cannot Foule weather may much hinder the discharge of the piece but it is no great impediment to the shot of the Bow A horse strooke with a bullet if the wound be not mortall may performe good seruice but if an arrow be fastened in his flesh the continuall stirring thereof occasioned by the motion of himselfe will enforce him to cast off all command and either beare downe or disorder those that are neere But the cracke of the piece will some man say doeth strike a terrour into the enemie True if they bee such as neuer heard the like noise before But a little vse wil extinguish these terrours to men yea to beasts acquainted with these cracks they worke a weake impression of feare And if it be true which all men of action doe hold that the eye in all battailes is first ouercome then against men equally accustomed to both the sight of the arrow is more auaileable to victorie then the cracke of the piece Assuredly the Duke before the battaile encouraged his men for that they should deale with enemies who had no shot But I will leaue this point to be determined by more discerning iudgements and happily by further experience in these affaires and returne againe to my principall purpose The next day after the victorie the Duke returned to Hastings about seuen miles from the place of the encounter partly to refresh his Armie and partly to settle in aduise and order for his further prosecution First he dispatched messengers to signifie his successe to his friends abroad to the Pope he sent King Harolds Standerd which represented a man fighting wrought curiously with golde and precious stones Afterwards placing a strong garrison at Hastings he conducted his Armie towards London not the direct way but coasted about through part of Kent through Sussex Surrey Hampshire and Barkeshire the wayes where hee passed being as free from resistance as his thoughts were from change At Walling ford he passed ouer the Thames and then marched forward through Oxford shire Buckinghamshire and Hartford-shire vntill he came to the Castle at Berkhamstead In this passage many of his Souldiers languished and died of the Fluxe And whether it were vpon licentiousnesse after the late victorie or whether for want of necessary prouision or whether to strike a terrour into the English or whether to leaue no danger at his backe he permitted the sword to range at large to harrie freely to defile many places with ruine and blood In the meane time the English Lords assembled at London to aduise vpon their common affaires but the varietie of opinions was the chiefe impediment to the present seruice the danger being more important then the counsaile resolute or the confidence assured The Nobilitie enclined to declare Edgar grandchild to Edmund Ironside to be their King and with these the Londoners wholy went But those of the Clergie were of opinion some vpon particular respects all vpon feare to displease the Pope to yeeld to the storme and streame of the present time to yeeld to the mightie Arme of GOD that their forces being prostrated their hopes feeble and forlorne they must be content not to be constrained they must not prouoke the Victor too farre against whose forces and felicities time gaue them not power to oppose This deliberation held so long that all the time of action was spent For the Duke approched so neere the Citie that many preferring their safetie before other respects withdrew themselues and went vnto him Hereupon the residue dissolued and Alfred Archb. of Yorke Wolstane Bishop of Worcester Wilfire B. of Hereford and many other Prelates of the Realme went vnto the Duke at Berkhamstead accompanied with Edgar Earle Edwine Earle Morchar and diuers others of the Nobilitie who gaue pledges for their allegiance and were thereupon receiued to subiection and fauour The Duke presently dispatched to London was receiued with many declarations of ioy the lesser in heart the fairer in appearance and vpon Christmas day next following was crowned King Now the meanes whereby this victory was assured were the very same whereby it was atchieued euen by a stiffe and rigorous hand For whosoeuer supposeth that a State atteined by force can be reteined by milder meanes he shall find himselfe disappointed of his hopes A people newly subdued by force will so long remaine in obedience as they finde themselues not of force to resist And first he endeauoured either to preuent or appease all forren warres especially against the Danes who were then chiefly feared in England as well in regard of their former victories as for that they pretended title to the Crowne And herein two things did especially fauour his affaires One for that the Normans were in some sort allied to the Danes being the progenie of those Noruegians and Danes which vnder the conduct and fortune of Rollo inuaded France after many great atchieuements seated in Normandie The other was for that after the death of Canutus the state of Denmarke was much infeebled by diuision For the Noruegians set vp Magnus the sonne of Olaus for their King but the Danes acknowledged Canutus the third of that name by meanes whereof that puissant empire did languish in consumption of it selfe and could not be dangerous to any neighbour Countrey Yet ceased they not for many yeeres to continue claime to the Crowne of England But King William had purchased many sure and secret friends in that diseased state wherein all publike affaires were set to sale especially he vsed the authoritie of Adelbert Archbishop of Hamburgh either to crosse all counsaile of hostilitie against him or else to delay and thereby to delude the enterprise or lastly so to manage the action that it should noâ—… worke any dangerous effect After the death of Swaine Canutus prepared a Nauie of one thousand saile for inuasion of England and was aided with sixe hundred more by Robert le Frizon whose daughter hee had taken to wife But either for want or else by negligence or happily of purpose this Nauie continued partly in preparation and partly in a readinesse the space of two yeeres and then the voyage was layd aside The cause was attributed to contrarietie of winds but the contrariety of wils was the truest impediment Likewise Swaine had furnished against England a Nauie of 204. sayle commanded by Earle Osborne his brother Another fleete of 200. saile was set foorth vnder the charge of Earle Hacon But King William so corrupted them both that the one departed out of the Realme without performing any great exploit the other neuer would arriue Also out of those confusions in England Malcolme King of Scots did take his opportunitie for action Hee receiued into protection many English who either for feare or for discontentment forsooke their Countrey of whom many families in Scotland are descended and namely these Lindsey Vaus Ramsey Louell Towbris Sandlands Bissart Sowlis Wardlaw Maxwell with diuers others Hee entertained into his Court Edgar Atheling and
did there with defend himselfe for a time But because to stand vpon defence onely is alwayes vnsure he drew his sword and would not depart one foot from his saddle but making shew of braue ioy that he had nothing to trust vnto but his owne valour he defended both his saddle and himselfe till rescue came Afterward when some of his Souldiers in blaming maner expostulated with him wherefore he was so obstinate to saue his saddle his answere was that a King should loose nothing which he can possibly saue It would haue angred mee said he at the very heart that the knaues should haue bragged that they had wonne the saddle from mee And this was one of his perpetuall felicities to escape easily out of desperate dangers In the end Henry grew to extreeme want of water and other prouisions by which meanes he was ready to fall into the hands of those who desired to auoyd necessitie to hurt him And first he sent to the Duke his brother to request some libertie to take in fresh water The Duke sent to him a tunne of wine and granted a surcease of hostilitie for one day to furnish him with water At this the King seemed discontented as being a meanes to prolong the warre But the Duke told him that it had bene hard to deny a brother a little water for his necessitie Here with like wise the King relenting they sent for their brother Henry and wisdome preuailing more then iniuries or hate they fell to an agreement That vpon a day appointed Henry should receiue his money at Roan and that in the meane time hee should hold the countrey of Constantine in morgage The King enterteined with pay many of his brother Henries souldiers especially he receiued those who ouerthrew him to a very neere degree of fauour And thus all parties ordered their ambition with great modestie the custome of former warres running in a course of more humanitie then since they haue done The King was the more desirous to perfect these agreements of Peace for that Malcolme King of Scots as Princes often times make vse of the contentions of their neighbours tooke occasion vpon these confusions to enterprise vpō the parts of England which confined vpon him So as he inuaded Northumberland made great spoile tooke much prey caried away many prisoners whose calamitie was the more miserable for that they were to endure seruitude in a hard Countrey For this cause the King with his accustomed celeritie returned into England accompanied with the Duke of Normandie his brother and led a mighty armie against the Scots by land and sent also a nauie to infest them by sea But by a sudden and stiffe storme by a hideous confusion of all ill disposed weather his ships were cruelly crushed and hauing long wrought against the violence and rage of the tempest were in the end dispersed and diuers of them cast away Many of his souldiers also perished partly by penurie and want and partly by the euill qualitied ayre Notwithstanding the Scots knowing the King of England to bee an enemie mighty and resolute began to wauer in their assurance framing fearefull opinions of the number valour and experience of his armie Hereupon some ouertures of Peace were made the Scots expecting that the King by reason of his late losses would be the more moderate in his demands But hee then shewed himselfe most resolute and firme following his naturall custome not to yeelde to any difficulty King Malcolme coniecturing that such confidence could not be without good cause consented at the last to these conditions That King Malcolme should make a certaine satisfaction for the spoyles which hee had done in England That King William should restōre to him certaine lands in England That K. Malcolme should doe homage to King William Now the day was come wherein Henrie was appointed to receiue his money at Roan from the Duke of Normandie But as affaires of Princes haue great variations so they are not alwayes constant in their Counsels And so the Duke caried by his occasions and ready to lay downe his faith and word more to the traine of times then to the preseruation of his honour instead of paying the money committed his brother Henry to prison from whence he could not be released vntill hee renounced the Countie of Constantine and bound himselfe by oath neuer to claime any thing in Normandie Henrie complained hereof to Philip King of France who gaue him a faire enterteinement in his Court but was content rather to feede then finish the contention either expecting thereby some opportunitie to himselfe or els the opinion of his owne greatnesse not suffring him to feare that others might grow to haue fortune against him Henry had not long remained in the Court of France but a Normane Knight named Hacharde conueyed him disguised into Normandie where the Castle of Damfronç was deliuered vnto him and in short time after hee gate all the Countrey of Passays and a good part of Constantine either without resistance or without difficultie and perill Hereupon the Duke leuied his forces and earnestly assayed to recouer Damfronç but then hee found that his brother Henrie was secretly yet surely vnderset by the king of England Hereupon incensed with the furie of an iniuried minde hee exclaimed against his brother of England and almost proclaimed him a violater of his league On the otherside the King of England iustified his action for that hee was both a meanes and a partie to the agreement and therefore stood bound in honour not onely to vrge but to enforce performance So the flame brake foorth more furious then it was before and ouer went King William with an able armie where hee found the Duke also in good condition of strength commanding the field And albeit in so neere approach of two mighty enemies equall both in ambition and power it is hard to conteine men of seruice yet was nothing executed betweene them but certaine light skirmishes and surprizements of some places of defence In the end the King hearing of new troubles in England and the Duke finding himselfe vnable either to preuaile with few souldiers or to maintaine many and both distrusting to put a speedie end to the warre they were easily drawne to capitulations of peace And thus ended the contention betweene these brethren who vntill this time had continued like the waues of the Sea alwayes in motion and one beating against the other Besides these businesses which befell the King against his Nobilitie against the Duke of Normandie his brother and against the King and nation of the Scots the Welshmen also who alwayes struggled for libertie and reuenge perceiuing that the King was often absent and much entangled with hostile affaires enforced the fauour of that aduantage to free themselues from subiection of the English and happily to enlarge or enrich themselues vpon them So hauing both desire and opportunitie they wanted not meanes to assemble in armes to expell the English that
yea assured aduertisement was sent out of Flanders that he had for that yeere abandoned his enterprise In the meane time Harold Harfager King of Norway then whom no man was esteemed more valiant hauing assured both intelligence and aide out of England arriued in the mouth of Humber and from thence drawing vp against the streame of the riuer Owse landed at a place called Richhall Here he Marshalled his Armie and marched foorth into the Countrey and when hee came neere vnto Yorke he was encountred by the English led by Edwine and Morchar the principall commanders of all those quarters The fight was furious but in the end the English were ouerthrowne and with a great slaughter chases into Yorke Vpon aduertisement hereof Harold King of England caried all his forces against Harfager His readinesse was such and such his expedition that the fifth day after the fight before mentioned he gaue him battell againe wherein Harold Harfager was slaine and so was Tosto the King of Englands brother Tosto by an vncertaine enemie but Harfager by the hand of Harold of England Their armie also was routed and with a bloody execution pursued so long as day and furie did last Here a certaine Souldier of Norway was most famous almost for a miracle of manhood He had been appointed with certaine others to guard the passage at Stamford bridge The residue vpon approach of the English forsooke their charge but hee alone stepped to the foote of the Bridge and with his Battle-axe sustained the shocke of the whole armie slew aboue fourty assailants and defended both the passage and himselfe vntill an English Souldier went vnder the Bridge and through a hole thereof thrust him into the bodie with a Launce If this victory of King Harold had been so wisely vsed as it was valiantly wonne he should haue neglected the spoyle and returned with the like celeritie wherewith he came But hee gaue discontentment to his Souldiers in abridging their expectation for free sharing the spoile and hauing lost many in that conflict he retired to Yorke and there stayed as well to reforme the state of the Countrey greatly disordered by meanes of these warres as also both to refresh and repaire his armie In the meane time the Duke of Normandie receiuing intelligence that the Sea-coasts were left naked of defence loosed from S. Valeries with three hundred or as some writers report 896 or as one Norman writer affirmes with more then one thousand saile and hauing a gentle gale arriued at Pemsey in Sussex vpon the 28. of September The ship wherein the Duke was caried is said as if it had runne for the garland of victory to haue outstripped the rest so farre that the sailers were enforced to strike saile and hull before the winde to haue their companie When hee first stepped vpon the shoare one of his feete slipped a little The Duke to recouer himselfe stepped more strongly with the other foote and sunke into the sand somewhat deepe One of his Souldiers espying this sayd merrily vnto him You had almost fallen my Lord but you haue well maintained your standing and haue now taken deepe and firme footing in the soyle of England The presage is good and hereupon I salute you King The Duke laughed and the souldiers with whom superstition doth strongly worke were much confirmed in courage by the ieast When he had landed his forces he fortified a piece of ground with strong trenches and discharged all his ships leauing to his souldiers no hope to saue themselues but onely by victory After this he published the causes of his comming in armes namely 1 To chalenge the kingdome of England giuen to him by his cousin King Edward the last lawfull possessor at that time thereof 2 To reuenge the death of his cousin Alfred brother to the same K. Edward and of the Normans who did accompanie him into England no lesse cruelly then deceitfully slaine by Earle Goodwin and his adherents 3 To reuenge the iniurie done vnto Robert Archbishop of Canterburie who by the practise as it was then giuen foorth of Harold had been exiled in the life time of King Edward This last article was added either to please the Pope or generally in fauour of the Cleargie to whom the example grew then intollerable that an Archbishop should bee once questioned by any other then by themselues So the Duke leauing his fortification furnished with competent forces to assure the place as wel for a retreit as for daily landing of fresh supplies marched forward to Hastings and there raised another fortresse and planted likewise a garison therein And in all places he restrained his Souldiers either from spoyling or harming the Countrey people for feare that thereby they would fall into disorder but giuing forth that it were crueltie to spoile them who in short time should be his Subiects Here the Duke because he would not either aduenture or trust his Souldiers went foorth in person to discouer the Countrey with 15. horsemen in his company and no more His returne was on foote by reason of the euill qualitied wayes and when Fitz-Osberne who went with him was ouer wearied with the weight of his armour the Duke eased him by bearing his helmet vpon his shoulder This action may seeme of slender regard but yet did gaine him both fauour and dutie among his Souldiers K. Harold hearing of these approches hasted by great iourneyes towards London sending his messengers to all places both to encourage and entreate the people to draw together for their common defence Here he mustered his Souldiers and albeit hee found that his forces were much impaired by his late battaile against Harfager yet he gathered an able armie countenanced and commanded by diuers of the Nobilitie which resorted vnto him from many parts of the Realme The Duke in the meane time sent a messenger vnto him who demanded the Kingdome in so stout maner that he was at the point to haue bene euill entreated by the King Againe the King sent his messenger to the Duke forbidding him with loftie language to make any stay within that Countrey but to returne againe no lesse speedily then rashly he had entred The Duke betweene mirth and scorne returned answere That as he came not vpon his entreaty so at his command he would not depart But said he I am not come to word with your King I am come to fight and am desirous to fight I will be ready to fight with him albeit I had but 10000. such men as I haue brought 60000. K. Harold spent little time lost none vnlesse happely that which hee might haue taken more both in appointing and ordering his Armie And when he was ready to take the field his mother entreated him first moderately then with words of passion and with teares that he would not aduenture his person to the battaile Her importunitie was admired the more for that it was both without any apparant cause and not vsuall in former times But Harold with
wealth to satisfie therewith either his pleasure or wants His cruelty made the people rebellious and their rebellions made him the more cruell in which case many Innocents were made the oblations of his ambitious feares Many heauy taxations were imposed vpon them their ancient Lords were remoued their ancient lawes and policies of State were dashed to dust all lay couched vnder the Conquerours sword to bee newly fashioned by him as should bee best fitting for his aduantage Hee erected Castels in diuers parts of the Realme of which the Towre neere London was the chiefe which afterward was increased both in compasse and in strength by addition of the outward walls In these he planted garrisons of Normans as if it had bene in a hostile Countrey not without oppression to the people although they remained quiet and sufficient to suppresse them if they should rebell Thus he secured the Realme against a generall defection as for particular stirres they might happily molest him but endanger him they could not Exceter Northumberland and some other parts did rise against him in armes but being vnable to maintaine their reuolt their ouerthrow did much confirme his State Hee either imitated or concurred with Caesar in aduise For as Caesar inuaded the Germans which kept the great forrest of Ardenna not with his owne Souldiers but with his aides out of Gallia gaining thereby victory ouer the one and securitie from the other without any dispence of the Romane blood so after the Kings great victory against the valiant but too aduenturous King Harold when many of the English fled into Ireland and from thence with fresh both courage and supplies returned into England commaunded by two of Harolds sonnes hee encountred them onely with English forces In the first conflict the Kings partie was ouerthrowen and the valiant leader Ednothus slaine who had bene master of the horses to King Harold In the second his enemies were so defeated as they were neuer able to make head againe So the victorers being weakened and the vanquished wasted the King with pleasure triumphed ouer both Likewise when he was occasioned to passe the Seas into Normandie either to establish affaires of gouernement or to represse rebellions which in his absence were many times raised he drew his forces out of England and that in a more large proportion then the importance of the seruice did require Hee also tooke with him the chiefe men of English blood as well to vse their aduise and aide as also to hold them and their friends from working innouation in his absence He enclosed the great Forrest neere vnto the Sea in Hamshire for which he dispeopled villages and townes about the space of thirtie miles to make a desert for beasts of chase in which place afterward two of his sonnes Richard and William ended their liues Richard by a fall from his horse and William by the stroke of an arrow The Kings great delight in hunting was made the pretence of this Forrest but the true end was rather to make a free place of footing for his Normans and other friends out of France in case any great reuolt should be made Diuers other parts of the Realme were so wasted with his warres that for want both of Husbandrie and habitation a great dearth did ensue whereby many were inforced to eate horses dogs cats rats and other loathsome and vile vermine yea some absteined not from the flesh of men This famine and desolation did especially rage in the North parts of the Realme For the inhabitants beyond Humber fearing the Kings secret hate so much the more deepe and deadly because vniust receiued without resistance and perhaps drew in the Armie of the King of Sueueland with whom Edgar Atheling and the other English that fled into Scotland ioyned their power The Normans within Yorke fired the suburbs because it should not be a lodging for their enemies but the strength of the winde caried the flame into the Citie which consumed a great part thereof with the Minster of S. Peter and therein a faire Librarie And herewith whilest the Normans were partly busied and partly amazed the enemies entred and slue in Yorke in Duresme and thereabout three thousand Normans among whom were many of eminent dignitie as well for birth as for place of their charge But in short time the King came vpon them and hauing partly by Armes and partly by gifts dispatched the strangers exercised vpon the English an ancient and assured experience of warre to represse with maine force a rebellion in a State newly subdued Insomuch as all the land betweene Duresme and Yorke except onely the territorie of S. Iohn of Beuerlace lay waste for the space of nine yeeres without inhabitants to manure the ground And because conspiracies and associations are commonly contriued in the night he commanded that in all Townes and villages a Bell should be runge in the euening at eight of the clocke and that in euery house they should then put foorth their fire and lights and goe to bed This custome of ringing a Bell at that houre in many places is still obserued And for that likenesse is a great cause of liking and of loue he enioyned the chiefe of the English and these were soone imitated by the rest to conforme themselues to the fashions of Normandie to which they had made themselues no strangers before Yea children in the schoole were taught their letters and principles of grammar in the Norman language In their speech attire shauing of the beard seruice at the Table in their buildings and houshold furniture they altogether resembled the Normans In the beginning of his reigne he ordeined that the Lawes of King Edward should be obserued together with those Lawes which hee did prescribe but afterwards he commanded that 9. men should be chosen out of euery shire to make a true report what were the Lawes and customes of the Realme Of these hee changed the greatest part and brought in the customes of Normandie in their stead commanding also that causes should be pleaded and all matters of forme dispatched in French Onely hee permitted certaine Dane-Lawes which before were chiefly vsed in Northfolke Suffolke and Cambridge-shire to be generally obserued as hauing great affinitie with his Norman-customes both being deriued from one common head Likewise at the great suit of William a Norman then Bishop of London he granted a Charter of libertie to that Citie for enioying the vse of K. Edwards Lawes a memoriall of which benefite the Citizens fixed vpon the Bishops graue being in the middest of the great West I le of S. Pauls Further by the counsaile of Stigand Archb. of Canterburie and of Eglesine Abbot of S. Augustines who at that time were the chiefe gouernours of Kent as the King was riding towards Douer at Swanescombe two mile from Grauesend the Kentish men came towards him armed and bearing boughes in their hands as if it had bene a moouing wood they encloased him vpon the sudden and with
esteemed not farre short of cruelties Not withstanding hee tempered it with many admirable actions both of iustice and of clemencie and mercie for which hee is much extolled by the Normane writers Hee gaue great priuiledges to many places the better to giue the people contentment and to hold them quiet he often times renued the oath which first he tooke at his Coronation namely to defend the holy Church of God the pastors thereof and the people subiect to him iustly to gouerne to ordaine good lawes and obserue true iustice and to the vttermost of his power to withstand all rapines and false Iudgements Such of the nobilitie as had been taken in rebellion were onely committed to prison from which they were released in time such as yeelded and submitted themselues were freely pardoned and often times receiued to fauour trust and imploymemt Edric the first that rebelled after hee was King he held neere and assured vnto him Gospatric who had been a stirrer of great commotions he made Earle of Glocester and employed him against Malcolme King of Scots Eustace Earle of Boline who vpon occasion of the Kings first absence in Normandie attempted to surprize the Castle of Douer he imbraced afterward with great shew of loue and respect Waltheof sonne to Earle Siward who in defending the Citie of Yorke against him had slaine many Normans as they assayed to enter a breach hee ioyned in marriage to his Neece Iudeth Edgar who was the ground and hope of all conspiracies who after his first submission to the King fled into Scotland and maintained open hostilitie against him who pretended title to the Crowne as next heire to the Saxon Kings he not onely receiued to fauour but honoured with faire enterteinments Hee furnished him to the warre of Palestine where he atteined an honourable estimation with the Emperours of Almaine and of Greece After his returne he was allowed 20. shillings a day by way of pension and large liuings in the Countrey where he mellowed to old age in pleasure and vacancie of affaires preferring safe subiection before ambitious rule accompanied both with danger and disquiet Thus was no man more milde to a relenting and vanquished enemie as farre from crueltie as he was from cowardice the height of his spirit ouerlooking all casuall all doubtfull and vncertaine dangers Other great offenders he punished commonly by exile or imprisonment seldome by death Onely among the English Nobilitie Earle Waltheof was put to death for that after twice breaking allegiance he conspired the third time with diuers both English and Normans to receiue the Danes into England whilest the King was absent in Normandie And for the same conspiracie Ralph Fitz-aubert a Norman was also executed who had furnished 40. ships for the King in his voiage for England for which and for his other seruices in that warre he was afterward created Earle of Hereford But present iniuries doe alwayes ouerballance benefits that are past He much delighted in hunting and in feasting For the first he enclosed many forrests and parks and filled them with Deere which he so deerely loued that he ordained great penalties for such as should kill those or any other beasts of game For the second hee made many sumptuous feasts especially vpon the high Festiuall dayes in the yeere His Christmasse hee often kept at Glocester his Easter at Winchester his Whitsontide at Westminster and was crowned once in the yeere at one of these places so long as he continued in England To these feasts he inuited all his Nobilitie and did then principally compose himselfe to courtesie as well in familiar conuersation as in facilitie to grant suits and to giue pardon to such as had offended At other times he was more Maiesticall and seuere and imployed himselfe both to much exercise and great moderation in diet whereby he preserued his body in good state both of health and strength and was easily able to endure trauaile hunger heat cold and all other hardnesse both of labour and of want Many wrongs he would not see of many smarts he would not complaine he was absolute master of himselfe and thereby learned to subdue others He was much commended for chastitie of body by which his Princely actions were much aduanced And albeit the beginning of his reigne was pestered with such routs of outlawes and robbers that the peaceable people could not accompt themselues in surety within their owne doores hee so well prouided for execution of Iustice vpon offenders or rather for cutting off the causes of offence that a yong maiden well charged with gold might trauaile in any part of the Realme without any offer of iniurie vnto her For if any man had slaine another vpon any cause he was put to death and if he could not be found the hundred paide a fine to the King sometimes 28. and sometimes 36. pounds according to the largenesse of the hundred in extent If a man had oppressed any woman he was depriued of his priuie parts As the people by Armes so Armes by lawes were held in restraint He talked little and bragged lesse a most assured performer of his word In prosecution of his purposes constant and strong and yet not obstinate but alwayes appliable to the change of occasions earnest yea violent both to resist his enemies and to exact dueties of his Subiects He neither loued much speech nor gaue credite to faire but trusted truely to himselfe to others so farre as he might not be abused by credulitie His expedition the spirit of actions and affaires may hereby appeare He inuaded England about the beginning of October He subdued all resistance he suppressed all rising Rebellions and returned into Normandy in March following So as the time of the yeere considered a man should hardly trauaile through the land in so short a time as he did win it A greater exploit then Iulius Caesar or any other stranger could euer atchieue vpon that place He gaue many testimonies of a Religious minde For he did often frequent Diuine seruice in the Church he gaue much Almes hee held the Clergie in great estimation and highly honoured the Prelats of the Church He sent many costly ornaments many rich presents of gold and siluer to the Church of Rome his Peter paiments went more readily more largely then euer before To diuers Churches in France after his victorie he sent Crosses of gold vessels of gold rich Palles or other ornaments of great beautie and price He bare such reuerence to Lanfranck Archbishop of Canterburie that he seemed to stand at his directions At the request of Wolstane Bishop of Worcester he gaue ouer a great aduantage that he made by sale of prisoners taken in Ireland He respected Aldred Archbishop of Yorke by whom he had bene crowned King of England as his father At a time vpon the repulse of a certaine suit the Archbishop brake forth into discontentment expostulated sharpely against the King and in a humorous heat offered to depart
with gold costly stones Then they opened his Tombe not finding the treasure which they expected they threw forth his bones with very great derision despight Many English souldiers were then in the Towne who were very curious to gather his bones whereof some were afterwards brought into England Hereby the report is conuinced for vaine that his body was found vncorrupt more then foure hundred yeeres after it was buried Hereby also it is found to be false that his body was eight foote in length For neither were his bones proportionable to that stature as it is testified by those who saw them and it is otherwise reported of him by som who liued in his time namely that he was of a good stature yet not exceeding the ordinary proportion of men And this was the last end of all his fortunes of all that was mortall in him besides his fame whose life is too much extolled by the Normans and no lesse extenuated by the English Verely he was a very great Prince full of hope to vndertake great enterprises full of courage to atchieue them in most of his actions commendable and excusable in all And this was not the least piece of his Honour that the Kings of England which succeeded did accompt their order onely from him not in regard of his victorie in England but generally in respect of his vertue and valour For his entrance was not by way of conquest but with pretence of title to the Crowne wherein he had both allowance and aide from diuers Christian Princes in Europe He had also his partie within the Realme by whose meanes he preuailed against the opposite faction as Caesar did against Pompey and not against the entire strength of the State Againe hee did not settle himselfe in the chaire of Soueraignetie as one that had reduced all things to the proud power and pleasure of a Conquerour but as an vniuersall successor of former Kings in all the rights and priuiledges which they did enioy Hee was receiued for King by generall consent He was crowned with all Ceremonies and Solemnities then in vse Hee tooke an oath in the presence of the Clergie the Nobilitie and of much people for defence of the Church for moderate and carefull gouernement and for vpright administration of iustice Lastly during the whole course of his gouernement the kingdome receiued no vniuersall change no losse or diminution of honour For neither were the olde inhabitants expelled as were the Britaines neither was the kingdome either subiected or annexed to a greater but rather it receiued encrease of honour in that a lesse State was adioyned vnto it The change of customes was not violent and at once but by degrees and with the silent approbation of the English who haue alwaies been inclinable to accommodate themselues to the fashions of France The grieuances and oppressions were particular and with some appearance either of iustice or of necessitie for the common quiet such as are not vnusuall in any gouernement moderately seuere So the change was chiefly in the stemme and familie of the King which whether it be wrought by one of the same nation as it was in France by Pepine and Capett or by a stranger as in the same Countrey by Henry 5. and Henry 6. Kings of England it bringeth no disparagement in honour it worketh no essentiall change The State still remained the same the solid bodie of the State remained still English the comming in of many Normans was but as Riuers falling into the Ocean which change not the Ocean but are confounded with the waters thereof This King had by his wife Matild daughter to Baldwine Earle of Flanders foure sonnes Robert Richard William and Henrie Hee had also fiue daughters Cicely Constance Adela Margaret and Elianor Robert his eldest sonne surnamed Courtcuise by reason of the shortnesse of his thighs succeeded him in the duchie of Normandie He was a man of exceeding honourable courage and spirit for which cause he was so esteemed by the Christian Princes in the great warre against the Saracens that when they had subdued the Citie and territorie of Hierusalem they offered the kingdome thereof first vnto him Yet afterwards either by the malice of his Fortune or for that he was both suddaine and obstinate in his owne aduise two great impediments that valour cannot thriue he receiued many foiles of his enemies which shall be declared in their proper place Before the King made his descent into England hee gaue the duchie of Normandie vnto him but whether he did this onely to testifie his confidence or whether afterwards his purpose changed being often demanded to performe this gift he would neither deny nor accomplish his word but enterposed many excuses and delayes affirming that he was not so surely setled in England but the duchie of Normandie was necessary vnto him both for supply for his seruices which he found like Hydraes heads to multiply by cutting off and also for an assured place for retreit in case hee should be ouercharged with extremities Hereupon Robert vnable to linger and pine in hopes declared openly against him in armes Philip King of France was ready to put fuell to the flame who as he neuer fauoured in his owne iudgement the prosperous encreases of the King of England so then he was vigilant to embrace all occasions either to abate or limit the same And thus Robert both encouraged and enabled by the King of France inuaded Normandie and permitted his souldiers licentiously to wast to satisfie those by spoile which by pay he was not able to maintaine At the last he encountred the King his father in a sharpe conflict before the castle of Gerberie wherein the King was vnhorsed and wounded in the arme his second sonne William was also hurt and many of his souldiers slaine And albeit Robert so soone as he knew his father by his voyce allighted forthwith mounted him vpon his owne horse and withdrew him out of the medley yet did he cast vpon his sonne a cruell curse which lay so heauie vpon him that he neuer prospered afterward in any thing which hee vndertooke And although after this he was reconciled to his father and imployed by him in seruices of credit and weight yet did the King often bewray of him an vnquiet conceit often did he ominate euill vnto him yea a little before his death he openly gaue forth That it was a miserable Countrey which should be subiect to his dominion for that he was a proud and foolish knaue and to be long scourged by cruell Fortune Richard had erected the good expectation of many as well by his comely countenance and behauiour as by his liuely and generous spirit But he died yong by misaduenture as he was hunting within the New-forrest before he had made experiment of his worth Some affirme that he was goared to death by the Deere of that Forrest for whose walke his father had dispeopled that large compasse of ground others report
reigne of King William a Councell was holden at London where another matter of like qualitie and nature was decreed namely that Bishops should translate their Sees from villages to Cities whereupon in short time after Bishops Sees were remoued from Selese to Chichester from Cornewall to Exeter from Wells to Bath from Shirbourne to Salisburie from Dorcester to Lincolne from Lichfield to Chester and from thence againe to Couentree And albeit the Archbishop of Yorke did oppose against the erecting of a Cathedrall Church in Lincolne because he challenged that Citie to be of his Prouince yet Remigius Bishop of Dorchester being strong both in resolution and in friends did prosecute his purpose to effect Not long before the Bishopricke of Lindafferne otherwise called Holy land vpon the riuer Tweed had bene translated to Durhame In the tenth yeere of his reigne the cold of Winter was exceeding memorable both for sharpenesse and for continuance For the earth remained hard frozen from the beginning of Nouember vntill the middest of April then ensuing In the 15. yere a great earthquake happened in the month of April strange for the strong trembling of the earth but more strange for the dolefull and hideous roaring which it yeelded foorth In the 20. yeere there fell such abundance of raine that the Riuers did greatly ouerflow in all parts of the Realme The springs also rising plentifully in diuers hils so softned and decaied the foundations of them that they fell downe whereby some villages were ouerthrowne By this distemperature of weather much cattel perished much cornevpon the ground was either destroyed or greatly empaired Herehence ensued first a famine and afterwards a miserable mortalitie of men And that all the Elements might seeme to haue conspired the calamity of the Realme the same yeere most of the principall Cities in England were lamentably deformed with fire At London a fire began at the entry of the West gate which apprehending certaine shops and Ware-houses wherein was Merchandise apt to burne it was at once begun and suddenly at the highest Then being caried with a strong wind and the Citie apt to maintaine the flame as well by reason of the crooked and narrow streets as for that the buildings at that time had open and wide windowes and were couered with base matter fit to take fire the mischiefe spread more swiftly then the remedies could follow So it raged vntill it came to the Eastgate prostrated houses and Churches all the way being the most grieuous that euer as yet hath happened to that Citie The Church of S. Paul was at that time fired Whereupon Maurice then Bishop of London began the foundation of the new Church of S. Paul A worke so admirable that many did iudge it would neuer haue bene finished yet all might easily esteeme thereby his magnanimitie his high erected hopes his generous loue and honour to Religion The King gaue towards the building of the East end of this Church the choise stones of his Castle at the West end of the Citie vpon the bancke of the Riuer Thames which Castle at the same time was also fired in place whereof Edward Killwarby Archbishop of Canterburie did afterwards found a Monasterie of blacke Friers The King also gaue the Castle of Storford and all the lands which thereto belonged to the same Maurice and to his successours in that See And doubtlesse nothing more then either parcimonious or prophane expending the Treasures of the Church hath since those times much dried vp those fountaines which first did fill them After the death of Maurice Richard his next Successour as well in vertue as in dignitie bestowed all the Rents rising out of this Bishopricke to aduance the building of this Church maintaining himselfe by his Patrimonie and friendes and yet all which hee could doe made no great shewe so that the finishing of this worke was left to many other succeeeding Bishops Hee purchased the ground about the Church whereupon many buildings did stand and inclosed the same with a strong wall of stone for a place of buriall It seemeth that this wall was afterwards either battered and torne in some ciuill warres or else by negligence suffered to decay for that a graunt was made by King Edward the second that the Church-yard of Saint Pauls should bee enclosed with a wall because of the robberies and murthers that were there committed Many parts of this wall remaine at this time on both sides of the Church but couered for the most part with dwelling houses The same yeere in Whitsun-weeke the King honoured his sonne Henrie with the order of Knighthood What Ceremonies the King then vsed it is not certainly knowen but before his time the custome among the Saxons was thus First hee who should receiue the order of Knighthood conâ—…essed himselfe in the euening to a Priest Then hee continued all that night in the Church watching and applying himselfe to his priuate deuotions The next morning he heard Masse and offered his sword vpon the Altar After the Gospel was read the sword was hallowed and with a benediction put about his necke Lastly he communicated the mysteries of the blessed body of Christ and from that time remained a lawfull Souldier or Knight This custome of Consecrating Knights the Normans did not onely abrogate but abhorre not for any euill that was therein but because it was not altogether their owne This yeere in a Prouince of Wales called Rosse the Sepulchre of Wawyn otherwise called Gawen was found vpon the Sea shore Hee was sisters sonne to Arthur the great King of the Britaines a man famous in our Britaine Histories both for ciuill courtesie and for courage in the field I cannot but esteeme the report for fabulous that his bodie was fourteene foote in length I doe rather coniecture that one credulous writer did take that for the length of his body which happily might bee the length of his â—…ombe It is constantly affirmed that the ground whereon the English and the Normans did combate doth shew after euery raine manifest markes of blood vpon the grasse which if it was not a proprietie of the soyle before it is hard now to assigne either from what naturall cause it doth proceede or what it should supernaturally portend K. WILLIAM THE SECOND sirnamed RVFVS KIng WILLIAM the Victor when hee drew towards the end of his dayes commended the Kingdome of England to his second sonne William with many blessings with many admonitions with many prayers for the prosperous successe of his succession And because the presence of the next successour is of greatest moment to establish affaires the King a little before his passage to death dispatched him into England with letters vnder his owne Seale to Lanfranck then Archbishop of Canterbury a man highly esteemed in forraine Countreys but with the Cleargie and vulgare people of the Realme his authoritie was absolute In these letters the King expressed great affection and care towards his sonne William commending him with many kind
most capitall offence in the eye of enuie of Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterburie by means whereof many of the conspirators liued in farre meaner reputation then their ambitious minds could easily breake but chiefly it was vpon a more particular grudge which Odo did beare against the same Lanfranck because by his perswasion Odo had been committed to prison by King William the elder For when the King complained to Lanfranck of the intolerable both auarice and ambition of his brother Odo the Archbishop gaue aduise that hee should bee restrained of his libertie And when the King doubted how he being a Bishop might be committed to prison without impeaching the priuiledges of the Church indeede answered Lanfranck you may not imprison the Bishop of Baion but you may doe what you please with the Earle of Kent The publike and open pretenses were these Robert Duke of Normandie had the prerogatiue of birth which being a benefit proceeding from nature could not bee reuersed by his fathers acte He had also wonne a most honorable reputation for his militarie vertues and had by many trauels of warre wasted the wilde follies of youth Hee was no lesse famous for courtesie and liberalitie two most amiable ornaments of honour being so desirous that no man should depart discontented from him that he would oftentimes promise more then hee was able to performe and yet performe more then his estate could expediently afford As for K. William besides that he was the yonger brother his nature was held to be doubtfull and suspect and the iudgement of most men enclined to the worst And what are we then aduantaged said they by the death of his father if whom he hath fleeced this shall flay if this shall execute those whom he hath fettered and surely bound If after his seuerities that are past wee shall be freshly charged with those rigours which tyrants in the height and pride of their Fortune are wont to vse And as stronger combinations are alwayes made betweene men drawne together by one common feare then betweene those that are ioyned by hope or desire so vpon these iealousies and feares accompanied also with vehement desires the Confederats supposed that they had knit a most assured league Now it happened that at the time of the death of William the elder Robert his eldest sonne was absent in Almaine and at once heard both of the death of his father and that his brother William was acknowledged to be King Hereupon in great hast but greater heat both oâ—… anger and ambition he returned into Normandie and there whilest he was breathing foorth his discontentment and desire of reuenge he receiued a message from the Confederats in England that with all speed hee should come ouer vnto them to accomplish the enterprise to furnish their forces with a head that they had no want of able bodies they wanted no meanes to maintaine them together they wanted onely his person both to countenance and conduct them The Duke thought it no wisdome to aduenture himselfe altogether vpon the fauour and faith of discontented persons and he had bene so loosely liberall before that he was vnprouided of money to appoint himselfe with any competent forces of his owne Hereupon he pawned a part of Normandie to his brother Henry for waging Souldiers many also flocked voluntarily vnto him vpon inducement that hee who of his owne nature was most liberall full of humanitie would not faile both of pay and reward vnlesse by reason of disabilitie want In the meane time the Confederats resolued to breake forth in Armes in diuers parts of the Realme at once vpon conceit that if the King should endeuour to represse them in one place they might more easily preuaile in the other And so accordingly Odo fortified and spoiled in Kent Geoffrey Bishop of Exceter with his nephew Robert Mowbray Earle of Northumberland at Bristow Roger Montgomerie in Northfolke Suffolke and Cambridgeshire Hugh de Grandmenill in Leicestershire and Northamptonshire William Bishop of Durhame in the North parts of the Realme diuers others of the Clergie and Nobilitie in Herefordshire Shropshire Worcestershire and all the Countreys adioyning to Wales And as in time of pestilence all diseases turne to the plague so in this generall tumult all discontentments sorted to Rebellion Many who were oppressed with violence or with feare many who were kept lower either by want or disgrace then they had set their mounting minds adioyned daily to the side and encreased both the number and the hope And thus was all the Realme in a rumous rage against K. William who wanted neither courage to beare nor wisdome to decline it And first hee endeuoured by all meanes to make the English assured vnto him And albeit few of them were at that time in any great place either of credite or of charge but were all wounded by his fathers wrongs yet for that they were the greatest part he made the greatest reckoning of them For this cause hee released many English Lords who had bene committed to custodie by his father He composed himselfe to courtesie and affabilitie towards the people and distributed much treasure among them But especially hee wanne their inclination by promises of great assurance to restore vnto them their ancient lawes to ease them of tributes and taxations and to permit them free libertie of hunting which being their principall pleasure and exercise before was either taken away or much restrained from them by King William the elder Herewith he applied himselfe to appease the mutinous minds of his Nobilitie to seuer the Confederats to breake the faction to diuide it first and thereby to defeat it To this purpose he dealt with Roger Montgomerie who next vnto Odo was a principall both countenance and strength to the reuolt he dealt also with diuers others inferiour vnto him in authority and degree that he could not coniecture for what cause they were so violent against him did they want money His fathers treasure was at their deuotion desired they encrease of possessions they should not be otherwise bounded then by their owne desires that hee would willingly also giue ouer his estate in case it should be iudged expedient by themselues whom his father had put in trust to support him that they should doe wel to foresee whether by ouerthrowing his fathers iudgement in appointing the kingdome vnto him they should not doe that which might be preiudiciall to themselues for the same man who had appointed him to bee King had also conferred vnto them those honours and possessions which they held Thus sometimes dealing priuately with particulars and sometimes with many together and eftsoones filling them with promises and hopes and that with such new vehemencie of words as they beleeued could not proceede from dissembled intents he so preuailed in the end that hereby and by example of some inducing the rest Roger Montgomerie and diuers others were reconciled to the King in whom was thought to rest no smal matter to hold
had bene excommunicated before by Hildebrand and was then againe excommunicate by Vrbane being the first Christian Prince with Souereigne power who was euer excommunicate by any Pope And for that Vrbane at that time had his hands full against the Emperour for that also hee would not make the example too odious at the first he was willing ynough to forbeare excommunication against the King And the rather for that Anselme had intelligence from his friends in England that the excommunication would not be regarded Hereupon accompting it a sufficient declaration of his power for the time to haue menaced excommunication he caused a generall decree to be made That as well all Lay-persons who should giue inuestiture of Churches as those of the Clergie who should be so inuested also those who should yeeld themselues in subiection to Lay-men for Ecclesiastical liuings should be excōmunicate This generall sentence was pronounced The Pope also signified by letters to the King that if he would auoyd particular proceeding against himselfe he should foorth with restore Anselme to the exercise of his Office in his Church and to all the goods and possessions perteining thereto Hereupon the King sent messengers to the Pope who declared vnto him That their great Master the King marueiled not a litle wherefore he should so sharply vrge the restitution of Anselme seeing it was expresly told him That if he departed out of England without licence he should expect no other vsage Well said the Pope Haue you no other cause against Anselme but that he hath appealed to the Apostolicall Sea and without licence of your King hath trauailed thither They answered No. And haue you taken all this paines said he haue you trauailed thus farre to tell me this Goe tell your Lord if he will not be excommunicate that he presently restore Anselme to his Sea And see that you bring mee answere hereof the next Councell which shal be in the third weeke after Easter make haste and looke to your terme lest I cause you to be hanged for your tarryance The messenger was herewith much abashed yet collecting himselfe he desired priuate audience of the Pope affirming that he had some secret instructions from the King to impart vnto him What this secret was it is vnknowne Whatsoeuer it was a longer day was obtained for the King vntill Michaelmas then next ensuing And when that day was come albeit complaints were renued yet was nothing done against the King The Archb. seeing the small assurance of the Pope returned to Lions in France and there remained vntil the death first of Pope Vrbane and afterwards of the king which was almost the space of 3. yeeres By this great conflict the king lost the hearts of many of the Clergie but his displeasure had seasoned reuenge with contentment and finding himselfe sufficient both in courage and meanes to beare out his actions he became many other wayes heauie vnto them When any Bishopricke or Monasterie fell voyd he kept them vacant a long time in his hands and applied the profits to himselfe At the last hee would set them to open sale and receiue him for Prelate who would giue for them the greatest price Herehence two great inconueniences did ensue the best places were furnished with men of least sufficiencie and worth and no man hoping to rise by desert the generall endeuour for vertue and knowledge were layd aside the direct way to aduancement was by plaine purchase from the king In this seazing and farming and marchandizing of Church-liuings one Ranulph commonly called the Kings Chapleine was a great agent for the King Hee was a man of faire vse of speach and liuely in witte which hee made seruants to licentious designes but both in birth and behauiour base and shamelesse in dishonestie a very bawde to all the Kings purposes and desires Hee could be so euill as hee li◅ted and listed no lesse then was to his aduantage The King would often laugh at him and say that he was a notable fellow to compasse matters for a King And yet besides more then ordinary fauour of countenance the King aduanced him first to be his Chancellour and afterward to be Bishop of Duresme By his aduise so soone as any Church fell voide an Inuentory was made of all the goods that were found as if they should bee preserued for the next successor and then they were committed to the custodie of the King but neuer restored to the Church againe So the next incumbent receiued his Church naked and bare notwithstanding that he paid a good price for it From this King the vse is said to haue first risen in England that the Kings succeeding had the Temporalties of Bishops Seas so long as they remained voide Hee also set the first enformers to worke and for small transgressions appointed great penalties Hee is also reported to haue been the first King of this Realme who restreined his subiects from ranging into forreine Countreys without licence And yet what did the King by this sale of Church dignities but that which was most frequent in other places For in other places also few attained to such dignities freely The difference was this here the money was receiued by the King there by fauorites or inferiour officers here it was expended in the publike vses of the State there to priuate and many times odious enrichments this seemeth the more easie that the more extreme pressure as done by more hungrie and degenerous persons this may bee esteemed by some the more base but assuredly it was the better dealing And further it is euident that the King did freely aduance many excellent persons to principall dignities in the Church and especially Anselme to the Archbishopricke of Canterburie who was so vnwilling to accept that honour that the King had much to doe to thrust it vpon him And the rather to enduce him he gaue him wholly the citie of Canterburie which his predecessors had held but at the pleasure of the King This Anselme was one whose learned labours doe plainely testifie how little his spirits were fed with the fulsome fumes of surfeting and ease which to many others together with their bodies doe fatten and engrosse their mindes He so detested singularitie that he accounted it the sinne which threw Angels out of Heauen and man out of Paradise This detestation of singularitie might happily encline him to the other extreme to adhere ouer lightly to some common receiued errours It is attributed to him that hee would often wish to bee rather in hell without sinne then with sinne in heauen The king also aduanced Robert Bloet to the Bishopricke of Lincolne a man whose wisedom was highly graced with goodly personage and good deliuery of speach from whom notwithstanding the king afterwards wiped fiue thousand markes Hee also freely receiued Hugh de Floriaco a man for his vertue much esteemed to be Abbot of the Monastery of S. Augustines in Canterburie and likewise diuers others to other Ecclesiasticall preferments
should be permitted to depart safely into Normandie And vpon the same condition they of Shrewsbury sent to the King the keys of their Castle and therewith pledges for their allegeance Then Robert with his brother Ernulphus and Roger of Poictiers abiured the Realme and departed into Normandie where being full of rashnesse which is nothing but courage out of his wits and measuring their actions not by their abilities but by their desires they did more aduance the Kings affaires by hostilitie then by seruice and subiection they could possibly haue done Also William Earle of Mortaigne in Normandie and of Cornewall in England sonne of Robert vncle to the king and brother to king William the first required of the King the Earledome of Kent which had been lately held by Odo vncle to them both And being a man braue in his owne liking and esteming nothing of that which hee had in regard of that which hee did desire he was most earnest violent peremptorie in his pursuit Insomuch as blinded with ambitious haste he would often say that hee would not put off his vpper garment vntill hee had obtained that dignitie of the King These errours were excused by the greenenesse of his youth and by his desire of rising which expelled all feare of a fall Wherefore the King first deferred and afterwards moderately denied his demaund But so farre had the Earle fed his follies with assured expectation that he accompted himselfe fallen from such estate as his hungry hopes had already swallowed Hereupon his desire turned to rage and the one no lesse vaine then the other but both together casting him from a high degree of fauour which seldome stoppeth the race vntill it come to a headlong downefall For now the King made a counter-challenge to many of his possessions in England and thereupon seazed his lands dismantled his castles and compelled him in the end to forsake the Realme Not for any great offence he had done being apt to the fault rather of rough rage then of practise and deceit but his stubborne stoutnesse was his offence and it was sufficient to hold him guiltie that he thought himselfe to haue cause and meanes to be guiltie So hauing lost his owne state in England he departed into Normandie to further also the losse of that countrey There he confederated with Robert Belasme and made diuers vaine attempts against the Kings castles neither guided by wisedome nor followed by successe Especially hee vented his furie against Richard Earle of Chester who was but a childe and in wardship to the King whom he daily infested with inuasions and spoiles being no lesse full of desire to hurt then voyd of counsaile and meanes to hurt On the other side diuers of the Nobilitie of Normandie finding their Duke without iudgement to rule had no disposition to obey but conceiued a carelesse contempt against him For he seemed not so much to regard his substantiall good as a vaine breath of praise and the fruitlesse fauour of mens opinions which are no fewer in varietie then they are in number All the reuenues of his Duchie he either sold or morgaged all his Cities he did alien and was vpon the point of passing away his principall Citie of Roan to the Burgers thereof but that the conditions were esteemed too hard Hereupon many resolued to fall from him and to set their sailes with the fauourable gale which blew vpon the fortune of the King To this end they offered their submission to the King in case he would inuade Normandie whereto with many reasons they did perswade him especially in regard of the late hostile attempts there made against him by the plaine permission of the Duke his brother and not without his secret support The King embraced the faire occasion and with a strong Armie passed into Normandie Here he first relieued his forts which were any wayes distressed or annoyed then he recouered those that were lost Lastly he wanne from the Duke the towne and castle of Caen with certaine other castles besides And by the help of the President of Aniou fiâ—…ed Baion with the stately Church of S. Marie therein Vpon these euents all the Priories of Normandie resembling certaine flowers which open and close according to the rising or declining of the Sunne abandoned the Duke and made their submission to King Henry So the King hauing both enlarged and assured his state in Normandie by reason of the approach of winter departed into England but this was like the recuiling of Rammeâ—… to returne againe with the greater strength He had not long remained in England but his brother Robert came to him at Northampton to treat of some agreement of peace Here the words and behauiours of both were obserued At their first meeting they rested with their eyes fast fixed one vpon the other in such sort as did plainely declare that discourtesie then trencheth most deep when it is betweene those who should most dearely loue The Duke was in demaunds moderate in countenance and speech enclined to submisnesse and with a kinde vnkindnesse did rather entreate then perswade that in regard of the naturall Obligation betweene them by blood in regard of many offices and benefits wherewith he had endeuoured to purchase the Kings loue all hostilitie betweene them all iniurie or extremitie by Armes might cease For I call you said he before the Seate of your owne Iudgement whether the relinquishing of my Title to the Crowne of England whether the releasing of my annuity of 3000. markes whether many other kindnesses so much vndeserued as scarce desired should not in reason withdraw you from those prosecutions where warre cannot be made without shame nor victory attained without dishonour The King vsed him with honourable respect but perceiuing that he was embarked in some disaduantage conceiuing also that his courage with his Fortune began to decline he made resemblance at the first to be no lesse desirous of peace then the Duke But afterwards albeit he did not directly deny yet hee found euasions to auoyd all offers of agreement The more desirous the Duke was of peace the greater was his disdaine that his brother did refuse it Wherefore cleering his countenance from all shewes of deiection or griefe as then chiefly resolute when his passion was stirred with a voice rather violent then quicke he rose into these words I haue cast my selfe so low as your haughty heart can possibly wish whereby I haue wronged both my selfe and you my selfe in occasioning some suspition of weakenesse you in making you obstinate in your ambitious purposes But assure your selfe that this desire did not proceed from want either of courage or of meanes or of assistance of friends I can also be both vnthankefull and vnnaturall if I bee compelled And if all other supportance faile yet no arme is to be esteemed weake which striketh with the sword of necessitie and Iustice. The King with a well appeased stayednesse returned answere that he could easily endure the iniurie
of his angry wordes but to men of moderate iudgement hee would make it appeare that hee entended no more in offending him then to prouide for defending himselfe So the Duke obseruing few complements but such as were spiced with anger and disdaine returned into Normandie associated to him the English exiles and made preparation for his defence The King followed with a great power and found him in good appointment of armes nothing inferiour to the King in resolute courage but farre inferiour both in number of men and in fine contriuance of his affaires For the King had purchased assured intelligence among those that were neerest both in place and counsaile to the Duke in whom the Duke found treacherie euen when he reposed most confident trust Herewith Pope Paschal to attaine his purpose in England for deuesting the King of inuesting Bishops did not onely allow this enterprise for lawful but encouraged the King that hee should doe thereby a noble and a memorable benefit to his Realme So many stiffe battels were executed betweene them with small difference of aduantage at the first but after some continuance the Dukes side as it commonly happeneth to euill managed courage declined dayly by reason of his dayly increase of wants At the last the Duke wearied and ouerlayed both with company of men and cunning working resolued to bring his whole state to the stake and to aduenture the same vpon one cast committing to Fortune what valour and industry could bring forth The king being the Inuader thought it not his part to shrinke from the shocke being also aduertised that the French King prepared to relieue the Duke On the Dukes side disdaine rage and reuenge attended vpon hate the King retained inuincible valour assured hope to ouercome grounded vpon experience how to ouercome They met vpon the same day of the moneth iust 40. yeeres after the great battaile of William the first against King Harold of England The Kings footemen farre exceeding their enemies in number began the charge in small and scattering troupes lightly assayling where they could espie the weakest resistance But the Dukes Armie receiued them in close and firme order so as vpon the losse of many of the foremost the residue began somewhat to retire And now whether the Duke had cause or whether confidence the inseparable companion of courage perswaded him that he had cause he supposed that hee had the best of the field and that the victory was euen in his hand But suddenly the King with his whole forces of horse charged him in flanke and with great violence brake into his battaile Herewith the footmen also returned and turned them all to a ruinous rout The Duke performed admirable effects of valour and so did most of the English exiles as fearing ouerthrow worse then death But no courage was sufficient to sustaine the disorder the Normans on euery hand were chased ruffled and beaten downe Hereupon the Dukes courage boyling in choller hee doubled many blowes vpon his enemies more furiously driuen then well placed and set and pressing vp hardly among them was suddenly engaged so farre that hee could not possibly recouer himselfe So he was taken manfully fighting or as some other authours affirme was beastly betrayed by his owne followers With him were also taken the Earle of Mortaigne William Crispine William Ferreis Robert Estotiuill with foure hundred men of armes and ten thousand ordinary souldiers The number of the slaine on both sides is not reported by any authour but all authours agree that this was the most bloody medly that euer had been executed in Normandie before portended as it is thought by a Comet and by two full Moones which late before were seene the one in the East and the other in the West After this victorie the King reduced Normandie entirely into his possession and annexed it to the Realme of England Then hee built therein many Castles and planted garrisons and with no lesse wisedome assured that State then with valour he had wonne it When he had setled all things according to his iudgement he returned into England brought with him his brother Robert and committed him to safe custodie in the Castle of Cardiff But either by reason of his fauourable restraint or else by negligence or corruption of his keepers he escaped away and fled for his libertie as if it had been for his life Notwithstanding this proued but a false fauour or rather a true flatterie or scorne of Fortune For being sharply pursued he was taken againe sitting vpon horsebacke his horse legs fast locked in deep tough clay Then hee was committed to straight and close prison his eyes put out as if hee should not see his miserie and a sure guard set vpon him Thus he remained in desolate darkenesse neither reuerenced by any for his former greatnesse not pitied for his present distresse Thus hee continued about 27. yeeres in a life farre more grieuous then death euen vntill the yere before the death of King Henrie So long was he a suitor in wooing of death so long did the one brother ouerliue his good fortune the other his good nature and disposition esteeming it a faire fauour that the vttermost extremitie was not inflicted Albeit some writers doe affirme that the Dukes eyes were not violently put out but that either through age or infirmitie he fell blind that he was honourably attended and cared for that hauing digested in his iudgement the worst of his case the greatnesse of his courage did neuer descend to any base degree of sorrow or griefe that his braue behauiour did set a Maiestie vpon his deiected fortunes that his noble heart like the Sunne did shew greatest coūtenance in lowest state And to this report I am the more inclineable for that it agreeth best both to the faire conditions and to the former behauiours and to the succeeding fortunes and felicities of the King For assuredly hee had a heart of manly clemencie and this was a punishment barbarously cruell For which cause Constantine did forbid that the face of man adorned with Celestiall beauty should be deformed for any offence Others auow that he was neuer blind but that it was the Earle of Mortaigne whose eyes were put out And this seemeth to be confirmed by that which Matth. Paris and Matth. Westm doe report That not long before the death of Robert the King vpon a festiuall day had a new robe of Scarlet brought vnto him the cape whereof being somewhat too streight for his head he did teare a little in striuing to put it on And perceiuing that it would not serue hee laid it aside and said Let my brother Robert haue this Robe for whose head it is fitter then for mine When it was caried vnto him being then not perfectly in health he espied the crackt place and thereupon enquired if any man had worne it before The messenger declared the whole matter Which when Robert heard he tooke it for a great indignitie
and said I perceiue now that I haue liued too long that my brother doth clothe me like his almoseman with cast and torne garments So hee grew weary of his life and his disease encreasing with his discontentment pined away and in short time after died and was buried at Glocester And this was the end of that excellent commander brought to this game and gaze of fortune after many trauerses that he had troden He was for courage and direction inferiour to none but neither prouident nor constant in his affaires whereby the true end of his actions were ouerthrowen His valour had triumphed ouer desperate dangers and verely he was no more setled in valour then disposed to vertue and goodnesse neuer wilfully or willingly doing euill neuer but by errour as finding it disguised vnder some maske of goodnesse His performances in armes had raised him to a high point of opiniō for his prowesse which made him the more vnhappy as vnhappie after a fall from high state of honor He had one sonne named William vpon whose birth the mother died of this William shall somewhat hereafter be said And now as Princes oftentimes doe make aduantage of the calamity of their neighbours so vpon this downefall of the Duke of Normandie Fulke Earle of Aniou sharing for himselfe seized vpon Maine and certain other places made large waste tooke great booties and spoyles not onely out of ancient and almost hereditary hate against the hose of Normandie but as fearing harme from the King of England hee endeauoured to harme him first In like sort Baldwine Earle of Flanders declared in armes against the King for a yeerely pension of 300. markes the occasion of which demand was this King William the first in recompence of the ayde which he receiued in his enterprise for England from Baldwine 5. Earle of Flanders payd him yeerely three hundred markes which after his death was continued to his sonne Robert Earle of Flanders from a collaterall line demanded the same Pension but it was denied him by K. Henrie wherefore Baldwine his sonne attempted now to recouer it by Armes With these or rather as principall of these Lewes the grosse King of France seeing his ouersight in permitting Normandie to bee annexed to the Realme of England assembled a great armie and vpon pretence of a trifling quarrell about the demolishing of the Castle of Gisors declared William sonne to Robert Curtcuise for Duke of Normandie and vndertooke to place him in possession of that state which his vnfortunate father had lost And besides those open hostilities in Armes Hugh the kings Chamberlaine and certaine others were suborned traiterously to kill the King but the practise was in good time discouered and the conspirators punished by death Hereupon the King both with celeritie and power answerable to the danger at hand passed the Seas into Normandie hauing first drawen to his assistance Theobald Earle of Champaine the Earles of Crecie Pissaux and Dammartine who aspired to be absolute Lords within their territories as were many other Princes at that time in France These deteined the French King in some tariance in France whilest the King of England either recouered or reuenged his losses against the Earle of Aniou At the last hee was assailed in Normandie on three parts at once by the Earle of Aniou from Maine from Ponthieu by the Earle of Flanders and by the French King betweene both The King of England appointed certaine forces to guard the passages against the Earle of Aniou with directions to hold themselues within their strength and not to aduenture into the field Against the Earle of Flanders hee went in person and in a sharpe shocke betweene them the Earle was defeated and hurt and as some Authors affirme slaine albeit others doe report that hee was afterwards slaine in a battaile betweene the two Kings of England and of France After this he turned against Lewes King of France and fought with him before the towne of Nice in Normandie which towne the French had surprised and taken from the King of England This battaile continued aboue the space of nine houres with incredible obstinacie the doubt of victory being no lesse great then was the desire and yet neither part so hastie to end as not to stay for the best aduantage The first battaile on both sides was hewen in pieces valour of inestimable value was there cast away much braue blood was lost many men esteemed both for their place and worth lay groaning and grinning vnder the heauy hand of death The sad blowes the grisle wounds the grieuous deathes that were dealt that day might well haue moued any man to haue said That warre is nothing else but inhumane manhood The Kings courage guided with his Fortune and guarded both with his strength and his skill was neuer idle neuer but working memorable effects In all places his directions were followed by his presence being witnesse both of the diligence and valour of euery man and not suffering any good aduantage or aduise for want of timely taking to be lost He aduentured so farre in perfourming with his hand that his armour in many places was battered to his body and by reason of the sturdie strokes set vpon his helme he cast blood out of his mouth But this was so farre from dismaying his powers that it did rather assemble and vnite them so as aduancing his braue head his furie did breath such vigour into his arme that his sword made way through the thickest throngs of his enemies and hee brake into them euen to the last ranckes He was first seconded by the truely valiant whose vndanted spirits did assure the best and therewith contemne the very worst Then came in they whom despaire the last of resolutions had made valiant who discerned no meanes of hope for life but by bold aduenturing vpon death Lastly he was followed by all being enflamed by this example to a new life of resolution Generally the swords went so fast that the French vnable to endure that deadly storme were vtterly disbanded and turned to flight K. Henry after a bloody chase recouered Nice and with great triumph returned to Roan Afterwards he would often say That in other battailes he fought for victory but in this for his life and that hee would but little ioy in many such victories Vpon this euent the King sent certaine forces into France to harrase the countrey and to strike a terrour into the enemie The French King besides the abatement of his power by reason of his late ouerthrow was then preparing in Armes against Henry the Emperour who intended to destroy Rhemes partly drawen on by Henry King of England whose daughter he had taken to wife but chiefly for that a Councell had bene there held against him by Pope Calixtus a French man wherein the Emperour was declared enemie to the Church and degraded from his Imperiall dignitie This brought the English to a carelesse conceit and to a loose and licentious demeanure
estranged himselfe as it was enterpreted to be a reuolt being charged with intent to aduance William cousin to William sonne to Robert Curtcuise to the Duchie of Normandie Wherefore the King besieged and at last tooke his chiefe Castle called Pont. Audomer and at the same time enuironed the towre of Roan with a wall He also repaired and fortified the Castles of Caen Arches Gisore Falace Argentine Donfronç Oxine Aubrois Nanroye Iuta and the Towne of Vernone in such sort as at that time they were esteemed impregnable and not to bee forced by any enemie except God or gold In the meane time the Earle of Mellent with Hugh Geruase his sonne and Hugh de Mountfort his sisters sonne calling such as either alliance or friendship did draw vnto them besides those whom youthful either age or minds had filled with vnlimited desires whom discontentment also or want did vainly feed with hungry hopes entred into Normandy in armes being so transported with desire to hurt and troubled with feare of receiuing hurt that they had neuer free scope of iudgement either to prepare or manage the meanes to hurt They were no sooner entred the Confines of Normandie but William Tankeruill the kings Chamberlaine came against them brauely appointed and resolute to fight The very view of an enemie turned their euill guided furie into a feare and whatsoeuer they did proceeding rather from violence of passion then ground of reason made them stumble whilest they ran and by their owne disorders hindered their owne desires So with small difficultie they were surprised and taken and brought to the King who committed them to streit prison at Roan An ordinary euent when rage runneth faster then iudgement and power are able to hold pace About this time Charles Earle of Flanders as he was at his deuotions in the Church of S. Donatus in Bruxels was suddenly slaine by conspiracie of his owne people And because hee left no issue in life Lewes King of France inuested William sonne to Robert Curtcuis late Duke of Normandie in the Earledome of Flanders as descended from Earle Baldwine sirnamed the Pious whose daughter Matilde was wife to King William the first and grandmother to this William This he did not so much in fauour to William or in regard of his right as to set vp an assured enemie against King Henry an enemie not onely of singular expectation but proofe whose courage was apt to vndertake any danger whether for glory or for reuenge And herein his proiect did nothing faile For no sooner was the Earle aduanced to that estate but he raised a great hostilitie against the King of England as well to recouer the Duchie of Normandie as either to relieue or to reuenge the hard captiuitie of his father In this warre the Earle did winne a great opinion both for iudgement to discerne and for valour to execute what hee did discerne shewing himselfe in nothing inferiour to his vnckle the king but onely in treasure and command of men For this cause he craued supply of Lewes king of France who as he was the first that blew the cole so was he alwayes ready to put fuell to the flame But the King of England entered France with a strong Armie where his sword ranged and raged without resistance and yet more in prosecution of prey then in execution of blood He lodged at Hesperdune the space of 8. dayes no lesse quietly no lesse safely then if he had bene in the principall Citie of his kingdome By this meanes hee kept the French King from sending succour to the Earle of Flanders And in the meane season drew Theodoricke Earle of Holsteine nephew to Robert who had bene Earle of Flanders and Arnoldus sisters sonne to Earle Charles not long before slaine to inuade Earle William Both pretending title to his dignitie both bringing seueral armies consisting of men tough in temper and well exercised in affaires of the field Theodorick vpon his first approch tooke Bruges Ipres and Gandt either willingly yeelding or with small resistance and vpon the necke thereof Arnoldus tooke the strong towne of S. Omer Earle William being thus set as it were betweene the beetle and the blocke was nothing deiected nothing dismayed either in courage or in hope And first he went against Arnoldus with a small company but with such a liuely countenance of a Souldier that Arnoldus fell to capitulation for his safe departure and so returned home as if he had bene vanquished Then the Earle made head against Theodorick and gaue him battaile albeit farre inferious to him both for number and furniture of his men The fight betweene them was long furious and doubtfull The Germans confident in their number which made them trust the lesse to their valour the Flemings rather desperate then resolute vpon importance of their danger And indeed it often happeneth that good successe at the first doeth occasion the ouerthrow of many great actions by working in the one side a confidence in themselues and contempt of their enemies and by making the other more earnest and entire So at the last the violent valour of the Earle well followed with the braue and resolute rage of his Souldiers did such effects that the Germans were shaken and disordered many slaine in the field and the residue chased out of Flanders The Earle hauing now no enemie in open field layed siege to the castle of Alhurst which was defended against him by the English The assaults were so liuely enforced and with such varietie of inuention and deuise that a wide way was opened through all impediments and the defendants were constrained by many necessities to desire faire conditions of yeelding This whilest the Earle delayed to grant he receiued in a certaine light cōflict a wound in his hand whereof in a short time after he died hauing first raised himselfe very high in opinion with all men for his courage industrie and skill in Armes And thus Duke Robert and his sonne William were brought to their vnhappy ends rather through the malice of their Fortune then through any bad merit or insufficiencie in themselues whereby the Duchie of Normandie which had bene both the cause and the seate of very great warres was then strongly setled in possession of King Henry Hee was neuer infested with domesticall warres which in regard of those tumultuous times is a manifest argument both of his iustice and prouidence the one not giuing cause the other no hope for his subiects to rebel The King of Scots did homage vnto him for what territories I doe not determine Morcard King of Ireland and some of his successors were so appliable vnto him that they seemed to depend vpon his command The Welsh who hated idlenesse and peace alike did striue beyond their strength to pull their feete out of the mire of subiection but in loose straggling companies without either discipline or head For this cause hee made diuers expeditions into Wales where he had many bickerings and put
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
which in former times the Kings of England did yeeld to the See of Rome desiring againe that he might not be abridged of such vsages as his father did enioy concluding that during his life hee would not suffer the dignities of his Crowne to be empaired and if he should so doe yet the Nobilitie and common people of the Realme would in no case permit it but would rather recede from obedience to his See The Pope wrote backe againe to Anselme that for one mans pleasure hee would not reuerse the decrees of former Popes and therefore gaue him both encouragement charge to continue constant and to see them obserued in euery point Hee directed also his letters to the King which the King did suppresse but his Embassadours declared by word that the Pope permitted Inuestitures to the King so as in other things hee would execute the Office of a good Prince Anselme called for the Popes letters The King answered that his Bishops were to be credited before the Monckes who were disabled either for voyce or testimonie in Secular affaires Anselme said that he was desirous to yeeld vnto the King but he durst not although it should cost him his head vnlesse he had a warrant from Rome and therefore he would send thither againe to haue a more full and ample answere The King and diuers of the Nobilitie perswaded him to goe in person to trauaile to the Pope and to trauaile with him for the quiet of the Church and of his countrey With much adoe he was entreated and so set forth on his iourney towards Rome and after followed the kings Embassadour Wiliam Warlewast new elect Bishop of Exceter When the Bishop came to the Popes presence he declared vnto him what great commodities did rise out of England to the See of Rome that the Inuesting of Prelats had bene an ancient right to the crowne of that Realme that as the King was by nature liberall so was he stout and resolute in courage that it should be a great dishonour to him who in power exceeded any of his ancesters if hee should not maintaine the dignities which they held that for this cause the Pope should doe well to preferre to his consideration what preiudice might follow to his Estate if hee should remit nothing of the seuerities of those Canons which had bene lately made The Pope gaue an attentiue eare and seemed to pause vpon that which had been sayd Which the Kings Ambassadour taking to be a degree of yeelding did more earnestly insist and said that the King his master would not for the Crowne of his Realme loose the authoritie of inuesting his Prelates Hereto the Pope with a starting voice and countenance answered Neither will I lose the disposing of spirituall promotions in England for the Kings head that beareth the Crowne before God said hee I aduow it His flattering followers applauded this speach as proceeding from a magnanimous courage or rather as some flash of diuine inspiration and the Kings Ambassador not a little abashed was content to descend to lower demands In the ende it was ordered that the King should be restored to certaine customes which had been vsed by his father but that all they who had bin inuested by the King should be excōmunicate that their satisfaction and absolution should be committed vnto Anselme Thus Anselme with full saile of victorie and ioy returned towards England but the Kings Ambassadour stayed behind to assay whether by any meanes hee could worke the Pope to a milder minde But when hee saw that he trauailed in vaine he followed Anselme and ouertooke him at Placentia and there deliuered vnto him certaine priuate instructions from the King that if he would come into England and behaue himselfe as his predecessours had done towards the Kings father hee should be welcome otherwise you are wise enough said hee you know what I meane and may easily coniecture what will ensue With these words he flang suddenly away by occasion whereof his speaches setled with a more strong impression and multiplied many doubtfull constructions So the Embassadour returned to the King but Anselme went to Lions and remained there a yeere and halfe In the meane time much posting was made betweene England Lions and Rome but nothing was concluded nothing could please For neither the Pope would yeeld to the King nor the King to Anselme At the last Anselme threatned to excommunicate the King whereof the King being aduertised by the Countesse Adela his sister hee desired her to come to him into Normandy and to bring Anselme with her Here the King restored Anselme to his former possessions but his returne into England was respited vntill the Pope had confirmed certaine things which Anselme did assure So the King tooke his passage into England and Anselme abode at the Abbey of Beck Then were dispatched for Rome William Warlewast mentioned before and Baldwine Abbot of Ramsey by whose meanes the controuersie was composed betweene the King and the Pope that the King should receiue homage of Bishops elect but should not inuest them by Staffe and Ring After this the king went into Normandie and there agreed to Anselme in these points following 1 That all his Churches which had been made tributary to King William the second should bee set free 2 That the King should require nothing of the sayd Churches whilest the Sea should remaine vacant 3 That such Priests as had giuen money to the King to reteine their wiues should surcease from their function the space of three yeeres and that the king should take no more after such maner 4 That all such goods fruits and possessions as the King had taken from the Sea of Canterbury should bee restored to him at his returne into England Thus Anselme returned into England and after a short time the king followed hauing taken his brother prisoner and subdued Normandie to his subiection Forthwith Anselme by permission of the K. assembled a great Councell of the Clergie at Westminster wherein hee so wrought with the King that at length albeit not without great difficultie it was newly decreed that no temporal man should giue inuestiture with Crosse or with Ring or with Pastoral staffe Also he directed 〈◊〉 to the Priests of his Prouince that they and their wiues should neuer meete within one house that they should not keepe any woman in their house but such as were next in kinred vnto them That hee who held his wife and presumed to say Masse within eight dayes after should solemnely be excommunicate That all Archdeacons and their Officials should bee sworne not to winke at the meetings of Priests and their wiues for any respect and if they would not take this oath then to lose their office that such Priests as would forsake their wiues should cease fourty dayes from ministration in their office and performe such penance as should be enioyned them by their Bishop The execution of these Canons importing both a great and sudden alteration
yeere the Citie of London was very much defaced with fire The yeere next following many prodigies happened which seemed to portend the death of the King or rather the troublesome times which did thereupon ensue In the moneth of August the Sunne was so deepely eclipsed that by reason of the darkenesse of the ayre many starres did plainely appeare The second day after this defect of light the earth trembled with so great violence that many buildings were shaken downe Malmesb. sayth that the house wherein he sate was lift vp with a double remooue and at the third time setled againe in the proper place The earth in diuers places yeelded foorth a hideous noyse It cast foorth flames at certaine rifts diuers dayes together which neither by water nor by any other meanes could be suppressed During the time of the eclipse mentioned before the King was trauersing the sea into Normandie whither hee vsually went sometimes euery yeere but euery third yeere at the furthest Here he spent the whole yeere following in ordering affaires of State and in visiting euery corner of the Countrey He neuer gaue greater contentment to the people as well by his gifts as by his gentle and courteous behauiour he neuer receiued greater contentment from them by the liuely expressing of their loue But nothing did so much affect him with ioy as that his daughter Matild had brought foorth other two sonnes Geoffrey and William whereby hee conceiued that the succession of his issue to the Crowne of England was so well backed that he needed not to trouble his thoughts with any feare that his heires would faile At the last he began to languish a little and droupe in health and neither feeling nor fearing any great cause hee rode on hunting to passe it ouer with exercise and delight Herewith being somewhat cheered hee returned home and eate of a Lamprey albeit against his Physicians aduise which meate he alwayes loued but was neuer able well to digest After this and happely vpon this vicious feeding he fell into a feuer which increased in him by such dangerous degrees that within seuen dayes it led him to the period of his life Hee died vpon the first of December in the 67. yere of his age when hee had reigned 35. yeeres and foure moneths wanting one day His bowels and eyes were buried at Roan The rest of his bodie was stuffed with salt wrapped vp in Oxe hides and brought ouer into England and with honourable exequies buried in the Monastery of Reading which hee had founded His Physician who tooke out his braines by reason of the intolerable stinch which breathed from them in short time after ended his life So of all that King Henrie slue this Physician was the last He had by his first wife a sonne named William who perished by shipwracke and Matild a daughter who was espoused to the Emperour Henrie the 5. when she was scarce sixe yeeres olde and at the age of eleuen yeeres was married vnto him When shee had been married vnto him twelue yeeres he died and shee returned to the King her father both against her owne minde and against the desire of the greatest Princes of the Empire who in regard of her wise and gracious behauiour were suitors to the King more then once to haue her remaine as Empresse among them But the king would not consent to their intreatie For that shee was the onely heire to his Crowne Then many great Princes desired her in marriage But the King bestowed her vpon Geoffrey sonne to Fulke Earle of Aniou somewhat against her owne liking but greatly to the suretie of his estate in France By him she had Henrie who afterwards was King of England Further the King had by a Concubine Richard a sonne and Mary a daughter who were lost vpon the sea with their brother William By another Concubine hee had a sonne named Robert whom he created Earle of Glocester a man for valour of minde and abilitie of bodie inferiour to none in counsailes so aduised as was fit for a right Noble commander By his faith industrie and felicitie chiefly his sister Matild did afterwards resist and ouerbeare both the forces and fortunes of King Stephen He is reported to haue had 12. other bastards which were of no great either note or continuance according to that saying of the Wise man Bastard plants take no deepe rootes This King in the beginning of his Reigne made many fauourable lawes And namely That he would reserue no possessions of the Church vpon their vacancies that the heires of his Nobilitie should possesse their fathers lands without redemption from him and that the Nobilitie likewise should afford the like fauour to their Tenants that Gentlemen might giue their daughters and kinsewomen in marriage without his licence so it were not to his enemie that the widow should haue her ioynture and not be compelled to marrie against her owne liking that the mother or next of kinred should bee Guardian of the lands of her children that all debts to the Crowne and certaine offences also should bee remitted But these lawes afterwards were but slenderly obserued Three vertues were most famous in him wisedome courage and sweetenesse of speach By the last hee gained much fauour from the people By the other two he purchased both peace at home and victory abroad He was noted also for some vices but out of doubt they were farre exceeded by his vertues And for these vices also being himselfe of a pleasant disposition he was well pleased with pleasant reproofes Guymund his Chapleine obseruing that vnworthy men for the most part were aduanced to the best dignities of the Church as he celebrated Diuine seruice before him and was to read these words out of S. Iames It rained not vpon the earth iij. yeres and vj. moneths Hee did read it thus It rained not vpon the earth one one one yeres and fiue one moneths The King obserued this reading and afterwards rebuked his Chapleine for it But Guymund answered that he did it of purpose for that such readers were soonest preferred by the King The King smiled and in short time after preferred him to the gouernment of S. Frideswides in Oxeford In this King failed the heires male of King William the first and then the Crowne was possessed by Title of heires generall In these times flourished two excellent ornaments of the Church Anselme in England and Bernard in France both of them enrolled in the list of Saints And no lesse infamous for vice was Gerard Archbishop of Yorke a man of some learning not so much in substance as in seeming and shew of commendable wit which he applied chiefly to giue a couler for euery vice of his owne and for euery vertue of others either a slander or a ieast Of enuious disposition plagued lesse with his owne calamities then with the well either doing or being of other men in wiping money from his Subiects by dishonest meanes subtill and shamelesse and
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
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
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
of Warwicke the Hospitall of Kepar the Priorie of Osney neere Oxeford the Hospital of S. Crosse neere Winchester the Priorie of Norton in Cheshire with diuers others The King also founded and erected the Priorie of Dunstable the Abbey of Circester the Abbey of Reading the Abbey of Shirebourne Hee also changed the Abbey of Eley into a Bishops Sea he erected a Bishopricke at Caerlile placed Chanons there and endowed it with many honours These and many other Religious buildings either done or helped forward or permitted and allowed by the King much encreased the affection of the Clergie towards him Now to draw the loue of the common people he composed himselfe to a sober ciuilitie easie for accesse faire in speach in countenance and behauiour kind his Maiestie so tempered with mildnèsse and courtesie that his Subiects did more see the fruits then feele the weight of his high estate These were things of great moment with the vulgar sort who loue more where they are louingly intreated then where they are benefited or happely preserued He eased them of many publicke grieuances Hee restored them to the vse of fire and candle after eight of the clocke at night which his father had most straitly forbidden Punishments of losse of member vsed before he made pecuniarie Hee moderated the Law of his brother which inflicted death for killing any of the Kings Deere and ordeined that if any man killed a Deere in his owne wood the wood should be forfeited to the King He permitted to make enclosures for Parkes which taking beginning in his time did rise to that excessiue encrease that in a few succeeding ages more Parkes were in England then in all Europe beside He promised that the Lawes of K. Edward should againe be restored but to put off the present performance he gaue forth that first they should be reuiewed and corrected and made appliable to the present time And albeit in trueth they were neuer either reuiewed or corrected yet the onely hope thereof did worke in the people a fauourable inclination to his part Whilest the King did thus Immure himselfe in the state of England as well by ordering his affaires as by winning the hearts of the people vnto him Duke Robert was returning from Palestine by easie and pleasurable iourneys vsing neither the celeritie nor forecast which the necessitie of his occasions did require Hee visited many Princes by the way and consumed much time in entertainments and other complements of Court Hee tooke to wife as he came Sibell the daughter of Roger Duke of Apulia and Earle of Cicill vvho was a Norman and the great portion of money which he receiued for her dower he loosely lauished foorth amongst his followers of whom he receiued nothing againe but thankes when he scattered rather then gaue and pitie when he wanted At the last he arriued in Normandie and foorthwith was sollicited out of England by letters from many who either vpon conscience or discontentment fauoured his Title and especially from Radulph Bishop of Durham who had lately escaped out of prison a man odious ynough to vndoe a good cause that he would omit no time that hee would let fall no diligence to embarke himselfe in the enterprise for England that he had many friends there both powerfull and sure who would partake with him in his dangers although not in the honour atchieued by his dangers that therewith the peoples fauour towards the King did begin to ebbe and that it was good taking the first of the tide Hereupon he shuffled vp an Armie in haste neither for number nor furniture nor choise of men answerable to the enterprise in hand Then he crossed the Seas landed at Portesmouth and marched a small way into the Countrey vainely expecting the concourse and ayd which had bene assured him out of England But King Henry had made so good vse both of his warning and time to prouide against this tempest that hee did at once both cut from the Duke all meanes of ayd and was ready to encounter him in braue appointment Hereupon many who were vnable by Armes to relieue the Duke by aduise did to him the best offices they could For they laboured both the King and him to a reconcilement The King with respect of his new vnsettled estate the Duke with respect of his weakenesses and wants both with regard of naturall duetie and loue knit betweene them by band of blood So after some trauaile and debatement a peace was concluded vpon these Conditions That Henry should reteine the kingdome of England and pay to his brother Robert 3000. markes yeerely That if either of them should die without issue the suruiuour should succeed That no man should receiue preiudice for following the part of the one or of the other These conditions being solemnely sworne by the king and the Duke and twelue Noble men on either part the Duke returned into Normandie and about two yeeres after went againe into England to visit the King and to spend some time with him in feasting and disport At which time to requite the Kings kind vsage and entertainment but especially to gratifie Matild the Queene to whom he was godfather he released to the King the annuall payment of 3000. markes But as a wound is more painefull the day following then when it was first and freshly taken so this loose leuitie of the Duke which was an exceeding sad and sore blow to his estate was scarce sensible at his departure out of England but most grieuous to him after hee had remained in Normandie a while whereby many motions were occasioned as well in the one place as in the other The Duke complained that hee had bene circumuented by his brother the King that his courtesies were nothing else but allurements to mischiefe that his gifts were pleasant baites to couer and conuey most dangerous hookes that his faire speaches were sugred poysons that his kinde embracements were euen to tickle his friends to death Robert Belasme Earle of Shrewsbury a man of great estate but doubtfull whether of lesse wisedome or feare tooke part with the Duke and fortified the Towne and Castle of Shrewsbury the Castles of Bridgenorth Tichel and Arundel and certaine other pieces in Wales against King Henry And hauing drawen vnto him some persons of wretched state and worse minde whose fortunes could not bee empaired by any euent hee entred Stafford-shire and droue away light booties of cattell being prepared neither in forces nor in courage to stay the doing of greater mischiefe But neither was this sudden to the King neither was he euer vnprouided against sudden aduentures Wherefore encountring the danger before it grew to perfection and strength he first brought his power against the Castle of Bridgenorth which was forthwith rendred vnto him The residue followed the example which in enterprise of armes is of greatest moment and submitted themselues to the Kings discretion Onely the Castle of Arundel yeelded vpon condition that Robert Belasme their Lord
Vpon these letters Thurstine was sent for and reconciled to the King and quietly placed in his Church at Yorke And thus when the Bishops of Rome had gained absolute superiority ouer the state of the Church euen for managing external actions and affaires which seeme to be a part of ciuill gouernement there wanted nothing but either a weake Prince or a factious Nobilitie or a headstrong tumultuous people to giue him absolute superioritie ouer all In the second yeere of this Kings reigne the Cities of Gloucester and Winchester were for the most part wasted with fire In the fourth yeere a blasing starre appeared and foure circles were seene about the Sunne The yeere next following the King preuailed much in Normandie and so did the Sea in Flanders insomuch as a great part of that Countrey lay buried in the waters In the seuenth yeere a blazing starre appeared and vpon thursday night before Easter two full Moones were seene one in the East and the other in the West The same yeere Robert Duke of Normandie was taken brought prisoner into England In the tenth yeere the Abbey of Elie was made a Bishops Sea and Cambridge shire was appointed for the Diocesse thereof In regard whereof the King gaue the mannour of Spalding to the Bishop of Lincolne for that the shire of Cambridge was formerly vnder the Iurisdiction of Lincolne The same yeere a Comet appeared after a strange fashiō About Shrewsburie was a great earthquake The water of Trent was dried vp at Nottingham the space of a mile from one of the clocke vntill three so as men might passe ouer the Channell on foote Warres ensued against the Earle of Aniou a great mortalitie of men a murraine of beastes both domesticke and of the fielde yea the ◅oules perished in great abundance In the 13. yeere the Citie of Worcester and therein the chiefe Church the Castle with much people were consumed with fire A pigge was farrowed with a face like a childe A chicken was hatched with foure legs The yeere next ensuing the riuer of Medeway so fayled for many miles that in the middest of the channell the smallest boates could not floate In the Thames also was such defect of water that betweene the Tower and the Bridge many men and children did wade ouer on foote This happened by reason of a great ebbe in the Ocean which layd the sands bare many miles from the shoare and so continued one whole day Much rage and violence of weather ensued and a blasing starre The Citie of Chichester with the principall Monastery was burnt The yeere next following almost all the Bridges in England being then of timber by reason of a hard Winter were borne downe with Ice In the 17. yeere the towne of Peterborough with the stately Church were burned to the ground The Citie of Bath also was much ruined and defaced with fire In March there happened fearefull lightning and in December grieuous thunder and haile The Moone at both times seemed to be turned into blood by reason of the euill qualited vapours through which it gaue light The yeere following Mathild the Queene departed this life a woman in pietie chastitie modestie and all other vertues nothing inferiour to her mother but in learning and iudgement farre beyond her who did not act nor speake nor scarce thinke any thing but first it was weighed by wisdome and vertue When the king desired her in marriage for the publicke good and tranquilitie of the State in reducing the Saxon blood to the Crowne she first modestly then earnestly refused the offer shewing no lesse magnanimitie in despising honours then others doe in affecting them But when she was not so much perswaded as importuned to forsake her profession she is reported by some to haue taken the matter so to heart that she cursed such issue as she should bring forth which curse did afterwards lie heauie vpon them For her sonne William perished by shipwrack and her daughter Matild was neuer voyd of great vexations As she trauailed ouer the riuer of Lue at the Old-foord neere London she was well washed and somewhat endangered in her passage whereupon he caused two Stone-bridges to be built ouer the same riuer one at the head of the towne of Stratford the other ouer another streame thereof commonly called Channelsbridge and paued the way betweene them with grauel She gaue also certaine mannours and a mill called Wiggon mill for repairing of the same bridges and way These were the first Stone-bridges that were made in England And because they were arched like a bow the towne of Stratford was afterwards called Bow In the 20. yere a great earthquake hapned in the moneth of September In the 22. yeere the Citie of Glocester with the principal Monasterie was fired againe The yeere next following the Citie of Lincolne was for the most part burned downe and many persons perished with the rage of the flame In the 27. yeere the King receiued an oath of the chiefe of the Prelats and Nobilitie of the Realme that after his death they should maintaine the kingdom against al men for his daughter Matild in case she should suruiue and the king not leaue issue male in life In the 30. yeere the Citie of Rochester was much defaced with fire euen in the presence and view of the King The yeere next following the oath to Matild was receiued againe About this time the King was much troubled with fearefull dreames which did so affright him that he would often leape out of his bed and lay hand on his sword as if it were to defend himselfe This yeere as he returned out of Normandie into England when he had bene caried not farre from land the winde began to rise and the Sea swelled somewhat bigge This weather did almost suddenly encrease to so dangerous a storme that all expected to be cast away The King dismayed the more by his sonnes mishap reconciled himselfe to God and vowed to reforme many errours of his life if he did escape So after his arriuall he went to the Monasterie of S Edmund and there both ratified and renued the promise he had made After this he was better ordered in his actions he erected a Bishopricke at Caerlile and endowed it with many honours he caused Iustice indifferently to be administred and eased the people of the tribute called Dane-guilt In the 32. yeere Matilde daughter to the King was deliuered of a sonne who was named Henry Hereupon the king assembled his Nobilitie at Oxeford where he did celebrate his feast of Easter and there ordeined that shee and her heires should succeed him in the kingdome And albeit they were often sworne to this appointment albeit Stephen Earle of Bloise was the first man who tooke that oath yet was he the first who did rise against it yet did many others also ioyne with him in his action For oathes are commonly troden vnder foote when they lye in the way either to honour or reuenge The same
were amongst them and to cast downe the Castles erected in their Countrey as the principall yoakes of their subiection Afterwards rising in boldnesse with successe they made diuers incursions vpon the bordering parts of England spoiled the Citie of Glocester and exercised all those outrages which vnciuill people incensed both with want and with hate doe not vsually omit But being a company neither in discipline nor pay raw and vnarmed they proceeded more like to robbers then to Souldiers hauing no intention to vanquish but to spoile Hereupon the King twice in person inuaded Wales but with small shew of successe for the present For the Welsh-enemies scattered the warre by diuiding themselues into small companies and retiring into the mountaines and woods and other places of naturall defence Here they trauailed the King with a fugitiue fight flying when they were pursued and houering vpon him when they were giuen ouer cutting off many stragling souldiers and taking some carriages which in those rough places could not easily either be passed or defended And so by shifting alwayes into places of aduantage they sought at one time both to auoyd fighting and to hinder the King from doing any thing of importance At the last the King hauing made sufficient proofe how vaine it is to follow a light footed enemie with a heauie Armie pestered with traine of carriage in places where the seruice of horsemen is almost vnprofitable he gaue ouer the pursuit and retired into England But first he repaired those Castles which the Welsh had destroyed and built new Castles also vpon the frontiers and within the bosome of Wales which he furnished with so sure garrisons as might suffice with fauour of opportunitie either to weary or consume the enemies And indeed the Welsh being by this meanes alwayes exercised and dayly wasted declined in short time no lesse to cowardise then to wearinesse and wants so as Hugh Earle of Chester Hugh Earle of Shrewesbury dispossessed them of the Isle of Anglesey which they had surprised not long before The Welsh that were there taken were very hardly or rather vnmercifully and cruelly entreated Some had their eyes pulled out some their hands cut off some their armes some their noses some their genitalles An aged Priest named Kenredus who had bene a chiefe directer of the common affaires was drawne out of a Church whereinto he had fled had one of his eyes pulled out and his tongue torne from his throat I make no doubt but these seuerities were vsed against them vpon some sauage outrages which they had done wherein the lesse compassion was borne to their calamities for the cowardise which they shewed in their owne defence Shortly after Magnus King of Norway the sonne of Olaus the sonne of Harold Harfager hauing brought the Isles of Orkeney vnder his dominion subdued also from the Welsh the Isle of Man and enterprised vpon the Isle of Anglesey against the English But at his landing he was encountred by the Earle of Shrewsbury and the Earle of Chester in which fight the Norwegians were vanquished and repelled but the Earle of Shrewsbury with too braue boldnesse lost his life leauing his honourable both actions and end as an excellent ornament to his posteritie Afterwards the Earle of Chester led an armie into Wales and found the people so consumed by the English garisons that he easily reduced many to professe obedience to the Crowne of England and disabled others hauing no leaders of experience and valour for shewing their faces as enemies in the field Also vpon some variances which did rise betweene Iustinus sonne to Gurguntus Earle of Glamorgane and Morganock and Rhesus sonne to Theodore Prince of Southwales Iustinus not of power to maintaine either his right or his will sent Aeneas sonne to Genidorus sometimes Lord of Demetia to craue aide in England This he obtained not onely readily but in greater measure then the seruice did require Robert Fitzhamond was generall Commander of the English armie who encountred Rhesus at a place called Blackhill and in that fight Rhesus was slaine after whose death the name of King ceased in Wales Then Iustinus failing and happily not able to performe such conditions as in necessitie hee had assured Fitzhamond turned his forces against him chased the Welsh out of the champaine Countrey and diuided the same among his principall Gentlemen These erected Castles in places conuenient for their mutuall ayde and so well defended themselues that they left the Countrey to their posterity Thus was the Lordship of Glamorgane and Morganock which conteineth 27. miles in length 22. in bredth subdued to the English giuing example how dangerous it is for any people to call in a greater force of strangers to their ayde then being victorious they may easily be able to limit and restraine This being a Lordship marcher hath enioyed royall liberties since the time wherein it was first subdued It hath acknowledged seruice and obedience onely to the Crowne It hath had the triall of all actions as well reall as personall and also held Pleas of the Crowne with authority to pardon all offences Treason onely excepted Whilest the King was entertained with these chases rather then warres in Wales hee lay at Gloucester many times as not esteeming that his presence should alwayes be necessary and yet not farre off if occasion should require To this place Malcolme King of Scots came vnto him vpon an honourable visitation But the King hauing conceiued some displeasure against him refused to admit him to his presence Hereupon King Malcolme full of fury and disdaine returned into Scotland assembled an armie enuaded Northumberland harrased and spoyled a great part thereof hauing done the like foure times before Such is the heate of hate in mindes that are mighty who seldome hold it any breach of Iustice to bee reuenged of him who offereth dishonor When he was come neere to Alnewicke and his souldiers were much pestered with prey a notable impediment both for readinesse and resolution to fight hee was set vpon both suddenly and sharply by Robert Mowbray Earle of Northumberland his troupes hewen in pieces himselfe together with his eleest sonne Edward slaine The third day ensuing Margaret wife to King Malcolme and sister to Edgar Adeling not able to beare so sad and heauie a blow of fortune ended also her life Shee was famous for pietie and for modestie two excellent endowments of that Sexe By her perswasion Malcolme made a law that whereas by a former law made by King Eugenius the Lord enioyed the first night with any new married woman within his dominion the husband might redeeme that abuse by paiment of halfe a mark of siluer King Malcolme being slaine Dunwald his brother vsurped the kingdome but after a few dayes he was dispossessed thereof by Duncane bastard son to K. Malcolme In this action Duncane was chiefly supported by the King of England with whom he had remained in hostage and to whom hee had made his submission by oath