246 HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

m si a r. tliose exorbitant claims , which supported them. grandeur of the papacy. Alexander, therefore,hoped , that the French and Norman barons, ifsuccessful in their enterprise, might import intothat country a more devoted reverence to theholy fee, and bring the English churches to anearer conformity with those of the continent.He declared immediately in favour of William’sclaim; pronounced Harold a perjured usurper;denounced excommunication against him and hisadherents ; and the more to encourage the dukeof Normandy in his enterprise, he sent him aconsecrated banner , and a ring with one of St.Peter's hairs in it *°. Thus were all the ambitionand violence of that invasion covered over safelywith the broad mantle of religion.

Thk greatest difficulty, which "William had toencounter in his preparations, arose from Ins ownsubjects in Normandy. The states of the dutchywere assembled at Lislebonne ; and supplies beingdemanded for the intended enterprise, whichpromised so much glory and advantage to theircountry, there appeared a reluctance in manymembers , both to grant sums so much beyondthe common measure of taxes in that age , andto set a precedent of performing their militaryservice at a distance from their own country. Theduke, finding it dangerous to solicit them in abody, conferred separately with the richest in-dividuals in the province; and beginning with those

So

Baker, p. 22. edit. 1684.