APPENDIX.

N. B. The following communication, which contains a number of additional particulars relative to the Bayeux tapestry, and the celebrated historical event of the battle of Hastings, which it represents, having been sent too late for insertion in the body of the work, we are under the necessity of making it form part of the APPENDIX.

THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY.

The Abbé de la Rue, professor of history at the academy of Caen, in Normandy, and one of the canons of the church of Bayeux, in a dissertation on this tapestry, communicated to Francis Douce, Esq. and printed in the XVIIth Volume of the Archæologia, adds several curious particulars to those already given respecting it; and, also, in some observations on the Anglo-Norman poets of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, published in the same work, furnishes us with various facts from their writings (not generally known) relative to the battle of Hastings.

According to the Abbé's opinion, this interesting relic of antiquity is not the work of queen Matilda, wife of the Conqueror, but of her grand-daughter, the empress Matilda. Neither queen Matilda nor her husband, he observes, make any mention of this tapestry, in their testamentary bequests to the two abbeys at Caen founded by them; nor is it noticed in the account of the dedication of the cathedral of Bayeux in 1077, at which king William and his court assisted, though the latter occasion, as he says, afforded a singular opportunity to have made a donation of it, had it then been completed. Nor could a piece of tapestry 200 feet long, he continues, well have escaped destruction with that church, when it was burnt and pillaged in 1106, without a miracle

In speaking of the tapestry itself, he observes, that it is in fact an unfinished work. "One may perceive, (says he,) towards the extremity of it, marks or traces for the last events of the battle of Hastings; men flying, knights pursuing them, &c. The sequel would have represented the victors marching to London, and their chieftain crowned at Westminster. All these details being wanted in the tapestry, how can we suppose, says he (notwithstanding what is affirmed by Montfaucon, in his Monuments of the French Monarchy, Lancelot, in his Memoir, published among those of the academy of inscriptions, and Dr. Ducarel, in his Anglo-Norman Antiquities) that Matilda would have abandoned it, when so little remained for its completion; and more especially, when it was necessary to depict the circumstances of the moment most interesting to her, that is to say, her own coronation, and that of her husband. In short, how are we to credit that she would have deposited in the great church, as an historical monument, a work that did not represent the whole of the events?"

That the empress Matilda, grand-daughter of the Conqueror, and the last shoot of his family, "seeing the race of so many heroes, whose glory rested upon her head alone, and who would perish with herself," should endeavour to perpetuate the most signal of all their exploits by the execution of such a piece of work, he thinks perfectly natural: and adds, that the empress dying before the tapestry was finished, it might have been presented to the church of Bayeux by her son Henry II. or by Richard or John, her grandsons.

The ingenious explanations of Monsieur Lancelot, in his Memoir (1) he thinks borrowed from Robert Wace, and other AngloNorman poets. In mentioning the works of these writers in his various communications to the Antiquarian Society, he gives several extracts from them, which throw considerable light on the celebrated historical event represented in the tapestry.

Wace, who flourished in the reign of Henry II. and was by that monarch presented to a canonry in the cathedral of Bayeux, is the author, among these, who has most particularly described the battle of Hastings; on which subject he has employed no less than 2000 lines, in his Lives of the Dukes of Normandy. Having lived with eye-witnesses of it, he appears to have made the most

(1) Mem. de l'Acad. des Inscript. t. viii. p. 608.

minute researches, and has detailed upon this subject, facts, which are to be met with in no other historian whatever. In short, he informs us that his own father was present at the battle of Hastings; he relates the particular circumstances of it which he had learned from him; and he expresses himself throughout with so much candour, that we feel no hesitation in giving entire credit to his relations. Amongst other interesting particulars, he informs us, that the moment for beginning the battle was announced by the minstrel Taillefer, at the head of the Norman army, by chanting the celebrated song of Charlemagne and Roland, and repeating this composition, the troops marched on to victory.

"Taillefer, qui moult bien chantoit,
Sur un cheval qui tot alloit,
Devant eux alloit chantant
De Karlemagne et de Roland
Et D'Oliver et des vassals
Qui moururent à Rouncevalles."

IMITATED. (1)

"On a gallant courser mounted,
Taillefer, before them all,
In harmonious strains recounted

Those who fell at Rouncevalle,
Orlando, Oliver, and Charlemagne,

Each hero, those who fell were carol'd in his strain."

The office of Taillefer, however, was not alone confined to the singing of the song of Charlemagne and his knights at the head of the Norman army; the poet informs us, that advancing on horseback towards the English forces, the minstrel three times cast on high his lance in the air, and as often received it by the point; that the fourth time he threw it against his enemies, one of whom he wounded; that afterward, he drew his sword, and, darting it as before three times in the air, he caught it again with such address, that his adversaries could not help regarding these slights of hand as miraculous, and the effects of enchantment; that at length, after these manœuvres, he galloped full speed towards the army of the enemy, and precipitating himself amidst the ranks,

(1) By J. P. Andrews, in his History of Great Britain.

laid on furiously upon each side of him, thereby giving the Normans the signal of battle.

The verses made use of by this writer are in lines of eight syllables. His style is much more clear than that of preceding poets, and his diction simple and fluent, as in the following verses, wherein he describes the dexterity of the minstrel Taillefer, in throwing and catching the lance, &c. as above noticed.

"Un des Franceis donc se hasta,
Devant les altres chevalcha;

Taillefer est cil apelez,

Ioglere estait hardi asez,
Armes aveit et bon cheval,
Si est hardiz é noble vassal,
Devant les altres cil se mist,
Devant Engleis merveilles fist;
La lance prist par le tuet,
Com si co fust un bastmet,
Encoutre mont halt la geta,
Et par le fer receue la
Trais fez issi geta sa lance,
La quatre feiz mult pres savance;
Entre les Engleis la lanca,

Parim le cors un en naffra.
Puis triest s'epée, arere vint,
Geta s'espée kil tint;
Encountre, mont puis la receit,
L'un dit al altre ki co veit

Ke co esteit enchantment,

Ke cil fesait devant la gent,

Quant treiz faiz ont geta l'espée

Le cheval od gule baiée,

Vers les Engleis vint a esleise, &c.

IMITATED.

Forth from the French, with gallant haste,
The juggler Taillefer then prest,

Arm'd, and on a fiery horse,

And plac'd him 'fore the Norman force;
Where wonders in the English sight

He play'd with all a master's slight;
First, to incite them to advance,
High in the air he hurl'd his lance,

And caught it by the point-and then
As nimbly threw it up again.

This daring feat he thrice did shew,

Then launch'd his weapon 'midst the foc,
A luckless wight of whom it struck,
So skilfully his aim he took;

Then drawing forth the sword he wore,
Thrice threw, and caught it as before,
With an address so magical,

It seem'd enchantment to them all.
These tricks perform'd, he urg'd his steed,
And galloping with utmost speed,
Forc'd thro' the foe an opening wide,

And dealt his blows on every side.

The circumstance of the minstrel's horse being taught to open his mouth, and seize on some of the enemy (mentioned in the following part of the poem) is infinitely curious, and is related with great humour. It may also be regarded as a remarkable instance of the singularity and simplicity of ancient manners. (1)

In Benoit's History of the Dukes of Normandy (written near this period) we have an interesting description of the loves of Duke Robert and Harlotta, the mother of the Conqueror. Of their first interview he has left us a detail so much the more impressive, as it acquaints us with the extreme simplicity of the manners of that age. He is the only writer who has preserved these valuable materials of the life of William the Bastard. In Benoit's History of the Wars of Troy, another of his works, besides the frequent allusions which he employs to give additional lustre

(1) Mr. Douce, in some observations on this poem, in the Archæologia, says, "I cannot resist the impulse of suggesting to the Society (of Antiquaries) what a valuable addition to our antiquarian history would be obtained by an extract, with an English translation and explanatory notes, of that part of Wace's work, which describes the Conqueror's expedition. It is impossible to conceive any thing more curious in all respects. A painter might, without difficulty, compose a series of interesting pictures from the details; and a fleet, similar to William's in all respects, might again be fitted out from the poet's description."-" It is certain," says the Abbé de la Rue, "that, by means of the works of our poet, Monsieur Lancelot has very happily explained all the circumstances described in the tapestry.”