The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-28
THE DAILY STAR


In the list of unfortunate and memor-
able boy princes, is William, son of Rob
srt, Duke of Normandy, the eldest of
the COnqueror's sons. His easy father
was imprisoned and blinded by his un-
natural brother, Henry, surnamed the
Scholar, man whom letters had failed
to civilize the barbarian.
When his father was thus cruelty
treated, William Clito was Falaise, and
ut town the boy fell into the hands Of
the victorious uncle. Clito was then
only five years old, harmless as q
dove, and the very picture of in
A0ceaoe. Nevertheless, Beauclerc fore
saw that a. years passed, on the
son of the Conqueror's heir would
be used as an instrument to curb his am
bition; and the desire to remove such q
being from his path must have been
strong within man who was in all re-
spects, the reverse"of scrupulous But
the blue-eyed child, when brought into
his presence, wept piteously and sobbed
rs If his heart would break; and Henry
shrank from rudely parting the soul and
body of being 80 defenseless.
After a struggle, Beauclerc's good
angel saved him from adding infanticide
70 that long list of enormities which
made the Anglo-Saxons regard him as
the most wicked of men, and gave rise to
the expression, Royalty is crime" Feel
Ing, doubtless, as if the eyes of his
Maker, his neighbor and posterity were
upon him at the moment, the King OF
England ordered his little nephew to be
removed and gave him into the charge
of Helie de St. Saen, q Norman baron,
whose fidelity could be relied on, and
whose character for probity was such as
to preclude the suspicion of foul play in
the event Of the young prince coming to
an untimely end.
Helie de St. Saen, rough and ready of
hand as he was, had tender heart under
his chain armor, and he was naturally
attached to the boy, having married an
illegitimate daughter of the il-fated
prisoner of Cardiff. He treated "the roval
heir" with great kindness, educated him
with the utmost care, and manifested
toward him much affection. Beauclerc,
aware Of AL this, grew;alarmed; and, re-
penting Of his lenity, resolved to get the
boy into his own hands without delay,
and subject him TO perpetual imprison-
ment. With this object he commits
stoned Robert de Beauchamp to make
the seizure, and furnished that Norman
baron with body Of horse for the pur-
pose.
Thus 1t happened that, one Sunday,
when Clito was eight years old, and St..
Saen was absent from his castle, the peo-
pie coming out of church, perceived a
band of armed men lurking in the neigh
borhood. Not relishing such a circum-
stance during their lords absence, they
hurried to the castle and gave the alarm.
The servants, guessing the truth, has
tened to Clito's chamber, found him
asleep, awoke him, escaped with him
secretly from the castle, and carried him
in safety to their master. o.
Helie ST. Saen, in the hour of peril,
proved true to the unfortunate son of
Robert, and bore; without complaint, the
loss of house and lands, which was the
result of his generosity. Clinging with
more than parental devotion to the little
rrince, he carried him, for protection, to
the Count of Anjou; and ere three years
passed, Clito, under his auspices, had Wis.,
tied the courts, and become acquainted
With the sovereigns of France, Aquitaine,
Burgundy and Brittany. The beauty
and Innocence of the little prince won
him many friends among the powerful,
while his hapless position and vast claims
rendered him an object Of general in
terest.
The noble heart Is ever with the unfor
tunate; and Louis lie Gros, the King who
: fostered the infant civilization Of France
and figured as the first knight of his age
was as generous as he was polite anC
brave. He wished Clito we'll, and had 6
deep interest in his success.
When C1ito was yet in his twelfth
year, but giving promise of strength and
wisdom, events hurried his patrons int
war, and the Earl Of Flanders, having
become the right hand and guiding
spirit of their league, Beauclerc sustained
series Of harassing attacks ell along th'
frontier Of Normandy. He lost fertres
after fortress, and town after town. Fail
ing in force, lie had recourse to art ant
bribery. The confederacy, which ha,
been 90, formidable, was soon broken up
and King Louis was under the necessit
Of sacrificing the interests Of his youthful
protege. ~ @t'@''t "''f'''' " ''.
Ciito found refuge at the court of hi
steadyfriend, the Earl Of Flanders, an
became no object of slight interest to th
people Of Normandy. Indeed his in
Aueiiee increased SO rapidly, that Beau
elerc, feeling the danger Of allowing s
popular pretender to be at large, use'
every artifce to entrap him. Immediat
possession of three English earldoms wa
the enticing bait finally thrown out
lure him to destruction. But Clito. d.
elined to berter, his birthright for grant
that would, in all probability, be witt
drawn on fraudulent pretenses; and, ei
long events seemed 10 vindicate the wi
dom Of his refusal. lG,.. gry.,
, These events arose from the unfortl
nate fact that Beauclerc had not pa
AsoIo of hopor IN HE hnoovo auH - .