MarginaliaSecūdū vsum Sarū.ordinall, which was called secundū vsum Sarū. an. 1076. The occasion wherof was this (as I find in an old story booke intituled Eulogium) MarginaliaEx Eulogio historico. Lib. 3.
The vse & ordinary of Sarū, how and whē it was deuised.A great contention chaunced at Glacenbury betwene Thurstanus the abbot, and his couent in the dayes of Williā Conquerour. Whiche Thurstanus the sayd William had brought out of Normandy, from the abbey of Cadonum, and placed hym abbot of Glacenbury. The cause of this contētious battaile, was for that Thurstanus contemning their quyer seruice, then called the vse of S. Gregory: compelled his monkes to the vse of one Williā, a monke of Fiscan in Normandy. Wherupon came strife and contentions amongest them. First in woordes then from wordes to blowes, after blowes thē to armour. The abbout w^t hys garde of harnest men fell vpon the monkes, and draue thē to the steppes of the hye altar: where, two wer slaine, viij. were wounded with shaftes, swordes, & pikes. The monkes then driuen to such a straight and narrow shift wer compelled to defende them selues, with formes, and candellstickes, wherewith they did wounde certeyne of the souldiers. One monke there was (an aged man) who in steade of his shield, tooke an Image of the crucifixe in his armes, for hys defence: which Image, was woūded in the brest by one of the bow men, whereby the monke was saued. My story addeth more, that the striker incontinent vpon the same fell mad, which sauoureth of some monkishe addicion besides the texte. This matter beyng brought before the kyng: the Abbot was sent agayne to Cadonius, and the monkes by the commaundement of the kyng were scattered in farre countreis. Thus by the occasiō hereof, Osmundus bishop of Salisbury, deuised that ordinary, whiche is called the vse of Sarum, and was afterwarde receyued in a maner through all England Ireland and Walles. And thus much for this matter, done in the tyme of this kyng William.

[Back to Top]

Which Williā after his death: by his wife Matildis or Mauld, left iij. sōnes, Robert Courtsey to whom he gaue the duchie of Normandy: William Rufus his ij. sonne to whō he gaue þ^e kyngdome of England: And Henry þ^e iij. sonne to whō he left and gaue his treasour: and warned William to be to his people louing and liberal: and Robert to be to his people sterne and sturdy.

[Back to Top]

In the hystory called Iornalensis, is reported of a certain great man, MarginaliaExample of Gods iuste iudgement vpon a bishop, who being vnmerciful to the poore was eaten with rattes and myse.who about this time of king William, was compassed about, w^t myse and rattes: and fleyng to the middest of a ryuer, yet when that would not serue, came to the land agayne, and was of thē deuoured. The Germanes say, that this was a bishop: who dwellyng betwene Colene and Mentz, in tyme of famine & darth, hauing store of corne and graine, would not help the pouertie, crying to hym for releue, but rather wyshed hys corne be eaten of myse and rattes. Wherfore beyng cōpassed with myse & rattes (by the iust iudgemēt of God) to auoyde the enoyannce of them, he buylded a tower in mydest of the riuer of Reyne (whiche yet to this day, the Duchemē cal rattes tower) but al that would not helpe: for the rattes and myse swam ouer to hym in as greate aboundance, as they did before. Of whom at length he was deuoured.

[Back to Top]

Marginalia1088.
William Rufus.WIlliā Rufus þ^e second sonne of Williā conquerour begā hys reigne an. 1088.  

And reigned xiij. yeres, being crowned at Westminster by Lancfrancus, who after his coronatiō released out of prison, by the request of his father: diuers of the English Lordes, whiche before had ben in custody. It chaunced, þ^t at the death of Williā cōquerour, Robert Courtsey his eldest sōne was absent in Almanye. Who hearyng of the death of his father: and how William his yonger brother had taken vpon hym þ^e kingdome: was therewith greatly amoued, in somuchthat he laid his dukedome to pledge vnto his brother Hēry: and with that good, gathered vnto hym an armey, & so landed at Hampton, to thentent to haue expulsed hys brother from the kyngdome. But William Rufus hearyng therof, sent to hym fayre and gentle wordes, promising hym dedition and subiection as to the more worthy, and elder brother: this thyng onely requiryng, that seyng he was now in place & possession, he might enioy it during his life: paing to hiim yearely iij. thousād markes with condition, that which of them ouerlyued the other, should enioy the kyngdome. The occasiō of this variāce betwen these brethren, wrought a great dissention emōg the Normande Lordes and bishops both in Englād and in Normandy. In somuch that all þ^e Normand bishops within the realme almost rebelled agaynst the kyng (taking part with duke Robert) except only Lancfrancus, and MarginaliaWolstane byshop of Worcetor.Wolstane bishop of Worceter, aboue mētioned, an English man. Who for his vertue and constācie was so well liked and fauoured of his citezins: that (enboldened with his presence & prayer) he stoutly maintened the citie of Worceter agaynst the siege of their enemies, and at last vāquished them with vtter ruine. But duke Robert at length by thaduise of his counsaile (hearing þ^e wordes sent vnto hym and waggyng his head therat, as one cōceauing some matter of doubt or doublenes) was yet cōtent to assent to all that was desired, & so returned shortly after into Normandy: leauyng the bishops and such other, in the bryars, whiche were in England takyng hys part agaynst the kyng.

[Back to Top]

This Rufus was so ill liked of the Normās, that betwen him and his Lordes was oft dissention. Wherfore (wel nere) all the Normans tooke part agaynst hym: so that he was forced of necessitie to drawe to hym he English men Agayne so couertous he was, and so immesurable in hys taskes and takynges: in sellyng benefices: abbays, and byshoprikes: that he was hated of all Englishmen.

[Back to Top]

Marginalia1091.
The death of Lancfrancus archbishop of Canterburye.In the third yeare of this kyng dyed Lancfrancus archbishop of Cant. from whose commendations & worthynes as I list not to detract any thyng (beyng so greatly magnified of Polidorus his countreyman) so neither do I see any great cause why, to adde any thyng therunto. This I thinke, vnles that man had brought with him lesse superstitiō, & more sincere, science into Christes churche: he might haue kept him in his countrey stil, and haue confuted Berengarius at home. After the decease of Lancfranke, the sea of Cant. stood emptie iiij. yeares.

[Back to Top]

After the councel of Lancfrācus, aboue mentioned, wherin was concluded, for translatyng of bishops seas, from villages into head cities: MarginaliaRemigius bishop of Lincolne.Remigius bishop of Dorchester, who (as ye hard, accompanied Lāfrancus vnto Rome) remoued his bishops sea from Dorchester, vnto Lincolne: MarginaliaLincolne mynster builded.where he builded the mynster there situate vpon an hill within the sayd citie of Lincolne. The dedication of which churche, Robert archbishop of Yorke did resiste, saying that it was builded within the ground of his precincte. But after, it had his Romish dedication by Robert Blocet, next bishop that folowed. MarginaliaStow abbey builded.By þ^e same Remigius also was founded the cloyster or monastery of Stow. &c.

[Back to Top]

Marginalia1092.
Wynchecome styple brent with lightning.In the iiij. yeare of this kyng. great tēpest fell in sondry places of England specially at Wynchecome: wher the steple was burned with lyghtnyng: the churche wall brast through: the head and right legge of the crucifixe, with the image of our Lady, on the right side of the crucifixe thrown downe: and such a stēche left in the church, that none might abyde it. MarginaliaVi hundreth houses blowē downe with winde.At London the force of the wether & tempest ouerturned vi. hundreth houses. MarginaliaThe roofe of Bow church ouerthrowen.In which tempest the roofe of Bow church was whurled vp in the winde, and by the vehemence therof was pitched downe a great depenes into the gcound.

[Back to Top]