owne and Denmarke to ciuile discord about the succession Norwey likewise returning obedience to a sonne of Olaue recouered quietnesse a home borne King BY which occasion Edward the sonne of Ethelred succeeding in the gouernment raigned 24 yeares in peace which besides a few monethes was all the space that lay betwixt the two gulphes of strangers domination and was a Prince more necessarie then profitable fit for no other then the calme time he had For hauing beene so long brought vp with the Nunnes at Iumieges in Normandie he scarce knew to be a man when he came into England And to shew how little he vnderstood himselfe they note how in a great anger he said to a base fellowe that disturbed his game in hunting I would punish thee were I able And as if hee had vowed their continencie with whome hee was bred was so far from knowing other women either thorowe conscience or debilitie as his owne wife after his death protested herselfe free from any carnall act done by him and yet liued he with her in all formall shew of marriage The soft simplicitie of this King gaue way to the greatnesse of the Earle Godwyn and his children who for that he would seeme the especiall man in his prefermēt to the Crowne and by matching his daughter Edith to him swayed cheifely the wheele of that time and yet not without opposition For Syward Earle of Northumberland and Leofrike Earle of Hereford men of as great State and spirit seeing him most for himselfe became more for the King and had their turne in performing very noble actions Nor did their emulation but much conduce to the present benifit both of the King and State For the Earle Syward would not be behind hand in effecting as braue deedes in the North as Harold Earle of Westsex the sonne of the Earle Godwyn performed against the welsh in the west For the first depriued of life and Crowne Macbeth an vsurper and inuested Malcolin in the kingdome of Scotland the other defeited Ris and Griffine two brothers Kings of Wales and subdued that Prouince to this Crowne Besides the Earle Godwyn had to struggle with an Arch-byshop of Canterburie Robert a Norman preferred from a Monke first to London and after to that Sea by the King inwardly affecting most that nation as being part of their bloud and bred amongst them Of whom it seemed he had many about his person whose neerenes being strangers whatsoeuer they did could not auoid to be thought to doe ill offices against the Earle and the English in generall whereby what went not right in the lyne of menn's desires was thought to be their cause And in stomackes full charged this occasion gaue more fire Eustace Earle of Bullogne who had married Goda the Kings sister hauing beene at the Court and returning into France his Herbenger in taking vp lodgings at Douer vpon his peremptory behauiour was by a citizen slaine The Earle arriuing with all his trayne pursues and slew the homicide with 18 other The Citie seeing this tooke armes and in the bickering the Earle lost 22 of his men whereupon backe he hasts to the King aggrauates the insolency of the Citizens so far that the Earle Goawyn is sent for and commaunded with a power of men to make against the Citie of Douer to chastice the people The Earle considering it was vpon the information of one side aduised the King rather to send for the cheife of the Citie to vnderstand what they could say for themselues and accordingly to proceede which being taken for a coldnes in the businesse and of fauor to his countrymen gaue the King and his enimies occasion to suspect his affection Shortly after the Earle is summoned to an Assemblie at Gloucester where neither hee nor any of his sonnes would appeare and suspecting some practice against him by his enimies raises forces pretending to suppresse the Welsh who were not found to offend whereupon the Assemblie remoues to London summons him againe to make his apparance to dismisse his forces and to come only attended with 12 persons Hee sendes them word to dismisse his forces he was content or any thing els the King would commaund him so it were with the safetie of his life and honour but to come disaccompanied was for neither Then was he commaunded within 5 daies to depart the Realme which hee did and with Toustayne and Swayne his sonnes gets him into Flaunders where Toustayne married the daughter of the Earle Baldouin 5. Harald his eldest sonne departs into Ireland the King puts from him the Queene to be partaker of the disgrace and miserie of her house The Earle Godwin in this desperate fortune whilst the French and his enimies possest the King fell to piracye disturbed the coastes approached London by the Ryuer and being so popular as no forces would oppose against him made at length his owne peace with power in such sort as the French fearing reuenge forsooke both the Court and kingdome This as fore-pointing to a storme that was gathering on that coast began the first difference with the French nation which thus acquainted with the distraction of the kingdome and factions of great men wrought on those aduantages and were instruments to draw on the fatall enterprize that followed The weaknesse of the king and the disproportionate greatnesse of the Earle Godwyn being risen vp from so great a fall learning thereby to looke better to his feete and make his sides strong increased these discontentments and partialities in the State wherein many acts of iniustice by the sway of power and passion were committed which did much blacken that time of peace and made a good man not by doing but induring ill held to be a bad king And it is sayd that Emme the Queene mother had her part of much affliction in his raigne suffering both in her goods and fame and how to purge her selfe of a scandall raised on her with Alwyn Bishop of Winchester she vnder-went the triall of Fire-Ordeall which was to passe blind-fold with bare feete ouer certaine plough-shares made red hot and laid an vneuen distance one before the other which she safely performed And the reason why both her sonne and the State so little respected this great Lady whose many yeares had made her an actor in diuerse fortunes was for that she neuer affected king Ethelred nor the children she had by him and for her mariage with Knute the great enemy and subduer of the kingdome whom she euer much more loued liuing and commended dead It seemed these priuate grudges with mens particular ends held these times so busied that the publicke was neglected and an issuelesse King gaue matter for ambition and power to build hopes and practises vpon though for his owne part he shewed to haue had a care for the succession in sending for his nephew Edward intitled the Out-law with his children out of Hungarie But Edward shortly after his arriuall died and Edgar his sonne
Guien grew into such an odious conceipt of her vpon the notice of her lasciuious behauiour in those partes as the first worke he doth vpon his comming backe he repudiates and turnes her home with all her great dowrie rather content to loose the mightie estate she brought then to liue with her With this great Lady matches Henry before he was 20. yeares of age being now Duke of Normandie his father deceased who had recouered it for him and had by her the possession of all those large and rich Countries apertaining to the Duchy of Guien besides the Earldome of Poicton Whereupon Louys inraged to see him inlarged by this great accession of State who was so neere and like to be so dangerous and eminenta neighbour combines with Stephan and aydes Eustace his sonne with mayne power for the recouery of Normandie wherein he was first possest But this young Prince furnished now with all this powerfull meanes leaues the management of the affayres of England to his frendes defendes Normandie wrought so as the King of France did him little hurt and Eustace his competitor returned home into England where shortly after he dyed about 18. yeares of his age borne neuer to see out of the calamities of warre and was buried at Feuersham with his mother who deceased a little before and had no other ioy nor glorie of a Crowne but what we see Stephan whilst Duke Henrie was in Normandie recouers what he could and at length besieges Wallingsord which seemes in these times to haue bene a peece of great importance and impregnable and reduced the Defendants to that extremitie as they sent to Duke Henrie for succour who presently thereupon in the middest of winter ariues in England with 3000. foot and 140. horse Where first to draw the King from Wallingford he layes siege to Malmesbury and had most of all the great men in the West and from other partes comming in vnto him Stephan now resolued to put it to the tryall of a day brings thither all the power he could make and far ouer-went his enemy in number but flouds and stormes in an vnseasonable winter kept the Armies from incountring till the Bishops doubtfull of the successe and seeing how dangerous it was for them and the whole State to haue a young Prince get the maistry by his sworde mediated a peace which was after concluded in a Parlement at Winchester vpon these conditions 1 That King Stephan during his naturall life should remayne King of England and Henrie inioy the Dukedome of Normandie as discended vnto him from his mother and be proclaymed heire apparent to the kingdome of England as the adopted sonne of King Stephan 2 That the partizans of either should receiue no damage but inioy their estates according to their ancient rights and titles 3 That the king should resume into his hands all such parcels of inheritance belonging to the Crowne as had beene aliened by him or vsurped in his time And that all those possessions which by intrusion had beene violently taken from the owners since the dayes of king Henry should be restored vnto them who were rightly possessed therein when the said king raigned 4 That all such Castles as had beene built by the permission of Stephan and in his time which were found to be 1117 should be demolished c. There is a Charter of this agreement in our Annals which hath other Articles of reseruation for the estates of particular persons And first for William the second sonne of Stephan to enioy all the possessions his father held before he was king of England and many other particulars of especiall note After this pacification and all businesse here setled Duke Henry returnes into Normandy and likewise there concludes a peace with the king of France and for that he would be sure to haue it buyes it with twenty thousand Markes And now king Stephan hauing attained that he neuer had Peace which yet it seemes he enioyed not a yeare after vses all the best meanes he could to repaire the ruines of the State makes his progresses into most parts of the kingdome to reforme the mischiefes that had growne vp vnder the sword and after his returne cals a Parliament at London to consult of the best meanes for the publicke good After the Parliament he goes to meete the Earle of Flanders at Douer who desired conference with him and hauing dispatcht him fals presently sicke dies within few dayes after and was buried in the Abbey he founded at Feuersham with the vnfortunate Princes A man so continually in motion as we cannot take his dimension but onely in passing and that but on one side which was war on the other we neuer saw but a glance of him which yet for the most part was such as shewed him to be a very worthy Prince for the gouernment He kept his word with the State concerning the relieuement of Tributes and neuer had Subsidie that we find But which is more remarkeable hauing his sword continually out and so many defections and rebellions against him he neuer put any great man to death Besides it is noted that notwithstanding all these miseries of warre there were more Abbaies built in his raigne then in 100. yeares before which shewes though the times were bad they were not impious The end of the third Booke Errata For the Faults committed herein Charitable Reader know they are not the Printers who hath bin honestly carefull for his part but meerly mine owne freely confessing my selfe to be more an honorer then searcher of antiquities that lie far off from vs and onely studious of the generall notions which especially concerne the succession of affaires of action which is the part I haue vndertake And therefore I trust all worthy spirits in that respect will pardon me and reforme my knowledge rather by way of conference then detraction for no man truly ingenious is malignant And if Iliue after this priuate impression which is but of a few coppies for my friends I will amend what is amisse in the publique I haue gote ouer the worst and roughest part of this worke and am now come into a more playne and open passage where I shall be better able to stand to answer for what shall be done and I trust haue more helpes of my frendes and all worthy men that are furnisht with matter of this nature whom I inuoke to assist mee and who seeing my honest ends I trust will not deny their Country the knowledge of what they haue And especially herein I rely vpon the ayde of the right worthy and well-deseruing knight Sir Robert Cotton who out of his choyce and excellent store can best furnish this worke FINIS Caes. comment libro 5. Complures sunt apud cos dominationes Strabo lib. 4. Cic. in Ep. ad Atticum vbi belli Britannici exitiâ— expectari scribit nullius ex ea spem praedae nisi ex mancipijs ait ex quibus nullos puto te literis aut musicis cruditos expectare Et lib. de Nat. Deorum paris eos cum Scithis barbaries insimulat Ingenio GalloruÌ„ partim simileis sunt partim simplicioreis magis barbari Srabo lib. 4. And it was after the subiection of Gaule that they intertayned Philosophers and physitions for publique Readings and became a schoole for those parts as we may perceiue by Strabo libro 2. Nostra aetate inquit Strabo lib. 4. Regulorum quidem Britanicorum legationibus officys amicitiam Augusti Caef. consecuti donarâ—a in Capitolio dedicarunt familiaremque Romanis totam pene insulam redigerunt And at that time it seemes by Strabo held it not worth the garding for that it would not quit the charge Camolodunum now Maldon Noticia The end of the Romans Gouerment in Britayne Anno. 447. Gildas de excidio Britaniae The State of the Saxons Vortigern is deposed Vortimer elected King of Brittayne King Arthur The seuerall entries made by the Saxons The absolute subuersion of Britayne Egbert obteyned the kingdome which by him was named EngLind Anno. 802. The discription of the Danes Alfred 872. Mat. Westm. The first furuay of the kingdome Edwardus Senior 900. Anno. 924. Edmond 940. Edred or Eldred 946. Edwin 959. Saint Edward 975. Elfred his stepmother is sayd to haue murthered him hunting in the Isle of Purbeck Ethelred 978. The originall of Dane gelt the first imposition laid vpon the kingdome The massacre of the Danes 1002. Edmond Ironside sonne to Ethelred by his first wife Ethelgina 1016. The death of King Edmond Ironside at Oxford Knute the first Danic King 1018. 1038. Harald Hardiknute 1041. The reason of the extinction of the Danes in England Anno 1043. Edward the Confessor 1043. Harald the Second 1066. Malmsbury The originall of the Normans Or Osborne The English Nobilitie forsake the kingdome Scotland before this time generally spake a Kind of Irish. Edgar Atheling submitted himselfe to King William His gouernment in peace Geruasius Tilburiensis The new Forest in Hamshire His Councellors Roger Houedew An Emperour of Germanie 2. Kings of France with their wiues a King of England and a King of Norwey went all thither in person The antiquity of Informers This Ranulph gaue a thousand pounds for his Bishopricke and was the Kings Chancellour Anno Reg. 20. Queene Maud liued not to see this disaster Anno Reg 21 His gouernment in peace The cause of Progresses The begining of Parlements The first Parlement at Salisbury Anno. Reg 15. His reformations His meanes to raise monies His Councellors His personage Presumptions 1154. He raigned 18 yeares and 10 moneths
his kingdome with exemption of all regall seruice for the seruice of God besides an annuitie of 300 markes to be bestowed in pious vses at Rome whither he went twice in person with his yongest sonne Alfred whom he especially loued and whom Pope Leo 4 annointed a King at eleuen yeares of age as if deuining of his future fortune Vpon his last iorney and whole yeares stay at Rome Aethelbald his eldest sonne combin'd with the nobilitie of the Westsaxons to keepe him out and depriue him vtterlie of his gouernment and wrought so as notwithstanding the great loue his people bare him he was brought to yeeld vp the kingdome of the Westsaxons to Aethelbald and retaine onely the kingdome of the East Angles a State of far lesse dignitie to himselfe After which raigning but two yeares Aethelbald succeeded in the whole and with great infamy marrying his fathers widow Iudith daughter to Charles le Chauue King of Fraunce enioyed it but two yeares and a halfe when Aethelred the second sonne of Aethelulph entred to the gouernment which hee held 5 yeares in continuall conflict with the Danes After whome Alfred the mirrour of Princes made a King before he had a kingdome at 22 yeres of his age and in a yeere wherin eight seuerall battailes had beene giuen to the Danes by the Saxons begane his troublous raigne wherin he was perpetually in warre either against his enimies or cls against vices First after a great danger to lose all hee was forced to yeild vp a part of the kingdome which was that of the East Angles and Northumberland to Guthrun leader of the Danes whome vpon his baptization he made his confederate and owner of that by right which before he vsurped by violence And notwithstanding all the continuall and intricate toile he indured amidst the clattering and horror of armes he performed all noble actions of peace collecting first the lawes of his predecessors and other the Kings of the Saxons as if Offa King of Merena-land and Aethelbert the first christian english King of which by the graue aduise and consent of his States assembled hee makes choice of the fittest antiquates those of no vse and ads other according to the necessitie of the time And for that the wildenes of warre by reason of these perpetual conflicts with strangers had so let out the people of the Land to vnlawfull riots and rapine that no man could trauaile without conuoy hee ordained the diuisions of shires hundreds and tithings that euery Englishman now the generall name for all the Saxons liuing legally might be of a certaine hundred or tithing out of which hee was not to remoue without securitie and out of which if he were accused of any crime hee was likewise to produce sureties for his behauiour which if hee could not finde hee was to indure the punishment of the law If any malefactor before or after hee had put in sureties escaped all the Tithing or Hundred were fined to the King by which meanes he secured trauailers and the peace of his countrie The opinion he had of learning made him often complaine the want therof imputing it amongst his greatest infortunes to haue beene bred without it and to haue his kingdome so vtterly destitute of learned men as it was through the long continuance of this barbarous warre which made him send out for such as were any way famous for letters and hauing gotten them hee both highlie preferred them and also as they doe who know not to much themselues held them in great veneration rarenes then setting a higher price on meaner parts then after plenty did on more perfections Grimbald and Scotus hee drew out of France Asser who wrote his life out of wales others from other parts he was the first lettered Prince we had in England by whose meanes and incouragement publique schooles had here either their reuiuing or beginning Those wants of his owne made him take a greater care for the education of his sonnes with whome were bred vnder most deligent masters almost all the children of the Nobilitie within his kingdome All his owne time he could cleere from other businesse hee bestowed in studie and did himselfe and caused others to translate many things in the vulgar tongue which he laboured it seemes much to adorne and especially affected the Saxon meeters whereby to glorifie that of a King hee attained the title of Poet. The naturall daie consisting of 24 howers he cast into 3 parts whereof eight he spent in prayer studie and writing eight in the seruice of his bodie and eight in the affaires of his States Which spaces hauing then no other engine for it hee measured by a great waxe light deuided into so many parts receauing notice by the keeper thereof as the seuerall howres passed in the burning With as faire an order did he proportion his reuenues equalling his liberalities to all his other expences whereof to make the current runne more certaine hee tooke a precise notice of them and made a generall suruay of the kingdome and had all the particulers of his estate registred in a booke which hee kept in his treasurie at Winchester And within this circumference of order he held him in that irregularitie of fortune with a weake disposition of bodie and raigned 27 yeares leauing his sonne Edward a worthie succestor to mainteine the lyne of noblenes thus begun by him EDward though he were farre inferiour to him in learning went much beyond him in power for he had all the kingdome of Mercna-land in possession whereof Alfred had but the homage and some write helde soueraignitie ouer the east Angles and Northumbrians though wee finde in the ioynt lawes that hee and Guthrun made together they held the same confederation fore-concluded by Alfred Hee also subdued the Britaynes in wales fortified and furnished with garrisons diuers townes in England that lay fit to preuent the incursions of the Danes and was all his raigne of 23 yeares in continuall action and euer before hand with fortune And surely his father hee and many that succeeded during this Danicque warre though they lost their ease wonne much glory and renowne For this affliction held them so in as hauing little out-lets or leisure for ease and luxury they weare made the more pious iust and carefull in their gouernment otherwise it had beene impossible to haue held out against the Danes as they did a people of that power and vndauntable stomacke as no fortune could deterre nor make to giue ouer their holde And the imbecillitie of some vnactiue Prince at that time had beene inough to haue let them quite into the whole which may be the cause that in the succession of some of these Kings were certaine ruptures made out of course in respect of their ablenes As first after the death of this renowned King Edward Senior his sonne Athelstan of full yeares and spirit was notwithstanding the bracke in his birth preferred before his legittimate sonne Edmond vnder age Nor did Athelstan disappoint the kingdome in
deliuered his country at that turne from the worst of miseries the conquest by strangers BVt now vpon the death of Ethelred whose 37 yeares raigne shewes that infelicity shall haue time too much and happinesse too little Knute was by most of the Clergie and Nobility chosen king onely the City of London with some of the Nobility thereabout made election of Edmond and furnished him with that power as thereby with the couragious ardour of his youth which commonly is most in the first attempts he had the better in three imminent battels within 3 moneths and had likewise obtained the fourth at Essendon likely to haue bene the last with the Danes but that the disloyall Edric late renouncing his new Lord seeing Edmonds part in possibility to preuaile againe betrai'd his trust withdrew himselfe and the charge he had to the enemy This fatall battell lost England here perished the best flower of honor it then had Here amongst the rest was slaine Vlkill an Earle of Essex of euer memorable worth who had long stood vp for the kingdom and in the time of Swaine was the first that shewed there was hope and possibility to quaile the enemy had there bene an vnion in loyalty From this bloudy worke Edmond escapes to Glocester to recollect new forces nor was he so forsaken with this fortune but that he soone recouered another armie to re-assaile the enemie that might be idle vpon this victorie But Knute as prouident in the prosecution of his businesse as fortunate therein makes after Here when both Armies were at the point to incounter a motion of peace was propounded Some say the two Kings by single combat consented to decide their fortunes and the ouer-commer to take all and that in an Isle of the riuer Seuern their Armies on either shore spectators of the act they tried the maistery for the prize of a kingdome After long and equall fight finding each others worth they cast away their weapons imbraced and concluded the peace But howsoeuer it seemes both sides tyred with the miserie of a consuming warre neuer like to be ended but by the vtter extirpation of the one and considering the danger of either and incertaintie of the future were easily perswaded to imbrace a present agreement which was made by parting England betwixt them two and confirm'd by Oath and Sacrament putting on each others Apparell and Armes as a ceremonic to expresse the attonement of their mindes as if they made transaction of their persons each to other Knute became Edmond and Edmond Knute A fatall exchange for so free and magnanimous a Prince as Edmond who indeede was now no more himselfe and being but halfe a king was in so few dayes after none as makes this peace shew fouler then warre for that armed him for life this exposed him naked to death which was shortly after treacherously giuen him at Oxford some say by the sonne of Edric as if to shew he would be the heire of his father also in Treason whereby both the hope and the other halfe of England were vtterly lost as determinable with his raigne which with all we haue else of his magnanimous actiōs took vp scarce the circuit of one whole yeare And yet had that bene space enough for gloric whose measure is to be taken rather by the profundity then the length which seldome holds long and euen could he haue had that cleere and better for his renowne to haue died at the battaile of Essendon with England then discended to haue made it halfe Denmarke and liue BVt by this meanes Knute attayned the absolute dominition of the whole kingdome which he gouerned with better Iustice then he got conforming his natiue roughnes to a more ciuile and regular fashion of life And to haue England see that now he was hers he sendes away his Nauie stipendary soldiers home to their countries and puts himselfe wholy vpō this people taking the way of mildnesse a better meanes for his establishment then force but the Land paid for the remuneration of his people this euacuation of Strangers 83000 pounds of siluer which it rather cōsented to do at once then to haue them a daily burthen to pester the Statefor euer At his first comming to the Crowne he sought to ridde himselfe as well of his friends as of those might proue his enemies Edric who came first to salute him sole King of England as if to tell that hee made him so hee caused his head to be set on the highest part of the Towre of London therin performing his promise of aduancing him aboue any Lord of the Land and thereby discharged himselfe of such a debt which though hee should haue paid would neuer yet be held fully cleered giuing a generall satisfaction to the people that reioyced to see Treason so iustly rewarded Like compensation had shortly after the Earles Turkil Erick who being banished the Land were executed vpon their arriuall in Denmarke But the loue and high opinion of Iustice he got in these were lost againe in those actions wherin he tooke counsell onely of his feares for the extirpation of all those of the Royall bloud of England As of Edwin and Edward the sonnes of the late King Edmond to whome apperteyned the moyetie of the kingdom by contract of Edwin his brother which three he sent to be murthered abroad to beguile the rumor at home But which is strange those times though rough afforded not yet an instrument for the execution of his desire and all these Princes were preserued and conueyed out of danger by those who should haue made them away The two last were bred by Salomon King of Hungarie where Edward suruiuing his brother maried Agatha sister to that Queene And some write daughter to the Emperour Henry 3 by whom hee had two sonnes Edmond and Edgar daughters Margaret and Christina Aelfred and Edward sonnes of King Ethelred by Emme were preserued by Richard Duke of Normandie their vnkle and so lay out of his way This priuate iniustice which often may be more in compassion then hurt to the State hee sought to recompence with all publique satisfactions repairing the naufrage of the common-wealth made by the rage of warre both in ornament and order erecting Churches and Monasteries with large patents of prouisions both for the expiation of his inmanities fore-committed and to memorize the places of his victories with his thankefulnesse to God The Constitutions Ecclesiastical and Ciuile diuulged in the language of that time testifie his tender piety and care of Iustice and are so full of religious admonitions as it seemes he held the best meanes to haue lawes obserued was to haue them first enacted in the consciences of men Amongst others hee inflicted exact punishment on all intemperances of his people and offences committed against publique manners Seuere he was but not cruell few of his lawes sanguinarie as being not the custome of the time which though rough
surnamed Atheling to say the noble Edgar either by reason of his youth which yet was no barre to his right or being borne and bred a stranger little knowing or knowne to the kingdome had his claime neglected vpon the death of this pious king ANd Harald sonne to the Earle Godwin the next day after was preferredto the Crowne whether by any title he might pretend from the Danicque kings as discended from that nation and as some report sonne to Githa sister to Swayne or by meere election of the greater part of the Nobilitie we cannot say but it seemes the pressing necessitie of the time that required a more man to vndergo the burthen of warre and that trouble the world was like to fall into by reason of the claimes now made both by the Dane and Norman cast it suddenly vpon him as the most eminent man of the kingdome both by the experience of his owne deseruings and the strength of his alliance Neither did he faile but in fortune to make good this election taking all the best courses both for the well-ordering of the State and all prouisions for defence that a politicke and actiue Prince could do But being to deale in a broken world where the affections of men were all disioynted or dasht with the terror of an approching mischiefe failing as vsually is seene in these publicke feares both in their diligence and courage to withstand it soonefound more then enough to do And the first man which began to disturbe his new gouernment was his owne yonger brother Toustayne who in the time of the late king Edward hauing the gouernment of Northumberland was for his pride and immanities shewed in those parts banished the kingdome and now by reason of his former conceiued hatred against his brother easily set on by the Duke of Normandie and Baldouin Earle of Flanders whose two daughters the Duke and he had maried assailes first the Isle of Wight and after sets vpon the coast of Kent whence he was chased by the power of Harald and forced to withdraw into the North parts and there seeking to land was likewise repulsed by the Earles Morchar and Edwyn whose sister Harald had maried Then craues he aide of the Scots and after of Harald surnamed Harfager king of Norwey being then taking in the Orchades and exercising piracie in those parts whom he induced with all his forces to inuade England And landing at Tinmouth discomfeiting their first incounters they marched into the heart of the kingdome without resistance Neere Stamford king Harald of England met them with a puissant armie and after long and eager fight ended the day with victory and the death of his brother Toustayne and the king of Norwey But from hence was he called with his wearied and broken forces to a more fatall businesse in the South For now William Duke of Normandie pretending a right to the Crowne of England by the testament of the late king Edward his kinsman vpon the aduantage of a busie time and the disfurnishment of those parts landed at Pemsey not farre from Hastings in Sussex neere to which place was tried by the great Assize of Gods iudgement in battell the right of power betweene the English and Norman Nation A battaile the most memorable of all other and howsoeuer miserably lost yet most nobly fought on the part of England and the many wounds of Harald there slaine with the heapes of thousands of the English shew how much was wrought to haue sau'd their country from the calamitie of forraine seruitude And yet how so great a kingdome as England then was could with one blow be subdued by so small a prouince as Normandy in such sort as it could neuer after come to make any generall head against the Conquerour might seeme strange did not the circumstances fore-noted and other concurrent causes in the next booke to be declared giue vs faire and probable reason thereof Besides the indisposition of a diseased time as it is described by such as liued neerest it may giue vs great euidence in this examination For they say the people of this kingdome were by their being secure from their former enemy the Dane and their long peace which had held in a manner from the death of king Edmond Ironside almost 50 yeares growne neglectiue of armes and generally debaushed with luxurie and idlenesse the Cleargie licentious and onely content with a tumultuary learning The Nobility giuen to gluttony venery and oppression the common sort to drunkennesse and all disorder And they say that in the last action of Harald at Stamford the brauest men perished and himselfe growing insolent vpon the victorie retaining the spoyles without distribution to his souldiers not inured to be commanded by martiall discipline made them discontent and vnruly and comming to this battell with many mercinary men and a discontented Army gaue great occasion to the lamentable losse thereof Besides the Normans had a peculiar fight with long bowes wherewith the English then altogether vnacquainted were especially ouerthrowne And yet their owne Writers report how the maine battallion of the English consisting of Bils their chiefe and antient weapon held in a body so close lockt together as no force could dissolue them till the Normans faining to fly drew them to a disordered pursuite And so they excuse the fortune of the day And thus my noble Lord haue I in the streightest course the vneuen compasse of Antiquitie could direct me got ouer the wide and intricate passage of those times that lay beyond the worke I purpose more particularly to deliuer The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE of the Historie of England The life of William 1. I Come now my noble Lord of Rochester to write of a time wherin the State of England receiued an alteration of lawes customes fashion manner of liuing language writing with new formes of fights fortifications buildings and generally an innouation in most thinges but Religion So that from this mutation which was the greatest it euer had wee are to beginne with a new accompt of an England more in dominion abroade more in State and ability at home and of more honour and name in the world then heretofore which by being thus vndone was made as if it were in her fate to get more by her losses then her better fortunes For as first the conquest of the Danes brought her to the intyrest Gouernment shee euer possest at home and made her most redoubted of all the kingdomes of the North so did this of the Norman by comming in vpon her make a way to let her out and stretch her mightie armes ouer the Seas into the goodly Prouinces of the South For before these times the English nation from their first establishment in this Land about the space of 500 yeares neuer made any sally out of the Isle vpon any other part of the world but busied at home in a deuided State held a broken gouernment with the Danes
cre Harald whether of purpose to ratifie some paction closely contriued betwixt them or by casualty of weather driuen into France and so same to make it seeme a iourney of purpose to the Duke is not certainely deliuered was gallantly entertained in Normandy presented with all shewes of Armes brought to Paris and there likewise feasted in that Court. And at his returne to Rouen something was concluded either in likely-hood to deuide the Kingdome betweene them or that Harald being a coast-dweller and had the strongest hand in the State should let in the Duke and doe his best to helpe him to the Crowne vpon conditions of his owne greatnesse or whatsoeuer it was promises were made and confirmed by oathes vpon the Euangelists and all the sacred Reliques at Rouen in the presence of diuers great persons Besides for more assurance Harald was fyanced to Adeliza the Dukes daughter and his brother Wolnot left a pledge for the performance This intercourse made the trans-action of the fate of England and so much was done either by King Edward or Harald though neithers act if any such were was of power to preiudice the State or alter the course of a right succession as gaue the Duke a colour to clame the Crowne by a donation made by Testament which being against the Law and Custome of the Kingdome could be of no validity at all For the Crowne being held not as Patrimoniall but in a succession by remotion which is a succeding to anothers place it was not in the power of King Edward to collate the same by any dispositine and testamentary will the right discending to the next of bloud onely by the Custome and Law of the Kingdome For the Successour is not said properly to be the heire of the King but the Kingdome which makes him so and cannot be put from it by any act of his Predecessour But this was only his clayme the right was of his owne making and no otherwise For as soone as he had heard of the death of King Edward with the Election and Coronation of Harald for they came both together hee assembles the States of Normandy and acquaints them with the right hee had to England soliciting an extention of their vtmost meanes for his recouery thereof and auengement of the periur'd Vsurper Harald shewing them apparant probability of suceesse by infallible intelligence he had from the State his strong party therein with the debility and distraction of the people What glory wealth and greatnesse it would adde to their Nation the obtayning of such a Kingdome as was thus opportunely laid open for them if they apprehended the present occasion All which remonstrances notwithstanding could enduce but very few to like of this attempt and those such who had long followed him in the warres exhausted their estates and content to runne vpon any aduenture that might promise likelyhood of aduancement The rest were of diuers opinions some that it was sufficient to hold and defend their owne country without hazarding themselues to conquer others and these were men of the best ability others were content to contribute but so sparingly as would little aduance the businesse and for the most part they were so tyred with the formerwarres and so desirous to embrace the blessing of peace as they were vnwilling to vndergoe a certaine trouble for an vncertaine good And with these oppositions or faint offers the Dukes purpose at first had so little way as did much perplex him At length seeing this protraction and difficulty in generall he deales with his neerest and most trusty friends in particular being such as hee knew affected the glory of action and would aduenture their whole estates with him As William fitz Auber Conte de Bretteuile Gnalter Guifford Earle of Logueuille Roger Signor de Beaumont with others especially his owne brothers Odo Byshop of Bayeux and Robert Earle of Mortaigne these in full assemblie hee wrought to make their offers which they did in so large a proportion and especially William fitz Auber who made the first offer to furnish forty ships with men and munition the Byshop of Bayeux 40. the Byshop of Mans. 30. and so others according or beyond their abilities as the rest of the assemblie doubting if the action succeeded without their helpe the Duke aryuing to that greatnesse would beare in minde what litle minde they shewed to aduance his desires beganne to contribute more largely The Duke finding them yeilding though not in such sort as was requisite for such a worke dealt with the Byshops and great men a part so effectually as at length he gote of them seuerally that which of alltogether he could neuer haue compassed and causing each mannes contribution to be registred inkindled such an emulation amongst them as they who lately would doe nothing now stryued who should doe most And not only wan he the people of his owne Prouinces to vndertake this action but drew by his faire perswasions and large promises most of the greatest Princes and Nobles of France to aduenture their persons and much of their estates with him as Robert fitz Haruays Duke of Orleance the Earles of Bretaigne Ponthicu Bologne Poictou Mayne Neuers Hiesms Aumal Le Signors de Tours and euen his mortall enemy Martel Earle of Aniou became to be as forward as any All which he sure could neuer haue induced had not this vertues and greatnesse gayned a wide opinion and reputation amonst them Although in these aduancements and turnes of Princes there is a concurrency of dispositions and a constitution of times prepared for it yet is it strange that so many mighty men of the French nation would aduenture their liues and fortunes to adde England to Normandie to make it more then France and so great a Crowne to a Duke who was too great for them alreadie But where mutations are destyned the counsels of men must be corrupted and there will fall out all aduantages to serue that businesse The King of France who should haue strangled this disseigne in the birth was a childe and vnder the curature of Baldouin Earle of Flanders whose daughter the Duke had married and was sure to haue rather furtherance then any opposition that way Besides to amuze that Court and dazell a yong Prince he promised faithfully if he conquered this kingdome to hold it of the King as he did the Duchie of Normandie and doe him homage for the same which would adde a great glory to that Crowne Then was hee before hand with Pope Alexander to make religion giue reputation and auowment to his pretended right promising likewise to hold it of the Apostolique Sea if he preuailed in his enterprize Wherupon the Pope sent him a Banner of the Church with an Agnus of gold and one of the hayres of Saint Peter The Emperour Hen. 4 sent him a Prince of Almayne with forces but of what name or his number is not remembred so that wee see it was not Normandie alone that subdued
vnderstanding the fire thus kindled in his owne house that had set others all in combustion hastes with forces into Normandie to haue surprized his sonne who aduertised of his comming furnisht with 2000. men at armes by the King of France lay in ambush where hee should passe sets vpon him defeited most of his people and in the pursuite hapned to incounter with himselfe whom he vnhors'd and wounded in the arme with his Launce but perceauing by his voice it was his father he hasted to remounte him humbly crauing pardon for his offence which the father seeing in what case he was granted howsoeuer he gaue and vpon his submission tooke him with him to Rouen whence after cured of his hurt hee returned with his sonne William likewise wounded in the fight into England Long was it not ere he was againe inform'd of his sonnes remutyning and how hee exacted vpon the Normans vsurpt the intire gouernment and vrged his fathers promise thereof made him before the King of France vpon his Conquest of England which caused his litle stay heere but to make preparatiōs for his returne into those parts whether in passing he was driuen on the Coast of Spaine but at length ariuing at Burdeaux with his great preparations his sonne Robert came in and submitted himselfe the second time whom hee now tooke with him into England to frame him to a better obedience imploying him in the hard and necessitous warres of Scotland the late peace beeing betweene the two Kings againe broken and after sent him backe and his yong sonne Henry with the association of charge and like power but of more trust to the gouernment of Normandie After the two Princes had beene there a while they went to visite the King of France at Conflance where feasting certaine dayes vpon an after dinner Henry wanne so much at chesse of Louis the Kings eldest sonne as he growing into choller called him the sonne of a Bastard and threw the Chesse in his face Henry takes vp the Chesse-bord and strake Louis with that force as drew bloud and had killed him had not his brother Robert come in the meane time and interposed himselfe Whereupon they suddenly tooke horse and with much adoe they recouered Pontoise from the Kings people that pursued them This quarrell arising vpon the intermeeting of these Princes a thing that seldome breeds good bloud amongst them re-inkindled a heate of more rancor in the fathers and beganne the first warre betweene the English and French For presently the King of France complots againe with Robert impatient of a partner enters Normandie and takes the Citie of Vernon The King of England inuades France subdues the Countrie of Zaintonge and Poictou and returnes to Rouen where the third time his sonne Robert is reconciled vnto him which much disappoints and vexes the King of France who thereupon summons the King of England to do him homage for the kingdome of England which he refused to do saying he held it of none but God and his sword For the Duchie of Normandie he offers him homage but that would not satisfie the King of France whom nothing would but what he could not haue the Maistery and seekes to make any occasion the motiue of his quarrell and againe inuades his territories but with more losse then profite In the end they conclude a certaine crazie peace which held no longer then King William had recouered a sicknes whereinto through his late trauaile age and corpulencie he was falne at which time the King of France then yong and lustie ieasting at his great belly whereof hee said he lay in at Rouen so irritated him as being recouered he gathers all his best forces enters France in the cheifest time of their fruites making spoile of all in his way till he came euen before Paris where the King of France then was to whom he sendes to shew him of his vp-sitting and from thence marched to the Citie of Mants which he vtterly sackt and in the distruction thereof gate his owne by the strayne of his horse among the breaches and was thence conueyed sicke to Rouen and so ended all his warres NOw for his gouernment in peace and the course he held in establishing the kingdome thus gotten first after he had represt the conspiracies in the North and well quieted all other partes of the State which now being absolutely his he would haue to be ruled by his owne law beganne to gouerne all by the Customes of Normandie Whereupon the agreeued Lordes and sadde people of England tender their humble petition beseeching him in regard of his oath made at his Coronation And by the soule of Saint Edward from whom he had the Crowne and kingdome vnder whose lawes they were borne and bred That he would not adde that miserie to deliuer them vp to be iudged by a strange law they vnderstood not And so earnestly they wrought that he was pleased to confirme that by his Charter which hee had twice fore-promised by his oath And gaue comaundement to his Iusticiaries to see those lawes of Saint Edward so called not that he made them but collected them out of Merchen-law Dane law and Westsex law to be inuiolablie obserued throughout the kingdome And yet notwithstanding this confirmation and the Charters afterward granted by Hen. 1. Hen 2. and King Iohn to the same effect there followed a generall innouation both in the lawes and gouernment of England So that this seemes rather done to acquiet the people with a shew of the continuation of their ancient customes then that they enioyed them in effect For the little conformitie betwene those lawes of former times and these that followed vpon this change of State shew from what head they sprang And though there might be some veynes issuing from foriner originals yet the mayne streame of our Comon law with the practice thereof flowed out of Normandie notwithstanding all obiections can be made to the contrary For before these collections of the Confessors there was no vniuersall law of the kingdome but euery seuerall Prouince held their owne customes all the inhabitants from Humber to Scotland vsed the Danicque law Merchland the midle part of the Countrie and the State of the West Saxons had their seuerall constitutions as being seuerall dominions And though for some few yeares there seemed to be a reduction of the Heptarchie into a Monarchie yet held it not so long together as wee may see in the succession of that broken gouernment as to setle one forme of order current ouer all but that euery Prouince according to their perticuler founders had their customes a part and held nothing in comon besides religion and the constitutions thereof but with the vniuersalitie of Meum Tuum ordered according to the rites of nations and that ius innatum the Comon law of all the world which wee see to be as vniuersall as are the cohabitations and societies of men and serues the turne to hold them together
and would not release him but vpon the graunt of three Prouinces more Also the long life of Hengist a pollitique leader of almo st 40. yeares continuance made much for the settling heere of their estate which yet they could not effect but with much trauaile and effusion of bloud For the Britaynes now made martiall by long practice and often battailes grew in the end so inraged to see their countrie surprized from vnder their feet as they sold the inheritance thereof at a very deere rate Wherein we must attribute much to the worthines of their leaders whence the spirit of a people is raised who in these their greatest actions were especially Ambrosius the last of the Romans and Arthur the noblest of Britaynes A man in force and courage aboue man and worthie to haue beene a subiect of truth to posteritie and not of fiction as legendary writers haue made him for whilst he stood he bare vp the sinking State of his countrie and is said to haue incountered with the Saxons in 12. set battailes wherein he had either victory or equall reuenge In the end himselfe ouerthrowne by treason the best men consumed in the warres and the rest vnable to resist fled into the mountaines and remote desarts of the west parts of the Isle and left all to the inuadors daily growing more and more vpon them For many principall men of Saxony seeing the happie successe and plantation heere of Hengist entred likewise on diuers coastes to get Estates for themselues with such multitudes of people as the Britaynes making head in one place were assaulted in another and euerywhere ouerwhelmed with new encreasing numbers For after Hengist had obtained the dominion of Kent which from him became to be a kingdome and Otha and Ebuse possest of all the North countries from Humber to Scotland Ella and his sonnes conquered the South-Easte parts and beganne the kingdome of the south Saxons contayning Sussex and part of Surrey Then Cerdic and his sonnes landed at Portsmouth inuaded the South and west parts and beganne the kingdome of the west Saxons which after contayned the countries of Hamsheire Berkesheire Wiltshire Dorcetshire Somersetshire and Deuonshire And about the same time Vffa inuaded the North cast parts and beganne the kingdome of the East Angles conteyning Northfolke Suffolke Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Eley Erkenwin beganne the kingdome of the East Saxons contayning Essex Middlesex and a part of Hertfordshire Hauing thus in a manner surrounded the best of the whole State of Britayne they after inuaded the inner middle part And Cridda beganne the kingdome of Mercna-land or middle Angels conteyning Lincolnshire North-hamptonshire Huntingdonshire Rutlandshire Bedford Buckinghā Oxfordshire Chesshire Derbie Nottingham and Staffordshire with part of the shires of Hereford Hartford Warwicke Shropshire Lancaster and Gloucestershire And with all these Princes and leaders before they could establish their dominions the Britaines so desperately grappled as plant they could not but vpon distruction and dessolation of the whole countrie wherof in the end they extinguished both the religion lawes language and all with the people and name of Britaine Which hauing beene so long a Prouince of great honour and benefit to the Roman Empire could not but partake of the magnificence of their goodly structures Thermes Aquaductes High wayes and all other their ornaments of delight ease and greatnesse which all came to be so vtterly razed and confounded by the Saxons as there is not left standing so much as the ruynes to point vs where they were for they being a people of a rough breeding that would not be taken with these delicacies of life seemed to care for no other monuments but of earth and as borne in the field would build their fortunes onely there Witnesse so many Intrenchments Mounts and Borroughs raised for tombes and defences vpon all the wide champions and eminent hils of this Isle remayning yet as the characters of the deepe scratches made on the whole face of our country to shew the hard labour our Progenitors endured to get it for vs. Which generall subuersion of a State is very seeldome seene Inuasion and deuastation of Prouinces haue often beene made but in such sort as they continued or recouered with some commixtion of their owne with the generation of the inuadors But in this by reason of the vicinage and innumerous populacie of that nation transporting hither both sexes the incompatibility of Paganisme Christianitie with the immens bloud shed on both sides wrought such an implacable hatred as but one must possesse all The conquest made by the Romans was not to extirpate the nation but to maister it The Danes which afterward inuaded the Saxons made onely at the first depredations on the coast and therewith for a time contented themselues When they grew to haue further interest they sought not the subuersion but a community and in the end a soueraigntie of the State matching with the weomen they heere found bringing few of their owne with them The Normans dealt the like with the Prouince of Nuestria in France and after they had the dominion and what the victorie would yeeld them in England were content to suffer the people heere to haue their being intermatched with them and so grew in short space into their bodie But this was an absolute subuersion and concurred with the vniuersall mutation which about that time happened in al these parts of the world whereof there was no one country or Prouince but chaunged boundes inhabitants customes language and in a manner all their names For vpon the breaking vp of the Roman Empire first deuided into two and then by faction disioynted in each part imploying the forces of many strange nations to fortifie their sides were made so wide ruptures in the North and North East boundes of that Empire as there burst out infinite streames of strange people that ouer-ranne and laide open the world againe to libertie other formes and lymits of State wherupon followed all these transmigratiōs shiftings of people from one countrey to another The Francs and Burgognons dispossest the Gaules and gaue the names of France and Burgogne to their Prouince The Gaules transplanted themselues on some coastes of Spaine where they could finde or make their habitation and of them had Gallicia and Portugall their names The Hunnes and Auari subdued Pannonia and there to gaue the name of Hungarie The Longbeardes a people of Germany bordering vpon the Saxons entred Italie got the greatest part therof and left there their name to a principall Prouince remayning to this daie The Gothes and Vandales miserably afflicted the rest sackt Rome and after subdued peopled and possest Spaine So that it was not in the fate of Britayne alone to be vndone but to perish almost with the generall dissolution of other States which hapned about the same age Wherefore wee are now heere to beginne with a new Bodie of people with a new State and gouernment of
Cleargie who then were of great and eminent power in the kingdome and might much preuaile with the people But the English Nobilitie incompatible of these new concurrents found notwithstanding such a disproportion of grace and darkning of their dignities by the interposition of so many as must needes lessen their splendour that many of the cheifest doubting to be more impayred in honor and estate conspired together and fled some into Scotland and some into Denmarke to trie if by aid from abroad they might recouer themselues and their lost fortunes againe at home Amongst which the cheife was Edgar Atheling termed Englands Dearling which shewed the peoples zeale to his bloud who with his mother Agatha and his two sisters Margaret and Christin intending to retire into Hungarie their natiue Country were driuen by tempest on the coast of Scotland where they were with all Hospitable comfort interteyned by Malcolin 3. whose former suffrings in his exile had taught him to compassionate others like distresses and whom it concerned now to looke to his owne his neighbours house being thus on fire and to foster a partie against so dangerous an in-commer that was like to thrust them all out of dore Which induced him not only to entertayne this Prince dispossest of his right but to enter league with him for the publique safetie And to inchaine it the stronger he takes to wife Margaret the sister of Edgar a Ladie indued with all blessed vertues by whom the bloud of our auncient Kings was preserued and conioyned with the Norman in Hen. 2. and so became English againe Vnto Edgar in Scotland repaired the Earles Edwin and Morchar Hereward Gospatric Siward with others and shortly after Stigand and Aldred Arch-byshops with diuers of the clergie who in the third yeare of this Kings raigne raised very great commotions in the North beyond Humber and wrought most egarly to recouer their lost Countrie but being now to late and the occasion not taken before the settling of the gouern ment whilst it was new and branling they preuailed nothing but gaue aduantage to the conquerour to make himselfe more then he was For all conspiracies of subiects if they succeede not aduaunce the soueraigntie and nothing gaue roote to the Norman planting here more then the petty reuolts made by discattred troupes in seuerall parts begunne without order and followed without resolution whereas nothing could be done for a generall recouery but by a generall sulleuation of the people for which all wary preuention was vsed and they had waytes enough laid on to hold them downe And though these Lordes imbroiled themselues and held him doing in the North yet hee hauing all the South parts setled vnder his domination with well practized and prepared forces there could be litle hope of good whilst all their great estates furnisht the Normans both in state and meanes to ruyne them The Earledome and all the Landes which Edwyn held in Yorkeshire were giuen to Alain Earle of Britayne kinsman to the Conqueror The Arch-byshopricke of Canterburie conferd on Lanfranc Abbot of Caen. That of Yorke on Thomas his Chapline and all the rest both of the Clergie and others which were out had their places within supplied by Normans And after King William had appeased a commotion in the West which the sonnes of Harrald with forces out of Ireland had raised and also repressed the rebellions of Excester and Oxford hee takes his iorney in person Northward with all expedition least the enemy there should grow too high in heart and opinion vpon the great slaughter of his people made at Yorke and the defeiture of his Brother Leiuetenant Robert Earle of Mortaigne slaine with 700. Normans at Durham where at his first comming he so wrought that he either discomfeited or corrupted the generalls of the Danicque forces newly arriued to aid the Lords andsent by Swayn King of Denmarke vnder the conduct of his two sons Harrald and Knute with a Nauie of 300. saile and after sets vpon the army of the Lords weakened both in strength and hope by this departure of their confederates and puts them to slight Which done hee vtterly wasted and laid desolate all that goodly Countrie betweene Yorke and Durham the space of 60. myles that it might be no more a succour to the enemy And the like course he vsed on all the Coastes where any apt landings lay for inuasions and so returnes to London Most of the Lords after this great defeit came in vpon publique faith giuen them and were conducted to Barkehamsted by the Abbot Fredricke where vpon their submission and oath of allegeance retaken they had their pardon and restitution of grace graunted by the King who it seemes was so willing to acquiet them that againe he takes his personall oath before the Arch-byshop Lanfranck and the Lords to obserue the auncient lawes of the Realme established by his Noble predecessors the Kings of England and especially those of Saint Edward Whereupon these stormy dispositions held calme a while But long it was not ere many of these Lords whether vpon intelligence of new hopes from Edgar who was still in Scotland or growne desperate with new displeasures at home finding small performance of promises made rupture of oath all other respects and brake out againe The Earle Edwyn making towardes Scotland was murthered by his owne people The Lords Morchar Hereward betooke them to the Isle of Eley meaning to make good that place for that winter whether also repaired the Earle Syward and the Byshop of Durham out of Scotland But the King who was no tyme-giuer vnto growing dangers beset all the Isle with flat boates on the East and made a bridge of two miles long on the West and safely brought in his people vpon the enemy who seeing themselues surprized yeilded all to the Kings mercy except Hereward who desperatly marched with his people through the Fennes and recouered Scotland The rest were sent to diuers prisons where they dyed or remayned during the Kings life Those Lords who persisted loyall vpon this last submission were all imployed and well graced with the King as Edric the Forester and first that rebelled in his raigne was held in cleere trust and neere about him Gospatrice he made Earle of Northumberland and sent him against Malcolin who in this time subdues the Countries of Tisdall Cleueland and Comberland Waltheof sonne to the Earle Syward he held so worthie to be made his as he married him to his neece Iudith though hee had beene a principall actor in the Northerne commotion and in defending the Citie of Yorke against him is said to haue striken off the heades of diuers Normans one by one as they entered a breach to the admiration of all about him shewing therin that true touch of the noblest nature to loue vertue euen in his enemies And now seeing Scotland to be the especiall retrayt for all conspirators and discontented in his kingdome yeilding them continuall succour and assistance
and where his competitor Edgar liued to beget and nurse perpetuall matter for their hopes and at hand for all aduantages he enters that kingdome with a puissant Army which incountring with more necessities then forces soone grew tired and both Kings considering of what difficulties the victorie would consist were willing to take the safest way to there endes and vpon faire ouertures to conclude a peace Articling for the boundes of each kingdome with the same title of dominion as in former times All delinquents and their partakers generally pardoned Heere with the vniuersall turne of alteration thus wrought in England Scotland being a part of the bodie of this Isle is noted to haue likewise had a share and as in the Court of England the French tongue became generally spoken so in that of Scotland did the English by reason of the multitude of this Nation attending both the Queene and her brother Edgar and daily repairing thither for their safetie and combination against the common enemie of whom diuerse abandoning their natiue distressed Country were by the bountie of that King preferred and there planted spread their off-spring into many noble families remaining to this day The titles for distinguishing degrees of honour as of Duke Marquesse Earle Baron Rider or Knight were then as is thought first introduced and the nobler sort began to be called by the title of their Signories according to the French manner which before bare the name of their Father with the addition of Mac after the fashion of Ireland Other innouations no doubt entred there likewise at the opening of this wide mutation of ours fashion and imitation like weedes easily growing in euery soile Shortly after this late made peace Edgar Etheling voluntarily came in and submitted himselfe to the King being then in Normandy and was restored to grace and a faire maintenance which held him euer after quiet And it made well at that time for the fortune of the King howsoeuer for his owne being thought to haue ill-timed his affaires either through want of seasonable intelligence or dispaire of successe in making too soone that submission which was latter or neuer to haue bene done For in this absence of the King Roger fits Auber the yong Earle of Hereford contrary to his expresse commaundement gaue his sister in marriage to Ralph Waher Earle of Northfolke and Suffolke and at the great solemnization thereof the two Earles conspired with Eustace Earle of Boloigne who secretly came ouer to this festiuall and with the Earle Waltheof and other English Lords to call in the Danes and by maine power to keepe out and dispossesse the King Who hauing thus passed ouer so many gulfes of forraine dangers might little imagine of any wracke so neere home and that those whom he had most aduanced should haue the especiall hand in his destruction But no rewards are benefits that are not held so nor can euer cleere the accounts with them that ouer-value their merits And had not this conspiracie bene opportunely discouered which some say was by the Earle Waltheof moued with the vglinesse of so foule an ingratitude they had put him againe to the winning of England But now the fire bewrayed before it flamed was soone quenched by the diligence of Odon the Kings Vice-gerent the Bishop of Worcester and others who kept the conspirators from ioyning their forces So that they neuer came to make any head but were either surprized or forced to flie The Earle Roger fitz Auber was taken and some say executed and so was shortly after the Earle Waltheof whose dissent from the act could not get him pardon for his former consent though much compassion in respect of his great worthinesse But the wide distent of these tumors fed from many secret veines seemed to be of that danger as required this extremity of cure especially in a part so apt for infection vpon any the like humors For this conspiracie seemes to take motion from a generall league of all the neighbour Princes here about as may well be gathered by their seuerall actions First in the King of France by defending Dole in Britaigne a Castle of Raph de Waher against the King of England and in likelihood imploying the Earle of Boloigne towards the conspirators In Swayne King of Denmarke by sending a Nauy of two hundreth saile vnder the conduct of his sonne Knut and others In Drone King of Ireland by furnishing the sonnes of Harald with 65 ships In Malcoline and the Kings of Wales by their readinesse to assist But the Danes being on the coast and hearing how their confederates had sped with the great preparations the king had made after some pillage taken vpon the shores of England and Flanders returned home and neuer after arriued to disturbe this land Though in Anno Reg. 19. Knute then king of Denmarke after the death of Swaine intending to repaire the dishonour of his two last aduentures past and put for the Crowne of England his predecessors had holden prepared a Nauie of a thousand saile and was aided with sixe hundreth more by Robert le Frison Earle of Flanders whose daughter he had maried But the winds held so contrary for two yeares together as vtterly quasht that enterprize and freed the king and his successors for euer after from future molestation that way But this businesse put the State to an infinit charge the king entertaining all that time besides his Normans Hugh brother to the king of France with many companies of French Finding the English in respect of many great families allied to the Danes to incline rather to that nation then the Norman and had experience of the great and neere intelligence continually passing betweene them And these were all the warres he had within the kingdome sauing in Anno Regni 15. he subdued Wales and brought the kings there to do him homage His warres abroad were all about his dominions in France first raised by his owne sonne Robert left Lieftenant gouernour of the Duchy of Normandy the Countie of Mayne who in his fathers absence tasting the glorie of commaund grew to assume the absolute rule of the Prouince causing the Barons there to doe him homage as Duke not as Lieftenant and leagues him with the King of France who working vpon the easinesse of his youth and ambition was glad to apprehend that occasion to disioynct his estate who was growen too great for him And the profuse largesse and disorderlie expence whereto Robert was addicted is nourished by all wayes possible as the meanes to imbrake him in those difficulties of still getting money that could not but needes yeild continuall occasion to intertayne both his owne discontent and theirs from whom his supplies must be raised And though therby he purchased him the title of Courtois yet he lost the opinion of good gouernment and constrayned the estates of Normandie to complaine to his father of the great concussion and violent exactions he vsed amongst them The King
their Lords by their obsequious seruice or agreed for by any lawfull pact they should hold by an inuiolable law during their owne liues The next great worke after the ordering his lawes was the raising and disposing of his reuenues taking a course to make and know the vtmost of his estate by a generall suruey of the kingdome whereof he had a president by the Dome booke of Winchester taken before by king Alfride But as one day informes another so these actions of profit grew more exact in their after practise and a larger Commission is graunted a choice of skilfuller men imployed to take the particulars both of his owne possessions and euery mans else in the kingdome the nature and the quality of their lands their estates and abilities besides the descriptions bounds and diuisions of Sheires and Hundreds and this was drawne into one booke and brought into his treasurie then newly called the Exchequer according to the soueraigne court of that name of Normandy before termed here the Talee and it was called the Dome booke Liber iudiciarius for all occasions concerning these particulars All the Forests and Chases of the kingdom he seized into his proper possession and exempted them from being vnder any other law then his owne pleasure to serue as Penetralia Regum the withdrawing chambers of kings to recreate them after theirserious labours in he State where none other might presume to haue to do and where all punishments and pardons of delinquents were to be disposed by himselfe absolutely and all former customes abrogated And to make his commaund the more he increased the number of them in all parts of the Land and on the South coast dispeopled the country for aboue thirty miles space making of old inhabited possessions a new Forest inflicting most seuere punishments for hunting his Deere and thereby much aduances his reuenues An act of the greatest concussion and tyranny he committed in his raigne and which purchased him much hatred And the same course held almost euery king neere the Conquest till this heauie grieuance was allayed by the Charter of Forests granted by Henry 3. Besides these he imposed no new taxations on the State and vsed those he found very moderately as Dangelt an imposition of two shillings vpon euery hide or plough-land raised first by king Ethelred to bribe the Danes after to warre vpon them he would not haue it made an Annuall payment but onely taken vpon vrgent occasion and it was seldome gathered in his time or his successors saith Geruasius yet we find in our Annals a taxe of 6. shil vpon euery hide-land leauied presently after the generall surucy of the kingdome Escuage whether it were an imposition formerly laide though now newly named I do not find was a summe of money taken of euery Knights fee In after times especially raised for the seruice of Scotland And this also saith Geruasius was seldome leauied but on great occasion for stipends and donatiues to souldiers yet was it at first a due reserued out of such lands as were giuen by the Prince for seruice of warre according to the custome of other nations As in the Romans time we find lands were giuen in reward of seruice to the men of warre for terme of their liues as they are at this day in Turkey After they became Patrimoniall hereditarie to their children Seuerus the Emperor was the first who permitted the children of men of warre to inioy their Fiefs prouided that they followed Armes Constantine to reward his principall Captaines grāted them a perpetuity in the lands assigned them The estates which were but for life were made perpetuall in France vnder the last kings of the race of Charlemaine Those Lords who had the great Fiefs of the king sub-deuided them to other persons of whom they were to haue seruice Mulctuary profits besides such as might arise by the breach of his Forest-lawes he had few or none new vnlesse that of Murther which arose vpon this occasion In the beginning of his raigne the rankor of the English towards the new-come Normans was such as finding them single in woods or remote places they secretly murthered them and the deed doers for any the seuerest courses taken could neuer be discouered whereupon it was ordained that the Hundred wherein a Norman was found slaine and the Murtherer not taken should be condemned to pay to the king some 36 pounds some 28 pounds according to the quantity of the Hundred that the punishment being generally inflicted might perticularly deterre them and hasten the discouery of the malefactor by whom so many must otherwise be interessed For his prouisionary reuenues he continued the former custome held by his predecessors which was in this manner The kings Tenants who held their lands of the Crowne paid no money at all but onely Victuals Wheate Beifes Muttons Hay Oates c. and a iust note of the quality and quantity of euery mans ratement was taken throughout all the Sheires of the kingdome and leauied euer certaine for the maintenance of the kings house Other ordinarie in-come of ready moneys was there none but what was raised by mulcts and out of Cities and Castles where Agriculture was not vsed What the Church yeelded him was by extent of a power that neuer reached so farre before and the first hand he layd vpon that side which weighed heauily was his seizing vpon the Plate Iewels and Treasure within all the Monasteries of England pretending the rebels and their assistants conueyed their riches into these religious houses as into places priuiledged and free from seizure to defraud him thereof Besides this he made all Bishoprickes and Abbeys that held Barronies before that time free from all secular seruices contributary to his warres and his other occasions And this may be the cause why they who then onely held the Pen the Scepter that rules ouer the memory of kings haue laide such an eternall imposition vpon his name of rigour oppression and euen barbarous immanity as they haue done When the nature and necessary disposition of his affaires being as he was may aduocate and in many things much excuse his courses But this name of Conquest which euer imports violence and misery is of so harsh a sound and so odious in nature as a people subdued cannot giue a Conquerour his due how euer worthy and especially to a stranger whom onely time must naturalize and incorporate by degrees into their liking and opinion And yet therein this king was greatly aduantaged by reason of his twenty yeares gouernment which had much impaired the memory of former customes in the yonger sort and well inured the elder to the present vsances and forme of State whereby the rule was made more easie to his sonnes who though they were farre inferior to him in worth were somwhat better beloued then he and the rather for that their occasions made them somewhat to vnwrest the Soueraignty from that height whereunto he had strayned it How he