as it were the chiefest lords and gouernours of all Kent) did
perceiue, and considered that the whole realme was in an euill state;
& that whereas in this realme of England, before the comming in of the
forsaid duke William, there were no bondmen: [Sidenote: Seruitude &
bondage of the Nobilitie and Commonaltie to the Normans.] now all, as
well the Nobilitie as the Commonaltie were without respect made
subiect to the intollerable bondage of the Normans, taking an occasion
by the perill and danger that their neighbours were in, to prouide for
the safegard of themselues and their countrie. They caused all the
people of the countie of Kent to assemble at Canturburie, and declared
to them the perils and dangers imminent, the miserie that their
neighbours were come into, the pride and insolencie of the Normans,
and the hardnesse and griefe of bondage and seruile estate. Whereupon
all the people rather choosing to end their vnfortunate life, than to
submit themselues to an vnaccustomed yoke of seruitude and bondage,
with a common consent determined to méet duke William, and to fight
with him for the lawes of their countrie. Also, the foresaid Stigand
the archbishop, and the abbat Egelsin, choosing rather to die in
battell, than to see their nation in so euill an estate, being
encouraged by the examples of the holie Machabées, became capteins of
the armie. And at a daie appointed, all the people met at Swanescombe,
and being hidden in the woods, laie priuilie in wait for the comming
of the foresaid duke William.

Now, bicause it cannot hurt to take great héed, and to be verie warie in
such cases, they agréed before hand, that when the duke was come, and
the passages on euerie side stopped, to the end he should no waie be
able to escape, euerie one of them, as well horssemen as footmen should
beare boughes in their hands. The next daie after, when the duke was
come into the fields and territories néere vnto Swanescombe, and saw all