Middletown transcript., 1891-03-05

H
havior, sent a courtier to inform the
Duke of his supposed negligence.
Return to your MASTER" answered
Duke Robert, "and tell him that it is
not the custom of the Normans to
carry about with them the seats that
they used at an entertainment
On his way back from the East,
Duke Robert was taken i'll, and was
SO feeble that he was obliged to be
carried in a litter. His company
secured the services of a number of
Moorish slaves as bearers. The
Norman regarded these Pagan bonds
men with great contempt. One day,
knight returning from his pilgrim
age overlook Duke Robdrt's train. As
he was travelling somewhat faster than
the duke, he inquired if there was any
message he could take home to his
friends. 's Yes" said Duke Robert,
you may tell the Normans that you
saw me being carried away from
Paradise by sixteen demons"
The duke never lived to reach Nor
mandy, and the duchy thus came to
his nine.year .old son, William, the
boy duke. It was a hazardous place
for child of those tender years. In
the FIRST place, William was not Duke
Roberts son by marriage, which, of
course weakened his claim. His
mother was beautiful peasant girl,
some say tanners daughter, whom
the duke had chanced to fall in love
with. When her boy was born, Duke
Robert had her brought to the castle
of Falaise. and he had always cared
for the child with the affection of
true father. There was no doubt as
to his princely parentage. From the
first, the boy evinced the true grasp
ing disposition of the Norman dukes.
1t is said that when he was born his
first exploit was to grasp straw, and
to held it SO tenaciousIy that the nurse
could with difficulty remove it from
the tiny fist. From this incident she
predicted great things of him.
The man who was to make the most
trouble for the boy duke was Nor
man baron named William, Count of
Argues. He was younger brother
Of Duke Robert, but, singular enough,
his mother too, had not been his
fathers wife, so that bis claim was
really not so good as that of young
William, for the latter had been
declared Duke Roberts heir, and the
barons had sworn to do him homage,
whereas the Count of Argues had
never been thoughbof in that con-
nection. He did not force events,
but quietly waited his time, making
| friends of the leading barons and buy
ing them over to his side.
There was one man whom he could
not buy, and that was Alan, of Brit
tany, who stood bravely by his liege
lord and guided the affairs of the
duchy in the best manner that he
could. There were also the atten-
daut knights of Duke Robert, who
Joined the boy dukes cause as soon as
they reached home, and were ad-
mitted into Duke Alan's councils. 1t
was then debated as to the expediency
of bringing William home to his
duchy. Some of the more timid were
Of the opinion that he would be ex-
posed to greater dangers, and at the
same time would be of no real service,
i'll he returned to Normandy. The
others argued that bis presence would
inspire and encourage an interest IN
his cause and that his very youth
would appeal to the generous temper
of his people. The latter counsel pre-
vailed ; gallant escort was sent to
Paris, and the boy duke was brought
back in great state to his duchy.
William was now ten years old, and
as handsome and digni6ed little fellow
as, one would often see. He had had
a good training at Paris. Being q
Norman he had known how to ride
horse from his earliest years, and he
had been trained in the use Of arms,
to bend the bow, to throw the jayelin,
cauch the lance, and WELD the sword,
| till he was nearly as skilled in their
use as man He was a very ac-
complished boy, but still he was only
q boy, and though he could ride all
day in his heavy steel mail, and not
tire, his arm was not strong enough
as yet to cope successfully with such
a stout warrior as William of Argues
The count and his fellow conspira-
tors occupied certain strong castles in
the remote part of Normandy. There
they carried on their intrigues in the
most secret and cunning manner, and
gathered their troops and their re-
sources, keeping a large body OF
soldiers under arms all the time. The
boy duke and his friends had also a
large army of well-trained soldiers,
and-they determined to march and
besiege the Count of Argues in his
own castle.
1t would have done your eyes good
to see the train that rode away from
the towers of Falaise one summer day
under the banner of the Norman
duke. There was the boy duke him.
self, riding black horse that pranced
aud curvetted as though proud of his
princely burden, and dressed all in
shining armor Young princes like
William had suits of mail made for
them. and though they were heavy
and uncomfortable affairs, they were
nevertheless proud and happy to wear
them So you can imagine William
J riding along through the villages
and across the desolate fields and
moors, his stern barons beside him.
aud the pennons flying in the wind
and the lances and steel armor fash
ing in the sun, as stirring a picture Of
feudal times as one could wish to see
There was much waste land and many
forests and morasses, and the ducaI
army found the way both difficult and
dangerous.
, :" will make road here some day