stopped near Brionne by brigands, who, having plundered him, left him, with his eyes bandaged, in a forest.  His cries attracted the attention of passers-by, who took him to a neighboring monastery, but lately founded by a pious Norman knight retired from the world.  Lanfranc was received in it, became a monk of it, was elected its prior, attracted to it by his learned teaching a host of pupils, and won therein his own great renown whilst laying the foundation for that of the abbey of Bee, which was destined to be carried still higher by one of his disciples, St. Anselm.  Lanfranc was eloquent, great in dialectics, of a sprightly wit, and lively in repartee.  Relying upon the pope’s decision, he spoke ill of William’s marriage with Matilda.  William was informed of this, and in a fit of despotic anger, ordered Lanfranc to be driven from the monastery and banished from Normandy, and even, it is said, the dependency which he inhabited as prior of the abbey, to be burned.  The order was executed; and Lanfranc set out, mounted on a sorry little horse given him, no doubt, by the abbey.  By what chance is not known, but probably on a hunting-party, his favorite diversion, William, with his retinue, happened to cross the road which Lanfranc was slowly pursuing.  “My lord,” said the monk, addressing him, “I am obeying your orders; I am going away, but my horse is a sorry beast; if you will give me a better one, I will go faster.”  William halted, entered into conversation with Lanfranc, let him stay, and sent him back with a present to his abbey.  A little while afterwards Lanfranc was at Rome, and defended before Pope Victor II.  William’s marriage with Matilda:  he was successful, and the pope took off the veto on the sole condition that the couple, in sign of penitence, should each found a religious house.  Matilda, accordingly, founded at Caen, for women, the abbey of the Holy Trinity; and William, for men, that of St. Stephen.  Lanfranc was the first abbot of the latter; and when William became king of England, Lanfranc was made archbishop of Canterbury and primate of the Church of England, as well as privy counsellor of his king.  William excelled in the art, so essential to government, of promptly recognizing the worth of men, and of appropriating their influence to himself whilst exerting his own over them.

About the same time he gave his contemporaries, princes and peoples, new proofs of his ability and power.  Henry I., king of France, growing more and more disquieted at and jealous of the duke of Normandy’s ascendency, secretly excited against him opposition and even revolt in his dominions.  These dealings led to open war between the suzerain and the vassal, and the war concluded with two battles won by William, one at Mortemer near Neuchatel in Bray, the other at Varaville near Troarrh “After which,” said William himself, “King Henry never passed a night tranquilly on my ground.”  In 1059 peace was concluded between the two princes.  Henry I. died almost