Medulla historiæ Anglicanæ being a comprehensive history of the lives and reigns of the monarchs of England from the time of the invasion thereof by Jvlivs Cæsar to this present year 1679 : with an abstract of the lives of the Roman emperors commanding in Britain, and the habits of the ancient Britains : to which is added a list of the names of the Honourable the House of Commons now sitting, and His Majesties Most Honourable Privy Council, &c.

* 1.1STEPHEN.

* 1.2STEPHEN Earl of Bloys Son to Adelicia Daughter of the Conqueror, was admit∣ted King by the workings of his Brother Henry Bishop of Winchester, and Roger Bishop of Sa∣rum; but chiefly through the means of Hugh Bigot, who took his Oath that King Henry had on his death-bed (upon some distast taken against his Daughter) disinherited her, and appointed Stephen to succeed him. He was Crowned at Westminster on St. Stephens day, in A. D. 1135, by William Corbell A. B. of Can∣terbury, the Prelates swearing to obey him as their King, so long as he should preserve the Churches rights; and the Lay-Barons in like manner swore allegiance to him, so long as he should keep his Covenants to them, and preserve their rights. His right he own∣ed to be by election. The Charter contain∣ing his peoples Franchises, Liberties and Im∣munities, which he bound himself to main∣tain, he Sealed at Oxford. Which was, that all Liberties, Customs and Possessions granted to the Church should be firm, and in force; That persons and causes Ecclesiastical, should appertain only to Ecclesiastical jurisdiction. That the vacancies of Churches and Church-mens goods, should be at the sole dispose of the Clergy. That all bad usages in the Land touching Forrests, exactions, &c. should be

extirpate, and that the ancient Laws should be restored. Many Castles he either caused, or suffered to be erected in the Land, which he intended for his own security against Maud; but they proved greatly to his own detriment. His entrance was very peaceable; but by little and little civil discords increas∣ed to the miserable spoil of the Realm, be∣sides the troubles arising from out-parts. Bald∣win de Redners first began to break the peace, but him the King soon quieted. Then the Welshmen, who gave a great defeat to the English. Then David King of Scots (set on by some disaffected to Stephen) but in a short time peace was concluded with him. Then the Welsh again make inrodes into the Land, carrying away great spoils. Next David King of Scots enters Northumberland, in the quarrel of the Empress, where his rude Soldiers dealt most barbarously with many of the Inhabi∣tants, ripping up the wombs of Women with Child, and tossing their Infants upon the points of their Spears, slaying the Priests at the Altar, and after an inhumane manner dis∣membring the slain bodies After this the Peers of the Land conspire against the King, taking themselves to strong-holds: a great cause whereof was, because the King shewed extraordinary favour to William de Ypre and his Flemings, following their counsels, and chiefly relying upon them. When David King of Scots taking opportunities from these in∣bred troubles, again entred Northumberland with a great Army, against whom the Nor∣thern

Lords marched at the command of Thurstan Archbishop of York the Kings Lieu∣tenant, who himself being then sick appoint∣ed Ralph Bishop of Durham for his General. Which Bishop of Durham in the close of his invective Oration to his Army against the Scots, before the Battel, absolved from punish∣ment of sin, all such of his side, that should dye in the fight, whereby the English were made to fight the more desperately; so that in a short time they vanquished the Scots, driving the King of Scots and his Son out of the Field. King Stephen went on also very prosperously against his Barons, winning ma∣ny Castles from them. Which done he pro∣ceeded against the Scots, with whom in short time a Peace was concluded. But that Ste∣phen might be kept imployed, the Empress Maud landed near to Arundel, with but an 140 men. Whom Stephen hasted to meet, but she colouring her designs with the pre∣tences of amity and peace, he over-credu∣lous, caused her to be honourably conveyed to Bristol, where she remained two Months, and then went to Wallingford; her base Bro∣ther, Earl Robert, in the mean time gather∣ing aids for her. Wallingford King Stephen besieged, and his Brother the Bishop of Win∣chester, invited certain of the Nobles to his palace, where he kept them as Prisoners, till he had gain'd them to resign their Castles to the King. Worcester Earl Robert subdued and spoiled. Nottingham, Ralph Painell burned in favour of the Empress. And she for her bet∣ter

security took into Lincoln, whither Stephen following her gain'd the City, the Empress making an escape. Shortly after which, Ro∣bert Earl of Glocester, with Ranulph Earl of Chester, encountred the King near to Lincoln, where with equal success the fight was main∣tained a long time, till at length the Kings Horsemen (not without suspition of Treason) gave back and fled, and shortly after his Foot began also to faint and fly, leaving this va∣liant King almost alone, who with his Battel-Axe drove back whole Troops assailing him, maintaining the quarrel against his Foes with an undaunted courage till his Battel-Axe broke; and after that till his Sword flew in pieces. When now weapenless he was struck down, taken, and carried to the Empress at Glocester, from whence he was sent to Bristol. The Empress for a while ruling all, London, after much perswasion, received her with a royal procession; but in short time grew dis∣content, because she refused to remit some over-hard Laws made by her Father, and to restore those of King Edward. Many Nobles also repined, as conceiving themselves too much slighted by her. The Bishop of Win∣chester who a while before had accursed all that withstood her, now absolves them, un∣der pretence that the Barons had kept Faith with her, she not with them. The discon∣tented Londoners he solicited in his Brother Stephens behalf. Divers Castles he stored with munition and men. In the mean time Ma∣tilda came to Winchester, where sending for

the Bishop, (being then the Popes Legate) though he doubted some danger, yet not da∣ring to send a flat denyal, returned this e∣quivocal answer, Ego parabo me, I will make ready, as though he had meant to follow the Messenger; whereas he addressed himself to work her downfall. For sending for his Brothers Queen, Prince Eustace, the London∣ers, and William Ypre, he made strong his par∣ty for the King. Himself and friends abiding in the City, and the Empress keeping in the Castle, not daring to adventure forth for a∣bout the space of Seven weeks. When, the Bishop to deceive Matilda commanded peace to be proclaimed, and the City Gates to be set open. But the Empress and her Friends, now leaving the Castle to go to some other place, were pursued by the Bishops forces, in which pursuit many of her party were wounded and slain, Earl Robert taken, and others flying into the Nunnery of Warwell, were burned, together with the place. And Winchester City the Bishop caused to be fired, for the Citizens affections to the Empress. The Empress who had escaped to the Castle of the Devizes, and there in hazard to be surprized, caused her self to be put into a Coffin, as though dead, bound fast with Cords, and so as if it had been her dead Corps, she was carried in a Horse-litter to Glocester. King Stephen and Earl Robert being exchanged one for another, the King now pursues Ma∣tilda, and in Oxford besieged her, wan the Suburbs thereof, and brought her to that

streight, that for her escape in a great Frost and Snow, she was forced (in order to the deceiving of the Centinels eyes) to cloath her self in white Linen Garments, and so on foot to run through Ice and Snow, Ditches and Vallies, till she came to Abingdon, where taking Horse, she got the same night to Wal∣lingford Castle. After which many bickerings hapned betwixt the two parties, with vari∣able successes to and fro. Sometimes in one part of the Nation Matilda's side prevailed, in another part Stephens, to the great ruine of the whole Realm. However, Stephen to assure the succession to his Son Eustace, called a Councel at London, commanding Theobald Arch∣bishop of Canterbury to consecrate his Son King. Which he refusing to do, (and that by the Popes special Mandate) was forced to fly into Normandy, the King seizing upon all his possessions. But Eustace shortly after dying, King Stephen inclined to peace, and was content to adopt Henry Fitz-Empress for his Son and Successour. To whom the Nobles at Oxford did homage as to the un∣doubted Heir, and the Prince yielded Stephen the honour of a Father. But King Stephen being afflicted with the Iliack passion, toge∣ther with his old Disease the Hemerhoids, gave up the Ghost at Dover, A. D. 1154, and was buried at Feversham in Kent: Though his bo∣dy afterward for the Lead-sake, wherein it was wrapped, was cast into the River. He had Issue Balwine, Eustace, William, Maud, Mary, and two natural Sons. His Son Eustace

in a rage set fire on the Corn-fields belong∣ing to the Abby of Bury,* 1.3 because the Monks denyed to help him to a sum of Money; but afterwards sitting down to Dinner, at the first morsel of Bread he put into his mouth, he fell into a fit of madness, and in that fit dy∣ed. King Stephen erected the Abbies of Cog∣shall in Essex, of Farness in Lancashire, the Nunneries at Carew and Higham, an Hospital at York, and Monastry at Feversham. About the beginning of his Reign, a Fire beginning at London-stone, consumed Eastward to Aldgate and Westward to St. Pauls.

Notes

• * 1.1

  William Curboill, A.B. Cant.
• * 1.2

  A.D. 1135
• * 1.3

  Theobald, A.B. Cant.