made a stiffe stand redoubled vpon the English and pressing on with a furie equall to their fauourable fortune with a cruell butchery brake into them On the other side it is scarce credible with what strength both of courage and hand the English euen in despight of death sustained themselues in this disorder drawing into small squadrons and beating downe their enemies on euery hand being resolued to sell their liues with their place But a mischiefe is no mischiefe if it comes alone Besides this disaduantage of disarray the shot of the Normans did continually beate vpon the English with a grieuous execution Among other King Harold about the closing of the euening as he was busie in sustaining his armie both with voyce and with hand was strooke with an arrow through the left eye into his braines of which wound hee presently died His two brothers Girth and Leofwine were also slaine and also most of the nobilitie that were present So long as the King stood they stood stoutly both with him and for him and by him his directions supported them his braue behauiour breathed fresh boldnesse and life into them But his death was a deadly stabbe to their courage vpon report of his death they began to wauer in resolution whether to trust to the force of their armes or to commend their safetie to their good footemanship In this incertainty many were slaine Many retired in reasonable order to a rising ground whither they were closely followed by the Normans but the English hauing gotten aduantage of the place and drawing courage out of despaire with a bloody charge did driue them downe Count Eustachius supposing fresh forces to be arriued fled away with fiftie Souldiers in his company and meeting with the Duke rounded him secretly in his eare that if hee went any further hee was vndone Whilest he was thus speaking hee was strooke betweene the shoulder with so violent a blowe that he fell downe as dead and voided much blood at his nose and mouth In this conflict many of the noblest Normans were slaine which mooued the Duke to make a strong ordered stand giuing libertie therby for those English to retire Others fled through a watery channell the passages whereof were well knowen vnto them and when the Normans did more sharpely then aduisedly pursue the place being shadowed partly with Sedges and Reedes and partly with the night they were either stifled in the waters or easily destroyed by the English and that in so great numbers that the place was filled vp with dead bodies The residue scattered in smaller companies and had their flight fauoured by increasing darkenesse the enemie not aduenturing to follow both in a strange Countrey and in the night Earle Edwine and Earle Morcher brothers of approoued both courage and faith did great seruice at that time in collecting these dispersed Troupes and leading them in some fashion to London Duke William surprised with Ioy gaue publike charge for a solemne thanksgiuing to God Then he erected his pauilion in the middest of the field among the thickest of those bodies whom death had made to lie quietly together There he passed the residue of that night and the next morning mustered his souldiers buried those that were slaine and gaue libertie to the English to do the like The bodie of King Harold could not be knowen by his face it was so deformed by death and by his wound by his armour and by certaine markes vpon his body it was knowen As it lay vpon the ground a Norman Souldier did strike it into the legge with his sword for which vnmanly acte he was cassed by the Duke with open disgrace It was caried into the Dukes Pauilion vnder the custodie of William Mallet And when his mother made suite for it to bee buried the Duke denied it at the first affirming that buriall was not fit for him whose ambition was the cause of so many Funerals The mother besides her lamentations and teares offered for it as one Norman writer affirmes the weight thereof in gold But the Duke with a manly compassion gaue it freely as holding it dishonourable both to value the bodie of a King and make sale of a slaine enemie So his body was buried by his mother at Waltham Crosse within the monasterie which hee had founded Verely there was nothing to be blamed in him but that his courage could not stoupe to be lower then a King I haue been the more long in describing this battel for that I esteem it the most memorable and best executed that euer was fought within this land as well for skilfull direction as for couragious performance and also for the greatnesse of the euent The fight continued with very great both constancie of courage and variety of fortune from seuen of the clocke in the morning vntill night Of the Normans were slaine 6000. and more besides those that were drowned and beaten downe in the water The slaughter of the English is vncertainely reported but certainely it was farre greater then that of the Normans Certaine also that their death was most honourable and faire not any one basely abandoning the fielde not any one yeelding to bee taken prisoner And yet one circumstance more I hold fit to bee obserued that this victory was gotten onely by the meanes of the blowe of an arrow The vse whereof was by the Normans first brought into this land Afterward the English being trained to that fight did thereby chiefly maintaine themselues with honourable aduantage against all nations with whom they did contend in armes being generally reputed the best shot in the world But of late yeeres it hath bene altogether layed aside and in stead thereof the harquebuze and calliuer are brought into vse yet not without contradiction of many expert men of Armes who albeit they doe not reiect the vse of these small pieces yet doe they preferre the Bow before them First for that in a reasonable distance it is of greater both certainty and force Secondly for that it dischargeth faster Thirdly for that more men may discharge therewith at once for onely the first rancke dischargeth the piece neither hurt they any but those that are in front but with the bow 10. or 12. rancks may discharge together and will annoy so many ranckes of the enemies Lastly for that the arrow doeth strike more parts of the body for in that it hurteth by discent and not onely point blancke like the bullet there is no part of the body but it may strike from the crowne of the head euen to the nayling of the foot to the ground Hereupon it followeth that the arrowes falling so thicke as haile vpon the bodies of men as lesse fearefull of their flesh so more slenderly armed then in former times must necessarily worke most dangerous effects Besides these generall respects in many particular seruices and times the vse of the Bow is of greatest aduantage If some defence lye before the enemy the arrow may strike where the bullet
were amongst them and to cast downe the Castles erected in their Countrey as the principall yoakes of their subiection Afterwards rising in boldnesse with successe they made diuers incursions vpon the bordering parts of England spoiled the Citie of Glocester and exercised all those outrages which vnciuill people incensed both with want and with hate doe not vsually omit But being a company neither in discipline nor pay raw and vnarmed they proceeded more like to robbers then to Souldiers hauing no intention to vanquish but to spoile Hereupon the King twice in person inuaded Wales but with small shew of successe for the present For the Welsh-enemies scattered the warre by diuiding themselues into small companies and retiring into the mountaines and woods and other places of naturall defence Here they trauailed the King with a fugitiue fight flying when they were pursued and houering vpon him when they were giuen ouer cutting off many stragling souldiers and taking some carriages which in those rough places could not easily either be passed or defended And so by shifting alwayes into places of aduantage they sought at one time both to auoyd fighting and to hinder the King from doing any thing of importance At the last the King hauing made sufficient proofe how vaine it is to follow a light footed enemie with a heauie Armie pestered with traine of carriage in places where the seruice of horsemen is almost vnprofitable he gaue ouer the pursuit and retired into England But first he repaired those Castles which the Welsh had destroyed and built new Castles also vpon the frontiers and within the bosome of Wales which he furnished with so sure garrisons as might suffice with fauour of opportunitie either to weary or consume the enemies And indeed the Welsh being by this meanes alwayes exercised and dayly wasted declined in short time no lesse to cowardise then to wearinesse and wants so as Hugh Earle of Chester Hugh Earle of Shrewesbury dispossessed them of the Isle of Anglesey which they had surprised not long before The Welsh that were there taken were very hardly or rather vnmercifully and cruelly entreated Some had their eyes pulled out some their hands cut off some their armes some their noses some their genitalles An aged Priest named Kenredus who had bene a chiefe directer of the common affaires was drawne out of a Church whereinto he had fled had one of his eyes pulled out and his tongue torne from his throat I make no doubt but these seuerities were vsed against them vpon some sauage outrages which they had done wherein the lesse compassion was borne to their calamities for the cowardise which they shewed in their owne defence Shortly after Magnus King of Norway the sonne of Olaus the sonne of Harold Harfager hauing brought the Isles of Orkeney vnder his dominion subdued also from the Welsh the Isle of Man and enterprised vpon the Isle of Anglesey against the English But at his landing he was encountred by the Earle of Shrewsbury and the Earle of Chester in which fight the Norwegians were vanquished and repelled but the Earle of Shrewsbury with too braue boldnesse lost his life leauing his honourable both actions and end as an excellent ornament to his posteritie Afterwards the Earle of Chester led an armie into Wales and found the people so consumed by the English garisons that he easily reduced many to professe obedience to the Crowne of England and disabled others hauing no leaders of experience and valour for shewing their faces as enemies in the field Also vpon some variances which did rise betweene Iustinus sonne to Gurguntus Earle of Glamorgane and Morganock and Rhesus sonne to Theodore Prince of Southwales Iustinus not of power to maintaine either his right or his will sent Aeneas sonne to Genidorus sometimes Lord of Demetia to craue aide in England This he obtained not onely readily but in greater measure then the seruice did require Robert Fitzhamond was generall Commander of the English armie who encountred Rhesus at a place called Blackhill and in that fight Rhesus was slaine after whose death the name of King ceased in Wales Then Iustinus failing and happily not able to performe such conditions as in necessitie hee had assured Fitzhamond turned his forces against him chased the Welsh out of the champaine Countrey and diuided the same among his principall Gentlemen These erected Castles in places conuenient for their mutuall ayde and so well defended themselues that they left the Countrey to their posterity Thus was the Lordship of Glamorgane and Morganock which conteineth 27. miles in length 22. in bredth subdued to the English giuing example how dangerous it is for any people to call in a greater force of strangers to their ayde then being victorious they may easily be able to limit and restraine This being a Lordship marcher hath enioyed royall liberties since the time wherein it was first subdued It hath acknowledged seruice and obedience onely to the Crowne It hath had the triall of all actions as well reall as personall and also held Pleas of the Crowne with authority to pardon all offences Treason onely excepted Whilest the King was entertained with these chases rather then warres in Wales hee lay at Gloucester many times as not esteeming that his presence should alwayes be necessary and yet not farre off if occasion should require To this place Malcolme King of Scots came vnto him vpon an honourable visitation But the King hauing conceiued some displeasure against him refused to admit him to his presence Hereupon King Malcolme full of fury and disdaine returned into Scotland assembled an armie enuaded Northumberland harrased and spoyled a great part thereof hauing done the like foure times before Such is the heate of hate in mindes that are mighty who seldome hold it any breach of Iustice to bee reuenged of him who offereth dishonor When he was come neere to Alnewicke and his souldiers were much pestered with prey a notable impediment both for readinesse and resolution to fight hee was set vpon both suddenly and sharply by Robert Mowbray Earle of Northumberland his troupes hewen in pieces himselfe together with his eleest sonne Edward slaine The third day ensuing Margaret wife to King Malcolme and sister to Edgar Adeling not able to beare so sad and heauie a blow of fortune ended also her life Shee was famous for pietie and for modestie two excellent endowments of that Sexe By her perswasion Malcolme made a law that whereas by a former law made by King Eugenius the Lord enioyed the first night with any new married woman within his dominion the husband might redeeme that abuse by paiment of halfe a mark of siluer King Malcolme being slaine Dunwald his brother vsurped the kingdome but after a few dayes he was dispossessed thereof by Duncane bastard son to K. Malcolme In this action Duncane was chiefly supported by the King of England with whom he had remained in hostage and to whom hee had made his submission by oath
setled in a certaine course of succession because the dignitie is inherent in the blood of that stocke because it is not taken from the father but from the ancestors because it is not taken onely from the ancestors but from the fundamentall law of the State the eldest sonne shall indistinctly succeede although hee were borne before his father was King And therefore after the kingdome of Persia had been caried by succession in some descents when Darius the King had foure sonnes Artaxerxes the eldest Cyrus the next and two others Parysates the wife of Darius hauing a desire that Cyrus should succeede in the kingdome alleaged in his behalfe the same reason wherewith Xexes had preuailed before to wit that shee had brought foorth Artaxerxes to Darius when hee was in priuate state but Cyrus was borne to him when he was a King Yet Plutarch affirmeth that the reason which she vsed was nothing probable and that Artaxerxes the eldest sonne was appointed to be King And so Blondus and Ritius doe report that Bela the King of Hungarie being dead Geysa succeeded although borne vnto him before he was a King Others inferiour in number but not in weight of Iudgement do affirme that whether a Kingdome be setled in succession or whether by any other title newly attained the right to succeed by all true grounds of law pertaineth to the eldest sonne albeit borne before his fathers aduancement to the kingdome in case there be no expresse law of the state to the contrary The principall reason is because this is the nature of all successions by way of inheritance For if a father purchaseth lands leases cattell or other goods the inheritance shall bee transmitted to his eldest sonne although borne before the purchase Likewise if a father be aduanced to any title of honour as Duke Earle Marquesse c. it was neuer I will not say denied but once doubted but that the eldest sonne should succeede in the same albeit he was borne before the aduancement And therefore seeing this is the generall rule of all other inheritable successions and there is no reason of singularitie in a kingdome it followeth that in like case the succession of a kingdome should also descend to the eldest sonne although borne before the kingdome were atchieued Againe the sonne who was borne before his father was a King had once a right to succeede in the kingdome for if another sonne had not afterwards beene borne without all question hee should haue succeeded But a right which a man by his owne person hath acquired albeit in some cases it may be diminished yet can it not bee altogether extinguished by any externall or casuall euent which hath no dependencie vpon himselfe And so the right which the eldest sonne hath to his fathers inheritance may bee diminished by the birth of other children in regard of those goods which are to bee distributed in parts among them but it cannot possibly be extinguished Neither can it bee diminished in those things which are not of nature to bee either valued or diuided of which sort a Kingdome is the chiefe but doe passe entirely vnto one For the right of blood which onely is regarded in lawfull successions is acquired and held from the natiuitie of the childe and doth not begin at the fathers death at which time the inheritance doth fall Lastly if it be true in sonnes that he shal succeede in a kingdome who is first borne after the father is exalted to bee a King then is it true also in other remote degrees of consanguinitie And hereby it should often happen that when a King dieth without issue of his body they who are not onely inferiour in age but more remote in degree should exclude both the elder and the neerer in blood because perhaps borne after the kingdome was attained which is against all lawes of lawfull succession Howsoeuer the right standeth Henry the yonger brother to King William Rufus vpon aduantage of the absence of Duke Robert his eldest brother formed this title to the Crowne of England In which pretence he was strongly supported first by a generall inclination of the common people for that he had both his birth and education within the Realme and they were well perswaded of his good nature and disposition Secondly by the fauour and trauaile of many of the nobilitie especially of Henry Neuborow Earle of Warwicke Thirdly for that the sailes of popular fauours are filled most violently with reports by his giuing forth that his brother Robert intended neuer to returne for that he was elected King of Hierusalem and of all those large Countreys in Asia which the Christians had lately wrung out of the Saracens hands Lastly by vsing celeritie the very life of actions for he was Crowned at Westminster as it hath bene said vpon the fifth day of August in the yeere 1100. which was the third day after his brothers death In person he was both stately and strong tall broad brested his limmes fairely fourmed well knit and fully furnished with flesh He was exceeding both comely and manly in countenance his face wel fashioned his colour cleere his eyes liuely and faire his eye-browes large and thicke his haire blacke and somewhat thinne towards his forehead He was of an excellent wit free from ostentation his thoughts high yet honourable and iust in speach ready and eloquent much graced with sweetnesse of voyce In priuate he was affable open wittily pleasant and very full of merrie simplicitie in publicke he looked with a graue Maiestie as finding in himselfe cause to be honoured He was brought vp in the studie of Liberall Arts at Cambridge where he attained that measure of knowledge which was sufficient both for ornament and vse but ranne not into intemperate excesse either for ostentation or for a cloake to vnprofitable expense of time By his example the yong Nobilitie of the Realme began to affect a praise for learning Insomuch as at a certaine enteruiew betweene the King and Pope Innocent the 2. the sonnes of Robert Earle of Mellent maintained open disputations against diuers Cardinals and Chapleines of the Pope He was an exact esteemer of himselfe not so much for his strength as for his weakenesses lesse inclined to confidence then to distrust and yet in weighty affaires resolute and firme neuer dismaied and alwayes fortunate his spirits being of force to oppose against any sort of difficulties or doubts Extremities made him the more assured and like a well knit Arch hee then lay most strong when hee sustained the greatest weight Hee was no more disposed to valour then well setled in vertue and goodnes which made his valour of more precious valuation He had good command ouer his passions and thereby attained both peace within himselfe and victory ouer others In giuing hee was moderate but bountifull in recompence his countenance enlarging the worth of his gift Hee was prone to relieue euen where there was least likelihood of requitall
in their action a most assured token of some mischiefe at hand And so as they scattered and ranged after prey as greedy men are seldome circumspect they were suddenly set vpon by Almaricke Earle of Mountfort appointed by the French K. to defend the Country with no small execution put to the chase The more they resisted the greater was their losse The sooner they fled the more assured was their escape And for that they were dispersed into many small companies they had the better opportunitie to saue themselues Many other like aduentures were enterprised betweene the two Kings and their adherents some in France and some in Normandie with large losse on both sides But especially the King of France was most subiect to harme for that his countrey was the more ample open and rich The King of England held this aduantage that no aduantage could be wonne against him which in regard of the number valour and greatnesse of his enemies was a very honourable aduantage indeed At the last he made peace with the Earle of Aniou taking the Earles daughter to be wife to his sonne William whom he had declared for successour in his estate to whom all the Nobilitie and Prelates were sworne and who seemed to want nothing through all his fathers dominions but onely the name and Title of King This sinew being cut from the King of France and also for that Henry the Emperour made preparation of hostilitie against him he fell likewise to agreement of peace By the conditions whereof William sonne to the King of England was inuested into the Duchie of Normandie doing homage for the same to the K. of France In this peace was comprised on the part of the French K Williā son to Robert Curtcuise who had bene declared Duke of Normandie On the part of the king of England the Earle of Champ◅igne and certaine other Lords were comprised who had either serued or aided him against the king of France After this the warres betweene the Emperour and the French king did forthwith dissolue King Henry hauing happily finished these affaires returned out of Normandie and loosing from Barbeflote vpon the 24. of Nouember towards euening with a prosperous gale arriued in England where great preparation was made to entertaine him with many well deuised honours His sonne William then duke of Normandie and somewhat aboue 17. yeeres of age tooke another ship and in his company went Mary his sister Countesse of Perch Richard his brother begotten of a concubine as some affirme and the Earle of Chester with his wife Lucie who was the Kings niece by his sister Adela Also the yong Nobilitie and best knights flocked vnto him some to discharge their dueties others to testifie their loue and respect Of such passengers the ship receiued to the number of 140. besides 50. sailers which belonged vnto her So they loosed from land somewhat after the King and with a gentle winde from the Southwest danced through the soft swelling floods The sailers full of proud ioy by reason of their honourable charge and of little feare or forecast both for that they had bene accustomed to dangers and for that they were then well tippeled with wine gaue forth in a brauery that they would soone outstrip the vessell wherein the King sailed In the middest of this drunken ioylitie the ship strake against a rocke the head whereof was aboue water not farre from the shoare The passengers cried out and the sailers laboured to winde or beare off the ship from the danger but the labour was no lesse vaine then the cry for she leaned so stiffely against the rocke that the sterage brake the sides cracked and the Sea gushed in at many breaches Then was raised a lamentable cry within the ship some yeelding to the tyrannie of despaire betooke themselues as in cases of extremitie weake courages are wont to their deuotions others emploied all industrie to saue their liues and yet more in duetie to nature then vpon hope to escape all bewailed the vnfortunate darkenesse of that night the last to the liues of so many persons both of honour and of worth They had nothing to accōpany them but their feares nothing to helpe them but their wishes the confused cries of them al did much increase the particular astonishment of euery one And assuredly no danger dismayeth like that vpon the seas for that the place is vnnaturall to man And further the vnusuall obiects the continuall motion the desolation of all helpe or hope will perplexe the minds euen of those who are best armed against discouragement At the last the boat was hoysed foorth and the Kings sonne taken into it They had cleered themselues from the danger of the ship and might safely haue rowed to land But the yong Prince hearing the shrill shrikes of his Sister Mary Countesse of Perch and of the Countesse of Chester his cousin crying after him and crauing his help he preferred pitie before safety commanded the boat to be rowed back to the ship for preseruatiou of their liues But as they approached the boate was suddenly so ouercharged with those who strugling to breake out of the armes of death leaped at all aduentures into it that it sunke vnder them and so all the company perished by drowning Onely one ordinary Sayler who had been a butcher by swimming all night vpon the mast escaped to land reserued as it may seeme to relate the manner of the misaduenture This ship raised much matter of nouelty and discourse abroad but neuer did ship bring such calamitie to the Realme especially for that it was iudged that the life of this Prince would haue preuented those intestine warres which afterwards did fall betweene King Steuen and Matild daughter to King Henry The King was so ouercharged with this heauy accident that his reason seemed to bee darkened or rather drowned in sorrow Hee caused the coasts a long time after to bee watched but scarce any of the bodies were euer found Afterwards he tooke to wife Adalisia daughter to Godfrey Duke of Louaine of the house of Lorraine She was crowned at Westminster by Roger B. of Salisburie because Radulph Archbishop of Canterburie by reason of his palsey was vnable to performe that office And yet because Roger was not appointed by him the doting old man fell into such a pelting chafe that hee offered to strike the Kings Crowne from his head And albeit this Lady was in the principall flower both of her beauty and yeeres yet the King had no issue by her Now as after a storme a fewe gentle drops doe alwayes fall before the weather turnes perfectly fayre so after these great warres in France certaine easie conflicts did ensue neither dangerous nor almost troublesome to the King For Robert Earle of Mellent who for a long time had continued both a sure friend and most close and priuate in counsaile with the King vpon some sudden either discontentment on his part or dislike on the Kings so
wealth to satisfie therewith either his pleasure or wants His cruelty made the people rebellious and their rebellions made him the more cruell in which case many Innocents were made the oblations of his ambitious feares Many heauy taxations were imposed vpon them their ancient Lords were remoued their ancient lawes and policies of State were dashed to dust all lay couched vnder the Conquerours sword to bee newly fashioned by him as should bee best fitting for his aduantage Hee erected Castels in diuers parts of the Realme of which the Towre neere London was the chiefe which afterward was increased both in compasse and in strength by addition of the outward walls In these he planted garrisons of Normans as if it had bene in a hostile Countrey not without oppression to the people although they remained quiet and sufficient to suppresse them if they should rebell Thus he secured the Realme against a generall defection as for particular stirres they might happily molest him but endanger him they could not Exceter Northumberland and some other parts did rise against him in armes but being vnable to maintaine their reuolt their ouerthrow did much confirme his State Hee either imitated or concurred with Caesar in aduise For as Caesar inuaded the Germans which kept the great forrest of Ardenna not with his owne Souldiers but with his aides out of Gallia gaining thereby victory ouer the one and securitie from the other without any dispence of the Romane blood so after the Kings great victory against the valiant but too aduenturous King Harold when many of the English fled into Ireland and from thence with fresh both courage and supplies returned into England commaunded by two of Harolds sonnes hee encountred them onely with English forces In the first conflict the Kings partie was ouerthrowen and the valiant leader Ednothus slaine who had bene master of the horses to King Harold In the second his enemies were so defeated as they were neuer able to make head againe So the victorers being weakened and the vanquished wasted the King with pleasure triumphed ouer both Likewise when he was occasioned to passe the Seas into Normandie either to establish affaires of gouernement or to represse rebellions which in his absence were many times raised he drew his forces out of England and that in a more large proportion then the importance of the seruice did require Hee also tooke with him the chiefe men of English blood as well to vse their aduise and aide as also to hold them and their friends from working innouation in his absence He enclosed the great Forrest neere vnto the Sea in Hamshire for which he dispeopled villages and townes about the space of thirtie miles to make a desert for beasts of chase in which place afterward two of his sonnes Richard and William ended their liues Richard by a fall from his horse and William by the stroke of an arrow The Kings great delight in hunting was made the pretence of this Forrest but the true end was rather to make a free place of footing for his Normans and other friends out of France in case any great reuolt should be made Diuers other parts of the Realme were so wasted with his warres that for want both of Husbandrie and habitation a great dearth did ensue whereby many were inforced to eate horses dogs cats rats and other loathsome and vile vermine yea some absteined not from the flesh of men This famine and desolation did especially rage in the North parts of the Realme For the inhabitants beyond Humber fearing the Kings secret hate so much the more deepe and deadly because vniust receiued without resistance and perhaps drew in the Armie of the King of Sueueland with whom Edgar Atheling and the other English that fled into Scotland ioyned their power The Normans within Yorke fired the suburbs because it should not be a lodging for their enemies but the strength of the winde caried the flame into the Citie which consumed a great part thereof with the Minster of S. Peter and therein a faire Librarie And herewith whilest the Normans were partly busied and partly amazed the enemies entred and slue in Yorke in Duresme and thereabout three thousand Normans among whom were many of eminent dignitie as well for birth as for place of their charge But in short time the King came vpon them and hauing partly by Armes and partly by gifts dispatched the strangers exercised vpon the English an ancient and assured experience of warre to represse with maine force a rebellion in a State newly subdued Insomuch as all the land betweene Duresme and Yorke except onely the territorie of S. Iohn of Beuerlace lay waste for the space of nine yeeres without inhabitants to manure the ground And because conspiracies and associations are commonly contriued in the night he commanded that in all Townes and villages a Bell should be runge in the euening at eight of the clocke and that in euery house they should then put foorth their fire and lights and goe to bed This custome of ringing a Bell at that houre in many places is still obserued And for that likenesse is a great cause of liking and of loue he enioyned the chiefe of the English and these were soone imitated by the rest to conforme themselues to the fashions of Normandie to which they had made themselues no strangers before Yea children in the schoole were taught their letters and principles of grammar in the Norman language In their speech attire shauing of the beard seruice at the Table in their buildings and houshold furniture they altogether resembled the Normans In the beginning of his reigne he ordeined that the Lawes of King Edward should be obserued together with those Lawes which hee did prescribe but afterwards he commanded that 9. men should be chosen out of euery shire to make a true report what were the Lawes and customes of the Realme Of these hee changed the greatest part and brought in the customes of Normandie in their stead commanding also that causes should be pleaded and all matters of forme dispatched in French Onely hee permitted certaine Dane-Lawes which before were chiefly vsed in Northfolke Suffolke and Cambridge-shire to be generally obserued as hauing great affinitie with his Norman-customes both being deriued from one common head Likewise at the great suit of William a Norman then Bishop of London he granted a Charter of libertie to that Citie for enioying the vse of K. Edwards Lawes a memoriall of which benefite the Citizens fixed vpon the Bishops graue being in the middest of the great West I le of S. Pauls Further by the counsaile of Stigand Archb. of Canterburie and of Eglesine Abbot of S. Augustines who at that time were the chiefe gouernours of Kent as the King was riding towards Douer at Swanescombe two mile from Grauesend the Kentish men came towards him armed and bearing boughes in their hands as if it had bene a moouing wood they encloased him vpon the sudden and with
a firme countenance but words well tempered with modestie and respect they demanded of him the vse of their ancient Liberties and Lawes that in other matters they would yeeld obedience vnto him that without this they desired not to liue The King was content to strike saile to the storme and to giue them a vaine satisfaction for the present knowing right well that the generall customes Lawes of the residue of the Realme would in short time ouerflow these particular places So pledges being giuen on both sides they conducted him to Rochester and yeelded the Countie of Kent and the Castle of Douer into his power In former times many Farmes and Mannors were giuen by bare word without writing onely with the sword of the Lord or his head-peece with a horne or standing goblet and many tenements with a quill with a horse-combe with a bow with an arrow but this sincere simplicitie at that time was changed And whereas Charters and deeds were before made firme by the subscription of the partie with crosses of gold or of some other colour then they were firmed by the parties speciall Seale set vpon waxe vnder the Teste of three or foure witnesses He ordained also his counsaile of State his Chancery his Exchequer his Courts of Iustice which alwaies remoued with his Court These places he furnished with Officers and assigned foure Termes in the yere for determining controuersies among the people whereas before all suites were summarily heard and determined in the Gemote or monthly conuention in euery hundred without either formalities or delay He caused the whole Realme to be described in a censuall Roll so as there was not one Hide of land but both the yerely rent and the owner thereof was therein set downe how many plowlands what pastures fennes or marishes what woods parkes farmes and tenements were in euery shire and what euery one was worth Also how many villaines euery man had what beasts or cattell what fees what other goods what rent or commoditie his possessions did yeeld This booke was called The Roll of Winton because it was kept in the Citie of Winchester By the English it was called Doomes day booke either by reason of the generalitie thereof or else corruptly in stead of Domus Dei booke for that it was layed in the Church of Winchester in a place called Domus Dei According to this Roll taxations were imposed sometimes two shillings and sometimes sixe shillings vpon euery hide of land a hide conteyning 20. acres besides ordinarie prouision for his house In all those lands which hee gaue to any man he reserued Dominion in chiefe to himselfe for acknowledgement whereof a yeerely rent was payd vnto him and likewise a fine whensoeuer the Tenant did alien or die These were bound as Clients vnto him by oath of fidelitie and homage And if any died his heire being in minoritie the King receiued the profits of the land and had the custodie and disposing of the heires body vntill his age of one and twentie yeeres It is reported of Caligula that when he entended to make aduantage of his penal Edicts he caused them to be written in so small letters and the tables of them to be fastened so high that it was almost impossible for any man to read them So the King caused part of those Lawes that he established to be written in the Norman language which was a barbarous and broken French not well vnderstood of the naturall French and not at all of the vulgar English The residue were not written at all but left almost arbitrarie to be determined by reason and discretion at large Hereupon it followed partly through ignorance of the people and partly through the malice of some officers of Iustice who many times are instruments of secret and particular ends that many were extreamely intangled many endangered many rather made away then iustly executed But here it may be questioned seeing these Lawes were layed vpon the English as fetters about their feet as a ponderous yoke vpon their necke to depresse and deteine them in sure subiection how it falleth that afterward they became not onely tolerable but acceptable and well esteemed Assuredly these lawes were exceeding harsh and heauy to the English at the first And therefore K. William Rufus and Henry the first at such time as Robert their eldest brother came in armes against them to challenge the crowne being desirous to winne the fauour of the people did fill them with faire promises to abrogate the lawes of K. William their father and to restore to them the Lawes of K. Edward The like was done by K. Stephen and by K. Henry the second whilest both contending to draw the State to himselfe they did most grieuously teare it in pieces The like by others of the first Kings of the Norman race whensoeuer they were willing to giue contentment to the people who desired no other reward for all their aduentures and labours for al their blood spent in the seruice of their Kings but to haue the Lawes of K. Edward restored At the last the Nobilitie of the Realme with great dispence both of their estates and blood purchased a Charter of libertie First from K. Iohn which was soone reuoked as violently enforced from him afterwards from King Henry the third which remained in force And hereby the sharpe seuerity of these lawes was much abated In that afterwards they become not onely tolerable but easie and sweete and happily not fit to bee changed it is by force of long grounded custome whereby those vsages which our ancestors haue obserued for many ages do neuer seeme either grieuous or odious to bee endured So Nicetas writing of certaine Christians who by long conuersing with the Turkes had defiled themselues with Turkish fashions Custome saith he winneth such strength by time that it is more firme then either Nature or Religion Hereupon Dio. Chrysostome compareth Customes to a King and Edicts to a Tyrant because we are subiect voluntarily to the one but vpon constraint and vpon necessitie to the other It is manifest saith Agathias that vnder whatsoeuer law a people hath liued they doe esteeme the same most excellent and diuine Herodotus reporteth that Darius the sonne of Hysdaspis hauing vnder his Dominion certaine Grecians of Asia who accustomed to burne their dead parents and friends and certaine nations of India who vsed to eate them called the Grecians before him and told them that it was his pleasure that they should conforme themselues to the custome of the Indians in eating their deceased friends But they applied all meanes of intreatie and perswasion that they might not be inforced to such a barbarous or rather brutish obseruation Then hee sent for the Indians and mooued them to conformitie with the Grecians but found that they did farre more abhorre to burne their dead then the Grecians did to eate them Now these seuerities of the King were much aggrauated by the English and
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
reigne of King William a Councell was holden at London where another matter of like qualitie and nature was decreed namely that Bishops should translate their Sees from villages to Cities whereupon in short time after Bishops Sees were remoued from Selese to Chichester from Cornewall to Exeter from Wells to Bath from Shirbourne to Salisburie from Dorcester to Lincolne from Lichfield to Chester and from thence againe to Couentree And albeit the Archbishop of Yorke did oppose against the erecting of a Cathedrall Church in Lincolne because he challenged that Citie to be of his Prouince yet Remigius Bishop of Dorchester being strong both in resolution and in friends did prosecute his purpose to effect Not long before the Bishopricke of Lindafferne otherwise called Holy land vpon the riuer Tweed had bene translated to Durhame In the tenth yeere of his reigne the cold of Winter was exceeding memorable both for sharpenesse and for continuance For the earth remained hard frozen from the beginning of Nouember vntill the middest of April then ensuing In the 15. yere a great earthquake happened in the month of April strange for the strong trembling of the earth but more strange for the dolefull and hideous roaring which it yeelded foorth In the 20. yeere there fell such abundance of raine that the Riuers did greatly ouerflow in all parts of the Realme The springs also rising plentifully in diuers hils so softned and decaied the foundations of them that they fell downe whereby some villages were ouerthrowne By this distemperature of weather much cattel perished much cornevpon the ground was either destroyed or greatly empaired Herehence ensued first a famine and afterwards a miserable mortalitie of men And that all the Elements might seeme to haue conspired the calamity of the Realme the same yeere most of the principall Cities in England were lamentably deformed with fire At London a fire began at the entry of the West gate which apprehending certaine shops and Ware-houses wherein was Merchandise apt to burne it was at once begun and suddenly at the highest Then being caried with a strong wind and the Citie apt to maintaine the flame as well by reason of the crooked and narrow streets as for that the buildings at that time had open and wide windowes and were couered with base matter fit to take fire the mischiefe spread more swiftly then the remedies could follow So it raged vntill it came to the Eastgate prostrated houses and Churches all the way being the most grieuous that euer as yet hath happened to that Citie The Church of S. Paul was at that time fired Whereupon Maurice then Bishop of London began the foundation of the new Church of S. Paul A worke so admirable that many did iudge it would neuer haue bene finished yet all might easily esteeme thereby his magnanimitie his high erected hopes his generous loue and honour to Religion The King gaue towards the building of the East end of this Church the choise stones of his Castle at the West end of the Citie vpon the bancke of the Riuer Thames which Castle at the same time was also fired in place whereof Edward Killwarby Archbishop of Canterburie did afterwards found a Monasterie of blacke Friers The King also gaue the Castle of Storford and all the lands which thereto belonged to the same Maurice and to his successours in that See And doubtlesse nothing more then either parcimonious or prophane expending the Treasures of the Church hath since those times much dried vp those fountaines which first did fill them After the death of Maurice Richard his next Successour as well in vertue as in dignitie bestowed all the Rents rising out of this Bishopricke to aduance the building of this Church maintaining himselfe by his Patrimonie and friendes and yet all which hee could doe made no great shewe so that the finishing of this worke was left to many other succeeeding Bishops Hee purchased the ground about the Church whereupon many buildings did stand and inclosed the same with a strong wall of stone for a place of buriall It seemeth that this wall was afterwards either battered and torne in some ciuill warres or else by negligence suffered to decay for that a graunt was made by King Edward the second that the Church-yard of Saint Pauls should bee enclosed with a wall because of the robberies and murthers that were there committed Many parts of this wall remaine at this time on both sides of the Church but couered for the most part with dwelling houses The same yeere in Whitsun-weeke the King honoured his sonne Henrie with the order of Knighthood What Ceremonies the King then vsed it is not certainly knowen but before his time the custome among the Saxons was thus First hee who should receiue the order of Knighthood conâ—…essed himselfe in the euening to a Priest Then hee continued all that night in the Church watching and applying himselfe to his priuate deuotions The next morning he heard Masse and offered his sword vpon the Altar After the Gospel was read the sword was hallowed and with a benediction put about his necke Lastly he communicated the mysteries of the blessed body of Christ and from that time remained a lawfull Souldier or Knight This custome of Consecrating Knights the Normans did not onely abrogate but abhorre not for any euill that was therein but because it was not altogether their owne This yeere in a Prouince of Wales called Rosse the Sepulchre of Wawyn otherwise called Gawen was found vpon the Sea shore Hee was sisters sonne to Arthur the great King of the Britaines a man famous in our Britaine Histories both for ciuill courtesie and for courage in the field I cannot but esteeme the report for fabulous that his bodie was fourteene foote in length I doe rather coniecture that one credulous writer did take that for the length of his body which happily might bee the length of his â—…ombe It is constantly affirmed that the ground whereon the English and the Normans did combate doth shew after euery raine manifest markes of blood vpon the grasse which if it was not a proprietie of the soyle before it is hard now to assigne either from what naturall cause it doth proceede or what it should supernaturally portend K. WILLIAM THE SECOND sirnamed RVFVS KIng WILLIAM the Victor when hee drew towards the end of his dayes commended the Kingdome of England to his second sonne William with many blessings with many admonitions with many prayers for the prosperous successe of his succession And because the presence of the next successour is of greatest moment to establish affaires the King a little before his passage to death dispatched him into England with letters vnder his owne Seale to Lanfranck then Archbishop of Canterbury a man highly esteemed in forraine Countreys but with the Cleargie and vulgare people of the Realme his authoritie was absolute In these letters the King expressed great affection and care towards his sonne William commending him with many kind
vp the reputation of the enterprise And further hee prepared a nauie to guard the seas and to impeach the passage of his brother into England Hee prepared great forces also by meanes of the treasure which his father had left and disposed them in places conuenient either to preuent or to represse these scattered tumults But the successe of his affaires was by no meanes so much aduanced as by Lanfranck Archbishop of Canterbury and by Woolstane Bishop of Worcester the authority of which two men the one for his learning wisedome and mild moderation the other for his simple sanctitie and integritie of life was greatly regarded by all sorts of people By encouragement of Woolstane not onely the citie of Worcester was maintained in firme condition for the King but his enemies receiued there a famous foyle the greatest part being slaine and the residue dispersed This was the first sad blow which the confederates tooke afterward they declined mainely and the King as mainly did increase The King in person led his chiefe forces into Kent against Odo his vncle the principall firebrand of all this flame Hee tooke there the castle of Tunbridge and of Pemsey which Odo had fortified and lastly hee besieged Odo himselfe in the castle of Rochester and with much trauell tooke him prisoner and compelled him to abiure the Realme Vpon these euents the Bishop of Durham aduising onely with feare and despaire fled out of the Realme but after three yeeres he was againe restored to the dignitie of his Sea The residue did submit themselues to the Kings discretion and were by him receiued all to pardon some to gracious and deare account For in offences of so high nature pardon neuer sufficeth to assure offenders vnlesse by further benefits their loyaltie bee bound Robert Duke of Normandy was busied all this time in making preparation for his iourney into England but his delayes much abated the affections of those who fauoured either his person or cause At the length hauing made vp a competent power he committed to sea where his infelicities concurring with his negligence diuers of his ships which he had sent somewhat before him to assure the confederats of his approach were set vpon and surprised by the nauie of King William After this hee arriued in England sent vnto many of his secret friends and made his comming knowen vnto all but no man resorted to him he receiued no aduertisement from any man but plainely found that by the fortunate celeritie of King William the heart of the conspiracie in all places was broken So the Duke returned into Normandie hauing then good leisure to looke into the errour of his leisurely proceedings When the King had in this sort either wisely reconciled or valiantly repressed his domesticall enemies because an vnperfect victory is alwayes the seede of a new warre he followed his brother with a mighty armie and remoued the seate of the warre into Normandie For he coniectured as in trueth it fell out that the Duke his brother vpon his returne would presently disperse his companies for want of money and for the same cause would not easily be able to draw them together againe So his valour and his power being much aduantaged by his sudden comming ioyned to the want of foresight and preparation in the Duke he tooke in short time the Castles of Walerick and Aubemarle with the whole Countrey of Eu the Abbacie of Mount S. Michael Fescampe Chereburge and diuers other places which he furnished with men of Armes and Souldiers of assured trust The Duke feeling his owne weakenesse dealt with Philip King of France and by liberall promises so preuailed with him that he descended into Normandie with a faire Armie and bent his siege against one of those pieces which K. William had taken But he found it so knottie a piece of worke that in short time wearied with hardnesse and hazards of the field he fell to a capitulation with King William and so departed out of Normandie receiuing a certaine summe of money in regard of his charges and conceiuing that he had won honour ynough in that no honour had bene won against him The money that was payd to the King of France was raised in England by this deuise King William commanded that 20. Thousand men should be mustered in England and transported into Normandie to furnish his warres against the French When they were conducted neere to Hastings and almost ready to be embarked it was signified to them from the King that aswell for their particular safeties as not to disfurnish the Realme of strength whosoeuer would pay 10. shillings towards the waging of Souldiers in Normandie he might be excused to stay at home Among 20. Thousand scarce any was found who was not ioyfull to embrace the condition who was not ready to redeeme his aduenture with so small a summe which being gathered together was both a surer and easier meanes to finish the warres then if the King had still struggeled by force of Armes For when the French King had abandoned the partie Duke Robert being prepared neither with money nor constancie of mind to continue the warre enclined to peace which at the last by diligence of friends was concluded betweene the two brothers vpon these conditions That the Duke should yeeld to the King the Countie of Eu the Abbey of Fescampe the Abbey of S. Michaels mount Chereburge and all other Castles and fortifications which the King had taken That the King should subdue to the vse of the Duke all other Castles and houldes which had reuolted from him in Normandie That the King should giue to the Duke certaine dignities and possessions in England That the King should restore all those to their dignities and lands in England who had taken part with the Duke against him That if either of them should die without issue male the suruiuour should succeed in his estate These Articles were confirmed by twelue Barons on the Kings part and as many on the part of the Duke so long obserued as either of them wanted either power or pretence to disanull them This peace being made the Duke vsed the aide of King William to recouer the fort of Mount S. Michael which their brother Henrie did forceably hold for the money which hee had lent to the Duke of Normandie Fourtie dayes they layed siege to this castle hauing no hope to carrie it but by the last necessity which is hunger Within the compasse of this time as the King straggled alone vpon the shoare certaine horsemen salied foorth and charged vpon him of whom three strooke him together so violently with their lances as because he could not be driuen out of his saddle together with his saddle he was cast vpon the ground and his horse slaine vpon the place for which he had payed the same day 15. markes Extremitie of danger as it often happeneth tooke from the King all feare of danger wherefore taking vp his saddle with both his hands he
did there with defend himselfe for a time But because to stand vpon defence onely is alwayes vnsure he drew his sword and would not depart one foot from his saddle but making shew of braue ioy that he had nothing to trust vnto but his owne valour he defended both his saddle and himselfe till rescue came Afterward when some of his Souldiers in blaming maner expostulated with him wherefore he was so obstinate to saue his saddle his answere was that a King should loose nothing which he can possibly saue It would haue angred mee said he at the very heart that the knaues should haue bragged that they had wonne the saddle from mee And this was one of his perpetuall felicities to escape easily out of desperate dangers In the end Henry grew to extreeme want of water and other prouisions by which meanes he was ready to fall into the hands of those who desired to auoyd necessitie to hurt him And first he sent to the Duke his brother to request some libertie to take in fresh water The Duke sent to him a tunne of wine and granted a surcease of hostilitie for one day to furnish him with water At this the King seemed discontented as being a meanes to prolong the warre But the Duke told him that it had bene hard to deny a brother a little water for his necessitie Here with like wise the King relenting they sent for their brother Henry and wisdome preuailing more then iniuries or hate they fell to an agreement That vpon a day appointed Henry should receiue his money at Roan and that in the meane time hee should hold the countrey of Constantine in morgage The King enterteined with pay many of his brother Henries souldiers especially he receiued those who ouerthrew him to a very neere degree of fauour And thus all parties ordered their ambition with great modestie the custome of former warres running in a course of more humanitie then since they haue done The King was the more desirous to perfect these agreements of Peace for that Malcolme King of Scots as Princes often times make vse of the contentions of their neighbours tooke occasion vpon these confusions to enterprise vpō the parts of England which confined vpon him So as he inuaded Northumberland made great spoile tooke much prey caried away many prisoners whose calamitie was the more miserable for that they were to endure seruitude in a hard Countrey For this cause the King with his accustomed celeritie returned into England accompanied with the Duke of Normandie his brother and led a mighty armie against the Scots by land and sent also a nauie to infest them by sea But by a sudden and stiffe storme by a hideous confusion of all ill disposed weather his ships were cruelly crushed and hauing long wrought against the violence and rage of the tempest were in the end dispersed and diuers of them cast away Many of his souldiers also perished partly by penurie and want and partly by the euill qualitied ayre Notwithstanding the Scots knowing the King of England to bee an enemie mighty and resolute began to wauer in their assurance framing fearefull opinions of the number valour and experience of his armie Hereupon some ouertures of Peace were made the Scots expecting that the King by reason of his late losses would be the more moderate in his demands But hee then shewed himselfe most resolute and firme following his naturall custome not to yeelde to any difficulty King Malcolme coniecturing that such confidence could not be without good cause consented at the last to these conditions That King Malcolme should make a certaine satisfaction for the spoyles which hee had done in England That King William should restōre to him certaine lands in England That K. Malcolme should doe homage to King William Now the day was come wherein Henrie was appointed to receiue his money at Roan from the Duke of Normandie But as affaires of Princes haue great variations so they are not alwayes constant in their Counsels And so the Duke caried by his occasions and ready to lay downe his faith and word more to the traine of times then to the preseruation of his honour instead of paying the money committed his brother Henry to prison from whence he could not be released vntill hee renounced the Countie of Constantine and bound himselfe by oath neuer to claime any thing in Normandie Henrie complained hereof to Philip King of France who gaue him a faire enterteinement in his Court but was content rather to feede then finish the contention either expecting thereby some opportunitie to himselfe or els the opinion of his owne greatnesse not suffring him to feare that others might grow to haue fortune against him Henry had not long remained in the Court of France but a Normane Knight named Hacharde conueyed him disguised into Normandie where the Castle of Damfronç was deliuered vnto him and in short time after hee gate all the Countrey of Passays and a good part of Constantine either without resistance or without difficultie and perill Hereupon the Duke leuied his forces and earnestly assayed to recouer Damfronç but then hee found that his brother Henrie was secretly yet surely vnderset by the king of England Hereupon incensed with the furie of an iniuried minde hee exclaimed against his brother of England and almost proclaimed him a violater of his league On the otherside the King of England iustified his action for that hee was both a meanes and a partie to the agreement and therefore stood bound in honour not onely to vrge but to enforce performance So the flame brake foorth more furious then it was before and ouer went King William with an able armie where hee found the Duke also in good condition of strength commanding the field And albeit in so neere approach of two mighty enemies equall both in ambition and power it is hard to conteine men of seruice yet was nothing executed betweene them but certaine light skirmishes and surprizements of some places of defence In the end the King hearing of new troubles in England and the Duke finding himselfe vnable either to preuaile with few souldiers or to maintaine many and both distrusting to put a speedie end to the warre they were easily drawne to capitulations of peace And thus ended the contention betweene these brethren who vntill this time had continued like the waues of the Sea alwayes in motion and one beating against the other Besides these businesses which befell the King against his Nobilitie against the Duke of Normandie his brother and against the King and nation of the Scots the Welshmen also who alwayes struggled for libertie and reuenge perceiuing that the King was often absent and much entangled with hostile affaires enforced the fauour of that aduantage to free themselues from subiection of the English and happily to enlarge or enrich themselues vpon them So hauing both desire and opportunitie they wanted not meanes to assemble in armes to expell the English that
be not satisfied and apt to breake forth into dangerous attempts Of those who any wayes declared themselues in his fauour or defence some were despoiled of their goods some were banished the Realme others were punished with losse of their eyes or of their eares or of some other part of their bodie William d'Owe was accused in a Councell holden at Salisbury to bee a complice of this Treason And albeit he challenged his accuser to the combate yet his eyes were pulled out and his stones cut off by commandement of the King And yet some authours affirme that he was ouercome in combate before For the same cause the King commanded William Aluerie to be hanged a man of goodly personage and modest behauiour the Kings â—…ewer his Aunts sonne and hiâ—… godfather Before his execution hee desired to be whipped through manie Churches in London he distributed his garments to the poore and bloodied the street as he went with often kneeling vpon the stones At the time of his death he tooke it vpon the charge of his soule that he was cleere of the offence for which he suffered And so committing his innocencie to God and to the world his complaints he submitted himselfe to the Executioners hands leauing an opinion in some a suspition in many that others also died without desert For the king gaue an easie eare to any man that would appeach others for his aduantage whereby it sometimes happened that offenders were acquited by accusing innocents He was liberall aboue measure either in regard of his owne abilities or of the worthinesse of the receiuers Especially hee was bountifull if that terme may be applyed to immoderate lauishing to men of warre for which cause many resorted to him from farre Countries for entertainement To winne and retaine the fauour of these hee much impouerished his peaceable people From many he tooke without iustice to giue to others without desert esteeming it no vnequall dealing that the money of the one should bee aduentured and expended with the blood of the other He much exceeded in sumptuousnes of diet and of apparell wherewith great men vse to dazel the eyes of the people both which waies he esteemed the goodnesse of things by their price It is reported that when his Chamberlaine vpon a certaine morning brought him a new paire of hose the King demaunded what they cost and the Chamberlaine answered three shillings Hereat the King grew impatient and said What heauie beast doest thou take these to be conuenient hose for a King Away begger and bring me other of a better price Then the Chamberlaine departed and brought a farre worse paire of hose for a better could not at that time bee found and told the king that they cost a marke The king not onely allowed them for fine enough but commended them also as exceeding fit Assuredly this immoderate excesse of a King is now farre exceeded by many base shifting vnthrifts In building his expences were very great He repaired the Citie and Castle of Caerlile which had been wasted by the Danes 200. yeres before Hee finished New castle vpon Tine Many other Castles he erected or repaired vpon the frontiers of Scotland many also vpon the frontiers and within the very brest of Wales Hee much enlarged the Towre of London and enuironed it with a new wall Hee also built the great Hall at Westminster which is 270. foote in length and 74. foote in breadth And when many did admire the vast largenes thereof he would say vnto them that it was but a bed chamber but a closet in comparison of that which he intended to build And accordingly he layd the foundation of another Hall which stretched from the Riuer Thames to the Kings high street the further erection wherof with diuers other heroicall enterprises ceased together with his life Thus partly by reason of his infinite plots and inuentions and partly by his disorders and vnbrideled liberalities he alwayes liued at great charges and expences which whilest the large treasure lasted which his father left him were borne without grieuance to the subiects But when that was once drained he was reduced to seeke money by extraordinary meanes So many hard taxes were laidvpon the people partly for supplie to his owne necessities and partly to imitate the policie of his father that the people being busied how to liue should reteine small either leisure or meanes to contriue innouations For this cause he was supposed vpon purpose to haue enterprised many actions of charge that thereby he might haue colour to impose both imployments and taxations vpon the people And because the riches of the clergie at that time were not onely an eye-sore vnto many but esteemed also by some to bee very farre aboue due proportion Hee often fleeced them of great summes of money For which cause it is euident that the writers of that age who were for the most part Clergie men did both generally enueigh against him and much depraue his particular actions He withheld his annuall paiment to the Sea of Rome vpon occasion of a Schisme betweene Vrbane at Rome and Clement at Rauenna He claimed the inuestiture of Prelates to be his right Hee forbade Appeales and entercourse to Rome For which and other like causes he had a very great contention with the Clergie of his Realme especially with Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury The seedes of this contention were cast when Anselme was first receiued to his Sea For at that time two did striue for the Papacie of Rome Vrbanus and Guibert called Clement the third some Christian States fauouring the one and some the other King William inclined to Clement the third and with him the Realme generally went but Anselme did fully goe with Vrbane making so his condition before he did consent to accept his dignitie When he was elected and before his consecration the King demanded of him that such lands of the Church of Canterbury as the King had giuen to his friends since the death of Lanfranck might still be held by them as their lawfull right but to this Anselme would in no case agree Hereupon the King stayed his consecration a certaine time but at length by importunitie of the people hee was content to receiue his homage and to giue way to his consecration Not long after the Archbishop desired licence of the king to goe to Rome to receiue his Pall which when the King refused to grant he appealed to the Sea of Rome Now this was the first Appeale that euer before had been made in England For Appeales were not here in ordinarie vse vntil after this time vnder the reigne of King Stephen when Henrie Bishop of Wint. being the Popes Legate brought them in Wherefore the King offended with this noueltie charged Anselme with breach of his fealtie and oath Anselme answered that this was to be referred to the iudgement of a Councell whether it bee a breach of allegiance to a terrene Prince if a man appeale to the
should be permitted to depart safely into Normandie And vpon the same condition they of Shrewsbury sent to the King the keys of their Castle and therewith pledges for their allegeance Then Robert with his brother Ernulphus and Roger of Poictiers abiured the Realme and departed into Normandie where being full of rashnesse which is nothing but courage out of his wits and measuring their actions not by their abilities but by their desires they did more aduance the Kings affaires by hostilitie then by seruice and subiection they could possibly haue done Also William Earle of Mortaigne in Normandie and of Cornewall in England sonne of Robert vncle to the king and brother to king William the first required of the King the Earledome of Kent which had been lately held by Odo vncle to them both And being a man braue in his owne liking and esteming nothing of that which hee had in regard of that which hee did desire he was most earnest violent peremptorie in his pursuit Insomuch as blinded with ambitious haste he would often say that hee would not put off his vpper garment vntill hee had obtained that dignitie of the King These errours were excused by the greenenesse of his youth and by his desire of rising which expelled all feare of a fall Wherefore the King first deferred and afterwards moderately denied his demaund But so farre had the Earle fed his follies with assured expectation that he accompted himselfe fallen from such estate as his hungry hopes had already swallowed Hereupon his desire turned to rage and the one no lesse vaine then the other but both together casting him from a high degree of fauour which seldome stoppeth the race vntill it come to a headlong downefall For now the King made a counter-challenge to many of his possessions in England and thereupon seazed his lands dismantled his castles and compelled him in the end to forsake the Realme Not for any great offence he had done being apt to the fault rather of rough rage then of practise and deceit but his stubborne stoutnesse was his offence and it was sufficient to hold him guiltie that he thought himselfe to haue cause and meanes to be guiltie So hauing lost his owne state in England he departed into Normandie to further also the losse of that countrey There he confederated with Robert Belasme and made diuers vaine attempts against the Kings castles neither guided by wisedome nor followed by successe Especially hee vented his furie against Richard Earle of Chester who was but a childe and in wardship to the King whom he daily infested with inuasions and spoiles being no lesse full of desire to hurt then voyd of counsaile and meanes to hurt On the other side diuers of the Nobilitie of Normandie finding their Duke without iudgement to rule had no disposition to obey but conceiued a carelesse contempt against him For he seemed not so much to regard his substantiall good as a vaine breath of praise and the fruitlesse fauour of mens opinions which are no fewer in varietie then they are in number All the reuenues of his Duchie he either sold or morgaged all his Cities he did alien and was vpon the point of passing away his principall Citie of Roan to the Burgers thereof but that the conditions were esteemed too hard Hereupon many resolued to fall from him and to set their sailes with the fauourable gale which blew vpon the fortune of the King To this end they offered their submission to the King in case he would inuade Normandie whereto with many reasons they did perswade him especially in regard of the late hostile attempts there made against him by the plaine permission of the Duke his brother and not without his secret support The King embraced the faire occasion and with a strong Armie passed into Normandie Here he first relieued his forts which were any wayes distressed or annoyed then he recouered those that were lost Lastly he wanne from the Duke the towne and castle of Caen with certaine other castles besides And by the help of the President of Aniou fiâ—…ed Baion with the stately Church of S. Marie therein Vpon these euents all the Priories of Normandie resembling certaine flowers which open and close according to the rising or declining of the Sunne abandoned the Duke and made their submission to King Henry So the King hauing both enlarged and assured his state in Normandie by reason of the approach of winter departed into England but this was like the recuiling of Rammeâ—… to returne againe with the greater strength He had not long remained in England but his brother Robert came to him at Northampton to treat of some agreement of peace Here the words and behauiours of both were obserued At their first meeting they rested with their eyes fast fixed one vpon the other in such sort as did plainely declare that discourtesie then trencheth most deep when it is betweene those who should most dearely loue The Duke was in demaunds moderate in countenance and speech enclined to submisnesse and with a kinde vnkindnesse did rather entreate then perswade that in regard of the naturall Obligation betweene them by blood in regard of many offices and benefits wherewith he had endeuoured to purchase the Kings loue all hostilitie betweene them all iniurie or extremitie by Armes might cease For I call you said he before the Seate of your owne Iudgement whether the relinquishing of my Title to the Crowne of England whether the releasing of my annuity of 3000. markes whether many other kindnesses so much vndeserued as scarce desired should not in reason withdraw you from those prosecutions where warre cannot be made without shame nor victory attained without dishonour The King vsed him with honourable respect but perceiuing that he was embarked in some disaduantage conceiuing also that his courage with his Fortune began to decline he made resemblance at the first to be no lesse desirous of peace then the Duke But afterwards albeit he did not directly deny yet hee found euasions to auoyd all offers of agreement The more desirous the Duke was of peace the greater was his disdaine that his brother did refuse it Wherefore cleering his countenance from all shewes of deiection or griefe as then chiefly resolute when his passion was stirred with a voice rather violent then quicke he rose into these words I haue cast my selfe so low as your haughty heart can possibly wish whereby I haue wronged both my selfe and you my selfe in occasioning some suspition of weakenesse you in making you obstinate in your ambitious purposes But assure your selfe that this desire did not proceed from want either of courage or of meanes or of assistance of friends I can also be both vnthankefull and vnnaturall if I bee compelled And if all other supportance faile yet no arme is to be esteemed weake which striketh with the sword of necessitie and Iustice. The King with a well appeased stayednesse returned answere that he could easily endure the iniurie
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
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