THE
POLITIKE CONQUEST
OF
WILLIAM THE FIRST.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: Anno 1.] This William Duke of Normandie, base son of Robert
the sixt Duke of Normandie, and nephew vnto Edward king of England,
surnamed the Confessor, hauing vanquished the English power, and
slaine Harold in the field (as you may read at large towards the end
of the historie of England) began his reigne ouer England the xv. daie
of October being Sundaie, [Sidenote: 1066.] in the yeare after the
creation of the world 5033, (as W. Harison gathereth) and after the
birth of our Sauiour 1066, which was in the tenth yeare of the
emperour Henrie the fourth, in the sixt of pope Alexander the second,
in the sixt of Philip king of France, and about the tenth of Malcolme
the third, surnamed Camoir, king of Scotland.
[Sidenote: _Sim. Dun._] Immediatlie after he had thus got the victorie
in a pight field (as before ye haue heard) he first returned to
Hastings, and after set forward towards London, wasted the countries
of Sussex, Kent, Hamshire, Southerie, Middlesex, and Herefordshire,
burning the townes, and sleaing the people, till he came to Beorcham.
[Sidenote: Edwin and Marchar. Quéene Aldgitha sent to Chester. _Wil.
Mal._ _Simon Dun._] In the meane time, immediatlie after the
discomfiture in Sussex, the two earles of Northumberland and Mercia,
Edwin and Marchar, who had withdrawne themselues from the battell
togither with their people, came to London, and with all speed sent
their sister quéene Aldgitha vnto the citie of Chester, and herewith
sought to persuade the Londoners to aduance one of them to the
kingdome: as Wil. Mal. writeth. But Simon of Durham saith, that Aldred
archbishop of Yorke, and the said earles with others would haue made
Edgar Etheling king. Howbeit, whilest manie of the Nobilitie and
others prepared to make themselues redie to giue a new battell to the
Normans (how or whatsoeuer was the cause) the said earles drew
homewards with their powers, to the great discomfort of their freends.
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ The bishops blamed.] Wil. Malm. séemeth to put
blame in the bishops, for that the lords went not forward with their
purpose in aduancing Edgar Etheling to the crowne. For the bishops
(saith he) refused to ioine with the lords in that behalfe, and so
through enuie and spite which one part bare to another, when they
could not agrée vpon an Englishman, they receiued a stranger,
[Sidenote: The archbishop of Yorke & other submit themselues to king
William.] insomuch that vpon king William his comming vnto Beorcham,
Aldred archbishop of Yorke, Wolstane bishop of Worcester, and Walter
bishop of Hereford, Edgar Etheling, and the foresaid earles Edwin and
Marchar came and submitted themselues vnto him, whom he gentlie
receiued, and incontinentlie made an agréement with them, taking their
oth and hostages (as some write) and yet neuerthelesse he permitted
his people to spoile and burne the countrie.
But now, when the feast of Christs natiuitie (commonlie called
Christmas) was at hand, he approched to the citie of London, and
comming thither, caused his vauntgard first to enter into the stréets,
where finding some resistance, he easilie subdued the citizens that
thus tooke vpon them to withstand him, [Sidenote: _Gemeticensis._]
though not without some bloudshed (as Gemeticen. writeth) but as by
others it should appéere, he was receiued into the citie without anie
resistance at all; and so being in possession thereof, he spake manie
fréendlie words to the citizens, and promised that he would vse them
in most liberall & courteous maner. [Sidenote: William Conquerour
crowned 1067, according to their account which begin the yeare on the
daie of Christ his natiuitie.] Not long after, when things were
brought in order (as was thought requisite) he was crowned king vpon
Christmas daie following, by Aldred archbishop of Yorke. For he would
not receiue the crowne at the hands of Stigand archbishop of
Canturburie, bicause he was hated, and furthermore iudged to be a
verie lewd person and a naughtie liuer.
At his coronation he caused the bishops and barons of the realme to take
their oth, that they should be his true and loiall subiects (according
to the maner in that case accustomed.) And being required thereto by the
archbishop of Yorke, he tooke his personall oth before the altar of S.
Peter at Westmister, to defend the holie church, and rulers of the same,
to gouerne the people in iustice as became a king to doo, to ordeine
righteous lawes & kéepe the same, so that all maner of bribing, rapine,
and wrongful iudgements should for euer after be abolished.
[Sidenote: _Polydor._] [Sidenote: 1067.] After this, he tooke order
how to keepe the realme in good and quiet gouernment, fortifieng the
necessarie places, and furnishing them with garisons. He also
appointed officers and councellers, such as he thought to be wise and
discréet men, and appointed ships to be in the hauens by the coast for
the defense of the land, as he thought moste expedient. [Sidenote:
_Iohn Stow._] After his coronation, or rather before (as by some
authours it should seeme) euen presentlie vpon obteining of the citie
of London, [Sidenote: _Thos. Spot._] he tooke his iourney towards the
castell of Douer, to subdue that and the rest of Kent also: which when
the archbishop Stigand and Egelsin the abbat of S. Augustines (being
as it were the chiefest lords and gouernours of all Kent) did
perceiue, and considered that the whole realme was in an euill state;
& that whereas in this realme of England, before the comming in of the
forsaid duke William, there were no bondmen: [Sidenote: Seruitude &
bondage of the Nobilitie and Commonaltie to the Normans.] now all, as
well the Nobilitie as the Commonaltie were without respect made
subiect to the intollerable bondage of the Normans, taking an occasion
by the perill and danger that their neighbours were in, to prouide for
the safegard of themselues and their countrie. They caused all the
people of the countie of Kent to assemble at Canturburie, and declared
to them the perils and dangers imminent, the miserie that their
neighbours were come into, the pride and insolencie of the Normans,
and the hardnesse and griefe of bondage and seruile estate. Whereupon
all the people rather choosing to end their vnfortunate life, than to
submit themselues to an vnaccustomed yoke of seruitude and bondage,
with a common consent determined to méet duke William, and to fight
with him for the lawes of their countrie. Also, the foresaid Stigand
the archbishop, and the abbat Egelsin, choosing rather to die in
battell, than to see their nation in so euill an estate, being
encouraged by the examples of the holie Machabées, became capteins of
the armie. And at a daie appointed, all the people met at Swanescombe,
and being hidden in the woods, laie priuilie in wait for the comming
of the foresaid duke William.
Now, bicause it cannot hurt to take great héed, and to be verie warie in
such cases, they agréed before hand, that when the duke was come, and
the passages on euerie side stopped, to the end he should no waie be
able to escape, euerie one of them, as well horssemen as footmen should
beare boughes in their hands. The next daie after, when the duke was
come into the fields and territories néere vnto Swanescombe, and saw all
the countrie set and placed about him, as it had beene a stirring and
moouing wood, and that with a meane pace they approched and drew neare
vnto him, with great discomfort of mind he woondered at that sight. And
assoone as the capteins of the Kentishmen sawe that duke William was
inclosed in the middest of their armie, they caused their trumpets to be
sounded, their banners to be displaied, and threw downe their boughes, &
with their bowes bent, their swords drawne, and their speares and other
kind of weapons stretched foorth, they shewed themselues readie to
fight. Duke William and they that were with him stood (as no maruell it
was) sore astonied, and amazed: so that he which thought he had
alreadie all England fast in his fist, did now despaire of his owne
life. Therefore on the behalfe of the Kentishmen, were sent vnto duke
William the archbishop Stigand, and Egelsin abbat of S. Augustines, who
told him their message in this sort.
"My lord duke, behold the people of Kent come forth to méet you,
and to receiue you as their liege lord, requiring at your hands
the things which perteine to peace, and that vnder this
condition; that all the people of Kent enioy for euer their
ancient liberties, and may for euermore vse the lawes and
customes of the countrie: otherwise they are readie presentlie to
bid battell to you, and them that be with you, and are minded
rather to die here altogither, than to depart from the lawes and
customes of their countrie, and to submit themselues to bondage,
whereof as yet they neuer had experience."
The duke séeing himselfe to be driuen to such an exigent & narrow
pinch, consulted a while with them that came with him, prudentlie
considering, that if he should take anie repulse or displeasure at the
hands of this people, which be the key of England, all that he had
done before should be disanulled and made of none effect, and all his
hope and safetie should stand in danger and ieopardie: not so
willinglie as wiselie he granted the people of Kent their request. Now
when the couenant was established, and pledges giuen on both sides:
the Kentishmen being ioyfull, conducted the Normans (who also were
glad) vnto Rochester, and yéelded vp to the duke the earledome of
Kent, and the noble castell of Douer. [Sidenote: The ancient liberties
and lawes of England remaine in Kent onlie.] Thus the ancient
liberties of England, and the lawes and customes of the countrie,
which before the comming of duke William out of Normandie, were
equallie kept throughout all England, doo (through this industrie and
earnest trauell of the archbishop Stigand and Egelsin abbat of S.
Augustines) remaine inuiolablie obserued vntill this daie within that
countie of Kent. [Sidenote: _Wil. Thorne._] ¶ Thus far Thomas Spot,
and after him William Thorne writeth the same. Of the which the former
(that is Spot) liued in the daies of king Edward the first, and
William Thorne in the daies of king Richard the second.
But now, before we procéed anie further in recitall of the Conquerours
dooings, we haue here in a table noted all the noble capteins and
gentlemen of name, aswell Normans as other strangers, which assisted
duke William in the conquest of this land: and first, as we find them
written in the chronicles of Normandie by one William Tailleur.
* * * * *
THE
CATALOG OF SUCH NOBLEMEN, LORDS, AND GENTLEMEN OF NAME,
AS CAME INTO THIS LAND WITH
WILLIAM THE CONQUEROUR.
Odo bishop of Bayeulx.
Robert erle of Mortaing.
Roger erle of Beaumont surnamed _A la Barbe_.
Guillaume Mallet seigneur de Montfort.
Henrie seig. de Ferrers.
Guillaume d'Aubelle-mare seign. de Fougieres.
Guillaume de Roumare seig. de Lithare.
Le seig. de Touque.
Le seig. de la Mare.
Neel le Viconte.
Guillaume de Vepont.
Le seig. de Magneuille.
Le seig. de Grosmenil.
Le seig. de S. Martin.
Le seig. de Puis.
Guillaume Crespin.
Guillaume de Movenne.
Guillaume Desmoulins.
Guillaume Desgarennes.
Hue de Gourney, _aliàs_ Genevay.
Le seig. de Bray.
Le seig. de Gouy.
Le seig. de Laigle.
Le seig. de Touarts.
Le seig. de Aurenchin.
Le seig. de Vitrey.
Le seig. de Trassy, _aliàs_ Tracy.
Le seig. de Picquigny.
Le seig. d'Espinay.
Osmond seig. du Pont.
Le seig. de Estouteuile.
Le seig. de Torchy.
Le seig. de Barnabost.
Le seig. de Breual.
Le seig. de Seeulme.
Le seig. de Houme.
Le seig. de Souchoy.
Le seig. de Cally.
Le seig. de la Riuere.
Euldes de Beanieu.
Le seig. de Roumilly.
Le seig. de Glotz.
Le seig. du Sap.
Le seig. de Vanuille.
Le seig. Branchou.
Le seig. Balleul.
Le seig. de Beausault.
Le seig. de Telleres.
Le seig. de Senlys.
Le seig. de Bacqueuille.
Le seig. de Preaulx.
Le seig. de Iouy.
Le seig. de Longueuille.
Le seig. de Aquigny.
Le seig. de Passy.
Le seig. de Tournay.
Le seig. de Colombieres.
Le seig. de Bolleber.
Le seig. de Garensieres.
Le seig. de Longueile.
Le seig. de Houdetot.
Le seig. de Malletot.
Le seig. de la Haie Malerbe.
Le seig. de Porch Pinche.
Le seig. de Iuetot.
The erle of Tanqueruile.
The erle d'Eu.
The erle d'Arques.
The erle of Aniou.
The erle of Neuers.
Le seig. de Rouuile.
Le prince de Alemaigne.
Le seig. de Pauilly.
Le seig. de S. Cler.
Le seig. d'Espinay.
Le seig. de Bremetot.
Alain Fergant erle of Britaigne.
Le seig. de la Ferte.
Robert fils Heruays duc de Orleans.
Le seig. de la Lande.
Le seig. de Mortimer.
Le seig. de Clare.
Le seig. de Magny.
Le seig. de Fontnay.
Roger de Montgomery.
Amaury de Touars.
Le seig. de Hacqueuile.
Le seig. de Neanshou.
Le seig. de Perou.
Robert de Beaufou.
Le seig. Meauuon.
Le seig. de Soteuile.
Eustace de Hambleuile.
Geoffray Bournom.
Le seig. de Blainuile.
Le seig. de Mauneuile.
Geoffrey de Moienne.
Auffray and Mauger de Carteny.
Le seig. de Freanuile.
Le seig. de Moubray.
Le seig. de Iafitay.
Guillaume Patais seig. de la Lande.
Eulde de Mortimer.
Hue erle of Gournay.
Egremont de Laigle.
Richard d'Aurinchin.
Le seig. de Bearts.
Le seig. de Soulligny.
Bouteclier d'Aubigny.
Le seig. de Marcey.
Le seig. de Lachy.
Le seig. de Valdere.
Eulde de Montfort.
Henoyn de Cahieu.
Le seig. de Vimers.
Guillaume de Mouion.
Raoul Tesson de Tignolles.
Anguerand erle of Hercourt.
Roger Marmion.
Raoul de Gaiel.
Auenel de Viers.
Pauuel du Montier Hubert.
Robert Bertraule Tort.
Le seig. de Seulle.
Le seig. Doriual.
Le seig. de la Hay.
Le seig. de S. Iohn.
Le seig. de Saussy.
Le seig. de Brye.
Richard Dollebec.
Le seig. du Monfiquet.
Le seig. de Bresey.
Le seig. de Semilly.
Le seig. de Tilly.
Le seig. de Preaux.
Le seig. de S. Denis.
Le seig. de Meuley.
Le seig. de Monceaux.
The archers of Bretuile.
The archers of Vaudreuile.
Le seig. de S. Sain.
Le seig. de Breansou.
Le seig. de Sassy.
Le seig. de Nassy.
Le vidam de Chartres.
Le seig. de Ieanuile.
Le vidam du Passais.
Pierre du Bailleul seig. de Fescampe.
Le seneschal de Torchy.
Le seig. de Grissey.
Le seig. de Bassey.
Le seig. de Tourneur.
Guillaume de Colombieres.
Le seig. de Bonnebault.
Le seig. de Ennebault.
Le seig. de Danuillers.
Le seig. de Beruile.
Le seig. de Creueceur.
Le seig. de Breate.
Le seig. de Coutray.
The erle of Eureux.
Le seig. de seint Valery.
Thomas erle d'Aumale.
The erle de Hiesmes.
With other lords and men of account in great numbers, whose names the
author of the chronicles of Normandie could not come by (as he himselfe
confesseth.) In consideration whereof, and bicause diuers of these are
set foorth onlie by their titles of estate, and not by their surnames;
we haue thought it conuenient to make you partakers of the roll which
sometime belonged to Battell abbeie, conteining also (as the title
thereof importeth) the names of such Nobles and Gentlemen of Marque, as
came at this time with the Conqueror, whereof diuerse maie be the same
persons which in the catalog aboue written are conteined, bearing the
names of the places whereof they were possessors and owners, as by the
same catalog maie appeare.
* * * * *