gouerned Normandie about 51. yeres, and reigned ouer England 20.
yeares, ten moneths, and 28. daies (as all writers doo report.)

[Sidenote: He set all prisoners at libertie saith _Wil. Malm._
_Polydor._] Not long before his death, he released his brother Odo
bishop of Bayeux out of prison, Marchar earle of Northumberland, and
Wilnotus the sonne of king Harold, or (as some say) his brother.
Moreouer he repented him (as some say) when he lay on his death bed,
of his cruell dealing with the English, considering that by them he
had atteined to such honour and dignitie, as to weare the crown and
scepter of a kingdome: but whether he did so or not, or that some
moonke deuised the excuse in fauour of the prince: surely he was a
puissant prince, and though his time was troublesome, yet he was right
fortunate in all his attempts. 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