William of Malmesbury's Chronicle of the Kings of England: From the earliest period to the reign of King StephenWilliam, of Malmesbury
History
William of Malmesbury's Chronicle of the Kings of England: From the earliest period to the reign of King Stephen
William, of Malmesbury
Great Britain -- History -- Norman period, 1066-1154; Great Britain -- History -- To 1066; Middle Ages -- Sources
regarding this as disgraceful, removed the long-continued reproach, and
taking up the body, placed it before the high altar. He had a brother,
Robert, whom he made archbishop of Rouen, though by this he tarnished
his reputation. For he, cruelly abusing this honour, at first,
committed many crimes and many atrocious acts; but growing in years,
he certainly wiped off some of them by his very liberal almsgiving.
After Richard, his son of the same name obtained the principality, but
lived scarcely a year. A vague opinion indeed has prevailed, that, by
the connivance of his brother Robert, whom Richard the second begat on
Judith, daughter of Conan, earl of Brittany, a certain woman, skilled
in poisons, took the young man off. In atonement for his privity to
this transaction he departed for Jerusalem, after the seventh year of
his earldom; venturing on an undertaking very meritorious at that time,
by commencing, with few followers, a journey, exposed to incursions of
barbarians, and strange, by reason of the customs of the Saracens. He
persevered nevertheless, and did not stop, but safely completed the
whole distance, and purchasing admission at a high price, with bare
feet, and full of tears, he worshipped at that glory of the Christians,
the sepulchre of our Lord. Conciliating the favour of God, as we
believe, by this labour, on his return homewards he ended his days at
Nice, a city of Bithynia; cut off, as it is said, by poison. This was
administered by his servant Ralph, surnamed Mowin, who had wrought
himself up to the commission of this crime, from a hope of obtaining
the dukedom. But on his return to Normandy, the matter becoming known
to all, he was detested as a monster, and retired to perpetual exile.
To Robert succeeded William, his son, then a child, of whom as I shall
have to speak hereafter, I shall now return to my narrative.
[Sidenote: [A.D. 1013.] THE DUKES OF NORMANDY.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account