to Swaine Earle Goodwins eldest sonne Vpon this assurance he was furnished by the duke his cousin with all meanes fit both for his enterprise and estate And so hee passed the Seas arriued in England and with generall iov was receiued for King He tooke to wife Edith the daughter of Earle Goodwine but whether vpon vow of chastitie or whether vpon impotencie of nature or whether vpon hatred to her father or whether vpon suspition against herselfe for all these causes are alleaged by seuerall writers of those times he forbore all priuate familiaritie with her When he was well locked into the chaire of State Duke William came out of Normandie to see him to shew his magnificence to the English people to shew to the English both that he loued their King and that he was of power to relieue him in case his necessities should so require Here besides honourable enterteinement besides many rich gifts both to himselfe and to his followers the King hauing neither hope nor desire of issue promised him in regard of his great fauours and deserts that hee should be his next successour in the Kingdome And for further assurance thereof sent him also the like message into Normandie by Robert Archbishop of Canterburie After this Harold sonne to Earle Goodwine passed the Seas into Normandie to deale for the discharge of his brother Wolnoth and Hacon his nephew who had bene deliuered for hostages to the Duke In his passage he was much tossed with troublesome weather and in the end was cast vpon the coast of Ponthieu and there taken by the Earle and committed to prison But at the request of the Duke of Normandie hee was released with honourable respect and by the Earle himselfe accompanied to the Duke who enterteined him with great magnificence at Roan The Duke was then going in Armes against the Britaines in which iourney Harold did accompany him and shewed himselfe a man neither rash in vndertaking nor fearefull in perfourming any seruices of the field After prosperous returne the Duke declared to Harold the purpose of King Edward cōcerning the Dukes succession to this Crowne Harold did auow the same to be true and promised to affoord thereto the best furtherance that he could Hereupon the Duke assembled a Councell at Boneuill where Harold did sweare fidelitie vnto him and promised likewise by oath that after the death of King Edward he would keepe the Realme of England to the vse of the Duke that he would deliuer vnto him the castle of Douer and certaine other pieces of defence furnished at his owne charge Hereupon the Duke promised vnto him his daughter in marriage and with her halfe the Realme of England in name of her dower He also deliuered to him his nephew Hacon but kept his brother Wolnoth as an hostage for performance of that which Harold had sworne In short time after King Edward died and Harold being generall commander of the forces of the Realme seized vpon the soueraignetie and without any accustomed solemnities set the crowne vpon his owne head The people were nothing curious to examine titles but as men broken with long bondage did easily entertaine the first pretender And yet to Harold they were inclinable enough as well vpon opinion of his prowesse as for that hee endeauoured to winne their fauour partly by abating their grieuous paiments and partly by increasing the wages of his seruants and Souldiers generally by vsing iustice with clemencie and courtesie towards all About this time a blasing starre appeared and continued the space of seuen dayes which is commonly taken to portend alteration in States Of this Comet a certaine Poet alluding to the baldnesse of the Norman wrote these verses Caesariem Caesar tibi si natura negauit Hanc Willielme tibi stella comata dedit Duke William sent diuers Ambassadours to Harold first to demaund perfourmance of his oath afterward to mooue him to some moderate agreement But ambition a reasonlesse and restlesse humour made him obstinate against all offers or inducements of peace So they prepared to buckle in armes equall both in courage and in ambitious desires equall in confidence of their fortune but Harold was the more aduenturous William the more aduised man Harold was more strong in Souldiers William in Alies and friends Harold was seated in possession which in case of a kingdome is oftentimes with facilitie attained but retained hardly William pretended the donation of King Edward and that he was neere vnto him in blood by the mothers side Now there wanted not precedents both ancient and of later times that free kingdomes and principalities not setled by custome in succession of blood haue been transported euen to strangers by way of guift Attalus king of Pergamus did constitute the people of Rome his heire by force wherof they made his kingdome a part of their empire Nicomedes King of Bithynia made the people of Rome likewise his heire whereupon his kingdome was reduced to the forme of a Prouince So Alexander King of Egypt gaue Alexandria and the kingdome of Egypt and so Ptolemie gaue the kingdome of Cyrene to the same people of Rome Prasutagus one of the kings of great Britaine gaue the kingdome of the Iceni to Caesar Nero and to his daughters Yea in the Imperial state of Rome Augustus designed Tiberius to be his successour and by like appointment Nero became successour to Claudius Troiane to Nerua Antonius Pius to Adrian and Antoninus the Philosopher to another Antoninus When the Emperour Galba did openly appoint Piso for his successour he declared to the people that the same custome had been obserued by most approued and ancient Princes Iugurth being adopted by Mycipsa succeeded him in the kingdome of Numidia and that by the iudgement as well of Mycipsa himselfe as of the Senate and people of Rome The holy histories report that Salomon gaue twentie cities to Hiram king of Tyre and if the argument be good from the part to the whole he might in like sort haue disposed of all his kingdome Who hath not heard of the donation falsly attributed to Constantine the great being in trueth the donation of Lewis sirnamed the pious whereby he gaue to Pope Paschal the citie of Rome and a large territorie adioyning vnto it the instrument of which gift Volaterrane doth recite So the Ladie Matild daughter to Roger the most famous Prince of Cicilie and wife to king Conrade sonne to Henrie the 4. Emperour gaue the Marquisate of Apulia to the Bishop of Rome which when the Emperour Otho the 4. refused to deliuer hee was for that cause excommunicate by the Pope In like sort the countrey of Daulphin was giuen by Prince Vmbert to the King of France vpon condition that the eldest sonne of France should afterward be called Daulphine Lastly the Dukes first auncestor Rollo receiued the Dukedome of Normandie by donation of Charles King of France And himselfe held the Countie of Maine by
vp the reputation of the enterprise And further hee prepared a nauie to guard the seas and to impeach the passage of his brother into England Hee prepared great forces also by meanes of the treasure which his father had left and disposed them in places conuenient either to preuent or to represse these scattered tumults But the successe of his affaires was by no meanes so much aduanced as by Lanfranck Archbishop of Canterbury and by Woolstane Bishop of Worcester the authority of which two men the one for his learning wisedome and mild moderation the other for his simple sanctitie and integritie of life was greatly regarded by all sorts of people By encouragement of Woolstane not onely the citie of Worcester was maintained in firme condition for the King but his enemies receiued there a famous foyle the greatest part being slaine and the residue dispersed This was the first sad blow which the confederates tooke afterward they declined mainely and the King as mainly did increase The King in person led his chiefe forces into Kent against Odo his vncle the principall firebrand of all this flame Hee tooke there the castle of Tunbridge and of Pemsey which Odo had fortified and lastly hee besieged Odo himselfe in the castle of Rochester and with much trauell tooke him prisoner and compelled him to abiure the Realme Vpon these euents the Bishop of Durham aduising onely with feare and despaire fled out of the Realme but after three yeeres he was againe restored to the dignitie of his Sea The residue did submit themselues to the Kings discretion and were by him receiued all to pardon some to gracious and deare account For in offences of so high nature pardon neuer sufficeth to assure offenders vnlesse by further benefits their loyaltie bee bound Robert Duke of Normandy was busied all this time in making preparation for his iourney into England but his delayes much abated the affections of those who fauoured either his person or cause At the length hauing made vp a competent power he committed to sea where his infelicities concurring with his negligence diuers of his ships which he had sent somewhat before him to assure the confederats of his approach were set vpon and surprised by the nauie of King William After this hee arriued in England sent vnto many of his secret friends and made his comming knowen vnto all but no man resorted to him he receiued no aduertisement from any man but plainely found that by the fortunate celeritie of King William the heart of the conspiracie in all places was broken So the Duke returned into Normandie hauing then good leisure to looke into the errour of his leisurely proceedings When the King had in this sort either wisely reconciled or valiantly repressed his domesticall enemies because an vnperfect victory is alwayes the seede of a new warre he followed his brother with a mighty armie and remoued the seate of the warre into Normandie For he coniectured as in trueth it fell out that the Duke his brother vpon his returne would presently disperse his companies for want of money and for the same cause would not easily be able to draw them together againe So his valour and his power being much aduantaged by his sudden comming ioyned to the want of foresight and preparation in the Duke he tooke in short time the Castles of Walerick and Aubemarle with the whole Countrey of Eu the Abbacie of Mount S. Michael Fescampe Chereburge and diuers other places which he furnished with men of Armes and Souldiers of assured trust The Duke feeling his owne weakenesse dealt with Philip King of France and by liberall promises so preuailed with him that he descended into Normandie with a faire Armie and bent his siege against one of those pieces which K. William had taken But he found it so knottie a piece of worke that in short time wearied with hardnesse and hazards of the field he fell to a capitulation with King William and so departed out of Normandie receiuing a certaine summe of money in regard of his charges and conceiuing that he had won honour ynough in that no honour had bene won against him The money that was payd to the King of France was raised in England by this deuise King William commanded that 20. Thousand men should be mustered in England and transported into Normandie to furnish his warres against the French When they were conducted neere to Hastings and almost ready to be embarked it was signified to them from the King that aswell for their particular safeties as not to disfurnish the Realme of strength whosoeuer would pay 10. shillings towards the waging of Souldiers in Normandie he might be excused to stay at home Among 20. Thousand scarce any was found who was not ioyfull to embrace the condition who was not ready to redeeme his aduenture with so small a summe which being gathered together was both a surer and easier meanes to finish the warres then if the King had still struggeled by force of Armes For when the French King had abandoned the partie Duke Robert being prepared neither with money nor constancie of mind to continue the warre enclined to peace which at the last by diligence of friends was concluded betweene the two brothers vpon these conditions That the Duke should yeeld to the King the Countie of Eu the Abbey of Fescampe the Abbey of S. Michaels mount Chereburge and all other Castles and fortifications which the King had taken That the King should subdue to the vse of the Duke all other Castles and houldes which had reuolted from him in Normandie That the King should giue to the Duke certaine dignities and possessions in England That the King should restore all those to their dignities and lands in England who had taken part with the Duke against him That if either of them should die without issue male the suruiuour should succeed in his estate These Articles were confirmed by twelue Barons on the Kings part and as many on the part of the Duke so long obserued as either of them wanted either power or pretence to disanull them This peace being made the Duke vsed the aide of King William to recouer the fort of Mount S. Michael which their brother Henrie did forceably hold for the money which hee had lent to the Duke of Normandie Fourtie dayes they layed siege to this castle hauing no hope to carrie it but by the last necessity which is hunger Within the compasse of this time as the King straggled alone vpon the shoare certaine horsemen salied foorth and charged vpon him of whom three strooke him together so violently with their lances as because he could not be driuen out of his saddle together with his saddle he was cast vpon the ground and his horse slaine vpon the place for which he had payed the same day 15. markes Extremitie of danger as it often happeneth tooke from the King all feare of danger wherefore taking vp his saddle with both his hands he
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
in their action a most assured token of some mischiefe at hand And so as they scattered and ranged after prey as greedy men are seldome circumspect they were suddenly set vpon by Almaricke Earle of Mountfort appointed by the French K. to defend the Country with no small execution put to the chase The more they resisted the greater was their losse The sooner they fled the more assured was their escape And for that they were dispersed into many small companies they had the better opportunitie to saue themselues Many other like aduentures were enterprised betweene the two Kings and their adherents some in France and some in Normandie with large losse on both sides But especially the King of France was most subiect to harme for that his countrey was the more ample open and rich The King of England held this aduantage that no aduantage could be wonne against him which in regard of the number valour and greatnesse of his enemies was a very honourable aduantage indeed At the last he made peace with the Earle of Aniou taking the Earles daughter to be wife to his sonne William whom he had declared for successour in his estate to whom all the Nobilitie and Prelates were sworne and who seemed to want nothing through all his fathers dominions but onely the name and Title of King This sinew being cut from the King of France and also for that Henry the Emperour made preparation of hostilitie against him he fell likewise to agreement of peace By the conditions whereof William sonne to the King of England was inuested into the Duchie of Normandie doing homage for the same to the K. of France In this peace was comprised on the part of the French K Williā son to Robert Curtcuise who had bene declared Duke of Normandie On the part of the king of England the Earle of Champ◅igne and certaine other Lords were comprised who had either serued or aided him against the king of France After this the warres betweene the Emperour and the French king did forthwith dissolue King Henry hauing happily finished these affaires returned out of Normandie and loosing from Barbeflote vpon the 24. of Nouember towards euening with a prosperous gale arriued in England where great preparation was made to entertaine him with many well deuised honours His sonne William then duke of Normandie and somewhat aboue 17. yeeres of age tooke another ship and in his company went Mary his sister Countesse of Perch Richard his brother begotten of a concubine as some affirme and the Earle of Chester with his wife Lucie who was the Kings niece by his sister Adela Also the yong Nobilitie and best knights flocked vnto him some to discharge their dueties others to testifie their loue and respect Of such passengers the ship receiued to the number of 140. besides 50. sailers which belonged vnto her So they loosed from land somewhat after the King and with a gentle winde from the Southwest danced through the soft swelling floods The sailers full of proud ioy by reason of their honourable charge and of little feare or forecast both for that they had bene accustomed to dangers and for that they were then well tippeled with wine gaue forth in a brauery that they would soone outstrip the vessell wherein the King sailed In the middest of this drunken ioylitie the ship strake against a rocke the head whereof was aboue water not farre from the shoare The passengers cried out and the sailers laboured to winde or beare off the ship from the danger but the labour was no lesse vaine then the cry for she leaned so stiffely against the rocke that the sterage brake the sides cracked and the Sea gushed in at many breaches Then was raised a lamentable cry within the ship some yeelding to the tyrannie of despaire betooke themselues as in cases of extremitie weake courages are wont to their deuotions others emploied all industrie to saue their liues and yet more in duetie to nature then vpon hope to escape all bewailed the vnfortunate darkenesse of that night the last to the liues of so many persons both of honour and of worth They had nothing to accōpany them but their feares nothing to helpe them but their wishes the confused cries of them al did much increase the particular astonishment of euery one And assuredly no danger dismayeth like that vpon the seas for that the place is vnnaturall to man And further the vnusuall obiects the continuall motion the desolation of all helpe or hope will perplexe the minds euen of those who are best armed against discouragement At the last the boat was hoysed foorth and the Kings sonne taken into it They had cleered themselues from the danger of the ship and might safely haue rowed to land But the yong Prince hearing the shrill shrikes of his Sister Mary Countesse of Perch and of the Countesse of Chester his cousin crying after him and crauing his help he preferred pitie before safety commanded the boat to be rowed back to the ship for preseruatiou of their liues But as they approached the boate was suddenly so ouercharged with those who strugling to breake out of the armes of death leaped at all aduentures into it that it sunke vnder them and so all the company perished by drowning Onely one ordinary Sayler who had been a butcher by swimming all night vpon the mast escaped to land reserued as it may seeme to relate the manner of the misaduenture This ship raised much matter of nouelty and discourse abroad but neuer did ship bring such calamitie to the Realme especially for that it was iudged that the life of this Prince would haue preuented those intestine warres which afterwards did fall betweene King Steuen and Matild daughter to King Henry The King was so ouercharged with this heauy accident that his reason seemed to bee darkened or rather drowned in sorrow Hee caused the coasts a long time after to bee watched but scarce any of the bodies were euer found Afterwards he tooke to wife Adalisia daughter to Godfrey Duke of Louaine of the house of Lorraine She was crowned at Westminster by Roger B. of Salisburie because Radulph Archbishop of Canterburie by reason of his palsey was vnable to performe that office And yet because Roger was not appointed by him the doting old man fell into such a pelting chafe that hee offered to strike the Kings Crowne from his head And albeit this Lady was in the principall flower both of her beauty and yeeres yet the King had no issue by her Now as after a storme a fewe gentle drops doe alwayes fall before the weather turnes perfectly fayre so after these great warres in France certaine easie conflicts did ensue neither dangerous nor almost troublesome to the King For Robert Earle of Mellent who for a long time had continued both a sure friend and most close and priuate in counsaile with the King vpon some sudden either discontentment on his part or dislike on the Kings so
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
actions of weight it is good to employ our best endeuours but when all is done he danceth well to whom Fortune doeth pipe When the conspirators vnderstood that their principall purpose was disappointed they made themselues so powerfull in the field that the Duke was enforced to craue ayde of the King of France who not long before was his greatest enemie The King preferring to his remembrance the late honourable dealing of the Duke came in person vnto him by whose countenance and aide the Duke ouerthrew his enemies in a full battell in the vale of Dunes albeit not without great difficultie and bold aduenture of his owne person Guy de Burgogne escaped by flight and defended himselfe in certaine castles which he had fortified in Normandie for his retreite but in the end hee rendred both himselfe and them to the Dukes discretion The Duke not onely pardoned him but honoured him with a liberall pension which he did afterward both with valiant and loyall seruice requite Not long after the French King had wars against Ieoffrey Martell and Duke William went with a faire companie of Souldiers to his ayde In this seruice he so wel acquited himselfe both in iudgement and in hand that the French King was chiefly directed by him onely blaming him for too carelesse casting himselfe into the mouth of dangers imputing that to ostentation which was but the heate of his courage and age Oftentimes hee would range from the maine battell with very fewe in his company either to make discoueries or to encounter such enemies as could not bee found with greater troupes Once hee withdrew himselfe onely with foure and was met with by fifteene of the enemies The most forward of them he strake from his horse and brake his thigh with the fall The residue hee chased foure miles and most of them being hurt tooke seuen prisoners Hereupon Ieoffrey Martell then said of him that he was at that time the best souldier and was like to prooue the best commander in the world And as hee was both fauourable and faithfull towards them who fairely yeelded so against such as either obstinately or scornefully caried themselues he was extreamely seuere or rather cruell When hee besieged Alençon which the Duke of Aniou had taken from him the defendants would often crie from the walles Lapel Lapel reproaching him thereby with the birth of his mother This base insolencie as it enflamed both his desire and courage to atchieue the enterprise so did it his fury to deale sharpely with them when they were subdued by cutting off their hands and feete and by other seuerities which were not vsuall Besides these some others of his owne blood prouoked Engelrame Earle of Ponthieu to moue against him in armes but the Duke receiued him with so resolute valour that the Earle was slaine in the field and they well chastised who drew him to the enterprise The Britaines did often feele the force of his victorious armes Hee had many conflicts with Ieoffrey Martell Earle of Aniou confederate with the Princes of Britane Aquitaine and Tours a man equall vnto him both in power and in skill to command but in fortune and in force of arme much inferiour Many excellent atchieuements were performed betweene them insomuch as their hostilitie seemed onely to bee an emulation in honour Once the Duke fell into an ambushment addressed for him by the Earle of Aniou wherewith he was so suddenly surprized that he was almost in the midst of the danger before he thought any danger neere him An exceeding great both terrour and confusion seazed vpon his souldiers because the more sudden and vncertaine a perill is the greater is it alwayes esteemed Many of his brauest men were slaine the residue so disordered or at least shaken as they began to thinke more of their particular escape then of the common either safety or glory When they were thus vpon the point to disband the Duke rather with rage then courage cried vnto them If you loue me not Souldiers yet for shame follow me for shame stand by mee for shame let not any of your friends heare the report that you ran from mee and left me fighting With that he threw himselfe into the thickest throng of his enimies and denounced those either traitours or cowards who would not follow This example breathed such braue life into his Souldiers that they rallied their loose rankes and in close order seconded him with a resolute charge encouraging one another that it was shameful indeede not to fight for him who so manfully did fight with them The Duke brandishing his sword like a thunderbolt dung downe his enemies on euery side made at Earle Martell in the midst of his battallion strake him downe claue his helmet and cut away one of his eares This so diuerted the Aniouans to the rescue of their Earle that they let the other part of the victorie goe The Earle they recouered againe to horse and so left the Duke master of the field Verely it is almost impossible that a commander of such courage should haue either faint or false hearted Souldiers Now it happened not long before that Fulc Earle of Aniou hauing drawen Herbert Earle of Maine vnder faire pretenses to Xantonge cast him in prison from whence he could not be released vntill he had yeelded to certaine conditions both dishonourable and disaduantageable vnto him Hugh succeded Herbert from whom Ieoffrey Martell Earle of Aniou tooke the citie of Maine and made himselfe lord of all the countrey Hugh hauing lost his dominion left both his title and his quarrell to his sonne Herbert who hauing no issue appointed Duke William to bee his heire Hereupon the Duke inuaded Maine and in short time subdued the whole countrey and built two fortifications for assurance thereof hauing first sent word to the Earle of Aniou vpō what day the worke should begin The Earle vsed all diligence and means to impeach the buildings but hee not onely failed of that purpose but further lost the countie of Medune Againe Henry King of France did many other times with great preparation inuade his Countrey sometimes with purpose to winne vpon him and sometimes to keepe him from winning vpon others Vpon a time the King led his troupes ouer the foord of Dine and when halfe his army had passed the other halfe by reason of the rising of the Sea was compelled to stay The Duke apprehending the aduantage came vpō them with a furious charge being now deuided from the chiefe of the Armie and either slew them or tooke them prisoners in the plaine view of their King After this they concluded a peace whereof the conditions were That the Duke should release such prisoners as he had taken and that hee should retaine whatsoeuer he had wonne or afterwards should winne from the Earle of Aniou And yet the King did againe enterprise vpon him with greater forces then at any time before But the Duke entertained his Armies with so good order and valoure
that the King gained nothing but losse and dishonour and the greater his desire was of victorie and reuenge the more foule did his foiles and failings appeare which so brake both his courage and heart that with griefe thereof as it was conceiued hee ended his life And thus during all the time that he was onely Duke of Normandy he was neuer free from action of armes in all his actions of armes hee was caried with a most rare and perpetuall felicitie As he grew in yeeres so did he in thicknesse and fatnesse of body but so as it made him neither vnseemely nor vnseruiceable for the warres and neuer much exceeding the measure of a comely corpulencie He was most decent and there with terrible in armes He was stately and maiesticall in his gesture of a good stature but in strength admirable in so much as no man was able to draw his bow which hee would bend sitting vpon his horse stretching out the string with his foot His countenance was warlike and manly as his friends might terme it but as his enemies said truculent and fierce He would often sweare By Gods resurrection and his brightnesse which he commonly pronounced with so furious a face that hee strooke a terrour into those that were present His head was bald his beard alwayes shauen which fashion being first taken vp by him was then followed by all the Normans Hee was of a firme and strong constitution for his health so as he neuer was attached with sicknesse but that which was the summons of his death and in his age seemed little to feele the heauie weight and burthen of yeeres In his first age he was of a mild and gentle disposition courteous bountifull familiar in conuersation a professed enemie to all vices But as in Fortune as in yeres so changed he in his behauiour partly by his continuall following the warres whereby he was much fleshed in blood and partly by the inconstant nature of the people ouer whom he ruled who by often rebellions did not onely exasperate him to some seueritie but euen constraine him to hold them in with a more stiffe arme So hee did wring from his subiects very much substance very much blood not for that he was by nature either couetous or cruell but for that his affaires could not otherwise be managed His great affaires could not be managed without great expence which drew a necessity of charge vpon the people neither could the often rebellions of his Subiects be repressed or restrained by any mild and moderate meanes And generally as in all States and gouernments seuere discipline hath alwayes bin a true faithfull mother of vertue and valour so in particular of his Normans he learned by experience and oftentimes declared this iudgement That if they were held in bridle they were most valiant and almost inuincible excelling all men both in courage and in strength and in honourable desire to vanquish their enemies But if the reines were layd loose vpon their necke they were apt to runne into licentiousnes and mischiefe ready to consume either themselues by riot and sloath or one another by sedition prone to innouation and change as heauily mooued to vndertake dangers so not to bee trusted vpon occasion He tooke to wife Matilde daughter to Baldwin Earle of Flanders a man for his wisedome and power both reuerenced and feared euen of Kings but because she was his cousin Germane he was for his marriage excommunicate by his owne vnckle Mauger Archbishop of Roan Hereupon he sued to Pope Victor and obteined of him a dispensation and afterwards so wrought that by a prouinciall Councell his vncle Mauger was depriued of his dignitie But by this meanes both he his issue were firmely locked in obedience to the Sea of Rome for that vpon the authoritie of that place the validitie of his marriage and consequently the legitimation of his issue seemed to depend When he was about 50. yeeres of age Edward King of England ended his life This Edward was sonne to Egelred King of England by Emma sister to Richard the second Duke of Normandie who was grandfather to Duke William so as King Edward and Duke William were cousins germane once remoued At such time as Egelred was first ouercharged with warres by the Danes he sent his wife Emma with two sonnes which she had borne vnto him Alphred and Edward into Normandie to her brother where they were enterteined with all honourable vsage for many yeeres Afterward giuing place to the malice of his Fortune he passed also into Normandie and left his whole state in the possession and power of Swanus King of Denmarke But after the death of Swanus partly by the aide of the Normans and partly by fauour of his owne people he recouered his Kingdome and left the same to his eldest sonne Edmund who either for the tough temper of his courage and strength or for that he almost alwayes liued in Armes was surnamed Ironside Hereupon Canutus the sonne of Swanus made sharpe warre first against Egelred then against Edmund and finally after many varieties of aduenture but chiefly by the fauour of the Clergie of England because they had sworne allegiance to his father spread the wings of his victory ouer the whole Kingdome He expelled out of the Realme Edwine and Edward the two sonnes of King Edmund of whom Edwine married the Kings daughter of Hungarie but died without issue Edward was aduanced to the marriage of Agatha daughter to the Emperour Henry and by her had issue two sonnes Edmund Edgar and so many daughters Margaret and Christine The same Canutus tooke Emma to wife who had bene wife to King Egelred by whom he had a sonne named Hardicanutus After the death of Canutus Alphred the sonne of Egelred came out of Normandie and with fiftie saile landed at Sandwich with purpose to attempt the recouerie of his fathers kingdome In which enterprise hee receiued not onely encouragement but good assurance from many of the English Nobilitie But by Earle Goodwine he was abused and taken his company slaine his eyes put out and then sent to the I le of Elie where in short time hee ended his life Edward also arriued at Hampton with 40. ships but finding the Countrey so farre from receiuing as they were ready to resist him he returned into Normandie and attended the further fauour of time So after Canutus succeeded in England first Harold sirnamed Harefoot bastard sonne to Canutus and after him Hardicanutus sonne to Canutus by Emma mother also to King Edward Hardicanutus being dead the Nobilitie of the Realme sent into Normandie for Edward to be their King whereto also he was appointed as some haue written by Hardicanutus But because Alphred his brother vpon the like inuitation had bene traiterously taken and slaine before William at that time Duke of Normandie would not permit him to depart vntill he had receiued for pledges of his safety Woolnoth son to Earle Goodwine and Hacon sonne
cannot Foule weather may much hinder the discharge of the piece but it is no great impediment to the shot of the Bow A horse strooke with a bullet if the wound be not mortall may performe good seruice but if an arrow be fastened in his flesh the continuall stirring thereof occasioned by the motion of himselfe will enforce him to cast off all command and either beare downe or disorder those that are neere But the cracke of the piece will some man say doeth strike a terrour into the enemie True if they bee such as neuer heard the like noise before But a little vse wil extinguish these terrours to men yea to beasts acquainted with these cracks they worke a weake impression of feare And if it be true which all men of action doe hold that the eye in all battailes is first ouercome then against men equally accustomed to both the sight of the arrow is more auaileable to victorie then the cracke of the piece Assuredly the Duke before the battaile encouraged his men for that they should deale with enemies who had no shot But I will leaue this point to be determined by more discerning iudgements and happily by further experience in these affaires and returne againe to my principall purpose The next day after the victorie the Duke returned to Hastings about seuen miles from the place of the encounter partly to refresh his Armie and partly to settle in aduise and order for his further prosecution First he dispatched messengers to signifie his successe to his friends abroad to the Pope he sent King Harolds Standerd which represented a man fighting wrought curiously with golde and precious stones Afterwards placing a strong garrison at Hastings he conducted his Armie towards London not the direct way but coasted about through part of Kent through Sussex Surrey Hampshire and Barkeshire the wayes where hee passed being as free from resistance as his thoughts were from change At Walling ford he passed ouer the Thames and then marched forward through Oxford shire Buckinghamshire and Hartford-shire vntill he came to the Castle at Berkhamstead In this passage many of his Souldiers languished and died of the Fluxe And whether it were vpon licentiousnesse after the late victorie or whether for want of necessary prouision or whether to strike a terrour into the English or whether to leaue no danger at his backe he permitted the sword to range at large to harrie freely to defile many places with ruine and blood In the meane time the English Lords assembled at London to aduise vpon their common affaires but the varietie of opinions was the chiefe impediment to the present seruice the danger being more important then the counsaile resolute or the confidence assured The Nobilitie enclined to declare Edgar grandchild to Edmund Ironside to be their King and with these the Londoners wholy went But those of the Clergie were of opinion some vpon particular respects all vpon feare to displease the Pope to yeeld to the storme and streame of the present time to yeeld to the mightie Arme of GOD that their forces being prostrated their hopes feeble and forlorne they must be content not to be constrained they must not prouoke the Victor too farre against whose forces and felicities time gaue them not power to oppose This deliberation held so long that all the time of action was spent For the Duke approched so neere the Citie that many preferring their safetie before other respects withdrew themselues and went vnto him Hereupon the residue dissolued and Alfred Archb. of Yorke Wolstane Bishop of Worcester Wilfire B. of Hereford and many other Prelates of the Realme went vnto the Duke at Berkhamstead accompanied with Edgar Earle Edwine Earle Morchar and diuers others of the Nobilitie who gaue pledges for their allegiance and were thereupon receiued to subiection and fauour The Duke presently dispatched to London was receiued with many declarations of ioy the lesser in heart the fairer in appearance and vpon Christmas day next following was crowned King Now the meanes whereby this victory was assured were the very same whereby it was atchieued euen by a stiffe and rigorous hand For whosoeuer supposeth that a State atteined by force can be reteined by milder meanes he shall find himselfe disappointed of his hopes A people newly subdued by force will so long remaine in obedience as they finde themselues not of force to resist And first he endeauoured either to preuent or appease all forren warres especially against the Danes who were then chiefly feared in England as well in regard of their former victories as for that they pretended title to the Crowne And herein two things did especially fauour his affaires One for that the Normans were in some sort allied to the Danes being the progenie of those Noruegians and Danes which vnder the conduct and fortune of Rollo inuaded France after many great atchieuements seated in Normandie The other was for that after the death of Canutus the state of Denmarke was much infeebled by diuision For the Noruegians set vp Magnus the sonne of Olaus for their King but the Danes acknowledged Canutus the third of that name by meanes whereof that puissant empire did languish in consumption of it selfe and could not be dangerous to any neighbour Countrey Yet ceased they not for many yeeres to continue claime to the Crowne of England But King William had purchased many sure and secret friends in that diseased state wherein all publike affaires were set to sale especially he vsed the authoritie of Adelbert Archbishop of Hamburgh either to crosse all counsaile of hostilitie against him or else to delay and thereby to delude the enterprise or lastly so to manage the action that it should noâ—… worke any dangerous effect After the death of Swaine Canutus prepared a Nauie of one thousand saile for inuasion of England and was aided with sixe hundred more by Robert le Frizon whose daughter hee had taken to wife But either for want or else by negligence or happily of purpose this Nauie continued partly in preparation and partly in a readinesse the space of two yeeres and then the voyage was layd aside The cause was attributed to contrarietie of winds but the contrariety of wils was the truest impediment Likewise Swaine had furnished against England a Nauie of 204. sayle commanded by Earle Osborne his brother Another fleete of 200. saile was set foorth vnder the charge of Earle Hacon But King William so corrupted them both that the one departed out of the Realme without performing any great exploit the other neuer would arriue Also out of those confusions in England Malcolme King of Scots did take his opportunitie for action Hee receiued into protection many English who either for feare or for discontentment forsooke their Countrey of whom many families in Scotland are descended and namely these Lindsey Vaus Ramsey Louell Towbris Sandlands Bissart Sowlis Wardlaw Maxwell with diuers others Hee entertained into his Court Edgar Atheling and
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
and said I perceiue now that I haue liued too long that my brother doth clothe me like his almoseman with cast and torne garments So hee grew weary of his life and his disease encreasing with his discontentment pined away and in short time after died and was buried at Glocester And this was the end of that excellent commander brought to this game and gaze of fortune after many trauerses that he had troden He was for courage and direction inferiour to none but neither prouident nor constant in his affaires whereby the true end of his actions were ouerthrowen His valour had triumphed ouer desperate dangers and verely he was no more setled in valour then disposed to vertue and goodnesse neuer wilfully or willingly doing euill neuer but by errour as finding it disguised vnder some maske of goodnesse His performances in armes had raised him to a high point of opiniō for his prowesse which made him the more vnhappy as vnhappie after a fall from high state of honor He had one sonne named William vpon whose birth the mother died of this William shall somewhat hereafter be said And now as Princes oftentimes doe make aduantage of the calamity of their neighbours so vpon this downefall of the Duke of Normandie Fulke Earle of Aniou sharing for himselfe seized vpon Maine and certain other places made large waste tooke great booties and spoyles not onely out of ancient and almost hereditary hate against the hose of Normandie but as fearing harme from the King of England hee endeauoured to harme him first In like sort Baldwine Earle of Flanders declared in armes against the King for a yeerely pension of 300. markes the occasion of which demand was this King William the first in recompence of the ayde which he receiued in his enterprise for England from Baldwine 5. Earle of Flanders payd him yeerely three hundred markes which after his death was continued to his sonne Robert Earle of Flanders from a collaterall line demanded the same Pension but it was denied him by K. Henrie wherefore Baldwine his sonne attempted now to recouer it by Armes With these or rather as principall of these Lewes the grosse King of France seeing his ouersight in permitting Normandie to bee annexed to the Realme of England assembled a great armie and vpon pretence of a trifling quarrell about the demolishing of the Castle of Gisors declared William sonne to Robert Curtcuise for Duke of Normandie and vndertooke to place him in possession of that state which his vnfortunate father had lost And besides those open hostilities in Armes Hugh the kings Chamberlaine and certaine others were suborned traiterously to kill the King but the practise was in good time discouered and the conspirators punished by death Hereupon the King both with celeritie and power answerable to the danger at hand passed the Seas into Normandie hauing first drawen to his assistance Theobald Earle of Champaine the Earles of Crecie Pissaux and Dammartine who aspired to be absolute Lords within their territories as were many other Princes at that time in France These deteined the French King in some tariance in France whilest the King of England either recouered or reuenged his losses against the Earle of Aniou At the last hee was assailed in Normandie on three parts at once by the Earle of Aniou from Maine from Ponthieu by the Earle of Flanders and by the French King betweene both The King of England appointed certaine forces to guard the passages against the Earle of Aniou with directions to hold themselues within their strength and not to aduenture into the field Against the Earle of Flanders hee went in person and in a sharpe shocke betweene them the Earle was defeated and hurt and as some Authors affirme slaine albeit others doe report that hee was afterwards slaine in a battaile betweene the two Kings of England and of France After this he turned against Lewes King of France and fought with him before the towne of Nice in Normandie which towne the French had surprised and taken from the King of England This battaile continued aboue the space of nine houres with incredible obstinacie the doubt of victory being no lesse great then was the desire and yet neither part so hastie to end as not to stay for the best aduantage The first battaile on both sides was hewen in pieces valour of inestimable value was there cast away much braue blood was lost many men esteemed both for their place and worth lay groaning and grinning vnder the heauy hand of death The sad blowes the grisle wounds the grieuous deathes that were dealt that day might well haue moued any man to haue said That warre is nothing else but inhumane manhood The Kings courage guided with his Fortune and guarded both with his strength and his skill was neuer idle neuer but working memorable effects In all places his directions were followed by his presence being witnesse both of the diligence and valour of euery man and not suffering any good aduantage or aduise for want of timely taking to be lost He aduentured so farre in perfourming with his hand that his armour in many places was battered to his body and by reason of the sturdie strokes set vpon his helme he cast blood out of his mouth But this was so farre from dismaying his powers that it did rather assemble and vnite them so as aduancing his braue head his furie did breath such vigour into his arme that his sword made way through the thickest throngs of his enemies and hee brake into them euen to the last ranckes He was first seconded by the truely valiant whose vndanted spirits did assure the best and therewith contemne the very worst Then came in they whom despaire the last of resolutions had made valiant who discerned no meanes of hope for life but by bold aduenturing vpon death Lastly he was followed by all being enflamed by this example to a new life of resolution Generally the swords went so fast that the French vnable to endure that deadly storme were vtterly disbanded and turned to flight K. Henry after a bloody chase recouered Nice and with great triumph returned to Roan Afterwards he would often say That in other battailes he fought for victory but in this for his life and that hee would but little ioy in many such victories Vpon this euent the King sent certaine forces into France to harrase the countrey and to strike a terrour into the enemie The French King besides the abatement of his power by reason of his late ouerthrow was then preparing in Armes against Henry the Emperour who intended to destroy Rhemes partly drawen on by Henry King of England whose daughter he had taken to wife but chiefly for that a Councell had bene there held against him by Pope Calixtus a French man wherein the Emperour was declared enemie to the Church and degraded from his Imperiall dignitie This brought the English to a carelesse conceit and to a loose and licentious demeanure
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
ensued that riuers were passable with loaden carts The yeere next ensuing was exceeding remarkeable both for the number and fashion of gliding Starres which seemed to dash together in maner of a conflict About this time Pope Vrbane assembled a Councell at Cleremont in Auergne wherein hee exhorted Christian Princes to ioyne in action for recouery of Palestine commonly called The Holy Land out of the seruile possession of the Saracenes This motion was first set on foote and afterwards pursued by Peter the Heremite of Amiens which falling in an age both actiue and Religious was so generally embraced as it drew 300000. men to assemble together from diuers Countreys and that with such sober and harmlesse behauiour that they seemed rather Pilgrimes then Souldiers Among others Robert Duke of Normandie addressed himselfe to this Voyage and to furnish his expenses therein he layed his Duchie of Normandie to gage to his brother of England for 6666. li. or as other Authors report for 13600. pounds of Siluer This money was taken vp part by imposition and part by loane of the most wealthy inhabitants within the Realme But especially the charge was layd vpon religious persons for that it was to furnish a religious warre When many Bishops and Abbots complained that they were not able to satisfie such summes of money as the King demanded of them vnles they should sel the Chalices siluer vessels which pertained to their Churches Nay answered the King you may better make meanes with the siluer and gold which vainely you haue wrapped about dead mens bones meaning thereby their rich Relickes and Shrines The yeare following a blasing starre appeared for the space of fifteene dayes together the greatest bush whereof pointed towards the East and the lesser towards the West Gliding starres were often seene which seemed to dart one against another The people began as to mindes fearefull all fancies seeme both weightie and true to make hard constructions of these vnusuall sights supposing that the heauens did threaten them not accustomed to shew it selfe so disposed but towards some variation In the 13. yeere of his reigne the Sea surmounted his vsuall bounds in diuers parts of England and Scotland whereby not only fields but many villages castles and townes were ouerflowen and some ouerturned and some ouerwhelmed with sand much people and almost innumerable cattel was destroyed At the same time certaine lands in Kent which did once belong to Godwine Earle of Kent were ouerflowed and couered with sand which to this day do beare the name of Godwins sands Thunders were more frequent terrible then had been vsuall through violence whereof diuers persons were slaine Many feareful formes and apparitions are reported to haue bin seene whether errours or inuentions or truethes I will not aduow The heauens often seemed to flame with fire At Finchamsted in Barkeshire neere vnto Abington a spring cast vp a liquor for the space of fifteene dayes in substance and colour like vnto blood which did taint and infect the next water brooke whereinto it did runne The King was often terrified in his sleepe with vncouth ougly vnquiet dreames and many fearefull visions of others were oftentimes reported vnto him At the same time hee held in his handes three Bishoprickes Canterburie Winchester and Salisburie and twelue Abbeys The same yeere vpon the second of August a little before the falling of the Sunne as the King was hunting within the newe forrest at a place called Choringham where since a Chappell hath beene erected hee strooke a Deere lightly with an arrow The Deere ranne away and the King stayed his horse to looke after it holding his hand ouer his eyes because the beames of the Sunne which then drew somewhat lowe much dazeled his sight Herewith another Deere crossed the way whereat a certaine Knight named Sir Walter Tirrell aimed with an arrow and loosing his bowe either too carelesly at the Deere or too steadily at the King strooke him therewith full vpon the brest The King hauing so receiued the wound gaue foorth a heauie groane and presently fell downe dead neither by speach nor motion expressing any token of life Onely so much of the arrowe as was without his bodie was found broken whether with his hand or by his fall it is not certainely knowen The men that were neere vnto him especially Sir Walter Tirrell galloped away some for astonishment others for feare But a fewe collecting themselues returned againe and layd his bodie vpon a Colliers Cart which by aduenture passed that way wherin it was drawen by one leane euill-fauoured base beast to the Citie of Winchester bleeding abundantly all the way by reason of the rude iogging of the Carte The day following hee was buried without any funerall pompe with no more then ordinarie solemnities in the Cathedrall Church or Monasterie of Saint Swithen vnder a plaine flat marble stone before the Lectorne in the Quire But afterwards his bones were translated and layd by King Canutus bones Most writers doe interprete this extraordinarie accident to bee a iudgement of God for the extraordinarie loose behauiour of the King But it may rather seeme a iudgement of God that King William the first who threw downe Churches and dispeopled Villages and Townes who banished both the seruice of God and societie of men to make a vaste habitation for sauage beasts had two sonnes slaine vpon that place It may also seeme a iudgement of God that King William the second who so greatly fauoured beastes of game that he ordeined the same penaltie for killing of a deere as for killing of a man should as a beast and for a beast and among beasts be slaine And thus God doth often punish vs by our greatest pleasures if they be either vnlawfull or immoderately affected whereby good things become vnlawfull Hee died in the principall strength both of his age and of his distastfull actions wherein hee had bene much carried by the hoate humour of his courage and youth his iudgement not then raised to that stayednesse and strength whereto yeeres and experience in short time would haue brought it Hee reigned in great varietie of opinion with his Subiects some applauding his vertues others aggrauating his vices twelue yeeres eleuen moneths wanting eight dayes and was at his death fourtie and three yeeres old At this time he presumed most highly and promised greatest matters to himselfe hee proiected also many difficult aduentures if his life had continued the naturall course wherein his hopes were nothing inferiour to his desires Hee gaue to the Monckes of Charitie in Southwarke his Mannour of Bermondsey and built for them the great new Church of Saint Sauiour Also of an old Monasterie in the Citie of Yorke he founded an Hospitall for the sustentation of poore persons and dedicated it to S. Peter This Hospitall was afterward augmented by King Stephen and by him dedicated to S. Leonard KING HENRY THE FIRST Sirnamed BEAVCLERKE ROBERT Duke of Normandie the eldest brother to
Vpon these letters Thurstine was sent for and reconciled to the King and quietly placed in his Church at Yorke And thus when the Bishops of Rome had gained absolute superiority ouer the state of the Church euen for managing external actions and affaires which seeme to be a part of ciuill gouernement there wanted nothing but either a weake Prince or a factious Nobilitie or a headstrong tumultuous people to giue him absolute superioritie ouer all In the second yeere of this Kings reigne the Cities of Gloucester and Winchester were for the most part wasted with fire In the fourth yeere a blasing starre appeared and foure circles were seene about the Sunne The yeere next following the King preuailed much in Normandie and so did the Sea in Flanders insomuch as a great part of that Countrey lay buried in the waters In the seuenth yeere a blazing starre appeared and vpon thursday night before Easter two full Moones were seene one in the East and the other in the West The same yeere Robert Duke of Normandie was taken brought prisoner into England In the tenth yeere the Abbey of Elie was made a Bishops Sea and Cambridge shire was appointed for the Diocesse thereof In regard whereof the King gaue the mannour of Spalding to the Bishop of Lincolne for that the shire of Cambridge was formerly vnder the Iurisdiction of Lincolne The same yeere a Comet appeared after a strange fashiō About Shrewsburie was a great earthquake The water of Trent was dried vp at Nottingham the space of a mile from one of the clocke vntill three so as men might passe ouer the Channell on foote Warres ensued against the Earle of Aniou a great mortalitie of men a murraine of beastes both domesticke and of the fielde yea the ◅oules perished in great abundance In the 13. yeere the Citie of Worcester and therein the chiefe Church the Castle with much people were consumed with fire A pigge was farrowed with a face like a childe A chicken was hatched with foure legs The yeere next ensuing the riuer of Medeway so fayled for many miles that in the middest of the channell the smallest boates could not floate In the Thames also was such defect of water that betweene the Tower and the Bridge many men and children did wade ouer on foote This happened by reason of a great ebbe in the Ocean which layd the sands bare many miles from the shoare and so continued one whole day Much rage and violence of weather ensued and a blasing starre The Citie of Chichester with the principall Monastery was burnt The yeere next following almost all the Bridges in England being then of timber by reason of a hard Winter were borne downe with Ice In the 17. yeere the towne of Peterborough with the stately Church were burned to the ground The Citie of Bath also was much ruined and defaced with fire In March there happened fearefull lightning and in December grieuous thunder and haile The Moone at both times seemed to be turned into blood by reason of the euill qualited vapours through which it gaue light The yeere following Mathild the Queene departed this life a woman in pietie chastitie modestie and all other vertues nothing inferiour to her mother but in learning and iudgement farre beyond her who did not act nor speake nor scarce thinke any thing but first it was weighed by wisdome and vertue When the king desired her in marriage for the publicke good and tranquilitie of the State in reducing the Saxon blood to the Crowne she first modestly then earnestly refused the offer shewing no lesse magnanimitie in despising honours then others doe in affecting them But when she was not so much perswaded as importuned to forsake her profession she is reported by some to haue taken the matter so to heart that she cursed such issue as she should bring forth which curse did afterwards lie heauie vpon them For her sonne William perished by shipwrack and her daughter Matild was neuer voyd of great vexations As she trauailed ouer the riuer of Lue at the Old-foord neere London she was well washed and somewhat endangered in her passage whereupon he caused two Stone-bridges to be built ouer the same riuer one at the head of the towne of Stratford the other ouer another streame thereof commonly called Channelsbridge and paued the way betweene them with grauel She gaue also certaine mannours and a mill called Wiggon mill for repairing of the same bridges and way These were the first Stone-bridges that were made in England And because they were arched like a bow the towne of Stratford was afterwards called Bow In the 20. yere a great earthquake hapned in the moneth of September In the 22. yeere the Citie of Glocester with the principal Monasterie was fired againe The yeere next following the Citie of Lincolne was for the most part burned downe and many persons perished with the rage of the flame In the 27. yeere the King receiued an oath of the chiefe of the Prelats and Nobilitie of the Realme that after his death they should maintaine the kingdom against al men for his daughter Matild in case she should suruiue and the king not leaue issue male in life In the 30. yeere the Citie of Rochester was much defaced with fire euen in the presence and view of the King The yeere next following the oath to Matild was receiued againe About this time the King was much troubled with fearefull dreames which did so affright him that he would often leape out of his bed and lay hand on his sword as if it were to defend himselfe This yeere as he returned out of Normandie into England when he had bene caried not farre from land the winde began to rise and the Sea swelled somewhat bigge This weather did almost suddenly encrease to so dangerous a storme that all expected to be cast away The King dismayed the more by his sonnes mishap reconciled himselfe to God and vowed to reforme many errours of his life if he did escape So after his arriuall he went to the Monasterie of S Edmund and there both ratified and renued the promise he had made After this he was better ordered in his actions he erected a Bishopricke at Caerlile and endowed it with many honours he caused Iustice indifferently to be administred and eased the people of the tribute called Dane-guilt In the 32. yeere Matilde daughter to the King was deliuered of a sonne who was named Henry Hereupon the king assembled his Nobilitie at Oxeford where he did celebrate his feast of Easter and there ordeined that shee and her heires should succeed him in the kingdome And albeit they were often sworne to this appointment albeit Stephen Earle of Bloise was the first man who tooke that oath yet was he the first who did rise against it yet did many others also ioyne with him in his action For oathes are commonly troden vnder foote when they lye in the way either to honour or reuenge The same