temporall magistrate: adding furthermore, if the king would giue ouer that vngodlie and vsurped custome, that he would shew such fréendlie fauour in all things, as by the sufferance of God in any wise he might be able to performe, and further would receiue not onelie him, but also his yoong soone William (whom latelie it had pleased God to send him by his vertuous wife queene Maud) into his protection, so that who so euer did hurt either of them, should be thought to hurt the holie church of Rome.

In one of the letters which the said pope wrote vnto Anselme (after that the king was contented to renounce the inuestitures aforesaid) he willed Anselme, according to the promise which he had made, to assoile as well from sinne as from penance due for the same, both the king and his wife queene Maud, with all such persons of honour as in this behalfe had trauelled with the king to induce him to be agréeable to his purpose.

1104.
An. Reg. 4. The earle of Mellent. Moreouer, the earle of Mellent, and Richard de Riuers (who had counselled the king to stand stoutlie in the matter, and not to giue ouer his title of such inuestitures, sith his ancestors had vsed them so long a time before his daies, by reason whereof, in renouncing his right to the same, he should doo a thing greatlie preiudiciall to his roiall estate and princelie maiestie) were now earnest labourers to agree the The K. persuaded to renounce his title to the inuestiture of prelates. Eadmerus. king and the pope, in so much that in the end the king was persuaded by Anselme and them to let go his hold, resigning the inuestitures with staffe and ring; notwithstanding that, he reserued the right of elections, and such other roialties as otherwise apperteined to his maiestie, so that such bishops as had doone homage to the king, were not disabled thereby, but quietlie permitted to receiue their iurisdictions.

Duke Robert commeth into England to visit his brother. About this time Robert duke of Normandie came into England to see his brother: who through the sugred words and sweet enterteinment of the king, released the yeerelie tribute of 3000. markes, which he should haue had out of the realme vpon agreement (as before ye haue heard) but cheefelie indéed at the request of the queene, being instructed by hir husband how she should deale with him that was knowne to be frée and liberall, without any great consideration what he presentlie granted.

Now hauing béene here a certeine time, and solaced himselfe with his brother and sister, he returned into Normandie, where shortlie after he began to repent him of his follie, in being so liberall as to release the foresaid tribute: wherevpon he menaced the king, and openlie in his reproch said that he was craftilie circumuented by him, and fatlie Wil. Malm. Factious persons practise to set the two brethren at variance. couzened. Diuerse in Normandie desired nothing more than to set the two brethren at square, and namelie Robert de Belesme earle of Shrewsburie, with William earle of Mortaigne: these two were banished the realme of England. The earle of Shrewesburie for his rebellious attempts (as The earle of Mortaigne. before you haue heard) and the earle of Mortaigne left the land of his owne willfull and stubborne mind, exiling himselfe onelie vpon hatred which he bare to the king. For being not contented with the earledome of Mortaigne in Normandie, and the earledome of Cornewall in England, he made sute also for the earledome of Kent, which his vncle Odo sometime held. Now bicause he was not onelie denied of that sute, but also by order of lawe had certeine parcels of land taken from him, which he wrongfullie deteined, he got him into Normandie, and there made war both against those places which the king held, and also against other that Richard earle of Chester. belonged to Richard earle of Chester, who was then vnder the kings tuition and gouernement by reason of his minoritie.

The threatning words of duke Robert comming at the last to king Henries eares, caused him foorthwith to conceiue verie sore displeasure against A power of men sent into Normandie. the duke, in so much that he sent ouer a power into Normandie, which finding no great resistance, did much hurt in the countrie, by fetching and carieng spoiles and preies. Againe the Normans rather fauoured than sought to hinder the enterprise of king Henrie, bicause they saw how duke Robert with his foolish prodigalitie and vndiscréet liberalitie had made awaie all that belonged to his estate; so that of the whole duchie of Normandie, he had not any citie or towne of name left in his owne possession, Roan onelie excepted, which he also would haue alienated, if Gemeticensis. the citizens would haue consented to his fond motion.

1105.
An. Reg. 6. Now king Henrie hearing of the good successe of his men, passed ouer The k. passeth ouer to Normandie. Simon Dun. Gemeticensis. Polydor. himselfe soone after with a mightie armie, and with little adoo tooke Eureux or (as others haue) Baieux and Caen, which cities when he had furnished with sufficient garisons of men, he repassed the sea into England, bicause the winter approched, and the wether waxed troublesome for such as laie in the field. Herevpon duke Robert considering how vnable he was (by reason that his people failed him at néed) to resist king Henrie, sith the Britans also, and they of Aniou, tooke part with the said king, he thought good to laie armour aside, and to passe ouer into England, to entreat with him by way of brotherlie amitie, in full 1106.
An. Reg. 7. hope by that meanes to auoid this present danger. But at his arriuall here, he learned how the king his brother as then was at Northampton: wherefore he hasted thither, and comming to him, made earnest sute for peace, beséeching the king in respect of brotherlie loue to grant the same; or if it were that he regarded not the goodwill of his naturall brother, to consider at least wise what apperteined to his accustomed gentlenesse, and to think with himselfe that warre betwixt brethren could not be mainteined without reproch, nor that victorie be honorable which was obteined against his owne flesh. Wherefore he required him not to refuse peace, freendship, and voluntarie beneuolence, sith he was now readie to render all that euer he had into his hands.

The king nothing mooued herewith, but as one that disdained to make a direct answer, murmured certeine things with himselfe, and turned away from the duke, as one that either by experience knew his brothers light and vnstable mind, or as one that determined to be reuenged of him euen The brethren depart in displeasure. to the vttermost. Duke Robert also, abhorring and vtterlie detesting this his brothers pride, streightwaies returned home, purposing with himselfe to the hazard of warre, sith he sawe no hope to be had in brotherlie loue and amitie. Wherevpon he prouided for wars with all his power, seeking aid from all places where he might get any, though the K. Henrie passeth into Normandie to pursue his brother. king his brother gaue him small leisure thereto, who followed him incontinentlie with a new supplie of souldiours, desiring nothing more than to get him within his danger.

Soone after, both the brethren approching neere togither, ech of them pitched their campe within the sight of other, preparing themselues to giue battell with princelie stomachs. The king surmounting the duke his They ioine in battell. brother in number, first bringeth foorth his men in order of