Againe, if a man shall consider that in
a strange realme he could make such a conquest, and so exactlie and
readilie assure the same to his heires, with new lawes, orders and
constitutions (which are like for euer to endure) he would thinke it a
thing altogither void of credit. Yet so it was, and so honourable were
his dooings in the sight of the world, that those kings, which
succeeded sithens his death, begin their account at him, as from one
that had by his prudence renewed the state of the realme, and
instituted an other forme of regiment, in atchiuing whereof he did not
so much pretend a rightfull challenge by the grant of his coosine king
Edward the Confessor, as by the law of armes and plaine conquest, than
the which (as he supposed) there could be no better title.
Herevpon also those that haue sithens succeeded him, vse the same
armes as peculiar to the crowne of England, which he vsed in his time;
[Sidenote: He bare but two lions or rather leopards as some thinke.]
namelie, three lions passant gold in a field gewels (as Polydor
writeth) the three floure delices were since that time annexed thereto
by Edward the third, by reason of his claime to the crowne of France,
whereof hereafter ye shall heare. Among other greeuances which the
English susteined by the hard deling of the Conquerour, this is to be
remembered, that he brought Jewes into this land from Rouen, and
appointed them a place to inhabit and occupie.
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