198 THE WILD-FLOWERS OF SELBORNE 



the Saxons came, and destroyed every vestige of 

 civilisation ; not a stone of the Christian basilica was 

 left standing, not a square yard of tessellated pavement 

 was left intact. Later, the black boats of the North- 

 men appeared in the tidal haven, bringing death and 

 destruction with them. Later still, Duke Robert 

 landed with his Norman knights beside the Roman 

 ruin and passed up the village street, and over the 

 hill, and through the forest beyond, towards the gates 

 of Winchester. And after Duke Robert came other 

 Normans, masons and artificers, hewers of timber and 

 stone, who built that lofty keep, which for many a 

 century overawed the neighbourhood. 



Then, for a brief period, a company of Norman 

 monks, with a good prior at their head, said Mass 

 daily in the church below for the sinful soul of the 

 Red King, and ministered to the sick and dying in 

 the mud huts and hovels around. But heartsick at 

 the riot and wickedness around them, they built them- 

 selves another home over the hill, in the midst of a 

 silent wood, beside the murmur of a gentle stream, 

 where they could perform their devotions, and catch 

 their fish in gladness and singleness of heart. Then 

 came the awful days of King Stephen, when, in the 

 words of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the Castle was 

 " filled with devils and evil men " ; after this it became 

 a royal residence and was frequently " defiled " by 

 the presence of King John. 



In the month of August, 14 15, all the chivalry of 

 England passed down our village street when Henry 

 V. embarked at the Roman Watergate for France, 

 where three months later he gained the victory of 

 Agincourt. On the same spot, some thirty years 

 afterwards, landed the masterful Margaret of Anjou, 



