is
enemies, for he was at war with the prince of Salerno; and carrying
with him magnificent rewards, he returned into Normandy, bringing back
report of the delights and riches of Apulia, having adorned his horses
with golden bridles and shod them with silver, in witness of the facts
he alleged; by the which thing, having roused many knights, following
this emprise through desire of riches and of glory, returning
incontinent into Apulia, he took them with him, and gave faithful aid
to the duke of Apulia against Godfrey, duke of the Normans; and, not
long time after, Robert, duke of Apulia, being nigh unto death, by the
will of his barons made him his successor in the duchy, and as he had
promised him, he took his daughter to wife the year of Christ 1078.
And a little time after, he conquered Alexis, emperor of
Constantinople, who had taken possession of Sicily and of part of
Calabria, and he conquered the Venetians, and took all the kingdom of
Apulia and of Sicily; and albeit he did this in violation of the Roman
Church, to which the kingdom of Apulia belonged, and albeit the
Countess Matilda made war against Robert Guiscard in the service of
Holy Church; nevertheless, in the end, Robert being, of his own will,
reconciled with Holy Church, was made lord of the said kingdom; and
not long after, Gregory VII., with his cardinals, being besieged by
the Emperor Henry IV. in the castle of S. Angelo, Robert came to Rome
and drave away by force the said Henry with his Anti-pope which he had
made by force, and he freed the Pope and the cardinals from the siege,
and replaced the Pope in the Lateran Palace, having severely punished
the Romans, who had shown favour to the Emperor Henry and to the Pope
whom he had made against Pope Gregory. This Robert Guiscard, duke of
Apulia, was once on a hunting excursion, and he followed the quarry
into the depth of a wood, his companions not knowing what had become
of him, or where he was, or what he was doing; and then Robert, seeing
the night approaching, leaving the beast which he was pursuing, sought
to return home; and turning, he found in the wood a leper, who
importunately asked alms of him; and when he had said I know not what
in reply, the leper said again that the anguish he endured availed him
nought, yet him were liefer carry any weight or any burden; and when
he asked of the leper what he would have, he said, "I desire that you
will put me behind you on your horse"; lest abandoned i