Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland, vol 2 : England | Page 9

of Northumberland, that he and his
eldest sonne Edward were slaine. At which mishap his whole host
being vtterlie discomfited, fled out of the field with the losse of manie,
whereof some were slaine, and some taken by pursute. [Sidenote:
_Simon Dun._] Thus came king Malcolme to his end (by the iust
prouidence of God) in that prouince which he had wasted and spoiled at
fiue seuerall times, as first in the daies of king Edward, when earle
Tostie was gone to Rome; the second time, in the daies of William
Conquerour, when he spoiled Cleueland; thirdlie, in the same
Conquerours daies, whilest bishop Walkher possessed the see of
Durham, at what time all the countrie was spoiled and forraied, euen to
the riuer of Tine; fourthlie, about the fourth or fift yeare of the reigne of
this William Rufus, at which time he entered the land as farre as

Chester in the stréet, whilest king William was in Normandie; the fift
time was now, when he lost his life on saint Brices day, by the hands of
a verie valiant knight named Morkell. King Malcolme being thus
surprised by death, his bodie was buried at Tinmouth (as in the Scotish
histories more plainelie appeareth) where also ye may find, how the
sonnes of king Malcolme were aided by king William Rufus to obteine
the crowne of Scotland, wherevnto they were interessed; whereas
otherwise by the force and practise of their vncle Donald they had
beene kept from the scepter and crowne of the kingdome.
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._] [Sidenote: An. Reg. 7. 1094] This yeare
England and Normandie were sore vexed with mortalitie both of men
and beasts, insomuch that tillage of the ground was laid aside in manie
places, by reason whereof there folowed great dearth & famine.
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._ _Wil. Malm._ _Simon Dun._ Death & murren
of cattell. Strange woonders. _Matth. Paris._ _Polydor._ _Simon Dun._]
Manie grizelie and hideous sights were seene also in England, as hosts
of men fighting in the aire, flashes of fier, stars falling from heauen,
and such like strange wonders. About this time new occasions of
breach of amitie grew betwixt the king and his brother Robert, who
accused him of periurie, for not obseruing the articles of the last peace
concluded betwixt them: wherefore he purposed to saile ouer into
Normandie, and so came vnto Hastings, about the first of Februarie,
where he soiourned for a time, and caused the church of Battell abbeie
to be dedicated in the honour of S. Martin. He depriued Herbert bishop
of Thetford of his bishops staffe, because he meant to haue stolen awaie
secretlie to Rome, and there to haue purchased absolution of pope
Urban for his bishoprike, which he had bought of the king for himselfe;
and likewise for the abbasie of Winchester, which he had purchased for
his father, paieng for them both a thousand pounds.
[Sidenote: King William passeth ouer into Normandie.] After this,
about midlent he passed ouer into Normandie with an armie, purposing
to trie the matter with his brother in plaine battell, that thereby he might
rather grow to some certeine point of losse or lucre, than to stand ouer
vpon vncerteinties, whether to haue peace or war, that he must be
constreined to be at all times in a readinesse to defend himselfe.

[Sidenote: Wars betwixt the king and his brother.] But after he was
come into Normandie, & had forraied part of the countrie once or twice,
he fell to a parle with his brother duke Robert, & in the end
condescended to put the matter in compromise to the arbitrement of
certeine graue persons, whose iudgement the king reiected, bicause
they gaue not sentence on his side. [Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
Herevpon both parts prepared for war afresh, insomuch that the king
perceiuing how his brother was aided by the French king, and that his
power was too weake to withstand them both, he sent his commission
into England for the leuieng of 20. thousand men, commanding that
they should be sent ouer vnto him into Normandie by a daie, which was
diligentlie performed. But as they were come togither about Hastings,
readie to enter a shipboord, immediatlie commeth the kings lieutenant
with a countermand, and signifieth to them, that the king minding to
fauour and spare them for that iournie, would that euery of them should
giue him 10. shillings (as Matt. Paris hath, or 20. shillings as others
haue) towards the charges of the war, and therevpon depart home with
a sufficient safeconduct; which the most part were better content to doo,
than to commit themselues to the fortune of the sea, and bloudie
successe of the wars in Normandie. [Sidenote: _Polydor._] In deed king
William changing his mind, was now determined to end the matter