following sailed into Normandy taking with him all the chief men of England who were likeliest to make a party against him in his absence As Edgar Etheling Stigand Archbishop of Canterbury the two great Earls Edwin and Morchar Frederick Abbot of Saint Albanes Agelnothus Abbot of Glastenbury Walteof Earl of Northumberland Roger Earl of Hertford Rainulph Earl of Cambridge Gospatrick Earl of Cumberland c. And in his absence which was all the Summer nothing was here attempted against him save that Edrick surnamed the Forester in the County of Hereford calling in the Welch to his assistance forraged the remoter borders of that County The rest of the Kingdom was quiet expecting what would become of this new World wherein as yet they found no great alteration their Laws and Liberties remaining the same they were and they might hope that by this accession of a new Province England would have her Dominion enlarged abroad and her profit not impaired at home King William having disposed his affairs in Normandy towards Winter returned into England where he had three sorts of men to satisfie 1. Such as had adventured their Lives and estates with him 2. Those of his own Countrey whose merits and propinquity looked for recompence whereof the number was very great 3. The people of England by whom he must now subsist wherein he had more to doe than in his Battel at Hastings seeing that all rewards with money must be raised out of the stock of the Kingdom which must needs be distastfull to the State in general and if he preferred any of his to dignities by displacing others it must needs bring very feeling grievances to the persons displaced But he thrust no great men out of their room but such as put themselves out by revolting after they had given their Fealty to him So that it seems he contented himself and his for the present only with what he found ready filling up their places who were slain in the Battel or fled away as many were with Herald's Sons out of the Kingdom Such of desert as he could not presently prefer he sent abroad into the Abbeys there to live till places fell void for them whereof twenty four he sent to the Abbey of Ely by which policy he not only lessened his Suitors at Court and eased the eye sore of the English but had a watch over the Clergy who were then of the greatest power in the Kingdom and might prevail much with the people But the English Nobility thinking that their splendor was darkned by the interposition of so many strangers and fearing that yet it would be further eclypsed Conspired together and fled some into Scotland and others into Denmark to try if by forraign aid they could recover themselves Amongst whom Edgar Etheling with his Mother and two Sisters intending for Hungary where he was born was driven into Scotland where he was kindly entertained by Malcolin the third whose former sufferings in exile had taught him to pity others in the like distress and whom also it concerned to look to his own now his neighbours House was on fire This induced him also to make a League with Edgar and to tie it the stronger he took to wife Margret the sister of Edgar a very virtuous Lady by whom the blood of our antient Kings was preserved and conjoyned with the Normans in King Henry the second and so became English again Edgar being thus in Scotland there repared to him the Earls Edwin and Morchar Hereward Gospatrice Siward and others and shortly after Stigand and Aldrid the two Archbishops with diverse of the Clergy who in that third year of King William's Reign raised great commotions in the North and sought most eagerly to recover their lost Country But it now proved too late the King having setled the Government of the Kingdom so that instead of prevailing they gave advantage to the Conquerour to make himself more than he was For all oppositions made by Subjects against their Soveraigns do if they succeed not tend much to their advancement and nothing gave deeper rooting to the Normans here then the petty revolts made by scattered Troops in several places begun without Order and followed without resolution King William foreseeing new stirs from Scotland sent to Malcolme to deliver up to him his enemy Etheling which if he refused he threatned him with Wars Malcolme returned answer That it was unjust and wicked especially in a Prince to betray to his enemy one that came to his Court for protection especially being now so nearly allied to him William thus disappointed feared a dangerous Rebellion in his Kingdom to prevent which he built four strong Castles One at Hastings A second at Lincoln A third at Nottingham And a fourth at York in all which he placed strong Garrisons And disarming the English he commanded every Housholder to put out both fire and candle at eight a clock at night at which hour he appointed that in every Town a Bell should be rung called by the French Coverfew or Cover fire to prevent nightly tumults which otherwise might arise Then did he give the Earldom and all the Lands that Edwin held in York-shire to Allain Earl of Britaine The Archbishoprick of Conterbury he conferred on Lankfranc Abbot of Caen. That of Tork upon Thomas his Chaplaine and all the rest of the English which were out in Rebellion had their places supplied by the Normans Shortly after Goodwin and Edmund the sons of the late King Herald coming with some Forces out of Ireland landed in Summersetshire and fought with Adnothus one of King William's Captains whom they slew with many others and taking great booties in Cornwall and Devonshire returned back into Ireland Exeter also thought to shake off the Norman yoak And Northumberland to recover their former liberties took Armes against whom the King sent Robert Cumin and himself went against Exeter and besieged it and at last the Citizens opened their Gates and submitted to his mercy the Ring-leaders escaping into Flanders But in the North Cumin lying secure in Durham was suddenly in the night surprised by Edgar Etheling and his followers who slew Cumin and all his Normans being about seven hundred one onely escaping to carry the ill newes to King William During these stirs in England the English fugitives in Denmark so far prevailed with King Swaine that he sent a strong Navy of three hundred ships well fraught with Souldiers under his two Sons Harold and Canute who arriving in Humber marched to York to whom also Edgar and his associats out of Scotland joyned themselves At whose approach the Citizens were so terrified that they set fire on the suburbs and the flame by an high wind was driven over the wall whereby a great part of the City was consumed together with the Cathedral Church and a famous Library of great worth and the Garrison of Normans consisting of 3000. were all slain This so
the chiefest time of their Fruits spoiling all before him till he came to Paris where the King of France then was to whom he sent to shew him of his upsiting From thence he marched to Mentz which he wholly sackt where he caught the occasion of his Death by the strain of his Horse amongst the breaches from whence he was conveighed sick to Roan Anno Christi 1078. King William before his going into Normandy the more to assure himself and his successors of the English Crown on the East side of London built a strongly fenced Castle or Magazine for his Warlike Amunition which he entrenched with a long and deep Ditch 〈◊〉 now called the Tower of London the Surveyor of which worke was Gundulphus Bishop of Rochester the mortar of it being tempered with the blood of Beasts Then to fill his Coffers he imposed great Subsidies upon the Land causing an exact survey to be taken of the whole kingdom yea and of every particular part and commodity thereof so that there was not a Hide of Land Lake Water or Wast but he knew the value the Owners and Possessors together with the Rents and profits therof As also of all Cities Towns Villages Monasteries and Religious Houses Causing all the People in England to be numbered their Names to be taken with notice what every one might dispend by the year their substance money and Bondmen were recorded How many yoak of Oxen and plough-lands were in the Realm and what services they owed that held of him in Fee All which was certified by Oaths of the Commissioners This done he caused six shillings to be paid him for every Hide of Land The Book that cōtained this Survey was called the Roule of Winchester as being kept there at first But ever since it hath been called Doomsday Book because of the General and inevitable censure thereof and since it hath been kept in the Kings Exchequer at Westminster This grievous exaction made the English miserably groan under their present State whereby the King and his Normans were daily more hated and he on the contrary loved them so little that he fought by all means to bring the English Name and Nation to ruine He gave also further offence both to God and Man by depopulating the fruitful Country lying South from Salisbury to the Sea pulling down Towns and Villages with thirty six Parish Churches and so laid open all the Country for thirty miles space for wild beasts for his own Game in Hunting which place hath ever since been called the New Forrest He also imposed such severe punishments upon such as offended in hunting his Game that he was called the Father of wild Beasts But God's severe Judgment pursued him for his wickedness for in this Forrest Richard his second Son was gored by a Deer whereof he dyed Rufus an other of his Sons being taken for a Deer was shot thorow with an Arrow and slain Henry his Grandson by Robert Curtoise his Eldest Son eagerly pursuing a Deer was by a bough struck into the jawes and left hanging till he died Although King William at his Coronation had taken an oath to observe the Laws of King Edward then in use which oath he renewed at Barkhamsted yet did he abbrogate many of them and brought in the Norman Laws written in French commanding that all Causes should be pleaded and all matters of Form dispatched in French either on purpose to entrap men through ignorance of the Language or else to make the Normans Language predominant in this Kingdom which yet he could never effect there being not so much as any footsteps of that Language remaining in the English Tongue Forms of Judgment by Fire and Water called Ordeal formerly much used were now antiquated and shortly after quite abolished by the Pope as savouring too much of Paganism That of Combat continued longer but was of no ordinary use Actions both Criminal and Real began now wholly to be judged by the verdict of twelve men called by the name of Enquest And whereas the Bishops formerly dealt in Secular Causes and shared with the King in many Mulcts imposed on Delinquents now the King confined all the Clergy within the compass of their own Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction to meddle only in matters concerning mens Souls He set up Sheriffs in every Shire and Justices of Peace to punish Malefactors And lastly he ordainned his Councel of State his Chancery his Exchequer and his Courts of Justice which alwayes removed with his Court These places he furnished with Officers and assigned four Terms in the year for determining controversies amongst the People commonly held at Westminster As for his Provisionary Revenues his Tenants who held Lands of the Crown paid him no mony but only Corn and Victuals and a just note of the quality and quantity of everyman's ratement was taken through all the Shires of the Kingdom and leavied constantly for the maintenance of the Kings House One Law he made which was extreamly distastfull to the Gentry That whereas they might at their pleasure hunt take Deer which they found abroad in the woods now it was ordained that upon penalty of putting out their eyes none should presume to take or kill any of them the King preserving them for his own Game In the first year of his Reign he granted to the City of London their first Charter and Liberties in as Large a manner as they enjoyed them under King Edward the Confessor which he did at the request of William a Norman Bishop of London in grateful remembrance whereof the Lord Major and Aldermen upon their solemn days of their resort to Pauls do still walk to the Grave-stone where this Bishop lies interred Also this King was the first that brought the Jewes into England He also enacted a Law that whosoever forced a woman should lose his Genitals In his time the use of long Bows came first into England which as they were the weapons wherewith under this King France Conquered England so they were the weapons with which England under succeeding Kings conquered France This King also appointed a Constable at Dover Castle and a Lord Warden of the Cinque-Ports In short He ordained such good Laws and had them so well executed that a Girle might carry a bag of money all the Country over without danger of being rob'd And in his time the setting of Seals to Bonds and writings was first used In King William's time Stigand Archbishop of Canterbury was removed from his See and kept Prisoner during his Life in the Castle of Winchester and Lanfranc an Italian succeeded him who in a Synod at London removed the Bishops Sees from small Towns to Cities as from Silliway to Chichester from Kyrton to Exeter from Wells to Bath From Sherborn to Salisbury from Dorcester to Lincolne and from Lichfield to Chester and from thence again to Coventry He founded the Abbey of Battel in Sussex where
succeeded his Father in the Dutchy of Normandy whereof he was dispossessed by his Brother Henry King of England at the Battel of Ednarchbray Anno. 1106. where being taken Prisoner his eyes were put out and he was sent to the Castle of Cardiff in Wales and after twenty years imprisonment died there William the elder surnamed Miser who in the right of Queen Maud was Earl of Flanders who died six years before his Father Richard was born in Normandy and as he was hunting in the new Forrest whilst he was young was slain by a Stag. William surnamed Rufus who succeeded his Father in the Kingdom of England Henry surnamed Beau-clerk or the Fine Schollar who after his Brothers Death came to be King of England and Duke of Normandy Cicily his eldest Daughter was by her Father made a Nun and afterwards was chosen Abbess in the Monastery built by her father in Caen. Constance his second Daughter was first married to Allain Earle of Little Britaine who was afterwards by King William made Earl of Richmond Alice his third Daughter was married to Steven Earl of Bloys Gundred his fourth Daughter was married to William Warren who was the first Earl of Surry in England Ella his fifth Daughter some say she dyed young Margeret his youngest Daughter who was contracted to Alphonso King of Galicia in Spain but dyed before the marriage was consummated There was one Randolph Peverel to whom Edward the Confessor was very bountifull because he had married his kinswoman the Daughter of Ingelrick a man of great Nobility among the English Saxons A Lady of that admirable beauty that with her looks she conquered the Conquerour William who desired nothing more than to be her Prisoner in Armes which to effect he begins to express a kind of love to the remembrance of her deceased Father Ingelrick enriching the Colledge of Martins Le Grand in London first founded by him and her Uncle Edward Then he honours and advances her two Brethren William Peverel Castellane or keeper of Dover Castle and Payne Peverel Baron of Bourn in Cambridgshire the Founder of Barnwell Abbey and Standard-bearer to Robert Duke of Normandy in the Holy War against the Infidels He prefers her kindred and Friends He sollicites her by the Messengers of the Devils Bedchamber his fly Enchanting Bawdes and comes sometimes himself like Jupiter in a Golden shower Thus by these forcible demonstrations of his love and unavoidable allurements especially from a King she was brought at length to his unlawfull Bed unto whom she bare a Son named William who was Lord of Nottingham and Founder of Lenton Abby The Lady his Mother touched with remorse of Conscience for her sin to expiate her guilt for such was the Doctrine taught in those dayes founded a College in Hatfield Peverel in Essex wherein setting apart all worldly imployments she spent the remainder of her dayes King William having once setled himself in the Kingdom divided a great part of it among his followers To Allen surnamed the Red Earl of Britain who came into England with him and was his Son in Law he gave the Honour and County of Edwin within the Province of York by his Charter in these words I William surnamed the Bastard King of England give and grant to thee my Nephew Allen Earl of Britain and to thy Heirs for ever all those Villages Towns and Lands which were late in the possession of Earl Edwin in Yorkshire with Knights Fees Churches and other liberties and customes as freely and as honourably as the said Edwin held them Given at the siege before York FINIS His Pedigree * or Rolls His Birth and Parentage He is made Duke of Normandy and commited to the French King He comes into Normandy His troubles by Competitors The King of France against him New troubles Treason against him A special Providence He retires to the French King His Valour and Victory His meekness His new troubles He recovers his Towns His Valour A new Conspiracy He calls a Parlament His Marriage He is envied by the French King who invades his Country The French beaten The King of France invades his Country again and is again beaten The King of France dies He goes into England His preparations His Policy His subtilty The affairs in England Herald made King An. 1066. His prudence and policy His opposition and successe His victory Duke William comes into England His policy The Battel between him and Herald Their mutual valour Herald slain Englands sins Duke Williams victory His Progress The English submit to him A stout Abbot He comes to London Is received with Joy His Coronation No Conquerour His Prudence The Kentish mens Policy * or Fitz-Osburne King William goes into Normandy Returns into England His Prudence and Policy The English rebel * or Malcolâ—â— He built 4 Castles Troubles out of Ireland In the West and North. England invaded by the Danes and Scots York burnt King William goes against them Woful devastations The King Conquers New discontents Ely taken King William's clemency Peace with Scotland A new Conspiracy Discovered Prevented His son Robert rebels Is reconciled to his Father New-Castle built Quarrels with France The French King jeers him His reveng His sickness The Tower built England surveied Dooms-day Book New forrest made Remarkable Judgments The Laws in French Bishops Power abated His houshold Provision The Charter of London renewed Bishops Sees Changed his works of Piety Pauls Church burnt and reedified Great Judgments He despoiles the Monasseries His last VVill. His Death Vanity of Vanties His Charecter His Wife His Sons His Daugters
hollow ground covered over with earth wherein many of them fell and perished as also into an Ambush of his Horsemen which unexpectedly fell upon them and cut them in peices Indeed Duke William fought that day so valiantly that he had three Horses slain under him But King Herald shewed no less valour in killing many of the Normans with his own hands Insomuch as the fight continued doubtfull for a long time till at last King Herald being struck into the braines with an Arrow fell down dead upon whose fall a base Norman cut off one of his thighs for which Duke William was so offended that he disarmed the Souldier and cashier'd him Thyra King Herald's Mother proffered a great some of money for his Body which the Duke nobly refused and gave it her freely who buried it in Walltham Abby And no marvel if the English had such ill success For the People being secure from their former enemies the Danes which peace had continued now about the space of fifty years had discontinued the use of Armes and were generally debauched with Luxury and idleness The Clergy was grown licentious and well content with little Learning The Nobility given to Gluttony Venery and oppression the common sort to drunkenness and all disorder Duke William as his Valour won him the Victory so his Victory won him a Crown and suddenly of an old Duke he became a young King Wherefore having returned publick thanks to God for his good success in the place which he called Battel field near Hastings in Surrey he led his Army towards London yet not the direct way for fear of an other encounter but thorow Kent Sussex Surry Hampshire and Bark shire and so coming to Wallingford he there crossed the Thames and passed through the Counties of Oxford Bucks and Hertford And whilst he staid at Barkamsted Aldred Archbishop of York Woolstan Bishop of Worcester Walter Bishop of Hereford with the Earls Edwin and Morchar the greatest men in the Kingdome yea and Edgar Etheling himself came and yielded their Allegiance to him the Pope having cursed all such as would not accept of him From hence as William passed towards London he found his way stopt up with multitudes of great Trees which by Frederick Abbot of Saint Albans a man of Noble blood were caused to be felled to secure his Monastery from being spoiled by the Normans whereat William both wondering and fret ting sent for the Abbot under assurance of his safe return and asked him why he did it Frederick stoutly replied I have done the Duty both of my Birth and Profession and if others of my rank had done the like as they might and ought to have done it had not been in thy power to have pierced the Land so far From hence William marched to London where the Gates were set open and the Bishops Lords and People entertained him with great signes of joy though with small gladness and though he had not their hearts yet he had their knees for in most humble manner they accepted of him for their Sovereign and upon Christ-mass day after he was Crowned at Westminster by Aldred Archbishop of York For that Stigand Archbishop of Canterbury was not held Canonically invested in his See Here according to the accustomed form the Bishops and Nobles took their oaths to be his true and faithful subjects and he being required by the Archbishop of York takes his Oath before the Altar of Saint Peter to defend the Right of the Church to establish good Laws and to see Justice uprightly and impartially administred as became a good King Nor did he ever claim any power by Conquest but as a Regular Prince submitted himself to the orders and customs of the Kingdom desiring rather to hold the Scepter by his Testamentary Title than to claim it by the sword So that though the name of Conquerour by the flattery of the times was given to him yet he shewed by all the course of his Government that he assumed it not Being thus setled he chose for his Counsel such men as he knew to be of greatest Wisdom and experience then he applied his thoughts to secure his new-gotten Empire For which end he fortified such places as lay open to danger placed strong Garrisons upon the Coasts and provided Ships to ride in those Harbors which lay most open to Invasions he marched also towards Dover the Lock and Key of the Kingdom to secure that place and to overaw that Kentish a most strong and populous Province But when Stigand the Archbishop of Canterbury and Eglesigne the Abbot of Saint Austins who were the cheifest Lords and Governours of Kent heard of it they assembled the Commons at Canterbury laying before them the dangers of their Province the miseries of their Neighbours the Pride of the Normans and the wrongs of the Church All which say they are too apparent The English till now were ever free and the name of Bondmen not heard among them But now servitude attends us if we yield to the pride of this insulting enemy to withstand which we are ready to adventure our lives with you This resolution drew the people willingly to joyn with them who appointed to meet at a Bay at Swanscomb within two miles of Graves end Accordingly there they met at the day and kept themselves secret in the woods waiting the coming of the Conquerour agreeing to carry before them great branches of Trees whereby they might conceal themselves and if need were impede the march of the Normans Which device daunted King William at his approach who judging himself secure was thus before he was aware suddenly beset on every side with enemies For now the Kentish men having environed his Army round threw down their Boughs and with bent Bowes prepared for Battel So that he which even now thought himself secure of the Kingdom began to dispair of his Life in which amazement Stigand and Eglesine pesented themselves before him and said Most Noble Duke behold here the Commons of Kent are come forth to meet and receive you as their Sovereigne requiring your Peace and their own Freedom and the enjoyment of their ancient Lawes If these be denied they are resolved to submit their tryall to a Battel fully purposing rather to dye than lose their Laws and Liberties and so to live servilely in Bondage which Name and Nature is and ever shall be strange unto us and not to be endured William being brought into this strait and loath to hazard all upon so nice a point more warily than willingly granted their desires and Pledges being given on both sides for performance Kent yielded to him her Earldom and Dover her Castle When King William had established all things for Englands security he committed the Government of it to Odo Bishop of Bayeux his brother by the Mothers side and to his Cousin Fitz-Auber whom he made Earl of Hereford and in the Lent