THE REIGN OF WILLIAM RUFUS.
London
HENRY FROWDE
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS WAREHOUSE
7 PATERNOSTER ROW
THE
REIGN OF WILLIAM RUFUS
AND THE
ACCESSION OF HENRY THE FIRST.
BY
EDWARD A. FREEMAN,M.A., Hon. D.C.L., LL.D.
HONORARY FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOLUME I.
Oxford:
AT THE CLARENDON PRESS.
1882.
[All rights reserved.]
PREFACE.
I HAVE now been able to carry out the designwhich I spoke of in the Prefaces to the fifth volumeand to the second edition of the fourth volume ofmy History of the Norman Conquest. I have endeavouredto work out in detail the two sides of thememorable years with which I deal in these volumes,their deep importance for general and specially forconstitutional history, and their rich store of personaland local narrative. In the former aspect, Ibelieve I may claim to be the first to have dealt atlength with the history of Bishop William of Saint-Calais,a history of deep constitutional importancein itself, and more important still with reference tothe career of Anselm. It is no small matter to beable to show that it was not Anselm, but Anselm’senemy, who was the first to appeal from an Englishcourt to the see of Rome. In this matter I have,I trust, brought out into its full importance a pieceof history which has never, as far as I know, beentold at length by any modern writer, though Dr.Stubbs has shown full appreciation of its constitutionalbearings. Of less importance, but still morevinovel, is the mission of Abbot Jeronto to England,to which I have never seen any reference in anymodern writer whatever. With regard to the careerof Randolf Flambard, I have now worked out morefully many points which have been already spokenof both by myself and by Dr. Stubbs; but I cannotclaim to have brought forward anything of greatmoment that is absolutely new.
In the part which consists of military and othernarrative, I have, as usual, given all the attentionthat I could to the topography. I have visitedevery place that I could, and I have generally inso doing had the help of friends, often with moreobservant eyes than my own. I must specially thankMr. James Parker for his help in Normandy andMaine, the Rev. J. T. Fowler of Durham for hishelp in Normandy, Maine, and Northumberland,Mr. G. T. Clark in Shropshire, Mr. F. H. Dick