Capitulum duodecimum.

KYNG William þe Rede*. [Rede, from β. and Cx.; þridde, MS.] usede lemmans alwey, and deide wiþ oute children; and his ȝong*. [ȝonger, β.] broþer Henry was i-made*. [i-made] om. β. and Cx.] kyng after hym, and was i-chose at Wynchestre þe fifte day of August and i-crowned at Westmynstre of Morys bisshop of Londoun, for Anselm was nouȝt þere. Þis was i-gete in wedlok þe þridde ȝere of his fadir kyngdom. He spended*. [spende, β. and γ.] his first ȝowþe*. [yougthe, Cx.] in liberal artes and sciens;*. [sciencis, β.] his broþer William hadde i-greved him in*. [on, α.] a tyme, and his fadir conforted hym in þis manere: "Sone, wepe*. [wuep, γ.] þou nouȝt, for þou schalt be a kyng." Þanne in þe laste ȝere of his fadir kyngdom, and in þe nyntene*. [xix., β. and Cx.; nyntene, from γ.; nynþe, MS.] ȝere of his age, he was i-made knyȝt of his [owne]*. [From α., β., γ., and Cx.] fadir, and wente wiþ his fadir into Normandie, and was at his fadir*. [fadres, α.] deienge*. [dyyng, β. and γ.] sone þerafter, as it is i-seide toforehonde; and his oþer breþeren were i-sent*. [awent, β. and γ.; goon, Cx.] everich in his side, as it happed hem at þat tyme; þerfore he hadde his fadres blessynge and his moder heritage and tresour, and dradde þe privete*. [pride, β.; prute, γ.; pryde, Cx.] of his breþeren ful*. [but, Cx.] litel;*. [vol lyte, γ.] he bowede*. [bowide, β.] hym alway to his broþer Robert for myldenesse of herte. But Robert greved*. [groned, Cx.] alwey, and trowed liȝtly tale tellers; and also Robert spende on his knyȝtes soudeours*. [soudiours, β.; saudyours, γ.] þre þowsand pounde þat was byqueþe Henry in his fadres testament. Þan Henry was i-made kyng, Page  419, vol.7 most deel*. [deel] om. Cx.] by help of Henry eorle of Warwyk, þat was toforehonde his meynel,*. [meyneal, β. and Cx.; meynal, γ.] he made holy cherche free, but he hilde*. [huld, γ.] þe forest*. [forestes, Cx.] in his owne hond; he hilde Edwardes lawe wiþ þe amendynge þerof; he forȝaf*. [yave, Cx.] þe grevous penciouns. He putte out of his court þe men þat usede wommen*. [wymmenes, β.] manere; and restored aȝen in his court candel liȝt be*. [by, α., β., and Cx.] nyȝt, þat was i-lefte of in his fadir tyme; and closede Ranulph bischop of Durham in þe tour of Londoun; and reconciled Ancelm arche|bisshop of Caunterbury, þat þo*. [þo] so, Cx.] was exciled; he chastede þe false*. [vals, γ.] mesures of marchaundise,*. [marchauntes, β. and Cx.; mar|chaundes, γ.] and brouȝt forþ þe lengþe of his owne arme. He wolde fiȝte more gladly wiþ counsaille þan wiþ swerde; he wolde ete to staunche his honger, and nouȝt for gloteneye; he wolde nevere drinke but ȝif he were aþurst.*. [a first, α.; a furst, γ.] In hym self and al*. [in, α., β., and Cx.] his [meyne]*. [From Cx.] alway he hatede outrage of mete and [of]*. [From β.] drynke. After greet stryf þat was bytwene hym and Anselm þe archebisshop, he resigned to God and to seint*. [seyn, γ.] Peter þe vestiture*. [investiture, β. and Cx.] of prelates þat was i-doo by seculer hondes. At þe laste was made a counsaille of bisshops at Londoun, and strompettes were i-putte awey and remevede,*. [remeoved, β.]Page  421, vol.7 and he weddede Mold, þe douȝter of Malcolyn*. [Malyncolyn, α.] kyng of Scot|land; Anselme crownede here*. [hir, β.] queene on seynt Martynes day. Willelmus de Pontificibus, libro 3^o. Þis ȝere deyde Thomas archebisshop of ȝork, and Giralde was archebisshop after hym, a lecherous man, a wicche,*. [wycche, γ.; wytche, Cx.] an*. [and, Cx.] evel doer, as þe fame telleþ; for under his pelewe,*. [pile, β.; pule, γ.; pyle, Cx.] whan he diede in an herber,*. [erber, Cx.] was i-founde a book of curious craftes; the book hiȝte Iulius Firmicus;*. [Frumeus, Cx.] in þat book he radde priveliche in þe underne tymes,*. [undertydes, β., γ., and Cx.] þerfore unneþe [the]*. [From Cx.; þe, β. and γ.] clerkes of his chirche wolde suffre hym be i-buryed under hevene wiþ oute holy chirche. Willelmus de Regibus, libro 5^o. In þe mene tyme eorle Robert, þis kynges broþer, herde*. [hurde, γ.] of þis*. [þis] þe deþ of, α., β., γ., and Cx.] kyng William þe Rede,*. [Rede from β. and γ.; Reede, Cx. þridde, MS.] and come aȝen out of þe Holy Lond into Apulia, and from þennes into Normandie, and arrayed hym to wende into Engelond. Þanne me herde þerof,*. [Than it was knowen, Cx.] and meny of þe lordes feynede som smale occasiouns, and wiþ drowȝ hem priveliche and openleche from kyng Henry, and cleped hym godriche, godfader, and sente priveliche for eorle Robert. And Page  423, vol.7 herto Raph*. [Raaf, β.; Rauf, Cx.] bisshop of Durham, þat was*. [had ben, Cx.] toforehonde pri|soned, gat a rope*. [roop, β. and γ.] and scapede out of þe tour of Londoun, and wente into Normandye in*. [and, α., β., and γ.] spiȝt of*. [of] om. α., β., and γ.] duke*. [Normandy and encouraged duc, Cx.] Robert aȝenst kyng Henry. Willelmus de Regibus, libro 4^o. Þis Robert was kyng William þe Conquerour his eldest sone, a litel man of body, with a fat*. [vat, γ.] wombe. In his firste knyȝthode he usede his fader maneres, but afterward þe*. [þe] by, Cx.] hete*. [heete, β.] of his ȝong blood and counseille of fooles priked hym, and he fondede to have Normandie while his fader was onlyve;*. [alyve, β.] and whanne his fader warnede*. [wurnde, γ.] hit hym, he wente away for wreþþe,*. [wreche, Cx.] and made oft reses*. [restes, Cx.] uppon þe contray. First his fader scornede hym, bot afterward he swore by þe resurrexioun of Crist, and seide, "Robert short boot,*. [body] boot, from β. and Cx.; Robyn schort boot, γ; body, MS.] my sone, schal be a noble man." [For ellis had Roberd nouȝt þat myȝt be blamed, for he was curteise,*. [curteys, β.; corteys, γ.; curtoys, Cx.] and faire of face,*. [veyr of fas, γ.] of schap, and of speche, myȝti of strengþe, and sad of counsaile. But at þe laste his fader was so wrooþ wiþ him þat he deprivede hym of his heritage of Engelond, and lefte hym unneþe þe eorldom of Normandye.]*. [From α., β., γ., and Cx.] He dede meny grete dedes in þe Holy Land, and was so won|derful in every place þat he myȝte nevere be unhorsed by Page  425, vol.7 Cristen men*. [man, α. and Cx.] ne by paynym. Also at Ierusalem in an Ester eve he stood among oþere men, and abood þe fyre*. [fuyre, β.] þat was wont*. [vure þat was ywond, γ.] to come fro hevene and liȝt*. [tende, β., γ., and Cx.] som manis tapir,*. [taper, β.; tapur, γ., bis.] þanne his taper was i-tend; by doynge and vertu þer*. [þer] om. Cx.] of God, þerfore alle men chese hym kyng of Ierusalem. But whanne he herde of þe deeþ of his broþer William kyng of Engelond, he refusede*. [recused, β.] þe kyngdom of Ierusalem, nouȝt by cause of reverence, but for drede of travaille, or for*. [for] om. Cx.] covetise of þe kyngdom of Engelond; þerfore hym happede nevere wel afterward in bataille. Also in þe comynge aȝen from Ierusalem þis*. [he, Cx.] wedded þe douȝter of William de Aversana in Apulia, a wel*. [wel] om. Cx.] faire womman of schap, and lost hir by an evel after fewe*. [vew, γ.] ȝeres: one*. [me, β.] seiþ þat sche*. [hue, γ.] was begiled by þe counsaile of a childe wyf,*. [mydwyf, α., β., γ., and Cx.] þat kutte*. [kitte, β.; kuytte, γ.] hire breestes [for greet plente of melk þat ran of here bresstes]*. [From α., β., γ., and Cx.] whan sche*. [heo, β., bis.] hadde childe. But he*. [hue, γ.; she, Cx.] hadde a sone,*. [William transposed to here, β.] a noble man of wit, William was his name.*. [was his name] om. α.] Robert feng*. [fonge, α.] grete money for þat mariage, and wasted it sone þerafte. Whanne he hadde i-gadred*. [Than he gadryd, Cx.] a greet oost in every side and com into Engelond forto reve his broþer Henry þe kyngdom, and londede at Portes|mouthe; Page  427, vol.7 but by [mene of]*. [From α. β., γ., and Cx.] þe wisest men of þe kyngdom pees was i-made uppon suche condicioun, þat Robert schulde feng every*. [evereche, β.] ȝere iii. m^l marc,*. [marcȝ, α,] and wheþer of hem lyvede lengest*. [lynguste, γ.] schulde be oþere*. [oþeres, α. and β.] heyre ȝif þey deie*. [deide, α.; he deyde, β.; oþer hys heyr ef a dyede, γ.] wiþ oute heyre male.*. [maul, β. and γ.] But þe next ȝere*. [ȝere, from β, and γ.; yere, Cx.; heire, MS.] after Robert come into Engelond, and at þe prayere of Molde þe quene he forȝaf þe*. [þat, α., β., and Cx.] pensioun of þre þowsand marcȝ.*. [mark, β.; marc, γ. and Cx.] [Thenne Robert wente ageyne and was lytel ytold of amonge the Normans, soo that the Normans prayed kynge Henry to come ageynst Robert. The kyng cam and bynam hym al Normandy lytel and lytel, Rone, Cane and Faleys, in the whiche cytees Robert wente burethely up and doun. Therfor they of Cane were wroth, and prayd king Henry for to come to them, and closed theyr yates ayenst Robert.]*. [From Cx.; Þanne Robart went aȝen and was litel ytolde of among þe Normans, so þat þe Normans prayede kyng Henry to come agenus Robert. Þe kyng cam and bynam hym al Normandy litel and lytel, outtake Rothomage, Cadony, and Phales. In þe whiche citees Robart went unrediliche up and doun; þer|fore þe Cadoniens were wroþe, and prayed king Henry for to come to hem, and closide her ȝates aȝenus Robart. β. and γ.] Þan Robert fliȝ*. [fleyȝ, α.; fledde, Cx.] to Rothomage*. [Rone, Cx.] with oon squyere alone, and prayde help of þe kyng of Fraunce and of þe eorle Page  429, vol.7 of Flaundres, but Robert was helples for hem; he*. [he] and, β.] fondede*. [and founded, Cx.] to ȝeve his broþer bataile, and was overcomen, and i-take and kepte in warde seven ȝere to his lyfes ende, and deide in þe castel of Cardyf,*. [Cardef, β. and Cx.; Kerdyf, γ.] and was i-buried at Gloucestre.*. [Glocetershire, γ.]