When this writing was read, the bishop of London tooke it, and deliuered it vnto the prior of Canturburie, appointing him to kéepe the same as a 1110. testimoniall for the time to come. Thus was Thomas the archbishop of Yorke consecrated, being the 27. in number that had gouerned that sée, who when he was consecrated, the popes Legate went vnto Yorke, and there deliuered to the same archbishop the pall, wherewith when he was inuested, he departed and returned to Rome, as he was appointed.
At the feast of Christmasse next insuing, the king held his court at London with great solemnitie. The archbishop of Yorke prepared to haue set the crown on the king's head, and to haue soong masse afore him, bicause the archbishops see at Canturburie was void. But the bishop of London would not suffer it, claiming as high deane to the sée of Canturburie to execute that office, and so did, leading the king to the Strife betwixt bishops. church after the maner. Howbeit when they should come to sit downe at dinner, there kindled a strife betwixt the said two bishops about their places, bicause the bishop of London, for that he had beene ordeined long before the archbishop, and therefore not onelie as deane to the see of Canturburie, but also by reason of prioritie, pretended to haue the vpper seat. But the king perceiuing their maner, would not heare them, but commanded them out of his house, and get them to dinner at their innes.
An. Reg. 11. About the same time the cause of the mariage of préests and their keeping of women came againe into question, so that by the kings Préests prohibited to marrie or kéepe women. commandement, they were more streightlie forbidden the companie of women than before in Anselmes time. For after his deceasse, diuerse of them (as it were promising to themselues a new libertie to doo that which in his life time they were constreined sore against their willes to forbeare) deceiued themselues by their hastie dealing. For the king being informed thereof, by the force of the ecclesiasticall lawes compelled them to stand to and obeie the decree of the councell holden at London by Anselme (as before ye haue heard) at least wise in the sight of men. But if so it be (saieth Eadmerus) that the préests attempt to doo worsse, as it were to the condemnation and reproofe of Anselmes dooings, let the charge light on their heads, sith euerie man shall beare his owne burthen: for I know (saith he) that if fornicatours and adulterers God will iudge, the abusers of their one cousins (I will not say their owne sisters and daughters) shall not suerlie escape his iudgement.
The riuer of Trent dried vp. About the same time manie woonders were seene and heard of. The riuer of Trent néere to Notingham, for the space of a mile ceassed to run the woonted course during the time of foure & twentie houres, so that the chanell being dried vp, men might passe ouer to and fro drie shod.
Monsters.
A comet. Wil. Thorne. Matth. West. Also a sow brought foorth a pig with a face like a man, & a chicken was hatched with foure feet. Moreouer a comet or blasing star appéered in a strange sort: for rising in the east, when it once came aloft in the firmament, it kept not the course forward, but seemed to go backeward, as if it had bin retrograde.
Iohn Stow. Robert the kings base son created earle of Glocester. About this season the king maried Robert his base sonne to the ladie Maud, daughter and heire to Robert Fitzham, and withall made his said sonne earle of Glocester, who afterwards builded the castels of Bristow and Cardiff, with the priorie of S. James in Bristow, where his bodie was buried.
1111.
An. Reg. 12. In the yeare following, Foulke earle of Aniou, enuieng the prosperous estate of king Henrie, and lamenting the case of duke Robert, wan the Fabian. The citie of Constances[7] taken. The king passeth into Normandie. citie of Constances, by corrupting certeine of the kings subiects the inhabitants of the same. Whereof king Henrie being aduertised, passed ouer into Normandie, recouered the said citie, punished the offenders, reuenged himselfe of the earle, and returned into England.
1112. Now, as also before, the king continued his inordinate desire of inriching himselfe, for the fulfilling of which hungrie appetite (called Sacra of the poets Per antiphrasin) he pinched manie so sore, that they ceased not to speake verie ill of his dooings. He did also incurre the misliking of verie manie people, bicause he kept still the sée of Canturburie in his hands, and would not bestow it, for that he found sweetnesse in all the profits and reuenues belonging therevnto, during The archbishops sée of Canturburie in the kings hand foure years. the time that it remained vacant, which was the space of foure yeares, 1113.
An. Reg. 13. or thereabouts. In like maner, when he was admonished to place some méet man in the roome, he would saie, that he was willing to bestow it, but he tooke the longer time, for that he meant to find such a one to prefer therto as should not be too far behind Lanfranke and Anselme in doctrine, vertue and wisedome. And sith there was none such yet to be found, he suffered that sée to be void till such could be prouided. This The kings excuse. excuse he pretended, as though he were more carefull for the placing of a worthie man, than of the gaine that followed during the time of the 1114.
An. Reg. 14. vacation. Howbeit not long after, he translated one Richard bishop of London to that archbishoprike, who enioieng it but a while, he gaue the Eadmerus. same to one Rafe then bishop of Rochester, and made him archbishop of Canturburie, being the 35. in order that ruled that see. He was elected at Windsor the 26. daie of Aprill, and on the 16. daie of Maie installed at Canturburie, great preparation being made for the feast which was holden at the same. Soone after likewise he sent for his pall to Rome, which was brought from Paschall by one Anselme nephue vnto the late The popes authoritie not regarded in England. archbishop Anselme. About this time also the pope found himselfe gréeued, for that his authoritie was but little estéemed in England, & for that no persons were permitted to appeale to Rome in cases of controuersie, and for that (without seeking to obteine his licence and consent) they did kéepe their synods & councels about ecclesiasticall affaires, neither would obeie such Legats as he did send, nor come to the conuocations which they held. In so much that one Cono the popes Legat in France had excommunicated all the préests of Normandie, bicause they would not come to a synod which they had summoned. Wherevpon the king being somewhat troubled, by aduice of his councell, sent the bishop The bishop of Excester sent to Rome. of Excester to Rome, (though he were then blind) to talke with the pope concerning that matter.
Thurstane archbishop of Yorke. Not long after this Thomas the archbishop of Yorke died: after whom succeeded Thurstane, a man of a loftie stomach, but yet of notable learning, who euen at the verie first began to contend with Rafe the archbishop of Canturburie about the title and right of the primasie. And though the king aduised him to stand to the order which the late archbishops of Yorke had obserued, yet he would not staie the matter, sith he saw that archbishop Rafe being sicke and diseased, could not attend to preuent his dooings. Thurstane therfore consecrated certeine Giles Aldane bishop of S. Ninian. bishops of Scotland, and first of all Giles Aldane the elect bishop of S. Ninian, who promised and tooke his oth (as the manner is) to obeie him in all things as his primate.
Floriacensis. Wigorniensis.
Worcester burnt.
Polydor.
The Welshmen inuade the english marshes. K. Henrie entreth into Wales with an armie. The citie of Worcester about this season was by a casuall fire almost wholie burnt vp and consumed. Which mishap, bicause that citie ioineth néere vnto Wales, was thought to be a signification of troubles to folow by the insurrection of the Welshmen: who conceiuing hope of good speed by their good successe in the wars held with William Rufus, began now to inuade & waste the English marshes. Whervpon king Henrie desirous to tame their hautie stomachs (bicause it was a gréefe to him still to be vexed with such tumults and vprisings as they dailie procured) assembled a mightie armie and went into Wales. Now bicause he knew the Welshmen trusted more to the woods and mountains, than to their owne strength, he beset all the places of their refuge with armed men, and sent into the woods certeine bands to laie them waste, & to hunt the Welsh out of their holes. The soldiours (for their parts) néeded no exhortation: for remembring the losses susteined afore time at the Welshmens hands, they shewed well by their fresh pursute, how much they desired to be reuenged, so that the Welsh were slaine on each hand, and that in great numbers, till the king perceiued the huge slaughter, & saw that hauing throwne away their armour and weapons, they sought to saue themselues by flight, he commanded the souldiours to ceasse from killing, and to take the residue that were left prisoners, if they would yéeld themselues: which they did, and besought the king of his mercie and grace to pardon and forgiue them.