The Holinshed Project

Holinshed Project Home

The Texts
1587

Previous | Next

8.12. The rule of this realme by Gods pro|uidence allotted to duke William, his des|cent from Rollo the first duke of Normandie downewards to his particular linage, he was base begotten vpon the bodie of Arlete duke Roberts concubine, a pleasant speech of hirs to duke Robert on a time when he was to haue the vse of hir person, a conclusion in|troductorie for the sequele of the chronicle from the said duke of Normandies coronation, &c: with a summarie of the no|table conquests of this Iland. The twelfe Chapter.

The rule of this realme by Gods pro|uidence allotted to duke William, his des|cent from Rollo the first duke of Normandie downewards to his particular linage, he was base begotten vpon the bodie of Arlete duke Roberts concubine, a pleasant speech of hirs to duke Robert on a time when he was to haue the vse of hir person, a conclusion in|troductorie for the sequele of the chronicle from the said duke of Normandies coronation, &c: with a summarie of the no|table conquests of this Iland. The twelfe Chapter.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _NOw, forsomuch as it plea|sed God by his hid and secret iudgement so to dispose the realme of England, and in such wise, as that the gouer|nance therof should fall after this maner into the hands of William duke of Norman|die, I haue thought good before I enter further into this historie (being now come to the conquest of the realme, made by the foresaid duke of Normandie) to set downe his pedegrée, thereby to shew how he des|cended from the first duke of that countrie, who was named Rollo, and after by receiuing baptisme called Robert.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The said Rollo or Rou, was sonne to a great lord in Denmarke called Guion, who hauing two sons, the said Rou and Gourin, and being appointed to de|part the countrie, as the lots fell to him and other (ac|cording to the maner there vsed, in time when their people were increased to a greater number than the countrie was able to susteine) refused to obeie that order, and made warre there against the king, who yet in the end by practise found meanes to slea the foresaid Guion, and his sonne Gourin; so that Rou or Rollo, hauing thus lost his father and brother, was compelled to forsake the countrie, with all those that had holpe his father to make warre against the king. Thus driuen to séeke aduentures, at length he be|came a christian, and was created duke of Norman|die, by gift of Charles king of France, surnamed le Simple, whose daughter the ladie Gilla he also ma|ried: but she departing this life without issue, he ma|ried Popée daughter to the earle of Bessin and Bai|eulx, whome he had kept as his wife before he was baptised, and had by hir a sonne named William Longespée, and a daughter named Gerlota.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 William Longespée or Longaspata, had to wife the ladie Sporta, daughter to Hubert earle of Senlis, by whome he had issue Richard the second of that name duke of Normandie, who married the la|die Agnes, the daughter of Hugh le grand, earle of Paris, of whome no issue procéeded: but after hir de|ceasse, he maried to his second wife a gentlemwoman named Gonnor, daughter to a kinght of the Danish line, by whom he had thrée sonnes, Richard that was after duke of Normandie,Ye must note that there was one Ri|chard duke of Normandie before Rollo. the third of that name, Robert and Mauger. He had also by hir three daugh|ters, Agnes otherwise called Emma, married first to Egelred king of England, and after to K. Cnute: Helloie, otherwise Alix, bestowed vpon Geffrey earle of Britaine: and Mawd coupled in marriage with Euldes earle of Charters and Blais. Richard the third of that name maried Iudith, sister to Gef|frey earle of Britaine, by whome he had issue thrée sonnes, Richard, Robert, and William, and as ma|nie daughters: Alix, married to Reignold earle of Burgogne, Elenor married to Baldwine earle of Flanders; and the third died yoong, being affianced to Alfonse king of Nauarre. Their mother deceassed after she had beene married ten yéeres, and then duke Richard married secondlie the ladie Estric, si|ster to Cnute king of England and Denmarke, from whome he purchased to be diuorsed, and then married a gentlewoman called Pauie, by whome he had issue two sonnes, William earle of Arques, and Mauger archbishop of Rouen.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Richard the fourth of that name, duke of Nor|mandie, eldest sonne to Richard the third, died with|out issue, and then his brother Robert succéeded in the estate, which Robert begat vpon Arlete or Harle|uina daughter to a burgesse of Felais, William sur|named the bastard, afterward duke of Normandie, and by conquest king of England. Of whose father duke Robert, & his paramour Arlete, take this plea|sant remembrance for a refection after the perusing of the former sad and sober discourses.

In the yéere of Christ 1030, Robert,Wil. Malm. lib. 3. cap. 1. Ranulph. lib. 6. cap. 19. the second sonne of Richard the second duke of Normandie, and brother to Richard the third duke of that name there hauing with great honour and wisedome gouerned his duke dome seuen yéeres, for performance of a pe|nance that he had set to himselfe, appointed a pilgri|mage to Ierusalem; leauing behind him this Wil|liam a yoong prince, whome seuen yeeres before he had begotten vpon his paramour Arlete (whom af|ter he held as his wife) with whose beautifull fauour,Wil. Malm. lib. 3. cap. 1. Ranulph. lib. 6. cap. 19. louelie grace and presence, at hir dansing on a time then as he was tenderlie touched, for familiar vtte|rance of his mind what he had further to say, would néeds that night she should be his bedfellow, who else as wiuelesse should haue lien alone: where when she was bestowed, thinking that if she should haue laid hir selfe naked, it might haue séemed not so maiden|lie a part so when the duke was about (as the maner is) to haue [...] vp hir linnen, the in an humble mo|destie staid hir lords hand,Ran. li. 6. ca. 19. and rent downe hir smocke asunder, from the collar to the verie skirt. Heere|at the duke all smiling did aske hir what thereby she ment? In great lowlines, with a feate question she answerd againe;

My lord, were it méet that any part, of my garments dependant about me downeward, should presume to be mountant to my souereignes mouth vpward? Let your grace pardon me.
He liked hir answer: and so and so foorth for that time.

This duke before his voiage,Wil. Malm. lib. 3. cap. 1. calling at Fiscam all his nobilitie vnto him,Ran. ibib. caused them to sweare fealtie vnto his yoong sonne Willliam, whome he then at his iournie betooke vnto the gouernance of earle Gil|bert, and the defense of the gouernance vnto Henrie the French king. So Robert passing foorth in his pil|grimage shewed in euerie place and in all points a magnanimitie and honour of a right noble prince,Ran. ibid. and pleasant withall; who once in Iurie not well at ease, in a litter was borne toward Ierusalem vpon Saracens shoulders, & méeting with a subiect of his that was going home toward Normandie: Friend (quoth he) if my people at thy returne aske after me,Ran. ibid. tell them that thou sawest their lord carried to hea|uen by diuels. The Norman nobilitie during duke Roberts life,Wil. Mal. idem. Ran. idem. did their dutie to the yoong prince faith|fullie, but after they heard of his fathers death, they slackened apace, euerie one shifting for himselfe as he list, without anie regard either of oth or obedience toward the pupill their souereigne. Whereby not manie yéeres after, as Gilbert the gouernour, by Rafe the childes coosine germane, was slaine; the dukedome anon, by murther and fighting among themselues was sore troubled in all parts. Thus much a litte of duke Robert the father, and of EEBO page image 202 prince William his sonne for part of his tender yéeres.

8.12.1. A notable aduertisement touching the summe of all the foresaid historie, wherein the foure great and notable conquests of this land are brieflie touched, be|ing a conclusion introductorie, as is said in the argument.

A notable aduertisement touching the summe of all the foresaid historie, wherein the foure great and notable conquests of this land are brieflie touched, be|ing a conclusion introductorie, as is said in the argument.

_IN the former part of this historie it is manifest to the heedfull reader,Britaine in|habited by Brute. that (after the opinion of most writers) Brute did first inhabit this land, and called it then after his owne name, Britaine, in the yéere after the creation of the world 2855, and in the yéere before the incarnation of Christ 1108. ¶Furthermore, the said land of Britaine was conquered by C. Iulius Cesar,1 Britaine conquered by the Romans. and made tributarie to the Romans in the 50 yéere before the natiuitie of Christ, and so conti|nued 483 yéeres. So that the Britains reigned without tribute and vnder tribute, from Brute, vn|till the fourth yeere of the reigne of king Cadwalla|dar, which was in the yéere of our Lord 686. And so the Britains had continuance of the gouernement of this land the space of 1794 yéeres. Then was the realme of Britaine an heptarchie, that is, diuided in|to seuen kingdoms. And Britaine receiued the faith of Christ in the 7 yéere of the reigne of king Lu|cius, which was in the 187 yéere after the birth of Christ.2 Britaine conquered and ouercome by the Saxons. ¶Next after the Britains entered the Sax|ons, in the third yéere of king Uortiger; and in the yéere of our Lord 450, and they gouerned vntill the last yéere of king Athelstane, which was in the yéere of Christ 938. So that the time of the Saxons first entrance into this realme, and the time of their re|giment was the space of 487 yéeres. ¶Howbeit, in the time of their gouernement, that is to say, in the 9 yéere of king Britricus, which was in the yéere of our Lord 387, the Danes entred into this land,3 Britaine conquered and ouercome by the Danes. spoiling and persecuting the people therin most grée|uouslie. At the last, Sweno or Swaine the Dane ob|teined possession roiall, in the yéere of Grace 1012, whose time of regiment lasted about three yéeres. Af|ter whom his sonne Canutus succéeded, and reigned 19 yéeres. After him Harold his sonne, who ruled thrée yeeres: and after him Hardicnute the sonne of Canutus, whose gouernement continued but thrée yeeres. This Hardicnute was the last king of the Danes, at which time the Danes were expelled and hunted out of the realme, which was in the yeere of our Lord 1042. So that it may appeare by this collec|tion, that the Danes ruled as kings in this land by the space of 28 yéeres. Hereby also it is euident, that from the time of the first entrance of the Danes in|to this realme, vntill their last expulsion & riddance, was 255 yéeres. ¶Finallie the Normans entred this land likewise, and conquered the same as before is expressed,4 Britaine conquered and possessed by the Normans. in the yéere of our Lord 1067, which is since, vntill this present yéere of our Lord 1585, drawing néere to the number of 600 and od yéeres.

Now let these alterations of regiments be re|membred [touching the which read a notable ani|maduersion in the description of Britaine, pag. 28, 29] and teach vs that therein the iudgements of God reuealed themselues to speciall purposes. And whatsoeuer hath béene mentioned before, either con|cerning the subuersion of people, the desolation of prouinces, the ouerthrow of nobles, the ruine of princes, and other lamentable accidents diuerslie happening vpon sundrie occasions: let vs (I say) as manie as will reape fruit by the reading of chroni|cles, imagine the matters which were so manie yéeres past to be present, and applie the profit and commoditie of the same vnto our selues; knowing (as one wisely said) Post sacram paginam chronica vi [...]um veritatis typum gerere, that next vnto the holie scrip|ture, chronicles doo carit credit. But now to the se|quele, and first to duke William of Normandie.

Thus farre the historie of England from Noah and his sonnes, &c: to William duke of Normandie. Hereafter followeth a chronologicall continuation beginning at the first yeere of the said dukes reigne ouer this land, vntill the 25 yeere of the Queenes most excellent maiestie Elizabeth, &c: whose daies God in mercie prolong (like the daies of heauen) in peace and prosperitie, &c.

Previous | Next