A chronicle of the Kings of England, from the time of the Romans goverment [sic] unto the raigne of our soveraigne lord, King Charles containing all passages of state or church, with all other observations proper for a chronicle / faithfully collected out of authours ancient and moderne, & digested into a new method ; by Sr. R. Baker, Knight.

THE RAIGNE OF KING STEPHEN.

AFter the decease of King Henry, presently steps upon the Stage of Royalty, Stephen Earle of Boleyne, Sonne to Stephen Earle of ••loys, by Adela, Daughter of King William the Conq••••••our; and though there were two other before him, Ma••de the Em∣presse, and Theobald his elder Brother, She in a substantiall right, He in a colourable, yet taking advantage of being Pri•••••• Occ••∣pans, the first Invader, (as being quickly here after King Henries death, where the other stayed lingring about other Aff••ires) he solicits all the Or∣ders o•• the Realme, Bishops, and Lords, and People, to receive him for their So∣ver••ine: wherein besides his owne large promises, what great matters he would do for them all, he had the assistance also of Henry his Brother, Bishop of Winchest••r ••nd the Popes Legate, and of Roger, Bishop of Salisbury, his great friend: (〈◊〉〈◊〉 the most powerfull men at that time in the State) who partly by force of Reasons, but more indeed by force then Reasons, procure the State to accept him for their King; and so upon Saint Steph••ns day, in Anno 1135. he was Crowned at Westminster, in presence of but three Bishops, few of the Nobility, and not one Abbot, by Willi∣am Arch-bishop of Canterbury, with great solemnity. That which put •• scruple in mens minds, and made them averse at first, from consenting to Stephe••, was the Oath they had taken to receive King Henries Daugh••••r Maude to be their Q••een, after his decease; but the weight of this scruple was something abated, when it was urged, that no Precedent could be shewed, that ever the Crowne had beene set upon a Womans head. And Roger, Bishop of Salisbury, brought another Reason, be∣cause they had taken that Oath but upon condition, that the King shoul•• not marry he•• out of the Realme without their consents, and the King having brok••n the con∣dition, was just cause to nullifie their Obligation: to which was added, th•••• the Oath having beene exacted by Authority, which is a ••ind of forcing, it might have the Plea of Per min••s, and therefore void. And yet more then all these, H••gh Big••t, sometime Stew••••d to King Henry, immediately after his decease, came o∣ve•• into England, and tooke a voluntary Oath before divers Lords of the Land, that he was present a little before King Henries death, when he adopted and chose his Nephew Stephen to be his Successour, because his Daughter M••••d•• had gr••e∣vously at that tim•• displeased him. But howsoever their breach of Oath was thus pallia••ed; it is certaine that many of them, as well Bishops as other Lords, came afterward to an evill end at least ••o many calamities before their end.

VVhat course he tooke to establish himselfe in the Kingdome.

IT is a true saying, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 reb••s opti•••• servat•••• Imperium, quibu•• p••••atur; and this was Stephens course, he got the kingdome by Pro••ises, and he establisht it by

Performances; he pleased the People with easing them of Taxes and Impositions; He pleased the Clergy with forbearing to keepe Bishoprickes and Abbeyes Va∣cant, and with exempting them from the Authority of the Temporall Magistrate; He pleased the Nobility with allowing them to build Castle•• upon their owne Lands; He pleased the Gen••••y with giving them liberty to hunt the Kings Deere in their owne Woods; and besides with advancing many of them in Honours: and for his Brother Theobald, who being the elder, was before him in pretence to the Crowne, he pleased him with a grant to pay him two thousand Markes a yeare; and then to strengthen himselfe abroad no lesse then at home, he marryed his Son E••stace to Constance a Daughter of Lewis King of France, which alliance alone might be thought a sufficient security against all Opposition. And yet one thing more, which establisht him more then these, at least these the more for this, that he had seise•• upon King ••enries tre••sure, which amounted to a hundred thousand pound, beside•• Plate and ••ewels of inestimable value, which he spe••t no•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vaine riot, but imployed to his best advantage, both in procuring of Friends, and in levying of Souldiers out of Britany and Flanders.

Of his Troubles in his Raigne.

THere may wel be made a Chapter of the troubles of his Raign, seeing his whole Raign was in a manner but one continued trouble, at lea••t no longer intermissiō, then as to give him breath against new encounters; til at last, when he grew towards his l••st, he rather left to be in trouble, then was at quiet, being forced to make his ad∣versary his He••re; and to leave his Crown to him that had sought his life. For he was no sooner set in his Chaire of State, but he was presently disquieted and made to rise, by the provocation of David King of Scots, who solicited by some Lords of England, but chiefly by Ma••de the Empresse (whose Right he had sworne to de∣fend) with a mighty Army entred N••rthumberland, tooke Carlile, and Newcastle, and was proceeding further, till King Stephen with a greater Army comming a∣gainst him, yet rather bought his Peace then wonne it; for to recover Newcastle out of his hands, he was faine to let King David hold Cumberland, and his Sonne Henry the Earledome of Huntington, as their Inheritance; for which, the Father would not for his, as being engaged, but the Sonne for his, as being free, did Ho∣mage to King Stephen.

No sooner was this trouble over, but he was presently under another; for be∣ing faine somewhat ill at ease•• it was bruited abroad that he was dead; which ••o distracted mens mindes, that every one thought it wisdome to shift for himselfe; and the Great Lords made a contrary use of Castles, to that which King Stephen intended, when he gave liberty to build them; for the King intended them for his owne defence against his Enemies, and they made use of them in their owne de∣fence against the King; for now Hugh Big••t Earle of Norfolke possesseth himselfe of N••rwich, Baldwyn Rivers of Oxford, and Robert Quesqu••rius of other Castles. In these difficulties King Stephen, though he could not in person be in all places at onc••, yet in care he was•• and there most, where was most danger; imploying others against the rest: Against Baldwyn he went himselfe, whom, driven before out of Oxford, and gotten to the Isle of Wight, the King fo••••owed and drove him al∣so from thence, aud at last into Exile.

And now England afforded him once againe to take a little breath, but then Nor∣mandy presently begins with him afresh: For now G••offrey Pl••••tagenet Duke of An∣jou, in right of Maude his Wife, enters upon his Townes there, and ••ee••es to get possession of the Country; when King Stephen passeth over with an Army, and ar∣••ests his proceeding: and after some small defeates of his Enemies, brings the matter at last to a pecuniary Composition: He to pay the Duke five thousand Markes a yeare, and the Duke to relinquish his claime to Normandy. This done, he returnes into England, where new Commotions are attending him•• For the Lords in his absence, resenting his breach of Promises, upon which they had a••∣mitted

him to the Crowne, make use every one of their Castles, and stand upon their Guard: The Lord Talbot held Hereford; Earle Robert Ma••ds Brother, Bristow; William Lovell, the Castle of Cary; Paganell, the Castle of Ludl••w; William Moun••, the Castle of Dunster; Robert Nicholor of Lincolne, the Castle of Warham; Eustace the Sonne of Iohn, the Castle of Melton; William the Sonne of Alan, the Castle of Shrewsbury; and withall David King of Scots, never regarding his former agree∣ment, enters Northumberland with an Army, committing so great cruelty, in ra∣vishing of Maydes, murthering of Infants, slaughtering of Priests, even at the Al∣tar, that never any barbarous Nation committed greater. Thus the kingdome from the one end to the other was in Combustion, that if the King had had as ma∣ny hands as Briareus, there would have beene worke enough for them all. Yet all this dismayed not the King, but as having learned this Lesson, Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito, growes the more in confidence, the lesse he was in assurance; and as if danger were the fuell of Courage, the more erected in himselfe, the lesse he was upheld by others; and so, venturing what his Rebels at home would doe in his absence, he passeth himselfe in person against David King of Scots; as being the most dangerous, and therefore the first to be repressed: but finding it hard to draw him to a Battell, and impossible without a battell to doe any good upon him; he leaves the care of that quarrell to Thurstine Arch-bishop of Yorke, and returnes himselfe home, if it may be called home, where he scarce had a safe place to put his head in. But though many Lords were Rebellious against him, yet some there were stucke firmely to him, by whose Assistance and his owne industry, partly by inticements, partly by inforcements, he reduced most of them to Obedience, and all of them to Submission; when in the meane time Thurstine Arch-bishop of Yorke; and in his sicknesse, Ralph Bishop of Durham, assisted with William Earle of Aumerle, William Piperell of Nottingham, and Hubert de Lacy, fought a memo∣rable Battell against David King of Scots; wherein though King David himselfe, and his Sonne Henry performed wonderfull Acts of Prowesse, yet the English got the Victory, with the slaughter of eleven thousand Scots in the Fight, besides ma∣ny other slaine in the flight; where of the English none of account were slaine, but onely a Brother of Hubert Lacyes, and some small number of Common Souldiers. This Victory infinitely pleased and comforted King Stephen, who not long after to make an absolute suppression of the Scots, passeth againe with an Army, and inforceth King David to demand a Peace, delivering his Sonne Henry into King Stephens hands for a pledge; and comming homeward, by the way he besieged Ludlow, one of Rebels nests, where Prince Henry of Scotland had beene taken Pri∣soner, if King Stephen in his owne person had not rescued him.

After this, once againe the King got a little breathing time, but it was but to prepare him for greater Encounters: For now Maud the Empresse her selfe in per∣son comes into play; in whom the Oath before taken was to have its tryall; for till now, though never so really intended, yet it could not actually be performed; for how could they receive her for Queene, who came not in place to be received? but now that she came in person, now was the time of tryall, how the Oath would worke; and worke it did indeed with many, and that strongly; For Maude com∣ming into England, with Robert Earle of Glocester her Brother; was most joyfully received at Arundell Castle, by William de Aubigny, who had marryed Adeliza the Queene Dowager of the late King Henry, and had the said Castle and County assigned her for her Dower. King Stephen having intelligence hereof, commeth to Arundell Castell wi••h an Army, and besiegeth it; but either diverted by ill counsell, or else finding the Castle to be inexpugnable, he left the siege, and suffe∣red the Empresse to passe to Bristow. The King hearing, that Ra••ulph Earle of Chester, Sonne in law to Robert Earle of Glocester, had possest himselfe of the City of Lincolne, thither he goeth with an Army and besiegeth it: thither also came the said Earle of Chester, and Robert Earle of Glocester to raise his siege; at which time, a most fierce battell was fought betweene them, upon Candlemas day; where∣in it is memorable what wonders of valour King Stephen performed; For, when

all his men about him were either fled or slaine; yet he kept the field himselfe alone: no man daring to come neare him: Horrentibus inimicis incomparabilem ictuum ejus im∣manitatem, saith Hoveden: yet over-mastered at last by multitude, he was taken prisoner, and brought to Maude the Empresse; who sent him to be kept in safe cu∣stody in the Castle of Bris••ow, where he remained till All-hollantide after. And now the Empresse having gotten King Stephen into her hands, she takes her journey to London; received in all places, as she went, peaceably, and at London joyfully; where Queene Matild made humble suite un••o her, for the liberty of King Stephen her husband; and that he might but be allowed to live a private life: the Londoners also made suite to have the Lawes of King Edward restored; but the Empresse not onely rejected both their suites, but returned them answers in harsh and insulting language; Indeed most unseasonably; and which gave a stop to the current of all her fortunes: for Queene Matild finding thereby, how high the Empresse pulses did beate; sent presently to her Sonne Eustace, being then in Kent, to raise Forces with all speed, with whom, the Londoners, as much discontented as she, doe after∣wards joyne; and Hen••y Bishop of Winchester, as much discontented as either of them, fortifies his Castles at Waltham and Farnham; and specially Winchester, where he stayes himsel••e, attending upon what Coast the next wind of the Em∣presse would blow. Of all these things the Empresse had intelligence, and there∣upon secretly in the night she fled to Oxford, sending streight charge, to have King Stephen more narrowly watched, more hardly used; put (as some write) into fet∣ters; and fed with very bare and poore Commons; withall she sends to her Un∣kle David Kings of Scots, to come unto her with all speed possible, who comming accordingly, they fall into consultation what is first to be done; the lot fals upon Winchester, as being their greatest adversary, now, no lesse in apparence then in power: so Winchester they besiege; which Queene Matild hearing, she with her Sonne Eustace and the Londoners, come presently to the succour, where a fierce battell being fought, the end was, that the party of Queene Matild prevailed, and the Empresse to make her escape, was faine to be laid upon a Horse backe in man∣ner of a dead Corps, and so conveyed to Glocester; while Earle Robert her brother disdaining to flie, was taken Prisoner, whom Queene Matild caused to be used the more hardly, in retaliation of the hard usage which the Empresse before had shewed to King Stephen. Things standing in these termes, propositions were made by the Lords for pacification, but such were the high spirits of the Empresse, and her bro∣ther Robert, that no conditions would please them, unlesse the Empresse might enjoy the Crowne. But after long debate, whether by agreement betweene them∣selves, or by connivence of the keepers, both King Stephen and Earle Robert got to be at liberty. When the first thing King Stephen did, was to looke out the Em∣presse, to requite the kindnesse she had shewed him in prison; and hearing her to be at Oxford, he layes siege to the Towne, and brings the Empresse to such di∣stresse, that she had no way to free her selfe but by flight; and no way to flee but with manifest danger, yet she effected it by this devise: It was in the Winter sea∣son, when frost and snow covered all the ground over; she therefore clad her selfe, and her foure servants that were with her in white cloathes, which being of the colour of Snow, made her passe the Watches without being discerned, and by this meanes came safe to her friends at Wallingford. Yet Mamesbury who lived at that time, confesseth he could never learne certainely by what meanes she made her e∣scape. But howsoever she escaped this present danger; yet it left such an impres∣sion of feare upon her, that she never after had any mind to appeare upon this stage of Warre, but left the prosecution of it to her Sonne Henry, who was now about sixteene yeares of age, and being forward of his age, and able to beare Armes•• was by his great Unkle David King of Scots, Knighted, to make him more for∣ward.

It was now the ninth yeare of King Stephens Raigne, when Ralph Earle of Che∣ster, keeping possession of the City of Lincolne, was in the night time assaulted by the King; but the Earle perceiving the Kings Forces to be but small, suddenly is∣sued

forth, and repelled the King with the slaughter of fourescore of his men. Yet two yeares after this, the Earle was reconciled to the King, and came of his owne accord to waite upon him, when perfidiously he was detained by the King; and not set at liberty, till he had surrendred into the Kings hands all the Castles that were in his possession; which though it brought the King some present benefit, yet it wrought him a greater future losse; for it lost him his credite with all men, and no man afterward would trust his word.

Now was Duke Henry come to the age of nineteene yeares, and was in possessi∣on of the Dukedome of Anjou, by the death of his Father Geoffrey Plantagenet; and not long after this, he marryed Eleanor the Daughter and Heire of William Duke of Guyen, by whom he had that Dutchy, and also the Earledome of Poicton: Nor∣mandy he had by his Mother; but more by the peoples inclination. So as being possest now of foure great Principalities, this greatnesse of Estate added to the greatnesse of his spirit, made him aspiring to recover his Right in England; and o∣ver he comes, bringing with him but small Forces, but promising himselfe great, from the people of this kingdome: and many indeed resorted to him; with whom he fell presently, and besieged Marleborough; but by the Kings greater Forces was repelled.

After this, their Armies continued in the field still; rather watching advantages to be doing, then doing any thing; sometimes advancing when no Enemy was neare, and then retiring when the Enemy came; till at last it was like to come to a set Battell, when suddenly Eustace King Stephens onely Sonne unfortunately dy∣ed: Unfortunately for himselfe, but fortunately for the kingdome; For now King Stephen being left destitute of issue to succeed, was the more easily drawne to con∣ditions of Peace, as likewise the Empresse Maude, having lately lost her Brother Robert Earle of Glocester, and Miles Earle of Hereford, (her two best Champions) was no lesse willing of Peace then he; which being furthered by the Lords of both sides, was at last concluded upon these conditions, that Stephen should hold the kingdome of England during his life, and adopt Duke Henry as his Heire to succeed him. And this agreement thus made, and in a Parliament at Winchester confirmed, Duke Henry ever after accounted King Stephen no lesse then a Father, and King Stephen, Duke Henry no lesse then a Sonne: and well he might, if it be true which some write, that the Empresse, when a Battell was to be fought betweene King Stephen and her Sonne, went privily to him, asking him how he could find in his heart to fight against him that was his owne Sonne? could he forget the familia∣rity he had with her in her firt Widow-hood? But this was no matter for the Writers of that time to deliver: It touched too neare the interest of Princes then in being: and Princes must not be touched while they live, nor when they are dead neither with uncertainties, as this could be no other: But howsoever it was, cer∣taine it is, that after this Agreement betweene King Stephen and Duke Henry, they continued in mutuall love and concord, as long after as they lived.

But what became of Maude the Empresse at this time? For, that she was alive, and lived many yeares after this agreement betweene King Stephen and her Sonne Henry, all Writers agree; and to say that she consented to the Agreement, without a∣ny provision made for her selfe, is to make her too much a Woman; a very weake vessell: and to say there might be provision made, though it be not Recorded, is to make all Writers defective in a great excesse. And besides, being so stirring a woman as she was, that upon a suddaine she should be so quiet, as not to deserve to have one word spoken of her, in all the long time she lived after, (being no lesse then twelve or thirteene yeares) is as strange as the rest. And if she placed her con∣tentment so wholly in her Sonne, that in regard of him, she regarded not her selfe at all; It deserves at least the Encomium of such a motherly love as is very unusuall, and not alwayes safe. Whatsoever it was, I must be faine to leave it as a Gordian knot, which no Writer helpes me to unty.

Of his Taxations, and wayes for raising of money.

OF Taxations in his time, there is no mention made; for Taxations indeed, are properly drawne from a body of State when it is entire, where the State all this Kings time was altogether in Fractions. But what he wanted in Taxations, he supplyed with Confiscations, which by reason of the many revoltings of men of all sorts, could not chuse but fill his Coffers; every Rebellion being in nature of a Purchase to him, for whatsoever became of the Persons, their Lands and Goods were sure to be his. And if it happened at any time, that Confiscations came in but slowly, he had then devises to hasten their pace, for upon light sug∣gestions (not so much oftentimes as just suspitions) he would call men into que∣stion, and seise upon their good, as in the case particularly of Ralph Bishop of Sa∣lisbury; and it may not be unpleasing to heare from what beginning this Bishop grew to such a height of greatnesse; which was thus; In the time of King William Rufus, he was a poore Priest, serving a Cure in a village neare to Ca••n in Norman∣dy, when the Kings younger Brother Henry chanced to passe that way, and to make some stay in the said Village; who being desirous to heare a Masse, this Roger being Curate, was the man to say it; which he dispatched with such celerity, that the Souldiers (who commonly love not long Masses) commended him for it, telling their Lord, that there could not a fitter Priest be found for men of warre then he. Whereupon Henry appointed him to follow him, and when he came to be King, preferred him to many great places, and at last to be Chancellour of England, and Bishop of Salisbury. You have heard his rising, now heare his fall; When King Stephen came to the Crowne, he held this man in as great account as his Predeces∣sour King Henry had done, and perhaps in greater; For being a great begger of Suites, the King would say of him, If this man will never give over asking, neither shall I ever give over giving. Yet this great Prelate fell first through Pride into Envy, and then through Envy into Ruine. For King Stephen having given liberty to build Castles, this man did so f••rre exceed all others in magnificence (for he builded the Castles of Salisbury, the Vyes, Sherburne, Mamesbury and Newarke, to which there were no Structures comparable in the kingdome) that the Lords out of envy put it into the Kings head, that these Castles of his were built thus magni∣ficently for entertainment of Ma••de the Empresse: which so possessed the King, or he would be thought to be so possessed, that taking this for a just cause, he seised them all into his hands, and forty thousand Markes besides, which he had in mo∣ney: and not co••tented with this, he tooke the like course also with Alexander Bi∣shop of Lincolne, onely because he was his Nephew and of his neare kindred. An∣other way he had for gaining of money: For in the first yeare of his Raigne, ha∣ving given liberty to hunt in his Forests, be afterward at Oxford caused many to be impleaded for using that liberty; a tricke which perhaps he learned from hun∣ting, First to give men leave to doe a thing, and then to Fine them for having done it. But this is the priviledge of Princes, that their leave must be interpreted by him that gives it, and not by him that takes it.

Lawes and Ordinances in his time.

HE gave licence to the City of Norwich to have Coroners and Bayliffes, before which time, they had onely a Sergeant for the King to keepe Courts; and af∣ter this, in the 37. yeare of King Henry the third, they had license to inclose the Towne with Ditches.

Affaires of the Church in his time.

VPon the Kings seising into his hands, the Bishop of Salisburies Castles, and Goods, complaint was made, and a Synod called by the Bishop of Winche∣ster

the Popes Legate, to right the Bishop, where the King was cited to appeare; who sending to know the cause, Answer was made, that it was to answer for his imprisoning of Bishops, and depriving them of their Goods, which being a Chri∣stian King he ought not to doe. The King replies by his Lawyer, Alveric de Ver, that he had not arrested the Bishop of Salisbury as a Bishop, but as his Servant, that was to make him accompt of his imployment. To this the Bishop answereth, that he was never Servant or Accomptant to the King: and many Allegations and Pro∣bations were urged to and fro, but in conclusion the Synod brake up, and nothing was done. The Bishops durst not Excommunicate the King without the Popes pri∣vity; so in the end they fell from Authority to Submission; and in the Kings Cham∣ber fell downe at his Feet, beseeching him he would pity the Church; and not suffer dissention to be betweene the Kingdome and the Priest-hood. And this was no small magnanimity in the King, that he was able to pull downe the high sto∣machs of the Prelates in that time. In the eighth yeare of his Raigne a Synod was held in London by Henry Bishop of Winchester, where it was decreed, that who∣soever should lay violent hands upon any Clergy man, should not be absolved but by the Pope himselfe: and from this time forward, Clergy men were exempt from the secular power. In the tenth yeare of his Raigne, by the soliciting of Saint Ber∣nard, many tooke upon them the Crosse, for a supply to the Holy Land; amongst whom, some English Lords also.

Workes of piety done by him, or by others in his time.

HE Founded the Abbeys of Cogshall in Essex; of Furneys in Lancashire; of Hur∣guilers and Feversham in Kent; at Heigham in Kent, a House of blacke Nunnes; also an house for Nunnes at Carew: His Queene Matild builded the Hospitall of Saint Katherines by the Tower of London: A knight called Sir William of Mount Fit∣chet, Founded the Abbey of Stratford Langthorne, within foure miles of London; William of Ypre Founded Boxeley Abbey in Kent; Robert Earle of Ferrers, Founded the Abbey of Merivall in Warwickshire; and in the same Shire, Robert Earle of Glo∣cester, the Abbey of Nonne Eaten. Also by others were Founded the Abbeys of Tiltey; of Rievall; of Newborough and Beeland; of Garedon in L••ycestershire; of Kirkstead in Yorkeshire: and divers others in other places, so that more Abbeys were erected in his dayes, then had beene within the space of a hundred yeares before.

Of his Wife and Children.

HE marryed, by his Unkle King Henries meanes, Matild, Daughter and Heire of Eustace Earle of Boleyne, a Woman made for the proportion of both For∣tunes: In adversity not dejected; in prosperity not elated: while her Husband was at liberty, a Woman; during his durance, as it were a Man; Acting his part for him when he was restrained from acting it himselfe; not looking that Fortune should fall into her lappe, but industrious to procure it. By this Queene, he had onely one Sonne named Eustace, a Prince more then of hope, for he lived to the blossoming of much Valour, though it came not to maturity, as being cut off at eighteene yeares of age, some say, by drowning, and some by a stranger accident. But strange Relations must not alwayes be rejected, for though many of them be forged, yet some no doubt are true; and who knowes but it may be of this kind, which some Writers relate of the death of this Prince: that being at the Abbey of Bury in Norfolke, and denyed some money he required to have had; he present∣ly in a rage went forth, and set fire on the Cornefields belonging to the Abbey, but afterwards sitting downe to dinner, at the first morsell of bread he put into his mouth, he fell into a fit of madnesse, and in that fit dyed? Certainely, the Per∣sons of Princes are for more observation then ordinary people; and as they make Examples, so they are sometimes made Examples. This Prince Eustace was so

beloved of his father, that he had a purpose to have joyned him King with him∣selfe, but that the Pope upon the Bishops complaining to him of it, diverted him from it. Howsoever being dead, he was buried in Feversham Abbey, where his mo∣ther was buried a little before. Other legitimate issue King Stephen had none, but by a Concubine he had a sonne named William, whom he made Earle of Norfolke, which honour was confirmed upon him, by a speciall Article, in the agreement made betweene King Stephen and Duke Henry: Onely a French Chronicle speakes of another sonne of his, named Gervase, made Abbot of Westminster, and that hee died in the yeare 1160. and was there buried.

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.

Of his death and buriall.

AS a Fish cannot live out of Water, no more was it in the Destiny of this King, to live out of trouble; as ••oone as he came to enjoy quietnesse, he left to en∣joy life, no more time left him betweene his Agreement with Duke Henry and his Death, but onely so much as might reasonably serve him to take his last leave of all his Friends; For it was but from Ianuary to October; and the last Friend he tooke leave of, was Theodoricke Earle of Flanders, whom he met at Dover, and as soone as he had dismissed him, he was suddenly taken with the Iliake Passion, and with an old disease of the Emeraulds: and dyed in the Monastery there, the five and twentyeth of October, in the yeare 1154. when he had Raigned almost nine∣teene yeares, Lived nine and forty; and was Buryed in the Abbey of Feversham, which he had Founded.

Men of note in his time.

OF Clergy men, there was Thurstine Arch-bishop of Yorke, and Henry Bishop of Winchester the Kings Brother, also William, another Arch-bishop of Yorke, whom we may finde in the Calender of Saints, as likewise Saint Bernard who lived in this time, though not of this Country, and if we may reckon strangers, there lived at this time, Peter Lombard, Master of the Sentences; Peter Comester, writer of the Ecclesiasticall Story; and Gratian, Compiler of the Canon Law, all three Brothers, and all three Bastards; also Avicen, Averroes, Mesues, and Rabbi Sa∣lomon were in this time famous. Of military men, there was Ranulph Earle of Che∣ster; Reynold Earle of Cornwall; Robert Earle of Leycester; Hugh Bigot, Earle of Nor∣folke, but specially Robert Earle of Glocester, the Kings base Sonne, whose praises, if any desire to heare sounded out to the full, let him read William of Malmesbury, who writ the History of those times, of purpose to be his Trumpet. Of the Writers of our Nation, there was this William of Malmesbury, Henry Huntington, Simon Du∣nelmensis, William Revellensis, and Geoffrey of Monmouth, Bishop of Saint Asaph in Wales. Also Hugo Carthusianus, a Burgundian, but made Bishop of Lincolne here in England.