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 Matth. Paris. kings head, at his going to the church: but he was put backe with no small reproch; and his chapleine (whom he appointed[15] to beare his crosse Strife betwixt the prelates for preheminence. 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.
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, Lewes the French king made William the sonne of duke Robert Curthose earle of Flanders, as the next William sonne to Robert Curthose made erle of Flanders 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.
The empresse Maud married to the earle of Aniou. Ger. Dor. After this, bicause he was in dispaire to haue issue by his second wife, about Whitsuntide he sent ouer his daughter Maud the empresse into Normandie, that she might be married vnto Geffrey Plantagenet earle of Aniou, and in August after he followed himselfe. Now the matter went so forward, that the mariage was celebrated betwixt the said earle and empresse vpon the first sundaie in Aprill, which fell vpon the third of the moneth, and in the 27. of his reigne.
An. Reg. 28. In the yeare ensuing, king Henrie meaning to cause the French king to Matth. Paris. withdrawe his helping hand from his nephue William earle of Flanders, passed foorth of Normandie with an armie, and inuading France, remained 1128. for the space of eight daies at Hipard, in as good quiet as if he had béene within his owne dominions, and finallie obteined that of the French king which he sought for; namelie, his refusall to aid his nephue the said earle of Flanders. Who at length contending with other that An. Reg. 29. claimed the earldome, chanced this yeare to be wounded, as he pursued Ia. Meir. his enimies vnto the walls of a towne called Albust, and soone after died of the hurt the 16. of August.
¶ It was thought that the great felicitie of king Henrie was the chiefe William earle of Flanders deceaseth of a wound. occasion of this earles death, who meant (if he might haue brought his purpose to passe, and be once quietlie set in the dominion of Flanders) to haue attempted some great enterprise against king Henrie for the The fortunat & good hap of K. Henrie. recouerie of Normandie, and deliuerie of his father out of prison. Which was knowen well inough to king Henrie, who mainteined those that made him warre at home, both with men and monie; namelie, William of Hypres, William de Hypres. who tooke vpon him as regent in the name of Stephan earle of Bullongne, whome king Henrie procured to make claime to Flanders also, in the title of his grandmother queene Maud, wife to William Conqueror. But to procéed with our historie.
1129.
An. Reg. 30. When king Henrie had sped his businesse in Normandie, where he had remained a certeine space, both about the conclusion and solemnizing of the mariage made betwixt his daughter Maud the empresse and the earle of Aniou, and also to see the end of the wars in Flanders, he now returned into England, where he called a great councell or parlement at London, 1130.
An. Reg. 31. in August: wherein (amongst other things) it was decreed, that préests, Matth. Paris. Polydor. An act against vnchast préests. which liued vnchastlie, should be punished, and that by the kings permission, who hereby tooke occasion to serue his owne turne: for he regarded not the reformation which the bishops trusted (by his plaine dealing) would haue followed, but put those préests to their fines that were accused, and suffered them to kéepe their wiues still in house with them, which offended the bishops greatlie, who would haue had them sequestred asunder.
After this parlement ended, the king kept his Christmasse at Worcester, and his Eastermasse following at Woodstocke, where a certeine noble man named Geffrey Clinton was accused to him of high treason. In this 31. yeare of king Henries reigne, great death and murren of cattell began in this land so vniuersallie in all places, that no towne nor village Wil. Malm. In nouella historia. Polydor. escaped frée: and long it was before the same discontinued or ceased. King Henrie passing ouer into Normandie, was troubled with certeine strange dreames or visitations in his sléepe. For as he thought, he saw a multitude of ploughmen with such tooles as belong to their trade and occupation; after whom came a sort of souldiers with warlike weapons: and last of all, bishops approching towards him with their crosier staues readie to fall vpon him, as if they meant to kill him. Now when he awaked, he lept foorth of his bed, got his sword in his hand, & called his seruants to come & helpe him. Neuerthelesse, repressing those perturbations, and somewhat better aduising himselfe, partlie by his owne reason and partlie by the counsell of learned gentlemen, was persuaded to put such fantasies awaie, and was admonished withall, that whilest he had time and space here on earth, he should redeeme his passed offenses and sinnes committed against God, with repentance, almesdéeds, and abstinence. Wherefore being moued herewith, he began to practise an amendment of his former lewd life.
¶ Here it shall not be amisse to compare the two sonnes of William the Conquerour; namelie William Rufus, and Henrie Beauclerke togither; and to consider among other euents the supernaturall dreames wherewith they were admonished, to excellent good purpose (no doubt) if they could haue applied them to the end whereto they were directed. For William Rufus (as you shall read in pag. 44.[16]) neglecting to be admonished by a dredfull dreame wherewith he was troubled, shortlie after receiued his deaths wound by casualtie or chancemedlie, euen in the prime of his pastime and disport. This other brother H. Beauclerke had the like warnings by the same meanes, and (to a good effect) as the learned doo gather. Their rash opinion therefore is much to be checked, which contemne dreames as meere delusorie, alledging by waie of disproofe an old erronious verse:
Somnia ne cures, nam fallunt plurima plures,