some other discreet application of his father's treasures.[1] Certain it is that, from whatever cause, all men accepted Rufus with all outward cheerfulness, though perhaps without any very fervent loyalty towards him on any side. It needed the events of the next few months, it needed strong influences and strong opposing influences, to turn the Normans in England into the fierce opponents of the new King, and the native English into his zealous supporters. It needed the further course of his own actions to teach both sides how much they had lost when they passed from the rule of William the Great to that of William the Red.
§ 2. The Rebellion against William Rufus. March-November, 1088.
Beginning of the rebellion. The winter of the year which beheld the Conqueror's death passed without any disturbance in the realm of his son.[2] But in the spring of the next year it became plain that the general acceptance which Rufus had met with in England was sincere on the part of his English subjects only. As the native Chronicler puts it, "the land was mightily stirred and was filled with mickle treason, for all the richest Frenchmen that were in this land would betray their lord the King, and would have his brother to King, Robert that was Earl in Normandy."[3] The leaders in this revolt were the bishops*
- ↑ Will. Malms, iv. 305. "Claves thesaurorum nactus est; quibus fretus totam Angliam animo subjecit suo."
- ↑ Ib. "Reliquo hiemis quiete et favorabiliter vixit."
- ↑ Chron. Petrib. 1088. "On þisum geare wæs þis land swiðe astirad, and mid mycele swicdome afylled; swa þæt þa riceste Frencisce men þe weron innan þrisan lande wolden swican heore hlaforde þam cynge, and woldon habban his broðer to cynge, Rodbeard, þe wæs eorl on Normandige." The duty of faithfulness to the lord, whoever he may be, is always strongly felt; still William Rufus is only "heora hlaford se cyng," not "heora
