244 HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

chap. upon the duke’s enterprise , he chose this conjunc-m. ture for reviving his claim to Normandy itself;and he required , that, in case of William’s successagainst England, the postelfion of that dutchyshould devolve to him ButConan died suddenlyafter making this demand ; andHoel, his successor,instead of adopting the malignity, or moreproperly speaking, the prudence of his predeces-sor, zealously seconded the duke’s views, andsent his eldest son , Alain Fergant, to serve underhim with a body of five thousand Bretons. Thecounts of Anjou and of Flanders encouraged theirsubjects to engage in the expedition ; and even thecourt of trance, though it might justly fear theaggrandizement of so dangerous a vassal, pursuednot its interests on this occasion with sufficientvigour and resolution. Philip I. the reigningmonarch, was a minor; and William, havingcommunicated his project to the council, havingdesired assistance, and offered to do homage, incafe of his success, for the crown of England,was indeed openly ordered to lay aside all thoughtsof the enterprize; but the earl of Flanders , hisfather-in-law, being at the head of the regency,favoured under hand his levies , and secretlyencouraged the adventurous nobility to inlistunder the standard of the duke of Normandy.

'The emperor, Henry IV. besides openly givingall his vassals permission to embark in this expe-dition, which so much engaged the attention of

" Gul. Gemet. lib. 7. cap. ZZ.