who had been forced out of the Realm by Rufus, because he oppofed him for keeping Church Livings in his Hands. And Hemy, to lettle himfelf the more deeply in the Affections of the English, Married Maud, Daughter to the King of the Scots by Margaret, Sister to Edgar Atheling. But Duke Robert being returned with greatest Honour from the Holy Land, claimed the Kingdom of England as his rightful Inheritance; landed an Army at Portsmouth, many of the Englib flocking to him. At length the Difference between thefe two Brethren was reconciled on thefe Terms; That Henry should enjoy the Crown during his Life, paying to Robert in way of Fealty, three Anfem, thousand Marks by the Year. But this Sun-fhine of Peace was fhortE. of Cantly after withdrawn by the Rebellion of Robert Beliafme, Earl of

Shrewsbury, who in fhort time being vanquished, fled into Normandy for shelter. Archbishop Anfelm is allo faid to have diflurbed the Peace by landing too ilifly for the pretended Rights of the Church of Rome, against the King's real Rights and Prerogative, peremptorily depriving what Prelates he pleafed of their Promotions, and refufing to Confecrate certain Bishops that the King had advanced. Moreover the King and his Brother Robert continued not long in Amity, e'er Hemy Invading Normandy, takes his Brother in Fight, whom he fent Priloner to Cardiff Caille in Wales, where he had the liberty to walk in the King's Meadows, Forelts and Parks; but endeavouring to make his Efcape, he was committed to a stricter durance, and allo deprived of the fight of both his Eyes, and in few: Years after died, and was buried at Glocefter, his Brother Henry not long furviving him.

Some Troubles arofe from the Welb; but that People the King re-. frained, chiefly, by placing thofe Flemings among them, whole Lands the Seas had devoured fome Years before, and to whom King Rufus had granted that they should feat themfelves in Cumberland. The poor Married Priests, Anfelm fadly perplexed. And the King impofed heavy Taxes on the People, and referved vacant Church Promotions to his own ufe, under pretence of keeping them for the moft deferving. But how unworthily he difpofed fome of then, may be gueffed by that pretty Reproof which Gamuud his Chaplain gave him. Who on Rogation-Sunday celebrating Service in the King's Chappel, being to read that Leffon out of St. Jam. 5. 17. It rained, not on the earth, by the space of thiee Years and fix Months, he purpofely. read, It rained not one, one, one Tears, and five one Months. Which caufing Laughter or Admiration in all that heard him, the King rebuked him for it, demanding the Reafon why he read fo. Marry, quoth he, I fee you bestow your Preferments on fuch as can read fo. Wherewith the King touched, preferred him; and in the future was more cautious whom he raifed to Preferments in the Church. The Eilates both Spiritual and Temporal he caufed to affemble at Salisbury, then re-, Radulphus forming many Abutes, and lay here the first Foundation of our High A. B. of Court of Parliament. About this time Lewis, King of France, Invaded Normandy, whither King Henry paffed and vanquished him. But as his Son, Prince William, was returning after him out of Normandy, he was cait away, and with him 160 Pertons of prime note and efleem,

Cant.

none

6$

none of their Bodies being found. The Mariners had too much Wine bestowed on them at their putting forth to Sea.

Maud, or Matilda, the Emprefs, after the Death of the Emperor her Husband, King Henry, her Father fent for over into England, where calling a Parliament, he caufed Stephen, his Sifters Son, with his Nobles, to fwear Fealty to her, as to his lawful, and now only Heir. But the King failing again into Normandy, he there, after his Pleasure of Hunting, made a great repait of Lampreys, upon the eating of which, he fell exceeding fick, and after feven Days ficknels died, A. D. 1135, at the Town of St. Denys. His Bowels and Brains, and Eyes were buried at Roan. The Phyfician that took out the Brains was poifoned with the flench. His Body fliced, powdred with Salt, and wrapped in a Bulls Hide, was conveyed to Reading, and there buried in the Abby which himself had Foundd. His Wives were firft, Maud the Daughter of Malcolm the Third, Sir-named Canmoir, or Great-head, King of Scotland; his fecond Wife was Adelicia, the Daughter of Godfrey, the, first Duke of Loraine. Befides his lawful Iffue William and Maud, he is faid to have had fourteen Illegitimate, fome fay more. He built a magnificent Palace at Wooddock in Ox fordshire. In a great Dearth in his Countries of Anjou and Main, he fed every day with fufficient Suflenance Ten Thousand Perfons, from the beginning of April, till fuch time that new Corn was inned. He. erected and endowed the Sees of Carlile and Ely, and the Abbies of

F

Hide, Reading, Cyrencefter, and the Priory of Dunftalle. His Queen
Mand was fo Devout, that he would go to Church bare-foot, and
conftantly exercife her felf in Works of Charity, infomuch, that
when her Brother, Prince David, came out of Scotland to vifit her,
he found her in her Privy-Chamber, washing, wiping and kifling
poor Peoples Feet; which he difliking, faid, Verily, if the King your
Husband knew this, you should never kifs his Lips. To which the re-
plied, That the Feet of the King of Heaven, are to be preferred before the
Lips of an earthly King. 'Tis reported that when the King was pre-
paring for his lait Paifage into Normandy, there hapred a fearful Earth-
quake, and that out of Chinks in the Earth, arofe burning Flames t
which could not be quenched.

In the Year 1111, at Dunmow in Fffex, the Lady Inga founded a Priory for black Nuns, which afterwards became an Houfe of Menks. Which Monks 'tis faid, did allow a Gammon of Bacon to fuch Mar-ried couples, as repented not of their bargain within a year and a day after their Marriage, nor made any Nuptial Tranfgreffion in word of deed. This they were to make a folemn Oath of In or near the year 1115, and October the roth, did the River of Thames fo fail of Water, that between the Tower of London and the Bridge, did People not only pafs over on Horfe-back, but alfo great numbers both of Men and Children did wade over on foot.

Dec. 1. A.
D. 1135.

STEPHEN.

Tephen Earl of Bloys, Son to Adelicia, Daughter of the Conqueror, was admitted King by the workings of his Brother Henry Bi Villiam fhop of Winchefter, and Roger Bishop of Sarum; but chiefly through Corbell, A. the means of Hugh Bigot, who took his Oath that King Henry had B. of Cant on his Death-bed (upon fome diflafte taken against his Daughter)

difinherited her, and appointed Stephen to fucceed him. He was crowned at Wefturinfler on St. Stephen's Day, in 4. D. 1135, by William Corbell, A. B. of Canterbury, the Prelates fwearing to obey him as their King, fo long as he fhould preferve the Churches Rights; and the Lay-barons in like manner fwore Allegiance to him, fo long as he fhould keep his Covenants to them, and preferve their Rights. His Right he owned to be by Election. The Charter containing his Peoples Franchifes, Liberties, and Immunities, which he bound himlelf to maintain, he fealed at Oxford. Which was, that all Liberties, Customs, and Poffeffions granted to the Church fhould be firm, and in force; That Perfons and Caufes Ecclefiaftical fhould appertain only to Ecclefiaftical Jurifdiction. That the vacancies of Churches and Church-mens Goods fhould be at the fole Difpofal of the Clergy. That all bad ufages in the Land, touching Foreits, Exactions, &c. fhould be extirpate, and that the ancient Laws fhould be ellored. Many Calles he either caufed or fuffered to be erected in the Land, which he intended for his own Security against Maud ; but they proved greatly to his own detriment. His Entrance was

very peaceable; but by little and little, civil Difcords increased to the miferable Spoil of the Realm, befides the troubles arifing from out-parts. Baldwin de Redners first began to break the Peace, but him the King foon quieted. Then the Welshmen, who gave a great Defeat to the Englife. Then David King of Scots (fet on by fome difaffected to Stephen) but in a fhort time Peace was concluded with him. Then the Welf again make Inroads into the Land, carrying away great Spoils. Next David King of Scots

in the Quarrel of the Empress, where his enters, Northumberland,

Soldiers dealt moft barbaroudly with many of the Inhabitants, ripping up the Wombs of Women with Child, and toffing their Infants upon the points of their Spears, flaying the Priests at the Altar, and after an inhuman manner difmembring the flain Bodies. After this the Peers of the Land confpire against the King, taking themselves to ftrong Holds; a great caufe whereof was because the King fhewed extraordinary Favour to William de pie and his Flemings, following their Counfels and chiefly relying upon them. When David King of Scots taking Opportunities from thefe inbred Troubles, again entred Northumber land with a great Army, against whom the Northern Lords marched at the Command of Thurflan Archbishop of York, the King's Lieutenant, who himfelf being then fick, appointed Ralph Bishop of Durham for his General. Which Bishop of Durham in the clofe of his inve&tive Oration to his Army against the Scots, before the Battle, abfolved from Punishment of fin, all fuch of his fide, that fhould die in the Fight, whereby the English were made to fight the more defperately; fo that in a fhort time they vanquished the Scots, driving the King Stephen went on King of Scots and his Son out of the Field. alfo very profperously against his Barons, winning many Cafiles from them. Which done he proceeded against the Scots, with whom in fhort time a Peace was concluded. But that Stephen might be kept employed, the Empress Maud landed near to Arundel, with but 140 Men, whom Stephen haftened to meet ; but the colouring her Designs with the Pretences of Amity and Peace, he over-credulous, caufed her to be honourably conveyed to Bristol, where the remained two Months, and then went to Wallingford; her bafe Brother, Earl Robert, in the mean time gathering Aids for her. Wallingford King Stephen befieged, and his Brother the Bishop of Winchefter invited certain of the Nobles to his Palace, where he kept them as Prifoners, till he had gained them to refign their Caftles to the King. Worcester, Earl Robert fubdued and fpoiled. Nottingham, Ralph Painel burned in favour of the Einprefs. And the, for her better Security took into Lincoln, whither Stephen following her, gain'd the City, the Emprefs making an Escape. Shortly after which, Robert Earl of Glocefter, with Ranulph Earl of Chefter, encountred the King near to Lincoln, where, with equal Succefs the Fight was maintained a long time, 'till at length the King's Horsemen (not without Sufpicion of Treafon) gave back and fled, and fhortly after his Foot began to faint and fly, leaving this valiant King almoft alone, who with his Battle-Ax drove back whole Troops affailing him, maintaining the Quarrel against his Foes with an undaunted Courage, till his Battle

F 2

Axe

Axe broke and after that 'till his Sword flew in pieces. When now weaponlefs, he was itruck down, taken, and carried to the Emprels at Glocefter, from whence he was fent to Bristol. The Empress

for a while ruling all, London, after much Perfwafion, received her, with a Royal Proceffion; but in fhort time grew discontent, becaufe be refused to remit fome over-hard Laws made by her Father, and to restore thofe of King Edward. Many Nobles alfo repined, as conceiving themselves too much flighted by her. The Bishop of Winchefter, who a while before had accurfed all that withstood her, now abfolves them, under pretence that the Barons had kept Faith with her, fhe not with them. The difcontented Londoners he follicited in his Brother Stephen's Behalf. Divers Caftles he stored with Munition and Men. In the mean time Matilda came to Winchester, where fending for the Bishop, (being then the Pope's Legate) though he doubted fome Danger, yet not daring to fend a flat Denial, returned this equivocal Antwer, Ego parabo me, I will make ready, as though he had meant to follow the Meffenger; whereas he addreffed himfelf to work her Downfal. For fending for his Brother's Queen Prince Euftace, the London rs, and Villiam pre, he made ftrong his Party for the King. Himfelf and Friends abiding in the City, and The Emprefs keeping in the Castle, not daring to adventure forth for about the space of feven Weeks. When the Bishop, to deceive Matilda,