[4] These transactions have been noticed in an earlier portion of our Chronicle, see page 35.
[5] Guildford.
[6] Henry of Huntingdon puts quite a different speech into William's mouth, reminding the Normans of their capture and detainer of the king of France, till he delivered Normandy to duke Richard, and (as the chronicler states) assented to the stipulation, that in conferences between the king and the duke,—the latter should wear his sword, but the king not even a knife. L'Estoire de Seint Ædward le rei makes William use similar expressions, but on a different occasion, that of rallying his men.
A ço ke Willame diseit,
Et encore plus dire voleit,
Vint Willame li filz Osber,
Son cheval tot covert de fer;
"Sire," dist-il, "trop demoron,
Armons nos tuit; allon! allon!"
Issi sunt as tentes alé, &c.
See the observations of M. Deville on this description, in Mém. Ant. Norm. v. 81. Such an equipment of a horse at so early a period has no other authority, and is probably an anachronism. But it may be observed that Wace's description at least shows that the practice was already in existence in his day, which we believe could not be otherwise proved.
[8] This circumstance is also told by William of Poitiers. In the Estoire de Seint Ædward le rei the scene of the reversed hauberk is thus described;
Li ducs, ki s'arma tost après,
Sun hauberc endosse envers.
Dist ki l'arma, "Seit tort u dreit
Verruns ke li ducs rois seit,"
Li ducs, ki la raisun ot,
Un petit surrist au mot,
Dist, "Ore seit a la devise
Celui ki le mund justise!"