[244] This act is recorded in Liber Eliensis (lib. secundus, p. 245) “Ad monasterium denique veniens longe a sancto corpore virginis stans marcam auri super altare projecit, propius accedere non ausus, verebatur sibi a Deo judicium inferri pro malis quæ sui in loco patraverant.” The reader will form his own judgment on this religious (?) act of a man who demanded 1000 marks from an almost destitute monastery and offered one at the shrine of the saint. But the writer oddly charges William with offering a clipped coin whereas it appears that it was because the 700 marks, which the conqueror at first demanded, were of light weight [“dolo nummulariorum (money-lenders) dragma fraudata minus recti ponderis examinata invenitur habuisse,”—Lib. Elien., 246] that he claimed 300 more as a punishment to the monks.
[245] See [note], p. [445].
[246] See [Note] page [404].
[247] Thurstan died in 1076 (Lib. Elien. p. 243.) The king thereupon seized the valuables that remained in the monastery.
[248] Theodwin, a monk of Jumièges, was then appointed, and he insisted upon the restoration of all the gold and silver jewels. “Hic abbas industria sua priusquam abbatiam intraret ad eam revocavit totum quod in auro et argento et lapidibus ante illius promotionem rex inde abstulerat, nolens eam ullo modo suscipere, nisi rex jusserat auferri juberet referri.” (Lib. Elien., II. 113.)
[249] See [Note] page [439].
[250] It is remarkable that in Geoffrey Gaimar’s Metrical Chronicle we have mention of only one wife, Alftrude, who is there represented as having sent to Hereward on several occasions inviting him to visit her (we suppose at Eye). She inherited her father’s domain which she promised to bestow upon Hereward if he would marry her. He would then be able to continue his contest against the French. But this marriage seems to have led to a peace with the king and to Hereward’s joining William in subduing the revolted province of Maine. Here is the passage from Gaimar:— “Co fu Alftrued ki co mandout A Hereward, ke mult amout; Par plusurs faiz tant le manda Ke Hereward s’en apresta. Vers li alat od mult grant gent, Triwes aveit tut veirement, Al rei se deveit acorder; Dedenz cel mais deveit passer La mer pur guerreier Mansels, Ki ont al rei toleit chastels.” Although the genealogists say that Alftrude had a daughter whose name was Turfrida, the date does not agree with Gaimar’s account.
[251] The genealogists say a daughter, not a son, who was named Turfrida, born 1063. The reader should consult a paper, entitled “Hereward the Saxon Patriot,” by the Rev. E. Trollope, M.A., in Associated Architectural Societies’ Reports and Papers, Vol. VI. 1871, which contains the Genealogy of the Wake family. The living representative is Sir Herewald Wake, Bart., Northamptonshire.
[252] In the year that the Isle of Ely was reduced, Malcolm III. of Scotland married Margaret the Saxon, that is in 1071. Malcolm had committed ravages in Northumbria and given shelter to Eadgar Ætheling, his wife’s brother. Here was sufficient cause for William to reduce Scotland to submission. It was not immediately after the conquest of the Isle, but in Aug., 1072, that the conqueror went to Scotland, for his presence was required in Normandy early in 1072; therefore, the soldiers and ships were not drawn immediately from the Fen district to the Scotch invasion.
[253] Supposed to have been missing from the Gesta Herewardi, before mentioned in [note] p. [439] as Vita Herewardi, in which MS. our hero is styled Inclytus Miles, as also on page 459 following.