1.2. VVilliam Rufus.

EEBO page image 317

VVilliam Rufus.

Williã Rufus. [figure appears here on page 317]

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3

1087

An. reg. 1.

_WIlliam, ſurnamed Rufus, that is to ſay William the red, ſe|conde ſonne to Wil|liam Conqueror, be|gan his reigne ouer Englande the .ix. of September, in the yeare .1087. whiche was about the .xxxj. yeare of the Emperour Henrie the fourth, and the xxxvij. of Philip the firſt, king of Fraunce, Vr|bane the ſeconde as then gouerning the Sea of Rome, and Malcolm Cammoir as yet raigning in Scotland. Immediately after his fathers de|ceaſſe,Polidor. Simon Dun. and before the ſolemnitie of the funeralles were executed, he came ouer into Englande with ſo muche ſpeede as was poſſible,Mat. Par. and following the counſaile of Lanfranke the Archbiſhop of Cã|terburie (in whome hee repoſed all his truſt) hee ſought to winne the fauor of the Peeres and no|bilitie of the realme, by the great and liberall gifts which he in moſt boũteous maner dayly beſtow|ed amongſt them. For although there were but fewe of the homeborne eſtates that bare any rule in the realme at this ſeaſon, yet thoſe that were remayning and offended by the generall iniuries of his father hee verie gently interteyned, promi|ſing them not onely to continue their good Lorde and ſoueraigne, but alſo to make more fauoura|ble ordinãces than his father had left behind him, and furthermore to reſtore againe the former lawes and liberties of the realme, which his ſayde father had ſuppreſſed thus by fayre wordes and and pollicie he obteyned his purpoſe. Howbeit ſoone after he forgat himſelfe, & impriſoned Mar|char,

Sim. Dunel.

Marchar and Wilnote.

and Wilnotus, whom he had brought ouer with him forth of Normandie, being ſet at liber|tie by his father. The nobles at the firſt wiſhed rather to haue had his elder brother Duke Robert to haue gouerned ouer them:Lanfranke had fauored him euen of a child Math. Paris. Wil. Rufus is crowned. howbeit by the ayde onely of the ſayd Lanfrank whoſe authoritie was of no ſmall force amongeſt all the Lordes of the lande. This William according to his fathers aſſignation, was proclamed and crowned at Weſtminſter on the .xxvj. of Septẽber (being ſũ|day, the .vj. Kalends of [...]) and the .xj. in|diction, as the beſt writers doe report. After his coronation to gratifie the people,Polidor. he wẽt to Win|cheſter, where he found great ſubſtance of treaſure which his father had layde vp there to his owne vſe, whereof he was no niggard,His bountifull munificence. but freely ſpent the ſame in large giftes, and all kinde of princely liberalitie. He ſet great numbers of priſoners al|ſo at libertie, & did many other things to pleaſure the people, wherin the diligence and good aduice of Lanfranke did not a little preuaile, for he percey|ued that there was in the king no ſtayed minde, but an vnſtable nature, not ſetled but diſpoſed to lightneſſe and folly, and therfore he tooke ofttimes the more paines in perſwading him not only vn|to liberalitie (which is none of the leaſt ornaments in a Prince but alſo to vſe a diſcretion and order|ly behauiour in all his other doings. Moreouer he ſticked not furthermore to put him in feare of an euil ende, & troubleſome regiment likely to enſue, if he did giue himſelfe to vice and wilfulneſſe, and neglect the charge thus by the prouidence of God commited to his perſon. And after this maner did the ſayd prelate trauuile with the king, whom we will leaue at this time as it were harkning to his admonitions, and ſet forth by the way what his brother Robert did whileſt William Rufus hys brother was occupied in ſuche wiſe as you haue heard. It happened that this Robert was abrode in Germany when king William his father died (whether he went to rayſe a power to the entent he might therby obteyne the poſſeſſion of Nor|mandie which hee thriſted to enioy in his fathers lifetime) and there hearing newes of his death, he haſted ſtreight wayes into Normandie, where he was ioyfully receyued, & quietly proclamed duke of that countrey with great honor and gladneſſe of the people.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 4 After this,1088 conſidering with himſelfe how diſ|honorable a thing it was for him, that his yonger brother ſhould poſſeſſe the crowne of Englande, which of right as he ſayd belonged vnto him, by reaſon of his age, he determined with all expedi|tion to pa [...] the ſeas with an armie, and [...] it out of his hands, which his father had giuen [...] him, partly (as it is thought) for his wilfulneſſe, and diſobedience ſhewed towardes him in his life time, and partly alſo [...] ſhuld leaue it vnto him, [...] would through his [...] much gentleneſſe [...], giue occaſion to the Engliſh men to recouer ſtrength, and thereby reuolt from him: & therefore [...]ged his yonger brother the ſayd William (being a man of a more rough nature) to bee the [...] of the [...]ame to haue the gouernment ouer them. Furthermore as duke Robert was thus moued by his owne deſire to bereue his brother of the dominiõ of England, ſo his purpoſe was not a litle incenſed thervnto by EEBO page image 318 the prouocation of ſuch the Engliſh nobilitie and Normans, as came dayly ouer vnto him oute of the realme, cõplayning of the preſent ſtate of the world, as thoſe that miſliked with the whole ma|ner of regiment vſed in the beginning of the raign of his brother William. His vncle Odo alſo (the Biſhop of Bayeux) did ſet forward the matter in all that euer he might. This Odo (as ye haue heard) was at the firſt in great eſtimatiõ with his brother the Conqueror, and bare great rule vnder him, till at length (vpon enuy conceyued for that the Archbiſhop Lanfranke was preferred before him) he conſpired agaynſt him, who hauing vn|derſtanding therof committed him forthwith to priſon, where he remayned till the ſaid Prince thẽ lying on his death bed, releſed & reſtored him vnto his former libertie. When the K. was dead, Wil. Rufus tooke him with him alſo into Englande, ſuppoſing no leſſe but to haue had an eſpecial frẽd of him, & a truſtie coũſeller in all his great affairs. But ere long after his comming thither, he fell a|againe into the ſame offence of ingratitude, into the which he had fallen before in the Conquerors dayes: for perceyuing that Lanfranke was ſo highly eſteemed with the king,Odo the Bi|ſhop of Baieux conſpireth a|gaynſt his ne|phew Williã Rufus. that he could beare no rule, and partly ſuſpecting that the ſaide Lan|frank had bin the chief cauſer of his former impri|ſonment, he began to cõſpire with the reſt againſt his nephew, and thervpon wrote ſundry letters o|uer vnto duke Robert, alſo coũſelling him to com ouer with an army in all cõuenient ſpeed, ta take the gouernment vpon him, which by his practiſe ſhould eaſily (as he ſaid) be cõpaſſed. Duke Robert being thus animated on al ſides, and yet wanting ſufficient money to the furniture of this iourney, he engaged a portiõ of his duchie of Normandy, as the countie of Conſtantine to his yongeſt bro|ther Henrie, for a great ſumme of gold, and there|with returned anſwere vnto the foreſayde Biſhop that he ſhould prouide and looke for him vpon the ſouth coaſt of England, at a certain time appoin|ted. Herevpon Odo (hauing receyued theſe letters and conſidered furthermore that the chiefeſt point of this buſineſſe conſiſted in ſpeed) fortified the ca|ſtell of Rocheſter,The caſtell of Rocheſter. & began to make ſore warres a|gainſt the kings friends in Kent. He procured o|ther of the procurators alſo to do the like in other partes of the realme: And firſt on the weſt part of England, where Geoffray Biſhop of Conſtans, with his nephew Robert de Mowbray Earle of Northumberlande ſetting forth from Briſtowe,

VVil. Mal. Sim. Dun.

The Biſhop of Conſtance ta|keth the town of Bath.

came toward Bathe which town they tooke and ſacked it, & likewiſe Berkley, with a great part of Wiltſhire, and brought the ſpoyle & booties there [figure appears here on page 318] gotten back vnto Briſtow, where they had a ſtrõg caſtell, ſtrongly fortified for their more ſafetie. In like maner Rogarde Bygod, departing frõ Nor|wich with great forreyes ouerrode & robbed al the countreys about, and conueyed ſuch riches as he had gottẽ into the ſaid city.

Hugh Grand| [...]eſnill.

H. Hunt. VVil. Malm.

The Earle of [...]hrewsburie.

And in ſẽblable wiſe, Hugh de Grandmeſnil being at Leiceſter did pra|ctiſe the like in thoſe parties, ſpoyling & waſting al the countreys about him. The Erle of Shrewſ|burie called Roger de Mountgomerie, with a power of Welchmen ſet forth from Shrewſbury and with him were William Bi. of Durham the kings houſhold chaplain, Bernerd of Neumerch, Roger Lacie, & Raufe Mortimer, (all Normans or Frenchmen) who ioyning their powers togy|ther, enter into the country, and with fire & ſword did much hurt in all places where they came, kil|ling and faking a great number of people.Worceſter aſſaulted. After|wards comming to Worceſter they aſſault the citie, taking at their firſt approch the ſuburbs, and ſetting the ſame on fire. But the Citizens cloſing the gates of their Citie (though with the ſodaine comming of the enimies they were ſomewhat a|frayd, made valiant reſiſtancd, and putting their EEBO page image 319 goodes with their wynes and children into the ca|ſtell, got them to the walles and places of defence to beate backe the aduerſaries.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 4 Biſhop Wul|ſtan.Biſhop Wulſtan was among them in the town alſo, whom the Citizens would haue com|pelled to haue gone likewiſe into the Caſtell there to be more in ſafegard but he refuſed it. At length it chaunced that the enimies (continuing ſtill the ſiege) began to we [...]e negligent, and raunged a|brode in the countrey, little regarding to kepe ſure watch and warde about their campe, wherevpon the Engliſh men within the citie vſing this occa|ſion, being alſo moued therto with the comforta|ble exhortation of Biſhop Wulſtan, ſallied forth of the towne and ſet on their enimies with great fierceneſſe, whom they tooke at ſuch aduauntage, that they ſlue and tooke that day aboue fiue.They ſlue fiue hundred and chaſed the re|ſolue as ſayth Sim. Dunel. M. men (as Henrie of Huntington recordeth.) For the Engliſh bearing a continuall malice in theyr heartes agaynſt the Frenchmen and Normans, did now their beſt to be fully reuenged of them, vpon ſo happie an occaſion offred. Thoſe that e|ſcaped by flight, hid thẽſelues in the next townes, making ſuch ſhiftes for their liues as the preſent neceſſitie could miniſter.The diligence of the Archbi|ſhop Lanfrank Whileſt the realme was thus troubled on ech ſide, the Archbiſhop Lãfrank ſendeth, writeth, and admoniſheth all the kings friends to make themſelues readie to defende their Prince. And after he vnderſtoode that they were aſſembled togither for that purpoſe, hee counſay|leth the king to marche into the fielde with them ſpeedily, to repreſſe his enimies. The king follo|wing his counſaile, firſt appoynted his nanie to ſcoure and kepe the ſeas,The great cur|tiſie ſhewed to the Enliſhmen by Wil. Rufus Simon Dun. and withſtand (if it were poſſible) the arriual of his brother by fayre words. Alſo he reconcileth Roger de Mountgomerie erle of Shrewſburie vnto him, and therewith maketh large promiſes to the Engliſhmen, that he would out of hande giue and reſtore vnto them ſuche fa|uourable lawes as they woulde wiſhe or deſire. Moreouer he commaunded all vniuſt impoſtes, tolles and tallages to be layde downe, and gran|ted free hunting in the wooddes, chaſes & forreſts, which he knew to be a thing very much deſired, & therfore acceptable vnto thẽ. But all theſe graũts and promiſes he kept not long, although that for the time he greatly cõtented the people, with ſuch a ſhew of good meaning towards them: that don,VVil. Malm. he goeth with a mightie armie into Kent, where the ſedition began, and firſt cõming to the caſtell of Tunbridge, he compelled the captaine named Gilbert to yeeld & rẽder the fortreſſe into his hãds. Then went he to Horne caſtel, where he heard ſay that Odo was, (but the report was vntrue, for he was withdrawne into the caſtell of Pẽſey) which when he had ouerthrowne, he haſted forth vnto Pemſey, & beſieged the caſtel there a long ſeaſon, which the Biſhop had ſtrongly fortified. During [figure appears here on page 319] which time, and about the fiftieth day after the be|ginning of the ſiege, worde was brought to the king, that his brother duke Robert was landed at Southampton, & minded with all ſpeede poſſible to come to the ſuccor of the Biſhoppe and other his friendes, whome hee and his power had not a little afflicted.Hen. Hunt. Simon Dun. But here Authors varie: for ſome report that Duke Robert came not ouer himſelfe at the firſt at all, but ſent a part of his armie, with a certaine number of ſhippes, which encountring with the kings fleet, were diſcõfited. Other write that duke Robert hearing of the loſſe of his men, came after himſelfe, and landed with a mightie army as before, which is moſt likely. And certenly (as Gemeticen. affirmeth) he might eaſily as then haue recouered Englãd from his brother, Gemeticenſis. Euſtace Earle of Bullongne. if he had not lingred the time, cõſidering that Euſtace erle of Bullongne, Odo the ſaid B. of Bayeux, & the Erle of Mortaigne, w^t other lords of Normãdie were paſſed into Eng. had alredy takẽ Rocheſter, EEBO page image 320 and diuerſe other caſtels in the prouince of Can|terburie, & kept the ſame a certain time ſtil looking that he ſhould haue come ouer to their ayd, which he deferred to do, till they were cõſtrayned by ſiege and lack of neceſſarie ſuccors to return into Nor|mãdie, leauing thoſe places which they had won, vnto the king, & that to their great diſhonor. But howſoeuer it was, the king ſtill continued y^e ſiege before Pemſey caſtell, till Odo through want of victuals was glad to ſubmit himſelfe, and promi|ſed to cauſe the caſtell of Rocheſter alſo to be de|liuered,Simon Dun. but at his comming thither, they within the Citie ſuffred him to enter, and ſtreight wayes layd him faſt in priſon. Some iudge that it was done vnder a color by his owne conſent.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 There were in Rocheſter a ſort of valiant gen|tlemen, the flower in maner of all Normandie, with Euſtace Erle of Bullongne, & many gẽtle|men of Flanders, which were in mind to defende the place agaynſt the king: but the king hearing what was done, came with his army & beſieged y^e citie of Rocheſter on eche ſide ſo ſtraightly y^t they within were glad to deliuer it into his handes.

Rocheſter be|ſieged by the king.

An. Reg. 2

Polidor.

1089

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The Biſhop Odo thus loſt all his liuings and dignities in England, and ſo returned into Nor|mandie, where vnder duke Robert he had the chief gouernment of the country committed vnto him.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 After this he ouercame diuers of his aduerſa|ries, ſome by the ſworde, and ſome by flatterie: but this notwithſtanding, there yet remained the Bi|ſhop of Durham, one of the chiefe conſpirators, who withdrew himſelfe into the city of Durham, there to lie in ſafetie, till he ſawe howe the worlde would go: but being therein beſieged by the king, who came thither in (proper) perſon, hee was at length forced to ſurrender the citie, and yeeld him|ſelf:The Biſhop of Durhã exiled. whervpõ alſo he was exiled the land with di|uerſe of his complices. But within two yeres af|ter he was called home again, and reſtored to his church, wherin he liued not long, but died for ſor|row, bycauſe he could not clerely purge himſelf of his offence in the ſayd rebellion, albeit that he la|bored moſt earneſtly ſo to do, that he might ther|by haue atteyned vnto the kings fauor againe.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Lanfrãk Arch|biſhop of Cã|terburie de|parteth this life.Whileſt theſe things were thus in hande, the Archbiſhop Lanfranke falleth ſicke and dieth, in the .xix. yeare after his firſt entring into the go|uernment of the ſea of Canterburie.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 This Lanfranke (as ſhoulde ſeeme) was a wiſe politike Prelate, and alſo learned: ſo long as he liued he qualified the furious and cruell nature of king William Rufus, inſtructing him to for|beare ſuch wild & outrageous parts, as his youth|ful courage ſeemed to be inclined vnto: and more|ouer he perſwaded with the Engliſh men to obey the ſame king as their lawfull Prince, whereby they ſhoulde occaſion him to bee their good Lorde and king, not vſing them with any rigour as his father had done. So that Lanfrank could not wel haue bene ſpared in the time of the rebellion, with|out the great danger of ſubuerting the ſtate of the cõmon wealth. He buylded two Hoſpitals with|out the Citie of Canterburie, for the relief of poore people, and ſtraungers, the one of S. Iohn, the other at Harbaldown. He aduanced the church of Rocheſter from foure ſecular Clerkes, to the nũ|ber of fiftie Monkes: hee alſo repayred Chriſtes Church in Canterburie, Mat. VVest. Paule Abbot of S. Albons. and the Abbay of S. Al|bons, of the which hee made Abbot one Paule that was his nephewe, whiche Paule gouerned that houſe by his vncles aſſiſtance greatly to the aduancement thereof, aſwell in temporall prefer|ments, as alſo ſpirituall, as it was then iudged. Likewiſe the ſayde Lanfranke was right profi|table in gouernment of his Churche and Sea of Canterburie, recouering ſundrie portiõs of lands and rents alienated from the ſame before his days, inſomuch that he reſtored to that ſea .xxv. manor places. For amongſt other,Edmerus where Odo the Bi|ſhop of Bayeux that was alſo Erle of Kent, bea|ring great rule in Englande vnder his nephewe King William the Conquerour, had vſurped di|uerſe poſſeſſions whiche belonged to the Sea of Canterburie, and alſo had ſeazed the franchiſes into his handes apperteyning to the ſame Lan|franke, by ſute and earneſt trauaile hee recouered the ſame againe, and being impleaded about that matter by the ſayd Odo, he ſo defended his cauſe, that in the ende (although with much ado) he had his wil, and ſo remayned in quiet poſſeſſion of his right after that ſo long as he lyued, wythout any trouble or vexation concerning the ſayde poſſeſſi|ons and liberties.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Alſo where not only Walkhem the Biſhop of Wincheſter, but alſo diuerſe other Biſhops in England were in mind to haue diſplaced Monks out of their Cathedrall Churches,Lanfranke prayſed for holding with the Monkes. and to haue brought Canons into their roomes, Lanfranke withſtood them, and deſerued therefore high com|mendations both of them and alſo of the Pope.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 After Lanfrankes death, the king beganne to forget himſelfe verie farre in al his dealings,The king gi|uen to ſenſuall luſt and coue|touſneſſe. inſo|much that he kept many concubines, and wexed very cruel and inconſtant in all his wayes, ſo that he became an heauie burthen vnto his people.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Furthermore, he became ſo much addicted to gather good, that hee conſidered not what apper|teyned to the Maieſtie of a king, ſo that nothing that ſeemed to make for his gaine, and ſatiſfying of his appetite, was eſteemed of him vnlawfull, meaſuring his dutie by gaine, and not by that which ſhould moſt of all become him. He kept al|ſo the Sea of Canterburie foure yeares in his handes, to ſee who would giue moſt for it, and in the meane time tooke the profits, making the moſt thereof that could be deuiſed by any meanes.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 EEBO page image 321 The like he vsed when other benefices and Abbayes were vacant of a gouernour, and furthermore that little which the Prince spared, his officers and fermers, no lesse couetous than he, tooke to their aduauntage: so that what by the king, & what by his dealers, the church of England was now soe greeued, and bereeued of hir wealth. Diuerse of hir prelates in like maner, were not a little offended, to see their mother so spoyled of hir treasure and liuelihood, insomuch that they practised a redresse: and to begin withall complayned of the king to Pope Vrban: but he was so busied with other troubles of his owne nere home, that hee could haue no time to seeke meanes howe to redresse suche enormities so farre off, whereby the lands & goods belonging to the Church here in Engla(n)d were still wastfully spent & consumed by the king and other, to whome he gaue or let them forth to ferme at his owne will, & to his most co(m)moditie. But albeit that the prince was of such a disposition & inclination by nature, yet there is one thing written of him which ought not to be forgotten, to admonish vs that there is no man of so euill an affection, but that somtime he dealeth vprightly, though it be be by hap or other great difficultie. It chaunced that there was an Abbay voyde of an Abbot, in the which were two Monkes very couetous persons aboue the rest, and suche as by scraping and gathering togither, were become very rich (and surely such, as sayth Polidor) in those dayes came to preferment.) These two appointed to go togither to the Court, eche hoping at theyr co(m)ming to obteyn their sute: who perceyuing their greedie desires, and casting his eies about the chamber, espied by chaunce an other Monke (that came to beare them co(m)panie, being a more sober man, & simple after his outward appara(n)ce) whom he called vnto him, & asked what he would giue to be made Abbot of the foresaid Abbay. The Monk after a litle pause made answere, that he would giue nothing at al for any such purpose, since he entred into that profession of mere zeale to despise riches and al worldly pompe, to the end he might the more quietly serue god in holynesse and puritie of conuersation: Sayest thou so, quoth the king, the(n) art thou euen he that art worthy to gouerne this house: and streight way he bestowed y^e house vpon him, iustly repulsing the other two, and not without their open infamie and reproche.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 But to returne to our historie. After the expulsion of the Bishop of Durham, & other of his adherents, the K. passed ouer into Normandie, purposing to depriue his brother of that Dukedom, & being arriued there, he besieged & tooke S. Valerie, Albemarle, & diuers other townes and castels, in which he places of his best soldiers, & men of war, the better to mainteyn the war against his aforesaid brother. Hereupon also the saide Robert sent vnto the French king for ayde, who came downe at his request with a noble army, & besieged one of those castels which K. Wil. had lately woon, howbeit by such meanes as K. Wil. found, in sending to the French K. an huge sum of mony, he raysed his siege shortly and returned home againe. At length a peace was concluded betwixt K. Wil. and the duke his brother, although very dishonorable to the said Robert: for it was accorded that K. Wil. should retaine and still enioy the countie of Ewe, with Felcampe, the Abbathy of mount S.Michell, Chereburg, and all those other places which he had woon & gotten out of his handes in this his late voyage. On the other side it was agreed, that K. Wil. should ayd the Duke to recouer al other peeces beyond the seas which belo(n)ged to their father. Also that such Normans as had lost any of their landes & liuings in England for taking part with the duke in the late rebellio(n) shuld be restored to the same. And furthermore, that whether soeuer of both shoulde die first, the other then remayning aliue shuld be his heyre, and succeed in his dominions. This peace was co(n)cluded at Cane, & that by procurement of the French K. at what time K. Wil. was very strong in y^e field neare vnto Ewe. And after the co(n)clusion thereof, they vnited their powers, & besieged their yongest brother Henrie, in the castel of Mount S.Michel, which (being situate in the confines of Norma(n)dy and Brytain) he had strongly fortified of late for feare of afterclaps. But when they had lien before it by the space of all the lent season, and had made many bickerings with his men, more to theyr losse than gaine, they raysed their siege and voluntarily departed. Not long after this king William depriued Edgar Edeling of his honor which duke Robert had assigned vnto him, banishing him out of Normandie for euer.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Shortly after also the aforesayde Henry wan a stro(n)g town called Damfront, & furnishing it at point deuise, he kept the same in his possession as long as he liued, mauger both his brethren. Thus the war waxed hote among those three, howbeit sodenly (I know not vpon what occasion it came to passe) that this Henry was reconciled with K. Wil. and his brother Robert, so that all debates being quieted on euerie side they were made frie(n)ds togither. King William also returned into Englande, hauing his brother Robert in his companie, all men reioycing at their reconciliation and amitie, which happened the yeare .1091. and fourth of the reigne of the king.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Toward the ende whereof and vpon the fifth day of October a marueylous sore tempest fell in sundrie partes of Englande, but especially in the towne EEBO page image 322 towne of Winchcombe, where by force of thun|der & lightning, a part of the ſteeple of the Church was throwne downe, and the Crucifix with the Image of our Ladie alſo ſtanding vnder the rood loſt, was likewiſe ouerthrowne, broken and ſhat|tered in peeces, and withall there followed a foule noyſome and moſt horrible ſtinke in the Church. Alſo on the .xvij. day of the ſame moneth was much harme done in the Citie of London, with an outrageous winde,A mightie winde. whoſe violence ouerturned or rent in peeces aboue the number of fiue hũdred houſes, and the roofe of S. Mary Bow Church in Cheape was alſo ouerthrowne, wherewith two men were ſlaine.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Moreouer at Saliſburie was much hurt done with a like winde and thunder,Anno reg. [...] 1092 for the top of the ſteeple was ouerthrowne, and many other buyl|dings ſore ſhaken and caſte downe, whereof let this which we haue ſayde ſuffice for this preſent: and nowe to ſpeake ſomewhat of the doings of Scotlande as occaſion moueth.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Whileſt (in ſuch wiſe as yee haue heard) the variance was depending betwene king William and his brother Duke Robert, the Scottiſh king Malcolme made ſore warres vppon the inhabi|tants of Northumberlande,The Scottes inuade Eng|land. fetching great booties and prayes out of that Countrey, which he inua|ded euen to Cheſter in the ſtreete.

[figure appears here on page 322]

Compare 1587 edition: 1 King William therefore ſoone after his re|turne, called his power togither, and ſpedde hym Northwards. But king Malcolme hearing of his reproche and great ſtrength, ſent to him for peace, which was graunted in the ende.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 But here ſuch writers as we haue ſeene doe not wholy agree, for ſome beſide their confuſion of time, and account of the yeare, affyrme that king William prepared a great army both by ſea and lande agaynſt Malcolme,VVil. Malm. Sim. Dun. and that his nauy bring abrode on the Seas, was by tempeſt loſt, and the moſt part of the ſhippes drowned. Alſo that the armie by lande entring into Scotlande, ſuffred many loſſes through want of vitailes, and ſo recoyled. Finally that Duke Robert lying on the borders with an army in his brothers name (whereby it ſhould appeare that the king himſelfe was not there) by the help and furtherance of Ed|gar Edelling which then ſerued king Malcolme in his warres made a peace betwixt his brother and the ſayd Malcolme, by the articles whereof certaine places in Northumberlande were reſto|red vnto Malcolme, which he had helde in Wil|liam Conquerours dayes. Some write in like maner that King Malcolme did homage vnto king William, and alſo Duke Robert reconciled the ſayde Edgar Edelling vnto the fauour of the king. But howſoeuer the truth of the ſtorie doth appeare in this behalfe, certaine it is that the king returned out of Northumberlande into the weſt partes of the Realme, ſtill reteyning with hym Duke Robert, who looked dayly when he ſhoulde perfourme ſuch couenants as were concluded be|twixt them in their late reconciliation. But when he ſaw that the king ment nothing leſſe than to ſtand to thoſe articles, & how he did only protract & delay the time for ſome other ſecrete purpoſe, he returned into Normandie in great diſpleaſure, & tooke with him the ſayd Edgar Edelling, of whõ he always made a very great account. Soone af|ter K. Wil. returned into the North parts again, and as it chaunced he ſtayed a few dayes aboute Carleil, where being delited with the ſituation of the town, (which had bin deſtroyed by the Danes two hundred yeares before) hee ſet workemen in hande to repayre the ſame (meaning to vſe it in ſteade of a Bulwarke agaynſte the Scottes on thoſe Weſt Borders) and after hee had fenced it in with walles,The repairing and new peo|pling of Car|leil. and buylded a caſtell in the moſte conuenient place thereof, hee cauſed EEBO page image 323 alſo Churches and houſes to bee made meete for ſuch a multitude of people as he had determined to bring vnto the ſame.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 This being done, he placed therein a Colo|nie of Southren men, with theyr wyues and children, and gaue large priuiledges vnto the towne, which they enioy vnto theſe our times.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Mat. VVeſt.Here haue I thought good to aduertiſe you of an error in Mat. Weſt. crept in eyther by wrong placing of the matter by ſome exemplifier, either elſe by the Authours miſtaking his accounte of yeares, as .1072. for .1092. referring the repayring of Carleil vnto William Conqueror, at what time he made a iourney agaynſt the Scots in the ſayde yeare .1072. And yet not thus contented, but to bewray the error more manifeſtly, he affir|meth that the king exchaunged the Earledome of Cheſter, with Raufe or Randulfe de Micenis, a|lias Meſchines, for y^e Erledome of Carleil, which the ſaid de Meſchines helde before, and had begon there to build and fortifie that towne. Where as it is certain y^t Ranulfe de Meſchines came to en|ioy the Erledom of Cheſter by way of inheritãce, as after ſhall appeare. And for the better proufe thereof, ye ſhall vnderſtand, that we finde by aun|cient records, how that one Hugh Lou or Lupus enioyed the Erledome of Cheſter all the dayes of the Conqueror, and long after, which Hugh was ſonne to Richarde Earle of Auranges, and of the Counteſſe Emma, the daughter of a noble man in Normandine named Herlowin, who maried Arlet, the daughter of a burgeſſe in Fa|lois, & mother to William Cõqueroure, ſo y^t the ſayde Hugh, being ſiſter ſonne to y^e Conquerour, receyued by gyft at his handes the Earledome of Cheſter, to holde of him as freely by right of the ſworde, as he helde the Realme of Englande in right of his Crowne. For theſe be the wordes: Tenendum ſibi & Heredibus ita libere ad glad [...] ſicut ipſe (Rex) totã tenebat Angliam ad cor [...]nam.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Earle Hugh then eſtabliſhed in poſſeſſion of this Earledome with moſt large priuiledges and freedomes for the better gouernment thereof, he ordeyned vnder him foure Barons,Foure barons. Nigel or Neal. Piers Malbank Euſtace Waren Vernõ. to witte, his couſin Nigell, or Neal, Barõ of Haltõ, ſir Pierce Malbanke, baron of Nauntwich, ſir Euſtace [...]leftblank [...] baron of Mawpaſſe, and ſir Warren Vernon, baron of Shipbroke. Nigell helde his baronie of Halton by ſeruice to leade the Vaunt|garde of the Earles armie when he ſhoulde make any iourney into Wales, ſo as he ſhoulde bee the foremoſte in marching into the enimies Coun|trey, and laſt in comming barke. Hee was alſo Coneſtable and Marſhall of Cheſter. From this Nigell or Neal,The Lacies. the Lacyes that were Earles of Lincolne had theyr originall. Earle Hugh go|uerned the Earledome of Cheſter the terme of .xl. yeares, and then departed this life in the yeare, 1107. He had iſſue by his wife Armetrid [...] Ri|chard that was the ſeconde Erle of Cheſter after the conqueſt, Robert, Abbot of Saint Edmonds burie, and Otuell tutor to the children of king Henrie the firſt.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Moreouer the ſayde Earle Hugh had a ſiſter named Margaret,Iohn Bohun. that was maried vnto Iohn Bohun, who had iſſue by hir Randulf Bohun, o|therwiſe called Meſchines, which Randulfe by that meanes came to enioy the Erledome of Che|ſter in right of his mother (after that Earle Ri|charde was drowned in the Sea) and not by ex|chaunge for the Earledome of Carleil, as by this which we haue alreadie recited, it may be ſuffici|ently proued.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 To returne therefore where we left.An. Reg. 6. After that king William Rufus had giuen order for the buylding, fortifying, and peopling of Carleil, hee returned Southwardes, and came to Glouceſter, where he fell into a grieuous and dangerous ſick|neſſe,

1093

Simon Dun. Hen. Hunt. Math. Paris. The king be|ing ſicke pro|miſeth amẽd|ment of life. Polidor. Edmerus

ſo that hee was in diſpayre to eſcape wyth life, in time whereof he tooke ſore repentance for his former miſdeedes, and promiſed if hee eſcaped that daunger of ſickneſſe, to amende his life, and become a newe man. But after he was reſtored to health y^t promiſe was quickly forgottẽ, for his doings were not ſo badde and wicked before, but that compared with thoſe which followed after his recouerie, they might well be taken for verie good and ſufferable.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Moreouer, whereas he reteyned in his handes the Biſhoprike of Canterburie the ſpace of foure yeares, hee nowe beſtowed it on Anſelme,Anſelme elec|ted archbiſhop of Canterbury. who was before Abbot of Bechellouyn in Normãdie, and likewiſe vnto certaine Abbayes which he had held long time in his poſſeſſion, he appoynted Ab|bottes: By meane whereof all men, but eſpeci|ally the ſpiritualtie, beganne to conceyue a very good opinion of him. The yeare in the whiche Anſelme was thus elected, was from the byrth of our Sauiour .1093. on the ſixth of Marche,Edmerus bee|ing the firſt Sunday in Lent (as Edmerus re|cordeth.)

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Furthermore, the Sea of Lincolne being void by the death of Biſhop Remigius, Mat. Paris. Polidor. Robert Bluet L. Chauncelor elected biſhop of Lincolne. he gaue it vn|to his Counſellour Robert Bluet, but afterward repenting himſelfe of ſuche liberalitie, in that hee had not kept it longer in his handes towardes the enryching of his Coffers, hee deuiſed a ſhifte howe to wype the Byſhoppes noſe of ſome of his Golde, whiche he perfourmed after thys ma|ner. He cauſed the Biſhoppe to bee ſued, quarel|ling with him, that he wrongfully vſurped vpon certain poſſeſſiõs, togither with the Citie of Lin|colne which apperteyned to the ſea of Yorke: And though this was but a forged cauillation, and a greate vntruth,Hen. Hunt. yet coulde not the Biſhoppe bee delyuered out of that trouble tyll hee had payed EEBO page image 324 to the king fiue thouſand pounds to be at reſt and quiet. And as hee thus dealt with the ſpiritual|tie, ſo he cauſed diuerſe of the Nobilitie to be put to grieuous fines, for tranſgreſſing of his lawes, though the fault were neuer ſo little. He alſo cau|ſed the Archebiſhoppe Anſelme to paye to hym a greate ſumme of money, vnder colour of a con|tribution whiche was due in Lanfrankes dayes, though it was certainly knowne that Lanfranke had payed it.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Thus waxed King William from tyme to tyme more ſharpe and grieuous to his ſubiectes, ſo that whoſoeuer came within the daunger of the lawes was ſure to be condemned, and accoũ|ted well gotten good, and ſuch as woulde play the promoters & giue informations agaynſt any mã for tranſgreſſing lawes, were highly rewarded.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In this ſixt yere, there chaunced ſuch exceeding greate raine, and ſuch high flouds, the Riuers o|uerflowing the low groundes that lay neare vn|to them, as the like had not beene ſeene of manye yeares before that tyme, and afterwardes enſued a ſodaine froſt, which froſe the great ſtreames in ſuche wiſe, that at the diſſoluing thereof, manye bridges both of wood and ſtone, & likewiſe Milles were borne downe and ouerthrowne.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Furthermore, perceyuing that diuerſe occa|ſioned by his cruel and couetous gouernment,Polidor. did dayly ſteale out of the Realme to liue in forraine Countreyes, he ſet forth a proclamation, that no man ſhoulde depart the Realme withoute his ly|cence and ſafeconduct.A proclama|tion that none ſhoulde depart the realme. And hereof it is thought that the cuſtome roſe of forbidding paſſage out of the realme, which oftentymes is vſed as a lawe when occaſion ſerueth.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Soone after alſo he went agaynſt the Welch|men, whom hee vanquiſhed in battaile neare to Brecknocke, and ſlue theyr king named Riſe, or Rees, who hauing done muche hurt within the Engliſh borders, was their encamped.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 This Riſe, or Rees, was the laſt king that reigned ouer the Welchmen, Ran. Higd. Rees king of Wales ſlaine. as the Authours af|firme: for afterwardes, though they oftentymes rebelled, yet the kings of Englande were reputed to be the ſupreme gouerners of y^t part of the Ilãd.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 Moreouer, to haue the countrey the better in quiet, he cutteth downe much of their woods,VVi. Thorne. and buylded many Caſtels and piles in places conue|nient, [figure appears here on page 324] by meanes whereof they were ſomewhat tamed, and broughte in tyme to obedience, though not at the firſt, nor in the dayes of ſundrie of his ſucceſſors. After hee had thus finiſhed his iourney into Wales, [...] king [...]. Malcolme king of Scot|lande came vnto Glouceſter to ſee the king, and to cõmon with him of ſundrie matters touching the peace betwixt both the realmes, as he returned homewardes: but bycauſe King William diſ|deyned to enterteyne him in ſuche pompous ma|ner as he looked for, and forſomuch as he did not at the verie firſt admitte him to his preſence, the ſayde Malcolme returned into Scotlande in greate diſpleaſure,K. Malcolme inuadeth Eng+lande. and immediately rayſing a power, entred into Englande, deſtroying the Countrey vnto Alnewike Caſtell, where he was compaſſed ſo about with an ambuſhment, layde by Robert the Earle of Northumberlande, that he was ſlaine togither with his eldeſt ſonne Ed|ward.He is ſlaine. And his whole armie alſo with that miſ|happe being vtterlye diſcomfited, fled out of the field, with the loſſe of many that were either ſlain or taken by the way.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Thus king Malcolme came to his ende,Simon Dun. by the iuſt prouiſion of God, in that prouince which he had waſted and ſpoyled at fiue ſeuerall tymes, as firſt in the dayes of king Edwarde, when Erle Toſtie was gone to Rome: the ſeconde tyme in the dayes of William Conquerour, when hee ſpoyled alſo Cleuelande: thirdely in the ſame EEBO page image 325 Conquerours dayes, whileſt Biſhoppe Walker gouerned the Sea of Durham, at what tyme all the Countrey was ſpoyled and forrayed, euen vnto the Ryuer of Tine: fourthly, aboute the fourth or fifth yeare of the reigne of this Willi|am Rufus, at whiche tyme hee entered the lande as farre as Cheſter in the ſtreete, whyleſt King William was in Normandie:Ran. Higd. the fifth tyme was nowe wherein hee loſt hys lyfe on Saint Bri|ces day, by the handes of a right valiant Knight named Morkell, after whiche his bodie was bu|ryed at Tynmouth (as in the Scottiſhe Hyſto|ries more plainly appeareth,) where alſo ye may fynde, howe the ſonnes of King Malcolme were ayded by king William Rufus to obteyne the crowne of Scotland, as their right, where other|wiſe by the force and practiſe of theyr vncle Do|nald they had beene kept from it.

Compare 1587 edition: 1

An. Reg. 7 1094

Ran. High. VVil. Mal. Sim. Dunel. Death and murraine of cattaile. Straunge wonders. Math. Paris. Polidor.

This yeare England and Normandie were ſore vexed with mortalitie both of menne and beaſtes, inſomuche that tyllage of the grounde was layde aſide for that yeare in many places, by reaſon whereof there followed greate dearth and famine.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Many griſely and vncouth ſightes were ſeene in Englande, as hoſtes of men fighting in the ſkie, with fierie beames flaſhing out, ſtarres fal|ling from heauen, and ſuch other wonders.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 At which time alſo newe occaſions of breach of amitie grewe betwixt the King and hys bro|ther Robert, who accuſed him of periurie, for not obſeruing the articles of the laſt peace concluded betwixt them:Simon Dun. wherefore he purpoſed to ſayle o|uer into Normandie, and ſo came vnto Ha|ſtings, aboute the fyrſt of Februarie, where hee ſoiourned for a tyme, and cauſed the Abbay Churche of Battayle to bee dedicate in honour of Saint Martyn, and alſo depryued Herbert the Biſhop of Thetforde of his Biſhops ſtaffe, bycauſe hee meant to haue gone ſecretely vnto Rome, and there to haue purchaſed abſolution of Pope Vrbane for his Byſhopryke, which hee had bought of the king for himſelfe, and likewiſe for the Abbacie of Wincheſter, which hee had alſo bought for his father, paying for thẽ both. M. lb

Compare 1587 edition: 1 K. William paſſeth ouer into Nor|mandie.After this, about Midlent he paſſed ouer into Normandie with an armie, in purpoſe to trie the matter with his brother in plaine battaile, that thereby hee myght rather growe to ſome aſſured poynt of loſſe or gayne, than to ſtande euer vp|on ſuche an vncertaintie, whether to haue peace or warre, that hee muſt bee conſtrayned to bee at all tymes in a readineſſe to defende himſelfe, but after he was come into Normandie,Warres be|twixt the king and his bro|ther. and had forrayed part of the Countrey once or twice, hee fell to a communication with his brother Duke Robert; and in the ende condiſcended to put the matter in compromiſe vnto the arbitrement of certaine graue perſonages, who iudging agaynſt the king, hee refuſed to ſtande to their iudgement, where vpon both parts prepared for warre again: inſomuch that the king perteyning how his bro|ther was ayded by the French king,Mat. VVest. and that his power was to weake to withſtand them both, he ſent his commiſſion into Englãd for the leuying of .xx.M. men, cõmaunding them alſo to be ſent ouer vnto him into Normandie by a day, which was diligently performed. But euen as they were come togither about Haſtings, readie to enter a ſhipboorde, immediately commeth the kings lieu|tenant with a countermaunde, and ſignifieth to them, that the king minding to fauour and ſpare them for that iourney, woulde that euery of them ſhould giue him .x. ſhillings, as Mat. Paris hath, Twentie ſhil|lings hath VVi. Thorne. Mat. Par. Mat. VVeſt. (or .xx. ſhillings as others haue) towardes the charges of the war, & thervpõ depart home with a ſufficiẽt ſafecõduct, which the moſt part were bet|ter content to do, than to commit themſelues to the fortune of the ſea, and bloudie ſucceſſe of the warres of Normandie.Polidor. In deed king William chaunging his minde, was nowe determined to ende the matter with money, and not with the ſworde, as it afterward appeared, for by brybing of king Philip in whom duke Robert had repoſed his whole truſt,A peace con|cluded betwixt the king and his brother Robert. he cõcluded peace with him vpon ſuch articles & conditions as he himſelfe required.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Thus hauing diſpatched his buſineſſe in Nor|mãdie, he returneth into England, where he hap|ned to meete with newe and more daungerous warres: Hen. Hunt. Simon Dun. The Welch|men inuade Englande. For the Welchmen hearing of the vari|ance betwixt the brethren, after their accuſtomed maner begin to inuade the Engliſh Marches, ta|king booties of cattell, and deſtroying the Coun|treys, to kill and take many of the kings ſubiects, both Engliſh men and Normans.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 After this, (waxing prowde of their good ſuc|ceſſe) they beſieged the Caſtell of Mountgomerie,The Caſtel of Montgomerye wonne by the Welchmen. and though the gariſon there made ſtoute reſiſtãce for a time, yet in the ende the enimie finding ſhift to ouerthrow the walles, entred perforce, and ſlue them all that they found within it. And although king William was offended herewith, when hee heard of it, yet could he not remedie the matter, An. Reg. 8. 1095 as then, being troubled with a conſpiracie nowe be|gon agaynſt him by Robert the Earle of Nor|thumberland,Robert Earle of Northum|berland refu|ſeth to come to the king. who vpon diſpleaſure conceyued a|gainſt him, bycauſe he was not rewarded not thanked at his hands for his good ſeruice ſhewed in the killing of Malcolme K. of Scotland, refu|ſed to come vnto him being ſent for by letters, and herewith beganne to practiſe with certaine other noble men of that countrey, how to depoſe King Wil. but ere he could bring any peece of his pur|poſe to paſſe, the K. hauing aduertiſment of his attempts, firſt appointed his brother the L. Hen|rie to go thither with an armie,Mat. Paris. and forthwith he EEBO page image 326 followeth himſelfe, and comming to Newcaſtel, where the moſt part of his complices were aſſem|bled, he ſurpriſed them ere they could haue time to prouide for their ſafetie. That done, he went to Tinmouth, and in the Caſtell there tooke the erles brother, & after came to the caſtell of Banbourgh into the which the ſaide Earle with his wife and children were withdrawne for their better ſafe|garde and defence. Here it is written by ſome authors,Hen. Hunt. that when the king perceyued it woulde bee hard for him to winne this Caſtell of Ban|bourgh, (by reaſon of the great ſtrength thereof,) without famine, he buylded vp an other Caſtell or Baſtilion faſt by it,Malvoiſin a fortreſſe built agaynſt Bam|bourgh. calling the ſame Malvoiſin, in the which he placed a greate power of men, by whoſe meanes at length the Earle was ſo con|ſtrayned, that when he ſought to haue eſcaped by night, hee was eſpyed, and therewith purſued ſo neare by the kings Souldiours, that he was for|ced to take Sanctuarie within the Churche of Saint Oſwyn the Martyr at Tynmouth,Polidor. out of the which he was quickly taken, and brought as priſoner to the kings preſence: notwithſtan|ding thoſe that remayned within the Caſtell vp|pon truſt of the ſtrength of that place, woulde not yeelde by any meanes, but ſtoode ſtill at their de|fence: wherevpon the king cauſed the Earle theyr maiſter to be brought forth afore the gates, and threatned that he ſhoulde haue his eies put out of his head if they within did not ſtreight wayes de|liuer the holde into his handes. And herevpon it came to paſſe that the Caſtell was giuen vp,Banbourgh yeelded to the king. and thoſe that kept it were diuerſly puniſhed, ſome by baniſhment, ſome by loſing their eares, and diuers by the loſſe of their handes, in example to others. The Erle himſelf alſo was cõueyed to Windſor Caſtell, and there committed to priſon. Some write that the meaning of the Erle and his com|plices (amongſt whom was William Earle of Ewe, Sim. Dun. The Earle of Ewe. which renouncing his allegiaunce to Ro|bert Duke of Normandie was become the kings man) was to haue diſplaced the king from his roi|all throne, and to haue ſet vp his ſonne William de Albemarle whom he had begotten of his cõcu|bin. But whatſoeuer their purpoſe was after that the king had quieted his countrey in the North partes,Mat. Par. he bent all his force agaynſt the Welch|men, the which in the yeare before had deſtroyed and ouerthrowne the caſtell of Moungomerie, & ſlaine the Normans that lay there in gariſon to defende it, with which doing he was very muche offended,King William inuadeth Wales. and therefore entering nowe into Wales, hee beganne to ſpoyle and waſte the countrey, for he ſawe that the Welchmen would [figure appears here on page 326] not ioyne in battayle with him in the plaine field, but kept themſelues ſtill aloofe within the woods & Mariſhes, and aloft vpon Mountaynes: albeit oftentimes whẽ they ſaw aduantage, they would come forth, and taking the Engliſhmen & Nor|mans at vnawares, kill many, & woũd mo of thẽ, hee ſtill purſued them by hiiles and dales, though more to the loſſe of his owne people than hurt of the Welchmen, who eaſily eſchued the daunger of battaile, and ſtill at the ſtraites and comberſom paſſaes, diſtreſſed many of theyr enimies: wher|by the king at length perceyuing that hee coulde not preuaile agaynſt them, ceaſſed further to fol|low on with his purpoſed voyage,The king re|turneth out of Wales with diſhonor. Edmerus Murcherdach king of Irelãd and therewith returned home, not w^tout ſome note of diſhonor.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 About the ſame time alſo, Murcherdach king of Irelande, with the Clergie and people of the Citie of Dublyn, elected one Samuell a Monke of S. Albons, and an Iriſh man borne, to the go|uernment of the Church & Biſhops Sea of Dub|lyn, and (according to the auncient cuſtome) pre|ſented him by ſufficient letters of teſtimonie vn|to the Archbiſhop of Canterburie Anſelme, to be ſacred of him, the which according to their requeſt EEBO page image 327 did conſecrate him, and receyued of him a promiſe of his canonicall ſubiection, after the olde vſuall maner, hauing foure Biſhops, Suffraganes to the ſea of Canterburie, miniſtring to him at that conſecration.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In like maner, Pope Vrban calling a counſell [figure appears here on page 327] at Clermoũt in Auvergne,The counſel of Clermount. exhorted the chriſtian Princes ſo earneſtly to make a iourney into the holy lande, for the recouerie thereof out of the Sa|raſins handes, that the great and generall paſſage was concluded to be taken in hande,The iourney into the holy lande. Godfray de Bullion. wherein ſo many noble men of Chriſtendome went vnder the leading of Godfray of Bullion and other, as in the Chronicles of Fraunce, Germanie, and of the holy lande doth more plainly appeare.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 There went alſo among other dyuerſe noble men forth of this Realme of Englande, ſpeci|ally that worthily bare the ſurname of Beau|champe.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Robert Duke of Normandie minding alſo to goe in the ſame iourney,

An. reg. 9 1096

Hen. Hunt. VVil. Thorne Simon Dun.

and wanting money to furniſh and ſet forth himſelfe, engaged his du|chie of Normandie vnto his brother king Willi|am, for the ſumme of tenne thouſande poundes. And here was another occaſion offered vnto king William, to rayſe a newe payment amongeſt his ſubiectes, whiche was ſo grieuous, as well to the ſpiritualtie,A ſubſedie. as to the temporaltie, that diuerſe Biſhoppes and Abbottes, whiche had alreadie made away ſome of their Chalices and Churche Iewelles to pay the King, made nowe plaine an|ſwere that they were not able to helpe him wyth any more: vnto whom on the other ſyde (as the report went) the King ſhoulde ſay agayne, haue you not (I beſeeche you) Coffins of Golde and Siluer full of deade mens bones? meaning the ſhrines wherein the reliques of Saintes were in|cloſed, which (as his wordes ſeemed to import) he woulde haue had them to conuert into mony, therewyth to helpe him in that neede, worthily iudging it no ſacriledge, though many did other|wiſe eſteeme it, conſidering (as he pretended) that it was gathered for ſo godly an vſe, as to main|teyne the warres agaynſt the Infidels and eni|mies of Chriſt.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The Archbiſhop Anſelme tooke the worth of two hundred Markes of ſiluer of the Iewels that belonged to the Church of Canterburie (the more part of the couent of Monkes winking therat) to|wardes the furniſhing of ſuch payment as he was conſtrayned to make to the king towardes hys ayde at that time:Edmerus but bycauſe he would not leaue thys for an example to bee followed of his ſuc|ceſſours, he graunted to the Churche of Can|terburie the profites and reuenues of his Manour of Petteham, to bee receyued to the vſe of the ſame Churche for the tearme of ſeuen yeares, the ſame reuenues amounting to the ſumme of thirtie pounde yearely in thoſe dayes.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Thus King William ſeeking rather to ſpoile the Realme of Englande,Polidor. than to preſerue the royall ſtate thereof, after hee had gotten togy|ther a greate maſſe of money, ſayled ouer into Normandie, and there delyuering vnto the Duke the tenne thouſande poundes aforeſayde,The Duchie of Normandie engaged to king William was put in poſſeſſion of the Duchie, to enioy the ſame, and the profites ryſing thereof, tyll the ſayde tenne thouſande poundes were repayde to him agayne, or (as ſome wryte) it was co|uenanted that in recompence thereof,Edmerus the King ſhoulde enioy the profites of that Duchie for tearme onelye of three yeares, and then to re|ſtore it againe without any further intereſt or re|compence.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 This done,Polidor. hee returned agayne into Eng|land, and Duke Robert ſetteth forwarde on hys iorney in cõpanie of other noble men towards the holy lãd. In which iorney his noble prowes at all EEBO page image 328 turnes when any ſeruice ſhoulde be ſhewed was moſt manifeſtly perceyued, to his high fame and renowme among the princes and nobilitie there aſſembled.

Compare 1587 edition: 1

An. reg. 10. 1097

Edmerus Waterford in Ireland made a Biſhoprike.

About the ſame time the Citizens of Waterford in Irelãd perceyuing y^t by reaſõ of y^e great multi|tude of people in that city, it was neceſſarie for thẽ to haue a Biſhop, they obteyned of their king and rulers licence to erect in their Citie a Biſhops ſea, and that it might pleaſe them to write vnto An|ſelme the Archbiſhop of Canterburie that was their Primate,The Archbiſh. of Canterburie primate of Irelande. to haue his conſent therin, ſo as it might ſtand with his pleaſure, to inſtitute and ordeigne ſuche a perſon to haue gouernment of their church as Biſhop, whom they ſhould name, knowing him to be a man of ſuch lerning, know|ledge, diſcretion, & worthineſſe, as were meete to exerciſe the rowme. Herevpon were letters ſent by meſſengers from Muchertachus king of Ireland vnto Anſelme,Muchertake K. of Irelande enforming him of the whole mat|ter: and in the ſame letters was one Malchus commended & preſented vnto him to be admitted and ſacred if he thought it good. Theſe letters were ſubſcribed with the handes, not onely of the ſayde King Murchertachus, but alſo of his bro|ther Duke Dermeth, of Biſhoppe Dufnalde, of Idiman Biſhoppe of Methe, of Samuell By|ſhoppe of Dubline, of Ferdomnachus Biſhop of Laginia or Leyniſter, and of many others bothe of the ſpiritualtie and temporaltie.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Anſelme therefore conſidering their requeſt to be iuſt and neceſſarie, graunted to fulfill theyr de|ſires, and ſo vpon examination had of the man, and taking of him his promiſe of obedience, ac|cording to the maner, hee conſecrated the ſame Malchus, [...]. and ſo ordeyned him to rule the church of Waterforde as Biſhop. This was done at Canterburie the .xxviij. day of October, Raufe Biſhop of Chicheſter, and Gundulfe Biſhop of Rocheſter helping Anſelme in the conſecration as Miniſters vnto him in that behalfe.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The ſayde Malchus was a Monke, and ſomtime vnder Walkhelme biſhop of Wincheſt.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 But to the purpoſe. King William after his returne into Englande, remembring what do|mage he had ſuſteyned two yeares before at the handes of the Welchmen, determined eftſoones to inuade their countrey, and therefore doubling his power,The king eft|ſoones inua|deth the Welchmen. commeth into the Marches, pitcheth his field, and conſulteth with his captaines what or|der he were beſt to vſe in that his enterpriſe, for the taming of his aduerſaries.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Polidor.The Welche men hearing of the kings ap|proche, and that his armie was farre greater than the laſt whiche hee brought into theyr Coun|trey,The Welch men withdraw into the woods fell to theyr woonted policie, and gotte them into the Wooddes there to lie in awayte truſting more to the aduauntage of places, than to their owne force and puiſſaunce.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 When the king therefore vnderſtoode theyr practice, he placed armed men in dyuerſe places,Hen. Hunt. and buylded Towers and houſes of ſtrength for theyr defence, bycauſe he durſt not aſſay to enter into wilde and waſte groundes, where he had re|ceyued hinderance and domage before that time, hoping by this meanes thus in ſtopping vp the wayes and paſſages of the countrey to bring the Rebelles to more ſubiection. But when thys policie was tryed to wearie rather the Kinges Souldiours than to hurt the ennimies, whiche wandering from place to place in the Wooddes entrapped oftentymes the Normans and Eng|liſhe men in taking them at aduauntage, the king without bringing his purpoſe to anye good effect, departed home into Englande.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 And after this,Simon Dun. R. Ho [...]ed. he ſent Edgar Etheling with an armie into Scotlande, that he might place his Coſin Edgar the ſonne of king Malcolme in the gouernment of that Kingdome, and expulſe his vncle Duffnalde whiche had vſurped in the ſame.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Whileſt King William in the meane tyme being inflamed with yre that he coulde not haue his will,An. reg. [...] 1098 determined with continuall warres to tame the rebellions ſtomackes of the Welchmen: And firſt to ſet vpon them of Angleſey, which be|ing an Ile enuironed with the Sea, was euer a refuge for them, when they were ſharply purſued.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 This enterprice was chiefly committed vnto Hugh Earle of Shrewſburie and Arondell,Math. Paris. and to Hugh Erle of Cheſter, who at their firſt com|ming wanne the Ile, and vſed the victorie wyth great crueltie, putting out the eyes of ſome, cut|ting off the noſes, the armes, or handes of other, and ſome alſo they gelded.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Moreouer (as Authours doe write) the ſayde Erle of Shrewſburie made a kenell of the church of Saint Fridancus,Giral. Camb. laying his houndes within in it for the night time, but in the morning hee founde them all raging woode. But how true ſo euer this tale is I knowe not, but ſhortly after they had committed (in maner as before is ſayd) all kinde of crueltie in that Ile, it chaunced that a nauie of rouers came thither from the Iles of Orkney, whoſe chiefe Admirall was one Mag|nus,Hugh Earle of Shrewsburie ſlaine. who encountering with the ſayde Earle of Shrewſburie, ſhotte him into the ey with an ar|row, which part of his bodie remayned only bare and not armed, ſo that the ſaid Erle fell ſtreyght wayes dead out of hys ſhippe into the ſea, which when Magnus behelde, he ſayde ſcornfully in the Daniſhe tongue, leit loupe, that is, let him leape nowe: yet the Engliſhe menne had the victorie at that tyme (as ſome wryte) and chaſed away theyr ennimyes wyth greate ſlaughter and diſ|honour.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 4 5 EEBO page image 329

Fab. ex Gui|done de Columna. Polidor.

An. Reg. 12. 1099

Soone after alſo, y^e Erle of Cheſter going ouer into Wales, with long and continuall warres, brought vnder and tamed the wilde and rebelli|ous Welchmen, who for a good while after durſt not ſhew their faces. The K. being thus at quiet|neſſe without warre in all places, began nowe to ſet his minde on building, and firſte cauſed newe walles to be made about the Tower of London, and alſo layde the foundation of Weſtminſter Hall, which though it be a right large and roome-thy place, yet after it was finiſhed, and that at his returne out of Normandy, he came to viewe it, and held his Court therein with great pomp and honor,Fabian. Ran. Higd. Mat. Par. he repented that he had cauſed it to be made no larger, ſaying, it was too little by the half, and therefore determined to haue made a newe, and that this other ſhould haue ſerued but for a dining chamber. A diligent ſearcher (ſaith Math. Paris) mighte yet finde out the foundation of the hall, whiche he had purpoſed to build, ſtretching from the Thames ſide vnto the common ſtreete. But though thoſe his buildings were great ornamẽts to the Realme, yet bycauſe that he gathered mo|ney of his ſubiects in moſt greeuous wiſe towards the charges of the ſame, he was euill ſpoken of in thoſe his beneficiall doings,Polidor. the fame being ſpred, that he ſhould take them in hand, but onely vnder a colour to ſpoyle his ſubiectes in gathering a far greater ſumme than the expenſes of them did a|mount vnto.The reward of euill men. But ſuch is the reward of euil men, that their well doings are either moſt commonly defaced with ſome notorious faulte, or elſe mi|ſtaken by ſome wrong and enuious interpreta|tion.The King goeth ouer into Normãdy About the ſame time that King William began theſe buildings, hee wente ouer into Nor|mandy to vnderſtande in what ſtate, that coun|trey ſtoode. Aboute the ſame time, or rather two yeare before, to witte .1097. neere to Abington, At a towne called Finchamſteede in Barkſhire, a well or fountayne flowed with bloud, Finchamſteed Ran. Higd. Hen. Hunt. Mat. VVeſt. VVil. Mal. in manner as before it vſed to flowe with water, and this continued for the ſpace of three dayes, or as Wil. Malm. hath, fifteene dayes togither. After the K. had diſpatched his buſineſſe in Normandy, and was returned into Englande, it chaunced as hee was making prouiſion to ride foorth on hunting, a meſſenger came ſuddaynely to hym, bringyng worde,Hen. Hunt. Mat. Paris. that the City of Mans was beſieged, and like to be ſurpriſed. The King was as then at dinner, meaning firſt to make an end thereof, and after to take aduice in that matter: but beeing re|prooued by the meſſenger, that he ſhould in ſuche daunger of his ſubiectes that were beſieged make any delay, rather than to goe and ſuccour them; with all ſpeede, he taketh y^e mans raſh language in ſo good parte, that hee called ſtraighte way for Maſons to breake downe the wall, to the ende he mighte paſſe through the nexte way, and not bee driuen to ſteppe ſo farre out of his path, as to goe foorth by the dores and ſo withoute any long ad|uiſement taken in the cauſe he rode ſtraight way to the Sea,VVil. Malm. ſending to his Lordes a commaun|demente to followe, who when they came [...] his preſence, counſelled hym [...]o ſtay till his peo|ple were aſſembled: but hee woulde not giue eate to their aduice in that poynte, but ſayd, ſuche as loue mee I knowe well will folowe me, and ſo went a Shipboorde, ſetting aparte all doubtes of perils, and yet was y^t weather very darke, rough and clowdy, in ſo muche, that the maſter of the Shippe was afraide, and counſelled hym to tarry till the winde might ſettle in ſome quiet quarter: but he commaunded hym to hoyſe vp ſayles, and to make all the ſpeed that he could for his life, en|couraging hym with theſe wordes, that he neuer heard as yet of anye King that was drowned.The ſaying of K. William Rufus. Thus paſſing the Seas, he landed in Normãdy, [figure appears here on page 329] where he gathered his power,Mans deliue|red from an aſſeege. and made towards Mans. When thoſe which helde the ſiege before that Citie, hearde of his approche, they brake vp their campe, and departed thence: howbeit, the Captaine named Helias,Helias. that pretended by title and right to be Earle of Mans, was taken by a trayne, and brought to the Kings preſence, who ieſted at him as though he had bin but a foole and a Cowarde, wherevppon, the ſaid Helias kindled in wrath, boldly ſayde vnto him: whereas thou haſt taken me priſoner, it was by meere chaunce, and not by thy manhoode: but if I were at liber|tie againe, I woulde ſo vſe the matter with thee, that thou ſhouldeſt not thinke I were a man ſo lightly to be laughed at: no ſhould (ſayth y^e king,) well then I giue thee thy libertie, and goe thy wayes, doe euen the worſt that lieth in thy po|wer againſt me, for I care not a button for thee. Helias being thus ſet at libertie, did nothing af|ter to make any accompt of againſt the Kyng, but rather kepte himſelfe quiet. Yet ſome write,Hen. Hunt. Polidor. that he was not taken at al, but eſcaped by flight. But to proceede, King William being returned EEBO page image 330 into Englande, and puffed vp with pride of hys victories, and now ſeeing himſelfe alſo fully deli|uered from all troubles of warre, began after hys olde manner to ſpoyle and waſt the countrey by vnreaſonable exactions, tributes and paymentes.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Variance be|twixt the King, and the Archbiſhop Anſelme.There fel alſo a great cõtrouerſie betwene An|ſelme and the K. who pretended a reproche of his cruell ſurcharging of his commons with ſubſe|dies, lones, and vnreaſonable fines: but the chiefe cauſe was, for that hee mighte not call hys Sy|nodes, nor correct the Biſhops, but as the King would. The King alſo chalenged the inueſture of Prelates, and indeede ſore taxed both the ſpiritu|altie and temporaltie, ſpending the money vpon the reparations and buildings of the Tower, and Weſtminſter Hall, as is before remembred. And beſides this, his ſeruauntes ſpoyled the Engliſh|men of their goodes by vnreaſonable meanes: but eſpecially one Raulf that was ſometime Chap|layne vnto William the Conquerroure, and at this time, the kings procurator and collector of his taſkes & ſubſedies, was ſo malitious and co|uetous, that in ſtede of two taſkes, he would leuie three, pilling the rich, and bearing downe y^e pore, ſo that many through his cruell dealing were of|tentimes made to forfeyte their lands for ſmall offences, & by his meanes diuers Biſhoprickes were bought and ſold, as playnely as other kinds of merchandiſes,The Cleargie out of order. whereby he was had in ſingular fauour with the King. The Cleargie alſo were holden very ſtraightly, & as I ſuppoſe, not with|out good cauſe: for ſurely in thoſe dayes it was farre out of order, not onely by couetous practi|ſings, but alſo in all kinds of worldly pompe and vanitie, for they vſed buſſhed and brayded pe|rukes, long ſide garmentes and very gorgeous, gilte girdels, and gilt ſpurres, with many other vnſeemely enormities. To be ſhorte, the conten|tion roſe ſo farre betwixte the K. and Anſelme, who woulde alſo haue corrected ſuch vices in the Cleargie (as ſome write) that in the ende the Archbiſhop was quite caſt out of fauoure.Math. Paris. There are which alledge the very firſt and originall oc|caſion of their falling out to be,A thouſand markes de|maunded of Anſelme. for that the Arch|biſhop denyed to pay a thouſand markes of ſiluer at his requeſt: in conſideration of the Kings great beneuolence ſhewed in preferring him to his See, whereas the Archbiſhop iudged the offence of Si|monie, to reſt as well in giuing, after his promo|tion receyued, as if he had bribed him aforehand, & therfore refuſed to make any ſuche paymente:Edmerus. but yet (as Eadmerus writeth) hee offered him fyue hundred pounds of ſiluer, whiche woulde not bee accepted, for the King was enformed by ſome of his Counſell, that the Archbiſhop in conſiderati|on of his bounteous liberalitie extended towards hym, oughte rather to giue him two thouſande poundes, than fiue hundred, adding, that if hee would but chaunge his countenaunce, and gyue him no friendly lookes for a while, he ſhould per|ceiue that Anſelme would adde to the firſt offer, other fiue hundred pounds. But Anſelme was ſo farre from being brought to the kings lure with ſuche fetches, that openly to the Kings face hee told him, that better it ſhoulde be for his maieſtie to receyue of him a ſmall ſumme granted of him with a free and franke heart, ſo as he mighte help him eftſoones with more, than to take from him a great deale at once, without his good will, after ſuche ſorte, as though he were his bondman. For your grace (ſaith hee) may haue me, and all that mine is, to ſerue youre turne with friendly bene|uolence: but in the way of ſeruitude and bõdage, you ſhal neither haue me nor mine. With whych words, y^e King was in a marueilous chaufe, and therewith ſayde in his anger: well then, get thee home, take that whiche is thine to thy ſelfe, that whiche I haue of mine owne I truſt will ſuffiſe me. The Archbiſhop beeing on his knees, roſe heerewith and departed, r [...]ioycing in his mynde that the King had refuſed his offer, whereby hee was deliuered out of ſuſpition to haue bribed the King, and gyuen hym that money in way of re|ward for his prefermente to the myter, as of ma|litious men woulde happily haue bin conſtrued. Wherevpon beeing after laboured to double the ſumme, he vtterly refuſed ſo to do, & determining rather to forſake the Realme than to commit a|ny ſuche offence,Mat. Paris. made ſuite to the King to haue licence to goe vnto Rome to fetch his Pall of the Pope. The King hearing the Pope to be named,The King could not abide to heare the Pope named. waxed maruellous angry: for they of Rome be|gan already to aſke giftes and paymentes, more impudently than they were hitherto accuſtomed. And as it chanced, there was a ſciſme euen then in the Church, by reaſon that the Emperour Hẽ|ry had placed a Pope of his owne ſetting vp, (one named Wibteth, Archbiſhoppe of Rauenna) a|gaynſte Pope Vrbane: for the Emperour maine|teyned that it belonged to his office only to chooſe and appoynt what Pope ſoeuer it pleaſed hym.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 King Williã therefore taking occaſion there|of, conceyued diſpleaſure againſt Vrbane, which withſtoode the emperours pretence, and alledged by the like that no Archbiſhop or Biſhop within hys Realme, ſhould haue reſpect to the Churche of Rome, nor to anye Pope, with whome they had nothing to doe, eyther by way of ſubiection, or otherwiſe, namely ſith the Popes flatly ap|peared to goe oute of the ſteppes whiche Peter trode, ſeeking after bribes, lucre and worldly ho|nor alſo, that they coulde not reteyne the power to loſe and bynde, which they ſometyme hadde ſince they ſhewed themſelues nothing at all to followe his moſt vertuous lyfe and holy conuer|ſation. Hee added furthermore, that for EEBO page image 331 himſelfe [...]ithence the conuerſion of the Realme to the Chriſtian faith, he hadde as great authoritie, franchiſes and liberties within the ſame, as the Emperour had in his Empire. And what hathe the Pope then to doe (quoth he) in the Empire or in my Kingdome touching temporal liberties, to whome onely it belongeth to bee carefull for the ſoule of man, and where hereſies ſpring vp, if the Prelates of the prouince or Countrey be not a|ble to reforme the ſame, then might the Pope ſeke redreſſe thereof, eyther by hymſelfe or by hys Le|gates. And againe, by reaſon of the ſciſme, and for y^e diſpleaſure that he bare towards Pope Vr|bane, Eadmerus. The Kings demaund to Anſelme. he aſked of Anſelme of which Pope he wold require his Palle, ſith hee was ſo haſty to goe to Rome for it: to whiche demaund Anſelme aun|ſwered, that of Pope Vrbane he woulde require it. The which when the Kyng heard, he ſayde, I haue not as yet receyued him for Pope, and that it was againſte the cuſtome vſed eyther in hys time, or in his fathers time, that any man within the Realme of England, ſhould name or obey a|ny man for Pope, without the Kings licence and conſent, ſaying moreouer, that if the ſayd Anſel|me would ſeke to take that prerogatiue and dig|nitie from him, it ſhould be all one, as if he ſhould goe about to take away from him his Crowne and all other regall dignitie. Wherevnto Anſel|me aunſwered, that at Rocheſter before hee was ſacred Biſhop he had declared his minde therein, that being Abbot of Bechellouin in Normandy, he had receyued Vrbane for Pope, and therefore whatſoeuer chaunced, he might not goe frõ hys obedience and ſubiection promiſed to hym.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The King beeing yet further kindled heere|with proteſted in playne wordes, that Anſelme could not both keepe his fayth and allegiance to|wards him, and alſo his obedience to the See of Rome, againſt his will and pleaſure. But to cõ|clude, this matter wente ſo farre in controuerſie betwixt the King and the Biſhop, that a Coun|ſell was called at Rockyngham in Rutland|ſhire, and there in the Church within the Caſtell,A counſell at Rockingham in Rutland+ſhire. the matter was earneſtly debated, and muche a|doe [figure appears here on page 331] was made on euery ſide, to haue conſtreyned Anſelme to renounce his opinion, but hee would not. Wherefore it was then deuiſed, that if hee woulde not agree to the Kings pleaſure, they would by and by ſee if they mighte in anye wiſe depriue him: but ſtill Anſelme helde hard, and coulde not bee feared by all theſe threats, and in like manner to iudge of an Archbiſhops cauſe, the other Biſhops concluded that they had no autho|ritie.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Moreouer, while the matter was in conſulta|tion among the Biſhops, another of the Kyngs Counſel a Knight came before Anſelme in place where hee ſate almoſt alone to looke for an aun|ſwere by them from the Kyng, whiche Knyghte kneeling downe before the Archbiſhop, ſpake theſe words vnto him: Reuerend father, your humble children beſech your grace not to haue your heart troubled with theſe things whiche you heare, but call to remembrance that bleſſed man Iob, van|quiſhing the Deuill on the Dounghill, and re|uenging Adam whome he had ouercome in Pa|radice. Which words the Archbiſhop cõſideryng with a friendly countenance, perceyued that the mindes of the people remayned on his ſyde, wherof both he and ſuch as were about him, were right ioyfull and greatly comforted, hauing a cõ|fidence according to the Scripture, that the voyce of the people was the voyce of God. When the King vnderſtood all theſe things, he was maruel|louſly diſquieted in his mind, and therfore percei|uing that the Biſhops and other of hys counſell had promiſed more than they coulde performe, blamed them for it: vnto whome the Biſhoppe of EEBO page image 332 Durham that was the chiefe doer in thys mat|ter, ſhaped thys aunſwere: hee ſpake ſo fayntly (quoth hee) and ſo coldly at the fyrſt, that he ſee|med not to haue any ſtore of wit or wiſedome at all.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Finally, the matter was deferred vntill the next morning, and then the ſayd Biſhop of Dur|ham alledging that they coulde not well ouer|come hym by argumentes, ſo long as he groun|ded hys opinion in ſuche wiſe vpon the ſcripture, and the authoritie of Saint Peter, The beſt way therefore (ſayde hee) ſhall bee, to compell hym by force, eyther to agree to the Kyngs mynde, or elſe to depriue hym of hys Ring and ſtaffe, and after baniſh hym the Realme: but the Lordes of the Counſell allowed not the Biſhops wordes heerein: wel ſayth the King, and what other way will you thynke good, if thys lyke you not: ſo long as I may lyue, I will not ſurely ſuffer any to be my peere within my Realme: and if you knewe hys cauſe to be ſo good, why dyd you ſuffer mee to begynne thys action agaynſte hym: goe youre wayes therefore, and take aduice togyther, for by Goddes face (for that was hys othe) if you con|demne hym not at my will, I will reuenge my ſelfe vpon you, but when hee was enformed that bycauſe hee was an Archbiſhop, they had no po|wer to iudge or condemne hym, though his cauſe prooued neuer ſo euill, whiche they could not per|ceyue ſo to be. He tolde them yet they mighte at the leaſtwiſe renounce their obedience to him, and forſake hys company, which they ſaid they might do. Then do it (ſayth the King) with ſpeede, that hee may when hee ſhall ſee hymſelfe abandoned, and deſpiſed of all men, repent that hee hathe fol|lowed Vrbane, and neglected mee his ſoueraigne Lorde and maſter. And that yee may doe it the more ſafely, I firſte of all doe depriue hym of the ſuretie and allegiance whiche he may pretende to haue of me within all my dominions,The King re|nounceth the Archbiſhop for his ſub|iecte. and from hencefoorth I will haue no affiance in hym, nor take hym for an Archbiſhop.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The Biſhops woulde fayne haue perſwaded Anſelme to haue ſhewed himſelfe conformable to the Kyngs pleaſure, and therefore trauelled with hym earneſtly in that behalfe, but all woulde not ſerue: hee anſwered indeede very curteouſly, but hys benefice he would not renounce, as touching the name and office, though in exterior thyngs he were neuer ſo muche diſquieted. The King per|ceyuing hym to ſtande ſtiffe in hys opinion, ſayd vnto hys Lordes, his words are euer contrary to my mynde, and I will not take hym for my friende whoſoeuer doth fauour hym.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 I ſhall therefore require you that bee peeres of my Realme, to renounce all the fayth and friend|ſhippe whyche you beare hym, that hee maye ſee what hee hath gayned by that allegiance, whyche to the offending of my pleaſure hee obſerueth to the Apoſtolike See. The Lords aunſwered here|vnto: As for vs, we were neuer hys menne, and therefore cannot we abiure any fealtie whiche we neuer acknowledged. He is oure Archbiſhop, and hath the gouernaunce of matters perteynyng to the Chriſtian religion within this lande, and for that cauſe, we which are Chriſtians, may not re|fuſe hys authoritie whyleſt we remayne heere on earthe, namely, ſyth there is no blemiſhe of haynous crime that toucheth hym, whyche may conſtreyne vs otherwiſe to doe. The Kyng re|frayned to declare hys wrath, leaſt he ſhould pro|uoke them further to diſpleaſure by ſpeakyng a|gainſt theyr reaſon.The Biſhops driuen to their ſhiftes how to ſhape an anſwere. The Biſhops were greatly abaſſhed heerewith, and were broughte to a ſhrewde pinche. When immediately after, the Kyng required to know of euery of them a part, whether they vtterly renounced all manner of ſubiection and obedience vnto Anſelme withoute any condition intermitted, or elſe that only whi|che hee did pretende by authoritie of the Pope. When the Byſhoppes did aunſwere heerevnto diuerſly, the Kyng appoynted thoſe to ſitte downe by hym as faythfull ſubiects, whyche ac|knowledged that theyr renunciation was ab|ſolutely made, withoute intermittyng of anye manner of condition: but the other whyche pro|teſted that they renounced theyr ſubiection and obedience vnto hym, but onely in that why|che hee preſumed vppon the behalfe of the Pope, hee commaunded them aſyde, to re|mayne in a corner of the houſe to heare the ſen|tence of their condemnation pronounced againſt them.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 They therefore beeyng putte in a maruellous feare, gote them aſyde, but yet ſtrayghte wayes they deuiſed a ſhifte whyche they hadde beene well acquainted withall before,The meane to pacifie the King. that is to witte, they preſented to the Kyng a greate maſſe of money to appeaſe hys wrathe, and ſo thereby they were reſtored to hys fauoure.The ſtiffenes of Anſelme in withſtanding the Kings pleaſure. Anſelme notwithſtandyng ſtoode ſtill ſtiffe in hys opinion, ſo that in the ende when no other way coulde be hadde, the ſentence touching this con|trouerſie betwixt hym and the King, was reſpi|ted till the Octaues of Pentecoſt nexte enſu|ing. All whyche thyngs were notifyed well ynough to the Pope,Math. Paris. who lyke a wary Prelate vſed the matter with ſuche moderation, that by ſecrete aduertiſementes gyuen, hee tooke a|way from hys breethren all rigorous wayes of proceedings, ſaying, Dum furor in curſu est, currenti cede furori, but the Kynges enmitie towardes Anſelme was openly decla|red, and that chiefly for the denyall of the money EEBO page image 333 which he demaunded, & at length gote it, though not with any free beneuolent will of the Archbi|ſhop, in ſomuch that he was reputed of the Kyng giltie of treaſon.The Biſhop of Alba reconci|leth the Pope to the Kings fauour. But within a few dayes after, Walter the Biſhop of Alba bringing to him hys Palle, with wiſdome reconciled the Pope to the Kings fauour: albeit Anſelme yet could not pur|chaſe throughly the Kings good will, though hee wiſely diſſembled for the time: and when the By|ſhop of Alba ſhould returne vnto Rome, he made ſute to haue licence to goe with him, but for aun|ſwere the Kyng offered hym, that if hee woulde leaue off his purpoſe, and ſweare vpõ the Euan|geliſts neyther to goe to Rome; nor to appeale in any cauſe to the Popes Court, he mighte lyue in quietneſſe and reſt out of all daunger: but if hee would not be ſo contented, he might depart at his perill, without hope to returne hither agayne, for ſurely (ſaith he) if he goe I will ſeaſe the Archbi|ſhopricke into myne owne handes,Edmerus. and receyue him no more for Archbiſhop. Anſelme heerewith departing from the Court, came to Canterbury, declaring openly what had bin ſayde vnto hym, and immediately ſought to flee out of the Realm in the night, prouiding for hymſelfe a Shippe at Douer. But hys purpoſe being reuealed to the King,Fabian. one William Warlewaſt that was the Kings ſeruaunte, was ſente after hym, and fin|ding hym ready to departe, tooke from hym all that he had, and after permitted hym to keepe on his iourney, who repayring to Rome, made vnto Pope Vrbane a greeuous information agaynſte the Kyng, Math. Paris. Anſelme com|ming to Rome compleyneth of the King. declaring into what miſerable ſtate he had brought the Realme, and how that for want of aſſiſtance in his Suffraganes it lay not in him to reforme the matter. Indeede we finde not that any of the Biſhops held with Anſelme in the cõ|trouerſie betwixt hym and the Kyng, except Ra|nulph Biſhop of Chicheſter, who both blamed y^e King, and alſo rebuked all ſuch Biſhops as had refuſed to ſtand with Anſelme, and fauoured the King in cauſes concerning the foreſaid variance. Moreouer,Ranulf Biſhop of Chicheſter. the ſame Biſhop of Chicheſter with|ſtoode the King and his officers in taking of fines of Prieſtes for the crime of fornication, by reaſon of which preſumption, the King became ſore of|fended with hym, and obteyned ſuch fauour, that he founde meanes to ſuſpend many Churches of his dioceſſe, but yet in the ende, the Biſhoppe de|meaned himſelfe in ſuche wiſe, that he hadde hys owne will, and hys Churche dores were opened agayne, that before were ſtopped with thornes. And further,Fines of Prieſts that had wiues as by ſome wri|ters it ſeemed. Polidor. the King was contented, that the ſayde Biſhop ſhould haue the fines of Prieſtes in crimes of fornication within his dioceſſe, and en|ioy many other priuileges in right of his church. But how beneficiall ſo euer he was vnto the Sea of Chicheſter, troth it is (as Polidor writeth) that he let foorthe dyuers Abbeyes, and the reuenewes of the Biſhoprickes of Wincheſter and Saliſbu|rie, and alſo of the Archbiſhopricke of Canterbu|ry vnto certayne perſons that fermed the ſame at his handes for greate ſummes of money, in ſo muche, that beſide the ſayd Biſhopricks of Can|terbury, Wincheſter, and Saliſburie, whiche at the tyme of his death he held in his hands, he alſo receyued the profites of .11. Abbeyes which he had let to ferme, or otherwiſe vſed to his moſt aduan|tage.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Roberte Loſaunge, of ſome called Herbert, Robert Lo|ſaunge. Ran. Higd. VVil. Malm. y^t ſometime hadde bin Abbot of Ramſey, and then Biſhop of Thetford by gift of a thouſande poũds to the King (as before yee haue hearde) repented him alſo for y^t he was inueſted by the K. And af|ter he had [...]ewayled his offence, he wẽt to Rome in like manner, and dyd for the ſame all ſuche pe|nance as the Pope enioyned hym. Whiche bee|ing done, hee returned into Englande, remouing ere long his See from Thetforde to Norwiche where he founded a faire Monaſterie of his owne charges, and not of y^t Churches goodes (as ſome ſay) but therein is a doubt, conſidering hee was firſt an Abbot, and after a Biſhop.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 About this time alſo,Stephan Har|ding a Monke by the meanes of Ste|phan harding a Monke of Shireborne, an Eng|liſhman, [...] order of Eaſteaux or white Monkes had his beginning within the countrey of Bur|gongne, as witneſſeth Ranulph the Monke of Cheſter: [...] other writers,Ran. Higd. Iac [...]bus Phi|lippus Bergo|mas. (as Iacobus Philip|pus ſay) that this Stephan was the ſeconde Ab|bot of that place, and that it was founded by one Roberte Abbot of Molmenſe in the yere of grace 1098. This order was after broughte into Eng|land by one called Walter Eſpeke, who founded the firſte Abbey of that Religion within thys Realme at Riuall about the yeare of grace .1131. But to returne againe to the Kyng, An. Reg. 13. 1100 hee ſtill continued in his wilfull couetouſneſſe, pullyng from the riche, and thoſe that hadde any thing, to waſt and ſpend it out in all exceſſe, vayne riot, and giftes beſtowed on [...] had leaſt deſerued the ſame.The Kings lauiſh prodi|galitie. And yet hee was warned by ma|ny ſtraunge wonders (as the common people did interpretate) to refray [...] from ſuch euill doyngs: for the Thames did riſe with ſuch high ſprings and tides, that many townes were drowned,Strange wonders. VVil. Mal. and muche other hurt done in places about London, and elſewhere, Dyuers other things happened alſo the ſame time, whiche I paſſe ouer. But the King hearing heereof, did nothing regard them, that were ſo bolde as to tell hym that they were euidente tokens, ſignifying ſome vengeaunce to follow vpon the [...]. He himſelf alſo on a night as hee [...] and dreamed, A dreame. Math. VVeſt. VVil. Malm. hee thoughte that the veynes of hys armes were broken, and that the bloud iſſued out in great abundance. Lykewiſe, EEBO page image 334 he was told by Robert Fitz Hamõ, that a Mõke ſhould dreame in his ſleepe, how he ſaw the king gnawe with his teeth the image of Chriſt cruci|fied, and that as hee was about to teare with hys teeth the legges of the ſame Image, Chriſt with his feete ſhould ſpurne him downe to the ground, and as hee lay ſo on the earthe, there came out of his mouth a flame of fyre, and ſuch abundance of ſmoke, that the ayre was darkned therewith. But the Kyng made a ieſt of theſe and the lyke tales. He is a right Monke (ſayth he) and to haue a peece of money, he dreameth ſuch things, gyue him therefore an hundred Shillings, and bid him dreame of better fortune to our perſon. Yet was the King ſomewhat moued herewith, and doubt|full, whether he ſhoulde goe into the new Forreſt to hunt on Lammas day as he had already pur|poſed, or no, bycauſe hys friendes counſelled hym not to trie the trouth of dreames to his own loſſe and hinderaunce, wherevppon hee forbare to goe foorth before dynner, but after hee had dyned and made himſelfe merrie with receyuing more drinke than commonly he vſed to doe, abroade he got hym into the Forreſt with a ſmall company aboute hym: and amongſt other was one Sir Walter Tirrell a Frenche Knighte,Sir Walter Tirell. whome hee had reteyned in ſeruice with large ſtipend. Thys Sir Walter chaunced to remayne with y^e King, when all the reſt of the company was diſperſed here and there, as the manner in hunting is, and now as the ſunne began to draw lowe, the King perceyuing an Hart to come alongſt by hym, hee ſhot at the ſame, and with hys arrow ſtroke him, but not greatly hurting hym, hee fledde away. The Kyng alſo to marke whiche way the Hart tooke, and the manner of hys hurte, caſt vp his hand to ſhadow the ſunne from daſeling on hys eyes, and as he ſtoode in that ſorte, foorth came a|nother Hart, at the which as Sir Walter Tirrell let driue an arrow, the ſame by glauncing ſtroke the King into the breſt, ſo that hee neuer ſpake worde,The Kyng ſlayne. but breaking off ſo much of the arrow as appeared out of his body, hee fell downe, and gy|uing only one grone, immediately dyed, without [figure appears here on page 334] more noyſe or mouing. Sir Walter running to him, and perceyuing no voyce nor ſenſe to re|mayne in hym, ſtraight wayes gote to his Horſe, and riding away, eſcaped and ſaued himſelfe: for few there were that purſued him, euery man bee|ing amaſed at the chaunce: and ſome departyng one way, and ſome another, to ſee to their owne aduauntage and commoditie, as the tyme then ſerued. The dead body of the King was ſtraighte conueyed to Wincheſter, and there buryed y^e mo|row after, which was the ſecond day of Auguſt, the yere of our Lord .1100.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 4 5 6 VVil. Malm.To this ende came K. William, after he had reigned almoſt .13. yeres, and liued .4 [...]. and ſome|what more. And though this Prince bee euill re|ported of by writers for the couetous taſ [...]ing of his ſubiects, and namely for reteyning of eccleſi|aſtical linings in his hands, yet was he endowed with many noble and princely qualities: he hadde good knowledge in the feates of warre, and could well endure trauaile and bodily labour. In al his affayres he was circumſpect inough, ſtedfaſt and ſtable of promiſe, and in his warres no more dili|gent than fortunate. He gaue to the Monkes cal|led monachi de charit [...]te in Southwarke, y^e greate new Church of S. Sauiour of Bermõdſay, and alſo Bremõds eye it ſelfe. He alſo foũded a good|ly Hoſpitall in the Citie of Yorke, called S. Leo|nards, for the ſuſtentation and finding of the pore as well breethren as ſyſters. Towardes Souldi|ers and men of warre he was very liberall, and to enrich them, he paſſed not to take from Fermors and huſbandmen what ſoeuer could be gottẽ. Hee was indeede of a prodigall nature, and therefore EEBO page image 335 when in the beginning of his raigne, doubtyng ſome troubles, he hadde aſſembled togither many men of war for his defence, there was nothyng y^t they could aſke which he would deny to them, in ſo much, that his fathers treaſures were ſoone cõ|ſumed, by reaſon whereof he was put to his ſhifts to prouide more: for though ſubſtance wanted to ſhew his liberalitie, yet there wanted not in hym a mind ſtill to be bountifull, for the continual vſe of giuing rewards, was in manner turned in him to a nature,The liberall hart of Kyng William. ſo that to furniſh himſelfe of money & other things, and to beſtow of ſome, he was dri|uen to take from other: for in ſuch ſort he was li|berall, that therewith he was prodigall, and ſo of a ſtout courage as proude withall, and in ſuche wiſe ſeuere, as hee ſeemed alſo cruell and hard to be entreated. In what maner he vſed to make hys beſt of benefices and ſpirituall liuings, it partly before appeareth. In deede ſuch was his conditiõ, that who ſoeuer woulde giue, might haue, & that oftentimes withoute reſpect, whether their ſute was reaſonable and allowable or not, in ſomuch, that it is tolde of him,Iewes. that beeing in Roan one tyme, there came to hym dyuers Iewes whyche inhabited in that Citie, complayning to him, that diuers of their nation had renounced their Iewiſh Religion, and were become Chriſtians, where|fore they beſought him, that for a certaine ſumme of money whiche they offered to gyue, it myghte pleaſe him to conſtreyne them to abiure Chriſti|anitie, and turne to the Iewiſh law againe: hee was contented to ſatiſfie their deſires, and ſo re|ceiuing the money, called them afore him, & what with threats and putting thẽ otherwiſe in feare, he conſtreyned dyuers of them to forſake Chriſt, and returne to their old errors. Ther was alſo a|bout the ſame time a yong man a Iew, the which by a viſion appearing vnto him (as is ſaide,) was conuerted to the Chriſtian faith, and beeing bap|tiſed, was named Stephan, bycauſe S. Stephan was the man that had appeared to him in the vi|ſion, as by the ſame he was enformed. The father of hym being fore troubled in that his ſonne was thus become a Chriſtian, and hearing what the King had done in ſuch like matters, preſented to him .60. markes of ſiluer, vpõ condition he ſhould compell his ſonne to returne to his Iewiſh Reli|gion. Herevpon was the yong man broughte be|fore the K. vnto whome the K. ſaid, Sirra, your father here complayneth that without his licence ye are become a Chriſtian: if this be true, I com|maund thee to returne againe to the Religion of your natiõ, without any more adoe: vnto whom the yong man anſwered, your grace as I ſuppoſe doth but ieſt: wherewith the K. bring moued ſaid, what thou dunghill knaue ſhuld I ieſt with thee, get thee hence quickly, and fulfill my commaun|dement, or by S. Lukes face I ſhall cauſe thyne eyes to be plucked out of thine head: the yong mã nothing abaſſhed therewith, with conſtant voyce aunſwered, truly I will not do it, but know for certaine, that if you were a good Chriſtian man,An anſwere of a good Iewe. you would neuer haue vttered any ſuch wordes, for it is the part of a Chriſtian to reduce them a|gain to Chriſt, which be departed from hym, and not to ſeparate them from him which are ioyned to him by faith. The K. herewith cõfounded, cõ|manded the Iew out of his ſighte: but his father perceyuing that the king coulde not perſwade his ſonne to forſake the Chriſtian faith, hee required to haue his money againe, but the K. ſaid, he had done ſo much as hee promiſed to doe, that was, to perſwade him ſo far as he might. At length when he would haue had the K. to haue dealt further in the matter, y^e K. to ſtop his mouth, returned back to him the one halfe of his money,A prety de|uiſion. and reteyned y^e other halfe. Moreouer, to encreaſe the ſuſpition which mẽ had of his infidelitie, it is written,King Williã ſuſpected of infidelitie. that he cauſed a diſputatiõ to be kept betwixt y^e Iewes and the Chriſtians, promiſing that if the Iewes ouercame y^e Chriſtians in argument, he woulde turne to their ſide: but y^e Iewes being ouercome, and receyuing the foyle, would not confeſſe theyr errors, but alleadged, that by factions and not by reaſon, they wer put to the worſe. But what opi|nion ſoeuer he had of the Iewes fayth,Edmerus it appea|reth by writers that he doubled in many poyntes of the Religion then in credite, for hee ſticked not to proteſt openly that hee beleeued there was no Saint could profit any man in the Lords ſight, and therefore neyther woulde he nor any other y^t was wiſe (as he affirmed) make interceſſion,Praying to Saincts. His ſtature. Whereof he tooke his ſurname Ru|fus. either to Peter, or to any other for helpe. He was of ſta|ture not ſo tall as the common ſort of men, redde of heare, whereof hee tooke his ſurname Rufus, ſomewhat groſſe in the wombe, and not ready of tong, ſpecially in his anger, for then vnneth could he vtter a ready word, hee dyed withoute iſſue, v|ſing Concubines all the dayes of hys lyfe. I find that in apparel he loued to be gay and gorgeous, and coulde not abide to haue anye thing that hee ware eſteemed at ſmall valure,VVil. Malm. in ſo muche that one morning when he ſhould pull on a new paire of hoſe, hee aſked the groome of his chamber that brought them to him what they coſt, three Shil|lings ſaith he, why thou [...] reſon ſayd the Kyng, doth a payre of hoſe of three Shillings price be|come a Kyng to weare, got thy wayes and feted me a payre that ſhall coſt a marke of [...]. The grome went, and brought him an other paire, for y^e which he paid ſcarcely ſo much as y^e other coſt, but when the K. aſked what they ſtood him in, he told him they coſt a marke, & th [...] was he well ſa|tiſfied & ſaid, yea mary, theſe are more [...]ter for a K. to weare, and to drew them vpon his legges.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 In this king days Iohn biſhop of Welles ioy|ned EEBO page image 336 the monaſterie of Bathe vnto his ſea, & repai+ring the ſame monaſterie, began to inhabite there in the yere .1094. alſo the Churche of Couentry was in like ſort ioyned vnto the ſea of Cheſter by Robert biſhop of that dioceſſe.Couentrie Church ioined to the See of Cheſter. Wulſtan biſh. of Worceſter died aboute the ſame tyme, and An|ſelme hauing purchaſed bulles of Pope Paſcall, wherin was cõteined an admonition vnto King William to deſiſt from his grieuous oppreſſing the churche, & to amende his former doings, was now on his returne towards England, when by y^e way he heard of the kings death. Hugh earle of Cheſter in this kings dayes builded the Abbey of Cheſter, and procured Anſelme that was after archbiſhop of Canterbury to come ouer foorth of Normãdie, that he might direct the ſame abbey, and place ſuch religious perſons as were neceſſa|rie for the purpoſe of that foũdation. Long it was ere Anſelme wold come ouer, bicauſe he doubted to be ſuſpected of an ambicious deſire to ſeke to be made Archbiſhoppe of Caunterbury, for it was talked y^t if he went ouer into England, he ſhould ſurely be elected before he returned into Normã|die: but at length ſo it chaunced, that the forſayd Hugh erle of Cheſter fel ſick, and diſpairing of life ſent with all ſpeede vnto Anſelme, requiring him moſt inſtantly to come ouer vnto him, lying in y^e extremitie of ſickneſſe, that if hee haffed not the ſooner, it would be too late, wherof he would after repent him. Then Anſelme for that he might not fayle hys friend in ſuch neceſſitie, came ouer, and gaue order to the Abbey, according to that that ſeemed beſt to him for eſtabliſhmente of Religi|on there.

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