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
that the King gained nothing but losse and dishonour and the greater his desire was of victorie and reuenge the more foule did his foiles and failings appeare which so brake both his courage and heart that with griefe thereof as it was conceiued hee ended his life And thus during all the time that he was onely Duke of Normandy he was neuer free from action of armes in all his actions of armes hee was caried with a most rare and perpetuall felicitie As he grew in yeeres so did he in thicknesse and fatnesse of body but so as it made him neither vnseemely nor vnseruiceable for the warres and neuer much exceeding the measure of a comely corpulencie He was most decent and there with terrible in armes He was stately and maiesticall in his gesture of a good stature but in strength admirable in so much as no man was able to draw his bow which hee would bend sitting vpon his horse stretching out the string with his foot His countenance was warlike and manly as his friends might terme it but as his enemies said truculent and fierce He would often sweare By Gods resurrection and his brightnesse which he commonly pronounced with so furious a face that hee strooke a terrour into those that were present His head was bald his beard alwayes shauen which fashion being first taken vp by him was then followed by all the Normans Hee was of a firme and strong constitution for his health so as he neuer was attached with sicknesse but that which was the summons of his death and in his age seemed little to feele the heauie weight and burthen of yeeres In his first age he was of a mild and gentle disposition courteous bountifull familiar in conuersation a professed enemie to all vices But as in Fortune as in yeres so changed he in his behauiour partly by his continuall following the warres whereby he was much fleshed in blood and partly by the inconstant nature of the people ouer whom he ruled who by often rebellions did not onely exasperate him to some seueritie but euen constraine him to hold them in with a more stiffe arme So hee did wring from his subiects very much substance very much blood not for that he was by nature either couetous or cruell but for that his affaires could not otherwise be managed His great affaires could not be managed without great expence which drew a necessity of charge vpon the people neither could the often rebellions of his Subiects be repressed or restrained by any mild and moderate meanes And generally as in all States and gouernments seuere discipline hath alwayes bin a true faithfull mother of vertue and valour so in particular of his Normans he learned by experience and oftentimes declared this iudgement That if they were held in bridle they were most valiant and almost inuincible excelling all men both in courage and in strength and in honourable desire to vanquish their enemies But if the reines were layd loose vpon their necke they were apt to runne into licentiousnes and mischiefe ready to consume either themselues by riot and sloath or one another by sedition prone to innouation and change as heauily mooued to vndertake dangers so not to bee trusted vpon occasion He tooke to wife Matilde daughter to Baldwin Earle of Flanders a man for his wisedome and power both reuerenced and feared euen of Kings but because she was his cousin Germane he was for his marriage excommunicate by his owne vnckle Mauger Archbishop of Roan Hereupon he sued to Pope Victor and obteined of him a dispensation and afterwards so wrought that by a prouinciall Councell his vncle Mauger was depriued of his dignitie But by this meanes both he his issue were firmely locked in obedience to the Sea of Rome for that vpon the authoritie of that place the validitie of his marriage and consequently the legitimation of his issue seemed to depend When he was about 50. yeeres of age Edward King of England ended his life This Edward was sonne to Egelred King of England by Emma sister to Richard the second Duke of Normandie who was grandfather to Duke William so as King Edward and Duke William were cousins germane once remoued At such time as Egelred was first ouercharged with warres by the Danes he sent his wife Emma with two sonnes which she had borne vnto him Alphred and Edward into Normandie to her brother where they were enterteined with all honourable vsage for many yeeres Afterward giuing place to the malice of his Fortune he passed also into Normandie and left his whole state in the possession and power of Swanus King of Denmarke But after the death of Swanus partly by the aide of the Normans and partly by fauour of his owne people he recouered his Kingdome and left the same to his eldest sonne Edmund who either for the tough temper of his courage and strength or for that he almost alwayes liued in Armes was surnamed Ironside Hereupon Canutus the sonne of Swanus made sharpe warre first against Egelred then against Edmund and finally after many varieties of aduenture but chiefly by the fauour of the Clergie of England because they had sworne allegiance to his father spread the wings of his victory ouer the whole Kingdome He expelled out of the Realme Edwine and Edward the two sonnes of King Edmund of whom Edwine married the Kings daughter of Hungarie but died without issue Edward was aduanced to the marriage of Agatha daughter to the Emperour Henry and by her had issue two sonnes Edmund Edgar and so many daughters Margaret and Christine The same Canutus tooke Emma to wife who had bene wife to King Egelred by whom he had a sonne named Hardicanutus After the death of Canutus Alphred the sonne of Egelred came out of Normandie and with fiftie saile landed at Sandwich with purpose to attempt the recouerie of his fathers kingdome In which enterprise hee receiued not onely encouragement but good assurance from many of the English Nobilitie But by Earle Goodwine he was abused and taken his company slaine his eyes put out and then sent to the I le of Elie where in short time hee ended his life Edward also arriued at Hampton with 40. ships but finding the Countrey so farre from receiuing as they were ready to resist him he returned into Normandie and attended the further fauour of time So after Canutus succeeded in England first Harold sirnamed Harefoot bastard sonne to Canutus and after him Hardicanutus sonne to Canutus by Emma mother also to King Edward Hardicanutus being dead the Nobilitie of the Realme sent into Normandie for Edward to be their King whereto also he was appointed as some haue written by Hardicanutus But because Alphred his brother vpon the like inuitation had bene traiterously taken and slaine before William at that time Duke of Normandie would not permit him to depart vntill he had receiued for pledges of his safety Woolnoth son to Earle Goodwine and Hacon sonne
faces of the French inuolued them all as in a thicke and darke cloud which depriued them of all foresight and direction in gouerning their affaires The valiant was nothing discerned frō the coward no difference could be set betweene contriuance and chance All laboured in one common calamitie and euery one encreased the feare of his fellow The Normans hauing well spent their shot and perceiuing the French in this sort both disordered and dismayed came downe from the hils where they houered before and falling to the close stroke of battaile-axe and sword most cruelly raged in the blood of their enemies By whom if any sparke of valour was shewen being at so great disaduantage it was to no purpose it was altogether lost it was so farre from relieuing others that it was not sufficient to defend themselues And doubtlesse no thing so much fauoured the state of the French that day as that the number of the Normans sufficed not to enclose them behind For then they had bene entrapped as Deere in a toile then not one of them could haue escaped But the entrance of the valley remayning open many f◅ed backe to the plaine ground tumbling together in such headlong hast that if the Normans had sharply put vpon them the chase it is certaine that they had bene extreemely defeated But the Duke gaue ouer the execution vpon good aduise For knowing himselfe not to be of force vtterly to vanquish the French he assayed rather by faire forbearance to purchase their friendship Here the French king assembled his broken companies and encamped them for that night so well as he could The ioy of their present escape expelled for the time all other respects But after a little breathing their remembrance began to runne vpon the losse of their cariages whereby they had lost all meanes to refresh themselues Of their Vaward they made a forelorne reckoning and the like did the Vaward of them Many were wounded all wearied and the Normans gaue notice by sounding out their instruments of warre that they were at hand on euery side The rudest of the Souldiers did boldly vpbraid this infortunitie to the King one asked him where his Vaward was where were his wings where were the residue of his battell and Rereward Others called for the cariages to preserue those in life who had not been slaine Others demanded if he had any more mouse-traps to leade them into But most sate heauy and pensiue scarce accounting themselues among the liuing The King swallowed downe all with a sad silence sometimes he dissembled as though he had not heard sometimes hee would fairely answere Good words good souldiers haue patience a while and all will be well which was indeede a truer word then he thought it possible to bee when he spake it In this extremity the King assembled the chiefe of his commanders to aduise with them what was best to be done It was generally concluded that in staying their case was desperate and dangerous it was to stirre But here lay the question whether it was least dangerous to remoue together or euery man to shift for himselfe Whilest this point was in debating whilest they expected euery minute to be aslailed whilest no man saw any thing but death and despaire behold a messenger came from the Duke not to offer but to desire peace and to craue protection of the French king according to the trust which Robert the Dukes father reposed in him There needed not many words to perswade Peace was signed protection assured in a more ample maner then it was required Then the messenger with many good words appeased the Kings heauinesse telling him that his Vaward was safe his cariages not touched and that he should be furnished with horses both for burthen and draught in stead of those that had been slaine These words as a sweete enchantment rauished the French King with sudden ioy But when they came to gather vp their baggage a spectacle both lamentable and loathsome was presented vnto them The valley couered and in some places heaped with dead bodies of men and horses many not once touched with any weapon lay troden to death or else stifled with dust and sand many grieuously wounded reteined some remainder of life which they expressed with cries and groanes many not mortally hurt were so ouerlaid with the slaine that they were vnable to free themselues towards whom it is memorable what manly both pitie and helpe the Normans did affoord And so the French King more by courtesie of his enemies then either by courage or discretion of his owne returned in reasonable state to Paris Vpon these euents of open hostilitie Guy Earle of Burgogne who had taken to wife Alix daughter to Duke Richard the second and Aunt to Duke William conspired with Nicellus president of Constantine Ranulph Vicecount of Bayon Baimond and diuers others suddenly to surprise the Duke and slay him in the night A certaine foole nothing regarded for his want of wit obseruing their preparations secretly got away and in the dead of the night came to Valogne where the Duke then lay no lesse slenderly guarded with men then the place it selfe was sleight for defence Here he continued rapping at the gate and crying out vntill it was opened and hee brought to the presence of the Duke To whom he declared the conspiracie with circumstances of such moment that the Duke foorthwith tooke his horse and posted alone towards Falais an especial place for strength of defence Presently after his departure the conspirators came to Valogne they beset the house they enter by force they search euery corner for the Duke And finding that the game was start and on foote in hote haste they pursued the chase About breake of day the Dukes horse tired and he was ignorant of his right way He was then at a little village called Rie where the chiefe Gentleman of the place was standing at his doore ready to goe abroad Of him the Duke enquired the next way to Falais The Gentleman knew the Duke and with all duetie and respect desired to know the cause of his both solitarie and vntimely riding The Duke would willingly haue passed vnknowne but perceiuing himselfe to be discouered declared to him the whole aduenture Hereupon the Gentleman furnished him with a fresh horse and sent with him two of his sonnes to conduct him the direct way to Falais No sooner were they out of sight but the conspirators came and enquired of the same Gen◅leman who still remained at his doore whether he saw not the Duke that morning as if forsooth they were come to attend him The Gentleman answered that he was gone a little before and therewith offered them his company to ouertake him But he lead them about another way vntill the Duke was safely alighted at Falais And thus the more we consider these and the like passages of affaires the lesse we shall admire either the wisdome or industry or any other sufficiencie of man In
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
a firme countenance but words well tempered with modestie and respect they demanded of him the vse of their ancient Liberties and Lawes that in other matters they would yeeld obedience vnto him that without this they desired not to liue The King was content to strike saile to the storme and to giue them a vaine satisfaction for the present knowing right well that the generall customes Lawes of the residue of the Realme would in short time ouerflow these particular places So pledges being giuen on both sides they conducted him to Rochester and yeelded the Countie of Kent and the Castle of Douer into his power In former times many Farmes and Mannors were giuen by bare word without writing onely with the sword of the Lord or his head-peece with a horne or standing goblet and many tenements with a quill with a horse-combe with a bow with an arrow but this sincere simplicitie at that time was changed And whereas Charters and deeds were before made firme by the subscription of the partie with crosses of gold or of some other colour then they were firmed by the parties speciall Seale set vpon waxe vnder the Teste of three or foure witnesses He ordained also his counsaile of State his Chancery his Exchequer his Courts of Iustice which alwaies remoued with his Court These places he furnished with Officers and assigned foure Termes in the yere for determining controuersies among the people whereas before all suites were summarily heard and determined in the Gemote or monthly conuention in euery hundred without either formalities or delay He caused the whole Realme to be described in a censuall Roll so as there was not one Hide of land but both the yerely rent and the owner thereof was therein set downe how many plowlands what pastures fennes or marishes what woods parkes farmes and tenements were in euery shire and what euery one was worth Also how many villaines euery man had what beasts or cattell what fees what other goods what rent or commoditie his possessions did yeeld This booke was called The Roll of Winton because it was kept in the Citie of Winchester By the English it was called Doomes day booke either by reason of the generalitie thereof or else corruptly in stead of Domus Dei booke for that it was layed in the Church of Winchester in a place called Domus Dei According to this Roll taxations were imposed sometimes two shillings and sometimes sixe shillings vpon euery hide of land a hide conteyning 20. acres besides ordinarie prouision for his house In all those lands which hee gaue to any man he reserued Dominion in chiefe to himselfe for acknowledgement whereof a yeerely rent was payd vnto him and likewise a fine whensoeuer the Tenant did alien or die These were bound as Clients vnto him by oath of fidelitie and homage And if any died his heire being in minoritie the King receiued the profits of the land and had the custodie and disposing of the heires body vntill his age of one and twentie yeeres It is reported of Caligula that when he entended to make aduantage of his penal Edicts he caused them to be written in so small letters and the tables of them to be fastened so high that it was almost impossible for any man to read them So the King caused part of those Lawes that he established to be written in the Norman language which was a barbarous and broken French not well vnderstood of the naturall French and not at all of the vulgar English The residue were not written at all but left almost arbitrarie to be determined by reason and discretion at large Hereupon it followed partly through ignorance of the people and partly through the malice of some officers of Iustice who many times are instruments of secret and particular ends that many were extreamely intangled many endangered many rather made away then iustly executed But here it may be questioned seeing these Lawes were layed vpon the English as fetters about their feet as a ponderous yoke vpon their necke to depresse and deteine them in sure subiection how it falleth that afterward they became not onely tolerable but acceptable and well esteemed Assuredly these lawes were exceeding harsh and heauy to the English at the first And therefore K. William Rufus and Henry the first at such time as Robert their eldest brother came in armes against them to challenge the crowne being desirous to winne the fauour of the people did fill them with faire promises to abrogate the lawes of K. William their father and to restore to them the Lawes of K. Edward The like was done by K. Stephen and by K. Henry the second whilest both contending to draw the State to himselfe they did most grieuously teare it in pieces The like by others of the first Kings of the Norman race whensoeuer they were willing to giue contentment to the people who desired no other reward for all their aduentures and labours for al their blood spent in the seruice of their Kings but to haue the Lawes of K. Edward restored At the last the Nobilitie of the Realme with great dispence both of their estates and blood purchased a Charter of libertie First from K. Iohn which was soone reuoked as violently enforced from him afterwards from King Henry the third which remained in force And hereby the sharpe seuerity of these lawes was much abated In that afterwards they become not onely tolerable but easie and sweete and happily not fit to bee changed it is by force of long grounded custome whereby those vsages which our ancestors haue obserued for many ages do neuer seeme either grieuous or odious to bee endured So Nicetas writing of certaine Christians who by long conuersing with the Turkes had defiled themselues with Turkish fashions Custome saith he winneth such strength by time that it is more firme then either Nature or Religion Hereupon Dio. Chrysostome compareth Customes to a King and Edicts to a Tyrant because we are subiect voluntarily to the one but vpon constraint and vpon necessitie to the other It is manifest saith Agathias that vnder whatsoeuer law a people hath liued they doe esteeme the same most excellent and diuine Herodotus reporteth that Darius the sonne of Hysdaspis hauing vnder his Dominion certaine Grecians of Asia who accustomed to burne their dead parents and friends and certaine nations of India who vsed to eate them called the Grecians before him and told them that it was his pleasure that they should conforme themselues to the custome of the Indians in eating their deceased friends But they applied all meanes of intreatie and perswasion that they might not be inforced to such a barbarous or rather brutish obseruation Then hee sent for the Indians and mooued them to conformitie with the Grecians but found that they did farre more abhorre to burne their dead then the Grecians did to eate them Now these seuerities of the King were much aggrauated by the English and
his fat belly did beare so hard vpon the pommell of his saddle that hee tooke a rupture in his inner parts And so ouercharged with sickenesse and paine and disquietnesse of minde hee returned to Roan where his sickenesse increased by such dangerous degrees that in short time it led him to the period of his dayes During the time of his sickenesse hee was much molested in conscience for the blood which hee had spilt and for the seueritie which he had vsed against the English holding himselfe for that cause more guilty before God then glorious among men Hee spent many good speeches in reconciling himselfe to God and the world in exhorting others to vertue and Religion He gaue great summes of money to the Clergie of Meux and of some other places in France to repaire the Churches which a little before he had defaced To some Monasteries he gaue tenne markes of gold and to others sixe To euery Parish Church hee gaue fiue shillings and to euery Borough Towne a hundred pounds for reliefe of the poore Hee gaue his Crowne with all the ornaments therto belonging to the Church of Saint Stephen in Caen which hee had founded for redeeming whereof King Henry the first did afterwards giue to the same Church the Mannour of Brideton in Dorcetshire Hee reteined perfect memorie and speach so long as he reteined any breath Hee ended his life vpon the ninth day of September full both of honour and of age when hee had reigned twenty yeeres eight moneths and sixteene dayes in the threescore and fourth yeere of his age So soone as he was dead the chiefe men that were about him went to horse and departed forthwith to their owne dwellings to prouide for the safety of themselues and of their families and estates For all men were possessed with a marueilous feare that some dangerous aduentures would ensue The seruants and inferiour Officers also fled away and to double the basenesse of their disposition tooke with them whatsoeuer was portable about the king his Armour plate apparell household-stuffe all things were held as lawfull bootie Thus the dead body was not onely abandoned but left almost naked vpon the ground where it remained from prime vntil three of the clocke neither guarded nor regarded by any man In the meane time the Religious persons went in procession to the Church of S. Geruase there commended his soule to God Then William Archb. of Roan commaunded that his body should be caried to Caen to be there buried in the Church of S. Stephen But hee was so forsaken of all his followers that there was not any found who would vndertake either the care or the charge At the last Herlwine a countrey Knight vpon his owne cost caused the body to be embalmed and adorned for funerall pompe then conueyed it by coach to the mouth of the Riuer Some and so partly by land and partly by sea brought it to Caen. Here the Abbot with the Couent of Monks came foorth with all accustomed ceremonies to meet the corps to whom the whole multitude of the Clergie and Lay-people did adioyne But when they were in the middest of their sad solemnities a fire brake out of a certaine house and suddenly embraced a great part of the towne Hereupon the Kings body was once againe abandoned all the people running from it in a headlong haste some to saue their goods others to represse the rage of the flame others as the latest nouelty to stand and looke on In the end a few Moncks returned and accompanied the Hearse to the Abbey Church Afterward all the Bishops and Abbots of Normandy assembled to solemnize the funerall And when the diuine Office was ended and the coffin of stone set into the earth in the presbytorie betweene the Quire and the Altar but the body remained vpon the Herse Guislebert bishop of Eureux made a long Sermon wherein hee bestowed much breath in extolling the honourable actions of the King In the end he concluded That forsomuch as it was impossible for a man to liue much lesse to gouerne without offence First by reason of the multitude of a Princes affaires Secondly for that he must commit the managing of many things to the conscience and courtesie of others Lastly for that personall grieuances are many times beneficiall to the maine body of State in which case particular either losses or harmes are more then manifoldly recompenced by the preseruation or quiet of the whole If therefore any that were present did suppose they had receiued iniurie from the King he desired that they would in charitie forgiue him When the Bishop had finished his speach one Anselme Fitz-Arthur stood vp amongst the multitude and with a high voice said This ground whereupon wee stand was sometimes the floore of my fathers house which that man of whom you haue spoken when he was Duke of Normandie tooke violently from my father and afterward founded thereon this Religious building This iniustice hee did not by ignorance or ouersight not vpon any necessitie of State but to content his owne couetous desire Now therefore I doe challenge this ground as my right and doe here charge you as you will answere it before the fearefull face of Almightie God that the body of the spoiler be not couered with the earth of mine inheritance When the Bishops and Noble men that were present heard this and vnderstood by the testimony of many that it was true they agreed to giue him three pounds presently for the ground that was broken for the place of burial and for the residue which he claimed they vndertooke he should be fully satisfied This promise was performed in short time after by Henrie the Kings sonne who onely was present at the Funerall at whose appointment Fitz-Arthur receiued for the price of the same ground one hundred pounds Now when the body was to be put into the earth the sepulchre of stone which stood within the graue was hewen somewhat too strait for his fat belly whereupon they were constrained to presse it downe with much strength By this violence whether his bowels burst or whether some excrements were forced out at their natural passage such an intolerable stinck proceeded from him as neither the perfumes that smoaked in great abundance nor any other meanes were able to qualifie Wherefore the Priests hasted to finish their office and the people departed in a sad silence discoursing diuersly afterward of all these extraordinarie accidents A man would thinke that a sepulchre thus hardly attained should not easily againe bee lost But it happened otherwise to this vnquiet King not destined to rest either in his life or after his death For in the yeere 1562. when Castilion tooke the Citie of Caen with those broken troupes that escaped at the battaile of Dreux certaine sauage Souldiers of diuers nations led by foure dissolute Captaines beate downe the Monument which King William his sonne had built ouer him and both curiously and richly adorned
be not satisfied and apt to breake forth into dangerous attempts Of those who any wayes declared themselues in his fauour or defence some were despoiled of their goods some were banished the Realme others were punished with losse of their eyes or of their eares or of some other part of their bodie William d'Owe was accused in a Councell holden at Salisbury to bee a complice of this Treason And albeit he challenged his accuser to the combate yet his eyes were pulled out and his stones cut off by commandement of the King And yet some authours affirme that he was ouercome in combate before For the same cause the King commanded William Aluerie to be hanged a man of goodly personage and modest behauiour the Kings â—…ewer his Aunts sonne and hiâ—… godfather Before his execution hee desired to be whipped through manie Churches in London he distributed his garments to the poore and bloodied the street as he went with often kneeling vpon the stones At the time of his death he tooke it vpon the charge of his soule that he was cleere of the offence for which he suffered And so committing his innocencie to God and to the world his complaints he submitted himselfe to the Executioners hands leauing an opinion in some a suspition in many that others also died without desert For the king gaue an easie eare to any man that would appeach others for his aduantage whereby it sometimes happened that offenders were acquited by accusing innocents He was liberall aboue measure either in regard of his owne abilities or of the worthinesse of the receiuers Especially hee was bountifull if that terme may be applyed to immoderate lauishing to men of warre for which cause many resorted to him from farre Countries for entertainement To winne and retaine the fauour of these hee much impouerished his peaceable people From many he tooke without iustice to giue to others without desert esteeming it no vnequall dealing that the money of the one should bee aduentured and expended with the blood of the other He much exceeded in sumptuousnes of diet and of apparell wherewith great men vse to dazel the eyes of the people both which waies he esteemed the goodnesse of things by their price It is reported that when his Chamberlaine vpon a certaine morning brought him a new paire of hose the King demaunded what they cost and the Chamberlaine answered three shillings Hereat the King grew impatient and said What heauie beast doest thou take these to be conuenient hose for a King Away begger and bring me other of a better price Then the Chamberlaine departed and brought a farre worse paire of hose for a better could not at that time bee found and told the king that they cost a marke The king not onely allowed them for fine enough but commended them also as exceeding fit Assuredly this immoderate excesse of a King is now farre exceeded by many base shifting vnthrifts In building his expences were very great He repaired the Citie and Castle of Caerlile which had been wasted by the Danes 200. yeres before Hee finished New castle vpon Tine Many other Castles he erected or repaired vpon the frontiers of Scotland many also vpon the frontiers and within the very brest of Wales Hee much enlarged the Towre of London and enuironed it with a new wall Hee also built the great Hall at Westminster which is 270. foote in length and 74. foote in breadth And when many did admire the vast largenes thereof he would say vnto them that it was but a bed chamber but a closet in comparison of that which he intended to build And accordingly he layd the foundation of another Hall which stretched from the Riuer Thames to the Kings high street the further erection wherof with diuers other heroicall enterprises ceased together with his life Thus partly by reason of his infinite plots and inuentions and partly by his disorders and vnbrideled liberalities he alwayes liued at great charges and expences which whilest the large treasure lasted which his father left him were borne without grieuance to the subiects But when that was once drained he was reduced to seeke money by extraordinary meanes So many hard taxes were laidvpon the people partly for supplie to his owne necessities and partly to imitate the policie of his father that the people being busied how to liue should reteine small either leisure or meanes to contriue innouations For this cause he was supposed vpon purpose to haue enterprised many actions of charge that thereby he might haue colour to impose both imployments and taxations vpon the people And because the riches of the clergie at that time were not onely an eye-sore vnto many but esteemed also by some to bee very farre aboue due proportion Hee often fleeced them of great summes of money For which cause it is euident that the writers of that age who were for the most part Clergie men did both generally enueigh against him and much depraue his particular actions He withheld his annuall paiment to the Sea of Rome vpon occasion of a Schisme betweene Vrbane at Rome and Clement at Rauenna He claimed the inuestiture of Prelates to be his right Hee forbade Appeales and entercourse to Rome For which and other like causes he had a very great contention with the Clergie of his Realme especially with Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury The seedes of this contention were cast when Anselme was first receiued to his Sea For at that time two did striue for the Papacie of Rome Vrbanus and Guibert called Clement the third some Christian States fauouring the one and some the other King William inclined to Clement the third and with him the Realme generally went but Anselme did fully goe with Vrbane making so his condition before he did consent to accept his dignitie When he was elected and before his consecration the King demanded of him that such lands of the Church of Canterbury as the King had giuen to his friends since the death of Lanfranck might still be held by them as their lawfull right but to this Anselme would in no case agree Hereupon the King stayed his consecration a certaine time but at length by importunitie of the people hee was content to receiue his homage and to giue way to his consecration Not long after the Archbishop desired licence of the king to goe to Rome to receiue his Pall which when the King refused to grant he appealed to the Sea of Rome Now this was the first Appeale that euer before had been made in England For Appeales were not here in ordinarie vse vntil after this time vnder the reigne of King Stephen when Henrie Bishop of Wint. being the Popes Legate brought them in Wherefore the King offended with this noueltie charged Anselme with breach of his fealtie and oath Anselme answered that this was to be referred to the iudgement of a Councell whether it bee a breach of allegiance to a terrene Prince if a man appeale to the
setled in a certaine course of succession because the dignitie is inherent in the blood of that stocke because it is not taken from the father but from the ancestors because it is not taken onely from the ancestors but from the fundamentall law of the State the eldest sonne shall indistinctly succeede although hee were borne before his father was King And therefore after the kingdome of Persia had been caried by succession in some descents when Darius the King had foure sonnes Artaxerxes the eldest Cyrus the next and two others Parysates the wife of Darius hauing a desire that Cyrus should succeede in the kingdome alleaged in his behalfe the same reason wherewith Xexes had preuailed before to wit that shee had brought foorth Artaxerxes to Darius when hee was in priuate state but Cyrus was borne to him when he was a King Yet Plutarch affirmeth that the reason which she vsed was nothing probable and that Artaxerxes the eldest sonne was appointed to be King And so Blondus and Ritius doe report that Bela the King of Hungarie being dead Geysa succeeded although borne vnto him before he was a King Others inferiour in number but not in weight of Iudgement do affirme that whether a Kingdome be setled in succession or whether by any other title newly attained the right to succeed by all true grounds of law pertaineth to the eldest sonne albeit borne before his fathers aduancement to the kingdome in case there be no expresse law of the state to the contrary The principall reason is because this is the nature of all successions by way of inheritance For if a father purchaseth lands leases cattell or other goods the inheritance shall bee transmitted to his eldest sonne although borne before the purchase Likewise if a father be aduanced to any title of honour as Duke Earle Marquesse c. it was neuer I will not say denied but once doubted but that the eldest sonne should succeede in the same albeit he was borne before the aduancement And therefore seeing this is the generall rule of all other inheritable successions and there is no reason of singularitie in a kingdome it followeth that in like case the succession of a kingdome should also descend to the eldest sonne although borne before the kingdome were atchieued Againe the sonne who was borne before his father was a King had once a right to succeede in the kingdome for if another sonne had not afterwards beene borne without all question hee should haue succeeded But a right which a man by his owne person hath acquired albeit in some cases it may be diminished yet can it not bee altogether extinguished by any externall or casuall euent which hath no dependencie vpon himselfe And so the right which the eldest sonne hath to his fathers inheritance may bee diminished by the birth of other children in regard of those goods which are to bee distributed in parts among them but it cannot possibly be extinguished Neither can it bee diminished in those things which are not of nature to bee either valued or diuided of which sort a Kingdome is the chiefe but doe passe entirely vnto one For the right of blood which onely is regarded in lawfull successions is acquired and held from the natiuitie of the childe and doth not begin at the fathers death at which time the inheritance doth fall Lastly if it be true in sonnes that he shal succeede in a kingdome who is first borne after the father is exalted to bee a King then is it true also in other remote degrees of consanguinitie And hereby it should often happen that when a King dieth without issue of his body they who are not onely inferiour in age but more remote in degree should exclude both the elder and the neerer in blood because perhaps borne after the kingdome was attained which is against all lawes of lawfull succession Howsoeuer the right standeth Henry the yonger brother to King William Rufus vpon aduantage of the absence of Duke Robert his eldest brother formed this title to the Crowne of England In which pretence he was strongly supported first by a generall inclination of the common people for that he had both his birth and education within the Realme and they were well perswaded of his good nature and disposition Secondly by the fauour and trauaile of many of the nobilitie especially of Henry Neuborow Earle of Warwicke Thirdly for that the sailes of popular fauours are filled most violently with reports by his giuing forth that his brother Robert intended neuer to returne for that he was elected King of Hierusalem and of all those large Countreys in Asia which the Christians had lately wrung out of the Saracens hands Lastly by vsing celeritie the very life of actions for he was Crowned at Westminster as it hath bene said vpon the fifth day of August in the yeere 1100. which was the third day after his brothers death In person he was both stately and strong tall broad brested his limmes fairely fourmed well knit and fully furnished with flesh He was exceeding both comely and manly in countenance his face wel fashioned his colour cleere his eyes liuely and faire his eye-browes large and thicke his haire blacke and somewhat thinne towards his forehead He was of an excellent wit free from ostentation his thoughts high yet honourable and iust in speach ready and eloquent much graced with sweetnesse of voyce In priuate he was affable open wittily pleasant and very full of merrie simplicitie in publicke he looked with a graue Maiestie as finding in himselfe cause to be honoured He was brought vp in the studie of Liberall Arts at Cambridge where he attained that measure of knowledge which was sufficient both for ornament and vse but ranne not into intemperate excesse either for ostentation or for a cloake to vnprofitable expense of time By his example the yong Nobilitie of the Realme began to affect a praise for learning Insomuch as at a certaine enteruiew betweene the King and Pope Innocent the 2. the sonnes of Robert Earle of Mellent maintained open disputations against diuers Cardinals and Chapleines of the Pope He was an exact esteemer of himselfe not so much for his strength as for his weakenesses lesse inclined to confidence then to distrust and yet in weighty affaires resolute and firme neuer dismaied and alwayes fortunate his spirits being of force to oppose against any sort of difficulties or doubts Extremities made him the more assured and like a well knit Arch hee then lay most strong when hee sustained the greatest weight Hee was no more disposed to valour then well setled in vertue and goodnes which made his valour of more precious valuation He had good command ouer his passions and thereby attained both peace within himselfe and victory ouer others In giuing hee was moderate but bountifull in recompence his countenance enlarging the worth of his gift Hee was prone to relieue euen where there was least likelihood of requitall
He hated flatterie the poysoned sugar the counterfeit ciuilitie and loue the most base brokery of wordes yet was no musicke so pleasing vnto him as well deserued thankes He was vigilant and industrious in his affaires knowing right well that honour not onely hath a paineful and dangerous birth but must in like manner be nourished and fed He was somewhat immoderate and excessiue as well in aduancing those he fauoured as in beating downe and disabling his enemies The sword was alwayes the last of his trials so as he neuer either sought or apprehended occasions of warre where with honour he could reteine peace But if it were iniuriously vrged he wanted neither wisedome nor diligence nor magnanimous heart to encounter the danger to beare it ouer with courage and successe He was frugall of the blood and slaughter of his Souldiers neuer aduenturing both his honour their liues to the hazard of the sword without either necessitie or aduantage He oftentimes preuailed against his enemies more by policie then by power and for victories thus attained he attributed to himselfe the greatest glory For wisedome is most proper to man but force is common and most eminent in beasts by wisedome the honour was entire to himselfe by force it was participated to inferiour Commanders to euery priuate ordinarie Souldier the effects of force are heauie hideous and sometimes inhumane but the same wrought to euent by wisedome is as lesse odious so more assured and firme After that he was mounted into the seate of Maiestie hee neglected no meanes to settle himselfe most surely therin against the returne of his brother Robert To this end he contracted both amitie and alliance with Edgar King of Scots by taking his sister Matild to wife by which meanes he not onely remoued his hostilitie but stood assured of his assistance in case his occasions should so require Shee was daughter to Malcolme King of Scots by Margaret his wife who was sister to Edgar surnamed Adeling and daughter to Edward sonne to Edmund Ironside the most valiant Saxon King the scourge and terrour of the Danes So as after the death of Adeling who left no issue this Matild was next by discent from the Saxon Kings to the inheritance of the Crowne of England and by her entermariage with King Henry the two families of Normans and Saxons were vnited together both in blood and title to the Crowne This more then any other respect made the whole nation of the English not onely firme to King Henrie against his brother but loyall and peaceable during all his reigne for that they saw the blood of their Saxon Kings restored again to the possession of the Crowne Shee was a Lady vertuous religious beautifull and wise farre from the ordinary either vices or weakenesses incident to her sexe She had been brought vp among the Nunnes of Winchester and Rumsey whether professed or onely veiled our writers doe diuersly report but most affirme that shee was professed Yet for the common good for the publique peace and tranquilitie of the State shee abandoned her deuoted life and was ioyned to King Henrie in mariage by consent of Anselme without any dispensation from Rome Of this Matild the King begate William a sonne who perished by shipwracke and Matild a daughter first married to Henry the fifth Emperour by whom she had no issue afterward to Geoffrey Plantagenet Earle of Aniou by whom shee brought foorth a sonne named Henrie in whom the blood of the Saxon Kings was aduanced againe to the gouernment of this Realme Now to purchase the fauour of the Clergie he called Anselme out of exile and restored him both to the dignitie and reuenues of the Sea of Canterbury Other Bishoprickes and Abbeys which King William kept voide at the time of his death hee furnished with men of best sufficiencie and reputation Hee committed Radulph Bishop of Durham to prison who had been both authour and agent to King William in most of his distastfull actions against the Clergie This Radulph was a man of smooth vse of speach wittie onely in deuising or speaking or doing euill but to honestie and vertue his heart was a lumpe of lead Enuious aboue all measure nothing was so grieuous to his eyes as the prosperitie nothing so harsh to his eares as the commendations of others His tongue alwayes slauish to the Princes desires not regarding how truely or faithfully but how pleasingly he did aduise Thus as a principall infamie of that age hee liued without loue and died without pitie sauing of those who thought it pitie that he liued so long Further to make the Clergie the more assured the King renounced the right which his Ancesters vsed in giuing Inuestitures and acknowledged the same to appertaine to the Pope This hee yeelded at his first entrance partly not knowing of what importance it was and partly being in necessitie to promise any thing But afterwards he resumed that right againe albeit in a Councell not long before held at Rome the contrary had bene decreed For hee inuested William Gifford into the Bishopricke of Winchester and all the possessions belonging to the same He gaue the Archbishopricke of Canterburie to Radulph Bishop of London and inuested him therein by a Ring and a staffe he inuested also two of his Chapleins at Westminster Roger his Chanceller in the Bishopricke of Salisburie and Roger his Larderer in the Bishopricke of Hereford Further he assumed the custome of his father and brother in taking the reuenues of Bishopricks whilest they remained void and for that cause did many times keepe them a longer season vacant in his hands then many of the Clergie could with patience endure But especially the Clergie did fauour him much by reason of his liberall leaue either to erect or to enlarge or else to enrich Religious buildings For to these workes the King was so ready to giue not onely way but encouragement and helpe that in no Princes time they did more within this Realme either flourish or increase And namely the house of S. Iohn of Hierusalem was then founded neere Smithfield in London with the house of Nunnes by Clerken well Then were also founded the Church of Theukesburie with all Offices thereto belonging the Priorie and Hospitall of S. Bartholomewes in Smithfield the Church of S. Giles without Creeplegate the Colledge of Seculare Canons in the castle of Leicester the Abbey without the Northgate of the same towne called S. Mary deprato Also the Monasterie of S. Iohn of Lanthonie by Glocester the Church of Dunmow in Essex the Monasterie of S. Iohn at Colchester which was the first house of Augustine Chanons in England the Church of S. Mary Oueries furnished with Chanons in Southwarke the Priory of the holy Trinity now called Christs Church within Algate and the Hospitall of S. Giles in the field The Priorie of Kenelworth The Abbey of Kenshame The Monasterie of Plimpton in Deuonshire with the Cathedrall Church of Exceter the Priorie of Merton the Colledge
many chases vpon them but found nothing worthy the name either of enemie or of warre Wherefore by maintaining garrisons and light troups of Souldiers he consumed the most obstinate and reduced the rest to his allegeance receiuing the sonnes of their Nobilitie for hostages At that time many Flemings inhabited in England of whom some came ouer in the time of King William the first by occasion of his mariage with Matild daughter to Baldwine their Earle but the greatest part came vnder the reigne of this King Henrie by reason that Flanders at that time by irruption of the sea was in many places ouerflowen The King was willing to entertaine them because they brought with them both industrie and trades because they made the Countrey both populous and rich For in making a place populous it is thereby also made rich draw people to a place and plentie will follow driue away people and it is vndone They were first planted neere the riuer of Tweede besides those who dispersed into diuers Townes But at this time the King sent many of them into Rose in Pembrokeshire whose progeny did euer since maintaine themselues in good condition against the Welsh being a people euen at this day distinguished from all other bordering vpon them both in language and in nature and in fashion of life On a time as the king marched through Powesland in Southwales hee came to certaine streights through which his maine army could not passe by reason of their 〈◊〉 and traine of cariage wherefore hee sent the greatest part a further way about and himselfe with a small company tooke the neerer way thorow those streights When he was well entred he was charged very sharpely but rudely and disordredly by the Welsh who hauing the aduantage both in number and in place did much annoy him from the higher ground but durst not approach to close fight at hand The King himselfe was smitten with an arrow full vpon the breast whereat hee swore By our Lords death which was his vsuall oath that it was no Welsh arme which shot that arrow Many of his men also were hurt and the residue strangely disordred the amazement being farre greater then the distresse But the king with a firme countenance retired in time the enemies not daring to pursue him any further then they might be assured by aduantage of place Then he sent peaceably vnto them and after some ouertures brought them to agree that for a thousand head of cattell the passage should be left open vnto him IN this politicke gouernment he so managed the State that neither subiects wanted iustice nor Prince obedience He repaired many defects hee reformed many abuses which would in the meane time enfeeble and at last oppresse the Common-wealth Hee ordred his affaires with such moderation that he was not onely well obeyed by his subiects but highly honoured and respected by forreine Princes wherby it appeared that learning may be both a guard and guide to Princes if it be not so immoderately affected as to bereaue them either of the minde or time for action He vsed much seueritie in punishing offenders seueritie the life of iustice of iustice the most assured preseruer of States affording no more fauour for the most parr then dead mercilesse law did allot Against the eues he prouided that no money should saue them from hanging He ordeined that counterfeitures of money should loose both their eyes and be depriued of their priuie parts He tooke away the deceit which had been occasioned by varietie of measures and made a measure by the length of his owne arme which hath been Commonly vsed euer since by the name of a yard And wheras there are two infallible signes of a diseased State excesse in eating and in attire which could neuer be restrained by penalties or feare but the more the people are therin forbidden the more are they rauished into riot and vanitie the King by two meanes cast a general restraint vpon them both by example and by reproofe which by reason of the inclination of men to imitate and please their Prince haue alwayes been of greater force then lawes to reforme abuses in that kind He much abhorred excesse in eating and drinking and was so moderate in his owne diet that he seemed to feede onely for necessitie of nature Hee both vsed and commended ciuill modestie in apparell especially he could not endure an absurd abuse of men in those times in wearing long haire like vnto women And when their owne haire failed they set artificiall Peruques with long locks vpon their heads whereas by censure of the Apostle it is reprochfull for men to weare long haire He discharged his Court of many loose lasciuious persons affirming that they were no good instruments of the kingdome as being in peace chargeable and vnprofitable for warre During his absence in Normandie which was sometimes three or foure yeeres together he committed the gouernement of his Realme to Roger Bishop of Salisburie A man harmelesse in life in mind flourishing and fresh in intention vpright most wise in taking and most faithfull and fortunate in giuing aduise Hee had gouerned the Kings expenses of house when hee was but a Prince of priuate estate whereby he gained that reputation for integritie and skill which aduanced him to a higher trust He was Doctor of the Canon and Ciuill lawes as most of the Bishops at that time were and did beare the title and name of Iusticiarius totius Angliae Hee built the Deuises in Wiltshire the Castles of Malmesburie and Shireburne He repaired the Castle of Salisburie and enuironed the same with a wall hee built the stately Church at Salisburie destined to a longer life then any of his other workes And further by reason of the Kings much abode in Normandie the prouisions of his house were valued at certaine prices and receiued in money to the great contentment and ease of the people In these times were mighty woods about the place where the two high wayes Watling and Ikening doe ioyne together which woods were a safe couert and retreite for many robbers who much infested those high wayes The most famous thiefe among them was named Dunne a man mischieuous without mercie equally greedie of blood and of spoile the first infamie of his name Hee was in a sort as the most villanously aduentrous and vile for in lewd actions the worst are greatest Commander ouer the rest and of him the place was called Dunstable To represse this annoyance the King caused the woods to bee cut downe built there a Borough to which hee granted Faire Market and that the Burgesses should be so free as any other Burgesses within the Realme Hee erected there also a Palace for himselfe and also a faire Church or Priorie whereto he gaue large priuiledges and endowments By these meanes hee made the place first populous and consequently both plentifull and safe Many other royall workes hee performed some for Religion as the Religious