into Normandie with an huge masse of mony, where soone after he fell
sicke, so that he was constrained to keepe his bed longer than he had
beene accustomed to doo, whereat Philip the French king in iesting
manner said, that king William his cousine laie now in childbed
(alluding belike to his big bellie, for he was verie corpulent) and
withall added; [Sidenote: _Wil. Malm._ _Matth. Paris._] "Oh what a
number of candels must I prouide to offer vp at his going to church!
certeinelie I thinke that 100000. will not suffice," &c. [Sidenote:
_Wil. Malm._ _Ran. Higd._] This frumping spéech so moued the king,
that he made this answere: "Well, I trust when I shall be churched,
that our cousine shall be at no such cost, but I will helpe to find
him a thousand candels myselfe, and light them too, to some of their
paines, if God grant me life." Which promise he bound with an oth, and
in déed performed. [Sidenote: He inuadeth France. _Gemeticensis_. The
citie of Maunt burnt by K. William. _Matth. West._ _Matth. Paris._]
For in Julie next insuing, when their corne, fruit, and grapes were
most florishing, and readie for the sickle, he entered France with a
great armie, set fire on manie of their cities and townes in the west
side of that countrie, and came at last to the citie of Maunt, which
he burnt with the church of our ladie, and an ankresse inclosed in the
wall thereof as an holie closet, for the force of the fire was such as
all went to wrecke. In this heat king William tooke such a sicknesse
(which was likewise aggrauated by the fall of an horsse as he rode to
and fro, bicause he was not able to trauell on foot about his palace
by reason of his disease) that cost him his life; [Sidenote: King
William departed this life. _Simon Dun._ _Matth. West._ The lix. of
his age hath _Wil. Malm._] so that when he had ordeined his last will,
and taken order for the staie of things after his decease, he departed
this life on the 9. day of September, in the yeare after the birth of
our Saviour 1087. and 74. (as Polydor saith) of his age, hauing