eniture, might
meet with great opposition, he trusted entirely for success to his own
celerity; and having left St. Gervas while William was breathing his
last, he arrived in England before intelligence of his father's death
had reached that kingdom.[*] Pretending orders from the king, he
secured the fortresses of Dover, Pevensey, and Hastings, whose situation
rendered them of the greatest importance; and he got possession of the
royal treasure at Winchester, amounting to the sum of sixty thousand
pounds, by which he hoped to encourage and increase his partisans,[**]
The primate, whose rank and reputation in the kingdom gave him great
authority, had been intrusted with the care of his education, and had
conferred on him the honor of knighthood;[***] and being connected with
him by these ties, and probably deeming his pretensions just, declared
that he would pay a willing obedience to the last will of the Conqueror,
his friend and benefactor. Having assembled some bishops and some of the
principal nobility, he instantly proceeded to the ceremony of crowning
the new king;[****] and by this despatch endeavored to prevent all
faction and resistance. At the same time, Robert, who had been already
acknowledged successor to Normandy, took peaceable possession of that
duchy.

[* W. Malms, p. 120. M. Paris, p. 10.]

[** Chron. Sax. p. 192. Brompton, p. 983.]

[*** W. Malms, p. 120. M. Paris, p. 10. Thorn.
Rudborne, p. 263]

[**** Hoveden, p. 461.]

But though this partition appeared to have been made without any
violence or opposition, there remained in England many causes
of discontent, which seemed to menace that kingdom with a sudden
revolution. The barons, who generally possessed large estates both
in England and in Normandy, were uneasy at the separation of those
territories; and foresaw that, as it would be impossible for them to
preserve long their allegiance to two masters, they must necessarily
resign either their ancient patrimony or their new acquisitions.[*]

[* Order. Vitalis, p. 666.]

Robert's title to the duchy they esteemed incontestable; his claim to
the kingdom plausible; and they all desired that this prince, who alone
had any pretensions to unite these states, should be put in possession
of both. A comparison also of the personal qualities of the two brothers
led them to give the preference to the elder. The duke was brave, open,
sincere, generous: even his predominant