membred of him, that when two Monks were at Drop - Bezantine, (then current Gold) before him for an Abby, he spied a third Monk of their Company standing in a Corner, to whom King William faid, And what wilt thou give to be Abbot? Not one Farthing, answered he, for I renounced the World and Riches, that I might serve God more fincerely. Then faid the King, Thou art worthy to be made Abbot, and the Abby thou shalt have. His Brother Robert's Territories in Normandy he invaded, taking divers ftrong Holds and Caftles, inforcing Robert to make a Peace with him. After which these two Brothers unite their Forces against their Brother Henry: But he fearing Afterclaps, had ftrongly fortified the Cattle of Mount St. Michael in Normandy, wherein they befieged him; in which Time of Siege, King William's Life was in great Hazard, for fome of the befieged fallying forth, William, more boldly than wifely, rode against them, and a Knight encountring him, flew his Horse under him, and had flain him too, had he not made himself known by his Voice. Whereupon the armed Men with great Reverence took him up, and brought him another Horfe; when the King not staying for the Stirrup, fprang into the Saddle, and with an angry Countenance, demanded who it was that overthrew him; and the Knight as boldly anfwered, and fhew'd himself who he was. By Luke's Face, quoth the King, thou shalt be my Knight, and be enrolled in my Check, with a Fee anferable to thy Worth. Prince Henry, in the Time of this Siege, being forely diftreffed for Water, fent to his Brother Robert (knowing him to be of the better Temper) defiring him that he might have that permitted him which God Duke Robert had made common. commanded him to be fupplied; whereat King William was wroth, To whom Robert faid, And doft thou efteem more of Water which is every where to be got, than of a Brother, having no more but him and me? In fhort Time after, thefe three Brethren were reconciled, and in fhort Time after that the two elder again difagreed. The Peace of England was alfo disturbed by Malcolm, King of Scots; but by the Ambushment of Mowbray, Earl of Northumberland, he was flain, with his Son Edward. Then Mowbray, grown proud, turns Rebel, but was taken and committed to Windfor. Duke Robert preparing for the Holy Wars, mortgaged his Dukedom to his Brother William for the Sum of Six Thousand Six Hundred Sixty Six Pounds of Silver; for the making up of which Sum, King William made the Religious Houfes to ranfack their Coffers. Normandy was therefore now the King's Concern to keep as his own; wherefore, a while after, hearing as he fat at Meat, that Main, a City in Normandy, was ftraitly befieged, and his Subjects forely diftreffed, he swore his wonted Oath, By St. Luke's Face, that he would not turn his Back till he was with them. And thereupon commanded the Wall of the Houfe to be broke down, that he might go forth the next way to Sea, leaving Order for his Nobles ftraitway to follow him: But the Winds being contrary, and Seas raging, his Pilot humbly defired him to ftay a while, till the Winds and Seas were appeased. To whom the King faid, Haft thou ever heard that a King hath been drowned? Therefore boift up the Sails, I charge thee, and be gone. Which accordingly being done, the King making fuch Halle, relieved the City before it was expected. 1087. 1096. Then fettling his Affairs in that Country, he returned into England; where, as he was Hunting in NewForeft, Sir Walter Tyrrell, a French Knight, fhooting at a Stag, the Arrow glanced against a Tree, and ftruck the King into the Breaft, with which he immediately died, Aug. 1. A. D. 1100. His Body laid in a Collier's Cart, was drawn with one poor Jade, through a very dirty Way, till the Cart broke, where for a while the Corpfe was left in the Dirt; but afterwards was convey'd to Winchester, and there buried in the Cathedral Church. The Bones fince have been taken up, and Jaid in a Coffin with the Bones of Canutus. At Westminster he laid new Foundations of a moft ftately Palace, and finished that flately Building, called the Great-Hall, which he found fault with, because no bigger, accounting it fcarce worthy the Name of a Bed-Chamber, in respect of that which he intended to build. He new-built the City Carlife, which 200 Years before had been spoiled by the Danes, built the Church of St. Saviour's in Southwark, and founded an Hofpital in York to the Hononr of St. Peter. In his Reign the Bishop's See was tranflated from Selfey to Chichester, anciently called Ciffancefter. In this King's Reign happened a moft dreadful Earthquake, and vehement Lightning, leaving an intolerable Stink behind it. An exceeding Tempeft of Wind, that in London drove down Sixty Houfes, blew off the Roof of Bow Church, with the Beams, Six of which in their Fall were driven Twenty three Foot deep into the Ground, (the Streets of the City lying then unpav'd.) A blazing Star appeared, and other Stars feemed to fhoot Darts one against another. The Sea broke over its Banks, drowning abundance of People; and in Kent overwhelmed the Lands that fometime were Earl Goodwin's, which now are called Goodwin's Sands, very dangerous for Navigators. Well of Blood for Filteen Days rofe out of the Ground at Finchamftead, near Abingdon. Peftilence and Scarcity. A Robert of Gloucefier hath a pretty As his Chamberlain him brought, as he rose on a Day, A. D. 1096, and in the Reign groaned, the Tillage of the Earth was neglected, whereby enfued great Scarcity the Year following throughout all England. HENRY 1100. A. D. 1100. HENRY BEAUCLERK. Enry for his Learning ftiled Beauclerk (whilft his Brother Robert was bufied in the Holy War) promifing many good Things, was with the general liking of the People crowned at Westminster in A. D. 1100. Whofe firit Bufinefs was the Re forming of his own Court and Houfhold, for a Pattern to his Subjects. Next, he reftored to the English the Ufe of Fire and Lights at their own Liberty, freed the Church from Refervation of its Poffeffions upon Vacancies; made the Heirs of the Nobility free to poffefs their Fathers Lands without Redemption from him, engaging the Nobles to do the like by their Tenants. Allowing the Gentry to marry their Daughters and Kin/women without his Licence, fo it were not to his Enemy: Ordained that the Widow fhould enjoy her Jointure, and be at Liberty to marry according to her own liking: That the Mother and next Kindred fhould be Guardians to fatherlefs Children: That Coiners of falfe Money should be punished with the Lofs of Hand and Genitals. He also appointed a Measure to the Length of his Arm, to be a Standard of Commerce amongst his People. He forgave all Debts to the Crown before his Time. And that which did the moft content his Subjects, was, that he revived the Laws of Edward the Confeffor: After which, he recall'd Anfelm, Archbishop of Canterbury, who had been forc'd out of the Realm by Rufus, becaufe he oppofed him for keeping Church Livings in his Hands. And Henry, to fettle himself the more deeply in the Affections of the English, married Maud, Daughter to the King of Anfelm, Scots by Margaret Siller to Edgar A. B. of Atheling. But Duke Robert being Cant. returned with greatest Honour from the Holy Land, claimed the Kingdom of England as his rightful Inheritance; landed an Army at Portf mouth, many of the English flocking to him. At length, the Difference between these two Brethren was reconciled on thefe Terms; That Henry fhould enjoy the Crown dur-. ing his Life, paying to Robert, in way of Fealty, Three Thoufand Marks by the Year. But this Sun-fhine of Peace was fhortly after withdrawn by the Rebellion of Robert Beliafme, Earl of Shrewsbury, who in fhort time, being vanquished, fled into Normandy for Shelter. Archbishop Anfelm is also faid to have disturbed the Peace, by ftanding too fifly for the pretended Rights of the Church of Rome, against the King's real Rights and Prerogative, peremp torily depriving what Prelates he pleafed of their Promotions, and refofing to confecrate certain Bifhops that the King had advanced. Moreover, the King and his Brother Robert continued not long in Amity, e'er Henry invading Nor mandy, takes his Brother in Fight, whom he fent Prifoner to Cardiff Cafle in Wales, where he had the Liberty to walk in the King's Meadows, Forefts, and Parks; but endeavouring to make his Efcape, he was committed to a flricter Durance, and alfo deprived of the Sight of both his Eyes; and in few Years after died, and was buried at Gloucefter, his Brother Henry not long furviving him. Some Troubles arose from the Welch; but that People the King re ftrained, Radulphus, 1100 ftrained, chiefly by placing thofe Flemings among them, whofe Lands the Seas had devoured fome Years before, and to whom King Rufus A. B. of had granted, that they fhould feat Cant. themselves in Cumberland. The poor married Priests Anfelm fadly perplexed. And the King impofed. heavy Taxes on the People, and referved vacant Church Promotions to his own Ufe, under Pretence of keeping them for the most deferv. ing. But how unworthily he difpofed fome of them, may be gueffed by that pretty Reproof which Raymond his Chaplain gave him. Who on Rogation Sunday, celebrating Service in the King's Chapel, being to read that Leffon out of St. James, v. 17. It rained not on the Earth by the Space of Three Years and Six Months; he purpofely read, It rained not one, one, one Years, and Five one Months. Which caufing Laughter or Admiration in all that heard him, the King rebuked him for it, demanding the Reafon why he read fo. Marry, quoth he, I fee you beflow your Preferments on fuch as can read fo. Wherewith the King touched, preferred him; and for the future was more cautious whom he raised to Preferments in the Church. The Eftates both Spiri'tual and Temporal he caused to af femble at Salisbury; then reforming many Abuses, and laying here the firft Foundation of our High Court of Parliament About this time Lewis King of France invaded Normandy, whither King Henry paffed, and vanquished him. But as his Son Prince William was returning after him out of Normandy, he was caft away, and with him 160 Perfons of prime Note and Efteem, none of their Bodies being found. The Mariners had too much Wine beltowed on them at their putting to Sea. Maud, or Matilde, the Emprefs, His after the Death of the Emperor her Husband, King Henry her Father fent for over into England, where calling a Parliament, he caufed Stephen his Sifter's Son, with his Nobles, to fwear Fealty to her, as to his lawful and now only Heir. This is commonly efteemed, but without juft Reason, as the first Parliament. And therefore fome date the Origin of that Court from hence. But the King failing again into Normandy, he there, after his Pleasure of Hunting, made a great Repaft of Lampreys; upon the eating of which he fell exceeding fick, and after Seven Days Sicknets died, A. D. 1135, at the Town of St. Denys. His Bowels and Brains and Eyes were buried at Roan. The Phyfician that took out the Brains was poifoned with the Stench. Body fliced, powdered with Salt, and wrapped in a Bull's Hide, was conveyed to Reading, and there buried in the Abbey which himself had founded. His Wives were, firft Maud, the Daughter of Malcolm the Third, fur-named Canmoir, or Great-head, King of Scotland; his Second Wife was Adelicia, the Daughter of Godfrey the firft Duke of Loraine. Befides his lawful Iffue William and Maud, he is faid to have had fourteen Illegitimate, fome fay more. He built a magnificent Palace at Woodstock in Oxfordshire. In a great Dearth in the Countries of Anjou and Main, he fed every Day with fufficient Suftenance Ten Thousand Perfons, from the Beginning of April, till fuch time as new Corn was inned. He erected and endowed the Sees of Carlife and Ely, and the Abbies of Hide, Reading, Cirencefter, and the Priory of Dunstable. His Queen Maud was fo devout, that he would go to Church barefoot, and conftantly exercife herself in Works of Charity, infomuch that that when her Brother, Prince David came out of Scotland to vifit her, he found her in her Privy-Chamber wahing, wiping, and kiffing poor Peoples Feet; which he difliking, faid, Verily if the King your Husband knew this, you should never kiss his Lips. To which the replyed, That the Feet of the King of Heaven are to be prefered before the Lips of an Earthly King. 'Tis reported that when the King was preparing for his laft Paffage into Normandy, there happened a fearful Earthquake, and that out in the Chinks. of the Earth arofe burning Flames which could not be quenched. In the Year 1111, at Dunmow in Effex, the Lady Inga founded a 1135. Priory for black Nuns, which afterwards became an House of Monks. Which Monks, 'tis faid, did allow a Gammon of Bacon to fuch married Couples as repented not of their Bargain within a Year and a Day after Marriage, nor made any Nuptial Tranfgreffion in Word or Deed. This they were to make a folemn Oath of. In or near the Year 1115, and October the 10th, did the River of Thames fo fail of Water, that, between the Tower of London and the Bridge, People not only passed over on Horfeback, but also great Numbers both of Men and Children did wade over on Foot. A. D. STEPHEN. Stephen Earl of Bloys, Son 1135. to Adelicia, Daughter of the Conqueror, was admitted King by the Workings of his Brother Henry Bishop of Winchester, and Roger Bishop of Sarum; but chiefly through the Means of Hugh Bigot, who took his Oath that King Henry had, on his Death bed (upon fome Diftafte taken against his Daughter) difinherited her, and appointed Stephen to fucceed him. He was crowned at Westminster on St. Stephen's Day, in A. D. 1135, by William Corbell, Archbishop of Canterbury, the Prelates fwearing to obey him as their King, fo long as he fhould preferve the Churches Rights; and the Lay-Barons in like manner fwore Allegiance to him fo long as he would keep his Covenants to them, and preferve their Rights. His Right he owned to be by Election. The Charter containing his Peoples Franchifes, Liberties, and Immunities, which he bound him felf to maintain, he fealed at Oxford. William Which was, That all Liberties, Cu- Corbell, ftoms, and Poffeffions granted to the A. B. of Churches, fhould be firm and in Cant force: That Perfons and Caufes Ecclefiaftical fhould appertain only to Ecclefiaftical Jurifdiction: That the Vacancies of Churches and Churchmens Goods fhould be at the fole Difpofal of the Clergy: That all bad Ufages in the Land, touching Foretts, Exactions, &c. fhould be extirpated; and that the ancient Laws fhould be reftored. Many Caftles he either caufed or fuffered to be erected in the Land, which he intended for his own Security against Maud; but they proved greatly to his own Detriment. His Entrance was very peaceable; but by little and little civil Difcords increafed to the miferable Spoil of the Realm, befides the Troubles arifing from Outparts. Baldwin de Redners firft began to break the Peace, but him the King foon quieted. Then the Welchmen who. |