Anglorum gesta, or, A brief history of England being an exact account of the most remarkable revolutions and most memorable occurrences and transactions in peace and war ... : with several useful catalogues of the bishopricks, cities, shires, colledges and halls in both universities, and tables of the kings reigns and of the dimensions of England, Scotland and Ireland / by George Meriton, gent.

CHAP. XII.

Of King Henry the first, commonly called Beauclark, for his Learning.

KING Henry was Crowned at Westminster by Maurice Bishop of

London, in the absence of Anselm Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, on Sunday the fifth day of August Anno 1100; But before his Coronation the Nobles constrained him to swear, To ease the People of their Taxes, and many other Oppressions, which he afterwards performed: And he restored to the English the use of Lights again, which his Father forbad by ringing of a Bell, and had continued about the space of 33 years.

He also ordained several good Laws, and annexed his Great Seal to them, and his Name, with the subscription of seve∣ral Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and caused Copies of them to be sent into eve∣ry County to be safely kept, the heads of them take as followeth in these Seven Branches.

I. That the Church should be free from Oppressions, and Reservation of their Possessions upon vacancy.

II. That the Heirs of the Nobilty should possess the Lands of their Fathers without Redemption from the King; which Favour also should be granted by the Nobles to their Tenants.

III. That the Gentry might give in Marriage, their Daughters and Kins∣women,

without the King's Licence, so it were not to the King's Enemies.

IV. That the Widow should have her Jointure, and not be compelled to mar∣ry against her own Will.

V. That the Mother, or next of kind∣red, should be Guardian of the Lands of their Children.

VI. That Coiners of False Money should be punished: and a Measure to the length of the KING'S Arm, to be a Standard for Commerce among the Peo∣ple: And

VII. That all Debts to the Crown be∣fore his own Time should be forgiven, and all Murthers before the Day of his Coronation to be pardoned.

With other such like Indulgencies: And he also at this time confirmed King Ed∣ward's Laws.

And now he made Suit to Edgar King of Scotland, to have Maud his Sister to Wise. This Year 1100, his Brother Ro∣bert Duke of Normandy, was elected King of Jerusalem, but he hearing of his Bro∣ther Rufus's Death, refused it, in hopes of getting England's Crown. And at his re∣turn from Jerusalem invaded England, landed at Portsmouth: Henry to be quit of him, and to keep the Crown, granted

him 3000 Marks yearly, and gave him royal Entertainment for six Moneths at Court.

After this Belasm Earl of Shrewsbury, and Roger Mountgomery rebelled, but they were overthrown by the King, and forced to abjure the Realm for ever. And now, the Pope's Imp, Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury begins to stir, and calling a Council at London, Excommunicated all Married Priests, and deprived many lear∣ned Prelates, because they were invested by the King, and not by the Pope. And now Duke Robert returned for England again, to congratulate his Brother's For∣tune, and was so royally entertained, that at the Request of his Sister Queen Maud, he remitted the Annual payment of 3000▪ marks. But afterwards Henry picking a Quarrel with him, he sailed into Norman∣dy, and made himself Master thereof. Af∣terwards Robert seeking to regain his own, the King took another Voyage for Nor∣mandy, where a bloody Battel was fought between them, and Duke Robert and Wil∣liam Earl of Mortmain were taken Prison∣ers, and the rest flying, Henry return'd Conqueror, having made Normandy sub∣ject to England, just that day 40 years that England became subdued to Nor∣mandy:

And the Duke seeking to escape his Imprisonment, had both his Eyes put out by the King's Order. And now the King, begins to shew himself in his Co∣lors, making no Bones of breaking his Oath made to his Peers; he banished the Flemmings out of England. And about this time, to wit, Anno▪ 1109. the Empe∣ror Henry the IV. took to Wife Maud King Henry's Daughter. And, now the Affairs of Normandy being disturbed, the King hasted thither, and after the Sup∣pression of the Rebells, he created his El∣dest Son Duke thereof, by which a Custom grew that thenceforth the Kings eldest Sons were Dukes of Normandy: after this An∣selm Bishop of Canterbury died Anno Do∣mini 1114.

The High Court of Parliament, as some Authors affirm, was first ordained in this King's Reign, Anno 1116. in which year was exceeding great Lightning in March, and Thunder and Hail in December, and the Moon at both times seemed to be tur∣ned into Blood. And in October the same year, the River of Thames was so dried up, that one might have gone between London-Bridge and the Tower, on foot: This year also King Lewis of France, and the Earls of Flanders and Anjou sought

to restore William, Duke Robert's eldest Son, to the Dukedom of Normandy; but were frustrated of their hopes by Henry: about this time Maud King Henry's Queen died.

After this Anno 1119. King Lewis enters Normandy again, and between him and the King was a bloody Battel fought, and Baldwin Earl of Flanders, and many thousands besides were slain, and the ho∣nour of the day fell to King Henry, who returned Victoriously into Roan: And shortly after the Earl of Anjou, to curry the King's Favour, gave his Daughter to William, the King's eldest Son, in Marri∣age; of which Marriage the King concei∣ved no little Comfort, but the budding Hopes of the conceived future Happiness were quickly cropped by the hand of Fate, for at the King's Return for England, this new marri'd couple, with Richard and Mary other two of the King's Children, and Ri∣chard Earl of Chester, his Lady, and other Lords and Ladies were all cast away at Sea.

The King after this, Anno 1121. took to his Second Wife Adilicia, Daughter of Jeffery first Duke of Lovain. And now Pope Calixtus the II. met the King in Norman∣dy, to see if his Threats would work the King's Submission to him, that he might

have the Packing and Dealing of the Cards for the Game of Spiritual Promotions in England: but neither Flatterings nor Threats would work upon him: At this Meeting, two Youths, Sons to the Earl of Mellent, and Servants to the King, dispu∣ting with two of the Popes Cardinals, with Logical Syllogisms put the two Rabbies to the Non-plus. In this Pope's time Anno 1122. was the first Lateran Council held, being the ninth General Council.

About 3 years after this, Anno 1125. Pope Honorius the second, sent Cardinal Cremensis to certifie the Abuses of the Married Clergy; and to that purpose he made a Set Oration in Praise of CHA-STITY, and Dispraise of ƲNLAW-FƲLL LƲST, for so he termed the Priests Marriage: and yet himself was ta∣ken that Night with a WHORE, and so he returned to his Master the Pope without Success.

Anno 1126. The King's Son in Law, the Emperor died, and his Wife return∣ed into England, whereupon the King cal∣led a Parliament, and caused them to swear Fealty to the Empress his only Heir.

This same year one, Arnold an English Preacher of Oxford was cruelly Butche∣red, for preaching against the Pride of

Prelates, and Priest's wicked Lives.

The next year after the King married his Daughter the Empress again to Jeffery Plant aginet, Son to Foulk Earl of Anjou. And about six years after, in the 33 year of this King, happened so great an Eclipse of the Sun, that at Noon-day one might have seen the Stars in the Firmament, and about two dayes after this, there was a ter∣rible Earthquake. And the same year happened such a Raging Fire in London, that it consumed a great part of the City from West-Cheap to Algate.

The next year after, being the 34 of the King, Duke Robert the King's Brother after 26 years Imprisonment and the put∣ting out of his Eyes, died in Prison. And this year Worcester and Rochester were burnt.

This Henry the First was King of Eng∣land, and Duke of Normandy; he was the 4th Son of William the Conqueror, by Maud his Wife Daughter to Baldwine the Fifth Earl of Flanders. He began his Reign on Wednesday the first day of Au∣gust, Anno 1100. and reigned 35 years 4 moneths, and 1 day: and was 23 Sole Monarch of England. He died of a Sur∣feit with eating Lampreys at the Town of St. Dennis in Normandy, on Munday the

Second day of December, Anno 1135. being the 36 of his Reign, 21 of his Duke∣dom, and 65 of his Age. His Body was buried at Redding in Bark-shire, in an Abby of his own Founding.