he
example of those who had preceded him, and desirous of evincing as much
zeal and generosity as they. Then, besides, the duke received these
vassals with so much condescension and urbanity, and treated them with
so much consideration and respect, as greatly to flatter their vanity,
and raise them in their own estimation, by exalting their ideas of the
importance of the services which they could render in carrying so vast
an enterprise to a successful result. In a word, the tide turned like a
flood in favor of granting liberal supplies. The nobles and knights
promised freely men, money, ships, arms, provisions--every thing, in
short, that was required; and when the work of receiving and registering
the offers was completed, and the officers summed up the aggregate
amount, William found, to his extreme satisfaction, that his wants were
abundantly supplied.

There was another very important point, which William adopted immediate
measures to secure, and that was obtaining the _Pope's_ approval of his
intended expedition. The moral influence of having the Roman pontiff on
his side, would, he knew, be of incalculable advantage to him. He sent
an embassage, accordingly, to Rome, to lay the whole subject before his
holiness, and to pray that the pope would declare that he was justly
entitled to the English crown, and authorize him to proceed and take
possession of it by force of arms. Lanfranc was the messenger whom he
employed--the same Lanfranc who had been so successful, some years
before, in the negotiations at Rome connected with the confirmation of
William and Matilda's marriage.

Lanfranc was equally successful now. The pope, after examining William's
claims, pronounced them valid. He decided that William was entitled to
the rank and honors of King of England. He caused a formal diploma to be
made out to this effect. The diploma was elegantly executed, signed with
the cross, according to the pontifical custom, and sealed with a round
leaden seal.[J]

[Footnote J: The Latin name for such a seal was _bulla_. It is on
account of this sort of seal, which is customarily affixed to them, that
papal edicts have received the name of _bulls_.]

It was, in fact, very natural that the Roman authorities should take a
favorable view of William's enterprise, and feel an interest in its
success, as it was undoubtedly for the interest of the Church that
William, rather than Harold, should reign over England, as the accession
of W