THE LIVES OF THE III. NORMANS KINGS OF ENGLAND WILLIAM the first WILLIAM the second HENRIE the first Written by I. H. MART. Improbè facit qui in alieno libro ingeniosus est ¶ IMPRINTED AT LONDON BY R. B. ANNO 1613. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE CHARLES Prince of Wales MOst Illustrious PRINCE OVr late too late borne or too soone dying Prince HENRY of famous memorie your deceased brother sent for mee a few monethes before his death And at my second comming to his presence among some other speeches hee complained much of our Histories of England and that the English Nation which is inferiour to none in Honourable actions should be surpassed by all in leauing the memorie of them to posteritie For this cause hee blamed the negligence of former ages as if they were ignorant of their owne deseruings as if they esteemed themselues vnworthie of their worth I answered that I conceiued these causes hereof One that men of sufficiencie were otherwise employed either in publicke affaires or in wrestling with the world for maintenance or encrease of their priuate estates Another is for that men might safely write of others in maner of atale but in maner of a History safely they could not because albeit they should write of men long since dead and whose posteritie is cleane worne out yet some aliue finding themselues foule in those vices which they see obserued reproued condemned in others their guiltinesse maketh them apt to conceiue that whatsoeuer the words are the finger pointeth onely at them The last is for that the Argument of our English historie hath bene so foiled heretofore by some vnworthie writers that men of qualitie may esteeme themselues discredited by dealing in it And is not this said he an errour in vs to permit euery man to be a writer of Historie Is it not an errour to be so curious in other matters and so carelesse in this We make choise of the most skilfull workemen to draw or carue the portraiture of our faces and shall euery artlesse Pensell delineate the disposition of our minds Our apparell must be wrought by the best Artificers and no soile must be suffered to fall vpon it and shall our actions shall our conditions be described by euery bungling hand Shall euery filthie finger defile our reputation Shall our Honour be basely buried in the drosse of rude and absurd writings Wee are carefull to prouide costly Sepulchers to preserue our dead liues to preserue some memorie what wee haue bene but there is no monument either so durable or so largely extending or so liuely and faire as that which is framed by a fortunate penne the memory of the greatest Monuments had long since perished had it not bene preserued by this meanes To this I added that I did alwayes conceiue that we should make our reckoning of three sorts of life the short life of nature the long life of fame and the eternall life of glorie The life of glorie is so farre esteemed before the other two as grace is predominant in vs the life of fame before our naturall life is so farre esteemed as a generous spirit surmounteth sensualitie as humane nature ouerruleth brutish disposition So farre as the noble nature of man hath dominion in our minds so farre do we contemne either the incoÌ„modities or dangers or life of our body in regard of our reputation and fame Now seeing this life of fame is both preserued and enlarged chiefly by history there is no man I suppose that will either resist or not assist the commendable or at least tolerable writing thereof but such as are conscious to themselues either that no good or that nothing but ill can bee reported of them In whom notwithstanding it is an errour to thinke that any power of the present time can either extinguish or obscure the memorie of times succeeding Posteritie will giue to euery man his due Some ages hereafter will affoord those who will report vnpartially of all Then he questioned whether I had wrote any part of our English Historie other then that which had been published which at that time he had in his hands I answered that I had wrote of certaine of our English Kings by way of a briefe description of their liues but for historie I did principally bend and binde my selfe to the times wherein I should liue in which my owne obseruations might somewhat direct me but as well in the one as in the other I had at that time perfected nothing To this he said that in regard of the honour of the time hee liked well of the last but for his owne instruction he more desired the first that he desired nothing more then to know the actions of his Auncestours because hee did so farre esteeme his descent from them as he approached neere them in honourable endeauours Hereupon beautifying his face with a sober smile he desired mee that against his returne from the progresse then at hand I would perfect somewhat of both sorts for him which he promised amply to requite and was well knowen to be one who esteemed his word aboue ordinary respects This stirred in mee not onely a will but power to perfourme so as engaging my duety farre aboue the measure either of my leisure or of my strength I finished the liues of these three Kings of Norman race and certaine yeeres of Queene ELIZABETHS Reigne At his returne from the Progresse to his house at S. Iames these pieces were deliuered vnto him which hee did not onely courteously but ioyfully accept And because this seemed a perfect worke he expressed a desire that it should be published Not long after he died and with him died both my endeauours and my hopes His death alasse hath bound the liues of many vnto death face to face being no wayes able either by forgetfulnesse to couer their griefe or to diminish it with consideration For in trueth he was a Prince of a most Heroical heart Free from many vices which sometimes accompanie high estates full of most amiable and admirable vertues of whose perfections the world was not worthy His eyes were full of pleasant modestie his countenance manly beautifull in bodie both strongly and delicately made in behauiour sweetâ—…ly sober which gaue grace to whatsoeuer he did He was of a discerning wit and for the facultie of his mind of great capacitie and power accompanied with equall expedition of will much foreseeing in his actions and for passions a commander of himselfe and of good strength to resist the power of prosperitie In counsaile he was ripe and measured in resolution constant his word euer led by his thought and followed by his deede And albeit hee was but yong and his nature forward and free yet his wisedome reduced both to a true temper of moderation his desires being neuer aboue his reason nor his hopes inferiour to his desires In a word hee was the most faire fruit of his Progenitours an excellent ornament of the present
and said I perceiue now that I haue liued too long that my brother doth clothe me like his almoseman with cast and torne garments So hee grew weary of his life and his disease encreasing with his discontentment pined away and in short time after died and was buried at Glocester And this was the end of that excellent commander brought to this game and gaze of fortune after many trauerses that he had troden He was for courage and direction inferiour to none but neither prouident nor constant in his affaires whereby the true end of his actions were ouerthrowen His valour had triumphed ouer desperate dangers and verely he was no more setled in valour then disposed to vertue and goodnesse neuer wilfully or willingly doing euill neuer but by errour as finding it disguised vnder some maske of goodnesse His performances in armes had raised him to a high point of opiniō for his prowesse which made him the more vnhappy as vnhappie after a fall from high state of honor He had one sonne named William vpon whose birth the mother died of this William shall somewhat hereafter be said And now as Princes oftentimes doe make aduantage of the calamity of their neighbours so vpon this downefall of the Duke of Normandie Fulke Earle of Aniou sharing for himselfe seized vpon Maine and certain other places made large waste tooke great booties and spoyles not onely out of ancient and almost hereditary hate against the hose of Normandie but as fearing harme from the King of England hee endeauoured to harme him first In like sort Baldwine Earle of Flanders declared in armes against the King for a yeerely pension of 300. markes the occasion of which demand was this King William the first in recompence of the ayde which he receiued in his enterprise for England from Baldwine 5. Earle of Flanders payd him yeerely three hundred markes which after his death was continued to his sonne Robert Earle of Flanders from a collaterall line demanded the same Pension but it was denied him by K. Henrie wherefore Baldwine his sonne attempted now to recouer it by Armes With these or rather as principall of these Lewes the grosse King of France seeing his ouersight in permitting Normandie to bee annexed to the Realme of England assembled a great armie and vpon pretence of a trifling quarrell about the demolishing of the Castle of Gisors declared William sonne to Robert Curtcuise for Duke of Normandie and vndertooke to place him in possession of that state which his vnfortunate father had lost And besides those open hostilities in Armes Hugh the kings Chamberlaine and certaine others were suborned traiterously to kill the King but the practise was in good time discouered and the conspirators punished by death Hereupon the King both with celeritie and power answerable to the danger at hand passed the Seas into Normandie hauing first drawen to his assistance Theobald Earle of Champaine the Earles of Crecie Pissaux and Dammartine who aspired to be absolute Lords within their territories as were many other Princes at that time in France These deteined the French King in some tariance in France whilest the King of England either recouered or reuenged his losses against the Earle of Aniou At the last hee was assailed in Normandie on three parts at once by the Earle of Aniou from Maine from Ponthieu by the Earle of Flanders and by the French King betweene both The King of England appointed certaine forces to guard the passages against the Earle of Aniou with directions to hold themselues within their strength and not to aduenture into the field Against the Earle of Flanders hee went in person and in a sharpe shocke betweene them the Earle was defeated and hurt and as some Authors affirme slaine albeit others doe report that hee was afterwards slaine in a battaile betweene the two Kings of England and of France After this he turned against Lewes King of France and fought with him before the towne of Nice in Normandie which towne the French had surprised and taken from the King of England This battaile continued aboue the space of nine houres with incredible obstinacie the doubt of victory being no lesse great then was the desire and yet neither part so hastie to end as not to stay for the best aduantage The first battaile on both sides was hewen in pieces valour of inestimable value was there cast away much braue blood was lost many men esteemed both for their place and worth lay groaning and grinning vnder the heauy hand of death The sad blowes the grisle wounds the grieuous deathes that were dealt that day might well haue moued any man to haue said That warre is nothing else but inhumane manhood The Kings courage guided with his Fortune and guarded both with his strength and his skill was neuer idle neuer but working memorable effects In all places his directions were followed by his presence being witnesse both of the diligence and valour of euery man and not suffering any good aduantage or aduise for want of timely taking to be lost He aduentured so farre in perfourming with his hand that his armour in many places was battered to his body and by reason of the sturdie strokes set vpon his helme he cast blood out of his mouth But this was so farre from dismaying his powers that it did rather assemble and vnite them so as aduancing his braue head his furie did breath such vigour into his arme that his sword made way through the thickest throngs of his enemies and hee brake into them euen to the last ranckes He was first seconded by the truely valiant whose vndanted spirits did assure the best and therewith contemne the very worst Then came in they whom despaire the last of resolutions had made valiant who discerned no meanes of hope for life but by bold aduenturing vpon death Lastly he was followed by all being enflamed by this example to a new life of resolution Generally the swords went so fast that the French vnable to endure that deadly storme were vtterly disbanded and turned to flight K. Henry after a bloody chase recouered Nice and with great triumph returned to Roan Afterwards he would often say That in other battailes he fought for victory but in this for his life and that hee would but little ioy in many such victories Vpon this euent the King sent certaine forces into France to harrase the countrey and to strike a terrour into the enemie The French King besides the abatement of his power by reason of his late ouerthrow was then preparing in Armes against Henry the Emperour who intended to destroy Rhemes partly drawen on by Henry King of England whose daughter he had taken to wife but chiefly for that a Councell had bene there held against him by Pope Calixtus a French man wherein the Emperour was declared enemie to the Church and degraded from his Imperiall dignitie This brought the English to a carelesse conceit and to a loose and licentious demeanure
King William the second was in Palestina when King William was slaine being one of the principal leaders in that Heroical warre which diuers Christian Princes of Europe set vp to recouer Hierusalem out of the power and possession of the Saracens In this expedition hee purchased so honourable reputation for skill industrie and valour of hand that when the Christian forces had surprised Hierusalem and diuers other Cities in those quarters the kingdome thereof was offered vnto him But the Duke whether he coniectured the difficulties of that warre for that the enemie was both at hand and vnder one command but the Armie of the Christians was to be supplied from farre and also consisted of many Confederats In which case albeit sometimes men performe well at the first yet in short time inconueniences encreasing they alwayes either dissipate and dissolue or else fall into confusion Or whether he heard of the death of his brother to whose Kingdome he pretended right as well by prerogatiue of blood as by expresse couenant betweene them confirmed by oath refused the offer which was the last period of all his honour and in short time after tooke his iourney from Palestine towards France But Henry the Kings yonger brother apprehending the opportunitie of the Dukes absence did foorthwith seaze vpon the treasure of the King and thereby also vpon his State and so was crowned at Westminster vpon the second day of August in the yeere 1100. by Maurice Bishop of London because Anselme Archb. of Canterburie was then in exile This enterprise was much aduanced by the authoritie and industrie of Henry Newborow Earle of Warwicke who appeased all opposition that was made against it The people also albeit they had bene managed so tame as easily to yeeld their backe to the first sitter yet to Henry they expressed a prone inclination for that hee was borne in England at a place called Selby in Lincolneshire since his father was crowned King whereas Duke Robert his brother was borne before his father attained the kingdome This serued Prince Henry not onely to knit vnto him the affections of the people but also to forme a title to the Crowne For it hath bin a question often debated both by Arguments and by Armes and by both trials diuersly decided when a king hath two sonnes one borne before he was King and the other after whether of them hath right to succeed Herodotus writeth That when Darius the sonne of Hysdaspis King of Persia made preparation for warre against the Graecians and Egyptians he first went about to settle his succession because by the Lawes of Persia the King might not enter into enterprise of Armes before he had declared his successour Now Darius had three children before he was King by his first wife the daughter of Gobris After he was King he had other foure by Atossa the daughter of Cyrus Artabazanes or as other terme him Arthemenes was eldest of the first sort Xerxes of the second Artabazanes alleaged that he was the eldest of all the Kings sonnes and that it was a custome among all nations That in principalities the eldest should succeed Xerxes alleaged that he was begotten of Atossa the daughter of Cyrus by whose valour the Persians had obteined their Empire Before Darius had giuen sentence Demaratus the sonne of Aristo cast out of his kingdome of Sparta and then liuing an exile in Persia came vnto Xerxes and aduised him further to alleage that he was the eldest sonne of Darius after hee was King And that it was the custome of Sparta that if a man had a sonne in priuate state and afterwards another when he was King this last sonne should succeed in his kingdome Vpon this ground Artabazanes was reiected and Darius gaue iudgement for Xerxes This history is likewise reported by Iustine and touched also by Plutarch although they disagree in names and some other points of circumstance So when Herode King of Iudea appointed Antipater his eldest sonne but borne to him in priuate state to succeed in his Royaltie and excluded Alexander and Aristobulus his yonger sonnes whom he had begot of Mariamne after he had obteined his kingdome Iosephus plainly reprehendeth the fact and condemneth the iudgement of Herode for partiall and vniust So Lewes borne after his father was Duke of Milane was preferred in succession before his brother Galeace who was borne before And so when Otho the first was elected Emperour his yonger brother Henry pretended against him for that Otho was borne before their father was Emperour and Henry after In which quarrell Henry was aided by Euerharde Earle Palatine and Giselbert Duke of Lorreine with diuers other Princes of Almaine But when the cause came to be canuased by the sword the victorie adiudged the Empire to Otho Furthermore this right of title seemeth to be confirmed by many grounds of the Imperial Law As that sonnes borne after their father is aduanced to a dignitie doe hold certaine priuiledges which sonnes formerly borne doe not enioy That those children which are borne after a person is freed from any infamous or seruile condition doe participate onely of that libertie and not they who were borne before That if a man taketh a wife in the Prouince wherein he holdeth office the mariage is good if after the time his Office shall expire they continue in the same consent but so that the children borne before shall not be thereby helde for legitimate That those children which are borne after their father is honoured with the title of Clarissimus do enioy the rights due vnto that degree of dignitie and not they who were borne before That as a sonne borne after the father hath lost his kingdome is not esteemed for the sonne of a King so neither hee that is borne before the father be a King And although these and diuers like passages of Law commonly alleadged doe seeme little or nothing pertinent to this purpose for that they concerne not any vniuersall right of inheritance which is due vnto children after the death of their parents but certaine particular piuiledges and rights attributed vnto them whilest their parents were in life which for the most part are arbitrarie and mutable as depending vpon the pleasure of the Prince Yet many Interpreters of both Lawes haue bene drawen by these reasons to subscribe their iudgements for this kind of Title and namely Pet. Cynus Baldus Albericus Iac. Rebuffus Luc. Penna Also Panormitane Collect. Dynus Franc. Cremen Marti Laud. Card. Alexander Phil. Decius Alceat Bon. Curti. And lastly Anton. Corsetta deliuereth it for a common receiued and followed opinion Which must be vnderstood with this distinction if the kingdome be either newly erected or else newly acquired by Conquest Election or any such title other then by hereditarie succession according to proximitie in blood For if the kingdome bee once