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

of his roialtie, and
considered nothing what so high an office required. He kept the sée of
Canturburie foure yeares in his hands, to see who would giue most for
it, in the meane time taking the profits thereof, and making the
vttermost of the same that by any meanes could be deuised.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._] The like he vsed when other benefices and
abbeies were vacant, and furthermore that little which the prince spared,
his officers and farmers, no lesse couetous than he, conuerted to their
aduantage: so that what by the king, and what by his procurators, the
church of England was now sore charged and fléeced of hir wealth.
Diuerse of hir prelates in like maner were not a little offended, to sée

their mother so spoiled of hir treasure and liuelihood, insomuch that
they practised a redresse: and to begin withall, complained of the king
to pope Vrban: but he was so busied with other troubles of his owne
néerer home, that he could haue no time to séeke meanes how to
redresse enormities a far off, [Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ _Matt. Paris._]
whereby the lands and goods belonging to the church here in England
were still wastfullie spent and consumed by the king and others, to
whome he gaue or let them foorth to farme at his owne pleasure, and to
his most commoditie.
But albeit the prince was of such a disposition by nature, yet there is
one thing written of him which ought not to be forgotten, to admonish
vs that there is no man of so euill an affection, but that sometime he
dealeth vprightlie, though it be by hap or other extraordinarie motion. It
chanced that an abbeie was void of an abbat, wherein were two
moonkes verie couetous persons aboue the rest, and such as by scraping
and gathering togither, were become verie rich, for such (saith Polydor)
in those daies mounted to preferment. These two appointed to go
togither to the court, ech hoping at their comming thither to find some
meanes that he might be made abbat of that house. Being thus agréed,
to the court they come, and there offer verie largelie to the king to
obteine their sute: who perceiuing their gréedie desires, and casting his
eies about the chamber, espied by chance an other moonke (that came
to beare them companie, being a more sober man, and simple after his
outward appearance) whom he called vnto him, and asked what he
would giue him to be made abbat of the foresaid abbeie. The moonke
after a little pause, made answere, that he would giue nothing at all for
anie such purpose, since he entred into that profession of méere zeale to
despise riches & all worldlie pompe, to the end he might the more
quietlie serue God in holinesse & puritie of conuersation. Saiest thou so,
quoth the king, then art thou euen he that art worthie to gouerne this
house: and streightwaie he bestowed the house vpon him, iustlie
refusing the other two, to their open infamie and reproch.
[Sidenote: _Matt. Paris._] [Sidenote: An. Reg. 3. 1090.] But to returne
to our historie. After the expulsion of the bishop of Durham, and other
of his adherents, the king passed ouer into Normandie, purposing to

depriue his brother of that dukedome, and being arriued there, he
besieged and tooke S. Ualerie, Albemarle, and diuerse other townes and
castels, wherein he placed a number of his best souldiers, [Sidenote:
_Simon Dun._ Warres betwixt the king and his brother Robert.] the
better to mainteine warre against his foresaid brother. Herevpon also
the said Robert sent vnto the French king for aid, who came downe at
his request with a noble armie, and besieged one of those castels which
king William had latelie woone; howbeit by such meanes as king
William made, in sending to the French king an huge summe of monie,
he raised his siege shortlie & returned home againe. [Sidenote: An. Reg.
4 1091.] [Sidenote: _Gemeticensis._ A peace concluded. _Simon Dun._
_Matth. West._ _Matt. Paris._] At length a peace was concluded
betwixt king William and the duke his brother, but yet verie
dishonorable to the said Robert: for it was accorded, that king William
should reteine & still inioy the countie of Ewe, with Fescampe, the
abbasie of mount S. Michell, Chereburg, and all those other places
which he had woone & gotten out of his hands in this his late voiage.
On the other side it was agréed, that king William should aid the duke
to recouer all other places beyond the seas, which belonged to their
father. Also, that such Normans as had lost anie of their lands & liuings
in England, for taking part with the duke in the late rebellion, should be
restored to