it euer a barre in his way and hindred his standing cleere stood he neuer so highe The nobles of Normandie soone after his fathers death by much intreaty got him out of the French Kings handes thinking the hauing him amongst them would adde more grace to his Counsellors and such as were in office and the State of a Court awe his State the better But soone they found the hauing his person without his powre was but to put them out into more discord and faction For presently followed the murthering and poysoning of Gouernors displacing Officers intrusion supplantation surprizings and recouerings of his person by a Nobilitie stubborne haughtie and incompatible of each others precedencie or neerenes But this was the least as being done all for his person Now followed more daungerous practises against it His right was quarrelled by competitors cleere in bloud and great in meanes Whereof the first though farthest off in discent was Roger de Tresny bringing a faire lyne from Roule and much proofe of his owne worth by hauing gotten great experience in the Sarazine warre in Spaine whereby vpon his returne entertayning and feasting the great and especiall men of worth he was growen powerfull well followed and beloued of many in so much that at length measuring his owne height he vrges what wrong it was that a Bastard and a childe should be preferred before him in the succession of that Duchie his auncestors had noblie gotten and what a shame the Normans a people of that worth would indure to be so gouerned seeing they had others of the renowned race of Roule William and Richard Dukes of Normandie of a lawfull and direct lyne if they held him vnworthie to inherite the State and impatient as is ambition that cuer rides without raines of any long delay brings his claime to a strong battaile in the feild which by the valiancie of Roger de Beaumount was vtterly defeited and himselfe with his 2. brethren slayne Whereby all feare that way was extinquished and the reputation of the Duke and his so much aduanced as the King of France notwithstanding his tutelarie charge tooke from him the Castle of Thuilliers and demolisht it pretending the insolencies committed there by the Garrisons vpon his subiects and makes shew as yet only to keepe things euen But long it was not ere he plainely bewrayed his minde aiding in person William Earle of Arques brother to Duke Robert and sonne to Richard 2. making his clayme to the Duchie and bringes a mightie armye to succour Arques assieged by Conte Guiffard the Dukes Generall who by a stratageme so trayned the French into an ambushe as he ouerthrew their whole power and returnes the King to Paris with great losse and dishonor leauing Arques the first Arch of tryumphe to this conquerour not yet ariued to 17 yeares of age and the discomfeited competitor to seeke his fortunes with Eustace Earle of Bologne finding vpon his returne litle grace in Court where fortune euer alters credite and few regard men ouerthrowne This storme ouerpast another succedes more dangerous there liued with Duke William a young Lord of like yeares named Guy sonne to Regnalt Earle of Borgogne and Alix daughter to Richard 2. who comming to be sensible of his interest was aduised by some stirring spirits to attempt for the Duchie which they said apperteyned to him in right and was wrongfully vsurped by the Bastard And to aduance his purpose happens deadly hostility betweene two of the greatest Lords of Normandie Viconte Neele and the Earle of Bessin whose debate Duke William did not or could not pacific This Guy lately made Earle of Bryorn and Vernon interposed himselfe to compose this discord and by the aduice of Grimoult de Plessis a principall mouer in this worke so wrought that either of these Lords turned the point of their malice vpon him who in their quarrell fauouring neither made both to hate him and easily conspire with Guy to murther him at vnawares which they had done had not a certaine Foole whome for being held a naturall they suspected not noting their preparations got away in the dead of the night to Valogne knocking and crying at the gate till he was admitted to the Dukes presence whome he willed in all hast to fly or he would be murthered The Duke seeing the Foole in this affright thought dangers were not be weighed by the worth of the reporter but by their likelyhood and knowing his fortune was liable vnto all suddaine assasinations instantly takes horse and all alone postes to Fallaise his especiall place of strength on the way his horse being tyred about breake of daie hee comes to a litle village called Rye where by good fortune the gentleman of the place was standing at his dore readie to goe abrode of whom the Duke enquires the next way to Fallaise The gentleman perceiuing who he was though as then very vnwilling to be knowne humblie craues the cause of his so strange and vntimely riding alone The Duke seeing himselfe discouered tels the occasion the gentleman whose name was Robert de Rye furnishes him with a fresh horse and sendes two of his sonnes to conduct him the neerest way to Fallaise Noe sooner was he gone out of sight but after post the conspirators enquiring of the same gentleman whether hee saw the Duke who answered that hee was gone a little before such a way shewing them a diuers path and rode on with them offering his seruice to Conte Bessin of whom he held that village vnder the Duke and so long he lead them about that the Duke had recouered Fallaise Whereupon disappointed of their purpose they returned into the Countries of Constantin and Bessin where they made themselues so powrefull as the Duke withdrewe him to Roan and from thence to the King of France to craue his aide putting him in minde of the faithfull seruice his father had done him how he was his homager vnder his tutelarie charge and had no other sanctuary of succour to flie vnto in this case of his mutinous and turbulent nobilitie the effect whereof was of dangerous consequence to that Crowne And so far vrged the importancie of releife as the King at length who seemes was yet content to haue him be though not too strong and peraduenture rather him then his competitor Guy de Burgogne aided him in person with a puissant army against these competitors whom they found in the vale of Dunes with as great power and resolution to bid them battayle as they to assaile them Here one Guilleson vncle to Viconte Neel by the mother forced his horse into the battaillon of the French and made at the King strake him downe with his Launce which Conte Saint Paule perceauing hastes to incounter him with that violence as both fell to the earth but Guilleson soone gets vp and though his horse was slaine vnder him by Chastillon he escapes out of the presse and after fled into Apulia with others The King recouered and more
occasion was extinct And in the end though in another name became the vsuall supplyment in the dangers of the kingdome and the occasions of Princes And hereby Ethelred both inlarged the meanes and desire of the enemy so that at length came Swayn King of Denmarke and Aulafe King of Norway in person as if likewise to receaue hire for committing outrage and were both returned with great sums and Aulafe of a milder disposition with baptisme These calamities from abroad were made more by the disloyalties at home faith and respect being seldome found safe in lost fortunes held not in most of the principall men imployed in the defence Aelfric Admirall of the Nauy is said to haue giuen intelligence of all Sea-preparations and disappointed that worke The Earles Fran Frithigist Godwin and Turkettle discended of Danicke progeny and of greatest comaund deceiued the armies by Land and were the aucthors of discouragement to the people they led Edric Earle of Mare-land after them made Generall of the Kings forces is branded with euerlasting ignominie and the title of False for his barbarous disloyaltie frustrating all attempts wherin he was imployed Wolnod a nobleman for his misdemeanor outlawed made depredations on the coastes with 20 ships and was the cause that 80 more sent to take him in were vtterly consumed This defection of his nobilitie howsoeuer it might be by their owne discontent emulation corruption or affection is laid to the pride of Ethelred whom yet wee finde more vnfortunate then weake howsoeuer they haue set his marke and neglected no occasion to make resistance and reparations against all euents bringing often his affaires to the very point of dispatch and yet put by at an instant from all as if nothing went with him bur his will to do worthily which howsoeuer it were besides the miserie to loose he must haue that which accompanies infelicity Blame and Reproch Though the many and desperate battailes he made the good constitutions for the gouernment the prouisions to supply all important occasions shew that he was not much behind the best Princes but onely in fortune By the example of Edgar his father he procured a mightie Nauie causing of euery 310 hide or plough-land throughout the kingdome a ship to be built and of euery eighth a Corslet to be found Yet all this shipping stood him in little stead but was either quasht with tempest consumed with fire by the enemy or otherwise made vnusefull by neglect or ignorance whereby the hope and infinite charge of the State were disappointed Famine and mortality the attendants of warre with strange inundations wrought likewise their part as if conspirators of destruction and all concur'd to make a dismall season Many yeares it was not ere Swaine king of Danes returned to raise againe new summes by new afflictions and totmenting here this poore turmoyled people more then euer receiues a fee for bloud-shed to the summe of 48000 pounds granted in the generall assembly of the States at London and a peace or rather paction of seruitude concluded with quiet cohabitation vse of like liberties and a perfect vnion betweene the two nations confirmed by oaths of either part and hostages deliuered of ours But this as a breathing time scarse held out the yeare When the occasion of greater mischiefes was giuen by a vniuersall massacre of the Danes suddenly here contriued and effected by the kings commandement vpon the suggestion of Hune a great Commander and a violent warrier of that time Vrging the insolencie of the Danes that now growne haughty with this peace Committed many outrages violating the wiues and daughters of great men with many other intollerable disorders Such and so suddaine was the generall execution of this act throughout all parts of the kingdome at one instant as shewed the concurrencie of an inueterate rankor and incompatability of these two nations impossible to be conioyned So that neither Temples Altars Supplications nor any band of aliance were auaileable to saue them from slaughter Wherein to incense the more their king Gunild his sister a woman of masculine courage who had a little before receaued Christendome a mediator pledge of the peace hauing first her husband and sonne slayne in her sight rather with a threatning then appaled countenance met her death making imprecation for reuenge and foretelling her bloud would as it did cost England deere Soone was the notice of this enormious act giuen to Swaine and as soone armed with rage and power reentred he the kingdome hauing now a fayrer shew to doe fowly then euer wrong had made him a right who had none before and the people of the Land not so forward to maintayne their act as to commit it rather were content to giue him the possession of their country then that he should wyn it the greatest part of the kingdome submitting themselues vnto him onely the citie of London which Ethelred held fortified made noble resistance till he left them and conueyed himselfe first into the Isle of Wight and after into Normandie whither hee had sent Emma his Queene with their 2 sonnes Aelfrid and Edward before from the rage of this tempest But within 2 moneths he was recalled home by the people of England vpon the death of Swaine who at the point to haue beene crowned King and had generally taken ostages and oathes of fealty died suddenly leauing his sonne Knute to succeede his fortunes and accomplish what he intended Ethelred returning was soone furnisht with an Army sets vpon Knute in Lindsey where he lay with his fathers shipping and Hostages and draue him to take the seas wherewith inraged making about to Sandwich he miserably mangled and dismembred those hostages and so sent them home himselfe with the spoiles his father and he had gotten returned to his countrey to make greater preparations for the prosecution of his purpose Ethelred in the meane time to increase the summe of reuengement with more wrath at a generall Assembly at Oxford caused many of the Danicque Nobilitie to be murthered Among which were Sigifrith and Morchar Earles of Northumberland whom the false Edric who had a hand on each side for mischiefe inuiting them to his lodging vnder pretence of feasting barbarously caused to be slaine their followers after they had so long as they could desperately defended themselues and their maisters fled into a Church where they were with the same burnt Knute armed with the greatest of his owne neighbours powers made his confederates landed againe within the yeare at Sandwich without resistance had all the West parts rendred vnto him with pledges for their obedience and furnishment with horse and armor Here the false Edric leaues his liege-Liege-lord yeelds vp 40 ships and his periur'd faith to Knute Ethelred languishing in minde and body Edmond his sonne surnamed Ironside to oppose youth to youth was imployed against this rabious inuador A Prince worthy of a better time and had he found faith had made it so and
Cleargie who then were of great and eminent power in the kingdome and might much preuaile with the people But the English Nobilitie incompatible of these new concurrents found notwithstanding such a disproportion of grace and darkning of their dignities by the interposition of so many as must needes lessen their splendour that many of the cheifest doubting to be more impayred in honor and estate conspired together and fled some into Scotland and some into Denmarke to trie if by aid from abroad they might recouer themselues and their lost fortunes againe at home Amongst which the cheife was Edgar Atheling termed Englands Dearling which shewed the peoples zeale to his bloud who with his mother Agatha and his two sisters Margaret and Christin intending to retire into Hungarie their natiue Country were driuen by tempest on the coast of Scotland where they were with all Hospitable comfort interteyned by Malcolin 3. whose former suffrings in his exile had taught him to compassionate others like distresses and whom it concerned now to looke to his owne his neighbours house being thus on fire and to foster a partie against so dangerous an in-commer that was like to thrust them all out of dore Which induced him not only to entertayne this Prince dispossest of his right but to enter league with him for the publique safetie And to inchaine it the stronger he takes to wife Margaret the sister of Edgar a Ladie indued with all blessed vertues by whom the bloud of our auncient Kings was preserued and conioyned with the Norman in Hen. 2. and so became English againe Vnto Edgar in Scotland repaired the Earles Edwin and Morchar Hereward Gospatric Siward with others and shortly after Stigand and Aldred Arch-byshops with diuers of the clergie who in the third yeare of this Kings raigne raised very great commotions in the North beyond Humber and wrought most egarly to recouer their lost Countrie but being now to late and the occasion not taken before the settling of the gouern ment whilst it was new and branling they preuailed nothing but gaue aduantage to the conquerour to make himselfe more then he was For all conspiracies of subiects if they succeede not aduaunce the soueraigntie and nothing gaue roote to the Norman planting here more then the petty reuolts made by discattred troupes in seuerall parts begunne without order and followed without resolution whereas nothing could be done for a generall recouery but by a generall sulleuation of the people for which all wary preuention was vsed and they had waytes enough laid on to hold them downe And though these Lordes imbroiled themselues and held him doing in the North yet hee hauing all the South parts setled vnder his domination with well practized and prepared forces there could be litle hope of good whilst all their great estates furnisht the Normans both in state and meanes to ruyne them The Earledome and all the Landes which Edwyn held in Yorkeshire were giuen to Alain Earle of Britayne kinsman to the Conqueror The Arch-byshopricke of Canterburie conferd on Lanfranc Abbot of Caen. That of Yorke on Thomas his Chapline and all the rest both of the Clergie and others which were out had their places within supplied by Normans And after King William had appeased a commotion in the West which the sonnes of Harrald with forces out of Ireland had raised and also repressed the rebellions of Excester and Oxford hee takes his iorney in person Northward with all expedition least the enemy there should grow too high in heart and opinion vpon the great slaughter of his people made at Yorke and the defeiture of his Brother Leiuetenant Robert Earle of Mortaigne slaine with 700. Normans at Durham where at his first comming he so wrought that he either discomfeited or corrupted the generalls of the Danicque forces newly arriued to aid the Lords andsent by Swayn King of Denmarke vnder the conduct of his two sons Harrald and Knute with a Nauie of 300. saile and after sets vpon the army of the Lords weakened both in strength and hope by this departure of their confederates and puts them to slight Which done hee vtterly wasted and laid desolate all that goodly Countrie betweene Yorke and Durham the space of 60. myles that it might be no more a succour to the enemy And the like course he vsed on all the Coastes where any apt landings lay for inuasions and so returnes to London Most of the Lords after this great defeit came in vpon publique faith giuen them and were conducted to Barkehamsted by the Abbot Fredricke where vpon their submission and oath of allegeance retaken they had their pardon and restitution of grace graunted by the King who it seemes was so willing to acquiet them that againe he takes his personall oath before the Arch-byshop Lanfranck and the Lords to obserue the auncient lawes of the Realme established by his Noble predecessors the Kings of England and especially those of Saint Edward Whereupon these stormy dispositions held calme a while But long it was not ere many of these Lords whether vpon intelligence of new hopes from Edgar who was still in Scotland or growne desperate with new displeasures at home finding small performance of promises made rupture of oath all other respects and brake out againe The Earle Edwyn making towardes Scotland was murthered by his owne people The Lords Morchar Hereward betooke them to the Isle of Eley meaning to make good that place for that winter whether also repaired the Earle Syward and the Byshop of Durham out of Scotland But the King who was no tyme-giuer vnto growing dangers beset all the Isle with flat boates on the East and made a bridge of two miles long on the West and safely brought in his people vpon the enemy who seeing themselues surprized yeilded all to the Kings mercy except Hereward who desperatly marched with his people through the Fennes and recouered Scotland The rest were sent to diuers prisons where they dyed or remayned during the Kings life Those Lords who persisted loyall vpon this last submission were all imployed and well graced with the King as Edric the Forester and first that rebelled in his raigne was held in cleere trust and neere about him Gospatrice he made Earle of Northumberland and sent him against Malcolin who in this time subdues the Countries of Tisdall Cleueland and Comberland Waltheof sonne to the Earle Syward he held so worthie to be made his as he married him to his neece Iudith though hee had beene a principall actor in the Northerne commotion and in defending the Citie of Yorke against him is said to haue striken off the heades of diuers Normans one by one as they entered a breach to the admiration of all about him shewing therin that true touch of the noblest nature to loue vertue euen in his enemies And now seeing Scotland to be the especiall retrayt for all conspirators and discontented in his kingdome yeilding them continuall succour and assistance