The Clayton Family

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The Clayton Family, By Henry F. Hepburn. THE CLAYTON FAMILY. It is well to start with the family history at the foundation, and then follow it up through its various changes to the present .time. We will start about 1912, when Rollo made peace with the King of France, and the Dukedon of Normandy was confirmed. In that settlement after a thirty years war, the King of France agreed to confirm Rollos title as Duke of Normandy, and give him his daughter in marriage the Duke agreeing to do homage to the King, to become a Christian and marry the Kings daughter. But when the time came for the Duke to do homage, he refused to kiss the Kings foot, and no persuasion or entreaty could induce him to perform that part of the ceremony. It was finally compromised by permitting Rollo to kiss the Kings foot by proxy, but when the courtier lifted up the Kings foot, he raised it so high that it tumbled the King out of his chair, which created great laughter among those present. Yet the King bore this indignity, well knowing that Rollos army was too strong to meet in battle. From that time Normandy began to flourish, and during the time of its first six dukes, it was one of the richest pro- vinces in the world, not with standing its many wars. When William the Conqueror, who was the seventh Duke, came upon the stage of action, Normandy was divided into two classes, the nobility, who were the descendants of Rollos followers, and the peasants who were the descendants of the French so that we find a class of cultured people...