's personal intercession that the Papal authority had
finally been brought to William. The "penance" inflicted for his
wedding was, we may well believe, cheerfully performed in the building
of the hospitals at Rouen, Bayeux, Caen and Cherbourg, and the two
mighty abbeys (for William and for Matilda) that remain at Caen.

[Illustration: FIGURE FROM THE BORDER OF THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY]

Meanwhile the power of Normandy continued to wax greater. Even two
centuries after this time it comprised a third part of the wealth and
importance of the kingdom, and in the days of our own Fifth Henry no
advice more dangerous to France could be given to an English King
than to preserve by every means the independence of this Duchy. To the
France of the eleventh century, it was a far greater peril still.
Sullenly hostile, or actively menacing, it was only by perpetual
harassing that Normandy could be kept down at all. At last in 1054 the
King roused all the cities of Central Gaul, Burgundian, Gascon, Breton
and Auvergnat in one combined onset, and gathered them at Mantes, the
natural frontier between Normandy and France. Duke William's strategy
and daring were equal to his task. He divided the invaders into two,
annihilated one division at Mortemer with very little loss, and
watched the other with grim merriment as it vanished from his Duchy,
afraid to strike a blow. Four years later France and Anjou came on for
another attempt. Again the Duke was ready. He caught their hosts where
the river Dive cut the army in twain, and fell suddenly with all his
knights and clubmen and a thundershower of arrows on the division that
held the lower bank. King Henry had to watch in idleness above, while
his rear-guard was being helplessly cut to pieces. By the taking of Le
Mans in 1063, William made still further preparation for the greater
fight that was to come. Presages of the coming struggle were not long
in making their appearance.

In 1064 Earl Harold on a pleasure-trip from England was wrecked upon
the coast of Ponthieu. Duke William at once had him brought to Eu,
where he met him and escorted him, in all good fellowship and
chivalry, to Rouen. What actually happened during this important visit
cannot be accurately determined. But of a few facts there seems to be
no doubt. If Harold, for instance, received knighthood at William's
hands, he thereby became his "man." More probably he swore brotherhood
with the strong Duke. Certainly he took part in