Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Not long before his death, he released his brother Odo bishop of Bayeux out of prison,He set all pri|soners at li|bertie saith Wil. Malm. Polydor. Marchar earle of Northumberland, and Wilnotus the sonne of king Harold, or (as some say) his brother. Moreouer he repented him (as some say) when he lay on his deathbed of his cruell dealing with the English, con|sidering that by them he had atteined to such honour and dignitie, as to weare the crowne and scepter of a kingdome: but whether he did so or not, or that some moonke deuised the excuse in fauour of the prince: surelie he was a puissant prince, and though his time was troublesome, yet he was right fortunate in all his attempts. Againe, if a man shall consider that in a strange realme he could make such a conquest, and so exactlie and readilie assure the same to his heires, with new lawes, orders, and constitutions (which are like for euer to endure) he would thinke it a thing al|togither void of credit. Yet so it was, & so honourable were his dooings in the sight of the world, that those kings, which succeeded sithens his death, begin their EEBO page image 15 account at him, as from one that had by his pru|dence renewed the state of the realme, and instituted an other forme of regiment, in atchiuing whereof he did not so much pretend a rightfull challenge by the grant of his coosine king Edward the Confessor, as by the law of armes and plaine conquest, than the which (as he supposed) there could be no better title.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 Herevpon also those that haue sithens succeeded him, vse the same armes as peculiar to the crowne of England, which he vsed in his time; namelie, three li [...]ns passant gold in a field gewels (as Polydor wri|teth) the three floure delices were since that time an|nexed thereto by Edward the third,He bare but two lions or rather leo|pards as some thinke. by reason of his claime to the crowne of France, whereof hereafter ye shall heare. Among other greeuances which the English susteined by the hard deling of the Conque|rour, this is to be remembrd, that he brought Iewes into this land from Rouen, and appointed them a place to inhabit and occupie.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 There be that write, how the inconstancie of the English people by their oft rebellions occasioned the king to be so rough and rigorous against them; Polydor. wher|as (of his naturall disposition and proper inclinati|on) he was rather gentle and courteous than sharpe and cruell. But sith he continued his extremitie euen to his last daies, we may rather beléeue, that al|though from his childhood he shewed some tokens of clemencie, bountie, and liberalitie; yet by following the wars, and practising to reigne with sternenesse, he became so inured therewith, that those peaceable ver|tues were quite altered in him, and in maner cleare|lie quenched. He was indued with a certeine stout|nesse of courage and skill in feats of warre, which good hap euer followed: he was frée from lecherous lusts, without suspicion of bodilie vices, quicke of wit, desirous of honor, painefull, watchfull, and able to tolerate heat and cold, though he were tall of sta|ture, and verie grosse of bodie.