Page:The reign of William Rufus and the accession of Henry the First.djvu/262

 Rouen from the Primate of the Normans, William the Good Soul.

This story is worth telling, as it is thoroughly characteristic of the Conqueror; but there is this difficulty about it, that we can hardly understand either how the historian of the Bishops of Le Mans could fail to know the succession of the deans of his own church, or else how the head of the chapter of Saint Julian's could be lurking as a poor clerk in King William's chapel. Be this as it may, there is thorough agreement as to the episcopal virtues of Howel, as to his zeal in continuing the works in the church of Saint Julian, and as to his unwavering loyalty to the Norman house. And, builder and adorner of the sanctuary as he was, he did not scruple to rob the altars of the saints of their gold and silver to feed the poor in the day of hunger. His loyalty to Robert seems to have carried with it, for a time at least, the submission of the city. The Duke drew near at the head of his army. Bishop Odo was again in harness as one of his nephew's chief captains. With him came not a few of the lords who had seized castles in the Duke's despite, but who were nevertheless ready to follow his