of his mother Maude who was daughter to Waltheof Earle of Huntingdon and of Iudith Neece to William the first by whose guift hee had that Earledome and was the sonne of Syward Earle of Northumberland And for this the Prince of Scotland tooke his Oath of fealty to King Stephen which the father refused to doe as hauing first sworne to Maude the Empresse Though otherwise hee might bee indifferent in respect that Stephen had married likewise his Neece which was Maude daughter to the Earle of Bologne and of Mary Sister to this King Dauid who by this meane was Vncle both to Maude the Queene and Maude the Empresse The King returning from this voyage found some defection of his Nobilitie which presently put him into another action that intertayned him sometime After which hee falls daungerously sicke in so much as hee was noysed to bee dead by which sickenesse hee lost more then his health For his friends put in daunger thereby cast to seeke another partie to beare them vp it wakended Aniou and sets him on to surprize certaine peeces in Normandie to prepare for the recouerie of his wiues right and made all this Kingdome wauer Thus was his first yeare spent which shewed how the rest of eighteene would proue wherein wee are to haue no other representations But of reuolts beseeging of Castles surprizings recouerings loosings againe with great spoyles and destruction in briefe a most miserable face of a distracted State that can yeeld vs no other notes of instruction but such as are generall in all times of like disposition and therefore herein wee may the better forbeate the rehersall of manie particulars being all vnder one head of action and like Nature The King hauing recouered would make the world know he was aliue and presently 1137. Anno. Reg. 2. passes with forces into Normandie ouercame the Earle of Aniou in battaile after makes peace with him and vpon renouncing of the claime of Maude couenants to giue them 5000. markes per annum he intertaines amitie with King Louys the seuenth and causes his sonne Eustace to doe him homage for the Dutchy of Normandie wherein he was inuested besides to content his elder brother Theobald Earle of Blois hee giues him a pension of 2000 markes and so returnes againe into England to a warre against Scotland which in the meane time made incursions on this Kingdome where Robert Earle of Glocester the naturall sonne of Henry the first whilst he was held busie in worke Robert Earle of Glocester base sonne to Henry the first a man of high spirit great direction and indefatigable industry an especiall actor that performed the greatest part in these times for his sister Maude had surprized the Castle of Bristow and procured confederates to make good other peeces abroad in diuers parts as William Talbot the Castle of Hereford Paynel the Castle of Ludlow Louell that of Cary Moone the Castle of Dunstor Robert de Nichol that of Warham Eustace Fitz Iohn that of Walton and William Fitz Allan the Castle of Shrewsbury Stephen leaues the prosecution of the Scottish warres to Thurstan Archbishop of Yorke whom hee made his Lieutenant and furnished with many valiant leaders as Walter Earle of Albemarle William Peuerell of Nottingham Walter and Gilbert Lacies Himselfe brauely attended bends all his power to represse the conspirators which King Stephen represses the conspirators hee did in one expedition recouers all the Castles by reason of their distances not able to succour one another and draue the Earle of Glocester home to his sister into Aniou No lesse successe had his forces in the North against the Scots whom in a great battaile He defeited the Scots they discomfeited and put to flight which great fortunes meeting together in one yeare broughter foorth occasion of bad in that following for now presuming 1138. Anno. Reg. 3. more of himselfe he fell vpon those rockes that rent all his greatnesse He calls a Councell at Oxford where occasion was giuen to put him out with the Clergie that had onely set him into the State The Bishops vpon the permission of building Castles so out-went the Lords in magnificence strength and number of their erections and especially the Bishop of Salisbury that their greatnesse was much maligned by them putting the King in head that all these great Castles especially of Salisbury the Vies Shirburne Malmsbury and Newarke were onely to intertaine the partie of Maude whereupon the King whose feares were apt to take fire sends for the Bishop of Salisbury most suspected to Oxford The Bishop as if foreseeing the mischiefe comming to him would gladly haue put off this iourney and excused it by the debilitie of 1140. Anno. Reg. 5. his age but it would not serue his turne thither he comes where his seruants about the taking vp of lodgings quarrell with the seruants of the Earle of Brittaine and from words fall to blowes so that in the bickering one of them was slaine and the Nephew of the Earle dangerously wounded Whereupon the King sends for the Bishop to satisfie his Court for the breach of peace made by his seruants The satisfaction required was the yeelding vp the keyes of his Castles as pledges of his fealtie but that being stood vpon the Bishop with his Nephew Alexander Bishop of Lincolne were restrayned of their libertie and shortly after sent as prisoners to the Castle of the Deuises The King feizes vpon the Bishops Castles and Treasure whither the Bishop of Eley another of his Nephewes had retired himselfe before The King seizes into his hands his Castles of Salisbury Shyrburne Malmesbury and after three daies assault the Deuises was likewise rendred besides he tooke all his Treasure which amounted to forty thousand markes This action being of an extraordinary straine gaue much occasion of rumor some said The King had done well in seizing vpon these Castles it being vnfit and against the Cannons of the Church that they who were men of religion and peace should raise fortresses for warre and in that sort as might bee preiudiciall to the King Against this was the Bishop of The Popes Legat a Bishop takes part with Bishops against the King his brother Malmsburie Winchester the Popes Legat taking rather the part of his function then that of a brother saying That if the Bishops had transgressed it was not the King but the Cannons that must iudge it that they ought not to bee depriued of their possessions without a publique Ecclesiasticall Counsell that the King had not done it out of the zeale of iustice but for his owne benefit taking away that which had beene built vpon the Lands and by the charge of the Church to put it into the hands of Lay men little affected to religion And therefore to the end the power of the Cannons might bee examined hee appoints a Counsell to bee called at Winchester whither the King is summoned and thither repaire most of all the Bishops of the
to all the pious vndertakers that none were esteemed to containe any thing of worth which would stay behind Each giues hand to other to leade them along and example addes number The forwardnesse of so many great Princes passing away Peter the Hermit gets 300000 men to recouer the Holy Land their whole estates and leauing all what the deerenesse of their Country contained drew to this warre 300000 men all which though in armes passed from diuerse Countries and Ports with that quietnesse as they seemed rather Pilgrimes than Souldiers Godefrey of Bouillon Nephew and heire to the Duke of Lorraine a generous Prince bred in the warres of the Emperour Henry the fourth was the first that offered vp himselfe to this famous voyage and with him his two brothers Eustace and Baudouin by whose examples were drawne Hugh le Grand Count de Vermondois brother to Philip King of France Robert Duke of Normandy Robert le Frison Earle of Flanders Stephen Earle of Blois and Chartres Aimar Bishop of Puy William Bishop of Orange Raimond Earle of Tholouse Baudouin Earle of Hainaut Baudouin Earle of Rethel and Garnier Earle of Gretz Harpin Earle of Bourges Ysoard Earle of Die Ramband Earle of Orange Guillaum Conte de Forests Stephen Conte de Aumaul Hugh Earle of Saint Pol Rotron Earle of Perche and others These were for France Germany and the Countries adioyning Italie had Bohemond Duke of Apulia and England Beauchampe with others whose names are lost Spaine onely had none being afflicted at that time with the Sarazins Most of all these Princes and great personages to furnish themselues for this expedition 1097. Anno. Reg. 10. sold or ingaged their possessions Godefrey sold the Dutchie of Bologne to Aubert Bishop of Liege and Metz to the Citizens besides he sold the Castle of Sarteney and Monsa to Richard Bishop of Verdun and to the same Bishop Baudouin his brother sold the Earledome of Verdun Eustace likewise sold all his liuelihood to the Church Herpin Earle of Bourges his Earledome to Philip King of France and Robert morgaged his Dutchie of Normandie the Earledome of Maine and all hee had to his brother King William of England Whereby the Pope not onely weakened the Empire with whom the Church had to the great affliction of Christendome held a long and bloudie businesse about the inuestitures of Bishops tooke away and infeobled his partisans abated as if by Ostrocisme the power of any Prince that might oppose him but also aduanced the State Ecclesiasticall by purchasing these great tempo more honorable for the sellers then the buyers vnto a greater meanes then euer For by aduising the vndertakers seeing their action was for CHRIST and his Church rather to make ouer their estates to the Clergie of whom they might againe redeeme the same and bee sure to haue the fayrest dealing then vnto Lay men he effected this worke Whereby the third part of the best Fiefs in France came to bee possest by the Clergie and afterward vpon the same occasion many things more sold vnto them in England especially when Richard the first vndertooke the voyage who passed ouer diuers Mannors to Hugh Bishop of Durham and also for his mony created him Earle of Durham as appeares in his life This humor was kept vp and in motion almost 300 yeares notwithstanding all An Emperour of Germany 2 Kings of France with their wiues a King of England and a King of Norwey went all thither in person the discouragements by the difficulties in passing the disasters there through contagion arising from a disagreeing clime and the multitudes of indigent people cast oftentimes into miserable wants It consumed infinit Treasure and most of the brauest men of all our West world and especially France For Germanie and Italie those who were the Popes friends and would haue gone were stayed at home by dispensation to make good his partie against the Emperour who notwithstanding still strugled with him but in the end by this meanes the Pope preuailed Yet these were not all the effects this voyage wrought the Christians who went out to seeke an enemy in Asia brought one thence to the daunger of all Christendome and the losse of the fairest part thereof For this long keeping it in a warre that had many intermissions with firs of heates and coldnesses as made by a league consisting of seuerall Nations emulous and vnconcurrent in their courses taught such as were of an entire bodie their weakenesses and the way to conquer them This was the great effect this voyage wrought And by this meanes King William here was now ridde of an elder brother and a Competitor had the possession of Normandy during his raigne and more absolutenesse and irregularity in England Where now in making vp this great summe to pay Robert he vsed all the extreme meanes could be deuised as hee had done in all like businesses before Whereby he incurred the hatred of his people in generall and especially of the Clergie being the first King which shewed his successors an euill precedent of keeping their Liuings vacant and receiuing the profits of them himselfe as he did that of Canterbury foure yeares after the death of Lanfranc and had holden it longer but that being dangerously sicke at Glocester the sixth yeare of his raigne his Clergie in the weakenesse of his body tooke to worke vpon his minde so as hee vowed 1099. Anno. Reg. 12. vpon his recouerie to see all vacancies furnished which he did but with so great adoe as shewed that hauing escaped the daunger hee would willingly haue deceiued the Saint And Anselme an Italian borne though bred in Normandy is in the end preferred to that Sea But what with his owne stiffenesse and the Kings standing on his regalitie he neuer enioyed it quietly vnder him For betweene them two began the first contestation about the inuestitures of Bishops and other priuiledges of the Church which gaue much to doe to many of his successors Anselme not yeelding to the Kings will forsooke the Land whereupon his Bishopricke was re-assumed and the King held in his hands at one time besides that of Canterburie the Bishoprickes of Winchester Sarum and eleuen Abbayes whereof he tooke all the profits He vsually sold all spirituall preferments those would giue most and tooke fines of Priests for fornication he vexed Robert Bluet Bishop of Lincolne in suite till hee payd him 5000 pounds And now the Clergie vpon this taxe complaying their wants were answered That they had Shrines of Gold in their Churches and for so holy a worke as this warre against infidels they should not spare them Hee also tooke money of Iewes to cause such of them as were conuerted to renounce Christianity as making more benefit The Kings shew of religion by their vnbeleefe then their conuersion Wherein hee discouered the worst peece of his nature Irreligion Besides his great taxations layd on the Layetie he set informers vpon them and for The antiquity of
Kingdome where first is read the Commission of the Legatine power granted by Pope Innocent to the Bishop of Winchester who there openly vrges the indignitie offred to the Church by the imprisoning of these Bishops An act most haynous and shamefull for the King that in the peace of his Court through the instigation of euill ministers would thus lay hands vpon such men spoyle them of their estates Which was a violence against God And that seeing the King would yeeld to no admonitions hee had at length called this Councell where they were to consult what was to bee done that for his part neither the loue of the King though his brother nor the losse of his liuing or danger of his life should make him fayle in the execution of what they should decree The King standing vpon his cause sends certaine Earles to this Councell to know why he was called thither answere was made by the Legat That the King who was subiect to the faith of CHRIST ought not to take it ill if by the ministers of CHRIST hee was called to make satisfaction being conscious of such an offence as that age had not knowne that it was for times of the Gentiles for Bishops to bee imprisoned and depriued of their possessions and therefore they should tell the King his brother that if hee would voutsafe to yeeld consent to the Councell it should bee such by the helpe of God as neither the Roman Church the Court of the King of France nor the Earle Theobald brother to them both a manwise and religious should in reason dislike it that the King should doe aduisedly to render the reason of his act and vndergoe a Canonicall iudgement that hee ought in duetie to fauour the Church into whose bosome being taken hee was aduanced to the Crowne without any militarie hand With which aunswere the Earles departed attended with Alberic de Ver a man exercised in the Law and hauing related the same are returned with the Kings reply which Alberic vtters and vrges the iniuries Bishop Roger had done to the King how hee seldome The Kings Reply came to his Court that his men presuming vpon his power had offred violence to the Nephew and seruants of the Earle of Brittaine and to the seruants of Herui de Lyons a man of that Nobilitie and stoutnesse as would neuer voutsafe to come vpon any request to the late King and yet for the loue of this was desirous to see England where to haue this violence offred was an iniury to the King and dishonour to the Realme that the Bishop of Lincolne for the ancient hatred to the Earle of Brittaine was the author of his mens sedition that the Bishop of Salisbury secretly fauoured the Kings enemies and did but subtlely temporize as the King had found by diuers circumstances especially when Roger de Mortimer sent with the Kings forces in the great daunger of Bristow hee would not lodge him one night in Malmsbury that it was in euery mans mouth as soone as the Empresse came He and his Nephewes would render their Castles vnto him That he was arested not as a Bishop but a seruant to the King and one that administred his procurations and receiued his monies That the King tooke not his Castles by violence but the Bishop voluntarily rendred them to auoyd the calumnie of their tumult raysed in his Court If the King found some money in his Castles hee might lawfully seize on it in regard Roger had collected it out of the reuenues of the King his Vncle and predecessor and the Bishop willingly yeelded vp the same as well as his Castles through feare of his offences and of this wanted not witnesses of the Kings part who desired that the couenants made betweene him and the Bishop might remaine ratified Against this Bishop Roger opposes That he was neuer seruant to the King nor receiued his moneys and withall added threatnings as a man not yet broken though bent with his fortunes that if he found not iustice for his wrongs in that Councell hee would bring it to the hearing of a greater Court The Legat mildly as he did other things said That all what was spoken against the Bishops ought first to be examined in the Ecclesiasticall Councell whether they were true or no before sentence should haue beene giuen against them contrary to the Canons and therefore the King should as it is lawfull in iudiciall trials reuest the Bishops in their former Estates otherwise by the law of Nations being disseised they shall not hold their Plea After much debate the Kings cause was vpon a motion put off till the next day to the end the Archbishop of Roan an especiall instrument for the King might bee there who deliueting his opinion said That if the Bishops could rightly prooue by the Canons they ought to haue Castles they should hold them but if they could not it proceeded of great improbitie to striue to doe otherwise And be it said he their right to haue them yet in a suspected time according to the manner of other Nations all great men ought to deliuer the keyes of their Fortresses to be at the Kings pleasure who is to fight for the peace of all But it is not their right by the decree of the Canons to haue Castles and if by the Princes indulgence it bee tollerated yet in a time of necessitie they ought to deliuer the keyes The Lawier Alboric addes That it was signified to the King how the Bishops threatned and had furnished some to go to Rome against him But said he the King would haue you know that none of you presume to doe it for if any goe out of England contrarie to his will and the dignitie of the Kingdome it will be hard returning In conclusion the Councell brake vp nothing was done The Bishops durst not excommunicate the King without the Popes The Legat and Archbishops submission priuitie and besides they saw the swords to busie about them yet failed not the Legat and the Archbishop to prosecute their parts and from authority fell to prayer and at the Kings feete in his Chamber besought him that hee would pittie the Church pittie his owne soule and his fame not to suffer dissention to bee betweene the Kingdome and the Priest-hood The King returned thern faire words but held what hee had gotten Shortly after though griefe died the Bishop of Salisbary and according to the fate of ouer-minent and greedy Officers vnpittied He was a man in his latter time noted of much corruption and vnsatiable desire of hauing For whom the present King in the beginning of his reigue had done very much makingone of his Nephewes Chancellor the other Treasurer and vpon his fute gaue to himselfe the Borough of Malmesbury insomuch as the King would say to his familiars about him If this man will begge thus still I will giue him halfe the Kingdome but I will please him and first shall be weary of crauing ere
Earle of Warwick in France to haue a hand in the execution of the Accorde King Iohn is honourably conducted to Calais attending the promised Summe the first gage of his libertie Anno Reg. 35. 1361. The Citie of Paris yeelds one thousand Royals by whose Example other Cities contribute according to their proportions And thus is King Iohn deliuered after hauing remained Prisoner in England neere about fiue yeeres And both Kings depart in kinde manner with all demonstrations of brotherly Loue. King Edward returning with his Crownes calles a Parliament wherein the forme of the Accord was read and allowed of all the Estates and an Oath taken by the Nobles to obserue the same for their partes Heere the King restorees to the Priors Aliens their Houses Lands Tenements which he had taken from them Anno Reg. 12. for the maintenance of his French Warres which now being ended he grants by his Letters Pattents in as free manner as before they helde them A rare Example of a iust King being seldome seene that Princes let go any thing whereon they haue once fastned Now againe was the ioy and glorie that England receiued by their gettings seasoned The second great Pestilence with the sowrenesse of another mortalitie called The second Pestilence whereof dyed many Noble men the chiefe was Henry Duke of Lancaster of the Royall blood a Prince of great note for wisedome and valour who had beene an especiall Actor in all these Warres and a principall Pillar of the Crowne of England whose Daughter and Heyre was a little before marryed to Iohn of Gaunt by dispensation being neere of consanguinitie whereby hee is made Duke of Lancaster And shortly after by the like Dispensation the Prince of Wales marryes the Countesse Anno Reg. 36. of Kent Daughter to Edmond brother to Edward the second And so both are prouided of Matches within the Kingdome The King giues to the Prince of Wales the Duchy of Aquitaine reseruing to himselfe Homage and Fealtie and shortly after sends him ouer with his wife and Court to liue there His sonne Lionell Earle Vlster is sent into Ireland with a regiment of 1500 men to guard his Eatledome against the Irish and was created Duke of Clarence in the next Parliament held at Westminster in Nouember which continued vntill the feast of Saint Brice King Edwards Birth-day and the Fiftith yeare of his age Wherein for a Iubilie hee shewes himselfe extraordinarily gracious to his people freely pardoning many offences releasing prisoners reuoking Exiles c. And vpon petition of the Commons causes Pleas which before were in French to be made in English that the subiect might vnderstand the Lawe by which hee holdes what hee hath and is to know what hee doth A blessed act and worthy so great a King who if hee could thereby haue rendered the same also perspicuous it had beene a work of eternall honour but such is the Fate of Law that in what language soeuer it speakes it neuer speakes plaine but is wrapt vp in such difficulties and mysteries as all professions of profit are as it giues more affliction to the people then it doth remedy Here was also an act passed for Purueiors as there had beene many before in his time that nothing should bee taken vp but for ready money vpon strict punishment For retribution of which relieuements the Parliament granted sixe and twenty shillings eight pence for tranportation Vid. Stat. of euery sacke of woole for three yeares Thus all were pleased sauing the remouing of the Saple from the Townes of England to Calais was some grieuance to those whom it concerned Yet the Kings desire to inrich that Towne being of his owne acquisition and now a member of the Crowne of England might herein be well borne withall And sure this King the most renowmed for Valour and Goodnesse that euer raigned in this kingdome not onely laboured to aduance the State by enlarging the Dominions thereof but to make his people as well good as great by reforming their vices whereunto fortunate and opulent States are euermore subiect as may be noted in the next Parliament held at Westminster Anno Reg. 37. wherein for the publique Good certaine Sumptuary lawes the most necessarie to preuent Ryot that dissoluing sicknesse the feuer Hectique of a State were ordayned both for Apparell Diet appointing euery degree of men from the Shepheard to the Prince the Stuffe Habits they should weare prohibiting the adornements of gold and Siluer Silkes and rich Furres to all except eminent persons Vid. Stat. Whereby forraine superfluities were shut out home-made Cōmodities only vsed The Labourer and Husbandman is appointed but one meale a day and what meates he should eate c. whereby Gluttony Drunkennesse those hideous euils which haue since vtterly disfashioned infeebled the English Nation were auoided So carefull was this frugall King for preseruing the estates of his subiects from Excesse And as prouident was hee for the ordering of his owne committing his treasure to the safest Chest that Religion could keepe lockt For by a certificat Anno Cleargy men Officers to the King Reg. 39. sent to Pope Vrbane concerning Plut alities and the estates of Church-men in England there were found more of the Spirtualty which bare office about this King then any other of Christendome beside As first Simon Langham Archbishop of Canterbury was Chancelor of England William Wickham Archdeacon of Lincolne Keeper of the Priuy Seale Dauid Weller Parson of Somersham Maister of the Rolles Ten beneficed Priests Ciuilians Maisters of Chancery William Mulse Deane of Saint Martins le Grand Chiefe Chamberlayne of the Exchecquer Receiuer and Keeper of the Kings treasure and Iewels William Askby Archdeacon of Northampton Chancelor of the Exchecquar William Dighton Pribendary of Saint Martins Clarke of the Priuy Seale Richard Chesterfield Prebend of Saint Staphans Treasurer of the Kings house Henry Snatch Parson of Oundall Maister of the Kings Ward-robe Iohn Newnham Parson of Fenni-stanton one of the Chamberlaines of the Exchequer and keeper of the Kings Treasurie and Iewels Iohn Rousbie Parson of Harwick Surueior and Comptroler of the Kings works Thomas Britingham Parson of Asbie Treasurer to the King for the parts of Guisnes and the Marches of Calais Iohn Troys Tresurer of Ireland a Priest and beneficed there These men being without those Feminine Ginnes of attraction and consumption deuoted onely to Sanctitie were thought then fittest to be husbands for his profit Shortly after three Kings came to visite the King of England The King of France the King of Scots and the King of Cypres The occasions that mooued the French king might be diuers but it seems the especial wereto free some Hostages that remained heere and to cleare such imputations as were had of him for not obseruing in all points the late Accorde wherewith his Nobles were much discontented and many dissiculties arose among them so that in an Assembly of the States at Paris certaine
did the Dutchie of Normandie and doe him homage for the same which would adde a great glory to that Crowne Then was hee before hand with Pope Alexander to make religion giue reputation and auowment to his pretended right promising likewise to hold it of the Apostolique Sea if hee preuailed in his enterprize Whereupon the Pope sent him a Banner of the Church with an Agnus of Gold and one of the haires of Saint Peter The Emperour Henry 4. sent him a Prince of Almaine with forces but of what name or his number is not remembred so that wee see it was not Normandie alone that subdued England but a collected power out of all France and Flanders with the aydes of other Princes And by these meanes made hee good his vndertaking and within eight monethes was readie furnished with a powerfull Army at Saint Valerie in Normandie whence he transported the same into England in 896 shippes as some write And this was the man and thus made to subdue England And now hauing gotten the great and difficult battaile before remembred at 1066. Anno. Reg. 1. Hastings the foureteenth of October 1066. bee marched without any opposition to London where Edwin and Morchar Earles of Northumberland and Mercland brothers of eminent dignitie and respect in the Kingdome had laboured with all their power to stirre the hearts of the people for the conseruation of the State and establishing Edgar Atheling the next of the Royall issue in his right of the Crowne whereunto other of the Nobilitie had likewise consented had they not seene the Bishops auerse or wauering For as then to the Clergie any King so a Christian was all one they had their Prouince a part deuided from secular domination and of a Prince though a stranger who had taken vp so much of the world before hand vpon credite and fame Reason for the yeelding of the Clergie of his piety and bountie they could not but presume well for their estate and so were content to giue way to the present Fortune The Nobility considering they were so borne and must haue a King not to take him that was of power to make himselfe would shew more of passion then prouidence to be now behind hand to receiue him with more then submission was as if to withstand What moued the Nobles to yeeld which with the distrust of each others faith made them striue run headlong who should be first to pre-occupate the grace of seruitude and intrude them into forvaine subiection The Commons like a strong vessell that might haue beene for good vse was hereby left without a sterne and could not moue but irregularly So that all estates in generall either corrupted with new hopes or transported with feare forsooke themselues and their distressed Countrey Vpon his approach to London the Gates were all set open the Arch-bishop of Canterbury Stigand with other Bishops the Nobility Magistrates and People rendting themselues in all obedience vnto him and he returning plausible protestations of his future Gouernment was on Christmas day then next following Crowned King of England at Westminster by Aldred Arch-bishop of Yorke for that Stigand was not held Canonically inuested in his Sea and yet thought to haue beene a forward mouer of this alteration Heere according to the accustomed forme at his Coronation the Bishops and Barons The Coronation and oath of William 1. of the Realme tooke their oaths to be his true and loyall subiects and he reciprocally being required thereunto by the Arch-bishop of Yorke made his personall oath before the Altar of Saint Peter To defend the Holy Churches of God and the Rectors of the same To gouerne the Vniuersall people subiect vnto him iustly To establish equall Lawes and to see them duely executed Nor did he euer claime any power King Williams submission to the orders of the Kingdome of England by Conquest but as a regular Prince submitted himselfe to the orders of the Kingdome desirous rather to haue his Testamentary title howsoeuer weake to make good his successiou rather then his sword And though the Stile of Conqueror by the flattery of the time was after giuen him he shewed by all the course of his Gouernement he assumed it not introducing none of all those alterations which followed by violence but a milde gathering vpon the disposition of the State and the occasions offered and that by way of reformation And now taking Hostages for his more security and order for the defence and Gouernment of his Kingdome at the opening of the spring next he returnes into Normandy so to settle his affaires there as they might not distract him from his businesse in England that required his whole powers And to leaue here all sure behind him he commits the rule of the Kingdome to his brother the Bishop of Bayeux and to his Cosin Fitz * Or Osborne Auber whom he had made Earle of Hereford taking with him all the chiefe men of England who were likest to be heads King William returnes into Normandy with the chiefe Nobility of England to a reuolt As Edger Atheling the Arch-bishop Stigand lately discontented Edwin and Morchar with many other Bishops and Noble men Besides to vnburthen his charge and dis-impester his Court he tooke backe with him all the French aduenturers and such as were vnnecessary men rewarding them as farre as his treasure would extend and the rest he made vp in faire promises In his absence which was all that whole sommer nothing was here attempted against him but onely that Edric surnamed the Forrester in the County of Hereford called in the Kings of the Welsh to his aide and forraged onely the remote borders of that Country The rest of the Kingdome stood quiet expecting what would become of that new world wherein as yet they found no great alteration their lawes and liberties remaining the same they were before and might hope by this accession of a new Prouince the state of England would be but inlarged in dominion abroad and not impaired in profit at home by reason the Nation was but small and of a plentifull and not ouer-peopled Countrey likely to impester them Hauing disposed his affaires of Normandy he returnes towards winter into King William returnes into England England where he was to satisfie three sorts of men First such Aduenturers with whom hee had not yet cleered Secondly those of his owne people whose merites or neerenesse looked for recompence whereof the number beeing so great many must haue their expectations fed if not satisfied Thirdly the people of this Kingdome by whom he must row subsist For beeing not able with his owne Nation so to impeople the same as to hold and defend it if he should proceed to an extirpation of the naturall inhabitants he was likewise to giue them satisfaction Wherein he had more to do then in his battell at Hastings seeing all remunerations with supplies of money must be raised out of the stocke