HAROLD.

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Europe , promised his protection to the dutchy chap.of Normandy during the absence of the prince, m*and thereby enabled him to employ his wholeforce in the invasion of England But the mostimportant ally, whom William gained by hisnegcciations, was the pope, who had a mightyinfluence over the ancient barons, no less devoutin their religious principles than valorous in theirmilitary enterprises. The Roman pontiff, afteran insensible progress during several ages ofdarkness and ignorance, began now to lift hishead openly above all the princes of Europe; toassume the office of a mediator, or even an arbiter,in the quarrels of the greatest monarchs; to in-terpose in all secular affairs ; and to obtrude hisdictates as sovereign laws on his obsequious disci-ples. It s was a sufficient motive to Alexander II.the reigning pope, for embracing William’s quarrel,that he alone had made an appeal to his tribunal,and rendered him umpire of the dispute betweenhim and Harold; but there were other advantages,which, that pontiff foresaw, must result from theconquest of England by the Norman arms. Thatkingdom, though at first converted by Romish \missionaries , though it had afterwards advanced '

some farther steps towards subjection to Rome,maintained still a considerable independence in itsecclesiastical administration ; and forming a worldwithin itself, entirely separated from the rest ofEurope , it had hitherto proved inaccessible to

" Gul. Pict. p. 198.

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