and would not release him but vpon the graunt of three Prouinces more Also the long life of Hengist a pollitique leader of almo st 40. yeares continuance made much for the settling heere of their estate which yet they could not effect but with much trauaile and effusion of bloud For the Britaynes now made martiall by long practice and often battailes grew in the end so inraged to see their countrie surprized from vnder their feet as they sold the inheritance thereof at a very deere rate Wherein we must attribute much to the worthines of their leaders whence the spirit of a people is raised who in these their greatest actions were especially Ambrosius the last of the Romans and Arthur the noblest of Britaynes A man in force and courage aboue man and worthie to haue beene a subiect of truth to posteritie and not of fiction as legendary writers haue made him for whilst he stood he bare vp the sinking State of his countrie and is said to haue incountered with the Saxons in 12. set battailes wherein he had either victory or equall reuenge In the end himselfe ouerthrowne by treason the best men consumed in the warres and the rest vnable to resist fled into the mountaines and remote desarts of the west parts of the Isle and left all to the inuadors daily growing more and more vpon them For many principall men of Saxony seeing the happie successe and plantation heere of Hengist entred likewise on diuers coastes to get Estates for themselues with such multitudes of people as the Britaynes making head in one place were assaulted in another and euerywhere ouerwhelmed with new encreasing numbers For after Hengist had obtained the dominion of Kent which from him became to be a kingdome and Otha and Ebuse possest of all the North countries from Humber to Scotland Ella and his sonnes conquered the South-Easte parts and beganne the kingdome of the south Saxons contayning Sussex and part of Surrey Then Cerdic and his sonnes landed at Portsmouth inuaded the South and west parts and beganne the kingdome of the west Saxons which after contayned the countries of Hamsheire Berkesheire Wiltshire Dorcetshire Somersetshire and Deuonshire And about the same time Vffa inuaded the North cast parts and beganne the kingdome of the East Angles conteyning Northfolke Suffolke Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Eley Erkenwin beganne the kingdome of the East Saxons contayning Essex Middlesex and a part of Hertfordshire Hauing thus in a manner surrounded the best of the whole State of Britayne they after inuaded the inner middle part And Cridda beganne the kingdome of Mercna-land or middle Angels conteyning Lincolnshire North-hamptonshire Huntingdonshire Rutlandshire Bedford Buckinghā Oxfordshire Chesshire Derbie Nottingham and Staffordshire with part of the shires of Hereford Hartford Warwicke Shropshire Lancaster and Gloucestershire And with all these Princes and leaders before they could establish their dominions the Britaines so desperately grappled as plant they could not but vpon distruction and dessolation of the whole countrie wherof in the end they extinguished both the religion lawes language and all with the people and name of Britaine Which hauing beene so long a Prouince of great honour and benefit to the Roman Empire could not but partake of the magnificence of their goodly structures Thermes Aquaductes High wayes and all other their ornaments of delight ease and greatnesse which all came to be so vtterly razed and confounded by the Saxons as there is not left standing so much as the ruynes to point vs where they were for they being a people of a rough breeding that would not be taken with these delicacies of life seemed to care for no other monuments but of earth and as borne in the field would build their fortunes onely there Witnesse so many Intrenchments Mounts and Borroughs raised for tombes and defences vpon all the wide champions and eminent hils of this Isle remayning yet as the characters of the deepe scratches made on the whole face of our country to shew the hard labour our Progenitors endured to get it for vs. Which generall subuersion of a State is very seeldome seene Inuasion and deuastation of Prouinces haue often beene made but in such sort as they continued or recouered with some commixtion of their owne with the generation of the inuadors But in this by reason of the vicinage and innumerous populacie of that nation transporting hither both sexes the incompatibility of Paganisme Christianitie with the immens bloud shed on both sides wrought such an implacable hatred as but one must possesse all The conquest made by the Romans was not to extirpate the nation but to maister it The Danes which afterward inuaded the Saxons made onely at the first depredations on the coast and therewith for a time contented themselues When they grew to haue further interest they sought not the subuersion but a community and in the end a soueraigntie of the State matching with the weomen they heere found bringing few of their owne with them The Normans dealt the like with the Prouince of Nuestria in France and after they had the dominion and what the victorie would yeeld them in England were content to suffer the people heere to haue their being intermatched with them and so grew in short space into their bodie But this was an absolute subuersion and concurred with the vniuersall mutation which about that time happened in al these parts of the world whereof there was no one country or Prouince but chaunged boundes inhabitants customes language and in a manner all their names For vpon the breaking vp of the Roman Empire first deuided into two and then by faction disioynted in each part imploying the forces of many strange nations to fortifie their sides were made so wide ruptures in the North and North East boundes of that Empire as there burst out infinite streames of strange people that ouer-ranne and laide open the world againe to libertie other formes and lymits of State wherupon followed all these transmigratiōs shiftings of people from one countrey to another The Francs and Burgognons dispossest the Gaules and gaue the names of France and Burgogne to their Prouince The Gaules transplanted themselues on some coastes of Spaine where they could finde or make their habitation and of them had Gallicia and Portugall their names The Hunnes and Auari subdued Pannonia and there to gaue the name of Hungarie The Longbeardes a people of Germany bordering vpon the Saxons entred Italie got the greatest part therof and left there their name to a principall Prouince remayning to this daie The Gothes and Vandales miserably afflicted the rest sackt Rome and after subdued peopled and possest Spaine So that it was not in the fate of Britayne alone to be vndone but to perish almost with the generall dissolution of other States which hapned about the same age Wherefore wee are now heere to beginne with a new Bodie of people with a new State and gouernment of
Bishop of Salisbury one of the principall men then in councell yeelded another reason for the discharge of this oath which was that seeing the late King had married his daughter out of the Realme and without the consent thereof they might lawfully refuse her And so was Stephen hauing no Title at all by meere election aduanced to the Crowne For if hee should claime any right in the Succession as being the sonne of Adela then must Theobald Earle of Blois his elder brother haue beene preferred before him and Henry Fitz Empresse if they refused the mother was neerer in bloud to the right Stem then either But they had other reasons that ruled that time Stephen was a man and of great possessions both in England and France had one brother Earle of Bloss a Prince of great estate another Bishop of Winchester the Popes Legat in England of power eminent was popular for his affability goodly personage and actiuenesse and therefore acceptable to the Nobility who at that time were altogether guided by the Clergy and they by the working of the Bishop of Winchester induced to make choyce of him hauing an opinion that by preferring one whose Title was least would make his obligation the more to them and so they might stand better secured of their liberties then vnder such a one as might presume of an hereditary succession And to be the more sure thereof before his admittance to the Crowne hee takes a priuate oath before the Bishop of Canterbury to confirme the ancient liberties of the Church and had his brother to vndertake betwixt God and him for the performance thereof But being now in possession of the kingdome and all the treasure his vnkle had in many yeares gathered which amounted to one hundred thousand pounds of exquisite siluer besides plate and iewels of inestimable value after the funerals performed at Reading hee assembles a Parliament at Oxford wherein herestored to the Clergy all their former liberties and freed the Laytie from their tributes exactions or whatsoeuer grieuances opprest them confirming the same by his Charter which faithfully to obserue hee tooke a publique oath before all the Assembly where likewise the Bishops swore fealty vnto him but with this condition so long as hee obserued the tenor of this Charter And now as one that was to make good the hold he had gotten with power his sworde prepares for all assaults which he was sute to haue come vpon him And first graunts licence to all that would to build Castles vpon their owne Landes thereby to fortifie the Realme and breake the force of any ouerrunning inuasion that should maister the feild Which in setled times might be of good effect but in a season of distraction and part-takings very dangerous And being to subsist by frendes he makes all he could creates new Lords giues to many great possessions and hauing a full purse spares for no cost to buy loue and fidelitie a purchace very vncertayne when there may be other conucyances made of more strength to carry it Two wayes he was to looke for blowes from Scotland on one side and France on the other Scotland wanted no instigators Dauid their King moued both with nature and his oath to his Neece turnes head vpon him Stephen was presently there with the shew of a strong Army and appeased him with the guift of Cumberland and his sonne Henry Prince of Scotland with the Earldome of Huntingdon the last tooke an oath of fealtie vnto him which the father refused as hauing first sworne to Maude wherein he satisfied not the King who returning from this voyage found some defection of his Nobilitie which presently put him into another action that intertayned him sometime After which he falles dangerously sicke in so much as he was noysed to be dead by which sickenesse he lost more then his health For his frendes put in danger thereby cast to seeke another partie to beare them vp it wakened Aniou and sets him on to surprize certayne peeces in Normandie to prepare for the recouerie of his wiues right and made all this kingdome wauer Thus was his first yeare spent which shewed how the rest of 18. would proue wherein we are to haue no other representations but of reuoltes beseiging of Castles surprizings recouerings loosings againe with great spoyles and destruction in briefe a most miserable face of a distracted State that can yeeld vs no other notes of instruction but such as are generall in all times of like disposition and therefore herein we may the better forbeare the rehearsall of many perticulars being all vnder one head of action and like nature The King hauing recouered would make the world know he was aliue and presently passes with forces into Normandy ouercame the Earle of Aniou in battayle after makes peace with him and vpon renouncing of the clayme of Maude couenants to giue them 5000. markes per annum he intertaynes amitie with King Louys 7. and causes his sonne Eustace to do him homage for the Duchy of Normandie wherein he was inuested besides to content his elder brother Theobald Earle of Blois he giues him a pension of 2000. markes and so returnes againe into England to a warre against Scotland which in this meane time made incursions on the kingdome where whilst he was held busie in worke Robert Earle of Glocester base sonne to Henry 1. a man of high spirit great direction and indefatigable industry an especiall actor that performed the greatest part in these times for his sister Maude had surprized the Castle of Bristow and procured confederates to make good other peeces abroade in diuers parts as William Talbot the Castle of Hereford Paynel the Castle of Ludlow Louell that of Cary Moune the Castle of Dunstor Robert de Nichol that of Warham Eustace Fitz Iohn that of Walton and William Fitz Allan the Castle of Shrewsbury Stephen leaues the prosecution of the Scottish warres to Thurstan Archbyshop of Yorke whom he made his lieutenant and furnished with many valiant leaders as Walter Earle of Albemarle William Peuerell of Nottingham Walter and Gilbert Lacies Himselfe brauely attended bendes all his power to represse the conspirators which he did in one expedition recouers all these Castles by reason of their distances not able to succour one another and draue the Earle of Glocester home to his sister into Aniou No lesse successe had his forces in the North against the Scots whom in a great battayle they discomfeited and put to flight which great fortunes meeting together in one yeare brought forth occasion of bad in that following for now presuming more of himfelfe he fell vpon those rockes that rent all his greatnesse He calles a Councell at Oxford where occasion was giuen to set him out with the Clergie that had onely put him into the State The Byshops vpon the permission of building Castles so out-went the Lords in magnificence strength and number of their erections and especially the Byshop of Salisbury that their greatnesse
it euer a barre in his way and hindred his standing cleere stood he neuer so highe The nobles of Normandie soone after his fathers death by much intreaty got him out of the French Kings handes thinking the hauing him amongst them would adde more grace to his Counsellors and such as were in office and the State of a Court awe his State the better But soone they found the hauing his person without his powre was but to put them out into more discord and faction For presently followed the murthering and poysoning of Gouernors displacing Officers intrusion supplantation surprizings and recouerings of his person by a Nobilitie stubborne haughtie and incompatible of each others precedencie or neerenes But this was the least as being done all for his person Now followed more daungerous practises against it His right was quarrelled by competitors cleere in bloud and great in meanes Whereof the first though farthest off in discent was Roger de Tresny bringing a faire lyne from Roule and much proofe of his owne worth by hauing gotten great experience in the Sarazine warre in Spaine whereby vpon his returne entertayning and feasting the great and especiall men of worth he was growen powerfull well followed and beloued of many in so much that at length measuring his owne height he vrges what wrong it was that a Bastard and a childe should be preferred before him in the succession of that Duchie his auncestors had noblie gotten and what a shame the Normans a people of that worth would indure to be so gouerned seeing they had others of the renowned race of Roule William and Richard Dukes of Normandie of a lawfull and direct lyne if they held him vnworthie to inherite the State and impatient as is ambition that cuer rides without raines of any long delay brings his claime to a strong battaile in the feild which by the valiancie of Roger de Beaumount was vtterly defeited and himselfe with his 2. brethren slayne Whereby all feare that way was extinquished and the reputation of the Duke and his so much aduanced as the King of France notwithstanding his tutelarie charge tooke from him the Castle of Thuilliers and demolisht it pretending the insolencies committed there by the Garrisons vpon his subiects and makes shew as yet only to keepe things euen But long it was not ere he plainely bewrayed his minde aiding in person William Earle of Arques brother to Duke Robert and sonne to Richard 2. making his clayme to the Duchie and bringes a mightie armye to succour Arques assieged by Conte Guiffard the Dukes Generall who by a stratageme so trayned the French into an ambushe as he ouerthrew their whole power and returnes the King to Paris with great losse and dishonor leauing Arques the first Arch of tryumphe to this conquerour not yet ariued to 17 yeares of age and the discomfeited competitor to seeke his fortunes with Eustace Earle of Bologne finding vpon his returne litle grace in Court where fortune euer alters credite and few regard men ouerthrowne This storme ouerpast another succedes more dangerous there liued with Duke William a young Lord of like yeares named Guy sonne to Regnalt Earle of Borgogne and Alix daughter to Richard 2. who comming to be sensible of his interest was aduised by some stirring spirits to attempt for the Duchie which they said apperteyned to him in right and was wrongfully vsurped by the Bastard And to aduance his purpose happens deadly hostility betweene two of the greatest Lords of Normandie Viconte Neele and the Earle of Bessin whose debate Duke William did not or could not pacific This Guy lately made Earle of Bryorn and Vernon interposed himselfe to compose this discord and by the aduice of Grimoult de Plessis a principall mouer in this worke so wrought that either of these Lords turned the point of their malice vpon him who in their quarrell fauouring neither made both to hate him and easily conspire with Guy to murther him at vnawares which they had done had not a certaine Foole whome for being held a naturall they suspected not noting their preparations got away in the dead of the night to Valogne knocking and crying at the gate till he was admitted to the Dukes presence whome he willed in all hast to fly or he would be murthered The Duke seeing the Foole in this affright thought dangers were not be weighed by the worth of the reporter but by their likelyhood and knowing his fortune was liable vnto all suddaine assasinations instantly takes horse and all alone postes to Fallaise his especiall place of strength on the way his horse being tyred about breake of daie hee comes to a litle village called Rye where by good fortune the gentleman of the place was standing at his dore readie to goe abrode of whom the Duke enquires the next way to Fallaise The gentleman perceiuing who he was though as then very vnwilling to be knowne humblie craues the cause of his so strange and vntimely riding alone The Duke seeing himselfe discouered tels the occasion the gentleman whose name was Robert de Rye furnishes him with a fresh horse and sendes two of his sonnes to conduct him the neerest way to Fallaise Noe sooner was he gone out of sight but after post the conspirators enquiring of the same gentleman whether hee saw the Duke who answered that hee was gone a little before such a way shewing them a diuers path and rode on with them offering his seruice to Conte Bessin of whom he held that village vnder the Duke and so long he lead them about that the Duke had recouered Fallaise Whereupon disappointed of their purpose they returned into the Countries of Constantin and Bessin where they made themselues so powrefull as the Duke withdrewe him to Roan and from thence to the King of France to craue his aide putting him in minde of the faithfull seruice his father had done him how he was his homager vnder his tutelarie charge and had no other sanctuary of succour to flie vnto in this case of his mutinous and turbulent nobilitie the effect whereof was of dangerous consequence to that Crowne And so far vrged the importancie of releife as the King at length who seemes was yet content to haue him be though not too strong and peraduenture rather him then his competitor Guy de Burgogne aided him in person with a puissant army against these competitors whom they found in the vale of Dunes with as great power and resolution to bid them battayle as they to assaile them Here one Guilleson vncle to Viconte Neel by the mother forced his horse into the battaillon of the French and made at the King strake him downe with his Launce which Conte Saint Paule perceauing hastes to incounter him with that violence as both fell to the earth but Guilleson soone gets vp and though his horse was slaine vnder him by Chastillon he escapes out of the presse and after fled into Apulia with others The King recouered and more