The next yeere Osmund Bishop of Salisbury finished the Cathedrall Church of old Salisburie; and the fifth day after the Consecration, the steeple thereof was fired with lightning.
The yeere following much raine fell, and so great frosts ensued, that riuers were passable with loaden carts.
The yeere next ensuing was exceeding remarkeable both for the number and fashion of gliding Starres, which seemed to dash together in maner of a conflict.
About this time Pope Vrbane assembled a Councell at Cleremont in Auergne, wherein hee exhorted Christian Princes to ioyne in action for recouery of Palestine, commonly called The Holy Land, out of the seruile possession of the Saracenes. This motion was first set on foote, and afterwards pursued by Peter the Heremite of Amiens; which falling in an age both actiue and Religious, was so generally embraced, as it drew 300000. men to assemble together from diuers Countreys; and that with such sober and harmlesse behauiour, that they seemed rather Pilgrimes then Souldiers. Among others, Robert Duke of Normandie addressed himselfe to this Voyage; and to furnish his expenses therein, he layed his Duchie of Normandie to gage to his brother of England for 6666. li. or as other Authors report, for 13600. pounds of Siluer.
This money was taken vp part by imposition, and part by loane, of the most wealthy inhabitants within the Realme: But especially the charge was layd vpon religious persons, for that it was to furnish a religious warre. When many Bishops and Abbots complained, that they were not able to satisfie such summes of money as the King demanded of them, vnles they should sel the Chalices & siluer vessels which pertained to their Churches. Nay answered the King, you may better make meanes with the siluer and gold which vainely you haue wrapped about dead mens bones; meaning thereby their rich Relickes and Shrines.
The yeare following a blasing starre appeared, for the space of fifteene dayes together; the greatest bush whereof pointed towards the East, and the lesser towards the West. Gliding starres were often seene, which seemed to dart one against another. The people began (as to mindes fearefull all fancies seeme both weightie and true) to make hard constructions of these vnusuall sights; supposing that the heauens did threaten them, not accustomed to shew it selfe so disposed, but towards some variation.
In the 13. yeere of his reigne, the Sea surmounted his vsuall bounds, in diuers parts of England and Scotland: whereby not only fields, but many villages, castles, and townes were ouerflowen, and some ouerturned, and some ouerwhelmed with sand; much people, and almost innumerable cattel was destroyed. At the same time certaine lands in Kent, which did once belong to Godwine Earle of Kent, were ouerflowed and couered with sand, which to this day do beare the name of Godwins sands. Thunders were more frequent & terrible then had been vsuall; through violence whereof diuers persons were slaine. Many feareful formes and apparitions are reported to haue bin seene; whether errours, or inuentions, or truethes, I will not aduow. The heauens often seemed to flame with fire. At Finchamsted[75] in Barkeshire neere vnto Abington, a spring cast vp a liquor for the space of fifteene dayes, in substance and colour like vnto blood; which did taint and infect the next water brooke whereinto it did runne. The King was often terrified in his sleepe with vncouth, ougly, vnquiet dreames: and many fearefull visions of others were oftentimes reported vnto him. At the same time hee held in his handes three Bishoprickes, Canterburie, Winchester, and Salisburie; and twelue Abbeys.
The same yeere vpon the second of August, a little before the falling of the Sunne, as the King was hunting within the newe forrest, at a place called Choringham (where since a Chappell hath beene erected) hee strooke a Deere lightly with an arrow. The Deere ranne away, and the King stayed his horse to looke after it; holding his hand ouer his eyes, because the beames of the Sunne (which then drew somewhat lowe) much dazeled his sight. Herewith another Deere crossed the way; whereat a certaine Knight, named Sir Walter Tirrell, aimed with an arrow: and loosing his bowe, either too carelessly at the Deere, or too steadily at the King, strooke him therewith full vpon the brest. The King hauing so receiued the wound, gaue foorth a heauie groane, and presently fell downe dead; neither by speach nor motion expressing any token of life. Onely so much of the arrowe as was without his bodie was found broken; whether with his hand, or by his fall, it is not certainely knowen. The men that were neere vnto him (especially Sir Walter Tirrell) galloped away; some for astonishment, others for feare. But a fewe collecting themselues returned againe, and layd his bodie vpon a Colliers Cart, which by aduenture passed that way; wherin it was drawen by one leane euill-fauoured, base beast, to the Citie of Winchester; bleeding abundantly all the way, by reason of the rude iogging of the Carte. The day following hee was buried, without any funerall pompe, with no more then ordinarie solemnities, in the Cathedrall Church or Monasterie of Saint Swithen; vnder a plaine flat marble stone, before the Lectorne in the Quire. But afterwards his bones were translated, and layd by King Canutus bones.
Most writers doe interprete this extraordinarie accident to bee a iudgement of God, for the extraordinarie loose behauiour of the King, But it may rather seeme a iudgement of God, that King William the first, who threw downe Churches, and dispeopled Villages and Townes; who banished both the seruice of God, and societie of men, to make a vaste habitation for sauage beasts, had two sonnes slaine vpon that place. It may also seeme a iudgement of God, that King William the second, who so greatly fauoured beastes of game, that he ordeined the same penaltie for killing of a deere, as for killing of a man; should as a beast, and for a beast, and among beasts be slaine. And thus God doth often punish vs by our greatest pleasures; if they be either vnlawfull, or immoderately affected; whereby good things become vnlawfull.