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.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 This prince, altho [...]gh euill reported of by writers for the couetous talking of his subiects, and retei|ning of ecclesiasticall liuings in his hands; yet was EEBO page image 27 he endued with manie noble and princelie qualities. He had good knowledge in feats of warre, and could well awaie with bodilie labour. In all his affaires he was circumspect; of his promise, trustie; of his word, stedfast; and in his wars no lesse diligent than fortimate. He gaue to the moonkes called Monachi de charitate in Southwarke, the great new church of S. Sauiour of Bermondsay, and also Bermonds eie it selfe. He founded a goodlie hospitall in the citie of Yorke, called S. Leonards, for the sustentation and finding of the poore as well brethren as sisters. Towards souldiers and men of warre he was verie liberall, and to enrich them, he passed not for taking from farmers and husbandmen what soeuer could be gotten. He was indéed of a prodigall nature, and therefore when in the begining of his reigne, doub|ting some troubles, he had assembled manie men of warre for his defense, there was nothing that they could aske which he would denie them, in somuch that his fathers treasures were soone consumed, by reason whereof he was put to his shifts to prouide more. For though substance wanted to shew his li|beralitie, yet there sailed not in him a mind still to be bountifull, sith continuall vse of giuing rewards, was in manner turned in him to a nature, so that to furnish himselfe with monie and necessaries, he was put to extremities vnbeséeming a king;The liberall hart of king William. and to be|stow his beneuolence vpon some, he spared not to im|pouerish others. For in such sort he was liberall, that therewith he was prodigall; and in such wise stout of courage, as proud withall; and in such maner seuere, as he séemed cruell and inexorable. But what meanes he vsed to make his best of benefices and spirituall liuings, partlie appeereth before.