“A treasure of 5,000 pounds of silver,” was the answer.
“What good will the treasure do me,” cried Henry, “if I have neither land, nor house, nor home?”
“Take comfort, my son,” said his father; “it may be that one day thou shalt be greater than all.”
These words he spoke in the spirit of foreboding, no doubt perceiving in Henry a sagacity and self-command which in the struggle of life was certain to give him the advantage of his elder brothers; but then, alarmed lest what he had said might be construed as acknowledging Henry’s superior claim as having been born a king’s son, he felt it needful to back up Rufus’s claim, and bade a writ be prepared commanding Lanfranc to crown William King of England. Affixing his signet, he kissed and blessed his favorite, and sent him off at once to secure the English throne. Henry, too, hurried away to secure his 5,000 pounds, and the dying man was left alone, struggling between terror and hope.
He left sums of money for alms, masses, and prayers; and as an act of forgiveness, released his captives—Earl Morcar, Ulfnoth, the unfortunate hostage, Siward, and Roger de Breteuil, and all the rest; but he long excepted his brother Odo, and only granted his liberation on the earnest persuasion of the other brother, the Count of Mortagne.
He slept uneasily at night, awoke when the bells were ringing for lauds, lifted up his hands in prayer, and breathed his last on the 8th of September, 1087.
His sons were gone, his attendants took care of themselves, his servants plundered the chamber and bed, and cast on the floor uncovered the mortal remnant of their once dreaded master. And though the clergy soon recollected themselves, and attended to the obsequies of their benefactor, carrying the corpse to his own Abbey at Caen, yet even there, as has already been said, the cry of the despoiled refused to the Conqueror even the poor boon of a grave.
CAMEO XII. THE CROWN AND THE MITRE.
Kings of England.
1087. William II.
1100. Henry I.
King of France.
1059. Philippe I.
Emperors of Germany.
1080. Heinrich IV.
1105. Heinrich V.
Popes of Rome.
1066. Victor III.
1073. Gregory VII.
1088. Urban II.
1099. Paschal II.