A little earlier , and Witta 's ship would have rowed through them . ' `` And now , '' said De Aquila , `` half the great Barons of the North and West are out against the King between Salisbury and Shrewsbury , and half the other half wait to see which way the game shall go . They say Henry is overly English for their stomachs , because he hath married an English wife and she hath coaxed him to give back their old laws to our Saxons . -LRB- Better ride a horse on the bit he knows , I say ! -RRB- But that is only a cloak to their falsehood . '' He cracked his finger on the table , where the wine was spilt , and thus he spoke : -- ' `` William crammed us Norman barons full of good English acres after Santlache . I had my share too , '' he said , and clapped Hugh on the shoulder ; `` but I warned him -- I warned him before Odo rebelled -- that he should have bidden the Barons give up their lands and lordships in Normandy if they would be English lords . Now they are all but princes both in England and Normandy -- trencher-fed hounds , with a foot in one trough and both eyes on the other ! Robert of Normandy has sent them word that if they do not fight for him in England he will sack and harry out their lands in Normandy . Therefore Clare has risen , FitzOsborne has risen , Montgomery has risen -- whom our First William made an English Earl . Even D'Arcy is out with his men , whose father I remember a little hedge-sparrow knight nearby Caen . If Henry wins , the Barons can still flee to Normandy , where Robert will welcome them . If Henry loses , Robert , he says , will give them more lands in England . Oh , a pest -- a pest on Normandy , for she will be our England 's curse this many a long year ! '' ' `` Amen , '' said Hugh . `` But will the war come our ways , think you ? '' ' `` Not from the North , '' said De Aquila . `` But the sea is always open . If the Barons gain the upper hand Robert will send another army into England for sure , and this time I think he will land here -- where his father , the Conqueror , landed . Ye have brought your pigs to a pretty market !
Half XXXXX alight , and gold enough on the ground '' -- he stamped on the bars beneath the table -- `` to set every sword in Christendom fighting . '' '
Aquila Barons England Montgomery Norman Normandy Robert Saxons war year