WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. 349

unsuccessful attempt upon the coast of England 71 } chap.soon after arrived, and brought him intelligence, iv.that all his confederates were suppressed, andwere either killed , banished , or taken prisoners 71 .

Ralph retired in despair to Britanny, where hepossessed a large estate , aud extensive jurisdictions.

The king, who hastened over to England, inorder to suppress the insurrection, sound , that 'nothing remained but the punishment of thecriminals, which he executed with great severity.

Many of the rebels were hanged ; some had theireyes put out; others their hands cut off. ButWilliam , agreeably to his usual maxims , showedmore lenity to their leader, the earl of Hereford,who was only condemned to,a forfeiture of hisestate, and to imprisonment during pleasure. Theking seemed even disposed to remit this last partof the punishment; had not Roger, by a freshinsolence, provoked him to render his confinementperpetual. But Waltheof, being an Englishman,was not treated with so much humanity; though 1075.his guilt, always much inferior to that of theother conspirators, was atoned for by an earlyrepentance and return to his duty. William,instigated by his niece, as well as by his rapa-cious courtiers , who longed for so rich a

7 ' Chron. Sax. p. 18Z. M. Paris, p. 7.

73 Many of the fugitive Normans are supposed to havefled into Scotland; where they were protected, as wellas the fugitive tnglish, by Malcolm. Whence come themany French and Norman families, which are found at presentin that country.