volume one

82 nisTOEX or the ceusades.
^vas not too kind to him, not one of the heroes of the crusade
exhibited more honourable and disinterested intentions. If
he had not merited bv his exploits the surname of Great.
which history has given him, he would have obtained it for
ha^'ing only listened to his zeal, and for ha^'ing sought
uothinof but glorv in a war which offered kingdoms to the
ambition of princes and simple knights.
Eobert, siunamed Courte-hev.se, duke of Xormandy, who
led his vassals to the holy war, was the eldest son of William
the Conqueror. He joined to noble quahties some of
the faults the most reprehensible in a piince. He could not,
even in his early youth, endiu'e paternal authority; but, dra^vn
away more by a desii'e for independence than by a real
ambition, after having made war against his father for the
sake of reigning in Xonnandy, he neglected the opportunity
of ascending the throne of England on the death of AYilliam.
His levitA', his inconstancv, and his wealoiess, caused him to
be despised both by his subjects and his enemies. His profusion
ruined his people, and reduced him, if we may credit
the monk Oderic A^ital, to a condition bordering upon
absolute poverty. The historian I have just quoted relates
a trait, which, although diilicult to be believed, at the same
time describes both Kobert and the age he lived in. " He
was often compelled to remain in bed for want of clothes,
and frequently was absent from mass because his nudity
prevented him fr'om assisting at it." It was not an ambition
for conquering kingdoms in Asia, but liis inconstant, chivalric
dispositioD, that made him assiune the cross, and take up
arms. The Xormans, a wandering and warlike people, who
had made themselves remarkable among: all the nations of
Europe for their devotion to pilgrimages, hastened in crowds
to his banner. As Duke Eobert had not the means of providing
for the expenses of an army, he pledged Xormandy
with his brother "William Eufus. AYiUiam, v»hom his age
accused of impiety, and M'ho laughed at the knight errantry
of the Crusaders, seized with joy the opportunity of governing
a proAince which he hoped one day to unite to his kingdom.
He le^-ied taxes upon the clergy, whom he did not like, and
caused the silver plate of the churches to be melted to pay the
sum of ten thousand silver marks to Eobert, who set out for
the Holy Land, followed by ahnost all the nobihty of his duchy.