Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (2 of 6): England (01 of 12): William the ConquerorHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (2 of 6): England (01 of 12): William the Conqueror
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603; Great Britain -- History -- William I, 1066-1087
This Liulfus, a man of great possessions through England, now that the
Normans ruled in all places, quietlie withdrew himselfe vnto Durham, and
grew into such familiaritie and credit with the bishop, that touching
the order of temporall matters, he would doo nothing without his aduice.
Whereat Leofwin the bishops chapline conceiued such enuie (for that he
was not so often called to counsell as before) that in the end he
procured by his malicious meanes one Gilbert (to whom the bishop had
committed the rule of the earledome) to murther the said Liulfus by
night in his manor place not farre from Durham. Whereof the bishop
hauing vnderstanding, and knowing that the matter would be gréeuouslie
taken of the people, sent out letters and messengers into the countrie,
offering to purge himselfe of the slaughter of this man, according to
the order of the canon lawes: howbeit he did nothing lesse. Among other
things concerning his purgation, he said that he had banished Gilbert
and others, (who had committed the murther) out of Northumberland.
Hervpon the malice of the people was kindled against him. For when it
was knowne that he had receiued the murtherers into his house, and
fauoured them as before, they stomached the matter highlie: insomuch
that when by the trauell of those that went to and fro betwixt the
bishop and the kinsfolks of Liulfus, a daie was appointed, on the which
the bishop should come to farther communication with them at Gateshead,
he repaired thither according to his promise, but refusing to talke with
them abroad, he kept himselfe still within the church, and sent foorth
such of his counsell as should commune with them. But when the people
that were there gathered in great numbers, had signified in plaine words
that he should either come foorth and shew himselfe amongst them, or
else that they should fire the place where he sat: he caused Gilbert to
go foorth vnto them first, whom they slue, and his partakers also that
issued out of the church with him for his defense. But when the peoples
furie was not so quenched, the bishop himselfe casting the skirts of his
gowne ouer his face, came likewise foorth, and was immediatlie slaine of
the people. After this, they set the church on fire, bicause Leofwine
the bishops chapline and others were yet within, and refused to come
foorth: howbeit in the end, being compelled by the rage of the fire to
come out, the said Leofwine was also slaine and hackt in péeces (as he
had well deserued) being the ringleader of all the mischéefe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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