about midlent he passed ouer into Normandie with an armie, purposing
to trie the matter with his brother in plaine battell, that thereby he
might rather grow to some certeine point of losse or lucre, than to
stand ouer vpon vncerteinties, whether to haue peace or war, that he
must be constreined to be at all times in a readinesse to defend
himselfe. [Sidenote: Wars betwixt the king and his brother.] But after
he was come into Normandie, & had forraied part of the countrie once
or twice, he fell to a parle with his brother duke Robert, & in the
end condescended to put the matter in compromise to the arbitrement of
certeine graue persons, whose iudgement the king reiected, bicause
they gaue not sentence on his side. [Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
Herevpon both parts prepared for war afresh, insomuch that the king
perceiuing how his brother was aided by the French king, and that his
power was too weake to withstand them both, he sent his commission
into England for the leuieng of 20. thousand men, commanding that they
should be sent ouer vnto him into Normandie by a daie, which was
diligentlie performed. But as they were come togither about Hastings,
readie to enter a shipboord, immediatlie commeth the kings lieutenant
with a countermand, and signifieth to them, that the king minding to
fauour and spare them for that iournie, would that euery of them
should giue him 10. shillings (as Matt. Paris hath, or 20. shillings
as others haue) towards the charges of the war, and therevpon depart
home with a sufficient safeconduct; which the most part were better
content to doo, than to commit themselues to the fortune of the sea,
and bloudie successe of the wars in Normandie. [Sidenote: _Polydor._]
In deed king William changing his mind, was now determined to end the
matter with monie, and not with the sword, as it afterward appeered;
for by bribing of king Philip, in whom duke Robert had reposed his
whole trust, [Sidenote: A peace concluded betwixt the king and his
brother Robert.] he concluded peace vpon such articles and conditions