Chapter II

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