Part 5

The quéene wife to king Stephan in this meane while lay much at S. Augustines in Canturburie, bicause of hastening forward the building of Feuersham abbeie, which she and hir husband had begonne from the verie foundation. And bicause the moonkes of S. Augustine might not celebrate diuine seruice, she called thither commonlie the moonks of Christes church to say seruice before hir. Thus much for that purpose: and now to other matters.

[Sidenote: The L. Henrie returneth into England.] [Sidenote: An. Reg. 14. 1149.] The lord Henrie Fitzempresse after all these businesses returned into England, in the moneth of May, with a great companie of men of warre both horssemen and footmen: by reason whereof many reuolted from king Stephan to take part with him: whereas before they sat still, and would not attempt any exploit against him. But now incouraged with the presence of the lord Henrie, they declared themselues freends to him, and enimies to the king. Immediatlie after his arriuall, he tooke with him the earles of Chester and Hereford, Ranulfe and Roger, and diuers other Noble men and knights of great fame, beside those whom he had brought with him out of Normandie, and went vnto Carleil, where he found his coosin Dauid king of Scotland, of whome he was most ioifullie receiued; [Sidenote: He is made knight. _R. Houed._] and vpon Whitsunday with great solemnitie, being not past sixtéene yeares of age, was by the same king made knight, with diuerse other yoong gentlemen that were much about the same age.

¶ Some write, that the king of Scots receiued an oth of him before he gaue him the honor of knighthood, that if he chanced to atteine vnto the possession of the realme of England, he should restore to the Scots the towne of Newcastle, with the countrie of Northumberland, from the riuer of Twéed, to the riuer of Tine. But whether it were so or not, I am not able to make warrantize.

Now king Stephan hearing that the king of Scots, and his aduersarie the lord Henrie with the chéefest lords of the west parts of England lay thus in Carleil, [Sidenote: K. Stephan with an armie commeth to Yorke.] he raised an armie, and came to the citie of Yorke, where he remained for the most part of the moneth of August, fearing least his enimies should attempt the winning of that citie. But after the one part had remained a time in Carleil, and the other in Yorke, they departed from both those places without any further exploit for that season, sauing that Eustachius king Stephans sonne (hauing also latelie receiued the order of knighthood) did much hurt in the countries which belonged to those Noble men that were with the lord Henrie.

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._. Great raine.] The great raine that fell in the summer season this yeare did much hurt vnto corne standing on the ground, so that a great dearth followed. [Sidenote: A sore frost.] In the winter also after, about the tenth day of December, it began to fréese extreamelie, and so continued till the nineteenth of Februarie: whereby the riuer of Thames was so frosen, that men might passe ouer it both on foot and horssebacke.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 15. 1150.] In the meane while Henrie Duke of Normandie, after he had returned from the king of the Scots, sailed backe into Normandie, about the beginning of August, leauing England full of all those calamities, which ciuill warre is accustomed to bring with it, as burning of houses, killing, robbing, and spoiling of people, so that the land was in danger of vtter destruction, by reason of that pestilent discord.

This yeare the 23. of Februarie, Galfridus Monumetensis, otherwise called Galfridus Arthurius, who turned the British historie into Latine, was consecrated bishop of S. Assaph, by Theobald archbishop of Canturburie, at Lambeth, William bishop of Norwhich and Walter bishop of Rochester assisting him.

[Sidenote: _Ger. Dor._ The earle of Aniou father to Henry Fitzempress departeth his life.] Morouer, this yeare (as some writers haue recorded) Geffrey earle of Aniou, of husband to the empresse Maud, departed this life, on the seuenth day of September, leauing his sonne Henrie onelie heire and successor in the estates of the duchie of Normandie and countie of Aniou. The bodie of the said earle was buried at Mans, with a great funerall pompe: his three sonnes Henrie, Geffrey, and William being present.

[Sidenote: Worcester assaulted.] But king Stephan assaulting the faire citie of Worcester with a great power of men tooke it, and consumed it with fire, but the castell he could not win. This citie belonged to earle Waleran de Mellent, at that season: for king Stephan to his owne hinderance had giuen it vnto him. Now after the men of warre had diuided the spoile amongst them, they came backe, and passing through the lands of their enimies, got great booties, which they also tooke away with them, finding none to resist them in their iournie.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 16. 1151.] [Sidenote: _Ger. Dorober._ A synod at London. ] In the yeare following Theobald archbishop of Canturburie, and legat to the sée apostolike, held a generall synod or councell at London in the Lent season, where king Stephan himselfe with his sonne Eustachius, and other the peers of the realme were present. This councell was full of appeales, contrarie to that had beene vsed in this land, till the time that Henrie bishop of Winchester vnto his owne harme (whilest he was likewise the Popes legat) had by vniust intrusion brought them in, and now at this councell he was himselfe thrise appealed to the hearing of the popes owne consistorie. After this king Stephan in the same yeare brake into the citie of Worcester, and whereas he could not the last time win the castell, he now endeauoured with all his force to take it. But when those within made valiant resistance, he raised two castels against it, and leauing in the same certeine of his Nobles to continue the siege, he himselfe returned home. ¶ Thus (as yee see) the kings propertie was to attempt manie things valiantlie, but he procéeded in them oftentimes verie slowlie: howbeit, now by the policie of the earle of Leicester, those two castels which the king had raised to besiege the other castell, were shortlie after destroied: and so the besieged were deliuered from danger. [Sidenote: The earle of Leicester brother to the erle of Mellent.] This earle of Leicester was brother to the earle of Mellent. Thus the kings purposed intention and painefull trauell on that behalfe came to none effect.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 17. 1152.] [Sidenote: The duke of Normandie Fitzempresse marieth the duchesse of Aquitaine.] In the meane while Henrie duke of Normandie maried Elianor duches of Guien or Aquitaine, latelie diuorsed from the French king, and so in right of hir he became duke of Aquitaine, and earle of Poictou; for she was the onelie daughter to William duke of Guien, and earle of Poictou, and by hir father created his sole and lawfull heire.

[Sidenote: The French king maketh warre against the duke of Normandie.] The French king was nothing pleased with this mariage, in somuch that he made sore warre vpon duke Henrie, ioining himselfe in league with king Stephan, with his sonne Eustace, and with the lord Geffrey brother to duke Henrie, so that the said Henrie was constreined to defer his iournie into England, and applie his power to defend his countries and subiects on that side of the sea. For whereas he was readie at the mouth of the riuer of Barbe to passe ouer into England, not long after midsummer, the French king, with Eustace king Stephans sonne, Robert erle of Perch, Henrie erle of Champaigne, and Geffrey brother to duke Henrie, hauing assembled a mightie armie, came and besieged the castell of Newmarch, and sent foorth the lord Geffrey with a strong power to win the castell of Angers. Duke Henrie aduertised hereof departing from the place where he soiourned, hasted foorth to succour his people that were besieged, [Sidenote: The castell of Newmarch deliuered to the French king.] but the castell of Newmarch was deliuered to the French king through treason of those that had it in kéeping, before the duke could come to their rescue.

Wherevpon the said duke hauing knowledge by the waie that he should come too late thither, he encamped first vpon the side of the riuer of Andell, [Sidenote: Ueulquesine or Ueuxin.] and wasted a great part of the countrie of Ueuxin or Ueulquesine, surnamed Le Normant, which lieth betwixt the riuer of Epte and Andell. This countrie belonged sometime to Normandie, but Geffrey earle of Aniou the dukes father had resigned it to the French king, to the end he should not aid king Stephan. The duke also burned the castels of Bascheruille, Chitrey, Stripiney, and the castell of Fort, that belonged to Hugh de Gourney, with diuerse other. About the end of August he left his townes in Normandie sufficientlie furnished with garisons of souldiers, and went into Aniou, where he besieged the castell de mount Sotelli, till he had taken it, and all those that were within it, amongst whome was the lord thereof named William. The French king on the other side entring into Normandie, burnt part of the borough of Rieule, [Sidenote: The towne castell of Uernon. _Simon Dun._] and either then or shortlie after that duke Henrie was gone ouer into England, he tooke the towne and castell of Uernon.

Whilest these things were thus a dooing in France, K. Stephan would haue caused the archbishop of Canturburie & diuerse other bishops, whom for that purpose he had assembled, to crowne, annoint, and confirme his sonne Eustace king ouer the realme of England. [Sidenote: The Pope is against it.] But the archbishops and bishops refused so to doo, bicause the pope by his letters sent to the archbishop, had commanded to the contrarie; namelie, that he should in no wise crowne the kings sonne, bicause his father king Stephan had got the possession of the land against his oth receiued in behalfe of the empresse. [Sidenote: The bishops are threatened.] The father and sonne being not a litle offended herewith, committed most of his bishops to ward séeking by threats and menacings to bring them to his purpose. The bishops also were in no small perplexitie: for according to the truth, the king neuer seemed greatlie to fauor churchmen, bicause of their strength (as in former times by his rigor vsed against the bishops of Salisburie and Lincolne it plainelie appeared) and yet would not these men yéeld to his pleasure: wherevpon although they were set at libertie, they were neuerthelesse depriued of their temporall possessions, which notwithstanding afterwards vpon the kings owne motion were restored vnto them.

[Sidenote: _Ger. Dor._] Howbeit the archbishop of Canturburie persisting still in his oppinion, was forsaken of diuerse of the bishops, who throgh feare durst not stand against their princes pleasure. [Sidenote: The Archbishop of Canturburie flieth out of the realme.] But the archbishop, when he perceiued how the matter went, & that all the blame was like to light and rest on his shoulders, he got himselfe by a maruellous hap ouer the Thames, and with, spéed riding to Douer, passed the sea, to auoid both the fathers and sonnes reuengefull displeasure. Herevpon the king seized into his hands all the lands & possessions that belonged to the archbishop.

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ _Ger. Dor._] This yeare queene Maud wife to king Stephan departed this life at Hangey castell, that belonged to earle Alberike de Uéer, about the third daie of Maie, and was buried in the abbeie of Feuersham, which she with hir husband king Stephan had latelie founded.

This yeare through great and immoderate raine that fell in the summer, the growing of corne was so hindred, that a great death of people insued[4].

[Sidenote: The battell of Monadmore _Matth. Paris._ The second & also the first bishops of Man.] This yeare also was the battell of Monadmore fought in Ireland, where the flower and chiefest personages of Mounster and Leynister were slaine. Moreouer one John a moonke of Sagium, was made the second bishop of the Isle of Man: the first bishop that was there instituted hight Wimond a moonke of Sauinie, who for his importunate misdemenour in some respects, had his eies put out, and was displaced.

[Sidenote: _Hen. Marle._] John Papirio a cardinall, being sent from the pope as legat into Ireland, ordeined foure archbishops there, one at Dublin, an other at Ardmach, the third at Cassels, and the fourth at Connach. [Sidenote: The bishop of Dublin made archbishop.] The sée of Dublin he changed into an archbishops sée, one Gregorie at that time possessing the same: to whom he gaue the first and chiefe pall, and appointed the church of the blessed Trinitie to be church metropolitane. As this cardinall passed through England, he receiued an oth of fealtie vnto king Stephan.

[Sidenote: The castell of Newburie won.] The same yeare also king Stephan by siege and force of assault did win the castell of Newberie not far from Winchester. This doone he went to Wallingford, and besieging the castell, he builded at the entring of the bridge a fortresse to stop them within from issuing out, and likewise from receiuing any reliefe or succour by their fréends abroad. The defendants perceiuing themselues so hardlie laid at, sent to the duke of Normandie (in whose name they kept that castell) desiring him either to succour them, or else giue them licence to yéeld vp the castell to the king. Herevpon duke Henrie hauing dispatched his businesse on the further side of the sea, began to be kindled with a feruent desire once againe to attempt his fortune here in England for recouerie of that kingdome, and so with three thousand footmen, & 7 score horssemen, [Sidenote: Duke Henrie Fitzempresse returneth into England. _Ger. Dor._] with all spéede possible sailed ouer into England, where he landed about the 12. daie in Christmasse. He was no sooner arriued, but a great number of such as tooke part with his mother came flocking in vnto him: [Sidenote: He besiegeth the castell of Malmesburie. _Matth. Paris._ _Polydor._] wherevpon being now furnished with a great and puissant armie, he marched foorth to Malmesburie, where in the castell was a great garison of soldiers placed by king Stephan. Duke Henrie planted his siege about this castell the thirtéenth daie of Januarie, and enforced himselfe to the vttermost of his power to win it.

Now king Stephan hearing of his enimies arriuall, with all hast possible got his armie on foot, and comming suddenlie towards the place where is enimies were pitched, [Sidenote: K. Stephan constreineth him to raise his siege.] he caused duke Henrie to raise his siege, and following after, offered him battell. But duke Henrie, knowing that his enimies were far more in number than he was at that present, and also conceiuing with himselfe that by prolonging of time his owne power would increase, absteined from fighting, and kept him within the closure of his campe. [Sidenote: _Wil. Paru._] ¶ Thus haue some written, but other authors write, that Henrie kept himselfe indeed within his campe, and refused to giue battell, but yet remoued not his siege, till the king departed from thence, after he saw he could not haue his purpose, and then did duke Henrie win the castell of Malmesburie, or rather the maister tower or chéefe dungeon of that castell. [Sidenote: _Simon Dun._ _Ger. Dor._] For as (Simon of Durham writeth) he had won by assault the other parts and lims of the castell before king Stephan came to remoue him.

This tower that thus held out, was in the keeping of one capteine Jordan, who escaping foorth came to the king, informing him in what state he had left his men within the tower: wherevpon the king (making all the power that he was able) set forward, and comming to Circiter, lodged there one night, and in the morning purposing to raise the siege, or to fight with his enimies (if they would abide battell) marched foorth towards Malmesburie. [Sidenote: A sore storm.] But vpon his approch to the dukes campe, the daie following his comming thither, there rose such a hideous tempest of wind and raine, beating full in the faces of king Stephans people, that God seemed to fight for the duke, who in respect of the number of people was thought too weake to deale with the strong and puissant armie of the king: howbeit the storme being on his backe, and beating extremelie in king Stephans mens faces, they were not able to hold their weapons in their hands, in somuch that he perceiued he could not passe the riuer that ran betwixt the armies: wherevpon constreined in that sort through the violent rage of that cold and wet weather, he returned to London full euill appaied, in that he could not satisfie his expectation at that present.

The tower that duke Henrie had hardlie besieged immediatlie herewith was surrendred vnto him, & then making prouision for vittels and other things, [Sidenote: The castell of Wallingford.] to the reliefe of them that kept the castell of Wallingford, he hasted thither, and finding no resistance by the way, easily accomplished his enterprise. There were diuerse castels thereabouts in the countrie furnished with garisons of the kings souldiers, but they kept themselues close, and durst not come abroad to stop his passage. [Sidenote: The castell of Cranemers. ] Shortlie after he besieged the castell of Cranemers, and cast a trench about it, so as his people within Wallingford castell might haue free libertie to come foorth at their pleasure: but as for those within the castell of Cranemers, they were so hardlie holden in, that there was no waie for them to start out.

The king aduertised hereof, got all his host togither, and marched forward verie terriblie toward duke Henries campe. But shewing no token of feare, he caused the trench wherewith he had inclosed his campe foorthwith to be cast downe, and leauing the siege, came into the fields with his armie set in order of battell, meaning to trie the matter by dint of sword, although he had not the like number of men as the king had: whose armie perceiuing their enimies to come in the face of them, were stricken with a sudden feare: neuerthelesse, he himselfe being of a good courage, commanded his people to march forward. But herewith certeine Noble men, that loued not the aduancement of either part, vnder a colour of good meaning sought to treat an agréement betwixt them, so that an intermission or cesing from war was granted, and by composition the castell which the king had built, and the duke besieged, was razed to the ground. The king and the duke also came to an interuiew and communication togither, a riuer running betwixt them. [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ _Ger. Dor._ Eustace king Stephans sonne.] Some write that they fell to agreement, king Stephan vndertaking to raze the castell of Cranemers himselfe, and so laieng armour aside for that time, they parted asunder.

But Eustace K. Stephans son was sore offended herewith, and reprouing his father for concluding such an agréement, in a great rage departed from the court, & taking his waie toward Cambridgeshire (which countrie he meant to ouerrun) he came to the abbeie of Burie, and vpon S. Laurence daie caused all the corne in the countrie about and namelie that which belonged to the said abbeie, to be spoiled and brought into a castell which he had in keeping not far from thence. [Sidenote: Eustace king Stephans son and Simon earl of Northāpton depart this life both in one wéeke.] But as he sat downe to meat the same daie vpon receiuing the first morsell he fell mad (as writers haue reported) and miserablie ended his life. The same weeke Simon earle of Northampton departed this world of a like disease, and so two of the cheefest aduersaries which duke Henrie had, were rid out of the waie. Eustace was buried at Feuersham in Kent, and earle Simon at Northampton.

[Sidenote: The earle of Chester deceasseth.] About the same time also that noble and valiant earle of Chester called Ranulfe departed this life, a man of such stoutnesse of stomach, that death could scarselie make him to yeeld, or shew any token of feare: he was poisoned (as was thought) by William Peuerell. After him succeeded his sonne Hugh, a man likewise of passing strength and vertue. Now although earle Ranulfe fauoured the part of duke Henrie, yet in these later yeares he did but little for him: wherefore it was thought that the death of this earle was not so great a losse to the duke, as the deaths of Eustace, earle Simon, and other the kings fréends deceasing about the same time seemed to further him: so that his part became dailie stronger, and the kings weaker.

About the same time the castels of Reading and Béertwell were deliuered to duke Henrie, [Sidenote: _Matth. Par._ _Rob. Mont._] and the ladie Gundreda countesse of Warwike draue out the souldiers that held it for king Stephan, and deliuered the towne to duke Henrie. In this yeare duches Elenor, wife to Henrie Fitzempresse, was brought to bed of hir first borne son, whom they named William, after the maner of the ancient dukes of Aquitaine.

Thus came things to passe in sundrie places with so good successe as duke Henrie could wish, wherevpon meaning to follow the steps of prosperous fortune, he marched foorth to Stamford, [Sidenote: Stamford was taken. _Simon Dun._ _Ger. Dor._ Gipswich or Ipswich besieged.] and taking the towne at his first comming laid siege to the castell. Now they that had it in keeping sent messengers to king Stephan, requiring rescue, but the same time he had laid siege to the castell of Gipswich, which Hugh Bigot kept against him: and bicause he wold not depart from that siege till he had the castell giuen vp into his hands (which came at last to passe) in the meane time the castell of Stamford was yéelded vp to duke Henrie, [Sidenote: _N. Triuet._] who immediatelie therevpon departed from Stamford eastward, meaning to come to the succour of his fréends besieged at Gipswich or Ipswich (as it is commonlie called) not vnderstanding as yet that they had surrendred the hold: but hauing knowledge by the way what was happened, [Sidenote: Notinghàm.] he returned and marched streight to Notingham, and got the towne easilie; for they within the castell had set it on fire, therefore he besieged the castell standing vpon the point of a stéepe craggie rocke, and was furnished with a strong garison of men, and all things necessarie for defense, so that it could not easilie be woone.