see the two great pillers of the Church thus shaken with these dissentions whereby might bee feared the whole frame would be ruined that hee was friend to them both and would gladly be an inter-dealer for concord rather then to carry wood to a fire too fierce already which hee desired to extinguish for the good and quyet of Christendome This Embassage wrought so as it disarmed the Emperour glad to haue Louys a mediator of the accord betweene the Pope and him to the great displeasure of the King of England who expected greater matters to haue risen by this businesse The accorde is concluded at Wormes to the Popes advantage to whom the Emperour yeelds vp the right of inuestitures of Bishops and other Benifices But this was onely to appease not cure the maladie The King of England disapoynted thus of the Emperours assistance proceedes notwithstanding in his intentions against Louys And seeing he failed of outward forces he sets vp a partie in his kingdome to confront him ayding Theobald Conte de Champagne with so great power as hee stood to do him much displeasure besides hee obtained a strong side in that kingdome by his aliances for Stephen Earle of Blois had married his sister Adela to whom this Theobald was neere in bloud and had wonne Foulke Earle of Aniou an important neighbour and euer an enemy to Normandy to be his by matching his sonne William to his daughter Louys on the other side failes not to practise all meanes to vnder-worke Henries estate in Normandy and combines with William Earle of Flanders for the restoring of William the sonne of Robert Curtoys to whom the same appertained by right of inheritance and had the fairer shew of his actions by taking hold on the side of iustice Great and many were the conflicts betweene these two Princes with the expence of much bloud and charge But in the end being both tired a peace was concluded by the mediation of the Earle of Aniou And William sonne to King Henry did homage to Louys for the Dutchy of Normandy And William the son of Robert Curtoys is left to himselfe and desists from his claime Vpon the faire cloze of all rhese troubles there followed presently an accident which seasoned it with that sowrenesse of griefe as ouercame all the ioy of the successe William the yong Prince the onely hope of all the Norman race at 17 yeares of age returning into England in a ship by himselfe accompanyed with Richard his base brother Mary Countesse of Perch their sister Richard Earle of Chester with his wife the kings Neece and many other personages of honour and their attendants to the number of 140. besides 50 Mariners setting out from Harflew were all cast away at Sea The Prince had recouered a Cock-boat and in possibility to haue beene saued had not the compassion of his sisters cryes drawne him backe to the sinking ship to take her in and perish with his company Which sodaine clap of Gods iudgement cōming in a calme of glory whē all these bustlings seemed past ouer might make a conscience shrinke with terror to see oppression and supplantation repayd with the extinction of that for which so much had beene wrought and the line masculine of Normandy expired in the third heire as if to begin the fate layd on all the future succession wherein neuer but once the third in a right discent inioyed the Crowne without supplantation or extinction to the great affliction of the kingdome and himselfe to leaue his other issue subiect to the like ouerturnings which may teach Princes to obserue the wayes of righteousnesse and let men alone with their rights and God with his prouidence But in hope to repaire this losse King Henry within 5 moneths after married Adalicia a beautifull yong Lady daughter to the Duke of Lovaine and of the house of Loraine but neuer had issue by her nor long rest from his troubles abroad For this rent at home crackt all the chaine of his courses in France Normandy it selfe became wauering and many adhered to William the Nephew his great confederats are most regayn'd to the king of France Foulke Earle of Aniou quarrels for his daughters dower Robert de Mellent his chiefe friend Councellour a man of great imployment fell from him conspired with Hugh Earle of Monfort and wrought him great trouble But such was his diligence and working spirit that hee soone made whole all those ruptures againe The two Earles himselfe surprizes and Aniou death which being so important a neighbour as we may see by matching a Prince of England there the King fastens vpon it with another aliance and discends to marry his daughter and now onely childe which had bin wife to an Emperour desired by the Princes of Lumbardy and Loraine to the now Earle Geffrey Plantagenet the sonne of Foulke The King of France to fortifie his opposition entertaines William the Nephew where now all the danger lay and aydes him in person with great power to obtaine the Earledome of Flanders wherunto he had a faire Title by the defailance of issue of the late Earle Baldouin slaine in a battaile in France against King Henry But William as if heire also of his fathers fortunes admitted to the Earledome miscarried in the rule was depriued and slaine in battaile and in him all of Robert Curtoys perished And now the whole care of king Henry was the setling of the succession vpon Maude of whom hee liued to see two sonnes borne for which hee conuokes a Parliament in England wherein an oath is ministred to the Lords of this land to bee true to her her heires and acknowledge them as the right inheritors of the Crowne This oath was first taken by Dauid king of Scots vnkleto Maude and by Stephen Earle of Bollogne and Mortaine Nephew to the King on whom he had bestowed great possessions in England and aduanced his brother to the Bishopricke of Winchester And to make all the more fast this oath was afterward ministred againe at Northampton in another Parliament So that now all seemes safe and quiet but his owne sleepes which are said to haue beene very tumultuous and full of affrightments wherein hee would often rise take his sword and be in act as if hee defended himselfe against assaults of his person which shewed all was not well within His gouernment in peace was such as rankes him in the list amōgst our Kings of the fayrest marke holding the kingdome so well ordred as during all his raigne which was long he had euer the least to do at home At the first the competition with his brother after the care to establish his succession held him in to obserue all the best courses that might make for the good and quiet of the State hauing an especiall regarde to the due administration of Iustice that no corruption or oppression might disease his people whereby things were carryed with that cuennes betweene the Great men and the
England but a collected power out of all France and Flanders with the aydes of other Princes And by these meanes made he good his vndertaking and within eight monethes was readie furnished with a powrefull army at Sainct Valerie in Normandie whence he transported the same into England in 896. ships as some write And this was the man and thus made to subdue England And now hauing gotten the great and difficult battaille before remembred at Hastings the fourtenth of October 1066. he marched without any opposition to London where Edwin and Morchar Earles of Northumberland and Mercland brothers of eminent dignitie and respect in the kingdome had laboured with all their power to stirre the harts of the people for the conseruation of the State and establishing Edgar Atheling the next of the Royall issue in his right of the Crowne whereunto other of the Nobilitie had likewise consented had they not seene the Byshops auerse or wauering For asthen to the Clergie any King so a Christian was all one they had their Prouince a parte deuided from secular domination and of a Prince though a stranger who had taken vp so much of the world before hand vpon credite and fame of his piety and bountie they could not but presume well for their estate and so were content to giue way to the present Fortune The Nobilitie considering they were so borne and must haue a King not to take him that was of power to make himselfe would shew more of passion then prouidence and to be now behinde hand to receiue with more then submission was as if to withstand which with the distrust of each others faith made them stryue and runne headlong who should be first to pre-occupate the grace of seruitude and intrude them into forrayne subiection The Commons like a strong vessell that might haue beene for good vse was heereby left without a sterne and could not moue but irregularly So that all estates in generall either corrupted with new hopes or transported with feare forsooke themselues and their distressed Countrie Vpon his approach to London the gates were all set open the Archbyshope of Canterburie Stigand with other Byshops the Nobilitie Magistrates and people rendring themselues in all obedience vnto him and he returning plausible protestations of his future gouernment was on Christmas day then next following crowned King of England at Westminister by Aldred Arch-byshop of Yorke for that Stigand was not held canonically inuested in his Sea and yet thought to haue beene a forward mouer of this alteration Heere according to the accustomed forme at his Coronation the Byshops and Barons of the Realme tooke their oath to be his true and loyall subiects and he reciprocally being required thereunto by the Arch-byshope of Yorke made his personall oth before the Altar of Saint Peter to defend the holy Churches of God and the Rectors of the same to gouerne the Vniuersall people subiect vnto him iustly to establish equall lawes and to see them ducly executed Nor did he euer clayme any power by conquest but as a regular Prince submitted himselfe to the orders of the kingdome desirous rather to haue his Testamentarie title howsoeuer weake to make good his succession rather then his sword And though the Stile of Conquerer by the flatterie of the time was after giuen him he shewed by all the course of his gouernment he assumed it not introducing none of all those alterations which followed by violence but a milde gathering vpon the disposition of the State and the occasions offered and that by way of reformation And now taking hostages for his more securitie and order for the defence and gouernment of his kingdome at the opening of the spring next he returnes into Normandie so to settle his affaires there as they might not distract him from his businesse in England that required his whole powers And to leaue here all sure behind him he commits the rule of the kingdome to his brother the Bishop of Bayeux and to his cosin Fitz Auber whom he had made Earle of Hereford taking with him all the chiefe men of England who were likest to be heads to a reuolt As Edger Atheling the Arch-bishop Stigand lately discontented Edwyn and Morchar with many other Bishops and Noble men Besides to vnburthen his charge and dis-impester his Court he tooke backe with him all the French aduenturers and such as were vnnecessary men rewarding them as farre as his treasure would extend and the rest he made vp in faire promises In his absence which was all that whole sommer nothing was here attempted against him but onely that Edric surnamed the Forrester in the County of Hereford called in the kings of the Welsh to his aide and forraged only the remote borders of that country The rest of the kingdome stood quiet expecting what would become of that new world wherein as yet they found no great alteration their lawes and liberties remaining the same they were before and might hope by this accession of a new Prouince the state of England would be but inlarged in dominion abroad and not impaired in profit at home by reason the nation was but small and of a plentifull and not ouer-peopled country likely to impester them Hauing disposed his affaires of Normandy he returnes towards winter into England where he was to satisfie three sorts of men first such aduenturers with whom he had not yet cleered Secondly those of his owne people whose merits or neernesse looked for recompence whereof the number beeing so great many must haue their expectations fed if not satisfied Thirdly the people of this kingdome by whom he must now subsist for being not able with his owne nation so to impeople the same as to hold and defend it if he should proceed to an extirpation of the naturall inhabitants he was likewise to giue them satisfaction Wherein he had more to do then in his battell at Hastings seeing all remunerations with supplies of money must be raised out of the stocke of the kingdome which could not but be irkesome to the State in generall and all preferments and dignities conferd on his to be either by vacancies or displacing others which must needs breed very feeling grieuances in perticular And yet we finde no great men thrust out of their roomes but such as put themselues out by reuolting after his establishment and their fealtie giuen So that it seemes he contented himselfe and his for the time onely with what he found here ready and with filling vp their places who were slaine in the battell or fled as many were with the sonnes of Harald out of the kingdome Such Gentlemen as he could not presently preferre and had a purpose to aduance he dispersed abroad into Abbeys there to liue till places fell out for them and 24 he sent to the Abby of Eley whereby he not onely lessened the multitude of attendants and suitors at Court eased that eye-sore of strangers but also had them a watch ouer the
fractures here at home the vnrepairable breaches abroad were such as could giue the king no longer assurednesse of quiet then the attempters would and that all the Christian world was out either at discord amongst themselues or in faction by the schisme of the Church Pope Vrban assembling a generall Councell at Cleirmont in Auuergne to compose the affaires of Christendome exhorted all the Princes thereof to ioyne themselues in action for the recouery of the holy land out of the hands of infidels Which motion by the zealous negotiation of Peter the Hermit of Amiens tooke so generally meeting with the disposition of an actiue and religious world as turn'd all that flame which had else consumed each other at home vpon vnknowne nations that vndid them a broad Such and so great grew the heate of this action made by the perswasion of the iustice thereof with the state and glory it would bring on earth and the assurednesse of heauen to all the pious vndertakers that none were esteemed to containe any thing of worth which would stay behind Each giues hand to other to leade them along and example ads number The forwardnesse of so many great Princes passing away their whole estates and leauing all what the deernesse of their Country contained drewe to this warre 300000 men all which though in armes passed from diuerse countries and ports with that quietnesse as they seemed rather Pilgrimes then Souldiers Godefroy of Bouillon nephew and heire to the Duke of Lorrayne a generous Prince bred in the warres of the Emperour Henry 4. was the first that offered vp himselfe to this famous voyage and with him his two brothers Eustace and Baudouin by whose examples were drawne Hugh le Grand Count de Vermendois brother to Philip king of France Robert Duke of Normandy Robert le Frison Earle of Flanders Stephen Earle of Blois Chartres Aimar Byshop of Puy William Byshop of Orange Raimond Earle of Tholouse Baudouin Earle of Hainaut Baudouin Earle of Rethel and Garnier Earle of Gretz Harpin Earle of Bourges Ysoard Earle of Die Ramb and Earle of Orange Guillaum Conte de Forests Stephen Conte de Aumaul Hugh Earle of Saint Pol Rotron Earle of Perche and others These were for France Germany and the Countries adioyning Italie had Bohemond Duke of Apulia and England Beauchampe with others whose names are lost Spayne onely had none being afflicted at that time with the Sarazins Most of all these Princes and great personages to furnish themselues for this expedition sold or ingaged their possessions Godefroy sold the Duchie of Bologne to Aubert Byshop of Liege and Metz to the Cittizens besides he sold the Castle of Sarteney and Monsa to Richard Byshop of Verdun and to the same Byshop Bandouin his brother sold the Earldome of Verdun Eustace likewise sold all his liuelihood to the Church Herpin Earle of Bourges his Earldome to Phillip King of France and Robert morgaged his Duchie of Normandie the Earldome of Maine and all he had to his brother King William of England Whereby the Pope not onely weakened the Empire with whom the Church had to the great affliction of Christendome held a long and bloudie businesse about the inuestitures of Byshops tooke away and infeobled his partisans abated as if by Ostrocisme the power ofany Prince that might oppose him but also aduanced the State Ecclefiasticall by purchasing these great temporalties more honorable for the sellers then the buyers vnto a greater meanes then euer For by aduising the vndertakers seing their action was for CHRIST and his Church rather to make ouer their estates to the Clergie of whom they might againe redeeme the same and be sure to haue the fayrest dealing then vnto lay men he effected this worke Whereby the third part of the best Fiefs in France came to be possest by the Clergic and afterward vpon the same occasion many things more sold vnto them in England especially when Richard 1. vndertooke the voyage who passed ouer diuers Mannors to Hugh Byshop of Durham and also for his mony created him Earle of Durham This humor was kept vp and in motion aboue 200. yeares notwithstanding all the discouragements by the difficulties in passing the disasters there through contagion arysing from a disagreeing clime and the multitudes of indigent people cast oftentimes into miserable wants It consumed infinit treasure and most of the brauest men of all our West world and especially France For Germanie and Italie those who were the Popes friends and would haue gone were stayd at home by dispensation to make good his partie against the Emperour who notwithstanding still strugled with him but in the end by this meanes the Pope preuayled But these were not all the effects this voyage wrought the Christians who went out to seeke an enemy in Asia brought one thence to the danger of all Christendome the losse of the fairest part thereof For this long keeping it in a warre that had many intermissions with fits of heates and coldnesses as made by a league consisting of seuerall nations emulous and vnconcurrent in their courses taught such as were of an entire bodie their weakenesses the way to conquer them This was the great effect this voyage wrought And by this meanes king William here was now rid of an elder brother and a Competitor had the possession of Normandy during his raigne and a more absolutenesse and irregularity in England Where now in making vp this great summe to pay Robert he vsed all the extreme meanes could be deuised as he had done in all like businesses before Whereby he incurred the hatred of his people in generall and especially of the Clergie being the first king which shewed his successors an euill precedent of keeping their Liuings vacant and receiuing the profits of them himselfe as he did that of Canterbury foure yeares after the death of Lanfranc and had holden it longer but that being dangerously sicke at Glocester the sixth yeare of his raigne his Clergie in the weaknesse of his body tooke to worke vpon his minde so as he vowed vpon his recouerie to see it furnished which he did but with so great ado as shewed that hauing escaped the danger he would willingly haue deceiued the Saint And Anselme an Italian borne though bred in Normandy is in the end preferred to that Sea But what with his owne stiffenesse and the kings standing on his regalitie he neuer enioyed it quietly vnder him For betweene them two began the first cōtestation about the inuestitures of Bishops and other priuiledges of the Church which gaue much to do to many of his successors Anselme not yeelding to the Kings will forsooke the Land whereupon his Byshopricke was re-assumed and the King held in his hands at one time besides that of Canterburie the Byshopricks of Winchester Sarum and eleuen Abayes whereof he tooke all the profits He vsually sold all sprituall preferments to those would giue most and tooke fines of Priests for fornication he vexed
she had from a blessed mother and with much a do was wonne from her cloyster and her vow to God to discend to the world and be a wife to a King Thus stood he intrenched in the State of England when his brother Robert returning from the holy warres and receiued with great applause into his Duchie of Normandy shakes the ground of all this businesse the first yeare threatning the second ariuing with a strong Army at Portsmouth to recouer the Crowne appertayning to him by the course of right hauing a mighty partie in England of the Norman Nobilitie who either moued with conscience or their discontent a sickenesse rising of selfe opiniō ouer-expectatiō made any light occasion the motiue of reuolt The Armyes on both sides meete and are readie to incounter when for auoyding Christian bloud a treatie of peace was moued and in the end concluded with these articles that seing Henry was borne since his father was King of England which made him the eldest sonne of a King though the last of a Duke and now inuested in the Crowne by the act of the kingdom he should inioy the same during his life paying to Robert 3000. markes per annum and Robert suruiuing to succeed him that all who had taken part with Robert should haue their pardon and receiue no detriment This businesse thus fairely passed ouer Robert of a generous and free nature staies and feasts with his brother here in England from the beginning of August till Michelmas and then returnes into Normandie When Henry rid of this feare takes to a higher strayne of regalitie and now standes vpon his Prerogatiue for the inuestitures of Byshops and collation of other Ecclesiasticall estates within his kingdome oppugned by Anselme who refused to consecrate such as he preferred alledging it to be a violation of the sacred rites and Ceremonies of the Church lately decreed concerning this businesse in so much as the King dispatches an Embassage to Pope Paschal with declaration of the right he had to such inuestitures from his predecessors the Kings of England who euermore conferred the same without interruption till now of late Anselme followes after these Ambassadours goes likewise to Rome to make good the opposition The King banishes him the kingdom and takes into his hands the Byshopricke The Pope standes stifly to the power assumed by the Church but in the end seeing the King fast strong and lay too far off out of his way to be constrayned and hauing much to do at that time with the Emperour and other Princes about the same businesse takes the way of perswasion to draw him to his will soliciting him with kinde letters full of protestations to further any designes of his that might concerne his state if he would desist from this proceeding The King prest with some other occasions that held him in and hauing purposes of that nature as by forbearance of the Church might be the better effected consents to satisfie the Popes will and becomes an example to other Princes of yeelding in this case Anselme is re-called after a yeares banishment and the Ambassadors returne with large remunerations Whilst these things were managing at Rome there burst out here a flame which consumed the parties that raised it and brought the king more easily to his ends then otherwise he could euer haue expected Robert de Belesme Earle of Shrewsbury sonne to Roger de Mongomery a fierce youth presuming of his great estate and his friends fortifies his Castles of Shrewsbury Bridgenorth Tickhill and Arundell with some other peeces in Wales belonging to him and combines with the Welch to oppose against the present State out of a desire to set all in combustion for his owne ends that were vncertaine which put the king to much trauaile and charge but within 30. dayes by imploying great forces and terrors mixt with promises he scattered his complices and tooke all his Castles except that of Arundell which rendred vpon condition that the Maister might be permitted to retire safe into Normandy which the king easily granted seeing now he was but the body of a silly naked creature that had lost both feathers and wings And it made well for the king his going thither For from the loosing of his owne estate in England and thereby aduancing the kings reuenues he goes to loose Normandy also and bring it to this Crowne For as soone as he came thither he fastens amitie with one of like condition and fortune as himselfe an exiled man whose insolencie had likewise stript him out of all his estate in England and much wasted that in Normandie which was William Earle of Mortaigne sonne to Robert halfe brother to King William I. Who being also Earle of Cornewall made sute likewise to haue that of Kent Which his vnkle Odon lately held but being denyed it and also euicted by law of certayne other parcels of Land which he claymed retires with great indignation into Normandie where not onely he assaults the Kings Castles but also vsurps vpon the State of Richard the young Earle of Chester then the Kings warde These two Earles combine themselues and with their adherents committed many outragious actions to the great spoyle and displeasure of the Country whereof though they complayned to Duke Robert they found litle remedie For he being now grown poore by his out-lauishing humor began it seemes to be little respected or els falne from action those greatnesses his expectation had shewed him was as commonly great mindes dasht with ill fortunes are falne likewise in spirit and giuen ouer to his ease Whereupon the people of Normandie make their exclamations to the King of England who sendes for his brother Robert reprehendes him for the sufferance of these disorders aduises him to act the parte of a Prince and not a Monke and in conclusion whether by detention of his pension or drawing him being of a facile nature to some act of releasing it sendes him home so much discontented as he ioynes with these mutinous Earles and by their instigation was set into that flame as he raysed all his vtmost forces to be reuenged on his brother The King touched in conscience with the fowlenesse of a fraternall war which the world would take he being the mightier to proceed out of his designes stood doubtfull what do when Pope Pasehall by his letters written with that eloquēce saith Malmesbury wherein he was quicke perswaded him that herein he should not make a ciuill warre but do a noble and memorable benefit to his Country Whereby payde for remitting the inuestitures he held himselfe countenanced in this businesse Whereon now he sets with more alacritie and resolution And after many difficulties and losse of diuers worthy men in a mightie battayle nere the Castle of Tenerchbray his enemies with much a do were all defeited Whereby England wonne Normandie and on the same day by computation wherein 40. yeares before Normandie ouer-came England such are the turnings in affaires of men
Bishop of Salisbury one of the principall men then in councell yeelded another reason for the discharge of this oath which was that seeing the late King had married his daughter out of the Realme and without the consent thereof they might lawfully refuse her And so was Stephen hauing no Title at all by meere election aduanced to the Crowne For if hee should claime any right in the Succession as being the sonne of Adela then must Theobald Earle of Blois his elder brother haue beene preferred before him and Henry Fitz Empresse if they refused the mother was neerer in bloud to the right Stem then either But they had other reasons that ruled that time Stephen was a man and of great possessions both in England and France had one brother Earle of Bloss a Prince of great estate another Bishop of Winchester the Popes Legat in England of power eminent was popular for his affability goodly personage and actiuenesse and therefore acceptable to the Nobility who at that time were altogether guided by the Clergy and they by the working of the Bishop of Winchester induced to make choyce of him hauing an opinion that by preferring one whose Title was least would make his obligation the more to them and so they might stand better secured of their liberties then vnder such a one as might presume of an hereditary succession And to be the more sure thereof before his admittance to the Crowne hee takes a priuate oath before the Bishop of Canterbury to confirme the ancient liberties of the Church and had his brother to vndertake betwixt God and him for the performance thereof But being now in possession of the kingdome and all the treasure his vnkle had in many yeares gathered which amounted to one hundred thousand pounds of exquisite siluer besides plate and iewels of inestimable value after the funerals performed at Reading hee assembles a Parliament at Oxford wherein herestored to the Clergy all their former liberties and freed the Laytie from their tributes exactions or whatsoeuer grieuances opprest them confirming the same by his Charter which faithfully to obserue hee tooke a publique oath before all the Assembly where likewise the Bishops swore fealty vnto him but with this condition so long as hee obserued the tenor of this Charter And now as one that was to make good the hold he had gotten with power his sworde prepares for all assaults which he was sute to haue come vpon him And first graunts licence to all that would to build Castles vpon their owne Landes thereby to fortifie the Realme and breake the force of any ouerrunning inuasion that should maister the feild Which in setled times might be of good effect but in a season of distraction and part-takings very dangerous And being to subsist by frendes he makes all he could creates new Lords giues to many great possessions and hauing a full purse spares for no cost to buy loue and fidelitie a purchace very vncertayne when there may be other conucyances made of more strength to carry it Two wayes he was to looke for blowes from Scotland on one side and France on the other Scotland wanted no instigators Dauid their King moued both with nature and his oath to his Neece turnes head vpon him Stephen was presently there with the shew of a strong Army and appeased him with the guift of Cumberland and his sonne Henry Prince of Scotland with the Earldome of Huntingdon the last tooke an oath of fealtie vnto him which the father refused as hauing first sworne to Maude wherein he satisfied not the King who returning from this voyage found some defection of his Nobilitie which presently put him into another action that intertayned him sometime After which he falles dangerously sicke in so much as he was noysed to be dead by which sickenesse he lost more then his health For his frendes put in danger thereby cast to seeke another partie to beare them vp it wakened Aniou and sets him on to surprize certayne peeces in Normandie to prepare for the recouerie of his wiues right and made all this kingdome wauer Thus was his first yeare spent which shewed how the rest of 18. would proue wherein we are to haue no other representations but of reuoltes beseiging of Castles surprizings recouerings loosings againe with great spoyles and destruction in briefe a most miserable face of a distracted State that can yeeld vs no other notes of instruction but such as are generall in all times of like disposition and therefore herein we may the better forbeare the rehearsall of many perticulars being all vnder one head of action and like nature The King hauing recouered would make the world know he was aliue and presently passes with forces into Normandy ouercame the Earle of Aniou in battayle after makes peace with him and vpon renouncing of the clayme of Maude couenants to giue them 5000. markes per annum he intertaynes amitie with King Louys 7. and causes his sonne Eustace to do him homage for the Duchy of Normandie wherein he was inuested besides to content his elder brother Theobald Earle of Blois he giues him a pension of 2000. markes and so returnes againe into England to a warre against Scotland which in this meane time made incursions on the kingdome where whilst he was held busie in worke Robert Earle of Glocester base sonne to Henry 1. a man of high spirit great direction and indefatigable industry an especiall actor that performed the greatest part in these times for his sister Maude had surprized the Castle of Bristow and procured confederates to make good other peeces abroade in diuers parts as William Talbot the Castle of Hereford Paynel the Castle of Ludlow Louell that of Cary Moune the Castle of Dunstor Robert de Nichol that of Warham Eustace Fitz Iohn that of Walton and William Fitz Allan the Castle of Shrewsbury Stephen leaues the prosecution of the Scottish warres to Thurstan Archbyshop of Yorke whom he made his lieutenant and furnished with many valiant leaders as Walter Earle of Albemarle William Peuerell of Nottingham Walter and Gilbert Lacies Himselfe brauely attended bendes all his power to represse the conspirators which he did in one expedition recouers all these Castles by reason of their distances not able to succour one another and draue the Earle of Glocester home to his sister into Aniou No lesse successe had his forces in the North against the Scots whom in a great battayle they discomfeited and put to flight which great fortunes meeting together in one yeare brought forth occasion of bad in that following for now presuming more of himfelfe he fell vpon those rockes that rent all his greatnesse He calles a Councell at Oxford where occasion was giuen to set him out with the Clergie that had onely put him into the State The Byshops vpon the permission of building Castles so out-went the Lords in magnificence strength and number of their erections and especially the Byshop of Salisbury that their greatnesse
was much maligned by them putting the King in head that all these great Castles especially of Salisbury the Vies Shirburne Malmsbury and Newwark were onely to intertayne the partie of Maude whereupon the King whose feares were apt to take fire sendes for the Byshop of Salisbury most suspected to Oxford The Bishop as if foreseing the mischiefe comming to him would gladly haue put off this iourney and excused it by the debilitie of his age but it would not serue his turne thither he comes where his seruants about the taking vp of lodgings quarrell with the seruants of the Earle of Britayne and from wordes fall to blowes so that in the bickering one of them was slayne and the nephew of the Earle dangerously wounded Whereupon the King sendes for the Bishop to satisfie his Court for the breach of peace made by his seruants The satisfaction required was the yeelding vp the keyes of his Castles as pledges of his fealtie but that being stood vpon the Bishop with his nephew Alexander Byshop of Lincolne were restrayned of their libertie and shortly after sent as prisoners to the Castle of the Deuises whither the Byshop of Eley another of his Nephews had retired himselfe before The King seazes into his handes his Castles of Salisbury Shyrburne Malmesbury and after 3. dayes assault the Deuises was likewise rendred besides he tooke all his treasure which amounted to 40. thousand markes This action being of an extraordinary strayne gaue much occasion of rumor some said The King had donne well in seazing vpon these Castles it being vnfit and against the Cannons of the Church that they who were men of religion and peace should raise fortresses for warre and in that sort as might be preiudiciall to the King Against this was the Byshop of Winchester the Popes Legat taking rather the part of his function then that of a brother saying that if the Bishops had transgressed it was not the King but the Cannons that must iudge it that they ought not to be depriued of their possessions without a publique Ecclesiasticall Counsell that the King had not donne it out of the zeale of iustice but for his owne benefit taking away that which had beene built vpon the Lands and by the charge of the Church to put it into the hands of lay men little affected to religion And therefore to the end the power of the Cannōs might be examined he appoints a Counsell to be called at Winchester whither the King is summoned and thither repaire most of all the Byshops of the Kingdome where first is read the Commission of the Legatine power granted by Pope Innocent to the Bishop of Winchester who there openly vrges the indignitie offred to the Church by the imprisoning of these Bshops An act most haynous and shamefull for the King that in the peace of his Court thorow the instigation of euell ministers would thus lay hands vpon such men and spoyle them of their estates Which was a violence against God And that seing the King would yeeld to no admonitions he had at length called this Councell where they were to consult what was to be donne that for his part neither the loue of the King though his brother nor the losse of his liuing or danger of his life should make him fayle in the execution of what they should decree The King standing vpon his cause sendes certayne Earles to this Councell to know why he was called thither answere was made by the Legat that the King who was subiect to the faith of CHRIST ought not to take it ill if by the ministers of CHRIST he was called to make satisfaction being conscious of such an offence as that age had not knowne that it was for times of the Gentiles for Bishops to be imprisoned and depriued of their possessions and therefore they should tell the King his brother that if he would vout safe to yeeld consent to the Councell it should be such by the helpe of God as neither the Roman Church the Court of the King of France nor the Earle Theobald brother to them both a man wise and religious should in reason dislike it that the King should do aduisedly to render the reason of his act and vndergo a Canonicall iudgement that he ought in duty to fauour the Church into whose bosome being taken he was aduanced to the Crowne without any militarie hand With which answere the Earles departed attended with Alberic de Ver a man exercised in the law and hauing related the same are returned with the Kingsreply which Alberic vtters and vrges the inuries Bishop Roger had donne to the King how he seldome came to his Court that his men presuming vpon his power had offred violence to the Nephew and seruants of the Earle of Britayne and to the seruants of Herui de Lyons a man of that Nobilitie and sloutnesse as would neuer voutsafe to come vpon any request to the late King and yet for the loue of this was desirous to see England where to haue this violence offred was an iniury to the King and dishonor to the Realme that the Bishop of Lincolne for the ancient hatred to the Earle of Britayne was the author of his mens sedition that the Bishop of Salisbury secretly fauored the Kings enemies and did but subtlely temporize as the King had found by diuers circumstances especially when Roger de Mortimer sent with the Kings forces in the great danger of Bristow he would not lodge him one night in Malmsbury that it was in euery mans mouth as soone as the Empresse came He and his nephews would render their Castles vnto him That he was arested not as a Bishop but a seruant to the King and one that administred his procurations and receiued his monies That the King tooke not his Castles by violence but the Bishop voluntarily rendred them to auoyd the calumnie of their tumult rayfed in his Court if the King found some money in his Castles he might lawfully seaze on it in regard that Roger had collected it out of the reuenues of the King his vnkle and predecessor and the Bishop willingly yeelded vp the same as well as his Castles through feare of his offences and of this wanted not witnesses of the Kings who part desired that the couenants made betweene him and the Bishop might remayne ratified Against this Bishop Roger opposes That he was neuer seruant to the King nor recesued his moneyes and withall added threatnings as a man not yet broken though bent with his fortunes that if he found not iustice for his wrongs in that Councell he would bring it to the hearing of a greater Court The Legat mildly as hee did other things said That all what was spoken against the Bishops ought first to be examined in the Ecclesiasticall Councell whether they were true or no before sentence should haue beene giuen against them contrary to the Canons and therefore the King should as it is lawfull in iudiciall trials reuest the Bishops
in their former estates otherwise by the law of Nations being dissaised they shall not hold their Plea After much debate the Kings cause was vpon a motion put off till the next day to the end the Arch-bishop of Roan an especiall instrument for the King might bee there who deliuering his opinion said That if the Bishops could rightly proue by the Canons they ought to haue Castles they should hold them but if they could not it proceeded of great improbitie to striue to do otherwise And be it said he their right to haue them yet in a suspected time according to the manner of other Nations all great men ought to deliuer the keyes of their Fortresses to bee at the Kings pleasure who is to fight for the peace of all But it is not their right by the decree of the Canons to haue Castles and if by the Princes indulgence it be tollerated yet in a time of necessitie they ought to deliuer the keyes The Lawyer Alberic addes That it was signified to the King how the Bishops threatned and had furnished some to goe to Rome against him But said he the King would haue you know that none of you presume to do it for if any goe out of England contrary to his will and the dignitie of the kingdome it will be hard returning In conclusion the Councell brake vp nothing was done The Bishops durst not excommunicate the King without the Popes priuitie and besides they saw the swords to busie about them yet failed not the Legat and the Archbishop to prosecute their parts and from authority fell to prayer and at the Kings feete in his chamber besought him that hee would pitty the Church pitty his owne soule and his fame not to fuffer dissention to bee betweene the kingdome and the Priest-hood The king returned them faire wordes but held what hee had gotten Shortly after through griefe dyed the Bishop of Salisbury and according to the fate of ouer-eminent and greedy Officers vnpittied He was a man in his latter time noted of much corruption and vnsatiable desire of hauing For whom the present King in the beginning of his reigne had done very much making one of his Nephewes Chancellor the other Treasurer and vpon his sute gaue to himselfe the Borough of Malmesbury insomuch as the King would say to his familiars about him If this man will begge thus still I will giue hm halfe the Kingdome but I will please him and first shall he be weary of crauing ere 1 of granting And sure the King had great reason to suspect his adhering to Maud whose part he began to fauour onely out of the hatred he bare to Winchester who yet was content to forsake his owne brother in regard by his ingagement hee was preferred to the Crowne rather then to loose his good will and the rest of the Clergie But yet this breaking of the King into the Church which had made him vtterly dissolued him For presently here upon all his power fell asunder the Empresse found now a way open to let her in and the Earle of Glocefter presuming of a sure side conducted her into England onely with 150. men puts her into the Castle of Arundell and himselfe attended but with 12. horse passed away cleere through all the country to Bristow and from thence to Glocester where he had leasure without opposition to rayse all the country to take part with the Empresse who from Arundell castle was afterward by the Legate himselfe and the Kings permission conueyed to Bristow receiued with all obedience grew daily in strength as shee went and came at length to her brother who had taken in Hereford made himselfe strong with the Welsh and setled those parts to gather vp more of the kingdome by shewing herselfe and her power in diuers places Stephan hauing no part cleere by reason the Castles vpon which hee spent both his time and meanes lay so thicke blockes in his way as he could not make that speed to stoppe this streame as otherwise he would holding it not safe to go forward and leaue dangers bebehinde that might ouer-take him And first he layes siege to the Castle of Wallingford which Brian sonne to the Earle of Glocester held against him then to the Castle of Bristow and other places working much but effecting little which seeing to get time and stagger the swift proceeding of this new receiued Princesse hee causes a treatie of peace to be propounded at Bath where the Legat who likewise earnestly solicited the same with the Arch-bishop of Canterbury were appoynted Commissioners for the King and the Earle of Glocester for the Empresse but nothing was effected both returne to make good their sides The Empresse seckes to recouer more the King what he had lost And least the North parts might fall from him and the King of Scots come on he repaires thitherward and finding the Castle of Lincolne possest by Ralfe Earle of Chester who had married a daughter of the Earle of Glocester and holding it not safe to be in the hands of such a maister in such a time seekes to take it in by force The Earle of Chester who held Newtrall attempting nothing against the King tooke it ill and stood vpon his defence but being ouer-layd by power conueyes himselfe out of the Castle leaues his brother wife within to defend it and procures ayde of his father in law the Earle of Glocester to succour him The Earle takes in hand this businesse sets out of Glocester with an Army of Welshmen and others attended with Hugh Bigod and Robert de Morley ioynes with the Earle of Chester marches to Lincolne where in the battaile King Stephan was taken carried prisoner to Glocester presented to the Empresse and by her sent to be kept in the Castle of Bristow but in all honourable fashion till his attempts to escape layd fetters on him Hereupon the Empresse as at the top of her fortune labours the Legat to bee admitted to the kingdome as the daughter of the late King to whom the Realme had taken an oath to accept for soueraigne in the succession and wrought so as a Parle was appoynted for this purpose on the Plaine neere to winchester where in ablustring sad day like the fate of the businesse they met and the Empresse swore and made affidation to the Legar that all the great businesses especially the donation of Bishoprickes and Abbyes should bee at his disposing if he with the Church would receiue her as Queene of England and hold perpetuall fidelitie vnto her The same oath and affidation tooke likewise her brother Robert Earle of Glocester Brian his sonne Marquisse of Wallingford Miles of Glocester after Earle of Hareford with many others for her Nor did the Bishop sticke to accept her as Queene though she neuer came to be so and with some few other made like wife affidatiō for his part that so long as she infringed not her couenant he would also hold his
Guien grew into such an odious conceipt of her vpon the notice of her lasciuious behauiour in those partes as the first worke he doth vpon his comming backe he repudiates and turnes her home with all her great dowrie rather content to loose the mightie estate she brought then to liue with her With this great Lady matches Henry before he was 20. yeares of age being now Duke of Normandie his father deceased who had recouered it for him and had by her the possession of all those large and rich Countries apertaining to the Duchy of Guien besides the Earldome of Poicton Whereupon Louys inraged to see him inlarged by this great accession of State who was so neere and like to be so dangerous and eminenta neighbour combines with Stephan and aydes Eustace his sonne with mayne power for the recouery of Normandie wherein he was first possest But this young Prince furnished now with all this powerfull meanes leaues the management of the affayres of England to his frendes defendes Normandie wrought so as the King of France did him little hurt and Eustace his competitor returned home into England where shortly after he dyed about 18. yeares of his age borne neuer to see out of the calamities of warre and was buried at Feuersham with his mother who deceased a little before and had no other ioy nor glorie of a Crowne but what we see Stephan whilst Duke Henrie was in Normandie recouers what he could and at length besieges Wallingsord which seemes in these times to haue bene a peece of great importance and impregnable and reduced the Defendants to that extremitie as they sent to Duke Henrie for succour who presently thereupon in the middest of winter ariues in England with 3000. foot and 140. horse Where first to draw the King from Wallingford he layes siege to Malmesbury and had most of all the great men in the West and from other partes comming in vnto him Stephan now resolued to put it to the tryall of a day brings thither all the power he could make and far ouer-went his enemy in number but flouds and stormes in an vnseasonable winter kept the Armies from incountring till the Bishops doubtfull of the successe and seeing how dangerous it was for them and the whole State to haue a young Prince get the maistry by his sworde mediated a peace which was after concluded in a Parlement at Winchester vpon these conditions 1 That King Stephan during his naturall life should remayne King of England and Henrie inioy the Dukedome of Normandie as discended vnto him from his mother and be proclaymed heire apparent to the kingdome of England as the adopted sonne of King Stephan 2 That the partizans of either should receiue no damage but inioy their estates according to their ancient rights and titles 3 That the king should resume into his hands all such parcels of inheritance belonging to the Crowne as had beene aliened by him or vsurped in his time And that all those possessions which by intrusion had beene violently taken from the owners since the dayes of king Henry should be restored vnto them who were rightly possessed therein when the said king raigned 4 That all such Castles as had beene built by the permission of Stephan and in his time which were found to be 1117 should be demolished c. There is a Charter of this agreement in our Annals which hath other Articles of reseruation for the estates of particular persons And first for William the second sonne of Stephan to enioy all the possessions his father held before he was king of England and many other particulars of especiall note After this pacification and all businesse here setled Duke Henry returnes into Normandy and likewise there concludes a peace with the king of France and for that he would be sure to haue it buyes it with twenty thousand Markes And now king Stephan hauing attained that he neuer had Peace which yet it seemes he enioyed not a yeare after vses all the best meanes he could to repaire the ruines of the State makes his progresses into most parts of the kingdome to reforme the mischiefes that had growne vp vnder the sword and after his returne cals a Parliament at London to consult of the best meanes for the publicke good After the Parliament he goes to meete the Earle of Flanders at Douer who desired conference with him and hauing dispatcht him fals presently sicke dies within few dayes after and was buried in the Abbey he founded at Feuersham with the vnfortunate Princes A man so continually in motion as we cannot take his dimension but onely in passing and that but on one side which was war on the other we neuer saw but a glance of him which yet for the most part was such as shewed him to be a very worthy Prince for the gouernment He kept his word with the State concerning the relieuement of Tributes and neuer had Subsidie that we find But which is more remarkeable hauing his sword continually out and so many defections and rebellions against him he neuer put any great man to death Besides it is noted that notwithstanding all these miseries of warre there were more Abbaies built in his raigne then in 100. yeares before which shewes though the times were bad they were not impious The end of the third Booke Errata For the Faults committed herein Charitable Reader know they are not the Printers who hath bin honestly carefull for his part but meerly mine owne freely confessing my selfe to be more an honorer then searcher of antiquities that lie far off from vs and onely studious of the generall notions which especially concerne the succession of affaires of action which is the part I haue vndertake And therefore I trust all worthy spirits in that respect will pardon me and reforme my knowledge rather by way of conference then detraction for no man truly ingenious is malignant And if Iliue after this priuate impression which is but of a few coppies for my friends I will amend what is amisse in the publique I haue gote ouer the worst and roughest part of this worke and am now come into a more playne and open passage where I shall be better able to stand to answer for what shall be done and I trust haue more helpes of my frendes and all worthy men that are furnisht with matter of this nature whom I inuoke to assist mee and who seeing my honest ends I trust will not deny their Country the knowledge of what they haue And especially herein I rely vpon the ayde of the right worthy and well-deseruing knight Sir Robert Cotton who out of his choyce and excellent store can best furnish this worke FINIS Caes. comment libro 5. Complures sunt apud cos dominationes Strabo lib. 4. Cic. in Ep. ad Atticum vbi belli Britannici exitiâ— expectari scribit nullius ex ea spem praedae nisi ex mancipijs ait ex quibus nullos puto te literis aut musicis cruditos expectare Et lib. de Nat. Deorum paris eos cum Scithis barbaries insimulat Ingenio GalloruÌ„ partim simileis sunt partim simplicioreis magis barbari Srabo lib. 4. And it was after the subiection of Gaule that they intertayned Philosophers and physitions for publique Readings and became a schoole for those parts as we may perceiue by Strabo libro 2. Nostra aetate inquit Strabo lib. 4. Regulorum quidem Britanicorum legationibus officys amicitiam Augusti Caef. consecuti donarâ—a in Capitolio dedicarunt familiaremque Romanis totam pene insulam redigerunt And at that time it seemes by Strabo held it not worth the garding for that it would not quit the charge Camolodunum now Maldon Noticia The end of the Romans Gouerment in Britayne Anno. 447. Gildas de excidio Britaniae The State of the Saxons Vortigern is deposed Vortimer elected King of Brittayne King Arthur The seuerall entries made by the Saxons The absolute subuersion of Britayne Egbert obteyned the kingdome which by him was named EngLind Anno. 802. The discription of the Danes Alfred 872. Mat. Westm. The first furuay of the kingdome Edwardus Senior 900. Anno. 924. Edmond 940. Edred or Eldred 946. Edwin 959. Saint Edward 975. Elfred his stepmother is sayd to haue murthered him hunting in the Isle of Purbeck Ethelred 978. The originall of Dane gelt the first imposition laid vpon the kingdome The massacre of the Danes 1002. Edmond Ironside sonne to Ethelred by his first wife Ethelgina 1016. The death of King Edmond Ironside at Oxford Knute the first Danic King 1018. 1038. Harald Hardiknute 1041. The reason of the extinction of the Danes in England Anno 1043. Edward the Confessor 1043. Harald the Second 1066. Malmsbury The originall of the Normans Or Osborne The English Nobilitie forsake the kingdome Scotland before this time generally spake a Kind of Irish. Edgar Atheling submitted himselfe to King William His gouernment in peace Geruasius Tilburiensis The new Forest in Hamshire His Councellors Roger Houedew An Emperour of Germanie 2. Kings of France with their wiues a King of England and a King of Norwey went all thither in person The antiquity of Informers This Ranulph gaue a thousand pounds for his Bishopricke and was the Kings Chancellour Anno Reg. 20. Queene Maud liued not to see this disaster Anno Reg 21 His gouernment in peace The cause of Progresses The begining of Parlements The first Parlement at Salisbury Anno. Reg 15. His reformations His meanes to raise monies His Councellors His personage Presumptions 1154. He raigned 18 yeares and 10 moneths
yet found meanes to maintayne publique order without the luctuall remedie of bloud No punishments capital vnles conspiracies the rest were all pecuniaric mulcts banishments bondage or imprisonment To shew his clemency this amongst many is one example there was a law that whosoeuer had committed thest and the goods found in his house all his family were made bond euen to the child in the cradle This he antiquates as most vniust and ordaines that onely the malefactor and such as could aide him should endure the punishment and that the wife vnlesse the thing stolne were found vnder her locke should not be guilty of her husbands offence Thus was hee to his people with whome hee is said to haue so well cleered himselfe howsoeuer he did with God that he became King of their affections as well as of their countrie And to maintayne this opinion hee did many popular acts as first all rites of honor and reuerence to the memorie of the late King Edmond his confederate besides the executing all such as could be found to haue had any hand in that murther Then married he heere at home Emme late wife to King Ethelred though it were more for his honour then hers to accept his bed that had beene the persecutor of her husband and children whereby he held the Duke of Normandie from attempting any thing for his nephewes in regard his sister might haue other by him Hauing thus established this mightie kingdome occasion prepares him another The people of Norway cōtemning the debilitie of their King and conspiring to depose him grew into faction wherupon he fastens and with the great forces he brought out of England the might of money and high estimation of his worthinesse so preuailed as hee soone obteyned that kingdome and was now the most renowned and potent Prince in all these parts of the world intitled King of England Denmarke and Norwey Herewithall grew his magnificence as wide as his power and was especiallie extended to the Church which hee laboured most to gratifie either for the conscience of his deedes or that his people generally addicted to deuotion might be made the more his And holding it not enough to poure out his immense bounty here within the land seekes to make Rome also feele the fulnesse thereof whither he went in person and performed many famous workes of charitie and honor both there and in all his voyage He freed the Saxon schoole his predecessors of England had founded from all imposition as he did likewise all streights and passages where trauellers were with rigor constrained to pay toll Of his entertainment at Rome with the Pope Conrade the Emperour and diuerse other Princes of the Christian world himselfe writes to the Bishops and Nobilitie of England and withall exhorts them very powerfully to haue an especiall regard to the due administration of Iustice to all his subiects alike without doing the least wrong for his gaine hauing no need to aduance his reuenue by sinne And also charges them to see all Chirchscot and Romescot fully cleered before his returne The actiue vertue of this Prince being the mightiest and most absolute Monarch that cuer yet appeared in this kingdome the author of a cloze and first of a new Gouernment is such as shewes he striued by all worthie wayes to lay the ground-worke of a State which according to his frame was either to hold good to his posteritie or not And as likely was he to haue bene the roote of a succession spreading into many discents as was afterward the Norman hauing as plentifull an issue masculine as he besides he raigned neere as long farre better beloued of disposition more bountifull and of power larger to do good But it was not in his fate his children miscaried in the succession and all this great worke fell in a manner with himselfe HArald the eldest sonne of Knute some write by his fathers ordinance others by the election of the Danicque Nobilitie in an assembly at Oxford was made king whereas Godwin Earle of Kent and the Nobility of England would haue chosen Hardiknute borne of Queene Emme or else Alfride the sonne of Ethelred who is sayd to haue come out of Normandy vpon the death of Knute to claime the Crowne But Harald being at hand caried it The first act of whose raigne was the banishment and surprizing all the Treasure of his step-mother Queene Emme Then the putting out the eies of Alfrid her sonne his competitor and committing him to a loathsome prison where he died For which deed the Earle Godwyn beares a foule marke as betraying him Queene Emme repaires to Baldouin Earle of Flanders her kinsman where she remained during the raigne of Harald which was but offoure yeares and then with her sonne Hardiknute who came out of Denmarke as it seemes prepared for some thing else then to visit her at Bridges returned into England THis Hardiknute inuested in the Gouernement soone frustrated the hope and opinion fore-conceiued of him and first in like sort began with that degenerous act of reuenge wherein none are sayd so much to delight in as women causing the body of the late king to be vntomb'd the head cut off throwne into Thames Then makes inquisition for such as were guiltie of the death of Alfride his brother by the mother whereof Earle Godwyn and the Bishop of Worcester are accused The Bishop is disposest his Sea and the Earle with a rich and rare deuised present in forme of a ship of gold appeased that furie making publicke protestation of his innocency before the whole Nobility with whom in respect his deepe roote had spread so many branches he stood firme and all the blame was laide to the violence and rankor of the late king Besides the offending these great men he added a generall grieuance to the whole kingdome by a prodigall largesse giuing to euery Mariner of his Nauy eight Markes and to euery Maister ten which he imposed to be paid by the State But after hauing called home Edward his other halfe-brother out of Normandy he liued not long for farther violences Dying suddenly the second yeare of his raigne in the celebration of a mariage at Lambeth in his greatest iolity not without suspition of poyson ANd with him ended the gouernmēt of the Danes in England hauing only continued 26 yeares vnder these three last Kings and that without any cracke or noyse by reason the nation had no predominant side that might sway the State in respect of the remission of their power home in the first yeare of Knute and no great admission of others after and that such as were here before were now so incorporated with the English as they made one bodie and most of them planted in the remote parts of the kingdome that lay ouer against Denmarke where by that which with all the strugling no power or dilligence of man could resist expired of it selfe leauing England to a King of her
to whom the father and mother had left much treasure and for the same ingages the Country of Constantine and leauies an Army for England But William newlie inuested in the Crowne though well prepared for all assaults had rather purchace a present peace by mediation of the Nobles on both sides till time had better setled him in his gouernment then to rayse spirits that could not easily be allayed And an agreement betweene them is wrought that William should hold the crowne of England during his life paying to Robert 3. thousand Marks Per annum Robert hauing closed this businesse resumes by force the Country of Costantin out of his brother Henries hands without discharge of those summes for which he had ingaged it Whereupon King William obrayds Henry with the great gayne he had made by his vsurie in lending mony to depriue him of his Crowne And so Henry gote the hatred of both his brothers and hauing no place safe from their danger where to liue surprized the Castle of Mount Saint Michel fortifies him therein gets ayde of Hugh Earle of Britaigne and for his mony was serued with Bretons who committed great spoyles in the Countries of Costantin and Bessin Odon Byshop of Bayeux returning into England after his imprisonment in Normandie and restored to his Earldom of Kent finding himselfe so far vnder what he had bene and Lanfranc his concurrent now the onely man in councell with the King complots with as many Norman Lords as he found or made to affect change and a new maister and sets them on worke in diuers parts of the Realme to distract the Kings forces as first Geoffery Bishop of Constans with his nephew Robert de Mowbray Earle of Northumberland fortifie them selues in Bristow and take in all the Country about Roger de Bigod made himselfe strong in Northfolke Hugh de Grandmenill about Leicester Roger de Mongomerie Earle of Shrewsbery with a powre of Welshmen and other there about sets out accompanied with William Byshop of Durham Bernard de Newmarch Roger Lacie and Raulfe Mortimer all Normans and assayle the Cittie of Worcester making themselues strong in those parts Odon himselfe fortifies the Castle of Rochester makes good all the coast of Kent sollicites Robert to vse what speed he could to come with all his power out of Normandie which had he done in time and not giuen his brother so large oportunitie of preuention he had carried the kingdome but his delay yeeldes the King time to confirme his frends vnder-worke his enemies and make him strong with the English which he did by granting relaxation of tribute with other relieuements of their doleances and restoring them to their former freedom of hunting in all his woodes and forests a thing they much esteemed whereby he made them so strongly his as he soone brake the necke of all the Norman conspiracies they being egar to reuenge them of that nation and here they learned first to beat their Conquerors hauing the faire aduantage of this action which cut the throtes of many of them Mongomerie being wonne from his complices and the seuerall conspirators in other parts represt the King comes with an Army into Kent where the head of the faction lay and first wonne the Castle of Tunbridge and that of Pemsey which Odon was forced to yeeld and promise to cause those which defended that of Rochester which were Eustace Earle of Bologne and the Earle of Mortaigne to render likewise the same But being brought thither to effect the businesse they within receiuing him detayned him as he pretended prisoner and held out stoutly against the King vpon a false intelligence giuen of the ariuall of Duke Robert at Southampton but in the end they were forced to quit the place and retyre into France and Odon to abiure England And to keepe off the like danger from hence he transports his forces into Normandie there to waste and weaken his brother at home So as might hold him from any future attempts abroad for euer after Where first he obtaines Saint Valery and after Albemarle with the whole Country of Eu Fescampe the Abathie of monte Saint Michel Cherburge and other places Robert seekes ayde of Phillip King of France who comes downe with an Army into Normandie but ouercome with the power of mony wherewith King William assayled him did him little good and so retired Whereupon Duke Robert in the end was driuen to a dishonorable peace concluded at Caen with these Articles 1. that King William should hold the County of Eu Fescampe and all other places which he had bought and were deliuered vnto him by William Earle of Eu and Stephen Earle of Aumal sisters sonne to William the first 2. He should aide the Duke to recouer all other peeces which belonged to his Father and were vsurped from the Duchy 3. That such Normans as hadlost their estates in England by taking part with the Duke should be restored thereunto 4. That the suruiuer of either of them should succeed in the dominions both of England and Normandie After this peace made by the mediation of the King of France whilst William had a strong Army in the field Duke Robert requested his aid against their brother Henry who still kept him in the fort of mount Saint Michel vpon his gard holding it best for his saftie For being a Prince that could not subsist of himselfe as an earthen vessel set amongst iron pots he was euery way in danger to be crusht and seeing he had lost both his brothers by doing the one a kindnesse if he should haue toke to either their turne being serued his owne might be in hazard and so betooke him to this defence Forty daies the 2. Princes layd siege to this Castle and one day as the King was alone on the shore there sallies out of the Forte a companie of horse whereof three ran at him so violently and all strooke his horse together with their lances as they brake pectorall girses and all that the horse slips away and leaues the King and the saddle on the ground the King takes vp the saddle with both hands and therewith defendes himselfe till rescue came and being blamed by some of his people for putting himselfe thus in perill of his life to saue his saddle answered it would haue angred him the Bretons should haue bragged they had wonne the saddle from vnder him and how great an indignitie it was for a King to suffer inferiors to force any thing from him In the end Henry grew to extreame want of drinke and water allthough he had all other prouision sufficient within his forte and sends to Duke Robert that he might haue his necessitie supplied the Duke sendes him a Tunne of wine and grantes him truce for a day to furnish him with water Wherewith William being displeased Duke Robert told him it was hard to deny a brother meate and drinke which craued it and that if he perisht they had not a brother Wherewith William