donation of Earle Herebert as before it is shewed And by donation of the King of Britaine Hengist obtained Kent the first kingdome of the English Saxons in Britaine After which time the Countrey was neuer long time free from inuasion first by the English and Saxons against the Britaines afterward by the seuen Saxon kingdomes among themselues and then lastly by the Danes By meanes whereof the kingdome at that time could not bee setled in any certaine forme of succession by blood as it hath been since but was held for the most part in absolute dominion and did often passe by transaction or gift and he whose sword could cut best was alwaies adiudged to haue most right But of this question more shall hereafter be said in the beginning of the life of King William the second Touching his propinquity in blood to King Edward by the mothers side he enforced it to be a good title because King Edward not long before had taken succession from Hardicanutus to whom hee was brother by the mothers side And although King Edward was also descended from the Saxon Kings yet could not he deriue from them any right For that Edgar and his sisters were then aliue descended from Edmund Iron side elder brother to King Edward Hee could haue no true right of succession but onely from Hardicanutus the Dane So Pepine when he was possessed of the State of France did openly publish that hee was descended of the blood of Charles the Great by the mothers side And albeit the said Edgar was both neerer to King Edward then the Duke of Normandie and also ioyned to him in blood by the fathers side yet was that no sufficient defence for Harold The vsurped possession of Harold could not be defended by alleaging a better title of a third person The iniurie which hee did to Edgar could not serue him for a title against any other These grounds of his pretence beautified with large amplifications of the benefits which he had done to King Edward he imparted to the Bishop of Rome who at time was reputed the arbitrator of controuersies which did rise betweene princes And the rather to procure his fauour and to gaine the countenance of religion to his cause hee promised to hold the kingdome of England of the Apostolike Sea Hereupon Alexander then Bishop of Rome allowed his title and sent vnto him a white hallowed banner to aduance vpon the prowe of his ship also an Agnus Dei of gold and one of S. Peters haires together with his blessing to begin the enterprise But now concerning his further proceedings concerning his victorious both entrance and cōtinuance within the Realme of England two points are worthy to be considered one how he being a man of no great either power or dominion did so suddenly preuaile against a couragious King possessed of a large and puissant State The other is how he so secured his victorie as not the English not the Britains not the Danes not any other could dispossesse or much disturbe him his posteritie from enioying the fayre fruits thereof And if we giue to either of these their true respects wee shall find his commendation to consist not so much in the first as in the second because that was effected chiefly by force this by wisedome only which as it is most proper to man so few men doe therein excell Hee that winneth a State surmounteth onely outward difficulties but he that assureth the same trauaileth as well against internall weaknes as external strength To attaine a Kingdome is many times a gift of Fortune but to prouide that it may long time continue firme is not onely to oppose against humane forces but against the very malice of Fortune or rather the power and wrath of time whereby all things are naturally inclineable to change For the first then besides the secret working and will of God which is the cause of all causes besides the sinnes of the people for which the Prophet saith Kingdomes are transported from one Nation to another King Edward not long before made a manifest way for this inuasion and change For although he was English by birth yet by reason of his education in Normandie he was altogether become a Normane both in affection and in behauiour of life So as in imitation of him the English abandoned the ancient vsages of their Country and with great affection or affectation rather conformed themselues to the fashions of France His chiefe acquaintance and familiar friends were no other then Normans towards whom being a milde and soft spirited Prince he was very bountifull and almost immoderate in his sauours These he enriched with great possessions these he honoured with the highest places both of dignitie and charge Chiefly he aduanced diuers of them to the best degrees of dignitie in the Church by whose fauour Duke William afterward was both animated aided in his exploit Generally as the whole Clergie of England conceiued a hard opinion of Harold for that vpon the same day wherein King Edward was buried he set the Crowne vpon his owne head without Religious Ceremonies without any solemnities of Coronation so they durst not for feare of the Popes displeasure but giue either furtherance or forbearance to the Dukes proceedings and to abuse the credite which they had with the people in working their submission to the Normans Now of what strength the Clergie was at that time within the Realme by this which followeth it may appeare After that Harold was slaine Edwine and Morcar Earles of Northumberland and Marckland brothers of great both authoritie and power within the Realme had induced many of the Nobilitie to declare Edgar Athelinge to be their King but the Prelates not onely crossed that purpose but deliuered Edgar the next heire from the Saxon Kings to the pleasure of the Duke Againe when the Duke after his great victorie at Hastings aduanced his armie towards Hartford-shire Fredericke Abbot of S. Albanes had caused the woods belonging to his Church to be felled and the trees to be cast so thicke in the way that the Duke was compelled to coast about to the castle of Berkhamstead To this place the Abbot vnder Suerties came vnto him and being demanded wherefore he alone did offer that opposition against him with a confident countenance he returned answere that he had done no more then in conscience and by Nature he was bound to doe and that if the residue of the Clergie had borne the like minde hee should neuer haue pierced the land so farre Well answered the Duke I know that your Clergie is powerfull indeed but if I liue and prosper in my affaires I shall gouerne their greatnesse well ynough Assuredly nothing doeth sooner worke the conuersion or subuersion of a State then that any one sort of Subiects should grow so great as to be able to ouerrule all the rest Besides this disposition of the Clergie diuers of the Nobilitie also did nothing fauour King Harold or
inconuenience by disturbing a setled forme of gouernment to open an entrance for all disorders wherein ambition and insolencie two riotous humours may range at large For as euill is generally of that nature that it cannot stand but by supportance of another euill and so multiplieth in it selfe vntill it doth ruine with the proper weight so mindes hauing once exceeded the strict bounds of obedience cease not to strengthen one bouldnesse by another vntil they haue inuolued the whole State in confusion BVt now to returne to the person and gouernment of this King William He was a man of meane stature thicke and square bodied his belly swelling somewhat round his face was red his haire deepely yealow by reason whereof he was called Rufus his forehead foure square like a window his eyes spotted and not one like the other his speech vnpleasant and not easily vttered especially when he was mooued with anger He was of great abilitie in body as well for naturall strength as for hardinesse to endure all ordinary extremities both of trauaile and of want In Armes he was both expert and aduenturous full of inward brauerie and fiercenesse neuer dismayed alwayes forward and for the most part fortunate in counsaile sudden in performance a man not doubting to vndertake any thing which inuincible valour durst promise to atchieue Hee had bene bred with the sword alwayes in action alwayes on the fauourable hand of Fortune so as albeit he was but yong yet was he in experience well grounded for inuention subtill in counsaile quicke in execution resolute wise to foresee a danger and expedite to auoid it In a word the generall reputation of his valour and celeritie made him esteemed one of the best Chiefetaines in his time His behauiour was variable and inconstant earnest in euery present passion and for the most part accompanying the disposition of his mind with outward demonstrations Of nature he was rough haughtie obstinate inuincible which was much enlarged both by his soueraigntie and youth so singular in his owne conceit that he did interprete it to his dishonour that the world should deeme that he did not gouerne by his owne iudgement In publicke he composed his countenance to a stately terrour his face sowerly swelling his eyes truculent his voyce violent and fierce scarce thinking himselfe Maiesticall in the glasse of his vnderstanding but when he flashed feare from his presence And yet in priuate he was so affable and pleasant that he approched neere the degree of leuitie much giuen to scoffing and passing ouer many of his euill actions with a ieast In all the other carriages of his life he maintained no stable and constant course but declared himselfe for euery present as well in vertue as in vice strong violent extreeme In the beginning of his reigne he was esteemed a most accomplished Prince and seemed not so much of power to bridle himselfe from vice as naturally disposed to abhorre it Afterwards either with variation of times or yeelding to the pleasures which prosperity vseth to ingender euen in moderate minds or perhaps his nature beginning to disclose that which hee had cunningly concealed before corruptions crept vp and he waued vncertainely betweene vertue and vice Lastly being imboldned by euill teachers and by continuance both of prosperitie and rule he is said to haue made his height a priuiledge of loosenesse and to haue abandoned himselfe to all licentious demeanour wherein he seemed little to regard God and nothing man Assuredly there is no greater enemie to great men then too great prosperitie in their affaires which taketh from them all iudgement and rule of themselues which maketh them ful of libertie and bould to doe euill And yet I cannot conceiue that this King was so bould so carelesse so shamelesse in vices as many writers doe report It is certaine that hee doubted of some points of Religion at that time without any great contradiction professed and namely of praying to Saints worshipping of Reliques such like It is certain also that out of policie in State he endeuoured to abate the tumorous greatnes of the Clergie at that time as well in riches as in authority and power with the people and that he attributed not so much to the Sea of Rome as diuers Kings before him had done Insomuch as he restrained his subiects from going to Rome and withheld the annuall paiment of Peter pence and was oftentimes heard to giue foorth that they follow not the trace of S. Peter they greedily gape after gifts and rewards they retein not his power whose pietie they do not imitate These were causes sufficient for the writers of his time who were for the most part Clergie-men to enlarge his vices beyond the trueth to surmise many vices vntruely to wrest his true vertues to be vices And this I doe the rather coniecture for that I doe not find his particular actions of like nature with the generall imputation which is cast vpon him for that also I finde the chieâ—…e of these generall imputations to bee these That he was grieuous to the Church of no deuotion to God preferring respect of temporall state before the rules of the Gospel Verely it is hard to doe that which will beare a cleere beauty in the eyes of all men and if our actions haue not the fauour of time and the opinion of those men who doe estimate and report them they are much dimmed with disgrace Out of all doubt he was a magnanimous Prince mercifull and liberall and in martiall affaires most expert diligent and prosperous wise to contriue his best aduantage and most couragious to atchieue it But two things chiefly obscured his glory one the incomparable greatnesse of his father to whom he did immediatly succeede the other was the prowesse of those men against whom he did contend in armes especially of Malcolme King of Scots and of Robert Duke of Normandie To these I may adde that hee died in the principall strength and flourish of his age before his iudgement had full command ouer his courage Many doe attribute his excellent beginnings to Lanfranck Archb. of Canterburie who during the time of his life partly by authoritie and partly by aduise supported the vnstable yeeres and disposition of the King which after the death oâ—… Lanfranck returned by degrees to their proper sway But I do rather attribute many of his first vertues to the troubles which happened in the very entrance of his reigne which partly by employment and partly by feare held his inclination in some restraint For Odo Bishop of Baion and Earle of Kent the Kings vncle by the mothers side had drawen the greatest part of all the Prelates and Nobilitie that were Normans into a dangerous confederacie against the King to deiect him from his Srate and to aduance Robert his elder brother for their King The secret cause of this conspiracie was partly vpon a generall discontentment at the great though worthy estimation and authoritie a
And because the Scots did either see or suspect that hee bare a fauourable affection to the English they would not receiue him for their King but vnder promise that hee should not entertaine any English or Normane either in place of seruice or as a follower at large The yeere next following Duncane was slaine and Dunwald was againe possessed of the kingdom Hereupon King William sent Clito Edgar with an armie into Scotland by whose meanes Dunwald was dispoiled againe of his Kingdome and Edgar sonne to King Malcolme aduanced to his fathers estate These were the principall aduentures by Armes which concerned England during the reigne of K. William the second wherein he so behaued himselfe that he did worthily winne an opinion to be one who both knew and durst In all actions hee esteemed himselfe greatly dishonoured if hee were not both in Armes with the first and with the forwardest in fight doing double seruice as well by example as by direction In which heate of valour the fauour of his Fortune excused many of his attempts from the blame of rashnesse He was oftentimes most constant or rather obstinate in pursuing those purposes which with small deliberation he vndertooke At a certaine time when he was in hunting within the new Forrest he receiued aduertisement that Mans was surprised by Helie Count de la Flesch who pretended title thereto in right of his wife that he was aided in this enterprise by Fouques d' Angiers an ancient enemie to the Dukes of Normandie and that the castle which held good for the King must also be rendered if in very short time it were not relieued Vpon these newes as if he had bene in the heat of a chase he presently turned his horse and his passion not staying to consult with reason in great haste roade towards the Sea And when he was aduised by some to stay a time and take with him such forces as the importance of the seruice did require with a heart resolute and violent voice he answered That they who loued him would not faile to follow and that if no man else would stirre he alone would relieue Mans. When he came to Dortmouth he commanded ships to be brought for his passage The winds were then both contrary and stiffe and the Sea swelled exceeding bigge for which cause the Shipmasters perswaded him to await a more fauourable season and not to cast himselfe vpon the miserable mercie of that storme Notwithstanding the King whose feare was alwayes least when dangers were greatest mounted vpon Shipboard and commanded them to put to Sea affirming That it was no Prince-like mind to breake a iourney for foulenesse of weather and that he neuer heard of any King that had bene drowned And so for that the chiefe point of rescue rested in expedition hee presently committed to Sea taking few with him and leauing order that others should follow After hee had long wrastled with the winds and waues he arriued in France where running on in the humour of his courage and forwardnesse he acquitted himselfe with greater honour then at any time before So effectuall is celeritie for the benefit of a seruice that oftentimes it more auaileth then either multitude or courage of Souldiers In this expedition Helie the principall commander against him was taken And when he was brought to the Kings presence the King said pleasantly vnto him Ah master in faith I haue you now and I hope I shal be able to keepe you in quiet Then he It is true indeed the successe of my attempts haue not bene answerable to the resolution of my minde by meere aduenture now you haue me but if I were at libertie againe I doe better know what I had to doe and would not so easily be hâ—…ld in quiet The King with a braue scorne replied I see thou art but a foolish knaue vnable to vse either thy libertie or thy restreint aright But goe thy wayes make good thy confidence I set thee free and at libertie againe vse thy aduantage and doe thy worst Helie daunted more with this high courage then before he had bin with the victory of the King submitted himselfe and made his peace vnder such conditions as it pleased the King to lay vpon him Certainely this magnanimous example hath seldome bin equalled neuer excelled by those who are admired for the principall worthies of the world He little fauoured flatterers the flies which blow corruption vpon sweetest vertues the myrie dogs of the Court who defile Princes with fawning on them who commonly are fatted with bread which is made with the teares of miserable people He was most firme and assured in his word and to those who did otherwise aduise him he would say That God did stand obliged by his word He is commended for his manly mercie in releasing prisoners and in pardoning offences of highest qualitie which to a people that then liued vnder a Law both rigorous and almost arbitrarie and as well for the noueltie as for the vncertaintie thereof in a manner vnknowne was a most high valued vertue He not onely pardoned many great offenders but partly by gifts and partly by aduancements he knit them most assuredly vnto him And therefore although in the beginning of his reigne most of the Nobilitie and many Gentlemen of best quality and rancks endeuoured to displace him and to set vp Robert his elder brother for their King yet doeth it not appeare either that any seueritie was executed vpon them or that afterward they were dangerous vnto him Notwithstanding in some actions he was noted of crueltie or at the least of sharpnesse and seuerity in iustice For albeit hee promised to the English whilest his first feares and iealousies continued that they should enioy free libertie of hunting yet did hee afterwards so seuerely restraine it that the penalty for killing a Deere was death Robert Mowbray Earle of Northumberland after he had defeated the Scots and slaine Malcolme their King not finding himselfe either honoured or respected according to his seruice first refrained and afterwards refused to come vnto the Court Hereupon the King ouerruled indifferently with suspition and hate two violent passions in minds placed in authoritie sent his brother Henry with an armie against him who spoyled the Countrey tooke the Earle and committed him to prison Then was hee charged with diuers crimes which were sufficient although but surmised to vndoe an Innocent Many examinations were also made but for appearance onely and terrour not to any bottome or depth The especiall matter obiected against him was for contriuing to despoyle the King both of life and state and to set vp Stephen Albamerle his Aunts sonne for King And thus it often happeneth that great deserts are occasions to men of their destruction either because Princes generally loue not those to whom they are exceedingly beholding or else for that thereby men doe grow proud insolent disdainefull bould immoderate both in expectation and demand discontented impatient if they
age a true mirrour to posteritie being so equally both setled to valour and disposed to goodnesse and Iustice as hee expressed not onely tokens but proofes both of a courage and of a grauitie and industrie right worthie of his estate Glorious Prince my loue and duety hath caried me further then happily is fit for the present purpose and yet this is but an earnest onely of my earnest affection and zeale to thy Honour I shall hereafter haue a more proper place to display at large the goodlinesse of thy shape the goodnesse of thy nature the greatnesse of thy minde all thy perfections whereby our affections were much enflamed And euillworthy may he be of any happy hopes who will not adde one blast of his breath to make vp the glorious gale of thy fame In the meane time I haue here accomplished his desire in publishing this worke More to testifie to the world the height of his heart then for any pleasure I haue to set foorth any thing to the view of these both captious and vnthankefull times wherein men will be not readers onely but interpreters but wresters but corrupters and deprauers of that which they reade wherein men thinke the reproofe of others to be the greatest parcell of their owne praise But how should I expect any better vsage The Commentaries of Caesar neuer disliked before are esteemed by Lypsius a dry saplesse piece of writing The most famous Tacitus is tearmed by Alceate a thicket of thornes by Budaeus a most lewd Writer by Tertullian an exceedin◅ lyar by Orosius a flatterer then which assuredly he is ◅thing lesse I will not expect any better vsage I will not desire it I will hereafter esteeme nothing of any worth which hath not many to detract from it Whatsoeuer this is I haue presumed to present it to your Highnesse for these causes following First for that it receiued this being from him who was most dearely esteemed by you who may be iustly proposed as an example of vertue as a guide to glory and fame Secondly for that the persons of whom it treateth are those most worthy Ancestors of yours who laid the foundation of this English Empire who were eminent among all the Princes of their times and happely for many ages after as well in actions of Peace as of Warre Lastly for that I esteeme Histories the fittest subiect for your Highnesse reading For by diligent perusing the actes of great men by considering all the circumstances of them by comparing Counsa◅les and meanes with euents a man may seeme to haue liued in all ages to haue beene present at all enterprises to be more strongly confirmed in Iudgement to haue attained a greater experience then the longest life can possibly affoord But because many errours doe vsually arise by ignorance of the State wherein we liue because it is dangerous to frame rules of Policie out of Countreys differing from vs both in nature and custome of life and forme of gouernment no Histories are so profitable as our owne In these your Highnesse may see the noble disposition and delights of your Ancestors what were their sweete walkes what their pleasant Chases how farre they preferred glory before either pleasure or safetie how by the braue behauiour of their sword they hewed honour out of the sides of their enemies In these you may see the largenesse commodities and strength of this Countrey the nature of the people their wealth pleasure exercise and trade of life and what else is worthy of obseruation Generally by these you may so furnish your selfe as not easily to be abused either by weake or deceitfull aduise The Most High preserue and prosper your Highnesse that as you succeed many excellent Ancestours in blood so you may exceed them all in Honourable atchieuements Your Highnesse most deuoted I. HAYVVARD THE LIFE OF KING WILLIAM THE FIRST Sirnamed Conquerour ROBERT Duke of Normandie the sixth in descent frō Rollo riding through Falais a towne in Normandie espied certaine yong persons dauncing neere the way And as he stayed to view a while the maner of their disport he fixed his eye especially vpon a certaine damosell named Arlotte of meane birth a Skinners daughter who there daunced among the rest The frame and comely carriage of her body the naturall beautie and graces of her countenance the simplicitie of her rurall both behauiour and attire pleased him so well that the same night he procured her to be brought to his lodging where he begate of her a sonne who afterward was named William I will not defile my writing with memory of some lasciuious behauiour which she is reported to haue vsed at such time as the Duke approched to embrace her And doubtfull it is whether vpon some speciall note of immodestie in herselfe or whether vpon hate towards her sonne the English afterwards adding an aspiration to her name according to the naturall maner of their pronouncing termed euery vnchast woman Harlot It is remembred by some rather seruile then fond in obseruations who will either finde or frame predictions for euery great action or euent that his mother before the time of her deliuery had a dreame that her bowels were extended ouer Normandie and England Also that at the time of his birth he fell from his mothers body to the ground and there filled both his hands with rushes which had bene cast thicke vpon the floore and streined them with a very streit gripe The wiues laughed at large and soone grew prodigall of idle talke But the Midwife somewhat more soberly said That he should not onely hold well his owne but graspe somewhat from other men When he was about 9. yeeres of age his father went vpon deuotion to Hierusalem and in his returne died at the Citie of Nice So William at that age succeeded his father hauing then very generous and aspiring spirits both to resist abroad and to rule at home Hee was committed to the gouernment of two of his vnckles and the French King was entreated by his father to take vpon him the protection both of his person and State But his vnckles pretended title to his dignitie by reason of his vnlawfull birth the King of France also desired much and had often attempted to reduce Normandie to his absolute subiection as it was before the inuasion of the Normans So as it may seeme he was committed to these Tutors as a Lambe should be committed to the tutelage of wolues The onely meanes of his preseruation consisted in a factious Nobilitie deuided into so many parts as there were parties Some contending for possession of the yong Dukes person others of his authoritie and power all of them incompatible to endure either equals or els superiours All of them vnited against a common enemie all deuided among themselues Here it may be demanded how he being vnlawfully borne could succeed his father in the dutchie of Normandie his father leauing two brothers borne in lawfull marriage and much
plentifull Countrey as the purchase of their prowesse as the gaine and reward of their aduenture by putting them in minde that they were in a Countrey both hostile vnknowne before them the sword the vast Ocean behind no place of retreit no surety but in valour and in victory so as they who would not contend for glory were vpon necessitie to fight for their liues Lastly by assuring them that as he was the first in aduise so would he be the foremost in aduenture being fully resolued either to vanquish or to die The King encouraged his men by presenting to their remembrance the miseries which they susteined not long before vnder the oppression of the Danes which whether they were againe to endure or neuer to feare it lieth said he in the issue of this field The King had the aduantage both for number of men and for their large able bodies The Duke both in Armes especially in regard of the Bow and arrowes and in experience and skill of Armes both equall in courage both confident alike in the fauour of Fortune which had alwayes crowned their courage with victory And now by affronting of both the Armies the plots and labours of many moneths were reduced to the hazard of a few houres The Normans marched with a song of the valiant acts of Rowland esteeming nothing of perill in regard of the glory of their aduenture When they approched neere their enemies they saluted them first with a storme of Arrowes Robert Fitz-Beaumant a yong Gentleman of Normandie beginning the fight from the right Wing This maner of fight as it was new so was it most terrible to the English so were they least prouided to auoyd it First they opened their rancks to make way for the Arrowes to fall but when that auoydance did nothing auaile they cloased againe and couered themselues with their Targets ioyned together in maner of a pendhouse encouraging one another to hast forward to leape lustily to hand-strokes and to scoure their swords in the entrailes of their enemies Then the Duke commanded his horsemen to charge but the English receiued them vpon the points of their weapons with so liuely courage in so firme and stiffe order that the ouerthrow of many of the foremost did teach their followers to aduenture themselues with better aduise Hereupon they shifted into wings and made way for the footmen to come forward Then did both armies ioyne in a horrible shocke with Pole-axes the Prince of weapons the sword maintaining the fight with so manlike furie as if it had bene a battaile of Giants rather then of men And so they continued the greatest part of that day in close and furious fight blow for blow wound for wound death for death their feet steadie their hands diligent their eyes watchfull their hearts resolute neither their aduisement dazeled by fiercenesse nor their fiercenesse any thing abated by aduisement In the meane time the horsemen gaue many sharpe charges but were alwayes beaten backe with disaduantage The greatest annoyance came from the Archers whose shot showred among the English so thicke as they seemed to haue the enemy in the middest of their Armie Their armour was not sufficiently either compleate or of proofe to defend them but euery hand euery finger breadth vnarmed was almost an assured place for a deepe and many times a deadly wound Thus whilest the front was maintained in good condition many thousands were beaten downe behind whose death was not so grieuous vnto them as the maner of their death in the middest of their friends without an enemie at hand vpon whom they might shew some valour and worke some reuenge This maner of fight would soone haue determined aswell the hopes as the feares of both sides had not the targets of English been very seruiceable vnto them Had not King Harold also with a liuely and constant resolution performed the part not onely of a skilfull commander by directing encouraging prouiding relieuing but of a valiant Souldier by vsing his weapon to the example of his Souldiers In places of greatest danger hee was alwayes present repayring the decayes reforming the disorders and encouraging his company that in doing as men whether they preuailed or whether they perished their labour was alwayes gloriously employed So they knit strongly together and stood in close and thicke array as if they had been but one body not onely bearing the brunt of their enemies but making such an impression vpon their squadron that the great bodie began to shake The Duke aduentured in person so farre moued no lesse by his naturall magnanimitie then by glory of the enterprise that besides his often alighting to fight on foote two or as some report three horses were slaine vnder him And hauing a body both able by nature and by vse hardened to endure trauaile hee exacted the greater seruice of his Souldiers commending the forward blaming the slow and crying out according to his nature with vehement gesture and voice vnto all that it was a shame for them who had been victorious against all men with whom they dealt to be so long held by the English in delay of victory So partly by his authoritie and partly by his example he retained his Souldiers and imposed vpon them the fayrest necessitie of courage whilest euery man contended to win a good opinion of their Prince Then the fight entred into a new fitte of heate nothing lesse feared then death the greatnesse of danger making both sides the more resolute and they who could not approach to strike with the hand were heard to encourage their fellowes by speach to pursue the victory to pursue their glory not to turne to their owne both destruction and disgrace The clashing of armour the iustling of bodies the resounding of blowes was the fairest part of this bloody medley but the grislinesse of wounds the hideous fals and groanes of the dying all the field desiled with dust blood broken armour mangled bodies represented Terrour in her foulest forme Neuer was furie better gouerned neuer game of death better played The more they fought the better they fought the more they smarted the lesse they regarded smart At the last when the Duke perceiued that the English could not be broken by strength of arme he gaue direction that his men should retire and giue ground not loosely not disorderly as in a fearefull and confused haste but aduisedly and for aduantage keeping the front of their squadron firme and close without disbanding one foote in array Nothing was more hurtfull to the English being of a franke and noble spirit then that their violent inclination caried them too fast into hope of victory For feeling their enemies to yeeld vnder their hand they did rashly follow those who were not hasty to flee And in the heate of their pursuit vpon a false conceit of victory loosed and disordered their rankes thinking then of nothing but of executing the chase The Normans espying the aduantage to be ripe
buildings specified before some for strength as diuers Castles in Normandie in Wales and some also in England and namely the Castle of Warwicke of Bristoll the Castle Colledge and Towne of Windsore on the hill about a mile distant from the old Towne of Windsore which afterward was much encreased by King Edward the third and after him by many Kings and Queenes succeeding Many Palaces also he built for ornament pleasure And to this end he maintained his Parke at Woodstocke wherein hee preserued with great pleasure diuers sorts of strange beasts which because he did with many demonstrations of pleasure both accept and esteeme were liberally sent vnto him from other Princes Hee first instituted the forme of the high Court of Parliament as now it is in vse For before his time onely certaine of the Nobilitie and Prelats of the Realme were called to consultation about the most important affaires of state he caused the commons also to be assembled by Knights and Burgesses of their owne appointment and made that Court to consist of three parts the Nobilitie the Clergie and the Common people representing the whole body of the Realme The first Councell of this sort was held at Salisbury vpon the 19. day of April in the 16. yeere of his reigne His seueritie in iustice the very heart string of a Common-wealth his heauie hand in bearing downe his enemies in disabling those from working him harme whom he knew would neuer loue him at the heart was traduced by some vnder termes of crueltie And yet was he alwayes more mindfull of benefits then of wrongs and in offences of highest nature euen for bearing Armes against him he punished oftentimes by imprisonment or exile and not by death When Matilde his daughter was giuen in mariage to Henry the fifth Emperour he tooke 3. shillings of euery hide of land throughout the Realme which being followed by succeeding Kings did grow to a custome of receiuing ayd whensoeuer they gaue their daughters in marriage For albeit the same be found in the great Custumier of Normandie yet was it neuer practised in England before This happened in the fifteenth yeere of his reigne and he neuer had the like contribution after but one for furnishing his warres in France So the people were not charged with many extraordinary taxations but their ordinary fines and payments were very great and yet not very grieuous vnto them For that they saw them expended not in wanton wast not in loose and immoderate liberalitie but either vpon necessitie or for the honour dignitie of the state wherein the preseruation or aduancement of the common good made particular burthens not almost sensible But both his actions and exactions were most displeasing to the Clergy the Clergy did often times not onely murmure but struggle and oppose against his actions as taking their liberties to be infringed and their state diminished by abasing their authority and abating both their riches and power When any Bishopricke or Abbey fell voyd hee did apply the reuenues thereof for supply of his necessities and wants and for that cause kept some of them many yeeres together vacant in his hands He would not permit appeales to Rome Canons were not of force within the Realme vnlesse they were confirmed by the King Legats from the Pope were not obeyed and no man would come to their conuocations In so much as one of the Popes Legates in France did excommunicate all the Priests of Normandy because they would not come to his Synode For this cause the King sent the Bishop of Exceter to Rome albeit he was both blind and in yeeres to treat with the Pope concerning that businesse Hee gaue inuestitures to Prelates by Crosse Ring and Staffe and is charged to haue receiued of some of them great summes of money for their places About this time the marriage of Priests was forbidden in England but the King for money permitted them to reteine their wiues and in the end set an imposition in that respect vpon euery Church throughout the Realme It auailed not any man to say that he had no purpose to keepe a wife he must pay for a facultie to keepe a wife if he would For these causes they fastened the infamie of couetousnesse vpon him For these causes and especially for inuesting and receiuing homage of Prelats he had a stiffe strife with Anselme Archb. of Canterburie For the King said that it was against the custome of his ancesters it could not stand with the safety of his State that the Prelats who at that time held the principall places both of trust and command in his kingdome who in very deed ruled all the rest should not be appointed onely by himselfe should not sweare faith and allegiance vnto him should either bee aduanced or depend vpon any forren Prince On the other side Anselme refused not onely to confirme but to communicate or common friendly with those who had bene inuested by the King reproching them as abortiues and children of destruction traducing the King also as a defiler of Religion as a deformer of the beautie and dignitie of the Church Hereupon by appointment of the King they were confirmed consecrated by the Archb of Yorke Onely William Gifford to whom the K had giuen the Bishopricke of Winchester refused Consecration from the Archb. of Yorke for which cause the King depriued him of all his goods and banished him out of the Realme Then the King required Anselme to doe him homage and to be present with him at giuing Inuestitures as Lanfranck his predecesior had bene with King William his father Against these demaunds Anselme obiected the decrees of the Councell lately held at Rome whereby all Lay-persons were excommunicate who should conferre any Spiritual promotions and all those accursed who for Ecclesiasticall dignities should subiect themselues vnder the homage or seruice of any Lay-man Hereupon messengers were dispatched from both parties to the Pope who determined altogether in fauour of Anselme or rather in fauour of himselfe Notwithstanding the king desisted not to vrge Anselme to sweare homage vnto him Anselme required that the Popes letters should bee brought foorth and he would doe as by them hee should be directed The King answered that he had nothing to doe with the Popes letters that this was a Soueraigne right of his Crowne that if any man may pull these Royalties from his Crowne he may easily pull his Crowne from his head that therefore Anselme must doe him homage or else depart out of his kingdome Anselme answered that hee would not depart out of the Realme but goe home to his Church and there see who would offer him violence Then were messengers againe sent to the Bishop of Rome two Bishops from the King and two Monckes from Anselme The King wrote to the Pope first congratulating his aduancement to the Sea of Rome then desiring the continuance of that amitie which had bene betweene their predecessours Lastly he tendred all honour and obedience