ANGLO-NORMAN PERIOD.

CHAPTER I.

WILLIAM I. (THE CONQUEROR.)*

1066—1087. Coronation of William ; his return to Normandy.-Conquest of the West and

North of England.—Hereward.—Rebellion of Norman Nobles.—Dissensions in the Royal Family.-Fall of Bishop Odo.—War with the King of France.

-Death and funeral of the Conqueror; his character. The duke of Normandy, after his victory at Hastings, led his troops eastwards along the coast, spoiling and ravaging on his way. As the people of Romney had attacked and defeated some Normans who had landed there he burned the town and massacred the inhabitants; he then advanced to Dover, which town was likewise partly burned and the castle forced to surrender. After a delay of eight days on account of the dysentery which prevailed among his troops he directed his march toward London; on his way he was met by a deputation of the Kentish men, offering to submit on his engaging to respect their liberties and rights t.

The Witan and the citizens of London had meantime placed the Atheling Edgar on the vacant throne, and on account of his incapacity the direction of affairs was committed to Stigand the primate and the earls Edwin and Morcar; but disunion prevailed in their councils, and many of the higher clergy it is said, swayed by the authority of the pope or hoping advantage from it, were for submission to the Norman, who had now reached Southwark, which suburb he burned, after routing those who came out to oppose him ; he then turned, and having plundered Surrey, Sussex, Hants and Berks, crossed the Thames at Wallingford, whence he moved to Berkhamstead. Bucks and Herts were now laid waste; the supplies were cut off from London; Edwin and Morcar had retired home. Resistance seeming hopeless, Stigand and other deputies on the part of the clergy and people entered the camp of the Norman and swore fealty to him. The following Christmas was appointed for the coronation : William meanwhile encamped a few miles from the city till a fortress (the origin of the present Tower) should have been raised for his security. On the appointed day (Dec. 25) he proceeded to Westminster Abbey, where the ceremony was to be performed by the archbishop of York, (Stigand being under a sentence of suspension). A guard of Norman horse surrounded the abbey, in which the English were already assembled. William entered with his nobles; the ceremony began ; the bishop of Constance asked the Normans in French if they would have their duke crowned king of England; a similar question was put to the English in Saxon by the prelate of York. Instantly a loud cry of assent arose from all parts of the edifice. The Normans outside fancying, or pretending to do so, that the English were assailing those within, set fire to the neighbouring William, fearing the event of a conflict, acceded to their demands, and hostages were exchanged. See Thorn, p. 1786. Pictaviensis, who was present says, “ Occurrunt ultro Cantuarii, jurant fidelitatem, dant obsides."

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houses; those who were in the church rushed out, the English to save their lives and property, the Normans to share in the plunder, and William was left alone with the archbishop and a few ecclesiastics of both nations. The trembling priests received from the monarch, whose terror nearly equalled their own, an oath to govern the English people as they had been governed by the best of their native kings.

William, who is henceforth named the Conqueror*, manifested a laudable anxiety to gain the affections of his new subjects; he granted new privileges to the citizens of London; he put down the bands of robbers which now infested the country; he protected travellers and merchants; he was accessible to all; he even made an attempt to learn

! the English language. At Barking, whither he retired after his coronation, he was waited on by Edgar, Edwin, Morcar, Coxo, and a crowd of other nobles and thanes, who did him homage and were confirmed in their estates and honours. He then made a progress through the neighbouring counties to gain the people by his affability and courtesy.

To reward his followers •he confiscated the estates of those who had fought against him at Hastings, affecting to regard them as traitors. By these foreigners who thus settled in England numerous castles were erected to secure their possessions, and in each town the king raised a fortress in which he placed a Norman garrison. These measures occupied his attention during the early part of the year (1067); in the month of March, in compliance with the desires of his Norman subjects, he prepared to revisit Normandy; and having committed the direction of affairs in England to Odo bishop of Bayeux, his uterine brother, and William Fitz-Osbern, he led such of his troops as were returning home to Pevensey, where having distributed

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rich presents among them he embarked, taking with him Edgar, Edwin, Morcar, Stigand and other English of note, under the pretext of doing them honour, but in reality that they might serve as hostages for the obedience of the people. He was received with the greatest demonstrations of joy by his native subjects, who were amazed at the quantity of wealth he had acquired, and who gazed in surprise at the magnificence displayed by his English followers. To the monasteries which had put up prayers his success he made costly offerings; to the pope he sent the banner of Harold and a large quantity of gold and silver.

While William was thus displaying his liberality in Normandy, those whom he had left behind in England were driving the people to desperation by their tyranny and oppression, and it was in vain that redress was sought from the regents, who gave no heed to their complaints. Resistance therefore began to be made in various parts; the people of Kent invited over Eustace count of Boulogne to their aid, offering to put him in possession of Dover. He landed and was joined by the neighbouring people, but failing to take the castle by assault he lost courage and re-embarked his troops with some loss. In Hereford the English under the command of a chief named Edric the Wild and aided by the Welsh, drove the Normans out of the country. A general confederacy against the strangers was organised; the nobles who had submitted were secretly invited to put themselves at the head of it, and Coxo was actually assassinated for persisting in his fidelity to the Conqueror.

When intelligence of what was going on came to the ears of William he returned to England without delay, although it was now mid-winter; he kept his Christmas at London, where he lavished his caresses on the English prelates and nobles who appeared at court, and issued a proclamation to the citizens assuring them of his intentions

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to govern them according to their ancient laws and to secure them in their property. Having thus soothed the people of London, he set out (1068) with his troops for Devon, where the people were in arms, and prepared to lay siege to Exeter; as he was approaching a deputation met him, offering to pay as tribute a sum equal to what they had paid their former kings, but declining to swear allegiance; he refused to listen to these terms; his troops advanced to the assault, the English being placed in front; ere the assault was made the magistrates came forth, sued for peace and gave hostages; but on their return the citizens refused to ratify the peace, closed the gates and prepared for defence. William then put out the eyes of the hostages in their view and invested the town; the siege lasted eighteen days with great loss on the part of the besiegers; at length the walls were undermined and the city was forced to surrender. The whole of Devonshire and the adjoining British Cornwall were speedily reduced ; about the same time Somerset and Gloucester were also subdued and the land seized and divided.

Those who were dispossessed of their lands, and the lovers of liberty in general, gradually retired to the north, whither the Normans had not as yet penetrated. Edwin, Morcar and other chiefs secretly repaired thither; an alliance was formed with the Welsh and with Malcolm king of Scotland (at whose court Edgar had taken refuge, and who afterwards married his sister Margaret), and an extensive plan of resistance to the Normans was formed. It is said that in the conquered country.a secret plan for assassinating them (like the Danes in the time of Ethelred) on a festival, when they would be without arms, was projected; but it was discovered, and those most deeply engaged in it had to seek safety in flight. William, resolving to strike the first blow, led his troops northwards; he took Oxford by assault, massacred the inhabitants, and burned a great part of the town. The same was the fate