is departed lord. The care of the obsequies
was finally undertaken by Herluin, a knight of that district, who, moved
by the love of God and the honour of his nation, provided at his own
expense, embalmers and bearers, and a hearse, and conveyed the corpse to
the Seine, whence it was carried by land and water to the place of its
destination.

Upon the arrival of the funeral train at Caen, it was met by Gislebert,
bishop of Evreux, then abbot of St. Stephen's, at the head of his monks,
attended by a numerous throng of clergy and laity; but scarcely had the
bier been brought within the gates, when the report was spread that a
dreadful fire had broken out in another part of the town, and the duke's
remains were a second time deserted. The monks alone remained; and,
fearful and resolute, they bore their founder "with candle, with book, and
with knell," to his last home. Ordericus Vitalis enumerates the principal
prelates and barons assembled upon this occasion; but he makes no mention
of the Conqueror's son Henry, who, according to William of Jumieges, was
the only one worthy of succeeding such a father. Mass had now been
performed, and the body was about to be committed to the ground, "ashes to
ashes, dust to dust," when, previously to this closing part of the
ceremony, Gislebert mounted the pulpit, and delivered an ovation in honour
of the deceased. He praised his valour, which had so widely extended the
limits of the Norman dominion; his ability, which had elevated the nation
to the highest pitch of glory; his equity in the administration of justice;
his firmness in correcting abuses; and his liberality towards the monks
and clergy; then finally addressing the people, he besought them to
intercede with the Almighty for the soul of their prince. At this moment,
one Asselin, an obscure individual, starting from the crowd, exclaimed
with a loud voice, "the ground upon which you are standing was the site of
my father's dwelling. This man, for whom you ask our prayers, took it by
force from my parent; by violence he seized, by violence he retained it;
and, contrary to all law and justice, he built upon it this church,
wherein we are assembled. Publicly, therefore, in the sight of God and man,
do I claim my inheritance, and protest against the body of the plunderer
being covered with my turf." The appeal was attended with instant effect:
bishops and nobles united in their entreaties with Asselin; they admitted
the justice of his