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newal of his wife's claims by Robert earl of Gloucester, natural son of the late king, a nobleman who had, from the beginning, opposed the accession of Stephen, and only waited a fit opportunity to begin an insurrection. This haughty baron, having atlength settled with his friends the project of an opposition, retired to the continent, to the court of Matilda, and from thence sent the king a defiance, solemnly renouncing his allegiance. It was not long before he was in a capacity effectually to second his declarations; for sensible of the power of his party in England, he landed, together with Matilda, whose claims he professed to support, upon the coast of Sussex. The whole of Matilda's retinue, upon this occasion, amounted to no more than an hundred and forty knights, who immediately took possession of Arundel castle; but the nature of her claims soon encreased the number of her partizans, and her forces every day seemed to gain. A. D. ground upon those of her antagonist. Mean time Stephen, being assured of her arrival, flew to besiege Arundel, where she had taken refuge, and where she was protected by the queen dowager, who secretly favoured her pretensions. This fortress was too feeble to promise a long defence; and it would have been soon taken, had it not been represented to the king, that as it was a castle belonging to the queen dowager, it would be an infringement on the respect which was her due, to attempt taking it by force. There was a spirit of generosity mixed with the rudeness of the times, that unaccountably prevailed in many transactions; Stephen permitted Matilda to come forth in safety, and had her conveyed with security. to Bristol, another fortress equally strong with that from whence he permitted her to retire. If would be tedious to relate the various skirmishes on either side, in pursuance of their respective pretensions;

1139.

it will suffice to say, that Matilda's forces encreased every day, while her antagonist seemed every hour to become more unpopular. The troops Stephen led were, in general, foreign mercenaries, commanded by tumultuous barons, more accustomed to pillage than to conquer. But, in this fluctuation of success, the kingdom was exposed to ruin, which ever side pretended to victory. The castles of the nobility were become receptacles for licensed robbers, who gave their rapine the name of attachment to party. The land was left untilled, the instruments of husbandry were destroyed or abandoned, and a terrible famine, the result of general disorder, oppressed at once the spoiled and the spoilers.

1141.

After the misery of numberless undecisive conflicts, added to the rest of the country's calamities, a complete victory, gained by the forces of Matil da, promised to terminate their disputes. Stephen had marched his forces to relieve the city of Lincoln; the earl of Gloucester led a body of troops to second the efforts of the besiegers. A. D. These two armies engaged within sight of the city, and a dreadful conflict ensued. After a violent shock, the two wings of Stephen's army, which were composed of horse, were put to flight; and the infantry soon following their example, deserted their king. All the race of the Norman conqueror were brave. Stephen was for some time left without attendants, and fought on foot in the midst of his enemies, assaulted by multitudes, and resisting all their efforts, with astonishing intrepidity. Being hemmed in on every side, he made way for some time with his battleax; but that breaking, he drew out his sword and dealt his blows round the circle in which he was enclosed, At length, after performing more than could be naturally expected from a single arm, his

sword flying in pieces, he was obliged to surrender himself a prisoner. He was conducted to Gloucester; and though at first treated with respect, he was soon after, on some suspicions, thrown into prison and laid in irons.

Stephen and his party now seemed totally disabled. Matilda was possessed not only of superior power, but also the juster title. She was considered as incontestable sovereign, and the barons came in daily from all quarters to do her homage. The bishop of Winchester himself, who had espoused her cause against his brother, admitted her claims; he led her in procession into his cathedral, and blessed her with the greatest solemnity; the archbishop of Canterbury also swore allegiance; and shortly after an ecclesiastical council, at which none of the laity assisted, except deputies from the eity of London, confirmed her pretensions; and she was crowned at Winchester with all imaginable solemnity.

A. D.

1141.

A crown thus every way secured, seemed liable to be shaken by no accidents; yet such is the vanity of human security, and such was the great encrease of power among the barons, who were in effect masters of those they nominally elected as governors, that Matilda remained but a short time in possession of the throne. This princess, beside the disadvantages of the sex, which weakened her influence over a martial people, was resolved upon repressing the growing power of the nobles, who had left only the shadow of authority to their sovereign. But having neither temper, nor policy sufficient to carry her views into execution, she disgusted those by her pride, to whom she was obliged for her power. The first petition she refused, was the releasement of Stephen; she rejected the remonstrance of the Londoners, who intreated her to

mitigate the several laws of the Norman princes and revive those of Edward the Confessor. She affected to treat the nobility with a degree of disdain, to which they had long been unaccustomed : while the fickle nation once more began to pity their deposed king, and to repent the steps they had taken in her favour. The bishop of Winchester, who probably was never her sincere partizan, was not remiss in fomenting these discontents; and when he found the people ripe for a tumult, de. tached a party of his friends and vassals, to block up the city of London, where the queen then resided. At the same time measures were taken to instigate the Londoners to revolt, and to seize her person. Matilda having timely notice of this conspiracy, fled to Winchester, whither the bishop, still her secret enemy, followed her, watching an opportunity to ruin her cause. His party was soon sufficiently strong to bid the queen open defiance; and to besiege her in the very place, where she first received his benediction. There she continued for some time, but the town being pressed by famine she was obliged to escape, while her brother the earl of Gloucester endeavouring to follow, was taken prisoner, and exchanged for Stephen, who still continued a captive. Thus a sudden revolution once more took place; Matilda was deposed and obliged to seek for safety in Oxford, Stephen was again recognised as king, and taken from his dungeon to be placed on the throne.

The civil war now broke out afresh, with all its train of devastations. Many were the battles fought and various the stratagems of those who conducted the affairs of either party. Matilda, escaped from Oxford at a time when the fields were covered with snow, by being dressed all in white, with four knights her attendants, habited in the same manner. Stephen was upon another occasion sur

prised by the earl of Gloucester at Wilton; and obliged to find safety by flight. Another time the empress was obliged to quit the kingdom; and the death of the earl of Gloucester soon after, who was the soul of her party, gave a dreadful blow to her interest.

Yet still the affairs of Stephen continued to fluctuate. Though this monarch had the good fortune to see his rival fly to the continent, and leave him entire possession of the kingdom; though his brother, was possessed of the highest authority among the clergy, yet he was still insecure. Finding that the castles built by the noblemen of his own party encouraged a spirit of independence, and were little less dangerous than those which remained in the hands of the enemy, he endeavoured to gain these; and this attempt united many of his own adherents against him. This discontent was encreased by the opposition of the clergy, who, from having been on his side, began to declare loudly in favour of his opponents. The pope laid his whole party under an interdict, for his having refused to send deputies, to be named, by himself, to the general council at Rheims. By this sentence which was now first practised in England, divine service was prohibited, and all the offices, of religion ceased, except baptism and extreme unction. This state of Stephen's affairs looked so unpromising, thata revolution was once more expected, when submission to the see of Rome for a while suspended the threatened blow.

Stephen had hitherto been opposed only by men who seconded the pretensions of another; and who consequently wanted that popularity, which those have who fight their own cause. But he was now to enter the lists with a new opposer, who was every day coming to maturity, and growing more formidable. This was Henry, the son of Matilda,

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