Compare 1577 edition: 1 Stephan Har+ding a moonke.About this time, by the meanes of Stephan Har|ding a Monke of Shireborne, an Englishman, the order of Cisteaux or white moonkes had his begin|ning within the countrie of Burgongne, as witnes|neth Ranulph the moonke of Chester: Ran. Higd. Iacobus Phi|lippus Beri|gonias. but other wri|ters (as Iacob. Philippus) say that this Stephan was the second abbat of that place, and that it was foun|ded by one Robert abbat of Molmense, in the yeare of Grace 1098. This order was after brought into England by one called Walter Espeke, who foun|ded the first abbeie of that religion within this relme at Riuall, Anno Reg. 13. 1100 about the yeare of Grace 1131.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 But to returne againe to the king, who still con|tinued in his wilfull couetousnesse, pulling from the rich and welthie, to waste and spend it out in all ex|cesse, vaine riot, and gifts bestowed on such as had least deserued the same.The kings lauish prodi|galitie. And yet he was warned by manie strange woonders (as the common people did descant) to refraine from these euill dooings: for the Thames did rise with such high springs and tides, that manie townes were drowned,Strange woonders. Wil. Malm. and much hurt doone in places about London, and elsewhere. Diuerse rare things happened also at the same time, which I passe ouer. But the king hearing hereof, did nothing regard those which were so bold as to tell him that they were euident significations of some vengeance to follow therevpon.A dreame. Matth. West. Wil. Malm. The king also himselfe on a night as he slept & dreamed, thought that the veines of his armes were broken, and that the bloud issued out in great abundance. Likewise, he was told by Robert Fitz Hammon, that a moonke should dreame in his sléepe, how he saw the king gnaw the image of Christ crucified with his teeth, and that as he was a|bout to bite awaie the legs of the same image. Christ with his feet should spurne him downe to the ground, insomuch that as he lay on the earth, there came out of his mouth a flame of fire, and such abundance of smoke, that the aire was darkened therewith. But the king made a iest of these and the like tales;
He is a right moonke (saith he) and to haue a péece of monie, he dreameth such things, giue him therefore an hun|dred shillings, and bid him dreame of better fortune to our person.Neuerthelesse, the king was some|what mooued herewith in the end, and doubted whe|ther he should go into the New forrest to hunt on Lammas day (as he had purposed) or no, bicause his freends councelled him not to trie the truth of dreames to his owne losse and hinderance. Where|vpon he forbare to go foorth before dinner, but when he had dined and made himselfe merrie with recei|uing more drinke than commonlie he vsed to doo a|broad he got him into the forrest with a small traine: amongst whom was one sir Walter Tirell a French knight,Sir Walter Tirell. whom he had reteined in seruice with a large stipend.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 This sir Walter chanced to remaine with the king, when all the rest of the companie was disper|sed here and there, as the maner in hunting is. Now as the sunne began to draw lowe, the king percei|uing an hart to come alongst by him, shot at the same, and with his arrow stroke him; but not great|lie hurting him, the beast ran awaie. The king, to marke which way the hart tooke, and the maner of his hurt, held vp his hand betweene the sunne and his eies; who standing in that sort, out came another hart, at whom as sir Walter Tirell let driue an ar|row, the same by glansing stroke the king into the brest, so that he neuer spake word, but breaking off so much of the arrow as appeared out of his bodie,The king slaine. he fell downe, and giuing onelie one grone, immediat|lie died, without more noise or moouing. Sir Walter running to him, and perceiuing no spéech nor sense to remaine in him, straitwaies got to his horsse, and riding awaie, escaped and saued himselfe: for few there were that pursued him, euerie man being a|mazed at the chance, some departing one waie, and some another, euerie one for his owne aduantage and commoditie, as the time then serued. The dead bodie of the king was straight conueied to Win|chester, and there buried the morrow after, which was the second day of August, the yere of our Lord 1100. To this end came king William, after he had reig|ned almost 13. yeares, Wil. Malm and liued 43. and somewhat more.