WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. 325

opportunity to affist their friends in the recoveryof their native liberties Edgar Atheling himself,dreading the insidious caresses, of William, waspersuaded by Cospatric, a powerful Northumbrian,to escape with him into Scotland; and he carriedthither his two sisters , Margaret and Christina.They were well received by Malcolm , who soonafter espoused Margaret, the elder sister; andpartly with a view of strengthening his kingdomby the accession of so many strangers, partly inhopes of employing them against the growingpower of William , he gave great countenanceto all the English exiles. Many of them settledthere ; and laid the foundation of families whichafterwards made a figure in that country.

While the English suffered under these oppres-sions, even the foreigners were not much attheir ease; but finding themselves surrounded onall hands by enraged enemies, who took everyadvantage against them, and menaced them withstill more bloody effects of the public resentment,they began to wish again for the tranquillity andsecurity of their native country. Hugh de Grent-mesnil, and Humphry de Teliol, though entrustedwith great commands, desired to be dismissedthe service ; and some others imitated their exam-ple : A desertion which was highly resented bythe king, and which he punished by the confisca-tion of all their possessions in England A But

3! Order. Vital. p. 508. Al- West. p. 225. M. Paris,p. 4. Sim. Dun. p. ujj. 34 Order. Vkalis , p. 512.

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