villages, churches, and other buildings for the space of 30. miles, to
make thereof a forrest, which at this daie is called New forrest. The
people as then sore bewailed their distres, & greatlie lamented that
they must thus leaue house & home to the vse of sauage beasts.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ An earthquake. _Polydor._] Which crueltie,
not onelie mortall men liuing here on earth, but also the earth it
selfe might seeme to detest, as by a woonderfull signification it
séemed to declare, by the shaking and roaring of the same, which
chanced about the 14. yeare of his reigne (as writers haue recorded.)
There be that suppose how the king made that part of the realme waste
and barren vpon a policie, to the intent that if his chance were to be
expelled by ciuill wars, and he compelled to leaue the land, there
should be no inhabitants in that part of the Ile to resist his
arriuall vpon his new returne.

[Sidenote: _Simon Dun._] [Sidenote: 1085.] [Sidenote: A rumor spred of
the coming of the Danes.] But to go foorth with our purpose. About the
same time, a rumor was spred in England that Sueine king of Denmarke
meant to inuade England with a puissant armie, hauing the assistance
of the earle of Flanders whose daughter he had maried. Whervpon king
William being then in Normandie, reteined a great power of French
soldiers, both archers and footmen which togither with his Normans he
brought ouer into England in haruest season, and meaning to disburthen
himselfe of the charge of their keeping, he caused their finding and
wages to be borne by the lords and peeres of the realme, by the
shirifs of shires, and other officers. [Sidenote: Anno 20.] Howbeit,
when he vnderstood that the Danes changed their purpose, and would not
hold on their iourneie, he dismissed part of his power, and sent them
home againe, keeping the residue all the winter with him in England,
readie for his defense, if anie rebellion or other necessitie should