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
his cause for that he was a manifest vsurper naked of all true title to the Crowne pretending onely as borne of the daughter of Hardicanutus the Dane Yea he was infamous both for his iniurie and periurie towards the Duke and no lesse hatefull for his disloyaltie in former times in bearing Armes with his father against King Edward Hereupon the Nobilitie of the Realme were broken into factions Many of whom his owne brother Tosto was chiefe inuited Harold King of Norway to inuade with whom whilest Harold of England was incountring in Armes the residue drew in Duke William out of Normandie And these also were diuided in respects Some were caried by particular ends as being prepared in diuers maner by the Normane before hand others vpon a greedy and for the most part deceiueable ambition in hunting after hazard and change others were led with loue to their Countrey partly to auoyd the tempest which they saw to gather in clouds against them and partly to enlarge the Realme both in dominion and strength by adioyning the Country of Normandie vnto it In which regard because the lesse doeth alwayes accrue to the greater they thought it more aduantageable to deale with a Prince of an inferiour state then with a Prince of a state superiour or equal As for Edgar Atheling the next successour to the Crowne in right of blood he was not of sufficient age of a simple wit and slow courage not gracious to the English as well for his imperfections both in yeeres and nature as for that he was altogether vnacquainted with the customes and conditions of their Countrey vnfurnished of forces and reputation vnfurnished of friends vnfurnished of all meanes to support his title So Duke William hauing better right then the one and more power then the other did easily cary the prize from both Now touching the state of his owne strength albeit Normandie was but little in regard of England yet was it neither feeble nor poore For the people by reason of their continuall exercise in Armes by reason of the weightie warres which they had managed were well inabled both in courage and skill for all Militarie atchieuements Their valour also had bene so fauoured by their Fortune that they were more enriched by spoile then drawne downe either with losses or with charge Hereupon when preparation was to be made for the enterprise of England although some disswaded the Duke from embracing the attempt affirming that it was a vaine thing to streine at that which the hand is not able to conteine to take more meat then the stomacke can beare that he who catcheth at matters too great is in great danger to gripe nothing Yet did others not onely encourage him by aduise but enable him by their aide Among which William Fitz-Auber did furnish 40. ships with men and munition The Bishop of Baieux likewise 40 the Bishop of Mans 30 and in like sort others according to the proportion of their estates And yet he drew not his forces onely out of Normandie but receiued aide from all parts of France answerable not onely to his necessitie but almost to his desire Philip King of France at that time was vnder age and Baldwine Earle of Flanders was gouernour of the Realme whose daughter the Duke had taken to wife By his fauour the Duke receiued large supplies from the state of France both in treasure and in men of warre for countenance whereof it was giuen foorth that the Duke should hold the Realme of England as hee did the Duchie of Normandie vnder homage to the Crowne of France Hereupon diuers Princes of France did adioyne to his aide and especially the Duke of Orleance the Earles of Britaine Aniou Boloigne Ponthieu Neuers Poictou Hiesmes Aumale and the Lord of Tours Many other of the Nobilitie and Gentlemen did voluntarily aduenture both their bodies and whole estates vpon the euent of this enterprise So greatly had he either by courtesie wonne the loue or by courage erected the hopes of all men yea of many who had bin his greatest enemies With these also the Emperour Henry 4. sent him certaine troupes of Souldiers commanded by a Prince of Almaine Hee receiued also many promises of fauour from Swaine King of Denmarke And who can assure for the sequele maketh the coniecture probable that he held not intelligence with Harold Harfager King of Norway to inuade England with two armies at once So partly by his owne Subiects and partly by supply from his Alleys and friends hee amassed a strong Armie consisting chiefly of Normans Flemings French and Britaines to the number of fiftie thousand men and brought them to S. Valeries before which Towne his ships did ride Here he stayed a certaine time attending the wind as most writers doe report but rather as it may be coniectured to awaite the arriuall of Harold Harfager K. of Norway knowing right well that the inuasion of Harold of Norway vpon the North parts of the realme would draw away Harold of England to leaue the coasts towards the South vndefended During his abode at S. Valeries certaine English espials were taken whom King Harold had sent to discouer both the purposes and power of the Duke When they were brought to his presence with a braue confidence he said vnto them Your Lord might well haue spared this charge hee needed not to haue cast away his cost to vnderstand that by your industrie and faith which my owne presence shall manifest vnto him more certainly more shortly then he doth expect Goe your wayes goe tell him from me If he find me not before the end of this yeere in the place where hee supposeth that hee may most safely set his foote let him neuer feare danger from mee whilest hee liue Many Normans disliked this open dealing of the Duke preferring to his iudgement the valour and experience of King Harold the greatnesse of his treasure the number and goodnes of his men but especially his strong Nauie and expert Saylers accustomed both to the fights and dangers of the Sea more then any other people in the world To these the Duke turned and sayd I am glad to heare this opinion run both of his prowesse and of his power the greater shall our glory bee in preuailing against him But I see right well that I haue small cause to feare his discouery of our strength when you who are so neere vnto mee discerne so little Rest your selues vpon the Iustice of your cause and foresight of your Commaunder Who hath lesse then hee who can iustly tearme nothing his owne I know more of his weakenesse then euer he shall know of my strength vntill he feele it Performe you your parts like men and he shall neuer be able to disappoint either my assurance or your hopes Now Harold King of England had prepared a fleet to resist the inuasion of the duke of Normandie but by reason of his long stay at S. Valeries speeches did spread whether by error or subornation
yea assured aduertisement was sent out of Flanders that he had for that yeere abandoned his enterprise In the meane time Harold Harfager King of Norway then whom no man was esteemed more valiant hauing assured both intelligence and aide out of England arriued in the mouth of Humber and from thence drawing vp against the streame of the riuer Owse landed at a place called Richhall Here he Marshalled his Armie and marched foorth into the Countrey and when hee came neere vnto Yorke he was encountred by the English led by Edwine and Morchar the principall commanders of all those quarters The fight was furious but in the end the English were ouerthrowne and with a great slaughter chases into Yorke Vpon aduertisement hereof Harold King of England caried all his forces against Harfager His readinesse was such and such his expedition that the fifth day after the fight before mentioned he gaue him battell againe wherein Harold Harfager was slaine and so was Tosto the King of Englands brother Tosto by an vncertaine enemie but Harfager by the hand of Harold of England Their armie also was routed and with a bloody execution pursued so long as day and furie did last Here a certaine Souldier of Norway was most famous almost for a miracle of manhood He had been appointed with certaine others to guard the passage at Stamford bridge The residue vpon approach of the English forsooke their charge but hee alone stepped to the foote of the Bridge and with his Battle-axe sustained the shocke of the whole armie slew aboue fourty assailants and defended both the passage and himselfe vntill an English Souldier went vnder the Bridge and through a hole thereof thrust him into the bodie with a Launce If this victory of King Harold had been so wisely vsed as it was valiantly wonne he should haue neglected the spoyle and returned with the like celeritie wherewith he came But hee gaue discontentment to his Souldiers in abridging their expectation for free sharing the spoile and hauing lost many in that conflict he retired to Yorke and there stayed as well to reforme the state of the Countrey greatly disordered by meanes of these warres as also both to refresh and repaire his armie In the meane time the Duke of Normandie receiuing intelligence that the Sea-coasts were left naked of defence loosed from S. Valeries with three hundred or as some writers report 896 or as one Norman writer affirmes with more then one thousand saile and hauing a gentle gale arriued at Pemsey in Sussex vpon the 28. of September The ship wherein the Duke was caried is said as if it had runne for the garland of victory to haue outstripped the rest so farre that the sailers were enforced to strike saile and hull before the winde to haue their companie When hee first stepped vpon the shoare one of his feete slipped a little The Duke to recouer himselfe stepped more strongly with the other foote and sunke into the sand somewhat deepe One of his Souldiers espying this sayd merrily vnto him You had almost fallen my Lord but you haue well maintained your standing and haue now taken deepe and firme footing in the soyle of England The presage is good and hereupon I salute you King The Duke laughed and the souldiers with whom superstition doth strongly worke were much confirmed in courage by the ieast When he had landed his forces he fortified a piece of ground with strong trenches and discharged all his ships leauing to his souldiers no hope to saue themselues but onely by victory After this he published the causes of his comming in armes namely 1 To chalenge the kingdome of England giuen to him by his cousin King Edward the last lawfull possessor at that time thereof 2 To reuenge the death of his cousin Alfred brother to the same K. Edward and of the Normans who did accompanie him into England no lesse cruelly then deceitfully slaine by Earle Goodwin and his adherents 3 To reuenge the iniurie done vnto Robert Archbishop of Canterburie who by the practise as it was then giuen foorth of Harold had been exiled in the life time of King Edward This last article was added either to please the Pope or generally in fauour of the Cleargie to whom the example grew then intollerable that an Archbishop should bee once questioned by any other then by themselues So the Duke leauing his fortification furnished with competent forces to assure the place as wel for a retreit as for daily landing of fresh supplies marched forward to Hastings and there raised another fortresse and planted likewise a garison therein And in all places he restrained his Souldiers either from spoyling or harming the Countrey people for feare that thereby they would fall into disorder but giuing forth that it were crueltie to spoile them who in short time should be his Subiects Here the Duke because he would not either aduenture or trust his Souldiers went foorth in person to discouer the Countrey with 15. horsemen in his company and no more His returne was on foote by reason of the euill qualitied wayes and when Fitz-Osberne who went with him was ouer wearied with the weight of his armour the Duke eased him by bearing his helmet vpon his shoulder This action may seeme of slender regard but yet did gaine him both fauour and dutie among his Souldiers K. Harold hearing of these approches hasted by great iourneyes towards London sending his messengers to all places both to encourage and entreate the people to draw together for their common defence Here he mustered his Souldiers and albeit hee found that his forces were much impaired by his late battaile against Harfager yet he gathered an able armie countenanced and commanded by diuers of the Nobilitie which resorted vnto him from many parts of the Realme The Duke in the meane time sent a messenger vnto him who demanded the Kingdome in so stout maner that he was at the point to haue bene euill entreated by the King Againe the King sent his messenger to the Duke forbidding him with loftie language to make any stay within that Countrey but to returne againe no lesse speedily then rashly he had entred The Duke betweene mirth and scorne returned answere That as he came not vpon his entreaty so at his command he would not depart But said he I am not come to word with your King I am come to fight and am desirous to fight I will be ready to fight with him albeit I had but 10000. such men as I haue brought 60000. K. Harold spent little time lost none vnlesse happely that which hee might haue taken more both in appointing and ordering his Armie And when he was ready to take the field his mother entreated him first moderately then with words of passion and with teares that he would not aduenture his person to the battaile Her importunitie was admired the more for that it was both without any apparant cause and not vsuall in former times But Harold with
reigne of King William a Councell was holden at London where another matter of like qualitie and nature was decreed namely that Bishops should translate their Sees from villages to Cities whereupon in short time after Bishops Sees were remoued from Selese to Chichester from Cornewall to Exeter from Wells to Bath from Shirbourne to Salisburie from Dorcester to Lincolne from Lichfield to Chester and from thence againe to Couentree And albeit the Archbishop of Yorke did oppose against the erecting of a Cathedrall Church in Lincolne because he challenged that Citie to be of his Prouince yet Remigius Bishop of Dorchester being strong both in resolution and in friends did prosecute his purpose to effect Not long before the Bishopricke of Lindafferne otherwise called Holy land vpon the riuer Tweed had bene translated to Durhame In the tenth yeere of his reigne the cold of Winter was exceeding memorable both for sharpenesse and for continuance For the earth remained hard frozen from the beginning of Nouember vntill the middest of April then ensuing In the 15. yere a great earthquake happened in the month of April strange for the strong trembling of the earth but more strange for the dolefull and hideous roaring which it yeelded foorth In the 20. yeere there fell such abundance of raine that the Riuers did greatly ouerflow in all parts of the Realme The springs also rising plentifully in diuers hils so softned and decaied the foundations of them that they fell downe whereby some villages were ouerthrowne By this distemperature of weather much cattel perished much cornevpon the ground was either destroyed or greatly empaired Herehence ensued first a famine and afterwards a miserable mortalitie of men And that all the Elements might seeme to haue conspired the calamity of the Realme the same yeere most of the principall Cities in England were lamentably deformed with fire At London a fire began at the entry of the West gate which apprehending certaine shops and Ware-houses wherein was Merchandise apt to burne it was at once begun and suddenly at the highest Then being caried with a strong wind and the Citie apt to maintaine the flame as well by reason of the crooked and narrow streets as for that the buildings at that time had open and wide windowes and were couered with base matter fit to take fire the mischiefe spread more swiftly then the remedies could follow So it raged vntill it came to the Eastgate prostrated houses and Churches all the way being the most grieuous that euer as yet hath happened to that Citie The Church of S. Paul was at that time fired Whereupon Maurice then Bishop of London began the foundation of the new Church of S. Paul A worke so admirable that many did iudge it would neuer haue bene finished yet all might easily esteeme thereby his magnanimitie his high erected hopes his generous loue and honour to Religion The King gaue towards the building of the East end of this Church the choise stones of his Castle at the West end of the Citie vpon the bancke of the Riuer Thames which Castle at the same time was also fired in place whereof Edward Killwarby Archbishop of Canterburie did afterwards found a Monasterie of blacke Friers The King also gaue the Castle of Storford and all the lands which thereto belonged to the same Maurice and to his successours in that See And doubtlesse nothing more then either parcimonious or prophane expending the Treasures of the Church hath since those times much dried vp those fountaines which first did fill them After the death of Maurice Richard his next Successour as well in vertue as in dignitie bestowed all the Rents rising out of this Bishopricke to aduance the building of this Church maintaining himselfe by his Patrimonie and friendes and yet all which hee could doe made no great shewe so that the finishing of this worke was left to many other succeeeding Bishops Hee purchased the ground about the Church whereupon many buildings did stand and inclosed the same with a strong wall of stone for a place of buriall It seemeth that this wall was afterwards either battered and torne in some ciuill warres or else by negligence suffered to decay for that a graunt was made by King Edward the second that the Church-yard of Saint Pauls should bee enclosed with a wall because of the robberies and murthers that were there committed Many parts of this wall remaine at this time on both sides of the Church but couered for the most part with dwelling houses The same yeere in Whitsun-weeke the King honoured his sonne Henrie with the order of Knighthood What Ceremonies the King then vsed it is not certainly knowen but before his time the custome among the Saxons was thus First hee who should receiue the order of Knighthood conâ—…essed himselfe in the euening to a Priest Then hee continued all that night in the Church watching and applying himselfe to his priuate deuotions The next morning he heard Masse and offered his sword vpon the Altar After the Gospel was read the sword was hallowed and with a benediction put about his necke Lastly he communicated the mysteries of the blessed body of Christ and from that time remained a lawfull Souldier or Knight This custome of Consecrating Knights the Normans did not onely abrogate but abhorre not for any euill that was therein but because it was not altogether their owne This yeere in a Prouince of Wales called Rosse the Sepulchre of Wawyn otherwise called Gawen was found vpon the Sea shore Hee was sisters sonne to Arthur the great King of the Britaines a man famous in our Britaine Histories both for ciuill courtesie and for courage in the field I cannot but esteeme the report for fabulous that his bodie was fourteene foote in length I doe rather coniecture that one credulous writer did take that for the length of his body which happily might bee the length of his â—…ombe It is constantly affirmed that the ground whereon the English and the Normans did combate doth shew after euery raine manifest markes of blood vpon the grasse which if it was not a proprietie of the soyle before it is hard now to assigne either from what naturall cause it doth proceede or what it should supernaturally portend K. WILLIAM THE SECOND sirnamed RVFVS KIng WILLIAM the Victor when hee drew towards the end of his dayes commended the Kingdome of England to his second sonne William with many blessings with many admonitions with many prayers for the prosperous successe of his succession And because the presence of the next successour is of greatest moment to establish affaires the King a little before his passage to death dispatched him into England with letters vnder his owne Seale to Lanfranck then Archbishop of Canterbury a man highly esteemed in forraine Countreys but with the Cleargie and vulgare people of the Realme his authoritie was absolute In these letters the King expressed great affection and care towards his sonne William commending him with many kind
words for his sufficiencies for diuers vertues especially for that hee did alwayes stand firmely by him alwayes declare himselfe both a faithfull Subiect and dutifull sonne It was also coniectured by some that the King was guided in this choise no lesse by his iudgement then by his affection for that he esteemed the fierce disposition of his sonne William more fit to gouerne a people not well setled in subiection then the flexible and milde nature of his eldest sonne Robert So William taking his last leaue of his father who was then taking his last leaue of this world iourneyed towards England and in short time arriued at the port called Whitesand where he receiued the first report of his fathers death Hereupon with all speed hee posted to Lanfranck deliuered his fathers letters and foorthwith was declared King vpon the 9. day of September in the yere 1087. and vpon the first of October next ensuing was by the same Lanfranck with al ceremonies and solemnities perteining to that action crowned at Westminster Robert either by negligence and want of foresight or by the perpetuall malice of his destinie or happily not without his fathers contriuance was absent in Germanie whilest his yonger brother William did thus possesse himselfe both of the Kingdome of his father and of his treasure Otherwise he wanted neither pretence nor purpose nor fauour of friends to haue empeached his brothers proceedings For it was then doubted by many and since hath bene by many debated whether in any case vpon any cause or consideration whatsoeuer a King hath power to disinherite his eldest sonne and to appoint another to succeed in his estate That a King may aduance any of his sonnes to bee his successour without respect of prioritie in birth there seemeth to want neither warrant of example nor weight of authoritie Dauid a man greatly prooued and approoued by God did preferre Solomon to succeede him before his eldest sonne Adonia And in like sort Rehoboam the sonne of Solomon appointed the yongest of all his sonnes to succeed him in the Kingdome So some Lawyers affirme That a King may determine in his life which of his sonnes shall reigne after him But this must be vnderstood either when a State is newly raised to the title of a kingdome or else when by Conquest Vsurpation or some other meanes of change the gouernment thereof is newly transferred from one stemme to another For then because there is no certaine Law or Custome of succession in force the right seemeth to dâ—…pend vpon the disposition of the Prince And yet euen in this case the eldest or neerest cannot be excluded without iust cause For so when Iacob depriued his eldest sonne Reuben of his priuiledge of birth he expressed the cause For that he had defiled his fathers bed which fact of his Hierome applieth to the case in question So when Ptolemie the first King of Egypt commended the State to his yongest sonne he yeelded a reason for that which he did So Henrie the fourth Emperour crowned Henrie his yonger sonne King reiecting Conrade his eldest sonne for that hee had borne armes against him and ioyned in league with his open enemies But when by expresse Lawe or long grounded Custome the Succession of a State is established to the eldest sonne the best approoued interpreters of the Canon and Ciuill law doe conclude that the father hath no power to inuert or peruert that course of order For parents may debarre their children of that which proceedeth from themselues of that which dependeth vpon their appointment but of that which is due by nature by the immutable law of the State the parents can haue no power to dispose When by a fundamentall Lawe or Custome of State Succession is annexed to the dignity of a Crowne according to prioritie in birth it followeth that so soone as the first borne commeth into light the right of succession is fixed in him not in hope onely but also in habite whereof neither the father nor any other can dispossesse him And therefore when Prusias intended to depriue his eldest sonne Nicomedes of his prerogatiue of birth and to preferre his yonger sonnes which he had by another wife in succession before him he could not assure it by any meanes but by determining the death of Nicomedes which Nicomedes to preuent dispoiled his father both of kingdom and of life Ptolemie the first King of Egypt of that name who after the death of Alexander the great possessed himselfe of Egypt part of Arabia and of Affrick left his kingdom to the yoÌ„gest of his sons but afterward when Ptolemie surnamed Phiscon vpon the importunity of his wife Cleopatra attempted the like the kingdome being then setled in succession the people opposed reuersed his order after his death So Pepine after hee had made seisure of the kingdome of France ordered all things which he thought necessary for the suerty therof disposed the succession therein by his Testament leauing the Realme of Noion to his sonne Charles and to Carloman his other sonne the Realme of Soissons The like was done by some other of the first Kings of his race But since that time the custome hath been strongly stablished that the kingdome passeth entirely to the eldest sonne and possessions are assigned to the rest vnder the name of Appanage And therefore the French writers affirme that the eldest sonne of France cannot be depriued of succession vpon any cause of ingratitude against his parents and that if the King should institute his eldest sonne yet cannot hee take the kingdome by force of his fathers guift but onely by the immutable law of the Realme Yea Girard writeth of Charlâ—â— the simple that hee was King of France before hee was borne And in this regard the Glossographer vpon the Decrees noteth that the sonne of a King may bee called King during the life of his father as wanting nothing but administration And the same also doth Seruius note out of Virgil where hee saith of Aescanius regémque requirunt his father Aeneas being then aliue Now then for that the right of Succession to the Crowne of England was not at that time so surely setled as it hath been since but had waued in long vncertainetie First in the Heptarchie of the Saxons and English afterward betweene the English and the Danes and was then newly possessed by the Normane and that chiefly by the sword For that also Robert the Kings eldest sonne gaue iust cause of offence by bearing armes against his father it may seeme that the King might lawfully direct the succession to his second sonne And yet because as Herodotus saith It is a generall custome amongst all men that the first in birth is next in succession because as Baldus affirmeth Semper fuit semper erit c. Alwayes it hath been and alwayes it shall bee that the first borne succeedeth in
inconuenience by disturbing a setled forme of gouernment to open an entrance for all disorders wherein ambition and insolencie two riotous humours may range at large For as euill is generally of that nature that it cannot stand but by supportance of another euill and so multiplieth in it selfe vntill it doth ruine with the proper weight so mindes hauing once exceeded the strict bounds of obedience cease not to strengthen one bouldnesse by another vntil they haue inuolued the whole State in confusion BVt now to returne to the person and gouernment of this King William He was a man of meane stature thicke and square bodied his belly swelling somewhat round his face was red his haire deepely yealow by reason whereof he was called Rufus his forehead foure square like a window his eyes spotted and not one like the other his speech vnpleasant and not easily vttered especially when he was mooued with anger He was of great abilitie in body as well for naturall strength as for hardinesse to endure all ordinary extremities both of trauaile and of want In Armes he was both expert and aduenturous full of inward brauerie and fiercenesse neuer dismayed alwayes forward and for the most part fortunate in counsaile sudden in performance a man not doubting to vndertake any thing which inuincible valour durst promise to atchieue Hee had bene bred with the sword alwayes in action alwayes on the fauourable hand of Fortune so as albeit he was but yong yet was he in experience well grounded for inuention subtill in counsaile quicke in execution resolute wise to foresee a danger and expedite to auoid it In a word the generall reputation of his valour and celeritie made him esteemed one of the best Chiefetaines in his time His behauiour was variable and inconstant earnest in euery present passion and for the most part accompanying the disposition of his mind with outward demonstrations Of nature he was rough haughtie obstinate inuincible which was much enlarged both by his soueraigntie and youth so singular in his owne conceit that he did interprete it to his dishonour that the world should deeme that he did not gouerne by his owne iudgement In publicke he composed his countenance to a stately terrour his face sowerly swelling his eyes truculent his voyce violent and fierce scarce thinking himselfe Maiesticall in the glasse of his vnderstanding but when he flashed feare from his presence And yet in priuate he was so affable and pleasant that he approched neere the degree of leuitie much giuen to scoffing and passing ouer many of his euill actions with a ieast In all the other carriages of his life he maintained no stable and constant course but declared himselfe for euery present as well in vertue as in vice strong violent extreeme In the beginning of his reigne he was esteemed a most accomplished Prince and seemed not so much of power to bridle himselfe from vice as naturally disposed to abhorre it Afterwards either with variation of times or yeelding to the pleasures which prosperity vseth to ingender euen in moderate minds or perhaps his nature beginning to disclose that which hee had cunningly concealed before corruptions crept vp and he waued vncertainely betweene vertue and vice Lastly being imboldned by euill teachers and by continuance both of prosperitie and rule he is said to haue made his height a priuiledge of loosenesse and to haue abandoned himselfe to all licentious demeanour wherein he seemed little to regard God and nothing man Assuredly there is no greater enemie to great men then too great prosperitie in their affaires which taketh from them all iudgement and rule of themselues which maketh them ful of libertie and bould to doe euill And yet I cannot conceiue that this King was so bould so carelesse so shamelesse in vices as many writers doe report It is certaine that hee doubted of some points of Religion at that time without any great contradiction professed and namely of praying to Saints worshipping of Reliques such like It is certain also that out of policie in State he endeuoured to abate the tumorous greatnes of the Clergie at that time as well in riches as in authority and power with the people and that he attributed not so much to the Sea of Rome as diuers Kings before him had done Insomuch as he restrained his subiects from going to Rome and withheld the annuall paiment of Peter pence and was oftentimes heard to giue foorth that they follow not the trace of S. Peter they greedily gape after gifts and rewards they retein not his power whose pietie they do not imitate These were causes sufficient for the writers of his time who were for the most part Clergie-men to enlarge his vices beyond the trueth to surmise many vices vntruely to wrest his true vertues to be vices And this I doe the rather coniecture for that I doe not find his particular actions of like nature with the generall imputation which is cast vpon him for that also I finde the chieâ—…e of these generall imputations to bee these That he was grieuous to the Church of no deuotion to God preferring respect of temporall state before the rules of the Gospel Verely it is hard to doe that which will beare a cleere beauty in the eyes of all men and if our actions haue not the fauour of time and the opinion of those men who doe estimate and report them they are much dimmed with disgrace Out of all doubt he was a magnanimous Prince mercifull and liberall and in martiall affaires most expert diligent and prosperous wise to contriue his best aduantage and most couragious to atchieue it But two things chiefly obscured his glory one the incomparable greatnesse of his father to whom he did immediatly succeede the other was the prowesse of those men against whom he did contend in armes especially of Malcolme King of Scots and of Robert Duke of Normandie To these I may adde that hee died in the principall strength and flourish of his age before his iudgement had full command ouer his courage Many doe attribute his excellent beginnings to Lanfranck Archb. of Canterburie who during the time of his life partly by authoritie and partly by aduise supported the vnstable yeeres and disposition of the King which after the death oâ—… Lanfranck returned by degrees to their proper sway But I do rather attribute many of his first vertues to the troubles which happened in the very entrance of his reigne which partly by employment and partly by feare held his inclination in some restraint For Odo Bishop of Baion and Earle of Kent the Kings vncle by the mothers side had drawen the greatest part of all the Prelates and Nobilitie that were Normans into a dangerous confederacie against the King to deiect him from his Srate and to aduance Robert his elder brother for their King The secret cause of this conspiracie was partly vpon a generall discontentment at the great though worthy estimation and authoritie a
did there with defend himselfe for a time But because to stand vpon defence onely is alwayes vnsure he drew his sword and would not depart one foot from his saddle but making shew of braue ioy that he had nothing to trust vnto but his owne valour he defended both his saddle and himselfe till rescue came Afterward when some of his Souldiers in blaming maner expostulated with him wherefore he was so obstinate to saue his saddle his answere was that a King should loose nothing which he can possibly saue It would haue angred mee said he at the very heart that the knaues should haue bragged that they had wonne the saddle from mee And this was one of his perpetuall felicities to escape easily out of desperate dangers In the end Henry grew to extreeme want of water and other prouisions by which meanes he was ready to fall into the hands of those who desired to auoyd necessitie to hurt him And first he sent to the Duke his brother to request some libertie to take in fresh water The Duke sent to him a tunne of wine and granted a surcease of hostilitie for one day to furnish him with water At this the King seemed discontented as being a meanes to prolong the warre But the Duke told him that it had bene hard to deny a brother a little water for his necessitie Here with like wise the King relenting they sent for their brother Henry and wisdome preuailing more then iniuries or hate they fell to an agreement That vpon a day appointed Henry should receiue his money at Roan and that in the meane time hee should hold the countrey of Constantine in morgage The King enterteined with pay many of his brother Henries souldiers especially he receiued those who ouerthrew him to a very neere degree of fauour And thus all parties ordered their ambition with great modestie the custome of former warres running in a course of more humanitie then since they haue done The King was the more desirous to perfect these agreements of Peace for that Malcolme King of Scots as Princes often times make vse of the contentions of their neighbours tooke occasion vpon these confusions to enterprise vpō the parts of England which confined vpon him So as he inuaded Northumberland made great spoile tooke much prey caried away many prisoners whose calamitie was the more miserable for that they were to endure seruitude in a hard Countrey For this cause the King with his accustomed celeritie returned into England accompanied with the Duke of Normandie his brother and led a mighty armie against the Scots by land and sent also a nauie to infest them by sea But by a sudden and stiffe storme by a hideous confusion of all ill disposed weather his ships were cruelly crushed and hauing long wrought against the violence and rage of the tempest were in the end dispersed and diuers of them cast away Many of his souldiers also perished partly by penurie and want and partly by the euill qualitied ayre Notwithstanding the Scots knowing the King of England to bee an enemie mighty and resolute began to wauer in their assurance framing fearefull opinions of the number valour and experience of his armie Hereupon some ouertures of Peace were made the Scots expecting that the King by reason of his late losses would be the more moderate in his demands But hee then shewed himselfe most resolute and firme following his naturall custome not to yeelde to any difficulty King Malcolme coniecturing that such confidence could not be without good cause consented at the last to these conditions That King Malcolme should make a certaine satisfaction for the spoyles which hee had done in England That King William should restōre to him certaine lands in England That K. Malcolme should doe homage to King William Now the day was come wherein Henrie was appointed to receiue his money at Roan from the Duke of Normandie But as affaires of Princes haue great variations so they are not alwayes constant in their Counsels And so the Duke caried by his occasions and ready to lay downe his faith and word more to the traine of times then to the preseruation of his honour instead of paying the money committed his brother Henry to prison from whence he could not be released vntill hee renounced the Countie of Constantine and bound himselfe by oath neuer to claime any thing in Normandie Henrie complained hereof to Philip King of France who gaue him a faire enterteinement in his Court but was content rather to feede then finish the contention either expecting thereby some opportunitie to himselfe or els the opinion of his owne greatnesse not suffring him to feare that others might grow to haue fortune against him Henry had not long remained in the Court of France but a Normane Knight named Hacharde conueyed him disguised into Normandie where the Castle of Damfronç was deliuered vnto him and in short time after hee gate all the Countrey of Passays and a good part of Constantine either without resistance or without difficultie and perill Hereupon the Duke leuied his forces and earnestly assayed to recouer Damfronç but then hee found that his brother Henrie was secretly yet surely vnderset by the king of England Hereupon incensed with the furie of an iniuried minde hee exclaimed against his brother of England and almost proclaimed him a violater of his league On the otherside the King of England iustified his action for that hee was both a meanes and a partie to the agreement and therefore stood bound in honour not onely to vrge but to enforce performance So the flame brake foorth more furious then it was before and ouer went King William with an able armie where hee found the Duke also in good condition of strength commanding the field And albeit in so neere approach of two mighty enemies equall both in ambition and power it is hard to conteine men of seruice yet was nothing executed betweene them but certaine light skirmishes and surprizements of some places of defence In the end the King hearing of new troubles in England and the Duke finding himselfe vnable either to preuaile with few souldiers or to maintaine many and both distrusting to put a speedie end to the warre they were easily drawne to capitulations of peace And thus ended the contention betweene these brethren who vntill this time had continued like the waues of the Sea alwayes in motion and one beating against the other Besides these businesses which befell the King against his Nobilitie against the Duke of Normandie his brother and against the King and nation of the Scots the Welshmen also who alwayes struggled for libertie and reuenge perceiuing that the King was often absent and much entangled with hostile affaires enforced the fauour of that aduantage to free themselues from subiection of the English and happily to enlarge or enrich themselues vpon them So hauing both desire and opportunitie they wanted not meanes to assemble in armes to expell the English that
had bene excommunicated before by Hildebrand and was then againe excommunicate by Vrbane being the first Christian Prince with Souereigne power who was euer excommunicate by any Pope And for that Vrbane at that time had his hands full against the Emperour for that also hee would not make the example too odious at the first he was willing ynough to forbeare excommunication against the King And the rather for that Anselme had intelligence from his friends in England that the excommunication would not be regarded Hereupon accompting it a sufficient declaration of his power for the time to haue menaced excommunication he caused a generall decree to be made That as well all Lay-persons who should giue inuestiture of Churches as those of the Clergie who should be so inuested also those who should yeeld themselues in subiection to Lay-men for Ecclesiastical liuings should be excōmunicate This generall sentence was pronounced The Pope also signified by letters to the King that if he would auoyd particular proceeding against himselfe he should foorth with restore Anselme to the exercise of his Office in his Church and to all the goods and possessions perteining thereto Hereupon the King sent messengers to the Pope who declared vnto him That their great Master the King marueiled not a litle wherefore he should so sharply vrge the restitution of Anselme seeing it was expresly told him That if he departed out of England without licence he should expect no other vsage Well said the Pope Haue you no other cause against Anselme but that he hath appealed to the Apostolicall Sea and without licence of your King hath trauailed thither They answered No. And haue you taken all this paines said he haue you trauailed thus farre to tell me this Goe tell your Lord if he will not be excommunicate that he presently restore Anselme to his Sea And see that you bring mee answere hereof the next Councell which shal be in the third weeke after Easter make haste and looke to your terme lest I cause you to be hanged for your tarryance The messenger was herewith much abashed yet collecting himselfe he desired priuate audience of the Pope affirming that he had some secret instructions from the King to impart vnto him What this secret was it is vnknowne Whatsoeuer it was a longer day was obtained for the King vntill Michaelmas then next ensuing And when that day was come albeit complaints were renued yet was nothing done against the King The Archb. seeing the small assurance of the Pope returned to Lions in France and there remained vntil the death first of Pope Vrbane and afterwards of the king which was almost the space of 3. yeeres By this great conflict the king lost the hearts of many of the Clergie but his displeasure had seasoned reuenge with contentment and finding himselfe sufficient both in courage and meanes to beare out his actions he became many other wayes heauie vnto them When any Bishopricke or Monasterie fell voyd he kept them vacant a long time in his hands and applied the profits to himselfe At the last hee would set them to open sale and receiue him for Prelate who would giue for them the greatest price Herehence two great inconueniences did ensue the best places were furnished with men of least sufficiencie and worth and no man hoping to rise by desert the generall endeuour for vertue and knowledge were layd aside the direct way to aduancement was by plaine purchase from the king In this seazing and farming and marchandizing of Church-liuings one Ranulph commonly called the Kings Chapleine was a great agent for the King Hee was a man of faire vse of speach and liuely in witte which hee made seruants to licentious designes but both in birth and behauiour base and shamelesse in dishonestie a very bawde to all the Kings purposes and desires Hee could be so euill as hee li◅ted and listed no lesse then was to his aduantage The King would often laugh at him and say that he was a notable fellow to compasse matters for a King And yet besides more then ordinary fauour of countenance the King aduanced him first to be his Chancellour and afterward to be Bishop of Duresme By his aduise so soone as any Church fell voide an Inuentory was made of all the goods that were found as if they should bee preserued for the next successor and then they were committed to the custodie of the King but neuer restored to the Church againe So the next incumbent receiued his Church naked and bare notwithstanding that he paid a good price for it From this King the vse is said to haue first risen in England that the Kings succeeding had the Temporalties of Bishops Seas so long as they remained voide Hee also set the first enformers to worke and for small transgressions appointed great penalties Hee is also reported to haue been the first King of this Realme who restreined his subiects from ranging into forreine Countreys without licence And yet what did the King by this sale of Church dignities but that which was most frequent in other places For in other places also few attained to such dignities freely The difference was this here the money was receiued by the King there by fauorites or inferiour officers here it was expended in the publike vses of the State there to priuate and many times odious enrichments this seemeth the more easie that the more extreme pressure as done by more hungrie and degenerous persons this may bee esteemed by some the more base but assuredly it was the better dealing And further it is euident that the King did freely aduance many excellent persons to principall dignities in the Church and especially Anselme to the Archbishopricke of Canterburie who was so vnwilling to accept that honour that the King had much to doe to thrust it vpon him And the rather to enduce him he gaue him wholly the citie of Canterburie which his predecessors had held but at the pleasure of the King This Anselme was one whose learned labours doe plainely testifie how little his spirits were fed with the fulsome fumes of surfeting and ease which to many others together with their bodies doe fatten and engrosse their mindes He so detested singularitie that he accounted it the sinne which threw Angels out of Heauen and man out of Paradise This detestation of singularitie might happily encline him to the other extreme to adhere ouer lightly to some common receiued errours It is attributed to him that hee would often wish to bee rather in hell without sinne then with sinne in heauen The king also aduanced Robert Bloet to the Bishopricke of Lincolne a man whose wisedom was highly graced with goodly personage and good deliuery of speach from whom notwithstanding the king afterwards wiped fiue thousand markes Hee also freely receiued Hugh de Floriaco a man for his vertue much esteemed to be Abbot of the Monastery of S. Augustines in Canterburie and likewise diuers others to other Ecclesiasticall preferments
estranged himselfe as it was enterpreted to be a reuolt being charged with intent to aduance William cousin to William sonne to Robert Curtcuise to the Duchie of Normandie Wherefore the King besieged and at last tooke his chiefe Castle called Pont. Audomer and at the same time enuironed the towre of Roan with a wall He also repaired and fortified the Castles of Caen Arches Gisore Falace Argentine Donfronç Oxine Aubrois Nanroye Iuta and the Towne of Vernone in such sort as at that time they were esteemed impregnable and not to bee forced by any enemie except God or gold In the meane time the Earle of Mellent with Hugh Geruase his sonne and Hugh de Mountfort his sisters sonne calling such as either alliance or friendship did draw vnto them besides those whom youthful either age or minds had filled with vnlimited desires whom discontentment also or want did vainly feed with hungry hopes entred into Normandy in armes being so transported with desire to hurt and troubled with feare of receiuing hurt that they had neuer free scope of iudgement either to prepare or manage the meanes to hurt They were no sooner entred the Confines of Normandie but William Tankeruill the kings Chamberlaine came against them brauely appointed and resolute to fight The very view of an enemie turned their euill guided furie into a feare and whatsoeuer they did proceeding rather from violence of passion then ground of reason made them stumble whilest they ran and by their owne disorders hindered their owne desires So with small difficultie they were surprised and taken and brought to the King who committed them to streit prison at Roan An ordinary euent when rage runneth faster then iudgement and power are able to hold pace About this time Charles Earle of Flanders as he was at his deuotions in the Church of S. Donatus in Bruxels was suddenly slaine by conspiracie of his owne people And because hee left no issue in life Lewes King of France inuested William sonne to Robert Curtcuis late Duke of Normandie in the Earledome of Flanders as descended from Earle Baldwine sirnamed the Pious whose daughter Matilde was wife to King William the first and grandmother to this William This he did not so much in fauour to William or in regard of his right as to set vp an assured enemie against King Henry an enemie not onely of singular expectation but proofe whose courage was apt to vndertake any danger whether for glory or for reuenge And herein his proiect did nothing faile For no sooner was the Earle aduanced to that estate but he raised a great hostilitie against the King of England as well to recouer the Duchie of Normandie as either to relieue or to reuenge the hard captiuitie of his father In this warre the Earle did winne a great opinion both for iudgement to discerne and for valour to execute what hee did discerne shewing himselfe in nothing inferiour to his vnckle the king but onely in treasure and command of men For this cause he craued supply of Lewes king of France who as he was the first that blew the cole so was he alwayes ready to put fuell to the flame But the King of England entered France with a strong Armie where his sword ranged and raged without resistance and yet more in prosecution of prey then in execution of blood He lodged at Hesperdune the space of 8. dayes no lesse quietly no lesse safely then if he had bene in the principall Citie of his kingdome By this meanes hee kept the French King from sending succour to the Earle of Flanders And in the meane season drew Theodoricke Earle of Holsteine nephew to Robert who had bene Earle of Flanders and Arnoldus sisters sonne to Earle Charles not long before slaine to inuade Earle William Both pretending title to his dignitie both bringing seueral armies consisting of men tough in temper and well exercised in affaires of the field Theodorick vpon his first approch tooke Bruges Ipres and Gandt either willingly yeelding or with small resistance and vpon the necke thereof Arnoldus tooke the strong towne of S. Omer Earle William being thus set as it were betweene the beetle and the blocke was nothing deiected nothing dismayed either in courage or in hope And first he went against Arnoldus with a small company but with such a liuely countenance of a Souldier that Arnoldus fell to capitulation for his safe departure and so returned home as if he had bene vanquished Then the Earle made head against Theodorick and gaue him battaile albeit farre inferious to him both for number and furniture of his men The fight betweene them was long furious and doubtfull The Germans confident in their number which made them trust the lesse to their valour the Flemings rather desperate then resolute vpon importance of their danger And indeed it often happeneth that good successe at the first doeth occasion the ouerthrow of many great actions by working in the one side a confidence in themselues and contempt of their enemies and by making the other more earnest and entire So at the last the violent valour of the Earle well followed with the braue and resolute rage of his Souldiers did such effects that the Germans were shaken and disordered many slaine in the field and the residue chased out of Flanders The Earle hauing now no enemie in open field layed siege to the castle of Alhurst which was defended against him by the English The assaults were so liuely enforced and with such varietie of inuention and deuise that a wide way was opened through all impediments and the defendants were constrained by many necessities to desire faire conditions of yeelding This whilest the Earle delayed to grant he receiued in a certaine light cōflict a wound in his hand whereof in a short time after he died hauing first raised himselfe very high in opinion with all men for his courage industrie and skill in Armes And thus Duke Robert and his sonne William were brought to their vnhappy ends rather through the malice of their Fortune then through any bad merit or insufficiencie in themselues whereby the Duchie of Normandie which had bene both the cause and the seate of very great warres was then strongly setled in possession of King Henry Hee was neuer infested with domesticall warres which in regard of those tumultuous times is a manifest argument both of his iustice and prouidence the one not giuing cause the other no hope for his subiects to rebel The King of Scots did homage vnto him for what territories I doe not determine Morcard King of Ireland and some of his successors were so appliable vnto him that they seemed to depend vpon his command The Welsh who hated idlenesse and peace alike did striue beyond their strength to pull their feete out of the mire of subiection but in loose straggling companies without either discipline or head For this cause hee made diuers expeditions into Wales where he had many bickerings and put
which in former times the Kings of England did yeeld to the See of Rome desiring againe that he might not be abridged of such vsages as his father did enioy concluding that during his life hee would not suffer the dignities of his Crowne to be empaired and if he should so doe yet the Nobilitie and common people of the Realme would in no case permit it but would rather recede from obedience to his See The Pope wrote backe againe to Anselme that for one mans pleasure hee would not reuerse the decrees of former Popes and therefore gaue him both encouragement charge to continue constant and to see them obserued in euery point Hee directed also his letters to the King which the King did suppresse but his Embassadours declared by word that the Pope permitted Inuestitures to the King so as in other things hee would execute the Office of a good Prince Anselme called for the Popes letters The King answered that his Bishops were to be credited before the Monckes who were disabled either for voyce or testimonie in Secular affaires Anselme said that he was desirous to yeeld vnto the King but he durst not although it should cost him his head vnlesse he had a warrant from Rome and therefore he would send thither againe to haue a more full and ample answere The King and diuers of the Nobilitie perswaded him to goe in person to trauaile to the Pope and to trauaile with him for the quiet of the Church and of his countrey With much adoe he was entreated and so set forth on his iourney towards Rome and after followed the kings Embassadour Wiliam Warlewast new elect Bishop of Exceter When the Bishop came to the Popes presence he declared vnto him what great commodities did rise out of England to the See of Rome that the Inuesting of Prelats had bene an ancient right to the crowne of that Realme that as the King was by nature liberall so was he stout and resolute in courage that it should be a great dishonour to him who in power exceeded any of his ancesters if hee should not maintaine the dignities which they held that for this cause the Pope should doe well to preferre to his consideration what preiudice might follow to his Estate if hee should remit nothing of the seuerities of those Canons which had bene lately made The Pope gaue an attentiue eare and seemed to pause vpon that which had been sayd Which the Kings Ambassadour taking to be a degree of yeelding did more earnestly insist and said that the King his master would not for the Crowne of his Realme loose the authoritie of inuesting his Prelates Hereto the Pope with a starting voice and countenance answered Neither will I lose the disposing of spirituall promotions in England for the Kings head that beareth the Crowne before God said hee I aduow it His flattering followers applauded this speach as proceeding from a magnanimous courage or rather as some flash of diuine inspiration and the Kings Ambassador not a little abashed was content to descend to lower demands In the ende it was ordered that the King should be restored to certaine customes which had been vsed by his father but that all they who had bin inuested by the King should be excōmunicate that their satisfaction and absolution should be committed vnto Anselme Thus Anselme with full saile of victorie and ioy returned towards England but the Kings Ambassadour stayed behind to assay whether by any meanes hee could worke the Pope to a milder minde But when hee saw that he trauailed in vaine he followed Anselme and ouertooke him at Placentia and there deliuered vnto him certaine priuate instructions from the King that if he would come into England and behaue himselfe as his predecessours had done towards the Kings father hee should be welcome otherwise you are wise enough said hee you know what I meane and may easily coniecture what will ensue With these words he flang suddenly away by occasion whereof his speaches setled with a more strong impression and multiplied many doubtfull constructions So the Embassadour returned to the King but Anselme went to Lions and remained there a yeere and halfe In the meane time much posting was made betweene England Lions and Rome but nothing was concluded nothing could please For neither the Pope would yeeld to the King nor the King to Anselme At the last Anselme threatned to excommunicate the King whereof the King being aduertised by the Countesse Adela his sister hee desired her to come to him into Normandy and to bring Anselme with her Here the King restored Anselme to his former possessions but his returne into England was respited vntill the Pope had confirmed certaine things which Anselme did assure So the King tooke his passage into England and Anselme abode at the Abbey of Beck Then were dispatched for Rome William Warlewast mentioned before and Baldwine Abbot of Ramsey by whose meanes the controuersie was composed betweene the King and the Pope that the King should receiue homage of Bishops elect but should not inuest them by Staffe and Ring After this the king went into Normandie and there agreed to Anselme in these points following 1 That all his Churches which had been made tributary to King William the second should bee set free 2 That the King should require nothing of the sayd Churches whilest the Sea should remaine vacant 3 That such Priests as had giuen money to the King to reteine their wiues should surcease from their function the space of three yeeres and that the king should take no more after such maner 4 That all such goods fruits and possessions as the King had taken from the Sea of Canterbury should bee restored to him at his returne into England Thus Anselme returned into England and after a short time the king followed hauing taken his brother prisoner and subdued Normandie to his subiection Forthwith Anselme by permission of the K. assembled a great Councell of the Clergie at Westminster wherein hee so wrought with the King that at length albeit not without great difficultie it was newly decreed that no temporal man should giue inuestiture with Crosse or with Ring or with Pastoral staffe Also he directed 〈◊〉 to the Priests of his Prouince that they and their wiues should neuer meete within one house that they should not keepe any woman in their house but such as were next in kinred vnto them That hee who held his wife and presumed to say Masse within eight dayes after should solemnely be excommunicate That all Archdeacons and their Officials should bee sworne not to winke at the meetings of Priests and their wiues for any respect and if they would not take this oath then to lose their office that such Priests as would forsake their wiues should cease fourty dayes from ministration in their office and performe such penance as should be enioyned them by their Bishop The execution of these Canons importing both a great and sudden alteration
other legitimate kindred behind him Will. Malmesburie and some others haue reported that albeit hee was borne out of marriage yet Duke Robert his father did afterwards entertaine his mother for lawfull wife which by the Law of that Countrey agreeable in that point to the Ciuill and Canon Lawes sufficed to make the issue inheritable although borne before And further it was a generall custome at that time in France that bastards did succeed euen in dignities of highest condition no otherwise then children lawfully begotten Thierrie bastard of Clouis had for his partage with the lawfull children of the same Clouis the Kingdome of Austrasie now called Lorraine Sigisbert bastard of King Dagobert the first had his part in the Kingdome of France with Clouis the 12. lawfull sonne to Dagobert Loys and Carloman bastards of King Loys le Begue succeeded after the death of their father So likewise in England Alfride bastard sonne of Oswine succeeded his brother Egfride So Adelstane the bastard sonne of Edward the elder succeeded his father before Edmund and Eldred his yonger brother notwithstanding they were lawfully begotten So Edmund surnamed the Martyr Bastard sonne to King Edgar succeeded him in the state before Ethelbred his lawfull issue Afterward Harold surnamed Harefoote bastard to Canutus succeeded him in the kingdome before Hardicanutus his lawfull sonne The like custome hath been obserued in Spaine in Portugale and in diuers other countreys And it is probable that this vse was grounded vpon often experience that bastards as begotten in the highest heate and strength of affection haue many times been men of excellent proofe both in courage and in vnderstanding This was verified in Hercules Alexander the Great Romulus Timotheus Brutus Themistocles Arthur in Homer Demosthenes Bion Bartholus Gratian Peter Lumbard Peter Comestor Io. Andreas and diuers of most flourishing name among whom our Conquerour may worthily be ranged And yet in the third race of the Kings of France a law was made that bastards should not inherite the Crowne of the Realme This custome was likewise banished out of England and other countreys of Europe Notwithstanding in France other bastards of great houses were still aduowed The exercises of this Duke from his verie youth were ingenuous manly decent such as tended to actiuitie and valure Hee was of a working minde and vehement spirit rather ambitious then onely desirous of glory of a piercing wit blind in no mans cause and well sighted in his owne of a liuely and present courage neither out of ignorance or rash estimation of dangers but out of a true iudgement both of himselfe and of them In peace he was politicke In warre valiant and very skilfull both to espie and to apprehend and to follow his aduantages this valure and skill in militarie affayres was alwayes seconded with good successe He was continually accustomed both to the weight and vse of armour from his very childhood Oftentimes hee looked death in the face with a braue contempt He was neuer free from actions of armes first vpon necessity to defend himselfe afterwards vpon ambition to offend and disturbe the possessions of others In his first age he was much infested with rebels in Normandie who often conspired both against his life and against his dignitie and State traducing him as a bastard as a boy as borne of a base ignoble woman as altogether vnworthy to be their Prince Of these some he appeased and reconciled vnto him others he preuented and dispersed their power before it was collected others hee encountred in open field before he had any haire vpon his face where hee defeated their forces in full battell then tooke their strong holds and lastly chased them out of his dominion And first Roger Tresuye hauing gained exceeding great both fauour and reputation by his seruices against the Sarasins in Spaine made claime to the duchie of Normandie as one lawfully descended from Rollo their first Duke And albeit many others were before him in title yet said he if they will sit still if they either through sloath which is ill or through feare which is worse will abandone the aduenture he alone would free the Normans from their infamous subiection He was followed by many partly vpon opinion of his right but chiefly of his valour But when he brought his cause to the arbitrement of Armes hee was ouerthrowne in a strong battaile wherein his claime and his life determined together After this William Earle of Arques sonne to Richard the second and vnckle to Duke William vpon the same pretence declared himselfe against his nephew And albeit the Normans were heauie to stirre in his fauour yet hee so wrought with the French King by assuring him great matters in Normandie that with a mightie armie of his owne people hee went in person to place him in possessiō of that dutchy The way which the King tooke led him to a large valley sandie and full of short bushes and shrubs troublesome for horsemen either to fight or to march On either side were rising hils very thicke set with wood Here the Armie entred with small aduisement either for clearing the passage or for the safetie of their carriages The Vaward consisted chiefly of battle-axes and pikes In the right wing were many Almans among the French In the left were many of Aniou and Poictou After these followed the baggage with an infinite number of scullians carters and other base drudges attending vpon it Next came the French King with the maine battaile consisting for the most part of valiant and worthy Gentlemen brauely mounted The lances and men at Armes cloased the Rereward When they were well entred this valley the Normans did liuely charge vpon them in head they deliuered also their deadly shot from the hils on both sides as thicke as haile Notwithstanding the Vantgard casting themselues into a pointed battaile in forme of a wedge with plaine force of hand made themselues way and marching in firme and close order through the thickest of their enemies gained albeit not without great losse the top of a hill and there presently encamped themselues The like fortune happily might the residue haue had if they had followed with the like order and courage But failing herein the right wing was hewed in pieces the left wing was broken and beaten vpon the carriages where ouerbearing and treading downe one an other they receiued almost as much hurt from themselues as they did from their enemies The maine battaile and Rereward aduancing forward to rescue the carriage were first miserably ouerwhelmed with a storme of arrowes from the hill on both sides and the gallant horses once galled with that shot would no more obey or endure their riders but flinging out either ouerthrew or disordred all in their way And the more to encrease the miserie of that day the dust and light sand which was raised partly by the feete of horses and men and partly by violence of the wind which then blew full in the
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
with gold costly stones Then they opened his Tombe not finding the treasure which they expected they threw forth his bones with very great derision despight Many English souldiers were then in the Towne who were very curious to gather his bones whereof some were afterwards brought into England Hereby the report is conuinced for vaine that his body was found vncorrupt more then foure hundred yeeres after it was buried Hereby also it is found to be false that his body was eight foote in length For neither were his bones proportionable to that stature as it is testified by those who saw them and it is otherwise reported of him by som who liued in his time namely that he was of a good stature yet not exceeding the ordinary proportion of men And this was the last end of all his fortunes of all that was mortall in him besides his fame whose life is too much extolled by the Normans and no lesse extenuated by the English Verely he was a very great Prince full of hope to vndertake great enterprises full of courage to atchieue them in most of his actions commendable and excusable in all And this was not the least piece of his Honour that the Kings of England which succeeded did accompt their order onely from him not in regard of his victorie in England but generally in respect of his vertue and valour For his entrance was not by way of conquest but with pretence of title to the Crowne wherein he had both allowance and aide from diuers Christian Princes in Europe He had also his partie within the Realme by whose meanes he preuailed against the opposite faction as Caesar did against Pompey and not against the entire strength of the State Againe hee did not settle himselfe in the chaire of Soueraignetie as one that had reduced all things to the proud power and pleasure of a Conquerour but as an vniuersall successor of former Kings in all the rights and priuiledges which they did enioy Hee was receiued for King by generall consent He was crowned with all Ceremonies and Solemnities then in vse Hee tooke an oath in the presence of the Clergie the Nobilitie and of much people for defence of the Church for moderate and carefull gouernement and for vpright administration of iustice Lastly during the whole course of his gouernement the kingdome receiued no vniuersall change no losse or diminution of honour For neither were the olde inhabitants expelled as were the Britaines neither was the kingdome either subiected or annexed to a greater but rather it receiued encrease of honour in that a lesse State was adioyned vnto it The change of customes was not violent and at once but by degrees and with the silent approbation of the English who haue alwaies been inclinable to accommodate themselues to the fashions of France The grieuances and oppressions were particular and with some appearance either of iustice or of necessitie for the common quiet such as are not vnusuall in any gouernement moderately seuere So the change was chiefly in the stemme and familie of the King which whether it be wrought by one of the same nation as it was in France by Pepine and Capett or by a stranger as in the same Countrey by Henry 5. and Henry 6. Kings of England it bringeth no disparagement in honour it worketh no essentiall change The State still remained the same the solid bodie of the State remained still English the comming in of many Normans was but as Riuers falling into the Ocean which change not the Ocean but are confounded with the waters thereof This King had by his wife Matild daughter to Baldwine Earle of Flanders foure sonnes Robert Richard William and Henrie Hee had also fiue daughters Cicely Constance Adela Margaret and Elianor Robert his eldest sonne surnamed Courtcuise by reason of the shortnesse of his thighs succeeded him in the duchie of Normandie He was a man of exceeding honourable courage and spirit for which cause he was so esteemed by the Christian Princes in the great warre against the Saracens that when they had subdued the Citie and territorie of Hierusalem they offered the kingdome thereof first vnto him Yet afterwards either by the malice of his Fortune or for that he was both suddaine and obstinate in his owne aduise two great impediments that valour cannot thriue he receiued many foiles of his enemies which shall be declared in their proper place Before the King made his descent into England hee gaue the duchie of Normandie vnto him but whether he did this onely to testifie his confidence or whether afterwards his purpose changed being often demanded to performe this gift he would neither deny nor accomplish his word but enterposed many excuses and delayes affirming that he was not so surely setled in England but the duchie of Normandie was necessary vnto him both for supply for his seruices which he found like Hydraes heads to multiply by cutting off and also for an assured place for retreit in case hee should be ouercharged with extremities Hereupon Robert vnable to linger and pine in hopes declared openly against him in armes Philip King of France was ready to put fuell to the flame who as he neuer fauoured in his owne iudgement the prosperous encreases of the King of England so then he was vigilant to embrace all occasions either to abate or limit the same And thus Robert both encouraged and enabled by the King of France inuaded Normandie and permitted his souldiers licentiously to wast to satisfie those by spoile which by pay he was not able to maintaine At the last he encountred the King his father in a sharpe conflict before the castle of Gerberie wherein the King was vnhorsed and wounded in the arme his second sonne William was also hurt and many of his souldiers slaine And albeit Robert so soone as he knew his father by his voyce allighted forthwith mounted him vpon his owne horse and withdrew him out of the medley yet did he cast vpon his sonne a cruell curse which lay so heauie vpon him that he neuer prospered afterward in any thing which hee vndertooke And although after this he was reconciled to his father and imployed by him in seruices of credit and weight yet did the King often bewray of him an vnquiet conceit often did he ominate euill vnto him yea a little before his death he openly gaue forth That it was a miserable Countrey which should be subiect to his dominion for that he was a proud and foolish knaue and to be long scourged by cruell Fortune Richard had erected the good expectation of many as well by his comely countenance and behauiour as by his liuely and generous spirit But he died yong by misaduenture as he was hunting within the New-forrest before he had made experiment of his worth Some affirme that he was goared to death by the Deere of that Forrest for whose walke his father had dispeopled that large compasse of ground others report
most capitall offence in the eye of enuie of Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterburie by means whereof many of the conspirators liued in farre meaner reputation then their ambitious minds could easily breake but chiefly it was vpon a more particular grudge which Odo did beare against the same Lanfranck because by his perswasion Odo had been committed to prison by King William the elder For when the King complained to Lanfranck of the intolerable both auarice and ambition of his brother Odo the Archbishop gaue aduise that hee should bee restrained of his libertie And when the King doubted how he being a Bishop might be committed to prison without impeaching the priuiledges of the Church indeede answered Lanfranck you may not imprison the Bishop of Baion but you may doe what you please with the Earle of Kent The publike and open pretenses were these Robert Duke of Normandie had the prerogatiue of birth which being a benefit proceeding from nature could not bee reuersed by his fathers acte He had also wonne a most honorable reputation for his militarie vertues and had by many trauels of warre wasted the wilde follies of youth Hee was no lesse famous for courtesie and liberalitie two most amiable ornaments of honour being so desirous that no man should depart discontented from him that he would oftentimes promise more then hee was able to performe and yet performe more then his estate could expediently afford As for K. William besides that he was the yonger brother his nature was held to be doubtfull and suspect and the iudgement of most men enclined to the worst And what are we then aduantaged said they by the death of his father if whom he hath fleeced this shall flay if this shall execute those whom he hath fettered and surely bound If after his seuerities that are past wee shall be freshly charged with those rigours which tyrants in the height and pride of their Fortune are wont to vse And as stronger combinations are alwayes made betweene men drawne together by one common feare then betweene those that are ioyned by hope or desire so vpon these iealousies and feares accompanied also with vehement desires the Confederats supposed that they had knit a most assured league Now it happened that at the time of the death of William the elder Robert his eldest sonne was absent in Almaine and at once heard both of the death of his father and that his brother William was acknowledged to be King Hereupon in great hast but greater heat both oâ—… anger and ambition he returned into Normandie and there whilest he was breathing foorth his discontentment and desire of reuenge he receiued a message from the Confederats in England that with all speed hee should come ouer vnto them to accomplish the enterprise to furnish their forces with a head that they had no want of able bodies they wanted no meanes to maintaine them together they wanted onely his person both to countenance and conduct them The Duke thought it no wisdome to aduenture himselfe altogether vpon the fauour and faith of discontented persons and he had bene so loosely liberall before that he was vnprouided of money to appoint himselfe with any competent forces of his owne Hereupon he pawned a part of Normandie to his brother Henry for waging Souldiers many also flocked voluntarily vnto him vpon inducement that hee who of his owne nature was most liberall full of humanitie would not faile both of pay and reward vnlesse by reason of disabilitie want In the meane time the Confederats resolued to breake forth in Armes in diuers parts of the Realme at once vpon conceit that if the King should endeuour to represse them in one place they might more easily preuaile in the other And so accordingly Odo fortified and spoiled in Kent Geoffrey Bishop of Exceter with his nephew Robert Mowbray Earle of Northumberland at Bristow Roger Montgomerie in Northfolke Suffolke and Cambridgeshire Hugh de Grandmenill in Leicestershire and Northamptonshire William Bishop of Durhame in the North parts of the Realme diuers others of the Clergie and Nobilitie in Herefordshire Shropshire Worcestershire and all the Countreys adioyning to Wales And as in time of pestilence all diseases turne to the plague so in this generall tumult all discontentments sorted to Rebellion Many who were oppressed with violence or with feare many who were kept lower either by want or disgrace then they had set their mounting minds adioyned daily to the side and encreased both the number and the hope And thus was all the Realme in a rumous rage against K. William who wanted neither courage to beare nor wisdome to decline it And first hee endeuoured by all meanes to make the English assured vnto him And albeit few of them were at that time in any great place either of credite or of charge but were all wounded by his fathers wrongs yet for that they were the greatest part he made the greatest reckoning of them For this cause hee released many English Lords who had bene committed to custodie by his father He composed himselfe to courtesie and affabilitie towards the people and distributed much treasure among them But especially hee wanne their inclination by promises of great assurance to restore vnto them their ancient lawes to ease them of tributes and taxations and to permit them free libertie of hunting which being their principall pleasure and exercise before was either taken away or much restrained from them by King William the elder Herewith he applied himselfe to appease the mutinous minds of his Nobilitie to seuer the Confederats to breake the faction to diuide it first and thereby to defeat it To this purpose he dealt with Roger Montgomerie who next vnto Odo was a principall both countenance and strength to the reuolt he dealt also with diuers others inferiour vnto him in authority and degree that he could not coniecture for what cause they were so violent against him did they want money His fathers treasure was at their deuotion desired they encrease of possessions they should not be otherwise bounded then by their owne desires that hee would willingly also giue ouer his estate in case it should be iudged expedient by themselues whom his father had put in trust to support him that they should doe wel to foresee whether by ouerthrowing his fathers iudgement in appointing the kingdome vnto him they should not doe that which might be preiudiciall to themselues for the same man who had appointed him to bee King had also conferred vnto them those honours and possessions which they held Thus sometimes dealing priuately with particulars and sometimes with many together and eftsoones filling them with promises and hopes and that with such new vehemencie of words as they beleeued could not proceede from dissembled intents he so preuailed in the end that hereby and by example of some inducing the rest Roger Montgomerie and diuers others were reconciled to the King in whom was thought to rest no smal matter to hold
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
should be permitted to depart safely into Normandie And vpon the same condition they of Shrewsbury sent to the King the keys of their Castle and therewith pledges for their allegeance Then Robert with his brother Ernulphus and Roger of Poictiers abiured the Realme and departed into Normandie where being full of rashnesse which is nothing but courage out of his wits and measuring their actions not by their abilities but by their desires they did more aduance the Kings affaires by hostilitie then by seruice and subiection they could possibly haue done Also William Earle of Mortaigne in Normandie and of Cornewall in England sonne of Robert vncle to the king and brother to king William the first required of the King the Earledome of Kent which had been lately held by Odo vncle to them both And being a man braue in his owne liking and esteming nothing of that which hee had in regard of that which hee did desire he was most earnest violent peremptorie in his pursuit Insomuch as blinded with ambitious haste he would often say that hee would not put off his vpper garment vntill hee had obtained that dignitie of the King These errours were excused by the greenenesse of his youth and by his desire of rising which expelled all feare of a fall Wherefore the King first deferred and afterwards moderately denied his demaund But so farre had the Earle fed his follies with assured expectation that he accompted himselfe fallen from such estate as his hungry hopes had already swallowed Hereupon his desire turned to rage and the one no lesse vaine then the other but both together casting him from a high degree of fauour which seldome stoppeth the race vntill it come to a headlong downefall For now the King made a counter-challenge to many of his possessions in England and thereupon seazed his lands dismantled his castles and compelled him in the end to forsake the Realme Not for any great offence he had done being apt to the fault rather of rough rage then of practise and deceit but his stubborne stoutnesse was his offence and it was sufficient to hold him guiltie that he thought himselfe to haue cause and meanes to be guiltie So hauing lost his owne state in England he departed into Normandie to further also the losse of that countrey There he confederated with Robert Belasme and made diuers vaine attempts against the Kings castles neither guided by wisedome nor followed by successe Especially hee vented his furie against Richard Earle of Chester who was but a childe and in wardship to the King whom he daily infested with inuasions and spoiles being no lesse full of desire to hurt then voyd of counsaile and meanes to hurt On the other side diuers of the Nobilitie of Normandie finding their Duke without iudgement to rule had no disposition to obey but conceiued a carelesse contempt against him For he seemed not so much to regard his substantiall good as a vaine breath of praise and the fruitlesse fauour of mens opinions which are no fewer in varietie then they are in number All the reuenues of his Duchie he either sold or morgaged all his Cities he did alien and was vpon the point of passing away his principall Citie of Roan to the Burgers thereof but that the conditions were esteemed too hard Hereupon many resolued to fall from him and to set their sailes with the fauourable gale which blew vpon the fortune of the King To this end they offered their submission to the King in case he would inuade Normandie whereto with many reasons they did perswade him especially in regard of the late hostile attempts there made against him by the plaine permission of the Duke his brother and not without his secret support The King embraced the faire occasion and with a strong Armie passed into Normandie Here he first relieued his forts which were any wayes distressed or annoyed then he recouered those that were lost Lastly he wanne from the Duke the towne and castle of Caen with certaine other castles besides And by the help of the President of Aniou fiâ—…ed Baion with the stately Church of S. Marie therein Vpon these euents all the Priories of Normandie resembling certaine flowers which open and close according to the rising or declining of the Sunne abandoned the Duke and made their submission to King Henry So the King hauing both enlarged and assured his state in Normandie by reason of the approach of winter departed into England but this was like the recuiling of Rammeâ—… to returne againe with the greater strength He had not long remained in England but his brother Robert came to him at Northampton to treat of some agreement of peace Here the words and behauiours of both were obserued At their first meeting they rested with their eyes fast fixed one vpon the other in such sort as did plainely declare that discourtesie then trencheth most deep when it is betweene those who should most dearely loue The Duke was in demaunds moderate in countenance and speech enclined to submisnesse and with a kinde vnkindnesse did rather entreate then perswade that in regard of the naturall Obligation betweene them by blood in regard of many offices and benefits wherewith he had endeuoured to purchase the Kings loue all hostilitie betweene them all iniurie or extremitie by Armes might cease For I call you said he before the Seate of your owne Iudgement whether the relinquishing of my Title to the Crowne of England whether the releasing of my annuity of 3000. markes whether many other kindnesses so much vndeserued as scarce desired should not in reason withdraw you from those prosecutions where warre cannot be made without shame nor victory attained without dishonour The King vsed him with honourable respect but perceiuing that he was embarked in some disaduantage conceiuing also that his courage with his Fortune began to decline he made resemblance at the first to be no lesse desirous of peace then the Duke But afterwards albeit he did not directly deny yet hee found euasions to auoyd all offers of agreement The more desirous the Duke was of peace the greater was his disdaine that his brother did refuse it Wherefore cleering his countenance from all shewes of deiection or griefe as then chiefly resolute when his passion was stirred with a voice rather violent then quicke he rose into these words I haue cast my selfe so low as your haughty heart can possibly wish whereby I haue wronged both my selfe and you my selfe in occasioning some suspition of weakenesse you in making you obstinate in your ambitious purposes But assure your selfe that this desire did not proceed from want either of courage or of meanes or of assistance of friends I can also be both vnthankefull and vnnaturall if I bee compelled And if all other supportance faile yet no arme is to be esteemed weake which striketh with the sword of necessitie and Iustice. The King with a well appeased stayednesse returned answere that he could easily endure the iniurie
yeere the Citie of London was very much defaced with fire The yeere next following many prodigies happened which seemed to portend the death of the King or rather the troublesome times which did thereupon ensue In the moneth of August the Sunne was so deepely eclipsed that by reason of the darkenesse of the ayre many starres did plainely appeare The second day after this defect of light the earth trembled with so great violence that many buildings were shaken downe Malmesb. sayth that the house wherein he sate was lift vp with a double remooue and at the third time setled againe in the proper place The earth in diuers places yeelded foorth a hideous noyse It cast foorth flames at certaine rifts diuers dayes together which neither by water nor by any other meanes could be suppressed During the time of the eclipse mentioned before the King was trauersing the sea into Normandie whither hee vsually went sometimes euery yeere but euery third yeere at the furthest Here he spent the whole yeere following in ordering affaires of State and in visiting euery corner of the Countrey He neuer gaue greater contentment to the people as well by his gifts as by his gentle and courteous behauiour he neuer receiued greater contentment from them by the liuely expressing of their loue But nothing did so much affect him with ioy as that his daughter Matild had brought foorth other two sonnes Geoffrey and William whereby hee conceiued that the succession of his issue to the Crowne of England was so well backed that he needed not to trouble his thoughts with any feare that his heires would faile At the last he began to languish a little and droupe in health and neither feeling nor fearing any great cause hee rode on hunting to passe it ouer with exercise and delight Herewith being somewhat cheered hee returned home and eate of a Lamprey albeit against his Physicians aduise which meate he alwayes loued but was neuer able well to digest After this and happely vpon this vicious feeding he fell into a feuer which increased in him by such dangerous degrees that within seuen dayes it led him to the period of his life Hee died vpon the first of December in the 67. yere of his age when hee had reigned 35. yeeres and foure moneths wanting one day His bowels and eyes were buried at Roan The rest of his bodie was stuffed with salt wrapped vp in Oxe hides and brought ouer into England and with honourable exequies buried in the Monastery of Reading which hee had founded His Physician who tooke out his braines by reason of the intolerable stinch which breathed from them in short time after ended his life So of all that King Henrie slue this Physician was the last He had by his first wife a sonne named William who perished by shipwracke and Matild a daughter who was espoused to the Emperour Henrie the 5. when she was scarce sixe yeeres olde and at the age of eleuen yeeres was married vnto him When shee had been married vnto him twelue yeeres he died and shee returned to the King her father both against her owne minde and against the desire of the greatest Princes of the Empire who in regard of her wise and gracious behauiour were suitors to the King more then once to haue her remaine as Empresse among them But the king would not consent to their intreatie For that shee was the onely heire to his Crowne Then many great Princes desired her in marriage But the King bestowed her vpon Geoffrey sonne to Fulke Earle of Aniou somewhat against her owne liking but greatly to the suretie of his estate in France By him she had Henrie who afterwards was King of England Further the King had by a Concubine Richard a sonne and Mary a daughter who were lost vpon the sea with their brother William By another Concubine hee had a sonne named Robert whom he created Earle of Glocester a man for valour of minde and abilitie of bodie inferiour to none in counsailes so aduised as was fit for a right Noble commander By his faith industrie and felicitie chiefly his sister Matild did afterwards resist and ouerbeare both the forces and fortunes of King Stephen He is reported to haue had 12. other bastards which were of no great either note or continuance according to that saying of the Wise man Bastard plants take no deepe rootes This King in the beginning of his Reigne made many fauourable lawes And namely That he would reserue no possessions of the Church vpon their vacancies that the heires of his Nobilitie should possesse their fathers lands without redemption from him and that the Nobilitie likewise should afford the like fauour to their Tenants that Gentlemen might giue their daughters and kinsewomen in marriage without his licence so it were not to his enemie that the widow should haue her ioynture and not be compelled to marrie against her owne liking that the mother or next of kinred should bee Guardian of the lands of her children that all debts to the Crowne and certaine offences also should bee remitted But these lawes afterwards were but slenderly obserued Three vertues were most famous in him wisedome courage and sweetenesse of speach By the last hee gained much fauour from the people By the other two he purchased both peace at home and victory abroad He was noted also for some vices but out of doubt they were farre exceeded by his vertues And for these vices also being himselfe of a pleasant disposition he was well pleased with pleasant reproofes Guymund his Chapleine obseruing that vnworthy men for the most part were aduanced to the best dignities of the Church as he celebrated Diuine seruice before him and was to read these words out of S. Iames It rained not vpon the earth iij. yeres and vj. moneths Hee did read it thus It rained not vpon the earth one one one yeres and fiue one moneths The King obserued this reading and afterwards rebuked his Chapleine for it But Guymund answered that he did it of purpose for that such readers were soonest preferred by the King The King smiled and in short time after preferred him to the gouernment of S. Frideswides in Oxeford In this King failed the heires male of King William the first and then the Crowne was possessed by Title of heires generall In these times flourished two excellent ornaments of the Church Anselme in England and Bernard in France both of them enrolled in the list of Saints And no lesse infamous for vice was Gerard Archbishop of Yorke a man of some learning not so much in substance as in seeming and shew of commendable wit which he applied chiefly to giue a couler for euery vice of his owne and for euery vertue of others either a slander or a ieast Of enuious disposition plagued lesse with his owne calamities then with the well either doing or being of other men in wiping money from his Subiects by dishonest meanes subtill and shamelesse and