1. Preparatory Study

In 1066, Normans from the continent of Europe crossed the English Channel and conquered England, which was then the home of the Saxons. The leader of the band was William, Duke of Normandy. He has since been called William the Conqueror.

Many of his followers were given large tracts of land, and they built great stone castles on their estates. These noblemen were called barons.

The Saxon freemen who had lived on the land became their serfs. These serfs were almost like slaves. Some were household servants, and some tilled the soil. They could not leave the estate to try to improve their condition.

Besides the serfs there were retainers, who were a higher kind of servants, often living at the castle. They wore a special dress to show what lord they were in the service of. They followed their lord on his journeys and in war and thus added much to his power and dignity, but they were not called on for domestic service.

Then there were vassals, or nobles of a lower rank than the baron, who held land from him and had vassals, retainers, and serfs of their own. They were obliged to follow the baron in war, but were treated as equals.

In the great hall of the castle, around the huge stone fireplace, the whole household gathered on holidays to feast, sing songs, and tell stories.

2. Reading Lesson

This poem tells about one Christmas night in a Norman castle.

The Norman Baron

1. In his chamber, weak and dying, Was the Norman baron lying; Loud without the tempest thundered, And the castle turret shook.

2. In this fight was Death the gainer, Spite of vassal and retainer,

And the lands his sires had plundered Written in the Doomsday Book.

3. By his bed a monk was seated, Who in humble voice repeated Many a prayer and pater-noster

From the missal on his knee;

4. And, amid the tempest pealing, Sounds of bells came faintly stealing, Bells that from the neighboring kloster,

Rang for the Nativity.

3. Study Helps

1. A turret is a tower.

2. Spite of means in spite of. Explain the words as used here.

The Doomsday Book was a great book that William the Conqueror had made. It held a record of all lands and showed what services and taxes were due for them.

3. Pater-noster is the Lord's Prayer. Pater is the Latin word for father and noster means our. Why is the Lord's Prayer given this name?

The missal is a book containing church services.

4. A kloster, or cloister, is a house for monks or nuns. There were often such houses on great estates.

The Nativity Is The Birth Of Christ

Try to picture in your mind the scene. In your picture, is the chamber large or small? Has it much or little furniture? Is there any artificial light in it?

What sort of storm is going on? Is there quiet or noise within the chamber?

Why is Death written with a capital letter? What sort of looking man do you think the baron had been? In what condition do you see him in your picture? From whom had his sires plundered the lands?

Have you ever seen pictures of monks with their long black robes and shaven heads? Why did this one speak in "humble voice "?

What kind of news did the bells bring to the chamber through the howling of the storm? Imagine the mingling of the two sounds. How does it make you feel? How do you suppose it made the baron feel?

4. Reading, continued.

5. In the hall, the serf and vassal

Held, that night, their Christmas wassail; Many a carol, old and saintly, Sang the minstrels and the waits.

6. And so loud these Saxon gleemen Sang to slaves the songs of freemen, That the storm was heard but faintly,

Knocking at the castle gates.

6. Study Helps

5. Wassail is made of two old Saxon words, waes and hael. They mean Be well. A wassail was an occasion for expressing good wishes. The name was often given to Christmas.

Carols, songs of praise and devotion. Whom were they sung in praise of? Do you know of any time besides Christmas when they are sung?

Minstrels, men who lived by song. They usually sang their verses to the accompaniment of the harp.

Waits, musicians who played and sang at night and early morning, especially at Christmas time.

6. Gleemen, travelling musicians, both minstrels and waits. Minstrels were likely to be Normans and waits, Saxons.

Imagine the scene in the hall. Tell as fully as you can how it differs from the one in the chamber.

What sort of songs were the gleemen singing? Do you suppose the rejoicing serfs and vassals knew how near to death the baron was? How do you feel towards the baron after reading the description of the scene in the hall?

6. Reading, continued.

7. Till at length the lays they chanted Reached the chamber terror-haunted, Where the monk, with accent holy, Whispered at the baron's ear.

8. Tears upon his eyelids glistened, As he paused awhile and listened, And the dying baron slowly

Turned his weary head to hear.

9. "Wassail for the kingly stranger Born and cradled in a manger ! King, like David, priest, like Aaron,

Christ is born to set us free !"

10. And the lightning showed the stained Figures on the casement painted, And exclaimed the shuddering baron,

"Miserere, Domine!"

11. In that hour of deep contrition, He beheld, with clearer vision, Through all outward show and fashion,

Justice, the avenger, rise.

12. All the pomp of earth had vanished, Falsehood and deceit were banished, Reason spake more loud than passion,

And the truth wore no disguise.

13. Every vassal of his banner, Every serf born to his manor,

All those wronged and wretched creatures, By his hand were freed again.

14. And, as on the sacred missal He recorded their dismissal, Death relaxed his iron features, .

And the monk replied, "Amen !"

7. Study Helps

7. Lays, songs.

Why was the chamber terror-haunted?

8. Why did tears glisten on the monk's eyelids?

9. This stanza tells what the monk and baron heard. Who was the kingly stranger? Perhaps you have learned in your Sunday school lessons from the Old Testament about King David and the priest, Aaron.

10. Casements are windows. Have you ever seen stained glass windows? Where must the light be in order that you can see the figures on them clearly? Why did the baron see them now? The beautiful figures worked out in colored glass in the casements of the baron's chamber were those of saints who had been honored through the ages for their good deeds.

"Miserere, Domine" means "Have pity, Lord." Read again the words that the baron heard just as he saw the pictures of the saints. Why do you think he cried for pity?

11,12. These stanzas tell of the struggle that went on in his mind during the next few moments.

Contrition means sorrow, repentance. What was the baron sorry for? Why was his vision clearer? Do you see two reasons for beginning Justice with a capital letter here?

Pomp means about the same as "outward show and fashion." What signs of outward show and fashion were there around the baron?

What do you suppose passion, or desire, said? What did reason say?

13, 14. What was the result of the struggle in the baron's mind? Was the monk pleased with the deed? How does it make you feel towards the baron? How did the men in the hall below feel when they heard of it? When did a still larger number of men living in our own country have this same feeling?

8. Reading, continued.

15. Many centuries have been numbered Since in death the baron slumbered By the convent's sculptured portal,

Mingling with the common dust:

16. But the good deed, through the ages, Living in historic pages,

Brighter grows and gleams immortal, Unconsumed by moth or rust.

- Longfellow.

9. Study

15. Where was the baron buried? How long ago?

16. Do you suppose all the barons of his time are still remembered? Why was he?

10. Memory Work.

Learn all or a part of the poem. Be ready to recite some passage at your Christmas exercises. The different parts may be given by different pupils.