Part 6

[Sidenote: 1127.] Shortlie after this parlement was ended, K. Henrie held his Christmas at Windsor, where Thurstan archbishop of Yorke (in preiudice of the right of William archbishop of Canturburie) would haue set the crowne vpon the kings head, at his going to the church: [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._] but he was put backe with no small reproch; [Sidenote: Strife betwixt the prelates for preheminence.] and his chapleine (whom he appointed[15] to beare his crosse before him at his entrance into the kings chappell) was contemptuouslie and violentlie thrust out of the doores with crosse and all by the fréends of the archbishop of Canturburie. In short time, this vnseemlie contention betwixt Thurstan and William the two archbishops grew so hot that not onelie both of them, but also the bishop of Lincolne went to Rome about the deciding of their strife.

[Sidenote: _Polydor._] In this yeare Charles earle of Flanders, the successor of earle Baldwin, was traitorouslie murthered of his owne people: & bicause he left no issue behind him to succéed as his heire, [Sidenote: William sonne to Robert Curthose made erle of Flanders] Lewes the French king made William the sonne of duke Robert Curthose earle of Flanders, as the next cousine in bloud to the same Charles. ¶ Truth it is, that by his fathers side, this William was descended from erle Baldwin surnamed Pius, whose daughter Maud being maried vnto William Conqueror, bare by him the aforesaid Robert Curthose, father to this William now aduanced to the gouernment of Flanders, but he wanted not aduersaries that were competitors and malignant sutors for that earledome, who sought to preferre themselues, and to displace him.

King Henrie misliking the promotion of the said William, although he was his nephue, for that he supposed he would seeke to reuenge old displeasures if he might compasse to haue the French kings assistance, thought good with the aduice of his councell to withstand the worst. Wherevpon he tooke order for the maintenance of the warre abroad, and the supplie of souldiers, and other things necessarie to be considered of for the suretie of his realme.

[Sidenote: The empresse Maud married to the earle of Aniou. _Ger. Dor._] After this, bicause he was in dispaire to haue issue by his second wife, about Whitsuntide he sent ouer his daughter Maud the empresse into Normandie, that she might be married vnto Geffrey Plantagenet earle of Aniou, and in August after he followed himselfe. Now the matter went so forward, that the mariage was celebrated betwixt the said earle and empresse vpon the first sundaie in Aprill, which fell vpon the third of the moneth, and in the 27. of his reigne.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 28.] [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._] [Sidenote: 1128.] In the yeare ensuing, king Henrie meaning to cause the French king to withdrawe his helping hand from his nephue William earle of Flanders, passed foorth of Normandie with an armie, and inuading France, remained for the space of eight daies at Hipard, in as good quiet as if he had béene within his owne dominions, and finallie obteined that of the French king which he sought for; namelie, his refusall to aid his nephue the said earle of Flanders. [Sidenote: An. Reg. 29.] Who at length contending with other that claimed the earldome, chanced this yeare to be wounded, as he pursued his enimies vnto the walls of a towne called Albust, [Sidenote: _Ia. Meir._] and soone after died of the hurt the 16. of August.

[Sidenote: William earle of Flanders deceaseth of a wound.] ¶ It was thought that the great felicitie of king Henrie was the chiefe occasion of this earles death, who meant (if he might haue brought his purpose to passe, and be once quietlie set in the dominion of Flanders) to haue attempted some great enterprise against king Henrie for the recouerie of Normandie, and deliuerie of his father out of prison. [Sidenote: The fortunat & good hap of K. Henrie.] Which was knowen well inough to king Henrie, who mainteined those that made him warre at home, both with men and monie; [Sidenote: William de Hypres.] namelie, William of Hypres, who tooke vpon him as regent in the name of Stephan earle of Bullongne, whome king Henrie procured to make claime to Flanders also, in the title of his grandmother queene Maud, wife to William Conqueror. But to procéed with our historie.

[Sidenote: 1129. An. Reg. 30.] When king Henrie had sped his businesse in Normandie, 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, [Sidenote: 1130. An. Reg. 31.] where he called a great councell or parlement at London, in August: wherein (amongst other things) it was decreed, [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ _Polydor._ An act against vnchast préests.] that préests, which liued vnchastlie, should be punished, and that by the kings permission, who hereby tooke occasion to serue his owne turne: for he regarded not the reformation which the bishops trusted (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.

After this parlement ended, the king kept his Christmasse at Worcester, and his Eastermasse following 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: [Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ In nouella historia. _Polydor._] and long it was before the same discontinued or ceased. King Henrie passing ouer into Normandie, was troubled with certeine strange dreames or visitations in his sléepe. For as he thought, he saw a multitude of ploughmen with such tooles as belong to their trade and occupation; after whom came a sort of souldiers with warlike weapons: and last of all, bishops approching towards him with their crosier staues 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, partlie by his owne reason and partlie by the counsell of learned gentlemen, was persuaded to put such fantasies awaie, 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 practise an amendment of his former lewd life.

¶ Here it shall not be amisse to compare the two sonnes of William the Conquerour; namelie William Rufus, and Henrie Beauclerke togither; and to consider among other euents the supernaturall dreames wherewith they were admonished, to excellent 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. 44.[16]) neglecting to be admonished by a dredfull dreame wherewith he was troubled, shortlie after receiued his deaths wound by casualtie or chancemedlie, euen in the prime of his pastime and disport. This other brother H. Beauclerke had the like warnings by the same meanes, and (to a good effect) as the learned doo gather. Their rash opinion therefore is much to be checked, which contemne dreames as meere delusorie, alledging by waie of disproofe an old erronious verse: Somnia ne cures, nam fallunt plurima plures,

Speaking indefinitelie of dreames without distinction: 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 metaphysicall sort hauing a speciall influence from aboue natures reach, are not lightlie to be ouerslipped. To determine 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.

[Sidenote: _Polydor._] About the same time, Maud daughter of this Henrie, being forsaken of hir husband Geffrey earle of Aniou, came to hir father then being in Normandie. What the cause was why hir husband put hir from him, is not certeinlie knowen: but the matter (belike) was not verie great, sith shortlie after he receiued hir againe, and that of his owne accord. During the time also king Henrie remained in Normandie, pope Innocent the 2. came into France, to auoid the danger of his enimies: [Sidenote: 1131. An. Reg. 32.] and holding a councell at Cleremont, he accursed one Peter Fitz Leo, who had vsurped as pope, and named himselfe Anacletus. Afterward at breaking vp of the same counsell at Cleremont, he came to Orleance, and then to Charters, [Sidenote: King Henrie and pope Innocent méet at Charters.] meeting king Henrie by the waie, who offered vnto the pope to mainteine his cause against his enimies to the vttermost of his power, for the which the pope gaue the king great thankes: and séemed as though he had beene more carefull for the defense of the common cause of the christian common-wealth than for his owne, he exhorted king Henrie to make a iournie into the holie land, against the Saracens and enimies of the christian religion.

[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._] In this enteruiew betwixt the pope and the king, the Romans were mooued to maruell greatlie at the wisedome and sharpnesse of wit which they perceiued in the Normans. For king Henrie, to shew what learning remained amongst the people of the west parts of Europe, [Sidenote: The sons of Robert erle of Melent praised for their learning.] caused the sonnes of Robert earle of Melent to argue and dispute in the points and subtill sophismes of Logike, with the cardinals and other learned chapleins of the pope there present, who were not ashamed to confesse, that there was more learning amongst them here in the west parts, than euer they heard or knew of in their owne countrie of Italy.

[Sidenote: King Henrie returneth into England.] King Henrie after this returned into England, and vpon the sea was in danger to haue drowned by tempest: so that iudging the same to be as a warning for him to amend his life, he made manie vowes, and after his landing went to S. Edmundsburie in Suffolke to doo his deuotions vnto the sepulchre of that king. Now at his comming from thence, being well disposed, towards the reliefe of his people, he lessened the tributes and impositions, and did iustice aswell in respect and fauour of the poore as of the rich.

[Sidenote: 1132. An. Reg. 33] Not long after, Geffrey earle of Aniou had a son named Henrie by his wife the empresse, who (as before is said) was after king of England: for his grandfather king Henrie hauing no issue male to succeed him, caused the empresse and this Henrie hir sonne to be established heires of the realme: all the Nobles and other estates taking an oth to be their true and loiall subiects. [Sidenote: 1133. An. Reg. 34.] After this king Henrie kept his Christmasse at Dunstable, and his Easter at Woodstocke. In the same yeare, or (as some haue) in the beginning of the yeare precedent, or (as other haue) in the yeare following, king Henrie erected a bishops sée at Carleil, [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ Prior of L. Oswald as _Wil. Thorne._ hath, and likewise _Matth. Paris._ and _Matt. Westm._] in which one Arnulfe or rather Athelwoolfe, who before was abbat of S. Bothoulfs, and the kings confessor, was the first bishop that was instituted there. This man immediatelie after his consecration placed regular canons in that church.

Not long after, or rather before (as by Wil. Malmes. it should séeme) king Henrie passed ouer into Normandie, from whence (this being the last time of his going thither) he neuer returned aliue. And as it came to passe, he tooke ship to saile this last iournie thither, euen the same daie in which he had afore time receiued the crowne. [Sidenote: An eclipse[17].] On which daie (felling vpon the Wednesdaie and being the second of August) a wonderfull and extraordinarie eclipse of the sunne and moone appeared, in somuch that Wil. Malmes. who then liued, writeth that he saw the starres plainlie about the sunne at the verie time of that eclipse. [Sidenote: An earthquake.] On the fridaie after such an earthquake also happened in this realme, that manie houses and buildings were ouerthrowne. This earthquake was so sensible, or rather so visible, that the wall of the house wherein the king then sat was lift vp with a double remoue, at the third it setled it selfe againe in his due place. Moreouer at the verie same time also fire burst out of certeine riffes of the earth in so huge flames, that neither by water nor otherwise it could be quenched.

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ _Matth. West._] [Sidenote: An. Reg. 35.] In the 34. yeare of his reigne, his brother Robert Curthose departed this life in the castell of Cardiff. It is said that on a festiuall daie king Henrie put on a robe of scarlet, the cape whereof being streict, he rent it in striuing to put it ouer his head: and perceiuing it would not serue him, he laid it aside, and said; "Let my brother Robert haue this robe, who hath a sharper head than I haue." Which when it was brought to duke Robert, and the rent place not sowed vp, he perceiued it, and asked whether any man had worne it before. The messenger told the whole matter how it happened. [Sidenote: The deceasse of Robert Curthose.] Wherewith duke Robert tooke such a greefe for the scornefull mocke of his brother, that he waxed wearie of his life, and said: "Now I perceiue I haue liued too long, that my brother shall cloth me like his almes man with his cast and rent garments." Thus cursing the time of his natiuitie, he refused from thencefoorth to eat or drinke, and so pined awaie, and was buried at Glocester.

King Henrie remaining still in Normandie, rode round about a great part of the countrie, shewing no small loue and courtesie to the people, studieng by all meanes possible to win their fauours, and being merie amongst them. Howbeit nothing reioised him more than that his daughter Maud the empresse at the same time was deliuered of hir second sonne named Geffrey, so that he saw himselfe prouided of an assured successor.

[Sidenote: _Polydor._] [Sidenote: 1135. An. Reg. 35.] But whilest he thus passed the time in mirth and solace, he began soone after to be somewhat diseased, and neuer could perceiue any euident cause thereof. [Sidenote: _Matth. West._ _Sim. Dunel._] Wherefore to driue his greefe away, he went abrode to hunt, and being somewhat amended thereby (as he thought) at his comming home he would néeds eat of a lampry, though his physician counselled him to the contrarie: but he delighting most in the meat (though it be in qualitie verie hurtfull to health) would not be dissuaded from it, so that his stomach being annoied therewith he fell immediatelie into an ague, [Sidenote: King Henrie departeth this life.] and so died shortlie after, on the first day of December being as then about 67. yeares of age after he had reigned 35. yeres, and foure moneths lacking foure daies. His bodie was conueied into England, and buried at Reading within the abbey church which he had founded, and endowed in his life time with great and large possessions. [Sidenote: _Matth. West._ _Ran. Higd._ _Sim. Dunel._] It is written, that his bodie, to auoid the stench which had infected manie men, was closed in a buls hide, and how he that clensed the head died of the sauour which issued out of the braine.

¶ Thus we sée that euen princes come to the like end by as base meanes as other inferiour persons; according to that of the poet: [Sidenote: Horat. lib. car. 1. ode. 28.] Dant alios furiæ toruo spectacula Marti, Exitio est auidis mare nautis: Mista senum ac iuuenum densantur funera, nullum Sæua caput Proserpina fugit.

And here we haue to note the neglect of the physicians counsell, and that same ill disposition in diet which the king chose rather to satisfie, than by restraining it to auoid the danger whereinto he fell. But this is the preposterous election of vntoward patients, according to that: Nitimur in vetitum semper, cupimúsq; negata.

[Sidenote: The issue of king Henrie the first.] Touching his issue, he had by his first wife a sonne named William, drowned (as ye haue heard) in the sea: also a daughter named Maud, whome with hir sonnes he appointed to inherit his crowne and other dominions. He had issue also by one of his concubins, euen a sonne named Richard, and a daughter named Marie, who were both drowned with their brother William. By an other concubine he had a sonne named Robert, who was created duke of Glocester.

[Sidenote: His stature.] He was strong of bodie, flehise, and of an indifferent stature, blacke of haire, and in maner bald before, with great and large eies, of face comelie, well countenanced, and pleasant to the beholders, speciallie when he was disposed to mirth.

[Sidenote: His vertues.] He excelled in three vertues, wisedome, eloquence, and valiancie, which notwithstanding were somewhat blemished with the like number of vices that reigned in him; [Sidenote: His vices.] as couetousnesse, crueltie, and fleshlie lust of bodie. His couetousnesse appeared, in that he sore oppressed his subiects with tributes and impositions. His crueltie, in that he kept his brother Robert Curtehose in perpetuall prison, and likewise in the hard vsing of his cousine Robert earle of Mortaigne, whome he not onelie deteined in prison, but also caused his eies to be put out: which act was kept secret till the kings death reuealed it. And his fleshlie lust was manifest, by kéeping of sundrie women.

[Sidenote: His wisdome.] But in his other affaires he was circumspect, in defending his owne verie earnest and diligent. Such wars as might be auoided, with honourable peace he euer sought to appease; [Sidenote: His manlie courage.] but when such iniuries were offered as he thought not meet to suffer, he was an impatient reuenger of the same, ouercomming all perils with the force of vertue and manlie courage, showing himselfe either a most louing fréend, or an extreame enimie: for he would subdue his foes to the vttermost, and aduance his fréends aboue measure.

[Sidenote: His zeale to iustice.] With iustice he ruled the commons quietlie, and enterteined the nobles honorablie. Théeues, counterfeiters of monie, and other transgressors he caused to be sought out with great diligence, and when they were found, to be punished with great seueritie. Neither did he neglect reformations of certeine naughtie abuses. [Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ Théeues appointed to be hanged.] And (as one author hath written) he ordeined that théeues should suffer death by hanging. When he heard that such peeces of monie as were cracked would not be receiued amongest the people, although the same were good and fine siluer, he caused all the coine in the realme to be either broken or slit. He was sober of diet, vsed to eat rather for the quailing of hunger, than to pamper himselfe with manie daintie sorts of banketting dishes. He neuer dranke but when thirst mooued him, he would sléepe soundlie and snore oftentimes till he awaked therewith. [Sidenote: His policie.] He pursued his warres rather by policie than by the sword, and ouercame his enimies so neere as he could without bloudshed, which if it might not be, yet with as little slaughter as was possible. [Sidenote: His praise for his princelie government.] To conclude, he was not inferiour to any of the kings that reigned in those daies, in wisedome and policie, and so behaued himselfe, that he was honoured of the Nobles, and beloued of the commons. [Sidenote: Reading abbey builded.] He builded diuerse abbeies both in England and Normandie, but Reading was the chéefe. He builded the manour of Woodstocke, with the parke there, wherein (beside the great store of deere) he appointed diuerse strange beasts to be kept and nourished, which were brought and sent vnto him from foreign countries farre distant, as lions, lepards, lynxes, and porcupines. His estimation was such among outlandish princes, that few would willinglie offend him.

[Sidenote: Murcherdach K. of Ireland.] Murcherdach king of Ireland & his successors had him in such reuerence, that they durst doo nothing but what he commanded, nor write any thing but what might stand with his pleasure, though at the first the same Morchad attempted something against the Englishmen more than held with reason, but afterward (vpon restraint of the entercourse of merchandize) he was glad to shew himselfe more fréendlie.

[Sidenote: The earle of Orkney.] Moreouer the earle of Orkney, although he was the king of Norwaies subiect, yet did he what he could to procure king Henries fréendship, sending such strange beasts and other things to him oftentimes as presents, wherein he knew the king tooke great delight and pleasure. [Sidenote: Roger bishop of Salisburie.] He had in singular fauour aboue all other of his councell, Roger, the bishop of Salisburie, a politike prelate, and one that knew how to order matters of great importance, vnto whome he committed the gouernment of the realme most commonlie whilest he remained in Normandie.

As well in this kings daies, as in the time of his brother William Rufus, men forgetting their owne sex and state, transformed themselues into the habit and forme of women, [Sidenote: The abuse of wearing long haire.] by suffering their haire to grow in length, the which they curled and trimmed verie curiouslie, after the maner of damosels and yong gentlewomen: insomuch that they made such account of their long bushing perukes, that those which would be taken for courtiers, contended with women who should haue the longest tresses, and such as wanted, sought to amend it with art, and by knitting wreathes about their heads of those their long and side locks for a brauerie. [Sidenote: 1127.] [Sidenote: _Matth. West._] Yet we read that king Henrie gaue commandment to all his people to cut their haire, about the 28. yeare of his reigne. Preachers indeed inueied against such vnseemlie maners in men, as a thing more agréeable and seemelie for the contrarie sex.

Wil. Malm. reciteth a tale of a knight in those daies that tooke no small liking of himselfe for his faire and long haire, who chanced to haue a verie terrible dreame. For it séemed to him in his sléepe that one was about to strangle him with his owne haire (which[18] he wrapped about his throte and necke) the impression whereof sanke so deepelie into his mind, that when he awaked out of his sléepe, he streightwaies caused so much of his haire to be cut as might seeme superfluous. A great number of other in the realme followed his commendable example, but the remorse of conscience herein that thus caused them to cut their haire, continued not long, for they fell to the like abuse againe, so as within a twelue moneths space they excéeded therein as farre beyond all the bounds of séemelie order as before.

¶ In this Henrie ended the line of the Normans as touching the heires male, and then came in the Frenchmen by the title of the heires generall, after that the Normans had reigned about 69. yeares: for so manie are accounted from the comming of William Conquerour, vnto the beginning of the reigne of king Stephan, who succéeded the said Henrie.

Thus farr the succession and regiment of the Normans; namelie, William Conquerour the father, William Rufus, and Henrie Beauclerke the sonnes.

Transcriber's notes