The chronicle of Iohn Hardyng. Containing an account of public transactions from the earliest period of English history to the beginning of the reign of King Edward the Fourth. Together with the continuation by Richard Grafton, to the thirty fourth year of King Henry the Eighth. The former part collated with two manuscripts of the author's own time; the last, with Grafton's duplicate edition. To which are added a biographical and literary preface, and an index, by Henry Ellis.

The. C.xxviij. Chapiter. [Fol. C.xxxviii.]

¶ Thenterchaunge of kyng Stephan and of the duke Robert Clare duke of Glocester.

FOr [which] cause thē to haue [hir eme] [hir vncle.] again Themperesse and quene Maude accordid To enterchaunge y^e kyng so then full fain For erle Robert, without [withoutyn.] more concordid. This enterchaunge thus made and [as is.] recordid, The kyng hir sued vnto Oxenford, Fro whens she went by night to Walyngford,

¶ Vpon the [frost in the] [ies in snowe in.] wynter season, In her smocke alone with hir vncle dere, That none hir knewe of theim without the towne, So like hir smocke and the snowe was [were.] in feer: The kyng knewe not in what place that [than.] she wer, For Oxenford he gate and Awbray slewe, Of Oxenford that was an [the.] erle full trewe.

¶ The kyng Stephan a castell then began At Wilton, where kyng Dauid with power And erle Robert of Glocester that was then, Hym droue awaye out of [fro.] that place full clere, And bet it downe to the ground full nere.

To Walyngford the [for the.] kyng with power went, Themperesse to sech [sege.] was his entent.

¶ Hir partie then droue hym then [thens.] awaye With greate slaughter of menne and occision; And euery lorde on other made greate affraye, And spoyled other through al this region, By greate impression [mysprision.] and cruell sore raunson. The kyng treated with erle Randolf full trewe, But false then was his treaty, as menne knewe;

¶ For when he came vnto his presence, Anone he putte hym in [into.] sore prisone, To tyme he had by his magnificence The castell of Lyncolne vnto his croune, And putte hym then to fyne and greate raunsom, So variaunt he was alwaye of hight, Fro euē to morowe, that no man trust hym might.

The fiftene yere of the [this.] same kyng Stephen, Therle Geffrey of Angeou decessid [so discessed.] , A noble prince as all menne did beleuen. Henry his soonne of persone well encressed, Of childishe wit also full relesed, And of age he was then fiftene yere; To Scotland came kyng Dauid to require

¶ Of his socour and of his supportacion England to gette that was his heritage, Who made hym then full greate consolacion, And with hym came without [withoutyn.] fee or wage, With full assent of all his baronage. Vnder baners kyng Dauid made hym knight Vpon the felde, again kyng Stephen to fight.

¶ But suche treaty was made and good accorde, That kyng Stephen to Henry shoulde retourne [attourne.] , As very heire without [withoutyn.] more discorde; At his decesse to Henry whole retourne, [The croune of England without more soiourne,]

Who died then after in his. xix. yere, [Fol. C.xxxix.] At Feuersham buried he was full clere.

¶ Of Christes date was then a thousande yere, And an hundreth fyftye [als fiftye.] and eyght also, His wyfe and he there buried both in feer; The whiche he found whyles he was lyuyng so, [And reigned here in muche trouble and wo,] [As kynge of Engelonde reignynge in drede and wo.] And [He.] had this realme without [withoutyn.] any ryght, For themprise Maude that [fayre lady] [ladie feire and.] bright.