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The Historie of king Wil∣liam the Conquerour.
WILLIAM the Conquerour, Duke of Normandie, and bastard sonne of Robert the sixt Duke of the same Duke∣dome, [unspec 1067/1] and nephew vnto Edward the Con∣fessor late king of England as before is she∣wed, began his dominion ouer this Realme of England the .xv. day of October, in the yere of our Lord .M.lxvij. and was crow∣ned king of the same at Westminster vpon Christmasse day next folowing of Aldredus Archebishop of Yorke: because at that time Stigandus Archebishop of Cauntorbury, was then absent, and durst not come in the presence of the king, vnto whome the king ought no great fauour, as hereafter shall apere.
Some write that the sayde Duke required the aforesayde Stigand to consecrate him, because the office of consecrating of kings had alwayes ap∣perteyned vnto the Archebishops of Cauntorbury. But forasmuch as he had aspired vnto the crowne by violence and vnlawfull meanes, the sayd Sti∣gand would not be present at his coronation, nor in any wise assent thervnto. Some againe say that the Duke refused to be crowned of him, because he was no lawfull Bishop, inasmuch as he receyued his Pall of Benet the tenth who was an vsurper of the Popedome, and not a lawfull Pope as they then tearmed him. And some againe make the cause of his reiection to be the cor∣rupt life of the sayde Stigand. Polidore wryteth that immediatly vpon the ouerthrow of king Harold, duke William marched towards London, where Edwin Erle of middle England, and Marcarus or Marcatus Erle of Nor∣thumberland, earnestly mindyng the conseruation of their country, and to de∣fende the libertie thereof, moued the nobilitie and commons to crowne Ed∣gar Atheling, who onely was left aliue of the blood royall of the Realme. Vnto the which sentence although many did accorde, yet there were some of diuerse opinions concernyng this matter: But for all that, at the last they laid all their heades together and aduysed them selues howe and which way they might honestly submit them selues vnto the sayde Duke. But afterwardes, when he was come to the Citie, they made an ende of consulation, and euery man for feare submitted himselfe and receyued him as though they had bene right ioyous of his comming, deliuering him hostages, & praiyng him with∣all to receyue them to grace, and that they might be at peace with him: To whome the sayde Duke aunswered againe right curteously, making them many large and fayre promises, and that done, he was by them (although all were not like ioyfull at that solemnitie) crowned king vpon Christmasse day as aforesayde. But I finde written by one Thomas Thorpe Monke of Cauntorbury, among other things by him verie well noted and collected, of the beginning of the gouernance of william the Conquerour this story folo∣wyng.