had armed force of the land at their bidding. They first tried to
slay or seize the Duke himself, who chanced to be in the midst of
them at Valognes. He escaped; we hear a stirring tale of his
headlong ride from Valognes to Falaise. Safe among his own people,
he planned his course of action. He first sought help of the man
who could give him most help, but who had most wronged him. He
went into France; he saw King Henry at Poissy, and the King engaged
to bring a French force to William's help under his own command.

This time Henry kept his promise. The dismemberment of Normandy
might have been profitable to France by weakening the power which
had become so special an object of French jealousy; but with a king
the common interest of princes against rebellious barons came
first. Henry came with a French army, and fought well for his ally
on the field of Val-es-dunes. Now came the Conqueror's first
battle, a tourney of horsemen on an open table-land just within the
land of the rebels between Caen and Mezidon. The young duke fought
well and manfully; but the Norman writers allow that it was French
help that gained him the victory. Yet one of the many anecdotes of
the battle points to a source of strength which was always ready to
tell for any lord against rebellious vassals. One of the leaders
of the revolt, Ralph of Tesson, struck with remorse and stirred by
the prayers of his knights, joined the Duke just before the battle.
He had sworn to smite William wherever he found him, and he
fulfilled his oath by giving the Duke a harmless blow with his
glove. How far an oath to do an unlawful act is binding is a
question which came up again at another stage of William's life.

The victory at Val-es-dunes was decisive, and the French King,
whose help had done so much to win it, left William to follow it