mbly
was a spirit which was especially theirs.

Narrow as was the constitution of the Assembly, it showed, when it
met, no lack either of political foresight or of parliamentary
boldness. In a society so aristocratically constituted as that of
Normandy was, the nobles are in truth, in a political sense, the
people, and we must expect to find in any gathering of nobles both the
virtues and the vices of a real Popular Assembly. William had already
consulted his Senate; he had now to bring his resolution, fortified by
their approval, before the body which came as near as any body in
Normandy could come to the character of an Assembly of the Norman
people. The valiant gentlemen of Normandy, as wary as they were
valiant, proved good guardians of the public purse, trusty keepers of
what one knows not whether to call the rights of the nation or the
privileges of their order. The duke laid his case before them. He told
once more the tale of his own rights and of the wrong which Harold had
done him. He said that his own mind was to assert his rights by force
of arms. He would fain enter England in the course of the year on
which they had entered. But without their help he could do nothing. Of
his own he had neither ships enough nor men enough for such an
enterprise. He would not ask whether they would help him in such a
cause. He took their zeal and loyalty for granted; he asked only how
many ships, how many men, each of his hearers would bring as a
free-will offering.

A Norman Assembly was not a body to be surprised into a hasty assent,
even when the craft and the eloquence of William was brought to bear
upon it. The barons asked for time to consider of their answer. They
would debate among themselves, and they would let him know the
conclusion to which they came. William was obliged to consent to this
delay, and the Assembly broke up into knots, greater or smaller, each
eagerly discussing the great question. Parties of fifteen, twenty,
thirty, forty, sixty, a hundred, gathered round this or that energetic
speaker. Some professed their readiness to follow the duke; others
were in debt, and were too poor to venture on such hazards. Other
speakers set forth the dangers and difficulties of the enterprise.
Normandy could not conquer England; their fair and flourishing land
would be ruined by the attempt. The conquest of England was an
undertaking beyond the power of a Roman emperor. Harold and his land
were rich; they had wealt