Hor. lib. car. 1. ode. 35. Eheu cicatricum & sceleris pudet,
Fratrúmque: quid nos dura refugimus
Aetas? quid intactum nefasti
Linquimus? vnde manus iuuentus
Idem. lib. car. 2. ode. 1. Metu deorum continuit? quibus
Pepercit aris? iam litui strepunt,
Iam fulgor armorum fugaces
Terret equos equitúmque vultus)
Wherein (besides millians of extremities) honest matrones and mens wiues were violated, maids and virgins rauished, churches spoiled, townes and villages robbed, whole flocks and heards of shéepe and beasts destroied (wherein the substance of the realme cheeflie consisted) and men without number slaine and murthered, it pleased the goodnesse of almightie God at length to deliuer the land of these miseries, which were notified to all countries round about that sore lamented the same.
Now whereas king Stephan was the cause of all the troubles, in hauing vsurped an other mans rightfull inheritance, it pleased God to mooue his hart at length to desire peace which he had euer before abhorred. The cause that mooued him chéefelie to change his former purpose, was for that his sonne Eustace by speedie death was taken out of this world (as before ye haue heard) which losse séemed great not onelie to the father, but also to all those lords and others which had alwaies taken his part, bicause he was a yoong man so well liked of all men, that he was iudged The ladie Constance wife to Eustace sent home. to be borne to much honour. But his wife Constance tooke his death verie sorowfullie, and the more indeed for that she had no issue by him, wherevpon shortlie after she was sent honourablie home to hir father king Lewes with hir dower, and other rich and princelie gifts.
King Stephan séeing himselfe thus depriued of his onelie sonne, vnto whome he minded to leaue the kingdome which he so earnestlie sought to confirme and assure vnto him by warlike endeuor, and that againe the French kings aid would not be so readie as heretofore it had béene (wherevpon he much staied, now that the bonds of affinitie were abolished) he began at length (though not immediatlie vpon his sonnes K. Stephan began to incline his mind to peace. Matth. Paris. deceasse) to withdraw his mind from war, and bequeathed it wholie to peace. Which alteration being perceiued, those Nobles that were glad to sée the state of their countrie quieted, did their best to further it; & chéeflie Theobald archbishop of Canturburie trauelled earnestlie to bring the princes to some agréement, now talking with the king, now Ger. Dor. sending to the duke, and vsing all meanes possible to set them at vnitie. The bishop of Winchester also, who had caused all the trouble, vpon consideration of the great calamities wherewith the land was most miserablie afflicted, began to wish an end thereof. Wherevpon the lords spirituall and temporall were called togither at Winchester about the latter end of Nouember, that they with their consents also might confirme whatsoeuer the king and the duke should conclude vpon.
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.
Some writers haue recorded that duke Henrie should presentlie by this agréement enioy halfe the realme of England. 1 That king Stephan, during his naturall life, should remaine king of England, and Henrie the empresses sonne should enioy the dukedome of Normandie, and be proclaimed heire apparant to succéed in and haue the regiment of England, after the deceasse of Stephan.
2 That such noble men, and other, which had held either with the one partie or the other, during the time of the ciuill warres, should be in no danger for the same but enioy their lands, possessions and liuings, according to their ancient rights and titles.
3 That the king should resume and take into his hands againe, all such portions and parcels of inheritance belonging to the crowne, as he had giuen away, or were otherwise vsurped by any maner of person, and that all those possessions which by any intrusion had béene violentlie taken from the right owners, since the daies of king Henrie, should be restored to them that were rightlie possessed in the same by the daies of the said king.
Matth. Paris. Castels to be razed in number. 1115. 4 That all those castels, which contrarie to all reason and good order had béene made and builded by any maner of person in the daies of king Stephan, should be ouerthrowne and cast downe, which were found to be eleuen hundred and fifteene.
5 That the king should reforme all such disorders as warre had brought in; to restore farmers to their holdings, to repaire decaied buildings, to restore pastures and leassues with cattell, hils with sheepe, &c.