h great pomp and parade. He sent for Matilda to
come and join him, and instated her in his palace as Queen of England.
He confiscated the property of all the English nobles who had fought
against him, and divided it among the Norman chieftains who had aided
him in the invasion. He made various excursions to and from Normandy
himself, being received every where throughout his dominions, on both
sides the Channel, with the most distinguished honors. In a word, he
became, in the course of a few years after he landed, one of the
greatest and most powerful potentates on the globe. How far all his
riches and grandeur were from making him happy, will appear in the
following chapter.

CHAPTER XI.

PRINCE ROBERT'S REBELLION.

A.D. 1076-1077

William's oldest son.--His character.--William's conflicts with his
son Robert.--William Rufus.--William's son Henry.--Robert nicknamed
Short Boots.--Robert's betrothment.--William's motives.--Death
of Margaret.--More trouble.--Robert's political power.--His
ambition.--Robert claims Normandy.--William refuses it.--Castle at
L'Aigle.--Quarrel between Robert and William Rufus.--The combatants
parted.--Robert's rage.--Robert's rebellion.--Anxiety and distress of
Matilda.--Measures of Matilda.--Advantages of William.--Robert lays
down his arms.--Interview with his father.--Recriminations.--The
interview fruitless.--Robert goes to Flanders.--His treasonable
correspondence.--Action of Philip.--He sides with Robert.--Robert's
dissipation.--Matilda sends him supplies.--Matilda's secret
supplies.--She is discovered.--Matilda's messenger seized.--William's
reproaches.--Matilda's reply.--William's anger.--Sampson's
escape.--Things grow worse.--Preparations for war.--Matilda's
distress.--William wounded by his son.--The battle goes against
him.--Matilda's anguish.--The reconciliation.

Ambitious men, who devote their time and attention, through all the
early years of life, to their personal and political aggrandizement,
have little time to appropriate to the government and education of their
children, and their later years are often embittered by the dissipation
and vice, or by the unreasonable exactions of their sons. At least it
was so in William's case. By the time that his public enemies were
subdued, and he found himself undisputed master both of his kingdom and
his duchy, his peace and happiness were destroyed, and the tranquillity
of his whole realm was disturbed by a terrible fami