And first Roger Tresnye, hauing gained exceeding great both fauour and reputation by his seruices against the Sarasins in Spaine, made claime to the duchie of Normandie; as one lawfully descended from Rollo their first Duke. And albeit many others were before him in title, yet (said he) if they will sit still; if they, either through sloath, which is ill, or through feare, which is worse, will
abandone the aduenture, he alone would free the Normans from16 their infamous subiection. He was followed by many, partly vpon opinion of his right, but chiefly of his valour. But when he brought his cause to the arbitrement of Armes, hee was ouerthrowne in a strong battaile, wherein his claime and his life determined together.
After this, William Earle of Arques, sonne to Richard the second, and vnckle to Duke William, vpon the same pretence declared himselfe against his nephew. And albeit the Normans were heauie to stirre in his fauour, yet hee so wrought with the French King, by assuring him great matters in Normandie; that with a mightie armie of his owne people, hee went in person, to place him in possessio of that dutchy. The way which the King tooke, led him to a large valley, sandie and full of short bushes and shrubs; troublesome for horsemen either to fight or to march. On either side were rising hils, very thicke set with wood. Here the Armie entred with small aduisement, either for clearing the passage, or for the safetie of their carriages. The Vaward consisted chiefly of battle-axes and pikes. In the right wing were many Almans among the French. In the left were many of Aniou and Poictou. After these fol17lowed the baggage, with an infinite number of scullians, carters and other base drudges attending vpon it. Next came the French King with the maine battaile, consisting for the most part of valiant and worthy Gentlemen, brauely mounted. The lances and men at Armes cloased the Rereward.
When they were well entred this valley, the Normans did liuely charge vpon them in head; they deliuered also their deadly shot from the hils on both sides, as thicke as haile. Notwithstanding the Vantgard, casting themselues into a pointed battaile in forme of a wedge, with plaine force of hand made themselues way; and marching in firme and close order through the thickest of their enemies, gained (albeit not without great losse) the top of a hill, and there presently encamped themselues. The like fortune happily might the residue haue had, if they had followed with the like order and courage. But failing herein, the right wing was hewed in pieces: the left wing was broken and beaten vpon the carriages; where ouerbearing and treading downe one an other, they receiued almost as much hurt from themselues, as they did from their ene18mies. The maine battaile and Rereward aduancing forward to rescue the carriage, were first miserably ouerwhelmed with a storme of arrowes from the hill on both sides: and the gallant horses once galled with that shot, would no more obey or endure their riders; but flinging out, either ouerthrew or disordred all in their way. And the more to encrease the miserie of that day, the dull and light sand which was raised, partly by the feete of horses and men, and partly by violence of the wind, which then blew full in the faces of the French, inuolued them all as in a thicke and darke cloud; which depriued them
of all foresight and direction in gouerning their affaires. The valiant was nothing discerned fro the coward, no difference could be set betweene contriuance and chance: All laboured in one common calamitie, and euery one encreased the feare of his fellow.
The Normans hauing well spent their shot, and perceiuing the French in this sort both disordered and dismayed, came downe from the hils where they houered before; and falling to the close stroke of battaile-axe and sword, most cruelly raged in the blood of their enemies. By19 whom if any sparke of valour was shewen, being at so great disaduantage, it was to no purpose, it was altogether
lost; it was so farre from relieuing others, that it was not sufficient to defend themselues. And doubtlesse no thing so much fauoured the state of the French that day, as that the number of the Normans sufficed not to enclose them behind. For then they had bene entrapped as Deere in a toile; then not one of them could haue escaped. But the entrance of the valley remayning open, many fled backe to the plaine ground; tumbling together in such headlong hast, that if the Normans had sharply put vpon them the chase, it is certaine that they had bene extreemely defeated. But the Duke gaue ouer the execution vpon good aduise. For knowing himselfe not to be of force vtterly to vanquish the French, he assayed rather by faire forbearance to purchase their friendship.
Here the French king assembled his broken companies, and encamped them for that night so well as he could. The ioy of their pre-
sent escape expelled for the time all other respects. But after a little breathing, their remembrance began to runne vpon the losse of
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their cariages;20 whereby they had lost all meanes to refresh themselues. Of their Vaward they made a forelorne reckoning, and the like did the Vaward of them. Many were wounded, all wearied; and the Normans gaue notice by sounding out their instruments of warre, that they were at hand on euery side. The rudest of the Souldiers did boldly vpbraid this infortunitie to the King; one asked him where his Vaward was, where were his wings, where were the residue of his battell, and Rereward. Others called for the cariages, to preserue those in life who had not been slaine. Others demanded if he had any more mouse-traps to leade them into. But most sate heauy and pensiue, scarce accounting themselues among the liuing. The King swallowed downe all with a sad silence, sometimes he dissembled as though he had not heard; sometimes hee would fairely answere; Good words, good souldiers; haue patience a while, and all will be well: which was indeede a truer word then he thought it possible to bee when he spake it.
In this extremity the King assembled the chiefe of his commanders, to aduise with them what was best to be done. It was generally con21cluded, that in staying their case was desperate; and dangerous it was to stirre. But here lay the question; whether it was least dangerous to remoue together, or euery man to shift for himselfe. Whilest this point was in debating, whilest they expected euery minute to be assailed, whilest no man saw any thing but death and despaire; behold, a messenger came from the Duke, not to offer but to desire peace; and to craue protection of the French king, according to the trust which Robert the Dukes father reposed in him. There needed not many words to perswade. Peace was signed, protection assured, in a more ample maner then it was required. Then the messenger with many good words appeased the Kings heauinesse, telling him, that his Vaward was safe, his cariages not touched, and that he should be furnished with horses both for burthen and draught, in stead of those that had been slaine. These words, as a sweete enchantment, rauished the French King with sudden ioy. But when they came to gather vp their baggage, a spec-tacle both lamentable and loathsome was presented vnto them. The valley couered, and in some places heaped with dead bodies of men and horses:22 many not once touched with any weapon, lay troden to death, or else stifled with dust and sand: many grieuously wounded, reteined some remainder of life, which they expressed with cries and groanes: many not mortally hurt, were so ouer-
laid with the slaine, that they were vnable to free themselues: towards whom it is memorable, what manly both pitie and helpe the Normans did affoord. And so the French King more by courtesie of his enemies, then either by courage or discretion of his owne, returned in reasonable state to Paris.
Vpon these euents of open hostilitie, Guy Earle of Burgogne, who had taken to wife Alix, daughter to Duke Richard the second, and Aunt to Duke William, conspired with Nicellus president of Constantine, Ranulph Vicecount of Bayon, Baimond, and diuers others, suddenly to surprise the Duke, and slay him in the night. A certaine foole, (nothing regarded for his want of wit) obseruing their preparations, secretly got away, and in the dead of the night came to Valogne, where the Duke then lay; no lesse slenderly guarded with men, then the place it selfe was sleight for defence. Here he23 continued rapping at the gate, and crying out, vntill it was opened, and hee brought to the presence of the Duke. To whom he declared the conspiracie, with circumstances of such mo-
ment, that the Duke foorthwith tooke his horse, and posted alone towards Falais, an especial place for strength for defence. Presently after his departure the conspirators came to Valogne, they beset the house, they enter by force, they search euery