[1] [2] [3] Ran. Higd. This yeare England and Normandie were sore vexed with mortalitie both of men and beasts, Anno Reg. 7. 1094 inso|much that tillage of the ground was laid aside in manie places, Ran. Higd. Wil. Malm. Simon Dun. Death & mur|ren of cattell. Strange woonders. Matth. Paris. Polydor. by reason wherof there folowed great dearth & famine. Manie grizelie and hideous sights were seene also in England, as hosts of men figh|ting in the aire, flashes of fier, stars falling from hea|uen, and such like strange wonders. About this time new occasions of breach of amitie grew betwixt the king and his brother Robert, who accused him of periurie, for not obseruing the articles of the last peace concluded betwixt them: wherefore he purpo|sed to saile ouer into Normandie, Simon Dun. and so came vnto Hastings, about the first of Februarie, where he so|iourned for a time, and caused the church of Battell abbeie to be dedicated in the honour of S. Martin. He depriued Herbert bishop of Thetford of his bi|shops staffe, bicause he meant to haue stolne awaie secretlie to Rome, and there to haue purchased abso|lution of pope Urban for his bishoprike, which he had bought of the king for himselfe; and likewise for the abbasie of Winchester, which he had purchased for his father, paieng for them both a thousand pounds.