182 THE ORIGIN OF THE SHIRLEYS AND OF THE GRESLEYS. 



observes, " a curious fact that we . . . have to resort to 

 Shakspere to learn the true history of the Fitzalans " (p. 191), 

 and I must really be excused for seeking information on the 

 genealogy of the eleventh century in a rather more authorita- 

 tive and less " curious " quarter. 



And when I am contrasted with " these writers who, following 

 Eyton, pay proper respect to Shakspere's authority " (p. 191), 

 I am obliged to observe that what Mr. Eyton, as quoted 

 by my critic himself,* really wrote was this : — 



The existence of this legend being established, Shakespeare's personal 

 belief thereon, or particular use thereof, are no longer matters for our 

 consideration. 



The legend must stand or fall by its own authority alone. 



What, then, is that authority? Mr. Yeatman closes his 



volume by giving us this legend in a form which " fairly 



summarises the Scotch account of the history of Flaald, son 



of Banco." He observes, of course, that it wrongly interpolates 



an unknown " Walter " between " Fleance " and Alan, son of 



Flaald (the " Fleance " of the legend), and he gravely remarks 



thereon : — 



It is to be regretted that Scotch historians know so little of the history 

 of their own country. Where is the proof of the existence of this Walter 

 fil Flaald? 



Quite so ; I entirely agree with him. The legend upon which 



he takes his stand, and which he denounces me for rejecting, 



is obviously undeserving of any credit whatever.! 



Far from adopting " without any acknowledgment," as 

 Mr. Yeatman alleges,! the theory of the author of The Norman 

 "People, I expressly reject his statement as to the paternity 

 of Flaald, § and base my own view on the charters of St. Florent 

 de Saumur " calendared in my work."| Mr. Yeatman writes: — 



The great fault of Mr. Round's book is that it does not (because he 

 could not) give proper references to the present repositories of these 



* History of the House of Arundel, p. 325. 



t I had myself already pointed out this flaw in my Peerage Studies 

 (p. 116, note) as invalidating " the whole story." 



* Sec. vii., p. 186. 



% Peerage Studies, p. 117. 



j| Ibid., p. 120. I refer to my Calendar of documents preserved in 

 France, published for Government. 



