Note 1150 — Chapter XV · THE NORMAN INVASION AND THE CAMPAIGN OF HASTINGS.[1055]

Roman de Rou, 11711;

“Quant li Dus primes fors issi,

Sor sez dous palmes fors chaï;

Sempres i out levé grant cri

E distrent tuit: mal signe est ci;

Et il lor a en haut crié;

Seignors, par la resplendor Dé,

La terre ai as dous mainz seizie;

Sans chalenge n’iert maiz guerpie;

Tote est nostre quant qu’il i a;

Or verrai ki hardi serra.”

William of Malmesbury (iii. 238) seems to mix up this saying of the Duke’s with the saying of the soldier quoted directly afterwards; “In egressu navis pede lapsus, eventum in melius commutavit, acclamante sibi proximo milite, ‘Tenes,’ inquit, ‘Angliam, Comes, Rex futurus.’” Mr. Hardy in his note suspects, perhaps with reason, the whole story, on account of its likeness to the story of Cæsar (Suet. Julius, 59); “Prolapsus in egressu navis, verso ad melius omine, ‘Teneo te,’ inquit, ‘Africa.’”