WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. 311

Hs bad got possession of the treasure of Harold, c H awhich was considerable; and being also supplied iv.

with rich presents from the opulent men in all ior,?.

parts of England, who were solicitous to gain thesavour of their new sovereign, he distributed greatsums among his troops, and by this liberalitygave them hopes of obtaining at length thosemore durable establishments, which they hadexpected from his enterprize”. The ecclesiastics ,both at home and abroad, had much forwardedhis success ; and he failed not, in return, to expresshis gratitude and devotion in the manner whichwas m-ost acceptable to them: He sent Haroldsstandard to the pope, accompanied with manyvaluable presents: All the considerable monasteriesand churches in France, where, prayers hadbeen put up for his success, now tasted of hisbounty " : The English monks found him welldisposed to savour their order : And he built anew convent near Hastings, which he calledBattle-Abbey , and which, on pretence ofsupportingmonks to pray for his own foul, and for thatot Harold , served as, a lasting memorial of hisvictory lS .

He introduced into England that strict execution,of justice, for which his administration had been.

Gul. Pict. p. 206. 34 Ibid.

15 Gul. Gemet. p. 288. Chron. Sax. p. 189. M. Weft.p. 226. M. Paris, p. 9. Diceto, p. 482. This convent,was freed by him from all episcopal jurisdiction. Monast,,

Ang. torn. 1 . p. 311,, 312,

Xl

p.