wherein men willbe, not readers onely, but interpreters, but wresters, but corrupters and deprauers of that which they reade; wherein men thinke the reproofe of others, to be the greatest parcell of their7 owne praise. But how should I expect any better vsage? The Commentaries of Caesar, neuer disliked before, are esteemed by Lypsius, a dry saplesse piece of writing. The most famous Tacitus is tearmed by
Alceate, [1]a thicket of thornes; by Budaeus, [2] a most lewd Writer; by Tertullian, [3]an exceeding lyar; by Orosius, [4]a flatterer; then which assuredly he is nothing lesse. I will not expect any better vsage, I will not desire it; I will hereafter esteeme nothing of any worth, which hath not many to detract from it.
Whatsoeuer this is, I haue presumed to present it to your Highnesse, for these causes following: First, for that it receiued this being from him, who was most dearely esteemed by you; who may be iustly proposed, as an example of vertue, as a guide to glory and fame. Secondly, for that the persons of whom it treateth, are those most worthy Ancestors of yours, who laid the foundation of this English Empire; who were eminent among all the Princes of their times, and happely for many ages after, as well in actions of Peace as of Warre. Lastly, for that I esteeme Histories the fittest subiect for your Highnesse reading: For by diligent perusing the actes of great men, by considering all the circumstances of them, by comparing Counsailes and meanes with euents; a man may seeme to
haue liued in all ages, to haue beene present at all enterprises; to be more strongly confirmed in Iudgement, to haue attained a greater experience, then the longest life can possibly affoord.
But because many errours doe vsually arise, by ignorance of the State wherein we liue; because it is dangerous to frame rules of Policie out of Countreys differing from vs, both in nature, and custome of life, and forme of gouernment; no Histories are so profitable as our owne. In these your Highnesse may see, the noble disposition and delights of your Ancestors; what were their sweete walkes, what their pleasant Chases: how farre they preferred glory, before either pleasure or safetie; how by the braue behauiour of their sword, they hewed honour out of the sides of their enemies. In these you may see, the largenesse, commodities, and strength
2
of this Countrey; the nature of the people,8 their wealth, pleasure, exercise and trade of life, and what else is worthy of obseruation. Generally, by these you may so furnish your selfe, as not easily to be abused either by weake or deceitfull aduise.
The Most High preserue and prosper your Highnesse: that as you succeed many excellent Ancestours in blood, so you may exceed them all in Honourable atchieuements.
Your Highnesse most deuoted,
I. Hayward.
9
THE LIFE OF KING WILLIAM The First,
Sirnamed Conquerour.
obert Duke of Normandie, the sixth in descent fro Rollo, riding through Falais a towne in Normandie, espied certaine yong persons dauncing neere the way. And as he stayed to view a while the maner of their disport, he fixed his eye especially vpon a certaine damosell named Arlotte; of meane birth, a Skinners daughter, who there daunced among the rest. The frame and comely carriage of her body, the naturall beautie and graces of her countenance, the simplicitie of her rurall both behauiour and attire pleased him so well, that the10 same night he procured her to be brought to his lodging; where he begate of her a sonne, who afterward was named William.
I will not defile my writing with memory of some lasciuious behauiour which she is reported to haue vsed, at such time as the Duke approched to embrace her. And doubtfull it is, whether vpon some speciall note of immodestie in herselfe, or whether vpon hate towards her sonne, the English afterwards adding an aspiration to her name (according to the naturall maner of their pronouncing) termed euery vnchast woman Harlot.
It is remembred by some, rather seruile then fond in obseruations, who will either finde or frame predictions for euery great ac-tion or euent; that his mother before the time of her deliuery had a dreame, that her bowels were extended ouer Normandie and England. Also, that at the time of his birth, he fell from his mothers body to the ground; and there filled both his hands with rushes, which had bene cast thicke vpon the floore, and streined them with a very streit gripe. The wiues laughed at large, and soone grew prodigall of idle talke. But the Midwife somewhat more soberly said;11 That he should not onely hold well his owne, but graspe somewhat from other men.
When he was about 9. yeeres of age, his father went vpon deuotion to Hierusalem; and in his returne died at the Citie of Nice. So William at that age succeeded his father; hauing then very generous and aspiring spirits, both to resist abroad, and to rule at home. Hee was committed to the gouernment of two of his vnckles; and the French King was entreated by his father to take vpon him the protection, both of his person and State. But his vnckles pretended title to his dignitie, by reason of his vnlawfull birth; the King of France also desired much and had often attempted to reduce Normandie to his absolute subiection, as it was before the inuasion of the Normans. So as it may seeme he was committed to these Tutors, as a Lambe should be committed to the tutelage of wolues. The onely meanes of his preseruation consisted in a factious Nobilitie, deuided into so many parts, as there were parties: Some contending for possession of the yong Dukes person; others, of his authoritie and power; all of them incompatible to endure either equals,
or els superiours: All of them vni12ted against a common enemie; all deuided among themselues.
Here it may be demanded how he being vnlawfully borne, could succeed his father in the dutchie of Normandie; his father leauing two brothers borne in lawfull marriage, and much other legitimate kindred behind him.
Will. Malmesburie[5] and some others haue reported, that albeit hee was borne out of marriage, yet Duke Robert his father did afterwards entertaine his mother for lawfull wife: which by the Law of that Countrey, agreeable in that point to the Ciuill and Canon Lawes, sufficed to make the issue inheritable, although borne before.
And further, it was a generall custome at that time in France, that bastards did succeed, euen in dignities of highest condition, no otherwise then children lawfully begotten. Thierrie bastard of Clouis, had for his partage with the lawfull children of the same Clouis, the Kingdome of Austrasie, now called Lorraine. Sigisbert bastard of King Dagobert the first, had his part in the Kingdome of France, with Clouis the 12. lawfull sonne to Dagobert. Loys and Carloman bastards of King Loys le13 Begue, succeeded after
the death of their father. So likewise in England, Alfride bastard sonne of Oswine, succeeded his brother Egfride. So Adelstane the bastard sonne of Edward the elder, succeeded his father, before Edmund and Eldred his yonger brothers; notwithstanding they were lawfully begotten. So Edmund, surnamed the Martyr, Bastard sonne to King Edgar, succeeded him in the state, before Ethelbred
his lawfull issue. Afterward, Harold surnamed Harefoote, bastard to Canutus, succeeded him in the kingdome, before Hardicanutus, his lawfull sonne. The like custome hath been obserued in Spaine, in Portugale, and in diuers other countreys. And it is probable
that this vse was grounded vpon often experience, that bastards (as begotten in the highest heate and strength of affection) haue many times been men of excellent proofe, both in courage and in vnderstanding. This was verified[6] in Hercules, Alexander the Great, Romulus, Timotheus, Brutus, Themistocles, Arthur: in Homer, Demosthenes, Bion, Bartholus, Gratian, Peter Lumbard, Peter
3
Comestor, Io. Andreas, and diuers of most flourishing name: among whom our Conquerour may worthily be ranged.
14
And yet in the third race of the Kings of France a law was made, that bastards should not inherite the Crowne of the Realme. This custome
