Polydor. Howbeit whilest these things were a dooing, certeine of the English Nobilitie, abhorring both the king and the present state of his gouernment, went priuilie out of the realme into Scotland to king Dauid, declaring vnto him what a detestable act was committed by the lords of England, in that (contrarie to their oth made vnto the empresse Maud, and hir issue) they had now crowned Stephan. Wherefore they besought the said king to take in hand to reuenge such a vile iniurie practised against hir, and to restore the kingdome vnto the said empresse, which if he did, it should be a thing most acceptable both to God and man.
The king of Scots inuadeth the English marshes. Sim. Dunel. Matt. Paris. Polydor. King Dauid hauing heard and well weied the effect of their request, foorthwith was so mooued at their words, that in all possible hast he assembled an armie, and entring into England, first tooke the citie and castell of Carleil: afterward comming into Northumberland, he tooke Newcastell and manie other places vpon the borders there. Whereof king Stephan being aduertised, streightwaies assembled a power, and foorthwith hasted into Cumberland, meaning to recouer that againe by K. Stephan encamped néere to his enimie the K. of Scots. force of armes, which the enimie had stolen from him by craft and subtiltie. At his approch néere to Carleil, he pitched downe his field in the euening, thinking there to staie till the morning, that he might vnderstand of what power the enimie was, whome he knew to be at hand.
King Dauid also was of a fierce courage, and redie inough to haue giuen him battell, but yet when he beheld the English standards in the field, An accord made betwixt the two kings Stephan and Dauid. and diligentlie viewed their order and behauiour, he was at the last contented to giue care to such as intreated for peace on both sides. Wherevpon comming to king Stephan, he entred a fréendlie peace with him, wherein he made a surrender of Newcastell, with condition that he should reteine Cumberland by the frée grant of king Stephan, who hoped thereby to find king Dauid the more faithfull vnto him in time of need: but yet he was deceiued, as afterwards manifestlie appéered. For when king Stephan required of him an oth of allegiance, he answered that he was once sworne alreadie vnto Maud the empresse. Howbeit to[2] gratifie him, he commanded his son Henrie to receiue that oth, for the which the king gaue him the earledome of Huntington to hold of him for euer.
Hec. Boetius. ¶ The Scotish chronicles set out the matter in other order, but yet all agrée that Henrie sweare fealtie to king Stephan, as in the said historie of Scotland you may sée more at large. Now after that king Simon Dun. Matth. Paris. Simon Dun. King Stephan sicke. Stephan had concluded a peace with king Dauid, he returned to London, and there kept his Easter with great ioy and triumphes: who whilest he was yet in the middest of all his pastime, about Rogation wéeke, he chanced to fall sicke of a litargie, by reason whereof a rumor was spred ouer all the realme that he was dead. Which though it was but a vaine tale, and of no importance at the first, yet was it after the occasion of much euill. For vpon that report great sedition was raised by the False rumors what hurt they oftentimes doo. kings enimies amongst the people, the minds of his fréends were alienated from him, & manie of the Normans (which were well practised in periuries & treasons) thought they might boldlie attempt all mischéefes that came to hand, and hervpon some of them vndertooke to defend one Hugh Bigot. Baldwin Reduers. Robert Quisquere. place, and some another. Hugh Bigot erle of Norfolke a valiant chieftein entered into Norwhich, Baldwin Reduers tooke Excester, & Robert Quisquere got certeine castels also into his hands.
King Stephan hearing what his enimies had doone, though he was somewhat mooued with this alteration of things, yet as one nothing afraid of the matter, he said merilie to those that stood about him: "We are aliue yet God be thanked, and that shall be knowne to our enimies yer it be long." Neither doubted he any thing but some secret practise of treason, and therefore vsing all diligence, he made the more hast to go against his enimies, whose attempts though streightwaies for the more part he repressed, yet could he not recouer the places (without much adoo) that, they had gotten, as Excester, and others: which when he had obteined, he contented himselfe for a time and followed not the victorie any further in pursuing of his enemies. Wherevpon they became more bold afterward than before; in somuch that soone after they practised diuerse things against him, whereof (God willing) some in places conuenient shall appeare: howbeit they permitted him to remaine in quiet for a time. But Polydor. whilest he studied to take order in things at home (perceiuing how no small number of his subiects did dailie shew themselues to beare him no hartie good will) he began by little and little to take awaie those liberties from the people, which in the beginning of his reigne he had granted vnto them, and to denie those promises which he had made, according to the saieng, "That which I haue giuen, I would I had not giuen, and that which remaineth I will kéepe still." This sudden alteration and new kind of rough dealing purchased him great enuie amongst all men in the end. About the same time, great commotions were Geffrey earle of Aniou. raised in Normandie by meanes of the lord Geffrey earle of Aniou, husband to Maud the empresse, setting the whole countrie in trouble: but yer any newes thereof came into England, king Stephan went against Baldwin Reduers, who being latelie (though not without great and long Simon Dunel. Wil. Paruus. Polydor. siege expelled out of Excester) got him into the Isle of Wight, and there began to deuise a new conspiracie. Howbeit the king comming suddenlie into the Isle, tooke it at the first assault, and exiled Baldwin out of the realme.
An. Reg. 2.
1137. Having thus with good successe finished this enterprise, and being now K. Stephan passeth into Normandie. aduertised of the businesse in Normandie, he sailed thither with a great armie: and being come within two daies iournie of his enimie the earle of Aniou, he sent foorth his whole power of horssemen, diuided into three parts, which were not gone past a daies iournie forward, but they encountred the earle, finding him with no great force about him. The earle of Aniou put to flight. Wherevpon giuing the charge vpon him, they put him to flight, and slue manie of his people. Which enterprise in this maner valientlie atchiued, euen according to the mind of king Stephan, he ioined in freendship with Lewes king of France. Eustace son to king Stephan. Lewes the seuenth king of France: and hauing latelie created his sonne Eustace duke of Normandie, he presentlie appointed him to doo his homage vnto the said Lewes for the same.
Now whereas his elder brother Matth. Paris. Theobald erle of Blois. Theobald earle of Blois at that time in Normandie, found himselfe greeued, that Stephan the yoonger brother had vsurped the lands that belonged to their vncle king Henrie, rather than himselfe, Stephan to stop this iust complaint of his brother, and to allaie his mood, agréed K. Stephan agréeth with the earle of Aniou. with him, couenanting to paie him yearelie two thousand marks of such current monie as was then in vse. Furthermore, wheras Geffrey the earle of Aniou demanded in right of his wife the empresse, the whole kingdome of England, to be at an end with him, king Stephan was contented to satisfie him with a yearelie pension of fiue thousand marks, which composition he willinglie receiued.
Polydor. Thus when he had prouided for the suertie of Normandie, he returned againe into England, where he was no sooner arriued, but aduertisement was giuen him of a warre newlie begon with the Scots, whose king vnder a colour of obseruing the oth to the empresse, made dailie insurrections The Scots inuade the English borders. and inuasions into England, to the great disturbance of king Stephan and the annoiance of his people. Wherwith being somewhat mooued, he went streightwaies toward the north parts, and determined first to besiege Bedford by the waie, which apperteined to the earledome of Huntington, by gift made vnto Henrie the sonne of king Dauid, and therevpon at that present kept with a garison of Scotish men.
Simon Dun.. This place did the king besiege by the space of 30. daies togither, giuing thereto euerie daie an assault or alarme, in somuch that cōming thither on Christmasse daie, he spared not on the morow to assaile them, and so at length wan the towne from them by méere force and strength. King Dauid hearing those newes, and being alreadie in An. Reg. 3.
1138. King Dauid inuaded Northumberland. Matth. West. Polydor. Matt. Paris. Simon Dun. armour in the field, entered into Northumberland, and licensed his men of warre to spoile and rob the countrie thereabout at their pleasure. Herevpon followed such crueltie, that their rage stretched vnto old and yoong, vnto preest and clearke, yea women with child escaped not their hands, they hanged, headed, and slue all that came in their waie: houses were burnt, cattell driuen awaie, and all put to fire and sword that serued to any vse for reléefe, either of man or beast.
¶ Here we see what a band of calamities doo accompanie and waite vpon warre, wherein also we haue to consider what a traine of felicities doo attend vpon peace, by an equall comparing of which twaine togither, we may easilie perceiue in how heauenlie an estate those people be that liue vnder the scepter of tranquillitie, and contrariwise what a hellish course of life they lead that haue sworne their seruice to the sword. We may consider also the inordinat outrages of princes, & their frantike fiersenes, who esteeme not the losse of their subiects liues, the effusion of innocent bloud, the population of countries, the ruinating of ample regions, &c.: so their will may be satisfied, there desire serued. And therefore it was aptlie spoken by a late poet, not beside M. Pal. in suo Capric. this purpose: