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A33327 The life & death of William, surnamed the Conqueror, King of England and Duke of Normandy, who dyed Anno Christi, 1087 by Samuel Clarke ... Clarke, Samuel, 1599-1682. 1671 (1671) Wing C4534; ESTC R19248 24,316 47

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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 Malcol●● 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
Wilhelmus Conquestor Rex Anglia Dux Norman etc. THE Life Death OF WILLIAM Surnamed The Conqueror King of ENGLAND and Duke of NORMANDY Who dyed Anno Christi 1087. By Samuel Clarke late Minister of Bennet-Finck London LONDON Printed for Simon Miller at the signe of the Star at the West end of St Pauls 1671. THE Life and Death of WILLIAM Sirnamed the CONQUEROUR KING of ENGLAND and Duke of NORMANDY Who dyed Anno Christi 1087. THE Normans issued out of Denmark and Norway the Inhabitants of which Countries in those times were so fruitful in the Procreation of Children that they were forced oft-times to send multitudes abroad to seek new habitations Amongst whom there was one Roul a great Commander attended with many lusty lads who in the dayes of King Alfrid first landed in England where finding no room empty nor any imployment was content upon some relief received to seek imployment else-where which he did against Rambalt Duke of Frize and Reiver Duke of Chaumont and Henalt with whom he often encountred and made great spoiles in their Countries Then passing along the Coast of France he entred the mouth of the River Seine and sackt all the Country up to Roan where the People having been a little before miserably spoiled by an other Invader were so terrified by the coming of these new Forces that the Archbishop of Roan by the peoples consent offered him the obedience of that City and Country upon condition that he would protect them and govern them according to the Laws of Christ and the customes of their Countrey For Charles the Simple the present King of France being otherwise embroiled about the right of his Crown neglected to defend them So that Roul shortly after attempted the Conquest of Paris itself and therein gave some notable overthrowes to some of the French Commanders So that King Charles was forced to buy his Peace by entering into alliance with and giving over to Roul his right to Normandy formerly called Nuestria And hereupon Roul turned Christian and was baptized by the name of Robert Thus he came to his Estate which he governed with such Judgment and equity that he left his Name honourable and his successours a firme foundation to build upon From him in a direct line descended six Dukes of Normandy that inherited that Dukedome the last of which was also called Robert who out of blind devotion resolving to visit Christ's Sepulchre acquainted his Nobles therewith They disswaded him all they could because he had no issue and Allaire Earl of Britaine and the Earle of Burgundy were already contending which of them should succeed him whereby their Country was like to become a Prey to the Souldiers from which he in conscience was bound to secure it The Duke told them that he had a little Bastard of whom he had great hopes whom he would invest with that Dutchy as his Heir and therefore he prayed them thenceforth to take him for their Lord. And said he To shew my trust in him I will make the Earl of Britaine his Governour and Seneschal of Normandy and the King of France shall be his Guardian and so I will leave him to God and your Loyalty Shortly after the Bishops and Barons did their homage to this base Son named William whom his Father begat on one Arlet a mean woman of Falaise And Duke Robert delivered the Child with his own hand to Henry first King of France whom he had greatly assisted in keeping his Crown against an other Competitor and therefore he might the more presume if good-turns done to Princes could weigh down self-respects to have found a faithful discharge of his trust He caused also young William to doe his homage for the Dutchy of Normandy to the King and so committed him to his Royal Faith and going his joruney he dyed in Asia William being then but nine years old Soon after the news of his Father's death the Nobles of Normandy by much intreaty gat him out of the French King's hand knowing that they having him amongst them would countenance his Counsellers and such as were in Office But they soon found that his Person without power did but increase their discord and factions For presently after his right was questioned by Competitors And first Robert de Tresny an experienced Souldier bringing a fair line from Roul intertained and feasted the chiefest men amongst them urging to them what a wrong it was to him that a Bastard and a Child should be preferred before him in the Dutchy which his Ancestors had gotten by their Valour and what a shame it was for the Normans to be governed by such an one And when words prevailed not he brought it to the tryal of the Sword in a great Battel in which by the valour of Roger de Beaumont he was defeated and himself and his two Brethren slain Not long after the King of France violating the trust that was reposed in him assisted in Person William Earl of Arques another pretender to the Dutchy descended also from Roul and brought to his aid a mighty Army yet Count Guifford Duke William's General by a stratagem training the French into an Ambush overthrew them and caused the King to return to Paris with great loss and dishonour and forced Arques to seek relief from the Earl of Bologne where yet he found little favour few regarding men that are overthrown and low This storm past a worse succeeds There lived with Duke William a young Lord of the like years called Guy descended also from Roul who coming to be sensible of his Interest was advised by some stirring spirits to put in for the Dutchy which they said was his right and but usurped by the Bastard And to promote his affairs there fell out a deadly feud between two of the greatest Lords Vicount Neel and the Earl of Bessin whose quarrel Duke William either did not or could not pacifie whereupon this Guy who was lately made Earl of Briorn and Vernon interposed to end this discord and by the advice of Grimolt de Plessis brought it to pass that both these great men turned the point of their malice against Duke William for not ending the difference and therefore conspired with Guy to murther him at unawares which also they had effected had not a Fool whom they suspected not noting their preparations got away in the night to Valogne knocking and crying at the Gates till he was admitted to the Dukes presence who was now about seventeen years old whom he willed presently to flee or he would be murthered The Duke seeing the Fool so affrighted contemns not the information but presently takes Horse and all alone posts towards Falaise his strongest place By the way his Horse was tired and at break a day coming to a Village called Rie it fell out that a Gentlemen was standing at his door ready to ride abroad of him the Duke enquired the next
of day gave them so hot an Alarm that he put them all into a rout leaving their Horses and Armour to the Normans who in the pursuit of fourty thousand left not a fourth part of them alive The King of France thus defeated returned home with disgrace and our Duke with the price of the Prisoners recovered his Peace and the Castle of Thuilliers which had been taken from him in his minority Cout Martel though much discouraged with the Kings overthrow yet made some attempts for the recovery of his Towns but without success Wherefore the next spring he went again to sollicit the French King to aid him against the Duke who said he is now grown insolent upon the victory he stole last year so that there is no living by him Besides he suggested that the Normans extreamly derided the French and had a base esteem of them making their last overthrow the subject of their sport and Rhimes as if the King of France upon such an inconsiderable loss durst not break a dishonourable Peace The King being stung with this reproach raised a mighty Army far greater than the former wherein were three Dukes and twelve Earls and notwithstanding the solemne peace made and so lately sworn with the Duke he entered Normandy in the Harvest time spoiling all before him along the Countrey of Bessin From thence he passed to Bayeux and Caen purposing to pass the River Dine at Verruil and to destroy all as far as to Roan Coming thither he found the Causeway long and Bridge narrow wherefore he caused his Van to pass over first and to secure his Rere lead by the Duke of Berry himself staid behind in Caen till his men and Carriages were passed Duke William all this while was storing his Fortresses with men and victuals strengthening himself and Falaise as much as he could yet had no Army in the Field but only a running Camp ready to take all advantages and so lets the fury of this storm spend itself till being informed of their passage over the Bridge and then marching all night with ten thousand men in the morning early he set upon the Rereward with so dreadfull a cry and fury that such as were upon the Causeway being affrighted thrust forward such as were before them hasting to get over the Bridge which by reason of the great press brake so that many were drowned and such as were got over could not return to aid the rest Nor the King by reason of the marishes on both sides could not yield any succor to his people but stood a spectator of their slaughter there were very many slain and six of the Kings Earls taken Prisoners This shameful overthrow was so laid to heart by the King of France that he died shortly after and the Duke of Normandy enjoyed peace which he imployed nobly in ordering and beautifying his State building and endowing Churches and Monastries He erected also a Tomb for himself and his wife at Caen Feasting and rewarding his Nobles and other men of worth whereby he so engaged their hearts to him that they were wholly his to do what he pleased In the time of this calm he sailed over into England pretending a visit to King Edward his kinsman who because he had been protected and bred in Normandy by Duke Richard the second Grandfather to them both gave him most Royal entertainment Probably he came to see and to be seen to make way for his future designs And not long after Herald whether on purpose or by some casualty of weather was driven into France is uncertain but he was gallantly entertained in Normandy by Duke William and at Roan something was concluded betwixt them whether to divide the Kingdom of England between them or that Herald being a coast-dweller should let in Duke William after the decease of King Edward the Confessour and do his best to help him to his Kingdom is uncertain but whatever it was it was solemnly sworn to upon the holy Evangelists and all the Reliques in Roan And for more assurance Herald was betrothed to Adeliza the Dukes Daughter and his Brother Wolnot was lest as a pledge for the performance Sure it is that so much was done either by our King Edward who by Will left the Crown to him or by Herald or both as gave him ground to challenge the Crown of England and to pursue the getting of it Though indeed it was not in either of their powers to prejudice our State or to alter the conse of a right succession As soon as Duke William heard of the death of King Edward and of the Election and Coronation of Herald he assembled the States of Normandy and acquainted them with the right he had to England intreating their utmost assistance for the recovery of it and to avenge him on the perjur'd Usurper Herald shewing them what a strong party he had in England and the distractions of the people which made his attempt very probable He told them what Glory Wealth and greatness the obtaining of such a Kingdom would add to them Yet notwithstanding all he could say there were but few that liked of this attempt and they which did were such as had long followed him in the wars and thereby had exhausted their estates and were content to run any adventure that might promise hope of advantage Of the rest some thought it best to hold and defend their own Countrey without adventuring to conquer an other and this was the richer sort Others were willing to contribute but did it so sparingly that it little advanced the design and the rest were so tyred with former Wars and so willing to enjoy the blessing of Peace that they were unwilling to forgoe a certain for an uncertain good The Duke meeting with these discouragements was much perplexed which made him to deal more particularly with his best Friends whom he knew to affect Honour and that they would adventure their whole estates with him These were William Fitz-Auber Earl of Brettevil Gualter Guifford Earl of Longevil Roger Lord de Beaumont c. especially his own brothers Odo Bishop of Bayeux and Robert Earl of Mortagne These he procured in a full Assembly to make their offers which they did so liberally Fitz Auber promising to furnish fourty ships with men and Amunition the Bishop of Bayeux fourty the Bishop of Mentz thirty c. that the rest of the assembly doubting that if without their help the Duke should carry on his design he would not forget their backwardness they came off more liberally The Duke finding them yielding yet not so forward as was requisite for such an undertaking dealt with the Bishops and great men apart getting that of them severally which of all together he could not attain and causing every mans contribution to be recorded kindled such an emulation amongst them that they which before would do nothing now strove who should do most By his fair perswasions also he
drew in most of the Princes and Nobles of France to adventure their Persons and much of their estates with him As Robert Fitz Harvay Duke of Orleance the Earls of Britaine Ponthieu Bulloigne Poyctou Maine Nevers Hiesms ●umarl Signior de Tours yea and Martel his enemy Earl of Anjou Indeed it was strange that these great men of France should adventure their lives and Fortunes to add England to Normandy and so great a Crown to a Duke who was too great for them already But where God hath determined alterations in Kingdoms and States all things shall concurr to promote the same The King of France who should have most opposed was now a Child and under the Tutorship of Baldwin Earl of Flanders Duke William's Father in Law and therefore from thence he was sure of furtherance rather than hinderance And to delude the young King he promised faithfully if he conquered England to hold it of the Crown of France as he did his Dutchy of Normandy And to make the Pope his friend he promised him to hold it of the Apostolick See Whereupon the Pope sent him a consecrated Banner an Agnus Dei and one of Saint Peter's haires The Emperour also sent him some Forces under the command of one of the Princes of the Empire And being thus encouraged and furnished within eight months he was ready with a powerful Army at Saint Valery in Normandy to transport himself into England in 896 Ships But now let us see how affairs stood in England King Edward the Confessor being himself without issue had in his lifetime sent into Hungary for his Nephew Edward called the Outlaw the Son of Edmund Ironside intending to make him his Successour to the Crown but he dying soon after his arrival in England King Edward then gave his Son Edgar the name of Etheling or Prince Edgar meaning to design him for his successour but was prevented by death before he had fully established him and Edgar Etheling though he had right yet being young and a stranger here and so wanting power to make good his right Herald the Son of Earl Godwin stept into the Throne and though hereby violating of holy Rights he offended the Clergy yet not any either of the Clergy or Laity durst oppose him as being the most Martiall man in the Kingdom and such an one as the state of the Realm then stood in need of And besides his own worth he had the assistance of Edwin and Marchar the two great Earls of Yorkshire and Chester Indeed King Edward had appointed the Crown sometimes to William Duke of Normandy sometimes to Edgar Etheling and sometimes to this Herald who was now Crowned by Aldred Archbishop of York And being possessed of the Throne he was able to make good his Title yet to make Prince Edgar some part of amends he created him Earl of Oxford And Herald being thus setled carried himself with great valour and Justice for the time he enjoyed it which was but nine months He made all provisions for defence that a politick and active Prince could do The first man that begun to disturb his new Government was his younger Brother Toustaine who in King Edward's Reign being made Governour of Northumberland for his pride and barbarous cruelty was banished the Kingdom and now by reason of his former hatred against his Brother was easily set on by the Duke of Normandy and Baldwin Earl of Flanders who had married his two Daughters to Duke William and Toustaine to assail Herald He first assailed the Isle of Wight and then set upon the coast of Kent from whence he was chased by Herald and forced to withdraw into the North where seeking to land he was thence repulsed by the Earls Marchar and Edwin whose Sister Herald had married Then he craved aid of the Scots and afterwards of Harald Harfager King of Norwey who was excercising Piracy about the Orchades with him he prevailed and so uniting their Forces they landed about Tinmouth and from thence marched into the heart of the kingdom But near Stamford King Herald of England met them with a strong Army and after a long and cruel fight ended the day with victory and the death both of Toustaine and the King of Norway No sooner was this Battel over but with his wearied and broken Forces he was called to a more fatal business in the South For now Duke William of Normandy pretending a right to the English Crown by the Testament of the late King Edward his kinsman upon the advantage of King Herald's being so far off with his Army landed at Pemsey near to Hastings in Sussex and Herald being informed of it gathering together his broken Forces increasing them as much as he could by the way with all possible speed he hasted to give the Duke Battel Duke William as soon as he had landed his men sent his ships away that so they might think of nothing but either Victory or Death Then going himself on land his foot slipt and he fell down which some of his company took for an ill signe No said he I have by this taken possession of this Land Many attempts were made to compound the difference between Herald and William but Herald would hearken to none presuming of success and judging it a disgrace to capitulate for that which was his own And when one of his Brothers called Gyrth intreated him to consider what a fearful thing it was to break an Oath which he had so solemnly sworn Herald judged that nothing which he had done being a private man could be of force to him being now a Prince Anno Christi 1066. October the fourteenth being also Herald's Birthday and his Soldiers thinking to honour him thereby having spent the night in revelling and drinking whereas the Dukes men spent it in quietness and devotion they joyned Battel the Kentish men being placed in the Front as by antient custom was their due and King Herald with his Londoners leading the main Battel where though the number of their Armies was not much unequall each of them having above sixty thousand men yet was there great odds in the expertness of the Souldiers and more in their weapons For the Duke had with him all the flower of France and Flanders whereas King Herald had lost his best men in the late fight and for weapons the Normans had long Bowes which then were not in use among the English it 's no marvel then though the Normans got the Victory And though Herald lost his life yet he lost not his credit and the English shewed no less valour though they were Conquered than the other did in Conquering For King Herald like an expert General had ordered his men in so firme a Body that no power of the Normans could disorder their ranks till Duke Wìlliam used this Stratagem He made his men to retire and to counterfeit flight by which meanes he drew the English on upon an
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
incensed King William that speedily raising an Army he entered Northumberland pittifully wasted by the Danes and made spoil of all and with a good summe of money purchased the departure of the Danes These devastations in sundry Counties made such a Dearth that the People were forced to eat Horses Dogs Cats Rats c. and between York and Durham for the space of sixty miles for nine years together there was such an utter desolation that neither House was left standing nor field tilled After this great defeat most of the Lords came in upon the publick Faith and were conducted to Barkhansted by the Abbot Frederick where upon their submission and Oath of Allegiance retaken they were restored to his favour and to give them satisfaction King William before the Archbishop Lankfranc and the Lords again sware to observe the antient Laws of the Realm established by his Noble Predecessors especialy those of Saint Edward Yet not long after these Lords upon new discontents brake out again But Earl Edwin making towards Scotland was murthered by the way by his own men The Lords Morchar and Hereward betook themselves to the Isle of Ely intending to secure themselves there for that Winter to whom also repaired Earl Syward and the Bishop of Durham out of Scotland But the King who was no time giver presently besieged them with flat Boats on the East and made a Bridge two miles long on the West and so brought his men upon them who seeing themselves surprised yielded to the Kings mercy Only Hereward desperatly marched with his People through the Fens and fled into Scotland the rest were sent to diverse Prisons where they dyed or remained during the Kings life Those Lords that continued Loyal upon the late submission were imployed and preferred by the King As Edric the Forrester And Gospatrice was made Earl of Northumberland and sent against King Malcolme who wasted the Countries of Tisdale Cleaveland and Cumberland Waltheoff the Son of Earl Syward he married to his Neece Judith a very valiant man shewing a Noble nature to love vertue even in his enemies And now King William finding Scotland to be a place of retreat for all his discontented Subjects and where his Competitor Edgar lived he entered the Kingdom with a great Army which encountring more with wants than Forces and both Kings considering the uncertain events of War upon fair overtures concluded a Peace agreeing upon the bounds of each Kingdom and Delinquents with their partakers were generally pardoned And shortly after Edgar Etheling came in volutarily and was restored to the Kings favour who allowed him a liberal maintenance which held him ever after quiet King William being now gone into Normandy there was amost dangerous Conspiracy begun against him by Ralph de Waher Earl of Suffolk and Norfolk Roger Fitz Aubre or Osburne Earl of Hereford Waltheoff Earl of Northumberland with Eustace Earl of Bulloine suborned as it was thought by the King of France there unto These Lords conspired to keep William in Normandy and to dispossess him of his Kingdom for which end they agreed to joyn theirs with the Danish Forces whom they intended to call in This was a dangerous Combination the King being in Normandy besieging the Castle of Dole in Britaine belonging unto Ralph Waher and defended against him by the King of France and at such a time when all his Neighbor Princes were jealous of him and ill affected to him The King of Scotland and the Princes of Wales ready to joyn with them at home Swaine King of Denmark with a Navy of two hundred sail ready to invade England to which Drone King of Ireland joyned sixty five ships And this did more distract and incense him because most of these great Lords were either his kinsmen or nearly allied to him This grand Conspiracy was discovered by Waltheoff to Archbishop Lankfranc who perswaded the Earl to go to the King and to inform him of the greatness of his danger Yet notwithstanding this discoverie Roger and Ralph proceed in their intentions and raise Forces But by the diligence of Odo Bishop of Baiaux the Kings Brother the Bishop of Worcester and the Abbot of Evesham they were so prevented that they could never unite their Forces Whereupon Ralph fled into France Roger was taken and imprisoned Waltheoff was beheaded and so this flame was extinct The greatest and last insurrection was in Normandy by King William's own Son Robert who by the instigation and assistance of Philip King of France envying Williams greatness entered Normandy and claimed it as his own right His Father indeed had promised him it long before but Robert impatient of delaies endeavored by a strong hand to wrest it from his Father King William hearing hereof passed with a strong Army over into Normandy where in a Battel meeting with his Son hand to hand he was by him unhorsed and hurt in the arm But his Son perceiving by his voice that it was his Father suddenly leaped off his Horse took him up in his armes fell down at his feet and humbly intreated his pardon which his Father easily granted embraced his Son and ever after they lived in mutual love After this King William sent this his Son Robert with an Army against Malcolm King of Scots who had invaded Northumberland who at the coming of Duke Robert retired At which time Duke Robert began to found a Castle upon the River of Tine whereof the Town of Newcastle did take its beginning and Name which formerly was called Moncaster These frequent Wars put the State to an infinite charge the King entertaining all this while besides Normans very many French Finding the English in respect of many great Families that were allied to the Danes rather to incline to that Nation than to the Normans In the fifteenth year of his Reign he subdued Wales and brought the King thereof to do him Homage And presently after quarrels arose between King William and the King of France The King of France invades Normandy and takes the City of Vernon The King of England invades France and subdued the Country of Xantoigne and Poicton and so returned to Roan Then did the King of France summon our King to do him Homage for England which he refused saying he held it of none but God and his sword But for the Dutchy of Normandy he offered him Homage which yet would not satisfie the King of France Whereupon he made a new invasion but with more loss than profit In the end they concluded a crazy Peace which held only till King William had recovered a sickness whereinto through his travel age and corpulency he was faln which occasioned the young and lusty King of France jeeringly to say that he lay in of his great belly in Roan This so irritated King William that so soon as he was recovered he gathered a very strong Army with which he entered France in
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