that he died thereof. [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ _Ia. Meir._] But others
affirme, that cōming into Normandie in the yeare last past, to make
warre against king Henrie in fauour of king Lewes, he wan the towne of
Andelie, and an other which they name Aquæ Nicasij. [Sidenote: The earle
of Flanders wounded. He departed this life.] But as he was come before
the towne of Augen in the moneth of September, and assailed the same, he
receiued his deaths wound in the head, wherevpon returning home in the
ninth moneth after, when he could not be cured of his hurt, he departed
this life at Rosilare the 17. daie of June.
[Sidenote: Foulke earle of Aniou became the king of Englands man.]
Shortlie after Foulke earle of Aniou (who before had aided the French
king against king Henrie) became now king Henries freend by aliance,
marieng his daughter to William king Henries eldest sonne. But the
French king (as their histories make mention) minding still to be
reuenged of the earle Theobald, inuaded his countrie againe with a
puissant armie, and had destroied the citie of Chartres, which belonged
vnto the same earle, had not the citizens humbled themselues to his
mercie: and so likewise did the earle, as may be thought. For in the
warres which immediatlie followed betwixt Lewes and the emperour Henrie,
the erle aided the French king against the same emperour to[10] the
vttermost of his power. [Sidenote: The king and the pope come to an
enteruew at Gisors.] Soone after this, the king came to an enteruiew
with pope Calixtus at Gisors, where manie matters were talked of betwixt
them: and amongst other, the king required of the pope a grant of all
such liberties as his father enioied within the limits of England and
Normandie, and chéefelie that no legat should haue any thing to doo
within England, except he required to haue one sent him for some vrgent
cause.
[Sidenote: The pope is a suiter for Thurstane] All which matters being
determined (as the state of the time present required) the pope besought
the king to be good vnto archbishop Thurstane, and to restore him to his
sée: but the king protested that he had vowed neuer so to doo whilest he
liued. [Sidenote: The pope offereth to discharge the K. of his vow.]
Wherevnto the pope answered, that he was pope, and by his apostolike
power he would discharge him of that vow, if he would satisfie his
request. The king to shift the matter off, promised the pope that he
would take aduice of his councell, and giue him further knowledge, as
the cause required, wherevpon departing from thense, [Sidenote:
_Eadmerus._ The kings answer sent to the pope.] he did afterwards (vpon
farther deliberation) send him this message, in effect as followeth.
"Whereas he saith he is pope, and will (as he said) assoile me of
the vow which I haue made, if contrarie thereto I will restore
Thurstane to the sée of Yorke: I thinke it not to stand with the
honor of a king, to consent in any wise vnto such an absolution.
For who shall beléeue an others promise hereafter, if by mine
example he sée the same so easilie by an absolution to be made
void. [Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ _Eadmerus._] But sith he hath so
great a desire to haue Thurstane restored, I shall be contented at
his request, to receiue him to his sée, with this condition, that
he shall acknowledge his church to be subiect vnto the sée of
Canturburie, as his predecessours haue doone before him; although
in fine this offer would not serue the turne."
[Sidenote: 1120.] But now to returne againe to the two princes.
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._] [Sidenote: An. Reg. 21.] Not long after the
departure of the pope from Gisors, Foulke earle of Aniou found meanes to
make an agreement betwixt king Henrie & king Lewes, so that king William
sonne to king Henrie did homage vnto king Lewes for the duchie of
Normandie. [Sidenote: The kings of England and France are accorded.
_Wil. Malm._ _Eadmerus._] And further it was accorded betwéene them,
that all those that had borne armour either on the one side or the
other, should be pardoned, whose subiects[11] soeuer they were. In like
maner, Rafe archbishop of Canturburie returned into England, after he
had remained long in Normandie, bicause of the controuersie betwixt him
and Thurstan archbishop of Yorke, as is aforesaid.
[Sidenote: Alexander K. of Scots.] Now shortlie after his returne to
Canturburie, messengers came with letters from Alexander king of
Scotland vnto him, signifieng, that where the sée of S. Andrews was
void, the same king did instantlie require him to send ouer Eadmer a
moonke of Canturburie (of whom he had heard great commendation for his
sufficiencie of vertue and learning) to be seated there. ¶ This Eadmer
is the same which wrote the historie intituled Historia nouorum in
Anglia, out of which (as may appeare) we haue gathered the most part of
our matters concerning Anselme and Rafe archbishops of Canturburie, in
whose daies he liued, [Sidenote: Eadmer Anselmes disciple.] and was
Anselmes disciple.
Archbishop Rafe was contented to satisfie the request of king Alexander
in that behalfe, and obteining the consent of king Henrie, he sent the
said Eadmer into Scotland with letters of commendation vnto the said
king Alexander, who receiued him right ioifullie, and vpon the third
daie after his comming thither (being the feast of the apostles Peter &
Paule) he was elected archbishop of S. Andrews by the clergie and people
of the land, to the great reioicing of Alexander, and the rest of the
Nobilitie. The next daie after the king talked with him secretlie of his
consecration, and vttered to him how he had no mind to haue him
consecrated at the hands of Thurstan archbishop of Yorke. In which case
when he was informed by the said Eadmer, that no such thing needed to
trouble his mind, since the archbishop of Canturburie, being primate of
all Britaine, might consecrate him as reason was; the king could not
away with that answer, bicause he would not heare that the church of
Canturburie should be preferred before the church of S. Andrews.
Herevpon he departed from Eadmer in displeasure, and calling one William
(sometime moonke of S. Edmundsbury) vnto him, a man also that had
gouerned (or rather spoiled) the church of S. Andrews in the vacation:
this William was commanded to take vpon him the charge thereof againe,
at the kings pleasure, whose meaning was vtterlie to remooue Eadmer, as
not worthie of that roome. Howbeit, within a moneth after (to satisfie
the minds of his Nobles) he called for the said Eadmer, [Sidenote:
Eadmer receiueth his staffe from an altar.] and with much adoo got him
to receiue the staffe of that bishoprike, taking it from an altar
whereon it laie (as if he shuld haue that dignitie at the Lords hands)
whereby he was inuested, & went streight to S. Andrews church, where he
was receiued by the quier, the schollers, and all the people, for true
and lawfull bishop.
In this meane while Thurstan nothing slacking his sute in the popes
court, obteined such fauour (wherein the king of England also was
greatlie laboured vnto) that he wrote letters thrice vnto the king of
Scotland, and once vnto the archbishop of Canturburie, that neither the
king should permit Eadmer to be consecrated, nor the archbishop of
Canturburie in any wise consecrate him if he were therevnto required.
Herevpon it came to passe, that finally Eadmer, after he had remained in
Scotland twelue moneths or thereabouts, and perceiued that things went
not as he would haue wished (for that he could not get the kings consent
that he shuld be consecrated of the archbishop of Canturburie, as it was
first meant both by the archbishop and Eadmer) he departed out of
Scotland, and returned againe to Canturburie, there to take further
aduice in all things as cause should mooue him. [Sidenote: King Henrie
returneth into England. _Ran. Higd._ _Wil. Malm._ _Polydor._ _Matth.
Paris._ The kings sonnes and his daughter with other Nobles are drowned
by shipwracke.] In like maner king Henrie, hauing quieted his businesse
in France, returned into England, where he was receiued and welcomed
home with great ioy and triumph; but such publike reioising lasted not
long with him. For indéed, this pleasantnesse and mirth was changed into
mourning, by aduertisement giuen of the death of the kings sons, William
duke of Normandie, and Richard his brother, who togither with their
sister the ladie Marie countesse of Perch, Richard earle of Chester,
with his brother Otwell gouernour to duke William, and the said earle of
Chester his wife the kings neece, the archdeacon of Hereford, Geffrey
Riddle, Robert Manduit, William Bigot, and diuerse other, to the number
of an hundreth and fourtie persons, besides fiftie mariners, tooke ship
at Harflew, thinking to follow the king, and sailing foorth with a south
wind, their ship thorough negligence of the mariners (who had drunke out
their wits & reason) were throwne vpon a rocke, and vtterlie perished on
the coast of England, vpon the 25. of Nouember, so that of all the
companie none escaped but one butcher, who catching hold of the mast,
was driuen with the same to the shore which was at hand, and so saued
from that dangerous shipwracke. [Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._] Duke William
might also haue escaped verie well, if pitie had not mooued him more
than the regard of his owne preseruation. For being gotten into the
shipboat, and lanching toward the land, he heard the skréeking of his
sister in dredfull danger of drowning, and crieng out for succour;
wherevpon he commanded them that rowed the boat to turne backe to the
ship, and to take hir in. [Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ _Matth. Paris._] But
such was the prease of the companie that stroue to leape in with her,
that it streightwaies sanke, so that all those which were alreadie in
the boat were cast awaie.
[Sidenote: Looke in page 39.[12]] ¶ Here (by the way) would be noted the
vnaduised speech of William Rufus to the shipmaister, whom he emboldened
with a vaine and desperat persuasion in tempestuous weather and high
seas to hoise vp sailes; adding (for further encouragement) that he
neuer heard of any king that was drowned. In which words (no doubt) he
sinned presumptuouslie against God, who in due time punished that
offense of his in his posteritie and kinred, euen by the same element,
whose fearsenes he himselfe séemed so little to regard, as if he would
haue commanded the stormes to cease; as we read Christ did in the
gospell by the vertue and power of his word. Here is also to be noted
the variablenes of fortune (as we commonlie call it) or rather the
vncerteine and changeable euent of things, which oftentimes dooth raise
vp (euen in the[13] minds of princes) troblesome thoughts, and gréeuous
passions, to the great empairing of their quietnesse: as here we sée
exemplified in king Henrie, whose mirth was turned into mone, and his
pleasures relished with pangs of pensifenes, contrarie to his
expectation when he was in the midst of his triumph at his returne out
of France into England. So that we see the old adage verified, Miscentur
tristia lætis; and that saieng of an old poet iustified;
[Sidenote: _Hesiod. in lib. cui tit. opera & dies._]
"Sæua nouerca dies nunc est, nunc mater amica."
[Sidenote: 1121. An. Reg. 22] But to returne to the historie. King
Henrie being thus depriued of issue to succeed him, did not a little
lament that infortunate chance: but yet to restore that losse, shortlie
after, euen the 10. of Aprill next ensuing, [Sidenote: _Eadmerus._ _Hen.
Hunt._ The king marieth againe.] he maried his second wife named
Adelicia, a ladie of excellent beautie, and noble conditions, daughter
to the duke of Louaine, and descended of the noble dukes of Loraine,
howbeit he could neuer haue any issue by hir. [Sidenote: _Eadmerus._
The pope writeth to king Henrie, in fauour of the archbishop Thurstan, &
accurseth him with the archbishop of Canturburie.] The archbishop
Thurstan (after the manner of obteining suites in the court of Rome)
found such fauour at the hands of pope Calixt, that he directed his
letters as well to king Henrie, as to Rafe archbishop of Canturburie, by
vertue whereof he accursed them both, and interdicted as well the
prouince of Yorke as Canturburie from the vse of all maner of
sacraments: from baptisme of infants, the penance of them that died
onelie excepted: if archbishop Thurstan were not suffered (within one
moneth next after the receipt of those letters) to inioie his see,
without compelling him to make any promise of subiection at all. The
king to be out of trouble, permitted Thurstan to returne into the
realme, and so repaire vnto Yorke; but with condition, that he should
not exercise any iurisdiction out of his owne diocesse as metropolitane,
till he had confessed his obstinat errour, and acknowleged his obedience
to the church of Canturburie.
[Sidenote: The Welshmen make sturres. _Eadmerus._ The king raiseth an
armie to go against the Welshmen.] Whilest these things were thus a
dooing, king Henrie was aduertised, that the Welshmen breaking the
peace, did much hurt on the marshes, & speciallie in Cheshire where they
had burned two castells. Meaning therefore to be reuenged on them to the
vttermost, he assembled an armie out of all parts of his realme, and
entred with the same into Wales. The Welshmen, hearing that the king was
come with such puissance to inuade them, were afraid, and forthwith sent
ambassadours, beséeching him to grant them pardon and peace. [Sidenote:
The Welshmen sue for peace.] The king mooued with their humble
petitions, tooke hostages of them, & remitted them for that time,
considering that in mainteining of warre against such maner of people,
there was more feare of losse than hope of gaine. [Sidenote: More doubt
of losse than hope of gaine, by the warres against the Welshmen.] But
yet to prouide for the quietnes of his subiects which inhabited néere
the marshes, that they shuld not be ouerrun and harried dailie by them
(as oftentimes before they had béene) he appointed Warren earle of
Shrewesburie to haue the charge of the marshes, that peace might be the
better kept and mainteined in the countrie.
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ A chanell cast from Torksey to Lincolne.] Soone
after king Henrie caused a chanell to be cast along the countrie in
Lincolnshire, from Torksey to the citie of Lincolne, that vessels might
haue passage out of the riuer of Trent vnto the same. [Sidenote: Norham
castell built. _H. Hunt._] Moreouer, Rafe bishop of Durham began to
build the castell of Norham, vpon the bank of the riuer of Twéed.
At this time likewise Foulke Earle of Aniou being now come out of the
holie land (whither he went after the peace was made betwixt king Henrie
and the French king) began to picke a quarrell against king Henrie, for
withholding the iointure of his daughter, who (as before you haue heard)
was married vnto William the kings sonne that was drowned. He also gaue
hir sister in mariage vnto William the sonne of duke Robert, assigning
vnto him the earledome of Maime to enioy in the right of his wife.
[Sidenote: _Polydor._] In the meane time, king Henrie visited the north
parts of his realme, to vnderstand the state of the countrie, and to
prouide for the suertie and good gouernement thereof, as was thought
requisite.
[Sidenote: 1122.] [Sidenote: 13. Kalends of Nouember.] [Sidenote: An.
Reg. 23.] In the yeare next ensuing, the twentith of October, Rafe
archbishop of Canturburie departed this life, after he had ruled that
see the space of 8. yeares, in whose roome succéeded one William
archbishop, who was in number the eight and twentith from Augustine.
Moreouer, Henrie the sonne of earle Blois, who before was abbat of
Glastenburie, was now made bishop of Winchester, a man for his singular
bountie, gentlenesse and modestie greatlie beloued of the English.
But to returne to the affaires of the king. It chanced about this time,
that the parts beyond the sea (being[14] now void of a gouernour (as they
suppose) by meanes of the death of the kings sonne) began to make
commotions. [Sidenote: 1123. An. Reg. 24.] [Sidenote: Robert earle of
Mellent rebelleth. _Hen. Hunt._ The castle of Roan fortified. _Matth.
Paris._] Soone after it came also to passe that Robert earle of Mellent
rebelled against the king, who being spéedilie aduertised thereof,
sailed foorthwith into those quarters, and besieged the castell of
Ponteaudemer perteining to the said earle, and tooke it. About the same
time also the king fortified the castell of Roan, causing a mightie
thick wall with turrets thereabout as a fortification to be made.
Likewise, he repaired the castell of Caen, the castels of Arches,
Gisors, Faleise, Argentone, Damfront, Vernon, Ambres, with others, &
made them strong. [Sidenote: 1124. An. Reg. 25.] [Sidenote: _Polydor._
_H. Hunt._ _Matth. Paris._] In the meane season, the earle of Mellent
(desirous to be reuenged of king Henrie) procured aid where he could,
and so with Hugh earle of Mountfert entred into Normandie, wasting and
destroieng the countrie with fire and sword, thinking yer long to bring
the same to obedience. But the kings chamberlaine and lieutenant in
those parts, named William de Tankeruile, being thereof aduertised, laid
an ambush for them, and training them within the danger thereof, set
vpon them, and after long fight, tooke them twaine prisoners, with
diuers other, and presented them both vnto the king, whereby the warres
ceassed in that countrie for a time.
The king hauing in this maner purchased quietnesse by the sword, gaue
himselfe somewhat to the reformation of his house, and among other
things which he redressed, [Sidenote: Long haire redressed in the court.
_Matth. West._] he caused all his knights and men of warre to cut their
haire short, after the maner of the Frenchmen, whereas before they ware
the same long after the vsage of women.
[Sidenote: 1125. An. Reg. 26.] [Sidenote: Johannes Cremensis a legat
sent into England.] After this also, in the yeare 1125. a cardinall
named Johannes Cremensis was sent into England from pope Honorius the
second, to sée reformation in certeine points touching the church: but
his cheefe errand was to correct preests that still kept their wiues
with them. At his first comming ouer he soiourned in colledges of
cathedrall churches, and in abbeies, addicting himselfe to lucre &
wantonnesse, reaping where he had not sowen. At length, about the feast
of the natiuitie of our ladie, he called a conuocation of the cleargie
at London, where making an oration, he inueihed sore against those of
the spiritualtie that were spotted with any note of incontinencie. Manie
thought themselues touched with his words, who hauing smelled somewhat
of his secret tricks, that whereas he was a most licentious liuer, and
an vnchast person of bodie and mind, vet he was so blinded, that he
could not perceiue the beame in his own eies, whilest he espied a mote
in another mans. Herevpon they grudged, that he should in such wise call
other men to accompts for their honest demeanor of life, which could not
render any good reckoning of his owne: insomuch that they watched him so
narrowlie, that in the euening (after he had blown his horne so lowd
against other men; in declaring that it was a shamefull vice to rise
from the side of a strumpet, and presume to sacrifice the bodie of
Christ) he was taken in bed with a strumpet, to his owne shame and
reproch. [Sidenote: But this shuld not séem to be any iust excuse, for
_M.P._ saith that the same day he consecrated the Lords bodie, &
therefore he must néeds be a préest.] But being reprooued thereof, he
alledged this excuse (as some write) that he was no preest, but a
reformer of preests. Howbeit to conclude, being thus defamed, he got him
backe to Rome againe from whence he came, without any performance of
that whereabout he was sent.
But to returne to king Henrie, who whilest he remained in Normandie
(which was a long time after the apprehension of the two foresaid
earles) vnderstood that his sonne in lawe Henrie the emperour was
departed this life at Utregt, the 23. of Maie last past. [Sidenote:
1126. An. Reg. 27.] Wherevpon he sent for his daughter the empresse to
come ouer vnto him into Normandie, and hauing set his businesse in order
on that side the sea, and taken hir with him, he returned into England
before the feast of S. Michaell, [Sidenote: _Polydor._ An oth taken by
the lords touching the succession of the crowne.] where calling a
parlement, he caused hir by the authoritie of the same to be established
as his lawfull heire and successor, with an article of intaile vpon hir
issue, if it should please God to send hir any at all. At this parlement
was Dauid K. of Scotland, who succéeded Alexander the fierce. Stephan
earle of Morton and Bullongne, and son of Stephan earle of Blois, nephue
to K. Henrie by his sister Adela; these two princes chéefelie tooke
their oth amongst other, to obey the foresaid empresse, as touching hir
right and lawfull claime to the crowne of England. [Sidenote: Stephan
erle of Bullongne the first that offered to receiue the oth.] But
although Stephan was now the first that was to sweare, he became
shortlie after the first that brake that oth for his owne preferment.
¶ Thus it commeth often to passe, that those which receiue the greatest
benefits, doo oftentimes soonest forget to be thankefull.
This Stephan latelie before by his vncle K. Henries meanes, had
purchased & got in marriage the onelie daughter and heire of Eustace
earle of Bullongne, and so after the decease of his father in lawe,
became earle there: and further, had goodlie possessions in England
giuen him by the king, and yet (as farther shall appeare) he kept not
his oth made with K. Henrie. [Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._] Some write that
there rose no small strife betwixt this earle Stephan, & Robert erle of
Glocester, in contending which of them should first receiue this oth:
the one alledging that he was a kings sonne, and the other affirming
that he was a kings nephue.
[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.