Conditions and Terms of Use Copyright © Heritage History 2010 PREFACE Some rights reserved The story of William the Conqueror is the story of This text was produced and distributed by Heritage History, an organization dedicated to the preservation of classical juvenile history the man who for more than a quarter of a century was the books, and to the promotion of the works of traditional history authors. most prominent personage of western Europe. Into whose hands shall England fall, was one of the two or three great The books which Heritage History republishes are in the public domain and are no longer protected by the original copyright. questions of the time, and it was William who solved the They may therefore be reproduced within the United States without problem. paying a royalty to the author. Whether or not his claim to the English throne was The text and pictures used to produce this version of the work, just, the people and their new sovereign seemed made for however, are the property of Heritage History and are subject to certain each other. The English could follow; William could lead. restrictions. These restrictions are imposed for the purpose of protecting the integrity of the work, for preventing plagiarism, and for helping to The English could endure; William could strike the blow assure that compromised versions of the work are not widely that made endurance needless. The English were inclined to disseminated. be grave and serious; William enjoyed a jest. The English In order to preserve information regarding the origin of this were a little slow in their thinking; William was quick- text, a copyright by the author, and a Heritage History distribution date witted. The English would yield to fate; William was fate are included at the foot of every page of text. We require all electronic itself. and printed versions of this text include these markings and that users adhere to the following restrictions. William's reign was a period of transition, and in such a time both faults and virtues stand out in bold relief. 1. You may reproduce this text for personal or educational purposes as Whatever in the character of the Conqueror the twentieth long as the copyright and Heritage History version are included. century may find worthy of blame or of praise, no student of his life will deny that his faults were those of his time, 2. You may not alter this text or try to pass off all or any part of it as your own work. that his virtues were his own. 3. You may not distribute copies of this text for commercial purposes. EVA MARCH TAPPAN. 4. This text is intended to be a faithful and complete copy of the original Worcester, Mass. document. However, typos, omissions, and other errors may have November, 1900 occurred during preparation, and Heritage History does not guarantee a perfectly reliable reproduction. Permission to use Heritage History documents or images for commercial purposes, or more information about our collection of traditional history resources can be obtained by contacting us at [email protected] Original Copyright 1901 by Eva March Tappan. 2 Distributed by Heritage History 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS THAT WHICH HE WOULD HAVE ................................... 4 THE BANQUET AT ROUEN .............................................. 9 FROM CASTLE TO COTTAGE ....................................... 15 ROBERT THE PILGRIM ................................................. 21 THE LITTLE DUKE ....................................................... 26 GUEST OR PRISONER? .................................................. 32 "WILLIAM KNOWS HOW" ........................................... 38 A VISIT TO ENGLAND ................................................... 44 WHAT HE HAS HE HOLDS ........................................... 50 A VOICE FROM THE CLIFF ........................................... 56 PROMISE OR PRISON? .................................................. 61 ON BOARD THE "MORA" ............................................. 68 "ENGLAND IS MINE" ................................................... 73 "WILL YOU YIELD?" .................................................. 79 A STERN RULE ............................................................. 85 THE LAST YEAR ........................................................... 91 "WILL YOU PROMIS ME?" Original Copyright 1901 by Eva March Tappan. 3 Distributed by Heritage History 2010 CHAPTER I out over the valley! Across the Ante is that other great, jagged precipice. You're a wizard, Ermenoldus; I verily believe you are. Couldn't you build me a castle on Mount Mirat yonder THAT WHICH HE WOULD HAVE that would be as strong as this?" "Come to the window, Ermenoldus. See how the I'm not enough of a wizard to give you a castle, my country stretches out,—fields and vineyards and corn land! lord," said Ermenoldus; "and yet, there's more than one way," There's no richer ground in the whole duchy of Normandy." he half whispered. Count Robert did not hear the whisper, for he had turned again to the narrow window. "You and Duke Richard rule it together, do you not, my lord?" "If those girls are as pretty as they are graceful and merry," he said, "they would be well worth seeing. "No. We hold it together after a fashion, but he rules. I Ermenoldus, will you call some one to get my horse? or, if you am his vassal. Hiesmes is mine, and this goodly castle of stamp three times on the stone under your feet, won't the horse Falaise ought to go with it." come of its own accord, all saddled and bridled?" "Was the duke your father's favorite, my lord?" "You think too highly of the little that I have learned," "Doesn't it look like it, when he left me only Hiesmes said Ermenoldus. and then cut off the best part of it for Richard?" "I'm not sure, though," said the count laughing, "but "Could it have been suggested to him, my lord?" you are in league with the fiend himself and know all that there is to be known. Whence do you come and whither do "You mean, did Richard tell him to do it," said Count you go? You appear and then you disappear, and all I know is Robert bluntly. "Who knows what one man has said to that you are gone." another? Richard was with him from morning till night. My father called him a 'good youth.' I suppose I was a bad one," "Never did I go faster than you will go to gaze upon and the young man laughed recklessly. "Anyway, Richard is the pretty maidens washing linen on the banks of the stream," Duke of Normandy, and I am only the Count of the Hiesmois; said Ermenoldus; "only I beg you, my lord, don't ride down and here I am in the village of Falaise that ought to be mine, over the cliff in your haste. All my magic could not save you collecting taxes that ought to be mine, and putting them safely then;" but Count Robert was already at the gate, and the next away for my brother in the treasure-room of the castle that minute he was galloping down the rough, rocky way that led ought to be mine." to the foot of the cliff. "This castle seems to be of good strength, my lord. The The linen had been spread out on the grass to dry and walls are thick and heavy. It would not be easy to batter them to whiten in the hot sun, and the young girls were frolicking in down. It stands at the very edge of the cliff, and the cliff falls the ripples of the little stream, laughing and splashing water at down sheer to the valley. No one could approach on that side." one another. One had bent down a green bough and held it in front of her face to protect it. "No; it's a strong castle, but I have none that could not be captured in a day. Come to the window again, Ermenoldus. "By my faith!" said Count Robert to himself, "if that See what a mass of rook the castle is built on, and how it juts maiden's face is as fair as her little feet are white, she's prettier Original Copyright 1901 by Eva March Tappan. 4 Distributed by Heritage History 2010 than all the high-born dames at my brother's castle." Just then stood holding his hat with its long plume in one hand and the the maiden let go the green branch and it sprang up above her horse's bridle in the other. head. "Are you one of the maidens of Falaise?" he asked, and "Let's dance," she said, "not splash water at one then smiled at the idle question, for where else could she another like children." belong? "That's a fairer face than I ever saw before," thought "I'm Arletta," she answered, looking up shyly, "and my the count, as he stopped his horse, and hidden by the trees, father is Fulbert the tanner." gazed at the young girls in their playful imitation of the village "Strange that such a flower should blossom in the foul dance, their white feet now twinkling in the green grass on the garden of a tanner," said Robert to himself. river's brink, and now splashing rainbow drops around them. "Are you the great Duke Richard?" asked the maiden. "See how high the sun is," said one of the girls. "The linen is dry, and we must go home." "No, I'm not," said Robert half gloomily. "I'm nobody but Count Robert, his younger brother; and I haven't even a "I'm tired. I'm going to rest awhile here under the trees strong castle to bless myself with. But you must be tired. Isn't before I go," said the maiden of the green branch. this washing too hard work for a girl like you?" "But the sun is almost overhead," said one girl. "Won't "Oh, no, I am strong," she said. "All the girls come out your mother beat you if you do not come?" here to wash the linen for their homes." "Beat? What is that? No one ever beats me," she "Shouldn't you rather stay at home and have some one replied indifferently.