Howsoeuer the right standeth, Henry the yonger brother to King William Rufus, vpon aduantage of the absence of Duke Robert his eldest brother, formed this title to the Crowne of England. In which pretence he was strongly supported, first by a generall inclination of the common people, for that he had both his birth and education within the Realme, and they were well perswaded of his good nature and disposition. Secondly, by the fauour and trauaile of many of the nobilitie, especially of Henry Neuborow Earle of Warwicke. Thirdly, (for that the sailes of popular fauours are filled most violently with reports) by his giuing forth, that his brother Robert intended neuer to returne; for that he was elected King of Hierusalem, and of all those large Countreys in Asia, which the Christians had lately wrung out of the Saracens hands. Lastly, by vsing celeritie the very life of actions; for he was Crowned at Westminster (as it hath bene said) vpon the fifth day of August, in the yeere 1100. which was the third day after his brothers death.
In person he was both stately and strong; tall, broad brested, his limmes fairely fourmed, well knit, and fully furnished with flesh. He was exceeding both comely and manly in countenance, his face wel fashioned, his colour cleere, his eyes liuely and faire, his eye-browes large and thicke, his haire blacke and somewhat thinne towards his forehead. He was of an excellent wit, free from ostentation; his thoughts high, yet honourable and iust: in speach ready and eloquent, much graced with sweetnesse of voyce. In priuate he was affable, open, wittily pleasant, and very full of merrie simplicitie: in publicke he looked with a graue Maiestie, as finding in himselfe cause to be honoured. He was brought vp in the studie of Liberall Arts at Cambridge, where he attained that measure of knowledge, which was sufficient both for ornament and vse; but ranne not into intemperate excesse, either for ostentation, or for a cloake to vnprofitable expense of time. By his example the yong Nobilitie of the Realme began to affect a praise for learning: Insomuch as, at a certaine enteruiew betweene the King and Pope Innocent the 2. the sonnes of Robert Earle of Mellent, maintained open disputations against diuers Cardinals and Chapleines of the Pope.
He was an exact esteemer of himselfe, not so much for his strength as for his weakenesses: lesse inclined to confidence then to distrust; and yet in weighty affaires resolute and firme; neuer dismaied, and alwayes fortunate; his spirits being of force to oppose against any sort of difficulties or doubts. Extremities made him the more assured; and like a well knit Arch, hee then lay most strong when hee sustained the greatest weight. Hee was no more disposed to valour, then well setled in vertue and goodnes; which made his valour of more precious valuation. He had good command ouer his passions; and thereby attained both peace within himselfe, and victory ouer others. In giuing hee was moderate, but bountifull in recompence; his countenance enlarging the worth of his gift. Hee was prone to relieue, euen where there was least likelihood of requitall. He hated flatterie, the poysoned sugar, the counterfeit ciuilitie and loue, the most base brokery of wordes: yet was no musicke so pleasing vnto him as well deserued thankes. He was vigilant and industrious in his affaires; knowing right well that honour not onely hath a paineful and dangerous birth, but must in like manner be nourished and fed.
He was somewhat immoderate and excessiue, as well in aduancing those he fauoured, as in beating downe and disabling his enemies. The sword was alwayes the last of his trials; so as he neuer either sought or apprehended occasions of warre, where with honour he could reteine peace. But if it were iniuriously vrged, he wanted neither wisedome, nor diligence, nor magnanimous heart to encounter the danger; to beare it ouer with courage and successe. He was frugall of the blood and slaughter of his Souldiers; neuer aduenturing both his honour & their liues to the hazard of the sword, without either necessitie or aduantage. He oftentimes preuailed against his enemies more by policie then by power; and for victories thus attained, he attributed to himselfe the greatest glory. For wisedome is most proper to man, but force is common and most eminent in beasts; by wisedome the honour was entire to himselfe, by force it was participated to inferiour Commanders, to euery priuate ordinarie Souldier: the effects of force, are heauie, hideous, and sometimes inhumane; but the same wrought to euent by wisedome, is, as lesse odious, so more assured and firme.
After that he was mounted into the seate of Maiestie, hee neglected no meanes to settle himselfe most surely therin, against the returne of his brother Robert. To this end he contracted both amitie and alliance with Edgar King of Scots, by taking his sister Matild to wife: by which meanes he not onely remoued his hostilitie, but stood assured of his assistance, in case his occasions should so require. Shee was daughter to Malcolme King of Scots, by Margaret his wife; who was sister to Edgar surnamed Adeling, and daughter to Edward, sonne to Edmund Ironside, the most valiant Saxon King, the scourge and terrour of the Danes. So as after the death of Adeling who left no issue, this Matild was next by discent from the Saxon Kings to the inheritance of the Crowne of England: and by her entermariage with King Henry, the two families of Normans and Saxons were vnited together both in blood and title to the Crowne. This more then any other respect made the whole nation of the English not onely firme to King Henrie, against his brother, but loyall and peaceable during all his reigne: for that they saw the blood of their Saxon Kings restored again to the possession of the Crowne.
Shee was a Lady vertuous, religious, beautifull and wise: farre from the ordinary either vices or weakenesses incident to her sexe. She had been brought vp among the Nunnes of Winchester, and Rumsey, whether professed or onely veiled our writers doe diuersly report; but most affirme that shee was professed. Yet for the common good, for the publique peace and tranquilitie of the State, shee abandoned her deuoted life, and was ioyned to King Henrie in mariage, by consent of Anselme, without any dispensation from Rome. Of this Matild the King begate William a sonne, who perished by shipwracke; and Matild a daughter, first married to Henry the fifth Emperour, by whom she had no issue; afterward to Geoffrey Plantagenet Earle of Aniou, by whom shee brought foorth a sonne named Henrie, in whom the blood of the Saxon Kings was aduanced againe to the gouernment of this Realme.
Now to purchase the fauour of the Clergie, he called Anselme out of exile, and restored him both to the dignitie and reuenues of the Sea of Canterbury. Other Bishoprickes and Abbeys which King William kept voide at the time of his death, hee furnished with men of best sufficiencie and reputation. Hee committed Radulph Bishop of Durham to prison, who had been both authour and agent to King William in most of his distastfull actions against the Clergie. This Radulph was a man of smooth vse of speach, wittie onely in deuising, or speaking, or doing euill: but to honestie and vertue his heart was a lumpe of lead. Enuious aboue all measure; nothing was so grieuous to his eyes as the prosperitie, nothing so harsh to his eares as the commendations of others. His tongue alwayes slauish to the Princes desires; not regarding how truely or faithfully, but how pleasingly he did aduise. Thus as a principall infamie of that age, hee liued without loue, and died without pitie; sauing of those who thought it pitie that he liued so long.
Further, to make the Clergie the more assured, the King renounced the right which his Ancesters vsed in giuing Inuestitures; and acknowledged the same to appertaine to the Pope. This hee yeelded at his first entrance, partly not knowing of what importance it was, and partly being in necessitie to promise any thing. But afterwards he resumed that right againe; albeit in a Councell not long before held at Rome, the contrary had bene decreed. For hee inuested William Gifford into the Bishopricke of Winchester, and all the possessions belonging to the same. He gaue the Archbishopricke of Canterburie to Radulph Bishop of London, and inuested him therein by a Ring and a staffe: he inuested also two of his Chapleins at Westminster; Roger his Chanceller in the Bishopricke of Salisburie, and Roger his Larderer in the Bishopricke of Hereford. Further he assumed the custome of his father and brother, in taking the reuenues of Bishopricks whilest they remained void: and for that cause did many times keepe them a longer season vacant in his hands, then many of the Clergie could with patience endure.
But especially the Clergie did fauour him much, by reason of his liberall leaue either to erect, or to enlarge, or else to enrich Religious buildings. For to these workes the King was so ready to giue, not onely way, but encouragement and helpe, that in no Princes time they did more within this Realme either flourish or increase. And namely the house of S. Iohn of Hierusalem was then founded neere Smithfield in London, with the house of Nunnes by Clerken-well. Then were also founded the Church of Theukesburie, with all Offices thereto belonging: the Priorie and Hospitall of S. Bartholomewes in Smithfield, the Church of S. Giles without Creeplegate; the Colledge of Seculare Canons in the castle of Leicester; the Abbey without the Northgate of the same towne called S. Mary de prato. Also the Monasterie of S. Iohn of Lanthonie by Glocester; the Church of Dunmow in Essex; the Monasterie of S. Iohn at Colchester, which was the first house of Augustine Chanons in England: the Church of S. Mary Oueries furnished with Chanons in Southwarke; the Priory of the holy Trinity now called Christs Church within Algate; and the Hospitall of S. Giles in the field: The Priorie of Kenelworth; The Abbey of Kenshame; The Monasterie of Plimpton in Deuonshire; with the Cathedrall Church of Exceter; the Priorie of Merton; the Colledge of Warwicke; the Hospitall of Kepar; the Priorie of Osney neere Oxeford; the Hospital of S. Crosse neere Winchester; the Priorie of Norton in Cheshire, with diuers others. The King also founded and erected the Priorie of Dunstable, the Abbey of Circester, the Abbey of Reading, the Abbey of Shirebourne. Hee also changed the Abbey of Eley into a Bishops Sea; he erected a Bishopricke at Caerlile, placed Chanons there, and endowed it with many honours. These and many other Religious buildings either done, or helped forward, or permitted and allowed by the King, much encreased the affection of the Clergie towards him.
Now to draw the loue of the common people, he composed himselfe to a sober ciuilitie; easie for accesse, faire in speach, in countenance and behauiour kind: his Maiestie so tempered with mildnesse and courtesie, that his Subiects did more see the fruits, then feele the weight of his high estate. These were things of great moment with the vulgar sort; who loue more where they are louingly intreated, then where they are benefited, or happely preserued. He eased them of many publicke grieuances. Hee restored them to the vse of fire and candle after eight of the clocke at night, which his father had most straitly forbidden. Punishments of losse of member vsed before, he made pecuniarie. Hee moderated the Law of his brother, which inflicted death for killing any of the Kings Deere; and ordeined, that if any man killed a Deere in his owne wood, the wood should be forfeited to the King. He permitted to make enclosures for Parkes; which taking beginning in his time, did rise to that excessiue encrease, that in a few succeeding ages more Parkes were in England, then in all Europe beside. He promised that the Lawes of K. Edward should againe be restored; but to put off the present performance, he gaue forth, that first they should be reuiewed and corrected, and made appliable to the present time. And albeit in trueth they were neuer either reuiewed or corrected, yet the onely hope thereof did worke in the people a fauourable inclination to his part.