William kept Harold many a day, As was his due in great honour. To many a rich tournament Made him go very nobly. Horses and arms gave him And into Brittany led him I know not truly whether three or four times When he had to make war on the Bretons. Perhaps the allusion to rich tournaments belongs to the time of Wace rather than to that of Harold a century earlier, before the first crusade, but certainly Harold did go with William on at least one raid into Brittany, and the charming tapestry of Bayeux, which tradition calls by the name of Queen Matilda, shows William's men- at-arms crossing the sands beneath Mont-Saint-Michel, with the Latin legend:--"Et venerunt ad Montem Michaelis. Hic Harold dux trahebat eos de arena. Venerunt ad flumen Cononis." They came to Mont-Saint- Michel, and Harold dragged them out of the quicksands. They came to the river Couesnon. Harold must have got great fame by saving life on the sands, to be remembered and recorded by the Normans themselves after they had killed him; but this is the affair of historians. Tourists note only that Harold and William came to the Mount:--"Venerunt ad Montem." They would never have dared to pass it, on such an errand, without stopping to ask the help of Saint Michael. If William and Harold came to the Mount, they certainly dined or supped in the old refectory, which is where we have lain in wait for them. Where Duke William was, his jongleur--jugleor--was not far, and Wace knew, as every one in Normandy seemed to know, who this favourite was,--his name, his character, and his song. To him Wace owed one of the most famous passages in his story of the assault at Hastings, where Duke William and his battle began their advance against the English lines:-- Taillefer qui mult bien chantout Sor un cheval qui tost alout Devant le duc alout chantant De Karlemaigne e de Rollant E d'Oliver e des vassals Qui morurent en Rencevals. Quant il orent chevalchie tant Qu'as Engleis vindrent apreismant: "Sire," dist Taillefer, "merci! Io vos ai longuement servi. Tot mon servise me devez. Hui se vos plaist le me rendez. Por tot guerredon vos require E si vos veil forment preier Otreiez mei que io ni faille Le premier colp de la bataille." Li dus respondi: "Io l'otrei." Taillefer who was famed for song, Mounted on a charger strong, Rode on before the Duke, and sang Of Roland and of Charlemagne, Oliver and the vassals all Who fell in fight at Roncesvals. When they had ridden till they saw The English battle close before: "Sire," said Taillefer, "a grace! I have served you long and well; All reward you owe me still; To-day repay me if you please. For all guerdon I require, And ask of you in formal prayer, Grant to me as mine of right The first blow struck in the fight." The Duke answered: "I grant."