England. Harold was certainly watching the affairs of Gaul. About
this time, most likely in the year 1058, he made a pilgrimage to
Rome, and on his way back he looked diligently into the state of
things among the various vassals of the French crown. His exact
purpose is veiled in ambiguous language; but we can hardly doubt
that his object was to contract alliances with the continental
enemies of Normandy. Such views looked to the distant future, as
William had as yet been guilty of no unfriendly act towards
England. But it was well to come to an understanding with King
Henry, Count Geoffrey, and Duke William of Aquitaine, in case a
time should come when their interests and those of England would be
the same. But the deaths of all those princes must have put an end
to all hopes of common action between England and any Gaulish
power. The Emperor Henry also, the firm ally of England, was dead.
It was now clear that, if England should ever have to withstand a
Norman attack, she would have to withstand it wholly by her own
strength, or with such help as she might find among the kindred
powers of the North.


William's great continental conquest is drawing nigh; but between
the campaign of Varaville and the campaign of Le Mans came the
tardy papal confirmation of William's marriage. The Duke and
Duchess, now at last man and wife in the eye of the Church, began
to carry out the works of penance which were allotted to them. The
abbeys of Caen, William's Saint Stephen's, Matilda's Holy Trinity,
now began to arise. Yet, at this moment of reparation, one or two
facts seem to place William's government of his duchy in a less
favourable light than usual. The last French invasion was followed
by confiscations and banishments among the chief men of Normandy.