only resemblance between them-was disputing the crown with a competitor whose ancestors had never worn that crown. The conqueror and the conquered, the king of ancient race and the king by election, alternately became master; but neither the one nor the other was powerful enough to protect the country against foreign invasion; all the forces of the kingdom were engaged on either side in maintaining the civil war; no army, accordingly, presented itself to stay the pirates, or prevent them from pillaging and devastating both banks of the Seine.1 The reports of their ravages soon reached Rouen, and filled that city with terror. The inhabitants did not expect any succor, and despaired of being able to defend their walls, already in ruins from former invasions. Amidst the universal dismay, the archbishop of Rouen, a man of prudence and firmness, took upon himself to save the city, by negotiating with the enemy before the attack. 1 There is still much uncertainty among modern historians as to the exact time of Rollo's descent on French soil. Asser, the biographer of Alfred, says it was in 876. "Anno dominicæ incarnatimis 876 Rollo cum suis Normanniam penetravit."-Vita Alfredi. This has been objected to on the ground that Asser died in the year 909, which was before Neustria was ceded to the Normans, and hence could not have made use of the term Normandy, which was of later adoption. It was concluded, therefore, that the above passage was interpolated in subsequent copies of his work. This, however, is not certain, and it is more probable that a later copyist has changed the name of Neustria into that of Normandy. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says: A. D. 876, Her Rodla thurferde Normandi mid his here, and he rixade fifti vintra." The date may have been copied from Asser, but the statement that Rollo reigned fifty winters agrees with tradition, which places his death, others say his abdication, at A. D. 926. As regards the date of his landing, the following chroniclers seem to be all agreed. " Thus the Chronic. Florent. Wigorn., ad ann. 876 says: "Rollo cum suis Normanniam penetravit 15 kal. decembris." Anno 876 Rollo paganus, genere Danus, cum suis Normanniam intravit et obtinuit, qui postea baptizatus, vocatus est Rodbertus."-Chronica de Mailros. "Ann. 876, venit Rollo Daniæ in Neustriam cum suis, volens eam sibi acquirere."-Chronic. Fiscanense. Hoc anno 876, Rollo cum suis Normanniam penetravit 15 kal. decembris."-Chronic. Rotomag. "Hoc anno 876 Rollo cum suis Normanniam acquisivit xv kal. decembris." -Chronic. Thosanum (Chronicalia de Normannis, MS. de la Bibliothèque du roi, à Paris). "Anno 876 Rollo in Normanniam cum suis venit xv kalend. decembris."Chronic. Fontanellense (in cod. monast. S. Michaelis de Monte). "An. 876, rege Carolo, Rollo quidam, natione Danus, cum suis Franciam intravit."-Vita S. Waningi, tom. II des Acta SS. ord. S. Bened. Though a later date is assigned to the event by modern historians, it is not the less certain that the historians of the Dukes of Normandy, viz., Dudo de Saint Quentin, Guillaume de Jumièges; the Trouvères Wace and Benëoit de Sainte-More, as well as the ecclesiastic historian Ordericus Vitalis, have all accepted the same date as correct. Without being deterred by the hatred often so cruelly testified by the pagans of the north toward the Christian clergy, the bishop repaired to their camp near Jumièges, and, in the name of the people, spoke to the Norman chief through the medium of an interpreter.1 He did so well that he concluded a truce with the enemy, guaranteeing them ready admission to the city, and receiving from them in return the assurance that no violence should be committed by them. So the Norwegians peacefully landed. Having moored their vessels, the chiefs went through the city in different directions; they carefully examined the ramparts, the quays, the fountains, and, finding everything to their liking, resolved to make it the citadel and headquarters of their new establishment." Evreux and several other neighboring towns next fell into the hands of the Normans, who thus extended their dominion over the greater part of the territory which thus far had been known by the old name of Neustria. Guided by a certain political good sense, they ceased to be cruel when they no longer encountered resistance, and contented themselves with a tribute regularly levied upon the towns and country districts. The same good sense told them that the time had come to elect a supreme chief, invested with permanent authority, and the choice fell on Roll, "whom they made their king," says an old chronicler, which title, in their mind, was probably something like sea-king, according to Scandinavian fashion, but which was ere long to be replaced by the title of duke, which in France was that of any prominent military leader, corresponding to the old Latin title dux. Though pirates to all intents and purposes, and as such not better than their forefathers, the present invaders of France were in many respects a different class of men from those who for half a century had been harassing the English so fearfully. In the age of Rollo the great feature 1 Lors fist assembler Rou les gens de la ville et du pays, et leur dist qu'il entendoit et vouloit illec à demourer, et y faire sa maistre-ville; et ils lui dirent qu'ils n'avoient aucun qui les deffendist, et que s'il lui plaisait de les garder et deffendre et tenir en justice, ils le tenroient à seigneur, et lui donneroient nom de duc.-Chronique de Normandie, MS. de la Bibliothèque du Roi, No. 9857. Et les gens de Rouen et autres ordonnèrent que leur archevesque iroit à Rou, et mettroit en son obéissance la cité et le pais, et ainsi il fist.—Ibid. 2 E Rou esgarda la vile é lunge et lée, E li compaignonz l'ont a rou mult loée. Wace, Roman de Rou., i, 60. of the Northman character was a love of glory, pursuing its gratification by an assiduous cultivation of bodily strength, agility, and manual dexterity; and combining with the most daring intrepidity, tenacity of purpose, and great warlike fortitude. To climb steep and towering rocks, and to descend from them rapidly with a heavy burden; to walk on the outer edge of a ship, and even outside of it, on the oars, while the men were rowing it; to use both hands alike, and throw two darts at once; to play with three swords, with such correctness of eye and nerve that there would always be one in the air while the others were caught by the handles, were accomplishments of dexterity coveted even by their kings. To hew well with the sword, to wrestle, to cast heavy weights, to run on skates, to sit firmly on horseback, to swim with vigor, to hurl the lance with skill, to manage the oar dexterously, were also their warrior's boasts. Vigor in archery was an object of emulation; and they proved their strength by sending a blunted spear through a raw bull's hide.? All these qualifications proceeded from the great actuating principle of the Northman's mind-the love of personal distinction and public admiration. Such were the first Normans, who in the beginning of the tenth century settled themselves in Normandy; a country which from former devastations had become an unpeopled and ruined desert, abandoned to a wild vege tation, and uncultivated in every part. A barbarous people, thus located in a desolate country, might seem to promise a perpetuity of barbarism; but very different were the results. The wasted state of Normandy not only proved favorable to the growth of the Norman mind, by presenting no luxuries or corrupting influences to weaken it; but it made wisdom in the chief, and industry and constant exertion in his followers, indispensable to their existence. It compelled them to be an agricultural as well as a warlike people. The character of their chief was suited to the exigency; and Rollo, like Romulus, by his prudent regulations, laid the foundations of the improved character, and prepared the future triumphs of his rapacious countrymen. A steady observance of justice in his own conduct, and an inflexible rigor toward all offenders, gradually produced a love of equity and subordination to law among his people which mainly contributed to their 1 Snorre, Olaf Saga, vol. i, p. 290. Ibid., vol. ii, p. 19. future eminence; while the adoption of Christianity as his national religion powerfully accelerated all his legislative exertions, by enlightening both himself and his countrymen, and gradually awakening their moral sensibilities. It is related of him that, on returning from the chase, while stopping for his midday repast in the forest on the banks of the Seine, near Rouen, he hung up his golden bracelets on the branch of an oak while eating. These bracelets remained there for three years, unguarded and untouched, such was under his reign the respect of property, or perhaps also the dread of his justice.1 He was reputed the sternest enemy of robbers, and the most vigorous justiciary of his time in any part of France; and the popularity of his name, spreading far and wide, encouraged many artisans and laborers of the neighboring districts to emigrate, and to establish themselves in the dominions of Duke Rollo, or Rou, as he was called in French. As he and his men were all bachelors, they married Frankish women; and the children, of course, being brought up mainly by their mothers, in course of time spoke all the kinds of French then current in that country, so that within two or three generations the difference of language which had at first marked the line of separation between the invaders and the natives had almost ceased to exist, and it was by his importance alone, as belonging to the ruling class, that the Norman of Scandinavian descent was distinguished from the Gallo-Frank. Even at Rouen, and in the palace of the successors of Rollo, no other language was spoken at the beginning of the eleventh century than that called by the name of Romance or French. To this, however, the town of Bayeux was an exception, the dialect there preserved being a mixture of Frankish, Saxon, and Scandinavian, the city being originally a Saxon settlement, which had contrived to keep up almost intact its ancient ways and language.2 1 Guillaume de Jumièges, Trad. Guizot, Hist. des Normands, vol. ii, ch. 17. The oak stood near a pond, which since has borne the name of Mare de Rollon. The Swabian Lati who, as we learn from the Notitia, were settled at Bajoccas (Bayeux), may have formed the nucleus of this settlement. In the year 843 the annalists mention the existence of a district in this neighborhood called Otlinga Saxonica, and Gregory of Tours speaks of the Saxones bajocassini. The term Otlinga Saxonica, which has elicited so many ingenious etymological guesses, does not mean the district where the Saxon language was spoken, but, as Grimm has suggested, it was the abode of Saxon nobles, Adelings or Æthelings.Gesch. der Deut. Sprach., p. 626. According to Dudo de St. Quentin, iii, 100, their So, when new emigrants arrived from the north of Europe to visit their relatives in Normandy, and to obtain land, they established themselves, as a matter of choice, in the country about Bayeux, and thus kept up the use of their language in that neighborhood. It was for this reason, if we may believe one of the chroniclers, that the dukes of Normandy sent thither their children to learn to speak Danish as a matter of pride, or perhaps of policy. The Danes and Norwegians maintained relations of alliance and of affection with Normandy so long as they found in a similarity of language a token of their ancient national consanguinity; but when the use of French became general throughout Normandy, the Scandinavians ceased to look upon the Normans as their natural allies by blood; they even ceased to give them the name of Normans, but called them Velskes or Welches, by which name they designated indiscriminately the entire population of Gaul. As the old ties of relationship gradually died out, the Normans became more and more French in feeling and in interest, and what was once called "the pirates' land" sank into the most loyal of the fiefs of France. language differed but little from the Scandinavian dialects, “qualem decet esse sororem." We have already observed elsewhere that the difference between the Low Dutch and Scandinavian dialects was much less in those days than at present. See page 172. 1 Dudo de St. Quentin, referring to this subject, places the following words in the mouth of Duke William I: Quoniam quidem Rothomagensis civitas romana potius quam dacisca utitur eloquentia, et Bajocacensis fruitur frequentius dacisca lingua quam romana; volo igitur ut ad Bajocacensia deferatur quantocius moenia, et ibi volo ut sit, Botho, sub tua custodia, et enutriatur et edoceatur cum magna diligentia, fervens loquacitate dacisca, tamque discens tenaci memoria, ut queat sermocinari profusius olim contra Dacigenas. (Dudo S. Quantini, apud du Chesne, 112, D.) Beneoft de Sainte-More makes substantially the same statement: Si à Roem le faz garder Et norrir gaires longement, Et pur ceo, sir quens Boton, Voil que vos l'aiez ensemble od vos; De lui enseigner corius Garde e maistre seiez de lui.-Chron. des ducs de Norm. 2 Contes populaires, préjugés, patois, etc., de l'arrondissement de Bayeux, par Frédéric Pluquet, Rouen, 1834. On the name of Welches, given by all Teutonic tribes to conquered nations, see pages 20 and 484. |