Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (2 of 6): England (04 of 12) / Stephan Earle Of Bullongne

An assemblie of lords at Winchester. A peace concluded betwixt the king and the duke. Thus was a publike assemblie made in the citie of Winchester, whither also duke Henrie came who being ioifullie receiued of the king in the bishops palace, they were made fréends, the king admitting the duke for his sonne, and the duke the king for his father, insomuch that the agreement, which (through the carefull sute of the archbishop of Canturburie) had beene laboured with such diligence to good effect, was now confirmed: the cheefe articles whereof were these.

¶ But by the way, for the better vnderstanding of the said agreement, I haue thought good to set downe the verie tenor of the charter made by king Stephan, as I haue copied it out, and translated it into English out of an autentike booke conteining the old lawes of the Saxon and Danish kings, in the end whereof the same charter is exemplified, which booke is remaining with the right worshipfull William Fléetwood esquire, now recorder of London, and sargeant at law.

1154.
An. Reg. 19. Ger. Dor. Thus far the Charter: and now to proceed with the historie. Immediatlie after Christmasse, euen in the Octaues of the Epiphanie, the king and duke Henrie met againe Oxenford, where all the earls and barons of the land being assembled, sware fealtie vnto duke Henrie, their allegiance due vnto king Stephan, as to their souereigne lord and supreme gouernour so long as he liued, alwaies reserued. The forme of the peace was now also ingrossed and registered for a perpetuall witnesse of the thing, in this yeare 1154. after their account that begin the yeare at Christmasse, as about the feast of S. Hilarie in Januarie commonlie called the twentith daie. Thus was Henrie the sonne of the empresse made the adopted sonne of king Stephan, and therevpon the said Henrie saluted him as king, and named him father. After conclusion of this peace, by the power of almightie God, all debate ceassed in such wise, that the state of the realme of England did maruelouslie for a time flourish, concord being mainteined on ech hand. ¶ There be which affirme, that an Polydor. other cause bound king Stephan to agrée to this attonement chiefelie, namelie for that the empresse (as they saie) was rather king Stephans paramour than his enimie: and therefore (when she saw the matter growne Matth. Paris. Egelaw heath. to this point, that they were readie to trie battell with their armies readie ranged on a plaine in the westerne parts called Egelaw heath) she came secretlie vnto king Stephan, & spake unto him on this wise: "What a The words of the empresse to K. Stephan. mischieuous and vnnaturall thing go ye about? Is it méet that the father should destroie the sonne? Is it lawfull for the sonne to kill the father? For the loue of God (man) refraine thy displeasure, and cast thy weapons out of thy hand, sith that (as thou thy selfe knowest full well) The empresse confesseth hir selfe to be naught of hir bodie. Henrie is thine owne sonne." With these and the like words she put him in mind, and couertlie told him, that he had to doo with hir a little before she was maried vnto earle Geffrey.

The king by such tokens as the empresse gaue him, tooke hir words to be true, and therevpon all his malice was streightwaies quenched: so that calling foorth the archbishop of Canturburie, he vttered to him the whole matter, and tooke therewith such direction, in sending to his aduersaries for auoiding battell at that present, that immediatlie the armies on both sides wrapped vp their ensignes, and euery man was commanded to kéepe the peace, that a communication might be had about the conclusion of some pacification, which afterwards ensued in maner aboue mentioned.

Oxenford. Ger. Dor. The King and duke méet at Dunstable. But now to the purpose. Shortlie after that the king and duke Henrie had béene togither at Oxenford, where they ended all things touching the peace & concord betwixt them concluded, they met againe at Dunstable, where some cloud of displeasure seemed to darken the bright sunshine of the late begun loue and amitie betwixt those two mightie princes the Articles not performed. king and the duke. For where it was accorded (among other articles) that all the castels which had béene built since the daies of the late king Henrie for euill intents and purposes, should be razed and throwne downe: contrarie therevnto (notwithstanding manie of them were ouerthrowne and destroied to the accomplishment of that article) diuers through the kings permission were suffered to stand. And when the duke complained to the king thereof, he could not get at that time any redresse, which somewhat troubled him: but yet bicause he would not giue occasion of any new trouble, nor offend the king, to whom (as to his reputed father) he would seeme to yeeld all honour and due reuerence, he passeth it ouer.

The king and duke come to Canturburie. Within a while after, the king and he came to Canturburie, where they were solemnlie receiued of the couent of Christes church with procession. After this, in the Lent season they went to Douer, where they talked with Theodorike earle of Flanders, and with the countesse his wife who was aunt to duke Henrie. At their comming towards Canturburie (as it was bruted) the duke should haue béene murthered, The enuie of the Flemings. through treason of the Flemings that enuied both the dukes person, and also that peace which he had concluded with the king. But sée the hap. As this feat should haue béene wrought on Berhamdowne, William earle of Northfolke king Stephan his sonne, who was one of the chéefe conspirators, fell beside his horsse, and brake his leg, so that euerie man by that sudden chance was in a maze, & came woondering about him. ¶ This no doubt came to passe by the prouidence of God, though such accidents are commonlie imputed to casualtie or chance medlie. For it is the worke of God either to preuent, or to intercept, or to recompense the vnnatural conspiracies of traitors and rebels with some notable plague: according to that of the poet;

Duke Henrie herewith getting knowledge of the treason intended against him, or at the least suspecting somewhat, got him backe againe to Canturburie, and so auoided the danger. After this, taking his way to Duke Henrie passeth ouer into Normandie. Rochester, and so to London, he got him a shipboord, and sailed by long seas into Normandie, where he arriued in safetie.

After his departure, king Stephan spent the summer season of this yeare, in going about the most part of the realme; shewing all the courtesie he could deuise to the people in all places where he came; except where he Will Paru. Philip de Coleuille. The castell of Drax. found any rebellious persons, as in Yorkshire, where Philip de Coleuille (in trust of his castell which he had stronglie fortified at a certeine place called Drax) shewed himselfe disobedient to the king, who assembling a power in the countrie, besieged that castell, and shortlie wanne it, without any great adoo.

A peace concluded betwixt the French king and duke Henrie. Matth. West. About the same time a peace was concluded betwixt the French king, and this duke Henrie: the king restoring vnto the duke the townes of Newmarch and Uernon, which he had before taken from him, and the duke giuing to the king 20000. markes of siluer, for the harmes doone by him, within the realme of France.

But now to returne vnto king Stephan. Yee shall vnderstand, that within a while after he had made his foresaid progresse almost about the whole realme, he returned vnto London, where he called a parlement as well to consult of matters touching the state of the commonwealth, as to furnish Wil. Paru. Roger Archdeacon of Canturburie made archbishop of Yorke. the see of Yorke with a sufficient archbishop. Wherevpon one Roger that was before archdeacon of Canturburie, was chosen to that dignitie, and consecrated the tenth day of October, by archbishop Theobald, as legat to the pope, and not as archbishop of Canturburie. Then also was Thomas Becket made Thomas Becket archdeacon of Canturburie. archdeacon of Canturburie by the said Theobald. The new archbishop Roger first went to his see at Yorke, where after he had receiued his inthronization, and set his businesse there in order, he tooke his iournie towards Rome to fetch his pall in his owne person.

King Stephan also after the end of the parlement went to Douer, there to The earle of Flanders. meet the earle of Flanders, who came thither to talke with him of certeine businesse. The earle was no sooner returned backe, but the king fell sicke, and was so gréeuouslie tormented with a paine in his bellie, King Stephan departed this life. and with an old disease also, wherewith (as should appear) he had beene often troubled, namelie, the emrods, that finallie he died in the abbey on the fiue and twentith day of October, in the nine and fortith yeare of his age, and after he had reigned eighteene yeares, ten moneths, and Matth. Paris. N. Triuet. od daies, in the yeare after the birth of our Sauiour 1154. 1154. His bodie was interred in the abbeie of Feuersham in Kent, which he had builded, where his wife also, and his sonne Eustace were buried before. ¶ Thus farre of the acts and deeds of Stephan; now a little of other breefe remembrances, and first touching the prosopographie or description of his person.

His stature. He was comelie of stature, of a verie good complexion and disposition, of great strength, in qualities of mind verie excellent, expert in warre, gentle, curteous, and verie liberall. For though he continued all his time in a maner in the maintenance of wars, yet he leuied but few tributs, or almost none at all. Indéed he put diuers bishops to greeuous fines, and that not without the iust Judgement of Almightie God, that they might so be punished duelie for their periurie committed in helping him to the crowne. Vices wherewith he should be noted I find none, but that vpon an ambitious desire to reigne, he brake his oth which he made vnto the empresse Maud.

Abbeies founded. Coggeshall he founded himselfe, and Fontneis in Lancashire, & Feuersham in Kent. Wil. Paruus. In his daies, the abbeies of Tiltey, Fontneis, Rieualle, Coggeshall in Essex, Newbourgh and Béeland, Meriuale in Warwikeshire, Garedon in Leicestershire, Kirkstéed in Yorkeshire, with diuers other in other parts of the realme, were founded, in so much that more abbeis were erected in his daies, than had béene within the space of an hundred yeares before, as William Paruus writeth.

A great number of castels also were builded in his daies (as before ye haue heard) by the Nobles of the realme, either to defend the confines of their countries from inuasions of forrenners, and violence of homelings; or as fortifications to themselues when they ment or intended any inrode or breaking vpon their neighbours.

Thus far Stephan of Bullongne.