that as he rode in chase hee was hanged vpon the bow of a tree by the chaps others more probably doe write that he perished by a fal from his horse He was buried at Winchester with this inscription Hic iacet Richardus filius Wilielmi senioris Berniae Dux William did succeed next to his father in the Kingdome of England To Henry the King gaue at the time of his death fiue thousand pounds out of his treasure but gaue him neither dignitie nor lands foretelling that hee should enioy the honour of both his brothers in time and farre excel them both in dominion and power Whether this was deuised vpon euent or whether some doe prophesie at their death or whether it was coniecturally spoken or whether to giue contentment for the present it fell out afterward to be true For hee succeeded William in the Kingdome of England and wrested Normandie out of the possession of Robert Of these two I shall write more fully hereafter His daughter Cicelie was Abbesse of Caen in Normandie Constance was married to Allen Fergant Earle of Britaine Adela was wife to Stephen Earle of Blois to whom she bare Stephen who after the death of Henry was King of England Margaret was promised in marriage to Harold she died before hee attained the Kingdome for which cause he held himselfe discharged of that oath which he had made to the Duke her father Elianor was betroathed to Alphonso King of Gallicia but she desired much to die a Virgine for this she daily prayed and this in the end she did obtaine After her death her knees appeared brawnie and hard with much kneeling at her deuotions Assuredly it will be hard to find in any one Familie both greater Valour in sonnes and more Vertue in daughters In the beginning of this Kings reigne either no great accidents did fall or else they were obscured with the greatnesse of the change none are reported by the writers of that time In the fourth yeere of his reigne Lanfranke Abbot of Caen in Normandie but borne in Pauie a Citie of Lumbardie was made Archbishop of Canterbury And Thomas a Norman and Chanon of Bayon was placed in the Sea of Yorke Betweene these two a controuersie did arise at the time of their consecration for prioritie in place but this contention was quieted by the King and Thomas for the time subscribed obedience to the Archb. of Canterbury After this they went to Rome for their Palles where the question for Primacie was againe renued or as some affirme first moued before Pope Alexander The Pope vsed them both with honorable respect and especially Lanfrank to whom he gaue two Palles one of honour and the other of loue but their controuersie he referred to be determined in England About two yeeres after it was brought before the King and the Clergie at Windsore The Archbishop of Yorke alleadged that when the Britaine 's receiued the Christian faith in the time of Lucius their King Eleutherius then Bishop of Rome sent Faganus and Damianus vnto them who ordeined 28. Bishops and two Archbishops within the Realme one of London and the other of Yorke Vnder these the Church of Britaine was gouerned almost three hundred yeeres vntill they were subdued by the Saxons The Saxons remained Infidels vntill Gregorie Bishop of Rome sent Augustine vnto them By his preaching Ethelbert King of Kent was first conuerted to the Christian faith By reason whereof Augustine was made Archbishop of Douer by appointment of Pope Gregorie who sent vnto him certaine Palles with his letter from Rome By this letter it is euident that Gregorie intended to reduce the Church of the Saxons to the same order wherein it was among the Britaines namely to be vnder twelue Bishops and two Archbishops one of London and the other of Yorke Indeede he gaue to Augustine during his life authority and iurisdiction ouer all Bishops and Priests in England but after his decease he ioyneth these two Metropolitanes in equall degree to constitute Bishops to ouersee the Church to consult and dispose of such things as appertaine to the gouernement thereof as in former times among the Britaines Betweene these he put no distinction in honour but only as they were in prioritie of time and as he appointeth London to be consecrated by no Bishop but of his own Synod so he expresseth that the Bishop of Yorke should not bee subiect to the Bishop of London And albeit Augustine for the reason before mentioned translated the Sea from London to Douer yet if Gregorie had intended to giue the same authoritie to the successours of Augustine which hee gaue vnto him he would haue expressed it in his Epistle but in that he maketh no mention of his successours he concludeth or rather excludeth them by his silence The Archbishop of Canterbury alleaged that from the time of Augustine vntill the time of Bede which was about 140. yeeres the Bishops of Canterburie which in ancient time said he was called Douer had the Primacie ouer the whole land of Britaine and of Ireland that they did call the Bishops of Yorke to their Councels which diuers times they kept within the Prouince of Yorke that some Bishops of Yorke they did constitute some excommunicate and some remoue He alleaged also diuers priuiledges granted by Princes for the Primacie of that Sea diuers graunted from the Apostolike Sea to confirme this dignitie in the successours of Augustine that it is reason to receiue directions of well liuing from whence we first receiued directions of right beleeuing therfore as the Bishop of Canterbury was subiect to the Bishop of Rome because hee had his faith from thence for the very same cause the Bishop of Yorke should be in subiection to the Bishop of Canterbury that like as the Lord said that to all the Bishops of Rome which hee said to S. Peter so that which Gregorie said to Augustine hee said likewise to all his successours And whereas much is spoken of the Bishop of London what is that to the Archbishop of Canterbury For neither is it certaine that Augustine was euer resident at London neither that Gregorie appointed him so to be In the end it was decreed That Yorke for that time should be subiect to Canterburie that wheresoeuer within England the Archbishop of Canterburie should hold his Councell the Archbishop of Yorke should come vnto it with the Bishops of his Prouince and be obedient to his decrees that when the Archbishop of Canterburie should decease the Archbishop of Yorke should goe to Canterburie to consecrate him that should succeed that if the Archbishop of Yorke should decease his successour should goe to Canterbury or to such place as the Archbishop of Canterburie should appoint there to receiue his Consecration making first his oath of Canonicall obedience And thus was the contention for this first time taken vp but in succeeding times it was often renued and much busied the Clergie of the Realme In the ninth yeere of the
esteemed not farre short of cruelties Not withstanding hee tempered it with many admirable actions both of iustice and of clemencie and mercie for which hee is much extolled by the Normane writers Hee gaue great priuiledges to many places the better to giue the people contentment and to hold them quiet he often times renued the oath which first he tooke at his Coronation namely to defend the holy Church of God the pastors thereof and the people subiect to him iustly to gouerne to ordaine good lawes and obserue true iustice and to the vttermost of his power to withstand all rapines and false Iudgements Such of the nobilitie as had been taken in rebellion were onely committed to prison from which they were released in time such as yeelded and submitted themselues were freely pardoned and often times receiued to fauour trust and imploymemt Edric the first that rebelled after hee was King he held neere and assured vnto him Gospatric who had been a stirrer of great commotions he made Earle of Glocester and employed him against Malcolme King of Scots Eustace Earle of Boline who vpon occasion of the Kings first absence in Normandie attempted to surprize the Castle of Douer he imbraced afterward with great shew of loue and respect Waltheof sonne to Earle Siward who in defending the Citie of Yorke against him had slaine many Normans as they assayed to enter a breach hee ioyned in marriage to his Neece Iudeth Edgar who was the ground and hope of all conspiracies who after his first submission to the King fled into Scotland and maintained open hostilitie against him who pretended title to the Crowne as next heire to the Saxon Kings he not onely receiued to fauour but honoured with faire enterteinments Hee furnished him to the warre of Palestine where he atteined an honourable estimation with the Emperours of Almaine and of Greece After his returne he was allowed 20. shillings a day by way of pension and large liuings in the Countrey where he mellowed to old age in pleasure and vacancie of affaires preferring safe subiection before ambitious rule accompanied both with danger and disquiet Thus was no man more milde to a relenting and vanquished enemie as farre from crueltie as he was from cowardice the height of his spirit ouerlooking all casuall all doubtfull and vncertaine dangers Other great offenders he punished commonly by exile or imprisonment seldome by death Onely among the English Nobilitie Earle Waltheof was put to death for that after twice breaking allegiance he conspired the third time with diuers both English and Normans to receiue the Danes into England whilest the King was absent in Normandie And for the same conspiracie Ralph Fitz-aubert a Norman was also executed who had furnished 40. ships for the King in his voiage for England for which and for his other seruices in that warre he was afterward created Earle of Hereford But present iniuries doe alwayes ouerballance benefits that are past He much delighted in hunting and in feasting For the first he enclosed many forrests and parks and filled them with Deere which he so deerely loued that he ordained great penalties for such as should kill those or any other beasts of game For the second hee made many sumptuous feasts especially vpon the high Festiuall dayes in the yeere His Christmasse hee often kept at Glocester his Easter at Winchester his Whitsontide at Westminster and was crowned once in the yeere at one of these places so long as he continued in England To these feasts he inuited all his Nobilitie and did then principally compose himselfe to courtesie as well in familiar conuersation as in facilitie to grant suits and to giue pardon to such as had offended At other times he was more Maiesticall and seuere and imployed himselfe both to much exercise and great moderation in diet whereby he preserued his body in good state both of health and strength and was easily able to endure trauaile hunger heat cold and all other hardnesse both of labour and of want Many wrongs he would not see of many smarts he would not complaine he was absolute master of himselfe and thereby learned to subdue others He was much commended for chastitie of body by which his Princely actions were much aduanced And albeit the beginning of his reigne was pestered with such routs of outlawes and robbers that the peaceable people could not accompt themselues in surety within their owne doores hee so well prouided for execution of Iustice vpon offenders or rather for cutting off the causes of offence that a yong maiden well charged with gold might trauaile in any part of the Realme without any offer of iniurie vnto her For if any man had slaine another vpon any cause he was put to death and if he could not be found the hundred paide a fine to the King sometimes 28. and sometimes 36. pounds according to the largenesse of the hundred in extent If a man had oppressed any woman he was depriued of his priuie parts As the people by Armes so Armes by lawes were held in restraint He talked little and bragged lesse a most assured performer of his word In prosecution of his purposes constant and strong and yet not obstinate but alwayes appliable to the change of occasions earnest yea violent both to resist his enemies and to exact dueties of his Subiects He neither loued much speech nor gaue credite to faire but trusted truely to himselfe to others so farre as he might not be abused by credulitie His expedition the spirit of actions and affaires may hereby appeare He inuaded England about the beginning of October He subdued all resistance he suppressed all rising Rebellions and returned into Normandy in March following So as the time of the yeere considered a man should hardly trauaile through the land in so short a time as he did win it A greater exploit then Iulius Caesar or any other stranger could euer atchieue vpon that place He gaue many testimonies of a Religious minde For he did often frequent Diuine seruice in the Church he gaue much Almes hee held the Clergie in great estimation and highly honoured the Prelats of the Church He sent many costly ornaments many rich presents of gold and siluer to the Church of Rome his Peter paiments went more readily more largely then euer before To diuers Churches in France after his victorie he sent Crosses of gold vessels of gold rich Palles or other ornaments of great beautie and price He bare such reuerence to Lanfranck Archbishop of Canterburie that he seemed to stand at his directions At the request of Wolstane Bishop of Worcester he gaue ouer a great aduantage that he made by sale of prisoners taken in Ireland He respected Aldred Archbishop of Yorke by whom he had bene crowned King of England as his father At a time vpon the repulse of a certaine suit the Archbishop brake forth into discontentment expostulated sharpely against the King and in a humorous heat offered to depart
occasioned much disquiet and disorder in many parts of the Realme In the same Councel the censure of Excommunication was cast vpon those who did exercise the vile vice of Sodomitrie and it was further decreed that the same sentence should be published euery Sonday in al the parish Churches of England But afterward it was esteemed fit that this general excommunication should be repealed The pretence was for that the prohibiting yea the publike naming of that vice might enflame the hearts of vngracious persons with desire vnto it But wise men coniectured that after this seuere restreint of marriage in the Clergie it did grow so frequent and familiar among them that they would not giue way to so generall a punishment It is certaine that in this Kings dayes Io. Cremensis a Priest Cardinal by the Kings licence came into England and held a solemne Synode at London where hauing most sharpely enueighed against the marriage of Priests the night following hee was taken in adulterie and so with shame departed the Realme It is certaine also that Anselme the most earnest enforcer of single life died not a Virgine as by the lamentation which hee wrote for the losse thereof it may appeare Not long after Anselme died being of the age of 70. yeeres He had bestowed much money on Christs Church in Canterburie as well in buildings as in ornaments and encrease of possessions Other workes of charge he left not many neither in very deed could he by reason of his often banishments and the seasures of the reuenues of his Church But this he did more then liberally supply by the eternall labours of his penne After his decease the Archbishopricke remained voyd fiue yeeres during which time the King applied the fruits to himselfe The like hee did to other vacant Churches and compounded also with Priests for reteining their wiues and made his profit by Ecclesiasticall persons and liuings more largely and freely then he had done before For which cause it is not vnlike that the imputation of couetousnesse was fixed vpon him At the last Radulph Bishop of Rochester was aduanced to the See of Canterburie and notwithstanding all former agreements and decrees the King inuested him with Ring and with Staffe But howsoeuer we may either excuse or extenuate the two vices of crueltie and couetousnesse wherewith he is charged his immoderate excesse in lust can no wayes be denied no wayes defended And when age had somewhat abated in him the heat of that humour yet was hee too much pleased with remembrance of his youthfull follies For this vice it is manifest as well by the sudden and vnfortunate losse of his children as for that he was the last King by descent from males of the Norman race that the hand of God pressed hard vpon him As Radulph succeeded Anselme in the See of Canterburie So after the death of Thomas Thurstine the Kings Chapplaine was elected Archb. of Yorke And because he refused to acknowledge obedience to the See of Canterbury hee could not haue his Consecration but was depriued of his dignitie by the King Hereupon he tooke his iourney to Rome complained to the Pope and from him returned with a letter to the King that the putting of a Bishop elect from his Church without iudgement was against diuine Iustice against the decrees of holy Fathers that the Pope intended no preiudice to either Church but to maintaine the constitution which S. Gregorie the Apostle of the English Nation had stablished betweene them that the Bishop elect should be receiued to his Church and if any question did rise between the two Churches it should be handled before the King Vpon occasion of this letter a solemne assembly was called at Salisburie where the variance betweene the two Prelats was much debated Radulph would not giue Imposition of hands to Thurstine vnlesse hee would professe obedience Thurstine said that he would gladly embrace his benediction but professe obedience to him he would not The King signified to Thurstine that without acknowledgement of subiection to the Archb. of Canterburie hee should not be Consecrated Archb. of Yorke Thurstine replied nothing but renounced his dignitie and promised to make no more claime vnto it Not long after Calixtus Bishop of Rome assembled a Councell at Rhemes and Thurstine desired licence of the King to goe to that Councell This hee obtained vnder faithfull promise that he should there attempt nothing to the preiudice of the Church of Canterburie In the meane time the King dealt secretly with the Pope that Thurstine should not bee consecrated by him This the Pope did faithfully assure and yet by meanes of some of his Cardinals whom Thurstine had wrought to bee suiters for him by reason also of his hate against Radulph for taking Inuestiture from the King The Pope was drawen to giue him consecration and there with the Pall. For this cause the King was displeased with Thurstine and forbad him to returne into the Realme After this the Pope came to Gisors to which place the King went vnto him and desired that he would not send any Legates into England except the King should so require The reason was for that certaine Legates had come into England lately before to wit one Guidâ—… and another named Anselme and another called Peter who had demeaned themselues not as Pillars of the Church but as Pillagers of all the Realme Also he required that hee might reteine all such customes as his auncestors had vsed in England and in Normandie The Pope vpon promise that the King should ayd him against his enemies yeelded to these demands and required againe of the King to permit Thurstine to returne with his fauour into England The King excused himselfe by his oath The Pope answered that he might and would dispence with him for his oath The King craued respite affirming that he would aduise with his Counsaile and then signifie to the Pope what he should resolue So in short time hee declared to the Pope that for loue to him Thurstine should bee receiued both into the Realme and to his Church vpon condition that he should professe subiection to the Sea of Canterburie as in former times his predecessors had done otherwise said hee so long as I shall bee King of England hee shall neuer sit Archbâ—…shop of Yorke The yeere following the Pope directed his letters to the King and likewise to Radulph And herewith he interdicted both the Church of Canterburie and the Church of Yorke with all the Parish Churches of both Prouinces from Diuine seruice from Buriall of the dead from all other offices of the Church except onely baptizing of children and absolution of those who shal lie at the point of death vnlesse within one moneth after the receit of the same letters Thurstine should be receiued to the Sea of Yorke without acknowledging subiection to the Sea of Canterburie It was further signified to the King that he should also be excommunicate vnlesse hee would consent to the same
Vpon these letters Thurstine was sent for and reconciled to the King and quietly placed in his Church at Yorke And thus when the Bishops of Rome had gained absolute superiority ouer the state of the Church euen for managing external actions and affaires which seeme to be a part of ciuill gouernement there wanted nothing but either a weake Prince or a factious Nobilitie or a headstrong tumultuous people to giue him absolute superioritie ouer all In the second yeere of this Kings reigne the Cities of Gloucester and Winchester were for the most part wasted with fire In the fourth yeere a blasing starre appeared and foure circles were seene about the Sunne The yeere next following the King preuailed much in Normandie and so did the Sea in Flanders insomuch as a great part of that Countrey lay buried in the waters In the seuenth yeere a blazing starre appeared and vpon thursday night before Easter two full Moones were seene one in the East and the other in the West The same yeere Robert Duke of Normandie was taken brought prisoner into England In the tenth yeere the Abbey of Elie was made a Bishops Sea and Cambridge shire was appointed for the Diocesse thereof In regard whereof the King gaue the mannour of Spalding to the Bishop of Lincolne for that the shire of Cambridge was formerly vnder the Iurisdiction of Lincolne The same yeere a Comet appeared after a strange fashiō About Shrewsburie was a great earthquake The water of Trent was dried vp at Nottingham the space of a mile from one of the clocke vntill three so as men might passe ouer the Channell on foote Warres ensued against the Earle of Aniou a great mortalitie of men a murraine of beastes both domesticke and of the fielde yea the ◅oules perished in great abundance In the 13. yeere the Citie of Worcester and therein the chiefe Church the Castle with much people were consumed with fire A pigge was farrowed with a face like a childe A chicken was hatched with foure legs The yeere next ensuing the riuer of Medeway so fayled for many miles that in the middest of the channell the smallest boates could not floate In the Thames also was such defect of water that betweene the Tower and the Bridge many men and children did wade ouer on foote This happened by reason of a great ebbe in the Ocean which layd the sands bare many miles from the shoare and so continued one whole day Much rage and violence of weather ensued and a blasing starre The Citie of Chichester with the principall Monastery was burnt The yeere next following almost all the Bridges in England being then of timber by reason of a hard Winter were borne downe with Ice In the 17. yeere the towne of Peterborough with the stately Church were burned to the ground The Citie of Bath also was much ruined and defaced with fire In March there happened fearefull lightning and in December grieuous thunder and haile The Moone at both times seemed to be turned into blood by reason of the euill qualited vapours through which it gaue light The yeere following Mathild the Queene departed this life a woman in pietie chastitie modestie and all other vertues nothing inferiour to her mother but in learning and iudgement farre beyond her who did not act nor speake nor scarce thinke any thing but first it was weighed by wisdome and vertue When the king desired her in marriage for the publicke good and tranquilitie of the State in reducing the Saxon blood to the Crowne she first modestly then earnestly refused the offer shewing no lesse magnanimitie in despising honours then others doe in affecting them But when she was not so much perswaded as importuned to forsake her profession she is reported by some to haue taken the matter so to heart that she cursed such issue as she should bring forth which curse did afterwards lie heauie vpon them For her sonne William perished by shipwrack and her daughter Matild was neuer voyd of great vexations As she trauailed ouer the riuer of Lue at the Old-foord neere London she was well washed and somewhat endangered in her passage whereupon he caused two Stone-bridges to be built ouer the same riuer one at the head of the towne of Stratford the other ouer another streame thereof commonly called Channelsbridge and paued the way betweene them with grauel She gaue also certaine mannours and a mill called Wiggon mill for repairing of the same bridges and way These were the first Stone-bridges that were made in England And because they were arched like a bow the towne of Stratford was afterwards called Bow In the 20. yere a great earthquake hapned in the moneth of September In the 22. yeere the Citie of Glocester with the principal Monasterie was fired againe The yeere next following the Citie of Lincolne was for the most part burned downe and many persons perished with the rage of the flame In the 27. yeere the King receiued an oath of the chiefe of the Prelats and Nobilitie of the Realme that after his death they should maintaine the kingdom against al men for his daughter Matild in case she should suruiue and the king not leaue issue male in life In the 30. yeere the Citie of Rochester was much defaced with fire euen in the presence and view of the King The yeere next following the oath to Matild was receiued againe About this time the King was much troubled with fearefull dreames which did so affright him that he would often leape out of his bed and lay hand on his sword as if it were to defend himselfe This yeere as he returned out of Normandie into England when he had bene caried not farre from land the winde began to rise and the Sea swelled somewhat bigge This weather did almost suddenly encrease to so dangerous a storme that all expected to be cast away The King dismayed the more by his sonnes mishap reconciled himselfe to God and vowed to reforme many errours of his life if he did escape So after his arriuall he went to the Monasterie of S Edmund and there both ratified and renued the promise he had made After this he was better ordered in his actions he erected a Bishopricke at Caerlile and endowed it with many honours he caused Iustice indifferently to be administred and eased the people of the tribute called Dane-guilt In the 32. yeere Matilde daughter to the King was deliuered of a sonne who was named Henry Hereupon the king assembled his Nobilitie at Oxeford where he did celebrate his feast of Easter and there ordeined that shee and her heires should succeed him in the kingdome And albeit they were often sworne to this appointment albeit Stephen Earle of Bloise was the first man who tooke that oath yet was he the first who did rise against it yet did many others also ioyne with him in his action For oathes are commonly troden vnder foote when they lye in the way either to honour or reuenge The same
yea assured aduertisement was sent out of Flanders that he had for that yeere abandoned his enterprise In the meane time Harold Harfager King of Norway then whom no man was esteemed more valiant hauing assured both intelligence and aide out of England arriued in the mouth of Humber and from thence drawing vp against the streame of the riuer Owse landed at a place called Richhall Here he Marshalled his Armie and marched foorth into the Countrey and when hee came neere vnto Yorke he was encountred by the English led by Edwine and Morchar the principall commanders of all those quarters The fight was furious but in the end the English were ouerthrowne and with a great slaughter chases into Yorke Vpon aduertisement hereof Harold King of England caried all his forces against Harfager His readinesse was such and such his expedition that the fifth day after the fight before mentioned he gaue him battell againe wherein Harold Harfager was slaine and so was Tosto the King of Englands brother Tosto by an vncertaine enemie but Harfager by the hand of Harold of England Their armie also was routed and with a bloody execution pursued so long as day and furie did last Here a certaine Souldier of Norway was most famous almost for a miracle of manhood He had been appointed with certaine others to guard the passage at Stamford bridge The residue vpon approach of the English forsooke their charge but hee alone stepped to the foote of the Bridge and with his Battle-axe sustained the shocke of the whole armie slew aboue fourty assailants and defended both the passage and himselfe vntill an English Souldier went vnder the Bridge and through a hole thereof thrust him into the bodie with a Launce If this victory of King Harold had been so wisely vsed as it was valiantly wonne he should haue neglected the spoyle and returned with the like celeritie wherewith he came But hee gaue discontentment to his Souldiers in abridging their expectation for free sharing the spoile and hauing lost many in that conflict he retired to Yorke and there stayed as well to reforme the state of the Countrey greatly disordered by meanes of these warres as also both to refresh and repaire his armie In the meane time the Duke of Normandie receiuing intelligence that the Sea-coasts were left naked of defence loosed from S. Valeries with three hundred or as some writers report 896 or as one Norman writer affirmes with more then one thousand saile and hauing a gentle gale arriued at Pemsey in Sussex vpon the 28. of September The ship wherein the Duke was caried is said as if it had runne for the garland of victory to haue outstripped the rest so farre that the sailers were enforced to strike saile and hull before the winde to haue their companie When hee first stepped vpon the shoare one of his feete slipped a little The Duke to recouer himselfe stepped more strongly with the other foote and sunke into the sand somewhat deepe One of his Souldiers espying this sayd merrily vnto him You had almost fallen my Lord but you haue well maintained your standing and haue now taken deepe and firme footing in the soyle of England The presage is good and hereupon I salute you King The Duke laughed and the souldiers with whom superstition doth strongly worke were much confirmed in courage by the ieast When he had landed his forces he fortified a piece of ground with strong trenches and discharged all his ships leauing to his souldiers no hope to saue themselues but onely by victory After this he published the causes of his comming in armes namely 1 To chalenge the kingdome of England giuen to him by his cousin King Edward the last lawfull possessor at that time thereof 2 To reuenge the death of his cousin Alfred brother to the same K. Edward and of the Normans who did accompanie him into England no lesse cruelly then deceitfully slaine by Earle Goodwin and his adherents 3 To reuenge the iniurie done vnto Robert Archbishop of Canterburie who by the practise as it was then giuen foorth of Harold had been exiled in the life time of King Edward This last article was added either to please the Pope or generally in fauour of the Cleargie to whom the example grew then intollerable that an Archbishop should bee once questioned by any other then by themselues So the Duke leauing his fortification furnished with competent forces to assure the place as wel for a retreit as for daily landing of fresh supplies marched forward to Hastings and there raised another fortresse and planted likewise a garison therein And in all places he restrained his Souldiers either from spoyling or harming the Countrey people for feare that thereby they would fall into disorder but giuing forth that it were crueltie to spoile them who in short time should be his Subiects Here the Duke because he would not either aduenture or trust his Souldiers went foorth in person to discouer the Countrey with 15. horsemen in his company and no more His returne was on foote by reason of the euill qualitied wayes and when Fitz-Osberne who went with him was ouer wearied with the weight of his armour the Duke eased him by bearing his helmet vpon his shoulder This action may seeme of slender regard but yet did gaine him both fauour and dutie among his Souldiers K. Harold hearing of these approches hasted by great iourneyes towards London sending his messengers to all places both to encourage and entreate the people to draw together for their common defence Here he mustered his Souldiers and albeit hee found that his forces were much impaired by his late battaile against Harfager yet he gathered an able armie countenanced and commanded by diuers of the Nobilitie which resorted vnto him from many parts of the Realme The Duke in the meane time sent a messenger vnto him who demanded the Kingdome in so stout maner that he was at the point to haue bene euill entreated by the King Againe the King sent his messenger to the Duke forbidding him with loftie language to make any stay within that Countrey but to returne againe no lesse speedily then rashly he had entred The Duke betweene mirth and scorne returned answere That as he came not vpon his entreaty so at his command he would not depart But said he I am not come to word with your King I am come to fight and am desirous to fight I will be ready to fight with him albeit I had but 10000. such men as I haue brought 60000. K. Harold spent little time lost none vnlesse happely that which hee might haue taken more both in appointing and ordering his Armie And when he was ready to take the field his mother entreated him first moderately then with words of passion and with teares that he would not aduenture his person to the battaile Her importunitie was admired the more for that it was both without any apparant cause and not vsuall in former times But Harold with
yeere the Citie of London was very much defaced with fire The yeere next following many prodigies happened which seemed to portend the death of the King or rather the troublesome times which did thereupon ensue In the moneth of August the Sunne was so deepely eclipsed that by reason of the darkenesse of the ayre many starres did plainely appeare The second day after this defect of light the earth trembled with so great violence that many buildings were shaken downe Malmesb. sayth that the house wherein he sate was lift vp with a double remooue and at the third time setled againe in the proper place The earth in diuers places yeelded foorth a hideous noyse It cast foorth flames at certaine rifts diuers dayes together which neither by water nor by any other meanes could be suppressed During the time of the eclipse mentioned before the King was trauersing the sea into Normandie whither hee vsually went sometimes euery yeere but euery third yeere at the furthest Here he spent the whole yeere following in ordering affaires of State and in visiting euery corner of the Countrey He neuer gaue greater contentment to the people as well by his gifts as by his gentle and courteous behauiour he neuer receiued greater contentment from them by the liuely expressing of their loue But nothing did so much affect him with ioy as that his daughter Matild had brought foorth other two sonnes Geoffrey and William whereby hee conceiued that the succession of his issue to the Crowne of England was so well backed that he needed not to trouble his thoughts with any feare that his heires would faile At the last he began to languish a little and droupe in health and neither feeling nor fearing any great cause hee rode on hunting to passe it ouer with exercise and delight Herewith being somewhat cheered hee returned home and eate of a Lamprey albeit against his Physicians aduise which meate he alwayes loued but was neuer able well to digest After this and happely vpon this vicious feeding he fell into a feuer which increased in him by such dangerous degrees that within seuen dayes it led him to the period of his life Hee died vpon the first of December in the 67. yere of his age when hee had reigned 35. yeeres and foure moneths wanting one day His bowels and eyes were buried at Roan The rest of his bodie was stuffed with salt wrapped vp in Oxe hides and brought ouer into England and with honourable exequies buried in the Monastery of Reading which hee had founded His Physician who tooke out his braines by reason of the intolerable stinch which breathed from them in short time after ended his life So of all that King Henrie slue this Physician was the last He had by his first wife a sonne named William who perished by shipwracke and Matild a daughter who was espoused to the Emperour Henrie the 5. when she was scarce sixe yeeres olde and at the age of eleuen yeeres was married vnto him When shee had been married vnto him twelue yeeres he died and shee returned to the King her father both against her owne minde and against the desire of the greatest Princes of the Empire who in regard of her wise and gracious behauiour were suitors to the King more then once to haue her remaine as Empresse among them But the king would not consent to their intreatie For that shee was the onely heire to his Crowne Then many great Princes desired her in marriage But the King bestowed her vpon Geoffrey sonne to Fulke Earle of Aniou somewhat against her owne liking but greatly to the suretie of his estate in France By him she had Henrie who afterwards was King of England Further the King had by a Concubine Richard a sonne and Mary a daughter who were lost vpon the sea with their brother William By another Concubine hee had a sonne named Robert whom he created Earle of Glocester a man for valour of minde and abilitie of bodie inferiour to none in counsailes so aduised as was fit for a right Noble commander By his faith industrie and felicitie chiefly his sister Matild did afterwards resist and ouerbeare both the forces and fortunes of King Stephen He is reported to haue had 12. other bastards which were of no great either note or continuance according to that saying of the Wise man Bastard plants take no deepe rootes This King in the beginning of his Reigne made many fauourable lawes And namely That he would reserue no possessions of the Church vpon their vacancies that the heires of his Nobilitie should possesse their fathers lands without redemption from him and that the Nobilitie likewise should afford the like fauour to their Tenants that Gentlemen might giue their daughters and kinsewomen in marriage without his licence so it were not to his enemie that the widow should haue her ioynture and not be compelled to marrie against her owne liking that the mother or next of kinred should bee Guardian of the lands of her children that all debts to the Crowne and certaine offences also should bee remitted But these lawes afterwards were but slenderly obserued Three vertues were most famous in him wisedome courage and sweetenesse of speach By the last hee gained much fauour from the people By the other two he purchased both peace at home and victory abroad He was noted also for some vices but out of doubt they were farre exceeded by his vertues And for these vices also being himselfe of a pleasant disposition he was well pleased with pleasant reproofes Guymund his Chapleine obseruing that vnworthy men for the most part were aduanced to the best dignities of the Church as he celebrated Diuine seruice before him and was to read these words out of S. Iames It rained not vpon the earth iij. yeres and vj. moneths Hee did read it thus It rained not vpon the earth one one one yeres and fiue one moneths The King obserued this reading and afterwards rebuked his Chapleine for it But Guymund answered that he did it of purpose for that such readers were soonest preferred by the King The King smiled and in short time after preferred him to the gouernment of S. Frideswides in Oxeford In this King failed the heires male of King William the first and then the Crowne was possessed by Title of heires generall In these times flourished two excellent ornaments of the Church Anselme in England and Bernard in France both of them enrolled in the list of Saints And no lesse infamous for vice was Gerard Archbishop of Yorke a man of some learning not so much in substance as in seeming and shew of commendable wit which he applied chiefly to giue a couler for euery vice of his owne and for euery vertue of others either a slander or a ieast Of enuious disposition plagued lesse with his owne calamities then with the well either doing or being of other men in wiping money from his Subiects by dishonest meanes subtill and shamelesse and