The Lives of the III. Normans, Kings of England: William the First, William the Second, Henrie the First

by Sir John Hayward

After this victorie the King reduced Normandie entirely into his possession, and annexed it to the Realme of England. Then hee built therein many Castles, and planted garrisons; and with no lesse wisedome assured that State, then with valour he had wonne it. When he had setled all things according to his iudgement, he returned into England, brought with him his brother Robert, and committed him to safe custodie in the Castle of Cardiff. But either by reason of his fauourable restraint, or else by negligence or corruption of his keepers, he escaped away, and fled for his libertie as if it had been for his life. Notwithstanding this proued but a false fauour, or rather a true flatterie or scorne of Fortune. For being sharply pursued, he was taken againe, sitting vpon horsebacke; his horse legs fast locked in deep & tough clay.

Then hee was committed to straight and close prison, his eyes put out (as if hee should not see his miserie) and a sure guard set vpon him. Thus he remained in desolate darkenesse; neither reuerenced by any for his former greatnesse, not pitied for his present distresse. Thus hee continued about 27. yeeres, in a life farre more grieuous then death; euen vntill the yere before the death of King Henrie. So long was he a suitor in wooing of death: so long did the one brother ouerliue his good fortune, the other his good nature and disposition; esteeming it a faire fauour, that the vttermost extremitie was not inflicted. Albeit some writers doe affirme, that the Dukes eyes were not violently put out, but that either through age or infirmitie he fell blind: that he was honourably attended and cared for: that hauing digested in his iudgement the worst of his case, the greatnesse of his courage did neuer descend to any base degree of sorrow or griefe: that his braue behauiour did set a Maiestie vpon his deiected fortunes: that his noble heart like the Sunne, did shew greatest coūtenance in lowest state. And to this report I am the more inclineable, for that it agreeth best, both to the faire conditions, and to the former behauiours, and to the succeeding fortunes and felicities of the King: For assuredly hee had a heart of manly clemencie; and this was a punishment barbarously cruell: For which cause Constantine[103] did forbid, that the face of man, adorned with Celestiall beauty, should be deformed for any offence.

Others auow that he was neuer blind; but that it was the Earle of Mortaigne whose eyes were put out. And this seemeth to be confirmed, by that which Matth. Paris and Matth. Westm. doe report. That not long before the death of Robert, the King vpon a festiuall day had a new robe of Scarlet brought vnto him: the cape whereof being somewhat too streight for his head, he did teare a little in striuing to put it on. And perceiuing that it would not serue, hee laid it aside and said: Let my brother Robert haue this Robe, for whose head it is fitter then for mine. When it was caried vnto him, being then not perfectly in health, he espied the crackt place, and thereupon enquired, if any man had worne it before? The messenger declared the whole matter. Which when Robert heard, he tooke it for a great indignitie, and said: I perceiue now that I haue liued too long, that my brother doth clothe me like his almoseman, with cast and torne garments. So hee grew weary of his life: and his disease encreasing with his discontentment, pined away, and in short time after died, and was buried at Glocester.

And this was the end of that excellent commander; brought to this game and gaze of fortune, after many trauerses that he had troden. He was for courage and direction inferiour to none; but neither prouident nor constant in his affaires, whereby the true end of his actions were ouerthrowen. His valour had triumphed ouer desperate dangers: and verely he was no more setled in valour, then disposed to vertue and goodnesse; neuer wilfully or willingly doing euill, neuer but by errour, as finding it disguised vnder some maske of goodnesse. His performances in armes had raised him to a high point of opinion for his prowesse; which made him the more vnhappy, as vnhappie after a fall from high state of honor. He had one sonne named William, vpon whose birth the mother died: of this William shall somewhat hereafter be said.

And now, as Princes oftentimes doe make aduantage of the calamity of their neighbours, so vpon this downefall of the Duke of Normandie,[104] Fulke Earle of Aniou sharing for himselfe, seized vpon Maine, and certain other places; made large waste, tooke great booties and spoyles; not onely out of ancient and almost hereditary hate against the house of Normandie, but as fearing harme from the King of England, hee endeauoured to harme him first. In like sort Baldwine Earle of Flanders declared in armes against the King for a yeerely pension of 300. markes; the occasion of which demand was this. King William the first, in recompence of the ayde which he receiued in his enterprise for England, from Baldwine 5. Earle of Flanders, payd him yeerely three hundred markes, which after his death was continued to his sonne. Robert Earle of Flanders from a collaterall line, demanded the same Pension; but it was denied him by K. Henrie: wherefore Baldwine his sonne attempted now to recouer it by Armes.

With these, or rather as principall of these, Lewes the grosse King of France, seeing his ouersight in permitting Normandie to bee annexed to the Realme of England, assembled a great armie; and vpon pretence of a trifling quarrell about the demolishing of the Castle of Gisors, declared William sonne to Robert Curtcuise for Duke of Normandie: and vndertooke to place him in possession of that state, which his vnfortunate father had lost. And besides those open hostilities in Armes, Hugh the kings Chamberlaine and certaine others were suborned traiterously to kill the King: but the practise was in good time discouered, and the conspirators punished by death.

Hereupon the King both with celeritie and power answerable to the danger at hand, passed the Seas into Normandie: hauing first drawen to his assistance Theobald Earle of Champaine, the Earles of Crecie, Pissaux, and Dammartine, who aspired to be absolute Lords within their territories, as were many other Princes at that time in France. These deteined the French King in some tariance in France, whilest the King of England either recouered or reuenged his losses against the Earle of Aniou. At the last hee was assailed in Normandie on three parts at once: by the Earle of Aniou from Maine, from Ponthieu by the Earle of Flanders, and by the French King betweene both. The King of England appointed certaine forces to guard the passages against the Earle of Aniou: with directions to hold themselues within their strength, and not to aduenture into the field. Against the Earle of Flanders hee went in person; and in a sharpe shocke betweene them the Earle was defeated and hurt, and (as some Authors affirme) slaine: albeit others doe report, that hee was afterwards slaine in a battaile betweene the two Kings of England and of France.

After this he turned against Lewes King of France, and fought with him before the towne of Nice in Normandie; which towne the French had surprised and taken from the King of England. This battaile continued aboue the space of nine houres, with incredible obstinacie; the doubt of victory being no lesse great, then was the desire: and yet neither part so hastie to end, as not to stay for the best aduantage. The first battaile on both sides was hewen in pieces; valour of inestimable value was there cast away: much braue blood was lost; many men esteemed both for their place and worth, lay groaning and grinning vnder the heauy hand of death. The sad blowes, the grisle wounds, the grieuous deathes that were dealt that day, might well haue moued any man to haue said, That warre is nothing else but inhumane manhood.

The Kings courage, guided with his Fortune, and guarded both with his strength and his skill, was neuer idle, neuer but working memorable effects. In all places his directions were followed by his presence; being witnesse both of the diligence and valour of euery man, and not suffering any good aduantage or aduise for want of timely taking to be lost. He aduentured so farre in perfourming with his hand, that his armour in many places was battered to his body, and by reason of the sturdie strokes set vpon his helme, he cast blood out of his mouth. But this was so farre from dismaying his powers, that it did rather assemble and vnite them: so as aduancing his braue head, his furie did breath such vigour into his arme, that his sword made way through the thickest throngs of his enemies, and hee brake into them euen to the last ranckes. He was first seconded by the truely valiant; whose vndanted spirits did assure the best, and therewith contemne the very worst. Then came in they whom despaire, the last of resolutions had made valiant; who discerned no meanes of hope for life, but by bold aduenturing vpon death. Lastly he was followed by all; being enflamed by this example to a new life of resolution. Generally, the swords went so fast, that the French vnable to endure that deadly storme, were vtterly disbanded and turned to flight. K. Henry after a bloody chase, recouered Nice; and with great triumph returned to Roan. Afterwards he would often say, That in other battailes he fought for victory, but in this for his life: and that hee would but little ioy in many such victories.