Hereupon King William sent against him, first, Roger a Norman, who was traiterously slaine by his owne Souldiers, then Gospatrick, Earle of Gloucester: These did onely represse the enemie, but were not able to finish the warre fully. Lastly, hee went himselfe with a mighty armie into Scotland, where hee made wide waste, and in Lothiam found King Malcolme, prepared both in force and resolution to entertaine him with battell. The great armie of King William, their faire furniture and order, their sudden comming, but especially their firme countenance and readinesse to fight, much daunted the Scots: whereupon King Malcolme sent a Herault to King William, to mooue him to some agreement of peace. The more that the King was pleased herewith, the more hee seemed vnwilling and strange: the more he must be perswaded to that, which if it had not bin offered, he would haue desired. At the last, a peace was concluded, vpon conditions honourable for King William, and not vnreasonable for the King of Scots: whereby all the English were pardoned, who had fled into Scotland, and borne armes against their King.
As for the Welsh, albeit both their courage and their power had been extreamely broken in the time of King Edward, and that by the valour and industry of Harold; yet vpon aduantage of these troubled times, they made some incursions into the borders of England; but in companies so disordered and small, so secretly assaulting, so suddenly retiring, so desirous more of pillage then of blood, that they seemed more like to ordinarie robbers then to enemies in field. Against these the King ledde an armie into Wales, reduced the people both to subiection and quiet, made all the principall men tributary vnto him, receiued pledges of all, for assurance of their obedience and faith.
Whilest the King thus setled his affaires abroad, he secured himselfe against his subiects,[22] not by altering their will, but by taking away their power to rebell. The stoutest of the Nobilitie and Gentlemen were spent, either by warre, or by banishment, or by voluntary auoidance out of the Realme. All these hee stripped of their states, and in place of them aduanced his Normans: insomuch as scarce any noble family of the English blood did beare either office or authoritie within the Realme. And these ranne headlong to seruitude; the more hasty and with the fairer shew, the more either countenanced or safe. These he did assure vnto him, not onely by oath of fidelitie and homage, but either by pledges, or else by reteining them alwaies by his side.
And because at that time the Clergie were the principall strings of the English strength, he permitted not any of the English Nation to be aduanced to the dignities of the Church, but furnished them with Normans, and other strangers. And whereas in times before, the Bishop and Alderman were absolute Iudges in euery Shire, and the Bishop in many causes shared in forfeitures and penalties with the King; he clipped the wings of their Temporall power, and confined them within the limits of their Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction; to maintaine the Canons and customes of the Church, to deale in affaires concerning the soule. He procured Stigand Archbishop of Canterburie, Agelwine Bishop of East-Angles, and certaine other Bishops and Abbots, to be depriued by authoritie from Rome, and deteined them in prison during their liues, that strangers might enioy their places. The matters obiected against Stigand were these.
1 That hee had entruded vpon the Archbishopricke whilest Robert the Archb. was in life.
2 That he receiued his Pall from Benedict the fifth, who for buying the Papacie had bene deposed.
3 That hee kept the Sea of Winchester in his handes, after his inuestiture into the Sea of Canterburie.
He was otherwise also infamous in life; altogether vnlearned, of heauie iudgement and vnderstanding, sottishly seruiceable both to pleasure and sloath; in couetousnesse beneath the basenesse of rusticitie: insomuch as he would often sweare, that he had not one penie vpon the earth, and yet by a key which hee did weare about his necke, great treasures of his were found vnder the ground. And this was a griefe and sicknesse to honest mindes, that such spurious and impure creatures should susteine, or rather destaine the reuerence and maiestie of Religion.
Further, the King caused all the Monasteries and Abbeys to be searched, pretending that the richer sort of the English had layd vp their money in them: vnder colour whereof he discouered the state of all, and bereaued many of their owne treasure. Some of these Religious houses he appropriated wholly to himselfe; of diuers others he seized the liberties, which they redeemed afterward at a very high and excessiue rate. Those Bishopricks and Abbeis which held Baronies, and had bene free before from secular subiection, he reduced vnder the charge of his seruice; appointing how many Souldiers, and of what sort, they should furnish for him and his successours in the time of their warres. Those strangers which he entertained in pay, he dispersed into Religious houses, and some also among the Nobilitie, to be maintained at their charge: whereby he not onely fauoured his owne purse, but had them as a watch, and sometimes as a garrison ouer those, of whose alleageance he stood in doubt.
Now against the inferiour sort of people, knowing right well that hee was generally hated, hee prepared these remedies for his estate: All their armour was taken from them, they were crushed downe with change of calamity, which held them prostrate vnder yoke, and brake the very heart of their courage: leauing them no hope to be relieued, no hope to rise into any degree of libertie, but by yeelding entire obedience vnto him. Those who either resisted or fauoured not his first entrance, he bereaued of all meanes afterward to offend him; holding them downe, and keeping them so lowe, that their very impotencie made him secure. All such as had their hand in any rebellion, albeit they were pardoned their liues, lost their liuings, and became vassals to those Lords to whom their possessions were giuen. And if they attained any thing afterward, they held it onely at the pleasure of their Lords; at the pleasure of their Lords they might bee despoyled.
Hee much condemned the iudgement of Swanus the Dane, sometimes King of England, who permitted those whom hee had vanquished, to retaine their former both authoritie and estates: whereby it happened, that after his death, the inhabitants were of force to expell the strangers, and to quit themselues both from their societie and subiection. Hereupon many seuere lawes were made; diuers of all sorts were put to death, banished, stripped of their wealth, disabled in their bodies by vnusuall variety of punishments; as putting out the eyes, cutting off the hands and such like: not onely to diminish his feares, if they were suspected; but sometimes if they were of wealth, to satisfie therewith either his pleasure or wants. His cruelty made the people rebellious, and their rebellions made him the more cruell; in which case many Innocents were made the oblations of his ambitious feares. Many heauy taxations were imposed vpon them; their ancient Lords were remoued, their ancient lawes and policies of State were dashed to dust; all lay couched vnder the Conquerours sword, to bee newly fashioned by him, as should bee best fitting for his aduantage.