4 THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER OF [book i.

settled a Danish colony as masters of the city andterritory of Chartres—thus consenting to becomevassals of the French king; but, notwithstanding,several parties of marauders kept continuallyharassing the sea-side, to the perpetual terror, andoften serious injury, of the inhabitants; and cer-tainly those sea kings had for many years been inthe habit of devastating that fertile region of theContinent, before they established themselves therein 900, and changed the name of the province(which until then had preserved its ancient Romanone, Neustria) into Normandy ; that is, land ofthe Northmen or Normans. Indeed, they had like-wise turned Christians—retaining, however, muchof the contempt of danger and death, and a relishfor travels, and that generosity of freedom of theirold faith in Odin; which sentiments, and romantic,perhaps virtuous, love, as well as religion, led themto pilgrimages to Palestine; and they nearly allwent by Magna Grecia, and had astonishing adven-tures.

Forty of them landing at Salerno or Amalfi, ontheir return from a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, re-pulsed the Saracen freebooters, to the delight ofthe natives, who invited their allies to stay, orreturn with others of their countrymen ; andthat they might be sure of grateful hospitality;