[Footnote 13: Et quia strepitus Rotomagi, quæ populosa civitas est, intolerabilis erat ægrotanti, extra urbem ipse rex præcepit se aufferi, ad ecclesiam Sancti Gervasii, in colle sitam occidentali; _Ordericus Vit._ vii. 656. A priory was attached to the church of St. Gervais, which furnishes probably the oldest ecclesiastical remain in Normandy. The crypt, below the apsis represented in the cut at the foot of this chapter, is supposed to be Roman, and coeval with the earliest introduction of Christianity at Rouen. The apsis itself is probably a re-erection with the original materials, but anterior to Duke William.] [Footnote 14: The anonymous continuer of _Wace's Brut_ gives a curious account of William's deliberation, at an earlier date, with his barons, as to the future state and fortunes of his sons. He is described as proving the qualities and tempers of his sons, by asking each what bird he would choose to be, if doomed to assume that form: Si Dex, ki est tuit puissant, De vus eust fait oisel volant, De tuz icels ki pount voler Laquelle voldriez resembler? Robert selects the esperver, and William the eagle, but Henry, 'k'en clergie esteit fundé'--'mult sagement ad parlé,' and chose the estornele. The whole story forms a curious and interesting apologue. The 'grantz clers de phylosophie, e los mestres de grant clergie, e les sages homes de son poer,' are described as assembled on this occasion, 'a un parlement;' and the king opens the session with a royal speech, perhaps the earliest of the sort on record: Seignors! dist il, ki estes ici, De vostre venue mult vus merci. De voz sens et vostre saver Ore endreit en ai mester; Pur ceo vus pri e requer K'entre vus voillez traiter, &c. The story forms a distinct fabliau in the MSS. Cotton. Cleop. A. xii.] [Footnote 15: _Orderic_ puts the same observation into William's mouth. History fully proves its justice.] [Footnote 16: This confession may appear to be an odd commentary on the tenor of Wace's preceding history of the events leading to the conquest. It was perhaps in some quarters unpalatable here, for Duchesne's MS. reads directly the opposite: 'Engleterre ai cunquise a dreit.'