On the other side, diuers of the Nobilitie of Normandie, finding their Duke without iudgement to rule, had no disposition to obey; but conceiued a carelesse contempt against him. For he seemed not so much to regard his substantiall good, as a vaine breath of praise, and the fruitlesse fauour of mens opinions, which are no fewer in varietie then they are in number. All the reuenues of his Duchie he either sold or morgaged; all his Cities he did alien, and was vpon the point of passing away his principall Citie of Roan to the Burgers thereof, but that the conditions were esteemed too hard. Hereupon many resolued to fall from him, and to set their sailes with the fauourable gale which blew vpon the fortune of the King. To this end they offered their submission to the King, in case he would inuade Normandie; whereto with many reasons they did perswade him: especially in regard of the late hostile attempts there made against him, by the plaine permission of the Duke his brother, and not without his secret support.
The King embraced the faire occasion, and with a strong Armie passed into Normandie. Here he first relieued his forts, which were any wayes distressed or annoyed; then he recouered those that were lost; Lastly, he wanne from the Duke the towne and castle of Caen, with certaine other castles besides: And by the help of the President of Aniou, fired Baion, with the stately Church of S. Marie therein. Vpon these euents, all the Priories of Normandie, resembling certaine flowers, which open and close according to the rising or declining of the Sunne; abandoned the Duke, and made their submission to King Henry. So the King hauing both enlarged and assured his state in Normandie, by reason of the approch of winter, departed into England: but this was like the recuiling of Rammes, to returne againe with the greater strength.
He had not long remained in England, but his brother Robert came to him at Northampton, to treat of some agreement of peace. Here the words and behauiours of both were obserued. At their first meeting they rested with their eyes fast fixed one vpon the other; in such sort as did plainely declare, that discourtesie then trencheth most deep, when it is betweene those who should most dearely loue. The Duke was in demaunds moderate, in countenance and speech enclined to submisnesse; and with a kinde vnkindnesse did rather entreate then perswade, that in regard of the naturall Obligation betweene them by blood, in regard of many offices and benefits wherewith he had endeuoured to purchase the Kings loue, all hostilitie betweene them, all iniurie or extremitie by Armes might cease. For I call you (said he) before the Seate of your owne Iudgement, whether the relinquishing of my Title to the Crowne of England, whether the releasing of my annuity of 3000. markes, whether many other kindnesses, so much vndeserued as scarce desired; should not in reason withdraw you from those prosecutions, where warre cannot be made without shame, nor victory attained without dishonour.
The King vsed him with honourable respect; but perceiuing that he was embarked in some disaduantage, conceiuing also that his courage with his Fortune began to decline, he made resemblance at the first, to be no lesse desirous of peace then the Duke: But afterwards, albeit he did not directly deny, yet hee found euasions to auoyd all offers of agreement.
The more desirous the Duke was of peace, the greater was his disdaine that his brother did refuse it. Wherefore cleering his countenance from all shewes of deiection or griefe, as then chiefly resolute when his passion was stirred, with a voice rather violent then quicke, he rose into these words.
I haue cast my selfe so low, as your haughty heart can possibly wish; whereby I haue wronged both my selfe and you: my selfe, in occasioning some suspition of weakenesse; you, in making you obstinate in your ambitious purposes. But assure your selfe, that this desire did not proceed from want either of courage, or of meanes, or of assistance of friends: I can also be both vnthankefull and vnnaturall if I bee compelled. And if all other supportance faile, yet no arme is to be esteemed weake, which striketh with the sword of necessitie and Iustice.
The King with a well appeased stayednesse returned answere; that he could easily endure the iniurie of his angry wordes: but to men of moderate iudgement hee would make it appeare, that hee entended no more in offending him, then to prouide for defending himselfe. So the Duke obseruing few complements, but such as were spiced with anger and disdaine, returned into Normandie, associated to him the English exiles, and made preparation for his defence.
The King followed with a great power, and found him in good appointment of armes: nothing inferiour to the King in resolute courage, but farre inferiour both in number of men, and in fine contriuance of his affaires. For the King had purchased assured intelligence, among those that were neerest both in place and counsaile to the Duke: in whom the Duke found treacherie, euen when he reposed most confident trust. Herewith Pope Paschal, to attaine his purpose in England, for deuesting the King of inuesting Bishops; did not onely allow this enterprise for lawful, but encouraged the King, that hee should doe thereby a noble and a memorable benefit to his Realme.
So, many stiffe battels were executed betweene them, with small difference of aduantage at the first; but after some continuance, the Dukes side (as it commonly happeneth to euill managed courage) declined dayly, by reason of his dayly increase of wants. At the last the Duke, wearied and ouerlayed, both with company of men and cunning working, resolued to bring his whole state to the stake, and to aduenture the same vpon one cast: committing to Fortune, what valour and industry could bring forth. The king being the Inuader, thought it not his part to shrinke from the shocke; being also aduertised that the French King prepared to relieue the Duke. On the Dukes side, disdaine, rage, and reuenge, attended vpon hate: the King retained inuincible valour, assured hope to ouercome, grounded vpon experience how to ouercome.
They met vpon the same day of the moneth iust 40. yeeres, after the great battaile of William the first against King Harold of England. The Kings footemen farre exceeding their enemies in number, began the charge, in small and scattering troupes; lightly assayling where they could espie the weakest resistance. But the Dukes Armie receiued them in close and firme order; so as vpon the losse of many of the foremost, the residue began somewhat to retire. And now, whether the Duke had cause, or whether confidence the inseparable companion of courage perswaded him that he had cause; he supposed that hee had the best of the field, and that the victory was euen in his hand. But suddenly the King with his whole forces of horse charged him in flanke, and with great violence brake into his battaile. Herewith the footmen also returned, and turned them all to a ruinous rout. The Duke performed admirable effects of valour, and so did most of the English exiles: as fearing ouerthrow worse then death. But no courage was sufficient to sustaine the disorder; the Normans on euery hand were chased, ruffled, and beaten downe. Hereupon the Dukes courage boyling in choller, hee doubled many blowes vpon his enemies; more furiously driuen, then well placed and set: and pressing vp hardly among them, was suddenly engaged so farre, that hee could not possibly recouer himselfe. So he was taken manfully fighting, or as some other authours affirme, was beastly betrayed by his owne followers. With him were also taken the Earle of Mortaigne, William Crispine, William Ferreis, Robert Estotiuill, with foure hundred men of armes, and ten thousand ordinary souldiers. The number of the slaine on both sides, is not reported by any authour; but all authours agree, that this was the most bloody medly that euer had been executed in Normandie before: portended as it is thought by a Comet, and by two full Moones, which late before were seene, the one in the East, and the other in the West.