Chapter 5

[Sidenote: _Woolstan._] At this synod also Woolstan bishop of Worcester was present, whom Lanfranke would haue deposed for his insufficiencie of learning; as he colourablie pretended, but indeed to pleasure the king, who faine would have placed a Norman in his roome: but (as they saie) by a miracle which he presentlie wrought, in causing his crosier staffe to sticke fast in the toome of saint Edward (to whom he protested and said he would resigne it, for that he obteined the same by his gift) he did put the king and the archbishop into such feare, that they suffered him still to enioy his bishoprike without any further vexation. These things with other (touching a reformation in the church and cleargie) being handled in this councell, it was soone after dissolued.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 13. 1079.] In the yeare following, king William led a mightie armie into Wales, and subdued it; receiuing of the rulers and princes there their homages and hostages. [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ _Matth. West._] About the same time, Robert the kings eldest sonne, a right worthie personage, but yet as one of nature somewhat vnstable, entered into Normandie as a rebell to his father, and by force tooke diuers places into his hands. Which he did by the practise of Philip the French king, who now began to doubt of the great puissance of king William, as foreseeing how much it might preiudice him, and the whole realme of France in time to come. [Sidenote: The French king setteth the sonne against the father.] Wherefore to stop the course of his prosperous successe, he deuised a meane to set the sonne against the father. True it is that king William had promised long afore to resigne the gouernment of Normandie vnto the said Robert his sonne. Wherevpon the yoong man, being of an ambitious nature, and now pricked forward by the sinister counsell of his adherents, seeketh to obteine that by violence, which he thought would be verie long yer he should atteine by curtesie. [Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ _Matth. Paris._] King William hereof aduertised, was not a little mooued against his disobedient sonne, and curssed both him and the time that euer he begat him. Finallie, raising an armie, he marched towards him, so that they met in the field. Assoone as the one came in sight of the other, they encountred at a place called Archenbraie, and whilest the battell was at the hottest, and the footmen most busied in fight, Robert appointed a power of horssemen to breake in upon the réereward of his enemies; & he himselfe following after with all his might, chanced among other to haue a conflict with his owne father, so that thrusting him through the arme with his lance, he bare him beside his horsse, [Sidenote: The sonne ouerthroweth the father.] and ouerthrew him to the ground. The king being falne, called to his men to remount him. Robert perceiuing by his voice that it was his father, whom he had vnhorssed, spéedilie alighted, and tooke him vp, asking him forgiuenesse for that fact, and setting him vp on his owne horsse, brought him out of the prease, and suffered him to depart in safetie. King William being thus escaped out of that present danger, and séeing himselfe not able to resist the puissance of his enimies, [Sidenote: _Simon Dun._] left the field to his son, hauing lost many of his men which were slaine in battell and chace, besides a great number that were hurt and wounded, among whom his second sonne William surnamed Rufus or Red, was one; [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._] and therefore (as some write) he bitterlie curssed his son Robert, by whom he had susteined such iniurie, losse, and dishonor. [Sidenote: The father and the sonne made friends.] Howbeit, other write, that for the courtesie which his sonne shewed, in releeuing and helping him out of danger, when he was cast off his horsse, he was mooued with such a fatherlie affection, that presentlie after they were made friends, the father pardoned his sonne all his former offenses, and therevpon found him euer after more tractable and obedient than before.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 14. 1080.] After this battell, king William being thus accorded with his sonne, [Sidenote: _Simon Dunel._] returned with him into England, and immediatlie sent him against Malcolme king of Scotland, who hauing broken the truce in time of the trouble betwixt king William and his sonne, had doone much hurt by forraies vpon the English borders, wasting all Northumberland euen to the riuer of Tine. Howbeit, when he heard that Robert approched with his armie towards him, he retired into Scotland. [Sidenote: The foundation of New castell upon Tine, which before that season was called Moncaster.] Robert Curthuze then lodged with his armie vpon the banks of the riuer of Tine, where he began the foundation of a castell, whereof the towne Newcastell did after take both beginning and name, for before this season it was called Moncaster.

About the same time, Odo the bishop of Bayeux was sent to Northumberland, to reuenge the death of Walkher bishop of Durham, whom not long before the people of Northumberland had slaine in a tumult. [Sidenote: _Simon Dun._] The occasion of his death grew by the death of one Liulfus, a noble man of those quarters, and déerelie beloued of the people, bicause he was descended of honorable parentage, and had married the ladie Algitha daughter vnto earle Alered, and sister to Alfleda the mother of earle Walteof.

This Liulfus, a man of great possessions through England, now that the Normans ruled in all places, quietlie withdrew himselfe vnto Durham, and grew into such familiaritie and credit with the bishop, that touching the order of temporall matters, he would doo nothing without his aduice. Whereat Leofwin the bishops chapline conceiued such enuie (for that he was not so often called to counsell as before) that in the end he procured by his malicious meanes one Gilbert (to whom the bishop had committed the rule of the earledome) to murther the said Liulfus by night in his manor place not farre from Durham. Whereof the bishop hauing vnderstanding, and knowing that the matter would be gréeuouslie taken of the people, sent out letters and messengers into the countrie, offering to purge himselfe of the slaughter of this man, according to the order of the canon lawes: howbeit he did nothing lesse. Among other things concerning his purgation, he said that he had banished Gilbert and others, (who had committed the murther) out of Northumberland. Hervpon the malice of the people was kindled against him. For when it was knowne that he had receiued the murtherers into his house, and fauoured them as before, they stomached the matter highlie: insomuch that when by the trauell of those that went to and fro betwixt the bishop and the kinsfolks of Liulfus, a daie was appointed, on the which the bishop should come to farther communication with them at Gateshead, he repaired thither according to his promise, but refusing to talke with them abroad, he kept himselfe still within the church, and sent foorth such of his counsell as should commune with them. But when the people that were there gathered in great numbers, had signified in plaine words that he should either come foorth and shew himselfe amongst them, or else that they should fire the place where he sat: he caused Gilbert to go foorth vnto them first, whom they slue, and his partakers also that issued out of the church with him for his defense. But when the peoples furie was not so quenched, the bishop himselfe casting the skirts of his gowne ouer his face, came likewise foorth, and was immediatlie slaine of the people. After this, they set the church on fire, bicause Leofwine the bishops chapline and others were yet within, and refused to come foorth: howbeit in the end, being compelled by the rage of the fire to come out, the said Leofwine was also slaine and hackt in péeces (as he had well deserued) being the ringleader of all the mischéefe.

[Sidenote: Note the sequele of the neglect of iustice in the former storie.] ¶ Thus maie we sée what followed of the neglecting of iustice in the bishop: for if he either banished Gilbert and other his complices (accordinglie as he pretended to doo) or otherwise had séene due punishment executed against them, the peoples rage had neuer proceeded so far as it did: for they could not persuade themselues, but that the bishop was guiltie and priuie to Liulfus death, sith he had receiued the murtherers into his house, the verie same night in which the fact was done, and kept them still about him, which his bearing with them cost him his owne life. But now to the historie.

When bishop Odo was come into those parties to reuenge the bishops death with an armie (as we haue said) he sore afflicted the countrie, by spoiling it on euerie side with great crueltie. [Sidenote: _Sim. Dunel._] Here king William placed and displaced diuerse rulers ouer the Northumbers: [Sidenote: Copsi.] for first he appointed one Copsi to haue the rule of that countrie, in place of Marchar who before had held the same. This Copsi expelled Osulfe the sonne of earle Edulfe brother to earle Aldred, which Osulfe was substitute vnto the earles Edwine and Marchar, who although he was driuen out of his gouernement by Copsi, yet recouering his forces againe, he slue the same Copsi as he entred into the church of Newburne. But within a few moneths after, the same Osulfe (as he ran with his horsse against a theefe) was thrust through the bodie with a speare, which the theefe held in his hand, and so died. [Sidenote: Gospatrike.] Then Gospatrike was assigned by king William to haue the gouernement there: whose mother Aldgitha was daughter to Vthred sometime earle of Northumberland begotten vpon Elfgiua the daughter of king Egelred.

Some write, that Gospatrike purchased the earledome of king William, and so held it, till the king tooke it from him againe, and then gaue it vnto earle Walteof or Waldeue. Next after him Walkher the foresaid bishop of Durham had the whole administration committed to him, but (after he was slaine as yée haue heard) one Alberike ruled that countrie, and lastlie, [Sidenote: Robert Mulbray earle of Northumberland.] Robert Mulbray a right noble personage (for his wisedome and valiancie highlie renowmed with all men) was created earle of Northumberland, and gouerned the people of those parties in such politike and wise order, that during his time, it is hard to saie, whether his quietnesse or the obedience of the people was greater.

[Sidenote: The foundation of vniuersitie colledge in Oxford.] [Sidenote: An. Reg. 15. 1081.] In like manner, after the foresaid Walkher; one William was created bishop of Durham, who was the originall founder of vniuersitie colledge in Oxford, and by whose assistance, the moonkes gaping both for riches, ease, and possessions, found the means to displace the secular priests of the colledge of Durham, that they might get into their roomes, as they did indeed soone after, to their great gaine and aduantage. But to returne againe to the course of the historie. [Sidenote: An. Reg. 16. 1082] [Sidenote: Odo suspected and banished.] Shortlie after the reuenge of the death of Walkher bishop of Durham, the fornamed bishop Odo, the kings brother was suspected of some vntruth and sinister dealing, wherevpon he was sent as a banished man into Normandie, or rather (as other write) committed to prison, where he remained, not as a clerke, but as a baron of the realme; for he was both bishop and earle of Kent.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 17. 1083.] The king hauing at length obteined some rest from wars, practised by sundrie meanes to inrich his cofers, and therefore raised a tribute through out the whole kingdome; for the better leuieng whereof, he appointed all the subiects of his realme to be numbred, all the cities, townes, villages, and hamlets to be registred, all the abbies, monasteries, and priories to be recorded. Moreouer, he caused a certificat to be taken of euerie mans substance, and what he might dispend by the yeare; he also caused their names to be written which held knights fees, and were bound thereby to serue him in the wars. [Sidenote: Plow land.] Likewise he tooke a note of euerie yoke of oxen, & what number of plow lands, and how manie bondmen were within the realme. This certificat being made & brought vnto him, gaue him full vnderstanding what wealth remained among the English people. Herevpon he raised his tribute, taking six shillings for euerie hide of land through out this realme, which amounted to a great masse of monie when it was all brought togither into his Excheker. [Sidenote: _Geruasius Tilberiensis_. The true definition of a hide of land.] ¶ Here note by the waie, that an hide of land conteineth an hundred acres, and an acre conteineth fortie perches in length, and foure in bredth, the length of a perch is sixtéene foot and an halfe: so that the common acre should make 240. perches; & eight hides or 800. acres is a knights fée, after the best approued writers and plaine demonstration. Those therefore are deceiued, that take an hide of land to conteine twentie acres (as William Lambert hath well noted in his De priscis Anglorum legibus) where he expoundeth the meaning of the old Saxon termes perteining to the lawes.

But to procéed & come, a little after the temporals dealing, to some of the spirituall affaires. [Sidenote: An. Reg. 18. 1084.] [Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ _Simon Dun._ Thurston abbat of Glastenburie.] It hapned about the same time, that when king William had finished the rating of his subiects, that there rose a strife betwixt Thurstane abbat of Glastenburie a Norman, and the moonkes of that house. [Sidenote: William of Fescampe.] One cause thereof was, for that the abbat would haue compelled them to haue left the plaine song or note for the seruice which pope Gregorie had set foorth, and to haue vsed an other kind of tune deuised by one William of Fescampe: beside this, the said abbat spent and wasted the goods that belonged to the house, in riot, leacherie, and by such other insolent meanes (withdrawing also from the moonkes their old accustomed allowance of diet) for the which they first fell at altercation in words, and afterwards to fighting. [Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._ _Wil. Malm._ have two slaine and xiiij hurt.] The abbat got armed men about him, and falling vpon the moonkes, slue thrée of them at the high altar, and wounded xviij. Howbeit the moonkes for their parts plaied the pretie men with formes and candelsticks, [Sidenote: _Matt. Westm._] defending themselues as well as they might, so that they hurt diuers of the abbats adherents, and droue them out of the quier.

In the end, complaint hereof was brought to the king, by whose iudgement the matter was so ordered, that Thurstane lost his roome, and returned vnto Caen in Normandie from whence he came, and the moonkes were spred abroad into diuerse houses of religion through the realme, Glastenburie being replenished with more quiet persons, and such as were supposed readier to praie than to quarell, as the other did: yet is it said, that in the time of William Rufus this Thurstane obteined the rule of that abbeie againe for fiue hundred pounds.

[Sidenote: _Sim. Dunel._ _Hen. Marle._ _Matth. Paris._] There be which write, that the numbring of men and of places, the valuation of goods and substance, [Sidenote: _Hen. Marle._] as well in cattell as readie monie, was not taken till about the xix. yéere of this kings reigne (although the subsidie afore mentioned was gathered about two yeares before of euerie hide of land as yée haue heard) and that the certificat hereof being inrolled, was put into the kings treasurie at Winchester, [Sidenote: An. Reg. 19.] in the xix. yeare of his reigne, and not in the xvj. [Sidenote: _Simon Dun._] But in what yeare soeuer it was, and howsoeuer the writers agrée or disagree herein; certaine it is, that the same was exacted, to the great gréefe and impouerishment of the people, who sore lamented the miserable estate whereinto they were brought, [Sidenote: _Polydor._ _Matth. Paris._] and hated the Normans in their harts to the verie death. Howbeit, the more they grudged at such tolles, tallages, customes, and other impositions wherewith they were pressed; the more they were charged and ouerpressed. [Sidenote: The Conquerour séeketh to kéepe the English men low.] The Normans on the other side with their king perceiuing the hatred which the English bare them, were sore offended, and therefore sought by all meanes to kéepe them vnder. [Sidenote: _Polydor._] Such as were called to be iustices, were enimies to all iustice; wherevpon greater burdens were laid upon the English, insomuch that after they had béene robbed and spoiled of their goods, they were also debarred of their accustomed games and pastimes. [Sidenote: The forrests seized into the kings hands. _Matth. Paris._] For where naturallie (as they doo vnto this daie) they tooke great pleasure in hunting of déere, both red and fallow, in the woods and forrests about without restraint, king William seizing the most part of the same forests into his owne hands, appointed a punishment to be executed vpon all such offendors; namelie, to haue their eies put out. And to bring the greater number of men in danger of those his penall lawes (a pestilent policie of a spitefull mind, and sauoring altogither of his French slauerie) he deuised meanes how to bréed, nourish, and increase the multitude of déere, and also to make roome for them in that part of the realme which lieth betwixt Salisburie and the sea southward: [Sidenote: New forrest.] he pulled downe townes, villages, churches, and other buildings for the space of 30. miles, to make thereof a forrest, which at this daie is called New forrest. The people as then sore bewailed their distres, & greatlie lamented that they must thus leaue house & home to the vse of sauage beasts. [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ An earthquake. _Polydor._] Which crueltie, not onelie mortall men liuing here on earth, but also the earth it selfe might seeme to detest, as by a woonderfull signification it séemed to declare, by the shaking and roaring of the same, which chanced about the 14. yeare of his reigne (as writers haue recorded.) There be that suppose how the king made that part of the realme waste and barren vpon a policie, to the intent that if his chance were to be expelled by ciuill wars, and he compelled to leaue the land, there should be no inhabitants in that part of the Ile to resist his arriuall vpon his new returne.

[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._] [Sidenote: 1085.] [Sidenote: A rumor spred of the coming of the Danes.] But to go foorth with our purpose. About the same time, a rumor was spred in England that Sueine king of Denmarke meant to inuade England with a puissant armie, hauing the assistance of the earle of Flanders whose daughter he had maried. Whervpon king William being then in Normandie, reteined a great power of French soldiers, both archers and footmen which togither with his Normans he brought ouer into England in haruest season, and meaning to disburthen himselfe of the charge of their keeping, he caused their finding and wages to be borne by the lords and peeres of the realme, by the shirifs of shires, and other officers. [Sidenote: Anno 20.] Howbeit, when he vnderstood that the Danes changed their purpose, and would not hold on their iourneie, he dismissed part of his power, and sent them home againe, keeping the residue all the winter with him in England, readie for his defense, if anie rebellion or other necessitie should befall.

[Sidenote: 1086.] The same yeare, he kept his Christmasse at Glocester, and made his sonne Henrie knight at Westminster in Whitsunwéeke insuing. [Sidenote: _Matth. West._] [Sidenote: 1087.] [Sidenote: An oth taken to be true to the king.] Shortlie after, calling togither aswell lords spirituall as temporall he caused them, all to sweare fealtie to him and his heires after him in the possession of this kingdome.

[Sidenote: Great sickenes reigning. Murren of cattell. _Matth. West._ Paules church burned. _Simon Dun._ _Ran. Higd._ _Simon Dun._] About this season, the people in all places were pitifullie plaged with burning feuers, which brought manie to their end: a murren also came to their cattell, whereof a woonderfull number died. At the same time (which is more maruellous) tame foules, as hens, géese, & peacocks, forsaking their owners houses, fled to the woods and became wild. Great hurt was doone in manie places of the realme by fire, and speciallie in London, where vpon the 7. daie of Julie a sudden flame began, which burnt Paules church, and a great part or the citie downe to the verie ground.

Now when K. William had taken the oth of fealtie and loialtie of all his lords, Edgar Etheling, who was reconciled vnto his fauour (as you haue heard) obteining licence of him to depart the realme for a season, sailed into Puglia with two hundred souldiers: of whose acts there and returne into England I spare to speake, bicause I find little or nothing of moment recorded. [Sidenote: An. Reg. 21.] And now king William, who hauing brought the Englishmen so lowe and bare, that little more was to be got out of their hands, went once againe ouer into Normandie with an huge masse of mony, where soone after he fell sicke, so that he was constrained to keepe his bed longer than he had beene accustomed to doo, whereat Philip the French king in iesting manner said, that king William his cousine laie now in childbed (alluding belike to his big bellie, for he was verie corpulent) and withall added; [Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ _Matth. Paris._] "Oh what a number of candels must I prouide to offer vp at his going to church! certeinelie I thinke that 100000. will not suffice," &c. [Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ _Ran. Higd._] This frumping spéech so moued the king, that he made this answere: "Well, I trust when I shall be churched, that our cousine shall be at no such cost, but I will helpe to find him a thousand candels myselfe, and light them too, to some of their paines, if God grant me life." Which promise he bound with an oth, and in déed performed. [Sidenote: He inuadeth France. _Gemeticensis_. The citie of Maunt burnt by K. William. _Matth. West._ _Matth. Paris._] For in Julie next insuing, when their corne, fruit, and grapes were most florishing, and readie for the sickle, he entered France with a great armie, set fire on manie of their cities and townes in the west side of that countrie, and came at last to the citie of Maunt, which he burnt with the church of our ladie, and an ankresse inclosed in the wall thereof as an holie closet, for the force of the fire was such as all went to wrecke. In this heat king William tooke such a sicknesse (which was likewise aggrauated by the fall of an horsse as he rode to and fro, bicause he was not able to trauell on foot about his palace by reason of his disease) that cost him his life; [Sidenote: King William departed this life. _Simon Dun._ _Matth. West._ The lix. of his age hath _Wil. Malm._] so that when he had ordeined his last will, and taken order for the staie of things after his decease, he departed this life on the 9. day of September, in the yeare after the birth of our Saviour 1087. and 74. (as Polydor saith) of his age, hauing gouerned Normandie about 51. yeres, and reigned ouer England 20. yeares, ten moneths, and 28. daies (as all writers doo report.)