Raphael Holinshed

“ 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." ”

“ The iustice of our cause is this: that obseruing the thing which we vowed to our king before God, we stand to the same against those that haue falsified their faith, euen to the perill of death. Our number is not much lesse in horssemen, and in footmen we excéed them. As for the goodnesse or sufficiencie of our men, who is able to expresse the noble prowesse of so manie earles, of so manie lords and soldiers, trained vp euer in warres: The passing valiancie of our king may stand in place of innumerable souldiers. ”

“ 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. ”

“ But to returne to king Stephan, who after he had thus imprisoned the aforesaid bishops, manned those castles which he tooke from them with his owne soldiers, in like maner as he had doone all the rest which he had taken from the rebels, that he might the better withstand the empresse and hir sonne, whose comming he euer feared. He began also to shew himselfe cruell towards all men, and namelie against those that had chieflie furthered his title to the obteining of the crowne. ”

“ Moreouer, Dauid king of Scotland entred into Northumberland, and by commandement of the empresse tooke the countrie into his hands, whilest she (like a woman of great wisedome, as she was no lesse indéed) iudging that it stood hir vpon to vse the victorie which fell to hir lot, slept not hir businesse, but went forward, and setting from Glocester, she came to Winchester, where she was honorablie receiued of bishop Henrie, though he was king Stephans brother, and inwardlie lamented the misfortune of the king. ”

“ The French king maketh warre against the duke of Normandie. The French king was nothing pleased with this mariage, in somuch that he made sore warre vpon duke Henrie, ioining himselfe in league with king Stephan, with his sonne Eustace, and with the lord Geffrey brother to duke Henrie, so that the said Henrie was constreined to defer his iournie into England, and applie his power to defend his countries and subiects on that side of the sea. ”

“ Then sith you shall haue to doo with naked men, and such as vse not to weare any armour at all, but more méet for brablers and ale-house quarrellers than men of warre vsed to the field: what should you stand in doubt of? Their huge number is not able to stand against your skilfull order and practised knowledge in all warlike feats and martiall discipline. A rude multitude is but a let, rather than a furtherance to atchiue the victorie. ”

“ 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. ”

“ The resort of strangers to serue king Stephan. There came ouer vnto him also a great number of Flemings and Britons to serue him as souldiers, whom he reteined, to be the stronger and better able to defend himselfe against the malice of the empresse, by whom he looked to be molested he wist not how soone. Wherefore he shewed himselfe verie liberall, courteous, and gentle towards all maner of persons at the first, and (to saie truth) more liberall, familiar, and free harted than stood with the maiestie of a king: which was afterward a cause that he grew into contempt. ”

“ The Scots put in feare of spéedie comming to encounter them, drew backe into Scotland: but he pursued them, and entring into their countrie burned and destroied the south parts of that realme in most miserable maner. Whilest king Stephan was thus about to beat backe the forren enimies, and reuenge himselfe on them, he was assailed by other at home, & not without the iust vengeance of almightie God, who meant to punish him for his periurie committed in taking vpon him the crowne, contrarie to his Robert earle of Glocester. oth made vnto the empresse and hir [83] children. ”

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

“ 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. ”

“ King Stephan hauing no pleasant voice of himselfe, appointed earle Baldwin to giue an exhortation to his armie, wherevpon getting himselfe Earle Baldwin his oration on the behalfe of king Stephan. to an high place where he might be seene & heard of them, he thus began. "All such as shall giue battell, ought to foresée thrée things: first, that their cause be righteous: secondlie, the number of their men to be equall at the least: and thirdlie, the goodnesse and sufficiencie of them. ”

“ Herevpon the kings brother commanded the preest to follow him, insomuch that when oportunitie serued, for his diligent seruice, and readie dispatch of matters, when Henrie had atteined the The bishop of Salisburie made lord chancelour. crowne, he was by him aduanced to great promotions: as first to be Chancelour of England, & after bishop of Salisburie, growing still into such estimation, that he might doo more with the king than any other of the councell. ”

“ The force of erle Robert is well knowne, his maner is to threaten much, & to worke little, furious in words, The earle of Chester. eloquent of speach, but cold or rather dead harted in déeds. The earle of Chester what is he? A man of vnreasonable boldnesse, bent to conspiracie, inconstant to performe that which he rashlie taketh in hand, readie to run into batell, vncircumspect in danger, practising things of great importance, séeking after things vnpossible, bringing with him few good soldiers, but gathering a vagrant rout of rascals. ”

“ The kingdome being thus diuided into two seueral factions, was by all similitudes like to come to vtter ruine: for the people kindled in hatred one against another, sought nothing else but reuenge on both sides, and still the land was spoiled and wasted by the men of warre which lodged within the castels and fortresses, and would often issue out to harrie and spoile the countries. ”

“ 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. ”

“ The continuall successe of victorie ought to be a prouocation vnto you to doo manfullie: the continuance of euil speed may be to yonder side an occasion to run away. For euen alreadie (I dare say) they repent them of their comming hither, and could be contented to be gone, if the nature of the place would suffer them to depart. Then sith it is not possible for them either to fight or to flée, what other thing can they doo, but (as appointed by Gods ordinance) offer themselues and all they haue about them presentlie vnto vs. ”

“ About the same time manie of the Nobles of the realme (perceiuing the kings authoritie to represse violent wrongs committed by euill dooers to be defectiue) builded sundrie strong castels and fortresses vpon their owne grounds, either to defend themselues, or to make force vpon their enimies néere adioining. After the departing of the king from Lincolne, the earle of Chester came thither with an armie, to assaie if he might recouer that citie. ”

“ Henrie earle of Huntington his valiancie. His sonne Henrie the earle of Huntington more regarding his honour, than the danger of life, neither mooued with the flight of his father, nor the ouerthrow of the other, came in amongst his men, being readie to turne their backes, and with bold countenance spake these or the like words vnto them, as the shortnesse of the time would permit. "Whither go you good fellowes? Here shall you find armour and force, neither shall you, whilest life remaineth in your capteine (whom ye ought to follow) depart without the victorie. ”

“ Thrée things to be foreséene by them that shall giue battell. righteousnes of their cause ought to be regarded, least men runne in danger of the soule; the number of men is to be respected, least they should be oppressed with multitude of enimies; and the goodnesse of the soldiers is to be considered, least trusting in the multitude, they should presume vpon the aid of feeble persons, & such as are of small valure. ”

“ Shortlie after he besieged the castell of Cranemers, and cast a trench about it, so as his people within Wallingford castell [103] might haue free libertie to come foorth at their pleasure: but as for those within the castell of Cranemers, they were so hardlie holden in, that there was no waie for them to start out.
The king aduertised hereof, got all his host togither, and marched forward verie terriblie toward duke Henries campe. ”

“ Ernulfus the sonne of earle Geffrey Mandeuile that kept the church of Ramsey as a fortresse, after his fathers death, was taken at length and banished.
¶ Thus we see how Gods iudgement hunteth and pursueth the wicked, in somuch that they be ouertaken in their owne imaginations: according to that of the scripture, "The wicked and bloudthirstie man shall not liue halfe his daies." ”

“ The chiefest part of his armed men he appointed to remaine on foot, amongst whom he placed himselfe, with certeine noble men, as earle Baldwin, and others. The residue being horssemen, he disposed into two seuerall wings, in one of which were The earles of Norfolke, Hampton, Mellent, & Waren. Alaine duke of Britaine, Hugh Bigot earle of Norfolke, Simon earle of Hampton, and two other carles, Mellent and Waren: Howbeit they were not furnished with such number of men as had béene requisit; for as it fell out, they brought no great retinues with them. The earle of Albermarle, William de Ypres. ”

“ A small number of your worthie elders haue oftentimes vanquished great multitudes of enimies." As the bishop was thus speaking to the English armie, and before he grew to an end of his exhortation, the Scots approched with their battels, & first certeine of their bands of horssemen were sent afore, to take the higher ground: which when the Englishmen perceiued, they staied not till the enimies should begin the The Englishmen set vpon the Scots. battell, but straightwaies caused their trumpets to sound, and so giue the onset. ”

“ The king hauing now accomplished his purpose, taken the castell of Leides, and brought the state of the realme to a meetlie good staie, thought it expedient after the late ouerthrow giuen to the Scots, to pursue the victorie, and vtterlie to subdue them with all expedition. He Polydor. Matth. Paris. K. Stephan inuadeth Scotland. brought his armie therefore into Scotland, first wasting and spoiling the countrie, and afterward preparing to fight with such Scots as came foorth to defend their goods and houses. ”

“ This onelie resteth (I saie) that you make waie for you to enter the citie with force of your weapons. If I be not deceiued in that which my mind giueth me to coniecture, the lacke of meanes to escape, otherwise than by shewing your selues valiant men, by Gods helpe will bring vs the victorie. For he must néeds plaie the man, who hath not other succor to auoid the danger of destruction The citizens of Lincolne, who shall fight so néere their houses as you shall sée, will not staie long to get them thither for their refuge. ”

“ Then setteth foorth Simon earle of Hampton, whose déeds consist in words, & whose gifts rest in promises. For when he hath said, he hath doone; & when he hath promised, ye get no more. Finallie there come togither a knot of Péeres & Noble men, [Like maister, like seruants.] like to their king and maister, accustomed to robberies, enriched with rapines, embrued with manslaughters, & defamed with periurie. You therefore (most valiant capteins & hardie souldiers) whom king Henrie hath aduanced, and this man hath brought vnder foot; whom he made wealthie, and this man hath impouerished ”

“ Hugh Bigot. (as some authors rehearse) for that Hugh Bigot, sometime steward to king Henrie the first, immediatlie after the decease of king Henrie, came into England, and as well before the archbishop of Canturburie, as diuers other lords of the land, tooke a voluntarie oth (although most men thinke that he was hired so to doo bicause of great promotion) declaring vpon the same that he was present a little before king Henries death, when the same king adopted and chose his nepheue Stephan to be his heire and successour, bicause his daughter, the empresse had gréeuouslie displeased him. ”