An. Reg. 2.
When the fame was blown into England, that duke Robert was returned into Normandie, and that the people had receiued him for their duke with great triumph and ioy: there were diuerse which desiring innouations, deliting in alterations, and being Duke Robert is solicited to come into England to claim the crowne. wearie of the quiet gouernment of king Henrie, wrote letters into England to the duke, signifieng to him, that if he would make hast, and come to recouer the realme out of his brothers hands (who vsurped it by an vniust title) they would be readie to aid him with all their power. Herewithall the duke being readie of his owne accord to this enterprise, was not a little inflamed, and grew more earnest to make hast about this businesse: in so much as, where he would not séeme at the first to estéeme greatlie of the offer made to him by the Englishmen, who had thus written ouer vnto him (blaming generallie all the English Nobilitie, for that while he was abroad in the seruice of the christian common-wealth against the infidels, they would suffer him to be in such wise defrauded of his fathers inheritance, by his brother, through their vntruth and negligence) yet although he meant to delaie the matter, and thought it Wil. Malm. Simon Dun. rather better to dissemble with them for a time, than to commit the successe of his affaires and person to their inconstancie; shortlie after being set on fire, and still incouraged by the persuasion of Rafe bishop of Durham (who by a woonderfull wilie shift, In the Kal. of Februarie. R. Houe. Hen. Hunt. Polydor. about the first of Februarie had broken out of prison) with all speed possible he gathered an armie, purposing out of hand to passe ouer with the same into England, and to hazard his right by dent of sword, which was thus by plaine iniurie most wickedlie deteined from him.
King Henrie in the meane time vnderstanding his meaning, assembled likewise his power, and rigged foorth a great number of ships, appointing them to lie in a readinesse to stop his brothers comming to land if it might be. He himselfe, also lodged with his maine armie neere the towne of Hastings, to giue him battell if he landed thereabouts.
Duke Robert also meaning to set foreward, sent certeine of his ships before, to choose some conuenient place where he might land with his armie: which ships by chance fell into the danger of the kings nauie, but yet absteining from battell, they recouered the wind, and returned backe to the duke, signifieng from point to point how they had sped in this voiage. The duke as he was of a bold courage, and of so gentle a nature that he beleeued he should win their good wils, with whom he should haue any thing to doo, passed forward, and approching to the kings nauie, vsed such mild persuasions, Duke Robert arriued at Portsmouth. Simon Dun. Wil. Malm. Hen. Hunt. Polydor. that a great part of the souldiours which were aboord in the kings ships, submitted themselues vnto him, by whose conduct he arriued in Portsmouth hauen, and there landed with his host, about the begining of August. Now when he had rested a few daies & refreshed his men, he tooke the way towards Winchester, a great number of people flocking vnto him by the way.
The king hauing knowledge as well of the arriuall of his enimies, as also of the reuolting of his subiects, raised his campe, and came to lodge neere vnto his enimies, the better to perceiue what he attempted and purposed to doo. They were also in maner readie to haue ioined battell, when diuerse Noble men that owght good will to both the brethren, and abhorred in their minds so vnnaturall discord, began to entreat Wil. Malm. Simon Dun. Hen. Hunt. for peace, which in the end they concluded vpon, conditionallie that Henrie (who was borne after his father had conquered the realme of England) should now enioy the same, yeelding and paieng yeerelie vnto duke Robert the summe of iij. M. marks. Prouided, that whose hap of the two it should be to suruiue or outliue, he should be the others right and lawfull heire, by mutuall agreement. Conditionallie also, that those English or Normans, which had taken part either with the king or the duke, should be pardoned of all offenses that could be laid vnto them for the same by either of the Hen. Hunt. Wil. Thorne. Matth. West. Geruasius. Dorober. princes. There were twelue Noble men on either part that receiued corporall othes for performance of this agréement, which being concluded vpon in this sort, duke Robert, who in his affaires shewed himselfe more credulous than suspicious, remained with his brother here in England till the feast of S. Michaell, and then shewing himselfe well contented with the composition, returned into Normandie. In the second yeare of this kings reigne, the Quéene was deliuered of hir daughter Maud or Mathild, so called after hir owne name, who afterward was empresse, of whom yée shall heare by Gods grace anon in this historie.
1102.
Simon Dun.
Robert de Belesme earle of Shrewsburie.
The king being now rid of forren trouble, was shortlie after disquieted with the seditious attempts of Robert de Belesme earle of Shrewsburie, sonne to Hugh before named, who fortified the castell of Bridgenorth, and an other castell in Wales at a place called Caircoue, and furnished the towne of Shrewsburie, with the castels of Arundell & Tickehill (which belonged to him) in most substantiall maner. Moreouer he sought to win the fauour of the Welshmen, by whose aid he purposed to defend himselfe against the king in such vnlawfull enterprises as he ment to take in hand. But the king hauing an inkeling whereabout he went, straightwaies proclaimed him a traitor, wherevpon he got such Welshmen and Normans together as he could conuenientlie Stafford wasted. come by, with whom and his brother Arnold, he entered into Staffordshire, which they forraied and wasted excéedinglie, bringing from thence a great bootie of beasts and cattell, with some prisoners, whom they led foorthwith into Wales, where they kept themselues as in a place of greatest safetie.
The king in the meane time with all conuient spéed raised a power, first besieging Arundell castell besieged. the castell of Arundell, and then planting diuerse bastillions before it, he departed from thence, and sending the bishop of Lincolne with part of his armie to besiege Tickehill, Bridgenorth besieged. he himselfe went to Bridgenorth, which he enuironed about with a mightie armie made out of all parts of his realme: so that what with gifts, large promises, and
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Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Raphaell Holinshed. William Harrison. Richard Stanyhurst. John Hooker. Francis Thynne. Abraham Fleming. John Stow. Henry Ellis. Ellis Edition. J. Johnson. London. 1807.
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