Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland, vol. 2 | Page 7

you, and them that be with you, and are minded rather to die here altogither, than to depart from the lawes and customes of their countrie, and to submit themselues to bondage, whereof as yet they neuer had experience."
The duke séeing himselfe to be driuen to such an exigent & narrow pinch, consulted a while with them that came with him, prudentlie considering, that if he should take anie repulse or displeasure at the hands of this people, which be the key of England, all that he had done before should be disanulled and made of none effect, and all his hope and safetie should stand in danger and ieopardie: not so willinglie as wiselie he granted the people of Kent their request. Now when the couenant was established, and pledges giuen on both sides: the Kentishmen being ioyfull, conducted the Normans (who also were glad) vnto Rochester, and yéelded vp to the duke the earledome of Kent, and the noble castell of Douer. [Sidenote: The ancient liberties and lawes of England remaine in Kent onlie.] Thus the ancient liberties of England, and the lawes and customes of the countrie, which before the comming of duke William out of Normandie, were equallie kept throughout all England, doo (through this industrie and earnest trauell of the archbishop Stigand and Egelsin abbat of S. Augustines) remaine inuiolablie obserued vntill this daie within that countie of Kent. [Sidenote: _Wil. Thorne._] ? Thus far Thomas Spot, and after him William Thorne writeth the same. Of the which the former (that is Spot) liued in the daies of king Edward the first, and William Thorne in the daies of king Richard the second.
But now, before we procéed anie further in recitall of the Conquerours dooings, we haue here in a table noted all the noble capteins and gentlemen of name, aswell Normans as other strangers, which assisted duke William in the conquest of this land: and first, as we find them written in the chronicles of Normandie by one William Tailleur.
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THE CATALOG OF SUCH NOBLEMEN, LORDS, AND GENTLEMEN OF NAME, AS CAME INTO THIS LAND WITH WILLIAM THE CONQUEROUR.
Odo bishop of Bayeulx. Robert erle of Mortaing. Roger erle of Beaumont surnamed A la Barbe. Guillaume Mallet seigneur de Montfort. Henrie seig. de Ferrers. Guillaume d'Aubelle-mare seign. de Fougieres. Guillaume de Roumare seig. de Lithare. Le seig. de Touque. Le seig. de la Mare. Neel le Viconte. Guillaume de Vepont. Le seig. de Magneuille. Le seig. de Grosmenil. Le seig. de S. Martin. Le seig. de Puis. Guillaume Crespin. Guillaume de Movenne. Guillaume Desmoulins. Guillaume Desgarennes. Hue de Gourney, _aliàs_ Genevay. Le seig. de Bray. Le seig. de Gouy. Le seig. de Laigle. Le seig. de Touarts. Le seig. de Aurenchin. Le seig. de Vitrey. Le seig. de Trassy, _aliàs_ Tracy. Le seig. de Picquigny. Le seig. d'Espinay. Osmond seig. du Pont. Le seig. de Estouteuile. Le seig. de Torchy. Le seig. de Barnabost. Le seig. de Breual. Le seig. de Seeulme. Le seig. de Houme. Le seig. de Souchoy. Le seig. de Cally. Le seig. de la Riuere. Euldes de Beanieu. Le seig. de Roumilly. Le seig. de Glotz. Le seig. du Sap. Le seig. de Vanuille. Le seig. Branchou. Le seig. Balleul. Le seig. de Beausault. Le seig. de Telleres. Le seig. de Senlys. Le seig. de Bacqueuille. Le seig. de Preaulx. Le seig. de Iouy. Le seig. de Longueuille. Le seig. de Aquigny. Le seig. de Passy. Le seig. de Tournay. Le seig. de Colombieres. Le seig. de Bolleber. Le seig. de Garensieres. Le seig. de Longueile. Le seig. de Houdetot. Le seig. de Malletot. Le seig. de la Haie Malerbe. Le seig. de Porch Pinche. Le seig. de Iuetot. The erle of Tanqueruile. The erle d'Eu. The erle d'Arques. The erle of Aniou. The erle of Neuers. Le seig. de Rouuile. Le prince de Alemaigne. Le seig. de Pauilly. Le seig. de S. Cler. Le seig. d'Espinay. Le seig. de Bremetot. Alain Fergant erle of Britaigne. Le seig. de la Ferte. Robert fils Heruays duc de Orleans. Le seig. de la Lande. Le seig. de Mortimer. Le seig. de Clare. Le seig. de Magny. Le seig. de Fontnay. Roger de Montgomery. Amaury de Touars. Le seig. de Hacqueuile. Le seig. de Neanshou. Le seig. de Perou. Robert de Beaufou. Le seig. Meauuon. Le seig. de Soteuile. Eustace de Hambleuile. Geoffray Bournom. Le seig. de Blainuile. Le seig. de Mauneuile. Geoffrey de Moienne. Auffray and Mauger de Carteny. Le seig. de Freanuile. Le seig. de Moubray. Le seig. de Iafitay. Guillaume Patais seig. de la Lande. Eulde de Mortimer. Hue erle of Gournay. Egremont de Laigle. Richard d'Aurinchin. Le seig. de Bearts. Le seig. de Soulligny. Bouteclier d'Aubigny. Le seig. de Marcey. Le seig. de Lachy. Le seig. de