CHAPTER II

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THE EARLY DAYS OF WILLIAM RUFUS. 1087-1090.

Character of the accession of Rufus; general acceptance without formal election 9-10

§ 1. _The Coronation and Acknowledgement of William Rufus. September, 1087._

Rufus the enemy of the Church, yet his election specially ecclesiastical 10 Wishes of the late King in his favour 11 Special agency of Lanfranc 12 Sept. 8, William Rufus leaves his father’s death-bed and 1087. hastens to England 12-13 He brings with him Morkere and Wulfnoth, and again imprisons them 13-14 Duncan and Wulf set free by Robert 13 Meeting of William and Lanfranc 15 Sept. 26. Coronation of William Rufus at Westminster 15 His special oath 16 Dec. 1087- His gifts to churches and to the poor 17-18 Jan.1088. The Christmas Assembly; Odo restored to his earldom 18-19 Special circumstances of William’s accession; no other available choice; comparison between William and Robert 19-22

§ 2. _The Rebellion against William Rufus. March-November, 1088._

Beginning of the rebellion; discontent of Odo; influence of William of Saint-Calais 22-24 March, 1088. Gatherings of the rebels; speech of Odo; arguments on behalf of Robert 24-26 Comparison of the elder and younger William 26-27 Geoffrey of Coutances joins the rebels 27 Treason of the Bishop of Durham; different statements of his conduct 28-29 March, 1088. Early movements in Kent and Sussex 29 The Bishop forsakes the King; his temporalities seized 30 He is summoned to the King’s court; action of Ralph Paganel 31 March-May, Lands of the bishopric laid waste 32 1088. April 16. The Easter Assembly; the rebels refuse to come 32 List of the rebels 33-35 Loyalty of Earl Hugh of Chester 34 Ravages of the rebels; of Bishop William, Roger Bigod, and Hugh of Grantmesnil 35-36 History and description of Bristol 36-40 Bristol occupied by Bishop Geoffrey; his works; ravages of William of Eu and Robert of Mowbray 40-41 Robert of Mowbray burns Bath 41-42 His siege and defeat at Ilchester 42-44 William of Eu plunders in Gloucestershire; history and description of Berkeley 44-46 Rebel centre at Hereford; action of Earl Roger 46-47 The rebels march on Worcester; history and description of the city 47-49

## Action of Wulfstan; deliverance of Worcester 48-51

Movements of Odo in Kent; he occupies Rochester 52 Rochester, Tunbridge, and Pevensey 52-53 The war at Rochester; history and description of the city and castle 52-56 Duke Robert sends over Eustace of Boulogne and Robert of Bellême 56 The three sons of Earl Roger 57 Earl Roger at Arundel; history and description of the castle 58-59 William of Warren; his earldom of Surrey; his loyalty; he keeps Lewes 59-60 The King wins over Earl Roger 60-61 Robert of Mortain holds Pevensey against the King 62 Loyal Normans; Robert Fitz-hamon 62 The Church and the people for the King 63 William’s proclamations and promises; the English arm for him 63-65 Meeting of the English army at London; William accepted as English king 65-67 William’s march; English hatred of Odo 67 Taking of Tunbridge castle 68-70 March towards Rochester; Odo at Pevensey 70 Duke Robert fails to help the rebels 71 The English besiege Odo in Pevensey 72-73 Robert at last sends help; the Norman landing hindered by the English 74-75 Alleged death of William of Warren 76 Pevensey surrenders; terms granted to Odo; Rochester to be surrendered 76 The garrison of Rochester refuse to surrender; Odo taken prisoner by his own party 77 William’s _Niðing_ proclamation; second English muster 78 Siege of Rochester; straits of the besieged; they agree to surrender 79-80 Lesson of the war; the King stronger than any one noble; the unity of England 80-81 The King refuses terms to the besieged 81 Pleadings for the besieged, Odo and others; the King grants terms 82-85 The honours of war refused to Odo; his humiliation; he leaves England 87-89 June 4, The Whitsun Assembly; confiscations and grants; 1088. amnesty of the chief rebels 88 The Bishop of Durham again summoned 89 His dealings with Counts Alan and Odo; he comes with a safe-conduct 90-91 The Bishop’s ecclesiastical claims; he goes back to Durham 91-92 Sept. 8 Agreement between the Bishop and the Counts 92-93 Nov. 2. Meeting at Salisbury; trial of the Bishop; he denies the authority of the court 95-97 Lanfranc and William of Saint-Calais 97 The charge and the Bishop’s answer 98-99 Lanfranc and Geoffrey of Coutances 100-101 Debate in the Bishop’s absence; constitution of the court 100-101 Debate on the word _fief_ 102 The Bishop’s seven counsellors 103 He appeals to Rome; character of the appeal; position of Lanfranc 103-106 The sentence pronounced; he renews his appeal 106-107 Dialogue between the King and the Bishop; intervention of Count Alan 107-109 The Bishop appeals again; the final sentence 109-110 The Bishop’s demand for money; answer of Lanfranc 110-111 The King’s offer; the Bishop gives sureties 111-112 Question of the safe-conduct; charges of the Bishop’s men 112-113 Conditions of the Bishop’s leaving England 113-114 Nov. 14 Durham castle surrendered to the King 114 Nov. 21-26 The Bishop’s voyage delayed 115 New charges and summonses; the Bishop’s dealings with Osmund and Walkelin 116-117 He at last sails to Normandy; his reception by Duke Robert 117 Character and importance of the story; William of Saint-Calais the first to appeal to Rome 117-119 Behaviour of the King, of Lanfranc, and of the lesser actors 119-120 State of Wales; Rhys restored by a fleet from Ireland 121 Gruffydd son of Cynan attacks Rhuddlan 122

## Action of Robert of Rhuddlan; he returns to

North Wales 123 Robert at Dwyganwy; description and history of the place 123-124 July 3 Approach of Gruffydd’s fleet; death of Robert of Rhuddlan 124-127 His burial and epitaph 127-129 End of the Norman Conquest; its confirmation and undoing 129-130 Tendencies to union; the new dynasty and nobility accepted in an English character 131-132 Rufus’ breach of his promises; his general oppression; no oppression of the English as such 132-133 His employment of mercenaries; their presence helps the fusion of races 133-134 Sale of ecclesiastical offices; prolongation of vacancies 134-135 Restoration of Thurstan of Glastonbury 135 Sept. 25 Death of Geoffrey Bishop of Chichester 135 Death of Abbot Scotland of Saint Augustine’s, Abbot Ælfsige of Bath, and Bishop Gisa of Wells 136 1088-1122 The bishopric of Somerset granted to John of Tours; he removes the see to Bath 136-137 He obtains the temporal lordship of Bath 137 Complaints of the canons of Wells and the monks of Bath 138-139 Guy forced on the monks of Saint Augustine’s; disturbances and their punishment 139-140

§ 3. _Character of William Rufus._

May 24, Death and burial of Lanfranc; his position 1089 in England and Normandy 140-142 Change for the worse in the King’s character; rebukes of Lanfranc 142-143 Personal description of William Rufus 143-144 His conduct in youth; his filial duty; his conduct during the rebellion 145-146 General charges against William Rufus; his marked personality 147 His alleged firmness of purpose; his lack of real steadiness; his unfinished campaigns 148-149 His alleged magnanimity; his boundless pride; story of the chamberlain 149-151 His alleged liberality; his wastefulness 151-152 His rewards to the loyal troops after the rebellion 152 His extortions 153 His generally strict government 153 His lavishness to his foreign mercenaries 153-154 1108 They are restrained by the statute of Henry 154 Stricter forest laws; story of the fifty English acquitted by ordeal 155-157 Special vices of Rufus; old and new fashions of dress 157-159 His irreligion; his favour to the Jews 159-161 True position of the Jews in England 160 Dispute between Jews and Christians 162 He makes the converted Jews turn back; story of the convert Stephen 162-165 William’s defiance of God and the saints; frequency of blasphemy 165-167 Redeeming features in Rufus; little personal cruelty; respect for his father’s memory 167-169 His chivalrous spirit; his word when kept; and when broken 169-171 Chivalry a new thing; William Rufus marks the beginning of a new æra 169-171 Illustrations of the chivalrous character 171-174 Grouping of events in the reign of Rufus 174

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