Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (2 of 6): England (03 of 12) / Henrie I.

Henrie the yoongest sonne to William the first, brother to Rufus latelie departed, the first of that name that ruled heere in England, & for his An. Reg. 1. 1100. knowledge in good literature surnamed Beauclerke, was admitted king by the whole assent of the lords and commons, and began his reigne ouer England the first of August, in the yeare after the creation of the world 1067. after the birth of our Sauiour 1100. and 44. of the emperour Henrie the fourth, Paschall the second then gouerning the sée of Rome, Wil. Thorne. Geruasius Dorobernensis. which was about the 51. yeare of Philip the first of that name king of France, and in the beginning of the reigne of Edgar king of Scotland. This king was consecrated and crowned at Westminster, the fift daie of August, by Thomas archbishop of Yorke, and Maurice bishop of London, bicause at that time Anselme archbishop of Canturburie was exiled. This prince had aforehand trained the people to his humor and veine, in Matth. Paris. bringing them to thinke well of him, and to conceiue a maruellous euill opinion of his brother duke Robert, persuading them moreouer, that the said duke was likelie to prooue a sharpe and rigorous gouernour, if he once obteined the crowne and dominion of the land. Moreouer, he caused to be reported for a certeine truth, that the same Robert was alreadie created king of Jerusalem. And therefore considering that the kingdome of Palestine (as the rumor ran) was of greater reuenues than that of England, there was no cause why they should staie for him, who would not willinglie leaue the greater for the lesser. By which meanes the Nobilitie and Commons were the sooner persuaded to decline from the election of the said Robert, and to receiue his brother Henrie for their lawfull king, who on the other side ceased not to promise mountaines, till his enterprise tooke effect; and then at leisure paied some of them with molhils as by the sequele of the storie shall more at large appéere.
This Henrie therefore comming thus to the crowne, considered furthermore with himselfe, that hereafter, when his eldest brother Robert should returne, and vnderstand how the matter was brought about, he would thinke himselfe to haue had much wrong, and béene verie euill dealt withall, sith that as well by birthright, as also by agréement made with his brother William Rufus, he ought of right to be preferred, and therevpon would not faile but make earnest claime against him. Wherefore yer he should come home out of the holie land (where he then remained) the king studied by all possible The king séeketh to win the peoples fauour. meanes how to gratifie all the states of his realme, & to plant in their harts some good opinion of him. And first of all he reformed such things as his brother had left verie preiudiciall to the estate of the church, setting the same frée which before was sore oppressed. And furthermore, somewhat to reléeue the Simon Dun. Hen. Hunt. Matth. Paris. Anselme called home. Wil. Malm. William Gifford bishop of Winchester. Hen. Hunt. common-wealth, he promised to restore the lawes of good king Edward, and to abolish or amend those which by his father and brother were alreadie ordeined to the hurt & preiudice of the old ancient liberties of the realme of England. He reuoked Anselme the archbishop of Canturburie out of exile, who fled (as yee haue heard) to auoid the wrath of king William. Moreouer, he placed in the see of Winchester, one William Gifford, a graue and discréet person, and also ordeined moonkes of honest reputation to be abbats in certeine abbies which had beene long void, and in the hands of William his brother: in like maner he remitted certeine paiments which his brother and predecessour had caused to be raised by waie of taxes and customes. Besides this, on the 8. daie of Rafe bishop of Durham committed to the Tower. Simon Dun. The first ordeining of the yard measure. Wil. Malm. September, he committed Rafe bishop of Durham to the Tower of London, by whose lewd counsell his said brother being seduced, had in his life time doone manie oppressions to his people. He ordeined also that one length of measuring should be vsed through this realme, which was a yard, appointing it to be cut after the length of his owne arme. Manie other things he redressed, to the contentation and commoditie of his subiects, who gaue God thanks that he had in such wise deliuered them out of the hands of cruell extortioners.