The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol. I., Part A.: From the Britons of Early Times to King John
David Hume · en
The two armies lay in sight of each other for some days without coming
to action; and both princes, being apprehensive of the event, which
would probably be decisive, hearkened the more willingly to the counsels
of Anselm and the other great men, who mediated an accommodation between
them. After employing some negotiation, it was agreed, that Robert
should resign his pretensions to England, and receive, in lieu of
them, an annual pension of three thousand marks; that, if either of the
princes died without issue, the other should succeed to his dominions;
that the adherents of each should be pardoned, and restored to all their
possessions either in Normandy or England; and that neither Robert nor
Henry should thenceforth encourage, receive, or protect the enemies of
the other.[*]
[* Chron. Sax. p. 209. W. Malms, p. 156.]
{1102.} This treaty, though calculated so much for Henry’s advantage, he
was the first to violate. He restored indeed the estates of all Robert’s
adherents; but was secretly determined, that noblemen so powerful and
so ill affected, who had both inclination and ability to disturb his
government, should not long remain unmolested in their present opulence
and grandeur. He began with the earl of Shrewsbury, why was watched
for some time by spies, and then indicted on a charge, consisting of
forty-five articles. This turbulent nobleman, knowing his own guilt, as
well as the prejudices of his judges and the power of his prosecutor,
had recourse to aims for defence; but being soon suppressed by the
activity and address of Henry, he was banished the kingdom, and
his great estate was confiscated. His ruin involved that of his two
brothers, Arnulf de Montgomery, and Roger, earl of Lancaster. Soon after
followed the prosecution and condemnation of Robert de Pontefract
and Robert de Mallet, who had distinguished themselves among Robert’s
adherents. William de Warrenne was the next victim; {1103.} even
William, earl of Cornwall, son of the earl of Mortaigne, the king’s
uncle, having given matter of suspicion against him, lost all the vast
acquisitions of his family in England. Though the usual violence and
tyranny of the Norman barons afforded a plausible pretence for those
prosecutions, and it is probable that none of the sentences pronounced
against these noblemen was wholly iniquitous, men easily saw, or
conjectured, that the chief part of their guilt was not the injustice or
illegality of their conduct Robert, enraged at the fate of his friends,
imprudently ventured to come into England; and he remonstrated with his
brother, in severe terms, against this breach of treaty; but met with so
bad a reception, thai he began to apprehend danger to his own liberty,
and was glad to purchase an escape by resigning his pension.