mediately sensible of the importance of the incident. He
foresaw that, if he could once gain Harold, either by favors or menaces,
his way to the throne of England would be open, and Edward would meet
with no further obstacle in executing the favorable intentions which he
had entertained in his behalf. He sent, therefore, a messenger to Guy,
in order to demand the liberty of his prisoner; and that nobleman, not
daring to refuse so great a prince, put Harold into the hands of the
Norman, who conducted him to Rouen. William received him with every
demonstration of respect and friendship; and after showing himself
disposed to comply with his desire in delivering up the hostages,
he look an opportunity of disclosing to him the great secret of his
pretensions to the crown of England, and of the will which Edward
intended to make in his favor. He desired the assistance of Harold in
perfecting that design; he made professions of the utmost gratitude in
return for so great an obligation; he promised that the present grandeur
of Harold's family, which supported itself with difficulty under the
jealousy and hatred of Edward, should receive new increase from a
successor, who would be so greatly beholden to him for his advancement
Harold was surprised at this declaration of the duke; but being sensible
that he should never recover his own liberty, much less that of his
brother and nephew, if he refused the demand, he feigned a compliance
with William, renounced all hopes of the crown for himself, and
professed his sincere intention of supporting the will of Edward, and
seconding the ptetensions of the duke of Normandy. William, to bind him
faster to his interests, besides offering him one of his daughters
in marriage, required him to take an oath that, he would fulfil his
promises; and in order to render the oath more obligatory, he employed
an artifice well suited to the ignorance and superstition of the age. He
secretly conveyed under the altar, on which Harold agreed to swear, the
relics of some of the most revered martyrs; and when Harold had taken
the oath, he showed him the relics, and admonished him to observe
religiously an engagement which had been ratified by so tremendous a
sanction.[*] The English nobleman was astonished; but dissembling his
concern, he renewed the same professions, and was dismissed with all the
marks of mutual confidence by the duke of Normandy.

[* Wace, p. 459, 460. MS. penes Carte, p. 354. W.