Then he sent the letter to the count by a cunning varlet[13], who had long been with him; and the varlet delivered it to the count, who broke the seal, and opened the parchment, and looked within, but saw nothing. So he shewed it to the messenger, and the shrewd varlet said to him off hand, "Nought is there, and nought shalt thou have! therefore look for nothing! The honour that the duke seeks will be for your sister and nephews as much as for himself; and if he and they should win England, no one would have more advantage from their success than yourself. All theirs would in truth be yours. If God please, he will conquer it by himself, and seek none of your help." What the count answered I know not, but the varlet thereupon went his way. [Illustration] The duke determined to make his preparations prudently. He sent to the apostle, by clerks who could tell truly how Harold had used him; how he had broken his oath and lied; and how he would neither take his daughter, nor render him up the kingdom which Edward had given him, and Harold had guaranteed on oath. He said that perjury ought to be punished according to the rules of holy church; and that if by God's will he should conquer England, he would receive it of St. Peter, and do service for it to none but God. The apostle granted his request, and sent him a gonfanon[14], and a very precious, rich and fair ring, which, he said, had under the stone one of Saint Peter's hairs[15]. With these tokens he commanded, and in God's name granted to him, that he should conquer England, and hold it of Saint Peter. Now while these things were doing, a great star appeared, shining for fourteen days, with three long rays streaming towards the south; such a star as is wont to be seen when a kingdom is about to change its king. I have seen many men who saw it, men of full age at the time, and who lived many years after[16]. Those who discourse of the stars would call it a comet[17]. [Footnote 1: _Benoit de Sainte-More's_ account of William's council will be found in our appendix.] [Footnote 2: Vimeu.] [Footnote 3: As to ROGER DE MONTGOMERI, WALTER GIFFART, ODO, BISHOP OF BAYEUX, and ROBERT, COUNT OF MORTAIN--comes Moritolii--see our subsequent notes on the chiefs at the battle of Hastings.]