Henry was hunting in the new forest when William met his death, and was no sooner informed of the cir cumstance, than he hastened to Winchester and secu red the royal treasures. He then proceeded to Lon don, where, assembling some noblemen and prelates whom he had gained over to his interest, he was sa luted king, and in three days after was solemnly crown ed by Maurice, bishop of London. Henry, aware of the weakness of his pretensions, endeavoured to strengthen his authority, by courting the affections of his subjects. He confirmed the ancient Saxon laws, and restored the clergy to their former privileges. He promised to re medy many of the grievous oppressions which had exist ed during the two former reigns; and for this purpose passed a charter, in which, among other things, he engag ed that he would never seize the revenues of any vacant see or abbey, or let to farm, or dispose of for money, any ecclesiastical benefice; that, instead of the violent exac tions which had been imposed upon heirs by his father and brother, he would permit them to take quiet pos session of their property, upon paying a just and law ful relief; that he would not dispose of any heiress in marriage, but by the advice of all the barons ; that the barons should have the power of bequeathing, by will, their money and personal estates ; and that all debts due to the crown should be remitted. A copy of this char ter was commanded to be lodged in some abbey of each county, that all his subjects might be acquainted with it ; but it was intended merely to serve his present pur pose, and to ingratiate himself with his people, and ne ver to be seriously acted upon. In all his proceedings, indeed, he made his own will and pleasure the sole rule of his government ; and this charter, within a century, had fallen into such neglect, that when the barons of King John wished to make it the model of the great charter, a copy of it could with difficulty be found.
Anselm, the primate, who had been obliged to leave the kingdom by the violence of William, was recalled by Henry, and reinstated in all his dignities. Henry kin w well the influence which this prelate had acquired, by his piety and austerity of manners, over the minds of the people, and expected that his authority would be strengthened by having such a person for his friend. He found, however, that the religious zeal and stubborn integrity of Anselm, would not bend to his purposes ; and scarcely had the prelate arrived, than a quarrel arose between them respecting the investitures in cc slesiastical benefices. The prelate refused to do ho mage for his spiritual dignity, and declared that he would not so much as communicate with any one who had paid such submission. Henry, for the present, did not press the demand, but sent messengers to Rome to accommodate matters with the pope. In the mean time, he married Matilda, daughter of Malcolm III. king of Scotland, and niece to Edgar Atheling. This circum stance added greatly to his popularity ;- and the English congratulated themselves with the hope of a more equal and mild administration, when the blood of their na tive princes should be mingled with that of their con querors.
While Henry had thus endeavoured to establish him self on the throne, Robert appeared to assert his claim. On his return from the Holy Land, he had taken quiet possession of his ancient dukedom ; and, being encou raged by many of the Norman barons in England, who promised him their assistance to attempt the recover of that kingdom, he landed at Portsmouth with a con siderable armament. Henry, by his caresses and pro mises, had gained over Anselm to his interests ; who so exerted his influence with the nobility and the people, that the king was enabled to meet his brother with a firm and united army. The two sovereigns, both ap prehensive of the issue, refrained from coming to ac tion fur some days ; when, by the mediation of the pri mate, a treaty was entered into, by which Robert was to receive an annual pension of 3000 necks, upon re signing his claim to the crown of England during the life of Henry ; and that, when either of them should die without issue, the other should succeed to his dominions. Henry was no sooner freed from the danger of invasion, than he began to wreak his vengeance upon those no bles who had distinguished themselves by their adhe rence to the cause of Robert ; and scarcely one of them escaped without banishment or confiscation. It is true, they were prosecuted upon other charges ; but men easily saw that their punishment arose from their at tachment to his brother. Robert, considering such con duct an infringement of the treaty, ventured to appear in England, and remonstrate with Henry in person ; but his reception was such, that he was glad to purchase his liberty with the loss of his pension.
Robert, with all his amiable qualities, wanted pru dence and firmness. He was open, generous, and hu mane. His bravery and military glory had procured hint the respect and admiration of Europe ; but in peace he sunk in effeminacy and superstition. He seemed born to be the sport of fortune. After a life of toil and ambition in the Holy Land, where he refused to be crowned king of Jerusalem, he found himself, on his return, deprived of his birth-right. Confined to his pa trimonial dukedom, he was too mild to restrain, by se vere discipline, the turbulent spirit of his barons, and Normandy, during his reign, became a scene of violence and depredation. His brother took advantage of his in dolence and imprudence ; and when called to mediate between him and his discontented subjects, instead of urging them to loyalty and obedience, he excited them to rebellion by bribery and intrigue ; and at last stript him of his kingdom and his liberty. In a battle, which decided the fate of Normandy, Robert and the'most con siderable of his barons were taken prisoners ; and this unfortunate prince, deprived of fortune and friends, passed the remainder of his life a prisoner in Cardiff Castle in Wales, where he languished 26 years. Edgar Atheling, who had accompanied Robert to Jerusalem, and who had lived with him ever since his return, was also among the captives in this action ; but Henry gave him his freedom and a small pension, and he lived to a good old age, neglected and forgotten among his coun trymen.