stairs,andwasonlypreventedbytheKinghimselffromputtingthemtodeath.Thatsamenight,hehotlydepartedwithsomefollowersfromhisfather\'scourt,andendeavouredtotaketheCastleofRouenbysurprise.Failinginthis,heshuthimselfupinanotherCastleinNormandy,whichtheKingbesieged,andwhereRobertonedayunhorsedandnearlykilledhimwithoutknowingwhohewas.Hissubmissionwhenhediscoveredhisfather,andtheintercessionofthequeenandothers,reconciledthem;butnotsoundly;forRobertsoonstrayedabroad,andwentfromcourttocourtwithhiscomplaints.Hewasagay,careless,thoughtlessfellow,spendingallhegotonmusiciansanddancers;buthismotherlovedhim,andoften,againsttheKing\'scommand,suppliedhimwithmoneythroughamessengernamedSAMSON.AtlengththeincensedKingsworehewouldtearoutSamson\'seyes;andSamson,thinkingthathisonlyhopeofsafetywasinbecomingamonk,becameone,wentonsucherrandsnomore,andkepthiseyesinhishead.
Allthistime,fromtheturbulentdayofhisstrangecoronation,theConquerorhadbeenstruggling,yousee,atanycostofcrueltyandbloodshed,tomaintainwhathehadseized.Allhisreign,hestruggledstill,withthesameobjecteverbeforehim.Hewasastern,boldman,andhesucceededinit.
Helovedmoney,andwasparticularinhiseating,buthehadonlyleisuretoindulgeoneotherpassion,andthatwashisloveofhunting.Hecarriedittosuchaheightthatheorderedwholevillagesandtownstobesweptawaytomakeforestsforthedeer.
Notsatisfiedwithsixty-eightRoyalForests,helaidwasteanimmensedistrict,toformanotherinHampshire,calledtheNewForest.Themanythousandsofmiserablepeasantswhosawtheirlittlehousespulleddown,andthemselvesandchildrenturnedintotheopencountrywithoutashelter,detestedhimforhismercilessadditiontotheirmanysufferings;andwhen,inthetwenty-firstyearofhisreignwhichprovedtobethelast,hewentovertoRouen,Englandwasasfullofhatredagainsthim,asifeveryleafoneverytreeinallhisRoyalForestshadbeenacurseuponhishead.IntheNewForest,hissonRichardforhehadfoursons
hadbeengoredtodeathbyaStag;andthepeoplesaidthatthissocruelly-madeForestwouldyetbefataltoothersoftheConqueror\'srace.