Now the day was come wherein Henrie was appointed to receiue his money at Roan, from the Duke of Normandie. But as affaires of Princes haue great variations, so they are not alwayes constant in their Counsels. And so the Duke, caried by his occasions, and ready to lay downe his faith and word more to the traine of times, then to the preseruation of his honour; instead of paying the money, committed his brother Henry to prison: from whence he could not be released, vntill hee renounced the Countie of Constantine, and bound himselfe by oath neuer to claime any thing in Normandie.
Henrie complained hereof to Philip King of France; who gaue him a faire enterteinement in his Court, but was content rather to feede then finish the contention: either expecting thereby some opportunitie to himselfe, or els the opinion of his owne greatnesse not suffring him to feare, that others might grow to haue fortune against him. Henry had not long remained in the Court of France, but a Normane Knight named Hacharde conueyed him disguised into Normandie; where the Castle of Damfronç was deliuered vnto him; and in short time after hee gate all the Countrey of Passays, and a good part of Constantine; either without resistance, or without difficultie and perill.
Hereupon the Duke leuied his forces, and earnestly assayed to recouer Damfronç: but then hee found that his brother Henrie was secretly, yet surely vnderset by the king of England. Hereupon, incensed with the furie of an iniuried minde, hee exclaimed against his brother of England, and almost proclaimed him a violator of his league. On the other side, the King of England iustified his action, for that hee was both a meanes and a partie to the agreement: and therefore stood bound in honour, not onely to vrge, but to enforce performance. So the flame brake foorth more furious then it was before, and ouer went King William with an able armie; where hee found the Duke also in good condition of strength commanding the field. And albeit in so neere approach of two mighty enemies, equall both in ambition and power, it is hard to conteine men of seruice; yet was nothing executed betweene them, but certaine light skirmishes, and surprizements of some places of defence. In the end, the King hearing of new troubles in England, and the Duke finding himselfe vnable either to preuaile with few souldiers, or to maintaine many, and both distrusting to put a speedie end to the warre; they were easily drawne to capitulations of peace. And thus ended the contention betweene these brethren; who vntill this time had continued like the waues of the Sea, alwayes in motion, and one beating against the other.
Besides these businesses which befell the King, against his Nobilitie, against the Duke of Normandie his brother, and against the King and nation of the Scots; the Welshmen also (who alwayes struggled for libertie and reuenge) perceiuing that the King was often absent, and much entangled with hostile affaires; enforced the fauour of that aduantage, to free themselues from subiection of the English, and happily to enlarge or enrich themselues vpon them. So hauing both desire and opportunitie, they wanted not meanes to assemble in armes, to expell the English that were amongst them, and to cast downe the Castles erected in their Countrey, as the principall yoakes of their subiection. Afterwards, rising in boldnesse with successe, they made diuers incursions vpon the bordering parts of England; spoiled the Citie of Glocester, and exercised all those outrages, which vnciuill people, incensed both with want and with hate doe not vsually omit. But being a company neither in discipline nor pay, raw and vnarmed, they proceeded more like to robbers then to Souldiers; hauing no intention to vanquish, but to spoile.
Hereupon the King twice in person inuaded Wales, but with small shew of successe for the present. For the Welsh-enemies scattered the warre, by diuiding themselues into small companies, and retiring into the mountaines and woods, and other places of naturall defence. Here they trauailed the King with a fugitiue fight; flying when they were pursued, and houering vpon him when they were giuen ouer: cutting off many stragling souldiers, and taking some carriages, which in those rough places could not easily either be passed, or defended. And so by shifting alwayes into places of aduantage, they sought at one time, both to auoyd fighting, and to hinder the King from doing any thing of importance. At the last, the King hauing made sufficient proofe how vaine it is, to follow a light footed enemie with a heauie Armie, pestered with traine of carriage, in places where the seruice of horsemen is almost vnprofitable; he gaue ouer the pursuit, and retired into England. But first he repaired those Castles which the Welsh had destroyed, and built new Castles also vpon the frontiers and within the bosome of Wales; which he furnished with so sure garrisons, as might suffice with fauour of opportunitie, either to weary or consume the enemies.
And indeed the Welsh being by this meanes, alwayes exercised, and dayly wasted; declined in short time, no lesse to cowardise then to wearinesse and wants; so as Hugh Earle of Chester, & Hugh Earle of Shrewesbury, dispossessed them of the Isle of Anglesey, which they had surprised not long before. The Welsh that were there taken, were very hardly, or rather vnmercifully and cruelly entreated; Some had their eyes pulled out, some their hands cut off, some their armes, some their noses, some their genitalles. An aged Priest named Kenredus, who had bene a chiefe directer of the common affaires, was drawne out of a Church whereinto he had fled, had one of his eyes pulled out, and his tongue torne from his throat. I make no doubt but these seuerities were vsed against them, vpon some sauage outrages which they had done; wherein the lesse compassion was borne to their calamities, for the cowardise which they shewed in their owne defence.
Shortly after, Magnus King of Norway the sonne of Olaus, the sonne of Harold Harfager, hauing brought the Isles of Orkeney vnder his dominion, subdued also from the Welsh the Isle of Man; and enterprised vpon the Isle of Anglesey against the English. But at his landing he was encountred by the Earle of Shrewsbury and the Earle of Chester; in which fight the Norwegians were vanquished and repelled, but the Earle of Shrewsbury with too braue boldnesse lost his life: leauing his honourable both actions and end as an excellent ornament to his posteritie. Afterwards the Earle of Chester led an armie into Wales; and found the people so consumed by the English garisons, that he easily reduced many to professe obedience to the Crowne of England; and disabled others, hauing no leaders of experience and valour, for shewing their faces as enemies in the field.
Also vpon some variances which did rise betweene Iustinus, sonne to Gurguntus, Earle of Glamorgane and Morganock; and Rhesus sonne to Theodore Prince of Southwales: Iustinus, not of power to maintaine either his right or his will, sent Æneas, sonne to Genidorus, sometimes Lord of Demetia, to craue aide in England. This he obtained, not onely readily, but in greater measure then the seruice did require. Robert Fitzhamond was generall Commander of the English armie; who encountred Rhesus at a place called Blackhill; and in that fight Rhesus was slaine: after whose death the name of King ceased in Wales. Then Iustinus failing, and happily not able to performe such conditions as in necessitie hee had assured, Fitzhamond turned his forces against him; chased the Welsh out of the champaine Countrey, and diuided the same among his principall Gentlemen. These erected Castles, in places conuenient for their mutuall ayde; and so well defended themselues, that they left the Countrey to their posterity. Thus was the Lordship of Glamorgane and Morganock, which conteineth 27. miles in length, & 22. in bredth, subdued to the English; giuing example how dangerous it is for any people, to call in a greater force of strangers to their ayde, then being victorious, they may easily be able to limit and restraine. This being a Lordship marcher, hath enioyed royall liberties, since the time wherein it was first subdued. It hath acknowledged seruice and obedience onely to the Crowne. It hath had the triall of all actions, as well reall as personall, and also held Pleas of the Crowne; with authority to pardon all offences, Treason onely excepted.