was much maligned by them putting the King in head that all these great Castles especially of Salisbury the Vies Shirburne Malmsbury and Newwark were onely to intertayne the partie of Maude whereupon the King whose feares were apt to take fire sendes for the Byshop of Salisbury most suspected to Oxford The Bishop as if foreseing the mischiefe comming to him would gladly haue put off this iourney and excused it by the debilitie of his age but it would not serue his turne thither he comes where his seruants about the taking vp of lodgings quarrell with the seruants of the Earle of Britayne and from wordes fall to blowes so that in the bickering one of them was slayne and the nephew of the Earle dangerously wounded Whereupon the King sendes for the Bishop to satisfie his Court for the breach of peace made by his seruants The satisfaction required was the yeelding vp the keyes of his Castles as pledges of his fealtie but that being stood vpon the Bishop with his nephew Alexander Byshop of Lincolne were restrayned of their libertie and shortly after sent as prisoners to the Castle of the Deuises whither the Byshop of Eley another of his Nephews had retired himselfe before The King seazes into his handes his Castles of Salisbury Shyrburne Malmesbury and after 3. dayes assault the Deuises was likewise rendred besides he tooke all his treasure which amounted to 40. thousand markes This action being of an extraordinary strayne gaue much occasion of rumor some said The King had donne well in seazing vpon these Castles it being vnfit and against the Cannons of the Church that they who were men of religion and peace should raise fortresses for warre and in that sort as might be preiudiciall to the King Against this was the Byshop of Winchester the Popes Legat taking rather the part of his function then that of a brother saying that if the Bishops had transgressed it was not the King but the Cannons that must iudge it that they ought not to be depriued of their possessions without a publique Ecclesiasticall Counsell that the King had not donne it out of the zeale of iustice but for his owne benefit taking away that which had beene built vpon the Lands and by the charge of the Church to put it into the hands of lay men little affected to religion And therefore to the end the power of the Cannōs might be examined he appoints a Counsell to be called at Winchester whither the King is summoned and thither repaire most of all the Byshops of the Kingdome where first is read the Commission of the Legatine power granted by Pope Innocent to the Bishop of Winchester who there openly vrges the indignitie offred to the Church by the imprisoning of these Bshops An act most haynous and shamefull for the King that in the peace of his Court thorow the instigation of euell ministers would thus lay hands vpon such men and spoyle them of their estates Which was a violence against God And that seing the King would yeeld to no admonitions he had at length called this Councell where they were to consult what was to be donne that for his part neither the loue of the King though his brother nor the losse of his liuing or danger of his life should make him fayle in the execution of what they should decree The King standing vpon his cause sendes certayne Earles to this Councell to know why he was called thither answere was made by the Legat that the King who was subiect to the faith of CHRIST ought not to take it ill if by the ministers of CHRIST he was called to make satisfaction being conscious of such an offence as that age had not knowne that it was for times of the Gentiles for Bishops to be imprisoned and depriued of their possessions and therefore they should tell the King his brother that if he would vout safe to yeeld consent to the Councell it should be such by the helpe of God as neither the Roman Church the Court of the King of France nor the Earle Theobald brother to them both a man wise and religious should in reason dislike it that the King should do aduisedly to render the reason of his act and vndergo a Canonicall iudgement that he ought in duty to fauour the Church into whose bosome being taken he was aduanced to the Crowne without any militarie hand With which answere the Earles departed attended with Alberic de Ver a man exercised in the law and hauing related the same are returned with the Kingsreply which Alberic vtters and vrges the inuries Bishop Roger had donne to the King how he seldome came to his Court that his men presuming vpon his power had offred violence to the Nephew and seruants of the Earle of Britayne and to the seruants of Herui de Lyons a man of that Nobilitie and sloutnesse as would neuer voutsafe to come vpon any request to the late King and yet for the loue of this was desirous to see England where to haue this violence offred was an iniury to the King and dishonor to the Realme that the Bishop of Lincolne for the ancient hatred to the Earle of Britayne was the author of his mens sedition that the Bishop of Salisbury secretly fauored the Kings enemies and did but subtlely temporize as the King had found by diuers circumstances especially when Roger de Mortimer sent with the Kings forces in the great danger of Bristow he would not lodge him one night in Malmsbury that it was in euery mans mouth as soone as the Empresse came He and his nephews would render their Castles vnto him That he was arested not as a Bishop but a seruant to the King and one that administred his procurations and receiued his monies That the King tooke not his Castles by violence but the Bishop voluntarily rendred them to auoyd the calumnie of their tumult rayfed in his Court if the King found some money in his Castles he might lawfully seaze on it in regard that Roger had collected it out of the reuenues of the King his vnkle and predecessor and the Bishop willingly yeelded vp the same as well as his Castles through feare of his offences and of this wanted not witnesses of the Kings who part desired that the couenants made betweene him and the Bishop might remayne ratified Against this Bishop Roger opposes That he was neuer seruant to the King nor recesued his moneyes and withall added threatnings as a man not yet broken though bent with his fortunes that if he found not iustice for his wrongs in that Councell he would bring it to the hearing of a greater Court The Legat mildly as hee did other things said That all what was spoken against the Bishops ought first to be examined in the Ecclesiasticall Councell whether they were true or no before sentence should haue beene giuen against them contrary to the Canons and therefore the King should as it is lawfull in iudiciall trials reuest the Bishops
fidelity to her The next day she was receiued with solemne procession into the Bishops Church at Winchester the Bishop leading her on the right hand and Bernard Bishop of Saint Dauids on the left There were present many other Bishops as Alexander Bishop of Lincolne and Nigel Bishop of Ely the nephews of Roger lately imprisoned Robert Bishop of Bath and Robert Bishop of Worcester with many Abbots Within a few dayes after came Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury to the Empresse inuited by the Legat but deferred to do fealty vnto her as holding it vnworthy his person and place without hauing conferd first with the king And therefore he with many Prelats and some of the Layty by permission obtained went to the king to Bristow The Councell brake vp the Empresse keepes her Easter at Oxford being her owne towne Shortly vppon Easter a Councell of the Clergie is againe called to Winchester where the first day the Legat had secret conference with euery Bishop apart and then with euery Abbot and other which were called to the Councell the next day he makes a publicke speech Shewing how the cause of their Assembly was to consult for the peace of their country in great danger of vtter ruine Repeates the flourishing raigne of his vnkle the peace wealth and honour of the kingdome in his time and how that renowned king many yeares before his death had receiued an oath both of England and Normandy for the succession of his daughter Maude and her Issue But said he after his decease his daughter being then in Normandy making delay to come into England where for that it seemed long to expect order was to be taken for the peace of the countrey my brother was permitted to raigne And although I interposed my selfe a surety betweene God and him that he should honour and exalt the holy Church keepe and ordaine good lawes Yet how he hath behaued himselfe in the kingdome it gricues me to remember and I am ashamed to repeate And then recounts he all the Kings courses with the Bishops and all his other misgouernments And then saide he euerie man knowes I ought to loue my mortall brother but much more the cause of my immortall Father therfore seeing God hath shewed his iudgment on my brother and suffered him without my knowledge to fall into the hand of Power that the kingdome may not miscary for want of a Ruler I haue called you all hither by the power of my Legation Yesterday the cause was moued in secret to the greatest part of the Clergie to whom the right appertaines to elect and ordaine a Prince And therefore after hauing inuoked as it is meete the Diuine aide we elect for Queene of England the daughter of the peacefull glorious rich good and in our time the incomparable king and to her we promise our faith and allegiance When all who were present either modestly gaue their voyce or by their silence contradicted it the Legate ads The Londoners who are in respect of the greatnesse of their City as among the optimacie of England we haue by our messengers summoned and I trust they will not stay beyond this day to morrow we will expect them The Londoners came were brought into the Councell shewed How they were sent from the Communaltie of London not to bring contention but prayer that the King their Lord might be fred from captiuitie and the same did all the Barons receiued within their Liberties earnestly beseech of my Lord Legate and all the Clergie there present The Legat answers them at large and loftily according to his speech the day before and added That the Londoners who were held in that degree in England ought not to take their parts who had forsaken their Lord in the warre by whose Councell the Church had beene dishonoured and who fauoured the Londoners but for their owne gaine Then standes there vp a Chaplayne to Queene Maude wife to Stephan and deliuers a letter to the Legat which he silently read and then said alowd that it was not lawfull in the assembly of so many reuerend and religious persons the same should be publikly read containing matter reprehensible The Chaplayne not to fayle in his message boldly reades the letter himselfe which was to this effect That the Queene earnestly intreates all the Clergie there assembled namely the Bishop of Winchester the brother of her Lord to restore him vnto the kingdome whom wicked men which were also his subiects held prisoner To this the Legat answeres as to the Londoners and shortly after the Councell brake vp where in many of the Kings part were excommunicated namely William Martell an especiall man about the King who had much displeased the Legat. Hereupon a great part of England willingly accepted of Maude in whose businesses her brother Robert imployes all his diligence and best care reforming iustice restoring the Lawes of England promising relieuements and whatsoeuer might be to winne the people the Legat seconding all his courses But now she being at the point of obtayning the whole kingdome all came sodainly dasht by the practise of the Londoners who adhering to the other side began openly to inueigh against her who in something whatsoeuer it were had displeased them and they had plotted to surprize her in their Cittie whereof she hauing notice secretly withdrawing herselfe accompanied with her vnkle Dauid King of Scots who was come to visit her and her brother Robert vnto Oxford a place of more securitie The Legat himselfe takes or makes an occasion to be flacke in her cause vpon her denying him a sute for his Nephew Eustace the sonne of Stephan about the inheritance of his Earldome of Mortaigne in Normandie Besides the Queene regnant watchfull ouer all oportunitie found meanes to parle with the Legat sets vpon him with her teares intreatie promises and assurances for the Kings reformation in so much as she recalled him to the affections of nature brought him about againe to absolue such of the Kings part as he had lately excommunicated The Earle of Glocester seeing this sudden and strange relaps of their affaires striues by all meanes to hold vp Opinion and re-quicken the Legats disposition which to keepe sound was all He brings the Empresse to Winchester setles her and her guard in the Castle where she desires to speake with the Legat who first delayes then denies to come Whereupon they call their best friends about them Queene Maude and the Lords incompasse the Towne and cut off all victuall from the Empresse so that in the end the Earle of Glocester wrought meanes to haue her conueyd from thence to the Vies but himselfe was taken and in him most of her This sets the sides both euen againe into the Lists of their triall the two prisoners are to redeeme each other The disproportion of the quality betweene them shewed yet there was an euennesse of power and the Earle would not consent to the Kings deliuery who onely in that was
was deuided into Sheires or Shares euery Sheire consisting of so many Hundreds and euery Hundred of a nomber of Boroughs Villages or Tythings containing ten housholders whereof if any one should commit an vnlawfull act the other nine were to attach and bring him to reason If he fled 31 dayes were enioyned him to appeare If in the meane time apprehended he was made to restore the damage done otherwise the Free-boroughead to say the Tythingman was to take with him two of the same Village and out of three other Villages next adioyning as many that is the Tythingman and two other of the principall men and before the officers of that hundred purge himselfe and the village of the fact restoring the damage done with the goodes of the malefactor which if they suffized not to satisfie the Free-boroh or Tything must make vp the rest and besides take an oath to be no way accessarie to the fact and to produce the offendor if by any meanes they could recouer him or know where he were Besides euery Lord and Maister stood Boroh for all his familie whereof if any seruant were called in question the Maister was to see him answere it in the hundred where he was accused Yf hee fled the Maister was to yeild such goodes as he had to the King If himselfe were accused to be aiding or priuie to his seruants flight hee was to cleere himselfe by 5. men otherwise to forfeit all his goodes to the King and his man to be out-lawed These lincks thus intermutually fastened made so strong a chaine to hold the whole frame of the State together in peace and order as all the most pollitique regiments vpon earth all the interleagued societies of men cannot shew vs a streighter forme of combination This might make the Conqueror comming vpon a people thus lawbound hand and foot to establish him so soone and easily as he did This Boroh-law being as a Cittadell built to guard the Comon wealth comming to be possest by a conquering Maister was made to turne all this ordinance vpon the State and batter herselfe with her owne weapon and this law may be some cause wee finde no popular insurrection before the Conquest For had not this people beene borne with these fetters and an idle peace but liued loose and in action it is like they would haue done as noblie and giuen as many and as deepe woundes ere they lost their Country as euer the Brittaines did either against the Romans or the Saxons their predecessors or themselues had done against the Danes a people far more powrefull and numerous then these The Conqueror without this had not made it the worke of one daie nor had Normandie euer beene able to haue yeilded those multitudes for supplies that many battails must haue had But now 1. the strickt executing this law 2. disweapning the Comons 3. Preuenting their night-meetings with a heauie penalty that euery man at the day closing should couer his fire and depart to his rest 4. Erecting diuers fortresses in fit parts of the kingdome 5. And collating all offices both of commaund and iudicature on such as were his made his domination such as he would haue it And where before the Bishop and the Alderman were the absolute iudges to determine all businesse in euery sheire and the Byshop in many cases shared in the benifite of the mulcts with the King now he confin'd the Clergie within the Prouince of their owne Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction to deale only in businesse concerning rule of soules according to the Cannons and lawes Episcopall And whereas the causes of the kingdome were before determined in euery sheire and by a law of King Edward Senior all matters in question should vpon especiall penaltie without further deferment be finally decided in their Gemote or conuentions held monthly in euery hundred now he ordeined that foure times in the yeare for certaine dayes the same businesses should be determined in such place as he would appoint where he constituted iudges to attend for that purpose and also others from whom as from the bosome of the Prince all litigators should haue iustice and from whom was no appeale Others he appointed for the punishment of malefactors called Iusticiarij Pacis What alteration was then made in the tenure of mens possessions or since introduced wee may find by taking note of their former vsances Our Auncestors had onely two kinde of tenures Boke-land and Folkland the one was a possession by writing the other without That by writing was as free-hold and by charter hereditarie with all immunities and for the free and nobler sort That without writing was to hold at the will of the Lord bound to rents and seruices and was for the rurall people The inheritances discended not alone but after the German manner equally deuided amongst all the children which they called Landskiftan to say Part-land a custome yet continued in some places of Kent by the name of Gauel kin of gif eal kin And hecreupon some write how the people of that Countrie retayned their auncient lawes and liberties by especiall graunt from the Conqueror who after his battaile at Hastings comming to Douer to make all sure on that side was incompassed by the whole people of that Prouince carrying boughes of trees in their handes and marching round about him like a mouing wood With which strange and suddaine shew being much moued the Arch-Bishop Stigand and the Abot Egelsin who had raised this commotion by shewing the people in what danger they were vtterly to lose their liberties and indure the perpetuall misery of seruitude vnder the domination of strangers present themselues and declared how they were the vniuersall people of that Countrie gathered together in that manner with boughes in their handes either as Oliue branches of intercession for peace and libertie or to intangle him in his passage with resolution rather to leaue their liues then that which was deerer their freedome Whereupon they say the Conqueror granted them the continuation of their former Customes and Liberties whereof notwithstanding they now retayne no other then such as are common with the rest of the kingdome For such as were Tenants at the will of their Lords which now growne to a greater number and more miserable then before vpon their petition and compassion of their oppression he relieued their case was this All such as were discouered to haue had a hand in any rebellion and were pardoned onely to enioy the benefit of life hauing all their liuclihood taken from them became vassals vnto those Lords to whom the possessions were giuen of all such lands forfeited by attaindors And if by their diligent seruice they could attaine any portion of ground they held it but onely so long as it pleased their Lords without hauing any estate for themselues or their children and were oftentimes violently cast out vpon any small displeasure contrary to all right whereupon it was ordained that whatsoeuer they had obtained of
furtherance my noble Lord Viscount Rochester to write a briefe Historie of the principall affaires temporall of England especially from the comming of the Norman to the end of the line of Tewdor A worke I know great and difficult being to be raised of many scattered peeces variable vncertaine relations of times diuersly affected wherein notwithstanding I vow to bee of no other side then of Truth or as neer truth-likelinesse as I possibly can get Nor will produce any thing but out of the best approued Monuments domesticall and forraine Holding it an impietie to misfashion the memorie of times past and sute them to our present liking and discourse or to mis-leade the credulitie of men by making vp the opinion of Antiquitie with improbalities considering we are not so tyed to stand to the fame of things as to suffer our vnderstanding to be abused nor yet so freed to trafficque all vppon our owne coniectures without custome of tradition or so to vnder-valew the discretion of former times as if ours were of a greater dimension and peremptorily to censure those actions whose causes and counsels we know not hauing nothing but the euents as dead carkasses to shew vs what their liuing motions were And though I had a desire to haue deduced this Breuiarie from the beginning of the first British Kings as they are registred in their Catalogue yet finding no authenticall warrant how they came there I did put off that desire with these considerations that a lesser part of time and better knowne was more then ynough for my abilitie and it was but our curiositie to search further backe into times past then wee might well discerne and whereof we could neither haue proofe nor profit how the beginnings of all people and states were as vncertaine as the heads of great Riuers and could not adde to our vertue and peraduenture little to our reputation to know them Considering how comonly they rise from the springs of pouertie pyracie robberie and violence how soeuer fabulous writers to glorifie their nations striue to abuse the credulitie of after ages with heroycall or miraculous beginnings Seeing states as men are euer best seene when they are vp and as they are not as they were Bisides it seemes God in his prouidence to checke our presumption wraps vp all things in vncertaintie barres vs out from long antiquitie and boundes our searches within the compasse of a few ages as if the same were sufficient both for example and instruction to the gouerment of men For had we the perticular occurrents of all ages and all nations it might more stuffe but not better our vnderstanding We shall find still the same corespondencies to hold in the actions of men Virtues and Vices the same though rising and falling according to the worth or weaknesse of Gouernors the causes of the ruines and mutations of states to be alike and the trayne of affaires carried by precedent in a course of Succession vnder like coulors But yet for that the chayne of this busines hath a linke of dependancie with those former times we shall shew the passage of things the better if we take but a superficiall view of that wide and vncertainly related state of this Land since the candle of letters gaue vs some little light thereof Which was since the Romans made it a tributarie Prouince to their Empire For before as it lay secluded out of the way so it seemed out of the knowledge of the world For Iulius Caesar being but on the other side in Gaule could not attayne to any perticular information of the state of Britayne by any meanes he could vse but by certaine Marchants of whome he got together as many as he could who tolde him somthing of the cost-townes but of the state and condition of the in-dwellers they could say nothing either so incurious were they offurther knowledge then what concern'd their trade or the people here so wary to keepe their state reserued vnknown to strangers And yet Caesar gaue out that they sub-ayded the Gaules against him and made it the occasion of his quarrell and inuasion of the Land whereof he onely subdued the South parts and rather shewed it then won it to the Romane Empire But now what was the state and forme of gouernement among the Britaines before this subiection the first certaine notice we haue is also by the same Caesar who tels vs how they were deuided into many seuerall states nominates 4. Princes of Kent by the title of Kings how Casseuillaunus by the comon counsell was elected in this their publicque daunger to haue the principall administration of the state with the businesse of warre and afterward how the citties sent their hostages vnto him Whereby we perceiue it was no Monarchie as it is reported to haue beene but like to the Gaules with whom it was then one in religion much alike in fashion language deuided into a multitude of pettie regiments without any intire rule or combination As now we see all the west world lately discouered to bee and generally all other countryes are in their first and natural free nakednes before they come to be taken in either by some predominant power from abroad or grow to a head within themselues of strength and vnderstanding to ouermaister and dispose of all about them introducing such formes of rule as ambition or their other necessities shal beget And such was thē the state of Brityane Gaule Spaine Germany and all the west parts of Europe before the Romans ouergrowing first the people of Italy in like manner deuided did by strength and cunning vnlocke those liberties of theirs And such as were then termed Kings were but as their Generals in warre without any other great iurisdiction within those small limits they held So that to tell vs of the state of a Monarchie in this Land before that time as if alone vnlike or more in State then all other nations is to giue entertainment to those narrow conceits as apprehend not the progresses in the affaires of mankind and onely the inuention of such as take all their reason from the example and Idea of the present Customes they see in vse For had there bene an absolute Monarch in these parts which might haue affronted the Romans with the powre of a well-vnited state it had bene impossible for them hauing oftentimes much to do euen with some poore Prince of a small territorie to haue circumuented or confounded with all their stratagems iniustice the peace and libertie of the world in such sort as they did And though the Britaynes were then simple and had not that fire-brand of letters yet seemed they more iust and honest and brought forth on the stage of action men as magnanimous and toucht with as true a sence of honour and worthynes as themselues But hauing no firme combinements to chayne them together in their publique dangers they lay loose to the aduantage of the common enemy working
his kingdome with exemption of all regall seruice for the seruice of God besides an annuitie of 300 markes to be bestowed in pious vses at Rome whither he went twice in person with his yongest sonne Alfred whom he especially loued and whom Pope Leo 4 annointed a King at eleuen yeares of age as if deuining of his future fortune Vpon his last iorney and whole yeares stay at Rome Aethelbald his eldest sonne combin'd with the nobilitie of the Westsaxons to keepe him out and depriue him vtterlie of his gouernment and wrought so as notwithstanding the great loue his people bare him he was brought to yeeld vp the kingdome of the Westsaxons to Aethelbald and retaine onely the kingdome of the East Angles a State of far lesse dignitie to himselfe After which raigning but two yeares Aethelbald succeeded in the whole and with great infamy marrying his fathers widow Iudith daughter to Charles le Chauue King of Fraunce enioyed it but two yeares and a halfe when Aethelred the second sonne of Aethelulph entred to the gouernment which hee held 5 yeares in continuall conflict with the Danes After whome Alfred the mirrour of Princes made a King before he had a kingdome at 22 yeres of his age and in a yeere wherin eight seuerall battailes had beene giuen to the Danes by the Saxons begane his troublous raigne wherin he was perpetually in warre either against his enimies or cls against vices First after a great danger to lose all hee was forced to yeild vp a part of the kingdome which was that of the East Angles and Northumberland to Guthrun leader of the Danes whome vpon his baptization he made his confederate and owner of that by right which before he vsurped by violence And notwithstanding all the continuall and intricate toile he indured amidst the clattering and horror of armes he performed all noble actions of peace collecting first the lawes of his predecessors and other the Kings of the Saxons as if Offa King of Merena-land and Aethelbert the first christian english King of which by the graue aduise and consent of his States assembled hee makes choice of the fittest antiquates those of no vse and ads other according to the necessitie of the time And for that the wildenes of warre by reason of these perpetual conflicts with strangers had so let out the people of the Land to vnlawfull riots and rapine that no man could trauaile without conuoy hee ordained the diuisions of shires hundreds and tithings that euery Englishman now the generall name for all the Saxons liuing legally might be of a certaine hundred or tithing out of which hee was not to remoue without securitie and out of which if he were accused of any crime hee was likewise to produce sureties for his behauiour which if hee could not finde hee was to indure the punishment of the law If any malefactor before or after hee had put in sureties escaped all the Tithing or Hundred were fined to the King by which meanes he secured trauailers and the peace of his countrie The opinion he had of learning made him often complaine the want therof imputing it amongst his greatest infortunes to haue beene bred without it and to haue his kingdome so vtterly destitute of learned men as it was through the long continuance of this barbarous warre which made him send out for such as were any way famous for letters and hauing gotten them hee both highlie preferred them and also as they doe who know not to much themselues held them in great veneration rarenes then setting a higher price on meaner parts then after plenty did on more perfections Grimbald and Scotus hee drew out of France Asser who wrote his life out of wales others from other parts he was the first lettered Prince we had in England by whose meanes and incouragement publique schooles had here either their reuiuing or beginning Those wants of his owne made him take a greater care for the education of his sonnes with whome were bred vnder most deligent masters almost all the children of the Nobilitie within his kingdome All his owne time he could cleere from other businesse hee bestowed in studie and did himselfe and caused others to translate many things in the vulgar tongue which he laboured it seemes much to adorne and especially affected the Saxon meeters whereby to glorifie that of a King hee attained the title of Poet. The naturall daie consisting of 24 howers he cast into 3 parts whereof eight he spent in prayer studie and writing eight in the seruice of his bodie and eight in the affaires of his States Which spaces hauing then no other engine for it hee measured by a great waxe light deuided into so many parts receauing notice by the keeper thereof as the seuerall howres passed in the burning With as faire an order did he proportion his reuenues equalling his liberalities to all his other expences whereof to make the current runne more certaine hee tooke a precise notice of them and made a generall suruay of the kingdome and had all the particulers of his estate registred in a booke which hee kept in his treasurie at Winchester And within this circumference of order he held him in that irregularitie of fortune with a weake disposition of bodie and raigned 27 yeares leauing his sonne Edward a worthie succestor to mainteine the lyne of noblenes thus begun by him EDward though he were farre inferiour to him in learning went much beyond him in power for he had all the kingdome of Mercna-land in possession whereof Alfred had but the homage and some write helde soueraignitie ouer the east Angles and Northumbrians though wee finde in the ioynt lawes that hee and Guthrun made together they held the same confederation fore-concluded by Alfred Hee also subdued the Britaynes in wales fortified and furnished with garrisons diuers townes in England that lay fit to preuent the incursions of the Danes and was all his raigne of 23 yeares in continuall action and euer before hand with fortune And surely his father hee and many that succeeded during this Danicque warre though they lost their ease wonne much glory and renowne For this affliction held them so in as hauing little out-lets or leisure for ease and luxury they weare made the more pious iust and carefull in their gouernment otherwise it had beene impossible to haue held out against the Danes as they did a people of that power and vndauntable stomacke as no fortune could deterre nor make to giue ouer their holde And the imbecillitie of some vnactiue Prince at that time had beene inough to haue let them quite into the whole which may be the cause that in the succession of some of these Kings were certaine ruptures made out of course in respect of their ablenes As first after the death of this renowned King Edward Senior his sonne Athelstan of full yeares and spirit was notwithstanding the bracke in his birth preferred before his
owne and Denmarke to ciuile discord about the succession Norwey likewise returning obedience to a sonne of Olaue recouered quietnesse a home borne King BY which occasion Edward the sonne of Ethelred succeeding in the gouernment raigned 24 yeares in peace which besides a few monethes was all the space that lay betwixt the two gulphes of strangers domination and was a Prince more necessarie then profitable fit for no other then the calme time he had For hauing beene so long brought vp with the Nunnes at Iumieges in Normandie he scarce knew to be a man when he came into England And to shew how little he vnderstood himselfe they note how in a great anger he said to a base fellowe that disturbed his game in hunting I would punish thee were I able And as if hee had vowed their continencie with whome hee was bred was so far from knowing other women either thorowe conscience or debilitie as his owne wife after his death protested herselfe free from any carnall act done by him and yet liued he with her in all formall shew of marriage The soft simplicitie of this King gaue way to the greatnesse of the Earle Godwyn and his children who for that he would seeme the especiall man in his prefermēt to the Crowne and by matching his daughter Edith to him swayed cheifely the wheele of that time and yet not without opposition For Syward Earle of Northumberland and Leofrike Earle of Hereford men of as great State and spirit seeing him most for himselfe became more for the King and had their turne in performing very noble actions Nor did their emulation but much conduce to the present benifit both of the King and State For the Earle Syward would not be behind hand in effecting as braue deedes in the North as Harold Earle of Westsex the sonne of the Earle Godwyn performed against the welsh in the west For the first depriued of life and Crowne Macbeth an vsurper and inuested Malcolin in the kingdome of Scotland the other defeited Ris and Griffine two brothers Kings of Wales and subdued that Prouince to this Crowne Besides the Earle Godwyn had to struggle with an Arch-byshop of Canterburie Robert a Norman preferred from a Monke first to London and after to that Sea by the King inwardly affecting most that nation as being part of their bloud and bred amongst them Of whom it seemed he had many about his person whose neerenes being strangers whatsoeuer they did could not auoid to be thought to doe ill offices against the Earle and the English in generall whereby what went not right in the lyne of menn's desires was thought to be their cause And in stomackes full charged this occasion gaue more fire Eustace Earle of Bullogne who had married Goda the Kings sister hauing beene at the Court and returning into France his Herbenger in taking vp lodgings at Douer vpon his peremptory behauiour was by a citizen slaine The Earle arriuing with all his trayne pursues and slew the homicide with 18 other The Citie seeing this tooke armes and in the bickering the Earle lost 22 of his men whereupon backe he hasts to the King aggrauates the insolency of the Citizens so far that the Earle Goawyn is sent for and commaunded with a power of men to make against the Citie of Douer to chastice the people The Earle considering it was vpon the information of one side aduised the King rather to send for the cheife of the Citie to vnderstand what they could say for themselues and accordingly to proceede which being taken for a coldnes in the businesse and of fauor to his countrymen gaue the King and his enimies occasion to suspect his affection Shortly after the Earle is summoned to an Assemblie at Gloucester where neither hee nor any of his sonnes would appeare and suspecting some practice against him by his enimies raises forces pretending to suppresse the Welsh who were not found to offend whereupon the Assemblie remoues to London summons him againe to make his apparance to dismisse his forces and to come only attended with 12 persons Hee sendes them word to dismisse his forces he was content or any thing els the King would commaund him so it were with the safetie of his life and honour but to come disaccompanied was for neither Then was he commaunded within 5 daies to depart the Realme which hee did and with Toustayne and Swayne his sonnes gets him into Flaunders where Toustayne married the daughter of the Earle Baldouin 5. Harald his eldest sonne departs into Ireland the King puts from him the Queene to be partaker of the disgrace and miserie of her house The Earle Godwin in this desperate fortune whilst the French and his enimies possest the King fell to piracye disturbed the coastes approached London by the Ryuer and being so popular as no forces would oppose against him made at length his owne peace with power in such sort as the French fearing reuenge forsooke both the Court and kingdome This as fore-pointing to a storme that was gathering on that coast began the first difference with the French nation which thus acquainted with the distraction of the kingdome and factions of great men wrought on those aduantages and were instruments to draw on the fatall enterprize that followed The weaknesse of the king and the disproportionate greatnesse of the Earle Godwyn being risen vp from so great a fall learning thereby to looke better to his feete and make his sides strong increased these discontentments and partialities in the State wherein many acts of iniustice by the sway of power and passion were committed which did much blacken that time of peace and made a good man not by doing but induring ill held to be a bad king And it is sayd that Emme the Queene mother had her part of much affliction in his raigne suffering both in her goods and fame and how to purge her selfe of a scandall raised on her with Alwyn Bishop of Winchester she vnder-went the triall of Fire-Ordeall which was to passe blind-fold with bare feete ouer certaine plough-shares made red hot and laid an vneuen distance one before the other which she safely performed And the reason why both her sonne and the State so little respected this great Lady whose many yeares had made her an actor in diuerse fortunes was for that she neuer affected king Ethelred nor the children she had by him and for her mariage with Knute the great enemy and subduer of the kingdome whom she euer much more loued liuing and commended dead It seemed these priuate grudges with mens particular ends held these times so busied that the publicke was neglected and an issuelesse King gaue matter for ambition and power to build hopes and practises vpon though for his owne part he shewed to haue had a care for the succession in sending for his nephew Edward intitled the Out-law with his children out of Hungarie But Edward shortly after his arriuall died and Edgar his sonne
their Lords by their obsequious seruice or agreed for by any lawfull pact they should hold by an inuiolable law during their owne liues The next great worke after the ordering his lawes was the raising and disposing of his reuenues taking a course to make and know the vtmost of his estate by a generall suruey of the kingdome whereof he had a president by the Dome booke of Winchester taken before by king Alfride But as one day informes another so these actions of profit grew more exact in their after practise and a larger Commission is graunted a choice of skilfuller men imployed to take the particulars both of his owne possessions and euery mans else in the kingdome the nature and the quality of their lands their estates and abilities besides the descriptions bounds and diuisions of Sheires and Hundreds and this was drawne into one booke and brought into his treasurie then newly called the Exchequer according to the soueraigne court of that name of Normandy before termed here the Talee and it was called the Dome booke Liber iudiciarius for all occasions concerning these particulars All the Forests and Chases of the kingdom he seized into his proper possession and exempted them from being vnder any other law then his owne pleasure to serue as Penetralia Regum the withdrawing chambers of kings to recreate them after theirserious labours in he State where none other might presume to haue to do and where all punishments and pardons of delinquents were to be disposed by himselfe absolutely and all former customes abrogated And to make his commaund the more he increased the number of them in all parts of the Land and on the South coast dispeopled the country for aboue thirty miles space making of old inhabited possessions a new Forest inflicting most seuere punishments for hunting his Deere and thereby much aduances his reuenues An act of the greatest concussion and tyranny he committed in his raigne and which purchased him much hatred And the same course held almost euery king neere the Conquest till this heauie grieuance was allayed by the Charter of Forests granted by Henry 3. Besides these he imposed no new taxations on the State and vsed those he found very moderately as Dangelt an imposition of two shillings vpon euery hide or plough-land raised first by king Ethelred to bribe the Danes after to warre vpon them he would not haue it made an Annuall payment but onely taken vpon vrgent occasion and it was seldome gathered in his time or his successors saith Geruasius yet we find in our Annals a taxe of 6. shil vpon euery hide-land leauied presently after the generall surucy of the kingdome Escuage whether it were an imposition formerly laide though now newly named I do not find was a summe of money taken of euery Knights fee In after times especially raised for the seruice of Scotland And this also saith Geruasius was seldome leauied but on great occasion for stipends and donatiues to souldiers yet was it at first a due reserued out of such lands as were giuen by the Prince for seruice of warre according to the custome of other nations As in the Romans time we find lands were giuen in reward of seruice to the men of warre for terme of their liues as they are at this day in Turkey After they became Patrimoniall hereditarie to their children Seuerus the Emperor was the first who permitted the children of men of warre to inioy their Fiefs prouided that they followed Armes Constantine to reward his principall Captaines grāted them a perpetuity in the lands assigned them The estates which were but for life were made perpetuall in France vnder the last kings of the race of Charlemaine Those Lords who had the great Fiefs of the king sub-deuided them to other persons of whom they were to haue seruice Mulctuary profits besides such as might arise by the breach of his Forest-lawes he had few or none new vnlesse that of Murther which arose vpon this occasion In the beginning of his raigne the rankor of the English towards the new-come Normans was such as finding them single in woods or remote places they secretly murthered them and the deed doers for any the seuerest courses taken could neuer be discouered whereupon it was ordained that the Hundred wherein a Norman was found slaine and the Murtherer not taken should be condemned to pay to the king some 36 pounds some 28 pounds according to the quantity of the Hundred that the punishment being generally inflicted might perticularly deterre them and hasten the discouery of the malefactor by whom so many must otherwise be interessed For his prouisionary reuenues he continued the former custome held by his predecessors which was in this manner The kings Tenants who held their lands of the Crowne paid no money at all but onely Victuals Wheate Beifes Muttons Hay Oates c. and a iust note of the quality and quantity of euery mans ratement was taken throughout all the Sheires of the kingdome and leauied euer certaine for the maintenance of the kings house Other ordinarie in-come of ready moneys was there none but what was raised by mulcts and out of Cities and Castles where Agriculture was not vsed What the Church yeelded him was by extent of a power that neuer reached so farre before and the first hand he layd vpon that side which weighed heauily was his seizing vpon the Plate Iewels and Treasure within all the Monasteries of England pretending the rebels and their assistants conueyed their riches into these religious houses as into places priuiledged and free from seizure to defraud him thereof Besides this he made all Bishoprickes and Abbeys that held Barronies before that time free from all secular seruices contributary to his warres and his other occasions And this may be the cause why they who then onely held the Pen the Scepter that rules ouer the memory of kings haue laide such an eternall imposition vpon his name of rigour oppression and euen barbarous immanity as they haue done When the nature and necessary disposition of his affaires being as he was may aduocate and in many things much excuse his courses But this name of Conquest which euer imports violence and misery is of so harsh a sound and so odious in nature as a people subdued cannot giue a Conquerour his due how euer worthy and especially to a stranger whom onely time must naturalize and incorporate by degrees into their liking and opinion And yet therein this king was greatly aduantaged by reason of his twenty yeares gouernment which had much impaired the memory of former customes in the yonger sort and well inured the elder to the present vsances and forme of State whereby the rule was made more easie to his sonnes who though they were farre inferior to him in worth were somwhat better beloued then he and the rather for that their occasions made them somewhat to vnwrest the Soueraignty from that height whereunto he had strayned it How he
And here Robert who stood in a fayre possibility of two Crownes came to be depriued of his Duchy and all he had brought prisoner into England and committed to the Castle of Cardiffe Where to adde to his miserie he had the misfortune of a long life suruiuing after he lost himselfe 26. yeares whereof the most parte he saw not hauing his eyes put out whereby he was onely left to his thoughts a punishment barbarously inflicted on him for attempting an escape He was a Prince that gaue out to the world very few notes of his ill but many of his noblenesse and valour especially in his great voyage where he had the second command and was in election to haue bene the first preferred to the Crowne of Ierusalem and missed it hardly Onely the disobedience in his youth shewed to his father which yet might proceed from a rough hand borne ouer him and the animation of others rather then his owne nature set a stayne vpon him and then his profusion which some would haue liberalitie shewed his impotencie and put him into those courses that ouerthrew him All the reuenues of his Duchie which should serue for his maintenance he sold or ingaged and was vpon passing the Cittie of Roan to the Citizens Which made him held vnfit for the gouernment and gaue occasion to his brother to quarrell with him And thus came Henry freed from this feare and absolute Duke of Normandie had many yeares of quiet gathered great treasure and intertayned good intelligence with the neighbour Princes Scotland by his Match and doing their Princes good he held from doing him hurte clearing them from vsurpations Wales though vnder his title yet not subiection gaue him some exercise of action which he ordred with great wisedome First he planted with in the bodie of that Country a Colonie of Flemings who at that time much pestred this kingdome being admitted here in the raigne of King William 1. marrying their Country woman and vsing their helpe in the action of England where they daylie increased in such sorte as gaue great displeasure to the people But by this meanes both that greuance was eased and the vse of them made profitable to the State for being so great a number and a strong people they made roome for themselues held it in that sorte as they kept the Welsh all about them in very good awe Besides the King tooke for Ostages the chiefe mens sonnes of the Country and hereby quieted it For France he stood secure so long as Phillip 1. liued who wholy giuen ouer to his ease and luxurie was not for other attempts out of that course but his sonne he was to looke vnto whensoeuer he came to that Crowne With the Earle of Flanders he had some debate but it was onely in words and vpon this occasion King William the first in retribution of the good his father in law Baldâ—â—in 5. had done by aiding him in the action of England gaue him yearely 300 markes and likewise continued it to his sonne after him Now Robert Earle of Flanders of a collaterall line returning emptie from the holy warres and finding this summe paid out of England to his predecessors demaundes the same of king Henry as his due who not easie to part with money sends him word that it was not the custome of the kings of England to pay tribute If they gaue pensions they were temporanie and according to desert Which answer so much displeased the Earle that though himselfe liued not to show his hatred yet his sonne did and aided afterward William the sonne of Robert Curtoys in his attempts for recouerie of the Duchie of Normandy against king Henry Thus stood this king in the first part of his raigne in the other he had more to do abroad then at home where he had by his excellent wisedome so setled the gouernment as it held a steady course without in interruption all his time But now Lewis le Gros succeeding his father Philip the first gaue him warning to looke to his State of Normandy and for that he would not attend a quarrell he makes one taking occasion about the Cittie of Gisors scituate on the riuer Epre in the confines of Normandy whilst Louys was trauailed with a stubborne Nobility presuming vpon their Franchises within their owne Signories whereof there were many at that time about Paris as the Contes of Crecy Pissaux Dammartin Champagne and others who by example and emulation would bee absolute Lords without awe of a maister putting themselues vnder the protection of Henry who beeing neere to assist them fostred those humors which in sicke bodies most shew themselues But after Louys by yeares gathering strength dissolued that compact and made his meanes the more by their confiscations Now to entertaine these two great Princes in worke the quarrell betweene the Pope and the Emperour ministred fresh occasion The Emperour Henry 5. hauing by the Popes instigation banded against his father Henry 4. who associated him in the Empire and held him prisoner in that distresse as he died toucht afterward with remorse of this act and reproach of the State for abandoning the rights of the Empire leuies sixtie thousand foote and thirtie thousand horse for Italy constraines the Pope his Colledge to acknowledge the rights of the Empire in that forme as Leo 4. had done to Otho 2. and before that Adrian to Charlemaigne according to the decree of the Councell of Rome and made him take his Oath of fidelitie betweene his hands as to the true and lawfull Emperour The Pope so soone as Henry was departed home assembles a Councell nullifies this acknowledgment as done by force and shortly after deceased The Emperour to make himselfe the stronger against his successor enters into aliance with the King of England takes to wife his daughter Maud being but fiue yeares of age After this Calixte sonne of the Conte de Borgogne comming to bee Pope and beeing French to their great applause assembles a Councell at Reimes where by Ecclesiasticall sentence Henry 5. is declared enemy of the Church and degraded of his Imperiall dignitie The King of England seeing this Councell was held in France composed chiefly of the Galicane Church desirous to ouer-maister Louys incenses his sonne in law the Emperour stung with this disgrace to set vpon him as the Popes chiefe piller on one side and hee would assaile him on the other The Emperour easily wrought to such a businesse prepares all his best forces the King of England doth the like The King of France seeing this storme comming so impetuously vpon him wrought so with the Princes of Germany as they weighing the future mischife of a warre vndertaken in a heare with the importance of a kinde neighbourhood aduise the Emperour not to enter there into till hee had signified to the King of France the causes of his discontent Where upon an Embassage is dispatched the King of France answeres that hee grieued much to
in their former estates otherwise by the law of Nations being dissaised they shall not hold their Plea After much debate the Kings cause was vpon a motion put off till the next day to the end the Arch-bishop of Roan an especiall instrument for the King might bee there who deliuering his opinion said That if the Bishops could rightly proue by the Canons they ought to haue Castles they should hold them but if they could not it proceeded of great improbitie to striue to do otherwise And be it said he their right to haue them yet in a suspected time according to the manner of other Nations all great men ought to deliuer the keyes of their Fortresses to bee at the Kings pleasure who is to fight for the peace of all But it is not their right by the decree of the Canons to haue Castles and if by the Princes indulgence it be tollerated yet in a time of necessitie they ought to deliuer the keyes The Lawyer Alberic addes That it was signified to the King how the Bishops threatned and had furnished some to goe to Rome against him But said he the King would haue you know that none of you presume to do it for if any goe out of England contrary to his will and the dignitie of the kingdome it will be hard returning In conclusion the Councell brake vp nothing was done The Bishops durst not excommunicate the King without the Popes priuitie and besides they saw the swords to busie about them yet failed not the Legat and the Archbishop to prosecute their parts and from authority fell to prayer and at the Kings feete in his chamber besought him that hee would pitty the Church pitty his owne soule and his fame not to fuffer dissention to bee betweene the kingdome and the Priest-hood The king returned them faire wordes but held what hee had gotten Shortly after through griefe dyed the Bishop of Salisbury and according to the fate of ouer-eminent and greedy Officers vnpittied He was a man in his latter time noted of much corruption and vnsatiable desire of hauing For whom the present King in the beginning of his reigne had done very much making one of his Nephewes Chancellor the other Treasurer and vpon his sute gaue to himselfe the Borough of Malmesbury insomuch as the King would say to his familiars about him If this man will begge thus still I will giue hm halfe the Kingdome but I will please him and first shall he be weary of crauing ere 1 of granting And sure the King had great reason to suspect his adhering to Maud whose part he began to fauour onely out of the hatred he bare to Winchester who yet was content to forsake his owne brother in regard by his ingagement hee was preferred to the Crowne rather then to loose his good will and the rest of the Clergie But yet this breaking of the King into the Church which had made him vtterly dissolued him For presently here upon all his power fell asunder the Empresse found now a way open to let her in and the Earle of Glocefter presuming of a sure side conducted her into England onely with 150. men puts her into the Castle of Arundell and himselfe attended but with 12. horse passed away cleere through all the country to Bristow and from thence to Glocester where he had leasure without opposition to rayse all the country to take part with the Empresse who from Arundell castle was afterward by the Legate himselfe and the Kings permission conueyed to Bristow receiued with all obedience grew daily in strength as shee went and came at length to her brother who had taken in Hereford made himselfe strong with the Welsh and setled those parts to gather vp more of the kingdome by shewing herselfe and her power in diuers places Stephan hauing no part cleere by reason the Castles vpon which hee spent both his time and meanes lay so thicke blockes in his way as he could not make that speed to stoppe this streame as otherwise he would holding it not safe to go forward and leaue dangers bebehinde that might ouer-take him And first he layes siege to the Castle of Wallingford which Brian sonne to the Earle of Glocester held against him then to the Castle of Bristow and other places working much but effecting little which seeing to get time and stagger the swift proceeding of this new receiued Princesse hee causes a treatie of peace to be propounded at Bath where the Legat who likewise earnestly solicited the same with the Arch-bishop of Canterbury were appoynted Commissioners for the King and the Earle of Glocester for the Empresse but nothing was effected both returne to make good their sides The Empresse seckes to recouer more the King what he had lost And least the North parts might fall from him and the King of Scots come on he repaires thitherward and finding the Castle of Lincolne possest by Ralfe Earle of Chester who had married a daughter of the Earle of Glocester and holding it not safe to be in the hands of such a maister in such a time seekes to take it in by force The Earle of Chester who held Newtrall attempting nothing against the King tooke it ill and stood vpon his defence but being ouer-layd by power conueyes himselfe out of the Castle leaues his brother wife within to defend it and procures ayde of his father in law the Earle of Glocester to succour him The Earle takes in hand this businesse sets out of Glocester with an Army of Welshmen and others attended with Hugh Bigod and Robert de Morley ioynes with the Earle of Chester marches to Lincolne where in the battaile King Stephan was taken carried prisoner to Glocester presented to the Empresse and by her sent to be kept in the Castle of Bristow but in all honourable fashion till his attempts to escape layd fetters on him Hereupon the Empresse as at the top of her fortune labours the Legat to bee admitted to the kingdome as the daughter of the late King to whom the Realme had taken an oath to accept for soueraigne in the succession and wrought so as a Parle was appoynted for this purpose on the Plaine neere to winchester where in ablustring sad day like the fate of the businesse they met and the Empresse swore and made affidation to the Legar that all the great businesses especially the donation of Bishoprickes and Abbyes should bee at his disposing if he with the Church would receiue her as Queene of England and hold perpetuall fidelitie vnto her The same oath and affidation tooke likewise her brother Robert Earle of Glocester Brian his sonne Marquisse of Wallingford Miles of Glocester after Earle of Hareford with many others for her Nor did the Bishop sticke to accept her as Queene though she neuer came to be so and with some few other made like wife affidatiō for his part that so long as she infringed not her couenant he would also hold his
to haue the precedence but vpon most secure cautions The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Legate vndertooke to yeeld themselues prisoners for him if the King released him not according to his promise But that would not serue the turne till they both had written their Briefes to the Pope to intimate the course that was taken herein and deliuered the same vnto him vnder their hands and seales So that if the King should as he might not care to hold the Bishops in prison yet the Pope if hard measure were offred might relieue him Which shewes the aduantage of credit in the businesse lay on this side and the king was to haue his fetters though at liberty The Queene and Eustace her sonne the Prince vpon the inlargement of Stephan remaine pledges in the Castle of Bristow till the Earle were released which was done vpon the kings comming to Winchester Where the Earle in familiar conference was by all are possible solicited to forsake the partie of Maude with promise of all preferments of honour and estate but nothing could moue him being fixt to his courses rather would he haue beene content to remaine a perpetuall prisoner then that Stephan should haue bene released had not his sister wrought him to this conclusion The Legat after this calls a Councell at London where the Popes letters written vnto him are openly read which argue him but mildly of some neglect of his brothers releasing and exhort him to vse all meanes Ecclesiasticall and Secular to set him at libertie The King himselfe came into the Councell complaines how his subiects to whom hee had neuer denied Iustice had taken him and reproachfully afflicted him euen to death The Legate with great cloquence labours to excuse his owne courses alledging How he receiued not the Empresse by his will but necessitie that presently vpon the kings ouerthrowe whilest the Lords were either fled or stood in suspence attending the euent she and her people came thundring to the walles of Winchester and that what pact soeuer he had made with her for the right of the Church she obstinately brake all besides he was certainely informed that she and hers had plotted both against his dignitie and life But God in his mercy contrary to her desire had turnd the businesse so as he escaped the danger and his brother was deliuered out of bands And therefore he from the part of God and the Pope willed them with all their vtmost power to aide the King annointed by the consent of the People and the Sea Apostolique and to Excommunicate all the disturbers of the peace that fauoured the Countesse of Aniou There was in the Councell a Lay Agent for the Empresse who openly charged the Legat That in respect of the faith he had giuen the Empresse to passe no act there preiudiciall to her Honour hauing sworne vnto her neuer to aide his brother with aboue twentie Souldiers that her comming into England was upon his often Letters unto her and his cause it was that the King was taken and held prisoner This and much more sayd the Agent with great austerity of words wherewith the Legat seemed not to be moued at all nor would stoope to reply Both parts thus set at libertie were left to worke for themselues holding the State broken betweene them and no meanes made to interpose any barre to keepe them asunder Their borders lay euery where and then the ingagements of their Partakers who looke all to be sauers or to recouer their stakes when they were lost which makes them neuer giue ouer entertaine the contention But the best was they were rather troubles then warres and cost more labour then bloud Euery one fought with Bucklers and seldome came to the sharpe in the field which would soone haue ended the businesse Some few moneths after these inlargements stood both sides at some rest but not idle casting how to compasse their ends The Empresse at the Vies with her Councell resolues to send ouer her brother into Normandy to solicit her husband the Earle of Aniou to come to aide her with forces from thence Her brother the better to secure her in his absence setles her in the Castle of Oxford well furnished for all assaults and takes with him the sonnes of the especiall men about her as pledges to hold them to their fidelity Stephan seekes to stop the Earles passage but could not and then layes siege to the Castle of Oxford which held him all the time the Earle was abroad Geffrey Earle of Aniou desirous rather to haue Normandie where of in this meane time he had attained the most part and in possibility of the rest then to aduenture for England which lay in danger refused to come in person but sends some small aide and his eldest sonne Henry being then but eleuen yeares of age that he might looke vpon England and be shewed to the people to try if that would moue them to a consideration of his right which proued of more effect then an Army The Earle of Glocester safely returning makes towards Oxford to releiue the Empresse who had secretly conueyed her selfe disguised out at a posterne gate onely with foure persons got ouer the Thames passed a foot to Abington and from thence conuayd to Wallingford where her brother and sonne met her to her more comfort after hard distresses Stephan seeing his enemy thus supplied and like to grow labors to winne frendes but mony fayles which made diuers of his Lords and especially his mercinaries whereof he had many out of Flanders to fall to the rifling of Abbayes which was of dangerous consequence And for Armies there was no meanes onely about Castles with small powers lay all the businesse of these times and they being so many were to small effect but onely to hold them doing which was for many yeares The Earle of Glocester the chiefe pillar of the Empresse within 2. yeares after his last comming out of Normandie dyed and shortly after Miles Earle of Hereford an especiall man of hers which had vtterly quasht her but that in stead of a brother she had a sonne grew vp to be of more estimatiō with the Nobilitie and shortly after of ablenes to vndergo the trauailes of warre His first expedition at 16. yeares of age was Northward to combine him with Dauid King of Scots his great vnkle to whom his mother had giuen the Country of Northumberland After him followes Stephan with an Army to Yorke least he should surprize that Cittie and to intercept him in his returne but according to his vsuall manner and French-like after the first heat of his vndertakings which were quicke and braue he quayles nothing was effected and both returne without incountring Now to aduance the State and meanes of Henry fortune as if in loue with young Princes presents this occasion Louys 7. King of France going in person to the holy warres and taking with him his wife Elenor the onely daughter and heire of William Duke of