evil-doers, pronounce the aforesaid marriage null and void, and the offenders excommunicated from all communion with Christians; in virtue of our apostolic authority, we thrust them forth from the pale of our Holy Church, and deliver William, Duke of Normandy, and Matilda, falsely styling herself Duchess of Normandy, body and soul to the Evil One." A deep groan of mingled surprise and horror broke from the congregation. The magistrates of the city, and many who were friends and partisans of the young duke, fled hastily from the church, lest they should be compromised by even witnessing what was to follow. "We further," continued the archbishop, "declare accursed, and excommunicate the unworthy priest who profaned the Blessed Sacrament of marriage by celebrating the unhallowed union: let him be accursed for ever!" "Anathema! Anathema!" solemnly chaunted the chanoins. "Let William, Duke of Normandy, be accursed-in castle or in field-waking or sleeping-eating or fasting-in council or in action! Let no Christian serve him—no man pray for him—no noble, vavasour, knight, or burgher, do him liege service till he hath done penance for his sin, and reconciled himself to the offended church!" The anathema was repeated. "Let Matilda of Flanders be accursed!" continued the prelate -“held as a wanton and a leman, until she separates herself from the husband to whom she hath been unlawfully joined ! Let none serve or reverence her, but let all good Christians shrink with abhorrence at her name, until, by public penance, she has removed this scandal from the land, and reconciled herself to the offended church!" Again the anathema was repeated. Many of the curses pronounced in the formula of excommunication we have purposely omitted, not to shock our readers by a repetition of the blasphemies usual on the occasion, when man, arrogating the right of omnipotence, presumed to curse his fellow-man-to pronounce a malediction in the awful name of that Being who has revealed himself to His creatures only through His attributes of love and mercy! We refer the curious in such matters to "Gault's Religious Ceremonies," where the formula is detailed at length. The solemnity was rendered still more terrible by the sullen boom of the great bell of the church, which tolled every half minute, as if for the dead. As the last anathema escaped from the lips of the archbishop, the members of the chapter extinguished the yellow tapers which they held in their hands, beneath their feet. The affrighted congregation ran shrieking and howling from the church. Before Mauger and his confederates reached the palace of the former, after the impious act we have just described, a messenger had been despatched by the friends of William, with intelligence of what had taken place, to the Castle of Augi, where the newlymarried pair were still residing. In his progress through the city, the prelate could not avoid being struck by the dark looks of the citizens, most of whom were loyally attached to their youthful sovereign. The women murmured openly at the excommunication-for, although the bride and bridegroom stood within the prohibited degree of consanguinity, marriages between parties similarly situated were by no means of unusual occurrence. If accommodation were possible with heaven, it was still more so with the church-especially with those who were willing to pay for it. Had William's uncle been an Oriental scholar, instead of an ignorant, ambitious priest, he would have paused before he ventured to proceed to such extremities with his fiery nephew and sovereign; for the Arabs have a well-known proverb, "that curses are like young chickens, and always come home to roost." Nothing could exceed the astonishment and rage of William on receiving intelligence of the outrage offered to himself and bride by his perfidious uncle. in the first burst of indignation, he threatened to march to Rouen, and burn the audacious prelate in his own palace. The nobles who formed his court, were equally indignant-for the beauty and courtesy of Matilda had already rendered her popular with the gallant Normans-and eagerly offered to second him. "You are right, noble friends and vassals!" exclaimed the bridegroom, as he entered the great hall of the Castle of Augi, where his guests were all assembled; "the sword is the only answer for this presumptuons priest !" "The very answer he wishes!" observed a calm voice near him. William turned, and recognized in the speaker the monk Lanfranc, who had won his good opinion on the occasion of his visit to him as the messenger of Matilda, at Ostend. 66 How, sir priest?” he said. Do you approve of the archbishop's presumption ?" "I never approve of evil," was the reply. "Still you defend him ?” "You mistake," said Lanfranc, with the same imperturbable coldness. "It is you and your bride whom I defend. Matilda, as the granddaughter of your aunt Eleanor, stands within the prohibited degree. That is enough to give a color of justice to the pretensions of your enemies: at present they are weak; beware how, by an act of intemperance on your part, they become strong יין The younger nobles interrupted the speaker by clamorously demanding to march to Rouen; but the elder portion of the as sembly paused-they began to comprehend the drift of the speaker. Roger De Beaumont approached his master, and whispered in his ear to consult the monk in private, before he determined upon what measures to pursue. "What if the shaveling counsels peace!" exclaimed the impatient duke. "Listen to him,” replied the old noble, "provided his reasons are good." "Never, by heavens !" answered William. "I have not braved the arms of France-the machinations of my enemies-to cow beneath the crozier of one who is my subject, too!" It was evident that the speaker was too deeply wounded, both in his pride and love, to listen patiently to any counsel that did not accord with his sense of honor and resentment at the wanton insult he had received. Still, Roger De Beaumont was not to be deterred: he was resolved that Lanfranc-of whose judgment he had the highest opinion-should be heard. Without asking permission of his fiery master, he beckoned the monk to approach the elevated part of the hall where they were both standing. 66 How, sir priest!" said the duke; "you objected but now to my march to Rouen ?" "I did, beausire." "And why?" "Because by so doing," replied Lanfranc, “you would play into the hands of your enemies. You are bold, prince, young and valiant; but not strong enough to contend with Rome: its thunders would reach you here—even in Normandy." "And what does Rome care," demanded William, impatiently, "for a quarrel between my uncle and myself?" "At present, nothing; put your threat into execution, and the question becomes changed: it will then be Rome, and not Mauwhom you ger, assail; and Rome knows how to defend her interests. Appeal, prince, to the Pontiff: flattered by your submission, he will do you justice-confirm your marriage, which no succeeding pope could then impeach!" The Duke of Normandy was too clear-headed not to perceive at once the advantage of following the counsel of Lanfranc; still he hesitated-for, in the line of conduct proposed, he saw no means of vengeance on the archbishop. "And so let the traitor at Rouen escape?" he said. there lies the blot on thy device!" "Priest, The monk eyed him for a few moments in silence, as if to assure himself that the speaker was really so obtuse as not to see the different position in which his enemy would then be placed. While he fought for the most trivial dogma of Rome, Mauger was invulnerable; for Rome must arm in his defence. Let the quarrel touch only his personal interests, and the thunders of the Vatican would rest perfectly harmless. “Prince,” he observed at last, "I have yet to learn that there is less pleasure in crushing a serpent because its fangs have just been drawn." William smiled-he began to comprehend him. "Your marriage once declared valid by the church," continued the speaker, “you will have ample leisure to crush your enemy, whose conduct, in selling the sacred vessels of the church, to supply his extravagances, will then place him in your power. Strike the archbishop now, and you elevate him to the rank of a martyr-wait your time, and you will degrade him to a criminal!" The Duke of Normandy did wait. The very next day, submissive letters were written to the Pope, and Lanfranc dispatched, as William's agent, to the Holy See-the result of his negotiations proving that he could scarcely have chosen a better. Whilst Guy of Burgundy and the prelate were daily expecting some outbreak on the part of the outraged bridegroom, the latter remained quietly enjoying his happiness in the Castle of Augi. CHAPTER VII. Cursed is he that removeth the landmark ST. AMBROSIUS DE VERITATE. As the astute monk Lanfranc had foreseen, the benevolence of the Holy See was conciliated by the unreserved submission of the youthful Duke and Duchess of Normandy to its judgment; and, after a few months' residence in the Eternal City, their messenger returned with a bull, by which the reigning pontiff annulled the sentence of excommunication pronounced by the |