Againe, hee did not settle himselfe in the chaire of Soueraignetie, as one that had reduced all things to the proud power and pleasure of a Conquerour, but as an vniuersall successor of former Kings, in all the rights and priuiledges which they did enioy. Hee was receiued for King by generall consent; He was crowned with all Ceremonies and Solemnities then in vse; Hee tooke an oath in the presence of the Clergie, the Nobilitie, and of much people, for defence of the Church, for moderate and carefull gouernement, and for vpright administration of iustice.
Lastly, during the whole course of his gouernement, the kingdome receiued no vniuersall change, no losse or diminution of honour. For, neither were the olde inhabitants expelled, as were the Britaines; neither was the kingdome either subiected or annexed to a greater: but rather it receiued encrease of honour, in that a lesse State was adioyned vnto it. The change of customes was not violent and at once, but by degrees, and with the silent approbation of the English; who haue alwaies been inclinable to accommodate themselues to the fashions of France. The grieuances and oppressions were particular, and with some appearance either of iustice, or of necessitie for the common quiet; such as are not vnusuall in any gouernement moderately seuere. So the change was chiefly in the stemme and familie of the King: which whether it be wrought by one of the same nation (as it was in France by Pepine and Capett) or by a stranger, (as in the same Countrey by Henry 5. and Henry 6. Kings of England) it bringeth no disparagement in honour; it worketh no essentiall change. The State still remained the same, the solid bodie of the State remained still English: the comming in of many Normans, was but as Riuers falling into the Ocean; which change not the Ocean, but are confounded with the waters thereof.
This King had by his wife Matild, daughter to Baldwine Earle of Flanders, foure sonnes; Robert, Richard, William and Henrie: Hee had also fiue daughters; Cicely, Constance, Adela, Margaret and Elianor.
Robert his eldest sonne surnamed Courtcuise, by reason of the shortnesse of his thighs, succeeded him in the duchie of Normandie. He was a man of exceeding honourable courage and spirit, for which cause he was so esteemed by the Christian Princes in the great warre against the Saracens, that when they had subdued the Citie and territorie of Hierusalem, they offered the kingdome thereof first vnto him. Yet afterwards, either by the malice of his Fortune, or for that he was both suddaine and obstinate in his owne aduise (two great impediments that valour cannot thriue) he receiued many foiles of his enemies, which shall be declared in their proper place. Before the King made his descent into England, hee gaue the duchie of Normandie vnto him: but whether he did this onely to testifie his confidence, or whether afterwards his purpose changed, being often demanded to performe this gift, he would neither deny nor accomplish his word, but enterposed many excuses and delayes; affirming that he was not so surely setled in England, but the duchie of Normandie was necessary vnto him, both for supply for his seruices (which he found like Hydraes heads to multiply by cutting off) and also for an assured place for retreit, in case hee should be ouercharged with extremities. Hereupon Robert vnable to linger and pine in hopes, declared openly against him in armes. Philip King of France was ready to put fuell to the flame; who as he neuer fauoured in his owne iudgement the prosperous encreases of the King of England, so then he was vigilant to embrace all occasions, either to abate or limit the same. And thus Robert both encouraged and enabled by the King of France, inuaded Normandie, and permitted his souldiers licentiously to wast; to satisfie those by spoile, which by pay he was not able to maintaine. At the last he encountred the King his father in a sharpe conflict, before the castle of Gerberie, wherein the King was vnhorsed and wounded in the arme; his second sonne William was also hurt, and many of his souldiers slaine. And albeit Robert so soone as he knew his father by his voyce, allighted forthwith, mounted him vpon his owne horse, and withdrew him out of the medley; yet did he cast vpon his sonne a cruell curse, which lay so heauie vpon him, that he neuer prospered afterward in any thing which hee vndertooke. And although after this he was reconciled to his father, and imployed by him in seruices of credit and weight, yet did the King often bewray of him an vnquiet conceit, often did he ominate euill vnto him: yea, a little before his death he openly gaue forth, That it was a miserable Countrey which should be subiect to his dominion, for that he was a proud and foolish knaue, and to be long scourged by cruell Fortune.
Richard had erected the good expectation of many, as well by his comely countenance and behauiour, as by his liuely and generous spirit. But he died yong by misaduenture, as he was hunting within the New-forrest, before he had made experiment of his worth. Some affirme that he was goared to death by the Deere of that Forrest, for whose walke his father had dispeopled that large compasse of ground: others report, that as he rode in chase, hee was hanged vpon the bough of a tree by the chaps: others more probably doe write, that he perished by a fal from his horse. He was buried at Winchester with this inscription: Hic iacet Richardus filius Wilielmi senioris Berniæ Dux.
William did succeed next to his father in the Kingdome of England. To Henry, the King gaue at the time of his death fiue thousand pounds out of his treasure; but gaue him neither dignitie nor lands: foretelling, that hee should enioy the honour of both his brothers in time, and farre excel them both in dominion and power. Whether this was deuised vpon euent; or whether some doe prophesie at their death; or whether it was coniecturally spoken; or whether to giue contentment for the present; it fell out afterward to be true. For hee succeeded William in the Kingdome of England, and wrested Normandie out of the possession of Robert. Of these two I shall write more fully hereafter.
His daughter Cicelie was Abbesse of Caen in Normandie. Constance was married to Allen Fergant Earle of Britaine. Adela was wife to Stephen Earle of Blois, to whom she bare Stephen, who after the death of Henry was King of England. Margaret was promised in marriage to Harold; she died before hee attained the Kingdome, for which cause he held himselfe discharged of that oath which he had made to the Duke her father. Elianor was betroathed to Alphonso King of Gallicia; but she desired much to die a Virgine: for this she daily prayed, and this in the end she did obtaine. After her death her knees appeared brawnie and hard, with much kneeling at her deuotions. Assuredly it will be hard to find in any one Familie, both greater Valour in sonnes, and more Vertue in daughters.
In the beginning of this Kings reigne, either no great accidents did fall, or else they were obscured with the greatnesse of the change: none are reported by the writers of that time.
In the fourth yeere of his reigne, Lanfranke Abbot of Caen in Normandie, but borne in Pauie, a Citie of Lumbardie, was made Archbishop of Canterbury: And Thomas a Norman, and Chanon of Bayon was placed in the Sea of Yorke. Between these two a controuersie did arise at the time of their consecration, for prioritie in place: but this contention was quieted by the King, and Thomas for the time subscribed obedience to the Archb. of Canterbury. After this they went to Rome for their Palles, where the question for Primacie was againe renued, or as some affirme, first moued before Pope Alexander. The Pope vsed them both with honorable respect, and especially Lanfrank, to whom he gaue two Palles, one of honour, and the other of loue: but their controuersie he referred to be determined in England.
About two yeeres after it was brought before the King and the Clergie at Windsore. The Archbishop of Yorke alleadged, that when the Britaines receiued the Christian faith, in the time of Lucius their King Eleutherius then Bishop of Rome, sent Faganus and Damianus vnto them, who ordeined 28. Bishops, and two Archbishops within the Realme, one of London, and the other of Yorke. Vnder these the Church of Britaine was gouerned almost three hundred yeeres, vntill they were subdued by the Saxons. The Saxons remained Infidels vntill Gregorie Bishop of Rome sent Augustine vnto them. By his preaching Ethelbert King of Kent was first conuerted to the Christian faith: By reason whereof Augustine was made Archbishop of Douer, by appointment of Pope Gregorie; who sent vnto him certaine Palles with his letter from Rome. By this letter it is euident, that Gregorie intended to reduce the Church of the Saxons to the same order wherein it was among the Britaines; namely, to be vnder twelue Bishops and two Archbishops; one of London and the other of Yorke. Indeede he gaue to Augustine during his life, authority and iurisdiction ouer all Bishops and Priests in England: but after his decease he ioyneth these two Metropolitanes in equall degree, to constitute Bishops, to ouersee the Church, to consult and dispose of such things as appertaine to the gouernement thereof, as in former times among the Britaines. Betweene these he put no distinction in honour, but only as they were in prioritie of time: and as he appointeth London to be consecrated by no Bishop, but of his own Synod, so he expresseth, that the Bishop of Yorke should not bee subiect to the Bishop of London. And albeit Augustine for the reason before mentioned, translated the Sea from London to Douer, yet if Gregorie had intended to giue the same authoritie to the successours of Augustine which hee gaue vnto him, he would haue expressed it in his Epistle: but in that he maketh no mention of his successours, he concludeth, or rather excludeth them by his silence.