Bot William, Henry broþer, died, & þan was wo,
þe werre with alle þe toþer lasted fiue ȝere & mo.
In alle þis ilk tirpelle wex Steuen a fulle wise man,
þorgh quaintise & conseile þe coroune of Inglond wan,
þe date of Jhesu pundred, þat men tellis bi,
A þousand & a hundred & sex & þritti.
ON Saynt Steuen day, withouten any conquest, [De corona|cione Sle|phani.]
þe barons on gode aray at London mad þei feste,
þorgh conseile of ilkon, þai gaf Steuen þe coroun,
Heyre was he non, no þertille had resoun.
þe Emperice sonne Henry he had right þertille,
Bot right ȝede þer forby, þe barons did no skille.
¶ Bot sen his corounyng tille Oxenford he fore, [De jura|mento Re|gis.]
& þer Steuen þe kyng bifor þe clergie suore,
þat if a bisshopriche vacant wer þe se,
þe kyng, no non of his, suld chalange þat of fe,
With wrong no with right, of non þat fro him cam,
So help him God alle myght, & þat halidam.
¶ A noþer oth not lefte, þe clergie did him karke,
þat wodes ne foreste, withouten palaised parke,
þe comon folk suld queme on & oþer in fere,
þe kyng no man suld deme in courte for wilde dere,
Clerk ne lewed man for no wilde beste,
For comon þe folk it wan wod open & forest.
¶ þe þrid poynt þei wild, to suere he was dryuen,
þat þe Danegelde for euer suld be forgyuen,
& of [Sic.] of ilk a hide tuo schillynges þat he toke
Suld neuer eft betide, he suore þat on þe boke,
