BoAr: FNQ: Hereward XXXVI

BoAr: FNQ: Hereward XXXVI

http://boar.org.uk/ariwxo3FNQsupXXXVI.htm Latest edit 7 Feb 2008

Web page © 2007 R.J.PENHEY With thanks to Lincolnshire Library Service.

The Bourne Archive

FNQ

This thread begins with the title page

De Gestis Herwardi Saxonis.

XXXVI.

Quomodo Robertus de Horepol de Herwardo regi bona intimavit.

Prædictus autem Robertus de Horepol dehinc statim ad regis curiam perrexit, innotescens regi per omnia quæ facta fuerant, et quomodo per suos Herwardus liberatus est. Subjunxit etiam in fine mandata ab eo delata, ut mansuetudine regia usus, reminsceretur quomodo sub protectione sua et pace ad curiam suam veniens in carcere et custodia super hoc non recte missus fuerit. Tamen si illa quæ tunc illi promiserat saltem nunc faceret ut domino carissimo modis omnibus serviret, sciens sibi hanc injuriam per eum factam non fuisse, sed persuasione et versutia inimicorum. Quæ verba secum ipse venerabilis rex modicum retractans, non recte in eum fuisse peractum respondit. Qui dum in gratiam regem suscepisse verba agnosceret, multa repente de Herwardo et suis atque prædicanda regi peroravit, subjugens pro parva causa non leviter tantum militem a se et de regno suo expelli non debere, in quem magna fiducia esset sinceritas contigeret. Ipsum enim pro certo assuerit magis antiquis instare opibus, interum perturbata terra, nisi in oculis ejusdem regis gratiam magis quam servitutem inveniret, terra patris sui ex benignitate regis suscepta. Quam recipere recte debere protinus rex subjunxit, mandans per literas suas etiam hoc Herwardo et provincialibus terram patris sui recipere debere et quiete possidere, ac deniceps pacem velle sectari, non stultitiam, si regis de cætero amicitiam optaret possidere.

Herwardus igitur, miles insignis et in multis locis expertus et cognitus, a rege in gratiam susceptus, cum terris et possessionibus patris sui multis postmodum vixit annis, regi Willelmo fideliter serviens ac devote compatriotis placens et amicis; ac sic demum quievit in pace, cujus animæ propicietur Deus. Amen.

EXPLICIT VITA HERWARDI INCLITI MILITIS.

The Exploits of Hereward the Saxon.

XXXVI

How Robert of Horepol made a good report of Hereward to the King.

Then the aforesaid Robert of Horepol after this immediately went off to the King’s court, signifying to the King everything that had been done, and how Hereward had by his own men been set free. Finally he delivered the message he had brought, that he should avail himself of the King’s kindness, and call to his mind how he had come to his court under his protection and safe conduct, and that he had not rightly after that been put into prison and custody. But yet if he would even now perform what he had then promised him, Hereward would serve his most dear lord in every way, since he knew that this wrong had not been done by him, but through the persuasion and craft of his enemies. After a little reflection on these words the King replied that Hereward had not had right treatment. And when Robert saw that the King had taken his words in good part, he straightway related to the King many things worth the telling about Hereward and his men ; adding that for a little cause such a warrior ought not lightly to be driven from him and his realm, in whom there might be found great fidelity and trust. And he declared for certain that he was rather inclined to rely on his old resources, if a new disturbance arose in the land, unless in the King’s eyes he could meet with favour rather than imprisonment, and should receive from the King’s goodness his father’s land. Thereupon the King declared that he ought by rights to have it, and gave command by his letters to Hereward and the men of his district that he ought to have the land of his father and to retain quiet possession of it; but that from henceforth he must be willing to cultivate peace, not folly, if he wished hereafter to retain the King’s friendship¹.

And so Hereward, the famous warrior, in many places proved and well known, was received into favour by the King, and with his father’s lands and possessions lived afterwards for many years, faithfully serving King William², and wholly devoted to his neighbours and friends ; and so at last he rested in peace, and upon his soul may God have mercy. Amen.

END OF THE LIFE OF HEREWARD THE RENOWNED KNIGHT.³

1. The question which this leaves in ones mind is that of when this event took place. If it was before 1086, why is Hereward so little mentioned in the Domesday Book? In Chapter XXV, we were apparently, in the year 1075. There have been ten clear chapters of episodes since, including Chapter XXXV in which we were told of a year-long imprisonment at Bedford. We have already learnt that the overall story is much slower than the succession of exciting events which is related to us would lead us to believe. It seems quite possible that this final chapter dates from the very end of William’s reign between the compilation of the Domesday Book and the king’s death. This would make Hereward about fifty years old.

If this pattern of events is the explanation, then these negotiations will have ended very late in 1086 or very early in 1087, before William went to Normandy for the campaigning season in the Vexin, where Philip I was attempting to wrest territory back from the Duchy of Normandy.

2. This calls the construction which note 1 placed on events, into question. However, the final paragraph may be translated as follows. Herwardus igitur So Hereward, miles insignis famous soldier et in multis locis and in many situations expertus et cognitus tried and proved, a rege from the king in gratiam susceptus in gratitude took up, cum terris et possessionibus patris sui multis with the many lands and posessions of his father postmodum vixit annis, he soon lived for the years regi Willelmo of king William fideliter serviens faithfully serving ac devote compatriotis placens et amicis and by devotion pleasing to fellow countrymen and friends; ac sic demum quievit in pace and so at last he reposed in peace, cujus animæ propicietur Deus whose soul may may God render favourable.

Devote would be the imperative singular of devotare a medieval form of the classical devovere, dedicate! but the most likely guess would be the ablative singular of devotus (by the devoted one). Either way, its translation is a difficult one to make into sense. Staying close to the Latin idiom, we would have ‘So Hereward, famous soldier and in many situations tried and proved, from the king in gratitude took up, with the many lands and posessions of his father, he soon lived for the years of king William, faithfully serving and pleasing by devotion, to fellow countrymen and friends; and so at last he reposed in peace, whose soul may may God render favourable.’

From this, it will be seen that Sweeting has transferred the ‘many’ from lands to years and in the re-translation, the word ‘soon’ is introduced in relation to the expiry of William’s reign. According to Langenscheidt, postmodum means ‘after, presently, soon’. The text is therefore after all, consistent with the idea that the reinstatement of Hereward in Leofric’s lands was done after the Domesday Book was compiled and a few months before William was killed in September 1087. It was perhaps the possibility of this outcome which had antagonized the likes of Ivo and Odger.

3. It has to be remembered that the Latin vocubluary is less subtle that the modern English one, so that one Latin word carries several English meanings. Nonetheless, though the text describes the circumstances in which Hereward was made a knight, it otherwise consistently refers to him as a soldier rather than as a knight. The difference originated in that between the ancient infantry (pedites) and cavalry (equites) but developed into a difference between the soldier generally (miles) and the knight (eques). Though, before the medieval period had developed far, miles had been used to carry either meaning, a more pedantically accurate translation of the final sentence might be: The manner of life of Hereward, the renowned soldier unfolds.