? those who had been his companions in place, in power, and in dignity. Could he deem that he was walking safely?— and might not the suspicion sometimes cross his mind, that the proud young Norman damsel whom he had espoused in his old age, Judith, or Edith, as the English were pleased to call her, the Conqueror's niece, had been bestowed upon him to watch his fidelity towards the Norman King? All this must have been felt as well by the Normans as by himself: and if he, whose influence might be expected to draw over a large portion of the native English, could be induced to co-operate, the success of the enterprise might be considered as ensured. 15. The plot had been long maturing, not unobserved by those who represented William in command. It was first opened to Waltheof during the height of the marriage festivities: the discourse is said to have been artfully conducted; and, after expatiating upon William's certain crimes and grievous tyranny, and the many offences imputed to him by common fame, Guader and Fitz-Osbern disclosed to Waltheof their great plan for a division of the kingdom. It was now the time, they told him, when Albion |