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1587

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Compare 1577 edition: 1 When king Henrie had sped his businesse in Nor|mandie,1129 Anno Reg. 30. where he had remained a certeine space both about the conclusion and solemnizing of the mariage made betwixt his daughter Maud the empresse and the earle of Aniou, and also to see the end of the wars in Flanders, he now returned into England, where he called a great councell or parlement at London, in August:1130 Anno Reg. 31. wherein (amongst other things) it was decreed, that préests, which liued vnchastlie, should be punished, and that by the kings permission,

Matth. Paris. Polydor.

An act against vnchast préests.

who here|by tooke occasion to serue his owne turne: for he re|garded not the reformation which the bishops tru|sted (by his plaine dealing) would haue followed, but put those préests to their fines that were accused, and suffered them to kéepe their wiues still in house with them, which offended the bishops greatlie, who would haue had them sequestred asunder.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 After this parlement ended, the king kept his Christmasse at Worcester, and his Eastermasse fol|lowing at Woodstocke, where a certeine Noble man named Geffrey Clinton was accused to him of high treason. In this 31. yeare of king Henries reigne, great death and murren of cattell began in this land so vniuersallie in all places, that no towne nor village escaped frée: and long it was before the same discontinued or ceased. Wil. Malm. In nouella hi|storia. Polydor. King Henrie passing ouer into Normandie, was troubled with certeine strange dreames or visions in his sléepe. For as he thought, he saw a multitude of plough|men with such tooles as belong to their trade and oc|cupation; after whom came a sort of souldiers with warlike weapons: and last of all, bishops approching towards him with their crosier s [...]aues readie to fall vpon him, as if they meant to kill him. Now when he awaked, he lept foorth of his bed, got his sword in his hand, & called his seruants to come & helpe him. Neuerthelesse, repressing those perturbations, and somewhat better aduising himselfe, par [...]lie by his EEBO page image 44 owne reason, and partlie by the counsell of learned gentlemen, was persuaded to put such fantasies a|waie, and was admonished withall, that whilest he had time and space here on earth, he should redeeme his passed offenses and sinnes committed against God, with repentance, almesdéeds, and abstinence. Wherefore being moued herewith, he began to pra|ctise an amendment of his former lewd life.

¶ Here it shall not be amisse to compare the two sonnes of William the Conquerour; namelie Wil|liam Rufus, and Henrie Beauclerke togither; and to consider among other euents the supernaturall dreames wherewith they were admonished, to excel|lent good purpose (no doubt) if they could haue applied them to the end whereto they were directed. For William Rufus (as you shall read in pag. 26. col. 2.) neglecting to be admonished by a dredfull dreame wherewith he was troubled, shortlie after recei|ued his deaths wound by casualtie or chancemedlie, euen in the prime of his pastime and disport. This o|ther brother H. Beauclerke had the like warnings by the same meanes, and (to a good effect) as the lear|ned doo gather. Their rash opinion therefore is much to be checked, which contemne dreames as meere de|lusorie, alledging by waie of disproofe an old erroni|ous verse:

Somnia ne cures, nam fallunt plurima plures,
Speaking indefinitelie of dreames without distin|ction: whereas in truth great valure is in them in respect of their kind and nature. For though some sort of dreames (as those that be physicall) are not greatlie to be relied vpon; yet those of the metaphy|sicall sort, hauing a speciall influence from aboue na|tures reach, are not lightlie to be ouerslipped. To de|termine this matter I remit the studious readers to that excellent chapter of Peter Martyr, in the first part of his common places, pag. 32. columne 2. where dreames In genere are copiouslie handled.

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