A.D. 1067. into feveral parts of the kingdom, receiving the -homage of his new subjects, and behaving to all who fubmitted to his authority with the most engaging affability. In this progress he was at great pains to reftrain his Norman attendants from doing any injuries, or offering any infults to his English fubjects 20. By these popular and prudent measures the public tranquillity was every where reftored, and nothing appeared but the most perfect fubmiffion to the new government. That he might have it in his power to gratify the expectations of his Norman followers, he feized all the lands and treasures of Harold and his brothers, which were very great, and confifcated the eftates of all the English nobles who had fallen fighting against him in the battle of Haftings. He received alfo very confiderable fums of money from his wealthy English subjects, as prefents, on his acceffion, given with a view to fecure his favour. By thefe means he was enabled to bestow honours and eftates upon his chief followers, and money upon others. Befides this, to diffufe the fame of his riches, piety, and munificence, he fent very valuable presents to the Pope, who had favoured his enterprise, and to many churches on the continent, wherein prayers had been put up for his fuccefs. Still further to fecure the obedience of the English, of whose attachment he yet entertained fome doubts, he commanded ftrong 20 W. Pictavin. p. 208. caftles caftles to be built near the chief cities, and in A.D. 1067, other convenient places, to be garrifoned by his trusty Normans, on whofe fidelity he could depend ". turns to By these and the like precautions, in lefs than King Wil three months after his coronation, William be- liam reheld fuch an appearance of order, tranquillity, Normanand obedience to his authority, in all parts of dy. England, that he imagined he might now with fafety vifit his native country and his family; to dazzle their eyes with his magnificence, and receive their congratulations on the fuccefs of his expedition. Having therefore appointed his uterine brother Odo bifhop of Bayeux, and his great favourite William Fitz-Ofbern, regents of England, towards the end of March A. D. 1067, he embarked at Pevenfey in Suffex (where he had landed about fix months before), and foon after arrived in Normandy, with a gallant fleet, and a fplendid train of the nobility of England, as well as of his ancient fubjects. For befides the precautions already mentioned, which he had taken for preferving the peace of his new dominions in his abfence, he very prudently carried with him to the continent, Edgar Atheling, Stigand archbishop of Canterbury, the earls Edwin and Morcar, and all the other English noblemen, whofe fidelity he fufpected, or who were formidable for their wealth and power, under a pretence of doing them honour, but in A.D. 167. reality to keep them as hoftages for the peaceable behaviour of their dependents 22. As an impatient vanity, unworthy of his character, feems to have prompted William to this too hasty voyage, which proved the fource of much difquiet to himself, and of many calamities to his fubjects; fo he made an oftentatious display of the riches and grandeur he had acquired in England, to excite the admiration of his own people, and of the nobles and princes who came from all the neighbouring countries to visit his court, and pay their compliments of congratulation. The quantity and exquifite workmanship of his gold and filver plate, the fplendid drefs of his guards, and the magnificence of his English nobles, exceeded every thing that had been seen in thofe parts, and filled all fpectators with admiration 23. Infurrections of the English. While William was thus fpending his time in a kind of triumphant progress through the towns and cities of Normandy, bufinefs of a different kind was preparing for him in England. Many of the Norman captains, unawed by the prefence of their fovereign, abused their power, and loaded the unhappy English with injuries and indignities; which that people, ftill mindful of their former free and happy ftate, bore with much impatience. This foon produced murmurs and complaints; which being disregarded by the regents, broke out into open revolts in feveral 22 W. Pictavin. p. 209. 23 Id. p. 211. places. places. The Kentish-men, in conjunction with A.D. 1067. Euftace earl of Bologne, who was then at variance with William, made an unfuccefsful attempt on the town and caftle of Dover 24. Edric the Forefter, with the affiftance of two Welsh princes, defended himself against the infults of the Norman captains fettled in Herefordshire, repelling force by force 25. Coxo, a powerful English earl, was put to death by his own people, because he obftinately perfifted in his fubmiffion to the new government, and refufed to. head them in an infurrection 26, In a word, the English in all parts of the kingdom were ripet for a revolt; and there wanted not fome fecret confultations about a general maffacre of the Normans ": liam re turns to William, having received information of the King Wildifcontents which prevailed in England, became fenfible of the neceffity of his immediate pre- England, fence in that kingdom; and, appointing his queen Matilda, and his eldest fon Robert, regents of Normandy, he failed from 'Dieppe on the 6th of December, and on the 7th landed at Winchelsea, from whence he proceeded to London, where he kept his Christmas 25. Here he was attended by many of the English prelates and nobles; who met with a more favourable reception than they expected, and even obtained 24 Orderic. Vital. p. 508. 26 Orderic. Vital. p. 509. 28 Orderic. Vital. p. 509. 25 Hoveden. Annal. p. 258. redress A.D. 1067. redrefs of fome of thofe injuries, which had been done to them by the Normans. This produced A.D. 1068. Revolts fuppreffed. an appearance of tranquillity, which was neither very folid nor very lafting ". The unfeafonable expenfive voyage to Normandy had not only given occafion to the infur rections already mentioned, but it had alfo exhausted the royal treasury fo much, that William, foon after his return to England, found himself under a neceffity of reviving the odious tax of Danegelt. This revived the difcontents of the English, and occafioned fresh troubles. The people of Exeter, at the inftigation of Githa, the mother of king Harold, who refided in that city, broke out into open rebellion, repaired their walls, increased their garrison, laid in provifions, and made every poffible preparation for a vigorous refiftance, foliciting all the neighbouring country to join in their revolt. The king immediately marched into those parts at the head of his army, and after a fiege of eighteendays, obliged them to implore his clemency and submit to his authority, Githa having in the mean time made her escape into Flanders with all her treasures 3. After the reduction of Exeter, William marched into Cornwall; and having fuppreffed certain commotions which had been raised in that country, returned to Winchefter, where he celebrated the feaft of Eafter. His 30 29 Orderic. Vital. p. 599. 30 Id. p. 510. Chron. Saxon. A. D. 1968. royal |