Of his Personage and Conditions.

HE was tall of stature, of great strength, and of an excellent good complexion. Concerning the qualities of his minde, there was apparent in him a just mixture of valour and prudence; for if he had not had both, hee could never have held out with such weake friends as he did, against such potent adversaries as he had. And specially it must be confest, he was of an excellent temper for a souldier, seeing he never kild any enemy in cold blood, as Anthonie did Cicero; nor any friend in hot blood, as Alexander did Clitus. What he would have beene in Peace, we are left to Judge by onely a Patterne, the short time betweene his agreement with Duke He•ry and his death: which seeing he spent in travelling to all parts of the Realme, and seeking to sti•ch up the breaches which the violence of Warre had made; we may well thinke, that if his life had beene continued, he would have given as good Proofes of his Justice in Peace, as he had done of his Valour in Warre. For of his extraordinary good nature we have a sufficient example in one Action of his, which was this: Duke Henry being on a time, in some straights for money, sent to his Mother Maude the Empresse, desiring her to furnish him, but she answered, that she was in as great straights her selfe, and therefore could not do it; then he sent to his Unkle Earle Robert to furnish him, and he answered, he had little enough to serve his owne turne, and therefore could not doe it; at last he sent to King S•ephen, and he though an Adversary, and standing in termes of op∣position, yet sent presently and supplyed him with it. He was withall a great op∣pugner of Superstition, which made him on a time to ride into Lincolne with his Crowne upon his head, onely to breake the people of a superstitious opinion they held, that no King could enter into that City in such manner, but that some great dysaster would fall upon him. One speciall Vertue may be noted in him, that he was not noted for any speciall vice, whereof if there had beene any in him, Writers certainly would not have beene silent.