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HENRIE THE FIRST, YOONGEST SONNE
TO WILLIAM THE CONQUEROUR.


[Sidenote: An. Reg. 1. 1100.] Henrie the yoongest sonne to William the
first, brother to Rufus latelie departed, the first of that name that
ruled heere in England, & for his knowledge in good literature surnamed
Beauclerke, was admitted king by the whole assent of the lords and
commons, and began his reigne ouer England the first of August, in the
yeare after the creation of the world 1067. after the birth of our
Sauiour 1100. and 44. of the emperour Henrie the fourth, Paschall the
second then gouerning the sée of Rome, which was about the 51. yeare of
Philip the first of that name king of France, and in the beginning of
the reigne of Edgar king of Scotland. [Sidenote: _Wil. Thorne._
_Geruasius Dorobernensis._] This king was consecrated and crowned at
Westminster, the fift daie of August, by Thomas archbishop of Yorke, and
Maurice bishop of London, bicause at that time Anselme archbishop of
Canturburie was exiled. [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._] This prince had
aforehand trained the people to his humor and veine, in bringing them to
thinke well of him, and to conceiue a maruellous euill opinion of his
brother duke Robert, persuading them moreouer, that the said duke was
likelie to prooue a sharpe and rigorous gouernour, if he once obteined
the crowne and dominion of the land. Moreouer, he caused to be reported
for a certeine truth, that the same Robert was alreadie created king of
Jerusalem. And therefore considering that the kingdome of Palestine (as
the rumor ran) was of greater reuenues than that of England, there was
no cause why they should staie for him, who would not willinglie leaue
the greater for the lesser. By which meanes the Nobilitie and Commons
were the sooner persuaded to decline from the election of the said
Robert, and to receiue his brother Henrie for their lawfull king, who on
the other side ceased not to promise mountaines, till his enterprise
tooke effect; and then at leisure paied some of them with molhils as by
the sequele of the storie shall more at large appéere.

This Henrie therefore comming thus to the crowne, considered furthermore
with himselfe, that hereafter, when his eldest brother Robert should
returne, and vnderstand how the matter was brought about, he would
thinke himselfe to haue had much wrong, and béene verie euill dealt
withall, sith that as well by birthright, as also by agréement made with
his brother William Rufus, he ought of right to be preferred, and
therevpon would not faile but make earnest claime against him.
[Sidenote: The king séeketh to win the peoples fauour.] Wherefore yer he
should come home out of the holie land (where he then remained) the king
studied by all possible meanes how to gratifie all the states of his
realme, & to plant in their harts some good opinion of him. And first of
all he reformed such things as his brother had left verie preiudiciall
to the estate of the church, setting the same frée which before was sore
oppressed. [Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ _Hen. Hunt._ _Matth. Paris._] And
furthermore, somewhat to reléeue the common-wealth, he promised to
restore the lawes of good king Edward, and to abolish or amend those
which by his father and brother were alreadie ordeined to the hurt &
preiudice of the old ancient liberties of the realme of England.
[Sidenote: Anselme called home.] He reuoked Anselme the archbishop of
Canturburie out of exile, who fled (as yee haue heard) to auoid the
wrath of king William. [Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ William Gifford bishop of
Winchester. _Hen. Hunt._] Moreouer, he placed in the see of Winchester,
one William Gifford, a graue and discréet person, and also ordeined
moonkes of honest reputation to be abbats in certeine abbies which had
beene long void, and in the hands of William his brother: in like maner
he remitted certeine paiments which his brother and predecessour had
caused to be raised by waie of taxes and customes. [Sidenote: Rafe
bishop of Durham committed to the Tower. _Simon Dun._] Besides this, on
the 8. daie of September, he committed Rafe bishop of Durham to the
Tower of London, by whose lewd counsell his said brother being seduced,
had in his life time doone manie oppressions to his people. [Sidenote:
The first ordeining of the yard measure. _Wil. Malm._] He ordeined also
that one length of measuring should be vsed through this realme, which
was a yard, appointing it to be cut after the length of his owne arme.
Manie other things he redressed, to the contentation and commoditie of
his subiects, who gaue God thanks that he had in such wise deli