monk and
chronicler of St Augustine's Abbey in Canterbury, "after such time as
Duke William the Conqueror had overthrown King Harold in the field at
Battell in Sussex and had received the Londoners to mercy he marched
with his army towards the castle of Dover, thinking thereby to have
brought in subjection this county of Kent also. But Stigande, the
archbishop, perceiving the danger assembled the countrymen together
and laid before them the intolerable pride of the Normans that invaded
them and their own miserable condition if they should yield unto them.
By which means they so enraged the common people that they ran
forthwith to weapon and meeting at Swanscombe elected the archbishop
and the abbot for their captains. This done each man got him a green
bough in his hand and beare it over his head in such sort as when the
Duke approached, he was much amazed therewith, thinking at first that
it had been some miraculous wood that moved towards him. But they as
soon as he came within hearing cast away their boughs from them, and
at the sound of a trumpet bewraied their weapons, and withall
despatched towards him a messenger, which spake unto him in this
manner:--'The Commons of Kent, most noble Duke, are ready to offer
thee either peace or war, at thy own choice and election; Peace with
their faithfull obedience if thou wilt permit them to enjoy their
ancient liberties; Warr, and that most deadly, if thou deny it
them.'"

They prevailed according to the legend and this as some say is the
difference between the Men of Kent and the Kentish Men, for the former
retained their old liberties and were never conquered, and these dwelt
in the valley of Holmsdale; but the rest were merely _victi_. As the
old rhyme has it--

The vale of Holmsdale
Never conquered, never shall.

It is pleasing with the memory of all this in one's heart--and upon it
there is a famous song--to come upon Swanscombe church, in which much
would seem to be of Saxon times, as parts of the walls of both nave and
chancel, and the lower part of the tower, where one may see signs of
Roman brick. The nave, however, at least within, is late Norman if not
Transitional, and the windows in the chancel are Norman and Early
English. Here, too, is the tomb of Sir Anthony Weldon, the malicious
gossip [Footnote: He was the author of "The Secret History of the first
Two Stuart Kings" and of "A Catt may look at a King, or a Briefe
Chronicle and Charac