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THO' the Accession of Hen∣ry the Son of Geoffrey Plan∣tagenet Duke of Anjou, to the Crown of England, be not bran∣ded with the unsavory Terms of Intrusion, or Usurpation; yet who∣soever will impartially revolve the Chronicles of those Times, may modestly conclude, that he jumpt into the Throne over the back of his Mother. Maud (common∣ly styled the Empress) was the only Daughter and Heir of Henry the first, and tho she was an Em∣press,
and afterward a Dutchess, yet she could never arrive at the Station of a Queen. Stephen u∣surp'd the Crown, and kept it from her; and Henry her Son confirm'd the Disseisin, by com∣pounding for his own Succession, without any regard to his Mo∣thers Title. Whether she was lockt up in an unknown Prison, or estranged by Banishment, or secretly made away, it were a great Presumption in me to as∣sert, since the Writers and Histo∣rians of those days make no posi∣tive Determination in the matter: But that she was civilly dead, that no Notice was taken of her Right and Legal Claim to the Govern∣ment, after she had so unsuccess∣fully contended with King Ste∣phen, nothing can be more mani∣fest. Henry her Son was a young, active, and Valiant Prince, very
potent, endow'd with great posses∣sions, and in expectation of grea∣ter Additions: He was in his own Right Duke of Anjou, in Right of his Wife Duke of Guyen and Earl of Poietou, and in Right of his Mother, Duke of Normandy, and presumptive Heir to the Kingdom of England. This greatness of Estate added to the Greatness of his Spirit, and buoy'd up by the Hopes of a far greater augmentation of his Fortunes, push'd him on to set up for him∣self in a competition for the Crown of England; to the A∣chievement of which many acci∣dents concurring (as the untime∣ly Death of Eustace the Son of King Stophen, the melancholick despair of his Mother the Em∣press, upon her improsperous contest with Stephen, and the Loss of her Brother, and other
her fast Friends) he came to a com∣position with King Stephen, and a perfect Reconciliation was made between them, choosing rather to succeed him by Adoption, than to wait the natural Descent of his Inheritance by the Death of his Mother. Whether a Pro∣phetick foresight of the short Period prescribed to the Reign of King Stephen, or a secret de∣sign to catch some opportunity to accelerate His own Investiture, prompted Him on to this Accom∣modation, lies only within the compass of conjecture; but so it fell out, that his Possession by Survivership was not long Pro∣rogued; the Agreement being made in January by mutual con∣sent, and consummated in Octo∣ber following, by the Death of King Stephen.
Henry the Second being now
actually King, disturbed by no Com∣petitor, or Pretender, might with all affluence of Honour, Wealth, and Pleasure, have enjoy'd his Kingdom in profound Peace; but in despight to Fortune, who hitherto had Cour∣ted him. He created Troubles to himself, and was the unlucky Author of his own misery. For tho the Re∣bellious Insurrection of the Welsh, in the first Year of his Reign, did some∣what discompose his quiet; yet the Issue of it did only tend to aggrandise his Name, to make him more revered at Home, and more awfully consi∣der'd abroad. But the Expedition into Scotland was the product of his own injustice: Stephen his Father by Adoption had granted Cumberland, and Huntington shire to Malcolm King of the Scots, and Maud his Mother had given Northumberland to the same: Henry disdaining to see his King∣dom Cantonised, and grudging that
such considerable Parts of it should be dismember'd from the Body, and be∣come the Patrimony of his Neigh∣bour, demands the Estate by a mili∣tary Claim, and marching thither with a powerful Army, repossesseth himself of part of these alienated Lands, and voluntarily relinquisheth the rest.
The same restless Humour prompt∣ed him to persecute his Brother Geof∣frey. For his Father on his Death-Bed bequeath'd the Dukedom of Anjou to him, but with this limitation, that so soon as He should become King of England, he should deliver up An∣jou to his Brother Geoffrey: And for the further assurance of it, he obli∣ged his Lords to Swear, not to suffer his Body to be buried, till his Son Henry had taken his Oath exactly to perform it. Henry solemnly binds himself by Oath to perform his Fa∣thers Will, but afterward as wicked∣ly
breaks his Vow (having obtain'd a Dispensation for so great an Impiety, from his Holy Father Pope Adrian) and entring into Anjou with an Ar∣my, took from his Brother (who was in no Capacity to resist so puissant an Invader) not only the Country of Anjou, but some other Cities also, which his Father had absolutely gi∣ven him for his maintenance, which unnatural Treatment had so fatal an operation on the poor Duke, that within a very short time it broke his heart.
And now Lewis King of France began to find him a costly and ha∣zardous diversion; for having not well digested the affront put upon him by King Henry in marrying of Eleanor his divorced Queen, and seeking all occasions to demonstrate his Resentments, he became an open Abettor of Raymond Earl of St. Giles, with whom King Henry had a Con∣troversie
about the Earldom of Tho∣louse. Hereupon the Litigants began mutually to arm, and great forces were rais'd on both sides, but being just ready to joyn in a bloody Bat∣tel, a Peace was concluded by the Mediation of Friends.
And least matters should be wan∣ting to propagate new cares, and in∣terruption to the progress of his Fe∣licity; by an over fond and unex∣ampled Indulgence, he assumed his Son Henry (then seventeen years of age) into a Partnership in the Throne; whose arrogant behaviour, and picgant Repa••tee at the very time of his Coronation, administred just cause to the King to repent his rashness. For the King to do honour to his young Colleague, at the Co∣ronation feast would needs carry up the first Dish to the Table; which the Archbishop (who had perform'd the Ceremony) observing, said mer∣rily
to the new King, What an honour is this to you, to have such a waiter at your Table? The other re∣ply'd, Why? what great matter is it for him, that was but the Son of a Duke to do service to me, that am the Son of a King, and a Queen? Neither was it long before the King was sensibly convinced of his weakness. For the young King having imbibed some mutinous Notions of discontent from the insinuations of the French King, and being animated by his advice and assistance, began openly to oppose his Father. For an aggrava∣tion to the old Kings misfortunes, Eleanor his Queen inraged with jea∣lousie, and not able to endure the sight of so many Concubines to which her Husband had given up himself, she not only incenseth her Son Henry to proceed in his Enter∣prise, but secretly perswadeth Richard and Geoffery, two other of her Sons, to
joyn with him against their Father, encouraging them to expect a more liberal maintenance from their Bro∣ther, than their penurious Father did allow them; by these Instigations they repair into Normandy, and joyn themselves with their Brother, who growing more insolent by their as∣sistance, return'd a haughty and im∣perious answer to a kind and loving message from his Father, disdaining to lay down arms, unless he would first lay down his authority, and resign the Kingdom. To shuffle mat∣ters into the greater perplexity, Lewis King of France began to form a League against King Henry, and ha∣ving call'd together the great Lords of his Kingdom, and inveigled Willi∣am King of the Scots, Hugh Earl of Che∣ster, Roger Moubray, Hugh Bigod, and other the Accomplices of his Son, they all joyn'd in an Oath to aid and assist the young King with their
whole power, and thereupon in one day they began their Attacks, the French invading Normandy, Aquitain, and Britain; and the King of Scots Northumberland. The old King in a short time disincumbred himself from these Exigencies, and triumphed over all his Enemies; but new trou∣bles like Hydra's Heads, sprung up every day to arrest his Tranquillity; and he had no sooner made a Truce with his Son Henry, but the defection of his Son Richard, who had possest himself of a great part of the Pro∣vince of Poictou, obliged him to trans∣port an Army thither, and by the influence of it to reduce him to obe∣dience. But the splendor of his suc∣cess was darkned with a sensible mis∣fortune, Henry his Darling, the co∣partner of his Empire, but the Ex∣crescence of the Throne, ended his Competition with his life, to the equal content and sorrow of his Fa∣ther.
Within a while Richard his Heir apparent, revived his former discon∣tent, relapsed into the old fit of Re∣bellion, and drew along with him his Brother John, with many more of his Fathers Adherents, and Follow∣ers, who all joyn'd with Philip King of France (the Inheritor of his Fa∣thers Crown, and his animosity a∣gainst King Henry) he presently form'd an Army, and (least natural affection should prevail above concei∣ved Injuries) with all speed and vi∣gour laid Siege to the City of Mentz, in which King Henry was then per∣sonally present; who apprehending himself to be in great danger, and un∣willing to fall into the hands of such Enemies, secretly withdrew out of the Town, and escaped. But the Town being taken (the place of his Nativity, and in which he took great delight) he became almost distracted with grief and passion, and in the
extremity of his rage utter'd this blas∣phemous expression, I shall never here∣after love God any more, that has suf∣fer'd a City so dear to me, to be taken from me. Indeed this inconsiderable loss made a mortal Impression on his spirits, bereaving him of that vi∣gor and Majestick grace which ac∣companied him in all his actions, so that he tamely condescended to seek a Peace at their hands, to whom be∣fore he scorn'd to vouchsafe the fa∣vour of any conditions; but when he came to understand that his be∣loved Son John was in the Conspira∣cy against him, he fell into a fit of fainting, and dy'd within four days.
King Henry was the Author and instrument of his own misfortunes; He came to the Crown in peace and quiet; but never injoy'd it in con∣tent or satisfaction. He was an un∣grateful Son, an indiscreet Father, an unnatural Brother, an unjust Husband,
a niggardly Master, a fickle Friend, a severe Enemy, a valiant King, but too penurious.
His Actions were great and renow∣ned, but smutted with the tincture of notorious Vices. He dealt unjustly with the King of the Scots; and to his cruelty extended to his Brother was added a manifest Perjury.
He made his Son a Rival in his Throne, and took many strange Women to be Rivals in his Bed. As his Wife was divorced from her other Husband, so was his conjugal love estranged from her.
His Partiality to his Sons is too manifest, while he fondly gave to Henry a share of his Crown, and sub∣stracted from his other Sons a com∣petent maintenance. But these con∣trary causes produced the same ef∣fect, his Indulgence to one, and his Niggardliness to the rest, provoked them all to be Rebels against him.
His Incontinency is so evident, that it supersedes all the misprisions of Jea∣lousie: His close Amours with the fair Rosamond were palpably detected by the industrious curiosity of his Queen; but his incestuous dalliance with the Spouse of his Son, has left an indelible blot upon his memory.
His carriage toward Thomas Becket, while alive, speaks him brave, and magnanimous; but his mean submis∣sion to a sordid Penance at the Tomb of that sawcy Prelate, discovers plain∣ly that Superstition was predominant in him beyond a sense of true Religion.
Parsimony, which is commendable in men of lower ranks, was a vice in him; by it he lost the love of his Children, and disobliged his Sub∣jects, while by Taxes, Confiscations, Seisure on Bishopricks and Abbies, and other avaritious practises, he lived poorly, only that he might die rich.