he answered, that the remedy was worse than the disease; and so it is said, died a virgin.

Upon the tenth of October, the river of Medway, that runs by Rochester, failed so of water for many miles together, that in the midst of the channel the smallest vessels could not pass; and the same day also in the Thames, between the Tower and London Bridge men waded over on foot for the space of two days. A great fire happened in London which consumed a long tract of buildings from Westcheap to Aldgate, and several other great cities in England were likewise burnt down about this time; in the thirteenth year of this King's reign many prodigies were seen, a a pig was farrowed with a face like a child; a chicken was hatched with four legs, and the sun was so deeply eclipsed, that by reason of the darkness, many stars did plainly appear. This King left behind him only one daughter named Maud, who could never come to be Queen, though born to a kingdom. She was married at six years old to the Emperor Henry the fourth, and after his death, she was again married to Fulk Duke of Anjou. Yet her father took much care to establish the succession in her and her issue, and therefore he called his nobility together, and among them David King of Scots, and made them take their oaths of allegiance to her, and her heirs. This he did three years one after another, wherein nothing pleased him so much, as that Stephen Earl of Blois was the first man that took the oath, because he was known to be, or it was known at least, that he might be a pretender to the crown. But the King should have considered, that no oath is binding when the getting a kingdom is the price of breaking it, and especially to Stephen who was so deeply interested. Yet providence could do no more, and the King was well satisfied with it, especially when he saw his daughter mother of two sons; for this, though it gave him no assurance, yet it gave him assured hope to have the crown perpetuated in his posterity.

Yet after King Henry was dead, Stephen ascends the throne, as being Earl of Bulleing, son to Stephen Earl of Blois, by Adela daughter of King William the conqueror, and though there were two before him, that is, Maud the Empress, and Theobald his elder brother, yet taking hold of opportunity, while the other lingered about smaller affairs, he solicits all the orders of the realm, bishops, lords, and people to receive him for their sovereign: and so upon St. Stephen's day 1135, he was crowned King at Westminster, and to ingratiate himself, he eased the people of divers taxes and impositions. Yet Stephen was no sooner in the chair of state, but David King of

E

Scots enters England with an army to defend the right of Maud, but he was soon compounded with, and so was Geoffrey Duke of Anjou, Maud's husband.

Soon after Maud herself comes into England, and was received by some persons for Queen; and Stephen hearing that some of her forces had besieged Lincoln, goes thither, where his army was overthrown, and himself taken prisoner, and carried to Maud, who committed him to Bristol castle. And being flushed with success, she takes her journey toward London, and was there received joyfully, as well as in other places, where Matilda wife of King Stephen made humble suit to her for the liberty of her husband, and that he might be suffered only to live a private life. The Londoners likewise having received her into the city as their Queen, thought now (as subjects usually do with new Princes) they might have what they would reasonably ask; and therefore humbly besought her, that the severe laws imposed upon them by her father, might be remitted, and those of King Edward might wholly be in force. But she rejected both these petitions, some say out of pride, others say out of mistaken policy, as thinking it most safe to act matters of importance, not upon intreaty but freely, and to govern the subjects with severity rather than

mildness,

But those harsh and insulting answers she gave them, were at that time very unseasonable, and though they might have been more proper in a settled government, yet in this her green and unstable estate, they gave a stop to the current of all her fortunes. For Matilda finding by this how high the Empress's pulse beat, sent to her son Eustace to raise forces in Kent, since their suits must be only obtained by the sword. The nobles likewise, who set up King Stephen, finding themselves slighted, and the Londoners being as much discontented as they, join with them, and contrive how to seize upon the Empress in the city, and so redeem King Stephen, to whom their affections were firm. Of which Maud having notice, fled secretly out of London and went to Oxford; and from thence sent strict command that King Stephen should be laid in irons, and narrowly watched, and fed with very mean commons; and sending to David King of Scots for assistance, they laid siege to Winchester.

Matilda, King Stephen's wife, hearing of this, she with her son Eustace, and the assistance of the Londoners came presently to the relief of the place, where a fierce battle was fought, and Matilda's party prevailed, and the Empress Maud to make her escape, was fain to be laid upon a horse back like a dead corps, aud so conveyed to

Gloucester. But Earl Robert her Brother, disdaining to fly, was taken prisoner, and used more hardly by Queen Matilda for her husband King Stephen's sake; but a while after, whether by agreement, or contrivance, both Stephen and Robert also made their escape out of prison.

King Stephen being at liberty, seeks out the Empress, to requit the kindness she had shewn him in prison, and hearing her to be at Oxford, he follows her thither, and lays siege to the town, and brought the Empress to such distress, that she had now no way to save herself but by flight. But being a woman (whose sex hath often deceived wise men) she resolved once more to over-reach her enemy by craft, since she could do it by force. For it being a very cold winter, the river Thames that runs by the walls of Oxford, was very hard frozen, and at the same time a deep snow covered the ground; Maud takes the advantage thereof, and clothing herself and four of her company in white linen garments to deceive the eyes of the centinel, she goes secretly in the night, out of a postern gate, and passing the frozen river, ran on foot through ice and snow, ditches, and vallies for five miles together, till she came to Abington, the falling snow beating in their faces all the way, and there taking horse, the same night got into Wallingford castle. But though Maud escaped this present danger, yet it left such an impression of fear upon her, that she never after had a mind to appear upon the stage of war, but left the prosecution of it to her son Henry, who was now about sixteen years of age.

And not long after, Eustace, King Stephen's son died, and being left destitute of issue to succeed him, he was the more easy drawn to conditions of peace: and so it was at last concluded that Stephen should hold the kingdom of England, and adopt Henry as his heir to succeed him. This agreement thus made and confirmed by parliament, Henry accounted King Stephen ever after as his father, and Stephen, Henry as his son; and well he might if it be true which some write, that Maud his mother, when a battle was to be fought between King Stephen and her son, went privately to him, asking him, how he could find in his heart to fight against him that was his own son? could he forget the familiarity he had with her in her widowhood. But however it was, King Stephen and Henry continued in mutual love and concord, as long as they lived together.

In the eighth year of King Stephen, a synod was held in London, by Henry Bishop of Winchester: where it was decreed, that whosoever should lay violent hand upon any clergyman, should not be

forgiven but by the Pope himself: and from this time forward, clergymen were exempt from the power of the civil magistrate. In this King's time there appeared two children, a boy and a girl, clad in green, in a stuff unknown; of a strange language and diet; the boy being baptized, died shortly after, but the girl lived to be an old woman and being asked from whence they were, she answered, they were of the land of St. Martin, where there are christian churches erected, but that no sun did ever rise unto them; but where the land is, or how she came hither she knew not. This story is related by many very credible historians, and if true, we may thereby learn, that there are other parts of the world than those which to us are known. In the fifteenth year of this King, the River Thames was so frozen at London, that horse and cart passed over upon the ice. In his time likewise lived Johannes de Temporibus, of whom it is recorded, that he lived three hundred and sixty-one years; he was one of Charlemain the Emperor's guard, and died in the reign of Conradus the IIId. 1139.

After the death of King Stephen, Henry Duke of Anjou succeeded, according to agreement, by the title of King Henry the Second, and was crowned at Westminster in the Year 1155. This King had very much vexation from Thomas Becket, that proud and insolent Archbishop of Canterbury, a Londoner by birth. The King requiring to have it ordained, that the clergy who were malefactors, should be tried before the secular magistrate. This Becket opposed it, alledging it was against the liberty of the church, and therefore against the honour of God. Many bishops stood with the King, and some few with Becket: the contention grew long and hot, so that the King being extremely disturbed, said on a time, shall I never be at quiet for this priest? If I had any about me that loved me, they would find some way or other to rid me of this trouble. Which complaint four of his knights that stood by, hearing, they presently went to Canterbury, and finding Becket in the cathedral, they struck him on the head, and felling him down, killed him in the place. But this created more trouble, for though with much intercession the Pope pardoned the four knights, being only enjoined pennance to go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Yet the King's was more severe; for going to Canterbury, as soon as he came in sight of Becket's church, alighting off his horse, and putting off his hose and shoes, he went barefoot to the tomb; and for a further pennance, suffered himself to be beaten with rods upon his bare skin by every monk in the cloister.

This King Henry first ordained that the lions should be kept in the Tower of London. In the tenth year of his reign London Bridge

was new built with timber by Peter of Colechurch, a priest. And in his twenty-second year, after the foundation of St. Mary Overy's church, in Southwark, the stone bridge began to be founded, towards which, a cardinal and an archbishop of Canterbury gave a thousand marks. This King had many concubines, and among the rest Rosamond, daughter of Walter Lord Clifford, whom he kept at Woodstock, in lodgings, so cunningly contrived, that no stranger could find the way in. Yet Queen Eleanor did, by a clew of silk fallen from Rosamond's lap as she sat to take the air, who suddenly flying from the sight of her pursuer, the end of the silk fastened to her foot, and the clew still unwinding, remained behind; which the Queen followed, till she found her whom she sought for, in her labyrinth. So much is the eye of jealousy quicker in finding out, than the eye of care is in hiding. What the Queen did to Rosamond when she came to her, is uncertain; but this is certain, that Rosamond lived but a short time after. King Henry had two sons by her, William called Long-Sword, Earl of Salisbury, and Jeffery Archbishop of York.

In the sixteenth year of his reign, King Henry caused his eldest son Henry to be crowned at Westminster, by the hands of Roger, Archbishop of York, and caused all the lords to swear allegiance to him, as having found by experience, that oaths for succession are commonly eluded, but oaths for present allegiance can have no evasion. At the feast of this solemnity, King Henry, to honour his son, would needs carry up the first dish to his table. Whereupon Archbishop Roger standing by, and saying merrily to the new King, what an honour is this to you, to have such a waiter at your table: he briskly replied, why what a matter is it for him that was but the son of a duke to do service to me that am the son of a King and Queen. Which the old King hearing, began to repent of what he had done; yet he passed it over, and set the best side outward.

This young King died before his father, so that Richard the First, the eldest son then living, succeeded his father on the throne, and was crowned at Westminster, 1189. He drained great sums of money from the Londoners, and made them recompence in franchises and liberties. And indeed the laws and ordinances in his time were chiefly made for the meridian of London. For whereas before his time the city was governed by Portgraves, this King granted them to be governed by two Sheriffs and a Mayor, as it is now. And to give the first of these magistrates the honour to be remembered, the names of the Sheriffs were Henry Cornhill, and Richard Reyner; and the name of the first Lord Mayor was Henry Fitzalwin, who continued Mayor during his life,