The politike Conquest of William the first.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 _THis William Duke of Nor|mandie, Anno. 1. base son of Robert the sixt Duke of Nor|mandie, and ne|phew vnto Ed|ward King of England, surna|med the Confes|sor, hauing van|quished the Eng|lish power, and slaine Harold in the field (as you may read at large towards the end of the historie of England) began his reigne ouer England the xv. daie of October being sundaie, in the yeare after the creation of the world 5033. (as W. Harison gathereth) and after the birth of our Saui|our 1066. which was in the tenth yeare of the empe|rour Henrie the fourth, in the sixt of pope Alexander the second, in the sixt of Philip king of France, and a|bout the tenth of Malcolme the third, surnamed Ca|moir, king of Scotland.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Sim. Dun. Immediatlie after he had thus got the victorie in a pight field (as before ye haue heard) he first re|turned to Hastings, and after set forward towards London, wasted the countries of Sussex, Kent, Ham|shire, Southerie, Middlesex, and Herefordshire, bur|ning the townes, and sleaing the people, till he came to Beorcham. In the meane time, immediatlie after the discomfiture in Sussex, the two earles of Nor|thumberland and Mercia,Edwin and Marchar. Edwin and Marchar, who had withdrawne themselues from the battell togi|ther with their people, came to London, and with all speed sent their sister quéene Aldgitha vnto the citie of Chester,Quéene Ald|githa sent to Chester. and herewith sought to persuade the Lon|doners to aduance one of them to the kingdome: as Wil. Mal. writeth. Wil. Mal. Simon Dun. But Simon of Durham saith, that Aldred archbishop of Yorke, and the said earles with others would haue made Edgar Etheling king. Howbeit, whilest manie of the Nobilitie and others prepared to make themselues redie to giue a new battell to the Normans (how or whatsoeuer was the cause) the said earles drew homewards with their powers, Wil. Malm. The bishops blamed. to the great discomfort of their freends. Wil. Malm. séemeth to put blame in the bishops, for that the lords went not forward with their purpose in ad|uancing Edgar Etheling to the crowne. For the bi|shops (saith he) refused to ioine with the lords in that behalfe, and so through enuie and spite which one part bare to another, when they could not agrée vpon an Englishman, they receiued a stranger, insomuch that vpon king William his comming vnto Beorcham,The archbi|shop of Yorke & other submit themselues to king William. Aldred archbishop of Yorke, Wolstane bishop of Worcester, and Walter bishop of Hereford, Edgar Etheling, and the foresaid earles Edwin and Mar|char came and submitted themselues vnto him, whom he gentlie receiued, and incontinentlie made an a|gréement with them, taking their oth and hostages (as some write) and yet neuerthelesse he permitted his people to spoile and burne the countrie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 But now, when the feast of Christs natiuitie (com|monlie called Christmas) was at hand, he approched to the citie of London, and comming thither, caused his vauntgard first to enter into the stréets, where fin|ding some resistance, he easilie subdued the citizens that thus tooke vpon them to withstand him, though not without some bloudshed (as Gemeticen. writeth) but as by others it should appéere, Gemeticensi [...] he was receiued in|to the citie without anie resistance at all; and so be|ing in possession thereof, he spake manie fréendlie words to the citizens, and promised that he would vse them in most liberall & courteous maner. Not long after, when things were brought in order (as was thought requisite) he was crowned king vpon Christ|mas daie following, by Aldred archbishop of Yorke.William Con|querour crow|ned 1067. ac|cording to their account which begin the yeare on the daie of Christ his natiuitie. For he would not receiue the crowne at the hands of Stigand archbishop of Canturburie, bicause he was hated, and furthermore iudged to be a verie lewd per|son and a naughtie liuer.