ess had otherwise no security for her
honor, admitted this reason as valid: they pronounced that Matilda was
still free to marry;[***] and her espousals with Henry were celebrated
by Anselm with great pomp and solemnity.[****] No act of the king's
reign rendered him equally popular with his English subjects, and tended
more to establish him on the throne. Though Matilda, during the life of
her uncle and brothers, was not heir of the Saxon line, she was become
very dear to the English on account of her connections with it; and that
people, who, before the conquest, had fallen into a kind of indifference
towards their ancient royal family, had felt so severely the tyranny
of the Normans, that they reflected with extreme regret on their former
liberty, and hoped for a more equal and mild administration, when the
blood of their native princes should be mingled with that of their new
sovereigns.[*****]

[* W. Malms, p. 225.]

[** Eadmer, p. 57.]

[*** Eadmer p. 57.]

[**** Hoveden, p. 468.]

[***** M. Paris, p. 40.]

But the policy and prudence of Henry, which, if time had been allowed
for these virtues to produce their full effect, would have secured him
possession of the crown, ran great hazard of being frustrated by the
sudden appearance of Robert, who returned to Normandy about a month
after the death of his brother William. {1101.} He took possession,
without opposition, of that duchy; and immediately made preparations
for recovering England, of which, during his absence, he had, by Henry's
intrigues, been so unjustly defrauded. The great fame which he had
acquired in the East forwarded his pretensions, and the Norman barons,
sensible of the consequences, expressed the same discontent at the
separation of the duchy and kingdom, which had appeared on the accession
of William. Robert de Belesme, earl of Shrewsbury and Arundel, William
de Warrenne, earl of Surrey, Arnulf de Montgomery, Walter Giffard,
Robert de Pontefract, Robert de Mallet, Yvo de Grentmesnil, and many
others of the principal nobility,[*] invited Robert to make an attempt
upon England, and promised on his landing to join him with all their
forces.

[* Order. Vitalis, p. 785]

Even the seamen were affected with the general popularity of his name,
and they carried over to him the greater part of a fleet which had been
equipped to oppose his passage. Henry, in this extremity, began to be
apprehensive for his life, as w