BoAr: FNQ: Hereward XVII
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edit 12 Jan 2008.
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FNQ
This thread begins with the title page
De Gestis Herwardi Saxonis.
XVII.
Quomodo a quodam
requisitus ut eum accideret, quem postea iccirco interfecit.
Reversus autem ad suos, audivit quendam Fredericum
multum in plurimis locis eum quæsisse, qui frater erat veteris comitis Willelmi
de Warrene, ut ipsum pro facto, quod paulo ante inseruimus, ad regis præsentiam
conduceret, pœnis traditurus, aut caput ipsius amputaturus et in trivio
universalis viæ illud positurus ad signum, sicut capita eorum, qui hæreditatem
ejus acceperant et fratrem suum occiderant, ad ostensionem super portam suæ
domus constituerat, et insuper omnes qui adhuc ipsi favebant, vel illi aliquid
auxilii conferebant, exules faceret vel membris obnoxios. Quem Herwardus cum suis prævenire
statim congressus est, simili modo cum illo facturus, si fortuitu postea illi
incumberet. Audierat enim eum in Norfolc una cum militari manu esse, ut scitote
aliquid comperto de eo illuc agmine militari vallatus
tenderet. A quo nempe quod illi decreverat sibi factum contigit quodam vespertino tempore, dum de nece Herwardi
tractaret, ipse eum morte prævenit.
XVII.
How he was sought out by a certain man
who desired to kill him, and how Hereward slew him.
Returning to his own people he heard that
a certain Frederic had been extensively enquiring for him in many places, (he
was the brother of the old Earl William de Warrenne,1)
that he might take him in person into the king’s presence, as we have mentioned
above, to hand him over to punishment ; or else that he might cut of his head,
and set it up in he most public thoroughfare for a sign, as Hereward had
exhibited over the gate of his house the heads of those men who had taken his
inheritance and slain his brother ; and further that he might drive into exile
or maim all who still were on Hereward’s side, or brought him any assistance.
But Hereward with his men at once set about anticipating him, designing to
treat him in the same way, if by chance they could meet with him. For Hereward
had heard that he was in
Commentary.
* [Sweeting’s
note] Translation very free. Meaning uncertain.
1 William
de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey was an adult in 1052, when he was fighting
in support of William
in
William
de Warenne’s wife, Gundrada, was a daughter of a noble Fleming, Gerbod. She had
brothers Gerbod and Frederic. After the Conquest, William was lord of large
estates centred on Lewis in