1135.
An. Reg. 1.Stephan earle of Bullongne, the sonne of Stephan erle of Blois, by hiswife Adela, daughter to William Conquerour, came ouer with all speedafter the death of his vncle, and tooke vpon him the gouernement of therealme of England, partlie through confidence which he had in thepuissance and strength of his brother Theobald earle of Blois, andpartlie by the aid of his brother Henrie bishop of Winchester and abbatof Glastenburie, although that he with other of the Nobles had sworneafore to be true vnto the empresse and hir issue as lawfull heires ofking Henrie latelie deceased.
A tempest. Matth. West.The same daie that he arriued in England, there chanced a mightie greattempest of thunder, horrible to heare, and lightning dreadfull tobehold. Now bicause this happened in the winter time, it séemed againstnature, and therefore it was the more noted as a foreshewing of sometrouble and calamitie to come.
[79]This Stephan began his reigne ouer the realme of England the seconddayof December, in the yere of our Lord 1135. in the eleuenth yeare of theemperour Lothair, the sixt of pope Innocentius the second, and about thexxvii. of Lewes the seuenth, surnamed Crassus king of France, Dauid thefirst of that name then reigning in Scotland, & entring into the twelfeMatth. Paris. Wil. Mal. Simon Dun.of his regiment. He was crowned at Westminster vpon S. Stephans day, byWilliam archbishop of Canturburie, the most part of the Nobles of therealme being present, and swearing fealtie vnto him, as to their trueand lawfull souereigne.
Howbeit, there were diuerse of the wiser sort of all estates, whichregarding their former oth, could haue béene contented that the empresseshould haue gouerned till hir sonne had come to lawfull age;notwithstanding they held their peace as yet, and consented vntoPeriurie punished.Stephan. But this breach of their othes was worthilie punishedafterward, insomuch that as well the bishops as the other Nobles eitherdied an euill death, or were afflicted with diuerse kinds of calamitiesand mischances, and that euen here in this life, of which some of themas occasion serueth shall be remembred hereafter. Yet there were of themWil. Malm. The bishop of Salisburies protestation.(and namelie the bishop of Salisburie) which protested that they werefrée from their oth of allegiance made to the said empresse, bicausethat without the consent of the lords of the land she was maried out ofthe realme, whereas they tooke their oth to receiue hir for queene, vponthat condition, that without their assent she should not marrie with anyperson out of the realme.
The bishops think to please God in breaking their oth.Moreouer (as some writers thinke) the bishops tooke it, that they shoulddoo God good seruice in prouiding for the wealth of the realme, and theaduancement of the church by their periurie. For whereas the latedeceassed king vsed himselfe not altogither for their purpose, theythought that if they might set vp and creat a king chéeflie by theirespeciall meanes and authoritie, he would follow their counsell better,and reforme such things as they iudged to be amisse. But a great causethat mooued manie of the lords vnto the violating thus of their oth, wasMatth. Paris. Hugh Bigot.(as some authors rehearse) for that Hugh Bigot, sometime steward to kingHenrie the first, immediatlie after the decease of king Henrie, cameinto England, and