Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland, vol. 2 | Page 5

tollerable, but also
allowable. Thereforé (good reader) I beseech thee to weigh the causes
and circumstances of such faults and imperfections, and consider that
the like may creepe into a far lesse volume than this, and shew me so
much fauour as hath beene shewed to others in like causes. And sithens
I haue doone my good will, accept the same, as I with a free and
thankefull mind doo offer it thee; so shall I thinke my labour well
bestowed. For the other histories, which are alreadie collected, if it
please God to giue abilitie, shall in time come to light, with some such
breefe descriptions of the forren regions whereof they treat, as may the
better suffice to the readers contentation, and vnderstanding of the
matters conteined in the same histories, reduced into abridgements out
of their great volumes. And thus I ceasse further to trouble thy patience,
wishing to thee (gentle reader) so much profit, as by reading may be
had, and as great comfort as Gods holie spirit may endue thee with.

FINIS.

THE POLITIKE CONQUEST OF WILLIAM THE FIRST.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: Anno 1.] This William Duke of Normandie, base son of
Robert the sixt Duke of Normandie, and nephew vnto Edward king of
England, surnamed the Confessor, hauing vanquished the English
power, and slaine Harold in the field (as you may read at large towards
the end of the historie of England) began his reigne ouer England the
xv. daie of October being Sundaie, [Sidenote: 1066.] in the yeare after
the creation of the world 5033, (as W. Harison gathereth) and after the
birth of our Sauiour 1066, which was in the tenth yeare of the emperour
Henrie the fourth, in the sixt of pope Alexander the second, in the sixt
of Philip king of France, and about the tenth of Malcolme the third,
surnamed Camoir, king of Scotland.
[Sidenote: _Sim. Dun._] Immediatlie after he had thus got the victorie
in a pight field (as before ye haue heard) he first returned to Hastings,
and after set forward towards London, wasted the countries of Sussex,
Kent, Hamshire, Southerie, Middlesex, and Herefordshire, burning the
townes, and sleaing the people, till he came to Beorcham. [Sidenote:
Edwin and Marchar. Quéene Aldgitha sent to Chester. _Wil. Mal._
_Simon Dun._] In the meane time, immediatlie after the discomfiture in
Sussex, the two earles of Northumberland and Mercia, Edwin and
Marchar, who had withdrawne themselues from the battell togither with
their people, came to London, and with all speed sent their sister
quéene Aldgitha vnto the citie of Chester, and herewith sought to
persuade the Londoners to aduance one of them to the kingdome: as
Wil. Mal. writeth. But Simon of Durham saith, that Aldred archbishop
of Yorke, and the said earles with others would haue made Edgar
Etheling king. Howbeit, whilest manie of the Nobilitie and others
prepared to make themselues redie to giue a new battell to the Normans
(how or whatsoeuer was the cause) the said earles drew homewards
with their powers, to the great discomfort of their freends. [Sidenote:

_Wil. Malm._ The bishops blamed.] Wil. Malm. séemeth to put blame
in the bishops, for that the lords went not forward with their purpose in
aduancing Edgar Etheling to the crowne. For the bishops (saith he)
refused to ioine with the lords in that behalfe, and so through enuie and
spite which one part bare to another, when they could not agrée vpon
an Englishman, they receiued a stranger, [Sidenote: The archbishop of
Yorke & other submit themselues to king William.] insomuch that
vpon king William his comming vnto Beorcham, Aldred archbishop of
Yorke, Wolstane bishop of Worcester, and Walter bishop of Hereford,
Edgar Etheling, and the foresaid earles Edwin and Marchar came and
submitted themselues vnto him, whom he gentlie receiued, and
incontinentlie made an agréement with them, taking their oth and
hostages (as some write) and yet neuerthelesse he permitted his people
to spoile and burne the countrie.
But now, when the feast of Christs natiuitie (commonlie called
Christmas) was at hand, he approched to the citie of London, and
comming thither, caused his vauntgard first to enter into the stréets,
where finding some resistance, he easilie subdued the citizens that thus
tooke vpon them to withstand him, [Sidenote: _Gemeticensis._] though
not without some bloudshed (as Gemeticen. writeth) but as by others it
should appéere, he was receiued into the citie without anie resistance at
all; and so being in possession thereof, he spake manie fréendlie words
to the citizens, and promised that he would vse them in most liberall &
courteous maner. [Sidenote: William Conquerour crowned 1067,
according to their account which begin the yeare on the daie of Christ
his natiuitie.] Not long after, when things were brought in order