Raphael Holinshed - Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (8 of 8)
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Raphael Holinshed >> Chronicles (1 of 6): The Historie of England (8 of 8)
THE EIGHT BOOKE
OF THE
HISTORIE OF ENGLAND.
* * * * *
_Edward the third of that name is chosen king of England by a generall
consent, ambassadours are sent to attend him homewardes to his
kingdome, and to informe him of his election, William duke of
Normandie accompanieth him, Edward is crowned king, the subtill
ambition or ambitious subtiltie of earle Goodwine in preferring Edward
to the crowne and betraieng Alfred; the Danes expelled and rid out of
this land by decree; whether earle Goodwine was guiltie of Alfreds
death, king Edward marieth the said earles daughter, he forbeareth to
haue carnall knowledge with hir, and why? he useth his mother
queene Emma verie hardlie, accusations brought against hir, she is
dispossessed of hir goods, and imprisoned for suffering bishop Alwine
to haue the vse of hir bodie, she purgeth and cleareth hir selfe after
a strange sort, hir couetousnesse: mothers are taught (by hir example)
to loue their children with equalitie: hir liberall deuotion to
Winchester church cleared hir from infamie of couetousnesse, king
Edward loued hir after hir purgation, why Robert archbishop of
Canturburie fled out of England into Normandie._
THE FIRST CHAPTER.
[Sidenote: EDWARD. _Hen. Hunt._]
Immediatlie vpon the deth of Hardiknought, and before his corps was
committed to buriall, his halfe brother Edward, sonne of king Egelred
[Sidenote: _Polydor_]
begotten of queene Emma, was chosen to be K. of England, by
the generall consent of all the nobles and commons of the realme.
Therevpon were ambassadours sent with all speed into Normandie, to
signifie vnto him his election, and to bring him from thence into
England in deliuering pledges for more assurance, that no fraud nor
deceit was ment of the Englishmen, but that vpon his comming thither,
he should receiue the crowne without all contradiction. Edward then
aided by his coosine William duke of Normandie, tooke the sea, &
with a small companie of Normans came into England, where he was
[Sidenote: _Henr. Hunt._ _Wil. Malm._ The third of Aprill. 1043.]
receiued with great ioy as king of the realme, & immediatlie after was
crowned at Winchester by Edsinus then archbishop of Canturburie, on
Easter day in the yeare of our Lord 1043, which fell also about the
fourth yeare of the emperour Henrie the third, surnamed Niger, in the
12 yeare of Henrie the first of that name king of France, and about
the third yeare of Macbeth king of Scotland.
This Edward the third of that name before the conquest, was of nature
more meeke and simple than apt for the gouernement of the realme, &
therefore did earle Goodwine not onelie seeke the destruction of his
elder brother Alfred, but holpe all that he might to aduance this
Edward to the crowne, in hope to beare great rule in the realme vnder
him, whome he knew to be soft, gentle, and easie to be persuaded. But
whatsoeuer writers doo report hereof, sure it is, that Edward was the
elder brother, and not Alfred: so that if earle Goodwine did shew his
furtherance by his pretended cloake of offering his friendship vnto
Alfred to betraie him, he did it by king Harolds commandement, and yet
it may be that he meant to haue vsurped the crowne to him selfe, if
each point had answered his expectation in the sequele of things, as
he hoped they would; and therfore had not passed if both the brethren
had beene in heauen. But yet when the world framed contrarie
(peraduenture) to his purpose, he did his best to aduance Edward,
trusting to beare no small rule vnder him, being knowen to be a man
more appliable to be gouerned by other than to trust to his owne wit:
and so chieflie by the assistance of earle Goodwine (whose authoritie,
as appeareth, was not small within the realme of England in those
daies) Edward came to atteine the crowne: wherevnto the earle of
Chester Leofrike also shewed all the furtherance that in him laie.
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd. ex Mariano_. _Alb. Crantz_.]
Some write (which seemeth also to be confirmed by the Danish
chronicles) that king Hardiknought in his life time had receiued this
Edward into his court, and reteined him still in the same in most
honorable wise. But for that it may appeare in the abstract of the
Danish chronicles, what their writers had of this matter recorded,
we doo here passe ouer, referring those that be desirous to know the
diuersitie of our writers and theirs, vnto the same chronicles, where
they may find it more at large expressed. This in no wise is to be
[Sidenote: _Polydor_. Danes expelled.]
left vnremembred, that immediatlie after the death of Hardiknought,
it was not onelie decreed & agreed vpon by the great lords & nobles of
the realme, that no Dane from thenceforth should reigne ouer them, but
also all men of warre and souldiers of the Danes, which laie within
anie citie or castell in garrison within the realme of England, were
then expelled and put out or rather slaine (as the Danish writers
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
doo rehearse.) Amongst other that were banished, the ladie Gonild
[Sidenote: Gonill neece to K. Swaine.]
neece to king Swaine by his sister, was one, being as then a widow,
and with hir two of hir sonnes, which she had then liuing; Heming
and Turkill were also caused to auoid. Some write that Alfred the
[Sidenote: _Polydor_.]
brother of king Edward, came not into the realme till after the death
of Hardiknought, and that he did helpe to expell the Danes, which
being doon, he was slaine by earle Goodwine and other of his
complices. But how this may stand, considering the circumstances of
the time, with such things as are written by diuers authors hereof, it
may well be doubted. Neuerthelesse, whether earle Goodwine was guiltie
to the death of Alfred, either at this time, or before, certeine it
is, that he so cleared himselfe of that crime vnto king Edward the
brother of Alfred, that there was none so highlie in fauour with him
as earle Goodwine was, insomuch that king Edward maried the ladie
[Sidenote: K. Edward marieth the daughter of earle Goodwine.]
Editha, the daughter of earle Goodwine, begotten of his wife Thira
that was sister to king Hardiknought, and not of his second wife, as
some haue written. Howbeit, king Edward neuer had to doo with hir in
fleshlie wise. But whether he absteined because he had happilie
[Sidenote: _Polydor_.]
vowed chastitie, either of impotencie of nature, or for a priuie hate
[Sidenote: K. Edward absteineth from the companie of his wife.]
that he bare to hir kin, men doubted. For it was thought, that he
esteemed not earle Goodwine so greatlie in his heart, as he outwardlie
made shew to doo, but rather for feare of his puissance dissembled
with him, least he should otherwise put him selfe in danger both of
losse of life and kingdome.
Howsoeuer it was, he vsed his counsell in ordering of things
[Sidenote: K. Edward dealeth strictlie with his mother queene Emma.]
concerning the state of the common wealth, and namelie in the hard
handling of his mother queene Emma, against whome diuers accusations
were brought and alledged: as first, for that she consented to marie
with K. Cnute, the publike enimie of the realme: againe, for that she
did nothing aid or succour hir sons while they liued in exile, but
that woorse was, contriued to make them away; for which cause she
[Sidenote: Queene Emma despoiled of hir goods.]
was despoiled of all hir goods. And because she was defamed to be
[Sidenote: She is accused of dissolute liuing.]
naught of hir bodie with Alwine or Adwine bishop of Winchester, both
she and the same bishop were committed to prison within the citie of
Winchester (as some write.) Howbeit others affirme, that she was
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._ She purgeth hir selfe by the law Ordalium.]
strictlie kept in the abbie of Warwell, till by way of purging hir
selfe, after a maruellous manner, in passing barefooted ouer certeine
hot shares or plough-irons, according to the law _Ordalium,_ she
cleared hir selfe (as the world tooke it) and was restored to hir
first estate and dignitie.
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._]
Hir excessiue couetousnesse, without regard had to the poore,
caused hir also to be euill reported of. Againe, for that she euer
shewed hir selfe to be more naturall to the issue which she had by hir
second husband Cnute, than to hir children which she had by hir first
husband king Egelred (as it were declaring how she was affected toward
the fathers, by the loue borne to the children) she lost a great peece
of good will at the hands of hir sonnes Alfred and Edward: so that now
the said Edward inioieng the realme, was easilie induced to thinke
euill of hir, and therevpon vsed hir the more vncurteouslie. But hir
great liberalitie imploied on the church of Winchester, which she
furnished with maruellous rich iewels and ornaments, wan hir great
commendation in the world, and excused hir partlie in the sight of
manie, of the infamie imputed to hir for the immoderate filling of hir
coffers by all waies and meanes she could deuise. Now when she had
purged hir selfe, as before is mentioned, hir sonne king Edward
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._]
had hir euer after in great honor and reuerence. And whereas Robert
archbishop of Canturburie had beene sore against hir, he was so much
abashed now at the matter, that he fled into Normandie, where he was
borne. But it should seeme by that which after shal be said in the
next chapter, that he fled not the realme for this matter, but bicause
he counselled the king to banish earle Goodwine, and also to vse the
Englishmen more strictlie than reason was he should.
* * * * *
_Why Robert archbishop of Canturburie (queene Emmas heauie friend)
fled out of England, the Normans first entrance into this countrie,
dearth by tempests, earle Goodwines sonne banished out of this land,
he returneth in hope of the kings fauour, killeth his coosen earle
Bearne for his good will and forwardnes to set him in credit againe,
his flight into Flanders, his returne into England, the king is
pacified with him; certeine Danish rouers arriue at Sandwich, spoile
the coast, inrich themselues with the spoiles, make sale of their
gettings, and returne to their countrie; the Welshmen with their
princes rebelling are subdued, king Edward keepeth the seas on
Sandwich side in aid of Baldwine earle of Flanders, a bloudie fraie in
Canturburie betwixt the earle of Bullongne and the townesmen, earle
Goodwine fauoureth the Kentishmen against the Bullongners, why he
refuseth to punish the Canturburie men at the kings commandement for
breaking the kings peace; he setteth the king in a furie, his suborned
excuse to shift off his comming to the assemblie of lords conuented
about the foresaid broile, earle Goodwine bandeth himselfe against
the king, he would haue the strangers deliuered into his hands, his
request is denied; a battell readie to haue bene fought betweene him
and the king, the tumult is pacified and put to a parlement, earle
Goodwines retinue forsake him; he, his sonnes, and their wiues take
their flight beyond the seas._
THE SECOND CHAPTER.
[Sidenote: Robert archbishop of Canturburie. Frenchmen or Normans
first entered into England.]
Ye must vnderstand, that K. Edward brought diuerse Normans ouer
with him, which in time of his banishment had shewed him great
friendship, wherefore he now sought to recompense them. Amongst other,
the forenamed Robert of Canturburie was one, who before his comming
ouer was a moonke in the abbeie of Gemeticum in Normandie, and being
by the king first aduanced to gouerne the see of London, was after
made archbishop of Canturburie, and bare great rule vnder the king, so
that he could not auoid the enuie of diuerse noble men, and speciallie
of earle Goodwine, as shall appeere. About the third yeere of king
Edwards reigne, Osgot Clappa was banished the realme. And in the
[Sidenote: 1047]
yeere following, that is to say, in the yeere 1047, there fell
a maruellous great snow, couering the ground from the beginning of
Ianuarie vntill the 17 day of March. Besides this, there hapned the
[Sidenote: A great death. _Ran. Higd._]
same yeere such tempest and lightnings, that the corne vpon the
earth was burnt vp and blasted: by reason whereof, there followed a
great dearth in England, and also death of men and cattell.
[Sidenote: Swain Goodwines sonne banished.]
About this time Swaine the sonne of earle Goodwine was banished
the land, and fled into Flanders. This Swaine kept Edgiua, the abbesse
of the monasterie of Leoffe, and forsaking his wife, ment to
[Sidenote: Edgiua abbesse of Leoffe.]
haue married the foresaid abbesse. Within a certeine time after his
banishment, he returned into England, in hope to purchase the kings
peace by his fathers meanes and other his friends. But vpon some
[Sidenote: This Bearne was the sonne of Vlfusa Dane, vncle to this
Swaine by his mother, the sister of K. Swaine. _H. Hunt._]
malicious pretense, he slue his coosen earle Bearne, who was about
to labour to the king for his pardon, and so then fled againe into
Flanders, till at length Allered the archbishop of Yorke obteined his
pardon, and found meanes to reconcile him to the kings fauour.
[Sidenote: _Hen. Hunt._]
In the meane time, about the sixt yeere of king Edwards reigne,
certeine pirats of the Danes arriued in Sandwich hauen, and entring
the land, wasted and spoiled all about the coast. There be that write,
that the Danes had at that time to their leaders two capteins,
[Sidenote: The Danes spoile Sandwich.]
the one named Lother, and the other Irling. After they had beene at
Sandwich, and brought from thence great riches of gold and siluer,
they coasted about vnto the side of Essex, and there spoiling the
countrie, went backe to the sea, and sailing into Flanders, made
sale of their spoiles and booties there, and so returned to their
countries. After this, during the reigne of king Edward, there chanced
no warres, neither forren nor ciuill, but that the same was either
with small slaughter luckilie ended, or else without anie notable
[Sidenote: Rise & Griffin princes of Wales.]
aduenture changed into peace. The Welshmen in deed with their
princes Rise and Griffin wrought some trouble, but still they were
subdued, and in the end both the said Rise and Griffin were brought
vnto confusion: although in the meane time they did much hurt, and
namelie Griffin, who with aid of some Irishmen, with whome he was
alied, about this time entred into the Seuerne sea, and tooke preies
about the riuer of Wie: and after returned without anie battell to him
offered.
[Sidenote: 1049. _Simon Dun_.]
About the same time, to wit, in the yeere 1049, the emperor Henrie
the third made warres against Baldwine earle of Flanders, and for that
he wished to haue the sea stopped, that the said earle should not
escape by flight that waie foorth, he sent to king Edward, willing him
to keepe the sea with some number of ships. King Edward furnishing a
[Sidenote: _Hermanus_. _Contractus_. _Ia. Meir._]
nauie, lay with the same at Sandwich, and so kept the seas on that
side, till the emperor had his will of the earle. At the same
time, Swaine, sonne of earle Goodwine came into the realme, and
traitorouslie slue his coosen Bearne (as before is said) the which
[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._]
trauelled to agree him with the king. Also Gosipat Clappa, who
had left his wife at Bruges in Flanders, comming amongst other of the
Danish pirats, which had robbed in the coasts of Kent & Essex, as
before ye haue heard, receiued his wife, and departed backe into
Denmarke with six ships, leauing the residue, being 23 behind him.
[Sidenote: _Fabian_. 1051.]
About the tenth yeere of king Edwards reigne, Eustace earle of
Bullongne, that was father vnto the valiant Godfrey of Bullongne,
& Baldwin, both afterward kings of Hierusalem, came ouer into
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._ The earle of Flanders commeth into England.
_Ran. Higd._ _Wil. Malm._]
England in the moneth of September, to visit his brother in law king
[Sidenote: Goda sister to K. Edward. _Wil. Malm._]
Edward, whose sister named Goda, he had maried, she then being the
widow of Gualter de Maunt. He found the king at Glocester, and being
there ioifullie receiued, after he had once dispatched such matters
for the which he chieflie came, he tooke leaue, and returned
[Sidenote: Douer saith _Matth. West._]
homeward. But at Canturburie one of his herbingers, dealing roughlie
with one of the citizens about a lodging, which he sought to haue
rather by force than by intreatance, occasioned his owne death.
Whereof when the erle was aduertised, he hasted thither to reuenge the
slaughter of his seruant, and slue both that citizen which had killed
his man, and eighteene others.
[Sidenote: A fraie in Canturburie betwixt the earle Bullongne and the
townsmen.]
The citizens heerewith in a great furie, got them to armor, and
set vpon the earle and his retinue, of whom they slue twentie persons
out of hand, & wounded a great number of the residue, so that the
earle scarce might escape with one or two of his men from the fraie,
[Sidenote: The earle complaineth to the king.]
& with all speed returned backe to the king, presenting greeuous
information against them of Canturburie, for their cruell vsing of
him, not onlie in sleaing of his seruants, but also in putting him in
danger of his life. The king crediting the earle, was higlie offended
against the citizens, and with all speed sending for earle Goodwine,
declared vnto him in greeuous wise, the rebellious act of them of
Canturburie, which were vnder his iurisdiction.
The earle who was a man of a bold courage and quicke wit, did perceiue
that the matter was made a great deale woorse at the first in the
beginning, than of likelihood it would prooue in the end, thought it
reason therefore that first the answere of the Kentishmen should
be heard, before anie sentence were giuen against them. Heerevpon,
although the king commanded him foorthwith to go with an armie into
Kent, and to punish them of Canturburie in most rigorous maner, yet
he would not be too hastie, but refused to execute the kings
[Sidenote: Earle Goodwine offended with the king for fauouring
strangers.]
commandement, both for that he bare a peece of grudge in his mind,
that the king should fauour strangers so highlie as he did; and
againe, bicause heereby he should seeme to doo pleasure to his
countriemen, in taking vpon him to defend their cause against the
rough accusations of such as had accused them. Wherefore he declared
to the king that it should be conuenient to haue the supposed
offenders first called afore him, and if they were able to excuse
themselues, then to be suffered to depart without further vexation:
and if they were found faultie, then to be put to their fine, both as
well in satisfieng the king, whose peace they had broken, as also the
earle, whom they had indamaged.
Earle Goodwine departed thus from the king, leauing him in a great
[Sidenote: A councel called at Glocester. Siward earle of Northumberland,
Leofrike earle of Chester, Rafe earle of Hereford. _Will. Malmes._]
furie: howbeit he passed litle thereof, supposing it would not
long continue. But the king called a great assemblie of his lords
togither at Glocester, that the matter might be more deepelie
considered. Siward earle of Northumberland, and Leofrike earle of
Chester, with Rafe earle of Hereford, the kings nephue by his sister
Goda, and all other the noble men of the realme, onlie earle Goodwine
and his sonnes ment not to come there, except they might bring with
them a great power of armed men, and so remained at Beuerstane, with
such bands as they had leauied, vnder a colour to resist the Welshmen,
whome they bruted abroad to be readie to inuade the marches about
Hereford. But the Welshmen preuenting that slander, signified to the
king that no such matter was ment on their parties, but that earle
Goodwine and his sonnes with their complices went about to mooue a
commotion against him. Heerevpon a rumor was raised in the court, that
the kings power should shortlie march foorth to assaile earle Goodwine
in that place where he was lodged. Wherevpon the same earle prepared
himselfe, and sent to his friends, willing to sticke to this quarrell,
and if the king should go about to force them, then to withstand him,
rather than to yeeld and suffer themselues to be troden vnder foot
[Sidenote: Earle Goodwine meaneth to defend himself against the king.]
by strangers. Goodwine in this meane time had got togither a great
[Sidenote: Swaine. _Ran. Higd._ _Matth. West._ _Simon Dun._]
power of his countries of Kent, Southerie, and other of the west
parts. Swaine likewise had assembled much people out of his countries
of Barkeshire, Oxfordshire, Summersetshire, Herefordshire,
[Sidenote: Harold. _Simon Dun._]
and Glocestershire. And Harold was also come to them with a great
multitude, which he had leuied in Essex, Norffolke, Suffold,
Cambridgeshire, & Huntingtonshire.
On the other part, the earles that were with the king, Leofrike,
Siward, and Rafe, raised all the power which they might make, and
the same approching to Glocester, the king thought himselfe in more
suertie than before, in so much that whereas earle Goodwine (who lay
with his armie at Langton there not farre off in Glocestershire) had
sent vnto the king, requiring that the earle of Bullongne, with the
other Frenchmen and also the Normans which held the castell of Douer,
might be deliuered vnto him. The king, though at the first he stood in
great doubt what to doo, yet hearing now that an armie of his friends
was comming, made answere to the messingers which Goodwine had sent,
that he would not deliuer a man of those whome Goodwine required, and
heerewith the said messengers being departed, the kings armie entered
into Glocester, and such readie good wils appeered in them all to
fight with the aduersaries, that if the king would haue permitted,
they would foorthwith haue gone out and giuen battell to the enimies.
Thus the matter was at point to haue put the realme in hazard not
onelie of a field, but of vtter ruine that might thereof haue insued:
for what on the one part and the other, there were assembled the
chiefest lords and most able personages of the land. But by the
wisedome and good aduise of earle Leofrike and others, the matter
was pacified for a time, and order taken, that they should come to a
parlement or communication at London, vpon pledges giuen and receiued
as well on the one part as the other. The king with a mightie armie
of the Northumbers, and them of Mercia, came vnto London, and earle
Goodwine with his sonnes, and a great power of the Westsaxons, came
into Southwarke, but perceiuing that manie of his companie stale awaie
and slipt from him, he durst not abide anie longer to enter talke with
the king, as it was couenanted, but in the night next insuing fled
awaie with all speed possible.
[Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ Swaine eldest sonne to Goodwine banished.]
Some write, how an order was prescribed that Swanus the eldest
sonne of Goodwine should depart the land as a banished man to qualifie
the kings wrath, and that Goodwine and one other of his sons, that
is to say, Harold should come to an other assemblie to be holden at
London, accompanied with 12 seruants onelie, & to resigne all his
force of knights, gentlemen and souldiers vnto the kings guiding and
gouernment. But when this last article pleased nothing earle Goodwine,
and that he perceiued how his force began to decline, so as he
[Sidenote: Earle Goodwine fled the realme.]
should not be able to match the kings power, he fled the realme,
and so likewise did his sonnes. He himselfe with his sonnes Swanus,
Tostie, and Girth, sailed into Flanders: and Harold with his brother
Leofwine gat ships at Bristow, and passed into Ireland. Githa the wife
of Goodwine, and Judith the wife of Tostie, the daughter of Baldwine
earle of Flanders went ouer also with their husbands.
* * * * *
_Goodwine and his sonnes are proclaimed outlawes, their lands are
giuen from them, king Edward putteth awaie the queene his wife who was
earle Goodwines daughter, she cleareth hir selfe at the houre of hir
death from suspicion of incontinencie and lewdnesse of life, why king
Edward forbare to haue fleshlie pleasure with hir; earle Goodwine and
his sonnes take preies on the coasts of Kent and Sussex; Griffin king
of Wales destroieth a great part of Herefordshire, and giueth his
incounterers the ouerthrow; Harold and Leofwine two brethren inuade
Dorset and Summersetshires, they are resisted, but yet preuaile,
they coast about the point of Cornwall and ioine with their father
Goodwine, king Edward maketh out threescore armed ships against them,
a thicke mist separateth both sides being readie to graple and fight,
a pacification betweene the king and earle Goodwine, he is restored
to his lands and libertie, he was well friended, counterpledges of
agreement interchangablie deliuered; Swanus the eldest sonne of
Goodwine a notable rebell and pirat, his troubled conscience, his
wicked life and wretched death._