inkindled with this affront spared not his person to auenge his wrath Duke William likewise as it stood him most vpon shewed effects of an all-daring and magnanimous Prince And yet had not Ralfe de Tesson beene false to his fellowes to recouer faith with him hee had not carried as hee did the victory After which diuers of the conspirators who had too great hartes to yeild passed the mountaines into Italie to Robert Guiscard their countryman who of a priuate gentleman was now by his prowesse become Lord of Apulia Calabria and Cicile within the space of 12 yeares to whom they were exceeding wellcome and especially Guilleson for hauing incountred with a King in the middest of his battaile which made him of wider note But the better to knowe what starre these Norman spirits had as borne for the reuolutions of those times it shall not lye out of our way to shew how they first came into Italie vpon this occasion There hapned a debate betweene one Osmond Drengot and William Repostell gentlemen both valiant and of great parentage in Normandie who as they hunted in the forrest of Rouuerie neere Rouan with Duke Robert Drengot slewe Repostell in his presence and fearing the fury of the Duke and the frendes of the slayne fled to Rome and so to Naples where hee with his small company of Normans that followed him was entertayned of the Duke de Beneuento to serue him against the Sarasins and Affricans which miserablie infested Apulia and Calabria at that time The bruite of which intertaynement was no sooner spred in Normandy but diuers valiant Gentlemen and Soldiers allured with the hope of good fortune passed the Alpes gote to their nation so wrought as they grew formidable to these Barbarians and in the end vtterly chaced and extinguished them The Calabrians and Apulians seeing themselues rid of their enimies would haue beene glad likewise their turne serued to be rid of their frendes and either vsing them more vnkindely then of custome or they presuming more of desert turned their swordes vpon their intertayners And first got a little place which they fortified for their Rendeuous and receipt of booty And so augmenting still their winnings obteyned Territories Cities and Fortresses After the death of Drengo succeeded other gallant leaders and at length Tancred Signor de Hauteuille in Constantine with his 12. sonnes came into Apulia of whom his third sonne Robert surnamed Guiscard attayned the commaund and was a man of a faire stature cleere iudgement and indefatigable courage Hee conquered all Apulia Callabria and Cicile passed the Sea into Greece releiued Michaell Diocrisius Emperour of Constantinople defeited Nicephorus that vsurped the Empire and shortly after Alexius attempting the like and in one yeare vanquished two Emperours the one of Greece the other of Germanie Swayed the whole Estate of Italie and was in a faire way to haue attayned the Empire of Constantinople for himselfe had hee not dyed in the expedition Beomond his eldest sonne by his first wife became after Prince of Antioch and is much renowned in the holie warres Roger of his second marriage with the daughter of the Prince of Salerno succeeded in the States of Italie as more theirs by birth and bloud His daughters were all highlie marryed Thus from a priuate gentleman came this famous Norman to leaue a succession of Kings and Princes after him and died the same yeare as did this William his concurrent in the loue and fauour of fortune And to this man fled all the discontented and desperate Normans during these ciuill warres the Duke had with so many competitors and cuery ouerthrow hee gaue them augmented Guiscards forces in Italie and especially this battaile of Dunes which ended not the Dukes trauailes for Guy de Burgogne escaping the fight fortified the Castles of Briorn and Verneuille but in the end was faine to render them both and himselfe to the Dukes mercie and became his pencioner who was his competitor which act of clemency in the Duke brought in many other to submit themselues whereby they re-obteyned their segniories but had their Castles demolished Hauing ended this worke new occasion to keepe him in action was ministred by Geoffry Martle Earlc of Aniou who warring vpon the Poictouins incroached also vpon his neighbours States vsurped Alençon Dampfront and Passais members of the Duchy of Normandie which to recouer the Duke leauies an Armie and first got Alençon where for that he was opprobriously skorned by the beseiged who when they saw him would cry La Pel La Pel in reproach of the basenesse of his mother and the trade of the place of his birth he shewed extreame cruelty Then layes hee seige to Dampfront which to releiue Conte Martel comes with his greatest forces and the Duke to take notice of his strength sendes out Roger de Mongomerie with 2. other knights to deliuer this message to the Earle that if he came to victuall Damfronte hee should finde him there the Porter to keepe him out whereto the Earle returnes this answere Tell the Duke to morrow by day breake hee shall haue me there on a white horse readie to giue him the combare and I will enter Damfront if I can And to the end he shall know me I will were a sheild d'or without any deuise Roger replies Sir you shall not neede to take that paynes for to morrow morning you shall haue the Duke in this place mounted on a bay horse And that you may know him he shall were on the point of his Launce a streamer of taffata to wipe your face Herewith returning each side prepares for the morning when the Earle busy in ordering his battailes was aduertised by two horsemen that came crossing the feild how Damfronte for certaine was rendred to the Duke whereupon in great rage hee presently departs with his army whereof a part was in passing a streight cut off by Viconte Neel who for that seruice redeemed his former offence and was restored to the Dukes fauor whom euer after he faithfully serued Those of Damfronte desperate of succour presently yeeld themselues to the Duke who with his ingines and forces remoues from thence to Hambrieres a frontier towne of Conte Martels and by the way had it not bene by himselfe discouered he had beene vtterly ouerthrowen by an ambush which gaue him much to doe and lost him verie many braue men Wherewith he grew so inraged that he forced into the troupes of his enimies made at Conte Martel stracke him downe with his sworde claue his helmet and cut of an eare but yet he escaped out of the preasse though diuers were taken and the Aniouuins vtterly defeited Whilst thus he was trauayled with an outward enemy two more were found at home to conspire against him william Guelan Earle of Mortagne discended from Richard the second And William Earle of Eu and Montreul yssuing from William the brother of the same Richard and of Esselin Countesse of Montreul the first vpon suspition the
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
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
And here Robert who stood in a fayre possibility of two Crownes came to be depriued of his Duchy and all he had brought prisoner into England and committed to the Castle of Cardiffe Where to adde to his miserie he had the misfortune of a long life suruiuing after he lost himselfe 26. yeares whereof the most parte he saw not hauing his eyes put out whereby he was onely left to his thoughts a punishment barbarously inflicted on him for attempting an escape He was a Prince that gaue out to the world very few notes of his ill but many of his noblenesse and valour especially in his great voyage where he had the second command and was in election to haue bene the first preferred to the Crowne of Ierusalem and missed it hardly Onely the disobedience in his youth shewed to his father which yet might proceed from a rough hand borne ouer him and the animation of others rather then his owne nature set a stayne vpon him and then his profusion which some would haue liberalitie shewed his impotencie and put him into those courses that ouerthrew him All the reuenues of his Duchie which should serue for his maintenance he sold or ingaged and was vpon passing the Cittie of Roan to the Citizens Which made him held vnfit for the gouernment and gaue occasion to his brother to quarrell with him And thus came Henry freed from this feare and absolute Duke of Normandie had many yeares of quiet gathered great treasure and intertayned good intelligence with the neighbour Princes Scotland by his Match and doing their Princes good he held from doing him hurte clearing them from vsurpations Wales though vnder his title yet not subiection gaue him some exercise of action which he ordred with great wisedome First he planted with in the bodie of that Country a Colonie of Flemings who at that time much pestred this kingdome being admitted here in the raigne of King William 1. marrying their Country woman and vsing their helpe in the action of England where they daylie increased in such sorte as gaue great displeasure to the people But by this meanes both that greuance was eased and the vse of them made profitable to the State for being so great a number and a strong people they made roome for themselues held it in that sorte as they kept the Welsh all about them in very good awe Besides the King tooke for Ostages the chiefe mens sonnes of the Country and hereby quieted it For France he stood secure so long as Phillip 1. liued who wholy giuen ouer to his ease and luxurie was not for other attempts out of that course but his sonne he was to looke vnto whensoeuer he came to that Crowne With the Earle of Flanders he had some debate but it was onely in words and vpon this occasion King William the first in retribution of the good his father in law Baldâ—â—in 5. had done by aiding him in the action of England gaue him yearely 300 markes and likewise continued it to his sonne after him Now Robert Earle of Flanders of a collaterall line returning emptie from the holy warres and finding this summe paid out of England to his predecessors demaundes the same of king Henry as his due who not easie to part with money sends him word that it was not the custome of the kings of England to pay tribute If they gaue pensions they were temporanie and according to desert Which answer so much displeased the Earle that though himselfe liued not to show his hatred yet his sonne did and aided afterward William the sonne of Robert Curtoys in his attempts for recouerie of the Duchie of Normandy against king Henry Thus stood this king in the first part of his raigne in the other he had more to do abroad then at home where he had by his excellent wisedome so setled the gouernment as it held a steady course without in interruption all his time But now Lewis le Gros succeeding his father Philip the first gaue him warning to looke to his State of Normandy and for that he would not attend a quarrell he makes one taking occasion about the Cittie of Gisors scituate on the riuer Epre in the confines of Normandy whilst Louys was trauailed with a stubborne Nobility presuming vpon their Franchises within their owne Signories whereof there were many at that time about Paris as the Contes of Crecy Pissaux Dammartin Champagne and others who by example and emulation would bee absolute Lords without awe of a maister putting themselues vnder the protection of Henry who beeing neere to assist them fostred those humors which in sicke bodies most shew themselues But after Louys by yeares gathering strength dissolued that compact and made his meanes the more by their confiscations Now to entertaine these two great Princes in worke the quarrell betweene the Pope and the Emperour ministred fresh occasion The Emperour Henry 5. hauing by the Popes instigation banded against his father Henry 4. who associated him in the Empire and held him prisoner in that distresse as he died toucht afterward with remorse of this act and reproach of the State for abandoning the rights of the Empire leuies sixtie thousand foote and thirtie thousand horse for Italy constraines the Pope his Colledge to acknowledge the rights of the Empire in that forme as Leo 4. had done to Otho 2. and before that Adrian to Charlemaigne according to the decree of the Councell of Rome and made him take his Oath of fidelitie betweene his hands as to the true and lawfull Emperour The Pope so soone as Henry was departed home assembles a Councell nullifies this acknowledgment as done by force and shortly after deceased The Emperour to make himselfe the stronger against his successor enters into aliance with the King of England takes to wife his daughter Maud being but fiue yeares of age After this Calixte sonne of the Conte de Borgogne comming to bee Pope and beeing French to their great applause assembles a Councell at Reimes where by Ecclesiasticall sentence Henry 5. is declared enemy of the Church and degraded of his Imperiall dignitie The King of England seeing this Councell was held in France composed chiefly of the Galicane Church desirous to ouer-maister Louys incenses his sonne in law the Emperour stung with this disgrace to set vpon him as the Popes chiefe piller on one side and hee would assaile him on the other The Emperour easily wrought to such a businesse prepares all his best forces the King of England doth the like The King of France seeing this storme comming so impetuously vpon him wrought so with the Princes of Germany as they weighing the future mischife of a warre vndertaken in a heare with the importance of a kinde neighbourhood aduise the Emperour not to enter there into till hee had signified to the King of France the causes of his discontent Where upon an Embassage is dispatched the King of France answeres that hee grieued much to