1024-1035 than good faith, is fabled to have rid himself of an imaginary enemy. Discontent of character of the Breton. It may appear singular that amongst the domains selected by Richard for the purpose of affording a secure and adequate provision for his future spouse, many should respectively have sent forth families to either side of the Tweed. But they are for the most part situated in the Cotentin or its vicinity; a district from which the nobles and gentlefolk may be said to have turned out bodily, when the Conqueror's great expedition was proclaimed. So far, well. But the clouds gathered simultaneously with the rising sun. Robert became savagely discontented, and Richard was not without blame. The fine County of Hiesmes was regarded as an important apanage; but Falaise, a separate Bailiwick, though a portion of the Hiesmois, was withheld. Robert resented the Mysterious loss. His dissatisfaction, not entirely causeless, Ermenoldus was fomented by a certain Ermenoldus, a Breton, who appears and vanishes, veiled in a species of mystery. To the epithet "Theosophist," assigned to him in the dubious account of his treasons, no definite meaning can be ascribed. The obscure denomination of "Philosopher," also applied to him, is rendered more intelligible by the charge of dealings with the Fiend, which would lead to the supposition, that, like Gerbert, he excelled in physical science. Ermenoldus was a doughty champion. Having slain in the ordeal combat. impeached certain Norman nobles of conspiracy 1024-1035 against the Sovereign, they severally challenged him to the ordeal combat. All the Appellors Ermenoldus were defeated; but he himself succumbed in a duel with a Forester, whom he had accused. The death of the mischief-maker did not allay the bad feeling. Robert had many instigators, who urged him to do justice to himself by the strength of his own arm, and vindicate his rights and his reputation. Ready enough were those who gave the counsel to aid him in executing such counsel. Robert was very popular amongst the class whom Napoleon termed chair à canon. The distinctive energy of the Scandinavian Races has continued in full vigour amongst us, and still continues unexhausted. No country testifies to the potent influence of Scandinavia's blood more than our own. However mingled our Populations, each emigrant ship steaming from our shores bears away a large proportion of passengers who may claim real Danish ancestry. Many are the Danish Havelocks in our ranks, undistinguished by that heroic name, renowned of old in the Trouveur's lay. HAVELOC tint en sa baillie Vingt anz regna, si en fu rois Assez conquist par ses Danois; Moult fu de lui grand parlance. Qe touz jours en soit la memoire. 1024-1035 Norman population encreasing beyond the means of Common wealth, vol. II. p. ccvii. 8 11. As in frozen Iceland, so in fertile Neustria, the land everywhere unable to house her children. Normandy was overflowing with the unemployed, encreasing-according to the subsistence. formula which has now become technical in the science of political economy-beyond the means of subsistence. Large families gathered round the hearth, for whose keep the father could not Anglo-Saxon provide. The land cut up into quillets; not a mete-home, a feeding farm, as it was called in old English, to be had, upon which a man and his family could live,-universal unease therefore prevailing. The great Norman military emigrations were now commencing, -not differing in essential character from those which appalled the Empire, in the ages when the epithet of Vagina gentium was first applied to the teeming North. Fair Apulia yielding to the Flibustier pilgrims, unrestrained by faith or truth, but whose robberies, enhauncing the renown of the Norman name, afforded relief to the burdened mother country. Crowds of young soldiers came flocking to Falaise, opening their ready hands for the tinkling sous Rouennois, offering their aid; and Robert, casting off his allegiance, appeared in open rebellion. Robert's rebellionRichard besieges Falaise. ? 12. No lingering on Duke Richard's part. Summoning his forces, Richard invested Falaise. Besiegers and besieged were equally inflamed by the malignity inseparable from civil war,-brother always fiercest against brother. The ducal RICHARD'S DEATH.-ROBERT'S ACCESSION. 141 ordnance was brought to bear upon the out- 1024-1035 works, whilst Robert's soldiers were cleared off from the walls by the bolts which the arbalests discharged. between the agree upon a partition Duchy. Richard became exasperated; Falaise, more Pacification and more straitened. Robert might dread to be brothers, who dropped into the dungeon pit if the Castle were of the stormed. He was advised to sue for peace. The competitors agreed upon a partition. The Hiesmois was conferred on Robert; but Falaise was reserved to the elder. Merrily did they return to Rouen. Great rejoicings ensued. A banquet, in Rollo's palatial Castle, imparted splendour to the reconciliation. But the young and flourishing Richard was suddenly stricken; and he passed from the hall to the death-bed. Many of the party shared the same fate. Whilst the exhilaration of the feast was at its height, the funeral bells were knelling. No one doubted but that poison had been in the cup. Never was Robert Richard exonerated from the imputation of fratricide; never was the dark stain effaced; never was the obscure suspicion dispelled. 1027 Sudden death of attributed to poison. Accession of 13. Robert's accession did not experience Robert II. any opposition, but the event is related without emphasis. No expression of sentiment recorded. -No prayer or benediction in the Cathedral. At Illegitimate the time when Richard's marriage contract was executed, the young Duke had already three children -chance children as they would be euphemized amongst our country folk-a son Nicholas, and children of Richard III. 1024-1035 two daughters. Nothing is said or hinted concern 988-1036 Baudouin à-la-belle Baudouin de Adela ing their mother or mothers, yet Robert acted as though he had some reasons to apprehend rivalry from the boy Nicholas; and he was tranquilly put out of the way. The stripling, placed as an Oblate in the Abbey of Fécamp, took very kindly to his clerical vocation. He grew up to be a learned and a good man, in due time Abbot of Saint Ouen. He rebuilt the Abbey Church; and, if the opinion of some architectural antiquaries be correct, the apse, so well known as the "tour des clercs, " is the memorial of Nicholas, who, living through three generations, attended the Conqueror's funeral. § 14. Baby Adela, the poor little ducal barbe, and widow, obtained, in due time, a suitor without any Lisle, his son. coquetry. Baudouin à-la-belle-barbe, Baldwin Bushy-beard, sued for the infant daughter of France on behalf of his son Baudouin, (afterwards Count of Flanders,) Baudouin de Lisle. She became the mother of Matilda,-our Matilda,the Conqueror's Queen. married to Baudouin de Lisle. Robert's epithets or "le-Diable," or "le-Mag ? 15. Historians and archæologists have sobriquets, bestowed much unprofitable pains upon the nifique." legends, in which they discover grounds for a vague conjecture, that the solid sturdy Robert became identified with a certain imaginary or legendary hero, and in such manner as to earn the ugly epithet of le-Diable. Other archæologists seem to enlist our Duke in the meisné or train of Hellekin, or Hurlekin, the Gallic Wilde jæger, or Wild huntsman. Yet, whatever may have been |