William, and affifted him in his war with Mal- A.D. 1093. colm king of Scotland; which will be more particularly related in the hiftory of that country. This harmony between the two brothers was not of long duration. For Robert, difcovering that his brother ftill continued his intrigues on the continent, and endeavoured to increase his party among the Norman barons, left England in difcontent about Christmas A. D. 1092, and returned into his own dominions. Rufus falling dangerously ill at Glocefter in the following Lent, was feized with great remorfe for his vices, and particularly for his tyrannical and oppreffive government; and made many folemn promifes of amendment; which were all forgotten as foon as he recovered $2. 82 Hoftilities commen Duke Robert, after his return into his own A.D. 1094. country, difcovered fo many machinations of his brother William to debauch his fubjects and dif- ced. turb his government, that he was greatly irritated, and fent him an angry meffage, demanding his immediate appearance in Normandy to fulfil the conditions of the late treaty. William complied with this requifition, and went over to the continent in the fpring; but with no good intention. The two brothers had an interview in presence of the lords of both parties who had fworn to fee the late agreement performed by their respective fovereigns. This interview terminated in an open breach; for which William $2 Chron. Saxon. p. 198, 199. was A. D. 1094 A.D. 1095. difcovered and fuppreffed. was univerfally condemned. That ambitious prince, thinking he had now found an opportunity of completing the ruin of his unhappy brother, by attacking him when he was at variance with many of his fubjects, immediately began hoftilities, by feizing some castles. But Robert was refcued from this imminent danger, by the interpofition of the king of France, who marched an army to his relief; and by news from England, which obliged William to abandon his enterprife, and return into that kingdom $3. 83 A dangerous confpiracy had been formed in Confpiracy his abfence by Robert de Moubray earl of Northumberland, William earl of Ew, Roger de Lacey, and several other great barons, to dethrone him, and to raise his coufin Stephen earl of Aumale to the throne. William, naturally alert and keen, marched an army with great expedition into the north, by which he furprised fome of the chief conspirators in Newcastle, and took the earl of Northumberland's brother at Tinmouth. The earl himself was befieged in his caftle of Bamburgh; and attempting to make his escape, he was taken, and thrown into prifon at Windfor; where he lived in confinement no lefs than thirty years. Some of the other confpirators were hanged, and others mutilated, and all their great eftates confifcated $4. 84 Hen. Hunt. 1. 7. p. 214. 33 M. Paris, p. 12. col. 2. Robert his domi William. Robert duke of Normandy was feized with A.D. 1096. the epidemic frenzy of croifading, which about Robert this time broke out in Europe, and, with feveral mortgages other princes, refolved to engage in an expedi- nions to tion into the Eaft, for refcuing the city of Jerufalem, and the Holy Land, out of the hands of the Turks. To procure money for putting this rash defign in execution, he propofed to mortgage his duchy three (fome fay five) years, to his brother William, for ten thousand marks. William joyfully accepted the propofal, extorted the money from his fubjects in England, chiefly from the clergy, carried it over, paid it to his brother, and received the valuable pledge". William, having taken poffeffion of Normandy, came over into England about Eafter, and made an unfuccefsful expedition into Wales, in which he loft a great number of men, as he had done in fome former expeditions. Tired with thefe fruitless attempts to reduce the Welsh, he commanded feveral caftles to be built on the borders. to check their incurfions into England, and returned into Normandy in November, where his prefence was wanted ". A.D. 1097. Expedition into Wales. France. His poffeffion of Normandy involved William A.D. 1098. in wars with the king of France, and other neigh- War with bouring princes, who had feized certain territories which he pretended belonged to that 85 Eadmir. p. 35, M. Paris, p. 20. col. 2. Orderic. Vital. p. 724. 85 Annal. Waverlien. p. 140. 9 W. Malmf. p. 76. duchy. A.D. 1098. duchy. Thefe wars we carried on all this year with various fuccefs, but without any very decifive event, except the recovery of the province of Maine from the brave Heli de la Fleche, who had defended it with great bravery several years; but being now taken prifoner, was obliged to refign it to regain his liberty $7. A. D. 1099. Heli de la Fleche. 87 William, after the reduction of Maine, reWar with turned into England, and kept the festival of Whitfontide in Westminster-hall, which he had built, and which, on account of its great dimensions and magnificence, was an object of univerfal admiration 88. When Heli de la Fleche was fet at liberty, he made an offer of his fervice to the king of England; which being rejected, he was inflamed with the most violent refentment, and retired, threatening to be revenged for the indignity. William, equally fierce and haughty, inftead of feizing his perfon before he was out of his reach, commanded him, with a difdainful air, to be gone and do his worst. The indignant baron, retired to his eftate, spent his time in preparing for the execution of his revenge. About the beginning of June, getting together a body of troops, he furprised the city of Mans, the capital of Maine; but could not take the caftle. The meffenger who was fent to acquaint William with this event, found him hunting in the New Foreft; 87 Orderic. Vital. p. 767. 771. 88 Annal. Waverlien. p. 163. and and though he was prodigiously fond of that di verfion, he no fooner heard what had happened, than he put fpurs to his horfe, and rode full speed towards the fea-coaft, inftantly embarked, though it blew a furious ftorm, and landed next morning at Barfleur. From thence he proceeded with equal impetuofity to Bonneville, joined his army, and marched towards Mans. Heli hearing of his unexpected approach, raised the siege, and retired to the strong caftle of Chateau de Loir ". The king, after he had defolated the lands of his enemy, difmiffed his forces, and returned to England. A.D. 1099. William killed. William duke of Guyenne, neither inftructed A.D. 1100, nor deterred by the calamities which had befallen other princes, and their followers, who had abandoned their own country, and gone to the Holy Land, put himself at the head of a new army of croisaders, and offered to mortgage his duchy to the king of England for a fum of money, to defray the expences of his expedition. Rufus, as ambitious as he was rich, accepted the offer, provided the money, and prepared an army to take poffeffion of his new territories, with which he lay near the fea-coaft, waiting for a fair wind to waft him to the continent. On Auguft 2, after dinner, the king, with his brother prince Henry, and a numerous retinue, went to hunt in the New Foreft, where an event happened which put an end to all the projects of go Orderic. Vital. p. 775. E VOL. V. this |