deliuered his country at that turne from the worst of miseries the conquest by strangers BVt now vpon the death of Ethelred whose 37 yeares raigne shewes that infelicity shall haue time too much and happinesse too little Knute was by most of the Clergie and Nobility chosen king onely the City of London with some of the Nobility thereabout made election of Edmond and furnished him with that power as thereby with the couragious ardour of his youth which commonly is most in the first attempts he had the better in three imminent battels within 3 moneths and had likewise obtained the fourth at Essendon likely to haue bene the last with the Danes but that the disloyall Edric late renouncing his new Lord seeing Edmonds part in possibility to preuaile againe betrai'd his trust withdrew himselfe and the charge he had to the enemy This fatall battell lost England here perished the best flower of honor it then had Here amongst the rest was slaine Vlkill an Earle of Essex of euer memorable worth who had long stood vp for the kingdom and in the time of Swaine was the first that shewed there was hope and possibility to quaile the enemy had there bene an vnion in loyalty From this bloudy worke Edmond escapes to Glocester to recollect new forces nor was he so forsaken with this fortune but that he soone recouered another armie to re-assaile the enemie that might be idle vpon this victorie But Knute as prouident in the prosecution of his businesse as fortunate therein makes after Here when both Armies were at the point to incounter a motion of peace was propounded Some say the two Kings by single combat consented to decide their fortunes and the ouer-commer to take all and that in an Isle of the riuer Seuern their Armies on either shore spectators of the act they tried the maistery for the prize of a kingdome After long and equall fight finding each others worth they cast away their weapons imbraced and concluded the peace But howsoeuer it seemes both sides tyred with the miserie of a consuming warre neuer like to be ended but by the vtter extirpation of the one and considering the danger of either and incertaintie of the future were easily perswaded to imbrace a present agreement which was made by parting England betwixt them two and confirm'd by Oath and Sacrament putting on each others Apparell and Armes as a ceremonic to expresse the attonement of their mindes as if they made transaction of their persons each to other Knute became Edmond and Edmond Knute A fatall exchange for so free and magnanimous a Prince as Edmond who indeede was now no more himselfe and being but halfe a king was in so few dayes after none as makes this peace shew fouler then warre for that armed him for life this exposed him naked to death which was shortly after treacherously giuen him at Oxford some say by the sonne of Edric as if to shew he would be the heire of his father also in Treason whereby both the hope and the other halfe of England were vtterly lost as determinable with his raigne which with all we haue else of his magnanimous actiōs took vp scarce the circuit of one whole yeare And yet had that bene space enough for gloric whose measure is to be taken rather by the profundity then the length which seldome holds long and euen could he haue had that cleere and better for his renowne to haue died at the battaile of Essendon with England then discended to haue made it halfe Denmarke and liue BVt by this meanes Knute attayned the absolute dominition of the whole kingdome which he gouerned with better Iustice then he got conforming his natiue roughnes to a more ciuile and regular fashion of life And to haue England see that now he was hers he sendes away his Nauie stipendary soldiers home to their countries and puts himselfe wholy vpō this people taking the way of mildnesse a better meanes for his establishment then force but the Land paid for the remuneration of his people this euacuation of Strangers 83000 pounds of siluer which it rather cōsented to do at once then to haue them a daily burthen to pester the Statefor euer At his first comming to the Crowne he sought to ridde himselfe as well of his friends as of those might proue his enemies Edric who came first to salute him sole King of England as if to tell that hee made him so hee caused his head to be set on the highest part of the Towre of London therin performing his promise of aduancing him aboue any Lord of the Land and thereby discharged himselfe of such a debt which though hee should haue paid would neuer yet be held fully cleered giuing a generall satisfaction to the people that reioyced to see Treason so iustly rewarded Like compensation had shortly after the Earles Turkil Erick who being banished the Land were executed vpon their arriuall in Denmarke But the loue and high opinion of Iustice he got in these were lost againe in those actions wherin he tooke counsell onely of his feares for the extirpation of all those of the Royall bloud of England As of Edwin and Edward the sonnes of the late King Edmond to whome apperteyned the moyetie of the kingdom by contract of Edwin his brother which three he sent to be murthered abroad to beguile the rumor at home But which is strange those times though rough afforded not yet an instrument for the execution of his desire and all these Princes were preserued and conueyed out of danger by those who should haue made them away The two last were bred by Salomon King of Hungarie where Edward suruiuing his brother maried Agatha sister to that Queene And some write daughter to the Emperour Henry 3 by whom hee had two sonnes Edmond and Edgar daughters Margaret and Christina Aelfred and Edward sonnes of King Ethelred by Emme were preserued by Richard Duke of Normandie their vnkle and so lay out of his way This priuate iniustice which often may be more in compassion then hurt to the State hee sought to recompence with all publique satisfactions repairing the naufrage of the common-wealth made by the rage of warre both in ornament and order erecting Churches and Monasteries with large patents of prouisions both for the expiation of his inmanities fore-committed and to memorize the places of his victories with his thankefulnesse to God The Constitutions Ecclesiastical and Ciuile diuulged in the language of that time testifie his tender piety and care of Iustice and are so full of religious admonitions as it seemes he held the best meanes to haue lawes obserued was to haue them first enacted in the consciences of men Amongst others hee inflicted exact punishment on all intemperances of his people and offences committed against publique manners Seuere he was but not cruell few of his lawes sanguinarie as being not the custome of the time which though rough
Commons as gaue all satisfaction He made diuers progresses into remote partes of the Land to see how the State was ordred And for that purpose when so euer he was in England he kept no certayne residence but solemnized the great festiuals in seuerall and far distant places of the kingdome that all might pertake of him And for that he would not wreste ny thing by an imperiall powre from the kingdome which might breede vlcers of dangerous nature he tooke a course to obtayne their free consents to serue his occasions in their generall Assemblies of the 3. estates of the Land which he first and often conuoked and which had from his time the name of Parlement according to the manner of Normandie and other States where Princes keepe within their circles to the good of their people their owne glorie and securitie of their posteritie He was a Prince that liued formally himselfe and repressed those excesses in his subiects which those times interrayned as the wearing of long hayre which though it were a gaytie of no charge like those sumptuous braueries that waste kingdomes in peace yet for the vndecencie there of he reformed it and all other dissolutenesse His great businesses and his wantes taught him frugalitie and warynesse of expence and his warres being seldome inuasiue and so not getting put him often to vse hard courses for his suppliments of treasure Towards the marriage of his daughter with the Emperour and the charge of his warre he obtayned as it might seeme at his first Parlement at Salisbury Anno. Reg. 15. three shillings vpon euery hide-land but he had no more in all his raigne except one supply for his warres afterward in France He kept Byshopricks and Abbayes voyd in his hands as that of Canterbury 5 yeares together By an act of Parlement at London Anno. Reg. 30. he had permission to punish mariage and incontinencie of Priests who for fines notwithstanding he suffred to inioy their wiues but hereby he displeased the Clergie and disappoynted that reformation Punishments which were mutilation of member he made pecuniarie And by reason of his often and long being in Normandie those prouisions for his house which were vsed to be payde in kinde were rated to certayne prices and receiued in mony by the consent of the State and to the great content of the subiect who by reason that many dwelling far off throughout all shires of England were much molested with satisfying the same otherwife He resumed the liberties of hunting in his Forests which tooke vp much faire ground of the kingdome and besides renuing former penalties made an Edict that if any man in his owne priuate woodes killed the Kings Deere should forfeit his woodes to the King But he permitted them inclosures for Parkes which vnder him seemes to haue their originall by the example of that of his at Woodstoke and after their multitude grew to be a diseaze His expences were cheifly in his warres and his many and great fortifications in Normandie His buildings were the Abbay of Reading the Mannour of Woodstoke and the great inclosure about that Parke The most eminent men of his Councell were Roger Byshop of Sarum and the Earle of Mellent both men of great experience in the affaires of the world Roger was euer as Viceroy had the whole management of the kingdome in his absence which was sometimes three and foure yeares together He had managed the Kings monyes and other affayres of his house when he was a poore Prince and a priuat man whereby he gayned an especiall trust with him euer after and discharged his part with great policie and vnderstanding had the title of Iusticiarius totius Anglia Of whose magnificence and spacious mynde we haue more memorials left in notes of stone then of any one Man Prince or other of this kingdome The ruynes yet remayning of his stately structures especially that of the Deuises in Wiltshire thewes vs the carkasse of a most Roman-like Fabricke Besides he built the Castles of Malmsburie and Shirburne two strong and sumptuous peeces new walled and repayred the Castle of Salisburie but all these he liued to see rent from him and seased into the next Kings handes as being thinges donne out his parte and ly now deformed heapes of rubble But the goodly Church of Salisburie a worke appertayning to his function remaynes as of another fate Robert Earle of Mellent was the sonne of Roger Beaumont who of all the great men which followed William I. in his ciuill warres of Normandie refused to attend him in his expedition for England though with large promises inuited thereunto saying The inheritance left him by his predecessors was sufficient to maintaine his estate at home and hee desired not to thrust himselfe into other mens possessions abroad But his sonne Robert was of another mind and had a mighty estate both in England and Normandy Was a man of great direction in Councell and euer vsed in all the waighty affaires of the State His parsimony both in apparell and diet was of such example being a man of eminent note as did much good to the kingdome in those dayes But in the end he fell into disgrace the fate of Court and eminency opposed against the king and died bereft of his estate Besides these this king was serued with a potent and martiall Nobility whom his spirit led to affect those great designes of his in France for the preseruation of his state in Normandy Whither in the 32 yeare of his raigne he makes his last voyage to dye there and in his passage thithe happened an exceeding great Ecclips of the Sunne which was taken to fore-signifie his death for that it followed shortly after in the thirty fiue yeare of his reigne Hee was of a gracefull personage quicke-eyed browne haire a different complexion from his brothers and of a close compacted temperament wherein dwelt a minde of a more solid constitution with better ordered affections Hee had in his youth some taste of learning but onely as if to set his stomake not to ouer-charge it therewith But this put many of his subiects into the fashion of the Booke and diuers learned men flourished in his time King Stephen THE Line Masculine of the Norman extinct and onely a daughter left and she married to a French-man Stephen Earle of Bologne and Mortagne son of Stephen Earle of Blois and of Adela daughter to William I. was notwithstanding the former oath taken for Maud elected by the State and inuested in the Crowne of England within 30 dayes after the death of Henry Vpon what reasons of Councell we must gather out of the circumstances of the courses held in that time Some imagine the state refused Maude for not being then the custome of any other kingdome Christian whose Kings are annoynted to admit women to inherite the Crowne and therefore they might pretend to be freed from their oath as being vnlawfull But Roger
Bishop of Salisbury one of the principall men then in councell yeelded another reason for the discharge of this oath which was that seeing the late King had married his daughter out of the Realme and without the consent thereof they might lawfully refuse her And so was Stephen hauing no Title at all by meere election aduanced to the Crowne For if hee should claime any right in the Succession as being the sonne of Adela then must Theobald Earle of Blois his elder brother haue beene preferred before him and Henry Fitz Empresse if they refused the mother was neerer in bloud to the right Stem then either But they had other reasons that ruled that time Stephen was a man and of great possessions both in England and France had one brother Earle of Bloss a Prince of great estate another Bishop of Winchester the Popes Legat in England of power eminent was popular for his affability goodly personage and actiuenesse and therefore acceptable to the Nobility who at that time were altogether guided by the Clergy and they by the working of the Bishop of Winchester induced to make choyce of him hauing an opinion that by preferring one whose Title was least would make his obligation the more to them and so they might stand better secured of their liberties then vnder such a one as might presume of an hereditary succession And to be the more sure thereof before his admittance to the Crowne hee takes a priuate oath before the Bishop of Canterbury to confirme the ancient liberties of the Church and had his brother to vndertake betwixt God and him for the performance thereof But being now in possession of the kingdome and all the treasure his vnkle had in many yeares gathered which amounted to one hundred thousand pounds of exquisite siluer besides plate and iewels of inestimable value after the funerals performed at Reading hee assembles a Parliament at Oxford wherein herestored to the Clergy all their former liberties and freed the Laytie from their tributes exactions or whatsoeuer grieuances opprest them confirming the same by his Charter which faithfully to obserue hee tooke a publique oath before all the Assembly where likewise the Bishops swore fealty vnto him but with this condition so long as hee obserued the tenor of this Charter And now as one that was to make good the hold he had gotten with power his sworde prepares for all assaults which he was sute to haue come vpon him And first graunts licence to all that would to build Castles vpon their owne Landes thereby to fortifie the Realme and breake the force of any ouerrunning inuasion that should maister the feild Which in setled times might be of good effect but in a season of distraction and part-takings very dangerous And being to subsist by frendes he makes all he could creates new Lords giues to many great possessions and hauing a full purse spares for no cost to buy loue and fidelitie a purchace very vncertayne when there may be other conucyances made of more strength to carry it Two wayes he was to looke for blowes from Scotland on one side and France on the other Scotland wanted no instigators Dauid their King moued both with nature and his oath to his Neece turnes head vpon him Stephen was presently there with the shew of a strong Army and appeased him with the guift of Cumberland and his sonne Henry Prince of Scotland with the Earldome of Huntingdon the last tooke an oath of fealtie vnto him which the father refused as hauing first sworne to Maude wherein he satisfied not the King who returning from this voyage found some defection of his Nobilitie which presently put him into another action that intertayned him sometime After which he falles dangerously sicke in so much as he was noysed to be dead by which sickenesse he lost more then his health For his frendes put in danger thereby cast to seeke another partie to beare them vp it wakened Aniou and sets him on to surprize certayne peeces in Normandie to prepare for the recouerie of his wiues right and made all this kingdome wauer Thus was his first yeare spent which shewed how the rest of 18. would proue wherein we are to haue no other representations but of reuoltes beseiging of Castles surprizings recouerings loosings againe with great spoyles and destruction in briefe a most miserable face of a distracted State that can yeeld vs no other notes of instruction but such as are generall in all times of like disposition and therefore herein we may the better forbeare the rehearsall of many perticulars being all vnder one head of action and like nature The King hauing recouered would make the world know he was aliue and presently passes with forces into Normandy ouercame the Earle of Aniou in battayle after makes peace with him and vpon renouncing of the clayme of Maude couenants to giue them 5000. markes per annum he intertaynes amitie with King Louys 7. and causes his sonne Eustace to do him homage for the Duchy of Normandie wherein he was inuested besides to content his elder brother Theobald Earle of Blois he giues him a pension of 2000. markes and so returnes againe into England to a warre against Scotland which in this meane time made incursions on the kingdome where whilst he was held busie in worke Robert Earle of Glocester base sonne to Henry 1. a man of high spirit great direction and indefatigable industry an especiall actor that performed the greatest part in these times for his sister Maude had surprized the Castle of Bristow and procured confederates to make good other peeces abroade in diuers parts as William Talbot the Castle of Hereford Paynel the Castle of Ludlow Louell that of Cary Moune the Castle of Dunstor Robert de Nichol that of Warham Eustace Fitz Iohn that of Walton and William Fitz Allan the Castle of Shrewsbury Stephen leaues the prosecution of the Scottish warres to Thurstan Archbyshop of Yorke whom he made his lieutenant and furnished with many valiant leaders as Walter Earle of Albemarle William Peuerell of Nottingham Walter and Gilbert Lacies Himselfe brauely attended bendes all his power to represse the conspirators which he did in one expedition recouers all these Castles by reason of their distances not able to succour one another and draue the Earle of Glocester home to his sister into Aniou No lesse successe had his forces in the North against the Scots whom in a great battayle they discomfeited and put to flight which great fortunes meeting together in one yeare brought forth occasion of bad in that following for now presuming more of himfelfe he fell vpon those rockes that rent all his greatnesse He calles a Councell at Oxford where occasion was giuen to set him out with the Clergie that had onely put him into the State The Byshops vpon the permission of building Castles so out-went the Lords in magnificence strength and number of their erections and especially the Byshop of Salisbury that their greatnesse
and none or small supplies from the Romans lay open to the rapine and spoyle of their northerne enemies who taking the aduantage of this disfurnishment neuer left till they had reduced them to extreme miseries which forced them to implore the ayde of Aetius Praefect of Gaule vnder Valentinian 3. and that in so lamentable manner their Embassadors in torne garments with sand on their heads to stir compassion as Aetius was moued to send forces to succour them and caused a wall to be raysed vpon the trench formerly made by Adrian from Sea to Sea of 8. foote thicke and 12. high inter-set with Bulwarks which the Roman soldiers and an infinit number of Britaynes fitter for that worke then warre with great labour effected And so Aetius left them againe once more freed and defended from their enemies aduising them from thenceforth to inure and imploy their owne forces without any more expectation of succour from the Romans who ouer-wrought with other businesse could not attend affayres that lay so far off No sooner had the enemy intelligence of the departure of these succours but on they came notwithstanding this fortification battered downe the wall ouerthrew the defenders and harrowed the country worse then before Whereupon againe this miserable people send to Aetius vsing these words To Aetius thrice Consull the sighes of the Britaynes and after thus complayne The barbarous enemy beates vs to the Sea the Sea beates vs back to the enemy betweene these two kind of deathes we are either murdered or drowned But their implorations preuayled not for Aetius at that time had inough to do to keepe his owne head and Valentinian the Empire which now indured the last convulsions of a dying State hauing all the parts and Prouinces thereof miserably rent and torne with the violencies of strange nations So that this was also in the fate of Britayne to be first made knowne to perish by and with the Roman State Which neuer suffring the people of this Land to haue any vse or knowledge of armes within their owne country left them vpon their dissolution naked and exposed to all that would assayle them And so ended the Roman Gouernment in Britayne which from their first inuasion by Iulius Caesar to this Valentinianus 3. had continued the space of 500. yeares In all which time we find but these 7. Brittish Kings nominated to haue raigned Theomantius Cunobelinus Guiderius Aruiragus Marius Coelus and lastly Lucius who is crowned with immortall honor for planting Christian religion within this Land All other from Lucius to Vortigern who succeeds this relinquishment were Roman gouernors This is briefly so much of especiall note as I can collect out of the Roman historie concerning the State and gouernment of Britayne finding els-where little certaintie and from hence forth during their short possession of this Land far lesse Whereof Gildas the Britayne complaynes laying the cause on the barbarisme of their enemies who had destroyed all their monuments memoriall of times past And though himselfe wrote about 40. yeares after the inuasion of the Saxons and was next these times we come now to remember yet hath he left in his enigmaticall passions so small light thereof as we discerne very little thereby Nor hath the Britaynes any honour by that antiquitie of his which ouerblacks them with such vgly deformities as we can see no part cleere accusing them to be neither strong in peace nor faithfull in warre and vniuersally casts those aspersions on their manners as if he laboured to inueigh not to informe And though no doubt there was as euer is in these periods of States a concurrencie of disorder and a generall loosenes of disposition that met with the fulnes of time yet were there no doubt some mixtures of worth and other notions of that age wherewith after-times would haue bene much pleased to haue had acquaintance But it seemes his zeale in that respect wider then his charitie tooke vp the whole roome of his vnderstanding to whom the reuerence of antiquitie and his title of Sapiens doth now giue Sanctuarie we must not presume to touch him Such was the State of Britayne left without armes or order when Vortigern either by vsurpation or faction became King and is saide to be the author of the first calling in or imploying being in the Saxons to make good his owne extablishment and the saftie of his kingdom against the Picts and Scots The Saxons at this time possest the third part of Germanie holding all the country betweene the Riuers Rhene and Elue bounded on the North by the Baltique Sea and the Ocean on the south by Silua Hircinia and diuided by the riuer Visurgis into Ostphalia and Westphalia gouerned by an Optimacie of 12. Princes with an election of a soueraigne leader for the businesse of war This being so spacious populous and neere a country well furnisht with shipping which the Britaynes had not yeelded euer plentifull meanes to supply the vndertakers of this action which were first 2. brothers Hengist and Horsa with all necessarie prouisions vpon euery fit occasion After they had beene here a while as stipendaries and finding the debility of Prince people their number soone increased And first they had the Isle of Thanet allowed them to inhabite then the whole country of Kent was made ouer to Hengist by transaction vnder couenant to defend the Land against the Picts and Scots And vpon the marriage of Vortigern with the daughter or neece of Hengist an exceeding beautifull ladie brought ouer of purpose to worke on the dotage of a dissolute Prince larger priuileges were graunted so that by this allyance and the fertillity of the Land were drawne in so many of this populous and millitary nation that Kent in short time grew too narrow for them and Hengist to distend their power into other parts aduised Vortigern to plant a Colony of them in the North beyond Humber to be a continuall guard against all inuasions that way Which being graunted hee sendes for Otha his brother and sonne Ebusa with great supplies out of Saxony to furnish that diseigne And so came the Saxons to haue first domination in Kent and Northumberland which conteyned all the countrie from Humber to Scotland And now beganne of seruants maisters to contemne their enterteynors and commit many insolencies Whereupon the Brittish nobilitie combine themselues depose Vortigern the author of this improuident admission and elect Vortimer his sonne a Prince of great worth who whilst he liued which was not long gaue them many fierce incounters but all preuailed not for the Saxons being possest of the principall gate of the Land lying open on their owne countrey to receiue all supplies without resistance had the aduantage to weare them out of all in the end And beside force they are said to haue vsed treacherie in murthering 300 of the British nobilitie at an assembly of peace at Amesburie where they tooke their King prisoner
this Land which retained nothing of the former nor held other memory but that of the dissolution thereof where scarce a Citie Dwelling Riuer Hill or Mountayne but changed names Britayne it selfe was now no more Britayne but New Saxonie and shortly after either of the Angles the greatest people of the inuadors or of Hengist called Engist-Land or England The distance made by the rage of warre lay so wide betweene the conquering and conquered people that nothing either of lawes rites and customes came to passe ouer vnto vs from the Britaynes nor had our Ancestors any thing from them but their countrie which they first diuided into eight kingdomes all which continued to the last extermination of the Britaynes vnder Caretius their King with whome they were driuen ouer Seuerne 136. yeeres after the first entertainement of Hengist And soone after the Saxons encroching vpon each othe rs parts or States which neuer held certaine boundes and the stronger vsurping vpon their weaker neighbours reduced them to seauen kingdomes that of the Northanimbrians being made one of two and then to sixe the west Saxons taking in the kingdome of Sussex to their dominion And so it continued about 250 yeares At the first by the space of 150 yeares they were meerely gouerned by their owne lawes without mixture of any other But after Augustine the Monke sent with 40 others by Pope Gregorie had conuerted Aethelbert King of Kent and some other they all shortly after receiued the Christian faith and had their lawes and rites ordered according to Ecclesiasticall constitutions Many of their Kings when their sterne asperitie grew molified by humility of the religion beganne to raise presently so many and great monuments of their piety in all parts of the Land as if they striued who should exceed therein and had no other glorie Diuers of them renounced their temporall dignities for Spirituall solitude and became Monkes as Aetheldred and Kinred Kings of Merena-Land Offa King of the East Saxons Kadwalla and Ina Kings of the west Saxons Eadberte King of the Northumbrians c. At length the kingdomes of Merc-naland and west Sax so far ouergrew the others in power as betweene them two it lay who should haue all For Ina a martiall wise and religious Prince gouerning the west Saxons first aduaunced that kingdome to a preheminencie did much to haue subdued Mercna-land but yet Offa afterwards King thereof was in faire possibility to haue swallowed vp both the west Saxons and all the rest of the kingdomes For whilst hee liued which was in the time of Carolus Magnus with whom hee held league and amity hee was esteemed as the especiall King of the Land But the many wrongs he did and the murther committed in his house vpon Aethelbert King of the East Angles comming to him vnder publique faith and a suitor to his daughter were iustly reuenged vpon his posteritie which after him declining in the end lost all For Egbert discended from Inegild the brother of Ina attayning the kingdome of the west Saxons beganne the way to bring all the rest into subiection And being a Prince who from a priuate fortune wherin he liued below with and not aboue other men had learned sufferance and moderation and by the Estate of an exile experience grew to haue great aduantages ouer the time and others borne fortunes and rose by these meanes Ina his great vncle renouncing the world with his kingdome and dying without issue left the succession imbroiled and out of the direct royall lyne as hee found it So that those foure Kings of the west Saxons who seuerally succeeded him Ethelard Sigibert Kinulph and Britric were rather Kings by election and their owne power then by right of discent And Britric knowing the weakenesse of his title and the much promising forwardnes of Egbert with his propinquitie in bloud to the former Kings practized to haue him made away which he perceauing fled first to Offa King of Mercna-land where finding little security in regard Britric had to strength himselfe married the daughter of that king hee escaped into France and there remayned till the death of Britric and then returning obtaines the kingdome of the Westsaxons subdues Cornewall inhabited by the Britaynes and after sets vpon Bernulph newly inuested in the kingdome of Mercna-land a State by the rupture of the Royall lyne likewise growne tottering For Egferth the sonne of Offa enioyed but. 4. monethes the inheritance of his fathers immanitie whereby that kingdome discended collaterally to Kennulph who left it to Kenelme a child after murthered by his sister Quinred Ceolulph brother to Kennulph succeeding after his first yeares raigne was expeld by Bernulph and Bernulph by Egbert who made that kingdome tributarie to the west Saxons as he did after that of the South and East Saxons with the kingdome of Northumberland And by this meanes in a manner attained to a soueraignty of the whole But the Danes imbroiling his peace in the end of his raigne held him backe from enioying such a fulnesse of power as that wee may account him the absolute Monarch of the kingdome nor yet any of his successors so long as the Danes continued vnsubiected For they hauing first made irruptions into the State in the raigne of the late King Britric his predecessor euer after held a part thereof and afflicted the whole till they had attayned the absolute soueraigntie to themselues The Danes were a people of Germanie next neighbours to the Saxons and of language and manners little different possessing besides Cimbrica Chersonesus now called Denmarke all the Isles adiacent in the Baltique Sea and sometimes the kingdome of Norway A mightie rough and martiall nation strong in shipping through their exercise of piracie and numerous in people for all suppliments Who perceauing heere the happie successe and plantation of the Saxons were drawne with desire and emulation likewise to put in for a part the coaste lying open to inuasion and the many diuisions of the Land with the discord of Princes making them an easie way thereunto So that in a manner as soone as the Saxons had ended their trauailes with the Britaynes and drew to settling of a Monarchie the Danes as if ordain'd to reuenge their slaughters beganne to assault them with the like āfflictions The long the many and horrible encounters betwene this two fierce nations with the bloudshed and infinit spoiles committed in euery part of the Land are of so disorded and troublous memory that what with their asperous names together with the confusion of place times and persons intricately deliuered is yet a warre to the reader to ouer-looke them And therefore to fauour myne owne paines and his who shall get little profit thereby I passe them ouer After the death of Egbert Aethelwolph his sonne succeeded in the State with the title of King of the west Saxons only and was a Prince more addicted to deuotion then action as may be seene by his donation of the tenth part of
legittimate sonne Edmond vnder age Nor did Athelstan disappoint the kingdome in this worke but performed all noble parts of religion iustice and magnanimitie after 16 yeares raigne dying without issue Edmond his brother succeeded him A Prince likely to haue equalled the worth of his predecessors had hee not vntimely perished by the hand of a base outlaw in his owne house at a festiuall amidst his people that deerely loued and honoured him And though he left two sonnes yet was Edred his brother preferred to the kingdome before them who making no variation from the lyne of virtue continued by his auncestors was held perpetuallie in worke by the Danes during the whole time of his raigne which was of 10 yeares Edwin his nephew the eldest sonne of Edmond succeeded him an irregular youth who interrupting the course of goodnesse liued dissolutely and died wishedly Otherwise had Edgar the other sonne of Edmond continued that rare succession of good Princes without the interposition of any ill Edgar though he were but 16 yeares of age yet capeable of councell was by the graue aduise of his Bishops who in that time of zeale held especially the raines on the hearts and affections of men put and directed in the way of goodnesse and became a most heroicall Prince Amongst other his excellent actions of gouernement he prouided a mightie Nauy to secure his coasts from inuasion which now he found though late was the onely meane to keepe out these miseries from within that thus lamentably afflicted the land euer before negligent or not inured to sea-affaires For when the Romans first subdued the same there was no shipping but a few small vessels made of wicker and couered with hides whereby they and after the Danes both mightie as those times gaue in shipping found that easie footing they had Yet Egbert is said to haue prouided a strong Nauie about the yeare 840. And Alfrid 30 or 40 yeares after did the like But either now dis-used or consumed by the enemy Edgar re-edifies and sets forth a Fleet consisting as some write of 1600 saile others a farre greater number and those he deuides and places in foure parts of the Realme making his progresses yearly with part of this mightie Nauie round about the whole Isle whereof he assumed the title of king And to reduce it all to one name and Monarchie he was intitled king of all Albion as testifies his Charter granted to the Abby of Maldesmesbury in these ' words Ego Edgarus totius Albionis Basileus nec non Maritimorum seu insulanorum Regum circum habitantium c. For he hauing first of all other made peace with the Danes and granted them quiet cohabitation through all his dominions had the soueraigntie ouer them And Kenneth king of Scots did him homage whether for Cumberland and Westmerland giuen to that Crowne by king Edmond his father or for his whole kingdome I cannot say And fiue kings of Wales did the like for their countrey and came all to his Court at Cardiffe So that he seemes the first and most absolute Monarch of this land that hitherto we find The generall peace that held all his time honored his name with the title of Pacificus and rendred his kingdome neuer before acquainted with the glory of quietnesse very flourishing But as if the same had bene giuen to shew and not to vse like a short calme betwixt stormes it lasted but little beyond his raigne of sixteene yeares being too short to close the disseuered ioynts of a commixed kingdom which was onely to haue bene the worke of Time and that none of these late Princes who were best like to haue aduanced and confirm'd the State of a Monarchie were ordained to haue But all as if things would another way were put off from their ends by their vntimely deaths as was this glorious young Prince in the 32 yeare of his age leauing his sonne Edward a child to vndergo the miseries of nonage to be made a sacrifice for ambition and a Saint by persecution through the hand of a step-mother who to aduance her owne sonne Ethelred brake in ouer the bounds of nature and right to make his way and is sayd her selfe to haue murthered him comming to her house estrayed in hunting and discompanied BVt Ethelred as if ill set prospered not on this ground the enterance to whose raigne was bloud the middle misery and the end confusion They write Saint Dunstan preaching at his Coronation prophetically foretold him of these calamities would follow this transgression saying For that thou hast aspired to the Crowne by the death of thy brother murthered by thy mother thus saith the Lord the sword shall neuer depart from thy house raging against thee all the daies of thy life slaying those of thy seede till the kingdome be transferred to another whose fashion and language thy people shall not know Nor shall thy sinne nor the sinne of thy ignominious mother with her councellors be expiated but by long auengement And this whether so vttered or not was ratified in the euent For either this vniust disordring the succession or the concurrency of hidden causes meeting with it so wrought as this late begunne Monarchie fell quite asunder and begat the occasion of two conquests by forraine nations within the space of 50 yeares For the Danes hauing now beene so long inmates with the English dispread ouer all partes by intermatching with them and multiplying with the late peace and confederations had their party though not their rule greater then euer so that this oportunitie of a yong and vnsettled Prince in a new branling State drew ouer such multitudes of other of the same nation as euery coast and part of the Land were miserablie made the open rodes of spoile and saccage in such sort as the State knew not where to make any certaine head against them for if incountred in one place they assaild another and had so sure intelligence what and where all preparations were raised as nothing could be effected auaylable to quayle them Whereupon Ethelred in the end was faine seing hee could not preuaile with the sword to assaile them with money and bought a peace for ten thousand pounds which God wot proued after a very dere penny-worth to the cōmon wealth shewing the seller thereof how much was in his power and the buyer at how hard a rate his necessitie was to be serued and yet not sure of his bargaine longer then the contractor would Who hauing found the benefite of this market raised the price thereof almost euery yeare And yet had not Ethelred what hee paid for the Land in one part or other neuer free from spoile and inuasion but rather the more now opprest both by the warre and this taxation Which was the first wee find in our annales laid vpon the kingdome and with heauie greeuance raised in a poore distressed State continewing many ages after the
surnamed Atheling to say the noble Edgar either by reason of his youth which yet was no barre to his right or being borne and bred a stranger little knowing or knowne to the kingdome had his claime neglected vpon the death of this pious king ANd Harald sonne to the Earle Godwin the next day after was preferredto the Crowne whether by any title he might pretend from the Danicque kings as discended from that nation and as some report sonne to Githa sister to Swayne or by meere election of the greater part of the Nobilitie we cannot say but it seemes the pressing necessitie of the time that required a more man to vndergo the burthen of warre and that trouble the world was like to fall into by reason of the claimes now made both by the Dane and Norman cast it suddenly vpon him as the most eminent man of the kingdome both by the experience of his owne deseruings and the strength of his alliance Neither did he faile but in fortune to make good this election taking all the best courses both for the well-ordering of the State and all prouisions for defence that a politicke and actiue Prince could do But being to deale in a broken world where the affections of men were all disioynted or dasht with the terror of an approching mischiefe failing as vsually is seene in these publicke feares both in their diligence and courage to withstand it soonefound more then enough to do And the first man which began to disturbe his new gouernment was his owne yonger brother Toustayne who in the time of the late king Edward hauing the gouernment of Northumberland was for his pride and immanities shewed in those parts banished the kingdome and now by reason of his former conceiued hatred against his brother easily set on by the Duke of Normandie and Baldouin Earle of Flanders whose two daughters the Duke and he had maried assailes first the Isle of Wight and after sets vpon the coast of Kent whence he was chased by the power of Harald and forced to withdraw into the North parts and there seeking to land was likewise repulsed by the Earles Morchar and Edwyn whose sister Harald had maried Then craues he aide of the Scots and after of Harald surnamed Harfager king of Norwey being then taking in the Orchades and exercising piracie in those parts whom he induced with all his forces to inuade England And landing at Tinmouth discomfeiting their first incounters they marched into the heart of the kingdome without resistance Neere Stamford king Harald of England met them with a puissant armie and after long and eager fight ended the day with victory and the death of his brother Toustayne and the king of Norwey But from hence was he called with his wearied and broken forces to a more fatall businesse in the South For now William Duke of Normandie pretending a right to the Crowne of England by the testament of the late king Edward his kinsman vpon the aduantage of a busie time and the disfurnishment of those parts landed at Pemsey not farre from Hastings in Sussex neere to which place was tried by the great Assize of Gods iudgement in battell the right of power betweene the English and Norman Nation A battaile the most memorable of all other and howsoeuer miserably lost yet most nobly fought on the part of England and the many wounds of Harald there slaine with the heapes of thousands of the English shew how much was wrought to haue sau'd their country from the calamitie of forraine seruitude And yet how so great a kingdome as England then was could with one blow be subdued by so small a prouince as Normandy in such sort as it could neuer after come to make any generall head against the Conquerour might seeme strange did not the circumstances fore-noted and other concurrent causes in the next booke to be declared giue vs faire and probable reason thereof Besides the indisposition of a diseased time as it is described by such as liued neerest it may giue vs great euidence in this examination For they say the people of this kingdome were by their being secure from their former enemy the Dane and their long peace which had held in a manner from the death of king Edmond Ironside almost 50 yeares growne neglectiue of armes and generally debaushed with luxurie and idlenesse the Cleargie licentious and onely content with a tumultuary learning The Nobility giuen to gluttony venery and oppression the common sort to drunkennesse and all disorder And they say that in the last action of Harald at Stamford the brauest men perished and himselfe growing insolent vpon the victorie retaining the spoyles without distribution to his souldiers not inured to be commanded by martiall discipline made them discontent and vnruly and comming to this battell with many mercinary men and a discontented Army gaue great occasion to the lamentable losse thereof Besides the Normans had a peculiar fight with long bowes wherewith the English then altogether vnacquainted were especially ouerthrowne And yet their owne Writers report how the maine battallion of the English consisting of Bils their chiefe and antient weapon held in a body so close lockt together as no force could dissolue them till the Normans faining to fly drew them to a disordered pursuite And so they excuse the fortune of the day And thus my noble Lord haue I in the streightest course the vneuen compasse of Antiquitie could direct me got ouer the wide and intricate passage of those times that lay beyond the worke I purpose more particularly to deliuer The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE of the Historie of England The life of William 1. I Come now my noble Lord of Rochester to write of a time wherin the State of England receiued an alteration of lawes customes fashion manner of liuing language writing with new formes of fights fortifications buildings and generally an innouation in most thinges but Religion So that from this mutation which was the greatest it euer had wee are to beginne with a new accompt of an England more in dominion abroade more in State and ability at home and of more honour and name in the world then heretofore which by being thus vndone was made as if it were in her fate to get more by her losses then her better fortunes For as first the conquest of the Danes brought her to the intyrest Gouernment shee euer possest at home and made her most redoubted of all the kingdomes of the North so did this of the Norman by comming in vpon her make a way to let her out and stretch her mightie armes ouer the Seas into the goodly Prouinces of the South For before these times the English nation from their first establishment in this Land about the space of 500 yeares neuer made any sally out of the Isle vpon any other part of the world but busied at home in a deuided State held a broken gouernment with the Danes
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
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
was vnderset with able ministers for the managing of these great affaires of his though time hath shut vs out from the knowledge of some of them it being in the fortune of kings to haue their ministers like riuers in the Ocean buried in their glory yet no doubt being of a strong constitution of iudgement he could not but be strongly furnished in that kind for weake kings haue weake sides and the most renowned Princes are euer best stored with able ministers The principall of highest imployment were Odon Bishop of Bayeux and Earle of Kent Lanfranke Archbishop of Canterbury and William Fitz Auber Earle of Hereford Odon supplied the place of Viceroy in the kings absence and had the management of the Treasury A man of a wide and agile spirit let out into as spacious a conceit of greatnesse as the heighth of his place could shew him And is rumord by the infinite accumulation of money which his auarice and length of office had made either to buy the Popedome or purchase the people of England vpon the death of the his brother who vnderstanding a purpose he had of going to Rome and seeing a mightie confluence of followers gathering vnto him made a close prison stay his iourney excusing it to the Church that he imprisoned not a Bishop of Bayeux but an Earle of Kent and Officer and accomptant vnto him Yet vpon his death-bed shortly following after many obsecrations that he would in respect of bloud and nature be a kind meane for the future peace of his sonnes he released him But the Bishop failed his request therein and became the onely kindle-fire to set them all into more furious combustion The motiue of his discontent the engine where-withall Ambition euermore turnes about her intentions was the enuy he bare to Lanfranc whose councell in his greatest affaires the king especially vsed and to oppose and ouer-beare him tooke hee all the contrary courses and part with Robert his nephew whom after many fortunes he attended to the holy warre and died in the siege of Antioche Lanfranc was a man of as vniuersall goodnesse as learning borne in Lumbardie and came happely a stranger in these strange time to doe good to England vpon whose obseruance though the King might in regard hee raised him lay some tye yet his affections could not but take part with his piety and place in so much as hee feared not to oppose against Odon the Kings brother seeking to gripe from the State of his Church And in all he could stood so betweene the kingdome and the Kings rigor as stayed many precipitious violencies that he whose power lay as wide as his wil might else haue fallen into For the Conqueror howsoeuer austere to others was to him allwayes milde and yeilding as if subdued with his grauity and vertue He reformed the irregularitie and rudenesse of the Clergie introducing a more Southerne formalitie and respect according to his breeding and the custome of his Country concurring herein likewise to be an actor of alteration though in the best kinde with this change of State And to giue entertaynement todeuotion he did all hee could to furnish his Church with the most exquisite ornaments might be procured added a more State and conueniency to the structure of religious houses and beganne the founding of Hospitals Hauing long struggled with indefatigable labour to hold things in an euen course during the whole raigne of this busie new state-building King And after his death seing his successor in the Crowne established especially by his meanes to faile his expectation out of the experience of worldly causes deuining of future mischeifes by present courses grew much to lament with his frendes the teadiousnesse of life which shortly after hee mildly left which such a sicknesse as neither hindred his speech nor memory a thing hee would often desire of God William Fitz Auber as is deliuered was a principall councellor and instrument in this action for England wherein he furnished 40. ships at his owne charge A man of great meanes yet of a hart greater and a hand larger then any meanes would well suffice His profuse liberalities to men of armes gaue often sharpe offence to the King who could not indure any such improuident expences Amongst the lawes hee made which shewes the power these Earles then had in their Prouinces hee ordayned that in the Countie of Hereford no man of armes or soldier should be fined for any offence whatsoeuer aboue 7. shillings when in other Counties vpon the least occasion of disobeying their Lords will they were forced to pay 20. or 25. shil But his estate seeming to beare no proportion with his minde and enough it was not to be an eminent Earle an especiall Councellor in all the affaires of England and Normandie a cheife fauoritie to so great a Monarch but that larger hopes drew him away designing to marrie Richeld Countesse dowager of Flanders and to haue the gouernment of that Countrie during the non age of Arnulph her sonne of whom with the King of France he had the tutelarie charge committed by Baldouin the sixth Father to Arnulph whose estate Robert Le Frison his vncle called by the people to the gouernment vpon the exactions inflicted on them by Richeld had vsurped And against him Fitz Auber opposing was with Arnulph surprized and slayne And this was in the fate of the Conqueror to see most of all these great men who had beene the especiall actors in all his fortunes spent and extinct before him As Beaumont Monsort Harcourte Hugh de Gourney Vicount Neele Hugh de Mortimer Conte de Vennes c. And now himselfe after his being brought sicke to Rouan and there disposing his estate ended also his act in the. 74. yeare of his age and the. 21. of his raigne Three daies the Corpes of this great Monarch is said to haue layne neglected while his seruants attended to imbessill his mouables in the end his yongest sonne Henrie had it conueyed to the Abbey of Cane where first at the entry into the Towne they who carried the Corpes left it alone and ranne all to quench the fire Afterward brought to be intombed a Gentleman stands foorth and in sterne manner forbids the interment in that place claiming the ground to be his inheritance descended from his auncestors taken from him at the building of that Abbey and appeales to Row their first founder for Iustice whereupon they were faine to compound with him for an Annuall rent Such adoe had the body of him after death who had made so much in his life to be brought to the earth and of all he attaind had not now a roome to containe him without being purchased at the hand of another men esteeming a liuing Dog more then a dead Lyon He had a faire issue by Maude his wife foure sonnes and fiue daughters To Robert his eldest he lest the Duchy of Normandy to William the third sonne the kingdome of England to Henry
the yongest his treasure with an annuall pension to be paid him by his brothers Richard who was his second sonne and his darling a Prince of great hope died in his youth of a surfeit taken in the new Forest and began the fatalnesse that followed in that place by the death of William the second there slaine with an arrow and of Richard the sonne of Robert Duke of Normandie who brake his necke His eldst daughter Cicilie became a Nunne Constance maried to the Earle of Britaine Adula to Stephen Earle of Blois who likewise rendred her selfe a Nunne in her age such was then their deuotion and so much were these solitary retires affected by the greatest Ladies of those times the other two died before mariage Now what he was in the circle of himselfe in his owne continent we find him of an euen stature comely personage of good presence riding sitting or standing till his corpulency increasing with age made him somewhat vnwildy of so strong a constitution as he was neuer sickly till a few moneths before his death His strength such as few men could draw his bow and being about 50 of his age when he subdued this kingdome it seemes by his continuall actions he felt not the weight of yeares vpon him till his last yeare What was the composition of his minde we see it the fairest drawne in his actions and how his abilities of Nature were answerable to his vndertakings of Fortune as pre-ordain'd for the great worke he effected And though he might haue some aduantage of the time wherein we often see men preuaile more by the imbecility of others then their owne worth yet let that season of the world be well examined and a iust measure taken of his actiue vertues they will appeare of an exceeding proportion Nor wanted he those incounters and concurrencies of sufficient able Princes to put him to the triall thereof Hauing one side the French to grapple withall on the other the Dane farre mightier in people and shipping then himselfe strongly sided in this kingdome as eager to recouer their former footing here as euer and as well or better prepared For his deuotion and mercy the brightest starres in the Spheare of Maiestie they appeare aboue all his other vertues and the due obseruation of the first the Clergie that loued him not confesse the other was seene in the often pardoning and receiuing into grace those who had forfeited their loyalties and dangerously rebelled against him as if he held submission satisfactorie for the greatest offence and sought not to defeit men but their enterprises For we find but one Noble man executed in all his raigne and that was the Earle Waltheof who had twise falsified his faith before And those he held prisoners in Normandie as the Earles Morchar and Siward with Wolfnoth the brother of Harald others vpon compassion of their indurance he released a little before his death Besides he was as farre from suspition as cowardize and of that confidence an especiall note of his magnanimity as he gaue Edgar his competitor in the Crowne the liberty of his Court And vpon his suite sent him well furnisht to the holy warre where he nobly behaued himselfe and attained to great estimation with the Emperours of Greece and Almaine which might haue bin held dangerous in respect of his alliances that way being as some write graund-child to the Emperour Henry 3. But these may be as well vertues of the Time as of Men so the age must haue part of this commendation Magnificent he was in his Festiuals which with great solemnity and ceremony the formall entertainers of reuerence and respect he duly obserued Keeping his Christmas at Glocester his Easter at Winchester and Penticost at Westminster whither he sommoned his whole Nobility that Embassadors and Strangers might see his State and largenesse Nor euer was he more mild and indulgent then at such times And these ceremonies his next Successor obserued but the second omitted The end of the second Booke THE THIRD BOOKE of the Historie of England William the second WIlliam second sonne to William 1. not attending his Fathers funerals hastes into England to recouer his Crowne where by the especiall mediation of the Arch-byshop Lanfranc his owne large bountic and wide promises he obtayned it according to his fathers will to whom by his obsequiousnesse he had much indeered himselfe especially after the abdication of his elder brother Robert He was a Prince more gallant then good and hauing bene bred with the sword alwayes in action and on the better side of fortune of a nature rough and hautie whereunto his youth and soueraignty added a greater widenesse Comming to succeed in a gouernment fore-ruled by mature and gray counsell he was so ouer-whelmed with his fathers worth and greatnesse as made him appeare of a lesser Orbe then otherwise he would and then the shortnesse of his raigne beeing but of 13. yeares allowed him not time to recouer that opinion which the errors of his first gouernment had lost or his necessities caused him to commit For the succession in right of Primogeniture being none of his and the elder brother liuing howsoeuer his fathers will was he must now be put and held in possession of the Crowne by the will of the kingdome which to purchace must be by large conditions of relieuements in generall and profuse gifts in perticular Wherein he had the more to do being to deale with a State consisting of a twofold bodie and different temperaments where any inflammation of discontent was the more apt to take hauing a head where-to it might readily gather Which made that vnlesse he would lay more to their hopes then another he could not hope to haue them firmely his And therefore seeing the best way to winne the Normans was by money and the English with liberties he spared not at first to bestow on the one and to promise the other more then fitted his estate and dignitie which when afterward fayling both in supplies for great giuers must alwayes giue and also in performances gote him far more hatred then otherwise he could euer haue had being forced to all the dishonorable shifts for raysing monyes that could be deuised and euen to resume his owne former grantes And to begin at first to take the course to be euer needie presently after his Coronation he goes to Winchester where his Fathers treasure lay and empties out all that which with gteat prouidence was there amassed whereby though he wonne the loue of many he lost more being not able to content all And now although his brother Robert had not this great ingine of men mony he had to giue hopes and there were here of the Normans as Oáon his vnkle Roger de Mongomerie Earle of Shrewesbury with others who were mainly for him and worke he doth all he can to batter his brothers fortunes vpon their first foundation And for this purpose borowes great summes of his younger brother Henry
likewise relenting they sent for Henry and an agreement is made he should hold in morgage the Country of Costantine till the mony was paide and a day appointed to receiue it at Rouen Which accord King William the rather wrought to draw as much from Robert as he might whom by this voyage he not onely had wasted but possest himselfe of a safe and continuall landing place with a part of his Duchy caused him to put from him and banish out of Normandy Edgar Etheling whom Robert held his Pensioner and as a stone in his hand vpon all occasions to threaten William with anothers right if his owne preuailed not And besides he wrought so as either through promise of money or some farther ratification to be made here he brought his brother Robert with him ouer into England and tooke him along in an expedition against Malcolin who had incroched vpon his territories during his absence Which businesse ebing determined without battell Robert soone after returnes much discontented into Normandie and as it seemes without money to satisfie his brother Henry Who repairing to Rouen at his day appointed in stead of receiuing it was committed to prison and before he could be released forced to renounce the country of Costentine and sweare neuer to claime any thing in Normandy Henry complaines of this grosse iniustice to Philip king of France who gaue him a faire entertainement in his Court Where he remained not long but that a knight of Normandy named Hachard vndertaking to put him into a Fort maugre his brother Robert within the Duchy conueyed him disguised out of the Court and wrought so as the Castle of Damfronc was deliuered vnto him whereby shortly after he got all the country of Passays about it and a good part of Costentine by the secret aide of king William Richard de Riuieres and Roger de Manneuile Duke Robert leuies forces and eagerly wrought to recouer Damfronc but finding how Henry was vnderset inueighes against the persidie of his brother of England in so much as the flame of rankor burst out againe more then euer And ouer passes king William with a great Army but rather to terrifie then do any great matter as a Prince that did more cōtend then warre and would be great with the sword yet seldome desired to vse it if he could get to his ends by any other meanes seeking rather to buy his peace then win it Many skirmishes interpassed with surprisements of Castles but in the end a treatie of peace was propounded wherein to make his conditions what he would king William seemes hard to be wrought and makes the more shew of force sending ouer into England for an Army of 30000 men which being brought to the shore ready to be shipped an offer was made to be proclaimed by his Lieftenant that giuing ten shillings a man whosoeuer would might depart home to his dwelling Whereby was raised so much as discharged his expence and serued to see the king of France vnder-hand for his forbearing aide to Duke Robert who seeing himselfe left by the French must needes make his peace as the other would haue it Now for his affaires at home the vncertaine warres with Wales and Scotland gaue him more businesse then honour Being driuen in the one to incounter with mountaines in stead of men to the great losse and disaduantage of his people and in the other with as many necessities Wales he sought to subdue Scotland so to restraine as it might not hurt him For the last after much broyle both kings seeming more willing to haue peace then to seeke it are brought to an enteruiew Malcolin vpon publicke faith and safe-conduit came to Glocester where vpon the hautinesse of king William looking to be satisfied in all his demands and the vnyeeldingnesse of king Malcolin standing vpon his regalitie within his owne though content to be ordred for the confines according to the iudgement of the Primare of both kingdomes nothing was effected but a greater disdaine and rankor in Malcolin seeing himselfe dispised and scarce looked on by the king of England So that vpon his returne armed with rage he raises an Army enters Northumberland which foure times before he had depopulated and now the fifth seeking vtterly to destroy it and to haue gone farther was with his eldest sonne Edward slaine rather by the fraud then powre of Robert Mowbray Earle of that County The griefe of whose deaths gaue Margueret that blessed Queene hers After whom the State elected Dufnald brother to Malcolin and chased out all the English which attended the Queene and were harbored or preferred by Malcolin King William to set the line right and to haue a king there which should be beholding to his power aides Edgar the second sonne to Malcolin who had serued him in his warres to obtaine the Crowne due vnto him in right of succession by whose meanes Dufnald was expeld and the State receiued Edgar but killed all the aide he brought with him out of England and capitulated that he should neuer more entertaine English or Norman in his seruice This businesse setled Wales strugling for liberty and reuenge gaue new occasion of worke whither he went in person with purpose to depopulate the country but they retiring into the Mountaines and the Isle of Anglesey auoided the present furie But afterward Hugh Earle of Shrewsbury and Hugh Earle of Chester surprising the Isle their chicfest retreit committed there barbarous examples of cruelty by excoecations and miserable dismembring the people which immanity was there sodenly auenged on the Earle of Shrewsbury with a double death first shot into the eye and then tumbling ouer-boord into the sea to the sport and scorne of his enemy the king of Norway who either by chance or of purpose comming vpon that coast from taking in the Orchades encountred with him and that force he had at sea These were the remote businesses when a conspiracie brake out within the body of the kingdome complotted by Robert Mowbray Earle of Northumberland William d' Ou and many other which gaue the King more trouble then danger for by the speedy and maine prosecution of the businesse wherein hee vsed the best strength of England it was soone ended with the confusion of the vndertakers But it wrought an ill effect in his nature by hardening the same to an extreme rigor for after the feare was past his wrath and cruelty were not but which is hideous in a Prince they grew to be numbred amongst incurable diseases Many accusations of great men followed vpon this act and were easily beleeued howsoeuer proued William de Aluerie a man of goodly personage his Aunts sonne and his Sewer was at a Councell holden at Salisbury condemned to be hanged when both in his confession to Osmond the Bishop there and to all the people as he passed to his execution he left a cleere opinion of his innocency and the wrong he had by the king But now whilst these
in their former estates otherwise by the law of Nations being dissaised they shall not hold their Plea After much debate the Kings cause was vpon a motion put off till the next day to the end the Arch-bishop of Roan an especiall instrument for the King might bee there who deliuering his opinion said That if the Bishops could rightly proue by the Canons they ought to haue Castles they should hold them but if they could not it proceeded of great improbitie to striue to do otherwise And be it said he their right to haue them yet in a suspected time according to the manner of other Nations all great men ought to deliuer the keyes of their Fortresses to bee at the Kings pleasure who is to fight for the peace of all But it is not their right by the decree of the Canons to haue Castles and if by the Princes indulgence it be tollerated yet in a time of necessitie they ought to deliuer the keyes The Lawyer Alberic addes That it was signified to the King how the Bishops threatned and had furnished some to goe to Rome against him But said he the King would haue you know that none of you presume to do it for if any goe out of England contrary to his will and the dignitie of the kingdome it will be hard returning In conclusion the Councell brake vp nothing was done The Bishops durst not excommunicate the King without the Popes priuitie and besides they saw the swords to busie about them yet failed not the Legat and the Archbishop to prosecute their parts and from authority fell to prayer and at the Kings feete in his chamber besought him that hee would pitty the Church pitty his owne soule and his fame not to fuffer dissention to bee betweene the kingdome and the Priest-hood The king returned them faire wordes but held what hee had gotten Shortly after through griefe dyed the Bishop of Salisbury and according to the fate of ouer-eminent and greedy Officers vnpittied He was a man in his latter time noted of much corruption and vnsatiable desire of hauing For whom the present King in the beginning of his reigne had done very much making one of his Nephewes Chancellor the other Treasurer and vpon his sute gaue to himselfe the Borough of Malmesbury insomuch as the King would say to his familiars about him If this man will begge thus still I will giue hm halfe the Kingdome but I will please him and first shall he be weary of crauing ere 1 of granting And sure the King had great reason to suspect his adhering to Maud whose part he began to fauour onely out of the hatred he bare to Winchester who yet was content to forsake his owne brother in regard by his ingagement hee was preferred to the Crowne rather then to loose his good will and the rest of the Clergie But yet this breaking of the King into the Church which had made him vtterly dissolued him For presently here upon all his power fell asunder the Empresse found now a way open to let her in and the Earle of Glocefter presuming of a sure side conducted her into England onely with 150. men puts her into the Castle of Arundell and himselfe attended but with 12. horse passed away cleere through all the country to Bristow and from thence to Glocester where he had leasure without opposition to rayse all the country to take part with the Empresse who from Arundell castle was afterward by the Legate himselfe and the Kings permission conueyed to Bristow receiued with all obedience grew daily in strength as shee went and came at length to her brother who had taken in Hereford made himselfe strong with the Welsh and setled those parts to gather vp more of the kingdome by shewing herselfe and her power in diuers places Stephan hauing no part cleere by reason the Castles vpon which hee spent both his time and meanes lay so thicke blockes in his way as he could not make that speed to stoppe this streame as otherwise he would holding it not safe to go forward and leaue dangers bebehinde that might ouer-take him And first he layes siege to the Castle of Wallingford which Brian sonne to the Earle of Glocester held against him then to the Castle of Bristow and other places working much but effecting little which seeing to get time and stagger the swift proceeding of this new receiued Princesse hee causes a treatie of peace to be propounded at Bath where the Legat who likewise earnestly solicited the same with the Arch-bishop of Canterbury were appoynted Commissioners for the King and the Earle of Glocester for the Empresse but nothing was effected both returne to make good their sides The Empresse seckes to recouer more the King what he had lost And least the North parts might fall from him and the King of Scots come on he repaires thitherward and finding the Castle of Lincolne possest by Ralfe Earle of Chester who had married a daughter of the Earle of Glocester and holding it not safe to be in the hands of such a maister in such a time seekes to take it in by force The Earle of Chester who held Newtrall attempting nothing against the King tooke it ill and stood vpon his defence but being ouer-layd by power conueyes himselfe out of the Castle leaues his brother wife within to defend it and procures ayde of his father in law the Earle of Glocester to succour him The Earle takes in hand this businesse sets out of Glocester with an Army of Welshmen and others attended with Hugh Bigod and Robert de Morley ioynes with the Earle of Chester marches to Lincolne where in the battaile King Stephan was taken carried prisoner to Glocester presented to the Empresse and by her sent to be kept in the Castle of Bristow but in all honourable fashion till his attempts to escape layd fetters on him Hereupon the Empresse as at the top of her fortune labours the Legat to bee admitted to the kingdome as the daughter of the late King to whom the Realme had taken an oath to accept for soueraigne in the succession and wrought so as a Parle was appoynted for this purpose on the Plaine neere to winchester where in ablustring sad day like the fate of the businesse they met and the Empresse swore and made affidation to the Legar that all the great businesses especially the donation of Bishoprickes and Abbyes should bee at his disposing if he with the Church would receiue her as Queene of England and hold perpetuall fidelitie vnto her The same oath and affidation tooke likewise her brother Robert Earle of Glocester Brian his sonne Marquisse of Wallingford Miles of Glocester after Earle of Hareford with many others for her Nor did the Bishop sticke to accept her as Queene though she neuer came to be so and with some few other made like wife affidatiō for his part that so long as she infringed not her couenant he would also hold his
fidelity to her The next day she was receiued with solemne procession into the Bishops Church at Winchester the Bishop leading her on the right hand and Bernard Bishop of Saint Dauids on the left There were present many other Bishops as Alexander Bishop of Lincolne and Nigel Bishop of Ely the nephews of Roger lately imprisoned Robert Bishop of Bath and Robert Bishop of Worcester with many Abbots Within a few dayes after came Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury to the Empresse inuited by the Legat but deferred to do fealty vnto her as holding it vnworthy his person and place without hauing conferd first with the king And therefore he with many Prelats and some of the Layty by permission obtained went to the king to Bristow The Councell brake vp the Empresse keepes her Easter at Oxford being her owne towne Shortly vppon Easter a Councell of the Clergie is againe called to Winchester where the first day the Legat had secret conference with euery Bishop apart and then with euery Abbot and other which were called to the Councell the next day he makes a publicke speech Shewing how the cause of their Assembly was to consult for the peace of their country in great danger of vtter ruine Repeates the flourishing raigne of his vnkle the peace wealth and honour of the kingdome in his time and how that renowned king many yeares before his death had receiued an oath both of England and Normandy for the succession of his daughter Maude and her Issue But said he after his decease his daughter being then in Normandy making delay to come into England where for that it seemed long to expect order was to be taken for the peace of the countrey my brother was permitted to raigne And although I interposed my selfe a surety betweene God and him that he should honour and exalt the holy Church keepe and ordaine good lawes Yet how he hath behaued himselfe in the kingdome it gricues me to remember and I am ashamed to repeate And then recounts he all the Kings courses with the Bishops and all his other misgouernments And then saide he euerie man knowes I ought to loue my mortall brother but much more the cause of my immortall Father therfore seeing God hath shewed his iudgment on my brother and suffered him without my knowledge to fall into the hand of Power that the kingdome may not miscary for want of a Ruler I haue called you all hither by the power of my Legation Yesterday the cause was moued in secret to the greatest part of the Clergie to whom the right appertaines to elect and ordaine a Prince And therefore after hauing inuoked as it is meete the Diuine aide we elect for Queene of England the daughter of the peacefull glorious rich good and in our time the incomparable king and to her we promise our faith and allegiance When all who were present either modestly gaue their voyce or by their silence contradicted it the Legate ads The Londoners who are in respect of the greatnesse of their City as among the optimacie of England we haue by our messengers summoned and I trust they will not stay beyond this day to morrow we will expect them The Londoners came were brought into the Councell shewed How they were sent from the Communaltie of London not to bring contention but prayer that the King their Lord might be fred from captiuitie and the same did all the Barons receiued within their Liberties earnestly beseech of my Lord Legate and all the Clergie there present The Legat answers them at large and loftily according to his speech the day before and added That the Londoners who were held in that degree in England ought not to take their parts who had forsaken their Lord in the warre by whose Councell the Church had beene dishonoured and who fauoured the Londoners but for their owne gaine Then standes there vp a Chaplayne to Queene Maude wife to Stephan and deliuers a letter to the Legat which he silently read and then said alowd that it was not lawfull in the assembly of so many reuerend and religious persons the same should be publikly read containing matter reprehensible The Chaplayne not to fayle in his message boldly reades the letter himselfe which was to this effect That the Queene earnestly intreates all the Clergie there assembled namely the Bishop of Winchester the brother of her Lord to restore him vnto the kingdome whom wicked men which were also his subiects held prisoner To this the Legat answeres as to the Londoners and shortly after the Councell brake vp where in many of the Kings part were excommunicated namely William Martell an especiall man about the King who had much displeased the Legat. Hereupon a great part of England willingly accepted of Maude in whose businesses her brother Robert imployes all his diligence and best care reforming iustice restoring the Lawes of England promising relieuements and whatsoeuer might be to winne the people the Legat seconding all his courses But now she being at the point of obtayning the whole kingdome all came sodainly dasht by the practise of the Londoners who adhering to the other side began openly to inueigh against her who in something whatsoeuer it were had displeased them and they had plotted to surprize her in their Cittie whereof she hauing notice secretly withdrawing herselfe accompanied with her vnkle Dauid King of Scots who was come to visit her and her brother Robert vnto Oxford a place of more securitie The Legat himselfe takes or makes an occasion to be flacke in her cause vpon her denying him a sute for his Nephew Eustace the sonne of Stephan about the inheritance of his Earldome of Mortaigne in Normandie Besides the Queene regnant watchfull ouer all oportunitie found meanes to parle with the Legat sets vpon him with her teares intreatie promises and assurances for the Kings reformation in so much as she recalled him to the affections of nature brought him about againe to absolue such of the Kings part as he had lately excommunicated The Earle of Glocester seeing this sudden and strange relaps of their affaires striues by all meanes to hold vp Opinion and re-quicken the Legats disposition which to keepe sound was all He brings the Empresse to Winchester setles her and her guard in the Castle where she desires to speake with the Legat who first delayes then denies to come Whereupon they call their best friends about them Queene Maude and the Lords incompasse the Towne and cut off all victuall from the Empresse so that in the end the Earle of Glocester wrought meanes to haue her conueyd from thence to the Vies but himselfe was taken and in him most of her This sets the sides both euen againe into the Lists of their triall the two prisoners are to redeeme each other The disproportion of the quality betweene them shewed yet there was an euennesse of power and the Earle would not consent to the Kings deliuery who onely in that was
to haue the precedence but vpon most secure cautions The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Legate vndertooke to yeeld themselues prisoners for him if the King released him not according to his promise But that would not serue the turne till they both had written their Briefes to the Pope to intimate the course that was taken herein and deliuered the same vnto him vnder their hands and seales So that if the King should as he might not care to hold the Bishops in prison yet the Pope if hard measure were offred might relieue him Which shewes the aduantage of credit in the businesse lay on this side and the king was to haue his fetters though at liberty The Queene and Eustace her sonne the Prince vpon the inlargement of Stephan remaine pledges in the Castle of Bristow till the Earle were released which was done vpon the kings comming to Winchester Where the Earle in familiar conference was by all are possible solicited to forsake the partie of Maude with promise of all preferments of honour and estate but nothing could moue him being fixt to his courses rather would he haue beene content to remaine a perpetuall prisoner then that Stephan should haue bene released had not his sister wrought him to this conclusion The Legat after this calls a Councell at London where the Popes letters written vnto him are openly read which argue him but mildly of some neglect of his brothers releasing and exhort him to vse all meanes Ecclesiasticall and Secular to set him at libertie The King himselfe came into the Councell complaines how his subiects to whom hee had neuer denied Iustice had taken him and reproachfully afflicted him euen to death The Legate with great cloquence labours to excuse his owne courses alledging How he receiued not the Empresse by his will but necessitie that presently vpon the kings ouerthrowe whilest the Lords were either fled or stood in suspence attending the euent she and her people came thundring to the walles of Winchester and that what pact soeuer he had made with her for the right of the Church she obstinately brake all besides he was certainely informed that she and hers had plotted both against his dignitie and life But God in his mercy contrary to her desire had turnd the businesse so as he escaped the danger and his brother was deliuered out of bands And therefore he from the part of God and the Pope willed them with all their vtmost power to aide the King annointed by the consent of the People and the Sea Apostolique and to Excommunicate all the disturbers of the peace that fauoured the Countesse of Aniou There was in the Councell a Lay Agent for the Empresse who openly charged the Legat That in respect of the faith he had giuen the Empresse to passe no act there preiudiciall to her Honour hauing sworne vnto her neuer to aide his brother with aboue twentie Souldiers that her comming into England was upon his often Letters unto her and his cause it was that the King was taken and held prisoner This and much more sayd the Agent with great austerity of words wherewith the Legat seemed not to be moued at all nor would stoope to reply Both parts thus set at libertie were left to worke for themselues holding the State broken betweene them and no meanes made to interpose any barre to keepe them asunder Their borders lay euery where and then the ingagements of their Partakers who looke all to be sauers or to recouer their stakes when they were lost which makes them neuer giue ouer entertaine the contention But the best was they were rather troubles then warres and cost more labour then bloud Euery one fought with Bucklers and seldome came to the sharpe in the field which would soone haue ended the businesse Some few moneths after these inlargements stood both sides at some rest but not idle casting how to compasse their ends The Empresse at the Vies with her Councell resolues to send ouer her brother into Normandy to solicit her husband the Earle of Aniou to come to aide her with forces from thence Her brother the better to secure her in his absence setles her in the Castle of Oxford well furnished for all assaults and takes with him the sonnes of the especiall men about her as pledges to hold them to their fidelity Stephan seekes to stop the Earles passage but could not and then layes siege to the Castle of Oxford which held him all the time the Earle was abroad Geffrey Earle of Aniou desirous rather to haue Normandie where of in this meane time he had attained the most part and in possibility of the rest then to aduenture for England which lay in danger refused to come in person but sends some small aide and his eldest sonne Henry being then but eleuen yeares of age that he might looke vpon England and be shewed to the people to try if that would moue them to a consideration of his right which proued of more effect then an Army The Earle of Glocester safely returning makes towards Oxford to releiue the Empresse who had secretly conueyed her selfe disguised out at a posterne gate onely with foure persons got ouer the Thames passed a foot to Abington and from thence conuayd to Wallingford where her brother and sonne met her to her more comfort after hard distresses Stephan seeing his enemy thus supplied and like to grow labors to winne frendes but mony fayles which made diuers of his Lords and especially his mercinaries whereof he had many out of Flanders to fall to the rifling of Abbayes which was of dangerous consequence And for Armies there was no meanes onely about Castles with small powers lay all the businesse of these times and they being so many were to small effect but onely to hold them doing which was for many yeares The Earle of Glocester the chiefe pillar of the Empresse within 2. yeares after his last comming out of Normandie dyed and shortly after Miles Earle of Hereford an especiall man of hers which had vtterly quasht her but that in stead of a brother she had a sonne grew vp to be of more estimatiō with the Nobilitie and shortly after of ablenes to vndergo the trauailes of warre His first expedition at 16. yeares of age was Northward to combine him with Dauid King of Scots his great vnkle to whom his mother had giuen the Country of Northumberland After him followes Stephan with an Army to Yorke least he should surprize that Cittie and to intercept him in his returne but according to his vsuall manner and French-like after the first heat of his vndertakings which were quicke and braue he quayles nothing was effected and both returne without incountring Now to aduance the State and meanes of Henry fortune as if in loue with young Princes presents this occasion Louys 7. King of France going in person to the holy warres and taking with him his wife Elenor the onely daughter and heire of William Duke of